Gambia: Opposition leader on Ivory Coast situation
By Gambian Correspondent – As the political situation in Ivory Coast begins to settle down, the opposition Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) yesterday issued a statement condemning in the strongest terms, what it called the illegitimate attempts of former President Laurent Gbagbo to cling to power by all unlawful means.
GMC Party Leader Mai Ahmad Fatty
In the statement signed by its party leader, Mai Ahmad Fatty, the GMC expressed its unconditional solidarity with the peoples of Cote d’Ivoire in their legitimate quest for democracy and the sanctity of their collective will abundantly expressed through the ballot box, while supporting recommendations for Laurent Gbagbo’s “immediate prosecution for crimes committed against his people before impartial tribunals in Cote d’Ivoire, and the International Criminal Court.”
Below we reproduce the full text of the GMC statement:
We endorse and adopt the position of ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations and the international community on the political imbroglio in Cote d’Ivoire.
We condemn in the strongest of terms the illegitimate attempts of former President Laurent Gbagbo to cling on to power by all unlawful means. We express our unconditional solidarity with the peoples of Cote d’Ivoire in their legitimate quest for democracy and the sanctity of their collective will abundantly expressed through the ballot box. We express our utmost repugnance at the clear and fraudulent manipulation of the Constitutional Court so as to thwart the will of the people.
We acknowledge that the recent political conflict in Cote d’Ivoire is exclusively attributable to the reckless recalcitrance of former President Gbagbo together with the very few members of his cabal and their personal lust for political power against the legitimate aspirations of the people. We also appreciate that the international community has the obligation to assure the triumph of the voice of the people expressed through their votes; take all measures to end largescale atrocities being committed at the direct instigation of Laurent Gbagbo and his henchmen, as well as implement all measures to prevent situations that may potentially endanger international peace, security, stability and unprecedented economic turbulence in the entire ECOWAS Region, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter, the AU Charter and the ECOWAS Protocols.
We insist that the false notion of neo-colonial intervention in Cote d’Ivoire is palpably untenable and condemn its invocation as a pretext by those who are intent on creating permanent distractions from serious issues surrounding themselves.
We uphold the fundamental rights of Laurent Gbagbo and those under custody, while strongly supporting recommendations for his immediate prosecution for crimes committed against his people before impartial Tribunals in Cote d’Ivoire, and the International Criminal Court.
We expressed and conveyed our unflinching support, solidarity and cooperation with the Government of President Alassane Dramane Ouattara, and the peoples of Cote d’Ivoire. We congratulated them for their iron willed resolve to take back their country, and restore sovereignty to the people of Cote d’Ivoire.
We support the patriotism and commitment of President Alassane Dramane Ouattara and his resolve to unite the Ivorian nation, and we wish him success with the recently constituted Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We urge the international community, notably ECOWAS and the United Nations to remain seize of the matter, and do all possible to speedily ameliorate the humanitarian nightmare provoked and put into effect by Laurent Gbagbo’s recklessness and outrageous disregard for legitimacy and civility.
Dated the 18th April 2011.
MAI AHMAD FATTY, GMC PARTY LEADER
