Highlights

- Identification and Electoral Census process moving forward;
- September arrests in Séguéla confirmed

Electoral process

The early stages of the nationwide identification and electoral census process faces a number of challenges. Staff from the National Institute of Statistics were asked to go to Abidjan from Ferkéssédougou yesterday, after they had run a collection centre for identification and electoral census in the northern town since 15 September 2008. The centre will remain closed until they return. In Abidjan, where 774 collection centres are to be established, equipment is still being delivered. A number of training sessions for collection centre staff are underway in Abidjan and other towns around the country.

In the Vallee du Bandama, a three-day training course delivered by SAGEM to the chiefs of collection centres and identification agents from the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) and the National Identification Office (ONI) yesterday began in Dabakala. A similar one was launched today in Bouake.

Security

There are continued reports of banditry in the north and west of the country, as well as in Abidjan. These incidents included an attack yesterday on the home of a local staffer of the International Rescue Committee in Man. (Correction added here, the original incorrectly referred to the ICG (International Crisis Group) instead of the IRC ndrl.)

In Séguéla, the Armed Forces of Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) yesterday confirmed at a tripartite meeting with UNOCI and Licorne that they had arrested some ex-combatants in September. According to an FAFN representative, the arrests were made following chronic rumors regarding the preparation of subversive activities by ex-combatants still loyal to former FAFN zone commander Zakaria Koné.

The probability of robberies in the upcoming cocoa season and the risk of disturbances by ex-combatants at election time were the reasons given by the FAFN hierarchy for arresting a number of other elements suspected of having weapons in their houses. According to the FAFN representative, most of the arrested ex-combatants were released and redeployed elsewhere, but some of them were still in custody.

Human Rights

During the night of 2 to 3 October, a 10 year-old girl ran away from her home in the Orly 2 neighbourhood in Daloa, as a result of continuous beatings. The girl, who lived with her sister for the last three years, was used as a domestic and maltreated during that period. The girl, who showed scars of beatings on her upper body, was taken to the police station in Daloa. The sister was summoned for interrogation by the police. The girl requested to be returned to her parents in Abidjan. The Human Rights Regional Office in Daloa is following up the case with the local authorities.