Military Junta warns politicians

Guinea Bissau’s Military Junta has reacted sharply to criticism from politicians of its decision to allow deposed president Nino Vieira to leave the country to seek medical attention abroad, Lusa reported. Speaking on radio on Sunday in the name of Junta leader Ansumane Mane, radio announcer Nino Grilo accused political leaders who have blamed Mane for Vieira’s exit of opportunism and said they had failed to mention an agreement with The Gambia, under which Vieira must return to Bissau to stand trial. Gambian Foreign Minister Sedat Jobe headed a three-man Gambian delegation that mediated Vieira’s departure with the authorities in Bissau. On Tuesday, ‘The Gambia Daily’ quoted Jobe as saying that shortly before Vieira was allowed to leave Bissau, he confirmed to the authorities that he would return after his treatment to answer charges that he committed corruption while in office. Lusa quoted Grilo as issuing the following warning to prominent politicians: “Never, never raise the name of Brigadier Ansumane Mane, otherwise you may have serious problems”. Reacting to the warning, Helder Vaz, head of the parliamentary faction of the Resistencia da Guine-Bissau- Movimento Ba- Fata party, declared Monday that there was a risk of “a return to the past and to dictatorship in Guinea Bissau”, Lusa reported.