Busy news day in the World for this October 27, 2000
Starting with the Western-African nation of Ivory Coast (Cote d-Ivoire) where Laurent Gbabgo realized his 30 year dream of becoming President.
Longtime opposition leader Laurent Gbagbo was sworn in as president Thursday at the heavily guarded presidential palace, as political officials appealed for an end to the violence that has wracked Abidjan and other cities in this West African nation. “I feel in this moment the renaissance of the Ivory Coast, the birth of a modern, prosperous, democratic and united nation,” said Gbagbo, who was swept to power Wednesday in a popular uprising that forced junta leader Gen. Robert Guei to flee. But street celebrations over the junta’s downfall Wednesday were short-lived, and by Thursday morning Gbagbo’s supporters, sometimes backed by security forces, were battling followers of a rival political boss with machetes, rocks and clubs. Dozens of people were said to have been killed. At least three people were burned alive in the working class neighborhood of Yopougon, a witness said, and three mosques were torched. At least one church was burned i in another part of town as residents fled the worst areas. Supporters of Ivory Coast’s most popular opposition figure, Alassane Dramane Ouattara – most of them Muslims from northern-based tribes – fought Gbagbo’s backers, who are mostly Christians from southern ethnic groups.
“People are dying,” said Aida Diallo, who was fleeing one burning neighborhood to get to her family’s home. “I’m scared, so scared.”
Meanwhile, in Japan – Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori’s top aide resigned Friday over a widening scandal caused by tabloid allegations he had connections with a rightwing Hidenao Nakagawa became the second Cabinet minister to step down in disgrace. Nakagawa was chief-cabinet secretary, a high-profile position in which he served as the principal government spokesman, making his resignation especially damaging to Mori’s prestige. It was the latest in a series of setbacks for a prime minister who has often been his own worst enemy, talking himself into trouble with remarks deemed controversial or indiscreet. But with elections to Japan’s upper house of Parliament slated for next July, analysts said it was unlikely that Mori’s job would be immediately jeopardized by the scandal. “Normally this would be a fatal blow to the prime minister, since the chief cabinet secretary’s role is such a central one,” said Yasunobu Iwai, a professor of politics at Tokiwa University. “But with elections coming up soon, the ruling party really has no choice but to stick by Mori’s side and hope that Nakagawa’s resignation is enough for the public and the other coalition parties.” Nakagawa, a 56-year-old lower-house lawmaker, said at a news conference that his letter of resignation was accepted by the prime minister Friday morning.
And finally – Russian President Vladimir Putin promised his Yugoslav counterpart Vojislav Kostunica that Moscow would soon resume supplying energy to Yugoslavia, and he called on other nations to help boost the Balkan country’s shattered economy. “The international community is obliged to do everything to restore the country’s economy,” said 1 Putin, who was one of the last world leaders to recognize Kostunica’s electoral triumph over former President Slobodan Milosevic. “Russia is ready to do its part in this. We agreed with the president that very soon, Russia will re-establish energy deliveries to Yugoslavia – including gas supplies – which were interrupted this year.”
And that’s a small slice of what happened, this October 27, 2000 as reported by the BBC World Service.
