Friday 16 September 2016
Today we stand together with the People of Gabon (Africa) in there fight for change. ‘Never seen results like these’ were the headlines as the Gabonese people protested after the announcement of the Ali Bongo suspected «victory». The Bongo (father and son) has ruled Gabon for nearly 50 years.
Opposition delegates in the electoral commission boycotted a vote to approve the results on Wednesday and they have vowed to fight for a recount, in particular in the home Province of Haut-Ogooue were Bongo won by 95% of the votes with 99% participation rate!
“Ali Bongo wants the Gabonese people and the entire world to believe his ‘results’ that he took three days behind closed doors to concoct.
‘Results’ like Ali Bongo’s are the hallmarks of dictators and tyrants who refuse to give up power – not the cornerstones of democracies, nations, and peoples who respect fairness and the rule of law.”
Opposition candidates united behind Jean Ping just a week before the election. Ping claimed victory very early on, as did Bongo. Protests turned violent in various part of the country after Ali Bongo was declared «winner» of the presidential election. Peaceful protesters were attacked by heavily armed militias, police and army. At least 50 people were killed, several were injured, uncounted numbers are still missing, and about 1000 were arrested.
The small West African nation of Gabon has replaced its country-wide internet blockage with an “internet curfew” that experts say is creating an “unprecedented level of communication suppression since the Arab Spring” For the last four nights, Bongo has ordered “internet curfews” extending from Six PM to Six AM, and social media is still blocked during all hours, indicating that the country is still trying to prevent its citizens from protesting against the government.
Opposition also claims the government is blocking internet to hide all the exactions and violations of laws by police, army and militias still going on, and to try to portrait a rosy image of the situation in Gabon, abroad.