Every week for almost four months, the protesters have been marching in Togo
The coalition of 14 opposition parties leading the protest refuses to stop the marches. Yet the government has multiplied in recent weeks gestures of appeasement to allow the opening of a dialogue supposed to resolve the crisis. What prevents (still) political actors from talking to each other?
It became a habit. This Wednesday, again, they were back on the streets, with the same claims. They will be there again this Thursday and tomorrow, Friday. Activists of the coalition of the fourteen opposition parties that has been fighting since August 19 still demand "the return to the original Constitution of October 14, 1992, the revision of the electoral framework and the introduction of the right to vote of the Togolese. abroad ".
To these claims are now added, according to a statement issued on December 9 by the coalition, "the immediate cessation of persecution, arrests, prosecution and violence against activists and leaders of political parties of the opposition" And "the immediate cessation of the obstacles to the exercise of the constitutional right to protest throughout the national territory".
Gestures of appeasement of the government
Short-term demands to which the government seems to respond favorably. Dozens of people have recently been released, including the imams of Bafilo and Sokodé whose liberation appeared as a prerequisite for any discussion between power and opposition.
The security measures around the cities of Mango, Bafilo and Sokodé have been lightened by the government, which allows a "gradual resumption" of opposition demonstrations in these localities.
The judicial control that had been imposed on Jean-Pierre Fabre, the leader of the opposition, was lifted, the ban on demonstrations on working days as well. Steps have been taken to ensure better supervision of events to avoid violence with the establishment of a mixed framework for observing events.
The device seems to work since, since a few weeks, the count at the end of the marches of the opposition is less and less macabre. Presented as such, the situation seems suitable for the political actors to find themselves for dialogue.
The opposition doubts the sincerity of the regime
The opposition is reluctant to participate in the negotiations opened on December 12 by the government. A few hours after the announcement of the release of the imams of Sokodé and Bafilo on December 8, the opposition coalition - welcoming the news -, however, expressed reservations about the true willingness of the government to want to work for the appeasement.
The opposition leaders wanted to wait to see how this week's demonstrations (13, 14 and 16 December), particularly in the cities of Sokodé, Bafilo and Mango, would unfold to judge the sincerity of the actions of the diet.
The caution of the opposition is also due to the fact that the government has announced the opening of consultations "to gather suggestions regarding the format and modalities of the dialogue". An initiative that, according to the opposition, would rather be the prerogatives of the Guinean and Ghanaian facilitators.
"The government must act as a party and not a party and judge," said Jean-Pierre Fabre, at a press conference on December 8.
Base pressure
It must not be a dialogue without effects, but a dialogue that will give the people what they want.
If the government considers that it has been "beyond" what needs to be done to decisively improve the situation to foster dialogue, the opposition, poses new prerequisites, while displaying its willingness to go to a dialogue, but "not at any price".
As Brigitte Adjamagbo-Johnson said in early November, "it must not be a dialogue without effects but a dialogue that will give the people what they expect". Opposition leaders know they are expected by militants, most of whom clearly do not want to see their leaders sitting around a table with the representatives of power.
"It is obvious that the opposition knows that it will not be able to respond to the end of this dialogue to the expectations it has raised from its base. Even if a majority within the Coalition of 14 parties think that the dialogue is necessary, they are trapped by the uniqueness of thought in which Jean-Pierre Fabre and Tikpi Atchadam have discovered common points. The opposition prefers to drag on and slow down the process, to incite Faure [Gnassingbe] to initiate the dialogue and execute by correspondence some of their demands, "analyzes the political scientist Mohammed Madi Djabakate.
The question of maintaining Faure in power
And then, there are those who believe that going to a dialogue would be synonymous with failure for an opposition that, for several weeks, hoped in vain that the street would bring down Faure Gnassingbé.
Hence the continued popular pressure, with the hope that it is still important, while at the same time discussions are initiated with facilitators on the conditions for a dialogue - whose agenda remains besides, for the moment, unknown to all.
"With the renewal of the various bodies of the UNIR [Union for the Republic, Presidential Party] party, the power clearly means that under no circumstances will Faure Gnassingbe leave power before 2020.
It became a habit. This Wednesday, again, they were back on the streets, with the same claims. They will be there again this Thursday and tomorrow, Friday. Activists of the coalition of the fourteen opposition parties that has been fighting since August 19 still demand "the return to the original Constitution of October 14, 1992, the revision of the electoral framework and the introduction of the right to vote of the Togolese. abroad ".
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| Togo-In The Meanders Of The Preparation Of The Dialogue Of The Century |
Gestures of appeasement of the government
Short-term demands to which the government seems to respond favorably. Dozens of people have recently been released, including the imams of Bafilo and Sokodé whose liberation appeared as a prerequisite for any discussion between power and opposition.
The security measures around the cities of Mango, Bafilo and Sokodé have been lightened by the government, which allows a "gradual resumption" of opposition demonstrations in these localities.
The judicial control that had been imposed on Jean-Pierre Fabre, the leader of the opposition, was lifted, the ban on demonstrations on working days as well. Steps have been taken to ensure better supervision of events to avoid violence with the establishment of a mixed framework for observing events.
The device seems to work since, since a few weeks, the count at the end of the marches of the opposition is less and less macabre. Presented as such, the situation seems suitable for the political actors to find themselves for dialogue.
The opposition doubts the sincerity of the regime
The opposition is reluctant to participate in the negotiations opened on December 12 by the government. A few hours after the announcement of the release of the imams of Sokodé and Bafilo on December 8, the opposition coalition - welcoming the news -, however, expressed reservations about the true willingness of the government to want to work for the appeasement.
The opposition leaders wanted to wait to see how this week's demonstrations (13, 14 and 16 December), particularly in the cities of Sokodé, Bafilo and Mango, would unfold to judge the sincerity of the actions of the diet.
The caution of the opposition is also due to the fact that the government has announced the opening of consultations "to gather suggestions regarding the format and modalities of the dialogue". An initiative that, according to the opposition, would rather be the prerogatives of the Guinean and Ghanaian facilitators.
"The government must act as a party and not a party and judge," said Jean-Pierre Fabre, at a press conference on December 8.
Base pressure
It must not be a dialogue without effects, but a dialogue that will give the people what they want.
If the government considers that it has been "beyond" what needs to be done to decisively improve the situation to foster dialogue, the opposition, poses new prerequisites, while displaying its willingness to go to a dialogue, but "not at any price".
As Brigitte Adjamagbo-Johnson said in early November, "it must not be a dialogue without effects but a dialogue that will give the people what they expect". Opposition leaders know they are expected by militants, most of whom clearly do not want to see their leaders sitting around a table with the representatives of power.
"It is obvious that the opposition knows that it will not be able to respond to the end of this dialogue to the expectations it has raised from its base. Even if a majority within the Coalition of 14 parties think that the dialogue is necessary, they are trapped by the uniqueness of thought in which Jean-Pierre Fabre and Tikpi Atchadam have discovered common points. The opposition prefers to drag on and slow down the process, to incite Faure [Gnassingbe] to initiate the dialogue and execute by correspondence some of their demands, "analyzes the political scientist Mohammed Madi Djabakate.
The question of maintaining Faure in power
And then, there are those who believe that going to a dialogue would be synonymous with failure for an opposition that, for several weeks, hoped in vain that the street would bring down Faure Gnassingbé.
Hence the continued popular pressure, with the hope that it is still important, while at the same time discussions are initiated with facilitators on the conditions for a dialogue - whose agenda remains besides, for the moment, unknown to all.
"With the renewal of the various bodies of the UNIR [Union for the Republic, Presidential Party] party, the power clearly means that under no circumstances will Faure Gnassingbe leave power before 2020.
This is in contradiction with the commitments made by the President. PNP [Pan-African National Party, Tikpi Atchadam] and the ANC [National Alliance for Change, chaired by Jean-Pierre Fabre] since they have substituted their leadership positions that the people should follow to that of accompaniers who follow the crowd, "says Mohammed Madi Djabakate, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Center for Democratic Governance and Crisis Prevention (CGDPC). "It is not in their interest to take part in a dialogue that will confirm the confirmation of Faure Gnassingbe to his post. "Togo-In The Meanders Of The Preparation Of The Dialogue Of The Century!
