Togo: Between insecurity, military extortion and attack by armed groups, the Savanes are in pain

Under a state of security crisis since June 2022 due to attacks by armed groups and other criminals, the populations of the Savanes region continue to bear their cross. Between the pressure of these armed groups and the rackets of the defense and security forces, the noise is getting louder on civilians who are brooding over their pain.

Often identified by civilian populations, the troops deployed as part of Operation Koundjoare to secure the region are regularly criticized for racketeering. In mid-August 2024, this question sparked heated debates among public opinion in Nano. Several voices were outraged by the actions of the gendarmes and the police officers responsible for road safety.

In March 2024, Monsignor Dominique Guigbile, Bishop of Dapaong, denounced “the abuse, harassment and bullying that are often inflicted on populations by the very people who have a mission and duty to ensure their safety and protect their property. Added to this are the rackets made by some security police agents at checkpoints or checkpoints set up on the roads as part of the fight against violent extremism in the Savanes region.

However, the echo of the prelate’s voice and the complaints raised remained unanswered, far from the ears of Faure Gnassingbé’s palace.

This week, a peasant laments: “I was going to the cantonal head for a meeting. As it was not far away, I did not have my motorbike papers on me. Barely 500 meters from my home, the soldiers and the police arrested me. They took my motorbike. I went back to get the helmet and the papers, but they demanded that I pay 5,000 CFA francs. I went to get the money. When I returned, they had already taken the motorbike away. After pleading I managed to get it back by paying 5,000 francs, without getting the slightest receipt.”

The testimony comes from a man in his forties, whose face conveys the depth of his pain. According to several sources, this type of complaint is legion in the region.

A barrier to collaboration

The fight against terrorism requires perfect collaboration between civilian populations and defense and security forces. But in a country like Togo, where relations between the two entities are marked by painful precedents, this collaboration promises to be difficult.

If populations, especially in rural areas, continue to be bullied without the slightest compassion, there is a danger that this will endanger this pleasant collaboration. As long as trust is not established between the populations and the defense forces, coexistence will only be a facade.

The populations will have difficulty doing their part in the hunt against armed groups. Every day, the number of victims racks up in the dozens and discontent grows in the silence.

The prolonged state of security crisis, together with increasing insecurity and abuses by defense and security forces, adds to an already unbearable burden for the populations of the Savanes. These practices, if they continue, risk not only breaking all trust, but also making the collaboration that is essential to the fight against armed groups and other criminals impossible.

In order to loosen this grip that is strangling the populations, it is an urgent matter for the authorities to take steps to end the abuse and restore confidence in this battered region.

Source: alternative.info