Alert!

Côte d'Ivoire Crisis: WANEP Policy Briefs

Introduction

In our previous overview of the Ivorian crisis, we cautioned the high risk of the current crisis degenerating into a north-south ethnic and religious conflict. We are aware of the tendency to simplify African conflicts as mere tribal and ethnic wars.

The evolution of events in Côte d'Ivoire in the last few days has buttressed our concern that the conflict might assume ethnic dimensions sooner than later.

The failure of the ECOWAS mediation team to broker a cease-fire and the resumption of fighting in and around Bouaké is an indication that hostilities have taken central stage.

Our policy brief focuses on the ethno-religious dimension as a critical factor in the present Ivorian crisis. We posit that the introduction of the ethnic concept of Ivoirité was an attempt at siftering unwanted political rivals from the political scene in an era of competitive politics by qualifying Ivorians as authentic and non-authentic citizens.

The policy has boomeranged and the rebellion has capitalized on the concept to win the consent and support of the majority of the excluded northerners. The ethnic route of the conflict is gradually but tacitly being traced.