Highlights

- SRSG flies to Ouagadougou on eve of Monitoring and Evaluation Committee meeting
- UNOCI may help rehabilitate building for technical operator for identification
- Sensitisation on DDM process to start on 22 July 2008

Political

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi today left for Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, to attend a meeting of the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee to be held on 10 July 2008. Prior to the meeting, he is due to update Burkinabé President Blaise Compaoré, the Facilitator of the Inter-Ivorian Dialogue, on the latest developments in the peace process. The meeting is expected to discuss the financing of the end of crisis process in Côte d'Ivoire.
The outgoing Force Commander of Licorne, General Bruno Clément-Bollée, and his successor General Philippe Houbron, yesterday paid a courtesy call on SRSG Choi at the Mission's headquarters in Sebroko, Abidjan. Mr. Choi praised General Clément-Bollée for his contribution to the Ivorian peace process, which he said was now preparing for presidential elections on 30 November 2008. General Houbron told the SRSG that he would continue with the good work that his predecessor had done during his year-long mission in Côte d'Ivoire.

Electoral

SRSG Choi, accompanied by staff from the Electoral Assistance Division and the Engineering Section yesterday made an on-site visit to the building that has been earmarked as the headquarters for SAGEM, the technical operator for identification, in Plateau, Abidjan. The aim of the visit was to discuss with the relevant stakeholders what support UNOCI could give to the national authorities with regard to the rehabilitation of the building.

In a separate development, SAGEM yesterday informed national and international stakeholders in the identification and voter registration processes that a survey of more than 70 sites that have been earmarked as identification centres, showed that eight were sub standard. These would need to be rehabilitated or replaced. In addition, the technical team was unable to visit one site due to its inaccessibility.

Dismantling of Militias

A meeting organized by the Integrated Command Centre in Yamoussoukro yesterday agreed that sensitization of militias on the disarmament and dismantling of militias (DDM) process should start on 22 July 2008. The meeting, which lasted more than five hours, also agreed on the modus operandi for the DDM process. It was attended by representatives of the Impartial Forces as well as militia leaders and members of the local authorities in western Côte d'Ivoire, where the militias as based. Subsequent meetings on the DDM process will be held on 10 and 14 July 2008.

Security

About 500 youths belonging to the Mouvement de la Renaissance de Bondoukou demonstrated in the town centre against what they described as the exploitation of their forests by timber traders and demanded timber processing factories and other facilities be built so that the local population can benefit. They barricaded the main roads leading to the town and clashed with the police who tried to disperse them. Two demonstrators were arrested and one policeman was injured. The injured policeman was assisted by UNPOL and treated at the UNOCI hospital.

This morning, villagers in N'Gattakro, in the Yamoussoukro area put up road blocks to demonstrate against the high cost of living following the recent increases in petroleum products. UN vehicles were, however, allowed to pass through the checkpoints.

One person died and several were wounded when armed criminals attacked a passenger bus travelling from Boundiali to Odiénné (north) on 6 July 2008. Military Observers from Korhogo had a narrow escape when they accidentally came across the scene of another roadside robbery near M'bengué (north) on the same day.

Arms embargo

UNOCI peacekeepers yesterday successfully carried arms embargo inspections at the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles' (FAFN) infantry battalion in Sakassou, and at its 11th battalion in Assoum II, Bouna (north east) as well as at the Defence and Security Forces of Cote d'Ivoire's (FDS-CI) Gendarmerie Brigade in Arrah, near Bongouanou (east).

Human Rights

In San Pedro, on 8 July 2008, the Human Rights and Civil Affairs Regional Offices and the Alliance Interethnique de Cote d'Ivoire, based in the Bas Sassandra region, organized a workshop on "Human Rights, Social Cohesion and the Culture of Peace", aimed at strengthening social cohesion and dialogue, human rights promotion and tolerance among the various communities in the Bas Sassandra region. The 100 participants included traditional chiefs, local and immigrant community leaders, representatives of the youth groups, religious leaders as well as representatives from local authorities.