Address by Ms. Kyung-wha Kang, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights to 16th session of the Human Rights Council -Follow-up to the 14th Special Session of the Human Rights Council, 14 March 2011, Geneva

Mr. President,
Distinguished Members of the Human Rights Council,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Before I begin, on behalf of the High Commissioner and all of us in OHCHR, both at headquarters in Geneva and in the field presences around the world, I would like to express our heartfelt sympathies for and solidarity with the people and Government of Japan, as they valiantly endeavor to come to terms with the devastation of unprecedented magnitude in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that struck the eastern coast last Friday.

On behalf of the High Commissioner, currently travelling, I wish to introduce her report on the situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire (HRC/16/79) submitted pursuant to resolution S-14/1 adopted at the 14th Special Session of the Human Rights Council on the situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire since the elections on 28 November 2010.  The report covers developments until 31 January 2011.   I will also take this opportunity to update the Council on developments on the ground where many fear an impending civil war.

The report describes the drastic deterioration of the human rights situation in the context of the crisis which has followed the elections. It refers to cases of extrajudicial killings, abductions, enforced disappearances, harassment and intimidation and other violations of human rights, allegedly committed by security forces and armed groups allied to Mr. Laurent Gbagbo in Abidjan and other parts of the country. Although most of the reported violations have occurred in the areas under the control of Mr.Gbagbo and his allies, there have been reports of human rights violations in the areas controlled by the Forces Nouvelles, supporting President Alassane Ouattara, including the destruction of property belonging to some leaders in Mr. Gbagbo’s camp, attacks on his local representatives, and the arrest and detention of foreign nationals.  The report also documents the use of the media to incite violence and hatred, and the recruitment and arming of the youth as well as the reactivation and rearmament of various militia groups.

Mr. President,

Between 16 December 2010 and 8 March 2011, more than 385 extrajudicial killings were reported – allegedly mostly committed by the Force de Défense et de Sécurité loyal to Mr. Gbagbo- as well as more than 520 arbitrary arrests and detention,  in some cases involving torture.  Further, more than 70 cases of disappearances have been registered by the Human Rights Division of the United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI).  In addition, the violence has led to the internal displacement of more than 200,000 persons. An estimated 80,000 refugees fled the country directed primarily to Liberia.

The political tension has been exacerbated by ethnically motivated strife in parts of the country. For instance, in Duékoué, intercommunity clashes claimed the lives of more than 35 persons and caused the displacement of thousands, with women and children being the most affected. Nationals of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been targeted. Some of them have been burned alive.  Such attacks were reportedly related to inflammatory messages conveyed by the national television, the RTI, against ECOWAS earlier stated intention of possible  use of force against Mr. Gbagbo.

The atmosphere of impunity also encourages sexual violence. To date, UNOCI has documented at least 28 cases of rape linked to the post-election unrest, but the real number is likely to be much higher.

In addition to the general climate of violence, the protracted crisis, combined with the imposition of economic and financial sanctions, have had severe consequences on freedom of movement and access to basic social services, and particularly affected the rights to health and education. Last week, authorities of the former government reportedly cut off electricity and water supplies to the north of the country, as well as other regions perceived to be supporting President Ouattara. This measure was subsequently lifted. 

Humanitarian actors have encountered enormous difficulties in accessing areas such as Abobo, a neighborhood of Abidjan, where there have been violent clashes. This has severely undermined their ability to respond to the needs of the population.
 
OHCHR report also refers to obstructions to the movement and work of UNOCI, including its Human Rights Division, and to attacks on UN staff. The campaign against UNOCI mounted by Mr. Gbagbo’s supporters put the UN personnel at serious risk. The blockades, threats and intimidation created by pro-Gbagbo forces are severally hampering the ability of the Human Rights Division to effectively carry out its mandate. 

Excellencies,
 
Since the publication of the report, the human rights situation has seriously deteriorated, particularly in Abidjan and in the West.

On 3 March pro-Gbagbo forces opened fire against a peaceful demonstration by a group of women in Abobo, killing 7 of them and seriously injuring many others. Most recently, those forces using heavy weapons such as rocket propelled grenades reportedly fired directly at civilians to disperse them. Four more were killed on 8 March after a peaceful demonstration to mourn and pay tribute to the death of the women on 3 March. Serious restrictions to freedom of expression are illustrated by attempts to disrupt radio broadcast of UNOCI FM, the use of RTI to incite hatred and violence, the temporary closure last week of newspapers, as well as continued acts of intimidation and violence against journalists.

The report of the High Commissioner calls on Mr. Gbagbo and his supporters to cease all infringements of human rights, to stop the recruitment, armament and use of youth groups, militias and mercenaries, and to fully cooperate with the UN, the African Union and other partners for a peaceful resolution of the crisis.  The High Commissioner also calls on President Ouattara’s supporters to ensure that mass mobilization campaigns do not undermine the enjoyment of essential economic, social and cultural rights of the population, in particular, the functioning of life-saving essential services, such as hospital and medical centres.  The report recommends an in-depth, independent and impartial investigation into human rights violations and abuses committed since the elections so as to hold all perpetrators to account. Finally, the report calls on the international community to provide UNOCI with the capacity to protect civilians under imminent threat of danger.

The High Commissioner remains deeply concerned about the escalation of violence in Côte d’Ivoire. Given the risk of resurgence of civil war, we urge all parties to show utmost restraint to prevent violence from escalating and to resolve their differences peacefully.

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