Guinea 'indifferent' to president's death

The death of Guinean President Lansana Conté has left the country in a state of utter confusion. In power since 1984, the authoritarian ruler leaves behind a financially devastated country, despite its wealth of minerals.

Just hours after the former French army sergeant died, the Guinean Army suspended the constitution and parliament and set up a committee for national recovery - news announced to the country's population of 10 million over state radio.

The aluminium oxide factory where Noel works as a chemical technician

Today in Fria

Photos by Noel Etienne Gnimassou.

'We haven't heard one gunshot the whole night'

Henri Willox is a blogger who contacted us to tell us about the situation in Conakry.

Here in Conakry everyone's going about their business as normal and life goes on except that we don't have any electricity (while normally it gets cut at six in the morning).

We haven't heard one gunshot the whole night and everyone around here is happy to know that the young militaries have taken power [while the army says there's been a coup, the prime minister assures that the government still holds power]."

Mineral-rich country an 'economic wasteland'

Everything's calm in Fria; people have gone back to work as though it were a normal day. Most of the shops are open and there's no rush to buy food - except for those getting provisions for Christmas Eve. Even the children wanted to get to school this morning, but they were sent home. The soldiers are in their barracks and there are no troops moving through the town.  

We heard about Conté's death at two in the morning. The army waited until people were sleeping so to avoid gatherings in the street. But in the end people received the news almost indifferently. Everyone's so tired because of the financial crisis here and in the rest of the world, that the reaction's not that strong.

Under Conté we had more freedom than before. But Guinea's an economic wasteland. The country's rich in minerals but the people don't benefit from it.

Today I mourned a little and paid my respects to the dead. But I hope in all my heart that we see a positive and real change. We need someone righteous to take control of the country, so that we can finally see an end to the old guard and allies of the president. Guinea needs a new class of younger, more competent leaders."