DJCI
President Modeste Seri appeals to Ivory Coast leaders to meet
with spirit of constructive sincerity
Abidjan, February 27, 2006
Modeste
Seri, President of the Ivorian Civil society organizations DJCI
and CUP-CI welcomes the first summit meeting of five senior
Ivory Coast political leaders, including incumbent President
Laurent Gbagbo, Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny and past
government leaders plus the head of the rebellion that is
currently dividing the country, scheduled for February 27 and
28.
“The
people of the Ivory Coast are tired of the suffering and
destruction caused by this war. They hope that this meeting will
bring long-awaited progress in settling this unnecessary and
tragic conflict” said Mr. Seri in Abidjan where he has
recently returned, after a long exile in the US, in order to
promote the Peace Plan proposed by DJCI (see www.cwps.org
).
Modeste
Seri reminded these important actors that the time for selfish
pursuits of personal interests is over. Enough damage to the
Ivory Coast has been caused by such conduct in the past. The
potential to destabilize the West African region is high if the
Ivorian conflict continues. His message to the leaders is
“Keep in mind that history will judge you for your actions.
You have the opportunity to be remembered for your contribution
to the progress of our nation if you show your grandeur as
leaders at this time. Is this not the best reward?”
He
added: “The Ivory Coast needs unity and inclusion. All those
who are at home here need to accept one another fully,
irrespective of our ethnic or religious background. We need to
promote clean and democratic governance. We need a society ruled
by law. The damage
done to the institutions of our state and to our economy during
these past years of conflict are of such magnitude that we need
a period of reconstruction. We need the support of the
international community, of the UN, to achieve this. But we also
need outside countries to accept our genuine interests and to
cooperate with us in a spirit of honest and respectful
partnership.”
He
repeated the central point of his organization’s Peace Plan,
namely, that elections will be meaningless unless intense
reconciliation and civic education campaigns are held beforehand
and some basic reforms take place. In Modeste Seri’s view, as
things stand at present, a transitional government of local and
diaspora Ivorians of proven competence and integrity, not
tainted by their involvement with any of the conflicting
parties, is required to implement these reforms, regardless of
who presides the country.
For
further comment: Modeste Seri + 225 08586948 , djciabidjan@yahoo.com
|
