Apr 3, 2011 - 10:59:25 AM
Much of the news reports represent a wilful misrepresentation of the facts. The United Nations Mil-24 helicopters overflew Gbagbo-army positions in the West of the Ivory Coast and bombed and strafed a corridor into the cities for the rebel army. The point troops of this 'rebel army' were not Ivorians of the Force Nouvelles but Nigerian troops (mainly from the Mobile Police - the "Kill and Go") and Burkinabe Special Forces lent by President Campaore for the attack. These UN helicopters and a strong force of mercenaries entered cities like Daloa and Bondou and began killing large numbers of civilians as the pro-Gbagbo forces withdrew. Later, bands of Liberian adventurers (fighting for neither Ouattara nor Gbagbo) entered the cities to loot and plunder.
Hundreds were killedat Daloa and Bondou by the invading forces. There were more than 800 civilians killed in Duekoue the next day by Ouattara's soldiers, even though there were over a thousand UN peacekeepers looking on.
This was repeated in the drive for Abidjan where the UN has continued to use its helicopters with deadly effect and the UN Representative, Choi, has given the UN forces the right to 'shoot at will'. Seven pro-Gbagbo forces have been killed by the UN (mainly by Pakistani and Senegalese troops in the UNOCI) and scores of others have been shot at but no one yet knows the total. The French have moved out of their base in Port Bouet and are patrolling Abidjan streets, blocking off main roads and shooting at military and civilian targets. They say they are protecting foreigners who might be targets but it appears they are protecting them before they were endangered.
The reason for this military initiative was twofold. April 1 is the day that the cocoa buyers (Noble and others) promised to pay Gbagbo for their cocoa stocks which were locked up in the Ivory Coast. They said they didn't care who was President, they wanted their cocoa. That made it imperative for Ouattara and the rebels to take the Port of San Pedro which is an important cocoa export port. The second reason is that April 1 was the day on which the Ivory Coast would have passed the deadline for paying its regular interest payment on its international debt which had been delayed by Gbagbo since his funds were cut off. To succeed in this the French and the UN decided on a covert (barely concealed) attack on the government of the Ivory Coast.
Many of the soldiers loyal to Gbagbo were overwhelmed by the force and mechanisation of the attack and surrendered or took off their uniforms and fled. The battle now rages in Abidjan where the UN and the French continue their assault. However, the civilian population is reorganising itself and taking up arms. It remains to be seen if this UN and French attack will succeed in the face of a large and aroused population. The fat lady has not sung her final aria. Expect many civilian deaths. That is the UN way.
Source:Ocnus.net 2011
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