Gbagbo could face ICC for inciting violence, says UN
By George Murumba
17th January 2011
The United Nations has said it has “concrete intelligence” to prove that the former Côte d’Ivoire president Laurent Gbagbo has been involved in inciting violence against its peacekeepers and his own countrymen.
On 14th January, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “…let me be perfectly clear: attacks on civilians or international peacekeepers constitute crimes under international law. So is incitement to commit such crimes. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has declared its intention to open investigations”.
The ICC’s involvement raises the prospect of Laurent Gbagbo being tried in The Hague under international criminal law. Mr. Ban Ki moon added that, “…the facts on the ground are indisputable. Cote d’Ivoire has a legitimately elected president – Alassane Ouattara. The previous incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, must stand aside”.
He stressed his deep concern at the growing number of violent incidents targeting civilians and the nearly 9,000-strong UN peacekeepers in Côte d’Ivoire. The UN has been supporting efforts over the past seven years to reunify the country which had been split by civil war in 2002 with government troops controlling the south and the rebels controlling the north.
Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s biggest cocoa producer, has been embroiled in turmoil since early December when the defeated President Laurent Gbagbo refused to leave office despite the fact that UN certified results clearly showed that opposition leader Alassane Ouattara had won the run-off election in November 2010.
The elections were meant to be the culminating point of this process. Mr. Gbagbo has demanded that the UN leaves Côte d’Ivoire, a demand that the UN has rejected. On the contrary, Secretary General Ban Ki moon has asked the Security Council for between 1,000 and 2,000 additional forces for the UN mission in the country.
Two UNOCI vehicles were burned and three others damaged 13th January in the latest bout of violence against the UN peacekeeping mission which is protecting the new president and his Government in the Golf Hotel in the commercial capital of Abidjan.
“…We have credible accounts of grave human rights violations. Apart from the blockade of the Golf Hotel and the attempt to constrict supplies to the UN mission – in itself unacceptable – we have concrete intelligence that the former president and those around him are inciting their followers to violence both against the UN and their own countrymen”, Mr. Ban told a news conference.
Mr. Ban, who has repeatedly deplored a campaign of hatred and incitement by State radio, television and other media loyal to Mr. Gbagbo, again called on all sides to exercise maximum restraint. “…I state once again in the strongest possible terms: those committing or inciting acts of violence will be held responsible”, the Secretary General warned.
He said the UN will continue to patrol and protect civilians and protect the Ouattara Government. He also said the UN will continue to investigate reports of human rights abuses. “…The United Nations will not be deterred from its duty in Cote d’Ivoire. We will not be intimidated”, Ban said.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos has also warned that the humanitarian consequences of the violence in Côte d’Ivoire will rapidly worsen if the political crisis is not urgently resolved.
Over 23,500 Ivorians have already fled to neighbouring countries over the past five weeks with the vast majority heading to Liberia. Another 17,500 have already been displaced internally. Please log into www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
