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East/Subsaharan Africa
Ivory Coast cabinet boycott
2003-03-28
Rebel members of Ivory Coast's unity government have stayed away from its first meeting in the commercial capital, Abidjan. They have demanded that President Laurent Gbagbo rescind his appointment of two cabinet members to take charge of the disputed portfolios of shooting and looting defence and interior — on an interim basis. The Patriotic Movement of Ivory Coast or MPCI, say the appointments violate a recent peace agreement and they will not take up their posts until their demands are met.
And this is a problem because ...
The six-month rebellion has divided Ivory Coast into a rebel-dominated largely jihadi Muslim north and a government-controlled south where the Christian population is concentrated. "This is a mere diversion. We totally reject the appointment of these ministers," rebel spokesman Antoine Beugre told AP news agency by telephone. The government and rebels had earlier agreed that a special commission, representing all sides, would name the heads of these two ministries — but the commission could not reach agreement.
Fancy that!
Wrangling over whether the rebels should be given the defence and interior ministries threatened to hold up the creation of the new government, which was agreed earlier this year during so-called peace talks dictated by the French. Adou Assoa from the ruling Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) party is the interim defence minister, while Fofana Zemogo from the opposition Rally of Republicans (RDR) party will provisionally hold the interior portfolio. The nine rebel ministers in the 41-member government also refused to attend the first two cabinet sessions in the capital, Yamoussoukro, citing security concerns.
You rebel against the government and now complain about security concerns?
RDR ministers said they were worried about their safety but, with the exception of their leader Alassane Ouattara, returned from exile, and are now participating in the government.
Alassane is making sure his very valuable butt is kept nice and safe...
On Wednesday, about 30 detainees escaped from a French military camp in western Ivory Coast after it was besieged by pro-government loyalists. Thousands of demonstrators besieged the French military base in the western Ivorian town of Daloa. The BBC's Kate Davenport quoted eye-witnesses as saying that the protest, many of them in school uniform, marched through the streets shouting anti-French slogans. During the protest the detainees are reported to have jumped camp barriers, escaping before the French troops had time to disperse the protesters.
The French seem to have trouble doing anything right these days.
Posted by:Steve White

#2  Now ya see, this just proves that no good can come from unilateral military intervention without a UNSC mandate...and if'n the Frenchies can't get it right, what chance do we stand?
Posted by: (lowercase) matt   2003-03-28 09:09:36  

#1  Expect the Feathered Frogs to tuck thier tails(sorry wrong spiecies)and run home very soon now.
Posted by: raptor   2003-03-29 06:43:55  

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