Please see following a copy of a petition adopted by the UNF Chapter of AI
intended for members of UN Security Council asking them to appoint a special
team of judges as recommended by the International Commission of Inquiry for
Togo on December 20, 2000. We invite the audience at this site to follow
suit and write to the UN security Council and to the General Secretary that
recommendations of the Commission be implemented as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Florida (USA), July 14, 2001
Lionel Akpabie
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Your Excellency:
I am seriously disturbed by several reports concerning continuous human
rights abuses in Togo, and I am writing to appeal to you to ensure that
impunity be ended in Togo.
On December 20, 2000, an International Commission of Inquiry for Togo
ordered by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity
recommends that a criminal inquiry should be commenced as soon as possible
through the establishment of a special team of judges entrusted not only
with elucidating the various allegations of extrajudicial executions,
enforced disappearances and other violations mentioned in this report and in
other documents, but also with prosecuting and punishing, as appropriate,
the perpetrators of these violations.
To date, neither the United Nations, nor the Organization of African Unity
has set this special team of judges to investigate countless allegations of
massive human rights abuses by the military regime of Togo.
For more than three decades, different humanitarian organizations have
published reports regarding impunity and violations of civic rights in Togo
and since October 1990, the military regime has accelerated persecution of
members of opposition movements, student groups and journalists with
complete impunity.
In June 1998, following the Presidential election, hundreds of people,
including members of the military, were extrajudicially executed. Bodies
were retrieved from the beaches of Togo and Benin and corpses were seen at
sea for at least four days around Benin.
The findings of the International Commission of Inquiry for Togo into these
allegations are deeply troubling and I would like to draw your attention to
the fact the Commission found a culture "of systematic violations of human
rights in Togo."
It is time to end impunity in Togo and appoint a special team of judges as
recommended by the International Commission of Inquiry for Togo. I appeal to
you personally in this case to secure the immediate appointment of the Team
of Judges with mandate to investigate abuses and prosecute those
responsible.
Truly yours,
Lionel Akpabie
Amnesty International
University of North Florida Chapter
Jacksonville, Florida
4567 St. John's Bluff Rd. S.
Jacksonville, FL 32224-2659
********************************************
Write to the General Secretary of the United Nations Koffi Annan, to the
President of the Security Council and to Council members inviting them to
appoint a special team of judges as recommended by the International
Commission of Inquiry for Togo to investigate various allegations of
extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and other violations
mentioned in this report and in other documents, but also with prosecute and
punish, as appropriate, the perpetrators of these violations.
Security Council
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-963-1158
Fax: 212-963-7878
