The X factor

13/05/2009Not everyone has welcomed a new regime in the West African country of Guinea.

BMS workers Simon and Solange Wood write about a government initiative, which has forced people in their neighbourhood to leave their homes – having been given just a day to do so.

Since January 2009, the new government in Guinea – formed after the death of President Lansana Conte – has stated that it wants to reclaim all government property that had been abandoned by the previous regime.

People have been warned that this will have serious implications for those who have built on land that wasn’t theirs.

We live 30 metres away from the main road that runs over 930 kilometres from the capital Conakry to the south of Guinea. It goes directly through our town of Kissidougou, and all other streets branch off from it.

The government announced that all land several metres either side of this road is government property and it wants it back to widen the road.

A few weeks ago, some government officials passed through town, measured the land around the road and marked all buildings that need to be brought down with a red X.

People were given 24 hours to remove their belongings before the army came in to destroy whatever was left.

The road is lined with people’s homes, businesses and stalls, and most have been marked with a red X – either to be completely destroyed or dissected at a certain point.

People therefore had to empty their homes and take whatever could be salvaged from the property (roof tiles, windows, doors, wooden beams etc).

While some of these buildings are large businesses, the majority are homes or stalls belonging to poor individuals.

Please join with us in praying:
•   for those who are affected as they make hurried plans to relocate.
•   for new opportunities and resources to rebuild their homes and business.
•   that there will be peace when the soldiers arrive.
•   for the government as it continues its projects for improving the country.

Following last December’s death of President Lansana Conte, who had ruled Guinea for 24 years, there was a bloodless military coup. Captain Moussa Dadis Camara was made leader of the junta – but he has stated that neither he, nor others in the new national council, would run in the country’s elections, planned for the end of 2009.

BMS World Mission has been involved in health work in Guinea since 1993, and church work for the last five years.

There are currently six mission workers based in the country, including Simon and Solange Wood, and their two children, who are located in Kissidougou.

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