Turkey calls for peaceful referendum in Ivory Coast

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast

Turkey’s ambassador to the Ivory Coast has expressed hope Sunday’s referendum on a new constitution will be peaceful and the result accepted by all parties.

Esra Demir, speaking at an Abidjan event to mark the 93rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Turkish Republic, said: "Whatever the result [of the vote], it will be a new opportunity to show the world that the will of the Ivorian people is nothing other than development in peace."

Also present at the ceremony was Ivorian Minister of Justice Paulette Badjo Ezouehu who said the government had made all necessary arrangements for a “transparent, democratic and peaceful” vote.

President Alassane Ouattara had promised the enactment of a new constitution during the October 2015 presidential election in which won a second term.

The new constitution, if approved, would remove a nationality clause which says presidential candidates must prove both his or her biological parents are Ivorians and have no other nationality. The clause mostly affects Ivorians in the northern part of the country who have parents in Burkina Faso or Mali.

Ivory Coast was plunged into a year of post-electoral violence in 2010 which led to the deaths of at least 3,000 civilians.

Former president Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept election results and his followers claimed that President Ouattara is not Ivorian. Gbagbo, who ruled from 2000-2011, is currently being held by the International Criminal Court in the Hague, charged with crimes against humanity.

The draft constitution also envisages the creation of a post of vice president, elected at the same time as the president. It also removes the upper age limit of 75 years for presidential candidates. Ouattara is 74.

The proposed reforms also envisage the creation of an upper house of parliament.

Opposition parties are opposed to the new constitution and say it is primarily designed to ensure political domination by the ruling coalition, the Houphouetist Rally for Democracy and Peace.

Last week, Human Rights Watch said the proposed constitution would “significantly strengthen” the power of the presidency. The group also called on the government to respect the freedom of expression and association of opposition parties.