Highlights

- SRSG Choi goes to Divo with high-level delegation
- Crisis meeting to be held in Bouaké after ex-combatants demonstration
- Impartial Forces prove transport and security as annual school exams start

Political

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Cote d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi today made his second visit in 12 days to Divo, 189 km from Abidjan, to meet with the administrative authorities and elected officials to explain the Mission's plans for closer collaboration with them, in an effort to accelerate the end of crisis process.

Security

Following violent demonstrations by some 200 ex-combatants of the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) in Bouaké yesterday, the city's Zone Commander, Ousmane Chérif and the FAFN Military Spokesperson, Commander Seydou Ouattara told journalists that an important meeting involving all the parties involved in the DDR process, including UNOCI, Force Licorne, the Prime Minister's Office and the Minister of Defence, will be held today. The aim of the meeting is to try to agree on possible solutions to the current deadlock. The Sous-Prefect, Mr. Inza Coulibally and his wife, who were detained by the demonstrators, were later released after the intervention of UNOCI's Sector East Commander, Brigadier-General Tariq Javed.

UNPOL

UNOCI yesterday officially opened a UN Police (UNPOL) office in Boundali (north), that will also cover Tengrela. During the ceremony, the Acting Police Commissioner, Colonel Pierre André Campiche reminded the gathering that the UNPOL is in Côte d'Ivoire to help the population in the crisis resolution process. The office will be manned by eight police officers, seven days a week.

Annual Exams

In line with other parts of the country, the DREN (Direction régionale de l'éducation nationale) in Bouaké today launched the oral section of the Baccalauréat exams with UNOCI and Force Licorne providing transportation and security at the examination centres. About 11 examination centres have been established in Bouaké and in neighbouring Katiola. The education authorities' ability to organize the exams at the same time all over the country is seen as an indication of a noticeable improvement in the overall situation.

Arms embargo

Arms embargo inspections were successfully carried out yesterday by UNOCI peacekeepers at the FAFN units in Kouibly and Danané (west)

Human Rights

The Chief of the Human Rights Division, Mr. Simon Munzu yesterday started a week-long visit in western Cote d'Ivoire to meet representatives of civil society, officials from the local authorities and local human rights organisations to discuss the human rights situation in an area which is notorious for inter-community clashes. Mr. Munzu will go to Duékoué, Guiglo, Bangolo, Man and Odienné, during his visit.

The Regional Human Rights Office in Odienné yesterday commemorated International Day of the African Child, with 500 participants, including local government officials and traditional and religious leaders in the city. During the ceremony, the Office sensitized participants on children's rights with particular emphasis on child protection, non-discrimination, the right to participate in decisions affecting their lives and the right to health and education. The Regional Human Rights Office in Korhogo attended a similar celebration in the city by the NGO Association des Enfants et Jeunes Travailleurs de Korhogo.

The Regional Human Rights Office in Yamoussoukro, which went on a field mission to the Forces Nouvelles-controlled town of Bonguéra (east), discovered that FAFN soldiers continue to carry out extortion and physical assaults on civilians at checkpoints. On 9 June 2008, a man who was on his way to hospital, died after having being detained for more than three hours at a checkpoint between Bonguéra and M'Bahiakro (east), because some of the passengers travelling in the same public transport vehicle could not pay the 300 FCFA (approx 30 cents) demanded by the soldiers.