Soccer
Diplomacy: The World Cup Hopes of the Côte d’Ivoire
Despite being shaken by a civil war, the entire country danced
for two days following Ivory Coast's World Cup qualification.
A successful tournament might help the divided nation to reconcile.
(2 June 2006 Spiegel)
When
I was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Côte d’Ivoire
(Ivory Coast) over 35 years ago it was very different from the
torn country it is today. Since 1999, the country has been mired
in coups, rebellions and ethnic conflicts and since September
2002 it has been cut in half by civil war and its economy is
in shambles. In the post-colonial 60’s the concept of nationhood
and civil government had not yet entered the consciousness of
all Ivorians. Tribal affiliation, language and traditions were
most important as well as the day-to-day concerns of life. However,
peace, prosperity, mobility and a culture of hospitality prevailed.
The name of the one daily newspaper, “Fraternité Matin” (literally “The
Brotherhood Morning”) was an apt slogan for the Côte
d’Ivoire, and the father of Ivorian independence, president
Félix Houphouët-Boigny, was viewed by all tribes
as “the old man” a term of respect, authority and
endearment. National politics was conducted starting from traditional
village councils and worked its way up to the Senate. Boigny’s
cabinet had representatives of all the ethnic groups.
Since
the very survival of the Côte d’Ivoire was
put at risk with the coup of 1999, it wasn’t until the “Eléphants,” the
national soccer team (and all but extinct national symbol) had
the possibility to qualify for the World Cup soccer this year,
that a movement towards disarmament and reconciliation between
the opposing forces in their civil war began. This was not a
coincidence, but rather a reflection of the national psyche — echoing
the goal of the national team, self-proclaimed ambassadors of
peace. As reported by IRIN news.org:
The
five key players in Cote d’Ivoire’s conflict
have renewed their commitment to peace efforts after holding
their first face-to-face talks at home since war broke out
more than three years ago.
While
there were few concrete agreements, Tuesday’s
four-hour meeting behind closed doors broke new ground and
brought fresh hopes of a breakthrough in stumbling efforts
to reunify the West African nation, divided between a rebel-held
north and government south since 2002. (1 Mar 2006 IRIN)
I
remember thinking in 1970 that soccer was the first sign of
national identity to surface in post-colonial Côte d’Ivoire.
Beside the fact that almost every village had a makeshift soccer
field where barefoot boys would chase an improvised “ball” over
gravelly red earth, I heard partisans “argue” the
merits of the two most popular contenders for the Coupe de Côte
d’Ivoire, ASEC and Africa Sport, much
like our kids argue about the merits of teams vying for the World
Series or Superbowl. This was a loyalty that transcended one’s
ethnic identity.
When
I look at the family names of the Eléphants (Drogba,
Dindane, Touré, Akale, Zokora, Kalou, Kouassi, Koné,
Keïta, Eboué…) I see the names of diverse
tribal and geographical groups, the ones currently fighting each
other. It truly is a national team, and (ironically) is coached
by a Frenchman, Henri Michel. Michel has collected the best Ivorian
players who play on teams all over Europe. The symbolism of all
this is a huge unifier for Ivorians and has finally given them
some hope.
Whether
or not the Eléphants win or lose in the games
of the World Cup. They have won a diplomatic victory by pushing
the peace process forward in their country. With so much international
attention focused on the Côte d’Ivoire because of
their soccer team, and the vision of unity it presents for Ivorians,
the leaders must pursue peace and reconciliation.
The
world ought to take note of the symbolism of the Ivorian experience.
It is really a tragedy when a peaceful country with such promise
crashes into the chaos of hatred and divisiveness. This little
country is a case study of a contagious political illness infecting
much of the world. When there is seemingly no basis for reconciliation,
the healing factor turns out to be celebration. Sport may be
a metaphor for healthy and respectful competition; for teamwork
and abiding to commonly accepted rules; for striving to excel
and celebrating achievement. So-called “civilized” countries
need to use the model of sportsmanship in conducting domestic
and international relations. In a world torn by conflict, “soccer
diplomacy” may be a valid passion.
©
2006 Richard Sidy
Contact
me with your comments about this topic