Militias 'control' I Coast

2005-03-24 17:55

Abidjan - The face of the Ivory Coast conflict has changed in the year since government troops broke up an opposition rally, killing 120 people according to the United Nations, with militias now dominating the crisis that threatens to spin out of control.

"Where you had the potential for confrontation between the regular army and the rebels there is now the added threat of the militias, which are obviously not autonomous groups that came into existence spontaneously," noted Giles Yabi of the International Crisis Group think-tank.

"It's like the regular army is using the militias as a proxy to maintain a strong presence."

The situation in the world's top cocoa producer has only deteriorated since thousands of opposition supporters filled the streets of Abidjan to demand that peace accords be applied to bring a definitive end to the war that erupted from a failed rebel uprising against President Laurent Gbagbo in September 2002.

Political reforms envisioned by the peace pact are in legislative limbo. Prospects for disarmament are dim and there is little hope that elections set for October will be conducted with a full slate of candidates and open to all.

Mediation by President Thabo Mbeki has yet to net concrete results, though the main protagonists in the conflict are expected in Pretoria for urgent talks.

The rapid rise of new militias has been noted nationwide, particularly in the west where they are training openly, with gleaming automatic weapons on their shoulders.

Situation 'uncertain'

Such fears were echoed on Wednesday in a report to the UN Security Council by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who said their impunity could destabilise not only Ivory Coast itself but its fragile west African neighbours.

"The armed militias must be reined in and their leaders, as well as those behind them, must be held accountable," Annan told the 15-member council, which is evaluating the mandate of the peacekeeping force in the world's top cocoa producer.

"There is a very real danger that events may spin out of control with incalculable consequences for the people ... and the sub-region as a whole."

According to ICG, which is expected this week to release a report judging that the "worst is still to come" in Ivory Coast in coming weeks, there is a new urgency feeding the rising tensions that have resulted in ceasefire violations and attacks by pro-government forces on the rebel-held zone.

"We are now near the end of Gbagbo's mandate, and it will not be enough to prevent or apply the peace pact," Yabi told AFP, alluding to elections envisioned for October that could usher in a new regime.

"The situation is completely uncertain: the rebels are waiting to see what happens, the government is aware that its political position is very fragile and there is a tacit understanding that the military is ready to do anything to maintain the government's power."

- AFP