Monday, February 21, 2005
LOME, Togo (AP) -- Lawmakers hastily amended Togo's constitution on Monday to allow for elections within 60 days, but left the West African nation's military-appointed ruler in power until the vote, despite growing pressure for him to step down now.
The African Union, meanwhile, joined a West African bloc in imposing sanctions on the regime of President Faure Gnassingbe.
Gnassingbe was installed by the military to take over after his father's death in a succession battle that has become a test of African leaders' resolve against the continent's lingering holdouts against democracy.
Togo's army announced Gnassingbe's appointment on February 5, hours after a heart attack ended the oppressive 38-year rule of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema.
The next day, lawmakers amended Togo's constitution to allow Gnassingbe to rule until the 2008 end of his father's term.
Lawmakers on Monday undid that change, bowing to international demands and street protests at home to allow for quick elections instead.
But lawmakers did nothing to roll back Gnassingbe's accession to power -- leaving him in office at least through elections, in which Gnassingbe already has said he will run.
Parliament leaders said Monday's emergency session was a step toward returning to lawful government.
"We must have courage to accept our mistakes and errors," said Eric Kpade, a member of the ruling party.
"We have therefore met today to rapidly return the country to normal constitutional order as provided by the Togo constitution," Kpade said.
The United States, former colonial power France and African nations have insisted Gnassingbe must resign immediately, allowing the speaker of the parliament to govern until elections, as mandated by the constitution.
Gnassingbe refused, drawing an arms embargo, a diplomatic freeze and a travel ban on Togo's government.
The 52-nation African Union joined in the censure late Sunday, announcing it was suspending Togo from all AU activities and applauding the West African sanctions against Togo's "de-facto authorities."
Togo, a tiny, economically stunted nation on the Atlantic, under Eyadema resisted democratic moves sweeping the rest of Africa by the late 1990s. Eyadema led one of postcolonial Africa's first coups, and used military force and allegedly rigged elections to hold onto power.
Until his death, he was the world's longest-ruling leader after Cuba's Fidel Castro.
LOME, Togo (AP) -- Lawmakers hastily amended Togo's constitution on Monday to allow for elections within 60 days, but left the West African nation's military-appointed ruler in power until the vote, despite growing pressure for him to step down now.
The African Union, meanwhile, joined a West African bloc in imposing sanctions on the regime of President Faure Gnassingbe.
Gnassingbe was installed by the military to take over after his father's death in a succession battle that has become a test of African leaders' resolve against the continent's lingering holdouts against democracy.
Togo's army announced Gnassingbe's appointment on February 5, hours after a heart attack ended the oppressive 38-year rule of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema.
The next day, lawmakers amended Togo's constitution to allow Gnassingbe to rule until the 2008 end of his father's term.
Lawmakers on Monday undid that change, bowing to international demands and street protests at home to allow for quick elections instead.
But lawmakers did nothing to roll back Gnassingbe's accession to power -- leaving him in office at least through elections, in which Gnassingbe already has said he will run.
Parliament leaders said Monday's emergency session was a step toward returning to lawful government.
"We must have courage to accept our mistakes and errors," said Eric Kpade, a member of the ruling party.
"We have therefore met today to rapidly return the country to normal constitutional order as provided by the Togo constitution," Kpade said.
The United States, former colonial power France and African nations have insisted Gnassingbe must resign immediately, allowing the speaker of the parliament to govern until elections, as mandated by the constitution.
Gnassingbe refused, drawing an arms embargo, a diplomatic freeze and a travel ban on Togo's government.
The 52-nation African Union joined in the censure late Sunday, announcing it was suspending Togo from all AU activities and applauding the West African sanctions against Togo's "de-facto authorities."
Togo, a tiny, economically stunted nation on the Atlantic, under Eyadema resisted democratic moves sweeping the rest of Africa by the late 1990s. Eyadema led one of postcolonial Africa's first coups, and used military force and allegedly rigged elections to hold onto power.
Until his death, he was the world's longest-ruling leader after Cuba's Fidel Castro.
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