Côte d’Ivoire refugees living in West African neighbour Liberia stormed their embassy on Monday to protest their treatment by diplomatic representatives, an AFP reporter saw.
About 30 Ivorian men, women and children demanding the resignation of Consul Prosper Kotchi pulled down the orange, white and green Ivorian flag from outside the diplomatic mission and took one of the embassy vehicles.
They complained of neglect by embassy staff when they go to the mission for documents or assistance with identity cards.
Hundreds of Ivorian nationals fled over the border into Liberia to escape a civil war spawned by a September 2002 coup attempt against President Laurent Gbagbo.
Though guns have been silent since a ceasefire was declared in July, Côte d’Ivoire remains split between the rebel-held north and west and the government-run south.
Tens of thousands of Liberians remain in Côte d’Ivoire, awaiting the signal that it is safe to return to their own still-volatile homeland, which put a definitive end to 14 years of war in August of last year.
While embassy employee Felicia Asara acknowledged that there may be some resentment because the embassy staff speak English instead of French, the national language in Côte d’Ivoire, she denied any mistreatment.
”If they say we do not address them in French, they are right, but if they tell you that they don’t get attention, that is not, to my knowledge, because any time they come for documents, we give them what they want,” she said.
Hoping to soothe tempers, Kotchi said the unrest was likely caused by Ivorian nationals frustrated by their refugee status in Liberia.
”They are hungry and need attention,” he said. ”I will try to repatriate them.” — Sapa-AFP