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History of Guinea


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The land that is now Guinea belonged to a series of African empires until France colonized it in the 1890s, and made it part of French West Africa. Guinea declared its independence from France on 2 October 1958. From independence until the presidential election of 2010, Guinea was governed by a number of autocratic rulers, which has contributed to making Guinea one of the poorest countries in the world.
Ahmed Sékou Touré reign
Ahmed Sékou Touré became President upon Guinea's independence in 1958, establishing one-party dictatorship, with a closed, socialized economy and no tolerance for human rights, free expression, or political opposition, which was ruthlessly suppressed. The country was named the People's Revolutionary Republic of Guinea.
Economic costs were extensive. The state took over farms and other production. Imposition of price controls started an era of pervasive black markets and smuggling even though it was punishable by death. Touré relied on his own Malinke ethnic group to fill positions in the party and government. Touré's party officials took monopoly of social and economic life. A police and intelligence apparat spied on everyone. More than a million people fled the repression into neighboring countries. It has been estimated that almost 5,000 people were executed or died from torture or starvation at the Camp Boiro, a Soviet-style concentration camp.
After almost three decades in power, Touré died unexpectedly on 26 March 1984.
Recent history
Following a brief coup d'état, Lansana Conté became the President after Touré. The constitution and parliament were suspended and a committee for national recovery was established. Conté clung to power until his death in 2008.
On 23 December 2008, Moussa Dadis Camara seized control of Guinea as the head of a junta. On 28 September 2009, the junta ordered its soldiers to attack people who had gathered to protest any attempt
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