A/HRC/16/79
allegations of human rights violations received from the general public. More than 300 calls
are received daily by the call centre. The Division has continued to verify allegations
through established networks (such as religious groups and international non-governmental
organizations) to orientate UNOCI military patrols to “hot spots” and thus reassure local
communities and facilitate access to medical assistance for indigent victims in the medical
hospital at UNOCI headquarters. The head of the Division participates in the UNOCI press
conferences every Thursday to keep the general public and the international community
informed about the human rights situation in the country.
IV.
Action by the United Nations and the High Commissioner
42.
The deteriorating human rights situation in Côte d’Ivoire has been strongly
condemned by the Secretary-General, the special procedures mandate holders of the Human
Rights Council and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The latter
wrote individual letters to Mr. Gbagbo and three high-ranking military officers loyal to him,
namely the Navy Commander, the Commander of the Republican Guard and the
Commander of the CECOS. The High Commissioner reminded them of their responsibility
to protect civilians and of their command and control accountability for serious human
rights violations committed by individual members or units of the defence and security
forces placed under their command. Other human rights mandate holders, notably the
Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, the Special
Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Responsibility to Protect, the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict and the Special
Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, voiced their deep concern at the gross
human rights violations committed in Côte d’Ivoire since the holding of the presidential
election. Furthermore, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced his
intention to send an assessment mission to Côte d’Ivoire to determine whether the situation
there warranted his intervention.
43.
On 20 December, at a press conference broadcast on state television, Mr. Gbagbo’s
“Minister for the Interior” refuted reports of serious human rights violations in the country
and regarded the reported death toll as biased, stating that the High Commissioner had
failed to mention that 14 FDS members had been killed by Mr. Ouattara’s supporters. On
the following day, in a televised message, Mr. Gbagbo acknowledged the killings and the
burning and looting of property on 16 December in Abidjan during an attempted march by
RHDP members. While insisting that he was the duly-elected president, he intimated his
readiness to dialogue with Mr. Ouattara and proposed the creation of an evaluation
committee on the post-election crisis with national, regional and international participants.
44.
By Presidential Decree No. 2011-06 of 7 January 2011, Mr. Gbagbo established an
international commission of inquiry with a mandate to investigate human rights violations
related to the post-election period. The commission is composed of seven members,
including four Ivorians – Djidji Kadjo Alphonse, Marc Richmond, Mawa Coulibaly and
Dépreuba Béatrice – and three foreigners: Willy Rubeya, a Burundian lawyer; Robert
Charvin, a French law professor; and Jean Martin Mbenba, a former Minister for Human
Rights of the Congo. The commission members have been assigned the responsibility of
investigating human rights violations, identifying perpetrators and submitting a report to the
“Gbagbo Government” within a month.
15
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents