Guinea-Bissau president resigns
The president of Guinea-Bissau, who was ousted in a bloodless coup on
Sunday, has resigned from his position.

President Kumba Yala, signed papers renouncing power at a ceremony
witnessed by a number of visiting West African foreign ministers.

In a recorded resignation speech broadcast over state media, Mr Yala said
he was resigning "in the name of national unity, and in the interest of
resolving our problems peacefully".

Mr Yala, who has been under house arrest since the army overthrew him, had
repeatedly postponed fresh elections after he dissolved parliament last
year.

We were in a country with no constitution, no judiciary, no parliament - a
crazy country General Seabre Army Chief of Staff

The military junta, led by General Verissimo Correira Seabra, says that a
transitional government will be formed after consultations with civic
groups and the military.
Bissau Archbishop Jose Camnatne is leading a committee to propose the
structure of the transitional government, which is expected to be announced
by Thursday.

Civilian government pledged

Coup leaders finally broadcast Mr Yala's resignation speech over state
media hours after it was recorded.

Looking sad and serious, he called for the "immediate formation of a civil
transitional government of national unity".

A statement issued by the visiting delegation - including ministers from
Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, Nigeria, Gambia and Cape Verde - said coup leaders
had pledged the transitional government would be exclusively civilian.

The statement called for a "civilian of high repute" to lead the government
and for the transition period to be of "reasonable duration", AFP news
agency reported.

At the end of it "credible, free and fair legislative and presidential
elections would be conducted."

Guinea-Bissau's streets quickly returned to normal after the coup and there
are now few soldiers visible.

'Crazy country'

Speaking to reporters, General Seabra reiterated that the army had no
intention of remaining in power.

"We are in an unusual situation: we were in a country with no constitution,
no judiciary, no parliament - a crazy country in other words," he said.


"We simply corrected the situation."
He also appealed for understanding, saying this was not a coup d'etat "but
the putting right of a confused, intolerable situation".

Several African countries, as well as the United Nations, African Union and
former colonial power Portugal, had condemned the coup and called for the
president's reinstatement.

But the army refused to give ground and there was said to be relief among
many ordinary people that President Kumba Yala had been removed.

He was often criticised for his erratic leadership and civil servants had
gone unpaid for nine months.

The coup came at dawn on Sunday, following an announcement on Saturday that
the president would have to cancel elections again.


What do you think about this situation? Was President Kumba Yala right to
step down? Should regional leaders have acted before the coup, rather than
just condemning it afterwards? Send us your thoughts.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/3113572.stm

Published: 2003/09/18 03:04:10 GMT

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