West African bloc visits Guinea-Bissau, threatens sanctions
During a meeting in Guinea-Bissau, senior ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) officials threatened to impose sanctions and deploy troops in the country following a military coup, according to a Reuters report.
Guinea-Bissau, which is a small coastal nation between Guinea and Senegal, was subjected to a military takeover after a suspended election process, and political leaders were taken into custody.
The military has since appointed an interim President, Major-General Horta Inta-a, who has stated that the coup was necessary to counter the alleged plot of certain politicians and drug barons to destabilise Guinea-Bissau.
The ECOWAS and the African Union have suspended Guinea-Bissau until its constitutional order is re-established, urging military officers to step down from power.
ECOWAS reiterated its stance in the December meeting with the military officers, saying, “ECOWAS demands the restoration of constitutional order, as well as the continuation and logical conclusion of the electoral process.”
They also said that they would decide on Guinea-Bissau’s future in an ECOWAS conference with heads of state and government scheduled on the 14th of December.
The contested elections in Guinea-Bissau, which were between President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and his opponent Fernando Dias, were approaching a scheduled announcement when the military took power. Dias had accused President Embalo of staging a coup to manipulate the elections and ensure his victory.
Fernando Dias was offered protection by the Nigerian government after Dias requested it for alleged threats to his life. Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry stated that Dias could seek refuge at its embassy in the capital of Bissau.
On November 29th, hundreds of civilians, a majority of them youth, took to the streets to protest the arrests of the leaders and demanded the announcement of the election results. The military government, however, banned the demonstrations from happening again, claiming that they threatened peace and stability.
Reuters, Maghrebi.org
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