The AU Electoral Observers view of the Ivory Coast Elections

[Akwaba]

I am amazed the international media never talked about this. But then again I am not surprised. Here it is.

It is important to note that the Great Powers such as France, the United States and the European Union, the Council for Peace and Security of the African Union and ECOWAS and the international media, including those South Africa ignored the reports of credible observers of the African continent.

Report of 200 observers from the African Union mission, led by former Prime Minister of Togo, Joseph K. Koffigoh, notes the following:

"The mission noted with regret, of serious acts of violence including the loss of human lives, damage to physical integrity, intimidation, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping and degradation of election materials. All of which should be assessed carefully by the relevant bodies to determine their impact on the election .... "

The AU mission has registered "serious irregularities" in more than 70 polling stations in the north. The report notes that "these very serious events demonstrate that voting in Bouake, Korhogo, Ferkessedougou, Samatiguila and Mankono and other places in this region of the country was not transparent ..." and that therefore the poll could not guarantee the honesty of the results. "

An independent observer mission called the West African Monitoring of the African Civil Society for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (OSCADAE) has, during a press conference claimed to have visited 620 polling stations where the task was recorded acts of violence and serious and flagrant violations of the Election Code. The mission confirmed that "the credibility of the elections has been strongly implicated in some places visited."

From article written by Aziz Pahad former South Africa Deputy Foreign Minister
Aziz Pahad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
FRATMAT.INFO - Contribution/Crise ivoirienne: QUELLE EST LA VERITÉ?

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[Baba Sangara]

Former Prime Minister of Togo, Joseph K. Koffigoh was paid by Gbagbo to rush on Ivorian state TV and read out statements prepared for him by the Gbagbo clan. He did this unilaterally against the will of all AU observers in cote d'Ivoire. The AU even issued a disclaimer on this gentleman and can be seen on the AU web portal. He has not been allowed to work on the behalf of the AU in any capacity after then. All his ramblings are fictitious and have no credibility. If there is a single report by Koffigoh issued on Behalf of the AU on the second round of elections in cote d'Ivoire I will wire 10,000 USD to the con-artist that prepared that report.

@Akwaba please spare us you rubbish and cut your Jaundiced pan-Africanist agenda here the mimics the lost cause of Gbagbo personal greed. The world, ECOWAS, AU,EU, UN have nothing to gain by lying about the Ivorian elections. If you feel like calling all credible Observer missions during the Ivorian elections racist, anti-African or whatever than be assured that our continent is being held back by people like you, Koffigoh and Gbagbo. What you should also realize is that over 95% of all observers in the Ivoarian Elections were black Africans who unlike Your brother Koffigoh had the decency to reject bribes from the Gbagbo clan to declare rubbish

 

[Baba Sangara]

My comments on Mr Aziz Pahad's ramblings on the newspaper thenewage.co.za that were never published

Aziz Pahad has lost the plot. The problem in cote d'Ivoire is not about African sovereignty. It is about a murderous minority wanting to cling on power at any costs.
The 2 observer missions mr Pahad refers to were not credible at all. First, the ex-Togolese PM Koffigoh went on Ivorian state TV unilaterally against the will of all other AU observers in the mission. The AU went as far as issuing a disclaimer on Koffigoh. The obscure cameroonian clown (Jean-Marie Ngongjibangte) he refers to, from some obscure "observer mission", is the same one that confirmed the referendum of the Deposed Niger Dictator Tandja and could be found drinking away at the Bar at the Abidjan Novotel on election day.
Mr Pahad is running some jaundiced pan-African agenda that does not have a place in today's globalized world.
The head of the Ivorian constitutional council, a Tribesman of Gbagbo, should be sent to the Hague as Tanzania's president Jakaya Kikwete did not hesitate to point out. He broke the Ivorian laws he is supposed to safeguard and effectively committed treason against the people of Cote d'Ivoire. The sovereign people of Cote d'Ivoire. Mr. Pahad will be helped if he put his own racism aside and read the election reports from credible observer missions which include the Francophone country mission report, the Carter centre report, the EU report and the UN report.
It is thinking like Mr Pahad's that are complicit in the crime of disenfranchising us Africans of our right to advance in this world. This is more racist than what he claims are the racist insterests of France and the US.
Mr Pahad, wake up and join us young Africans in shaping the future of our continent.

 

[Akwaba]

I have not read about the bribes. It may be the case. If so it is a very good point. I have my views on the Ivorian crisis becuase I did not start watching it unfold today. I have been watching it for the last 8 years. My conclusion has been there is undue foreign influence especially from France aggravating the situation. It is like Iran. Iran is run by a major tyrant. However U.S. interference is not helping. Ivory Coast was not run by a tyrant but French interference appears to be making it so.

I also was in Ivory Coast at the time Ouattara was prime minister. So, I have to admit I don't like him much. I also believe that the rebels were at time supported by the French in the last 8 years. So, in this crisis I am alot less likely to believe the French.

Now regarding my pan african bullshit. Lets talk abit about Tanzania. You noticed how many minerals Tanzania has. I am sure you also noticed how much Tanzania gets in Taxes for those minerals. This is my main concern. I am more worried that a African government may be manipulated or falsely portrayed as the bad guy than making sure the right person won an election. Since manipulators will be always present to make sure they exploit the minerals at the lowest cost.

For Africa to advance we need resources. This will not happen if the African countries can not properly control their resources. I do not think that is the case today. Gbagbo may have very well lost. I acknowledge that. However something smells written. And since everyone is on the just get him out bandwagon someone must show the other side of the story.

When you talk about globalized world I can see you never lived in the U.S. for long or you would realize that the U.S. is extremely suspicious of any foreign institution and systems. For good reason, they know how the system works. Many Africans are Naive. A good read for you would be John Perkins book "Confessions of an Economic Hitman". This will make you understand why I am so suspicious.

I am all for democracy and the respect of institutions but I am extremely suspicious of foreign powers and the satellite state world, and you should be too. If you are not you will only get the ILLUSION of democracy. This is why I post.