* South Africa. Cricket’s World Cup opens — 9 February: Now that the cricket World Cup has got under way in Cape Town, South African papers celebrate the occasion — though fears about politics remain. Pictures of the ceremony feature on many front pages, with the Mail and Guardian typical in its coverage. «The only cloud of the night, literally, hung over Table Mountain, but Newlands... was awash with sound and colour,» it enthuses. It alludes to worries about England’s match in Zimbabwe but does not allow these to dampen its mood. «It would be stretching a point to say that the World Cup is already smoothly up and running, but it couldn’t have asked for a better introduction than that provided at Newlands,» it concludes. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 9 February 2003)

* Sudan. 3rd phase of peace talks end on a positive note — The third phase of the talks underway in Kenya for an end to Sudan’s civil war, have concluded on a positive note. It seems the positions of the government and the SPLA are becoming closer. The delegations of the two sides defined procedures for the sharing of power and the division of proceeds from the exploitation of the nation’s immense oil resources. The government and the SPLA came to an agreement for the formation of a government of national unity that will guide the nation until the next democratic elections, and also established the formation of a mixed commission to work on a draft constitution. (MISNA, Italy, 7 February 2003)

* Sudan. Thousands displaced by fighting — On 9 February, a US monitoring team said thousands of southern Sudanese civilians have been displaced by recent fighting between the warring sides to the African country’s 20-year-old civil conflict. «Regardless of which party may be responsible... many thousands of civilians have been forcibly displaced from their villages by direct military attack,» according said Brigadier Herbert Lloyd, manager of the Civilian Protection Monitoring team in a report released at a press conference at the US Embassy in Khartoum. Herbert was referring to Lara, Tam, Nhialdou, Leel and villages south of Mankien and Mayo — all areas in Western Upper Nile region of southern Sudan where a cease-fire was agreed upon in October. Throughout January, Herbert’s team travelled to Western Upper Nile areas to inspect the affects of clashes between troops belonging to the Khartoum-based government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army. «What has happened is horrific and sad,» US Charge d’Affaires Jeff Millington said during the press conference. «The government of Sudan bears responsibility for most of this. We are here to work with both parties to help reach the most valuable objective to stop fighting.» (CNN, USA, 10 February 2003)

* Sudan. Killing fields discovered in Southern Sudan — An international team of investigators discovered fields of human remains, including those of children, in the Upper Nile province of southern Sudan, a group says. In a statement, the Centre for Religious Freedom, a division of Freedom House, said, «Interviews with local survivors confirmed that the remains were those of victims of an unprovoked attack [on] the unarmed civilian villages of Liang, Dengaji, Kawaji and Yawaji in April of 2002. It is estimated that from one-third to one-half of the 6,000 civilians originally living in the region were killed in the attack,» the centre added. «The attackers were reported by the survivors to be the Sudan regular army from the Boing Garrison, commanded by Brigadier General Ibrahim Saleh,» the Centre for Religious Freedom reported. Striking in the early morning while the villagers slept, the heavily armed Government of Sudan soldiers began killing the unarmed residents and burning their houses. The attackers were reportedly armed with 60 mm mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, 12.7 mm heavy machine guns and AK-47 assault rifles.» (Zenith, Italy, 10 February 2003)

* Ouganda. 4.500 enfants enlevés en 2002 — Au cours de l’année 2002, le mouvement rebelle de l’Armée de résistance du Seigneur (LRA) a enlevé quelque 4.500 enfants dans le nord de l’Ouganda, selon un rapport d’une commission de l’ONU. Un chiffre bien supérieur à celui de l’année précédente. D’après le rapport, on ignore combien de ces enfants enlevés ont pu rentrer chez eux, combien ont été tués et combien sont toujours aux mains de la LRA. Toutefois, selon Els De Temmerman — qui s’occupe à Gulu des enfants échappés ou libérés —, plus de 3.400 enfants ont été délivrés depuis juin 2002. Certains avaient été détenus durant six ans par la LRA. La commission onusienne a demandé au ministre américain Colin Powell de prendre une initiative pour mettre fin à cette guerre civile. Selon un leader de la population acholi, les rebelles seraient d’accord d’entamer des négociations de paix, si la communauté internationale y était impliquée. (D’après De Standaard, Belgique, 7 février 2003)

* Ouganda. La Croix-Rouge suspend ses opérations — Le 11 février, la Croix-Rouge ougandaise a annoncé la suspension de ses opérations dans le nord du pays, après une embuscade rebelle où six de ses employés ont été blessés et admis à l’hôpital dans un état critique. La Croix-Rouge est chargée de porter secours à des milliers de personnes ayant fui les combats dans les provinces de Gulu, Pader et Kitgum. Les combats avec l’armée se sont intensifiés ces derniers mois, faisant grimper le nombre de réfugiés de 500.000 à 800.000 en un an. (Le Figaro, France, 12 février 2003)

* Uganda. The Baganda call for federalism and autonomy — It was the biggest protest Uganda had seen for years. On January 28th, a crowd—200,000-strong, by the police’s perhaps exaggerated estimate—marched through the normally traffic-choked streets of Kampala, Uganda’s capital. The men wore long white tunics; the women colourful dresses with huge shoulder pads—the traditional garb of Buganda, the ancient kingdom from which Uganda derives its name. What did they want? «Federo!» chanted the marchers. The Baganda, Uganda’s biggest tribe, want a new federal constitution, with their kingdom as a semi-autonomous state. Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, has to take them seriously. Like many African countries, Uganda is less a nation than an agglomeration of peoples, arbitrarily thrown together by British colonial map-drawers. The Baganda, a quarter of the country’s 24m people, dominate the relatively prosperous south, and are fiercely proud of their history. Baganda politicians like to point out that when the British «discovered» Lake Victoria, their tribe was already living in a flourishing state there, ruled by a hereditary king, the kabaka.The present kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, still lives in a palace in Kampala. But today he rules little beyond his court. A federal constitution could change that; the king and his parliament of appointees and clan leaders want the power to make laws, and to tax and spend. They also want Kampala, now a bustling, multi-ethnic city, re-incorporated into the kingdom. (The Economist, UK, 8-14 February 2003)

* Uganda. Troubled areas — 10 February: The Ugandan Red Cross Society has announced that it is suspending its relief operation in the north of the country, after one of its convoys was ambushed by the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Six Red Cross volunteers were injured — three of them seriously — when they were attacked on 8 February. Their radio equipment and personal possessions were stolen, and their vehicles were damaged. Meanwhile, 10 people and also students returning to school for the first day of term, were killed in an LRA ambush on 9 February. The LRA is the remnant of a rebellion in northern Uganda which erupted after President Yoweri Museveni seized power in 1986. It has achieved an international reputation for brutality, and for forcibly recruiting child soldiers — although LRA leaders deny doing so. 12 February: At least 13 people have been killed and more than 2,000 others forced to flee in ethnic clashes in north-western Uganda. The fighting between the Lendu and Alur communities in Nebbi District was sparked off by the theft of timber and an ensuing revenge attack, police say. Police authorities in the region have asked the government for reinforcements as «the conflicts in neighbouring Congo RDC spill into Uganda», the daily New Vision reports. Thousands of people have been killed in ethnic tensions in the region, mostly on the Congolese side of the border where the Lendu have been fighting with the rival Hema community. Members of the Alur and Kebu communities razed half a dozen Lendu villages to the ground in the revenge attack near Nebbi town on 7 February. «Six villages were completely destroyed, hundreds of huts burnt, property looted and more than 2,000 people are without homes,» Samson Onyai, Nebbi District police commander said. (BBC News, UK, 12 February 2003)

* Zambia. Ruling party wins by-election — 7 February: Zambia’s ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) has scored an important victory by holding on to their parliamentary seat in rural Keembe, about 100km north of Lusaka. No official results have yet been released, but Anderson Mazoka’s United Party for National Development (UPND) has conceded defeat, even though it accuses the MMD of buying votes with beer and maize. Estimates from the ground indicate a MMD win with a resounding 70% of the vote. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 7 February 2003)

* Zambie. Des terres contre la faim — Le gouvernement zambien a annoncé, le 4 février, son intention de donner des terres aux fermiers. Avec un objectif: relancer l’agriculture nationale moribonde pour mieux lutter contre la famine et moins dépendre des exportations de minerais. Le projet concerne 190.000 hectares, situés dans le centre et le sud du pays, qui seront divisés en lopins de terre de 1.000 hectares chacun. Les fermiers bénéficiaires de ces terres devront produire du maïs, du tabac, des légumes, des fleurs et des fruits. (JA/I, France, 9-15 février 2003)

* Zambia. Re-thinking privatisation — 11 February: President Levy Mwanawasa has told a delegation from the International Monetary Fund he wants to re-think the country’s privatisation programme. Mr Mwanawasa said privatisation of crucial state enterprises had led to poverty, asset stripping and job losses. Privatisation is important for Zambia because the IMF and other western banks will cancel $3bn of the country’s $6.5bn debt, provided the agreed privatisation programme is seen through. Zambia’s government must also show this year that it is managing the economy well. The Zambian president said that although he supported privatisation in principle, mismanagement by his predecessor Frederick Chiluba had caused the southern African country great misery. «There has been no significant benefit to the country,» Mr Mwanawasa told the IMF‘s assistant director for Africa Robert Sharer. «Privatisation has contributed to high levels of poverty, loss of employment and asset stripping. This administration felt that it is necessary and essential to revisit the method by which government exits itself from public property.» (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 11 February 2003)

* Zimbabwe. Tsvangirai trial — 6 February: Lawyers defending Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai have accused the key prosecution witness of being a serial fraudster. They say that Canada-based political consultant Ari Ben-Menashe video-taped a meeting with Mr Tsvangirai as part of a government plot to stifle the opposition. Mr Ben-Menashe, a former Israeli intelligence officer, says the three contracted him to assassinate President Robert Mugabe before last year’s elections. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 6 February 2003)

* Zimbabwe. L’UE reconduit les sanctions — Le 5 février, les pays de l’Union européenne ont trouvé un “accord de principe” sur la reconduction pour un an des sanctions contre le Zimbabwe et les dérogations qui pourront être accordées à des dirigeants zimbabwéens pour pouvoir participer à des réunions en Europe, malgré leur interdiction de séjour. Cet accord entérine, de fait, le compromis négocié le 7 janvier entre Paris et Londres, la France ne s’opposant pas à la prorogation de sanctions jugées inopérantes, la Grande-Bretagne acceptant en échange la participation du président du Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, au prochain sommet franco-africain, les 20 et 21 février à Paris. En revanche, quant à la venue du chef de l’Etat zimbabwéen au sommet Europe-Afrique, début avril à Lisbonne, l’UE s’est donnée encore une semaine pour persuader Harare d’y envoyer son ministre des Affaires étrangères, moins encombrant sur la traditionnelle photo de famille. A moins d’obtenir ce compromis, également envisagé dans les concertations franco-britanniques préalables, le sommet de Lisbonne devra être reporté. (Le Monde, France, 7 février 2003)

* Zimbabwe. The SADC Bishops’ Statement on Zimbabwe — In a Media Statement, the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SADC) said that the Zimbabwean crisis requires urgent and direct intervention by the South African Government, in the same way that the government has played a leading role in the resolution of other political conflicts on the African continent. The Bishops said: «There are deeply disturbing signs that Zimbabwe is on the brink of total breakdown into civil war, with massive food and fuel shortages, and increasing levels of organised state terror». (SADC, 7 February 2003)

* Zimbabwe. Deux députés arrêtés — Durant le week-end du 8-9 février, la police a arrêté deux députés de l’opposition pour avoir organisé des rassemblements sans autorisation. Selon la police, Tendait Biti et Paul Madzore, députés du Mouvement pour le changement démocratique (MDC), le principal parti d’opposition, ont passé outre les lois sur la sécurité en organisant une maifestation dans la capitale sans autorisation. Les deux hommes ont été placés en garde à vue et devaient comparaître lundi devant le tribunal pour répondre à l’accusation de trouble à l’ordre public et de violation de la loi sur la sécurité. Le MDC a accusé à plusieurs reprises le gouvernement de se servir des lois sur la sécurité pour réprimer ses activités, particulièrement dans le cadre de ses campagnes d’information. (PANA, Sénégal, 9 février 2003)

* Zimbabwe. Procès Tsvangirai dans l’impasse — Le 10 février, le procès intenté au leader de l’opposition zimbabwéenne, Morgan Tsvangirai, accusé d’avoir comploté pour assassiner le président Mugabe l’année dernière, est entré dans une impasse du fait des divergences enregistrées au sujet d’un contrat qui aurait été signé entre l’Etat et le principal témoin à charge. La défense exige de l’Etat qu’il mette à disposition un exemplaire du contrat que le gouvernement a conclu avec Ari Ben-Menashe, qui prétend que sa société Dickens and Madson, basée au Canada, avait été contactée par des responsables du Mouvement pour le changement démocratique (MDC) afin d’assassiner Mugabe avant l’élection présidentielle du mois de mars 2002. Cependant, l’Etat a refusé d’accéder à la demande, affirmant que la publication des détails du contrat mettrait en cause la sécurité nationale. Le juge a suspendu les débats, et devra se prononcer sur la possibilité de contraindre l’Etat à révéler le contenu du contrat. — Le 12 février, le procès s’est poursuivi à huis clos. Le ministre de la Sécurité a signé un certificat pour empêcher Menashe de révéler les détails du contrat et a proposé de témoigner à huis clos pour expliquer comment cette information pourrait remettre en cause la sécurité nationale. Le juge Paddington Garwe, qui préside la cour chargée de l’affaire, a accédé à la requête du gouvernement, tout en affirmant que du fait de la gravité des accusations, il importe que la cour entende tous les témoignages possibles. (PANA, Sénégal, 10-12 février 2003)

* Zimbabwe. Cricket World Cup turmoil — 10 February: It promised to begin like any game of cricket, which was amazing enough in itself. All the agonizing about security and protests came down to groups of people converging on Harare Sports Club with a singular, unthreatening purpose: to watch Zimbabwe’s World Cup match against Namibia. But, moments before the players took the field, the atmosphere changed. A sheet of paper was handed to each journalist in the pressbox and printed on it was a statement signed by Andy Flower and Henry Olonga. «It is a great honour for us to take the field today to play for Zimbabwe in the World Cup,» it began gently. But the tone soon changed. «We cannot in good conscience take to the field and ignore the fact that millions of our compatriots are starving, unemployed and oppressed. We are aware that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans may even die in the coming months through a combination of starvation, poverty and Aids. We are aware that many people have been unjustly imprisoned and tortured simply for expressing their opinions about what is happening in the country. We have heard a torrent of racist hate speech directed at minority groups. We are aware that thousands of Zimbabweans are routinely denied their right to freedom of expression. We are aware that people have been murdered, raped, beaten and had their homes destroyed because of their beliefs and that many of those responsible have not been prosecuted.» The list of charges went on - and the pair also vowed to wear a black armband to mourn «the death of democracy». The courage of their words took many a hardened hack’s breath away, and in an instant they were winging their way around the world. (England has told the International Cricket Council that the team will not play its opening World Cup match in Zimbabwe — but a question mark still hangs over the game). 11 February: England will not play their World Cup opener against Zimbabwe in Harare on 13 February. But there is a chance the game could be relocated to South Africa later in the tournament. The England and Wales Cricket Board decided to pull out of the fixture because of fears over player safety. At the end of last week, it emerged the England team had received death threats from an organisation called the «Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe». (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 11 February 2003)

* Zimbabwe. Soutien du Nigeria — Le président nigérian Olusegun Obasanjo a demandé la réintégration du Zimbabwe, exclu depuis un an du Commonwealth. Dans une lettre adressée au Premier ministre australien, John Howard, qui préside la troïka du Commonwealth, M. Obasanjo estime “le temps voulu de lever les sanctions” contre le régime du président Robert Mugabe et affirme être soutenu par l’Afrique du Sud. L’Australie, l’Afrique du Sud et le Nigeria forment une “troïka” mandatée pour réexaminer la mesure de suspension prise en 2002. (Libération, France, 12 février 2003)

* Zimbabwe. Re: Suspensions and sanctions — 9 February: Nigeria wants Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe to make changes to help ease Western sanctions imposed over his controversial re-election and land seizures, government and African diplomatic sources say today. Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo paid a brief visit to Harare on 8 February and held talks with Mugabe, a month before a review of Zimbabwe’s suspension from the 54-nation Commonwealth. Officials from both countries refuse to discuss details of Obasanjo’s talks with Mugabe and with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, but some Harare-based African diplomats say the Nigerian leader has urged Mugabe to soften some of his policies to make it easier for those working to help him. 10 February: It’s becoming clear that South Africa and Nigeria do not want Zimbabwe’s one-year suspension from the Commonwealth to be renewed when it ends in March. Australia’s Prime Minister John Howard says the South African and Nigerian leaders have told him that they do not agree with his view that further measures should be taken against Zimbabwe because of political and human rights violations. 12 February: The European Union has renewed its sanctions against Zimbabwe for a further 12 months, but will allow President Robert Mugabe to travel to a summit in Paris next week. At a meeting in Brussels, today, diplomats agreed to a temporary «opt-out» for France, which is hosting a meeting of Franco-African leaders on human rights. The current measures include a ban on President Robert Mugabe and 71 of his officials travelling to Europe, because of concerns about political repression and human rights abuses. The Commonwealth looks set, however, to end its suspension of Zimbabwe after Nigeria and South Africa argued that the situation had improved in the past 12 months. Nigeria, South Africa and Australia were charged with monitoring events in Zimbabwe on behalf of the grouping of former British colonies. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has written to Australian Prime Minister John Howard, saying that Mr Mugabe’s controversial land redistribution programme is now proceeding normally. Both sets of sanctions were imposed a year ago, around the time of the presidential elections. Mr Mugabe was accused of using violence and fraud to ensure his re-election. France had opposed extending the travel ban, and African countries had warned they would not go to Paris without Mr Mugabe. France believes it is better to engage Mr Mugabe in dialogue, but several other EU members say he should not be allowed into Europe at all. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 12 February 2003)

* Zimbabwe. A country with serious economic problems — 10 February: The continued political unrest in Zimbabwe and the raft of economic problems now facing the country is having a damaging effect on the workforce. According to the ACCA in Harare — a body that represents chartered accountants — thousands of professionals have already left the nation. The medical profession has also been badly effected forcing Zimbabwe to recruit personnel from other regions. But the exodus could bring some unexpected economic benefits. Political uncertainty, sporadic violence and the daily problems of food and fuel shortages are taking their toll on Zimbabwe’s white collar workforce. Accountants, engineers, doctors and teachers alike are finding it impossible to maintain their standard of living in the face of rampant inflation. The World Bank estimates that the level of inflation will reach 500% this year. In 2002, more than 6,000 professionals left the country. Most have joined the growing Zimbabwean expatriate communities in Britain, South Africa and Botswana. But others have settled in regions as far afield as the Caribbean and Australia. An ACCA spokesman, who did not wish to be named, said there were plentiful opportunities for accountants who choose to leave. «Worldwide there is an acute shortage of accountants therefore our members are highly mobile,» he said. «Regardless of the economic situation we are facing, they have always been in demand in the region and across the globe.» Other professionals such as doctors and nurses are also finding work in countries where their skills are in short supply, for example in Britain. That is causing a problem back in Zimbabwe, which has had to recruit medical staff from other regions. In private sector, it is a different story. Although many workers are leaving, there are plenty of candidates to take their place — because so many companies are closing their doors, as the economic climate worsens. Although the general picture is bleak, there is an unexpected bonus for Zimbabwe from this skills drain. Last year, Zimbabweans living abroad collectively sent home more than $40m a month —providing a welcome boost for the country’s depleted foreign reserves. 12 February: Economically troubled Zimbabwe is reportedly preparing to abandon its privatisation programme due to national security concerns. «There is a deliberate policy shift by the government, which now wants to ensure the viability of key parastatals rather than selling them off,» a Privatization Agency of Zimbabwe (PAZ) official told state media. Air Zimbabwe, the heavily indebted airline, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa), National Railways of Zimbabwe, the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe and TelOne were named as state-owned companies that may now not be sold. 13 February: MISNA reports that Kuwait hs offered Zimbabwe 90 tonnes of maize-meal. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 13 February 2003)