By Polly Johnson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast – After a disputed election plunged Ivory Coast into four months of violent civil war, Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to concede defeat after last November’s presidential election, surrendered on Monday to his rival and Ivory Coast’s leader, Alassane Ouattara.
“The fighting is over,” Gbagbo said on television after his arrest, a dramatic event involving a military assault on his residence in Abidjan.
When Gbagbo failed to cede power in November’s presidential election, the country was thrown into violent conflict. Despite international calls for his resignation from the United Nations, the United States and the European Union, pleas from African diplomants and severe economic sanctions, Gbagbo refused to give up his power.
His refusal to surrender led to the dramatic scene at his residence on Monday morning, where French and U.N. helicopters struck and partially destroyed Gbagbo’s residence. Tanks surrounded his compound, under which Gbagbo and his family sought cover in a bunker protected by security forces. But by the middle of the day, Gbagbo and his wife retreated to the Golf Hotel, where his surrender was complete. The Golf Hotel serves as the headquarters of both Ouattara and the United Nations.
“Finally, we have reached the dawn of a new era of hope,” Ouattara said in a televised address on Monday. “We had hoped this transfer had been different, but we have to focus on today.”
Noting that the “country has just turned a painful page of its history,” Ouattara called for legal proceedings to be initiated against Gbagbo, his wife and his colleagues. Ouattara also said that a truth and reconciliation commission would be set up.
Aside from Ouattara’s calls to cease the violence, United States President Barack Obama and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed Gbagbo’s capture and urged calm in Ivory Coast. Obama said that Gbagbo’s “illegitimate claim to power has finally come to an end.”
Despite the relief that has come with Gbagbo’s capture, Ivory Coast is still reeling from atrocities committed by supporters of both Ouattara and Gbagbo.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported last week that forces loyal to Ouattara murdered and raped Gbagbo supporters and burned ten villages. Gbagbo supporters murdered more than one hundred Ouattara supporters.
The abuses documented by HRW occurred during March and April. In one horrific event, hundreds of Guéré civilians and Gbagbo supporters were murdered by Ouattara supporters in the town of Duékoué.
HRW has called on Ouattara to address these atrocities and violations of international law and “urgently investigate and prosecute all those responsible for abuses to bring an end to Côte d’Ivoire’s longstanding cycle of impunity.” Daniel Bekele, Africa Director at HRW, made clear that forces loyal to both Ouattara and Gbagbo have committed numerous atrocities, and that is in Ouattara’s hands to ensure that those responsible on both sides are brought to justice.
But Ouattara remains hopeful. In his televised speech, he said, “Today a white page opens in front of us, white like the white of our flag, symbol of hope and peace.”
For more information, please see:
BBC – Ouattara urges Ivory Coast calm – 11 April 2011
CNN – Ivory Coast president urges calm after Gbagbo is arrested – 11 April 2011
Human Rights Watch – Côte d’Ivoire: Ouattara Forces Kill, Rape Civilians During Offensive – 9 April 2011
Independent – Stripped of dignity, stripped of power – 12 April 2011
New York Times – Former Leader of Ivory Coast Is Captured – 11 April 2011
