This narrow strip of land called Togo has become a hell on earth for its inhabitants, thanks to the support of France and US to the oligarch and ring leader Faure Gnassingbé. Human Right groups and other NGOs have been raising the red flag on the sheer violation of human right by the local colonialist Faure Gnassingbé, but France and US have been turning a blind eye to these warnings in the sacrosanct name of their own interests. They see nor hear evil in the political governance of the gang governing Togo. They refuse to call out the Togolese government on its actions of arbitrary detention, planting of crimes on opposition leaders so they can be arrested etc... Instead, the country of “Human Right” and the “Land of the Free” have continued to throw their heavy weight behind Faure Gnassingbé, in return for services rendered by the later to the former. US particularly keep throwing fuel on the fire by supplying this lame government with heavy weapons, for his allege fight against terrorism and high sea piracy. These arms will end-up being used against the Togolese population who is calling for and fighting for democracy, transparency, and fair governing.
In Togo, in January 2013, the two biggest markets (regional markets) have been torched, in a methodically, planned and coordinated way, by material and chemicals, only at the disposal of Togolese army. The damages were estimated in thousands of US millions and a slowing of business in the region. You will think in such a case, any responsible government will conduct a fair investigation and bring the criminals to face the music! Not in Togo! Instead, the kangaroo court of Togo has been called into action as usual, and opposition leaders thrown in jail, only a few days after the incident. The guy introduced by the militia man, who called himself minister of security (the version of secretary of the homeland) as the main perpetrator of the heinous crime, a guy who have charged all opposition leaders as being the brain behind the crime, reversed course publically in court, and rather named members of the government and cronies of Faure Gnassingbé as being the real planners. He called the accusation leveled against opposition leaders as total fabrication and wrote a letter of apology to the leaders he wrongly accused. This guy even called on UN and EU courts and other institutions to help free him and help throw the book at the real culprits, but in vain. He’s still rotting in jail, and the opposition members still have a crime they didn’t commit hang around their necks.
This is a country where the EU has pumped millions and millions of European tax money into, with the intention of overhauling the judicial system. But guess what: injustice and sham processes still carry the day. Kpatcha Gnassingbé, former minister of defense, a sitting MP at the time and many other militaries had been thrown in jail since 2009, after a smoke-and-screen trial, trial denounced by all regional and international institutions.
Very recently, Pascal Bodjona, former chief of staff for Faure Gnassingbé, outgoing minister of interior and the person that was considered “second-in-command” had been arrested, swiftly tried and thrown in jail. (Looks like we are in North Korea).
In this country, political disagreements are solved by henchmen being sent after opposition members in day light.
A year ago, the renowned GFI (global financial Integrity) as a result of investigation on “Illicit Financial Flows From Developing Countries” has published reports alleging that a jaw-dropping 18 Billion have been illegally channeled out of Togo, a country where a whopping 75% of the population live with less than 2 dollars a day and struggle to make ends meet.
Denouncing police harassment and the lack of accountability by those who line up their pockets with people’s money and the real criminals in Togo, Jean-Pierre Fabre the leader of the opposition said:
“….Instead of launching an investigation into the illicit outflow of money from Togo, the Togolese authorities prefer to settle political scores by sending the police, the army and Secret Services agencies after political opponents.”
Democrats of the country of Human “Rights” and the Land of the Free”: this is the country you are backing in any way possible, and pouring heavy artillery into, and always cozying up to the “Robber Barron” Faure Gnassingbé during international summits.
In 2005, when Togolese stood up against the rigged vote that brought this maroon to power, 500 Togolese have been killed (United Nations figures) by the army and hitmen of Faure Gnassingbé. How can countries, champion of democracy embrace and condone such egregious politics?
France and US need to distance themselves from this jungle, unless they shared former French President Jacques Chirac’s lopsided view that: "Democracy is a luxury good for Africa".
Country of” Human Right” and the “Land of the Free”, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Koffi Apati-Bassah
New-York City
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