Abstract
The small West African country of Guinea succumbs to chaos: post-electoral violence has erupted after President Alpha Condé’s reelection on October 18, 2020. The opposition bloc is at critical juncture, having protested for over a year against the anti-democratic means Condé adopted to maintain power: a questionable constitutional referendum, repeated human rights abuses, electoral fraud, and the violent repression of the recent demonstrations.
In addition to Condé’s rising authoritarianism, Guinea remains caught in the vicious cycle of bad governance and poverty despite its mineral wealth, making it “a trapped country”. Indeed, the lack of prospects and low literacy rates have led to mass emigration of Guinea’s extremely young population, posing further constraints on the development of the country. As these preconditions are considered to make a country prone to civil wars and instability, the question about the future of the country is more relevant than ever. Unfortunately, the signs are ominous for Guinea, as people’s frustrations seem to have reached explosive potential. Will Guinea slide into chaos? Is there any hope for peace and democracy?
Human rights analyst Linda Ghirardello of Eurac Research Bozen-Bolzano, Italy, spoke with Abdulaye Sadio Barry, a Germany-based exiled Guinean leader of the new-generation opposition party Block for Alternation in Guinea (BAG). The interview was conducted in French and translated to English by Ghirardello.