ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belg TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: paco@innet.be _____________________________________________________________ WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 04-12-1997 PART #1/ * Afrique. Penuries alimentaires - Dans un rapport publie a Nairobi le 25 novembre, la FAO indique que 20 pays africains doivent faire face a des penuries alimentaires en raison des perturbations meteorologiques ou de guerres civiles. Le probleme est particulierement grave en Afrique de l'Est, dans la region des Grands Lacs et en Sierra Leone. Une secheresse severe en debut d'annee a substantiellement reduit la saison agricole au Kenya, en Tanzanie, en Ouganda, en Somalie et dans une partie du sud de l'Ethiopie. Des pluies erratiques plus tard dans l'annee ont reduit les recoltes principales dans certains pays, notamment en Tanzanie et en Ouganda, qui enregistreront une chute de la production cerealiere de 30 et 27% respectivement. Dans les Grands Lacs, malgre une attenuation de la crise des refugies, de serieuses difficultes alimentaires persistent, particulierement au Burundi et au Rwanda. (Marches Tropicaux, 28 novembre 1997) * Afrique. Missions americaines - Les Etats-Unis prevoient plusieurs missions en Afrique au mois de decembre. Une premiere "mission presidentielle de cooperation economique avec l'Afrique", dirigee par Charles Rangel, est prevue du 5 au 16 decembre. Le programme encore indicatif comprend la visite de l'Ethiopie, l'Ouganda, le Botswana, Maurice et l'Erythree; une etape en Cote d'Ivoire devrait etre remplacee par le Senegal. Cette mission vise a developper les echanges commerciaux entre les Etats-Unis et l'Afrique. La seconde mission sera menee du 9 au 15 decembre par le secretaire d'Etat aux Affaires etrangeres, Mme Albright, et se rendra dans six pays de l'Afrique orientale et australe: Ethiopie, Ouganda, Rwanda, Congo-Kinshasa, Afrique du Sud et Zimbabwe. (Lettre de l'Ocean Indien, France, 29 novembre 1997) * Africa. Economy and development - 1 December: At its October meeting, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) considered recommendations on ways to sustain Africa's fragile recent economic progress. The recommendations stressed the need for a significant increase in public investment in physical and human infrastructure, export promotion in non-traditional sectors, and a balanced agricultural policy. (APIC, Washington, 1 December 1997) * Africa. Action against journalists - CongoRDC: On 25 November, ten journalists are assaulted by police in Kinshasa. On 2 December, IFEX, Canada, reported that more journalists have been assaulted and arrested in Congo RDC. --Ethiopia: Among recent arrests in Ethiopia (reported on 27 November), is former journalist, Garoma Bekelle. --Rwanda: On 28 November, Stephen Smith, a reporter with the French daily Liberation, was refused a visa by the Rwandan Embassy in France. -- Zambia: On 14 November, the government detains writer and journalist, Frederick Mwanza, under the Preservation of Public Security Act of 1960. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 December 1997) * Afrique du Sud. Winnie Mandela - Depuis le 24 novembre, Winnie Mandela doit faire face, devant la commission Verite et Reconciliation (TRC), a des temoignages accablants, qui evoquent enlevements, tortures, assassinats perpetres par ses hommes de main a l'encontre de militants soupconnes de collaborer avec la police de l'apartheid. L'Afrique du Sud vit au rythme des audiences de la TRC, suivies par pres de 200 journalistes et retransmises en direct a la radio. Les journaux soulignent neanmoins la fragilite et les nombreuses contraditions des temoignages, mais plusieurs d'entre eux evoquent la necessite d'une enquete judiciaire pour faire la lumiere sur les differentes accusations. Les auditions de la TRC ont ete sensiblement tendues, le 1 decembre, par des soupcons d'intimidation de temoins. A partir du 3 decembre Winnie Mandela devrait commencer a repondre aux accusations. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 decembre 1997) * Algerie. Delegation europeenne - Le ministre algerien des Affaires etrangeres, Ahmed Attaf, a fait savoir, le 27 novembre a Bruxelles, que l'Algerie donnait son accord a la venue d'une delegation du Parlement europeen a Alger pour s'y entretenir avec les deputes algeriens, toutes tendances confondues, en limitant cependant cette mission a l'exercice d'une saine cooperation parlementaire. Mais il s'est oppose categoriquement a une enquete internationale reclamee par plusieurs organisations humanitaires. D'autre part, a Alger, l'Assemblee nationale a vote, a une large majorite, la constitution de deux commissions d'enquete sur la fraude electorale et sur les atteintes a l'immunite des deputes. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 28 novembre 1997) * Algeria. Human Rights/Violence - 27 November: Ahmed Attaf, Algeria's Foreign Minister accepts an European Parliament request to send a delegation to Algiers, but rejects appeals by human rights organisations for an independent inquiry into recent massacres. 2 December: The Press reports that attackers have blown up a bridge and then penetrated an Algerian village in darkness, slitting the throats of 29 people. The killings took place on the night of 29 November after the attackers blew up the bridge linking the villages of Hassi Laabed and Daoud, about 270 miles south-west of Algiers. The attackers then moved into Hassi Laabed and proceeded to slash the throats of 29 people. Meanwhile, government forces say they have killed about 50 armed Islamic militants after a seven-day clean-up operation that also destroyed 35 Islamist bunkers, the Daily La Tribune reported yesterday. (The Guardian, U.K., 2 December 1997) * Algerie. Nouveaux massacres - Vingt-cinq personnes ont ete tuees le jeudi 27 novembre pres de Blida, a 50 km au sud d'Alger. Les victimes se trouvaient a bord de vehicules interceptes par un faux barrage. Cinq civils ont egalement ete tues, le 28 novembre, pres d'El Affroun et Tipasa, dans la region d'Alger. Dans la nuit du 29 au 30 novembre, vingt-neuf villageois ont ete egorges a Hassi Labed, pres de Saida a 400 km au sud d'Alger. Par ailleurs, plusieurs dizaines d'islamistes armes auraient ete tues par les forces de securite au cours des dernieres semaines. Dans une offensive menee dans la region de Larbaa, a 25 km au sud d'Alger, l'armee a tue, le 1 decembre, 70 activistes islamistes et en assiegait une centaine d'autres. Parallelement, des islamistes ont intensifie leurs attaques contre des villageois afin de desserrer l'etau autour de leurs camarades. D'autre part, selon le quotidien algerien "Le Matin", des affrontements entre factions rivales du GIA et de l'AIS (la branche armee du FIS) auraient fait 250 morts parmi les islamistes. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 decembre 1997) * Angola. Mass grave uncovered - A mass grave containing 300-400 bodies, has been unearthed in central Angola, the UN said on 2 December. "The skeletons were discovered by a unit of the Angolan Armed Forces on a de-mining exercise in Cruzeiro, near Huambo", a spokesman said. "We believe the graves date back to 1992 or 1993". (InfoBeat, USA, 2 December 1997) * Burundi. 10.000 deplaces en plus - Les combats entre l'armee burundaise et la rebellion hutu dans les environs de la commune de Buyengero, dans le sud du pays, ont provoque le deplacement d'environ 10.000 personnes supplementaires. Par ailleurs, un mouvement rebelle, le Front pour la liberation nationale (Frolina) a, de son cote, annonce dans un communique que sa branche armee, les Forces armees populaires (FAP), avaient repris fin octobre leurs activites militaires "apres une treve de 18 mois, decretee afin de donner toutes les chances aux differentes offres de mediation internationale". (La Libre Belgique, 28 novembre 1997) * Burundi. Hardship continues - 26 November: PeaceLink, Italy, reports that over 10,000 persons have recently been displaced in the Buyengero commune, Bururi province, fleeing from ongoing rebel activities and military operations in surrounding hills and forests. These people are completely destitute, some sleeping in the local church, and others under trees. Following a rapid assessment mission to the area, the World Food Programme has provided 16 metric tons of food for distribution through the local parish. 2 December: IRIN, Nairobi, reports that efforts are underway to convene a new regional summit on Burundi, to consider whether to maintain economic sanctions against the government. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 December 1997) * Burundi. Trial resumes - On 28 November, the trial of 79 people accused of killing the late President Melchior Ndadaye, resumed. The trial was denounced by Hutu politicians on the grounds that unnamed people who should take the blame, were being protected. (InfoBeat, USA, 1 December 1997) * Cameroun. Tortures pour avoir boycotte les elections - * Avec leur eveque, Mgr Philippe Stevens, les chretiens du diocese de Maroua-Mukolo, au Cameroun, ont denonce la fraude qui a entache l'election presidentielle du 12 octobre dernier et les represailles contre les personnes qui l'ont boycottee. Le scrutin en effet a ete boycotte par l'ensemble des partis de l'opposition. Les craintes emises deja avant l'election, quant aux risques de violences, d'insubordination et de desobeissance civile apres l'election, se sont verifiees. Les victimes ont notamment ete rossees a coup de gourdin par les militaires, selon l'hebdomadaire catholique "L'Effort Camerounais"; des citoyens ont ete emmenes de force au bureau de vote apres avoir ete battus en public, des quartiers entiers ont ete terrorises par des "blamas" (chef de quartier); des responsables de bureaux de vote ont ete menaces par les dirigeants locaux pour avoir refuse de faire voter des personnes qui n'etaient pas inscrites sur les listes electorales. Dans une declaration qu'il a donne a lire dans les paroisses, l'eveque, d'origine belge et de la congregation des Petits Freres de Jesus, a rappele que "chacun est libre de voter ou de ne pas voter et, s'il vote, de choisir librement son candidat". (D'apres CIP, Belgique, 4 decembre 1997) * Congo-Brazzaville. Retour des refugies - Le Congo-Kinshasa et le Congo-Brazzaville ont signe un accord permettant le rapatriement de 38.000 personnes deplacees, a annonce le 2 decembre le Haut commissariat aux refugies. De tres nombreux habitants de Brazzavile, qui s'etaient installes a Kinshasa pour fuir les combats en septembre et octobre, devront rentrer chez eux d'ici dix jours. (Liberation, France, 3 decembre 1997) * Congo RDC. Expulsion of French diplomat - Laurent Kabila's government has expelled a senior French diplomat, Eric Lubin, deputy to the French ambassador, for his hostility to the present government and for keeping up contacts with former members of Mobutu's regime, notably an army general now in exile in South Africa, from where he is trying to organise resistance to the present government. This expulsion came shortly after rival army units clashed around the presidential palace and other parts of the city, killing about twenty people. Relations between Kinshasa and Paris have not been civil since Mr.Kabila seized power last May. Eric Lubin saw Mobutu's overthrow as a US plot to drive out Paris's influence, with the British acting as "useful idiots". (The Guardian, U.K., 1 December 1997) * Congo RDC. Army man arrested - 28 November: The Press reports that the acting army chief-of-staff, Major Masasu Nindagan, was arrested on 26 November, reportedly for disagreeing with Kabila over the handling of the Mai-Mai rebellion in the east. No official reasons were given for the arrest, but regional analysts noted his detention could have "grave consequences" for the future of the Alliance of Democratic forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (ADFL). Also, The US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, is due to arrive in Kinshasa on 12 December as part of a tour of Africa. She will be visiting from 9-15 December, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Congo RDC, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The trip will focus on "advancing US interests in the Great Lakes region", justice and the rule of law, stability and economic opportunity. On 27 November, allies of General Nindagan say that he has been falsely accused of coup plotting and warn officials of serious rifts in the ruling Alliance. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 December 1997) * Congo RDC. Victims of deadly alliances - On 3 December, Amnesty International published a report entitled: "Deadly Alliances in Congo Forests", which portrays a sustained pattern of atrocities committed primarily against Rwandese, Burundian and Congolese Hutu, as well as against Congolese nationals from other ethnic groups -- which have persisted after Laurent Kabila assumed power in May 1997. There is abundant evidence to support that the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL) and its allies -- particularly the Rwandese Patriotic Army (RPA), as well as the Zairian Armed Forces (FAZ) and other armed groups, including mercenaries -- were involved in the killings. (Amnesty International, 3 December 1997) * Congo RDC. Donors face dilemma - 2 December: President Kabila's government faces a major credibility test, when it meets potential western donors on 3 December in Brussels. The meeting, organised by the World Bank, is expected to host government delegations from 30 countries, as well as representatives of the EU, UN and IMF. However, the World Bank has stressed that the first "Friends of Congo" meeting is not intended to come up with cash. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 December 1997) * Congo (RDC). Tensions dans l'armee - 28 novembre. Des fusillades nourries entre militaires ont fait au moins 11 morts a Kinshasa, revelant au grand jour les rivalites et la nervosite au sein des forces de securite de la Republique democratique du Congo. Les heurts ont commence vers 1 h. du matin lorsqu'une jeep qui transportait des militaires rwandais a tire de plein fouet sur une autre jeep ou se trouvaient des policiers militaires congolais. De nouveaux tirs ont ete rapportes dans l'apres-midi a la presidence. Les commentateurs lient cette tension chez les militaires a leur solde non payee, mais surtout a l'arrestation, le 25 novembre, du general Masusu, un des co-fondateurs de l'AFDL et qui passe pour etre hostile aux Rwandais. 29 novembre. Les services du president Kabila justifiaient l'arrestation ("pour raisons disciplinaires") du general Masusu, en l'accusant d'avoir forme sa propre milice et d'avoir fraternise avec des ennemis de la RDC. Par ailleurs, Kinshasa a expulse le premier secretaire de l'ambassade de France, comme "espion et agent destabilisateur". 30 novembre. Apres avoir denonce "les campagnes de desinformation", le gouvernement a suspendu, pour une duree indefinie, la diffusion des emissions des radios etrangeres emettant en FM: la BBC, Radio France Internationale et la Voix de l'Amerique. 1 decembre. Paris replique a Kinshasa en expulsant le premier conseiller de l'ambassade congolaise. Ceci, a la veille de la reunion a Bruxelles des "Amis du Congo", les 3 et 4 decembre: une reunion technique a l'initiative de la Banque mondiale qui, pour la premiere fois, devrait mettre face a face le nouveau regime congolais et le systeme multilateral, au sujet d'une reprise de la cooperation. 2 decembre. Un tribunal militaire d'exception a ete cree sur decision du president Kabila. Ce tribunal aura pour tache de "corriger toute indiscipline au sein des forces armees et des abus commis par des inciviques et des elements incontroles de l'armee sur les populations civiles", selon un communique du Conseil national de securite. 3 decembre. Apres trois mois d'obstruction de la part du gouvernement, une mission de reconnaissance de la commission d'enquete de l'ONU a pu partir pour Mbandaka pour y preparer l'arrivee des membres de la commission, chargee d'enqueter sur les massacres de refugies rwandais. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 4 decembre 1997) * Congo (RDC). Droits de l'homme - Le 28 novembre, la Commission internationale de juristes (CIJ) a lance depuis Geneve, un appel a la vigilance de la communaute internationale face aux menaces qui pesent sur l'avenir des organisations de defense des droits de l'homme en RDC et au Congo-Brazzaville. En RDC, le regime deploie une campagne d'intimidation contre les militants de ces organisations. La CIJ cite parmi les cas d'arrestations recentes, celui, le 23 novembre, de M. Nsala, secretaire general du centre des droits de l'homme de Kinshasa, proche de l'Eglise catholique. Cette arrestation a eu lieu quelque temps apres la denonciation par la Conference episcopale du recul de la democratie, ainsi que de la corruption et meme d'assassinats dont se seraient rendus coupables les hommes du pouvoir. Un observateur des droits de l'homme de l'ONU, M. Nsii, est contraint a la clandestinite. Mme Tshituka, coordinatrice d'une campagne de denonciation des violences dont les femmes sont victimes, a ete arretee et emprisonnee dans une geole de Makala. - 3 decembre. Le jour meme de l'ouverture de la reunion des "Amis du Congo", Amnesty International a publie un rapport tres critique pour le regime de Kabila. Dans son rapport, intitule Deadly alliances in Congolese forests, Amnesty International donne un apercu detaille des violations des droits de l'homme commises par les troupes de l'AFDL depuis le debut de la guerre en octobre 1996, principalement a l'encontre des refugies rwandais. A Kinshasa, le president Kabila a d'ores et deja qualifie ce rapport de tendancieux. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 4 decembre 1997) * Congo (RDC). Reapparition de la variole - * Officiellement eradiquee de la planete en 1980, la variole humaine est reapparue en Republique democratique du Congo, sous la forme d'une variante affectant normalement les singes, a annonce l'Organisation mondiale de la sante, mardi 2 decembre, a Geneve. Depuis fevrier 1996, 511 cas humains de variole du singe ont ete enregistres dans le centre de l'ex-Zaire. Seuls les jeunes enfants succombent a la maladie, entrainant un taux de mortalite de 2%. Des analyses sont en cours pour verifier si certains cas suspectes ne sont pas en realite une simple varicelle. (D'apres La Croix, France, 4 decembre 1997) * Egypt. Cuts on domestic fares - The Egyptian government has ordered the national airline, Egypt Air, to cut domestic fares by 50% for three months, in response to the crisis facing the tourist industry since the Luxor massacre, two weeks ago. The government have also asked to increase the number of domestic flights in the hope of encouraging egyptians to visit tourist destinations, in the hope of saving tourism. Since violence carried out by the Islamist militants, foreigners visiting Egypt have fallen by 19%. The number of flying to Luxor has fallen by 72%. Hotels there have recorded between 5 to 10 per cent occupancy levels. (Financial Times, U.K., December 1, 1997) * Egypt. IBCA rating for bank - 2 December: Egypt's leading private sector bank has became the first in the country to be assigned a credit rating by an international agency. Commercial International Bank (CIB) was assigned a BBB-long term and A3 short term rating by the UK-based IBCA rating agency. CIB, the first Egyptian company to issue its shares as a Global Depositary Receipt, is Egypt's fifth largest bank with a market capitalization of $1bn. It has a 16% share of corporate banking services to the private sector and its investment banking and brokerage arms are also among the leaders in Egypt. The bank this year tapped international capital markets to raise a $200m syndicated loan. (Financial Times, U.K., 2 December 1997) * Egypte. Appel a la fin de la violence - Un dirigeant de la Jamaa islamiya, principal groupe integriste arme en Egypte, a appele le 3 decembre a un "arret de la violence" et nie que sa formation ait ordonne l'attentat de Louxor. "La Jamaa islamiya appelle toutes les institutions de l'Etat, les partis politiques et intellectuels a cooperer pour assurer le succes de son initiative en faveur d'un arret de la violence", a affirme Moustafa Sayed, un des principaux accuses dans le proces de 66 islamistes devant la haute cour militaire. (Le Soir, Belgique, 4 decembre 1997) * Ethiopia. Human rights defenders arrested - 27 November: The Ethiopian authorities have arrested several prominent members of the Oromo community, leaders of the new Human Rights League (HRL), as well as human rights leaders,in their crackdown against alleged supporters of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). They were taken to court and remanded in custody but they have not so far been charged with any offence. The judge ordered on 24 November, that they should be allowed access to their lawyers and families and medical care. Police alleged that they were financial and other support to the OLF, who were blamed for bombings in Addis Ababa and Harar earlier this year, and which the OLF denied. (Editor's note: On 2 December, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council appealed to the government of Ethiopia to investigate alleged rampant human rights abuses. On 3 December, the government says it has charged 31 alleged members of the Oromo Liberation Front with terrorism and involvement in a series of grenade and bomb attacks in Addis Ababa and the east of the country, this year.) (Amnesty International, 27 November 1997) * Ethiopia. Appeal for food aid - 28 November: Ethiopia appeals for nearly 600,000 metric tons of food aid, to feed more than 4,2 million people affected by either drought or flooding. The country's Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC) says many areas dependent on Ethiopia's "Belg" short rains between March and May have "lost their crops due to drought and their food situation is not expected to improve until next June". Intensive rains which started early in October have caused heavy flooding in several parts of the country killing 297 persons and displacing over 47,000 others. (InfoBeat, USA, 29 November 1997) * Gabon. La foret sur Internet - Des quatre coins du monde, on pourra bientot ausculter sur Internet la foret gabonaise, la plus riche d'Afrique centrale. On le doit a un ingenieux logiciel cree par la Societe d'expertises forestieres. On y trouvera notamment les 150 essences forestieres commercialisables (sur un total de 400); les caracteristiques techniques et mecaniques de chaque bois; la legislation, ainsi que les methodes de gestion du bois. Les recents incendies en Asie risquent d'attiser l'interet pour les forets africaines... (Ndlr - Malheureusement, on ne connait pas encore le URL du site). (Le Nouvel Afrique Asie, France, decembre 1997) * Kenya. Violence escalates in polls countdown - Violence broke out relating to the coming presidential and parliamentary elections in several parts of Kenya. In order to stop the rising tide of incidents, the Electoral Commission of Kenya directed Police Commissioner, Duncan Wachira, launch immediate investigations into the troubles. Investigations were to be made into the stoning of presidential candidates Raila Odinga of the National Development Party and Mwai Kibaki of the Democratic Party. The commission is constantly in touch with the police boss and he has given an assurance that they are ready to investigate, impartially and expeditiously, any case reported to them. (Editor's note: on 3 December, presidential candidates began to file their nomination papers.) (AFJN, Washington, 27 November 1997) * Kenya. L'opposition participera aux elections - Apres la reconnaissance de plusieurs partis d'opposition le 26 novembre, le parti Safina, le seul parti politique d'envergure depassant les divisions tribales, a annonce sa decision de participer aux elections legislatives et locales du 29 decembre, mais sans presenter de candidat a la presidentielle. Ses dirigeants envisagent de negocier avec d'autres partis d'opposition pour s'entendre sur le nom d'un candidat a la presidence. Mais, composee de 25 partis rivaux, l'opposition est plus que jamais divisee. (d'apres Le Monde, France, 29 novembre 1997) * Liberia. ECOMOG troops begin withdrawal - The West African peace monitoring force in Liberia, ECOMOG, began withdrawal from Liberia on 25 November, with more than 200 Nigerian troops boarding two Nigerian vessels for home. Another batch of 200 Ghanaian soldiers left the country three weeks ago in a similar manner, but the ECOMOG spokesman then said the departure was rotational, although there was no replacement. ECOMOG soldiers of the OAU (Organisation for African Unity) were sent to Liberia in 1990 to stop the carnage and mayhem by warring factions in the country, and restore peace. President Taylor has said that Liberia no longer needs peacekeepers. The task of restructuring of the armed forces in Liberia was given to ECOMOG under a peace deal signed in Abuja in 1996, ending seven years of factional fighting which claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed infrastructures. (AFJN, Washington, 27 November 1997) * Liberia welcomes election to IMO Council - The election of Liberia to the Council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is a significant acknowledgement of the country's return to peace and democratic rule, the permanent representative to the organisation, Gerald Cooper, said on Monday. Despite the fact that Liberia is the second largest contributor to the IMO budget, (3.5 million US dollars to the 38 million dollar annual budget of the 155 member organisation), and the second largest maritime nation in the world, it had failed to gain a seat on the governing body of the UN agency throughout the past seven years. Therefore, this election to the council can be regarded as a welcome to the fold following free and fair elections held in July this year. Liberia was voted onto the council during IMOžs ongoing 20th Assembly, which ends in London on Friday. (AFJN, Washington, 27 November 1997) * Libya. Gadafy's warren - In separate interviews, three engineers working on Gadafy's Great Man-Made River project of pipes, wells and pumping stations, suspect that its has a clandestine military purpose. When it is completed, Libya will have more than 2,000 miles of tunnel, stretching from Tunisia to Egypt. In the south, it will reach almost to Sudan and Chad -- a country with which Libya has tense relations. Huge underground storage areas are being built at intervals along the pipes. (The Guardian, U.K., 4 December 1997) * Malawi. Banda's coffin costs US$37,000 - 1 December: The bronze casket in which Malawi's former president Hastings Banda will be buried will take over 100 years before it starts rusting. The coffin, costing US $37,000 and imported from the United States, had been chosen to suit the special embalment performed by the undertakers in South Africa where Banda died in Johannesburg's Garden City Clinic on November 25. Banda's remains was flown to Lilongwe on 1 December and the burial ceremony takes place on December 3. (Africa Press Bureau, South Africa, 1 December 1997) * Niger. Cabinet dominated by technocrats - 1 December: Niger President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara has named a government dominated by technocrats but including 15 ministers from a cabinet fired en masse last month in the impoverished West African country. The most prominent of the sacked ministers brought back into government is former interior minister Idi Ango Omar, now minister of agriculture. (InfoBeat, USA, 1 December 1997) * Niger. Nouveau gouvernement - Ibrahim Hassane Mayaki a ete nomme Premier ministre du Niger, a annonce, le 27 novembre, la radio nationale. M. Mayaki occupait jusqu'a present les fonctions de ministre des Affaires etrangeres dans le gouvernement de Cisse Amadou, dont la dissolution avait ete annoncee, le 24 novembre, par le president Mainassara. Le 1 decembre, il a forme un nouveau gouvernement de 23 membres. Selon ses propres termes, il doit maintenant sortir le pays de la crise qui le paralyse depuis des mois et qui est triple: un important deficit cerealier (un quart de la population est expose a la famine); un mouvement social qui oppose le gouvernement aux fonctionnaires et aux etudiants (arrieres de salaires et de bourses); une agitation militaire des mouvements touaregs et toubous. Depuis septembre, Touaregs et Toubous avaient repris les armes, protestant contre le calendrier du gouvernement prevoyant leur desarmement avant leur reinsertion socio-economique. Les affrontements avaient fait 33 morts. Le gouvernement a conclu un nouvel accord de paix avec eux. (ANB- BIA, de sources diverses, 3 decembre 1997) * Ouganda. Refugies soudanais - Pres de 1.800 Soudanais ont traverse, depuis le 23 novembre, la frontiere vers le district de Kitgum, dans le nord de l'Ouganda, ont fait savoir des organisations humanitaires. Les refugies seraient venus des environs de la ville de Torit, dans le sud Soudan, d'ou ils auraient ete obliges de partir a cause des activites rebelles et la penurie de nourriture. Il y a actuellement pres de 250.000 refugies soudanais a travers tout le nord de l'Ouganda. (IRIN, Nairobi, 29 novembre 1997) * Rwanda. Prisonniers liberes par des rebelles - Environ 500 prisonniers d'un cachot communal de la prefecture de Gitarama, dans le centre-ouest, ont ete liberes le 3 decembre a l'aube apres une attaque de rebelles hutu, a annonce l'armee. Selon le colonel Ndengekinka, les rebelles ont attaque la commune de Bulinga au petit matin et ont libere tous les prisonniers. Deux civils, deux rebelles et un soldat ont ete tues, selon un premier bilan. L'armee a annonce qu'elle continuait a poursuivre les assaillants. (Le Soir, Belgique, 4 decembre 1997) * Senegal. The International Penal Court - An intra-African meeting is to be held in Dakar early next year, to harmonize the region's views on the proposed creation of an International Penal Court (IPC) under the United Nations. Opening the 33rd Congress of the International Human Rights Federation, Senegal's President emphasized the need to enhance observance of human rights in Africa. The two-day Congress, whose theme is: "Enhancing Respect For Economic And Social Rights", is jointly organized by the human rights federation and the National Human Rights Organization (ONDH) of Senegal. The meetings has attracted delegates from more than 100 member organizations or partners. (AFJN, Washington, 27 November 1997) * Somalia. floods take heavy toll - 27 November: A further 73 Somalians have died in floods in the last 24 hours, bringing the toll to 1,461 killed and 230,000 displaced. The UN Somalia Inter- Agency Flood Response, says that 20,500 livestock have also been killed since the floods started more than a month ago. About 25,000 acres of croplands have been destroyed and huge quantities of sorghum stored underground. Many roads are inaccessible, water is stagnant and outbreaks of disease are widespread. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 28 November 1997) * Sudan. Garang says SPLM does not oppose Islam - 28 November: Sudanese rebel leader John Garang stressed his Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) was not hostile to Islam, neither was it separatist. In an interview with the Egyptian news agency MENA, Garang who is visiting Cairo, said the SPLM was trying to unify Sudan on the basis of justice to accommodate all ethnicities and religion. His visit to Cairo was aimed at briefing Egyptian officials on developments in Sudan. He blamed the failure of the recent Nairobi peace talks on the Sudanese government, claiming the government delegation had "insisted on its views". (IRIN, Nairobi, 28 November 1997) * Soudan. John Garang en Egypte - Au terme de sa premiere visite officielle au Caire, ou il etait arrive le 24 novembre, le colonel John Garang, chef de l'Armee populaire de liberation du Soudan, a estime que "la comprehension etait totale" avec le gouvernement egyptien. Les autorites egyptiennes n'ont jamais cache leur hostilite a la junte islamiste de Khartoum. Mais pour le Caire, une division du pays aurait des consequences nefastes notamment en ce qui concerne l'approvisionnement en eau du Nil. La reprise de la guerre civile a arrete les travaux de percement du canal de Jonglei au Sud-Soudan, qui, une fois termine, doit accroitre le debit du Nil. (Le Monde, France, 2 decembre 1997) * Sudan. Twelve women sentenced to be flagellated - On 2 December, a procession of 70 women manifested in Khartoum, against the government's decision to send their sons to the front. As they manifested in front of the UN building, the women were attacked by the police. Many of them were seriously injured, 37 were arrested and 12 of these sentenced by a special court to flagellation (10 lashings). Apparently, a group of lawyers who defended them in court, helped them avoid a worse sentence. (MISNA, Italy, 3 December 1997) * Soudan. 12 femmes condamnees a la flagellation - Mardi 2 decembre, soixante-dix meres de famille ont organise un cortege a Khartoum, la capitale du Soudan, pour protester publiquement contre la decision du gouvernement d'envoyer leurs enfants au front. Le ministere de la Defense, en effet, impose par la force la conscription aux jeunes pour combattre les rebelles de l'Armee pour la liberation populaire du Soudan (APLS) et d'autres factions mineures. Lorsqu'il s'est trouve devant le siege de l'ONU, le cortege a ete attaque par les forces de l'ordre. Selon des temoins oculaires, plusieurs manifestantes ont ete grievement blessees. Trente-sept d'entre elles ont ete arretees, et douze condamnees, par un tribunal special, a la flagellation (dix coups de fouet) conformement a la sharia, la loi islamique. Il parait qu'un groupe d'avocats a defendu les accusees pour eviter le pire. Un tel geste de protestation, rapportent les observateurs, aurait pu conduire a la peine capitale. (D'apres MISNA, Italie, 3 decembre 1997) * Sudan. Government called to be consistent - A Memorandum presented to the Minister for Social Planning, Mr Mohammad Osman El Khalifa on 25 November, by the leaders of the Sudan Council of Churches (SCC), challenges the government to be consistent with its public declaration about religious freedom in the country. The Memorandum stated: "The government claims...to work for a better Sudan, a country of equality, justice, peace and religious co- existence...(This) could only be realised in an atmosphere of religious freedom and respect for human rights. In practice, these rights are being apparently contradicted. Christian Centres have been demolished under cover of the Town Replanning Scheme... Unfortunately... the new maps do not include plots for Churches and prayer centres which got demolished...Instead they show plots for mosques. We believe that this is not an oversight but an intended act". (Comboni Press, Rome, 4 December 1997) * South Africa. Secret warfare research scam - 29 November: Millions of pounds were illegally transferred from South Africa to Europe in transactions allegedly linked to a chemical and biological warfare research programme during the final years of the apartheid regime, an international police investigation has claimed. 10 Bank accounts in the UK, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland and Croatia which received $7.84m transferred under the guise of a programme codenamed Project Coast. Details of the transactions are contained in a court document submitted by South Africa state prosecutors in their case against Wouter Basson, a Pretoria cardiologist, has been linked to the apartheid security forces. According to the prosecution, funds were transferred to foreign bank accounts by senior officials of the project on the basis of false information provided by Mr.Basson. Some of the evidence is understood to contain details of individuals, including western intelligence officials, and foreign countries with information on chemical and biological warfare. (Financial Times, UK, November 29, 1997) * South Africa. TRC - Events connected with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings from 1 December: -- Archbishop Desmond Tutu's TRC, on the eve of its most critical session of hearings, has generated controversy by granting an amnesty to his son. Trevor Tutu received an amnesty together with cabinet ministers including the deputy president, Thabo Mbeki. Tutu recently started a three-and-a-half year jail term for a bomb threat at South Africa's East London airport in 1989. He was sentenced in 1991, but was jailed only this year when the press pointed out he had not served the term. Opposition parties protested that the decision made a mockery of the amnesty process. The TRC said Archbishop Tutu had taken no part in the decision. -- The bodies of 160 blacks liberation fighters who disappeared at the height of apartheid resistance during the 1980s, have been found as a result of police coming forward to seek amnesty for the murders. -- Winnie Mandela has been named in the killing of Soweto doctor, Abu Baker Asvat. The TRC is holding a special hearing into the activities of Winnie Mandela and her Mandela United Football Club bodyguards during the apartheid period. She denies that she ever worked against her own black people. Witnesses have also implicated President Mandela's youngest daughter, Zindzi, in several assaults and murders. On 3 December, her former chief aide, Jerry Richardson, was badly discredited as he tried to implicate her in a string of murders. He repeatedly contradicted himself. -- Archbishop Tutu has warned PW Botha, South Africa's former president, he could be jailed for up to two years if he failed to give evidence before the TRC. According to the Archbishop, Mr.Botha was required by law to appear and had received a subpoena. Yet, Mr.Botha's lawyers have told the commission that the former president will not appear before the Commission. -- A Statement from the TRC, says that it warmly welcomes the findings and recommendations of the Goldstone Commission of Inquiry. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 December 1997) * Swaziland. Media Bill - 1 December: On the 21 and 22 November 1997, the Swaziland Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Swaziland) held a consultative forum to debate the way forward in opposing an imposed government media bill. The forum had representatives from civil society and from international organisations such as Article 19 and Freedom of Expression Institute. There were also representatives from Zambia and Botswana. (IFEX, Canada, 1 December 1997) * Tanzanie/Zambie. Rapatriement des Congolais - Six cents refugies congolais, rapatries de Tanzanie, sont arrives a Uvira le 29 novembre. Ce sont les premiers a rentrer chez eux, sur les 48.400 refugies de la RDC en Tanzanie ayant exprime la volonte d'etre rapatries dans le cadre d'une operation du HCR. 160 autres Congolais, refugies en Zambie, sont arrives egalement a Uvira. Un millier de refugies au total ont quitte les camps zambiens; la plupart se dirigent vers Lubumbashi. (IRIN, Nairobi, 29 novembre 1997) * Tanzania. Illegal aliens round up - 29 November: Tanzanian authorities have rounded up more than 33,000 people classified as illegal aliens in a major crackdown in the northwest region, an official of the UN refugee agency said on 28 November. He said that a total of 33,592 people had been arrested so far. Some 20,304 people were rounded up in Kigoma region, 11,088 in Ngara and 2,200 in Kasulu district. The bulk of those detained were registered as refugees and returned to camps. However, UNHCR was concerned at the arbitrary nature of the operation and was liaising with Tanzanian authorities to verify the status of those detained. (InfoBeat, USA, 29 November 1997) * Uganda. Babies reportedly killed by rebels - 28 November: At least 14 people were massacred by rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army near the northern Ugandan town of Gulu on Wednesday, the state-owned New Vision reported. Seven of the victims reportedly were babies aged under one. Most of the victims were hacked to death and their bodies strewn along the roads. According to New Vision, the Congo DRC and Ugandan armies would launch a joint military operation to fight rebels along their common border where another Ugandan group, the Allied Democratic Forces, is active. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 December 1997) * Western Sahara. Sorting out voters - Nearly 18 months after abandoning work of identifying voters for a referendum on the fate of Western Sahara, the UN will open two centres this week, to restart the process, a key to ending a two-decade old conflict. It is a faltering start to getting back on track, a peace plan already five years late. (InfoBeat, USA, 1 December 1997) * Zambia. Legal matters - 27 November: The Press reports that Lusaka has been picked to host the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Court of Justice. Lusaka is also the headquarters of the 20 member organisation. The decision to have the headquarters in the Zambian capital was reached at the second meeting of COMESA ministers of justice and attorneys-general who met in Lusaka on 23 November. According to information, a registrar would be appointed as a full time officer of the court and that seven judges would be appointed to serve on an ad-hoc basis. The court is intended to solve disputes arising from interpretation of the COMESA treaty and ensure that there is adherence to the treaty implementation. The court is a successor of the PTA Tribunal, which operated from 1984 to 19994, and was manned by 10 judges. It provided adjudication on the interpretation of the PTA treaty. PTA was succeeded by COMESA in 1994. 28 November: An international human rights group says the Zambian government has barred it from visiting detainees held under emergency laws who complained of being tortured by interrogators. According to a representative of Human Rights Watch/Africa based in Washington, the government has detained at least 84 people in connection with a failed coup attempt by rebel soldiers in October in the southern African country. High Court Judge, Timothy Kabalata, has ruled that the jailing of Zambian Democratic Congress president Dean Mungomba, the only politician held in connection with October's attempted coup, is lawful. Mungomba and at least 86 other suspects held in connection with the failed plot have yet to be formally charged. (Infobeat, 1 December 1997) * Zimbabwe. Farmers condemn takeovers - Zimbabwe's Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), representing 4,200 white farmers, yesterday warned that the proposed government takeover of 1,500 farms would cut commercial farm production by 35%, exports by 40% and cost 150.000 jobs. This was a reaction to the government plans to acquire 5m hectares of mainly white-owned farms, including substantial areas owned by multinational companies such as Lonrho, Anglo American and the Zimbabwean-based Meikles Africa group. (Financial Times, UK, 29 November, 1997) * Zimbabwe. Nationalisation des terres - Le gouvernement a publie, le 28 novembre, la liste officielle des 1.500 proprietes de fermiers blancs qu'il souhaite "nationaliser" pour les distribuer aux paysans noirs. L'expropriation porte sur quelque 5 millions d'hectares, soit environ la moitie des terres exploitees par des Blancs restes apres l'independance de l'ex-Rhodesie en 1980. Elle ne donnera lieu a aucune indemnisation, sauf pour le materiel ou les batiments. L'objectif peut paraitre louable, mais il semble que le president Mugabe, de plus en plus conteste, cherche avant tout de prendre la minorite blanche comme bouc emissaire pour apaiser le mecontentement de la population noire. (Le Monde, France, 30 novembre 1997)