Angry demonstrators are gathering in the capital of Togo for a third day
of protests against electoral reforms they say favour the ruling party.
It follows recent electoral reforms ahead of a poll this year.
Protesters want an end to the system allowing unlimited presidential terms.
Togo has been run by the same family for more than four decades.
President Gnassingbe took power in 2005 following the death of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled Togo for 38 years. He was re-elected in 2010.
Buildings vandalised
The BBC's Ebow Godwin in the capital, Lome, says tens of thousands of people have taken part in the protests.
Anti-riot police fired tear gas at protesters who threw stones, vandalised buildings and set tyres on fire along the capital's streets.
At least 10 policemen and 17 protesters are thought to have been injured in the previous two days of protest.
The protesters want a reversal of amendments to Togo's electoral code adopted by the country's parliament last week, which it says favours the ruling party.
Operation Save Togo, a coalition of campaign groups which organised the protests, said it would continue with the demonstrations until President Faure Gnassingbe agrees to hold a dialogue over the new electoral code and other proposed electoral reforms.
Demonstrators want a return to the Togo 1992 constitution which limits the mandate of a sitting head of state to two terms.
The constitution was amended in 2002 by parliament which was dominated by the ruling party.
Legislative polls are expected to be held in October, however a precise date has not been set.
source: bbc
2 comments:
it is such an absurd situation to have one family enslave a whole nation.this protest should go on and must be peaceful.there is no government anywhere in the world that is as powerful as the people provided that the people are unified.may God stand by our brothers in togo and see them through in this protest.we must start participating in how we are being govern,its important.
As I am directly informed by a nonparticipating citizen - The protests have been peacefully in the beginning and the military forces (which are police forces at the same in Togo) attacked the protesters (concrete numbers unknown but they are really many may be over 10000s) by tear gas granades and sharp ammunition as to be easily recognized by fast fire weapon sound. She had been eye witness how soldiers throw tear gas into her church and a six years old baby died painfully by the gas. Many many dead people - so 30 injured are a bad joke. A day before terror squads of the police/soldiers where patrol the streets at Ebe (the area of protest) breaking into houses and beating up everything that lives - children, women, old people - everybody without any reason - house by house, everybody who live there ... It is a shame that it took 3 days before any media bring this up in the news what is going on in Lome, Togo since FIVE days now. It started monday by a general strike by the whole population ...
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