POLITICS: Togo's President dies; Military Installs His Son As President

Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadema died in his hometown of Piya Saturday of an apparent heart attack. According to the Togo Constitution, on the death of the president, the Speaker of Parliament, Fanbare Tchaba is to become head of the government. Following the death, however, the millitary named his son, Faure Gnassingbe, as the new president. All land and air borders have been sealed.



This just shows what a sham the elections institued in the 90's are. With Togo's record of human rights abusues, this has the potential to get very ugly. Hopefully the international community will step in immediately, and not continue the trend of ignoring what happens in Africa.

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[edit on 5-2-2005 by Banshee]

TO-GO TO-GO TO-GO!

so is this the start pf an attempted Military Coup?

The military has pretty well run Togo ever since they took over in the 60's. While there is an elected government, the true power has always been with the military.

So, I think this is just an extension of the original coup, not a new one. Any dissentors will be treated very harshly, if previous reports from the country are any indication.

This country is also fairly well known for child trafficking.

CIA - The World Factbook - Togo
Amnesty International - Togo: Time for accountability
Human Rights Watch - Child Trafficking in Togo

Update:

Togo's parliament hastily amended the constitution Sunday to put a legal veneer on the military's appointment of 39-year-old Faure Gnassingbe to replace his deceased father as president, voiding the need for new elections until 2008.

The military, within hours of the announcement of Gnassingbe Eyadema's death on Saturday, named his son president, contravening the country's constitution that called for the speaker of parliament to succeed the head of state until elections could be held in 60 days.

The extraordinary session of the 81-member national assembly, dominated by Eyadema's ruling Togo People's Rally party, overwhelmingly approved Gnassingbe as speaker of parliament by a vote of 67 to 14. It then passed a constitutional amendment letting him fulfil his father's term, which expires in 2008.

Togo parliament amends constitution

This move has been condemned by the African Union, and several world leaders. The rightful leader, Natchaba, is in Benin, which shares an eastern border with Togo; he was out of the country at the time of Eyadema's death and all borders have been sealed.