[allAfrica.com]  [Africa_2003]


AU Explores Military Option in Sao Tome; Nigeria vows to restore democracy

This Day (Lagos)
NEWS
July 18, 2003
Posted to the web July 18, 2003

By Josephine Lohor
Abuja And Paul Ohia in Lagos With Agency Report
Chairman of the African Union (AU), President Joachim Chissano, yesterday flew
into Abuja to hold talks with President Olusegun Obasanjo on possible military
intervention in Sao Tome and Principe where elected President Frederique De
Menezes was toppled on Wednesday.
But news of the growing condemnation against the putsch across Africa and other
parts of the world is making the coup leaders uncomfortable as they have
started making desperate pronouncements aimed at securing legitimacy.
Chissano who spoke at the final rite ceremony organised by the Federal
Government in memory of the late Leon Sullivan at the Eagle Square, Abuja, said
the coup d'etat is unacceptable.
Chissano emphasised that the position of the African continent as enshrined in
the AU charter on the means of changing government will be upheld at all times.
Also speaking on the issue, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while receiving the
Nigerien Ambassador to Nigeria, El Hadji Ibrahim, at the State House said the
government will restore democracy in the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.
Manezes had earlier on in Abuja appealed for help to regain control of the
thickly forested mountainous islands.
"I want the international community to put democratic order back in the country
without bloodshed and to make the military understand that they are there to
defend the institution of democratically elected government," he said.
The deposed president added that "it's because of oil that they want to take
over power."
The United States, France, Portugal, Sao Tome's former colonial master, and the
United Nations have joined the list of countries which have condemned the
putsch.
The first sign of fright by the coupists manifested when the soldiers who
seized power with a flurry of gunshots on Wednesday urged residents to return
to work and pledged to hold elections, against the backdrop of a chorus of
international condemnation for their action.
The coup injected fresh instability into an oil-producing region off West
Africa, poised to become an increasingly important supplier to the United
States as it attempts to reduce its dependence on Middle Eastern supplies.
Nigeria, the world's eighth biggest oil exporter, had an agreement with the
toppled government to jointly exploit possibly huge oil reserves straddling
their maritime border.
Coup leader Major Fernando Pereira promised to set up a governing council to
usher the country of 170,000 people toward elections, though he gave no further
details.
"I want to use this opportunity to tell Sao Tome that tomorrow everything will
return to normal, public officers will be working, people should move around
freely without any problems," he said on state radio late on Wednesday.
Pereira said he wanted to form a transitional government and combat poverty on
the islands, a treasure trove of jungle wildlife and a popular haunt of big
game fishermen hoping to land record sailfish and marlin.
Life appeared to be returning to normal in Sao Tome yesterday, with residents
reporting that traffic was moving freely and businesses re-opening.
Islanders waited yesterday for word on the fate of ministers detained by the
coup leaders, including Prime Minister Maria das Neves and Public Works
Minister, Joaquim Rafael Branco, responsible for oil reserves.

   

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