By Joe Lauria
A Western diplomat has corroborated French media reports that mercenaries from South Africa are training forces loyal to the coup leader in Guinea.
The diplomat, who has been briefed on the matter, said the mercenary training has sparked fears of an imminent return to violence in the former French colony.
"We have instructions that they are mercenaries who are training people of the same ethnic origin as the head of the coup d'état," the diplomat said.
"There is some concern that (Captain Moussa Dadis) Camara could return to violence," said the diplomat in New York. "We already have more and more reports of abductions and violence in the streets of Conakry."
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The diplomat, who said the mercenaries were "Africans and white and speak English", said Camara's ethnic group was being armed in the countryside, arousing fears of impending ethnic warfare.
Camara seized power in a bloodless coup last December. On September 28 his security forces killed more than 150 protesters in a sports stadium and openly raped dozens of women in the streets of the capital, sparking international outrage. Since then there has been relative calm in the country.
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has appointed a three-man, African-led commission to investigate the incidents.
The European Union and France have imposed asset freezes, travel bans and an arms embargo on the coup leaders.
The South African government is also investigating reports that as many as 50 South African mercenaries are working for the coup leaders.
Ayanda Ntsaluba, director-general of the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, said government intelligence agencies were checking the reports, which they had so far been unable to verify. - Independent Foreign Service
- This article was originally published on page 4 of Sunday Independent on November 15, 2009
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