Ivory Coast Violence Flares as African Leaders Seek Resolution
Ivory Coast Violence Flares Leaders Seek Resolution
Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images
Violence flared in the neighborhoods of Koumassi and Treichville where troops clashed with supporters of Alassane Ouattara.
Violence flared in the neighborhoods of Koumassi and Treichville where troops clashed with supporters of Alassane Ouattara. Photographer: Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images
Security forces in Ivory Coast’s commercial capital, Abidjan, fired on opposition protesters, killing one as African presidents arrived in the country in a new attempt to find a solution to the country’s political impasse.
Violence flared in the neighborhoods of Koumassi and Treichville where troops clashed with supporters of Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognized winner of a Nov. 28 election. Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo has refused to resign, alleging electoral fraud, and has maintained the loyalty of police and armed forces. At least 300 people have been killed in clashes, according to the United Nations.
“The security forces are here and they have been shooting around, everybody is scared,” said Chantal Guehennot, a resident of the Treichville neighborhood in southern Abidjan, by phone today. She saw at least one body in the road after the gunfire and saw another person dragged from a house and beaten with rifle butts.
Alcide Djedje, the Foreign Affairs Minister in Gbagbo’s government, didn’t answer calls made to his mobile phone today. Ahoua Don Mello, a spokesman for Gbagbo, also didn’t answer calls.
The army “reinforced the deployment” of troops in Abidjan to prevent a deterioration in the security situation, said Hilaire Babri Gohourou, army spokesman, on state-owned Radio Television Ivoirienne today.
“All the security measures have been taken in order to guard against any eventuality,” he said.
Gunfire and Protesters
Gunfire and heavy artillery was heard in Koumassi where protesters were demonstrating, said Didier Houldesso, a member of the youth wing of the opposition Parti Democratique de Cote d’Ivoire, which supports Ouattara, by phone today.
“The area is a battlefield,” Houldesso said. “Youth are demonstrating, they’re setting up barricades.”
The renewed violence follows a month of relative calm as Ouattara attempted to starve Gbagbo of money, preventing him from paying state wages in an attempt to undermine the loyalty of the army. Ouattara called for cocoa and coffee exporters to halt shipments and convinced the West African central bank to cut ties with the incumbent, who has ruled for a decade.
Morocco’s Attijariwafa Bank today became the 10th financial institution to halt operations in the world’s biggest cocoa producer, following the units of BNP Paribas SA, Ecobank Transnational Inc. and Citigroup Inc. who closed their branches last week amid security concerns.
Shops Closed
Shops were closed and traffic was quiet in many parts of the city today. “Everybody here is worried about safety, we have been told it’s better to stay at home today,” said Malick Konate, a shop owner, by phone today.
South African President Jacob Zuma, along with the leaders of Mauritania, Chad and Tanzania, arrived in Abidjan today in an African Union-mandated bid to find a resolution to the conflict. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga earlier traveled to the country in at least two unsuccessful attempts to solve the impasse as African Union mediator.
Cocoa for May delivery climbed for a second day, adding 14 pounds, or 0.6 percent, to 2,277 pounds per metric ton by 2:12 p.m. in London trading.
To contact the reporter on this story: Pauline Bax and Olivier Monnier in Abidjan via Accra at ebowers1@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net.
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