SUMMARY
FN -IC (Fources Nouvelles – Ibrahim Coulibaly faction, New Forces – Ibrahim Coulibaly faction) was a faction that effectively broke away from the core FN group in early 2004, after tensions had escalated through the second half of 2003 (for more information about FN and the other rebel groups in Ivory Coast, see respective actor descriptions).
FN was created as an umbrella organisation for three Ivorian rebel groups; MPCI (Mouvement Patriotique de Côte dIvoire, Ivory Coast Patriotic Movement), MPIGO (Mouvement Populaire Ivoirien du Grand Ouest, Ivorian Popular Movement for the Great West) and MJP (Mouvement pour la Justice et la Paix, Movement for Justice and Peace). By 2004 these groups had completely merged, leaving FN as the sole actor on the rebel side. Thus, when the conflict between the different factions in the movement became active it played out as a split within FN. However, the divisions had started within one of FN’s founding groups, MPCI, before it had merged with the other two groups. Hence, the events described below, leading up to 2004 the non-state conflict, took place at a time when FN indeed existed as a loose political coalition, but when its three member groups still acted separately.
When divisions in the ranks of MPCI started to appear, it soon became clear that one of the main stepping stones was the attitudes to a negotiated peace with the government. After a little over four months of conflict between the Ivorian rebels and the government of President Gbagbo, a peace agreement had been signed on 25 January 2003. Two months later, in March, the Accra agreement had been signed, reaffirming the January accord. These developments brought to the surface a split between those negotiating the agreement and their followers and more militant rebels, with the latter considering the accord a capitulation.
It soon became apparent that the basic divide was between the main MPCI group and its leader Guillaume Soro and MPCI commanders loyal to Ibrahim Coulibaly (commonly called IB). With the signing of the peace agreements, which brought about the creation of a government of national reconciliation and subsequently the assumption of ministerial posts by some high ranking MPCI leaders, the political wing of the movement, which included Soro, and its armed allies had every incentive to turn to politics. However, local commanders faithful to IB and afraid to miss out on post-conflict dividends pitted themselves against the pro-Soro group and as the year progressed, divisions deepened. The fractionalisation of the group became a fact when Kassoum Bamba, a pro-IC FN commander went on television and declared that the movements true leader was Ibrahim Coulibaly and that negotiations between the ex-rebels and that negotiations between the group and the president was "void and without effect" if they did not include IB. In 2004, as MPCI had completely merged with MPIGO and MJP, leaving FN the sole rebel group fighting the government, the split turned violent, pitting the core FN group against the IC-faction.
While the break-away faction clearly was loyal to IB, IB himself was not present in Ivory Coast to lead the group. In August 2003 he had been arrested in Paris, charged with plotting a coup against President Gbagbo. Released in September, he was not allowed to leave the country. Thus, the de facto leaders of FN - IC were the local commanders who supported him, some of these being Kassoum Bamba (“Kass”) and Chief Adams Coulibaly (“Adams”).
FN - IC has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.
