West Africa's going through a rough patch lately
http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2012/04/13/soldiers-take-over-in-suspected-guinea-bissau-coup-2/
QuoteSoldiers Take Over in Suspected Guinea Bissau Coup
Posted Friday, April 13th, 2012 at 1:55 am
Eyewitnesses say Guinea-Bissau soldiers have taken over the streets in the capital, Bissau, in an apparent coup attempt.
Soldiers attacked the home of front runner presidential candidate Carlos Gomes, Jr, the outgoing prime minister.
His whereabouts are unknown.
Witnesses say soldiers also arrested politicians and took control of the ruling party headquarters and national radio station while shots and rocket fire were heard in the capital.
The West African bloc known as ECOWAS announced it condemns any attempted coup d'etat.
The U.S. embassy in Dakar, Senegal, which also covers Guinea Bissau, issued an emergency message to U.S. citizens in the neighboring country to stay away from the downtown area of Bissau. It says the reported violence in the city could be a result of a coup d'etat or a coup attempt, and that an increased potential for political instability and civil or military unrest remains high.
The incidents took place on the eve of the start of the electoral campaign for the runoff presidential election in Guinea Bissau.
Guinea-Bissau's opposition — led by second-place finisher Kumba Yala — has called a boycott of the April 29 runoff vote and warned against campaigning. Yala was one of five candidates that claimed the first-round vote was rigged.
The candidates were vying to replace the late president, Malam Bacai Sanha, who died in January after a long illness.
Since winning independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has struggled through a dictatorship, three coups and the 2009 assassination of a president.
Where?? They got to have pop bigger than 2 mil to be news worthy. That's like the coup attempt in Seychelles in '81. Who gives a hoot.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 13, 2012, 03:23:06 AM
West Africa's going through a rough patch lately
If by 'lately' you mean 'since the end of the colonial era', I agree. :)
Just a time-honoured tradition in Guinea-Bissau. Cape Verde is much more stable in comparison.
Quote from: Caliga on April 13, 2012, 05:07:11 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 13, 2012, 03:23:06 AM
West Africa's going through a rough patch lately
If by 'lately' you mean 'since the end of the colonial era', I agree. :)
by lately with respect to west africa I mean "since the evolution of Sahelanthropus Chadensis"
Quote from: Caliga on April 13, 2012, 05:07:11 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 13, 2012, 03:23:06 AM
West Africa's going through a rough patch lately
If by 'lately' you mean 'since the end of the colonial era', I agree. :)
It had been much more stable than usual in the last decade.
Quote from: 11B4V on April 13, 2012, 03:33:08 AM
That's like the coup attempt in Seychelles in '81. Who gives a hoot.
Yeah, but that one was fun.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 13, 2012, 06:26:42 AM
Quote from: 11B4V on April 13, 2012, 03:33:08 AM
That's like the coup attempt in Seychelles in '81. Who gives a hoot.
Yeah, but that one was fun.
True, Mad Mike's high drama.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 13, 2012, 03:23:06 AM
West Africa's going through a rough patch lately
Really?
Quote from: Valmy on April 13, 2012, 09:24:52 AMBy lately he means the last 500 years.
But West Africa's doing better in the last ten years than for a while. End of the civil wars in Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone - each replaced with relatively democratic and reasonably competent governments. Ghana and Senegal still the great democratic successes in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria's always in difficulty but even there Goodluck Jonathan is better than recent Presidents.
Things are getting better but come on Shielbh it is a pretty fragile situation. It is almost like people were just exhausted from the decade previous and everybody took a break.
Quote from: Valmy on April 13, 2012, 09:31:22 AM
Things are getting better but come on Shielbh it is a pretty fragile situation. It is almost like people were just exhausted from the decade previous and everybody took a break.
But you can't say they're going through a rough patch when it's been the best and most optimistic patch since the hopes of independence.
I see a bright future for West Africa.
Damn, yet another unfortunate development for Guinea Bissau.
Quote from: DGuller on April 13, 2012, 10:59:07 AM
Damn, yet another unfortunate development for Guinea Bissau.
:console:
Quote from: Sheilbh on April 13, 2012, 09:28:31 AM
Nigeria's always in difficulty but even there Goodluck Jonathan is better than recent Presidents.
Sorry, but I can't trust someone with a name that stupid. :(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Butt_Naked
Quote from: Ed Anger on April 13, 2012, 07:54:26 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Butt_Naked
Yeah, there's been some good 'uns in Africa over the years.
Tokyo Sexwale. :wub: