Implementation of the reparations programme / Mrs Awa Nana Daboya concludes the information and exchange tour in Bè
The tour initiated by HCRRUN to raise awareness about the reparations programme came to an end on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, at the Bè Community Centre in Lomé, with a final meeting bringing together women’s groups, trade unions, youth representatives, religious leaders, and political parties.
The session once again provided an opportunity for the President of HCRRUN, Mrs. Awa Nana-Daboya, and her delegation to explain the reparations programme, with particular emphasis on the compensation process and the imperative need to move forward on the path of forgiveness.
The question-and-answer session was one of the most engaging since the beginning of the tour, as painful memories resurfaced in the Bè neighbourhood, which has experienced recurrent episodes of violence. One participant stated: “Forgiveness, yes, but we must be shown those who made us endure this suffering, and they must come and ask for forgiveness. Only then can we speak of forgiveness and reconciliation.”
Other concerns raised during the discussions included the possibility of submitting new testimonies, land-related issues, the repatriation of the remains of Sylvanus Olympio, the first President of Togo, and compensation for victims of events that occurred prior to 2005.
The President of HCRRUN and the institution’s resource persons, together with the President of the Special Delegation, Mr. Fogan Adégnon, in his capacity as a native of Bè, used tact, words of compassion, and, above all, a message of forgiveness to ease the tensions and resentment expressed by participants during the meeting.
This meeting thus marked the conclusion of this phase of awareness-raising and information on the reparations programme. The next steps are now purification and the effective implementation of the compensation process.
