Opposition newspapers in Ivory Coast are full of speculation about the death of a senior army officer. Colonel Bakassa Traore died on Sunday, just four days after being questioned by the army hierarchy. He was called in, along with two colleagues, after having dinner at the French ambassador's residence. One of the other men was badly beaten. Ivory Coast's relationship with France is extremely tense, with claims that France backs the New Forces rebels.
Sources in the army and independent witnesses, none of whom were prepared to let their name be used, say that recently fired armed forces spokesman Colonel Jules Yao Yao was severely assaulted. | Talking to the wrong people, I guess |
An army communique spoke of a regrettable incident, without giving further details.
The communique then accused the officers of visiting representatives of a foreign power, France, without demanding permission. The three soldiers were released after several hours in custody. Four days later, Colonel Traore was dead.
An editorial in the opposition Le Patriote newspaper claims the death was not natural, but was the result of a beating. It is a theme taken up in several of the papers close to the opposition. Le Nouveau Reveil headlines "After the Meal Plot, they killed Colonel Bakassa." | Having a nice meal, discussing the weather, the latest sports news, possibility of a coup. |
On Sunday night the head of the Ivorian army, Brigadier General Phillipe Mangou, appeared on state television to deny accusations that were already surfacing. General Mangou said Colonel Traore had told him he had not been touched when he was called in for questioning by the army. | "I swear, he wasn't touched. We didn't leave a mark on....say, is this mike on?" |
He added that Colonel Traore had said he was already ill, and needed to be treated. The head of the army did not divulge what illness Colonel Traore had died of. | "We're still trying to decide on a cause of death." |
General Mangou said he and the army regretted the death, and would organise worthy funerals. Colonel Traore leaves behind a wife, four children, and a whiff of mystery over the exact causes of his death. |