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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Togo police occupy rally site after two days of protests |
| 2012-06-16 |
| [Daily Nation (Kenya)] Togolese security forces took over an area where a third day of protests that have drawn thousands were to be held on Thursday after police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators the previous day. Several thousand had gathered for protests in the capital Lome on Tuesday and Wednesday over changes to the electoral law opposition members say the governing party forced through in a country led by the same family for more than four decades. Security forces broke up the demonstration on Wednesday with tear gas, and the opposition claimed 119 people were maimed over the two days amid government "repression." Security Minister Colonel Gnama Latta said Wednesday that 22 coppers were maimed in the two days of unrest when protesters hurled missiles at them and erected barricades in certain districts. The protests have come ahead of parliamentary elections expected for October. "We could not rally today as planned because the entire area was occupied by the security forces overnight," said Zeus Ajavon of the Let's Save Togo coalition, which organised the protests. He said the coalition was calling on residents in Lome to stay at home in protest on Friday. More protests would be planned for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, he said. An AFP journalist saw around 50 police at the main protest area. |
| Posted by:Fred |