20120815
AFP
Guinea's President Alpha Conde has sacked the administrative chiefs of two regions of the west African country after security forces fatally opened fire on protesters.

"The prefects of N'Zerekore and Siguiri, respectively Hassan Sanoussy and Aboubacar Sidiki Kaba, have been relieved of their functions," said a decree signed by Conde read out on state radio on Monday night.

The statement gave no reason for the dismissals.

The decision came after violence in two towns of these regions where police opened fire on demonstrators, killing at least six people and leading to an outcry from human rights groups.

On August 7, at least one person was shot dead and five were injured in Siguiri, when police cracked down on a demonstration by local traders who were protesting against crime in their community and growing insecurity.

Overnight on August 3, the police opened fire in Zogota, in the N'Zerekore region, on villagers who had gathered to protest against recruiting practices of the Brazilian mining company Vale, which they accused of employing outside ethnic groups at their expense.

Five people were killed.

The political opposition has called for an independent inquiry into these two incidents. A local human rights group has denounced "disproportionate violence by the forces of order and the use of firearms during demonstrations in Guinea."

Sanoussy of N'Zerekore has already been summoned to Conakry to testify to a government inquiry into the violence.

On Sunday, Conde sent officials from the region to N'Zerekore to meet people there and to give financial aid to families of the victims, according to a source close to the president's office.

Senior officials in the town had called for the sacking of administrative chiefs, the release of demonstrators taken into custody and an apology from the state, the same source added.