The Rally for the Guinean People (Rassemblement du peuple guinéen-RPG) is one of the three major opposition parties in Guinea (Le Monde 16 June 1995, 12). The RPG became a legal political organization in April 1992 (Political Parties of Africa and the Middle East 1993, 116). The leader of the RPG is Alpha Condé, who returned to Guinea in May 1991 after 35 years in exile (ibid.; Europa 1995, 1387; Political Handbook of the World 1995, 352; Political Parties of Africa and the Middle East 1993, 116).

In the presidential elections of December 1993, Alpha Condé obtained 19.55% of the votes cast (Europa 1995, 1388; Political Handbook of the World 1995, 352). In the legislative elections of 11 June 1995, where there were a number of irregularities according to independent observers, the RPG obtained 19 seats out of a total of 114, behind the Party of Unity and Progress (Parti de l'unité et du progrès-PUP), which won the elections with 71 seats (Le Monde 21 June 1995; AFP 19 June 1995). In these elections, the RPG had run as part of a common front alliance with the Party for Renewal and Progress (Parti du renouveau et du progrès-PRP) (Le Monde 16 June 1995; EIU ViewsWire 9 May 1995).

Relations between the RPG and the party in power have not been good. In August 1994, in the town of Kerouane, located 700 km east of Conakry, the army killed two people and wounded several others at a meeting of RPG activists (AI 1995, 146). Country Reports 1995 (published in 1996) notes, in the "Arbitrary Arrest, Detention or Exile" section of the chapter on Guinea, that in September 1995, the police detained 200 to 300 RPG activists following a demonstration that turned violent. The same source indicates that some of these people were allegedly implicated in the death of a policeman, but that a number of others were detained simply because they were members of the RPG (ibid.). The report adds that at year end, 35 activists were still in prison, accused of fomenting violence (ibid.).

This Response was prepared by the DIRB after researching publicly available information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Amnesty International. 1995. Amnesty International Report 1995. New York: Amnesty International USA

Agence France Press (AFP) [Paris]. 19 June 1995. "Guinée-élections." (NEXIS)

Country Reports On Human Rights Practices for 1995. 1996. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. (Electronic version received from the documentation centre).

The Europa World Year Book 1995. 1995. 36th ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

EIU ViewsWire. 9 May 1995. "Guinée: Focus." (NEXIS)

Le Monde [Paris]. 21 June 1995. Sotinel Thomas. "Guinée: l'opposition conteste des élections législatives." (NEXIS)

_____. 16 June 1995. "L'opposition guinéenne conteste les premiers résultats des élections législatives; le parti du président Lansana Conté est largement en tête." (NEXIS)

Political Parties of Africa and the Middle East. 1993. Edited by Roger East and Tanya Joseph. The High, Harlow, Essex:: Longman Group UK.

Political Handbook of the World: 1995. 1995. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.

Agence France Press (AFP) [Paris]. 19 June 1995. "Guinée-élections." (NEXIS)

EIU ViewsWire. 9 May 1995. "Guinéa : Country Update." (NEXIS)

The Europa World Year Book 1995. 1995. 36th ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications, pp. 1387-88.

Le Monde [Paris]. 21 June 1995. Sotinel Thomas. "Guinée : l'opposition conteste des élections législatives." (NEXIS)

_____. 16 June 1995. "L'opposition guinéenne conteste les premiers résultats des élections législatives; le parti du président Lansana Conté est largement en tête." (NEXIS)

Political Parties of Africa and the Middle East. 1993. Edited by Roger East and Tanya Joseph. The High, Harlow, Essex:: Longman Group UK, p. 116.

Political Handbook of the World: 1995. 1995. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton, NY : CSA Publications, p. 352.