Hate Radio Returns As Ivory Coast Teeters On The Brink Of War

The continent plagued by armed-militias, ethnic conflict, corruption and tin-pot dictators is heading into familiar territory tonight.

In scenes that echo Rwanda, what was once a relative African success story, has turned into a nightmare. On the streets of Ivory Coast tonight, the UN is under seige - hounded out of two towns and now facing the threat of serious violence at its HQ in Andijan.

The unsanctioned actions of Presidential supporters stir up memories of late 2004, when several thousand foreign nationals were forced to flee. Once more the media is being used as a tool of extreme propaganda - hate radio is back.

How do todays events link in to the Democracy movement? Well they show just what can happen when leaders rig an election. Todays events are a continuation of a years-long ugly power-struggle. Current President Laurent Gbagbo, his predecessor Robert Guei, and the men before that have all been concerned with three things. Empowering themselves. Enriching themselves. Entrenching themselves as Dictators. Make no mistake, the future of Ivory Coast is bleak. The few good men that can touch power are never able to flex their political muscle to a significant extent.

Where this violence will end? Another Rwanda is my gut instinct.