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News
GUINEA MINISTERS SUBMIT TO REBELS
Guinea’s prime minister and some 30 other ministers have submitted to the leaders of a military coup.
The government officials met Capt Moussa Dadis Camara, who has declared himself Guinea’s new president, at a military base in the capital, Conakry.
The rebels staged the coup on Tuesday, just hours after the death of veteran strongman President Lansana Conte.
There has been international condemnation of the coup, but it was welcomed by some people in Guinea.
Sick and tired of despotic rule under the former president and his hugely corrupt government, Guineans are pinning their hopes on the military, the BBC’s West Africa correspondent Will Ross says.
Junta’s pledge
On Thursday, Capt Camara told the government ministers they would be “safe”, urging them to assist the new regime, which he said would only remain in power until elections could be held.
“You can go back to business, let us just avoid armed conflict which would drag our country into fratricidal war,” he said during a meeting at the Alpha Yaya Diallo barracks in the capital, Conakry.
Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare then submitted to Capt Camara.
“We are at your complete disposal,” he said. “We thank you once again for your wisdom, Mr President.”
Government leaders had previously insisted they were still in control.
But Capt Camara had warned that if the ministers did not present themselves at the barracks, “we will organise a search across the entire country”.
On Thursday, Capt Camara said the new 32-member ruling council replacing the government and other institutions would hold “free, credible and transparent elections” in December 2010, when Mr Conte’s presidential term would have ended.
“The council has no ambitions to hold on to power. The only reason is the need to safeguard territorial integrity. That is the only reason. There is no ulterior motive,” he said.
Capt Camara also said he had no intention of standing in the elections and that he wanted to restore order to the country and rid it of corruption. - BBC
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