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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 12-02-1998      PART #1/  

* Africa. Human rights  -  Published excerpts from the United
States' "Department of State Reports on Human Rights Practices for
1997", indicate that strong authoritarian governments exist in many
parts of the world, keeping themselves in power through the
systematic abuse of the human rights of their citizens. The dismal
scenario is all to familiar in Nigeria -- where there is no
meaningful progress toward democracy. In Algeria where the alarming
brutality of the massacres and sexual violence against women
commanded the world's attention, as many as 1,000 civilians being
killed each month. In Sudan, where civil war as well as slavery and
forced conscription of children continues. In the Great Lakes
region, Hutu insurgents in Rwanda, Burundi and Congo RDC have
organised alliances that include the openly genocidal ex-FAR and
Interahamwe, and the Burundian Palipehutu -- posing an increasing
threat to civilians.   (APIC, Washington, 5 February 1998)

* Africa. Urged to protect rights of children  -  A conference on
child labour in Africa has ended with a call for African countries
to endorse an African charter on children's rights. Ugandan Labour
and Social Affairs minister Paul Etiang said on 7 February, that it
was "indefensible" that only 6 countries had ratified the charter,
while all of them, except Somalia, had endorsed a similar UN
convention. The African Charter On The Rights And Welfare Of The
Child was adopted by Organization of African Unity member states in
1990, 6 months after the UN Convention On The Rights Of The Child
was adopted. On 10 February, UNICEF said it would campaign in
Uganda against the abduction of children by the Lord's Resistance
Army.   (InfoBeat, USA, 9 -10 February 1998)

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Ethiopia: On 22 January,
Lulu Kebede, ex-editor-in-chief of the Amharic-language weekly
Neka, was arrested and imprisoned at Addis Ababa central prison.
Sierra Leone: The Canadian Committee to protect Journalists (CCPJ)
is working with two Sierra Leonean journalists living in exile in
Canada, to establish a fund for exiled Sierra Leonean journalists.
Lansana Gberie and Mohamed Bangura have located at least 35 other
exiled journalists from the home country, now living in The Gambia,
Ghana, Guinea, Liberia and the United States. Other news: The
whereabouts of Anthony Swaray, a freelance journalist arrested on
14 January 1998, is still unknown. Sorie Sudan Sesay, a senior
journalist for the Independent Observer, has been forced into
hiding following the issue of a warrant for his arrest in
connection with an article claiming the Iranian soldiers were due
to come to Sierra Leone. On 30 January 1998, Michael Lawson, a
student at Fourah Bay College University, Freetown, was arrested
and detained along with another unidentified man, for having
allegedly supplied information to a clandestine radio station. The
Gambia: On 5 February, Boubacar Gaye and Ebrima Sillag, the
proprietor and news editor respectively of Citizen FM Radio, were
arrested by members of the National Intelligence Agency and brought
in for questioning. Ghana: Articles in the Ghana Human Rights
Quarterly (Last Quarter 1997), state that despite being protected
under the Constitution, the Media in Ghana suffer from legal
restraints. Malawi: On 5 February, a Malawi High Court judge
dismissed key witnesses for the Daily Times newspaper as being
"arrogant and showy" and ordered the paper to pay defamation costs. 
 (IFEX, Canada, 3-10 February 1998)

* Africa. El Ni¤o  -  Faced with the continuing destruction caused
by the El Ni¤o weather phenomenon, the World Food Programme (WFP)
said on 6 February, that it is struggling to find alternative rail
and road routes to deliver vital food aid to the Great Lakes
region. Key transportation networks have been severed by the
devastating floods disrupting normal food deliveries. Flooding has
also destroyed the secondary road networks throughout the region.
Tractors, donkey carts and even foot power have to be used to move
the food to its final destination. Before the floods, the WFP was
delivering 20,000 of food from Tanzania and 13,000 from Kenya each
month to the Great Lakes region, using the Dar es Salaam and
Mombasa rail routes. This is enough to feed more than two and half
million people per month. However, since mid-December, torrential
rains have continued to batter the direct transport routes in
Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda which are vital for WFP food deliveries.
60% of Tanzania rail wagons are trapped at Dar es Salaam port. As
a result, over the last weeks, only half the needed amount of food
aid reached the Great Lakes region, forcing the WFP to target only
the most vulnerable in countries like Rwanda and Burundi.
Determined to overcome the monumental logistical constraints, the
WFP has navigated alternative routes and devised unique road-rail-
barge networks to transport food from Tanzania where over 60% of
the food requirement for the Great Lakes is dispatched. (Editor's
update: On 10 February, the UN said that ten million people in east
Africa need emergency food aid after floods linked to the El Ni¤o
weather phenomenon heavily damaged crops).   (IRIN, Nairobi, 6
February 1998)

* Afrique de l'Est. Demande d'aide  -  La FAO a declare qu'environ
10 millions de personnes en Afrique de l'Est avaient besoin d'une
aide d'urgence, suite aux violentes pluies qui ont ravage la region
les derniers mois. La Somalie et le Kenya ont ete particulierement
frappes. La FAO a lance, le 9 fevrier, un appel pour 2,5 millions
de dollars afin d'aider a maitriser les maladies, telles que la
fievre de la vallee du Rift et la peste bovine dans les deux pays.
Par ailleurs, l'OMS a declare que la fievre de la vallee du Rift
etait en voie d'etre maitrisee au Kenya.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 10
fevrier 1998)

* Algerie. Deputes europeens a Alger  -  Une delegation de
parlementaires europeens est arrivee le 8 fevrier a Alger pour une
visite de travail de cinq jours. Elle doit rencontrer, entre
autres, des membres d'associations de defense des droits de l'homme
et d'autres organisations. Les deputes n'ont pas obtenu
l'autorisation d'aller sur les lieux des recents massacres. Pendant
ce temps, une campagne anti-europeenne sans precedent monopolise
les colonnes de la presse publique et de certains titres prives
qui, a grand renfort de cartes, dessinent une Europe ou chaque
capitale figure un "sanctuaire du GIA" ou une "plaque tournante de
l'islamisme". D'autre part, dans un nouveau rapport publie le 8
fevrier, "Human Rights Watch" accuse la securite d'Etat algerienne
d'etre activement impliquee depuis 1992 dans la "disparition" de
plusieurs centaines d'adversaires politiques. La delegation a
rencontre, lundi 9, les representants des partis siegeant a
l'Assemblee populaire nationale. Les eurodeputes ont notamment
tente de convaincre le regime d'accepter la mise en place d'une
commission d'enquete sur les personnes disparues et les prisonniers
politiques.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 10 fevrier 1998)

* Algeria. Concerns  -  5 February: Le Soir d'Algerie says that
Algeria's rebel Islamic Salvation Army (AIS), the armed wing of the
Islamic Salvation Front, is threatening to end its four-month
ceasefire unless progress is made on a amnesty for Islamists on the
run. The paper says the threat was made in a village in Jijel, an
AIS bastion in the north-east, after AIS guerrillas took hostages.
The commando chief, deputy to the AIS chief Madani Mezrag, says the
truce could end in two weeks. The same day, nine civilians are
killed in Tlemcen province, by having their throats cut. Also, in
early February, Human Rights Watch publishes a report entitled:
"Algeria -- Neither among the living nor the dead --State-sponsored
disappearances in Algeria". The Report says that among the many
human rights tragedies in Algeria, has been the "disappearance" of
more than one thousand men and women since 1992, following their
arrest by government forces. 6 February: A bombs kills two people
and wounds four when it rips through a market in the town of Bir
Touta south of the capital. 8 February: A nine-member delegation
from the European parliament arrives in Algeria, for a four-day
visit aimed at suggesting to Brussels how to help end the country's
bloody six-year conflict. The visit signals an effort by the EU to
pursue a dialogue with Algiers. 9 February: Visiting EU
parliamentarians offer Algeria their support for an inquiry into
Algerian guerrilla networks in Europe, in return for Algerian
guarantees on human rights. 10 February: The EU parliamentarians
refuse to meet with the FIS.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 11 February
1998)

* Angola. Unita's new supply route  -  UNITA lost its main supply
routes for weapons and other equipment last year, when governments
were overthrown in Congo RDC and Congo-Brazza. But since then,
UNITA has forged new transit routes, one of the most important of
which appears to be in western Zambia. Southern African security
forces say that UNITA has made what they characterize as a
considerable effort to develop an airfield outside Zambezi Town in
western Zambia, as its main supply base. Improvements made by UNITA
during the past several months include the installation of
underground fuel storage tanks and night landing lights. The runway
is paved and at least 3,000 metres in length. It is capable of
handling large cargo planes.   (VOA, 3 February 1998)

* Burkina Faso. Coupe d'Afrique du football  -  La Coupe d'Afrique
des nations (CAN) se deroule du 7 au 28 fevrier au Burkina Faso.
Deux villes accueillent l'evenement: la capitale Ouagadougou et
Bobo-Dioulasso. Le 5 fevrier a Ouagadougou, le Mali a ete designe
pour organiser la prochaine CAN en 2002. Cinq pays etaient
candidats: l'Algerie, le Botswana, l'Egypte, l'Ethiopie et le Mali.
Le 7 fevrier, la XXIe edition de la Coupe, qui reunit seize
equipes, s'est ouverte avec la defaite (1-0) du Burkina Faso face
au Cameroun. Resultats des matches du dimanche 8 fevrier: Guinee-
Algerie 1-0; Afrique du Sud-Angola 0-0; Cote d'Ivoire-Namibie 4-3. 
 (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 9 fevrier 1998)

* Burkina Faso. Sad background to Cup of Nations  -  Hundreds of
children have been cleared from the streets of Burkina Faso's
capital Ouagadougou and jailed, as part of a clean-up campaign
during the African Cup of Nations football championship. Many of
them, mostly boys aged three to 18, came from impoverished rural
areas to make money from football fans. "The boys have travelled in
from the rural areas to make money as prostitutes and pickpockets,"
said Soufiano Ouedraogo, a supervisor at a children's hostel in
Tangai near Ouagadougou. The hostel, Solidarite-Jeunesse, aims to
pick up the street children before the police do. "Once they have
been jailed, there is little we can do", said Mr Ouedraogo.   (The
Guardian, U.K., Brussels, 11 February 1998)

* Burundi. Situation alimentaire  -  La derniere enquete de la FAO
indique que le cout des produits alimentaires de base au Burundi a
plus que double depuis l'imposition de l'embargo en juillet 1996.
De plus, des pluies violentes ont detruit une partie de la premiere
recolte en 1998. Les prix ont constamment augmente durant le mois
de janvier, un mois ou normalement ces prix baissent, et ils
continuent a grimper. Les stocks de semences sont bas, ce qui
pourrait avoir un impact negatif sur la prochaine saison agricole. 
 (d'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 5 fevrier 1998)

* Burundi. Food prices more than double  -  The latest FAO market
price survey, indicates that on 30 January, the total cost for a
weekly food basket of selected items, was 11,690 FrBu, whereas the
price for the same products before the embargo imposed in July
1996, stood at 5,228 FrBu. FAO reports that, due to the poor
harvest, prices have continued to rise during January. Regional
countries are set to meet soon to review the sanctions. (Editor's
note concerning the embargo: On 11 February, a source informed us
that there is a regular flight from Nairobi to Bujumbura, masked by
the destination on the ticket being Bukavu, where it does not go.
This flight is run by a private company, Africa International.)  
(IRIN, Nairobi, 5 February 1998)

* Burundi. The military government  -  3 February: The military
government is presently discussing the future of the country's
National Assembly. When the army took power one-and-a-half years
ago, it suspended the Constitution, banned all political parties
and dismissed the National Assembly (which had been voted into
office in 1993). But under pressure from regional sanctions, Major
Buyoya restored political parties and the National Assembly.
Assembly president Leonce Ngendakumana says it is not easy working
without a Constitution. He says it is difficult for the Assembly to
vote on laws, when these laws are not respected. 4 February: Major
Buyoya is now halfway through his self-appointed three-year term of
office as President. He says he is looking forward to serving the
second half of his term, as what he calls "a transitional figure",
bound to restore peace in a country divided by ethnic violence.  
(VOA, 4 February 1998)

* Burundi. Offensive pres de Bujumbura  -  Les habitants de
Bujumbura ont rapporte de violents tirs a l'arme lourde dans les
collines aux alentours de la capitale les 8 et 9 fevrier. Le porte-
parole de l'armee, le colonel Isaie Nibizi, a fait savoir que
l'armee conduisait une offensive contre "des terroristes localises"
dans cette region. "Les bandes armees n'ont jamais quitte vraiment
les collines surplombant la capitale", a-t-il precise, ajoutant que
ces operations alllaient se pousuivre aussi longtemps que ces
groupes resteraient dans la region.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 10 fevrier
1998)

* Congo (RDC). Seeking to boost investor confidence  -  On 5
February, officials launched a counter-offensive to salvage
investor confidence in the mineral-rich country. The move follows
a damaging dispute with American Mineral Fields (AMF), a Toronto-
listed mining group which signed agreements with rebel leaders
during last year's civil war. In a strongly worded speech to
delegates at a mining conference in Cape Town, Frederic Kibassa-
Maliba, Congo RDCžs mines minister, said his government would
guarantee security of tenure to investors who adhered to tender
procedures laid down by Gecamines, the state-owned mining company.
On 10 February, Jesse Jackson, US special envoy for democracy and
human rights in Africa, speaking in Kinshasa, says that Congo RDC
should lift a ban on political activities and set up independent
courts, if it wants to normalise relations with the world.  
(Financial Times, U.K., 6 & 11 February 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Conference annulee  -  La Conference nationale sur
la reconstruction, prevue du 24 janvier au 7 fevrier 1998, a ete
annulee le 22 janvier par un communique diffuse a la television
congolaise. Aucune explication n'a ete donnee. Selon certains
milieux a Kinshasa, il existerait un conflit entre le ministre du
Plan, Etienne Mbaya, et le ministre de l'Interieur, Gaetan Kakudji,
qui se propose d'organiser le 12 fevrier une Conference nationale
sur l'administration territoriale, ce qui ferait double emploi.  
(Jeune Afrique Economie, France, 2-15 fevrier 1998)

* Congo (RDC). UN mission set to resume massacre probe  -  The
government of Congo RDC has authorized a UN mission to resume its
stalled probe into alleged massacres in the country, a team
official said on 6 February. Spokesman Jose Diaz said an advance
party flew to the northwestern town of Mbandaka on the 6th, to
prepare for the arrival in the coming days, of the full mission. He
said the government had given the team until the end of the month
to finish their investigations in the jungle town. Hundreds of
Rwandan Hutu refugees are alleged to have been massacred there on
13 May 1997 by rebel forces who helped bring Laurent Kabila to
power in the former Zaire a few days later.   (InfoBeat, USA, 6
February 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Aide europeenne aux elections  -  Un representant de
l'Union europeenne est arrive le 7 fevrier a Kinshasa pour evoquer
avec les responsables congolais une aide des Quinze en matiere
d'elections. La visite a pour but de poser un diagnostic de la
situation, d'evaluer les besoins de la RDC et de voir comment
concretiser les moyens pour soutenir la realisation du recensement
et autres operations necessaires a la tenue des elections. Le
president Kabila a annonce des elections en 1999.   (Le Soir,
Belgique, 9 fevrier 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Jesse Jackson  -  L'emissaire americain Jesse
Jackson, charge de promouvoir la democratie et les droits de
l'homme en Afrique, a quitte le Congo le 11 fevrier sans avoir ete
recu par le president Kabila. Le ministre congolais des Affaires
etrangeres, Bizima Karaha, s'est dit decu que Jackson ait eu des
contacts avec des membres de l'opposition, dont Etienne Tshisekedi.
Jackson a critique l'absence de changement de politique de Kabila
par rapport au gouvernement de Mobutu.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 12 fevrier 1998)

* Cote d'Ivoire. $385 million deal with IMF  -  On 9 February, the
Cote d'Ivoire government signed a letter of intent with the IMF for
a three-year economic reform programme backed by a $385 million
enhanced structural adjustment facility. The IMF deal could open up
fresh World Bank loans worth up to $800 million, conditional upon
economic reforms.   (Financial Times, U.K., 10 February 1998)

* Egypte. Non a une action militaire contre l'Irak  -  Apres une
escale au Caire du secretaire d'Etat americain Albright, le
president Moubarak a declare le 5 fevrier que son pays n'etait "pas
du tout dispose a participer a une action militaire" contre l'Irak.
Le Caire veut a tout prix eviter l'option militaire qui
declencherait la colere de son opinion publique, solidaire des
"freres arabes". Moubarak a depeche, le 5 fevrier, le secretaire
general de la Ligue arabe en Irak afin de denouer la crise.  
(d'apres Liberation, France, 6 fevrier 1998)

* Egypt. Financial matters  -  6 February: The reforms of a tax
loophole has been the main topic of interest on the Egyptian stock
market over the past week. Egyptian banks and other companies will
be able to claim relief on the purchase of government bonds and
treasury bills. The new system will lead to tax exemption on bond
and bill transactions being reduced from 90% to a level based on
the cost of funding individual transactions. The same day, it is
reported that family-owned concerns and listed companies now
account for 45% of overall investment in the Egyptian economy. In
the past year, gross national investment at about $13 billion has
been equivalent to 18.1% of gross domestic product.   (Financial
Times, U.K., 6 February 1998)

* Grands Lacs. Commerce d'armes  -  Dans une lettre au conseil de
securite des Nations unies, l'organisation americaine pour les
droits de l'homme, Human Rights Watch, a demande de reactiver
l'enquete sur le commerce illegal des armes au Rwanda et d'elargir
le mandat de la commission d'enquete onusienne au Burundi. HRW
insiste sur une application stricte de l'embargo sur les armes pour
toutes les parties concernees. D'une enquete recente il apparait
que les differentes factions au Burundi peuvent, sans aucune
difficulte, acheter des armes sur le marche international.  
(d'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 9 fevrier 1998)

* Great Lakes. Joint operation against Hutu rebels  -  According to
sources, the Burundian, Rwandan, Ugandan and Congolese RDC
government authorities are preparing a joint military operation.
The aim is that of eliminating the (Rwandan and Burundian) Hutu
rebels, very active along the border between Congo RDC and
Rwanda/Burundi. The sources say that an imminent and vast civilian
massacre will occur, should the humanitarian agencies not be
allowed, as it seems, to guarantee the safety of the population.
The joint government offensive should lead to the combing of the
Ruhengeri, Gisenyi, Kibute, Cyangugu areas, certain zones of Kivu,
and of southwest Uganda.   (MISNA, Rome, 9 February 1998)

* Guinee equatoriale. Massacre de Nigerians  -  Plusieurs centaines
d'ouvriers agricoles nigerians travaillant dans des plantations de
cocotiers en Guinee equatoriale ont ete tues par les forces de
securite equato-guineennes, qui ont egalement pille la mission
diplomatique nigeriane a Malabo, a rapporte le 10 fevrier l'agence
officielle nigeriane NAN. Du 22 janvier au 4 fevrier, plusieurs
centaines de Nigerians auraient ete tues et enterres dans une fosse
commune. Ces massacres auraient ete perpetres a la suite de
violences inter-ethniques.   (La Croix, France, 12 fevrier 1998)

* Italie. Festival du cinema africain a Milan  -  Du 20 au 26 mars
prochain aura lieu le huitieme "Festival du cinema africain" de
Milan, une occasion de rencontre et d'echange avec l'Afrique. Le
programme prevoit des projections de 80 films et videos realises
par des Africains (du continent, mais aussi de la diaspora). Parmi
les cineastes, on retrouve des noms bien connus, comme Idrissa
Ouedraogo et Gaston Kabore; mais il y aura egalement la projection
du premier film sud-africain realise par un Noir: "Fools", de
Radaman Suleman. Dans une retrospective, on verra une selection des
meilleurs films tunisiens des trente dernieres annees. Et une
section est dediee aux films de jeunes cineastes afro-americains.
Trois jurys officiels decerneront les prix du festival aux longs
metrages, aux courts metrages et aux videos. Le public lui-meme
decernera le prix du public. Un nombre de films seront presentes
dans d'autres villes italiennes, parmi lesquelles Rome, Genes et
Barletta.   (COE, Italie, 3 fevrier 1998)

* Kenya. Final parliamentary election results  -  The following is
a breakdown of the parliamentary election results. A total of 222
parliamentary seats had to be filled: 210 elected and 12 nominated.
The Kenya African National Union has the largest number of seats
with 107 elected plus 6 nominated, giving a total of 113. The
Democratic Party comes next with 39 elected and 2 nominated. Other
results are as follows: The National Development Party of Kenya --
21 elected and 1 nominated; Ford-Kenya -- 17 elected and 1
nominated; The Social Democrat Party -- 15 elected and 1 nominated;
Safina -- 5 elected and 1 nominated; Ford-People -- 3 elected.
Shirikisho, Ford-Asili, Kenya Social Congress each have 1 elected.
(Editor's note: At the time of going to press [8 February], the
office of Vice-President of Kenya is still vacant).   (New People,
Nairobi, 1 February 1998)

* Kenya. Couvre-feu  -  Le president kenyan, Daniel arap Moi, a
decrete, le 5 fevrier, le couvre-feu dans l'ouest du Kenya. Les
violences entre Kalenjins, l'ethnie du president, et Kikuyus,
favorables a l'opposition, ont fait plus de 100 morts depuis la mi-
janvier dans la region. Le 9 fevrier, Jesse Jackson, emissaire
special du president americain en Afrique, a invite le president
Moi a mettre fin aux violences politico-ethniques dans la vallee du
Rift.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 10 fevrier 1998)

* Kenya. Violent attacks in Rift Valley  -  5 February: President
Moi orders a curfew in urban centres in the Rift Valley, where
post-election violence has claimed more than 100 lives in less than
a month. The presidential press service says that all businesses in
the district of Nakuru must close between 9pm and 6am. The
statement says anyone caught loitering will be arrested. Moi also
warns that "businessmen of a particular community...who are funding
the violent activities, will have their business licences revoked".
The same day, Foreign Minister Simeon Nyachae defends himself in
print, against charges of tribalism and splitting the ruling Kenya
African National Union (KANU). 8 February: US presidential envoy
for Africa, Jesse Jackson says he is "shocked and horrified" by the
suffering of victims of ethnic violence in Kenya's Rift Valley.
"Holy Christ!", he exclaims as he sees John Ndungu, a farmer from
Kihingo, who has been admitted to hospital after being attacked at
his home. N'dungu's nose has been sliced off and his lips almost
severed. He has 3 iron arrow heads deeply embedded in his back and
buttocks and his scalp has been split open. Jackson, touring Kenya
as part of his role as President Clinton's envoy for promoting
democracy in Africa, is visibly shocked, shaking his head at what
he sees. Jackson says he has appealed to President Moi to show
greater leadership in dealing with the Rift Valley crisis. 9
February: The East African (Kenya) reports that more than 8,000
internal refugees, people displaced during politically-motivated
attacks in Rift Valley province, are now living on charity in
nearby church compounds.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 10 February 1998)

* Libya. Sahara rim countries meet  -  On 4 February, Libya, Sudan,
Mali, Niger and Chad started a three-day summit in Tripoli, to
discuss closer ties between countries bordering the Sahara Desert.
The Second African Summit was summoned by Gaddafi to discuss "all
the region's issues and follow up works to boost cooperation to
unify the continent and face the various challenges". During the
summit, a pact was signed establishing a grouping of Sahel and
Sahara states to enhance ties. The six countries concerned have
"huge potential" and plan to set up a development bank. OPEC member
Libya is the only rich country in the grouping, with oil revenues
of $9 billion yearly, while the other five countries are reputed to
be among the poorest in Africa.   (InfoBeat, USA, 6 February 1998)

* Libye. Communaute des Etats sahelo-sahariens  -  La Communaute
des Etats sahelo-sahariens (Comessa) est officiellement nee a
Tripoli le 5 fevrier. Elle est l'aboutissement d'un processus
engage le 15 aout 1997, quand Kaddafi avait invite ses pairs du
Burkina, du Mali, du Niger et du Tchad. Plus tard le Soudan s'est
ajoute au groupe. Le traite prevoit l'organisation d'une Conference
des chefs d'Etat. Un Conseil des ministres se reunira tous les six
mois. Un secretariat general, une banque de developpement et un
conseil economique, social et culturel ont egalement ete
constitues. Le Dr. Madani-el-Azhari, ambassadeur de la Jamahiriya
au Burkina, a ete elu secretaire general.   (Jeune Afrique, France,
10 fevrier 1998)

* Mauritanie. Proces  -  Dans le proces ouvert le 8 fevrier a
Nouakchott contre trois militants mauritaniens des droits de
l'homme, l'avocat general a requis, le 10 fevrier, trois ans de
prison ferme et 18.000 FF d'amende. Cheikh Saad Bouh Kamara,
president de l'Association mauritanienne des droits de l'homme,
M'Baye Fatima et Brahim Ould Ebetty, avocats, avaient ete arretes
le 17 janvier. On leur reproche d'avoir participe a un documentaire
sur l'esclavage en Mauritanie realise par FR3 lors du passage du
Paris-Dakar.   (Liberation, France, 11 fevrier 1998)

* Morocco. Socialists lead coalition talks  -  On 5 February,
bargaining got under way on the formation of Morocco's first
Socialist-led government since the country's independence almost 42
years ago. The coalition talks follow King Hassan's decision to
nominate Abderrahmane Youssoufi, veteran leader of the Popular
Union of Socialist Forces (USFP) and long-time political exile, as
prime minister. Elections last November gave the USFP the largest
number of seats of any party in the lower house of a new-style
parliament, but with only 57 out of a total 325.   (Financial
Times, U.K., 6 February 1998)

* Mozambique. Epidemie de cholera  -  Le vice-ministre de la Sante,
Abdul Razak Noormahomed, a estime la situation sanitaire dans la
ville de Beira extremement preoccupante et dramatique. Durant les
deux dernieres semaines, le cholera y a fait 109 morts et le nombre
des personnes infectees est estime a environ 2.000. Dans la
capitale Maputo, le nombre des victimes de l'epidemie, depuis le
mois d'aout, est monte a 234 et les cas enregistres a plus de
9.000. Le personnel missionnaire a lance un appel a la communaute
internationale pour qu'elle aide les autorites a faire face a la
situation. On note egalement que l'embargo impose par l'Union
europeenne a l'importation de poissons du Mozambique a porte un
coup tres dur a l'economie nationale.   (Misna, Italie, 7 fevrier
1998)

* Mozambique. Cholera death toll at 400  -  6 February: A cholera
epidemic that has hit parts of Mozambique since mid-August, has
killed more than 400 people and is continuing its rampage, Deputy
Health Minister Adbul Razak Noormahomed says. In the previous 48
hours alone, 73 cholera victims died and 605 new cases have been
diagnosed. Noormahomed says that the port city of Beira is the
worst-affected, describing it as "dramatic and worrying" because of
the poor sanitation conditions in the city. The outbreak in Beira
began two weeks ago, but has already claimed 109 lives with nearly
2,000 more infected.   (InfoBeat, USA, 6 February 1998)

* Nigeria. Abacha's political intentions  -  Controversy continues
to surround the political intentions of military ruler Sani Abacha,
and the country's transition to democratic rule. Nigeria's five
registered parties say they favour an Abacha candidacy as
President, but they say they need to know what the military leader
intends to do so they can plan their political strategies. The
uncertainty has added to criticism that Abacha is manipulating the
electoral process to insure he will win an election with little
opposition. On 10 February, officials said that the government is
to cut up to 30% of its civil service, with the loss of up to a
quarter of a million jobs. The civil service is to be reduced in
line with recommendations set up to reform the state sector. Also,
the government says that a seven-man military tribunal, headed by
Maj.Gen. Victor Malu, will try 26 people arrested for plotting to
overthrow General Abacha in December.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 11
February 1998)

* Nigeria. Proces des putschistes  -  Vingt-six civils et
militaires, dont l'ancien numero deux du regime, le general Oladipo
Diya, comparaitront a Jos devant un tribunal militaire special,
designe le 10 fevrier, pour leur implication presumee dans le
complot dejoue de decembre dernier visant a renverser le regime du
general Abacha. Le tribunal sera preside par le general Victor
Malu, ancien commandant en chef de la force ouest-africaine
d'interposition au Liberia. Aucune date precise n'a ete annoncee
pour l'ouverture du proces.   (Le Monde, France, 12 fevrier 1998)

* Rwanda. Fighting flares after rebels kill 35  -  Fierce fighting
broke out in Rwanda's troubled northwestern province on the weekend
of the 6-8 February as authorities counted the cost of an attack by
Hutu rebels on 4 February in which 35 villagers died. A Rwandan
army spokesman said fighting broke out on the morning of the 6th,
in Kinigi, about 6 miles north of Ruhengeri town, but denied an
attack by Hutu rebels. "The army acting on tips from local
residents and intelligence, has stepped up an operation to flush
out Hutu rebels from that area", the official said. Some 64 people
were wounded in the attack and eight people were missing, believed
kidnapped by the rebels. Rebels from the majority Hutu have stepped
up an insurgency against the minority Tutsi-controlled government
since November, raiding communes, camps for Tutsi refugees.  
(InfoBeat, USA, 9 February 1998)
* Rwanda. Villageois tues  -  Selon le gouverneur de Ruhengeri, des
rebelles rwandais ont tue 34 villageois, le 4 fevrier, au cours
d'une attaque contre la commune de Jenda, au nord-ouest du pays. Le
6 fevrier, 48 civils ont ete tues par les rebelles dans la region
de Gisenyi, selon un porte-parole de l'armee rwandaise. L'Agence
rwandaise d'information, citant le prefet de Gisenyi, rapportait le
9 fevrier une attaque du 6 fevrier attribuee aux rebelles hutu a
Nguyo, sur la frontiere congolaise, ayant fait 58 morts et 64
blesses. Par ailleurs, un grade de l'armee rwandaise a ete arrete
a la suite de la mort de six personnes tuees apparemment en
represailles pour le massacre de villageois tutsi. - D'autre part,
a Arusha (Tanzanie), le Tribunal penal international a repris ses
travaux, le 9 fevrier, apres plusieurs semaines de suspension.
Quatre responsables presumes du genocide rwandais y sont
actuellement juges et 19 autres sont en attente de proces.   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 10 fevrier 1998)

* Sierra Leone. The battle for Freetown  -  6 February: Four people
are killed and about 80 wounded in renewed clashes between
Nigerian-led West African troops, and forces of the Sierra Leone
junta outside Freetown, witnesses say. Residents say fighting
erupted on the night of 5th-6th on the outskirts of the capital
close to a Nigerian military base and is continuing today. Nigerian
troops are shelling junta positions from their main base at
Freetown's Lungi airport across an estuary. 8 February: A Nigerian
warplane of the West African ECOMOG peacekeeping force is shot down
by Sierra Leone army gunners near the capital Freetown, officials
said. Hundreds of residents of the capital dance in the streets,
some brandishing what they say are parts of the Alpha jet. 800
refugees from Sierra Leone, arrive by sea in Conakry, Guinea. They
say another 7,000 are on their way. 10 February: Media reports
describe the fierce battle raging around Freetown. Thousands flee
the fighting. The Nigerian-led ECOMOG forces say they will take the
capital today.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 10 February 1998)

* Sierra Leone. Offensive contre la junte  -  La force ouest-
africaine de maintien de la paix (Ecomog) a confirme le 9 fevrier
etre passee a l'offensive generale contre la junte au pouvoir en
Sierra Leone, via notamment des bombardements qui auraient fait de
nombreuses victimes civiles. Depuis le 5 fevrier, des combats
opposent, aux abords de la capitale Freetown, les "Casques blancs"
aux militaires gouvernementaux. L'Ecomog souhaite retablir dans ses
fonctions le president elu Ahmed Kabbah, renverse en mai par la
junte. Le 10 fevrier, des milliers d'habitants de Freetown ont fui
les violents combats, alors que les responsables de la junte
affirmaient avoir repousse tous les assauts, sans que l'information
puisse etre confirmee. La reprise des combats a egalement provoque
l'afflux de centaines de refugies dans la Guinee voisine.   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 11 fevrier 1998)

* Sierra Leone. Civilians deliberately killed  -  A News Release
from Amnesty International says that Sierra Leoneans risk being
arrested, tortured and killed in the chaos and insecurity in
Freetown, as fighting continues between the West African Forces
peacekeepers (ECOMOG) dominated by Nigeria; and the ruling Armed
Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), joined by the former armed
opposition Revolutionary United Front (RUF). While fighting in
Freetown continues, civilians in Southern and Eastern Provinces are
facing an equally desperate situation as they are caught in
fighting between a civil defence force, known as the Kamajors, who
support President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah; and AFRC and RUF forces.
Since the military coup on 25 May 1997, Amnesty International has
called on the international community to ensure the protection and
respect of human rights, and to take action in finding a solution
to the political crisis in Sierra Leone.   (Amnesty International,
11 February 1998)

* Somalia. Catholic Church still alive  -  The Catholic Church in
Somalia is still "alive", despite the fact that church personnel
evacuated in 1991 following the bombing of the cathedral in
Mogadishu, the capital, have not yet returned. The church's
apostolic administrator Rev.Fr.Gorge Bertin, in an interview with
APS here on 28 January, said that despite the departure of six
priests, 50 nuns and three lay workers, the Church is still being
felt among the Somali people. "We are still in the areas of relief
work. We are working closely with church relief agencies such as
Caritas Internationalis. We raise food relief from outside the
country and through some of the agencies, and we are able to
dispatch food relief to the needy". The effects of the bombing on
the cathedral are still evident, as no repair work has been carried
out. Some vandalism such as interference with the tombs inside is
also evident. Commenting on the current situation on the ground,
whereby close to the entire 100% of Somalis are Muslims, Fr. Bertin
said, the Somali community still needs relief assistance of all
kinds, including food.   (APS, Kenya, 2 February 1998)

* Somalia. Police commander killed  -  On 7 February, gunmen killed
a police officer, Col. Garaser Hassan, in Somalia's port town of
Kismayo at the local airport. The police officer was trying to help
the Red Cross which was flying the relief supplies for the flood
victims in the area. The gunmen were blocking the Red Cross, and
the official was killed in the struggle. Ultimately, the Red Cross
plane did not get clearance to land in Kismayo, and was forced to
turn back to Kenya's capital Nairobi, without distributing supplies
to thousands of victims of flooding in the region. Officials in
Kismayo are to settle the dispute surrounding the official's death.
Both the gunmen and victim come from the same Majerteen subclan.
Kismayo has proved a dangerous place for aid worker in the past,
because of frequent battles between the Majerteen and Marshan
clans.   (VOA, USA, 8 February 1998)

* South Africa. The United Democratic Movement  -  South Africa's
United Democratic Movement (UDM) says it has gained 42 new members,
all of them activists from the ruling African National Congress
(ANC). The UDM, which was formed last September, attributes its
growing popularity, in part, to the fact that it is the only group
that can attract broad support across racial lines. The two
founding fathers, Major General Bantu Holomisa and Roelf Meyer, say
they're a symbol of today's South Africa. They come from different
races and they're committed to democracy   (VOA, 4 February 1998)

* South Africa. Mandela talks of his success  -  On 6 February,
Nelson Mandela answered his critics with an up-beat speech
depicting South Africa as a country finally getting to grips with
the legacy of apartheid. Opening parliament for the last time
before he retires from the presidency, he avoided the racial
rhetoric which has drawn criticism in the last months. He extended
an olive branch to the press, congratulating newspapers which
"uncovered the scoundrels...who prey on the public purse". He told
parliament that his government should be judged by its success or
failure in improving the lives of "the most vulnerable sections of
society" -- such as the poor, the old and disabled -- who were the
"primary victims of the iniquitous system from which we have just
emerged". The President set tough economic and social targets for
South Africa ahead of elections next year that will close the first
phase of transition from apartheid to democracy. He said the
government would remain committed to the tough fiscal targets of
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel's growth and reconstruction program
and urged the public to adopt a new morality against crime and
self-enrichment. Mandela also announced plans to trim the public
service which, in spite of early promises to cut the state wage
bill, has increased by about 10% under democracy.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 6 February 1998)

* South Africa. Ban on mercenary activity abroad  -  South Africa's
arms control director urged parliament on 9 February, to outlaw
mercenary activity by South African citizens. Parliament's defense
committee is currently considering a bill regulating foreign
military assistance by South Africans, but Frederick Marais,
director of the country's conventional Arms Control Committee,
called for a tougher stance. He suggested "mercenary activity" be
defined as direct participation as a combatant in armed conflict
for private gain. The Foreign Military Assistance Bill had proposed
allowing the government to grant permission for mercenary activity
on a case by case basis.   (InfoBeat, USA, 9 February 1998)

* Afrique du Sud. Assemblee des eveques  -  Reunis en assemblee
pleniere, les 28 eveques catholiques d'Afrique du Sud, selon un
communique du 6 fevrier, se sont penches sur la situation
dramatique des detenus dans des prisons surpeuplees et ont demande
une plus grande presence pastorale dans les lieux de detention. Ils
ont aussi mis en garde contre un projet de loi qui offrirait sans
doute une plus grande flexibilite du marche du travail, mais ne
garantirait pas "les droits fondamentaux des travailleurs". Ils ont
enfin tire un bilan positif de la reforme scolaire et approuve une
lettre pastorale sur l'education.   (CIP, Belgique, 12 fevrier
1998)

* Sudan. Urgent food drop  -  3 February: The UN World Food
Programme began an urgent airdrop of food to some 150,000 people in
South Sudan. An outbreak of heavy fighting near the southern
Sudanese towns of Wau, Gogrial and Aweil has sent thousands of
people fleeing in all directions. Most are town-dwellers, who left
their homes with no food, no water, no clothing and no shelter and
they are now living in the bush. Most are women and children. The
UN World Food Programme is now urgently dropping 32 tons of food to
the displaced people. 6 February: Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS)
estimates that 100,000 people have been displaced by recent
fighting in Bahr-el-Ghazal, and are "flooding" into safer areas.
Many people fled without anything.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 February
1998)

* Soudan. Combats dans le Sud  -  L'element le plus determinant des
derniers combats dans le sud du Soudan semble bien etre le
retournement de Kerubino, leader d'un des groupes sudistes qui
avait signe l'accord du 21 avril 1997 entre les dissidents du SPLA
et le gouvernement soudanais. Selon le SPLA, Kerubino a conduit
l'assaut sur Wau, dans l'Etat meridional du Bahr-el-Ghazal. Ce
retournement porte un coup fatal a l'accord de 1997, qui servait de
leitmotiv a Khartoum pour affirmer qu'il conservait l'initiative au
plan politique. Par ailleurs, les Forces de l'alliance soudanaise
(FAS), l'opposition armee au gouvernement, ont annonce avoir tue 91
soldats lors d'une attaque menee le 7 fevrier contre une garnison
de l'ile de Doud, pres de la frontiere ethiopienne. Selon
"Operation Lifeline Sudan" 100.000 personnes ont fui leur demeure
apres les recents combats dans le Bahr-el-Ghazal et se sont
rassemblees en divers points de l'Etat. Le porte-parole de l'Onu a
declare que la decision du gouvernement soudanais d'interrompre les
vols humanitaires dans le Bahr-el-Ghazal allait mettre la vie de
personnes vulnerables en grand danger.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 9 fevrier 1998)

* Sudan. Rebels killed 10 gov't soldiers  -  9 February: Sudanese
rebels say they have killed 10 government soldiers in an attack on
an army garrison in the east, near the Ethiopian border. A
statement from the Sudan Alliance Forces (SAF) says they killed the
soldiers in an attack on al-Ferza camp near Gallabat in the east of
Sudan on 8 February. They took prisoners and a large amount of
heavy weapons. The statement cannot not be independently confirmed.
It is the latest battlefield claim by the SAF, an ally of the Sudan
People's Liberation Army, the main group fighting the Khartoum
government. The SAF says last week it killed 91 Sudanese soldiers
at the al-Dud camp.   (InfoBeat, USA, 9 February 1998)

* Tanzania. Switch to English in jeopardy  -  The Tanzanian
government and the Dar-es-Salaam City Commission are locked in a
controversy over the introduction of English as the medium of
instruction in city primary schools. The government is opposed to
moves to phase out Kiswahili as the language of instruction in
primary schools which city authorities began this year. Senior
educational officials from the Ministry of Education and Culture
said that although English language is an important medium, the
government was determined to retain Kiswahili in primary schools.
"The government is not willing to introduce English as the teaching
medium in primary schools because this could create a disparity in
the performance of pupils in rural and urban schools", a senior
Ministry official told The East African. The government's stance
has been criticised widely by parents increasingly seeking
educational opportunities for their children beyond the country's
borders where a good grounding in English is a distinct advantage. 
 (The East African, Kenya, 2-8 February 1998)

* Tanzanie. Les inondations paralysent les chemins de fer  -  Les
inondations, mises sur le compte du phenomene meteorologique El
Ni¤o, ont paralyse le reseau national de chemins de fer de
Tanzanie, provoquant les plus importants dommages dans son
histoire. Le transport du cafe, du coton et du tabac a ete
serieusement entrave, et l'approvisionnement en nourriture des
refugies dans l'ouest du pays a ete ralenti. La compagnie a du
interrompre son service regulier le 18 decembre. Selon le PAM, le
premier train, transportant 2000 tonnes de nourriture, devait
partir cette semaine de Dodoma a Kigoma. Selon un communique de
l'agence Reuters du 4 fevrier, les travaux de reparation sont
estimes a 18 millions de dollars et devraient prendre plus de
quatre mois.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 5 fevrier 1998)

* Tanzania. UN refugee chief arrives on mission  -  7 February: The
head of the UNžs refugee program arrives in Tanzania for a regional
tour in which she will try to end the misery of hundreds of
thousands of Africans. Sadako Ogata, the UNžs High Commissioner for
Refugees, faces a daunting task in her visit to 8 countries which
together are home to over half a million displaced people. Her
first stop is Tanzania, which for years has harboured hundreds of
thousands of refugees from Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo. But she will also visit countries from where
the refugees fled and try to add diplomatic muscle to efforts to
resettle their citizens.   (InfoBeat, USA, 9 February 1998)

* Tanzania. Arrests in Zanzibar unfair  -  Britain's envoy to
Tanzania said the arrest by Zanzibar authorities of 17 opposition
activists last year on treason charges was probably politically
motivated. Mr. Alan Montgomery, the out-going British High
Commissioner said that Britain was very concerned at the arrests --
all involving members of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF)
party. Those arrested -- including the party's deputy secretary-
general Nassor Seif -- have been held since December on sedition
and treason charges following a by-election which the CUF won.
Treason is a capital offence in semi-autonomous Zanzibar. Formerly
an independent state, Zanzibar -- comprising the twin islands of
Unguija and Pemba -- joined with mainland Tanganyika in 1964 to
form the United Republic of Tanzania. "In this day and age, if you
are not in a war situation, then charges of treason do not carry
much credibility", Mr.Montgomery said. "Frankly, the kind of terms
under which these charges are framed lends weight to the feeling
these charges are politically motivated".   (Sunday Nation, Kenya,
8 February 1998)

* Tchad. Otages liberes  -  5 fevrier. L'enlevement, le 3 fevrier,
de quatre Francais par un groupe arme dans la province du Moyen-
Chari (sud) a ete revendique par le dirigeant d'un petit parti
politique sudiste (l'Union des forces democratiques), le Dr. Nahor,
selon le ministre tchadien de la Communication. 6 fevrier.
L'attache militaire aupres de l'ambassade de France avait rendez-
vous avec le ravisseur pres de Sarh, la capitale du Sud. 8 fevrier.
Les quatre otages ont ete liberes sains et saufs au petit matin par
l'armee tchadienne, a la suite d'une indication d'un villageois,
alors qu'ils etaient gardes dans une grotte a environ 100 km de
Sahr. Les ravisseurs se sont enfuis a l'approche des forces de
securite.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 9 fevrier 1998)

* Tunisie. Annee Averroes  -  Un symposium international se tiendra
du 16 au 21 fevrier au siege de Beit El Hikma, a Carthage, a
l'occasion du 800e anniversaire de la mort d'Abou Al Walid Ibn
Rushd, plus connu en Occident sous le nom latin d'Averroes. 70
chercheurs venus du monde arabe, d'Europe, des Etats-Unis et meme
d'Iran, temoigneront de son actualite. Organise a l'initiative de
l'Unesco, en collaboration avec plusieurs organisations arabes, le
Symposium international inaugure officiellement "l'annee Averroes". 
 (d'apres Jeune Afrique, France, 10 fevrier 1998)

* Tunisie. Droits de l'homme  -  Khemais Ksila, vice-president de
la Ligue tunisienne des droits de l'homme, a ete condamne a Tunis
a trois ans de prison ferme pour "diffusion de fausses nouvelles"
et "incitation des citoyens a transgresser les lois du pays", a
annonce le 11 fevrier la Federation internationale des droits de
l'homme, qui y voit "une aggravation des persecutions" a l'encontre
des democrates tunisiens.   (Liberation, France, 12 fevrier 1998)

* Uganda/Congo (RDC). Major offensive  -  A joint military
operation by the Uganda People's Defence Forces UPDF, and the Congo
RDC forces along the common border has destroyed six camps of the
rebels of the Allied Democratic Force (ADF), a senior security
official said. The ADF rebels who launched their attack from former
Zaire in October 1996, set up operational bases inside Uganda and
a few kilometres inside the Congolese territory. Ugandan and the
RDC security officials recently agreed on a joint strategy to flush
out the ADF rebels who have meted atrocities amongst the civilian
population in Uganda's western border districts of Kasese and
Bundibugyo.   (Daily Nation, Kenya, 31 January 1998)

* Uganda. Law Reform Commission  -  Uganda's three-year-old
Constitution contains some of the most liberal human rights and
women's rights language among African nations. This liberal
constitution clashes with many old laws still on the books, so a
"Law Reform Commission" has been established to help modernize what
has been characterized as "patriarchal, gender-biased laws". Most
of these laws dealt with discrimination against women. While the
country's constitution guarantees freedom for women, many say the
law has yet to end both traditional and religious practices which
discriminate against females. Some examples dealt with marriage,
divorce, inheritance and child maintenance. Then there is the
Domestic Relations Bill which dealt with the question of polygamous
unions. Uganda, being a multi-religious and a multi-cultural
nation, faces here some unbelievable problems.   (VOA, USA, 5
February 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Government must accept responsibility  -  Zimbabwe's
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace has called on the
government to accept responsibility for its poor management of the
economy and take action to repair it. In a statement issued with a
number of human rights organisations in the country, the Catholic
organisation said the food riots that rocked the country's capital
were: "A manifestation of the frustration and anger of the poor who
are suffering the effects of financial mismanagement by the
government. The government should analyze more deeply the causes of
the current disgruntlement and act accordingly.   (The Southern
Cross, South Africa, 8 February 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Gaz lacrymogene  -  Selon le journal Zimbabwe
Independent, la police zimbabweenne a commande des gaz lacrymogenes
pour un montant de plus d'un milliard de FF pour completer son
stock epuise durant les emeutes du mois passe. Le gaz a ete
commande en Israel et devrait etre livre pour le 11 fevrier, ou se
tiendra a Harare une reunion importante de l'OUA. La police a nie
avoir fait cette commande, tout en reconnaissant avoir besoin d'une
plus grande reserve pour pouvoir affronter des manifestations
violentes.   (d'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 10 fevrier 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Attempts to dominate Zimbabwe again  -  On 6 February,
President Robert Mugabe, confronted by his worst economic crisis
yet, denounced what he called attempts to recolonize his country.
"As Third World countries, those who dominated us politically and
economically now desire to dominate us economically...", Mugabe
said. "Zimbabwe is experiencing that kind of interference and sets
of manoeuvres, to destabilize our political stability and
perpetuate their economic dominance", he said. Western countries,
the backers of Zimbabwe's 7-year-old economic reforms, have
criticized Mugabe's plans to seize mostly white-owned commercial
farms to resettle landless black peasants.   (InfoBeat, USA, 9
February 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Les Eglises pour une reforme de la Constitution  -  Au
moment ou de nombreux Zimbabweens, dont le parti ZANU-PF, reclament
une Constitution plus democratique, le Conseil des Eglises du
Zimbabwe, qui rassemble les grandes Eglises protestantes, a lance
le 3 fevrier un appel a un debat au sein de l'Assemblee nationale
en vue d'une reforme de la Consitution. Depuis la žConstitution de
Lancaster House' de 1979, qui est toujours en vigueur au Zimbabwe,
il y a eu 14 amendements constitutionnels. "Nous pensons qu'il est
temps d'avoir une Constitution authentiquement zimbabweenne qui
symbolise la voix du peuple", a estime le pasteur Peter Nemapare,
vice-president du Conseil des Eglises du Zimbabwe.   (CIP,
Belgique, 12 fevrier 1998)

@TIT_INF_1 = NOUS VOUS SIGNALONS... - INTERESTING DOCUMENTS (not
available at our desk)
@TIT_INF_2 = ALGERIA
Title: Algeria: "Neither among the living nor the dead" --state-
sponsored "disappearances" in Algeria
Author: Human Rights Watch, February 1998
Description: Among the many human rights tragedies in Algeria, has
been the "disappearance" of more than one thousand men and women
since 1992, following their arrest by government forces.
@TIT_INF_2 = ETHIOPIA
Title: Human Rights curtailed in Ethiopia
Author: Human Rights Watch, 9 December 1997
Description: This posting contains the announcement (with some
details) of a Human Rights/Watch report released on Ethiopia in
December 1997, criticizing the failure of the Ethiopian government
to live up to its professed commitment to human rights, and calling
on the United States in particular, to put pressure on the
government to live up to its human rights obligations.
@TIT_INF_2 = NIGERIA
Title: Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Nigeria
Author: Human Rights Watch, 3 February 1998
Description: Details concerning the deteriorating human rights
situation in Nigeria.


COUNTRY