Highlights

- SRSG meets new head of UNICEF in Cote d'Ivoire
- UNOCI provides transport for identification staff
- FAFN claims it no longer collect "taxes" in Man area


Political

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Cote d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, today met with the new country head of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), Maarit Hirvonen. At the end of the meeting at UNOCI headquarters in Abidjan, Mrs Hirvonen said that she had come to introduce herself to the head of the Mission and outlined the work that UNICEF does in Cote d'Ivoire, its programme for next year and what the agency could do to support the peace process.

Electoral process

UNOCI yesterday provided transportation for candidates selected by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to attend a training of trainers course on identification, which is due to start in Abidjan today. Meanwhile, the court clerks have decided to extend and intensify their strike in an effort to get their allowances paid. The Court Clerks Union has asked all its members to suspend all their activities throughout the country, including at the Mobile Court hearings, which were relaunched last week to give people the opportunity to obtain substitute birth certificates. It has also declared that any hearing that is held without the presence of a court clerk would be illegal under the Ivorian constitution. However some court clerks in various parts of the country, including Bouaké, have ignored the strike call.

Arms Embargo

UNOCI peacekeepers yesterday conducted arms embargo inspections at the gendarmerie brigade in Zagne, near Guiglo (west) and at San Pedro (south) airport and port.

Security

A Commander of the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) yesterday told participants at the weekly security meeting in Man (west) that they had stopped the collection of "taxes" from private vehicles and motorcycles since 4 September 2008 in order to prevent extortion. The Commander also urged UNOCI to investigate the growing militia activities in Duékoué and Logoualé (west).

A 41-year old shopkeeper from Korhogo was killed by unidentified roadside attackers on 4 September 2008, when they opened fire on the motorcycle that he and his wife were travelling on along the Korhogo-Boundiali road. The attackers fired at the vehicle after it failed to stop. They then took the man's motorcycle. His wife escaped unhurt.

Following violent clashes between members of the Lobi and Koulangou communities in Marahui village, near Bondoukou, on 3 and 5 September 2008, the Prefet of Zanzan region (east) yesterday organized a meeting of all the security units in the area, including UNOCI, to review the situation and suggest ways of defusing tension between the two groups. Participants at the meeting suggested humanitarian assistance should be given to the victims of the attack.

Human Rights

The Regional Human Rights Office is investigating reports that five soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) are in detention in Séguéla (centre-west) though no charges have been brought against them. It is alleged that the soldiers were close to ex-Zone Commander Zacharia Koné.