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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 09-03-2000 - PART #1/3 (Africa => Kenya)
	====>   (From Liberia to Rwanda   see 09b_03_2k)
	====>   (From Senegal to Zimbabwe see 09c_03_2k)    


* Africa. Flood relief gathers pace  -  5 March: Dozens of
helicopters and other supplies are dispersed across Mozambique
as the operation to rescue flood victims from imminent death
turns into a massive airlift to feed and shelter them. The WFP
has 8,000 tonnes of food stockpiled in Mozambique and says the
problem now is how to distribute it. The threat of disease is
rising in Mozambique as the flood waters recede and aid agencies
scramble to deliver urgently-needed food and medicine. 6 March:
Zambia is the latest country to be affected by the floods. More
than 12,000 people are at risk of starvation in the Lower Zambezi
area following the opening of the Kariba Dam gates more than a
week ago. Madagascar is also affected by floods brought on by
heavy rains in the wake of two cyclones. Half a million people
are affected, creating major humanitarian crisis. Over the
weekend it was reckoned that more than 600,000 people have been
displaced, half of them children. 7 March: The first relief food
supplies have started to arrive in Zambia's lower Zambezi Valley. 
 (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 March 2000)

* Afrique. Coca-Cola investira $1 milliard  -  La relance de
Coca-Cola passera par l'Afrique. Le numero un des boissons non
alcoolisees a annonce, le 28 fevrier, qu'il allait investir un
milliard de dollars en Afrique au cours des trois prochaines
annees. L'annonce a ete faite devant la conference economique du
marche commun des Etats d'Afrique de l'Est et du Sud (Comesa)
reunie au Caire. "Coca-Cola va investir dans des usines de mise
en bouteille, dans des equipements frigorifiques et dans la
formation du personnel en Afrique", a dit le vice-president du
groupe. Cette relance africaine intervient au moment ou Coca-Cola
fait l'objet de plaintes de la part des employes noirs aux Etas-
Unis pour discrimination raciale.   (Le Monde, France, 2 mars
2000)

* Algeria. Bouteflika sacks the Governor of Algiers  -  The
"clean-up" operation in the top military and government ranks,
launched in the last few months by President Bouteflika,
continues. The latest to be removed from his charge was the
influential Governor of Algiers, Cherif Rahmani. The decision to
fire Rahmani, the only Governor in the country with the rank of
Minister, was taken at a cabinet meeting on 1 March, chaired by
the President who accused Rahmani of attempting to create a State
within a State.   (MISNA, Rome, 2 March 2000)

* Algerie. Le gouverneur d'Alger limoge  -  Le president
Bouteflika a limoge l'influent gouverneur de la capitale Alger,
Cherif Rahmani, le seul gouverneur a avoir rang de ministre, et
supprime le statut de "gouvernorat" dont la capitale beneficiait
depuis 1997. S'appuyant sur un avis du Conseil constitutionnel,
M. Bouteflika a fait de la capitale une communaute territoriale
parmi d'autres. A la mi-fevrier, le chef de l'Etat avait deja
critique le statut d'Alger qui faisait de la capitale "un Etat
dans l'Etat", et denonce le faste couteux des ceremonies
organisees par M. Rahmani pour celebrer le millenaire de la
capitale. - D'autre part, selon le quotidien Liberte du 2 mars,
12 elements du groupe arme qui serait responsable du massacre des
20 bergers, le 28 fevrier pres d'El-Bayadh, ont ete tues lors
d'une vaste operation lancee par l'armee, 24 heures apres le
carnage.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 mars 2000)

* Algerie. Serie d'attentats  -  Un maire et des membres de
differents services de securite ont ete assassines le mardi 7
mars. Dans la nuit, des islamistes deguises en soldats ont fait
irruption dans l'hotel Theriri a Boughini en Kabylie. Apres avoir
verifie l'identite des clients, ils ont tue le maire de la ville
d'Ain Bessam et deux militaires. Ils ont ensuite fait exploser
des bombes et incendie l'hotel, faisant sept blesses, avant de
s'enfuir dans une foret toute proche. Les autorites ont lance une
chasse a l'homme contre eux. Par ailleurs, sur les hauteurs
d'Alger dans l'apres-midi, un policier en faction devant
l'ambassade du Senegal a ete assassine par un groupe arme. Et
dans la region de Djelfa, une bombe a explose dans la petite
localite de Hassi Ziane, tuant deux membres des groupes de
legitime defense et en blessant un troisieme. Enfin, dans la
region de Boumerdes (60 km a l'est d'Alger) plusieurs bombes ont
explose au passage d'une patrouille militaire, faisant un mort
parmi les gardes communaux et deux blesses parmi les militaires. 
 (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8 mars 2000)

* Angola. Diamonds and rebels  -  A British lobby group, Action
for Southern Africa, says UNITA rebels earned at least US $150
million from illegal diamond sales last year, despite UN
sanctions. It said this was two-thirds of the sum UNITA was
estimated to have earned in 1998. The group said that despite
UNITA's recent military setbacks, it was still mining and selling
diamonds on the international market.   (BBC News, 8 March 2000)

* Botswana. Still struggling with floods  -  Despite offering
five million US dollars in aid to flood ravaged Mozambique and
Zimbabwe, Botswana which has also received international help is
yet to surmount the effects of floods in its own backyard.
Botswana, when proffering the help to the two countries, said
that its situation was much better than two countries. But
despite this posturing Botswana seems to be still struggling to
cope with the disaster if President Festus Mogae's sentiments are
anything to go by. State radio reported today that Mogae is
perturbed by the flood situation in various parts of the country
amidst a shortage of tents. He expressed fears about the threat
of an outbreak of diseases as a result of the unhygienic
conditions in which some of the displaced people have been
staying. Displaced people in Botswana live in tented villages,
schools and other public places, and Mogae said this may lead to
loss of self-esteem and the privacy that goes with normal living.
He therefore pleaded with those concerned to bear with the
government and NGOs, all of which are doing their best to assist.
The president added that the government is doing everything
possible to restore the lives of those hardest hit by the floods.
One way of easing the situation is giving tents to people
accommodated in public places as a matter of priority in order
to free the facilities for normal use. For the tented dwellings
and other badly affected villages, the government is arranging
to install the environmental friendly toilets known as enviro-
loos. The rains have subsided in the last few days in Botswana
and Mogae hopes that this will continue to allow relief work to
go on, especially in inaccessible areas. The latest weather
update in Botswana indicate that except in a few places heavy
rainfall is not expected in the country.   (Wene Owino, PANA, 6
March 2000)

* Burundi. Initiatives de paix  -  Une reunion regroupant, le 25
fevrier a Bujumbura, la communaute humanitaire nationale et
internationale, dont les bailleurs de fonds, a souligne
l'importance de la reprise de l'aide bilaterale et multilaterale
au Burundi. Il a egalement note qu'il etait important de
reconnaitre l'existence des processus de paix "officieux"
provenant de la communaute, parallelement aux initiatives
officielles en cours. La formation de deux groupes de travail a
ete recommandee en vue d'identifier les initiatives des
communautes et des groupes oublies. -- D'autre part a Arusha, ou
les travaux continuent peniblement, un porte-parole du
facilitateur a indique que le comite discutant de la paix et de
la securite ne pouvait poursuivre son travail tant que M. Mandela
n'aurait pas rencontre les groupes rebelles, absents des
negociations. M. Mandela devrait rencontrer les rebelles et les
leaders militaires "incessamment". -- Par ailleurs, le 3 mars,
le ministre sud-africain des Affaires etrangeres, Dlamini Zuma
Nkosazana, a entame une visite officielle de quatre jours au
Burundi pour se rendre compte de l'etat d'avancement du processus
de paix et analyser la possibilite de mettre sur pied une
cooperation bilaterale entre les deux pays.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 3 mars 2000)

* Burundi. More regroupment camps to close  -  1 March: The
authorities in Burundi have announced plans to close six more of
their controversial regroupment camps within the next week. The
governor of Bujumbura Rural province which surrounds the capital
says two camps, Gatumba and Mubarure will close on 3 March. In
January, the Burundian government had promised to close ten of
the camps within days, after they had been harshly criticised by
the UN Secretary-General, and the new peace talks mediator,
Nelson Mandela. The governor, Major Balthazar Ntamahungiro
refused to explain the delay or say whether the new closures were
a response to international pressure.   (BBC News, 1 March 2000)

* Burundi. Demantelement des camps  -  Le Burundi a commence a
demanteler une trentaine de camps de regroupement dans lesquels
etaient rassembles, depuis septembre, 330.000 habitants des
alentours de la capitale Bujumbura. Le 1er mars, le camp de
Kinonko, qui abritait 1.812 personnes selon l'Onu, a ete vide et
ses occupants sont retournes dans leurs villages. Ceux de Matara
(5.077 personnes) et Gitaza (3.827 personnes) devaient suivre.
Les autorites, qui affirmaient avoir cree ces camps pour la
securite des habitants, avaient ete soumises a une intense
pression internationale pour les supprimer.   (La Croix, France,
3 mars 2000)

* Burundi. Mandela pourrait renoncer  -  Le 4 mars, la derniere
session des negociations de paix s'est achevee a Arusha sans reel
progres, au moment ou le mediateur Nelson Mandela annonce qu'il
pourrait bientot renoncer a sa tache. Les negociateurs ne sont
pas parvenus a finaliser un projet d'accord que l'ancien
president sud-africain appelait de ses voeux a l'ouverture de la
session il y a quinze jours. Aucun compromis n'a ete trouve entre
la majorite hutu et la minorite tutsi au pouvoir, ni sur la
formation d'un gouvernement de transition, ni sur la duree de
cette transition, sur le futur systeme electoral ou la reforme
de l'armee et l'integration en son sein des rebelles hutu. "Il
se pourrait que, tot ou tard, des circonstances que je ne
controle pas m'empechent de poursuivre mon travail en general et
celui de mediateur au Burundi en particulier", a declare M.
Mandela au Nigeria. Cependant, le 6 mars, le chef de la
diplomatie sud-africaine, Nkosazana Zuma, a affirme que M.
Mandela continuera bien a tenir son role de mediateur dans les
negociations de paix. "Pour l'instant, Mandela n'a pas
demissionne", a declare Mme Zuma a la presse a l'issue d'une
visite a Bujumbura. "Nous ne devons pas attendre des miracles,
mais nous devons lui laisser une chance", a-t-elle ajoute.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 6 mars 2000)

* Burundi. Mandela and his role as mediator  -  5 March: Nelson
Mandela has hinted that he may give up his role as mediator of
the Burundi peace talks. The Sunday Times quotes Mandela as
saying: "It may well be that sooner or later circumstances far
beyond our control may prevent me from continuing with my work
in general, and with my facilitation in Burundi in particular.
If that moment should come, I would be confident that there are
men and women, highly competent, the sons and daughters of our
continent, who would continue to complete that work". Mandela did
not say whether his comments were triggered by a particular
health problem. 6 March: The South African government has
vehemently denied speculation that Mandela may be suffering from
ill-health. South Africa's Foreign Minister says Mandela will
continue mediating in the Burundi peace talks. A senior Mandela
aide, said that Mandela had not been referring to his health when
he made his comments.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 7 March 2000)

* Burundi. Le diocese de Bujumbura contre le sida  -  Les
participants a un seminaire-atelier diocesain sur la lutte contre
le sida, tenu recemment a Bujumbura, ont arrete un certain nombre
d'actions a appliquer dans leurs communautes, notamment: la
sensibilisation par des methodes appropriees, la mise sur pied
de comites de lutte anti-sida dans les paroisses,
l'accompagnement des fiances et des couples, l'organisation d'une
journee mensuelle d'echanges sur le sida dans les ecoles, la
creation d'une caisse de solidarite avec les malades et leur
prise en charge spirituelle.   (D'apres DIA, Kinshasa, 6 mars
2000)

* Cameroun. Route transfrontaliere  -  Le 3 mars, le Premier
ministre camerounais Peter Mafany Musonge, en presence du
representant et des ambassadeurs de l'Union europeenne, a
inaugure officiellement la route regionale Garoua-Boulai-Bertoua
(a l'est du Cameroun). D'un montant de 98 millions d'euros
entierement finances par l'UE, le terrassement puis le bitumage
de cette route, longue de 248 km, facilitera l'integration
economique de l'Afrique centrale. Elle desenclavera la Republique
centrafricaine, et facilitera l'acces au Nord-Cameroun et au
Tchad. Commences en juin 1999, les travaux avaient du etre
interrompus en aout a cause des pluies. La fin des travaux est
prevue en aout 2001.   (Reporters associes, Cameroun, 8 mars
2000)

* Congo (RDC). Chefs religieux pour la paix  -  Le 29 fevrier a
Kinshasa, l'ensemble des confessions religieuses en RDC ont
appele a "la paix et l'unite", lors d'une rencontre oecumenique
marquant le debut d'une "consultation nationale" initiee par les
chefs religieux pour mettre fin a la guerre. Les representants
des confessions catholique, protestante, kimbanguiste, orthodoxe
et musulmane ont demande aux responsables politiques d'entendre
"les cris de la detresse du peuple congolais" et d'oeuvrer pour
"la paix, l'unite et la reconciliation nationale". Le president
Kabila, le gouvernement ainsi que des personnalites de l'ancien
regime zairois ont assiste a la ceremonie, qui en revanche a ete
boycottee par la majorite des partis politiques de l'opposition.
- La Consultation nationale devrait se prolonger jusqu'au week-
end prochain. L'Eglise catholique ne participera pas aux
colloques. Quelque 2.000 delegues provenant de toutes les
provinces congolaises y prendraient part, mais malgre l'amnistie
concedee specialement a cette occasion aux rebelles, aucun
d'entre eux ne s'est presente.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
2 mars 2000)

* Congo (RDC). Mgr Kataliko intervient  -  L'archeveque de
Bukavu, Emmanuel Kataliko, toujours relegue a Butembo, a ordonne
a ses pretres de cesser leur action de protestation contre son
exil. Depuis trois semaines, les pretres refusaient de celebrer
l'eucharistie dominicale. Dorenavant, ces messes seront
celebrees, mais on ne sonnera pas les cloches et il n'y aura pas
de chants jusqu'a ce que l'eveque puisse revenir a Bukavu.  
(D'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 4 mars 2000)

* Congo (RDC). Archbishop Kataliko  -  18 February: The
Archbishop of Boston, USA, Cardinal Law, writes to the Ambassador
of Uganda in the United States, concerning the deportation of
Archbishop Kataliko to Butembo. In his letter, the Cardinal says:
"This outrageous act on the part of the RCD is a direct affront
to the Archbishop's human rights and religious freedom. It
further demonstrates the gross violations of human rights by all
parties involved in the war". 3 March: From his "exile" in
Butembo, Archbishop Kataliko has ordered his priests to lift the
"Mass strike", but to make sure all liturgical celebrations are
kept low-key. "Sunday Masses must be as simple as possible, until
the situation returns to normal", the prelate told his people.
The three-week "strike" which stopped all Masses for three
Sundays running, was called on 12 February, in protest against
measures taken by rebel troops to prevent the Archbishop from
returning to his diocese.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 4 March 2000)

* Congo (RDC). Rebels want Ilunga removed  -  A major split in
the leadership of the Rwanda-backed Congolese Rally for Democracy
(RCD) Goma faction is threatening the peace process in Congo RDC.
Several rebel leaders want the president of the faction, Dr Emile
Ilunga, removed. They have also sought Uganda's help to reconcile
them with the other group led by Wamba dia Wamba, but are
threatening at the same time to form new rebel movements if
reconciliation is not achieved.   (The East African, Kenya, 28
Feb-5 March 2000)

* Congo (RDC). Casques bleus  -  Le 3 mars, le secretaire general
de l'Onu, Kofi Annan, a annonce la nomination du general de
division senegalais Mountaga Diallo au poste de commandant de la
mission de l'Onu en RDC (Monuc). - Au cours d'une visite a
Kinshasa, l'ambassadeur americain aupres des Grands Lacs, Howard
Wolpe, a refute les allegations selon lesquelles les Etats-Unis
soutiennent "les rebelles et les agresseurs" de la RDC. Il a
declare que Washington respectait les accords de Lusaka et a
appele au retrait des troupes etrangeres. - Le representant
britannique aupres de l'Onu a fait savoir que les Nations unies
attendaient encore l'autorisation du president Kabila pour
deployer les casques bleus en RDC. Pour sa part, le gouvernement
americain a prevenu que les violations continuelles de l'accord
de cessez-le-feu entraveront le deploiement du personnel
militaire de l'Onu. Le ministre d'Etat ougandais des Affaires
etrangeres, M. Mbabazi, a reagi en disant: "Ce devrait etre le
contraire: ils devraient venir et mettre un terme a ce qui ne
leur plait pas!". Le 6 mars, J.P. Ondekane du RCD-Goma a indique
que ses troupes combattaient les forces gouvernementales sur
trois fronts.   (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 6-7 mars 2000)

* Congo (RDC). 82 morts sur le fleuve  -  Le 3 mars, 82
personnes, sur une centaine de passagers, pour la plupart des
commercants, ont trouve la mort a la suite d'un incendie qui
s'est declare a bord de leur embarcation sur le fleuve Congo,
pres de la ville de Kwamouth a environ 160 km en amont de
Kinshasa. Selon les rescapes, l'incendie est parti d'une
etincelle qui avait jailli du moteur faisant exploser des
produits inflammables. Cet accident meurtrier est le sixieme
depuis le debut de l'annee sur cette voie d'interet national.  
(Le Soir, Belgique, 8 mars 2000)

* Congo (RDC). Sud-Kivu: Journee de la femme sous le signe du
deuil  -  Les organisations feminines du Sud-Kivu ont appele les
femmes a commemorer la journee internationale de la femme sous
le signe du deuil et de la meditation. La journee du 8 mars est
decretee "Journee sans femmes": toutes les femmes vont "rester
a la maison en train de pleurer nos soeurs, freres, maris et
enfants morts pendant les guerres, ainsi que nos droits bafoues".
Les trois jours suivants, elles garderont des tenues et des
attitudes de deuil tout en vaquant a leurs occupations, observant
un jeune et restant en priere "pour que nous recouvrions nos
droits a la vie, la propriete privee, l'instruction, le travail,
la sante, la liberte, l'expression et la dignite humaine" et
aussi "afin que nous recouvrions l'unite nationale avec Kinshasa
comme capitale".   (ANB-BIA, Bruxelles, 8 mars 2000)

* Congo (RDC). Pacification en Ituri?  -  Les combattants balendu
qui se sont livres a un conflit sanglant avec leurs voisins
bahema, dans la province de l'Ituri au nord-est du Congo, ont
rendu leurs armes a l'armee ougandaise, a indique un porte-parole
de l'armee le 8 mars. "Les Balendu ont rendu leurs armes,
principalement des arcs, des fleches, des lances et quelques
fusils a nos unites basees dans le nord", a precise le capitaine
Bantariza, precisant que cette demarche succedait a des
negociations entreprises pour "les convaincre que s'entretuer
n'est pas une solution". "Nous utiliserons la meme methode pour
desarmer d'autres groupes", a-t-il ajoute.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 8
mars 2000)

* Congo (RDC). National Consultation  -  29 February: President
Kabila officially inaugurates the talks, held in Kinshasa, with
2,000 delegates from all the country's provinces. The National
Consultation is being promoted by the leaders of the five main
religions of Congo RDC: The Catholic Church (which is, however,
not attending the talks), the Church of Christ in Congo (which
reunites 62 Protestant denominations), the Kimbanghista Church,
the Orthodox and the Islamic community. 1 March: The most
important phase of the National Consultation should begin today.
6 March: The conclusion of the talks has been postponed until
mid-week due to requirements of several documents, still to be
discussed and approved by participants. 8 March: Delegates at the
National Consultation say Kabila is no different from his
predecessor, Mobutu. Representatives from some political parties
and human rights groups have called for an "immediate halt to the
amateurism and adventurism at the head of state. In place of the
old dictatorship, a new one has made itself at home and the
longed-for-change has turned out to be pure fabrication,
illusions, utopia".   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 March 2000)

* Egypte. Feu sur une manifestation  -  Le dimanche 5 mars dans
l'apres-midi, environ 60 personnes ont ete blessees, dont une
dizaine par des tirs de la police qui tentait de disperser une
manifestation de 3.000 personnes sur l'autoroute reliant le Caire
a Alexandrie. La mort d'une etudiante renversee par une voiture
sur la voie rapide a provoque la colere des habitants du bourg
de Mit Nama, a une vingtaine de km au nord de la capitale: les
villageois demandent la construction d'un pont pour pietons
depuis que les accidents se multiplient a cet endroit. Les
manifestants ont bloque la circulation environ trois heures,
jetant des pierres et incendiant une dizaine de vehicules,
jusqu'a ce que la police ouvre le feu et lance des grenades
lacrymogenes.   (Liberation, France, 6 mars 2000)

* Eritrea/Ethiopia. Shuttle diplomacy  -  3 March: Anthony Lake,
the US peace envoy returns to Addis Ababa after a more than a
week of shuttle diplomacy aimed at ending the border war with
Eritrea. Government officials say the former national security
advisor has begun a second round of talks with Ethiopia's prime
minister, Meles Zenawi, after spending several days in Eritrea
for talks with President Aferwerki. Diplomats say Mr Lake is
looking for compromise on peace plan drawn up by the Organisation
of African Unity, which Eritrea has accepted. 4 March: Ethiopia
says there has been progress in the latest round of mediation
efforts by African (Algeria's Ahmed Ouyahia) and American
(Anthony Lake) mediators, who have been shuttling between Addis
Ababa and Asmara. Algeria is the current chairman of the
Organisation of African Unity. 7 March: Ethiopia says a peaceful
solution is still possible in its dispute with Eritrea, despite
recent warnings from Asmara that war was imminent. "Ethiopia does
not consider force of arms to be necessary as long as Eritrea
abides by the peace plan and withdraws from the occupied
territories", Ethiopian Government Spokesperson Salome Tadesse
says.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 March 2000)

* Ethiopia. Moves against the Press  -  1 March: The arrest of
a prominent journalist in Addis Ababa in connection with the
former Ethiopian dictator, Mengistu Haile Mariam's "Red Terror"
campaign, more than a decade ago, has shocked the press community
in Addis Ababa. Last week, well-respected journalist Mairagu
Bezebi was charged with inciting, urging and supporting the
killing of 389 people, while he was editor-in-chief of the state-
owned Addis Zemen newspaper. The prosecuting team alleges that
Mr Mairagu -- who is now in his 60s -- was a co-offender of five
separate acts of killings in Addis Ababa and the nearby town of
Debre Zeit.   (BBC News, 1 March 2000)

* Ethiopia. Repression in the Hadiya Region  -  The Ethiopian
People's revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) government's
relentless campaign of intimidation and repression in Southern
Ethiopia, has focused particularly in the Hadiya Region where the
opposition Hadiya Democratic Organisation (member of the Southern
Ethiopian Peoples Democratic Coalition [SEPDC]), led by Dr.
Beyene Petros, is active. The repression has particularly focused
on the districts of Kuntab (Mosha), Soro, Limu and Badanoch. The
government-controlled national Electoral Commission has rejected
the political motives attributed to the arrests, by alleging that
all the detained were in prison for failing to pay debts incurred
as farmers. Farmers who support the government and who have huge
debts to pay, have not been jailed, observers note.   (COCEPP,
Germany, 2 March 2000)

* Ethiopie. Incendies de foret  -  Quelque 580.000 hectares de
foret ainsi que la faune sont menaces dans le sud de l'Ethiopie,
annonce l'agence AFP le 7 mars. Deux incendies y ont deja ravage
plus de 70.000 ha en 25 jours, et on ne parvient pas a les
maitriser. Les incendies ont eclate vers le 10 fevrier dans les
zones du Borena et du Bale, en pays Oromo. Des experts appellent
a une aide internationale tres rapide. Toutefois, une petite
saison de pluies pourrait commencer dans une dizaine de jours et
les vents devraient tomber. - D'autre part, l'agence americaine
pour le developpement international a estime, le 7 mars, que 15
millions de personnes etaient menacees de famine, principalement
en Ethiopie, au Kenya et au Soudan. Selon les estimations
officielles, 8,1 millions de personnes sont en danger en
Ethiopie. L'irregularite des pluies a ruine les cultures et fait
mourir une grande partie du betail.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 8 mars 2000)

* Ethiopia. Bush fires out of control  -  International help is
urgently needed to tackle bush fires raging in southern Ethiopia
for the past three weeks. German and South African fire fighting
assessors, who have just returned from visiting the fires, say
that Ethiopia cannot tackle them alone. According to the
authorities, two separate fires in Bale and Borena zones, 300 km
south of Addis Ababa, have reached "unbearable proportions" and
are now "completely uncontrollable". Helicopters are needed to
water bomb the fires. Approximately 70,000 ha of forest have been
burnt to ash so far and more will be destroyed unless urgent
steps are taken to stop the conflagration. On 8 March, it was
reported that the authorities have accused peasants in the south-
east as being the cause of the fires. They had been clearing
trees and bushes on the peripheries of the forest to make room
for farming. The peasants may also have started the fires to
create smoke necessary for warding off bees during honey-
harvesting.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 March 2000)

* Gabon. Bongo appeals to regional leaders to find peace  -  4
March: During a press interview in Libreville, President Omar
Bongo appeals to leaders from Congo-Brazzaville, Central African
Republic and Chad, to cultivate a culture of peace in their
countries. He urges the Congolese to "conduct dialogue and to
keep negotiating in order to achieve lasting peace in their
country". He also appeals to the Central Africans to "keep the
peace after the departure of the UN Mission in the Central
African republic (MINURCA). He calls upon Chadians to show
seriousness and maturity, and to advocate dialogue in the tribal
conflict which is tearing the country apart.   (PANA, Dakar, 5
March 2000)

* Gabon. President denies he will quit  -  President Omar Bongo,
in power in Gabon since 1967, has squashed speculation about his
succession, saying that he has a seven-year mandate and the right
to run again. Mr Bongo rejected suggestions that he was sick. He
said that he had discussed the issue of his succession within his
ruling Gabonese Democratic Party and the matter was closed. "As
far as my succession is concerned, I was elected for seven years
and, according to the Constitution, my mandate is renewable. I
debated the problem within my party and the matter is closed",
said the President on 4 March.   (Financial Times, UK, 6 March
2000)

* Kenya. International Women's Day  -  International Women's Day
was celebrated on 8 March. In a pamphlet published by the
Association of the Sisterhoods of Kenya for the occasion, an
explanation is given as to why such a day should be celebrated.
Women as well as men need to remind themselves that they are
created in the image and likeness of God; Women are the mothers
of the leaders of our nation; Women are the most economically
productive group; Women are increasingly participating in
professional fields; Women make safe, peaceful and happy homes;
Women's rights need to be increasingly recognized; Women's
contribution to Society is endless. Advice is also given as how
to celebrate the Day: "Put on your best skirt/dress/khanga and
wear a flower/ribbon or any other decoration; Create time to
celebrate by bringing other women together to share ideas and
solve common problems; Organise a special event; Tell at least
8 other groups about Women's Day.   (Imara Cantre, Kenya, March
2000)

* Kenya. Pink death  -  Lake Bogoria -- Kenya -- About 1 million
flamingos live on this otherwise nearly dead lake in the Great
Rift Valley. They fringe its rocky shoreline like a necklace and
congregate in its shallow bays, forming vast carpets of pink that
lure vanloads of tourists through squishy mud flats for a closer
look. But in recent months, the flamingos have been joined by
scores of marabou storks, known locally as "undertaker birds."
The black-coated scavengers stand with an air of propriety over
the remains of flamingos that are perishing by the hundreds every
day. An estimated 30,000 have died at the national park here
since July, and scientists say the actual number could be twice
as high. "There is a die-off going on at Bogoria," said Jackson
A. Raini, a researcher for the World Wildlife Fund. While in
other years naturalists have recorded mass kills of this beloved
bird, regarded as a "flagship species" in East Africa, scientists
are alarmed now because the flamingos' death rate does not appear
to be slowing and because high levels of heavy metals have been
found in their carcasses. The problem appears to be industrial
runoff.   (The Washington Post, 7 March 2000)

   END OF PART #1/3   (Africa => Kenya  =  09a_03_2k)
	===> (From Liberia to Rwanda   see 09b_03_2k)
	===> (From Senegal to Zimbabwe see 09c_03_2k)