Pro-Gbagbo forces to stop fighting in Côte d’Ivoire and hand over weapons - UN

[News_Editor]

Pro-Gbagbo forces to stop fighting in Côte d’Ivoire and hand over weapons - UN

2011-04-06 07:04:43 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- Leaders of forces loyal to former Côte d’Ivoire leader Laurent Gbagbo have called the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in Côte d’Ivoire on Tuesday stating that their soldiers have been instructed to stop fighting and hand in their weapons to the UN.

Troops loyal to Gbagbo, the former president who refused to step down after losing the election in November to opposition leader Alassane Ouattara, have been engaged in fierce fighting with forces loyal to Ouattara, who have in recent weeks stepped up their offensive to force the ex-leader out of power. Ouattara is the internationally recognized President of Côte d’Ivoire.

However, according to the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire, the calls came from General Philippe Mangou, the chief-of-staff of the Defense and Security Forces, General Thiape Kassarate Edouard, the commander of the National Gendarmerie and General Bruno Dogbo Blé, the commander of the Republican Guard to inform them of their decision.

"UNOCI has given orders to its troops to receive arms wherever they are handed in and to offer protection to disarmed FDSCI [Defense and Security Forces of Côte d’Ivoire] elements, including the Special Forces," the UN mission said.

Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the situation in Abidjan, the West African country's commercial capital and the scene of the some fiercest fighting over the past week, is alarming.

Most of the hospitals are not functioning and ambulances have been fired on when they tried to enter the city, according to OCHA.

Valerie Amos, the UN Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator and head of OCHA, who is visiting Côte d’Ivoire, also stressed the need for physical protection for those affected and the distribution of sufficient humanitarian aid. Access to many civilians in need has, however, been severely restricted or completely cut off since mid-February when the fighting intensified, according to OCHA.

The Emergency Relief Coordinator was accompanied on the visit to Duékoué yesterday by the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Simonovic, who went to the town to look into the mass killings that allegedly took place last Wednesday.

In addition, Anthony Lake, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director said the fund is especially troubled by reports that children are among the victims of a mass killing there, as they continue to be recruited by armed forces on all sides of the conflict.

Lake said the recruitment is "a grave violation of their rights which jeopardizes not only their future but also the chances for achieving sustainable peace in Cote d’Ivoire."

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