Guinea-Bissau: Treatment of members and leaders of the Democratic Party for Development (Partido Democrático para o Desenvolvimento, PDD) by the authorities, including the treatment upon returning to the country of Guinea-Bissauans from the diaspora who are PDD members (2014-March 2016)
Information on the PDD was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. The majority of the content of this Response comes from two oral sources, in correspondence with the Research Directorate:
- The Vice-President of the Guinean League for Human Rights (Liga Guineense dos Direitos Humanos, LGDH) (LGDH 22 Feb. 2016). The LGDH is an NGO in Guinea-Bissau that was founded in 1991 and is established both nationally and internationally (Insight on Conflict July 2015);
- A researcher at the Center for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra, in Portugal, who specializes in peace studies, including in Guinea-Bissau (Researcher 1 Mar. 2016).
1. THE PDD
According to the Vice-President of the LGDH and the researcher, the PDD is a [translation] “small” political party and has existed since 2013 (ibid.; LGDH 22 Feb. 2016).
The Vice-President of the LGDH stated [translation] “that a group of young leaders discontent with the political, social and economic situation in the country” had created the PDD (ibid.). According to the researcher, the PDD is led by young people (Researcher 1 Mar. 2016). Sources state that the president of the PDD is Policiano Gomes (LGDH 22 Feb. 2016; IZF.net n.d.). According to the radio station Guinée-Bissau Bombolom-FM, Vladimir Vieira Fernandes is the [translation] “secretary general” of the PDD (Bombolom-FM 18 Nov. 2014). An article published by the German media Deutsche Welle (DW) states that Vladimir Vieira is a spokesperson for the PDD (DW 17 Mar. 2014). The Vice-President of the LGDH stated that the president of the PDD and other members of his leadership team live in Bissau, where the party is based (LGDH 22 Feb. 2016). Further information on the PDD leaders or members, or information on the PDD members who live outside Guinea-Bissau, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
The Vice-President of the LGDH stated that the PDD has [translation] “no parliamentary representation” (ibid.). In a DW article published in March 2014, the Supreme Court of Guinea-Bissau [translation] “refused” the PDD’s application to the legislative elections in April 2014, as well as the applications of six other “small parties” (DW 17 Mar. 2014).
2. Treatment by the Authorities
The Vice-President of the LGDH stated that his organization did not currently have any information about [translation] “threats” or acts of “harassment” toward “members of an opposition political party in Guinea-Bissau” (LGDH 22 Feb. 2016). He stated that the PDD carried out its activities [translation] "without hindrance or harassment” (ibid.). He added that no cases of persecution against PDD members had been reported to the organization since the party was founded (ibid.). Further and corroborating information concerning the treatment of PDD members by the authorities could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Bombolom-FM. 18 November 2014. “SG do PDD diz sentir inconformado com situação de incerteza que envolve o ano lectivo 2014-2015.” <ttp://www.gbissau.com/?p=12371> [Accessed 1 Mar. 2016]
Deutsche Welle (DW). 17 March 2014. Braima Darame. “Justiça guineense invalida oito candidaturas às presidenciais.” <http://www.dw.com/pt/justi%C3%A7a-guineense-invalida-oito-candidaturas-%C3%A0s-presidenciais/a-17502236> [Accessed 25 Feb. 2016]
Insight on Conflict. July 2015. “Liga Guineense dos Direitos Humanos.” <http://www.insightonconflict.org/conflicts/guinea-bissau/peacebuilding-organisations/liga-guineense-dos-direitos-humanos/> [Accessed 25 Feb. 2016]
IZF.net. N.d. “Partis politiques : Guinée-Bissau.” <http://www.izf.net/content/partis-politiques-5> [Accessed 17 Feb. 2016]
Liga Guineense dos Direitos Humanos (LGDH). 22 February 2016. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by the Vice-President.
Researcher, Center for Social Studies, University of Coimbra. 1 March 2016. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate.
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources: Conseil pour le développement de la recherche en sciences sociales, Senegal; Institut d’études de sécurité; Parti démocratique pour le développement; Professor of political science, Uppsala University, Sweden; Rencontre africaine pour la défense des droits de l’homme; Sweden – former consul in Guinea-Bissau.
Internet sites, including: Africa Confidential; Africa Time; Afrik.com; Afriquinfos; Agence de presse africaine; AllAfrica; Amnesty International; BBC; Bissau Digital; ecoi.net; Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l’homme; Freedom House; Gazeta de Notícias; Guinea-Bissau – Assembleia Nacional Popular, Comissão Nacional de Eleições, Governo da Guiné Bissau; Human Rights Watch; International Crisis Group; International Foundation for Electoral Systems; Inter-Parliamentary Union; IRIN; Jeune Afrique; Lusotopie; Pan African News Agency; Political Handbook of the World; TV Guiné-Bissau; United Nations – Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Refworld; United States – Department of State; La Voix de l’Amérique; World Organization Against Torture.