Highlights

- UNOCI provides transportation for first batch of electoral material
- Militiamen in west unhappy about allowances
- Rule of Law section concerned over redeployment of judiciary in Forces Nouvelles zones

Political

UNOCI has decided to provide transportation for the first batch of electoral material expected to arrive in Cote d'Ivoire soon, in order to ensure that the identification process starts as quickly as possible. The material will be brought by air in the next few days. In the same spirit, UNOCI has also donated 35 air conditioning systems which are to installed in the headquarters of SAGEM, the technical operator for identification.

DDM

Following a demonstration by some 470 militia members in the western town of Bangolo on 29 July 2008, the National Programme for Reintegration and Community Rehabilitation (PNRRC) yesterday deployed a team in the town to start the profiling the militias, as part of the disarmament and dismantling of militias (DDM) process. However, during the operation, it was discovered that some militia members were not eligible and had been misinformed about the registration process. As a result, the team conducting the profiling had difficulties making some of them understand why they had been excluded. In addition, some of the militia leaders claimed that food and transportation allowances for their followers should be given to them rather than directly to their members. They also protested about the amount of money claiming it was much less than that given to ex-combatants of the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN). Consequently, tension remained high throughout the operation. Later the same day, some members of the militia group UPRGO complained to UNOCI that they had only received 3000 FCFA as a disarmament stipend while FAFN ex-combatants had been given 25,000 FCFA. The PNRRC rejected the allegations but nevertheless called for a crisis meeting with militia members to address their grievances. Meanwhile the PNRRC reported that 560 militia members had been registered during the profiling operation in Duekoué on 29 July 2008.

Security

BENINBATT yesterday sent a special patrol to Glapaoudy near the western town of Guiglo, to rescue a Guinean shopkeeper who was seriously injured following an attack by an unknown gang. The victim was stabbed several times by the bandits. After providing him with first aid, the patrol transported him to the hospital in Guiglo. The peacekeepers found a home-made gun, which was handed over to the law enforcement authorities, who have launched an investigation into the incident.
Redeployment of administration

At a meeting with the Chief of Staff of the Ivorian Ministry of Justice and Human Rights yesterday, UNOCI's Rule of Law section was told that progress in the redeployment of the judiciary to the Forces Nouvelles-controlled regions had been slow because the redeployment of the Police and Gendarmerie remained an essential precondition for the reopening of the courts. He said however that the Ministry and the Office of the Prime Minister were actively seeking a solution to the problem. One of the options being discussed was providing training to some FAFN members and giving them the rank of judicial police officers. Should this or other time-saving solutions prove impracticable, the permanent redeployment of the judiciary prior to the closure of the electoral lists would probably be impossible. However, the Chief of Staff said that if that were the case, then a certain number of courts could be deployed temporarily to deal exclusively with electoral disputes.

Arms Embargo

UNOCI peacekeepers yesterday successfully carried out arms embargo inspection at the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) 54th Battalion in Djibrosso (Séguéla, centre west), at its unit in Boundiali (north) and at the Defence and Security of Cote d'Ivoire's (FDSCI) air base in the Abidjan district of Port Bouet. Meanwhile on the same day peacekeepers were refused permission by the Ivorian police authorities to carry out a similar inspection at the Prefecture de Police in Bondoukou (east). The unit to be inspected claimed it had not received authorization for the inspection.

Human Rights

The Regional Human Rights and Public Information Offices in Duékoué participated on 29 July 2008, in a seminar on women's rights and gender based violence, organized by the NGO CARE International in Duékoué. The seminar was attended by 60 members of the women's organisations Akoussounhi, Liegnan, Femme battante and Ziegnan de Dibobly. The women were sensitized on human rights in general and women's rights in particular. The Office encouraged the women to fight gender-based sexual violence and impunity for such crimes in the western regions of the country.

Two of the 18 suspected armed robbers arrested on 27 July 2008 by Dozos (traditional hunters) and subsequently transferred to the local prison in Korhogo, yesterday told the the Regional Human Rights Office based in the city that they had been beaten up by the Dozos after their arrest. The two had fresh wounds on their bodies. Two others admitted to the Office that they had taken part in armed robberies.

As a result of the intervention of the Regional Human Rights Office in Odienné, with regard to access to education for children in remote villages, the Direction Regional de l'Education Nationale d'Odienné (DREN) has agreed to establish three more community schools in the next academic year in addition to the three it established last academic year. These schools are now attended by about 150 students. The three community schools were set up in Sakofe (Bafing region), Tomba and N'Doniegue (Denguélé region) last year, with the support of the Human Rights Division.