The putschist soldiers who ousted Ali Bongo from power on Wednesday, at the head of Gabon for 14 years, announced on Saturday the reopening of the borders with “immediate effect” three days after their closure, in order to promote the “continuity of the State” . This decision comes two days before the swearing in as “president of the transition” of General Brice Oligui Nguema scheduled for Monday and whose duration has not been specified.
Gabon’s new strongman on Friday promised a new Constitution and a new electoral code, closing the door to the main parties of the old opposition who were urging him to return power to civilians by handing it over to Albert Ondo Ossa, who came second. in the presidential election of August 26, which she considers to be fraudulent. The military had taken power less than an hour after the announcement of the re-election of President Ali Bongo Ondimba, claiming that the presidential results had been rigged, and that his regime was marked by “irresponsible and unpredictable governance”.
Curfew still in effect
The decision to reopen the borders was taken with a view to “preserve respect for the rule of law, good relations with our neighbors and all the States of the world”, justified Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi, door- word of the Committee for the Transition and the Restoration of Institutions (CTRI), in a statement read on state television. He also underlined the “firm will” of the military to “keep” their “international commitments”.
Brice Oligui Nguema had promised Friday “more democratic” and respectful “human rights” institutions, but without “rush”, after meetings conducted at a frantic pace in recent days with parties, the diplomatic corps, international organizations, and donors. General Oligui also targeted “the corruption” of the former power of Ali Bongo, whose family had ruled this small oil-rich Central African state for more than 55 years.
On the other hand, the authorities have not lifted the curfew which remains in force throughout the territory from 6 p.m. (5 p.m. GMT) to 6 a.m. (5 a.m. GMT), but “travellers arriving in the Gabonese Republic or wishing to leave will be authorized to circulate on presentation of their travel document”, specified Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi.
Military cooperation suspended
On Friday, the activities of some 400 French soldiers, permanently stationed in Gabon as part of bilateral military cooperation, were suspended “waiting for the political situation to become clearer”, declared the French Minister for the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu, in a statement. interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro published Friday evening. Sébastien Lecornu insisted on differentiating the coups in Gabon and Niger at the end of July.
“France condemns all acts of force (…) However, we cannot equate the situation in Niger, where illegitimate soldiers have deposed a legitimately elected president, and that of Gabon, where the motive advanced by the military is precisely the non-respect of the electoral law and the Constitution. Because in fact, and, I am weighing my words, there are doubts about the sincerity of the elections in this country”, he said .
The leader of the putsch claimed that the dissolution of the institutions was “temporary”. In front of civil society, General Oligui, head of the all-powerful praetorian guard of the Bongo family, promised a new Constitution and a new electoral code but without “confusing speed with haste”. “Who goes slowly, goes surely,” he said. Ali Bongo has been under house arrest in Libreville since the coup. Sylvia Bongo, his Franco-Gabonese wife, is also being held incommunicado, his lawyers said on Friday, announcing that they had filed a complaint in France for arbitrary detention.