Statement

Soir Info  –

"The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire calls on the two
candidates in the presidential election, political parties and population asking
them to avoid statements and actions which could trigger violence and threaten
the remarkable successes registered in the electoral process".

 

Presidential
elections; UNOCI and its partners assess respect of human rights during first
round

www.abidjan.net –
The national actors of human rights and the United Nations Operation in Côte
d'Ivoire (UNOCI) on 18 November met in Abidjan to assess and exchange views on
respect for human rights during the first round of the presidential election
held on 31 October 2010. UNOCI was represented by its Human Rights Division
(HRD). (...) the participants congratulated Ivorians on the smooth holding of the
election and pointed out some weaknesses. They also outlined several human
rights violations that occurred after the announcement of the results. (...) The
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) donated financial support and UNOCI
through its Human Rights Division produced and distributed an observation
guidebook and organized several training programmes for national actors.

 

To pacify
socio-political climate – Compaoré plans visit to Cote d'Ivoire before 28
November

Fraternite
Matin–
According to credible sources, the mediator of the Ivorian crisis, Burkinabè
President Blaise Compaoré, is planning a visit to Abidjan before the second
round of the presidential election in Côte d'Ivoire on 28 November, to meet both
rivals. "President Compaoré plans to come to Côte d'Ivoire before the second
round" to "meet the two finalist candidates", the incumbent President Laurent
Gbagbo and ex-Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara. According to the same source,
Mr. Compaoré, a candidate in the presidential election in Burkina Faso on
Sunday, wants to promote détente before the Ivorian poll since the campaign
suddenly hardened at the end of the week. At the opening of the official
campaign for the second round on Saturday, both rivals divided by heavy and old
disagreements mutually accused one another of being the cause of the serious
problems that have been occurring in the country for decades. (...)

 

Interviews –
poll on 28 November 2010 - Bamba Yacouba (IEC's spokesman): "These are the
changes"

Soir Info  –

The Spokesman of the Independent Electoral Commission thoroughly
explains the great changes made for the poll to be held on 28 November. An
exclusive.

Soir Info:
Mr. Spokesman, what are the changes initiated by the Electoral Commission for
the smooth holding of the presidential election?

Bamba Yacouba:
(...) There is a first step, which is the capacity-building of electoral officers.
We have been training chairpersons and secretaries of polling stations but the
training sessions were not sufficient. The training programme for the personnel
should therefore be reinforced and also focus on training programmes for the
local commissioners. The candidates' representatives should also have a perfect
knowledge of election procedures so that there is a good atmosphere in the
offices and in the local commissions.
So,
the first element is the training programme. (...) a difficulty was noticed.
It
is the management of the votes of people who were compelled to vote at polling
stations where they were not enrolled. This situation involves all the people
who will be supervising or providing security for the poll.

Soir Info:
What are the changes regarding them?

Bamba Yacouba:
For them, the change is that they will now be authorized to vote only with their
voter cards, previously, some of them voted with their national identity cards.
(...) They are additional personnel. Particular measures should be taken. We
should check if the person is a registered voter. This means presenting his
voter card and his mission order. This has to be an individual mission order, so
no group mission orders will be accepted. (...)

Soir Info:
Any other changes?

Bamba Yacouba:
It is no longer possible to enter the polling booth with a mobile phone. Mobile
phones should be put on the Chairman's desk before going to the polling booth.

Soir Info:
Does this mean that people will be searched?

Bamba Yacouba:
We trust the civic spirit and the good faith of each Ivorian.

Soir Info:
What is the procedure for the calculation of votes?

Bamba Yacouba:
The calculation will be done in the presence of observers and representatives of
candidates. When we have the results, a copy of the tally report (PV) will be
handed over to every candidate's representative. The registry form will be
posted in front of every polling station.
This
is a change.
(...) we asked UNOCI and our partners to avoid such failures at the
second round.

Soir Info:
Did the partners promise to improve their support?

Bamba Yacouba:
They did. But you should understand that when everything goes well, everybody is
congratulated, in case of problem, the Commission is accused. We should
therefore highlight that the logistical part was the responsibility of UNOPS,
which is a United Nations agency.
(...)

 

Second round of
presidential election – Gbagbo in Agboville : « it is a battle between democrats
and putschists"

Soir Info  –

The incumbent Head of State, also candidate for the Presidential
majority, on Saturday held a meeting at Peace square in Agboville. He was
launching his campaign for the second round of the presidential election in
which he will run against Alassane Ouattara, candidate for the RDR. Laurent
Gbagbo reiterated his accusations of coup and coup attempts against his
opponent, saying that there was "plenty" of evidence of his implication. "on 24
December 1999, my opponent organized the coup. There is plenty of evidence; his
own statements; statements made by his friends. There is plenty of evidence and
we will produce them when we have a face to face discussion on TV" said the
LMP's candidate. The day before at the stadium in the Port Authority of Abidjan,
he clearly accused the RDR's Chairman of having created violence in Côte
d'Ivoire.
(...)

 

Alassane
Ouattara, RHDP's candidate, warns Laurent Gbagbo: « stop lying, if you continue
you will hear me"

Le Nouveau
Reveil – (...)
I would like to seize the opportunity of the official opening of the campaign to
warn Laurent Gbagbo. I warn Laurent Gbao and the FPI: they should stop lying and
insulting Ivorians. When we have no achievements or programmes, we should shut
up! They should stop telling lies on Alassane Ouattara and the RHDP, dividing
Ivorians. They should stop telling lies on us and discrediting us. Enough is
enough! Enough is enough! Since I started my pre-campaign and my campaign, I
have not insulted anyone, because I respect all Ivorians, including Laurent
Gbagbo. I have promoted peace, reconciliation and forgiveness everywhere. I
presented my solutions to my compatriots to resolve the crisis. Faced with a
peaceful campaign, the FPI and its candidate are lying to Ivorians. I want to
tell them that: when you have no achievements to show, no programme, you should
shut up! You should shut up!
We do
not tell and imagine lies against opponents.
Ivorians want to
make a comparison of what has been achieved, projects and programmes.

(...) 

 

Intoxication
campaign – LMP launches pirate TV channel

L'Expression–
Laurent Gbagbo has shown his true colours. He will use every means to stay in
power. (...)  The LMP are illegally using a pirate television channel to screen
films on war produced by a so-called Thierry Legre, everyday. (...) This TV
Channel presents the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire as an attack from people living in
the north against those in the south.
(...)

 

LMP leaders
threatened in Bouaké

Soir Info –
"In rural areas as well as in towns, LMP activists are suffering intimidation
and threats from the RHDP. (...) that is to tell you that the RHDP's leaders are
provocative." (...) but the last straw is, according to him, the burglary of his
"lieutenant's" hairdressing salon in the Kottiakoffikro section in Dar-es-Salam.
(...)

 

Bonoua/ To
prevent RHDP from voting – the Police Commissioner start hunt of activists

L'Expression  –
He decided to do everything for head of state Laurent Gbagbo to be re-elected in
the second round of the presidential election. He is the Commissioner of Bonoua,
Obin Etienne, who uses influence abuse to dissuade the activists of the Rally of
Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) from voting. On Saturday he
arrested the youth wing of the Houphouetists because they held a meeting at the
"five crossroads" square in the municipality. The leaders, especially, Coulibaly
Souleyman, were attacked and arrested around 12.00 and put in custody at the
police station. They were released around 9.00. Before releasing them, Obin
Etienne warned "I do not want to see you at the polling stations on Sunday", he
said. (...)