A situation without precedent in a country that seems to have returned to normal. But where hate and anger have yet to disappear completely. Healing the wounds after post-electoral violence in 2010/2011 is the new mandate of the Commission for Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation (CDVR). Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is conducting its investigations in the same country.

By Selay Marius Kouassi in Abidjan

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Just a few months ago, Côte d’Ivoire was a living nightmare. In Abidjan, the country’s main city, people’s lives were punctuated by the rhythms of heavy arms exploding while their homes and other buildings were looted or destroyed. Hundreds of thousands fled.

The country appears to have reconnected with normality after these tumultuous times. Many of the internally displaced persons have found their way back home. Still, there is a clear and urgent need for national reconciliation. It is, in fact, essential. So naturally, when the launch of the CDVR and the start of the ICC investigation were announced, these became the preferred topics of discussion among Ivorians.

The Commission for Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation is based on South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation model. It has 11 members, mainly representing Christian and Muslim religious authorities and regional representatives from Côte d’Ivoire. Charismatic football player Didier DrogbaIts its best-known member. 

But this constellation does not inspire confidence among those who are close to former president Laurent Gbagbo. ‘Charles Banny, the president of the CDVR, is a great fan of Alassane Ouattara,’ declares Soukouri Bohoui. He is a Member of Parliament and his voice carries a lot of weight in the FPI (Popular Ivorian Front), Laurent Gbagbo’s political party. ‘At the time of the second round of presidential elections, Banny openly declared his support for Ouattara. And now he is the head of the Commission for Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation. What can we expect of him?’ he asked.

Lourougnon Odette agrees. She is the president of the Women’s Branch of the FPI. ‘This Commission is heading for a fiasco,’ she says, ‘at least for as long as Ouattara does not take steps to liberate Gbagbo.’ The former president, his wife Simone and a number of their close associates are in detention, being accused of “endangering national security” and “economic crimes”, including embezzlement of public funds.

Daring to hope
On the other hand, Patrick N’Gouan, the president of the largest coalition of civil society groups in the country, says he's “satisfied” with the CDVR. N’Gouan, who heads the Civil Society Convention of Côte d’Ivoire, insists that because of its composition,, the Commission cannot conceivably serve politicians or the military. ‘I dare to hope that it stays that way,’ he says.

The Commission has two years to do its work but its modus operandi remains unclear and not defined. Patrick N’Gouan decries that situation. ‘That two year mandate is really very brief and what worries me is the absence of any methodology.’

Many Ivorians were present when the CDVR was launched in Yamoussoukro (the political capital) by president Alassane Ouattara. They say they are keeping hope alive and they wish for the Commission to point the way, finally, towards unity and peace. But they did not hide the fact that the task before the Commission is very hard indeed.

And now for the International Criminal Court
No matter what political side they are on, everyone agrees that the ICC should indeed conduct an investigation in Côte d’Ivoire about the post-electoral violence. But they are divided about the methods and procedures of the court.

‘The ICC must broaden the scope of its investigation!’ That is the view, loud and clear, of Miaka Oureto, the interim president of the FPI. He supports the view that the ICC should take into account all the crimes that are supposed to have been committed between 2002 and 2010 and especially the human rights violations in the zones that were controlled by the rebel forces (also known as Forces nouvelles). These troops were loyal to Guillaume Soro, the former Secretary-General of the Forces nouvelles and currently the country’s Prime Minister.

Mamadou Coulibaly, former Speaker of the Ivorian parliament and a close collaborator of ex-president Laurent Gbagbo, is angry that no close ally of Alassane Ouattara has been arrested. ‘The ICC investigation must take aim at both camps,’ says Coulibaly. ‘The ICC said only a few months ago that it was going to investigate crimes supposedly committed by troops loyal to Gbagbo and that it would look into the actions of Ouattara’s partisans in equal measure. We shall wait and see how this will be done,’ concludes Coulibaly.

For its part, the Ouattara government says it is confident about the ICC investigation. ‘All those responsible for violence will be prosecuted,’ confirms Gnenema Coulibaly, the current minister for Human Rights and Public Freedoms.

Suspicions raised
However, newspapers close to the FPI, the former ruling party, have raised suspicions about the impartiality of the ICC. They are describing Luis Moreno Ocampo, Chief Prosecutor at the ICC, as a good friend of Alassane Ouattara – a friend who has come to show his support for the current head of state, rather than go after those close to Ouattara that numerous human rights organisations accuse of having committed violent acts.

So now there are many Ivorians who believe that the ICC has come to their country for a bit of a holiday and moreover to express its support for Alassane Ouattara, so as to help him to dispense victor’s justice.

So is the credibility of the ICC at stake in Côte d’Ivoire as the FPI newspapers claim?