The pressure was further mounted on Friday on the Ivorian opposition, which is contesting the re-election of President Alassane Ouattara, with the announcement of judicial inquiries against several of its leaders, apparently isolated both nationally and internationally.
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Three of the main opposition leaders, who called for "
civil disobedience
" before the October 31 election, then declared the institution of a parallel so-called "
transitional
" power after the election they boycotted , are the subject of investigations for "
conspiracy against the authority of the State
", "
insurrectionary movement
", "
assassination
" and "
acts of terrorism
", declared the prosecutor of Abidjan, Richard Adou.
This is Maurice Kakou Guikahué, number two of the main opposition party, “
arrested on November 3
", From opposition spokesperson and former Prime Minister Pascal Affi N'Guessan, and former Minister Abdallah Mabri Toikeusse.
The latter two are "
on the run and actively sought
", according to the prosecutor.
Mr. Mabri Toikeusse says he is however blocked at his home by the police.
As for Pascal Affi N'Guessan, whose residence was searched Thursday without success by the police according to one of his relatives, he "
is not on the run
", but "
had to withdraw from his home for security reasons
», According to his spokesperson Issiaka Sangaré.
Former head of state Henri Konan Bédié, proclaimed by the opposition "
president
" of his "
National Transitional Council
" (CNT) on Monday, "
is not under arrest
", nor under house arrest, said the prosecutor, specifying that the police blocked his home to "
put an end to the disturbance of public order
".
"
Bédié is spared because he is an icon for the Baoulé
", one of the main peoples of Côte d'Ivoire, a source close to power told AFP.
"
The acts perpetrated and ordered by the promoters of this body (the CNT) were intended to attack the authority of the State in order to achieve the overthrow of the institutions of the Republic
", estimated the prosecutor, specifying to be “
Still at the stage of the preliminary investigation and judicial investigation
”, no indictment having been pronounced at this stage.
Alassane Ouattara, 78, was proclaimed on Tuesday re-elected for a third term by the electoral commission.
But the opposition, led by Mr. Bédié, challenges this third term that it considers unconstitutional.
"
Parallel reality
"
The string of accusations unrolled by Richard Adou targets the violence committed before and after the presidential election, which resulted in a total of forty deaths, especially in inter-ethnic clashes.
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The opposition, which has still not lowered its guard in its fight against the Ouattara regime, seemed increasingly isolated on Friday, analysts said.
“
The CNT is really isolated.
There was no demonstration by activists against the blockade of the leaders.
They are not followed by the international community
”, which called on the opposition to respect the constitutional order,“
their approach is perceived as a hopeless adventure
”, according to political analyst Sylvain N'Guessan.
"
It is not sure that they have no popular support
", moderates analyst Rodrigue Koné, "
but the population does not want to relive the post-electoral crisis of 2010-11 with two presidents and two governments
", which had resulted in a four-month civil war with 3,000 deaths.
According to diplomatic sources close to power, no progress was recorded Friday in the behind-the-scenes negotiations between power and opposition.
"
The opposition seems to evolve in a parallel reality
," lamented the diplomatic source.