United States Embassy (Abidjan)
16 July 2008
This daily press review is compiled by the Information Section of the Public Affairs Office of the American Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
President Laurent Gbagbo's reported statement that "after the elections, you'll get your national identity cards," generated commentaries in today's Ivorian newspapers. The peace process and the upcoming presidential elections; the strike called by taxi and minibus drivers to protest recent fuel price increases; and the Cote d'Ivoire Workers Union call for a two-day nationwide strike beginning from July 17 were the other top stories in the dailies. Newspapers also reported on the Buruli Ulcer, a tropical disease, which is causing havoc in Cote d'Ivoire, as well as an alleged threat on an opposition newspaper.
1. L'inter (an independent newspaper): A prominent headline in this paper said: "The decision to issue national identity cards after the elections violates the Ouagadougou Political Agreement." During his visit to the Western-central city of Seguela July 14, President Gbagbo, said the paper, told the residents that "you'll have your identity cards after the elections." The paper referred to Section 2.3.3 of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement which states that: "The voter who shall not have withdrawn his voter card within the deadline specified in the paragraph mentioned above, will however, be able to vote with his new national identity card if he is normally registered on the voter register." Against this background, L'inter explained that voters could use their national identity cards if they want to exercise their franchise during the coming elections. It went on to suggest that this statement from the president virtually "buried one of the major grievances that triggered the rebellion" in Cote d'Ivoire six years ago. The paper concluded that through this statement, the Ivorian leader was just trying "to delay a bomb" that should be "defused now."
2. Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition): Commenting on Gbagbo's statement, the paper said that Cote d'Ivoire is back to "square one." The paper believed that with the peace process underway in this country, Ivorians are "close to having their national identity cards and to defer it even for one day is unacceptable." It then questioned the rationale of President Gbagbo's decision when his Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro, who is also the leader of the New Forces (the former rebel movement), "keeps on telling his former fighters that they will have their national identity cards." Reacting to the statement, a leading member of the opposition RDR party of Alassane Dramane Ouattara rejected any plan to issue the national identity cards after the elections.
3. On the peace process, a front-page item in Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily) said that the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on July 14 commended Cote d'Ivoire's political leaders for their commitment to a peace agreement reached last year. The paper published a United Nations' report which said: "Mr. Ban welcomed the 30 November date for the presidential election, along with the Government's adoption of decrees relating to the polls," adding "these important developments mark the beginning of the electoral process in earnest." However, "Mr. Ban is deeply concerned about the funding challenges facing the cantonment process, as well as the very low number of serviceable weapons surrendered to date by cantoned combatants," Reported the paper.
4. Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR): The paper ran a front-page story alleging that the ruling FPI party is planning to organize "frauds" during the identification and registration of voters through a program dubbed: "Operation Inundation." In a related development, Le Jour Plus (another daily close to the opposition) raised an alarm bell alleging that the Ivorian Interior Minister is trying to "take control of the electoral process."
5. Regarding the current situation in Cote d'Ivoire after the recent fuel price increases, Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) said UGTCI - the Cote d'Ivoire General Workers Union - is calling for a two-day nationwide strike beginning from July 17 to protest the high cost of living. The paper quoted the Secretary General of UGTCI as saying, "We want the freeze on salaries and promotions to be lifted." A front-page story in Fraternite Matin said that businesses in Abidjan were virtually brought to a standstill yesterday, as taxi and minibus drivers staged a second day of strikes to protest recent fuel price increases. On the salary issues, the paper quoted the Minister of Mining and Energy as saying that the government is working with the workers to find a solution. Meanwhile, L'inter ran a prominent story saying that the ghost-city movement launched by taxi and minibus drivers has been "suspended" following assurances from President Gbagbo that he would meet them to negotiate.
6. On health issues, Le Jour Plus reported that Cote d'Ivoire is the most affected by Buruli Ulcer, a tropical disease. In a bid to stem the effect of this disease, the Ministry Of Health on July 12 launched in San Pedro a testing awareness campaign. The paper quoted the minister as saying that about 2,000 new cases have been registered since 2007.
7. Finally, a report in Le Patriote said that unidentified people threatened to set ablaze the office of this paper. The report said the publisher of the paper received text messages, some of them reading: "Stop threatening the President of the Republic otherwise you and some of your collaborators will regret being journalists. You have one week to stop your menace, otherwise I and my friends will burn down your newspaper."
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