Guinea Looks Back on 50 Years of Independence | Voice of America - English
The West African nation of Guinea marks the 50th anniversary of independence which it gained after breaking with other French-African colonies that accepted a power-sharing agreement with France, the colonial power. But the celebrations have been subdued because Guinea, despite considerable mineral wealth, remains one of the poorest countries in the world.
The celebrations began at midnight with fireworks and a small parade in the capital, Conakry. PresidentLansana Conte told the nation that the time for promises had passed andit was time to take concrete steps toward economic development. But, ina reference to frequent anti-government protests, he said this wouldoccur in an atmosphere of peace and liberty. Guinea was thefirst African colony of France to gain independence after Guineansrejected, in a referendum, a proposal to join a French commonwealth. Guinea'sindependence leader and first president Ahmed Sekou Toure delivered the famousrejection to then-French President Charles de Gaulle in 1958. He said Guineans prefer poverty with dignity over wealth in slavery. France'sother African colonies accepted the commonwealth offer but they alsogained independence a few years later in the continent-wide moveagainst colonialism. The reaction of the French government at the time, however, was harsh and Guinea was largely cut off from French foreign aid. Mr.Sekou Toure became increasingly obsessed over plots, real andperceived, to overthrow him. And his security forces detained andtortured thousands of Guinean dissidents. Human rights groupsestimate more than 50,000 people were executed or died in prison duringthe government of Mr. Sekou Toure who died in 1984. Boiro Camp,outside Conakry, was the most famous detention center. Families of theCamp's victims Thursday gathered at one of the few known mass gravesnear Conakry to remember their loved ones, many of whose bodies havenever been recovered. The head of the Association, Marega Fode,says all Guineans supported independence and the anniversary providesan opportunity to atone for the excesses that followed. Hesays it is time to locate all the mass graves, return the victims'remains to their families and build a monument to their memory. He saysonly then can the process of reconciliation begin. Guineansare proud of the historic defiance of their first president. But manycriticize the government for failing to take advantage of the country'sconsiderable mineral wealth. Most Guineans live on less than onedollar per day and the country is ranked by the United Nations as oneof the poorest in the world. The discontent has led to protestsin recent years including several weeks of rioting in which more than100 people were shot to death by police.