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Cautious International Support for Guinea-Bissau Ahead of Elections
by Robbie Corey-Boulet
A senior United Nations envoy says major reforms are necessary in
Guinea-Bissau for elections due in November to be seen as free and
fair. Among the reforms are steps toward providing justice for recent
high-profile political killings.
Guinea-Bissau has suffered from chronic instability since obtaining
independence from Portugal in 1974. Its most recent coup occurred last
year, when the army took control of the country in the middle of an
election cycle.
Transitional authorities announced in June that presidential and
legislative elections would be held on November 24. This week, the
country received representatives from a host of international
organizations, including the African Union, the West African regional
bloc ECOWAS and the European Union.
El-Ghassim Wane, the director of the African Union's Peace and Security
Council, says the international community is committed to seeing a
successful vote.
He says the international community is here to see what can be done to
have an election that is transparent, free and credible, so authorities
can implement the reforms that Guinea-Bissau needs.
There are a number of reforms international observers say need to occur
before the vote in order for it to be seen as free and fair.
Ivan Simonovic, assistant secretary-general for human rights at the
United Nations, led the first ever high-level human rights delegation
to the country this week. He expressed concern about a number of
troubling trends since last year's coup - including restrictions on
demonstrations and episodes of political violence.
He said the international community would need to see progress on
investigations of recent high-profile political killings, including the
2009 assassination of then-President Joao Bernardo Vieira.
"I was told that there is some progress being made, however these
investigations so far did not lead to any palpable results. I was told
today by the prosecutor general that before the elections, we will be
able to see at least some progress in not only investigations, but
investigations leading to trials," said Simonovic.
Simonovic also said it would be important in the long run to address
concerns about drug trafficking and corruption, which he sees as
fueling political violence. Guinea-Bissau is a transit point for drugs
originating in South America and headed for Europe.
The United States has recently taken the lead in trying to crack down
on this activity. In April, federal drug agents arrested former navy
chief Jose Americo Buba Na Tchuto at sea and transferred him to New
York, where he was charged in a plot to ship cocaine to the United
States and Europe. Later that month, the U.S. unsealed charges against
the head of the armed forces, Antonio Indjai, who is accused of trying
to aid Colombia's FARC rebel group.
U.S. Ambassador to Senegal Lewis Lukens declined to elaborate on the
arrests during his visit to Guinea-Bissau this week, saying the details
were already public.
Like the other international visitors, he says he is focused on the
November elections.
"Part of the reason for my visit this week is to meet with government
and meet with other international partners to learn more about the
plans for the election. And when I go back to Dakar we'll be reviewing
what support we might be able to provide," he said.
One of the critical needs will be to resume international funding,
which was frozen after the April 2012 coup.
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[1]http://www.voanews.com/content/cautious-international-support-for-gu
inea-bissau-ahead-of-elections/1699548.html
References
1. http://www.voanews.com/content/cautious-international-support-for-guinea-bissau-ahead-of-elections/1699548.html