G-L,
l just received this email from Sidi sanneh at ADB in Abidjan. l was not
aware of this but it seems there is some kind of strong military presence in
the streets of Abidjan, and these guys said they have been told to stay put
in their offices. Let us pray that their families are fine. There are a
couple of messages regarding the situation forllowing Sidi's email message.
Jabou
In a message dated 12/23/99 9:21:33 AM Central Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Jabou,
I thought that you will be interested top know that your brother Abdou and
the entire Gambian community are ok. I am used to this kind of stuff having
to deal with Sierra Leone , Gambia and Liberia. The political situation in
this country has deteriorated rapidly since the death of Houphet. Bedie
doesn't have what it takes to run the country. Wish us well. We have been
ashed to stay put in our offices as the situation is very fluid for the time
being. Regards Sidi
-----Original Message-----
From: SAIKI, KEMAL
Sent: Thursday 23 December 1999 14:58
To: All Staff
Subject: Follow-up Cote d'Ivoire
23Dec1999 COTE D'IVOIRE: Groups of military in Abidjan streets, shots fired.
13:56 GMT
ABIDJAN, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Small groups of military men took to the streets
of Ivory Coast's commercial capital Abidjan on Thursday, with some firing
shots in the air, witnesses said.
The precise identity of the military men and the nature of their protest
were not immediately clear but one witnesses said that they had come out of
a school for the country's paramilitary gendarmerie.
"I saw a truck with men looking like soldiers. One was standing upright, he
pointed his gun at me and said, 'Back off'," Reuters correspondent Vincent
t'Sas said by phone from a road near the school.
He said a main road leading out of Abidjan towards the town of Bingerville
appeared to have been blocked.
Another witness saw what she described as a military personnel carrier that
had turned into the car park of one of Abidjan's big supermarkets, SOCOCE,
in the Deux Plateau district. There were at least three men inside.
"Guys started jumping out. One started shooting a rifle. People were diving
for cover," said Ann Gray, a former Canadian police officer. It was unclear
what he was firing at or if anyone was injured. She said the men wore
mismatched camouflage uniform.
(C) Reuters Limited 1999.
Sources:REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
CoteIvoire-troops,2ndlead
Troops firing in air in Abidjan
ATTENTION - ADDS detail ///
ABIDJAN, Dec 23 (AFP) - Troops in vehicles and on foot were travelling
through Abidjan Thursday, firing in the air.
They caused panic among residents of the economic capital of Cote
d'Ivoire.
The reasons for the gunfire, which was heard throughout the city, were
not
immediately known.
National radio stopped broadcasting.
Soldiers requisitioned taxis and private cars, including one belonging to
an AFP journalist which they loaded with arms before heading toward the
national radio station.
The first bursts of gunfire were heard on Thursday morning at the Akouedo
military camp, in an eastern area of Abidjan.
fp/jlr/hn
Kemal SAIKI
ADB Corporate Communications >>
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