Ivory Coast: UNOCI dennounces government campaign
ABIDJAN: On 29 December 2011, President Laurent Gbagbo's camp, via Radio Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI), began the second phase of its media campaign against the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI).
Since then the RTI has continually broadcast images of two injured persons presented as victims of shootings by a UNOCI patrol in Abobo. The tone, according to the UNOCI, mounted recently and the campaign is mobilising actors at the highest level in President Gbagbo's camp.
It is the second time that President Gbagbo's camp has undertaken a negative campaign against UNOCI. The first phase of the manoeuvre, in which the mission's military impartiality was called into question began on 15 December 2010 as a prelude to the demand for UNOCI's departure on 18 December 2010.
UNOCI denounced the manoeuvre and has demanded the immediate cessation of the campaign.
