Dictatorship in Côte d'Ivoire: From Darkness to Light?

''It is not good for such high personalities to remain in jail...'' this is the statement of the ivoirian incumbent and Dictator President Allassane Ouattara after provisional freedom granted to the ousted president Laurent Gbagbo supporters.

Is Ouattara transcending Darkness of hatred, prejudice and violence? Did he understand that arbitrary jailing, mass killing and blood shedding is human rights violation? Did Ouattara understand that persecution and stigmatization of one part of population are seeds of hatred and revenge?

Did he come to light to understand that the most powerful man is never enough powerful to remain always the master? Did Ouattara understand that lively democracy requires strong opposition?

Did he understand that monopartyism is no more possible? Did Ouattara’s ethnic and illiberal regime understand that horizontal accountability is necessary for democracy? Did he understand that separation of powers is an important issue in democratic governance?

Finally, did Allassane Ouattara come to light and realize that his reconciliation initiative is an empty shell without his challengers? Did he receive enlightenment from God and understand that he should put an end to his ironing governance?

It's time to stop arbitrary and zero-sum politics by granting freedom to all political leaders in jail.

A contribution By Daniel Ozoukou Political Analyst