Ivory Coast - Angry Mob Beats Transport Minister Over Toxic Dumping

[hatrack]

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Demonstrators in Ivory Coast protesting against the dumping of toxic waste in the economic capital Abidjan on Friday attacked and beat up Transport Minister Innocent Kobenan Anaky, an aide said. The attack reflected mounting popular anger over the poisonous waste dumped last month around the lagoon-side city, which has killed seven people. Public outcry forced the resignation of the government of the war-divided West African state last week.

"(Anaky) was beaten up after being pulled out of his car by a crowd demonstrating this morning against the toxic waste ... the protesters burned his car. He is seriously injured," Joel N'Guessan, the vice-president of Anaky's MFA party, said.

The Health Ministry said on Friday the number of people who have died from inhaling noxious fumes from the waste rose to seven. More than 23,000 people have sought treatment at hospitals for vomiting, nausea and breathing difficulties.

The surprise resignation of Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny's cabinet injected more uncertainty into an already tangled political outlook for the world's top cocoa producer, which has been split in two since a brief 2002-2003 civil war.

EDIT

http://za.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-09-15T101855Z_01_BAN533694_RTRIDST_0_OZATP-IVORYCOAST-TOXIC-20060915.XML

[aquart]

1. How uncivilized. I'm so envious.

[soothsayer]

4. Seriously! Angry mobs could beat a little sense into our politicians

[phantom power]

5. Yeah, I'm beginning to think we could use a few more angry mobs here.

The best lack all conviction, and the worst are full of passionate...

Ooo! A pretty butterfly!

[htuttle]

6. Soon come

You know what they say: "A hungry mob is a angry mob."

[skids]

2. "Beat them with stick. Then they do." n/t

[yellowcanine]

3. Kristy Todd next? For gross incompetence at Ground Zero?

[Dogmudgeon]

7. I'm not a big fan of angry mobs

In my country (the USA), angry mobs killed about 30,000 (mainly black) people between 1880 and 1930.

And for the past six years, we have had an angry mob of goons occupying the White House.

--p!