Ivory Coast: Three killed in Bouaké during protests May 23

Event

On the morning of Tuesday, May 23, three people were killed in Bouaké when police forces dispersed protesters who were blocking a road leading into the city. These deadly clashes came a day after demonstrations were carried out by demobilized rebels across Bouaké and Abidjan to demand direct cash payments of unpaid bonuses. In Bouaké, protesters disrupted a funeral attended by Solidarity Minister Mariatou Kone on Monday, following her announcements encouraging demobilized rebels to set up businesses or launch other projects instead of demanding money from the government.

These recent developments risk igniting tensions a week after a four-day long military mutiny brought the country to a standstill.

Context

There are some 6000 demobilized rebels in the country involved in a protest movement demanding unpaid bonuses. The demobilized rebels are former rebels who have not been integrated into Ivorian army and therefore should not be confused with the mutineers, who are part of the military. Tensions between the demobilized rebels and the mutineers are running high as both groups are demanding unpaid bonuses from the government. The mutineers fear that the demobilized rebels' grievances could supervene the payment of soldiers' bonuses. During the May 12-16 military mutiny, a mutineer shot dead a demobilized rebel in Bouaké.

The most recent soldier mutiny over unpaid bonuses began on May 12, with disgruntled soldiers firing shots into the air in Bouaké and taking control of the national military headquarters and the Defense Ministry in Abidjan. At least 20 people were reportedly injured and one killed in associated violence during the four-day long mutiny. On May 16, an agreement between the mutineers and the government was reached putting an end to the violence. Nevertheless, the situation remains volatile.

Soldiers had launched an earlier mutiny on January 6 over low wages and unpaid bonuses supposedly owed to the soldiers after the 2010-2011 post-electoral crisis. Calm was restored after an agreement between mutineers and the government was reached on January 7. A similar uprising occurred in 2014, when hundreds of soldiers blocked roads throughout the country demanding unpaid wages. The government ultimately reached a financial settlement with the soldiers.

Ivory Coast experienced a drawn-out political crisis from 2002 to 2011 but is now considered one of Africa's most promising economies, the largest in francophone West Africa. However, the country's military continues to suffer from large internal divisions stemming from long-standing animosities among current soldiers (opponents in previous conflicts) and a lack of reform.

Advice

Individuals present in the country are advised to keep abreast of the situation, to remain vigilant, and to follow any instructions issued by local authorities or their home governments.

On a separate note, due to tensions between ethnic groups and occasional outbreaks of deadly violence, some Western governments advise against nonessential travel to the southwestern border areas with Liberia (Bas-Sassandra, Haut-Sassandra, Dix-Huit Montagnes regions).