20100712
africanews

In a rare tone directed at the seemingly untouchable military, Guinea Bissau's President Malam Bacai Sanha has called for the restoration of discipline in "in all military and police units."

President Sanha was addressing a meeting of high ranking officials in the army including the army chief of staff, over the week end.

"Guinea-Bissau is not the private property of soldiers,” he said. “We will not accept being perpetual hostages in the hands of the military."

The meeting came up just days after a reported brutal attack, a few days earlier, on some police men by soldiers believed to be close to controversial army chief General Antonio Indjai.

Indjai, who led a mutiny against the government in April, is the subject of international condemnation following his appointment as head of the army. Both the US and EU have denounced his appointment, as did the Economic Community of West African States which recently urged the Bissau Guinean leader to reign in on the military and restore sanity.

Observers say last week end’s comment by President Sanha represents his strongest since his election in July 2009, four months after soldiers assassinated his predecessor, President Joao Bernardo Vieira. But the president’s comment also reveals his inner fear about the powerful military that has lost touch with the reality of law and order.

"The people are fed up," Mr Sanha told the Superior Defense Council which included ministers. "We often say that to hold on to power, we have to 'polish the military's pumps'. I say to you that that is finished now, that must be clear to all."

Addressing the menace of drugs head on, the president insisted that those who wanted to dedicate themselves to its trafficking must be excluded from the army.

“Drug trafficking must end in this country," he said. "I am addressing myself to all members of the state. It is incompatible with being a state or army official to be mixed up in drug trafficking. Enough, enough, now," he said.