By Heba Girgis
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
CONAKRY, Guinea—Human rights organizations and groups today applaud the African country of Guinea. Guinea has just created a Cabinet position dedicated only to human rights in Guinea, which has one of the worst records in that part of the continent. The reputation developed after a violent and shocking massacre several years ago in 2009. During this incident, peaceful protesters were physically mowed down in the country’s national soccer stadium and dozens of women were gang raped.
Hundreds of victims of this massacre and rapes are still awaiting justice. Human Rights Watch said that the Guinean government should increase their support for domestic investigations of these crimes in order to hold those responsible for their actions without any more delay.
Elie Keppler, the senior international justice counsel for Human Rights Watch said, “The victims and loved ones of those who perished have yet to see the men who carried out the horrific crimes that took place on September 28, 2009, brought to book.” Keppler also noted that, “the persistent failure of the government to hold human rights violators to account over decades of repressive rule in Guinea has fueled further abuses.”
Two years ago, in February 2010, a panel of judges from Guinea were appointed to investigate these crimes and made important advances in the investigations by interviewing more than 200 victims and filing charges against more than 7 people who were connected to the crimes. However, today, still more than 100 victims are waiting for their chance to give their own statements and several mass graves have yet to be investigated.
Thierno Sow, who is head of Guinea’s largest human rights group, said that with this new Cabinet position, it is the first time that human rights occupy such an important place in the Guinea government system.
In October 2009, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor placed the massacre under preliminary examination, however it did not actually open its own investigation. This new Cabinet position, however will finalize the transition the Guinean government to civilian rule and give the government its own autonomy to make sure that human rights are protected.
This post was created and implemented just last week during a Cabinet reshuffle which also finalized the purging of the last remaining three members of the military also holding positions in the government.
For further information, please see:
Boston.com – Guinea Creates 1st Human Rights Ministerial Post – 11 October 2012
JournalStar – Guinea Creates 1st Human Rights Ministerial Post – 11 October 2012
Yahoo – Guinea Creates 1st Human Rights Ministerial Post – 11 October 2012
Human Rights Watch – Guinea: Stadium Massacre Victims Await Justice – 27 September 2012
