Det kom ett brev.....

Sommaren 2008 hade jag den stora äran och på ett IPP i Canada, jag var internationell stab, men förutom mig kom en kille från Elfenbenskusten. Han hade varit med och startat CISV Elfenbenskusten. Noan var engagerad och såg livet från lite andra perspektiv än vi med vårt västerländska ledarstil, en del tankar dök upp. Han berättade också om deras Mosaikarbete i några byar, fantastiskt!

CISV i Afrika är ju inte så stort och det är en fråga vi borde reflekterar mer över..

Så idag kom det ett mail från Noan som nu är president of CISV Elfenbenskusten. Jag lägger ut det så ni alla kan läsa.

SITUATION IN COTE D'IVOIRE 04-04-201

Côte d'Ivoire country situated in West Africa was a country of reference for culture of peace andhospitalized. Several populations of neighboring countries live there peacefully. Its first president Felix Houphouet Boigny did every effort to preserve social peace, he even established a peace prize at UNESCO called “The Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace prize”. After his death the country was plunged
into social unrest. An election is held and Mr Gbagbo became President in 2000. The candidacy of Mr. Alassane from northern part of Côte d’Ivoire was rejected because it was considered as an outsider in this election of 2000. Therefore armed groups from northern part of Côte d’Ivoire who feel excluded, made a coup of state against Mr Gbagbo, and this coup of state failed. But the country was split in two parts after the negotiations in France; the northern part of the country is occupied by the
rebels and the south by the government of Mr Gbagbo. Mr Gbagbo would not hold elections because he said that the rebels should disarm first. After the Ouagadougou agreement, Mr Gbagbo decides tohold elections in 2010 but remained in power during those 10 years.

In Côte d'Ivoire, during an election, if more than two candidates are in competition and anybody does not reach 50% in the first round, we must go to the second round. In the first round Mr Gbagbo received 38%, Mr Alassane 32% and Mr Bedié 25%. While the Independent Electoral Commission held a second round 28 November 2010 which opposed Mr Gbagbo and Mr Alassane. During three days after election, the Independent Electoral Commission has not give results and to our surprise,we saw on TV the supporters of Mr Gbagbo, who still hold the power, pulled the sheet results from
the hand of spokesman of Independent Electoral Commission and break it. The commission has done everything to give the results on the fourth day. The Independent Electoral Commissiondeclared Mr Alassane as the winner of the presidential election with 54.1% and Mr Gbagbo with 45.9%. But the Constitutional Court headed by Mr Paul Andre Yao, a personal friend of Mr Gbagbo
and member of political party of Mr Gbagbo, canceled the results declared by the Independent Electoral Commission on the grounds that Mr Alassane had cheated in the north while all Observers say that the election went smoothly. From that moment the country is left with two Presidents of the Republic. On the one hand Mr Alassane proclaimed winner by the Independent Electoral Commission and recognized by the UN, African Union and the world and on the other side Mr Gbagbo declared winner by the Constitutional Court and the military-backed pf Cote d'Ivoire. After four months of
negotiations, there was no agreement. Meanwhile the people who supported Mr Alassane are killed by soldiers, militias and mercenaries of Mr Gbagbo. Alassane then decided to form an army and launched an assault to save lifes of people who are tortured and to exercise his presidential term.

It's really sad, war rages and the tendency toward civil war if nothing is done. There is a humanitarian disaster in Côte d’Ivoire. Every day, the population is bombed with heavy weapons and rocket fire. There are scenes of looting, torture. We are left to ourselves, because there are no police to ensure
safety of goods and people. The militias and bandits do whatever they want. The food has become scarce and very expensive. There are often power cuts and water in some neighborhoods. All banks were closed and many shops and supermarket.

I try to take news of members of CISV Cote d’Ivoire but it is not easy because the sms were cut and the network of phone calls is not very reliable. I manage to contact some by internet. The UN has
issued a decree to neutralize tanks and heavy weapons of Mr Gbagbo and now I write this note, UN began bombing military camps and tanks of Mr Gbagbo's army. There are now fighting between army of Mr Gbagbo and Mr Ouattara. The situation is precarious and deteriorating every day. We no longer know what to do, except to stay home with hope but it is not easy. Please spare a thought for Côte d'Ivoire and the CISV Côte d’Ivoire. Our only hope, GOD!

NAON KATIOHORA

Président CISV Côte d’Ivoire