Student Federation of Côte d'Ivoire
Encyclopedia
The Student Federation of Cote d’Ivoire (FESCI) (French: Fédération estudiantine et scolaire de Côte d'Ivoire ) is a youth and student organization in Côte d'Ivoire
that human rights organizations accuse of being a violent gang controlled by President Laurent Gbagbo
’s Ivorian Popular Front
(FPI).
Founded in the early 1990s as a student union, the FESCI was banned by the government of Henri Konan Bedie
. Prominent past members included Charles Blé Goudé
(Secretary general of FESCI 2001-2003, and later founder and leader of the l’Alliance de la jeunesse patriotique
which, like the FESCI, was allegedly involved in xenophobic street violence during the civil war) and Guillaume Soro
(Secretary general of FESCI 1995-1998, now Secretary general of the Forces nouvelles
group which rebelled against the ruling party).
After 1999, the FESCI supported the ruling party, and has been blamed in numerous acts of violence and dozens of murders of the political opponents of the FPI amid waves of attacks on individuals seen as foreign. Human Rights groups also allege the FESCI runs protection rackets for businesess, students, and scholars operating on the nation's university campuses. The opposition press refers to the group as Fescistes, a play on the word fascists.
In December 2006, Serge Koffi was elected head of the FESCI, which was seen as an internal split between the new leadership, entitled the ’Coalition pour la réhabilitation de la FESCI (COREF)’’, and seen to be controlled by Kacou Brou and on the other hand, its former patron Charles Blé Goudé
and his supporters Jean Yves Dobopieu, Ahoua Stallone and Dacoury Richard. Early 2007 saw public disorder between these factions, including gunplay on the nation's university campuses.
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
that human rights organizations accuse of being a violent gang controlled by President Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Koudou Gbagbo served as the fourth President of Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011. A historian by profession, he is also an amateur chemist and physicist....
’s Ivorian Popular Front
Ivorian Popular Front
The Ivorian Popular Front , known by its French initials FPI, is a centre-left, democratic socialist and social democratic, political party in Côte d'Ivoire....
(FPI).
Founded in the early 1990s as a student union, the FESCI was banned by the government of Henri Konan Bedie
Henri Konan Bédié
Aimé Henri Konan Bédié is an Ivorian politician. He was President of Côte d'Ivoire from 1993 to 1999, and he is currently the President of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire - African Democratic Rally .-Biography:...
. Prominent past members included Charles Blé Goudé
Charles Blé Goudé
Charles Blé Goudé is an Ivorian political leader, born at Guibéroua, in the center west of the country.-Creator of the Young Patriots:...
(Secretary general of FESCI 2001-2003, and later founder and leader of the l’Alliance de la jeunesse patriotique
Alliance des jeunes patriotes pour le sursaut national
The Alliance des jeunes patriotes pour le sursaut national commonly known as Young Patriots, of Côte d'Ivoire.- Organisation :A youth movement supportive of the President of Côte d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo and his ruling Ivorian Popular Front party...
which, like the FESCI, was allegedly involved in xenophobic street violence during the civil war) and Guillaume Soro
Guillaume Soro
Guillaume Kigbafori Soro has served as the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire since 4 April 2007...
(Secretary general of FESCI 1995-1998, now Secretary general of the Forces nouvelles
Forces Nouvelles de Côte d'Ivoire
The Forces Nouvelles de Côte d'Ivoire is a political coalition that was formed in December 2002, in the wake of the first peace accords of the Ivorian Civil War.-Composition:FNCI includes these political parties:...
group which rebelled against the ruling party).
After 1999, the FESCI supported the ruling party, and has been blamed in numerous acts of violence and dozens of murders of the political opponents of the FPI amid waves of attacks on individuals seen as foreign. Human Rights groups also allege the FESCI runs protection rackets for businesess, students, and scholars operating on the nation's university campuses. The opposition press refers to the group as Fescistes, a play on the word fascists.
In December 2006, Serge Koffi was elected head of the FESCI, which was seen as an internal split between the new leadership, entitled the ’Coalition pour la réhabilitation de la FESCI (COREF)’’, and seen to be controlled by Kacou Brou and on the other hand, its former patron Charles Blé Goudé
Charles Blé Goudé
Charles Blé Goudé is an Ivorian political leader, born at Guibéroua, in the center west of the country.-Creator of the Young Patriots:...
and his supporters Jean Yves Dobopieu, Ahoua Stallone and Dacoury Richard. Early 2007 saw public disorder between these factions, including gunplay on the nation's university campuses.