Guinea Research Paper

Introduction Guinea, or The Republic of Guinea, is a country located in South Africa that possesses major mineral wealth and agricultural resources, making it one of Africa’s potentially richest countries (BBC News, 2010). Yet, the country is still an undeveloped nation allowing for its people being amongst the poorest in West Africa. Flag of Guinea
Background
The area that occupies Guinea today once belonged to various West African civilizations such as the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai Empires until France colonized it in 1895, becoming part of French West Africa (U.S. Department of State, 2010). On October 2, 1958, Guinea achieved its independence from France, officially becoming a sovereign and independent state under Ahmed Sekou Toure as president. Toure pursued a revolutionary socialist agenda, resulting in Ghana becoming a “. . . one-party dictatorship, with a closed, socialized economy and no tolerance for human rights, free expression, or political opposition . . .” (U.S. Department of State, 2010). During Toure’s 26-year regime, thousands of people disappeared, killed, or tortured until his death in 1984.
General Lasana Conte
They believe that this new government should put a stop towards such atrocity by carrying out investigations and prosecuting soldiers for wrong-doings. Nearly 19 incidents were collected by the Human Rights Watch from victims and witnesses, describing how these heavily armored soldiers in red berets, and traveling in both civilian and military vehicles with no license plate raided offices, homes, businesses, and medical clinics in broad daylight and at night. Soldiers have stolen quantities of wholesale and retail merchandise, among other items of innocent civilian’s personal