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Guinea Bissau risks losing millions of $US in aide
Wednesday, 07 July 2010 00:54
By Kemo ChamGuinea Bissau risks losing millions of US dollars in EU aide over the appointment of mutinous army general as head of its military.
The European Union Tuesday joined the rest of the international community in condemning the appointment of General Antonio Indjai as head of the country’s military.
General Indjai’s involvement with well known drug dealers coupled with a rebellious show of disregard for authority, last April, has stirred up strong opposition to his appointment among foreign governments.
The US has since announced it was withdrawing support for the country’s military. The Economic Community of West African States has followed suit by condemning the move to appoint the mutinous army General as head of the country’s army. And now, the EU said it would reassess aid to the country following the appointment.
EU foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, expressed "dismay" at the Bissau Guinean government’s decision, describing General Indjai as “the main person responsible for the mutiny" in April.
Back then, the controversial General Antonio Indjai ordered the arrest and detention of the country’s Prime Minister, Carlos Gomes Junior and then army chief Admiral Jose Zamora Induta. General Indjai infamously threatened to kill the prime minister if his protesting supporters did not stop calling for his release.
While the Prime Minister was later released, the former army chief Admiral Jose Zamora Induta, described as an anti- drug military chief, remained detained. Various reports have described his condition as bad.
The European Union’s chief diplomat, in the statement from her office, Tuesday, raised "serious concern" over the continued detention of the former military chief, and called on the government to "bring an end to it."
The situation in Guinea-Bissau, the statement said, "may constitute a violation of the engagements of Guinea-Bissau with respect to human rights, democracy and rule of law." This is in reference to the Cotonou Agreement, established in June 2000, which set conditions for EU economic and development aid on the respect of certain criteria including political rights. The treaty is between the EU and 79 developing countries.
President Malam Bacai Sanha Sunday insisted that the appointment of General Indjai was a "sovereign decision," and necessary for peace and stability.
Guinea Bissau presently benefit from a $156 million aide that runs over a five-year period, beginning from 2008. It was earmarked for use in the area of conflict prevention, water and energy projects, and general budget support.
But Catherine Ashton said the situation in the country calls for a review of the EU’s "overall engagement" there.
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