CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Pascal Dotchevi, Togo, October 1998
THEME = POLITICS
President Eyadema was victorious in the 21 June 1998 presidential
elections
and took the Oath of Office on 24 June. His victory was criticized by the Opposition
and ever since then, the country's political situation is in turmoil
The Opposition are adamant they're not going to give in to Eyadema and his takeover by force. Gilchrist Olympio warned Eyadema that he'd launch a "political guerilla warfare" if Eyadema did not step down by 25 August 1998 (the date when his previous mandate should have ended). Everybody took this warning seriously; as the day drew near, people left the city because they were afraid of civil war; others simply stockpiled food. When 25 August arrived, the police were all over the capital. But nothing happened.
The Opposition, however, considered that all was going according to plan. Political guerilla warfare, they said, never confines itself to one day. It's a whole succession of events, such as "Ghost- Town" action days and sit-ins, which causes the country to come to a complete standstill. To get General Eyadema to step down, the Opposition had called for "Ghost-Town" action throughout the country on 17 July 1998. In spite of the government's threats, the people stayed at home. The same happened on 24 July, the day of President Eyadema's inauguration as President. The country's Minister of Home Affairs chirpily declared 24 July to be a public holiday, and so short-circuited the Opposition. Then followed several sit-ins by opposition leaders in front of their headquarters and, finally, two "Ghost- Town" days on 10 and 11 August, which nearly failed, because the government warned all civil servants that they would be sacked if they were absent from work. Those who ignored the warning are today paying the price.
"The Opposition Must change their tactics", says one employee with the Togolese National Bank. "We've have had enough "Ghost-Town" days. The civil servants still sadly remember the 1993 general strike. People are afraid of losing their jobs, when life is difficult enough and nothing seems to matter when it comes to settling old scores". A secondary school teacher adds: "While waiting for the Opposition to take over, it's better to hang on to one's job, however modest. If I lose my job, who will help me? I know people who give their all for a cause, and what do their leaders do? They sit idle, eating under a baobab-tree. Opposition leaders must be realists. Why add to the people's sufferings? They've already done their duty by voting in massive numbers for Gilchrist Olympio. Justice must be restored."
Early on 16 August, the population of Lome was awakened by the sound of automatic gunfire. They first of all thought the police were in action against robbers - quite common these days. But when the shooting increased, they became concerned. Even more so when the radio broadcast an appeal from the Minister of Home Affairs, asking all citizens to stay at home. He said a police station on the border with Ghana had been attacked. The shooting stopped in the afternoon with a number of arrests made. Those responsible for the unrest were not shown on television, as is usually the case. It was only said that six aggressors had been detained and that an inquiry was in progress. That was enough for the population to surmise that probably "there had been nothing untoward with Ghana".
The government keeps silent about the number of victims. But it's felt there were more casualties than the one street vendor found dead after the Togolese armed forces (FAT) had passed by. That there was a great deal of material damage, no one can deny. The homes of opposition members were said to have been shelled by FAT tanks, but the government denies this.
The former Foreign Minister, Koffi Panou, accused Gilchrist Olympio of having financed the hostilities. Gilchrist made it quite clear he'd had nothing to do with this masquerade.
What really happened has never been brought into the open, but some days afterwards, President Eyadema appeared on television, offering a "sincere hand of friendship" to the Opposition so as to set up a government of national unity, englobing all parties. The Opposition was unanimous in rejecting this offer, which they termed "insincere and designed to lead them into a trap". The day following the President's TV appearance, the Prime Minister tendered the government's resignation. He was asked to stay on so as to persuade the Opposition to come round to Eyadema's way of thinking.
All in vain, because the Opposition felt that conditions were not yet good enough for them to take part in any government of national unity, many problems still remaining unsolved. President Eyadema personally undertook to meet with the opposition leaders. He didn't get very far because neither side would budge. Under these circumstances, the Prime Minister had to form a new government composed of the same people as before, plus some profit-hunting turncoats from the Opposition.
The situation deteriorated from then onwards with Togo's social and economical crisis worsening. At the political level - no changes.
The European Union (EU) which had provided the financial means for holding the elections, now said cooperation between the EU and Togo, suspended since 1993, would not be renewed. This no doubt pushed the two main protagonists in the political dispute, Eyadema and Gilchrist, to re-open negotiations under EU auspices. It's clear that Togo's "wicked sisters" are Eyadema and Gilchrist. If they would accept to withdraw from politics in Togo, perhaps it would be for the best.
Who knows?
END
CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
PeaceLink 1998 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement