THE DECLARATION OF THE C.O.P.I.E ( Coalition of the Patriotic Ivorian people in Exile) AFTER THE ELECTION OF JOHN DRAMANI AS THE HEAD OF ECOWAS.

THE DECLARATION OF THE C.O.P.I.E ( Coalition of the Patriotic Ivorian people in Exile) AFTER THE ELECTION OF JOHN DRAMANI AS THE HEAD OF ECOWAS. On Saturday of March 29,2014 in Yamoussokro, Côte d’Ivoire during the 44th Summit of ECOWAS, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana has been elected by unanimity as the Chair of ECOWAS by his counterparts. He has succeeded Allassane Ouattara, the Head of State of Côte d’Ivoire. C.O.P.I.E ( Coalition of the Patriotic Ivorian people in Exile ) salutes and congratulates His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for his brilliant election as the Chairman of ECOWAS and wishes him a great success in his mission. C.O.P.I.E would like again to take the opportunity to thank the Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama whom his country is fraternally welcoming since April 11, 2011 an important number of Ivorian refugees who are spread all over the world. For 3 years now, the Ivorian refugees are living in a distress and are impatience to go back in peace and total security to their country. Unfortunately due to the lack of political openness and maturity of the new Ivorian government that is tricking with the national reconciliation process and with the lack of a credible mediator, the national dialogue which aims for long-term return of stability is held back. We have not moved concretely in the dialogue of reconciliation. In fact, the situation in Côte d’Ivoire has reached a critical point that has caused a breakdown between the Ivorian government and the opposition party. The causes of the discord are: 1- The arbitrary detention of more than 800 people considered as “ Pro-Gbagbo” who are being tortured at M.A.C.A ( Abidjan Correctional Prison ) and across all the prisons in Côte d’Ivoire. They are being detained in prisons for 3 years without any hearing. 2- There is a double-standard of justice system in Côte d’Ivoire with the recent deportation of Minister Charles Blé Goude to ICC after the one of President Laurent Gbagbo. 3- The constraint in exile of thousands of Pro-Gbagbo. 4- The confiscation of lands, and private proprieties of the Ivorian people viewed as “Pro-Gbagbo”. 5- The freezing of assets of the personalities closed to President Laurent Gbagbo. C.O.P.I.E considers that this situation of the total blocking can create tensions and a detrimental social explosion for the country. We must try our best to avoid that. This is the reason why C.O.P.I.E thinks that the election of H.E. John Dramani Mahama as the Chairman of ECOWAS appears to be a real reason of hope and an important opportunity for several thousands of Ivorian refugees and the entire Côte d’Ivoire to see the national reconciliation process be truly engaged and succeeded for the benefice of everybody. For C.O.P.I.E, President John Dramani Mahama remains the appropriate personality because he has sufficient knowledge of the Ivorian political and social atmospheres due to the thousands of Ivorian refugees living on the Ghanaian soil. In this regard, his involvement can effectively have an impact on the Ivorian crisis and at the same time can give a boost to the failed dialogue by restoring confidence between the parties through a frank and sincere dialogue. C.O.P.I.E. wishes very good luck to His Excellency John Dramani Mahama and strongly wishes to him that his mandate as the Head of the ECOWAS could contribute to the final resolution of the Ivorian conflict. By Damana Adia Pickass, the President C.O.P.I.E On April 04th, 2014 in Accra, Ghana.