Highlights

-Military commanders hold bimonthly quadripartite meeting;
-DDR chief travels to Yamoussoukro;
-Bandits attack passenger vehicle in the northwest;
-UNOCI-HR conducts mission to village affected by strife and displacement

Military

The commanders of the Defence and Security Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FDS-CI), Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN), the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) force, and French Force Licorne today held their bi-monthly meeting in Yamoussoukro. UNOCI's Force Commander was represented by Sector East Commander General Tariq Javed .

DDR

UNOCI's new DDR chief, Zahadi Ould Sidi Mohamed, had a meeting this morning with UNOCI civilian and military staff based in Yamoussoukro. The DDR chief has been visiting various locations in Sector East since 14 April to have a better understanding of the general situation and the activities of the various UNOCI sections there. Areas he has visited include Bouaké, Korhogo and Ferkessedougou.

Security

Two persons were wounded when armed bandits attacked a passenger truck along the Odienné-Touroni road in northwestern Côte d'Ivoire on 16 April. According to Banbatt, nine masked men in civilian clothes, armed with automatic weapons and a hunting rifle, stripped the 10 passengers of the vehicle, which was going to Guinea, of their money and belongings, including two motorcycles. An investigation is being conducted by the Odienné Gendarmerie Brigade and UNPOL.

A special patrol was yesterday sent to the diamond mine fields located around Diarabana and Bobi near the northwestern town of Séguéla. The patrol carried out a reconnaisance of all the minefields with a view to coordinating with local authorities with regard to arrangements for a visit by the Kimberley Process Experts on 21-22 Apr 08.

Arms Embargo

Arms embargo inspections were conducted yesterday at the Gendarmerie headquarters in the centre-west town of Gagnoa and in the eastern town of Abengourou. UNOCI Milobs conducted similar operations at FAFN units in the western towns of Glan Houyé and Man. In Yamoussoukro, UNOCI peacekeepers today carried out an arms embargo inspection at an FDS base in the central town.

On 17 April, about 150 students from the government college in the central town of Kouassi Kouassikro protested against the government. As they moved towards the office of the sub-prefect, the guards on duty fired shots in the air, causing the students to disperse. Upon investigation it was revealed that students had been promised a photostat machine by a member of the General Council of Education in the nearby town of Bocanda, and that the promise had not been fulfilled even though two months had elapsed.

Human Rights

On 14 April, UNOCI's Human Rights Office (HRO) in Yamoussoukro conducted a joint mission with the head of UNPOL in Akimmouyakro village (located 25 km from Yamoussoukro) to assess the human rights situation in the wake of an internal dispute arising from the recent election of the village chief. According to reliable sources, on the night of 9 April, a group of people looted 9 houses, including one which they burnt, in protest against the election of the new village chief, N'goran Koffi Urbain. This incident caused the displacement of 400 people to Ouffouet-Djékro village, located three km from Akimmouyakro. About 150 of them returned to their homes on 17 April following the intervention of a joint UNOCI mission and local authorities.

On the night of 15 April, a dumb girl aged 10 was raped in Zoupleu, located 25 km from the western town of Danané, by a fellow villager. HRO-Duékoué advised the father of the victim to lodge a complaint at the Danané police station. The chief of the police station gave assurances that appropriate measures would be taken against the suspected rapist.

On 16 April, HRO-Daloa participated in a conference on the theme of «Rights and duties of the actors of the education system in schools » organized by the Young Catholic Students (JEC). The aim of the conference was to sensitize the 70 participating students and teachers on human rights, in particular the right to education, and the promotion of a culture of peace in schools.

On 17 April, the Regional Human Rights Office in Abidjan participated in a conference organized by the human rights clubs of Yopougon's Commercial and Professional High School. The conference was attended by 100 students and the Ivorian Human Rights League (LIDHO), an NGO, which made a presentation on students' unions in schools.

Miscellaneous

A delegation led by Justice Minister Kone Mamasaa is currently in the north of Côte d'Ivoire. On 17 April, the delegation visited the northwestern area of Touba. Banbat-3 escorted and provided security for the delegation, which was in Bouaké today.