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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 19-04-2000

PART #3/4 - From KENYA to RWANDA

* Kenya. CITES meeting — 13 April: Four southern African countries have maintained their pressure at the on-going Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting in Nairobi to have the ban on ivory trade lifted. Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia have also denied having any «secret agenda» to their proposals, as some delegates have alleged. Botswana’s wildlife deputy permanent secretary, Gayland Kombani, Namibia’s permanent secretary for environment, Tangeni Erkana, Narend Singh from South Africa and Charles Chipato of Zimbabwe tells journalists in Nairobi that their proposals are based on rational arguments aimed at development. «We are for the preservation of elephants. Our intention is to sell ivory from elephants that have died from natural mortality and stockpiles that have accumulated over the years,» said Chipato. They observe that their collective position on trade in ivory and the elephant in general was made public long before the CITES conference. Kombani said the decision was based on a sustainable regional protocol on conservation signed by the four countries much earlier. The countries deny that they are negotiating for any trade-off with Japan and Norway which are canvassing for support to be allowed to resume trade in some species of whales. Kombani explains that the Nairobi conference was similar to other UN conferences where people are free to lobby for support to their national positions. Singh said that his country backs the need for a more efficient monitoring system for the trade on ivory. The SADC representatives say they are still negotiating with Kenya and India, which are calling for the total ban on ivory sales to curb a resurgence of poaching. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has maintained that it will continue trading in ivory, arguing that the country only culls elephant for ecological reasons and not to produce ivory for trade. 17 April: Delegates debate a proposal which would allow limited trade in ivory. During the course of the day, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe reach a compromise deal on the ivory trade. They have agreed to delay any ivory sales until an effective system is in place to prevent the widespread poaching of elephants. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 April 2000)

* Libya. Unity gathering — In a packed conference hall in Tripoli, delegates from nearly 70 African and Arab countries have been gathering to discuss their future. The three-day conference of Non-Governmental Organisations, opened on 14 April in Tripoli, with the aim of uniting Arab and African society. This was an occasion for Africans to talk about Africa without having to listen to European leaders. nearly 700 delegates listened while speakers talked of the need for Africa to unity to confront its problems — some of them also criticising Western policies towards the region. (BBC News, 14 April 2000)

* Madagascar. Jublee release of prisoners — The President of Madagascar, Didier Tarsiraka, has ordered the release of 3,000 prisoners, thanks to a plea made by the local Church that the Jubilee should also be apllied to penitentiaries. This is a response to Pope John Paul II’s call, that Christians should give special attention to the situation of prison inmates. (Fides, Vatican City, 18 April 2000)

* Malawi. Planning for debt relief — Malawi is one of the African countries fighting to have her debt relieved. However, the international donor community led by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are setting tough conditions. The IMF has just warned Malawi to cut down her expenditure if debt relief is to be considered. The IMF has warned the government against over-expenditure and waste of resources. The IMFs Resident Representative in Malawi, Thomas Gibson, said in a statement that the warning comes in the wake of results obtained from an IMF mission which visited the country between March 23 and April 8 this year, assessing Malawi’s economic prospects and discussing programmes of economic reforms, poverty reductions and debt relief. While in Malawi, the IMF team met senior government officials in President Bakili Muluzi’s government including the President himself as well as the newly appointed Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Professor Dr. Mathews Chikaonda. According to Gibson, Malawi has a problem in controlling public expenditure, preventing waste of scarce resources and of fraud. However, on a happier note, the IMF hailed the recently introduced ten-point financial plan by the new finance minister Chikaonda, saying if implemented, it may help in improving spending control procedures and consolidate the country’s fiscal programme. (Aubrey Sumbuleta, ANB-BIA, Malawi, 12 April 2000)

* Maroc. Clandestins et contrebandiers s’affrontent — De violents affrontements entre candidats à l’émigration clandestine et des contrebandiers ont fait un mort et 13 blessés dans la nuit du 10 au 11 avril aux environs de la ville de Fnideq (260 km au nord de Rabat), a-t-on appris le 13 avril de sources policières. Ces affrontements se sont produits dans une zone montagneuse, lieu de transit des candidats à l’émigration clandestine qui trouvent refuge dans des grottes avant de tenter de passer le détroit de Gibraltar à destination de l’Espagne sur des embarcations de fortune. Cette zone est également fréquentée par des contrebandiers qui vivent du trafic de marchandises en provenance de l’enclave espagnole de Ceuta. Selon les sources policières, la grande majorité du groupe de migrants clandestins impliqués dans ces affrontements est d’origine sénégalaise. (AP, 13 avril 2000)

* Maroc. Droits de l’homme — Le gouvernement marocain a débloqué une enveloppe de 40 millions de dirhams (4 millions de dollars) pour indemniser les victimes de détentions arbitraires entre 1960 et 1990, a indiqué le 15 avril Driss Dahak, le président du Conseil consultatif des droits de l’homme créé par le roi Hassan II en 1990. M. Dahak a évoqué ces indemnisations en présence de Mme Robinson, haut commissaire de l’Onu aux droits de l’homme, lors de la clôture des travaux d’une rencontre internationale sur les droits de l’homme à Rabat. Mme Robinson y a souligné “l’évolution positive et remarquable des droits de l’homme au Maroc” qui “touche également la situation des femmes et des enfants”. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 17 avril 2000)

* Morocco. Human rights — 16 April: The UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, has launched the Arab world’s first centre for human rights training and information in the Moroccan capital, Rabat. The half-a-million dollar centre, jointly funded by the Moroccan Ministry for Human Rights and the United Nations, will train prion warders, judges, policemen and teachers. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Mrs Robinson said the centre reflected what she called Morocco’s remarkable evolution on human rights. «It reflects the determination of Morocco to make substantial progress, and there is a willingness to reach out to victims of human rights violations», Mrs Robinson said. 17 April: The government has begun compensating people who were unjustly imprisoned in detention camps during the reign of King Hassan II. The first victims to receive compensation were 40 people, mainly political opponents of the late king, who had been detained in the hard labour camp at Tazmamart, in the Atlas Mountains. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 April 2000)

* Maroc. Dirigeants de la TV limogés — Le directeur général de la deuxième chaîne de télévision publique marocaine “M2", Larbi Belarbi, a été limogé, en compagnie du directeur des programmes, Mustapha Mellouk, et du rédacteur en chef, Mohammed Mamad, a annoncé le 17 avril le ministre de la communication Mohamed Larbi Messari sur la première chaîne RTM. Lors d’une revue de presse du 14 avril, un journaliste avait présenté la ”une" sur le Sahara occidental de l’hebdomadaire Le Journal, interdit le lendemain sur décision du Premier ministre pour avoir publié un entretien avec le président du Polisario, Mohammed Abdelaziz. (La Croix, France, 19 avril 2000)

* Nigeria. Tension in Ogoniland — In a Press Release issued on 13 April, Amnesty International says that violence may be returning to Ogoniland, south-east Nigeria. the organisation has received reports that police shot dead at least one person — possibly more — and burned down homes. More police have been sent into the area and access to journalists is barred. (...) «It is clear that pressure from some local authorities to invite Shell’s involvement in a development project in the oil-rich Gokana local government area, has aroused tensions between local residents and those employed on, or profiting from the project». (Amnesty International, 13 April 2000)

* Nigeria. Jet controversy — Part 2 — (Editor’s note: Cf: the Weekly News, 13 April for part 1 of this story). President Olusegun Obasanjo returned home on 17 April from a week-long foreign trip on a commercial flight, into a national controversy provoked by his request for a new jet to replace the ageing one in the presidential fleet. Obasanjo was obliged to travel to Havana, Cuba last week on a British Airways flight to attend the G-77 summit, following the rejection of that request by the parliament. This was after he had declined, for reasons of national pride, an offer by Cuban leader Fidel Castro, to fly a Cuban plane to the summit. Obasanjo had informed Nigeria’s federal legislature that the 20-year-old Boeing 727 aircraft in his fleet had not only aged, but had fallen into the category of planes banned from over-flying European and American airspace from the beginning of April because of its high noise level. In turning down Obasanjo’s request, the National Assembly cited economic reasons, and instead approved money for him to refurbish the old jet. But the public show made of the President’s departure, by the state-run Nigerian Television Authority, where he was shown with his wife boarding the commercial flight, has evoked mixed reactions in the country. Parliamentarians have slammed the television footage as a propaganda stunt, designed to blackmail the National Assembly, a charge denied by the presidency. (...) Bolaji Akinyemi, Nigeria’s former foreign minister, says the «tug-of-war» between the executive and legislature is unnecessary. According to him, «Nigeria can afford a new presidential jet,» so there was no point going for a «tokunbo» or refurbished one. To worsen matters, some parliamentarians have alleged that the 80-million US dollar price quoted by the presidency for the proposed aircraft may have been inflated by up to 30 million dollars. Presidential spokesman Doyin Okupe has promptly denied this allegation, explaining that his boss, an avowed anti-corruption crusader, would not support any deal that is not above board. (Paul Ejime, PANA, 17 April 2000)

* Rwanda. Membres d’une secte arrêtés — Dix membres d’une secte basée au nord du Rwanda, dénommée Minevam, ont été emprisonnés dans la préfecture de Byumba, a rapporté le 12 avril l’agence de presse rwandaise RNA. Le commandant de la police de Byumba a déclaré que les fidèles avaient été arrêtés à cause de leur “mode de fonctionnement illégal”. Certains d’entre eux sont convaincus que Dieu arrivera bientôt, et des élèves ont abandonné l’école, d’autres ont quitté leur emploi, selon RNA. La secte aurait hébergé des gens de différentes régions du Rwanda et de l’Ouganda, sans en informer les autorités locales, en contravention avec la loi. Le ministre rwandais de la Justice, M. Mucyo, a déclaré que “les sectes religieuses non enregistrées ne doivent pas être autorisées à fonctionner parce que ce sont ces mêmes sectes qui propagent des enseignements douteux basés sur le profit personnel”. (IRIN, Nairobi, 13 avril 2000)

* Rwanda. L’Onu reconnaît sa responsabilité — Le 14 avril, le Conseil de sécurité de l’Onu a reconnu sa responsabilité dans la faillite des Nations unies à empêcher le génocide au Rwanda de 800.000 Tutsi et Hutu modérés au printemps 1994. «L’ensemble de la communauté internationale doit reconnaître sa part de responsabilité», a dit l’ambassadeur des Pays-Bas, Peter van Walsum. La faillite de l’Onu en général, du Conseil de sécurité et des grandes puissances en particulier, à prévenir et à arrêter le génocide a été mise en lumière dans le rapport d’une commission d’enquête indépendante, dirigée par l’ancien Premier ministre suédois Ingvar Carlsson. Les membres du Conseil se sont engagés à faire plus et mieux pour éviter de nouveaux massacres à grande échelle, en particulier en Afrique centrale. (Libération, France, 15 avril 2000)

* Rwanda. UN admits failure — The UN Security Council has explicitly accepted responsibility for the failure to prevent the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. In the first formal response to a report critical of the UN‘s role, Council members acknowledged its main finding that their governments lacked the political will to stop the massacres. At a Council debate, the Canadian Foreign Minister said none present could look back without remorse and sadness at the failure to help the people of Rwanda in their time of need. (BBC News, 15 April 2000)

* Rwanda. Choosing a new President — 16 April: Rwanda’s government and parliament meet tomorrow to choose a new President following the resignation last month of Pasteur Bizimungu. The choice of candidates is between acting President Paul Kagame and Defence Minister Charles Muligande. Both men hold senior positions in the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which has dominated Rwandan politics since the genocide of 1994. 17 April: Paul Kagame is elected President, winning an overwhelming mandate from government ministers and parliamentarians who voted in a secret ballot. He beat the rival candidate, Charles Muligande by 81 votes to 5. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 April 2000)

* Rwanda. Kagamé président — Le 17 avril, les membres du Parlement et du gouvernement réunis ont élu à la présidence de la République rwandaise Paul Kagamé, avec 81 voix contre 5 en faveur de Charles Muligande. M. Kagamé, 42 ans, confirme ainsi son statut de numéro un du régime dont il a été l’homme fort pendant six ans. Conformément à la loi fondamentale, il va devoir démissionner de l’Armée patriotique rwandaise et abandonner le ministère de la Défense qu’il occupait depuis 1994; mais en tant que chef de l’Etat, il est automatiquement commandant en chef de l’armée. Le nouveau président devrait prêter serment le 22 avril. Il deviendra alors le premier président tutsi du Rwanda depuis l’indépendance. Le nouveau chef de l’Etat aura d’immenses défis à relever. Le Rwanda n’est pas encore pacifié. Les évictions répétées d’hommes politiques hutu depuis 1994 témoignent de l’incapacité de l’équipe dirigeante à oeuvrer àune réconciliation avec la classe politique qui n’a pas été mêlée au génocide. (D’après La Libre Belgique, 18 avril 2000)

* Rwanda. Mgr Misago — La dernière phase du procès de Mgr Misago, déjà renvoyée du 12 au 17 avril à la demande de la partie civile, a été une nouvelle fois reportée à la demande du président de la Chambre spécialisée sur le génocide du tribunal de Nyamirambo, pour raisons de “disponibilité”. La prochaine audience a été fixée au 24 avril prochain, jour où commenceront le réquisitoire et les plaidoiries, qui prendront plusieurs jours. Mgr Misago, 57 ans, qui souffre depuis des années d’hypertension, est affecté depuis une semaine par un oedème, des problèmes de circulation du sang au niveau des membres inférieurs. (D’après l’agence Hirondelle, Arusha, 17 avril 2000)

* Rwanda. Bishop Misago — 14 April: In an interview, Fides spoke with the Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Archbishop Zago, who said that Bishop Misago’s arrest was a sad event, not only for the Church, not only for Africa, but for the world in general. He remarked on the great dignity with which Bishop Misago has accepted incarceration and lives this time, not hiding away, but on the contrary, defending the truth. At the same time, Fides also reported that Bishop Misago’s defense lawyer, Alfred Pongon, has said that the accusations brought against the bishop were «a mixture of unacceptable facts which the law cannot qualify materially as criminal facts». The lawyer traced the campaign against Bishop Misago which began with accusations launched by African Rights and which spread, «distilling into hearts and minds the poison of hatred and revenge». 17 April: A report from the Bishops’ Conference of Rwanda says that the conclusive phase of the trial against Bishop Misago of Gikongoro opened today. Even before the judges arrived, the court was full to overflowing. The presiding judge reminded the court that the Bishop’s trial had now been on-going for six months and the time has come to conclude proceedings. He then said that he could only be present for this morning as he had other obligations in the afternoon. Also, he warned that some lawyers will not be available at the end of the week (Because of Holy Week). He then said that proceedings will continue on 24 April and will continue from then until 26 April. A different version of details concerning the day’s proceedings comes from the Press Agency Hirondelle. Because the judges had other obligations on the afternoons of 17-19 April and because Bishop Misago had requested not to have to come to court on Holy Thursday (20 April) and Good Friday (21 April), the trial will resume on 24 April, and will continue 25-26 April. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 April 2000)