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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 02-10-1997      PART #1/  

* Africa. Anglicans send missionaries to Britain  -  In a
remarkable reversal of their roles, the worldwide Anglican Church
now sends more missionaries to Britain, than to any other member
country, to test different cultural approaches to the task of
building congregations... African Churchesž enthusiasm and open-
heartedness, is particularly valued for British mission work in
areas where congregations have been timid about spreading the
word... The world's largest Church of England is now in Nigeria...
The new arrivals in Britain are known as "mission partners" rather
than missionaries, to emphasise the modern co-operative approach,
rather than the imperial concept. Priests on mission to Britain
work in tandem with local vicars or team ministries, and there is
no emphasis on winning converts.   (The Guardian, U.K., 29
September 1997)

* Afrique. Resolution de l'ONU  -  Une reunion speciale, au niveau
ministeriel, du Conseil de securite de l'ONU, le 25 septembre, a
ete consacree exclusivement a l'Afrique. Dans une resolution, le
Conseil s'est declare "gravement preoccupe par le nombre et
l'intensite des conflits armes sur le continent" et concluait que
"les defis en Afrique appellent une reponse plus complete". Il
charge des lors le secretaire general de rediger d'ici a fevrier
prochain un rapport sur les origines de ces conflits et sur les
moyens de les prevenir ou d'y faire face.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 26
septembre 1997)

* Afrique. Reunion de l'Episcopat africain  -  Du 21 au 28
septembre s'est tenu, a Midrand en Afrique du Sud, la onzieme
Assemblee pleniaire du Symposium des Conferences episcopales
d'Afrique et de Madagascar (SCEAM). Deux themes y ont ete debattus:
l'Eglise-Famille de Dieu, et la restructuration du SCEAM. Dans un
communique final, les eveques ont lance un appel "pour que chacun
dans son domaine de responsabilite oeuvre pour que cessent les
guerres fratricides, les violences et les discriminations de toutes
sortes". L'assemblee a elu a sa presidence Mgr. Laurent Monsengwo,
archeveque de Kisangani (RDC). Il sera assiste par Mgr. Silota,
eveque de Chimoio (Mozambique), et par Mgr. Onaiyekan, archeveque
d'Abuja (Nigeria). Le nouveau secretaire general est le Pere Benoit
Penoukou.   (CIP, Belgique, 2 octobre 1997)

* Afrique du Sud. Robben Island  -  Le 24 septembre, en presence de
Nelson Mandela, fut celebree la transformation de l'ancienne prison
de Robben Island en "musee de la tolerance et des droits de
l'homme". L'ile autrefois maudite est officiellement devenue une
ile sacree, un lieu de memoire a vocation touristique et
culturelle.   (Liberation, France, 27 septembre 1997)

* South Africa. New political party  -  A new political party aimed
at breaking the dominance of the African national Congress and
ushering in a new era of non-racial politics, was launched in
Johannesburg on 27 September. The United Democratic Movement is
jointly headed by Bantu Holomisa, who at the last congress of the
ANC, won most votes in elections to the national executive
committee, and Roelf Meyer, former secretary-general of the
National Party. More than 3,000 people, predominantly black,
attended the inauguration ceremony at the World Trade Centre.  
(Financial Times, U.K., 29 September 1997)

* Afrique du Sud. Nouveau parti et TRC  -  Le 27 septembre, Roelf
Meyer, ancien dirigeant du Parti national, et Bantu Holomisa,
ancien militant de l'ANC, ont lance un parti multiracial, le
Mouvement democratique uni (UDM), le premier parti d'opposition a
faire son apparition sur la scene politique sud-africaine depuis
les elections de 1994. "Les autres partis refletent encore
aujourd'hui les divisions raciales heritees de l'apartheid", a
declare Roelf Meyer. Il a denonce l'archaisme de l'opposition,
alors que Holomisa s'attaqua a la "revolution trahie" de l'ANC au
pouvoir. Le nouveau parti souhaite attirer le vote des Blancs et
des Noirs. - D'autre part, le 30 septembre, dernier jour ou les
Sud-Africains avaient la possibilite de demander l'amnistie pour
des crimes commis sous le regime de l'apartheid, la Commission
Verite et Reconciliation (TRC) a cite l'ancien president P.W. Botha
et plusieurs responsables militaires pour venir temoigner sur la
strategie du gouvernement dans la repression de la resistance noire
sous l'apartheid.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 octobre 1997)

* South Africa. The TRC  -  26 September: Winnie Mandela appears
before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), and demands
that she be questioned in connection with murders and other
criminal activities in public, so that she can deal with the issue
"once and for all". The TRC says that it will continue with a
closed hearing, but will grant Mrs Mandela's request for a public
hearing, later on. 29 September: Former Lt.-Colonel Jan Nieuwoudt,
who used to be a member of apartheid South Africa's military
intelligence unit, is granted amnesty by the TRC. 30 September: The
TRC says it has ordered P.W. Botha to testify on his government's
strategy to quell black resistance. 1 October: The Amnesty
Committee of the TRC has refused amnesty to Mr Vusi Linda Hlengwa,
in respect of five offenses committed in the KwaMakhuta area of
KwaZulu-Natal during April 1990.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 October
1997)

* Algeria. Seeking a solution but violence continues  -  24
September: The US and France agree to discuss possible joint steps
on Algeria. An official says that Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright has raised the issue with French Foreign Minister Hubert
Vedrine. The two ministers met, before German Foreign Minister
Klaus Kinkel asked how long the international community could look
away. 26 September: The Armed Islamic Group (GIA) hails the latest
massacres as "God's work" and reject all talk of a truce. 26-27
September: 30 civilians, including eleven teachers, are massacred
during two attacks. The eleven teachers had their throats cut in
front of their pupils at Aid Adden, near Sfisef. 27 September:
Newspapers report that Government forces have killed 25 Muslim
rebels during an army sweep in the Sidi Merzoug area over the past
three days. 28 September: The FIS urges all opposition groups to
adhere to a truce, and calls for a national peace conference
involving "all forces in society, without exclusion". 30 September:
The newspapers report that at least 67 people have been killed in
four new massacres. In the worst massacre, 48 people were killed in
the village of Sidi Serhane, near the town of Blida, early on 29
September. The other victims were slaughtered in three separate
incidents in the suburbs of Algiers. The UN Secretary-General
condemns the recent massacres in Algeria as "heinous murders".  
(ANB-BIA, Brussels, 1 October 1997)

* Algerie. Treve, dialogue et massacres  -  L'arret des combats,
ordonne par Madani Mezrag, chef de l'Armee islamique du salut
(AIS), a ete accueilli par un melange de satisfaction et de
scepticisme par la presse algerienne. En fait, une treve de facto
existe deja dans certaines regions entre l'armee et les combattants
de l'AIS. De plus, le 27 septembre, le Front islamique du salut
(FIS) a publie, sous la signature de son Instance executive a
l'etranger, Rabah Kebir, un document dans lequel il appuie l'appel
a la treve, privilegie une issue negociee et plaide pour une
conference nationale. Par contre, le GIA a revendique les derniers
massacres et rejete tout dialogue ou treve; l'armee a engage une
vaste operation contre eux, bombardant des zones au sud d'Alger
durant le week-end du 27 et 28 septembre. D'autre part, a l'issue
d'une entrevue a New-York entre le ministre francais des Affaires
etrangeres et son homologue americain, le 24 septembre, le porte-
parole du departement d'Etat a annonce que les deux ministres sont
convenus de consacrer davantage d'efforts a la crise algerienne et
d'"amorcer un dialogue de fond". - Les 26 et 27 septembre, 19
habitants ont ete assassines pres de Djelfa (sud), ainsi que 30
civils, dont 11 institutrices, dans le departement de Sidi-Bel-Abes
(dans le Sud-Ouest algerien). Le 28 et 29, au moins 67 personnes
ont peri dans la plaine de la Mitidja et dans deux quartiers de la
capitale. Le 29 septembre, Mary Robinson, Haut commissaire aux
droits de l'homme de l'ONU, s'est declaree "preoccupee par la
determination du gouvernement algerien de refuser l'aide de la
communaute internationale", en ajoutant qu'elle croyait que "les
droits de l'homme ne pouvaient pas etre enfermes a l'interieur des
frontieres nationales". Dans la nuit du 29 au 30 septembre, neuf
civils ont ete tues dans les regions de Saida et Tlemcen. Le 1
octobre, premier jour du cessez-le-feu annonce par l'AIS, celle-ci
annoncait que "toutes ses compagnies avaient observe sans exception
son appel a l'arret des combats".   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
2 octobre 1997)

* Angola. Sanctions against UNITA delayed  -  24 September: Angolan
Foreign Minister Venancio De Moura, accuses UNITA of continuing to
undermine the peace process, and urges the Security Council to
impose threatened sanctions unless UNITA changes its behaviour. 29
September: A US official says that sanctions against UNITA will be
delayed for a month, to give the former rebels more time to comply
with UN Security Council demands. Sanctions had been due to go into
effect on 30 September, but the official says the Council believes
UNITA has begun to make progress towards demobilising its soldiers
and meeting other demands. The official says that Council members
have decided to delay imposition of air and travel embargoes until
30 October. 29 September: UNITA hands back the key town of Negage
to the government.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 1 October 1997)

* Angola. Bonne volonte de l'Unita  -  Un pas important vient
d'etre accompli vers l'unification administrative de l'Angola: la
base aerienne de Negage, qui etait jusqu'a present l'un des
principaux bastions de l'Unita, a ete remise a l'Etat angolais. La
semaine derniere deja, l'Unita avait demontre sa bonne volonte en
faisant enregistrer aupres des services de l'ONU 2.500 soldats
affectes a la garde de Jonas Savimbi. Compte tenu de ces progres,
le Conseil de securite a vote le report jusqu'au 30 octobre de
l'application des sanctions contre l'Unita.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 1 octobre 1997)

* Burundi. RECTIFICATION  -  Dans nos "En Bref Hebdo" du 4
septembre, nous avions dit que le document "Burundi, une apartheid
qui ne dit pas son nom", circulant a Bujumbura, etait de la main de
l'ancien president de l'Iteka. Nous venons d'apprendre que ceci
n'est pas exact. Cette enquete a ete realisee en fait par le Front
pour la Democratie au Burundi (Frodebu). Le document de 20 pages a
ete publie a Bujumbura en aout dernier. Nous nous excusons de cette
erreur.   (ANB-BIA, 26 septembre 1997)

* Burundi. UNESCO meeting in Paris  -  26 September: From 26-28
September, UNESCO will host the first of a series of meetings
designed to promote dialogue on Burundi. The meeting, entitled:
"Building the Future of Burundi", will be opened by UNESCOžs
Director-General Federico Mayor. Themes to be discussed are: the
origin and nature of the conflict; education; science; culture;
communications are the service of dialogue; building the future;
peace and development -- democratic principles and human rights.
The meeting will be attended by Burundi participants from within
the country and abroad. The debates will be closed to the public.
28 September: Participants from Burundi state the necessity to end
violence and restore peace through dialogue and negotiation. They
ask UNESCOžs Director-General to "use his personal prestige and the
prestige of the organisation he heads, to pursue this dialogue on
specific themes within the competence of UNESCO, so as to assist in
the building of a better future for Burundi, with its national,
regional and international partners".   (IRIN, 26 & 29 September
1997)

* Burundi. Dialogue  -  Une cinquantaine de personnalites
burundaises, dont des representants de l'armee, a dominante tutsi,
et du Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie, mouvement
rebelle hutu, ont entame le 26 septembre un dialogue a huit clos a
Paris, sous l'egide de l'Unesco. Une vingtaine d'observateurs
internationaux participent a ce "forum de dialogue, visant au
deblocage de la situation". Le 28 septembre, le representant de
l'Onu et de l'OUA dans la region des Grands Lacs, Mohamed Sahnoun,
a qualifie le dialogue de "tres encourageant et utile". Les
participants ont demande dans une resolution a l'Unesco de
poursuivre le dialogue.   (La Libre Belgique, 27 et 29 septembre
1997)

* Cameroon. Lead-up to elections  -  19 September: Cameroon's
Communications Minister replies to Amnesty International's report
on human rights violations in Cameroon. The minister says: "There
is currently no Cameroonian political leader in prison. We do not
know of a single political opponent who has been tortured here in
Cameroon over the past few years". 25 September: As the 12 October
presidential elections approach, the International Freedom of
Expression Community (IFEX) reminds its readers that pressure
against journalists and media outlets continues in Cameroon. IFEX
reports that journalist Joseph Nyada Mani, direction of publication
for the privately-owned newspaper Le Proces, remains imprisoned. He
had been arrested on 27 May 1997 in Yaounde, having been convicted
of defamation. The same organisation recalls that since January
1996, President Paul Biya has imprisoned 13 journalists. 26
September: Opposition leader John Fru Ndi, says that his Social
Democratic Front will block the 12 October presidential elections,
if the government fails to set up an Independent Electoral
Commission.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 October 1997)

* Chad. Oil in 2001  -  On 23 September, the Chadian presidency
said that the exploitation of Chad's oil fields is expected to
begin in 2001 as planned, after completion of a pipeline to the
coast of neighbouring Cameroon. A statement by the team overseeing
the project on the Chadian side, said that everything was falling
into place for work on the pipeline to begin.   (Reuter, 23
September 1997)

* Comores. Negociations  -  Les independantistes anjouanais ont
accepte de participer a une conference sur les Comores sous l'egide
de l'Organisation de l'unite africaine et de la Ligue arabe, apres
le deploiement sur leur ile d'une force panafricaine. Cet accord,
qui implique des negociations avec le gouvernement federal, a ete
obtenu a l'issue de discussions entre les separatistes et les
emissaires de l'OUA et de la Ligue arabe.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 27
septembre 1997)

* Comoros. OAU meets with secessionists  -  26 September: The OAUžs
Special Representative to Comoros, Pierre Yere, has held what he
describes as "very frank" talks with secessionist leaders on
Anjouan. Yere went to Anjouan with Mohamed Ahmad Al Khazandar of
the Arab League. Talks are expected to resume.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 27 September 1997)

* Congo(s) (Kin/Brazza). Obus sur Kinshasa  -  29 septembre. Dix-
sept personnes, dont plusieurs enfants, ont ete tuees a Kinshasa
par des obus tires depuis Brazzaville. Des pieces d'artillerie sont
tombees sur l'ouest de la capitale ex-zairoise et notamment sur le
camp Luanu abritant des ateliers de l'armee. Depuis le 5 juin,
debut des affrontements a Brazzaville, une dizaine d'obus ont deja
atteint Kinshasa, mais c'est la premiere fois qu'ils font des
victimes. Les autorites de Kinshasa ont menace de represailles.
Selon le ministre de l'Interieur de la RDC, ce sont des membres de
l'ancienne garde presidentielle de Mobutu qui auraient vise le camp
militaire. 30 septembre. Au moins six bombes sont a nouveau tombees
sur Kinshasa, dont trois au centre-ville, et auraient fait 31
morts. Kinshasa a replique par des tirs d'artillerie sur les
quartiers nord de Brazza, tenus par Nguesso. Celui-ci a cependant
oppose le dementi le plus ferme aux allegations selon lesquelles
les tirs sur la capitale ex-zairoise proviendraient d'elements de
l'ancienne DSP de Mobutu. Selon des temoins, ces tirs sont partis
des quartiers sud de Brazza, sous controle de Lissouba. 1 octobre.
A une conference de presse donnee avec Mr Lissouba, le president
Kabila a annonce qu'il enverrait une unite d'observation a
Brazzaville, chargee d'instaurer un corridor de securite et de
rechercher les armes dirigees sur Kinshasa.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 2 octobre 1997)

* Congo (RDC). Conference pour la reconstruction  -  La Republique
democratique du Congo planifie une conference nationale pour la
reconstruction du pays apres des annees de mauvaise gestion. Dans
une conference de presse donnee a Kinshasa le 25 septembre, le
ministre de la Reconstruction nationale, Etienne Mbaya, en a
esquisse les grandes lignes. Les premieres reunions, qui devraient
commencer le mois prochain, rassembleront des representants des
communautes rurales et urbaines de tout le pays. Ceux-ci eliront
des delegues qui participeront a la grande conference qui aura lieu
a Kinshasa du 8 au 20 decembre.   (Infobeat, USA, 25 septembre
1997)

* Congo (RDC). Les "Tigres" se rebiffent  -  Dans une interview
parue dans La Libre Belgique du 27 septembre, le Dr Ilunga,
president du Conseil national de la resistance (CNR), le bras
politique des Tigres katangais, se dit pret a "prendre la direction
du pays". Les "Tigres" sont les descendants des anciens gendarmes
katangais exiles en Angola depuis les annees 60, et forment avec
les soldats rwandais le noyau professionnel de la nouvelle armee
congolaise. Le Dr Ilunga denonce l'arrestation du chef d'etat-major
des Tigres, Delphin Mulanda, incarcere a Lubumbashi avec quelque
400 de ses hommes et une vingtaine d'officiers. Le CNR reproche
aussi a Kabila sa politique d'accaparement du pouvoir et
"l'inexistence d'un projet politique coherent". Il dit son
mouvement "pret a entamer la phase rectificative de la revolution
congolaise. Et s'il faut employer les moyens revolutionnaires pour
amener le changement, nous y sommes prepares".   (La Libre
Belgique, 27 septembre 1997)

* Congo (RDC). People move back to Masisi  -  Humanitarian sources
say that local populations who fled recent fighting between anti-
Tutsi Mai-Mai warriors and Rwandan and Congo RDC troops, have
started returning to Masisi from Walikale. Aid workers, who
recently travelled along the main Sake-Masisi road, reported the
area was quiet, although it remains tense.   (IRIN, 26 September
1997)
* Congo (RDC). Situation dans l'Est  -  Selon des sources
humanitaires, la situation dans la region de Masisi se serait en
grande partie stabilisee, meme si elle reste precaire. D'autre
part, le ministre de l'Interieur, Mwenze Kongolo, a declare le 28
septembre que 5.000 guerriers mai-mai se sont rendus et demandent
d'etre integres dans l'armee. 800 soldats de l'ancienne armee
zairoise et des milices Interahamwe se sont egalement rendus.  
(IRIN, Nairobi, 30 septembre 1997)

* Congo (RDC). Opposition a l'enquete  -  Le gouvernement de
Kinshasa a reaffirme, le 27 septembre, son opposition au
deploiement dans toutes les regions de la RDC de la mission des
Nations unies chargee d'enqueter sur les massacres des refugies
hutu rwandais. Le 30 septembre, dans une declaration faite a Lusaka
en Zambie, le president Kabila a demande le depart immediat de
l'equipe onusienne, qui se trouve a Kinshasa depuis pres de six
semaines. Le lendemain, malgre un dementi de Kabila, le secretaire
general de l'ONU a rappele la commission d'enquete pour
consultations.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 octobre 1997)

* Congo (RDC). Government hardline tactics  -  27 September: The
government reaffirms its opposition to allowing the UN mission in
the Congo, to have a free hand in its investigations. 28 September:
Political allies say that Celestin Shabani, an ally of opposition
leader Etienne Tshisekedi, has been arrested. One of Shabani's
colleagues suggests that the government of President Kabila, which
is at odds with the UN over a blocked massacre probe, might be
poised to crackdown harder on supporters of the main political
opposition. Shabani had previously served as Interior Minister five
years ago, when Tshisekedi was elected prime minister under Mobutu.
30 September: President Kabila asks for the immediate withdrawal of
the UN team. 1 October: The UN decides to withdraw its
investigations team for "consultations".   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2
October 1997)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Privatisation drive  -  29 September: The vice-
president of the Privatisation Committee, Lucas Danho, says that
the privatisation of Cote d'Ivoire's state airline, Air Ivoire,
should be launched within a month, and the state oil refining
company, SIR, will be sold off at the start of 1998. He also
confirmed that details of the State's 73% stake in cotton producer,
Compagnie Ivoirienne our le Developpement des Textiles (CIDT), will
be announced shortly.   (Reuter, 29 September 1997)

* Egypte. Apres l'attentat  -  Le procureur militaire a
formellement interdit, a partir du 24 septembre, toute publication
d'informations relatives a l'attentat du Caire qui a cause, le 18
septembre, la mort de neuf touristes. Par ailleurs, des membres de
l'organisation integriste Gamaat Islamiya actuellement en prison
ont appele, le 24 septembre, a un arret de la violence. Plusieurs
appels en ce sens ont deja ete lances par des responsables
emprisonnes depuis le 5 juillet.   (Le Monde, France, 26 septembre
1997)

* Ghana. Traditional Councils  -  On 22 September, President
Rawlings said that the arbitration role of Traditional Councils
must be given the chance to reduce the volume of court cases.
Opening the Fifth Regional Conference of Ombudsman, the President
said: "I sincerely believe that there is need and room for our
traditional process of arbitration, to contribute to our democratic
process and the delivery of social justice".   (PANA, 23 September
1997)

* Kenya. Bills ready for scrutiny  -  (Editor's note: On 11
September, the ruling Kenya African National Union gave its
blessing to a whole package of reforms, ranging from the repeal of
sedition laws allowing detention without trial, to the abolition of
licensing for public rallies, and an agreement to open up the state
media to opposition parties). On 23 September, the Daily Nation
reported that Draft Bills of the reforms package, recently agreed
on, between Opposition and KANU legislators, are ready for scrutiny
and approval by the Inter-Party Parliamentary Group. As soon as
they are approved, the draft Bills on constitutional and legal
reforms will be published and then tabled in Parliament by the end
of the week.   (Daily Nation, Kenya, 23 September 1997)

* Kenya. Teachers strike  -  27 September: the Kenya National Union
of Teachers (KNUT), has rejected a new increase in allowances
announced by the government on 25 September. The Union says that a
strike planned for 1 October stands. The Union's Secretary-General,
Ambrose Adongo, said that the allowances, announced by Education
Minister Joseph Kamotho, were unilateral and did not reflect the
recommendations of the Teachers Service Remuneration Committee.  
(PANA, 27 September 1997)

* Liberia. President Taylor gets his aircraft  -  17 September:
Lagos' The Guardian reports that as part of the reconstruction and
economic revival of Liberia after the successful presidential polls
and the swearing in of Mr Charles Taylor as president, the chief
executive of Kabo Air, Alhaji Mohammadu Dan Kabo, has donated a
BACI-11 aircraft to President Taylor. Mr Kabo said he hoped that
the aircraft will facilitate the movement of President Taylor
around the world, as he will need to visit many places in search of
economic assistance to his war-ravaged country, whose economy has
virtually tumbled as a result of the war.   (The Guardian, Lagos,
17 September 1997)

* Liberia. UN Mandate ends  -  The mandate of the United Nations
Observer Mission In Liberia (UNOMIL), expires on 30 September. UN
Special representative Tuliameni Kalomoh, told a news conference on
25 September, that only a small number of civilian workers will
remain, to close contracts and complete other administrative tasks,
after the bulk of the UNOMIL force leaves on 30 September. However,
he said, the UN will retain an interest in over 10,000 weapons
collected from former fighters, currently held in an arsenal, to
which the UN held some keys.   (Reuter, 25 September 1997)

* Libya. Calls to end sanctions  -  25 September: International
opposition to UN sanctions on Libya gather momentum, with Russia
joining African and Arab countries calling for a compromise over
trying the suspects in the Lockerbie bombing affair. No immediate
change is likely, to sanctions, which are strongly supported by
both Washington and London, but today's concerted attacks indicate
significant erosion of backing for them. President Robert Mugabe of
Zimbabwe and Salim Ahmed Salim, Secretary-General of the
Organisation of African Unity (OAU), both call on the Security
Council to give "serious consideration" to an joint OAU-Arab league
proposal for a "fait trial".   (The Guardian, U.K., 26 September
1997)

* Mali. Moussa Traore's assets returned by Switzerland  -  On 19
September, it was reported that Switzerland has handed over to
Mali, $2.7 million, returning assets invested in Switzerland by
General Moussa Traore, overthrown in a 1991 coup. The Swiss
authorities had blocked the money since November 1991. At that
time, Mali asserted that Traore and his cronies had stashed $1
billion in Switzerland. The money returned, included some $2.2
million in deposits, and $500,000 in interest.   (AFJN, Washington,
30 September 1997)

* Maroc. Annonce des legislatives  -  Le ministre marocain de
l'Interieur a annonce, mercredi 24 septembre, que les elections
legislatives, initialement prevues en septembre, mais reportees a
la demande de l'opposition, auraient finalement lieu le 14
novembre, selon l'agence de presse officielle MAP.   (Le Monde,
France, 26 septembre 1997)

* Maroc. Inondations meurtrieres  -  A la suite de pluies
diluviennes qui se sont abattues dans la region de Meknes, au
centre du Maroc, plus d'une quarantaine de personnes sont mortes
noyees dans la nuit du 28 au 29 septembre. La plupart des victimes
se trouvaient au moment du drame pres de la ville d'El-Hajeb a bord
de voitures et de cinq autocars qui, bloques par les pluies, ont
ete emportes par les eaux.   (Liberation, France, 30 septembre
1997)

* Mozambique. Local elections postponed  -  1 October: The
September 1997 issue of the Mozambique Peace Process Bulletin says
that local elections have been postponed. Electoral registration
will take place in Novembner 1997 and May 1998 is the most probable
date for local elections in 33 towns and cities. This follows a
confused period in which registration and election dates were then
announced and withdrawn. It has proved impossiboe to organise
elections this year and Prime Minister Pascoal Mocumbi said that
dates will only be announced when money for organising the
elections is confirmes as available.   (APIC, 1 October 1997)

* Nigeria. Abacha in view  -  26 September: Army leaders pledge to
support General Abacha if he decides to seek election next year as
a civilian. 1 October: General Abacha appears on television,
quashing rumours that he is on the point of death, but he does not
attend the Independence Day parade. Observers say he looks tired
and seems to have lost weight, but does not appear to be dying of
cirrhosis of the liver, as opposition publications have claimed. He
does not say if he will stand in the election he has decreed.  
(The Guardian, U.K., 2 October 1997)

* Rwanda. Demobilisation  -  L'armee patriotique rwandaise (APR) a
entrepris, le 22 septembre, une vaste operation de demobilisation.
En deux phases etalees sur trois ans, 57.500 soldats seront
demobilises. 17.500 d'entre eux sont des membres de l'APR; les
40.000 autres appartenaient aux ex-Forces armees rwandaises. L'Etat
rwandais doit maintenant considerer le reclassement dans la vie
civile d'individus dont la vie entiere a ete consacree a la lutte
armee. Un diplomate accredite a Kigali a estime que, dans l'absence
de perspective civile, "il y a un risque reel que les veterans
vendent leurs services a qui voudra les acheter ou deviennent des
gangsters". -- D'autre part, selon une depeche d'AFP du 25
septembre, un conseiller politique du ministre rwandais de la
Defense a declare que tous les militaires de l'APR avaient ete
"rappeles de la Republique democratique du Congo", mais il n'a pas
exclu que des soldats s'y trouvent encore "en vertu d'un accord
avec M. Kabila".   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 septembre
1997)

* Rwanda. First trial of minors  -  26 September: UNICEF reports
that the first trial for minors accused of killing in the 1994
genocide, have begun in Rwanda. The first ones in court were a 17-
year-old boy from Gitarama, who confessed to killing four people,
and another minor in Kigali. These are among some 2,400 minors,
including nearly 100 girls, accused of genocidal crimes. The same
day, UNICEF says the 17-year-old has been sentenced to three years
in prison, for acts of genocide. The boy confessed to killing four
people in the 1994 genocide when he was just 13 years old. The
President of the Chamber told Radio Rwanda, that they will soon
look for ways to release the boy. ( Note: On 29 September, the
United Nations Tribunal for Rwanda, sitting in Arusha, Tanzania,
said it has resumed trials after a three-month recess, and is using
a second courtroom in an effort to speed up the process.)   (ANB-
BIA, Brussels, 1 October 1997)

* Rwanda. Penurie alimentaire  -  Le Programme alimentaire mondial
(PAM) a sonne l'alarme: il n'y a pas encore de famine generalisee
au Rwanda, mais certaines regions (Butare, Gikongoro et Kigali
rural) connaissent une penurie endemique manquant cruellement de
vivres. Ceci s'explique par plusieurs causes: l'afflux de plus d'un
million de refugies; les actes terroristes dans les regions de
Ruhengeri et Gisenyi, qui empechent la population de cultiver; le
manque de pluies. Les organisations humanitaires craignent que,
pousses par la penurie, les paysans ne soient obliges de consommer
leurs semences.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 1 octobre 1997)

* Sahara occidental. Referendum  -  Le ministre marocain de
l'Interieur, Driss Basri, a affirme, selon une depeche de l'AFP du
25 septembre, que le Maroc acceptera les resultats du referendum
sur l'avenir du Sahara occidental, meme si ceux-ci etaient
defavorables a l'integration de ce territoire au Maroc. - D'autre
part, le 29 septembre, le Conseil de securite de l'ONU a prolonge
le mandat de la force des Nations unies au Sahara occidental
jusqu'au 20 octobre. Le Maroc et le Front Polisario ont ete appeles
a "pleinement cooperer" pour l'organisation du referendum dans un
delai d'un an.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 1 octobre 1997)

* Senegal. Chef independantiste tue?  -  Salif Sadio, commandant
des forces combattantes du Mouvement des forces democratiques de
Casamance, aurait ete tue le 22 septembre au cours d'une operation
militaire dans le sud du Senegal, a rapporte le quotidien le
Soleil, proche du gouvernement. L'information n'a ete ni confirmee
ni dementie de source officielle. - D'autre part, le 27 septembre
au soir, onze personnes ont ete tuees, quatre autres blessees et
deux portees disparues dans l'attaque d'un village en Casamance par
des elements armes presumes independantistes. La plupart des
victimes sont mortes noyees en tentant de s'enfuir a bord d'une
pirogue.   (Liberation, France, 27-30 septembre 1997)

* Sierra-Leone. Negociations?  -  Le 23 septembre, le ministere des
Affaires etrangeres a Freetown a annonce que, dans une lettre
adressee le 19/9 au Conseil de securite des Nations unies, le
commandant Koroma s'est declare pret a negocier "une solution
pacifique a l'impasse politique" avec le president dechu Ahmed
Kabbah qui vit actuellement a Conakry, et avec le caporal Foday
Sankoh, chef historique du Front revolutionnaire uni, actuellement
detenu au Nigeria. La lettre du chef de la junte denonce egalement
les exactions commises par les troupes nigerianes; les
bombardements et les affrontements ont deja cause la mort de 200
personnes depuis juin.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 26 septembre
1997)

* Soudan. Pourparlers de paix  -  Le gouvernement de Khartoum et
les rebelles du SPLA se sont mis d'accord de reprendre des
pourparlers de paix le 28 octobre prochain a Nairobi. Toutefois,
l'ancien Premier ministre Sadiq al-Mahdi, actuellement en exil, a
mis en doute la sincerite du gouvernement. "Tout indique que le
regime de Khartoum ne recherche pas serieusement une solution
complete", a-t-il dit au Caire. L'annonce des pourparlers est une
consequence du ralliement a Khartoum de la faction rebelle de Lam
Akol, qui a rejoint six autres anciens commandants du SPLA ayant
signe un accord de paix avec le gouvernement en avril dernier.  
(IRIN, Nairobi, 26 septembre 1997)

* Sudan. US backs off over embassy  -  On 30 September, the US
retreated from its announcement last week, that it would send back
American diplomats to Sudan, from where they were withdrawn 19
months ago for their safety. State Department spokesman James Rubin
said that a final decision needed to be made in the context of the
ongoing congressional action on Sudan.   (InfoBeat, USA, 1 October
1997)

* Tanzanie/Burundi. Echanges de tirs  -  Les armees tanzanienne et
burundaise ont echange des tirs, entre le 27 et le 28 septembre,
sur le lac Tanganyika, sans qu'il y ait eu de victimes, a annonce
le gouvernement tanzanien. Les deux parties s'accusent mutuellement
d'avoir commence les hostilites. Selon les autorites a Dar-es-
Salaam, les tirs ont commence lorsqu'une vedette burundaise a
attaque des pecheurs tanzaniens a sept kilometres a l'interieur des
eaux territoriales tanzaniennes. De son cote, le ministre burundais
de la Defense affirmait que les soldats tanzaniens avaient ouvert
le feu. Dans la journee du 29, les commandants militaires sur place
se sont rencontres pour eviter une escalade.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 1 octobre 1997)

* Tanzania. UN asked for more food aid  -  On 30 September, a
senior UN aid official said that the UN food agency in Tanzania has
asked its headquarters for 76,000 tonnes of emergency food aid to
offset the effects of drought. The request to the World Food
Programme's (WFP) Rome headquarters, follows an appeal by President
Mkapa of Tanzania, for 92,000 tonnes of food aid to reduce, what he
said, was a total deficit for 1997/1998 of 916,000 tonnes. He said
that the remainder would be bought on the open market.   (Financial
Times, U.K., 1 October 1997)

* Tunisia. A call for activist's release  -  On 30 September, Human
Rights Watch urged the government to release Tunisian human rights
activist, Khemais Ksila, who was arrested in his home on 29
September, after launching a hunger strike. Keila was arrested on
suspicion of inciting public disturbances and spreading false news. 
 (InfoBeat, USA, 1 October 1997)

* Uganda. AIDS has killed 400,000 Ugandans  -  On 27 September, the
head of the Uganda AIDS Commission said that at least 400,000
people have died from AIDS-related diseases in Uganda since 1984.
The figure was the first estimate of the AIDS death toll in Uganda.
Some 1.5 million Ugandans are infected with HIV, the virus that
causes AIDS. Uganda's population is around 18 million.   (InfoBeat,
USA, 29 September 1997)

* Uganda. Five soldiers face court martial  -  On 28 September, the
Sunday Vision said that five Ugandan soldiers will face a court
martial for failing to confront rebels who attacked Kasese town
last week, killing 10 civilians. An army spokesman said that the
five soldiers failed to fulfil their duty, when Allied Democratic
Forces rebels raided Kasese town in western Uganda.   (InfoBeat,
USA, 29 September 1997)

* Western Sahara. UN recommends referendum within a year  -  16
September: James Baker announces that the parties involved in the
conflict, have come to an agreement that lays the groundwork for an
end to their dispute over Western Sahara, by agreeing to a Code of
Conduct governing a referendum, that will decide the fate of the
territory. Mr Baker says that the accord will be presented to the
UN to decide whether a referendum can be held and when. At issue,
is whether Western Sahara is incorporated into Morocco, or becomes
independent. 25 September: A UN spokesman says: "The identification
of voters in Western Sahara should be resumed as soon as possible,
and a referendum on the future of the disputed territory should be
held within a year". This is a summary of the recommendations sent
by the UN Secretary-General to members of the Security Council,
based on results of the four rounds of talks since June, held
between representatives of Morocco and Polisario, under James
Baker's auspices.   (InfoBeat, USA, 26 September 1997)

* Zambia. Government offices paralysed  -  On 30 September,
operations in most government departments were paralysed as a
three-day strike, called by the country's two civil service unions,
intensified. Union officials said the strike, which started in
Lusaka on 29 September, had spread to all nine provinces. The
workers are pressing for better conditions of service and higher
wages, although they have not made specific wage demands.  
(Financial Times, U.K., 1 October 1997)