Press conference by PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF CôTE D’IVOIRE

Choosing between two evils had led the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to move against rebel-held areas last week, Philippe Djangone-Bi, that country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said today in clarifying the sequence of events leading up to the weekend air strikes that shattered a fragile ceasefire, leaving nine French peacekeepers and an American civilian dead.

While expressing the Ivorian Government’s sincere regrets over the loss of life, he urged correspondents at a Headquarters press conference to portray his country, its President, its anguished and humiliated people justly.  Faced with the rebels’ continued threats, disruption of the Ivorian economy, and flat refusal to disarm, the Government had chosen “our responsibility”, he declared.  “What is a sovereign Government to do? Let our country fall apart…be broken up and distributed amongst warlords, or, seeing preparations for an attack, go there and liberate and reunify our country?”

Côte d’Ivoire’s fall into violence began last Thursday, when the Government ended a 2002 ceasefire by launching an air attack in the Zone of Confidence (ZOC) separating the combatants.  On Saturday, Government aircraft bombed French peacekeeping positions in the area, killing nine people and leading the French to destroy the country’s air force on the tarmac.  Supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo then took to the streets of Abidjan in retaliation, harassing and intimidating foreigners.

Later on Saturday, the Security Council condemned the attacks, demanding the immediate cessation of all military operations by all Ivorian parties as well as full compliance with the ceasefire agreements.  Late on Monday, Council diplomats weighed a French-backed draft resolution calling for an arms embargo on Côte d’Ivoire.  Meanwhile, South African President Thabo Mbeki flew to Abidjan today on an African Union-led mission to calm tensions.

Mr. Djangone-Bi said the Ivorian delegation had called the press conference to give a “fair and balanced” account of the events.  Following the unfortunate deaths, the French army had destroyed Côte d’Ivoire’s tiny civil and military air fleet in the capital, Yamoussoukro, and in Abidjan -– including two aircraft at President Gbagbo’s disposal.  When the Ivorian people learned that the French had retaliated “in cold blood” and without an investigation into the incident, they had taken to the streets in massive protests.  “Surprisingly, the French forces fired on the [unarmed] crowds with live bullets from helicopters, causing a number of casualties”, he, said, holding up pictures of wounded civilians.  “It is difficult to understand the reasons behind this excessive use of force, with regard to Security Council resolution 1528 [of 27 February 2004.]”

That text authorized French forces to “use all means necessary” to support the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (ONUCI), he said.  However, it seemed the French had received their orders directly from the highest authorities in France, a direct contravention of the resolution, he added, calling for the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the situation.

Asked by a journalist if he sensed a “shift” in the French position favouring the rebels against President Gbagbo’s Government, he replied that France’s position appeared to be clear, since, without provocation, its forces had destroyed aircraft and equipment and had humiliated the Ivorian Government.  The destruction could also be seen as a stimulus for the rebel Forces Nouvelles to press ahead with its decision to defy the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement and resume hostilities.  France, indeed, seemed to be favouring the rebellion, particularly since, right at the start of mopping up, the French forces had caused more frustration.  And while France and Côte d’Ivoire had always had friendly relations, French policies should not be aimed at killing the spirit of Ivorian liberty and independence.

He went on to say that at first, the Ivorian Government had suspected that French President Jacques Chirac wanted to oust President Gbagbo.  But late yesterday, the French leader had “spoken some appeasing words”, and in radio interviews, other French authorities had confirmed that the French had not come to Côte d’Ivoire to remove a democratically elected government.  Hopefully, the spirit of cooperation and appeasement would continue.

Responding to questions about whether the draft resolution pressing for a decision was a bit suspicious, he said “the house is no longer burning”, adding that the Ivorian Government had ceased all its actions in the north and was awaiting the outcome of the African Union-led talks.  The only thing that was happening was that France was trying to break the spirit of Ivorian independence.

With President Mbeki currently in talks with President Gbagbo, the French and the wider international community should give time for African Union mediation before taking up a resolution, he said, adding, “give time for Africa to solve Africa’s problems before imposing hard sanctions”.  Still, Côte d’Ivoire was aware of France’s negotiating power and its position on the Council, so perhaps the outcome was inevitable, despite ongoing negotiations between the two African leaders.

To further questions about the Government’s actions, he reiterated that the rebel faction had refused to disarm without preconditions and had continued its threats and provocation.  With its people and economy being strangled and the country in ruins, the Government had been forced to act.  Charges that the Government had been behind a hate speech campaign that had led to anti-French protests and threats against foreigners had been nothing but propaganda encouraged by certain elements of the international community.  Côte d’Ivoire’s image was being tarnished and its President was being demonized.  There was no policy of spreading hatred and xenophobia.

While President Gbagbo had pleaded with all forces not to attack civilians, France’s “paternalistic attitude” had caused frustration among the populace, he said.  Nevertheless, it had been pleasing to hear appeasing words from President Chirac and encouraging that joint Ivorian and French patrols were monitoring the situation in Abidjan.  The Government had taken care to ensure security.

Noting that a “terrible incident” had led to the deliberate shootings of unarmed Ivorian citizens, he said that while he could not confirm the number of dead, hundreds had been wounded.  That was a serious violation of human rights which deserved the immediate attention of the world.  It was shocking that in

the wake of the actions by the French forces, Ivorian officials had heard nothing from any international human rights bodies on the matter –- only whispers that their Government would be crushed by a tough Security Council resolution.

Asked whether the situation could have been avoided with an early apology from President Gbagbo, he stressed that an apology had been offered -- but the delay had been provoked by the very actions of “our good friends from France” who had surrounded and were bombarding the Palace.

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