Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, leader of Guinea’s junta, should be charged with crimes against humanity relating to a massacre and mass rape during an opposition rally in September, the UN says in a leaked report.

By Lula Ahrens

On September 28th, demonstrators gathered at a sports stadium in the capital, Conakry, to protest Camara’s possible candidacy in a presidential election planned for 2010. Troops opened fire on the crowd in what rights groups have called a pre-planned massacre.

According to the UN expert panel, Camara bears “direct criminal responsibility” for the slaughter. They have called on the International Criminal Court to take action against Camara and other junta members. Camara has blamed unruly elements in the army, in a bid to distance himself from the atrocities.

Camara himself was shot in the head by one of his own soldiers earlier this month, after which the country descended into even greater chaos. He was flown to Morocco for treatment where he remains.
The report said 156 people were killed. The ruling junta claims less than 60 people died.

Soldiers are also accused of mass murder, mass rape and sexual abuse of women during the protest. The report states that at least 109 girls and women were raped, sexual mutilated or kidnapped for repeated rape, and that hundreds of people were tortured.

The EU tightened sanctions against the junta on Tuesday with an assets freeze and an export ban on equipment that could be used for state repression.

Camara seized power last year, following the death of the country’s former leader, Lansana Conte.

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