Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-02-24-Speech-4-140"
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"en.20050224.12.4-140"2
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"Mr President, after nearly 38 years of dictatorship by President Eyadéma and with his son Faure Gnassingbé having seized power in defiance of every constitutional rule and the commitment given in Brussels on 14 April 2004 for a return to political dialogue between all forces, Togo is sinking deeper every day into crisis and the risk of civil war. The Togolese people and Togo nationals living in our European countries are looking to the European Parliament and the European Union to take a firm and resolute stance. They want our solidarity and new prospects for their future and that of their children. This requires first of all a genuine return to popular sovereignty.
There are two conditions for that. The first is that Faure Gnassingbé must withdraw immediately and without argument and put an end to this hereditary dictatorship that he sought to install by military
in defiance of democratic principles and the laws of his country and in violation of international law.
The second is the restoration of constitutional legality and the resumption of pluralist dialogue involving all parties, including of course the opposition parties. Only Mr Natchaba, the speaker of the National Assembly, would be in a position to provide an interim government to prepare for presidential elections in accordance with the constitution. It will only be possible for Mr Natchaba to return to Togo if his safety can be guaranteed, however.
In this connection, Mr President, I want to stress the justified concern expressed in this House yesterday by a representative delegation of associations of democratic movements and human rights associations about the real risks that political activists, human rights activists and journalists are running today.
With my colleague, Marie-Arlette Carlotti, we received them and listened to them with the greatest attention, because some of them, or members of their families, have been physically ill treated and abused under the Eyadéma dictatorship. They made an emotional appeal to us and to all international bodies to take definite concerted action to restore democracy permanently to Togo. Knowing that their country, which is already subject to sanctions, has suffered during the last several years, they nevertheless said they expected us to adopt a firm and tough attitude towards Togo if nothing happens to guarantee the holding of free elections. Our resolution responds to that expectation by referring to sanctions, some of which have already been imposed by the Economic Community of West African States, while others are planned by other international bodies.
For my part, I want to stress the need for targeted measures to be taken quickly concerning the supply of arms and transfers of money outside Togo. International bodies must also act to give the population the security necessary for future elections to be prepared for in an atmosphere of calm. It is essential that the political parties should be able to conduct a proper election campaign; it is equally essential that all the media do their duty by providing information."@en1
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