24 April 2009

Conakry - Tension at Guinea's main military barracks after the country's leader cancelled a trip to Libya prompted the overnight deployment of soldiers in the capital, police and military sources said on Thursday.

Moussa Dadis Camara, head of the military junta that seized power in a December coup, pulled out of the trip on Wednesday at the last minute and heavily armed soldiers deployed at strategic points in Conakry overnight.

The National Council for Development and Democracy (CNDD) junta, which vowed to clean up corruption and restore the rule of law, was broadly welcomed at first but increasingly erratic behaviour by its leaders have fomented concerns of instability.

A military source who went to the Alpha Yaya base on Wednesday night said there were suspicions that soldiers disgruntled about losing influence under the country's new leader were plotting against him.

"The people were wound up after the cancellation of the presidential trip. When I saw the atmosphere in the camp, I preferred to leave," said a senior police source.

Conakry residents said troops erected barricades at the main bridge leading into the city centre, around a major military base and outside the state radio and television buildings.

Residents said the capital was quieter than usual on Thursday, some families kept children out of school and soldiers searched vehicles at the checkpoint on the bridge.

Corinne Dufka, West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, warned that the incidents pointed to simmering problems.

"The first four months of CNDD rule have been characterised by a concentration of power within the hands of a very small group of military officers attempting to control nearly all the affairs of the state - financial, judicial and security."

"The rumours of infighting among the military should serve as a wake up call that there should be no further delay in organising a proper transition to democratic rule," said added.

Captain Mandjou Dioubate, a spokesperson for the junta, said on state television on Wednesday that Camara had cancelled his trip to Libya for scheduling reasons.

Camara, a relatively junior army officer, seized power in the world's biggest bauxite exporter after the death of President Lansana Conte, who ruled the West African country with an iron grip for more than 24 years.

Analysts say Camara's power grab has alienated many of those who supported his coup as well as senior members of the military who have since lost some of the influence they held under Conte.

Speculation about rifts within the military and a counter-coup have increased in recent weeks amid growing frustrations over Camara's rule.

Since coming to power, he has unnerved mining companies by threatening to cancel deals struck under Conte. He has also threatened to close gold mines run by foreign companies because of the harm they were causing to the local environment. - Reuters