Highlights
-ONUCI, Licorne conduct joint exercise in Bouna;
-Licorne forces conduct humanitarian mission in Togo;
-FN commander found dead;
-Over 100 IDPs return to Bouaké, Béoumi;
-Yamoussoukro human rights office assesses impact of doctors' strike.

Joint exercise

A joint exercise involving ONUCI's Moroccan and Ghanaian batallions and the French Licorne force was undertaken in the northeastern town of Bouna on 11 September. It centred around a simulated violent demonstration against UNOCI sites. The aims of the exercise, according to Sector East Commander Tariq Javed, were six-fold: "to familiarize the Quick Reaction Forces with this area of responsibility; to understand the different contingents' Special Operating Procedures and modus operandi; to promote harmony between UNOCI contingents and with the Licorne Quick Reaction Force; to rehearse and practice different contingencies; to show the presence of ONUCI and Licorne working together in the region, and to make optimal use of aviation assets".
Impartial Forces Undertake Humanitarian Mission from Côte d'Ivoire
On Sunday 9 September, the Force Licorne ended a week-long humanitarian operation launched from Bouaké and directed towards people in Togo affected by devastating floods over the last ten days. Licorne used its helicopter base in Bouaké to carry food and other humanitarian aid, and to give the Togolese authorities a chance to survey the flooded areas from the air. Licorne established a refueling station for its helicopters in Bondoukou, eastern Côte d'Ivoire.

Coordination

A weekly coordination meeting was yesterday held in Man with ONUCI military and civilian components as well as UN Agencies. Participants discussed, among other subjects, the security situation in the area and a request by residents of Touba to have an UNOCI presence in their town.

Arms Embargo.

On 11 September, Teamsite Abidjan conducted an embargo inspection in the ground-to-air battallion in Akouedo. Togobatt provided escort and security.

IDPs

On Tuesday 11 September, some 109 internally displaced persons (IDPs) returned to Bouaké and Beoumi - west of Bouaké - from Yamoussoukro. They were escorted by officers and soldiers deployed from the Integrated Command Centre (ICC). The return of the IDPs, part of a programme organized by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees with the support of the Danish Refugee Council and the Ivorian Ministry of War Victims, is the culmination of months of preparation and organized visits.
Humanitarian
A Liberian refugee couple yesterday approached UN military observers in order to seek assistance from the UN system. They complained that they were without resources for further survival in Côte d'Ivoire. MILOBS organized a meeting with a representative of the Man Field Office of OCHA

Human Rights

On 10 September, the Yamoussoukro Regional Human Rights Office visited several public health centres in the region to assess the impact of a doctors' strike begun on 4 September, on the population's right to health and medical care. The Office noted that minimum health services were not guaranteed. Due to the absence of doctors, patients do not have access to minimum medical care and the lower priced medicines. Those living in remote areas have turned to traditional treatments. The office also reported that no deaths were related to the strike, but expressed fears that the situation might deteriorate quickly if prompt action is not taken by the Government