A decade has passed since the violent assault on Jean Ping’s campaign base in Libreville, a pivotal and highly disputed moment of the 2016 post-electoral turmoil in Gabon.
Following the presidential ballot on August 27, 2016, which officially declared incumbent President Ali Bongo Ondimba the winner, the opposition coalition led by Jean Ping rejected the outcome. Amid escalating tensions, security forces launched a night raid on Ping’s headquarters between August 31 and September 1, 2016.
Civil society groups and witnesses report that the assault resulted in numerous deaths, injuries, arbitrary arrests, and unresolved disappearances. At the time, government officials defended the military operation, claiming they were pursuing individuals suspected of setting fire to the National Assembly who had allegedly sought refuge inside the opposition headquarters.
A decade of remembrance and demands for accountability
Marking this tenth anniversary, the civil society coalition Tournons La Page Gabon (TLP-Gabon) has renewed its calls for transparency and judicial accountability. The group points out that critical questions remain unanswered:
Who authorized the assault?
What is the precise number of casualties?
What formal investigations have been conducted?
Where are the remains of the missing victims?
TLP-Gabon maintains that genuine and lasting national reconciliation is impossible without legal clarity regarding these events. To honor those affected, they have initiated a commemorative campaign called “10 years, 10 faces” to humanize the victims.
Ten years later, families and survivors continue their quest for justice. To discuss these issues, we bring together four distinct perspectives:
- Virgilio Foumangoye, an economist and sustainable development expert.
- Marc Ona Essangui, currently serving as the fifth vice-president of the Senate and former leader of Tournons la Page Internationale.
Frédéric Samy Passalet, an author, essayist, and PhD in Francophone literature specializing in African conflict prevention. He also wrote the essay Les marionnettes de Poutine en Afrique.
- Rodolphe Chauvet, a criminal defense lawyer registered at the Paris bar, collaborating with William Bourdon on the French legal aspects of the case.
To listen to the complete discussion, click on the image above.
