Guinean Opposition Ends Deadly Post-election Protests

Guinea's opposition cancelled a protest planned for Thursday, after reaching an agreement with the government in a bid to end six months of deadly protests.

Conakry, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Aug, 2018 ) :Guinea's opposition cancelled a protest planned for Thursday, after reaching an agreement with the government in a bid to end six months of deadly protests.

The West African country's opposition had led strikes and demonstrations against the official outcome of local elections in February, in which the ruling party, RPG, had won.

The vote was the first of its kind since a military dictatorship ended a decade ago. Opposition leaders say the process was unfair and fraudulent.

At least a dozen people were killed in post-election protest violence, before talks started between the opposition and the government.

The talks were disrupted several times by protests and strikes across the country -- while a hike in oil prices on July 1 led to more unrest.

The opposition said an agreement was signed late on Wednesday between the minister of local government, Boureima Conde, ruling party chief Amadou Damaro Camara and opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo.

Following the agreement, the UFDG opposition party will pick 22 district chiefs as well as mayors for the rural towns of Ouende Kenema, Bignamou, Thiasso, Thindoye, Manfara, Bissikirima and for Kindia, an urban settlement in the west.

The ruling party, on the other hand, will choose the mayor of the town of Dubreka, near the seaside capital of Conakry.

The negotiating parties agreed to set up a fund to assist the victims of the protests, Camara, a member of parliament, told reporters.

The government also promised to assess the situation of those arrested during the post-election crisis, he said.

There has been no agreement between the government and protesters on oil prices.