Africans In France Condemn Guinea For Human Rights Abuses

Africans In France Condemn Guinea For Human Rights Abuses
April 10, 2000 


PARIS, France (PANA) - The president of the Association of Guinean residents in France, Lancine Camara, has said the Guinean community, with support of other Africans and well-wishers, would stage protests Wednesday at the country's embassy in Paris to press for the immediate release of detained opposition leader Alpha Conde, a presidential candidate in 1998.

Conde is expected to appear in court Wednesday for the first time since his arrest in December 1998.

Camara, during a meeting of his organisation at the weekend, appealed to the participants to express their concerns against what he termed "a mockery of justice."

He said a petition will be delivered at the embassy during the protest highlighting on the need to release the Conde.

He noted that the petition will likewise be presented to the European Union, the French government as well as various human rights groups such as Amnesty International in order to rally support towards efforts to bring pressure to bear on the Guinean authorities to respect human rights.

He called for an end to the arbitrary detentions, as well as lack of respect for human rights in Guinea, perpetrated by President Lansana Conte's government.

Camara, who is also the president of the International Union of African Journalists in France, called for Conde's immediate release.

"We urge all organisations as well as governments and international human rights bodies to condemn the government action if Conte's government is to be part of an international community that is fast embracing respect of human rights as the fundamental element in relations between states," he said.

Participants at the meeting, who included African journalists, called for the creation of a Pan-African Congress to monitor as well as defend the human rights of each African state.

In an era when the world community should have drawn lessons from the Pinochet affair, it is sad that some countries such as Guinea want to pull their countries back in the respect of human rights, the participants lamented. 





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2000 Panafrican News Agency. All Rights Reserved.