U.N. Condemns Deadly Shelling of Civilians in Abidjan
Jeff Miller
Rapaport
March 21, 2011
The U.N. Security Council condemned a deadly strike on civilians at a marketplace in Côte d’Ivoire’s capital Abidjan and warned that the governing body will punish anyone who obstructs the resolution of the country’s prolonged post-election crisis. According to the U.N., as many as 30 unarmed civilians were killed and 60 others were injured Thursday after the attack was allegedly carried out by elements of security forces that are loyal to former President Laurent Gbagbo.
Speaking to the press, U.N. ambassador Wang Min of China stressed that such attacks on civilians would not go unpunished. ”The members of the Security Council reiterate their deep concern about the continuing post-electoral crisis in Côte d’Ivoire and its negative humanitarian consequences on the civilian population, including refugees and internally displaced persons,” he said.
Security Council members were determined “to impose measures, including targeted sanctions, against those who impede the peaceful resolution of the crisis, obstruct the work of UNOCI and other international actors in Côte d’Ivoire or commit violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.”
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Will A Unity Govt Resolve Nation’s Crisis?
Charlayne Hunter-Gault
AllAfrica.com
March 21, 2011
Côte d’Ivoire is on the brink of civil war. Its president since 2000, Laurent Gbagbo, is refusing to cede power to Allasane Ouattara, the putative winner of elections last November, and is using the instruments of state to crush his supporters.
As clashes between forces loyal to each of the parties intensify, the African Union has attempted to resolve the impasse by proposing that the rivals share power in a Government of National Unity – popularly referred to as a GNU. Such governments have been formed in a number of countries across the continent to resolve deadlocks between incumbents and popular challengers.
It may be an academic exercise to look at GNUs on the continent, since Gbagbo has flatly refused the option. But, as some African analysts point out, leaders such as Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki, initially refused to enter them but after some time relented and, although Kenya’s alliance is still fraught with dissension, at least so far the political tensions have not deteriorated into violence.
So what is the record of GNUs in Africa? Can they play a useful role in easing transitions from deeply-entrenched regimes to newly-elected leaders, or are they simply a mechanism which enables dictators to cling to power when they have lost their mandate?
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