Alpha Oumar Barry (1925–1977) was a Guinean politician, a member of the cabinet of President

Ahmed Sékou Touré Ahmed Sékou Touré (var. Sheku Turay or Ture; N'Ko: ; January 9, 1922 – March 26, 1984) was a Guinean political leader and African statesman who became the first president of Guinea, serving from 1958 until his death in 1984. Touré was a ...

in the first Guinean republic, who was later arrested and died at

Camp Boiro Camp Boiro or Camp Mamadou Boiro (1960 – 1984) is a defunct Guinean concentration camp within Conakry city. During the regime of President Ahmed Sékou Touré, thousands of political opponents were imprisoned at the camp. It has been estimated t ...

. Alpha Oumar was born in 1925, and trained as a doctor in

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

. He was appointed chief medical officer in

Kindia Kindia (N’ko: ߞߌ߲ߘߌߦߊ߫) is the fourth largest city in Guinea, lying about 85 miles northeast of the nation's capital, Conakry. Its estimated population in 2008 was 181,126. Kindia serves as the capital and largest city of Kindia Prefect ...

. Alpha Oumar was appointed minister of state for Exchange in the cabinet announced on 19 June 1972. He was also a member of the political bureau of the

Democratic Party of Guinea Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

(PDG). At a press conference on 2 August 1976, Sekou Toure announced the arrest in

Conakry Conakry (; ; sus, Kɔnakiri; N’ko: ߞߐߣߊߞߙߌ߫, Fula: ''Konaakiri'' 𞤑𞤮𞤲𞤢𞥄𞤳𞤭𞤪𞤭) is the capital and largest city of Guinea. A port city, it serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea. Its ...

of several plotters, including

Telli Diallo Boubacar Diallo Telli (1925 – February 1977) was a Guinean diplomat and politician. He helped found the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and was the second secretary-general of the OAU between 1964 and 1972. After serving as Minister of Jus ...

, Alpha Oumar Barry,

Lamine Kouyaté Lamine is a given name and a surname. Lamin is the local name for Al-Amin (a title given to the prophet Mohammed which means "the trustworthy"). Notable people with the name include: *Ould Lamine Abdallah (born 1929), French former long-distance r ...

and Alioune Dramé. Both Alpha Oumar and Alioune Dramé had been childhood friends of Telli Diallo. After his arrest, the camp commandant

Siaka Touré Siaka Touré (1935–1985) was the commandant of Camp Boiro in Conakry, Guinea during the regime of Guinean President Ahmed Sékou Touré. During this period, many of the president's political opponents died in the camp. Biography Siaka Touré w ...

transmitted a series of messages to Alpha Oumar from President Touré demanding that he confess to being a plotter to save the face of the revolution. Eventually Alpha Oumar gave in and made a confession. On 12 February 1977, Alpha Oumar and others were placed on a "black diet", meaning they were deprived of food and water. He died on 26 February 1977.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barry, Alpha Oumar Guinean politicians Executed politicians Executed Guinean people 20th-century executions by Guinea People executed by starvation Guinean physicians 1926 births 1977 deaths 20th-century physicians