DATE=7/23/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IVORY COAST/REFERENDUM (L-UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-264723
BYLINE=PURNELL MURDOCK
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Officials in Ivory Coast say voting on a new
constitution will continue for a second day, after
severe organizational problems delayed voting on
Sunday. Authorities say all problems at polling
stations will be resolved Monday, which has been
declared a public holiday, to allow citizens to go to
the polls. V-O-A's Purnell Murdock reports from
Abidjan (Ivory Coast's commercial capital), on the
issues involved in the referendum.
TEXT: Voting got off to a slow start Sunday in
most parts of the country. Electoral officials
blamed long delays on the late arrival of voter
lists and other materials.
Security was tightened at strategic locations in
Abidjan. The military government has imposed a
state of emergency in the country to prevent any
attempts to disrupt the polling.
The central issue of the constitutional
referendum is whether a presidential candidate
should be born of two Ivorian parents.
Military ruler Robert Guei, who came to power
following a coup last December, visited polling
stations in Abidjan Sunday and urged voters to
support the two-parent rule.
Some voters say they want their president to be
purely Ivorian. Others disagree. A leading
Muslim group, traditional chiefs in the north and
representatives of people of mixed race say the
draft constitution is socially divisive.
/// IVORIAN VOTER IN FRENCH--ESTABLISH & FADE ///
This man says political-party leaders are pushing
their supporters to vote for the two-parent rule.
But he says Muslims like him prefer to vote no.
He says the Muslim community does not want the
country divided.
The nationality issue has been a cause of
political instability in Ivory Coast since ousted
civilian President Henri Konan Bedie accused his
main rival, opposition leader Alassane Ouattara,
of mixed parentage.
/// OPT /// Mr. Ouattara's rivals say one of his
parents is a native of neighboring Burkina Faso.
Mr. Ouattara denies the claim and says he can
meet all the requirements regarding nationality.
/// END OPT ///
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, Mr.
Ouattara said he hopes Ivorians will put the
question of parentage behind them, and
concentrate on other important issues facing the
country.
/// OUATTARA ACT ///
I hope this [new] second republic will be a
republic of democracy, that the elections
-- particularly the presidential elections
-- will take place peacefully, and that all
of us will be able to compete to allow my
compatriots to chose the next president in
a transparent way and in a peaceful
environment so that we can devote ourselves
to economic development.
/// END ACT ///
Ivory Coast, the world's largest producer of
cocoa and one of West Africa's most developed
nations, has suffered a period of economic
decline. Road repairs and other public-works
programs have been halted because of a lack of
money.
Critics accused Mr. Bedie's former government of
fiscal mismanagement, and international lenders
have suspended much-needed financial aid to Ivory
Coast until civilian rule is restored. Ivory
Coast's military rulers plan to hold presidential
elections in October. (Signed)
NEB/WPM/ALW/WTW
23-Jul-2000 15:22 PM EDT (23-Jul-2000 1922 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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