A soldier in Bissau on March 10, 2009. Ecowas says it will send a stabilisation force to Guinea-Bissau following a failed coup attempt in the country. PHOTO | AFP
Ecowas deliberated on deploying a military mission to Guinea Bissau following a “failed” coup attempt.
Apart from Guinea Bissau, Ecowas deliberated sending forces to bring peace and stability to Mali and Guinea Conakry following coups.
According to the country's Human Rights League, 60 people were arrested with links to the coup attempt while the government put the figure of those arrested at 11.
Ecowas military mission personnel have started to land in Guinea Bissau, the government's spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.
In February, Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) agreed to deploy a military mission to Guinea Bissau following a “failed” coup attempt. After the decision, some civil society organisations and political parties were against the deployment, arguing that parliament should first agree on the matter.
Apart from Guinea Bissau, Ecowas deliberated sending forces to bring peace and stability to Mali and Guinea Conakry following coups.
According to the country's Human Rights League, 60 people were arrested with links to the coup attempt while the government put the figure of those arrested at 11.
"It is not a situation of consensus…but we have to follow Ecowas resolutions as a member and founder state," Guinea Bissau's government spokesperson Mr Fernando Vaz said.
“The details of the Ecowas stabilisation mission to Guinea Bissau will be defined in May in Accra, Ghana during a summit of the bloc's Chiefs of General Staff,” he added without disclosing further details.
On Monday, local media reported that part of the Ecowas 631-personnel deployment and its logistics were already in the country.
