Unrest Continues, Ivory Coast Residents in Tense
Published on March 31, 2011 by Anil · No Comments
The streets were quiet in Abidjan Thursday morning, the commercial hub of the Ivory Coast, with many fearful of a bloody showdown there.
“Everybody is scared. People want this fighting to stop,” said one resident, who did want to have his name used because of security reasons. “We are checking the news and everybody is expecting a big fight here in Abidjan. People are really afraid.”
Koffi Kouakou, a citizen of Ivory Coast who now lives in South Africa, said his family members were stocking up on food and waiting for the battle they feel is inevitable.
“Everybody is calling it the battle of Abidjan,” said Kouakou. “There will be a battle and people will be killed unfortunately. Nobody knows when it is going to happen but it will happen soon.”
Uncertainty has reigned in the west African nation since incumbent Laurent Gbagbo disputed the outcome of presidential elections in November. Gbagbo has refused to concede and hand over power to Alassane Ouattara, who is internationally recognized as the legitimate winner.
The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday to impose sanctions on Gbagbo, his wife and three associates, as well as give U.N. peacekeepers more authority to protect civilians.
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Tags: Abidjan, battle, Gbagbo, Ivory Coast, Laurent, people, president, residents, scared, showdown, South Africa, unrest
