IVORY COAST: UN peacekeeping chief Alan Leroy accuses Ivorian state TV of propaganda

Record ID: 181677

  • Title: IVORY COAST: UN peacekeeping chief Alan Leroy accuses Ivorian state TV of propaganda
  • Date: 30th December 2010
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (DECEMBER 29, 2010) (REUTERS) NEWS CONFERENCE HALL WITH ALAN LEROY, UNITED NATIONS CHIEF OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, IN BACKGROUND, JOURNALISTS IN FOREGROUND LEROY TALKING VARIOUS OF MORE OF JOURNALISTS IN NEWS CONFERENCE HALL (SOUNDBITE) (French) ALAIN LEROY, UNITED NATIONS CHIEF OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, SAYING: "The declarations I hear on the RTI (Ivorian State Television) are concerning us and shocking us because they clearly instigate the population to turn against ONUCI (United Mission to Ivory Coast), instigate towards hatred. It's very clear, that's how we interpret the incident that happened yesterday at Yopougon that everybody saw. It's clearly a direct consequence of all the appeals to hatred, lies and anti-ONUCI propaganda which is advanced by the RTI." VARIOUS OF MORE OF JOURNALISTS IN NEWS CONFERENCE HALL (SOUNDBITE) (French) ALAIN LEROY, UNITED NATIONS CHIEF OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, SAYING: "We are going to live through delicate weeks (times) but our determination is 100 percent there. I wanted to reassure myself, and we have a clear mandate to carry out. We are going to carry it out at the best of our abilities and with all the necessary determination, in particular to assure our freedom of movement. The resolution is very clear on that point, we have the freedom of movement on the whole of Ivory Coast's territory. This freedom of movement must be exercised in the best possible way. It's in this spirit that I reminded the mission, and the mission is determined to carry it out." ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (DECEMBER 27, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UNITED NATIONS PATROL ON ABIDJAN STREETS
  • Embargoed: 14th January 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: Communications,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAJYEGZ4B6DRPOQSRFEXB4A64X
  • Story Text: United Nations chief of Peacekeeping operations Alan Leroy accuses Ivorian State television of propaganda that encourages hatred towards the U.N. and says he will carry out the United Nations mandate regardless.
    The chief of United Nations peacekeeping operations in Ivory Coast, Alain Leroy, said on Wednesday (December 29) that Ivorian state television was to blame for an attack on a U.N. convoy, saying the broadcaster is engaging in propaganda and instigation to hatred against the U.N.
    "The declarations I hear on the RTI (Ivorian State Television) are concerning us and shocking us because they clearly instigate the population to turn against ONUCI (United Mission to Ivory Coast), instigate towards hatred. It's very clear, that's how we interpret the incident that happened yesterday at Yopougon that everybody saw. It's clearly a direct consequence of all the appeals to hatred, lies and anti-ONUCI propaganda which is advanced by the RTI," Leroy told journalists at a news conference in Abidjan.
    The United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast (ONUCI) said the U.N. convoy was transporting 22 peacekeepers from the interior of the country through Yopougon, when a large crowd encircled the convoy wounding one soldier with a machete and burning a U.N. vehicle on Tuesday (December 28).
    The government of incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo has remained defiant in the face of international pressure to cede power following elections, saying it would sever ties with any country that recognised envoys named by rival presidential candidate Alassane Ouattara.
    Gbagbo still has the support of the armed forces and controls the only television station broadcasting on Ivorian territory, the Ivorian State Television, or Radio Television Ivoirienne.
    A delegation of three West African presidents who met Gbagbo on Tuesday to deliver an ultimatum to step down or face force left saying more meetings were needed.
    "We have a clear mandate to carry out. We are going to carry it out at the best of our abilities and with all the necessary determination, in particular to assure our freedom of movement. The resolution is very clear on that point, we have the freedom of movement on the whole of Ivory Coast's territory. This freedom of movement must be exercised in the best possible way," Leroy said.
    Gbagbo has accused the U.N. of meddling in internal politics after the world body called on him to cede power to rival presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara after an election last month.
    The U.N. also defied a call by Gbagbo's government to leave the country in the wake of the disputed election by extending the mandate of its 10,000-strong peacekeeping force by another six months.
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