Highlights

-Mobile Court hearings are closed for second day in Bouaké area
-Forces Nouvelles seminar recommends removal of checkpoints and regrouping of soldiers
-UNOCI and Licorne to take part in recce for President's visit to the north

Mobile Courts

Mobile Courts remained closed in the Bandama Valley region [central Côte d'Ivoire] today, for the second day running, because the soldiers and gendarmes from the Integrated Command Centre (ICC) who provide security for the hearings did not turn up for work. According to UNOCI's Electoral Division based in Bouaké, the ICC and the Minister of Defence will be meeting today to discuss the problem of allowances for the soldiers and other technical problems that have been raised by technical teams.

In the central town of Daoukro, the Sous Prefect yesterday complained to the UNOCI's Military Observers that the authorities were having difficulty transporting soldiers who provide security to the mobile court sites. He said there was a lack of coordination in the provision of food and cash allowances for the soldiers.

Forces Nouvelles

Following a seminar held by the Forces Nouvelles (Forces Nouvelles) in Man last week on how best to accelerate the implementation of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement, the following recommendations were made:
-To restrict the number of checkpoints;
-To improve discipline and conduct among the FN soldiers;
-To regroup the soldiers into barracks;
-To create four economic zones to administer the resources within the FN controlled areas.

Arms embargo

Military Observers from Daloa [centre west] and a PAKBATT security escort were yesterday unable to conduct an arms embargo inspection at the Ivorian Defence and Security Forces Unit in Belle Ville due to bad road conditions.

Military

Military officials from UNOCI, Licorne, the Ivorian Defence and Security Forces (FDS-CI) and Forces Nouvelles will be taking part in a reconnaissance mission to the towns of Korhogo, Boundiali and Tengrela in the north of Cote d'Ivoire, on 14 - 17 November as part of security plans for Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo's visit to those areas later this month.

As part of the ongoing process to redeploy UNOCI troops, BANBATT yesterday started dismantling their camp in the centre west town of Gohitafla and moving to the battalion headquarters in Zuénoula, slightly southwest of Gohitafla.

Security

A minibus travelling between Korhogo and Bouaké was attacked by armed masked men some 30 km outside of Korhogo on 8 November 2007. The men allegedly opened fire on the vehicle, wounding the driver and his assistant. UNOCI military are investigating the incident, which was only reported to UNPOL yesterday.

Civil Affairs

On 12 November 2007, the Civil Affairs Office in Bouaké met with the new Regional Education officer in the presence of the local representative of the National Committee on Redeployment (CNPRA). The meeting reviewed matters relating to redeployment in the education sector, including the issue of volunteer teachers, which the authority is working to resolve.

On the same day, the Préfet of Tengrela told the Civil Affairs Office in Korhogo that improvements made to the main hospital were an indication of the resumption of service by the administration. Social services in the north-east of the country are extremely poor. He invited UNOCI to support his venture.

The Civil Affairs Office in San Pedro yesterday briefed the chairman of San Pedro's Youth Congress about the peace process and the National Reintegration and Community Rehabilitation Programme (Programme National de Réinsertion et de Réhabilitation Communautaire - PNRRC). The youth leader indicated that many of his members were unemployed and without any means of income, and could therefore benefit from the PNRRC.

Human Rights

On 9 November, the Regional Human Rights Office in the western town of Duékoué participated in an awareness-raising campaign on the theme, "Tous pour la paix et stop aux violences faites aux femmes" ["All for Peace and stop Violence Against Women"] organized by a local association, the Centre d`Excellence des Femmes de Man, for 450 villagers of Kouhan-Houlé (located 190 km from Duékoué). The aim of the campaign was to sensitize the population on gender-based violence and reinforce social cohesion among communities. Community leaders requested the Office to organize an awareness-raising campaign on human rights and culture of peace among the population of Kouahn-Houlé to address continuous inter-community tension in the region.

On 9 November, the Regional Human Rights Office in Duékoué, in collaboration with the UNOCI Public Information Unit, held a sensitization campaign on human rights and the fight against poverty on the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. More than 200 people attended the event.