IVORY COAST: Abidjan residents follow developments after disputed election

Record ID: 181966

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Abidjan residents follow developments after disputed election
  • Date: 7th December 2010
  • Summary: NEWSPAPER HEADLINE READING IN FRENCH "GBAGBO RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM RUSSIA, CHINA, ANGOLA" MORE OF PEOPLE READING HEADLINES NEWSPAPER HEADLINE READING IN FRENCH "SORO HAS FORMED HIS FIRST GOVERNMENT" NEWSPAPER HEADLINE READING IN FRENCH "ONE COUNTRY TWO PRESIDENTS"
  • Embargoed: 22nd December 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3GYFJTS5UUTWD2PXQYMZQZYAQ
  • Story Text: Life in Abidjan started to return to normal on Monday (December 6) with people going about their business despite the political deadlock holding the country gripped in uncertainty.
    Presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara said on Sunday (December 5) that incumbent Laurent Gbagbo must step down after a disputed poll in Ivory Coast, and he named a rival government. Meanwhile African mediators tried to resolve the stalemate.
    The election on November 28 was aimed at reuniting the West African nation, split after a 2002-3 civil war, but both Gbagbo and Ouattara have claimed victory and taken presidential oaths.
    People on the streets of Abidjan said it is important not to accentuate political and ethnic divisions in the country.
    "No matter which president has been elected, we need to accept him, he's the president of all Ivorians. Gbagbo doesn't know me, Ouattara doesn't know me. But for social peace, we need to accept things and move on," said said resident Maurice Follet after reading Monday morning's headlines on a pavement in Abidjan.
    "There's really a lot of things to worry about, as long as people are sowing the seeds of hatred between people, we should worry about that. Once we start an action we can't see how it will go and what will arrive tomorrow. What should we expect, what should we be waiting for," said Laurent Dibga.
    Gbagbo was sworn in as president on Saturday (November 4) even though the electoral commission declared Ouattara the winner, according to provisional results giving him a 10 percent lead that were ratified by the United Nations.
    Ivory Coast's military said it would re-open its land, air and sea borders from Monday at 6 a.m. local time (0600gmt), after they were sealed during a tense wait for election results. It was unclear why the military decided to reopen the borders at this point.
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