CONAKRY, Oct 23- Two years ago, Guinea's first freely-elected president Alpha Conde promised to unite ``every son'' of his nation; today the man with ambitions to become West Africa's Nelson ...

Most of the violent ethnic conflicts in Guinea's recent past have involved the Peul, who make up about 40 percent of the country and who have never been in power.

Guinea's attempt to shed military rule has hit the same wall of ethnic distrust that has for decades trapped the West African country in instability and poverty.