The changes in the Ivory Coast are moving along rapidly. Earlier this month, a new peace agreement was signed in Ouagadougou between the government and the rebel forces in the north (the Forces Nouvelle). On Tuesday, more progress was accomplished as the leader of the Forces Nouvelle, Guillaume Soro, was appointed prime minister. President Laurent Gbabgo has approved the appointment and will sign the decree in the next few days. Gbagbo even stated, "The war is finished. The crisis is finished. Soon we will have a new government." Although both the government's and the rebel force's spokespeople sound confident in the new arrangement, political scientist Francois Koassi reveals the skepticism that is likely to be found in many of the Ivory Coast's citizens. He points out that "this decision will not change much at all because it is only a deal between two people." He fears that a deal has been negotiated between the sides that might negatively impact the people. Will Soro's appointment lead to enduring peace in the Ivory Coast? It seems unlikely since the article points out many other rebel groups have complained about the new peace agreement. Some will refuse to disarm unless they are invited to talks about (and are allowed input about) the new government. Whether or not the hope of the leaders or the skepticism of the people will ultimately prove accurate remains to be seen. Unfortunately, the Ivory Coast may be a ticking bomb, just waiting for another rebel force to stir up violence.
7 comments:
You seem extremely skeptical about what may happen in Cote D'Ivoire, yet this new government hasn't been appointed yet and the peace treaty was just signed. It seems if noone has hope, there is an almost certain failure awaiting this nation. I believe that though Cote D'Ivoire does have many rebel groups threatening the peace, though Cote D'Ivoire could be a "ticking bomb", there needs to be hope in order for the peace treaty to work. The population needs to believe in a better future and needs to support the small steps that are being made.
adelaide-
You're def. right that the people need to have hope. that doesn't mean that the rest of the world should stumble forward with blinders on about the reality of peace accords in waring states. Chances are good that things will improve in Cote D'Ivoire, but that doesn't mean we can ignore the very real chance that this new policy will simply fail...hope is only useful if it's realistic.
Scott - You seem to always find a criticism for Africa. What i meant from my comment was a simple statement that yes, people do need hope. Guess what, many times in the past, peace treaties have failed becuase noone believed in them. As soon as people start believing what they say, and sign, there is more chance of them actually working it out. Just because a country has a past of violence, etc. doesn't mean that it will always be like that. If one by one Cote D'Ivoireans and Westerners start believing in these peace accords, and support them; there is a big chance of actually having them work.
Hope is extremely realistic in my point of view; just think of how US history has run. African slaves wanted their freedom, hoped for it and strived for it, they divided a nation for it (the abolutionists and anti-abolutionists). Now look at the USA, many americans are descendants from those slaves who had hope and gained their freedom. AS soon as you have hope and believe in something, you can acheive great things.
As far as Cote d'Ivoire is concerned, in the past, peace treaties have failed because the parties involved have neglected to follow through on their initial promises for peace. The issue has not been a lack of hope amongst the people. There are more factors to consider. Although it certainly helps, Ivoirians hoping and believing in the accord are not enough if the leaders show blatant disregard for the people (as they have done in the past). And the abolition of American slavery was certainly accomplished by more complicated means than just slaves "hoping and gaining their freedom." If everything was that simple, Africa (not to mention the entire world) would be a much better place. Unfortunately, nothing is that simple.
The conversation on hope relies a great deal on leaders who made the peace agreement. It is true that a lot of the outcomes rely on the actions that are taken by the leaders, but it is important that the Cote D'Ivoriean people have hope in themselves and in each other for the peace agreement to work. In addition to the government, the people need to show respect for each other and take responsibility for their actions and for the future of the country itself. Of course it is not as simple as just "hoping and gaining their freedom," however, this kind of hope is essential to the success of the peace agreement.
I think the above conversation about hope and the Ivory Coast peace accords is very interesting. I recently conducted interviews with two Ivorian natives. The hope of each of these individuals about the new peace agreement was unbelievable. It reflected a certain cultural pride which is important to note. Both individuals spoke of their Ivorian heritage with pride. They were both hopeful about the new peace agreements because they were made on African soil and by African leaders. Unlike the previous failed accords, no foreign bodies had an influence in the way that peace is to be accomplished. This fact has inspired great hope in each citizen who hopes for peace. With peace, the citizens feel that they can get back to their normal lives and make a decent living. Presently the conflict has interrupted vital infrastructure and services which has led to a significant humanitarian crisis in the northern part of the country.
I think the hope of Ivorian citizens is a good indicator that the peace agreement will be successful. Because it is inherently African, the citizens feel that they are a part of it, and they feel passionately about its implementation. This strong interest will serve as a check to those in power when they see that they must be held accountable.
It is also helpful to note that significant strides have been made in these four weeks since the agreement was signed. The rebel leader, Soro has been made Prime Minister, a government has been chosen and the military has been merged. If things continue along the same path, the Ivory Coast will make significant strides towards peace.
My main concern about the prospects for peace in the Ivory Coast is the continued discontent among smaller rebel groups. The original article noted that the leader of the Forces of Resistance of the Grand West rebel movement would not instruct his 11,000 fighters to disarm until he was invited to negotiation talks. Seeing as the new government has already been appointed, he (along with other rebel groups) was excluded from the entire process. I certainly do not discredit the importance of hope among Ivorians, and I recognize the positive strides that have been made in the new government. I just wonder whether some rebellious group, feeling jilted, will try to seize control in yet another uprising.
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