Ecowas slams Guinea killings
2009-09-30 10:50
Abuja - West African regional bloc Ecowas on Tuesday condemned what it called "violent repression" in Guinea a day after more than 150 people were killed in a crackdown by junta troops on opposition supporters.
The commission of the Economic Community of West African States said in a statement it had "learnt with dismay that the peaceful demonstration organised in Conakry" was met "with violent repression".
"The Commission strongly condemns these acts of repression," it said, deploring what it called the "use of excessive force" by security forces.
Ecowas also called for an immediate release of those arrested in the incident.
It also urged the establishment of "an international committee of inquiry in collaboration with the African Union and the United Nations Commission for Human Rights" to identify those responsible and take necessary measures to address the situation.
"This tragic incident is all the more regrettable as it occurred at a time when the international community is actively working towards a satisfactory end to the prevailing crisis," said Ecowas, based in Abuja.
Alarm over the killings
It added that "the militarisation of Guinea presents further grounds" for Ecowas' request to junta leader and current Guinea president Moussa Dadis Camara "to re-affirm his commitment not to contest the next presidential election" set to be held in late January.
Guinea's security forces opened fire on Monday on opposition supporters at a rally in a stadium against the junta that seized power in a bloodless coup in the west African country last December.
The Guinean Human Rights Organisation said on Tuesday that at least 157 people were killed and 1 253 wounded in the crackdown.
The United Nations, African Union, European Union and several countries have expressed alarm over the killings.