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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 13-11-1997      PART #1/  

* East Africa. Pipeline deal  -  6 November: Kenya and Uganda are
to survey the feasibility of extending to Mapala, Uganda, a fuel
pipeline which will run from the Kenyan port of Mombasa, to
Eldoret, in western Kenya. The survey will be carried out by
Penspen Consultants, a Kenyan affiliate of a British company. The
cost of the study will be covered by a $205,000 loan from the
European Investment Bank.   (IRIN, 6 November 1997)

* FAO. La faim oubliee  -  A l'occasion de la 29e session de la
conference de la FAO, son directeur general, Jacques Diouf, a
souligne que l'aide au developpement continuait a s'amenuiser en
termes reels et que l'aide au secteur agricole, en particulier,
avait connu une forte reduction, passant de 16 milliards de
dollars en 1989 a 10 milliards en 1996. Le budget de la FAO
"represente deux jours de consommation de tabac en Amerique du
Nord et deux mois de consommation de champagne dans un seul pays
d'Europe..." a-t-il ajoute.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 10 novembre
1997)

* South Africa. Archbishop Tutu  -  7 November: Archbishop
Desmond Tutu applauds Parliament's vote (on 6 November), to
formally scrap the death penalty, which has been suspended since
1989. The Archbishop says that the vote to legally seal the
gallows -- used 6,283 times since 1910 -- will benefit the
country as a whole. "It shows that we are a society that cares
about human life, it shows that we have reverence for human
life." 10 November: Cape Town city councillors vote unanimously
to grant the freedom of the city to Archbishop Tutu. 11 November:
South Africa's business leaders tell the TRC that they are
innocent of any wrongdoing during apartheid. Archbishop Tutu
comments: "No one today admits to supporting apartheid...It would
be wonderful to have someone here saying "we did this and we did
that...and we want to rub some oil on the wounds; here is 10
million rand for the president's fund"", he said. The weapons
firm, Armscor, tells the TRC that itnused clandestine tactivs
under apartheid, but did not commit human rights violations.  
(ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 November 1997)

* Afrique du Sud. L'ANC et la TRC  -  Le Congres national
africain (ANC) du president Nelson Mandela a demande, mardi 11
novembre, a la Commission Verite et Reconciliation (TRC)
d'enqueter "en detail" sur le role eventuel d'agents des services
secrets francais dans l'assassinat, en 1988, a Paris, de la
representante de l'ANC en France, Dulcie September. Des
chercheurs neerlandais, mandates pour enqueter sur les crimes du
regime d'apartheid a l'etranger, ont evoque l'implication des
services francais dans l'assasinat de Mme Septembre.   (Le Monde,
France, 13 novembre 1997)

* Algerie. Le regime attaque la presse privee@BODY_1 = La presse
privee est dans le collimateur du pouvoir pour avoir couvert les
manifestations contre la fraude electorale. Le directeur du
quotidien El Watan, Omar Belouchet, l'un des journalistes
algeriens les plus connus, a ete condamne le 5 novembre a un an
de prison ferme pour "outrage a corps constitue et diffamation",
concernant des declarations faites il y a deux ans. Il a fait
appel et a pu quitter librement le tribunal. Mais dans l'apres-
midi, il etait a nouveau interroge sur un article, paru il y a
quelques jours, qui attaquait le president Zeroual et deux autres
hauts responsables. Le celebre chroniqueur de son journal, Yassir
Benmiloud, le meme jour, a ete enleve en pleine rue par des
policiers en civil. - Par ailleurs, deux bombes artisanales ont
explose le 6 novembre a Alger, l'une sur un marche a Bab El Oued,
l'autre dans le centre de la capitale, faisant 18 blesses, dont
une quinzaine se trouvaient dans un etat grave. Selon un bilan
etabli par la presse, 25 personnes ont ete tuees et une trentaine
d'autres blessees, entre le 6 et le 9 novembre, dans sept
attentats a la bombe et deux nouveaux massacres.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 10 novembre 1997)

* Algeria. Roadside murders  -  About 20 gunmen, thought to be
Muslim rebels, killed 26 civilians in west Algeria, cutting their
throats or decapitating them, national newspapers reported on 9
November. The victims, six women, 15 men and a teenager, were on
their way to a mosque near Tajmout, when they were stopped by the
gunmen at a fake roadblock. On 8 November, gunmen, manning fake
roadblock killed three local government officials and a security
official, in Bouira region.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 11 November
1997)

* Algeria. Business normal despite strike call  -  On 12
November, business in Algeiers continued as usual with stores,
schools and banks open and traffic busy in the city, where
Algeria's main legal opposition had called for a three-hour
strike. Six legal opposition parties had called on residents of
Algiers to strike from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. in a protest at what
they called "massive government rigging of the 23 October local
elections.   (InfoBeat, November, 12 November 1997)

* Algerie. Temoignage accablant  -  Selon un ancien membre des
services secrets algeriens cite dans l'edition dominicale du
quotidien britannique The Observer du 9 novembre, les attentats
commis en France durant l'ete 1995 sont l'oeuvre du pouvoir
algerien et non des islamistes. Il s'agirait d'une "operation
sophistiquee de contre-propagande". Selon le meme temoin, le
Groupement islamiste armee (GIA) serait completement manipule par
les services secrets algeriens. "Le pouvoir et l'armee sont
derriere la plupart des massacres commis en Algerie", affirme-t-
il, toujours sans donner de preuves... La presse francaise a
reagi avec beaucoup de circonspection et le gouvernement n'a
donne aucun commentaire. Par ailleurs, plusieurs intellectuels
algeriens vivant en France ont lance un appel a la creation d'une
commission d'enquete internationale sur la situation en Algerie.
A Paris et dans plusieurs villes francaises, des organisations
des droits de l'homme ont organise le 10 novembre une "Journee
pour l'Algerie", a laquelle ont participe des milliers de
personnes et de nombreuses personnalites. Le gouvernement
algerien a rejete "toute velleite d'ingerence". Un appel a la
greve lance par six partis pour le 12 novembre n'a pas ete suivi
a Alger.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13 novembre 1997)

* Angola. L'Unita et le processus de paix  -  La Mission
d'observation des Nations unies en Angola (Monua) a lance, le 5
novembre, une operation de verification de stocks d'armes
abandonnes par l'Unita. L'ONU s'est plainte de la faible quantite
et de la mauvaise qualite de l'armement remis et note que "la
situation militaire est instable et les violations du cessez-le-
feu augmentent" depuis un mois. La direction de l'Unita, qui
accepte mal les nouvelles sanctions votees par le Conseil de
securite a son encontre, s'est prononcee, apres trois jours de
debats, pour la poursuite de l'application des accords de paix
signes en 1994.   (Le Monde, France, 7 novembre 1997)

* Botswana. President Masire to step down  -  On 10 November,
President Ketumile Masire announced that he will retire next 31
March, after 17 years at the helm of one of Africa's most stable
nations. He will hand over the reigns of power to Vice-President
Festus Mogae, who is also Finance and Development Planning
Minister. President Masire, took over Office in 1980.  
(InfoBeat, USA, 10 November 1997)

* Botswana. Le president annonce son depart  -  Le president du
Botswana, Ketumile Masire, a confirme la reputation de modele
democratique dont jouit son pays en annoncant, le 10 novembre,
son depart de la vie politique. Apres 17 ans au pouvoir, M.
Masire souhaite donner sa chance a une nouvelle generation de
dirigeants. M. Masire a precise qu'il se retirera en mars 1998,
et sera remplace par le vice-president, Festus Mogae, jusqu'aux
elections de 1999. M. Masire, age de 72 ans, etait devenu, en
1980, le deuxieme president du Botswana et a ete reelu trois
fois.   (Le Monde, France, 12 novembre 1997)

* Burkina Faso. Nouveau barrage pour Ouagadougou  -  Le Burkina
Faso va bientot demarrer le plus grand chantier jamais realise
dans le pays, avec la construction du barrage de Ziga, a 50 km
a l'est de la capitale, destine a alimenter Ouagadougou en eau
potable et a favoriser son developpement economique et
industriel. Selon les estimations, il faudra alimenter 1,2
million d'habitants en 2005, soit un besoin en eau potable de
42,5 millions de m3. La construction du barrage va deplacer
quelque 6.000 personnes.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 7 novembre
1997)

* Burundi. COMESA calls for lifting of sanctions  -  Meeting in
Lusaka, Zambia, on 10 November, the Common Market for Eastern and
Southern Africa (COMESA), called for sanctions against Burundi
to be lifted. The 19-member trading bloc said that sanctions were
futile. "The business community expressed concern at the adverse
effects that the economic sanctions imposed against Burundi, are
having on the country...and her COMESA trading partners. The
meeting notes that imports from outside the COMESA region are
still reaching Burundi".   (IRIN, 11 November 1997)

* Congo-Brazza. World Bank freezes its ties  -  On 5 November,
the World Bank froze its financial ties with Congo Brazza,
because the government has defaulted on its loan payments. The
Brazzaville government went into default on 31 October on loans
from the bank, prompting the lending agency to suspend all loans
and credits to the country. On 7 November, the World Bank said
it placed loans and credits to the government of Congo-Brazza,
in "non-accrual" status, meaning the country will not be able to
borrow money from them, until its arrears, estimated at US $ 17
million, are cleared. On 10 November, a new $18 million UN Inter-
Agency Flash Appeal for Congo-Brazza, is launched.   (InfoBeat,
USA, 6-10 November 1997)

* Congo-Brazza. Etrangers liberes  -  Tous les etrangers retenus
prisonniers par le nouveau regime du Congo-Brazzaville depuis le
18 octobre, ont ete liberes entre le 7 et le 8 novembre. Onze
Russes, sept Francais et deux Belges avaient ete captures par les
forces congolaises. Affirmant avoir simplement transporte de la
nourriture par avion, ils etaient accuses de trafic et de
transport d'armes. - D'autre part, le 11 novembre, les Nations
unies ont lance un appel pour venir en aide aux 650.000 personnes
deplacees sur le territoire du Congo.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 11 novembre 1997)

* Congo (RDC). UN probe team returns  -  11 November: Government
officials in Kinshasa say that the bitterly disputed probe can
now go ahead smoothly. The president of the inter-ministerial
liaison team says he hopes to meet the three leaders of the UN
mission soon after their return to Kinshasa. The three UN leaders
return to Kinshasa on 11 November.   (NewsUpdate, 12 November
1997)

* Congo (RDC). Bailleurs de fonds  -  Le gouverneur de la Banque
nationale du Congo, M. Masangu, a obtenu a Washington le feu vert
pour la mise en place de la reforme monetaire. Aupres de la
Banque mondiale, il a obtenu un accord d'assistance technique,
mais il a surtout discute de la dette exterieure de son pays,
dont le montant est de 14 milliards de dollars. La Banque
mondiale organisera les 3 et 4 decembre prochains a Bruxelles une
conference des "Amis du Congo" (bailleurs de fonds). Les Etats-
Unis, malgre les critiques du Congres concernant l'appui donne
a la prise de pouvoir de Kabila, s'y feront l'avocat du regime
congolais, dont ils apprecient les "signes favorables" quant a
l'enquete sur les massacres des refugies. Par ailleurs, selon la
presse congolaise, le groupe minier Barrick Gold Corporation
envisage d'investir 300 millions de dollars pour l'exploitation
de la concession miniere de Kilo Moto. - D'autre part, la chaine
de television allemande ZDF a affirme, le 11 novembre, avoir
retrouve en Gambie la trace d'une partie de l'or de Mobutu,
entrepose dans des caches secretes, ou se trouveraient au moins
6 tonnes d'or d'une valeur de 90 millions de dollars.   (ANB-BIA,
de sources diverses, 12 novembre 1997)

* Congo (RDC). Mission ONU  -  La nouvelle mission d'enquete des
Nations unies sur les accusations de massacres de refugies est
arrivee le 11 novembre a Kinshasa. Apres les multiples fins de
non-recevoir essuyees depuis des mois, la mission reste prudente
sur les chances de succes de cette nouvelle tentative. Le
gouvernement congolais a obtenu que l'enquete ne se concentre pas
uniquement sur les massacres presumes lors de la prise de pouvoir
de Kabila, mais egalement sur une partie des tueries sous le
regime Mobutu. La mission de l'ONU a obtenu en principe le droit
d'enqueter sur la totalite du territoire et ce jusqu'au 31
decembre. - D'autre part, l'ONU a publie, le 11 novembre, un
rapport tres critique sur le nouveau regime de Kinshasa,
affirmant que le gouvernement de Kabila a supprime "les droits
civiques a la liberte et a l'integrite physique"... "Les droits
de participation politique ont ete suspendus, il n'y a aucune
mesure pour assurer la jouissance de droits economiques, sociaux
et culturels". La rapport reconnait neanmoins que la prise de
pouvoir de Kabila a eu "certains aspects positifs", en mettant
fin aux pillages et en ameliorant la securite dans les villes. 
 (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 12 novembre 1997)

* Congo RDC. Kabila has not ended abuses
The UN has accused the government of Congo RDC of showing little
more respect for human rights and democratisation than the late
dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. The report was released as UN
investigators returned to Congo RDC to investigate massacres of
Rwandan Hutu refugees in the east, after months of prevarication
by the new administration. The UN human rights report, damned
President Kabila for curtailing freedoms since he seized power.
The report's author, Roberto Garreton, a Chilean lawyer, said Mr
Kabila's administration had made contradictory announcements aout
free elections and that no effort was being made to implement
them.   (The Guardian, U.K., 13 November 1997)


* Guinea. Shake-up expected in bauxite industry  -  A substantial
shake-up of the Bauxite industry in Guinea is on the cards. The
country is the world's second largest producer, after Australia,
of bauxite, the raw material for alumina, from which aluminium
is made, and last year the industry contributed more that 85% of
its foreign exchange earnings. However, Guinea wants to add more
value to the bauxite before it is exported and this might mean
bringing in new partners.   (Financial Times, U.K., 13 November
1997)

* Kenya. Towards the elections  -  7 November: President Moi
signs into law, three constitutional Reform Bills, agreed ahead
of a general election by the ruling party and a section of the
Opposition. The President gives his assent to the Bills at a
brief ceremony at the presidency, witnessed by legislators,
mainly from his ruling Kenya African National Unity party. The
Bills reduce the power of civil servants over political activity,
abolish some laws dating from the colonial era, and provide for
the establishment of a Commission to review the Constitution. 10
November: President Moi dissolves Parliament, setting the stage
for elections around Christmas. Kenya's electoral commission will
name the polling date, but if constitutional wrangling is to be
avoided, results need to be in, before President Moi's term of
office expires on 4 January 1998. 11 November: Hardline opponents
accuse President Moi of engineering a certain victory. Kenya's
Chief Justice swears in the 21 electoral commissioners. Their
chairman says he will announce the election calendar, including
polling day, within a few days. 12 November: The presidential and
parliamentary elections are scheduled for 29 December, announces
the country's election commissioner. Presidential candidates must
hand in their nomination papers 3-4 December; parliamentary
candidates must hand in theirs 8-9 December. Analysts forecast
victory for President Daniel arap Moi and his KANU party, given
the opposition's failure to overcome the ethnic divisions and
personality rivaliries that split their vote three ways in the
1992 elections. But tension is expected to rise as campaigning
gets under way. Two parties which are still not recognised, are
the Islamic Party of Kenya, and Safina, in which Dr Richard
Leakey plays a prominent part. Church leaders and other critics
have claimed that voter registration is incomplete and have
called for further constitutional reforms. They want changes to
the forumula by which the winner of the presidential poll is
calculated. As it is, Mr Moi needs to secure 25% of the votes
cast in five of Kenya's eight provinces, or face a run-off.  
(ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 November 1997)

* Kenya. Vers les elections  -  La dissolution du Parlement
kenyan, annoncee le 10 novembre par le president Arap Moi, ouvre
la voie aux prochaines elections generales qui doivent avoir lieu
dans un delai de un a trois mois. Ces elections presidentielles,
legislatives et locales se derouleront en principe dans un climat
plus democratique que les precedentes, la KANU (parti au pouvoir)
ayant concede quelques reformes. M. Moi a cependant dissous le
Parlement sans tenir compte des demandes pour un report des
elections de la part de l'opposition. - On apprenait le 12
novembre que les elections presidentielle et legislatives ont ete
fixees au 29 decembre. Arap Moi sera oppose a quelque huit
candidats.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13 novembre 1997)

* Kenya. "Time for change"  -  Amnesty International has
published a report on human rights abuses in Kenya, in its
November 1997 International News. The report says that Kenyans
are demanding change. Their country's human rights record is
stained by repressive laws, torture, ill-treatment and police
killings. Prison conditions are appalling. Courts impose cruel
and inhuman punishments such as caning, while hundreds of people
remain under sentence of death. The authorities have harassed and
intimidated opposition politicians, student activists,
journalists and human rights defenders.   (Amnesty International,
November 1997)

* Liberia. Vers un depart de l'Ecomog?  -  La Force ouest-
africaine de paix (Ecomog) a annonce, le 5 novembre, qu'elle est
prete a quitter le Liberia en decembre si elle n'est pas associee
a la restructuration de l'armee nationale. Le president liberien,
Charles Taylor, a annonce que cette restructuration relevait de
sa seule competence.   (Le Monde, France, 7 novembre 1997)

* Libye. L'ONU maintient les sanctions  -  Le Conseil de securite
de l'ONU a maintenu, le 7 novembre, l'embargo aerien et celui sur
les armes impose a la Libye depuis 1992 pour son refus de
cooperer dans l'attentat de Lockerbie, qui avait fait 270 morts
en decembre 1988. Le Conseil passe en revue tous les quatre mois
les sanctions qui frappent la Libye.   (d'apres AFP, 7 novembre
1997)

* Mali. Opposants gracies  -  Le president malien, Alpha Oumar
Konare, a gracie a nouveau onze militants de l'opposition
condamnes a la suite d'incidents electoraux au printemps dernier.
Ces mesures, apres pluiseurs mois de contestation parfois
violente, portent a 42 le nombre d'opposants liberes, sur les 51
qui ont ete detenus.   (Liberation, France, 12 novembre 1997)
* Mali. New Upper Court  -  Parliament has created an 180 member
Upper Court of Justice with special powers to try cases of High
Treason involving the President or ministers who commit offenses
in the execution of their duties. The new court was created in
Bamako, during a plenary session of the National Assembly.  
(AFJN, Washington, 6 November 1997)

* Mozambique. Conscription approved  -  On 3 November, Parliament
voted 124-103 in favour of reintroducing military conscription -
- a decision that led the main opposition party, RENAMO, to walk
out of the chamber in protest. The Bill established military age
as between 18 and 35.   (PANA, 3 November 1997)

* Niger. Deficit cerealier  -  Le Premier ministre nigerien, M.
Cisse, a appele la communaute internationale a assurer la
securite alimentaire de plus de 2 millions de personnes dans des
regions sinistrees, suite au deficit cerealier de pres de 400.000
tonnes lors de la campagne qui s'est achevee il y a un mois.
C'est la troisieme annee de deficit. 2.476 villages sont en
difficulte, dont 76 dans une situation extremement preoccupante,
avec un depart massif de leurs habitants vers des regions plus
clementes.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 7 novembre 1997)

* Niger. Combats meurtiers  -  Vingt-huit personnes - 27 rebelles
et un soldat - ont ete tuees le 8 novembre dans des combats entre
l'armee et les rebelles touaregs dans le nord du Niger. Le
ministre de la Defense a declare que les forces armees
nigeriennes avaient lance une operation de nettoyage des
positions occupees par les fronts dissidents de la rebellion,
operation motivee, selon lui, par le refus de dialogue des
mouvements touaregs.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 10 novembre 1997)

* Nigeria. Repression accentuee  -  Alors que l'opposition
prevoit d'organiser le 10 novembre des manifestations a la
memoire de l'ecrivain Ken Saro-Wiwa et de 8 de ses compagnons
pendus le 10.11.95, un nouveau journaliste a ete arrete le 8
novembre par les services de securite. L'interpellation de
Jenkins Alumona, redacteur en chef de l'hebdomadaire The News,
porte a 20 le nombre de journalistes nigerians victimes de la
repression depuis debut octobre. Cinq autres journalistes sont
detenus depuis 1995. Et le 10 novembre, le redacteur en chef de
l'hebdomadaire Tell a ete enleve par des hommes soupconnes d'etre
des agents de la securite de l'Etat, ont indique ses collegues.
Deja, le 25 octobre, le redacteur en chef d'African Concord avait
egalement ete enleve.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 10-12
novembre 1997)

* Nigeria. Continuing harassment of journalists  -  Reports
reaching ANB-BIA, speak of the continuing harassment of
journalists in Nigeria. On 8 November, the Editor of The News
magazine, Jenkins Alumona, was arrested on the premises of the
Nigerian Television Authority on Victoria Island, Lagos. The
arrest was carried out by three plainclothes operatives, who
claimed to have come from the State Security Service. Earlier,
the same day, The Newsț managing editor, Femi Ojudu, narrowly
escaped arrest. Elsewhere, squads of security operatives laid
seige to the major printing presses in Lagos, this past weekend.
Employees were warned not to do print runs for the independent
media, particularly The News, Tell, Tempo. On 9 November, a group
of security operatives stormed the editorial offices of Tell.
After ransacking the premises for hours, they confiscated all the
available copies of the magazine, packed them in the magazine's
distribution vehicle and towed it away to an unknown destination.
A further report, dated 11 November, says that on 4 November, the
defence correspondent of PM News, Adetokunbo Fakeye, was arrested
while on duty at Army defence Headquarters in Lagos. PM Newsț
management said it became worried, and began investigations when
Fakeye did not return to the newsroom that day. Management said
it has determined that Fakeye was arrested, and that his name is
number 38 on a list of 38 people being detained by the Defence
Headquarters in one of its cells. The International Freedom of
Expression exchange clearing house, (11 November) gives details
of further arrests of journalists and publications' personnel
carried out in recent weeks.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 November
1997)

* Nigeria. Britain told to pay up  -  Britain should pay Nigeria
compensation for years of exploitation, rather than accuse its
government of human rights abuses, the Nigerian information
minister, Walter Ofonagoro has said. "Those who colonised us by
force, cannot accuse us of human rights violations," Mr Ofonagoro
told the News Agency of Nigeria. "They should hide their faces
in shame".   (The Guardian, U.K., 10 November 1997)

* Nigeria. Pope to visit Nigeria  -  3 November: Government and
religious officials said that Pope John Paul II will visit
Nigeria next month, when he is expected to beatify a Nigerian
priest, Father Tansi. The Pope first visited Nigeria in 1982.  
(AFJN, Washington, 3 November 1997)

* Ouganda. Les Eglises pour une issue pacifique  -  Les pressions
sur le autorites ougandaises pour des negociations de paix avec
diverses rebellions s'accentuent. Le 2 novembre, une
manifestation conduite par l'archeveque de Kampala, le cardinal
Wamala, a rassemble au centre de la capitale plusieurs milliers
de chretiens partisans d'une issue pacifique aux conflits qui
dechirent les regions du nord, du nord-ouest et de l'ouest de
l'Ouganda. Des representants de l'eglise d'Ouganda, des
adventistes du septieme jour et de l'eglise orthodoxe etaient
egalement presents. Aucun representant musulman n'a en revanche
participe a cette manifestation, ni aucun membre du gouvernement. 
 (Marches Tropicaux, France, 7 novembre 1997)

* Sierra Leone. Thousands need food aid  -  On 7 November, the
World Food Programme (WFP), said that more than 200,000 people
in Sierra Leone are in need of food aid. Hundreds of thousands
of people have been uprooted from their homes, because of clashes
between forces supporting the new army rulers, and West African
troops trying to reverse the coup. A statement said the health
of tens of thousands of people in Sierra Leone could quickly
deteriorate, unless the WFP was able to bring in food
immediately.   (InfoBeat, USA, 7 November 1997)

* Somalia. Floods leave 800,000 homeless  -  9 November: UNICEF
says that floods caused by torrential rains have left up to
800,000 homeless in southern Somalia."Unless we get helicopters
and boats immediately...we will be helping to bury the dead,"
says a UNICEF coordinator. "People are drowning." 11 November:
In makeshift camps outside the rural southern town of Bardera,
young and old victims of the floods, are crying out for
international help. A local mosque has been taken over by
crocodiles fleeing the flooded Juba River.   (InfoBeat, USA, 10-
11 November 1997)

* Somalie. Inondations  -  Des inondations, suite a des pluies
torrentielles, ont provoque la mort de plus de 100 personnes en
Somalie et on craint que le nombre des victimes ne s'accroisse
encore. Un medecin de l'Unicef a affirme que dans la region de
Baidoa, a 300 km au nord-ouest de Mogadiscio, on a compte 80
morts. 100.000 familles, soit quelque 800.000 personnes ont perdu
leurs maisons et sont menacees de famine.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 12 novembre 1997)

* Soudan. Echec des pourparlers  -  Les pourparlers entre le
gouvernement soudanais et les rebelles du sud du pays ont echoue
le 7 novembre a Nairobi. Apres dix jours de discussions, les
negociations ont ete interrompues. Il s'agissait des premiers
pourparlers de paix depuis 1994. Elles devraient eventuellement
reprendre en avril de l'annee prochaine.   (De Standaard,
Belgique, 8 novembre 1997)

* Sudan. Bank transactions with US cut  -  Sudan has cut banking
ties with the United States, in retaliation for new US economic
sanctions against Sudan over its alleged sponsorship of
terrorism. Sudan has denied it supports terrorism, and says it
will retaliate against President Clinton's move taken on 3
November. On 8 November, Sudan's Finance Minister, Abdel Wahhab
Osman, said that about $5 million in Sudanese funds in the US,
have been affected by the new US economic sanctions. The funds
include dollar transfers sent by Sudanese banks for clearance in
the US, and International Monetary Fund payments.   (InfoBeat,
USA, 6/10 November 1997)

* Sudan. Government calls for federation in the south  -  10
November: Sudan's government has called for a federation between
north and south, in reply to rebel demands for a confederation.
The peace talks are now drawing to a close. It is reported that
the Khartoum government and the political wing of the SPLA
rebels, are presently drafting a communique, ahead of a meeting
to take place 11 November with Kenya's President Moi. The meeting
with Moi will signal the end of the first phases of the talks.
11 November: The peace talks end and are due to resume in April
1998, "to give time to the two sides to consult with their
respective headquarters", a joint communique says. The
discussions foundered on the key issues of religion, self-
determination, and the constitutional character of the state.  
(ANB-BIA, Brusels, 12 November 1997)

* Uganda. Subsidized HIV/AIDS drugs  -  On 6 November, Uganda's
health ministry said that Uganda is to join a four-country United
Nations project that seeks to make drugs used to treat AIDS, more
affordable to the developing world. Uganda, Cote d'Ivoire, Chile
and Viet Nam have been chosen by UNAIDS, the UNțs Geneva-based
anti-AIDS taskforce, as test countries to market and distribute
drugs that have shown to be effective in offsetting the effects
of the deadly virus.   (InfoBeat, USA, 6 November 1997)

* Zambia. Coup failure details  -  ANB-BIA has recently received
the following first-hand account of the 28 October military coup
attempt. The coup was announced by Captain Steven Lungu, over
Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), using the code-
name "Captain Solo". The radio announcer on duty, Everlyn Tembo,
was forced to make the announcement at the point of a gun.
Captain "Solo" claimed to be a spokesman for the "Born Again
Operation" Redemption Council. He spoke directly to President
Chiluba: "Come out under cover of a white flag". He also said:
"There'll be no trials. All leaders will face a firing squad.
You've heard of an army, but you haven't seen what it can do.
You've heard of a firing squad, but you haven't seen what it can
do. You'll see, everything will be shown on TV". Meanwhile,
another group of the "Born Again Operation" rebels, ran amok at
the army commander's residence. Property worth millions of
Kwachas was damaged. The army commander was not found, only a
six-year old boy who was hit with gun bets. But who tipped off
the army commander to absent himself? The announcements finished
at 8.30 a.m. and Captain "Solo" went into hiding somewhere in the
ZNBC complex. He was later arrested together with 17 others.  
(Justin Mupundu, Zambia, 30 October 1997)

* Zambia. Aftermath of failed coup  -  5 November: A Lusaka High
Court has ordered that the detained president of the opposition
Zambia Democratic Congress, dean Mung'omba, should undergo a
medical examination following reports that he was tortured while
in detention. His lawyer, Robert Simeza, told the court that his
client has been subjected to severe torture and denied food,
water and access to legal counsel. Judge Timothy Kabalata also
granted Mung'omba's lawyers, an adjournment till 12 November, to
prepare their arguments concerning the legality of their client's
detention. 6 November: Informed sources close to Zambia's
political opposition, say that former president Kenneth Kaunda
and opposition Alliance chairman, Rodger Chongwe, have decided
not to return to Zambia for the moment. The two men are now
travelling outside Africa.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 November
1997)
DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST -- DISPONIBLE SUR DEMANDE
AFRICA
<B>Title: "Troubled but not destroyed"
<B>Source: APIC, 6 November 1997
<B>Author: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, All Africa Conference of
Churches, 6 November 1997
<B>Description: A speech to the All Africa Conference of
Churches, by its outgoing President, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The
Archbishop holds out hope for Africa, despite its problems, and
calls on his listeners to "show the world that Africa is a giant
awaking".
===> Ask for/Demander: /DOC /AFR/APIC1106.txt - ASCII format 18
kb
INTERESTING ARTICLE BUT NOT AVAILABLE FROM OUR OFFICE
KENYA.
<B>Title: "Time for Change"
<B>Author: Amnesty International
<B>Source: Amnesty International News, November 1997.
<B>Description: Kenyans are demanding change. Their country's
human rights record is stained by repressive laws, torture, ill-
treatment and police killings. While conceding that recent
reforms have been cautiously welcomed within Kenya, Amnesty
International says that the reforms do not go far enough in
introducing wholesale political reforms and human rights
safeguards.   (Amn. Intern. News, Nov 1997 - Amn. Intern., 1
Easton Street, London WC1X 8DJ, United Kingdom)