Source: allAfrica
The UN force in Côte d'Ivoire (Unoci) are "prepared for anything" after Laurent Gbagbo's order that they should leave by Monday, its spokesperson said Sunday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has rejected Gbagbo's call and warned of "consequences" for anyone who attacks international troops.
"We're going to continue our patrols but we're not seeking confrontation. There are sensitive areas where we don't go, near the presidency," said Unoci's Hamadoun Touré.
"We're increasing our vigilance, and we're ready for anything."
The force is investigating Friday night's attack by uniformed men on a UN patrol, Touré said.
Unoci's operation officially ends on 20 December, which was set as the date to discuss renewing its mandate. The UN's mission ends on 31 December.
Ban said he was "deeply concerned" about that attack and two others, one by the Young Patriots movement which backs Gbagbo on Saturday.
"There will be consequences for those who have perpetrated or orchestrated any such actions or do so in the future," he warned.
About 800 UN troops are protecting the hotel where Gbagbo's rival, Alassane Ouattara, has his headquarters. The UN, along with Western and many African states, have recognised Ouattara as the winner of last month's presidential election.
Gbagbo also ordered France's 900 troops to leave. Paris said this week that its Licorne (Unicorn) contingent could be used to ensure the safe departure of the 15,000 French civilians living in Côte d'Ivoire if necessary.
The Unoci mission deployed in 2004 to help end a civil war between Gbagbo's southern forces and northern rebels dubbed the New Forces, who back Ouattara.
Gbagbo's order increase fears of a new conflict.
"Play time is over," Charles Blé Goudé, Gbagbo's minister for youth declared Sunday.
Blé Goudé, who has been subject to UN sanctions since 2006 for alleged beatings, rapes and extrajudicial killings" by militias he is accused of running.
"We are going to defend the sovereignty of our country until the last drop of our sweat. I urge all Ivorians to make themselves ready for this combat. We are going to totally liberate our country," he told the AFP news agency.
Responding to French President Nicolas Sarkozy's call on Gbagbo to stand down, Blé told a rally, "If Sarkozy plans military intervention, he'd better be ready to kill a lot of Ivorians."
A women's demonstration in Bassam, 40km north of Abidjan, was violently broken up, RFI's French service reports. They were trying to protest at the arrest by uniformed men of a number of Ouattara supporters which followed demonstrations in the town on Friday.
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Everyone is a genius
Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. – A Einstein
Drawing the line in Liberia
Crimes sponsored, committed, or masterminded by handful of individuals cannot be blamed upon an entire nationality. In this case, Liberians! The need for post-war justice is a step toward lasting peace, stability and prosperity for Liberia. Liberia needs a war crimes tribunal or some credible legal forum that is capable of dealing with atrocities perpetrated against defenseless men, women and children during the country's brutal war. Without justice, peace shall remain elusive and investment in Liberia will not produce the intended results. - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Men with unhealthy characters should not champion any noble cause
They pretend to advocate the cause of the people when their deeds in the dark mirror nothing else but EVIL!!
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.
If Liberia must move forward ...
If Liberia must move forward in order to claim its place as a civilized nation amongst world community of nations, come 2017 elections, Liberians must critically review the events of the past with honesty and objectivity. They must make a new commitment to seek lasting solutions. The track records of those who are presenting themselves as candidates for the position of "President of the Republic of Liberia" must be well examined. Liberians must be fair to themselves because results from the 2011 elections will determine the future of Liberia’s unborn generations to come - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia's greatest problem!
While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability - Bernard Gbayee Goah
What do I think should be done?
The situation in Liberia is Compound Complex and cannot be fixed unless the entire system of government is reinvented.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Any attempt to institute the system mentioned above in the absence of rule of law is meaningless, and more detrimental to Liberia as a whole - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia's Natural Resources
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia needs a proper system
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Solving problems in the absence of war talks
As political instability continues to increase in Africa, it has become abundantly clear that military intervention as a primary remedy to peace is not a durable solution. Such intervention only increases insecurity and massive economic hardship. An existing example which could be a valuable lesson for Liberia is Great Britain, and the US war on terror for the purpose of global security. The use of arms whether in peace keeping, occupation, or invasion as a primary means of solving problem has yield only little results. Military intervention by any country as the only solution to problem solving will result into massive military spending, economic hardship, more fear, and animosity as well as increase insecurity. The alternative is learning how to solve problems in the absence of war talks. The objective of such alternative must be to provide real sustainable human security which cannot be achieved through military arm intervention, or aggression. In order to achieve results that will make the peaceful coexistence of all mankind possible, there must be a common ground for the stories of all sides to be heard. I believe there are always three sides to every story: Their side of the story, Our side of the story, and The truth – Bernard Gbayee Goah