In ten days, want to have Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe re-elected. Protests by the Opposition, he can. The accuses him of Manipulation of the voters registry. Now an 11-year-old Boy died.
On the streets of Lomé, stones, remains of tires are burnt up car, broken plastic chairs. Not all the traces of this turbulent week in the West African state of Togo are eliminated on this Monday morning. The Opposition had called on Saturday again to the country-wide protest marches, thousands of people followed the call. However, the government allowed the demonstrations brutally beat down: tear gas inserts, coursing, beating and also shots. At the end of the disturbing balance: Three Dead, including an 11-year-old Boy was.
In Sokodé, in addition to Bafilo and the capital city of Lomé, one of the strongholds of the Opposition, a small group of young men on the roadside, and can look on your Smartphones. There’s a Video on it. It shows a black vehicle, from the Windows of a military aims pair with a weapon on civilians. Since Sunday, this Video spread like wildfire in the country and the rumour, the man with the gun was a high-ranking military official. Verify the can. The government is silent so far. However, the presumption alone is sufficient to pour Oil on the already blazing fire. “The military shot at protesters and killed people,” says Farida Bemba Nabourema, human rights activist in Togo, in an interview with DW. “This is absolutely unacceptable!”
A country in the hands of the family
Since months there are in Togo, unrest. The occasion was the parliamentary elections held on 20. December is pending. The Opposition accuses the government of manipulating the voter registration and calls for a Boycott of the elections. The demonstration ban of the government heats up the atmosphere even further. The government’s opponents see their only Option is to go on the road, and marching by Togo’s large cities. People hold the Togolese flag in the air and shout: “down with the dictatorship”.
Faure Gnassingbe has ruled since the death of his father in 2005. This had previously set the minimum age for the President down
The family of President Faure Gnassingbe, has for more than 50 years in Power. Father, Gnassingbé Eyadema, had a military coup in 1967 to Power, after his death in 2005, his son followed him, Faure. In a quasi-democratic election, he was briefly in office to confirm. Thanks to a constitutional amendment under father Gnassingbe, the President’s term of office is not limited. Now this Paragraph is for re-scheduling. Faure – pronounced just like its opponents, a limit of two terms. He is, however, that this Change should not apply retroactively. So he is likely to run at least twice. Because the debate is to be continued in the newly constituted Parliament, a decision had, therefore, only after the elections to be valid. The majority of the Opposition and the civil society contradicts this Interpretation and asks: “Faure must go”.
Criticism of the crackdown by the government
On all access roads in and around Lomé, Sokodé and Bafilo military units are these days. You have placed tree trunks on the asphalt roads and inspect every single vehicle. Overnight, the units have been increased to sometimes more than 30 soldiers. Managers of the Christian and Muslim faith communities in the country have jointly condemned the violent crackdown by the government and are calling for a postponement of the elections by several months. “However, we can hardly understand why the international community has remained silent so far to what is happening in our country,” he said on Sunday, Jean-Pierre Fabre, Chairman of the main opposition party “national Alliance for change” (ANC), in a public Communiqué. And Aimé Addi by the Togolese branch of the human rights organization Amnesty International showed in the interview-disappointed by the government response to the protests: “We can not tolerate that a country cannot guarantee the security of its citizens. Also if you have Banned, they are still a citizen.”
For months now critics are demonstrating against President Faure Gnassingbé
Ibrahim Sahmoudine in Sokodé a mixed trade goods. He sold pretty much everything his people need in everyday life. On the outside wall of his shop, he has painted the colors of Black, Red, Gold. He lived for seven years in Germany, then seven in France and another in Switzerland, before he was deported. Since 2007, he is back in Togo and wish for a change. “Nothing in this country works,” grumbles he. “That’s why so many want to leave, Yes!” Under his Arm he clamped an empty 5-litre water bottle. He wants to bring a couple of young men in the city. “The protesters are tinkering with a mask to protect against tear gas attacks,” he explains.
To lose “nothing more”
Many of the young demonstrators from Sokodé have pulled meanwhile, back in the dense forests around the city. To organize and hide, and to plan new actions. The displeasure in the population is large. And Dead in the hitherto peaceful struggle to change the fronts harden.
“On tense days,” says Tchakekpei Tadjidine, a Journalist at a private local radio in Bafilo. Every few minutes he gets new pictures and messages on his phone. Some of them show serious injuries to civilians. In the Tumult of the day, it was hard to keep a clear view of what are facts and what are rumors, he says. “In Bafilo, the military has beaten the previous night houses searched, and several people. Now the young people say, ” enough.” You are no longer willing to remain calm and to demonstrate peacefully, while they have injured, and Dead. You have nothing to lose.”
The protesters want to show the next planned marches in the coming days, that you are serious. Up to 20. In December, the Opposition has announced almost on a daily basis for more protest marches. Peacefully, want it to be the opposition leader. However, recent reports suggest that the fire begins to blaze.
Staff: Noël Tadegnon
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