- Title: GUINEA: Guinea strike brings Capital to halt
- Date: 13th October 2009
- Summary: CONAKRY, GUINEA (OCTOBER 12, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CLOSED SHOPS IN MADENA MARKET SHOPKEEPERS IN FRONT OF THEIR CLOSED SHOPS (SOUNDBITE) (Peul) SHOPKEEPER AMADOU SADIO SOW, SAYING: "We follow what the union leaders tell us. Some of our colleagues are dead. We are not members of the CNDD, only members of the army are part of the CNDD. Today, we choose to stay at hom
- Embargoed: 28th October 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Guinea
- Country: Guinea
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVABF9ASPJTW7FLDDYFRBO78BBWS
- Story Text: Unions call for a two-day strike, bringing the usually bustling streets of Guinea's capital to a halt.
A strike in Guinea brought its capital to a halt on Monday (October 10), and union sources said it also hit bauxite exports as well as operations at the country's aluminium refinery.
A collection of unions called for a two-day strike after rally in September by tens of thousands of people protesting against the military rulers was quashed by soldiers, killing dozens of people.
Amadou Sadio Sow -- one of the local shopkeepers in Conakry -- closed his shop in show of solidarity with the unions.
"We follow what the union leaders tell us. Some of our colleagues are dead. We are not members of the CNDD, only members of the army are part of the CNDD. Today, we choose to stay at home and respect the curfew, because if we don't, we can get killed," said Sow.
Most public and private offices remained closed on Monday morning, with the usually bustling streets largely empty at the start of the working week.
Mining operations in the mineral-rich but vastly untapped West African nation -- the world's top bauxite-exporter -- were also affected, officials said.
Aboubacar Sylla -- the leader of a group of unions -- said that they used to support the current military regime, they are now however, distancing themselves from the government.
"Unfortunately as time went by, we realised that we didn't have the same objectives. And eventually, we find out we are no longer on the same page," said Sylla in an interview with Reuters.
Over 150 people were killed on September 28 when security forces fired live rounds on protesters, calling on Guinea's military ruler Captain Moussa Dadis Camara to step down, a local rights group and witnesses said.
Camara came to power in a bloodless December 2008 coup but his leadership of Guinea has looked increasingly tenuous as he faces a wave of international condemnation.
The obscure army officer -- who he seized power last year on the death of former president Lasana Conte -- has denied responsibility for the violence and blamed it on unruly army elements, foreign mercenaries or a crowd stampede.
"More than 150 people have been killed, more that 1000 injured, women abused and raped, and a lot of people detained illegally -- and those who are dead, their bodies have not been found. All these people deserve justice, and with all these problems that popped up and worsened the situation, you must admit that we have taken all the proper measures," said Sylla.
Despite the mounting pressure on him to step down, Camara has steadfastly refused to rule himself out of the running for the Jan. 31 poll -- causing more upset amongst the population, who willingly participated in the strike to demonstrate their condemnation of the leader.
"We pray to God for everything to work out and for things to change with the current leadership, because we know about military leadership and it's not good. If there are no changes, it' s not good," said a Conakry resident, Toumani Camara.
Analysts doubt Camara will last out the year, let alone cling on to power until the presidential poll.
West African trade group ECOWAS called on Monday for a summit of heads of state this week to seek ways to resolve political conflicts in Guinea and Niger, which Nigeria's president warned could destabilise the region. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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