IVORY COAST

Former rebels have integrated into the national army. But they still control unlicensed gold mines and stockpiles of weapons Why gold threatens ’s peace

BY JOE BAVIER

SPECIAL REPORT 1 IVORY COAST GOLD AND POLITICS

GAMINA, IVORY COAST, MAY 7, 2015

estled among the cocoa plantations of western Ivory Coast is a gold Nmine that does not feature on any official maps. It is not run by an industrial mining company, nor does it pay taxes to the central government. The unlicensed mine is a key part of a lucrative business empire headed by the deputy commander of the West African nation’s elite Republican Guard, United Nations investigators allege. He is one of the principal players in a network of senior of- ficers – former rebel commanders who have integrated into the Ivorian army – that has seized control of mines that generate tens of millions of dollars a year, and that engages in illegal taxation, smuggling and racketeering, they say. Interviews with more than two dozen military insiders, diplomats, U.N. officials, REBEL PAST: Issiaka Ouattara outside his residence in the then rebel stronghold of Bouake in local authorities, analysts and miners also February 2010. Ouattara, known widely by his nom de guerre “Wattao” allegedly still controls gold reveal that the network of former rebels mines and weapons. On the cover: Prospectors search for gold at the sprawling mine at Gamina in continues to maintain loyalist fighters un- western Ivory Coast in March 2015. REUTERS/LUC GNAGO (2) der their exclusive control. A confidential U.N. arms inventory, reviewed by Reuters, “THE ONLY WORK THERE IS” showed that one former rebel commander These are pure lies ... I’ve possesses enough weapons – from surface- A hundred metres or so beyond a check- never been involved in gold. to-air missiles to millions of rounds of am- point manned by armed former rebel fight- munition – to outgun the Ivorian army. ers outside the village of Gamina, a deep Issiaka Ouattara A senior Ivorian army officer said that trench runs through what used to be rice Former rebel leader and now the network represents a parallel force fields. Thousands of men hack through the Lieutenant-Colonel in Republican Guard within the military that threatens the sta- earth and rock with picks and chisels as a bility of the country, which has emerged handful of soldiers look on from above. “This is the only work there is,” beamed from a 2011 civil war as one of Africa’s fast- Two years ago a rubber farmer here Adama Bamba, a 26-year-old mud-caked est growing economies. struck a vein of gold ore. Today, a sprawl- miner. “It’s a dog’s life under the cocoa Elections in October are expected to ing system of pits, trenches and under- trees.” return President Alassane Ouattara for a ground tunnels covers some 180 hectares The mining is backbreaking and danger- second and final term. But some former (445 acres). The mine employs nearly ous. Miners and local villagers told Reuters rebel commanders are loyal to rival political 16,000 workers and produces gold worth that dozens of bodies, victims of regular figures. As politicians position themselves nearly $97 million a year, according to U.N. cave-ins, are buried in unmarked graves be- to follow Ouattara, they risk dragging the investigators. neath nearby coffee trees. Others have been country back into turmoil. Labourers have flooded in and say that, left in the rubble at the bottom of the pits, “I don’t know how we’re going to sort with luck, they can make up to 250,000 some of which cut down 60 metres into the this out,” said the senior army officer. “They CFA francs ($430) in a few weeks, about earth. (the former rebel commanders) are com- what they would earn in a season working A U.N. expert panel charged with pletely out of our control.” on a cocoa plantation. monitoring an arms embargo imposed on

SPECIAL REPORT 2 IVORY COAST GOLD AND POLITICS

Ivory Coast by the Security Council, as control of gold and diamond mines, smug- well as military sources at the mine and gling cocoa, cotton and cashews, and levy- within the Ivorian army, say the Gamina $100 million ing illegal taxes on trade and transport. mine is controlled by Lieutenant-Colonel The U.N. monitors estimate that min- Estimated annual production of Issiaka Ouattara (no relation to President ers at Gamina dig up as much as 11.5 kg Ouattara). Issiaka Ouattara is a former gold at Gamina mine (25 lb) of gold a day. That “would account rebel leader who is now the deputy com- for 13.8 percent of the country’s annual mander of the Republican Guard and a Source: United Nations official (gold) production,” the monitors man known ubiquitously by his three-syl- wrote in their latest report published last lable nom de guerre: Wattao. month. Using a conservative gold price of A Reuters reporter witnessed soldiers $1,210 per ounce, they estimated the value loyal to Wattao in control of the mine and of Gamina’s annual output at $96.8 million. overseeing the miners. Those soldiers were Ivory Coast officially produces less than also present inside the “comptoirs,” or offic- half as much gold as neighbouring es where the miners sell the gold they find. and about a fifth as much as Ghana. But One of the soldiers based at the mine the government is keen to boost the min- told Reuters that he was an ex-rebel who ing industry. had gone through a donor-backed disar- “PIECE OF THE CAKE” mament programme but returned to his old unit. He said other soldiers in Gamina Small-scale artisanal miners told Reuters had done the same or were still waiting to the local “comptoirs” pay 14,000 CFA go through the programme. He named his francs per gram – or just $740 per ounce – two commanders and said those officers around 60 percent of the current gold price. answered to Wattao. A senior army officer Ex-rebels and security guards employed familiar with the operation confirmed to by the buyers search miners to ensure they Reuters that Wattao controlled local fight- do not sneak ore off-site, one soldier at the ers and the mine. mine said. Wattao denies any involvement in the The main buyers all sell their gold ex- mining operation or the existence of a clusively to Wattao and three partners, the private force of loyalist fighters. “These U.N. investigators allege. Two other sourc- are pure lies ... I’ve never been involved INCUMBENT: Ivory Coast President Alassane es, who have either worked in the mine or in gold,” he told Reuters by telephone in Ouattara, here during his inauguration ceremony are familiar with its operations, confirmed April. “They’re looking to find some false in May 2011, will run for re-election in October. the system to Reuters. The partners are problem at all costs in order to put Wattao REUTERS/LUC GNAGO “highly visible political figures involved in under sanctions.” the current Ivorian administration and the past administration of ,” the “COM’ZONES” com’zone. The com’zones – Wattao was one U.N. report said, declining to give their A corporal in the army in 1999, the first – were responsible for security and collect- names due to mandate restrictions. year of Ivory Coast’s 12-year-long politi- ing revenues that were funnelled to a trea- Early last year, a buyer not affiliated with cal crisis, Wattao rose to become one of the sury known as “La Centrale.” Wattao or his partners sought to set up a most powerful commanders in the New La Centrale was dissolved after the end rival office to buy gold at a higher price. Forces, a rebel movement headed by a for- of the civil war in 2011 and the command- He was killed soon after, according to the mer student leader named . ers integrated into the army. investigators. During the New Forces’ nine-year oc- But according to a 2013 report by the Wattao denied any involvement. “I’ve cupation of the north, which effectively U.N. investigators, some of the former never had elements over there,” he told split the country in two, the rebels divided com’zones took advantage of their integra- Reuters. their territory into multiple zones. Each tion to extend “their warlord-style preda- Mines Minister Jean-Claude Brou de- was headed by a commander known as a tory economic activities,” including the clined Reuters’ requests for comment, but

SPECIAL REPORT 3 IVORY COAST GOLD AND POLITICS

he has previously said that no artisanal mining permits are currently valid in Ivory Return to the ballot box Coast. A senior ministry official confirmed this and the head of one of the “comptoirs” Few Ivorian officials and diplomats expect as Wattao. told Reuters that he and other buyers had major violence before a presidential election Ouattara is constitutionally limited to applied for, but not received, semi-indus- in October. two terms and will not be allowed to seek trial mining permits to work the Gamina President Alassane Ouattara has the re-election in 2020. mine. backing of his main coalition partner, the One of the two main contenders to take A villager who until recently collected Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI). His over from him is Guillaume Soro, who was taxes for the local council from the myriad former rival , whose refusal the main rebel leader and now serves as businesses that have grown up around the to accept defeat in a 2010 election sparked a speaker of parliament. The other is Hamed mine said: “The (local and regional) au- war that Ouattara won with the backing of a Bakayoko, the powerful interior minister and thorities know what’s going on, but they rebel force, now faces trial for crimes against a close ally of the president. keep quiet, because every two weeks they humanity before the International Criminal Bakayoko is already taking steps to get their piece of the cake.” Court. Gbagbo’s old party, the Ivorian counter Soro’s influence within the army, Reuters reviewed copies of contracts Popular Front (FPI), is deeply divided. according to Rinaldo Depagne, West Africa between some of the buying offices and Following years of delays, Ouattara is project director at International Crisis Group, landowners and tenants. The contracts list pushing ambitious plans to disarm and a think tank and pressure group. “Hamed fees paid to landowners, farmers, village demobilise some 74,000 ex-combatants Bakayoko has taken total control of the authorities and the local and regional gov- by the end of June. The authorities say the police and has a very strong relationship with ernments for every gram of gold mined. process is on track. the intelligence chief ... He feels the need for One buying office also agreed to build an Combatants are supposed to hand in a a force of his own,” he said. office and new residence for the local sub- working weapon or ammunition to qualify The former rebels have entrenched their prefect, according to documents and village for the scheme. But the programme’s positions in the army, making the status quo authorities. own numbers show that up to November, difficult for President Ouattara and civilian The sub-prefect, Marcel Goue, denied 44,493 former combatants had entered the authorities to reverse. any wrongdoing and said the involvement programme while just 6,050 functioning “The things that are going to be of local authorities had improved the situ- guns had been collected. Diplomats and problematic in the next five years should ation. “We’re fighting to clean up the site,” analysts say thousands of fighters have have been dealt with in 2011, or 2012 at the he said. skipped the process while former rebel latest,” said one -based Western The U.N. investigators estimate that leaders have been allowed to influence who diplomat. “The can got kicked down the in addition to Wattao’s gold earnings, he is processed. road, because if you push too hard it blows makes more than $1.7 million a year charg- “You have to know someone,” said one up and you go back to the crisis years. ing the agents in the “comptoirs” fees for ex-rebel, who completed the disarmament Nobody wants that.” the security he provides around the mine. process only to go straight back into a force Based on annual production and the secu- controlled by the former rebel leader known Reported by Joe Bavier rity fee per gram printed in the contracts, that’s enough to pay the salaries of some PAST IMPERFECT: Ivory Coast’s 500 fighters, the investigators estimate. Laurent Gbagbo and his wife Simone sit in an Abidjan hotel SECRET ARSENAL room after they were arrested in Wattao once gave a French television re- April 2011. Gbagbo, who fought porter a ride in his Maserati before showing Alassane Ouattara for the him around his luxury beach compound. presidency five years ago, faces But he is not the only former rebel under trial in the International the spotlight. Criminal Court for crimes Defence Minister Paul Koffi Koffi said against humanity. Text continues on page 6 REUTERS/STRINGER

SPECIAL REPORT 4 IVORY COAST GOLD AND POLITICS

GOLD CITY: Thousands of artisanal workers prospect the sprawling mine at Gamina, living in a makeshift camp and hauling bags of dirt and rock to be sorted. For the lucky, the rewards can be huge. REUTERS/LUC GNAGO

SPECIAL REPORT 5 IVORY COAST GOLD AND POLITICS

he was not aware of any ex-com’zones be- ing involved in illegal activities. The gov- Incognito gold mining Gold is found across Ivory Coast and there are a handful of large-scale ernment had given them top army jobs to make them answerable to the military industrial mines. But the mine at Gamina is unlicensed and does not hierarchy, he told Reuters in an interview. pay tax to the central government. “The solution was to make them leaders. Industrial gold mines Known gold deposits They were named commanders of units 100 miles MALI or deputy commanders of units with their 100 km men integrated into the ranks.” But critics claim the promotions have BURKINA FASO emboldened the former rebel commanders and made them virtually untouchable. U.N. efforts to trace their weapons since the civil Civil war-era war have been repeatedly stymied. buffer zone On March 25, according to a confiden- tial letter to the U.N. Security Council’s Ivory Coast sanctions committee seen by Reuters, inspectors finally got full access to IVORY COAST the camp of an ex-com’zone named Martin Bouake Fofie Kouakou. Kouakou was promoted to Man the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the army earlier this year despite appearing on a Gamina U.N. sanctions list for alleged human rights abuses. Daloa GHANA What the inspectors found was a 60-tonne arsenal. According to the let- ter, Alain-Richard Donwahi, secretary of President Ouattara’s National Security LIBERIA Council, acknowledged that most of the Abidjan weapons stockpiled at the camp were not under state control. An inventory of the arms cache re- viewed by Reuters listed hundreds of heavy ATL ANTIC OCEAN machine-guns and assault rifles, dozens of multiple rocket-launchers, mortars, Sources: UNOCHA; Golden Rim Resources. Graphic: Chris Inton/Reuters Graphics rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and even SAM7 surface-to-air missiles. The inspectors also found 2.8 million rounds of small arms ammunition, 113,000 heavy Debelle would not comment publicly on “None of this stuff was under govern- machine-gun rounds, 4,680 rounds of gre- the letter. Kouakou did not answer repeated ment control,” one Abidjan-based Western nade launcher ammunition, 1,200 anti- calls requesting comment. diplomat familiar with the U.N. inspection tank rockets, and more than 2,000 other Much of the hardware in the cache was said. “You’ve got people within the secu- assorted bombs, rockets and artillery shells. manufactured between January and August rity forces maintaining a secret stockpile of “Heavy weapons observed outmatch- 2011 and was still in packing crates, ac- weapons. That’s a problem.” ing the firepower of the entire FRCI (Ivory cording to the letter, indicating that at least The U.N. arms embargo on Ivory Coast Coast’s armed forces),” wrote Raymond some of it was acquired after the civil war, began in 2004. Though the ban was loos- Debelle, coordinator of the Ivory Coast which ended in April of that year, and after ened last year to allow selected arms im- group of experts. the rebels had merged into the army. ports, none of Kouakou’s weapons were

SPECIAL REPORT 6 IVORY COAST GOLD AND POLITICS

GOING DEEP: Gold miners at Gamina have dug dozens of metres into the earth. REUTERS/LUC GNAGO

declared to the U.N., a likely violation of is emerging from a crisis has, indeed, many FOR MORE INFORMATION the embargo. weapons in circulation, and bit by bit we Joe Bavier, Senior Correspondent, West When contacted by Reuters, Donwahi will put things in order.” and Central Africa would not comment on whether the arms [email protected] stocks constituted an embargo violation, Simon Robinson, Enterprise Editor, saying the U.N. experts were continuing Europe, Middle East and Africa their investigations. [email protected] “The President of the Republic has giv- Additional reporting by Ange Aboa and Simon Newman, Photo Editor en firm instructions to the Army Chief of Loucoumane Coulibaly in Abidjan [email protected] Staff to place these weapons and ammuni- Michael Williams, Global Enterprise Editor tion under guard,” he said. “A country that Edited by Simon Robinson [email protected]

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SPECIAL REPORT 7