Dear Sidi,
You are given a very good insight to the whole crisis,I really appreciate
your comments,they make me see things more and more clear.
But that only 37% of eligible voters made their way to the polling stations
is not only an evidence of the underlying problems in the country,this I
believed you did try to show,but also the problem with parliamentary
democracy,such problems could be found al l over the world.However,if
Ouattaras party and the other opposition parties happened to win the
majority of seats in parliament,until they play a constructive role in
parliament, the problem s of the country might not be solved,we will instead
have a new problem.
That Gbagbo was in the leadership of the pro-Democratic movement(in the 90s)
and Ouattara a Pm should not be underestimated.That he was fighting against
corruption etc,whiles the old man remains in power with all the life style
he is known to have and his dictatorial tendency says a lot about Ouattaras
determination to have a different Ivory Coast.If you could remember in own
country,when corruption was almost out of control under the PPP regime,Fafa
Mbye was brought in to deal with the situation,such political tactics are
only meant to entertain public out cry or to give the head of State the
possibility for using a divide and rule tactic in internal party conflicts.I
hope the international will follow the example of the Ivorian opposition
leaders and congratulate Gbogbo for his victory.
Let us wish the Ivorians good luck,they have sacrificed a lot to reach this
stage.
For Freedom
Saiks
----- Original Message -----
From: Sidi M Sanneh <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2000 5:24 PM
Subject: Re: FWD: "POWER-HUNGRY" WIFE THE RUIN OF IVORY COAST'S GUEI
> Dear Saiks,
>
> As to so many who have written both publicly and privately, I say thanks
for
> your concern about the safety of all of us here in Cote d'Ivoire. On the
> issues you raised in you posting, I have the following comments to make:
>
> The reasons behind Ouattara's demand for fresh elections was based on the
> fact that he, together with the PDCI candidates were declared ineligible
for
> various reasons. As you know, in the case of Ouattara, it was for the
> reason that his mother was not Ivorian when the Constitution calls for
both
> parents being Ivorians. Ouattara bitterly contests this. As a result of
> his being barred to run, he urged his supporters to boycott the
presidential
> elections. PDCI also boycotted the elections because all their nominees
> were also declared ineligible by the Constitutional Court. The RDR and
PDCI
> are the two biggest political parties as confirmed in the total number of
> eligible votes cast on election day; i.e 37.4 per cent. 62.6 per cent of
> all eligible voters did not vote, presumable because they were either RDR
or
> PDCI. Included in this figure are those who would not have voted even if
> both Ouattara and the PDCI candidate were on the ballot. The general
> feeling, however, is that the majority that stay away were RDR and PDCI
> supporters. Some of Gbagbo's votes were protest votes against Guei. They
> would rather see a civilian with political experience elected than Guei
> retained. These protests votes may have been a combination of Ouattara
and
> Bedie supporters who are still licking their wounds after being overthrown
> by Guei. Whether they voted for him with the expectation of a call for
fresh
> election is uncertain. But my view is to the contrary because Ivorians are
> not that politically naive to believe that Gbagbo, who has been in the
> political wilderness for over two decades, will call for fresh elections
> after winning; a re-run which he is not certain to win.
>
> I am of a different opinion as it concerns the democratic credentials of
> Ouattara. True, he was the hand-picked PM of Houphoueh-Boigny but his
> record during his tenure shows him to be an incorruptible man and an
> efficient manager. He fought corruption from the top down which is one of
> his problems dogging him to this day because those big guns of the PDCI
from
> whom he demanded accountability are still around. Anyway, let us give
> Gbagbo a chance to display his democratic credentials and leadership
> qualities.
>
> Initially, Ouattara demanded a re-run but after meeting Gbagbo he has
> indicated his willingness to proceed with the legislative elections in
> December which observers believe he will win with a majority. Should he
> control the legislature, Gbagbo would find it difficult to govern without
a
> coalition and/or a compromise acceptable to the opposition. Ouattara is
no
> longer insisting on a fresh election at this point. Come December, the
story
> could be different altogether.
>
> On a personal note, my regards to Ndey and the little one.
>
> Sidi Sanneh
>
>
> >From: Saikou Samateh <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: FWD: "POWER-HUNGRY" WIFE THE RUIN OF IVORY COAST'S GUEI
> >Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2000 16:47:55 +0100
> >
> >Dear Sidi,
> >I hope you and the Family are doing fine and far away from the troubles.
> >However I have been following the debate here and it seems that the
general
> >line is that a new elections should be called for.This perhaps might be a
> >way out of the present crisis,since all what the other opposition party
is
> >calling for is a new elections.But I have my doubts as why all these
> >troubles now.Did the Ivorians voted for Gbagbo because they did not have
a
> >better favourite ?or did they vote for him expecting that he will call
for
> >new election after vining victory ?
> >Ouattara has always been the favourite of the west,this is because of his
> >political background.He has never question the politics of the West in
the
> >continent.And the fact that his participation in the former undemocratic
> >and
> >dictatorial government of Felex Houphouet Boigny is an indication that
his
> >sense of democracy is limited.Remember that when Gbagbo was a political
> >victim,during the Pro-Democratic unrest,Ouattara was a man of power.The
> >bitter relationship between the two must not be reduced to the
unfortunate
> >statement of Gagbo that he ,Ouattara ,is not an Ivorian.
> >The pressure that is put on Gbagbo is very unfortunate,why,because this
is
> >a
> >very opportune time for Ivorians to get the records straight,they came
out
> >in the streets in their thousands to defend their victory ,and if
Ouattara
> >,instead of helping to advance this victory,called upon his supporters to
> >come out and demand for new elections is without doubt very
unfortunate.If
> >the same pressure have been put on Guei,before the elections,perhaps the
> >story will be different.That the OAU,instead of looking at the problem
> >from
> >a very different angle to find a solution to the problem,decides to
echoed
> >the hypocritical demand of the West,is without doubt very unfortunate.In
my
> >opinion,Ouattara should either join the National Reconciliation
Government
> >or continue his opposition activities,whiles waiting for the next
election.
> >
> >For Freedom
> >Saiks
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Sidi Sanneh <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Sent: Friday, October 27, 2000 5:05 PM
> >Subject: Re: FWD: "POWER-HUNGRY" WIFE THE RUIN OF IVORY COAST'S GUEI
> >
> >
> > > Bro. Habib,
> > >
> > > Your concern about further lives being lost in the current crisis is
not
> > > only real but justified given the outcome of today's meeting between
> >Gbagbo
> > > and Ouattara at the private residence of the former. Despite the two
> > > embrassing before and after their brief meeting and Ouattara's
reference
> >to
> > > "President Gbagbo" (inplying recognision), the deep seated rivalry
> >between
> > > the two still remains. The fact that Ouattara's main priority, even
> >after
> > > meeting Gbagbo, is "to mourn the dead and to bury his dead supporters"
> >and
> > > not to join the new government says it all. In my view, to avert
further
> > > bloodshed, the fundamental issue of legitimacy must be addressed and
one
> >of
> > > the options available
> > > to Ivorian politicians is your suggestion i.e. for a
> > > re-run of the presidential elections in line with the US, OAU, ECOWAS
> >and
> > > countries such as South Africa. To gloss over the difficult and
> >sensitive
> > > issue of legitimacy, in my view, would prove disastrous in the long
run.
> > > Little wonder Koffi Annan, after his Rwanda experience, is taking a
> >clear
> > > and unequivocal stance on this one.
> > >
> > > Sidi Sanneh
> > >
> > >
>
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