DADIS CAMARA PUBLICLY FIRES HEAD OF CUSTOMS

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000088 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KCOR ETRD GV SUBJECT: DADIS CAMARA PUBLICLY FIRES HEAD OF CUSTOMS REF: A. CONAKRY 78 ¶B. CONAKRY 79 ¶1. (U) Moussa Dadis Camara, President of the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD),publicly fired the National Director of Customs, Olga Syradin, as he was touring Customs Headquarters on 2 February. According to a source, customs employees present during the tour began spontaneously shouting, "We want change! We want change!" ¶2. (U) At that point, Dadis Camara reportedly halted the visit to address the gathering of employees, asking "What do you want?" When the employees shouted that they needed new leadership, Dadis reportedly asked: "Who among you is capable of leading the Customs Directorate?" After the group shouted down the first nominee, an older Customs employee, they responded enthusiastically when the Deputy Director of the Mobile Customs Brigade, Mamady Toure, offered to take the position. A quick show of hands indicated that Toure had overwhelming support, and Dadis Camara supposedly sacked Syradin and appointed Toure on the spot. ¶3. (SBU) The source said that Mamady Toure had previously arranged to be named Syradin's successor by paying a bribe of GNF 200 million (roughly $44,000) to the CNDD. The source also stated that Syradin might soon be given a position abroad at a Guinean Embassy. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT. Rumors have recently increased regarding the number of appointees who have won their positions by paying off the CNDD. If it is true that Dadis or the CNDD orchestrated the sacking, the junta leader may be becoming even bolder in showing off his power. Echoing other recent public pronouncements (reftels),the event allowed him to show off his "democratic" responsiveness to the concerns of the employees of the state. END COMMENT. RASPOLIC