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| Protests as Guinea strike resumes | Protests as Guinea strike resumes |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Protesters have taken to the streets of several Guinean towns as unions resume their general strike, calling for President Lansana Conte to resign. | Protesters have taken to the streets of several Guinean towns as unions resume their general strike, calling for President Lansana Conte to resign. |
| Gunfire has been heard near army barracks in the capital, Conakry, and soldiers are preventing people from reaching the city centre. | Gunfire has been heard near army barracks in the capital, Conakry, and soldiers are preventing people from reaching the city centre. |
| Groups of youths armed with clubs and machetes have been marching through some suburbs of the capital, Conakry. | Groups of youths armed with clubs and machetes have been marching through some suburbs of the capital, Conakry. |
| Three people are reported to have been killed in clashes with security forces. | |
| Mr Conte had promised to hand powers to a prime minister, leading unions to call off last month's 18-day strike. But they say the man named, Eugene Camara, is too close to Mr Conte. | |
| We are asking for the departure, pure and simple, of President Lansana Conte Ibrahima FofanaUnion leader Eyewitness: Fleeing violence | |
| The BBC's Will Ross in Conakry says security forces are stopping people from crossing the 30 November bridge, which leads to the city's administrative centre. | |
| Some 50 people were killed here last month when security forces opened fire. | Some 50 people were killed here last month when security forces opened fire. |
| Aminata Koroma, a resident of the capital's Dixinn suburb, said she had heard gunfire. | Aminata Koroma, a resident of the capital's Dixinn suburb, said she had heard gunfire. |
| "I see from my window a thick black smoke rising above the stadium. They must be burning tyres. I also hear shooting from time to time," she told the AP news agency. | "I see from my window a thick black smoke rising above the stadium. They must be burning tyres. I also hear shooting from time to time," she told the AP news agency. |
| Our reporter says protesters have ransacked a police station in the southern town of Guekedou and demonstrators are also on the streets of other towns. | Our reporter says protesters have ransacked a police station in the southern town of Guekedou and demonstrators are also on the streets of other towns. |
| Regional fears | Regional fears |
| Mr Camara has been in government for several years and worked as the minister for presidential affairs. | Mr Camara has been in government for several years and worked as the minister for presidential affairs. |
| "We don't recognise this prime minister, and anyway, it is no longer a question of the prime minister," said Ibrahima Fofana, the secretary-general of the Guinea Workers Union. | "We don't recognise this prime minister, and anyway, it is no longer a question of the prime minister," said Ibrahima Fofana, the secretary-general of the Guinea Workers Union. |
| President Conte is sick and rarely seen in public"With the strike that will restart tomorrow [Monday], we are asking for the departure, pure and simple, of President Lansana Conte." | President Conte is sick and rarely seen in public"With the strike that will restart tomorrow [Monday], we are asking for the departure, pure and simple, of President Lansana Conte." |
| Our reporter says the capital was in chaos on Saturday after protesters went on the rampage, ransacking government offices and the homes of government ministers. | Our reporter says the capital was in chaos on Saturday after protesters went on the rampage, ransacking government offices and the homes of government ministers. |
| The French Foreign Ministry expressed its "very strong concern" after the weekend violence. | |
| The unions say Mr Conte is too sick to continue running the country and accuse him of personally securing the release of two prominent men accused of corruption. | The unions say Mr Conte is too sick to continue running the country and accuse him of personally securing the release of two prominent men accused of corruption. |
| Guinea is rich in minerals but is seen as one of the world's most corrupt countries and most people live in poverty. | Guinea is rich in minerals but is seen as one of the world's most corrupt countries and most people live in poverty. |
| Some 60 people were killed in protests during last month's strike, when security forces fired live bullets to prevent demonstrators reaching central Conakry. | Some 60 people were killed in protests during last month's strike, when security forces fired live bullets to prevent demonstrators reaching central Conakry. |
| Our reporter says some question how long the military will continue to turn their guns on the demonstrators. | Our reporter says some question how long the military will continue to turn their guns on the demonstrators. |
| The president seized power in a 1984 coup but has since won three elections. | The president seized power in a 1984 coup but has since won three elections. |
| Mr Conte is in his seventies, suffers from diabetes and is rarely seen in public. | Mr Conte is in his seventies, suffers from diabetes and is rarely seen in public. |
| Some fear that violence in Guinea could spread to its neighbours, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. | Some fear that violence in Guinea could spread to its neighbours, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. |
| Liberia and Sierra Leone are recovering from years of civil war, while rebels control northern Ivory Coast. | Liberia and Sierra Leone are recovering from years of civil war, while rebels control northern Ivory Coast. |