Army chief takes over in Bissau

General Verissimo Correia Seabre has declared himself president of Guinea-
Bissau after seizing power in a coup.
The army chief of staff says he will remain leader until elections are
organised in the West African state.

Soldiers have announced they are setting up a transitional government to
include "all national political orientations".

They are holding President Kumba Yalla in detention, even though they have
promised to release him later.


As a person, I have nothing against Kumba Yalla... He can stay in Guinea-
Bissau as well as leave the country
General Verissimo Correia Seabre
Army Chief of Staff
There are soldiers on the streets of the capital, Bissau, which is
reported to be quiet and no shots have been fired.
All government ministers have been ordered to report to a public building
in the capital of the former Portuguese colony.

Election delay

President Yalla dissolved the government last November, promising new
elections but they have been postponed four times since.

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


Radio stations broadcast a message from the army saying it had seized
power because President Yalla had failed to resolve the country's
problems.
"I am going to assume the presidency of the republic until there are
elections," General Correia told Portuguese state television.

"As a person, I have nothing against Kumba Yalla," he said. "He can stay
in Guinea-Bissau as well as leave the country."

A curfew has been imposed from 0700 to 1900 GMT .

The fate of Prime Minister Mario Pires, who is in the south of the
country, was not clear with reports that the army was seeking to detain
him.

Portugal condemned the coup and called on the army to allow long-delayed
elections to go forward in its former colony.

"The Portuguese Government deplores the military coup d'etat that occurred
today in Guinea-Bissau and calls on its perpetrators to immediately re-
establish constitutional legality... ," the foreign ministry said in a
statement.

Shortages

Guinea-Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world and has been
beset by food shortages and strikes.

It has never really recovered from an army revolt and then a war in the
late 1990s, our correspondent says.

The secretary general of the United Nations said in June that the country
was embarking on a downward course.

The Organisation of West African States recently said it was worried, not
least by the silencing of political opponents of the president.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/3107960.stm

Published: 2003/09/14 15:05:24 GMT

© BBC MMIII

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