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| - Veteran Guinea President Alpha Conde's hugely controversial bid to extend his grip on power with Sunday's election has sparked a year of harshly-repressed protests in the West African country, costing dozens of lives. A timeline: On October 7, 2019, an opposition coalition, the FNDC, which includes trade unions and civil society groups, calls for demonstrations against an eventual third term in office for Conde. The opposition suspects that Conde, 82, wants to change the constitution to allow him to stand again in 2020. On October 14, on the first day of protests, five people are shot dead in clashes in the capital Conakry between police and protestors, according to the opposition. Several other massive demonstrations follow, organised by the FNDC, sometimes involving tens of thousands of people. While the opposition says its movement is peaceful, Conde accuses it of seeking to sow disorder and cracks down harshly on protests. Rights group Amnesty International denounces the excessive use of force by the security services, bans on peaceful demonstrations, arbitrary arrests and cases of torture. In December, Conde announces a new draft constitution. Opponents say the draft was crafted to get around the country's two-term presidential limit and denounces a "constitutional coup". In January 2020 it urges Guineans "to mobilise massively and everywhere". Clashes break out between protesters and security forces in several towns across the country. Police headquarters are ransacked and official buildings attacked. On March 22, Guineans vote to back the new constitution by more than 90 percent at a referendum boycotted by the opposition. The day of the vote is marred by violence, with scores of polling stations ransacked across the country. Authorities report 30 dead in the second city of Nzerekore. Conde's RPG party wins legislative elections held at the same time. The opposition rejects the results and the United States, European Union and former colonial power France cast doubt on the vote's credibility. On April 2, Amnesty International accuses the security forces of using live fire on protesters. On August 6, the RPG asks Conde to be its candidate at the presidential election. On September 2, ending months of ambiguity, he confirms he will stand. The opposition vows to stage new protests. On the September 9, a split emerges within anti-Conde ranks and Cellou Dalein Diallo, former premier and the main opposition leader, is sidelined for deciding to take part in the election, rather than boycott it. In September, Conde makes combative campaign speeches, some in his native Malinke language, saying in one that "this is not just an election. It's as if we were at war." Diallo, who is from the larger Fulani community, accuses Conde of exploiting ethnic divisions. On September 29, protesters and security forces clash in Conakry, with a man shot dead during protests a day later in the central city of Dalaba during an election campaign visit by the prime minister. In early October, Amnesty International says at least 50 people were killed during protests against Conde between October 2019 and July 2020. The opposition says that over 90 people died in the crackdown, a figure rejected by the government. On October 7, the United Nations voices alarm at ethnically-charged hate speech flourishing in the run-up to the election, which is feared could lead to violence. acm-ang/jmy/fg/dl
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