Thursday, March 3, 2011

Côte d'Ivoire, the massacre of women demonstrating against Gbagbo

Fifty dead in a week, 365 victims from 28 November last day of a crisis that slips dangerously close to civil war. Paralyzed from the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo's refusal to recognize the results of presidential elections that marked the victory of his rival Alassane Ouattara, Côte d'Ivoire continues to live days of rising tension.

In the morning, hundreds of women were without courage and took to the streets in Abobo, a district north of the capital inhabited by the supporters of Ouattara. "They started to raise slogans and placards against the Gbagbo," say many witnesses. "At one point, one lane of the square rushed a couple of jeeps loaded with armed men.

Some were wearing military jackets, but most were in civilian clothing. I jumped out and started firing in bursts, at head height 'man. The group of protesters and heel, a dozen women have fallen under a hail of bullets. You have been on the ground, killed instantly. Another dozen were injured and they complained.

rescued were taken to a shelter while gusts continued to blow the whistle around and hit everyone you find to shoot. " E 'panic broke out, of course. The crowd melted away and after half an hour ambulances are unable to reach the area and collect the wounded. It is not the first spontaneous demonstration that takes place north of Abidjan.

From mid-February, nearly every day, groups of men and women down the streets and try to support the reasons for Ouattara, whose victory has been acknowledged by the United Nations but strongly opposed by international observers of the strong man country, the former transitional President Laurent Gbagbo.

Last week, the neighborhood was the scene of violent fighting between former rebels and government troops Ouattara remained faithful to the old regime. Supported by militants who have been baptized "Commando invisible", the loyalists were able to take control of some areas near Abode, considered a stronghold of the winning candidate in past elections.

Despite international isolation, the blocking of accounts payable to the old government in the central banks of all countries of West Africa, Laurent Gbagbo continues to manage the administrative and policy enjoyed strong national army decided to still enjoy privileges granted by the former president.

The UN Security Council recalled that the period of one month, agreed to a set of African leaders groped to resolve the institutional paralysis of Côte d'Ivoire, will expire at the end of the week. Mediations undertaken so far have failed. The civil war is no longer a nightmare is becoming reality.

Nobody is able to provide concrete solutions. International pressure and the blockade of trade, including export of cocoa major portion of its economy, making it increasingly tense atmosphere in Abidjan. The crisis attacks layers of increasingly larger population. The country is divided in two.

The north, linked to Ouattara, and living quarters where his supporters are isolated. Gbagbo is acting on the primary things: cut the links for the provision of electricity and water. The U.S. fear the worst, they ordered the evacuation of the embassy. Many Ivorians, along with immigrants from Burkina Faso arrived en masse in recent years, fleeing towards the border.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, warned: "We are on the verge of humanitarian crisis."

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