[xtypo_dropcap]E[/xtypo_dropcap]lectoral violence in Guinea put down by security forces this weekend lead to one death, 50 injuries and suspended campaigning for the scheduled runoff on Sept. 19.
After violence between rival camps on the weekend in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, the government decided on Sunday to suspend the election campaign and ban all demonstrations.
Both candidates for the presidential election, former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo and opposition leader Alpha Cone met with interim Prime Minister Jean-Marie Dore on Monday. Dore asked them to control their supporters as “there can be no trouble during the electoral period,” he said according to Bah Oury, vice-president of Diallo’s party, reported AFP.
At the same time, Dore asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) to evaluate the preparations for the election and report to him on Wednesday.
The violence was triggered by the conviction of the head of CENI and a high official for electoral fraud on Friday. Conde’s party wants the interim president of CENI, to be replaced by somebody “neutral,” while supporters of Diallo say Conde just wants to postpone the vote since he is behind in the poles.
In the first round of the first democratic poll of an independent Guinea in June, Diallo won with 44 percent, versus 18 percent for Conde.
The French Foreign Minister Bernhard Kouchner made known according to AFP, that he urged both candidates to calm their supporters down, have a peaceful election, and “accept the verdict of the ballot box.”
After violence between rival camps on the weekend in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, the government decided on Sunday to suspend the election campaign and ban all demonstrations.
Both candidates for the presidential election, former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo and opposition leader Alpha Cone met with interim Prime Minister Jean-Marie Dore on Monday. Dore asked them to control their supporters as “there can be no trouble during the electoral period,” he said according to Bah Oury, vice-president of Diallo’s party, reported AFP.
At the same time, Dore asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) to evaluate the preparations for the election and report to him on Wednesday.
The violence was triggered by the conviction of the head of CENI and a high official for electoral fraud on Friday. Conde’s party wants the interim president of CENI, to be replaced by somebody “neutral,” while supporters of Diallo say Conde just wants to postpone the vote since he is behind in the poles.
In the first round of the first democratic poll of an independent Guinea in June, Diallo won with 44 percent, versus 18 percent for Conde.
The French Foreign Minister Bernhard Kouchner made known according to AFP, that he urged both candidates to calm their supporters down, have a peaceful election, and “accept the verdict of the ballot box.”
