ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belg TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: anb- bia@village.uunet.be _____________________________________________________________ WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 15-04-1999 PART #1/ * Africa. Action against the Media - Algeria. 9 April, in a letter addressed to President Zeroual, the Committee To Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed concern about on-going government restrictions on foreign journalists who report from Algeria. The CPJ said it has documented continued government strictures on the freedom of movement of foreign reporters inside Algeria. Algerian authorities have systematically enforced a policy of providing mandatory armed government escorts for foreign reporters -- a policy which has severely curtailed the ability of journalists to carry out their work. Mauritania: The French and Arab language editions of Le Calame have been banned for three months by order of the Ministry of the Interior. Swaziland: On 6 April, photographer Mduduzi Mngomezulu, who work for the Times of Swaziland, was beaten up by police in Manzini while trying to take photos of a march by civil servants. (CPJ/IFEX, Canada, 9 April 1999) * Africa. Refugees - Burundi: Julius Nyerere has demanded that the Burundi refugees sheltering in western Tanzania, be represented in the ongoing peace talks. Nyerere said that only through dialogue and mutual participation of all parties involved in the conflict, will a solution and sustainable peace be attained in Burundi. Zambia: The WFP has predicted that about 15,000 more refugees from Congo RDC will enter Zambia through Kaputa, Northern Province of Zambia, next month. The anticipated arrivals will raise to nearly 40,000 the total number of Congolese refugees in the province. The refugees are mostly coming from the Kalemie, Moba and Pepa areas of eastern Congo RDC. They share close ethnic and social ties with the Zambian people living in the Kaputa district. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 April 1999) * Afrique. Les Africains reecrivent leur histoire - Des dizaines d'historiens, linguistes, scientifiques et intellectuels venus surtout d'Afrique celebrent a Tripoli (Libye) l'achevement d'une oeuvre monumentale, une "Histoire generale de l'Afrique", "reappropriation" par les Africains de leur histoire presque toujours occultee. En 1963, l'idee en a ete lancee. 35 ans apres, dans une demarche qui a mobilise plus de 300 specialistes de tous pays, les 8 volumes de 1.000 pages chacun, existant en francais, anglais et arabe, partiellement en swahili et haoussa, seront bientot disponibles dans d'autres langues africaines. Ouvert le 10 avril, le colloque sera cloture le 12 avril par M. Kadhafi et le directeur de l'Unesco. Le financement a ete assure notamment par l'Unesco, la Libye, la Cote d'Ivoire, le Vatican et l'Iran. (AFP, France, 11 avril 1999) * Afrique centrale/australe. Pacte de defense - L'Angola, le Congo RDC, le Zimbabwe et la Namibie ont signe, le 8 avril a Luanda, un pacte de defense commune par lequel les quatre pays s'engagent a riposter conjointement si l'un d'entre eux etait attaque. L'Angola, le Zimbabwe et la Namibie apportent deja une aide militaire au Congo pour aider le president Kabila a vaincre la rebellion. Les dirigeants de la nouvelle alliance n'ont pas indique s'ils coopereraient ou non pour lutter contre les rebelles de l'Unita, qui ont repris le combat en Angola depuis decembre dernier. Dans un communique, les quatre dirigeants ont a nouveau appele les pays membres du SADC a apporter un soutien au gouvernement angolais. Ils ont egalement condamne les autorites rwandaises et ougandaises pour leur soutien a la rebellion congolaise. (AP, 9 avril 1999) * Algerie. Un seul candidat - Commencee le 25 mars, la campagne electorale algerienne devait s'achever le 12 avril a minuit, le premier tour de scrutin etant prevu le 22 avril. La campagne s'est deroulee sans accroc notable, bien que le 12 avril dix personnes, des paysans, aient ete tuees pres de Mascara, dans l'ouest; on ignore si cette tuerie est liee a la campagne electorale. Obeissant aux consignes des chefs du GIA, les groupes armes sont restes dans leurs maquis. Quant a l'Armee islamique du salut, elle a plaide en faveur d'une "participation massive au vote". Largement relayee par les medias nationaux, la campagne electorale, qui oppose sept candidats a l'election presidentielle, a essentiellement tourne autour du theme de la "reconciliation nationale". - Le 13 avril, les six candidats opposes a M. Bouteflika ont demande l'annulation des premiers votes intervenus des la veille dans le grand sud au Sahara et dans les casernes, menacant de se retirer si le soutien de l'administration a M. Bouteflika persistait. Ils ont indique avoir recueilli des informations prouvant qu'une operation de fraude avait commence dans ces bureaux de vote. Le 14 avril, les six candidats ont annonce le retrait collectif de leur candidature, vu "la persistance du pouvoir a denier aux Algeriens leur droit de decider de leur avenir". Dans la soiree, le president Zeroual a annonce que le scrutin aurait lieu comme prevu le 15 avril. La seule inconnue de cette election, qui debute ce jour a 8h locales, sera donc le taux de participation. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 15 avril 1999) * Algeria. Presidential Election - 12 March: The campaign for Algeria's presidential election draws to a close, amid allegations of administrative bias towards Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the former foreign minister. In hundreds of rallies, the seven candidates contesting the election on 15 April, had the chance to promote a message largely focusing on national reconciliation and the need to restore the rule of law to end more than seven years' violence. But four independent candidate -- Mouloud Hamrouche, Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi, Hocine Ait Ahmed and Abdallah Djaballah --claimed that the adiministration, public enterprises and state media were put to the service of Mr Bouteflika and the parties supporting him, while other candidates enjoyed only partial coverage on state television. (Financial Times, 13 April 1999) * Algerie. Un appel de Mgr Teissier - Interviewe par l'agenge catholique "Fides" a propos des elections presidentielles anticipees du 15 avril, Mgr Henri Teissier, 69 ans, archeveque d'Alger a declare que les elections presidentielles "sont une nouvelle etape qui s'ouvre en Algerie pour un depassement de la crise tres grave" qui secoue le pays. Il est positif, a-t-il affirme, que de la societe se leve une "requete generale pour un Etat de droit, ou la justice soit assuree pour tous". A travers l'agence "Fides", l'archeveque a lance un appel aux nouveaux mouvements: "Nous demandons aux mouvements laics, surtout aux nouveaux mouvements, de repondre avec generosite et positivement a l'appel de l'Eglise d'Algerie". "Tous nos freres algeriens", soutient le prelat, "attendent d'abord la paix... Tous aspirent a la paix et la reconciliation, ceux du moins qui n'ont pas de sang sur leurs mains". En parlant des relations islamo-chretiennes dans le pays, Mgr Teissier affirme que dans les petits groupes de chretiens, ces derniers apprennent a vivre fraternellement avec les musulmans, et inversement. "La crise de la societe algerienne n'a pas decourage notre temoignage; au contraire, elle l'a approfondi", a dit l'archeveque. (D'apres Fides, Rome, 13 avril 1999) * Algeria. The ghost at the banquet - 14 April: The Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) is supposed to be dead and buried. The party, whose Islamic ideology and populist message captured Algerians' feelings of discontent and threatened to sweep away the military- backed regime, was banned more than seven years ago. Since then, the FIS has been demonised and blamed for much of the violence that has ravaged Algeria. But as Algeria prepares to elect a president on 15 April, it finds the FIS is still the ghost at the banquet. The election is dominated by candidates calling for a political solution to Algeria's crisis, who favour in one way or another, inclusion of at least some of the former FIS members in politics. Even Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the former foreign minister seen as the army's candidate and the man most likely to succeed Liamine Zeroual as president, says he is willing to talk to former FIS representatives, though he has no intention of rehabilitating the party. (Financial Times, UK, 14 April 1999) * Algeria. Democracy lost - 14 April: Abdelaziz Bouteflika is the only candidate in tomorrows presidential election, the six others having withdraw their candidature because of electoral fraud in the preliminary votes cast. The candidates said they would not recognise the result of the poll having seen "the persistence of the regime to deny citizens the right to choose their future and pick their president". Constitutional experts say that according to the law, the vote will go on as planned -- with only one candidate. President Zeroual says the six candidates who had pulled out have taken "a very dangerous decision". Bouteflika says he will accept victory only if backed by a large majority and a massive turnout. 15 April: Presidential election. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 15 April 1999) * Angola. Conscription drive - 6 April: The Defence Minister says that all men born in 1978 could be conscripted for army service and they have until the end of the month to report for duty. He says UNITA is putting "strong pressure" on the provincial capitals of Kuito and Huambo in the central highlands, and on Malanje east of Luanda. Appropriate measures are being taken to prevent the rebels from capturing the three provincial capitals. 12 April: UNITA claims to have killed 186 government troops and destroyed tanks and other military equipment in attacks earlier this month. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 April 1999) * Angola. Les affrontements continuent - Le 13 avril, les forces armees angolaises (FAA) ont annonce la prise de Kune, a 40 km a l'est de ville de Bie. Les jours precedents, elles avaient repousse les rebelles du secteur et pris le controle d'un pont sur la riviere Kune. Leur objectif est la municipalite de Kunyinga, tenue par l'Unita. Par ailleurs, les FAA ont repris le controle de la ville septentrionale d'Ambuila dans la municipalite de Cuhinga, a environ 30 km de Cuito. Cuhinga n'est plus occupee par les hommes de Savimbi, mais ceux-ci tiennent toujours la ville de Cuito. D'autre part, il y a une semaine, le gouvernement a repondu negativement a l'appel lance par le PAM qui demandait la creation de couloirs humanitaires pour acceder aux chefs-lieux provinciaux ou affluent les refugies. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 14 avril 1999) * Angola. Polio epidemic among the displaced - The largest polio epidemic to hit Africa since 1995 has broken out in Angola among the country's displaced, according to WHO. As of 12 April, 302 cases had been reported with 19 deaths. Most of them occurred in districts on the outskirts of Luanda, home to the bulk of the displaced that had fled to the capital to escape Angola's civil war in the hinterland. A emergency "massive immunisation campaign" has been scheduled for Luanda and Caxito in Bengo province this weekend, a WHO report said. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 14 April 1999) * Burkina Faso. Les femmes protestent - Le 10 avril, des centaines de femmes representant des organisations democratiques et des partis politiques sont descendues dans les rues de Ouagadougou pour protester contre "l'impunite" avec laquelle le gouvernement viole des droits humains fondamentaux, ont rapporte les agences de presse. Les manifestantes brandissaient des affiches portant la photo de Norbert Zongo, sous laquelle apparaissaient les slogans "justice, justice" et "trop, c'est trop". A l'Assemblee nationale, elles ont remis au premier vice-president un document soulignant la gravite de la situation nationale et demandant une enquete approfondie sur les circonstances entourant la mort du journalsite, mort dans un accident de voiture suspect l'an dernier. (IRIN, Abidjan, 12 avril 1999) * Burundi. Reprise des debats - Le 12 avril a Arusha, 18 delegations burundaises ont repris le debat sur "la nature du conflit", a rapporte l'agence de presse Hirondelle. Ils examineront en particulier les causes du conflit, ainsi que la question controversee du "genocide", dont Hutu et Tutsi s'accusent mutuellement. Les membres de la commission devraient poursuivre leurs discussions jusqu'au 22 avril et proposer des solutions, des idees susceptibles de contribuer a la reconciliation nationale, a soumettre a la session pleniere prevue au mois de juin. - Pendant ce temps au Burundi, les echauffourees entre rebelles et forces de l'ordre continuent, les premiers s'infiltrant dans les communes ou lancant des attaques, les forces de l'ordre multipliant les operations dites de ratissage. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 12 avril 1999) * Comoros. Rivals agree to talk - 9 April: Comorian officials say that representatives of three islands have agreed to attend reconciliation talks in Madagascar later this month. The Comoros foreign minister said the agreement was a significant move towards restoring dialogue and trust. The talks, which are sponsored by the OAU aim to resolve the conflict between the main island, Grand Comore, and the breakaway islands of Anjouan and Moheli which declared independence in 1997 without the blessing of the central government. (BBC News, 9 April 1999) * Congo-Brazza. Repatriation agreement signed - Precarious conditions await tens of thousands of displaced people if and when they return to Dolisie and Nkayi in central Congo-Brazza. A joint UN-government team which visited the towns last week found them almost deserted. Displaced people from Dolisie are still "highly apprehensive". Continuing tension between government troops, the Cocoyes militia of ex-president Lissouba, and civilians, is preventing people from returning to Dolisie from surrounding areas. The town has no water, electricity or health services. A new tripartite agreement between UNHCR and the two Congos signed late last week, establishes a framework for expanding ongoing bilateral repatriation efforts. (IRIN, Nairobi, 13 April 1999) * Congo (RDC). Deces de Marcel Lihau - M. Marcel A. Lihau Ebua, constitutionnaliste congolais renomme, est decede a Cambridge, aux Etats-Unis, dans la nuit du 9 au 10 avril. Il etait ne en 1931, pres de Lisala, dans le nord-ouest du Congo-Belge. L'un des premiers universitaires du Congo, il participa comme observateur a la table ronde belgo-congolaise qui a prepare l'independance, et fut Commissaire general a la Justice de 1960 a 1961. Professeur, puis doyen a la faculte de droit de l'universite de Kinshasa, il participa a l'elaboration de la Constitution dite de Luluabourg et celle de la 2eme Republique. En 1968, il est nomme president de la Cour supreme, mais refusant de suivre Mobutu dans l'illegalite, il est revoque en juillet 1975. Cofondateur du parti UDPS, il est emprisonne, puis exile. Depuis 1985 il s'etait refugie aux Etats- Unis, ou il fut integre dans la Harvard Law School. Il fut aussi le premier a lancer l'idee de la Conference nationale souveraine, a laquelle il participa activement. M. Lihau etait connu pour sa droiture et son integrite, sa competence scientifique et son jugement imbu d'humanite et de bienveillance. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13 avril 1999) * Congo (RDC). On-going events - 8 April: Rebels and their Rwandan allies say they have scored another military victory against government troops in southern Congo, destroying equipment and killing an unknown number of soldiers. The Congolese soldiers and their allies from Zimbabwe lost three tanks, eight armoured personnel carriers, four anti-aircraft guns and other equipment in three days of battle at Kakuyu. The same day, reaffirming support for the government of Congo RDC in its fight against the rebels, the leaders of Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia joined Congo RDC in a regional defense pact. 11 April: President Kabila's government welcomes a UN resolution calling for an immediate end to fighting in Congo RDC. 12 April: Rebels take journalists to the twon of Kakuyu, in the south-eastern province of Katanga, which they've captured from forces supporting Kabila. They've described the town as a crucial base for Zimbabwean forces. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 April 1999) * Congo (RDC). Mediations et avance rebelle - Le 9 avril, le Conseil de securite de l'ONU a adopte a l'unanimite une resolution appelant a un cessez-le-feu immediat en RDC, exprimant un soutien total a la mission de son emissaire dans cette region. Le Conseil a encore deplore la poursuite des combats et le maintien de troupes etrangeres dans le pays. -Le meme jour, le president Kabila a effectue une visite en Tanzanie pour rencontrer le president Mkapa. Selon le journal independant African, qui cite des sources non identifiees, Kabila souhaiterait que l'ancien dirigeant tanzanien Julius Nyerere assure une mediation pour d'eventuels pourparlers de paix avec les rebelles qui controlent l'est du pays. - Le 12 avril, les rebelles ont annonce s'etre empares de la localite de Lubefu, a 180 km au nord-est de la cite diamantifere de Mbuji-Mayi et avoir fait main basse sur l'arsenal de la garnison gouvernementale de cette petite ville. Ils affirment progresser dans le Kasai et avoir stoppe une contre-offensive gouvernementale dans le nord du Katanga. 13 avril. Les rebelles affirment avoir capture la veille la ville de Lodja, a 300 km au nord de Mbuji-Mayi, apres de violents combats ou 18 soldats zimbabweens ont trouve la mort. Par ailleurs, les chefs d'etat-major rwandais et ougandais ont rencontre des chefs rebelles dans le nord Katanga, afin d'arreter leur strategie pour la prise de Mbuji-Mayi. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 14 avril 1999) * Congo (RDC). Secretaire des ONG libere - M. Baudouin Hamuli Kabarhuzan secretaire executif du Conseil national des ONG pour le developpement, a ete arrete le 5 avril a Kinshasa pour avoir participe, sans aval du gouvernement, a la conference sur la paix au Congo organisee par l'ONG sud-africaine Accord a Pretoria le mois passe. Il a ete detenu une dizaine de jours, subissant des interrogatoires incessants dans des conditions de detention penibles. La societe civile congolaise a estime que cette arrestation etait un harcelement gratuit destine a fragiliser l'action de son mouvement associatif, et a demande instamment sa liberation. Le 14 avril dans la soiree, M. Hamuli a ete libere. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 15 avril 1999) * Djibouti. Elections presidentielles - Le 9 avril, les Djiboutiens se sont rendus aux urnes pour elire un successeur au president sortant Hassan Goued Aptidon, au pouvoir depuis 22 ans. Le vote s'est deroule dans le calme, a indique un responsable du ministere de l'Interieur. Deux candidats briguent la presidence: Ismael Omar Guelleh pour le parti au pouvoir, et Moussa Ahmed Idriss qui a rassemble l'ensemble de l'opposition. Pour la premiere fois depuis l'instauration en 1992 d'un multipartisme limite a quatre partis, aucune consigne de boycott n'a ete lancee. -- Ismael Omar Guelleh, le dauphin du president sortant, a remporte une large victoire avec 74,09% des suffrages. L'opposition a denonce des fraudes massives, tout en renoncant a deposer des recours aupres du Conseil constitutionnel, qui doit valider les resultats. Djibouti n'a pas de commission electorale independante. Une vingtaine d'observateurs internationaux ont certifie l'equite du vote. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 12 avril 1999) * Djibouti. Presidential elections - 8 April: Concerned about corruption, a shrinking economy and high unemployment, many in Djibouti have low expectations for the 9 April presidential elections. With longtime ruler Hassan Gouled Aptidon set to retire, there is widespread scepticism that either candidate can make any difference in one of the world's poorest countries. Ismail Omar, Gouled's nephew and designated successor, and independent candidate Moussa Ahmed, hope to replace the outgoing President. 9 April: Presidential elections. Voting starts slowly. The UN has declined to send observers and only around 20 foreign officials will be present. 9 April: Presidential elections. 10 April: Ismael Omar Guelleh, the candidate for the ruling Popular Rally for Progress, wins the presidential election with 74.09% of votes cast. 11 April: International observers say the elections appear to have been fair, despite widespread organizational problems. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 April 1999) * Egypt. Ban on Belgian beef lifted - Egypt has lifted a ban on imports of Belgian beef imposed in 1997 amid fears over so-called "mad cow" disease. Belgium's Economics Minister Elio Di Rupo had secured the lifting of the ban during a visit to Egypt in March. His Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Goueili has just finalised the move. Before the ban was imposed in summer 1997, Egypt was the second biggest market for Belgian beef exports after Russia. (Reuters, 9 April 1999) * Egypte. Collision ferroviaire - Le 10 avril au soir, deux trains sont entres en collision dans le nord de l'Egypte, faisant trois morts et 49 blesses, selon les secours egyptiens. Selon les premiers elements de l'enquete, l'accident a ete provoque par un technicien charge de la signalisation qui n'aurait pas arrete l'un des deux trains, a rapporte l'agence de presse egyptienne MENA. L'accident a eu lieu dans le delta du Nil, entre Chirbin et Bilqas, sur la principale ligne reliant Le Caire a Damiette. (AP, 11 avril 1999) * Eritrea-Ethiopia. Seeking aid - Eritrea has asked private aid groups to help feed and house Eritreans displaced by the war with Ethiopia. In the past week, Eritrea has invited 15 of the organisations to return. Many aid groups abandoned Eritrea two years ago after the country imposed harsh restrictions on them. Ethiopia: A UN relief programme is coming to the rescue of 640,000 herders in drought-stricken eastern Ethiopia. Over the next month, WFP-Ethiopia plans to divert 8,000 tons of food to the region from other parts of Ethiopia. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 April 1999) * Guinee-Bissau. Report des elections - Le 12 avril, le Premier ministre Francisco Fadul a officiellement propose le renvoi des elections presidentielles et legislatives au mois de novembre prochain, a cause de retards dans la mise en oeuvre du plan de paix. Selon l'accord de paix, signe en novembre 1998, ces elections auraient du avoir lieu le mois dernier. M. Fadul a demande aux signataires de l'accord d'approuver un amendement permettant au president, au Premier ministre et aux parlementaires de rester en fonction jusqu'au vote. -D'autre part, le 13 avril, le general Mane, leader de la junte militaire, a ete disculpe de l'accusation de trafic d'armes avec le mouvement independantiste de Casamance, par un rapport de 600 pages presente a l'Assemblee nationale par la commission ad hoc creee en avril 1998. Cette accusation avait mene a la suspension du general Mane par le president Vieira. Or, selon le rapport, ce sont plutot des fideles du president qui seraient impliques dans l'affaire: l'ancien ministre de la Defense Samba Lamine Mane et un haut officier Joao Monteiro. Selon les observateurs, les conclusions de cette enquete discreditent le president Vieira et mettent en evidence l'implication de son administration dans une affaire qui a lourdement pese sur l'histoire recente du pays. (D'apres Misna, Italie, 13-14 avril 1999) * Kenya. Poverty eradication plan - 9 April: President Moi has appointed 15 members to the Commission for Poverty Eradication. The appointment comes in the wake of Moi's speech during the opening of the third session of the Eighth Parliament on 6 April, when he stressed various issues, including government efforts to eradicate poverty. However, when the National Poverty Eradication Plan was launched two weeks ago in Nairobi by the President, it was greeted with enormous scepticism. The government is not seen as having the political will or the institutional capacity to implement a 16-year poverty eradication programme consistently. Poverty alleviation has been the focus of discussion during the last four sittings. Members have expressed the need to solve the urgent problem, saying the majority of Kenyans cannot afford a day's meal and are living below the poverty line. The same day, the WFP signed a US $32.5 million agreement with the government which will provide 85,000 mt of food aid and operational assistance from now to the year 2003. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 10 April 1999) * Libye. Nouveaux contacts diplomatiques - Le 8 avril, le departement d'Etat americain a confirme la tenue prochaine d'une reunion associant des diplomates des Etats-Unis et de la Libye, pour la premiere fois depuis la rupture des relations diplomatiques entre les deux pays en 1981. Washington ne s'opposerait pas a la presence de diplomates libyens lors d'une reunion entre le secretaire general de l'Onu et des representants des Etats-Unis et de la Grande-Bretagne sur les sanctions visant Tripoli, suspendues suite a la remise a la justice des suspects de l'attentat de Lockerbie. De son cote, l'Union europeenne a estime que la levee des sanctions permettra le reexamen de la participation de la Libye a la cooperation entre l'UE et les pays mediterraneens, qu'elle juge "souhaitable". (Le Monde, France, 10 avril 1999) * Libya. Out of the cold - 6 April: Libyan Airlines makes its first legal international flight since 1992 by travelling to Malta. An Air Malta jet makes a similar flight to Libya and back. 9 April: The Clinton administration has made secret overtures to Libya, paving the way for the first direct contact between the United States and Libya, since Washington broke off diplomatic relations almost 20 years ago. The UN secretary-general and the British ambassador to the UN made the approach on behalf of the USA. 12 April: Libya will be invited to attend a meeting of European Union and Mediterranean countries this week as an observer. 13 April: Preparations are underway for a two-day summit of leaders of the Economic Community of Sahel-Saharan States starting on 14 April in Syrte, Libya. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 April 1999) * Libye. Lockerbie: mise en accusation - Le 14 avril, un juge ecossais a officiellement convoque pour jugement au camp Zeist (Pays-Bas) les deux suspects libyens dans l'attentat de Lockerbie. Cette audience a huis clos marque le debut d'un delai theorique de 110 jours avant l'ouverture de leur proces. On s'attend cependant que les avocats des suspects obtiennent un delai supplementaire de plusieurs mois pour preparer leur defense. La prochaine etape sera l'ouverture du proces, qui lui-meme pourrait durer plusieurs annees. (La Libre Belgique, 15 avril 1999) * Libya. Gaddafi meets with African leaders - 14 April: Gaddafi has met with the Presidents of Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali and the Central African Republic, as well as the prime minister of Niger. They are in Libya to attend the two-day Sahel and Saharan Summit starting today. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 15 April 1999) * Madagascar. Credit de la Banque mondiale - Le proces verbal relatif au deuxieme credit d'ajustement structurel (CAS II) d'un montant de 100 millions de dollars que la Banque mondiale va accorder a Madagascar a ete signe le 1er avril. Ce montant est affecte pour aide a la balance de paiements jusqu'a l'an 2000. En mai, le dossier sera presente au conseil d'administration de la BM qui determinera le calendrier de decaissement en trois tranches. Cet accord est le resultat de la volonte du gouvernement dans le processus de privatisation, de reformes structurelles dans divers domaines (peche, mines...) et d'amelioration des recettes fiscales. Le CAS II devrait contribuer au renforcement de la croissance economique du pays et la faire progresser de 3,5 a 6 ou 7%. L'aboutissement de cet accord entrainera l'assistance d'autres bailleurs de fonds. (Ramasiarisolo M.C., Madagascar, 12 avril 1999) * Madagascar. Cholera au nord-ouest - Au debut du mois d'avril, le Comite national de la Croix-Rouge a alerte l'opinion sur l'existence de cholera dans la region nord-ouest de Madagascar. Les milieux specialises pensent que les vibrions, par lesquels se propage le cholera, sont originaires des Comores ou sevit une epidemie depuis aout 1998. Selon la CR de Mahajanga (ville cotiere) il y a deja eu 10 morts sur 20 cas recenses. Une cellule de crise a ete mise en place au ministere de la Sante. Le Premier ministre a declare que la situation est actuellement "maitrisee". (Ramasiarisolo M.C., Madagascar, 12 avril 1999) * Malawi. Archbishop calls for debt cancellation - As Malawi's debts continue to rise, a Jubilee 2000 petition for cancellation of external debts has been launched by Malawians. By 1995, Malawi's multilateral debt owed to the World Bank through direct lending was $55 million. The International Development Association was owed $121 million, and the African Development Bank $380 million. Bilateral debts accounted for the remainder owing. Archbishop Medardo Mazombwe, Archbishop of Lusaka, Zambia, has issued this appeal: "As the year 2000 approaches, let it be a true year of Jubilee for Malawi and other poor countries of the world. To the leaders of the richest nations and lending institutions, we say: "Hear the cry of the poor, cancel Malawi's debts. We want to have a fresh start"." (Augustine Deke, Zimbabwe, 31 March 1999) * Malawi. Election campaigning begins - Election campaigning for the 25 May second multi-party general elections (presidential and parliamentary), began in March despite confusion and uncertainty resulting from voter registration hitches that threaten to develop into a dangerous political situation. On 20 March, parliament was automatically dissolved under the Constitution. The eight-week campaign started on 22 March and will run until 23 May. In a statement, the Electoral Commission barred contesting political parties from campaigning at police and military institutions. However, on 10 April, the High Court in Blantyre restrained the Electoral Commission from receiving nomination papers for the elections. The Commission was scheduled to start receiving nomination papers of parliamentary candidates and later by presidential aspirants on 15 April. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 11 April 1999) * Malawi. High Court removes injunction - 12 April: A High Court removes an injunction against the Electoral Commission. The Commission is now allowed to receive nomination papers from candidates ahead of general elections in May. Opposition parties had applied for an injunction against the Commission to stop it from receiving nomination papers on the basis that the registration process in March was allegedly flawed, and the irregularities would not allow for a free and fair election. The same day, voter registration staff in all polling centres of Lilongwe and Blantyre, go on strike to press for payment of allowances by the Electoral Commission. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 April 1999) * Maroc. Indemnisation - Le 8 avril, le roi Hassan II a decide d'indemniser "une grande partie" des familles de 112 "disparus" entre 1960 et 1980 et que seront gracies les derniers prisonniers politiques, une "vingtaine" de condamnes pour crimes de sang. Le souverain reconnait ainsi implicitement les exces de la repression mise en place a une epoque de son regime. Officiellement, il n'est question que de 65 personnes reconnues comme etant mortes en detention. Un "organisme d'arbitrage" compose de juges et de representants des ministeres de la Justice et de l'Interieur, disposera de trois mois pour arreter les modalites d'une compensation financiere que l'Etat versera aux "disparus". Cette decision n'est pas susceptible de satisfaire les familles, dont certaines attendent depuis des decennies le moindre signe de vie d'un parent. (D'apres Liberation, France, 9 avril 1999) * Mozambique. Using children as soldiers - The government of Mozambique is hosting a conference in Maputo from 19-22 April, to promote concrete action to end the military recruitment and participation in armed conflict, of all children under 18 years of age. This is in accordance with regional standards in Africa as well as national legislation in the overwhelming majority of African countries. The Conference, the first of four regional gatherings to be convened by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers in 1999, will reflect on newly conducted research into national recruitment legislation and practice throughout Africa, as well as child participation in both governmental and non- governmental armed forces in conflicts across the continent. (ANB- BIA, Brussels, 10 April 1999 * Namibia. Ivory sale - 9 April: The first legal ivory sale for a decade will be held after the temporary lifting of an international ban. Fourteen metric tons of ivory will be sold at auction in Windhoek, to private Japanese buyers. The sale has been agreed by the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It will be followed by further sales in Zimbabwe on 13 April and Botswana on 17 April. (BBC News, 9 April 1999) * Niger. Coup d'Etat - Le 9 avril, le president nigerien Ibrahim Bare Mainassara a ete tue lors d'un coup d'Etat, alors qu'il tentait de prendre un avion. Il a trouve la mort avec plusieurs membres de son entourage dans une embuscade tendue a l'escadrille militaire de l'aeroport, vraisemblablement par des hommes de sa propre garde presidentielle. Le pays etait totalement coupe du monde ce vendredi, toutes les communications etant interrompues depuis le milieu de la matinee. Le general Bare avait lui-meme, en janvier 1996, renverse un president democratiquement elu, Mahamane Ousmane, et s'etait fait elire six mois apres comme chef d'Etat au terme d'un scrutin tres controverse. Le nouveau coup d'Etat est intervenu au lendemain d'un appel a la demission lance par l'opposition. Celle-ci semblait devoir remporter les elections locales du 2 fevrier dernier, selon des resultats partiels publies le 6 avril; mais la Cour supreme avait ordonne la reprise du scrutin dans bon nombre de localites suite a de violents incidents qui avaient perturbe les operations de vote. - Le 9 avril en debut de soiree, le Premier ministre s'est adresse a la nation. Il a confirme la mort du president (qualifiee d'"accident malheureux"), sans toutefois reveler l'identite des putschistes. Il a annonce la dissolution du Parlement, l'interdiction temporaire des activites des partis politiques et la formation d'un gouvernement d'union nationale. - 10 avril. Le president assassine a ete inhume dans son village natal de Doumega, en presence des principaux chefs de l'armee et des membres du gouvernement. Dans la soiree, le chef de la garde presidentielle, le commandant Daouda Mallam Wanke, instigateur presume de l'assassinat, a ete nomme chef de l'Etat par interim et president d'un Conseil de reconciliation nationale, mis en place pour diriger le pays pendant 9 mois. Selon une source gouvernementale, la direction de la transition a d'abord ete proposee au colonel Djermakoye, le chef d'etat-major des forces armees, mais celui-ci aurait refuse, desireux de ne pas cautionner l'assassinat. - 11 avril. Quatorze officiers subalternes, un lieutenant-colonel, huit commandants et cinq capitaines, ont ete nommes au sein du Conseil de reconcilation nationale, dirige par le commandant Wanke. On ne connait pas la reaction des officiers de hauts rangs, alors que l'armee nigerienne est reputee pour son respect de la hierarchie. La communaute internationale (de Washington a Tripoli, en passant par l'OUA) a fermement condamne l'assassinat du president; elle pourrait une nouvelle fois mettre le Niger au ban des nations. - Dans la nuit du 12 avril, l'armee a reconduit le Premier ministre Mayaki, mais elle a affirme qu'elle resterait maitre du pays pendant une periode dite de transition de neuf mois, au cours de laquelle elle monopolisera les pouvoirs legislatif et executif. Les partis, qui avaient ete suspendus, ont ete autorises a reprendre leurs activites. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 14 avril 1999) * Niger. Under new management - 9 April: President Mainasarra is killed in what appears to be a coup d'etat. All communications with Niger are cut. The prime minister says in a televised address that the National Assembly has been dissolved and all political activity suspended. He adds that a government of national unity will be formed in a few days. He says Ibrahim Bare Mainassara had been killed in a "tragic accident", but US officials said the President was assassinated by his guards. The turmoil comes amid opposition calls for Mr Mainassara's resignation after the annulment of regional elections earlier this week. There were unconfirmed reports of attacks on vote counters, and on 7 April, the Supreme Court annulled the elections and ordered a new round of voting. 11 April: The commander of the presidential guard, Daouda Malam Wanke, is appointed president of a National Reconciliation Council which will be in charge of the country during a nine-month transition period. The army orders the dissolution of the Supreme Court and the National Assembly, and the suspension of the Constitution. 12 April: The military junta pledges to return the country to civilian rule in nine months. The precise dates for elections are still being worked out. Niger's opposition condemns the assassination of President Mainassara, but says his death could end three years of political gridlock. The new military junta's promised 9-month transition to civilian rule could eventually "open up a new phase of great hope" in Niger, says Mohamane Ousmane, a former Nigerien president. Ousmane was ousted by Mainassara in a military coup in 1996. The military junta lifts its ban on political activity and Prime Minister Ibrahim Assane Mayaki keeps his job. Commandant Daouda Malam Wanke meets with Western diplomats. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 14 April 1999) * Nigeria. Protestation chi'ite - Le 6 avril, plus de mille musulmans chi'ites, conduits par le predicateur Ibrahim Zak-Zaky, ont marche pacifiquement dans les rues de Kaduna, une ville du nord du Nigeria, pour exiger la liberation de dizaines de militants islamistes emprisonnes, ont rapporte les agences de presse. "Pas moins de 40 militants islamistes sont toujours emprisonnes sans raison dans diverses prisons du pays, et le gouvernement pretend que tout va bien", a declare leur porte-parole. M. Zak-Zaky a ete libere en decembre dernier apres avoir passe plus de deux ans en prison pour sedition. Le general Abubakar, le chef d'Etat nigerian, affirme qu'il n'y a plus de prisonniers politiques dans les prisons du pays. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 8 avril 1999) * Nigeria Constitution in two weeks - 11 April: General Abubakar has said the Constitution, which he has promised to release before handing over power next month, will be delivered in two weeks. The ruling military have been promising all year that the release of the Constitution is imminent, but there has been no sign of it. The General said the outgoing military government would not seek to impose its values as it prepared to hand over power to a civilian government after 15 years of military rule. (BBC News, 11 April 1999) * Nigeria. Nouvelle Constitution - Le dirigeant nigerian, le general Abubakar, a annonce que la nouvelle Constitution du Nigeria serait prete avant la fin du mois. Dans une emission de la BBC, il a dit rejeter les speculations selon lesquelles cette Constitution accorderait des pouvoirs speciaux a l'armee. "L'ere des coups d'Etat est morte et enterree", a-t-il declare. Selon des sources citees par le quotidien The Guardian, des questions religieuses seraient notamment a l'origine du retard de la Constitution et un debat serait en cours pour determiner si la Charia islamique doit ou non jouer un role dans la Constitution. La Christian Association of Nigeria avait demande l'exclusion de toutes allusions aux lois religieuses dans la Constitution, du fait que le Nigeria est un pays ou cohabitent plusieurs confessions. (IRIN, Abidjan, 12 avril 1999) * Nigeria. Murder in Ibadan - 13 April: In a letter addressed to the Oyo State Military Administrator, Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) says it wishes to express its deep concern about the murder of a member of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Ibadan. The letter states: "According to our information, Bolade Fasasi, a female journalist, who is currently treasurer of the Lagos State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists and an active member of the National Association of Women Journalists, was shot dead on 7 April, by three unknown gunmen in Ibadan. Our organisation urges you to use all your authority to ensure that an enquiry is conducted to find the killers and that the motives for this horrible assassination are clarified". (RSF, Paris, 13 April 1999) * Nigeria. Greves - Les employes des gouvernements locaux de plus de deux tiers des 36 Etats du Nigeria ont annonce qu'ils entameraient, le 13 avril, une greve illimitee pour exiger une augmentation de salaire. Certains Etats ont deja accepte de payer des augmentations, mais la semaine derniere le Nigeria Labour Congress a lance un ultimatum aux 28 autres Etats, annoncant des actions syndicales s'ils ne payaient pas le nouveau salaire minimum de 3.000 nairas (32 dollars). Toutefois les fonctionnaires de l'Etat de Lagos ont decide, le 12 avril, de pas pas suivre le mot d'ordre de greve, ayant bon espoir que leur Etat payerait le salaire minimum. - D'autre part, les medecins nigerians, qui observaient une greve depuis quatre mois pour obtenir des augmentations de salaire et une amelioration de leurs conditions de travail, ont mis fin a leur mouvement apres avoir recu des assurances que leurs salaires seraient revus, ont annonce les agences de presse le 12 avril. (IRIN, Abidjan, 13 avril 1999) * Nigeria. One strike off, another on - 10 April: Doctors who have been on strike for four months over pay and conditions, have called off their action after receiving promises of a review. At a meeting, today, the leaders of the National Association of Resident Doctors, the main doctor's union in Nigeria, agreed to call their members back to work on 14 April. The union said it has not won a pay increase but has reached agreement with top government officials over career structures, retirement pensions and a review in professional allowances and salaries. 12 April: Government workers in more than two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states, say they will begin a indefinite strike on 20 April to demand wage increases. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 14 April 1999) * Nigeria. Fears that army will doctor new Constitution - On 14 April, Nigeria's main human rights group, the Transition Monitoring Group, an umbrella organisation grouping more than 60 human rights groups, said there were strong indications that members of the Provisional Ruling Council intended to include a clause limiting the President's ability to sack service chiefs. Council members added there were indications that a blanket amnesty for army officers involved in economic and political crimes during the past 15 years of military rule could also be included. (Financial Times, UK, 15 April 1999) * Rwanda. Proces en Suisse - L'ancien bourgmestre de la commune de Mushubati (prefecture de Gitarama, centre du Rwanda), Fulgence Niyonteze, sera juge des le 12 avril par un tribunal militaire suisse, a Lausanne. Il est accuse de crimes de guerre perpetres lors du genocide au printemps 1994. Le proces durera jusqu'au 30 avril prochain. C'est la premiere fois qu'un autre Etat que le Rwanda juge un responsable presume du genocide rwandais. Le jugement en Suisse d'un etranger pour crimes de guerre commis a l'etranger est prevu par le code penal militaire; la poursuite et le jugement sont confies a la justice militaire. Fulgence Niyonteze etait arrive avec sa famille en Suisse en octobre 1994 et avait obtenu l'asile politique. Denonce, il avait ete arrete en aout 1996 et place en detention preventive. (Agence Hirondelle, Arusha, 11 avril 1999) * Rwanda. Le Premier demande pardon - Le 10 avril, le Premier ministre rwandais, Pierre-Celestin Rwigema, a demande pardon pour le role joue par son parti, le Mouvement democratique republicain, pendant le genocide de 1994. Dans une declaration effectuee au nom de son parti, il a demande "le pardon de tous les Rwandais pour l'ideologie creatrice de divisions de certains dirigeants du MDR qui ont dirige les massacres et le genocide". Le MDR, essentiellement soutenu par la majorite hutue, a declare que l'ideologie du genocide etait a l'oppose de ses objectifs democratiques. Le mois dernier, le Parlement a renvoye quatre representants du MDR suspectes d'extremisme hutu et de collaboration avec les rebelles. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 12 avril 1999) * Rwanda. Charges dropped against former mayor - 13 April: A Swiss military tribunal decides it cannot try a former Rwandan mayor for genocide and crimes against humanity, but presses on with his trial on charges including murder and incitement to murder. Fulgence Niyonteze is suspected by prosecutors of inciting Hutu extremists to kill Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda and supplying them with weapons. Prosecution attorney Clause Nicati expresses "deep regret" at the court's decision to throw out the genocide charges on the grounds they cannot be tried under Swiss law. Niyonteze, 34, is being tried in a Swiss court because he sought asylum here before becoming a war crimes suspect and his extradition has not been requested by an international tribunal. (AP, 13 April 1999) * Rwanda. L'eveque de Gikongoro arrete - Le 14 avril, Mgr. Augustin Misago, eveque catholique de Gikongoro, a ete arrete pour crimes de genocide. L'eveque avait ete publiquement mis en cause, lors de la commemoration du cinquieme anniversaire du debut du genocide, le 7 avril dernier, par le president Bizimungu, qui avait demande a l'Eglise de s'expliquer (cfr. Weekly News du 8 avril dernier). Mgr. Misago avait replique par une lettre publique, datee du 9 avril, ou il enumerait les nombreuses fois qu'il avait reagi aux accusations portees contre lui, qu'il qualifie de "mensonges flagrants". Mgr. Misago a ete arrete a l'entree de la capitale Kigali, ou il se rendait a une reunion des eveques. Il a ete conduit a la brigade de gendarmerie de Muhima, ou il a ete place en detention preventive. Dans la soiree, les eveques rwandais ont publie un message dans lequel ils expriment leur espoir que toute la verite soit etablie et demandent aux chretiens de prier "pour l'Eglise au Rwanda, afin qu'elle demeure inebranlable dans la foi". (ANB-BIA, Bruxelles, 15 avril 1999) * Rwanda. Bishop of Gikongoro arrested - There are some differences in reports issued by the International Media over the arrest of Bishop Augustin Misagao. The BBC News (14 April) says: "A bishop accused of being responsible for the disappearance of 30 young girls has become the most senior clergyman to be arrested in relation to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Augustin Misago, Bishop of the southern diocese of Gikongoro, was taken into custody while attending a church meeting in Kigali on 14 April. Kigali prosecutor Emmanuel Rukangira said: "Bishop Misago was arrested this morning and is now remanded at the Muhima police station". The 56-year-old bishop faces charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. Survivors allege that the girls who disappeared had sought his protection during the 100 days of bloodshed in which as many as one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in inter-tribal conflict led by Hutu militias. Associated Press (14 April) says: "A Roman Catholic bishop was arrested Wednesday for his alleged participation in the country's 1994 genocide. Justice Minister Jean de Dieu Mucyo said Bishop Augustin Misago was being held in "preventive detention" until authorities decide whether to try him in Kigali or in his diocese of Gikongoro in southern Rwanda. Mucyo refused to elaborate on the charges but said they were serious and related to Misago's alleged role in the genocide... President Pasteur Bizimungu and Tutsi survivors of the massacre in Gikongoro Prefecture said the bishop refused shelter to Tutsis trying to escape from Hutu mobs and in one case, was responsible for sending to their death 19 schoolgirls he had ordered expelled from the Kibeho high school, 60 miles south of Kigali. The private Rwanda News Agency said Misago, one of Rwanda's 11 bishops, was detained at Kigali's Muhima prison after he apparently plotted an escape involving the papal nuncio and the French Embassy in Rwanda. The embassy denied the report...a secretary at the papal residence said the nuncio would not answer any questions.". Kinha-Nairobi (14 April) says: "...Judicial sources in the capital Kigali said the arrest was made on Wednesday morning at the Nuncio's residence where he had gone for refugee, Rwanda News Agency reported...Early this week, the local media had talked of a plot involving the French Ambassador to Rwanda, the Pope's Envoy, and the Archbishop of Kigali, aimed at helping Misago escape from the long arm of the law. The French Ambassador had denied the reports and explained that the alleged meeting at his residence was nothing else but a party organized to welcome the Pope's new Envoy to Rwanda". MISNA (14-5 April) describes the reasons given, and the background concerning the bishop' arrest. The news agency says: "Bishop Misago is suspected of being involved in the 1994 genocide. He has been called in for questioning not far from the nunciature in Kigali. He is held responsible for the disappearance of 30 young women who, in 1994, sought protection from him. The bishop's arrest has given rise to confusion and concern among Catholics in Rwanda..." [Editor's note: On 9 April, the Bishop of Gikongoro had issued a statement defending himself against the various accusations. He insisted that for some time he had been replying to various questions on this issue put to him by the Media and the local authorities]. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 15 April 1999) * Sahara occidental. Reduction des mines - La Mission des Nations unies pour l'organisation d'un referendum au Sahara occidental (Minurso) a annonce, le 8 avril, avoir conclu un accord avec le Front Polisario sur la reduction du danger des mines et engins non exploses au Sahara occidental, a l'est et au sud du mur de sable etabli par l'armee marocaine. "Ce n'est pas un deminage systematique, car nous n'en avons pas les moyens. Il s'agit surtout de reduire le danger", a explique le porte-parole de la Minurso. Cet accord inclut l'echange d'informations, le marquage des emplacements des mines, leur destruction par le Polisario "dans la mesure du possible et si necessaire le nettoyage du perimetre environnant". Il n'inclut toutefois pas la bande-tampon qui longe le mur de defense etabli par l'armee marocaine. - D'autre part, le Maroc a annonce, le 7 avril, que les operations d'identification par l'Onu des 65.000 membres de trois tribus contestees commenceront le 1er juin. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 9 avril 1999) * Sierra Leone. Mise en garde de l'Ecomog - Le nouveau commandant de l'Ecomog en Sierra Leone, le general Mujakperuo, a publie une severe mise en garde a l'adresse des presidents du Liberia et du Burkina Faso, selon un communique de presse du 8 avril. Dans ce communique, le general Mujakperuo decrit des evenements lies a une presumee livraison d'armes aux rebelles du RUF. Il declare que l'Ecomog "a maintenant la confirmation des activites de deux pays et de leurs dirigeants, impliques dans l'embarquement et la livraison d'armes aux rebelles" via le gouvernement d'un pays voisin. Il a prevenu que l'Ecomog "frappera toutes les filieres impliquees". Selon le communique, un avion cargo immatricule en Ukraine, transportant 68 tonnes d'armes, est arrive a Ouagadougou le 14 mars dernier et a ete stationne dans l'aile presidentielle de l'aeroport; le pilote a recu l'instruction de continuer sa route vers Monrovia, mais a refuse de le faire. Le 15 mars, un appareil plus petit s'est pose a l'aeroport Robertsville du Liberia; la cargaison de ce second appareil a ete acheminee pour livraison aux rebelles a la frontiere de la Sierra Leone et a la frontiere de Guinee. Le Liberia et le Burkina Faso ont toujours nie soutenir le RUF. (IRIN, Abidjan, 8 avril 1999) * Sierra Leone. The civil war and other West African countries - 9 April: Major-General Felix Mujakperuo, ECOMOG's Nigerian commander, has warned Liberia and Burkina Faso not to support the rebels in Sierra Leone. He made detailed allegations about arms flights via Burkina Faso and Liberia which he said had supplied the Sierra Leone rebels, and warned that ECOMOG would strike at all the channels supplying them, whether by land, sea or air. Liberia has rejected the charges. The Confederation of African Football expels Sierra Leone from the year 2000 African Nations Cup qualifying competition. The African soccer authorities say the civil war in Sierra Leone makes it impossible to fulfil the fixtures against Togo and Guinea this year.10 April: Officials in Togo say talks between Foday Sankoh and his battlefield commanders will take place in northern Togo on 18 April. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 April 1999) * Somalie. La crise humanitaire s'aggrave - La crise humanitaire est en train de s'aggraver dans bon nombre de regions de la Somalie, ont averti les institutions specialisees de l'Onu. Dans le nord, une serieuse penurie d'eau persiste, laissant tres exposes quelque 150.000 nomades et leurs troupeaux. Le president du Puntland a decrete l'etat d'urgence la semaine derniere. Le PAM y renforcera ses distributions, mais continuera a privilegier la partie meridionale du pays encore plus serieusement touchee. Dans le sud et le centre de la Somalie, la soif et la faim guettent plus d'un million de personnes apres la perte de plusieurs recoltes successives. Au moins 300.000 personnes s'y trouvent particulierement exposees. Les organismes humanitaires ont estime a 36,5 millions de dollars le cout des mesures a prendre d'urgence. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 12 avril 1999) * South Africa. Can citizens who are abroad, vote? - 8 April: The New National Party wants a court to overturn a decision by the Independent Electoral Commission that bars South Africans who are abroad, from voting in the country's second all-race election. The predominantly white party also sued to overturn a ruling that voters must register and cast ballots with bar-coded IDs, saying that would disenfranchise millions of voters. A greater proportion of whites than blacks have not bothered to get the newer identity documents. (AP, 8 April 1999) * South Africa. What's happened to one million dollars? - The Health Minister, Nkosazana Zuma, has been cleared of corruption charges surrounding the disappearance of more than $1 million of government funds meant to have been used for a play with an anti- AIDS message. Mrs Zuma was cleared by the Health anti-corruption unit, which was set up to investigate cases of institutional corruption. But, unlike the play -- "Sarafina II" -- that she was involved in producing, the corruption allegations against Mrs Zuma are likely to run and run. Many opposition politicians believe she is still guilty of financial mismanagement. It was Mrs Zuma who commissioned the play, and members of her Health Department who oversaw its production. But after more than one million dollars of government money -- some of it from funds donated by the EU -- was spent on the venture, the production was controversially cancelled in 1996. (BBC News, 13 April 1999) * Soudan. Treve prolongee - Les rebelles de la SPLA, dans un communique de presse publie le 7 avril, ont annonce qu'ils ecartaient l'offre de Khartoum d'une "treve elargie", mais qu'ils prolongeraient de trois mois le "cessez-le-feu humanitaire", qui devait expirer le 15 avril, dans le Bahr el-Ghazal et les parties occidentale et centrale du Haut Nil. Ils ont ajoute qu'ils etaient prets a etendre le cessez-le-feu dans toute autre region ou le besoin d'une intervention humanitaire renforcee pourrait se faire sentir. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 10 avril 1999) * Sudan. Limited ceasefire - 5 April: Speaking in Parliament, President el-Bashir calls on the rebels to accept a comprehensive ceasefire. 8 April: The SPLA agree to renew a limited short-term ceasefire in the southern province of Bahr el-Ghazal to allow humanitarian relief to reach famine-stricken areas. 10 April: The government suspends peace talks with the SPLA over the deaths of four Sudanese captured by the SPLA on 18 February. The government says the SPLA tortured and killed the four men. The SPLA said the men were killed in crossfire during a failed rescue attempt by government forces. 12 April: The government of Sudan could call of talks with the SPLA/M over the latters failure to hand over the bodies of the four slain Sudanese nationals. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 April 1999) * Sudan. Bishop Taban ambushed - In a Press release, Bishop Paride Taban of the Diocese of Torit, South Sudan, said that on 20 March, he had been ambushed by 20 robbers, six kilometres from the border with Kenya, on his way back to his residence in Sudan. He was with his development team, in the company of two officials from CAFOD, both of whom are British nationals. They were fired on and then robbed. The Bishop also said that on 30 March, Narus was bombed for 45 minutes. Fourteen bombs were dropped. Two children and one man were killed. (Bishop Paride Taban, Sudan, 10 April 1999) * Uganda. IMF says: "no need for alarm" - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that Uganda's decision to put the Uganda Commercial Bank (UCB), the country's largest bank, under statutory management should be no cause for alarm. "It is just a matter of improving operations. The bank is sound and the management will ensure that loans are made properly," said Zia Ebrahim-Zadeh, the IMF country representative. On 8 April, the Bank of Uganda said it had taken control of the UCB "in order to strengthen control over management to protect the interests of depositors and to remove Westmont Land Asia from the management of the bank". Westmont bought 49% of the bank last April, but the deal came under attack in December when the Ugandan parliament discovered Salim Saleh (related to President Museveni) had fraudulently bought the stake from Westmont by channelling funds through Greenland Bank. On 11 April, President Museveni assured all depositors of the recently closed Greenland Bank Limited that they will all be paid their money. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 April 1999) * Ouganda. Attentats a Kampala - Plusieurs attentats a la dynamite ont secoue Kampala durant le week-end. Le samedi 10 avril, une premiere bombe a explose non loin du stade Nakivubu ou se jouait le match de football Ouganda-Tunisie, faisant 4 blesses; une deuxieme a explose sur la route menant a la cathedrale de la Church of Uganda, heureusement sans faire de victimes. Le 11 avril, une autre bombe a fait deux morts et trois blesses. Les attentats n'ont pas encore ete revendiques. (D'apres Misna, Italie, 12 avril 1999) * Uganda. Bomb blasts in Kampala - Two vendors were killed and 13 other people injured in a bomb blast on the afternoon of 11 April at Kampala's Old Taxi Park northern entrance. It was the second attack in as many days. The first occured on 10 April evening at the New Taxi Park, injuring four. No arrests have been made over the blasts. The police suspect that both explosions were similar in design. (The New Vision, Uganda, 12 April 1999) * Uganda. Bomb suspect arrested - A Zimbabwean national is being held by Ugandan security agents for questioning, in relation to last weekend's spate of bombing in Kampala. The man, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons, was arrested on 12 April, at the Sheraton Hotel shopping arcade as he tried to transact business at Speed Bird Forex Bureau. Security sources said that preliminary inquiries indicated he is a Zimbabwean but he carries a Ugandan passport under a Kiganda name. (The New Vision, Uganda, 14 April 1999) * Zambia. 30,000 refugees enter Zambia - On 7 April, Zambia's Home Affairs Minister, Dr Katele Kalumba, appealed to the international community for immediate assistance to help the government cope with the incessant daily flow of refugees streaming into Zambia from Congo RDC. He described the refugee situation as desperate at both Kaputa in northern Zambia, and Chiengi in the adjacent Luapula province. Kaputa is a dusty border town, about 1,200 kms north of Lusaka. It has a normal population of 3,500. Chiengi on the shores of Lake Mweru has a population of 2,000. The UNHCR's resident representative in Zambia, Olusiye Bajulaiye, said everything is being done to cope with the influx, but conceded: "We need more assistance from the international community to alleviate the human catastrophe. The Zambian government has done a great deal with its limited resources and this needs to be greatly augmented by the assistance from the international community". (Fred Chela, Zambia, 7 April 1999) * Zambia. Opposition merger - 9 April: Five opposition parties say they've merged to form a new party to fight the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy. A spokesman for the yet un-named party, Dean Mungomba, of the Zambia Democratic Congress, said the party would be registered next week. Moves are also underway to elect a leader and an executive for the new party. The opposition United National Independence Party of Kenneth Kaunda, is not part of the merger. (BBC News, 9 April 1999) * Zimbabwe. Achat d'armes russes? - Le gouvernement de Harare est sur le point de signer un important contrat d'achat d'armes a la Russie pour renforcer sa capacite militaire en RDC, a affirme le 8 avril l'hebdomadaire independant Financial Gazette. Selon le journal qui cite des sources militaires non identifiees, le contrat serait d'environ 25 millions de dollars et prevoirait la fourniture de 10 helicopteres de combat et des munitions. L'achat serait cofinance par le Congo et des pilotes zimbabweens seraient deja partis pour Moscou pour y etre entraines. Le ministre zimbabween de la Defense a dementi qu'un accord ait ete signe. (La Libre Belgique, 9 avril 1999) * Zimbabwe. Ties cut with World Bank and IMF - On 11 April, President Mugabe announced that his government was severing connections with the World Bank and the IMF, a move likely to intensify his country's economic troubles. The IMF has repeatedly refused to sanction a œ33 million balance of payments loan because of concerns about the true cost of Zimbabwe's involvement in Congo RDC's conflict, the Mugabe government's plan for land redistribution and alleged shady dealings in the energy sector. Economists believe that all major donors will ow freeze financial assistance until an IMF agreement is reached. (The Guardian, UK, 12 April 1999) * Zimbabwe. Plus de relations avec le FMI - Au terme de vains efforts pour s'assurer d'un financement du FMI et de la Banque mondiale au cours des derniers mois, le parti au pouvoir au Zimbabwe a decide de couper les ponts avec ces deux institutions et de chercher d'autres sources de financement, a rapporte un journal gouvernemental le 11 avril. Les deux institutions, principaux bailleurs de fonds du Zimbabwe depuis les reformes engagees en 1991, avaient suspendu leur aide depuis sept mois en raison de la politique de redistribution des terres suivie par Harare et de son implication militaire dans le conflit en RDC. (La Libre Belgique, 12 avril 1999) * Zimbabwe. Ivoire aux encheres - Le 13 avril, le Zimbabwe a repris le commerce de l'ivoire avec la mise aux encheres de 20 tonnes de defenses d'elephants au profit d'acheteurs japonais. Cette reprise du negoce a ete rendue possible par une levee partielle, en debut d'annee, de l'interdit international en vigueur depuis dix ans. Outre le Zimbabwe, la Namibie a vendu 13,8 tonnes la semaine derniere, et le Botswana s'apprete a en faire autant le 18 avril. Cette decision a ete prise a titre d'essai par la Convention sur le commerce international des especes menaces (Cites). Seuls les Japonais sont autorises a acquerir ces stocks d'ivoire. La Cites tient a ce que les pays concernes affectent le produit de ces ventes a la protection des elephants. (Liberation, France, 14 avril 1999) * Zimbabwe. Student rioters dispersed - On 14 April, riot police fired tear gas to disperse about 2,000 stone-throwing students demonstrating against a government-ordered vacation at the main Zimbabwe university. Student leader said the five-month vacation, slated to begin 22 May, was too long and would set back studies already behind schedule after the university was closed from June through February because of a series of violent protests last year. (AP, 14 April 1999) ******> NOUS VOUS SIGNALONS... -- INTERESTING DOCUMENTS... ==-> MONDIALISATION Description: La revue "Vivant Univers" consacre son numero 440 (mars-avril 1999), 48 pages, au probleme de la Mondialisation de l'economie; avec la collaboration de Andre Linard, Jean Sloover, Habib Ouane, Johanne Lauzon, Michel Hansenne, Ricardo Petrella. Adresse - Chaussee de Dinant 115, B-5000 Namur, Belgique E mail: vivant.univers@skynet.be ==-> AFRICA Title: Africa's Debt Author: Africa Policy Information Center (APIC). Background Paper 12 (December 1998) Description: A well-presented 8-page background paper on Africa's debt situation. It can be obtained from Africa Policy Information Center, 110 Maryland Avenue, NE 509, Washington, DC 20002. USA. Cost: $4 per copy plus 15% for mailing. E-Mail:apic@igc.apc.org