Calm returns but strikes continue

Calm returned to the Guinean capital, Conakry, on Wednesday after two days of street violence that pitted students and unemployed youths against security forces, but a nationwide strike continued. Some market women returned to their stalls to sell food and sundries, but shops, banks and other businesses remained closed as the strike entered its seventh day. Few cars circulated and public transport remained stalled. Soldiers have largely disappeared from downtown, but they continued patrolling northern neighbourhoods, such as Matoto and Bambeto, where rioting had broken out on Monday and Tuesday. Eyewitnesses reported seeing up to 13 corpses of people killed in rioting and clashes between soldiers and student protesters. Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan voiced deep concern over the reported killing of some 10 students during the demonstrations. In a statement issued in New York on Tuesday he called on authorities to exercise restraint. School students started marching on Monday after 12,000 members of the teachers union joined the strike, preventing them from taking their final exams. The government later postponed the exams indefinitely. Annan also appealed to the various segments of Guinean society to continue to engage in constructive dialogue. The government of President Lansana Conte and union leaders were to resume negotiations on Wednesday. Led by the Confederation of Guinean Workers (CNTG) and the Union Syndicate of Guinean Workers (USTG), the unions want the government to lower prices for rice and fuel. The government has accused opposition parties of manipulating the demonstrators and warned political leaders against attempts at destabilisation. But opposition politician Ba Mamadou said on Wednesday that it was not a question of “infiltrating” the students because, in fact, political parties were already part of the movement protesting the government. “We are part of the operation; we are working with the unions,” he said. He recalled a meeting of a coalition of 15 political parties, civic groups and religious organisations in March that focused on Guinea’s problems and how best to confront them. The meeting, he said, was the beginning of a more collective effort to pressure the Conte government. Conte, who ailing, has ruled Guinea since 1984. International observers say that presidential and parliamentary elections held in recent years were not transparent or fair. mc/as/cs/nr