allAfrica.com: Côte d'Ivoire: American Embassy's National Daily Press Review (Page 1 of 1)

This daily press review is compiled by the Information Section of the Public Affairs Office of the American Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

The front-page stories of today's Ivorian dailies are the trial of Ibrahim Coulibaly alias IB, the alleged architect of the attempted coups d'etats of 2003 and December 2007; disarmament and elections in Cote d'Ivoire; and the crash of the French troop Licorne helicopter. The papers also reported on the dismissal of the Chief of Police.

1. In Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition) the front-page story was on the trial of Ibrahim Coulibaly (IB). The story headline said: "Court of Paris, a mercenary of IB confessed in court: We were planning to kill Gbagbo." The lawyers of IB gave up as he risks being sentenced for seven year's imprisonment. According to the paper, out of 13 people accused of plotting against Gbagbo, only 10 showed up. All of them confessed that they had accepted to participate in the project of killing Gbagbo. Ibrahim Coulibaly who was the main architect of the project was not present.

The paper also reported that the chief of the Ivorian police, Controller General Yapo Kouassi, was dismissed by the Minister of Interior and replaced by his assistant. The Chief of Police however refused to quit; he instead sent a radio message to all the police that he remains their chief. According to the paper, some police officers said that the Minister of Interior never hid his intention of placing his own men. To that effect, in the new organization chart, directions of service have been subject to intense scrutiny.

2. Le Patriote (a daily close to RDR) also reported on the trial of Ibrahim Coulibaly yesterday in Paris. The headline said: "Affair of RPG7 in Cocody, the strange trial of IB started in Paris; the lawyers of the Sergeant-chief: "We don't know where he is." According to the paper, IB was absent yesterday at his trial in Paris. Seen as the trouble maker in all the regimes of Cote d'Ivoire since the death of Houphouet Boigny, the lawyers of IB told the court yesterday that they had no news of their client who was in Benin until December 2007. (Note: IB has been declared persona non grata because of his implication in the attempted coup d'etat at Christmas in Abidjan.)

Le Patriote also reported that in Soro's collaboration with Gbagbo, he must mistrust him. According to the paper, Gbagbo withdrew the resolution of the Ivorian crisis from the hands of the international community and initiated the direct dialogue with the ex-rebellion and nominated his fierce enemy as Prime Minister. By doing so, Gbagbo's intention was to "swallow" Soro in his camp. The paper continues to say that a year after the signature of the Ouagadougou Agreement, the Prime Minister's courage, the opposition's vigilance combined with the determination of the facilitator allowed for some progress in the peace process. The paper also said that Gbagbo has now fallen into his own trap; he cannot personally obstruct the Agreement as he was the principal initiator. Also, he cannot openly declare war to his Prime Minister. The paper said Gbagbo is urging his "slaves" who claim that without the disarmament of ex-combatants, there will not be any election, to act against the Prime Minister.

3. L'Inter (an independent daily)'s front-page story headline said: "Trial for attempted coup d'etat, IB's accomplices appeared before the court yesterday; IB was nowhere to be found; what each mercenary was supposed to gain in the operation." According to the paper, former foreign legionaries who were arrested in summer 2003 based on information about their preparing a coup d'etat in Cote d'Ivoire, were yesterday before the criminal court of Paris. The paper said the main instigator, IB, was absent. According to the paper, his accomplices declared that they were supposed to attack President Gbagbo's convoy and were supposed to be paid 400,000 euros (approximately $613,500) each for the operation.

The paper also reported that more than 200 Government defense and security forces elements that have been in the front line for over five years, returned to their base yesterday. When asked, if the war had ended, some of them replied: "Yes the war is finished; we would say that the war is definitely finished. We ended our congregation since January 24, 2008 and we are going back to our original positions before the war."

4. On the economic front, L'Inter also reported that a mission of the African Development Bank (ADB) arrived yesterday in Abidjan. According to the head of the delegation, Dr. Mansur Muhtar, this first visit of the board of directors of ADB is to see the progress made in the peace process and how the bank can contribute to help consolidate the Ouagadougou Agreement. Dr. Muhtar also stated that the return of the bank to Cote d'Ivoire is also a great importance.

5. "Trial in Paris for the attack against the national security, IB boycotted the hearing" was in the headline in Nuit & Jour (an independent daily). According to the paper, IB, the architect of the attempted coup d'etat in Cote d'Ivoire as well as his money man, a Lebanese, who were supposed to appear before court yesterday in Paris did not show up.

6. In Soir Info (an independent daily) Ibrahim Coulibaly's lawyers stated that they do not know the whereabouts of IB. One of IB's lawyers, Mr. Antoine Comte, was quoted as saying: "We are like the court. We have difficulties to find the geographical location of Ibrahim Coulibaly and we have not received any instruction from him." The paper said the trial will end on April 2, 2008.

The paper also reported the crash of Licorne's (the French troop in Cote d'Ivoire) helicopter yesterday due to pilot error.

7. In L'Intelligent d'Abidjan (an independent daily), the front-page story said: "Yves Fofana, a member of Parliament close to the former ruling party PDCI said that this country (Cote d'Ivoire) does not belong to neither to Soro nor Gbagbo; Soro cannot be both Prime Minister and chief of New Forces; he must disarm his men who ask for travel orders to go in their zones." The paper said Mr. Fofana reiterated that to avoid the difficulties in the organization of elections in June 2008, it is imperative that Prime Minister Soro disarm his men before elections.

8. Le Temps (a daily close to Gbagbo) carried a story which said that the peace process might stop. According to the paper, the massive presence of New Forces soldiers in Gagnoa last weekend for the celebration of the International Women's Day was to prevent an assassination of the Primer Minister. The paper also said that one of Soro's body guards stated: "We can no longer remain unguarded as far as the Prime Minister's security is concerned. We have information that they want to kill us. Some people hidden in the dark want to kill him. So, all the Prime Minister's trips in the North as well as in the South must include his close guards."

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