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Soldiers who staged violent protests on 4-5 July in major Ivoirian towns are
to be tried by a special military court, Cote d'Ivoire's President, General Robert Guei, said on Sunday in a nationwide radio and television broadcast.
The soldiers had reportedly staged the protest to obtain a bonus for their
part in overthrowing former president Henri Konan Bedie. They looted arms
depots, banks and other businesses, especially in the central town of
Bouake, according to the authorities.
Repeating earlier claims that unnamed politicians were behind the protest,
Guei said it was "regrettable and unthinkable for soldiers to allow
themselves to be manipulated by
ambitious politicians who are only thinking of destroying our beautiful
country".
"The delinquent soldiers who thus auctioned off their honour and dignity
(and) violated the rules of military discipline and virtue...," he said
"will be judged by a special military tribunal so as to be severely punished
by the law before being dismissed from the armed forces".
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions