Many Ivorians May Be Left Out From Vote

"Many in Ivory Coast May Be Left Out From Vote - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. Adam Nossiter, 6 Feb. 2010. Web. 30 Mar. 2010. .

In Ivory Coast many people will not be able to vote. There were pictures plastered on school walls all over the country offered a stark reminder of the division in this identity-obsessed nation. On one side are the people that are eligible to vote and on the other, their not able to. The ones able; the government has deemed good members of society. The ones unable; their identities have fallen under official suspicion. This type of segregation for votes is due to ten years of war and riots. And soon after the pictures went up the astonishment at being excluded gave way to urgent reality. Many were just excluded because nobody knew if they were Ivorian or foreign.

I think that this is absolutely not right. That everyone should get a say in how they want their government to be run. To stick up for what they believe in and thinks is the right thing to do. Even though some people might not be full Ivoirian, everyone should still get a chance to vote, even though they get look at different because of all those years of fighting. This basically means they have a lot to say but none of it will go officially to the government. What would you do if you were had a government status for Ivory Coast?

Sven-Göran Eriksson

"Eriksson Talks up Ivory Coast World Cup Hopes - The Local." The Local - Sweden's News in English. 30 Mar. 2010. Web. 30 Mar. 2010. .

Swedish Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was given the job to coach the Ivory Coast through the World Cup on Sunday March, 29. Before that he managed England at the 2002 and 2006 World Cup finals. He also helped Mexico out for 10 months prior to being assigned the Ivory Coast. He is extremely happy and excited to be doing this. Even thought Ivory Coast is in the World Cup’s “group of death”, as they call it. He believes if the team really put forth effort into it, they will get through the World Cup just fine. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a challenge to endure. They will have to go against Brazil, Portugal, and North Korea, which are in their first round group.

I think that Eriksson can really pull this challenge off. If he really tries to put the team ahead and strive to win, then they will able to do so. They might not be good; well that’s what people think because the Ivory Coast isn’t that popular in football, soccer. And because it is in Africa, they think that they are just people who play in their countries leagues. But they have many players who play in Europe. Like on teams Chelsea, Barcelona and so on. I just hope that they will succeed and b able to win it for their country Africa, which will mean a lot to them.

Undercover Reporter

"Afrol News - Reporter Offered Child Slaves." Afrol News - African News Agency. 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 22 Mar. 2010. .

Miki Mistrati, a Danish reporter working undercover in Ivory Coast, to reveal the extent of forced child labor in the cocoa industry. He claimed himself to owning a cocoa plantation to investigate if there had been any progress in the reduction of child and forced labor in the cocoa industry. He was shocked to find out how openly the trafficking of children was in the region. He came in contact with people that were willing to sell him children for his imaginary cocoa plantation. The reporter was assisted by a Danish television crew to film a documentary on how children where being smuggled across the borders of Ivory Coast to work for people in cocoa plantations.

I think that these people don’t have there heads screwed on right. I know they make good and a lot of money, but why little children? They could rather be in school or helping their parents with their own work. I have seen these pictures of children working in theses cocoa plantations; it gives a horrible feeling to my stomach. To me this isn’t right in any way, shape, or form.