ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belg TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: paco@innet.be _____________________________________________________________ WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 13-02-1997 PART #1/ * Afrique du Sud. Les metisses provoquent des emeutes - Le 6 fevrier, dans la banlieue de Johannesburg, l'Afrique du Sud a vecu des scenes d'emeutes violentes a la suite d'une journee d'action civique de la communaute metisse, qui protestait contre la decision des autorites de couper l'eau et l'electricite. Il y aurait eu au moins quatre morts et plus de 200 blesses, dans des heurts avec la police. (d'apres AFP, France, 6 fevrier 1997) * South Africa. Police versus mixed-race residents - On 6 February, dozens of people were injured in clashes between the police and residents of mixed-race townships around Johannesburg, in the worst riots since South Africa's multiracial elections nearly three years ago. The army and the police cordoned off three townships, as violence flared over an increase in local council rates and threats to cut power and water, for non-payment of services. But the protest reflects deeper resentments within the Coloured community, which argues that it is being discriminated against in the new South Africa. Trouble flared after a local civic association, mainly representing Coloured people, called a "stayaway" -- which exhorted people not to go to work -- over increased rates. Hundreds of young people turned out at dusk to build barricades of wrecked cars, and felled trees and dustbins ion the streets to prevent residents from getting to their jobs. (The Guardian, U.K., 7 February 1997) * South Africa. Biko family name lawyers - The family of Steve Biko said on 10 February, that it was preparing to take legal action to oppose an amnesty bid by five South African policemen, seeking absolution for his death. In the first comment by the family since the policemen applied for amnesty at the end of January, Biko's son, Nkosinathi, announced the family would oppose a plea for amnesty. The five white officers are now seeking amnesty in return for a full confession. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission said (on 11 February) that it welcomed the decision by members of the Biko family to appear before its Amnesty Committee, when the police officers apply for amnesty. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 February 1997) * South Africa. Opposition activity - 10 February: Bantu Holomisa, who fell from favour last year, was once a popular protege of President Mandela. He says he is confident of founding a new opposition party by June. The party, widely seen as a possible haven for defectors from the ANC, should be up and running to fight the 1999 election campaign. The former military leader of the impoverished Transkei homeland was pushed out of the ANC last year, after making bribery allegations against a colleague and then refusing to apologize. 11 February: South African white-led opposition parties, including the creators of apartheid, accuse President Mandela's ruling ANC of racism, and say the country is slipping into economic decay. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 February 1997) * Algeria. Killing sparks revolt against rebels - On 6 February, an Algerian newspaper said that the massacre of 31 people in an Algerian town has sparked a revolt against Muslim rebels by civilians, who have armed themselves with guns and iron rods to repel more attacks. The rebels are seeking to root political Islam in Algeria's secular culture. Hundreds of villages throughout Algeria have set up self-defense groups at the behest of the army commanders to fight Muslim guerrillas. About 60,000 people have been killed in Algeria's violence since early 1992. (Newspot, USA, 6 February 1997) * Algerie. Fin du Ramadan - Les Algeriens se sont rendus nombreux, le samedi 8 fevrier, dans les mosquees et les cimetiers pour celebrer l'Aid el-Fitr a l'issue d'un mois de ramadan marque par une vague de terreur sans precedent. Le "retour a la paix" et le souhait de "fraternite" revenaient comme un leitmotiv dans les conversations comme dans le preche des imams. A Alger, les derniers jours n'ont ete marques par aucun attentat spectaculaire. Partout, les cimetieres etaient bondes. (Le Monde, France, 9 fevrier 1997) * Algerie. Preparation des elections - Le president Zeroual a recu, le 11 fevrier, les representants de dix partis pour preparer le prochain scrutin legislatif. Il propose comme date du premier tour le 29 mai ou le 5 juin. Il s'est engage sur 3 points: "Assurer la securite totale des electeurs et des candidats, et la neutralite de l'administration et le respect des resultats". Une commission independante surveillera l'operation, incluant des observateurs etrangers. Plusieurs partis ont boycotte la rencontre et leur participation au scrutin est loin d'etre acquise. La majorite reste convaincue que ces elections ne regleront pas les problemes. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13 fevrier 1997) * Angola. UNITA to settle in Luanda - A well-informed source has disclosed that UNITA has made a firm decision to settle in Luanda. However, it needs guarantees that the Angolan government will fully abide by its obligations in terms of the Lusaka Protocol. The source says that the government must do more than just make promises. It must take decisive steps such as attributing a special political status to UNITAžs president Jonas Savimbi, and legalize UNITAžs political activity throughout Angola. (AFJN, Washington, 3 February 1997) * Angola. Attaque independantiste au Cabinda - Un Malaisien et un Philippin travaillant comme ingenieurs forestiers ont ete captures au Cabinda et accuses de s'etre livres a des activites d'espionnage. Leur capture est revendiquee par le Front de liberation de l'enclave du Cabinda, qui les accuse d'avoir ete infiltres par le gouvernement angolais. Le FLEC, qui est le seul mouvement arme cabindais a ne pas avoir signe d'accord avec Luanda, demande a toutes les societes petrolieres de quitter le Cabinda, dont le petrole representerait 90% des rentrees de devises de l'Angola. (Le Soir, Belgique, 10 fevrier 1997) * Burkina Faso. Reprise des cours a l'universite - A l'issue d'un meeting qui a reuni plusieurs centaines de personnes, es etudiants de l'universite de Ouagadougou, en greve depuis deux semaines, ont decide lundi de reprendre les cours pour 72 heures afin de "mesurer la bonne foi" de leur ministre de tutelle. Le ministre burkinabe de l'enseignement secondaire, superieur et de la recherche, Maurice Melegue Traore, avait annonce dimanche a Ouagadougou la liberation du dirigeant etudiant Andre Tibiri et de trois de ses compagnons arretes une semaine plus tot. Ces arrestations etaient intervenues a la suite d'un mouvement de greve lance par l'Association nationale des etudiants burkinabe (ANEB), qui s'etait solde par des echauffourees entre manifestants et forces de l'ordre. Les etudiants reclament une aide directe de 160.000 Fcfa (1.600 FF) aux etudiants non-boursiers, au lieu d'un pret propose actuellement, et la creation d'une ligne directe d'autobus desservant le campus et les cites universitaires ainsi que l'acces aux soins pour tous les etudiants. (D'apres AFP, France, 10 fevrier 1997) * Burkina Faso. Innovations pour la 15eme edition du FESPACO - Parmi les innovations qui marqueront le 15eme Festival panafricain du cinema de Ouagadougou (FESPACO), qui se tiendra du 22 fevrier au 1er mars, on trouve la reduction du nombre de longs metrages (19, contre 23 il y a deux ans). Le but, a indique son secretaire general, Baba Hama, est de "participer a l'elan de professionalisation du festival". Autre innovation, le FESPACO accueillera un colloque d'une journee, place sous le theme "Enfance et jeunesse". Pres d'un millier d'enfants seront convies a la ceremonie d'ouverture, a ajoute M. Hama. (D'apres AFP, France, 6 fevrier 1997) * Burundi. Coup trial "soon" - On 5 February, Burundi's justice minister said that the trials of some 80 people suspected of taking part in massacres that followed a 1883 abortive Tutsi-led military coup, in which Burundi's first Hutu president was killed, could begin next March. Justice Minister Gervais Rubashamuheto said that 13 suspects were awaiting trial in Burundian jails, though many others were abroad and running free. Mr Melchior Ndadaye was murdered on 21 October 1993, three months after he was elected as Burundi's first President issued from the country;s Hutu majority. (AFJN, Washington, 5 February 1997) * Burundi. Disease kills 150 Hutus in relocation camp - Disease has killed 150 Burundian Hutus in a relocation camp, occupants said on 6 February. They said bacterial dysentery, diarrhoea and malaria were rampant among the 12,000 people brought from their villages and farms by the Tutsi-dominated army in its war with Hutu rebels. As worsening violence in the war with Hutu rebels has gripped the countryside, the army has adopted a policy of relocating Hutus to camps, officially to protect them. Aid agencies say more than 150.000 Hutus were sent to relocation camps since the New Year. (Newspot, USA, 6 February 1997) * Burundi. 30 prisoners killed - A local Burundian official said on Sunday 9 February that 30 prisoners, arrested for colluding with anti-government rebels, were killed when they attacked guards at a prison in November. The comments by Lieutenant-Colonel Boniface Bamuma, governor of Muyinga province close to the Tanzania border, were the first confirmation of the incident at Gisanze prison northeast of the capital Bujumbura. But he denied reports by travellers from the area who said in Bujumbura on Sunday that 68 prisoners had been killed and buried in a mass grave. Muyinga province has been the scene of military activity to prevent Hutu anti-government rebels from infiltrating from hideouts in Tanzania. (Reuters, 9 February 1997) * Burundi. Secretaire general du Frodebu porte disparu - Le secretaire general du Frodebu, membre du Parlement, Augustin Nzojibwami, deja place en residence surveillee depuis le 8 fevrier, a ete enleve le 11 fevrier par l'armee pour une destination inconnue. Tous les documents du Frodebu ont ete saisis. Le president de l'Assemblee nationale, Leonce Ngendakumana, est lui aussi menace d'arrestation. Prevenu a l'avance, il ne s'est pas rendu a son bureau, ou il devait etre arrete. (Centre d'information des Ong, Bujumbura, 11 fevrier 1997) * Burundi. Couloir aerien avec Brazzaville - Les gouvernements congolais et burundais ont signe debut fevrier a Brazzaville un protocole d'accord, pour raisons humanitaires, prevoyant l'ouverture d'un couloir aerien et des echanges economiques bilateraux, a-t-on appris de source officielle le 12 fevrier. Cet accord a ete pris conformement au sommet des chefs d'Etat des pays membres du comite consultatif des Nations unies, qui s'etait reuni en decembre dernier a Brazzaville. Des avions d'Air Burundi ont commence depuis plus d'une semaine a assurer le trafic des produits alimentaires. (D'apres AFP, France, 12 fevrier 1997) * Burundi. Why Nzojibwani has been arrested - On 11 February, Burundian state radio reported that opposition leader Augustin Nzojibwani has been taken into custody for "setting the population against the public authorities and institutions, as well as...undermining efforts to restore peace in Burundi". Nzojibwani is the secretary-general of the Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU), the main Hutu opposition party. (IRIN, 12 February 1997) * Chad. From war to wealth - A potential new source of revenue -- oil -- offers hope for Chad's economy, as it rebuilds after three decades of war. An official said recently, "Chad should get some royalties so we can free the country through development". Chad has known coups, civil war or conflict with its northern neighbour, Libya, since independence in 1960. Sporadic cross-border rebel raids remain a problem. But after July's election won by former warlord, Idriss Deby, who seized power in a 1990 French-backed coup, there are signs of durable peace and opportunities for growth. (Newspot, USA, 7 February 1997) * Congo. Mutinerie matee - Les forces loyalistes ont mis fin, le 6 fevrier, a une mutinerie que d'anciens miliciens de la mouvance presidentielle avaient declenchee le 1 fevrier a Loudima, a 200 km a l'ouest de Brazzaville, a annonce le chef d'etat-major des forces armees. Il a qualifie la mutinerie de "coup d'Etat". (Liberation, France, 7 fevrier 1997) * Egypte. Huit chretiens tues - Huit chretiens coptes ont ete tues et cinq autres blesses le 12 fevrier en Haute-Egypte par des islamistes, qui ont tire a l'arme automatique sur un groupe de civils rassembles devant une eglise a Abous-Quorqas, a environ 320 km au sud du Caire. Parmi les tues figurent une femme et deux freres. Cet attentat est le plus important contre les coptes depuis environ un an. Ces huit nouvelles victimes portent a 1.140 le nombre de personnes tuees en Egypte depuis le debut de l'agitation islamiste en 1992. Par ailleurs, un groupe d'etudiants et etudiantes egyptiens, ages de 17 a 20 ans, issus du milieu aise du Caire, se sont fait prendre lors de rites que la justice estime etre "sataniques". Le mufti d'Egypte, qui les a qualifies d'"apostats", les a invite au repentir, faute de quoi on appliquerait la "charia" contre eux. Le parquet, pour sa part, a decide de prolonger de 15 jours la garde a vue d'une vingtaine de ces "adorateurs de Satan", d'origine chretienne et musulmane. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 12 fevrier 1997) * Grands Lacs. Premiers contacts de M. Sahnoun - L'envoye special de l'ONU pour les Grands Lacs, Mohamed Sahnoun, s'est entretenu le 10 fevrier avec le secretaire general de l'Organisation de l'unite africaine, Salim Ahmed Salim. Nomme pour "promouvoir des reglements pacifiques" aux conflits de la region et preparer une conference internationale sur les Grands Lacs, M. Sahnoun se rendra ensuite dans les capitales concernees, Bujumbura, Kigali et Kinshasa. (D'apres AFP, France, 10 fevrier 1997) * Great Lakes. OXFAM harries UN for help - On 12 February, relief agencies sought to galvanise the world into action on Africa's Great Lakes region, in an unprecedented appearance before the UN Security Council. It was the first time, non-governmental organisations had been invited to brief the Council, and OXFAM and other agencies, urged members to make the crisis the world's top diplomatic priority, and to expend as much energy on the region, as they had, brokering peace in former Yugoslavia. (The Guardian, U.K., 13 February 1997) * Kenya. La police tue un missionnaire - Le 22 janvier a Nakuru, un missionnaire irlandais, le P. Larry Timmons, age de 47 ans, a ete tue de plusieurs coups de feu tires par la police qui intervenait dans sa maison suite a une tentative de vol. La police, qui a confirme les faits, parle d'"incident". Elle a annonce que deux policiers faisaient l'objet d'une enquete. Selon le diocese de Nakuru, le P. Timmons avait, la veille de sa mort, accuse les responsables de la police locale de corruption et de discrimination dans la delivrance de la nouvelle carte d'identite. (La Croix, France, 9 fevrier 1997) * Liberia. Peacekeepers - US air force units based in Europe, will begin moving about 1,200 more African peacekeeping troops into Liberia this week. The troops will augment a force of about 2,000 peacekeepers who have helped restore law and order to Liberia. A US air force spokesman, says that preparations are now being made to set up a staging area at Abidjan International Airport. He says that troops will then be flown into Liberia from the staging area. (VOA, 11 February 1997) * Mozambique. Repartition d'emplois - Bien que discretement, les autorites mozambicaines et la Renamo ont commence a negocier l'attribution d'emplois dans les administrations ou les entreprises et organismes publics en faveur de sympathisants de ce parti d'opposition ou du moins de personnes originaires du centre du pays. (D'apres Lettre Ocean Indien, France, 8 fevrier 1997) * Niger. Ouverture au dialogue - Apres que le president Mainassara ait invite l'opposition a faire "taire les rancoeurs" et a participer a un gouvernement de "large ouverture", l'opposition nigerienne a pose, le 12 fevrier, plusieurs conditions en vue de desamorcer la crise politique qui sevit depuis un mois au Niger. Elle demande la dissolution de la Cour de surete de l'Etat, la liberte de manifestation, ainsi que la couverture de toutes ses activites par les medias d'Etat. Elle estime que la Cour de surete est une "juridiction d'exception" et qu'elle est a ce titre "anticonstitutionnelle". Deja le 5 fevrier, l'Union europeenne avait appele le gouvernement du Niger a "moderer son attitude vis- a-vis de l'opposition et a respecter les libertes fondamentales, y compris la liberte d'opinion et la liberte de presse". (D'apres AFP, France, 12 fevrier 1997) * Nigeria. British Visa scam - On 6 February, it was reported that at least four British employees of the visa section of the British High Commission in Nigeria, have been sent home in recent weeks, because of what diplomats suspect is a major visa-selling ring. Some were sent home for their own protection, and some because of suspected involvement in irregularities. Four British police officers have arrived in Nigeria to investigate "possible irregularities in the visa section of the High Commission". Word of the British visa scandal has spread a sense of distress through other Western Embassies in Lagos. (AFJN, Washington, 6 February 1997) * Nigeria. Affrontements et attentants - Au moins 5 personnes ont ete tuees, le 7 fevrier, a Kano (dans le nord du pays) dans des affrontements entre fondamentalistes musulmans et policiers. Une vive agitation regne dans les milieux fondamentalistes depuis l'arrestation, le 12 septembre 1996, du dirigeant Mohammed El Zak- Zaki, apres des affrontements entre chretiens et musulmans - Pour la quatrieme fois en deux mois, l'armee nigeriane a ete la cible, le 12 fevrier a Lagos, d'un attentat a la bombe, qui a fait 8 blesses, dont 5 soldats. L'opposition, accusee d'etre melee a ces attaques, a nie toute implication. L'administration militaire du general Abacha est actuellement engagee dans un processus de desengagement du pouvoir par etapes qui devrait culminer a l'automne 1998 dans des elections presidentielles. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8-12 fevrier 1997) * Nigeria. Registering for polls - On 10 February, Nigeria started registering voters in preparation for elections designed to end military rule. Meanwhile, the opposition said that Nigeria's ruler, General Sani Abacha, plans to use the vote to keep himself in power. In an interview last week, Abacha did not rule himself out as a candidate in the 1998 presidential poll, reinforcing views that the transition to civilian rule is designed to maintain his hold on power. (Newspot, USA, 10 February 1997) * Rwanda. Diverting foreign aid to war - On 7 February, Rwanda's military strongman said the government had the right to divert foreign aid to its war against Hutu extremists, because providing security in the country was the top priority. Defense Minister Paul Kagame gave few details when asked about rumours that the government was using funds from international donors, for the war. International donors had pledged some $400 million to Rwanda in December, to help the country rebuild from the 1994 genocide, and cope with the return of more than a million Hutu refugees. (Newspot, USA, 7 February 1997) * Rwanda. African Rights accuse Amnesty - Dans un rapport paru le 29 janvier, l'organisation African Rights, qui s'est scindee il y a quelques annees de African Human Rights Watch et qui a pris clairement le parti du Front patriotique rwandais, s'en prend ouvertement a Amnesty International. Le rapport reproche a A.I. et a Reporters sans Frontieres d'avoir pris, sans examen serieux, la defense de Joseph Ruyenzi, accuse de viol et autres atrocites, et de paralyser ainsi la justice rwandaise. (d'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 7 fevrier 1997) * Rwanda. Deux taxis-minibus attaques - Une attaque, dimanche soir, 9 fevrier, de deux minibus, a 15 km au nord de Kigali, a fait 11 morts et 20 blesses. Selon Radio Rwanda, qui en a donne l'annonce, un premier minibus, en provenance de Gisenyi (nord), a ete arrete par des hommes armes dans la commune de Tare. Les assaillants auraient fait descendre tous les passagers, puis separe les Hutu et les Tutsi, avant de tirer sur ces derniers. Un deuxieme minibus a ensuite ete incendie, ajoute la radio. Par ailleurs, le bureau de Nairobi de l'agence britannique Reuter a indique, lundi 10, que le ministere rwandais de l'Interieur a donne 24 heures au correspondant de l'agence, M. Christian Jennings, un Britannique de 34 ans travaillant comme pigiste, pour quitter le pays. Le motif de l'expulsion n'a pas ete precise. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 10 fevrier 1997) * Rwanda. Le tribunal international en crise - Un rapport publie le 12 fevrier par le bureau des services de controle interne de l'ONU a denonce des "irregularites de gestion" au Tribunal penal international pour le Rwanda (TPR), dont le siege est a Arusha. L'enquete a conclu qu'il y avait eu "un grand nombre d'anomalies et de carences" dans l'administration du TPR, mais n'a pas identifie de responsables. "Des fonctionnaires occupant des postes clefs au greffe et au bureau du procureur ne se sont pas acquittes de leurs responsabilites comme il convient", a simplement indique le rapport. (D'apres AFP, France, 12 fevrier 1997) * Rwanda. Report dams international tribunal - The international genocide trials for Rwanda, have been crippled by chaotic management, underqualified legal staff and indifference at UN headquarters, according to a report by the UN inspector-general, Karl Paschke. He said that unless there was an overhaul, the Rwandan people "will be right to suspect that justice delayed is justice denied". Mr Paschke concluded that "not a single administrative area (of the court) functioned effectively" amid "mismanagement in almost all areas of the tribunal and frequent violation of UN rules and regulations". His report singled out the tribunal's Kenyan administration for criticism. It also accused the deputy prosecutor, a judge from Madagascar, of incompetence. (The Guardian, U.K., 13 February 1997) * Sudan. Arrests of southern opposition officials - On 6 February, Sudanese sources said that four leading southern politicians had been arrested by the Sudanese authorities, just days after they rounded up dozens of opponents suspected of planning assassinations and sabotage acts in Khartoum. The four men are vociferous critics of the Islamist government of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bechir. They reportedly have often complained that the state is not giving the southern Sudanese their rights. Rebels in the mostly Christian south have been fighting for autonomy from the Khartoum government since 1983. (Newspot, USA, 6 February 1997) * Soudan. La guerre en attente - La contre-attaque menee par l'armee soudanaise autour d'Ed Damazin et Roseires, dans la province du Nil-Bleu, n'a pas reussi a repousser les lignes rebelles. Tout au plus est-elle parvenue a empecher une nouvelle avancee des forces de la National Democratic Alliance (NDA) qui demeurent a peu pres sur les memes positions depuis une semaine. Le front rebelle donne l'impression d'operer une pause dans l'attente de l'ouverture d'un nouveau front. En effet, l'ancien premier ministre Sadek al Mahdi s'emploie a preparer un soulevement au Kordofan, province au sud-ouest de Khartoum. Plusieurs milliers d'hommes des milices Ansars se sont reunis a Abyei, au sud de la province. D'autre part, Sadek al Mahdi participera a une reunion de la direction du NDA a Asmara a la mi-fevrier. Cette reunion devrait e.a. discuter de l'initiative de mediation lancee par les Emirats arabes unis. (D'apres Lettre Ocean Indien, France, 8 fevrier 1997) * Soudan. Contre-offensive bloquee - Le chef de la diplomatie soudanaise, M. Taha, a reconnu que l'armee avait ete incapable de lancer la contre-offensive annoncee contre l'opposition dans l'est du pays, a la fin du Ramadan, en raison de la multiplication des fronts par l'opposition. Le president iranien Rafsandjani, quant a lui, a affirme le 12 fevrier que le Soudan avait demande une aide militaire a l'Iran, mais qu'il "n'y avait actuellement aucun pont aerien" entre Teheran et Khartoum pour des livraisons d'armes. Par ailleurs, M. Taha a reaffirme que son pays avait officiellement accepte le principe de la proposition des Emirats arabes unis, visant a mettre un terme au conflit arme. Mais le porte-parole de l'opposition unifiee a declare que la question de la mediation ne sera pas soulevee lors de sa reunion a Asmara, la troisieme semaine de fevrier, car "l'Alliance n'a recu aucune proposition concrete ou initiative precise". (D'apres AFP, France, 12 fevrier 1997) * Swaziland. Violence during strikes - Reports say that police in Swaziland have shot and wounded at least five people. Eyewitnesses said the shooting took place in the town of Big Bend, a major sugar-producing centre. Police tried to break up a demonstration in support of striking workers, by firing tear gas into the crowd. Demonstrators threw the tear gas back, and police then allegedly opened fire. This points to mounting tension in Swaziland, as a general strike in support of both labour and democratic political reforms, continues for a second week. Efforts to resolve the strike appear stalled over the fate of top leaders of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, who were arrested ahead of the walkout. (VOA, 11 February 1997) * Uganda. A country at war - 29 January: Fighting between soldiers and rebels in Uganda is said to be reaching a crisis stage. The war in the northern part of the country has forced thousands of people to flee their villages for relatively safer areas. 30 January: President Museveni indicates that a peaceful solution to his country's row with Sudan, is no longer possible. 31 January: The Government of Uganda dismisses as false and baseless, allegations from some Zairian government circles, that Uganda is involved in the armed conflicts in eastern Zaire. A statement issued today by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says that developments in eastern Zaire are internal problems that Zaire should address with courage, by identifying their causes. (AFJN, Washington, 29 January 1997) * Zaire. Rebel push - 4 February: Rebels seize the port of Kalemie, an important stronghold in the mineral-rich southern province of Shaba. A spokesman for Zaire's Defence Ministry confirms the port has fallen and says the rebels are heading towards Moba, 175km to the south. 5 February: Sources indicate that Punia, some 300 km south-east of Kisangani, has fallen to the rebels. 6 February: Rebel forces in eastern Zaire have made rapid military advances, while launching an international campaign against what they allege, is imminent French intervention. In a further blow to Zaire's government, less than a month after it launched a counter-offensive, the rebels have seized the town of Shabunda. It is the last major obstacle to an attack on the military base at Kindu. The rebels have given President Mobutu, a fortnight to resign or face a new military offensive, although it is not clear what the rebel alliance could do which it is not already doing. 7 February: As rebels fight around Lubutu, the UN starts planning for the withdrawal of aid workers from Kisangani. President Mobutu returns to Zaire from Morocco. Zaire welcomes the US call for neighbouring countries to stay out of the war. 9 February: Rebel forces reach the outskirts of Tingi-Tingi refugee camp. Laurent Kabila says he has ordered his troops to halt their advance on the camp. 10 February: Zairian rebels advance on three fronts towards a fortified eastern airport and an army base at Kindu, west of Bukavu. Bishikwabo Chubaka, governor of South Kivu and an official in the Alliance of Democratic Forces (ADFL), says that rebels hope to expel Zaire's army from Kindu, soon. 11 February: The East Zairian rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, presides over a parade of 1,200 new recruits in Bukavu, signalling a rapid expansion of his force. It followed a ceremony involving 5,000 newly trained rebels in Goma on 6 February. Mr Kabila told the rebels that he would take the war to Kinshasa and to Gbadolite, President Mobutu's home village, near the border with the Central African Republic. The same day, an official in Kinshasa says that a Ugandan military plane, carrying fresh troops into eastern Zaire, has crashed inside the Zairian border. The plane crashed on the night of 10 February in the Ruwenzori mountain area. 12 February: Laurent Kabila says his forces have captured the town of Isiro, and are now in a position to launch an attack on Gbadolite. Kabila says his forces are moving towards Buta. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 February 1997) * Zaire. Suite des evenements - 6 fevrier -- Les Etats-Unis ont lance un nouvel appel aux voisins du Zaire pour qu'ils ne s'impliquent pas dans les combats, en citant explicitement l'Ouganda, le Rwanda et le Burundi. - Le Haut commissariat pour les refugies demande a nouveau l'ouverture de corridors humanitaires. - Le president Mobutu finit ses entretiens avec le roi Hassan II du Maroc; il est tres peu probable que ce dernier envoie des troupes au Zaire. - La Commission europeenne a invite les presidents Museveni (Ouganda) et Moi (Kenya) pour discuter du conflit au Zaire. 7 fevrier -- Les rebelles affirment avoir pris le pont sur la riviere Oso. D'autre part, le ministere de la Defense a Kinshasa annonce que l'armee zairoise a repris les villes de Watsa et de Shabunda. Elle aurait tue 800 rebelles et capture 19 soldats ougandais. - Le Haut Commissaire aux refugies, Mme Ogata, en visite a Kinshasa, evalue a 560.000 le nombre total de refugies rwandais et burundais encore au Zaire, la plupart hors d'acces pour les organisations humanitaires. - Le Conseil de securite de l'ONU reclame le "retrait des forces etrangeres". 8-9 fevrier -- Les rebelles ont pris le camp des refugies de Amisi et son aerodrome. Ils disent avoir conquis la ville de Bafwasende (sur la route Kisangani-Bunia) et se fixer comme objectif la capitale du Haut- Zaire, Kisangani. Ils avanceraient vers Moba (sur le lac Tanganyika) et vers Kalima (dans la direction de Kindu). -- Un bateau, transportant un quelque 5.000 refugies, est arrive en fin de semaine dans le port de Mpulungu (Zambie), sur le lac Tanganyika. Les refugies fuyent les combats entre rebelles et armee zairoise dans l'est du Zaire. 10 fevrier. Un appel a une journee "villes mortes" au Zaire pour reclamer le depart du Premier ministre Kengo Wa Dondo, lance par le parti d'opposition radicale FONUS (Forces novatrices pour l'union et la solidarite), de Joseph Olenga-Koy qui anime la branche la plus dure de l'opposition radicale, a ete largement observe dans la capitale dont les avenues sont restees desertes. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 11 fevrier 1997) * Zaire. Annonces et dementis - Le 11 fevrier, les rebelles annoncent la prise d'Isiro, au nord-est de Kisangani. De son cote, Kinshasa annonce qu'un avion ougandais qui amenait des troupes fraiches s'est ecrase le 10 fevrier au soir sur le territoire zairois dans la region frontaliere. Les deux nouvelles sont dementies le lendemain par la partie adverse, mais Kinshasa reconnait que la ville de Bafwasende, entre Isiro et Kisangani, est tombee aux mains des rebelles. Ceux-ci, qui controlent une bande de territoire de plus de 1.000 km de long dans l'est du Zaire le long des frontieres de l'Ouganda, du Rwanda et du Burundi, affirment qu'ils progressent vers Buta, a 450 km a l'est de Gbadolite, siege du palais de Mobutu. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13 fevrier 1997) * Zambia. Highlights - 24 January: The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation says that President Chiluba has released 600 prisoners from various prisons throughout the country, under presidential amnesty. 7 February: President Chiluba warns Zambians of a "tight budget", which will require the country to live within its means, to end what he calls "the dependency syndrome" on outside assistance. Opening the first session of parliament in Lusaka, he says it is important that Zambians cede dependency on external aid. If Zambia's development is to have a solid and lasting foundation, it is essential and expedient that the country reduce its dependency on donor charity. (AFJN, Washington, 7 February 1997)