Guinea: The existence of military service, including the length of service, possibilities of conscientious objection, penalties for desertion, and the existence of forced recruitment (1992-April 2001)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 3 April 2001 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | GIN36823.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Guinea: The existence of military service, including the length of service, possibilities of conscientious objection, penalties for desertion, and the existence of forced recruitment (1992-April 2001), 3 April 2001, GIN36823.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be3624.html [accessed 11 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Sources indicate that conscription exists in Guinea (UN 17 Dec. 1999; ibid. 16 Jan. 1997; Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers Mar. 1999).
Quoting the national legislation, The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers stated that "all Guinean citizens between the ages of 18 and 25 years may be called up by the army for a period of service of 18 months. The rate of recruitment is 95 per cent among men and 5 per cent among women" (Mar. 1999).
The length of the military service in Guinea is, according to a 16 January 1997 United Nations report, two years. The same report lists Guinea among countries in which there is conscription without alternative service (ibid.).
Quoting Guineenews, a 18 October 2001 IRIN report revealed that "Guinean authorities in the capital, Conakry, have been rounding up deserters who refuse to return to the border areas to fight against armed attacks by groups based in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Military police had arrested deserters and sent them the Alpha Yaya Diallo military camp. Civilians have been recruited into local militia groups to help defend the borders. Some have been armed and others use machetes or sticks as weapons."
Information on penalties for desertion and on forced recruitment could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
The Coalition to Stop the Use of Children as Soldiers, London. March 1999. Africa Report: Guinea.
Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). 18 October 2000. "Guinea: Authorities Round Up Deserters."
United Nations. Economic and Social Council. 17 December 1999. Civil and Political Rights Including the Question of: Conscientious Objection to Military Service. Report of the Secretary-General Submitted in Accordance With Commission on Human Rights Resolution 1998/77.
_____. 16 January 1997. The Question of Conscientious Objection to Military Service. Report of the Secretary-General Prepared, in Accordance With Commission on Human Rights Resolution 1995/99 (E/CN.4/1997/99).
Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential 1992-2001.
Country Reports for 2000. 2001. Electronic Version.
Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent1993-2001.
LEXIS/NEXIS.
Resource Centre country file. Guinea. 1994-2001.
West Africa 1993-2001.
Web Sites including:
Amnesty International.
La Chronique.
Human Rights Watch (HRW).
La Lance.
The Lynx.
L'Observateur.
Panafrican News Agency (PANA).
Engine search including:
Dogpile.
Google.
Lycos.
Yahoo.
