Washington, DC
February 02 , 2011
THE power struggle in Cote d’Ivoire
may further linger as Ivoirien rivals locked in dispute since last year’s
election have held their ground after five African leaders tasked with
resolving the crisis began work.
Presidents of South Africa, Tanzania, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Chad have begun the task of forming a panel charged with solving a stand-off between incumbent Laurent Gbagbo and rival Alassane Ouattara within a month.
The Reuters news agency quoted Ahoua Don Mello, spokesman for Gbagbo’s government as saying that the panel was an “excellent” idea that would force the AU to reverse its stance in recognising Ouattara as winner of the November 28 poll in the top cocoa grower in line with UN-certified results.
“Faced with the truth, they will have to (change their position),” he added.
In a statement on Monday, Ouattara’s camp called on the commission to complete its work within the month to put an end to the suffering in the country and “block Laurent Gbagbo’s desire to provoke chaos in Cote d’Ivoire.”
The statement highlighted African Union statements reconfirming Ouattara as the recognised leader.
“Diplomatically, it gives Gbagbo another month,” a diplomat, who is following the process, said.
“The general view (in Ouattara’s camp) is that it simply doesn’t matter. They (the presidents) ... will be told by Gbagbo that he is not leaving,” added the diplomat of impressions based on contacts with both parties in the dispute.
Meanwhile, African leaders have backed Kenya’s plan to defer the cases of key suspects accused by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of masterminding post-election violence.
Boosted by the vote of confidence, Kenya is now likely to call for the UN Security Council to defer or suspend the trials from taking place for a year while it overhauls its judiciary to handle the cases.
“The summit approved Kenya’s request calling for a suspension of the trials,” Jean Ping, chairman of the African Union Commission, told a news conference.
The ethnic bloodletting, which saw more than 1,200 people killed, was sparked when Prime Minister Raila Odinga, then opposition leader, accused incumbent President Mwai Kibaki of rigging the vote. The two later agreed to form a unity cabinet to end the bloodshed after weeks of negotiations.
Kibaki said on Monday that the East African country was preparing the ground for local trials after adopting a new constitution in August that was designed to strengthen the judiciary.
“It will boost our efforts (for) peace, justice and reconciliation as well as uphold our national dignity and sovereignty; and prevent the resumption of conflict and violence,” Kibaki told the summit.
The case of Kenya’s post-election violence was referred to the ICC after east Africa’s largest economy failed to set up a local tribunal to try suspects.
Some government critics accuse Kibaki’s administration of trying to shield Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and suspended ministers William Ruto and Henry Kosgey from The Hague-based court. Both Kenyatta and Ruto have said they intend to run for president in 2012.
“We cannot allow the only country in our region that has enjoyed stability to be destabilized on the grounds of a technicality,” Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told a meeting between east African leaders, the AU and UN.
The UN Security Council helped set up the ICC and has control over its mandate, enabling it to postpone cases for one year, especially if the prosecution of such cases could cause further upheavals in the country where crimes occurred.
It can however refuse, as it did when Sudan sought a delay in the case against President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
Presidents of South Africa, Tanzania, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Chad have begun the task of forming a panel charged with solving a stand-off between incumbent Laurent Gbagbo and rival Alassane Ouattara within a month.
The Reuters news agency quoted Ahoua Don Mello, spokesman for Gbagbo’s government as saying that the panel was an “excellent” idea that would force the AU to reverse its stance in recognising Ouattara as winner of the November 28 poll in the top cocoa grower in line with UN-certified results.
“Faced with the truth, they will have to (change their position),” he added.
In a statement on Monday, Ouattara’s camp called on the commission to complete its work within the month to put an end to the suffering in the country and “block Laurent Gbagbo’s desire to provoke chaos in Cote d’Ivoire.”
The statement highlighted African Union statements reconfirming Ouattara as the recognised leader.
“Diplomatically, it gives Gbagbo another month,” a diplomat, who is following the process, said.
“The general view (in Ouattara’s camp) is that it simply doesn’t matter. They (the presidents) ... will be told by Gbagbo that he is not leaving,” added the diplomat of impressions based on contacts with both parties in the dispute.
Meanwhile, African leaders have backed Kenya’s plan to defer the cases of key suspects accused by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of masterminding post-election violence.
Boosted by the vote of confidence, Kenya is now likely to call for the UN Security Council to defer or suspend the trials from taking place for a year while it overhauls its judiciary to handle the cases.
“The summit approved Kenya’s request calling for a suspension of the trials,” Jean Ping, chairman of the African Union Commission, told a news conference.
The ethnic bloodletting, which saw more than 1,200 people killed, was sparked when Prime Minister Raila Odinga, then opposition leader, accused incumbent President Mwai Kibaki of rigging the vote. The two later agreed to form a unity cabinet to end the bloodshed after weeks of negotiations.
Kibaki said on Monday that the East African country was preparing the ground for local trials after adopting a new constitution in August that was designed to strengthen the judiciary.
“It will boost our efforts (for) peace, justice and reconciliation as well as uphold our national dignity and sovereignty; and prevent the resumption of conflict and violence,” Kibaki told the summit.
The case of Kenya’s post-election violence was referred to the ICC after east Africa’s largest economy failed to set up a local tribunal to try suspects.
Some government critics accuse Kibaki’s administration of trying to shield Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and suspended ministers William Ruto and Henry Kosgey from The Hague-based court. Both Kenyatta and Ruto have said they intend to run for president in 2012.
“We cannot allow the only country in our region that has enjoyed stability to be destabilized on the grounds of a technicality,” Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told a meeting between east African leaders, the AU and UN.
The UN Security Council helped set up the ICC and has control over its mandate, enabling it to postpone cases for one year, especially if the prosecution of such cases could cause further upheavals in the country where crimes occurred.
It can however refuse, as it did when Sudan sought a delay in the case against President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
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