When four West African neighbours were drawn to play in group “B” of the African Cup of Nations in the enclave of Cabinda, pundits named it the “group of death”. But they were far from imagining that someone will die from gun-shot wounds two days before the kick-off of the tournament.
Although there are conflicting reports of the death toll in the Togolese delegation, it is now known that an two members of the Togolese delegation were killed following an assault on the coach transporting. [NB: update after initial reports that Angolan driver died from gun-shot wounds were denied]
No. The group of death referred to football rivalry. Now, it means real death.
“We were machine-gunned, like dogs,” a Togo player, Thomas Dossevi, said. “At the border with Angola – machine-gunned! I don’t know why. I thought it was some rebels. We were under the seats of the bus for 20 minutes, trying to get away from the bullets,” he said in a phone-in to French radio RMC and Infosport TV channel.
“We just want to go home” midfielder Alaixys Romao told French television channel InfoSport. A hint that Togo might want to pull out of the continent’s biggest sport event.
The 27th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been presented as the event to showcase Angola’s rise from the ashes of 30 years of civil war to a peaceful, united, oil-rich country (see video below).
An Angola that can construct massive world-standard stadia and host tourists from around the World. A proof that Africa is changing from the continent of war to a beacon of achievement.
“We regret that it’s the bus from Togo that was targeted,” Rodrigues Mingas, the Secretary General of FLEC/military wing told Infosport in a telephone interview.
“We did not deliberately fire on a bus of players. It would have just as well have been the Ivorians’ bus, the bus from anyone … We are at war, all shots are allowed. Angola wants the world to believe that there is an effective peace in Cabinda, But there is no peace… And we had warned CAF,” he said.
The oil-rich province of Cabinda which lies between DR Congo (Kinshasha) and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) is cut off from the rest of Angola. It has been in turmoil for years as FLEC rebels fought for the region’s independence. From the official Angolan perspective the rebellion laid down arms in 2006.
Critics had asked why the Confederation of African Football (CAF) should hand the organisation of such a top class tournament to a country just out of war and accept that a hot-bed like Cabinda should be a host region.
Angola had dismissed these worries and opted to host a group in this enclave to prove to the world that everything was alright. How they turn things around now will be a real herculian feat.
Are top European clubs going to accept that their huge stars stay in Cabinda under such conditions? They already dislike the AFCON for taking their players during the European season. Their hearts should be skipping at the thought gun attacks on their stars like Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast), Michael Essien (Ghana) and Manchester City’s multi-million purchase Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo) – all based is Cabinda.
Are the football associations of Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana and especially Togo ready to risk leading their young men and officials into any potential ambush?
What next?
French television has already quoted new Manchester City midfielder, Patrick Vierra as saying that “if the attack leads to the death of any player the competition should be called-off”.
What would Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Moumouni Dagano or Kanu Nwanko say?
Will he cancel the tournament as some personalities are advising? How would that go down to the investors who have staked their economies on the competition? Are the millions of Angolans and their Government going to stand such a decision?
A middle of the road solution would be to allow the Togolese to withdraw from the competition (given the shock), pull-out of Cabinda and ensure that the group B games are played in Luanda or elswhere. As simple as it sounds, such a switch entails a complete overhaul of the organisation only three days to the first games in Group “B” that were supposed to take place on Monday 11 January.
Many questions still need to be answered. Why in this day and age were the Togolese traveling by road in the bush from Congo-Brazzaville to Cabinda (Angola)? It seems the “touristic initiative” to drive into Angola was planned by authorities given that there was an Angolan security escort and even a TV crew.
Why did CAF not advise against such a move? Reports suggest that they were unaware – but how? How could they be unaware while Angolan authorities were organising welcome convoys?
Africa Again…
Death has struck. Another African party has turned sour. Africa didn’t need this as it embarked on a re-branding effort through football with the hosting of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa next June.
Frenchman Henri Stambouli, a former Togo coach, speaking as “an expert on Africa” told Infosport that he was expecting such an event to rather happen in South Africa. A statement which got the presenter all worried saying “that is not reasurring” for the World Cup.
Africa is not ready for anything yet even the world cup tournament. A people who are not free from the hands of brutal corrupt tyrannic dictators will also continue to pose security threats to others. Africa dictators should take full responsibility of situations like this. I agree with with Henry Stambouli that such an incidence is expected in S.Africa. The dust is not yet settled when S.Africans unleached a series of deadly attacks on foreigners in that country due to anger spurred by neglegence from a Mbeki government which has been supporting a dictator in next door Zimbabwe to kill its own people and drive them into S.Africa which eventually angered the jobless, hungry, diseases ravaged S.Africans to attack all foreigners.
Until African dictators realized what their brutality and corruption is causing Africa, it will be difficulrt to guarantee any peace and security and prosperity on that dark Continent. I weep for my Sunshine continent.
My questions for this is why were they using a bus. you will agree with me that anyone will finds it risky to cross boarders from one country to another throught a bus. why did they not see the risk in it.
I will blame the Togo team and their gorvenment for allowing them use the bus as a mains of transportation accross boarders. I don’t think it was so expensive to fly the players that the country could not manage.
The whole world is not save so they sould not just blame on Africa, Angola or anyone but take blame on themselves for not taking resposibilities and safety by using a bus.
The african cup should go on and there will be safety.
[...] death”: ‘The group of death referred to football rivalry. Now, it means real death,” writes George Fominyen following the attack on the Togolese national team. Cancel this [...]
[...] blogger George Fominyen discusses the incident in a post titled “Death in the Africa Cup's group of death”: When four West African neighbours were drawn to play in group “B” of the African Cup of [...]
what a terrible situation. All i can say is Africa, oh!! Africa.God hepl us.
Africa is not ready for anything yet even the world cup tournament. A people who are not free from the hands of brutal corrupt tyrannic dictators will also continue to pose security threats to others. Africa dictators should take full responsibility of situations like this. I agree with with Henry Stambouli that such an incidence is expected in S.Africa. The dust is not yet settled when S.Africans unleached a series of deadly attacks on foreigners in that country due to anger spurred by neglegence from a Mbeki government which has been supporting a dictator in next door Zimbabwe to kill its own people and drive them into S.Africa which eventually angered the jobless, hungry, diseases ravaged S.Africans to attack all foreigners.
Until African dictators realized what their brutality and corruption is causing Africa, it will be difficulrt to guarantee any peace and security and prosperity on that dark Continent. I weep for my Sunshine continent.
My questions for this is why were they using a bus. you will agree with me that anyone will finds it risky to cross boarders from one country to another throught a bus. why did they not see the risk in it.
I will blame the Togo team and their gorvenment for allowing them use the bus as a mains of transportation accross boarders. I don’t think it was so expensive to fly the players that the country could not manage.
The whole world is not save so they sould not just blame on Africa, Angola or anyone but take blame on themselves for not taking resposibilities and safety by using a bus.
The african cup should go on and there will be safety.
Hi – I am trying to find out – what is teh predominant language in Cabinda? Is it French or Portuguese?