One Year Ago Today

One year ago today, thousands of Guineans gathered in the national stadium in Conakry to peacefully protest. The president, who had seized power in a coup d’etat 10 months earlier, had again delayed elections. During the early months of his presidency he had spoken of organizing national elections and promised he would not be a candidate. Now he was saying that he would run in the elections, if they ever came. Guineans had heard this story before. There is a big difference between free and fair elections, and crooked elections simply put on for show so that a dictator can add a thin guise of legitimacy to his rule. The president was consolidating his power and tightening his grip on the country. Guineans gathered to say: no more.
One year ago today, the Guinean military opened fire on those peaceful protesters in the national stadium in Conakry. More than 150 Guineans were killed. Countless more were injured. Women were raped, with guns, out in the open. The military unleashed terror on its own people.
When I think of Guineans, I think of Mendeya, my kind, soft-spoken, and endlessly patient chemistry trainer. He strove to help us become the best chemistry teachers we could be. I think of Malal, my French trainer, who ran every French session with a contagious smile. I think of my principal and vice-principal in Gueckedou, who treated me with kindness and respect during my short time at site. I even think of Ifono, my Kissi teacher, who was ridiculous but endearing.
Perhaps most of all, I think of my host father in Forecariah, who welcomed me into his family for my first eleven weeks in Africa. I think of the time that I asked him, in my still-very-clumsy French, what he did for work. He explained that he was in charge of an organization that lobbied for free and fair elections. “It is important,” he explained to me, “that you understand that we don’t support a particular candidate. All we want is democracy. Do you understand?” Yes, I said, I understand.
All he wanted was democracy. I can only imagine how he felt, one year ago today.
Guineans are good people. They’re just like you and me. They have hopes and dreams for themselves and their families. They’re not saints, and I can certainly attest to their faults, but these faults are no greater than those found other people.
Guineans deserve the ability to choose their own leaders. They deserve a government that works. They don’t deserve to be shot to death, to be slaughtered en masse, to be oppressed by a tyrannical government.
One year ago today, 17 freshly-minted Peace Corps volunteers were on their way to what was to be their new homes. They were lodged in all corners of Guinea. They were filled with excitement and anticipation, looking forward to two years of service in a country that had shown them unyielding hospitality. In a country like Guinea, rumors were slow to travel, and real news was even slower. They had little idea of what was going on that day in Conakry.
What has happened since then?
The Peace Corps program in Guinea was evacuated and suspended. The volunteers who once called Guinea home moved on to different phases of their lives. Political events in Guinea unfolded in a way that no one could have anticipated.
But on June 27th, 2010, Guinea finally held national elections: a presidential primary. For the first time in Guinea, a sitting president was not a candidate. For the first time in Guinea, elections were internationally judged to be free and fair.
Then the suspension of Peace Corps Guinea was lifted.
Now that the suspension is lifted, Guinea has a small handful of volunteers (both old and new), but the US Embassy is currently insisting that we stay together at the training center in Dubreka until the final round of presidential elections.
So we sit in Dubreka, not yet able to start the work that we are in Guinea to do. At this critical time for Guinea, we sit and wait and hope. Hope that Guineans find a way. Hope that they find democracy and peace. Hope that the terrible event that occurred, one year ago today, in some way leads to a brighter future for the Guinean people.
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Read a timeline of Guinean political history at the BBC country profile page: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1032515.stm
Read the official UN report on the September 28th massacre in Conakry here: UN Security Council Document S/2009/693 at http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4b4f49ea2.html. It's pretty gruesome.
Keep up to date with Guinea http://friendsofguinea.blogspot.com/ and at http://www.allianceguinea.org/