The Ivory Coast is divided into two parts now. On September 19, 2002 there was an attempted coupe of the established government while the President was out of the country in Italy. The United Nations has been actively involved to resolve the problems of the country and reunite it. They feel the sanctions have been working and of course no one wants to have another dispute that mirrors Rwanda.
Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo waves at supporters during his campaign rally in the western town of Man October 15, 2010. Gbagbo officially opened his election campaign on Friday in the rebel-held west, pledging to industrialise the West African nation by putting a cocoa factory in every growing region. (Xinhua/Reuters)
UN Sanctions Extended for Another Six Months (click title to entry - thank you)
15 October 2010
...In a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-member body, which last October renewed sanctions for a full year, said it would review the measures no later than three months after much-delayed presidential elections, now scheduled for 31 October.
A second round is slated to be held on 28 November if there is no clear winner in the final stages of United Nations-backed efforts to reunite the West African country, the world's largest cocoa producer. Parliamentary polls are also being held.
The sanctions include an arms embargo, restrictions for certain individuals on travel and financial movements, and a ban on any State importing rough diamonds, the so-called "blood diamonds" that have fuelled conflict in the region, including in neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The arms embargo does not apply to non-lethal equipment intended solely to enable Ivorian security forces to use only appropriate and proportionate force while maintaining public order....
| 2010-10-16 16:38:01 |
| English.news.cn |
ABIDJAN, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Election campaigns for the Oct. 31 presidential elections in Cote d'Ivoire were launched in low profile on Friday in Abidjan, the country's economic capital.
On the city's main streets, there were posters and billboards carrying messages of the 14 candidates to contesting in the first race since 2005.
Many of the billboards feature out-going President Laurent Gbagbo and two of his main rivals Henri Konan Bedie and Alassane Ouattara.
"I vote for Gbagbo because of Cote d'Ivoire," "The war is over, it is time for development," some of the messages on Gbagbo's billboards read.
On this first day, Gbagbo chose the town of Man, 700 km west of Abidjan, to launch his election campaign....
19 May 2010
Posted by
Greenpeace accuses the oil and metal trading company Trafigura of bribing witnesses and falsifying documents. The Swiss-based company was involved in the dumping of highly toxic waste in the Ivory Coast’s main city Abidjan in 2006, which is said to have caused vomiting, choking and skin eruptions in some 100,000 people and killed at least 15 Ivorians. The drivers claimed they did not know the waste was toxic and actually handled it themselves. They dumped it in a panic when they realised how hazardous it was and then went into hiding for fear of retribution by the local population.
Five months ago, the drivers sought contact with Greenpeace at a secret location in Africa and confessed their story. Greenpeace is well aware that these same drivers previously told lies in the very same case. But the organisation believes that the accusations are serious enough to warrant investigation. Marietta Harjono, Greenpeace spokeswoman said:...
The authorities need to identify the body. I doubt seriously this could be Natalie Halloway, but, a positive identification is important.
| Body of white lady washes ashore New Town beach (click here) | |
| Date: 16-Oct-2010 | |
This is a map of the election result of 2002. There was a unity government organized in 2003. The political terrain became rocky and opposition demonstrations resulted in 120 deaths in March of 2004. It is stated the killings were planned and therefore murders.
It has been a difficult place to obtain peace. The standing government fired upon rebels later that year, but, they instead killed French Peacekeepers. The French state it was a deliberate act and in turn destroyed the Air Force to prevent any further aggressions.
There were supposed to be elections in 2005. but, the country was still experiencing too much violence to hold them. It wasn't until 2007 that a cooperation was achieved, somewhat, and the opposition leaders became Prime Minister. So, we are now in 2010, the country is considered 'safely disarmed' to hold elections and the campaigns have begun.
The official name of the country is, "Côte d'Ivoire."
Until tomorrow...
