President, army leader meet to ease tension

Guinea-Bissau President Kumba Yala and the leader of the June 1998 military uprising, Ansumane Mane, met in Bissau on Thursday to discuss ways to improve relations between the country‘s civil and military authorities, Lusa reported.

There has been growing tension between the two with civilians accusing the military of taking the law into their own hands and committing human rights violations. The tension has increased recently over the refusal of navy commander Lamine Sanha to accept his dismissal in April by the government for freeing a Korean ship caught fishing illegally in Guinea-Bissau waters.

“The military is reportedly upset that Sanha was dismissed without prior consultation with the commander of the armed forces, Verissimo Correia Seabra,” Lusa said.

Since the uproar, Yala has said he would maintain open channels of communication with the military.

Among those present at Tuesday’s meeting were the new Roman Catholic bishop of Bissau, the Most Reverend Jose Camnate, and businessman Carlos Domingos Gomes. Both are members of a goodwill commission set up during the 11-month conflict that followed the military uprising, Lusa said.