Highlights
- SRSG visits Interior Minister;
- Children killed in grenade explosion in Bondoukou;
- Ex-militia combattants sent home from Guiglo pending DDM's resumption;
- Human Rights Office reports illegal arrests, summary executions in Bouaké.
- Disappearances reported in Séguéla.
SRSG visits Interior Minister
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, paid a courtesy call on Wednesday 2 January 2008 on Ivorian Interior Minister Désiré Tagro, with whom he discussed various aspects of the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, including disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), the audiences foraines, identification and the electoral process. Their discussions focused on progress made in the OPA's implementation, challenges and contentious issues, the maintenance of peace and stability in the country, and ways in which the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire can cooperate with the Ministry so as to ensure that elections are held by the end of June 2008 as scheduled under the OPA. Mr Choi reaffirmed UNOCI's commitment to accompanying, assisting and supporting efforts by the Ivorian authorities to ensure that the preparations for the polls are on target.
Security
The Deputy Force Commander, Brigadier General El Hadji Mouhamadou Kandji, visited Sector West headquarters in Bouaké to discuss the prevailing security situation following unrest within the Forces Nouvelles and protests by 'Dozos' [traditional hunters who are part of the Forces Nouvelles] in late December
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff of Sector East warned colleagues in the sector that they needed to monitor closely the security situation in Bouaké, especially since the FAFN have reported that the events since 27 December in Bouaké were linked to a plot by supporters of FAFN dissident Ibrahim Coulibaly, known as IB, who has, however, denied this allegation.
Seven children died on Tuesday in a Koranic school in the eastern town of Bondoukou and seven others were injured when a grenade picked up on a road by one of their number exploded. A second grenade did not explode. The local gendarmerie and police have launched an investigation into the incident, which has raised tension between the Defence and Security Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FDS-CI) and the local population. Regional Commissioner (Prefet) Goun Germain François has appealed for calm.
DDR/DDM
The Integrated Command Centre has announced that FDS-CI elements will be withdrawn from the town of Mbahiakro [located northeast of Yamoussoukro and southeast of Bouaké on the edge of the former zone of confidence] and regrouped in Daoukro, which is further to the south. On 4 January, FDS-CI elements from Bouaflé [centre-west] are to be regrouped in Daloa.
The Force Licorne, UNOCI and the High Commands of the Defence and Security Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FDS-CI) and the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) have set up a task force to support the DDR process in Bouaké.
Some 140 ex-combattants of the MILOCI militia were sent back to their home areas on 31 December 2007 by the FDS-CI in Guiglo, pending the resumption of the disarmament of militias (DDM) process. In the main town of each area, they are to report to the gendarmerie brigade, which will transport them to their villages. After FLGO militiamen attacked them on 27- 28 December 2007, the former MILOCI combatants had been confined within the National Armed Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FANCI) camp in Guiglo for their own safety. The civilian and military authorities of the city then recommended that they return to their home areas while awaiting the resumption of DDR/DDM in the Moyen Cavally.
Human Rights
On 30 December 2007, the Bouaké Regional Human Rights Office reported that illegal arrests, ill-treatment, torture and summary executions within FAFN factions were being led by Major Ouattara Morou (Comzone I of Bouna) and the Security officer of Major Ouattara Issiaka (alias Wattao), known as Lieutenant Lorougnon. In the meantime, five corpses left at the hospital mortuary on the night of 27 to 28 December have been identified as those of Traoré Seydou, alias Imam, Fofana Mamadou, alias FM, Diakité Hamed, alias Libérien, Coulibaly Balay and Ouattara Mahamadou. All were soldiers from Wattao's Anaconda Battalion. The Human Rights office is investigating the allegations of summary executions performed in various areas in Bouaké.
On 31 December the Daloa Regional Human Rights Office conducted a fact-finding mission to Seguéla [northwest] following the allegation that Messrs Soumahoro Daouda and Diomandé Yacouba had disappeared on 26 December after being arrested by a Mr Ouattara, a close protection soldier of Zone Commander Major Koné Zakaria. Deputy Zone Commander Coulibaly Djoma said he did not know their whereabouts. The Office is still investigating the case.
The Human Rights Office Regional office in Duékoué [west] has reported that on 29-30 December, two armed robberies took place on the road from Bahé to Blaon (7 kms of Duékoué) and between the villages of Guitrozon and Boussoukro (5 kms of Duékoué). The armed robbers bore a Berretta pistol, two Kalashnikovs and a handmade weapon. Following the intervention of the Duékoué gendarmerie, two armed robbers, Traoré Zié and Adamo, were killed. No investigation has been undertaken into these killings. Two other suspects are waiting to be transferred to the prosecutor in Daloa. In the second incident, a Mr Dah Tiladé was killed by the armed robbers.