RESTORING PEACE IN IVORY COAST
THE revivification of conflict among the forces loyal to President Alassane Outtara of Ivory Coast has again reinforced the fear of some political analysts that the capture of the erstwhile president of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo, may not after all, symbolise the termination of the four-month post-electoral crisis in that country.
FROM reports, forces loyal to President Outtara recently exchanged gunfire in the main city of Abidjan. The incident, according to sources, took place between the invisible commandos group led by Ibrahim Coulibaly which controls areas of Abidjan, and the troops brought from the North of the country.
THE Ouattara forces — a group of rebel army called the New Forces, had, for a decade, controlled the northern half of the country and were joined by Coulibaly, former rebel commander, to gain control of the northern parts of Abidjan, just a few weeks before Mr Gbagbo was captured.
WHILE Mr Coulibaly claimed to have been demeaned by the new government’s non-recognition of his prominent input towards the downfall of Mr Gbagbo, the government, in turn, accused his forces of being responsible for Abidjan’s widespread crimes such as looting of businesses, extorting money from motorists and perpetration of other sundry offences.
ASIDE from the Abidjan imbroglio, there were reports of heavy exchange of gunfire in the south-western part of San Pedro in another internal feud among Ouattara forces. Added to the crises in Ivory Coast, is the report of a sudden re-emergence of pro-Gbagbo militia in the western district of Yopougon. Although the fighting has officially ended with the capture of Gbagbo, the pockets of skirmishes among the militia and even the government army, no doubt, constitute a veritable hindrance not only to humanitarian needs of the people but also to the political and economic stability of the country.
THE United Nations (UN) relief officials confirmed that the ongoing infighting has exacerbated the already bad security status in some places in the country, creating immense difficulties in accessing essential health, education, and sanitation services, thus increasing the vulnerability of the populace to infectious diseases.
“A greater proportion of the population has been directly or indirectly affected by the crisis which started last year. These population should be assisted without further delay to enable them to live in acceptable conditions and regain their dignity.” The United Nations (UN) Humanitarian Coordinator in Ivory Coast, Ndolamb Ngokwey said.
OUATTARA obviously has an arduous task ahead of him at this momentous period in the annals of Ivory Coast. The strategy for managing a post-election carnage of this proportion is surely a serious business. He needs to be transparently conciliatory, compromising and forgiving, considering the multifarious interests that are prominent on the country’s political scene. He should quickly engage in what the political scientists will call a closed diplomacy. Public grandstanding in Ivory Coast without commensurate result will only inflame the fragile and combustible political situation in the country.
THE African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which have remained in a state of passivity since the beginning of this crisis, should now seize the chance of the unfortunate situation in Ivory Coast to redeem their image by being their true pbrothers’ keepers to the beleaguered nation. This is the traditional African virtue.
Of course the whole world already watched the perambulatory stance of these two bodies, on the grievous predicament of Ivory Coast, with a gaping shock.
AN urgent African summit should be convened to evaluate the enormity of infrastructural ruin in Ivory Coast towards contributing to its socio-economic restoration. A situation where African problems are always left in the hands of the Western world as demonstrated by the recent $160 million appeal fund by the Western world and United Nations (UN) agencies, do not show AU as a body that is populated by nations that can respond quickly to the agony of their neighbours.
THE military arm of ECOWAS should be reconstituted and be given a clear mandate to enforce peace in Ivory Coast. The current surge of militia forces in the country may lead to its balkanisation and definite descent into fiefdoms, thus sprouting out another Somalia in Africa.
IVORY Coast currently suffers from acute shortage of food. Over a million estimated displaced persons within the country need urgent supply of food and other agricultural materials to allow them plant staple crops now, in order to prevent a worse food scarcity in the long run. This is one area where the AU should quickly come out to assist the country. Despite the security situation that remains visibly precarious, the FAO has procured seeds, tools and fertilizer for an estimated 12,000 farming households in both Ivory
Coast and Liberia which is hosting over 150,000 refugees. AU must complement Western organisations that have responded spontaneously to the crisis of an African nation. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
A genuine socio-economic stability can only be achieved in an atmosphere of concord, freedom and hope.
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