A UN investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Ivory Coast will be fruitless without the co-operation of authorities loyal to incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo, an official in his administration said yesterday.
The country was plunged into crisis when Mr Gbagbo refused to step down after a disputed election in November, leading to an outbreak of violence in a nation still divided since a civil war in 2002 and 2003.
The electoral commission, world leaders and the UN General Assembly have recognised Mr Gbagbo’s rival Alassane Ouattara as the winner of the election.
“The secretary general told President Ouattara that he was alarmed by the reports of egregious human rights violations,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said, referring to a phone conversation between UN chief Ban Ki- moon and Mr Ouattara on Saturday.
Mr Ouattara’s supporters say they are being hunted down and killed or kidnapped at night by pro-Gbagbo forces. The UN has put the death toll from the violence at more than 170, the United States at more than 200.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast said last month pro-Gbagbo forces were blocking access to what could be a mass grave near Abidjan. UN diplomats said the mission was still barred from the site.
“He [Ban] said [the mission] had been instructed to do everything possible to gain access to the affected areas both for prevention and to investigate and record the violations so that those responsible will be held accountable,” Mr Nesirky said.
The cabinet director of Mr Gbagbo’s interior ministry, Vehi Tokpa, said such an investigation would go nowhere without the co-operation of the Ivorian security forces. “How can the United Nations do an investigation in Ivory Coast without the participation of the Ivorian authorities?” he asked. “What is the value of this?
“When there are truths to clear up, we shall base them on facts, not declarations.” If there was evidence of a mass grave, he said, the UN must “tell us . . . where it is”.
Defiant in the face of growing international pressure, Mr Gbagbo reiterated a call on state television at the weekend for the peacekeeping mission to leave Ivory Coast, accusing it of opening fire on civilians.
The mission rejected a similar accusation on its website three days ago as “lies” and said the state-owned broadcaster was spreading misinformation to incite hatred against it.
Residents of an area alleged to be the site of a mass grave said last month the Ivorian military had closed off the site and chased away anyone who tried to gain access.
Mr Ouattara has asked for the International Criminal Court in The Hague to send a mission to Ivory Coast to investigate reports of post-election violence by pro-Gbagbo forces. He reiterated the request in his call with Mr Ban on Saturday.
Three presidents from the West African regional bloc Ecowas are planning a second round of talks on January 3rd with Mr Gbagbo to try to persuade him to cede power to Mr Ouattara or face an operation to remove him by force.