Ivory Coast opposition demands new poll commission

Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:32am EST

* Opposition awaiting new electoral commission

* PM says commission to be announced Thursday

* Protestors hail victory after demonstrations

By Tim Cocks and Ange Aboa

ABIDJAN/DALOA, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast's opposition will join a newly formed government only when the electoral commission is reinstated, a spokesman said on Wednesday, as protesters hailed victory after days of violent demonstrations.

A new government in the world's biggest cocoa producer was announced overnight, including both main opposition parties, a vital step towards ending street protests and putting the country back on the path to elections.

Prime Minister Guillaume Soro said the new electoral commission would be named on Thursday.

President Laurent Gbagbo dissolved both on Feb. 12, after accusing electoral commission chief Robert Mambe of illegally adding names to the voter register to boost the opposition.

That decision has delayed a poll that was already years overdue when slated for March, sparking a public outcry.

"We are waiting for the new independent electoral commission (CEI) to be put in place first, then certainly we will join the government, but not before," said Ali Coulibaly, spokesman for the Rally of the Republicans (RDR) of presidential candidate Alassane Ouattara.

"For us, the priority is not the government but the CEI."

He said he spoke on behalf of the coalition of the main opposition groups, including the Democratic Party (PDCI) of presidential candidate Henri Konan Bedie.

COMMISSION NEXT

Getting the electoral commission back in place is seen as far more important than the government, which has in any case been transitional since its mandate expired in 2005.

The opposition said on Tuesday it was in principle in agreement with naming a new electoral commission chief and four new vice presidents, backing down on its previous demand to reinstall the old one.

That compromise was worked out on Monday in talks mediated by Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore.

Elections are seen as the only way of restoring legitimacy and ending the drawn out crisis in Ivory Coast, which has persisted since a 2002-03 civil war cut the country in two.

Public anger is growing after years of delays. The military has opened fire on protesters, killing activists and raising tension further, although cocoa output has remained largely unaffected.

In the western cocoa hub of Daloa, traces were still visible of Monday's march that ended in bloodshed. Burnt tyres littered streets patrolled by heavily armed police.

Mickael Nanock Brou, director of Daloa hospital, said he had received the corpses of two people shot dead by police, and treated twenty wounded in protests. Demonstrators thought it was worth the loss.

"It's a victory for the opposition," said market trader Mamadou Kone. "Gbagbo thought nobody could challenge him but the opposition has shown it can face up to him."

Ivory Coast's opposition parties have vowed to continue protests until the electoral commission is reinstated, but the country has remained largely calm since Monday's compromise.

Others hoped the country's tortuous peace process would get back on track.

"I'm very happy," said Alexandra Bah, a florist in Daloa."Now we feel there will be reconciliation between us." (Editing by Myra MacDonald)





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