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Three serious incidents of '''unrest in the [[Forces Nouvelles de Côte d'Ivoire|New Forces]]''', a former rebel group in [[Côte d'Ivoire]], occurred in
==Disorder in Bouaké==
By late May, with the disarmament process continuing, 2,568 New Forces soldiers had been grouped in camps. As part of the process, each of the former rebels were planned to each receive 90,000 [[CFA francs]] per month for three months; the first of these monthly payments occurred in May.<ref name=Manifest>[http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200806190580.html "Côte d'Ivoire: nouvelle manifestation d'ex-rebelles dans leur fief à Bouaké"], AFP (''L'Autre Quotidien'', Cotonou, allAfrica.com), June 19, 2008 {{
==Unrest in Vavoua and Seguela==
New Forces fighters loyal to [[Zacharia Koné]], a New Forces commander who was dismissed from his command in May 2008 for indiscipline, reportedly mutinied in [[Vavoua]] and [[Séguéla Department|Seguela]] on June 28. The unrest was said to have begun in Vavoua and then spread to Seguela. Three civilians were reportedly killed, along with one of the fighters involved in the unrest; another of the fighters was reportedly wounded. The unrest reportedly ended on the same day; according to official sources, the soldiers surrendered on the condition that they would be protected by French peacekeeping forces.<ref name=Short>[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gncUB-e7QbwEZaZlJ0flU_Xo350A "Former ICoast rebels in short-lived mutiny"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520142639/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gncUB-e7QbwEZaZlJ0flU_Xo350A |date=2011-05-20 }}, AFP, June 28, 2008.</ref>
New Forces officials differed on whether this unrest was caused by an issue with the disarmament payments or whether it was a result of Koné's dismissal;<ref name=Short/> the soldiers involved in the unrest said that they wanted payment of the disarmament money, although Koné's dismissal also appeared to be a factor.<ref name=Break>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110520151736/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hlYdepLexZpqaGdSXCfSgSZFwLqg "Ivory Coast: talks with rebel soldiers break up"], AFP, July 2, 2008.</ref> An aide to Soro, [[Alain Lobognon]], said on June 29 that Soro had forbidden the use of force in dealing with the unrest. Lobognon also disputed the widespread characterization of the unrest as a mutiny and said that the soldiers were under the protection of UN and French peacekeepers. Koné's replacement as commander of the Seguela region, [[Issiaka Ouattara]], said that he was trying to maintain calm and was not using force, in accordance with Soro's orders. On the same day, one of the rebellious soldiers in Vavoua told [[Agence France-Presse]] that they had not surrendered in either town, that their force was several hundred strong and was in control of Vavoua, and that they were holding their commanders hostage.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110520151912/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h_1331zlj7TYhnkfaGenn2V-sBEA "Ivory Coast PM rules out force against rebel soldiers"], AFP, June 29, 2008.</ref>
About 300 people in Seguela protested on [[July 2]], calling for resolution of the situation and for the mutineers to be quickly disarmed. The New Forces Chief of Staff, General [[Soumaila Bakayoko]], met with the restive fighters, who numbered about 320, at a camp near Seguela later on [[July 2]]. Although a spokesman for the soldiers acknowledged the authority of Soro and Bakayoko, some of them shouted demands for Koné to be restored to his command, expressing dissatisfaction with his replacement, [[Issiaka Ouattara]]. Bakayoko left the meeting as a result.<ref name=Break/>▼
New Forces spokesman [[Sidiki Konate]] said that the problems that caused the unrest would be addressed and that the soldiers would be pardoned. Lobognon subsequently said on June 30 that the government did not have enough money to complete the disarmament and implementation of the peace agreement, complaining that the international community was not sending aid. According to Lobognon, "the peace process is in danger because the prime minister does not have the means to implement his policies", and he described the situation as a "crisis".<ref>[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gXneFfEo66zKwIKqGQpXGu4YLKlA "ICoast peace process in jeopardy: senior official"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520151731/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gXneFfEo66zKwIKqGQpXGu4YLKlA |date=2011-05-20 }}, AFP, June 30, 2008.</ref>
▲About 300 people in Seguela protested on
==August 2008 Bouaké protest==
About 300 members of the New Forces, seeking payment of five million CFA francs each, blocked entrances to Bouaké in August 2008. After two days of this, New Forces zone commander [[Cherif Ousmane]] began holding talks with them on August 22.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110520164105/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jtXG2TFVLg1tYYbfUzcZ8uIdP8qA "Ex-rebel forces in ICoast negotiate over allowances"], AFP, August 22, 2008.</ref>
==November 2008 attack in Seguela==
A New Forces camp in Seguela was attacked on November 24, 2008; the attackers were said to have freed prisoners and attempted to take guns and ammunition. According to the New Forces, eight of the attackers were killed, along with one of their own men.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120903131145/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hgMiDO1X52rZ7XJV4s-Om-PeWeOw "Nine killed in attack on ex-Ivory Coast rebel camp: army"], AFP, November 25, 2008.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:2008 in Ivory Coast|Ivorian New Forces Unrest, 2008]]
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