CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — Guinea’s former junta chief Moussa “Dadis” Camara, took the stand for the primary time Monday to testify about his function in a stadium bloodbath by the navy 13 years in the past by which no less than 157 individuals had been killed and dozens of girls raped.
Camara is certainly one of 11 males charged with the murders and rapes within the stadium assault on Sept. 28, 2009 by which safety forces fired at unarmed demonstrators protesting the junta chief’s plans to run for president. Camara had seized energy in a coup one 12 months earlier.
Human rights investigators interviewed witnesses and reported that Camara’s aides had been on the stadium and did nothing to cease the violence. Witnesses stated that the presidential guard blocked the exits after which entered the stadium and opened hearth.
A number of months later Camara survived an assassination try and fled to Burkina Faso the place he lived in exile for greater than a decade earlier than returning to face trial in Guinea.
Wearing a garment of woven Burkina Faso material, Camara sounded nervous and bitter as he pleaded his innocence in entrance of a packed courtroom of a number of hundred individuals.
Political Cartoons on World Leaders
Political Cartoons
“If I’m right here earlier than you it’s due to my patriotism in any other case I might not have agreed to return,” he stated. Camara stated he was sleeping through the early hours of the assault, awoken at 11 a.m. when he was advised that demonstrators had been killed.
As commander in chief on the time, rights teams say Camara has to take duty for what occurred.
“They certainly (acted) on this order. It’s as much as him to show that he didn’t give the order and took the required measures to forestall the bloodbath,” stated Alseny Sall, communications officer for the Protection of Human Rights and Citizenship, an area rights group. “Merely saying that he’s harmless isn’t sufficient, it have to be motivated by clear and exact explanations,” he stated.
Camara says he was the goal of an assassination plot by former President Alpha Conde who was ousted in a coup final 12 months.
For years, Guinea’s authorities sought to forestall Camara’s return, fearing it might stoke political instability. Nevertheless, one other coup final 12 months put a navy junta in energy that was extra amenable to Camara’s repatriation.
Camara is the ninth accused to testify with two individuals remaining. The trial is anticipated to final no less than till the tip of the month.
In the meantime, households of the victims say they imagine justice will prevail.
“Finally the reality can be recognized,” stated Aissatou Sow. The 34-year-old’s fiancee was killed through the assault. “I didn’t need him to go to the stadium that day. I stated it’s harmful and he advised me to not be afraid,” she stated.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials might not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Source 2 Source 3 Source 4 Source 5
