Situation in Ivory Coast

[Warsai]

Since 2002, the Ivory Coast has been divided between the North, held by rebels, and the South, held by the government. The rebels are Muslims who felt they have been discriminated against by the government because they weren't allowed a government that represented Muslims, even though nearly half of the people in the Ivory Coast are Muslim. A new law states that you can't run for president unless you were born in the Ivory Coast and both of your parents are Ivorians, even though many Musims have family ties to Burkina Faso and Ghana. France tried to set up the power-sharing government in 2003, but President Gbagbo was in favor of fighting te rebels. The Parliament tried to set up a law that would relieve some of the limits placed on Muslims but Gbagbo's supporters blocked the law from being passed. Just recently, an airstrike on rebel camps in the North killed one French peacekeeper, causing the French to destroy five aircraft belonging to the Coast's air force. This has caused anti-French feelings among people in the Ivory Coast, and has gotten Ivorians to the situation they're in now.

Thoughts?

[capt_buzzard]

Originally Posted by Warsai

Since 2002, the Ivory Coast has been divided between the North, held by rebels, and the South, held by the government. The rebels are Muslims who felt they have been discriminated against by the government because they weren't allowed a government that represented Muslims, even though nearly half of the people in the Ivory Coast are Muslim. A new law states that you can't run for president unless you were born in the Ivory Coast and both of your parents are Ivorians, even though many Musims have family ties to Burkina Faso and Ghana. France tried to set up the power-sharing government in 2003, but President Gbagbo was in favor of fighting te rebels. The Parliament tried to set up a law that would relieve some of the limits placed on Muslims but Gbagbo's supporters blocked the law from being passed. Just recently, an airstrike on rebel camps in the North killed one French peacekeeper, causing the French to destroy five aircraft belonging to the Coast's air force. This has caused anti-French feelings among people in the Ivory Coast, and has gotten Ivorians to the situation they're in now.

Thoughts?

Sounds a wee bit like Northern Ireland.