John
01-06-2011, 07:10 PM
The man officially recognised as the Ivory Coast's president has called for special forces to remove the incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo in a commando operation.
Alassane Ouattara said that Gbagbo could be removed without violence and that elite forces have previously carried out similar operations in Latin America and Africa.
The regional bloc of West African states, ECOWAS, has threatened military action but African leaders become reluctant, fearing mass casualties and a possible return to civil war.
The United Nations has said it hopes to deploy up to 2,000 more peacekeepers.
UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy said he had told the Security Council that the mission is "running more and more risks carrying out our mandate".
Mr Le Roy is worried about an eruption of ethnic fighting following the deaths of 14 people in the latest clashes between two groups in the west of the country.
The UN mission in Ivory Coast, UNOCI, has already reported about 210 dead linked to the rivalry between Gbagbo - who has rejected calls to stand down by world leaders who say he lost November's elections - and Ouattara, who has called for international action to resolve the standoff.
The extra troops are needed because of the additional duties the peacekeeping mission has taken on protecting the Abidjan headquarters of Ouattara, the head of the UN peacekeeping department said.
Gbagbo's Security and Defence Forces (FDS) have barred access to the Golf Hotel where Ouattara and his camp have been besieged since shortly after the November 28 poll.
About 800 UN troops surround the hotel, and a request for reinforcements will be made to the Security Council.
"It will be a figure between 1,000 and 2,000," Mr Le Roy said.
"We have extra tasks like protecting the Golf Hotel and the temporary reinforcements may have to be replaced."
The UN force has already been reinforced temporarily with about 500 Pakistani troops from the UN mission in neighbouring Liberia.
Their monthly mandate runs out on January 17 and the Security Council will have to decide whether to extend their mission or replace them.
There are currently about 9,500 troops, including the current reinforcements, in Ivory Coast.
"I explained the major difficulties with the situation," Mr Le Roy said of his talks with the Security Council.
"Every day we are carrying out our patrols, every day in Abidjan we are carrying out at least 50 patrols because we have to protect civilians on all sides, but sometimes the patrols are having problems with the crowds," he said.
"The population is more and more hostile because the state RTI broadcaster is giving out lies, that UNOCI fired on crowds which is completely false.
"There is an extraordinary manipulation by RTI and President Gbagbo's camp. Part of the population of Abidjan is now turning against our patrols.
"I am worried because RTI is turning the population against UNOCI and there is already the start of conflict in the West."
Source - Yahoo.
Alassane Ouattara said that Gbagbo could be removed without violence and that elite forces have previously carried out similar operations in Latin America and Africa.
The regional bloc of West African states, ECOWAS, has threatened military action but African leaders become reluctant, fearing mass casualties and a possible return to civil war.
The United Nations has said it hopes to deploy up to 2,000 more peacekeepers.
UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy said he had told the Security Council that the mission is "running more and more risks carrying out our mandate".
Mr Le Roy is worried about an eruption of ethnic fighting following the deaths of 14 people in the latest clashes between two groups in the west of the country.
The UN mission in Ivory Coast, UNOCI, has already reported about 210 dead linked to the rivalry between Gbagbo - who has rejected calls to stand down by world leaders who say he lost November's elections - and Ouattara, who has called for international action to resolve the standoff.
The extra troops are needed because of the additional duties the peacekeeping mission has taken on protecting the Abidjan headquarters of Ouattara, the head of the UN peacekeeping department said.
Gbagbo's Security and Defence Forces (FDS) have barred access to the Golf Hotel where Ouattara and his camp have been besieged since shortly after the November 28 poll.
About 800 UN troops surround the hotel, and a request for reinforcements will be made to the Security Council.
"It will be a figure between 1,000 and 2,000," Mr Le Roy said.
"We have extra tasks like protecting the Golf Hotel and the temporary reinforcements may have to be replaced."
The UN force has already been reinforced temporarily with about 500 Pakistani troops from the UN mission in neighbouring Liberia.
Their monthly mandate runs out on January 17 and the Security Council will have to decide whether to extend their mission or replace them.
There are currently about 9,500 troops, including the current reinforcements, in Ivory Coast.
"I explained the major difficulties with the situation," Mr Le Roy said of his talks with the Security Council.
"Every day we are carrying out our patrols, every day in Abidjan we are carrying out at least 50 patrols because we have to protect civilians on all sides, but sometimes the patrols are having problems with the crowds," he said.
"The population is more and more hostile because the state RTI broadcaster is giving out lies, that UNOCI fired on crowds which is completely false.
"There is an extraordinary manipulation by RTI and President Gbagbo's camp. Part of the population of Abidjan is now turning against our patrols.
"I am worried because RTI is turning the population against UNOCI and there is already the start of conflict in the West."
Source - Yahoo.