Highlights

- UNOCI commemorates International Peacekeepers Day
- Forces Nouvelles hands over administrative authority to Mayor in Bouaké
- Forced marriage annulled after Human Rights Office's intervention

Peacekeepers Day

UNOCI today commemorated International Peacekeepers Day with a short ceremony at its headquarters in Abidjan. Before reading out the UN Secretary-General's message, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Mr. Y.J. Choi reminded the gathering of the UN's zero tolerance policy with regard to sexual exploitation and abuse. Mr. Choi's remarks were made in the light of allegations contained in a report, published by the British NGO Save the Children, on 27 May 2008, that UNOCI peacekeepers had sexually abused children. The Force Commander, General Fernand Marcel Amoussou, said that the day was an occasion to pay tribute to those who have served and continue to serve in UN peacekeeping missions all over the world and to remember those who had paid the ultimate price by laying down their lives in the cause of peace.

DDR

The UN Police (UNPOL) in Man, western Côte d'Ivoire, yesterday reported that officers of the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) in charge of the two Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) sites in the city have asked UNOCI to help disinfect them as they are infected with termites and ants. The sites were rehabilitated and equipped by the Integrated Command Centre (ICC) which is reportedly aware of their condition.

Redeployment of administration

The Civil Affairs Office in Bouaké has reported that the Ivorian Minister of Finance has officially handed over municipal administration of the city back to the Mayor. The ceremony was attended by the Préfet of the region, and several Forces Nouvelles officials. The Minister said that the ceremony demonstrated the Forces Nouvelles' willingness to carry out its part in the Ouagadougou Political Agreement (OPA).

Arms embargo

Arms embargo inspections were yesterday successfully carried out by UNOCI peacekeepers at the Air Base of the Defence and Security Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (FDSCI) in the Abidjan district of Port Bouet, at its Gendarmerie Unit in Saioua, near Daloa (west) and at its Gendarmerie Brigade in Bondoukou (east).

Human Rights

Following the intervention of the Regional Human Rights Office in Duékoué, a 15 year-old girl who was forcibly married to a man in Daloa was returned to her family and the marriage annulled. The victim was taken to Daloa by her uncle on 19 May 2008 to marry the driver. She escaped later and reported the matter to the police. The Office met with the girl's parents on 27 May 2007, who made an undertaking not to force their daughter into marriage.

The Human Rights Office in Duékoué, in collaboration with the Public Information Office in Man and a local NGO yesterday held a sensitization session with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Danané, in western Côte d'Ivoire, on the rights accorded to IDPs and the Mission's role in the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement (OPA). A human rights committee was installed at the IDP camp during the session, which included sketches performed by the IDPs on various aspects of human rights.