In his effort to grasp onto power, Laurent Gbagbo launched a campaign of ethnic and religious hate. He was only partially successful in the 5 months from when he lost elections to when was militarily defeated by a combination of forces loyal to the newly elected Alassane Ouattara and UN and French forces already there. Forces loyal to Gbagbo and Ouattara are accused of crimes against ethnic/religious groups presumed loyal to the other. However, it was Gbagbo’s militia that initiated pogroms in the neighborhoods of Ivory Coast’s capital, Abidjan. Gbagbo tried to define Ouattara’s voters as illegitimate and outsiders. He painted his grab for power as one of a Christian resisting Muslim domination, although Ouattara is a secular Muslim. Promised Full Cooperation for Investigations In the end, it was not enough for Gbagbo to retain his hold. He is now in detention and most likely to be tried for grave violations of international humanitarian law. Ouattara has promised investigations, rule of law and justice, regardless of victims and perpetrators identity or loyalty. The United Nations has had apparent free reign in pursuing its investigations. Below is report regarding one of first unearthing of mass grave near Abidjan. (Below Report from UN News Centre) United Nations human rights workers have found the bodies of nearly 70 people, apparently the victims of a militia backing the former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo, in a series of graves in a suburb of Côte d’Ivoire’s biggest city, Abidjan. A team from the UN peacekeeping mission in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) uncovered the graves during a visit to the Yopougon neighborhood, the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported today. The team found 10 graves containing 68 people, and this included two mass graves – one with 31 bodies, and another with 21 bodies. Killings Still Happening, Even After Gbagbo Detained? Rupert Colville, a spokesperson for OHCHR in Geneva, said the UN is interviewing the victims’ families and witnesses to the killings to find out exactly what happened. It is not clear whether the victims were civilians or combatants in the recent fighting that engulfed Côte d’Ivoire. The witnesses told UN staff that the killings took place on 12 April, a day after Mr. Gbagbo was captured – and more than four months after he refused to step down when he lost an internationally recognized election to Alassane Ouattara. “The team is still investigating what went on there,” Mr. Colville told UN Radio. “At the moment all we know is that the victims were all, or at least predominantly, male. It [Yopougon] was a stronghold of hard-line pro-Gbagbo militia.” Dozens more people were killed last week in Yopougon, and Mr. Colville noted that the situation in that suburb remains tense and fluid. UN Human Rights Council Investigation The UN Human Rights Council established an international commission of inquiry to investigate the various killings and rights abuses that took place in Côte d’Ivoire after last year’s disputed presidential elections. The commissioners and their support team are currently in the country carrying out their investigations, and are due to report back to the Council next month. Related Reports ---“Killing & Sanctions-Ivory Coast” – GRAPHIC - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/killingssanctions-ivory-coast-un-security-council/25918 ---“Mass Killings/Retaliation Ivory Coast” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/mass-killingsretaliation-ivory-coast/26143 ---“Controlling Militias/Weapons Ivory Coast” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/war-crimes-justice/most_recent/2 by Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey Face Book at “Diplomatically Incorrect” Twitter DiplomaticallyX