Posted on 17 October 2009. Tags: antigovernment protests, arms embargo, Guinea, Mamadou Tandja, mass human rights violations, military junta, Moussa Dadis Camara, Nigeria, President, West African
ABUJA, Nigeria (Reuters) — A West African regional bloc imposed an arms embargo against Guinea on Saturday, accusing the military junta there of “mass human rights violations” during antigovernment protests last month.
International pressure has increased for Guinea’s military leader, Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara, to step down since government troops fired on protesters at the national stadium on Sept. 28. More than 150 people died and thousands more were wounded, according to a local rights group. The government put the death toll at 57.
A communiqué from the bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, cited “the atrocities that have been committed” and said it was imposing the embargo under the bloc’s convention on small arms and light weapons.
The regional group also threatened to impose full sanctions against Niger if its president, Mamadou Tandja, did not take immediate steps to resolve the country’s political crisis.
Mr. Tandja has faced widespread criticism for changing Niger’s Constitution in August to extend his term in office and give himself broader powers under a fully presidential government.
“The authority called on the authorities in Niger to desist from further acts that may deepen divisions within the country and exacerbate the political atmosphere,” the West African bloc said.
http://www.nytimes.com/
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West Africa: Orders Arms Embargo Against Guinea 7.0101Related Content
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