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(Top) Believed to be Gbagbo supporters burned alive by Outtara's rebel forces. (Middle) Prisoners experiencing suffering and torture. (Bottom) Mistreatment of the Frist Lady Simone Gbagbo by Outtara's forces.
Gbagbo/ Ouattara Presidential Election Crisis
The Constitutional Council (Ivorian supreme court) announced incumbent President Gbagbo as the winner of the Nov. 28th 2010 presidential election -- following the rule of law and discounting votes from polling stations where there was proven fraud and violence. The UN, European Union, France and the United States recognized Alassane Ouattara as the winner based on the inappropriate proclamation of the Ivorian Electoral Commission, a pro-Ouattara organization with no authority other than to report to Constitutional Council. Despite Gbagbo's call for an international review and recount of the votes the UN and France decided to get involved and exert military action to remove Gbagbo. This violates the UN Charter No. 2 which stipulates each country is sovereign.
Since the beginning of 2011, Gbagbo's opponent, Alassane Ouattara, has illegally launched every attempt to overthrow Gbagbo from power with the aid of France and U.N. "peacekeepers." In the beginning of March, Ouattara's forces launched attacks from the northern region down to Abidjan, the home of the presidential palace-killing thousands of unarmed civilians pledging their allegiance to President Gbagbo. On April 11th the French Licorne, 'unicorn,' bombed the presidential palace capturing Gbagbo, his family, and presidential cabinet and handed them over to the rebels. Since that time the rebels have abused, killed, and tortured pro-Gbagbo civilians. The country is undergoing massive turmoil and a genocide.
Mass killings of Gbagbo supporters
Since the beginning of 2011, Gbagbo's opponent, Alassane Ouattara, has illegally launched every attempt to overthrow Gbagbo from power with the aid of France and U.N. "peacekeepers." In the beginning of March, Ouattara's forces launched attacks from the northern region down to Abidjan, the home of the presidential palace-killing thousands of unarmed civilians pledging their allegiance to President Gbagbo. On April 11th the French Licorne, 'unicorn,' bombed the presidential palace capturing Gbagbo, his family, and presidential cabinet and handed them over to the rebels. Since that time the rebels have abused, killed, and tortured pro-Gbagbo civilians. The country is undergoing massive turmoil and a genocide.
Following the capture of Gbagbo, mass attacks and killings have been underway against civilians believed or perceived to support President Gbagbo. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have both recently published the atrocities committed by pro-Ouattaran forces; however, Ouattara has not been "brought to justice," nor has his crimes been investigated. This must take place in order for the people to be reconciled as well as President Gbagbo and First Lady Simone Gbagbo to be brought into asylum. Currently, President Gbagbo and First Lady Simone Gbagbo are still separated in northern Rebel-held regions of Cote d'Ivoire. They are still undergoing tortures and heinous living conditions-- their lives continuing to be severely threatened.
Silence is the International Response
Although many people around the globe have questioned the actions of the UN and France's involvement no nation is actively confronting or stopping the current violence. The UN, France, and US who supported Ouattara, now are passive in their response to address this genocide. The US Foreign Relation Committee however, headed by chairman Senator John Kerry supported Ouattara, agreed to a hearing to evaluate the Ivory Coast crisis through Senator James Inhofe's persistent recommendation turned out to be a placating act through the chairman of the African sub-committee, Senator Coons, with no real address of the presidential election crisis. Senator Inhofe's plea now is at least the arrangement of an asylum for President Gbagbo and the First Lady to promote peace. The international community including the United States has continued to ignore this request.
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GBAGBO
President Laurent Gbagbo, incumbant since 2000. Previous Secretary General and Chairman of the Ivorian Popular Front FPI.
OUATTARA
Alassane Ouattara, a former prime minister under former President Felix Houphouet-Boigny and an economist for the International Monetary Fund.
Key Points Read the full story
Timeline
- OCT-NOV 2010 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Oct 29 elections were held in Côte d'Ivoire between incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara. Abuses of voting occur in the north -- fraud, ballot stuffing, intimidation, kidnappings, assaults, verbal and physical coercion, and killings of official "precinct" result givers -- mar the fairness of vote. A second round of the presidential election, held on Nov 28, was also marked by irregularities -- especially in the north. -
DEC 2010 Côte d'Ivoire's Constitutional Council rejects election results.
Electoral results reported by the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) announcing Alassane Ouattara as winner. The results were rejected by the Constitutional Council, the nation's most supreme authority, who declared Gbagbo the winner. Gbagbo cites the nation's Constitution which gives the Constitutional Council sole authority to proclaim the outcome of the election. Ouattara ignored the ruling by the country's top court and claimed victory for himself... more -
DEC 2010 International community and U.S. reaffirm support for Ouattara despite suspicious election results.
Despite a (Gbagbo's) call for international investigation of the electoral results, the United States, France, and U.N. reaffirm support for Ouattara and demand Gbagbo to "accept defeat" and cede from power, demeaning the sovereignty of the nation's own Constitution. more -
MAR 2011 Civil unrest - Ouattara begins to violently attack.
After several months of threats to Gbagbo to cede power, Ouattara's forces coerced with French and U.N. militia began attacking several cities in Côte d'Ivoire. After attacking Gbagbo's military camps in Abidjan, Ouattara's forces made their way to the Presidential Palace and along the way, bombed several neighborhoods and fired missiles into supermarkets, at unarmed civilians. Death tolls are well over 1,000 in this massacre alone. more
View Inhofe's letter to Clinton
MAR 2011 US Okahoma Senator Inhofe calls for US to re-evaluate it's stance on Côte d'Ivoire;
Senator Inhofe sends multiple letters to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outlining problems with the election, voter fraud and that Gbagbo most likely rightfully won. He called upon US Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee to hold a hearing.
APR 2011 Gbagbo is captured by French and handed over to Ouattara's Rebels
Attacks continued for more than a week when the French Licorne launched another attempt to capture Gbagbo, and succeeded on April 11, 2011. Four Puma Helicopters launched missiles and over 10 army tanks bombarded the presidential palace killing many. Since his capture the country has undergone massive turmoil led by rebel forces. Many unarmed civilians pledging their allegiance with Gbagbo are being brutally attacked, raped, and murdered. The violence continues as the rebels sweep Abidjan and nearby villages for possible Gbagbo supporters. more
MAY 2011 Senate Hearing is held and Senator Inhofe fights for the Gbagbos' exile
A Senate Foreign Relations Hearing was held on May 19 on "Next Steps in Côte d'Ivoire." The agenda was set and the U.S. Department of State has yet to investigate and try Ouattara for his war crimes, which is pertinent to true reconciliation. Also, Ouattara's FRCI forces continue to look for possible Gbagbo supporters. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented that violence has increased in both number of occurrences and intensity by these FRCI forces.
