Ex-Ivory Coast leader pleads not guilty to atrocities

– Reuters pic, January 28, 2016.Laurent Gbagbo once fought for democracy in Ivory Coast, but his inability to let go of power proved his downfall and he pushed his once-prosperous country to the brink of civil war.

“All those suspected of criminal responsibility for these horrific crimes, including current President Alassane Ouattara’s supporters, must be brought to account through fair trials, either in country or by the ICC”, said Gaetan Mootoo, a West Africa researcher with Amnesty International.

Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo pleaded not guilty to charges of planning post-election violence that left 3,000 dead, as his war crimes trial opened at the International Criminal Court on Thursday.

Fatou Bensouda, the ICC prosecutor, and her team have spent the past four years combing all evidence to show Gbagbo planned and gave the green light to those in his inner circle who carried out much of the violence during those events. He is on trial alongside Charles Ble Goude, a former militia leader.

In the resulting five months of violence and armed conflict, at least 3,000 people were killed and more than 150 women raped, with military forces on both sides targeting civilians according to their political, ethnic and religious affiliations.

They are both charged on four counts of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, inhumane acts and persecution. In the 2010 race, Gbagbo placed first in the first round with 38 percent of the vote before losing to Ouattara in the runoff. Gbagbo was arrested and handed over to the ICC.

“I think we must free Gbagbo because he’s the one who can bring peace to Ivory Coast”, said supporter Armand Yapi.

The case is a test of the credibility of the global war crimes court.

The 70-year-old former president looked relaxed as the high-profile trial got underway, shaking hands with his defence team.

After remaining holed up for months in the fortress-like presidential palace, Gbagbo was eventually arrested by Ouattara’s troops aided by United Nations and French forces.

Hundreds of Gbagbo’s supporters gathered outside as the hearing began, demanding the release of a man they say is a victim of neo-colonial meddling by former colonial power France.

Former presidents Joaquim Alberto Chissano of Mozambique and Benin’s Nicephore Soglo have called for Gbagbo’s liberation, claiming the ICC case has “further aggravated the divisions and animosities between Ivorian citizens”.

If the chocolate market doesn’t move, and note that traders on it know more about West African politics than most, then the consensus among the experts is that the Ivory Coast may be spared another round of horror.

The calm in the ICC courtroom was in stark contrast to the chaos that reigned across Côte d’Ivoire during its post-election crisis, when a dispute over the November 2010 presidential elections sparked a bitter civil war.

“We have 138 witnesses, including insider witnesses, crime-based witnesses, and expert witnesses, so this is what we will be presenting to the judges”.