A/56/253 “‘I should like’, continued the Head of State, ‘to assure all the inhabitants of the sub-region that I am personally committed not only to strengthening the historic ties between the Côte d’Ivoire and its neighbours, but also to shaping our common future together.’ “The misinformation campaign provoked surprise and consternation among the Ivorian people who had hitherto been famous for their hospitality; Côte d’Ivoire is unusual in that it is a secular country in which nationals from many countries of the sub-region and also from Lebanon and Syria have coexisted peacefully for decades along with nationals from the different regions of Côte d’Ivoire who have settled far from their homelands. Furthermore, in many villages, Mandé communities (commonly known as Dioulas) have established themselves and been free to build mosques alongside temples and churches. “In addition to hosting foreign nationals, Côte d’Ivoire is still the preferred host country for many refugees from the Great Lakes, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Unlike some countries which confine such people to camps, Côte d’Ivoire has welcomed these ‘African brothers in need’ into the heart of its communities. “For these reasons, the people of Côte d’Ivoire have difficulty understanding why they are accused of xenophobia when compared with those countries whose Governments have been known to engage in massive forced expulsions of foreigners, or who openly discriminate in favour of their own nationals. Such attitudes are unknown in Côte d’Ivoire. “Regarding the events to which you refer, which allegedly took place on 26 and 27 October 2000, in fact, the presidential election took place on Sunday 22 October 2000, in a atmosphere of calm. After the polls closed, the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission began, on Monday, 23 October 2000, in a live broadcast on Ivorian television, to announce the results that had reached the headquarters of that institution. This continued with total transparency until late at night, whereupon it was promised that the operation would resume on Tuesday, 24 October 2000. “On Tuesday, 24 October, the transparency observed in the publication of the results suddenly gave way to silence on the part of the Electoral Commission, creating a climate of uneasiness and irritation among the population, which was eager to know the outcome of the vote. “Given this situation, which was strange to say the least, the Front Populaire Ivoirien (FPI, socialist opposition) candidate, Mr. Laurent Gbagbo, who, like many of his fellow citizens, interpreted this unexplained silence as a manoeuvre on the part of the chief of the ruling junta, appealed to him and, in an effort to spare the Ivorian people a fate similar to that of Yugoslavia, urged him not to thwart the democratic process. “Unfortunately, the chief of the ruling junta did not heed the appeal, despite the fact that on the eve of the presidential election he had given assurances, in a radio and television message, that the election would be transparent and that in the event of a defeat he would leave office. 56