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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 19-04-2001

PART #4/4 - From SOUTH AFRICA to ZIMBABWE

* Somalia. More fake currency hits Mogadishu — 10 April: Two plane-loads of new Somali shillings arrived in the capital, Mogadishu, on 7 April, local sources and news agencies said. Local sources said the new currency was valued at approximately US $4 million, or Somali shillings 60 billion. The arrival of the currency meant that traders at the currency market in Mogadishu were «changing the rates every hour», said a local economist. Although the currency has not yet appeared, the main market, Bakaara, was said to be very quiet on 9 April as a result. On 9 April, there were demonstrations against the Transitional National Government (TNG) for failing to stop the continued importation of fake currency. Demonstrators accused the TNG of being weak, and failing to live up to promises to stop currency arriving from abroad. Local sources said the money had been brought in through Isaley airstrip, north Mogadishu, by two prominent businessmen. 17 April: More than 30,000 school children have launched a nation-wide strike after they held prayers for relief from the country’s economic difficulties. Somalia has been gripped by a 100% inflation ever since the fake currency entered the country. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 April 2001)

* South Africa. S. Africa approves «artificial blood» use — South Africa has become the first country in the world to approve a product which can be used as an alternative to human blood in transfusions. Its manufacturers say it eliminates the risk of patients being treated with contaminated blood which may contain disease carrying agents such as the HIV virus. The product, Hemopure, was developed by a US-based biotechnology company, Biopure, and it is made from cow’s haemoglobin. It acts like red blood cells, carrying oxygen to the body’s tissues and can be used with patients of any blood type. However, some researchers have raised fears that any medical product made from animals presents a risk of introducing new diseases to people. And some believe that cow-based artificial blood should not be used on humans until BSE — mad cow disease — has been eradicated. (BBC News, UK, 11 April 2001)

* Afrique du Sud. Match mortel — Le 11 avril à Johannesburg, au moins 43 personnes ont trouvé la mort lors d’une bousculade à une rencontre de championnat de football. 58 personnes ont également été blessées dans cette tragédie, la plus grave de l’histoire du sport sud-africain. 120.000 spectateurs s’étaient déplacés vers le stade d’Ellis Park, d’une capacité de 65.000 places asssises. Des bousculades sont survenues d’abord lorsque des milliers de personnes sans billet ont été pressées contre des barrières extérieures, puis lorsque la sécurité débordée a laissé passer la foule, sans doute pour sauver des vies, mais envoyant un flux meutrier vers les spectateurs à l’intérieur. Des millions de téléspectateurs ont vécu en direct la tragédie. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13 avril 2001)

* Afrique du Sud. Procès de l’industrie pharmaceutique — Ajourné le 6 mars, le procès sur les médicaments génériques anti-sida, intenté par 39 laboratoires pharmaceutiques contre le gouvernement sud-africain, reprend ce 18 avril. Le puissant lobby représenté par l’Association des industries pharmaceutiques (PMA) sud-africaine, a tenté de redresser une image sérieusement écornée en dénonçant, le 17 avril, “l’absence de volonté de négocier” du gouvernement qui aurait longtemps refusé des offres de médicaments bon marché. Les ONG qui soutiennent l’action du gouvernement, ont balayé les arguments de la PMA. “Il est vital que les labos perdent le procès”, assure ainsi Oxfam, qui sait l’issue capitale pour d’autres pays en développement. - Dès la réouverture du procès, les laboratoires ont demandé un nouvel ajournement pour “permettre des négociations en vue d’un accord amiable”. Et en fin d’après-midi, Oxfam annonçait que “37 des 39 compagnies abandonnaient leur plainte”. (Libération, France, 18-19 avril 2001)

* South Africa. Making drugs more affordable — 18 April: Like most legal documents, South Africa’s 1997 Medicines and Related Substances Control Amendment Act hardly makes for scintillating reading. Yet its dry language has sparked a controversy that is ricocheting around the global pharmaceuticals industry. «This is the biggest issue the industry faces today," insists David Ebsworth, head of pharmaceuticals at Bayer, one of 39 companies that, until 17 April at least, was intent on challenging the South African government in court on 18 April. Like several other companies, Bayer is now under intense pressure to withdraw from the case by the five main manufacturers of medicines for Aids, the disease that has come to dominate the dispute. But it knows that withdrawal, even with supposed commitments from the South African government, is not without its risks. «The danger is that loss of patents in HIV alone could destroy the global HIV market,» says Mr Ebsworth. «The bigger danger is that the broader loss of patents in South Africa could be the thin end of the wedge which smashes patent protection for the industry [worldwide]. And if that happens, then frankly the entire economic base of the pharmaceutical industry is destroyed.» That seems a far-fetched claim, even for a piece of legislation that could set an international precedent. Why do drug companies find the act, drawn up with technical advice from the World Health Organisation, so threatening? At the heart of the controversy is the interpretation in South Africa’s national law of another lengthy and no less turgid document: the World Trade Organisation’s Agreement on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights, or Trips. Strongly supported by the pharmaceuticals industry, Trips seeks to impose international norms for patent protection. Drug companies have been vigorously contesting parts of South Africa’s act, contained in the now notorious paragraph 15c, on the grounds that they contravene Trips. Described as «arbitrary and unconstitutional» by the industry, paragraph 15c gives wide powers to the health minister to override patents in the interests of public health. 19 April: The worlds largest drug companies are expected today to make a humiliating climb down and abandon their legal action against South African laws aimed at getting cheaper medicines to the poor. The suit by 39 pharmaceutical companies in the Pretoria High Court, which argued that South African legislation infringed their patent rights, has ultimately achieved the very thing it tried to prevent — encouraging governments across the developing world to use the law to obtain more affordable drugs. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 19 April 2001)

* Sudan. Clashes over church services — 11 April: Christians were arrested and others injured in clashes between police and protesting Christians in Khartoum. The Christians were protesting against a government order to transfer Easter services from central Khartoum to the suburbs. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 April 2001)

* Soudan. Vague répressive — Le 11 avril à Khartoum, la police a arrêté Alfred Taban, tête de proue des journalistes indépendants au Soudan. M. Taban, originaire du Sud et directeur du journal Khartoum Monitor, a été interpellé alors qu’il se rendait à une conférence de presse. Le rendez-vous avait été organisé par des chefs religieux chrétiens dans le but de protester contre la vague répressive des forces de sécurité qui a déferlé il y a trois jours dans la capitale soudanaise. Le détonateur a été l’annulation tardive et injustifiée de la part des autorités d’une manifestation prévue au Green Square de Khartoum où devait avoir lieu une rencontre avec le pasteur protestant Reinhard Bonke. Un grand nombre de participants, ignorant l’interdiction, se sont retrouvés le 10 avril sur la place utilisée pour les grandes manifestations du régime. De violentes émeutes ont eu lieu et des sources non confirmées rapportent que trois personnes auraient été tuées. Un grand nombre de chrétiens ont été arrêtés par la police. Le 11 avril, suite à la provocation d’un policier, les protestants réunis dans la cathédrale de Tous les Saints, ont été réprimés à coups de bombes lacrymogènes et ont été chargés par les forces de l’ordre. - Le 17 avril, M. Taban a été libéré, sans avoir subi de mauvais traitements. Par contre, sur les 53 chrétiens arrêtés, 4 jeunes femmes et 2 jeunes gens ont été condamnés à 15 coups de fouet, et les autres 47 détenus, tous des hommes, à 20 coups de fouet et 20 jours de prison. (Misna, Italie, 13 et 18 avril 2001)

* Swaziland. Swazi King has undisclosed illness — The authorities in Swaziland have cancelled national celebrations scheduled for 19 April to mark the King’s thirty-third birthday. King Mswati III is reported to be ill, but palace officials have not disclosed the nature of his illness. A palace spokesman said the King’s doctors had advised that he refrain from public engagements. The King, who is said to be bed-ridden, hasn’t been seen in public in the past two weeks. The King’s illness has also delayed a report on proposed constitutional changes. (BBC News, UK, 18 April 2001)

* Tanzanie. Médiation des religieux — Les autorités religieuses tanzaniennes, chrétiennes et musulmanes, ont organisé une réunion en vue de mettre fin à la rivalité croissante entre le Chama Cha Mapinduzi, au pouvoir, et l’opposition. Cette initiative multiconfessionnelle vient de la Conférence épiscopale tanzanienne, du Conseil des Eglises de Tanzanie et du Conseil national des musulmans de Tanzanie. A cette réunion, prévue le 18 avril, ont été invités de hauts responsables du gouvernement, le ministre principal de Zanzibar, le président du Parlement, l’inspecteur général de la police, ainsi que le responsable du registre des partis politiques. L’initiative est inspirée par l’escalade des troubles politiques, en particulier les récents affrontements sanglants dans les îles semi-autonomes de Zanzibar. (PANA, Sénégal, 13 avril 2001)

* Zimbabwe. Economy in free-fall — Zimbabwe may be forced to call for international help to avoid a famine caused by President Mugabe’s seizure of white-owned farms, it has emerged. Zimbabwe once produced a surplus of maize, but a report by the Famine Early Warning System Network forecast a 42 per cent fall in this year’s crop and gave warning that stocks will run out by next January. Commercial farmers also predict a 31 per cent slump in the wheat crop, which would mean shortages of bread within nine months. The invasion of more than 1,700 white-owned farms by fanatical supporters of Mr Mugabe has thrown the agricultural sector, the backbone of the Zimbabwean economy, into turmoil. Squatters have forcibly prevented landowners from planting crops and caused hundreds of farms to go out of business. Uncertainty has worsened since the government listed more than 70 per cent of all farms, about 2,800, for compulsory acquisition. A critical shortage of hard currency has already caused a fuel crisis and the extra £64 million needed to import food will probably be unobtainable. This will leave Mr Mugabe with no choice but to seek international help. The food shortages could coincide with the last stages of his re-election campaign. Mr Mugabe’s term of office ends on April 1 next year, three months after the famine is predicted to begin. Diplomats in Harare fear that he will call for international assistance but use the aid to reward his supporters and punish opponents. (The Daily Telegraph, UK, 10 April 2001)

* Zimbabwe. 800 soldats quittent la RDC — Plus de 800 soldats zimbabwéens ont quitté la RD-Congo le 13 avril, conformément au plan de paix des Nations unies. Le ministère zimbabwéen de la Défense a indiqué que les troupes faisaient partie des 2.000 soldats zimbabwéens qui ont été retirés du Congo où ils soutenaient le gouvernement de Kinshasa. Au moins 2.000 soldats appartenant à quatre brigades sont désormais retournés dans leur pays, a dit le porte-parole du ministère. (IPANA, Sénégal, 13 avril 2001)

* Zimbabwe. Mugabe candidat aux présidentielles — Le président du Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, a déclaré qu’il souhaitait se représenter aux élections présidentielles de l’an prochain malgré ses 77 ans. Le parti au pouvoir de Mugabe, la ZANU-PF, a affronté pour la première fois l’an dernier une vraie opposition lors des législatives, où le Mouvement pour le changement démocratique (MDC) a obtenu près de la moitié des sièges malgré une violente campagne d’intimidation. M. Mugabe dirige le Zimbabwe depuis son indépendance en 1980. (La Libre Belgique, 19 avril 2001)

* Zimbabwe. Mugabe says he will stay on — 17 April: President Robert Mugabe says he will contest next year’s presidential election. He says he is the best hope for the ruling ZANU-PF. This ends months of speculation that he would stand down in favour of another candidate from his party. 18 April: In an address to mark twenty-one years of independence in Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe has renewed attacks on the opposition and the former colonial power, Britain. Speaking to a crowd of several thousand at the national sports stadium in Harare, Mr Mugabe accused the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change of becoming a puppet of whites who’d been defeated in the independence war. He said it was futile for the opposition or Britain to oppose his programme of seizing white-owned farms, saying it was going ahead. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 19 April 2001)