Atrocities in Guinea must never be forgotten, says UN envoy on sexual violence
| Publisher | UN News Service |
| Publication Date | 22 November 2011 |
| Cite as | UN News Service, Atrocities in Guinea must never be forgotten, says UN envoy on sexual violence, 22 November 2011, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4ecf6d7f2.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| 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. |
In a statement issued following her visit last week to the West African country, Margot Wallström, the Secretary-General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, said that the atrocities, including mass rapes, committed on 28 September 2009 against peaceful protesters in the capital, Conakry, had "shocked the world."
"Its legacy is far from over. There remains today an urgent neeIn 2009, at least 150 Guineans were killed and many others raped after armed forces opened fire on unarmed demonstrators at an opposition rally in Conakry to assist the survivors and bring the perpetrators to justice," she added.
Ms. Wallström is currently on a three-country trip to West Africa, visiting Guinea, Sierra Leone and now Côte d'Ivoire.
In 2009, at least 150 Guineans were killed and many others raped after armed forces opened fire on unarmed demonstrators at an opposition rally in Conakry.
Last week Ms. Wallström met with survivors, representatives of victims' associations, and senior Government officials.
In her statement the envoy welcomed the Guinean Government's commitment to fighting impunity and preventing sexual violence, noting that the UN will "continue to monitor the situation" in Guinea and "anywhere else that sexual violence may occur."
"The atrocities that occurred on 28 September 2009," she stressed, "must never be forgotten and never be repeated."
