Latest News #223 - Côte d’Ivoire
November 26, 2002

The following news concerns Côte d’Ivoire.

Bible Society of Côte d’Ivoire produces 50,000 special Portions for displaced people

ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire — Funding of US$22,000 from the UBS Rapid Response Reserve is enabling the Bible Society of Côte d’Ivoire to provide a special new Scripture Portion to people traumatised by their suffering in the wake of September’s mutiny. Côte d’Ivoire is currently divided into government- and rebel-controlled areas and an estimated 200,000 people are believed to have fled their homes. Peace talks taking place in Togo have made little progress.

As outlined by the Society’s General Secretary Jean Kouassi, the project will have three stages. Next month, once Bible texts have been selected, and the introduction, links and a conclusion have been written, the Portion will go for typesetting and an estimated 50,000 copies will be printed. Distribution will also start in December but the bulk of it will take place in January, mainly through churches and Christian organisations in the central and northern parts of the country. Distribution should be completed by the end of January, allowing assessment to be made of how far the project has met its aim of returning confidence and hope to traumatised people, particularly those caught in crossfire between the two sides.

“The impact of these events on the population is enormous,” said Mr Kouassi. “It ranges from psychological trauma, fear and desire for vengeance to despair.”

The Bible Society reacted to the coup by producing and distributing a Selection entitled Secours en Temps d’Epreuve (‘Help in Testing Times’) (see Latest News #215). In addition, on October 16, the Society’s staff decided at a meeting to donate one day’s salary to displaced people and the resulting contribution, 200,000 CFA francs (about US$300), was used to buy 850 kg (1,870 lb) of rice.

David Hammond, UBS Associate General Secretary, Francophone Africa Region, said the latest initiative was tailored to fresh developments which had taken place over recent weeks.

“Only divine intervention can prevent a blood bath and loss of property,” he said. “We believe God’s voice will be heard through the Scripture message contained in the Portions.”