Socialist International strongly condemns assassination of President Vieira in Guinea-Bissau

The Socialist International strongly condemns the assassination of President Joao Bernardo Vieira by members of the army in Guinea-Bissau, as well as the killing of the armed forces chief of staff that preceded it, and calls for the restoration of constitutional order in the country.

The International has followed with great concern the recent political difficulties in Guinea-Bissau and reiterates its firm view that there never can be any justification for the use of force to resolve political disputes and that political assassination is a completely heinous and criminal act.

The Socialist International has always strongly supported efforts to establish and strengthen democracy in Africa and elsewhere in the world and to ensure social justice and respect for human rights, and is dismayed by this setback in Guinea-Bissau.

At the same time, the International notes as positive the swift condemnation of the killings in Guinea-Bissau by the African Union and calls upon the international community as a whole to make every possible effort to work toward restoring constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau and steering it toward a more peaceful, democratic future.

 

Statement issued by the Socialist International, 02 March 2009