Mi tio de Abobo II

Mi tío de Abobo es otro. Lo vi ayer en la tarde, en Abobo. Mi hermano anfitrión solo repetía el hecho que esta parte de Abidjan parece una aldea. Calles sin pavimentar y por primera vez no vi los comunes BMWs y Mercedes, a los que me acostumbré ver por todo Abidjan. Al menos, todos los distritos que visité hasta el día de ayer.

Mi tío se alegro de verme y salió a comprar un sucrerie, es decir una soda cuando llegue. Trabaja en el hotel de mi papa anfitrión, el hotel “Alex Le Grand”

El Hotel es modesto y muy único. Si bien no se encuentra en el distrito de negocios Plateau, es lo mas marfileño que he visto, sin intentar a cualquier costo emular a los hoteles del que fue su país colonizador. Mi tío es el recepcionista y encargado del hotel, además de ser chofer de Gbaka y Wôro Wôro.  

Tonton Jean Pierre me explicó que existen muchos Dozos al momento en Abobo (cazadores tradicionales, se unieron a la milicia a favor de Ouattara) por un congreso en todo el proceso de reconciliación del país. Abobo según El, es el lugar más seguro en Abidjan, porque todos se conocen y está repleto de FRCI. Me explicó que ahora hay mucho trabajo que hacer y que en el ZOO no hay animales. Se murieron de hambre, ya que este distrito, que hace 3 meses atrás era apodado Bagdad, se convirtió al final de la pelea en un distrito fantasma y no había quien alimente a los habitantes del ZOO.

Tonton se reía y me decía que porque me regreso tan pronto a Ecuador, que la independencia de Costa de Marfil se celebrará días después de mi partida.
 Cuando estaba en mi casa en Marcory, meses atrás recuerdo como me preguntaba, intrigado y con una mirada lúgubre porque escogí Costa de Marfil como destino.

Me alegra tener la oportunidad de verlo en su vida normal, sonriendo.

The visit to Abidjan

A long time ago, when I had a short trip to France to meet with my parents in may, French Stations broadcasted from Yammousoukro, Cote D’Ivoire’s political capital, Ouattara’s presidential investiture in which,the presence of UN’s secretary General and the president of the former colonial power, France send a strong message to the international community : Cote D’Ivoire is ready to turn the page and become a peaceful country.

Is it that easy to turn the page and not to cling and what has been written in the past two decades, after two months?  Is it that easy to ignore the economy that took a plunge, the food rationing, water shortages, fear, and curfews? While Ivoirians just want “peace, work, go to a maquis (as local bar-restaurant are known here) and sleep”  the political crisis aftermath and the differences created between ethnic and political groups  within the country will take years to overcome.

I moved to Ivory Coast to volunteer in February, only to leave the country a month after to neighboring Ghana. I had the chance to travel  and stay for a few days in Abidjan at the end of april, to see if I could move back and visit a couple of friends, who took me around town, joking about the situation in Abidjan and what they had gone through.

 View of Abidjan from the upscale neighborhood of Cocody where political figures such as the defeated president that refused to cede power Laurent Gbagbo, once resided.

Bullet holes in houses, like the one in this window, are a reminder of events that took place not that long ago.

Quartier des Ambassades, The Ambassadors’ Residential Area in Cocody where Gbagbo resided, suffered quite a lot of damage as FRCI (several militias that went under the umbrella of Republican Forces of Cote D’Ivoire, Ouattara supporters) advanced in order to take Gbagbo. This house on the way to Gbagbo’s home is a clear example of that.

 Ouattara’s victory, despite its loyal support from the international community was highly disputed specially in abidjan. While Ouattara is taking a reconciliation approach nowadays, through memorabilia watches and pins, its supporters, as soon as Abidjan fell, were a bit more straighforward.

The trace left by the burnings that took place in april. According to my friend bertrand* (as we walked around the neighborhood, he told me that people were burned down in the last days. Many Gbagbo supporters attacked Malians and Burkinabe inmigrants, who were blamed for the decay of the country the past decade. this divide was fueled by gbagbo propaganda.aTtrocities were commited by both parties during the 4 months of crisis. Bertrand told me corpses were lying for days while abidjan fell to Pro Ouattara forces, since no one could go out to the street. These signs of burning are for sure people that were burned alive, but cannot trace whom, why or by whom

The jaPAnese ambassador was evacuated by the United nations operations in cote d’ivoire (UNOCI) in a dramatic operation in april, around a week before gbagbo was captured. The residence was attacked by pro gbagbo supporters, called the young patriots. The street where the japanese residence is located, is a reminder of the battle to residents in abidjan.

AS FRCI encountered young patriots, the battle intensified with gun shots providing sound effects for Abidjan. everything on the way was burned down, as the car next to bertrand shows.

and we finally arrive! Gbagbo’s house is now guarded by UN forces and now that abidjan is calmed, it has 

become a tourist attraction.

On our way back we found some bullet shells in the street. I collected a few as souvenirs.

Happily though, the days that Abidjan’s background sounds was the sound of AK-47’s going off, seems far. And we all hope it stays that way.