Military Coup in Guinea: a political and Leadership Crisis Again, we give up to hope rather than sacrifice for what is right. Guineans must realize that no worthy cause is neither accomplished nor realized without an act of sacrifice and courage by its people. At a critical period with excellent opportunity to risk and claim the inalienable rights, freedom, justice and liberty for individual and collective progress for the people, we cowardly and unpatriotically settled for another military Junta; risking the future of a country and its potential for progress, once more. Why do we have to settle for a military rule that states no objective vision for the people or the country? Is this our only viable option as the country lack direction, process and leadership at present? As much as I am critical and opposed to the previous government, we must use the fractured law soon, to continue with a peaceful democratic and civilian transition with organized elections, monitored by the west to secure a brighter future lead by personalities with great visions for the country and character to steer the course for democracy, implement a living constitution that separates the various branches of government with full funding, authority, accountability, resources and independence to weed corruption, incompetence and exercise law and order, once and for all. I realized the obvious vacuum of leadership, its implication on stability, and challenges partly because of political and leadership failures by the previous government. If that option is not viable, we must state a time frame objectively for military rule and benchmarks to target corruption, institute effective governance and plan for a civil transition to civilian rule via transparent elections. However, the history of this region and military rule is not assuring that power will be transferred over to civilian authority once a military rule is in place. As such, the country is better of risking a political, civilian and democratic process with the assistance and support from the AU, EU, UN and US toward a promising democratic path. The challenge now is the lack of leadership, process, resources and finance to realize a smooth transition. As such a military rule to secure the nation and bring about process is paradoxically appealing to resolve the current deficit in leadership and process. Essentially, Africa must now start precedence, sending a message to the military that their role and function precludes internal political matters but rather security from external threats and national logistic support during crisis directed by civilian authorities in leadership as appropriate, otherwise, risk treason. However, to realize such goals, leadership has to secure effective process and groom future leaders in such capacity to prevent a leadership vacuum. For Africa and Guinea in particular to realize an effective governance and national progress, development and acceptance in the free market and in the United nations as a democratic nation, she will need leaders with vision; leaders that exemplify character, selflessness, and sacrifice to pursue a progressive vision for the country contrary to the late president’s practice of ineffective management, cronyism marked by an epidemic of cultural corruption. When I heard the new Junta leaders praising the late president courage and leadership, after 24 years of corruption, it reassured the adage of new boys with old boys mentality; it signifies that no change is evident in this new venture, if the attitude and psyche of cronyism, nepotism, dictatorial incompetence, remains the same within the remnants from the previous government now acting within the new military administration. If this is what the people wants, then they are responsible for the doom that is imminent in their future unless they demand effective governance, accountability, responsibility and transparency at all levels. My appeal as an African and an American is that the West should condemn this illegal act by a military junta, suspend all diplomatic relations, government and non -government aid programs until the military retreat to their respective camps, or if the citizens accept an interim military transitional government, then a clear vision, and benchmarks must be outline before any aid or programs are disseminated to support current government and private sector programs. We must state firmly that the country and government belongs to the people and such actions are unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the citizens. A peaceful protest must ensue in condemnation of all military coups to denounce acts of corruption, cronyism and nepotism, appropriately. Dr. Diallo, Maryland, USA

I totally agree with your suggestions. I am ready to go to Washington or New York to protest for the social justice of all Guineans. Me must protest in order to cure the "cancer politique" of our leadership in Guinea.

Democracy was created for the specific purpose of allowing "coups" to take place without violence, through the ballot box. As long as Africans, from the most lowly of beggars to the most haughty of leaders, remain convinced that a change in leadership is the most horrible thing that can ever happen to a nation, there will be no true democracy in Africa. The military will continue to usurp the will of the people with their guns, and the citizens will continue to encourage them to do so in the name of loyalty to their own authoritarian principles.

Coup is an undesirable phenomenon but it is hard to argue against it in the case of Guinea, especially for millions of Guineans that are suffering as results of Conte’s despotic years. Conte came to power in the early 80s through Coup though he tried to legalize his regime by racked elections, but in reality there was no actual change. His so-called democratic years were no different from his military dictatorship.

Government jobs were offered to his friends and relatives with no accountability at all. He was unapologetic to people’s sufferings and didn’t do anything to improve people’s lives despite Guinea massive natural wealth. When the prime mister, Lasana Koyateh was appointed through negotiation after the long strike with the trade unions, in the few times, Mr. Koyateh was in office, conditions were improving and it was agreed he couldn’t sacked the prime minister arbitrarily without consultation with Guinean stake holders, but he fired Mr. Koyateh without any regard to the accord.

President Conte overstayed his welcome. 25 years are just too long a time for ripping Guineans off the most needed resources. As much as we desire peaceful power transfer, letting the head of the general assembly took over, would have been a continuation of Conte’s terms eventually paving the way for Conte’s son to take over.

The AU, ECOWAS and the international community now need to make sure the military organize free and fair elections soon to alleviate the sufferings of many in this reach land of Guinea.

You can think until your brains gush out; you can reflect, then reflect on your reflection, you will never rationally determine the structure of West African politics until you recognize that the game was up with British and French colonialism: these moribund thieves.

Elected soupists are no different from coupist soupists: the coup, qua phenomenon, offed because the militarized segment of the soupist state correctly perceived that the citizens of the Imperia would not entertain an imperial involvement in their governments' former 'colonies.'

Given the motivations of soupism, the coup in Guinea, any coup in soupified West Africa, can be reversed by a formidable cadre of militants who are willing and able to fight to the death. Now, whether such a force offs from the West or nay is irrelevant.

Where soupists, civilian or coupists, see---plain and clear---that the opponent is willing to die in the battle field, they flee, for soupism is institutionalized EGOISM, and no habitualized ego in mode soupist, wants to die, for in death the PRIZE DISAPPEARS: THE OCCUPIED TERRITORY'S TREASURY.

Accordingly, theory and practice dictate the determinate and unequivocal condemnation of BOTH 'ELECTIONS' AND COUPS. AND WE NOW CONDEMN THEM. THEY ARE BOTH SOUPIST SCAMS.

Since THE SOUPIST STRUCTURE lacks a decisive HORIZONAL determinant of the bourgeois version of elections, namely the nation, they are seeded in the horizon of two phenomena: THE COUP AND THE ONE PARTY STATE.

It should be noted that these determinations of THE SOUPIST STRUCTURE are, loosely speaking, MORPHOLOGICAL DETERMINATIONS: accordingly, they transcend, nay obviate the habituality of any individual soupist. Personal traits are irrelevant, therefore.

All soupists, civilian or coupist or one party staters are REGIMENTED by THE SOUPIST STRUCTURE to rain suffering on their captured populations.

Hence, we REJECT the concept of 'neo-colonialism' for the old Colo never left: it is called THE SOUPIST STRUCTURE.

AUTHORIZED AND ISSUED BY THE REFLECTIVE WEST AFRICAN ANTI-SOUPIST REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT.

It is sad that the AU and other regional bodies do not seem to address the underlining causes of coups, rather, they find it expedient to raise their voices only when the hot water explodes into their faces.

When we elect civilian governments, we do so with the expressed knowledge and intention that these civilian governments will rule according to the dictates of applicable laws, respect for human rights, embrace all clans/tribes and work toward the upliftment of their citizenry.

What we see however is the continued looting, endemic corruption, wantom disregard to the rights of people and the turning of state institutions into fiefdoms to suppress the citizenry. Courts do not dispense justice by the books, rather, they have become bed fellows of the executive with legislative bodies fast asleep or in most cases, part of the looting of state coffers.

These are reasons why coups are made, but do our civilian governments ever learn from the past? No, and the reason is that they have realized that nobody has the stomach for coups or coups are no longer fashionable anymore especially in the 21st Century.

That assumption however gives them a false sense of security that empowers them to wreck economic and social havocs against the citizenry.

If we see the resurgence of coups in West Africa, it is because our political leaders are drunk in power, have lost focus the moment they assume power, and do not understand the tenets of democracy.

Just hear President Kufour of Ghana saying that corruption started from the days of Adam and Eve, and that it is all a perception and not a reality when the people are seeing otherwise.

Until our political leaders learn the actual meaning of governance, coups will always be welcomed in West Africa with flowers and fanfare.

These regional bodies must set up governing oversight bodies within their organizations to police how politicians are running the affairs of government, and must be bold enough to bring out their shortcomings to the fore, other wise, we will continue on the slippery slope that we are currently on.

Soldiers will always see opportunities to test their itchy fingers when politicians fail to govern. Democracy is not an abstract doctrine, but one with meaning which unfortunately our politicians are yet to grasp.