VZCZCXRO0984
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0480/01 2881022
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151022Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1147
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1528
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0478

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000480 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E JKNIGHT; AF/W ACOOK 
LONDON FOR PETER LORD 
PARIS FOR BKANEDA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: POLITICAL UPDATE 
 
¶1.  Content: 
 
-- Opposition leaders protest against the arrest of the Mayor of 
   Dangbo 
-- Opposition parties boycott events of International Day of 
   Peace. 
 
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Opposition leaders protest against 
the arrest of the Mayor of Dangbo 
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¶2. On October 7, leaders of the opposition alliance "Union Makes the 
Nation" (UN) led a march in Dangbo, in the southeast of Benin, to 
protest against the arrest of Clement Gnonlonfou, the mayor of 
Dangbo, charged with embezzlementof public funds. On October 12, UN 
coordinated a imilar march in the administrative capital of 
Poto-Novo. The main opposition figures who attended he two 
protests included Adrien Houngbedji, Presdent of the Democratic 
Renewal Party (PRD), IdjiKolawole, Vice-President of the African 
Movement or Democracy and Progress (MADEP), Lazare Sehoueto 
President of the Key Force Party, Sacca Fikara,the President of the 
Movement for Democracy and olidarity (MDS), Christian Sossouhounto 
and Lehai, representatives of the Renaissance of Benin Part (RB). 
In both cities, large crowds of supporter chanted slogans hostile 
to President Yayi Boni nd his government, and opposition leaders 
deliveed inflammatory messages to local authorities. 
 
. Opposition leaders pointed to Yayi's attempt to "ow the seeds of 
division" among the community ofDangbo. They said that 
Gnonlonfoun's arrest was a plot woven and ordered by individuals in 
the py of the government". Opposition leaders denouncedthe 
Minister of Justice, Victor Topanou's allegedinterference in the 
judicial process and declare that Gnonlonfoun's arrest was 
arbitrary, an abue and a political maneuver to destabilize the 
oposition. They called on other political forces, woen and youth 
to join hands in the fight. Opposition leaders were denied access to 
Gnonlonfoun by the Director of Porto-Novo's prison on the grounds 
that they had not obtained the required authorization from the Court 
Prosecutor prior to the visit. 
 
¶4. In August, Pro-Yayi members of Dangbo's Town Council accused 
Gonlonfoun of taking 2.640.000 FCFA ($ 5280) from the treasury, 
without the approval of Council members. Gnonlonfoun denied any 
involvement in this act, and accused the Administrative and 
Financial Officer of the Town Council, of forging his signature on a 
check to withdraw the money. Though the accused Mayor proclaimed his 
innocence, Council members referred the case to the Court of 
Porto-Novo which ordered his arrest. 
 
¶5. On September 23, the judge who heard Gnonlonfoun ruled that he 
was not competent to handle the case on the grounds that he normally 
takes care of caught-in-the act offences and ordered Gnonlonfoun's 
release. The Prosecutor of Porto-Novo kept Gnonlonfoun in prison and 
challenged the judge's decision before the Court. On October 9, the 
Court of Appeals confirmed Gnonlonfoun's detention and instructed 
the court of Porto-Novo to pursue legal action. On October 10, the 
General Prosecutor, Georges Amoussou, said on TV that the arrest of 
Gnonlonfoun was legal since he was under grave suspicion of 
embezzlement of public funds and fraud. Amoussou contended that the 
judge, who initially heard Gnonlonfoun, though not competent, should 
not have ordered his release. He noted that that in an attempt to 
correct this judicial mistake the Prosecutor had lodged an appeal to 
have Gnonlonfoun detained and to process the case. Pursuant to the 
Court of Appeals ruling, the case is referred back to the court of 
Porto-Novo where an investigating judge will pursue legal action, 
Amoussou says. He denied allegations that the government interfered 
in the judicial process for Gnonlonfoun. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Opposition group boycott events 
of the International Day of Peace 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6. Major opposition parties boycotted events coordinated by the 
government to celebrate the "Week of Peace", September 21-27, in 
Benin. On September 18, the alliance UN sent a letter to the UNDP 
Resident Representative to Benin, Nardos Bekele-Thomas, to inform 
her of the opposition's wish to boycott the week-long event that the 
government had planned to launch, in conjunction with the UNDP 
office, for the September 21 International Day of Peace. The UN 
alliance, in vitriolic language, complained about President Yayi and 
his government's repeated attempts to hinder civil liberties, good 
governance, peace and democracy. The UN alliance reproached the 
government for controlling the Constitutional Court, the Supreme 
Court, the National Assembly, and for failing to hold fair 
 
COTONOU 00000480  002 OF 002 
 
 
legislative and local elections in 2007 and 2008, respectively. 
Opposition leaders underscored that President Yayi wanted to take 
advantage of the celebration by pretending to be a champion of peace 
in front of the international community. Therefore, the UN alliance 
asked the UNDP representative to refrain from sponsoring the event. 
The events connected with the peace celebration, however, went 
forward as planned from September 21 to September 28.  No members of 
the opposition attended the events including the official closing 
ceremony for the events when "the torch of Peace" was symbolically 
handed over to President Yayi. 
 
¶7. COMMENT: Election campaigning starts early in Benin and the 
opposition's attacks on President Yayi underline their resentment of 
his perceived failure to win opposition's trust and support. Public 
demonstrations and personal attacks are likely to intensify in the 
run-up to the 2011 presidential elections and exacerbate political 
tension. END COMMENT 
 
 
BOUSTANI