PRIME MINISTER BANNY ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000810 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2016 TAGS: PGOV ASEC PREL KPKO IV SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER BANNY ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS OVER MOBILE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS REF: ABIDJAN 804 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: DCM V.VALLE FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. The Prime Minister spoke to the nation last night on the mobile identification process, addressing concerns raised by the President's FPI party and its supporters intent on disrupting the process. The PM made clear that the mobile teams are essential to the peace process and they will continue their work. Given the security forces' unwillingness to intervene to preserve order, however, the possibility of more clashes over the identification process is high. End summary. ¶2. (U) Prime Minister Banny delivered a televised address to the nation on July 24 in which he reviewed the mobile identification process (audiences foraines, or AF) which began last week and which have generated such heated opposition from Gbagbo's FPI party and their militia supporters. Banny replied to the objections raised by the FPI that the AF have been too hastily implemented and without appropriate consultations, that they cannot be properly administered in conditions of security while the New Forces remain armed and in control of the north, and that they are not being conducted transparently and with adequate safeguards to preclude fraud. ¶3. (U) Banny stressed that the AF are indispensable to the peace process and that they are being conducted concomitantly with the disarmament process. The first step of the latter, he averred, has been completed with the pre-regroupment of forces on both sides. Banny declared that there had been extensive consultation prior to implementation of the AF and that his government had tried to apply the lessons learned from the pilot identification project conducted in May. ¶4. (U) The Prime Minister insisted that the AF are being organized and carried out by the civil authorities and that the AF will not be conducted without the presence of prefets or sous-prefets (local administrators representing the central government) in each location and supervising the process. In order to address alleged security concerns raised by some members of the prefectoral corps who have been unwilling to go north for the AF, Banny has convoked a meeting with the prefets on the morning of July 25. ¶5. (U Similarly, according to Banny, the AF will not be carried out without the participation of magistrates on each AF team. In order to assure the transparency of the process, Banny invited all interested parties, including the principal political parties, to witness the AF. The PM concluded by calling for an end to the violence and by reiterating his openness to hearing concerns and suggestions for improving the AFs. However, the process, he made clear, must continue. ¶6. (C) The FPI continues to oppose the AF on grounds of lack of security, transparency, and legality (while asserting that it supports the process if it is carried out properly) and says it will continue to boycott the operation until these concerns are addressed. It would appear that, from the FPI's perspective, the points raised by Banny in last night's address fail to meet these concerns. Under the circumstances, the possibility of continuing clashes between groups supporting the AF and those endeavoring to block them remains strong, particularly if the Ivoirian Security and Defense Forces continue to refuse to intervene to maintain order. Yesterday, for example, a group of Young Patriots gathered in front of the Prime Minister's office to protest the AF and Banny's support of them. When two UN vehicles transporting High Representative for Elections Stoudmann attempted to enter the PM's compound, the Patriots stoned the vehicles, forcing them to retreat. Throughout, the Presidential Guards at the Prime Minister's office stood by, doing nothing. ¶7. (SBU) The UN has been monitoring the AF process in the north and south and in the zone of confidence and we will report their estimates of numbers of people processed and on the extent to which the procedure has been disrupted in the south via septel. Hooks