UNOCI and the
IEC consult to improve second round

Agence
Ivoirienne de Presse (AIP) –
The Chief of the
United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Y.J.Choi, and the Chairman of
the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Youssouf Bakayoko, on Wednesday
exchanged views at the IEC's headquarters on the challenges to be met to improve
the second round of the presidential election which will take place on 28
November. "Now, before the second round of the presidential election we have to
implement everything to meet the challenges which will lead to the smooth
holding of the second round", said the Special Representative of the United
Nations Secretary-General who was leading a large delegation to the meeting.
According to the UNOCI Chief, as reported by the communication office of the
IEC, the inventory of the materials, the payment of the electoral officers and
the issue of the safeguarding the results are among the urgent concerns
regarding the organization of a  smooth second round; observations which the
IEC's Chairman noted and promised to settle. "In every human work, there are
imperfections sometimes. We are aware of that and we will correct all the
smallest mistakes", said Youssouf Bakayoko who first thanked UNOCI and its
electoral assistance division for their support in the realization of the
election on 31 October.

Convinced of its
defeat on 28 November: Gbagbo negotiates postponement of second round of
presidential election

Le Nouveau
Réveil  –
Laurent does not want to go for election on 28 November. The
RHDP's bulldozer frightens the "people's candidate" who, according to credible
sources, asked the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Côte
d'Ivoire, Mr. Choi, to negotiate with the Facilitator of the Ivorian crisis. On
Tuesday 16 November, the day for the celebration of the Tabaski, Mr. Choi
travelled to Ouaga to meet President Blaise Compaoré. After the meeting with
President Blaise Compaoré, Choi did not talk to the press. It was the same when
he returned to Abidjan. According to credible sources, the Facilitator turned
down the request of candidate Gbagbo's "emissary". Blaise Compaoré who wants to
avoid the Guinean trap in Côte d'Ivoire does not see the reason why the election
scheduled on 28 November should be postponed. (...)

Army's
requisition in zones CNO – Gbagbo modifies its decree and fully associates Soro

L'Intelligent
d'Abidjan  –
The President of the Republic, Laurent Gbagbo who previously entrusted the
deployment of the FANCI in the Centre-North-West zones to Ministers Tagro Desiré
of the Interior, Amani N'Guessan Michel of the Defense and Charles Diby Koffi
through a decree signed on Sunday 14 November 2010, has just signed another
decree which fully associates Prime Minister Guillaume Soro to the big
operation. Under the control of the Integrated Command Centre, the army
deployment ,according to the restructured decree, (...) will be done by the three
ministers mentioned previously under the coordination and supervision of the
Prime Minister's Office. (...)

Threats on 2^nd
round of presidential election – many shots in Bangolo – The town paralyzed
yesterday

L'Inter  –
The town of Bangolo has been hot for 72 hours. On Tuesday 16 November, the day
for the celebration of the Tabaski, many shots were heard in the town. This
situation created fear among the population. Other shots were heard again
yesterday, according to credible sources. This horrible situation stems from a
film screening. According to some information, as part of its activities, the
District Campaign Directorate (DDC) of candidate Laurent Gbagbo, in charge of
the youth in Bangolo, has for a few days been screening a film on the background
of the candidate and the atrocities committed by the rebellion in Côte d'Ivoire.
The organization of the screening sessions is entrusted to Ouangly Daniel,
Deputy DDC in charge of the youth wing of Bangolo. (...) On Tuesday, Ouangly
Daniel invited the youths to the centre of the town to screen the film. While
they were installing the material for the screening, Commissioner Kouamé of the
Bangolo police arrived. It seems that he had been informed that activists of
candidate Laurent Gbagbo were attempting to create uprising among the
population, through the film screenings. Consequently, he ordered the  seizure
of the screening materials. Later, the young people who had been mobilized to
attend the screening started negotiation with the police commissioner. They
explained the meaning of their fight and the need to make candidate Laurent
Gbagbo win in Bangolo. Finally the commissioner accepted to restitute the
materials for the screening and the youth rushed to install them again.
"Suddenly rebels who are members of the ICC arrived to stop the screening. They
fired. (...) Afterwards, they shot at the house of Ouangly Daniel, the deputy DDC.
Fortunately no death or injured have been registered. (...)

Political
Violence in Bangolo, yesterday: the city paralyzed by militants of FPI

Le Nouveau
Réveil  –
It was impossible yesterday to leave or enter the city of
Bangolo. The Pan-African Youth Congress (COJEP) was protesting against the
Forces Nouvelles. They wanted the Integrated Command Centre (which is formed of
former rebels and soldiers of the national defense forces) to leave and let the
regular forces secure the city. They started their claim with the projection of
a film depicting the atrocities of war. Since it seems that presidential
candidate Laurent Gbagbo is losing this election, he has decided to use all
kinds of means to win some hypothetical votes. Thus the old demons of hatred and
xenophobia are being revived for that reason. The local president of COJEP,
WONHOUBLY Daniel, who took this line of action, decided to screen a film about
the horrors of war. Elements of ICC who did not see the timeliness of this
screening and for the sake of social peace, decided to stop it. They arrested
WONHOUBLY Romeo, the younger brother of the President of Cojep. After being
questioned, he was released. This release did not please some elements of the
ICC such as Amidou Cissé who loudly expressed their dissatisfaction by shooting
into the air. This attitude outraged the COJEP of Bangolo. The following day
they started a demonstration by barricading the main road to prevent vehicles
from crossing the city.

Ethical and
professional conduct in private press – Reporters without borders (RSF) calls on
both candidates 

Abidjan, 18
November 2010 (AIP)-

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have asked  the two candidates of the  second
round of the 2010 presidential election to ensure that the media who support
them respect the rules of ethics and professional conduct.

In a letter sent
on Wednesday to candidates Laurent Gbagbo of the Presidential Majority (LMP) and
Alassane Ouattara of the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP),
RSF asked that they ensure that the press that support them are not found guilty
of insults, false accusations, or even hate speech. "

For RSF, "the
campaign for the second round of the presidential election could give rise to
heated exchanges in the private press in particular."

Therefore, "we
appeal first to the responsibility of editors to prevent abuses. We draw your
attention, you, politicians to the positive role you can play in calming your
militants," the RSF secretary-general, Francois Julliard said.

"The future head
of state should be the guarantor of a scrupulous respect of the freedom of the
press. It will also promote the pluralism of information in promoting the
liberalization of broadcasting, particularly television," Francois Julliard
said. (...)