by Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast– In the midst of a protest held today by over 5,000 women in the Ivory Coast capital city of Abidjan in the southern district of Abobo, tanks entered the area and began shooting on the crowd, killing at least six women and injuring dozens more. As the video from CNN shows, the women were engaging in a peaceful demonstration that included chants and singing and according to observers, they appeared to be unarmed. The women gathered to protest the ongoing violence that has occurred since President Laurent Gbagbo lost the election in December and has refused to leave office. Gbagbo has denied responsibility for the attacks and says his security and military forces were not in the area today, despite the fact that one tank was emblazoned with the word ‘Police’.
One of the protesters gave an account to BBC after the shooting, telling the reporter that she saw eight women killed during the attack, including a pregnant woman. She said as she ran, another woman next to her was shot in the head. “We have no idea why they shot at us. . . I don’t know how I managed to get away unharmed. . . .Only God knows how I escaped the killing.” The street quickly cleared as clothes, bags and shoes were left, abandoned by the women trying to escape the gunfire.
The women had gathered to protest Laurent Gbagbo’s presidency, holding signs that called him an assassin and robber of power. During the protest, many women blew on whistles, joining chants and singing as others danced. The crowd became silent as the three tanks rolled into view. With no warning, shots came from the tanks and the women starting fleeing. Observers rushed to pull the bodies of the slain women from the street as the tanks continued to drive through the area.
Violence has been building in intensity in the capital and the country as a whole since the election results were announced in December of last year. Gbagbo’s opponent, Alassane Ouattara, won just over 54% of the vote, a result verified by the UN and recognized by the international community. However, Gbagbo has said that the results, especially from the polls in the north where Ouattara garners the most support, were falsified. Specific religious and ethnic groups are being targeted due to political party divides in the Ivory Coast. Gbagbo is the leader of the Christian party, located largely in the southern region and Ouattara is the leader of the Muslim party, located mainly in the north. Security forces and military troops have been targeting those with Muslim last names as well as those who openly support Ouattara.
As Ouattara attempts to run his cabinet out of a hotel guarded by UN security forces, the African Union in charge of resolving the dispute have declared they are extending their deadline for the second time to March. The UN has also stated that the escalating violence is making it difficult to continue providing humanitarian aid to people in the Ivory Coast. Many are fearful that this violence will lead to a renewed civil war as plumes of black smoke from burning tires can be seen each day in the Abidjan skyline. Even Gbagbo’s supporters are growing weary of the situation. Said teacher Frank Agny, “I voted Gbagbo, but I don’t understand how a leader of this country can use tanks and break human rights like this. We don’t want war, but only Gbagbo will be to blame if it happens.”
For more information, please see;
BBC– Ivory Coast: Parts of Abidjan Resemble War Zone– 4 March, 2011
BBC– Ivory Coast Eye Witness: Women ‘Slaughtered By Soldiers’– 4 March, 2011
CCN– Video Documents Carnage in Ivory Coast– 4 March, 2011
TIME– Ivory Coast Massacre: Army Mows Down Female Protesters– 4 March, 2011
