Gabon wants Laurent Gbagbo's 'dignity' upheld

Gabon has called for the upholding of the "dignity" and the respect of "rights" of Cote d'Ivoire's deposed president Laurent Gbagbo.

This was revealed on Wednesday in Abidjan by the envoy of Gabon's President Ali Bongo who had come to deliver the message to President Alassane Ouattara.

"We discussed issues related to the rights of the immediate former president Laurent Gbagbo. He led this country for a number of years and therefore it's important to preserve some dignity for him and respect his rights," Secretary General for Gabon's Presidency Laure Olga Gonjout said after the meeting.

Gbagbo who was arrested on April 11 by pro-Ouattara soldiers after a four months standoff over the presidency is being held in a residence that is under high surveillance at Korhogo in northern Cote d'Ivoire.

"I am satisfied with the conditions under which he is being kept," Gonjout said.

She also said she was pleased with the promise made by President Ouattara to promote national reconciliation which is necessary for Cote d'Ivoire to achieve socioeconomic development.

Ouattara, whose official swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for May 21, has decided that in the next two weeks he would set up a "Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission" like the one that was established in South Africa.

Gonjout spoke of the excellent relations that exist between her country and Cote d'Ivoire and promised that Gabon would continue supporting the latter whenever necessary.

Source: Xinhua

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