Kaleem Washington, Crime Blog 11

Kaleem Washington, Crime

Blog #11

Source: Washington Post

Ivory Coast strongman’s home comes under heavy arms fire as he remains in bunker

In recent news, the 65-year-old strongman, Laurent Gbagbo, who made an art of staying in power years past the end of his legal mandate, is now pushing the envelope, fighting for each day, even each hour to stay alive and maintain power in the Ivory Coast. Gbagbo has ruled as president of the Ivory Coast for 10-years, however, he has not given up his ruling force even after his term was completed. This has made citizens of Abidjan enraged because they are ready for a new rule under Ouattara, the newly elected president in last November’s election. Because Gbagbo refuses to give up power the citizens have resulted to forcibly attempting to remove Gbago, which has lead to the constant firearms attack on Gbagbo’s home and criminal actions of assassination. Furthermore, the army, controlled by Gbagbo, has repeatedly used its arsenal of heavy artillery in an attempt to clear areas of the commercial capitals that had voted for his opponent. Also, he uses the army to protect the mansion where Gbagbo seeks shelter. Security forces are accused of opening fire with a mounted machine gun on a group of unarmed women and lobbing 81 mm mortars into a market. This ongoing fight for maintaining control and usurping control through criminal actions of violence and murder has caused many innocent fatalities.
I believe the criminal actions of violence used by the citizens of Ivory Coast in this case is justified because it is based on a utilitarian ethic of doing what is best for the greatest amount of people. Gbagbo claim of power is affecting the lives of the citizens and it is only necessary to use for to remove this issue that is considered a social problem. Although killing is never the answer and not the main outcome of what the people want to happen it is still a crime for the actions both sides are committing.  On a global view this issue of a ruler over staying their elected power has caused many riots, violent actions, protest, and assassinations because rulers greed in the power and control of a nation of people. In order for such social problems to decrease the ruling officials need to abide by the laws and focus more on the overall best interest of the country and the people.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/ivory-coast-strongmans-home-comes-under-heavy-arms-fire-as-he-remains-in-bunker/2011/04/06/AFWrgpmC_story.html