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Ivory Coast: Laurent Gbagbo standoff - reside updates

12.24pm: Our Africa correspondent David Smith, who is going to be answering your inquiries within the feedback segment at 1pm, has furnished some analysis of the options open to Gbagbo because the internet closes about him:

The deputy leader of Ivory Coast’s rebel forces informed me final month that they have no intention of killing him, but fairly want him to stand trial on the Worldwide Criminal Court, following the example of previous president Charles Taylor in neighbouring Liberia. You can find growing desire for this inside wake of some hideous human rights abuses over the previous 4 months.

David says chat of Gbagbo, a former historical past professor, getting provided amnesty and taking up a teaching place inside the United states is lengthy gone:


But he could however go into exile, perhaps across the border in Ghana, which was among the nations that put the brakes on the mooted west African army intervention. Other candidates are Angola, where by president Jose Eduardo dos Santos is an previous ally, or Zimbabwe, exactly where president Robert Mugabe always welcomes any prospect to goad the west. Zimbabwe currently gives you refuge to former Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, needed for your notorious ‘Red Terror’ campaign.

Then there’s South Africa, currently a bolthole for both equally previous Madagascan president Marc Ravalomanana and exiled Haitian leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who returned to his homeland last month. It really is by now currently being joked that Aristide’s luxurious villa in Pretoria is now
empty and offered for Gbagbo to maneuver in. South Africa angered Gbagbo’s rival, Alassane Ouattara, by refusing to take sides more than last year’s election, whilst it’s subsequently arrive on board using the rest of the African Union in endorsing Ouattara. Nevertheless, by
giving Gbagbo some breathing room, South Africa could fend off internal critics who say it has grow to be subservient for the west, not minimum in excess of Libya.

But each of the noises coming out of Gbagbo’s bunker now appear to echo Churchill’s “in defeat, defiance” - which has a consequence that could resemble Hitler’s fate in 1945.

twelve.15pm: Gbagbo will be captured within the up coming few hrs, according to a spokeswoman for Ouattara. Talking to CNN she explained:


The Republican forces of Cote d’Ivoire are in Laurent Gbagbo’s property. I think within an individual hour they may seize Gbagbo. Inside of one hour or two hrs.

She confirmed that a gun battle is taking place within the residence and added that only Republican forces, allayed to Ouattara, are involved with the fighting, not UN or French troops.

eleven.53am: Ibrahim Coulibaly, a spokesman for that Ivory Coast embassy in France, just told al-Jazeera English Gbabgo is “still in his bunker”. He claimed:

Gbabgo continues to be denying the end result with the election, so currently we made a decision to go and get him out of his bunker.

Coulibaly said they had no intention of harming Gbagbo but had no other option than to make use of force to obtain him out of his bunker.

“That’s the only indicates now, we did not have any selection. We have been attempting to negotiate with him.”

Coulibaly denied that any French forces are involved in the assault.

eleven.37am: Affoussy Bamba, spokeswoman for that federal government on the president elect, Ouattara, has told France-24 that Gbagbo is going to be captured “soon”. She reported:

With the present-day moment they’ve not nevertheless captured Gbagbo however it will take place quickly. They opened the gates and noted that the residence is surrounded by large weaponry. Now the goal is always to capture him.

Members of Ouattara’s forces are reportedly underneath strict directions from the president-elect’s federal government to get Gbago unharmed.

eleven.18am: Forces loyal to Ouattara are attacking Gbagbo’s palace and are planning to get him from his bunker however the incumbent president still has some security safeguarding him, Selay Koussi studies in the Skype interview from Abidjan.

From my dwelling I can listen to gunfire. Ouattara forces are firing at the bunker. They mentioned they’re going to catch Mr Gbagbo in his household. Gbagbo just isn’t exhibiting any indication of resigning. Maybe only by by doing this will he surrender. He’s becoming protected by a handful of faithful militiamen and protection guards.

We desire for a content ending in any other case it is going to become pretty challenging.

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11.12am: There’s a “real danger” that Gbabgo, his spouse along with other family members may be killed while in the assault around the presidential palace, his European representative Toussaint Alain has informed AP.

Alain claimed French forces are firing from two Puma helicopters and also through the rooftop of the French ambassador’s residence close by. He mentioned:

France will likely be held responsible for the death of President Gbagbo, his wife and family members members and all individuals who are within the residence, which is being bombarded through the French army.


French Army Spokesman Thierry Burkhard denied that French forces are firing on the residence.

eleven.02am: Citizens across the presidential palace in Abidjan’s Cocody neighbourhood say they’ve heard major gunfire and loud explosions coming through the route in the palace, Reuters studies. Alfred Kouassi, who lives near Gbagbo’s residence in Cocody, informed the news company:

We have found from my constructing the FRCI fighters (Ouattara forces) in pick-ups and 4x4 jeeps rushing towards Gbagbo’s residence, weapons in their fingers. We could hear computerized gunfire and also the thuds of heavy weapons coming in the residence.

10.53am: A Gbagbo representative claims French forces are firing to the embattled Ivorian leader’s residence, AP reviews.

A French government spokesman has advised Reuters its forces are usually not taking part in on-the-ground fighting across the presidential residence palace.
Reside blog: Twitter

ten.44am: The BBC’s Andrew Harding tweets:

I can hear hefty bombardment in Abidjan. Has Gbagbo been haggling as well extended in his bunker? Nation badly desires relaxed ending to this.

ten.41am: Fabrice Zagbayou, a Gbagbo supporter and enterprise analyst from Abidjan, says he fears for his lifestyle in the recent assault.

Zagbayou, an lively Twitter consumer inside metropolis, advised the Guardian:

Laurent Gbagbo won the election. We don’t want bombing, we don’t need to have a different leader. The French army bombed civilians, the French army bombed the president. This isn’t democracy. It can be not acceptable.

Sounding near to tears he added:

“The French army say they wish to secure Abidjan. It really is wrong. It’s wrong. We feel they will kill Laurent Gbagbo. Ouattara militia and French troops are shooting now. I am frightened for my daily life. I’m frightened that if the Ouattara militia come across me they may kill me.”

A French federal government spokesman has explained French forces usually are not taking part in on-the-ground fighting throughout the presidential residence, as outlined by Reuters.

10.36am: Forces loyal to Ouattara have stormed the palace in which Gbagbo is sheltering within a bunker, a spokeswoman for that forces told Reuters. Affousy Bamba stated:

Yes they (Ouattara forces) are while in the procedure of getting into the residence to seize Gbagbo, they’ve not taken him however, however they are from the process, they’re from the making.

10.22am: There’s a useful Q&A within the crisis by Richard Downie, deputy director from the Africa programme in the Washington-based Centre for Strategic Global Studies.

His answer on what happens future is most pertinent:

By holding out for so long, Gbagbo has lost any right to negotiate the terms of his exit. In an ideal scenario, he should prepare to get a trip towards the Worldwide Criminal Court, whose prosecutors have already been closely monitoring events in Côte d’Ivoire. It remains to get seen whether a different African country might help him escape this fate by offering him a quiet exile.

President Ouattara faces the formidable challenge of healing a deeply divided country in which a sizeable minority openly questions his right to govern. Having been denied his right to win control with the region through the ballot box, he has ultimately claimed it by force. The large fighting of the previous few days has led to excesses by each sides within the conflict. The FRCI has been accused from the Global Committee from the Red Cross of becoming involved with a massacre from the town of Duékoué, despite the fact that Ouattara strongly denies this claim. In addition, the incoming president will inevitably face the politically damaging claim that he was propelled to power from the French, Côte d’Ivoire’s former colonial masters. A

All of these factors dent Ouattara’s credibility. For these reasons, his main priority on taking office might be to promote national reconciliation. Ouattara will need to act with restraint toward individuals who opposed him and would be advised to reach out to his erstwhile enemies by including some from the more moderate Gbagbo loyalists in his authorities. There remains cause for wish despite the challenges. Ivoirian political leaders have shown an impressive capacity to patch up their differences inside the past; all those skills are going to be needed again from the coming weeks and months.

ten.08am: The Guardian’s stringer, Selay Koussi, says gunfire has restarted in Abidjan after the FRCI, the pro-Outtara forces, announced that they are going to “take Gbagbo from his bunker wherever he is hiding”.

These are heading into the presidential palace.

It appears that they have lost patience with attempts to negotiate Gbagbo’s surrender.

10.01am: The Guardian’s Africa correspondent David Smith will be taking part in a Q&A within the feedback part below at 1pm.

- You may be interested in finding out more about the two sides in the conflict, tribal allegiances, their culpability for war crimes.

- Or you may be interested from the global aspects on the conflict, the role with the UN and/or France and the scope the crisis has to affect other countries within the region.

- Alternatively, you may have concerns about the humanitarian cost with the crisis.

Simply post your question from the remarks part and David will try to respond.

9.51am: Gbagbo is resisting pressure from your United Nations and France to indicator a document renouncing his claim to power, in yet another setback to hopes that he will leave office imminently, Reuters reviews.

From his bunker where he is surrounded by troops loyal to Ouattara, Gbagbo told French Radio RFI these days:

We are usually not with the negotiating stage. And my departure from where? to go where by?

But Gbagbo authorities spokesman Ahoua Don Mello, who was taking part in negotiations, told Reuters the parties are nevertheless in talks. He stated:

“Some points are nonetheless getting discussed. Nothing has been signed, Gbagbo has not signed anything.”

9.47am: You can find heavy gunfire in the vicinity of Gbagbo’s residence, France 24 is reporting, citing witnesses. No further details happen to be presented.

9.17am: Gbagbo’s refusal to surrender is prompting fears of more violence in Abidjan, our stringer in the city, Selay Koussi, reviews. (There’s brief echo around the line at first nevertheless it gets better).

The area is quiet, but it will not be safe because you some have militia men who’re nevertheless faithful Mr Gbagbo who ransacking shops and supermarkets.

Many many families are running from basic foodstuffs and water.

Many many people feel the UN and French forces again might restart the bombing to put pressure on him [Gbagbo] to relinquish power. Many people were disappointment that he said he was not going to recognise Mr Ouattara because the victor of your election. I’m afraid that if French troops and UN forces use helicopters and start firing rockets with the bunker of Mr Gbagbo the violence will raise again. People are incredibly angry throughout Abidjan. They think that Mr Gbagbo is playing a nasty game along with the international community. They imagine he is looking to get time to escape.

This day is pretty crucial. If nothing is done within the subsequent 24 hrs the population might go on to the streets because they can be running out of basic foodstuffs and water. This might bring the nation to the verge of each chaos and collapse.

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9.01am: The Guardian has a story up about Gbagbo’s denial that he’s preparing to surrender. He advised French news channel LCI:

I won the election and I am not negotiating my departure. I uncover it absolutely incredible the entire world is playing this … game of poker.


He also insisted he had no intention of being a martyr:

“I’m not a kamikaze. I love life. My voice isn’t the voice of a martyr, no, no, no, I am not looking for death. It can be not my aim to die.”

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8.56am: With most people assuming Gbabgo’s surrender is only a matter of time, attention is turning to what will happen after his departure. On Comment is Free, Adekeye Adebajo, director in the Centre for Conflict, writes that both sides have a case to answer:

Both equally sides are actually accused of committing atrocities. Gbagbo and Ouattara must thus be place on notice that they’ll be held accountable for war crimes committed by their fighters. The financial and travel sanctions recently imposed from the UN on Gbagbo, his Lady Macbethian spouse Simone, and other associates, should also be extended to other peace “spoilers”.

French troops must do more than just protect the airport in order to evacuate western nationals in still one more illustration of an “aristocracy of death”, in which the lives of foreigners are deemed to be worth more than people of Africans. In addition, genuine suspicions persist about the stance adopted by pro-Ouattara France, whose previous self-interested interventions in Africa, and continuing support for local autocrats, cast the Gallic power in the role of a fox guarding a hen-house.


Adebajo also says other African countries have an important part to play in post-Gbagbo reconciliation:

Nigeria and South Africa must use their presence to the UN safety council effectively to help craft a peaceful outcome. The African Union should help to negotiate a safe exit for Gbagbo and press Ouattara to bring in his rival’s supporters into any future government. Nigeria, South Africa and Angola must speak with 1 voice to ensure that any agreement sticks.

8.46am: France’s armed forces chief Edouard Guillaud has told Europe 1 radio that Gbagbo is negotiating his surrender - the president has denied he is doing so - and could quit office in “a matter of hours”. He stated:

They (negotiations) continued through the night but unfortunately I see no breakthrough for now. Despite that, I believe it is a matter of hours, possibly during the day.

Guillard also said strikes against Gbagbo’s camp could resume in the request on the United Nations and if he continued to refuse to step down.

Earlier, the French foreign minister, Alain Juppe told France Info radio the sole thing left to discuss with Gbagbo was his departure. Juppe explained:

“This obstinacy is absurd. Gbagbo has no future henceforth. Everybody’s dropped him. He’s holed up in his residence. While using United Nations, which is at the helm, we are going to continue to exert pressure on him to face up to reality.”

8.36am: Because the standoff at the presidential palace continues, the pro-Ouattara television station TCI has been putting pressure on Gbagbo/mocking the incumbent president by playing extracts from Downfall, the film about Adolf Hitler’s final days in his bunker in Berlin.

How extended will it be before someone creates a Gbagbo-inspired parody of the famous scene wherever Hitler launches into a furious tirade upon finally realizing that the war is truly lost?

8.23am: Good morning. Welcome to reside coverage of events within the Ivory Coast. Here’s a summary of your latest developments:

• President Laurent Gbago remains holed up inside a bunker with his family and a handful of supporters at his palace in Abidjan. Forces loyal to his rival, Alassane Ouattara, surrounded his house on Tuesday after UN helicopters attacked Gbagbo’s arms stockpiles and bases.

• Gbago’s spokesman, the UN and the French have all stated that the incumbent president is negotiating his surrender. However, in a telephone interview with French news channel LCI, the incumbent president insisted “no decision has still been taken”.

• A ceasefire declared by Gbagbo’s generals in Abidjan yesterday appears to get holding, while the UN says there has been “sporadic shooting” by gangs of youths not allied to either the incumbent president or his rival.

• There are fears of a humanitarian crisis with people confined to their houses from the fighting. Food, medical supplies and water are all in short supply in Abidjan. Many people are also without electricity. There have also been armed, xenophobic attacks against west African nationals and Malian migrants, with guns and knives.