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Togo: The situation of opposition parties, including the Union of Forces for Change (Union des forces de changement, UFC), particularly during and after the October 2007 election; the participation of the UFC in political life since October 2007 (October 2007 - July 2008)

Parliamentary elections of 14 October 2007

National parliamentary elections took place in Togo on 14 October 2007 (Togo 26 Oct. 2007). According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), for the first time in 17 years, all the opposition parties participated in the election (10 Dec. 2007). Three political parties now sit in the National Assembly: the Rally of the Togolese People (Rassemblement du peuple togolais, RPT) (the party in power), the Union of Forces for Change (Union des forces de changement, UFC) and the Action Committee for Renewal (Comité d'action pour le renouveau, CAR) (Togo 9 Feb. 2008).

Contested election results

The UFC, the main opposition party, with 27 out of 81 elected members (Xinhua 8 Feb. 2008; La Croix 17 Apr. 2008), contested the election results (UN 19 Oct. 2007; Afrik.com 25 Oct. 2007; UFC 21 Oct. 2007). The party stated that [UN English version] "ballot boxes were tampered with, fake election cards had been distributed before the poll, and some voting papers had been destroyed" (UN 19 Oct. 2007). The French daily La Croix reported that the president of the UFC, Gilchrist Olympio, blamed his party's defeat on the [translation] "fraud and 'irregularities' that had marred the election" (17 Apr. 2008). In a 21 October 2007 press release, the UFC alleged that [translation] "the RPT had engaged in organized fraud across the country, particularly in the north." According to La Croix, the electoral boundaries also contributed to the [translation] "unbalanced results" (17 Apr. 2008).

In a press release partially reproduced in an article on Afrik.com, an independent African news website, the Independent National Electoral Commission (Commission électorale nationale indépendante, CENI) indicated that more than 300 of the 751 ballot boxes were not properly sealed (Afrik.com 25 Oct. 2007). CENI added that "'the polling stations for numerous results could not be identified because they were not on CENI's records'" (ibid.). According to Reuters, even though CENI identified vote count irregularities, the Constitutional Court (Cour constitutionnelle) confirmed the results (31 Oct. 2007).

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) described the election as [UN English version] "'free, fair and transparent'" (UN 19 Oct. 2007). European Union (EU) observers stated that the election was [UN English version] "conducted in 'transparent' conditions" (ibid.). According to the final report of the EU's election observer mission to Togo, [translation] "candidates were generally able to organize their meetings freely and to announce their platforms, although a few incidents and occasional acts of intimidation or pressure were observed" (EU 4 Dec. 2007, 34). The Togolese government's website indicates that the EU resumed cooperation with the country in early 2008, given the [translation] "smooth running" of the election (Togo 18 Feb. 2008; see also UN 19 Oct. 2007).

According to Olatokunbo Ige, representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the conduct of the 14 October 2007 parliamentary elections represents a [translation] "positive change" in Togo (Togo 10 Dec. 2007). The 30 June 2008 Report of the United Nations Secretary-General on the Office for West Africa notes that [UN English version] "the electoral process paved the way for the country's emergence from decades of crisis and isolation" (UN 30 June 2008, Para. 12).

Situation of opposition parties

According to the 21 October 2007 UFC press release, acts of violence were committed against certain party members and leaders during a protest march. An article published by the Panafrican News Agency (PANA) on 22 October 2007 reported that, according to the UFC, Patrick Lawson, vice-president of the UFC, Jean-Pierre Fabre, party secretary-general, and Crosby Quist, party communications director, were injured (PANA 22 Oct. 2007; see also UFC 21 Oct. 2007). The same article stated that Jean-Pierre Homawoo, political director of the UFC campaign board, and his brother Jean-Claude, a candidate in Lomé-Commune, were also injured (PANA 22 Oct. 2007). Another article published on Afrik.com on 25 October 2007 reported that tear gas was used to disperse party members on their way to a demonstration at CENI headquarters (see also UFC 21 Oct. 2007). Approximately 15 people were reportedly injured at the demonstration (Afrik.com 25 Oct. 2007). A Golfe Info article posted on the UFC website states that a peaceful march scheduled for 4 August 2007 by the UFC and other organizations was banned by the Togolese government for security reasons (17 Mar. 2008).

Participation of the UFC in political life

According to the Xinhua News Agency, the UFC is chairing three of the Togolese government's seven standing commissions: the Economic Development and Land Use Commission (Commission du développement économique et de l'aménagement du territoire), the Commission for Sociocultural Development (Commission du développement socioculturel) and the Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Commission (Commission des relations extérieures et de la coopération) (Xinhua 27 Dec. 2007).

In February 2008, the Togolese National Assembly began work on the draft bill on the status of the opposition (Xinhua 8 Feb. 2008; Togo 9 Feb. 2008). The Xinhua News Agency notes that Patrick Lawson, UFC vice-president, confirmed his party's involvement in the legislative work (8 Feb. 2008). Lawson further stated that a [translation] " ... worthy opposition that is part of a parliamentary system that has begun to function must know its rights and its obligations" (Togo 9 Feb. 2008).

In an interview posted on the website TogoForum, Ayao Nicodeme Habia, a member of the National Asembly representing the UFC, stated that, in the context of the constitutional and institutional reforms, the party insists that the RPT deal only with the UFC, as the UFC is [translation] "the country's foremost political force" and, before the 2007 election, other parties opposed [translation] "all of the UFC's constructive proposals" (TogoForum 23 Feb. 2008).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Afrik.com. 25 October 2007. Jean-Claude Abalo. "Législatives au Togo : le parti d'opposition UFC vainqueur à Lomé-Commune." <http://www.afrik.com/article12756.html> [Accessed 9 July 2008]

Agence France-Presse (AFP). 10 December 2007. "UN Official Hails Human Rights Progress in Togo." (Factiva)

La Croix [Paris]. 17 April 2008. "Le gouvernement s'attelle au redécoupage électoral. Au Togo, l'opposition vaincue par un découpage inégal." (Factiva)

European Union (EU). 4 December 2007. Mission d'observation électorale de l'Union européenne au Togo. Élections législatives du 14 octobre 2007 : Rapport final. <http://www.eueom-togo.org/Main/PDF/Rapport_final_MOE_TOGO.pdf> [Accessed 29 July 2008]

Golfe Info. 17 March 2008. Marc D. Kouakani-Assi. "Annulations de différentes marches pacifiques au Togo : incompétence des forces de sécurité ou peur du régime ?" (UFCtogo.com) <http://www.ufctogo.com/Annulations-de-differentes-marches-1895.html#> [Accessed 2 July 2008]

Panafrican News Agency (PANA). 22 October 2007. "Togo : violences politiques dénoncées." (UFCtogo.com). <http://www.ufctogo.com/Togo-Violences-politiques-1836.html#> [Accessed 2 July 2008]

Reuters. 31 October 2007. "L'opposition togolaise conteste les résultats des élections." (Factiva)

Togo. 18 February 2008. "De Cyprien Fabre à Faure Gnassingbé." <http://www.republicoftogo.com/central.php?o=9&s=0&d=3&i=64> [Accessed 9 July 2008]
_____. 9 February 2008. "Pascal Bodjona : 'Tout est ouvert'." <http://www.republicoftogo.com/central.php?o=9&s=0&d=3&i=1600> [Accessed 9 July 2008]
_____. 10 December 2007. "'Évolution positive' pour les droits de l'homme." <http://www.republicoftogo.com/central.php?o=5&s=37&d=3&i=1368> [Accessed 29 July 2008]
_____. 26 October 2007. "Comment survivre (politiquement) après le 14 octobre ?" <http://www.republicoftogo.com/central.php?o=5&s=1&d=3&i=1194> [Accessed 29 July 2008]

TogoForum. 23 February 2008. Joseph Takeli. "Malgré les fraudes : les suffrages portés sur la liste de l'UFC confirment que c'est la principale force politique du pays." <http://togoforum.net/blogs/actualit__news/archive/2008/02/22/interview-malgr-233-les-fraudes-les-suffrages-port-233-s-sur-la-liste-de-l-ufc-confirment-que-c-est-la-principale-force-politique-du-pays.aspx> [Accessed 9 July 2008]

Union des forces de changement (UFC). 21 October 2007. Patrick Lawson. "Togo : répression de la manifestation de l'UFC." <http://www.ufctogo.com/Togo-Repression-de-la-1835.html#> [Accessed 2 July 2008]

United Nations (UN). 30 June 2008. Security Council. Rapport du Secrétaire général sur le Bureau des Nations Unies pour l'Afrique de l'Ouest. (S/2008/426). <http://reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2008.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/EGUA-7G7RN5-full_report.pdf/$File/full_report.pdf> [Accessed 9 July 2008]
_____. 19 October 2007. Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). "Togo : un scrutin diversement apprécié par les observateurs et l'opposition." <http://www.irinnews.org/FR/ReportFrench.aspx?ReportId=74886> [Accessed 9 July 2008]

Xinhua News Agency. 8 February 2008. "Les partis du Parlement entament la réflexion sur le statut de l'opposition togolaise." (Factiva)
_____. 27 December 2007. "Togo : l'UFC préside trois des sept commissions du Parlement." (Factiva)

Other sources consulted

Internet sites, including: Commission électorale nationale indépendante du Togo, Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme (FIDH), Human Rights Watch (HRW).