IVORY COAST: Supporters of Laurent Gbagbo vow to fight to the death to keep him as president

Record ID: 181798

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Supporters of Laurent Gbagbo vow to fight to the death to keep him as president
  • Date: 21st December 2010
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY-COAST (DECEMBER 19, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GBAGBO'S YOUTH MINISTER AND LEADER OF THE YOUNG PATRIOTS, CHARLES BLE GOUDE, ON TOP OF CAR WAVING AT CROWD VARIOUS OF YOUNG PATRIOTS CHEERING BLE GOUDE STANDING ON TOP OF CAR WAVING FISTS AT CROWD (SOUNDBITE) (French) GBAGBO'S GOVERNMENT YOUTH MINISTER AND LEADER OF YOUNG PATRIOTS, CHARLES BLE GOUDE, SAYING: ''Don't let anyone distract you by dragging you into pointless fights. We have only one battle: to ensure our dignity and that our country's sovereignty is respected. It is up to us to choose our president." VARIOUS OF MAN IN CROWD HOLDING PLACARD READING IN FRENCH: ''GBAGBO OR NOTHING FOR THE IVORY COAST'' VARIOUS OF BLE GOUDE WAVING TO CROWD MAN IN CROWD HOLDING PLACARD READING IN FRENCH: ''FRENCH ARMY, WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR 8 YEARS, YOU START AND WE'LL FINISH'' (SOUNDBITE) (French) GBAGBO'S GOVERNMENT YOUTH MINISTER AND LEADER OF YOUNG PATRIOTS, CHARLES BLE GOUDE, SAYING: ''My friends and I would like to live to see this struggle succeed but you must also know that we are ready to die for it. I want this to be very clear in everybody's minds.'' CROWD APPLAUDING RIVIERA DISTRICT, ABIDJAN, IVORY-COAST (RECENT - DECEMBER 16, 2010) (REUTERS) PRO-OUATTARA SUPPORTERS SINGING IN STREET OUTSIDE HOTEL CROWD GATHERED IN STREET VARIOUS OF NEW FORCES SOLDIERS (FAFN FORCES ARMEES DES FORCES NOUVELLES) WITH WEAPONS WALKING PAST SUPPORTERS NEW FORCES SOLDIER WAVING VARIOUS OF NEW FORCES SOLDIERS WALKING IN STREET WITH WEAPONS VARIOUS OF U.N. RIOT POLICE STANDING OUTSIDE HOTEL U.N. SOLDIERS CARRYING AMMUNITIONS BOX U.N. SOLDIERS TAKING POSITION AROUND HOTEL U.N. TANK WITH SOLDIERS SEEN THROUGH RAZOR WIRE
  • Embargoed: 5th January 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3IM6WIDI89FI4DM34N5I8WH7X
  • Story Text: Supporters of Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo have vowed the ultimate sacrifice to keep him in power.
    Gbagbo's rival Alassane Ouattara has won almost unanimous international backing after his eight-point lead in a November 28 presidential vote was overturned on grounds of alleged fraud by the Constitutional Council, led by a staunch Gbagbo ally.
    European Union (EU) countries agreed on Monday (December 20) to impose a travel ban on Gbagbo for failing to step down after a presidential election the outside world says he lost but his camp has dismissed the threats as meddling.
    On Sunday (December 19) Gbagbo supporter and Young Patriots' leader Charles Ble Goude addressed supporters in the capital Abidjan.
    ''Don't let anyone distract you by dragging you into pointless fights. We have only one battle: to ensure our dignity and that our country's sovereignty is respected. It is up to us to choose our president," Ble Goude told the crowd.
    Ble Goude was named this month as Gbagbo's youth minister and who has been on a U.N. sanctions list since 2006 for making public statements advocating violence.
    ''My friends and I would like to live to see this struggle succeed but you must also know that we are ready to die for it. I want this to be very clear in everybody's minds,'' Ble Goude added.
    Gbagbo has retained control of the army and key institutions, including the state broadcaster.
    His government called on U.N. and French troops to quit the country on Saturday (December 18) but UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the French government have defied the call and said they will stay.
    The Security Council on Monday extended the mandate of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Ivory Coast for six months, in a direct challenge to Gbagbo.
    U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said the force will continue operations, but with Gbagbo apparently continuing to command the loyalty of Ivory Coast's army, some analysts have questioned the future of the U.N. mission, known as UNOCI.
    Since the election, UNOCI has protected a hotel in Abidjan, where Ouattara has set up his headquarters.
    In line with a Security Council statement last week, Monday's U.N. resolution, adopted unanimously, called on Ivorian parties to respect a declaration by West African regional bloc ECOWAS recognising Ouattara as the winner.
    An attempt by Ouattara supporters last week to seize the state TV building ended in bloodshed as pro-Gbagbo forces used live rounds to put down the protest.
    U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay cited on Sunday evidence of "massive" violations in Ivory Coast, saying more than 50 people had been killed in the previous three days and raising concern over reports of deaths in detention.
    Gbagbo's government has denied using excessive force to put down last week's protests and says some protesters were armed.
    About 5,000 Ivorians have already fled to neighbouring countries as concerns grow that an election designed to draw a line under a 2002-2003 civil war will instead destabilise the country and a fragile region
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