Highlights

-UNOCI chief chairs International Consultative Organ meeting
-Bodies of UNPOL accident victims brought to Abidjan
-UNOCI increases patrols along Sakassou-Beoumi axis

Peace Process

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Cote d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, today chaired a meeting of the International Consultative Organ, responsible for accompanying the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement at the headquarters of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI). The meeting focused on the best way to help Cote d'Ivoire expedite the end the crisis with particular attention to the provision of financial support for the Disarmament Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) process and elections.

Accidents

The bodies of the two UN police (UNPOL) officers who died in a fatal road accident near the northern town of Korhorgo have been brought to Abidjan, while an Ivorian woman who died in same accident was buried on 9 February 2008. UNOCI Security is investigating the accident.

A UNOCI vehicle was yesterday involved in a road accident with a civilian truck near the Sector East HQ in Bouaké. Two passengers in the truck were slightly injured and taken to the local hospital. Investigations are ongoing. On the same day five people were injured in an accident along the Bouaké-Sakassou road.

Security

A cattle trader travelling on 8 February 2008 from Bangolo towards Logoualé in western Côte d'Ivoire was attacked by five armed men, who stole his mobile phone and more than 3.7 million CFA. The Bangolo Mixed Brigade has launched an investigation.

UNOCI military in Sector East has increased patrols along the Sakassou-Beoumi axis following reports of attacks by road bandits on 8 February 2008.

Human Rights

In response to reports of violent clashes in the Oumé region [centre west] between members of the national student union, Fédération Estudiantine et Scolaire de Côte d'Ivoire (FESCI), and students of the Lycée scientifique, the Regional Human Rights Office in Yamoussoukro conducted a field mission to the area on 8 February 2008. Some 15 students suffered head and back injuries as a result of the clashes, which occurred on 6 February 2008. During its mission, the Office documented several cases presented by seven human rights clubs indicating that FESCI members on schools campuses had been threatening and forcibly collecting money from other students. They requested UNOCI's Human Rights Division to organize a joint campaign on campuses, focussing on human rights and the culture of peace as well as the right to education.

In the northwestern town of Odienne, the Regional Human Rights Office and the Regional Directorate of National Education (DREN) organized a human rights awareness raising campaign for 57 villagers in Tomba, 50 km south of Odienné, on 8 February 2008. The session focused on children's rights with particular emphasis on the right to health and education.

The Regional Human Rights Office in Abidjan met with a delegation from the Directorate of territorial Surveillance (DST) on 8 February 2008, to review the case of a Mr. Gba Gilbert, who had been detained at the DST since 8 January 2008 on a crime against national security. Last week, following the intervention of the Office, an Ivorian arrested on the same grounds was released.

On 8 February 2008, the Regional Human Rights Office in Duékoué met with the administrative and military authorities in the western region of Danané to discuss ongoing cases of racketeering by members of the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) at checkpoints in Trouhinpleu, situated between Danané and Zouan Hounien. The soldiers have been collecting 300 FCFA (around 70 US cents) as a crossing fee.

The Regional Human Rights Office in the western town of Duékoué and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) jointly organized a one-day sensitization campaign on violence against women in Donguiné, a village located 4 km from Danané, on 7 February 2008. The 100 participants from the Yacouba, Dioula, Guinean and Malian communities, focused on female genital mutilations as well as gender-based discrimination. The Office gave a presentation on women's rights.