Credit; Wikipedia / Abidjan is Ivory Coast’s largest city and its economic capital.

By  Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The U.N. human rights office is calling for an end to violence and intimidation  in relation to reports that at least 20 people have been killed in inter-communal clashes and in confrontations between security forces and supporters of opposition parties in several localities of Côte d’Ivoire in the run-up to the 31 October elections. 

“We call on the authorities to protect the right to political participation in accordance with international standards, and to ensure its exercise without discrimination, fear or reprisals. The authorities must ensure respect for the right to peaceful assembly and protect participants against attacks from third parties. We appeal for calm in the lead up to the election and in its aftermath, and for differences to be resolved through dialogue.”

-Ravina Shamdasani ,  UN Human Rights Office spokesperson 

The UN said inter-communal clashes occurred in the towns of Bongouanou in the east and in Dabou in the south-east of the country, between 17 and 21 October.  In various opposition demonstrations in other towns and in the capital Abidjan, unidentified individuals assaulted, threatened and intimidated protestors using machetes and knives with apparent impunity. On some occasions, voting stations were damaged, people’s voting cards destroyed, and private businesses were looted,  according to the UN.

Violence has escalated amid anger over President Alassane Ouattara’s decision to run for a third term many condemn as “illegal” and against the west African nation’s constitution.   President Ouattara shocked the country in August when he formally accepted the nomination of the ruling party to be its candidate in October’s election.  

“To prevent recurrence of such events, it is crucial that the authorities conduct prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into all human rights violations and abuses, regardless of the political affiliation of the alleged perpetrators. We understand that a number of individuals have been arrested in relation to the violence in Dabou,” Shamdasani  said.    He added: “Also deeply worrying is the persistent use of hate speech — or language amounting to advocacy of hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination and violence on the basis of ethnic and political affiliations — both online and offline, and the manipulation of ethnic differences for political ends”.