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

Pre-electoral violence in central Cote d'Ivoire was one of the major stories in today's Ivorian dailies. The peace process underway in Cote d'Ivoire; rumors of activities of former Liberian rebels in western Cote d'Ivoire and other related security issues; the celebration of World AIDS Day; the living conditions of inmates in the Abidjan prison and a recent visit of the US Ambassador Wanda L. Nesbitt to a royal museum in the eastern city of Abengourou were the other major news items.

1. Soir Info (an independent daily newspaper): A front-page story in this paper said that scores of people were injured in the city of Guiberoua (central Cote d'Ivoire) following an assault on members of JPDCI - the youth wing of the PDCI (the former ruling party) by pro-government supporters. According to the paper, the clashes happened when members of JPDCI went to the city to organize a political rally. Reacting to the event, the leader of the Pan-African Congress of the Young Patriots (a movement close to President Gbagbo), Charles Ble Goude reportedly said: "I cannot go around in Cote d'Ivoire promoting peace, while in my own region in Guiberoua some Ivorians attack other Ivorians for no reason." "Those who were doing this were not helping Gbagbo," Goude reportedly said.

2. Reporting on the same issue, a front-page story in Le Matin d'Abidjan (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) said that Ble Goude went far to render an apology to PDCI-RDA - the party of the Ivorian former President Henri Konan Bedie. Le Jour Plus (a daily close to the opposition) the leader of JPDCI, Kouadio Konan Bertin, telling what the paper called the story on "the nightmare" he and his supporters went through in Guiberoua. According to the paper, the youth leader, who did not mince his words, condemned "the lack of tolerance for dissent on the part of supporters of President Gbagbo." Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the PDCI-RDA party) carried a banner headline where the leader of the JPDCI described as "barbaric and tribal" the assault he and his supporters, who were victims of the attacks on Sunday.

3. Regarding national security issues, a front-page story in L'inter (an independent daily) said that the commanders of government forces and the New Forces Armed Forces, Gen Philippe Mangou and Gen Soumaila Bakayoko, respectively, have decided to work together to forestall any threat on the peace process. According to the paper, the two army commanders have been meeting separately with their troops in order to assuage tension after elements of the Integrated Command Center - a joint security squad - recently went on the rampage over pay delays.

4. Another front-page story in L'inter said that the ruling FPI party has stepped up pressure in a bid to speed up the disarmament of the former rebels in Cote d'Ivoire. The paper said that the party of President Gbagbo has made the disarmament of the former combatants one of its priorities; and a delegation of the party is expected to meet today the UN Secretary General's Representative in Cote d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, to discuss the issue. The paper quoted a public statement issued by the party saying that "the lingering question of the disarmament and the restoration of the state's authority on the entire national territory will be high on the agenda of this meeting."

5. Still on security issues, in a prominent story, Le Temps (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) described the western region of Cote d'Ivoire as "an arms depot for the ex-Liberian rebels." The paper published an eyewitness report and quoted a former Liberian warlord as vowing that "we'll deal with those who recruited us."

7. Le Nouveau Reveil hinted that President Gbagbo may change members of Cote d'Ivoire's national intelligence unit. The paper also hinted the security apparatus at the Presidential Palace could also undergo some kind of shake-up, as the former Defense Minister Lida Kouassi is likely to take charge of the intelligence services in replacement of Mr. Bertin Kadet.

8. A front-page story in Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition) said that there are growing security concerns in Abidjan, as the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire has become "a den of bandits." According to the report, armed robberies take place everywhere in the city including houses, on the streets, in taxi cabs, churches, restaurants and filling stations... etc. In a reaction to the report, the commander of CECOS - a security unit based in Abidjan - reportedly complained about the slow reaction of the victims when it comes to inform security forces.

9. As Cote d'Ivoire celebrated the World AIDS Day yesterday, Fraternite Matin, in a front-page story, called for "a collective engagement for a systematic HIV testing." The report further said that the US Ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire Wanda L. Nesbitt, who took part in the event, highlighted efforts being deployed by the government of the United States to help combat the disease in Cote d'Ivoire through PEPFAR. The paper also added that the PEPFAR's budget for Cote d'Ivoire has shot up from about $46 million in 2004 to about $232 million in 2008.

10. A report in Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI) said that nearly 2,000 people are languishing in jail in the Abidjan main prison for the past ten years, as they wait for their trial. According to the report, most of the inmates are living in appalling conditions. "At least two prisoners die every month," said the report, adding "28 percent of the more than 5,000 prisoners incarcerated in the Abidjan prison are HIV-positive."

MEDIA REACTION TO U.S.; EMBASSY ABIDJAN AND OTHER WORLD ISSUES

1. L'inter and L'intelligent d'Abidjan carried reports on a recent visit of the US Ambassador Nesbitt to a royal museum in the eastern city of Abengourou. According to the report in Linter, Ambassador Nesbitt, who was visiting the city for the second time, was welcome by His Majesty Nanan Boa Kouassi III. L'intelligent d'Abidjan quoted a member of the royal family saying that this visit was "a sign of consideration, respect and friendship."

2. A statement published on the Relief Web site said that the Italian government through the Directorate General for Cooperation and Development has contributed with a financial amount of 300.000 Euros to UNHCR, to support the activities of the High Commissioner in Cote d'Ivoire. The statement also said that the project is aimed to protect the safe return of 700,000 displaced people in central Cote d'Ivoire; and to foster a process of reintegration.