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US, EU pressure Gbagbo to step down
[Iran Press TV] International pressure is mounting on incumbent Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo to step down as deadlock over the presidential election remains unresolved.The United States has imposed travel sanctions on Gbagbo and 30 members of his government. In addition, the European Union is making efforts to freeze any assets that he may have in Europe, the News Agency that Dare Not be Named reported on Tuesday. Gbagbo's rival candidate, Alassane Ouattara, who is recognized by the UN poll monitors as the winner of the election has urged the Ivorian people to rise up against the government. UN Secretary General the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon warned of a "dangerous" situation in Ivory Coast, saying it would be a travesty of democracy to allow the country's incumbent president to stay in power. Following Ban's remarks, the incumbent president called on the United Nations, aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society peacekeepers to leave the West African country and has threatened to treat those who remain as rebels. The UN, however, has defied the order. The UN Security Council decided on Monday to extend the forces' mandate for six months. Also, The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has condemned massive human rights ... which are not the same thing as individual rights, mind you... violations in Ivory Coast, saying the violence that erupted following the November 28 vote has claimed 50 lives and injured 200. The country's Independent Electoral Commission said opposition candidate Alassane Ouattara won the November 28 presidential runoff, but the country's Constitutional Council invalidated those results and declared Gbagbo the winner. Posted by: Fred 2010-12-22 |
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