In Togo, last Saturday, the people of Bè Massouhouin, angered, are demanding for the lands taken from them in 1977 by the government to be returned.

“We, the people of Bè, initially had a total of 900 hectares of lands. However, the State took half of these saying it was for public use. It is on these lands that the State built all infrastructures found in the Lomé II area.”

“The airport, the harbor, the University of Lomé, the Kégué stadium and FTF’s headquarters are all on our lands. Even the presidency was built on these lands, in addition to another 28 hectares used as a security area. Despite all these we said nothing, said one of the protesters. They promised to build us schools, hospitals, play zones, markets and many more; yet, they did none of these. And if they did not in all those years, it is not now that they certainly will. We finally understood that we were lied to. We only have 450 ha left in our original 900 ha,” said another one.

All these point to an old conflict between the two parties. What has pushed the expropriated populations to burst in anger is that “few days ago, soldiers came with the special delegation asking them to leave”. “We are from Bè and the land of Massouhouin is ours. Now, we are being told that they are not while a ministerial decree even proves the opposite,” said Vessou Germain, expropriated and member of the Massouhouin community.

This is quite outraging especially in a context where land conflicts are popping up all over Africa.

Souha Touré