Unprecedented anti-French protests erupt in Ivory Coast

By Nicholas Phythian

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (Reuters) -- Hundreds of students staged a second day of unprecedented protests outside France's embassy in Ivory Coast on Friday, accusing the former colonial power of meddling in their country's internal affairs.

Student leaders, who held talks with the first secretary of the embassy, demanded a public apology from the French government for comments made by its cooperation minister on who should be allowed to run for president.

"If, by Sunday, France has not apologized to the people of Ivory Coast, we will return on Monday and until we get what we want," David Ble Guirao, a former leader of the West African country's main student union, FESCI, told the crowd.

The demonstrators, who included women's groups, accused France of backing former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara, whose power base is in the Moslem north and whose plan to run for president has split the West African nation along ethnic lines.

They denounced comments from French Cooperation Minister Charles Josselin that no one should be excluded from a September 17 civilian-rule presidential election, called by military ruler General Robert Guei.

Students wearing red headbands jogged around the Plateau administrative and business district of the main city Abidjan.

"France kpakpato (traitor)! France kpakpato!" they chanted, using a phrase common to the various dialects of the Akan ethnic group who have dominated power in the world's top cocoa producer since independence in 1960.

FESCI leader Charles Ble Goude said that Josselin had no right to criticize nationality conditions for presidential candidates in a new constitution approved by over 86 percent of those who voted in a national referendum on Sunday and Monday.

The supreme court ratified the referendum result on Friday.

The constitution requires both parents of presidential candidates to be of Ivorian origin and excludes anyone who has used another nationality. Ouattara has been described by opponents as a national of neighboring Burkina Faso.

Josselin urged Ivory Coast on Tuesday to allow all political parties to field candidates in the September election. He said no candidate should be excluded on "artificial" grounds.

Ivory Coast is traditionally France's closest ally in Africa.

But Communication Minister Navy Lieutenant Henri Cesar Sama, a member of the ruling junta put in power by soldiers who staged its first coup in December, said Josselin had no right to tell it who should be a presidential candidate and who should not.

"We have been independent since August 7, 1960. Let him show us proper respect," he told Radio France International.

Many Ivorians expect Guei, who has not made his intentions clear, to contest the presidential election.

Josselin, like the United States, suggested that Guei, having come to power via a coup, should not stand.

Anti-Ouattara feeling was rife on Friday. Protesters welcomed an official decision to stop Ouattara leaving for France on Thursday. No reason for the ban has been given.

"We don't want the French to impose Alassane Ouattara on us," Genevieve Bro, one of a group of women protesters, said.

Asked what would happen if pro-Ouattara students staged a rumored pro-French demonstration, Ble Guirao replied:

"If there are Ivorians who support France, that's their problem but they will find other Ivorians in their way."

Rival student factions fought campus battles in Abidjan with machetes in May. Several students suffered deep wounds.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Ivory Coast voting points to return of civilian rule
July 25, 2000

Ivory Coast
Elections in Ivory Coast

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.