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: 27-01-2000 PART #2/2 (Lesotho -> Zimbabwe) ====> (From Africa to Kenya see 27b_01_2k) * Lesotho. Parties meet to discuss election - An international contact group on Lesotho has held high-level meetings with political parties and the government, to discuss an election- timetable to seal the country's fragile peace process. Officials from the Southern African Development Community, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Nations, met on 24 January with representatives of the Interim Political Authority (IPA), a multiparty body overseeing Lesotho's transition to fresh elections slated for April. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 25 January 2000) * Malawi. Chiefs angered by Anti-Corruption Bureau - Traditional chiefs are accusing the Anti-Corruption Bureau of mistaking some of the traditional practices accorded to them, as acts of corruption. Chief Makanjira of Mangochi, a prominent chief in Malawi, has accused the Anti-Corruption Bureau of not respecting Malawi's culture. He said that gifts given to chiefs by their followers are not bribes, as alleged by the Bureau. The practice of giving gifts to a chief comes from way back. "It is a tradition inherited from our ancestors as a sign of appreciating the role played by chiefs and village headmen. The Anti-Corruption Bureau should not belittle the role of chiefs in the country, as they are supposed to be given due respect". said Chief Makanjira. (Binson Musongole, ANB-BIA, Malawi, 22 January 2000) * Malawi. Government officials under probe over pilfered books - Malawi's Anti-Corruption Bureau on 24 January confirmed that it was probing government officials to establish how notebooks worth US $8 million meant for free distribution in primary schools ended up being sold in commercial bookshops. Investigations by the bureau at the Education Ministry followed an official complaint by the donors, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). CIDA country director, Grant Gawes, said officials from his agency in November last year discovered that the notebooks were on sale in commercial bookshops in the capital of Lilongwe. Further investigations revealed that the notebooks were on sale in commercial bookshops across the country while others were openly sold by street vendors. The CIDA donated the notebooks to prop up the Malawian government's free primary school education which, since its inception in 1955 was teetering on the verge of collapse because of a lack of personnel and utilities. Gilton Chiwaula, director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, said the bureau instituted the investigation on 10 December lat year and that it was "making some headway". CIDA sources said the scam could affect a further donation. (Africa Press Bureau, Johannesburg, 24 January 2000) * Malawi. MPs must declare their assets - Human rights groups in Malawi are calling for a review of the law that requires Members of Parliament (MP)s to declare their assets when serving in Parliament. The Speaker of the National Assembly had given Members until 31 December 1999 to declare their assets, but he told the Press that only 10 out of 193 Members had declared their assets by mid-December. Roosevelt Gondwe, the Clerk of Parliament, is quoted as saying there is nothing Parliament can do to Members who refuse to declare their assets. He said the law lacks the necessary enforcement mechanism on this issue. "The law just says they shall declare their assets", he declared. Human rights groups are angered by what they see as disobedience by MPs in refusing to declare their assets, and are asking that immediate measures should be taken against them. "There is no sense in having a law that does not have checks and balances", says The Civil Liberties Committee. (Binson Musongole, ANB-BIA, Malawi, 20 january 2000) * Maroc. Silence dans l'armee - Mustapha Adib, un capitaine de 31 ans, est incarcere depuis plusieurs semaines a la prison civile de Sale, pres de Rabat, pour avoir "contacte un journaliste" et denonce la corruption "qui regne" dans l'armee. Il avait recemment ete cite par Le Monde. Il souhaitait alerter le jeune roi Mohammed VI, chef de l'armee, sur les detournements et les trafics d'influence en vigueur dans l'armee. Selon son avocat, Mustapha Adib est poursuivi "pour violation du code militaire, qui interdit a tout militaire de parler a la presse sans autorisation, et pour offense a l'armee marocaine". (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22 janvier 2000) * Mozambique. Renamo's headquarters shift causes confusion - A prominent Mozambican lawyer and opposition politician, Maximo Dias, on 25 January, downplayed the significance of the decision by the main opposition Renamo to shift its party headquarters from the capital of Maputo to the port city of Beira, saying the move "is nothing but a simple political manoeuvre". Dias, a member of the new parliament and leader of the Mozambique Nationalist Movement (MONAMO), said the move was aimed to force a recount of votes in last December's general elections. Renamo contested the election outcome before the Supreme Court, on the grounds that the country's electoral institutions had perpetrated a fraud in favour of President Joaquim Chissano and his ruling Frelimo party. Renamo demanded a recount but its appeal was turned down. Despite the court ruling, Renamo has continued to insist that the results were fraudulent. The decision by Renamo to move its party headquarters to Beira has caused considerable confusion in political circles. While some Renamo sources said Beira was the party's new headquarters, others said it now has two headquarters. But Dias, whose MONAMO party was one of Renamo's allies in the Electoral Union coalition, said: "Renamo did not transfer its headquarters because its constitution says the headquarters is in Maputo, and if the Ministry of Justice wants to contact Renamo, it will find someone in the Maputo headquarters." A political analyst said: "If the Beira offices are indeed Renamo's new headquarters, it is illegal. The Mozambican law for political parties requires, as a condition for legal registration, that the headquarters of any political party must be in Maputo." Renamo said it has changed its address to respond to "popular pressure" from the central and northern areas where Renamo won a majority vote. (Africa Press Bureau, Johannesburg, 25 January 2000) * Namibie/Angola. Tension a la frontiere - Les forces gouvernementales angolaises et namibiennes ont renforce leurs operations conjointes contre les rebelles angolais de l'UNITA et semblaient, le 23 janvier, sur le point de lancer une offensive de grande envergure. D'intenses bombardements ont repris, le 21 janvier, le long de la frontiere pres de Bagani, a 675 km au nord- est de Windhoek, dans la zone de la bande de Caprivi. La semaine derniere, le president namibien Sam Nujoma s'est rendu sur place pour appeler les habitants de la region a refuser leur assistance aux membres presumes de l'Unita, qui a eu pendant des annees d'importantes bases arriere en territoire namibien. (AP, 23 janvier 2000) * Namibia. Tension on border with Angola - 14 January: Heavy shelling resumes along the border region near Bagani, 675 kms northeast of Windhoek.23 January: Angolan and Namibian government forces have stepped up joint military operations against Angolan rebels and appear today, to be poised to launch a military offensive. (CNN, 23 January 2000) * Nations unies. Enfants soldats - Le 21 janvier, apres deux semaines de discussions intenses a Geneve, le groupe de travail de l'Onu pour l'interdiction des enfants-soldats a finalement adopte par consensus et par acclamation un texte visant a bannir le recrutement et l'implication des enfants dans les conflits armes. Plusieurs participants ont toutefois juge le compromis minimaliste. Le seul point sur lequel un consensus a pu se faire est l'interdiction d'une participation aux combats pour les jeunes de moins de 18 ans. Selon le porte-parole de l'Onu, "les Etats concernes prennent toutes les mesures possibles dans la pratique pour veiller a ce que les membres de leurs forces armees qui n'ont pas atteint l'age de 18 ans ne participent pas directement aux hostilites". Si le texte a le merite de reposer sur un consensus, il presente cependant des lacunes: les Etats s'engagent seulement a "prendre toutes les mesures possibles" pour que les jeunes "ne participent pas directement" aux hostilites; et les moyens pour faire respecter cette regle sont mal definis. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22 janvier 2000) * Niger. Suspension du service de la dette - Le 21 janvier, le Premier ministre Hama Amadou a annonce la suspension du service de la dette interieure du Niger, qui s'eleve a 200 milliards de fcfa ($309 millions) afin de regler la crise financiere du pays. Le Niger a egalement une dette exterieure de 1,3 milliard de dollars. Ses arrieres au titre du service de la dette s'elevent a $106 millions. Depuis des annees, le Niger est en proie a une crise economique aggravee par la chute des cours du minerai d'uranium, sa principale exportation. Ces derniers mois ont ete marques par de nombreuses greves des fonctionnaires exigeant le paiement d'arrieres de salaire. (IRIN, Abidjan, 24 janvier 2000) * Nigeria. L'Etat du Niger adopte la sharia - Le 13 janvier, le gouverneur de l'Etat du Niger, dans le nord du Nigeria, a annonce a son tour l'adoption de la sharia ou "loi islamique" sur son territoire. Le gouverneur a notamment declare, au cours d'une emission televisee: "Le Nigeria etant une societe pluraliste, a opte pour un systeme legal comprenant la loi heritee de la colonisation britannique, la loi islamique et la loi coutumiere, qui doivent toutes jouir des memes privileges". Vingt-quatre heures auparavant, les chretiens de cet Etat avaient declare qu'ils "resisteraient a cette manipulation avec force et determination". (Marches Tropicaux, France, 21 janvier 2000) * Nigeria. Islamic law in Nigeria raises tension - Religious and ethnic tensions in Nigeria are never far from the surface. But the decision of the state of Zamfara, in the far north of the country, to introduce Sharia, or Islamic law, on 27 January, has brought them very much to the forefront once again. The move by Zamfara, one of 36 states in the Nigerian federation, has been widely welcomed across the mainly Muslim north of the country; and several other states have now said they intend to follow suit. But Nigeria's Christian population, who form the majority in the south, have reacted with dismay, saying it could unsettle the country's newly installed democracy. It was in October 1999, that Zamfara's governor, Ahmed Sani, made the announcement that caused national uproar. On 22 January, the state assembly in northern Nigeria's biggest city, Kano, approved the introduction of Sharia Law, but it still requires the governor's assent before it can be applied. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 January 2000) * Nigeria. Zamfara to implement Sharia Law - The northern Nigerian state of Zamfara is due to start implementing Sharia Law on 27 January. At a ceremony in the state capital, Gusau, Sharia judges or Kadis are due to be sworn in and Sharia courts formally declared open. The state Governor, Ahmed Sani, has repeatedly stressed that Sharia will only apply to Muslims, and that Christians in Zamfara have nothing to fear. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 January 2000) * Rwanda. Nouveau president du Parlement - Un nouveau president parlementaire, le Dr Vincent Biruta, du Parti social democrate, a ete elu pour remplacer M. Joseph Sebarenzi Kabuye, qui a demissionne apres avoir ete accuse d'abus de pouvoir et de causer des divisions au sein de l'armee. M. Sebarenzi qui, le 17 janvier, a egalement perdu son siege de depute, a dementi ces allegations et affirme qu'il s'agissait d'une campagne de diffamation destinee a l'isoler politiquement. M. Biruta pour sa part aurait declare: "Preter serment est tres simple, bien remplir son role est plus difficile". (IRIN, Nairobi, 20 janvier 2000) * Rwanda. Former Speaker in Uganda - 26 January: Rwanda's former Speaker of Parliament is seeking political asylum in neighbouring Uganda, after fleeing from Rwanda. Uganda's New Vision newspaper says that Joseph Sebarenzi was arrested by Ugandan authorities after crossing into Uganda illegally. He was then transferred to Kampala for questioning by military intelligence officials. Sebarenzi was sacked as Rwanda's parliamentary Speaker earlier this month, claiming he had abused his power, mismanaged parliamentary sessions and sowed divisions between the government and the army. (CNN, 26 January 2000) * Rwanda. L'ex-president du Parlement arrete - Selon le journal ougandais New Vision, l'ancien president du Parlement rwandais, Joseph Sebarenzi, a ete arrete en Ouganda le 23 janvier apres qu'il eut traverse clandestinement la frontiere. M. Sebarenzi a declare qu'il avait fui le Rwanda parce qu'il craignait d'y etre persecute. Kigali l'accuse depuis plusieurs semaines de subversion et de destabilisation de l'Etat, mais n'a toujours pas engage de procedure judiciaire contre lui. M. Sebarenzi, un homme tres populaire parmi les rescapes du genocide, menait une lutte au sein de l'Assemblee nationale contre la corruption au gouvernement. L'Ouganda va maintenant contacter la Croix-Rouge internationale et le Haut commissariat de l'Onu pour les refugies. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 27 janvier 2000) * Rwanda. Genocide list updated - The Government of Rwanda has published a new list of more than 2,000 people it accuses of being responsible for the 1994 genocide. Some of those named on the list are already in detention or dead. The 1996 genocide law divides responsibility for the killings into four categories, but only Category 1 carries mandatory death sentence. Among those named on the Category 1 list is Bishop Augustin Misago. He has pleaded not guilty. Chief Prosecutor Gerlad Gahima says Rwanda will use the list to apply pressure on foreign countries to put resident suspects on trial if they cannot be extradited to Rwanda or the International Tribunal for Rwanda, in Tanzania. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 22 January 2000) * Rwanda. New proof of Bishop's innocence - A few days ago, the 16th hearing connected with the prosecution of Bishop Augustine Misago of Gikongoro, accused of complicity in the 1994 genocide, was held in Kigali. During the latest hearings, testimony was heard from a priest of the Gikongoro diocese who survived the massacres that occurred in Cyanika in April 1994. The priest revealed how Father Niyomugabo, 4 other persons who were hiding with him, and Father Aloys Musoni were killed. the witness explained that he was welcomed by Bishop Misago, along with fr. Musoni, a Tutsi, in the building adjacent to the Bishop's quarters. Fr. Musoni was arrested at the episcopal residence itself by the police, in spite of the fact that on several occasions, Bishop Misago pleased for his life, both with the police and the militia. The accusation stated the exact opposite. According to the accusers, the Bishop refused to help the priest in Cyanika. The witness refuted the accusations, demonstrating that the bishop was unable to organise an evacuation plan for the group in Cyanika where they were massacred. The victims could not reach Gikongoro as the road was totally controlled by the militia. (Africa Infodoc, Belgium, 26 January 2000) * Senegal/Tchad. Effet Pinochet: Habre accuse - Une coalition d'organisations des droits de l'homme a demande a un tribunal senegalais d'ordonner l'arrestation de l'ancien dictateur tchadien Hissein Habre. Dans une plainte deposee le 25 janvier a Dakar, au nom de centaines de victimes de torture, d'assassinats politiques et de "disparitions", des organisations senegalaises, tchadiennes et internationales ont accuse Habre d'avoir commis des crimes contre l'humanite pendant qu'il etait au pouvoir entre 1982 et 1990. Habre vit au Senegal depuis decembre 1990, date a laquelle il fut depose par l'actuel president Deby. La coalition a fourni des documents sur 97 cas d'assassinats politiques, 142 cas de torture et 100 cas de "disparitions". (Human Rights Watch, 26 janvier 2000) * Senegal. Pourparlers de paix en Casamance - Le 24 janvier, le gouvernement senegalais et les rebelles qui luttent pour l'independance de la Casamance ont repris leurs pourparlers de paix a Banjul, en Gambie, pour mettre fin a plus de 17 annees de guerre. Ces pourparlers, qui doivent se terminer le 26 janvier, ont porte essentiellement sur l'etablissement d'un mecanisme de controle des accords conclus entre les deux parties le 26 decembre 1999. Ces accords prevoient notamment une cessation immediate des hostilites et la liberation de separatistes detenus. Le debat a egalement porte sur la reconnaissance du Mouvement des forces democratiques de Casamance (MFDC) en tant qu'organe legitime, la levee des restrictions a la ciculation de ses membres, le retrait des troupes des positions occupees et le deminage des champs de bataille. (IRIN, Abidjan, 25 janvier 2000) * Senegal. Ballot papers galore! - The burning of ballot papers printed in Senegal for the presidential election on 27 February, has been postponed indefinitely at the request of the Watchdog organisation overseeing the elections. Interior Minister Lamine Cisse originally announced that these ballot papers would be burned on 25 January. He said that a separate set of ballot papers that could not be copied or falsified had been printed in Israel, but the order for the locally-produced set had not been cancelled in case the Israeli ones failed to arrive in time for the vote. Meanwhile, opposition presidential candidate Abdoulaye Wade, leader of the Senegalese Democratic Party, has called for a new set of ballot papers to be printed in France, claiming that the set done in Israel favoured President Abdou Diouf who is seeking re- election. (IRIN, West Africa, 25 January 2000) * Sierra Leone. Children released, then kidnapped again - The press agency MISNA reports that 200 child soldiers, previously liberated to follow a rehabilitation programme, were kidnapped again by the rebels. The children, handed over to Father Teophilous Momoh, manager of the Children Associated with War (CAW), were kidnapped while on their way from Kabala to Freetown. Five CAW officials and four ECOMOG soldiers were also taken hostage by the rebels. These are not the same group of children liberated on 16 January in Kabala. (MISNA, Rome, 21 January 2000) * Sierra Leone. Enfants soldats - Le 20 janvier au soir, cent enfants, enroles de force dans les rangs de la rebellion en Sierra Leone, ont ete liberes par d'ex-combattants rebelles qui les avaient enleves la veille, a affirme un responsable humanitaire a Freetown. Selon le pretre catholique T. Momoh, directeur sur place de l'ONG Enfants associes a la guerre (CAW), les enfants ont ete liberes dans la region de Kabala (250 km au nord-est de Freetown) en meme temps que plusieurs soldats de l'Ecomog et des membres de CAW qui les accompagnaient. (La Libre Belgique, 22 janvier 2000) * Sierra Leone. Diamond trade halted - 23 January: Former rebel leader Foday Sankoh has ordered an immediate halt to all diamond mining in an attempt to stop an illegal trade that had helped destabilise and impoverish the country. Millions of dollars worth of diamonds are smuggled out of Sierra Leone, and most of the diamond mines are in areas under Mr Sankoh's control. But the rebel leader has signed a peace agreement under which -- as chairman of the Strategic Resources Commission -- he is responsible for the management of the diamond trade. He said his decision had been made in consultation with President Kabbah, and that anyone wishing to mine diamonds would have to go through his Commission to obtain a licence. (BBC News, 23 January 2000) * Sierra Leone. Licences minieres suspendues - Foday Sankoh, le chef historique de l'ex-rebellion du Front revolutionnaire uni (RUF), a annonce la suspension de toutes les licences minieres a compter du 24 janvier. Aux termes de l'accord de paix signe en juillet, M. Sankoh dirige une commission chargee du secteur minier et de la reconstruction. Les principales zones diamantiferes du pays sont sous controle du RUF. (La Croix, France, 25 janvier 2000) * Somalia. Civil society debates future - Human rights activists, writers, aid workers and other delegates from all regions of Somalia, are meeting in the northern port city of Bossasso to discuss what role civil society can play in reshaping the country's future. The meeting, the first of its kind, is a response to the latest peace plan for Somalia, which was announced by the United Nations in September, by President Guelleh of Djibouti. Unlike the previous 12 failed peace initiatives which tried to secure a deal among the Somali warlords, President Guelleh's plan is based on Somalia's fast emerging civil society. Somalia's last central government collapsed in 1992. (BBC News, 24 January 2000) * Somalia. Thousands flee drought - 26 January: Thousands of families are being forced to leave their homes in southern Somalia because of drought and famine. Villages and towns in the Bakol and Gedo border regions have been deserted as water supplied dry up. People and cattle have been dying and correspondents say the situation is especially desperate as the next rainy season is still two months away. (BBC News, 26 January 2000) * Afrique du Sud. L'Eglise demande pardon - Le 12 janvier, Mgr Wilfrid Napier, archeveque catholique de Durban, a demande pardon pour les fautes dont l'Eglise catholique s'est rendue coupable sous le regime de l'apartheid en Afrique du Sud. L'Eglise ne s'est pas toujours prononcee sans compromis face a l'apartheid et ne s'est pas toujours engagee de maniere assez energique contre les lois de segregation raciale, a reconnu l'archeveque. Mgr Napier entend aussi demander pardon pour la participation de l'Eglise catholique a la destruction de la culture africaine. En outre, l'Eglise n'a pas fait assez pour entraver la propagation du sida, ni pour encourager la place de la femme africaine dans la societe, souligne Mgr Napier. Souvent, l'Eglise a blesse les personnes par manque de sensibilite, et elle a place ses propres interets avant la defense de l'Evangile. L'archeveque souhaite que, dans le cadre du Jubile de l'an 2000, l'Eglise regarde vers l'avenir et entreprenne sa "re- evangelisation". (CIP, Belgique, 20 janvier 2000) * South Africa. Attack on bus - The recent attack on a bus full of passengers by a white man, has re-sparked racial tensions and has left many South Africans living in fear. In this incident, three people died and four were injured. The bus was travelling to a black township in an area called Mamelodi, just outside Pretoria. President Thabo Mbeki has expressed shock and outrage at the shooting incident and said the police will do their utmost to arrest the person responsible. Political observers still believe that though South Africa experienced a period of reconciliation, the country is still plagued by racial tensions. The South African Human Rights Commission says many South Africans are still lodging complaints about racial harassment, and the number grows daily. (Maqu Makhaye, ANB-BIA, South Africa, 21 January 2000) * South Africa. EU trade agreement - 24 January: European ministers are discussing today whether they can accept a new offer from South Africa to try to rescue the long-delayed free trade agreement. The deal. which would liberalise about 90% of trade between the two over 12 years, should have provisionally entered into force at the start of this year. But Italy and Greece are refusing to ratify it unless South Africa agrees to drop the use of the names "grappa" and "ouzo" for spirits. (Financial Times, UK, 24 January 2000) * Afrique du Sud/UE. Accord bloque - L'ambitieux accord de "commerce, developpement et cooperation" conclu entre l'Union europeenne et l'Afrique du Sud, qui est entre theoriquement en vigueur le 1er janvier, risque d'etre bloque a cause de la grappa et de l'ouzo. L'accord dont la negociation avait debute en 1994, s'etait deja perdu dans le porto et le sherry, pour lesquels un compromis a ete laborieusement trouve. Mais fin decembre, le ministre italien des Affaires etrangeres ecrivait a la Commission que, faute de voir ses interets sur la grappa suffisamment proteges, son pays ne pourrait ratifier l'accord. La Grece a suivi avec l'ouzo. Le 20 janvier, la Commission semblait incapable de tirer des conclusions operationnelles sur la ligne a suivre. - D'autre part, les vins sud-africains ont paye un lourd tribut aux feux de brousse qui ont ravage la region du Cap la semaine derniere; certains domaines reputes pourraient mettre plus de cinq ans a s'en relever. L'Afrique du Sud est le huitieme producteur mondial de vins. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 25 janvier 2000) * South Africa. Banning discrimination - 26 January: South Africa's Parliament has approved legislation outlawing many forms of discrimination that remain after the official end of apartheid. The controversial law, the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Bill, once enacted, will outlaw forms of racial and sexual discrimination, including the barring of hate speech, and prohibit discrimination on the grounds of disability. Justice Minister Penuell Maduna says the legislation is much needed. "It will go a long way in contributing to the total transformation of society from one characterised by the inequalities and injustices of apartheid, to one where the universal principles of equality, fairness, justice and human dignity apply to everyone," he said. However, the opposition Democratic Party has criticised the legislation as another form of apartheid. Other critics are disappointed that the Bill will not outlaw discrimination against people with HIV. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 January 2000) * Soudan. Le president renvoie le gouvernement - Le 24 janvier, le president soudanais Omar el-Bechir a renvoye les membres de son gouvernement, l'ensemble des gouverneurs et ses hauts conseillers, a rapporte la television soudanaise. Un nouveau gouvernement devrait etre annonce prochainement. Ce renvoi constitue une nouvelle etape dans la lutte opposant le president a l'ideologue et chef spirituel islamiste, Hassan el-Tourabi. Le renvoi du gouvernement intervient au lendemain de la decision prise par le parti du Congres national au pouvoir de mettre en place une commission dirigee par Omar el-Bechir, et de l'autoriser a nommer un nouveau cabinet. Le chef de l'Etat se retrouve ainsi en position de designer des loyalistes au sein du nouveau gouvernement et d'isoler un peu plus Hassan el-Tourabi. Aucune information ne fait etat de tensions dans les rues et aucune violence n'a ete signalee. (AP, 24 janvier 2000) * Soudan. Pourparlers de paix - Des pourparlers de paix entre des representants du gouvernement soudanais et de la rebellion sudiste se sont ouverts le 16 janvier a Nairobi. Des l'ouverture de ces negociations, un porte-parole du SPLA a accuse les avions de l'armee soudanaise d'avoir bombarde la veille la ville de Yei, tenue par les rebelles, estimant que ce bombardement violait le cessez-le-feu general decrete dans le sud du pays. Le processus de paix entre les deux parties soudanaises, ouvert depuis sept ans, est conduit par l'Autorite intergouvernementale pour le developpement (IGAD), qui comprend sept pays d'Afrique orientale. (Marches Tropicaux, France, 21 janvier 2000) * Sudan. Leaders heal rift - Sudan's President was yesterday reported to have healed a rift that has divided the country's political and military leadership since he dissolved parliament and declared a state of emergency last month. A long-running struggle between President Omar Al-Bashir and Hassan Tourabi, the architect of Sudan's Islamist political programme, erupted in December when Mr Tourabi sought to use his ruling party's domination to impose limitations on the powers of the President. Mr Tourabi was yesterday reported to have met President Al-Bashir on 23 January, when they agreed to end their conflict. Their meeting resulted in Mr Tourabi conceding extensive powers to President Al-Bashir, who is now defined as president and chairman of the ruling National Congress party, with full responsibility for running the government without interference by the party. (Financial Times, UK, 25 January 2000) * Swaziland. Chief Justice speaks out on court appointments - 26 January: Swaziland's Chief Justice, Stanley Sapire, has spoken out against the advice given by politicians to King Mswati, on the appointment of High Court judges. He said it was wrong for the King to be advised by the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, or any other politician when it comes to the appointment of such judges. He told the opening of the year 2000 High Court session, that this task should be returned to the Judicial Service Commission. (PANA, Dakar, 26 January 2000) * Tanzania. Zanzibar opposition members on trial - In a press release dated 27 January, Amnesty International said the charges of treason being brought by the Zanzibar government against 18 members of the Zanzibar opposition party, the Civic United Front (CUF), illustrate the disturbing absence of human rights protection in the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar. "The treason charges against the members of the CUF are politically motivated. There is no substance to the allegations of a violent conspiracy by the defendants to overthrow the Zanzibar government". (Amnesty International, 27 January 2000) * Tchad. Offensive rebelle dans le Tibesti - Les rebelles du Mouvement pour la democratie et la justice au Tchad (MDJT) de l'ancien ministre Youssouf Togoimi ont attaque, le 23 janvier, les positions des forces gouvernementales a Yebbi-Bou, dans le Tibesti au nord du Tchad, selon un communique du ministere de la Defense. Selon un porte-parole du MDJT, les combats avaient pris fin le meme jour dans la soiree, et les rebelles auraient abattu 180 soldats et fait 87 prisonniers. Il a ajoute que l'attaque avait ete provoquee par le harcelement dont est victime, selon lui, la population locale de la part des forces gouvernementales. (Reuters, 24 janvier 2000) * Chad. Habre charged with human rights abuses - Victims of alleged human rights abuses in Africa have for the first time filed complaints against a former dictator in another African country. The case has been filed in Senegal by torture victims of the former dictator of Chad, Hissene Habre. He currently resides in Dakar, Senegal. Hissene Habre ran a notoriously brutal regime, during which there were allegations of thousands of political murders. He ruled Chad with the backing on the United States, which at that time saw him as a counterbalance to Libya's Colonel Gaddafi. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 January 2000) * Uganda. Frontier warfare - War continues in Uganda's frontier regions. This is how the East African Press highlights the situation -- Daily Nation (Kenya. 8 January): "Joseph Kony, leader of the Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army, has executed his deputy and another brigade commander in an apparent attempt to quell threats to his power". The New Vision (Uganda. 14 January): "The Allied Democratic Forces kills civilians for backing the Government. Lord's Resistance Army rebels abduct 30 in a raid on Gulu. The Sudanese government yesterday released 58 Kony captives, eight of them former students of St.Mary's College, Aboke". The East African (Kenya. 17-23 January): "A "third force" could be involved in the renewed offensive by insurgents of the Allied Democratic Forces in western Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army in the north. Security operatives are still trying to unravel the source of financial backing for the rebels who have recently been joined by Mai Mai militia from the eastern Congo RDC". (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 21 January 2000) * Uganda/Sudan. Delegations agree to meet again - Delegations from the two countries have agreed to meet again in mid-February to explore efforts aimed at re-establishing diplomatic relations severed five years ago. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Uganda's minister of presidential affairs who led the Ugandan delegation to the Nairobi talks on 17 January 2000, said the two delegations had dwelt on assessing what has been achieved so far since the two leaders -- Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Omar Bashir (Sudan) -- met in Nairobi in December, rather than on pleriminaries towards re-establishing relationships between the two countries. "To-date Uganda has returned 72 Sudanese POWs while Sudan has handed over 104 abductees to UNICEF" Rugunda said. He added that the sticking point was the security situation along the common border, given the latest attack by rebels of Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in December. (Crespo Sebunya, ANB-BIA, Brussels, Uganda, 25 January 2000) * Uganda. Increasingly critical situation in the north - 26 January: The press agency MISNA reports that yesterday, 25 seriously injured people, most of whom are regular soldiers, arrived in the hospital of Kitgum (northern Uganda). the same day, UNICEF says that only 17 out of nearly 80 Ugandan children handed over to its care recently, have been identified as those abducted by Ugandan rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army. UNICEF says it appears that the remaining children had not been kidnapped. A UNICEF official says it plans to fly Ugandan translators to Sudan, where the children had been handed over by the rebels, in the hope of identifying the circumstances of their presence. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 January 2000) * Zambia. Power rehabilitation "on hold" - The World Bank and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have not yet released an amount of US $230 million, for Zambia's power rehabilitation project. This may be due to the fact that the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) and the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) have agreed not to increase tariffs by 15%, whereas both the World Bank and the EIB are demanding that ZESCO should impose such an increase. The ERB says this is unrealistic as no Zambian can afford to pay such a sum for domestic consumption. Indeed, current tariffs are already too high for the average Zambian. (Justin Mupundu, ANB-BIA, Zambia, 17 January 2000) * Zambie. Etat d'alerte a la frontiere - L'armee zambienne a ete mise en etat d'alerte et des unites ont ete deployees le long des frontieres pour empecher les belligerants angolais de penetrer en Zambie, a declare le ministre zambien de l'Information le 21 janvier. Ces mesures, a-t-il precise, avaient ete prises pour proteger le pays d'attaques etrangeres. Il faisait allusion a l'attaque d'un village zambien, la semaine passee, pres de la frontiere par des combattants de l'Unita. Par ailleurs, le HCR a demande dans un communique que les refugies angolais heberges en territoire zambien pres de la frontiere angolaise soient installes dans un site plus eloigne, en raison de la situation instable a la frontiere. En effet, des milliers d'Angolais ont fui les combats et se sont refugies en Zambie. Le 25 janvier, le vice-president zambien, tout en assurant que son pays continuerait a octroyer l'asile aux refugies, a demande l'aide de la communaute internationale. A Kabalo, les refugies sont bloques en raison d'inondations, provoquees par les crues du Zambeze. (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 22-26 janvier 2000) * Zimbabwe. Costly Congo venture - Zimbabwe's expensive involvement in Congo RDC's civil war continues, despite opposition at home, and no obvious strategic advantage. An estimated 11,000 Zimbabwean soldiers form the mainstay of support for President Kabila's government in his war against rebels backed by Rwanda and Uganda. This week, the army said it had rescued thousands of its soldiers who had been cut off by rebel fighters in the very centre of Congo. And the UK newspaper, The Guardian, revealed that the UK was to continue supplying Zimbabwe with spare parts for the British-made Hawk fighter planes which are being used in the Congo war. In the middle of Zimbabwe's worst economic crisis since independence in 1980, President Robert Mugabe's government is reported to be spending millions of dollars each month on the war. Zimbabwe does not share a common boundary with Congo RDC, and is under no strategic threat from within the country. Instead, there are signs that Harare is pouring money into the war with the hope of reaping longer-term financial rewards from its relationship with Congo RDC. (BBC News, 20 January 2000) * Zimbabwe. Fresh controversy on white farms - Zimbabweans will vote 12-13 February on a referendum on a new Constitution, which has become the subject of fresh controversy over the seizure of white-owned farms. In government notice on 19 January, setting the referendum dates, President Mugabe added to confusion over the draft, by inserting clauses demanding compensation from Britain, the former colonial power, for farmland his government seizes from the descendants of British settlers. Mugabe's notice said if Britain failed to pay, Zimbabwe would not recompense white farmers whose farms were nationalised and handed over to landless blacks. It said Britain must establish a fund to pay for white land as "the former colonial power has an obligation to pay compensation for agricultural land compulsorily acquired for resettlement" of land- needy blacks. (CNN, 20 January 2000) * Zimbabwe. Power crisis worsens - 26 January: Zimbabweans, already hit by diesel shortages, have been told that they may now face electricity cuts because of a shortage of foreign exchange. The state-run electricity authority said domestic consumers were likely to bear the brunt of the cuts. The tobacco industry -- which contributes nearly a third of Zimbabwe's foreign exchange earnings -- has expressed concern about the power situation. The foreign exchange crisis has been worsened by the refusal of the International Monetary Fund to continue aid because of objections to the way the economy is being run. (BBC News, 26 January 2000) End of part 2/2 ====> (From Africa to Kenya see 27b_01_2k) ANB 0127 - THE END