February 8, 2005
IF ONLY JOHN KERRY HAD WON...:
Protests Mount Against Togo's New Leader (Nico Colombant, 08 February 2005, VOA News)
A stay-at-home protest in Togo against the replacement of the late President Gnassingbe Eyadema with his 39-year-old son is heating up. Meanwhile, African bodies and European governments are also mounting pressure against what they are calling an illegal transfer of power.Most markets, shops and banks opened Tuesday in the capital Lome, but after residents quickly did a few errands, many of them returned home. Teachers canceled classes for the day and told their students to lock themselves behind closed doors.
Lome journalist Issaka Abass says some residents may be taking part in the protest, but that many are simply scared of possible violence. He says the army has deployed to prevent possible unrest.
"In Lome, yes, there are the forces of army who have taken the strategic points," said Mr. Abass. "They are there, they are staying there, and they are controlling the situation."
One of the protest organizers, opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre, says he believes many Togolese will become emboldened and take part in the second day of the protest called "Togo, a dead country."
"Nobody accepts the coup d'etat. And I don't know what the young president will do, because we are going to fight him," added Mr. Fabre. "We will not let him the time to say he is the Togolese president. No, we will never accept that."
The Bush era is a uniquely bad time to try and transfer power undemocratically. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 8, 2005 12:35 PM
"Togo's" is the name of a sandwich shop chain that's been around for a couple of decades, at least in the West Coast states. Were pretty good, for that sort of thing, too. I think they are still around, but I haven't been past their local location in years.
(I'm in a non sequitur sort of mood today.)
Posted by: Raoul Ortega at February 8, 2005 12:43 PMFaure Gnassingbe is the perfect choice to lead to Togo, he's the son of a president and he has an MBA. Togo has a bright future, unlike secularist and dying Europe, Togo is vibrantly religious.
Posted by: carter at February 8, 2005 2:01 PMCarter
I find nothing odd, about a community trying to rid itself of witches.
However how will the Netherlands rid themselves of these characters, as shown in this video of a high school in the Netherlands. Teachers need to learn RESPECT for Islamic values.
Posted by: h-man at February 8, 2005 3:22 PMcarter:
If he's a perfect choice they'll choose him in an election.
Posted by: oj at February 8, 2005 3:32 PMYou're actually in a segue sort of mood. Which is fine, as long as you live in a blue-state metropolitan area and don't mind looking like dork, with or without an umbrella.
Posted by: joe shropshire at February 8, 2005 4:19 PMH-man: I am more sympathetic to practitioners of Voodoo than I am to adherents of the Mohammedan heresy.
Posted by: carter at February 8, 2005 4:29 PMThese countries are just becoming monarchies, and we have a good robust model for how to convert monarchies into democracies.
Posted by: David Cohen at February 8, 2005 11:13 PM