Editorial: Atrocity casts pall over event

Terror has been a topic constantly in the global news over the last decade, but reports about it have usually involved the United States and the so-called "war on terror" being fought mainly in Iraq and Afghanistan.

There was a time, a couple of decades ago, when reports of terrorist attacks often meant Africa was in the news again, but that has not been the case so much in the recent past, despite ongoing unrest and strife in some African nations.

That changed at the weekend when the national soccer team from the West African nation of Togo came under attack en route to the African Nations Cup in Angola. The word terrorism doesn't appear to have reared its head yet in reports of the incident, which saw at least two people killed when separatist rebels in the Angolan enclave of Cabinda opened fire in an attack that reports say lasted anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes.

And yet how can this be anything other than terrorism? The rebels chose a prominent target – it's hard to believe the Togo team, which includes high profile Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor, were just randomly selected – and opened fire. Whatever the political point you're trying to make, spraying people with bullets in such a fashion surely constitutes terrorism, and it's shocking that a sporting event should have fallen victim to such an act.

To be fair, one really has to question the wisdom of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in scheduling games in Cabinda when it is, effectively, in a state of civil war. Togo's first match of the tournament, against Ghana, is set to be played in Cabinda.

Reports say responsibility for the attack has been claimed by the FLEC/PM separatist group, which is embroiled in a struggle for independence in the oil-rich territory. The group has warned the attack was "only the start of a series of targeted actions".

That is hardly the background against which a major international event like the African Nations Cup should be scheduled. Angola is a country that has endured decades of conflict and playing the tournament there should be a huge honour and a vote of confidence in the rebuilding that has taken place in recent years.

But tournament organisers have surely dropped the ball in scheduling matches in an area plagued by unrest. Indeed, the attack places a question mark over Angola hosting the event at all.

Last night it was reported that, despite losing its assistant coach and squad spokesman in the atrocity, the Togolese team had reversed an earlier decision to withdraw. The damage has been done, though, and the tournament will forever be remembered for this attack. Hopefully the rest of the event can proceed safely.

- © Fairfax NZ News