Return to normal
life: UNOCI Chief receives kings and traditional leaders

Le Mandat  –
The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte
d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi on Tuesday, 31 May 2011 received a delegation of the High
Council of Kings and Traditional Chiefs of Côte d'Ivoire, led by His Majesty
Agnini Bilé II, King of Djablin, who came to express their recognition and
gratitude for "having saved democracy in the country". (...) The Special
Representative said the Ivorian post-election crisis has been resolved thanks to
the devotion and work of the Ivorian people. He added that the future challenges
were great; especially with regard to security, national reconciliation and
economic revival as well as the legislative elections and he reiterated UNOCI's
support. "UNOCI is ready to work with you to meet all these challenges", he
said. (...) The Director of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
Division (DDR), Sophie Da Camara stressed the significant role of the Kings and
traditional leaders for the return of militia members to civilian life. (...)

 

Social projects,
security: Abidjan District solicits UNOCI's assistance

Le Mandat  –
(...) Having come at the UN Mission's headquarters with a big delegation, Mr.
Mambé said he addressed several issues related to the current situation in the
country, projects for the population and the security issue with the Special
Representative. (...) Concerning the projects for the sensitive social strata, Mr.
Mambé said he examined with the Special Representative the possibility to equip
health centres, rehabilitate schools. They also discussed several projects for
youths and women. 

 

Korhogo/social
cohesion: UNOCI reconciles population by football

Le Mandat  –
The town of Korhogo situated 580 km north of Abidjan witnessed a particular
atmosphere on 29 May 2011 on the occasion of the regional tournament for peace
and reconciliation organized by the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire
(UNOCI). (...) For the chief of UNOCI delegation, Bakary Bakayoko, the objective
of the tournament was to give population through fair-play a way to promote
social cohesion and reconciliation.
(...)

 

General J.
Palasset (Ex-Chief of the Licorne): "We helped people in danger"

L'Expression  –
[...] General J. Palasset is returning to his base after a one-year mission as the
Force Commander of Licorne. (...) According to him his soldiers saved Côte
d'Ivoire from a difficult situation. "We helped people in danger. It was our
duty to do it. It would have been a mistake not to do it", he said. He added:
"We are happy to have re-established peace on streets and joy on people's
faces". (...) He counters the "gratuitous" accusations that hold the elements of
the Licorne responsible for the arrest of the incumbent President. "It is a
futile argument. The FRCI arrested the incumbent President and you will not see
in any video the soldiers of Licorne participating in the arrest" he said. (...)

 

 

Security:
Detonations created panic in Abidjan yesterday

Le Mandat  –
Three explosionss created panic in Abobo on Tuesday. In fact, at 12.20 pm a
first explosion in Adjamé made the people who heard it jump. It was followed
five minutes later by another one. (...) Shortly after we have been informed that
the explosions were coming from the naval base in Yopougon where neutralization
operation on bombs was being conducted by experts.

 

Charles Blé
Goudé, from his hiding place: "Reconciliation should result in concrete actions"

L'Intelligent
d'Abidjan  –
The Chairman of COJEP, Charles Blé Goudé, talks for the first time from his
hiding place. "Clearly speaking beyond slogans, reconciliation should result in
concrete actions especially when we know that President Gbagbo and several of
his companions are under illegal house arrest and isolated in the north of Côte
d'Ivoire. In addition our country affected by the allegiance syndrome has seen
the return of political chameleons who claim they predicted the current
situation. These political nomads without conviction are accusing President
Gbagbo today of being responsible for all the trouble. As you know dear fellow
citizens whatever the virulence of an epidemic it will never infect everybody.
This is why I want to reassure my Ivorian and African brothers that in this
cacophony, I am still lucid.
[...]".

 

Charles Blé
Goudé is « alive »: The prosecutor can launch an arrest warrant

L'Expression  –
Incredible rumours forced the leader of the "patriots" to come out of his hiding
place. In a letter published yesterday in some newspapers and attributed to
Charles Blé Goudé (...) the leader of the Patriotic Galaxy reassured his
activists. "My dear fellow citizens, I am alive". (...) Like his god Laurent
Gbagbo, his goddess Simone, General Dogbo Blé and the perpetrators of crimes, he
should be heard by the Public Prosecutor in order to identify the militias and
Liberian mercenaries who killed people in Côte d'Ivoire.
(...)

 

National
gendarmerie: Official set up checkpoints in Pk 17 and Gesco

Agence
Ivoirienne de Presse (AIP) –
To ensure security to all Ivorians and all the economic operators, the national
gendarmerie officially set up on Monday the checkpoints in PK 17 (road to Dabou)
and Gesco (Yopougon), says a statement issued by the gendarmerie. (...) Colonel
Soumahoro Gaoussou, the Republican Forces (FRCI) Commander in charge of the
operations in Abidjan proceeded to the official set up. (...) He said: "Your
presence reassures users and economic operators. Strive to regain people's
confidence for the revival of our economy".
(...)

 

Security/Racketing and bulling against the population: Hamed Bakayoko takes
vigorous measures

L'Intelligent
d'Abidjan  –
The Minister of the Interior Hamed Bakayoko held a working session yesterday at
his office with senior commanders of the FRCI. The meeting revolved around:
taking decisions with a view to stop the phenomenon of racketing and setting up
a better coordination of the security forces in the field. (...) "Racketing is so
prevalent now that the economic operators solicited the President of the
Republic to stop it. Incidents are registered here and there. We are obliged to
find a firm solution », the Minister said. (...) It has been decided to regroup
the elements of the FRCI. This operation goes along with the provision of their
food and health care. The second decision is the suppression of road blocks and
the installation of a special anti-racket brigade. (...) And in order to counter
every desire to racket, the State authorities set up a listening centre to
denounce every abuse. (...)

 

Joint visit
FMI-World Bank to Côte d'Ivoire / Mrs. Doris Ross (Chief of delegation): "Côte
d'Ivoire is on the way to revival" –The FMI donates more than 58.5 billion Fcfa
to Côte d'Ivoire

Le Nouveau
Réveil  –
(...) The Chief of delegation, Mrs. Doris Ross yesterday disclosed the conclusions
to journalists: "The Ivorian authorities and the FMI delegation agreed on some
macro-economic methods to be implemented during the rest of 2011 with a view to
relaunching the economy of the country. These methods could be supported by the
Facility of Quick Credit (FCR). An eventual release of some $130 million
(Editor's note, that is 58.5 billion Fcfa) subject to approval by the FMI's
board of directors could be done in July".
(...)

 

Personalization
of the power: RTI resumes old habits

Le Jour Plus
 –
The Ivorian Radio diffusion and Television (RTI) (...) is resuming its old habits.
[..] In fact, since his investiture ceremony on 21 May in Yamoussoukro, the
three quarters of the TV news (...) and many other programmes are only focusing on
the President of the Republic. [...] Côte d'Ivoire should stop these old habits.