Inside the Ivory Coast military base turned rebel headquarters in the city of Bouake, two negotiators back from peace talks in Togo rallied their supporters on Friday at an emergency meeting.
After three hours, Master Sergeant Tuo Fozie, dressed in fatigues, left the base and said: ”Remember that there has been no progress in Lome.”
A man who identified himself only as Major Saint-Clair picked up the conversation, showing little confidence in the peace talks under way in Togo.
”The real problem is that there is a crisis of trust between (Ivorian President Laurent) Gbagbo and us,” he said. Politically speaking, ”we want a sincere reconciliation between us and Ivorians”.
Militarily speaking, he said, ”our weapons are our strength. How can you expect us to give them up, to be taken like chickens?” he asked.
Inside the base in the central Ivorian town was a military vehicle with assault rifles and five anti-aircraft batteries.
Saint-Clair declined to explain its presence. ”In any case, many among us are against the discussions in Lome,” he said.
Four-wheel-drives filled with men and munitions were arriving at the base. Travel-weary rebels got down from the trucks and saluted their fellow fighters with their right hand clenched into a fist.
Many of them are normally based in the northern town of Korhogo.
”And so! Even if they come from (farther north in) Pogo, that’s our business,” Saint-Clair said.
”Gbagbo is busy arming himself to trap us, like he wanted to do during the last attack on Bouake,” he said.
”We have intercepted radio traffic saying that he’s reinforcing his troops almost everywhere. He has mercenaries, new combat planes. This man wants peace?” he asked.
”Lome is a farce, we told Tuo Fozie. We don’t believe in it. It’s out of respect for the heads of state in this region that we are there.”
”On the ground, 98% of the rebels are ready to fight, because Gbagbo will be the first to break any accord that is signed,” he said.
”We have nine camps like this, and we are ready for any scenario,” he said.
Talks began on Wednesday, with Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadema mediating on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).
Government negotiators agreed to the ”principle” of amnesty for rebels and for reintegrating mutineers back into the armed forces.
But the talks have yet to address the thorniest issues, including Gbagbo’s demand that rebels disarm and rebel demands for new elections.
Negotiators have halted the talks during the weekend, but they are expected to resume by Monday. – Sapa-AFP