Fri, 24 Dec 2010
Nairobi/Bissau - West African regional bloc ECOWAS on Friday warned it could use "legitimate force" to oust Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo should he continue to ignore calls to hand over power to his rival Alassane Ouattara.
Ivory Coast was plunged into violence after the incumbent Gbagbo refused to cede power to Ouattara - the man the world sees as the rightful winner of last month's presidential polls.
In an emergency meeting on Friday in Abuja, Nigeria, heads of state from the bloc said they would give Gbagbo the chance to stand aside peacefully before taking further action.
"In the event that Mr Gbagbo fails to heed this immutable demand of ECOWAS, the Community would be left with no alternative but to take other measures, including the use of legitimate force, to achieve the goals of the Ivorian people," a communique issued after the meeting read.
ECOWAS's warning is the latest attempt to pressure Gbagbo into handing over power. The central bank of West Africa' monetary union on Thursday agreed to cut off Gbagbo's access to public money.
"The Council of Ministers has noted the decisions of the UN, African Union and ECOWAS to recognize Alassane Ouattara as the legitimately elected president of Ivory Coast," the Central Bank for West African States (BCEAO) said in statement after ministers from West Africa's monetary union met in Guinea Bissau.
Ministers decided that only officials designated by the "legitimate" government could access deposits and told the central bank and regional banks to take measures to enforce this condition.
The bank's decision came as the UN General Assembly late Thursday in New York accepted the envoy sent by Ouattara, and the UN said that 173 people had died since December 16 as Gbagbo cracks down on dissent.
Coupled with aid freezes by international development banks and countries, Gbagbo could shortly find himself unable to pay wages to the public sector and military, with whose backing he is holding onto power.
Gbagbo has been attempting to portray the international pressure as a form of colonialism in the former French colony, but his West African neighbours have been particularly tough in their criticism.
Ouattara is widely recognized as the rightful winner of last month's presidential elections, which were aimed at healing the divisions left over from a 2002 civil war that split the country into the mainly Muslim north, which backs Ouattara, and Christian south, where Gbagbo holds sway.
The electoral commission pronounced Ouattara the winner, only for a Gbagbo ally heading up the constitutional council to annul results from Ouattara strongholds in the north and hand victory to the incumbent.
Ouattara is trying to run an alternative government from the UN- protected Golf Hotel in Abidjan, but pro-Gbagbo forces have erected barricades to prevent food and water getting through.
Nairobi/Bissau - West African regional bloc ECOWAS on Friday warned it could use "legitimate force" to oust Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo should he continue to ignore calls to hand over power to his rival Alassane Ouattara.
Ivory Coast was plunged into violence after the incumbent Gbagbo refused to cede power to Ouattara - the man the world sees as the rightful winner of last month's presidential polls.
In an emergency meeting on Friday in Abuja, Nigeria, heads of state from the bloc said they would give Gbagbo the chance to stand aside peacefully before taking further action.
"In the event that Mr Gbagbo fails to heed this immutable demand of ECOWAS, the Community would be left with no alternative but to take other measures, including the use of legitimate force, to achieve the goals of the Ivorian people," a communique issued after the meeting read.
ECOWAS's warning is the latest attempt to pressure Gbagbo into handing over power. The central bank of West Africa' monetary union on Thursday agreed to cut off Gbagbo's access to public money.
"The Council of Ministers has noted the decisions of the UN, African Union and ECOWAS to recognize Alassane Ouattara as the legitimately elected president of Ivory Coast," the Central Bank for West African States (BCEAO) said in statement after ministers from West Africa's monetary union met in Guinea Bissau.
Ministers decided that only officials designated by the "legitimate" government could access deposits and told the central bank and regional banks to take measures to enforce this condition.
The bank's decision came as the UN General Assembly late Thursday in New York accepted the envoy sent by Ouattara, and the UN said that 173 people had died since December 16 as Gbagbo cracks down on dissent.
Coupled with aid freezes by international development banks and countries, Gbagbo could shortly find himself unable to pay wages to the public sector and military, with whose backing he is holding onto power.
Gbagbo has been attempting to portray the international pressure as a form of colonialism in the former French colony, but his West African neighbours have been particularly tough in their criticism.
Ouattara is widely recognized as the rightful winner of last month's presidential elections, which were aimed at healing the divisions left over from a 2002 civil war that split the country into the mainly Muslim north, which backs Ouattara, and Christian south, where Gbagbo holds sway.
The electoral commission pronounced Ouattara the winner, only for a Gbagbo ally heading up the constitutional council to annul results from Ouattara strongholds in the north and hand victory to the incumbent.
Ouattara is trying to run an alternative government from the UN- protected Golf Hotel in Abidjan, but pro-Gbagbo forces have erected barricades to prevent food and water getting through.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.