Togo’s History of Election Violence

The recent scenes of soldiers beating and killing civilians are certainly shocking, but such scenes are hardily surprising given Togo's electoral history. Election violence such as this has been the norm for Togolese under the rule of the Gnassingbe family. According to the United Nations, more than 500 people were killed during the elections in Togo in 2005, although the actual number of those killed is likely even higher than the UN’s estimation.  

Amnesty International reported that the presidential election campaign in 1998 resulted in hundreds of people being killed. The bodies were dumped into the sea, where many were retrieved from the beaches of Togo and neighboring Benin. One fisherman from Benin recalled seeing hundreds of bodies floating out at sea.

Despite the protests of the Togolese people, the government of Togo is not backing down from its desire to hold elections on December 20, so we are once again witnessing more electoral violence in Togo. And once again international observers are siding with the dictatorship and against the people of Togo.