U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently visited Ivory Coast as part of a four-nation tour of West Africa, promoting good governance and economic development. Some say it was to reinforce the United States’ support for Alassane Ouattara, who they assisted in becoming the President following the 2010 presidential election, after which former President, Laurent Gbagbo challenged the vote count, alleged fraud, refused to step down and called for the annulment of results from nine of the country's regions.
Ouattara was declared the winner and recognized by election observers, the international community, the African Union (AU), and the Economic Community of West African States. However, the Ivory Coast's Constitutional Council, which according to Article 94 of the Ivorian Constitution both determines disputes in and proclaims the results of Presidential elections, declared Gbagbo the winner. After a period of civil conflict which lasted from 4 December 2010 till 11 April 2011, Gbagbo was arrested by the Republican Army of Ivory Coast. In November 2011, he was extradited to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague and is currently facing charges for crimes against humanity, becoming the first head of state to be taken into the court's custody.
With Gbagbo facing charges from the ICC, a court which has been accused of unfairly targeting African leaders and the international media's decreased focus on Ivory Coast, many people incorrectly believe the various post-election crisis issues and human rights violations in Ivory Coast are over. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
The international media's coverage reduction may be a good development, since many people believe many of them ran biased reports in favor of Ouattara during the post-election crisis. However, Ivory Coast is still currently under a lot of tension as Gbagbo's many supporters are still promoting his cause and voicing their displeasure at his forceful removal from office, his extradition and the charges of war crimes he is currently facing.
It is believed that the forces of the internal community backing Ouattara in Ivory Coast have been committing massive human rights violations including rape, robberies, extrajudicial killings, and expropriation of civilians’ properties, such as cars, farms, and houses. Subsequently people’s civil liberties are being repressed and unions and opposition groups cannot organize. Gbagbo is seen as being the ICC’s scape goat, while people from Ouattara's camp who many say are equally guilty of many wrong doings are yet to be sent to the ICC.
With such an environment, it is surprising that the US through the Secretary of State congratulated Ouattara on the progress he is perceived to have accomplished, and continues to advocate reconciliation, which many believe is impossible and misguided based on the artificial facade of peace presented, since the preconditions for true and lasting peace have not been met.
Voice of America's Ndimyake Mwakalyelye discusses Clinton's trip with Ivorian Analyst, Community Organizer, Scholar and leader of The Revival of Pan Africanism Movement, Mr. Gnaka LaGoke, who has been monitoring the situation and hoping for a resolution and long lasting reconciliation and peace.
Click here to watch the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA-B3iAkHkk
To see some of the coverage of the issue and the work The Revival of Pan Africanism Movement and other groups have been doing, visit the following links. Journalist, George Curry/Gbagbo Interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNQezvDy38Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZm_pVBGXHc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPPPHaJmo1Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPh-crKUOzc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a9IkLts35U
Coverage of The Revival of Pan Africanism Movement Conferences:
http://sociablesusan.blogspot.com/2011/01/ivory-coasts-electoral-crisis-in-time.html
http://sociablesusan.blogspot.com/2011/07/revival-of-pan-african-forum-conference.html
Call To Action:
If you would like to be involved, be part of the organization of upcoming conferences and workshops, or if you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions about The Revival of Pan Africanism, please send them to panafrica.now@gmail.com. Join to help build a growing community of Pan Africanists as well to contribute to the expansion of a new Pan African consciousness.
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