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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 16-04-2003

* Rwanda. November — Presidential and parliamentary elections — The Rwandan government has set November as the month in which it will hold presidential and parliamentary elections. The actual date has not been fixed, but according to the Permanent Rwandan Electoral Commission, this will be known before the referendum set for May 26. As the day draws  nearer, more candidates are coming out to announce their intention of challenging President Paul Kagame for the top office. Key among these is former Prime Minister Faustin Twagiramungu, a vocal critic of the current government currently exiled in belgium. The other is Jean Niposene Nayinzira, a former minister and also president of the Christian Democratic Party, one of the eight parties in the eight-year coalition government. (The EastAfrican, Kenya, 13 April 2003)

* Rwanda. Genocide widows weave symbols of reconciliation — Sitting on a traditional three-legged stool, Agnes Hirere patiently weaves papyrus and sisal fibres to make a basket with a conical top that has become the symbol of Rwanda. But after hours of weaving intricate patterns in the basket on her lap, the Tutsi woman stands up and says her scars are throbbing — a painful reminder of the 1994 genocide in which she lost both a husband and her health. Hutu neighbours attacked her home at the outset of the 100-day slaughter in April 1994, clubbing her husband to death and leaving her unconscious in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds and cuts on her body. Hirere, 41, survived because another Hutu neighbour took her in and secretly treated her wounds for four days before pushing her out as the slaughter escalated, claiming the lives of more than a half-million Tutsis and political moderates from the Hutu majority. «I never recovered properly...I suffer severe pain if I exert myself even today,» Hirere said. «And I was not educated enough for a desk job, which limits my options for earning a living to weaving these baskets.» Traditionally, weavers made wall panels for the round, thatched dwellings that dotted the hillsides of Rwanda, traps for hunting, clothing, beds, mats and other household decorations, said Deo Byanafashe, dean of the arts faculty at the National University in Butare. But the fine basketry, originally the province of women in the court of Tutsi kings and great chiefs, has evolved from a status symbol to a means of weaving Tutsi and Hutu families together today. Known as «agaseke» in Kinyarwanda, the national language, they symbolize reconciliation as they are woven by Tutsi and Hutu genocide widows struggling to rebuild lives destroyed by the slaughter orchestrated by the former extremist Hutu government, said Aurea Kayiganwa of the association of genocide widows, or AVEGA. (CNN, USA, 14 April 2003)

* Rwanda. Dissolution du MDR — Dans la nuit du 14 avril, l’Assemblée nationale de transition, le Parlement rwandais, a adopté le rapport d’enquête parlementaire recommandant la dissolution du Mouvement démocratique républicain (MDR), le principal parti hutu et un des huit partis politiques agréés au Rwanda. L’Assemblée, dominée par le Front patriotique rwandais et ses alliés, reproche à ce parti, pourtant membre de la coalition gouvernementale, sa présumée «idéologie “divisionniste”».plain + (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 15 avril 2003)

* Senegal. Ferry disaster probed — 14 April: French prosecutors have launched an inquiry into the sinking of the Senegalese Joola ferry off the coast of Gambia. More than 1,800 people died last September in the accident — more than three times the number of passengers legally permitted on the vessel. The ferry was sailing between southern Senegal and the capital, Dakar, in the north. Two French magistrates were mandated this month to investigate how the ferry came to be so overloaded. Thirty Europeans, including some French nationals, were among those who died. There were only 64 survivors. A report published last November concluded that the accident had been caused by overloading and negligence on the part of the boat’s operators, the Senegalese navy and rescue services. The marine consultants who supervised the construction of the ferry, Ingo Schlueter, in Germany, said the Joola was allowed to travel as far as 37 km off the coast. More importantly, it had to be no more than six hours away from the coast. According to a diver who took part in the rescue efforts, the Joola was 35 km off the Gambian coast when it capsized but it was about 11 hours away from the coast. At the time of the accident, the Joola had only recently resumed service after undergoing repairs. The ferry, which normally travelled between Dakar and Ziguinchor twice a week, was doing just one voyage per week as one of the engines had been repaired and needed to be run in. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 14 April 2003)

* Sénégal. Code de la famille — Des musulmans sénégalais ont lancé une offensive pour un nouveau code de la famille. Les confréries et mouvements islamistes du Sénégal réclament un code basé sur la charia (la loi islamique) qui viendrait remplacer le code actuel, en vigueur depuis 1972. Des tribunaux islamiques seraient créés. Le code ne s’appliquerait qu’aux musulmans, largement majoritaires dans le pays. (La Croix, France, 15 avril 2003)

* Sierra Leone. Release demanded — 10 April: Senior members of the former Kamajor pro-government militia group who fought against rebels in Sierra Leone have called for the release of their leader. Samuel Hinga Norman, a former interior minister, pleaded not guilty to war crimes charges in a special UN court trying alleged ring leaders of a 10-year brutal civil war. In a statement, the Kamajors said their actions were in defence of the people of Sierra Leone. Mr Norman’s supporters are angry that he is been put in the same bracket as the RUF rebels who some have accused of cutting off the limbs of civilians. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 10 April 2003)

* Sierra Leone. Truth and Reconciliation Commission — 14 April: The first public hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are now taking  place. The Commission will take the testimony from some 700 victims and participants in the civil war which ended in 2001. But the body has not been given the power to grant amnesties. The Commission hearings are taking place at the same time as early indictments at a special UN war crimes tribunal. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 14 April 2003)

* Somalia. Somaliland gears up for poll — 12 April: Campaigning for the presidency of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland ends today, with three candidates promising peace and recognition by the international community. On 14 April, more than a million voters will cast their ballots in the country’s first multi-party presidential election. The current leader of Somaliland, Dahir Riyaale Kahin, is being challenged by candidates from two opposition parties. Mr Kahin took office last year, following the death of the long-standing leader of the breakaway republic, Mohamed Egal, in May. Somaliland announced its secession in 1991, as the rest of Somalia descended into anarchy. Mr Egal was elected president two years later, but the territory has never won international recognition. The three parties have given themselves names in the Somali language. They are: The ruling UDUB, or United Peoples Party; the Kulmiye party, which translates as: «bringing people together»; the UCID or Welfare and Development Party. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 12 April 2003)

* Somalie. Présidentielle au Somaliland — Le 14 avril, la république autoproclamée du Somaliland a organisé sa première élection présidentielle. Cette région du nord-ouest de la Somalie a fait sécession en 1991, peu après le début de la guerre civile qui ravage la Somalie, mais n’est pas reconnue internationalement. (Libération, France, 15 avril 2003)

* Afrique du Sud. Dédommager les victimes de l’apartheid — L’Etat sud-africain versera 30.000 rands (environ 3.900 euros) au titre de réparations “finales” à chacune des milliers de victimes de l’apartheid, en réponse aux recommandations de la Commission vérité et réconciliation, a annoncé le président Thabo Mbeki le 15 avril. “Le gouvernement fournira une enveloppe, en une fois, de 30.000 rands aux individus ou survivants désignés par la Commission”, a déclaré M. Mbeki au Parlement au Cap, en présentant la réponse gouvernementale au rapport final de la Commission, remis en mars au terme de sept ans de travaux. L’idée d’une taxe exceptionnelle sur les entreprises, pour réparer les bénéfices tirés par le monde industriel du système d’apartheid, n’a pas été retenue par le gouvernement. (Le Soir, Belgique, 16 avril 2003)

* Swaziland. New censorship policy — On 11 April, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that on 8 April, the recently appointed Minister of Information Abednego Ntshangase  announced a new censorship policy for state media in Swaziland. Speaking at his first official appearance before the House of Assembly, Ntshangase told parliamentarians, «The national television and radio stations are not going to cover anything that has a negative bearing on government.» Ntshangase warned that those who do not support government policies will be barred from broadcasting their views. The ban on negative content will apply to Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services, which operates the only news-carrying radio channels in the country, and to Swazi TV, the country’s only television station. Both outlets are state run. (CPJ, USA, 11 April 2003)

* Swaziland. Ultimatum de l’opposition — Le Mouvement démocratique uni des peuples (PUDEMO), un parti d’opposition swazi interdit, a lancé au roi Mswati III un ultimatum d’une semaine pour répondre à son appel en faveur de la tenue d’élections démocratiques. Le PUDEMO réclame l’annulation du décret royal de 1973 et de toutes les lois “répressives” parmi lesquelles celle interdisant les partis politiques. Il appelle aussi à la création d’une assemblée constituante démocratiquement élue (qui sera chargée de rédiger une Constitution avant la tenue des élections), à l’autorisation de médias libres, à l’indépendance de la justice et à la fin de l’oppression à l’égard des femmes. Il a averti qu’il lancerait une série d’actions si le gouvernement ne répond pas à sa demande. (PANA, Sénégal, 14 avril 2003)

* Togo. Présidentielle le 1er juin — Le collège électoral togolais est convoqué dimanche 1er juin 2003 pour le scrutin présidentiel, a annoncé un décret du président Eyadéma rendu public à Lomé le 10 avril. Aux termes du décret, le ministre de l’Intérieur, de la Sécurité et de la Décentralisation est chargé de la préparation et de l’organisation du scrutin. Rappelons que le président Eyadéma n’a toujours pas dit explicitement qu’il présentera sa candidature à cette élection. En juillet 2001, il avait annoncé son intention de se retirer de la course présidentielle conformément à la Constitution ancienne formule. Mais en décembre dernier, l’Assemblée nationale a adopté une modification de cette Constitution, permettant à M. Eyadéma de se représenter s’il le souhaite. Le président de la Coalition des forces démocratiques (un regroupement de 8 partis de l’opposition) a déclaré n’avoir pas été surpris par le choix du 1er juin pour l’élection présidentielle, compte tenu du fait que l’actuel mandat du président Eyadéma prend fin au cours du même mois. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 11 avril 2003)

* Uganda/Kenya. Dozens die in cattle raids — 11 April: Dozens of people have been killed and thousands displaced following an attack by Kenyan Pokot cattle raiders in eastern Uganda. According to the  MP for the area, Steven Chebrot, 28 people were killed during the early hours of Friday morning when at least 2,000 Pokot crossed from western Kenya to raid cattle. He said the Pokot attacked four villages in the sub counties of Bukwa and Suam on the eastern side of Mount Elgon. There have been a history of cattle raids between the two counties but this attack is the worst for several years. There have been peace talks between the communities on both sides of the border but the raids have not stopped. MPs from the area have now written to President Yoweri Museveni calling for urgent talks between Ugandan and Kenyan officials and the deployment of Uganda troops along the border. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 11 April 2003)

* Ouganda. Tortures en prison — Des accusations relatives à 400 cas de détenus torturés en 4 ans ont été soulevées à l’égard d’agents de la sécurité ougandais, selon un rapport de la Commission des droits humains de l’Ouganda. Un fonctionnaire de la commission a déclaré que la Chieftaincy Military Intelligence (une division du service secret de l’armée) et l’Organisation de la sécurité intérieure (OSI, une section du ministère de l’Intérieur) sont lourdement impliquées dans cette affiare. Selon le rapport, aucun responsable n’a jamais été puni pour ce type de violence. (Misna, Italie, 12 avril 2003)

* Ouganda. Raid armé — Le 11 avril, une centaine d’hommes armés a attaqué des villages du district de Kapchorwa (est), tuant plus de trente personnes. Ces hommes, supposés appartenir à une tribu voisine du Kenya, ont brûlé des centaines de maisons et volé du bétail. En janvier, 52 personnes avaient déjà trouvé la mort lors d’affrontements avec cette même tribu. (Le Figaro, France, 14 avril 2003)

* Uganda. UNHCR representative asked to leave — 14 April: The Ugandan Government has asked the United Nations most senior representative in charge of refugees to leave the country in a row over the relocation of Sudanese refugees, say the UN. The refugees were moved to a temporary «safe» camp 230km north of the capital, Kampala, following an attack by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), rebels last year. But a proposal to relocate them to the north-west of Uganda has caused a dispute between the UNHCR and the government. At Kiryandongo refugee camp in Masindi district, the UN‘s high commissioner for refugees, Ruud Lubbers, who is visiting the region, said Saihou Saidy, is leaving because they «cannot afford an on-going political dispute. It’s a pity it happened. We have to see it in the longer perspective. It was difficult but we are grown up and the work of the refugees is the most important,» Mr Lubbers added. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 14 April 2003)

* Zimbabwe. Mugabe opponent freed — 11 April: Police have released the chief opposition spokesman, Paul Themba Nyathi, four days after he was detained. — A lawyer for Mr Nyathi — who is the information officer of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) —said the High Court had ordered his release after police failed to charge him or to explain his continued detention. Earlier in the week, police said Mr Nyathi would be prosecuted for his participation in organising an anti-government strike last month. He was detained on 7 April, as another senior MDC leader was released on bail. Some 600 MDC activists have been arrested since the strike — many say they were tortured. Mr Nyathi said he had been «illegally detained» beyond the stipulated 48-hour period. He said he had been kept in dirty, cramped and unhygienic conditions. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 11 April 2003)

* Zimbabwe. Evêques contre Mugabe — Le 14 avril, dans une lettre, les évêques catholiques ont critiqué le gouvernement de Robert Mugabe. Ils ont notamment dénoncé “certains membres du gouvernement (...) refusant ouvertement de servir les personnes n’appartenant pas à leur propre parti”, ainsi que les “plans dépourvus de moyens” du gouvernement face à la famine qui frappe le pays. - D’autre part, le même jour, le principal parti d’opposition, le Mouvement pour le changement démocratique (MDC), a annoncé son intention d’organiser une deuxième grève générale pour réclamer de profondes réformes politiques et la fin des problèmes économiques. La grève de février dernier, qui avait partiellement paralysé les activités du pays, avait été émaillée de violences. Le gouvernement a placé les forces de sécurité en état d’alerte maximum. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 15 avril 2003)