Ivory Coast: December 10, 2002

Archives

Ivory Coast suffers from a problem common in West Africa. In addition to the tribal loyalties, there are the religious differences. Moslems in the north, Christians in the south. The combination of tribal and religious loyalty requires little to set off a civil war. And that's what is happening in Ivory Coast. The government, controlled by Christian southerners, is invoking religious and tribal hatreds when recruiting southerners to put down the rebellion in the north. The rebels are largely driven by distrust of the southerners who are in charge, especially since northern politicians have, for decades had more power in the area. For centuries, the Moslems, bolstered by technology, weapons and a new religion brought by Moslem traders further to the north, had an edge over the southerners. Colonialism brought Christianity to the south, and a feeling that now it was the southerners turn. 

 

Article Archive

Ivory Coast: Current 2012 2011 2010 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close