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WEEKLY NEWS - ISSUE of 29/08/96 - PART 1/


* Afrique. Un tabou pas totalement leve
Deux millions de fillettes sont excisees chaque annee en Afrique,
selon un rapport de l'ONU qui denonce ces mutilations dans vingt-
huit pays du continent. Les "pratiques traditionnelles affectant
la sante des femmes et des enfants", expression onusienne pour
les mutilations sexuelles, ne laissent plus l'ONU indifferente
depuis 1982. Grace aux efforts deployes par deux organisations
non gouvernementales, Terre des hommes et Sentinelle, animees par
Edmond Kaiser, l'epoque est revolue ou l'Organisation mondiale
de la sante (OMS) estimait que "les operations rituelles...
resultant des conceptions sociales et culturelles" n'etaient pas
de sa competence. Toutefois, le tabou est loin d'etre leve.
L'Organisation de l'unite africaine (OUA), notamment, a garde le
silence face aux demandes d'informations de Mme Warzazi,
rapporteur special de la sous-commission des droits de l'homme
de l'ONU. Certains gouvernements considerent ces demandes comme
une "tentative d'hegemonie culturelle occidentale". Mme Warzazi
n'a recu que 26 reponses sur les 184 Etats sollicites. (I.V., Le
Monde, France, 22 aout 1996)

* Afrique australe. La SADC
La communaute de developpement de l'Afrique australe (SADC) a ete
creee, en 1980, pour reduire la dependance economique de la
region a l'egard du regime de l'apartheid. Elle a donc accueilli
l'Afrique du Sud, en 1994, a l'issue des premieres elections
democratiques. Elle compte, desormais, douze membres: Afrique du
Sud, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Maurice, Mozambique,
Namibie, Swaziland, Tanzanie, Zambie, Zimbabwe. La SADC, qui
groupe environ 130 millions d'habitants, a aujourd'hui pour
vocation essentielle le developpement et l'integration economique
de la region a travers des actions de cooperation et la creation
d'un marche commun. Jusqu'a maintenant, peu de projets ont ete
menes a bien. Outre le protocole d'accord commercial, trois
autres viennent d'etre signes dans les domaines des ressources
en energie, des transports et de la lutte contre le trafic de
drogue. En 1995, un accord de partage des ressources en eau avait
ete conclu. (F.C., Le Monde, France, 27 aout 1996)

* Afrique du Sud. Quelle Chine?
Alors que Taipeh et Pekin se livrent bataille sur la scene
internationale, le president Mandela a, le lundi 26 aout,
reaffirme la position de son pays: maintenir des relations
diplomatiques avec Taiwan tout en cherchant un rapprochement avec
la Chine communiste. Si la Chine communiste faisait partie du
meme camp ideologique que le Congres national africain (ANC le
parti de M. Mandela), par ailleurs, Taiwan a apporte un soutien
financier important a l'ANC, lors des elections de 1994. Le chef
de l'Etat justifie sa position: "Taiwan nous a aides; il serait
donc immoral de l'oublier". C'est pourquoi l'Afrique du Sud se
refuse a faire un choix clair et definitif entre les deux Chines
en rompant ses relations diplomatiques avec Taiwan, prealable
exige par l'autre Chine pour l'etablissement de telles relations
entre Pekin et Pretoria. (D'apres F.C., Le Monde, France, 28 aout
1996)

* Algeria. Fake roadblocks
Gunmen disguised as policemen have massacred 63 people including
children, women and old men, the London-based Arabic newspaper
Al-Hayat said on 19 August. Witnesses told the newspaper that
about 100 gunmen set up a fake roadblock on 17 August and stopped
two buses on the road that connects M'Sila and Batna...In a
separate incident on 15 August, two men slit the throat of a
muezzin in his mosque in an Algiers suburb. The same day, 10
rebels slit the throats of 17 men after stopping a bus at a fake
roadblock in Sidi Laadjal. However, on 19 August, the Algerian
Interior Minister declared that there is no basis for the Al-
Hayat report. He said the newspaper is out to spread trouble.
(ANB-BIA, Brussels, 21 August 1996)

* Angola. Normalisation retardee.
Les rapports entre le gouvernement angolais et l'Union nationale
pour l'independance totale de l'Angola (Unita, ex-mouvement
rebelle) restent tres tendus, et la paix demeure precaire a cause
du statut de chef de l'Unita, Jonas Savimbi. Le mardi 27 aout,
l'Unita a en effet rejete "categoriquement", la nomination de son
leader a la vice-presidence de l'Etat: "La transformation de
l'Unita en parti politique (...) necessite plus que jamais de la
presence a sa tete de son president", indique le communique final
du congres de l'Unita a Bailundo. L'Unita fait toutefois savoir
qu'elle pourrait proposer une autre personnalite du parti. Mais
le gouvernement de Luanda a replique que le poste de vice-
president avait ete cree exclusivement pour M. Savimbi. (ANB-BIA,
d'apres AFP, France, 29 aout 1996)

* Burundi. Coup aftermath
13 August: The Executive Director of the World Food Programme,
Catherine Bertini, welcomes Tanzania's decision to allow
humanitarian aid deliveries to reach Burundi. Stringent petrol
rationing is imposed.15 August: Burundi's new military leader,
Pierre Buyoya, says his government plans to hold power for three
years. The same day, the ousted Hutu party rejects this three
year transition period. The Presidents of Uganda and Rwanda
reiterate their determination to maintain sanctions against
Burundi. The UN says it will release a report about the death of
Burundi's first democratically elected President, Melchior
Ndedaye. 17 August: Meeting in Kampala, Uganda, Foreign Ministers
from Eastern African countries declare they are going to maintain
sanctions against Burundi. 19 August: It is reported that
medicine is becoming increasingly scarce. The UNHCR says about
8,000 Rwandan Hutu refugees are returning home today from
Burundi. Refugees in Burundi's Magara Camp say the Burundian army
has launched a campaign of intimidation and killed three of their
comrades on 18 August to try to force them back to Rwanda.
Kenya's The East African says that African nations are holding
the line on the embargo but a strong commitment seems to be
lacking within the world community itself. 20 August: Buyoya
dismisses three controversial senior military officers, including
the army chief of staff implicated in the assassination of the
country's first Hutu president. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 21 August
1996)
* Burundi. Six mille tues selon Amnesty
Plus de 6.000 personnes ont ete tuees au Burundi depuis le putsch
du 25 juillet de Pierre Buyoya, a affirme jeudi Amnesty
International, citant des informations detaillees. Selon l'ONG,
au moins 4.050 civils anonymes ont ete enterres apres avoir ete
executes sans jugement entre le 27 juillet et le 10 aout par les
forces gouvernementales a Giheta. Amnesty affirme egalement que
les forces gouvernementales ont perpetre des massacres a
Bujumbura, et dans les provinces de Muramvya, Kayanza et
Cibitoke. Par ailleurs, un mois apres le coup d'Etat, la
rebellion hutu serait parvenue a dissuader les paysans hutu de
descendre des collines pour ravitailler la capitale,
majoritairement tutsi, creant ainsi une sorte de blocus interieur
apres l'embargo exterieur. Le 22 aout, un avion de Medecins sans
frontieres (MSF) avec 25 tonnes de materiel medical a quitte
Nairobi a destination du Burundi. (D'apres AFP, France, 23 aout
1996)

* Burundi. Rencontre Buyoya-Nyerere
Le nouvel homme fort du Burundi, Pierre Buyoya, s'est rendu
dimanche en Tanzanie pour rencontrer Julius Nyerere, l'ancien
president tanzanien et mediateur pour la region des Grands Lacs.
Le president Buyoya lui a demande qu'un sommet regional soit
organise sur le Burundi. Les collaborateurs de Buyoya n'ont pas
donne de details sur ces entretiens, se bornant a declarer que
Buyoya devait regagner le Burundi dans la journee de dimanche.
Pour sa part, le Parti pour la liberation du peuple hutu
(Palipehutu) a rejete lundi les offres de dialogue du "putschiste
Pierre Buyoya" et a affirme qu'il n'y avait "pas d'autre solution
que la lutte armee". Par ailleurs, la capitale burundaise est
partiellement privee d'electricite depuis samedi 24 aout, suite
a un "acte de sabotage" de la rebellion hutu. La reparation a la
centrale de Rwegura devrait etre achevee ce mardi 27 aout.
(D'apres La Libre Belgique, 26-27 aout 1996)

* Burundi. UNICEF
Contrary to media reports, the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) said in a Press Release issued on 22 August that it has
no plans to suspend its operations in Burundi. UNICEF has eight
international and 74 national staff members in Burundi and UNICEF
programmes are continuing in health, water and sanitation,
education, nutrition, psycho-social recovery and family tracing.
UNICEF is concerned that children are already being affected by
the sanctions recently imposed on the country, and that the
situation will deteriorate unless steps are taken to ensure their
special protection. There is particular concern at fuel shortages
which are hampering cross-border reunification programmes for
20,000 unaccompanied children and may paralyse immunization
programmes. Burundi was on the verge of reaching 75% immunization
of under one year-olds, or 190,000 children, but there are now
no supplies of Polio or BCG vaccines in the country. Fuel
shortages will also jeopardize the supplementary feeding
programme which is currently reaching 30,000 malnourished
children who have been uprooted from their homes. UNICEF
currently has only three to five days' supply of fuel. (IRIN,
Kenya, 27 August 1996)

* Congo. Les eveques contre le desordre social
L'Association des conferences episcopales de l'Afrique centrale
(ACERAC), reunie en assemblee pleniere a Brazzaville du 21 au 28
juillet, a manifeste son amertume envers le desordre social et
politique qui mine la region. Le theme principal des assises
etait: "Eglise-famille de Dieu, et developpement", un "acquis de
la recente et desormais historique assemblee speciale pour
l'Afrique du synode des eveques celebree a Rome en 1994", comme
a souligne l'eveque d'Oyem, Mgr Mve, president sortant de
l'ACERAC, lors de la ceremonie d'ouverture. "Nous sommes ici pour
que les valeurs africaines, heritees de nos ancetres, soient
sublimees par la parole de Dieu, triomphent des forces de mort
et de division, et repondent aux exigences du vrai
developpement", a-t-il declare. Mgr Mve n'a pas manque de
fustiger les contradictions et les scandales socio-culturels qui
marquent negativement la region: "Comment une terre d'accueil et
de solidarite peut-elle compter un si grand nombre de refugies
et de deplaces?", a-t-il souligne. Et de poursuivre: "Comment
notre amour de la famille et de la vie peut-il s'accommoder si
facilement de genocides et de guerres civiles impitoyables?...".
Mgr Mve a aussi presente son successeur a la presidence de
l'ACERAC, Mgr Bernard Nsayi, eveque de Nkayi (Congo). (C. Goma-
Makaya, pour ANB-BIA, juillet 1996)

* Congo. Private newspapers disappear
Private newspapers and magazines have disappeared from newsstands
and bookstores in Congo following a decree banning their
publication. The decree also ordered the seizure of all copies
of the prohibited papers. It was issued last week by the
government, which accused the media houses of violating a new
press law passed on 2 July. The law requires all private media
and publishing houses to obtain a commercial license from the
Centre for the Registration of Enterprises. It also includes
provisions inherited from the previous law but not enforced in
the past. Among these is a requirement that media houses submit
to the Attorney-General's office a declaration including the
objectives of each newspaper or magazine, its title, where and
how often it is published, its price and the name and address of
its publisher. (AFJN, Washington, 15 August 1996)

* Egypte. Pour une meilleure image de l'islam
Une conference religieuse reunissant plus de 150 delegues de 90
pays s'est tenue au Caire du 24 au 27 juillet, selon l'AFP. Il
s'agit de demarquer l'islam de l'image de violence integriste a
laquelle il est parfois associe, notamment en Occident. Quatre
axes ont ete retenus pour la conference: dialogue entre
civilisations, dialogue entre religions, islam et coexistence
avec les autres religions, dialogue et extremisme. La conference,
intitulee "L'islam et l'avenir du dialogue entre les
civilisations", est la huitieme du genre organisee par le Haut
conseil pour les affaires islamiques. Aucune personnalite juive
n'a ete invitee. L'Irak, le Soudan et l'Iran ne sont pas
representes officiellement. Cote chretien, le pape des coptes
d'Egypte Chenouda III etait present ainsi qu'un delegue du
Vatican dont le nom n'a pas ete fourni par les organisateurs.
(D'apres Marches Tropicaux, France, 2 aout 1996)

* Egypte. Epidemie de hold-up integristes
A cause du manque de fonds pour financer la guerre "sainte"
contre le regime egyptien, Refaat Zeydan, chef de la branche
militaire de la Djamaa en Haute-Egypte, a decide de recourir a
l'"action directe": des hold-up sanglants contre les bijouteries
des coptes (chretiens). La fatwa promulguee, dans les annees 70,
par le cheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, emprisonne aux Etats-Unis apres
l'attentat contre le World Trade Center, rend licite, en cas de
besoin, le vol a main armee -- assassinats compris -- contre "les
chretiens mecreants et l'Etat impie". Selon des sources du
ministere de l'interieur, "la crise economique des terroristes"
serait due a "l'etouffement des sources de financement
exterieures" grace au vote d'une loi qui permet de lever le
secret bancaire dans les affaires de terrorisme. Mais l'element
le plus determinant dans la faillite financiere des extremistes
a sans doute ete l'appauvrissement relatif des pays du Golfe, qui
accumulent, depuis la ruineuse guerre contre l'Irak, les deficits
budgetaires. Par ailleurs, quatre chretiens coptes ont ete tues,
dimanche 25 aout, probablement par des islamistes, en Haute-
Egypte, a 250 km au sud du Caire. Plus de mille personnes ont ete
assassinees en Egypte par des islamistes, depuis mars 1992.
(D'apres A.B., Le Monde, France, 27 aout 1996)

* Egypt. Circumcision ban urged
On 25 August, an Egyptian human rights group mourned the death
of a 14-year-old girl after a circumcision operation and urged
the government to ban the ancient but dangerous procedure. Amina
Abdelhamid Mohammed died in a private hospital on 24 August after
the operation, which involves the removal of some or all of the
external genitalia. The government daily newspaper Al-Ahram said
she died from a haemorrhage and that the surgeon had disappeared.
According to research in 1995 by a national task force consisting
of women, human rights activists, doctors and religious scholars,
80% of Egyptian girls are subjected to the procedure every year.
It can cause haemorrhaging, shock and sexual dysfunction. (The
Guardian, U.K., 26 August 1996)

* Ethiopie. 232 "integristes"
L'armee ethiopienne a tue 232 "integristes" et detruit trois
camps militaires, lors de son operation lancee le 8 aout contre
des bases du mouvement fondamentaliste musulman Al-Itihad en
Somalie, a annonce, le 14 aout, la television ethiopienne. Selon
la meme source, l'armee ethiopienne a perdu 20 hommes et a eu 17
blesses. Un stock important d'armements -- un camion entier de
munitions d'artillerie lourde, 10 radios de communication, 93
bombes, 11 missiles antiaeriens -- a egalement ete saisi. Al-
Itihad a affirme, de son cote, avoir repris aux troupes
ethiopiennes la ville somalienne de Luq. D'apres le mouvement,
au moins 127 civils, essentiellement des femmes et des enfants,
ont ete denombres dans les rues de Luq apres les bombardements
ethiopiens. Par ailleurs, de graves inondations ont fait plus de
25.000 sinistres dans l'ouest et le centre de l'Ethiopie, les 15
et 16 aout. La region la plus touchee est celle du Gambella
(ouest), frontaliere du Soudan, pays egalement frappe par des
inondations. (D'apres Marches Tropicaux, France, 23 aout 1996)

* France-Tunisie. Enfants contestes
Tout en restant moins nombreux que lorsque le pere est algerien,
les cas d'enfants enleves par le pere tunisien, apres un divorce
ou une separation, sont en augmentation depuis quelques annees.
Peu apres que le jugement de divorce prononce en France ait
confie a la mere la garde des enfants, le pere ramene ceux-ci en
Tunisie ou, malgre les multiples recours aupres de la justice
tunisienne, la mere est empeche de les rencontrer. Ainsi,
certaines mamans n'ont plus revu leurs enfants depuis trois ou
quatre ans. Fatiguees, plusieurs d'entre elles on tente le tout
pour le tout et, avec l'appui de personnalites politiques et
diplomatiques, ont obtenu de voir librement et sans peur de
"represailles" leurs enfants, au moins une fois par an, pendant
une semaine. Toutefois, ces mamans souhaitent voir appliquees les
decisions de la justice, comme prevu par la Convention franco-
tunisienne en matiere de garde d'enfants. (D'apres Jeune Afrique,
France, 28 aout 1996)

* Gambie. Referendum: le oui l'emporte
Les Gambiens ont approuve, le 8 aout, a 70,4% des voix, le projet
de Constitution qui doit permettre le retour a un regime civil,
a annonce officiellement le lendemain le president de la
Commission electorale, M. Roberts. La Constitution a ete adoptee
par 270.193 voix alors que 113.744 electeurs ont vote contre avec
447.062 personnes inscrites. L'adoption de ce texte, dont
certaines dispositions ont ete critiquees par Amnesty
International, va permettre la levee de l'interdiction des partis
politiques imposee depuis la prise du pouvoir, voici deux ans,
du capitaine Yahya Jammeh. Cette levee d'interdiction permettra,
a son tour, la tenue des elections presidentielle et legislative.
Le capitaine Jammeh a "accepte" de se presenter a l'election
presidentielle, a annonce la radio d'Etat Radio Gambia dans la
soiree du 17 aout, cedant aux instances des dirigeants d'opinion
et des chefs coutumiers de l'ouest du pays et de Serekunda et
Bakau, les deux principales banlieues de la capitale. La veille,
un communique de la commission electorale avait annonce que
l'election presidentielle, initialement prevue le 11 septembre,
aurait lieu le 26, date choisie par la commission en consultation
avec le gouvernement militaire. Cette annonce avait suivi de 48
heures la levee de l'interdiction d'activites qui frappait les
partis politiques depuis deux ans. (D'apres Marches Tropicaux,
France, 16-23 aout 1996)

* Ghana. Church invests in insurance
The Catholic Church in Ghana has established an insurance company
to provide, what it termed, prompt, efficient and affordable
insurance contracts to the Ghanaian public. The company, known
as Quality Insurance Company Limited (Q.I.C.) commenced business
on 1 August 1996 soon after it received its license from the
Ghana National Insurance Commission. The President of the Ghana
Bishops' Conference, Rt.Rev. Francis Lodonu, in an interview,
said that the Church, apart from carrying out its spiritual,
moral and other roles in society, endeavours to cater for the
integral development of humanity. The setting up of the company,
he explained, can be seen as another concrete way of amplifying
the Church's contribution to the economic growth and welfare of
Ghanaians. According to Q.I.C.'s Managing Director, Ms. Elizabeth
Dugble, the company will operate as a composite insurance
company. However, it will for the first few months concentrate
on insurance policy contracts in the motor, accident, life and
fire areas for individuals and organizations. (Benedict Assorow,
Ghana, 15 August 1996)
* Kenya. Bishops want a new constitution in Kenya
The Kenyan bishops and a Christian Church council in separate
statements have called for an immediate constitutional review and
for all-party dialogue on the composition of Kenya's next
electoral commission. They said that change must come before the
next general election, due to be held by the end of 1997. The
bishops asked Catholics to use their small Christian communities
to work for peaceful change and to refuse vote-buying and vote-
rigging. The National Christian Council of Kenya (NCCK) called
for suspension of the current electoral commission activities
pending the setting up of an independent body. (Editor's Note:
In July, the Catholic Bishops published a Pastoral Letter with
the title "Our Social Responsibility". On 8 August a Government
statement said that the recent statements by both the Catholic
Bishops and the NCCK are inflammatory as they are derogatory, and
warned that abrogation of the Constitution is a treasonable act.
On August 19, Kenya's The East African said that pressures for
a review of the constitution have taken on a wider dimension, but
Moi and the government remain implacably opposed). (The Southern
Cross, South Africa, 25 August 1996)

* Liberia. Vers la paix?
Les dirigeants des deux principales factions qui s'affrontent au
Liberia ont donne l'ordre a leurs combattants, samedi 24 aout,
de se retirer des lignes de front et de lever les barrages
routiers, quatre jours apres l'entree en vigueur theorique d'une
treve. La force d'interposition ouest-africaine (Ecomog) est
chargee de faire appliquer le dernier accord de paix signe la
semaine derniere, qui prevoit le desarmement total du pays avant
la fin de janvier 1997 et des elections le 30 mai 1997. (Le
Monde, France, 27 aout 1996)

* Maroc. Enfin une Chambre entierement elue
Le projet de revision constitutionnelle qui prevoit
l'introduction du bicamerisme au Maroc sera soumis a referendum
le 13 septembre. Jusqu'ici, les deux tiers des membres de la
"Chambre des representants" etaient elus au suffrage universel
et un tiers au suffrage indirect. Le projet de reforme prevoit
une Chambre elue exclusivement au suffrage universel, pour cinq
ans, au lieu de six ans actuellement. La nouvelle "Chambre des
conseillers", renouvelee par tiers tous les 3 ans, sera composee
pour les trois cinquiemes d'elus regionaux et, pour le reste,
d'elus des chambres professionnelles et des salaries, dont la
duree du mandat sera de neuf ans. Les deux Chambres pourront
censurer le gouvernement, la Chambre des representants a la
majorite absolue, et la Chambre des conseillers a la majorite des
deux tiers. Dans tous les cas, les deux Chambres ne pourront
censurer le gouvernement qu'une fois tous les douze mois.
(D'apres Le Monde, France, 28 aout 1996)

* Mozambique. Coup de frein a l'islamisation
Le president Joaquim Chissano a decide d'envoyer a la Cour
supreme pour que soit examinee sa constitutionnalite, le projet
de loi qui declarerait jours feries nationaux les deux dates
principales du calendrier musulman (voir ANB-BIA n§ 301, p.IV).
Le projet de loi avait deja ete approuve par l'Assemblee de la
Republique, controlee par le Frelimo, le parti au pouvoir. Mais
l'hostilite qu'il avait suscitee, non seulement de la part de
l'opposition parlementaire, mais egalement de la part de l'Eglise
catholique, tres influente a travers le pays, et des milieux
intellectuels laics, a oblige le president a tergiverser. M.
Chissano a decide de deplacer le probleme sur un terrain
strictement legal, en esperant ainsi minimiser la crise, mais sa
politique de rapprochement avec les milieux et les islamiques
aura pris un serieux coup. (D'apres Marches Tropicaux, France,
9 aout 1996)

* Nigeria. Abacha sacks military rulers
Nigeria's military ruler, General Sani Abacha, has cemented his
position by dismissing all military administrators of the
country's 30 states. The terse announcement on state television
on 14 August surprised many people. The change is the most
sweeping at state level since Abacha seized power in November
1993 during chaos precipitated by the annulment of elections. The
statement named new administrators, who like their predecessors
are from the middle army rank of colonel or its navy, air-force
or police equivalent. The administrators are the second tier of
authority in Nigeria after the federal government based in Abuja.
(The Guardian, U.K., 16 August 1996)

* Nigeria. Fears grow for Beko Ransome-Kuti
Concern is mounting about the health of jailed Nigerian human
rights campaigner Beko Ransome-Kuti. One of the issues discussed
by Commonwealth foreign ministers meeting in London on 28 August
was the refusal of the Nigerian government to give them access
to jailed opposition figures. Dr Ransome-Kuti was given two life
sentences by a secret military tribunal in July 1995. After
international pressure, his sentence was cut to 15 years. "My
father seems to have caught some sort of virus in the jail", said
his daughter Nike, who is allowed to see him once a month.
Suffering from loss of appetite and persistent night chills, Dr
Ransome-Kuti's weight is about 7st 12 lbs. His wrists are swollen
and there are rashes on his hands and back. (The Guardian, U.K.,
29 August 1996)

* Rwanda. A colonel accused of genocide
The "evil genius" alleged to be behind the Rwandan genocide, and
his propaganda chief, were indicted on 16 August by the United
Nations for genocide and crimes against humanity. Colonel
Theonestre Bagasora, the former "chef de cabinet" in the Rwandan
Defence Ministry who is being held in detention in Cameroon, was
described by Rakiya Omar, co-director of African Rights as the
"top of the pyramid" in the systematic slaughter of a million
Tutsis and Hutu moderates in 1994. Ms Omar, who has conducted
detailed investigations into the killings, claimed the colonel,
a Hutu, had been responsible for planning Rwanda's final solution
to its "Tutsi problem". He won notoriety for staggering cruelty.
The second man indicted, Andre Ntagerura, ran an extremist radio
station which had warned Hutu peasants that all Tutsis were
planning a genocide of Hutus. The men are expected to face the
UN tribunal in Tanzania later this year. On 16 August, Rwandan
officials said they want to try Colonel Bagasora and his aides
under their legal system "and shoot them". (The Times, U.K., 17
August 1996)

* Rwanda. L'armee en accusation
365 personnes ont ete tuees dans divers incidents armes durant
le mois de juillet au Rwanda, selon un rapport des observateurs
onusiens des droits de l'homme, publie hier a Kigali. 226 de ces
deces sont a mettre au compte d'"agents de l'Etat" rwandais, dont
les soldats de l'Armee patriotique rwandaise (APR), dominee par
l'ancienne rebellion tutsi, au pouvoir. Les responsabilites pour
la mort des 139 autres victimes n'ont en revanche pas pu etre
etablies. (Liberation, France, 23 aout 1996)

* Sao Tome et Principe. Situation bloquee
Le contentieux sur l'election presidentielle du 21 juillet, qui
avait ete remporte par le president sortant Miguel Trovoada avec
seulement 2.000 voix d'avance, n'etait toujours pas tranche par
la Cour supreme huit jours apres le depot d'une plainte pour
irregularite par le rival de M. Trovoada, M. Manuel Pinto da
Costa. L'Assemblee nationale, dominee par le parti de ce dernier,
le Mouvement de liberation de Sao Tome et Principe-parti social-
democrate (MLSTP-PSD), avait egalement remis a la Cour un rapport
sur ces irregularites. Faute de s'etre mis d'accord sur les
mesures a prendre -- annulation ou proclamation des resultats --
les trois juges composant la Cour ont decide de faire appel a
l'arbitrage de magistrats appartenant aux pays membres de la
Communaute des pays de langue portugaises (CPLP) pour trancher
leurs dissensions. Mais il n'est pas sur que la CPLP, dont les
structures permanentes ne sont pas encore operationnelles,
reponde favorablement a cet appel. Selon certains milieux
diplomatiques au Portugal, la vocation de cette Communaute n'est
pas de trancher dans de tels conflits ou de s'immiscer dans les
affaires interieures de ses membres. En attendant, le blocage
politique reste entier, alors que des mouvements de
mecontentement se font jour. (D'apres Marches Tropicaux, France,
16 aout 1996)

* South Africa. Minister in hiding amid drug threats
South Africa's minister of justice, Dullah Omar, has had to move
his family to a safe house amid growing fears that recent
vigilante violence masks a drive for power by Islamic extremists.
This was after Mr Omar was confronted at his home by a military
Muslim group earlier this year and given 60 days to take legal
action against drug merchants. It is not known if the threats
comes from members of the People Against Gangsterism and Drugs
(Pagad). Another cabinet member has also received an ultimatum.
Pagad, the vigilante "self-protection" organisation which sprang
into prominence earlier this month with the lynching of a
notorious gang leader in Cape Town, has heatedly denied it is a
front organisation for Muslim fundamentalists, yet it is believed
to be effectively led by a militant organisation called "Qible",
founded in 1979 to campaign for the creation of an Islamic state.
(The Guardian, U.K., 16 August 1996)

* South Africa. Mandela to step down as party leader
President Nelson Mandela has officially told the ruling ANC that
he will step down as party leader next year -- ahead of his
retirement as Head of State in 1999. This was announced after a
weekend meeting of the National Executive Committee of the ANC.
A brief statement said that Mr Mandela had told the Committee he
will not stand as candidate for party president when the ANC
holds its national conference late next year. At the same time,
the South African leader reaffirmed his intention to step down
as President of the country when his current term expires in
1999. (Voice of America, 19 August 1996)

* South Africa. Heats turns on Botha police
26 August: Former police colonel Eugene de Kock, accused of
multiple murders and other apartheid-era crimes is convicted of
these murders. De Kock, aged 48, commanded a notorious police
unit based at a farm outside Pretoria. He is the highest ranking
police officer to be accused of apartheid era crimes. He has
applied to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for amnesty,
but the legislation which set up the panel denies pardon to those
guilty of heinous violations of human rights, such as murder and
torture. Sentencing is postponed until 16 September for argument
in mitigation. 29 August: Seven former police generals are
subpoenaed to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission. These include three former national commissioners.
They will be allowed to testify in camera. (ANB-BIA, Brussels,
29 August 1996)

* Sudan. Defying sanction threat
Sudan, which faces an embargo on its airlines, said it could not
hand over three Egyptians suspected of trying to kill Hosni
Mubarak, the Egyptian president, in Ethiopia last year because
they were not in the country. The United Nations Security Council
imposed the air embargo on 16 August. It will come into effect
in three months for Sudan's failure to extradite the three men
to Addis Ababa, for trial. The Sudanese foreign minister said
that they had made every effort to find and apprehend the three
suspects and had shown full co-operation with the UN. Sudan has
been under limited diplomatic and travel sanctions since May.
(The Guardian, U.K., 19 August 1996)

* Sudan. Children suffer in Sudan camp
Around 840 children are being held in inhuman conditions at a
camp in the Sudanese desert, a human rights organisation said.
Some 450 of the youngsters were picked up after demonstrations
in September last year, the World Organisation against Torture
said. Other children have been rounded up in a "clean-up"
campaign of the market at Omdurman, near the capital Khartoum two
years ago. (The Guardian, U.K., 20 August 1996)

* Sudan. Missionaries held by rebels
23 August: A delegation flies from Nairobi to Akot to witness the
release of six missionaries, including three Australian nuns, who
have been held by the SPLA since 17 August, on charges of spying
and spreading Islam. The Nairobi SPLA attributes their arrest to
the action of a local commander and tells the Press they will be
freed by noon of the same 23 August. The local commander says
that no instructions have been received to release the prisoners
and they will be held until investigations are completed. 25
August: Two members of the delegation decide to return to Nairobi
and inform the embassies of the concerned people and the media
on the real situation in Mapourdit, the actual mission station
35 km from Akot where the six missionaries are running a parish
and a primary school. 27 August: The international Press reports
on the arrest of the missionaries. 28 August: The SPLA orders the
missionaries to be freed. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 29 August 1996)
* Swaziland. Tentative moves towards change
As pressure mounts for political change in Swaziland, King Mswati
III has announced a 29-person constitutional committee to draw
up a new constitution for the country. At a public meeting of the
nation on July 26th, the King has also announced the appointment
of former finance minister and executive director of the
International Monetary Fund,, Sibusiso Dlamini as prime minister.
The constitutional committee will travel the country, soliciting
views on what the constitution should include, then draw up a
final document which will be adopted at another meeting of the
nation. Committee members have been drawn from a diverse
spectrum, conservatives members, including four chiefs, and
liberal representatives. (Mail and Guardian, 8-15 August 1996)

* Tanzania. This Government is serious
Clippings from various newspapers published during August,
indicate that the Government is taking as good look at various
aspects of Tanzania's public life. The Sunday Observer says that
corruption is rampant in all key sectors and Tanzanians seeking
service are forced to bribe. Reacting to this, the Chairman of
the Anti-Corruption Committee states that the task of his
Committee will be to advise the government on how to deal with
this problem nationally. --According to The Guardian, the
Government is set to restore discipline in the Civil Service.
Civil servants are not allowed to leave their offices and go for
tea during office hours. Stern measures will be taken to anyone
found out of his/her office during working hours. -- In the field
of Education, The Guardian reports that no students will be sent
to study abroad by the Government during this fiscal year. --
Neither is the army spared, for, as the Business Times says,
fifteen thousand soldiers will be dropped out of the army in a
trim-down exercise this year. Those about to hang up their
uniforms will mainly be rank-and-file officers. (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 27 August 1996)

* Togo. Nomination d'un premier ministre
Le president togolais, le general Gnassingbe Eyadema, a nomme a
la tete du gouvernement, mardi 20 aout, Kwassi Klutse, ancien
ministre du plan et de l'amenagement du territoire, en
remplacement d'Edem Kodjo, qui avait demissionne la veille. M.
Klutse, 51 ans, qui a la reputation d'un technocrate, s'est
empresse d'indiquer qu'il allait former un gouvernement de "large
ouverture". Il est issu de la "mouvance presidentielle", mais
n'appartient pas au parti du president, le Rassemblement du
peuple togolais. Son predecesseur, membre de l'opposition, etait
en conflit larve avec le general Eyadema depuis de longs mois.
Preferant eviter une "guerilla juridique" avec le president, il
s'est retire apres l'annonce des resultats de trois elections
legislatives partielles, qui, au Parlement, devraient donner une
majorite de seulement deux ou trois voix au general Eyadema. (Le
Monde, France, 22 aout 1996)

* USA/Africa. US aid decision near
The US Congress is now deciding how much it will spend next year
to help the poor abroad. Last year, the US dropped to fourth
place in total dollars spent of development and humanitarian aid.
Of 21 industrialized countries, the US spends the smallest
proportion of its national wealth on aid --just 0.1 percent of
GNP. While the total amount allocated to foreign assistance in
the fiscal year 1997 looks likely to be around $12 billion,
Congress has already voted to spend $276.7 billion on defense
next year -- $11.2 billion more than the Pentagon requested.
(Washington Office on Africa, 27 August 1996)

* Zaire-Rwanda. Accords conclus
Pour la premiere fois, Zairois et Rwandais se sont rencontres
directement, sans emissaires ni mediateurs etrangers, mettant sur
la table les nombreux problemes qui, depuis la fin du genocide,
enveniment leurs relations. Les deux pays se sont mis d'accord
sur la fermeture des camps de refugies et sur le rapatriement
massif, organise et sans condition de tous les refugies rwandais.
Ils ont egalement resolu de poursuivre l'operation de separation
des intimidateurs des populations innocentes qui ont fui la
guerre ou ont ete forcees a l'exil par les miliciens, les ex-FAR
et les dignitaires de l'ancien regime. Les deux pays demandent
aussi a la communaute internationale d'accompagner le retour des
rwandais dans leur pays. (D'apres C.B., Le Soir, Belgique, 23
aout 1996)

* Zambie. SIDA: une "Maison de l'espoir"
Faire des seropositifs des messagers de la prevention, dans une
Afrique ou les medias n'ont qu'une faible audience, telle est la
mission de la "Maison de l'espoir", installee a Lusaka, la
capitale de la Zambie. Son animateur, Michael, jeune etudiant
irlandais, veut apporter sa "goutte d'eau" au combat du continent
noir contre l'extension du sida. Dans cette maison creee par la
Fondation Kara, Michael accueille, pour des sejours de trois
mois, une trentaine de seropositifs. Aux activites artisanales
et a la vie communautaire, qui occupent le plus clair des
journees, s'ajoutent discussions, debats et cours sur le theme
du VIH. On commence par apprendre que la seropositivite n'est pas
la maladie et comment, avec une bonne hygiene de vie, il est
possible de retarder la mutation pathologique. Les seropositifs
auront ainsi appris a "ne plus se comporter en victimes du sida",
et, forts de leurs connaissances, seront prepares a faire "passer
le message" autour d'eux. (D'apres D. de L., Le Monde, France,
28 aout 1996)

* Zimbabwe. World Council of Churches
Bishop Jonathan Siyachitema, head of the Zimbabwe Council of
Churches told journalists in June that Zimbabwe will be hosting
the World Council of Churches (WCC) 8th Assembly in September
1998. Referring to the homosexcual debate in Zimbabwe, the bishop
said: "As a Christian body, we are not going to allow gays in our
Council and destroy that which we cherish -- our culture." He
supported President Mugabe's anti-homosexuality stance and said
that the Church's role was to fight against sins which destroyed
culture. Presently the World Council of Churches has a membership
of 147 Churches. Since Mugabe's unwavering stance against
homosexuals last year at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair,
Zimbabwean Churches have openly denounced homosexuality. The
theme of the WCC Conference will be: "Turn to God -- Rejoice in
the Hope". Over 3,500 delegates are expected to attend.
(Augustine Deke, Zimbabwe, July 1996)

* Zimbabwe. Strike situation
24 August: The Public Service Commission says it has sacked
thousands of strikers -- including nurses, junior doctors.
mortuary attendants, magistrates, customs officers and fire
fighters who have been on a week-long strike for higher wages and
who have been defying an order to return to work. The government
has been under pressure from international donors backing its
economic reforms, to slash the civil service which economists say
is bloated and accounts for about 40% of the GDP annually. 25
August: Bodies pile up in mortuaries around Zimbabwe. President
Robert Mugabe says he might use the strike to trim the civil
service. 26 August: Up to 7,000 strikers gather in a central
Harare park to hear their angry union leaders implore President
Mugabe: "to be man enough" to address their demands for
substantial wage increases. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 August 1996)


NOUS VOUS SIGNALONS... -- ARTICLES AVAILABLE
=== GHANA
Title: Communique
Authors: The Catholic Bishops of Ghana, July 1996
Description: A Communique issued by the Catholic Bishops of Ghana
at the end of their Annual Plenary Assembly held in Bolgatanga,
7-12 July 1996. The Communique deals with a number of national
issues.

=== KENYA
Title: "Our Social Responsibility"
Authors: The Catholic Bishops of Kenya, July 1996
Description: A Pastoral Letter. This should be seen in the
background of the Bishops' call for constitutional reform and the
elections scheduled for 1997.