Togo: The authorities' treatment of members and supporters of political opposition parties, particularly the Union of Forces for Change (Union des forces de changement, UFC), since the death of President Eyadéma and the accession to power of his son Faure Gnassingbé (2005)

Many sources denounced the systematic violations of human rights during the period following the death of President Eyadéma on 5 February 2005 and the accession to power of his son Faure Gnassingbé, elected during the presidential election of 24 April 2005 (AI 20 July 2005; ibid. 20 Apr. 2005; Franciscans International 10 Mar. 2005).

Violence surrounding the presidential election of 24 April 2005

Following the death of President Eyadéma, the Togolese "military immediately named his son Faure Gnassingbé to replace him, [... but he subsequently] bowed to foreign and domestic pressure and stepped down," calling a presidential election in April 2005 (AP 27 Sept. 2005; UN 26 Sept. 2005). Six opposition parties joined together in support of one candidate, Emmanuel Bob Akitani, of the Union of Forces for Change (Union des forces de changement, UFC) party (AP 15 Mar. 2005), who declared himself president even though election results in favour of Faure Gnassingbé were announced (Le Monde 28 Apr. 2005).

Amnesty International denounced the violence of the Togolese security forces during the period leading up the 24 April 2005 elections, stating that in such a violent atmosphere, "free participation in the election process ... cannot be guaranteed" (20 Apr. 2005). The arbitrary arrest of opposition members hindered the opposition's electoral campaign, as did the violation of their freedoms of assembly, association and expression: members of the opposition were beaten; their meetings were banned; and their facilities were vandalized (AI 20 Apr. 2005).

According to Amnesty International, "the systematic violence" continued in the days following the presidential election (20 July 2005). Militias with close ties to the ruling party, the Rally of the Togolese People (Rassemblement du peuple togolais, RPT), joined by the Togolese army, "violently attacked presumed opponents or ordinary citizens," committing "very serious violations of human rights, including extrajudicial executions, kidnappings, torture and ill-treatment, rape, attempted rape and arbitrary arrests" (AI 20 July 2005). "Not since the presidential election in 1998, has repression been so brutal" (ibid.). The opposition accused Faure Gnassingbé of "rigging the ballot" (Business Day 26 July 2005; see also AP 28 Apr. 2005).

The Togolese government "has confirmed only 22 dead" as a result of the demonstrations that followed the announcement of the election results (AP 27 Sept. 2005; see also AP 28 Apr. 2005). Amnesty International, however, reported the death toll as closer to 150, but "estimate[d] that the total number of victims [was] much higher, because many witnesses have described how unidentified bodies were left at the mortuary and bodies were buried without being registered in any hospital or mortuary" (20 July 2005). A 28 April 2005 article in Le Monde indicated that at least 22 persons had been killed between 26 and 28 April 2005.

Violence since the death of President Eyadéma

The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights sent a fact-finding mission to Togo in June 2005 to investigate the violence and human rights violations that occurred between 5 February and 5 May 2005, the date Faure Gnassingbé officially assumed his position (UN 29 August 2005; AI 20 July 2005).

The United Nations (UN) mission report, which was widely cited, outlined the main events as follows: the various demonstrations held between February and May 2005 produced a significant number of victims (between 400 and 500 dead and thousands wounded); many disappearances were reported; [translation] "wide-scale" torture was used; and the destruction and vandalism of belongings and property were [translation] "organized and systematic" (UN 29 Aug. 2005, Sec. 7.1).

The UN report also noted that the responsibility for the political violence and human rights violations during that time lay with the [translation] "state's repressive security forces (police, national guard, all branches of the armed forces) and with the organized supporters of the political administration" (ibid.). "Extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, indiscriminate repression of the residents of a neighbourhood where alleged opposition sympathisers live, threats of rape, repeated threats against and intimidation of private media, a ban on demonstrations ... : the security forces seem to have stopped at nothing ... to install Faure Gnassingbé ... as head of the Togolese state," according to Amnesty International (18 Mar. 2005).

The Togolese Human Rights League (Ligue togolaise des droits de l'Homme, LTDH), in a memorandum on the human rights violations committed between the 5 February 2005 coup d'état and March 2005, concluded that [translation] "in reviewing the facts gathered by various sources against the testimony of witnesses and survivors, it was in a position to officially ascribe the events to premeditated, politically motivated military operations, carefully planned and executed with the intent to kill and injure" (Mar. 2005).

The United Nations mission report also noted that opposition supporters likewise played a role in the rising political tensions by committing certain human rights violations against members of the ruling party (UN 29 Aug. 2005, Sec. 7.1). The United Nations concluded that Togo was in a political deadlock, that it was impossible to establish a government with national unity (ibid.).

According to Business Day, a 21 July 2005 agreement between Togolese opposition leader Gilchrist Olympio and President Faure Gnassingbé to end political violence and free political prisoners was well received by the opposition parties (26 July 2005).

However, the UFC set down conditions for its participation in the next legislative elections, including the release of political prisoners, a review of the electoral roll, the drafting of a new electoral code, and the return of Togolese refugees to the country (ANGOP 28 Sept. 2005). The UFC also urged that human rights violators be held accountable before the International Criminal Court (UFC 29 Sept. 2005).

Moreover, as a result of the various waves of violence, a large number of Togolese refugees remain in Benin and Ghana (Libération 27 Sept. 2005; Afrol News 27 May 2005), estimates ranging from 35,000 (ibid.) to 40,000 (Libération 27 Sept. 2005). A month after the April 2005 election, refugees were still fleeing the country into Benin, "bringing tales of persecution and beatings" (AFP 20 May 2005) and fearing "politically motivated abductions and disappearances" (Afrol News 27 May 2005). Of those refugees, most are "young men who are either members of opposition parties in Togo or perceived to be such because they come from southern Togo" (ibid.). Afrol News reported that during this post-election period of late May 2005, "government agents [had] started a campaign of abducting opposition activists ... causing terror among civilians" from southern Togo (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Afrol News. 27 May 2005. "Togo Abductions Cause New Refugee Stream." [Accessed 17 Oct. 2005]

Agence France-Presse (AFP). 20 May 2005. "Togolese Refugees Stream into Benin with Tales of Persecution, Beatings." (Factiva)

Amnesty International (AI). 20 July 2005. "Introduction." Togo: Will History Repeat Itself? (AFR 57/012/2005) [Accessed 17 Oct. 2005]
_____. 20 April 2005. "Togo: Free Participation in Election Process is Made Impossible." (AFR 57/010/2005) [Accessed 17 Oct. 2005]
_____. 18 March 2005. "Introduction." Togo: A High Risk Transition. (AFR 57/008/2005) [Accessed 17 Oct. 2005]

Angola Press Agency (ANGOP) [Luanda]. 28 September 2005. "L'UFC conditionne sa participation aux législatives au Togo." [Accessed 21 Oct. 2005]

Associated Press (AP). 27 September 2005. "Togo Vows to Prevent Political Violence." (Factiva)
_____. 28 April 2005. Bryan Mealer. "Togo's Deadly Street Clashes Dying Down." (Factiva)
_____. 15 March 2005. Ebow Godwin. "Togo Opposition Parties Pick Single Candidate to Contest Presidential Polls." (Factiva)

Business Day [Johannesburg]. 26 July 2005. John Kaninda. "Opposition Hails Top-Level Togo Peace Accord." (Factiva/Allfrica)

Franciscans International, Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l'Homme, Fédération Internationale de l'ACAT, International Federation for Human Rights, and World Organisation Against Torture. 10 March 2005. In United Nations (UN). Commission on Human Rights. "Question of the Violation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Any Part of the World." (E/CN.4/2005/NGO/175) [Accessed 26 Oct. 2005]

Libération [Paris]. 27 September 2005. Thomas Hofnung. "L'ONU dénonce la repression au Togo." [Accessed 17 Oct. 2005]

Ligue togolaise des droits de l'homme (LTDH). March 2005. "Introduction: Répression et impunité au Togo." Stratégie de la terreur au Togo (II): "Un règne aussi court que sanglant": Violations des droits de l'Homme commises au Togo depuis le coup d'État du 5 février 2005. (International Federation for Human Rights Website) [Accessed 17 Oct. 2005]

Le Monde. 28 April 2005. "Togo: Le candidat battu de l'opposition se proclame président dans un climat de violence." (Factiva)

Union des forces de changement (UFC). 29 September 2005. "Il faut traduire les auteurs devant la Cour pénale internationale (CPI)." [Accessed 21 Oct. 2005]

United Nations (UN). 26 September 2005. Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). "Togo: UN Report Says at Least 400 People Died in Political Violence." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2005]
_____. 29 August 2005. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). "Conclusions." La mission d'établissement des faits chargée de faire la lumière sur les violences et les allégations de violations des droits de l'homme survenues au Togo avant, pendant et après l'élection présidentielle du 24 avril 2005. [Accessed 26 Oct. 2005]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Human Rights Watch, IciLome.com, International Crisis Group, International Federation for Human Rights, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, United States Department of State, World Organisation Against Torture.