Ecowas targets sanctions on Guinea-Bissau junta

West Africa’s regional grouping has slammed diplomatic and economic sanctions against the military junta in Guinea-Bissau, sources said Tuesday.

The sanctions include a travel ban on the junta and a suspension of the country from the Ecowas along with trade and commercial links with the rest of the region.

The sanctions follow a deadlock in negotiations in Gambian capital Banjul on Monday.

The decision came after 12-hours of negotiations between the Ecowas Contact Group and Gen Antonio Indjai, the junta leader.

Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan, in his capacity as chairman of the seven-country Contact Group, has endorsed the sanctions.

Three other leaders of Contact Group, including Gambian and Senegalese leaders, will meet Thursday in Dakar to discuss how to implement a military plan against the Bissau junta, the sources said.

Between 500 and 600 troops are expected to be deployed in Guinea-Bissau by Ecowas to force the junta to yield to constitutional rule.

Early this week, the junta released two of the country’s former leaders it took hostage in the aftermath of the coup and agreed to submit to several conditionalities drawn up by Ecowas.

But the junta failed to agree to the reversal of the coup and the rapid return to constitutional rule.

Gen Indjai was at the centre of a mutiny by soldiers in 2009 and after which he sought refuge in Gambia.

He was later pardoned by the late President Malam Bacai Sanha.

He was the country’s army chief of staff up to the moment of the military coup on April 12, 2012.