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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 25-04-2002

PART #3/4 - From  LIBERIA to  SIERRA L.

* Liberia. Sanctions reviewed — 19 April The UN Sanctions Committee is meeting in New York to consider a possible extension of sanctions against Liberia, though the west African country says there is no longer any justification for imposing them. A boycott on arms sales to Liberia and diamond sales from it was imposed because of the government’s support for rebels in neighbouring Sierra Leone. The United Nations accused Liberia of trading in diamonds obtained by the rebels and encouraging the chaos the rebels caused throughout the west African region. A recent UN report said that although there were still some rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Liberia, they did not cause any direct threat to the stability that has now returned to Sierra Leone. But the panel of experts nevertheless recommended that the sanctions against the Liberian Government should remain because of the continuing volatility in the region. The Liberian Information Minister, Reginald Goodridge, said this was clearly unfair. He argued that if the original reason for the sanctions was his government’s support for the rebels, and that if that support was no longer significant — as even the UN panel of experts agreed — anyone of good faith would agree to lifting the sanctions. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 20 April 2002)

* Liberia. Maintien de l’embargo — Un comité d’experts de l’Onu a recommandé le maintien de l’embargo sur les armes, imposé au Liberia l’année dernière, après la découverte de preuves attestant que ce pays se livre toujours à l’achat d’armes. Le 19 avril, le comité a remis un rapport dans lequel il fait le point sur l’observation de ces sanctions concernant les armes, le transport aérien et les diamants. Le comité dit avoir trouvé des “preuves crédibles” que le Liberia achète toujours des armes, soulignant la facilité avec laquelle les armes légères circulent entre les frontières des pays de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, une situation favorisée par la présence de groupes rebelles armés. Certains membres des forces gouvernementales de la région sont aussi impliqués dans le trafic illégal d’armes dans la sous-région. Le Conseil de sécurité examinera le rapport le 22 avril. (PANA, Sénégal, 21 avril 2002)

* Liberia. Thousands flee fresh fighting — 22 April: People in northern Liberia are running away from a new upsurge of fighting between government troops and rebels known as Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (Lurd). Over 6,000 displaced people fled from camps in the town of Belefanai, in Bong County, over the weekend due to fears of rebel attack. The displaced people, who are originally from nearby Lofa County, had been living in two camps near Belefanai after fleeing previous clashes between Lurd rebels and government troops for control of Lofa County. Lurd rebels based in northern Liberia have waged a sporadic campaign against the government of President Charles Taylor since mid-2000, but have pushed towards the capital, Monrovia in recent months. Aid workers with the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) who were working in the area say the movement of the internal refugees was triggered by terrifying sounds of gunfire from the direction of the St Paul’s River Bridge that separates Bong and Lofa counties. The aid workers said that in recent days, large numbers of people had been crossing from Lofa County’s Salayea District to escape fighting between Lurd rebels and government soldiers there. MSF spokesman Emmanuel Tronc said that fighting had not reached Belefanai when his team left over the weekend. But he said the place was deserted and only military people were there. (BBC News, UK, 22 April 2002)

* Liberia. Reprise des combats — Les affrontements entre l’armée gouvernementale et les rebelles du LURD (Libériens unis pour la réconciliation et la démocratie) ont repris dans le nord du Liberia, autour de la ville de Belefenai. Au moins 6.000 personnes déplacées se seraient enfuies des camps d’accueil dans la zone. Les rebelles semblent décidés à poursuivre leurs opérations, qui consistent dans des raids éclairs dans des villes et villages autour de la capitale. De son côté, l’armée continue de mettre en place des barrages sur les principales routes qui relient le nord du pays à Monrovia, pour empêcher que les combats n’arrivent aux portes de la capitale. (Misna, Italie, 23 avril 2002)

* Madagascar. Return to one President — 18 April: Madagascar’s two rival leaders are expected to sign an agreement aimed at defusing the country’s increasingly violent political crisis. Incumbent President Didier Ratsiraka and his rival Marc Ravalomanana — who proclaimed himself president in February after a disputed election — met under the auspices of the Organisation of African Unity in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. The two bitter rivals embraced after holding their first face-to-face talks in two months. The talks broke off early today, and are due to resume later in the day for the two men to hold final discussions on the text of an  agreement. «We will meet again and, I hope, we will finish it. I am very, very optimistic,» said Senegal’s President Abdoulaye Wade, who has been hosting the meeting. The contents of the draft have not been disclosed. — Later in the day, a deal emerges. Both the rivals agree that a recount of the election results will be held. If no clear winner emerges after the recount, a referendum will take place in the next six months, held with the assistance of the UN and the OAU. 19 April: People in Madagascar have cautiously welcomed the agreement. Most people seem to be optimistic but want to see how the deal will be implemented in practice and whether the promises made in Senegal will be kept. 21 April: Madagascar is back to just having one president after the man who declared himself head of state said he will stick to an agreement designed to end the four-month political crisis. Marc Ravalomanana, who declared himself president in February, said the move was his concession in accords he signed with incumbent president, Didier Ratsiraka. In return, Mr Ravalomanana now expects, blockades that have been suffocating the capital for weeks to be lifted, and a recount of the December presidential election to go ahead. Both sides have said they will respect the results. 23 April: Governors loyal to President Ratsiraka say they will not remove blockades on the capital until opposition activists leave ministry buildings. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 April 2002)

* Madagascar. Sortie de l’impasse — Le 18 avril à Dakar, les deux protagonistes de la crise à Madagascar, les présidents sortant Didier Ratsiraka et autoproclamé Marc Ravalomanana, ont signé un accord prévoyant la mise en place d’un gouvernement de réconciliation. L’accord prend en compte l’arrêt de la Cour suprême malgache, qui a annulé les résultats de l’élection présidentielle du 16 décembre et implique un nouveau décompte des voix. Si après ce décompte, aucun candidat n’a obtenu la majorité, un référendum sera organisé dans un délai de six mois au maximum. En attendant, les deux sont d’accord pour la formation d’un gouvernement de réconciliation nationale de transition. L’accord engage en outre les deux signataires à faire respecter immédiatement la libre circulation des biens et des personnes, l’arrêt de toutes les menaces et violences, ainsi que la levée de tous les barrages sur toute l’étendue du territoire. On note cependant que le nouveau décompte des voix sera fort difficile, certains procès-verbaux ont été brûlés, au moins 400 bureaux de vote étaient fictifs... On s’achemine donc vraisemblablement vers un référendum. -19 avril. Jacques Sylla, le Premier ministre de M. Ravalomanana, a estimé que son gouvernement reste toujours en exercice en attendant le comptage contradictoire des bulletins du premier tour de la présidentielle. Dans le camp de Ratsiraka, on part du principe qu’aucun candidat ne sortira vainqueur du nouveau décompte. On aurait toutefois  donné l’ordre d’enlever les barrages, mais jusqu’à midi rien n’avait changé. - Le lundi 22 avril, le blocus routier d’Antananarivo était toujours maintenu, alors que pendant le week-end, les deux protagonistes avaient appelé à la fin des violences. Les gouverneurs des cinq provinces fidèles à Ratsiraka, ont annoncé qu’ils ne lèveront pas les barrages sans “retour à la légalité”, en particulier la démission du gouvernement de Ravalomanana. On ignore si Ratsiraka a perdu le contrôle de ses troupes. Du côté des “faucons”, on trouve également des ministres de M. Ratsiraka et des membres de sa famille (on cite en particulier sa fille Sophie) qui ont tout à perdre si M. Ravalomanana l’emporte. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 avril 2002)

* Malawi. Almost 1,000 cholera deaths reported in Malawi — Almost 1,000 people have died from cholera in Malawi since November and about 33,000 infections have been reported up to mid-April, the national health department has reported. Most cases were in the central region, which saw 592 people die and 16,318 people infected, Dr Habib Somanje, director of preventive health services said. In the southern region, 364 people died and 16,257 were infected, while the north was least affected, with 30 deaths and 362 reported cases. «This is the worst outbreak in the past 10 years,» he said, adding that the outbreak affected men, women and children equally. The causes of the latest outbreak were not yet clear, but the department was mobilising support from churches, traditional leaders and political organisations, he said. In addition, the health department had been caught off guard with the high number of infections and did not have enough drugs or rehydration materials, Somanje added. He also appealed to people to practise good hygiene to beat the epidemic. (IRIN, 19 April 2002)

* Mali. Grève des transports — Le jeudi 18 avril, les syndicats de transporteurs maliens ont entamé une grève de 72 heures pour protester contre les tracasseries policières dont ils sont l’objet. Ils protestent notamment contre les tracasseries des agents chargés du contrôle routier à l’intérieur des villes et sur les axes routiers, la multiplication de postes de contrôle, et la charge élevée de la fiscalité sur le secteur. Le soir du même jour toutefois, ils ont appelé leurs membres à reprendre le travail dès le vendredi matin. Ils ont exhibé à la télévision des arrêtés ministériels s’engageant à mettre fin aux tracasseries. Le 19 avril donc, on a observé une reprise des activités de transport sur toutes les lignes de la capitale. Le gouvernement s’est engagé à supprimer plusieurs dizaines de postes de contrôle dont la création ne se justifie pas, et à prendre d’autres mesures allant dans le sens de l’allégement des charges du secteur des transports. (PANA, Sénégal, 19 avril 2002)

* Mali. Début de la présidentielle — Le vote pour l’élection présidentielle a débuté le dimanche 21 avril dans des bureaux itinérants au nord du Mali. Dans cette zone qui couvre les régions de Kidal, Gao et Tombouctou, vivent des populations nomades difficilement accessibles. L’élection présidentielle proprement dite aura lieu le 28 avril. Les 24 candidats en lice sont actuellement en pleine campagne. Le 19 avril avait été décrété férié pour permettre aux 5,7 millions d’électeurs d’aller retirer leurs cartes en vue d’une forte participation aux différents scrutins (présidentielle et législatives). La semaine dernière, le taux de retrait des cartes n’était estimé qu’à environ 20%. (PANA, Sénégal, 21 avril 2002)

* Mali. Open battle for presidency — Political posters are ubiquitous in Mali. If the size, quality and number of those posters bearing the faces of the men vying for the presidency of Mali is any gauge, it seems three of the 24 candidates are leading the race. They are former President Amadou Toumani Toure, former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and former Finance Minister Soumaila Cisse. Not coincidentally, these three are also leading the most lavish and expensive campaigns. They are spending untold millions of dollars to travel by air and cover the vast country and remote regions inaccessible by road. The candidates woo large crowds at their campaign rallies by bringing in live bands, distributing the tee shirts, sugar, tea and cash that Malians have come to expect from candidates seeking their votes. But Sory Traore, a journalist in the northern town of Mopti, says it is dangerous to estimate a candidate’s chances based on how many people show up for rallies wearing their tee shirts. «We young people follow all the candidates who give us money and gifts,» he says. «It doesn’t mean we will vote for them. We just want to get something from them now, before they’re elected, because afterwards, they won’t give us anything.» Sory Traore, like many of the 5.4 million eligible voters in Mali, says even if there are three favourites, none can count on victory, certainly not in the first round on 28 April. And even the candidates themselves appear unsure of who is really ahead in the race. This is surprising for many observers and diplomats who for years felt that General Amadou Toumani Toure would be a certain winner should he decide to run for president in 2002. For years, Mr Toure has been a popular hero in his country. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 April 2002)

* Maroc. Le roi aux Etats-Unis — Le dimanche 21 avril, le roi Mohammed VI a quitté le Maroc à destination de Washington pour une visite de travail de trois jours aux Etats-Unis. Selon des sources diplomatiques à Rabat, la situation au Proche-Orient sera au centre des entretiens du souverain marocain avec les responsables américains. Mohammed VI est président du Comité  al-Qods, issu de l’Organisation de la conférence islamique. Il rencontrera également le secrétaire général de l’Onu, Kofi Annan. Le souverain est accompagné du ministre des Affaires étrangères et du ministre de l’Economie et des Finances. (PANA, Sénégal, 21 avril 2002)

* Morocco. Bush offers Morocco a deal — On 23 April, President George W. Bush proposed that the US and Morocco enter into a free trade agreement, the first time the US has proposed a comprehensive trade deal with an African country. The offer, made following a meeting in Washington with Morocco’s King Mohammed, is designed to reward a moderate Arab ally that could play a role in resolving the Middle East crisis. The US completed a free trade deal with Jordan, a similarly important ally, last year. The Bush administration has also proposed launching free trade talks with five Central American nations, and is considering overtures from South Africa and Australia as well. (Financial Times, UK, 24 April 2002)

* Nigeria. Bush approves military aid to Nigeria — 20 April: President Bush has authorised $4m of military aid to Nigeria. Mr Bush said in a statement that there was an unforseen emergency in the African country that required immediate military assistance. The electoral authorities in Nigeria have announced that the country’s first presidential election since the return of civilian rule in 1999 will be held in April next year. Correspondents say that hotly disputed constitutional issues and fears of electoral violence in the run-up to next year’s vote have left the country on tenterhooks. (BBC News, UK, 20 April 2002)

* Nigeria. “Défendre la liberté religieuse” — Le pape Jean-Paul II a encouragé l’Eglise du Nigeria à défendre “avec courage et fermeté” la liberté religieuse face au fondamentalisme, et à promouvoir le dialogue avec les musulmans. Le pape s’adressait, le 20 avril, à un groupe d’évêques du Nigeria en visite “ad limina” au Vatican, intervenant en plein coeur du débat actuel sur la loi islamique (sharia) imposée dans douze Etats du nord du pays. “J’encourage vigoureusement et je soutiens chacun de vos efforts pour vous exprimer courageusement et fermement à cet égard: il faut rappeler aux responsables du gouvernement, local et fédéral, ainsi qu’aux hommes de bonne volonté de toutes convictions, que c’est une obligation pour tout gouvernement de veiller à ce que l’égalité de tous les citoyens devant la loi ne soit pas violée pour des raisons religieuses, ouvertement ou de façon clandestine”, a déclaré le pape. “L’héritage culturel des nombreux groupes ethniques présents au Nigeria doit être vu comme une source d’enrichissement pour la nation et non  comme une cause de conflits et de divisions”, a-t-il encore ajouté. (Zenit, Vatican, 22 avril 2002)

* Nigeria. Oil rig workers seized — 23 April. The American oil company ChevronTexaco has said that 43 of its workers are being held hostage on an oil rig off western Nigeria by local youths. ChevronTexaco Company official Dick Filgate said that about 40 youths had stormed the rig, originally holding 88 workers captive, including 22 foreigners. However, 45 were released on 23 April and negotiations were taking place to free the others. It is not known how many foreign workers are still on the rig. The incident happened on 22 April, although details have only just been released. The rig is about 8km off the town of Escravos. «They mobilised a bunch of boats and people, and occupied one of the drilling rigs,» Mr Filgate said. «The people on board the rig went inside and locked their doors.» He said the youths did not appear to be armed and the workers did not feel threatened. ChevronTexaco spokesman Fred Gorell, speaking from San Francisco, said: «We are encouraged by an agreement that was reached today for 45 workers on the rig to leave. We hope negotiations will bring swift and peaceful resolution to the occupation.» 24 April: The American oil giant ChevronTexaco is still negotiating with Nigerian youths for the release of 43 of its workers being held captive on one of the company’s oil rigs off the south western coast of Nigeria. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 April 2002)

* Nigeria. Grappling with e-mail scams — Nigerian fraudsters who dupe people around the world by writing scam letters have invaded cyberspace. The fraudsters send the phoney e-mails mainly to Europe and the United States. Posing as senior Nigerian government officials, they seek the assistance of people abroad to transfer huge sums of money into foreign bank accounts. Most often they say the money is the proceeds of an over-invoiced contracts, which is up for grabs once it is transferred abroad. The deal is for their intended victim to facilitate the transfer of the money into a foreign bank account in return for millions of dollars. Gullible and greedy people easily fall for this bait. The fraudsters dupe their victims by collecting advance fees from them under the guise of paying kickbacks and service charges needed to transfer the money abroad. They keep collecting money, using different excuses until the victims realize they are being duped. The advent of e-mail has made things easier for criminals. «The fraudsters have now discarded conventional letters for e-mails because e-mail is faster and cheaper,» says Deji Olajide, a Lagos based computer scientist. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 April 2002)

* Nigeria. Media warned — 25 April: The Nigerian Government has warned that it will prosecute any foreign journalist who  publishes malicious falsehoods about the country. The statement made by Justice Minister Kanu Agabi follows a recent report in the American news magazine Time, accusing government officials of corruption. Mr Agabi was speaking at a press conference to mark the publication of an investigation into the allegations made in the magazine article. Last week’s issue of Time magazine sold like hot cakes here, and now photocopies of the offending article are being passed among Nigerians eager to know what all the fuss is about.If the government had hoped to put a lid on the affair by announcing an investigation into the bribery allegations, it has had the opposite effect. But the allegations are serious and the government has now strenuously denied them. The Time magazine article reported that Information Minister Jerry Gana called a meeting in February this year to berate foreign journalists on their inaccurate and negative reporting of events in Nigeria, and in particular the coverage by the US television network CNN of recent riots in Lagos. Following that meeting, the Time article alleges that journalists were presented with a pack containing government reference books, in the same bag as a brown envelope stuffed with about $400. Most foreign journalists returned the money, either at the meeting or soon afterwards. The government investigation into these allegations says the cash was clearly intended as travel and accommodation expenses and certainly not to influence anyone to write more positively on Nigerian affairs. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 April 2002)

* Rwanda. Bizimungu arrêté — Le 19 avril à Kigali, l’ancien président rwandais Pasteur Bizimungu a été arrêté pour “activités politiques illégales, menaçant la sécurité nationale”, a annoncé un porte-parole de la police. On lui reproche “des rumeurs et de faire de la propagande antigouvernementale créant du mécontentement, des divisions et des craintes au sein de la population”. Selon le commissaire Kuramba, il a été interpellé à l’issue d’une perquisition à son domicile, au cours de laquelle des documents compromettants ont été saisis. Bizimungu, un Hutu, était devenu président du Rwanda après le génocide de 1994. Il avait démissionné il y a deux ans, étant en désaccord avec le gouvernement dominé par les Tutsi. En 2001, avec l’ancien ministre Charles Ntakirutinka, il avait créé un parti d’opposition, qui a été défendu peu de temps après. M. Ntakirutinka a également été arrêté le 20 avril. - Le 23 avril, après quatre jours d’interrogations, M. Bizimungu a été emprisonné sur décision de la justice. Il risque une condamnation allant de deux à dix ans de prison. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 avril 2002)

* Rwanda. Former president detained — 20 April: Former Rwandan President  Pasteur Bizimungu has been detained by police over what they say is illegal political activity. They plan to charge Mr Bizimungu, an ethnic Hutu, with threatening state security. Mr Bizimungu resigned as president two years ago after falling out with the Tutsi-dominated government. He formed an opposition party last year, which was promptly banned by the authorities. Police also detained a former minister, Charles Ntakirutinka, who is close to Mr Bizimungu.The two men were held after their homes were raided on 19 April and various documents seized. «They’re both helping police with enquiries concerning the illegal political activity they’ve been carrying out clandestinely,» police spokesman Tony Kuramba said. 23 April: Rwanda’s police say former president Pasteur Bizimungu will face trial on charges of illegal political activity and threats to state security. If found guilty, Mr Bizimungu, who was detained with former public works minister Charles Ntakirutinka, could face a jail term of up to 10 years. Police found documents calling for civil disobedience, the division of the Rwandan people and threatening state security. They were handed over to the courts on 22 April. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 April 2002)

* Rwanda/Burundi. Delays in joining the EAC — On 12 April, Uganda’s New Vision newspaper reported that the admission of Rwanda and Burundi to the East African Community (EAC) has again been delayed. The decision was communicated to presidents Museveni, Mkapa and Moi, during the extra-ordinary summit of heads of state in Kampala, Uganda. Rwanda and Burundi applied for membership in 1996 and 1999 respectively. On 15 April, in Kenya’s Daily Nation, Rwanda’s foreign minister says Rwanda is «not begging to join the EAC». (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 April 2002)

* Sao Tome e Principe. President calls for ban on vote buying — President Fradique de Menezes has urged parliament to introduce laws against vote buying, which he said was rampant during a legislative election held in March. He was speaking during the first session of Sao Tome’s seventh parliament. He «vehemently condemned the damaging phenomenon of compromising the duty to free voting through large amounts of money and goods. This misrepresents the principle of universal suffrage». (IRIN, 19 April 2002)

* Sierra Leone. Réinstallation des déplacés — La plupart des 150 chefs-lieux en Sierra Leone ont maintenant été déclarés sûrs pour la réinstallation des personnes déplacées, à l’exception de onze d’entre eux situés dans le district de Kailahun, a annoncé le Bureau de coordination des affaires humanitaires de l’Onu. Au terme de dix années d’hostilités entre le RUF et le gouvernement, la guerre a été officiellement déclarée finie au début du mois de janvier. Le gouvernement, en collaboration avec les agences de l’Onu et les ONG, a mis en oeuvre une “stratégie de réinstallation” pour réintégrer des déplacés de l’intérieur, des réfugiés et des ex-combattants, ainsi que des personnes à charge, dans leurs communautés. Depuis le début du processus, plus de 65.000 déplacés et rapatriés se sont réinstallés. D’autre part, l’unique établissement d’enseignement secondaire à Daru, dans le district de Kailahun, a été rouvert le 16 avril. Plus de 340 élèves y sont actuellement inscrits. (IRIN, Abidjan, 18 avril 2002)

* Sierra Leone. Most chiefdoms now safe for resettlement — 18 April: Most of the 150 chiefdoms in Sierra Leone have now been declared safe for resettlement by internally displaced persons (IDP)s with the exception of 11 in the former rebel-held eastern district of Kailahun. The announcements, by a joint UN-Government committee, have been made as peace gradually returned to Sierra Leone after 10 years of fighting between the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and the government. The war was officially declared over in early January. The deployment of UN peacekeepers, national and civil authority across the country and the approach of the planting season have encouraged many IDPs to return home voluntarily and independently. (IRIN, 18 April 2002)

* Sierra Leone. Cour spéciale de l’Onu — M. David Crane (USA) vient d’être nommé procureur général de la Cour spéciale des Nations unies pour juger les personnes soupçonnées de crimes de guerre en Sierra Leone. M. Robin Vincent (Grande-Bretagne) a été nommé greffier en chef de cette cour. Des juges internationaux et sierra-léonais seront nommés plus tard et appliqueront à la fois le droit international et le droit local. La mise en place des structures nécessaires au démarrage de la cour est prévue d’ici septembre ou octobre. (PANA, Sénégal, 23 avril 2002)

* Sierra Leone. Huge diamond exported — Sierra Leone has officially exported a single 110-carat diamond worth several million dollars, for the first time in over a decade of war. The sale indicates that post-war measures aimed at regulating the diamond trade may be beginning to work. The war in Sierra Leone, which destabilised the whole west African region, was declared over early this year after British and United Nations troops helped restore peace. The diamond exported from Sierra Leone on 22 April was described by Mines Minister Mohammed Deen as being the size of a substantial pebble. Mr Deen said he had proudly shown it to the President of Sierra Leone shortly before it was flown out of the country for cutting and polishing. Uncut, it has an export value of $1m,  but according to the minister it could fetch five times that in Europe. Mr Deen said the fact that such a diamond had been exported legally was proof that a licensing and certification scheme put in place as part of post-war reconstruction efforts was beginning to work. Diamond exports had leapt from $9m in the year 2000 to $26m in 2001. But the real importance of the exported diamond may be symbolic. The war in Sierra Leone was driven by the search for illegally-mined diamonds, and during the conflict almost all of the country’s gems were smuggled out through neighbouring states.Instead of being a blessing, diamonds were a curse. That situation appears to be changing for the better. (BBC News, UK, 23 April 2002)