Guinea opposition considers government talks after unrest
CONAKRY (AFP) - The Guinean government on Thursday asked to meet with opposition parties after clashes between protesters and security forces earlier this week left two dead and about 40 injured.
Police arrested more than 300 people when opposition supporters, calling for electoral reform and defying a government ban on rallies, confronted large numbers of officers throughout the capital Conakry on Tuesday.
The violence overshadowed what was supposed to have been a day of national reconciliation on Wednesday, the second anniversary of a massacre that preceded the fall of Guinea's military junta and a transition toward democracy.
A statement from the government of Prime Minister Mohamed Said Fofana invited opposition parties to a meeting on Friday in order to come to an agreement over the proposed legislative election on December 29 -- a date contested by the opposition.
Sidya Toure, one of the main opposition leaders, told AFP that a meeting of about 30 officials from those parties invited had been called on Thursday in Conakry "to see if we should respond to the government invitation, and if so, how to get there and on what conditions."
A previous meeting on Monday ended in failure and the opposition decided to go ahead with a gathering on Tuesday, defying a government ban on rallies.
Violent clashes ensued in several parts of the capital and police carried out raids on opposition strongholds the following day. Officers arrested a total of 322 people.
Members of the security forces remained in several districts on Thursday.
A coalition of about 20 opposition parties condemned "the climate of terror instigated by the government" in a statement.
Critics have denounced what they see as the "unilateral" manner in which the date of parliamentary elections has been fixed by the authorities and the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).
The opposition wants the CENI restructured, fearing a rigged vote.
© 2011 AFP