- 2008 Ivorian New Forces unrest
Three serious incidents of unrest in the
New Forces , a former rebel group inCôte d'Ivoire , occurred in mid-2008. These incidents occurred in the midst of a disarmament process, according to which a portion of the New Forces fighters are to be integrated into the army, while the majority are to be given work on projects. The disarmament process is to be followed by a presidential election and a parliamentary election.Disorder in Bouaké
By late May, with the disarmament process continuing, 2,568 New Forces soldiers had been grouped in camps. As part of the process, each of the former rebels were planned to each receive 90,000
CFA francs per month for three months; the first of these monthly payments occurred in May. [http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200806190580.html "Côte d'Ivoire: nouvelle manifestation d'ex-rebelles dans leur fief à Bouaké"] , AFP ("L'Autre Quotidien", Cotonou, allAfrica.com), June 19, 2008 fr icon.] The June payment was delayed by one week, [http://gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=8365 "Côte d'Ivoire: retour au calme à Bouaké après la manifestation d'ex-rebelles"] , AFP (Gaboneco.com), June 19, 2008 fr icon.] and onJune 16 , angry New Forces soldiers protested inBouaké , demanding payment, disrupting the city, and seizing vehicles. Prime MinisterGuillaume Soro , who also leads the New Forces, sent a financial team onJune 17 to make the payments. Although payments began to be made early onJune 18 , another violent protest took place on the same day; New Forces soldiers reportedly fired into the air, attacked civilians, seized vehicles, set up barracades, and looted shops. By evening onJune 18 , Bouaké was calm again, as security was increased through joint patrols of the New Forces and UN peacekeepers.Unrest in Vavoua and Seguela
New Forces fighters loyal to
Zacharia Koné , a New Forces commander who was dismissed from his command in May 2008 for indiscipline, reportedly mutinied inVavoua andSeguela onJune 28 . The unrest was said to have begun in Vavoua and then spread to Seguela. Three civilians were reportedly killed, along with one of the fighters involved in the unrest; another of the fighters was reportedly wounded. The unrest reportedly ended on the same day; according to official sources, the soldiers surrendered on the condition that they would be protected by French peacekeeping forces. [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gncUB-e7QbwEZaZlJ0flU_Xo350A "Former ICoast rebels in short-lived mutiny"] , AFP, June 28, 2008.]New Forces officials differed on whether this unrest was caused by an issue with the disarmament payments or whether it was a result of Koné's dismissal; the soldiers involved in the unrest said that they wanted payment of the disarmament money, although Koné's dismissal also appeared to be a factor. [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hlYdepLexZpqaGdSXCfSgSZFwLqg "Ivory Coast: talks with rebel soldiers break up"] , AFP, July 2, 2008.] An aide to Soro,
Alain Lobognon , said onJune 29 that Soro had forbidden the use of force in dealing with the unrest. Lobognon also disputed the widespread characterization of the unrest as a mutiny and said that the soldiers were under the protection of UN and French peacekeepers. Koné's replacement as commander of the Seguela region,Issiaka Ouattara , said that he was trying to maintain calm and was not using force, in accordance with Soro's orders. On the same day, one of the rebellious soldiers in Vavoua toldAgence France-Presse that they had not surrendered in either town, that their force was several hundred strong and was in control of Vavoua, and that they were holding their commanders hostage. [ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h_1331zlj7TYhnkfaGenn2V-sBEA "Ivory Coast PM rules out force against rebel soldiers"] , AFP, June 29, 2008.]New Forces spokesman
Sidiki Konate said that the problems that caused the unrest would be addressed and that the soldiers would be pardoned. Lobognon subsequently said onJune 30 that the government did not have enough money to complete the disarmament and implementation of the peace agreement, complaining that the international community was not sending aid. According to Lobognon, "the peace process is in danger because the prime minister does not have the means to implement his policies", and he described the situation as a "crisis". [ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gXneFfEo66zKwIKqGQpXGu4YLKlA "ICoast peace process in jeopardy: senior official"] , AFP, June 30, 2008.]About 300 people in Seguela protested on
July 2 , calling for resolution of the situation and for the mutineers to be quickly disarmed. The New Forces Chief of Staff, GeneralSoumaila Bakayoko , met with the restive fighters, who numbered about 320, at a camp near Seguela later onJuly 2 . Although a spokesman for the soldiers acknowledged the authority of Soro and Bakayoko, some of them shouted demands for Koné to be restored to his command, expressing dissatisfaction with his replacement,Issiaka Ouattara . Bakayoko left the meeting as a result.August 2008 Bouaké protest
About 300 members of the New Forces, seeking payment of five million CFA francs each, blocked entrances to Bouaké in August 2008. After two days of this, New Forces zone commander
Cherif Ousmane began holding talks with them onAugust 22 . [ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jtXG2TFVLg1tYYbfUzcZ8uIdP8qA "Ex-rebel forces in ICoast negotiate over allowances"] , AFP, August 22, 2008.]References
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