Togo's new President Faure Gnassingbe has been sworn in despite international protests at his appointment.
Parliamentary deputies changed the constitution to allow Mr Faure to complete his father's term, after Gnassingbe Eyadema died on Saturday.
Togo's army was criticised for what the African Union called a "military coup".
The chairman of the West African community, Mamadou Tandja, told the BBC the events brought "shame to Africa".
But maybe that great defender of Democracy, France, can help! From Chrenkoff: France supports elections - in Africa
A unilateral intervention in the making:
"France has placed its troops in west Africa on alert following the death of
Togolese president Gnassingbe Eyadema."French Defence Minister Michele
Alliot-Marie said: 'We have put our troops on alert in case a need arises'."
Goodness, a need for what? Well, mainly to protect 2,500 French nationals residing in Togo. But there's more:
Aren't you glad that France is committed to a democratic process and a fixed election timetable - if only selectively?But as the report usefully reminds us, "[President] Eyadema had ruled for nearly four decades after Togo's independence from France." (the "Daily Telegraph" describes him as "Africa's most durable tyrant" and "an ally of President Jacques Chirac".)"[The Minister Alliot-Marie] made it clear that 'the days of coups in Africa are
over'..."The Togo constitution must be respected, Ms Alliot-Marie said,
recalling that it foresaw elections within two months [of a president's death]."'These must take place,' the French minister said."
Better late than never.
I'm assuming the anti-war protestors are already planing to descend on the French embassay in Washington by the tens of thousands to protest these unilateral and illegal designs on Togo's sovereignty!
Maybe that's not a very sound assumption.
(Partially gleaned from American Future.)
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