Parties asked to put rallies on hold

The Ivoirian government on Wednesday warned unnamed politicians about conducting political campaigns despite being asked "to hold over, until further notice, the organisation of public demonstrations involving a significant mobilisation of the population". The warning followed public meetings by Rassemblement des Republicains (RDR) leader Alassane Ouattara in various parts of the country. In a communique signed by Interior and Decentralisation Minister Col. Issa Diakite, the government said President Robert Guei had asked parties, in a 22 February communique, to put political rallies on hold so as to allow a consultative commission to "work with serenity, responsibility and objectivity" on "new consensus texts", including a draft constitution. "Unfortunately, the government has observed that certain political leaders on premature campaigns seem to have lost sight once again of these wise recommendations, which should allow for a very rapid and calm return to constitutional life after fair and transparent elections are organised," read the communique. "The government would no longer be able to tolerate the flouting of these precepts and appeals to the spirit of discipline and civic sense of everyone," it added. It said "these arrangements will remain effective until the draft constitution proposed by the Consultative Constitutional and Electoral Commission is approved by the government and the referendum campaign officially opened".