NGOs stress national sovereignty

A group of 15 national and international NGOs on Thursday called on the government and military authorities of Guinea-Bissau to defend the country’s sovereignty. In a communique issued at the end of a three-day meeting in Bissau, they urged the government to “work quickly and effectively towards ending the constant violation of our borders by foreign forces and guarantee the safety of our population in the border regions”. They called on the military to guarantee the defence of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, ensure the safety and protection of civilians and respect the constitution. The calls came against the background of tension earlier this month along the border with Senegal.