Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Amnesty International accuses Gbagbo and Ouattara of war crimes and crimes against humanity

The NGO Amnesty International on Wednesday accused both sides of the post-election crisis in Ivory Coast, the former President Laurent Gbagbo and the current leader, Alassane Ouattara, to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity. "We continue to commit human rights violations against supporters and suspected supporters of Gbagbo in Abidjan and the west of the country," said Gaetan Mootoo, West Africa researcher for us.

Mootoo added that "Ouattara should declare publicly that all violence against civilians must cease immediately" to stop these acts. The report published today contains more than 100 testimonies from victims and witnesses gathered by investigators for two months of investigations in the African country.

These testimonies speak of assassinations committed by the Republican forces in Ivory Coast (Frei, loyal to Ouattara), calling the victims name and identity before executing them. For its part, the militia loyal to Gbagbo committed, according to AI, extrajudicial killings, torture and rape since December 2010, directed primarily against people of Muslim name or wear Muslim clothing.

AI also attacks the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and accuses him of inaction, even though, according to the victims surveyed by the NGO, requesting their intervention on several occasions with no response. "The UN officials told us that the State has the duty to protect civilians.

However, if the forces of Gbagbo and Ouattara committed terrible crimes, what can be expected to protect people?" He said Mootoo. Ivory Coast has been mired in ongoing armed clashes have claimed at least 3,000 lives, according to the UN, since last December. The conflict arose after the second round of presidential elections held on Nov.

28, in which, according to the international community, Ouattara won, but Gbagbo, in the chair since 2000, rejected the results and refused to transfer power.

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