Ominous graffiti on front doors terrorises Abidjan residents

One of our Observers in Abidjan took this photo on Saturday January 1 in the neighbourhood of Niangon, in Yopougon. He reports that the resident has now been gone for several days.

One morning, François (not his real name) woke up to find his door daubed with graffiti highlighting his ethnic and political affiliation. Fearing the worst, he left his home and is now taking refuge with relatives.

Five weeks after the contested November 28 presidential elections sparked deadly riots in the Ivory Coast, a tense, fragile calm has returned to the streets of Abidjan. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) talks with outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo on Monday failed to break the deadlock in negotiations between Gbagbo and his rival Alassane Ouattara.

Although the situation is outwardly calm, our Observers have reported that for the past few days, chalk markings bearing the letter “D” or “B”, as well as black painted crosses, have appeared on many of the economic capital’s doors. Locals report that the letter “D” stands for dioula, Alassane Ouattara’s ethnic group, while the letter “B” stands for the ethnic group baoulé, of which former president Henri Konan Bédié, who rallied to Alassane Quattara in the second round of elections, is a member.

Two special envoys for the United Nations, Francis Deng and Edward Luck issued a statement on December 30 citing “extremely worrying” reports of distinctive markings drawn on the homes of known Gagbo opponents. They declared that “certain leaders were inciting hatred between various elements of the population”.

"These markings are mainly due to neighbourhood rivalries"

Lookman is one of our Observers in the neighbourhood of Yopugon, in Abidjan.

I’ve seen markings like this in pro-Gbagbo parts of Yopougon, where tensions between members of both camps are especially rife.

I don’t think the markings are actually a call to genocide like they were in Rwanda, though. They are mainly due to neighbourhood rivalries. I think those from the South [editor’s note: Laurent Gbagbo is from the south of the country] mark the houses to spread the message that if their occupants run away, they will claim the property.

In any case the letters are traced at night and erased in the morning by residents – it isn’t a permanent or very widespread phenomenon. Nevertheless, they contribute to the climate of fear and suspicion in the city.”

"I was clearly a target in my neighbourhood"

François is a city councillor in an Abidjan neighbourhood. He campaigned for Alassane Ouattara in the months leading up to the election.

 

One morning about two weeks ago, I discovered the letter ‘D’ drawn in white chalk on the front door of my home. I feared it could be more than an empty threat, so I decided it would be better to leave the area for a while.

I left with my wife and two children to stay with my brother in Cocody, on the other side of Abidjan. Everyone in my neighbourhood knows me, and knows that I support Alassane Ouattara. I couldn’t stay because I was clearly a target there. For the past two days, I have been trying to get in touch with people at OCUCI because I feel in danger [ONUCI has set up a 24-hour hotline for people who are victims of or witness human rights abuses].

“When we see the death squads coming, everyone in the neighbourhood starts beating on pots and pans to drive them off”

In my neighbourhood, there were patrols of armed men, dressed all in black, in pickup-trucks. People here call them death squads. So far I haven’t heard of anyone being killed at night in my neighbourhood. I think people are protected in part by solidarity. When we see the death squads coming, everyone in the neighbourhood starts beating on pots and pans to make a racket. Usually, the noise is enough to drive them off.”

Post written with France24 journalist Peggy Bruguière.