R 271724Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY LOME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9156
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS LOME 000249 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV TO
SUBJECT: GOT NAMES MEMBERS OF THE TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND 
RECONCILIATION COMMISSION 
 
REF: LOME 64 
 
¶1. Summary. More than a year after the start of country-wide 
consultations concerning the composition and mission of a 
Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) for 
Togo, the Council of Ministers issued a decree announcing the 
members. In a June 16 meeting with the Ambassador, four of 
the members described the task at hand and issues they 
foresee as Togo begins to address its contentious and often 
violent political history. End Summary. 
 
¶2. The mission of the TJRC is to make recommendations to 
bring to light acts of violence from the past of a political 
nature and to study methods of appeasement for the victims. 
The commission is responsible for organizing 
awareness-raising campaigns to ensure the Togolese population 
understands its work. It will write a report explaining the 
nature, the extent, and the cause of political acts of 
violence and should research the context that produced the 
violence. The TJRC should also, in the course of its work, 
identify the authors, institutions, organizations and others 
responsible for human rights violations. Finally, the 
commission should propose possible methods of reparation and 
recommend how to avoid such situations in the future. 
 
¶3. The doubts regarding whether the TJRC will actually be 
able to properly carry out its assigned task have only been 
reinforced by the release of the names of the members of the 
committee. While some are respected members of Togolese 
society, others will probably themselves be accused of 
political atrocities or corruption during the process. 
 
President- Monsignor Nicodeme Anani Barrigah-Benissan: Known 
for integrity 
 
Vice-President- Professor (Ms.) Kissem Tchangai-Walla: Former 
minister, served as the president of the Independent National 
Electoral Commission (CENI) during the 2005 presidential 
elections, is widely blamed for certifying fraudulent 
election results 
 
First Reporter- Professor (Mr.) Koffi Ahadji-Nonou: President 
of the University of Lome, believed to be a friend of 
President Faure 
 
Second Reporter- Mr. Bona Djato Ketewuli: President of the 
association "Positive Differences," former Minister of 
Communication 
 
Member- Ms. Pepevi Kpakpo: Director of the Journalism 
Institute at the University of Lome 
 
Member- Ms. Sirina Kourabodji: Trainer at the Islamic College 
of Lome 
 
Member- Ms. Claudine Ahianyo-Kpondjo: National coordinator 
for the West African Network for Peacebuilding 
 
Member- Mr. El Hadj Imam Kassim Mensah: Member of the Islamic 
Union of Togo, teacher 
 
Member- Mr. Togbui Agboli Agokoli VI: Tribal chief of Notse, 
a town located an hour north of Lome 
 
Member- Mr. Ogamo Bagna- Businessman, former minister 
 
Member- Professor Koffi Badjow Tcham (Mr.): History professor 
at the University of Lome 
 
¶4. Ambassador Hawkins met with several members of the 
commission, including the president and vice-president, on 
June 16. They stated that the main goal of the commission is 
to reconcile the various factions of Togolese society. 
Barrigah-Benissan noted that Togolese have different 
perceptions of history, and it is the commission's job to 
examine the facts to bring the country to resolution. He said 
that the commission will remain in the preparatory phase for 
weeks to come. The commission plans to consult with 
specialists from other countries which have already gone 
through the same process. 
 
¶5. The Togolese League of Human Rights (LTDH), a respected 
local human rights organization, expressed concern about the 
composition of the commission. While TJRC members told the 
Ambassador that President Faure held numerous consultations 
to decide who would be appointed to the commission, the LTDH 
feels that inclusion of several members was to advantage the 
GOT. In a letter sent to the Minister of Human Rights, LTDH 
interim-president Kpande-Adzare notes that Ms. Tchangai-Walla 
was the president of the CENI when the results of the 2005 
elections were contested by everyone. Mr. Bagna, a former 
Minister of the Interior and former director general of the 
Togolese national phosphate company, is suspected of 
embezzling funds from that company and supposedly had fallen 
out of favor with Eyadema before his death. Finally, Mr. 
Agokoli is mentioned as simply not being "politically 
innocent." Kpande-Adzare feels that the inclusion of these 
members throws into doubt the political will of the GOT to 
address past contentious issues. 
 
¶6. Comment. The members of the new TJRC are by and large 
well-respected figures in Togolese society. However, the 
inclusion of several controversial members, especially 
Tchangai-Walla, calls into doubt the neutrality of any 
recommendations the commission might make. Her role in the 
2005 presidential elections is well-known by the population, 
and it seems strange that President Faure would appoint 
someone to the commission who will more than likely herself 
be accused of being part of the problem. As the TJRC members 
finish their training and start to set their internal rules 
for deliberation, it will be interesting to see if they 
actually concentrate on addressing the grievances of the 
Togolese population or if they just continue to sweep the 
issues under the rug and attempt to rewrite history. End 
Comment. 
 
 
HAWKINS