IVORY COAST: Abidjan slowly returns to normal as security starts to improve with some former rebels lining up to join the new army and others returning to their respective military bases

Record ID: 181863

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Abidjan slowly returns to normal as security starts to improve with some former rebels lining up to join the new army and others returning to their respective military bases
  • Date: 26th April 2011
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF FORMER INVISIBLE COMMANDO SOLDIERS GETTING REGISTERED INTO THE NEW IVORIAN ARMY, THE FRCI PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET VARIOUS OF SOME SHOPS STILL CLOSED, PEOPLE SITTING IN FRONT OF SHOPS SELLING CUSHIONS LEBANESE SHOPKEEPER HAIDAR KASIM TALKING TO A COLLEAGUE IN HIS SHOP MORE OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE FABRIC SHOP (SOUNDBITE) (French) HAIDAR KASIM, LEBANESE SHOPKEEPER SAYING "It's the markets, people have started to open up little by little, but there are people who have travelled and haven't come back yet, that's the way it is, but it's going to be ok, inhsallah (God willing)." FABRIC IN KASIM'S SHOP (SOUNDBITE) (French) HAIDAR KASIM, LEBANESE SHOPKEEPER SAYING "When the banks open, and the petrol stations stock diesel, there's no problem, it will start again like it used to be before." VARIOUS OF COLOURFUL ROBES HANGING IN FRONT OF SHOP
  • Embargoed: 11th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA6GJ66J6NM84J0GM2M26MX680M
  • Story Text: After months of insecurity and fierce fighting, Ivory Coast's main city, Abidjan is slowly coming back to life.
    It's a hard push and a struggle, but residents brave their fears -- some have opened their shops, others display their produce on the side of the road, hoping to make a little money.
    With banks closed since February, money is hard to come by, but residents hope an order by President Alassane Ouattara last Friday (April 22) for soldiers to go back to their barracks will restore security so that all businesses can reopen, unblocking the cash flow.
    Ouattara won a post-election power struggle when his rival, incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, who had refused to cede power, was arrested more than a week ago.
    Fighters loyal to Ouattara, including many of the country's former rebels, toppled Gbagbo after fierce fighting, ending a post-election power struggle.
    Although the forces have been accused of looting, rape and executions during their sweep from the north into Abidjan in March, they now form the backbone of the Republican Forces of Ivory Coast (FRCI), the army charged with securing the country.
    The joint patrols conducted by Ouattara troops together with the Licorne, the French military force in Ivory Coast, have encouraged people to come out of hiding.
    "The aim of the joint patrols is to bring back confidence. And for efficiency, because when people are afraid of you and they see you alone, doing your work, there's always a doubt. But when you're working together, we see the willingness of everyone to do well for the whole of the country, for security and the peace," said Captain Delta, one of Ouattara's commanders now heading an army unit of the FRCI at the military base formerly belonging to Gbagbo's Republican Guard.
    In a bid to secure the country, Ouattara formed alliances with former Ivorian military chiefs, and encouraged a coalition government.
    But as he struggles to hold together his fractured alliance, some pockets of pro-Gbagbo militia are still holding out parts of the Abidjan neighbourhood of Yopougon.
    The "Invisible Commando" militia, who had fought alongside what is now the Ivorian national army to topple Gbagbo, has yet to lay down weapons.
    Ibrahim Coulibaly, the head of the Invisible Commandos had said last week that his forces were now loyal to Ouattara, but they were still to disarm or join the national army, and their positions were attacked by Ouattara's troops on Wednesday, signalling a violent break between the formerly allied forces.
    Although the Invisible Commandos are still camped in a neighbourhood near Abobo, called PK18, many of Coulibaly's troops are now deserting him, and coming to join the FRCI.
    They say Coulibaly was ready to turn against Ouattara too.
    "We left Abobo to go to PK18. When we got there, the aim was to chase Gbagbo from power. But when Sergeant chief IB Coulibaly came and told us that everything was ok and now we needed to chase out Alassane, then we would have a six-month transition period. From that moment onwards we saw that it wasn't as simple as that, it wasn't good and we needed to get back. And then when the captain spoke to us, we understood, so we are here," said Amadou Kone, who until two days ago was fighting for the Invisible Commandos.
    "We are very emotional, and very proud," Kone said about joining the FRCI ranks.
    "IB (Ibrahim Coulibaly) wants to make us fight a second war, but we are not prepared to do that. We are here for the population," said Vamara Ouattara, another former Invisible Commando fighter.
    President Ouattara hopes to build a newer, stronger Ivorian army, including elements from all sides, former Gbagbo allies as well as various factions that fought to topple him.
    The Invisible Commandos were the first to take up arms against Gbagbo and weakened his positions, before the rebels' march to Abidjan.
    "When we got here (Abidjan) we found all these young people in the resistance movement, who played an essential role, we must admit to it, with regards to the dictatorship which was still in place in Ivory Coast, that everybody is aware of, but these children ended up forming a resistance movement. And now we must get them back, we need to recognise them for their achievement, we must integrate them," Captain Delta said.
    Authorities in the world's top cocoa grower are hoping that with security, there can be a swift revival of the economy.
    Their hopes are matched by those of the city's shop-keepers and residents.
    "It's the markets, people have started to open up little by little, but there are people who have travelled and haven't come back yet, that's the way it is, but it's going to be ok... ," said Haidar Kasim, a shop-keeper selling fabric.
    "When the banks open, and the petrol stations stock diesel, there's no problem, it will start again like it used to be before," Kasim said.
    Many hope Ivory Coast will be able to return to its former economic glory from decades ago.
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