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| Côte d’Ivoire |
The situation in Côte d’Ivoire “calls for constant vigilance”, Pierre Schori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Chief of Mission of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), said in a briefing on 13 October 2005. “There is too much anxiety and fear in the air and too many Kalashnikovs in the streets. Rampant insecurity seems to be the order of the day.”
The Security Council in 2004, having determined that the situation in Côte d’Ivoire continued to pose a threat to international peace and security in the region and acting under Chapter VII, decided to establish UNOCI for an initial period of twelve months starting 4 April 2004. The mandate has been extended until 7 January 2006.
Côte d’Ivoire was plunged into a protracted power struggle following the death of President Houphouet-Boigny in December 1993, which generated intense political instability that culminated in the 1999 coup d’etat, led by General Robert Guei. In October 2000, a heated dispute over the outcome of the presidential elections resulted in violent clashes between partisans of General Guei and Laurent Gbagbo, who was subsequently declared the winner by the Supreme Court.
Regrettably, encouraging steps towards national reconciliation and reducing tensions in the country were disrupted in September 2002 by an attempted coup and violent clashes with rebel groups, among them was Forces Nouvelles.
In January 2003, with the creation of the Government of National Reconciliation through the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, signed by all Ivorian political forces, a ceasefire took effect on 3 May 2003. Then the Accra III Agreement was adopted and went into effect on 30 July 2004 to resolve some disputed sections of the French-brokered Linas-Marcoussis Agreement. Unfortunately, the ceasefire and a series of accords have failed to end the conflict and the increasing human rights violations throughout the country.
Serious violations of fundamental human rights of the Ivorians are “both a cause and a consequence of the political and military crisis”, Mr. Schori said. There have been numerous human rights violations “committed with increasing frequency” by nearly all parties involved, including the government-controlled Defense and Security Forces and Forces Nouvelles. “The lack of rule of law has taken root”, he said, adding that the perpetrators have so far enjoyed “nearly total impunity” for the gross human rights violations that they inflict upon a “defenseless population”. He continued to say that these perpetrators are, in fact, often protected by government military forces and associated militias, and even those human rights offenders who were apprehended are “released without further action” by authorities.
Following the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, it was decided to hold elections on 30 October 2005, with the support of the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) and other international partners. However, due to the continuing conflicts and instability in the region, the elections have been postponed. Said Djinnit, Commissioner of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, said that in the interim that is not to exceed twelve months, President Gbagbo would remain Head of State.
Oluyemi Adeniji, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and Chairman of African Union’s Executive Council, said that more troops were needed, stating that the current authorized troop level of 7,090 was “too low to meet the expected challenges and achieve credible disarmament”. He also called attention to the request for the Security Council to consider a “substantial increase of the strength of UNOCI”, which was particularly relevant in “a period envisaged to witness increased activities linked to disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, disbanding of militias and their disarmament and, not least, the conduct of elections”. And according to Special Representative Schori, internal change is greatly needed, in addition to increased external help. Leaders in Côte d’Ivoire must “bury their deep-rooted mutual distrust and suspicion”, he added, which is an enormous impediment for progress within the country.
Once again, “Côte d’Ivoire finds itself at a crossroad, with daunting challenges lying ahead”, Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated in his sixth progress report on UNOCI. He called on Ivorian leaders to “overcome the continuing legacy of mistrust and engage in a genuine sustained dialogue”.
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