Togo Burns as the World Watches in Silence

The government of Togo has once again responded to the protests of the Togolese citizens with violent and repressive force, which has left several people injured and some dead. Among those who were killed included a child. And once again, such acts of aggression against the people of Togo has been met with international silence. 

The dictatorship in Togo is currently the oldest military dictatorship in Africa. The regime first came into power in 1967 when Eyadema Gnassingbe seized power in a military coup. He remained in power until his death in 2005 and his son Faure has been the president of Togo ever since. Despite the brutal nature of this regime, for the last five decades the regime in Togo has enjoyed the support of the international community.

Since the protests in Togo began in August, Faure has faced very little pressure to step down from regional powers, as well as foreign powers. Faure was serving as the chairman of ECOWAS when the protests began and ECOWAS continues to treat Faure as if he is the democratically elected president of Togo, rather than as someone who seized power through an illegal military coup and who has remained in power through the use of violent force.

International supporters of the government of Togo also treat Faure as a legitimately elected leader. The United States, in particular, has always maintained a close relationship with the regime in Togo, while ignoring the brutalities that the government of Togo continues to inflict on its own people. In 2012, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton visited Togo and spoke about the "democratic gains" that Togo was making. Today we are witnessing the government of Togo suppressing the democratic right to freedom of assembly of its own citizens, which demonstrates that the government of Tog is just as undemocratic as it has been since 1967. It is for this reason that we in the Federation of Afrikan Liberation are calling on the United States government and other governments to withdraw their support of the Togolese government and to support the Togolese people who are demanding an end to five decades of dictatorial rule.

The people of Togo should not have endure dictatorship and oppression any longer, and the American people should not been made to help finance the oppression of the Togolese people through American military aid which assists the Togolese government in oppressing and killing its people.