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Ouattara wants rival 'neutralised' as row drags on
[The Nation (Nairobi)] Lawyers for Ivorian president-in-waiting Alassane Ouattara demanded on Sunday that the UN and La Belle France "neutralise" forces loyal to his rival  Laurent Gbagbo... President-for-Life of Ivory Coast since 2000. Gbagbo lost to Alassane Ouattara in 2010 but his representtive tore up the results on the teevee and Laurent refused to leave despite the international community's hemming, hawing, and broad hints... and bring the strongman to justice. "We call upon the impartial forces from UNOCI, with the support of the French Licorne troops, to eliminate with no further delay the heavy weapons, neutralise the snuffies on Gbagbo's payroll ... and to bring to justice the defeated (presidential) candidate," the French lawyers said. The statement, issued in Gay Paree, described Gbagbo loyalists as "an illegal occupation force" as fighters backing the two rival claimants to the presidency battle it out in Cote d'Ivoire's main city Abidjan. Meanwhile, ...back at the wreckage, a single surviver held tightly to the smashed prow... scores of people living near the luxury lagoon-front Golf Hotel where Ouattara has been sheltering for more than four months decamped after it came under attack on Saturday, apparently by Gbagbo loyalists, residents said. The UN mission in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Ouattara's camp and witnesses said the attack was carried out by fighters for Gbagbo, who has refused to step down since elections in November which the UN-backed election commission said were won by Ouattara. Gbagbo's side however denied there had been an attack, after hotel occupants reported close gunfire and UNOCI said its peacekeepers had responded to mortar fire. The attack was the first on the hotel since the start of the political crisis, although it has been under siege from the pro-Gbagbo Defence and Security Forces (FDS). "The FDS are attacking us and we are trying to push them back," a fighter with the pro-Ouattara forces said Saturday. But Gbagbo front man Ahoua Don Mello told AFP: "It's absolutely false. There has been no attack on the Golf (hotel). It's an imaginary attack." Though outgunned, Gbagbo loyalists are putting up stiff resistance and have even regained some lost positions. Ouattara's forces had on Wednesday tried to storm Gbagbo's residence in a bid to bring a final end to the dragging dispute, which has left hundreds of people dead amid allegations of massacres and sent tens of thousands fleeing their homes. They had to turn back, however, unable to extract the strongman from his bunker. The lawyers' appeal, which was cleared with Ouattara, was in line with "the spirit and the letter" of UN Security Council Resolution 1975 adopted last month, they said. The resolution calls for necessary measures to protect civilians and prevent the use of heavy weapons against civilian populations. "It is urgent. The survival of Abidjan's people is threatened; Alassane Ouattara's physical security and that of his government are at stake," the lawyers said. Ouattara was meanwhile under increasing pressure over allegations that his forces had committed atrocities in the west of the country. Posted by: Fred 2011-04-11 |
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