DATE=1/5/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=IVORIAN COUP - REACTION, PT. 2
NUMBER=5-45172
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
///EDS: Second in a series of three backgrounders on
the coup in Ivory Coast//
INTRO: The military coup in Ivory Coast (EDS:
December 24) caught many people by surprise. Although
there were reports of widespread dissatisfaction in
the country with the government of deposed President
Henri Konan Bedie, few expected the military to
intervene, especially on Christmas Eve. Reaction to
the coup was also unexpected. V-O-A Correspondent
Scott Bobb has this report.
TEXT: After Ivorians got over their shock at the
revolt by their traditionally docile military, they
received another surprise. The outside world responded
by condemning the overthrow of a government that most
Ivorians had come to revile.
Nigeria, South Africa and the Organization of African
Unity, condemned the coup. The European Union
threatened to suspend financial aid. The U-S
government suspended non-humanitarian assistance. And
the French government sent additional troops to the
region.
Analysts like Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe of Senegal's Africa
Research Institute say the speed and totality of the
condemnation has not been seen before in Africa.
///EKWE-EKWE ACT///
This kind of condemnation is unprecedented. I am not
aware of any coup d'etat going back over the last 40
years that has had that level of condemnation. It's
almost like something had to occur somewhere in one of
Africa's most respected economies for people to
actually wake up and say no to the military.
///END ACT///
Observers note that in the past the military took over
saying it wanted to save a nation. But it frequently
ended up installing a dictatorship that either
collapsed in another coup or dragged the country into
chaos and insolvency. And unfortunately, the civilian
democracies that have proliferated in the 1990s have
not always been better. Many of them have become
civilian autocracies that are rotten and repressive.
Analyst Herman Hanekom of the African Institute of
South Africa says he hopes the coup in Ivory Coast is
the result of a new mentality in Africa.
///HANEKOM ACT///
It seems to me there's a new school of thought
developing among military leadership in that they will
take politicians on who do not abide by the rules and
(who) place their own selfish political interests
above that of the state and the people themselves.
///END ACT///
Others say, however, whether or not the soldiers take
power in order to preserve democracy, world opinion is
now against the military coup as a means of political
change. Professor Ekwe-Ekwe says even African leaders
have adopted this opinion, noting that the last summit
of the Organization of African Unity voted to condemn
any non-democratic change of government on the
continent.
///EKWE-EKWE ACT///
Everybody seems to agree, or everybody has actually
come to the conclusion that the military cannot
actually be an agency toward the resolution of the
crisis within civil society, however acute that
particular crisis is.
///END ACT///
The level of condemnation worries the new Ivorian
leaders who need outside support to revive the economy
and pay salary arrears to disgruntled soldiers and
civil servants. And it has upset Ivorian citizens who
believe the new military leader, General Robert Guei,
is a savior who should stay on for awhile until
stability is assured.
Analysts like Professor Ekwe-Ekwe say this, however,
is not likely to occur and the Guei government will
remain under international pressure to restore
civilian rule as quickly as possible.
///EKWE-EKWE ACT///
We are seeing the beginning of a new form of African
politics. And I think that perhaps that will be the
laudable lesson that we have learned from the events
in Cote d'Ivoire.
///END ACT///
General Guei has promised to form a transitional
government composed primarily of civilian politicians.
The transitional government is to revise the
constitution and organize free and fair elections. The
country's major parties, including the deposed
Democratic Party that had governed since independence,
say they will participate. Whether they will succeed
remains to be seen. But what is clear is that if they
do not, Ivory Coast is likely to be increasingly
ostracized by the international community. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/GE
05-Jan-2000 05:52 AM EDT (05-Jan-2000 1052 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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