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Ivorian forces maintain blockade of Ouattara hotel

by (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Click For Restrictions. http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp | Thomson Reuters Foundation
Wednesday, 5 January 2011 11:55 GMT

* Deadlock, but Gbagbo agrees to more talks

* U.N. condemns raid on Ouattara party headquarters

By Ange Aboa

ABIDJAN, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast security forces on Wednesday maintained a near total blockade of the hotel where presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara is holed up under U.N. guard, despite promises by Laurent Gbagbo to ease it.

At 1030 GMT, a heavy military and police presence was still sealing off roads leading to the lagoon-side Golf Hotel, turning away all cars that tried to pass.

"Mr, don&${esc.hash}39;t try and come through here. Turn your car around and don&${esc.hash}39;t argue," a soldier wielding an AK-47 said.

Military sources were not immediately available for comment.

Only U.N. helicopters and supply trucks have had access to the hotel since mid-December.

Gbagbo has refused to cede power to Ouattara, widely seen as winner of a disputed Nov. 28 election, despite international pressure, sanctions and the threat of force, and he has accused world leaders of meddling in Ivory Coast&${esc.hash}39;s internal affairs.

He is backed by his security forces, some Ivorian youth and militia groups, and the Constitutional Council, which overturned Ouattara&${esc.hash}39;s 8 percentage point win, alleging fraud.

After efforts at mediation by four African leaders on Monday, Gbagbo agreed to ease the blockade and to continue talks to end the crisis, buying himself time after a demand that he step down or face military intervention.

An end to the standoff in the world&${esc.hash}39;s top cocoa grower seems miles off, with Gbagbo showing no signs of yielding.

"The approach of the international community merely shows the comtempt with which it deals with Ivorian institutions," the state-run Fraternite Matin said in an editorial.

More than 170 people have been killed since the dispute started, rekindling divisions in the country that have festered since a 2002-03 civil war.

"Nothing has changed," said Alfred Koussi, 40, a port agent who lives near the hotel. "The road is blocked and we have to take alternative routes out of the neighbourhood."

Diplomats and security sources say many have been killed by death squads operating at night in neighbourhoods where Ouattara is popular, and the U.N. says hundreds more have been kidnapped by Ivorian forces and allied militias.

Gbagbo&${esc.hash}39;s camp says these are lies meant to discredit him.

In a statement on Wednesday, the U.N. mission condemned what it called human rights violations, including a raid by security forces on Ouattara&${esc.hash}39;s party headquarters on Tuesday.

That raid killed at least one activist and left many people wounded, including some security forces, according to state media.

"The raids by armed elections elements sent by Gbagbo&${esc.hash}39;s camp led to many arbitrary arrests of the victims," the U.N. statement said. (Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Giles Elgood)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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