Ansumane Mané (c. 1940 – 30 November 2000) was a
Bissau-Guinean
Guinea-Bissau ( ; pt, Guiné-Bissau; ff, italic=no, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫 𞤄𞤭𞤧𞤢𞥄𞤱𞤮, Gine-Bisaawo, script=Adlm; Mandinka: ''Gine-Bisawo''), officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau ( pt, República da Guiné-Bissau, links=no ) ...
soldier who led a 1998 uprising against the government of
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
João Bernardo Vieira
João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira (; 27 April 1939 – 2 March 2009) was a Bissau-Guinean politician who was the President of Guinea-Bissau from 1980 to 1999, except for a three-day period in May 1984, and from 2005 to 2009.
After seizing power ...
, which caused a brief, but bloody
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
.
Mané participated in the independence war against Portugal where he was Vieira's bodyguard. A close ally of Vieira, he backed him in the
1980 coup against Guinea Bissau President
Luís Cabral. Mané was head of the armed forces of Guinea Bissau during Vieira's presidency before Vieira sacked him in 1998, accusing him of smuggling arms to
Casamance
, settlement_type = Geographical region
, image_skyline = Senegal Casamance.png
, image_caption = Casamance in Senegal
, image_flag = Flag of Casamance.svg
, image_shield =
, motto ...
separatist rebels in
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
. Mané subsequently mobilized the troops formerly under his command and led a rebellion against Vieira.
Early life
Mané is of the
Mandinga ethnicity.
Military background
Mané fought in the war of independence from
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
alongside Vieira. Mané was Vieira's bodyguard. He backed Nino Vieira when they later seized power in a
1980 coup against
Luís Cabral.
In early 1998, he was suspended as
Chief of Staff of the armed forces for allegedly smuggling arms to
Casamance
, settlement_type = Geographical region
, image_skyline = Senegal Casamance.png
, image_caption = Casamance in Senegal
, image_flag = Flag of Casamance.svg
, image_shield =
, motto ...
separatist rebels in
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
.
[Andrea E. Ostheimer]
"The Structural Crisis in Guinea-Bissau's Political System"
, ''African Security Review'', Vol. 10, No. 4, 2001. In a letter published in early April 1998, he in turn made the same accusation against the Minister of Defense,
Samba Lamine Mané, and other officers; he also alleged that Vieira had permitted the arms smuggling and claimed that he was suspended as Chief of Staff in connection with "shady plan to mount a coup d'état". According to Birgit Embaló, soldiers and war veterans in Guinea Bissau were upset at their pay, leading the military to self-finance itself through smuggling.
Mané was subsequently dismissed by Vieira and replaced by General Humberto Gomes on 6 June 1998. He led a military rebellion against Vieira on the following day, resulting in the civil war. A peace agreement in November 1998
["GUINEA-BISSAU: Loyalist troops capitulate"]
, IRIN, May 7, 1999. provided for a transitional national unity government and new elections.
After Vieira was deposed on 7 May 1999 in a renewed outbreak of fighting,
[ Mané became temporary head of state (official title: ''Chairman of the Supreme Command of the Military Junta'') until 14 May when ]Malam Bacai Sanhá
Malam Bacai Sanhá () (5 May 1947 – 9 January 2012) was a Guinea-Bissau politician who was President of Guinea-Bissau from 8 September 2009 until his death on 9 January 2012. A member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Ca ...
, the president of the National People's Assembly, was installed as acting president.
Political growth
The military junta headed by Mané remained in place during the transitional period leading to new elections; Mané cast himself as a guardian of democracy. A parliamentary election
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
, along with the first round of a presidential election
A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President.
Elections by country
Albania
The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public.
Chile
The pre ...
, was held on 28 November 1999. Two weeks prior to this, Mané's junta proposed an arrangement giving it power over the government for ten years, which would enable it to dissolve the government in case of a severe political crisis; however, political parties objected to this and the proposal was dropped. Although the junta backed the presidential candidacy of Malam Bacai Sanhá
Malam Bacai Sanhá () (5 May 1947 – 9 January 2012) was a Guinea-Bissau politician who was President of Guinea-Bissau from 8 September 2009 until his death on 9 January 2012. A member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Ca ...
of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) in the second round of the election, held in January 2000, Kumba Ialá
Kumba Ialá Embaló, also spelled Yalá (15 March 1953 – 4 April 2014), was a Bissau-Guinean politician who was president from 17 February 2000 until he was deposed in a bloodless military coup on 14 September 2003. He belonged to the Balant ...
of the Party for Social Renewal
The Party for Social Renewal ( pt, Partido da Renovação Social, PRS) is a political party in Guinea-Bissau. It is one of the country's leading parties and is currently the main opposition party.
History 1990s
Multi-party democracy was introduce ...
(PRS) was victorious. Prior to the election, Ialá had already said that it would not be acceptable for the junta to remain in any capacity.[
]
Downfall
Although the junta was dissolved following Ialá's victory, Mané remained powerful, acting as an obstacle to Ialá's authority. At one point he refused to allow Ialá to go to Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
on a state visit; he also accompanied Ialá on a visit to Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
.[ In November 2000, Ialá promoted a number of senior military officers; Mané objected to the promotions and declared himself head of the armed forces. He revoked Ialá's promotions, placed military chief of staff Verísssimo Correia Seabra and deputy chief of staff Emílio Costa under house arrest, and appointed General ]Buota Nan Batcha
Buota is an islet and a settlement on the island of Tarawa, Kiribati.
There are 1,756 inhabitants (2015). The islet is the southernmost part of North Tarawa even if there is a bridge connecting it to Bonriki and South Tarawa
South Tarawa ( g ...
as the new chief of staff. When issuing a communique claiming that the situation was calm, he signed it as the head of the junta, which had previously been dissolved when Ialá was elected president. Fighting broke out on 23 November between forces loyal to Mané and those loyal to Seabra. The government subsequently said that Mané fled to Quinhamel
Quinhamel is a city in Guinea-Bissau and the capital of the Biombo Region
Biombo is a region in western Guinea-Bissau, with an area of 840 km2 and its capital is Quinhámel. There has not been any local administration since the civil war o ...
in Biombo Region
Biombo is a region in western Guinea-Bissau, with an area of 840 km2 and its capital is Quinhámel. There has not been any local administration since the civil war of 1998-99, and all the social services are done by organs of civil society ...
, in the west of the country.
Death
General Mané was assassinated by forces loyal to the then president Kumba Ialá
Kumba Ialá Embaló, also spelled Yalá (15 March 1953 – 4 April 2014), was a Bissau-Guinean politician who was president from 17 February 2000 until he was deposed in a bloodless military coup on 14 September 2003. He belonged to the Balant ...
and General Batista Tagme Na Waie
General Batista Tagme Na Waie, also transliterated as Batista Tagme Na Wai (1949 in Catió– March 1, 2009), was chief of staff of the army of Guinea-Bissau until his assassination in 2009.
Military career
A participant in the junta that o ...
in Biombo Region a week later, on 30 November 2000, along with two others. General Mané did not put up a fight against the Balanta tribe troops. Although state television broadcast images of three bodies, these were deemed unrecognizable by the international media. The opposition PAIGC said that Mané was correct to oppose the promotions.["Guinea-Bissau: Opposition PAIGC says Gen Mane was right on promotions", PANA (nl.newsbank.com), 4 December 2000.]
Among Mané's most prominent allies was Naval Chief of Staff Mohamed Lamine Sanha Mohamed Lamine Sanha (died 6 January 2007) was a Bissau-Guinean Naval Chief of Staff. Sanha was implicated in several attempted coups against the government of Guinea-Bissau. Sanha was an ally of Ansumane Mané, who led the military rebellion again ...
who was also assassinated a few years later.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mane, Ansumane
Bissau-Guinean military personnel
Leaders who took power by coup
Bissau-Guinean rebels
1940s births
2000 deaths
Presidents of Guinea-Bissau