IVORY COAST: UNITED NATIONS HUMANITARIAN ENVOY HEARS STORIES FROM LOCAL ABIDJAN RESIDENTS ABOUT INTIMIDATION BY SECURITY FORCES

Record ID: 183483

  • Title: IVORY COAST: UNITED NATIONS HUMANITARIAN ENVOY HEARS STORIES FROM LOCAL ABIDJAN RESIDENTS ABOUT INTIMIDATION BY SECURITY FORCES
  • Date: 25th January 2003
  • Summary: (EU) ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (JANUARY 25, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF CROWD GATHERED IN THE 'WASHINGTON' NEIGHBOURHOOD 0.03 2. SLV CAROLYN MCASKIE, THE UNITED NATIONS (U.N.) HUMANITARIAN ENVOY LISTENING TO RESIDENTS DESCRIBE HOW THEY WERE ATTACKED AND BEATEN BY MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY FORCES OVERNIGHT 0.06 3. WIDE OF MEN LISTENING TO THE TESTIMONY 0.09 4. SMV OF MAN WHO SAYS HE WAS BEATEN SHOWING WOUNDS TO HIS ARM AND BACK TO MCASKIE 0.18 5. SMV MAN, STRIPPED TO THE WAIST, WITH WOUNDS ON HIS BACK 0.22 6. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (French) CAROLYN MCASKIE, U.N. HUMANITARIAN ENVOY TO THE IVORY COAST, SAYING: "What does it mean if your bosses are trying to do everything to assure your security (by signing a peace deal) if the people who work for them (security forces) don't accept it." 0.36 7. SMV RESIDENTS OF THE WASHINGTON NEIGHBOURHOOD POINTING TO THREE BOTTLES OF PETROL THEY SAY THE MEN IN UNIFORM BROUGHT THREATENING TO BURN DOWN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD (2 SHOTS) 0.46 8. SMV MCASKIE TALKING TO WOMEN AND SHAKING HANDS 0.51 9. WIDE OF MCASKIE WALKING OUT OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD SURROUNDED BY RESIDENTS AND OFFICIALS 0.56 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 9th February 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Reuters ID: LVA2KT8HL4VAW1Z829TH0IDHIX3I
  • Story Text: A United Nations humanitarian envoy for Ivory Coast
    visited a neighbourhood of the main city Abidjan which
    residents said was attacked by members of the security forces.



    The residents, most of whom come from neighbouring
    Burkina Faso, showed the United Nations (U.N.) envoy, Carolyn
    McAskie wounds they said were inflicted by 'men in uniform'
    who arrived just after midnight on Saturday (January 25) and
    ordered everybody out of their homes.

    McAskie's visit came as West African presidents and the
    U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan attended a summit in Paris
    aimed at backing a peace deal for the country.

    The deal hopes to end a four-month civil war, which has
    divided the country in two, killed hundreds of people and
    forced up to a million people from their homes.

    Rebels hold the north of the country, while two separate
    rebel movements hold parts of the west.

    "What does it mean if your bosses are trying to do
    everything to assure your security if the people who work for
    them don't accept it," McAskie told residents after they
    explained how the armed men threatened to burn down their
    houses.

    Ivory Coast's civil war is rooted in ethnic and political
    tensions.

    The country has a rate of immigration over 26 percent, but
    many immigrants from neighbouring Burkina Faso, who came to
    the country seeking work, say they suffer harassment at the
    hands of the security forces.

    There was no immediate comment from the army on the
    accusations from the residents of Washington.

    Residents say the attack overnight followed an eviction
    order for the entire neighbourhood, received Monday (January
    20), which they say was rescinded by local authorities.

    Tensions between Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast are high.

    The Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore said this week
    Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo should go before a war crimes
    tribunal.

    Thousands of homes were burned down by members of the
    security forces in the days following a September 19 coup
    attempt that triggered the war.


    crb/jg

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