AFRICA/IVORY COAST - The rebellion of the military has subsided, but a climate of violence remains, as denounced by the Church

Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - Calm has returned in the Ivory Coast where the military in revolt had caused panic in several cities of the Country including the economic capital, Abidjan. The revolt started from Bouake, the stronghold of the rebellion that had divided the Country between 2002 and 2011 and where current President Alassane Ouattara has his electoral base.
The agreement with the mutinied soldiers was reached by Defense Minister Alain Richard Donwahi, who on January 7 went to Bouaké (see Fides 07/01/2017). The agreement provides for wage increases, payment of previous wages and faster procedures for promotions in rank.
The revolt of the military this year had been preceded by that of 2014 also focused on economic demands.
The Ivory Coast is recovering from the severe crisis of 2002-2011 that led to the division of the Country in a government area and in another under rebel control. The crisis left deep scars in the local society. In his year-end message, Cardinal Jean-Pierre Kutwa, Archbishop of Abidjan, recalled the climate of violence that occurs in the Ivorian society: "How can we understand bloodthirsty children? As you can see these young and these children constantly live in a form of violence that they reproduce: violence at school, violence in politics, violence in family, violence on television screens, violence that we, adults, offer!".
Recalling young people trying the adventure of emigration abroad, Cardinal Kutwa emphasizes that this can be considered a form of violence "that is expanding and to which we must find a solution as soon as possible".
According to the Cardinal, we must ask ourselves what leads young people to try to emigrate abroad. "How can we understand the fact that our children are anxious to earn money as quickly as possible and without effort? What does the culture of merit mean?". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 09/01/2017)

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