UN says humanitarian work continues despite Abidjan violence

Violent clashes between opposition supporters and the security forces in Abidjan, the economic capital of Cote d’Ivoire have not disrupted UN relief activities in the rest of the country, Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, the UN Humanitarian Relief Coordinator said on Thursday. Mar Dieye said last week’s skirmishes in Abidjan, which left dozens and possibly hundreds of people dead, had led to the interruption of a polio vaccination campaign in the city. But he told IRIN: "As humanitarian and development organisations, we have never stopped and we did not stop intervening - providing healthcare, supporting internally displaced people, and carrying out food deliveries wherever there was a need.” Mar Dieye called on donors to support the UN Consolidated Appeal for US $59 million to enable humanitarian and development agencies to address the needs of vulnerable people throughout the divided country this year. "We believe the needs will be growing even more after last week's incidents. We know there will be ripple effects on the communities in the precarious neighbourhoods, including trauma and psychological problems," he said. The clashes on Thursday and Friday last week mostly took place in the poorer districts of Abidjan, where police and soldiers fired live ammunition to prevent anti-government protestors staging a banned demonstration against President Laurent Gbagbo. Residents in these areas said the security forces also raided houses and compounds to arrest suspected opposition activists, many of whom have not been seen since. The government says 37 people died in the disturbances, but opposition leaders have put the death toll at between 350 and 500. Mar Dieye said the United Nations was doing its best to encourage a resumption of dialogue between Gbagbo, the main parliamentary opposition parties and rebels who have occupied the north of Cote d’Ivoire since the country plunged into civil war two years ago. Speaking to reporters, he reiterated the UN's condemnation of last week’s violence aand urged the parties concerned to calm down and concentrate on implementing a 15-month-old peace agreement. Mar Dieye, who is also United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Country Director said several key institutions needed to be set up, including a national commission for human rights and a judiciary that was acceptable to all parties. The UN is preparing to deploy a 6,240-strong peacekeeping force in Cote d’Ivoire. Its official mandate starts on Sunday, but an advance party of soldiers has already arrived to plan its deployment.