Guinea-Bissau
Bissauan coup plotters sentenced to prison

afrol News, 20 July - Six collaborators of deceased general Ansumane Mané, leader of an attempted coup d'état between 22 and 23 November 2000, have been condemned to prison terms of several years. Only last month, President Kumba Yala had proposed an amnesty for the coup plotters, which however was branded unconstitutional. 

General Ansumane Mané attempted to overthrow the government of Kumba Yala in November 2000, by leading a military attack against Bissau. Two days of fierce fighting between troops loyal to the government and troops loyal to Mané ended in the dispersing of Mané's troops. Mané himself was killed on 30 November by loyalist forces tracking him down. Mané's uprising represented the last power struggle between military and civilian authorities in Guinea-Bissau.

With national reconciliation more or less failed, President Yala tried to make a possible amnesty of several coup plotters a showcase for a new beginning earlier this year. The Bissau Parliament however refused to pass an amnesty bill as it found it unconstitutional. An amnesty could also not be granted while cases were still pending before the courts.

With an amnesty failing to materialise, the Bissau court therefore sentences the six collaborators of Mané to long prison terms. The three main accused - generals Buota Na M'Batcha, Saie Braia and Lamine Cisse - were sentenced to 3 years of prison and 4 years on probation. 

The heaviest sentences were however received by the ex-Commander the eastern military region, General Armando Soares da Gama, who was convicted to 8 years of prison. The Commander was accused of participating in a coup d'état, abduction and military disobedience. Also the ex-Commander the central military region, Major Augusto Mário Co, was sentenced to 6 years of prison for having been one of the heads behind "the conspiracy". 

The defence lawyer of the six convicted has indicated his intention to appeal the sentence to the Supreme Court of Justice, holding that the Bissau judges had based their sentences on vague arguments. 

The sentenced are given a greater chance to avoid their long prison terms by a possible amnesty. President Yala continues to be in favour of an amnesty and the Parliament - which is the only institution with powers to grant an amnesty in Guinea-Bissau - favours a wider amnesty, including all political and military crimes committed since 1980. 

Guinea-Bissau's largest opposition party, the RGB, further favours a profound programme of national reconciliation. The party - agreeing with the government - therefore would vote for an amnesty, although it might block an amnesty that does not include older political crimes. It also calls for a national debate and the creation of a truth and reconciliation commission. 

Also the UN, which has been present in Guinea-Bissau since 1999, on several occasions has called for a thorough reconciliation process. Earlier this month, the UN Security Council urged President Yala to encourage national reconciliation, good governance and the demobilisation, reintegration and reinsertion of former combatants. 

Sources: Based on afrol archives and press reports

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