APA-Conakry (Guinea) The opposition ‘Forces Vives’ in Guinea could boycott nationwide consultations aimed at charting a new constitution for the country.
After the symposium on constitutionalism last February, the National Transitional Council opened the constitutional orientation debate on Monday, May 15, 2023.
This initiative is an important step in the return to constitutional order in the Republic of Guinea, nearly two years after the coup d’état against Alpha Conde.
According to the president of the legislative body of the Guinean transition, the goal of these consultations is to overcome or eliminate sterile controversy, reduce controversy and differences, to promote a consensual approach or broadly majority and constructive by its inclusiveness.
“The constitutional policy debate that we are going to have is not of a disciplinary or academic nature, as was the case with the symposium last February,” Dansa Kourouma said.
For him, the discussions that the participants will have will carry the claims and recommendations of the populations.
Also, they will serve to outline a new horizon of understanding of our common future, able to reconcile public order and freedom, the right of the individual and the imperatives of society, the powers and prerogatives of the state and the rights of the individual, he said.
“The constitutional orientation debate is then a major moment of the Transition, inviting all the components of the Nation to give their opinions, formulate their proposals on the main lines of the new Constitution, collect, dissect and clarify the respective positions of political parties, civil society organizations, trade unions and other
relevant professional organizations,” the president of the National Transition Council added.
The future Fundamental Law of Guinea will take into account the first constitution dating from 1958 to that of 2020. In these texts, it is possible to perpetuate and perpetuate many constitutional fundamentals that will therefore have to be accepted as intangible and unchangeable, said Dansa Kourouma.
After overthrowing the civilian regime led by Alpha Conde on September 5, 2021, Mamadi Doumbouya’s National Committee of the Rally for Development (CNRD) suspended the controversial 2020 constitution, as well as all the institutions that emerged from it.
To give legal force to their decisions, the CNRD leaders have given the country a transition charter.
For the Prime minister of the transition government, the future constitution must respond to the aspirations of the people, stand the test of time and resist the temptations of men. According to the head of government, the fundamental law must also have the capacity to adapt to its environment, embrace the great universal principles while preserving our own identity.
The stakes are high
“This is why we are convinced that the principles and values that should prevail in the reflection and drafting of the future constitutional text will be essential for the direction we wish to give to our country,” Bernard Goumou said.
This constitutional orientation debate launched on Monday will have its epilogue on May 30 in Parliament. It will record the participation of all the components of the nation having taken part in the inter-Guinean inclusive dialogue.
However, the political coalitions that are members of the ‘Forces Vives,’ which are fighting against the “unilateral” management of the transition by the junta in power, may not take part. They are already planning to continue the demonstrations that began last week and which have reportedly claimed a dozen victims.
ASD/ac/fss/abj/APA