Faure Gnassingbé resist, the street persists ...

"Togolese people, demand the restoration of your sovereignty! "Is the call that launched the Coalition of 14 opposition parties to Togolese in a statement inviting them to massively go down the streets on Wednesday, January 31, Thursday, and Saturday, February 2, next. The people have been seeking this sovereignty for more than five (5) months already. But the power of Faure Gnassingbe seems deaf to the claims of hundreds of thousands of Togolese who invade the streets at each call of the Coalition.


 So after the great mobilization of women on Saturday, January 20, the Togolese will be heard tomorrow, Thursday and Saturday. The return to the 1992 Constitution, the revision of the electoral framework with voting rights granted to the diaspora, the unlocking of the institutions of the Republic, the electoral reforms, the release of political prisoners, etc. remain the demands of the people.

To these demands, must be added the requirement of opening an independent investigation to locate the responsibilities and bring to justice the authors and sponsors of the "savage repressions" of the public peaceful demonstrations of the months of August, September, October and December 2017, the immediate cessation of persecution, arrests, prosecution and violence against activists and leaders of opposition political parties, as well as obstacles to the exercise of the constitutional right to protest. The starting points of the markets are the CCP crossroads at Adéwui, Bè-Gakpoto and Atikoumé. The demonstrations will fall to the beach in front of Sancta Maria.

It has been several months since these demonstrations against Faure Gnassingbé's regime lasted. But the latter continues to cling to power by minimizing the aspiration of the Togolese people. Sometimes, it is in risers that he finds matter to answer to these thousands of Togolese who ask his departure. This is the case again this week when his UNIR party is also planning a so-called peace concert in Lomé. But how long could Faure Gnassingbe stand in this resistance?
Even if we criticize the leaders of the opposition, we must recognize that the more the days pass, the more the Togolese are determined to be heard. Some people did not sell the women's demonstration on January 20, but the mobilization that they have shown today has surprised many. It is clear that the people will stop at nothing, especially when it comes to his freedom that he claims at the cost of several sacrifices already made, with dead, wounded and refugees.

"We can not stop there. Since the beginning of the demonstrations, several people have died, not to mention the wounded who continue to suffer in their souls. Many of our compatriots are refugees in neighboring countries. The cities of Mango, Bafilo and Sokodé are not released. In this situation, we can only intensify the pressure of the people. We do not have the right to give up right now. The people must be more than determined, and they are, given the mobilization that continues to grow, "said Nathaniel Olympio, president of the Togolese Party, a member of the Coalition 14, at the last event of the year 2017 .

The three days of protests that begin tomorrow will be another way for the Togolese people to show how far they are willing to go to regain their sovereignty. And so for the leaders of the Coalition, when Faure Gnassingbé continues to resist through subterfuges, the Togolese people will persist in its mobilization.