- Title: IVORY COAST: GOVERNMENT AND REBELS FAIL TO SIGN CEASEFIRE, RESIDENTS FLEE BOUAKE.
- Date: 5th October 2002
- Summary: (EU) BOUAKE, IVORY COAST (OCTOBER 4, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: IVORY COAST REBELS IN BOUAKE 0.04 2. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) REBEL SPOKESMAN TUO FOZIE SAYING: "This morning they told me about the advance of government troops. I don't understand it - I'd like to draw the whole world's attention so that they understand our desire to bring peace to this country but each time it is opposed." 0.19 3. MCU: SOLDIER WITH GUN 0.23 4. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) TUO FOZIE SAYING: "Some people (the government) don't want the ECOWAS talks. What do they want? I'm asking everyone the question. We are not assailants, we are not the rebels that everyone says. We have certain demands. And the main one is justice. That's all that we want." 0.46 5. MCU: REBEL SOLDIER WITH GUN PLACED ON TOP OF VEHICLE 0.51 6. gv: JOURNALISTS LISTENING TO TUO FOZIE 0.55 7. gv: REBEL SOLDIERS DRIVING 1.01 (W8) TIEBISSOU (40KM FROM YAMOUSSOUKRO)(70KM FROM BOUAKE), IVORY COAST (OCTOBER 4, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8. GV/MV/TILT: VARIOUS OF FAMILY FLEEING BOUAKE (2 SHOTS) 1.09 9. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) FAMILY HEAD, CLEMENT N'GUESSAN SAYING: "Shooting fields, the loyalist army, and the attackers. The city was still deserted. We had to go through small villages to arrive here." 1.21 10. MV: FAMILY WALKING 1.25 (W8) TIEBISSOU (40KM FROM YAMOUSSOUKRO) (70KM FROM BOUAKE), IVORY COAST (OCTOBER 4, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. MCU/GV: FRENCH SOLDIERS WITH BAZOOKAS, WIDE OF STREET (3 SHOTS) 1.33 12. GV: ROADS TO BOUAKE 1.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 20th October 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: TIEBISSOU AND BOUAKE, IVORY COAST
- Country: Ivory Coast
- Reuters ID: LVAAKV5S0J13TNG9R8IW1Y8DL2WD
- Story Text: Ivory Coast's government and rebels have both agreed to
sign a ceasefire at the frontline town of Tiebissou, West
African mediators said. Earlier the planned signing of a ceasefire
to end the 16-day revolt had been put off as West African mediators
battled to get rebels and government officials to agree on
terms while Ivorians were still fleeing troubled Bouake.
Chief negotiator Mohammed ibn Chambas said that
everybody had agreed that the ceasefire would be signed at 11
o'clock (1100 GMT) on Saturday (October 5).
West African mediators have been trying to end a 16-day
revolt which has left hundreds dead.
The planned signing of a ceasefire to end the revolt was
put off earlier on Friday as the mediators battled to get
rebels and government officials to agree on terms.
The rebels agreed to a truce after the mediators visited
their stronghold Bouake on Thursday (October 3), but neither
the dissidents nor the government were happy with the draft
text of the truce, meant to be signed in the official capital
Yamoussoukro.
Mediators from six West African countries held several
meetings with top government officials in the main city of
Abidjan to try to get them to back the plan to stop fighting
in the world's top cocoa grower.
But as the time for a night curfew neared and discussion
continued, a spokesman for the mediators said there would be
no signing on Friday.
Rebel commander Tuo Fozie said in Bouake, still in rebel
hands, said he objected to demands the rebels lay down their
arms after signing the deal, adding that a column of loyalists
was heading to attack their stronghold.
"This morning they told me about the advance of government
troops. I don't understand it - I'd like to draw the whole
world's attention so that they understand our desire to bring
peace to this country but each time it is opposed," said Tuo
Fozie.
He added that he had few complaints about a revised draft
received on Friday and that he was awaiting a call from
mediators in Abidjan.
French military sources said they were not aware of any
column. Delegates in the mediating team in Abidjan said they
had asked the government whether the allegations were true.
"Some people (the government) don't want the Ecowas talks.
What do they want? I'm asking everyone the question. We are
not assailants, we are not the rebels that everyone says. We
have certain demands. And the main one is justice. That's all
that we want," said Fozie, an army veteran who fled into exile
before being jailed in absentia for trying to kill a former
military ruler.
Earlier Fozie, an army veteran who fled into exile before
being jailed in absentia for trying to kill a former military
ruler, had complained about a clause calling on the dissidents
to drop their weapons after signing the truce.
He also complained "This morning they told me about the
advance of government troops. I don't understand it - I'd like
to draw the whole world's attention so that they understand
our desire to bring peace to this country but each time it is
opposed," said Tuo Fozie.
A revised draft seen by Reuters in Abidjan later did not
include this clause.
Bouake, the second city after Abidjan, fell to the rebels
on September 19 when well-planned attacks failed to topple
President Laurent Gbagbo.
Mediators said the rebels, some of whom are Ivorian
soldiers angry at being edged out of the army, had asked for
an amnesty, reintegration in the country's security forces and
the resignation of the country's defence minister and army
chief.
The African Union said in a statement that Miguel
Trovoada, who was president of the tiny African island state
Sao Tome and Principe from 1991 to 2001, would travel to Ivory
Coast to work with West African mediators as a special envoy.
Hundreds of people have died and thousands were displaced
by the rebellion, exacerbating tensions in a country of 16
million people which has many different ethnic groups and
where tension between Christians and Muslims is easily stoked.
The rebels have said that if they gain power they will
stage new elections after a short transition.
President Gbagbo, who won power in a contested poll two
years ago, has said he is ready to agree to a ceasefire. But
the government is anxious not to accept the de facto
separation of the country between north and south that it
would imply.
Mamadou Koulibali, president of the national assembly,
told state television on Friday that Ivory Coast was beefing
up its military strength and called on Ivorians to be patient.
And an Ivorian family of 15 fleeing Bouake have arrived at
Tiebissou en route to Yamoussoukro after walking for about a
week.
They had originally intended to base at Sakkassou but
heard gunfire and decided it was unsafe to stay.
"Shooting fields, the loyalist army, and the attackers.
The city was still deserted. We had to go through small
villages to arrive here," said family head Clement N'Guessan.
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