Ivory Coast: between negotiations and pre-electoral violence

While in Abidjan, it was time for dialogue between the government and opposition parties, on the ground several cities were the scene of intercommunal violence. And at the end a thinning? In any case, the Ivorian authorities have decided to examine “favorably and as soon as possible” several requests formulated by the opposition on the electoral process, including the granting of a post of vice-president to the Democratic Party of Côte d ‘ Ivoire (PDCI) to the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI).

Concessions

The announcement was made by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, Sidiki Diakité, under the watchful eye of Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko in charge of carrying out discussions with opponents of President Ouattara. The Community of West African States was represented by General Francis Béhanzin, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, as an observer. “The government has decided to examine favorably and as soon as possible the requests relating to the CEI, namely the integration of a fifth personality into the Central Commission of the CEI in respect of the opposition, the granting of a post of vice-president at the PDCI in the office of the Central Commission of the CEI and the recomposition of the local CEIs, ”Minister Diakité told reporters.

However, neither the PDCI, nor the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) or Guillaume Soro’s Ensemble for Democracy and Sovereignty (EDS) were present. They boycotted this political dialogue with the authorities. This morning’s summons addressed to the opposition and to the candidates “would only concern us if it fits into an international framework, if it is convened by ECOWAS or any other international organization under the aegis of the United Nations”, said FPI president Pascal Affi N’Guessan.

The opposition does not let go

The Ivorian opposition has launched a slogan of civil disobedience several weeks ago to protest against President Alassane Ouattara’s candidacy for the presidential election on October 31. Opponents of the outgoing head of state also considered that the West African mediation mission that came to Abidjan before the presidential election was a “failure” and asked its activists to step up their actions of “civil disobedience”.

“We reiterate our availability and our openness to international negotiations,” continued Pascal Affi N’Guessan, presidential candidate on behalf of the FPI, referring to an intervention by the African Union and the UN, and denying the government the “Legitimacy” to organize talks.

ECOWAS called on Monday the power and the opposition to “considerable efforts” to calm the situation, urging the opposition to “seriously reconsider” its “decision to boycott the election”, as well as its call for “civil disobedience “.

“Civil disobedience continues and must be intensified in a peaceful manner to put an end to the electoral coup” of the power, replied Affi N’Guessan. He claimed that he and Henri Konan Bédié, the leader of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI, the main opposition movement), maintained their presidential candidacies, while boycotting the electoral process. “Until proven otherwise, we are candidates for an inclusive electoral process,” he explained.

Seven dead in pre-election violence

ECOWAS left Ivorian soil barely twenty-four years ago, when its recommendations were pilloried. On Wednesday, October 21, the country established a sad score: at least seven people died and around forty were injured in intercommunal clashes that have been going on since Monday in Dabou, 50 kilometers west of Abidjan, reports Agence France- Press, ten days before the presidential election.

“There are four dead found in a courtyard in Dabou today” Wednesday, “and three dead yesterday” Tuesday, reported to AFP the prefect of Dabou, Remy Nzi Kanga, adding that there was also “a forty wounded ”. The death toll could grow even worse because the prefect, the mayor of Dabou Jean-Claude Yede Niangne ​​and witnesses mentioned assault rifle fire.

The prefect referred to “a militia” armed with Kalashnikovs, stressing that “young people (in the region) do not have this type of weapon”. He assured that the situation was “on the way to normalization” after the sending of reinforcements.

According to testimonies from residents gathered by AFP, the first disturbances began on Monday and degenerated into intercommunal clashes on Tuesday between Adioukrous (local ethnic group, deemed favorable to the opposition) and Dioulas (northern ethnic group deemed pro-power). A young man was killed with machetes in Kpass (on the outskirts of Dabou) on Tuesday.

“We were attacked yesterday (Tuesday) by individuals armed with knives, machetes and clubs. We deplore the death of a 20-year-old student who was stabbed at his home by the attackers, ”Gbari Kock Yed, chief of the village of Kpass, which has a population of 1,000, told AFP.

“The attack was carried out by young Malinké or Dioulas who set fire to part of the village school, looted the teachers’ home and brutalized several villagers,” he detailed.

After a lull in the morning, “there was Kalashnikov fire. The situation worsened with fires in the north and south of the city, ”said the mayor of Dabou Mr. Yede Niangne.

“The situation is very volatile, the other inhabitants of the surrounding villages are crying out for revenge and planning a strong descent on the city. We are afraid, we are nailed to the house ”, told AFP a resident.

The local press informs that a curfew has finally been established going from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. throughout the Dabou department. For our colleagues in the Ivorian press, the recent violence follows the slogan of an active boycott of the electoral process in view of the presidential election on October 31, launched by opposition political parties and movements.

Twenty people have died since August, and President Alassane Ouattara’s announcement to stand for a third term strongly contested by his opponents.