Ivory Coast: May 7, 2003

Archives

As an indicator that reconciliation may be a distant goal, West African peacekeepers were building a wall on the road outside Tiebissou to mark the demarcation line between government and rebel-controlled territory. The four foot high wall was one of seven under construction at peacekeeper checkpoints.

Those living in areas controlled by rebels say pensioners and civil servants have been unable to get at their money since the start of hostilities. Banks in the rebel-held north have been closed since September and the route to government held cities like the official capital Yamoussoukro and the coastal business center of Abidjan is clogged with roadblocks and checkpoints. 

The local adult civilians are also worried that the longer the younger rebel recruits are allowed to taste the power they have during a war, the harder it will be to disarm them. Even if all sides stop skirmishing, there remain major unresolved questions to be solved before thousands of fighters will let themselves be disarmed - like who gets the defense and security positions in a new power-sharing government. Weeks of diplomatic jockeying have produced no agreement on these two posts. - Adam Geibel 

 

Article Archive

Ivory Coast: Current 2012 2011 2010 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close