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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 23-04-1998      PART #1/  

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Congo (RDC): On 16 April,
the Network for the Defence of Independent Media (NDIMA) in Africa
said that Michel Ladi Luya, editor of the Kinshasa daily Le
Palmares, has been released after being detained for three days. On
18 April, Andre Ipakakala, editor and proprietor of the independent
newspaper "La Reference Plus", was arrested by security officers in
connection with an article which repoprted on the discovery of mass
graves and holding cells in the home of Mr Kallon Ji Mutuambayi.
The Gambia: The International Press Institute (IPI) says it is most
concerned about the case of Baboucar Gaye, the proprietor of
Citizen FM, and the continued closure of his radio station. Kenya:
According to NDIMA, the High Court, sitting in Nairobi, has issued
an order restraining the owners of Finance magazine from
publishing, or permitting or causing to be published, an article
which was published in the magazine's 5 April 1998 issue. The civil
suit was filed by Samuel Kamau Macharia (the Plaintiff), a
prominent businessman. NDIMA also reports that the publishers and
editors of a Nairobi weekly journal, The Dispatch, have been
restrained from publishing defamatory words against two government
ministers, Musalia Mudavadi and Chisanthus Okemo. Malawi: According
to the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the independent
weekly The Weekly Chronicle, is threatened with closure following
a court order to pay US $ 8,800 to the Reserve Bank of Malawi in
defamatory costs. Mauritania: According to information released by
Reporters sans Frontieres on 16 April 1998, the 16 April 1998
edition of the Mauritanian weekly Actions, was censored without any
explanation. Nigeria: According to NDIMA an attempt by police
detectives to have the chief editor and a director of The Star
newspaper give statements at the Kasarani Police Station failed,
when the publication's lawyers explained that the police affidavit
was not in order. On 15 April 1998, four journalists were severely
beaten by policemen in Ibadan, Oyo State, at a political rally in
Ibadan. On 16 April 1998, the Federal Government claimed that the
detained African Concord editor, Mr. Soji Omotunde, is being held
at the State Security Service cell in Abuja, for acts prejudicial
to state security. Tanzania: According to MISA, Kiondo Mshana,
editor of Taifa Letu, was detained by police on 16 April.   (IFEX,
Canada, 16-20 April 1998)

* Afrique. Voyage de Kofi Annan  -  Selon un communique des Nations
unies diffuse le 17 avril, le secretaire general, Kofi Annan, fera
un voyage en Afrique du 29 avril au 10 mai prochains. Il visitera
notamment l'Ethiopie, Djibouti, le Kenya, la Tanzanie, le Rwanda,
le Burundi, l'Ouganda et l'Erythree. Les observateurs notent
l'absence d'une etape importante, Kinshasa, apres la recente
deterioration des relations entre la RDC et les Nations unies. Des
sources diplomatiques a Kampala soutiennent que le voyage de M.
Annan devrait servir a reconcilier deux courants de pensee
divergents au sein du Conseil de securite, celui des Etats-Unis et
celui de l'Union europeenne, soucieux de sauvegarder leurs zones
d'influence. Sur l'agenda de M. Annan apparaissent le probleme des
Grands Lacs, la question soudanaise et la crise somalienne.  
(d'apres Misna, Rome, 20 avril 1998)

* Africa/United Nations  -  On 16 April, the UN Secretary-General,
Kofi Annan, unveiled a plan for Africa which could bring an end to
wars and destabilisation activity in at least seven countries:
Angola, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Mr
Annan's blueprint for action by UN member states would: curb arms
sales, covert arms trafficking, and economic sanctions which harm
civilians; accept the Organisation of African Unity's plan to
cancel all debt for the poorest countries; and toughen
administration of refugee camps so that civilians cannot be used as
shields by terrorists. The blunt report says, of Rwanda, Somalia
and Liberia, that "by not averting these colossal human tragedies,
African leaders have failed the peoples of Africa; the
international community has failed them; the United Nations has
failed them".   (The Guardian, U.K., 17 April 1998)

* North Africa. The right to a fair trial  -  In an 80-page report,
Amnesty International says that throughout the Middle East and
North Africa, political prisoners, including prisoners of
conscience, are languishing in prison or awaiting execution on
spurious convictions or after sham trials. In North Africa, the
report cites Libya where people have been held without trial for at
least 15 years. In Algeria, thousands of people arrested by
security forces and held in secret detention have "disappeared" and
in most cases remain unaccounted for. In Tunisia, more than 270
people convicted in 1992 after mass trials before military courts
had been tortured in secret detention.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17
April 1998)

* Algerie. Abus  -  La justice algerienne a ete saisie de 128 cas
d'abus imputables aux forces de securite, notamment des policiers
et des membres de groupes de legitime defense, indiquait le 19
avril le quotidien El Watan, citant une source proche du ministere
de la Justice. 54 cas concernent des "deces suspects sur la voie
publique". Les charges vont "du vol, rapt, usage abusif d'armes a
feu, au viol et au meurtre".   (Liberation, France, 20 avril 1998)

* Algeria. "Corrupt" police held  -  On 19 April, El Watan reported
that the authorities have arrested 120 policemen accused of human
rights abuses. The suspects, accused of killings, abuse of power,
theft and corruption, were being held at a high security prison in
Algiers, justice ministers were quoted as saying. The ministry was
said to have recorded 10 cases of "extra-judicial execution", seven
of them carried out in police stations.   (The Guardian, U.K., 20
April 1998)

* Algerie. Manifestation berbere empechee  -  Une manifestation du
Mouvement culturel berbere, proche du Rassemblement pour la culture
et la democratie (RCD), destinee a celebrer le 18e anniversaire du
Printemps berbere, a ete empechee par les forces de securite. Les
manifestants, quelques centaines, ont scande des slogans demandant
la reconnaissance du berbere comme langue officielle au meme titre
que l'arabe.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 21 avril 1998)

* Algeria. Rebels join troops to kill rivals  -  21 April. Rebels
of Algeria's Islamic Salvation Army (AIS) joined government troops
to fight rival guerrillas from the hardline Islamic Armed Group
(GIA), an Algerian newspaper said. AIS fighters, teaming up with
government forces, killed seven GIA members in clashes this week in
the Jijel region and the stronghold of the AIS, said Liberte
newspaper. The AIS, the armed wing of the outlawed Islamic
Salvation Front (FIS) declared a unilateral ceasefire last October.
The GIA dismissed the truce as a sell-out of the Islamic cause.
Liberte also reported government troops had killed three GIA
guerrillas on 18 April.   (InfoBeat, USA, 21 April 1998)

* Algerie. Combats et droits de l'homme  -  Des militants de
l'Armee islamique du salut (AIS) se sont joints aux forces
gouvernementales pour combattre leurs rivaux des Groupes islamiques
armes (GIA), revelait Liberte le 21 avril. Selon le quotidien
algerois, sept membres des GIA ont ete tues cette semaine par un
groupe de soldats et de combattants de l'AIS dans la region de
Jijel, bastion de l'AIS a 240 km a l'est d'Alger. En octobre
dernier, l'AIS, bras arme du FIS, a declare un cessez-le-feu
unilateral. Le GIA avait denonce cette treve, estimant que l'AIS
trahissait la cause islamique. Ces informations n'ont pas ete
confirmees de source officielle ou independante. - Le 21 avril au
soir, une attaque au mortier artisanal contre la ville de Blida a
fait 5 morts et une quarantaine de blesses, selon des medecins.
Deux obus sont tombes pres d'une mosquee, fauchant des fideles. -
D'autre part, le 22 avril a Geneve, l'Algerie a ete instamment
priee de cooperer avec la Commission des droits de l'homme en
facilitant notamment la venue de rapporteurs speciaux, mais aucune
resolution n'a ete presentee, meme si plusieurs Etats ont tenu a
l'evoquer.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 23 avril 1998)

* Angola. La violence menace la paix  -  La Commission de paix pour
l'Angola, presidee par l'ONU et a laquelle participent des
representants de l'Unita et du gouvernement, a dit que la violence
croissante dans certaines regions menacait le processus de paix, a
rapporte l'agence Reuters le 18 avril. "Une augmentation des actes
de violence a ete enregistree principalement dans les provinces de
Malange, d'Huila et de Benguela", a-t-elle declare, ajoutant
qu'elle regrettait "la divergence qui existe entre l'atmosphere
politique, qui est extremement positive, et la situation sur le
terrain". Par ailleurs, l'OUA a exhorte la communaute
internationale a maintenir les sanctions contre les ex-rebelles de
l'Unita, comprenant un embargo sur toutes les marchandises qui ne
sont pas destinees a l'aide humanitaire.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 21 avril
1998)

* Burundi. Plan d'un nouveau gouvernement  -  Le 13 avril, le major
Buyoya a annonce aux gouverneurs de province qu'il voulait former
un gouvernement domine par le Frodebu (qui occupe 65 sieges sur 81
deputes). Il entend supprimer le poste de Premier ministre et
nommer deux vice-presidents dont l'un serait issu du Frodebu. Il
veut en outre nommer 40 deputes complementaires. La mission du
nouveau gouvernement serait de conduire les negociations. Le
president du Frodebu, M. Minani, vivant en exil, a rejete tout
compromis. Un representant du Frodebu a Bujumbura a qualifie les
declarations de M. Buyoya de "manoeuvres de diversion".   (d'apres
Burundi-Bureau, Bonn, 16 avril 1998)

* Burundi. Cofinancement de la TAZARA  -  Le ministre burundais du
Commerce, Gregoire Banyiyezako, a offert, le 14 avril lors d'une
visite a Lusaka, de cofinancer le prolongement de la voie de chemin
de fer TAZARA (Tanzanie-Zambie), depuis Kasama dans le nord de la
Zambie jusqu'au port zambien de Mpulungu sur le lac Tanganyika. La
decision serait envisagee comme un moyen de diversifier les
debouches des exportations et des importations du Burundi.
Actuellement, le fret destine au Burundi doit etre decharge a
Kasama et transporte sur 50 km par camion jusqu'au port de
Mpulungu, qui s'occupe de 75% des marchandises du Burundi.   (IRIN,
Nairobi, 16 avril 1998)

* Burundi. Buyoya plans sweeping reforms  -  21 April: Burundi's
military leader, Pierre Buyoya, plans sweeping institutional
reforms to pave the way for dialogue with Hutu rebels, his
spokesman says. But Foreign Minister Luc Rukingama says there is no
prospect of elections in Burundi and rebels will be excluded from
any immediate changes. (Editor's note: Rebel activity continues. At
least 73 people, including 47 rebels and 26 civilians were killed
on 22 April, during an attack launched by Hutu rebels on Bandagura
and Rubingo hills). Presidential spokesman, Apollinaire Gahungu,
says the planned reforms will be the first step in a peace process
aimed at ending nearly five years of civil war in which more than
150,000 have died. The reforms were hammered out during
negotiations between the government and the opposition pro-Hutu
Frodebu party, deposed when Buyoya came to power in a July 1996
coup.   (InfoBeat, USA, 21 April 1998)

* Burundi. Raid hutu  -  Des dizaines de personnes ont ete tuees et
d'autres blessees dans une attaque de la rebellion hutu, le 22
avril a l'aube, a Rubingo et Bandagura, deux villages pres de
Bujumbura, a-t-on appris de sources administratives. Des tirs sont
entendus jour et nuit dans la capitale depuis le 20 avril.  
(Liberation, France, 23 avril 1998)

* Centrafrique. Depart francais  -  Le 15 avril, les derniers
soldats francais ont quitte Bangui dans le cadre du redeploiement
du dispositif militaire francais en Afrique. Ce depart a coincide
avec le debut de la mission des Nations unies en Republique
centrafricaine (Minurca), qui comprend des contingents de six pays
africains. La France laisse cependant 215 militaires sur place pour
assurer la logistique et le soutien medical de la force africaine. 
 (La Croix, France, 17 avril 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Religieuse belge assassinee  -  Dans la nuit du 8 au
9 avril, a Kananga au Kasai, etait assassinee une religieuse belge
des Soeurs de la charite de Heule, Anne Desmuraux, 57 ans,
travaillant au Congo depuis 1969. Selon le ministere belge des
Affaires etrangeres, il s'agissait d'un crime crapuleux, sans
connotation politique apparente. Mais le 18 avril a la television
belge, les quatre religieuses survivantes, revenues au pays, ont
accuse les autorites locales congolaises d'etre responsables de la
mort de leur consoeur. Elles pensent a un reglement de comptes.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 10 et 20 avril 1998)

* Congo (RDC ). Massacre investigations  -  16 April: Citing
obstruction by the Kinshasa government, UN officials said
Secretary-General Kofi Annan had decided to withdraw his team
probing massacres of Rwandan refugees in Congo RDC. The
announcement is expected to be made on 17 April and Annan told a
news conference on 16 April he was still waiting for "certain
elements" before his decision was final. But he said the inquiry
will continue from outside the country. 19 April: A second wave of
UN investigators leaves Kinshasa, effectively ending the mission to
seek evidence into massacres.   (InfoBeat, USA, 16 & 20 April 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Two jailed opponents re-captured  -  On 16 April,
two high-profile opponents of President Laurent Kabila were
recaptured in a field as they were foraged for food, the ambassador
of Congo RDC said. The third prisoner who escaped from a jail in
Katanga province is still at large, Ambassador Andre Kapanga said.
The two men caught by soldiers were Masasu Nindanga, a former army
chief and co-founder with Kabila of the ruling AFDL party, and
Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma, head of the forces of the Future party. They
were both arrested in November. Still at large is Joseph
Olenghankoy, leader of the FONUS opposition party.   (InfoBeat,
USA, 17 April 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Arrestations  -  15 avril. Alors que Kinshasa avait
annonce la veille l'evasion de trois hommes de l'opposition (Joseph
Olenghankoy, Arthur Ngoma et le commandant Masasu) de la prison de
Buluwo, pres de Lumumbashi, le frere d'Olenghankoy, Emery Okundji,
disait croire, dans le quotidien Le Palmares, que les trois hommes
avaient ete executes. "La these d'une evasion arrange le pouvoir.
On ne s'evade pas de la prison de Buluwo, qui est souterraine",
estimait Okundji. Le gouvernement a dementi que les trois hommes
aient ete executes. 17 avril. Selon le gouvernement, les trois
hommes ont ete repris par les forces de l'ordre, les 16 et 17
avril. Mais personne ne les a vus. 18 avril. Le redacteur en chef
de La Reference Plus, Andre Ipakala, a ete arrete par les forces de
l'ordre, suite a la pu-blication d'une lettre adressee au ministre
de la Justice, dans laquelle un militant de la defense des droits
de l'homme accuse l'entourage du president Kabila de torturer et de
tuer des prisonniers. M. Ipakala a ete libere le 20 avril. Par
ailleurs, on apprenait que l'Unesco arretait ses activites au Congo
pour protester contre le jugement annonce d'Arthur Z'ahidi Ngoma,
un de ses employes congolais.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 21
avril 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Commission d'enquete retiree  -  Le 17 avril, le
porte-parole de l'ONU a fait savoir que le secretaire general Kofi
Annan avait decide de retirer "immediatement" de la R.D.Congo la
mission d'enquete sur les massacres de refugies rwandais; decision
prise "a contrecoeur", en raison de l'"obstruction systematique" du
gouvernement de Kabila. Apres plus de sept mois d'un bras de fer
ininterrompu, la mission s'avoue donc vaincue, meme si la poursuite
de l'enquete sera confiee a la Commission des droits de l'homme a
Geneve. Le Haut Commissaire, Mary Robinson, a pour sa part estime
que le retrait force de la mission representait "un grave revers"
dans la lutte contre les auteurs d'atrocites. - Au meme moment on
apprenait que, depuis le 14 avril, l'armee congolaise encerclait la
ville de Butembo au Kivu, pour en deloger les Mai-Mai et leurs
complices. Selon des sources locales, l'armee ne s'embarrasserait
pas de la distinction entre rebelles et population locale. - 20
avril. Une deuxieme vague d'enqueteurs ONU a quitte Kinshasa. Ne
restent plus a Kinshasa que les personnes chargees de liquider les
affaires courantes. D'autre part, au Kivu, des sources signalent
l'arrestation de plusieurs des temoins interroges dans cette region
par la commission d'enquete, dont les noms figuraient sur les
documents de l'enqueteur Harland arrete le 7 avril. Il s'agirait de
plusieurs membres d'ONG et du chef coutumier des Hunde, M. Kalinda.
Selon l'agence Reuters, le gouvernement aurait egalement suspendu
l'autorisation d'emettre d'une radio privee, radio Amani, dirigee
par l'Eglise catholique a Kisangani.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 21 avril 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Kabila commue la peine  -  Le president Kabila a
commue en detention a vie la peine de mort infligee a un enfant-
soldat de 13 ans, qui avait tue un employe de la Croix-Rouge fin
mars, a-t-on appris le 21 avril. L'enfant avait ete condamne par un
tribunal militaire quelques heures apres les faits. L'avocat du
garcon a toutefois interjete appel, parce que le Congo a signe la
convention des Nations unies qui interdit les condamnations a mort
et a la detention a vie pour des enfants.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 23 avril 1998)

* Egypte. Visite de Tony Blair  -  Le Premier ministre britannique
Tony Blair, en visite au Caire, s'est engage le 18 avril a ne pas
permettre que son pays soit un "sanctuaire pour les terroristes",
soulignant que Londres se tient aux cotes de l'Egypte "dans sa
determination a lutter contre le terrorisme, d'ou qu'il vienne".
Apres l'attentat de Louxor le 17 novembre 1997, le president
egyptien, Hosni Moubarak, avait accuse la Grande-Bretagne d'offrir
un refuge aux activistes islamistes.   (Le Monde, France, 21 avril
1998)

* Ethiopie. Repartition de l'eau du Nil  -  Le Premier ministre
ethiopien Meles Zenawi a critique le partage egypto-soudanais des
eaux du Nil et demande un nouvel accord pour une repartition
equitable des eaux de ce fleuve entre les pays riverains. "Ce que
nous voulons, ce n'est pas un amenagement de l'accord existant,
mais une nouvelle approche", a indique M. Zenawi dans un entretien
paru le 7 avril dans le quotidien saoudien al-Hayat. Il a souligne
que l'accord de 1959 sur les eaux du Nil entre l'Egypte et le
Soudan n'avait pas pris en compte les autres pays riverains. "Les
eaux du Nil ne sont pas egyptiennes, soudanaises ou ethiopiennes.
Elles sont une richesse qui doit etre partagee entre tous", a
souligne M. Zenawi.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 10 avril 1998)

* Ethiopia. Courts hearings on genocide  -  On 16 April a court
began hearing the cases of 900 former Marxist officials accused of
genocide and crimes against humanity during the rule of ousted
Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam. A total of 108 of the
accused appeared at a regional court, while the other 792 are being
tried in absentia. Those who appeared were given charge sheets and
ordered to enter pleas at the next session on 14 May. All the
accused are charged with acts of torture, summary executions and
participation in the Red Terror campaign between 1977 and 1978,
while they held posts in the former military junta.   (InfoBeat,
USA, 17 April 1998)

* Ghana. "Jubilee 2000"  -  On 16 April, the conference of the
international movement "Jubilee 2000" opened in Accra. This
conference will launch the part of the campaign dedicated to
Africa. Representatives from 20 countries are meeting to discuss
the issue of foreign debt, and plan a favourable solution for the
developing countries. The meeting was opened by Archbishop Ndungane
of Cape Town and ends on 19 April.   (MISNA, Rome, 16 April 1998)

* Guinee. Cinq deputes emprisonnes  -  La situation en Guinee se
degrade au fur et a mesure que l'on s'approche de l'election
presidentielle prevue en decembre. Les arrestations de journalistes
ont fait place a l'embastillement de deputes de l'opposition. Le 14
avril, ils etaient cinq sous les verrous en depit de leur immunite
parlementaire: trois deputes de l'UNR (parti essentiellement peuhl)
et deux du RPG (a dominante malinke). L'opposition s'appuie
essentiellement sur ces deux grandes ethnies, majoritaires dans le
Fouta Djalon et la Haute-Guinee.   (d'apres Le Monde, France, 16
avril 1998)

* Libye. $ 5 milliards de pertes par l'embargo  -  L'industrie et
la metallurgie libyennes ont perdu plus de 5 milliards de dollars
en raison de l'embargo impose depuis 1992 a ce pays en raison de
son soutien presume au terrorisme, selon un rapport officiel. Selon
le document du ministere libyen des Affaires etrangeres, les lignes
de production ne fonctionnent plus dans des dizaines d'usines en
raison des irregularites dans la fourniture de matieres premieres.
Les entreprises libyennes ont ete obligees de recourir a des
intermediaires pour assurer leurs importations, ce qui s'est
traduit par une hausse de plus 15% des prix des produits importes. 
 (Marches Tropicaux, France, 10 avril 1998)

* Libya. Sanctions violations  -  On 16 April, a UN committee
agreed Libya violated sanctions by flying 105 pilgrims to Saudi
Arabia aboard a Libyan airliner March 29, committee sources said.
The committee also authorized its chairman, Ambassador Danilo Turk
of Slovenia, to send a letter to Libya's UN mission about the
violation. But the precise wording of the letter is expected to be
the subject of further consultations, the sources said after a
closed-door meeting. Flights to and from Libya have been banned
since 1992 as part of sanctions imposed by the Security Council
because of Tripoli's refusal to extradite to Britain or the US two
men accused of planting a bomb aboard Pan Am flight 103 which
exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, killing 270 people.  
(InfoBeat, USA, 17 April 1998)

* Libye. Le proces Lockerbie  -  Des representants des familles
britanniques des victimes du drame de Lockerbie ont fait savoir, le
22 avril, que la Libye a donne son accord pour que les deux
suspects de l'attentat a la bombe contre l'avion de la Pan-Am en
1988 soient juges aux Pays-Bas. Le gouvernement des Etats-Unis a
deja rejete la proposition. La Grande-Bretagne et les Etats-Unis
avaient toujours exige que le proces ait lieu soit en Ecosse, soit
aux Etats-Unis.   (De Standaard, Belgique, 23 avril 1998)

* Maroc. Programme gouvernemental  -  Le 17 avril, le nouveau
Premier ministre marocain, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, a presente aux
deputes un vaste programme de gouvernement, destine notamment a
moderniser et moraliser la vie publique marocaine et a mieux
repartir les richesses pour engager le Maroc "dans une dynamique
profonde de changement et de progres".   (La Libre Belgique, 18
avril 1998)

* Mozambique. Snag hits link to Maputo  -  On 16 April, a $5
billion plan to develop the corridor linking South Africa's
industrial heartland to the Mozambican port of Maputo, hit a snag
when a South African mining company said it had suspended coal
exports on that route because of the high cost of rail transport.
Gold Fields Coal, which has pioneered South African use of the
Matola bulk terminal at Maputo, said it was costing twice as much
to send coal from its Witbank mines to Maputo as it was to the
South African port of Richards Bay, even though Maputo was only
three-fifths the distance. The suspension will be a blow to the
port of Maputo and to the ambitions of the South African and
Mozambican governments for the corridor.   (Financial Times, U.K.,
17 April 1998)

* Niger. Affrontements  -  Au terme d'un week-end (18-19 avril) de
violentes emeutes, en particulier dans les villes de Zinder et
Maradi, le gouvernement de Niamey a fait arreter trois leaders
regionaux de l'opposition et annonce la mise en place de lois plus
severes. Des manifestations demandant la demission du president
Ibrahim Bare Mainassara etaient a l'origine de ces affrontements. 
 (Misna, Rome, 21 avril 1998)

* Niger. Political violence  -  19 April: Opposition activists take
to the streets of Niger's second city of Zinder, setting fire to a
police station and to the regional headquarters of the ruling
party. Other supporters of an eight-party alliance demanding the
resignation of President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara, ransacked
buildings, built barricades and burned tires during a turbulent
weekend in the town of Maradi. But officials and witnesses said the
ruling Rally for Democracy and progress went ahead with a meeting
in Maradi in support of Mainassara. 20 April: The government says
that three regional opposition leaders have been arrested after the
weekend political violence, and vows to respond by enforcing the
rule of law. 22 April: Students set a passenger bus on fire in
renewed unrest at the main university in Niamey.   (InfoBeat, USA,
20 April 1998)

* Nigeria. Mayhem in Ibadan  -  15 April: At least two people were
killed, about 20 wounded, and five vehicles burnt down at the
premises of the ultra-modern Salami Sports Stadium, Ibadan, when
the venue of a rally organised by the pro-Abacha group, became a
battleground. This happened after members of the United Action for
Democracy (UAD) disrupted the rally and forced people to run for
their lives. The pro-Abacha rally had earlier been addressed by the
Military Administrator of Oyo State, Colonel Ahmed Usman and other
political stalwarts in the State. As the speeches were being
delivered in the main bowl of the Stadium, the pro-democracy
groups, led by the UAD started singing war songs outside of the
Stadium, and calling for an end to military rule in Nigeria.  
(Taye Babaleye, Nigeria, 17 April 1998)

* Nigeria. Abacha seul candidat  -  Le 20 avril, comme dernier des
cinq partis officiellement enregistres, le Mouvement democratique
de base (GDM) a proclame son appui a la candidature du general
Abacha aux elections presidentielles du 1er aout. Lors d'un vote a
l'interieur du parti a Maiduguri, un autre candidat, Mohammed
Yussufu, a eu le dessous. En septembre 1996, la Commission
electorale nationale avait permis l'enregistrement de cinq partis
politiques, qui tous les cinq soutiennent Abacha. Celui-ci demeure
donc l'unique candidat aux elections. Le comite charge de la
transition vers un regime democratique a fait savoir que les
elections du 1er aout aboutiraient probablement a un referendum sur
la candidature d'Abacha. Le principal mouvement d'opposition,
l'Action unie pour la democratie, a appele tous les Nigerians a
boycotter toutes les elections du programme de transition. Ce
processus commence avec les elections legislatives.   (De
Standaard, Belgique, 21 avril 1998)

* Nigeria. Abacha -- the only candidate  -  17 April: The United
Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) has finally announced publicly that
it has adopted General Abacha as its sole candidate for the
presidential elections scheduled for 1 August 1998. Making the
announcement at the end of the party's delegates' conference in
Kaduna, the Party Chairman, Ahaji Isa Mohammed said it was the
unanimous decision of the delegates from the 36 States of the
Federation.21 April: Delegates at the convention of the Grass Roots
Democratic Movement, meeting in Maiduguri, vote for General Abacha
as their presidential nominee. All five of the government
sanctioned parties have now selected General Abacha, eliminating
potential competition for the presidency in what was intended to be
the last stage of Nigeria's transition to civilian rule. The
Transition Implementation Committee, responsible for the
administration of the phased handover, says that the 1 August vote
might instead become a referendum on General Abacha's candidacy. 22
April: Britain and its Commonwealth partners are now facing serious
problems over how to respond to latest developments in Nigeria.
Nigerian opponents of military rule threaten civil disobedience,
strikes and rallies to remove General Abacha and thwart his
transformation into a civilian president.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23
April 1998)

* Rwanda. 70 rebelles tues  -  Le 15 avril, 70 rebelles ont ete
tues dans la commune de Buringa, dans la prefecture de Gitarama, au
centre du Rwanda, au cours d'une operation de ratissage menee par
l'armee rwandaise, selon l'Office rwandais d'information. L'armee
a egalement saisi de nombreuses armes de guerre. Les attaques de
rebelles se sont multipliees depuis plus d'un mois dans la
prefecture de Gitarama.   (La Libre Belgique, 18 avril 1998)

* Rwanda. 70 rebels killed by army  -  On 15 April, the Rwandan
army killed 70 Hutu militiamen during a battle in the central
province of Gitarama, state-run radio said. The battle at Buramba
village followed an army swoop against the rebels who had been
attacking civilians in the area, the radio said. "This is the group
that has been infiltrating nearby communes, killing people and
ambushing vehicles on the Kigali-Gitarama road. This evil force has
been neutralized now", said a military commander.   (InfoBeat, USA,
17 April 1998)

* Rwanda. Kagame urges help from ex-FAR soldiers  -  Vice-President
and Defence Minister Paul Kagame has urged soldiers of the former
Forces armees rwandaises (FAR) to join in the country's
reconstruction. Speaking at the end of a training course to re-
educate former fighters, he said that while they would not all
joining the Rwandan army, there were other ways to help rebuild
Rwanda. The agency AFP noted that the Rwandan Patriotic Army is
currently downsizing, and only a few ex-FAR with special skills
would be integrated. "There is the camp of those who kill women and
children, and the camp of those who want to rebuild Rwanda", Kagame
said.   (InfoBeat, USA, 17 April 1998)

* Rwanda. Deux pretres condamnes a mort  -  Le 16 avril, deux
pretres rwandais ont ete condamnes a mort pour "genocide et
complicite de genocide" par la cour specialisee du Tribunal de
Kibuye. C'est la premiere fois que des hommes d'Eglise sont
condamnes a la peine de mort par les tribunaux rwandais. Les deux
pretres, Jean-Francois-Emmanuel Kayiranga et Emmanuel Nkuriye,
etaient accuses d'avoir "use de leur position pour encourager le
genocide" et d'avoir participe au massacre de plus de 8.000
personnes. Cependant, selon l'agence Misna, d'autres sources
dementent l'implication des deux pretres dans ces massacres et
protestent contre les procedures judiciaires: "Leur innocence a ete
demontree par plusieurs temoignages de Tutsi. Les accuses n'ont
jamais eu droit a la parole durant le proces". L'Union europeenne
a demande de ne pas appliquer la sentence de mort. D'autre part,
dix pretres, quatre religieuses et plusieurs freres sont encore
emprisonnes au Rwanda, accuses de complicite au genocide.   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 20 avril 1998)

* Rwanda. Death sentences  -  17 April: A court sentences two
priests to death, after finding them guilty of crimes against
humanity and acts of genocide committed during the 1994 massacre.
The priests, Jean Francois Kayiranga and Edouard Nkurikiye, are the
first priests to be convicted under Rwanda's genocide trials which
began in December 1996. They have been found guilty of killing
2,000 Tutsis who sought refuge at Nyange Church in Kivumu commune.
The court heard the priests ordered the demolition of Nyange church
by mechanical digger with the refugees inside. The driver of the
digger, Anastase Nkinamubanzi, paid by the priests to destroy the
church, is sentenced to life imprisonment. 22 April: Radio Rwanda
announces that 33 people sentenced to death, will be executed in
public on 24 April at 10 am. The executions will take place in the
stadium at Nyamirambo in Kigali, and in several other locations in
the south and east of the country. They were ordered at a special
cabinet meeting on 20 April, when Prsident Bizimungu turned down
pleas for clemency.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 April 1998)

* Rwanda. Executions publiques  -  Un conseil des ministres
extraordinaire, reuni le 21 avril, a pris la decision de faire
executer publiquement, le matin du vendredi 24 avril, une vingtaine
de condamnes a mort pour avoir avoir participe au genocide de 1994.
(Ndlr.: on avait d'abord parle de 33 condamnes, mais ce chiffre a
ete rectifie ensuite). Le president Bizimungu a rejete les requetes
de grace presidentielle. Les condamnes, dont les noms n'ont pas ete
rendus publics, seront fusilles a 10h. du matin dans cinq villes
differentes, dont la capitale Kigali. Ces condamnations a mort
seront les premieres a etre executees au Rwanda depuis la prise du
pouvoir du Front patriotique rwandais. Un autre condamne a mort,
qui avait egalement epuise tous les recours, est decede en prison.
114 personnes, dont deux pretres, ont deja ete condamnes a la peine
capitale. Plus de 126.000 personnes sont actuellement detenues dans
les prisons rwandaises en attendant d'etre jugees pour
participation au genocide.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 23
avril 1998)

* Sahara occidental. La Minurso prolongee  -  Le 17 avril, le
Conseil de securite de l'ONU a decide de prolonger jusqu'au 20
juillet le mandat de la mission des Nations unies au Sahara
occidental (Minurso), chargee de preparer le referendum
d'autodetermination prevu en decembre. L'identification des
electeurs a pris beaucoup de retard.   (Le Monde, France, 19 avril
1998)

* Sierra-Leone. Services de securite  -  Le 15 avril, le president
sierra-leonais, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, a annonce que le Nigeria avait
"prete" a Freetown le colonel nigerian Maxwell Khobe, commandant de
l'Ecomog, pour devenir le chef des services de securite du pays. Le
retour au pouvoir de M. Kabbah en Sierra-Leone, le 10 mars, avait
ete organise par l'armee nigeriane.   (Le Monde, France, 18 avril
1998)
* Sierra Leone. Refugees report atrocities  -  21 April. Refugees
from fighting in Sierra Leone have reported atrocities by forces
loyal to the ousted military regime, reminiscent of the 1994
genocide in Rwanda, the United Nations refugee agency said. UNHCR
spokeswoman, Judith Kumin, said the accounts were coming from
people crossing the border into Guinea from north-eastern areas of
the West African state. According to the refugees, troops and
militias of the former government "are punishing people accused of
not supporting them". Some civilians were being shot, and other
maimed or killed".   (InfoBeat, USA, 21 April 1998)

* Sierra-Leone. Atrocites de la junte  -  Selon des temoignages
cites le 21 avril par le Haut Commissariat des Nations unies pour
les refugies, des elements de la junte chassee du pouvoir en
Sierra-Leone se livrent a des atrocites rappelant celles recencees
au Rwanda en 1994. Les soldats et miliciens de l'ancien regime
militaire s'en prennent a ceux qui sont accuses de ne pas les
soutenir. Des civils ont ete tues par balles, d'autres estropies ou
tues a coups de machette.   (La Libre Belgique, 22 avril 1998)

* Somalia. Aideed says peace is close  -  On 15 April, Somali
warlord Mohamed Hussein Aideed said that a permanent peace was
imminent and he appealed for international help to rebuild his
troubled country. "We have a very good opportunity to seal the
peace agreements from Cairo", he said. "We are close to permanent
peace...very close". Aideed, in Kenya with other Somali leaders for
talks with President Moi, dismissed critics who suggested the
latest peace moves were a plot by Mogadishu-based factions to seize
permanent control of the city's harbour and airport.   (InfoBeat,
USA, 16 April 1998)

* Somalie. Otages CICR  -  16 avril. Les hommes armes qui, la
veille, avaient enleve dix membres d'organisations humanitaires,
ont exige un million de dollars pour leur liberation. Tout le
personnel du CICR et de la Federation internationale de la Croix-
Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge a quitte la Somalie, a l'exception d'un
negociateur. Le CICR a rappele qu'il avait pour regle de ne jamais
payer de rancon. L'homme fort du nord de Mogadiscio, Ali Mahdi
Ahmed, a regagne son fief apres des pourparlers de paix a Nairobi,
en declarant: "Je ne prendrai pas de repos jusqu'a ce qu'ils soient
liberes". Il y a des indications que les kidnappeurs, d'un sous-
clan de celui d'Ali Mahdi, veulent avoir leur mot a dire dans les
pourparlers de paix. 20 avril. A Nairobi, le porte-parole du chef
de guerre Hussein Aidid a indique que les dix hommes vont etre
liberes.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 21 avril 1998)

* Somalia. Hostage situation  -  16 April: The International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says that clan leader Mohamed Ali
Mahdi and other faction chiefs are trying to win the unconditional
release of 10 kidnapped aid workers. The Geneva-based agency calls
for the nine expatriates and a Somali engineer to be freed
immediately, and says it had pulled out its seven expatriate staff
due to the crisis. In a statement, the ICRC says it has kept up
round-the-clock contact with Somali elders in Mogadishu who are
trying to secure the release of the hostages. The workers were
abducted on 15 April as their Red Cross aircraft landed in
Mogadishu North, an area controlled by Mahdi. (Editor's note: The
kidnappers are demanding a one million dollar ransom). 20 April:
The ICRC says it has sent an aid package to the kidnapped workers.
Aideed's faction says the aid workers are being freed but the Red
Cross says it cannot confirm the report. 21 April: The leader of
the kidnappers, Mahmoud Garbow, says there will be no release of
the hostages until his group's demands are met.   (InfoBeat, USA,
16-21 April 1998)

* South Africa. Case adjourned  -  On 16 April, Shaking with rage
and shouting "they want to destroy me and my people", P.W. Botha
stormed out of court after hearing a second day of damning evidence
from official documents, implicating him in apartheid crimes during
his time as South Africa's leader. As the contempt case against the
82-year-old former president was adjourned for six weeks after only
one witness was called, he realised he would not, at least for now,
be able to refute allegations against him. Mr Botha's lawyers
attempted to stall the case which began on 15 April, after a 24-
hour delay, by frequently asking for further documents to be
produced by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). This led
the prosecutor, Bruce Morrison, to call for an adjournment to 1
June. Mr Botha argues that the TRC has received all the answers it
needs through 1,800 written replies he provided last year. But the
TRC says new evidence means it needs to call him.   (The Guardian,
U.K. 17 April 1998)

* Afrique du Sud. Proces Botha reporte  -  16 avril. Le proces de
l'ex-president Pieter Botha, accuse d'outrage a magistrat pour
avoir refuse de cooperer avec la Commission verite et
reconciliation, a ete reporte au 1er juin. L'avocat general a
obtenu ce renvoi pour pouvoir acceder aux documents actuellement
archives a Pretoria, qui prouveraient que la securite d'Etat a
approuve le meurtre d'activistes noirs. Les avocats de la defense
etaient contre ce report, craignant que des accusations
incontrolees puissent se repandre. L'ex-president risque jusqu'a
deux ans de prison et une amende de 20.000 rands, mais la
Commission verite et reconciliation, presidee par l'archeveque
Desmond Tutu, a d'ores et deja ecarte l'eventualite d'une peine de
prison.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 17 avril 1998)

* South Africa. Towards social equity  -  Parliament is currently
in recess for Easter. Somewhere down the line, Parliament will be
dealing with legislation regarding water and minerals. Both bits of
legislation reflect aspects of the government's broader social
policy considerations, and represent a move, however small and
tentative, towards a position of social equity. Several important
issues are raised in the Green Paper on Mineral Policy. In general
it looks at how increased investment in the mineral sector can
generate wealth and employment, and seeks to de-racialise the
industry through Black empowerment programmes and ownership
participation schemes. The Draft National Water Bill has the need
to regulate the "protection, use, development, management and
control of water resources" as its basic theme. It proposes to
classify water resources, to determine how water resources are to
be used and what one pays for the right to do so.   (SACBC,
Parliamentary Liaison Office, 17 April 1998)

* South Africa. Mbeki calls for African debt relief  -  On 17
April, South African Deputy President Thabo Mbeki wrapped up a
four-stop Asian tour with a plea to the world community to
accelerate debt relief for Africa's poorest nations. Mbeki, who has
been elected by South Africa's ruling African National Congress to
succeed President Nelson Mandela next year, ended this tour with an
address to business leaders in Hong Kong. He told them the tide had
turned in Africa and that it was time for constructive cooperation
to help it escape from poverty and begin to grow.   (InfoBeat, USA,
17 April 1998)

* South Africa. Court ruling in rugby row  -  On 17 April, the
South African Rugby Football Union won a court victory against the
government, when a Pretoria judge ruled illegal a planned official
inquiry into the Union's financial affairs and its treatment of
black players. But President Mandela's lawyers said they would
almost certainly appeal against the judgement. The National Sports
Council is threatening to call for an international boycott of
South African rugby and to withdraw the use of the springbok emblem
if the Rugby Union's 47 executive committee members do not reign by
7 May. Commercial sponsors of the sport, nervous about South
African rugby's image, have also attacked the Union's leadership. 
 (Financial Times, U.K., 18 April 1998)

* South Africa. Trevor Huddleston dies  -  On 20 April, Archbishop
Trevor Huddleston, who devoted much of his life to the struggle
against apartheid, died. Archbishop Desmond Tutu paid this tribute:
"If you could say anybody single-handedly made apartheid a world
issue, then that person was Trevor Huddleston. He was my mentor and
inspired me and many others. He made sure that apartheid got on to
the world agenda and stayed there". As a priest of the Community of
the Resurrection, Huddleston was first posted to South Africa in
the early 1940s. He became active in the struggle against apartheid
and formed lifelong friendships with leaders such as Oliver Tambo
and Nelson Mandela.   (The Guardian, U.K., 21 April 1998)

* South Africa. Divisions in the country  -  On 21 April, President
Mandela said that cracks were appearing in South Africa's post-
apartheid sense of identity, but these must not undermine the
achievements of the past four years. In a speech to parliament,
Mandela referred to a discredited military report of a left-wing
coup plot against him, a row over the government's failed efforts
to appoint a judicial commission to investigate the white-dominated
sport of rugby, and growing racial tension in schools and on farms.
The 79 year old president is in his last year of office.  
(InfoBeat, USA, 21 April 1998)

* Afrique du Sud. Ultime hommage a Angelina  -  Le 21 avril, trois
mille personnes ont rendu un dernier hommage a la petite Angelina
Zwane, bebe noir de six mois abattu le 11 avril par un fermier
blanc parce que, sur le dos de sa cousine, elle se trouvait sur son
domaine. Angelina est morte a l'hopital, tuee d'une balle dans la
tete. Dans un climat traduisant la renaissance des tensions
raciales en Afrique du Sud, la tragedie a pris l'ampleur d'une
affaire nationale. Les representants de la plupart des partis
politiques assistaient a la ceremonie dans la banlieue de
Johannesburg. Nicholas Steyn, 43 ans, le fermier blanc qui
employait ses parents comme ouvriers agricoles, a ete inculpe pour
"meurtre et tentative de meurtre" et place en detention preventive. 
 (d'apres Liberation, France, 22 avril 1998)

* Afrique du Sud. Homme de couleur au NP  -  Hernus Kriel, leader
du Parti national (NP) dans la province du Cap occidental et un des
hommes importants de l'aile conservatrice du parti, a annonce qu'il
se retirait de la politique. "Mon parti a besoin de renouveau", a-
t-il declare. Son successeur sera vraisemblablement un homme de
couleur. On cite les noms de Peter Marais et de Gerard Morkel.  
(De Standaard, Belgique, 23 avril 1998)

* Soudan. Pourparlers de paix  -  Les negociations de paix entre le
gouvernement de Khartoum et les rebelles du SPLM/A vont reprendre
a Nairobi la derniere semaine d'avril, a annonce le ministre kenyan
des Affaires etrangeres le 15 avril. Les pourparlers, qui ont ete
interrompus en novembre, seront tenus sous les auspices de
l'Autorite intergouvernementale regionale pour le developpement, a
rapporte l'AFP. - D'autre part, le referendum sur la nouvelle
Constitution du Soudan aura lieu du 23 avril au 2 mai et les
resultats seront publies le 6 mai, a annonce le president de la
commission electorale soudanaise.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
16 avril 1998)

* Soudan. La famine s'aggrave  -  La vie de milliers de personnes
est en danger dans le sud du Soudan, ou la famine s'aggrave faute
de secours alimentaires suffisants, ont averti les ONG operant dans
le pays. "Nous sommes confrontes a une catastrophe potentielle et
nous nous attendons a voir la situation s'empirer", a declare le 14
avril un responsable du PAM. Selon des responsables humanitaires,
la guerre civile et la secheresse se traduisent par l'une des plus
graves famines qu'ait connues le sud du Soudan, notamment la
province du Bahr el-Ghazal.   (Le Monde, France, 18 avril 1998)

* Sudan. Bahr el Ghazal faces catastrophe  -  On 21 April, the
World Food Programme (WFP) warned that unless it receives
permission to double or triple its airlift of food aid to southern
Sudan within a matter of days, the Bahr el Ghazal region will face
catastrophe. The WFP said farmers in the region also need seeds and
tools within the next three weeks to plant the crop they will
harvest in August.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 21 April 1998)

* Sudan. Archbishop of Khartoum to be arrested
Gabriel Zubeir Wako, Catholic Archbishop of Khartoum is to be
arrested by order of Judge Nshid Yousif of the District Court of
Omdurman who, on 22 April 1998, ruled also that eleven cars used by
the Catholic Church for humanitarian services, were to be delivered
to the Court. Reliable sources in Khartoum report that this is the
final ruling at the conclusion of a five-year civil case about
relief items supplied to the Catholic Church in Khartoum in 1988-
1989 by a merchant, Mr El Amin Nasr Ed-Din. The merchant was
entitled to the equivalent of US $30,136. The judge had ruled and
ordered the Catholic Church to pay El-Amin Nasr Ed-Din, US
$664,000. The Archbishop is ready to pay the equivalent of the US
$30,136, according to a previous ruling of the District Court, for
relief items but for which the Archdiocese cannot prove it has
paid. But he declares that in conscience he cannot dispose of funds
donated for the relief of the displaced population of Khartoum and
give them as payment for relief items the Archdiocese has never
received. Comboni Press has learned of Archbishop Zubeir's
readiness to go to prison rather than deprive the poor of what has
been given for their relief.   (Comboni Press, Rome, 23 April 1998)

* Chad. Peace Corps withdraws volunteers  -  On 20 April, the Peace
Corps said it has withdrawn all 34 peace Corps volunteers from Chad
because of violence and civil unrest. The agency is suspending its
action in Chad, and many of the volunteers. who are now in Yaounde,
Cameroon, will transfer to serve in other countries in Africa.  
(InfoBeat, USA, 20 April 1998)

* Vatican. La dette des pays pauvres  -  Dans un document intitule
"Faire passer la vie avant la dette", rendu public le 17 avril a
Rome, Caritas Internationalis et la Cidse, les deux grands reseaux
catholiques de solidarite, demandent la remise de la dette
internationale des pays les plus pauvres a l'approche du troisieme
millenaire. Ils unissent leurs voix pour rappeler l'urgence, les
conditions techniques et la dimension ethique de cette reduction de
la dette. Le document est le fruit de 18 mois de travail. Dans
Tertio millennio adveniente, le pape Jean-Paul II avait deja lance
un appel en ce sens. (Le texte du nouveau document est disponible
a cette adresse: <ci.comm@caritas.va>)   (d'apres La Croix, France,
18 avril 1998)

* Vatican. Religieux assassines en 1997  -  L'agence Fides donne
les noms de 28 religieux (1 eveque, 19 pretres, 1 frere et 7
religieuses) assassines en 1997 dans les territoires dits "de
mission". De ceux-ci 20 ont ete tues en Afrique (dont 12 en R.D. du
Congo et 4 au Rwanda), auxquels il faut encore ajouter 40 petits
seminaristes tues au Burundi. Depuis le debut de l'annee 1998, en
moins de quatre mois, on doit deja deplorer dix nouveaux
assassinats de religieux, dont huit en Afrique: six religieuses des
Filles de la resurrection et un pretre ont ete assassines au
Rwanda, et une religieuse en R.D. du Congo.   (d'apres Fides, Rome,
21 avril 1998)

* Zambia. Privatisation back on track  -  Zambia is taking action
to put the privatisation of its copper industry quickly back on
track by restarting negotiations with the Kafue consortium, whose
offer for the country's two biggest mines was rejected three weeks
ago. No details were given but Kafue is believed to have offered
just over US $100 million cash and agreed to spend at least $400
million to revitalise the crumbling mines.   (Financial Times,
U.K., 23 April 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Dumping rivals  -  16 April: Speculation is growing
that President Mugabe will dump rivals from the cabinet next week
in a reshuffle widely expected after he accused some colleagues of
plotting to oust him. Political commentators say Mugabe may also
use the reshuffle to replace his two loyal but elderly vice-
presidents, ailing Joshua Nkoma, 81, and Simon Muzenda, 76, with
younger ministers.   (InfoBeat, USA, 16 April 1998)


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