Military

DATE=11/01/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-268701

TITLE=IVORY COAST (L-O)

BYLINE=LUIS RAMIREZ

DATELINE=ABIDJAN

CONTENT:

VOICED AT:

INTRO: At least 18 bodies have been discovered floating in a lagoon off Ivory Coast's main city, Abidjan, following violence that killed hundreds of people in the West African country last week. Correspondent Luis Ramirez reports from Abidjan.

TEXT: Dioula-speaking merchants in Abidjan's impoverished Abobo district were heavily targeted during the violence that swept Ivory Coast last week. The clashes pitted mostly Muslim Dioula-speaking northerners against Christian southerners.

The clashes were touched off by supporters of opposition-leader Alassane Ouattara, most of them Muslims from the north. They began protesting to demand new elections that would include Mr. Ouattara, who had been disqualified from running in the October 22nd elections.

Supporters of new President Laurent Gbagbo clashed with the pro-Ouattara demonstrators. Shops, homes, churches, and mosques were set on fire.

/// NAT SOUND, ESTABLISH & FADE ///

This week, Abobo and other hard-hit districts of Abidjan began to rebuild their businesses and places of worship. Crews hauled away burned remains of buses, cars, and trucks.

A few kilometers away at a morgue, families waited to identify the remains of victims whose bodies have only recently been discovered. This woman, a Muslim Dioula, whose brother was killed in the demonstrations, was among those waiting in line to enter the morgue. She tells V-O-A she longs for a time when all Ivorians, no matter where they are from, could live together in peace.

/// ACT IN FRENCH, ESTABLISH & FADE ///

She says - it is not a question of whether we are from the north, or others are from the south. So, what I wish would happen is I wish there would be reconciliation. She says - It is them, the politicians, who must begin the reconciliation. It is because of them that we are fighting. These people's deaths were no accident. It was not the politicians who were killed.

Critics have accused Alassane Ouattara of inciting the violence by pressing his followers to demand new elections. Mr. Ouattara's Assembly of the Republicans party this week joined other parties in appealing for calm.

/// REST OPT ///

Bodies pulled from the lagoon in Abidjan this week are believed to be those of people who jumped into the water when troops loyal to the government of military ruler General Robert Guei began firing on demonstrators as the first protests broke out last week.

The protests erupted after General Guei tried to steal the October 22nd presidential elections. The protests forced the general to flee, leaving challenger Laurent Gbagbo as the country's new civilian president.

The United States has called for Ivory Coast to hold new elections, but says it is willing to work with the Gbagbo government to create a solid and inclusive democracy. U-S Ambassador to Ivory Coast George Mu held talks with the country's new prime minister (Affi N'Guessan) for the first time Monday, in what was described as a cordial discussion. (SIGNED)

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