Highlights

- Militiamen in Guiglo demonstrate over demobilization allowances
- UNOCI FC goes to Ghana to discuss border security
- MORBATT to deploy in Issia in near future

Militia Protest

A group of 30 militiamen from the Resistance Group of the Great West yesterday demonstrated in Guiglo (west) outside the residence of their leader Denis Maho Glofiéi, demanding that they should also be paid the 90,000 FCFA that has been paid to demobilized ex-combatants of the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN). Local people stayed indoors during the protest.

Military

UNOCI Force Commander, General Fernand Amoussou today went to Accra to meet the head of the Ghanaian Armed Forces to discuss border security issues in connection with elections in Cote d'Ivoire which are scheduled for 30 November 2008.

A reconnaissance mission to identify a site for a camp for the Mission's Moroccan Battalion (MORBATT) was successfully carried out in Issia, in western Cote d'Ivoire yesterday. A site has been identified and the necessary procedures to acquire it are now being put in place. It should be recalled that Issia was previously anti-UNOCI which resulted in peacekeepers being prevented from patrolling the area. However following several meetings between the local authorities and UNOCI personnel in Sector West in early 2007, the Mission succeeded in organizing a public forum which led to a significant decrease in hostility towards the Mission's personnel.

DDR

The 4th and 5th phases of the demobilization process of ex-combatants of the FAFN, which started last week, are expected to continue for few more days. The process has been extended in order to ensure that all demobilized ex-combatants received their allowances of 90,000 FCFA. It should be recalled that a large group of ex-combatants staged violent protests for three days over the late payment of their allowances.

Arms embargo

Arms embargo inspections were yesterday successfully carried out UNOCI peacekeepers at the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles' (FAFN) unit at Police Commission in Bondoukou (east) and at its Peloton Mobile Gendarmerie in Korhogo. Meanwhile, the Mission's Abidjan Reserve Team carried out a similar inspection at the Air Base in Abidjan Airport.

Human Rights

The Regional Human Rights Office in Yamoussoukro yesterday organised a training workshop for 15 policemen and 15 gendarmes from Yamoussoukro, Toumodi and Kossou (central) on international human rights laws and norms. The training focused specifically on the rights related to arrest, detention, the use of force and firearms.