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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 22-05-1997      PART #1/

* Africa. Election news  -  Algeria: President Liamine Zeroual
officially dissolves the National Transition Council in view of the
5 June parliamentary elections. The Council had been established on
18 May 1994. Burkina Faso: President Blaise Compaore's Congress for
Democracy and Progress wins 101 out of 111 seats in the National
Assembly. The election took place on 11 May. Cameroon: The main
opposition party, the Social Democratic Front (SDF), calls for the
cancellation of the results of the 17 May parliamentary elections.
They say there has been massive fraud. An international observer
says there has been "some irregularities". Liberia: "The general
election, originally scheduled for 30 May, is likely to be held in
July. Based of proposals put forward by the independent electoral
commissions, the elections should be held no further than in the
early part of July", says Reginald Goodridge, spokesman for Charles
Taylor. Most Liberian leaders have called for a postponement until
August or September, for security reasons, logistics and lack of
voter education. Mali: Alpha Oumar Konare is re-elected as
President with 84.36% of votes cast. The election took place on 11
May. Nigeria: Although elections have been scheduled for next year,
Nigeria is already beginning to see strong signs that the military
elite intends to hang on to power indefinitely.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 21 May 1997)

* Algerie. La campagne electorale debute dans le sang  -  L'Algerie
est entree le 15 mai en campagne pour les legislatives du 5 juin,
avec l'annonce du terrible massacre de trente civils, egorges dans
la region de Chebli, a 30 km au sud d'Alger. Parmi les victimes
figurent 17 enfants dont 2 bebes, et 7 femmes. Cette tuerie relance
la crainte d'une recrudescence des violences avant le scrutin.
Malgre ce climat de tension, les candidats sont partis en campagne.
Une "Commission nationale independante de surveillance des
elections legislatives" (CNISEL) est chargee de veiller a la
regularite de l'operation, mais malgre cela l'impartialite est loin
d'etre garantie. A El Bayadh, dans le sud du pays, des militants du
Front des forces socialistes (FFS) sont emprisonnes depuis deux
semaines. A Alger, l'intervention televisee de Louisa Hannoune, du
Parti des travailleurs, a ete censuree et interdite de diffusion.
Suite a cela, le FFS vient de se retirer de la CNISEL. Ces premiers
incidents ont conforte beaucoup d'Algeriens dans leur indifference.
Le president Zeroual a officiellement dissous, le 18 mai, le
Conseil national de transition (parlement designe) en prevision des
legislatives.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16-20 mai 1997)

* Algeria. Hefty rewards offered for tips on rebels  -  The
Algerian government is offering up to $80,000 for information
leading to the capture or killing of the country's most wanted
guerrillas. The government's offer appeared on posters put up on
walls in several suburbs of Algiers. The names of Antar Zouabri,
head of the Armed Islamic group, and Madani Mezrag, chief of the
rival Islamic Salvation Army, as well as deputy Ahmed Benaicha,
topped the lists.   (Newspot, USA, 20 May 1997)

* Burkina Faso. Ecrasante victoire  -  Le parti du president Blaise
Compaore, le Congres pour la democratie et le progres, a remporte,
avec 101 deputes sur 111, une victoire ecrasante aux legislatives
du 11 mai, selon les resultats officiels rendus publics le 16 mai.
 (D'apres AFP, France, 17 mai 1997)

* Burundi. Agenda de negociations a S. Egidio  -  Dans une
conference de presse, le 13 mai, le colonel Buyoya a confirme que
des representants de son gouvernement et le Conseil national pour
la defense de la democratie (CNDD) ont entame depuis quatre
semaines des negociations directes avec la mediation de la
Communaute S. Egidio a Rome. Les negociations se deroulent devant
des representants du Departement d'Etat americain et du
gouvernement italien, de M. Julius Nyerere et d'envoyes speciaux de
l'ONU, de l'OUA, de l'Union europeenne et de la Republique sud-
africaine. L'agenda de la negociation, signe le 10 mars, comporte
les points suivants, qui seront discutes dans l'ordre:
retablissement de l'ordre constitutionnel et institutionnel;
questions des forces de defense et de securite publique; suspension
des hostilites; questions du fonctionnement de la justice;
identification et modalites de l'engagement des autres parties;
cessez-le-feu; garanties d'execution et de respect de l'accord
general. La plupart des partis politiques burundais se felicitent
de cette evolution, a l'exception de l'UPRONA, le propre parti de
Buyoya, qui "condamne cet acte de haute trahison".   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 16 mai 1997)

* Burundi. Proces pour le meurtre de Ndadaye  -  L'ancien chef
d'etat-major, Jean Bikomagu, a ete presente devant un tribunal
burundais, le 16 mai, en compagnie de 79 autres personnes, pour
repondre du meurtre du premier president hutu democratiquement elu,
Melchior Ndadaye, en octobre 1993. Les accuses, parmi lesquels
figurent l'ancien ministre de la Defense Charles Nteje, ont clame
leur innocence.   (La Libre Belgique, 20 mai 1997)

* Burundi. Unions protest talks with Hutu rebels  -  On 20 May,
Burundi's trade unions demanded an end to negotiations between
Major Buyoya and Hutu rebels. A total of 23 unions warned Buyoya in
a seven-point statement, against talks with rebels from the
National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD). "We agree
with negotiations between Hutus and Tutsis, but only with those who
are not killers. We refuse to negotiate with killers", the
statement said.   (Newspot, USA, 20 May 1997)

* Cameroon. Short news items  -  25 April: Delegations from the 14
member-states of the Franc zone, wrap up a two-day meeting in
Yaounde, on the socio-economic consequences of the CFA franc
devaluation, on the 14 member states. The object of the meeting is
to seek ways and means of alleviating the risks of social exclusion
and increased poverty. (Guinea-Bissau recently became the 15th
member-state, but did not attend the meeting). 5-6 May: A
Conference on "Making Sustainable Forest Management Work" is held
in Cameroon. The Conference is organised by the World Commission on
Forests and Development; the European Union; UNDP; and the Cameroon
Government. Over 300 delegates agree on the necessity for broad-
based consultations at all levels, in order to avoid rapid
deforestation and degradation. Participants consider the challenges
of increasing forest degradation and its effect on ecosystems. 9
May: A team of 13 Commonwealth observers, together with a
supporting 9-man team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, arrives in
Cameroon for the 17 May parliamentary elections. The team say they
are in Cameroon following a request from the government to the
Commonwealth Secretary-General, to observe the elections. 11 May:
The Prime Minister of the State Council of the People's Republic of
China, Mr Li Peng, leaves Cameroon, following a two-day friendly
and official visit. Two accords have been signed. The first -- a
gift of two billion CFA francs offered to Cameroon by China, to
finance cooperation projects. The second -- an agreement for the
protection of investments.   (Tamfu Hanson Ghandi, Cameroon, 19 May
1997)

* Cameroun. Legislatives  -  Sur les 180 deputes que compte
l'Assemblee nationale, le scrutin du 17 mai devrait conferer, selon
les premieres tendances recueillies le lendemain aupres des etats-
majors politiques, environ 60 sieges au Rassemblement democratique
du peuple camerounais du president Biya, et environ 60 autres au
principal parti d'opposition, le Social Democratic Front, de John
Fru Ndi.   (Le Monde, France, 20 mai 1997)

* Centrafrique. Contestation sociale  -  L'Union des syndicats de
travailleurs de Centrafrique, qui regroupe principalement des
syndicats de fonctionnaires, a declenche le 11 mai une greve
generale d'une semaine pour reclamer le paiement d'arrieres de
salaires, des hausses de traitement et des modifications de statut.
Les arrieres depassent douze mois dans certaines admnistrations. La
greve a pris de l'ampleur des le deuxieme jour, surtout dans
l'enseignement. Les fonctionnaires de la mairie de Bangui se sont
mis a leur tour en greve le 12 mai, pour demander le reglement de
quelque 14 mois d'arrieres de salaires et le paiement immediat d'au
moins 2 mois d'arrieres.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 16 mai 1997)

* Congo (ex-Zaire). Les refugies se meurent  -  Plus de 26.000
refugies ont deja ete rapatries par avion vers le Rwanda, a annonce
le 15 mai le HCR, mais on est toujours sans nouvelles de plusieurs
milliers d'entre eux. Les organisations internationales estiment a
40.000 ceux qui se sont disperses dans les forets du sud de
Kisangani, ou l'on craint qu'une partie d'entre eux aient ete tues.
Le soldats de Kabila refusent toujours que l'ONU enquete sur ces
disparitions. Le Haut commissaire adjoint, Vieira de Mello, n'a pas
ete autorise a se rendre dans la region au sud de Biaro; il a ete
arrete au km 42. Medecins sans frontieres (MSF) note que 480
patients avaient ete transportes, dans la journee du 14 mai, du
camp de Biaro jusqu'au centre medical de l'organisation. 19 parmi
eux etaient morts d'epuisement pendant le transfert. "L'Alliance
nous a donne dix jours depuis le 10 mai pour ramener les refugies
a Kisangani. C'est infaisable, c'est inacceptable", a declare MSF.
D'autre part, au Congo-Brazzaville, la Croix-Rouge a lance une
operation d'assistance aux milliers de refugies qui ont franchi le
fleuve Zaire et se trouvent rassembles pres de Liranga, un village
entoure de marecages. Une equipe du CICR y a trouve plus de 3.000
refugies, enregistrant chaque jour l'arrivee de plusieurs centaines
d'autres dans cette zone. Le 12 mai, le gouvernement de l'Angola
annoncait qu'il intensifiait la securite le long de sa frontiere
avec le Zaire pour repondre au probleme des refugies hutus. Le HCR
a demande au gouvernement angolais de pouvoir etablir un couloir
humanitaire pour venir en aide aux refugies, estimes a environ
12.000, qui ont echoue dans une region isolee du Zaire, pres de la
frontiere angolaise. Un rapport de MSF, date du 16 mai et rendu
public le 20, conclut a "une strategie d'extermination" du
mouvement de Laurent Kabila et evalue a 190.000 le nombre des
personnes portees disparues.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16-21
mai 1997)

* Congo (ex-Zaire). From Zaire to Congo  -  14 May: the US State
Department expresses disappointment with the cancellation of the
second meeting between President Mobutu and Laurent Kabila. The
Information Minister says the army is fighting between Kenge and
Kinshasa. Zaire's capital is quiet during the general strike called
by the Opposition. 15 May: Kabila says he will wait until 19 May
for President Mobutu to declare he is prepared to give up the
presidency. According to the US State Department, the rebels are
about 60 km from Kinshasa and could take it by force at any moment.
16 May: The Guardian reports that Zaire's army command has opened
clandestine contacts with rebel leaders in an attempt to avoid
anarchy in Kinshasa and to save their own skins. The contacts have
been made easier by a cellular phone network which still works on
both sides of the front line. President Mobutu leaves Kinshasa by
air for an unknown destination. It is announced that he will keep
the title of President, but no longer have role in state affairs.
Kinshasa Airport falls into rebel hands. The Defence Minister and
Army-Chief-of-Staff, General Mahele Lioko Bokungu is killed,
reportedly by his own soldiers. (The Special Presidential Division
were in an ugly mood when he went to speak to them during the
night). 17 May: Rebel troops begin entering Kinshasa. From
Lubumbashi, Kabinda declares himself to be the new Head of State
and that henceforth Zaire is to be known as the Democratic Republic
of Congo. 18 May: The new regime threatens to "hunt down" Mr
Mobutu. Kenya says it will recognise a government formed by Mr
Kabila. The OAU acknowledge Mr Kabila's victory. In Washington, the
State Department calls on Mr Kabila to establish a broadly based
government leading to elections. France says it is "closely
monitoring" the new regime and will judge it according to its acts.
South Africa recognises Laurent Kabila as the Democratic Republic
of Congo's (ex-Zaire) new Head of State. Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania,
Angola, Sudan and Libya have all announced official recognition of
the new Head of State. The Red Cross says at least 200 people have
been killed since ADFL troops entered Kinshasa. A 30-strong
delegation of ADFL officials leaves Lubumbashi for Kinshasa, to
start the process of setting up the government. 19 May: The ADFL
says that elections will only be held when reconstruction is
underway and the population is re-educated through local
collectives. 20 May: Kabila arrives in Kinshasa. 21 May: State-run
radio reports that the anticipated announcement of a new government
will come on 22 May. Consultations are continuing.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 22 May 1997)

* Congo (ex-Zaire). La chute de Kinshasa  -  15 mai. Mobutu revient
a Kinshasa, ou la bataille pour la capitale semble avoir commence.
Les rebelles sont a Maluku, a 80 km du centre-ville et a 50 km de
l'aeroport de N'Djili. Un bon nombre d'entre eux auraient deja ete
vu pres de l'aeroport. La delegation sud-africaine poursuit ses
efforts pour sauver les pourparlers de la "derniere chance". 16
mai. Annoncant qu'il se tiendra desormais "a l'ecart des affaires
de l'Etat", Mobutu s'envole de Kinshasa pour Gbadolite, au nord-est
du pays. Les familles des barons du regime se refugient a
Brazzaville. Dans la nuit, le general Mahele, chef d'etat-major,
est assassine dans le camp militaire de la DSP. 17 mai. Apres avoir
ordonne a toutes les unites des Forces armees zairoises de rentrer
dans leurs casernes, le Premier ministre, Likulia Bolongo, quitte
le pays. Les soldats de l'Alliance entrent dans Kinshasa, presque
sans coup ferir. Dans un communique, l'Alliance affirme notamment
que: * M. Kabila assume les fonctions de chef de l'Etat de la
Republique democratique du Congo; * l'AFDL nommera dans les 72
heures un gouvernement provisoire de salut public; * dans les 60
jours elle mettra sur pied une assemblee constituante chargee de
rediger une Constitution provisoire pour la periode de transition.
18 mai. Mobutu s'envole de Gbadolite au Togo, a la recherche d'un
lieu d'exil definitif. 20 mai. Kinshasa reste bouclee pour raisons
de securite. Le desarmement des anciens soldats continue. On parle
aussi de reglements de compte et d'executions sommaires de fauteurs
de troubles. Le soir, Kabila arrive a Kinshasa. 21 mai. La
constitution du gouvernement de transition se fait attendre; des
difficultes persistent quant a sa composition. Tshisekedi, le
leader de l'UDPS, a rencontre Deogratias Bugera, le numero 2 de
l'Alliance.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22 mai 1997)

* Congo (ex-Zaire). Key figures in Kabila's team  -  Key figures
emerging in the new regime are: Deogratias Bugera, the ADFLþs
secretary-general. He is a former architect from north Kivu and a
Banyamulenge; Bizima Karaha -- Foreign Minister. He is a
paediatrician, trained in South Africa and a Banyamulenge; Mwenze
Kongolo -- Justice Minister. A former investigator in the
Philadelphia district attorney's office. He was born in southern
Shaba; Gaeten Kakudji, a cousin of Laurent Kabila. He was appointed
provisional governor of Shaba; Mwana Nanga Mawampanga -- from Bas
Zaire province. He was deputy professor in agricultural economics
at the University of Kentucky; Kambale Kabila Mututulo -- Mining
Minister. A former English language professor at the University of
Beni in eastern Zaire, he trained in New York; Moise Nyarugabo --
Chief of Staff. A former college classmate of Mr Kabila, he is a
Banyamulenge who trained as a lawyer; Raphael Ghenda -- Information
Minister. A former engineer from Kivu.   (Financial Times, U.K., 20
May 1997)
* Congo. (ex-Zaire). Where will Mobutu live?  -  18 May: A
spokesman from the new rulers of the Democratic Republic of Congo,
warn France against granting asylum to former president Mobutu.
There has been speculation that Mr Mobutu would like to make France
his home, now that his government has fallen to the forces of
Laurent Kabila. Some reports say that the former Zaire leader might
go to Lichtenstein first, but the Principality says he will not be
welcome there. 20 May: Mobutu is still in Togo. Officials say he is
in "very weakened" health. His arrival in Togo caught his old
friend, Gnassingbe Eyadema off guard.) 21 May: French Embassy
officials in Togo say that 80 members of Mobutu's entourage have
applied for visas to France, but have been turned down.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 22 May 1997)

* Congo (Brazzaville). Problems for refugees  -  15 May:
Humanitarian sources say that a lack of fuel in Brazzaville is
likely to hamper the response to an influx of Rwandan Hutu refugees
from neighbouring Zaire. 4,000-5,000 refugees have already crossed
the river from Mbandaka to swamp land at Liranga in the Congo,
where there is no drinking water, food or shelter. Some are
stranded on small river islands. The International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) has launched a special operation to assist the
refugees, whose state of health is described as "appalling". High-
protein biscuits and plastic sheeting have been dropped by
helicopter. 500 refugees including 400 armed men, were found
further south at Mokotipoko. They said Zairian boatmen had stolen
their clothes and money. The Congolese government has set up a
crisis committee and is identifying possible camp sites south of
Gambona. 16 May: Six barges carrying aid are to leave Brazzaville
for Liranga and Motokipopo where several thousand Rwandan Hutu
refugees who fled Zaire, are stranded in swampland.   (IRIN, Kenya,
15-16 May 1997)

* Gabon. Axe Libreville-Pekin  -  Le Premier ministre chinois, Li
Peng, qui poursuit son periple africain, a sejourne pendant 48
heures au Gabon (8-10 mai) ou il s'est entretenu avec le president
Bongo. Les deux hommes ont axe principalement leur entretien sur
les questions economiques. Pour renforcer la cooperation, un cadre
juridique permettant de proteger les investissements chinois au
Gabon a ete discute et defini. La Chine a accorde un pret de 14,8
milliards de FCFA pour la construction du futur Palais de
l'Assemblee nationale gabonaise. En matiere d'investissement, la
Chine s'est engagee a investir dans les secteurs de la sante, de la
peche, de l'agriculture et du bois.   (d'apres Marches Tropicaux,
France, 16 mai 1997)

* Kenya. Les femmes au Parlement  -  Le Parlement a rejete la
motion d'une deputee de l'opposition, Phoebe Asiyo, reclamant que
la Constitution reserve un tiers des sieges de deputes a des
femmes. Actuellement il n'y a que 7 femmes sur 200 deputes. La
plupart des hommes, tant de la majorite que de l'opposition, ainsi
que deux femmes de la majorite, ont uni leurs voix pour rejeter la
motion. "On doit laisser les choses evoluer et il y aura peut-etre
un jour une majorite de femmes au Parlement", a commente le
ministre d'Etat a la presidence. Lors des debats, Mme Asiyo avait
cite une etude releguant le Kenya au 31e rang sur 35 pays en
matiere d'acces au pouvoir des femmes. Une autre deputee, Charity
Ngilu, a annonce pour sa part qu'elle se presenterait a la
prochaine election presidentielle. En Ouganda, pays voisin, 39
sieges parlementaires sur 214 etaient reserves aux femmes, lors des
elections de l'an passe. Il y en avait aussi 10 reverves aux
soldats, 5 aux handicapes, 5 aux jeunes age de 18 a 30 ans, et 3
aux syndicalistes.   (Afrique Express, France, 15 mai 1997)

* Kenya. Catholic Magazine suspends publication  -  "Due to
financial constraints and restructuring, the Kenya Episcopal
Conference Executive Board has temporarily suspended the
publication of Mwananchi, effective May 1997, until further
notice". This note to the subscribers of Mwananchi, a monthly
Catholic magazine, announces the temporary disappearance from the
market of another Christian publication. Not long ago, Target,
published by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) also
had to close.   (Africanews, Kenya, May 1997)

* Kenya. Nouvel archeveque de Nairobi  -  Jean-Paul II a accepte,
le 14 mai, la demission de l'archeveque de Nairobi, le cardinal
Otunga, atteint par la limite d'age. Son successeur est Mgr.
Raphael Ndingi Mwana'a Nzeki, archeveque coadjuteur du diocese. Ce
dernier a revele qu'il avait recu des menaces de mort, suite aux
critiques qu'il a adressees au gouvernement. Le 11 septembre 1996,
le president Arap Moi avait traite le Conseil national des Eglises
du Kenya d'"organisation subversive numero un".   (CIP, Belgique,
22 mai 1997)

* Libya. UN says Libya violated sanctions  -  On 19 May, the UN
Libya sanctions committee concluded that flights by Muammar Gaddafi
to Niger and Nigeria earlier this month, were a breach of
sanctions. The committee took note of explanations by Libya, Niger
and Nigeria that the flights were for religious purposes.
(Newspot, USA, 20 May 1997)

* Madagascar. J-R Boulle debarque  -  Le promoteur minier, Jean-
Raymond Boulle, qui vient de s'implanter au Zaire (ou il a signe un
accord minier avec l'Alliance de Kabila), s'interesserait egalement
a Madagascar. Il a negocie une forte prise de participation dans la
compagnie miniere "Madagascar Ressources", dont il deviendrait un
actionnaire majoritaire. Cette compagnie projette d'etendre ses
activites et sa prospection miniere, et a demande une autorisation
d'exploitation du charbon de la Sakoa.   (d'apres Lettre de l'Ocean
Indien, France, 17 mai 1997)

* Madagascar. Locust emergency  -  The UNDP/DHA Resident
Coordinator in Antananarivo reports that the Government of
Madagascar has launched an international appeal for assistance in
the locust emergency in southern and southwestern Madagascar.
Outbreaks of locusts have been observed since October 1996, and
they are now affecting over 2 million hectares of land. The
Government estimates the total assistant requirements to be US $
3.5 million, approximately one quarter of which is available.
(UNDP/DHA, via PeaceLink, Italy, 17 May 1997)

* Mali. Le president Konare reelu  -  Alpha Oumar Konare a ete
reelu au premier tour pour un nouveau mandat de cinq ans a la
presidence du Mali, avec 84,36% des suffages exprimes, selon les
resultats officiels complets des presidentielles du 11 mai, publies
le 16 mai par la Commission electorale independante. Des apres la
proclamation des resultats, Konare a dit vouloir renouer le
dialogue avec l'opposition, qui avait appele au boycottage du
scrutin, et aborder toutes les questions qui ont fait probleme.
D'ores et deja, il semble acquis que les elections locales, prevues
au debut juin, seront reportees.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
17-21 mai 1997)

* Maroc. Festival des musiques sacrees  -  Du 24 au 31 mai, se
tiendra a Fes le Festival des musiques sacrees du monde. Le theme
choisi cette annee est celui de l'offrande, dont la tradition
existe dans de nombreuses cultures. Le festival se veut une
rencontre entre cultures tres diverses. La musique occupe une place
centrale dans cette tentative de rassembler l'Est et l'Ouest.
Ainsi, le festival a-t-il invite des ensembles venant notamment de
la Bulgarie, des Etats-Unis, de l'Inde et de la Suisse. La
tradition arabe classique y occupera une place importante, mais on
ecoutera aussi des cantates baroques et la musique gregorienne.
(d'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 16 mai 1997)

* Nigeria. Police Probe Ibadan bomb blast  -  Bomb experts were on
13 May, still analyzing fragments from the 12 May explosion in
Nigeria's western city of Ibadan, suspected to be a bomb planted by
dissidents. The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Hassan Alli-
Jos, said it was after the meeting that the police could determine
the nature of the device, which went off as top military officers
were heading for a seminar several kilometres away from a barracks.
The explosion, which occurred at a junction on the Eleyele-Jericho
road, ripped through the police truck conveying soldiers and
policemen to work, witnesses said. No death occurred but two
soldiers and a policeman were injured. The device also smashed the
windscreen of a white Mercedes Benz car, owned by one Banji
Adeleke, who is being questioned by the police in connection with
the blast. Adeleke's car was said to be behind the police truck
when the explosion occurred. The Oyo state administrator, Col.
Ahmed Usman, has visited the scene, accompanied by the state
director of security service. Usman was quoted as having described
the perpetrators as cowards, who were out to embarrass the
government because of a few dollars and pounds. He pledged that
government would track down those behind the act.   (PANA, 13 May
1997)

* Nigeria. Nouvel eveque de Warri conteste  -  Le nouvel eveque de
Warri, au sud du Nigeria, l'Irlandais Richard Burke, devait etre
intronise le 14 mai par le cardinal Tomko, emissaire du pape. Sa
nomination a ete critiquee par certains fideles parce qu'il n'est
pas nigerian. Mgr. Burke doit succeder a son compatriote, E.
Fitzgibbon, qui avait pris sa retraite en mars apres que des
revendications s'etaient elevees dans le diocese pour que l'eveque
soit nigerian. Mgr. John Afahera, un Nigerian, sera nomme au poste
d'eveque coadjuteur de Mgr. Burke.   (Afrique Express, France, 15
mai 1997)

* Nigeria/Shell. Shell wins on environmental monitoring  -  On 14
May, Royal Dutch/Shell smashed an attempt by shareholders to
establish external monitoring of the company's environmental and
human rights policies. As several dozen protestors demonstrated
outside the annual meeting of Shell Transport and Trading, the UK
arm of the company, the outgoing chairman told the annual meeting
that proxy votes from shareholders were running ten to one against
the resolution. Shareholders at the annual meeting of Royal Dutch,
held on 14 May in The Hague, also called for the establishment of
external audits, though no resolution was on their agenda.
(Financial Times, U.K., 15 May 1997)

* Nigeria. Shell's involvement  -  On 15 May, APIC published a
dossier of material concerning the 14 May meetings and Shell's
involvement in Nigeria. One document had in its introduction: "A
resolution sponsored by the Pensions and Investment Research
Consultants and the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility
won 41 million of the total 357 million shares (more than 10%).
Demonstrations took place in a number of cities in the United
States, Canada and elsewhere.   (APIC, USA, 15 May 1997)

* Ouganda. Aide egyptienne  -  Selon une source diplomatique
egyptienne, Le Caire a envoye 20 conseillers militaires en Ouganda
pour aider l'armee a ameliorer son systeme de defense antiaerien.
Ces experts, arrives en mars dernier, entraineront les militaires
ougandais au maniement de radars et assureront la reparation de ces
materiels. Ceci etait d'autant plus necessaire que Kampala prend au
serieux le risque de bombardements par des avions soudanais. La
nouvelle aide militaire egyptienne intervient dans le contexte d'un
rapprochement diplomatique avec Kampala. Un accord de 250 millions
$ a ete signe entre l'Ouganda et un conglomerat egyptien pour la
construction d'un complexe industriel d'une quarantaine d'usines
alimentaires.   (d'apres Lettre de l'Ocean Indien, France, 17 mai
1997)

* Rwanda/Zaire. Habyarimana's body cremated  -  A curious detail in
the Great Lakes' current saga. On 15 May, President Mobutu of Zaire
ordered the cremation of the body of Rwanda's former president,
Juvenal Habyarimana, who died in a suspicious airplane explosion
over his country in April 1994. Habyarimana's body was brought
secretly to Kinshasa on 12 May, where it was kept in a private
mausoleum built by the Zairian leader for his Rwandan counterpart,
according to people involved in the cremation ceremony. It is not
clear how Mobutu obtained the Rwandan's body. On the morning of 15
May, with an Indian Hindu leader presiding, at Mobutu's insistence,
the corpse was burned in Kinshasa, in order to prevent desecration
by the rebels, witnesses said. According to people who took part in
the ceremony, Mobutu had promised Habyarimana's family that his
body would be given a proper burial in Rwanda, but fearing the
rebel's rapid advance, Mobutu ordered that Habyarimana's remains be
flown to Kinshasa for a final religious ceremony, before they could
fall into rebel hands. Cremation is not common among Central
Africans, so it was decided to consult the country's Indian
immigrant community.   (The New York Time, 16 May 1997)

* Sahara occidental. L'Algerie attend des propositions  -
L'Algerie "attend des propositions palpables" de l'envoye special
de l'ONU au Sahara occidental, James Baker, a dit le ministre
algerien des Affaires etrangeres. Il a indique que l'Algerie avait
reaffirme a M. Baker, qui a fait une tournee dans la region fin
avril, son soutien au plan de paix et sa "disposition a etudier
toute proposition visant a relancer le processus de paix au Sahara
occidental". Il faut noter par ailleurs que, ces derniers mois,
cinq pays africains ont retire leur reconnaissance de la Republique
arabe sahraouie democratique (RASD): la Guinee-Bissau, le Burkina
Faso, le Congo, le Benin et le Tchad.   (d'apres Afrique Express,
France, 15 mai 1997)

* Sierra Leone. Refugees plight  -  Relief workers are expressing
concern about the plight of refugees in Sierra Leone, caught up in
renewed fighting. The US Committee for Refugees voiced its alarm
after new clashes between government and rebel troops, threatened
to undo a fragile peace that has been holding in Sierra Leone since
November. Several villages near Makeni have been attacked and the
army had found at least nine bodies. The US Committee For Refugees
also reports clashes between the government and the opposition
Kamajoh militia in the east of Sierra Leone.   (VOA, USA, 13 May
1997)

* Somalia. Food situation deteriorating rapidly  -  According to a
FAO Special Alert issued on 8 May, the food situation in Somalia
has been deteriorating rapidly, following the drought-reduced 1997
harvest, and the continued civil conflict. WFP will allocate a
total of some 12,000 metric tons of food commodities, in response
to the situation in southern Somalia. Meanwhile, recent rains have
made the transportation of emergency food aid to drought-affected
areas difficult. WFP Somalia, will use the port of El Ma'an to
deliver food through local traders, and is in the process of
purchasing 100 metric tons of locally-grown maize, to accelerate
delivery to the most vulnerable areas of Bay region. Food aid
response is especially urgent in Qansaxdhere and Berdale districts,
where global malnutrition is reported to be rising.   (UN/WFP, via
PeaceLink, Italy, 16 May 1997)

* Soudan-Tchad. Khartoum cherche des allies  -  En mal d'allies
regionaux, Khartoum fait les yeux doux au president tchadien Idriss
Deby et a son homologue de Centrafrique, Ange Patasse, tous deux
presents a la signature de l'accord de paix entre les autorites
soudanaises et certaines factions rebelles sud-soudanaises, le 21
avril. En guise de remerciement, le Soudan a servi d'intermediaire
aupres des opposants tchadiens de l'Alliance nationale pour la
resistance et a propose d'heberger une conference de
reconciliation. Khartoum exerce des pressions sur ces opposants
pour qu'ils annoncent leur ralliement au president Deby.   (d'apres
Lettre de l'Ocean Indien, France, 17 mai 1997)

* South Africa. Nationalists spurn TRC hearings  -  16 May: South
Africa's National party was set on a collision course with the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), when the panel's
chairman, Archbishop Tutu accused former President de Klerk of
"gross human rights abuses". After the outburst, the National Party
suspended participation in the TRC and threatened legal action
against the archbishop. Archbishop Tutu choked back tears when he
said he was "devastated" by Mr de Klerk's continued refusal to
admit he knew of state-sponsored killings while in office. He said
there was "an avalanche of information" sent to Mr de Klerk when he
was President which detailed murders and torture committed by the
security services. (Editor's note: On 15 May, a court found Dirk
Coetzee, former commander of a covert police assassination squad
and two former policemen, guilty of the 1981 murder of the anti-
apartheid lawyer Griffiths Mxenge.)   (The Times, U.K., 17 May
1997)

* South Africa. Foreign policy  -  The Zaire conflict is likely to
prove South Africa's coming of diplomatic age. If it is resolved
peacefully, South Africa may justly claim a large part of the
credit. But if mediation efforts fail, it could prompt a profound
reassessment of Pretoria's role, both at home and internationally.
(Editor's note: On 18 May, South Africa recognised Laurent Kabila,
as the Democratic Republic of Congo's [ex-Zaire] new Head of
State). Mr Mandela's foreign policy has been guided by three
principles. First, loyalty and gratitude to those who assisted the
ANC in the decades-long fight against apartheid. Second, an acute
sensitivity to accusations that the ANC government might be
emulating the aggressive and patronising behaviour of its National
Party predecessor. And third, a belief that what South Africa
achieved domestically in bridging once irreconcilable differences,
could be repeated on the international stage. -- Also, South Africa
is poised to introduce tough new legislation to combat insider
trading. The proposals are designed to improve confidence among
foreign investors.   (Financial Times, U.K., 16 & 19 May 1997)

* Tanzanie. Renvoi des refugies burundais  -  Le gouvernement
tanzanien a fait savoir que tous les refugies burundais devaient
quitter le pays avant le 30 juin. Le depart de tous les refugies
rwandais et burundais etait voulu par tous les partis politiques.
Officiellement il n'y a plus de Rwandais depuis fin 1996. Mais on
compte encore environ 300.000 refugies burundais et leur nombre
s'accroit toujours, surtout dans la region de Kigoma et de Kibondo.
Ils ne veulent pas rentrer au Burundi, ou la violence s'est accrue
de facon terrifiante, surtout dans le sud. Les humanitaires
protestent contre cette decision tanzanienne.   (d'apres De
Standaard, Belgique, 21 mai 1997)

* Tchad. Nouveau Premier ministre  -  Apres la demission du
gouvernement Koibla, le president tchadien, Idriss Deby, a nomme
comme Premier ministre M. Nassour Guelengdoussia Ouaido, qui avait
deja ete ministre dans d'autres gouvernements, notamment de
l'Education et de la Cooperation. Il a ete aussi secretaire general
a la presidence. M. Ouaido est originaire du Sud. Sa nomination
fait suite a la decision, le 8 mai, du leader sudiste, le general
Kamougue, de se rallier au president au nom de l'unite nationale.
Kamougue lui-meme a ete elu, le 9 mai, president de l'Assemblee
nationale a une large majorite, avec le concours du parti au
pouvoir.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 19 mai 1997)

* Tunisie. Mort d'un leader islamiste  -  Le mouvement tunisien
Ennadha a annonce le 15 mai le deces en prison de cheick Mabrouk
Zrenn, journaliste, syndicaliste et membre fondateur de ce part
islamiste interdit en Tunisie. Ennadha affirme que quatre de ses
militants sont morts ces dernieres annees derriere les barreaux.
(La Croix, France, 17 mai 1997)

* Western Sahara. Morocco rejects compromises  -  Mr Driss Basri,
Morocco's interior minister, has dismissed any discussion of
limited autonomy for the Western Sahara as a compromise solution to
the decades-old territorial dispute. His tough line is bound to
disappoint Mr James Baker, the former US secretary of state, who is
now United Nations special envoy for the Western Sahara, who is to
due to make his second visit to the region next month. Mr Baker is
expected to bring a proposal to jump-start stalled UN plans to hold
a referendum on the future of the former Spanish colony.
(Financial Times, U.K., 16 May 1997)

* Zimbabwe. Mandela addresses Parliament  -  On a three-day visit
Zimbabwe, South Africa's President Nelson Mandela, in a speech to
Zimbabwe's parliament, said the time has come for what he calls an
"African Renaissance" in which the troubled continent asserts its
right to be an equal partner in world affairs. He said it was a
renaissance in which Africa must refuse to be a passive onlooker in
a changing world, a hapless victim to what he called "modern
machinations by the forces historically responsible for her woes".
Mr Mandela stressed the need for African leaders to commit
themselves to improving the lives of their people, saying that in
ancient African empires, the leaders were called on to be the
"Guardians of the orphans, those who suffer, and especially the
poor". He returned to that point repeatedly.   (VOA, USA, 19 May
1997)