IVORY COAST: An increasingly defiant Gbagbo refuses to move aside for Alassane Ouattara

VOA
An increasingly defiant Gbagbo refuses to move aside for Alassane
Ouattara, who was recognized by the United Nations and most of the
international community as the winner of the Nov 28 presidential
run-off.

Since then, the country has been stuck in a tense political gridlock,
characterized by street violence that has killed dozens, an attack on
U.N. peacekeepers, and what the United Nations says are hundreds of
reports of killings and kidnappings.

U.N. Security Council president and U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, warned
Ivorian stakeholders they will be held accountable for attacks against
civilians and peacekeepers.

"The members of the Security Council urge all Ivorians to exercise
maximum restraint, remain calm, resist provocative actions, refrain
from violence, and work together to restore sustainable peace," said
Rice.

The U.N. Human Rights office has pointed to evidence of "massive
violations of human rights" and says it is investigating reports of
the discovery of a mass grave in Abidjan.

ECOWAS and the African Union have suspended Ivory Coast, after
recognizing Ouattara as the election winner. The European Union has
banned Gbagbo and 17 of his allies.

The United States says it is ready to sanction Gbagbo and his
collaborators. White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs said Monday it is
"time for Gbagbo to go."

Gbagbo and his supporters accuse foreigners of threatening Ivory
Coast's sovereignty and the U.N. force of supporting Ouattara.

Interior Minister Emile Guieroulou said Monday the Gbagbo government
is unfazed by sanctions.

Guieroulou said if the United Nations wants to maintain its force on
their territory, against their will, they will not cooperate with
them. He said if that force decides to cooperate with an interlocutor
other than Gbagbo's government, which he said is the country's legal
government, it will be placing itself with the rebellion and will be
dealt with as such.

U.N. peacekeepers and former rebel fighters are protecting the Abidjan
hotel serving as Ouattara's headquarters.

Representative for the U.N. mission in Ivory Coast, Young Jin Choi,
said Monday armed men have been threatening U.N. staff in their homes,
though Gbabgo's camp has denied involvement.

Choi said the U.N. mission will continue its work and its patrols,
despite roadblocks and other efforts block them. He said the United
Nations has a strong enough military and police presence at the Golf
Hotel to repel any attempts to disrupt or attack the hotel.

The United Nations says it is investigating reports Gbagbo has brought
in Liberian, and perhaps Angolan, mercenaries, a charge Gbabgo denies.

The U.N. High Commission on Refugees said fears of a return to civil
war have prompted more than 6,000 Ivorians to flee to neighboring
Liberia and Guinea. The U.N. agency said it has beefed up supplies in
the two countries and is now prepared to cope with as many as 30,000
refugees