Togolese Intel Smells A Rat Over Rawlings

In connection with the recent arrest of six people suspected of subversive activities, Togolese intelligence sources have hinted The Crusading GUIDE that ex-President Rawlings? critique of President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and ECOWAS? handling of Togo?s recent elections is of considerable security concern to the Togolese Authorities. The sources contended that Mr. Rawlings appears to have developed some passionate interest in Togolese affairs which smacks of sinister political motives.

This paper has gathered from unofficial Togolese sources that the six people arrested with large quantities of AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, pistols and ammunition over last weekend were preparing to subvert the Togolese Government. They suspect the group had some support from certain political circles in Ghana.

Rawlings in his ?June 4? rally at the Ashiaman Mandela Park last Saturday, had attacked ECOWAS President Obasanjo and the Togolese authorities for conspiring to deny the people of Togo their right to their choice of leadership. According to Rawlings, the Togolese situation was more dreadful than the political insensitivity that led to ?June 4?.

He said Togolese election saga was a ?serious indictment on the ECOWAS authority and some members of the international community, and I say this with great emphasis?.

?How can anybody convince the long suffering people of Togo that after 38 years of harsh dictatorship when the moment comes to give the people their quest for freedom and justice any group of persons would conspire to deny that beautiful free will of the people, the very essence of freedom and justice??, an apparently worried Rawlings asked.

He questioned the sincerity of African leaders in seeing to the entrenchment of the ?culture of truth and honest democracy in practice?.

?Or are we only paying lip service to it??, he demanded.

Rawlings reminded President Obasanjo of the responsibility he carries in making sure the Togolese situation does not degenerate into a situation that will affect the stability of the sub-region.

He referred to the trouble people like him and others went through in bringing peace and stability to Liberia, Sierra Leone and other places. ?Durable? peace and stability were restored in Liberia and Sa. Leone long after Rawlings had exited from power in Ghana, a diplomatic observer noted. According to Rawlings, what was even more threatening to the Region?s stability was the disturbing manner in which Eyadema?s dynasty had been ?orchestrated using a fraudulent electoral process having earlier failed to use a highly tribalized armed forces?.

Meanwhile, Rawlings accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of corruption, murder of the Ya Naa and Issah Mobila of the Convention People?s Party (CPP), high fuel prices, high medical bills and the detention of babies in the hospitals as prompting the ?Wahala? demonstrations.