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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 12-06-1997      PART #1/  

* Afrique. Force de paix africaine  -  La future force
interafricaine de paix a fait l'objet, le 23 mai, d'un discret
accord entre la France, les Etats-Unis et la Grande-Bretagne. La
troika occidentale se propose d'etre le noyau dur d'un groupe de
pays interesses, fournissant du materiel militaire, alors qu'un
"fonds de concours" aupres de l'ONU devrait recueillir des
contributions financieres au profit des pays africains volontaires
et capables de fournir au moins un bataillon. En lieu et place
d'une force permanente, il s'agirait plutot de reperer des unites
qui, en cas de crise, pourront etre appelees et deployees a breve
echeance.   (d'apres Liberation, France, 6 juin 1997)

* Afrique. Coupe du monde de football  -  La zone Afrique a designe
les trois premiers pays a obtenir leur ticket pour la Coupe du
monde 1998 (hormis la France et le Bresil, qualifies d'office) : le
Nigeria, le Maroc et la Tunisie. L'equipe d'Angola a fait match nul
avec le Cameroun, dimanche 8 juin, dans le groupe 4 de la zone
Afrique. Les Angolais doivent desormais escompter un faux pas du
Cameroun, le 17 aout, lors de la derniere journee, pour esperer se
qualifier.   (Le Monde, France, 10 juin 1997)

* Africa/USA. Susan Rice named to Africa Desk  -  On 28 May,
President Clinton announced his intention to nominate Susan Rice as
assistant secretary of state for African affairs at the Department
of State. Dr. Rice, of Washington, D.C., has been serving as
special assistant to the president and as senior director for
African affairs at the National Security Council since March 1995.
She was director for international organization affairs and
peacekeeping in the Office of Global Affairs at the National
Security Council from February 1993 to March 1995. Prior to joining
the Clinton administration, Dr. Rice was a management consultant
with McKinsey and Company in Toronto, Canada. She earned her
bachelor's degree from Stanford University and a master's degree
and doctorate in international relations from Oxford University in
1990. If her nomination is confirmed by the US Senate, Dr. Rice
will succeed George Moose. In her capacity as assistant secretary,
Dr. Rice will advise the secretary of state on the conduct of
United States foreign relations with the countries of sub-Saharan
Africa and guide the operation of US diplomatic missions in that
region.   (AFJN, Washington, 30 May 1997)

* Algeria. Elections  -  5 June: Parliamentary elections. Counting
begins later on in the day. 6 June: Three parties reject the
election results and threaten to lodge protests with the
constitutional council after the government claims its National
Assembly for Democracy (RND) has won 155 seats. The final results
give the RND 155 seats; the National Liberation Front (FLN), 64;
and the two Islamic parties close to the regime, Society's Movement
for Peace (MSP) and Nahda, 103 seats between them. 8 June:
International observers criticise certain aspects of the voting
procedure. 9 May: The UN mission sent to monitor last week's
elections, has cast doubt on the neutrality of the vote counting.
It has criticised the use of mobile voting booths to gather the
votes of the country's scattered population. They accounted for
5,000 of the 35,000 polling stations. The 120 UN observers thought
the condition of the mobile voting booths was "not sufficient to
guarantee neutrality", the UN said in a statement. President
Zeroual is to re-appoint his incumbent prime minister, Ahmed
Ouyahia, to bolster government stability.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 10
June 1997)

* Algerie. Le vote  -  Les Algeriens ont vote le 5 juin,
apparemment sans beaucoup de conviction, sous la protection de
300.000 hommes en armes. Dans la capitale, il n'y a pas eu grande
affluence, et les partis d'opposition ont suivi les operations avec
beaucoup d'apprehension. La presomption de fraude etait en tous cas
omnipresente dans les propos desabuses des journalistes etrangers,
soumis a une surveillance policiere implacable. Bonn et Washington
ont insiste sur la necessite de la regularite des elections, mais
celle-ci ne sera pas facile a etablir, compte tenu du petit nombre
d'observateurs internationaux (un peu plus de 200 pour 35.000
bureaux de vote). Trois observateurs internationaux ont ete blesses
par l'explosion d'une bombe a l'interieur du pays. -- Les
resultats. Taux de participation: 66,30%, selon les chiffres
officiels. Sur les 380 sieges, le RND (parti presidentiel) en
remporte 155, et le FLN (ancien parti unique) 64: ensemble, ils
obtiennent donc une majorite absolue de 219 sieges. Le Hamas
remporte 64 sieges, le Ennahdha 34, le FFS de Hocine Ait-Ahmed 19,
le RCD de Said Sadi 19, et le PT de Louiza Hanoune 4. Les partis
ANR, de l'ancien Premier ministre Malek, et le PRA, de Noureddine
Boukrouh, n'ont obtenu aucun siege. Le Hamas a denonce "une fraude
generalisee, particulierement criante au niveau des urnes
itinerantes". La mission d'observation internationale coordonnee
par l'ONU a egalement rendu, le 8 juin, un rapport critique. - Un
journal algerien affirmait, le 9 juin, que le president Zeroual
confirmerait dans sa fonction le Premier ministre, Ahmed Ouyahia,
pour renforcer la stabilite du gouvernement.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 10 juin 1997)

* Algerie. Demission du gouvernement  -  Le Premier ministre Ahmed
Ouyahia a presente, le 10 juin, la demission de son gouvernement au
president Zeroual, qui l'a acceptee. M. Ouyahia est charge
d'assurer la gestion des affaires courantes. Une partie de la
presse avait estime que M. Ouyahia serait reconduit dans ses
fonctions. Mais le parti du president, n'ayant pas obtenu la
majorite absolue, a besoin d'un allie. Or, ses deux partenaires
potentiels, le FLN et le MSP, ne sont pas favorables a M. Ouyahia. 
 (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 11 juin 1997)

* Angola. Cooperation and confrontation  -  Sources in Angola are
suggesting that in contrast to the political situation in the
countryside, the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation
(GURN) is working relatively smoothly. Invested on 11 April, the
GURN is made up of 29 ministers and 56 vice-ministers. These are
drawn from all political parties represented in the Angolan
parliament -- the National Assembly. Journalist Augusta Conchiglia
reports that the UNITA ministers and members of the National
Assembly, "take their task very seriously, even with zeal, forcing
themselves to demonstrate their competence and devotion to public
opinion and international observers". This is in sharp contrast to
a report dated 5 June, which states that the Angolan army has
pushed deeper into diamond-rich areas held by UNITA, and that
fighting is continuing in the south of Nzage.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels,
5 June 1997)

* Angola. UNITA under pressure over diamonds  -  11 June: UNITA is
coming under increasing government pressure to reach agreement on
the allocation of the country's diamond concessions, worth an
estimated $700 million a year. The long-running dispute over
UNITA's control of about two-thirds of the country's production,
threatens to hold up implementation of the final phase of the peace
process which ended Angola's civil war. "UNITA is being warned it
is in a weak position, and it should sign now, rather than risk
losing everything", said one diplomat in Luanda.   (Financial
Times, U.K., 12 June 1997)

* Botswana. Unemployment remains high  -  The Bank of Botswana
Review has reported that the diamond rich country has recorded an
economic growth of 7%, compared to 3.1% the previous year. This,
according to the report, marks the highest Gross Domestic Product
growth in the last ten years. Botswana, with a population of 1.3
million, has foreign reserves in excess of US $ 5 billion, and a
low inflation rate of 9%. Members of opposition groups keep asking:
"Why can't some of these reserves be channelled into avenues that
would expedite job creation?" A Deputy Governor of the Bank of
Botswana, Linah Mohoholo, has expressed great concern over the slow
rate of employment-creation in both the public and private sectors.
She says: "To redress this situation, emphasis must be placed on
practical skills that will enable school-leavers to engage in some
productive self-employment, as opposed to white collar
qualifications that turn people into street roamers, even after
attaining university education. It would not be in our interest if
we were to produce, for instance, three thousand lawyers as a
matter of priority, within the next five years!"   (Mwange Kauseni,
Botswana, 10 June 1997)

* Burundi. Combats et emprisonnements  -  La guerre continue dans
le sud du pays et dans la province de Cibitoke. On continue a tirer
dans les contreforts de la capitale Bujumbura, envahie depuis
quelques jours par 1.500 jeunes gendarmes, enroles de force a
l'universite, qui controlent les passants et arretent les gens
soupconnes d'aider les rebelles. Les arrestations continuent
d'ailleurs dans tout le pays. Officiellement, au 31 mars, les
prisons comptaient 8.177 prisonniers, mais il y en a beaucoup
d'autres dans les camps militaires. De fevrier 1996 a fevrier 1997,
133 personnes ont ete condamnees a mort, 54 a la detention a vie,
24 a 20 ans, et 36 ont ete liberees...   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 5 juin 1997)

* Burundi. Retour de l'ex-president  -  L'ex-president du Burundi,
Sylvestre Ntibantunganya, a quitte le 7 juin la protection de
l'ambassade americaine a Bujumbura pour se reinstaller en ville.
Dans un communique envoye au nom de "la presidence de la
Republique, Service de presse", il juge que le conflit "ne pourra
trouver de solution durable, donc solide parce que juste, qu'a
travers des negociations globales, sans conditions et sans
exclusive entre toutes les parties prenantes de la crise et du
conflit burundais", demarche qui "doit etre suffisamment protegee
de l'egoisme, l'arrogance, le mepris et les tendances reductrices
que certaines parties prenantes voudraient imposer".   (La Libre
Belgique, 10 juin 1997)

* Congo (Brazzaville). Troops clash  -  5 June: Government troops
clash with supporters of former military leader Denis Sassou
Nguesso in Brazzaville. Witnesses say that shooting has spread
through Sassou Nguesso's stronghold in the northern suburbs, and
that the army, loyal to President Pascal Lissouba, has sent
reinforcements. Clashes between supporters of Sassou Nguesso and
former president and prime minister Jacques Joachim Yhombi Opango
in their hometowns, have killed 16 people in less than a month. 6
June: Gunfire shakes parts of Brazzaville. State radio says the
army is in total control but an overnight curfew will be
maintained. 7-8 June: Fighting in Brazzaville between the army
which supports President Lissouba, and the militia supporting
former president Nguesso. 9 June: France evacuates more than 350
foreigners from Brazzaville after a morning of heavy shelling.
French troops evacuate foreigners to their military base and four
French military Transall planes, each carrying about 90 people, fly
out of the city. Refugees crossing the river to Kinshasa on 8 June,
said the fighting appeared to be more widespread than in 1993. 11
June: the seventh day of clashes in Brazzaville between the army
and militia supporting former Marxist leader Denis Sassou Nguesso,
President Lissouba orders his army to start a unilateral cease
fire. Lissouba says: "The mission to establish public order has
turned into a civil war". Shortly after his announcement, witnesses
said a few shots were heard from near the presidency. Brazzaville's
Mayor Kolelas is chairing a mediation of the two sides.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 11 June 1997)

* Congo-Brazzaville. Affrontements sanglants  -  La lutte armee a
remplace l'election presidentielle, prevue pour le 27 juillet. Le
5 juin au matin a Brazzaville, l'armee congolaise a attaque la
residence de l'ancien president, Denis Sassou Nguesso, dans le
quartier M'Pila. Selon des temoins, l'armee a ouvert le feu et les
"Cobras", les miliciens de Sassou Nguesso, ont repondu. 6 juin.
Apres une journee d'affrontements meme a l'arme lourde, la ville
est coupee en deux: le sud sous le controle de Nguesso, le centre-
ville sous celui du president actuel, Pascal Lissouba. Les
partisans de M. Kolelas, le maire de Brazzaville, sont restes
neutres, et des consignes de neutralite ont ete donnees aux 500
militaires francais stationnes sur place. 7-8 juin. La crise
s'aggrave: de violents affrontements a l'arme lourde auraient fait
des centaines de victimes, un soldat francais a ete tue et cinq
autres blesses. La France decide d'envoyer des renforts. 9 juin. M.
Kolelas appelle a un cessez-le-feu immediat et a la mise en place
d'une force d'interposition en accord avec les parties en conflit.
Selon France-Presse, Pascal Lissouba et Denis Nguesso auraient
accepte un "accord de principe" pour un cessez-le-feu, sous la
mediation du president gabonais Omar Bongo. --Depuis des annees,
l'action politique dans le pays s'exprime par le regionalisme et le
tribalisme. Trois camps se sont formes: celui des "nordistes",
representant 10 a 20 % de la population, mais sur-representes dans
les rouages de l'Etat; celui du Pool et Brazzaville, regroupes
autour de Bernard Kolelas; et, enfin, celui des "Niboleks",
ressortissants de la region du sud-ouest qui est la plus peuplee.
Tous les principaux partis politiques disposent de milices, souvent
fortement armees, et toutes les tentatives pour les desarmer ont
echoue jusqu'a present. De decembre 1993 a fevrier 1994, une
veritable guerre civile a fait rage dans le pays, faisant 2.000
morts et 300.000 deplaces, victimes de l'epuration ethnique. 10
juin. Malgre l'annonce par la France d'un accord de principe sur la
conclusion d'une treve, les combats a l'arme lourde ont continue
sans relache. Les partisans de Sassou N'Guesso accusent leurs
adversaires de se livrer a une epuration ethnique. Des centaines de
citadins s'enfuient vers les quartiers controles par le maire
Kolelas, qui jusqu'a present est reste neutre dans le conflit. Les
autorites de Kinshasa ont qualifie de "provocation et, a la limite,
d'agression" l'obus tire le 9 juin sur cette ville. Ce qui a
relance l'inquietude au sujet des appuis dont jouirait N'Guesso de
la part du regime de Kabila, le president Lissouba ayant soutenu
jusqu'au bout le marechal Mobutu. 11 juin. Le president Lissouba
ordonne a ses troupes d'observer une cessez-le-feu immediat, mais
les combats continuent. Le soir, N'Guesso appelait a son tour au
cessez-le-feu. Les combats ont fait probablement des milliers de
morts, selon les militaires francais, qui ont maintenant 1.250
soldats sur place et qui ont deja pu evacuer 1.778 ressortissants
etrangers vers Libreville. Le president gabonais, Omar Bongo, a
renouvele son offre de mediation. L'ONU a appele a une cessation
des hostilites et son secretaire general a demande aux leaders de
la region d'user de leur influence "par tous les moyens" pour
ramener la paix.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 11 juin 1997)

* Congo (RDC). Programme de redressement economique  -  Le Congo
n'a pas besoin d'aide de l'etranger pour redresser son economie, a
declare le 4 juin le ministre des Finances, M. Mawapenga. Il a
esquisse un programme ambitieux pour ce redressement: reparation
des routes et des hopitaux, construction d'un oleoduc,
modernisation de l'agriculture et creation d'emplois. Mais on ne
dit pas d'ou doit venir l'argent. "Nous comptons sur nos propres
forces", a-t-il dit, "et nous mettrons d'abord de l'ordre dans nos
propres affaires". Le gouvernement, qui compte aussi sur l'apport
du secteur prive, avait en premiere instance demande de l'aide a
l'etranger; mais il est indigne des conditions mises par l'Occident
concernant les droits de l'homme. D'autre part, des fonctionnaires
americains ont annonce, le 8 juin, que les Etats-Unis veulent
offrir au gouvernement de Kabila une cooperation militaire pour
aboutir a des forces armees "plus institutionalisees". En Belgique,
le secretaire d'Etat a la Cooperation a annonce sa visite au Congo,
ou il participera a une conference nationale de la "societe civile"
et se concertera avec les autorites congolaises sur la future
cooperation entre les deux pays.   (d'apres De Standaard, Belgique,
6 et 9 juin 1997)

* Congo (Dem. Rep). United Nations investigation  -  9 June: The
Officer-in-Charge of the High Commissioner/Centre for Human Rights,
Mr Ralph Zacklin, today welcomed the agreement reached between the
UN Secretary- General and the President of the Democratic Republic
of Congo, for an investigation into allegations of gross violations
of human rights. Mr Zacklin emphasised that the UN's primary
objective, is to ensure an independent and thorough investigation
of the grave human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of
Congo.   (IRIN, Kenya, 10 June 1997)

* Congo (RDC). Mission d'enquete  -  L'ONU a accepte un compromis
avec le president Kabila pour sauver sa mission d'enquete sur les
massacres de refugies rwandais. Une equipe de l'ONU partira le 20
juin et comprendra des membres du Centre des droits de l'homme, des
enqueteurs et des experts en medecine legale. Mais le rapporteur
special de l'ONU, le Chilien Roberto Garreton, en sera exclu; il a
ete declare persona non grata pour avoir denonce au debut de
l'annee des massacres dans l'est du pays et la presence de dizaines
de fosses communes. D'autre part, de nombreux recits et temoignages
sont venus depuis lors au dossier et, le 10 juin encore, l'agence
americaine pour le developpement (Usaid) a affirme qu'il existe de
fortes presomptions que des atrocites continuent dans l'est de
l'ex-Zaire. Toutefois, le directeur de l'Usaid, Brian Atwood, a
indique, le 11 juin, que le president Kabila s'est engage a
traduire en justice tous les militaires qui ont commis des
atrocites. Atwood s'interroge cependant sur la capacite de M.
Kabila de remplir ce contrat, constatant une "coupure majeure"
entre les dirigeants civils et militaires de l'Alliance.   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 12 juin 1997)

* Congo (RDC). Cooperation  -  Washington a envoye dans la RDC une
equipe de cinq personnes charges d'assister les administrations
locales, notamment a Lubumbashi et Goma, a indique le directeur de
l'Usaid le 11 juin a Bruxelles. L'Usaid pourrait faire beaucoup
plus si elle recevait l'autorisation du gouvernement americain, a-
t-il precise. D'autre part, la Belgique envoie son secretaire
d'Etat a la Cooperation pour assister a une conference des ONG
locales sur la restructuration du pays, et le ministre belge de la
Defense a affirme le 11 juin qu'il etait pret a envisager une
reprise de la cooperation militaire avec Kinshasa, interrompue
apres la crise belgo-zairoise de mai 1991.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 12 juin 1997)

* Kenya. Proposed legal reforms  -  Amnesty International says that
the announcement on 1 June by President Moi that the Kenyan
government intends to amend the Public Order Act, is a welcome
recognition of the need for improvements in human rights
protection. An Amnesty International delegation visiting Kenya
says: "We welcome this recognition of the necessity of
constitutional and legal reform, which is a key message of Amnesty
International's Human Rights manifesto for Kenya. However, the
Public Order Act is just one of a range of laws which require to be
repealed or amended, to guarantee basic human rights".   (Amnesty
International, 2 June 1997)

* Kenya. Public order and Constitutional reform  -  The Kenyan
Press has given wide coverage to disturbances which took place in
Nairobi, recently. The 1 June issue of The Sunday Standard says:
"Opposition leaders condemned the police action in dispersing the
"Constitutional Reforms Rally", describing it as "barbaric". The
same paper describes the scene in Nairobi: "Businesses in Nairobi
suffered horrific losses as rampaging mobs cashed in on the chaos
to loot shops. Teams of well-organised thieves played cat-and-mouse
with security forces, moving from shop to shop, breaking doors and
metal grills and clearing out what they could carry". On 2 June,
the Daily Nation said that the Government blamed hawkers for the
chaos in the city on 31 May, and banned hawking in the Central
Business District with immediate effect. The paper also said:
"According to President Moi, a new law to replace the contentious
Public Order Act will soon be debated in Parliament". The same day,
the East African Standard reported that the Head of the Church of
the Province of Kenya (CPK), Archbishop David Gitari, blamed the
Government for the chaos that rocked the city, following the
breaking up of an Opposition rally at the Uhuru Park on 31 May, by
the police.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 5 June 1997)

* Kenya/Rwanda. Diplomatic relations  -  Kenya and Rwanda are set
to restore diplomatic relations, an authoritative source at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nairobi told The East African last
week. All that Kenya is waiting for, is a formal request from
Kigali to reopen the Rwandese embassy in Nairobi. "Once the request
is received, the rest will be a formality", the Kenyan official
said.   (The East African, Kenya, 2-8 June 1997)

* Lesotho. Opposition walks out of Parliament  -  On 11 June,
Lesotho's newly created Opposition, walked out of Parliament to
protest against Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle's formation of a new
governing party. Mokhehle, the aging prime minister, formed the
Lesotho Congress for Democracy Party with a faction of the ruling
Basotholand Congress Party (BCP), taking with him a majority of 65
members of parliament, to form a new parliament in power. About 20
BCP Members have refused to recognise the new party.   (Newspot,
USA, 11 June 1997)

* Mali. Opposants arretes  -  Quatre leaders des principaux partis
de l'opposition malienne ont ete interpelles le dimanche soir, 8
juin, a Bamako et conduits dans les locaux de la Brigade
d'investigation. Ces interrogatoires seraient lies a des
manifestations organisees pendant la ceremonie d'investiture du
president Konare, elu il y a une semaine, au cours desquelles ces
opposants auraient tenu des propos "incitant a la violence". Le 10
juin, ils ont ete places sous mandat de depot. Inculpes notamment
de "non-reconnaissance des resultats de l'election presidentielle
du 11 mai", ils encourent, selon leurs avocats, une peine de cinq
ans de prison ferme.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 10-11 juin
1997)

* Maroc. Elections municipales  -  La campagne officielle pour les
elections municipales du 13 juin s'est ouverte le 28 mai, alors que
la presse d'opposition denonce deja de multiples irregularites
susceptibles, selon elle, d'entacher le verdict des urnes. "Outre
d'entendre encore parler d'irregularites", le roi Hassan II a
affirme qu'il engageait "son poids et son prestige personnels" pour
garantir la transparence des prochains scrutins, municipal d'abord,
puis legislatif a la fin de l'ete. Toutefois, le 9 juin s'est
ouvert le proces de 85 membres du Parti de l'avant-garde
democratique socialiste (PADS, extreme gauche) qui a appele au
boycottage des elections municipales. Ils sont accuses
"d'incitation des citoyens par des voies malhonnetes a s'abstenir
de voter".   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 10 juin 1997)

* Mozambique. Political temperature rises  -  On 5 May,
disturbances were reported in Beira, Sofala Province. A
demonstration had been called by RENAMO, in response to protests by
the population against the high cost of living and the bad
governance of the country. The demonstrators placed barricades,
blocking the roads in heavily populated districts. They also
blocked the railway line between, Beira and Dondo, and attacked
civilians who tried to oppose the demonstration. The Rapid
Intervention Police (PIR) were called out, and they used tear gas,
batons and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators. Two people
were killed, dozens were wounded and sixty-one were detained. A
similar was planned for the same day in Quelimane, Zambezia
Province, but this march was also quashed by the PIR. Further
demonstrations were held in the second week of May, in Nampula and
Sofala. The police again intervened. If the present situation
continues, the city of Beira, which is recognised as being
"politically tense", could become a "time bomb".   (Joao de Brito
Langa, Mozambique, 13 May 1997)

* Nigeria. Reconduction des sanctions  -  L'Union europeenne (UE)
a reconduit pour six mois ses sanctions a l'encontre du Nigeria,
qui avaient ete imposees apres l'execution en novembre 1995 de
l'opposant Ken Saro Wiwa, selon un communique publie le 2 juin a
Luxembourg a l'issue d'une reunion des ministres des Affaires
etrangeres de l'UE. La decision a ete motivee par des "faiblesses
persistantes" dans le processus d'enregistrement des partis
politiques et lors des elections municipales de mars. Les chefs des
diplomaties europeennes se sont egalement dits "profondement
inquiets" de la situation des droits de l'homme au Nigeria.  
(Marches Tropicaux, France, 6 juin 1997)

* Nigeria. Engineering project in trouble  -  Africa's biggest
single engineering project, the $4 billion Nigeria Liquefied
Natural Gas (LNG) scheme, is in trouble. The decision by Mr Dan
Etete, Nigeria's petroleum minister, to dissolve its board of
directors, has undermined the confidence of his foreign partners.
In spite of strenuous efforts to protect the project from political
interference, that is precisely what seems to have happened. The
project management has been ordered to report directly to the
minister's office, and confidence in swift progress in building the
huge LNG terminal has been undermined.   (Financial Times, U.K., 11
June 1997)

* Nigeria. Views on Ghaddafi's visit  -  Readers will recall that
President Ghaddafi of Libya, accompanied by President Bare of
Niger, made a visit to Nigeria on 7 May, in defiance of an air
embargo on Libya. The following are some views on the visit
expressed at the time. Libya's Ambassador to the UN said: "The
visit was a 100% religious one". He urged the UN and the USA and
other countries, to stay clear of the issue, because it would only
annoy other Muslims and Islamic nations worldwide. A Research
Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, who
preferred to remain anonymous, said: "What we stand to gain from
someone like Ghaddafi is debatable". He pointed out that Nigeria
has little or no official trade relations with Libya, and shares
neither geographical boundaries nor cultural affiliation of any
kind with Libya. The Christian Association of Nigeria deplored the
visit and asked why did the Federal Government give it priority
attention? The Archbishop of Lagos and other Christian leaders were
not pleased with the visit, and the way the government handled the
whole issue. Dr Tunde Yacoub, of the Arabic Studies Department,
Lagos State University, said: "Although Ghaddafi professes to be a
practising Muslim, his sincerity of purpose is called into
question. In Islam, the Prophet Mohammed is the only model. Any
other person laying claim to be a rallying point for Islam, is not
genuine".   (Linus Obi Chiamuta, Nigeria, May 1997)

* Rwanda. Attacks stepped up  -  Rebels in the north and west have
been stepping up attacks in a guerrilla war aimed at toppling
Rwanda's government. Reports of violent incidents are increasing,
although they are often sketchy. Residents of Ruhengeri are scared.
Attacks by Hutu militiamen are on the rise and military operations
sgainst them are going strong.   (Voice of America, USA, 9 June
1997)

* Sierra Leone. Rebels remain defiant  -  5 June: Coup leaders tell
Nigerian negotiators that they will not restore ousted President
Kabbah to power. They told politicians invited to talks with them,
that they want 18 months in power before handing over to an interim
body to steer the country to elections. Nigeria is steadily
reinforcing in the city. 6 June: The coup leaders say they want
all-party talks to find a peaceful solution to a standoff with
Nigeria. 9 June: Office workers in Freetown turn up at their
workplace after the new army rulers warn them that absentees risk
being fired. But the staff, who have stayed away since the coup two
weeks ago, stand outside on the pavements saying they are reluctant
to go back because they have not been paid for last month and
because soldiers are still looting their offices. 10 June: The
military junta hints at a crackdown on the press as it seeks to
counter reports that it has turned to Libya for military support.
Declarations on state-run radio also threaten merchants with
"stringent measures" if they do not control prices of food and
other necessities, which have soared since the 25 May military
coup. Banks and government offices are closed again today. The few
shops that open, have long queues of customers eager to buy what
little they can afford.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 11 June 1997)

* Sierra Leone. Le calme avant la tempete?  -  5 juin. Le calme est
revenu a Freetown. Des negociateurs nigerians sont arrives. L'OUA
a demande aux pays voisins d'entreprendre "tout ce qui est
necessaire" pour retablir le pouvoir civil. Des journalistes ont
indique que 30.000 "Kamajors", les milices de chasseurs
traditionnels, seraient regroupes a Kenema, a 240 km au sud-est de
la capitale, et auraient annonce leur intention de "marcher sur
Freetown pour y faire la guerre a la junte". 6 juin. La Force de
paix ouest-africaine au Liberia (Ecomog) continue a depecher des
renforts en Sierra Leone, constituant un contingent d'environ 4.000
hommes, et aurait repris le controle de l'aeroport. Les habitants
de la capitale prennent la fuite par milliers. 10 mai. La junte
militaire envoie une delegation au Nigeria pour y rencontrer le
president Sani Abacha et defendre leur cause. Les troupes
nigerianes et les soldats de la Sierra Leone se sont encore
affrontes a l'arme lourde sur l'aeroport, pres de la capitale.
D'autre part, les rebelles essaient de combattre l'anarchie a
Freetown par l'execution immediate des pillards et des auteurs de
violences. Quatre soldats ont ainsi ete executes par une brigade
anti-pillage, alors qu'ils tentaient de piller et de violer des
religieuses travaillant pour l'agence humanitaire americaine Care. 
 (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 7-12 juin 1997)

* Somalia/Italy. Alleged torture of Somali prisoners  -  Amnesty
International has welcomed the prompt investigation opened by the
Italian military authorities into the case of Somali prisoners
allegedly tortured by Italian forces, but has urged that a
comprehensive inquiry be conducted by a judicial body independent
of the military, and that the findings be made public. In letters
to the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Defence, Amnesty
International has expressed concern at recent public allegations
that Somali prisoners were tortured by members of the Italian
forces in 1993.   (Amnesty International, 11 June 1997)

* Soudan. Le controle du Sud  -  L'armee SPLA de John Garang a
redeploye ses forces au Sud-Soudan en vue d'une prise de controle
de la region. Apres la province de l'Equatoria, c'est celle du
Bahr-el-Ghazal qui est en passe d'etre occupee par les rebelles,
les gouvernementaux ne controlant plus que Wau, Gorgial et Aweil,
trois villes assiegees par la SPLA. Le principal probleme de la
guerilla, qui est passee au stade d'une guerre conventionnelle, est
d'ordre logistique: la saison des pluies retarde les mouvements de
son artillerie et de ses blindes. La decision de Garang resulte
d'un calcul politique: celui de ne pas precipiter la crise du
regime de Khartoum tant que la SPLA n'a pas pris le controle total
du Sud-Soudan.   (Lettre de l'Ocean Indien, France, 7 juin 1997)

* Tunisia. Human rights violations  -  On 11 June, five human
rights organisations were invited to the European Parliament where
leftwing groups are pushing for a resolution on human rights in
Tunisia. Amnesty International says there is a "widening circle of
repression" in Tunisia -- an accusation rejected by the Tunisian
government. A parliament official said that some Tunisian human
rights activists were prevented from travelling to Strasbourg to
attend the meeting.   (Financial Times, U.K., 12 June 1997)

* Western Sahara. Talks start in London  -  On 11 June, Mr James
Baker, the UN Special Envoy for Western Sahara, opened talks in
London with parties involved in the dispute over Western Sahara. He
will hold two days of separate talks, starting by meeting the
Algerian-backed Polisario Front, which seeks independence for
Western Sahara. He will also meet representatives from Morocco.  
(Financial Times, U.K., 12 June 1997)

* Zimbabwe. Conservation Conference  -  9 June: Three African
governments, lobbying for controlled trade in elephant ivory, have
called for a secret vote on the issue, at a crucial conservation
conference which opens in Harare, today. Botswana, Namibia and
Zimbabwe -- who argue they have too many elephants, and poor rural
communities that need ivory revenue -- say sympathetic countries
would have difficulty voting publicly in the face of opposition
from the United States and other powerful countries. The secret-
vote issue is the most controversial of the more than 90
resolutions covering trade in endangered animal and plant species,
to be voted on by the tenth conference of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).   (The Guardian,
U.K., 9 June 1997)

* Zimbabwe. Conference sur les especes menacees  -  Une session de
la convention sur le commerce des especes sauvages menacees debute
le 9 juin a Harare. 75 propositions sur 89 especes seront examinees
par quelque 1.500 participants venus de 136 pays. Ces propositions
visent a renforcer la protection de 75 especes, tandis qu'un
assouplissement a ete demande pour 21 autres. L'embargo sur
l'ivoire et l'arret de la chasse a l'elephant ont ete decides en
1989. Aujourd'hui, trois pays, le Zimbabwe, le Botswana et la
Namibie, proposent la reprise du commerce de l'ivoire, affirmant
qu'ils doivent faire face a des populations d'elephants en exces et
que le seuil tolerable pour l'environnement est depasse. Les autres
pays africains restent favorables a l'embargo.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 9 juin 1997)