. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .
An article from Abidjan.net
The Abbot Jacques Kouassi, Priest of the Diocese of Yamoussoukro, during the panels that punctuated this Tuesday, August 13, the first session of the work of the National Symposium of Religious Leaders, Kings and Traditional Chiefs for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, wondered if politicians in Ivory Coast want peace or only power?
It is under the banner of “Conflict Management and Reconciliation in Côte d’Ivoire” that religious leaders, kings and traditional leaders have worked out their roles and responsibilities for effective use of inter-ethnic alliances in the resolution of community and/or political conflicts.
(Article continued in right column)
(Click here for the original French version of this article.)
How should elections be organized in a true democracy?
(Article continued from left column)
As a contribution, Father Jacques Kouassi took the opportunity to sound the alarm by asking his peers to carry out an analysis of what needs to be done for the good of everyone and not that of a political party.
Faced with the recomposition of the Independent Electoral Commission adopted by parliamentarians and challenged by the Ivorian opposition, he invites kings and traditional leaders to pass judgment on this to avoid the mistakes of the past.
“Without passion, let’s think about it because that’s how it starts. We religious leaders, we are going to talk, but are those who must listen, are they ready to listen? Many of us want to speak, but we must speak not to take sides but for the good of Côte d’Ivoire, “says Father Jacques Kouassi.
Reacting to the ambition of this panel to set up a conflict resolution committee to inform the state authorities, he regretted the fact that in Africa in general and particularly in Côte d’Ivoire, the authorities find it difficult to distinguish between the resources of the state and those of their political party.
He asked if the authorities would be ready to settle conflicts without bias when knowing that it involves his political adversary?
“I asked myself to know, do the politicians really want peace or only want power? Do politicians in Ivory Coast want peace or seek power? ”
He says he asks himself this question constantly, without having an answer.