DOCSLIB.ORG

Xi- Cost of Compensation and Reparations for the Relatives of the Victims Who Were Eri-Usa Members Who Were Assassinated, Raped, Tortured, and Pillaged

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Xi- Cost of Compensation and Reparations for the Relatives of the Victims Who Were Eri-Usa Members Who Were Assassinated, Raped, Tortured, and Pillaged Earth Rights Institute An American International Organization for human rights, rights of the Earth and Sustainable Development, affiliated with the United Nations African Regional Office 28 bp 1406 Abidjan 28 tel :(+225) 22 45 45 45 Cell: (+225) 01 19 82 70 Email: [email protected] Website: www.earthrightsinstitute.org Saving the Earth and Humanity together ABIDJAN OCTOBER 12 2015 CASE OF COURT REFFERAL N:01 For the attention of Mrs. ANNIE GOEKE, co-founder and co-director of ERI-USA Seeking reparations from the state of the Ivory Coast for its crimes, which include murder, rape, and pillage, perpetrated against ERI between 2008 and 2010 in Katiola, in the north of the Ivory Coast, by Ivorian soldiers under the command and orders of Mr. SORRO Kigbafori Guillaume, along with the Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and General Secretary of the Armed Forces of the New Forces (FAFN) I- GENERAL PRESENTATION OF THE REFFERAL REPORT Earth Rights Institute (ERI), an international humanitarian organization for the rights of the Earth, humans, and sustainable development, affiliated with the United Nations, has the honor of informing you of the crimes perpetrated against them by Katiola of Niellé, between 2008 and 2010, by the Ivorian military at the orders of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense at the time, SEM. SORO Kigbafori Guillaume and ask for reparations. Between 2008 and 2010, the Ivorian military, directly placed under the authority, command, orders, and control of Katiola à Niellé, systematically pillaged our organizations and our projects, assassinated five of our humanitarian aid workers for their motorcycles and work tools, injuring others, raped our trainees, occupied our headquarters, and took twenty years of our original research while the region where we worked to help the population overcome poverty, drought, and the effect of greenhouse gas emissions, was not in a state of war. The only army that was in the area was under Prime Minister SORRO Guillaume. This is because we are simply opposed to the systematic pillaging of the millions of trees we have planted and maintained for twenty years, in the north of the Ivory Cost, at the request of the Ivorian government. Numerous partners funded us including the UNDP-FEM for creating a great green wall on the Ivorian- Burkina Faso/Mali border to save the climate, fight against drought, curb desertification, and allow local communities to live without destroying biodiversity. Ivorian officials, unhappy, ordered Ivorian soldiers to go assassinate our humanitarians aid workers to seize our capital and property, to occupy our headquarters and pillage our sites, torture, and rape our female humanitarian aid workers and contaminate them with HIV-AIDS and tuberculosis. The reason for this aggression is because Earth Rights Institute has always sought to help the populations in Katiola and Dabakala, notably women and children, that these soldiers plundered, raped, or hurt routinely. Unhappy with our assistance of these groups, they ordered these same soldiers to go pillage twenty years worth of scientific research on local Ivorian rice (Katiola 10 tons, certified by the West African Rice Development Association), in order to obtain data on medicinal plants and wild savanna 1 plants, including the central herbarium created by Pr. Aké Assy Laurent, and transfer them out of the Ivory Coast. ERI is an American based 501 C 3 international humanitarian organization, affiliated with the United Nations, for the rights of the Earth and man, protection of the environment and climate and sustainable development. It is responsible for numerous projects in the Ivory Coast. We have repeatedly lodged complaints against the perpetrators of the crime, to the army leaders in Bouaké and Abidjan without further action, but each time we did we were invited to address their supervisors in the person of Prime Minister M. SORRO Guillaume, at the office of the Prime Minister in Abidjan. We then held him liable for the crimes because, up until March 13 2010, he was the supervisor of all the Ivorian military and the General Secretary of the troops based in the north. On April 10, 2010 a representation agreement to our organization, was signed by our minister responsible, SE. M KACOU Gervais, who advised us to take a path of dialogue, a path we have taken to this day. Seized of the matter, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense at the time official invited us to the Prime Minister’s office in April 2010 for a peaceful settlement of this problem, seeing that the families of the victims and our partners had all demanded reparations. He then charged his special advisor, M. ZIRGIA J. Otémé to apologize and to make a commitment to correct these abuses, after editing the final case of the amount of compensations and reparations due, under the coordination of his closest collaborators. Upon opening of the first working session, his counselors, high ranking Ivorian government officials, having been so affected by the gravity of the facts of the case that they unanimously strongly condemned the rapes, assassinations, murders and pillages perpetrated by the soldiers against our humanitarian aid workers, organization, and our projects because these crimes were contrary to their mission, especially that the northern region was not in a state of war. As such, their chief, Mr. ZIRIGA, observed a minute of silence in the memory our humanitarians who were assassinated and expressed his compassion for the victims of rape, torture, and pillage. Thus, during the three months, in the annex of the Prime Minister Office, we worked regularly, calmly, with these high ranking government officials to finalize two types of files: the file of the murdered, associated with the Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and that of the devastations and systematic plunders against our projects, attributed to his advisor, M. Doumbia Emile. Furthermore, these advisors had recommended that the Prime Minister immediately give condolences to the families of those who were assassinated and raped and be responsible for the women who were raped by his servicemen, then compensate them. They also recommended that he compensate and restore our properties that were plundered and devastated and restitute our organization’s thirty years of research, taken outside of the country by Ivorian soldiers. According to these same experts at the office of the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister, Mister of Defense, and the General Secretary of the FAFN had well-received the final file and made a commitment to compensate us promptly for all the murders, rapes, torture, pillage, and abuse committed by his soldiers, including restitution of our headquarters. This is what we waited for till 2012. The commitment to compensate our victims quickly was a great relief for us all because this signified the determination of the Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, by extension the government of the Ivory Coast, to see this problem resolved through dialogue, like they have done in the case of Lycée Français Jean Mermoz de Cocody, by favoring a path of diplomatic dialogue. Our case of court referral is not new. This is the first one to have been treated officially and in a consensual manner by the Ivorian government at the time, between our two parties at the Prime Minister’s Office in 2 2010, at the demand of the Prime Minister or SEM. GBAGBO Laurent who was president of the republic and SEM. SORRO Kigbafori Guillaume, the Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and the General Secretary of the FAFN. It has been the object of a follow-up by our tutelage, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since March 2012, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense has left the Prime Minister’s office for the Presidency of the National Assembly and to become the second head of the state, without compensating us nor pursuing the culprits of these crimes, allowing them to go unpunished to commit more crimes, rapes, murders, pillages, and tortures like they did to us until the end of 2010, when there was no war in that part of the country and when we had brought a large amount of prosperity to the region. We brought up the issue to the commission for Dialogue, Truth, and Reconciliation (CDVR), ran by President Charles Konan Banny because these rapes, murders, tortures, systematic pillages and abuses continued and intensified, leading to a forced shutdown of our activities in the region, at a moment where the populations desperately need us to help them overcome hunger, misery, unemployment, poverty, and disease. Our program to build a “Great Green Belt of the North” to fight climate change, food insecurity and poverty served as a model and a strong positive example for others. The officials of the CDVR, very sensibly, told us a way forward. So, it is in his capacity and by virtue of its discretionary powers, in the name of the Ivory Coast, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense did not stop the assassination, rapes, and pillages of our humanitarian aid workers. It is also in the virtue of these same powers that he held the meeting at the Prime Minister’s office, in which he created the goal of compensating the victims as quickly as possible. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense were certainly held responsible, especially the state of the Ivory Coast, under virtue of articles 5,6,7,8, and 28 regarding international jurisdictions. Also, the fact that the vehicles were specifically constructed for pillage and transport of our thirty years of research, under the threat of firearms, out of the Ivory Coast, although a testament to their scientific importance for humanity, shows that these crimes were premeditated and deliberate, preventing us from developing the northern region of the country, already below the overall level of development.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Côte D'ivoire Country Focus
    European Asylum Support Office Côte d’Ivoire Country Focus Country of Origin Information Report June 2019 SUPPORT IS OUR MISSION European Asylum Support Office Côte d’Ivoire Country Focus Country of Origin Information Report June 2019 More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). ISBN: 978-92-9476-993-0 doi: 10.2847/055205 © European Asylum Support Office (EASO) 2019 Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged, unless otherwise stated. For third-party materials reproduced in this publication, reference is made to the copyrights statements of the respective third parties. Cover photo: © Mariam Dembélé, Abidjan (December 2016) CÔTE D’IVOIRE: COUNTRY FOCUS - EASO COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT — 3 Acknowledgements EASO acknowledges as the co-drafters of this report: Italy, Ministry of the Interior, National Commission for the Right of Asylum, International and EU Affairs, COI unit Switzerland, State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Division Analysis The following departments reviewed this report, together with EASO: France, Office Français de Protection des Réfugiés et Apatrides (OFPRA), Division de l'Information, de la Documentation et des Recherches (DIDR) Norway, Landinfo The Netherlands, Immigration and Naturalisation Service, Office for Country of Origin Information and Language Analysis (OCILA) Dr Marie Miran-Guyon, Lecturer at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), researcher, and author of numerous publications on the country reviewed this report. It must be noted that the review carried out by the mentioned departments, experts or organisations contributes to the overall quality of the report, but does not necessarily imply their formal endorsement of the final report, which is the full responsibility of EASO.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    Medicinal uses of plants by traditional birth attendants to facilitate childbirth among Djimini women in Dabakala (Center-North of Côte d'Ivoire) Silvère Romuald Koman, Wokapeu Blaise Kpan, Konan Yao and Djakalia Ouattara Research Blighia sapida are the plants most used for their oxytocic effect in the department of Dabakala. Abstract Conclusion: These results constitute a database for Background: Today, due to the still high rates of subsequent studies aimed at assessing the maternal death and incessant caesareans, the high biological and chemical composition of these plants. cost of pharmaceutical drugs, parturients are turning to traditional midwives to facilitate childbirth. The Keywords: medicinal plants, traditional midwives, purpose of this study is to identify and document the childbirth, Côte d’Ivoire medicinal plants traditionally used for their oxytocic effect by the traditional midwives in the department Correspondence of Dabakala. 1 Methods: an ethnobotanical survey was conducted Silvère Romuald Koman , Wokapeu Blaise 1,2,3 2,3,4 1,2 with 71 traditional midwives from the department of Kpan , Konan Yao and Djakalia Ouattara DabaKala. The data were analyzed with Epidata and 1 SPSS 20.0 software. The Chi-square test was used Laboratory of Natural Environments and to compare the percentages of the parts used, the Biodiversity Conservation, Botanical Research and method of preparation and the method of Training Unit, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, administration. To better interpret the cultural 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22 2 medicinal
    [Show full text]
  • Cour Pénale Internationale 1 Chambre De Première Instance I 2 Situation En République De Côte D'ivoire 3 Affaire Le Procur
    ICC-02/11-01/15-T-224-Red-FRA WT 12-11-2018 1/78 SZ T Conférence de mise en état (Audience publique) ICC-02/11-01/15 1 Cour pénale internationale 2 Chambre de première instance I 3 Situation en République de Côte d’Ivoire 4 Affaire Le Procureur c. Laurent Gbagbo et Charles Blé Goudé — n° ICC-02/11-01/15 5 Juge Cuno Tarfusser, Président — Juge Olga Herrera Carbuccia — Juge Geoffrey 6 Henderson 7 Conférence de mise en état — Salle d’audience n° 1 8 Lundi 12 novembre 2018 9 (L’audience est ouverte en public à 9 h 32) 10 Mme L’HUISSIER : [09:32:10] Veuillez vous lever. 11 L’audience de la Cour pénale internationale est ouverte. 12 Veuillez vous asseoir. 13 M. LE JUGE PRÉSIDENT TARFUSSER (interprétation) : [09:32:28] Bonjour à tous. 14 Nous sommes ici aujourd’hui pour entendre les arguments de l’équipe de défense. 15 C’est le premier jour de ces arguments. Je crois que c’est à la Défense Gbagbo de 16 commencer. Donc, je donne immédiatement la parole à Me Altit. 17 Je vous rappelle juste notre programme : nous allons avoir trois séances d’une heure 18 et demie — la routine. 19 Allez-y, Maître Altit. 20 Me ALTIT : [09:33:34] Merci, Monsieur le Président. 21 M. LE JUGE PRÉSIDENT TARFUSSER (interprétation) : [09:34:04] Peut-être un verre 22 d’eau avant de commencer. Mais enfin, je suis un peu inquiet si vous devez déjà 23 boire avant même de commencer. 24 Me ALTIT : [09:34:17] Monsieur le Président, Madame, Monsieur les juges, 25 permettez-moi de vous lire une phrase qui pose les termes du débat, qui éclaire la 26 raison d’être de notre discussion et qui explique pourquoi il doit y avoir une 27 décision de non-lieu — et je cite : « Aucune déclaration ni aucun document n’expose 28 explicitement la volonté de Laurent Gbagbo ou celle des membres dans son 12/11/2018 Page 1 ICC-02/11-01/15-T-224-Red-FRA WT 12-11-2018 2/78 SZ T Conférence de mise en état (Audience publique) ICC-02/11-01/15 1 entourage immédiat de rester au pouvoir même s’il fallait pour cela user de violence 2 envers des civils.
    [Show full text]
  • ADMINISTRATIVE MAP of COTE D'ivoire Map Nº: 01-000-June-2005 COTE D'ivoire 2Nd Edition
    ADMINISTRATIVE MAP OF COTE D'IVOIRE Map Nº: 01-000-June-2005 COTE D'IVOIRE 2nd Edition 8°0'0"W 7°0'0"W 6°0'0"W 5°0'0"W 4°0'0"W 3°0'0"W 11°0'0"N 11°0'0"N M A L I Papara Débété ! !. Zanasso ! Diamankani ! TENGRELA [! ± San Koronani Kimbirila-Nord ! Toumoukoro Kanakono ! ! ! ! ! !. Ouelli Lomara Ouamélhoro Bolona ! ! Mahandiana-Sokourani Tienko ! ! B U R K I N A F A S O !. Kouban Bougou ! Blésségué ! Sokoro ! Niéllé Tahara Tiogo !. ! ! Katogo Mahalé ! ! ! Solognougo Ouara Diawala Tienny ! Tiorotiérié ! ! !. Kaouara Sananférédougou ! ! Sanhala Sandrégué Nambingué Goulia ! ! ! 10°0'0"N Tindara Minigan !. ! Kaloa !. ! M'Bengué N'dénou !. ! Ouangolodougou 10°0'0"N !. ! Tounvré Baya Fengolo ! ! Poungbé !. Kouto ! Samantiguila Kaniasso Monogo Nakélé ! ! Mamougoula ! !. !. ! Manadoun Kouroumba !.Gbon !.Kasséré Katiali ! ! ! !. Banankoro ! Landiougou Pitiengomon Doropo Dabadougou-Mafélé !. Kolia ! Tougbo Gogo ! Kimbirila Sud Nambonkaha ! ! ! ! Dembasso ! Tiasso DENGUELE REGION ! Samango ! SAVANES REGION ! ! Danoa Ngoloblasso Fononvogo ! Siansoba Taoura ! SODEFEL Varalé ! Nganon ! ! ! Madiani Niofouin Niofouin Gbéléban !. !. Village A Nyamoin !. Dabadougou Sinémentiali ! FERKESSEDOUGOU Téhini ! ! Koni ! Lafokpokaha !. Angai Tiémé ! ! [! Ouango-Fitini ! Lataha !. Village B ! !. Bodonon ! ! Seydougou ODIENNE BOUNDIALI Ponondougou Nangakaha ! ! Sokoro 1 Kokoun [! ! ! M'bengué-Bougou !. ! Séguétiélé ! Nangoukaha Balékaha /" Siempurgo ! ! Village C !. ! ! Koumbala Lingoho ! Bouko Koumbolokoro Nazinékaha Kounzié ! ! KORHOGO Nongotiénékaha Togoniéré ! Sirana
    [Show full text]
  • “The Best School” RIGHTS Student Violence, Impunity, and the Crisis in Côte D’Ivoire WATCH
    Côte d’Ivoire HUMAN “The Best School” RIGHTS Student Violence, Impunity, and the Crisis in Côte d’Ivoire WATCH “The Best School” Student Violence, Impunity, and the Crisis in Côte d’Ivoire Copyright © 2008 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 1-56432-312-9 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA Tel: +1 212 290 4700, Fax: +1 212 736 1300 [email protected] Poststraße 4-5 10178 Berlin, Germany Tel: +49 30 2593 06-10, Fax: +49 30 2593 0629 [email protected] Avenue des Gaulois, 7 1040 Brussels, Belgium Tel: + 32 (2) 732 2009, Fax: + 32 (2) 732 0471 [email protected] 64-66 Rue de Lausanne 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 738 0481, Fax: +41 22 738 1791 [email protected] 2-12 Pentonville Road, 2nd Floor London N1 9HF, UK Tel: +44 20 7713 1995, Fax: +44 20 7713 1800 [email protected] 27 Rue de Lisbonne 75008 Paris, France Tel: +33 (1)43 59 55 35, Fax: +33 (1) 43 59 55 22 [email protected] 1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500 Washington, DC 20009 USA Tel: +1 202 612 4321, Fax: +1 202 612 4333 [email protected] Web Site Address: http://www.hrw.org May 2008 1-56432-312-9 “The Best School” Student Violence, Impunity, and the Crisis in Côte d’Ivoire Map of Côte d’Ivoire ...........................................................................................................2 Glossary of Acronyms......................................................................................................... 3 Summary ...........................................................................................................................6
    [Show full text]
  • République De Cote D'ivoire
    R é p u b l i q u e d e C o t e d ' I v o i r e REPUBLIQUE DE COTE D'IVOIRE C a r t e A d m i n i s t r a t i v e Carte N° ADM0001 AFRIQUE OCHA-CI 8°0'0"W 7°0'0"W 6°0'0"W 5°0'0"W 4°0'0"W 3°0'0"W Débété Papara MALI (! Zanasso Diamankani TENGRELA ! BURKINA FASO San Toumoukoro Koronani Kanakono Ouelli (! Kimbirila-Nord Lomara Ouamélhoro Bolona Mahandiana-Sokourani Tienko (! Bougou Sokoro Blésségu é Niéllé (! Tiogo Tahara Katogo Solo gnougo Mahalé Diawala Ouara (! Tiorotiérié Kaouara Tienn y Sandrégué Sanan férédougou Sanhala Nambingué Goulia N ! Tindara N " ( Kalo a " 0 0 ' M'Bengué ' Minigan ! 0 ( 0 ° (! ° 0 N'd énou 0 1 Ouangolodougou 1 SAVANES (! Fengolo Tounvré Baya Kouto Poungb é (! Nakélé Gbon Kasséré SamantiguilaKaniasso Mo nogo (! (! Mamo ugoula (! (! Banankoro Katiali Doropo Manadoun Kouroumba (! Landiougou Kolia (! Pitiengomon Tougbo Gogo Nambonkaha Dabadougou-Mafélé Tiasso Kimbirila Sud Dembasso Ngoloblasso Nganon Danoa Samango Fononvogo Varalé DENGUELE Taoura SODEFEL Siansoba Niofouin Madiani (! Téhini Nyamoin (! (! Koni Sinémentiali FERKESSEDOUGOU Angai Gbéléban Dabadougou (! ! Lafokpokaha Ouango-Fitini (! Bodonon Lataha Nangakaha Tiémé Villag e BSokoro 1 (! BOUNDIALI Ponond ougou Siemp urgo Koumbala ! M'b engué-Bougou (! Seydougou ODIENNE Kokoun Séguétiélé Balékaha (! Villag e C ! Nangou kaha Togoniéré Bouko Kounzié Lingoho Koumbolokoro KORHOGO Nongotiénékaha Koulokaha Pign on ! Nazinékaha Sikolo Diogo Sirana Ouazomon Noguirdo uo Panzaran i Foro Dokaha Pouan Loyérikaha Karakoro Kagbolodougou Odia Dasso ungboho (! Séguélon Tioroniaradougou
    [Show full text]
  • Update Briefing Africa Briefing N°83 Dakar/Brussels, 16 December 2011 Côte D’Ivoire: Continuing the Recovery
    Update Briefing Africa Briefing N°83 Dakar/Brussels, 16 December 2011 Côte d’Ivoire: Continuing the Recovery I. OVERVIEW Having endorsed the installation of a democratically elect- ed president by ex-rebel forces, the international commu- nity could have predicted the difficulty of pressing them Despite a marked improvement, the situation in Côte to restore state authority rather than celebrate victory and d’Ivoire remains fragile. The transfer to The Hague of for- continue abuses. Security reform, moreover, falls under the mer President Laurent Gbagbo – indicted by the Interna- purview of their political head, Prime Minister and Defence tional Criminal Court (ICC) – only twelve days before the Minister Guillaume Soro. Côte d’Ivoire’s foreign partners, parliamentary elections of 11 December 2011, has stoked notably France, the U.S. and the European Union (EU), political tensions. After a vote characterised by low turn- should play a crucial role of assisting disarmament, demo- out, the country remains deeply divided and still faces grave bilisation, reintegration (DDR) efforts and security sector threats. The weakness and imbalance of the security ap- reform (SSR). paratus and the two-tiered justice system, both of which reinforce the convictions of extremists, are the two main Many areas have seen major progress since President challenges the government must overcome in the months Ouattara’s inauguration on 21 May 2011. The Ivorian econ- ahead. Although voting itself was peaceful, an electoral omy has re-started, thanks to better governance and sig- campaign marred by incidents serves as a reminder that nificant international aid. But growth in itself will not political violence is still an everyday reality.
    [Show full text]
  • A Critical Period for Ensuring Stability in Côte D'ivoire
    A CRITICAL PERIOD FOR ENSURING STABILITY IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE Africa Report N°176 – 1 August 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................. i I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 II. THE SECURITY CHALLENGE .................................................................................... 3 A. FRAGMENTED FORCES ................................................................................................................. 3 B. MULTIPLE THREATS .................................................................................................................... 5 C. FILL THE SECURITY VACUUM ...................................................................................................... 6 III. RECONCILIATION AND JUSTICE ............................................................................. 8 A. A BLOODY CONFLICT .................................................................................................................. 8 B. AN END TO IMPUNITY ................................................................................................................ 10 IV. CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR POLITICAL NORMALISATION ................. 12 V. AN ECONOMIC EMERGENCY .................................................................................. 14 VI. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................ 16 APPENDICES
    [Show full text]
  • Ivory Coast: “The Fight Against Impunity at a Crossroad”
    IVORY COAST: “THE FIGHT AGAINST IMPUNITY AT A CROSSROAD” Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty. Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. Article 4: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, October 2013/617a - © AFP/SIA KAMBOU 2 / Titre du rapport – FIDH Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4 I - A political situation still highly polarised ----------------------------------------------------------6 II - The fight against impunity: between political manipulation and genuine efforts ------------9 III - National reconciliation and the Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission ------- 20 Conclusions ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    [Show full text]
  • Côte D'ivoire: Continuing the Recovery
    Update Briefing Africa Briefing N°83 Dakar/Brussels, 16 December 2011 Côte d’Ivoire: Continuing the Recovery I. OVERVIEW Having endorsed the installation of a democratically elect- ed president by ex-rebel forces, the international commu- nity could have predicted the difficulty of pressing them Despite a marked improvement, the situation in Côte to restore state authority rather than celebrate victory and d’Ivoire remains fragile. The transfer to The Hague of for- continue abuses. Security reform, moreover, falls under the mer President Laurent Gbagbo – indicted by the Interna- purview of their political head, Prime Minister and Defence tional Criminal Court (ICC) – only twelve days before the Minister Guillaume Soro. Côte d’Ivoire’s foreign partners, parliamentary elections of 11 December 2011, has stoked notably France, the U.S. and the European Union (EU), political tensions. After a vote characterised by low turn- should play a crucial role of assisting disarmament, demo- out, the country remains deeply divided and still faces grave bilisation, reintegration (DDR) efforts and security sector threats. The weakness and imbalance of the security ap- reform (SSR). paratus and the two-tiered justice system, both of which reinforce the convictions of extremists, are the two main Many areas have seen major progress since President challenges the government must overcome in the months Ouattara’s inauguration on 21 May 2011. The Ivorian econ- ahead. Although voting itself was peaceful, an electoral omy has re-started, thanks to better governance and sig- campaign marred by incidents serves as a reminder that nificant international aid. But growth in itself will not political violence is still an everyday reality.
    [Show full text]
  • Cote D'ivoire
    1 Cote d’Ivoire Media and telecoms landscape guide August 2011 2 Index Page Introduction..................................................................................................... 3 Media overview................................................................................................ 8 Radio overview................................................................................................17 Radio stations..................................................................................................21 TV overview......................................................................................................52 TV stations.......................................................................................................54 Print media.......................................................................................................58 Main newspapers............................................................................................60 Internet news sites.........................................................................................66 Media resources..............................................................................................67 Traditional channels of communication.......................................................76 Telecoms overview.........................................................................................79 Telecoms companies......................................................................................82 Principal sources............................................................................................87
    [Show full text]
  • Cote D'ivoire Post-Gbagbo
    Côte d’Ivoire Post-Gbagbo: Crisis Recovery Nicolas Cook Specialist in African Affairs April 20, 2011 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RS21989 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Cote d'Ivoire’s Post-Election Crisis Summary Côte d’Ivoire is emerging from a severe political crisis that followed a disputed November 28, 2010, presidential runoff election between former president Laurent Gbagbo and his, former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara. Both claimed electoral victory and formed opposing governments. Their rivalry spurred a full-scale civil military conflict in early March 2011, after months of growing political violence. The main conflict died down days after Gbagbo’s arrest by pro-Ouattara forces, aided by United Nations (U.N.) and French peacekeepers, but limited residual fighting was continuing to occur as of April 20. The election was designed to cap an often forestalled peace process defined by the 2007 Ouagadougou Political Agreement, the most recent in a series of partially implemented peace accords aimed at reunifying the country, which was divided between a government-controlled southern region and a rebel-controlled northern zone after a brief civil war in 2002. Ouattara based his victory claim on the U.N.-certified runoff results announced by the Ivoirian Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). These indicated that he had won the election with a 54.1% vote share, against 45.9% for Gbagbo. The international community, including the United States, endorsed the IEC-announced poll results as legitimate and demanded that Gbagbo cede the presidency to Ouattara. Gbagbo, rejecting the IEC decision, appealed it to the Ivoirian Constitutional Council, which reviewed and annulled it and proclaimed Gbagbo president, with 51.5% of votes against 48.6% for Ouattara.
    [Show full text]