Statement/Ivorian crisis – Ghana aligns with the ECOWAS' decision

Le Patriote  –
The Government of the Republic of Ghana is closely following the recent
evolution of the political and security situation which stemmed from the second
round of the presidential polls held on 28 November 2010 in Côte d'Ivoire. In
fact, the Government is closely following the efforts of the AU, ECOWAS and the
international community, especially the statement of the Peace and Security
Council of the African Union acknowledging Alassane Ouattara as the elected
President. The Ghanaian government reiterates therefore its support for the
position of the African Union which in accordance with that of the ECOWAS and
the United Nations respects the integrity of the Ivorian electoral process. As
an influential member of ECOWAS and the AU, Ghana is still closely following the
Ivorian peace process and aligns with the collective decision of the ECOWAS and
the African Union. (...)

 

The AU's High
Representative gives up

L'Inter  –
The AU's High Representative for Côte d'Ivoire, the former Cape-Verdean Minister
of Foreign Affairs, José Brito, who was appointed on Saturday 26 March, was
immediately rejected by Alassane Ouattara, who said the new mediator was "a
friend" to his rival Laurent Gbagbo. Questioned on Monday 28 March 2011 by Radio
France Internationale (RFI), José Brito said the AU could be searching for a new
negotiator in this crisis if a camp continues to reject him. "We are now waiting
for the discussions to know whether it is possible to find a new mediator who is
accepted by both parties. (...) According to Nicolas Sarkozy, "this decision is
not in accordance with the will to appoint a former head of state for this
function". For the Cape-Verdean, that could be a perspective but the choice of a
person who knows Laurent Gbagbo well could facilitate things in the resolution
of the crisis.
(...)

 

The HCR office
in Tabou closed

Agence
Ivoirienne de Press (AIP)
– The office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) in Tabou
(south-west, Bas-Sassandra region) has closed its doors for security reasons.
The personnel left the town leaving the premises under the surveillance of
security men.
(...)

 

Toulépleu – ICRC
gives emergency aid to a devastated town

Le Patriote  –
The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Cross of Côte d'Ivoire
have just implemented an emergency aid to assist the residents of Toulépleu, a
town located in the west of Côte d'Ivoire and victim of the armed conflict.
While it had 40,000 to 50,000 inhabitants before the fights, only some 3000
persons stayed in the town or in the surrounding area. The other went to the
surrounding area and Liberia. "The families in the zone of Toulépleu do not have
food, water, electricity and do not have access to health cares. The town is
devastated, no house was spared and the hospital has been abandoned, says
Dominique Liengme, the Chief of the CICR delegation in Abidjan". The CICR and
the Red Cross of Côte d'Ivoire are preparing a health centre to give emergency
cares before the reopening of the hospital. Fifteen tones of rice, five tones of
white beans, 2,500 litres of oil and iodined salt are being convoyed to be
distributed to the families in Toulépleu.
(...)

 

Gilles Yabi
(International Crisis Group): "The UN should protect civilians in Côte d'Ivoire"

Le Patriote  –
RFI: The AU has given its position once again on the
legitimacy of Alassane Ouattara as the President of Côte d'Ivoire, a position
reiterated on Thursday 24 March by ECOWAS. Do you still believe that Laurent
Gbagbo can accept to transfer power?

GY:
I think we should give him another chance. The African Union decided to appoint
a high representative who will be in charge of initiating dialogue between the
Ivorian parties. He should be able to propose once again a peaceful withdrawal
of Laurent Gbagbo may be with guarantees for his security. But for me and the
ICG organization, the chances of Laurent Gbagbo accepting an ultimate
proposition are limited. (...)

RFI: If Laurent
Gbagbo maintains his position, what are the solutions to the crisis?

GY:
(...) negotiations should be accompanied with a security and military strategy
which should involve new measures, especially for the United Nations Operation
in Côte d'Ivoire. [...]

RFI: We are
almost back to the situation of September 2002; at the beginning of the
rebellion of the Forces Nouvelles... is that not a failure of the international
community, the UN?

GY:
(...) this is a failure for all the Ivorian actors involved in the attempts to
resolve this crisis. (...) But let us recall that since 2002, many peace
agreements have been signed (...) and this brought about a quiet period (...)

 

Cote
d'ivoire : UN  investigates documents leak

Abidjan.net –

The UN is investigating a leak of documents which were seemingly
transmitted to the forces of incumbent Laurent Gbagbo in Côte d'Ivoire, said the
UN leadership on Monday. According to the Wall Street Journal, the leaking of
documents could have led to the kidnapping of two employees of the UN in
February. The newspaper also said that the documents contained details on the
use of helicopters by the UN peacekeeping forces. "An investigation is being
conducted and we do it seriously", said the UN's spokesperson, Martin Nesirky.
(...) According to the same editorial, local employees of the UN are suspected of
having given details on three armed helicopters MI-24 of the United Nations to
the pro-Gbagbo military forces. (...)

 

The FN increase
attacks

L'Inter  –
[...] According to a military source, Guillaume Soro's soldiers attacked the town
of Duekoué at 5 am. They attacked several positions of the Defence and Security
Forces (FDS) loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, the elected President who was invested by
the Constitutional Council. Simultaneously the FN soldiers attacked three
points. (...) Our positions have been attacked by rebels at 5 am (local and GMT)
on the base situated at the west entrance of Duekoué. They were firing
everywhere; we had the feeling that we have been encircled; (...) the locality of
Bédiala near Daloa (...) also experienced clashes yesterday. But the FN combatants
said they had the control of this locality (...).

 

Duekoué
controlled by the FRCI – The pro-Gbagbo forces takes flight

Nord-Sud  –
The Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire is successfully continuing its fight to
provide security to the west of the country. (...) "Our forces have entirely
encircled the town which is under our control. For the time being our soldiers
are checking the town that we will pacify today », said the communication
officer of the tactic group 1, Mara Laciné.  (...) I also saw FDS elements in two
military cargos going toward Guiglo at top speed and I think they are taking
flight", says GM, a resident of Duekoué.
(...)

 

The Prefect of
Daloa took flight

Nord-Sud  –
The FRCI elements are seemingly near Daloa and Bondoukou. They have already
taken the military training centre in Torogué near Daloa. And the Prefect, D.
Lohori yesterday took flight.

 

Clashes with
their colleagues of the ex-FAFN – ex-FDS refuse to support imposture

Le Patriote  –
The division of the army is ongoing. After Blolequin, Duekoué was about to be
controlled by the Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire. (...) Beyond this new
military progress of the FRCI, the attitude of the FDS in Duekoué shows that the
soldiers are aware of the change of the legitimate camp. The ex-FDS know today
that being killed for Laurent Gbagbo is a useless sacrifice.
(...)

 

Abobo/between
bombardments and humanitarian crisis – population between anguish and
destitution

Le Patriote  –
Shops are closed, streets are empty. Places that were full in the past are like
cemeteries. (...) between shelling and automatic arms, the inhabitants still
present in the municipality prefer staying home. (...) An inhabitant of the
municipality, Fofana Adama, deplores this unfortunate new habit. "From morning
to evening, everyday, it is the same. We just hear shots, every sort of arms and
this is a pity". (...)