Nearly a month after the Ouattara-Bédié meeting in Abidjan, intended to reduce political tension, the opposition is calling for another format of discussions: a national dialogue bringing together the living forces of the nation.
Henri Konan Bédié, who intends to take the next step by inviting to the dialogue table the rest of the opposition, as well as “credible” facilitators, received on Wednesday the Ivorian opposition parties and platforms.
“This new framework for dialogue will see the participation of all the nation’s active forces and will be supported by credible international organizations specialized in this area, including the UN, or simply by independent personalities chosen from among us. This framework obviously replaces the National Transitional Council (CNT) that the Ivorian opposition had initially proposed. I propose right now and urgently, in agreement with the entire opposition, the organization of a national dialogue in place of the Bédié-Ouattara tête-à-tête”.
The opposition therefore buried the CNT, but retained most of its demands. It even adds a major one, namely the drafting of a new “consensual” Constitution. Civil disobedience is also buried.
“The struggle will now focus on marches and other democratic forms of protest specific to a responsible and constructive opposition,” said Henri Konan Bédié.
“I invite every Ivorian in every village, in every town to a big march for dialogue and peace, the date of which will be set in the coming days. To this end, I call on the republican forces to peacefully lead this great march”.
The dean of the opposition also set as a condition for the national dialogue the immediate release of those arrested in recent months.