in VOA Special English.Ivory Coast gained independencefrom France in nineteen sixty.It grew into one ofthe wealthiest countriesin West Africathrough cocoa exportsand foreign investments.(SOUND)But its latest political crisishas come at great cost.The United Nations saysseveral hundred peoplehave been killed since early December.As many as one millionhave fled their homes,mostly in Abidjan, the main city.Some have fled west to Liberiaor east to Ghana.On Friday, the UN human rights officeexpressed concern aboutunconfirmed reports of kidnappingand abuse of civiliansby fighters loyal to Alassane Ouattara.He is the internationallyrecognized winner of the presidentialelection last year.But President Laurent Gbagborefuses to accept the results.A UN human rights spokesman,Rupert Colville, saidmost of the reports werefrom western Ivory Coast.RUPERT COLVILLE: "Initially,most of the abuses,if not all the abuses,were by the forces in supportof Laurent Gbagbo, former president.But recently there's beenan increase of retaliatory attacksby people on the other side,including a slightly mysterious groupcalled the Invisible Commandoswho've been operating against Gbagbo."The International Committeeof the Red Cross said civilianstrapped by the fightinghave been unable to get food,water or medicine.The Red Cross has appealedfor an additional sixteen milliondollars to help peopleentering Liberia.Fighters loyal to Mr. Ouattaramoved into Abidjan on Thursdayafter a quick offensivethrough Ivory Coast.Pro-Gbagbo forces surrenderedthe airport to the nearly ten thousandUnited Nations peacekeeping troopsin the country.Mr. Ouattara called forthe support of all government troops.(SOUND)The country is calling you, he said.Years ago, Alassane Ouattaralived and studied in the United States.He received a doctorate in economicsat the University of Pennsylvaniain the early nineteen seventies.He worked for the InternationalMonetary Fund and the Central Bankof West African States.Mr. Ouattara, who is Muslim,was born in central Ivory Coastin nineteen forty-two.He served as prime ministerin the early nineteen nineties.But questions about his citizenshipkept him out of the presidentialelection in two thousand.Laurent Gbagbo was bornto a Catholic family in the southin nineteen forty-five.He attended Paris' Sorbonne Universityand later spent time in exilein the French capital.In nineteen seventy-one, he was arrestedin Ivory Coast for "subversive teaching."He continued his activism afterreturning in nineteen eighty-eight.The former history professorcame to power in two thousandas a supporter of full democracy.But hopes for a new kindof African leadership fellas elections were repeatedly postponed.Mr. Gbagbo himself became presidentafter a disputed electionand political unrest.But after two years he faceda rebellion in the north.A peace treaty in two thousand sevenled to the presidential election last year.Mr. Gbagbo won the first vote.But he refused to acceptdefeat in a runoff election.And that's IN THE NEWSin VOA Special English.