INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE ARRIVES IN COUNTRY

15 July 2004


The International Commission of Inquiry on human rights violations in Côte d’Ivoire arrives in that country today. The Commission, whose mandate is to last three months, will also visit neighboring countries while carrying out its tasks.

The Members of the Commission are Gerard Balanda (Democratic Republic of the Congo), chairperson; Radhia Nazraoui (Tunisia), vice-chairperson; Aref Mohamed Aref (Djibouti); Fatima Mbaye (Mauritania), and Almiro Rodrigues (Portugal).

The Commission is set to listen to testimony and reports from all persons with information relevant to its mandate. At the end of its work the Commission will submit a report to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, who will in turn transmit it to the United Nations Secretary-General.

The Commission, established by the Office of the High Commissioner in June, is charged with looking into the serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law which have occurred in Côte d'Ivoire since 19 September 2002. It was set up in accordance with the provisions of appendix VI of the January 2003 Linas-Marcoussis Agreement and following the requests of President Laurent Gbagbo of Côte d’Ivoire.