After receiving the UN's ultimatum of possible prosecution, the Laurent Gbagbo-backed group called the Young Patriots on Friday threatened for more street protests against the United Nations and rival camp--the internationally recognized President Alassane Ouattara, the VOANews.com Website reported.
The head of the movement and now Youth Minister Charles Ble Goude, strongly pointed to Ouattara and the UN that if the peacekeepers are still cuddling the former at the Golf Hotel in Abidjan after New Year's Day, they will take responsibilities in their own hands and liberate the compound.
The youth minister further warned that he is monitoring if the peacekeepers will release Ouattara, otherwise his group will decide on how to deal with it.
The country's government-backed constitutional council dismissed the votes of the north that led to the victory of Gbagbo in the 28 November presidential elections.
However, the UN insists that Ouattara had won by a wide margin in the north, and is now warning forced eviction if Gbagbo does not leave from office.
A US-based sociologist Daniel Chirot who performed research in Ivory Coast described the Young Patriots as follows, "You could see them, their leaders going around in nice cars, with guns, with pretty girls, and benefiting from the situation and they are not going to lie down. For them, if Gbagbo loses power, it is a disaster, because they lose their sources of revenue, their livelihood, and they are armed so it is not just a popular movement."
Members of the group deny they are armed. They emphasize that they are fighting for independence from foreign influence.
According to Wikipedia, the group was formed in June 2001. It has attracted worldwide controversy and condemnation due to its alleged involvement in extra-judicial killings and violent street rallies. This extremely nationalist group strongly support the defeated Gbagbo, and is composed of activists and unemployed young men from the Christian southern and western ethnic groups.
Since 2006, the UN has imposed travel sanctions and assets freeze for Ble Goude for a history provoking mob violence.
Visit this link for more details: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/afri
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