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Africa News afrol News
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Africa News afrol News
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afrol.com, 5 October - There has been an attempt to kidnap Mrs. Dominique Ouattara, spouse of Republican Rally (RDR) presidential candidate Alassane Ouattara. The incident occurred on 3 October in broad daylight and was witnessed by foreign diplomats. This is one of the last attempts trying to intimidate the legal opposition in Côte d'Ivoire in advance of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court's announcement on presidential candidate eligibility. Today, the US State Department condemned the attempted kidnapping and other Government efforts to intimidate the opposition. "The people of Cote d'Ivoire deserve the right to freely vote for the candidates of their choice in an inclusive, free, fair, and transparent electoral process," a communiqué from the Department said. The question of eligibility of the 19 prospective candidates to presidential election to be held on 22 October has caused a political crisis in Côte d'Ivoire. Opponents of the RDR leader, Ouattara, claim that his parents were Burkinabe and that he has had Burkinabe citizenship. Both these conditions would render him ineligible under the new Ivorian constitution and there are indications that he is likely to be excluded. Ouattara denies these claims, and the Supreme Court is to rule by 7 October on the eligibility of the 19 candidates.
Recently, government lawyers showed the media documents which, they said, proved that Ouattara was ineligible, IRIN has reported. And, in a speech on 22 September, Guei called on the international community to stop asking Côte d'Ivoire to bend the law in favour of an individual. This weekend, Côte d'Ivoire's government confirmed that elections will be held as scheduled despite a suggestion by an Organisation of African Unity (OAU) commission that the presidential poll be postponed. Military leader Guei, which until recently was seen as bettering the human rights situation in Côte d'Ivoire and as showing a sincere will to organise free and fair elections, is increasingly being criticized for his policy. Amnesty International on 29 September published a report documenting extrajudicial killings. Guei, however, can claim substantial Ivorian support for his policies condemned abroad. Last week, one saw large demonstrations in favour of his views, condemning the OAU and other foreign interference. The question of Ouattara's nationality, coupled with other factors such as competition for land in the southwest between locals and Burkinabe migrants, the large number of foreigners - between 25 and 40 percent of the population depending on the sources - and high unemployment have all helped to fuel nationalist sentiment in Côte d'Ivoire, observers in Abidjan have told IRIN. The US State Department also noted that is was "deeply disturbed by the travel ban on Ivorian political leaders, which is in contravention of the constitution approved by referendum on July 23 and 24. We note that in spite of having received permission from General Guei himself to travel, gendarmes prevented RDR Secretary General Henriette Dagri Diabate from leaving the country on October 3."
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