IVORY COAST: Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo's visits Seguela and Vavoua, rebel-held territory that has seen rebel clashes in recent weeks

Record ID: 182078

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo's visits Seguela and Vavoua, rebel-held territory that has seen rebel clashes in recent weeks
  • Date: 18th July 2008
  • Summary: (AD1) SEGUELA, IVORY COAST (JULY 14, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DANCING
  • Embargoed: 2nd August 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: War / Fighting,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7G78P05UO398K3726SU1L37PJ
  • Story Text: Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo pledged on Monday (July 14) that elections in November would go ahead despite security fears raised by a brief revolt by dissident rebels in the western cocoa belt.
    Dissident fighters in the New Forces rebel movement clashed in June with rebel forces supporting a peace deal struck last year to pacify the world's top cocoa producer after a 2002/2003 civil war that divided the West African country.
    Gbagbo and Guillaume Soro, the New Forces rebel leader who was made prime minister through the March 2007 peace pact, visited Seguela, the western cocoa belt town that was briefly seized by the dissident rebels late last month.
    "Dear friends in Seguela, I came to tell you that the war is finally over, it's completely over. You have to believe that," Gbago told the crowd that had gathered to meet him.
    "Prepare yourselves for elections because they will take place on November 30," added Gbagbo, who is widely expected to run.
    Hundreds of residents lined the streets singing, dancing and chanting," Gbagbo for president!". The two leaders then headed to Vavoua, another town affected by last month's violence.
    A joint unit of rebel and government army soldiers provided security as a handful of United Nations peacekeepers watched in Seguela, more than 400 kilometres (250 miles) northwest of commercial capital, Abidjan.
    "It's a real joy for us to have the president here. Today, we want peace, forget the past and let's start a new life," said Aminata Bakayoko, a Seguela resident.
    After the peace accord, both rebel and government soldiers withdrew from frontline positions.
    United Nations and French peacekeepers have also pulled out of a buffer zone that once divided the southern government and northern rebels but is now controlled by joint units. But the clashes, sparked by the sacking of a local rebel commander, raised fears of new violence disrupting the polls.
    Ivory Coast's government has repeatedly called on foreign donors to speed up the release of funds for the election process and Soro said on Monday (July 14) that the money had been made available.
    "It's true Mr. President that we were worried a few weeks ago, but I can say today that we now have money to fund the November 30th elections," said Soro.
    Although the 2007 deal has provided the best hope for polls -- long delayed by continued political divisions -- analysts say much needs to be done to ensure free and fair voting.
    The International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think-tank, said in April the most politically sensitive tasks were identifying the population, establishing an electoral register and disarming rebels and militias.
    The questions of nationality and who is eligible to stand for president and vote are still sensitive issues. Critics also say the rebels fear losing revenues from illegal taxation of cocoa and other products if reunification takes place.
    In April, Ivorian political parties signed a code of conduct, vowing to shun violence, promote fair voting and respect the results of the polls.
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