Guinea's military government has declared two days of nationalmourning in remembrance of those killed during a crackdown on an oppositionrally.The authorities have also bannedmass gatherings, warning that those disobeying the order will be severelypunished.
Guinea?s military opened fire onunarmed and peaceful demonstrators, killing at least 157 and injuring more than1,200. The people were protesting the expected candidacy of the country'smilitary ruler,CaptainMoussa Dadis Camara.
MelanieKawano is a program manager for the Before Project. Its mission is to help prevent the devastationcaused by violent conflict in fragile states.
The organization was surprised by this week?s events in Guinea, inparticular, said Kawano, ?because early this year during the summer we held aconsolidation and peace workshop.?
The Before Project works on early warning information about conflict. ?We had 51 local participants in the workshop,including representatives from the government,? she said. ?Out of this workshop the local participantsdeveloped an action plan for the country.?
She said the plan included addressing how the military works, the generalproblems within the military, the judicial system, as well as the nationalassembly and returning the country to constitutional law.
There are several ways the international community can help resolve thesituation in Guinea, said Kawano, for example by empowering local leaders.
?The international community, with our (its)good intentions,tends to put pressure on a situation that is already volatile,? she said. ?I think the international community has donesome great things, including the international contact group that gavesuggestions about what needs to happen, and monetary support, but the focus hasbeen on elections.?
Guinea?s problems go beyond just elections, said Kawano, citing how lawsare made and implemented, whether people feel they have a voice in the runningof their country. ?Elections are a smallpart of that. We need to look at a larger picture of what is actually going onin the country.?
Kawano expressed doubt as to whether the military leader will abide by thedate set for the elections or release the arrested politicians immediately, asdemanded by some countries, including the United States. ?It is one thing torun a military and quite another to run a government,? she said, referring tomilitary leaderCaptain Camara.
The government?s ban on mass gatheringsmay make sense in the military culture where you expect absolute obedience fromthe people over whom you have authority, she said.
?Butfrom a perspective where there is civil society participation and democraticgovernance, that [the government?s action] borders on denying people rightssuch as freedom of speech and expression.?