Deaths were reported in Togo after security forces moved against protesters across the West African state. Opposition leaders accused "regime soldiers" of opening fire and urged their supporters to continue street demos.
Protesters have been marching in Togo for many monthsImage: DW/N. Tadegnon
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At least two people were killed in weekend clashes between security forces and protesters in Togo, with police firing tear gas and fighting running battles in the capital, Lome, and other cities across the country.
A dead protester found in Lome had "an open wound in his left eye indicating a bullet entry," the government said in a statement read on national television. The authorities said the victim was about 17 years old, but other reports suggested he was much younger. The iciLome news outlet said that the youth was a 12-year-old apprentice mechanic and that he was killed by the police.
In turn, the government said that unidentified gunmen in a black SUV were firing in the area, adding that a search for the vehicle was underway. Another man was found with no bullet wounds, and both the government and the opposition coalition said there were unconfirmed reports of a third fatality.
Father and son rule
The protests escalated after the government called for parliamentary elections on December 20. The opposition opposes the polls, demanding a reform of the national electoral commission and a two-term limit for presidents. Currently, the West African country is ruled by President Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005. He had succeeded his father Gnassingbe Eyadema, who previously ruled the country for 38 years.
Both Christians and Muslim religious communities urged the government to delay the vote this week over concerns about the organization.
A coalition made up of 14 opposition parties said it would set 10 protests ahead of the planned election date. Gnassingbe's government, in turn, banned the rallies because of a "very high risk of serious public disorder."
Following the violent clashes on Saturday, opposition leaders said "regime soldiers" fired at protesters.
Opposition official Brigitte Adjamagbo-Johnson warned that government critics would "go all the way."
"It was to avoid all this that we asked for the electoral process to be suspended," she said in remarks carried by Togo Breaking News. "The perpetrators of these killings will pay for their actions when the time comes."
The leader of the alliance, Jean-Pierre Fabre, said the government had put down protests with its "customary brutality," according to the French news agency AFP.
At the same time, Fabre praised the protesters' "courage, engagement and determination" and called for new rallies in the run-up to the election.
Architectural reminders of the German colonial era in Togo
From 1884 to 1914, the area that is now Togo was a German colony. To this day, many buildings throughout the country bear witness to this period, which ended 100 years ago.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
German neo-Gothic architecture in Togo
Since 1902, this neo-Gothic cathedral has adorned the market of Lome, which is now the capital of Togo. The colonial rulers at the time also built the bishop's residence next to it. Many of the buildings from the colonial period are still intact today, lending prestige to German architecture.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
Freshly renovated
The Sacred Heart Cathedral was extensively renovated with help from Germany. To the delight of Togolese parishioners, glaziers from Nuremberg restored the stained-glass windows to their original state.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
Colonial extravagance
Situated between palm trees in a park off Lome's seafront promenade is the former governor's palace. The Germans built it between 1898 and 1905. The palace later served as a temporary seat of the Togolese government.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
Closely guarded decay
Today the palace is empty. The building has fallen into disrepair and the park is overgrown with weeds. Togo's government does not have the money for the upkeep, but soldiers guard the grounds closely to keep thieves out.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
A nap at the office
Not far from the German governor's palace is the former district office. After Togo's independence in 1960, an additional storey was added. It used to house a naval academy, but now the building is empty. Lome's taxi drivers and vendors use the rooms on the ground floor to take naps during lunchtime.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
Fishermen instead of steamships
Lome's old jetty was formally opened in 1904. After work on the 350-meter (383-yard) pier was completed, ships were able to unload their cargo directly into the city. It was not until then that building materials such as cement and wood were imported in large amounts. Lome has had a modern port for a long time now, but many Togolese like to use the old steel construction for fishing.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
Rusting infrastructure
Work stopped in this locomotive shed ages ago. The rest of Togo's approximately 300-kilometer (186- mile) railway network is also in need of repair. Trains only run on a few lines and most of them carry freight.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
Churches just like the ones at home
Architectural traces of the German colonial era can also be discovered beyond the capital. About 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the coast, in Kpalime, there is another neo-Gothic church. The architects of the period only built the churches in a historicizing style reminiscent of their home country. Other buildings were in a colonial style.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
Outpost in the mountains
After 1890, this military and administrative field station in the Togo Mountains was used to protect important trade routes. Despite its partially collapsed roof, the building today houses several families.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
A final resting place
There is a German cemetery just a few meters from the old outpost. A dented sign in the thicket points the way. Only those who have been to the cemetery before can find it.
Image: DW/J. von Mirbach
Cemetery for the young
Unlike their buildings, the German colonists did not get very old. Malaria and other diseases took their toll on the settlers. Judging by the inscriptions, none of those buried here lived beyond the age of 35.
