Bid to hand out ID cards ahead key vote kicks off

A pilot scheme to provide thousands of Ivorians with identity papers and voting cards kicked off across war-divided Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday, though few turned up to hearings in the government controlled south which were disrupted by supporters of the president. But in the rebel north, special hearings in Botro some 40 km outside of the rebel stronghold of Bouake, attracted more people both young and old than officials could process in a single day. The pilot scheme will go on for one week in seven towns across the country and is aimed at giving identity papers to Ivorians and immigrants aged 13 and over who do not have a birth certificate. In total, 3 million Ivorians do not have identity papers, according to government officials. But those who lost them in the fighting in 2002 or had them torn up by security forces during identity checks will not take part in the pilot programme. They will be included in the final identification programme only. The first hearing at the town hall of Port-Bouet in the main city Abidjan was over by midday, with fearful applicants and witnesses staying away due to a rowdy gang of Young Patriots, supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo, who tried to disrupt the meeting. Only one applicant, a 16-year-old girl accompanied by a sister and an elderly aunt serving as her witnesses, got a certificate enabling her to obtain identity papers once the official identification programme begins. At Port-Bouet, a poor southern neighbourhood with a large student population, a female clerk filled in a form with the names of the girl’s mother, who was born in central Cote d’Ivoire, and her father, who passed away ten years ago. After having her physical age confirmed by a medical doctor, Rachel Kouame stood shyly whispering answers to a judge as shouts from young men outside rang through the vast municipal hall. The Young Patriots, most of whom are students, were shooed away from the hearing, but massed outside the main gate hurling insults at passers-by under the watchful eye of security forces. They say they fear that thousands of foreigners will fraudulently obtain Ivorian nationality. UN special envoy Pierre Schori, whom the patriots accuse of meddling with Ivorian affairs, attended the meeting amid tight security. But many people at the hearing said the patriots were trying to intimidate the applicants because Gbagbo would loose the elections once the entire population could participate in polls scheduled to take place in October. “Nobody can keep us from getting identity papers,” said Honorine Assoa, a young woman who raises public awareness about the hearings. “We are ready to do this, and we have the right to do it.” Assoa said she knew of at least 120 people in her neighbourhood without nationality documents, but most of them had left when the students arrived. “If all Ivorians have identity papers, Gbagbo cannot win the elections,” she said. “That’s why they are making all this noise.” The low number of applicants was also due to confusion over who could apply for a temporary proof of identity. A handful of people were dismissed because they were not eligible. Applicants had to be born in Port-Bouet and bring at least two witnesses. But in Borto in the rebel controlled north, residents turned out in droves to register for their identity papers in a process that took about 40 minutes each from beginning to end. “I’m very happy today,” said 27 year old Ouattara Zakari as he queued up. “It’s been a long time that we’ve waited for this, to have our papers so that we can move freely around our own country.” New Forces rebel leader Guillaume Soro and spokesman Sidiki Konate, who attended the hearings at Botro, also welcomed the start of the identification process in rebel territories. "It is an immense joy for everyone” said Konate. “For us as authorities and soldiers it is a confirmation that the process has reached a practical phase… it is a strong sign that from now on, the serious business begins.” But rebel commanders in Bouake expressed concern that armed militias in the government controlled south were not as read to embrace a process seen as key to sealing peace after four years of war. “Here there is no problem, we have been ready a long time,” said Ouattara Issiaka known as “Wattao”. “But the problem lies on the other side. Are they ready?” The final identification programme is set to start within two weeks after the trial hearings and then disarmament of thousands of rebels and pro-government militia is to begin. Although the date for disarmament has not been set yet, rebel and army chiefs are scheduled to meet on 31 May to discuss the return to barracks of combatants. Presidential elections were supposed to be held in October last year, but UN-backed mediators recommended Gbagbo stay for twelve more months, with new Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny organising identification and disarmament. “Today was important to see how things would go so that we can report our findings,” said Judge Sylvain Gbongbe as the hearing closed. “Considering what happened this morning, we hope that we will be receiving more applicants tomorrow.”