By Alpha Abu
Former Guinean Junta leader, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara has been jailed for 20 years after a court found him guilty of crimes against humanity in relation to the killing of more than 150 people in a stadium in the capital, 15 years ago.
Jailed alongside him was his head of Police, Moussa Tiegboro Camara who also got a 20 year sentence. Five others were jailed including Camara’s former head of the presidential guard, Aboubacar ‘’Toumba’’ Diakite’ who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
One of the convicted men, Claude Pivi who is at large and tried in absentia, was handed down a life sentence. Four others were acquitted. In all, eleven men, two of them government ministers, were arraigned before a Guinean court in September 2022 on various charges of murder, rape and kidnapping that were later changed to crimes against humanity.
In September 28, 2009 pro- democracy groups organized a rally in the national stadium in Conakry, in protest over Captain Camara’s lack of clarity on a timetable for a return to multi-party democracy. Various interests in the trials had in their closing arguments asked for life sentences, reparations or acquittals.
Before judgment was passed International Justice Counsel at New York based Human Rights Watch Tamara Abuduraman said: ‘’The conclusion of the stadium massacre trial and the prospect of a verdict provide a glimmer of hope for Guinean victims and survivors that justice can prevail over impunity. Fifteen years on, victims and survivors deserve justice’’.
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Camara seized power in 2008 following the death of long serving President Lansana Conte but opposition to his military government soon grew.
On September 28, 2009 pro- democracy groups organized a peaceful rally in the stadium in Conakry, in protest over Camara’s lack of clarity on a timetable for a return to multi-party democracy. Thousands of people thronged the vicinity.
Soon after, hundreds of heavily armed soldiers suddenly appeared inside the jam-packed stadium and started shooting. People were gunned down inside the stadium and those who managed to flee were chased into the streets and shot at. Women were reportedly raped in the open. Men were stopped by the soldiers and asked whether they were in support of Camara, and if an answer was in the contrary, or not forthcoming, were then shot.
The junta in the face of worldwide condemnation over the atrocities, put the death toll at 50, but independent sources said over 150 people were killed and dozens of women raped.
Junta leader Camara in the face of mounting criticisms from the UN, European Union and United States shifted blame to what he said were rogue soldiers who were out of control and acting on their own.
The international community called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
Camara was later shot in the head by Diakite’ in an apparent assassination attempt but survived after he was flown to Morocco for treatment. He was toppled in his absence and went on to settle in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Surprisingly, Camara returned to Guinea in 2022 and was subsequently arrested by the authorities and detained over what became known as the stadium massacre. His trial together with his close associates then began, after they were indicted in connection with the crimes. In 2023, dissidents attacked the prison where he and his associates were being held, and set free. However his freedom was short- lived, and Camara was soon after captured, and taken back to prison together with the others. Pivi has since been on the run. Survivors and relatives of victims of the crimes have for long been agitating for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
The calls for reparations and compensation for victims have somehow faced opposition as to who will foot the costs.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (05/08/24)
