UNOCI trains
FRCI in human rights and humanitarian rights

Le Mandat
– The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), on Wednesday, 16
November 2011, in collaboration with United Nations agencies, organised a
training seminar on human rights and international humanitarian rights for
members of the Ivorian security forces at the headquarters of the Forces
Républicaines de Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI). According to Fatou Thiam of UNOCI's
Human Rights Division, the training was aimed at reinforcing the capacity of the
FRCI on human rights and international humanitarian rights. "This seminar will
help security agents to change their behavior and better understand what is
meant by human rights and international humanitarian rights," she added. (...)
Address participants from the military at the seminar, General Bakayoko said
that i twas by respecting the rights of others that they will be better
respected in society. "So, I would like to ask you to give this seminar the
attention it deserves. Become involved in respecting human rights and
international humanitarian rights. It is in your interest and in the interest of
everyone," he insisted. Some 37 members of the military from different sections
of the FRCI are participating in the seminar which ends on Friday.

Legislative
elections/Validation of definitive list of candidates: The white smoke will come
out today

L'Intelligent
d'Abidjan –
The definitive list of candidates for the legislative elections should have been
published yesterday, Wednesday, 16 November 2011 by the Constitutional Council.
A missed appointment for the publication of the definitive list of candidates
for the legislative elections! The Constitutional Council, to whom the
candidates files were sent must further examination them before they can become
valid candidates (...)

Legislative
elections/Officials
from the Front populaire ivoirien have decided to contest the elections
on 11 December. Their spokesman, Séri Déhoua Basile, "We need people who can
show that they trust the regime by participating"

Fraternité Matin
–
Officials from the
Front
populaire ivoirien
(FPI) have decided to contest the legislative elections on 11 December as
independent candidates. And this is despite orders from the party's hierarchy
not to do so.  Some 16 officials yesterday gave their reasons yesterday during a
press conference hosted by their spokesman, Séri Déhoua Victor Basile, MP for
Issia, in the restaurant of the National Assembly. "Despite the fact that the
elections are being organized under difficult conditions, despite the fact that
their concerns over security, we must play our part in the fight to enter the
National Assembly in order to participate in discussions on essential laws such
as those concerning the release of our comrades..." said the spokesman for the FPI
independents. (...)

Legislative
elections 2011: Mamadou Koulibaly's truths to Ouattara « We say no to the secret
financing of political parties »

L'Inter –
He
has no intention of dropping his guard with regard to the Ouattara regime and he
seizes every occasion to criticise the foibles of the regime. We are talking
about Professor Mamadou Koulibaly, who did the same again yesterday, Wednesday,
16 November 2011 after a meeting with the Special Representative of the UN
Secretary-General, the Dutchman Bert Koenders, at the headquarters of the
Liberté et démocratie pour la République (Lider) party in Cocody Riviera
Golf. The UN diplomat came to find out the concerns of the political group
regarding the legislative elections in December 2011. Mamadou Koulibaly and
Lider said they were ready to take part in the poll but denounced what they
described as the Ouattara Government's crooked practice. "We are going to
contest the elections in order to insist on democracy.
With
12 candidates, we are ready. We have the money to do so.
We told the
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General that the Government is
financing certain political parties in secret but not others.
(....)

Conseil des ministres

Exclusive
interview/Amani N`Guessan hits hard: « The FPI cannot accompany this
government»; « The rancour is strong »; « Politics is not an art to sell dreams»

Soir Info
- Michel Amani N'Guessan was Minister of Defence in Guillaume Soro's government
during Laurent Gbagbo's presidency. He is deputy Secrtary-general in charge of
security for the Front populaire ivoirien (FPI, opposition). In this
interview, he talks about the forthcoming legislative elections. Does he think
that the Government's release of some 20 of his comrades from the LMP
insignificant.
Without hesitation, he gives his frank opinions.

Soir Info :
The FPI has decided not to take part in the forthcoming elections.
Yet members of
political parties within the CNRD have decided to do so. Do you feel that this
is a betrayal?

Michel Amani N'Guessan :
In politics, there is an alliance which is a democratic contract. In terms of
political groupings, each person keeps independence. From then on we can no
longer talk about betrayal since everyone develops their vision of things.  We
should know how to highlight what unites us. In this case it is free democracy.
An alliance does not mean that everyone thinks the same (...) The refusal to
seriously discuss our concerns is sign of a dictatorship.
The FPI cannot
accompany the government in this adventure. (...)

Closure of
Duékoué camps / Displaced population vacate to escape the FRCI

Le Nouveau
Courrier
– The deadline fixed by the Government for the closure of the displaced camps in
the west, especially in Duékoué, was the 15 November 2011. A date which
paradoxically coincides with that of the National Day of Peace.
A day
after this celebration, the removal of the distressed population who had found
refuge on this sites set up by international and non-governmental organisations,
started.
Threatened by the possible intervention of the FRCI in case they
refuse, the population with sadness and emotion started returning to the ruins
of their homes which were destroyed during the post-electoral crisis. (...) On the
one hand they accuse these international organisations of not having respected
their own charters which obliges them to protect persons in danger....(...)

National reconciliation/The CDVR reflects on the challenges of transitional
justice

L'Inter –
The Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CDVR), chaired by former
Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny, has organised a seminar which started ion
Wednesday, 16 November 2011 on the challenges of transitional justice. For a
period of three days, several national and international experts will discuss
the notion with members of the CDVR.