MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
22 February 2005
pursuant to Rule 115(5) of the Rules of Procedure
by Brian Crowley
on behalf of the UEN Group
on the political situation in Togo
B6-0126/2005
European parliament resolution on the political situation in Togo
The European parliament,
- having regard to the death of the former President of Togo Gnassingbe Eyadema,
- having regard to the atrocious human rights record of President Gnassingbe Eyadema,
- having regard to the fact that the regime of President Eyadema has oppressed political opponents and prohibited freedom of expression in Togo,
- having regard to the the statement by the Co-Presidents of the ACP/EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly of 5 February 2005,
- whereas the EU strongly condemns the interference by the military
which ensured that Mr. Faure Gnassingbe became President of Togo,
- whereas the EU condemns the fact that the speaker of the National Assembly, Fanbare Matchaba, has been prevented from returning to Togo by the closure of the country’s external frontiers on the order of Togolese armed forces,
1. Strongly believes that Mr. Faure Gnassingbe has taken office by means of the Togolese military forces;
2. Strongly condemns the unconstitutional revision of the Constitution of Togo, which has removed the provision for elections to be held within sixty days of the appointment of a new President;
3. Believes that the reign of Mr. Faure Gnassingbe, which will be in place now until the year 2008, has been wrongfully established and is in breach of international law and order;
4. Condemns the decision to forbid all public demonstrations for a period of two months in Togo;
5. Strongly believes that what is happening in Togo in recent weeks flies in the face of all democratic principles;
6. Calls on the governments of the Member States and the African Union to put pressure on the new Togolese Government to respect the right for Presidential elections to be held within sixty days;
7. Believes that the European Union must use a broader international forum to highlight the illegal use of military force to oversee the transition of power in Togo;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the governments of the Member States, the Commission, the General Secretary of the African Union, the General Secretary of the United Nations and the Government of Togo.