Côte d'Ivoire
Coup attempt in Côte d'Ivoire fails

afrol.com , 8 January - A coup attempt staged by unidentified military rebels was thwarted today after heavy fighting tonight. Rebels had occupied the national broadcasters in the financial capital Abidjan, announcing a political "change". Reports from Côte d'Ivoire confirm that loyal Government forces now are in control.

On Sunday night (7 January) at 22:35 GMT, still unidentified rebels attacked the headquarters of the para-military gendarmerie and the presidency and occupied state radio and television. There, rebels made an announcement saying "the country has just undergone another change - radio and the TV are in the hands of the military."

The Minister of Defence and Civil Protection, Moise Lida Kouassi, later today however said that "the situation at this time is fully under control." Another statement by Ivorian Defence Minister Moise Lida Kouassi confirmed this, saying that about 15 people had been arrested in connection with what he calls a "coup attempt". No information was given about their identity or political aims. Most Ivorians are however unlikely to be convinced that the situation is yet under control.

Fighting had been heavy between rebels and troops loyal to the Government and the disputed President Laurent Gbagbo. There were reports of gunfire, and even artillery and mortars, starting late night on Sunday, around the national radio station on the Plateau, the commercial heart of Abidjan. There were also fighting in some residential areas.

National television has broadcasted some pictures of bodies of people killed in tonight's fighting. A group of men, stripped naked, were shown being taken away from the Plateau. The number of casualties remains unclear, although Defence Minister Moise Lida Kouassi has stated that two policemen and "a few" of the rebels were killed. There are however fears that the number of deads will be much higher.

As rebel announcements were little informative and the Government seems to be holding back information, neither the background for the attempted coup nor the current security situation is well understood. With 15 rebels arrested and "a few" killed, there are questions about whether the bulk of the attackers were able to get away.

Government spokesmen and ministers say they will not speculate about who might be behind the attack, but promise this will "be revealed in due course". Theories and rumours about the backgrounds of the failed coup are therefore abundant, fuelled by the numerous conflict lines in a Côte d'Ivoire that has experienced unprecedented political violence for over one year.

Turning from the most stable West African country in economic and political terms, into troubled times in December 1999, tension is all present in Côte d'Ivoire and dissatisfied groups are many. Speculations go toward troops loyal to ex-military dictator Robert Guei and military elements that may still be loyal to him. Guei had been ousted from power in October 2000 after trying to steal the presidential election victory. Guei has been reported to recruit mercenaries and store weapons in his village in the west of the country, close to the border of Liberia.

There is also widespread dissatisfaction amongst soldiers who come from the northern (mostly Muslim) part of the country after the northerners' main political leader, Alassane Ouattara, has been repeatedly prevented from contesting elections. There has been violent clashes between northerners and other Ivorians, killing hundreds, over the issue. Some speculations therefore go towards a rebel Muslim fraction of the armed forces.

Another widespread speculation leans towards general dissatisfaction among the armed forces over salary arrears. Côte d'Ivoire was thrown into its present troubled times on just that reason, as disgruntled soldiers staged a mutiny against thus President Henri Konan Bedie in December 1999. The mutiny finally led to Robert Guei toppling the president, making himself the country's first military dictator.

Chronology of the political unrest
24 December 1999: General Robert Guei topples the Government of President Henri Konan Bedie after a mutiny in December 1999 by soldiers requesting back pay of their salary. Bedie, the country's second president since independence after Felix Houphouet Boigny, was forced into exile.

2000: General Robert Guei reassures skeptical countrymen and foreign allies that he will lead the country back to democracy rapidly. Positive developments, especially concerning his government's human rights record, leave internal and external critics reassured. Internal military opposition to Guei however grows, and he has to fight mutinies against his junta in both March and July 2000. In September, there is even an armed attacked on his private residence. 

October 2000: Goodwill turns to skepticism when General Guei announces he will stand candidate to the presidential elections and reports on opposition intimidation accumulates. The main oppositional leader, former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara, together with 14 other candidates are barred from standing in the October 22 elections on accusations that he was born in Burkina Faso. Protests from the opposition and the international society are not taken to account. Outtara's RDR Party boycotts the elections and protests turn violent. International observers are held back in protest.

22 October 2000: Presidential elections are boycotted by the majority of Ivorian voters. Former outsider Laurent Gbagbo has turned into military leader Guei's only credible challenge in the elections. As votes are publicly, Gbagbo leads on Guei. His lead grows until the Election Committee suddenly is resolved and on 24 October, Guei announces that he had won the poll. Gbagbo also claims to have won and his supporters take to the streets.

26 October 2000: General Robert Guei flees the country after popular revolt. The majority of the armed troops refuse to shoot at their countrymen revolting. Opposition and international calls for a new election were also Outtara could stand candidate are refused, provoking new, large scale clashes killing over hundred persons in Abidjan and the north. Also immigrants and mosques and churches are attacked in a turmoil that put (mostly Muslim) northerners at conflict with other Ivorians.

November 2000: General Guei returns to Côte d'Ivoire without facing charges. Reports grow that the general is preparing a comeback by recruiting mercenaries and storing weapons in his village close to the Liberian border. Meanwhile, Ouattara and Gbagbo appeared to have reached a political understanding and it seamed likely that Ouattara would be allowed to stand as a candidate in the forthcoming parliamentary election. 

10 December 2000: In a surprising move, the Surpreme Court and Gbagbo's Government had refused Ouattara to stand as a candidate in the parliamentary election, provoking another RDR election boycott and new political clashes killing over 20. International protests are general. Voters turnout is low and in the north, the RDR Party effectively prevents the elections to take part. Gbagbo and Côte d'Ivoire face international isolation, but wins the election by a comfortable majority.

8-9 January 2001: A coup attempt against the the newly-elected President Laurent Gbagbo by members of the armed forces is fought back after the rebels occupy the state television and radio one night and attack other national institutions. Several are killed, but loyal Government forces quickly manage to get control over the situation.

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