wfn.org | [AACC] Rev. Dr. Mvume Dandala Calls for Togo Reconciliation

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AACC GENERAL SECRETARY CALLS FOR RECONCILIATION IN TOGO

The General Secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches, Rev. Dr.
Mvume Dandala, has called on the government of Togo to ensure that the
security of all the citizens of Togo is guaranteed. Dr. Dandala went on to
add that reports from Togo are disturbing, given that over a hundred people
have so far been reported killed during the riots while a number of people,
including members of the clergy, are in hiding for fear of their lives.

He urged the government and the opposition to find creative ways to solve
their differences through dialogue and not through bloodshed. Dr. Dandala
also urged the opposition parties in Togo to use dialogue as a legitimate
way of expressing their positions and dissent,. This he said will leading
to the protection of the citizens and the people of Togo.

As Churches of Christ, he said, we seek to uphold the values that sustain
life and protection of the sanctity of human life. He therefore urged both
the government and the opposition to continue to stand for justice and
fairness in dealing with the crisis in Togo.

Dr. Dandala also said that given the political, ideological differences and
complexities of the issues in Togo, both the opposition and the government
should come together the round-table to discuss the merits and demerits of
a government of national unity. Citing the example of South Africa, he said
that the governments of national unity all over the World are sustained
bythrough national unity, working on an agreed consensus framework, where
the majority party does not take all and impose its will on the minority.
Rather, the challenge is for both the opposition and the government to
build consensus and provide space for all the parties, for the sake of
national unity and for the benefits of the citizens:

He urged the opposition and the government to acknowledge the existing
differences in opinion in the light of the legitimacy of the election that
has now been reclaimed by the Supreme Court of Togo. Now that the
constitutional court has declared the results of the presidential election,
aAll the parties should put as a prioritizeytheir efforts to promoteon
dialogue and reconciliation among the people of Togo as the surest way to
of returning the country to normalcy and tohe protection lives, in view of
the parliamentary election to come.

Dr. Dandala stated that the All Africa Conference of Churches and its
entire membership of 174 member churches across the Continent of Africa
stand in solidarity with the people of Togo and the International Community
in their quest for a lasting peace in a democratic, transparent and
accountable nation of Togo. According to Dr. Dandala, The Church in Africa
he said, and the All Africa Conference of Churches in particular will
continue to accompany the people of Togo during this challenging time in
their country.

Dr. Dandala appealed to for urgent the International Community s to respond
urgentlyse withfor the assistance forto hundreds of displaced people in
Togo who are now camped in various sites such as Hillacondji,and the
thousands of people currently camped at the border of Benin and Togo. where
thousands of people are now camped He said that according to reports from
churches in Togo, there is a need for urgent assistance to many displaced
people who now need food, water, shelter, medicine and security. He urged
the leadership of the African Union, ECOWAS and the United Nations, to pay
close attention to Togo at this critical particular time of urgent need.