Youth Alliance of the Ivory Coast defends Ivorians in Tunisia

Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Mar 3 (EFE), (Camera: Legnan Koula).- Hundreds of sub-Saharan Africans in Tunisia are requesting voluntary return to their countries of origin in the face of a campaign of police arrests and harassment of the migrant population following "racist" statements made by President Kais Said against this group.

INCLUDES STATEMENTS IN FRENCH FROM AWASSA ABDOUL, PRESIDENT OF THE YOUTH ALLIANCE OF THE IVORY COAST (AJI), AND DE LOUKOU JEAN MARIE, CULTURAL MEDIATOR, ON THE SITUATION IN TUNISIA WITH SUB-SAHARAN MIGRANTS.

1. We are here in the prefecture of Abidjan, where we have just finished a meeting with the prefect of Abidjan, who wanted to meet with us about the sit-in announced by the young people of Ivory Coast on the question of the Ivorians and Africans, on what is happening in Tunisia.

In this context we had an exchange with the prefect of the city of Abidjan and we decided to postpone our activity and to give all our support to our Ivorian and African brothers who find themselves in this painful and difficult situation.

We condemn with the greatest energy here in the prefecture of Abidjan and we say that the Ivorian Youth Alliance does not agree at all whith the way that the black and African brothers have been treated in this way here in Africa.

We present our request to the prefect of Abidjan to pass the baton to whom it may concern, also the Ivorian Youth Alliance, which was kind enough to thank and encourage the Ivorian State headed by President Alassane Ouattara, who already took the initiative during the last Council of Ministers to disburse a sum of two million dollars for the return of more than five hundred of our Ivorian brothers who are in a difficult situation in Tunisia.

2. I would not like to comment on ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and the African Union (AU), but what they should know is that no one can accept what is happening. That is why we have decided to condemn it, but we trust in great diplomacy and we believe that in the following hours our brothers will be there.

3. We must deplore the situation in Tunisia because I believe that the words of a president should not be used as a pretext to carry out all these vendetta actions that are currently taking place. A president should take many precautions when he announces certain things to the people today with what is going on I think it would be important for this president to take many steps to put things in order before things get out of hand also I think that if he does not do so his colleagues in the subregion should hold him accountable.

4. The subregional institutions are doing a lot, but some issues remain silent, especially on the issue of migrants. With what is currently happening in Tunisia, we had to deplore the issue of migrants in Libya, but it is the same thing that is happening now in Tunisia, I think they should get more involved. It is not when there is a coup d'état or when there is a president who loses his power that you have to make statements. Populations are in danger, people are massacred and nothing is said. They have been waiting for several days in front of their embassies to be repatriated, I think it is not honorable for Africa. Whether it is ECOWAS (Community of West African States) or the African Union (AU), they must take the necessary measures to avoid a repetition of certain situations and, when this happens, all means must be used to save the lives of citizens and maintain peace.