Togo expels Unita exiles

President Eyadema: Ordered the expulsions

Togo has expelled 56 members of the Angolan rebel movement, Unita, some of whom have lived in exile in the country for more than 20 years.

Togo's Communications Minister, Koffi Panou said the expulsions had been personally ordered by President Gnassingbe Eyadema.

He said 18 of those expelled were children, wives and direct relatives of the Unita rebel leader Jonas Savimbi.

Mr Savimbi: Relatives expelled

Mr Savimbi's 17-year-old son Eloy Sakaita, who has been attending school in the Togolese capital, was among them.

Mr Panou, who read out a government statement on national radio and television, did not give any reasons for the sudden expulsions.

But observers and diplomats believe the move was in compliance with a UN diplomatic embargo which prohibits contact with Unita.

UN accusations

In March, a report presented to the UN Security Council by the Canadian Ambassador, Robert Fowler, alleged that the presidents of Togo and Burkina Faso were personally involved in diamonds-for-arms deals with the Unita leader.

The two presidents denied the charges.

Later in March, the Togolese Government admitted before the UN Security Council that it had granted political asylum to some members of Mr Savimbi's family, in conformity with the United Nations Convention on refugees.

"We will immediately expel them from our country if their presence constitutes violations of UN sanctions against Unita," the Togolese Government said at the time.

But the allegations of President Eyadema's shady dealings with Unita continue to cast a shadow over his imminent chairmanship of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in July.

Angolan anger

The Angolan Government has become opposed to Togo hosting the annual OAU summit.

Complaints by the Angolan Government against Togo will be handled openly but in a true African family fashion

OAU Sec-Gen Salim Ahmed Salim

Other OAU member nations have called for a boycott of the July summit.

Angola's Foreign Minister Joao Miranda said President Eyadema should not become the next OAU chairman.

"It does not make sense that the Togolese president should be the next OAU chairman," Mr Miranda stated.

"By virtue of his position, an OAU chairman is also responsible for the organisation's conflict prevention and resolution committee. How can a man like the Togolese president speak of conflict resolution in Angola, for instance?" the foreign minister asked.

But Communications Minister Panou said Togo was keen to make a success of the OAU summit in Lome.

OAU pressure

President Eyadema's action in expelling the Unita exiles appears also to be connected with an official visit paid to Togo this week by the OAU Secretary-General Dr Salim Ahmed Salim.

During his meeting with President Eyadema on Tuesday Dr Salim raised the concerns of the Angolan Government about accusations contained in the UN Security Council report.

He said the issue should be discussed at the summit.

"We have decided that complaints by the Angolan Government against Togo will be handled openly but in a true African family fashion with every one given the opportunity to express their respective positions freely," Dr Salim said.