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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |
COTE D'IVOIRE: Thousands protest on the streets of Abidjan
ABIDJAN, 2 October 2003 (IRIN) - Thousands of pro-government demonstrators took to the streets of Cote d'Ivoire's commercial capital, Abidjan, on Thursday to protest against the continued occupation of northern Cote d'Ivoire by rebels despite an agreement to unite the country, that was signed in France in January.
The protesters, mainly youths, burnt four public transport vehicles to ashes. Thick smoke billowed throughout the morning from the smouldering vehicles at a road junction between the sprawling Adjame suburb and the city centre.
Eyewitnesses told IRIN that problem started when one minibus almost knocked the protestors. "They ordered passengers out of the minibus and three others plying the route at the time, and set all of them ablaze," one eyewitness said.
Wearing T-Shirts bearing orange, green and white colours of the Ivorian flag with slogans reading: "We are tired", "Disarmament is the priority", the protestors grabbed drinks from street vendors as they made their way from the city suburbs to Place de la Republique near President Laurent Gbagbo's offices.
They barricaded the streets around the area, as most offices and shops in the city centre closed. Traffic in the city centre was sparse. Even in the suburbs, few people could be seen on the streets.
Various artistes and dancers later performed for the huge crowds, who cheered and danced along. The organisers of the protest, mainly young men and women calling themselves "Jeune Patriots" had asked all the "patriotic population" to join in the protest.
Charles Ble Goude, leader of the patriotic youths, and other youth leaders who addressed the protestors called for the resignation of independent Prime Minister Seydou Diarra whom they accused of being a "friend of the rebels".
Goude, guarded by seven soldiers said: "If there is no disarmament there will not be elections in 2005." The self-styled fiery-speaking "General", warned the rebel ministers currently in their stronghold town of Bouake not to step into Abidjan again because they would be arrested.
Last week, rebels pulled out of the government of national reconciliation and the disarmament process. They retreated to their base in Bouake in the centre of the country and renewed a call for President Laurent Gbagbo to quit.
One of the rebel ministers, Roger Banchi, decided to stay in government and has since been disowned by the rebels who call him a "traitor".
Cote d'Ivoire was plunged into war on 19 September last year when mutinous soldiers who failed to topple the government, started a rebelllion. They seized control of the northern half of the country and have since retained control there.
A French-brokered agreement in January somewhat brought an end to military combat but the country has remained divided with the rebels controlling the north and the government controlling the south. Diarra was named Prime Minister as part of that agreement.
On Wednesday night, tension rose in the Abidjan suburb of Koumassi after a group of heavily armed people attacked a police station, killing one policemen. It was unclear why the policeman was killed, but it was suspected to be linked to the imprisonment of bandits by the police a month ago. One of the bandits was a soldier.
Meanwhile, former Senegalese president Abdou Diouf arrived in the country late Wednesday and was due to meet President Gbagbo to discuss the Ivorian peace process.
Diouf, who is also head of the International Organisation of Francophone countries (OIF), was expected to meet Guillaume Soro, the rebel spokesman in the Ivorian capital, Yamoussoukro, on Friday.
"The role of the OIF is to help revive dialogue [between government and the rebels]," Diouf told reporters upon arrival.
He will also meet with the UN team charged with the responsibility of ensuring the implementation of the French-brokered Linas-Marcoussis agreement. Michel de Bonnecorsean, aide to French President Jaque Chirac was also expected in the country on Thursday to meet Gbagbo and Diarra on Friday.
Themes: (IRIN) Conflict
[ENDS]
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