Fight against sexual
exploitation and abuse – Abou Moussa announces campaign launch

Le Quotidien d'Abidjan  –
A forum to
exchange views with the population marking the official phase of the 10^th
edition of the Days of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), on
Thursday 17 June 2010, was held at the multipurpose Centre in Guibéroua in the
presence of administrative authorities, local chiefs and hundreds of
participants. On behalf of UNOCI's delegation, the Principal Deputy Special
Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Abou Moussa, announced
the launching of a sensitization campaign against all forms of sexual
exploitation and abuse. He added that the campaign initiated by the UNOCI's
Conduct and Discipline Unit, will be continued by the partners, especially State
Institutions and civil society. Referring to the theme of the Days: "The
population of Guibéroua and UNOCI, hand in hand, for a peaceful electoral
environment", Mr. Abou Moussa called on the participants to positively
contribute to peacekeeping, at every moment and on every level through daily
initiatives. "Take daily actions to facilitate a peaceful electoral
environment", he urged. Addressing UNOCI's support to electoral process, Mr.
Abou Moussa recalled the mission's assistance to the Ivorian parties in the
search for appropriate solutions to obstacles. In this regard, he noted the
mission's participation in the consultations which resulted in the consensus
around the methodology for the continuation of electoral process. He also
recalled the beginning of the cantonment operation process, this week in
Korhogo, which he described as "an important step in the crisis-resolution
process". The Principal Deputy Special Representative concluded by reiterating
the international community's availability to provide logistical and technical
support to Côte d'Ivoire for the organization of open, fair, free and
transparent elections. For his part, the Secretary-General of the Prefecture of
Gagnoa, Kamenan Kre Etienne, underlined the "edifying work" done by UNOCI to
sensitize and educate the populations, through the organization of the Days. He
recalled UNOCI's various initiatives for the population, including the mission's
1000 microprojects programme. "If UNOCI did not exist, it should have been
created under this very circumstance where Côte d'Ivoire needs its friends", he
said. Mr. Kamenan expressed the Guibéroua population's commitment to promote a
peaceful electoral environment. (...)"

Cantonment – UNOCI welcomes
the process

Le Patriote
"UNOCI welcomes the cantonment
process of ex-combatants of the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN)
which started in Korhogo this week and encourages all the concerned parties to
ensure that the process progresses, the deputy spokesman for the Mission,
Kenneth Blackman, said on Thursday during the weekly press conference which was
being held in Guibéroua, 350 km from Abidjan, as part of UNOCI Days. The Mission
also encourages the Ivorian parties to continue with their efforts with regard
to the launching of the appeals process on the provisional electoral list, Mr.
Blackman added. Responding to a question on the possibility of organizing the
elections this year, the deputy spokesman said that a pre-condition for choosing
a date for elections or a timetable, was the production of a definitive
electoral list. Turning to a different issue, Mr. Blackman announced that an
inter-community meeting was being held today in Bako, in Odienné district. UNOCI
had initiated these discussions between cattle breeders and farmers in an effort
to put an end to misunderstandings which had resulted in violence between the
two groups during the past few months, he explained. "Dialogue is important and
it should be strengthened in order to achieve tolerance", said the deputy
spokesman.   He also said that another inter-community meeting had been taking
place in Grand-Djourou since 14 June, with several representatives of various
communities living in the locality. Mr. Blackman said that the meeting which
will go on until 25 June was part of the Mission's support to efforts to promote
social cohesion in Côte d'Ivoire.

Presidential election's
credibility – UNOCI lays down 5 conditions

Le mandate  –
"Will the coming presidential election in Côte d'Ivoire be transparent,
democratic and credible? This is difficult to respond to, with regard to the
current political environment. The results of the election could be questioned
by the different concerned parties. And international observers know it. This is
why the United Nations which is very interested in Côte d'Ivoire's
crisis-resolution is taking measures. For elections' certification, UNOCI will
base this on five criteria, the UN Special Representative, Y. J. Choi, is the
only person who is entitled to validate the results, if election is held in
accordance with the UN's criteria, namely, peace, inclusion, state media, the
electoral list and the results." 

Fight against intercommunity
conflicts: UNOCI is campaigning in Grand-Béréby

Fraternité Matin  –
"The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and the Sectoral Group
for the Protection and Consolidation of Peace led by the office of the United
Nations High Commission for Refugees (HCR), since Monday is in the village of
Djourou, where it is organizing, from 14 to 25 June 2010, intercommunity
meetings in the village of Grand-Djourou, near Grand-Béréby, 400 km west of
Abidjan. This activity is part of efforts to resolve intercommunity conflicts
between host community Kroumen and immigrant community Lobis, which broke out
some ten years ago but has not yet been resolved. In fact the objective of the
activity is to promote dialogue between the different communities living in the
locality in the Bas-Sassandra region, with a view to contributing to the
re-establishment of social cohesion. In this regard, a sensitization campaign
will be carried out by UNOCI and UNHCR, according to their respective expertise,
on the basis of the problems that will be identified during the sessions of
listening to individuals of the communities. Since 1999, farmers of the Lobi
community had been banished from Grand- Béréby area for seven years. Thanks to
the intervention of the administrative authorities and the mediation of the
Ministry of National Reconciliation, some of the exiled farmers reintegrated the
villages and retrieved their farming lands, but several others have not yet
retrieved their properties. This is the case of some inhabitants of
Grand-Djourou".

The redeployment of the
customs services: 250 elements of the FN at HMA for medical examination since
yesterday.

The Patriot
 - "The Abidjan military
hospital (HMA) yesterday had a very special atmosphere with very special
''guests'' whose presence show that the crisis resolution process, despite some
difficulties, is going forward. Indeed, 250 elements of the Forces Nouvelles
(FN) came to Abidjan from the north centre west (CNO) zones for medical
examinations. These elements of the FN will be integrated into the customs
administration as stipulated in the 4th Supplementary Agreement of the
Ouagadougou Political Agreement. These young people will be examined by doctors
to see if they are fit to serve with Ivorian customs services. Those who pass
this stage will undergo training on customs services in Bouake for one week.
Afterwards they will be trained at the National School of Administration (LENA)
with their friends and brothers in Abidjan and other cities. For Colonel Yao
Kouadio Marcellin, technical adviser on military matters at the Customs
executive Board and focal point of the redeployment of the customs in the CNO
zones, it is right that people who had already worked for the financial
administration in general and the financial authorities in particular in the CNO
zones, to be in charge of what they started. He also stated that 14 elements of
the FN had already been trained in Korhogo. These 14 persons had not passed
their medical examination and were among these 250 people who yesterday went to
the Abidjan Military Hospital.  Concerning the presence of the soldiers of the
Force Nouvelles, the Head of the Military Hospital, Doctor Colonel Major Gabriel
GBEHA Beugré, Professor of Radiology who wanted to avoid any sort of insinuation
and inappropriate comments from some people made it clear. "Their presence at
HMA is not a clandestine operation. My hierarchy is well informed and is aware
of it," he said. Regarding the criteria for recruitment, Colonel Major wanted to
reassure the national and international community. "The recruitment respects the
national criteria of evaluation everybody knows" he said. "Nobody will be
eliminated under false grounds." He added.  According to him to be a customs
officer one must have BEPC; to become a customs controller one must have at
least a Baccalaureat. As for inspector, they must have a BA while the national
officer must have a master. In all three cases, candidates must be of Ivorian
national and aged less than 40 years. (...)

Disarmament process: the
biggest worry of Soro's soldiers

Inter
 – On June 15, as announced,
the stationing of the Armed Forces of Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) started with the
Instruction Group(IG) 4 of Korhogo, under the command of Fofié Kouakou Martin,
former Zone Commander. 500 out of 1200 soldiers were gathered together and
reoriented toward the military barracks of their new camp called Fansara 110.
The camp, whose walls were painted in orange, white and green, the national
colours, was intended to accommodate the volunteers for the new army (VAN).
According to a report by Agence France Presse (AFP), the beginning of the
cantonment arouses mixed feelings among the army of Guillaume Soro. These
ex-combatants of the FAFN, who must either be integrated in the new army or be
demobilized, are wondering, according to the AFP, about their future. ''The
rebellion is over. Starting today, you are part of the Ivorian army,'' an
instructor said while giving a package to recruits on their way to the
dormitories. News which was rather well received by the VAN, Lancina Ouattara,
19, squeezed into an impeccable uniform and obviously happy to surrender his
weapon. ''I am ready to defend the Republic," he proudly told AFP. Adama
Coulibaly, 21 years, was more concerned about his livelihood. As matter of fact,
the Forces Nouvelles leadership has said that the necessary funding has not yet
been released by the government. This casts considerable uncertainty on the
operation that has just started. ''We were promised 50,000 FCFA (75 Euros) per
month, we are waiting for this money," he said. As for Sergeant Kambou, 32
years, he feared possible conflicts between the selected and those who have not
been selected. ''It will be difficult to watch my former comrades in arms, I,
dressed in military uniforms and them, on the floor.'' The concern actually is
more on the side of FN soldiers who are going to be demobilized. They are
expecting to get their card of demobilized and be offered a reinsertion project.
Among these ex-combatants wearing a T-shirt stamped with the initials of the
National Programme of the Community Reintegration and Rehabilitation (PNRRC),
some are particularly bitter notes the AFP. ''I feel great, I wanted to pursue a
military career, but I failed the medical examination," one of them said under
the cover of anonymity. He denounced, however, the recruitment by affinity or
affiliation with some leaders. Inza Kone who came from Ferkessedougou hopes that
he will be given a means to start his former activities. As for Daouda, 40 years
old, he is skeptical: "I have just been told that the World Bank will finance
our projects. I have seen nothing yet and what is about the demobilization bonus
of 500,000 FCFA (750 Euros) under the peace agreement of 2008? No one is sure to
receive the money" he said.

Military Welfare fund: More
than 6 billion FCFA diverted: these are details on this financial scandal

Le Nouveau Réveil
 - "A huge
financial scandal, whose exact magnitude has not yet been determined, but is
over half a dozen billion CFA francs is currently shaking the great "mute". Huge
amounts of money have been pumped from the  Military Welfare Fund (fpm), a
mutual set up to manage the retirement of 30,000 soldiers and police who are the
backbone of our national army. The perpetrators of this organized robbery are
senior military officers, lawyers, computer scientists who have acted in
complicity with certain banks.