Ecowas Condemns Rhetoric Against Regional Citizens in Cote d'Ivoire

25 March 2011
press release

Abuja - Nigeria — The ECOWAS Commission has condemned the incendiary rhetoric against citizens of ECOWAS Member States in Cote d'Ivoire and reminded the leader of the Ivorian Popular Front and outgoing President, Laurent Gbagbo, of his personal responsibility to guarantee the security of civilians living in areas under his control, no matter their state of origin.

In a letter to the outgoing President, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency James Victor Gbeho, referred to the recent "inflammatory speech" by Mr. Ble Goude, the Minister of Youth and leader of the Jeunes Patriots inciting his followers to take arms against the citizens of other ECOWAS Member States and accusing some of the States of supplying mercenaries to opponents in the Ivorian crisis.

"The ECOWAS Commission strongly disapproves of such vitriolic hate speech and takes a serious view of calls to attack innocent citizens of other countries living in Cote d'Ivoire," the President said in the two-page letter.

He recalled that "this unacceptable act comes in the immediate aftermath of other serious acts of violence that have claimed many casualties" and urged him to "personally dissuade your Minister and other followers from further acts of incitement and the temptation to deliberately target the civilian population, including Ivoirians, ECOWAS citizens and other foreigners living in the country."

He then informed Mr. Gbagbo that ECOWAS and the African Union hope to take urgent steps very soon to commence the implementation of the Decision of the African Union Peace and Security Council at its meeting in Addis Ababa on 10th March 2011 regarding the situation in Cote d'Ivoire.

He therefore launched a "fervent appeal" on the outgoing President and all the Ivoirian parties to urge their followers to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any act likely to further worsen the precarious security in the country.

"In this regard, I wish to remind all concerned of their individual and collective responsibility for crimes against unarmed civilians," he added.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.