Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bouake (Agenzia Fides)- “This is a step forward towards national reconciliation” said a missionary in Bouaké, in the north of Ivory Coast where yesterday 8 November, the government announced the abolition of a residence permits for immigrants from CEDEAO West African Economic Community countries. Ivory Coast has about 4 million (26% of the population) immigrants from Burkina Faso. One of the claims of a recent rebellion in this country was integration for the consistent foreign community and the end of political discrimination towards people not of father and mother of Ivorian birth. Following peace agreement in Ouagadougou (see Fides 5/3/2007) which ended the division of the country and installed a national unity government headed by Guillaume Soro, leader the New Forces rebels which control the north west of the country, President Laurent Gbagbo has now made another gesture of reconciliation.
“National media gave ample space to the news and also to the announced government intention to remove all references to ethnic origin on identity papers. The political leaders affirmed that the people want to be seen as Ivorians, not members of a tribe or clan” said the missionary whose name we omit for his safety. In fact the situation in Ivory Coast is still tense.
“In this post-war time there is still tension and division” the missionary said. "Yesterday 8 November police tried unsuccessfully to impede a protest against high cost of life, widespread unemployment and to demand wages from electricity and water companies. Reliable sources say the protest was not spontaneous, it was organised by Premier Soro opponents within the New Forces”.
“This comes as no surprise- the missionary said- Soro in theory is the principal leader of the New Forces but the group consists of various smaller groups formed in the north and west of the country following an unsuccessful coup in September 2002, which split the country in two. The New Forces needed a representative for outside, a spokesman. Soro took the job being one of the better formed group leaders. But many experts doubt his ability to control all the members of the New Forces”. In June Soro narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at Bouaké airport, certainly the work of New Forces dissidents (see Fides 5/7/2007).
“However we continue to hope for the best” the missionary told Fides. “The President and the Prime Minister appear to be determined to restore peace. There are concrete signs: mixed groups of government and New Forces troops deployed all over the country not only in the north, also in the south, to protect court hearings. Another step towards building mutual trust” the missionary concluded. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 9/11/2007 righe 37 parole 520)
