Togo: Information on Togolese who testified before La Commission nationale des droits de l'homme (CNDH) and on any attacks on these witnesses by the military between 1991 and 1995
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 February 1995 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | TGO19602.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Togo: Information on Togolese who testified before La Commission nationale des droits de l'homme (CNDH) and on any attacks on these witnesses by the military between 1991 and 1995, 1 February 1995, TGO19602.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac7584.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
In a 3 February 1995 telephone interview with a representative of La Ligue des droits et libertés du Québec (LDLQ), who was a member of a three-person 1992 fact finding mission to Togo, the representative provided the following information.
La Commission nationale des droits de l'homme (CNDH) is a human rights organization founded in the late 1980s and funded primarily by the state. Contrary to the fears of the Togolese opposition that the CNDH was a government tool, the organization pursued its functions without fear of the state. Notwithstanding this apparent independence of the CNDH, Togolese were generally afraid to appear before the commission, particularly between 1990, and 1992, which was the height of the period of confrontation between the opposition groups and the government. There were indeed reports of harassment by state security forces of the few witnesses who appeared before the commission in Lomé.
The security forces perpetrated an atmosphere of violence between 1990 and 1993. Thus, Togolese who appeared before the CNDH did so at great personal risk, particularly between 1990 and 1993 when the government felt and acted as a government under seige. Also, during that period the headquarters of the CNDH was located in the same building as the office of the prime minister. This source was unable to provide any information on the period between 1994 and 1995.
Country Reports 1993, Country Reports 1992 and Country Reports 1991 commented on the activities of the CNDH and the public's fears about the involvement of the security forces with potential witnesses. For the details, please refer to page 305 of the 1993 edition, page 281 of the 1992 edition and to page 422 of the 1991 edition. These documents are currently available at Regional Documentation Centres. Also, please refer to the attachment from the LDLQ. For additional information regarding the political climate in which the CNDH operated, particularly in 1991, please refer to the attachments from Amnesty International.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
La Ligue des droits et libertés du Québec (LDLQ), Montréal. 3 February 1995. Telephone interview with representative.
Attachments
Amnesty International. 3 December 1991. Urgent Action: Togo: Joseph Kokou Koffigoh, Prime Minister of Togo. (AI Index: AFR 57/05/91). London: Amnesty International.
_____. 28 November 1991. Urgent Action: Togo: Events Surrounding Recent Coup d'etat. (AI Index: AFR 57/04/91). London: Amnesty International.
La Ligue des droits et libertés du Québec. 1992. Nabe Vincent Coulibaly, Pierre Poupart and Claude Zanchettin. "Togo: Rapport de mission 22 novembre-2 décembre 1992. Montréal: La Ligue des droits et libertés du Québec, pp. 23-4.
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