Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Abidjan (Fides Service)- “People want a return to normality, they want peace, no more violence, dead and wounded” a local Church source in Abidjan economic capital of Ivory Coast told Fides after disorder, on March 25 (see Fides 26/3/2004). “The situation is calm, people have gone to work. Busses and trains are running as usual and so are group-taxis. Security forces preside the city discreetly” local sources told Fides.
The Opposition planned another demonstration for today, 29 April but local sources say that so far no one has gone into the streets.
“President Gbagbo and the Opposition are fighting over the number of people killed in the police suppression of the Opposition demonstration on 26 March ” our sources say. Former President Henri Konan Bedie, claims that between 350 and 500 people were killed in clashes between the police and demonstrators, while the official figure is 37.
The demonstration was organised by 7 opposition parties who walked out of the interim government accusing the President of failing to respect points of the peace agreement reached in France in January 2003, to put an end to civil war which started in 2002. The country is divided in two with the north and west controlled by the New Forces, comprising three groups of rebels which started the civil war.
In the meantime Ivory Coast is waiting for the arrival of the UN peacekeeping mission on 4 April. “The task of the UN mission is to monitor the process of disarming militiamen in the north and help the country prepare for elections next year. However the recent events threaten to involve the UN troops in an unexpected situation. The conflict has moved to the capital and threatens to affect the entire country”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 29/3/2004, righe 28 parole 338)
