Highlights

- Azopé authorities promise to help UNOCI make electoral process a success
- Disgruntled FAFN ex-combatants demonstrate over allowances

Political

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Cote d'Ivoire, Mr. Y.J. Choi today held a successful meeting with the Prefet and population of Adzopé, situated 104 kilometres from Abidjan. Members of the local authorities told Mr. Choi that they stood ready to support the Mission to ensure that the electoral process succeeds. Tomorrow, 17 June 2008, the Special Representative is scheduled to make his second visit in 12 days to Divo, 189 km from Abidjan, to meet with the administrative authorities and elected officials to explain the Mission's plans for closer collaboration with them, in an effort to accelerate the end of crisis process.

Security

A large group of demobilized ex-combatants from the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) today staged a violent demonstration in Bouaké against the non-payment of their monthly allowances. The demonstrators fired aerial shots causing people to panic and run. They were eventually calmed down after being persuaded to return to their camp by the Zone Commander of Bouaké, Cherif Ousmane. The ex-combatants claim that out three installments of 90,000 FCFA each (approx $200), only one installment has been paid.

UNOCI peacekeepers, on 15 June 2008, received reports that a passenger was killed on 14 June 2008, during an attack by bandits on a public transport vehicle. The incident happened near Djambe village on the road to Boundiali (north). The bandits escaped with an unknown amount of money and other valuable items.

A staff member of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Guiglo (west) was this morning attacked by four armed men who stole his mobile phone and 130 FCFA ($110) in cash. He escaped unhurt.

Arms embargo

Arms embargo inspections were successfully carried out by UNOCI peacekeepers on 13 June 2008 at the National Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire's (FANCI) unit in Yamoussoukro Airport (central) and the FAFN checkpoints in the Sangouine area (west).

Human Rights

The Human Rights Division in partnership with an NGO called l'Union des Jeunes Démocrates (UJD), on 13 June 2008, organised training for 500 participants from 36 NGOs and associations on the role of young people in the promotion of human rights in an electoral period. Human Rights officer, Jacqueline Coffi-Mensah, spoke on "Human Rights and Elections", during which she touched on the international principles and norms governing elections, notably the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She said it was important for the Ivorian elections to comply with international standards so that they can be considered fair, credible and transparent. The theatre group, Man Boya, performed plays and sketches to illustrate human rights in the Ivorian electoral process.

On 12 June, the Regional Human Rights Office in Daloa concluded a three-day human rights training workshop for 103 policemen from the Mission's Jordanian Formed Police Unit (FPU). The aim of the training was to sensitize them on international human rights norms and victim protection techniques. Particular emphasis was put on sexual violence. Copies of the Universal Declaration of Human rights in Arabic were distributed.