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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 08-05-2002

PART #4/4 - From NIGER to  ZIMBABWE

* Niger. Création de 265 communes — Dans le cadre de la décentralisation engagée dans le pays, l’Assemblée nationale a adopté une loi portant création de 265 communes sur toute l’étendue du territoire, a-t-on appris le 7 mai de source parlementaire. La loi, qui porte composition et délimitation des 265 communes, a été approuvée après d’ultimes consultations et consensus sur les villages, tribus et groupements à rattacher ou à détacher de certaines communes, selon les cas. Le Niger est engagé depuis plus de cinq ans dans un processus de décentralisation. Malgré une vaste campagne de popularisation, le processus a toutefois piétiné du fait de divergences profondes au sujet de la communalisation qui désintégrait certaines communautés ayant toujours vécu ensemble. La décentralisation implique la libre administration des régions et des communes, ainsi que la prise en charge par celles-ci des dépenses liées à l’éducation et à la santé. Mais de nombreux observateurs s’interrogent sur la viabilité de certaines communes et leur capacité à se prendre en charge. (PANA, Sénégal, 7 mai 2002)

* Nigeria. Violence politique — Le 1er mai, vingt personnes au moins sont mortes lorsque la violence a éclaté à Jos, dans l’Etat du Plateau, entre des factions du Parti démocratique du peuple (PDP, au pouvoir). L’élection des délégués locaux du congrès du parti dans la région de Nasarawa a dégénéré en violence. Le chaos s’est ensuite propagé dans plusieurs quartiers de la capitale de l’Etat. Au moins 40 personnes ont été interpellées. L’armée se trouve en état d’alerte maximale. Les incidents de violence politique survenus récemment dans différentes parties du Nigeria font craindre que les élections proposées soient violentes. Les élections des gouvernements locaux sont prévues le 10 août et seront suivies par des élections au niveau fédéral et national au cours du premier trimestre de 2003. (IRIN, Lagos, 3 mai 2002)

* Nigeria. Political violence — 3 May: A curfew was imposed overnight in Jos after violence broke out during a meeting of President Obansanjo’s governing People’s Democratic Party (PDP). At least 20 people died during the fighting. the state government has deployed the military and police to keep order. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 May 2002)

* Nigeria. Un avion s’écrase: 183 morts — Le samedi matin, 4 mai, un avion de ligne intérieure s’est écrasé peu après son décollage sur une banlieue très peuplée de Kano, ville de 2 millions d’habitants dans l’extrême nord du Nigeria. Sur les 105 personnes présentes dans l’appareil, seules 5 ont survécu, mais le bilan continue de s’alourdir au fur et à mesure que les secouristes fouillent les décombres. Au moins 83 autres corps ont été trouvés, selon un bilan provisoire. Le ministre nigérian des Sports figure parmi les victimes dans l’avion. L’appareil, un biréacteur, était affrêté par une de ces compagnies privées nigérianes (EAS) qui opèrent dans le pays depuis la dérégulation du secteur aérien dans les années 80, très critiquées pour leur laxisme en matière de sécurité, au point qu’ambassades et sociétés étrangères les interdisent à leur personnel. (Libération, France, 6 mai 2002)

* Nigeria. Plane crash over Kano — 5 May: Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared two days of national mourning after a passenger plane crashed in the northern city of Kano, killing at least 148 people. The Lagos-bound flight with 77 people on board ended in disaster shortly after take-off on 4 May when it nose-dived into a heavily-populated district of the city. President Olusegun Obasanjo President Obasanjo, who cut short a tour of southern Africa following the crash, is expected to visit Kano on 6 May, according to aides. Spontaneous street protests broke out at the crash site — where the plane had ploughed through tin-roofed houses, a mosque and a Koranic school. Throughout the day bodies were being pulled out of the rubble and wreckage — many of them by boy scouts who spearheaded the rescue effort after police and firefighters were overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster. The Nigerian Red Cross said at least 148 bodies had been recovered and 49 people were seriously injured, while hundreds of others had been made homeless. The confirmed death toll is expected to rise and could end up «much higher», rescuers said. Four people on board the plane are reported to have survived — one female crew member, and three passengers, one of whom was a Lebanese national, officials from the privately-owned EAS airline said. One of those who died was Sports Minister Ishaya Mark Aku. He had been on his way to Lagos to see a World Cup warm-up match for Nigeria’s footballers. 6 May: President Olusegun Obasanjo visits the scene of the airliner crash. In a low profile early morning visit, Mr Obasanjo inspects the homes destroyed in the tragedy — which occurred when a Lagos-bound plane nose-dived into a heavily-populated area shortly after take-off. President Obasanjo reaffirms a pledge to conduct a full inquiry into the crash and visits Emir Ado Bayero, Kano’s traditional ruler, to express his condolences. The Nigerian Red Cross says at least 148 bodies had been recovered and 49 people were seriously injured, while hundreds of others had been made homeless. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 7 May 2002)

* Sahara Occ. Le problème des colons marocains — Dans une déclaration faite le 7 mai à Madrid, devant une commission parlementaire, le secrétaire d’Etat espagnol aux Affaires étrangères, Miquel Nadal, a estimé que la colonisation progressive du Sahara occidental par le Maroc rendra plus difficile, avec le temps, le recensement de ce territoire en vue d’un éventuel référendum d’autodétermination, en raison notamment de la présence croissante de jeunes Marocains ayant acquis le droit de vote. Il a aussi remarqué que le contentieux du Sahara se trouve «apparemment dans une voie sans issue» et que le peuple sahraoui revendique un territoire «qu’il n’occupe pas actuellement». M. Nadal a défendu la position de «neutralité active» du gouvernement espagnol qui «n’a pas varié», Madrid réitérant son engagement pour trouver une solution acceptable par les deux parties, quant à l’avenir de son ancienne colonie, annexée en 1975 par le Maroc. (D’après AFP, France, 7 mai 2002)

* Sierra Leone. Relief items distributed to farmers — Tens of thousands of farming families in eastern Sierra Leone have started to receive seeds, farm tools and other relief items as parts of efforts to help internally displaced persons and refugees resettle in their home villages. Also, to help meet demands for safe water and sanitation, nearly 800 pit latrines have been dug in recent weeks in 53 villages in Kono and new wells are being constructed. (IRIN, 6 May 2002)

* Sierra Leone. Lead-up to elections — 7 May: The High Court has restrained the National Electoral Commission from publishing a final list of candidates for the 14 May presidential and parliamentary elections. — The opposition Revolutionary United Front (RUF) criticises the international community for failing to honour its commitments to transform the former rebel movement into a viable political party. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 May 2002)

* Somalie. Décès du président du Somaliland — Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, président de la République autoproclamée du Somaliland (nord-ouest de la Somalie), est décédé le vendredi 3 mai à Pretoria, selon un communiqué diffusé par l’agence sud-africaine Sapa. M. Egal, qui avait été admis mardi dans un hôpital militaire de Pretoria, est mort de “complications” après une intervention chirurgicale. Le Somaliland a fait sécession en 1991, mais son indépendance n’est, depuis, reconnue par aucun Etat ni aucune organisation internationale. - Le 4 mai, les autorités du Somaliland (membres du gouvernement, de la Chambre des représentants et du Conseil des Anciens) ont élu Dahir Riyale Kahin, 50 ans, ancien vice-président, comme nouveau président. Il occupera le pouvoir pour la période restante du mandat de M. Egal, jusqu’à la fin de l’année 2002. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 6 mai 2002)

* Somalia. President of «Somaliland» dies — 3 May: The self-declared republic of Somaliland has sworn in a new president only a few hours after the death of its leader, Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, in a hospital in South Africa. The vice-president of Somaliland, Dahir Riyale Kahin, was inaugurated at an emergency meeting attended by senior government officials, according to a provision in the constitution, officials said. Mr Kahin later said that Mr Egal’s body will be flown back to the republic’s self-declared capital Hargeisa on 4 May before being buried alongside his father in the port town of Berbera «according to his last wishes». A seven-day period of mourning has also been declared and Mr Kahin has called on the people of Somaliland to pray for their late president. Mr Egal, who had been undergoing treatment for a number of ailments — ranging from rheumatism and hypertension to diabetes and cancer — died from what are described as complications following surgery. He was elected as president of the breakaway republic in 1993, but neither his position nor the independent status of Somaliland have ever been internationally recognised. Reports said Mohamed Ibrahim Egal had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in the South African city of Pretoria for the past 10 days, but he had not been responding to treatment. He died early this morning, aged around 80 — although no-one seems to know his precise date of birth. 6 May: The body of Somaliland’s President, Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, has been buried in the port town of Berbera in front of a large crowd. His three sons laid him to rest next to his father in accordance with his last wishes. Around 4,000 people attended the funeral. The governments of Ethiopia and Djibouti were represented. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 7 May 2002)

* Somalia. Warlords battle for «Puntland» — 7 May: Fighting is continuing in Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland. Forces loyal to former regional president Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed are gaining ground from those backing the new leader, Jama Ali Jama. The fighting started on 6 May outside the town of Garoweh, and spread quickly north. This morning, Colonel Yusuf’s forces captured Qardho — a town where the supporters of Jama Ali Jama were based, about 200 km from Garoweh. According to independent sources, there was no exchange of gunfire in the town as Jama Ali Jama’s militiamen were unable to contain Colonel Yusuf’s advance and fled. The recent fighting has been fierce. Sixteen people are reported to have been killed and 20 others wounded. The two sides are facing each other in a land where there are no trees, or shelter from gunfire. Besides assault rifles and machine-guns, both sides are using heavy weapons, such as anti-aircraft guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and mortars. The capture of Qardho is an important victory for Colonel Yusuf, but the fighting is unlikely to stop there.The colonel’s ultimate target is Bossasso, a port-town which is the commercial capital of Puntland. Bossasso lies 250 km north of Garoweh. (BBC News, UK, 7 May 2002)

* Somalie. L’Onu suspend ses activités à Mogadiscio — L’Onu a suspendu toutes ses activités à Mogadiscio à compter du 7 mai, en raison de l’enlèvement d’un employé somalien d’une agence de l’Onu, le 28 avril dans la capitale somalienne. Les Nations unies entendent ainsi protester contre le refus de libérer Mohamed Ali Abokor, un représentant du PNUD, enlevé par des hommes armés non identifiés. L’Onu a en outre exprimé son inquiétude concernant l’état de santé de M. Abokor. Depuis la chute du dictateur Siad Barre en 1991, les enlèvements constituent une source de revenus pour les miliciens de différentes factions somaliennes. (La Libre Belgique, 8 mai 2002)

* Somalia. UN suspends activities in Mogadishu — 7 May: The United Nations has suspended all activities in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, because of the continued detention of a UN official kidnapped more than a week ago. The official, Mohamed Ali Abukar, of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), was seized by gunmen on his way home in south Mogadishu on 28 April. The motive for the kidnap is not known, but the head of the UNDP in Somalia, Maxwell Gaylard, said all efforts to arrange for Mr Abukar’s release had been unsuccessful. Since Somalia descended into clan warfare following the overthrow of Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, abductions have been used by gunmen to extract ransom money. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 May 2002)

* South Africa. Rugby players jailed for murder — Two white rugby players in South Africa were sentenced to 18 years in jail on 2 May for the murder of a young black man. The two were among nine white players in the same rugby club initially charged with murder in connection with the case — charges were later dropped against the other seven. The killing has been widely seen as one of South Africa’s worst race crimes since the end of apartheid eight years ago. Judge Bernard Ngoepe said the state could not prove the attack was racist, but said the rugby players had attacked a defenceless man. «It was a cowardly act. That the two assaulted him viciously is obvious. The assault was callous,» the judge told a packed courtroom. Riaan Botha and Ben Korff were convicted in April for the murder of 19-year-old Tshepo Matolha in March last year, when they caught him hunting on Botha’s family game farm. In a case that shocked the country, Mr Matolha’s body was tied to a metal gate and the dumped into the crocodile-infested Arabie dam. During the trial in Pretoria, the court heard that one of the defendants had stamped on the wounded youth’s chest, causing him to choke on his own blood. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 May 2002)

* Afrique du Sud. 2 rugbymen blancs condamnés — Le 2 mai, deux joueurs de rugby sud-africains blancs ont été condamnés à 18 ans de prison par la Haute Cour de Pretoria pour le meurtre d’un jeune braconnier noir en mars 2001, à l’issue d’un procès qui a suscité une intense émotion dans le pays et provoqué d’importantes manifestations. Riaan Botha et Ben Korff, coéquipiers d’un club de rugby de Pietersburg, avaient été reconnus coupables du meurtre de Tshepo Mathola, 19 ans, surpris en compagnie de deux cousins à braconner le lapin sur la ferme de la famille Botha. Dans la foulée, Riaan Botha et un autre de ses coéquipiers, Kobus Joubert, ont été condamnés à 4 ans de prison pour avoir transporté le corps de Mathola à 200 km du lieu du crime et l’avoir jeté dans un lac infesté de crocodiles. En prononçant le verdict, le juge a indiqué que la justice n’avait pas pu établir la preuve absolue du caractère raciste du meurtre. Mais il a souligné que la victime était sans défense et estimé que l’acte avait été “haineux et inutile”. (Libération, France, 3 mai 2002)

* Afrique du Sud. Appel contre Wouter Basson — L’acquittement (“faute de preuves suffisantes”) de Wouter Basson, le cerveau du programme militaire biologique et chimique du régime de l’apartheid, a divisé l’Afrique du Sud. Qualifié de “scandaleux” dans les milieux activistes noirs, et de “victoire” dans les milieux militaires blancs, le jugement de celui que l’on a surnommé “le docteur de la mort”, n’est cependant pas terminé. L’Etat vient de faire appel devant la Haute Cour de Pretoria. (Le Figaro, France, 4 mai 2002)

* South Africa. S. African mining firms resist land law — South Africa’s big mining firms have criticised a draft law which seeks to promote equal opportunities for black South Africans in the mining industry. They are unhappy with clauses on the reallocation of unexploited mineral deposits and what they view as an inadequate right of appeal. The Chamber of Mines is pressing for changes to the bill which it says fails to include amendments offered by the government in talks last summer. «What we are saying is that the bill can be made better,» the Chamber’s chief executive, Mzolisi Diliza said. «We want to ensure that there is a mining regime that is internationally competitive.» (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 6 May 2002)

* Tunisie. Accident d’un avion d’Egypt Air — Le 7 mai dans l’après-midi, un avion de ligne de la compagnie Egypt Air s’est écrasé sur une montagne proche de Tunis, dans la zone de Nahli, en essayant de se poser sur l’aéroport de Tunis-Carthage. Ce Boeing 737-500 a eu une défaillance de son train d’atterrissage et lancé un appel de détresse avant de s’écraser. Au moins 18 personnes ont trouvé la mort, alors que 33 autres, dont le pilote, ont survécu et ont été hospitalisées. Le soir, les équipes de secours poursuivaient leurs efforts pour tenter de retrouver d’autres survivants parmi les 56 passagers et 6 membres d’équipage. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8 mai 2002)

* Uganda. Rebellions on the wane? — Rebellions in Uganda seem to be retreating. Three of the four major rebel groups have all but ceased to exist, and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is under siege. Colonel Dara Maawa, in command of the Alpine Brigade operating in the Rwenzori Mountains, has announced that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) is extinct and that western Uganda is now «ADF free». The Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF)has also ceased to exist with the surrender on 20 April of its leader, Colonel Ali Bamuze, who along with 1,300 fighters crossed over into the Yumbe district in north-west Uganda. At the same time, Uganda’s authorities are keeping a close watch on Colonel Anthony Kyakabale’s newly established People’s Redemption Army (PRA). Uganda’s Defence Minister says that Colonel Kyakabale is training in neighbouring Congo RDC, in RCD-dominated areas. The Defence Minister has not ruled out the possibility of pursuing the PRA in much the same way as it has done to the LRA in Sudan. (Crespo Sebunya, ANB-BIA, Uganda, 3 May 2002)

* Zambia. Former First Lady to get state aid — 3 May: The Zambian Government has offered financial assistance to the former first lady, Vera Chiluba, after she advertised an auction of all her belongings. The ex-wife of former President Frederick Chiluba said she was in desperate need of money since her divorce. The government said that despite the private nature of her circumstances, the former first lady was entitled to state benefits and asked Mrs Chiluba to stop the auction. Mrs Chiluba is suing her former husband for more than $2.5bn — equivalent to more than three-quarters of the country’s Gross Domestic Product — as part of a divorce settlement. Local newspapers have been running reports saying Mrs Chiluba was living in poverty after her former husband allegedly froze her bank accounts. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 4 May 2002)

* Zimbabwe. Fermiers blancs chassés de chez eux — Depuis l’élection présidentielle de mars dernier, quelque 250 fermiers blancs du Zimbabwe ont été évincés de leurs propriétés par des occupants noirs et par des anciens combattants de la guerre d’indépendance, a affirmé leur représentant le 2 mai. Selon Colin Cloet, président du Syndicat des fermiers commerciaux qui rassemble essentiellement les 4.500 fermiers blancs du pays, ces occupations sont souvent opérées dans la précipitation sans que les fermiers puissent rien emporter. “Elles sont clairement illégales et déstabilisent le secteur (agricole) dans son ensemble”, a-t-il ajouté, en demandant aux autorités zimbabwéennes d’y mettre un terme. - D’autre part, le Zimbabwe, accusé régulièrement de violations flagrantes des droits humains, a été élu à la Commission des droits de l’homme des Nations unies pour représenter l’Afrique. Il devient ainsi l’un des 15 nouveaux membres élus lors de réunion de la Commission cette semaine à Genève, malgré une campagne occidentale visant à obtenir l’ouverture d’une enquête sur les violations des droits de l’homme dans ce pays. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 mai 2002)

* Zimbabwe. Tsvangirai menace de grève — Le chef de l’opposition, Morgan Tsvangirai, a menacé d’appeler à une grève générale si une nouvelle élection présidentielle n’était pas organisée, a rapporté le quotidien privé Daily News le 6 mai. Les dirigeants de la Confédération des syndicats du Zimbabwe (ZCTU), principale organisation syndicale du pays, proche de l’opposition, avaient menacé le 1er mai d’organiser une grève générale. Un précédent appel à la grève générale, lancé par la ZCTU après l’élection présidentielle, s’était soldé par un échec. (La Libre Belgique, 7 mai 2002)

* Zimbabwe. Journalists on trial — 2 May: Three journalists charged with violating Zimbabwe’s new media law by reporting false information have been released by a court in Harare. The court orders police to free Lloyd Mudiwa and Collin Chiwanza — both reporters with the independent Daily News — and Andrew Meldrum, a US national writing for Britain’s Guardian newspaper. The three were accused of breaching the law by reporting last week that a woman had been beheaded — allegedly by supporters of the ruling ZANU-PF party. The hearing was the first court challenge to the new media law, which has been condemned as an effort to stifle criticism of President Robert Mugabe. 6 May: Police arrest a columnist for Zimbabwe’s only independent daily newspaper, bringing to eight the number of journalists rounded up under harsh new media laws. Pius Wakatama was charged with publishing false information for criticizing the government’s tacit support of land seizures in a column on 4 May in The Daily News, his lawyer says. The lawyer, Lawrence Chibwe, says a driver for the paper was also brought in for questioning on 6 May and both men were later released. Wakatama will be summoned to appear in court soon, Chibwe said. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists has named Zimbabwe one of the 10 most dangerous places to be a journalist, alongside Afghanistan, Colombia and Iran. 7 May: Andrew Meldrum, the Guardian‘s correspondent in Zimbabwe is ordered by a Harare magistrate to return to court on 22 May to answer a charge of publishing false information. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 May 2002)

* Zimbabwe. Civic groups confront ZANU-PF — Daggers are drawn between civic groups and President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF government. The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), the Progressive Teachers Association, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) and the Press, to mention just a few who have expressed their anger over Zimbabwe’s «crisis in governance». Strategies are being mapped out by leaders of most of these groups, to hold a series of general strikes to press for a return to the rule of law and the scrapping of repressive laws. These groups are unanimous in their condemnation of the unprofessional conduct of journalists working in the state-run media, and have expressed their admiration for the independent media, for its courageous exposure of the government’s shortcomings. (Stan Dongo, ANB-BIA, Zimbabwe, 6 May 2002