Togo women call sex strike against President Gnassingbe
Description: Opposition leader Isabelle Ameganvi (25 August 2012)
Isabelle Ameganvi said holding the strike would ensure women's voices would
be heard
Women in Togo have been urged to abstain from sex for a week from Monday to
push their demand for reform.
The ban has been called by opposition coalition Let's Save Togo, made up of
nine civil society groups and seven opposition parties and movements.
Opposition leader Isabelle Ameganvi said that sex could be a "weapon of the
battle" to achieve political change.
The coalition wants President Faure Gnassingbe, whose family has held power
for decades, to stand down.
"We have many means to oblige men to understand what women want in Togo," Ms
Ameganvi, leader of the women's wing of the coalition, told the BBC.
She said she had been inspired by a similar strike by Liberian women in
2003, who used a sex strike to campaign for peace.
"If men refuse to hear our cries we will hold another demonstration that
will be more powerful than a sex strike," she added.
'Like fasting'
Togo has been run by the same family for more than four decades.
President Faure Gnassingbe took power in 2005 following the death of his
father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled Togo for 38 years. The president was
re-elected in 2010.
The strike was announced at a rally on Saturday in Lome, attended by
thousands of people.
Description: Map
The rally was held to protest against recent electoral reforms, which
demonstrators say will make it easier for Mr Gnassingbe's party to win
re-election in the parliamentary polls set for October.
Activists say that the strike will motivate men who are not involved in the
political movement to pursue its goals, which include an end to the system
allowing unlimited presidential terms.
Earlier this month, two anti-Gnassingbe protests were dispersed by police
using tear gas and more than 100 people were arrested.
The sex strike was welcomed as a political tool by some women in Lome.
"It's a good thing for us women to observe this sex strike as long as our
children are in jail now. I believe that by observing this, we will get them
released," Abla Tamekloe told the Associated Press.
"For me, it's like fasting, and unless you fast, you will not get what you
want from God."
Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni and Dr. Kiiza Besigye Uganda is in anarchy"
Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni na Dk. Kiiza Besigye Uganda ni katika machafuko"
<<image001.jpg>>
<<image002.gif>>
_______________________________________________ Ugandanet mailing list [email protected] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ All Archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. ---------------------------------------
