On October 2nd Guinea s leader who seized power in a coup in February 2009 said that elections will continue as planned even as his military junta prepared to bury 57 people who died when troops fired live ammunition into a pro-democracy rally. Captain Moussa Dadis Camara made the comment during celebrations marking Guinea s independence from France 51 years ago. Wearing a crisp military uniform Camara laid a wreath in memory of the victims of a massacre on September 28th.. Camara previously said he had no control over the troops - including his own presidential guard force - who committed the massacre in which 157 people were reportedly killed. On October 2nd he took the offensive saying opposition leaders were to blame for the protesters deaths because they had defied a ban and organised the pro-democracy rally. He said the election would proceed as scheduled on January 31. But refusing to address the issue that sparked Monday s protest he did not say whether he would run. Whether I will be candidate - at the moment I can t tell because I am between the hammer and the anvil Camara said. Outside the main mosque in this sweltering seaside capital family members many weeping and others shouting in anger looked for bodies of their slain loved ones in about 10 makeshift tents. Inside the tents the bodies were bound tightly in white cloth laying on wooden pallets. Heavily armed police and soldiers kept watch over the mourners who numbered over 1000. A human rights group says 157 people were killed and more than 1000 wounded on Monday when soldiers opened fire at 50000 people at the national soccer stadium. The government put the death toll at 57. Tensions remained high as opposition leaders snubbed Camara s offer to form a national unity government saying the massacre must be investigated and those responsible held accountable. The victims were participating in a protest in the capital s main soccer stadium against Camara. The injured included several top opposition leaders including former Prime Minister Cellou Diallo who flew to Francefor treatment. The bloody demonstration of September 28th raised concerns that Camara s grip on the country may be slipping. Camara a previously unknown army captain in his 40s was welcomed when he seized power just hours after the death of long-time dictator Lansana Conte. Camara initially said he would not run in elections scheduled for January but recently indicated that he may have changed his mind. After the September 28th protest he banned all gatherings and demonstrations. Since winning independence from France Guinea has been pillaged by its ruling elite. Its 10 million people are among the world s poorest even though its soil has diamonds gold iron and half the world s reserves of the raw material used to make aluminium. On December 3rd Guinea s president has been flown to Morocco for medical treatment after he was shot during an assassination attempt nearly a year after he s

• published: 04 Nov 2013
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