Le bus de la sélection togolaise mitraillé à la frontière entre le Congo et l'Angola

[Al-khiyal]

CAN 2010 :
Le Togo quitte la compétition

Dimanche 10 Janvier 2010 -- C’est officiel : après une journée d’hésitations et de déclarations contradictoires, le Togo a quitté la Coupe d’Afrique des Nations (CAN). La décision en forme de coup de théâtre prise par les joueurs togolais dans la nuit de samedi à dimanche de finalement disputer le tournoi s'est heurtée dimanche matin à la ferme intention de leur gouvernement de les rapatrier. Le bus des Togolais est parti du camp de base pour l'aéroport de Cabinda, où un avion dépêché par le Premier ministre du Togo Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo devait rapatrier l'équipe togolaise et les deux corps à Lomé dans la soirée.

[Al-khiyal]

Togo attack was foreseeable

January 11, 2010 -- As Malawi and Algeria took the field today in the second match of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, the stadium in Luanda was almost completely empty apart from officials and security men. That no attempt was made to entice Luanda's crowds to matches not involving the home team was symptomatic of the lack of imagination of the bureaucracies that dominate many African countries.

But the more damning act of imbecility was the decision of the Angolan government to host some of the matches in Cabinda. It is all very well to have persuaded the Chinese to build a spanking new stadium, costing millions of dollars, in Cabinda city: this was to make the political point that not all the money obtained from the oil that gushes out of the region is commandeered by the apparatchiks in Luanda for the own purposes. It was also an attempt to warn the oil companies that they should not be tempted – as a kind of insurance policy – secretly to finance some of the residual elements of the Cabinda secessionist movement that have continued to operate since the Luanda government reached a deal with the spearhead of the Cabinda separatists FLEC (Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda). The message was that Luanda was now in full control of the entire territory of Angola.

But the Luanda government – made up, as it is, of a coalition of two guerrilla organisations that had been at each other's throats for decades, the MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) and UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola) – should have realised that elements of FLEC might seize the opportunity to make their own political point. In their own long sojourn in the bush, first against the Portuguese and then against each other, they suffered often from splits and undisciplined coups de theatre precisely of the type inflicted on the Togolese players last week.

Not that the Togolese were without fault. An elementary casing of the joint that was to be their home for at least four weeks would have revealed to them that the situation in Cabinda is so dodgy that oil workers there have evolved their own rules for survival. Many spend only a few days on the rigs, then go off by private plane to Luanda, where they catch a plane to Houston, Texas for their "recreation". Such an expensive system wouldn't have been evolved for nothing. Above all, the oil-worker community shuns like the plague the delights of nearby Brazzaville in Republic of the Congo. Yet it was there that the Togolese elected to spend their days of pre-tournament training. Brazzaville's francophone ambience was deemed preferable to the Portuguese-speaking frostiness of Cabinda. But they paid dearly for it.

As might be expected, the usual anti-African crowd has been making noises, trying to use the Cabinda disaster to prejudice the chances of the World Cup tournament in South Africa succeeding. But such a comparison is woefully ignorant. Comparing South Africa to Angola, and especially Cabinda, is like comparing apples and oranges. As Danny Jordan, head of the organising committee of the World Cup 2010 retorted when the issue of the safety of teams for the World Cup was raised with him: "Why are people suddenly applying double standards? When there are terrorist attacks in Europe, do we hear about the 2012 Olympics being under threat? No. We cannot be called to account for the security arrangements of Angola, which is far removed from South Africa."

[Al-khiyal]

Togo footballers were attacked by mistake, Angolan rebels say

January 11, 2010 -- A senior official of the dissident group that launched a fatal ambush on the Togo football team has expressed his "condolences", saying rebels attacked their bus by mistake. Rodrigues Mingas, secretary general of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), said his fighters had meant to attack security guards as the convoy passed through the Angolan province of Cabinda, which sits wholly inside Congo. Today, Angolan state media reported two arrests in connection with Friday's attack, which came as the Togo team travelled to the Africa Cup of Nations. Three people were killed ‑ the team's assistant coach, its official spokesman and the bus driver.

"This attack was not aimed at the Togolese players but at the Angolan forces at the head of the convoy," Mingas told France 24 television. "So it was pure chance that the gunfire hit the players. We don't have anything to do with the Togolese and we present our condolences to the African families and the Togo government. We are fighting for the total liberation of Cabinda."

The provincial prosecutor, Antonio Nito, said the two people arrested belonged to FLEC, which has fought for three decades against the Angolan government and claimed responsibility for the attack. "The two elements of FLEC were captured at the scene of the incident, the road to Massabi that connects both countries [Angola and Congo]," he said in a statement published on the state-owned news agency Angop. No other details were immediately available.

Eight people were wounded during the ambush, including a goalkeeper, Kodjovi Dodji Obilalé, who was airlifted to South Africa. He is said to be in a stable condition in intensive care. Togo's players reluctantly left Angola late yesterday for three days of mourning. They had said they wanted to compete in the tournament to honour the dead, but their government dispatched the presidential plane after saying it was not safe to stay. Togo's prime minister, Gilbert Houngbo, said Angola had not done enough to protect the team after the attack. Thomas Dossevi, a team forward, said: "We fully understand our government's decision to leave because they didn't receive enough guarantees for our security. We as players, we wanted to stay to honour the memory of our dead people, but both positions are understandable."

The opening ceremony of Africa's most famous football tournament went ahead yesterday. Among the VIPs attending was Jacob Zuma, the South African president, intent on expressing his support for Angola ‑ and African football ‑ as organisers of Africa's first World Cup came out fighting against attempts to conflate the Angolan instability with preparations in South Africa. The organisers warned against negative stereotyping of the entire continent, raising the issue of "Afro-pessimism". Through a spokesman Zuma dismissed *speculation that the incident raised *questions over security for the World Cup in South Africa five months from now.

Sajjan Gohel, the international security director of the Asia-Pacific Foundation, a London-based thinktank, said many *people had been looking to the Angola tournament as a litmus test for the World Cup. "Although it is not in South Africa it is in southern Africa, so I suppose many people were looking at it in a similar light," he said. But Danny Jordaan, the chief World Cup organiser in South Africa, said: "I don't think the world has ever asked one country to take responsibility for what happens in another country. Fortunately the majority of the world is not influenced by a warped understanding of the African continent. If there is a war in Kosovo and a World Cup in Germany no one asks if the World Cup can go on in Germany. Everyone understands the war in Kosovo is a war in Kosovo."

As supporters entered the national stadium in Luanda they expressed their determination for the tournament to be a success and expressed little fear, despite a pledge by Flec to carry out more attacks. "It's the first time that we've organised the Africa Cup of Nations and we're here to celebrate," said 30-year-old André Fernandes. "It's going to be great to see the African stars. We've got Angolans who play in Europe, but some of the big names in world football are going to be here."

FLEC said the ambush was the first in a planned wave of terrorist strikes. Issa Hayatou, president of the Confederation of African football, said the Angolan prime minister, Antonio Paulo Kassoma, had promised increased security at all venues. The Togo team, travelling by coach from their training ground in Congo-Brazzaville, had just entered Cabinda when they came under heavy fire. Another bus, carrying equipment, was sprayed with bullets. Cabinda is responsible for half of Angola's oil production. Before the attack FLEC was not thought to be a serious risk. Last month an Angolan minister without portfolio, António Bento Bembe, who is a former FLEC fighter, said the group no longer existed. He claimed all that remained of FLEC was a few individuals who were trying to attract unhappy Cabindans with false statements.

[Al-khiyal]

Togo banned from next two Africa Cups of Nations after pulling out of Angola

January 30, 2010 -- Togo have been punished for their decision to withdraw from the Africa Cup of Nations after a gun attack on their coach by being banned from the next two editions of the tournament, according to the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The president of CAF, Issa Hayatou, told AFP that the reason for the ban was because Togo's decision to pull out was based on "governmental interference". Three people were killed after the Togo squad was ambushed whilst travelling through the Cabinda region of Angola. Togo's player flew home soon after, requesting time to mourn the dead, but were officially disqualified from the tournament after failing to turn up for their opening game against Ghana. The separatist group, the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), claimed responsibility for the attack. The final of the tournament, between Ghana and Egypt, will take place tomorrow.

[Al-khiyal]

Nouveau scandale à la CAF :
Le Togo suspendu pour les deux prochaines CAN

Samedi 30 Janvier 2010 -- La Confédération africaine de football (CAF) a décidé, samedi 30 janvier, de suspendre le Togo pour les deux prochaines éditions de la Coupe d’Afrique des nations (CAN). Cette décision a été prise après le retrait de l’équipe togolaise de la CAN suite à la fusillade qui avait fait deux morts parmi les membres de la délégation de ce pays. Des indépendantistes du Cabinda avaient mitraillé le bus de la délégation du Togo, le 8 janvier, à la veille du coup d'envoi de la Coupe d'Afrique des nations (CAN-2010). L’attaché de presse et l'entraîneur des gardiens avaient été tués dans l'attaque. « Le comité exécutif (de la CAF) vient de suspendre le Togo pour deux Coupes d'Afrique des nations, a-t-il dit. C'est une sanction réglementaire. Il y a eu une interférence gouvernementale, ce que nous ne pouvons pas accepter », a déclaré le président de la Confédération africaine (CAF) Issa Hayatou. L'équipe du Togo s'était en effet retirée de la compétition à la demande de son gouvernement.

Mais cette décision de la CAF est doublement scandaleuse. Les Togolais ne pouvaient prendre part à la CAN après une telle agression. D’ailleurs, c’est toute la compétition qui aurait dû être annulée. En Europe, une telle fusillade aurait provoqué immédiatement un retrait de toutes les équipes. Ensuite, le président de la CAF évoque une interférence gouvernementale inacceptable dans ce dossier. Pourquoi dans ce cas, M. Hayatou n’avait pas réagi de la même manière après l’interférence du gouvernement égyptien dans le match Algérie-Egypte de qualification au Mondial ? Le Caire n’avait-il retiré son ambassadeur à Alger en signe de protestation après les « incidents » de Khartoum ? Les ministres égyptiens et le fils du président ne s’étaient-ils pas exprimés publiquement sur le match ? La CAF, dont le siège est au Caire, peut difficilement justifier cette politique des deux poids deux mesures quand il s’agit de l’Egypte.

[Al-khiyal]

Togo to appeal Nations Cups ban - minister

January 30, 2010 -- Togo, banned from competing in the next two African Nations Cups after pulling out of this year's competition over security concerns, will appeal the suspension, the country's sports minister told Reuters Saturday. "We shall launch an appeal. What is sure is that we will use all legal means to enforce our rights regarding their decision," Christophe Tchao said by telephone. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) handed Togo the ban earlier Saturday after its government told the team to withdraw from this year's tournament in Angola after two members of the delegation were killed in an ambush.

[Al-khiyal]

CAN-2012 :
Le TAS rejette la demande du Togo

Samedi 20 Février 2010 -- Le Tribunal arbitral du sport (TAS) a rejeté, jeudi, la demande de mesures provisoires déposée par la Fédération togolaise de football à propos de sa suspension pour les deux prochaines éditions de la Coupe d'Afrique des nations (CAN). La Fédération togolaise demandait de pouvoir prendre part au tirage au sort de la phase de qualification pour la prochaine CAN qui a lieu aujourd’hui. Le TAS a considéré que la non-participation du Togo au tirage au sort ne remettrait pas en cause la participation de cette équipe aux premiers matches de qualification pour la CAN-2012 qui débuteront en septembre 2010. «La CAF (Confédération africaine de football) a reconnu qu'il n'y aurait aucun obstacle matériel à la mise en œuvre d'un nouveau tirage au sort pour le cas où l'appel de la Fédération togolaise (FTF) serait admis ultérieurement», a expliqué dans un communiqué le TAS. «Compte tenu de ces garanties, le TAS a considéré qu'il n'existait pas, à ce stade, de risque de dommage irréparable pour la FTF», a ajouté l'instance basée à Lausanne (Suisse), en mentionnant qu'une audience devrait avoir dans le courant du printemps 2010 pour la procédure d'arbitrage habituelle.