(CNN) -- Ivory Coast is "on the brink of genocide" following disputed presidential elections that triggered violence resulting in more than 170 deaths, the nation's new ambassador to the United Nations warned.
World leaders have urged self-declared President Laurent Gbagbo to cede power in favor of Alassane Ouattara, who is considered the rightful winner of the November presidential runoff election.
Youssoufou Bamba, Ouattara's newly appointed ambassador, said Ouattara is concerned about the human rights violations following the elections.
"As you know, there is a massive violation of human rights ... 172 people killed only because they want to demonstrate, they want to speak out, they want to defend the will of the people," the ambassador told United Nations officials Wednesday.
"We think it's unacceptable. Thus, one of the messages I try to get across during the conversations I have conducted so far, is to tell we are on the brink of genocide". CNN
