Aya Virginie Touré

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Aya Virginie Toure
NationalityIvorian African
OccupationPeace activist
Known forOrganizing peace protests during the Second Ivorian Civil War

Aya Virginie Touré, born Aya Virginie Kouamé, is a peace activist and politician in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). She became known for organizing women in nonviolent resistance[1] against President Laurent Gbagbo who refused to step down since he lost the presidential election to Alassane Ouattara. Touré worked to mobilize women [2] as the Deputy Director[3] for Ouattara's 2010 Ivorian presidential election. In 2016, she was elected as a deputy in the 72nd circonscription which includes the cities of Guépahouo and Oumé.[4][5] Since at least 2014, she has been the Executive Director of the Petroci Foundation, the caritative organization of the Ivorian oil and gas company.[5][6]

Congress of Republican Women[edit]

In the Rally of the Republicans RDR, the ruling political party in Côte d'Ivoire, Aya Virginie Touré has been elected President of the Rally of Republican Women.[7] (French: Rassemblement des femmes républicaines)(RFR).

She spoke out against Gbagbo and his inner circle of people who were allegedly sending taxpayers' money out of the country as their own personal wealth.[8]

Leader of civil war protests[edit]

Touré organized numerous peace protests throughout Côte d'Ivoire during the 2010–2011 Ivorian crisis. In an impassioned interview on BBC News, Touré compared the ongoing Second Ivorian Civil War[9] to the 2011 Libyan civil war and asked for support from the international community. She called for military intervention to remove Laurent Gbagbo from power the same way Charles Taylor was removed in the Second Liberian Civil War.[10]

Demonstrations[edit]

In December 2010, Touré led hundreds of women in a peaceful protest during the ongoing crisis in Abidjan. They banged pots to warn about the arrival of the militias.[11]

On March 3, 2011, Touré led 15,000 women in a peaceful protest in Abidjan. Some were dressed in black, some were wearing leaves, and some were naked, all signs of an African curse directed toward Laurent Gbagbo.[12] In the neighborhood of Abobo, they were met by security forces with tanks that opened fire[13] on the women.[14] Seven women were killed and approximately 100 were wounded.[15] On March 8, International Women's Day, Touré organized 45,000 women[10] in peaceful protests across the country. The women were met with youth armed with machetes and automatic weapons firing into the air at Koumassi.[16] One woman and three men were killed in Abidjan by the army.[17]

On March 8, 2011, Leymah Gbowee issued a statement of support[18] for the peaceful protests of the Christian and Muslim women in Côte d'Ivoire and compared them to the women of Liberia.

On March 23, at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Summit in Nigeria,[19] a "One Thousand Women March" was organized by peace activists in West Africa in support of the women of Côte d'Ivoire. They wore white T-shirts[19] and represented countries across West Africa including Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo. They issued a press release and presented a position statement to the ECOWAS Heads of State.[20]

On March 23, Goodluck Jonathan, President of Nigeria urged the United Nations to pass a resolution to take decisive action, saying instability posed a threat to security in West Africa.[21]

On March 30, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1975 was adopted unanimously, demanding that Laurent Gbagbo step down as President and allow internationally recognised President Alassane Ouattara to take power. The resolution imposed sanctions on Gbagbo and his close associates.[22] The resolution was sponsored by France and Nigeria.[23]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Women in Ivory Coast lead the revolution against Gbagbo". Newscast Media. March 9, 2011. Archived from the original (article) on March 14, 2011. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
  2. ^ "Campagne pour le 2e tour : Voici l'équipe choc du RHDP". Le Nouveau Réveil. December 11, 2010. Archived from the original (article) on September 27, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
  3. ^ "Mme Touré Aya Virginie :"Comment les femmes préparent la victoire d'ADO"" (article). Patriote. April 3, 2009. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
  4. ^ "Results of the 2016 legislative election" (PDF). Website of the independent electoral commission of Ivory Coast. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2019-11-02.
  5. ^ a b "Réconciliation: Touré Aya Virginie en tournée à Oumé". www.fratmat.info. Retrieved 2019-11-02.
  6. ^ "Mot de la directrice exécutive". Fondation Petroci.
  7. ^ "Election de la nouvelle Président du RFR". Archived from the original on 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
  8. ^ "Interview / Mme Touré Aya Virginie, Présidente du RFR - "Les Evêques doivent avoir le courage de dire la vérité"". The Patriot. January 11, 2011.
  9. ^ "Ivory Coast's well-armed rebels making quick work of revolution" (article). The Guardian. April 1, 2011. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  10. ^ a b "A plea for help from an Ivorian women's leader amid the violent power struggle" (radio broadcast). BBC Radio. March 23, 2011. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  11. ^ "Country on the edge of CHAOS" (article). National Post. December 23, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2011.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "The Ivory Coast Effect" (article). The New Yorker. March 22, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  13. ^ "Ivory Coast: women shot dead at anti-Gbagbo rally" (article). Euronews. March 3, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  14. ^ "Forces Kill 6 Women Marching in Ivory Coast" (article). abc News/International. March 3, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  15. ^ "Ivory Coast women defiant after being targeted by Gbagbo's guns" (article). The Guardian. March 11, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  16. ^ "Ivorian women in anti-Gbagbo march through Abidjan" (radio broadcast). Reuters. March 8, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  17. ^ "Four dead in Ivory Coast march". Pakistan News 24. March 9, 2011. Archived from the original (article) on July 26, 2011. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
  18. ^ "Statement on the Situation in Cote D'Ivoire By Leymah Gbowee". Pray The Devil Back to Hell Blog. March 8, 2011. Archived from the original (statement) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
  19. ^ a b "ECOWAS Summit: West African women protest Ivorian situation". Afrique en ligne. March 24, 2011. Archived from the original (article) on June 6, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  20. ^ ""Thousand Women Protest March" in Solidarity with the Women of Cote d'Ivoire". WIPSEN-Africa.org. March 23, 2011. Archived from the original (article) on October 8, 2011. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  21. ^ "Nigeria urges firmer U.N. stance on Ivory Coast". Reuters. March 24, 2011. Archived from the original (article) on May 31, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  22. ^ "Security Council demands end to violence in Côte d'Ivoire, imposing sanctions against former President and urging him to 'step aside'". United Nations. March 30, 2011.
  23. ^ ""Gbagbo must go" is call as UN Council OKs Cote d'Ivoire resolution". Xinhua. 31 March 2011. Archived from the original on April 3, 2011.
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