Guinea: Attempt on Military Leader Dadis Camara's Life

Dadis Camara, a Guinean military officer who seized power last December in a coup, was shot yesterday by one of his aides.

Dadis Camara, a Guinean military officer who seized power last December in a coup, was shot yesterday by one of his aides and has been evacuated to Morocco.

According to several news sources, Captain Dadis Camara, leader of the military junta which seized power in Guinea in December 2008, was shot and wounded by one of his aides yesterday in Conakry. The leader of the de facto government of Guinea, shunned by the international community since the September 28th killing and rape of opposition protesters by soldiers, was flown to Morocco, where he arrived at around 3 P.M. GMT.

Major Kélétigui Camara, General Secretary of the Presidency, said in a phone interview [Fr] with the guineenews.org website that two people, whose names he did not know, were killed. Two other junta members were also evacuated to Morocco.

On the spot in Conakry, the situation seems to be quiet, according to several sources as well as phone calls made by this author to newspapers and the government. However, no one has a clue about the seriousness of the junta leader's wounds. Someone from an international organization told me Captain Camara might be wounded in the head or neck.

Some preliminary reactions to the news on the RFI website showed a range of opinion.  One anonymous reader writes:

C'est incroyable,inacceptable et injustifiable qu'un sous officier tire sur son supérieur. Ce sous officier doit tenir les conséquences de son action. Je comprends pourquoi le capitaine Moussa Dadis Camara dit que cette armée est incontrôlable…

It is unbelievable, unacceptable, and unjustifiable that a junior officer would fire upon his superior.  This junior officer must face the consequences of his actions.  I understand why Captain Moussa Dadis Camara has said that the army is uncontrollable…

However, most readers, holding Camara responsible for the September 28th massacre of opposition protesters, seemed to believe the assassination attempt was justice.

Anonymous:

Dadis est entrain de vivre le resultat de sa trahison au peuple de Guinee. Du courage au peuple de Guinee surtout aux Forces vives.

Dadis is living the results of his betrayal of the Guinean people.  Courage to the people of Guinea and especially the working people.

Joseph:

en fait,ce qui se passe actuellement en Guinnée est tellement triste, du fait que la vie perd son sens aussi sacré. si hier,on a massacré des civils (le 28 septembre),et aujourd'hui c'est le tour peut être du chef de la junte Guinéenne. c'est désolant comme spectacle…

Etant congolais (RDC), j'essaie de voir cette situation comme celle qu'on a vécu en 2001,espéront que le peuple Guinéen va se lever comme un seul homme pour mettre fin à cette situation de crise aussi ignoble et stupide pendant que le monde a besoin de l'apport de la Guinée au concert des nations.
courage…

What's happening in Guinea is really sad; life has lost its sanctity.  If yesterday, civilians are massacred (the 28th of Septemer), then today, it's the head of the Guinean junta's turn.  What a depressing spectacle.

Being Congolese (DRC), I try to see this situation like the one in 2001, hoping that the Guinean people will rise as one to put an end to this such an ignoble and stupid crisis.  The world needs the participation of Guinea in the community of nations.
courage…

anonymous:

Jusqu'à la preuve du contraire, il est seul et unique responsable des tueries au stade 28 septembre, au nom du pouvoir et s'il reçu quelques bales dans le crane au nom du mème pouvoir par son propre bras droit ou de fer, allor il merite prouvé le douleur des femmes blessées et violées par ses troupes.

Until proof to the contrary, he and he alone is responsible for the killings in the stadium on September 28th, in the name of power.  And if gets a few bullets to the head in the name of that same power by his own right hand man, then he deserves to feel the pain of the women injured and raped by his troops.

anonymous:

S'il est arrivé un malheur à Dadis aujourd'hui, je dirais que c'est une vengeance de la part de la population guinéenne. La guinée veut un president qui pourraît le représenter partout ailleurs mais pas un president qui vit couper du reste du monde, qui règne avec tyrannie.

If a tragedy has befallen Dadis today, I'd say its the vengeance of the Guinean population.  Guinea wants a president that can represent them everywhere, not a president who cuts them off from the rest of the world, who rules with tyrany.
Suzanne Lehn and Jennifer Brea contributed to this story

2 comments

  • Moses K. Tokpah

    the Junta leader Dadis is not a muslim man this is why but if he a muslim man, he should have been accepted by the people of Guinea. He is a Christian from the forest region of Guinea, but one thing I want to let the people of Guinea to know is that after the death of their late president, is Dadis camara that put the whole of Conakry under control and they are now trying to kill he. If God says he will be come the president the president of Guinea no man nor woman can put stop to him besides God alone so they should suffer themselve.

  • Neville Onebamhoi Obakhedo

    It is a shame on Captain Moussa Dadis Camara! A shame on him because the Law Karma is about to catch up with him. He who lives by the sword must die by the sword, the scriptures says. A shame because he had to be taken to Morocco for treatment. Like Nigerian leaders, he failed to bring qualitative health facilities to Guinea and other good governance indicators. The blood of the innocent protesters will hurt Camara and the perpetrators of the barbaric and savagery acts September. Bravo, Guineans! Bravo, gallant soldiers that did the shooting – This is because those who makes peaceful change impossible, finds violent change imperative! Bravo, Guineans! Very soon, it shall be UHURU for you!

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