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: 08-01-1998 PART #1/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ***************************************************** ===> TO OUR READERS: Because we are working in two languages, from now onwards, countries will be listed in alphabetical order according to their names in their orginal language. e.g. Afrique du Sud (South Africa) will be listed under South Africa; Chad (Tchad) will be listed under Tchad. ===> ATTENTION - A partir de maintenant, dans les Weekly News, les noms des pays seront repris en ordre alphabetique dans leur langue officielle. Ainsi, Afrique du Sud, sera pris en compte comme South Africa; Soudan, sera pris en compte comme Sudan; etc. ***************************************************** +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ * Afrique. Nouveau representant pour les Grands Lacs - Le secretaire general des Nations unies, Kofi Annan, a soumis le 22 decembre au Conseil de securite la nomination de Berhanu Dinka comme son nouveau representant pour la region des Grands Lacs. Il succede au diplomate algerien Mohamed Sahnoun, qui est nomme envoye special de l'ONU pour l'Afrique. M. Dinka, un diplomate ethiopien qui etait auparavant envoye special pour la Sierra Leone, exercait en fait ses nouvelles fonctions depuis septembre. (Le Monde, France, 24 decembre 1997) * Africa. Action against the Media - In recent weeks, the International Freedom of Expression Community (IFEX), has published details of publications under attack, and the names of many media personnel who have been arrested and/or imprisoned in a number of African countries. Concern is expressed for their treatment and their safety. The list is long. For example: In Tanzania -- On 17 December 1997, the government warned it would ban all newspapers and broadcasters carrying obscene or comical cartoons that ridicule government officials and its leaders; In Cameroon -- on 24 December 1997, Pius Njawe, editor-in-chief of Le Messager was arrested at the newspaper's offices; In Zimbabwe -- part-time broadcaster for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Gerry Jackson, was sacked by ZBC for reporting on a disturbance that took place in Harare on 9 December 1997; Concerning Nigeria -- at the year's end, the Writers in Prison Committee, International PEN, London, gave details of eleven people detained, it would appear, merely as a result of their published work. PEN also gave the names of four journalists as being at risk through ill-treatment and neglect. Action against the Media is also reported in Zambia, Congo RDC and Liberia. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 6 January 1998) * Afrique/France. Voyage de Lionel Jospin - Le Premier ministre francais Lionel Jospin a regagne la France, le 21 decembre, au terme d'une tournee africaine de cinq jours qui l'a mene au Maroc, au Senegal et au Mali. Il n'a evoque qu'en termes generaux les principes de la nouvelle politique africaine de la France, dont les relations devront etre etablies sur une base d'"egalite", sans "ingerence, ni indifference". A Bamako, M. Jospin a aussi explique la position francaise sur l'immigration; les clandestins rentreront chez eux, mais dans la dignite. (d'apres Le Monde, France, 23 decembre 1997) * Afrique de l'Est. Cholera - Selon un document interne de l'Organisation mondiale de la sante (OMS), 2.500 personnes sont deja mortes du cholera en Afrique de l'Est depuis le debut de 1997. Les cas d'infection ont augmente de facon inquietante le mois dernier et l'OMS craint une veritable epidemie. Les inondations qui ont ravage l'Afrique orientale depuis octobre en augmentent le danger. La Tanzanie est le pays le plus touche, avec 3.500 cas et 1.824 morts cette annee. Par ailleurs, on signale que la ville de Kisangani (Congo-RDC) serait egalement menacee par la maladie. (d'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 23 decembre 1997) * Algeria. New Upper House of Parliament - Algerian officials say that the ruling National Democratic Party has won 80 of 96 contested seats in the Council of the Nation, the new Upper House of Parliament. The President will later choose the remaining one- third of the 144-member legislative body. This victory gives President Zeroual virtual veto power over the directly elected Lower Legislative House. Any law passed by the Lower House must now be approved by three-quarters of the New Council of the Nation. About 15,000 representatives elected in October, were responsible for choosing two-thirds of the New Upper House. (VOA, 26 December 1997) * Algerie. Nouveau Senat - Les partisans du chef de l'Etat ont obtenu l'essentiel des sieges du Conseil de la nation, attribues au suffrage indirect par les elus locaux le 25 decembre: le RND a remporte 80 des 96 sieges a pourvoir au sein de ce Senat aux pouvoirs etendus. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 30 decembre 1997) * Algerie. Tuerie sans precedent - Le jeune du ramadan s'est ouvert dans le sang. A la premiere veillee, dans la nuit du 30 au 31 decembre, trois villages de la wilaya de Relizane, a 250 km a l'ouest d'Alger, ont ete victimes de l'un des pires massacres connus en Algerie. Le quotidien Liberte fait etat de 412 morts; El Watan chiffrait les morts entre 250 (sources hospitalieres) et 400 (selon les temoignages). Ces tueries constituent l'operation la plus sanglante attribuee aux fondamentalistes armes depuis le declenchement des violences en 1992. Elles temoignent aussi d'un deplacement vers l'ouest du theatre des violences. En une dizaine de jours, plus de 750 civils ont ete assassines dans des attaques similaires. L'Union europeenne et les Etats-Unis appellent a l'ouverture d'une enquete internationale et cherchent des voies pour venir en aide aux victimes. - Le quotidien La Tribune du 6 janvier affirmait que 160 civils avaient ete tues les 3 et 4 janvier dans trois villages de la meme region de Relizane. (ANB- BIA, de sources diverses, 7 janvier 1998) * Algeria. Further killings - 31 December: 97 civilians have died in new massacres at fake road blocks, raids on villages, a bomb blast and other attacks across Algeria. This violence brings to more than 300, the number of civilians killed in the past six days. 5 January: The Press reports that the massacres which took place 31 December-1 January in the villages of Ouled Sahnine, Ouled Sid- Tayeb and Kherarba, resulted in more than 400 deaths. The United States calls for an international inquiry into the massacres in Algeria. 35 civilians are killed in fresh weekend attacks as government troops hunt the killers of those slaughtered in the massacre last week. France urges the Algerian government and supports a German proposal that the EU should try to end the killings. 5-6 January: Further killings in the Relizane region. 6 January: The EU tries to agree on a diplomatic initiative in response to the Algerian crisis. Robin Cook, Britain's Foreign Minister says: "I am exploring how to channel the revulsion and concern felt across Europe" into diplomatic activity. Britain took over the EU presidency this month. 7 January: Germany appeals to the Algerian government to allow international officials to mediate in Algeria's internal conflict. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 January 1998) * Angola. Affrontements a Cabinda - Selon des "sources sures", l'activite militaire des diverses factions du Front de liberation de l'enclave de Cabinda (FLEC) s'est accrue au cours des dernieres semaines. Au moins 3.000 personnes ont fui les affrontements entre les separatistes et l'armee. D'autre part, la Mission de maintien de la paix (MONUA) a declare le 17 decembre que la situation de securite en Angola s'est amelioree dans la plupart des regions sensibles. Le gouvernement assure desormais le controle dans 5 des 15 provinces, mais l'Unita maintient des combattants dans les 10 autres provinces. (IRIN, Nairobi, 19 decembre 1997) * Burkina Faso. Fermeture des camps de refugies touaregs - Avec le depart des derniers convois de refugies maliens dans la region de Dori (au nord), les camps de refugies sont "declares fermes a compter du 15 decembre". Les autorites du Burkina Faso ont invite les refugies qui se sont soustraits volontairement au rapatriement a se faire enregistrer avant le 15 janvier. Passe ce delai, ils seront consideres comme des "etrangers". En juin dernier, 42.000 Touaregs maliens etaient retournes au Mali. Quelque 160.000 Touaregs avaient pris le chemin de l'exil au Burkina Faso. (Afrique Express, France, 2 janvier 1998) * Burundi. L'archeveque dresse un bilan dramatique - Sur sa carte de voeux a l'occasion de la fete de Noel, Mgr. Simon Ntamwana, archeveque de Gitega, dresse un bilan dramatique de la situation au Burundi. Il ecrit notamment que le Burundi est entre "dans sa 4eme annee de violences meurtrieres. Les gens vivent dans la terreur des armes, particulierement au nord-ouest et au sud du pays. D'autres subissent des exactions de la part de qui pretend les administrer, terrorises par des procedures judiciaires qui se rangent loin de la loi et du traitement egal des populations. Ces procedures ont tres peu de judiciaire; elles frisent l'irrationnel, parce qu'inspirees par l'instinct d'autodefense et de vengeance"... Le message continue en appelant aux valeurs evangeliques. -Mgr. Bududira, eveque de Bururi, s'adressant a ses fideles, denonce aussi pour sa part l'irrationalite de la guerre civile: "Ceux qui tuent, ceux qui detruisent, ceux qui pillent... font honte a l'espece humaine. Je vous en supplie, refusez d'etre deshumanises par cette guerre". (ANB-BIA, Bruxelles, 22 decembre 1997) * Burundi. Attaque sanglante de l'aeroport - Entre 1.000 et 2.000 rebelles hutu ont lance, dans la nuit du nouvel an a partir de 5 h., une offensive a l'arme lourde contre l'aeroport de la capitale Bujumbura. Dans le meme temps, le camp militaire de Gakumbu, charge de la securite de l'aeroport, aurait egalement ete pris d'assaut. L'intervention de l'armee a force les assaillants au repli. L'armee confirme la mort d'au moins une trentaine de rebelles et de deux militaires, mais plus de 100 civils de la commune de Rukaramu auraient egalement ete tues. Le calme est revenu dans l'apres-midi. Le 2 janvier, le CNDD a revendique la responsabilite de l'attaque, mais attribue le massacre des civils a l'armee, qui aurait, selon lui, tue "plus de 500 habitants" de la commune de Rukaramu. - Selon MSF, une nouvelle attaque a ete menee le 6 janvier a Muramvya, au nord de Bujumbura. Le centre de sante et de centre nutrionnel y ont ete en partie endommages. Le village accueillait 3.000 deplaces de l'attaque de Rukaramu. En tout, 15.000 personnes ont pris la fuite. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 7 janvier 1998) * Burundi. Rebel activity - 24 December: The government says that firearms are being given out to civilians so that they can defend themselves against increasing armed raids by Hutu rebels, after reports that they have been attacking schools, abducting civilians and carrying out massacres in the west of the country. 1 January: State radio says that at least 100 civilians were killed when Hutu rebels were driven off by government troops after a dawn attack on Bujumbura airport. A military spokesman said the rebels had killed indiscriminately as they retreated through the village of Rukaramu, west of the airport. According to the radio's version of events, a large group of insurgents attacked the airport, 10 km from Bujumbura, early on 1 January. Rukaramu was caught in the crossfire as the Hutu rebels fled towards the Congolese border. 2 January: Troops are still combing the area around the airport near Bujumbura as the death toll from the Hutu rebel attack rises to at least 284. Local journalists say they are being kept away from the area and there is no independent confirmation of the number of deaths or details of the attack. 3 January: The main Hutu rebel group denies its forces killed scores of civilians on 1 January, and accuses the army of killing more than 500 people. 6 January: Medecins sans Frontieres says that Maramvya, north of Bujumbura, has come under attack. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 7 January 1998) * Congo-Brazzaville. Conference de reconciliation - Une conference pour la paix et la reconciliation nationale s'est ouverte le 5 janvier a Brazzaville, reunissant dirigeants des partis politiques et representants de la societe civile. Elle doit fixer les futures etapes de la transition democratique. (La Libre Belgique, 6 janvier 1998) * Congo-Brazzaville. Under a new government - On 30 December, a dissident wing of ousted president Pascal Lissouba's Union Panafricaine pour La Democratie Sociale (UPADS), moved to dismiss him from the party leadership. The dissidents, led by Martin Mberi, a former Lissouba aide now serving in the new government of Denis Sassou Nguesso, convened a party conference in Pointe-Noire to formally sack Lissouba. Also, France's new ambassador to Brazzaville has said that Paris "is prepared to back Congo" in an renewed dialogue with international leaders. 5 January: In Brazzaville, opening of a National Conference for Peace and National Reconciliation. Opening the Conference, President Nguesso makes no mention of el-ections or the length of a transition to democracy. Organizers say that the Conference will decide the transition period. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 6 January 1998) * Congo-RDC. Human Rights accuse encore - Dans un rapport intitule "Un cap incertain: la transition et les violations des droits de l'homme au Congo", publie le 18 decembre, l'organisation internationale Human Rights Watch accuse une nouvelle fois le regime du president Kabila. Elle souligne notamment que le nouveau pouvoir a pris la route a ne pas suivre en matiere des droits de l'homme: partis politiques interdits a l'exception de l'AFDL, dispersion des meetings politiques et autres manifestations pacifiques, detentions et mauvais traitements a l'encontre de journalistes et de militants tentant de denoncer ces actes. HRW affirme que le gouvernement viole quotidiennement les droits fondamentaux de la personne humaine. (Le Soir, Belgique, 19 decembre 1997) * Congo-RDC. Reforme monetaire reportee; elections confirmees - Le passage au franc congolais, annonce pour la fin 1997, est reporte sine die, a annonce le ministre congolais des Finances, M. Mawapanga, le 26 decembre. Le lancement de la nouvelle monnaie ne pourrait etre efficace qu'a la "suite de l'assainissement du secteur econominco-financier, notamment le secteur bancaire". Les banques congolaises doivent en effet etre mises en faillite et restructurees pour celles qui peuvent l'etre. - D'autre part, dans un message a la nation, diffuse a l'occasion du nouvel an, le president Kabila a confirme que "des elections generales au suffrage universel auront lieu debut 1999" en RDC. (La Libre Belgique, 31 dec. þ97 - 2 jan. þ98) * Congo-RDC. Remaniement gouvernemental - 24 decembre. Le president Kabila a invite les leaders en exil de l'ancien regime Mobutu a rentrer au pays et a participer a la reconstruction du Congo. Il leur a promis qu'ils ne seraient pas poursuivis pour collaboration a condition qu'ils rendent l'argent pille dans les caisses de l'Etat. Actuellement, 30 responsables de l'ancien regime sont emprisonnes a Kinshasa pour corruption et detournement de fonds. - 25 decembre. M. Kabila a propose a la famille de Mobutu de rapatrier le corps de l'ancien president et de l'enterrer aLisala. -27 decembre. Deux importants partis d'opposition, l'UDPS et le PDSC, se sont reunis a Bruxelles et a Paris, apres que M. Kabila, sous pression internationale, ait annonce un remaniement de son gouvernement pour le debut de janvier. Les deux partis sont particulierement severes dans leur jugement sur les sept mois du regime Kabila. Selon eux, la population connait toujours la meme misere et les nouveaux leaders sont retombes dans la meme corruption que sous le regime Mobutu. Les sociaux-chretiens congolais proposent une table ronde pour creer un nouveau cadre constitutionnel. - 3 janvier. Le president Kabila remanie son gouvernement. A la grande desillusion de l'opposition, l'elargissement attendu n'a pas eu lieu. L'AFDL ne fait que renforcer sa position. Le principal changement est l'arrivee au ministere de l'Interieur de Gaetan Kakudji, cousin du chef de l'Etat, jusqu'ici gouverneur du Katanga. D'autre part, le president a menace de limoger les ministres qui detiendraient des biens usurpes. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 5 janvier 1998) * Congo-RDC. Mining -- Confusion and concern - The government is causing confusion and concern in the international mining industry on which it is relying heavily to help rebuild its economy. In the past few days, GECAMINES, the state-owned mining group has announced: 1) It has cancelled a tender launched in November 1995 for the Kolwezi copper-cobalt waste dump project in Katanga province, although American Mineral Fields had signed an agreement in April to buy it for US $ 1 billion. 2) The scale of the Tenke Fungurume copper-cobalt project will be "reviewed in order to satisfy Congo's development requirement". (Financial Times, U.K., 6 January 1998) * Congo-RDC. Les musulmans appeles a raffermir leur foi et a revolutionner l'islam - M. Louis Farrakhan, representant du Mouvement islamique aux Etats-Unis, a appele, lors de son recent sejour a Kinshasa, les musulmans de la RDC a affermir leur foi et a revolutionner l'islam en RDC, pour participer efficacement a la reconstruction nationale. M. Farrakhan, qui a ete recu a la mosquee de Barumbu, peu avant son depart par la communaute islamique de Kinshasa, a invite celle-ci a l'unite, "pour qu'ensemble, grace a Allah, elle puisse contribuer a l'effort du developpement national". Le representant de l'islam aux Etats-Unis a, ensuite, eu un entretien avec un groupe des representants des confessions chretiennes, membres de l'Association des religions unies, qui lui ont explique le but poursuivi par leur association, a savoir la justice et la paix. (D'apres ACP, Congo-RDC, 6 janvier 1998) * Congo-RDC. Le card. Etsou pour la prise en charge materielle de l'Eglise par ses propres fideles - L'archeveque de Kinshasa, le cardinal Frederic Etsou Nzabi Bamungwabi, vient de demander, en prevision de l'annee pastorale 1997-1998, la prise en charge materielle de l'Eglise catholique par ses propres fideles, selon sa lettre pastorale lue dimanche 4 janvier dans les paroisses de la capitale. Le prelat a precise: "nous comprenons l'Eglise comme cet espace global comprenant en son sein non seulement notre paroisse ou notre diocese, mais aussi tous les autres secteurs importants comme nos ecoles, nos seminaires et autres maisons de formation religieuse, nos communautes, nos centres sociaux, nos commissions...". En contribuant a la construction de notre Eglise locale, nous participons a l'edification de l'Eglise universelle, a-t-il ajoute. Le prelat catholique s'est dit, par ailleurs, heureux de constater que certains projets realises par les fideles eux-memes ont porte notamment sur la construction de l'eglise de la paroisse Saint-Etienne de Kisenso, la fabrication de biscuits, de pains et l'entretien des potagers pour l'autosuffisance alimentaire. Le probleme de la prise en charge materielle de l'Eglise par ses propres fideles est aussi une question de mentalite, a-t-il precise. (D'apres ACP, Congo-RDC, 6 janvier 1998) * Congo-RDC. News roundup - 18 December: President Kabila is in China and meets with Chinese President Jiang Zemin. The Chinese President pledges to help Congo RDC with a package of soft loans. 26 December: After severe rains during which the Congo River burst its banks, Kisangani has been declared a disaster zone. The city has been without drinking water and electricity since 21 December. 1 January: In a New Year address broadcast, President Kabila reaffirms his determination to hold long-awaited elections in 1999. 3 January: President Kabila reorganises his government. The Press reports an outbreak of cholera in the Kisangani region --211 people are dead, mostly young soldiers. 5 January: President Kabila orders all members of his government who are in possession of stolen goods, to make immediate restitution, otherwise they will be sacked from his government. 6 January: The central bank takes a step towards harmonising exchange rates, by reducing the gap between values of its new zaire currency in different regions. Also, UN investigators prepare to resume their massacre probes. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 7 January 1998) * Djibouti. Elections - Le scrutin legislatif du 19 decembre a connu un faible taux de participation. La coalition gouvernementale du RPP (parti presidentiel) et du FRUD (ex-mouvement guerilla Afar) a rafle la totalite des 65 sieges de deputes en jeu. Le 28 decembre, le president Hassan Gouled Aptidon a forme un nouveau gouvernement. (Lettre de l'Ocean Indien, France, 3 janvier 1998) * Egypte. L'excision interdite - L'excision est dorenavant interdite en Egypte, a decide le 28 decembre le Conseil d'Etat, la plus haute instance de la justice administrative du pays. "Il est desormais interdit pour tous de pratiquer des operations d'excision meme si la fille ou ses parents acceptent de le faire, a moins qu'il y ait une necessite medicale", ont tranche les juges. Il restera a convaincre les esprits... (La Croix, France, 30 decembre 1997) * Ethiopia. Former official charged with genocide - On 6 January, Ethiopia charged Major Melaku Tefera, who served as administrator of the northern Gondar province, with the mass slaughter of 1,100 people during Ethiopia's notorious 1977-1978 Red Terror campaign. Prosecutors told the court that Melaku "had killed or ordered the killing of 691 opposition members". Melaku is among 71 former officials being tried for genocide and other human rights violations. (InfoBeat, USA, 6 January 1998) * Ghana. Electricite rationnee - Le Ghana, qui ne peut plus repondre a la demande nationale en energie, va rationner l'electricite, a annonce le 18 decembre un communique officiel. A partir de janvier 1998, trois jours par semaine, les industries "non essentielles" et les prives ne recevront plus d'electricite que 12 heures par jour. Les hopitaux et autres services publics essentiels ne seront pas concernes par ce rationnement. Le niveau des barrages hydro-electriques est si bas, que toute augmentation de la production se revelerait dangeureuse. Une centrale thermique sera operationnelle au debut du deuxieme trimestre 1998. Cette nouvelle infrastructure devrait etre moins tributaire des variations climatiques. (Marches Tropicaux, France, 26 decembre 1997) * Grands Lacs. Inondations - En Ouganda, les inondations ont fait environ 100 morts et 150.000 deplaces. Beaucoup de personnes ont ete blessees et des milliers d'arpents de terre et de recoltes ont ete balayes. - Au Kenya, environ 300.000 personnes ont ete deplacees ou touchees par les inondations (nord, est, et regions cotieres) qui ont entraine la ruine des recoltes. - Au Congo, une grande partie de la ville de Kisangani est submergee et la ville a ete declaree zone sinistree. Le cholera aurait fait plus de 200 victimes dans la ville. (IRIN, Nairobi, 30 decembre 1997) * Kenya. Run-up to the Elections - 19 December: Charity Ngilu, a strong presidential contender, is tear-gassed by the police in Kisii town, south-west Kenya in an incident that has changed the tone of the election. Also, two paramilitary police officers and two civilians are killed in Trans Mara district, a day after President Moi declared the area a security zone and banned campaigning there. 23 December: Jomo Kenyatta's son, Uhuru, pledges to restore freedom. He is standing for KANU in the parliamentary election. He says: "I want to breathe fresh life into KANU and Kenya. 26 December: Teargas is fired by police at an election rally at Homa Bay. The trouble broke out as President Moi left the rally. 28 December: Reports of widespread vote-rigging cloud the run-up to the general election. KANU is accused of buying votes and voter registration cards. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 28 December 1997) * Kenya. Elections - Le 29 decembre, les Kenyans etaient appeles aux urnes pour elire un president, mais aussi des deputes. Plus de 9 millions de Kenyans etaient inscrits sur les listes electorales pour une population de 29 millions d'habitants. Il y avait 15 candidats a la presidence; et plus de 600 candidats pour les 210 sieges a pourvoir. 27.000 observateurs ont ete accredites pour surveiller le deroulement des elections. Les intemperies et la desorganisation de vote ont pousse la commission electorale a prolonger le scrutin de 24 heures, jusqu'au 30 decembre au soir. Ce jour, l'organisation catastrophique des elections faisait craindre une flambee de violence, tous les partis, de la majorite comme de l'opposition, criant a la fraude. -Le 4 janvier, Arap Moi est proclame vainqueur des elections, avec 40% des votes. Il est investi president le lendemain. Selon The Nation, son parti KANU a obtenu la majorite au Parlement, avec 106 sieges sur les 206 attribues des 210 a pourvoir. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 6 janvier 1998) * Kenya. Elections - 29 December: Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. 30 December: Because many people were unable to vote yesterday, voting continues at many polling stations. Tempers became frayed at a number of polling stations as voters confronted officials over delays in the process. Ballot papers were delivered late, to wrong locations and, in some cases, not at all. The President says in a radio broadcast, that the elections have been rigged by his opponents. 1 January: President Moi is being tipped for an easy victory. More than half the votes have now been counted. 2 January: Opposition contenders reject the poll as fraudulent but stop short of threatening mass action. Incomplete results put President Moi in the lead in the presidential race, but give equal numbers of seats in parliament to KANU and the combines opposition parties. Britain has already condemned the conduct of the chaotic elections. 4 January: The Electoral Commission announces that Daniel arap Moi has been elected President for a further five years, having obtained 40.2% of votes cast. Mwai Kibaki obtained 31%. 5 January: Daniel arap Moi is sworn in as President. He vows to dedicate his final term in office in fighting corruption, eliminating poverty and rebuilding a dilapidated infrastructure. Not all the results in the parliamentary elections have yet been published, but it seems that KANU is leading. 6 January: Opposition leader, Raila Odinga (National Development Party), says he accepts the election results. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 7 January 1998) * Kenya. Epidemie - L'OMS a confirme le 4 janvier a Geneve que l'epidemie, jusqu'ici mysterieuse, qui sevissait dans le nord-est du Kenya, etait d'origine virale, une infection connue des specialistes sous la denomination de "fievre de la vallee du Rift". Le bilan officiel fait etat de 250 deces, cette maladie ayant d'autre part tue de nombreux animaux. Ce sont ces infections animales qui sont a l'origine des contaminations humaines. Les epidemiologistes hesitaient jusqu'a ces derniers jours entre differentes hypotheses infectieuses. (Le Monde, France, 6 janvier 1998) * Libya. US sanctions continue - On 5 January, President Clinton continued US sanctions imposed on Libya, saying the issues that prompted them had not been resolved. Clinton notified Congress that the reasons behind the declaration of emergency, first issued by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, have "not been resolved". The US accuses Libya of fostering terrorism and blames Tripoli for not cooperating with international investigations of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, 9 years ago, that killed 270 people. On 8 January, the Press reported that Libya has been accused by Western intelligence agencies, of secretly trying to develop weapons of mass destruction, including a biological capability being produced with the help of Iraqi scientists. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 January 1998) * Mauritanie. Nouveau gouvernement - Le president reelu Ould Taya a nomme le 18 decembre Premier ministre Mohammed Lemine Ould Guig, un jeune universitaire, ancien directeur de l'enseignement superieur. Le nouveau gouvernement, compose de 22 ministres, est marque par l'entree de dix nouvelles personnalites, dont trois femmes. (Afrique Express, France, 2 janvier 1998) * Niger. Arrestation du chef de l'opposition - Hama Amadou, ancien Premier ministre et leader du principal parti d'opposition, a ete arrete le 2 janvier. Selon les declarations de quatre executants, arretes le 31 decembre, il serait le commanditaire et le bailleur de fond d'un pretendu complot contre l'actuel president Mainassara. L'opposition a demande sa liberation immediate. (La Libre Belgique, 3 janvier 1998) * Niger. Plot thwarted - The authorities in Niger have thwarted a plot to assassinate President Mainassara, arresting five commandos, the government said. State television alleged that Hama Amadou, the former prime minister, was behind the plot. The men also intended to kill the President's brother, the Minister of the Interior, an aide said. On 2 January, Hama Amadou was arrested. On 3 January, eight opposition parties called for an international inquiry into allegations that some of their activists had hatched a plot to assassinate the President. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 6 January 1998) * Nigeria. Coup d'Etat manque - Le numero deux du regime nigerian, le general Oladipo Diya, et onze autres responsables dont des officiers du regime militaire du general Sani Abacha ont ete arretes le 21 decembre, a la suite d'un "complot" visant a "renverser le gouvernement par la violence". Deux generaux ministres du precedent gouvernement figurent parmi les personnes arretees. Le general Abacha, qui dirige le pays, avait nomme le 18 decembre un nouveau gouvernement au nom du processus de mise en place de la democratie. La presse nigeriane s'interroge: Abacha veut-il se defaire des personnalites de son regime opposees a ses plans? (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22-25 decembre 1997) * Nigeria. Alleged coup plot - 21 December: It's reported that Lieutenant-General Oladipo Diya, number two in the military government, is among 12 army officers and civilians arrested for plotting to overthrow the country's ruler. General Abacha plays videotapes to traditional rulers showing evi-dence of a plot to overthrow him. 25 December: In his Christmas Message, Roman Catholic Archbishop Anthony Okogie of Lagos, warns of an "ominous cloud" over Nigeria. 26 December: The European Union expresses concern about the situation in Nigeria following the spate of arrests. 29 December: The army says it has made more arrests in connection with the alleged coup plot. These new arrests coincide with an announcement that the government has created a 12-member panel to investigate the plot. 30 December: The army says that those arrested over the alleged coup, may face a military court at the end of current investigations. 7 January: Nigeria's Foreign Minister tells African diplomats that unnamed foreign countries may have been involved in the alleged coup plot. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 January 1998) * Rwanda. Appel de l'Unar - L'Union nationale rwandaise (Unar), parti royaliste, dans un communique date du 15 decembre, appelle l'Armee patriotique rwandaise a entamer un dialogue avec l'opposition armee afin d'arriver a une paix durable. L'Unar a traditionnellement compte un grand nombre de Tutsi parmi ses partisans, mais, ces deux dernieres annees, de nombreux Hutu sont persuades que le roi pourrait aider a trouver une solution a la tragedie rwandaise. Il y a quelques mois, une petition signee par des Hutu, des Tutsi et des Twa, avait demande au souverain exile d'appuyer de son autorite morale les efforts pour la paix, l'unite nationale et la reconciliation. (La Libre Belgique, 19 decembre 1997) * Rwanda. Les eveques denoncent le racisme - A l'issue de leur assemblee ordinaire, le 19 decembre, les eveques catholiques du Rwanda se disent tres preoccupes par la situation d'insecurite, de massacres et de guerre qui prevaut dans les prefectures de Gisenyi et Ruhengeri, au nord-ouest du pays. Ils denoncent la persistance de l'ideologie raciste, le massacre des populations civiles, tant par les "infiltres" que par l'armee, et l'insuffisance de l'information. Les eveques s'adressent aux groupes armes comme aux autorites, mais egalement aux habitants dont ils attendent "des gestes politiques qui montrent qu'ils ne veulent pas entrer dans cette logique de la violence". Finalement, l'episcopat invite la communaute internationale a faire tout ce qui est en son pouvoir pour que "les Rwandais ne basculent pas a nouveau dans une violence genocidaire, voulue par les forces qui entretiennent une ideologie raciste". (CIP, Belgique, 25 decembre 1997) * Rwanda. Continuing violence - 18 December: The US says that former Rwandan army soldiers and Hutu militiamen were probably responsible for the Mudende massacres. 19 December: In a News Release, Amnesty International explains the reasons behind its latest Report on the continuing violence some parts of Rwanda, and the despair of the civilian population trapped in northwestern Rwanda. The Report is entitled: "Rwanda: The Dead Can No Longer Be Counted". The organisation says that every day they are receiving reports of new massacres of civilians. The same day, a military spokesman says that at least 50 people, mostly Hutu rebels, have been killed in a battle with the Rwandan army near Nkamira and Bigogwe refugee camps near the border town of Gisenyi overnight on 18 December. 2 January: Medecins Sans Frontieres calls for secure areas to be set up in north-west Rwanda. 5-6 January: At least 40 people are killed in attacks on two communes in north-west Rwanda, which local officials blame on Hutu rebels. The attacks took place north of Gitarama town. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 January 1998) * Rwanda. Guerilla - La communaute internationale reagit avec indignation a l'attaque par des rebelles hutu, le 11 decembre, contre un camp de refugies a Mudende. Mme Sadako Ogata (HCR) l'a qualifie de "barbare", Mme Bonino (U.E.) d'"acte de lachete". Mais Mme Bonino exprime egalement sa preoccupation quant a la situation generale des droits de l'homme au Rwanda. Amnesty International fait de meme dans une declaration du 19 decembre: "Tous les jours nous recevons des rapports sur de nouveaux massacres de populations civiles". Selon A.I., les tueries des trois derniers mois semblent etre les plus importantes depuis deux ans. On compterait des centaines, sinon des milliers de morts. A.I. accuse l'armee rwandaise d'executions sommaires, aussi de civils, lors de ses operations contre les rebelles. - Des affrontements dans le nord- ouest du pays, le 18 decembre, ont fait 84 morts. Le 22 decembre au soir, 35 personnes ont ete massacrees par des miliciens hutu en deux points de l'ouest du pays. Dans un conference de presse le 24 decembre, le vice-president Kagame a cependant affirme que la rebellion hutu ne gagnera pas la guerre civile, malgre la deterioration de la situation. - Les 5 et 6 janvier, en moins de 24 heures, 40 personnes au moins ont ete tuees dans la prefecture de Gitarama (centre-ouest). Les incidents sont de plus en plus eloignes de la frontiere avec la RDC. Les rebelles se deplacent lentement vers la route Kigali-Gitarama. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8 janvier 1998) * Sierra Leone. Violents combats - De violents combats opposaient, le 4 janvier, les forces de la junte militaire aux miliciens Kamajors fideles au president destitue Ahmed Kabbah pour le controle de Bo (sud), seconde ville du pays, ont declare des cooperants. La junte avait annonce le 2 janvier que des miliciens avaient attaque un camp de refugies en banlieue de Bo. (Le Monde, France, 6 janvier 1998) * Sierra Leone. April power-handover unlikely - On 19 December, Major Johnny Paul Koroma said that it was unlikely he would hand back power to an elected civilian government in April 1998 as planned, because of delays in disarming rival factions. On 16 December, the Junta had said its troops were locked in battle with militia rivals on the Liberian border, with heavy casualties on both sides. 4 January: A military spokesman says that the authorities have sacked six members of the ruling military junta for their role in the looting, by soldiers, of Iran's embassy last week in Freetown. 5 January: The army says it has repelled an attack on the southern town of Bo, by the Kamajor militia force supporting ousted President Kabbah. 7 January: Forces loyal to the military junta open fire on a Nigerian warplane flying over Freetown. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 January 1998) * Somalie. Accord de paix - Les principales factions somaliennes ont signe, le 22 decembre au Caire, un accord mettant fin a six ans de guerre civile et prevoyant la mise en place d'un Etat federal et d'un gouvernement central. Un Conseil presidentiel de 13 membres doit etre mis sur pied et un gouvernement de transition sera forme. Les accords doivent etre approuves par une Conference nationale de reconciliation, prevue pour le 15 fevrier a Baidoa, au nord-ouest de Mogadiscio, ou le president sera egalement designe. Mohammed Ibrahim Egal, president de la republique autoproclamee du Somaliland, n'assistera pas a la conference de Baidoa. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 23 decembre 1997) * Somalia. Pact to end civil war signed - 22 December: 26 of Somalia's 28 factions sign the Cairo Declaration in the Egyptian capital, which is intended to pave the way for the creation of national institutions after six years of civil war which have left the country a lawless patchwork of fiefdoms. Success of the deal will depend on the successful outcome of a National Reconciliation Conference to be held in Baidoa on 15 February. The Conference is intended to appoint a 13-member presidential council, a prime minister and a 189-member Council of Deputies to act as a parliament. The prime minister will form a transitional government charged with preparing elections in 2001, although that could be extended until 2003. The presidential council will draw three members from each of Somalia's four largest tribes and one from a minority tribe. Armed militias are to stay in camps, and to bolster the new central authority. An independent judicial structure will be created. 26 December: The European Union welcome the peace accord, saying it is ready to help rebuild the war-ravaged country. 28 December: Somali faction leaders say they will be sending delegations to regional capitals to explain the Cairo Declaration. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 29 December 1997) * Afrique du Sud. Relations avec Pekin - Les ministres des Affaires etrangeres sud-africain et chinois ont signe, le 30 decembre a Pretoria, un accord prevoyant l'etablissement de relations diplomatiques entre leurs deux pays. En contrepartie, l'Afrique du Sud rompra ses relations diplomatiques avec Taiwan, que Pekin considere comme une province rebelle. Une nouvelle ambassade de Chine a Pretoria sera inauguree le 1 janvier. (La Libre Belgique, 31 decembre 1997) * Afrique du Sud. Plainte contre Botha - La Commission verite et reconciliation (TRC) a depose plainte, le 19 decembre, contre l'ancien president sud-africain, Pieter W. Botha, apres son refus de se presenter a sa convocation, qu'il affirme "non valide". P.W. Botha, 81 ans, risque une amende de 4.000 dollars ou deux ans de prison. Il etait cite a comparaitre pour temoigner sur les activites du Conseil de securite d'Etat pendant la periode ou il dirigeait le pays, de 1978 a 1989. - Le 7 janvier, le procureur de la province du Cap oriental a annonce qu'il allait engager des poursuites contre M. Botha pour son refus repete de temoigner devant la TRC pour expliquer son role sous l'apartheid. M. Botha a compare la commission a un "cirque". (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8 janvier 1998) * South Africa. Internal affairs - 18 December: Thabo Mbeki, the new leader of the ANC, suffers an early setback when his favoured candidates are soundly beaten at the party's national conference in Mafiking. After frantic lobbying, Patrick "Terror" Lekota wins the chairmanship. 19 December: Thabo Mbeki says that there have not been any discussions about the merging of the ANC with the Inkatha Freedom party. 2 January: A justice official says that a decision on whether to prosecute former president P.W. Botha for failing to turn up to testify before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), will be made next week. 7 January: The authorities begin criminal proceedings against P.W. Botha. He is summoned to appear before the regional court of George, on 23 January. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 January 1998) * Soudan. Onchocercose - Pres de 80.000 personnes ont deja perdu la vue a cause d'une nouvelle epidemie d'onchocercose, la cecite des rivieres, a declare un representant soudanais du departement de la sante. 95% des 400.000 habitants de la ville de Raga souffriraient de cette maladie. Raga est situe aux bords d'une riviere du meme nom dans le Bahr el Ghazal, a 75 km de la frontiere avec la Republique Centrafricaine. Le ministere soudanais de la Sante et l'OMS cooperent a combattre la maladie. (IRIN, Nairobi, 23 decembre 1997) * Sudan. Khartoum Catholic Club confiscated - The Government of Sudan has confiscated the Catholic Club of Khartoum. The order, signed on 6 December 1997 and notified to the Catholic Church on 22 December, was implemented on 31 December. The Catholic Club, one of the many set up by various organisations and associations, was built in the early sixties on the outskirts of Khartoum, on the area allotted to them by the town planners, for social, sports and cultural activities. Already, in January 1996, when an automatic renewal of the lease of the land was expected, the Church was told the lease would not be renewed. The reason, verbally given, was "public need". The case continued throughout 1996 and finally resulted in a letter of confiscation being sent to the Church authorities in December 1997. (Comboni Press, Rome, 6 January 1998) * Sudan. Rebels starting to crack? - 2 January: Sudan says that 1,787 soldiers of the SPLA rebels, had given themselves up to government forces in the previous two days. The official news agency, SUNA, quoted an unnamed military source as saying that 687 SPLA soldiers, including seven officers, had surrendered on 31 December in the Maryal Bay area of the southern region of Bahr al- Ghazal. Another 1,100, 13 of them officers, arrived in the same area on 1 January. 3 January: Sudan rejects a UN request to open a human rights office in Sudan, saying that such groups had supported rebels in the past. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 6 January 1998) * Uganda. Museveni's brother appointed as minister - New Vision (6 January) reports that President Museveni has appointed his younger brother, Major-General Salim Saleh, as acting Minister of State for Defence. Saleh also doubles as Museveni's senior military advisor. He replaces Amama Mbabazi, who was transferred to the President's office. The appointment came three days after army commander Major-General Mugisha Muntu was sacked in favour of Major-General Jeje Odongo. (InfoBeat, USA, 6 January 1998) * Zambie. Kaunda arrete - L'ancien president Kenneth Kaunda, qui a dirige la Zambie de 1964 a 1991, a ete arrete a Lusaka le 25 decembre. Les autorites zambiennes n'ont pas explique cette arrestation, qui est vraisemblablement liee a la tentative de coup d'Etat organise en octobre par un groupe de militaires. Plusieurs collaborateurs de Kaunda ont egalement ete interpelles. L'actuel president, Frederick Chiluba, a decrete l'etat d'urgence apres la tentative de putsch le 28 octobre. Depuis, 90 personnes, pour l'essentiel des hommes politiques, ont ete arretees. - M Kaunda a entame une greve de la faim. Nelson Mandela, le Commonwealth et les Etats-Unis ont demande sa liberation. Par la suite, M. Kaunda a ete mis en residence surveillee et ecarte de la vie politique par decision du tribunal de Lusaka. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 janvier 1998) * Zambia. Kaunda detained - 25 December: Having returned to Zambia a few days previously, Kenneth Kaunda is arrested today. 26 December: Kaunda makes a brief appearance in a Lusaka court and then is flown by helicopter to an unknown destination. The government says he is being detained in connection with the failed coup d'etat. His son expresses concern for his father's safety. 29 December: International pressure grows for Kaunda's release. It is disclosed that he is growing weaker after refusing food and drink. One of Kaunda's lawyers collapses in the High Court in Lusaka. The judge announces that the hearing will be adjourned to 2 January. Julius Nyerere flies to Lusaka to try to negotiate in the Kaunda affair, on behalf of the Southern African Development Community. 30 December: Nyerere goes to Kabwe Maximum Security Prison and is said to have persuaded Kaunda to take some nourishment. Kaunda is said to have been offered freedom in return for a pledge to retire from active politics. 31 December: Kaunda is released from prison and placed under house arrest. 2 January: Kaunda appears before the High Court in Lusaka. He says: "It's not Kenneth Kaunda who is on trial. It's President Chiluba". The hearing is adjourned until 6 January without any ruling on either formally charging Dr Kaunda or releasing him altogether. 3 January: Kaunda's lawyers say that their client could face up to 12 months in jail for defying conditions attached to his detention. 5 January: President Chiluba tells western governments to "stop meddling" in Zambia's affairs and appeals to other African leaders to support his stand against donor countries. 6 January: Kaunda appears in Lusaka High Court. He says he will not be silenced by a "stupid law" barring him from politics. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 7 January 1998) * Zimbabwe. Update of events - 18 December: A Zimbabwean high court sentences Ndabaningi Sithole to two years in jail for plotting to kill President Mugabe in 1995. He also receives a suspended five-year term in prison on two other counts of possessing arms of war and of promoting terrorism to overthrow the government. Sithole immediately appeals against the conviction and sentence. He insists that he has been framed by Mr Mugabe through Zimbabwe's secret service, the Central Intelligence Organisation, as part of a political vendetta. Sithole is presently free on bail. 31 December: President Mugabe urges Africa's military leaders to give way to democracy in 1998. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 1 January 1998) COUNTRY