Guinea Govt Urges Dialogue after Opposition Protest Call

The government of Ebolahit Guinea, on Wednesday, urged a dialogue after the three main opposition leaders called for renewed protests against President Alpha Conde over upcoming elections.
“I would like to repeat the government’s desire to find ways to restore confidence in the electoral process and to respect the constitution. But especially to preserve social peace,” government spokesperson Albert Damantang Camara told a press conference.
In a joint statement signed on Tuesday in Paris, former prime ministers Cellou Dalein Diallo, Sidya Toure and Lansana Kouyate accused Conde of repeated rights violations and said he had “lost all legitimacy”.
The opposition boycotted parliament earlier this month in protest over the timetable for presidential elections, accusing Conde of using the Ebola epidemic as an excuse to postpone voting and refusing to enter into a dialogue over the timetable.
The former premiers called on demonstrators to support their demands, especially the call to bring forward local elections due in March next year.
“The election schedule has been decided by an independent body. If part of the political class does not agree with the program we can discuss it, to identify the real problems it poses and find real solutions,” the government spokesman said.