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United Nations

Ivory Coast: Mass Killings, Torture, and Rape by Forces Allied to Gbagbo and Ouattara

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Forces aligned with former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and the current President Alassane Ouattara committed crimes against humanity and war crimes during six months of bloody violence following disputed elections, Amnesty International reported. The human rights organization gathered witness statements from over 100 survivors of the March 29 massacre in Duekoue, where UN peacekeepers failed to provide protection despite being stationed just a half mile away. Attacks against villages populated by ethnic groups viewed as supporters of Gbagbo continued in the first weeks of May, resulting in dozens of deaths and multiple villages being burned.

Key Takeaways:

  • Amnesty International documented over 100 witness statements from survivors of the March 29 massacre in Duekoue, where uniformed FRCI forces executed hundreds of men of all ages on political and ethnic grounds.
  • The FRCI forces used identity cards to identify and execute victims, leaving some cards beside the bodies.
  • The UN Operations in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) failed to protect people during the Duekoue massacre, despite being stationed nearby.
  • Victims and witnesses told Amnesty International that they had repeatedly requested help from UNOCI, but received no response.
  • The report concluded that President Ouattara's failure to condemn crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by his security forces could be seen as a green light for further violence.
  • Mootoo, Amnesty International's West Africa researcher, called on President Ouattara to publicly condemn all violence against the civilian population and to implement justice for victims.
  • The report also details the inaction of the UNOCI in the Duekoue region, citing a limited presence of 200 soldiers and a failure to provide protection for tens of thousands of displaced people.

Statistics:

  • Over 100 witness statements from survivors of the March 29 massacre in Duekoue were gathered by Amnesty International.
  • Hundreds of men of all ages were executed by uniformed FRCI forces on political and ethnic grounds.
  • The UNOCI had a presence of just 200 soldiers in the Duekoue region, insufficient to protect tens of thousands of displaced people.
  • During the six months of violence, forces loyal to Gbagbo committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, including extrajudicial executions, torture, and rape.

Sources:

  • Amnesty International Report: "They looked at his identity card and shot him dead: Six months of post-electoral violence"
  • Testimony from a woman who lived in Duekoue, stating that FRCI forces executed hundreds of men, asking for their identity cards before killing them.
  • Interview with GaA'tan Mootoo, Amnesty International's West Africa researcher, citing President Ouattara's failure to condemn crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by his security forces.
  • Statement from Adotei Aweki, Amnesty International USA Managing Director for Governments Relations, urging the Obama administration to support efforts to establish accountability and justice in Cote d'Ivoire.

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