PRETORIA, August 30. /TASS/. Senior military officers in Gabon, after announcing their seizure of power in the Central African nation, have pledged that all of the country’s international obligations will be honored.
"We confirm our commitment to the observance of Gabon’s obligations to the international community," they said in a statement broadcast by the Gabon 24 TV channel. "We urge residents to remain calm," the mutineers added.
Explaining their rationale for seizing the reins of power, the Gabonese officers stated that they had acted to prevent looming chaos from descending on the country. "Irresponsible, unpredictable governance, which leads to the constant worsening of social unity, is fraught with the risk of plunging the country into chaos," the military brass said. "We decided to protect peace by putting an end to the current regime. All of the republic’s institutions have been dissolved: the government, the Senate, the National Assembly, and the Constitutional Court."
A military-created structure called the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions has assumed full political authority in Gabon, although its membership has not yet been disclosed. Additionally, there is no information on the current whereabouts of Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba. His family members said that his fate was unknown, the Al Arabiya TV channel reported. The Gabonese government has not yet issued any official statements.