Choi visits
Gbagbo in the north:




 Gbagbo, "is in good health"

Le Nouveau
Courrier 

 -
The chief of the United Nations Operation in
Côte d`Ivoire (UNOCI), Choi Young-Jin, on Monday visited ex-president Laurent
Gbagbo, under house arrest in Korhogo (north), and found him "in good health",
UNOCI said. During this first visit to Korhogo, Mr. Choi "reiterated UNOCI's
willingness" to "contribute to providing security for Mr. Gbagbo" and promised
that it will "do everything to ensure he is treated with dignity",  said the
Mission's press release.
(...)

 

 

Massacre in the
west: UNOCI clears the Forces républicaines and rubs it in for Gbagbo

L'Inter

 –
In a report it wrote and which remained a secret until it was published by a
journalist on Friday, 1 July, the
United
Nations Operation in Côte d`Ivoire (UNOCI) has removed all responsibility of the
Forces républicaines de Côte d'Ivoire for the massacres of civilians in the
West. With the support of its base in Duékoué, UNOCI has drawn up a chronology
of the tragic events which the Moyen Cavally region went through and which sent
shock waves around the entire world. In its report, it reveals that once set up,
the FRCI was not given adequate equipement (uniforms, boots etc.) which led to
some individuals passing themselves off as FRCI. A situation which created
confusion to the point where nobody knew who was who, and who was doing what.
Consequence : several  (persons in military uniform)  committed atrocities
against civilians ....the report noted, which covers Soro's soldiers when it
claims that « the UNOCI investigation team was witness on at least two occasions
during an altercation between two elements». In describing this ambiguous
situation, the investigators give the impression « that they had sown doubt in
the minds of the   population which cannot distinguish between the two parties
and has total confidence in the    FRCI ....». Clearly, reading between the lines
of the report, in general, we cannot accuse the FRCI of having committed the
massacres in Duékoué.
(...).

 

Government
seminar on 5 and 6 July – The perspective of the Government on the way forward

Le Patriote

 – Not like students, but like experts.
To
better serve Ivorians.
It is in this
spirit that the government seminar set by the president opened at the
presidential palace this morning.
In
''Fraternité Matin'' yesterday, the Government spokesman, Bruno Koné, said that
the main aim is to outline the Government's action plan... (...)

 

 

Prosecution: The
conditions for which Blé Goudé to appear before an Ivorian court

L'Inter
 -
The leader of the youth close to Gbagbo, Charles Blé Goudé, wants to appear
before Ivorian court but has set conditions. In an interview with RFI on Monday,
July 4, Charles Blé Goudé said that he was ready to appear before the court if
the Ivorian President Ouattara and his Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, also
appear. "You know very well that he has committed criminal acts and his men have
committed heinous acts in his name. Consequently, I will appear if my neighbours
in court are Ouattara and Guillaume Soro and if together we face justice," the
former Minister of the Youth and Employment in the last government of Laurent
Gbagbo said. (...) "Nothing surprises me at all because since Ouattara has been
in power, there is a two kinds of justice. He is afraid of the significant
opposition. He has decided to install his power in terror. The signs (...) of  a
dictatorial power are there and visible," he said before adding " This power
will not go very far, Ouattara acts as if his sole purpose is to hunt down,
kill, prosecute all those who were more or less close to Gbagbo. " (...)

 

Trial of the
former Head of State: Gbagbo's fate is in Yao N'dré's hands

Soir Info  –
It's a real headache for Ivorian justice! The indictment of former President of
the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo does not seem that easy. His
current status makes it difficult for the Ivorian judicial authorities. As
matter of fact the judicial authorities cannot charge the former President
without the approval of the Constitutional Council. This information, which was
already circulating in some circles, has been confirmed by the prosecutor of
Abidjan court. In an interview, he gave recently to
jeunafrique.com,
Koffi Kouadio Simplice explained why the former head of state, now under house
arrest in Korhogo (north of Côte d'Ivoire), has not been charged. "Because of
the status of Laurent Gbagbo, a special procedure is needed. As a former head of
state of Cote d'Ivoire, he is de facto a member of the Constitutional Council in
accordance with our laws. This status forces us to do otherwise. We are
currently organizing our services to petition the Council to authorize an action
against Laurent Gbagbo. This is why he has not been charged. Justice and law are
at the heart of our actions. Once authorized, the procedure will follow its
normal course," said Koffi Kouadio Simplice to
jeuneafrique.com.
(...) In fact, Article 89 (Title VII of the Constitutional Council) states that
"the Constitutional Council is composed of: (...) Past Presidents of the
Republic, unless an express waiver from them, (...)". This constitutional
provision refers to Bédié and Laurent Gbagbo. In their capacity as former heads
of state of Côte d'Ivoire, they are members of the Constitutional Council. If
Article 93 of Ivorian Common Law proves accurate when he states that "no member
of the Constitutional Council shall, during the term of office, be prosecuted,
arrested, detained or tried for a crime or misdemeanor unless the Council
authorizes it". In the light of these provisions, we can say that as long as the
Constitutional Council does not give permission, Laurent Gbagbo will not be
prosecuted. The question is whether the prosecutor will get the OK. The question
is particularly relevant that the Constitutional Council is still chaired by
Professor Paul Yao N'dré, considered close to Gbagbo. Among six Councillors who
currently sit on the Constitutional Council, four were appointed by the former
head of state and two recently by his successor, Alassane Ouattara. (...) In
other words, the fate of the former Ivorian number one is in the hands of
Professor Paul N'dré Yao and his colleagues.

 

Summoned before
the military court: Captain Jean-Noel Abéhi on the run

Le Patriote  -.
According to sources close to the army, Major Jean Noel Abéhi, head of the armed
squadron of Agban, has disappeared for three days. Like so many other convict
guards of the old regime, it would have taken the path of exile. This soldier
considered as one of the activists of the former regime was summoned before the
military court yesterday to explain the assumptions of crimes and abuses
committed during the post electoral crisis, with orders to come unarmed and
without his elements. Despite all the assurances he gave no sign of life.
Several hours later credible sources reported his flight yesterday morning
around five o'clock, on board of an unmarked vehicle.

 

Abuses by FRCI
at the University Hospital in Cocody on Saturday: the staff stops working for 72
hours.

Soir Info
 -
"The staff found that since 2000 until Saturday, July 2, 2011, security remains
precarious at the University Hospital (CHU) of Cocody because staff have been
victims of repeated attacks by armed men. What happened on Saturday, July 2 was
unbearable for the staff. To protest we have decided to stop working for 72
hours from Monday 4 to Wednesday, July 6, 2011" Antoine Niamien, president of
the Mutual of the agents of the Chu, said during a press conference on Monday,
shortly after 14h. "Former patients will receive care" he said. However, Niamien
Antoine said that their action may be interrupted only if the Ivorian
authorities effectively listen to them and secure the hospital. Long before this
important decision some staff members had left the hospital.

 

Removal of
bonuses, housing allowances, etc ...:  the army is unhappy/What soldiers are ask
Ouattara for.

L'Inter  -

The voices are again rising in the army. They are murmuring their
discontent to express their sadness. According to people we reached, a message
from chief of staff, has informed them about the removal of their bonuses and
their leases. "The president wants to reduce our salaries. He decided to reduce
our wages by 50,000 FCFA a month. While among us there are those who have six
(6) or seven (7) children. With the high cost of living now, we cannot even pay
for a bag of rice" they said. "On December, we are told that they will touch the
leases. The leases will be broken. Each of us will have to pay for his house"
they said. They have decided to plead their case with the Head of the State. "We
are pleading with the President of the Republic to reconsider his decision.

 

Preparation of
legislation: Independent Electoral Commission resumed its activities this week.
It responds to the discontent of the FPI

Le Nouveau
Réveil
 - Since the announcement of the organization of legislative
elections before the end of 2011 by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC),
members of the
Refondation
seem very unhappy. In order to provide Ivorians with elections which are
democratic, transparent and accepted to all, the IEC has started working again.
Thus the legislative will in fact take place before the end of 2011. This is
also according to the will of President Alassane Ouattara that has to nominate
his representative at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The IEC will
this week discuss new voters electoral boundaries and the list of new persons
that has to be integrated. The IEC will not differ from the one created by the
Ouagadougou Political Agreement and the other subsequent agreements.