The action alert says the government of President Felix Houphouët-Boigny, who has been in power in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) since 1960, arrested the principal opposition leaders and several hundred others after protests in mid-February; this threatens to block the democratic opening which began with multi-party elections in 1990; the events have attracted virtually no outside attention; without external pressure, hardliners in the government are likely to continue the crackdown; so far there has been no official comment from the U.S. State Department. The action alert asks people to write or call Herman Cohen, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at the State Department...
The action alert says the government of President Felix Houphouët-Boigny, who has been in power in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) since 1960, arrested the principal opposition leaders and several hundred others after protests in mid-February; this threatens to block the democratic opening which began with multi-party elections in 1990; the events have attracted virtually no outside attention; without external pressure, hardliners in the government are likely to continue the crackdown; so far there has been no official comment from the U.S. State Department. The action alert asks people to write or call Herman Cohen, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at the State Department and His Excellency Charles P. Gomis at the Embassy of Côte d'Ivoire. The action alert says for more information contact Janet Fleischman at Africa Watch or Pascal D. Kokora, Representative, FPI. The action alert discusses Parti Démocratique de la Côte d'Ivoire (PCDI), the Front Patriotique Ivoirien (FPI), Laurent Gbagbo, votes, the National Assembly, western diplomats, René Dégni-Ségui, the Ivoirian Human Rights League, Martial Ahipeaud, tear-gas, France's ruling Socialist Party, the African Development Bank, the IMF (International Monetary Fund),and the World Bank. • BACKGROUND • CURRENT CRISIS • WHAT YOU CAN DO
