CWS chief calls this a 'hopeful' and 'critical' moment for Guinea
NEW YORK, March 8--As the people of Guinea return to work following weeks of conflict caused by increasing displeasure with the government, the head of Church World Service is calling on Christian and Islamic leaders to forge ahead with efforts to avert a future crisis in the country.
The Rev. John L. McCullough, executive director and chief executive officer of the New York-based humanitarian agency, said, "The government has shown an admirable willingness to engage the faith community in finding a resolution to the current crisis. The country's religious leaders must continue to cooperate and to be proactive in their efforts to bring stability and prosperity to Guinea."
Guinea's labor unions agreed last week to suspend strikes that closed offices and shops and disrupted the economy for nearly two months. Crucial to that decision was the role of the Christian Council of Guinea and the country's National Islamic League in efforts to convince Guinea's ailing President Lansana Conte to appoint a prime minister acceptable to the trade unions and to the general populace to manage affairs of state.
On Feb. 26, President Conte replaced the prime minister that he had appointed two weeks before with Lansana Kouyate, a former diplomat included on a list of acceptable candidates compiled by the unions.
The Christian Council now is pushing for a national dialogue to bring together representatives from the religious, political, business, labor and civic communities to discuss the status of the country and the presidency in hopes of reaching agreement on the way forward from the crushing poverty and government corruption. McCullough says CWS and other international partners would support the Council's efforts to provide a forum or platform for such a dialogue.
That the country establish credibility in attempts to avert a downward spiral is key if the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are to resume funding to Guinea, whose citizens now are suffering under sanctions imposed by the international funders because of government corruption.
Guinea's 8.8 million citizens--most of them poor-- already have endured violence, looting and killings, and government-imposed martial law, and lack of access to schools, hospitals and essential social services.
Stability and the development of a clear vision for the future is key for Guineans and for the entire region, where neighboring Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Cote D'Ivoire are struggling to maintain peace in their own countries after years of crises.
McCullough has been in close contact with Bishop Albert Gomez, the Anglican head of Guinea and president of the Christian Council, throughout the current conflict. He says Bishop Gomez "has long been aware of the potential for crisis that could even lead to civil war if the Church and other concerned parties do not continue their vigilance and their efforts to unite the country behind a common goal."
Last November, McCullough met in Guinea with Christian and Islamic leaders, representatives from the civic and business communities and lawmakers from both the party in power and opposition parties. He came away from those meetings confident that together the country's leaders can develop "a workable strategy for lifting Guinea out of its misery and concerned about the international response to "the conditions that beset the Guinean government and the people."
In spite of the present uncertainty, McCullough is convinced that this is "one of the most hopeful periods ever" in Guinea's history.
"If the people can find the fortitude to trust the leadership from all segments of society to be in dialogue and to discern a way forward then there is a very good chance that economic prosperity and respect for the rights of all the people, especially the poor, will result. This is a critical moment for Guinea and for the region."
Media Contacts
Lesley Crosson, (212) 870-2676, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org Jan Dragin - 24/7 - (781) 925-1526, jdragin@gis.net
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