Highlights

- Identification to start in Bouaké tomorrow
- Mixed Brigade gendarmes strike over allowances

Electoral process

The identification and voter registration operation is due to be launched in Bouaké tomorrow, 18 November 2008, at the Lycée Classique by Ivorian Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro. Some 174 centres are expected to be opened in the Vallée du Bandama region and 250 soldiers from Defence and security Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FDSCI) have already arrived in the city to join their Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) counterparts to provide security during the operation. UNOCI is facilitating the transportation of the identification equipment and staff by providing seven vehicles with drivers. Meanwhile, identification agents are protesting against the non payment of their allowances in Korhogo (north). They claim they have not received any money since they arrived in the town two months ago.

Redeployment of administration

Redeployed civil servants in Bouaké called off the strike of the non payment of allowances which was due to start today, after meeting with representatives of the Committee for the Redeployment of Civil Servants (CNPRA) to discuss the issue. It was agreed that a meeting would take place in Abidjan later this month to revisit the timetable of payment for Korhogo (north) and Man (west). The CNPRA called on the civil servants to be patient explaining that the non payment of their allowances was due to financial difficulties currently facing the government.

Mixed Brigade

FAFN gendarmes attached to the Mixed Brigade in N'gattadolikro (east) on 14 November 2008, went on a sit-down strike to protest against the non payment of 11 months of special benefits and three months of food allowances.

Human Rights

The Regional Human Rights Office in Abidjan is following up on several incidents involving members of the Centre de Commandement des Opérations de Sécurité (CECOS) during which people were killed or arrested. It was reported that the General Police Inspection interrogated a group of CECOS members on 12 November 2008, over allegations that they killed a young man in the Adjamé district of Abidjan on 27 October 2008. On 10 November 2008 it was also reported that CECOS members arrested a driver and passenger of a public transport vehicle in the Abobo district in Abidjan. They were subsequently detained in the Abobo Gendarmerie and severely beaten, after 53,000 FCFA ($100) was taken from them.

The Regional Human Rights and Child Protection Offices in Duekoue, in collaboration with "Les Paroles des Femmes Actives de 18 Mountagnes", an NGO for the promotion and protection of women's and children's rights have held a training for members of the NGO and women's groups in Man on the fight against violence against women and young girls, with special emphasis on female genital mutilation.