Highlights

-Villagers near Bouafle complain of four roadside attacks a week
-UNOCI holds civil society forum in eastern town of Abengourou
-FN soldiers prevent UNOCI embargo team from conducting arms inspection

Security

Residents in Attosse village, near Daloa, yesterday told a UNOCI patrol that a minimum of four attacks by roadside bandits occurs every week on the road between their village and Bouaflé. The criminals routinely stop passenger vehicles and rob people of their valuables. The chief of the village stressed that the problem should be addressed, as it is getting out of hand.

Information and sensitization

The Public Information Office today organized a civil society forum in the eastern town of Abengourou, during which local authorities and traditional leaders thanked UNOCI for its support to Ivorians. Speaking on behalf of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Cote d'Ivoire, Mr. Y.J Choi, the Director of Public Information, Mrs Margherita Amodeo, said that UNOCI had come to listen to the population in order to better understand their concerns. This, she added, would in turn help the mission to promote the peace process, which would eventually lead to the organization of free and fair elections in Côte d'Ivoire.

Arms embargo

A UNOCI arms embargo inspection team was yesterday prevented from carrying out its operation in Diarabana village near Séguéla (north-west). Forces Nouvelles (FN) military personnel belonging to the 54th Battalion refused to provide the peacekeepers with any information because they said they had not received advance notice of the inspection. They instead directed the patrol to their commander at Camp Sodemi. At the camp, the local commander reported that there were no weapons in Diarabana, Sodemine, Bobi and Dualla. According to him all the weapons were surrendered to UNOCI last year. However, on the way back, the peacekeepers observed two FN soldiers armed with AK-47 (AKM) automatic rifles in Diarabana.

In a separate but similar operation on the same day, UNOCI peacekeepers succeeded in carrying out arms embargo inspections at the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) Unit in Mahapleu near Danané, at its Anaconda Battalion in Bouaké and at its 12th Battalion in Doropo, near Bouna (northeast). They also conducted a similar inspection at the National Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (FANCI) company in Daoukro.

Civil Affairs

Civil servants recently redeployed in Bouaké this morning blocked the city's main road in protest at the non-payment of the second part of their redeployment allowances which was scheduled today. The National Commission for the Redeployment of the Administration (CNPRA) said the problem was due to a failure in the computerized system, but the civil servants said that they had been told that it was due to a lack of funds.

A recce team comprising government customs officers, Forces Nouvelles (FN) and ICC officials will be visiting Ouangolodougou, Pogo and Tengrela in the coming days to assess the modalities for the redeployment of customs officers in FN-controlled areas.

Human Rights

A joint fact-finding mission comprising the Human Rights Division, UNPOL and Public Information Office went to Lokanou village, situated 14 km west of Bouaké on 7 April 2008, following allegations of extortion against the local population by Forces Nouvelles soldiers. The mission was told by villagers that on 6 April 2008, a group of FN soldiers, armed with kalashnikovs, invaded the village and attacked villagers who were attending a traditional celebration. Four people, including an eight-month-pregnant woman, were injured. Three others were arrested and taken to Bouaké prison. UNOCI and Licorne medical personnel provided first aid to the injured before they were transferred to the Bouaké Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU).