Ivory Coast - Country on the brink of war

Below is an excellent article by comrades from the Democratic Socialist Movement, which is the CWI section in Nigeria. Please read the full article here: http://www.socialistnigeria.org/page.php?article=1708

Presidential Election brings the country on the brink of full scale war and worsens the crisis of capitalism

By Peluola Adewale, Democratic Socialist Movement

That the November 28 run-off election in Ivory Coast has produced two presidents - Alassane Ouattara and Laurent Gbagbo – is not a surprise, though the working people had expected the election to usher a return of peace. The country has been divided into two since the 2002 coup attempt and subsequent rebellion with each half effectively having its own de facto government. The north is controlled by rebels, Forces Nouvelles (New Forces), while the south is under Gbagbo with the support of the armed forces and youth militia. Therefore, on this account and with the ethno-centric sentiment that has characterized Ivorian politics in the last two decades, it is natural that the results of the election from either half would be bitterly disputed by the party declared the loser of the contest.

The electoral commission declared Ouattara, a northerner and a former prime minister under Felix Houphouet-Boigny, as the winner of the election while a few hours later the Constitutional Court, reportedly headed by a strong ally of Gbagbo, cancelled some votes in the north citing electoral frauds and handed victory to Gbagbo. The international observers said while there were some cases of irregularities across the country, the election was broadly free and fair and that Ouattara won. On its part, the United Nations mission, who by terms of the peace accord that set in motion the electoral processes is mandated to certify the conduct and outcome of the election, endorsed the victory of Ouattara. Both men have claimed to be presidents and appointed separate cabinets while the post election crisis has already claimed about 173 lives and driven about 20,000, mostly women and children, into refugee camps in Liberia. There is also allegation by the United Nations of the existence of two mass graves of those killed by Gbagbo's supporters. This has been denied by the Gbagbo's camp.

Democratic Socialist Movement, CWI Nigeria - 

http://www.socialistnigeria.org/page.php?article=1708