Letters & Opinions
Camara: A canker on Africa’s conscience
An open letter to the president of Guinea
2009-11-05, Issue 456
http://pambazuka.org/en/category/letters/60024
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‘If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.’ (Desmond Tutu)
I write as a fellow African to take a stand with the people of Guinea and to let you know that Guinea and Africa as a whole are better off without you in power. Words cannot express my disappointment and anger at the arbitrary and irresponsible use of state power during the unfortunate 28 September 2009 incident. Your remarks following the incident smack of a level of irresponsibility that should have no place in African leadership today.
Mr President, the topmost priority and most fundamental responsibility of any president (any government for that matter) is to ensure the welfare and safety of his/her citizens. Any leader who is incapable of or unwilling to discharge this responsibility is not fit to rule. The horrendous massacre and flagrant abuse of human rights by men under your command, combined with your lamentable attempt to absolve yourself of any responsibility by asserting that you cannot control the security forces and their actions, clearly make you incapable and disinclined to remain in power as leader of Guinea.
There can be absolutely no justification or excuse for the gruesome murders, despicable acts of sexual assault and brutal repression of 28 September, so please quit trying to find or provide one. The violence of 28 September was senseless, illegal and inhuman. With tears in my eyes, I watched photos of the lifeless bodies of the many young people killed.
Mr President, even just one life is too many to lose in situations like this. And that is why your government’s attempt to play down the numbers of those killed and brutalised amounts to nothing but an insult to the victims. To you it may be ‘statistics’, but to the innocent victims and the families they left behind, it is their lives and everything that comes with it. No citizen should have to pay with their life or dignity for exercising their fundamental freedoms.
By your own words, you attest that the people of Guinea cannot count on you to protect them – even from state institutions like the police and military that are supposed to protect and defend them. The world’s response is a vote of no confidence in your leadership. Your leadership is a disgrace to Africa and an insult to the people of your country.
The days of guaranteed immunity for such violent repressions against civilians are over in Africa. Your fellow presidents, from both ECOWAS and the African Union, in an unprecedented move have called for your immediate resignation. Today, there is a new civil society that will make nuisance of themselves until they see you in the company of the likes of Charles Taylor at The Hague. And most importantly, there is a new generation of Africans that are determined to hold leaders like you accountable for your crimes against our people. Just a day after the incident, a group of young African women leaders selected from across Africa for as outstanding leaders – the MILEAD Fellows – launched a petition to mobilise Africans from all over the world to demand justice in Guinea. And you should have seen the outrage from young Africans from across the globe when I posted photos of the horror online. With all these, any more desperate attempts by you to remain in power only mean more trouble for you.
The following quote from the American declaration sums up my view on the matter:
‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
– That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
– That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.’
Guinea deserves better and Africa is better than what you represent. There is no doubt there are many people in Guinea today who can effectively and responsibly lead the country if given the chance. As long as you remain in power, you represent nothing more than a canker on the collective conscience of Africa, because Africa as a whole shares your shame in the eyes of the rest of the world and also shares the pain and injury suffered by the good people of Guinea.
What Guinea needs is the following:
– An independent and internationally monitored hearing where victims and witnesses can give evidence and testimonies on the accounts of the incident.
– Immediate measures to stop the lawless and reckless behavior of security offices in the country.
– Medical, social and psychological support for all victims of rape and sexual assault during the incident.
– Compensation for the bereaved families and the injured while we explore long term compensatory and justice remedies.
– You out of power as soon as possible. As soon as today.
I implore you, Mr President, in the name of decency, justice and common sense to step aside and allow an independent investigation into this matter,so that justice can be brought to any individuals who are found responsible for orchestrating, ordering and committing these horrible crimes against humanity.
To the people of Guinea, I say, we stand with you in solidarity.
To Moussa Camara, I say, you are a disgrace and must step down as president of Guinea.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS
* Mawuli Dake is a leading African human rights advocate and strategist. He is the CEO of Africa Group Consult.
* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at Pambazuka News.
Readers' Comments
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Thanks Mr. Mawuli Dake for calling out this disaster of a leader. I agree with you that there is a new generation of young Africans who are willing to stand up and say enough is enough to this kind of nonsense. I only hope our so called leaders are able to speak out on this like you did. Thank you.
Fatimah
Fatimah Ali