Highlights

- SRSG ends nine-city "1000 microprojects" promotional tour in San Pedro
- FAFN ex-combatants demonstrate again in Bouake
- Opposition politician asks for security from Impartial Forces

SRSG's activities

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, yesterday urged young people in the San Pedro area to come up with ideas for the Mission's "1000 micro projects" initiative. Mr. Choi explained the aim of the initiative to a gathering of some 400 people, including members of militia groups, local authorities, traditional chiefs and women, and expressed the hope that young people will take advantage of the opportunity. The Special Representative was making his final presentation of a nine-city tour to promote the "1000 micro projects" initiative for the reintegration of ex-combatants, former militias and young people at risk. The SRSG had already visited Bouaké, Daloa, Guiglo, Issia, Korhogo, Séguela, Odienné and Man to promote the initiative, which is financed by the UN Peacebuilding Fund.

DDR and micro projects

Armed reinforcements have arrived in Bouaké, after a second day of demonstrations by ex-combatants of the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) in the city. The demonstrators blocked traffic at a checkpoint in the city after a meeting between them and the Zone Commander of Bouaké, Chérif Ousmane, failed to reach an agreement. The ex-combatants have rejected the reintegration projects and are demanding a meeting with Prime Minister Guillaume Soro in Bouaké. An offer by Commander Ousmane of a meeting with the FAFN Chief of Staff, General Soumaila Bakayoko and the Prime Minister in Abidjan was flatly rejected. Cherif Ousmane was reportedly trying to calm them down at the checkpoint.
In addition demobilized FAFN ex-combatants from Séguela, Vavoua and Kani are threatening to demonstrate against the non payment of the 90,000 FCFA allowances. Payment has been postponed several times.

Meanwhile, UNOCI has learnt that the ex-combatants do not fully understand the Mission's "1000 micro projects" initiative. Most of them believe that the micro projects initiated by UNOCI are replacing reintegration programmes organized by the National Programme for Reinsertion and Community Development (PNRRC) and the Civic Service. They also complained that the micro projects are not in line with the programmes they chose during their profiling by the PNRRC. In order to avoid confusion, UNOCI has offered to provide further sensitization on the micro projects but Chérif Ousmane has reportedly refused. He has made it known that he would like to do any sensitization on his own. In televised interview on Forces Nouvelles local television on 19 August 2008, he did defend the Mission's micro projects explaining that they should be considered as a support to the national reintegration process which has to be carried out by the PNRRC and the Civic service.

Political

Ms. Henriette Dagri Diabaté, Secretary-General of the opposition political party "Rassemblement des Républicains (RDR)" has asked for security from the Impartial Forces, following an incident on 9 August 2008, during which she was prevented from leaving her hotel after a political meeting in Afféry, 120 km north of Abidjan. Her request was made during a meeting with UNOCI's Chief of the Human Rights Division, Mr. Simon Munzu, on 19 August 2008. The meeting focused on the security of political leaders in general and those from the opposition in particular, as well as security for the general public during the electoral period.

DDR

The 9th phase of the demobilization process of the FAFN ex-combatants from the HQ, the Regional Directorate of the police and gendarmerie, the customs, as well as other paramilitary groups, which started on 19 August 2008, continues today.

Security

The president of the youth group "Le Mouvement de Renaissance de Bondoukou" (MOREB), yesterday came to UNOCI offices in the town to apologise for his members behaviour during demonstrations a week ago. Two UNOCI vehicles had stones thrown at them, resulting in a member of staff being slightly injured, while the ONUCI FM correspondent was threatened. The MOREB members also tried to break into his home but were prevented from doing so by GHANBATT peacekeepers. MOREB said they were angry against the Mission because it had provided teargas which was used by the local police to disperse them. The Mission denied the allegations. In a letter addressed to the director of ONUCI FM, MOREB formally apologised for its members' behaviour. Meanwhile Ivorian officials are said to be looking into the organisation's grievance that the natural resources of the region were being exploited to the benefit of others.

Young people displaced from Akimouyaokro village, near Yamoussoukro (centre) are threatening to use violence to regain access to their village. The village chief and some 500 villagers had their homes burnt and were forced to leave the village following a dispute over who should be chief between two rival clans in June 2008. The displaced villagers are now living as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ouffoué-Diekro village, some three miles away from Akimouyaokro. He told a Civil Affairs Officer who visited them to assess their situation, that they had water, food and health problems. The crisis was started when a rival chief was crowned in the village in the presence of the wife of the President, Mrs Simone Gbagbo, because of his affiliation with the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) party. The deposed chief is from the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI) party. The violent dispute also resulted in the closure of the local school Akimouyaokro.

Human Rights

On 20 August, the Regional Human Rights Office in Duékoué together with the Public Information Office conducted a one-day human rights sensitization campaign in Duezon, 13 km from Duékoué (west), to address inter-community disputes and gender-based violence. The session was attended by 50 participants including local authorities, leaders from the Burkinabé, Malian, Baoulé, Yacouba and Guéré communities and women associations. Presentations focused on the rights of minorities, violence against women, freedom of speech and freedom of movement. Leaflets on human rights and on UNOCI's mandate were distributed.

In Bouaké, impunity persists despite actions undertaken by the Regional Human Rights Office. On 19 August 2008, the Office was told by an official at the Police Commission that they had been forced to release a man accused of burglary after they were threatened at gunpoint by a Major from the FAFN. On the same day, a man detained at Bouaké civilian prison since 26 April 2008, accused of the attempted murder of three Togolese nationals between the night of 20 April and the morning of 21 April 2008, was released without charge, following the intervention of an FAFN soldier.