ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belgium
TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: anb-bia@village.uunet.be
_____________________________________________________________
WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 06-27-2002

PART #2/4 - From CONGO BRAZZA to MADAGASCAR

* Congo-Brazza. Dialogue? — Le gouvernement congolais n’a pas exclu le dialogue avec la rébellion dirigée par le pasteur Frédéric Bitsangou, alias Ntumi, à l’origine des récentes attaques armées à Brazzaville, a déclaré le 20 juin le porte-parole du gouvernement, François Ibovi. Le dernier bilan officiel des combats fait état de 90 morts (80 rebelles, 5 miltaires et 5 civils), mais il serait plus élevé, selon une source militaire. Selon M. Ibovi, les Ninjas du pasteur Ntumi pourraient avoir bénéficié de complicités dans l’armée. Une enquête est en cours pour éclaircir cette question et en définir le niveau. (D’après PANA, Sénégal, 20 juin 2002)

* Congo-Brazzaville. Govt. claims military elements support Ninja rebels — 20 June: The government says it suspects that elements in the national army and some civilians are collaborating with the Ninjas of Pastor Frédéric Bitsangou, alias Jean Ntoumi, who attacked the air base and a district in the West of Brazzaville on 14 June. «We cannot rule out complicity within the army in the Ninja’s incursions. There may also be complicity among the population,» government spokesman François Ibovi told a press conference on 20 June. The official death toll from both attacks is 80 Ninjas, 5 soldiers and 5 civilians killed by stray bullets. Ibovi said there is a probe underway to ascertain the possible complicity of military and civilian elements and determine their levels of responsibility. «There may always be a surprise attack regardless of the level of vigilance» by the government, he said, urging the population to help the government by «denouncing suspicious individuals» in their districts. (PANA, Senegal, 20 June 2002)

* Congo-Brazzaville. Low turnout for vote — 23 June: The electoral commission in Congo Brazzaville says the second round of parliamentary elections passed off peacefully in most areas, although the turnout was low. Despite tight security, many voters in the capital, Brazzaville, were afraid to venture out after recent clashes between government troops and rebels opposed to President Denis Sassou-Nguesso. Voting remained postponed in eight constituencies in the southern Pool region of Congo-Brazzaville, where fighting marred the first round earlier in the month and nearly 50,000 people are displaced. The new 137-seat single chamber parliament will replace a transitional body under a constitution approved last January. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 June 2002)

* Congo-Brazza. Deuxième tour — Le dimanche 23 juin, le deuxième tour des élections législatives (qualifié de “mascarade” par l’opposition) s’est déroulé sans incident dans le pays. Un important dispositif de sécurité avait été mis en place. Cependant, la participation est restée faible. Certains électeurs étaient trop effrayés par les affrontements passés, pour retourner dans le sud de la capitale. Certains candidats ont demandé un report d’une semaine pour attendre le retour des habitants qui ont fui les combats. Selon les observateurs, le parti du président Sassou Nguesso devrait facilement emporter les élections. Ce scrutin a pour but de doter le pays d’une Assemblée nationale élue, appelée à remplacer le Conseil national de transition. Cet organe avait été mis en place après la victoire militaire, en 1997, de Nguesso sur son prédécesseur Pascal Lissouba. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 juin 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Reprise du dialogue? — Le 22 juin, l’envoyé spécial du secrétaire général de l’Onu, Moustapha Niasse, a déclaré avoir dégagé un accord de toutes les parties impliquées dans la guerre en RDC, pour la reprise du Dialogue intercongolais, après une mission de travail avec le secrétaire général du Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie (RCD) à Goma. Il avait eu également des entretiens avec le président Kabila et avec M. J.P. Bemba. Dans sa position de médiateur, M. Niasse a évité d’entrer dans le débat autour de la légitimité de l’accord cadre entre le gouvernement de Kinshasa et le Mouvement de libération du Congo (MLC). Il a souligné qu’il n’est pas le remplaçant de M. Masire, mais que sa mission est pratique et consiste à chercher un accord permettant la mise en place d’un gouvernement de transition, d’élections libres et la rédaction d’une Constitution. (PANA, Sénégal, 22 juin 2002)

* Congo (RDC) Congolese troops capture Pweto — 21 June: Congolese government troops and their allies have captured the southeastern Congolese town of Pweto, five months after rebels demilitarized the strategic town, a rebel official said today. The government troops, assisted by Rwandan and Burundian insurgents, captured the town on 20 June, killing several people and forcing the rebel civilian administrators to flee to neighbouring Zambia, said Joseph Mudumbi, foreign affairs chief of the Rwandan-backed Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD). Congolese Defense Minister Irung Awan rejected the accusation that government troops captured Pweto, but said that he was informed by UN observers that some Mayi Mayi fighters — a tribal militia allied with the Congolese government — are in the town. According to a UN resolution, Pweto is supposed to be demilitarized by all forces involved in the nearly four-year war in Congo. Hamadoun Toure, spokesman of the UN observer mission in Congo, confirmed the capture of the town and said it was in the hands of the Mayi Mayi. (CNN, USA, 21 June 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Nouveaux combats — Kivu. De nouveaux combats opposent dans le Sud-Kivu, à l’est du Congo, l’armée rwandaise aux troupes d’un leader tutsi congolais, le commandant Patrick Masunzu, un ancien officier de la rébellion du Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie (RCD) pro-rwandais, qui le considère aujourd’hui comme “déserteur”. Les combats se déroulent dans les collines de Ngoma, près de Baraka. Le commandant Masunzu, soutenu par des milices tribales autochtones Maï-Maï, a été récemment rejoint par plusieurs centaines d’hommes sous les ordres du commandant Aaron Nyamushebwa, lui aussi déserteur du RCD. En mars et avril, de violents combats ont opposé les troupes rwandaises aux hommes de Masunzu dans la région des hauts plateaux, territoire de la communauté tutsi congolaise dite des Banyamulenge. Les partisans de Masunzu signalent le regroupement forcé de près de 10.000 personnes dans ces plateaux par les forces rwandaises, qu’ils accusent de violences, notamment de viols, contre les populations civiles. L’armée rwandaise a aussi procédé à des bombardements aériens des hauts-plateaux de Minembwe, qui abritent des Banyamulenge. - Katanga. Depuis le 20 juin, les Maï-Maï occupent la localité stratégique de Pweto, dans le sud-est du Congo, a affirmé le porte-parole de la Monuc (la mission de l’Onu) le 21 juin. Le RCD avait accusé les forces pro-gouvernementales de s’être emparées de cette ville du Nord-Katanga, proche de la ligne de front et sous administration du mouvement rebelle. Les Maï-Maï combattent majoritairement aux côtés du gouvernement de Kinshasa, contre le RCD. Le RCD-Goma, qui n’entend pas renoncer à Pweto, a demandé au président Kabila de retirer les forces pro-gouvernementales, en invitant le Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU à faire pression sur l’exécutif de Kabila. Dans le cas contraire, le RCD-Goma menace de lancer l’attaque contre Pweto. Kinshasa, de son côté, a nié toute implication dans cette affaire qui ne serait qu’un prétexte pour une rupture du cessez-le-feu. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 juin 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Prison de Kinshasa: un mouroir — Le 22 juin, l’ONG congolaise la Voix des sans voix a publié la liste d’une quarantaine de personnes décédées entre le début de mars et la mi-juin au Centre pénitentiaire et de rééducation de Kinshasa (l’ex-prison de Makala). L’ONG déplore cette recrudescence de décès, favorisée par le manque de nourriture et de médicaments. Elle dénonce aussi les traitements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants qui sont infligés aux détenus. Et elle stigmatise la surpopulation, la mauvaise tenue des installations hygiéniques et la promiscuité, qui contribuent sensiblement à la détérioration des conditions carcérales.lang1036 + (D’après DIA, Kinshasa, 24 juin 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Et maintenant l’or noir… — La compagnie pétrolière Heritage Oil a annoncé la conclusion d’un important contrat en République démocratique du Congo: elle a obtenu les droits exclusifs pour développer l’exploitation et le transport du pétrole dans une zone de 31.160 km2 (à peu près la superficie de la Belgique) et les premiers forages devraient commencer cet été. Cette information, purement économique en apparence, donne un autre éclairage à l’actualité congolaise et en particulier à la situation qui prévaut dans l’Ituri, la province voisine de l’Ouganda, où des troubles ethniques mettent aux prises les deux principaux groupes, les Lendu et les Hema. En effet, les forages de Heritage Oil vont avoir lieu sur les rives du lac Albert, voisin de Bunia la capitale de l’Ituri. Les réserves potentielles du lac Albert sont évaluées à un milliard de barils ce qui ferait du Graben est-africain (le sud de la vallée du Rift qui court à travers toute l’Afrique de l’Est) le rival potentiel de l’Angola. (D’après C.Braeckman, Le Soir, Belgique, 25 juin 2002)

* Côte d’Ivoire. Prison pour les putschistes — Ahmed Bassam, un homme d’affaires, et Kambiré Sié, un militaire, accusés tous deux d’avoir fomenté le putsch manqué de janvier 2001 en Côte d’Ivoire, ont été condamnés, le 24 juin, à vingt ans de prison par la cour d’assises d’Abidjan. (Libération, France, 25 juin 2002)

* Côte d’Ivoire. Coup plotters convicted — 25 June: A court has sentenced two men to 20 years in prison for their alleged involvement in a coup attempt last year. The prosecution described one of the accused, the businessman Ahmed Bassam, as the leader of the failed coup. Last month six other people were jailed for their involvement in the alleged plot, and eleven people were acquitted. The exact details of the conspiracy are vague. Defence lawyers maintained that there had never been a plot and that the trial was politically motivated. Members of the opposition say the trial reflects increasing tension between the government and the mainly Muslim opposition in the north of Côte d’Ivoire in the run-up to district elections next month. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 June 2002)

* Côte d’Ivoire. Affrontements à un meeting — Les préparatifs pour la tenue d’un meeting prévu le 25 juin à Daloa (350 km à l’ouest d’Abidjan) ont tourné à l’affrontement entre militants de différents partis politiques, faisant 4 morts et 27 blessés, dont la plupart par balles, a indiqué un responsable local du Rassemblement des républicains (RPR, opposition). Ce bilan, qui n’a pu être confirmé, fait également état de la destruction de trois édifices religieux (deux mosquées et une église) et celle de nombreux biens privés, à la suite de véritables scènes d’émeute qui ont duré toute la journée. Le calme serait revenu dans la soirée. La ville de Daloa, qui est administrée par la formation politique dirigée par l’ancien Premier ministre Alassane Ouattara, est située en plein coeur du pays bété, l’ethnie du président Gbagbo.lang1036 + (PANA, Sénégal, 26 juin 2002)

* Côte d’Ivoire. Market razed in clashes — 26 June: A market has been burnt down in the central Ivory Coast town of Daloa and police suspect a political motive. The government has imposed a two-day curfew from dusk until dawn in an attempt to halt the violence. The market fire came a day after three people were shot dead and about 30 more injured in clashes between rival political parties. Supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo’s ruling FPI party fought with activists from Alassane Ouattara’s RDR party. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 June 2002)

* Egypt. Egypt rejects provisional Palestinian state — On 19 June, Egypt and Jordan rejected the idea of a provisional Palestinian state, a concept they fear will emerge in President George W. Bush’s anticipated speech on the Middle East. Arab leaders have grown worried in recent days by reports that Mr Bush will endorse the creation of a Palestinian state without specified borders. His speech, expected on 19 June, was delayed following Tuesday’s suicide bomb attack in Israel that killed 19 Israelis and a further explosion on 20 June. Both Egypt and Saudi Arabia have lobbied the US administration to back a Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders, with the details of the boundaries to be negotiated between Palestinians and Israelis over a limited period. Although most western governments — and Israel’s Labour party — have long assumed that any future Palestinian state would exist on virtually all the land occupied in 1967, that notion has been adamantly rejected by the rightwing Israeli government. But Arab and Israeli officials now expect the speech to try to satisfy both sides by adopting the idea of an interim Palestinian state and calling for negotiations on its final borders. (Financial Times, UK, 29 June 2002)

* Eritrea. Eritreans boycott war dead ceremonies — 20 June: Eritreans around the world are remembering their war dead, but this year’s commemorations may prove more divisive. The country has been at war for most of the past 40 years, and for a nation of just over three million people, it has suffered a disproportionate number of dead. In the 1960s they launched a war of independence against Ethiopia, that brought independence, but at the cost of 70,000 lives. And then — after a brief respite in the 1990s — the country was fighting Ethiopia once again, this time over their disputed border. Traditionally Eritreans gather at the cathedral in the capital, Asmara, to honour their dead. And the large exile community finds its own ways of commemorating their people’s sacrifices. But this year could be very different for the Eritrean diaspora. A wave of arrests of senior government politicians last September, and the repression of the country’s free press has left the community divided. Many Eritreans will boycott official ceremonies organised by their embassies around the world. In countries as far apart as Sweden and the United States, Eritreans will be lighting their candles of remembrance away from the official commemorations — a reflection of how events have become politicised in the Eritrean community. (BBC News, UK, 20 June 2002)

* Ethiopia. Korea donates 1,000 footballs to Ethiopian children — World Cup host Korea donated 1,000 footballs to Ethiopian children on 25 June and said soccer could play a role in fighting HIV/AIDS. The children were handed the footballs by the Korean ambassador, Kim Chang-soo, who said the World Cup should promote the rights of young people.Gizaw Teklemariam, president of the Ethiopian Olympic Committee and Football Federation, said the donation would help keep young people healthy. «This is especially important at this time when our young people are facing the bitter reality of the HIV/AIDS epidemic,» he said. In Ethiopia, the virus has orphaned one million children and infected more than 250,000. Ibrahim Jabr, the head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) office in Ethiopia, said football could play a key role in fighting the virus. «With determination and hard work, it is possible to win against great odds,» he said. «This is an important message for us in Ethiopia. This country faces developmental challenges. Football is an important factor to build self-esteem among the young people of Ethiopia, and hope for a better future.» (IRIN, 25 June 2002)

* Kenya. Confusion over poll date — 21 June: President Daniel arap Moi of Kenya has said according to the current schedule the country’s general election will be held by the end of the year. But the veteran leader also defended parliament’s right to change the poll date. There was furious criticism both from Kenyans and foreign diplomats when the president’s ruling party, Kanu, proposed to extend parliament until well into next year. But the president’s remarks have only added to the confusion, making it one of the most confusing weeks in Kenyan politics for a long time. At first it looked as if the polls might be postponed. Then the president weighed in suggesting they would not — or did he? (ANB-BIA, Brussels 21 June 2002)

* Liberia. New refugee crisis in Liberia — 20 June: The United Nations food agency has warned that West Africa faces a new refugee crisis as Liberians fleeing fighting pour into neighbouring countries. The World Food Programme (WFP) says concern is also increasing for the welfare of thousands of internally displaced Liberians driven from their home areas by the outbreak of hostilities between rebels and the forces of President Charles Taylor. Relief officials fear they will not have the resources to cope with the new emergency. With Liberia engulfed in a new civil war since February, neighbouring countries are struggling to cope with an influx of wretched civilians fleeing the fighting. The WFP is appealing for donations to help it cope with what its regional director, Manuel da Silva, says is an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 20 June 2002)

* Madagascar. USA recognises Ravalomanana — 20 June: Madagascar’s newly-proclaimed president, Marc Ravalomanana, has withdrawn an offer of amnesty for his rival claimant, Didier Ratsiraka. Mr Ravalomanana accused the country’s former leader of involvement in an attempt to send a group of French mercenaries to Madagascar to try to destabilise the new government. Mr Ratsiraka left Madagascar for France last week, and the Ravalomanana government says that if he returns, he will be prosecuted for trying to seek weapons and allies abroad. 21 June: In a Press Release, Amnesty International says that talks on the political crisis being held today in Addis Ababa, must address the deteriorating human rights situation. 22 June: The Organisation of African Unity has decided to freeze Madagascar’s seat until a constitutional and legitimate government is established there. At an OAU emergency meeting in Addis Ababa, delegates decided that neither Mr Ravalomanana nor Mr Ratsiraka could be said to be the legitimate government and called for new elections. The eight-hour meeting ran into the early hours of this morning. 23 June: Didier Ratsiraka, has insisted he is the rightful leader, after returning to the divided island following several days abroad. Mr Ratsiraka, who left Madagascar on a surprise trip to Paris on 14 June, also denied allegations that he hired mercenaries to kill Marc Ravalomanana. 25 June: Dozens of people have been used as a human shield by former president Didier Ratsiraka’s supporters in one of his two remaining strongholds on the island. Around 70 people who had been chained to the railings of the governor’s office in Antsiranana on 24 June were later taken to a military camp by their captors. The people used to make up the human shield are reported by Mr Ratsiraka’s camp to be Mr Ravalomanana’s mercenaries captured in combat, but witnesses said they were itinerant traders from the same ethnic group as Mr Ravalomanana. This latest development in the crisis which has pitted the two men against each other since they ran for the presidential election in December, comes 24 hours after Mr Ravalomanana said that his camp would soon control the two provinces held by Mr Ratsiraka. 26 June: The United States is the first major power to formally recognise Marc Ravalomanana as Madagascar’s president. A letter from President George W Bush is presented, today, to Mr Ravalomanana, by the US Ambassador. Also, today, ambassadors from all the major donor countries, except former colonial power France, attend an independence day speech by Mr Ravalomanana. Other western countries look set to follow the US lead, with the possible exception of France. Mr Ravalomanana, however, said he expected France to recognise him soon. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 June 2002)