VZCZCXRO2690
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0292 1461211
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261211Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3696
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000292 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB ASEC PGOV GV
SUBJECT: TAXI DRIVERS ORGANIZE "SPONTANEOUS STRIKE" 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Beginning the morning of May 26, Conakry's taxi 
drivers parked their vehicles and launched a labor "strike" 
in protest of recent government decisions affecting the 
transportation sector.  Guinea's transportation union 
(OUSA-CNTG) did not organize the strike and described the 
movement as "spontaneous."  As such, the workers did not file 
a pre-notification of intent to strike, which is required by 
law.  However, an OUSA-CNTG contact told Econ LES that the 
union will support the taxi drivers and will likely offer to 
negotiate on their behalf.  Contact noted that they were 
planning to meet with Minister of Security, General Toto 
Camara, at noon today (May 26). 
 
¶2.  (U) According to sources, the taxi strike is in protest 
of several recent policy decisions issued by the military 
junta.  Early in the year, the Minister of Finance increased 
the annual "road tax" by nearly 100% from 160,000 GnF 
($32.65) to 300,000 GnF ($61.22).  The deadline for paying 
this tax is May 31.  A few months later, in March, the 
Minister of Security (Toto Camara) required that all taxis be 
painted yellow, an expensive prospect for many taxi drivers, 
although most complied.  Camara also announced that taxis 
could no longer carry more than four passengers at a time, 
thereby effectively reducing income.  Finally, the taxi 
drivers are claiming that fuel prices have not dropped and 
there is nothing in place to help compensate them for these 
additional costs.  Both the Finance Minister and the Security 
Minister are military officers. 
 
¶3.  (U) In a city with few buses or any other means of public 
transportation, taxis are the backbone of the transportation 
sector.  The streets are routinely crowded with taxis filled 
to capacity, often carrying up to six passengers stuffed into 
a sedan.  When the taxis are off the roads, many people 
cannot get to work or school.  In the past, such disruptions 
in transportation services have quickly sparked civil 
protests, some of which were violent.  The quickest group to 
react is the student population, who rely on taxis to 
transport them to school and university. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Just a few hours into the strike, signs of violence 
were already evident.  By 0740, large numbers of youths were 
seen gathering in the Cosa area.  Shortly after that, a 
Guinean military liaison officer to the Embassy called in to 
say that the youths had thrown rocks at his vehicle, breaking 
the back windshield.  At 0940, RSO staff reported growing 
numbers of people in the streets.  Some of these people may 
have been individuals simply walking to their destinations, 
but angry youths were reportedly shouting and throwing rocks 
at passing government vehicles.  A truck full of riot police 
(gendarme unit), in full gear, had been stationed at Bambeto 
Circle, which is the main transportation artery that goes to 
the Cosa area and the airport.  By noon, the situation was 
quiet and pedestrians and vehicles were moving normally. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶5.  (SBU) There have been rumors of discontent among the taxi 
drivers for weeks, although such rumors are common.  Without 
a specific union movement, it is difficult to anticipate when 
feelings of discontent will escalate to a more concrete 
demonstration.  This strike may represent the first real test 
for CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara and the military 
junta.  Security forces have a poor track record when it 
comes to quelling civil unrest and they may be even more 
quick to overreact this time around out of a misplaced zeal 
to demonstrate their loyalty to the government.  The fact 
that the strike is illegal may add even more zeal to their 
response. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) At the same time, the strike may present a golden 
public relations opportunity for Dadis.  Since the unpopular 
policies were instituted by two of his ministers, Dadis could 
claim that he was unaware of the situation and then swoop in 
to solve it, thereby emerging as the hero.  Given that Dadis 
has been marginalizing Security Minister Toto Camara for 
months, this situation also gives Dadis a plausible 
opportunity to further sideline him. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) At this point, it is unclear what direction this 
strike might take.  It could quickly escalate, but it could 
also quickly go away.  Embassy is closely monitoring the 
situation.  END COMMENT. 
RASPOLIC