Following reports of violence, UN envoy visits shantytowns in Côte d’Ivoire

The United Nations top envoy for the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire visited residents in an Abidjan shantytown to investigate reports of beatings, threats and other ill-treatment at the hands of armed groups.

During a weekend that was marked by violent demonstrations against a peace accord signed in Paris late last week, the Secretary-General's Humanitarian Envoy for the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire, Carolyn McAskie, visited the Abidjan shantytown of Washington, following reports that residents there had been beaten and threatened by armed men during the previous night.

Since her arrival in Abidjan, Ms. McAskie has registered her concern for the residents of Abidjan’s shantytowns, several of which had been destroyed in the wake of a September 2002 coup attempt. After threats had been made early last week to residents of a shantytown, Ms. McAskie urged President Laurent Gbagbo to ensure that his 8 October declaration that no more shantytowns would be destroyed was respected.

Saturday, when Ms. McAskie arrived in the Washington shantytown, dozens of members of the sprawling community, made up of Ivoirians and a large number of migrants from Burkina Faso and other West African nationals, gathered to listen as witnesses and victims stepped forth one by one to tell her their stories of beatings and harassment. The wounded showed their bruised bodies as evidence.

"The acts committed here last night are against the laws of Côte d'Ivoire," she said. "The peace accord specifies that all those who have broken national and international laws, including humanitarian and human rights laws, must answer for their actions." Stressing that the police and the gendarmes are not above the law, she urged them to remember their responsibilities to restore peace to the country, and to assure that all communities can live in harmony.