Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Abidjan (Fides Service)- “The rebels decision to take their seats with other ministers of the national unity government is certainly a good sign and let’s hope it gives a push to the peace process which stalled some months back” local sources in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, told Fides. Six ministers representing the New Forces rebel group which controls north and west Ivory Coast since September 2002, have decided to attend meetings of the executive after three months absence to protest against President Laurent Gbagbo’s apparent move to avoid full implementation of the peace agreement. The agreement signed in January last year stipulated the installation of a national unity government and the approval of a series of social laws in parliament.
“The new laws are the subject of political discord” local sources told Fides. “President Gbagbo wants the laws put to a peoples’ referendum, a means foreseen by the Constitution. But the Opposition fears this is an attempt to bypass parts of the Agreement and that a referendum will enable the President to reject the laws without confrontation with Parliament”.
“The laws concern delicate matters such as the citizenship code which in its present form discriminates against immigrants and their descendants. The problem goes back to independence in 1960. At that time immigrants could request citizenship on the condition that they registered at the local municipal office within certain period of time. However many were not informed and failed to take advantage of the offer. This mean that for years they and their children were treated like foreigners in a country in which they had lived and worked for years. ”.
“A major problem is that non Ivorians have no right to possess land. Now the new law on citizenship rights is accompanied with a law on the delicate question of land ownership rights which would shake long consolidated interests”.
“Another problem regards government jobs. According to the Constitution only persons with both mother and father born in Ivory Coast have access to higher positions. Now there is a move to change the law and to open these posts to persons with only one fully Ivorian parent ”.
One of the motives behind the rebellion was discrimination against millions of rural immigrants from Mali, Burkina Faso and other neighbouring countries working for years as field hands in Ivory Coast.
However there is one sign of normalisation. On Wednesday 7 January army and rebel forces leaders met in Yamoussoukro, the administrative capital, to agree on a plan for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of rebel soldiers. (L.M.) (Fides Service 7/1/2004, lines 44 words 544)
