Fifa visit: Guinea opposition puts off protest
2013-02-07 12:58
Conakry - Guinea's opposition said on Thursday it will
postpone a protest march against an alleged bid to rig an upcoming
parliamentary election, to allow for a visit by Fifa chief Sepp Blatter.
"We have decided to postpone our peaceful march because
of the visit of the Fifa president to our country [on Thursday] who we welcome
and wish a pleasant stay," said Aboubacar Sylla, leader of the Union of
Forces for Change party.
He said the protest will now take place on 13 February, and
will be followed by paralysing strikes around the country "until all our
demands are met".
But, Sylla said opposition supporters would turn out to
welcome Blatter.
"We want to avoid individuals with bad intentions
hurting him and the opposition being blamed."
Opposition parties are protesting against government's use
of South African information consulting firm Waymark to draw up electoral
lists, which they say is helping President Alpha Conde rig the 12 May elections.
On Wednesday Interior Minister Alhassane Conde urged the
opposition to put off the planned march in light of Blatter's visit, as part of
a whirlwind tour of Africa which will end in South Africa for the Cup of
Nations final on Sunday.
Guinea's legislative polls, initially due to be held six
months after Conde's election in December 2010, have been repeatedly postponed,
with the opposition accusing election officials of manipulating the voter roll
in favour of Conde's Rally of Guinea People (RPG).
Protests over the delays have often turned violent as
opposition supporters clash with police.
The troubled nation has a long history of coups and
attempted coups, and was ruled by successive authoritarian regimes until
Conde's win in the country's first free polls since independence.
