Protestors victimized in Guinea

Protestors victimized in Guinea

By Brittany Falkers

            Women were the prey of violent sexual crimes in Guinea, Conakry Tuesday, and Guinea's government said Tuesday it would investigate why troops opened fire on protesters at a pro democracy rally, reported The Huffington Post.

              The New York Times reported that Guinean soldiers suppressed a political demonstration last week, witnesses and victims described rapes, beatings and acts of intentional humiliation.           

            "The attacks were part of a violent outburst on Sept. 28 in which soldiers shot and killed dozens of unarmed demonstrators at the main stadium here, where perhaps 50,000 had assembled.  Local human rights organizations say at least 157 were killed; the government puts the figure at 56.

            Witnesses told The New York Times that there were nude and half naked women being raped and sexually assaulted.

            Sidya Touré, former prime minister, told The New York Times, "This time, a new stage has been reached.  Women as battlefield targets.  We could never have imagined that."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/world/africa/06guinea.html?pagewanted=2&th&emc=th

In a Guinea Seized by Violence, Women Are Prey

By Adam Nossiter, The New York Times

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/29/guinea-protest-soldiers-r_n_302633.html

Women In Streets, Killed Dozens of Protesters, Say Witnesses

By Alhassan Sillah (AP)