Communist Party of the Workers of France
Paris, June 25, 2004
Communiqué
On June 23, between 3:00 and 3:30 PM, a group of some fifty people invaded the residence of Ekissi Achy at Yopougon-Sideci [on the outskirts of the capital of Abidjan – translator’s note].
Ekissi Achy is general secretary of the Revolutionary Communist Party of the Ivory Coast (PCRCI), a legal party that publishes a journal, Proletarian Revolution. The assailants, who wore t-shirts with the logo of the High School and University Federation of the Ivory Coast (Fesci), broke everything: doors, windows, computer equipment… stealing objects of value and wrecking a van. Most seriously, they kidnapped Abib Dodo, general secretary of the Communist Youth of the Ivory Coast (JCOCI), savagely beating him and taking him away. The police did not come to report the damages until about 5:00 PM!
The PCRCI informed us about what took place, accusing elements of the Fesci and the "Young Patriots" linked to the regime of L. Gbagbo [president of the Ivory Coast – translator’s note].
We were more worried because several terrorist acts of this type have been aimed at other members of the opposition in the Ivory Coast, to say nothing of the "disappearances" of journalists. Each time, elements of these paramilitary groups were implicated, without ever being investigated.
This morning, our comrades in the Ivory Coast told us the terrible new one:
Abib Dodo had been murdered. Another member, Kouame Kouakou Richard, in charge of the Workers and Peasants Committee, was seriously injured by elements of this same Fesci. Left for dead, his body was thrown into the underbrush near the Abidjan airport. "The political machine of L. Gbagbo is trying to crush all opposition to his regime. We are currently in shock. The members of the party are today dead men walking. The safety of the family of the general secretary is in danger because she identified the murderers of the Fesci and many of the names of the criminal elements are known in university circles." These are the words of our comrades in the Ivory Coast.
We share these fears. Every day, these "pseudo-patriots" act with impunity. The press in the Ivory Coast that is not tied to the FPI [the ruling party in the Ivory Coast – translator’s note] authorities has not stopped denouncing the mafia methods of the leaders of Fesci that are conducting a reign the terror on campus.
The regime of the FPI and particularly of President Gbagbo is involved, in spite of his denials.
We hold him responsible for these assassinations, which are added to a long list of assassinations of political opponents.
The French authorities, strongly present in the field, with the blessings of the UN, through a very important military contingent (there is even talk of sending Leclerc tanks) cannot be unaware of these facts.
We are alerting national and international public opinion to use all possible pressure to immediately stop this policy of terror carried out by a regime that has become more and more isolated.
We assure our comrades of the PCRCI and its youth organization of our militant solidarity in these particularly serious moments.
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