Daily Independent (Lagos)
Tunde Abatan
12 January 2009
ECOWAS leaders yesterday made good its threat to discourage future military coups in the sub-region when it formally suspended Guinea from its fold until constitutional government is restored.
The suspension was handed down over in a communiquÈ issued by the extra-ordinary summit of ECOWAS Heads of State which took place at the instance of President Umaru Yar'Adua, in Abuja the nations capital.
In a communiquÈ issued by the extra-ordinary summit of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government at the end of the meeting, ECOWAS leaders said the punitive action is "to impress it on the military authorities in Guinea the imperative of returning the country to constitutional democracy as quickly as practicable."
It will be recalled that Guinea had earlier in the wake of the coup de'tat been suspended by the African Union (AU).
Yesterday's extraordinary session of the sub-regional body was attendd by many head of state and governments in the sub region.
Among those in attendance at the meeting at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, were the presidents of Nigeria, Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Sierra Leone. The Prime Minister of Niger Republic was also present while the other countries were represented.
According to the communiquÈ, which was read by ECOWAS Executive Secretary, Dr. Ibn Chambas, the body after careful consideration of all the reports and recommendations before it, condemned the coup in conformity with the provision of protocol A/SP1/12/01 on democracy and good governance. In consonance with the principled position of ECOWAS against unconstitutional accession to or maintenance of power, it therefore suspended Guinea from its fold until constitutional order is restored in the country. The regional body however assured the country of its support in its effort to restore democratic rule. It also promised to sustain dialogue with the junta government with the aim to fast-track the return of democratic government.
ECOWAS said further in the communiquÈ that it is ready to promote the inclusion of Guinea on the agenda of the United Nations (UN) peace building commission as a de facto fragile and post- conflict country to allow it to benefit from UN peace building fund.
Indication that Guinea would be suspended by the regional body had emerged earlier when President Yar'Adua in his opening remark warned that the region must all speak with one voice and work towards engaging the authorities in Guinea to ensure the emergence of an acceptable constitutional programme which lead to the restoration of a "democratically elected government" He also sought the cooperation of all member states, saying: "It is particularly necessary for all ECOWAS member states in their actions and statements to avoid creating the impression that we are working at cross purposes.
"Indeed, we should all be united in upholding the principles of democratic and constitutional transition in Africa as clearly enunciated in the relevant ECOWAS protocols and the constitutive acts of the African Union. It is my hope that ECOWAS will continue to engage the authorities in Guinea in constant dialogue until an acceptable constitutional programme is released and a democratically elected government assumes power in that country."
Dr. Chambas also confirmed the thought of the leaders of the region when he told newsmen that the region has "had a lot of experiences with military interventions. And we have defined the clear position for ECOWAS, namely, that we prefer and insist that any ascension to power must be through democratic and constitutional means. So, the Prime Minister in that regard is quite reassuring that Guinea will work closely with ECOWAS for a speedy return to democratic and constitutional rule."
He noted that though the junta had explained its position, "the consensus that is emerging is that the region must adhere to its clearly stated position of non-acceptance of ascension to power by any means other than a constitutional process. What we would do is to ensure we work very closely with Guinea for a speedy return to constitutional rule. But you can understand that a democratically-elected government will feel uncomfortable to sit around the same table with any leader of a country who has not come to power through a democratic process. So, that position of ECOWAS is very clear."
He also insisted that the elections should be within a year.
"It has to be absolutely within a year. They have to be well prepared. ECOWAS has to be well prepared to mobilise international support to ensure that Guinea has the funding, adequate funding, to conduct elections in that country."
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