VZCZCXRO0071
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0287/01 1411359
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211359Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3689
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000287 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC GV
SUBJECT: GUINEAN LAWYERS THREATENS LABOR STRIKE 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  Guinea's equivalent of the National Bar 
Association is threatening to go on strike as early as May 21 
to protest the CNDD's perpetuation of extra-judicial legal 
procedures and a parallel justice system.  At a minimum, the 
Bar is demanding that the CNDD immediately eliminate two 
offices with judicial authority that are operating out of 
Camp Alpha Yaya.  In response, CNDD President Dadis summoned 
the head of the Bar to meet with him the evening of May 21 
and reportedly told him that he would examine their demands. 
As these issues are becoming increasingly problematic, the 
Bar's decision to take a stand is a positive development.  At 
the same time, it is unclear how a potential strike would be 
received and what impact it might have.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The 144 members of the National Order of Lawyers of 
Guinea (an organization equivalent to the Bar Association in 
the United States) has been threatening to go on strike as 
early as May 21.  Pol/Econ Chief met with the head of the 
Bar, Maitre Mohamed Sampil, on May 20 to discuss the 
situation.  Sampil was elected to his position by his 
associates on January 15 for a two-year term. 
 
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PARALLEL JUSTICE SYSTEM MUST GO 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Sampil confirmed recent press reports regarding the 
reasons behind the strike, which stem from the Bar's 
frustration with the extra-judiciary processes and parallel 
legal system perpetuated by the CNDD since the coup.  At a 
minimum, the Bar is demanding that the CNDD eliminate the 
Bureau of Conflict and the Bureau of Judicial Investigations, 
both of which operate out of Camp Alpha Yaya.  (COMMENT.  The 
Bureau of Conflict is reportedly staffed entirely by military 
personnel with no legal training.  The Bureau has quickly 
gained a reputation as the place to go for an expeditious 
decision and/or reconsideration of closed cases.  The Bureau 
has overturned at least one Supreme Court decision.  END 
COMMENT) 
 
¶4.  (SBU) According to Sampil, the members of the Bar have 
been increasingly disturbed over the deterioration of the 
justice system and the general lack of respect for rule of 
law.  The Bar met with the Minister of Justice in early 
February to raise these concerns.  At that time, Sampil 
requested that the Minister raised the Bar's concerns 
directly with Dadis in order to draw his attention to the 
blatant disregard for the law and human rights.  Sampil told 
Pol/Econ Chief that the Bar has not received any response to 
its request. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Sampil explained that members of the Bar have been 
considering issuing a declaration on the situation for some 
time now, but refrained because they felt the "political 
equilibrium was too fragile."  In addition, Sampil said that 
the CNDD's intentions in the beginning appeared genuine in 
that they said they would address corruption and drug 
trafficking, two issues of grave concern.  "What patriot of 
his country could speak out against this agenda?" Sampil 
said.  However, the Bar did direct all lawyers to refrain 
from participating in any legal procedures originating from 
Camp Alpha Yaya. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Expounding on the many human rights abuses 
perpetuated by the CNDD in the name of justice, Sampil 
mentioned one particularly striking example.  He described 
how CNDD President Dadis had recently appeared on "the Dadis 
Show" to preside over a land dispute case that had been 
reopened.  During this public hearing over national 
television, Dadis reportedly declared himself as the 
country's "chief judge."  He then proceeded to reverse the 
initial legal ruling. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) As the legal situation continued to worsen and 
Dadis and the CNDD failed to respond to the lawyers' 
concerns, Sampil said that the Bar was forced to threaten 
more concrete action. He anticipates that the strike could 
begin as early as May 21.  Although the Bar only has 144 
members, Sampil said that judges, notaries, and other legally 
trained professionals plan to participate.  In response to 
the threat, Sampil was called down to speak to the 
Secretariat for the President today (May 20) in preparation 
for a meeting with Dadis later that evening.    According to 
Sampil, the Bar is demanding that Dadis immediately eliminate 
any institutions that support a parallel system of justice. 
On May 21, Sampil called to say that the meeting went well 
and that Dadis was "in favor of examining their demands." 
 
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CONAKRY 00000287  002 OF 002 
 
 
COMMENT 
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¶8.  (SBU) The issue of extra-judiciary processes and parallel 
justice is becoming increasingly problematic.  Embassy has 
been routinely raising this issue with interlocutors and 
government officials, but the message seems to often be 
dismissed as yet another Western admonition about human 
rights.  The Bar's decision to draw attention to the problem 
is a good thing.  At the same time, the Bar has gone on 
strike in the past for various issues, but such strikes were 
barely acknowledged by the population since the justice 
system, even when it is at its best, barely functions at all. 
 Dadis' meeting with the Bar will likely postpone the strike, 
but it will be interesting to see if he actually accedes to 
their demands.  END COMMENT. 
RASPOLIC