Arsene Kouakou N'guessan, Cote d’Ivoire “We were so terrified and life was uncertain"

"My name is Arsene Kouakou N'guessan. I am 22 years old and a second-year student of economics. I come from Bouake in central Cote d'Ivoire. September 19th war broke out and we found ourselves under the control of rebels. Everything - including businesses, offices [and] banks were closed.

"We were so terrified and life was uncertain - seeing all those armed people on the streets all over sudden. I fled from Bouake on the 25 of September 2002. I walked a distance of 40 km with two of my brothers to Brobo village.

"We tried to reach our parents who were by then living in Dimbokro in the village of Tchimokro. I lost everything, including my original school documents in the process of fleeing.

"Can you imagine spending 22 years in a place, then one day you have to leave it unexpectedly? What can you take when you're threatened by weapons?

"At the beginning when the rebels just occupied Bouake, they were trying to convince the population that they were fighting for a just cause.

"While still in Bouake I could see Red Cross vehicles on the streets but I did not know exactly what they were doing. I never got in contact with them.

"From September 2002 to January 2003, I stayed in the village of Tchimokro. At the beginning there was enough food for everybody. But soon, food and water started running out because the village had received 550 people fleeing from Bouake.

"An association of people from Tchimokro working in Abidjan sent food but it wasn't enough. Each person would get a cup of rice per day. We also had yams because it was the harvest period.

"Because of the lack of water, villagers started to sell water. In the beginning it cost 15 francs a bucket; then it went to 25 francs. This wasn't good for us, especially the displaced, because if you had no money then you had no water.

"I decide to come to Abidjan because I heard that the government was going to organise special courses for university students in the rebel occupied zones. But having no one [family] in Abidjan, I am just living with a friend.

"It is my first time to live in Abidjan. Honestly, it is very hard when you don't have money. If the rebels don't release the centre of Cote d'Ivoire can you imagine what will happen to the children who are displaced?

"The government has decided to help displaced students by allocating 45,000 cfa [$78.5] every three months to help us with our upkeep. But I was surprised [to find] my name is not on the list. I am now fighting to have my name included for the second payment.

"I had heard about humanitarian agencies but I also heard that they do not help displaced students. And I don't know exactly what they can do for me. I am ready to go back to Bouake because life in Abidjan is too hard and too expensive. Nothing is for free. Maybe this is because I was born in Bouake and I have not lived elsewhere."

Links:
IRIN In-Depth on Cote d'Ivoire