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April 4, 2011

800 Killed In Ivory Coast Town Amid Humanitarian Crisis 
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In news from Ivory Coast, the International Committee of the Red Cross
reports at least 800 people have been killed in the western town of
Dwekwei. It is not clear who the perpetrators were, but the killings
took place in an area under the control of forces fighting to install
the country's internationally recognized president Alassane Ouattara.
Corinne Dufka is a senior researcher in Human Rights Watch's Africa
Division.

Corinne Dufka, Human Rights Watch Africa Division: “We’re trying to
understand who the victims are. Clearly it was an area that fell to the
forces loyal to Ouattara, but we understand obviously hundreds of people
have been killed in that area and we’re trying to get more information
about it. We have also received reports of very serious abuses committed
in the west by both sides again, but this is an area that is pretty much
a no-go area for international human rights investigators.”

Fighting has also intensified in Ivory Coast's main city of Abidjan
where forces loyal to Ouattara are battling loyalists of the incumbent
President Laurent Gbagbo. French troops have now seized control of the
city's airport. Much of the city is facing a humanitarian crisis.

Corinne Dufka: “People are absolutely desperate. No food. Water has
been cut off in many areas. On top of that, they have had to deal the
tension from fighting and fears that they will be attacked from one side
or the other. A very desperate situation indeed.”



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