Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Wish You Well By David Baldacci Chapter Notes

[Ivory Coast] Human Rights Watch

Here is the beginning of a long report on violence in Côte d'Ivoire, released on the website of Human Rights Watch :
- forces sécurité sous le contrôle de Laurent Gbagbo, ainsi que les milices qui le soutiennent, ont commis depuis fin novembre 2010 des exécutions extrajudiciaires, des actes de torture et des viols et ont procédé à des disparitions forcées, a déclaré Human Rights Watch aujourd'hui.
Une enquête approfondie sur les exactions perpétrées dans la capitale commerciale de la Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, a révélé une campagne souvent organisée de violences visant les membres des partis politiques d'opposition, les groupes ethniques du nord du pays, les musulmans et les immigrés des pays ouest-africains voisins, a indiqué Human Rights Watch. Gbagbo claimed the presidency in the wake of disputed elections in November and it retains control of security forces in Abidjan. " security forces and the militias who support Laurent Gbagbo are sowing terror among its opponents, real or supposed in Abidjan," said Daniel Bekele, head of the Africa division at Human Rights Watch . " The international community must do its utmost to protect civilians and build pressure on Gbagbo and his allies to stop this campaign of organized violence . "
Researchers from Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 100 victims and witnesses of violence, including killings by militia members with bricks and iron bars, and assaults committed sex in front of their family members. Witnesses described how relatives or neighbors were dragged from their homes, mosques, restaurants or captured in the street and forced them into waiting vehicles. Many of these people were "disappeared", and some victims were found dead. Many witnesses said they received frantic calls from relatives who had been detained by militias or security forces. After several days of research, some people have found the bodies of their relatives at morgues, often riddled with bullets. One of them was presented with a photograph of the body of a family member lying on a pile of other bodies in a garbage dump. Several women reported having been gang raped perpetrated by members of security forces during raids in the joint Police and militia on the Abidjan neighborhoods where residents had voted heavily for Alassane Ouattara, Gbagbo's opponent.
Abuses began just before the second round of presidential elections on November 28, which opposed Ouattara Gbagbo. The international community - including the African Union, the regional body the Economic Community of African States (ECOWAS), the European Union and the United Nations - Ouattara almost unanimously recognized as the winner and called on Gbagbo to resign.
According to information collected by Human Rights Watch various districts of Abidjan, the worst abuses by security forces and militias have occurred in the districts of Abobo, Port-Bouet, Yopougon and Kumasi, all heavily populated by supporters of Ouattara and by immigrants from other countries in West Africa. The atrocities continued throughout the period that followed the election, including during the investigation conducted by Human Rights Watch.
Houphouetists Gathering for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) pro-Ouattara, and the murders of 11 and 12 January in Abobo seven policemen.
None of the incidents investigated by Human Rights Watch in which security forces have committed abuses was preceded, it seems, for the violence committed by the victims against these forces. However, on December 16, demonstrators pro-Ouattara burned to death an undercover officer after he, according to testimony gathered by Human Rights Watch, opened fire on the demonstrators, killing at least two and injuring several others. In addition, at least seven policemen were killed in Abobo by unidentified assailants - that government officials say they Gbagbo supporters of Ouattara. Human Rights Watch has received no evidence of killings or systematic abuses committed by supporters of Ouattara Gbagbo of those cons, however, many supporters of Gbagbo living in neighborhoods that are strongholds of pro-Ouattara would have taken flight, for fear of violence. Human Rights Watch will publish a full report on the results of its investigation, but recommends already immediate international action to protect civilians and ensure that perpetrators of abuses described are brought to justice. [Read more ]
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