I Coast protestors ignore plea
2006-01-19 13:19
Abidjan - Supporters of Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo paralysed the country's economic capital, Abidjan, for a fourth day running on Thursday, despite calls from Gbagbo for them to end their protest and return to work.
The militants, from the nationalist Young Patriots, have caused chaos in Abidjan since Monday with angry protests over a recommendation from a UN-mandated working group to scrap the country's parliament.
Following emergency talks with Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday, Gbagbo and Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny urged the protestors to end the street violence and go back to work.
Earlier on Wednesday, between 2 000 and 3 000 Young Patriots clashed with United Nations peacekeepers after attempting twice to storm the UN base in Abidjan and four Ivorians were killed in the west.