Gambia refuses to recognize Ouattara as Ivory Coast president

by Le Magazine de la Diaspora Ivoirienne et des Ami(e)s de la Côte d’Ivoire | 17 avril 2011 0 h 52 min

The Gambian government said Saturday it would not recognise Alassane Ouattara as president of Ivory Coast following the ousting of his rival Laurent Gbagbo with the help of UN and French forces.

« The Gambia government would not recognise any president, including president Ouattara, or government in Africa that has been imposed by forces outside the African continent for whatever reason, » a statement said.

« We know what those governments and presidents stand for in Africa as they loot African resources on behalf of the powers that brought them to power », the statement from the office of President Yahya Jammeh added.

The statement, which was also carried by state broadcaster GRTS, called for « an impartial and comprehensive investigation into all the atrocities carried out in Ivory Coast by a team of honest and decent Allah-fearing people. »

« Alassane Ouattara and his forces cannot go scot-free and blame everything on President Laurent Gbagbo, who according to the Ivorian constitution is the legitimate president of Ivory Coast », it said.

Forces loyal to both sides have been accused of massacres in recent weeks as Ouattara, recognised as president by the United Nations and the African Union following a disputed vote in November, fought to take power.

« As far as we are concerned, the only solution to avert a long drawn-out civil war with all its attendance consequences in Ivory Coast is to reorganise presidential elections in the shortest possible time, » the Gambian government said.

« In the meantime, an interim government of national unity should be formed without Alassane Ouattara as he also has a lot to answer for, » it said.

« One thing that is very clear to all Africans today is that the plot to re-colonise Africa is very real and we most stand up to it. »

Banjul called on the UN to ensure the safety, protection, and well being of Gbagbo, « the constitutionally legal president of Ivory Coast », and set him free.

« He cannot be tried while Alassane Ouattara, the internationally selected president of Ivory Coast, goes scot free after massacring thousands of civilians just to be president », the statement said.

Events in Ivory Coast « have vindicated us in our earlier assertion that Western neocolonialist-sponsored agents in Africa that owe allegiance only to themselves and their Western masters are ready to walk on thousands of dead bodies for the Presidency, » it charged.