World Tour - Guinea’s junta pledges return to democracy

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: World Tour with our reporter in Africa, Onize Ohikere.

ONIZE OHIKERE, REPORTER: Guinea military leaders pledge return to democracy—We start today here in Africa.

AUDIO: [Sound of cheering, car horns]

Members of Guinea’s military paraded through the streets of Conakry on Monday after toppling the government a day earlier.

AUDIO: [Man speaking French]

The country’s new leaders promised international investors that business in the lucrative mining industry would continue as normal. Guinea has the world’s largest reserves of bauxite, a key component of aluminium. Market prices for aluminium hit a decade high on Monday over fears of possible shortages.

Guinea’s military leaders have promised to install a “government of national union” to oversee a political transition.

AUDIO: [Man speaking French]

Members of the main opposition party announced support for the coup on Monday. They said the junta could count on their support to build a peaceful democracy.

But observers fear the military may try to hold on to power. Similar coups in Mali and Chad in the last year have not ended in a return to elected government. Guinea has struggled through a series of political dictatorships for decades.

Myanmar opposition government calls for uprising—Next we go to Southeast Asia.

Members of Myanmar’s opposition movement are calling for a national uprising against the military junta that took control of the country in February.

Dr. Sasa, who goes by only one name, is a spokesman for the shadow National Unity Government.

SASA: The people of Myanmar have suffered these crimes against humanity for the last 74 years of our history. And the military junta, the military generals in Myanmar, are getting worse and worse and worse. So we are fighting not just the military. We are fighting the war against terror. We are fighting the war against injustice. We are fighting the war against evil.

The shadow government includes many of the elected lawmakers blocked from taking their seats after the military seized control of the government. Although they are popular with the people, it’s not clear whether they have enough influence to lead a widespread uprising.

Duwa Lashi La is the shadow government’s acting president. He called for revolt “in every village, town and city in the entire country at the same time.” Observers saw no immediate increase in resistance activity, although ethnic minority militias continue to clash with government forces in rural areas.

France prepares for high-profile terrorist trial—And finally, we end today in Europe.

AUDIO: [Sound of men speaking French, camera shutters]

France is preparing for what officials say will be the longest trial in the country’s history. Twenty men accused of participating in a 2015 mass terror attack in Paris go on trial today. The simultaneous attack on a soccer stadium, concert hall, and outdoor restaurants left 130 people dead and hundreds of others injured.

The attackers claimed affiliation with the Islamic State militant group.

AUDIO: [Man speaking French]

French justice minister Eric Dupond-Moretti said the entire country would be watching the historic trial. On Monday, Dupond-Moretti toured the special courtroom built for the trial. It includes seating for 550 people and a special box for defendants, enclosed in bulletproof glass. Additional observers can watch live broadcasts of the proceedings in multiple overflow rooms.

That’s this week’s World Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere in Abuja, Nigeria.

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