UN wants end to junta rule

2010-01-12 13:37

New York - The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday welcomed the commitment of Guinea's interim military leader to return to constitutional rule and called on military leaders to honor their earlier pledge not to contest forthcoming elections.

The UN chief welcomed General Sekouba Konat's invitation to the opposition to select a consensus prime minister to lead the country in a transition government. He also welcomed Konate's guarantees of security for all Guineans, including the country's political leaders, U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

Ban's West African envoy, Said Djinnit, is scheduled to brief the UN Security Council on Tuesday on Guinea and other regional problems.

Guinea has been in limbo since junta leader Captain Moussa "Dadis" Camara - who took power in a military coup in December 2008 - was shot on December 3 by the head of his presidential guard. Konate, the vice president and minister of defence, has been coordinating the junta's activities.

Camara promised to quickly hand over power to civilians in elections in which he would not run. But he began dropping hints that he planned to run after all, prompting a massive pro-democracy protest in the capital in September. Human rights groups say soldiers killed at least 157 demonstrators and raped dozens of women.

Constitutional order

A recent report by UN investigators on Guinea said there was sufficient reason to believe that Camara was directly responsible for the mass killings and rapes. Konate was away from Conakry during the slaughter.

The man who shot Camara, Lt Abubakar "Toumba" Diakite, remains in hiding. He said last month that he shot the junta leader because Camara wanted him to take the blame for the September massacre.

Nesirky said "the secretary-general is encouraged by recent political developments in Guinea, particularly the commitment expressed by the interim head of state, General Sekouba Konat, for a return to constitutional order".

"The secretary-general reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to support Guinea towards a rapid restoration of constitutional order in a peaceful and consensual manner," Nesirky said.

Ban also called on "members of the military authority and the government to honor their earlier commitment not to contest the forthcoming elections" and appealed to all parties "to work together to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing the country," he said.

- AP