Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo et al Indicted for alleged Attrocities …

Black Men again on trial … As 3000 are killed …

The revelations contained in indictments exposed in Vision and revealed by prosecutor Fatou Bensouda at the International Criminal Court (ICC) reminds me of a revolving door I went through at Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston, Jamaica W.I. recently. In this case before the court the allegations make the stomach sick. My experience was a pleasant one, a delightful one … seeing my family off to reconnect with an ailing sibling. The visit of Laurent Gbago and co accused Ble Goude to face charges for alleged attrocities committed in a bloody, likely unnecessary civil war cannot be viewed as pleasant, uplifting or anything to be proud of … it is a human tragedy of monumental proportions.

An ex president aged, 70 who ruled the Ivory Coast for 10 years and at the end of that term sought reelection … rejected by the people and refuses to relinquish power. A former Youth Minister named Ble Goude 44, accused of inciting violence.

As the prosecutor Fatou Bensouda puts it bluntly ” if politics failed, violence was seen as politics by any means.” … As she further puts it we hope it is more than a “cautionary tale” but instead the undersigned say “a chilling tale of deterrence”.

It is not my intention here to ascribe blame, the court will determine guilt and or innocence as the evidence unfolds, however, reports of this nature seem to be commonplace worldwide and among our African brothers in particular. There seems to be an endemic disease, a disease like Ebola that has spread to epidemic proportions across many African nations as it relates to holding and refusing to relinquish power. Even the seizing of power by force by any means seems to be the norm … Coup d’etat and counter coups seem to be for too many their idea of acceptable governance.

Power Corrupts

It was Lord Acton who said “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. In the case of the Ivory Coast there was an exceedingly long delay to go to the polls … When this eventually occurred, it is being alleged that Gabgo who secured 38% in the first round subsequently lost in the run off voting to Quattara when the dust settled and all votes were counted.

Democratic Vote

It should be made abundantly clear that the incumbent Gabgo lost in a Democratic vote to his opponent Quattara, yet he refused to concede and instead his supporters took up arms which led to a bloody conflict in which some 3000 lives were lost. A female victim of false imprisonment, and rape is expected to give evidence at the landmark trial scheduled to last months.

Landmark, because Gabgo is the first former head of state to be dragged before the International Court of Justice.

Will of the People

Why did Gbago hold on to power after the people had spoken? We hope it will all come out in the trial at the Hague in the Netherlands.

Ble Gaude, 44 former Youth Minister is accused in the indictment as having incited supporters to violence.

Gbago a former university professor should have set a better example … He aught to have known better. He was educated and had been in power for ten years already.

Is this self-inflicted trials these black men have brought onto themselves? Criminal charges are not a walk in the park when it is disclosed that there is a mountain of evidence against the accused.

It is sad to say that it appears to be true that ,” power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is the Senior International Correspondent & Photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.