National Coalition to Support Reconciliation in Guinea

The National Coalition to Support Reconciliation in Guinea (French: Coalition Nationale d'Appui à la Réconciliation en Guinée, CONAREG) is a Guinean umbrella organisation that brings together civil-society organisations, victims' associations and social actors. Created in 2018, it describes itself as a platform engaged in accompanying Guinea's national reconciliation process through the mechanisms of transitional justice and the search for truth. Its work centres on advocacy for transitional justice, conflict prevention and psychosocial support, and it creates frameworks for dialogue between civil society, public authorities and communities. CONAREG's membership includes several victims' associations with distinct historical grievances. Among them are the Association of Victims of Camp Boiro (AVCB), formed by victims and the children of those imprisoned and killed at Camp Boiro; the Association of Victims, Relatives and Friends of 28 September 2009 (AVIPA), created after the 28 September 2009 massacre and supporting more than four hundred victims through medical, psychological and socio-economic assistance; and the Association of Victims of the July 1985 Repression (AVR). The coalition also lists members such as COJEDEV, HuProFE and OGDH, and works with the media. Publicly, CONAREG runs advocacy and capacity-building activities. It has strengthened the capacities of community leaders on transitional-justice mechanisms, organised a national advocacy day for peace and social cohesion, held a roundtable in Kindia in February 2024 on the challenges of a successful transition, and produced a one-hour documentary film gathering victims' testimonies from Camp Boiro to the victims of post-electoral events. It also maintains a virtual memorial intended to document cases of human-rights violations. The coalition is part of the network of member organisations of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. It encourages the involvement of socio-political actors and opinion leaders so that Guinea can become a country of peace and sustainable social development. As a civil-society coalition rather than a commercial enterprise, CONAREG operates as an advocacy and human-rights platform in Guinea.

The National Coalition to Support Reconciliation in Guinea (CONAREG) was created in 2018 as an umbrella organisation grouping several civil-society organisations, victims' associations and social actors in Guinea. It emerged in a context of long-standing demands for truth and justice relating to episodes of political violence in the country's history, including the Camp Boiro detentions, the July 1985 repression and the 28 September 2009 massacre. From its founding, CONAREG positioned itself as a platform accompanying Guinea's national reconciliation process through transitional-justice mechanisms and the search for truth. Its stated mission is to conduct advocacy on transitional justice, conflict prevention and psychosocial support, and to create consultation frameworks between civil society, public authorities and communities in order to foster national reconciliation. Its member organisations reflect distinct victim constituencies. The Association of Victims of Camp Boiro (AVCB) is described as the first victims' association created by victims and the children of those imprisoned and killed at Camp Boiro, whose demands include the restitution of the burial sites of their relatives and state recognition of the injustice committed against them. The Association of Victims, Relatives and Friends of 28 September 2009 (AVIPA) was created in the aftermath of the 28 September 2009 massacre and brings together more than four hundred victims, providing medical, psychological and socio-economic support for their reintegration. The Association of Victims of the July 1985 Repression (AVR) groups victims and beneficiaries of the 1985 repression whose property had been seized. Other listed members include COJEDEV, HuProFE and OGDH, and the coalition works with the media. Over time CONAREG has carried out public advocacy and capacity-building. It has strengthened the capacities of community leaders on transitional-justice mechanisms, organised a national advocacy day for peace and social cohesion, and held a roundtable in Kindia on 10 February 2024 bringing together civil-society actors, religious figures, teachers, traditional communicators, artists and personalities to discuss the stakes and challenges of a successful transition. It has also produced a one-hour documentary film presenting victims' testimonies ranging from Camp Boiro to the victims of post-electoral events, and it maintains a virtual memorial as a resource for documenting cases of human-rights violations. CONAREG is part of the network of member organisations of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. It encourages the involvement of socio-political actors and opinion leaders so that Guinea can become a country of peace and sustainable social development.

• 2024

  On 10 February, CONAREG holds a roundtable in Kindia on the stakes and challenges of a successful transition.

• 2018

  CONAREG is created as an umbrella coalition of civil-society organisations, victims' associations and social actors in Guinea.

Civil-society umbrella coalition for transitional justice, truth-seeking and national reconciliation in Guinea.

1. 1Accueil - CONAREGconareg.org
2. 2Qui sommes-nous - CONAREGconareg.org
3. 3National Coalition to Support Reconciliation in Guinea - Wikidatawikidata.org