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WEEKLY NEWS - ISSUE of 27/09/96 -  PART 1/

* Africa. Bishops speak
Many of Africa's Bishops have not miced their words in recent
months in their Pastoral Letters and other pastoral documents,
on matters dealing with their country's particular needs and
concerns. They have made their position clear on a number of
issues of national importance. Limiting oneself to English-
speaking countries in Africa: -- In June, Archbishop Michel
Francis of Monrovia, LIBERIA, faced with his country's
deteriorating situation, warned church-members in the strongest
possible terms, against having links with any of the country's
warring factions. -- At the end of their Annual Meeting in July,
the Bishops of GHANA issued a Statement calling on the country's
traditional chiefs to take a critical look at some of their
customs and traditional practices and do away with those found
to violate fundamental human rights. -- On 6th August (at the
same time as a Statement from the National Council of Churches
of Kenya), the Bishops of KENYA issued a Pastoral Letter
entitled: "Our Social responsibility". The Letter dealt with a
variety of issues such as public health, education, public
transport, communications and the land grabbing question. The
Bishops called for an immediate constitutional review and for
all-party dialogue on the composition of Kenya's next electoral
commission. The government reacted strongly to the Bishops'
Letter. -- In September UGANDA's Bishops published two Letters.
The first one was addressed to Heads of States in the Great Lakes
Region and to all people of goodwill. This Letter concerns the
Burundi crisis. The second Letter was addressed to the President
and Government of Uganda, Members of Parliament and Local
Councils, People in the war-torn areas and to all Ugandans of
goodwill. This Letter concerns the war in the northern part of
Uganda and the Search for Peace. -- The most recent Pastoral
Letter of the Bishops of MALAWI is dated 14th September and is
entitled: "Walking together in Faith -- Our journey towards the
year 2000". The background to this Letter is the Church's
celebration of the Jublilee of 2000 years of Christianity and in
the year 2001, the centenary of the permanent presence of the
Church in Malawi. The bishops invite the faithful to start
preparing for these two events. This will be done by implementing
the African Synod and in correcting failings in the public life
of the nation: e.g. Misconceptions of Freedom and democracy;
increase in theft and robbery; maladministration of public funds;
corruption and bribery.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 September 1996)

* Afrique. Les eveques parlent
Il est etonnant de voir combien d'eveques africains, ces derniers
temps, ont pris position dans leurs lettres pastorales ou dans
d'autres documents sur des problemes importants ou sur des
situations qui concernent la vie du pays. Ainsi, pour se limiter
a l'Afrique anglophone, l'archeveque de Monrovia, au Liberia,
Mgr. Michael Franzis, prend position, au mois de juin, contre
toutes les factions en guerre, et menace d'excommunication tout
fidele qui collabore avec l'une d'entre elles. -- Au mois de
juillet, un document de la Conference episcopale du Ghana invite
les chefs coutumiers a etudier les coutumes et les pratiques
traditionnelles, et a prendre position contre celles qui violent
les droits fondamentaux de la personne humaine. -- En juillet
encore, dans une lettre pastorale titree: "Notre responsabilite
sociale", les eveques du Kenya abordent plusieurs problematiques
nationales et, en particulier, la grave question de l'usurpation
de terres par des riches citoyens. Ils lancent aussi un appel
pour une revision de la Constitution et pour qu'on entame un
dialogue avec tous les partis, en vue de preparer la prochaine
commission electorale. Publiee en meme temps qu'un document du
Conseil national des Eglises du Kenya, la lettre provoquera une
forte reaction de la part du gouvernement. -- Le 15 septembre,
les eveques de l'Ouganda publient deux lettres. La premiere,
adressee aux chefs d'Etat de la region des Grands Lacs et a tous
les hommes de bonne volonte, aborde la grave crise que traverse
actuellement le Burundi. La deuxieme, traitant du probleme de la
guerre dans le nord du pays et de la recherche de la paix --est
adressee au president de l'Ouganda, au gouvernement, aux membres
du Parlement et des differentes administrations locales, a la
population des zones dechirees par la guerre et a tous les
Ougandais de bonne volonte. -- Enfin, la derniere lettre des
eveques du Malawi, du 14 septembre, invite les fideles a se
preparer aux celebrations jubilaires de l'an 2.000, a l'occasion
des vingt siecles de christianisme, et a celles de l'an 2.001,
a l'occasion du Centenaire de l'Eglise au Malawi. Et ceci, en
mettant en pratique les resolutions du Synode africain, et en
luttant contre les mauvaises pratiques qui minent la vie de la
nation et que les eveques denoncent clairement: une fausse idee
de liberte et de democratie, vols et rapines en augmentation
continuelle, mauvaise gestion du bien public, corruption et
concussion.    (ANB-BIA, Bruxelles, 27 septembre 1996)

* Afrique du Sud/Mozambique. Implications d'une romance
La liaison amoureuse entre le president Nelson Mandela et Mme
Graca Machel, veuve de l'ex-president mozambicain et ex-depute
du Frelimo (elle a cede son siege a son suppleant) promet d'avoir
des implications inattendues. Les deux partenaires ont en effet
un fort enracinement tribal, et leur alliance ferait apparaitre
un nouvel axe ethnique dans la region. Mme Machel est liee (de
par son mariage avec Samora Machel) au clan influent des Shangaan
tandis que Mandela appartient a la maison royale Xhosa du
Transkei et a des liens, via le mariage d'une de ses filles, avec
la royaute du Swaziland. Leur alliance isolerait donc le royaume
Zulu, handicapant tout projet d'hegemonie regional de ce groupe
ethnique dont les leaders sont membres de l'Inkatha du chef
Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Au plan economique, la romance pourrait
garantir une meilleure circulation de fonds, particulierement
entre le groupe Thebe Investment de l'Africa National Congress
(dont Mme Machel est membre du conseil d'administration) et le
Frelimo. Ce circuit pourrait permettre d'apurer les comptes entre
les deux partis, le Frelimo ayant accumule une dette envers l'ANC
lors de ses campagnes electorales. (Lettre de l'Ocean Indien,
France, 21 septembre 1996)

* South Africa. No EU loan for steel plant
On 20 September, South African relations with the European Union
(EU) were dealt a blow when the European Commission came out
against a œ48 million loan to help build a steel plant near Cape
Town. The decision reflected concern that the project would boost
world steep capacity when Europe's own steel industry in
struggling. EU sources said that the European Investment Bank
which has up to œ240 million to lend to South Africa in
1995-1996, could still overrule the Commission, but this would
be politically difficult.  (The Guardian, U.K., 21 September
1996)

* Afrique du Sud. Une piste pour l'assassinat d'Olof Palme Le
meurtre du Premier ministre suedois Olof Palme, abattu alors
qu'il sortait d'un cinema a Stockholm le 28 fevrier 1986, aurait
ete commandite par les services secrets sud-africains. C'est ce
qu'a allegue hier devant la Cour supreme de Pretoria le colonel
Eugene De Kock, un ex-policier charge des operations clandestines
et des escadrons de la mort du regime d'apartheid. Le colonel
affirme qu'un de ses anciens collegues, Craig Williamson, un
espion international a la solde de l'Afrique du Sud, etait
implique dans l'assassinat d'Olof Palme. Eugene De Kock a laisse
entendre que l'elimination du politicien suedois faisait partie
d'un plan d'action baptise "Operation Longreach" (Operation
longue portee) destine a faire taire les opposants au regime
d'apartheid. A l'epoque, Palme avait en effet pris la tete du
mouvement international contre l'apartheid et la Suede aidait
genereusement le Congres national africain de Nelson Mandela.
(D'apres J-P.C., Liberation, France, 27 septembre 1996)

* Algerie. L'offre de Zeroual est boudee
Seul l'ex-parti unique, le Front de liberation nationale (FLN)
a accepte l'offre du president Liamine Zeroual d'entrer dans un
gouvernement d'union avant les prochaines legislatives, prevues
avant fin juillet 1997, et a reclame une place de choix au sein
de la future equipe. Mais les principaux partis d'opposition
disent "non". Le Front des forces socialistes (FFS) a declare
qu'il n'etait pas question pour lui de sieger au gouvernement ou
au Conseil national de transition, qui fait office d'assemblee.
Le Mouvement pour la democratie en Algerie (MDA) de l'ex-
president Ahmed Ben Bella a de son cote declare que "les
veritables problemes ont ete eludes. C'est la restauration du
regime du parti unique. Le Rassemblement pour la culture et la
democratie (RCD, anti-islamiste) affirme que le president a
decide de poursuivre ses alliances avec les islamo-populistes.
Faute de volontaires, le general Zeroual a du faire marche
arriere en "differant" ce projet. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
24 septembre 1996)

* Benin. 2000 Nigerians deported
At least 2,000 Nigerians have been deported from neighbouring
Benin for entering the tiny French-speaking country illegally,
the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported on 19 September. It
said the deportation exercise was carried out in batches last
weekend by the local authorities following recent cases of armed
robbery attacks in the capital Cotonou. Many of those deported
were traders. Three people including a Lebanese trader were
killed in the robberies, NAN reported. Some of those deported
said they were picked up from their homes and places of business,
adding that some were detained for about three days before being
deported.
(AFJN, Washington, 25 September 1996)
* Burundi. Le pape regrette les sanctions
Rendant hommage a l'archeveque du Burundi, Joachim Ruhuna, tue
dans une embuscade le 9 septembre, Jean-Paul II a emis, mercredi,
l'espoir d'un assouplissement des sanctions internationales
imposees au Burundi. "C'est en me souvenant de lui que j'apprecie
les initiatives de ceux qui oeuvrent pour une solution pacifique
(...) et je partage aussi les souffrances de tous les citoyens,
que viennent accroitre les sanctions en vigueur", a dit le pape.
"En vous invitant a prier pour la paix, j'espere que ces
sanctions, qui imposent un fardeau alourdi a la population
civile, seront allegees". (Le Soir, Belgique, 26 septembre 1996)

* Centr. Afr. Republic. Bokassa in hospital
On 20 September, doctors said that Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the former
self-styled emperor of the Central African Republic, is seriously
ill and may need surgery to remove a brain tumour. Mr Bokassa,
aged 75, has been flown to the Cote d'Ivoire city of Abidjan for
treatment. He had seized power in the Central African Republic
in 1966, later crowning himself emperor. He was ousted in a
French-backed coup in 1979. On his return from exile in 1986, he
was tried and sentenced to death for murder and embezzlement. The
sentence was later reduced to 10 years in prison. Released in
1993, Mr Bokassa was banned for life from standing in elections.
In July he asked for an amnesty so that he could stand as a
presidential candidate in elections planned for 1999. (The
Guardian, U.K., 21 September 1996)

* Egypt. Court decision against Professor condemned
On 23 September, an unprecedented coalition of US and
international organisations condemned the recent court-ordered
divorce of Cairo University Professor Nasr Hamed Abu Zeid from
his wife, Professor Ibtihal Yunis. The organisations declared
that the decision by Egypt's highest court "is a flagrant
violation of one of the most cherished of human rights -- the
right of a legally married couple to remain married so long as
both parties so desire -- as well as the basic right of free
expression, including academic
freedom"...The basis for the legal action against Professor Abu
Zeid are his scholarly writings and teaching. (Human Rights
Watch, Washington, 23 September 1996)

* Egypte. Sursis pour l'"apostat"
La justice egyptienne a renonce, mercredi, a faire divorcer
Nasser Abou Zeid, l'universitaire condamne pour apostasie a la
suite de ses ecrits remettant en cause les lois de l'heritage
edictees par le Coran. Un tribunal des referes a ordonne "un
sursis a execution" du verdict de la cour d'appel du Caire,
confirme par la cour de cassation, qui avait condamne en juin
1995 M. Abou Zeid a divorcer d'avec sa femme car il etait
considere comme heretique, a la suite d'un proces intente par des
islamistes. Selon l'islam, il est en effet interdit a une femme
de rester mariee avec un apostat. Avec le sursis a execution
decide mercredi, l'universitaire reste un apostat, mais la
condamnation au divorce n'est pas applicable. (Le Soir, Belgique,
26 septembre 1996)

* Eritrea. Navy deal off
On 20 September, Eritrea said it had dropped plans to buy the
remnants of the Ethiopian navy partly because critics said the
warships would be used in its dispute with Yemen. President
Isayas Afewerki said he expected international arbitration over
a territorial dispute with Yemen to start next year. Isayas said
the Eritrean government had been interested in negotiating to buy
16 Ethiopian navy ships which were auctioned in the Red Sea port
of Djibouti. But it had decided against the move partly because
of its dispute with Yemen. (AFJN, Washington, 25 September 1996)

* Kenya. British corned beef impounded
On 20 September, alarm over "mad cow" disease spread to Africa
as the Kenyan Government impounded tonnes of corned beef believed
to have come from Britain and posted armed police at supermarkets
selling it. A consignment of 3.2 tonnes of beef was seized by
Mombasa port health authorities, who suspected the tinned meat
might have been infected with BSE. The Government then revoked
the trading licence for Nakumatt supermarkets, Kenya's second
largest chain, forcing it to close outlets, and ordered police
with automatic rifles to keep shoppers away from supermarkets in
Mombasa, Eldoret and Nairobi. A government statement said that
the corned beef had been brought to Kenya without clearance from
the "relevant authorities". (The Times, U.K., 21 September 1996)

* Kenya. Haro sur les diplomates critiques
Lors d'un seminaire sur l'environnement electoral a Nairobi, le
13 septembre, l'ambassadeur neerlandais, R.A. Treffers, a demande
que le gouvernement kenyan garantisse l'impartialite de la
commission electorale kenyane en vue des elections generales de
1997, et supprime les obstacles actuels a la liberte
d'expression. Pour sa part, le haut commissaire britannique,
Simon Hemans, a souhaite que la commission electorale soit neutre
et au-dessus des partis. Le ministre de l'Information, Johnstone
Makau, et son vice-ministre, Shariff Nassir, ont critique
publiquement les deux ambassadeurs, jugeant ces propos
"malheureux", et ont demande aux diplomates de ne pas s'ingerer
dans les affaires kenyanes. (D'apres Lettre Ocean Indien, France,
21 sept. 1996)

* Liberia. Peacekeepers in cut-off area
On 23 September, West African peacekeepers ventured into the
south western Cape Mount area of Liberia for the first time since
January, after militia gunmen blocked repeated efforts by relief
groups to reach the area. The commander of the Nigerian-led force
said that peacekeepers, backed by tanks and armoured personnel
carriers, patrolled the 60 km highway between the towns of Kle
and Bo near the border with Sierra Leone. "The patrol returned
to Monrovia without any incident. We shall continue tomorrow,"
force commander General Victor Malu told reporters. Relief
agencies, who found hundreds of starving children and old people
cut off by faction fighting in the western town of Tubmanburg
this month, believe that pockets of hungry Liberians may exist
elsewhere in the country. They have tried to visit Cape Mount on
three occasions. Displaced people in Big Joe's Town, 12 miles
from the southern port of Buchanan, meanwhile, said that at least
10 people were dying daily in southern Rivercess County from lack
of food or medicine after fleeing clashes in the southeast.
Journalists visiting the town saw bodies of two people dead from
fever. "Not less than 10 people are dying each day," spokeswoman
Choko Claud, a former local aid worker, told them. (AFJN,
Washington, 25 September 1996)

* Libya. "Political purification" campaign
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has launched an anti-corruption
campaign. Diplomats and his opponents say it is his latest ploy
at power politics. The Libyan leader announced in June that army
officers would spearhead a war on corruption and smuggling.
"Purification" committees have targeted goldsmiths, money
exchange bureaux and export-and-import shops. He vowed at the
beginning of September to launch hundreds more committees of army
and police officers and university students to "clean up Libya".
Since the start of the "purification" sweep, security forces have
closed down dozens of shops and arrested scores of traders, shop
owners and a senior government official. In the latest of his
renowned impromptu speeches to the Libyan masses on 2 September,
Gaddafi painted a picture of "Robin Hood-style" purification
committees" which would take from the super-rich to give to the
indigent. (Daily Nation, Kenya, 14 September 1996)

* OAU. Girls' workload
The African Conference on the Empowerment of Women held recently
in Kampala, Uganda, has declared that girls' domestic household
workload should be reduced drastically. According to a Press
Release from the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the
Conference underscored the need to reallocate the workload in the
family equitably as a means of improving girls' enrolment and
retention in school. It called on African governments to
introduce and develop appropriate technology especially in rural
areas to ease the manual labour to which the girl-child is
subjected. The Conference urged African governments to provide
education for all girls in mainstream schools through
diversification of the educational delivery system and by
promoting alternative mode of schooling. The Conference demanded
parties concerned, to institute measures to ensure the protection
of girls from all forms of insecurity, violence, defilement and
rape in school, on the way to school and in the community at
large. About 30 OAU member states participated in the conference,
out of which 10 were led by ministers. (AFJN, Washington, 25
September 1996)

* Rwanda. Human rights abuses against women
On 23 September, Human Rights Watch and the Federation
Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l'Homme (FIDH) released
a report: "Shattered Lives: Sexual Violence During the Rwandan
genocide and its Aftermath". Both organisations call on the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, convening on 26
September in Arusha, to investigate and prosecute rape and other
gender-related crimes. "In addition, we urge the Rwandan
government to ensure that women are guaranteed equal protection
under domestic law and alert the international humanitarian
community to the necessity for their humanitarian programmes to
address women's needs". (Human Rights Watch, Washington, 23
September 1996

* Rwanda. UNHCR excludes 20 indicted Rwandans
The UNHCR announced on 24 September that it was excluding from
refugee status 20 Rwandans indicted by the International Criminal
tribunal for Rwanda in connection with the 1994 genocide in
Rwanda. UNHCR is urging governments to take the same measure if
these Rwandans sought asylum. The 20 Rwandans are believed to be
among those behind the execution and planning of the genocide in
which more than 500,000 Rwandans were killed. Some of these
Rwandans are in the custody of the tribunal, including three who
were arraigned in Arusha in June. The others are known to be in
Europe and Africa. (IRIN, Nairobi, 24 September 1996)

* Rwanda. International Tribunal at Arusha
Jean-Paul Akayesu, the former mayor (bourgmestre) of Taba in
Gitarama has made history. He will be the first defendent to
appear before the United Nations International Tribunal for
Rwanda (due to start its hearings on 25 September). He is charged
with crimes against humanity in connection with the 1994
genocide. The International tribunal is also due to try Dr
Clement Kayishema, a medical doctor and the former governor of
Kibuye, and Georges Rutaganda, a businessman and the second vice-
president of the Interahamwe militia. (Editor's note: Rutaganda's
lawyer has asked for his client's case to be postponed because
of Rutaganda's ill health.) (IRIN, Nairobi. 24 September 1996)

* Rwanda. Le Tribunal d'Arusha
Le Tribunal international pour le Rwanda, siegeant a Arusha
(Tanzanie), a decide mercredi 25 septembre, de reporter au 6 mars
prochain le proces de l'ancien chef milicien presume Georges
Rutaganda, "serieusement malade" et hospitalise, mais a rejete
sa demande de remise en liberte. Par contre, l'ancien bourgmestre
de Taba au Rwanda, Jean-Paul Akayesu, accuse de genocide, a ete
le premier inculpe a comparaitre devant le Tribunal. Il est
accuse d'avoir joue un role de premier plan dans le massacre de
Tutsi dans sa commune. Son avocat, le Belge Johan Scheers, a
demande le report du proces, estimant ne pas avoir eu les moyens
de preparer la defense de son client. D'apres African Rights, les
premieres seances du TPR, consacrees a Akayesu, devraient mettre
en evidence la responsabilite des autorites locales, les prefets,
les bourgmestres, qui executerent les ordres venus d'en haut et
qui sont directement mis en cause par les survivants. Les
instigateurs et les auteurs du genocide ont aussi utilise l'arme
du viol. Un autre rapport, publie par l'organisation Africa Watch
et par la Federation internationale des droits de l'homme, decrit
comment des milliers de femmes tutsi ont ete systematiquement
violees, mutilees avec des objets contondants, amputees
sexuellement ou gardees en esclavage. Certaines d'entre elles,
emmenees en exil par les miliciens, seraient toujours
pratiquement detenues dans les camps de refugies au Zaire et en
Tanzanie et, malgre leur desespoir, n'osent pas rentrer au
Rwanda! Par ailleurs, le TPR a annonce lundi 23, le transfert
dans sa prison d'Arusha d'Obed Ruzindana, arrete vendredi au
Kenya et inculpe en decembre de genocide et crimes contre
l'humanite, en meme temps que sept autres personnes, accusees
comme lui d'avoir participe aux massacres dans la prefecture de
Kibuye. (D'apres Le Soir, Belgique, 24-27 septembre 1996)

* Rwanda. Armes sud-africaines
Quelques semaines apres la levee de l'embargo des Nations unies
sur les armes a destination du Rwanda, l'Afrique du Sud a decide
d'autoriser la livraison d'armes "defensives" a Kigali. Un comite
gouvernemental a donne son feu vert apres consultation des pays
de la region, qui ont signifie a Pretoria "qu'ils soutenaient la
livraison d'armes au Rwanda pour lui permettre de repondre a la
menace contre la securite du gouvernement legitime". Cette
decision a de quoi surprendre, le president Mandela ayant affirme
que son pays limiterait son role dans la region des grands lacs
a un engagement humanitaire. La decision a ete precedee d'une
discrete visite au Cap, la semaine derniere, du general Paul
Kagame, vice-president rwandais. Le regime d'apartheid fut un des
principaux fournisseurs du gouvernement hutu, exile au Zaire a
la suite du genocide de 1994. (D'apres J-.C., Liberation, France,
27 septembre 1996)

* South Africa. The "Swedish Link"
On 26 September, the self-confessed head of a police
assassination squad, Colonel Eugene de Kock, told the Supreme
Court in Pretoria that he had evidence that South African
security services were responsible for the murder of the Swedish
Prime Minister, Olof Palme, in 1986. He claimed the killing had
been carried out with the help of a notorious South African
agent, Craig Williamson. He said: "It was one of Craig
Williamson's Operation Long Reach projects. I wanted it to be
investigated before it was covered up". (The Guardian, U.K., 27
September 1996)

* Sudan. "Get married or..."
Many of the unmarried journalists at Sudan's state-run television
station are worried by a circular from the management of Sudan-TV
urging them to get married within three months. They see it as
having the force of a directive and fear that they might be
dismissed if they disregard it. "Dear brothers, sisters and
colleagues, on behalf of the (Sudan-TV) trade union and board of
directors, I call upon all staffers to make up their minds and
get married," ran the circular, issued early this month by Sudan-
TV's Director General. "Those interested will apply within three
months... with incentives for those who do so". They will be
married en masse at a ceremony organised and financed by the
institution. The Director General goes on to remind his
colleagues that "The Prophet said: "The worst among Muslims, if
any, are those yet unmarried". Islam also calls on us to marry
and have children in order to populate the earth with good
citizens". The message has created a great deal of nervousness
among some of the 170 unmarried employees of the television
station whose total staff is 204. (AFJN, Washington, 23 September
1996)

* Tanzania. A future for pregnant schoolgirls
An experiment is underway in Tanzania to get more schoolgirls to
complete their high school education. A high teenage pregnancy
rate and society's attitude that girls belong at home have led
to an alarming drop-out rate. The Education Ministry says more
than 3,000 girls get pregnant each year and have to leave school.
Under a pilot scheme sponsored by the International Development
Agency, an offshoot of the World Bank, 392 girls are being put
through secondary school. They have been carefully selected on
the basis of their records in primary school. Some became
pregnant soon after finishing primary school while others were
forced to drop out by their parents. The sponsors are hoping to
educate at least 900 girls who have dropped out of school by the
end of the century. Both the girls and their families will be
counselled in an attempt to help them understand the importance
and benefit to be gained from a full school education. (AFJN,
Washington, 19 September 1996)

* Tunisie. Les droits de l'homme se deteriorent
Cinq organisations de defense des droits de l'homme (dont Amnesty
International, Reporters sans frontieres, le FIDH et Human
Rights) ont adresse hier une tres longue lettre au chef de l'Etat
tunisien pour exprimer leur "profonde preoccupation" face a la
"deterioration" de la situation dans ce domaine en Tunisie. Ces
organisations denoncent la multiplication des arrestations
arbitraires d'"opposants averes ou presumes et de toute
tendance", soulignant que des milliers de personnes sont jetees
en prison "pour leurs opinions a l'issue de proces inequitables".
Les organisations denoncent aussi "l'usage de la torture" et
deplorent l'absence de toute enquete independante sur les "tres
nombreux cas de morts liees a la torture". Et de conclure que
"l'impunite dont jouissent les responsables de ces violations ne
peut que favoriser l'augmentation de tels actes". (D'apres
Liberation, France, 24 septembre 1996)

* Uganda. Letters of the Catholic Bishops
Concern for the alarming situation in the Great Lakes region of
Central Africa, with continuing violence in many areas, has in
recent weeks, caused the Catholic Bishops of Uganda to publish
two Letters. The first one is addressed to "The Heads of State
in the Region" and has been sent to the Presidents of Uganda,
Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Zaire, Burundi and Cameroon. The
second Letter is more specifically for Uganda, and is addressed
to the President and Government of Uganda; Members of Parliament,
Local Councils and the people in the war torn areas. The first
letter deals with the crisis in Burundi, the second with Uganda's
own internal problems. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 15 September 1996)

* Uganda/Sudan. Sudan accused of bombing raid
On 22 September, Sudanese government warplanes bombed Moyo in
northern Uganda (about 12 miles south of Uganda's border with
Sudan) but there were no immediate reports of casualties. The
attack dealt a blow to an agreement mediated this month by Iran
to end disputes between Uganda and Sudan, which accuses each
other of supporting rebel groups.
(The Guardian, U.K., 24 September 1996)

* Union ouest-africaine. La croissance revient
Le taux de croissance du PIB (produit interieur brut) des pays
de l'Union economique et monetaire ouest-africaine (Benin,
Burkina, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal et Togo) devrait
atteindre 5,6% en volume pour 1996 apres deja une hausse de 5,7%
en 1995, a annonce vendredi 20 septembre a Abidjan le gouverneur
de la Banque centrale des Etats d'Afrique de l'Ouest (Bceao),
Charles Konan Banny, qui a souligne que "la croissance [etait]
de retour". Elle depasse maintenant sensiblement le taux de
croissance demographique, estime a 3% par an. Le taux d'inflation
annuel est passe de 30% en 1994, annee de la devaluation du franc
CFA, a 10% en 1995 pour descendre, selon les dernieres
previsions, entre 5 et 6% en moyenne dans les pays de l'Union.
(D'apres Le Monde, France, 23 septembre 1996)

* United Nations. Voting membership shrinks
When the new session of the UN General Assembly opened on
September 17, the voting membership of the world body had shrunk
from 185 to 173. Twelve countries now have no voting rights since
they have not paid their dues --either in part or in full -- for
the last two years. Nine of the twelve are from Africa: Burundi,
Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia,
Mali, Niger, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia. The Assembly,
however, may permit defaulting members to vote if it is satisfied
that failure to pay is "due to conditions beyond the control of
the member". Five countries -- Rwanda, Liberia, Tajikistan,
Georgia and Comoros have thus been exempted from the penalty. The
United States, which currently owes the largest amount (1.65
billion both to the UN regular and peacekeeping budgets) -- has
not lost its voting rights since it has made payments towards
1994. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 September 1996)

* Zaire. UN to clarify misunderstandings
The UN Secretary-General has decided to send to Kinshasa, his
Assistant Secretary-General Ibrahima Fall. The purpose of the
visit is to hold discussions with the Zairian authorities to
clarify misunderstandings on the role and operations of the UNHCR
in Zaire. Last week, the Secretary-General expressed concern
about the accusations made by the government of Zaire that the
UNHCR had provided logistic support to armed groups infiltrating
Zaire from Rwanda and Burundi. (IRIN, Nairobi, 19 September 1996)

* Zaire. Elections 1997? Irrealistes...
Selon une source de la Commission europeenne, il semble
irrealiste d'esperer les elections en juillet 1997, comme c'etait
prevu. Du moins si on veut des elections avec un minimum de
serieux. Le dernier recensement date de douze ans...; depuis
lors, la population a connu d'importants mouvements. Les
infrastructures et l'administration se sont fortement
deteriorees. La Commission nationale des elections (CNE), mise
en place fin decembre 1995, n'est pas vraiement operationnelle;
il n'y a pas encore de projet de Constitution a soumettre au
referendum. L'acces equitable des partis aux medias est tres
problematique: il y a plus de 400 partis. La neutralite des
forces de l'ordre suscite bien des questions et des doutes. La
presence de plus d'un million de refugies rwandais et burundais
au Kivu reste une epee de Damocles. Quand on penses que les 800
membres de l'Assemblee transitoire (le HCR/PT) touchent 1.000 $
par mois -- contre les 200 $ de PNB annuel --, "quel interet
auraient-ils, se demande cette source, a aller aux elections?"
(D'apres M.-F.C., La Libre Belgique, 24 sept. 1996)

* Zaire-Rwanda. La tension reste vive
Dans la nuit du 22 au 23 septembre, vers 20h30, on a entendu un
debut de fusillade dans la ville de Bukavu. Il est difficile de
preciser l'origine de ces coups de feu, mais cela a abouti a des
echanges qui se sont prolonges jusqu'a deux heures du matin entre
les forces armees rwandaises et zairoises. Cette confrontation
s'est terminee par l'intervention des armes lourdes. Ce type
d'actions doit etre inscrit dans l'ensemble de la situation dans
la region: le desequilibre actuel au Burundi, qui provoque les
tensions dans la zone d'Uvira, a des repercussions jusqu'a
Bukavu. Les relations ne cessent de se deteriorer entre les deux
pays, depuis que le gouvernement zairois a accuse le Rwanda et
le Burundi de "fomenter des troubles" dans le sud de Bukavu et
d'avoir aide des Banyamulenge (Tutsi zairois du Sud-Kivu)
installes au Rwanda a perpetrer une agression contre le Zaire.
Des contacts etaient en cours mardi entre les autorites des deux
pays, pour tenter de ramener le calme. D'apres un observateur
local, il n'y a aucun element qui permette d'annoncer quelque
chose. Le sentiment le plus commun est qu'il s'agit d'operations
d'intimidation mutuelle, mais on pressent qu'une evolution plus
grave pourrait se produire. L'avenir est imprevisible et on
craint aussi bien un eclatement definitif de la region qu'un
pillage par l'armee zairoise. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 25
septembre 1996)

* Zaire. Allegations against UNHCR
On 17 September, the following Statement was issued by the
spokesman for the UN Secretary-General: "The Secretary-General
has learned with deep concern about accusations made by the
Government of Zaire that the UNHCR has been providing logistical
support to armed groups infiltrating Zaire from Rwanda and
Burundi with the deliberate intention of destabilising Zaire. The
accusations have been carried on local television and have caused
serious problems for UN personnel working in the region. The
Secretary-General categorically rejects these allegations as
completely unfounded and urges the Government of Zaire to take
steps to clarify the situation". (IRIN, Nairobi, 25 September
1996)

* Zaire. La situation a Bukavu
Selon des informations qui nous sont parvenues de Bukavu, mardi,
24 septembre, vers 16h, le gouverneur du Sud-Kivu a informe la
population -- par la radio -- que l'on etait arrive a un accord
"informel" avec l'armee rwandaise, c'est-a-dire, ne plus se
livrer a des provocations de part et d'autre, et s'abstenir de
tirer. Apres deux nuits blanches, la population de Bukavu a ete
soulagee d'entendre cette nouvelle, mais malgre cela, beaucoup
de familles demenageaient encore vers l'interieur. Il est
difficile de controler l'armee zairoise, et d'etre sur qu'aucun
soldat ne tirera plus un coup de feu, ce qui pourrait a nouveau
declencher le conflit. L'avenir est tres incertain, mais pour le
moment, le calme s'est installe dans la ville. (ANB-BIA,
Bruxelles, 26 septembre 1996)




======> NOUS VOUS SIGNALONS... - ARTICLES AVAILABLE

---> MALAWI
Titre: "Walking together in Faith. Our Journey towards the year
2000"
Source: Pastoral letter from the Bishops of Malawi, 14 September
1996
Description: The background to the Letter is the Jubilee of 2000
years of Christianity and what this should mean to the Church in
Malawi. This involves implementing the African Synod in the life
of the Church and country.
To order: Please quote: "paco 25/09 - 11:48" when ordering.

----> UGANDA
Titre: Two Letters from the Catholic Bishops of Uganda
Description: In August 1996, the Catholic Bishops of Uganda
published two letters concerning violence in the Great Lakes
Region of central Africa. The first Letter is addressed to Heads
of States in the Region and deals with the situation in Burundi.
The second Letters concerns Uganda's own problems and is
addressed to the President and the Government of Uganda; Members
of Parliament and Local Councils; the People in the war-torn
areas of Uganda. To order: Please quote 2309.QWK