Highlights

- SRSG meets Ivorian Minister for National Reconciliation
- 1,062 militias profiled in central Côte d'Ivoire
- Military cross-border meeting dismisses rumours of militia activities

SRSG's activities

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, today met with the Ivorian Minister of National Reconciliation, Sébastien Dano Djédjé, to discuss issues of common interest. The two men discussed how UNOCI and the Ministry of National Reconciliation can work together to promote peace and reconciliation in Côte d'Ivoire.

Yesterday Mr. Choi met with the Diplomatic Corps, financial institutions and regional organizations accredited to Côte d'Ivoire, to discuss the UN Security Council meetings on Cote d'Ivoire held in New York in January 2009 and his recent meetings with President Laurent Gbagbo, Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, Henri Konan Bedié, President of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI) and Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore, the Facilitator of the Inter-Ivorian Dialogue. The discussions also focused on the 6th meeting of the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, scheduled to be held in Ouagadougou on 16 February 2009.

DDM

Some 1,062 militias were profiled yesterday in Yamoussoukro and Didievi (centre), as part of the process of disarmament and dismantling of militia (DDM). The DDM process was launched on 2 February 2009 with sensitization sessions, which ended on 9 February, after which the profiling of the militias started in several locations through out central Cote d'Ivoire. The operation is scheduled to start in Bongouanou (centre east) on 2 and 3 March and in Bondoukou (east) on 4 and 5 March 2009.

Meanwhile, rumours of Liberian militias crossing the border with Cote d'Ivoire to take part in the DDM process were described as baseless by peacekeepers from UNOCI and the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) at a border meeting held in Loguato, Liberia yesterday. The meeting also dismissed rumours of a planned attack in Côte d'Ivoire by Liberian ex-combatants living in Guinea. However, peacekeepers from the two missions agreed to continue closely monitoring the situation. Soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) and the National Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (FANCI) have increased joint patrols along border areas.

Security

UNOCI peacekeepers have reported an increase in patrolling by soldiers from the FAFN with heavy arms in Séguéla following unconfirmed rumours of a new armed attack. On the evening of 10 February 2009, the sound of gunshots was heard in the direction of the Zone Commander's residence. UNOCI troops are monitoring the situation.

A UNOCI mission comprising UNPOL, Civil Affairs and Human Rights yesterday participated in a reconciliation meeting in Séitifla, 35 km west of Vavoua (centre west), to defuse tension between the indigenous Gouro and immigrant Mossi communities, following a violent clash between the two groups on the night of 9 February 2009. According to villagers' accounts, violence erupted after the chief of the Mossi community repeatedly refused to remain indoors, as demanded by the Gouros, during a secret society ceremony. Accusing the Mossi chief of violating their customs, members of the Gouro community arrested him, beat him up and set fire to his personal belongings. Twelve people were arrested on 10 February 2009 in connection with the incident.

Human Rights

The Regional Human Rights Office Odienné is following up reports of a 16-year-old girl living in the Yankafissa area of Odienné, who was forced to undergo female genital mutilation and consequently lost a lot of blood but was being kept at home by her parents and was not receiving any medical treatment. The Office also had a working session with the Regional Director of the Ministry of Family, Women and Social Affairs to discuss the commemoration of International Women's Day on the 8 March 2009; and with members of the Coordination of Human Rights Promotion and Protection Cells in the Denguélé and Bafing regions to discuss capacity building for members of the cells, civil society, NGOs, FAFN, human rights clubs and regional electoral commission as well as traditional and religious leaders.

The Regional Human Rights Office in San Pedro participated in a seminar on "Strengthening the Capacity of NGOs on the Universal Peer Review (UPR)". The UPR is a mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council aimed at reviewing the human rights situation of all 191 UN member-countries. The human rights situation in Côte d'Ivoire is due to be examined in December 2009. The aim of the seminar was to train civil society organizations on the UPR and how to collect information on the human rights situation in the Bas Sassandra region.