A/HRC/18/52 D. Arbitrary arrest, detention and acts of extortion 14. During the reporting period, at least 306 persons were arrested and detained by the FRCI in several parts of the country without charges. In most cases, the detainees are physically assaulted, dispossessed of their personal belongings and ordered to pay for their release. In addition, in order to facilitate the systematic extortion and racketeering of the civilian population, some FRCI elements have established the practice of setting up roadblocks at which travellers were obliged to pay the “passage fees”, creating a sense of insecurity in some parts of the country. Resistance to this often resulted in physical assault, arbitrary arrest and detention. For instance, on 2 July, the President of a transport syndicate (Collectif des Syndicats des Transports et Chauffeurs du Bas Sassandra) was arrested and physically assaulted with a rifle butt by an FRCI element for refusing to pay the sum of FCFA 12,500 (approximately USD 27) at a roadblock. In similar incidents, two drivers were physically assaulted on 10 and 19 July respectively in Tiassalé (115 km from Yamoussoukro) and Divo (186 km from Abidjan) by FRCI elements for arguing over the payment of the “passage fees”. One of them was tied and only released after making a payment of FCFA 170,000 (approximately USD 340). This pattern of assaults and extortion is brewing disillusionment within the population and could lead to violent clashes. 15. Armed groups, sometimes affiliated to the Government or with the support of members of the FRCI, are reported to have been conducting searches and intimidating the population. According to some reports, these actions would be conducted against those perceived to be pro-Gbagbo, this determination being made, in some cases, on the basis of ethnicity. Issues related to land also contribute to these tensions. For instance, from 17 to 19 August, Société de Développement des Forêts Classées de Côte d’Ivoire (SODEFOR) agents, accompanied by two gendarmes and FRCI members, reportedly raided Morokro village in the classified forest of Brassué (25 km from Abengourou). They destroyed, burnt and ransacked private homes and confiscated mobile phones, livestock and other personal items. The SODEFOR Regional Director in Abengourou claimed that villagers were defying SODEFOR authority by illegally planting crops in a protected area. Concerns have been raised about the continuing arrest and detention of individuals under the suspicion of being pro-Gbabgo supporters or alleged members of pro-Gbabgo militias. The Human Rights Division of UNOCI is following up the case with local authorities. IV. Intercommunity violence and attacks by militia groups 16. Despite several interventions by the Government to enhance national reconciliation and social cohesion within the different communities, especially in the west, intercommunity tensions remain a major challenge. During the reporting period, three separate incidents between communities led to the death of at least six people including two Burkina Faso nationals. On 6 June, in Lossingué (97 km east of Odienné) a cattle breeder was shot and killed by unidentified persons after his animals were alleged to have destroyed some food crops. On 3 July in Tai Department, two Burkina Faso nationals were killed by a group of five unidentified men dressed in civilian and military attire. In a similar case, on 5 July, three people were killed after the dozos (traditional hunters) attacked some members of the gueré ethnic group in Guetuezon (42 km from Daloa). The FRCI was reported to have arrested those behind the attacks. The propensity of these to ignite into violent confrontations cannot be over-emphasized and demonstrates the need for more concerted and immediate action by all partners concerned. 17. In the meantime, remnants of the pro-Gbagbo militia groups have continued to pose a serious security threat in some areas in the west, undermining respect for human rights in the area. For instance, on 19 July, at least nine persons, including a woman, a two-year-old 8