News / Africa
Treat Gbagbo with dignity: ECOWAS
14 Apr 2011 at 06:53hrs | Views
President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission (ECOWAS), James Victor Gbeho, has expressed concerns over the fate of the captured Laurent Gbagbo, former President of Cote d'Ivorie.
He called on the new President , Alassane Ouattara to ensure that the former Ivorian leader, was accorded the dignity and rights due to him as a former Head of State.
In a letter to President Ouattara, Gbeho stated that ECOWAS considers Mr. Gbagbo's capture as a unique opportunity to bring the crisis in the country to an early end, adding that the entire West African region was gladdened by President Ouattara's conciliatory address to the Ivorian nation in which he cautioned against revenge-seeking and promised to set up a truth and Reconciliation Commission.
"Against this background, I do not feel any more need, on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission, to recall the undertaking that you made both to ECOWAS and African Union with regard to the safety and well-being of Mr. Laurent Gbagbo, despite his violent and stubborn opposition to the choice made by the Ivorian people," Gbeho said.
While assuring President Ouattara that his undertaking has all along been respected and supported by the ECOWAS Commission as both humane and exemplary, Gbeho expressed hope that Ouattara would see to it that whatever measures are taken in respect of his actions will be dealt with strictly in accordance with national and international laws.
According to him, ECOWAS will continue to monitor further developments in the matter and was looking forward to discussing any further assistance the organization could offer in stabilizing the current situation in Cote d'Ivoire.
However Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odein Ajumogobia, said that the arrest of Gbagbo, was received with great satisfaction and relief.
A statement in Abuja, the nation Capital Ojumogobia said "We received the news of Mr. Gbagbo's surrender with great satisfaction. While we are extremely pleased with this outcome, we are more concerned at this time with the restoration of peace and reconciliation in Cote d'Ivoire and addressing the humanitarian crisis that have arisen as a result of Mr. Gbagbo's absurd intransigence.
"There will of course be a full investigation into the conduct of the armed forces under his command and indeed into all the actions of all commanders of armed forces in this unfortunate conflict to determine those that crossed the line with regard to atrocities committed against unarmed civilians.
"The outcome of these investigations will determine the posture of Nigeria and ECOWAS towards Mr. Gbagbo's fate", he state
He called on the new President , Alassane Ouattara to ensure that the former Ivorian leader, was accorded the dignity and rights due to him as a former Head of State.
In a letter to President Ouattara, Gbeho stated that ECOWAS considers Mr. Gbagbo's capture as a unique opportunity to bring the crisis in the country to an early end, adding that the entire West African region was gladdened by President Ouattara's conciliatory address to the Ivorian nation in which he cautioned against revenge-seeking and promised to set up a truth and Reconciliation Commission.
"Against this background, I do not feel any more need, on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission, to recall the undertaking that you made both to ECOWAS and African Union with regard to the safety and well-being of Mr. Laurent Gbagbo, despite his violent and stubborn opposition to the choice made by the Ivorian people," Gbeho said.
While assuring President Ouattara that his undertaking has all along been respected and supported by the ECOWAS Commission as both humane and exemplary, Gbeho expressed hope that Ouattara would see to it that whatever measures are taken in respect of his actions will be dealt with strictly in accordance with national and international laws.
According to him, ECOWAS will continue to monitor further developments in the matter and was looking forward to discussing any further assistance the organization could offer in stabilizing the current situation in Cote d'Ivoire.
However Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odein Ajumogobia, said that the arrest of Gbagbo, was received with great satisfaction and relief.
A statement in Abuja, the nation Capital Ojumogobia said "We received the news of Mr. Gbagbo's surrender with great satisfaction. While we are extremely pleased with this outcome, we are more concerned at this time with the restoration of peace and reconciliation in Cote d'Ivoire and addressing the humanitarian crisis that have arisen as a result of Mr. Gbagbo's absurd intransigence.
"There will of course be a full investigation into the conduct of the armed forces under his command and indeed into all the actions of all commanders of armed forces in this unfortunate conflict to determine those that crossed the line with regard to atrocities committed against unarmed civilians.
"The outcome of these investigations will determine the posture of Nigeria and ECOWAS towards Mr. Gbagbo's fate", he state
Source - Africanoutlookonline
