Guinea stadium massacre victims find peace after 15 years

This article includes accounts of rape and physical assault

Lawyers for Guinea's former junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara said they would appeal his conviction for crimes against humanity over mass killings and rapes at a September 2009 political rally at a stadium in Conakry, the capital of the West African nation. 

A court in Guinea sentenced Camara to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity earlier this week.

Several other former military commanders were also found guilty of crimes against humanity and handed life sentences. Four defendants were found not guilty. 

'Some are suffering in their flesh and soul'

Just moments after Wednesday's sentencing, survivors and victims' loved ones expressed their satisfaction with the sentence.

"The defendants were given sentences that we consider acceptable," Me Alpha Amadou DS Bah, one of the victims' lawyers, said at a press briefing.

"Because the crimes were heinous, many people lost their lives, some are suffering in their flesh and soul for having been defiled at the stadium, and there are people we have not found, unfortunately."

Several other former military commanders were handed life sentences, while four defendants were found not guilty. The court also ordered compensation to be paid to the victims, running from 200 million to 1.5 billion Guinean francs ($23,000 to $174,000).

However, not all the victims are pleased with the sentences handed down to the defendants, some of whom find the court's decision 'lenient' towards their executioners.

The verdict was "the culmination of a 15-year struggle," according to Asmaou Diallo, president of the Association of Victims, Parents, and Friends of September 28 (AVPIA), an organization named after the date on which the massacre took place that advocates for victims and their families. 

Diallo lost one of her sons in the stadium tragedy.

"Today, we feel immense relief, even if the pain of our losses remains," she said. "This sense of accomplishment is tinged with sadness because nothing; nothing can ever bring back our loved ones."

Rape cases included in the verdict

Right before sentencing, the court said the charges — which included murder, rape, torture, and kidnapping — had been reclassified to crimes against humanity.

Maitre Halima Camara, lawyer for the plaintiffs, was delighted that rape cases had been taken into account in this historic trial.

"It's symbolic that cases of sexual violence have been recognized by our justice system as crimes against humanity," she told DW.

According to a UN-mandated commission of inquiry, at least 156 people were killed, hundreds more wounded, and 109 women raped. This is the first time in Guinea's history that a former head of state has been tried and convicted.

Lawyers of Camara rejected his conviction, stating that they would appeal this "unjust judgment."

The lawyers said that, during the nearly two-year trial, Camara had never "been heard or required to explain the elements constituting the crime against humanity."

'Father of the nation'

Camara once described himself as the "father of the nation" when he seized power with a group of officers in December 2008 immediately after the death of Lansana Conte, Guinea's second post-independence president who had ruled autocratically for 24 years.

He declared this paternal status in 2009, asserting on several occasions that he had been "chosen by God, who confers power on whomever He wishes."

The ex-junta leader was known during his rule for his absurd television performances in which he would humiliate his lackeys.

After that fateful day at the stadium, which turned most Guineans against him, Camara expressed little remorse. He stated that his army was "uncontrollable" but also claimed it had "feelings and respect" for him.

The trial was described as historic in a country ruled for decades by authoritarian regimes, where impunity for the security forces has become an "institution," according to international partners.

UN rights chief Volker Turk said it was crucial to continue the fight against impunity in Guinea and work to shed light on "the full facts and responsibilities" around the September 28, 2009 incident.

"After nearly 15 years, the victims, survivors, and their families have the right to full justice and transparency," the UN high commissioner said in a statement.

The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) also welcomed the verdict, noting that the "judges sent a clear signal that no one is above the law."

"The judgment marks a landmark moment in establishing the truth behind the 28 September 2009 events and bringing to account those bearing the greatest responsibility for the atrocities committed," the ICC said in a statement.

Abdoulaye Sadio Diallo in Guinea and AFP contributed to this article.

Edited by: Keith Walker

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