Highlights

- UNOCI marks 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration with Ivorian Ministry of Justice
- UNPOL investigating attack which left two children dead
- Villagers protest outside FAFN camp against soldiers' attack

International Human Rights Day

To mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UNOCI today organized an official ceremony in Abidjan, which was attended by the Principal Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (PDSRSG), Mr. Abou Moussa, and the Ivorian Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Mr. Mamadou Kone. Mr. Kone said that Cote d'Ivoire remained true to the Universal Declaration despite the fact that the crisis had led to numerous human rights violations all over the country. He also added that his country was committed to promoting and defending human rights. The PDSRSG read the message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon in which the SG said that though much had been achieved since the adoption of the Universal Declaration, the world had still not been able to achieve human rights for all. The ceremony was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, UN agencies' staff and NGO representatives.

Security

Two children aged 3 and 6 died in the early hours of this morning when an unidentified armed person attacked a compound occupied by demobilized ex-combatants in Bonoufla (centre west). Bonoufla Mixed Brigade and UNPOL have launched an inquiry into the incident.

Members of Bangolo Mixed Brigade have returned to their post following a decision to send them back to their respective camps after they went on strike in November 2008 over the non-payment of their salaries and allowances. Residents in the Man area had protested over the dismantling of the Mixed Brigade, claiming that this would further exacerbate an already precarious security situation. Meanwhile attacks by unidentified armed assailants continue in the area and yesterday, the sous-prefet of Bangolo said that vehicles and pedestrians were often attacked on market day.

Some 300 villagers protested outside the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) camp in Bouna (north east) on 8 December 2008, after two soldiers were caught when they tried to rob a businessman in Lemidouo village, 4 km south-east of Bouna. According to reports received by UNOCI's security staff, the businessman refused to give them any money and was beaten. The villagers, however, went to his aid and detained the two soldiers while two others escaped and hid in the FAFN camp in Bouna.

Arms Embargo

Arms embargo inspections were yesterday successfully carried out by UNOCI peacekeepers at Abidjan Air Base, at the FAFN's 54th battalion in Kani, near Séguéla (centre west) and its camp in Niakaramandougou, near Bouaké as well as at the Defence and Security Forces of Côte d'Ivoire's (FDS-CI) gendarmerie brigades in Sassandra (coastal) and Prikro, near M'Bahiakro (east).

Human Rights

On 6 December, the Human Rights Regional Office in Duekoué participated in a reconciliation event between ex-members of self-defence groups, ex-militiamen, various communities and FAFN soldiers in Duekoué (west). The speeches and discussions focused on peace, reconciliation and social cohesion with regard to defusing tension between indigenous and immigrant communities living in the Moyen Cavally region. It should be recalled that the region has witnessed much ethnic tension, the most recent outbreak being in Zeaglo, near Blolequin, in November 2008 when youths demonstrated against the return of immigrant plantation owners who had been forced to abandon their homes by the Ivorian crisis.

On 5 December 2008, within the framework of the 16- day campaign on the elimination of violence against women, the International Day against HIV-AIDS and the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Human Rights Division, in collaboration with the Ministry of Family, Women and Social Affairs, organized several human rights awareness-raising activities in Duékoué and Daloa (centre west). Some 1,310 people, including local authorities, representatives of government departments, traditional, community and religious leaders, members of human rights clubs and women's associations as well as local human rights NGOs attended the events that centred on the theme "Women's rights are human rights".