Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service)- “There is apparent calm in teh city no soldiers to be seen, but not many children have gone to school, most families felt it was safer to keep them at home” local sources in Bissau who ask not to be named for security reasons told Fides. Yesterday in Bissau staff officer general Verissimo Seabra and army spokesman colonel Domingos Barros were killed during an army revolt. “Second in command, general Emiliano Costa had a narrow escape” the sources told Fides.
The revolt was staged by troops of the UN force in Liberia who demanded to be paid. “The mutineers belonged to the Guinea Bissau contingent which had returned from Liberia. The UN gave the Bissau army the money to pay their members Liberian mission but the men received only part of the pay, the rest was kept by officers”.
“The revolt also had a political side” Father Davide Sciocco PIME missionary just back from Guinea Bissau told Fides. “The troops sent to Liberia were supporters of the former President Kumba Yala, overthrown last year by a coup led by Verissimo Seabra. The 500 soldiers who returned from Liberia felt doubly betrayed: no pay and no information about the 2003 coup”.
A government commission was formed to negotiate with the mutineers who returned to barracks. “The commission is headed by the foreign minister and includes the interior minister and the UN representative in Bissau. Strange to say the Defence Minister is not included ” the sources told Fides. “the talks were to start at 9am”.
Guinea Bissau is a very poor country which has suffered from civil wars and military coups for years. “Extreme poverty is the main reasons for its instability. 80% of the labour force is unemployed, people can barely afford to eat once a day. How can people reason on an empty stomach? When you have eaten it is easy to speak of peace and human rights” the sources told Fides. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 7/10/2004 righe 34 parole 447)
