Ivory Coast on brink of "genocide,"

When Politics go wrong.

The U.N., Whether they go in or not; Mr.Gbagbo will likely wreak havoc on the Ivory coast.


(Reuters) - Political unrest following Ivory Coast's disputed presidential election has brought the West African country to the "brink of genocide," its new ambassador to the United Nations said.

World leaders have stepped up pressure on Laurent Gbagbo to quit in favor of Alassane Ouattara, widely recognized as having won the vote.

Youssoufou Bamba, appointed as ambassador to the United Nations by Ouattara, described him as the rightful ruler of Ivory Coast.

"He has been elected in a free, fair, transparent, democratic election. The result has been proclaimed by the independent electoral commission, certified by the U.N.," Bamba told a news conference on Wednesday.

"To me the debate is over, now you are talking about how and when Mr. Gbagbo will leave office," Bamba said.

He said there had been a "massive violation of human rights," with more than 170 people killed during street demonstrations in Ivory Coast.

"Thus, one of the messages I try to get across during the conversations I have conducted so far, is to tell we are on the brink of genocide. Something should be done," Bamba told journalists.