1. Posted on Friday 30 October 2009 - 12:20

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   KingsleyKobo

   

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   Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

   After seven years of armed conflicts and instability, the Ivory Coast ought to be edging towards true peace with the approach of presidential elections slated for 29 November, but there are still signs of war. UN experts say former foes of the country's 2002 civil war are rearming despite an arms embargo.

   

   A UN report accuses both the rebel-held north and the government-controlled south of stocking up on weapons, a month before elections.
   
   The report also said neighbouring Burkina Faso is systematically transferring weapons and ammunition to the rebels.
   
   "Despite the arms embargo northern and southern Ivorian parties are rearming or re-equipping with related material," the report by a UN panel of experts said.
   
   "We cannot exclude a situation in which armed violence may escalate rapidly, particularly in the north," the report added.
   
   The UN Security Council is due to renew its arms embargo against the country this week, but the report raised the possibility of renewed serious conflict if the political situation deteriorates.
   
   According to the BBC, the authors of the report urged Burkina Faso to investigate the transfer of weapons to rebels in the north.
   
   Burkina Faso was accused of aiding rebel forces during the 2002 civil war, but its President Blaise Compaore helped broker the UN-backed peace process which led to the unity government.
   
   A government official said the presidential elections were likely to be delayed and that the 29 November date was very much unlikely.
   
   Opposition parties say they will involve the UN Security Council if the elections are delayed again.
   
   Presidential elections in the Ivory Coast have been postponed more than three times. The government and electoral commission have cited lack of sufficient fund, slow disarmament and technical hitches as reasons for postponements.

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Reactions

1. Posted on Saturday 31 October 2009 15:19

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   Ivorian

   

   
   3 berichten
   Lid sinds October 2009

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   Does the content of the article mean there are more signs of war in the Ivory Coast?
   Have you seen the report for you to produce such an article? What is related material?
   There are former rebels , a unifying army and an inclusive government. What does nothern and southern parties infer?
   A governement's responsibility is to ensure of the security of its citizens. Wouldn't you want the governement to do that? or as the the UN believes, the Government should relinquish the Protection of its citizens to the UN.
   Your article is as bad as the report you are feeding off of.

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