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| Africa: Subsaharan |
| French Forces Unwelcome in Ivory Coast |
| 2005-11-02 |
| A red T-shirt draped over the statue of a former colonial governor bears a curt message for French peacekeepers in this war-divided West African country: 'Get out.' The tenuous relationship between Paris and its former colony suffered another blow Wednesday when the French Defense Ministry confirmed that troops in Ivory Coast suffocated an Ivorian prisoner in an armored vehicle in May, and commanders knew of the killing but did not notify their superiors. Gen. Henri Poncet, who commanded the peacekeeping mission, was suspended from duty and given an official warning while the investigation continues. 'Certainly this is bad for our image and makes our job harder,' said Lt. Col. Jean-Luc Cotard, spokesman for the 4,000-strong peacekeeping force known as Unicorn. 'But it won't affect our mission. We are here to help keep the peace.' France's image problems are a microcosm of the complex relationship between the West and much of Africa. The world's poorest continent has painful memories of the colonial period, yet depends on former colonists for economic, political and other support _ even while its leaders express concern that the global trade system the West has built shuts them out of development. Africans are suspicious of outsiders' influence on their societies, but are forced by poverty and the weakness of their own governments to head West for education and jobs. France's colonial history in Ivory Coast was not particularly brutal, and violence from its peacekeepers has been the exception and not the rule. But many Ivorians still believe that French forces are trying to sow troubles and blame France for the once-stable nation's woes. Ivory Coast has been in turmoil since 2002, when rebels launched a failed coup and seized the northern half of the world's largest cocoa producer. Opposition runs deepest in the loyalist south, where everyone from disaffected youth to top government officials believe France not only supports the rebellion but controls it. France denies the accusations and says the government and troops are neutral. France boosted its military contingent in Ivory Coast dramatically after the 2002 coup attempt sparked gunbattles in Abidjan, once known as 'the Paris of West Africa' because of its smart, cosmopolitan population and towering glass skyscrapers. The French later were joined by 6,000 U.N. peacekeepers. Both forces are trying to prevent an all-out war, deploying mostly along a demilitarized zone separating the two sides. In November 2004, loyalist jet fighters broke a long-standing cease-fire, bombarding rebel positions in the north. A Nov. 6 raid inexplicably struck a French position, killing eight soldiers. France responded by destroying Ivory Coast's small air force, seizing the international airport in Abidjan and sending armored vehicles into the streets. Outraged mobs rampaged through the city, smashing French-owned shops and forcing thousands of French citizens to flee. Dozens were killed when French troops fired on demonstrators. In June, a French military court sentenced 12 soldiers to prison for repeatedly robbing a bank in the rebel-held north. That month, the French army said it was investigating four soldiers for allegedly sexually abusing an Ivorian girl. Cotard said such investigations showed France was willing to address its army's shortcomings. 'When we find weeds in our force, we pull them up,' Cotard told The Associated Press. 'We have nothing to hide.' Few details have been made public in the investigation of the May 13 death of Ivorian civilian Firmin Mahe, who reportedly shot at French troops, prompting them to return fire. The French Defense Ministry issued a statement Wednesday saying force commanders knew of the killing but did not report it to their superiors. The French weekly Le Point cited anonymous military sources as saying the wounded man was suffocated by a plastic bag and dumped in a mass grave. The ministry suggested Poncet and two other suspended officers were suspected of a cover-up. The ministry said it had information revealing a 'serious breach in the law, military rules and orders.' Some Ivorians dismiss the French investigation. 'It's just a show,' said Abidjan resident Charles Willy. 'They want to make us forget what happened in November, but won't. They betrayed us. We don't want them here anymore.' On Saturday, Ivorian forces held a rare public exercise and parade on the grassy banks of an Abidjan lagoon. Several French military officials were invited. As they arrived, hundreds of militants supporting President Laurent Gbagbo lined an adjacent road. The crowd made throat-cutting signs with their hands and booed the French troops. 'We have to be careful. We're trying to keep tensions low, so we ask our soldiers to keep their guns pointed down,' Cotard said. 'The difficulty is trying to show strength without using it.' Many of the Ivorians killed in November 2004 died outside the Hotel Ivoire. The statue of the colonial governor across the street is now a monument to the slain. 'Unicorn, Get Out' say words scrawled in white paint on the T-shirt's back and front. On the statue's side, another red banner says: 'Never forget those who fell by the bullets of the French army.' |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #10 History: Felix Houphouet-Boigny, a country doctor turned politician, was the "benevolent" dictator beginning with Independence in the 60s. He had become ill and possibly senile by the late 90s and did not leave any specific instruction for succession. The present disorders have their roots in the power grab after H-B's death. The northern region of Cote d'Ivoire is Savanna and Sahel, populated entirely by herdsmen who practice Islam heavily laced with Animism. The rainforest part of the country, in the south, is a mixed bag of Animists and Christians. Abidjan was the capital until H-B moved the capital to his hometown, Yamassoukro. He built a massive cathedral there and invited the pope to dedicate it. Pope John Paul II did come--and preached a scorching homily on responsibility to the poor and wise use of funds. |
| Posted by: mom 2005-11-02 20:31 |
| #9 Trying to remember which UNSC Resolution France is enforcing here... |
| Posted by: Grunter 2005-11-02 19:19 |
| #8 You would think that a curious journalist might follow-up with an investigation on the stack of bodies underneath body of the dude wearing the Hefty bag on his mellon. Not when the French are involved. Look at Oil-for-Food; French involvement has pretty much guaranteed no journalist will ever touch the story. It might make for awkward moments during their vacations. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2005-11-02 18:44 |
| #7 "The difficulty is trying to show strength without using it." Ooooo... (snivel) please don't hurt me with your promise of the threat of the possibility of the existance of the off chance that you might actually consider sending the signals that you could act with strength. Or something (whimper). It's only difficult because it doesn't work. |
| Posted by: Hyper 2005-11-02 18:11 |
| #6 The journalist includes the fact that the body was supposedly dumped in a mass grave almost as a throw-away line. You would think that a curious journalist might follow-up with an investigation on the stack of bodies underneath body of the dude wearing the Hefty bag on his mellon. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2005-11-02 17:08 |
| #5 Unlike Iraq, this IS a quagmire and the troops there are routinely torturing and killing people. Yeah, but at least the troops are getting a lot of good sex. Especially with kids. |
| Posted by: Whutle Spugum2799 2005-11-02 17:08 |
| #4 Caramba, that's French forces are NEEDED in Paris. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2005-11-02 17:04 |
| #3 French Forces Unwelcome in |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2005-11-02 17:02 |
| #2 French forces welcome in Paris...... |
| Posted by: Caramba 2005-11-02 16:42 |
| #1 Unlike Iraq, this IS a quagmire and the troops there are routinely torturing and killing people. France out of Africa now! |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-11-02 16:41 |