Enough is enough – it’s time for sanctions say some Ivorians

As the United Nations debates whether to impose sanctions on individuals seen as blocking peace in Cote d’Ivoire, some residents of the main city Abidjan wonder why the move is taking so long and wish the UN would act quickly – and severly. The Security Council began meetings at UN headquarters in New York on Friday to discuss targeted sanctions against Ivorians seen as whipping up violence and hindering peace efforts. With the country still reeling from last month’s violent anti-UN protests that forced hundreds of UN workers to evacuate, some fear a decision to impose sanctions would trigger even worse attacks. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warned on Wednesday sanctions could raise the “possibility of major violence being unleashed in Abidjan and other areas.” But not all Ivorians agree. Some want to see UN sanctions slapped on those responsible for sabotaging the three-year-old peace process – and the sooner, they say, the better. “They should impose sanctions and they should do it soon,” grumbled Sarra, a woman in her twenties who declined to give her full name for fear of reprisals. Two weeks ago, followers of President Laurent Gbagbo known as ‘Young Patriots’ laid siege to UN facilities across the government-controlled south. The protests were sparked after UN-backed mediators said the National Assembly’s mandate had expired. Hundreds of pro-Gbagbo militants invaded the grounds of the national broadcasting station and began airing anti-UN messages. The protests paralysed Abidjan where youths also surrounded the embassy of former colonial power France. The fact that scores of young men, most of them unemployed, could bring a city of over 4 million to a standstill for four straight days has left many residents bitter with frustration. “I am disappointed that president Gbagbo uses these young people like that,” Sarra said. “They are getting paid to make trouble while we cannot go to work. They talk on television and falsely pretend they speak on behalf of the population of Cote d’Ivoire. Everybody is scared of them, but we are not allowed to say anything. So I very much agree if the United Nations imposes sanctions.” In the business district Plateau, a post office worker named Mr. Kouassi said he thought the international community knew best how to solve the no-war no-peace standoff. “You have brought civilisation and order to society,” he said. “We should accept your authority. If children wander off from the main road, they must be corrected.” Others expressed utter indifference, saying they were more interested in the African Cup of Nations in Egypt, where quarter-finals were underway on Friday. “Best leave politics to the politicians,” a young boy guarding a car parking smirked. “I just want to be able to eat and watch football tomorrow.” It is unclear how much popular support President Gbagbo still has after more than five years in office. While tens of thousands of followers took to the streets in the first months of the civil war in 2002, the number of pro-Gbagbo protesters hurling stones at the UN headquarters last month did not exceed 2,000. With the economy slumping and no real signs of peace, many former Young Patriots will privately admit they have turned their back on politics because their leaders have let them down. But one man who gave his name as Eric said sanctions should not be imposed on government leaders or their supporters alone, as that would be “too harsh.” “The rebels have never been sanctioned,” he said. “It wouldn’t be fair. It would be one-sided.” Cote d'Ivoire has been split into a government-run south and a rebel-held north since insurgents failed to topple Gbagbo in a September 2002 putsch. The names of rebel leaders are reportedly on the list of those liable to face sanctions, but diplomats say three or four ‘second-rate’ leaders of the pro-Gbagbo movement are likely to be targeted first. Among those being fingered are firebrand leader of the Young Patriots, Charles Ble Goude, who has previously threatened action if sanctions are put in place. But on Friday, Ble Goude appeared to have had a change of heart at a press conference in Abidjan. “We are issuing a call for calm, serenity and discipline,” he said at a news conference. “The day the sanctions take effect…do not consider anyone who goes out in the street to be a patriot." Trouble or no trouble, the main opposition parties are firmly in favour of slapping asset freezes and travel bans on those responsible for last month’s violence. They are backed by many African and European diplomats who believe the time has come for the UN to show its teeth. “The UN must apply sanctions as soon as possible or the Ivorians will begin questioning its credibility,” a western diplomat told IRIN. “The coming weeks are determining.” The view was shared by an Ivorian banker, sporting a grey suit and dark blue tie as he sat in an air-conditioned office in Treichville, an Abidjan neighbourhood teeming with craftsmen and traders. “The international community is much too diplomatic,” he said. “Those in power are exploiting the loopholes in the UN resolutions, which are not clear and precise.” “We have this man for president who for three years has not implemented any peace plan and who acts like an opposition leader by blocking all economic activities for days,” he said. “Imposing sanctions on three or four people is not enough. The international community should be more severe and help us get out of this interminable nightmare.” The banker’s friend, who introduced himself as Mr. Ouattara as he stepped into the office, said he could not agree more. “I really wish the United Nations had reacted more firmly,” Mr. Ouattara sighed. “We had four days of trouble despite a government ban on demonstrations. Does Ble Goude have a monopoly on this country? He should be punished. We can’t take this any longer.”