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: 26-08-1999 * Africa. A Bible for African Christians - Catholics and others in Africa will shortly have access to a new edition of the Bible devised especially for their use. Called the African Bible, it employs the text of the New American Bible, but has introductions, commentaries and notes written by a team of 30 African scholars. The edition will "help the people of Africa realise that God is speaking to us here and now", according to Sr. Teresa Marcazzan, director of Pauline Publications Africa. "Up till the present we have been importing Bibles from Europe or from America." (...) (The Tablet, UK, 21 August 1999) * Africa. Action against the Media - Angola: Isaias Soares, a Voice of America Correspondent in Malanje was arrested on 19 August. Kenya: On 20 August, Anthony Gachoka, the publisher of the Post on Sunday weekly magazine, was found guilty of contempt of court and sentenced to six months imprisonment without the option of a fine. The same day, three editors of the Weekly Citizen publication were arrested in Nairobi on 18 August, were arraigned in court, charged with publishing without executing a printers' bond. Sierra Leone: In a 24 August letter to the Minister of Internal Affairs and Local Government, Reporters sans Frontieres protested the threats made to two journalists in Freetown. Zimbabwe: On 20 August, President Mugabe again attacked the independent press. On this occasion, he added the Daily News to his list of enemy publications. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 August 1999) * Africa. Missionary Service News Agency - If the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano carries a news story about Africa, chances are the information came from a missionary whose eyewitness account was distributed by the Missionary News Service (MISNA). Vatican Radio also uses MISNA and so do dozens of secular news agencies and television news networks. (Editor's Note: And so does African News Bulletin!). Founded by Comboni Father Giulio Albanese, in less than two years, the MISNA staff has grown from three to seven people. Thirty missionaries in Africa, Asia and South America are regular correspondents and dozens more use e-mail, faxes or satellite telephones to provide information on breaking news. Their contributions become news stories in Italian, French and English on the Internet (www.misna.org). Access is free. Father Albanese describes MISNA as a "miracle" of modern missionary awareness and promotion, albeit a miracle that often requires him to work until two in the morning. "Today, information is the first task of the missionary -- to a give a voice to those who have none", he said in a recent interview. When calamity hits somewhere in the world "missionaries offer a different perspective in the media: they are the voice of the people", Father Albanese said. (The Southern Cross, South Africa, 22 August 1999) * Africa. The Church and the Third Millennium - Volume 40, number 5 & 6 of the African Ecclesial Review (AFER), published in Kenya, carries a thought-provoking Editorial on Africa and the third millennium. Africa enters the third millennium overburdened by a host of serious problems like: armed conflicts, high levels of poverty, deaths caused by starvation and disease, refugee and displaced peoples. corruption, hopelessness, etc. The question in many Africans' minds at present are: Who will steer the continent out of this mess to a clear course of growth and development? When is this self-destruction in Africa going to end so that people, especially the youth, can feel secure in their home-countries? Why is this murderous plunder of vital natural resources and property takeing place in 20th century Africa? There are no ready-made answers to the above questions. But, the Church in Africa may have a major role to play in leading the continent in the right direction. What Africa needs is a prophetic Church that, in John Moore's words, "will interpret the truth in terms of the truth that inspires courage for this life and hope for the life to come". (...) (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 August 1999) * Africa. Children at war - 25 August: For the second consecutive year, the UN Security Council has debated how to protect 300,000 child soldiers and countless other victims of civil wars. "Today we are witnessing unspeakable abominations directed against children", Olara Otunnu, the UN special envoy for children and armed conflict, told the Council. "Children are innocent and especially vulnerable," he said. "They bear no responsibility for conflict, yet suffer disproportionately from its excesses". The meeting, which featured more than 40 speakers, was chaired by Namibia's foreign minister, Theo-Ben Gurirab, who will be General Assembly president and whose country this month holds the rotating Security Council presidency. (CNN, 25 August 1999) * Algerie. Regain de violence - Dans la nuit du 20 au 21 aout, 17 personnes ont ete assassinees a Ouzra, pres de Medea, par un groupe d'hommes armes, au cours d'une fete transformee en boucherie. Et dans la nuit du 21 au 22 aout, sept membres d'un groupe de legitime defense ont ete tues dans une embuscade tendue par un groupe arme islamiste a Lakhdaria, a 70 km au sud d'Alger. Selon le journal Sawt el Ahrar, qui soutient le president Bouteflika, les groupes armes, dans cette recrudescence d'actes terroristes, "jouent leurs dernieres cartes pour tenter d'entraver la demarche du president en vue de retablir la concorde civile et la reconciliation nationale". (D'apres Le Soir, Belgique, 23 aout 1999) * Algeria. Bloody conflict continues - 20 August: Security forces in Algeria say 17 people -- many of them children -- were killed in an attack in the town of Ouzra, about 120 km south of Algiers. State radio said the bomb went off in a house on the night of 20 August where a celebration was taking place. Several people were injured in the explosion and at least five were taken to hospital. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 August 1999) * Algerie. Coup de balai dans les wilayas - Le 22 aout, le president Bouteflika a limoge pres de la moitie des walis (prefets) dans le cadre de la lutte contre la corruption qui ravage le pays. Seize de ces hauts dirigeants provinciaux ont ete declares ineligibles a d'autres postes publics, quatre ont ete mis en disponibilite et deux a la retraite, pour faire place a de nouvelles tetes. Ce coup de balai, d'une ampleur inattendue, n'est que le debut d'un grand menage au sein de l'administration en vue de lutter contre la corruption, le trafic d'influence et le laxisme, affirme un communique de la presidence diffuse le 23 aout par la presse algerienne. Un nettoyage qui devrait se poursuivre apres le referendum convoque a la mi-septembre par le nouveau chef de l'Etat pour approuver son plan de concorde civile. Pour l'heure, seuls 25 des walis ont sauve leur poste. Les limoges devraient apparemment echapper a des poursuites judiciaires. Ces prefets avaient pour la plupart ete nommes sous Liamine Zeroual, le predecesseur de Bouteflika. (Liberation, France, 24 aout 1999) * Algeria. Bouteflika sacks officials - On 23 August, President Bouteflika dismissed 22 of the country's 47 provincial governors in an effort to stem corruption. The sackings come as Mr Bouteflika is seeking public support for a referendum on a peace deal to end the conflict between the government and Islamic militants. Islamic groups have long accused successive administrations of tolerating corruption. Mr Bouteflika's move is seen as an attempt to win support by responding to discontent with the government. (Financial Times. UK, 24 August 1999) * Algerie. Referendum - Ce 26 aout, s'ouvre en Algerie la campagne pour la consultation sur la "concorde civile" qui aura lieu le 16 septembre. Elu en avril, le president Bouteflika propose aux 17,5 millions d'electeurs d'avaliser son initiative politique visant a sortir le pays de la crise. Les electeurs seront convies a repondre a la question: "Etes-vous pour ou contre la demarche generale du president de la Republique visant a la realisation de la paix et de la concorde civile?". Les partis de la coalition gouvernementale militent en faveur du "pour". L'opposition, divisee entre "eradicateurs" et "reconciliateurs", parait tres embarrassee devant le nouveau cours des choses. A l'approche du referendum, certains redoutent une plus grande flambee de violence. Plus de 140 personnes, civils et militaires, ont ete tuees depuis debut aout en Algerie. (D'apres Le Monde, France, 26 aout 1999) * Angola. Journaliste arrete - Le 19 aout, Isaias Soares, correspondant de Radio Ecclesia et de la Voix d'Amerique, a ete arrete par la police a Malanje. Il a ete place en detention dans cette ville, encerclee par les troupes de l'Unita. La veille de son arrestation, M. Soares avait diffuse un reportage dans lequel il denoncait les pratiques des forces de securite; selon le journaliste, qui s'appuyait notamment sur le temoignage du responsable de la logistique du PAM, des soldats et des policiers detourneraient des produits destines aux populations civiles. Le 9 aout, trois autres journalistes de Radio Ecclesia avaient ete arretes dans des circonstances analogues, interroges et finalement relaches, pour avoir diffuse des nouvelles "contre les interets et la securite de l'Etat". (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 20 aout 1999) * Angola. The Pope prays for the country - 22 August: The Pope has described the civil war in Angola as one of the worst humanitarian crises in Africa and warned that it threatened the entire region. Addressing pilgrims at his holiday residence outside Rome, he said the Angolan war was developing in silence with no respect for human dignity. He accused the protagonists in the conflict of selfishness and prayed for good faith and courage to help restore peace in the region. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 August 1999) * Angola. Appels a la paix - Le 22 aout, le pape Jean-Paul II a lance un appel contre la "lente et inexorable agonie" de l'Angola "ou, a cause d'un conflit fratricide, se consume en silence et dans le mepris de la dignite humaine, une des plus graves crises humanitaires du continent". D'autre part, M. Diamvutu Dieno Bento, vice-president du groupe parlementaire FNLA (4e parti au Parlement de Luanda) a appele les Nations unies a "imposer la paix". Le FNLA demande que l'Onu prenne l'initiative d'organiser une table ronde reunissant les principales composantes de la societe angolaise pour trouver "une nouvelle base de compromis". (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 23-24 aout 1999) * Angola. Deteriorating situation - Renewed civil war in Angola has put millions at risk of disease and hunger, with most people cut off from desperately needed humanitarian aid because of heavy fighting, aid agencies warned the UN Security Council on 23 August. The humanitarian situation in Angola has significantly deteriorated this year, with two million people in need of or dependent on aid. Another three million are completely inaccessible to aid groups because of the war. (CNN, 23 August 1999) * Angola. UN's dire prediction - 25 August: The UN has stepped up its warning of dire consequences for the population of Angola if the civil war does not stop. The UN's children's fund said huge numbers of children had died because of food shortages and human rights abuses caused by the war, and that many more would follow them to the grave. The WFP has said it is unable to deliver food aid to more than a million people because renewed fighting between UNITA rebels and government troops have made roads and airports too dangerous. (BBC News, 25 August 1999) * Angola. Presence humanitaire de l'Onu - Le 24 aout, le ministre angolais des Relations exterieures, Joao Bernardo de Miranda, a affirme qu'une presence future des Nations unies dans son pays se limiterait aux affaires humanitaires et au dossier des droits de l'homme. A la demande de Luanda, l'Onu a mis fin cette annee a sa mission en Angola et rapatrie ses quelque 7.000 casques bleus charges de surveiller l'application du traite de paix de Lusaka du 20 novembre 1994. L'Onu devrait installer en Angola un petit bureau compose de trente personnes, selon le ministre. (La Libre Belgique, 26 aout 1999) * Burkina Faso. Impunity criticised - A group linking human rights organisations, trade unions and opposition parties in Burkina Faso says the full extent of official involvement in two alleged political murders last year must be addressed before a national unity government can be formed. The alliance known as the Collective said there could be no national reconciliation until there was justice in the cases of David Ouedraogo, the former chauffeur of the president's brother, and a journalist, Norbert Zongo, who was investigating Mr.Ouedraogo's killing. It called for the president, Blaise Compaore, to appear before an investigating magistrate. A recent report by a council of elders proposed a national unity government as a means of resolving the political deadlock over allegations of official immunity. Three presidential guards have been arrested for their role in Mr.Ouedraogo's death, but no-one has been detained in the Zongo case, although an independent report implicated six presidential guards. (BBC News, 23 August 1999) * Burundi. Prisons engorgees - Le ministere public a decide d'accorder une liberte provisoire a 169 detenus accuses de delits mineurs. Le procureur general a indique que ces detenus venaient de passer plus de deux ans en detention preventive. Dernierement, une commission du ministere de la Justice a fait une enquete et constate que certains de ces prevenus etaient detenus pour des delits mineurs, alors que d'autres avaient des dossiers incomplets. Au ministere, on estime que de telles commissions permettront la liberation d'autres prevenus a l'avenir, car le taux de detention preventive reste eleve. Plus de 75% des quelque 10.000 prisonniers au Burundi sont en detention preventive. L'objectif est de traiter les dossiers d'au moins 50% des detenus en preventive avant le 1er septembre prochain. Les autorites preparent ainsi le terrain pour l'application d'un nouveau code de procedures penales qui prevoit qu'aucune detention preventive ne puisse depasser un an. Ce code sera applique a partir du 1er janvier 2000. (Agence burundaise de presse, 18 aout 1999) * Burundi. Difficiles negociations - Selon une source autorisee, le secretaire general du parti Frodebu, M. Donatien Ndayizeye, a ete arrete, le 24 aout, a l'aeroport de Bujumbura, alors qu'il s'appretait a se rendre a Dar es-Salaam pour consultations avec son chef, Jean Minani, dans le cadre des negociations de paix d'Arusha. Une session de consulta-tions qualifiees de haut niveau entre le mediateur Nyerere et les chefs des grands partis est prevue a partir du 27 aout a Dar es-Salaam. Selon une source proche du bureau de la mediation, "la session de septembre sera longue et la derniere". (D'apres Great Lakes Press, Canada, 25 aout 1999) * Canada. VIIIe Sommet de la Francophonie - Dans un communique date du 25 aout, Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) souligne le fait que sur les cinquante-deux Etats participant au Sommet de la Francophonie (Moncton, Canada, du 3 au 5 septembre), quinze ne respectent pas la liberte de la presse: le Burkina Faso, le Cameroun, le Congo, la Cote d'Ivoire, le Gabon, la Guinee equatoriale, le Laos, la Mauritanie, la Republique centrafricaine, la Republique democratique du Congo, le Rwanda, le Tchad, le Togo, la Tunisie et le Viet-nam. Dix-sept journalistes sont actuellement emprisonnes dans cinq pays. Parmi ces journalistes, treize sont des Africains. La Republique democratique du Congo et le Rwanda se distinguent en maintenant en prison respectivement quatre et cinq journalistes. Deux autres pays africains maintiennent des journalistes en detention: la Tunisie (2) et la Cote d'Ivoire (2). Pour ce qui est des saisies de journaux, RSF cite entre autre la Tunisie, ou les journaux nationaux se caracterisent par une totale uniformite de ton: les titres etrangers -- les seuls a meme de pouvoir critiquer le regime en place -- sont regulierement victimes de saisies policieres. Autre exemple, en Mauritanie, les saisies nombreuses et repetees entrainent la lente asphyxie des journaux independants. Depuis le mois de novembre 1997, vingt-deux saisies ont touche trois journaux. Parmi ceux-ci, Mauritanie Nouvelles a fait faillite en janvier 1998, victime d'un veritable harcelement administratif. (RSF, France, 25 aout 1999) * Cameroun. Nouvel archeveque a Yaounde - Nomme le 17 juillet par le pape en remplacement de feu Mgr Zoa, Mgr Andre Wouking, ancien eveque de Bafoussam, a ete officiellement installe, le dimanche 22 aout a la cathedrale, dans ses fonctions d'archeveque de Yaounde par le Nonce apostolique, en presence de tout l'episcopat camerounais, du representant du chef de l'Etat et de milliers de fideles. Au cours d'une messe solennelle, plus d'une centaine de pretres ont promis allegence a leur nouvel eveque, malgre les appels de certains, decus par l'arrivee d'un "etranger". Le meme jour, dans le nord de Yaounde, une manifestation etait organisee pour protester contre la venue d'un eveque d'une lointaine region, au detriment d'un fils du pays. La tache de Mgr Wouking s'annonce rude. (J.D. Mihamle, Cameroun, 24 aout 1999) * Centrafrique. Violences - Deux religieuses francaises et une coreenne residant a Bangassou (a la frontiere de l'ex-Zaire), en Republique centrafricaine, auraient ete violees par six soldats congolais, a annonce la radio nationale a Bangui le 21 aout. Elles ont ete agressees par des hommes armes qui ne parlaient que le francais et le lingala (langue congolaise non utilisee en RCA). On ignore si les soldats faisaient partie des Forces armees congolaises, dont plusieurs milliers d'hommes sont refugies dans le sud de la RCA, ou s'il s'agissait de rebelles infiltres. A trois semaines du scrutin presidentiel, attaques et braquages se sont multiplies ces derniers jours, notamment a Bangui et Berberati (sud-ouest). Le 21 aout, Louis Mazangue, un commissaire divisionnaire centrafricain, a accuse les refugies congolais de distribuer des armes a la population. (Liberation, France, 23 aout 1999) * Congo-Brazza. Aide humanitaire - Le representant de l'Onu dans le pays estime que les 7 millions de dollars de vivres que vient de promettre le bureau humanitaire de l'Union europeenne au PAM ecartent le risque d'a-coups dans le ravitaillement du Congo- Brazzaville. La somme represente la moitie du total des besoins recenses. Le don europeen benificiera a 200.000 personnes et devrait suffire aux besoins jusqu'a la fin de l'annee. Par ailleurs, dans le sud-ouest du pays, les organisations humanitaires et les pouvoirs publics cooperent pour preparer les operations de soutien aux deplaces rentrant chez eux. A Dolisie, 10.000 des 80.000 habitants sont rentres chez eux. A Nkaye, 30.000 habitants sont rentres, soit la moitie de la population. (IRIN, Nairobi, 23 aout 1999) * Congo (RDC). Echoes of Kisangani - 23 August: Uganda's New Vision reports the following: "Following the fighting between the UPDF and the RPA tension remains high in Kisangani with streets deserted. The main beer factory at Sortexki, shops, pharmacies and residences were looted by soldiers thought to belong to the RPA. Col. Kahinda Otafiire, a presidential advisor on the Congo crisis, was quoted as saying that 30 Ugandan troops died in the fighting with the RPA. Local Churches and humanitarian organisations put the death toll at over 200 civilians, 50 of whom were slain as they returned from a Catholic Church on the shores of the River Congo." The same paper says: "Over 70 wounded Ugandan and RCD-Kisangani rebel soldiers were flown to Entebbe on the evening of 21 August from Kisangani". (The New Vision, Uganda, 23 August 1999) * Congo (RDC). Trying to resolve Congo's dispute - 21 August: South Africa's foreign minister, Nkosazana Zuma is on her way to the Great Lakes region to try and resolve the issue of who should sign a truce on behalf of Congolese rebels. Her mission takes her to Uganda, Rwanda and the rebel-held town of Goma in eastern Congo, and follows measures by leaders of the SADC to ensure the truce is signed. 22 August: The leaders of Uganda and Rwanda meet in a bid to revive their troubled alliance and persuade Congolese rebel factions to sign a peace deal. President Museveni (Uganda) was in talks with Rwanda's vice-president and defence minister, Paul Kagame, at his country home in western Uganda. 23 August: Kagame returns home after his talks with President Museveni. South Africa's foreign minister was also present at the talks. 24 August: Divided rebels say they are ready to sign collectively an agreement ending the civil war. However, tension between Uganda and Rwanda, their main backers, have raised doubts about any immediate cessation of hostilities. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 August 1999) * Congo (RDC). Vers une signature - Le 20 aout, lors d'une conference de presse a Bruxelles, Alexis Thambwe Mwamba, "ministre des Affaires etrangeres" du mouvement rebelle Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie, a annonce que celui-ci serait pret a signer l'accord de paix. "Pour sortir de l'impasse, nous venons d'accepter que M. Wamba (president de l'autre faction du RCD) cosigne l'accord avec tous les autres fondateurs du RCD. Nous avons donc invite le president zambien Tshiluba a venir a Goma pour cette signature". Cela fait, ajouta M. Thambwe, on pourra passer au debat national, qui ne peut, selon lui, accueillir plus de 100 participants et doit se tenir dans un pays neutre. - Le 21 aout, le Conseil de securite a annonce que 25 pays se sont declares prets a participer a une force militaire de liaison de l'Onu qui doit aider a l'application de l'accord de cessez-le-feu signe le 10 juillet. - 24 aout. La faction de Goma du RCD signera l'accord de cessez-le- feu, a reaffirme Lambert Mende, ministre de l'information du mouvement, au lendemain d'une mission dans les Grands Lacs de la ministre sud-africaine des Affaires etrangeres, Mme Zuma. Sous pression de ses tuteurs ougandais et rwandais et de la communaute africaine, le RCD fera taire ses divergences pour le temps d'une ceremonie. M. Wamba, president de l'autre faction, avait deja annonce son intention de signer les accords. 25 aout. La ministre sud-africaine des Affaires etrangeres, Mme Zuma, a mis en garde contre les espoirs d'un reglement final rapide en RDC, soulignant qu'il y a encore "une longue route" a parcourir. "C'est un conflit complexe, il ne s'agit pas que des rebelles et du gouvernement", a estime Mme Zuma, soulignant qu'en cas de cessez-le-feu la Commission militaire conjointe devra "identifier et desarmer les groupes militaires menacant la securite du Rwanda et de l'Ouganda". Mais "l'influence d'acteurs exterieurs va aller en s'amenuisant" et le dialogue "va se centrer sur le Congo et les Congolais eux- memes", estime la ministre. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 aout 1999) * Congo (RDC). Rebel signing of peace treaty - The following are two related reports: 24 August: The CNN says that Congolese rebels say they have agreed to sign a peace deal aimed at ending the civil war. "We hope to go to Lusaka before the end of the week to sign the agreement. It is a good thing that we sign as a group instead of one person", says Bizima Karaha, head of intelligence of the main rebel faction which is backed by Rwanda. Ernest Wamba dia Wamba, who heads the rival RCD faction backed by Uganda says he had agreed to the proposal last weekend and was also ready to go to Lusaka. 25 August: The BBC says the Zambian Foreign Minister, Eric Silwamba is reported to be meeting rebel leaders in Congo RDC to set a date for them to sign the peace agreement reached last month. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 August 1999) * Cote d'Ivoire. Nationality row - Herman Cohen, former US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, and presently consultant with the Ivorian government, has joined President Bedie in saying the opposition leader, Alassan Ouattara, is from Burkina Faso. The President says this makes him ineligible to stand in next year's presidential election. (BBC News, 20 August 1999) * Ethiopia. The Union of Oromo Students in Europe - 16 July was observed as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Union of Oromo students in Europe. In an interview, Mr. Abiyu Geleta, Chairman of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) Foreign Relations Committee said that at the present time, the OLF is not involved in a "conventional war", rather, in an "irregular guerrilla" war. He said: "When conditions require, we retreat, and when conditions allow, we go on the offensive." When asked if there is any chance of a peaceful settlement between the OLF and the government, Mr Geleta added: "The dictatorial regime in Ethiopia is not ready to talk peace. The question was then put to Mr Geleta: "Concerning the Ethiopia-Eritrea war -- the OLF is said to have allied itself with the Eritrean government. Have you any comment on this issue?" Mr Geleta replied: "On many occasions we have insisted that our position is neutral in this international conflict. In any case, the conflict must be resolved peacefully because the war is costing the Oromo people in terms of lives and resources. In spite of what the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) affirms, we have never received arms from Eritrea. But that does not mean we would refuse arms from that source if they were offered." (Lammi Guda, Germany, 11 August, 1999) * Guinea Bissau. Ex-minister killed - The authorities say they're launching an inquiry into the death of a former minister in the government of Joao Vieira, who was overthrown in May. The minister, Nicandro Barreto, was found dead on 22 August). There are conflicting reports of how he died. But the minister of justice, Carlos Gomes, told reporters the killing appeared to be politically motivated. He said Mr.Barreto, who served several times as attorney-general, knew the inside secrets of the country's ruling party. (BBC News, 23 August 1999) * Guinee-Bissau. Preparatifs aux elections - L'enregistrement des electeurs pour les elections presidentielles, prevues le 28 novembre, a ete lance le 22 aout a Bissau. Les partis politiques ont jusqu'au 29 septembre pour presenter leurs candidats. Les preparatifs pour les elections ont ete assombris par la mort, le 22 aout, de l'ancien ministre Nicandro Barreto. Selon une radio portugaise, la police a confirme qu'il s'agissait d'un assassinat. M. Barreto avait ete ministre de l'Interieur, procureur general et ministre de la Justice sous le president Vieira. (IRIN, Abidjan, 24 aout 1999) * Kenya. IMF might resume loans - The new Kenyan Finance Minister, Chris Okemo, says he's confident he'll be able to persuade the IMF to resume lending to kenya when the two sides meet next month. The IMF suspended loans two years ago, complaining of corruption and poor economic management. (BBC News, 20 August 1999) * Kenya. Notorious criminal captured - A man described as Kenya's most notorious criminal --nicknamed the country's own Carlos the Jackal -- has been arrested. Edward Maina Shimoli, 30, was described in the Kenyan press as a "master criminal and an international terrorist", who reportedly escaped from prison four times, including once before he was due to be hanged. Shimoli is said to have confessed to "14 murders, 88 rapes and countless bank robberies, car-jackings and drug deals", all committed over a 10- year period, police said. (BBC News, 20 August 1999) * Kenya. Kenya bans flights to Somalia - 25 August: President Moi has banned flights to Somalia. The move came three days after he ordered Kenya's land border with Somalia closed for the second time in two months. Clearly exasperated that Somalia has been without a functioning government since 1991 and is unable to control its own borders, Moi said he had no alternative but to close the 420-mile border through which weapons and contraband goods have been pouring into Kenya. (CNN, 25 August 1999) * Liberia. Deteriorating situation in the north - 20 August: Liberia appeals to the United Nations for urgent food and medical aid to deal with a worsening humanitarian emergency in the north. The information minister says Liberia does not have the means to cope with waves of civilians fleeing fighting between government troops and rebels. 23 August: The authorities warn soldiers in the northern country of Lofa that they'll be arrested if they're caught looting. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 August 1999) * Libye. Kadhafi reve d'une Afrique unifiee - Le colonel Kadhafi reve d'une Afrique unifiee, disposant d'une monnaie commune pour faciliter son developpement et prendre acte de l'echec de l'Etat- nation sur le continent noir. Dans une interview au Figaro, publiee le 20 aout, le chef de l'Etat libyen souhaite que le sommet extraordinaire de l'OUA, qui se tient dans son pays a partir du 6 septembre, marque une nouvelle etape dans cette direction. "Le traite d'Abuja, en 1991, a lance la Communaute economique africaine; il faut le faire appliquer", dit-il. Plus tard, il faudra creer une Banque centrale africaine et un fonds monetaire pour l'Afrique qui allegerait le fardeau du FMI. Plus tard encore, une monnaie africaine "facilitera les transactions commerciales entre l'Afrique et l'Europe". Pour le dirigeant libyen, "... un ensemble que l'on appellera les Etats-Unis d'Afrique, c'est la solution historique pour le continent... L'Europe est composee de nations. L'Afrique est composee de tribus. Les tribus ont ete dechirees par les pays colonisateurs. L'Etat, en Afrique, ne peut survivre car il est factice...". (D'apres Reuters, 20 aout 1999) * Malawi. Muluzi angry over telephone thefts - President Muluzi has warned thieves who stole cables from a main telephone exchange, that they are in big trouble if they are caught. The presidential palace was among buildings affected, with the result that the President was unable to phone home while he was away at a regional summit in Mozambique. Speaking on his return, the angry President warned the thieves that if they were caught, there would be no question of bail. "We can't talk about human rights", he said. "Does human right mean inconveniencing other people?" (BBC News, 20 August 1999) * Malawi-Eritrea. UN petitions Malawi over deported Eritreans - The UNHCR confirmed on 24 August that it had petitioned Malawi in protest against the forced deportation of 25 Eritreans. One of the men was reportedly killed during a tussle with police while being deported over the weekend after the group allegedly entered Malawi with fake visas on 14 August. UNHCR regional spokesman, Solend Senaize, said from the Zambian capital of Lusaka that refugee authorities should have been given an opportunity to screen the Eritreans before they were deported. The men were physically forced onto an Ethiopian airplane at Lilongwe International Airport on 22 August and were flown home. Malawi prison authorities have since confirmed in a statement that one of the Eritreans died while struggling with the police at the airport. The statement failed to say how the man died but earlier reports indicate he was shot. Senaize said on Tuesday the UNHCR sent a letter to Malawi's foreign affairs ministry requesting to interview the men the moment it learnt of their presence in Malawi. "Basically what we said was that these people asked for asylum and we should therefore assess them and follow the normal procedures of asylum seekers". (Africa Press Bureau, South Africa, 26 August 1999) * Maroc. Discours du roi - Le 20 aout, le roi Mohamed VI a affirme vouloir s'attaquer aux multiples problemes sociaux qui freinent le developpement economique du Maroc, tout en soulignant qu'il ne disposait "d'aucune baguette magique". Dans un discours televise, il a dresse un tableau sans complaisance de son pays, en insistant sur la pauvrete, l'exode rural et la faillite du systeme educatif. (Le Monde, France, 22 aout 1999) * Maroc/Algerie. Islamistes arretes - Neuf membres du groupe islamiste algerien suspecte d'une tuerie qui a fait 29 morts, le 15 aout a Beni Ounif (au sud-ouest d'Alger), ont ete arretes au Maroc, a-t-on appris le 25 aout a Rabat de source sure. Le commando algerien aurait ete apprehende quelques heures a peine apres le massacre, alors qu'il venait de se refugier en territoire marocain. C'est la premiere fois, souligne-t-on a Rabat, que les autorites marocaines laissent filtrer des informations concernant l'arrestation sur le territoire marocain d'islamistes armes algeriens. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 aout 1999) * Mozambique. Rural Mozambicans finally get Internet access - The Internet has finally arrived in rural Mozambique with the launch of the country's first two computer telecentres in rural communities outside Maputo City. The first two centres in Manhica and Namaacha in southern Maputo province offer local residents free or cheap subsidised Internet and e-mail access to the World Wide Web, as well as facsimile, telephone and other computer services. The centres are a first for rural Mozambicans, who seldom have access to telephones or even electricity. Both centres were set up as pilot projects by Maputo's Eduardo Mondlane University Computer Centre and are financed by the International Research Centre of Canada. (Africa Press Bureau, S.Africa, 21 August 1999) * Mozambique. Taking to the stage to combat corruption - Thespians from ten southern African countries, on 23 August gathered in Maputo to kick-off a week-long festival against corruption. The anti-corruption festival seeks to highlight theatre productions dealing with the scourge of corruption in terms of democracy, development and civil society. The novel event is being hosted by Mozambique's leading theatre group, MBEU. Award winning theatre groups from kenya, Lesotho, Burundi, Angola, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Namibia and South Africa are participating in the festival. (Africa Press Bureau, South Africa, 24 August 1999) * Mozambique. Plundering Mozambique's forests - Foreign speculators are using desperately poor villagers to plunder Mozambique's national forests of rare hardwoods and other valuable resources, a government spokesman said on 23 August. The hardwoods, rare animal species and minerals such as gold, are trucked out of the country to Malawi through under-equipped border posts at Milange and Morrumbala. Zambezia Agriculture and Fisheries director of Zambezi province, Gabriel Papusseco said that rampant exploitation of indigenous State forests and game reserves by illegal operators were threatening planned eco-tourism projects. Staffing capacity problems and a lack of proper inspection facilities on the borders, enabled looters to smuggle hardwood and other items out of the country without risk of being apprehended. Papusseco said the government's 40 million dollar plan to upgrade the forestry and wildlife components of the national Agricultural Development Programme, would boost the province's ability to both manage resources and police illegal operations. (Africa Press Bureau, South Africa, 24 August 1999) * Mozambique. Council freezes land allocation - Mozambique's major industrial city of Matola on 25 August suspended all allocation of land amidst allegations of corruption and bribery by city council officials, council sources said. City councillor responsible for town planning Pedro Bambo confirmed the council had frozen over 2,000 applications for land. He declined to say why the applications had been frozen but stressed that the move was temporary. The suspension is the second in as many years. The council was forced to suspend all land allocation in August 1998 when it tried to reform the application system to cut out abuses and inefficiency. Matola is a major industrial and residential city immediately outside the country's capital of Maputo. Private land ownership is still restricted in Mozambique, which is gradually evolving its socialist society into a more free market multi-party democracy. The State still retains land ownership but has begun privatising its moveable assets and parastatals and is expected to eventually grant full title for residential property to occupants. ((Africa Press Bureau, South Africa, 26 August 1999) * Namibia. Intelligence service criticised - The Namibian intelligence service has come under severe criticism with some people blaming it for the 2 August shoot-out between security forces and rebels of the Caprivi Liberation Army (CLA). Opposition leaders have particularly been vocal, charging that the armed insurrection by CLA separatist rebels in Namibia's Caprivi Strip could have been avoided had intelligence officers worked ahead of the events which have been unfolding since late 1998. The leader of the opposition party in Parliament, the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance, Katuutire Kaura, has even called on President Sam Nujoma to fire the director of the Central Intelligence Service, Peter Tshirumbu. "His head must roll," said Kaura a day after the shoot- out which left over a dozen people dead. "There is also need for a drastic shake-up of the intelligence organisation for its failure to pick up the presence of CLA operatives inside Namibia. Tshirumbu's response was a curt ""nonsense". What did you want us to do? Did you want us to publicly announce that we had this information?". (Editor's note: On 24 August, about 100 Caprivi detainees appeared in court in Grootfontein on charges of treason following the 2 August attack on Katima Mulilo). (Mwana Bwalya, Namibia, 23 August 1999) * Namibie. Caprivi: fin de l'etat d'urgence - Le 24 aout, le president Nujoma a annonce la fin de l'etat d'urgence dans la bande de Caprivi, lors d'une visite dans cette partie du territoire namibien qui se prolonge entre l'Angola, le Botswana et la Zambie. Le quotidien The Namibian a ensuite precise qu'une majeure partie du nombre des troupes regulieres dans la region sera retiree. D'autre part, des magistrats namibiens ont refuse la liberte sous caution de 12 hommes de Caprivi, accuses d'avoir participe a l'action armee separatiste du 2 aout dernier qui avait conduit a la proclamation de l'etat d'urgence. (D'apres Misna, Italie, 25 aout 1999) * Nigeria. Eglises incendiees - Le 20 aout a Katsina, localite a majorite musulmane du nord du Nigeria, des integristes musulmans ont incendie des eglises ainsi que des hotels appartenant a des personnes etrangeres a la ville. Les incendiaires, qui voulaient ainsi protester contre la vente d'alcool, ont commence leurs actions immediatement apres la priere musulmane du vendredi, a declare par telephone un temoin. L'Eglise celeste de Dieu et les hotels Havana et City, appartenant a des commercants du sud-est du pays, font partie des batiments detruits par les islamistes, a-t-il ajoute. La police a arrete une vingtaine de personnes. Les tensions ethnico-religieuses vont croissant, ces dernieres annees. (La Libre Belgique, 23 aout 1999) * Nigeria. Obasanjo moves to pacify army - Nigerian President Obasanjo has sought to reassure the military over planned cuts to the armed forces. Speaking on national television, the new civilian president said his government was still redefining the role of the army and had not yet determined what its exact size should be. President Obasanjo said the restructuring of the armed forces was not meant to destabilise the military but only to ensure its professionalism. Defence Minister Theophilus Danjuma announced last week that the government intended to cut the size of the armed forces from 80,000 to 50,000 for economic reasons. Defence spending is currently the biggest single item in the Nigerian budget. The armed forces are poorly equipped and in some areas morale is low. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 August 1999) * Nigeria. 2,000 troops to be withdrawn from Sierra Leone - 25 August: Nigeria says it will withdraw 2,000 of its estimated 12,000 troops from the ECOMOG West African peacekeeping force in Sierra Leone by the end of the month, with more coming out in September. "Another 2,000 will arrive in Nigeria by the end of the month", Information Minister Dapo Sarumi said. "The withdrawal will continue until only one battalion is left in Sierra Leone for the disarmament process". (CNN, 25 August 1999) * Rwanda. Proces de Mgr Misago - Le proces de l'eveque catholique de Gikongoro, Mgr Augustin Misago s'est ouvert le 20 aout au tribunal de Nyamirambo a Kigali. Mgr Misago a comparu devant les juges apres quatre mois d'incarceration a la prison centrale de Kigali, depuis son arrestation le 14 avril. Dans la petite salle d'audience, on notait la presence de pretres et de religieuses, mais aussi de nombreux curieux. Les chefs d'accusation retenus contre lui sont "genocide et crimes contre l'humanite, non- assistance a personne en danger, incitation au meurtre et complicite dans le genocide", a precise M. Kayihura, adjoint du procureur de la Republique de Kigali. A l'audience, Mgr Misago a demande une remise du proces pour lui donner le temps de lire tout le dossier. Ses avocats ont requis sa liberation provisoire, sa detention actuelle etant entachee d'illegalite. 25 aout. Le tribunal de Kigali a decide de maintenir Mgr Misago en detention. Les juges ont admis une partie de l'argumentation des defenseurs, mais ont estime notamment que, libere, l'eveque "pourrait fuir le pays et que cette liberation peut provoquer des troubles dans le pays". La Cour a accepte de reporter le proces afin de donner le temps a la defense de se preparer; il se poursuivra le 14 septembre prochain. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 aout 1999) * Rwanda. Trial of Bishop Misago - 20 August: The trial of Bishop Augustin Misago in connection with the 1994 genocide, is delayed for five days in order for the defence team to prepare their case. In court on 20 August, the defence team accused the state of holding the bishop illegally, arguing that there had been unacceptable delays in assembling a case bringing him to trial. Bishop Misago who appeared in court wearing regulation prison pyjamas and a crucifix around his neck, said he had not been given enough time to study his case file. The trial has now been adjourned while the Rwandan judiciary decides whether the case should go ahead. (BBC News, 20 August 1999) * Rwanda. Bishop Misago's trial to go ahead - 25 August: The criminal court in Kigali has ruled that Bishop Augustin Misago will remain in prison and that his trial, which was suspended shortly after it opened last Friday, will resume on 14 September. At the start of his trial, Misago's defense lawyers argued that his detention was illegal and that the law stipulates he should have been presented in court within two months of his arrest. On 25 August, the court's president said the defense complaints were valid but that the charges were of such a serious nature, that Misago should remain behind bars. (CNN, 25 August 1999) * Rwanda. Students expelled after French protest - More than fifty Rwandan students who took part in a protest against being taught in French say they've been expelled from the education institute in the capital, Kigali. They said a letter from their principal said some of them could return after a year if they had a change of mind. The students said they'd been told the government couldn't afford to get someone to teach them in English. Rwandan schools and universities have taught in French for decades. Those who took part in the protest are among the hundreds of thousands of Rwandans who were taught in English while living in exile. Correspondents say language has become an important political issue in Rwanda since the refugees returned at the end of the 1994 genocide. (BBC News, 23 August 1999) * Senegal. Morts dans une tempete - 73 pecheurs sont portes disparus depuis le 22 aout au large de la Casamance a la suite d'une violente tempete, rapportait le quotidien dakarois Le Soleil le 24 aout. Les corps de 16 pecheurs ont ete repeches, ainsi que les epaves de 13 pirogues. Dix-huit autres embarcations sont encore recherchees. (La Croix, France, 25 aout 1999) * Sierra Leone. Monusil triple - Le 20 aout, le Conseil de securite des Nations unies a autorise le triplement des effectifs de la mission de l'Onu en Sierra Leone pour superviser l'application du recent accord de paix entre le gouvernement et les rebelles. Les effectifs de la Mission d'observation de l'Onu en Sierra Leone (Monusil) seront portes de 70 a 210 militaires. (Le Monde, France, 22 aout 1999) * Sierra Leone. Peace process - 20 August: The UN Sec. Council has approved sending about 140 new unarmed military observers to Sierra Leone to try and encourage the peace process there. The resolution allows for the deployment of 210 unarmed military observers whose job will be to build confidence in the pace process and supervise the demobilisation of the various armed factions. 22 August: Rebel soldiers who seized hostages in early August to express frustration at Sierra Leone's peace process, return home after talks with their leader, saying they no longer feel excluded from it. 23 August: Rebel leader Foday Sankoh says the rebels are committed to laying down their weapons. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 August 1999) * Sierra Leone. Corruption scandals - 23 August: The minister of agriculture, Harry Will, has been dismissed following allegations of corruption. No details have been released, but a government statement says the President had taken the decision in the overall national interest. Also, nine people are reported to have been arrested following discovery of widespread fraud in the country's education system. Education ministry officials are accused of colluding with police officers to misappropriate teachers' salaries worth one million dollars. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 August 1999) * Sierra Leone. Ministre accuse de corruption - Le 23 aout, le ministre sierra-leonais de l'Agriculture, Harry Will, a ete limoge et arrete en relation avec des accusations de corruption. Selon un communique de la presidence, l'arrestation du ministre et de deux de ses proches collaborateurs s'inscrit dans le cadre de la lutte menee par le president Kabbah contre la corruption. Les accusations a l'encontre de ces trois personnes n'ont pas ete detaillees, mais selon de hauts responsables elles seraient liees a des malversations portant sur des fonds d'aide etrangers. Ces arrestations interviennent peu apres que les autorites aient ouvert une enquete sur des fraudes au ministere de l'Education. Selon la BBC, neuf responsables de ce ministere ont ete arretes et inculpes de collusion avec des officiers de police pour detourner des salaires d'enseignants d'une valeur de 100 millions de dollars. (IRIN, Abidjan, 24 aout 1999) * Somalie. Crainte de famine - Un million de personnes sont confrontees a une quatrieme annee de recoltes desastreuses dans le sud du pays, en raison de pluies insuffisantes et de degats sans precedent commis par les oiseaux, a indique le 20 aout, le Programme alimentaire mondial. La Somalie compte 9 millions d'habitants. (Le Monde, France, 22 aout 1999) * Somalie. Incursion ethiopienne - Des unites motorisees comptant des centaines de soldats ethiopiens se sont emparees de deux villes du sud-ouest de la Somalie, a affirme le 25 aout un responsable d'une des milices somaliennes qui se partagent le pays. Ces troupes ethiopiennes ont envahi la ville de Dolo situee sur la frontiere entre l'Ethiopie et la Somalie et, a quelque 60 km plus au sud, celle de Lugh, a assure Ibrahim Jama Hawle du Front national somalien (SNF). Des sources independantes du SNF ont confirme ces informations. Selon M. Hawle, les Ethiopiens progressent a l'interieur du pays et sont en mesure d'attaquer d'autres villes controlees par le SNF. Un diplomate ethiopien en poste a Nairobi a recuse les accusations de M. Hawle, precisant que son gouvernement n'a pas envoye de "troupes supplementaires" dans cette region de la Somalie. (La Libre Belgique, 26 aout 1999) * South Africa. Industrial unrest - 22 August: South Africa's trade union organisation has said it will support efforts to reinstate 6,000 goldmine workers who have been sacked. A spokesman for the South African Congress of Trade Unions (COSATU) said the workers were dismissed unfairly on flimsy grounds. It said they reflected the brutality of capitalism. 24 August: The government is facing its biggest challenge since the end of apartheid, as tens of thousands of government employees hold a one-day strike. strike today. The government employees from 12 unions are complaining that their pay rises have not kept pace with inflation. The government promises to resume talks on public service pay. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 August 1999) * Afrique du Sud. Mecontentement social - Le nouveau president Thabo Mbeki doit faire face a la grogne des syndicats, allies de l'ANC avec les communistes au sein du gouvernement. Les relations entre les partenaires ont pati de la decision unilaterale du gouvernement de fixer la hausse des salaires en deca des revendications des syndicats, au moment ou des centaines de milliers de personnes ont perdu ou s'appretent a perdre leur emploi. Douze syndicats de la fonction publique ont appele a une journee de greve le 24 aout de pres d'un million de fonctionnaires a travers le pays. Ce jour, plusieurs centaines d'entre eux ont participe a des manifestations: plus de 40.000 a Pretoria, 20.000 a Kimberley, 10.000 au Cap. Celles-ci se sont deroulees pacifiquement sauf a Johannesbourg, ou la police a du faire usage de balles en caoutchouc et de grenades lacrymogenes. La confederation syndicale Cosatu soutient cette action et a menace de mobiliser ses 1,8 million de membres pour une greve generale si les fonctionnaires n'obtenaient pas satisfaction. Il s'agit de la plus forte mobilisation syndicale dirigee contre le gouvernement depuis la fin de l'apartheid. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 25 aout 1999) * South Africa. Government wants talks on future wage deal - 25 August: South Africa's government says it is keen to engage disgruntled public sector unions in talks on long-term pay policy, but that it will not change its stance on the current angry pay dispute. The Public Service and Administration Minister, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, says the government is working with unions to agree a date to meet at the public service bargaining council, and hammer out next year's wage policy. This comes after tens of thousands of government employees held a one-day strike across the country. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 August 1999) * South Africa. World's last cycad population under threat - The world's last remaining population of a rare cycad species is under threat in South Africa's Mpumalanga province as local witchdoctors claim the primordial plants can cure HIV/AIDS. Five men arrested in January with 50 of the increasingly rare E-cupidus cycad told investigators that the plants had been ordered for a local muti market. "They believed that cycads in general had medicinal properties effective in fighting the HIV/AIDS virus," said head of special investigations at the Mpumalanga Parks Board, Ertjies Rhom, on 24 August. The cycads had been stolen from the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve near Graskop, which is the only place where this specific species exists today. "Considering the fact that the E-cupidis cycads in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve are the only remaining populations of the species in the world, everything possible must be done to protect them," said Rhom. He said because the plants could be found in the reserve, however, they were under even greater threat. (Africa Press Bureau, South Africa, 26 August 1999) * Sudan. "Chemical attack" - A human rights organisation working in Sudan has called on the international community for a full investigation of alleged use of chemical weapons by the Sudanese government against rebels last month. Christian Solidarity Worldwide has warned that an uncritical silence from the international community on the alleged chemical attacks by the government may encourage further attacks. The organisation's president, Baronness Cox, told the BBC that independent observers had been refused access to the area. The organisation said the United Nations medical team that was dispatched to investigate the allegations has abandoned its mission for safety reasons. However, the UN says tests were completed on alleged victims of the chemical attack and that results will be published shortly. The UN team was sent to two towns in southern Sudan, Lainya and Kaya, where government planes are alleged to have dropped poison gas on rebel Southern Sudanese People's Liberation Army positions. (BBC News, 23 August 1999) * Sudan. Bishops of Eastern Africa appeal for peace - Meeting in Nairobi from 26 July-8 August, the Catholic Bishops of the Association of the Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) addressed an appeal for Sudan. They said it was their duty to draw the attention of the United Nations and the world community to the human tragedy unfolding in Sudan. The civil war has assumed savage, fratricidal and genocidal dimensions for the last 16 years. It has claimed almost 2 million lives, most of them innocent civilians. It has caused the displacement of over 4 million persons, many of whom are refugees within the area of the Bishops. Furthermore, the prolonged instabilities of the Sudan has affected the neighbouring countries. The Bishops denounced in a special way the Sudan government's indiscriminate aerial bombardment of civilian targets in nearly all the areas affected by the war. They deplored the Sudan government's policy of preventing relief food to famine stricken areas of Southern Sudan. (Editor's note: The full text can be obtained at our e-mail address - ask for: /in/soudan/990806.doc ). (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 August 1999) * Soudan. Appel des eveques d'Afrique de l'Est - Les eveques catholiques de huit pays d'Afrique de l'Est viennent d'adresser aux instances internationales, dont l'ONU, l'OUA et l'UE, un appel pathetique pour que tous redoublent d'efforts afin de mettre fin a la guerre civile au Soudan. Cette guerre "a pris les dimensions d'un genocide", s'indignent les eveques dans une lettre publiee au lendemain de leur assemblee pleniere, qui s'est tenue a Nairobi du 26 juillet au 8 aout. Quand le monde va-t-il s'y mettre pour arreter "la tragedie humaine qui se deploie au Soudan", demandent- ils. Un probleme particulier est constitue par "les nombreux cas de graves violations des droits humains", violations que les eveques attribuent aussi bien au gouvernement de Khartoum qu'a la SPLA. (La Libre Belgique, 25 aout 1999) * Swaziland. Rapists face death penalty - Rapists found guilty of having infected their victims with the HIV/AIDS virus, could face the death penalty once the Public Health Bill of 1999 becomes law, a government source said on 18 August. According to Section 60 (4) of the new Act, the death sentence shall be given in compliance with the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act. It also stipulates life imprisonment for those who knowingly transmit the disease to their partners. Apart from the death penalty and life imprisonment, those convicted of transmitting the disease, could also be forced to compensate their victims an amount to be determined by the courts. (Africa Press Bureau, S.Africa, 18 August 1999) * Tanzania. Fighting blindness disease - Tanzania has launched a new scheme to eradicate trachoma -- the world's leading cause of preventable blindness. The programme includes preventive education, improvement in water supplies, and drug treatments. The Health Minister, Aaron Chiduo, said that according to current statistics, trachoma is endemic in ten out of twenty regions in Tanzania. He said two million children were at risk of losing their sight. Tanzania has received a consignment of three-hundred thousand doses of a powerful antibiotic which is to be administered to those already suffering from the infection. The delivery is part of an international initiative to combat the disease, and similar schemes are to be launched in Ghana, Mali and Morocco. Trachoma is an infection which causes the eyelids to turn inwards, damaging the cornea which can eventually result in blindness. (BBC News, 23 August 1999) * Tchad. Nouvelle rebellion? - Depuis un mois, des rumeurs circulent d'un possible retour de la rebellion au sud du Tchad. On parle de la naissance d'un nouveau foyer de revolte a Moissala, village natal du general Kamougue, actuel president de l'Assemblee nationale et chef du parti URD. Les rebelles presumes se seraient infiltres dans le Chari, au sud du pays. Mais selon les experts, la rebellion existerait seulement dans l'imagination du president Deby, dont les rapports avec les autres partis sont toujours tendus. Les populations du sud, deja victimes de graves injustices de la part des forces armees, craignent que la nouvelle ne justifie la presence brutale des militaires. (D'apres Misna, Italie, 20 aout 1999) * Zambia/Namibia. The Lozi unite for self-rule - On 5 August, the Barotse Patriotic Front (BPF) leader, Imasiku Mutangelwa was summoned to the Zambia Police Headquarters. Instead of obeying the summons, he took refuge in the home of the South African High Commissioner in Lusaka, Walter Thabethe. The police had ordered Mutangelwa to surrender himself because his organisation which comprises the Lozi people, are seeking the independence of the Barotse from the rest of the country. Zambia's Western Province (Barotseland) support the Caprivi Strip secessionists in Namibia who are themselves seeking to break away from Namibia. The BPF says it is supporting the Caprivi people and appealed to all Lozis to rally to their support. (Gideon Thole, Zambia, 9 August 1999) * Zambia. Refugees hamper polio eradication drive - 25 August: Zambia's drive to banish poliomyelitis by the year 2,000, has been slowed down by the continual arrival of batches of un-vaccinated children from war-town Angola and Congo RDC. Annie Mtonga, the national surveillance officer at the Central Board of Health, says the influx of such refugees prompted officials to extend the national immunisation programme into refugee camps. (PANA, Dakar, 25 August 1999) * Zimbabwe. New land regulations - 24 August: The Zimbabwean government has published new regulations which aim to ensure that the government has an option to buy up any rural land for sale. The government Gazette Notice said that all owners of rural land, other than the government, local authorities or a statutory body, may not sell any land unless it has first been offered to the Lands and Agricultural Minister. It said that if the State indicated that it had no intention of buying the land, the Minister may issue a certificate declaring this, and give the go-ahead for sale. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 24 August)