Togo voters 'need' peacekeepers

The opposition wanted the polls to be put back

Peacekeeping troops should be sent to Togo after a weekend of violent clashes, an opposition official has said ahead of Sunday's elections.

Earlier, Faure Gnassingbe, the son of the country's long-time leader Gnassingbe Eyadema, called for calm at a huge rally in the capital, Lome.

Togo's human rights league said that six ruling party supporters were killed on Saturday.

The opposition says one of its supporters was also killed in Lome.

Exile's return

At least 150 people were injured in the street scuffles, although the government says it cannot confirm that any people had died.

"We want troops to come in, to ensure the safety of Togolese during elections," Yawovi Agboyibo, leader of an opposition coalition, told BBC Afrique.

Faure has already briefly been Togo's leader

The president of Togo's human rights league has also called on the West African community, Ecowas, to do more to prevent violence and said he feared further clashes in the wake of the reported deaths of seven people after an opposition election rally on Saturday.

Adote Akwei accused Ecowas officials helping to organise the election of being too timid and of failing to tackle the violence.

"I condemn all acts of political violence no matter where they come from," Mr Faure told some 40,000 supporters.

"The youth of Togo need to live among themselves in harmony."

Mr Faure was installed as Togo's leader after his father's death but international pressure and domestic protests led him to step down and hold elections.

Opposition parties have criticised the hastily-arranged presidential poll, alleging that the vote has been organised too quickly and is vulnerable to vote-rigging.

Claude Vondoly, head of a human rights group with links to the ruling RPT party said many of those who were attacked were wearing T-shirts with Mr Faure's picture.

T-shirts

Many opposition supporters took to the streets on Saturday, wearing yellow T-shirts and caps and waving palms, to welcome exiled opposition leader Gilchrist Olympio back to the country.

He is barred from the poll because he lives abroad but has returned to campaign for the vice-president of his Union of Forces for Change, Bob Akitani.

The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Lome says Mr Olympio is still clearly an iconic figure, completely overshadowing his less charismatic deputy.

Aides refused to say whether, if elected, Mr Akitani planned to stand aside in favour of Mr Olympio.