Befolkningen i Elfenbenskysten lider fortsat i kølvandet på præsidentvalget i november 2010. Det internationale samfund støtter Alassane Ouattara som vinder af valget, men Laurent Gbagbo afviser at forlade præsidentembedet og har netop udstedt flyveforbud rettet mod fredsbevarende flyoperationer udført af FN og Frankrig.
A top United Nations official warned Friday that human rights violations, including rapes, abductions and killings, are escalating amid the ongoing post-electoral crisis in Ivory Coast, with at least 27 people killed in just the past week.
Skriver FNs nyhedscenter torsdag.
According to investigations conducted by UN human rights officers in the country, at least 392 people have been killed in IvoryCoast since mid-December amid the unrest resulting from Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to leave office after his UN-certified defeat by opposition leader Alassane Ouattara in last November’s presidential election.
In addition, families of high-profile individuals known to be politically active have been targeted, media groups seen as pro-Ouattara have been threatened, and the residences of members appointed to the Ouattara Government have been the targets of looting and ransacking.
Also today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon confirmed that the UN peacekeeping mission in IvoryCoast (UNOCI) will maintain its flight operations and take “all necessary measures” to protect its assets and fulfil its mandate, particularly with regards to protecting civilians.
This came after the Ouattara Government issued a statement invalidating a declaration by the authorities supporting Mr. Gbagbo that banned UN and French peacekeeping aircraft from flying over or landing in the West African country.
Mr. Ban deplored this latest attempt to disrupt UNOCI’s operations and warned all parties that any attempt to disrupt flights conducted by the impartial forces is “unacceptable,” his spokesperson said in a statement.
