Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Ivory Coast Gets Dual Presidents, Chaos

   Scott Stearns | Abidjan 05 December 2010
   A  young  man throws a tire onto a fire during a protest by supporters
   of opposition leader Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan, 03 Dec 2010

Photo: AP

   A  young  man throws a tire onto a fire during a protest by supporters
   of opposition leader Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan, 03 Dec 2010

   Ivory  Coast  is  in  political  crisis  with both of its presidential
   candidates  taking  rival  oaths of office based on competing election
   results.  The  African  Union  is  sending former South African leader
   Thabo Mbeki to Ivory Coast Sunday in hopes of resolving the dispute.
   The  African Union says Mr. Mbeki's emergency mission is meant to find
   a legitimate and peaceful solution to the crisis.
   Laurent  Gbagbo  took  an  oath of office Saturday on the basis of the
   constitutional  council  awarding  him  51  percent  of the vote after
   annulling as fraudulent nearly ten percent of all ballots cast.
   Alassane  Ouattara took an oath of office Saturday on the basis of the
   electoral  commission  awarding  him  54  percent  of  the vote. Those
   results  were  certified  by the United Nations in keeping with a 2007
   peace deal.
   Senior military officers who control southern regions back Mr. Gbagbo.
   Former  rebels  who  still  control  most  northern  regions  back Mr.
   Ouattara.
   Mr.  Ouattara's  claim  to the presidency is also supported by Burkina
   Faso,  Nigeria, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Canada,
   and the European Union.
   Mr.  Gbagbo  says those pronouncements of support for Mr. Ouattara are
   terrible  cases  of  foreign  interference that threaten Ivory Coast's
   sovereignty.
   Mr.  Gbagbo's resistance to outside opinion may complicate Mr. Mbeki's
   mission  as  the African Union too has recognized electoral commission
   results  that say Mr. Gbabgo lost. In a written statement, the African
   Union warned against undermining the electoral process and the will of
   the  people,  saying  that  could  lead  to  a "crisis of incalculable
   consequences."