African mission not convinced that Gbagbo leave office in Cote d’Ivoire
Author: Qwerty
The trio of West African presidents and prime minister of Kenya, today visited Abidjan on behalf of ECOWAS and the African Union (AU), failed to convince that Laurent Gbagbo cede power peacefully to Alassane Outara, increasing the threat of war in Ivory Coast.
“This is the summary of today’s meeting: Gbagbo has refused to resign,” he told Efe, without explanation, a source from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), who asked not to reveal identity.
Before the visit, the source, a senior official close to the ECOWAS African delegation, said that Gbagbo would provide immunity if he agreed to a peaceful transfer of power to Ouattara, internationally recognized as the winner of the second round of the Ivorian presidential elections Nov. 28.
“There are indications that Gbagbo would accept the resignation, but wants assurances it will not be prosecuted for human rights violations or similar offenses he leaves office,” said the source morning.
It remembered what happened to former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who agreed to resign and be given asylum in Nigeria, but is being tried by the Hague Tribunal, adding that Gbagbo would retain their foreign accounts and that its main supporters have a place in the new government of Ouattara.
The president Yayi Boni of Benin, Pedro Pires of Cape Verde, and Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone, and were on Tuesday in Ivory Coast and Gbagbo warned that ECOWAS can use military force to compel him to relinquish power if not delivered to Ouattara.
A mission today joined Raila Odinga, Kenyan Prime Minister as an envoy of the African Union, who yesterday met in Abuja with Nigerian President and holder of the rotating ECOWAS, Goodluck Jonathan, to coordinate their positions.
The Beninese president said after the meeting with Gbagbo that “going back”, which implied that the talks continue, but other sources, including Sierra Leonean colleague, had said that this was the last visit.
After meeting with Gbagbo, the African delegation went to the Golf Hotel in Abidjan, where they have established their headquarters Ouattara and his government, for an interview with him.
Today, Patrick Achi, Ouattara government spokesman, said the African delegation should make every effort to “make them see reason, this last chance, Laurent Gbagbo.”
ECOWAS must now decide, possibly tomorrow, the next step, after the mission to Abidjan has informed Jonathan as current president of the West African bloc.
Military commanders in the region completed the details of a possible intervention against Gbagbo during a two-day meeting held last week in Abuja, according to Efe reiterated spokesman ECOWAS Commission, Sunny Ugoh, who said: “The plan (military) are ready, all that remains activated. ”
Both the AU and ECOWAS have recognized as president Ouattara and Ivory Coast suspended until we get the effective transfer of power, while the UN, EU, U.S. and other countries also support to Ouattara and are subject to sanctions Gbagbo and his environment.
After the New Year, Gbagbo insisted he is president again called on the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) to leave the country while the Government of Ouattara said that only force will stop Gbagbo the Chair.
Ivory Coast faces a resumption of civil war (2002-2007), who left the country divided and controlled in the south by the armed and security forces loyal to Gbagbo, and northern New Forces of Soro , which was not disarmed after the conflict and support to Ouattara.
An immediate threat to security in Ivory Coast are the proclamations of Charles Blé Goudé, leader of the violent supporters of Gbagbo Young Patriots, who insisted on “completely free the country” and end with the government of Gbagbo and the “blue helmets “UNOCI, which protect the Golf Hotel in Abidjan.
If the threat is true, it could be generalized violence in the country, where Gbagbo’s followers, according to reports from the UN and the Government of Ouattara, have also used militias and Liberian mercenaries to commit murder, kidnapping and other serious violations Human Rights.
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