United States Embassy (Abidjan)
21 August 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.
Reports in today's newspapers in Cote d'Ivoire said that a violent protest launched by ex-rebels in the central city of Bouake - the stronghold of the New Forces - is not yet over. Dailies also carried an army statement denouncing media reporting on an arms depot burglary in the Ivorian political capital, Yamoussoukro. A New Forces military leader, who was reported dead by the media, spoke from New York, United States. Other major reports focused on the Ivorian electoral process.
1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): A prominent story on the front page of this paper said that former New Forces combatants protested again yesterday in Bouake over money grievances, saying "We want to see Soro." According to the paper, after a peaceful march, the disgruntled ex-fighters again claimed five million FCFA (about $11,000 USD) each. The report also said the protesters rejected any negotiations with the New Forces' military command in the region saying their sole interlocutor is the Secretary General of the former rebel movement Guillaume Soro, now Prime Minister in the current administration. "If they refuse to come talk to us, believe me, there won't be elections in this country," the paper quoted the spokesperson of the soldiers as saying. However, reported the paper, the spokesperson stated that the New Forces demobilized ex-combatants support peace because they are aware that Ivorians are tired of the current situation.
2. Le Temps (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) said that 300 soldiers marched through the streets yesterday in Bouake to protest over pay delays. Le Matin d'Abidjan (also close to the ruling party) prominently reported what it called "a confused situation in Bouake, as Soro faces another rebellion." "The revolting soldiers defied Soro," said a front-page story in L'inter (an independent daily). Still on the situation in Bouake, Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) reported in a prominent story that the ex-rebels turned back emissaries of Simone Gbagbo who were traveling to Bouake to prepare the next tour of the Ivorian First Lady. The paper, however, pointed out that the First Lady's envoys were not targeted during the protest. Nevertheless, the paper expressed its concerns about the future of the ongoing peace process, warning that the continuous protests by the former rebels could "endanger the peace process."
3. Despite the repeated protests by the New Forces' soldiers, Henri Konan Bedie, former Ivorian President and leader of the former ruling PDCI-RDA party, has maintained his visit to Bouake, Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the party) told readers. The paper published a French News Agency's story saying that Bedie is expected to address a rally Sunday (August 24) in the north as part of his first tour of the northern region since the ex-rebellion took control of this region in September, 2002. The story further said that "in the framework of its political activities, the leadership of the PDCI is organizing a tour for President Bedie in the Bandama Valley (central-northern Cote d'Ivoire)."
4. In a front-page story, Soir Info (an independent daily) quoted an Ivorian former warlord as saying: "There will be no resumption of the war." According to the paper, Ouattara Issiaka a.k.a Wattao was speaking from the United States, following media reports that he was dead. The paper quoted Wattao as saying, "I am in good shape, I will return back soon to my country... I have been to New York to see my family..."
5. In another story, Soir Info said that the army hierarchy is angry following media reports on an arms depot burglary in the Ivorian political capital, Yamoussoukro. The paper carried quotations of a statement issued yesterday by the army denouncing the reports. It said: "Some papers alleged that four weapons and several grenades were taken away, while others put the number of weapons taken away at ten. The army high command hereby refutes these reports and denounces this improper way of disseminating news without double checking the information with the appropriate sources, thus creating an atmosphere of worry, fear, and disarray among our valiant and hard-working population... Chief of Defense Staff Gen Philippe Mangou, therefore, appeals to the population to remain calm and urges them to go about their business as usual, while investigations are underway to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators."
6. A story on the front page of L'intelligent d'Abidjan (an independent daily) focused on the delays in the identification process for the registration of potential voters. The paper said SAGEM, the French group in charge of the identification process, cannot be held "responsible for the delays." According to Fraternite Matin, the electoral process, especially the question of whether or not the upcoming elections could be held on November 30 according to plan, was high on the agenda during a meeting yesterday that brought together members of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) and a delegation of the Rally of the Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) - a four-party opposition coalition. The paper quoted the spokesperson of the RHDP as saying that "the result of the November 30 elections does not matter... The main objective is for these elections to enable Ivorians to come together to work for the porgress of their country."
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