Highlights

- UNOCI hands over first batch of electoral material to Ivorian Government
- Peacekeepers provide security escort for opposition politician blocked by Young Patriots
- UNOCI staff help establish peace after inter-community conflict in Zoukangbeu village

Electoral

UNOCI handed over the first batch of electoral material to the Ivorian Government yesterday in Abidjan. The equipment, comprising 1500 electoral kits, was transported from Brindisi, Italy, by the UN mission with a view to enabling the technical operator, SAGEM, to launch identification operations quickly. As he handed over the equipment, the Principal Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Abou Moussa, said that through its support, UNOCI "marks once again its will and determination to join the partners in working for the rapid launch of the identification operations, which are crucial to the preparation and organisation of the elections".

Security

The Secretary-General of the Rassemblement des républicains (RDR) political party, Henriette Dagry Diabaté, was yesterday prevented from leaving a hotel in Afféry, near Adzopé (south) for 12 hours by a group of about 50 Young Patriots. Mrs Diabaté, who was in the area for a pre-election meeting, denounced what she called the "lack of security prevailing in the region". UNOCI sent a JORBATT platoon to the area. A Military Observer (Milobs) patrol was also deployed to the area to find out how the incident came about. It should be recalled that UNOCI is currently preparing to deploy in this region, which had previously been hostile to the mission, but has now accepted the redeployment. Peacekeepers should start building a camp in Adzopé city this week.

Military Observers from Duékoué on 9 August 2008, met with the chief of Guehiebly who told them that the security situation in the area had deteriorated considerably over the last two months with unknown armed bandits coming to the village on a daily basis to loot houses and shops. According to the chief, on 26 July 2008, gunmen came to the village and looted five shops and two houses. As a result, the chief said, some shop owners and villagers have started to leave the village. He also said that many people leave their homes at night and hide in the forest, fearing for their lives. The villagers have contacted Bangolo Mixed Brigade but each time they say they are told that the Mixed Brigade has no fuel or enough vehicles to go to the village. The village chief requested that a post manned by the National Armed Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FANCI) be established in the area or that gendarmes be deployed in the village to maintain security. Meanwhile, the chief of Inagbehio village, near Vavoua (centre-west), last weekend, made a similar complaint to a UNOCI patrol about increased attacks along the main roads near the village.

Social Cohesion

UNOCI staff from the Human Rights and Civil Affairs sections, along with the Sous Prefet of Zoukougbeu (west), situated on the Daloa – Duékoué road (west), last weekend successfully participated in a conflict resolution meeting in Zoukangbeu village between the Burkinabé community and members of a local militia who had taken seven heads of cattle from the Burkinabés. It was reported that they had taken the cattle in order to force the relevant authorities to include them in the disarmament and dismantling of militias (DDM) process, which was launched in nearby Duékoué on 22 July 2008. The Burkinabé community responded by creating a local self-defense force, which led to tension between them and the militias. During the conflict resolution meeting and it was agreed that reparation would be made for the cattle taken from the Burkinabés. The Sous Prefet also ordered an end to any further training by the militias. The Civil Affairs Sections suggested that a monitoring committee should be established in Zoukangbeu village to help consolidate peace and social cohesion.

Denial of freedom of movement

A Milobs patrol from Danané was yesterday denied entry into Bieutouo village at the Gendarmerie check point in Ouyatouo, which leads to the Ity mining area. This is the second time a patrol has been denied entry into this area.

DDM

Some 7,567 militia members were profiled during the second phase of the disarmament and dismantling of militias (DDM) process in western Cote d'Ivoire, which ended on 8 August 2008. Militia members from Duékoué, Bangolo, Zeo, Guiglo and Zagne took part in the sensitization and profiling operations, which started on 22 July 2008.

Human Rights

Despite an urgent request for medical care made by the Regional Human Rights Office in Daloa on 7 August 2008 to prison authorities in the city, an inmate who was suffering from bullet wounds was left unaided and consequently died. Prison authorities failed to refer him to hospital. This brings to ten the number of inmates who have died in this prison since July 2008.

On 8 August, the Regional Human Rights Office in Abidjan, along with the Electoral Assistance Division and the NGO, "Union des Jeunes Démocrates", organized a sensitization campaign on human rights and elections, attended by 200 people from the Abidjan district of Abobo, including members of the local authorities and representatives of civil society organizations. Sketches performed by the theatre group "Manh Boya" helped to demonstrate real life scenarios relating to human rights and elections. A similar sensitization campaign was conducted on 7 August 2008 by the Regional Human Rights Office in Odienné, for Ivorian Independence Day celebrations. Sketches performed by the theatre group Bêhitafô, on the rights of women and children, with special emphasis on violence against women and the right to education, especially of young girls, were presented.