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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 09-10-1997      PART #1/  

* Africa. Footballing hopes  -  Africa's five representatives at
next year's World Cup in France are now known. After the earlier
qualifications of Nigeria, Morocco and Tunisia, the final games in
mid-August confirmed that South Africa and Cameroon will also be
making the trip to France. But that is not all! Qualifications for
next year's African Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso have also been
completed. Joining the hosts Burkina Faso and the holders South
Africa, will be Ghana, Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, Algeria, Morocco,
Egypt, Guinea, Tunisia, Cameroon, Namibia, Togo, Congo RDC, Zambia
and Mozambique. Nigeria will not be in Burkina Faso -- they were
banned from the tournament after failing to defend their title last
year in South Africa.   (BBC Focus on Africa, October-December
1997)

* Africa. SECAM Plenary Session  -  In his address to the Plenary
Session of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and
Madagascar (SECAM), meeting at the Eskom Conference Centre in
Midrand, 21-28 September, Mr Tokyo Sexwale, Gauteng's Premier, told
the bishops that throughout the history of the ANCþs struggle
against apartheid, the flag of the Church was raised higher than
all man-made flags. Mr Sexwale was representing President Mandela
who could not attend the opening. "After 300 years of divisions
between black and white, we are creating a rainbow nation that is
uniting all the people of our country into one family," Mr Sexwale
said. "However, no one should think this was being achieved only by
the fallible hands of Nelson Mandela and all the leaders of the
country".   (The Southern Cross, South Africa, 5 October 1997)

* Africa. Noma award for publishing in Africa  -  A.Adu Boahen's
Mfantsipim and the Making of Ghana: A Centenary History, 1876-1976,
published in 1996 by Sankofa Educational Publishers, Ltd, Accra,
Ghana, has been named as the winner of the 1997 Noma Award for
Publishing in Africa. The book was cited by the jury as "no
ordinary history book". The $10,000 Award will be presented on 7
November 1997, during the Uganda Book Week, in Kampala. 133 titles,
from 80 African publishers, in 19 countries, were submitted for the
1997 competition. The Noma Award jury is chaired by Walter Bgoya
from Tanzania, one of Africa's most distinguished and respected
publishers, with a wide knowledge of both African and international
publishing. The Noma Award For Publishing in Africa was established
in 1979 as an annual book prize, for an outstanding new book from
Africa. The Award was founded by the late Shoichi Noma, formerly
President of Kodansha Ltd, the major Japanese publishing house.  
(The Noma Award, U.K., 6 October 1997)

* Afrique du Sud. Reconciliation inachevee  -  Le vice-president
sud-africain, Thabo Mbeki, et 32 dirigeants de l'ANC ont demande
l'amnistie a la Commission verite et reconciliation (TRC) pour des
crimes commis sous l'apartheid. L'ANC avait decide, au debut de
l'annee, d'assumer "la responsabilite collective pour ses actes et
sa conduite durant son combat legitime contre le regime d'apartheid
dans le cadre de la politique definie par l'ANC", rappelle un
communique du parti. Le dirigeant neo-nazi Eugene Terre'Blanche
compte egalement demander l'amnistie devant la Commission. D'autre
part, un blocage psychologique empeche les leaders du National
Party de reconnaitre leurs responsabilites dans les crimes du
passe, estime Alex Borraine, vice-president du TRC. A l'exception
de l'ex-ministre de la police, Adriaan Vlok, aucun haut responsable
de l'ancien regime n'a depose de demande d'amnistie avant la date
limite du 30 septembre. Du coup, ils risquent d'etre poursuivis et
des procureurs ont deja prepare des dossiers a charge contre
plusieurs personnalites. De plus, la TRC a montre aussi ses
limites: elle hesite beaucoup a convoquer le chef de l'Inkhata,
Buthelezi, de peur de rallumer la guerre au Natal.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 4 octobre 1997)

* Algerie. Escalade  -  Du 2 au 5 octobre 110 personnes ont ete
massacrees, y compris pres d'Oran, une region relativement epargnee
jusqu'ici. Mais c'est surtout la region de Blida qui a ete touchee.
Trente-huit habitants du village de Mahelma, pres de Blida, ont ete
egorges dans la nuit du 2 au 3 octobre. Le 3 octobre, des rebelles
islamistes presumes ont attaque a la roquette, trois heures durant,
la ville meme de Blida, tuant au moins 12 civils et blessant 85
autres. Le dimanche 5 octobre, 16 ecoliers etaient assassines avec
leur chauffeur dans une embuscade a Bouinan, pres de Blida. Dans la
region de Medea, 50 personnes etaient assassinees. Et pour la
premiere fois, une tuerie collective a endeuille la region d'Oran,
ou 14 personnes ont ete tuees a Harrouba. D'autre part, 150
islamistes ont ete tues le 4 octobre par les forces de securite
dans la region de Tiaret. Sur la scene internationale, la situation
continue a susciter l'emotion mais peu d'initiatives; les Etats
arguent, pour ne rien faire, de l'hostilite d'Alger a la moindre
enquete independante.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 6 octobre
1997)

* Algeria. Election trail amid continuing horrors  -  2 October:
Local council candidates head to the campaign trail for elections,
seen by authorities as another step to restoring authority in a
state shaken by nearly six years of bloodshed. 2-3 October: 38
inhabitants of the village of Mahelma, near Blida, are massacred
during the night. 3 October: A rocket attack on the garrison town
of Blida. 5 October: At least 16 schoolchildren and their driver
are murdered at Bouinan, south of Algiers, when their bus is
stopped. An escort of armed volunteers, in a vehicle ahead of the
school bus, runs over a mine and is blown up, killing all the
occupants. 6 October: Hocine Ait Ahmed, founder of the Socialist
Forces Front (FFS), says that only an international outcry can
prevent Algeria from sliding deeper in to despair.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 8 October 1997)

* Burundi. Fin des camps de regroupement?  -  Au cours d'une
conference de presse a Bruxelles le 2 octobre, le Premier ministre
burundais Mr Ndimira s'est felicite qu'un dialogue politique ait
debute au Burundi et a affirme que son gouvernement participera au
prochain round des negociations a Arusha. Il a aussi indique que
les camps de concentration (dits "camps de regroupement") de
populations hutu etaient "en cours de fermeture". Les derniers se
fermeraient en decembre. D'autre part, selon des sources onusiennes
du 6 octobre, la securite ne s'ameliore pas dans la province de
Kayanza et la reinstallation de personnes regroupees a ete
suspendue. Un camp de regroupement a ete attaque aussi dans la
province de Bubanza et d'autres incidents ont eu lieu a Cibitoke et
dans Bujumbura rural. Le PAM rapporte pour sa part la tres forte
sous-alimentation des populations dans la province de Bubanza.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 6 octobre 1997)

* Burundi. Embargo causes human catastrophe  -  2 October: Burundi
says that a regional embargo imposed shortly after a 1996 military
coup, has caused a humanitarian and economic catastrophe and
sparked adverse consequences in neighbouring countries. "On the
humanitarian level, it's a catastrophe", Prime Minister Firmin
Ndimira says. The embargo has hit the cost of living, education,
health and medicine. The State can no longer provide humanitarian
aid, and fund providers have pulled out, he says. (An economic
embargo was imposed on Burundi by six African nations in July
1996). 5 October: A Report by Christian Aid Direct, describes an
alarming nutritional situation among conflict-affected populations
in Bubanza province   (InfoBeat, USA, 6 October 1997)

* Centr. Afr. Republic. Arms handover ends  -  The CAR has wrapped
up a weapons collection campaign, following three army mutinies in
a year, but a handful of heavy weapons and many small arms remain
unaccounted for. The government of President Ange-Felix Patasse,
who extended the deadline from 30 September to 2 October, said
anyone found in possession of the missing weapons, would be pursued
through the courts. Figures released on 3 October, showed only 108
of 127 heavy weapons were handed in on time. Only 1,264 out of
2,389 missing small arms were retrieved on time.   (InfoBeat, USA,
3 October 1997)

* Centrafrique. Troupes francaises sommees de partir  -  Suite a
l'annonce de Paris de fermer, d'ici l'ete prochain, ses
implantations permanentes a Bouar et Bangui, ou sont stationnes
quelque 1.500 soldats francais, le president de la Republique
centrafricaine, Ange-Felix Patasse, a somme la France de quitter
ses bases au plus vite. Il veut que Bouar soit ferme avant le 15
octobre et le camp de Bangui un mois plus tard. Bien que depuis
deux ans l'armee francaise lui ait sauve trois fois de suite son
fauteuil presidentiel, Patasse la met donc de facto a la porte.
"Totalement irrealiste, a moins de pratiquer une politique de terre
brulee", estime un responsable militaire francais.   (d'apres
Liberation, France, 8 octobre 1997)

* Chad. Pipeline to the coast  -  (On 23 September, Chad's
presidential office announced that the exploitation of Chad's oil
fields is expected to begin in the year 2001 as planned, after
completion of a pipeline to coast of neighbouring Cameroon.) AFJNþs
commentary: What has been conveniently forgotten is the effects all
this will have on the local population. Esso has already drawn up
the plan of where the pipeline will go. Certain villages will,
perhaps, be forced to move. The peasants are not tuned in to, or,
at least they are not aware of -- the future consequences of the
exploitation...Many expect to leave their usual work to be taken on
there...The immediate consequences are: there is less cultivation,
and living becomes more expensive where Esso is installed and in
the surroundings...One can conclude at this point that some
employees may profit, but the manoeuvres are leading to
impoverishment.   (AFJN, Brussels, Autumn 1997)

* Congo Brazza. A country in crisis  -  1 October: The first large-
scale relief food distribution began this morning in Pointe-Noire,
for tens of thousands of Congolese who fled to the area to escape
fierce fighting in Brazzaville. Heavily guarded trucks rolled out
of the World Food Distribution (WFP) warehouse at 8.00 am. today,
carrying maize, beans, oil and salt, to four distribution points
within the city. The distribution has been organised by the WFP,
with the help of local officials, the International Federation of
the Red Cross and volunteers from the National Red Cross who will
be responsible for handing out the food aid. 3 October: Artillery
battles rock Brazzaville, sending dense smoke billowing up from the
Mpila stronghold of former military leader, Denis Sassou Nguesso.
France calls on Sassou to put his name to a cease-fire deal, which
President Lissouba and Prime Minister Bernard Kolelas have already
signed. French sources confirm that at least 300 soldiers from
Congo RDC have arrived in Brazzaville. 5 October: The on-going
fighting in Brazzaville, brings the number of refugees who have
fled to Kinkole and Kinshasa, to 32,068.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 6
October 1997)

* Congo(s) Kin/Brazza. Internationalisation du conflit  -  Alors
que le ministre des Affaires etrangeres de la RDC a demande une
reunion d'urgence du Conseil de securite de l'ONU concernant les
tirs d'obus de Brazzaville sur Kinshasa, le president Kabila, a
evoque le 2 octobre a Kinshasa avec l'ambassadeur americain, Daniel
Simpson, "la possibilite d'une collaboration a long terme dans la
resolution de la crise au Congo-Brazzaville". M. Simpson n'a pas
precise la nature de cette collaboration, mais il a apprecie
l'annonce par Kinshasa d'envoyer des troupes a Brazzaville pour
creer un corridor de securite. Selon des sources francaises,
quelque 300 soldats envoyes par Kabila seraient arrives a
Brazzaville dans la nuit du 1 au 2 octobre. A terme, cette force
pourrait compter entre 2 et 3.000 hommes. Les partisans de Nguesso
ont denonce cet envoi de militaires. Ils ont d'ailleurs lance une
vaste offensive contre les forces de Lissouba, qui affirment avoir
repousse ces attaques. Durant ces combats, des obus sont a nouveau
tombes sur Kinshasa, le 8 octobre, et l'armee de la RDC a riposte
en direction de Brazzaville.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 9
octobre 1997)

* Congo (RDC). Mission d'enquete (suite)  -  2 octobre. Le
secretaire general des Nations unies decide de rappeler a New York
quatre membres de la mission d'enquete sur des massacres de
refugies. Douze autres experts resteront a Kinshasa en attendant la
decision finale de l'ONU. La veille, les Etats-Unis avaient averti
le president Kabila que l'aide americaine pourrait etre suspendue
s'il expulsait la mission. 3 octobre. Les autorites de la RDC
ordonnent a toutes les organisations humanitaires de "quitter
immediatement" la region de Goma, a l'exception de la Croix-Rouge
et de l'Unicef. Tous les refugies rwandais sont egalement pries de
quitter le pays, tandis que la frontiere entre le Rwanda et le
Congo est fermee. Il semble que de grandes operations militaires se
preparent dans la region et que l'armee soit decidee de ratisser
les montagnes du Masisi. Le meme jour, pres d'un millier de
Rwandais, qui avaient fui recemment leur pays, sont expulses du
Congo et remis a l'armee rwandaise. 5 octobre. On confirme que le
personnel du Haut commissariat aux refugies des Nations unies doit
quitter le Kivu le lendemain et que son materiel sera
requisitionne. Le meme jour, les autorites de Kinshasa annoncent
avoir decouvert la presence d'un millier d'elements des ex-Forces
armees rwandaises "fortement armes" dans la region de l'Equateur,
au nord-ouest de la RDC. La mission d'enquete avait emis le voeu de
se rendre dans cette zone, avant d'avoir ete priee de quitter le
territoire.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 7 octobre 1997)

* Congo (RDC). Alleged massacres  -  6 October: The UNHCR says it
has pulled out most of its staff from the Goma area, in compliance
with the government order to leave. 7 October: The vice-governor of
north Kivu tells a meeting of international humanitarian agencies,
that the government's order for all organisations working with
refugees to leave Goma, applies only to the UNHCR. 8 October: Human
Rights Watch (USA) and the International Federation of Human Rights
say a joint team they sent to Congo after Mr Kabila took power in
May, has photographed mass graves and the remains of civilian
refugees. The 80-page Report says that the USA knew in advance of
the plan to attack refugees and either supported or ignored it. It
is a damming and damaging report for President Kabila and his
allies in Rwanda's Tutsi-dominated government. Although the
allegations are not new, Human Rights Watch has gone further than
any other organisation so far, in pointing the finger of blame. The
Rwandan government had been determined right from the start, to use
the rebellion to take revenge on the Hutu fighters responsible for
the 1994 massacre, and also on the thousands of civilians who
followed them into exile into former Zaire. Rwanda's Tutsi-
dominated army was assisted in carrying out the massacres by
Kabila's AFDL troops, and by Ugandan and Burundian supporters of
Kabila's rebellion. Human Rights Watch also accuses the USA of
being well-aware of Rwanda's intentions to attack the refugee
camps. Human Rights Watch says that the killings are continuing.
(Editor's note: The 8 October report was monitored from the BBC.) 
 (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 October 1997)

* Congo (RDC). Preuves de massacres  -  L'observatoire
international Human Rights Watch et la Federation internationale
des droits de l'homme ont affirme, le 8 octobre, detenir "la preuve
materielle irrefutable" de massacres perpetres dans l'est de l'ex-
Zaire par les troupes de l'AFDL de Kabila et leurs allies rwandais.
"Une mission conjointe [...] a pu photographier les fosses communes
et les restes en decomposition de refugies civils", indique un
communique des deux organisations. Les enqueteurs ont egalement
recueilli des informations de temoins oculaires. Dans tout le pays,
les gens ont ete forces de participer a la disparition des preuves
et ont ete victimes d'intimidations et de brutalites afin de les
empecher de parler de ces massacres a l'equipe des Nations unies.
Le rapport critique encore l'inaction de la communaute
internationale avant et durant les exactions, quand il etait encore
possible d'arreter de nouveaux massacres. Les deux organisations
appellent la communaute internationale a suspendre l'organisation
d'une conference des donateurs pour la reconstruction de la R.D.
Congo "tant que le gouvernement ne coopere pas totalement" avec la
mission d'enquete de l'ONU.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 9
octobre 1997)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Deces du cardinal Yago  -  Mgr. Bernard Yago s'est
eteint le dimanche 5 octobre a Abidjan. Ne en 1916, Mgr. Yago fut
le premier archeveque ivoirien nomme a l'archeveche d'Abidjan en
1960 et fut eleve au rang de cardinal par Jean-Paul II en 1983.
Appartenant a la premiere generation d'eveques africains, il avait
su garder une parole libre face a l'homme qui domina la vie
politique ivoirienne, Felix Houphouet-Boigny. On les appelait
familierement les "deux vieux". C'est un an apres la mort
d'Houphouet qu'il quitta lui-meme son siege d'Abidjan en 1995, a
l'age de 79 ans. Durant 35 annees d'episcopat, Mgr. Yago a
accompagne une Eglise ivoirienne en pleine croissance. Les
catholiques representent aujourd'hui 15% de la population du pays. 
 (d'apres La Croix, France, 8 octobre 1997)

* Djibouti. Chefs d'opposition arretes  -  L'opposition afar
djiboutienne semble decapitee apres l'arrestation de ses principaux
chefs dans les pays de la region. Deux semaines apres l'arrestation
d'Ahmed Dini, president du FRUD (mouvement rebelle afar) au Yemen,
au moins sept autres responsables de l'opposition ont ete arretes
en Ethiopie, le 26 septembre, et extrades vers Djibouti.
L'Ethiopie, l'Erythree et Djibouti, qui se partagent le territoire
traditionnel des Afars, tentent de briser les mouvements
d'opposition. L'extradition des opposants apparait comme un echange
de services entre les gouvernements.   (d'apres Le Monde, France,
4 octobre 1997)

* Egypte. Tension dans les campagnes  -  Une nouvelle loi agraire,
votee en 1992, qui prevoit la liberalisation totale des fermages a
la fin d'un delai de 5 ans, est entree en application le 1er
octobre. Elle touche 900.000 paysans, qui sont furieux de devoir
payer des fermages bien plus eleves et craignent d'etre expulses
des terres qu'ils cultivent depuis des decennies. Deja au mois de
janvier, des affrontements avaient fait 15 morts et 238 blesses.
Une tentative de jacquerie en juillet a ete rapidement reprimee par
les autorites. Cette semaine, le gouvernement a deploye un
important dispositif de securite en Haute-Egypte. Cinq jours apres
l'entree en vigueur de la nouvelle loi, neuf personnes ont trouve
la mort et une centaine d'autres ont ete blessees dans des heurts
entre proprietaires, locataires et forces de l'ordre. Ces incidents
violents risquent de se multiplier dans les jours et semaines a
venir.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 6 octobre 1997)

* Egypte. Tensions entre coptes et musulmans  -  Les actes de
violence commis par des groupuscules extremistes musulmans contre
les membres de la minorite chretienne en Egypte empoisonnent les
relations entre coptes et musulmans, a deplore a Vienne le 6
octobre Mgr. Antonios, eveque copte-catholique d'al-Minya en Haute
Egypte. Il regrette la distance qui s'installe progressivement
entre chretiens et musulmans, qui vivaient autrefois en etroite
symbiose. Beaucoup tentent d'eviter les conflits en fuyant les
contacts. De plus, pousses par la crainte, des chretiens en nombre
croissant se convertissent a l'islam.   (CIP, Belgique, 9 octobre
1997)

* Erythree. Forages offshore  -  La firme americaine Anadarko va
entamer une campagne de forage petrolier offshore au debut de l'an
prochain. Elle vient d'obtenir un nouveau permis de prospection
s'etendant sur 9.308 kmý au sud de celui qu'elle possede deja
autour des iles Dahlak. Des tractations pour d'autres forages sont
en cours avec une societe canadienne.   (Marches Tropicaux, France,
4 octobre 1997)

* Kenya. Internal problems  -  29 September: Kenya's The East
African reports that the Kenyan government is spending about $4.4
million on four riot-control armoured cars, which will be acquired
from France and fitted for action in Israel. 1 October: Kenya's
public school teachers go on strike, demanding wage increases of up
to 200 per cent. 2 October: The International Freedom of Expression
Community (IFEX) reports that two Kenya Television Network editors,
Vitalis Musebe and Isaiya Kabira, suspended in July 1997, have been
reinstated. The same day, Joe Kariuki, publisher of The Times and
The Rift Valley, and Techo Press director, Joseph Agola, appear in
a Nakuru court, after being charged with publishing a defamatory
article. 3 October: The striking Kenya National Union of Teachers
(KNUT), says it will resume negotiations next week to try and end
the trike, but it will not call off strike-action until a wage-hike
has been agreed upon. 6 October: The government refuses to register
SAFINA, the opposition party co-founded by Richard Leakey. SAFINA
is now banned from taking part in the presidential and
parliamentary elections which must be held this year. 8 October:
The striking teachers stay on strike, ignoring a government
deadline to return to work.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 October 1997)

* Mali. Liberte provisoire pour l'opposition  -  Les dix leaders de
l'opposition radicale, arretes et inculpes a la suite du lynchage
a mort d'un policier le 9 aout par des manifestants presumes
membres de l'opposition, ont ete remis en liberte provisoire sur
decision du procureur de la Republique. D'apres les autorites,
"cette decision vise a privilegier le droit sur la passion
politique qui entoure ce dossier".   (Le Soir, Belgique, 6 octobre
1997)
* Nigeria. Derniere annee des militaires  -  Le general Sani Abacha
a declare le 1er octobre a Abuka, que les militaires entamaient
leur derniere annee au pouvoir et que, le 1 octobre 1998, "une
administration civile elue entrera en fonction". Des elections
presidentielles sont prevues en aout 1998. D'autre part,
l'organisation Reporters sans frontieres denonce les pressions
exercees contre la presse privee, victime de represailles pour
avoir evoque l'etat de sante du president Abacha. Cinq journalistes
se trouvent toujours en prison.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 6
octobre 1997)

* Nigeria. News roundup  -  3 October: Newspapers report that three
people have died in clashes between militant youths and troops, in
the troubled Nigerian midwestern oil town of Warri. The Guardian
says the latest killings took place during a shout-out between the
youths and soldiers on the night of 1 October. It should be
remembered that at least one person died and 58 people were
arrested during an attack by security forces on the ethnic Ijaw
fishing village of Ekeremor-Zion on 30 September. The present
clashes stem from the kidnapping by youths last month, of four
soldiers, one of whom was later found dead. 4 October: Dr Sani
Nasir Gwarzo who is charged with controlling the spread of AIDS in
Nigeria, says the country will intensify its campaign to stem the
alarming spread of the disease. Dr Gwarzo says that more than 2.25
million Nigerians are certified carriers of the HIV virus that
causes AIDS. The same day, newspapers report that five Nigerian
human rights activists are being held in prison, following a court
hearing. They are charged with "unlawful assembly and being in
possession of seditious articles". 7 October: Chief Emeka Anyaoku,
the Commonwealth's Secretary-General, says he is sure Nigeria's
military government is serious about restoring democracy.   (ANB-
BIA, Brussels, 8 October 1997)

* Ouganda. La rebellion continue  -  Durant le mois de septembre,
au moins 83 personnes ont ete tuees et 30 enlevees dans l'ouest du
pays, ou s'affrontent l'armee ougandaise et la rebellion des Forces
democratiques alliees (ADF), coalition d'opposants armes au regime
du president Museveni. Dans le Nord, ou opere la rebellion de
l'"Armee du Seigneur" (LRA), plus de 15.000 personnes ont ete
deplacees. Par ailleurs, l'Ouganda cherche a planifier une
operation militaire conjointe avec la R.D. du Congo pour retablir
la securite a la frontiere et liquider les rebelles qui operent
dans la region. D'autre part, un rapport americain, realise apres
plusieurs semaines d'enquete sur le terrain a la demande de
l'ambassadeur des Etats-Unis, recommande que le gouvernement
ougandais engage des negociations avec les rebelles de la LRA. Il
recommande egalement la mise en place d'une commission d'enquete
sur des cas de violation des droits de l'homme dans le Nord.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 6 octobre 1997)

* Rwanda. Killings  -  On 2 October, the UN Human Rights Office
reported at least 918 killings in 95 separate incidents in Rwanda
during July and August, and again urged the government to prevent
the excessive use of force by security forces. But they said the
toll represented a "significant decrease" on the 2,873 killings
during the previous two-month period. In a report, the UN Human
Rights Office said that they saw improvements in Ruhengeri
prefecture, a predominantly Hutu northwestern region where the
Tutsi-dominated army is fighting a rebellion.   (InfoBeat, USA, 2
October 1997)

* Rwanda. Expulsions  -  Plusieurs milliers de Rwandais sont en
cours d'expulsion de maisons qu'ils occupent en prefecture de
Kibungo, afin de permettre a 8.000 familles, parties en juillet
1994 et rapatriees fin 1996, de recuperer leur domicile, a constate
l'AFP. Les personnes expulsees sont, pour la plupart, d'anciens
exiles chasses en 1959 et revenus a la faveur de la victoire du FPR
en 1994. Les expulses ont recu un espace ou ils peuvent se
construire une autre maison, a indique le prefet de Kibungo, qui
leur a distribue des toiles de plastique "en attendant mieux".  
(La Libre Belgique, 6 octobre 1997)

* Rwanda/R.D.Congo. La guerre reprend  -  Il s'est confirme, le 8
octobre, que de tres violents combats opposent a Gisenyi l'armee
rwandaise a d'anciens militaires et a des miliciens Interahamwe
dotes d'armes lourdes, qui se sont brievement empares du petit
aeroport avant d'en etre deloges. Au Congo, les combattants hutu
ont en certains points fait leur jonction avec les rebelles locaux
mai-mai. Ceci a permis a des groupes rebelles de s'implanter sur
l'axe Goma-Bukavu, devenu impraticable, tandis que de grandes
concentrations de militaires tutsi (rwandais et congolais) etaient
reperes du cote de Kavumu, proche de Bukavu. La population du Kivu
craint d'etre prise entre les deux armees. A Kinshasa, le president
Kabila a recu, le 8 octobre, le vice-president rwandais Kagame pour
parler notamment de la tension croissante le long de leur frontiere
commune.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 9 octobre 1997)

* Senegal. Offensive en Casamance  -  L'armee a lance une vaste
offensive contre des positions independantistes en Casamance, a-t-
on appris le 5 octobre. Plus de 3.000 soldats participent a
l'operation, la plus importante jamais menee depuis le cessez-le-
feu de 1995. Elle se deroule pres de la frontiere de la Guinee-
Bissau, notamment a Mandina Mankagne, localite de la peripherie de
Ziguinchor. Deux militaires ont ete tues et quatre autres blesses;
aucun bilan n'etait disponible du cote independantiste, mais
Mandina Mankagne a ete detruite par l'artillerie senegalaise.   (Le
Monde, France, 7 octobre 1997)

* Sierra Leone. Bombing raid on Freetown  -  8 October: A Nigerian
plane bombs the Freetown Defence Headquarters. An official
statement says that at least four people have been killed in the
raid, but it is likely that the death toll may be higher. Senior
members of the ruling Military Council narrowly escaped being
caught in the raid. A meeting which had been scheduled to take
place in the barracks was moved at the last minute. This attack
comes at the same time as the UN Security Council has voted to
impose sanctions on Sierra Leone, in a further attempt to get the
Junta to hand over power, but it may not have been directly linked
to events in New York. The bombing follows an earlier incident when
a Nigerian plane came under fire from the area near the Defence
Headquarters.   (BBC, U.K., 9 October 1997)

* Sierra Leone. Embargo petrolier  -  Le Conseil de securite de
l'ONU a impose, le 8 octobre, un embargo sur le petrole et les
armes contre la Sierra Leone pour forcer la junte militaire a ceder
le pouvoir. Le Conseil "exige que la junte prenne immediatement des
mesures pour ceder le pouvoir et permette le retablissement du
gouvernement democratiquement elu et le retour a l'ordre
constitutionnel". Le Conseil interdit aussi aux membres de la junte
militaire et a leur famille d'entrer ou de transiter sur le
territoire des Etats membres de l'ONU.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 9
octobre 1997)

* Soudan. Reouverture de l'ambassade americaine  -  Les Etats-Unis
ont annonce, le 25 septembre, la reouverture de leur ambassade a
Khartoum. Mais seul un petit nombre de diplomates et de
fonctionnaires seront bases a Khartoum, alors que l'ambassadeur et
d'autres diplomates continueront a resider a Nairobi et a effectuer
des visites regulieres a Khartoum. Les Etats-Unis avaient ferme
leur ambassade en fevrier 1996 et transfere leur personnel
diplomatique a Nairobi apres que les Nations unies avaient adopte
des sanctions contre le Soudan.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 3
octobre 1997)

* Sudan. Bishop Taban of Torit  -  On 7 October, Bishop Taban of
Torit Diocese gave a conference in Brussels on: "Is peace in Sudan
possible?" The Bishop said that for years, the people of southern
Sudan have been suffering greatly from wars, bloodshed, insecurity
and persecution. They have a lot of bad memories about what has
happened to them from the north, but they are looking for that kind
of peace where people can live together. "But", said the Bishop,
"the way things are at the moment, this peace cannot be achieved by
the people themselves. They need international help. That is why
hope must be placed in the forthcoming IGAAD talks to be held in
Nairobi, Kenya, and the international community must support these
talks. The word, "peace", is the most frequently used word in our
country", said Bishop Taban. "But our people must be prepared for
this peace".   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 October 1997)

* South Africa. Mbeki seeks amnesty  -  Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's
deputy president, is seeking amnesty for unspecified crimes during
the fight against apartheid, a party spokesman said on 2 October.
This follows a decision by the ANCþs national executive committee,
that all members from 1960-1994 should apply for amnesty, in
keeping with the principle for acts of conduct committed in the
course of the war against apartheid. Mr Mandela is not among those
who have applied for amnesty from the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission. (Editor's note: The final amnesty deadline for crimes
and human rights violations committed during the apartheid era,
expired at midnight, 30 September. There was no big final rush of
last minute applicants.)   (Financial Times, U.K., 3 October 1997)

* South Africa. New wave of KwaZulu-Natal violence  -  On 6
October, police said that eight South Africans were gunned down
during the weekend, in a new wave of politically motivated violence
in KwaZulu-Natal province. Some 15,000 people have been killed in
fighting that for over a decade was mainly between supporters of
the ANC and Inkatha. A new political party has now entered the
fray, and a fresh cycle of killings is gaining momentum in the
remote hills, near the town of Richmond in the centre of the
province.   (InfoBeat, USA, 6 October 1997)

* Togo. Adhesion a la Conference islamique  -  Le Togo est devenu
le 55e membre de l'Organisation de la conference islamique.
Majoritairement animiste, ce pays compte 10% de musulmans et un
tiers de chretiens.   (La Libre Belgique, 6 octobre 1997)

* Tunisie. Droits de l'homme  -  Khemais Ksila, vice-president de
la Ligue tunisienne des droits de l'homme, a ete inculpe, le 1er
octobre, "d'outrage a l'ordre public, de diffusion de fausses
nouvelles et d'incitation" a transgresser les lois. M. Ksila a ete
arrete apres avoir commence une greve de la faim -- qu'il a
interrompue -- pour protester contre son licenciement et la
confiscation de son passeport en raison, selon lui, de son activite
militante en faveur des droits de l'homme.   (Le Monde, France, 3
octobre 1997)

* Uganda. Conflict along the frontiers  -  27: Hundreds of Ugandans
have fled their homes in the remote western part of the country
after Allied Democratic Forces' (ADF) rebels forced them out. 28
September: The US urges the Ugandan government to negotiate with
the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). A report, which documents the
causes of the conflicts by both the LRA in northern Uganda, and by
the West Nile Bank Front (WNBF) in northwest Uganda, marks the
first time a foreign government has endorsed peace talks between
the Ugandan government and the LRA. 5 October: Security remains
unpredictable in Gulu, with attacks and skirmishes throughout the
district, and abductions of children by rebels continues at an
alarming rate. The same day, survivors say that at least eight
people are killed and others badly injured when a bus and a car are
set ablaze in an ambush by LRA rebels. This took place near the
Karuma Falls on the River Nile. 6 October: ADF rebels kill at least
18 people and wound seven in an attack in western Uganda. The
attack, on a settlement of displaced people in a village outside
Kasese, was carried out by ADF rebels.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8
October 1997

* Zambia. Catholic Church wants Abortion Law revoked  -  On 8
October, Zambia's Catholic Bishops appealed to the government, to
repeal the country's abortion laws, in line with the declaration of
the country as a Christian nation. In a stement to President
Chiluba, the bishops suggested the government should instead, enact
new laws that criminalise acts of abortion, to strenghten the
Christian faith in Zambia.   (Daniel Langeveldt, South Africa, 8
October 1997

* Zimbabwe. Problems ahead for the Mugabe government  -  2 October:
A 260-page report on atrocities by Zimbabwean soldiers fighting
rebels in Matabeleland, has sold its initial print-run of 1,000
since publication in July, making it one of the country's fasted
moving titles, according to the book-sellers organisation. 7
October: The World Bank's decision to delay disbursement of a
US$62m loan to Zimbabwe, is a serious setback for a country which
has recorded a current account debit of US$460m for the first seven
months of the year. There was some surprise when in August, World
Bank officials announced the resumption of support after a partial
suspension in 1995. Within a fortnight of the Bank announcing
resumed lending, President Mugabe had announced a budget-busting
compensation for war veterans.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 October
1997)