#Gabon: Declaration of the opposition against elections in december 2011

REPUBLIC OF GABON

Union – Travail - Justice

Libreville, Wednesday, November 2, 2011

DECLARATION OF THE OPPOSITION

Following the presidential election on December 5, 1993 whose results were given in calamitous conditions, Gabon has experienced events from December 1993 to February 1994, which almost got us into a the civil war.

Political leaders had to meet to achieve the Paris agreements of September 1994, signed in the presence of the international community whose findings were endorsed by the Gabonese people by referendum in June 1995.

These agreements have enshrined the principle of parity (majority and opposition) in the organization of elections.

This principle was taken up and enshrined in law 7 / 96 of 12 March 1996 on the Electoral Code, which led to the establishment of the National Electoral Commission (NEC or CNE), a joint structure (majority and opposition) for electoral management.

The same principle was reaffirmed by the ARAMBO agreements in 2006, with the existence of two political camps: that of the party in power and that of the Opposition.

This is the end of the political agreements that gave birth to the National Autonomous and Permanent Electoral Commission (NAPEC or CENAP) which, in its foundation, was devoted to the sharing of intelligence from both political camps (majority and opposition), to end hazardous election aftermaths.

Ordinance No. 009/PR/2011 of August 14, 2011 is changing the joint functioning of the CENAP accordance with the law and its principles, giving free hand to the party in power during the elections.

The gabonese opposition immediately attacked the actions of the new CENAP due to violation of Article 52 of the Constitution.

The opposition will also soon attack the bottom lines of the Ordinance.

The party in power, in order to get out of this situation came to make his own opposition to create confusion among the people of Gabon and the international community.

This is actually the parties which have just been legalized or are going through the process of legalization.

However, from the ten signatory parties of the so-called Coalition of the Democratic Party of the Opposition (CPDRO), we may note that the UNAF (National Union of Blacksmiths/Union Nationale des Forgerons) no longer has legal existence from its absorption by the PDG (in power), together with the MCD and the PUP during the so-called Congress of Refoundation.

The remaining nine members are part of that nebula, or have applied to join the political group in power.

We may note that this set of parties even positionned themselves to the Centre of the political spectrum on October 12, 2011 during a meeting with the Prime Minister office.

This is a clear political fraud unworthy of the party in power which the Gabonese opposition denounces. This party in power is trying somehow to justify the validity of the coming legislative elections which preparations are now done in antidemocratic conditions, hence challenging the political consensus approved by the sovereign people (of Gabon) more than fifteen years ago in accordance with Article 3 of the Constitution.

This "emerging power" that prevails to be defender of the Constitution is, in fact, the biggest gravedigger.

The Gabonese opposition is therefore to take as witnesses the Gabonese people and the international community dealing with the authoritarian excesses of people in power.

The Gabonese people must, in accordance with paragraph 21 of Article 1 of the Constitution, defend the gains:

-From the National Conference;

-Form Agreements of Paris;

-From the Referendum of 15 June 1995;

-From Agreements of Arambo.

Because every citizen has the duty to defend the homeland, protect and uphold the Constitution, laws and regulations of the Republic.

In consequence of this, the Gabonese opposition and civil society argue that:

-Considering that Gabon has made the choice of pluralist democracy, which leads to the designation of political leaders in contested, free, fair, transparent and credible elections; that despite its reaffirmation by the National Conference of March-April 1990, this goal was never reached because of the obstinacy of people in power to oppose the change of government and to maintain at all costs to power through fraud;

-Considering that, under this prism, the country's population has been swollen for the sake of the cause to the point where the number of the last census does not receive the assent of all competent authorities, that the electoral roll is affected both number of voters is not compatible with the age of the population, nor consistent with international standards adopted by the United Nations;

-Considering that the voters list, a support for any election, is not reliable, because poorly maintained by the administration as shown by multiple registrations, fake voters, and irregular radiations; that it is constantly denounced as such by candidates, political parties and the Constitutional Court; it gives rise to most of the electoral disputes;

-Considering that the Gabonese opposition has always offered solutions to improve this fundamental aspect of governance in our country, calling at major political consultations, parliament or whenever necessary, the flattening of the electoral roll which voters list is the major component. The introduction of biometric data in the election file would better identify voters.

-Considering therefore that the obstinacy of the "emerging power" to hold elections reflects its desire to secure a majority won by fraud, the opposition of Gabon has decided to prevent about the serious consequences that such stubbornness may have by informing the diplomatic missions and international organizations;

-Considering that the attitude of the "emerging power" since its inception has been to perpetuate the practice of capturing the political power to ensure its permanence in power through electoral fraud;

-Considering that the choice made by the Opposition Gabonese to prevent the holding of elections in present conditions is the best way to end the manipulation of the election;

-Recognizing this failure so-well known in our country to hold polls in optimum, calm and sincere conditions;

-The opposition of Gabon is saying precisely that his action should not be confused in any way with empty chair politics because we believes that the chair is empty when he who is destined to occupy it is absent; there is also absence when presence is useless, when it can not in any way influence the course of events unfolding before his eyes. This is exactly the case of the Opposition in the National Assembly today.

Consequently Gabonese opposition and civil society solemnly call the Gabonese people to oppose and prevent the organization of elections on December 17, 2011.

As a result, those who decide to go anyway in this election exclude themselves from the group that we form and the political struggle we are waging for the alternation in Gabon.

At today's date, the Gabonese People must know that the following political parties will not take part in upcoming elections:

-ACR: Union of Gabonese People (UPG) Gabonese Socialist Party (PSG);

Omega Circle

Party (BCP), National Rally of Woodcutters (RNB).

-CPPA: Congress for Democracy and Justice (CDJ), National Recovery Movement (MORENA); National Recovery Unionist Movement (MORENA Union); Gabonese Progress Party (PGP), Union Nationale (UN); Republican Union for Democracy and Progress (UDRP).

-FSG: African Forum for Reconstruction (FAR); Socialist People's Emancipation Movement (MESP).

-APPO: United Patriotic Forces (FPU)