Côte d'Ivoire: 68 dead bodies found
in a mass grave, according to the UN

Abidjan.net –
UN investigators affirmed there were
at least 68 dead bodies in the mass grave which has recently been discovered on
a football field, said an officer serving in the United Nations Operation in
Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI). Guillaume Ngefa, the deputy Director of UNOCI's Human
Rights Division said that the victims had probably been killed by the pro-Gbagbo
militias on 12 April, the day after the Ivorian Head of State was arrested. (...)

 

Statement on the situation in
Abidjan and the coastal area and a call to Amnesty International and the
population in the coastal region

Ministry of Defence
– Plundering and
robberies have been perpetrated in the municipality of Yopougon. The Premier,
Minister of Defence strongly condemns these crimes. He reiterates his
instructions to the Republican Forces to take the military measures with a view
to neutralize all these criminals who claim they belong to the Republican
Forces. Anyway, the Premier and Minister of Defence, Mr. Guillaume Kigbafori
Soro severely warns all the soldiers, because he has been informed that they
were also carrying out plundering. The Military Court of Abidjan has resumed
duty; (...) every soldier who plunders or is an accomplice to such acts will be
prosecuted by the Military Court, imprisoned and dismissed. (...)

 

Bas-Sassandra region – Violent
clashes in Okrouyo yesterday - the FRCI attacked by Liberian mercenaries

L'Intelligent d'Abidjan
– Clashes broke out
on Monday 9 May 2011 in Okrouyo in the Soubré district between Liberian militias
and the Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire. (...) Yesterday in the sub-prefecture
of Okrouyo, Liberian mercenaries who are attempting to return to their native
country after they had been dislodged from Yopougon fell in an ambush of the
FRCI. (...) It is too early to do an evaluation of the fights but some people were
talking about some ten mercenaries dead whereas others were announcing the
arrest of 7 mercenaries.
(...)

 

Trial of Laurent Gbagbo – Obama and
Sarkozy put pressure on Ouattara – their demand to the new President

L'Inter –
The American and French Presidents
Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy are seemingly putting pressure on Ouattara in
order that he hands over the ex-Head of State Laurent Gbagbo to the
International Criminal Court (CPI). La Lettre du Continent, the newspaper that
discloses the information says that both Presidents want to give a strong signal
to all the Presidents who will refuse to transfer power in spite of their defeat
in the polls. (...) Obama and Sarkozy bear him a grudge because he refused to
seize the opportunities offered by the international community. President
Ouattara is seemingly annoyed by the demand of his American and French
counterparts for two reasons. The first reason is that he could antagonize with
those who helped him get his total power by rejecting their demands. (...) By
prosecuting Gbagbo on the Ivorian territory, the new President wants to erase
the image of the "President of foreign powers" the pro-Gbagbo activists have
stuck on him. (...) and that could destroy the fragile wall of peace the new
regime is attempting to build (...).

 

Investigation in Switzerland –
Laundering – Côte d'Ivoire lodges a complaint against Laurent Gbagbo

L'Intelligent d'Abidjan –
Switzerland has received a complaint against Laurent Gbagbo and many of his
collaborators. Côte d'Ivoire accuses them of money laundering via accounts
opened in Swiss banks. (...) The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE, an
equivalent to the Ministry) said on Wednesday that Switzerland had frozen $70
million – 35 billion Fcfa – belonging to Laurent Gbagbo and his collaborators.
The objective was to avoid any attempt of embezzlement of public funds when Côte
d'Ivoire was going through its post-electoral crisis. (...) Côte d'Ivoire can ask
for judicial mutual assistance so that Switzerland gives information on suspect
accounts. These documents could be used as evidence in a judicial procedure.
(...)

 

Dialogue-truth-reconciliation
commission – Two deputy-Chairmen appointed, composition and missions: Ivorians
give their viewpoints

L'Intelligent d'Abidjan –
Guei Charles, civil servant: Let us go to the essential". "After all the recent
events, we think that it is important that Ivorians meet. It is a good thing to
set up a truth and reconciliation commission. (...)" (...). Adon, carpenter: "There
are not only Christians and Muslims in Côte d'Ivoire. (...) Christians and Muslims
are appointed in the commission. But there are not only Christians and Muslims
Côte d'Ivoire. What is the role of traditional leaders in this reconciliation?
(...)" (...) Zoto Bli, jobless: "Many things remain to be done before starting
reconciliation". (...) Look around. People are still armed. If all these men could
be taken to military camps, that would be a big step towards reconciliation. (...)
The Ivorian is not resentful and reconciliation can be successful only if all
the arrangements are reunited". Mrs. Lucie, resource person: "This is nonsense;
reconciliation is in the heart of everyone. (...) When every Ivorian decides to
reconcile with others, there will be unity and peace. What the commission is
doing, it is to create resentment in the hearts of Ivorians. (...)

 

Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation

Commission- Beware of the missteps and blunders.

L'Intelligent d'Abidjan-
Charles Konan Banny, former prime minister of reconciliation, appointed after
the vote of the UN resolution 1621 is in charge of the Dialogue, Truth and
Reconciliation Commission. He will be assisted in this task by two major
historical religious figures: the Chairman of COSIM, Boikary Fofana and Ahouana
Simeon, Archbishop of Bouaké. Their task will not be easy, certainly, but not
impossible. They will work hard to reconcile Côte d'Ivoire with itself. However,
analysts fear some slips and missteps. "Do not think that a red carpet will be
unrolled to Banny and his vice presidents because the task ahead is difficult,"
they said. For them the crisis has reached its climax and the social division is
very deep. Former Mr. Banny who was Prime Minister over two years knows quite
well Ivorian misfortune. Nevertheless, he is criticized for being politically
marked. He belongs to the same political group of the President of the Republic.
His two vice-presidences are criticized too. Bishop Ahouana for his past
position seems to be a hindrance. The analysts have the impression that the
power is afraid of involving its former adversaries to process of
reconciliation. Besides, there are many Ivorians who hold accountable those
religious leaders who, very often, they say, have lacked the courage to speak
truth to politicians. Since, they argue, these monks have repeatedly misled when
most of them make friends with the various regimes that have succeeded. To many
observers, pastors, priests and imams were discredited in the eyes of the
people. The harshest criticism comes from where three Christian groups compete
for the right leadership.
(...)

 

Inauguration of President Ouattara:
D-Day -11 - Yamoussoukro at the rhythm of the preparations

L'Intelligent d'Abidjan
–
Do not
lose face during the inauguration of new President of the Republic, His
Excellency Dr Alassane Ouattara. This is the goal that people want to reach in
Yamoussoukro. Thus, they are busy to make every effort to make this Mass, a
complete success. To do this, seventeen (17) committees have been established,
in addition to those of Abidjan (Environment and hygiene, health, logistics,
communication, leadership, etc.). Since the weekend, the Herculean works have
been launched. We realize after our tour of the city and particularly in the
building that will house the ceremony itself and hotels the progress of work.
"Nothing should escape our vigilance. Everything has to be scanned. Yamoussoukro
must look great. This is the first time such an event takes place on a scale
here. The whole world will be here. This is not a small matter," the members of
the organizing committee said.

 

Inauguration of President Ouattara
on May 21 in Yamoussoukro: Abidjan must be secured to avoid any bad surprise.

Le Nouveau Réveil–
We
have the impression that all is well in the brave new world in Cote d'Ivoire and
anything can be done safely without any fear. However, that is not the case. If
in the Overall, since the fall of former President Gbagbo, the guns have fallen
silent and that there is a gradual return to normality in virtually all of Cote
d'Ivoire, we must recognize that security is problematic in Abidjan, where many
people still have assault weapons. Moreover, Abidjan is still riddled with
dozens of caches of weapons of war that have not yet been discovered by FRCI.
Therefore Abidjan must be made secure.

 

Assistance to reconstruction and
reconciliation: The United States plans a special programme for Cote d'Ivoire

Le Nouveau Réveil
–The U.S. Ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire, Carter Philipp 3, met with the president,
Alassane Ouattara yesterday. After the meeting that lasted 1 hour 30, the U.S.
diplomat delivered this message to the press:" We made ​​about issues concerning
the bilateral program with the United States. We talked about budget of the
assistance to see what we can do. As you know, we are trying to build a program
of assistance. Since 1999, we have just PEPFAR program (to fight against AIDS).
And it is very important to see what we can do to help the president in the
program of reconstruction and reconciliation. We also talked about the numbers
of indication of the development. Now it was a very important discussion.