Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CONAKRY584
2008-10-06 17:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Conakry
Cable title:  

GUINEA CELEBRATES FIFTY YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

Tags:  PGOV PREL ASEC GV 
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VZCZCXRO9588
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0584 2801702
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061702Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3005
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
UNCLAS CONAKRY 000584 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: GUINEA CELEBRATES FIFTY YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

REF: CONAKRY 0512

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000584

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: GUINEA CELEBRATES FIFTY YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

REF: CONAKRY 0512


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The Republic of Guinea marked fifty years
of independence on October 2 with a relatively uneventful
ceremony and parade attended by seven dignitaries from
neighboring countries. President Conte did not make an
official appearance, sending First Lady Henriette Conte in
his stead to lay the wreath at the Martyrs' Monument.
Despite a build-up of public rhetoric about the event over
the past year, the GoG began organizing the celebration just
a few weeks ago, with many dignitaries only recently
receiving a formal invitation. The event itself came off as
generally disorganized with noticeably lax security given the
presence of six heads of state. The Charge and the DATT
attended the ceremony. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) According to a foreign diplomat, the Chinese
Government provided most of the funding for the event,
including the provision of 50 brand new vehicles, two large
flat screen televisions, and new military uniforms.
(COMMENT. The GoG's slow progress in organizing the event
was attributed in part to lack of funding, see reftel. END
COMMENT).


3. (SBU) The presidents of Senegal, Liberia, Mali, Sierra
Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, and Guinea-Bissau attended the
ceremony, as well as the vice president of Ghana. All seven
dignitaries were seated on the main platform as VIPs, along
with the French Ambassador and a visiting French General, and
a large delegation of Chinese officials. The rest of the
diplomatic community watched the ceremony from a second
platform.


4. (SBU) Despite press reports to the contrary, the
Senegalese Ambassador told the Charge that President Conte
privately received the visiting dignitaries for a short time
at the presidential palace after the ceremony. According to
source, the president appeared "thin, but spoke to everyone,
and seemed to recognize everyone."


5. (SBU) The diplomatic community noted an appalling lack of
security throughout the event. There were a large number of
gendarmes present, but they mostly appeared to be handling
crowd control. The GoG offered minimal protection to
visiting heads of state. When the ceremony was over,
everyone left at once, leaving no opportunity for the
dignitaries to depart ahead of the crowd. Several
ambassadors , whose chiefs of state were attending, were
visibly frustrated with the situation.


6. (SBU) A large gathering of youths, who were contained
behind barriers, became rowdy at different times during the
ceremony. At one point, they could be heard repeatedly
shouting "Liberty." When the unionized employees of the
electrical company walked by in the parade, the youths
started booing. A couple of youths jumped the barriers and
were quickly subdued by gendarmes who carried them out of the
way. Twenty to thirty presidential guards (Red Berets)
disappeared behind the building where there was a large
gathering of youths. The DATT, who was sitting 30 meters
away, saw people being hit with rifle butts to get them under
control.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


7. (SBU) Although the celebration passed without significant
incident, the internet press has been critical of the event
and the president's absence has generated much discussion.
Some members of the diplomatic community were nervous while
others were frustrated at the disorganization and lack of
security. The Russian Defense Attache told the DATT "I'm
really just hoping to survive the day." He said that he had
to come even though he preferred not to because the Russian
mining company, Rusal, had just refurbished one of the GoG's
helicopters. The Russian Defense Attache then proceeded to
cross his fingers in apparent hope that the helicopter would
stay aloft as it flew over the gathered crowd. END COMMENT.

RASPOLIC