[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 15, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4934-S4935]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 GUINEA

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, Guinea is a fragile, resource-rich state 
in West Africa that has been plagued by political uncertainty since the 
death of its longtime President, Lansana Conte, in December 2008. Much 
of this upheaval can be attributed to the fact that the President, in 
his 25 long years of rule, left little room for governance reform. His 
autocratic legacy included abusive security forces, a collapsed 
economy, a divided civil society, and a squabbling opposition. As a 
result, there was no clear successor and no viable path forward. 
President Conte's commitment to democracy was cosmetic, at best, and 
easily trumped by his dictatorial tendencies and unwillingness to 
relinquish power.
  As many Guinea watchers expected, the day after President Conte, 
died, a military junta calling itself the National Council for 
Democracy and Development, CNDD, seized power and dissolved the 
constitution and legislature. Given the deteriorated state of 
governance and widespread impunity, the junta was initially hailed by 
many as a safeguard against the endemic problems of corruption, 
insecurity, and rampant drug trafficking--all of which contribute to 
the lack of legitimate governance. Furthermore, the fact that the CNDD 
appointed a civilian prime minister and promised to hold Presidential 
and legislative elections gave many Guineans hope that the country was 
on the verge of a legitimate political transition.
  But those elections were repeatedly postponed, despite repeated 
claims by the junta that a transition to civilian rule would occur. As 
the months passed, a number of signs, including the appointment of 
military officers to key government posts, indicated that CNDD was in 
fact not planning to relinquish power and was certainly not ready--or 
willing--to oversee an election process.
  In fact, over the next few months the CNDD sought to tighten its hold 
on power severely, including an attempt in September 2009 by security 
forces to brutally crush a peaceful, prodemocracy rally. I joined many 
in the international community at that time in condemning such blatant 
and violent repression. A U.N. Commission was

[[Page S4935]]

sent to investigate the atrocities while the CNDD crackdown cast a dark 
shadow on Guinea's prospects for peace and stability.
  During this period, I was pleased to see the Obama administration 
engage proactively to help reverse Guinea's political crisis--
particularly in the aftermath of the shooting of CNDD leader Captain 
Dadis Camara. In those fragile moments of uncertainty, the consistent 
diplomacy undertaken by our senior officials played an important role. 
Working with key regional actors and organizations, the State 
Department helped to broker an important political agreement, known as 
the Ouagadougou Declaration, which was widely welcomed as an end to the 
protracted political vacuum that had existed. The signing of this 
agreement ushered in a transitional united government that, while 
imperfect, has been actively supported by the Obama administration.
  Unquestionably Guinea remains on delicate ground but the upcoming 
Presidential elections scheduled for June 27 create an opportunity for 
Guinea--and our bilateral relationship--to progress forward. 
Undoubtedly the process will be chaotic and messy, but there is a good 
chance we could see this beleaguered country bounce back from decades 
of mismanagement. Of course, in order for Guinea to truly progress, 
these elections must be the beginning of serious and sustained reform--
a process which must also include accountability for the abuses 
committed in September 2009. Elections are only one component of the 
democratic process, but still they are a significant one and may give 
the people of Guinea their long deserved chance to finally turn the 
page on their troubled political history.
  While there are plenty of factors that could lead to another election 
postponement including the will of the transitional government and the 
capacity and efficiency of the election commission, I remain optimistic 
that this will not occur. Certainly there are real challenges to 
fostering democracy given Guinea's history, but the recent commitment 
from the Acting President and Chief of the Army to remain neutral and 
ensure the elections are free, credible, and transparent should not go 
without notice. I have long said that promoting and supporting 
democratic institutions should be a key tenet of our engagement with 
Africa, as institution building is essential to Africa's stability and 
its prosperity. In the case of Guinea--a nation that has great 
potential to flourish and thrive--credible elections are an important 
first step on the road to better governance.

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