- The UN has appealed to politicians and citizens of Guinea-Bissau to conduct the upcoming elections in a positive manner so that this "crucial moment" can become a turning point in the troubled nation's history, also in terms of foreign aid. International observers have already arrived to supervise the 28 March poll, which seems to go well ahead.
The UN's Special Representative for Guinea-Bissau, David Stephen, in a statement has sent an appeal for a positive conduct of the upcoming elections - which are the first step towards a restoration of democracy and legitimacy after the September military coup in the country. Mr Stephen said he hoped for "a massive reply from the population" on election day.
- It is true that this is a crucial moment, Mr Stephen said of the 28 March poll. "The country suffered a military and political conflict in 1998-1999, followed by a transition period, a democratic government and a military intervention," the UN Representative explained. "Now, optimism has come back to the country."
According to Mr Stephen, Guinea-Bissau now had a "historic" chance to experience positive changes. "I believe that the Bissauans now are very conscientious that having an elected and legitimate government will make possible a new dialogue with donors and financial institutions and that the country truly will be able to benefit from this," he said.
The UN Representative made it clear that the international community would "not abandon the country" after the 28 March poll. He however appealed to the political leadership and to Bissauans at large to demonstrate their willingness to conduct the elections well. A new start for democracy in Guinea-Bissau would also mean a new start for the country's financial relations.
The UN has been massively engaged in Guinea-Bissau since the transition period after 1999. It tried to facilitate the country's development under the democratically elected government of President Kumba Yala - January 2000 to September 2003 - but the UN and the Bissauan population soon were disappointed with the style of government during the Yala regime. Mr Yala and the UN were not successful in securing substantial international funds for Guinea-Bissau until the September 2003 coup.
The international interest in a good conduct of the upcoming polls in Guinea-Bissau has been strong. The first international election observers arrived Bissau on Friday. Also on Friday, Ramos Horta, the Foreign Minister of East Timor, arrived Bissau as Special Representative of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP). Mr Horta heads a CPLP team that is to oversee the poll.
Also in West Africa, there is great interest in the Bissauan poll. While condemning the September coup, West African nations have shown a willingness to cooperate with the new leadership in Bissau as long as it remains committed to a return of democracy and legitimacy.
So far, the military leaders have stuck precisely to the timetable of returning to democratic conditions. Coup leader Veríssimo Correia Seabra already last year turned power back to civilians in a national unity government led by interim President Henrique Rosa - a civilian.
Only last week, military leader Seabra guaranteed the "neutrality" of the Bissauan armed forces in the election process. The still existing Military Committee, which has ceded most powers to the civilian government, was only to assist the government in "normal" matters during the elections, Mr Seabra told the press in Bissau. Mr Seabra is not running for any political office.
The electoral campaign, which started on 6 March, so far has been without any incidents, according to reports from the national electoral committee. A total of 15 political parties are presenting candidates for the Bissauan parliament and international observers are to stay in close contact with all of them.
The only complications to the electoral process were presented by the "accidental" release from house arrest of ex-President Yala on 8 March. Mr Yala, who in September had signed a document banning him from active politics for the next five years, immediately announced he wanted to do a political comeback. Two day after the announcement, he was put back in house arrest.
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