… seek UN resolution to ban use of heavy weapons in Abidjan,

United Nations –  Nigeria and France on Friday circulated a UN draft resolution seeking increased international pressure to oust Cote d Ivoire’s incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo and ban the use of heavy weapons in the country.

France Ambassador to the UN, Gérard Araud, told reporters after a Security Council consultation on Cote d Ivoire that the resolution would strengthen the UN force in the country to protect civilians from attacks from forces loyal to Gbagbo.

The forces loyal to Gbagbo have been accused of using heavy artillery against civilian neighbourhoods in Abidjan.

The attacks are carried out, particularly in areas known as strongholds of Allasane Ouattara, the internationally recognised winner of the 2010 elections.

On March 3, in Abobo, UN alleged that security forces loyal to Gbagbo used heavy machine guns against a group of women demonstrating peacefully in support of Ouattara.

Similar incidents were also recorded on March 11 and 17 in Abobo, according to the UN.

Araud told reporters: “The first consensus (in the council) is that we are facing a humanitarian tragedy in Cote d Ivoire.

“There are one million displaced persons and some of my African colleagues were telling me that crowds are leaving Abidjan, law and order is collapsing, humanitarian access is more difficult and hospitals and schools are closing.

“We are very close to Civil war in Abidjan and we have received reports from NGOs calling us to react.

The French ambassador said the draft resolution, to be discussed next week, would refer results of a pending UN inquiry into human rights abuses in Cote `d’ Ivoire to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“It will also reinforce sanctions on Gbagbo’s inner circle and in our text there are five names,’’ he added.

Asked on the ability of the UN force in Cote d Ivoire to enforce the ban on the use of heavy weapons in Abidjan, Araud said the 9,000-strong force had “a very strong’’ mandate to protect civilians.

“The mandate is very strong, it is a question of implementing it to the full and I think ECOWAS made the same request yesterday (Thursday).’’

The French Ambassador noted that a consensus among council members blamed the political crisis in the country on Gbgabo’s consistent refusal to leave office for Allassane Ouattara.

On Thursday, the UN said more than 460 people have died in Cote d Ivoire since December 2010 following the disputed presidential elections in the country.

According to the UN, up to 500,000 people are displaced in the country with large numbers of civilians leaving Abobo,Williamsville and Uboka and other parts of Abidjan because of the political crisis. (NAN)