Military

DATE=10/24/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-268368

TITLE=IVORY COAST-VIOLENCE (L)

BYLINE=LUIS RAMIREZ

DATELINE=ABIDJAN

CONTENT:

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Demonstrators take to the streets of Ivory Coast's main city, Abidjan, after the military government of General Robert Guei declares him a winner in the West African country's presidential elections. V-O-A's Luis Ramirez reports the declaration came despite a strong showing by an opposition candidate.

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TEXT: Demonstrators smashed car windows and ran through the streets, angry over the government's announcement that General Guei was declared the winner of Sunday's election.

Preliminary results late Sunday and early Monday had shown opposition candidate Laurent Gbagbo with a clear lead over General Guei. The national electoral commission abruptly stopped issuing results for several hours and shut everyone, including journalists, out of the building where votes were being tallied.

Supporters of opposition candidate Laurent Gbagbo marched from his campaign headquarters through Abidjan's central business district, some of them carrying bottles of gasoline.

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Several gunshots were heard in the area, as well as near the country's main broadcasting stations.

This Gbagbo supporter, among the crowd, says he is angry at what he calls outright fraud by General Guei's government.

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I am young. I am 19 years old. I voted for my first time. And I voted for my president. We want our place. By whatever means, we will get it. Even if it means we need to die for it.

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The elections were supposed to return Ivory Coast to civilian rule following the December 24th coup that put General Robert Guei in power. The Guei government earlier this month barred most of his opponents from running against him, Laurent Gbagbo, a socialist, was the only well-known candidate left to challenge the general.

(SIGNED)

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