The Civil war in Côte d'Ivoire began on September 19, 2002, and restarted in November 2004. Côte dIvoire (often called Ivory Coast in English; see below about the name) is a country in West Africa. ... September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Context of the conflict

The civil war revolves around a number of issues, particularly:

• The end of the 30-year presidency of Félix Houphouët-Boigny forced the nation to grapple with the democratic process for the first time. Houphouët-Boigny had been president for the 33 years since independence, and so the nation's political system was bound tightly to his myth, charisma, and political and economic competence. The political system was forced to deal with open, competitive elections without Houphouët-Boigny for the first time in 1994.
• The large number of foreigners in Cote d'Ivoire created an important issue of voting rights. 26% of the population was of foreign origin, particularly from Burkina Faso, a poorer country to the North. These ethnic tensions had been suppressed under the strong leadership of Houphouët-Boigny, but bubbled to the surface after his passing. The term Ivoirity, originally coined by Henri Konan Bédié to denote the common cultural identity of all those living in Côte d'Ivoire came to be used by nationalist and xenophobic politics and press to represent solely the population and country of the southeastern portion of the country, particularly Abidjan.
• Discrimination toward people of Burkinabé origin made neighbor countries, particulary Burkina Faso fear a massive migration of refugees.
• An economic downturn due to a deterioration of the terms of trade between Third World and developed countries worsened conditions, exacerbating the underlying cultural and political issues.
• Unemployment forced a part of the urban population to return to the country where they discovered that earth was exploited by immigrants.

Félix Houphouët-Boigny (fālēks´ oofwā´-bwä´nye) ( October 18, 1905 - December 7, 1993) was the first President of Côte dIvoire ( 1960 - 1993). ... Aimé Henri Konan Bédié (born May 5, 1934 in Dadiékro) was leader of the Democratic Party of Côte dIvoire and President of Côte dIvoire from 1993 to 1999. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... Xenophobia means fear of strangers or the unknown and comes from the Greek ξενοφοβια, xenophobia, literally meaning fear of the strange. It is often used to describe fear of or dislike of foreigners, but racism in general is sometimes described as a form of xenophobia, as are such prejudices as... Abidjan is the largest city and former capital of Côte dIvoire. ... For the Jamaican reggae band, see Third World (band). ... A developed country is a country that has achieved (currently or historically) a high degree of industrialization, and which enjoys the higher standards of living which wealth and technology make possible. ...

Rising tensions

Violence was turned initially against African foreigners. Indeed, the prosperity of the Côte d'Ivoire attracted many Africans from West Africa, who constituted in 1998 26% of the population, 56% of whom were Burkinabés. Burkina Faso is a landlocked nation of western Africa. ...

In this atmosphere of increasing racial tension, Houphouët-Boigny's policy of granting nationality to Burkinabés resident in Côte d'Ivoire was critized as being solely to gain their political support.

In 1995, the tensions turned violent when Burkinabés were killed in plantations at Tabou, at the time of racial riots.

Catalyst to the conflict

The catalyst for the conflict was the law quickly drafted by the government immediately before the elections of 2000 which required both parents of a presidential candidate to be born within Côte d'Ivoire. This excluded the northern presidential candidate Alassane Ouattara from the race. Ouattara represented the predominantly Muslim north, particuarly the poor immigrant workers from Mali and Burkina Faso working on coffee and cocoa plantations. 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Alassane Ouattara is a political leader in Côte dIvoire. ... Coffee beans and a cup of coffee Coffee as a drink, usually served hot, is prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant. ... Cocoa may refer to either the dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree, which are used to make chocolate; or, more usually in the United States, to cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding the seeds and removing the cocoa butter. ...

Civil war

The North rebelled on September 19, 2002, troops from mutinied and gained control of north of the country. Their principal claim relates to nationality of the Ivory Coast, the voting rights and their representation in Abidjan. On September 19 night in Abidjan, the gendarmerie was seized by the rebels and former president Guéi was murdered with fifteen persons in his home, Alassane Ouattara refugied in French embassy. What happened exactly that night is confuse some report the events as military Coup attempt, but other sources report that opponents were executed by pro-Gbabo death squadrons and that the rebellion was at least there an unplanned reaction. September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Abidjan is the largest city and former capital of Côte dIvoire. ...

The events in Abidjan shows that it is not a tribal issue, but a crisis of transition from a dictatorship to a democracy, with the clashes inherent in the definition of citizenship.

Forces involved in the conflict include:

• Official government forces, the National Army (FANCI), also called loyalists, formed and equipped essentially since 2003
• The Young Patriots, violent nationalist groups aligned with president Laurent Gbagbo
• Mercenaries — allegedly Belarusians recruited by president Gbagbo
• New Forces (FN), ex-northern rebels, who hold 60% of the country
• French forces: troops sent within the framework of Operation Unicorn and under UN mandate (ONUCI), 3000 men in February 2003 and 4600 in November 2004;
• Soldiers of the CEDEAO, White helmets, also under the UN.

The rebels were immediately well armed, most probably supported by Burkina Faso, and according to some sources with French support. The rebellion was planned in Burkina Faso by soldiers of the Ivory Coast close to General Guéï. Guillaume Soro, leader of the Patriotic Movement of Côte d'Ivoire (MPCI), leader of the rebels, comes from a trade union close to the FPI of Gbagbo, but was also a substitute for an RDR candidate in the legislative elections of 2000. Louis Dacoury Tabley was also one of the leaders of the FPI. 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... Laurent Koudou Gbagbo (born May 31, 1945) is the president of Côte dIvoire (since 2000). ... Mercenary (disambiguation). ... A union (labor union in American English; trade union in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a group of workers who act collectively to address common issues. ...

The rebels moved quickly southwards. At this point in time France intervened, on September 22, to protect its nationals and the Westerners (the USA protecting its own nationals). September 22 is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years). ...

On October 17, a cease-fire was signed, and negotiations started. October 17 is the 290th (in leap years the 291st) day of the year according to the Gregorian calendar. ... An armistice is the effective end of a war, when the warring parties agree to stop fighting. ...

On November 28, the popular Movement of the Ivory Coast of the Great West (MPIGO) and the Movement for Justice and Peace (MJP), two new rebel movements, take the control of the towns of Man and Danané, in the west of the country. France conducted negotiations. November 28 is the 332nd day (333rd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Image of a man on the Pioneer plaque sent to outer space A man is a male human adult, in contrast to an adult female, which is a woman. ... Danané is a town in western Côte dIvoire near the Guinean and Liberian borders, west of Man, Côte dIvoire. ...

September 2002

The rebels seized power in the north of the country, and moved towards Abidjan, intending take over there.

Laurent Gbagbo considered deserters from the army, supported by interference from Burkina Faso, as the cause of destabilization. The principal difference in interpretation related to defence. The consequence is that Paris wished for reconciliation, when the Côte d'Ivoire government wanted military repression.

Paris sent 2500 soldiers to man a peace line and requested help from the United Nations. The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945 and now made up of 191 states. ...

The Kléber (Marcoussis) agreements

To bring parties together, the parties signed a compromise at Linas-Marcoussis (see Kléber agreements) on January 26 [1] (http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/EVIU-63HHAD?OpenDocument&rc=1&cc=civ). President Gbagbo was to retain power, opponents were invited into a government of reconciliation and obtained the ministries for Defense and the Interior. Soldiers of the CEDEAO and 4000 French soldiers were placed between the belligerents - a peace line. The parties agreed to work together on modifying national identity, eligibility for citizenship, and land tenure laws which many observers see as among the root causes of the conflict. Linas is a common given name among people of Lithuanian descent. ... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

As of February 4, anti-French demonstrations took place in Abidjan, in support for Laurent Gbagbo. The end of the civil war was proclaimed on July 4. An attempt at a putsch, organized from France by Ibrahim Coulibaly (FPI), was thwarted on August 25 by the French secret service. February 4 is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ...

The UN authorized the formation of the ONUCI on February 27, 2004, which comprises the French forces and those of the CEDEAO. February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On March 4, the PDCI suspended its participation in the government, being in dissension with the FPI (President Gbagbo's party) on nominations to office within the administration and in public companies. March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (64th in leap years). ...

On March 25, a peace march was organized to protest against the blocking of the Marcoussis agreements. Demonstrations had been prohibited by decree since March 18th, and the march was repressed by the armed forces: 37 died according to the government, between 300 and 500 according to Henri Konan Bédié's PDCI. This repression caused the withdrawal from the government of several opposition parties. A UN report of May 3 estimated at least 120 dead, and implicated highly-placed government officials. March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... March 18 is the 77th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (78th in leap years). ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ...

The government of national reconciliation, initially composed of 44 members, was reduced to 15 after the dismissal of three ministers, amongst them Guillaume Soro, political head of the rebels, on May 6. That involved the suspension of the participation in the national government of the majority of political movements. May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ...

The French consequently were in an increasingly uncomfortable situation. The two sides each accused France of siding with the other: the loyalists because of its protection of the rebels, and the non-implementation the agreements of defense made with the Côte d'Ivoire; the rebels because it was preventing the capture of Abidjan. On June 25, a French soldier was killed in his vehicle by a government soldier close to Yamoussoukro. June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... Yamoussoukro, a town of 100,000 inhabitants located 240 kilometers North of Abidjan, is the administrative capital of Côte dIvoire. ...

On July 4, 2003, the government and New Forces militaries signed an "End of the War" declaration, recognized President Gbagbo's authority, and vowed to work for the implementation of the LMA and a program of Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR). July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ...

2004 saw serious challenges to the Linas-Marcoussis Accord. Violent flare-ups and political deadlock in the spring and summer led to the Accra III talks in Ghana. Signed on July 30, 2004 the Accra III Agreement reaffirmed the goals of the LMA with specific deadlines and benchmarks for progress. Unfortunately, those deadlines–late September for legislative reform and October 15 for rebel disarmament–were not met by the parties. The ensuing political and military deadlock was not broken until November 4, 2004. July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The resumption of fighting

But the timetable was not respected. The bills envisaged in the process were blocked by the FPI with the French National Assembly. The conditions of eligibility for the presidential poll were not re-examined, because Laurent Gbagbo claimed the right to choose a prime minister, not in accordance with agreements suggested in Accra. Faced with political impasse, the disarmament whose beginning had been envisaged fifteen days after the constitutional modifications did not begin in mid-October.

A sustained assault on the press followed, with newspapers partial to the north being banned and two presses destroyed. Dissenting radio stations were silenced.

UN soldiers opened fire on hostile demonstrators taking issue with the disarmament of the rebels on October 11. The rebels, who took the name of New Forces (FN), announced on October 13 their refusal to disarm, citing large weapons purchases by the Côte d'Ivoire national army (FANCI). They intercepted two trucks of the FANCI full of heavy weapons travelling towards the demarcation line. On October 28, they declared an emergency in the north of the country. October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in Leap years). ... October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years). ... October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 64 days remaining. ...

On November 4, the new FANCI planes began a bombardment of Bouaké. On November 6, governmental forces killed nine, with 39 wounded, among the French soldiers based with Bouaké. The French forces reacted by destroying both Sukhoï fighter-bombers based at Yamoussoukro, 15 minutes after the attack. Jacques Chirac gave the order to destroy five other helicopters. One hour after the attack on the camp, French forces established control of the airport of Abidjan. Simultaneously, the Young Patriots of Abidjan (see politics of Côte d'Ivoire for more details), rallied by the State media, plundered possessions of French nationals. Rapes, beatings, and murders followed. Several hundreds Westerners, mainly French, took refuge on the roofs of their buildings to escape the mob, and were then evacuated by helicopters of the French Army. France sent in reinforcements of 600 men based Gabon and France. November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... Bouaké is the second largest city in Côte dIvoire, based on the cotton industry. ... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... Su-25 of the Russian Air Force The Su-25 (NATO reporting name Frogfoot) is a battlefield attack, close air support, and anti-tank aircraft designed by the Soviet Union. ... Jacques René Chirac (born 29 November 1932) is a French politician. ... A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more large horizontal rotors (propellers). ... Côte dIvoire is a republic, with a multiparty presidential regime established in 1960. ...

Recent developments

As from the week of Monday November 8, 2004, expatriate Westerners (French mainly, but also Moroccan, German, Spanish, British, Dutch, Swiss, Canadian, and Americans) in Côte d'Ivoire chose to leave. On November 13, President of the Ivorian National Assembly Mamadou Coulibaly (FPI) declared that the government of the Ivory Coast did not take any responsibility in the bombardment of November 6, and announced its intention of approaching the International Court of Justice: November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 48 days remaining. ... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. ...

• for the destruction of the Ivory Coast Air force, only recently re-equipped;
• for activities by the French Army responsible for several deaths.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Laurent Gbagbo called into question even the French deaths. Lastly, on the morning of 13 November, 2600 expatriate French had returned to France, and 1600 other European expatriates had left. November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 48 days remaining. ...

The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1572 (2004) on November 15, enforcing and arms embargo on the parties. November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ...

A meeting of the Ivorian political leaders, moderated by South Africaan President Thabo Mbeki was held in Pretoria from April 3 to April 6, 2005. The resulting Pretoria Agreement, declaring the immediate and final cessation of all hostilities and the end of the war throughout the national territory [2] (http://www.reliefweb.int/library/documents/2005/pre-cot-06apr.pdf). Rebel forces started to withdraw heavy weapons from the frontline on April 21 [3] (http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=14040&Cr=ivoire&Cr1=). Elections are due to be held in 2005. The Republic of South Africa is a large republic located at the southern tip of the continent. ... President Thabo Mbeki Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (born June 18, 1942) is the President of the Republic of South Africa. ... The central area of Pretoria. ... April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ...