Ivory Coast troubles overshadowed by Libya’s crisis

By Alex Gallafent

Imam Suleimane Konate is an Ivorian in New York.

He leads the Aqsa Mosque in Harlem – it’s a part of the city that’s home to many expatriates from Ivory Coast. About a third of Ivory Coast’s population is Muslim. Roman Catholics make up another third or so. Konate summed up the conflict in his home country by comparing Ivory Coast to a baby.

“The Ivorian people are the mother and the baby is Ivory Coast, the country” Konate said. “Gbagbo has said to people I love the baby, and I will help the baby to grow. But Gbagbo has killed the mother and pretended to love the people. When you kill innocent people to protect your power, who you will govern later? We don’t know. This is kind of crazy and stupid.”

Konate said the Ivorian community in Harlem has been organizing supplies of food and medicine to send to Ivory Coast.

But he remains disappointed that the country has – in his eyes – been left to fend for itself.

“This tragedy in Ivory Coast took place before Egypt, even Tunisia,” said Konate. “So the UN, yes, they signed a resolution but the solution was to push Gbagbo out. They didn’t do it.”

Konate pointed to international action in Libya where, he said, “everybody is fighting Gaddafi.”

“If they did the same thing with Gbagbo the problem would have been solved a long time ago. Nobody came to help us. I know Obama talked about this, but we were looking for action. But we Ivorians took our destiny in our own hands. And God is with us. God is helping us.”

Now that the conflict in Ivory Coast seems to be entering its endgame, Imam Konate said he had a message for those who’ve been loyal to Laurent Gbagbo.

“Our door is open for you. Come, join us. We’re not going to kill you. You’re the sons and daughters of Ivory Coast. That’s the baby. They will repent themselves, and come and join us so that all of us will work for Ivory Coast, for a better future.”