For Ivory Coast’s Ouattara the battle is far from over ANALYSIS 04/08/2011

For Ivory Coast’s Ouattara the battle is far from over

ANALYSIS

04/08/2011
ABIDJAN — Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara, on the brink of prising the presidency from his rival’s grip, stands to inherit a state in tatters after months of bloodshed, and will urgently need to restore order, analysts said.

Four months after a disputed November election plunged the country into chaos, hundreds have been killed, about a million people are displaced and armed youths roam the streets looting and striking terror into citizens.

Democratically elected and recognized by the world as the rightful winner, Ouattara nonetheless has found himself resorting to force to oust strongman Laurent Gbagbo who steadfastly refuses to let go of power.

With Gbagbo’s fall imminent, Ouattara has “an enormous task in front of him,” said Rinaldo Depagne of the International Crisis Group..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110408com3.html