Political tolerance: Political actors in Bledi-Dieya sensitised by UNOCI

A training workshop, was organised on Wednesday, 19 August 2015 by the Project for Post-Conflict Assistance (PPCA), a government body, with the support of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI). The aim of the workshop was to establish better communication between the different communities living in Bledi-Dieya, a locality in the Sous-préfecture of Doké, in the department of Bloléquin, in the West of Côte d'Ivoire.

The workshop, which was organised for local political actors, included presentations from the different UNOCI sections and focused on the following themes : « A citizen's right to take part in the direction of public affairs », « Managing rumour in a peaceful climate », and « Political tolerance''.

Explaining the reasons for organsing the training, Mrs Sopy Juliette Beda, the PPCA supervisor in Blolequin, said that the post-electoral crisis had serious repercussions in the area, which had led to mistrust between people, especially political actors. This had in turn adversely affected social cohesion. Mrs Beda thanked UNOCI for its collaboration and its support in the organisation of the training workshop. Addressing participants, she stressed that people could practice their politics in ways that contribute to the development of Bledi-Dieya.

For her part, the Coordinator of the United Nations Integrated Office in Toulepleu, Hélène Sylvie Zomahoun, pleaded with the political actors to put an end to rancour and put the interest of their village above all else and to work to contribute to its reconstruction. «Your contribution as political actors is vital for the strengthening of social cohesion and the holding of the next elections, which will in turn contribute to a peaceful Côte d'Ivoire », she added.

Expressing his appreciation for the initiative, the village chief, Oulaï Gaston told UNOCI and the PPCA that his people were grateful to them for organising the meeting. He said that the workshop, had provided an opportunity to break down the wall of mistrust which existed between the different communities. He explained : « In fact well before the unhappy events that our country went through in 2010, we got on very well with each other and everybody lived in peace. However the electoral campaign and the post-electoral crisis really shook our confidence in each other and this in turn affected social cohesion in the village ».

The participants for their part agreed that in order to consolidate peace in their locality, they had to make a commitment to work together for the development and future of their village with the following slogan : « Put Bledi-Dieya first. No to political violence. First and foremost we are brothers and sisters ». They also agreed to put the general interest of Bledi-Dieya above their political ambitions by respecting the results of the forthcoming elections in order to avoid post-electoral conflict and to seek the help of the United Nations and other partners in implementing really democracy and development in their locality