The 1984 Guinean coup d'état was the bloodless

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

coup that took place in Guinea on 3 April 1984, led by Colonel

Lansana Conté Lansana Conté (30 November 1934 – 22 December 2008

. It led to the deposition of

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Louis Lansana Beavogui Louis Lansana Beavogui ( nqo, ߟߊ߲߭ߛߌ߬ߣߍ߬ ߓߌߦߊߝ߭ߏߜ߭ߌ߫; 28 December 1923 – 19 August 1984) was a Guinean politician. He was Prime Minister from 1972 to 1984 and was briefly interim President in 1984. Background and polit ...

, who had held the office since 1972, and had been serving as

interim president An acting president is a person who temporarily fills the role of a country's president when the incumbent president is unavailable (such as by illness or a vacation) or when the post is vacant (such as for death, injury, resignation, dismissal ...

since March, when longtime President Ahmed Sékou Touré died during an emergency heart operation at the

Cleveland Clinic Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit American academic medical center based in Cleveland, Ohio. Owned and operated by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, an Ohio nonprofit corporation established in 1921, it runs a 170-acre (69 ha) campus in Cleveland, ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

The coup

The military struck just hours before the Politburo of the

Democratic Party of Guinea Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

(PDG), the only legally permitted party in the country, was to select a new leader. Interim president Beavogui was expected to win. Under the Constitution, the PDG's leader would have been automatically elected to a seven-year term as president, and would have been confirmed in office via a referendum. Colonel Conté suspended the constitution and dissolved the PDG, the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...

and all mass organizations. The

Military Committee of National Restoration The Military Committee of National Restoration (french: Comité militaire de redressement national, CMRN) was the ruling junta of Guinea which seized power in a coup d'état on 3 April 1984, following the death of President Ahmed Sékou Touré on 2 ...

(CMNR) was created as the ruling

junta Junta may refer to: Government and military * Junta (governing body) (from Spanish), the name of various historical and current governments and governing institutions, including civil ones ** Military junta, one form of junta, government led by ...

. He ordered the release of political prisoners held at Camp Boiro, a

concentration camp Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...

within the capital Conakry. Conté was named new President on 5 April.

Aftermath

Eventually, a power struggle developed between Conté and a fellow member of the CMNR, Lieutenant Colonel

Diarra Traoré Diarra Traoré (1935 – 8 July 1985) was a Guinean soldier and politician. He served as Prime Minister of Guinea briefly in 1984 as a member of a junta led by Lansana Conté. In 1985, after Traoré attempted a coup d'état against President C ...

(who briefly served as Prime Minister in April–December 1984), with the latter being executed in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt in July 1985. Conté took advantage of the coup attempt to execute several of Ahmed Sekou Touré's close associates, including his half-brother

Ismaël Touré Ismaël Touré (1925/1926 – 8 July 1985) was a Guinean political figure and the half brother of President Ahmed Sékou Touré. He was the chief prosecutor at the notorious Camp Boiro. Early career Ismaël Touré was born in Faranah, Guinea ...

(former chief prosecutor at Camp Boiro),

Mamadi Keïta Mamadi Keïta (1933 – July 1985) was a leading Guinea Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal coun ...

Siaka Touré Siaka Touré (1935–1985) was the commandant of Camp Boiro in Conakry, Guinea during the regime of Guinean President Ahmed Sékou Touré. During this period, many of the president's political opponents died in the camp. Biography Siaka Tour ...

(former commander of Camp Boiro),

Moussa Diakité Moussa Diakité (1927 – 4 July 1985) was a Guinean politician during the presidency of Ahmed Sékou Touré. He was a member of the national Politburo. His wife, Tata Keïta, was half sister of the President's wife Andrée, and his son married t ...

, and

Abdoulaye Touré Abdoulaye Touré may refer to: * Abdoulaye Touré (politician) (1920-1985), Guinean politician * Abdoulaye Touré (footballer) (born 1994), Guinean footballer {{hndis, Toure, Abdoulaye ...

(former

Minister of Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...

). Conté remained in power until his death on 22 December 2008, which was almost immediately followed by another

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

, led by Captain

Moussa Dadis Camara Captain Moussa Dadis Camara (; born 1 January 1964), now called Moïse Dadis Camara (),''Le Populaire'', , N°3232, 31 August 2010, p. 2 is an ex-officer of the Guinean army who served as the President of Guinea from 23 December 2008 to 15 Ja ...

."Death of Guinea dictator prompts 'coup'"
AFP (''Sydney Morning Herald''), 23 December 2008.

References

;Bibliography * {{DEFAULTSORT:1984 Guinean coup d'état Military coups in Guinea 1984 in Guinea Conflicts in 1984 1980s coups d'état and coup attempts April 1984 events in Africa

The coup

Aftermath

See also

References