Opposition march again in Togo over political reform

Lome, Togo | AFP | Thousands of people took to the streets in Togo’s capital on Tuesday in the latest protest calling for the long-standing President Faure Gnassingbe to step down.

The demonstration is the first of three planned marches this week and comes after more than two months of nearly weekly opposition action against half a century of rule by the Gnassingbe family.

“Fifty years of bloody dictatorship must end,” read one banner on the streets of capital Lome. Another called for the “international plot against Togo” to end.

“Why give up after three months?” retired teacher Follivi told AFP. “You’re never tired when you’ve started a fight. I’ll see the battle through.”

Togolese religious leaders joined the calls for action, urging the president to “make the final sacrifice” by “allowing the reforms desired by the people to be carried out in the name of peace”.

“Because for peace, no sacrifice is too much,” said the joint declaration read to the media on Tuesday.

The statement, which did not mention resignation, was signed by Imam Soulemana, the president of a group of Togolese imams and Alphonse Amenyenou, the head of Togolese pastors in Ivory Coast.

On Monday evening the government said it was “taking the necessary measures for the opening of a dialogue” with its political detractors.

Veteran opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre said they, too, were in favour of dialogue “but to discuss the conditions for Faure Gnassingbe’s departure”.

– Pressure builds on Gnassingbe –

Last month, some 500 Togolese nationals fled across the western border into Ghana to escape what they said were human rights abuses by the police and military.

The government had imposed a ban on weekday marches that opposition supporters ignored, leading to violent clashes. The restriction has since been lifted.

At least 16 people have been killed and more than 200 injured since the first demonstration, according to an AFP toll.

A source close to Togo’s presidency said Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo made a brief visit to Lome on Sunday to talk with Gnassingbe about the protests.

Gnassingbe has also met other regional heads of state in recent weeks, including Benin’s Patrice Talon and Alpha Conde of Guinea.

They have offered their services as mediators while Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has urged his Togolese counterpart to open talks to resolve the crisis.

In Togo’s second city, Sokodo, which is a stronghold of opposition Panafrican National Party (PNP) leader Tikpi Atchadam, the security services dispersed crowds looking to protest.

“The army has been in the area since last night (Monday) and has been chasing young activists to their homes,” said Ouro Akpo Tchagnaou, from Fabre’s National Alliance for Change (ANC).

“They are breaking up any gathering on the streets and are using sticks and chains to beat people.”

Gnassingbe has been in power since 2005, when he took over from his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled the former French colony for 38 years.

Togo’s opposition wants a two-term limit on the presidential mandate and the introduction of two-round voting.

A referendum on the issue is expected to take place in the coming months, with the opposition calling for the proposed two-term limit to be retroactive, to prevent Gnassingbe from standing again in 2020 and 2025.