22/07/2005

St. Egidio community brokers accord for Togo

The St. Egidio community hopes to bring a negotiated end to the conflict between the government of Togo and radical opposition leaders there.

Togo's President Faure Essozimna Gnassingb� was in Rome this week for direct talks with Gilchrist Olympio, the head of the Union of Forces for Change (UFC). After 6 hours of talks, held under the auspices of the St. Egidio community, the two men reached agreement in condemning violence, calling for the release of political prisoners and the return of refugees. They also agreed to meet again to work out the details of an accord that would advance democratization of the African country.

The meeting in Rome, at the invitation of the St. Egidio community, was the second negotiating session between the two leaders. In April, Gnassingbé and Olympio had met in Nigeria, at the suggestion of African Union leaders.

St. Egidio spokesmen said that this week's talks did not directly address the question of whether-- or how-- the UFC should participate in the government of Togo. Opposition leaders have insisted on an opening to democracy in the country, where Gnassingbé presides over a regime that has been in power for 38 years. In elections held last April 24, the regime claimed victory with over 60 percent of the vote. Opponents charged that the voting had been corrupted by widespread fraud and manipulation, as well as by the repression of opposition leaders.

The St. Egidio community has become intensively involved in efforts to bring peace in Africa. The lay group-- which boasts about 40,000 members, active in 60 countries-- has taken a direct role in negotiations involving Rwanda, Sudan, Algeria, Mozambique, and Ivory Coast.