IVORY COAST: Aftermath of violence in Gagnoa after protesters disperesed with tear gas

Record ID: 181891

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Aftermath of violence in Gagnoa after protesters disperesed with tear gas
  • Date: 21st February 2010
  • Summary: GAGNOA, IVORY COAST (FEBRUARY 20, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS DEBRIS AND ROCKS ON STREET AFTER PROTEST TRUCK ABANDONED ON SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH BROKEN WINDOWS (SOUNDBITE) (French) GAGNOA RESIDENT, ALEXIS BRISSY, SAYING: "Today we are very tired. We should have elections to see who's more popular. I can say I have a majority, you can say you have a majority, and someone else can say the same thing, but we still have five million people to put on the electoral list, so we really should go towards elections and forget this fictional story about the 429,000 voters we talk about, and just go towards the elections to see who's in charge." VARIOUS OF HOSPITAL (SOUNDBITE) (French) COCOA GROWER, OYOUROU PKASSOU, SAYING: "Ivory Coast belongs to all of us, we are all Ivorians, and as Ivorians we should be united, so that we can sell our production for a better price, so we can make a decent living. But if we just go all political and be against each other, it's not going to work." DEBRIS ON ROAD POLICEMEN IN PICK-UP PASSING ON ROAD MORE OF ROCKS ON ROAD WITH POLICEMEN PICKUP PASSING MORE OF BURNT DEBRIS, WITH CARS PASSING IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (French) COCOA GROWER, OYOUROU PKASSOU, SAYING: "I feel very disappointed and shocked because when we talk about democracy, we should really be able to love each other, listen to each other and understand each other. If not the violence will reign and it's not normal. Today we look around and we see hatred everywhere. We just go all political but we don't like each other anymore." VARIOUS OF STREET SCENES WITH CARS PASSING
  • Embargoed: 8th March 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABL0J1IW25PY6R8K3VRKLEC3O1
  • Story Text: Ivorian security forces dispersed protesters with tear gas in southwestern Gagnoa town on Saturday (February 20), witnesses and protesters said, a day after opening fire on demonstrators there and killing five.
    Debris was still littering the streets by midday and police in pick-up trucks were patrolling the road.
    Demonstrations have erupted almost daily across the country since President Laurent Gbagbo dissolved the government and the electoral commission a week ago, after a row over voter registration.
    Gagnoa residents say they are tired waiting for the elections.
    "Today we are very tired. We should have elections to see who's going to be in charge. I can say I have a majority, you can say you have a majority, and someone else can say the same thing, but we still have five million people to put on the electoral list, so we really should go towards elections and forget this fictional story about the 429,000 voters we talk about, and just go towards the elections to see who's in charge," said Gagnoa resident Alexis Brissy.
    "Ivory Coast belongs to all of us, we are all Ivorians, and as Ivorians we should be united, so that we can sell our production for a better price, so we can make a decent living. But if we just go all political and be against each other, it's not going to work," said another Gagnoa resident, a cocoa grower Oyourou Pkassou.
    The military confirmed on national television that five people had been killed and nine wounded in Friday's protest.
    Gagnoa residents, in the cocoa rich region say all the violence is working against the country's economy.
    "I feel very disappointed and shocked because when we talk about democracy, we should really be able to love each other, listen to each other and understand each other. If not the violence will reign and it's not normal. Today we look around and we see hatred everywhere. We just go all political but we don't like each other anymore," Pkassou said.
    But Friday's clashes between police and protesters were the first to result in bloodshed, heightening tension as public anger grows at years of delays to the election timetable.
    Gbagbo said in a statement in the state-owned Fraternite Matin newspaper that he had reinstated Defence Minister Michel N'Guessan Amani, Interior Minister Dsir Tagro and Finance Minister Charles Diby to handle government business while the prime minister tries to form a new government.
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