Earth Science News  
AFRICA NEWS
I.Coast soldier killed as mutiny protests return
By Ladji Abou Sanogo with Patrick Fort in Abidjan
Bouak�, Ivory Coast (AFP) Jan 17, 2017


Mutinous I. Coast troops protest in capital Yamoussoukro
Abidjan (AFP) Jan 17, 2017 - Ivory Coast's mutinous soldiers took to the streets in the administrative capital Yamoussoukro, firing shots in the air and terrifying residents, several witnesses told AFP on Tuesday.

"They're driving through the city in army trucks. They're snatching vehicles," said Ahmed Ouattara, who owns a car repair shop in Yamoussoukro.

Several residents of the central city confirmed his report.

"I decided to go home," resident Koffi Germain said.

"We're hiding, there's a lot of shooting," a civil servant told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Earlier this month, soldiers in Ivory Coast's second city Bouake mutinied, firing rocket-launchers and terrifying residents, while demanding bonuses, better pay and housing.

Their protest spread to other cities, including the economic capital Abidjan, stoking security fears in the world's top cocoa producer.

A deal was reached last week between the government and mutinous troops -- many of them former rebels who joined the national army.

A mutinous soldier was killed in Ivory Coast's administrative capital Tuesday, as fresh trouble erupted in several cities after troops took to the streets, firing shots in the air and terrifying residents.

The soldier's death in Yamoussoukro was the first since a mutiny over pay erupted in the second city Bouake on January 5, stoking security fears in the world's top cocoa producer.

Initial protests were quelled after an agreement was reached with the government last week.

Soldiers involved in the first protests started receiving their payments Tuesday, though some banks were forced to shut because of the unrest.

Under the deal, 8,500 mutinous troops were promised 12 million CFA francs (18,000 euros, $19,000) each.

Five million CFA francs are due to be delivered by February 5, although it remains unclear how the government of the west African nation intends to finance the payments.

The mutiny has seen President Alassane Ouattara order major changes in the top security ranks -- the armed forces' chief of staff, the senior commander of the national gendarmerie and the director-general of the police.

Enraged that they were excluded from the deal, other troops took to the streets of Yamoussoukro and Bouake on Tuesday, firing in the air as scared residents took refuge.

"This morning, we took to the streets with our weapons. We want to show the whole world our dissatisfaction," a soldier protesting in Bouake told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"We don't understand why some soldiers are being paid a five million CFA franc bonus, while a whole other group is being forgotten," he said.

"We condemn this injustice in our army... If there is a bonus, it should be for everyone."

- 'We're hiding' -

Other cities across the country -- Daloa in central Ivory Coast, Man in the west, Bondoukou in the northeast and Dimbokro in the south -- also saw troops take to the streets.

"The mutinous soldier was killed by the Republican Guard in front of their camp" in Yamoussoukro, a military source said on condition of anonymity.

A source close to the defence ministry confirmed the soldier's death, though the precise circumstances of the incident were not immediately clear.

Witnesses in the city earlier told AFP they saw soldiers firing shots in the air and stealing vehicles.

"I decided to go home," resident Koffi Germain said.

"We're hiding, there's a lot of shooting," a civil servant told AFP on condition of anonymity.

In Bouake, an AFP journalist also saw soldiers firing in the air.

Fearing for their safety, Bouake residents took shelter in their homes, the journalist said.

Several banks were forced shut by the shooting, angering soldiers who were picking up their payments.

"The banks closed before everyone was paid," one of the mutineers involved in last week's deal told AFP.

"Whoever fires a single shot in the air will have to deal with us so long as we haven't all been paid," he warned.

- Waves of unrest -

Bouake, which is home to 1.5 million people, was the cradle of a rebellion which erupted in 2002 in a failed attempt to oust then-president Laurent Gbagbo.

The revolt sliced the former French colony into the rebel-held north and the government-controlled south and triggered years of unrest.

Twelve years later, a similar dispute over pay by rebels-turned-soldiers erupted in Bouake which spread to Abidjan and briefly brought the country to a standstill.

The government then agreed to a deal that provided amnesty for the mutineers and a financial settlement.

Ivory Coast has long been west Africa's star economic performer. But when Gbagbo refused to step down despite an election defeat in 2010, 3,000 people were killed in months of conflict.

With a 10-percent yearly economic growth rate, the west African country is now back on the rails.

The International Monetary Fund said last month that Ivory Coast was on track towards becoming the continent's fastest-growing economy.

The latest mutiny, however, has raised fears the country might slip back into deadly unrest.


Comment on this article using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food






Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
AFRICA NEWS
Gambian crisis takes centre stage at Mali summit
Bamako (AFP) Jan 14, 2017
The Gambia's political crisis dominated a Mali summit on Saturday as Gambian president-elect Adama Barrow appealed to west African leaders for help ending the impasse. Barrow flew to Bamako unexpectedly on Friday after holding crisis talks in Banjul with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Liberian leader Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Ghana's John Mahama. Malian and Ghanaian sources confirm ... read more


AFRICA NEWS
Europe urged to expand pesticide ban for bees' sake

Pressures from grazers hastens ecosystem collapse from drought

Grasslands hold potential for increased food production

Russia's Vavilov institute, guardian of world's lost plants

AFRICA NEWS
Researchers publish first video of ruby seadragons in the wild

How China is poised for marine fisheries reform

Sparton Corporation, Ultra Electronics to produce sonobuoys

Affordable water in the US: A burgeoning crisis

AFRICA NEWS
UK experts warn of Trump climate science clampdown

On climate, top diplomat nominee says US must stay engaged

Obama again defends climate deal

Global warming hiatus disproved yet again

AFRICA NEWS
Renewable energy investment value fell 18% in 2016: study

CWRU directly measures how perovskite solar films efficiently convert light to power

U.S. solar groups to speak after Trump inauguration

Report details how renewables can decarbonise the energy sector

AFRICA NEWS
Iowa State engineer helps journal highlight how pyrolysis can advance the bioeconomy

Handheld sensor unit determines biofuel content of diesel blends

Dual-purpose biofuel crops could extend production, increase profits

Species diversity reduces chances of crop failure in algal biofuel systems

AFRICA NEWS
Nepal sacks quake reconstruction chief

Memory of lost Cyprus home haunts three generations

Six climbers die of cold climbing Guatemala volcano

Debt traps threaten Nepal quake victims

AFRICA NEWS
Trudeau says Canada's oil sands must be phased out

Anadarko sells off Eagle Ford shale assets

Colorado is doing energy right, governor said

Milestone reached for Kashagan oil field

AFRICA NEWS
Amazon to deliver 100,000 new US jobs

Chinese leader meets Davos elite as voters revolt

Bitcoin plunges as China investigates exchanges

Seagate to cut more than 2,000 China jobs: reports









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.