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Ivorian rebels warn France
The three rebel movements in Ivory Coast say they will consider any fresh attack by French troops as "an act of war". The rebels postponed forming an alliance, saying they first needed to commit to respecting human rights and disciplining their troops. This will happen, er, never They were meeting to consider their response after Saturday's clash between French soldiers and rebels of the Ivorian People's Movement for the Far West (MPIGO) advancing on government troops in the strategic western town of Duekoue. The French Foreign Legion destroyed three lorries and killed a number of rebels at a checkpoint - the first time in this conflict they have used force to stop an offensive. France has sent more than 1,000 troops to its former colony and will have 2,500 there within a week. The rebels, who met in the town of Bouake, the stronghold of the main rebel group, the Patriotic Movement of Ivory Coast ( MPCI ), said that another French attack on their positions would be send as a "declaration of war". Rule#1: Don't declare war, and then be suprised when the other guy takes you up on it. The MPCI has described the French troops in the country as "forces of occupation". But the French army says it is neutral in the conflict. The legionnaires deny any responsibility for the clash in Duekoue, and say the rebels fired first and they acted in self-defence. Rule#2: Don't shoot at the Legion Paratroopers, they don't like it and will take offense. The head of the French armed forces, General Henri Bentegeat, said on Sunday that Paris was ready to keep a big force for years in the former colony, in an effort to end the war. How unilateral of him. Does the U.N. know about this? Posted by: Steve 2002-12-23 |
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