Togo military accused of staging coup

[struggle4progress]

The African Union accused military commanders in Togo of taking advantage of the death of the country's longtime leader to stage a coup and raised the possibility Sunday that its 53 members will not recognize the West African nation's new government. <snip>

Eyadema died Saturday of a heart attack. Hours later, Togo's military high command declared his son, Faure Gnassingbe, 39, the new president.

According to Togo's constitution, the speaker of parliament, Fanbare Ouattara Natchaba, should have succeeded the president, with the obligation to call elections within 60 days. The military said the lawmaker was out of the country, and it acted to avoid a power vacuum.

With Togo's land, sea and air borders sealed, Natchaba arrived late Saturday in the commercial capital, Cotonou, in neighboring Benin. <snip>

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1107659938613

[tabasco]

1. I wonder if they're in the "coalition."

Probably one of the largest contingents.

DON'T FORGET TOGO!

[oldlady]

2. wow..thanks for the link

just this past Friday, a little girl I work with after school, who is from Togo, was talking about how much she hated Eyadema! She also did not like the schools there; she said the director of the school would whip them if they did not answer correctly and that the president killed many people. Sometimes the most politically aware people I meet in a day are 7 years old!

peace

[gottaB]

3. Togo Tweaks Constitution to Let Eyadema Son Rule

LOME (Reuters) - Togo's parliament on Sunday changed the constitution and voted out the assembly's president, paving the way for the son of late leader Gnassingbe Eyadema to rule the West African country until 2008.

According to the agenda of an extraordinary session of parliament, the son, Faure Gnassingbe, is set to be elected as the new national assembly president and thus become the legal successor to his father, according to the constitution.

Parliament has already passed a change to the constitution on Sunday which means that there is now no requirement to hold elections within 60 days of a president's death.

The new article states that any successor can stay in office until the end of the previous president's mandate.

Togo Tweaks Constitution to Let Eyadema Son Rule....

[Moderator]

4. kick

[emad]

5. Togo warned after 'coup'

New constitution puts late leader's son in control

Andrew Meldrum in Pretoria and agencies in Lome
Monday February 7, 2005
The Guardian

Togo's army sealed its borders yesterday and put Faure Gnassingbe in power following the death of his father, President Gnassingbe Eyadema. The African Union condemned the move as "a military coup d'etat".

Mr Eyadema, 69, Africa's longest-serving ruler after 38 years in power, died on Saturday, apparently of a heart attack, shortly before he was to fly to Europe for medical treatment. Hours later the Togolese army high command announced that his son had been sworn in as president to prevent a "vacuum of power". State television broadcast pictures of Mr Gnassingbe, 39, who had been his father's minister of mines, shaking hands with generals.

Togo's constitution stipulated that the speaker of parliament should run the country until elections are held, within 60 days.

However an extraordinary session of the 81-member national assembly, dominated by Mr Eyadema's ruling Togo People's Rally party, met and overwhelmingly approved Mr Gnassingbe as speaker of parliament by a vote of 67 to 14. It then passed a constitutional amendment allowing him to fulfill his father's term, which expires in 2008. Addressing parliament, Mr Gnassingbe said: "Togo is engaged without reserve in the democratic process, which I will pursue to its logical conclusion."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1407225,00.html
ANOTHER Riggs Bankinvestment opportunity???

[gottaB]

6. prior thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1217912

[emad]

7. Thanks.

Coup fever begining new season?

[gottaB]

8. I don't know

It seems pretty flagrant. But as an American I don't have much room to point fingers at rubberstamp parliaments. Our Republicans have perfected the drill, and they can always count on a handful of Democratic defectors, who want for no other reason than to avoid being labeled as "obstructionist."

[gottaB]

9. West Africa rejects new Togo leader

Regional body Ecowas has threatened to impose sanctions unless Togo returns to its original constitution and starts planning presidential elections.

Faure Gnassingbe, the son of the late president, was installed as leader after the constitution was changed.

He has vowed to organise free and open elections as soon as possible.

Leaders from the 15-member Economic Community of West African States, meeting in Niger, decided the changes in Togo's constitution, aimed at legalising the military appointment of Mr Faure, did not disguise the fact that what had taken place was a coup.

West Africa rejects new Togo leader....