The African Union warns against any attempt to interrupt the electoral process in Guinea-Bissau and to seize power by force

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 13, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Chairper son of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Jean Pin g, has learn d with dee p concern a bout the attack by soldiers against the residenc es of the Acti ng Presiden t of the Republic of Guinea‐Bissau, Mr. Raimundo Per eira, and P rime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior.

The Chairperson of the Commission notes the recurre nce of blatant acts of in discipline w ithin the Bissa u‐Guinean Army, and notes with re gret that th ese events are occurrin g just before the launch of the campaign for the s econd round of the early presidential election. The Chairp erson of the Commission expresses t he strong condemnatio n by the AU of these outrageous acts, which un dermine the efforts to stabilize the situation in Guinea‐Bissau and tar nish the image of the country and Afri ca.

The Chairperson of the Commission stresses the princi pled position of the AU on the rejection of political assassination and unconstitution al changes of Government, and ur ges all conce rned in the military in Gu inea‐Bissau to honor their commit ment to serve under the authority o f the constitut ionally‐established institutions of the Republic of Guinea ‐Bissau. Th e Chairpers on of the Commission stre sses that the AU will n ot accept any unconstit utional seizu re of power and attempt at undermin ing the dem ocratic process in Guinea‐Bissau.

The Chairperson of the Commiss ion reiterates the com mitment of the AU, in cl ose collaboration with ECOWAS and its interna tional partners, to a ssist Guine a‐Bissau in the proce ss of consolid ating and de epening democracy, an d its willingness to cont inue to support all efforts to promote peace, national reconciliation and justice in th e country.