UN says the violent crisis in Côte d’Ivoire could end soon

UN says the violent crisis in Côte d’Ivoire could end soon

2011-03-15 06:28:20 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations on Monday said that violent crisis in Côte d’Ivoire could end soon despite the continuing refusal to leave office refusal to leave office of former president Laurent Gbagbo.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Y. J. Choi said that there are "promising signs" pointing to "the beginning of the end" of the crisis. He cited the impact of the financial sanctions on Gbagbo's assets and the discomfort of the army as the main reasons.

"There are promising signs that show that the beginning of the end in is view," Choi said. "The people have faith in the election results and therefore do not support president Gbagbo's camp."

The financial sanctions have provoked that Gbagbo has no funds to pay civil servants and soldier. Thus, the Ivorian army, which remained loyal to Gbagbo after the elections, has shown unwillingness to continue for him.

"Even in Abidjan, the commercial capital, where his loyalists have attacked civilians and UN peacekeepers, the situation is very worrying for Gbagbo's camp," UN envoy Choi added.

According to Choi, the north of Abidjan is now under full control of the forces loyal to president-elect Alassane Ouattara, who has been recognized by the UN, African Union (AU) and the international community.

The December 2010 presidential elections were meant to be the culminating point in reunifying a country split by civil war in 2002 into a Government-controlled south and a rebel-held north but instead led to violent crisis which has caused the death of some 400 people.

Choi also responded to the claims that the UN peacekeeping mission in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) has not done enough to protect civilians. The UN envoy remarked that the safety of the population was the main responsibility of the Ivorian authorities and blamed Gbagbo for the deaths.

Gbagbo recently banned UN overflights of Abidjan by plane or helicopter but Choi said that they take orders from the UN Security Council. The former president previously demanded the withdrawal of UNOCI, which has been supporting the stabilization efforts over the past seven years.

The UN Security Council rejected the demand and instead authorized the immediate deployment of 2,000 additional troops and three armed helicopters. UNOCI currently has approximately 10,000 troops in the African country.

Some 20,000 people have been internally displaced and over 33,000 more have fled to neighboring Liberia due to violence. The UN warned that ethnic tensions stemming from national, racial and religious affiliation linked to the opposing camps could lead to genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

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