[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 24006]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TROUBLING SITUATION IN COTE D'IVOIRE

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I express my concerns about the 
troubling situation in Cote d'Ivoire.
  As my colleagues know, in September 2002, rebellion broke out in Cote 
d'Ivoire, eventually dividing the country between the north, where 
rebels known as the Force Nouvelle established themselves, and the 
south, where President Laurent Gbagbo's government continued to 
exercise its authority. The Economic Community of West African states, 
or ECOWAS, helped to negotiate a ceasefire, and in January 2003 
international efforts to mediate the crisis culminated in the signing 
of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement of early 2003, which provided for an 
interim Government of National Reconciliation to move the country 
toward new elections. The United Nations established a peacekeeping 
mission and over 6,000 troops from around the world deployed to monitor 
the ceasefire and help the parties implement the peace accord--further 
evidence of international will to help the people of Cote d'Ivoire 
regain a stable footing and reestablish a just and peaceful unified 
government.
  Throughout these diplomatic efforts, 4,000 French soldiers have 
served as the backbone of the international presence that has worked to 
guarantee the peace. Much as the United Kingdom played a pivotal role 
in stabilizing Sierra Leone, France made an admirable commitment to the 
people of Cote d'Ivoire. And despite the friction between France and 
the U.S. on other important global issues, we have continued to work 
closely and cooperatively to resolve this crisis.
  But over the many months that have passed since the Linas-Marcoussis 
Agreement was signed, progress toward implementing the accords has 
stalled, as both parties failed to take constructive steps to move the 
country toward lasting stability. Then, on November 4, President Gbagbo 
broke the ceasefire agreement, and in an apparent bid to find a 
military solution, launched air raids on rebel positions in the north. 
On November 6, the Ivorian forces bombed a French position, killing 
nine French soldiers and an American aid worker, and wounding dozens 
more. France retaliated by destroying the Ivorian air force. What 
followed was an orchestrated campaign, conducted largely via broadcasts 
on state-controlled media outlets, to encourage citizens to participate 
in a rampage of anti-French violence and looting.
  I am heartened by the unity and resolve of the international 
community in confronting this crisis, and by the rejection of Ivorian 
efforts to justify the bombings and to vilify France. U.N. peacekeepers 
performed bravely in trying to protect the zone of confidence during 
the recent hostilities. South African President Thabo Mbeki moved 
quickly to reach out to all parties and open the door to dialogue that 
could diffuse the situation, though sadly, his efforts were not 
embraced by all parties. On November 15, the United Nations Security 
Council unanimously adopted a resolution establishing an arms embargo 
on Cote d'Ivoire, and indicating that a travel ban and asset freeze 
will be applied to anyone from among the government or rebel ranks 
found to be an impediment to progress on implementing the peace 
accords. I welcome this resolution and its insistence on accountability 
from all parties to Cote d'Ivoire's conflict.
  In addition to accountable, constructive leadership, there is a 
desperate need for grassroots reconciliation efforts. The tensions that 
came to a boil in 2002 have, sadly, been simmering for some time. In 
the 1990s, some pursued a deliberate effort to promote a divisive, 
destructive, xenophobic brand of nationalism in the country, and if a 
lasting peace is to take hold and the people of Cote d'Ivoire are to be 
free from fear of a return to violence and chaos, a great deal of work 
must be done to lessen ethnic tensions and build confidence and trust 
in Ivorian communities. In recent days, French nationals have been the 
targets of ugly invective, but in the recent past it has been northern 
Ivorians, immigrants, and Muslims who have been demonized. I urge the 
administration to make combating ethnic and regional divisions a major 
focus of U.S. efforts in Cote d'Ivoire. Even as we work with the 
international community to hold leaders accountable for their actions, 
we must also assist in laying the groundwork for peace among the people 
themselves.
  The downward spiral in Cote d'Ivoire is especially troubling because 
the country had, not long ago, been a beacon of stability and important 
economic engine in a deeply troubled region. After all of the suffering 
in Sierra Leone and Liberia, and all of the costly efforts launched to 
bring stability back to West Africa, the international community cannot 
afford to lose Cote d'Ivoire to perpetual crisis.

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