Ouattara’s Prime Minister Soro Guillaume on Tuesday said the move was to step up the process of seating his government in the state house and start functioning properly. Ouattara, who runs a parallel government to Gbagbo’s, is holed up in a lagoon-front hotel together with a dozen of his ministers, who are protected by the UN mission in the country and elements of the former rebel forces (FN).

On Tuesday evening, police used teargas to disperse some 3000 pro-Ouattara protesters gathering in the south-central town of Tiebissou. Reports say more protesters are joining Abidjan from the hinterland to participate in Thursday and Friday marches.

A minister for Gbagbo said he was not sure Ivorians would obey the call from Ouattara to take to the streets. But observers are wary of clashes between armed men from both camps and civilians.

Sanctions

The European Union has released a list of 11 personalities close to Gbagbo’s camp, who are to face visa ban and freezing of funds. Kadet Berlin (security adviser), Desiré Tagro (presidential secretary), Yao N'Dre (Constitutional Court chairman), Pascal Affi N'Guessan (Gbagbo’s FPI party chairman), Pierre Israel Amessan Brou (state TV director), Gen. Dogbo Blé (army chief), Cap. Anselme Séka Yapo (bodyguard to Gbagbo’s wife), Franck Anderson Kouassi (head of the office of communications regulator), Gen.Georges Guiai Bi Poin (anti-riot squad chief), Admiral Vagba Faussignau (Navy chief) and Ahouman Brouha Nathanael (head of presidential security).

UN High Commission for Refugees

According to the UN High Commission of refugees, some 3,700 Ivorians, mostly women and children, have fled the country into neighbouring Liberia and Guinea, since the two-week-old political impasse began.

The report says 150 Ivorians leave their country daily due to fear of an eventual civil war.

The United States, Canada and Netherlands have asked their citizens in the west African country to leave immediately, when it is still possible to do so.

Ouattara was declared winner of the vote with 54% by the election commission, which the UN mission to the country certified. But the Constitutional Council, headed by Gbagbo’s collaborator, invalidated the earlier result after annulling hundreds of thousands of votes from where Ouattara scored highest, and handed the incumbent president a new five-year term.

Ouattara is widely backed by the international community, including the US, EU, France, African Union and ECOWAS. All have called on Gbagbo to accept defeat and cede power.