Highlights

- Angry ex-combatants damage FAFN Chief of Staff's car
- Potential beneficiaries of "1000 microprojects" identified

Security

Angry ex-combatants, who have volunteered to join the new unified army, yesterday damaged the car of the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles, General Soumaila Bakayoko after he arrived for an internal meeting at the 3rd battalion camp in Bouake. The Zone Commander of Bouaké, Commander Cherif Ousmane failed to calm them down and General Bakayoko had to be led away from the scene. The ex-combatants were protesting over the non-payment of their allowances. They also claimed that they were likely to be forgotten after the presidential elections are held.

1000 micro projects

Following a nine-city tour by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Cote d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi to promote UNOCI's "1000 micro projects" initiative, the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) has reportedly identified 46 groups, comprising 358 people as potential beneficiaries of the micro projects aimed at helping ex-combatants, former militias and other youths at risk to resume normal lives in their respective communities. A wide range of projects from catering and hairdressing to animal husbandry have been proposed by the groups from Odienné, Touba, San Pedro, Korhogo, Madinani, Minignan and Boundiali. Joint sensitisation sessions are planned by UNOCI staff and local authorities to further promote the "1000 micro projects" initiative in various parts of Côte d'Ivoire in the coming weeks. A number of towns and cities are in the process of establishing project committees, which will decide on which projects will benefit and which agencies which would help with the development of the projects.

Arms embargo

Arms embargo inspections were yesterday successfully carried out at the National Armed Forces of Côte d'Ivoire's (FANCI) Gendarmerie Brigade in Zuénoula (centre west) and at the FAFN's 73rd battalion in Ouaninou, Man (west), at its 64th battalion checkpoint in Danané (west), at its 82nd battalion in Goueya (north west) and at its Unit in Tafiré (north east) as well as at the Air Base in Port-Bouet, Abidjan.

Human Rights

The Regional Human Rights Office in Daloa (centre west) participated in human rights training conducted in Bouaflé for commissioners of police, gendarmerie, water and forestry staff and customs agents in the Bouaflé and Bonon area (centre). Emphasis was made on the right to freedom of movement by public transport vehicles during the training session, which was part of a seminar organized by International Rescue Committee (IRC) based in Yamoussoukro. The Human Rights Office distributed documents including the Human Rights Charter, the Ivorian Constitution and leaflets based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

On 27 August 2008, the Human Rights Office and Child Protection Unit, together with the African Union Club, a local NGO Soutra and a woman who performed female genital mutilation (FGM), held a working session on the human rights in general and the negative impact of FGM on women's rights. During the session, the woman who plied her trade in Seydougou sous-préfecture, in the Denguélé region, agreed to convince other women to stop the practice on women and girls while appealing to UNOCI to help them by supporting income-generating activities.