Update to TGO40787.FE of 17 January 2003 on the Union of the Forces for Change (UFC), its status, its membership card and the treatment of its members by government authorities (February 2003-October 2004) [TGO43091.FE]

Union of the Forces for Change (UFC)

During a telephone interview, the secretary at the Union of the Forces for Change (Union des forces de changement, UFC) international office, located in Paris, said that the UFC is the main opposition party in Togo (UFC 21 Oct. 2004). Several sources corroborated the UFC's pre-eminence among Togolese opposition parties (Afrol News 18 Aug. 2004; iciLome 14 July 2004; IRIN 3 July 2003).

UFC membership card

The information in TGO40787.FE of 17 January 2003 concerning the UFC's status and membership card is still valid; according to the secretary at the UFC's international office, the status and card have not changed since TGO40787.FE was written.

Treatment of UFC members

Several sources refer to numerous violent and repressive acts committed in 2003, a Togolese election year, against political opponents, including UFC supporters (AI 2004; Country Reports 2003 25 Feb. 2004; UFCTOGO.com 28 Sept. 2003; ibid. 1 Aug. 2003; LTDH 2004, 17). In addition, during a telephone interview, the secretary at the UFC's international office indicated that UFC members were victims of arbitrary detentions, exactions, and administrative exclusions in the Togolese public service in the form of salary payments that were overdue by six months on average (UFC 21 Oct. 2004).

Several sources stated that a UFC supporter was the target of an extrajudicial execution on 1 June 2003, election day, after witnessing electoral fraud (AI 2004; Country Reports 2003 25 Feb. 2004; LTDH 2004, 18; UFCTOGO.com 1 Aug. 2003).

In 2003, cases of torture and arbitrary detention were identified by UFC members, including the arbitrary detention and the allegations of torture of Marc Palanga, a UFC leader in Kara, northern Togo (AI 2004; FIDH 12 June 2003; Country Reports 2003 25 Feb. 2004; UFCTOGO.com 1 Aug. 2003). Marc Palanga was released in May 2004 (AI 24 May 2004; UFCTOGO.com 21 May 2004). Other cases of arbitrary detention involved Patrick Lawson, third vice-president, and Jean-Pierre Fabre, UFC secretary general (ibid. 28 Sept. 2003; ibid. 1 Aug. 2003; FIDH 12 June 2004; LTDH 2004, 34). According to UFCTOGO.com, these two UFC leaders were subjected to intense interrogations and, three months after being accused of [translation] "aiding and abetting in disturbing the peace," they had still not been informed of the details of their indictment (28 Sept. 2003). Country Reports 2003 referred to the case of Jean-Pierre Fabre, who was arrested by the police on 11 May 2003 and again in August of the same year (detained for four hours) (25 Feb. 2004). When the police released him, he was prevented from leaving Togo for several days; "no charges were ever filed and no reasons were provided for the detention" (Country Reports 2003 25 Feb. 2004).

In a 13 July 2004 interview with the Ivorian daily Le Patriote, Gilchrist Olympio, UFC leader, stated that several UFC supporters were incarcerated. However, two 18 August 2004 articles indicated that seven UFC supporters were granted presidential amnesty (Afrol News 18 Aug. 2004; BBC Aug. 2004). The secretary at the UFC's international office said that, despite the release of all the UFC leaders who were arrested in 2003, the youth supporters, who distribute party leaflets, among other things, remain vulnerable to harassment by the authorities and do not receive the same international protection (21 Oct. 2004).

No information corroborating the existence of administrative penalties against officials who support the UFC could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

In 2003, UFC members were not allowed to meet with one another (LTDH 2004, 7; Country Reports 2003 25 Feb. 2004).

In Gilchrist Olympio's interview with Le Patriote, he explained that the Togolese authorities restricted his freedom of movement in Togo and that he feared for his safety (13 July 2004). However, a source indicated that the temporary travel document issued to Gilchrist Olympio in 2004 allows an unconditional return to Togo (IciLome 14 July 2004).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Afrol News. 18 August 2004. "Togo Dictator Frees Political Prisoners." http://www.afrol.com/articles/13749 [Accessed 19 Oct. 2004]

Amnesty International (AI). 2004. Amnesty International Report 2004. http://web.amnesty.org/report2004/tgo-summary-eng [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

_____. 24 May 2004. "Fear of Torture / Prisoners of Conscience." (AI Index: AFR 57/003/2004) http://web.amnesty.org/library/print/ENGAFR570032004 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

BBC. 18 August 2004. "Pardon for 500 Togolese Prisoners." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3575772.stm [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003. 25 February 2004. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27757pf.htm [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

IciLome. 14 July 2004. "L'opposant historique Gilchrist Olympio prépare un nouveau retour." http://www.icilome.com/nouvelles/viewarticle.asp?idnews=3744 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN). 3 July 2003. "Togo: Opposition Leaders Released." http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp? ReportID=34503 [Accessed 19 Oct. 2004]

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). 12 June 2004. "Huit ONG publient une déclaration sur les élections présidentielles au Togo." http://www.fidh.org/article.php3?id_article=60 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

Ligue togolaise des droits de l'homme (LTDH) [Lomé]. 2004. "La situation des droits de l'homme au Togo, janvier 2003-avril 2004." http://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/tg0706f.pdf [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

Le Patriote [Abidjan]. 13 July 2004. Soumahoro Sahi. "Gilchrist Olympio : 'Je n'ai pas reçu mon titre de voyage'." http://lepatriote.net/printarticle.asp?id=11013 [Accessed 19 Oct. 2004]

Union des forces de changement (UFC) [Paris]. 21 October 2004. Telephone interview with the secretary at the UFC's international office.

UFCTOGO.com. 21 May 2004. "Libération de Marc Palanga." http://www.ufctogo.com/article.php3?id_article=419 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

_____. 28 September 2003. "La persécution et la chasse à l'homme se poursuivent au Togo." http://www.ufctogo.com/article.php3?id_article=141 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

_____. 1 August 2003. "Mémorandum sur la violence politique au Togo." http://www.ufctogo.com/article.php3?id_article=81 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

Additional Sources Consulted


Internet sites, including: Afrik.com, Afrique Express, AllAfrica, Dialog, Human Rights Watch, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, Sud Tribune, Le Togolais.com, Togolais Confidentiel.

Associated documents