ABIDJAN, Sept 16 - Ivory Coast's President Laurent Gbagbo named a new
government on Saturday, 10 days after a toxic waste dumping scandal forced the
cabinet to resign, but left key ministers in their posts, his spokesman said.
Gbagbo changed his environment and transport ministers, both of whom had come
under heavy criticism after toxic waste was dumped around the main city Abidjan,
killing seven people -- four of them children -- and making thousands ill.
Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny, named by foreign mediators to head an
interim government in the war-divided former French colony, remained in place.
Other ministers also kept their posts, Gbagbo's spokesman Desire Tagro said.
"This isn't bad but the old problems remain and the environmental crisis
still needs to be resolved," one Western ambassador told Reuters.
Protesters dragged the former transport minister from his car and beat him
up, and burned down the home of the director of Abidjan port on Friday as public
anger boiled over after the poisonous black sludge was dumped around the city.
Around 30,000 people have sought treatment at hospitals for vomiting, stomach
pains, nausea, breathing difficulties, nosebleeds and migraines, health
officials said.
Residents have accused the authorities of being slow to act and not giving
enough information about the slops, unloaded at Abidjan last month by a
Panamanian ship chartered by a leading world commodity trader, Dutch-based
Trafigura Beheer BV.
The company has said it advised the Ivorian authorities that the slops needed
to be disposed of correctly.
POLITICAL TENSIONS
The surprise resignation of Banny's cabinet injected additional uncertainty
into an already tangled political outlook for Ivory Coast, which has been split
in two since a brief 2002-2003 civil war.
The new cabinet grew from 32 to 36 after the Interior Ministry was divided
into territorial and security portfolios and the Justice and Human Rights
Ministry was split. Two new secretaries of state for civil protection and good
governance were also named.
Despite the return of most of the cabinet, tensions are likely to remain high
as a U.N.-backed transition period expires at the end of October. Long-delayed
presidential polls meant to be held then have again been postponed.
Gbagbo has said he remains the lawful leader of the country until the
elections take place but rebel and opposition sides have rejected any
prolongation of his mandate.
"Time is passing and we are getting deeper into the crisis. There is a
strengthening of the radicals in Gbagbo's camp," the Western ambassador said.
Noxious fumes from the toxic waste still hang over parts of the lagoon-side
main city Abidjan, with hospitals overrun and residents donning paper face masks
to avoid a foul, stinging, garlic-like odour.
Foreign experts brought in to test the viscous substance have said it appears
to contain hydrogen sulphide, which can be deadly in high concentrations. The
authorities have announced a clean-up operation would begin on Sunday.
