Togo's new dictator is forced to step down

Togo's new dictator is forced to step down
Cameron Duodu
Sunday February 27, 2005
The Observer

For the first time a show of unity by African nations has succeeded in reversing a coup - forcing the resignation of Faure Gnassingbe, the son of the late dictator of Togo, who had installed himself as President in succession to his father.

Gnassingbe's resignation came after the African Union had joined the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to impose sanctions on his regime. Under the sanctions diplomatic relations with Togo were to be cut.

Gnassingbe's accession to his father's seat of power was orchestrated by the Togolese army a few hours after Eyadema Gnassingbe, who had ruled Togo for 38 years, died on 5 February. The president of the National Assembly, Fambaré Natchaba, should have become Interim President, and elections held within 60 days.

But Natchaba was travelling in Europe and boarded the same plane back home as Eyadema's legal adviser, a 67-year-old French law professor called Charles Debbasch. Debbasch immediately made an in-flight telephone call to Lome. The pilot of the plane was told in mid-air that he could not land in Lome. The Togolese army then corralled the National Assembly into electing Gnassingbe as its President in place of Natchaba.

Alpha Oumar Konare, chairman of the commission of the AU, fired the first shot against Togo. 'Let's call things by their proper name - what happened in Togo is a coup d'état,' he said.

The US and the EU joined in the condemnation and even France, whose President Jacques Chirac, was a personal friend of Gnassingbe senior, called for a return to legality. Within 20 days, Gnassingbe was forced to capitulate. He will now hope to win the presidency in the coming elections.