Posted on 04/01/2011 4:39:51 AM PDT by Pan_Yan
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Heavy fighting raged Friday in the neighborhoods where the presidential palace is located as well as near the presidential residence and state TV broadcaster as armed forces loyal to the elected president tried to install him to power and oust the country's strongman.
Residents locked up in their homes reported barrages of heavy arms fire punctuated by detonations throughout the night. On the peninsula where the presidential palace is situated, building were shaking with each explosion, witnesses said.
Patrick Achi, a spokesman for the country's internationally recognized leader Alassane Ouattara said the fighters had breached the city limit overnight and were waging battles at the palace and the residence. Achi said the forces, who are former rebels who fought in a civil war a decade ago that left Ivory Coast divided, had seized Radio Television Ivoirienne, or RTI, the government-owned broadcaster late Thursday.
About 10 p.m. the state TV signal was cut. Achi said that they were having technical difficulties transmitting their own images, but a senior diplomat said that fighting continued outside the station, and that it was unclear if Ouattara's forces fully control it.
Gunfire was also ongoing around the presidential mansion, where former President Laurent Gbagbo may be holed up, although the defiant leader has not been seen in public since the offensive began five days ago.
"We don't know where he is," said the diplomat who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the press.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
Another Christian country falls to Muslim invaders.
Just in time.Samantha was about to call for another war.
You clearly don’t know much about Cote D’Ivoire.
The situation in Cote D’Ivoire is much more complex than the simplistic picture you are painting. There are muslims and christians in West Africa (where I live). It is a fact of life.
I could fight for the Pope, but not for an idiot like Gbagbo.
Yes it is, but if you write more than two sentences most people's eyes will glaze over and they won't read any of it. Gbagdo is no saint. But the Evil Dictators' Club (UN) and African Union telling someone else they should leave office so they can replace him with a puppet from the World Bank is more than a little hypocritical.
Pan_Yan,
The people of Cote D’Ivoire have been very patient with Gbagbo. His mandate expired in 2005 and he postponed the presidential elections TWICE.
You don’t postpone presidential elections twice if you’re confident of winning them.
In addition, by his stubborness and stupidity, he has set Cote D’Ivoire back by at least 20 years, effectively wrecking the economy.
But of course he is a “christian” like Charles Taylor and Mobutu and there are dupes like Pat Robertson willing to back him without understanding the issues and complexities on the ground.
Christian my foot.
You seem to think I’m defending Gbagbo. I’m not. But I’m no big fan of his opponent, or the people behind him, either. The people of Cote D’Ivoire have had their fate decided by others.
I take it that “Christian” = Not Muslim
You made a categorical statement that a Christian country was falling to Muslim invaders. That statement was not correct.
Cote D’Ivoire is not a Christian country neither is it a Muslim country, it is equally divided between Christians and Muslims.
The problem in Cote D’Ivoire is more of an ethnic issue than anything else. Instead of healing the divide between the North and South, Gbagbo chose to deepen it for selfish reasons.
I live is West Africa, so I smell the “I am a Christian politician BS” from a mile.
No. Gbagbo presents himself as an Evangelical Christian. He attends prayer breakfasts and is chummy with the Pat Robertson crowd.
Fifteen years ago I would have bought that BS, but having gone through Chiluba, Charles Taylor, Samuel Doe, Mobutu and the Nigerian crooks who shamelessly occupy the front row during anointing services - I am no longer buying it.
Once again, I have no interest in defending Gbagbo. Would you agree that there has been a large influx of Muslims in Cote D’Ivoire in the last four decades? Several sources show that Muslims have gone from 25% of the population to over 50% since the 1980s. I would call that a country that has fallen to Muslim rule.
I highly doubt that putting Ouattara in charge will somehow put Cote’D’Ivoire back on the path to peace and prosperity.
Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998)
Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est.)
note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)
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