by Pascal Dotchevi, Togo, 2 May, 1997
THEME = INTERNAT.RELATIONS
It all goes back to 23 April last, when members of the National Dancing Troupe went to the embassy to apply for visas to perform at the Festival of Negro-African Arts and Culture to be held in Atlanta from 25 April to 3 May 1997. The American Vice-Consul, Mr.Joel Ehendreich is alleged to have asked members of the troupe to do a few steps of a dance, to ascertain if they were really dance artists.
This request on the part of the Vice-Consul provoked angry protests from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mr.Koffi Panou, and on 25 April, the government of Togo, through the intermediary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that, the Vice-Consul of the United States "persona non grata" and gave him 72 hours to "quit Togolese territory".
In a communique on 18 April, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the Vice-Consul had insisted that the National Troupe should give a special dance performance at the embassy. And to "avoid an incident, the artists had decided to perform", the communique continued. And to justify the action taken, the Minister explained: "This kind of treatment meted out to official representatives of Togo at this Festival, is clearly inhuman and degrading. And it could not fail to provoke in any Togolese proud of his dignity and his belonging to Negro African culture, a feeling of frustration".
Following this expulsion, the Ambassador of the United States, Mr.Johnny Young, had meetings with President Eyadema on 25 and 26 April. After these discussions, "the President of the Republic decided to revoke the expulsion". So the affair was ended. But to an observer of Togolese politics, this diplomatic incident is but one of a long list of incidents between the two countries.
A statement issued by the Ambassador of the United States on 28 April, after his meetings with President Eyadema, laconically explains their point of view on this crisis. The American authorities prefer to speak of "a misunderstanding" rather than of an incident.
What is more, the statement dismisses out of hand, all the explanations and accusations of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, by stating that the Vice-Consul "had only followed normal procedure". What is also astonishing is that the American statement did not make any mention of "an apology by the Ambassador of the United States to the Togolese authorities", while according to a communique issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, it was following on an apology by the Ambassador that "the President of the Republic had revoked the decision to expel the Vice-Consul".
All that divergence of diplomatic language, only goes to show that many things are not going well between the two countries. According to sources close to the American Embassy, the methods used by the Vice-Consul are often employed in many countries for those claiming to be artists who apply for visas. For it is difficult to recognise an artist unless one sees him working. Besides, among the national troupe in question, some declared that their profession was "mechanic or night watchman". It is obvious therefore that it was not necessary in this case for the Togolese authorities to bang the table so loudly.
To understand the situation of Togo, it is necessary to link this affair with the state of relations between the two countries of late. The Americans have turned a blind eye to the blandishments of the government to obtain a restoration of cooperation, which has been suspended since the breakdown in the democratic process in 1993. The renewal of cooperation is conditional on respect for human rights and democratisation.
The straw that broke the camels back was the trip of the leader of the opposition, Mr.Agboyibor, president of the Action Committee for Renewal (CAR), on the occasion of the inauguration of President Clinton. The Togolese authorities protested against "the official invitation of an opposition leader by the American government". It was necessary for the American Embassy to reply to a newspaper favoured by the government which published an article entitled: "Destabilisation in Togo: finally the American connection". The Embassy explained that "Mr.Agboyibor was not invited as an official guest to represent Togo at the inauguration of President Clinton". Besides it was incorrect to accuse Mr.Agboyibor, who met some high up officials during his visit of having "soiled" the name of Togo.
At any rate, the American Congress has just drawn up a damning report on "Human Rights in Togo - 1996". In the background of power, behind this report can be seen the hand of the Togolese opposition and the American Embassy in Togo. Even though, in the mean time, the Americans have observed some improvements by the Togo government, they are not yet ready to resume economic cooperation. And, the "misunderstanding" which have again risen, will not improve things, even if the Americans consider the matter closed.
Togo wants at all costs to resume cooperation with those who recently suspended it. Only France has agreed. The European Union is delaying its acceptance. As for Germany (another sponsor of the opposition?) and the United States, it is difficult to foresee with any certitude, that they will resume their operations as quickly as the Togolese authorities would wish.
In Togo, it is not easy to speak of human rights violations, without being accused of destabilising the country or siding with the opposition. And yet!
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