16 Nov 2017 | 07:22 PM UTC
Guinea-Bissau: Clashes during protests in Bissau leave ten wounded Nov. 16 /update 1
Violent clashes during opposition protests in Bissau leave ten hospitalized November 16; three additional protests planned in Bissau over weekend
Event
An anti-government protest organized by the Collective of Democratic Political Parties (CPPD) - an umbrella party of over a dozen Bissau-Guinean parties - in Bissau left at least ten people wounded on Thursday, November 16, after clashes broke out between demonstrators and police. The protesters reportedly started their march in Chapa de Bissau, and marched around 3.5 km (2.2 mi) to the center of Bissau. Police reportedly fired tear gas at protesters and forcefully extricated some protesters from National Heroes Square, near the Presidential Palace, while protesters threw rocks at police. At least 14 protesters were arrested, according to local reports.
An additional three protests are tentatively planned in Bissau over the weekend, according to the US Embassy in Dakar, in the areas of Missira, Bairro Ajuda Espaco Verde, and Bairro Cuntum. A heightened security presence and consequent traffic disruptions are expected in Bissau over the weekend.
Context
The anti-government protesters are demanding that President José Mário Vaz remove Prime Minister Umaro Sissoco Embaló. Embaló was sworn into office in December 2016 despite widespread feeling that he fails to embody a consensus choice for an inclusive government, as envisioned by Bissau-Guinean opposition politicians during mediation talks in October 2016.
Guinea-Bissau has experienced a period of political uncertainty since August 2015, when President Vaz dismissed Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, leader of the president's own African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). Vaz and his government have suffered increasing unpopularity over the past three years and have failed to open significant dialogue with opposition actors, a concern given the country's history of frequent coup d'états. Several protests have been held in recent weeks in the capital.
Advice
Individuals are advised to monitor the situation in Guinea-Bissau and avoid all protests due to the possibility of violence.
