PAIGC and Pai-Terra Ranka Coalition (Guinea-Bissau)
Condemnation of the neo-colonial regime in Guinea-Bissau for unconstitutionally dissolving the People’s National Assembly, violently invading the Supreme Court of Justice, blocking the renewal of the National Electoral Council and refusing to respect the electoral calendar, while carrying out kidnappings and acts of torture.
Update on the Political and Social Situation in Guinea-Bissau
• Guinea-Bissau is experiencing one of the most difficult periods in its history in terms of respect for the Constitution, laws and the functioning of democratic institutions. On two occasions, Parliament has been suspended (2022 and 2023), the Supreme Court operates without a quorum, with the majority of judges suspended, and the current Government does not respect the will expressed by voters in the June 4, 2023 ballot (Presidential Incentive Government);
• Most recently, in flagrant violation of the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of the National People’s Assembly, the President of the Republic ordered the Secretary of State for Public Order to violate the facilities of Parliament and immediately appointed a new President, Adja Satú Camara. It should be noted that, according to the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure, the Bureau of the Assembly is elected for a 4-year term.
• The prosecution of political opponents remains a reality in the country, with the complicity of the Attorney General of the Republic, an authority which, on the advice of President Embaló, dispenses selective justice, including by recovering trials that have already been closed without legal basis.
• We are faced with a situation of dictatorship and abuse of power, in which the head of state, with the support of the army and the police, holds absolute power. In fact, the people of Guinea-Bissau are being held hostage. They dare not demand their rights through freedom of expression. Demonstrations are forbidden.
• As far as freedom of the press is concerned, not only are journalists insulted and assaulted, but they are also denied access to certain state institutions;
• Systematically, the President intervenes in political parties, shouting in the corridors… The most high-profile cases are those of MADEM G-15 and PRS, whose Supreme Court, manipulated by the President since he suspended the judges, has called into question the congresses organized by a group of dissidents from these parties, whereas, according to the statutes, it is the bodies elected at the congresses that should have led the parties ;
• Great uncertainty surrounds the holding of legislative elections, decreed by the President but which he does not wish to hold, given that the parties or coalition he supports are showing great weakness. Furthermore, the Supreme Court, with the complicity of President Embaló, is trying to prevent the President of the PAIGC and leader of the Terra Ranka Coalition from taking part in the elections, by invoking non-existent legal procedures;
• Still on the subject of legislative elections, the mandate of the National Electoral Commission, which expired 3 years ago, has not been renewed despite all the efforts made by the political parties sitting in Parliament.
In short, the political and social situation in Guinea-Bissau is tense and risks becoming unsustainable with all the consequences that implies. Despite repeated denunciations by political parties, the Human Rights League and other political and social players, no initiative has been taken by the international community, notably ECOWAS, which is responsible for monitoring the situation in the country.
At its last summit, held in July, and against all expectations, ECOWAS made a serious omission of all that is happening in Guinea-Bissau by validating, once again, President Sissoco’s agenda. The Community called for legislative elections to be held instead of the presidential elections scheduled in the electoral calendar, despite the fact that the President’s term of office is due to end at the beginning of the year, and that the CNE’s term of office ended two years ago.
October 26th, 2024, Dakar in the Republic of Senegal
