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It looks like the end for President Gbagbo of Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). The Northern Insurgents that have controlled the northern half of the country have entered the commercial and de facto capital of Abidijan, where Mr. Gbagbo has operated out of. As of the most recent BBC Article, no ones knows where the ex-president is located at this time. Only time will tell what his fate is. Anyway, here is a brief background to the conflict based on my own personal knowledge (Correct me if I am wrong on any details since all of this is based on my memory of the conflict)...
Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) during the rule of Houiphet-Boighny (sp?) 1960-1993 was a beacon of stability and prosperity in West Africa during his autocratic rule. The country economic problems may date from the later of his rule rule, but he held the country together. After he died his successful was not as successful and strong ethnic divisions between the Christian and animist South and the predominenetly Muslim North emerged. Such tensions were exaserbated by the very idea that many Northerners were not really Ivoirean due to their parents foreign birth (many individuals entered the Ivory Coast from Burkina Faso and countries to the north due to better economic opportunities in the country. These attempts to disqualify many northerns due to alleged "foreigner" status would soon break the country apart. In 1999, a coup occurred and the next year Mr. Gbagbo was "elected" in questionable elections. In 2002, a coup attempt occurred and an insurgency group took control of the northern half of the country, while Mr. Gbagbo's people remained in control of the South. A brief 2002-2003 civil war erupted, but I must add one key aspect of this conflict. Most of that fighting was in the borderland between the north and south and most of the country's infrastructure remained intake, including the cocoa industry, ports and airports. Hence, Mr. Gbagbo was able to continue his rule in the South. Anyway, the divisions remained. After 2003, A UN peacekeeping force kept both sides at bay for the most part. Mr. Gbagbo promised to run for re-election after the mid-2000's, but he would keep dragging his feet on actually holding them. He would constantly postpone them, most likely because he knew he would lose until last year. Last year the elections were finally held and Mr. Ouattara and Mr. Gbagbo claimed victory. The international community recognized Mr. Ouattar's victory due to the massive cases of fraud on the part of Mr. Gbagbo. However, Mr. Gbagbo continued to rule over the South while Mr. Ouattara remained holed up in a hotel in Abidijan. However, international sanctions and seizures of Mr. Gbagbo's bank accounts appear to have taken their toll on Mr. Gbagbo. It looks like he lost the ability to pay for his soldiers. Suddenly, the northern isnurgency, which backs Mr. Ouattara and recognizes his government, was quickly able to overrun the Southern part of the country. Yesterday's NYTimes stated that the Northern Insurgents took the Political capital of Yamousskrakou (sp?) and today's news reports are stating that most of the rest of the South has fallen. Now, there is breaking news that the Insurgents led by Mr. Soro, Mr. Ouattara's prime minister are entering the economic capital of Abidijan, where Mr. Gbagbo has operated out of...
Now, it looks like no one knows what will happen, or has happened for taht matter, to Mr. Gbagbo. That leaves me with some questions I was wondering if anyone else knows...
1. If Mr. Gbagbo flees the country, will he face criminal charges for his deeds? Remember, international sanctions were placed on his regime.
2. What kind of leader is Mr. Ouattara expected to be? Will he re-establish teh Ivory Coast as a bastion of economic prosperity in West Africa or will ethnic divisions continue to destabilize the country?
3. Is it true that the Northern insurgents were suddenly so successful at overrunning the South due to the soldiers of Mr. Gbagbo not being paid? Is it that simple or are there other factors at play? Remember, the Northern Insurgents controlled only the northern half of the country from 2002 until now.
It looks like they are still fighting for control of Abidijan. The TV Station was captured by Ouattara's forces but then went back to Mr. Gbagbo. I thought that the Northern Forces would have overrun the city by now.
It looks like the end for President Gbagbo of Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). The Northern Insurgents that have controlled the northern half of the country have entered the commercial and de facto capital of Abidijan, where Mr. Gbagbo has operated out of. As of the most recent BBC Article, no ones knows where the ex-president is located at this time. Only time will tell what his fate is. Anyway, here is a brief background to the conflict based on my own personal knowledge (Correct me if I am wrong on any details since all of this is based on my memory of the conflict)...
Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) during the rule of Houiphet-Boighny (sp?) 1960-1993 was a beacon of stability and prosperity in West Africa during his autocratic rule. The country economic problems may date from the later of his rule rule, but he held the country together. After he died his successful was not as successful and strong ethnic divisions between the Christian and animist South and the predominenetly Muslim North emerged. Such tensions were exaserbated by the very idea that many Northerners were not really Ivoirean due to their parents foreign birth (many individuals entered the Ivory Coast from Burkina Faso and countries to the north due to better economic opportunities in the country. These attempts to disqualify many northerns due to alleged "foreigner" status would soon break the country apart. In 1999, a coup occurred and the next year Mr. Gbagbo was "elected" in questionable elections. In 2002, a coup attempt occurred and an insurgency group took control of the northern half of the country, while Mr. Gbagbo's people remained in control of the South. A brief 2002-2003 civil war erupted, but I must add one key aspect of this conflict. Most of that fighting was in the borderland between the north and south and most of the country's infrastructure remained intake, including the cocoa industry, ports and airports. Hence, Mr. Gbagbo was able to continue his rule in the South. Anyway, the divisions remained. After 2003, A UN peacekeeping force kept both sides at bay for the most part. Mr. Gbagbo promised to run for re-election after the mid-2000's, but he would keep dragging his feet on actually holding them. He would constantly postpone them, most likely because he knew he would lose until last year. Last year the elections were finally held and Mr. Ouattara and Mr. Gbagbo claimed victory. The international community recognized Mr. Ouattar's victory due to the massive cases of fraud on the part of Mr. Gbagbo. However, Mr. Gbagbo continued to rule over the South while Mr. Ouattara remained holed up in a hotel in Abidijan. However, international sanctions and seizures of Mr. Gbagbo's bank accounts appear to have taken their toll on Mr. Gbagbo. It looks like he lost the ability to pay for his soldiers. Suddenly, the northern isnurgency, which backs Mr. Ouattara and recognizes his government, was quickly able to overrun the Southern part of the country. Yesterday's NYTimes stated that the Northern Insurgents took the Political capital of Yamousskrakou (sp?) and today's news reports are stating that most of the rest of the South has fallen. Now, there is breaking news that the Insurgents led by Mr. Soro, Mr. Ouattara's prime minister are entering the economic capital of Abidijan, where Mr. Gbagbo has operated out of...
Now, it looks like no one knows what will happen, or has happened for taht matter, to Mr. Gbagbo. That leaves me with some questions I was wondering if anyone else knows...
1. If Mr. Gbagbo flees the country, will he face criminal charges for his deeds? Remember, international sanctions were placed on his regime.
2. What kind of leader is Mr. Ouattara expected to be? Will he re-establish teh Ivory Coast as a bastion of economic prosperity in West Africa or will ethnic divisions continue to destabilize the country?
3. Is it true that the Northern insurgents were suddenly so successful at overrunning the South due to the soldiers of Mr. Gbagbo not being paid? Is it that simple or are there other factors at play? Remember, the Northern Insurgents controlled only the northern half of the country from 2002 until now.
Dangers of mass immigration and failure to integrate the that population.
2. What kind of leader is Mr. Ouattara expected to be? Will he re-establish teh Ivory Coast as a bastion of economic prosperity in West Africa or will ethnic divisions continue to destabilize the country?
April 3 (Bloomberg) -- Forces loyal to President-elect Alassane Ouattara advanced in Ivory Coast’s commercial capital, Abidjan, as aid agencies said at least 800 people were killed in a massacre outside the city.
Who cares about Ivory coast? Maybe all the unemployed black Americans should go back to Africa and fight for their ancestors and mother Africa. I mean after all.......they are AFRICAN Americans right? As a tax paying American I could care less anymore what is going on in other parts of the world. It's time we bring our troops home, seal our borders, and focus on the immediate and not so immediate problems facing our country. Othewrise some tin pot dictator in Cote d'Ivoire or Libya will be the last of our childrens' and grandchildrens' worries. But Americans are too stupid and too brainwashed to realize that while our troops are off fighting and dying for other countries and corporate America their country is imploding and their communities and way of life is being pillaged and plundered.
Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) during the rule of Houiphet-Boighny (sp?) 1960-1993 was a beacon of stability and prosperity in West Africa during his autocratic rule. The country economic problems may date from the later of his rule rule, but he held the country together.
Houphouet-Boigny's rule is part of the Ivory Coast's problem today. By him being a dictator he never laid the foundations of democracy for after his rule. This is a man who like several other mis-guided post colonial African leaders appointed themselves "president for life". Then once their rule ended you had chaos and coups that followed.
Those 10,000+ UN peacekeepers are doing a bang up job....
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