Saiks,

Those who know Ouattara well expects him to play a constructive role in
opposition regardless of the number of seats his party gains in the next
Ivorian Parliament.  The Ivorian people's historic role in the transition
from military to civilian rule should be commended and ALL should join them
in their determination and wish for a true and lasting democratic Cote
d'Ivoire.  Indications are that the OAU, EU, ECOWAS and perhaps Thabo Mbeki
will soften their earlier position for a re-run of the presidential
elections given the recent rapprochement between the opposing parties.

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 20:16:39 +0100
>
>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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