Posted on 09/22/2002 7:25:28 PM PDT by blam
Monday, 23 September, 2002, 01:31 GMT 02:31 UK
French troops head for Ivorian capital
Many residents' houses have been destroyed
French troops have been sent to the Ivory Coast's capital, Yamoussoukro, to protect French and other foreign nationals caught up in a coup attempt which began on Thursday.
The convoy of dozens of vehicles left the main Ivorian city of Abidjan late on Sunday, hours after France had flown up to 200 reinforcements, drawn from its other bases in West Africa.
France describes the move as a "precautionary measure", and it is thought the troops will set up a forward base to be able to stage evacuations, if necessary.
Earlier, there were reports of some violence in Ivory Coast's second city, Bouake, which remained in rebel hands.
There are growing concerns for about 200 children - about 150 of whom are sons and daughters of US Baptist missionaries - trapped in the basement of a boarding school in Bouake.
Ivorian officials say 270 people have been killed and 300 wounded in insurgency so far.
The reported fighting in Bouake follows government demands for rebels to surrender and an offer for talks if they laid down their arms.
No intervention
Some 20,000 French nationals are thought to live in the former French colony.
Ups and downs Before 1999 - Relative calm and stability 1999 - Coup; General Guei takes power 2000 - Guei flees after rigging elections; Gbagbo wins controversial elections 2001 - coup attempt fails 2002 Troops mutiny, Guei killed
France has agreements with the Ivory Coast to help restore order if necessary.
But the BBC's West Africa correspondent, Paul Welsh, says for now it seems unlikely that they will become directly involved.
In Abidjan, a spokesman for the main opposition leader, Alassane Ouattara, said Mr Ouattara's house had been destroyed by government soldiers, but that Mr Ouattara was safe inside the French embassy.
French army spokesman Christian Baptiste said: "This violent crisis is an internal affair, and the concern of our political authorities is that our citizens as well as those of the international community don't pay the price."
But our correspondent says the reinforcement of the French garrison is also designed to send a message to the rebels that it is time to negotiate.
Olive branch
Following a national address by President Gbagbo's which hinted that the rebels had been aided by a foreign power, hundreds of foreigners' homes in the Abidjan were burned down and thousands of people packed up and took to the road in search of safety.
If you are in the Ivory Coast, click here to e-mail us your experience
Defence Minister Moise Lida Kouassi told the BBC that the army's only aim was to regain control of territory from rebels.
Prime Minister Pascal Affi Nguessan offered an olive branch to rebels in a televised address on Saturday evening.
President Gbagbo accused foreign nations of helping the rebels
Despite earlier threats of "no negotiations" from the president, Mr Nguessan said the government was prepared to examine the grievances of the rebels if they laid down their arms and surrendered the areas they held.
Thursday's uprising began with co-ordinated attacks on military installations, government sites, and cabinet ministers' houses in Abidjan and other cities and towns.
The man the government has blamed for the uprising - General Robert Guei - who seized power in a 1999 coup - was killed.
Ivorian Government has said that neighbouring countries may be involved in the coup.
No country was mentioned, but correspondents say the accusations were pointed at Burkina Faso, whom Ivory Coast has accused in the past of supporting the opposition
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Ray Hutchinson (one of CBC's supported Missionaries) has asked us to pray for an urgent request. It is for the SIM people in Cote d'Ivoire in Ivory Coast, West Africa. They are reported safe and hiding after a "coup attempt" involving three cities in Cote d'Ivoire.
But now there is a possibility of a "military showdown" near the ICA International Christian Academy near Bouake. Students are safely hiding in a basement and waiting for a clear signal from govt. troops who are trying to retake the city center from the "mutinous troops".
US Pupils Trapped in Ivory Coast
From the article -
Cousineau (businesss mgr and security officer) said he was unaware of any plans to evacuate the staff and children at present, either by U.S. embassy officials or by France, the former colonial power which flew in reinforcements to its standing unit in the main city Abidjan on Sunday to help ensure the safety of Western citizens.
"We are not moving away from the school without some kind of military escort -- whether U.S. or French," Cousineau said. "We have pretty good supplies -- at least for another week."
"I don't know what the international community thinks of us being here -- we would feel very happy and safe, even if there were some French or American troops who could position themselves at the school for our security."
Sounds pretty serious for these kids, who range in age from K-12th grade.
IMO, those kids ought not be there.
-ccm
It's easy for bearded French pseudo-intellectuals to sit in Left Bank cafés and pontificate about the American cowboy imperialists, but when the stuff hits the fan in a Third World hellhole, they and everyone else sure are happy to see a chopper full of US Marines.
-ccm
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