Guinea: HRW points to the responsibility of the security forces in the violence of Nzérékoré
The rubble of the church of Dorota in Nzérékoré C. Valade / RFI
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4 min
The NGO Human Rights Watch investigated the violence that rocked the town of Nzérékoré in southern Guinea during the double ballot on March 22.
It takes stock of at least 32 dead, 90 injured and extensive material damage, and also implicates the security forces in this tragedy.
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With our correspondent in Conakry
,
Carol Valade
Polling stations attacked, places of worship set on fire and dozens of dead
mourned Nzérékoré during the double ballot
on March 22.
HRW believes that the defense and security forces "did
not do enough
" to stop the inter-communal clashes that erupted during and after the vote.
The NGO also accuses the defense and security forces of having themselves committed human rights violations.
“
People have told us how people have been shot, beaten to death, attacked with machetes and knives.
A person was burned alive in a hotel, a young girl was raped by several armed men,
denounces Ilaria Allegrozzi, researcher at Human Rights Watch.
Most of the killings were committed by armed citizens from different communities, but we also found that security forces themselves had killed people.
"
Official documents attest to the existence of a mass grave dug for "
sanitary
"
reasons
, the hospital being overwhelmed, the putrefaction of the bodies then made the atmosphere "
unbreathable
" can we read.
►
To read also: Guinea: return on the deadly clashes of Nzérékoré
For its part, the government, while it recognizes that the defense and security forces may have been overwhelmed by the violence of the events, challenges the working methods of the NGO.
Albert Damantang Camara, Minister of Security denounces a bias in the HRW investigation.
“
The opposition had clearly announced that they would prevent this election.
And so the troops intervened in the violent way in which the opposition wanted to prevent the Guineans from going to vote.
We have a global responsibility, of course, to maintain public order and preserve social peace, but we still have to distinguish between the people who are actually guilty of what has happened and the fact that sometimes the forces order were overwhelmed by intercommunal clashes.
"
For the NGO, new violence is to be feared during the presidential election.
"
All measures have been taken
" assures the government, with particular emphasis on the area.
# Guinea: New HRW report on #electoral #violence in March, especially in # Nzérékoré where the security forces themselves committed abuses.
HRW recommends urgent measures to avoid such risks during the presidential elections of 10/18.
https://t.co/HXyNgNqBfG
HRW in French (@hrw_fr) September 25, 2020
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