All Sides Gather on Goree Island to Talk Peace

http://allafrica.com/stories/200312180001.html

Gorée Institute (Dakar)

PRESS RELEASE
December 18, 2003
Posted to the web December 18, 2003

Breyten Breytenbach
Gorée Island, Dakar

We are happy to announce that an important meeting of political and social
actors from Guinea-Bissau is taking place at the Gorée Institute from 18
to 20 December.

Among the participants are 20 representatives of the Transitional National
Council, its vice-president, Mr. Lancuba Ndiaye, the Minister of Justice
Mr. Carlos Vaiman, the chairman of the National Electoral Commission Mr.
Higino Cardoso, Monseigneur José Câmnate the archbishop of Bissau,
representatives of the UN office in Bissau, some military officers, and
representatives of various civil society organisations in that country. We
have also invited representatives of civil society groupings from the sub-
region - Mali, Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea, Burkina Faso...

The three-day workshop, convened jointly by Gorée Institute and RADDHO (a
collective of human rights organisations based in Dakar), is intended to
help Guinea-Bissau escape the trap of fraternal conflicts afflicting too
many countries in the region, by advocating and planning for the totally
transparent political and economic management of the transitional period.

An original meeting grouping 16 of the 17 recognised political formations
active in the country, civil society representatives and members of the
central administration was scheduled to take place from 15 to 17 September
this year. On the morning of September 14th a bloodless military coup
brought down the regime of President Kumba Yala. We sensed that the coup
was the expression of a real malaise in the country. We did not give up
hope however; we believed that we should continue helping those who'd like
to prevent Guinea-Bissau going down the spiral of violence and destruction
against a backdrop of increasing poverty and distress. We have every
reason to believe that the present encounter will go some way towards
meeting those aims.

The groundwork was carefully prepared. Waly Ndiaye, the Programs Director
at Gorée Institute, and Alioune Tine, Executive Secretary of RADDHO went
on several missions to Bissau, consulting very broadly and putting
together the shared objectives of a sustainable agenda. For us at Gorée
Institute, the project conforms with the stated aims of our African Peace
Academy program. APA is led by Professor Babacar Kanté, one of our
Trustees.

The present workshop was made possible through financial support from the
Ford Foundation. The Dutch Embassy in Dakar gave additional financial
assistance. We are sincerely grateful to both of these agencies. The best
support comes from instances who have no ulterior motives, but who would
sincerely like to help prevent conflicts and move towards resolving some
of the underlying causes.

More specifically, the project aims to bring about an alliance of civil
society organisations throughout West Africa (which is why representatives
from other countries in the region are present) that may advocate the
economic and political assistance required by Guinea-Bissau to
successfully complete the transitional phase, and thus lay the foundations
for a viable democratic dispensation following upon the presidential
election planned for about 16 months from now. In order to achieve these
goals, we believe that civil society organisations need to engage with the
political authorities of Guinea-Bissau. We believe this process ought also
to strengthen civil society participation and interaction in the sub-
region, and increase the democratic capacities of both non-governmental
organisations and political formations. It is our hope and reasonable
expectation that a plan of action based upon a wide collaboration will
emerge from this workshop.

The next 18 months are going to be crucial for Guinea-Bissau. The
stabilisation of the situation there, and a confirmation of transparent
democratic processes, will be of tremendous benefit to the entire region.
We need to show that it is possible to stop the regional contagion of war
and civil war. We need to bring, from within African societies, the hope
of solutions to our problems that are still too easily fuelled and
exploited by rapacious and cynical forces.

We wish this workshop all success, and we want to assure the participants
of our continuing concern, support, and solidarity in their quest for
peace, dignity and development.

Breyten Breytenbach, Executive Director

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Copyright © 2003 Gorée Institute. All rights reserved. Distributed by
AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

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