Côte d'Ivoire/Ivory Coast thread

[Iosif]

They need to call in Didier Drogba to sort this out.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

^ Maybe the ambiance would kinda better yes:

Elephants All Stars - Infarktus

So, apparently neither Cocody's nor Le Plateau's palaces have fallen, and the RTI (state TV) which had stopped to air on Thursday, has started again, and some glorifying programs for Gbagbo, then it wouldn't be fallen either, and Gbagbo would be providing a staunch resistance to defend all of those.

Yesterday several big officials of the army publicly joined Ouattara too, but today, there has apparently also been some calls from pro Gbagbos in the army to mobilize their troops.

There also been this report of more than 800 people killed in Duékoué, strategical western city, on Tuesday, that is when pro-Ouattaras took it, so far would seem that exactions would have been committed by both parts, some pro Ouattara forces/supporters, and some pro Gbagbo Liberian mercenaries (about 1,000 of them have been arrested 2 days ago in Liberia after they came back from Côte d'Ivoire).

Seems the mess and lootings continue in Abidjan.

Ouattara troops better neutralize Gbagbo the fastest possible, before the minds change and that more and more people decide to fight against them, and then it eventually spread in other cities, and that new Duékoué appear.

Oh and, here is a map of Abidjan:



http://news.abidjan.net/cartes/abidjan.asp

It comes from a site that seem to be rather serious, they would be rather pro Ouattara but don't seem much biased, they report things from different sources. Orange is fights, red is looting. It is sometimes updated.

France decided to send 150 more soldiers, which makes 1,100 French soldiers, and 1,400 French and other foreigners took refuge in the French military camp in the south of the city, the 43ème BIMA in Port-Bouet.

And well, still about music, here is one which has been a big hit in France last summer, made by a Parisian rap band, and which seems to have been a big hit there too, and that I often heard in some video reports from there, notably in moments where people galvanize or motivate themselves, in both camps, ambiance:

Désolé- Sexion d'Assaut

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Oh no...

Now we have Gbagbo spreading scary messages thanks to RTI saying that 'the men of Sarkozy are preparing a Rwanda genocide' in Côte d'Ivoire and that French forces are an occupation army, hopefully Ivorians won't give much credit to it. Time is playing for Gbagbo so far though, the fights seem to have almost stopped today, and according to a French who lives in Abidjan, Gbagbo forces are totally free to patrol in the city and on the waters, and they have also called lots of partisans to join them to protect palaces and to block the 2 bridges that lead to them (which in the same time makes human shields), and their call has apparently been followed since you could have seen lots of people on bridges and on boats who would be heading toward this.

ONUCI publicly accuses Ouattara forces of exactions in Duékoué too. ONUCI also had 4 soldiers heavily wounded in an attack from Gbagbo soldiers according to them.

France sent 300 more soldiers, and the French forces took the control of Abidjan international airport. They also evacuated 167 French and Lebanese to Senegal through Togo.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The problem is, the comparison with Rwanda, while totally overblown by Gbagbo, does have a kernel of truth to it he might be able to make use of.  Both the Akan of Côte d'Ivoire and the Tutsi of Central Africa are powerful ethnic minorities that have engendered dislike in their neighbors by trying to cling to power despite being unable to sustain it in a purely democratic fashion in a democracy where ethnic loyalty is the first consideration. The difference in Côte d'Ivoire is that while just a minority, the Akan are by far the largest ethnic group, while in Rwanda, the Tutsi were not.  It's a lot harder to start a genocide if those who would carry it out have to worry about whether they might be next.

[Silent Hunter]

I was watching the BBC news report on this and they were showing black-and-white TV footage of the two "Presidents"? Do they not have colour TV in CDI*?

* I don't have an ô key on my keyboard and this abbreviation saves me having to go to the Character Map or Ctrl+C each time.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

They do, but it is SECAM rather than PAL, so they may have just suppressed the colour rather than converting from one standard to another.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Yes they do have colour:

http://www.rti.ci/cgi-bin/page.cgi?g=266%2Findex.html;d=1

And in French media it's all colorful.

Also, Gbagbo isn't the only one to play with TV, Ouattara has 'his' own TV channel, the TCI.

Well, about the risk of 'genocide', well better only using the term 'ethnic fights' so far, unless it was a strategy from Gbagbo to trap them afterward, the progression of Ouattara forces wouldn't have met a lot of resistance, apparently mainly in the west in Duékoué and around, at least given informations we have so far, which would show that Ivorians, populations and forces, would for most of them recognize the legitimacy of Ouattara, or at least don't want to engage in a fight, a lot of them effectively seem to be tired of all those conflicts lasting for years, and there has never been big ethnic fights in the country, then there are chances that scary messages from Gbagbo about genocide wouldn't be much heard, people could also see the blatant threads Gbagbo try to play on. Also, Ouattara and Soro said there would be trials to judge the exactions that have been committed so far.

Though, the more it lasts in Abidjan, the more it's good for Gbagbo, and who knows, troubles could spread outside of Abidjan if Gbagbo resists a long time.

Ouattara forces have just launched the 'final assault' on Abidjan less than one hour ago. Yesterday seems there were something like thousands of civilian partisans on main axises of the city who answered the call of Gbagbo to defend him, if they stay here to oppose Ouattara forces, then that not gonna be easy, and it could even turn nasty since a Ouattara military guy of which I don't know the level said that all those who would resist the forces during the hours of the curfew would be considered 'enemies', and those partisans showed in 2004 how they didn't fear to oppose the weapons of the French army for example. Let's just hope people won't be stupid in both camps.

About France, it sent 150 more soldiers, making it between 1,600 and 1,700, of which 300 are Légionnaires, it decided yesterday to gather all French of the capital who wanted it together in different part of the south of Abidjan, there is about 12,000 French civilians in Abidjan, no major plan of evacuation so far. It took the control of Abidjan airport in an agreement with UNOCI. And all observers say that if UNOCI had to do some strong interventions, then it's mainly the French forces that would technically be able to do that, even while UNOCI forces are far more numerous; nobody should hope that French forces have to be on a front line in Côte d'Ivoire, would be all in favor of Gbagbo. Though, luckily, apparently the power decides to play less the confrontation with French living here than last time, since on RTI it said that Gbagbo soldiers would protect French people, which didn't prevent some them to be looted and aggressed by some guys, but apparently there isn't a 'French hunting' so far. Also, Sarkozy is regularly in communication with Ouattara.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Oh.

French forces have been asked by UN, and according to last UN resolution that France and Nigeria passed about one week ago, to bomb the heavy military equipment of Gbagbo's army that threaten civilians and UN employeds. And French forces just bombed a Gbagbo military camp.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

UN helicopters are also opening fire on Gbagbo palaces.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Here is the last map:



According to numerous people who post from there in a liveblogging, there has been very heavy fights in different districts of Abidjan about one hour ago, it would keep continuing but with a lower intensity, while still with heavy weapons. Different districts in which it happened where Treichville, Le Plateau, Angré, Cocody, Koumassi. There would also be an heavy rain on the city. Someone in Koumassi says that water is cut.

According to people there, the RTI would have just stopped to broadcast.

The French Chief of Staff said that they target heavy military equipments and columns of tanks that threaten civilians. An AFP reporter saw 4 French helicopters bombing the camp of Agban in the north, the camp of Akuédo would be bombed by UN helicopters, those both camps are the military fortresses of Gbagbo in Abidjan, and during last days persisting noises said that Gbagbo could be in Agban.

UN say that they decided to engage military actions because Gbagbo forces would have done military actions against civilians.

The blue thing on the map is where 4 or 5 people would have been kidnapped, amongst them there are 2 French, a director of the big hostel in which they have been kidnapped and a guy who leads the administration council of an important Ivorian company apparently.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

A very few hours ago, Ouattara forces announced that the 'final assault' against Gbagbo palaces was imminent, in 3 groups, one for the presidential residency of Cocody, one for the presidential palace of Le Plateau, and one for the important military camp of Agban. They had apparently already fought in the big pro Gbagbo district of Yopougon (west of the city), which would mean they control it, UN forces had also taken the control of the 2 bridges in the center of the city. It has also been confirmed that, beside the important military camps in the north of the city, UN and French helicopters had targeted the heavy military equipment around Gbagbo palaces.

And now, Reuters just says that a Ouattara spokesman claim that their forces have taken the presidential residency of Cocody, without specifying whether Gbagbo was there.

They plan to finish military operations this night they earlier said. They better do it, because I'm not sure that Ivorians can afford that UN and French forces bomb during a long time.

Also beside the 2 French, the 2 other kidnapped are one Beninese and one Malaysian.

[Silent Hunter]

Reports from AP that Laurent Gbagbo is inside a burning building.

[Silent Hunter]

They do, but it is SECAM rather than PAL, so they may have just suppressed the colour rather than converting from one standard to another.

OK, thanks for that.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Fights have apparently stopped a few hours ago.

The Chief of Military Staff and the Commandants of Gendarmerie Nationale and of the  Republican Guard called UNOCI to tell them that they ordered a stop of the fights of their forces and of special forces, to give weapons to UNOCI, and asked the protection for their forces.

Earlier, Gbagbo Foreign Minister, and the chief of protocol of the presidency, took refuge in the French embassy, that's apparently him who negotiated the ceasefire, and he says they did it because most of their heavy military equipment has been destroyed.

According to him Gbagbo would be in a bunker of his residency with a very few people of his govt, his staff, and his family. According to French PM and Foreign Affairs Minister, he would currently be negotiating his departure and his security through 2 military generals. AU also says that they would be participating in some negotiations, and Juppé also said that France was close to convince Gbagbo to step down.

Apparently Abidjan is very calm right now.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

One hasn't surrendered though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7gljZCYJsM&feature=player_embedded#at=37

Blé Goudé, chief of 'Young Patriots', he says that God is with them and call for resistance. Posted on a pro Gbagbo media, Cameroonvoice, which apparently has a radio and a website. Hopefully he won't be followed.

According to some people posting from Abidjan, in some places it is very calm but in others there are still men in arms (apparently rather youngs who had been given one or who stole it) and some people who continue to loot.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

So, after some contradictory news from Reuters saying that Gbagbo had surrendered, then UN saying that he was willing to surrender but didn't yet, then there has been this interview from Gbagbo given to the French news channel LCI, in which he says that he doesn't want to recognize that Ouattara has won, and serves all the speech he usually serves, it was the 1st time he spoke since the beginning of the military conflict in Abidjan, here is for those who get French:

http://www.wat.tv/video/titre-interview-exclusive-3l7lp_2exyh_.html

Earlier France and UN demanded him to sign a paper saying that Ouattara had won the elections. He also says that he isn't 'a kamikaze' but that he is tired, but he seems to speak very calmly.

In the end of the afternoon, some French military vehicles passed the bridges from the south to the north of the city. And some military fights continue to take place here or there, notably in the district of Cocody.

[2952-0-0]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/cotedivoire/8431359/Ivory-Coast-Laurent-Gbagbo-not-surrendering.html

Ouattara's private TV station has broadcast the movie Downfall, which is apt given that Gbagbo is holed up in his bunker surrounded by a small number of diehard soldiers. If only they remixed the movie and added subtitles...

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Juppé said that negotiations between Ouattara and Gbagbo, in which UN and France have only been mediators, and that took place during several hours in the night, have failed.

This morning, heavy fights took place from dawn to midday around Cocody's residency on which Ouattara forces decided to launch an assault. Failed. And they lost several men.

They decided to launch a new one later in the day, some recent reports would indicate that it has failed again.

Apparently Gbagbo has very good soldiers around him, and Ouattara forces would miss of men, experience, good military equipment.

So far France said that it didn't want to participate to such an assault. Ouattara also said that Gbagbo has to stay alive.

Humanitarian situation turns pretty bad in Abidjan, serious misses of water, food, and also electric power and communications. Not to speak of dead people there can be here or there in streets, and of guys in arms who would continue to spread unsecurity and looting.

Interestingly enough, after LCI interview, yesterday evening, Gbagbo gave one to RFI (Radio France International), big international French public radio, which would be quite listened in Africa, in this interview he's been more clear on the fact that he would like to speak directly to Ouattara. This interview would be the biggest way for him to communicate with the people of Côte d'Ivoire, since French helicopters destroyed the possibilities to air for state TV and radio.

So, so far, seems would remain 3 solutions:

Successful assault on the residency (hopefully French forces don't have to intervene, and hopefully he doesn't die in it, not to appear like a martyr)

Siege, and step by step people and soldiers around him feel they couldn't resist and surrender, and the final assault on him will be far more easy (that's not guaranteed that people would still easily surrender though, and overall it could last long Gbagbo could have organized some supply for a long time, and maybe independent infrastructures for water and electric power)

Or, Ouattara decides to meet him in person (totally hazardous and doesn't guarantee a solution at all, and Ouattara's security could be endangered, a media presence could help though)

...or something else.

Gaddafi might get interest in Ivorian news...

[Silent Hunter]

Gbabgo arrested.

[angus]

Gbabgo arrested.

I noticed that.  Here's the WaPo story. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/witnesses-french-tanks-advance-on-ivory-coast-strongman-gbagbos-bunker-in-abidjan/2011/04/11/AFhoM2ID_story.html?hpid=z1

Notice that in the final line of the third paragraph, Laurent Gbagbo is said to have been "hold up" in the presidential residence with his family.  I think the writer was a little confused.  He was actually "holed up" with his family.

[Lief 🗽]

Stupid New York times photographers making murderous dictators and their wives look sympathetic.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Good to see the Sore Loser has finally been removed.

Now let's hope he gets duly and fairly tried.

[Nhoj]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-1321824

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Reading up on him he seems to have had problems with other leaders in the rebels for years.