Journalist threatened at Bouaké

Reporters Without Borders has expressed concern at threats made by an opposition spokesman against Baba Coulibaly, correspondent in the northern town of Bouaké for independent daily newspaper L'Inter and Reuters and Pana news agencies. The international press freedom organisation called on Communications minister Guillaume Soro, secretary general of opposition Ivory Coast Patriotic Movement (MPCI) to issue a strongly condemnation of the threats. Coulibaly told Reporters Without Borders on 20 December that MPCI spokesman, Sidiki Konaté, had threatened him by phone, telling him that he was becoming "a nuisance" and advising him to think carefully about what he said. These threats may well be linked to the publication of an interview by the journalist with rebel chief Bamba Kassoum, in the 20 December edition of L'Inter under the headline "Bamba Kassoum or "Kass" (rebel leader) "The rebellion has not achieved its objectives". Coulibaly told Reporters Without Borders that he was worried about his safety given the current crisis in the country and that he was based in the rebel-held northern part of the country.