Mr. President,
Your surprising decision to make former President Umaro Sissoco Embalé a special guest at the Celebration of the 65th anniversary of Senegal’s independence is a very serious affront to democracy, to the democratic rule of law, where the will of the people prevails through free, fair and transparent elections.
As you know, President Umaro Sissoco Embalt’s term of office ended on 27 February this year and, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic, he has lost all legramacy to preside over and represent Guinea-Bissau.
Umaro Sissoco Embait’s deliberate refusal to set the date for the presidental election in accordance with the Constitution not only proves his hosblity to democratic rules and his lack of democratic culture, but above all confirms his fear of being judged and sanctoned by the Guinean people at the ballot box, given his disastrous governance, which has led Guinea-Bissau into economic and social chaos and the institutional anarchy he has orchestrated in the name of absolute contol of state power.
Under direct orders from Umaro Sissoco Embald, the Supreme Court of Justice was invaded by militias from the Presidency of the Republic, who forced the replacement of the head of these important body by force of arms. Likewise, in his autocratic and absolutst dnfi, Umaro Sissoco Embalé ordered the kidnapping of the National People’s Assembly, placing the country in the orbit of an authontananism never seen before in Guinea-Bissau.
Faced with this dangerous context in the country, the last Summit of Heads of States and Governments, which His Excellency attended, decided to send a high level mission to Bissau to facilitate the process of political dialogue and the consequent consensual setting of the date for legsiatve and presidential electons. Unfortunately, in a clear affront to ECOWAS, Umaro Sissoco Embakd deaded t expel the delegation from the country, citing fallacious arguments.
The total disregard for the Consttution of the Republic and other taws of the country, the institutional debacle, the capture of justice, the institutonalizaton of violence against ciizens through kidnappings and beatings against dissenting voices inside and outside the national territory, the worsening of poverty, ethnic and religious cleavages, the sponsorship of organized crime with serious consequences in the subregion, constitute the legacy of your special quest with whom you will share the stage of the celebration of the historic date of the sovereignty of the Senegalese people.
Mr. President, The dictatorial and autocratic regime of Umaro Sissoco Embalé, responsible for the violence ordered against more than three hundred citzens inside and outside the country, commitied by the secunty forces,
militias and torture squads under the tutelage of the Ministry of the Interior and the Presidency of the Repubiic, is also a danger to the whole of West Ainca, including Senegal.
Faced with this context of degradation and the destruction of democratic achievements, to tum a blind eye to the misdeeds underway in Guinea-Bissau, led by former president Umaro Sissoco Embald, 1s to do a disservice to the Senegalese people, whose fight for democracy ts a benchmark in Africa.
His Excellency’s gesture is, above all, a betrayal not only of the memory of dozens of young Senegalese who died in defense of democracy and the rule of law, but aiso of all the peoples who saw in you a product of the struggle for freedom and a pan-Afncanist example of the fight against autocracy and neo-coloniatism, of which Umaro Sissoco Embaid is the highest representatve.
In solidarity with your heroic struggle, on 11 August 2023, a collective of 100 Guinean personahtes from different social segments sent a open letter to your predecessor Macky Sail, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all politcal pnsoners and prisoners of conscience in Senegal, whch included Mr Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who seven months later would be vigorously voted in by the courageous Senegalese people as the fifth President of the Republic, through free, faw and ransparent democratic elections, which Umaro Sissoco Embald has systemabcally denied the Guinean people.
Your resounding victory on 24 March 2024, celebrated beyond the borders of Senegal, was more than a celebration of electoral success, it was in fact a victory for freedom agamnst diciatorstup, a victory for
democracy against the authoritarianism of Macky Salil unequivocally supported by your special quest Umaro Sissoco Embald.
Since democracy is a universal value and principle to which the Senegalese and Guinean peoples are bound, the invitation extended to Umaro Sissoco Embaid is in contrast to the democratc ideal and cals into question the foundations of the democracy that allowed you to be elected fo the supreme magstracy.
Considering that the peoples of Guinea-Bissau and Senegal share a centuries-old history of struggle for freedom, respect and the dignity of the human person, we, the cibzens of Guinea-Bissau grouped in more than 50 civic and social organizations, take this opportunsty to:
1 – Unreservedly condemn the invitation extended to former President Umaro Sissoco Embaldé to parbcipate on behalf of Guinea-Bissau in the celebration of the 65th anniversary of Senegal’s independence;
2 – Consider as a betrayal of democracy and an affront to the rule of law, the decision of His Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, to invite a violent dictator without popular legitimacy, whose
totalitarian agenda is absolutely alien to the interests of the Guinean and Senegalese peoples, who long to live in peace, freedom and progress;
3 – Note that the sending of a Senegalese presidential plane to Bissau for the sole purpose of transporting your special guest confirms His Excellency’s willingness to go along with the dictator’s agenda and to whitewash the dictator’s image through photo shoots.
4 – Wam His Excellency of the risks arising from the obscure and unconiessed agenda outside the democratic framework, which could harm the principle of good neigh burfiness and the health of the fruitful cooperation between the two democratic nations.
5 – Urge His Excellency to urgently refrain from behavior that amounts to unequivocal support for the legitimization of dictatorship in one of Senegal’s sister countries and to contribute to the materialization of the democratic agenda based on the popular will expressed at the ballot box;
6 – Reiterate the unwavering commitment of civil society organizations in Guinea-Bissau to participate in initiatives to fight for democracy and fundamental rights in Africa.
7 – Remind His Excellency of the importance of Senegal in ECOWAS and its responsibility to defend the principles set out in the Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
Long live democracy! Long live African unity! Long live popular sovereignty!
REPUBLIKA | ANOS! Bissau, 4th Aprit 2025
