UNOCI shares in Ivorian
mourning

LE Mandat –
The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) shares in the three-day
mourning as decided by the Ivorian government to pay tribute to the victims of
the post-electoral violence, said Hamadoun Touré, on Thursday in Abidjan.
Deploring the many deaths registered during the post-electoral crisis, UNOCI's
spokesperson, speaking at the Mission's weekly press conference, said that the
unnecessary massacres could and should have been avoided. Assessing the UN
evaluation mission, Mr. Touré announced "the good harvest" gathered from the
high level meetings between the UN delegation and Ivorian authorities. In this
regard, he recalled that it had met with representatives of political parties,
civil society and the international community. "The Mission has a global vision
of the national needs and the government's priorities which can help it make
recommendations regarding the United Nations' support to help Côte d'Ivoire take
up the multifaceted challenges after the post-electoral crisis whose effects
should be erased as quickly as possible on the political, economic and social
level", the spokesperson said. [...]

Post-electoral violence:
Hamadoun Touré: "Everything should be done to make a new start"

Fraternité Matin –
Hamadoun Touré, the
spokesperson for the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) yesterday
held the organization's weekly press conference at its headquarters in Sébroko.
He said that UNOCI had conducted investigations on the attack by the Republican
Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI) against the Baptist Church in Yopougon where 57
persons have been arrested and kept locked up in Gesco by the FRCI. They have
been released recently. Hamadoun Touré added that investigations were ongoing in
Koweit (Yopougon), Fresco, Dabou, Irobo, Grand Lahou, Sinfra and Issia. UNOCI
shares in the three-day national mourning (from Thursday to Saturday) as decided
by the Head of State, Alassane Ouattara, to pay tribute to the victims of the
post-electoral violence.  Hamadoun Touré said that 200 deaths have been
registered. "Everything should be done to start over. UNOCI Force continues its
operational and humanitarian activities in the field. The peacekeepers carried
out 1031 road and air patrols last week". (...)

The leaders of Cocody Village
hands over Kalashnikovs to UNOCI

Le Patriote –On
Wednesday, the traditional chiefs of Cocody Village, located behind the Hotel
Ivoire, officially handed over to the UNOCI (UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire)
fifty Kalashnikovs. These weapons were recovered during an operation initiated
by the notability of this village. "The leaders offered money to anyone who will
hand in their weapon" Adrian Koutouan, 2nd Assistant of Chief of the village
said. According to Ambrose Mambé, 1st Assistant Chief of the village, between
90,000 and 100,000 CFA francs were given to anyone who handed his weapon over.
The proposal worked in such away that 50 Kalashnikovs were gathered at the
residence of the chief. "These weapons were not stored in the village. They have
been abandoned by combatants" Mr. Mambé, a retired diplomat who served in
Ethiopia and Liberia, said. Aby Chief Leon said that Mr. Mambé was inspired by
the experiences of disarmament in these countries, to launch this operation.
Through this initiative, he and his colleagues reaffirmed the strong will of
their village to go forward to reconciliation and peace. As for the delegation
of UNOCI, it welcomed the action.

Note that the chieftaincy of Cocody-Village plans to organize a big ceremony on
Friday to deliver these weapons to the Impartial Forces.

Ouattara: «No
crime will go unpunished»

L'Inter –
On Thursday, May 12, 2011 at the Presidency in Plateau, a solemn ceremony was
held to mark the start of three days of national mourning declared by the
president, Alassane Ouattara. On this occasion, President Ouattara promised that
no crime will go unpunished. [...] "Dear brothers and sisters many of our
compatriots will not write with us the pages of the new Côte d'Ivoire we
adamantly looked for. We the survivors, we must remember our martyrs and all
victims of this crisis. We must pause to mourn with those thousands of bereaved
families and heartfelt. I, on the behalf of the nation bow down to the memory of
all those and all those who have fallen since the start of the post-election
crisis. [...] During these three days, the flags will be lowered. Now and then,
the 12th day of May will be established as the day of martyrs. I assure all that
no crime will go unpunished. A national commission of inquiry has been
constituted to prosecute, try and punish the perpetrators of atrocities and
killings.

The reunification
of the armies, a hot issue

L'Inter –
[...] On the ground, the task remains very complicated for the new Ivorian
president.
Alassane Ouattara has not yet chosen his own army chief of staff.
[...]General Philippe Mangou is still the head of this hybrid army. The two
armies to be reunited, it must be noted, are not, initially; those of President
Ouattara. The
Forces Nouvelles remain under the control of Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, who
holds the post of defence minister. The Ex-FDS seem to be under partial control
of former President Gbagbo, despite the allegiances of most of the officers of
that army to the new regime.
Accordingly, a month
after the takeover of Alassane Ouattara, Ivorian military are struggling on the
ground, to work together. The few policemen who took over the service,
particularly in Abidjan, prefer to go on patrols with the UNOCI peacekeepers
rather than with the FAFN. What stuck in the case is the lack of trust between
soldiers of both sides. [...]
Last week, an officer from the army of FDS, who requested
anonymity, said that some soldiers who returned to work at the government's
appeal were continually threatened [...]

On a friendship and working
visit in Senegal - President Ouattara receives a tremendous and enthusiastic
reception

L'Inter -
The welcome to the
distinguished guest was warmed, if we judge the brotherly hugs [yesterday]
between President Wade and his illustrious guest, Alassane Ouattara and
especially the mobilization of the population. Dakar is not up to its reputation
of people who knows how to welcome guests [...]