security forces killed up to three people Saturday, February 12, during a protest against the military’s installation of a new president of the small African nation.
In a statement sent to BosNewsLife, WCC General Secretary Samuel Kobia said "in solidarity with the churches of Togo" his organization urged a return to "constitutional sobriety," amid worries over the appointment of late president Gnassingbe Eyadema’s son, Faure Gnassingbe, as new leader this week.
Late president Eyadema, who died Saturday, February 5, became Africa’s longest serving head of state after he officially assumed power following a second coup in 1967. He managed to stay on as president for 38 years, despite assassination attempts, a plane crash and calls for more democracy.
There are fears within and outside Togo’s Christian minority of a prolonged military backed dictatorship, which would violate religious and other human rights, BosNewsLife established. Analysts say the assembly speaker was supposed to take over and call elections within 60 days, but the parliament quickly changed those rules, allowing 39-year old Gnassingbe to remain president until 2008.
TENSIONS AHEAD
In an apparent first sign of more tensions ahead, journalists in Togo’s capital Lome saw how security forces for a second day dispersed protesters, who had gathered to demand democracy and new elections.
Soldiers clashed protesters in the Togolese capital Saturday, February 12, shooting dead up to three pro-democracy demonstrators and injuring dozens, reporters said. A Togo delegation was to arrive in Niger to hear a demand from African leaders that the nation should return to constitutional rule.
On Friday, February 11, Police wielding sticks were also seen chasing down demonstrators in the southern opposition stronghold of Lome and several protesters were apparently injured. It was not clear how many Christians were among the demonstrators.
However "it is a gospel imperative for the churches in Togo to stand for what is just, noble, true and honorable to safeguard the people’s right to be governed according to the constitution without manipulation," Samuel Kobia said on behalf of the Geneva based WCC, which claims to represent 400 million Christians, including many in Africa.
"GREAT TRAGEDY"
"It is a great tragedy that, while the continent is progressing towards the values of democracy and human dignity, the people of Togo are still being subjected to misrule and exploitation," he added.
It comes at an apparently difficult time for Christians in several regions of Togo. Before he became president, the Assemblies of God in Togo already reportedly expressed concern about the "threat from Islam" hardliners in the country, where Muslims are allegedly receiving financial aid from oil-rich countries such as Saudi Arabia
Several believers in especially mid and northern Togo are hiding Bibles and read them only when no one else is around, reported Christian news agency Compass Direct, which has close contacts with persecuted Christians and church officials in the region.
Christians make up about 29 percent of Togo’s roughly 5.5 million people, according to America’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
(By: Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent with BosNewsLife News Center)
