On air at 1100GMT: Ivory Coast - How long can Gbagbo refuse to surrender?
|
Wednesday, 4 April 2011
|12:00 - 12:30 GMT
UPDATE: The French government says that Laurent Gbagbo is refusing to surrender, according to the AFP news agency. There are also reports of heavy gunfire around the Presidential compund. His residence is surrounded by opposition troops - but the Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, denies he is negotiating his surrender. Speaking by phone from his bunker, he said his military were only negotiating a truce - and insisted he had won November's presidential election.
France, however, believes he could surrender within hours. The French armed forces chief, Edouard Guillaud, said while he saw no breakthrough for now, strikes against Mr Gbagbo could resume if he refused to go. The UN says Gbagbo lost the elections and Alassane Ouattara is the elected President.
It's a confused picture in Ivory Coast, but speaking to residents of Abidjan this morning, many say it is calm and quiet with some feeling safe enough to venture out to get supplies before the 12 o'clock curfew.
The humanitarian situation is still desperate in many parts of Abidjan. Yesterday we heard from a spokesman from MSF on our early edition of the show, who told us it is increasingly difficult for aid agencies to move around to distribute food to people.
Meanwhile, the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, wants to refer alleged atrocities in the Ivory Coast to the court to accelerate an investigation into the violence.
As I write, news agencies say that heavy weapons fire has been heard around Laurent Gbagbo's presidential palace. According to the AFP news agency forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara have gone to "fetch" Laurent Gbagbo from a bunker where he is holed up and refusing to surrender.
We'll speak to people in Abidjan to hear their stories and keep you up to date with events as they unfold. Join us on the 主播大秀 World Service at 1100GMT
Your comments
Comment sent via Facebook
12:27
113631290
J. Hendrick posts: I think Gbagbo has done much damage to the country he inherited. He should be put before a tribunal.
Comment sent via Facebook
12:26
113631290
Shudu in South Africa posts: I think Gbagbo should step down now before he embarrasses himself even more, because by the way events are unfolding,this can only end in one way,and its not his way.
Comment sent via SMS
12:25
117234616
AFRICAN LEADERS ARE VERY SELF CENTRED. THE ONLY LANGUAGE THEY UNDERSTAND IS THE SOUND OF THE GUN.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
12:24
113631290
Trevor in Zanzibar emails: Bravo to France and The U.N for what they are doing but frankly speaking, the action was supposed to be taken before the bloodshed began.
Comment sent via SMS
12:19
117234576
GBARBO MUST LEAVE,BEING STUBORN TO WISE ADVICE IS LIKE SIGNING ONE OWN DEATH WARRANT,GBARBO BE CAREFUL,ARMAH R.KIAZOLU,II OF MONROVIA LIBERIA
Comment sent via MSGBOARD
12:20
113631290
Senam Bheton tweets using the hashtag CIV 2010: Getting Gbagbo out of his bunker will be tricky. Getting him alive will be trickier.
Comment sent via Facebook
12:17
113631290
Pomaa posts: Does Gbagbo have any conscience at all? if only he could be a refugee for a day in his lifetime, he would know he should have stepped down a long time ago.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
12:10
113631290
Isaan in Zimbabwe emails: These are just the kicks of a dying horse.The civil war was unwarranted. He should have just accepted defeat.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
12:07
113631290
John Bond posts on South Africa's Mail and Guardian website: The winds of change are howling through Africa. I can't wait to see what happens there, and in Swaziland and Zimbabwe as well. The AU may just have lost their teeth. Protecting the old guard may not be acceptable any longer.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
12:01
113631290
British Democrat posts on Huffington Post: The man is going, it has taken years and here is the end of suffering. Can't help but feel that the end game is nearing in Africa with all dictators.
Comment sent via Facebook
11:58
113631290
Ali in Italy: It is easy to condemn Gbagbo just because we are intoxicated by the media. The matter is far beyond this one sided story we are being fed with.
Comment sent via Facebook
11:57
113631290
Lamii in Liberia: The next step is to stop this cat and mouse game with Gbagbo and forcibly remove him from the compound. I am not in favour of him getting an amnesty. Gbagbo has to be put on trial for putting the Ivorian people and the rest of the world through this madness!
Comment sent via host
11:47
113631290
On air now. You can post your thoughts and comments here.
On air at 1100GMT: Ivory Coast - How long can Gbagbo refuse to surrender?
| Wednesday, 4 April 2011 | 12:00 - 12:30 GMT
UPDATE: The French government says that Laurent Gbagbo is refusing to surrender, according to the AFP news agency. There are also reports of heavy gunfire around the Presidential compund.
His residence is surrounded by opposition troops - but the Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, denies he is negotiating his surrender. Speaking by phone from his bunker, he said his military were only negotiating a truce - and insisted he had won November's presidential election.
France, however, believes he could surrender within hours. The French armed forces chief, Edouard Guillaud, said while he saw no breakthrough for now, strikes against Mr Gbagbo could resume if he refused to go. The UN says Gbagbo lost the elections and Alassane Ouattara is the elected President.
It's a confused picture in Ivory Coast, but speaking to residents of Abidjan this morning, many say it is calm and quiet with some feeling safe enough to venture out to get supplies before the 12 o'clock curfew.
The humanitarian situation is still desperate in many parts of Abidjan. Yesterday we heard from a spokesman from MSF on our early edition of the show, who told us it is increasingly difficult for aid agencies to move around to distribute food to people.
Meanwhile, the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, wants to refer alleged atrocities in the Ivory Coast to the court to accelerate an investigation into the violence.
As I write, news agencies say that heavy weapons fire has been heard around Laurent Gbagbo's presidential palace. According to the AFP news agency forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara have gone to "fetch" Laurent Gbagbo from a bunker where he is holed up and refusing to surrender.
We'll speak to people in Abidjan to hear their stories and keep you up to date with events as they unfold. Join us on the 主播大秀 World Service at 1100GMT
Your comments
Comment sent via Facebook
J. Hendrick posts: I think Gbagbo has done much damage to the country he inherited. He should be put before a tribunal.
Comment sent via Facebook
Shudu in South Africa posts: I think Gbagbo should step down now before he embarrasses himself even more, because by the way events are unfolding,this can only end in one way,and its not his way.
Comment sent via SMS
AFRICAN LEADERS ARE VERY SELF CENTRED. THE ONLY LANGUAGE THEY UNDERSTAND IS THE SOUND OF THE GUN.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Trevor in Zanzibar emails: Bravo to France and The U.N for what they are doing but frankly speaking, the action was supposed to be taken before the bloodshed began.
Comment sent via SMS
GBARBO MUST LEAVE,BEING STUBORN TO WISE ADVICE IS LIKE SIGNING ONE OWN DEATH WARRANT,GBARBO BE CAREFUL,ARMAH R.KIAZOLU,II OF MONROVIA LIBERIA
Comment sent via MSGBOARD
Senam Bheton tweets using the hashtag CIV 2010: Getting Gbagbo out of his bunker will be tricky. Getting him alive will be trickier.
Comment sent via Facebook
Pomaa posts: Does Gbagbo have any conscience at all? if only he could be a refugee for a day in his lifetime, he would know he should have stepped down a long time ago.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Isaan in Zimbabwe emails: These are just the kicks of a dying horse.The civil war was unwarranted. He should have just accepted defeat.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
John Bond posts on South Africa's Mail and Guardian website: The winds of change are howling through Africa. I can't wait to see what happens there, and in Swaziland and Zimbabwe as well. The AU may just have lost their teeth. Protecting the old guard may not be acceptable any longer.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
British Democrat posts on Huffington Post: The man is going, it has taken years and here is the end of suffering. Can't help but feel that the end game is nearing in Africa with all dictators.
Comment sent via Facebook
Ali in Italy: It is easy to condemn Gbagbo just because we are intoxicated by the media. The matter is far beyond this one sided story we are being fed with.
Comment sent via Facebook
Lamii in Liberia: The next step is to stop this cat and mouse game with Gbagbo and forcibly remove him from the compound. I am not in favour of him getting an amnesty. Gbagbo has to be put on trial for putting the Ivorian people and the rest of the world through this madness!
Comment sent via host
On air now. You can post your thoughts and comments here.