DATE=7/31/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IVORY COAST VIOLENCE (L)
NUMBER=2-264984
BYLINE=PURNELL MURDOCK
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
CONTENT:
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Security forces in Ivory Coast have clashed
with students trying to demonstrate near the French
embassy in Abidjan. Correspondent Purnell Murdock
reports from our West Africa Bureau.
TEXT: Witnesses say armed security forces used
teargas and batons to disperse demonstrators trying to
assemble near the French embassy. They say dozens of
people were arrested and several people severely
beaten by security forces.
Large numbers of troops spread out through the city
center, sealing off approach roads to the embassy and
the business and administrative districts.
The demonstrators were supporters of opposition leader
Alassane Ouattara. They say they wanted to stage a
peaceful sit-in to support France's call to let all
political parties field their candidate of choice in
Ivory Coast's September 17th presidential election.
Several-days ago, a rival group protested in Abidjan,
angry at what they considered French meddling in the
country's internal affairs and French support for the
opposition leader.
One organizer of Monday's demonstration, Soro
Guillaume, told V-O-A the government had not announced
a ban on the demonstration. And he said he was
shocked by the government's action.
/// GUILLAUME ACT ONE - IN FRENCH - FADE UNDER ///
Mr. Guillaume says the government allowed groups to
demonstrate against France. He says the new
constitution protects the rights to protest
peacefully. But, he says, when it was his group's
turn, the government brutally put down the
demonstration.
Government officials refused to comment about the
violence.
Mr. Guillaume said his group has a petition with more
than 10-thousand signatures supporting France's
position on the political situation in Ivory Coast.
He said the demonstrators wanted to give the petition
to the French ambassador. He expressed concern about
what the government's action says about democracy in
the country.
/// GUILLAUME ACT TWO - IN FRENCH - FADE UNDER ///
Mr. Guillaume says the military's crackdown indicates
there is no democracy or respect for rights in Ivory
Coast. He says if there is no democracy, there will
be no free and fair elections.
Ivory Coast has been torn by a dispute concerning
opposition leader and presidential hopeful Alassane
Ouattara. A new constitution approved in a national
referendum last week says all candidates must be
purely Ivorian.
Mr. Ouattara's opponents say he is only one-half
Ivorian. The opposition leader denies the claim,
saying he can prove his Ivorian nationality.
The country has also been in turmoil since junior
military officers ousted former president Henri Konan
Bedie last December. In early July, the government
put down a military uprising over pay, which it also
characterized as an attempted coup.
Military ruler Robert Guei says he intends to hand
power over to a civilian government following
elections later this year. But some believe the
general intends to run for the presidency. (SIGNED)
NEB/WPM/JWH/RAE
31-Jul-2000 12:52 PM EDT (31-Jul-2000 1652 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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