ON THE BANKS OF THE CAVALLY RIVER, Ivory Coast — The inauguration of Ivory Coast’s new president played out before a crowd of tens of thousands. Women wore dresses printed with his portrait. World leaders flew in for the day in a show of international support.
The massacre by the president’s men started the day after, at dinner.
The soldiers burst into a clearing on the banks of the river here, opening fire with a machine gun mounted on a wheelbarrow. The dozens of families that had sought refuge in this distant spot dropped their plates of food and kicked over pots as they ran.
By the time the soldiers were finished, as many as 47 people were dead.
President Alassane Ouattara’s inauguration after a violent, four-month standoff with Laurent Gbagbo came only after he enlisted the help of a rebel army that swept across this nation on Africa’s western coast, seizing control of every town in its path. The question now is whether Ouattara is able to control the men who control his country.
Ouattara has pledged to investigate the killings of thousands during the war on both sides. Even after the war, however, Ouattara’s forces have killed at least 500 people, according to human rights groups. Thousands of Gbagbo supporters have fled to Liberia.
“You make all these deals with the devil — and then what? In so many ways it’s now out of Ouattara’s hands,” said Yale anthropologist Mike McGovern, author of a book on Ivory Coast’s political crisis. “He needs to go after these guys. But if he does the right thing, he could pay with his life.”
Ouattara’s forces arrested Gbagbo on April 11. A month later, there were still 175,857 refugees in Liberia. Ouattara sent the head of the rebel army, Guillaume Soro, who is now prime minister, to ask them to return.
The refugees have nothing to fear, he said. As Ouattara’s May 21 inauguration approached, a small number of people had started trickling back, setting up camp in a clearing less than 1.5 miles from the river. They figured they could run to the river if they were spotted. Several people said they heard Ouattara’s speech on hand-held radios. He vowed to be a leader for all of Ivory Coast, saying: “This ceremony today is not about the victory of one side over another.”
The shooting started at 7, maybe 8 p.m. People jumped to their feet, dropping plates and spoons. The 1.5 miles to the river proved to be too far for those least able to protect themselves.
