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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 26-04-2001

PART #3/4 - From NIGER to SOUTH AFRICA

* Niger. Solidarité dans la famine — Le 20 avril, les partis de l’opposition nigérienne ont lancé un pressant appel à l’ensemble de la population pour une grande chaîne de solidarité en vue d’aider les populations menacées par la famine. Ils ont demandé au gouvernement des ressources additionnelles et lancé un appel aux partenaires du Niger pour une aide conséquente. L’opposition exige également la diminution du train de vie de l’Etat, et suggère une lutte sans pitié contre les spéculateurs des céréales. A l’issue de la dernière campagne agricole, le Niger accuse un déficit céréalier de 163.300 tonnes, exposant quelque 3,5 millions de Nigériens à la famine. (PANA, Sénégal, 20 avril 2001)

* Niger. Ravages de la méningite — Quelque 303 personnes sont mortes de la méningite, sur un total de 4.596 cas enregistrés du 1er janvier au 8 avril, a annoncé le ministre de la Santé. L’ampleur de la méningite dans certaines localités est imputée au voisinage avec des pays où l’épidémie a atteint des proportions inquiétantes. Des ceintures de vaccination ont été mises en place dans les régions à risques, frontalières du Bénin, du Tchad, du Nigeria et du Burkina Faso. Le Niger est situé dans la ceinture de la méningite où chaque année plusieurs cas sont enregistrés. En 1999, il y a eu des épidémies dans les régions de Diffa et Zinder (est). En 2000, les départements de l’ouest, Dosso, Tillabéry et la communauté urbaine de Niamey ont été touchés par la maladie. (PANA, Sénégal, 24 avril 2001)

* Niger. Meningitis takes a terrible toll — At least 300 persons out of a total of 4,596 cases of meningitis reported from 1 January to 8 April have died, Niger’s Health Minister, Assoumane Adamou, has told the National Assembly. The spread of the disease in certain areas is said to be due to their proximity to countries where the epidemic has reached disturbing proportions, Adamou said. He was apparently referring to the Gaya administrative district on the Benin border, as well as that of Madaoua, on the border with Nigeria. Adamou added that vaccination zones have been set up in high-risk regions on the border with Benin, Chad, Nigeria and Burkina Faso in efforts to contain the disease. A stock of 1,200,000 anti-meningitis vaccine doses have been dispatched to the various regions of the country. Another security stock of 321,000 doses has also been constituted. Health technicians have reinforced the epidemiological surveillance at all levels and 57 centres are operational throughout the country to alert the authorities of any new sources of the disease. (PANA, Senegal, 24 April 2001)

* Nigeria. Rescue attempts at mosque — 19 April: Rescue efforts are continuing in the Mushin district of Lagos at the site of a mosque which collapsed on 18 April. At least three people are now known to have died and others are still believed to be trapped under the rubble. Initial reports said there were at least 50 people including 20 children in the unfinished building when it collapsed following a period of heavy rains. Last night huge crowds of local residents stood and stared as cranes borrowed from local construction companies tried to get enough of a grip on the larger pieces of concrete to lift them clear of the site. (BBC News, UK, 20 April 2001)

* Nigeria. Preparing to host African AIDS summit — Nigeria hosts an African AIDS summit this week, but efforts to stem the epidemic are being undermined by the growing number of home-grown «cures,» experts say. The United Nations says AIDS is Africa’s number one killer and the UN-sponsored summit, in Abuja from April 25-27, is expected to find ways to avert an AIDS crisis in Nigeria, the continent’s most populous nation. On the eve of the conference, to be attended by former US President Bill Clinton and UN chief Kofi Annan, the state assembly in northern Kano passed a bill endorsing a group claiming a spiritual cure for AIDS. The assembly’s house health committee said last week it had studied clinical data and was satisfied with the cure, which involves smearing honey and petroleum jelly on sufferers and reading verses of the Koran. (CNN, USA, 22 April 2001)

* Nigeria. Ruling party in crisis meeting — Officials from the ruling People’s Democratic Party in Nigeria are meeting in what has been described as a crisis session to discuss threats of a breakaway. President Olusegun Obasanjo and senior party members from the country’s thirty-six states are in the capital Abuja, for the closed door session. The meeting follows reports that some disgruntled members want the former military leader, General Ibrahim Babanginda, to lead the nation. Some members have already defected from the ruling party and joined rival groups. Nigeria is scheduled to have local elections in March, and presidential elections in two-years’ time. (BBC News, UK, 24 April 2001)

* Nigeria. Army chiefs «retired» — The Nigerian government on 24 April announced the unexpected retirement of the country’s three military service chiefs in the first shake-up of senior defence ranks since more than 100 officers were fired shortly after the army relinquished power two years ago. No official reason was given for what a brief statement called «the voluntary resignations» of the three men: General Victor Malu, the chief of army staff, Rear Admiral Victor Ombu and Air Vice-Marshal Ibrahim Alfa. Presidency officials said the principal target was Gen Malu, a former commander of regional peacekeeping forces in Liberia who served under Gen Sani Abacha, the most brutal of Nigeria’s military dictators. Gen Malu was one of the most influential generals to have survived the mass retirement by President Olusegun Obasanjo of officers deemed to have had political ambitions potentially at odds with the administration’s desire to consolidate the transition to civilian rule. Some officials say his outspoken hostility to US assistance in training Nigerian troops for regional peacekeeping duties to had annoyed Mr Obasanjo. «An officer cannot openly criticise the government or president... without being insubordinate,» said a close aide to Mr Obasanjo. «Certain habits have survived the end of military rule. We are trying to “constitutionalise” the army.» (Financial Times, UK, 25 April 2001)

* Nigeria. Currency battle — Nigeria’s government is battling to stabilise its volatile currency. Over the past month the central bank has introduced a raft of new measures to stem demand for foreign exchange, which has caused instability in the value of the local currency, the naira. A crisis meeting this week at Nigeria’s central bank meant that the governor Joseph Sanusi had to face the press in Lagos and explain how he is trying to bring order to the local foreign exchange market. He commented on new measures including higher interest rates in order to stabilise the naira and bemoaned «the devastating effects of import dependence». Two weeks ago, the benchmark interest rate was increased to 15.5% and new restrictions were placed on commercial banks dealing with foreign exchange. President Obansanjo and his government have been battling to try and bridge the gap between the official and parallel market exchange rate for the naira. The official rate has traded this week around 115 naira to the dollar compared to a black market rate of around 135. A unified exchange rate has been a long standing demand of the International Monetary Fund since it signed a standby loan agreement with Nigeria last year. (BBC News, UK, 25 April 2001)

* Rwanda/Belgium. Facing the Brussels trial — Father Venuste Linguyeneza, 50, is a Rwandan priest from the Diocese of Butare. After receiving threats to his life, he fled to Belgium where he has lived since February 1995. The priest knows the two Rwandan Benedictine nuns who are now on trial in Brussels for genocide. The accused are Sister Gertrude and Sister Maria Kisito. The Vatican missionary agency Fides asked Father Linguyeneza about the trial, which opened April 17, and about its effect and possible outcome. Q: What do you think about the trial? Can any good come from it? Father Linguyeneza: The genocide tragedy was followed by reciprocal accusations — many exaggerated, many false, many true. However, it is sad to see members of the Church accuse one another — for example, nuns accusing their own sisters. It is good for a trial to be held. Here, in Belgium, much has been written about the Catholic Church being implicated in general in the massacres. With the trial, the truth will be known. Q: Do you mean to say that the Church does not fear the truth? Father Linguyeneza: The Church has nothing to fear from the truth, which independent justice can bring to light. If her children are found guilty, the Church will respect the court’s verdict and sentences. The Church does not fear the truth. In the past, and even more recently, the Church has been accused of trying to protect guilty persons, but the Church has never hidden anyone. Q: It has been said that the Church tried to hide Sister Gertrude and Sister Maria Kisito. Father Linguyeneza: This accusation was levelled mainly by the French magazine Golias. Public opinion was told that the Church is powerful, it tries to protect its religious personnel from human justice, it is a Church that wants to falsify the truth. Q: You are from Butare, the same diocese as the nuns. Do you know them? Father Linguyeneza: Yes, I have known them for some time. They are quite ordinary nuns. As mother superior, Sister Gertrude was held in high esteem by her community. Her Sisters elected her as their superior because they admired her good sense and great humanity — hardly a person capable of genocide. Q: Why is the Belgian government interested in this trial? Father Linguyeneza: Belgium has always kept an eye on events in central Africa, [which was] once under its rule. Many Belgians have lived in Rwanda, and there are many Rwandans, of different ethnic groups, exiled here in Belgium. I think that Belgium wants to boost its image as a country that defends human rights and punishes people found guilty of crimes against humanity. It supported the Pinochet trial and now this one, regarding Rwanda. Q: What could Rwanda obtain with the trial? Father Linguyeneza: As regards the genocide, we all have the right to know the truth. Those guilty of the massacres must be brought to trial; this is a question of truth and justice. When we speak of reconciliation, we must think of the victims who died, their suffering families, as well as innocent people unjustly accused. It is most important to ascertain the truth and re-establish the good name of innocent persons. (Zenith, Italy, 24 April 2001)

* Rwanda/Belgium. The Brussels trial — The first part of the court case on specific charges, involving two Rwandese Benedictine nuns — Sisters Gertrude Mukangango and Julienne Kizito, and two others — Alphonse Higaniro and Vincent Ntezimana, is taken up with providing a background to the situation in Rwanda at the time of the 1994 genocide. Already lawyer Serge Wahis, defending the two nuns, had underlined in his opening statement the difficulty in trying a case on events which took place so far away, and before a jury which may not be familiar with the Rwanda situation. 20 April: The Court in Brussels hears descriptions of the early days of the genocide. The journalist Colette Braekman (Le Soir describes having seen columns of frightened refugees fleeing the country. She paints a verbal picture of the general atmosphere then prevailing in Rwanda. Professor Filip Reyntjens outlines the background history of the conflict within Rwanda. Allison Desforges (Human Rights Watch) was present in Rwanda every two or three months for five years, just after the period of the genocide. From her testimony, it becomes clear that the genocide was well organised. She says: «Don’t say that the Hutus committed a genocide. It’s individuals who killed. Many refused to take part in the killings and, in danger of their own lives, sheltered neighbours or helped them to flee. Some did both — took part in the killings and helped others». This weekend, the first 19 witnesses coming from Rwanda are due to arrive. They will be housed in the Royal Military School. 23 April: Two witnesses to the horrors of the Rwanda genocide are heard today. Yolande Mukagasana lost all her family except for a brother. She says: «In 1994, to kill was as easy as drinking a glass of water». Dr Rony Zacharia was Doctors Without Worlds’ coordinator in Butare. He described the events as he experienced them from 13-24 April 1994. He says: «I arrived at the end of February and left on 24 April. All my patients and my personnel had been killed». 24 April: The Court receives testimony from the last of the background witnesses. One of the accused, Vincent Ntezimana takes the stand to deny his participation in a document entitled: «A call to the conscience of the Bahutus». Ntezimana is accused of taking part in a number of murders at Butare between 6 April and 27 May 1994. On 2 August he came back to Belgium, to the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve. 25 April: Much of today is spent in hearing testimony relating to Ntezimana’s involvement in the killing of the Karenzi family. The father was killed on 21 April 1994 in the centre of Butare, and the children on 30 April 1994. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 April 2001)

* Western Sahara. Kofi Annan asks for extension of UN mission — On 24 April, the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, asked the Security Council to extend the UN mission in Western Sahara for two months to allow further consultations with Morocco and the Polisario Front. In a report to the Council Annan said that «regrettably» there had been no progress on a referendum, which has been stalled for years over who is eligible to vote. (CNN, USA, 24 April 2001)

* Sahara occidental. Prolongation de la Minurso — Le 24 avril, le secrétaire général de l’Onu a demandé au Conseil de sécurité le prolongement pour deux mois de la mission des Nations unies au Sahara occidental (Minurso) afin de permettre de nouvelles consultations avec le Maroc et le Front Polisario. Dans un rapport, M. Kofi Annan a précisé qu’il n’y avait “malheureusement” pas eu de progrès sur la question du référendum. Il a fait en revanche état de “progrès substantiels” sur la question d’une éventuelle autonomie, un “statut spécial” qui serait accordé par le Maroc, pour un projet qui bénéficie du soutien de Washington et de Paris. (AP, 25 avril 2001)

* Senegal. Senegal urged to act against Habre — The United Nations Committee against torture has urged Senegal to prevent Chad’s exiled former president, Hissene Habre, from leaving the country. The move was welcomed by a lawyer for the alleged victims, Reed Brody of Human Rights Watch. The former president was charged with torture in February, but Senegal’s highest court ruled that he could not stand trial because his alleged crimes were not committed in Senegal. Earlier this month, the Senegalese president, Abdoulaye Wade, asked Mr Habre to leave the country.But Mr Habre’s alleged victims filed a petition with the UN committee against torture to put pressure on Senegal to prosecute or extradite him, as required by the torture convention to prevent his departure. (BBC News, UK, 24 April 2001)

* Sénégal. Campagne électorale — Trois millions d’électeurs sénégalais sont appelés à choisir, le 29 avril, les 120 députés de la nouvelle Assemblée législative. 25 partis et listes de coalition sont en lice pour se partager les sièges. Parmi les thèmes de la campagne électorale figure la solution à trouver au conflit qui dure depuis des années dans le sud du pays, dans la région de Casamance. Mgr Adrien Sarr, archevêque de Dakar, a invité chacun à faire preuve de responsabilité. Il demande aux hommes politiques de ne pas dresser les gens les uns contre les autres pour des raisons de propagande électorale; et d’autre part, aux électeurs de voter dans le calme, comme ils l’ont fait l’an dernier, lors des élections présidentielles, qui ont amené au pouvoir l’actuel président Wade dans une parfaite transparence. (Fides, Vatican, 24 avril 2001)

* Senegal. Peace signals in pre-election climate — Three million Senegalese will be called to vote on April 29 to elect 120 members of a new legislative assembly. The competition is between 25 parties and coalition lists. A major question at the centre of the electoral propaganda is a solution to almost 20 years of conflict in the separatist region Casamance. Archbishop Theodore Sarr of Dakar, president of the Senegalese Bishops’ Conference, calls on all citizens to demonstrate a sense of responsibility. He calls on political leaders not to incite the Senegalese one against the other for electoral reasons. He calls on voters to make a responsible choice as last year when President Abdoulaye Wade won in a transparent vote. There is a flourishing of efforts and signals for peace as the electoral campaign continues. For there first time, since his election in March 2000, President Wade met the secretary general of the Movement of Democratic Forces for Casamance (MDFC) Catholic priest Rev. Augustine Diamacoune Senghor. «We are building a lasting peace for this land of Casamance» the President said after the meeting held in Ziguinchor. (Fides, Vatican City, 24 April 2001)

* Sierra Leone. Boost for peacekeepers — The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone says it has been promised 5,000 new troops, which should allow it to complete its deployment throughout the country. The extra soldiers from Pakistan and Nepal would bring the number of peacekeepers in the country to some 15,000, making it the largest UN operation in the world. Senior UN officers said the troops are due to arrive within the next few weeks and would allow the UN to extend its deployment in areas held by the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF), especially the crucial diamond areas in the east of the country. The decision came as the UN announced the deployment on Wednesday of troops in Kailahun, an eastern region held by the RUF for 10 years. BBC West Africa correspondent Mark Doyle says the near collapse of the UN mission last year — in the face of a rebel offensive — has galvanised the UN into pouring resources into Sierra Leone. He says the UN is trying to prove that it can run a successful peacekeeping operation. (BBC News, UK, 20 April 2001)

* Sierra Leone. Hundreds flee fighting — Government militiamen in Sierra Leone have clashed with rebels in what is being described as the most serious breach of last November’s ceasefire. Military officials say it is unclear who started the fighting, but the rebels have accused government forces of attacking their positions. The fighting threatens to disrupt the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers as part of efforts to end the 10-year civil war. A senior UN official confirmed that serious fighting had been going on since 19 April, near the eastern diamond mining area of Tongo Fields. The fighting has involved rebels of the Revolutionary United Front and a pro-government militia known as the Kamajors. Correspondents say the clashes come when the outlook for Sierra Leone seemed more positive — the ceasefire had been holding, and UN peacekeepers had been advancing into some rebel-held areas. (BBC News, UK, 21 April 2001)

* Sierra Leone. Uncertainties in the funding of the Special Court — On 24 April, Amnesty International expressed concern about the uncertainties surrounding the Special Court for Sierra Leone, as result of the UN Security Council’s decision to fund the court entirely by voluntary contributions rather than from the regular UN budget. Amnesty International said that the investigation and prosecution of crimes under international law are a responsibility which must be shouldered by the international community as a whole. (Amnesty International, 24 April 2001)

* South Africa. Victor’s mantle for S. Africa as drugs industry dons fig leaf — Shouts of victory went up in the crushed court house in Pretoria on 19 April when 39 pharmaceutical companies suing the South African government over legislation that allegedly contravened patent law dropped their case unconditionally. Although the pharmaceutical industry claimed to have reached a settlement, it has merely won an assurance from government that legislation will be used in line with international patent law — something the government has said all along. The text of clause 15c of the 1997 Medicines Act, which drug companies had challenged as arbitrary and unconstitutional, will stand untouched, though the government agreed to consult the industry on its implementation. The industry will pay all court costs. «We regard today’s settlement as a victory that restores to us the power to pursue policies we believe are critical to securing medicines at affordable rates,» said. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, health minister. Jean-Pierre Garnier, chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline, one of the pharmaceutical companies that led the industry’s retreat from what had become a public relations catastrophe, said he had been influenced by concerns from investors, shareholders and the public about access to medicines. Mr Garnier said he had confidence in South African assurances that it would adhere to international patent norms. «We have got all the security we need.» (Financial Times, UK, 20 April 2001)

* Afrique du Sud. Médicaments génériques — Le 19 avril à Pretoria, les militants des ONG célébraient leur victoire historique contre les géants de l’industrie pharmaceutique. Les 39 laboratoires qui avaient porté plainte contre la loi sud-africaine favorisant les médicaments génériques bon marché, l’ont retirée, reculant devant la pression de l’opinion publique. Tout n’est pas réglé pour autant. Les ONG entendent maintenir leur pression sur les compagnies pharmaceutiques pour qu’elles continuent à réduire leur prix, mais aussi sur le gouvernement sud-africain afin qu’il mette en place une politique de traitement des séropositifs. En effet, relançant la politique controversée du gouvernement du président Mbeki, le ministre de la Santé a souligné que les médicaments antirétroviraux restaient trop coûteux et que leur innocuité n’était pas établie. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 20 avril 2001)

* South Africa. AIDS case — a hollow victory? — Africa’s millions of AIDS sufferers may still not get the vital drugs they need, despite the decision by the pharmaceutical industry to withdraw its legal patent fight. In the euphoria that followed the move on 19 April by 39 of the world’s most powerful drugs companies, activists described it as offering a potential lifeline to Africa’s 25 million HIV-positive people. But South Africa, where the court action was fought, woke on 20 April to face the realisation that cheap, generic AIDS medicines are unlikely to flood quickly into a country ravaged by the disease. While South African health officials said Pretoria was committed to fighting AIDS through education, prevention and drugs that primarily treated diseases associated with AIDS — such as pneumonia —access to affordable key anti-retroviral drugs that suppress the replication of the virus may be no nearer. «The use of anti-retrovirals would need a policy decision because of the cost implications,» said health department spokeswoman Jo-Anne Collinge. «Clearly even at the current prices on offer they are still not in the realms of what is possible. We are looking at how we can get the cheapest source of drugs to treat opportunistic diseases, but I wouldn’t want to speculate on a timetable.» Several drug companies have offered Pretoria discounted prices on their anti-retrovirals but the government has rejected them on the grounds that they are still too expensive and that the necessary infrastructure to monitor their use is lacking. The German firm Boehringer-Ingelheim has offered the drug free to Pretoria but the government wants ethical safeguards before the trials at 18 national sites begin. A meeting between Pretoria and the drug firms involved in the case is scheduled for early next month to plan a way forward. (CNN, USA, 21 April 2001)

* South Africa. Police probe plots to oust Mbeki — Police are investigating claims that President Thabo Mbeki is in «physical danger» from leaders in his ruling party plotting to oust him, South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper reported on 22 April. Safety and Security Minister Steve Tshwete told the newspaper that police intelligence units had been investigating the allegations since last year. Mbeki took over from South Africa’s first democratic leader, Nelson Mandela, in 1999. «As the department charged with protecting the safety and security of this country, we have to ensure that these plots do not culminate into something ugly,» Tshwete said. «As far back as last year, we picked up clandestine activities involving certain individuals and we are monitoring this on a day-to-day basis to ensure that the president is safe,» Tshwete added, without giving details or naming the individuals. But Mbeki’s spokesman, Bheki Khumalo, declined to comment on the report when contacted on 22 April, referring all queries to the police. A spokesman in Tshwete’s office, Joseph Ngobeni, also declined comment. The Sunday Times quoted Tshwete as saying evidence gathered during the investigation would be «very damaging» to some ANC leaders. «If people want to be president, that’s fine. There are ANC structures...where they can canvass properly. They must not do things in a sinister and clandestine way,» he said. (CNN, USA, 22 April 2001)