Women's protest prompts Conte to threaten importers

A protest by Guinean women at the rising price of rice and other basic commodities has prompted President Lansana Conte to threaten importers that they will be driven out of business unless food prices come down. Conte, who has his eye on presidential elections due in December, issued the blunt ultimatum on Thursday after a protest march by women through the streets of the capital Conakry 24 hours earlier. The march is an annual affair to commemorate an unprecedented protest demonstration by Guinean women in 1977 to protest against the Marxist-Leninist economic policies of former dictator Ahmed Sekou Toure, which severely restricted what they could buy or sell in the market. Sekou Toure caved in to their demands after they marched on his presidential palace and ever then since 27 August has been celebrated as an unoffocial "women's liberation day". But this year the participants in the "economic emmancipation" march focused very much on current economic problems, in particular the rapid devaluation of the Guinean franc, which has caused food prices to rocket over the past month. The wholesale price of a standard 45 kg bag of rice has soared to the equivalent of $US 17, while the retail price has leapt to $20. Following the demonstration, Conte summoned businessmen to an impromptu meeting on Thursday where he told them: "Either you sell a bag for US $13, as agreed with the government, or I will cancel your licenses and close your businesses." Conte, who seized power in a 1984 coup, said he was not afraid of causing food shortages by such a drastic measure. "I'd rather the population die of hunger because of unavailability rather than of high costs," he stated. Rice is the staple food of Guinea's 8.2 million inhabitants, but most of it is imported by private businessmen granted licenses by the state. Mohamed Ba, a senior figure in Guinea's divided and severely restricted opposition, told IRIN: "It is just because we are in an election year that the President is now making an effort to control prices." "After all, these businessmen who have friends in high places have literally held the people to ransom over the years because of the government's weakness," he added. Mouctarr Diallo, a businessman at the Madina trading centre in Conakry, said the president was taking undue advantage of traders. "It is the weak state of the economy that is forcing prices to rise," he said.