Agression du 22 novembre 1970 : « elle a eu lieu avec l’aval de Sékou Touré », dit Aliou Barry

Guinea commemorates this Monday, November 22, 2021, the 51st anniversary of the Portuguese aggression of November 22, 1970, on its territory. On this day of painful memories and emotion, which brings back the sad recollections of this attempt to destabilize the Sékou Touré regime, orchestrated by a powerful nation (Portugal), as well as the wave of repression unleashed in Guinea by the current regime against those deemed "accomplices" in this aggression, Guineematin.com spoke with Aliou Barry, researcher and director of CAES (Center for Support and Strategic Studies). Our interviewee confirms that the Portuguese attack against Guinea did indeed take place. He is also adamant that the Guinean head of state at the time, Sékou Touré, was aware of the attack and intended to use it as leverage to eliminate political opponents. “November 22nd is a date that allowed Sékou Touré to carry out a widespread purge within the Guinean elite, both military and political. Today, all the documentation exists to show that on the night of Sunday, November 21st to 22nd, six Portuguese ships landed off the coast of Conakry. But, before the aggression of November 22nd, Guineans living abroad had regrouped within the National Liberation Front of Guinea, which was based in Dakar and led by Mr. David Soumah. It was he and other Guineans opposed to the existing regime who sought to overthrow Sékou Touré.” It turns out that at the time, in Guinea, the PAIGC (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) had a rear base in Guinea and was supported by Sékou Touré with the aim of liberating Guinea-Bissau and the Cape Verde Islands. Amílcar Cabral led this movement, which was based in Conakry. It also happened that during these liberation efforts, the PAIGC took several Portuguese prisoners, including the mayor of Lisbon. Therefore, the Portuguese government at the time approached the Guinean opposition (the Guinea Liberation Front) and considered a plan to both free their prisoners and help the Guinean diaspora overthrow Sékou Touré. Thus, for months, meetings were held in Lisbon, Dakar, and Abidjan, and nearly 250 Guineans were mobilized. “They were sent to the Soga Islands in Cape Verde, where, with the help of the Portuguese government, six ships landed in Conakry at 2:00 a.m. on the night of November 22nd,” explains Aliou Barry. “According to the documentation we found, there was a misunderstanding. Portugal was keen to release its political prisoners, and the Guineans wanted to take advantage of the situation to overthrow Sékou Touré. However, all the documentation in our possession proves that Sékou Touré was warned by the CIA that there would be an attack in Guinea. Moreover, at 2:00 a.m., when the people disembarked, curiously, only the presidential palace was lit up. The first group that arrived at the Cases Belle-vue did not find Sékou Touré. Another group went to free the political prisoners at Camp Boïro, and the third group went to the PAIGC headquarters, where a German was assassinated.” The fourth group went to Conakry airport but found neither a MiG nor an aircraft. They decided to do nothing. Meanwhile, it turned out that all means of communication were down. What is also curious is that those who landed in Conakry encountered no resistance, because at the time, even internally, Sékou Touré's regime was widely criticized. The operation failed, and around 8:00 a.m., the Portuguese decided to re-embark with the Guineans who were available, including Commander Diallo Tierno, who was leading the operation, and Mr. Siradio Diallo, who was present. Unfortunately, many remained on land and were arrested by Sékou Touré's people's militia, who made a huge fuss about it,” Aliou Barry stated. “Sékou Touré used this event to declare that there had been an attack against Guinea. It is true that the Portuguese landed; But the Guineans also seized the opportunity to overthrow him. And, starting in January 1971, Sékou Touré took advantage of the situation to orchestrate a veritable purge of the political class. Hangings took place in every city in Guinea. In Conakry, at the November 8th Bridge, four high-ranking figures were hanged. It's true that there was an attack; but it's also true that Sékou Touré was aware of what was going to happen. However, he didn't know that the Guineans would use it to overthrow him. This is also a very dark chapter in Guinean history. It's part of the duty to remember, and I believe that historians must reopen this case objectively so that future generations know what happened on November 22, 1970.