The petrol pumps were disassembled and the adjoining shop completely looted, but Dro Mangle is still required to maintain a presence on the site. "This is a request from Shell, the owner of the station," the young man, wearing a shirt with the colors of the sign Anglo-Dutch. In the commune of Abidjan Yopougon Shell is not the only oil company to have borne the brunt of post-election violence that rocked the Ivorian economic capital, between January and April.Total stations and the "local" Petroci have also been sacked - by Liberian mercenaries in the pay of former President Laurent Gbagbo said to be in the neighborhood. Common housing a million inhabitants, Yopougon was the last stronghold of followers of deposed head of state to put up a fierce resistance to the Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI) from the north to install in power a private Alassane Ouattara of Chair. While the world watched, April 11, the arrest of Laurent Gbagbo at his residence in Cocody, the militiamen to his cause continued to fight in Yopougon.More for survival than for their political beliefs. "There are always profiteers during the war" At the height of the fighting, many stores and shops have been looted (see slideshow below). Employee of a carpenter specializing in aluminum frame, Mohamed, originally from Nigeria, counting up the losses during what is called a no-brainer "crisis": "We were six machines and stole all our drills . In total, there were 10 million francs CFA [150 000, Ed]. "Besides the building was partially burned. However, the artisan does not want to know the authors of devastation: "It was a war and there are always profiteers during conflict." Mohamed now has other priorities: the survival of small business that employs him. "Even without our machines, we continue to work. We cheer because there were more serious: some have lost their lives." May 6, investigators from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights found in Yopougon ten mass graves where 68 bodies rested. Killings that the UN has granted the fighters pro-Gbagbo, who have now deserted places for the vast majority of them.Since then, FRCI regained control of the town after several days of fierce clashes that killed over 60 people. Two days before the inauguration of Alassane Ouattara supposed to begin an era of national reconciliation, the area is "secured 85%," said Bandja Traoré, chief of a section FRCI who installed his headquarters in Commission of the 16th district.This return to calm, as precarious as it is, has enabled this vast district to recover the excitement that has built its reputation. "Too many guns in the city" At Carrefour Siporex, Gateway town where the turbulent sat before its recent destruction, a monument under the chairmanship Gbagbo, the merchants took out their stalls. Here, almost everything is sold: vegetables, books, jewelry, socks, pirated DVDs, mobile phones, and requires presidential nomination, t-shirt in honor of Alassane Ouattara and his wife Dominique. Installed behind the counter, Mickey and his associates are pleased to have resumed their activities in the phone, away from partisan politics."We're not all the same party, and yet everything goes well: some LMP [Laurent Gbagbo's party], other RHDP [party of Alassane Ouattara] and we even have our little beast [ethnic group of President forfeit], "they play in a joyous uproar. Cases, however, are struggling to restart. "The recovery is not yet effective, says Davy. Customers returning early, between 19 and 20 hours, whereas usually there are people until 2 am. Trust not yet restored. " The new authorities have nice increase patrols, the people feared attacks after dark. "Too many guns are circulating in the city resumed Koffi, a shopkeeper nearby. People are afraid of retaliation.The FRCI, you know, have a lot of thugs in their ranks. " Despite their political differences, these young traders will install this Saturday in their shop, a television will broadcast the inauguration of Alassane Ouattara. "It's a symbolic event which will guarantee the unity of Côte d'Ivoire." And they cross their fingers, the definitive end of the civil war: "We want peace, peace, peace ..."
IVORY COAST: On the eve of the inauguration of Ouattara, Yopougon trusts to reconciliation
The petrol pumps were disassembled and the adjoining shop completely looted, but Dro Mangle is still required to maintain a presence on the site. "This is a request from Shell, the owner of the station," the young man, wearing a shirt with the colors of the sign Anglo-Dutch. In the commune of Abidjan Yopougon Shell is not the only oil company to have borne the brunt of post-election violence that rocked the Ivorian economic capital, between January and April.Total stations and the "local" Petroci have also been sacked - by Liberian mercenaries in the pay of former President Laurent Gbagbo said to be in the neighborhood. Common housing a million inhabitants, Yopougon was the last stronghold of followers of deposed head of state to put up a fierce resistance to the Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI) from the north to install in power a private Alassane Ouattara of Chair. While the world watched, April 11, the arrest of Laurent Gbagbo at his residence in Cocody, the militiamen to his cause continued to fight in Yopougon.More for survival than for their political beliefs. "There are always profiteers during the war" At the height of the fighting, many stores and shops have been looted (see slideshow below). Employee of a carpenter specializing in aluminum frame, Mohamed, originally from Nigeria, counting up the losses during what is called a no-brainer "crisis": "We were six machines and stole all our drills . In total, there were 10 million francs CFA [150 000, Ed]. "Besides the building was partially burned. However, the artisan does not want to know the authors of devastation: "It was a war and there are always profiteers during conflict." Mohamed now has other priorities: the survival of small business that employs him. "Even without our machines, we continue to work. We cheer because there were more serious: some have lost their lives." May 6, investigators from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights found in Yopougon ten mass graves where 68 bodies rested. Killings that the UN has granted the fighters pro-Gbagbo, who have now deserted places for the vast majority of them.Since then, FRCI regained control of the town after several days of fierce clashes that killed over 60 people. Two days before the inauguration of Alassane Ouattara supposed to begin an era of national reconciliation, the area is "secured 85%," said Bandja Traoré, chief of a section FRCI who installed his headquarters in Commission of the 16th district.This return to calm, as precarious as it is, has enabled this vast district to recover the excitement that has built its reputation. "Too many guns in the city" At Carrefour Siporex, Gateway town where the turbulent sat before its recent destruction, a monument under the chairmanship Gbagbo, the merchants took out their stalls. Here, almost everything is sold: vegetables, books, jewelry, socks, pirated DVDs, mobile phones, and requires presidential nomination, t-shirt in honor of Alassane Ouattara and his wife Dominique. Installed behind the counter, Mickey and his associates are pleased to have resumed their activities in the phone, away from partisan politics."We're not all the same party, and yet everything goes well: some LMP [Laurent Gbagbo's party], other RHDP [party of Alassane Ouattara] and we even have our little beast [ethnic group of President forfeit], "they play in a joyous uproar. Cases, however, are struggling to restart. "The recovery is not yet effective, says Davy. Customers returning early, between 19 and 20 hours, whereas usually there are people until 2 am. Trust not yet restored. " The new authorities have nice increase patrols, the people feared attacks after dark. "Too many guns are circulating in the city resumed Koffi, a shopkeeper nearby. People are afraid of retaliation.The FRCI, you know, have a lot of thugs in their ranks. " Despite their political differences, these young traders will install this Saturday in their shop, a television will broadcast the inauguration of Alassane Ouattara. "It's a symbolic event which will guarantee the unity of Côte d'Ivoire." And they cross their fingers, the definitive end of the civil war: "We want peace, peace, peace ..."