Protests against Faure Gnassingbé
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Protests against Faure Gnassingbé have occurred throughout
Togo Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...
, starting when President Faure Gnassingbé assumed power after the death of his father
Gnassingbé Eyadéma Gnassingbé Eyadéma (; born Étienne Gnassingbé, 26 December 1935 – 5 February 2005) was the president of Togo from 1967 until his death in 2005, after which he was immediately succeeded by his son, Faure Gnassingbé. Eyadéma participated i ...
in February 2005. Opposition protesters have called on the Togolese government to establish presidential term limits according to the 1992 constitutional referendum, and have called on Gnassingbé to resign. Opposition parties contested the results of the
2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
and
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
presidential elections. From 2012 until the
2013 Togolese parliamentary election Parliamentary elections were held in Togo on 25 July 2013. The ruling Union for the Republic (UNIR) won 62 of the 91 seats in the National Assembly. Background Some members of the opposition sought a postponement in order to see electoral reform ...
, opposition supporters protested certain electoral reforms believed to favour the ruling regime. Starting in August 2017, the opposition has held anti-government protests on a near-weekly basis, leading to a long-term period of domestic instability.


Background

Gnassingbé Eyadéma helped lead two military coups, one in
1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...
and another in 1967, in which he became the
president of Togo This is a list of presidents of Togo since the formation of the post of president in 1960, to the present day. A total of four people have served as president (not counting one acting president and two interim military officeholders). Additiona ...
. Opposition to Eyadéma's regime grew in the late 1980s as many people believed he was only working to benefit cronies from the army, his tribesmen, and his political allies. Inspired by anti-communist revolutions throughout Europe starting from 1989, and sparked by the trial of students for distributing anti-government material, Togolese students held demonstrations and strikes on 5 October 1990. This protest marked the start of a protest movement against Eyadéma's military regime. During a wave of protests against Eyadéma, the government established a curfew, and announced it on 10 April 1991, one hour after it went into force. The next day, inhabitants of Lomé found 28 bodies on the lagoon of
Bè is a canton and neighborhood of Lomé, Togo, located on the lagoon, east of the city. It contains a number of hotels and bars. Notable people *Agbagli Kossi (1935-1991), sculptor References

Neighborhoods of Lomé ...
. The
National Human Rights Commission A human rights commission, also known as a human relations commission, is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights. The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as nationa ...
determined that the
Togolese Armed Forces The Togolese Armed Forces (French: ''Forces Armées Togolaises'', FAT) is the national military of the Republic of Togo which consists of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the National Gendarmerie. The total military expenditure during the fiscal ye ...
had carried out the massacre. The Togolese government held a constitutional referendum in 1992 which included a two-term presidential limit, and Togo started holding multi-party elections in
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
. In December 2002, Eyadéma removed the presidential term limits, allowing him to run indefinitely.


2005

Eyadéma died on 5 February 2005, and the Togolese military immediately installed his son Faure Gnassingbé as president. The Army Chief of Staff, Zakari Nandja, said this was meant to avoid a power vacuum. The Togolese government initially banned all protests for two months. However, about 1,000 people attended an anti-government rally in Lomé on 11 February 2005. The next day, about 3,000 people attended the protest. Security forces used tear gas, batons, and stun grenades on the protesters, killing at least three people and wounding dozens. The Togolese government said the security forces fired because the protesters tried to steal their weaponry. Gnassingbé lifted the government's ban on protests on 18 February and announced that there would be a presidential election in 60 days. Opposition groups called on Gnassingbé to step down and held large protests in Lomé,
Aného Aného, previously known as Anecho is a town in southeastern Togo, lying on the Gulf of Guinea near the border of Benin. Founded in the late 17th century by Ane people fleeing from Denkyira attacks in Elmina (now in Ghana), Aného developed as a ...
, Sokodé and Sinkanse. On 25 February, Gnassingbé, citing growing domestic and international pressure, announced he would resign as president. Opposition supporters objected to the appointment of
Bonfoh Abass El-Hadj Bonfoh Abass (; 23 November 1948"E ...
as interim president instead of
Fambaré Ouattara Natchaba Fambaré Ouattara Natchaba (17 April 1945 – 15 October 2020) was a Togolese politician. He was the President of the National Assembly of Togo from September 2000 to February 2005. He was a prominent member of the ruling Rally of the Togolese Peo ...
, accusing Abass of being too close to the Gnassingbé regime. Protesters threw stones at the police, who fired tear gas back at them to drive them back. The
presidential election A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President. Elections by country Albania The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public. Chile The pre ...
was held on 24 April 2005, with the two frontrunners being Faure Gnassingbé and Emmanuel Bob-Akitani. Gnassingbé was declared the winner on 26 April. The Economic Community of West African States declared the results were fair, though opposition supporters heard reports of fraudulent ballot practices and vote rigging. Hundred of people rioted in the streets and clashed with the police and military. Young men reportedly threw
Molotov cocktails A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see other names'') is a hand thrown incendiary weapon constructed from a frangible container filled with flammable substances equipped with a fuse (typically a glass bottle filled with flammab ...
at the police, and the opposition formed barriers in Bé. According to hospital sources, 11 people died and about 100 people were injured in the riot. Opposition supporters broke into a police station in
Aného Aného, previously known as Anecho is a town in southeastern Togo, lying on the Gulf of Guinea near the border of Benin. Founded in the late 17th century by Ane people fleeing from Denkyira attacks in Elmina (now in Ghana), Aného developed as a ...
, attacked police officers, and attempted to burn the station. The police killed nine people and injured 61. The Togolese government claimed that only 22 people died during the post-election violence.
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
however reported a death toll of more than 150. The
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
estimated that between 400 and 500 people were killed in electoral violence and mass riots. In May 2017, around 35,000 Togolese citizens fled to
Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
and
Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
, citing abductions and
forced disappearance An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person by a state or political organization, or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organiza ...
s, which were believed to be politically motivated.


2010–2011

Gnassingbé defeated Jean-Pierre Fabre in the
2010 Togolese presidential election Presidential elections were held in Togo on 4 March 2010. Bè is a canton and neighborhood of Lomé, Togo, located on the lagoon, east of the city. It contains a number of hotels and bars. Notable people *Agbagli Kossi (1935-1991), sculptor References

Neighborhoods of Lomé ...
neighbourhood. Opposition supporters held a demonstration on 9 March 2010. Those who resisted the security forces were sprayed with tear gas. Some demonstrators threw stones at the police and burned cars. On 12 February 2011, about 15,000 opposition protesters marched through Lomé and called for the resignation of Gnassingbé's administration and the holding of free and fair elections.
Claude Améganvi Claude Henri Améganvi (born 12 August 1953, Lomé) is a Togolese Trotskyist and former political prisoner. An architect by training, in 1977 he joined the exile student movement in France in opposition to the one-party dictatorship of Gnassingbé ...
of the Workers' Party said the march was also in support of the
Egyptian revolution of 2011 The 2011 Egyptian revolution, also known as the 25 January revolution ( ar, ثورة ٢٥ يناير; ), began on 25 January 2011 and spread across Egypt. The date was set by various youth groups to coincide with the annual Egyptian "Police ho ...
as part of the wider
Arab Spring The Arab Spring ( ar, الربيع العربي) was a series of Nonviolent resistance, anti-government protests, Rebellion, uprisings and Insurgency, armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in T ...
in Northern Africa. On 17 March 2011, security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters in Lomé, who threw stones at them and burned tires.


2012–2013

In early June 2012, the Togolese parliament amended the country's electoral code. The opposition criticised these changes, saying they favoured the ruling party. Thousands of protesters gathered in Lomé on 12–14 June 2012, forcing the city's main market to close. Protesters threw stones and vandalized buildings, and police fired tear gas at them. At least 27 people, including policemen and protesters, were injured during the protests. Hundreds of supporters of the
Let's Save Togo The Let's Save Togo Collective (french: Collectif Sauvons le Togo, CST) is a political alliance in Togo. History The alliance was established in 2012, consists of the Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development (ADDI), National Alliance for C ...
campaign protested against the Togolese government on 5 July 2012 in front of the French embassy in Lomé. The police fired tear gas on the protesters again, forcing them to disperse. The opposition held protests on 21–23 August 2012. On the first day, protesters planned to march from Bé to the commercial area Deckon, an area the government prohibited protesters from entering. Togolese authorities fired tear gas on the protesters ten minutes after it started. According to Let's Save Togo, more than 100 people were injured, and more than 125 people were arrested during the rallies. Thousands of opposition supporters participated in peaceful protests on 24–25 August 2012. Thousands of people attended a Let's Save Togo rally in Lomé on 26 August 2012 which encouraged Togolese women to participate in a week-long sex strike to galvanize men ito participation in the opposition movement against Gnassingbé. Opposition leader
Isabelle Ameganvi Isabelle Djibgodi Améganvi Manavi (born 3 September 1961) is a Togolese lawyer and politician. She was elected to Togo's parliament in 2007. She is well-known for orchestrating a sex strike in August 2012, Protests against Faure Gnassingbé#2012 ...
said this was inspired by the 2003 sex strike of Liberian women led by
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born Ellen Eugenia Johnson, 29 October 1938) is a Liberian politician who served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa. Sirleaf was born in Mon ...
which pushed for peace during the
Second Liberian Civil War The Second Liberian Civil War was a conflict in the West African nation of Liberia lasted from 1999 to 2003. It was preceded by the First Liberian Civil War, which ended in 1996. President Charles Taylor came to power in 1997 after victory in t ...
against Charles Taylor. Protesters gathered in Bé on 28 August 2012 and prepared to march against the government. Before they could start marching, Togolese security forces fired tear gas on them. The opposition held organized sit-ins, and the security forces fired tear gas on them on 6 September 2012. In response to these protests, the government passed another electoral reform in September 2012. Opposition groups boycotted the talks because they believed the proposed term limits would allow Gnassingbé to potentially stay in office until at least 2025. On 15 September 2012, a mob armed with sticks and machetes entered an area where opposition supporters planned to protest. The mob prevented the opposition protest from proceeding and prevented journalists from taking photographs. Several ambassadors from Western countries expressed "deep concern" over the mob violence. Thousands of women wearing red participated in a peaceful march organised by Let's Save Togo on 20 September 2012. The colour red was chosen to protest the precarious economic situation of women in Togo, as Togolese women traditionally made and sold red garments at the country's markets. Let's Save Togo held an opposition rally on 5 October 2012, the anniversary of the 1990 demonstration against Eyadéma. Security forces fired tear gas on them, injuring several people. At an opposition protest in Lomé on 10 January 2013, several journalists were reportedly targeted during the protests, and at least four of them were injured. In late February 2013, three opposition supporters were charged with involvement in the fires that destroyed two Togolese markets in January 2013. On 12 March 2013, while Jean-Pierre Fabre was being questioned in Lomé, hundreds of his supporters tried to block the building's entrance. The police fired tear gas on them as the protesters threw stones. On 14–17 March 2013, Togolese journalists held sit-ins to protest recently adopted media regulations which gave the government authority to shut down news outlets. On the first and last day of these protests, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Gnassingbé requested the amendments go through a constitutional review, and Togo's Constitutional Court declared them unconstitutional on 20 March 2013. In April 2013, Togolese teachers went on strike to call for higher wages, and students protested in support of their teachers. The government temporarily closed its primary and secondary schools, citing property damage from the student protests. Two students were killed as a result of police efforts to disperse protests on 15 April in
Dapaong Dapaong (also known as Dapaongo or Dapango) is a city in northern Togo and prefecture seat of Tône in the Savanes Region, of which it is also the capital. It had a population of 58,071 at the 2010 Census. It is situated 638 km north of th ...
. The government re-opened its schools on 22 April, though many teachers continued their strike and told their students to return home. Étienne Yakanou, one of the opposition leaders detained in connection to the Lomé market fire, died on 10 May 2013. According to the government he died from
malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...
. The
National Alliance for Change The National Alliance for Change (french: Alliance Nationale pour le Changement, abbreviated ANC) is a social-democratic party in Togo, led by Jean-Pierre Fabre. The party emerged from a split within the Union of Forces for Change (UFC) followi ...
(ANC) accused the Togolese government of committing a "political assassination" by deliberately withholding treatment from Yakanou, and
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
called for an investigation into his death. On 18 May 2013, a group of women from Let's Save Togo participated in
topless protest Nudity is sometimes used as a tactic during a protest to attract media and public attention to a cause, and sometimes promotion of public nudity is itself the objective of a nude protest. The use of the tactic goes back to well published ph ...
s inspired by the Ukrainian feminist organization FEMEN. The opposition protests delayed the parliamentary election, which were originally scheduled for October 2012, to 25 July 2013. Gnassingbé's party won the majority of seats in the election, and the opposition declared that the results were fraudulent.


2014–2016

Anti-government protesters marched through Lomé on 21 November 2014, while government supporters held a counter-protest on the beach.
Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency. AFP has regional headquarters in Nicosia, Montevideo, Hong Kong and Washington, D.C ...
reported that protesters broke the law by marching near the country's parliament.
Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency was estab ...
reported that some protesters threw stones at security forces, who fired tear gas on them. Two opposition supporters were injured during the clashes. Thousands of Togolese continued protesting on 28 November 2014. Gnassingbé won the country's April 2015 presidential election, scoring over 59% of the vote. The United Nations approved of how the election was conducted, but the main opposition party considered these results fraudulent as the ruling regime was actively suppressing their activities. Thousands of people marched through Lomé on 16 May 2015 to protest these election results. Opposition parties held demonstrations on 21 May 2016 in Lomé calling for meaningful and proportional electoral reform under the Global Political Agreement of 2007 to introduce term limits.


2017–2018

On 19 August 2017, thousands of protesters took to the streets, mostly in the city of Sokodé. Protests also occurred in Lomé,
Bafilo Bafilo is a city in Togo south of Kara and north of Sokode in Tchaoudjo Region. It is known for its large mosque, wagassi cheese, its weaving industry and the nearby Bafilo Falls. History World War I During World War I, a skirmish took plac ...
,
Anié Anié or Ana is a town in the Plateaux Region of Togo Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the nort ...
, and Kara. Security forces shot and killed two civilians while dispersing protesters. Other civilians burned security vehicles and killed seven members of the security force. About 27 people were arrested, and 15 protesters identified as supporters of the Pan African National Party were given jail sentences of 5–9 months. Opposition parties called for a general strike to take place on 25 August, which slowed business and caused Lomé to enter a security lockdown. Togolese minister Gilbert Bawara criticised the strike, calling it "the campaign of terror, intimidation and threats". On 5 September 2017, in an effort to counter scheduled protests, the Toglose government cut off the internet nationwide, blocked the use of
WhatsApp WhatsApp (also called WhatsApp Messenger) is an internationally available freeware, cross-platform, centralized instant messaging (IM) and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service owned by American company Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook). It allows us ...
, and filtered international calls. Despite this, opposition parties started a large three-day protest in Lomé.
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
estimated that about 100,000 people participated in a protest on 6 September 2017. At least 80 protesters were arrested the next day, and security forces in Lomé fired tear gas to disperse protesters. Normal access to the internet was restored on 11 September. On 18 September 2017, the opposition boycotted the National Assembly's vote on a bill that would introduce term limits, saying it would allow making it subject to a referendum. The next day, the Togolese government slowed down the country's internet as the opposition prepared for more protests. According to
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
, security forces used batons, bullets, and tear gas against protesters in
Mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...
, killing a 9-year-old boy. Security minister Damehane Yark blamed the opposition for the boy's death, saying the protesters were using weapons. The next day, opposition leaders blamed the government for violently repressing protests in Northern Togo, and thousands of Togolese participated in anti-government demonstrations. On 4 and 5 October 2017, thousands of protesters marched through Lomé and some created barricades. In response, the Togolese government shut down internet communication and mobile access to the internet. The Togolese government announced a ban on weekday protests on 10 October, though opposition parties vowed to defy this ban. Alpha Alassane, an imam affiliated with the opposition movement, was arrested in Sokodé on 16 October 2017, fueling tensions between the Togolese government and the opposition. A two-day protests started on 18 October throughout Togo. On the first day, four people—one in Lomé and three in Sokodé—were reportedly killed during clashes between protesters and security forces. Togo's security minister denied the reported deaths, saying that nobody was killed in Sokodé on this day. Some protesters in Lomé formed barricades, and police fired tear gas to disperse them. The Togolese government lifted its ban on weekday protests on 4 November 2017. On 7 November the Togolese government released 42 of the protesters who were arrested in September and dropped arson charges against opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre. Thousands of protesters participated in three protests during this week, with the last one on 10 November. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held its 2017 summit on 16 December in
Abuja Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a master plan by International Plann ...
,
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
instead of in Togo, likely because of political tension between the government and opposition. Around the time of this summit, thousands of protesters held anti-government marches. Tens of thousands of opposition supporters protested peacefully in Lomé on 31 December. Thousands of people in Togo participated in anti-government protests and counter-protests on 13 January 2018, the 55th anniversary of President
Sylvanus Olympio Sylvanus Épiphanio Olympio (; 6 September 1902 – 13 January 1963) was a Togolese politician who served as prime minister, and then president, of Togo from 1958 until his assassination in 1963. He came from the important Olympio family, wh ...
's assassination. On 20 January 2018, the opposition held an anti-government demonstration in Lomé which coincided with the
2018 Women's March The 2018 Women's March was a global protest that occurred on January 20, 2018, on the anniversary of the 2017 Women's March. About In 2018, women's groups across the United States coordinated mass rallies, attracting hundreds of thousands of ...
, where thousands of Togolese women mostly dressed in black marched through Lomé. Ghanaian President
Nana Akufo-Addo Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ( ; born 29 March 1944) is a Ghanaian politician who has served as the president of Ghana since 7 January 2017. In 2020, he was re-elected for his second term, which will end on 6 January 2025. Akufo-Addo previously ...
and Guinean President Alpha Condé started mediating talks between the Togolese government and opposition on 19 February 2018 in Lomé. The next day, Ghanaian mediators announced that the Togolese government would release 45 of the 92 people imprisoned for participating in the protests. On 6 March, Togo's opposition coalition announced it would resume protests, despite the previous agreement to suspend protests while government talks were underway. A couple days later these protests stopped upon Akufo-Addo's request. On the 11th, 12th, and 14 April 2018, the opposition held street protests and Togolese security forces tried to repress them; leading to about 25 injuries and one death. The opposition coalition parties called off planned street protests on 8 May 2018, citing a lack of security for the demonstrators and progress toward their goals.


See also

*
2014 Burkinabé uprising The 2014 Burkina Faso uprising was a series of demonstrations and riots in Burkina Faso in October 2014 that quickly spread to multiple cities. They began in response to attempts at changing the constitution to allow President Blaise Compaoré ...
*
Human rights in Togo Togo, a small country in West Africa that was labeled "Not Free" by Freedom House from 1972 to 1998, and again from 2002 to 2006, and that has been categorized as "Partly Free" from 1999 to 2001 and again from 2007 to the present (according to th ...
*
National Alliance for Change The National Alliance for Change (french: Alliance Nationale pour le Changement, abbreviated ANC) is a social-democratic party in Togo, led by Jean-Pierre Fabre. The party emerged from a split within the Union of Forces for Change (UFC) followi ...


References


External links

* * * {{cite news , last=Bearak , first=Max , url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/09/13/one-family-has-ruled-togo-for-50-years-huge-protests-are-shaking-their-grip-on-power/ , title=One family has ruled Togo for 50 years. Huge protests are shaking its grip on power , date=10 September 2017 , newspaper=The Washington Post 2005 in Togo 2012 in Togo 2013 in Togo 2017 in Togo 2018 in Togo Gnassingbe Gnassingbe Gnassingbe Gnassingbe Gnassingbe 21st century in Togo Lomé Police brutality in Africa Political opposition Gnassingbe Violence in Africa