After the military coup in Guinea-Bissau on 1 April, the capital -- Bissau -- has been waking up in apparent calm only slightly disturbed by the comings and goings of international envoys as they engage in talks with the President of the Republic and the prime minister. President Malam Bacai Sanha has shown that he is a consummate strategist in terms of internal diplomacy.
After a silence that went on for as long as the military coup he elected to not rock either side's boat and gave the assurance that "all is well in the kingdom.
Threat To Execute Prime Minister
As for Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior he also confirmed rather laconically that all was well but was promptly abducted by forces loyal to Guinea-Bissau Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff General Antonio Indjai who made apologies for his verbal inadequacies after publicly threatening to execute the prime minister.
Rear Admiral Bubo Na Tchuto (former Navy chief who fled to the Gambia and had lately been a refugee in the UN office premises in Bissau) decided to take it a step further when he called for the prime minister to go on trial. Let it be noted, however, that the possibility that the head of government might be removed has not been ruled out and if it were to happen it would permit the creation of a presidential type of government.
The euphoria of the military coup over, the citizens of Guinea-Bissau resumed their normal lives on Friday [2 April]. The markets reopened, the street vendors went back to their routine, and shops resumed business as has happened at other Easter holidays over the years. However, this apparent calm has not hidden the fact that the ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, PAIGC is currently beset by an internal storm where there are two opposing fields steadily but clearly taking up positions.
The two sides have only one point on which they agree, namely that the situation in the country must be played down for external consumption. They have, however, failed to convince the international community and in particular the representatives of CPLP (Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries), the United Nations, the African Union (AU), and the Economic Community of West African States, Ecowas.
Declaration of Cold War
A Cold War already has been declared and made more definite by the followers of President Malam Bacai Sanha and of Cadogo (nickname given to Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior) but there continue to be efforts to preserve a peaceful coexistence within the ruling party.
Jose Zamora Induta, Guinea-Bissau Armed Forces Chief of Staff General and Colonel Samba Djalo, head of the General Staff Military Information and Security Department, are still in detention. They were initially behind bars in the Bissau air base and then were transferred to the army barracks in Mansoa. The military rebels have accused the former of misusing his powers and the latter is believed to have been responsible for the posting on the Internet of a document that provide an account of "divisions within the PAIGC implicating in them some of the country’s most senior officials."
The 'Dictatorship of Consensus' (Ditadura do Consenso)' blog has had access to the rather controversial document and published it in full. The document was presumably signed by Samba Djalo and dated 10 November 2009.
The document entitled 'Internal Threats and Risks of Instability' was classified 'secret' by its author and it disclosed that there were tiffs between Cadogo and then President Joao Bernardo 'Nino' Vieira during the former's first tour of duty. It also warned that within the ruling party "one can detect the existence of various factions making for constant convulsions within the party" and it disclosed the names of militants that in November 2009 were regarded by Samba Djalo as very close to PAIGC president: Marciano S. Barbeiro, Daniel Gomes, Roberto Cacheu, Conduto de Pina, Soares Sambu, and Isabel Buscardine.
Instability-Related Risks
According to the then chief of DINFOSEMIL (Guinea-Bissau Armed Forces Military Information and Security Division) those same elements turned up at the party congress in the city of Gabu as supporters of Martinho Imdafa Cabi, one of the candidates in the party’s leadership," adding that "the way things have been evolving there are internal instability-related risks because all those members are sure to be part of the presidential team headed by President of the Republic Malam Bacai Sanha.
Samba Djalo stressed that "even though they all belong in the same party with the prime minister the fact is that there is a lack of trust that translates into internal contradictions in the party's midst and which could lead to a poisoning of the relationship between the two most senior officials in the country."
In the document, the former DINFOSEMIL chief noted that "this situation already has attracted comments that our services are well aware of thanks to our aerials and they have become aware of the fact that there are PAIGC militants that support the idea of holding a special congress with a view to pushing Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior out of the PAIGC leadership and by extension out of the post of prime minister."
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