Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Presidential Elections in Oct. 2005 - Or Before
The question being asked everywhere is whether the Presidential election can be held in October 2005. In fact it may be sooner rather than later. With President Gbagbo’s electoral campaigning already in full swing, as anyone can see, and ALL the significant opposition (PDCI, RDR and MPCI) in complete disarray and completely unprepared for a national electoral campaign, the guessing is that the election may be held as much as 6 months earlier than expected.
This will be made all the more likely if the 6240 UN Peacekeepers come in April and also the anticipated 350 UN police and legal specialists arrive to bring some sense of responsibility and accountability especially among the police and gendarmes in the south of the country (as Kofi Annan intends), and help get the police functioning in the north again.
Washington has just given her approval to the sending of these UN forces, according to AFP. Apart from helping Ivory Coast, this may help Franco-American relations.
The question being asked everywhere is whether the Presidential election can be held in October 2005. In fact it may be sooner rather than later. With President Gbagbo’s electoral campaigning already in full swing, as anyone can see, and ALL the significant opposition (PDCI, RDR and MPCI) in complete disarray and completely unprepared for a national electoral campaign, the guessing is that the election may be held as much as 6 months earlier than expected.
This will be made all the more likely if the 6240 UN Peacekeepers come in April and also the anticipated 350 UN police and legal specialists arrive to bring some sense of responsibility and accountability especially among the police and gendarmes in the south of the country (as Kofi Annan intends), and help get the police functioning in the north again.
Washington has just given her approval to the sending of these UN forces, according to AFP. Apart from helping Ivory Coast, this may help Franco-American relations.
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Bôrô d’enjaillement is Back as a Sport at Yop and Adjamé-Nord
Some things are hard to understand and others are hard to translate (ask the SIL specialists). This is particularly true of Bôrô d’enjaillement (in the Abidjan street language nouchi, meaning “bag of joy/pleasure”) which is once again becoming something of a craze for the school pupils who want to impress their friends.
This dangerous distraction may not be practised anywhere in the world apart from Abidjan where several young “bôrômen” have in the past lost their lives in the acrobatics, particularly as they do the “capo”, dancing on the roof of a Sotra bus at first at the terminus and then with the bus in motion. The articulated type of bus seems to be of special interest to them now.
The trick is a bit like what you see in some movies as the hero moves along the roof of a train. The problem comes when someone falls, which the movie hero never does. Then the driver can be blamed for the accident and the bus may be burned.
Somewhat less exciting to watch, but still astounding, is the “vitro” which you used to see even outside the Cocody bus depot. As the bus pulls in to the bus stop, the students throw their bag in the windows on the traffic side and then a dozen young people go up the side of the bus like green berets up a wall. It sure beats the crush at the door.
The excuse of the school kids is that they have to do the “capo” or “vitro”, otherwise they’ll never get home from school. Some of the kids hang on to the back or the outside of the doors, just like the young thugs that swamp the buses after a football match at the FHB Stadium.
Some things are hard to understand and others are hard to translate (ask the SIL specialists). This is particularly true of Bôrô d’enjaillement (in the Abidjan street language nouchi, meaning “bag of joy/pleasure”) which is once again becoming something of a craze for the school pupils who want to impress their friends.
This dangerous distraction may not be practised anywhere in the world apart from Abidjan where several young “bôrômen” have in the past lost their lives in the acrobatics, particularly as they do the “capo”, dancing on the roof of a Sotra bus at first at the terminus and then with the bus in motion. The articulated type of bus seems to be of special interest to them now.
The trick is a bit like what you see in some movies as the hero moves along the roof of a train. The problem comes when someone falls, which the movie hero never does. Then the driver can be blamed for the accident and the bus may be burned.
Somewhat less exciting to watch, but still astounding, is the “vitro” which you used to see even outside the Cocody bus depot. As the bus pulls in to the bus stop, the students throw their bag in the windows on the traffic side and then a dozen young people go up the side of the bus like green berets up a wall. It sure beats the crush at the door.
The excuse of the school kids is that they have to do the “capo” or “vitro”, otherwise they’ll never get home from school. Some of the kids hang on to the back or the outside of the doors, just like the young thugs that swamp the buses after a football match at the FHB Stadium.
Student Problem at Cocody
Some cars were burned and opthers damaged at Cocody yesterday with the proplems at Mermoz and the the Riviera 2 student residences. More of the same is expected for today and except for thed adventuresome, it is best to avoid the area if possible.
The story, in brief, is apparently as follows. A fellow later discovered at Blokosso stole cell phones at Cocody. The students tracked him down. (One is doing Criminology, before going to prison.) They got from him a part reimbursement, then beat him up and took him to the police station. Parents or friends of the fellow intervened and he was released. Then he and his parents had the students charged with taking his money and bodily harm. They were arrested, sent to the MACA prison at Yopougon, and yesterday sentenced to prison terms. The students of the FESCI student union are not happy.
Some cars were burned and opthers damaged at Cocody yesterday with the proplems at Mermoz and the the Riviera 2 student residences. More of the same is expected for today and except for thed adventuresome, it is best to avoid the area if possible.
The story, in brief, is apparently as follows. A fellow later discovered at Blokosso stole cell phones at Cocody. The students tracked him down. (One is doing Criminology, before going to prison.) They got from him a part reimbursement, then beat him up and took him to the police station. Parents or friends of the fellow intervened and he was released. Then he and his parents had the students charged with taking his money and bodily harm. They were arrested, sent to the MACA prison at Yopougon, and yesterday sentenced to prison terms. The students of the FESCI student union are not happy.
Monday, February 16, 2004
Things Are Improving (Revised comment)
Even if there is still something of a political tango going on concerning the disarmament process, things seem to be improving all the time in the country. The road-blocks have mainly been removed and heavy arms are no longer an issue. Defence Minister René Amani has spoken in no uncertain terms concerning the “disarmament” in the south in terms of the Marcoussis agreement. The troops will return to barracks, their arms to the armories, and the 4000 pro-Gbagbo recruits will be demobilized and offered other options. The problem is simple: Can he carry it out in the face of the opposition from the presidential clan?
Movement about the country, with the removal of most of the police checks, is much easier, even in Abidjan at night. On Thursday a friend came from Boundiali, west of Korhogo in the very north of the country, and the trip took just 12 hours. Even the mini-bus checks are much easier than before for the passengers, and Mission vehicles are usually just waved through as always. The trip from Ghana and Abengourou, etc. does not have the hassles of before.
One day in the future the President will go to Bouaké, to declare the end of the war, as intended. The date 16th February is no longer feasible, according to the presidential spin doctors, because the Agni and Baoulé (FPI?) require that the soil be purified by the appropriate traditional rites after the blood shed. However, that normally only requires 48 hours. So one might be tempted to look elsewhere for the reason for this further postponement (15 December, End of the year, Before the Paris trip, 16th Feb…). One reason given in the press for this latest postponement was a planned assassination attempt discovered by the DST (Ivorian Police Intelligence) and foreign intelligence. However, enquiries made by Le Nouveau Réveil (PDCI leanings) with one of the tribal chiefs indicate, as they say, that on this occasion President Gbagbo has not lied and the presidential communiqué gives the main reason for the postponement.
Even if there is still something of a political tango going on concerning the disarmament process, things seem to be improving all the time in the country. The road-blocks have mainly been removed and heavy arms are no longer an issue. Defence Minister René Amani has spoken in no uncertain terms concerning the “disarmament” in the south in terms of the Marcoussis agreement. The troops will return to barracks, their arms to the armories, and the 4000 pro-Gbagbo recruits will be demobilized and offered other options. The problem is simple: Can he carry it out in the face of the opposition from the presidential clan?
Movement about the country, with the removal of most of the police checks, is much easier, even in Abidjan at night. On Thursday a friend came from Boundiali, west of Korhogo in the very north of the country, and the trip took just 12 hours. Even the mini-bus checks are much easier than before for the passengers, and Mission vehicles are usually just waved through as always. The trip from Ghana and Abengourou, etc. does not have the hassles of before.
One day in the future the President will go to Bouaké, to declare the end of the war, as intended. The date 16th February is no longer feasible, according to the presidential spin doctors, because the Agni and Baoulé (FPI?) require that the soil be purified by the appropriate traditional rites after the blood shed. However, that normally only requires 48 hours. So one might be tempted to look elsewhere for the reason for this further postponement (15 December, End of the year, Before the Paris trip, 16th Feb…). One reason given in the press for this latest postponement was a planned assassination attempt discovered by the DST (Ivorian Police Intelligence) and foreign intelligence. However, enquiries made by Le Nouveau Réveil (PDCI leanings) with one of the tribal chiefs indicate, as they say, that on this occasion President Gbagbo has not lied and the presidential communiqué gives the main reason for the postponement.
Monday, February 09, 2004
Further on Obtaining a Compulsory Ivorian Driver's Licence
The following was contributed to the Abidlink group by Doug and Paula Simrell, Business Facilitators, Mission Baptiste Méridionale, Abidjan.
"The actual cost of the Drivers License is 8,000cfa but you will be told
to pay as much as 100,000cfa or as little maybe as 30,000cfa. Our
assistant went to the office in Vridi and was told to pay 30,000cfa for
each one but he was wise enough to get a letter, from the person that
took the money, with the amount that he had given to him. When he went
back to get the drivers licenses he only received receipts for 8,000cfa
instead of the 30,000cfa he had originally given to him. Doug went with
our assistant, the next day, to see the patron. The patron reimbursed us
the difference which amounted to 132,000 because we were getting 6
licenses. If we had not had that letter we probably wouldn’t have been
able to do anything about it.
If you insist on the 8,000cfa you will probably have to ask to see the
patron and to wait longer for them but I just wanted you to know that we
only had to pay the 8,000 for each one. Of course, you have to pay the
US Embassy 18,000cfa for the authentication of your US license and
12,000 for having it translated also. You have to have a form that you
get from any police station to fill out, that costs 2,000 and 500 to get
it stamped. Hope this helps."
The following was contributed to the Abidlink group by Doug and Paula Simrell, Business Facilitators, Mission Baptiste Méridionale, Abidjan.
"The actual cost of the Drivers License is 8,000cfa but you will be told
to pay as much as 100,000cfa or as little maybe as 30,000cfa. Our
assistant went to the office in Vridi and was told to pay 30,000cfa for
each one but he was wise enough to get a letter, from the person that
took the money, with the amount that he had given to him. When he went
back to get the drivers licenses he only received receipts for 8,000cfa
instead of the 30,000cfa he had originally given to him. Doug went with
our assistant, the next day, to see the patron. The patron reimbursed us
the difference which amounted to 132,000 because we were getting 6
licenses. If we had not had that letter we probably wouldn’t have been
able to do anything about it.
If you insist on the 8,000cfa you will probably have to ask to see the
patron and to wait longer for them but I just wanted you to know that we
only had to pay the 8,000 for each one. Of course, you have to pay the
US Embassy 18,000cfa for the authentication of your US license and
12,000 for having it translated also. You have to have a form that you
get from any police station to fill out, that costs 2,000 and 500 to get
it stamped. Hope this helps."
Saturday, February 07, 2004
A Case of Chronic Diarrhoea
On the recommendation of the US Ambassador, who just this week made a very mediagenic trip to San Pedro on the western coast of Ivory Coast, the US State Dept on Thursday 5th Feb. has again asked US nationals to avoid travel to Ivory Coast because of the insecurity [sic!] in the country, "strongly recommending" that any trip to RCI be postponed. Meanwhile, the Statue of Liberty in New York cannot be reopened for visitors because of security concerns and Americans wishing to travel here can bide their time in Florida -- so long as they keep a close eye on their 11 year old daughters. As for church parking lots, those in RCI seem to be less sinister than those in the States.
On the recommendation of the US Ambassador, who just this week made a very mediagenic trip to San Pedro on the western coast of Ivory Coast, the US State Dept on Thursday 5th Feb. has again asked US nationals to avoid travel to Ivory Coast because of the insecurity [sic!] in the country, "strongly recommending" that any trip to RCI be postponed. Meanwhile, the Statue of Liberty in New York cannot be reopened for visitors because of security concerns and Americans wishing to travel here can bide their time in Florida -- so long as they keep a close eye on their 11 year old daughters. As for church parking lots, those in RCI seem to be less sinister than those in the States.
CORA Comstar
Not only is the Abidjan cell phone company Cora dead in the water since October. It has now sunk, according to the newspaper reports. So there is no point calling from the States or elsewhere an Ivorian number of the form 225-03xxxxxx.
Whether it's a question of justice or injustice, it's a sad story for some 60.000 subscribers and all her 200 workers. Comstar was the first cell phone company in Abidjan, but sold her phones and services in the beginning very dear and at the same time did not even have a good reception coverage in Abidjan. Then came Telecel and Ivoiris/Orange and the American company was not prepared for the competition. The inferior service combined with her legal problems spelled her doom. For the young people, to have a 03- number was a bit like wearing plastic sandals instead of Nikes. And all young people under 30 with any self-respect have cell phones here. (Receiving calls is free, and before recharging you can use the phone to receive calls for some months after the calling units of your chip have run out.)
05xxxxxx numbers are Telecel cell phone numbers; 07xxxxxx Orange.
Not only is the Abidjan cell phone company Cora dead in the water since October. It has now sunk, according to the newspaper reports. So there is no point calling from the States or elsewhere an Ivorian number of the form 225-03xxxxxx.
Whether it's a question of justice or injustice, it's a sad story for some 60.000 subscribers and all her 200 workers. Comstar was the first cell phone company in Abidjan, but sold her phones and services in the beginning very dear and at the same time did not even have a good reception coverage in Abidjan. Then came Telecel and Ivoiris/Orange and the American company was not prepared for the competition. The inferior service combined with her legal problems spelled her doom. For the young people, to have a 03- number was a bit like wearing plastic sandals instead of Nikes. And all young people under 30 with any self-respect have cell phones here. (Receiving calls is free, and before recharging you can use the phone to receive calls for some months after the calling units of your chip have run out.)
05xxxxxx numbers are Telecel cell phone numbers; 07xxxxxx Orange.
UN Peace-Keeping Troops – Not Yet!
As expected, the USA, who foots the best part of the bill for such operations, on 4th Feb. opposed the sending of a 6420 body UN peace-keeping contingent to Ivory Coast recommended by Kofi Annan to the UN Security Council in preparation for the elections and to help, obviously, with the disarmament process. The US troops are too busy disarming the Iraqis, and there are budget problems as well. Furthermore, sending troops to Ivory Coast will never be a vote winner for George Bush. So…
We are therefore not surprised that the US spokesperson John Negroponte at the UN maintained that such a peace-keeping force is not necessary. More strangely, he said that such a force would end up partitioning Ivory Coast after the civil war. Less surprisingly, he doubted whether the government and ex-rebels would honour their undertakings -- failing to see that the UN Force would have helped in seeing that things were done correctly. Today Friday Dominique de Villepin, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, was to meet Colin Powell, US Secretary of State, to discuss African affairs as well as their pet subject, Iraq.
Anyway, by Resolution 1527, the current mandate of the small MINUCI force, the 1400 West African CEDAO and the 4500 French Licorne troops has been officially extended for a month, till 27th February, with the same rules for the game. But in any case, France intends keeping her force here till mid-2006. She has good reason to. Getting the container port and the construction of the costly Presidential Palace at Yamoussoukro as well as the renewal of the SODECI and CIE concessions, and the construction of the Marcory-Riviera bridge, there are more vested interests than ever. Meanwhile America has only got people like Blé Goudé barracking for her, plus half the taxi drivers of Abidjan who would like to emigrate there.
France is still lobbying for the UN troops in the hope that they will be approved and here by April and Kofi Annan is preparing contingency plans for such approval.
As expected, the USA, who foots the best part of the bill for such operations, on 4th Feb. opposed the sending of a 6420 body UN peace-keeping contingent to Ivory Coast recommended by Kofi Annan to the UN Security Council in preparation for the elections and to help, obviously, with the disarmament process. The US troops are too busy disarming the Iraqis, and there are budget problems as well. Furthermore, sending troops to Ivory Coast will never be a vote winner for George Bush. So…
We are therefore not surprised that the US spokesperson John Negroponte at the UN maintained that such a peace-keeping force is not necessary. More strangely, he said that such a force would end up partitioning Ivory Coast after the civil war. Less surprisingly, he doubted whether the government and ex-rebels would honour their undertakings -- failing to see that the UN Force would have helped in seeing that things were done correctly. Today Friday Dominique de Villepin, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, was to meet Colin Powell, US Secretary of State, to discuss African affairs as well as their pet subject, Iraq.
Anyway, by Resolution 1527, the current mandate of the small MINUCI force, the 1400 West African CEDAO and the 4500 French Licorne troops has been officially extended for a month, till 27th February, with the same rules for the game. But in any case, France intends keeping her force here till mid-2006. She has good reason to. Getting the container port and the construction of the costly Presidential Palace at Yamoussoukro as well as the renewal of the SODECI and CIE concessions, and the construction of the Marcory-Riviera bridge, there are more vested interests than ever. Meanwhile America has only got people like Blé Goudé barracking for her, plus half the taxi drivers of Abidjan who would like to emigrate there.
France is still lobbying for the UN troops in the hope that they will be approved and here by April and Kofi Annan is preparing contingency plans for such approval.
A Removable Feast
President Gbagbo’s proclamation of the end of the war is now to take place in Bouaké on February 16, according to a Presidential Palace communiqué.
President Gbagbo’s proclamation of the end of the war is now to take place in Bouaké on February 16, according to a Presidential Palace communiqué.
Water Shortages Should Cease End February
The DG of SODECI has blamed these cuts of supply of water to various suburbs of Abidjan on the fact that for 18 years equipment has not been renewed. He did not suggest there may have been a management problem. In any case, he says the current installations cannot cope with the population move to Abidjan from the north and made the strange remark that the installations now have to work 24 hours a day [sic!] and cannot cope with the heavy demand. The new pumps are in theory already in Abidjan and by the end of February, the situation should improve. Meanwhile, keep a few cartons of old Awa bottles filled with tap water just in case.
The DG of SODECI has blamed these cuts of supply of water to various suburbs of Abidjan on the fact that for 18 years equipment has not been renewed. He did not suggest there may have been a management problem. In any case, he says the current installations cannot cope with the population move to Abidjan from the north and made the strange remark that the installations now have to work 24 hours a day [sic!] and cannot cope with the heavy demand. The new pumps are in theory already in Abidjan and by the end of February, the situation should improve. Meanwhile, keep a few cartons of old Awa bottles filled with tap water just in case.
Geeks Put the Unsavvy on Alert: Learn or Log Off
That was The NY Times article on Feb. 5. URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/05/technology/05VIRU.html?ex=1
077026519&ei=1&en=74d85a7c43910ee6
(To read the article, the unsavvy need to know that all of that must be pasted in browser address line. Just clicking will not do the trick – just as it often does a lot of harm.)
The guts of the article is the need for computer users to wise up and especially stop clicking on unexpected attachments (even if you know the person who sent it). Viruses/worms are activated that way.
Since worms steal e-mail addresses (and in some cases documents) from computers to fool the unsavvy, of course there is a good chance you will know some of the addresses from which the viruses/worms come – even though your friend did not send them.
No point in sending a message back to the address given in the header of the message containing the worm (as some Missions and others are now doing), to say an e-mail was infected -- since it did not come from that person. That person’s address was just in a address book stolen from some fool who clicked on an attachment. The MyDoom worm cunningly uses what is called "social engineering" to get people to click, even those who would never open an EXE or SCR attachment.
Unfortunately the inveterate clickers are out there. How many missionaries and others end up with virus-infected or even inoperable computers? 10% of world-wide e-mails on Tuesday of last week were the result of the MyDoom worm, Mark I. When people click on the attachment (a Zip file), MyDoom begins to send itself to the names in that person's e-mail address book. As the NYT says, if no one opened the attachment, the virus's destructive power would never be unleashed.
For the same reason you will get Delivery Failure messages from addresses to which you did not send e-mails. These messages are sometimes confusing. It’s not your fault. Someone or some virus is just using your address as the sender.
Avoid clicking on banners, unless you really do want to book for the next flight to Mars. And NEVER click on a Remove from List option unless you wish to confirm to spammers that your address is active and that you are a candidate for umpteen Viagra messages as well as casino ads, etc.
It has been said that having an alias !0000 at the top of your address book, with no actual e-mail address (hence giving an error message when addresses are stolen) stops some stealing of address books. But it would be much better if you did not click to make your address book available in the first place.
Does it need to be said? Everyone should get a good anti-virus program and keep their virus signatures up-to-date!!
The virus writers and spammers count on people’s naivety and ignorance. As for the scammers, let it be said once and for all: If the offer is too good to be believed, it is. Yet how many Nigerians and others are getting hundreds of responses to scam offers of money when the only money available to be given away is yours!
That was The NY Times article on Feb. 5. URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/05/technology/05VIRU.html?ex=1
077026519&ei=1&en=74d85a7c43910ee6
(To read the article, the unsavvy need to know that all of that must be pasted in browser address line. Just clicking will not do the trick – just as it often does a lot of harm.)
The guts of the article is the need for computer users to wise up and especially stop clicking on unexpected attachments (even if you know the person who sent it). Viruses/worms are activated that way.
Since worms steal e-mail addresses (and in some cases documents) from computers to fool the unsavvy, of course there is a good chance you will know some of the addresses from which the viruses/worms come – even though your friend did not send them.
No point in sending a message back to the address given in the header of the message containing the worm (as some Missions and others are now doing), to say an e-mail was infected -- since it did not come from that person. That person’s address was just in a address book stolen from some fool who clicked on an attachment. The MyDoom worm cunningly uses what is called "social engineering" to get people to click, even those who would never open an EXE or SCR attachment.
Unfortunately the inveterate clickers are out there. How many missionaries and others end up with virus-infected or even inoperable computers? 10% of world-wide e-mails on Tuesday of last week were the result of the MyDoom worm, Mark I. When people click on the attachment (a Zip file), MyDoom begins to send itself to the names in that person's e-mail address book. As the NYT says, if no one opened the attachment, the virus's destructive power would never be unleashed.
For the same reason you will get Delivery Failure messages from addresses to which you did not send e-mails. These messages are sometimes confusing. It’s not your fault. Someone or some virus is just using your address as the sender.
Avoid clicking on banners, unless you really do want to book for the next flight to Mars. And NEVER click on a Remove from List option unless you wish to confirm to spammers that your address is active and that you are a candidate for umpteen Viagra messages as well as casino ads, etc.
It has been said that having an alias !0000 at the top of your address book, with no actual e-mail address (hence giving an error message when addresses are stolen) stops some stealing of address books. But it would be much better if you did not click to make your address book available in the first place.
Does it need to be said? Everyone should get a good anti-virus program and keep their virus signatures up-to-date!!
The virus writers and spammers count on people’s naivety and ignorance. As for the scammers, let it be said once and for all: If the offer is too good to be believed, it is. Yet how many Nigerians and others are getting hundreds of responses to scam offers of money when the only money available to be given away is yours!
Monday, February 02, 2004
President Gbagbo in Paris This Week
On his way to Pretoria, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dominique de Villepin, arrived in Abidjan today 1st February to discuss the progress made in implementing the Linas-Marcoussis agreements.
France is somewhat pleased with the progress made over the past few weeks as Gbagbo’s rabid anti-French Patriots (« à volonté »), comfortably lodged in the Hotel Ivoire, have been taking a low profile.
France has noted the return of the New Forces to the reconciliation government, the beginning of the DDR (disarmament, demobilisation and regrouping of the opposing forces), and the adoption of several bills at least by the Council of Ministers (even if they may have to go to referendum or the National Assembly for approval).
President Gbagbo will meet Jacques Chirac in Paris on Thursday and these same matters will no doubt be on the agenda.
Things are improving. Some missionaries are back in the north of the country. The economic corridor to the north seems to be working well and some mini-bus and private car drivers are doing the trip Abidjan-Korhogo in about 8 hours – something that pleased many Ivorians this weekend who wanted to go back to their families to celebrate the Tabaski, which they missed last year.
On his way to Pretoria, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dominique de Villepin, arrived in Abidjan today 1st February to discuss the progress made in implementing the Linas-Marcoussis agreements.
France is somewhat pleased with the progress made over the past few weeks as Gbagbo’s rabid anti-French Patriots (« à volonté »), comfortably lodged in the Hotel Ivoire, have been taking a low profile.
France has noted the return of the New Forces to the reconciliation government, the beginning of the DDR (disarmament, demobilisation and regrouping of the opposing forces), and the adoption of several bills at least by the Council of Ministers (even if they may have to go to referendum or the National Assembly for approval).
President Gbagbo will meet Jacques Chirac in Paris on Thursday and these same matters will no doubt be on the agenda.
Things are improving. Some missionaries are back in the north of the country. The economic corridor to the north seems to be working well and some mini-bus and private car drivers are doing the trip Abidjan-Korhogo in about 8 hours – something that pleased many Ivorians this weekend who wanted to go back to their families to celebrate the Tabaski, which they missed last year.
Sunday, February 01, 2004
The UN Will Not be Organising the 2005 Ivorian Elections
In spite of the wishes of some political parties (e.g. PDCI), the unpronounceable Albert Tévoédjrè, President of the UN Mission in Ivory Coast and thus the special representative of Kofi Annan, has said it clearly on Thursday of this past week: it is not the UN’s role to organise the elections. They will help the Electoral Commission and will provide administrative, financial and other support, plus no doubt provide a large group of Observers. Furthermore he seemed very pleased with the touching up done these last few days by the reconciliation government to the Electoral Commission so that it can function correctly.
During the course of the next few days we should know whether the country will receive the UN Peace-Keeping Force requested which is an important element for the peaceful conduct of the elections and the immediate post-election period. President Gbagbo, according to one report, has asked for 10.000 troops under UN control but the report submitted by Annan to the Security Council foresaw 6.000 or so, plus the French as a separate force. The catch is that the USA may not support this request, even ‘french fries’ having been renamed by the American equivalent of Blé Goudé’s followers. And America has to cough up a third of the cost of such a peace-keeping force – when she has other serious long-term problems elsewhere.
In spite of the wishes of some political parties (e.g. PDCI), the unpronounceable Albert Tévoédjrè, President of the UN Mission in Ivory Coast and thus the special representative of Kofi Annan, has said it clearly on Thursday of this past week: it is not the UN’s role to organise the elections. They will help the Electoral Commission and will provide administrative, financial and other support, plus no doubt provide a large group of Observers. Furthermore he seemed very pleased with the touching up done these last few days by the reconciliation government to the Electoral Commission so that it can function correctly.
During the course of the next few days we should know whether the country will receive the UN Peace-Keeping Force requested which is an important element for the peaceful conduct of the elections and the immediate post-election period. President Gbagbo, according to one report, has asked for 10.000 troops under UN control but the report submitted by Annan to the Security Council foresaw 6.000 or so, plus the French as a separate force. The catch is that the USA may not support this request, even ‘french fries’ having been renamed by the American equivalent of Blé Goudé’s followers. And America has to cough up a third of the cost of such a peace-keeping force – when she has other serious long-term problems elsewhere.
