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Ivorian Civil War
Armed insurgents in a technical.
Date September 19, 2002 - present Location Côte d'Ivoire Result ongoing

External images
Map of the factions in the civil war[1] Map of the tribal structure[2]

A French Army VAB armored vehicle patrolling in Côte d'Ivoire.

The Ivorian Civil War is a civil war in Côte d'Ivoire that began on September 19, 2002. Although most of the fighting ended by late 2004, the country remains split in two, with a rebel-held north and a government-held south. French troops were brought into Côte d'Ivoire to help resolve the situation. Hostility increased and raids on foreign troops and civilians rose. As of 2006, the region is tense, and many have said that the United Nations and the French military have failed to calm the civil war. The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire began after the civil war calmed down, but the peacekeepers have faced a complicated situation and are outnumbered by civilians and rebels. Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office. ... Laurent Koudou Gbagbo (born May 31, 1945) is the president of Côte dIvoire (since 2000). ... // Heads of Government of Côte dIvoire (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office) Affiliations:- Sources http://www. ... Charles Konan Banny (born 11 November 1942) has been Prime Minister of Côte dIvoire since 7 December 2005. ... The National Assembly of Côte dIvoire is Côte dIvoires unicameral legislative body. ... Elections in Côte dIvoire gives information on election and election results in Côte dIvoire. ... This article lists political parties in Côte dIvoire (Ivory Coast). ... Côte dIvoire is divided into 19 regions (french: régions): Agnéby Bafing Bas-Sassandra Denguélé Dix-Huit Montagnes Fromager Haut-Sassandra Lacs Lagunes Marahoué Moyen-Cavally Moyen-Comoé Nzi-Comoé Savanes Sud-Bandama Sud-Comoé Vallée du Bandama Worodougou Zanzan The regions are further... The United Nations Operation in Cote dIvoire (UNOCI) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... Image File history File links a French Army VAB armored vehicle in Côte dIvoire photo: sub-lieutenant Vernoud This work is copyrighted. ... Image File history File links a French Army VAB armored vehicle in Côte dIvoire photo: sub-lieutenant Vernoud This work is copyrighted. ... The French Army (Armée de Terre) is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces. ... VAB is an three-letter acronym with multiple meanings, including: the Vehicle Assembly Building, a large building belonging to NASA (originally known as the Vertical Assembly Building) a French armoured personnel carrier (VAB (armoured personnel carrier)) The keystroke command used in the 1999 video game called Tribes to trigger an... A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality fight against each other for the control of political power. ... September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... Organization The French armed forces are divided into four branches: French Army, including Chasseurs Alpins Foreign Legion Marine troops light aviation engineers Navy, including Naval Air naval fusiliers and naval commandos Air Force, including territorial Air Defense air fusiliers National Gendarmerie (military police force) Every year on Bastille Day, a... The United Nations Operation in Côte dIvoire (UNOCI) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission. ...

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, and Ivorians of somewhat recent foreign descent, 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. Many of these had been Ivorian citizens for 2 generations or more, and some of them, of Mandinka heritage, can be considered native to the northern part of what is now known as Cote d'Ivoire. 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 of the southeastern portion of the country, particularly Abidjan.
• Discrimination toward people of Burkinabé origin made neighbor countries, particularly 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 fields where they discovered that earth was exploited by immigrants.

Félix Houphouët-Boigny (fālÄ“ks´ oofwā´-bwä´nye) (October 18, 1905 - December 7, 1993) was the first President of Côte dIvoire (1960 - 1993) and was previously appointed minister in the government of France several times between 1957 and 1961. ... Ethnic tension is a term referring to tension between different ethnic groups. ... The word Ivoirité (sometimes translated into English as Ivoirity) was first used by Henri Konan Bédié in 1995. ... 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. ... Eugène Delacroixs Liberty Leading the People, symbolizing French nationalism during the July Revolution. ... Look up xenophobia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Région Lagunes District Governor Pierre Djédji Amondji (FPI) (since 2002) Area 2,119 km² Subdivisions 10 communes of Abidjan Ville 3 subprefectures outside of Abidjan Ville Population unofficial estimate 2003 official estimate 1998 census between 4 and 5 million 3,660,682 3,125,890 Density 1,728... 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. Motto: Unité, Progrès, Justice  (French) Unity, Progress, Justice) Anthem: Une Seule Nuit  (French) One Single Night Capital (and largest city) Ouagadougou French Government Parliamentary system  - President Blaise Compaoré  - Prime Minister Paramanga Ernest Yonli Independence from France   - Date August 5, 1960  Area  - Total 274,000 km² (74th) 105,792 sq...

In this atmosphere of increasing racial tension, Houphouët-Boigny's policy of granting nationality to Burkinabés resident in Côte d'Ivoire was criticized 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.

We also need to keep in mind that many ethnics violence had existed between owners of lands and theirs hosts particularly in the west side of the country, between Bete and baoule, Bete and Loby. Since independence, people from the center of the country, Baoules, have been encouraged to move to fertile lands of the west and south-west of the country where they have been granted superficialities to grow cocoa, coffee and comestibles. Years later, bete have come to have strange feelings against those successful agriculturers. Any period of election become difficult for those immigrants as they were refused take part of the votes.

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, particularly the poor immigrant workers from Mali and Burkina Faso working on coffee and cocoa plantations. This article is about the year 2000. ... Alassane Dramane Ouattara (born 1 January 1942 in Dimbokro) is a Muslim political leader in Côte dIvoire. ... A cup of coffee Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. ... Cocoa beans in a cacao pod Cocoa is the dried and partially fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made. ...

Civil war

In the early hours of September 19, 2002 troops, who were mainly originally from the north of the country, mutinied. They launched attacks in many cities, including Abidjan. By lunchtime they had control of the north of the country. Their principal claim relates to the definition of who is a citizen of Ivory Coast (and so who can stand for election as President), voting rights and their representation in government in Abidjan. On the first night of the uprising, former president Robert Guéi was killed. There is some dispute as to what actually happened that night. The government said he had died leading a coup attempt, and state television showed pictures of his body in the street; it was widely claimed that his body had been moved after his death and that he had actually been murdered at his home, with fifteen other people. Alassane Ouattara took refuge in the French embassy, and his home was burned down. September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Région Lagunes District Governor Pierre Djédji Amondji (FPI) (since 2002) Area 2,119 km² Subdivisions 10 communes of Abidjan Ville 3 subprefectures outside of Abidjan Ville Population unofficial estimate 2003 official estimate 1998 census between 4 and 5 million 3,660,682 3,125,890 Density 1,728...

The events in Abidjan show 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: nationalist groups aligned with President Laurent Gbagbo
• Mercenaries recruited by president Gbagbo:
  • Belarusians (allegedly)
  • Former combatants of Liberia, including under-17 youths, forming the so-called "Lima militia" [1]
• New Forces (Forces Nouvelles, FN), ex-northern rebels, who hold 60% of the country
• French military forces: Troops sent within the framework of Operation Unicorn and under UN mandate (UNOCI), 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, not least because to begin with most were serving soldiers; it has been claimed that they were also given support by Burkina Faso. Additionally, government supporters claimed that the rebels were supported by France; however, the rebels also denounced France as supporting the government, and the French forces quickly moved between the two sides to stop the rebels from mounting new attacks on the south. It was later claimed that 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) later to be known as the New Forces – the rebel movement– comes from a student 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 (MMIII) was 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). ... Motto: Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité Liberty, Equality, Fraternity Anthem: La Marseillaise Capital (largest city) Paris French Government Unitary republic  - President Jacques Chirac  - Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin Formation    - French State 843 (Treaty of Verdun)   - Current constitution 1958 (5th Republic)  Accession to EU March 25, 1957 Area  - Total 1 674,843 km... The United Nations Operation in Cote dIvoire (UNOCI) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission. ... Guillaume Kigbafori Soro (born 8 May 1972) is a Ivorian rebel and political figure. ... A students union, student government, or student council is a student organization present at many colleges and universities, often with its own building on the campus, dedicated to social and organizational activities of the student body. ...

Once they had regrouped in Bouake, the rebels quickly threatened to move southwards to attack Abidjan again. France deployed the troops it had based in Ivory Coast, on September 22, and blocked the rebels' path. The French said they had acted to protect their nationals and other foreigners, and they went into the northern cities to bring out ex-patriots from many nations. The USA gave (limited) support. September 22 is the 265th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (266th in leap years). ...

On October 17, a cease-fire was signed, and negotiations started. October 17 is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in 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, took the control of the towns of Man and Danané, both located 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. ... Man is a town and department (département) in the west of central Côte dIvoire. ... Danané is a town in western Côte dIvoire near the Guinean and Liberian borders, west of Man, Côte dIvoire. ...

September 2002

Attacks were launched almost simultaneously in most major cities; the government forces maintained control of Abidjan and the south, but the new rebel forces had taken the north and based themselves in Bouake.

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 (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ...

The Kléber (Marcoussis) agreements

To bring parties together, the parties signed a compromise at Linas-Marcoussis on January 26 [2]. President Gbagbo was to retain power and 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. ... For the United States holiday, the Fourth of July, see Independence Day (United States). ... 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 UNOCI on February 27, 2004, in addition to the French forces and those of the CEDEAO. The United Nations Operation in Cote dIvoire (UNOCI) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission. ... February 27, 2004 Same-sex marriage in the United States: The California Supreme Court refuses a petition by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer asking for an immediate ruling on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage laws and a cease and desist order against San Franciscos granting of marriage licenses...

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. Guillaume Kigbafori Soro (born 8 May 1972) is a Ivorian rebel and political figure. ... 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 Basilica The District of Yamoussoukro is the official capital city 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). For the United States holiday, the Fourth of July, see Independence Day (United States). ...

In 2004, various challenges to the Linas-Marcoussis Accord occurred. 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 (MMIV) was 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, the Ivoirian 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) in the Gregorian calendar. ... October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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, apparently manned by Belarusian mercenaries, began a bombardment of Bouaké. On November 6, FANCI planes bombed a French base in Bouaké, supposedly by accident, killing nine French soldiers and an American aid worker and injuring 39 others. The French forces responded by destroying both Sukhoï fighter-bombers based at Yamoussoukro, 15 minutes after the attack. Jacques Chirac gave the order to destroy five other Mi-24 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 hundred 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 in Gabon and France while foreign civilians were evacuated from Abidjan airport on French and Spanish military airplanes. November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... A mercenary is a soldier who fights or engages in warfare primarily for private gain, usually with little regard for ideological, national, or political considerations, however, when the term mercenary is used to refer to a soldier of a national, regular army, it usually is an insult, epithet or pejorative. ... Bouaké is the second largest city in Côte dIvoire, and its economy is 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-25SM 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 November 29, 1932 in Paris) is a French politician and the current President of the French Republic. ... The Mil Mi-24 is a large combat helicopter gunship and low-capacity troop transport operated from 1976 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and over thirty other nations. ... Côte dIvoire is a republic, with a multiparty presidential regime established in 1960. ...

Recent developments

As of 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 (MMIV) was 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; French: ) 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 an 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 African President Thabo Mbeki was held in Pretoria from April 3 to April 6, 2005. The resulting Pretoria Agreement declared the immediate and final cessation of all hostilities and the end of the war throughout the national territory [3]. Rebel forces started to withdraw heavy weapons from the front line on April 21 [4]. Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (born June 18, 1942) is the President of the Republic of South Africa. ... City motto: Praestantia Praevaleat Pretoria (May Pretoria Be Pre-eminent In Excellence) Province Gauteng Area  - % water 1,644 km² 0. ... 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 (MMV) was 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). ...

Presidential elections were due to be held on October 30, 2005, but in September the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, announced that the planned elections would be delayed until October 2006.[5] On October 11, 2005, an alliance of Cote d'Ivoire's main opposition parties called on the UN to reject African Union proposals to keep President Laurent Gbagbo in office for up to an additional 12 months beyond the end of his mandate; [6] however, the Security Council approved this a few days later. [7] In late 2006, the elections were again delayed, this time until October of 2007, which still seems very tentative. Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat and the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations. ... Anthem: Let Us All Unite and Celebrate Together Capital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Membership 53 member states Official languages The languages of Africa, as well as Arabic, English, French, and Portuguese Formation - As Organisation of African Unity - As AU - May 25, 1963 - July 9, 2002 Chairman of the African Union Denis...

UN Peacekeeping Forces

Main article: UNOCI The United Nations Operation in Cote dIvoire (UNOCI) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission. ...

As of May 18, 2005 the UN forces, as result of the continued flaring up of ethnic as well as rebel-government conflict, have experienced difficulty maintaining peace in the supposedly neutral "confidence zone", particularly in the west of the country. UN troops have been deployed laterally, forming a belt across the middle of Côte d'Ivoire (stretching across the whole country and roughly dividing it in two from north to south). This area has a mixture of ethnic groups, notably the Dioula (who are predominantly Muslim and typically aligned with the New Forces), who typically sway to both government and rebel loyalties. This conflict of interests has created widespread looting, pillaging and various other human rights abuses amongst groups based on the typical political alignment of their ethnicities. A total of 25 UN personnel have died during UNOCI. May 18 is the 138th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (139th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... Dioula (Jula) is a language spoken in Burkina Faso and Côte dIvoire. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish: Müslüman, Persian and Urdu: مسلمان, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of Islam. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ...

In 2005, over 1,000 protesters invaded a UN base in Guiglo and took control but were forced back by armed UN peace keepers. A total of 100 protesters died and left 1 UN peace keeper dead and another wounded. Guilgo is a town in the Côte dIvoire along the Nzo River. ...

This is not to say that there are no regions where ethnic groups co-exist peacefully, however, the UN troops lack the man-power to prevent inter-ethnic violence. [8]

See Also

• Abidjan
• Military of France
• UN
• Peing
• VAB
• Militia
• Guerilla warfare

Région Lagunes District Governor Pierre Djédji Amondji (FPI) (since 2002) Area 2,119 km² Subdivisions 10 communes of Abidjan Ville 3 subprefectures outside of Abidjan Ville Population unofficial estimate 2003 official estimate 1998 census between 4 and 5 million 3,660,682 3,125,890 Density 1,728... The military of France has a long history of serving its country. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... VAB is an three-letter acronym with multiple meanings, including: the Vehicle Assembly Building, a large building belonging to NASA (originally known as the Vertical Assembly Building) a French armoured personnel carrier (VAB (armoured personnel carrier)) The keystroke command used in the 1999 video game called Tribes to trigger an... Lexington Minuteman representing militia minuteman John Parker A militia is the activity of one or more citizens organized to provide defense or paramilitary service, or those engaged in such activity. ... Guerrilla (also called a partisan) is a term borrowed from Spanish (from guerra meaning war) used to describe small combat groups. ...

Literature

1. ^ http://www.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr/dossiers/cote-divoire/index.shtml
2. ^ http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullMaps_Af.nsf/5b3f56ab63e9d040412569ce004f4e30?OpenView

• (German) Sow, Adama: Ethnozentrismus als Katalysator bestehender Konflikte in Afrika südlich der Sahara, am Beispiel der Unruhen in Côte d`Ivoire at: European University Center for Peace Studies (EPU), Stadtschleining 2005