Friday, March 4, 2011

Ivory Coast: seven women murdered during demonstration

They demonstrated for the opposition leader Ouattara - and were murdered. Seven women were shot dead in Ivory Coast. Security forces opened fire from the cars. The demonstrators were unarmed, witnesses said. Ivory Coast has been hit again by violence. Security forces have killed at least seven participants in a demonstration of opposition leader Alassane Ouattara.

The women had gathered at a street intersection in the port city of Abidjan, when uniformed men from the vehicles opened fire on them, eyewitnesses reported. "The women sang and held hands in the air to show that they carried no weapons," said a man who watched the action. "The security forces fired without warning and shot even further when the women were lying on the floor or tried to flee." Residents, who had hidden in their apartments before the shooting, came to the streets to help the injured.


Six women were killed instantly, another died in hospital. In military circles there was talk of an unfortunate accident. Already last week was the fourth in Abidjan scene of violent clashes between supporters Ouattaras and former President Laurent Gbagbo. The area is now almost completely deserted.

200,000 inhabitants have left the district, reported the United Nations. The United States condemned Gbagbo after the attack on women as "morally bankrupt". Threatening civil war during violent clashes with UN data since Thursday last week 50 people were killed. Alone, 26 civilians had come in a hard fought quarter of the economic capital Abidjan killed, said the deputy director of the UN mission in Ivory Coast, Guillaume Ngefa.

The United Nations is warning in the face of escalating violence against a relapse into civil war. Gbagbo can also therefore remain in power because he afford the security forces in much of next following. The international community recognizes contrast to his competitor Ouattara as elected and tries to hit the president with sanctions.

The Election Commission had Ouattara declared the winner of overdue elections for five years. The head of the Constitutional Court, a party member Gbagbo canceled the election, however, saying Gbagbo's victory. International mediation efforts have been unsuccessful. Both leaders have appointed a government that may work properly on either side.

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