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: 07-05-1998   PART #1/ 

* Africa. Bigger role for women - 28 April. Ethiopian Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi opened a four-day conference on women's
issues, with an appeal to African countries to promote the
participation of women in decision making. "The effective and
genuine promotion of gender equality and the protection of
rights of women in Africa is inextricably bound up with
commitment to grass-roots democracy", Meles said. Some 500
women delegates and hundreds of women's rights campaigners
were attending the conference at the newly built UN conference
centre to demand more political representation and better
education and employment opportunities for women.  (InfoBeat,
USA, 29 April 1998)

* Africa. Action against the Media - Malawi: In a letter dated
23 April, the chairperson of MISA-Malawi, Molland Nkhata, has
been forced by ministerial directive, into early retirement
from his position as Director of News and Current Affairs of
the state-controlled Malawi Broadcasting Corporation.
Mauritania: According to information released by RSF on 4 May,
the arabic edition of the independent weekly Le Calame has
been censored. Copies of the paper were held at the Ministry
of the Interior for a week before it was declared on 30 April
that they were not allowed to be sold. Sierra Leone: The
Minister of Information accuses journalists of the newspaper
Punch of collaborating with the ousted junta. Tanzania:
Journalists and media workers ask the government to reform
some of the laws which restrict the right to information and
freedom of expression. Zambia: According to MISA on 6 May, the
state-owned Zambia Daily Mail reporter, Joy Sata, is facing
disciplinary action for exposing and condemning the
newspaper's editorial practices of censoring stories critical
of government.  (IFEX, Canada, 30 April & 6 May 1998)

* Africa. Childrens' health - Improving children's nutrition
in developing countries, may not be a matter of giving them
large doses of vitamins. A US researchers' study of East
Africa, shows moderate doses of several vitamins and minerals
added to a cheap, tasty drink can do the job. Cornell
University nutritionists have found a fortified orange-
flavoured beverage given to Tanzanian children for six months,
significantly improved nutritional deficiencies and added
height and weight. Also, WHO estimates that more than one-and-
a-half million people die from malaria each year around the
world. Most of malaria's victims are children, and the
majority of deaths occur in Africa. According to recent
studies, malaria is more prevalent today than it has been in
any other period of history.  (VOA, 23 & 30 April 1998)

* Afrique. Tournee africaine de Kofi Annan - 30 avril. A Addis
Abeba, le secretaire general des Nations unies, Kofi Annan, a
entame une tournee africaine qui le conduira ensuite a
Djibouti, au Kenya, Tanzanie, Burundi, Rwanda, Ouganda et
Erythree. Ce premier jour, il a participe a la celebration du
40e anniversaire de la creation de la Commission economique
des NU pour l'Afrique (CEA). 1 mai. Cloturant une conference
internationale sur les femmes africaines et l'economie, M.
Kofi Annan a insiste sur le developpement d'une democratie
participative pour presider aux destinees du continent
africain. 3 mai. Djibouti. M. Annan a apporte son soutien aux
initiatives de paix de l'Ethiopie et de l'Autorite
intergouvernementale pour le developpement (IGAD) en Somalie
et au Soudan, en insistant sur le role des Somaliens eux-
memes. 4 mai. Nairobi. M. Annan a exhorte la communaute
internationale a repondre d'urgence a un appel de fonds lance
par l'ONU pour prevenir la famine au Soudan. Les NU ont lance
un appel de 109 millions $, mais n'ont recu d'engagements que
pour 20% de cette somme. 5 mai. Arusha, Tanzanie. Il a soutenu
le Tribunal penal international pour le Rwanda, critique de
toutes parts, en felicitant le personnel pour les progres
faits au cours des douze derniers mois.  (ANB-BIA, d'apres
AFP, 6 mai 1998)

* Algerie. Appel a la treve? - Le numero deux du Front
islamisque du salut, Ali Belhadj, incarcere depuis 1991,
aurait ecrit une lettre a des groupes armes leur demandant
d'observer une treve, indiquaient les quotidiens "La Tribune"
et "El-Alam Essiassi", le 3 mai. La veille, le leader du GIA,
Hassan Hattab, avait annonce, par le biais d'affiches
placardees dans les rues d'Alger, que ses combattants allaient
renforcer les attaques contre les miliciens de l'Armee
islamique du salut, qui a decrete une treve unilaterale en
octobre. Par ailleurs, l'armee algerienne a abattu 23 membres
d'un commando rebelle lors d'une operation dans le sud du
pays, selon le quotidien "La nouvelle Republique".  (ANB-BIA,
de sources diverses, 4 mai 1998)

* Algerie. Islamistes tues - Le 1er mai, la violence en
Algerie a fait une centaine de victimes, selon les quotidiens
algerois "Le Matin" et "Al-Acil" du 4 mai. Une operation qui
vise depuis un mois a aneantir l'aile dite "Katibat el-Khadra"
du GIA a fait entre 30 et 37 morts cote islamistes dans les
monts de Mized, pres de Tlemcen (sud). Le "Matin" rapporte que
42 islamistes armes ont egalement ete tues lors de deux
operations des forces de securite a Larbaa, pres d'Alger, et a
Tibehirine, pres de Medea. Au total, les pertes du GIA
s'eleveraient au cours des six derniers jours a 89 tues,
principalement dans l'ouest du pays. D'autre part, onze civils
ont ete egorges, le 1er mai, a un faux barrage pres de Khemis
Miliana, a 100 km a l'ouest d'Alger, indique aussi "Le Matin". 
(Liberation, France, 5 mai 1998)

* Angola. Cabinda's forgotten war - 29 April. Government
soldiers have beaten, tortured and killed unarmed civilians
suspected of supporting armed separatists in the Angolan
enclave of Cabinda while the government looks the other way,
according to a report released by Amnesty International. The
report wants to draw the attention of the international
community to the fact that soldiers and police use torture to
obtain information or for punishment and intimidation. Abuse
of official power by soldiers and police who have killed or
wounded people in random attacks simply because they can get
away with it. The authorities' consistent failure to
investigate killings and torture by both police and soldiers
and bring the perpetrators to justice strongly indicates that
the perpetrators are acting with the acquiescence, if not the
complicity of the government. The report concludes with a
series of recommendations and calls on the government to
investigate all reports of human rights violations and bring
suspected perpetrators to justice.  (Amnesty International, 29
April 1998)

* Angola. Volonte de paix - 1 mai. Le representant special du
secretaire general de l'ONU pour l'Angola, Alioune Blondin
Beye, s'est declare convaincu de la volonte politique non-
equivoque des Angolais de tous bords d'en finir avec le
conflit angolais par la voie pacifique. "La paix est la, il
faut la consolider", a-t-il declare a Washington. M. Beye, qui
supervise le processus de paix en Angola depuis 1993, a par
ailleurs assure que Jonas Savimbi, le leader de l'Unita, se
rendrait bientot a Luanda. Il a cependant reconnu que la
situation securitaire demeurait encore precaire dans certaines
regions, notamment dans le triangle Huila-Huambo-Benguela. Le
Conseil de securite de l'ONU a approuve, le 29 avril, une
prolongation de deux mois, jusqu'au 30 juin, du mandat de la
mission d'observation Monua.  (D'apres AFP, France, 1 mai
1998)

* Angola. UN plans to withdraw by end of 1998 - The UN
Security Council, meeting on 29 April, decided to back the
plans of Kofi Annan, and prepare for a withdrawal of the UN
Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA). It also chose to extend
MONUA's mandate to 30 June, by which time it intends to make a
final decision on the future of UN operations in Angola. 
(APIC, Washington, 4 May 1998)

* Burundi. Camps de deplaces - Les autorites ont "rassemble"
plus de 80.000 personnes dans des camps au nord-ouest du
Burundi, "pour eviter qu'ils collaborent avec des bandes
armees", selon des fonctionnaires. A Bubanza, plus de 60.000
personnes ont ete contraintes a se rassembler dans ces camps
de deplaces; a Musigati, plus de 19.000. Selon des sources
humanitaires, environ 10 personnes meurent chaque jour dans
ces camps. Deja 150.000 autres Burundais vivent dans des camps
de deplaces, officiellement pour assurer la securite des
civils dans des regions dangereuses.  (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 2 mai 1998)

* Burundi. Les journalistes burundais denoncent - Le 4 mai,
l'Association burundaise des journalistes (ABJ) a denonce de
"flagrantes violations de la liberte de la presse" dans le
pays, et lance une petition adressee au president Buyoya. Au
lendemain de la journee internationale de la liberte de la
presse, l'ABJ, qui regroupe environ 200 membres, a appele "les
journalistes a mener une lutte acharnee et responsable pour
conquerir leurs droits et libertes", tout en "respectant
l'ethique professionnelle et la loi". Elle denonce "des
intimidations et des menaces de certains responsables
politiques", et a recueilli des signatures appelant a la
liberation immediate de "L'aube de la democratie", l'organe du
parti Frodebu, et de l'agencede presse "Net Press".  (D'apres
AFP, France, 5 mai 1998)

* Centrafrique. Greve peu suivie - Un appel a la greve de 48
heures, lance pour les 27 et 28 avril par la principale
centrale syndicale, a ete tres peu suivi dans le secteur
public et quasiment pas dans le prive. Seuls quelques
etablissements scolaires ont ete serieusement affectes par la
greve, alors que les divers services d'administration
fontionnaient a peu pres normalement. L'universite de Bangui
est restee calme, sous forte surveillance policiere. L'echec
relatif de cette greve semble reveler que, malgre une
situation difficile, la population semble souhaiter que le
pays se concentre sur son redemarrage.  (Marches Tropicaux,
France, 1 mai 1998)

* Congo-Brazza. Tremblement de terre - Un puissant tremblement
de terre s'est produit le 26 avril dans la region de Likouala,
au nord du Congo, ayant pour epicentre la ville d'Epena.
Jusqu'a present, aucun detail de degats ou de victimes n'a pu
etre communique. Le 30 avril, une equipe gouvernementale est
partie pour evaluer la situation.  (IRIN, Nairobi, 1 mai 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Droits de l'homme - Apres l'arrestation le 27
avril a Kinshasa de MM. Nsapu et Banza, le VSV (Voix des sans
voix) communique que la situation des activistes des droits de
l'homme se revele egalement preoccupante a l'interieur du
pays, et particulierement au Nord-Kivu. M. Didier Kumundi a
ete oblige de quitter precipitamment la ville de Goma, le
lendemain de son retour de Geneve ou il avait pris part aux
travaux de la 54e session de la commission des droits de
l'homme de l'Onu, parce que activement recherche par les
services de securite. M. Gallican Ntirivamunda, membre de
l'association "Grande vision", est toujours en detention au
cachot de Goma depuis janvier dernier, et son president, J.P.
Samba, est contraint a la clandestinite.  (La Reference Plus,
RDC, 28 avril 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Police arrest five for nun's murder - 29 April.
Police have arrested five soldiers in connection with the
murder of a Belgian nun earlier this month in Kananga in the
centre of Congo RDC, state radio reported. Sister Anne
Desrumeaux was killed in the Nganga district in Kananga where
she had lived for over 30 years. The murderers broke into her
home looking for money. The radio said the five suspects could
be charged with armed robbery and murder, among other
offenses.  (InfoBeat, USA, 29 April 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Patronat et armee - Le gouvernement du Congo a
dissous la direction de la Federation des entreprises du Congo
et a ordonne a ses membres de designer une nouvelle direction,
dont sont exclus les dignitaires de l'ancien regime, et de
declarer leurs sources de revenus. -- D'autre part, le
president Kabila a licencie son vice-chef d'etat-major, Emile
Kanengele, pour abus de pouvoir, a annonce la radio officielle
le 3 mai. Kanengele serait accuse de graves infractions a la
discipline.  (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2-4 mai 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Arrestations et condamnations - Le 28 avril, la
radio officielle congolaise a annonce l'arrestation de cinq
militaires, auteurs presumes du meurtre de la religieuse belge
Anne Desrumeaux, le 9 avril dernier a Nganza, au centre du
pays. Le meme jour, neuf personnes, dont trois militaires, ont
ete condamnes a mort a Bukavu par la justice militaire, a-t-on
appris le 29 avril a Kinshasa. Les militaires etaient juges
pour "rebellion", et les six civils pour "vol a main armee".
Les neuf condamnes ont adresse des recours en grace aupres du
chef de l'Etat. Depuis janvier, 56 personnes ont ete fusillees
en RDC apres avoir ete condamnees a mort pour des crimes de
droit commun. -- D'autre part, des sources locales denoncent
l'arrestation, le 3 mai, de l'abbe Apollinaire Malumalu, vice-
recteur de l'universite catholique du Graben, a Butembo, au
Nord-Kivu. On lui reprocherait d'avoir introduit sur le campus
un conteneur avec des armes. En janvier, plusieurs
universitaires, accuses d'intelligence avec les Mai-Mai,
avaient ete arretes, puis liberes.  (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 2-6 mai 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Proces - Le 6 mai, a Lubumbashi, a commence le
proces contre trois hommes politiques eminents (Joseph
Olenghankoy, Arthur Z'Ahili Ngoma et le commandant Masusu,
tous les trois evades de la prison de Buluwo et repris) et une
vingtaine d'autres opposants. Le premier jour, seul le
commandant Masusu, un des co-fondateurs de l'AFDL, a comparu
devant la cour. Il est accuse d'avoir complote contre le
regime en tentant d'inciter les Mai-Mai a se rebeller. MM.
Olenghankoy et Ngoma sont accuses d'avoir trangresse
l'interdiction d'activites des partis politiques.  (ANB-BIA,
de sources diverses, 7 mai 1998)

* Egypt. Television satellite launched - 29 April. Egyptian
satellite broadcasters will start transmitting programmes
throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean on May 31
following the successful launch of Egypt's first satellite.
The $158m Nilesat 101 satellite was launched from a European
Ariane rocket carrying two satellites -- the other for
Broadcasting Satellite Systems of Japan -- from a launch site
in French Guyana. The Egyptian satellite will allow up to 84
channels to be transmitted across a region that has until now
been dominated by non-Arab or Saudi Arabian satellite
broadcasters.  (Financial Times, U.K., 30 April 1998)

* Egypt. Boosting trade ties with the USA - Egypt and the US
are to sign a trade and investment framework agreement to
boost commercial ties, Al Gore, the US vice-president,
announced after talks in Cairo with Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's
president. The new agreement for which negotiations will start
soon, is intended by Egypt to assist in reaching a targeted
11% growth in exports in order to achieve annual economic
growth of 7-8%. The US is Egypt's largest single trading
partner, with Egyptian exports to the US worth $1.57bn in
1996-97 out of a total trade balance worth $3.5bn.  (Financial
Times, U.K., 4 May 1998)

* Eritrea. Afwerki in Washington - On 29 April, President
Clinton met at the White House with President Afwerki of
Eritrea, who is on an unofficial visit to Washington.
President Clinton paid tribute to Eritrea's tremendous
progress the government of Eritrea has been making, as it
reconstructs its own civil life, as it deepens and strengthens
democratic institutions, as it continues on the road of
progress it has marched since independence. President Clinton
had briefly "dropped in" on a meeting between President
Afwerki and National Security Adviser Sandy Berger.  (VOA, 29
April 1998)

* Grands Lacs. Mission europeenne - La "troika" de l'Union
europeenne, actuellement composee du Luxembourg, de la Grande-
Bretagne et de l'Autriche, se rendra en mission au Rwanda, au
Burundi et en Republique democratique du Congo pour encourager
le retablissement de la paix dans la region, a annonce le 5
mai l'envoye special de l'UE dans la region des Grands Lacs,
Aldo Ayello. "Nous n'avons pas de mandat pour une mission de
mediation", a precise M. Ayello, mais l'UE peut encourager la
paix dans la region, notamment en cherchant a y faire avancer
la demobilisation des milices et le processus de
democratisation.  (Le Soir, Belgique, 6 mai 1998)

* Kenya. Le president Moi conteste par son parti - Le
president Moi fait face a un vent de contestation des deputes
de son propre parti, alors que son pays connait de graves
difficultes economiques. Le 28 avril, une partie des deputes
du KANU l'a ouvertement contredit. Au centre du debat, un
seminaire sur la situation economqiue au Kenya, auquel 162
deputes, dont 82 du KANU et plusieurs ministres, ont
participe. Le ministre des Finances y avait notamment reconnu
que les caisses du pays sont vides et que l'economie etait
gangrenee par la corruption. D'autre part, les deputes KANU de
la jeune generation font preuve d'independance. "Le president
Moi ne peut plus se fier a ses parlementaires, il est dans une
situation difficile", a explique un diplomate occidental. 
(D'apres AFP, France, 29 avril 1998)

* Kenya. Ethnic killings - The Kenya parliament has voted to
establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, much along
the lines of a similar group in South Africa. It will look
into the tribal and ethnic violence that has wracked the
country during the last decade. The vote was extremely
contentious. Ethnic and tribal violence in Kenya has caused
more than 2,000 deaths since 1991. Some estimates go as high
as 5,000. Many thousands of others have been displaced after
fleeing conflict areas.  (VOA, 4 May 1998)

* Liberia. Unrest - Hundreds of demobilized or retired
soldiers demanding back pay and other benefits, rioted in
Monrovia on 5 May and security forces fired in the air to
disperse them. The demobilized soldiers, who retired after
Liberia's civil war or under army restructuring, marched on
the Defense Ministry chanting, "give us our pay", and tried to
enter the building. The same day, the WFP protested against
the hijacking by villagers near Loyea village in Nimba County,
of three trucks and the looting of food aid from them. 
(InfoBeat, USA, 5-6 May 1998)

* Madagascar. Invasion de sauterelles - Madagascar connait la
plus grande invasion de sauterelles des 40 dernieres annees.
Selon la FAO, la recolte de riz est serieusement compromise.
Venues d'Afrique, chassees par les pluies torrentielles des
derniers mois, les sauterelles ont deja recouvert des bandes
immenses de la cote occidentale de l'ile et sont entrees a
l'interieur sur des centaines de kilometres. Huit millions de
dollars ont ete affectes a la lutte pour controler l'invasion,
mais les sauterelles ont deja commence a se reproduire a
grande vitesse. La FAO affirme que le pays devra livrer une
veritable bataille pendant au moins deux ou trois ans. 
(Fides, Rome, 1 mai 1998)

* Maroc. Groupes armes islamiques? - Le ministre marocain de
l'Interieur, Driss Basri, a dementi le 29 avril qu'il y ait eu
recemment un quelconque incident entre les forces de l'ordre
marocaines et des groupes terroristes au Maroc, notamment dans
la region d'Oujda, proche de la frontiere algero-marocaine. Il
a egalement dementi categoriquement qu'il puisse exister au
Maroc le moindre groupe islamiste arme, contrairement a ce
qu'a recemment affirme une partie de la presse algerienne. Il
a enfin souligne qu'il n'y avait aucun trafic d'armes entre le
Maroc et l'Algerie et a reaffirme la volonte du Maroc d'avoir
les meilleures relations possibles avec son voisin.  (Le
Monde, France, 2 mai 1998)

* Maroc. Eau potable - Grace au Programme d'approvisionement
groupe en eau potable des populations rurales (Pager), qui a
debute en 1995, pres de 45% de la population rurale marocaine,
soit quelque 11 millions de personnes, devraient acceder a
l'eau potable d'ici l'an 2000, contre 32% actuellement. C'est
ce que vient de reveler une publication du departement
marocain de l'Equipement. Ce programme qui permettra la
construction, a travers tout le pays, de 31.000 points d'eau,
a necessite un investissement de 10 milliards de dirhams
(environ 900 millions de dollars).  (Jeune Afrique Economie,
France, 4 mai 1998)

* Mozambique. Pressing ahead for reforms - 30 April. The
International Monetary Fund commended Mozambique for
undertaking tough reforms, but said authorities needed to do
more to keep the economy on a growth track. The IMF, following
a review of Mozambique's economy, said authorities made
important progress in 1997. Growth rates increased, inflation
fell, the external current account improved and exchange rates
stabilized, the IMF said. "These positive developments had
further bolstered confidence, and private investment was on
the upswing", the lending agency said. But the IMF said
Mozambique still faced major economic problems from widespread
poverty to a heavy external debt burden.  (InfoBeat, USA, 1
May 1998)

* Mozambique. Retour de la violence? - Les eveques
mozambicains, a l'approche des elections locales au
Mozambique, sont inquiets du "regain de violence" qui pourrait
entrainer une reprise de la violence armee. La Renamo a lance
le 29 avril une mise en garde contre les risques d'instabilite
dans le pays, au cas ou l'election des maires des communes a
lieu comme prevu le 30 juin prochain. Les eveques ont averti
les responsables politiques sur les consequences d'utiliser ce
scrutin a des fins politiciennes et ont rappele aux deux
grandes formations, le Frelimo et la Renamo, leur engagement
"d'instaurer la paix, d'etablir la democratie et de promouvoir
la reconciliation nationale".  (CIP, Belgique, 7 mai 1998)

* Nigeria. Coup plotters sentenced - 29 April: Nigerian human
rights groups plead with the country's generals to spare the
lives of six men sentenced to death for plotting to overthrow
military ruler General Sani Abacha. Abacha's ruling military
council must ratify the sentences on his former deputy,
Lt.Gen.Oladipo Diya, and the other five before they can be
carried out. Execution for plotting a coup is traditionally by
firing squad. The sentences once again turn the human rights
spotlight on the West African country of 104 million that has
been under limited international sanctions since the 1995. 30
April: Nigerian newspapers say the military government has
freed about 140 prisoners, including some prominent
journalists. "It is an act of magnanimity by the government to
redeem the pledge made by Head of State, Gen.Abacha in his
anniversary broadcast last Nov.17", the independent Guardian
quotes a government source as saying. Other papers carry the
report including the state-owned New Nigerian. Abacha's chief
press secretary David Attah confirms that a number of
detainees have been freed but says he cannot tell how many. 1
May: Amnesty International says the reported release of
detainees should not be used as a smokescreen to district
attention from the death penalties passed after grossly unfair
and secret military treason trials.  (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 1 May
1998)

* Nigeria. Manifestations meurtrieres - Le 1 mai, la police
nigeriane a ouvert le feu lors de manifestations contre le
dirigeant militaire Sani Abacha, tuant sept personnes et en
blessant plusieurs autres, a Ibadan, ville du sud-ouest du
pays. Plus de 5.000 personnes participaient a la
manifestation. Les manifestants voulaient forcer les
commercants a baisser leurs stores pour respecter la consigne
"ville morte" decretee sur tout le pays par les partis
d'opposition. Ils ont incendie au moins cinq batiments, dont
le bureau du journal Monitor, appartenant a des partisans
presumes du general-president Abacha. Une vingtaine
d'opposants ont ete interpelles.  (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 2 mai 1998)

* Nigeria. Protesters shot - 1 May: According to witnesses,
three people protesting against the Nigerian military ruler
Gen.Abacha are shot dead by police in Ibadan in the south-
west. Thousands join the opposition-organised street protests
and five buildings are set alight, including the offices of a
local newspaper, the Monitor. 2 May: Police arrest leading
southwestern opposition politician Bola Ige after the Ibadan
protests. 5 May: The opposition United Action for Democracy
group promises more action).  (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 6 May 1998)

* Rwanda. International Tribunal - 30 April. Only an
impartial, fair and effective tribunal that abides by the
highest UN standards can help put an end to the cycle of
impunity and violence and begin restoring respect for human
rights in the Central Africa region, Amnesty International
said in a new report. The report, International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda:Trials and Tribulations, records the
achievements and weaknesses of the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda (the Tribunal set up by the United Nations
Security Council in November 1994 to prosecute those
responsible for the genocide and other crimes against humanity
in Rwanda that year. -- The report highlights weaknesses in
the Tribunal's policies and practices that have undermined the
rights of detainees and aspects of the right to a fair trial,
and damaged the effectiveness of the Tribunal in bringing
perpetrators to justice. Amnesty International strongly
supports the work of the Tribunal. This international body has
faced tremendous obstacles in creating a whole judicial
process from the ground up. Isolated in Arusha, far from the
travel hubs of Africa, crucial staff positions have been
vacant for long periods, and staff to try and make UN rules
and regulations work for a judicial process. -- Despite these
difficulties, the Tribunal has in custody some of the highest
officials of the former Rwandese government allegedly involved
in the genocide, including the former Prime Minister.
Witnesses for the prosecution and defence have courageously
given evidence in the first three trials, and judgement in the
first trial is expected in the coming months. But justice for
all Rwandese and the world means that every aspect of the
trials must be unquestionable impartial, prompt and effective.
"All eyes are on this Tribunal", Amnesty International said.
"Everything it does sets precedents for governments and for
the future permanent international criminal court. Its work
will strengthen or erode the fairness and justice of trials
world wide". -- (Editor's Update: On 30 April, the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda strongly condemned
criticism of its operations by Amnesty International.) 
(Amnesty International, U.K., 30 April 1998)

* Rwanda. Insecurite grandissante - Le centre du Rwanda est en
proie a une insecurite grandissante, provoquee par la
rebellion et entrainant d'importants mouvements de la
population qui fuit les combats, a constate l'AFP sur place.
Depuis deux mois, dans la region de Gitarama, les actions
meurtrieres de la rebellion ont provoque d'importants
deplacements de population en provenance des communes de
Bulinga, Nyakabanda, Mushubati, Nyamabuye et Nyabikenke. Au
total, plus de 5.000 personnes ont quitte leurs foyers pour
trouver refuge autour des bureaux communaux. Rien que dans la
ville de Gitarama, 800 deplaces sont arrives depuis deux
semaines. Les rebelles semblent se deplacer tout autour de
Gitarama. Apres la derniere attaque, le 28 avril a Mushubati,
ou ils ont tue sept personnes, 800 rebelles ont ete apercus
par des temoins.  (D'apres AFP, France, 1 mai 1998)

* Rwanda. Kofi Annan and the genocide - 2-3 May: An article
published in the New Yorker magazine tells readers that Kofi
Annan, in charge of peacekeeping operations in 1994, was
informed by Romeo Dallaire, commander of the UN forces in
Rwanda, that extremist Hutus were planning a genocide of the
Tutsi ethnic minority, three months before the killings began.
- 4 May: The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, blames the
world's inertia regarding the genocide, on "a lack of
political will", rather than lack of information. He describes
the New Yorker's article as "an old story which is being
rehashed" and says he has no personal regrets about his
actions. 5 May: While visiting the International tribunal at
Arusha, Tanzania, Kofi Annan sits in on the trial of an
officer accused of promoting the slaughter in Rwanda. 7 May:
The UN Secretary-General is due in Rwanda today. He can expect
a reception that is lukewarm at best, and overtly hostile at
worst.  (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 7 May 1998)

* Rwanda. Former PM pleads guilty - 30 April. With his beard,
spectacles and blue suit, former Rwandan Prime Minister, Jean
Kambanda looks more like a mid-level civil servant than a man
confessing to genocide. The 42-year old father of two pleaded
guilty to six charges including genocide, conspiracy to commit
genocide and crimes against humanity -- knowing full well he
is likely to be sentenced to life imprisonment for his
admission. Kambanda was appearing before the International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the court established by the
United Nations to try the chief suspects of Rwanda's 1994
genocide.  (InfoBeat, USA, 1 May 1998)

* Rwanda. Ex-Premier ministre plaide coupable - Le 1 mai, au
tribunal penal international pour le Rwanda a Arusha, Jean
Kambanda, Premier ministre rwandais durant le genocide de
1994, a ete declare coupable de genocide et de crimes contre
l'humanite, apres avoir lui-meme plaide coupable de six chefs
d'accusation, dont il faisait l'objet: "genocide, entente en
vue de commettre le genocide, incitation directe et publique a
commettre le genocide, complicite dans le genocide et crimes
contre l'humanite". Il est le premier accuse a plaider
coupable. J. Kambanda a dirige un gouvernement interimaire du
8 avril au 17 juillet 1994 pendant le genocide. Il a ete
arrete au Kenya le 18 juillet 1997. Avant de plaider coupable,
il a signe un accord, dont la teneur n'est pas connue, mais
qui pourrait lui permettre d'etre cite comme temoin dans
d'autres proces. -- D'autre part, une vingtaine d'accuses
devant le tribunal international ont ecrit, le 3 mai, au
secretaire general Kofi Annan, se plaignant que M. Kambanda a
ete manipule par le tribunal pour lui permettre de temoigner
contre eux.  (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2-7 mai 1998)

* Rwanda. Arrestation - Le 5 mai, l'ex-directeur de cabinet du
Premier ministre, Antoine Bizimana, a ete arrete et
emprisonne, sous le chef d'inculpation de "genocide et crime
contre l'humanite", a indique la radio officielle. Il est
accuse d'avoir commandite des tueries a Mbazi, dont il est
originaire, au moment du genocide de 1994.  (Le Soir,
Belgique, 7 mai 1998)

* Senegal. Students and police clash - On 5 May, 10 people
were injured when security forces and students clashed in the
city of Saint-Louis. Three students were seriously injured and
were under intensive care. Paramilitary police used teargas to
restore order. The students were protesting about a lack of
electricity on their campus.  (InfoBeat, USA, 6 May 1998)

* Sierra Leone. British arms sales to Sierra Leone - An
independent inquiry is to be held in Great Britain into
allegations that Foreign Office officials approved the supply
of arms to Sierra Leone in breach of a UN embargo. Robin Cook,
the foreign secretary, made plain his anger that ministers had
been kept in the dark by officials about an investigations by
Customs & Excise officials. Tony Blair, the Prime Minister
said in the House of Commons, that any ministers or officials
found to have colluded in any breach of the embargo, would be
disciplined.  (Financial Times, U.K., 7 May 1998)

* Sierra Leone. No new mining permits - On 6 May, the
government said it has banned with immediate effect the
issuing of new mining permits for gold and diamonds. Mohamed
Deen, the minister for mineral resources said: "The government
has ordered the ban to stop the rebels from infiltrating the
diamond and gold mining areas. It is also meant to stop their
collaborators from continuing to mine to help the rebels with
money or arms and ammunition".  (Reuters, 6 May 1998)

* Somalia. Clashes continue. - Twenty Somalis died in fighting
between the rival Marehan and Majertein clans near the
southern city of Kismayu at the weekend, radio reports said.
Around 100 people have died since fighting broke out between
the rival clans more than a week ago. More than 1,000 fighters
were involved in the 2 May battles, said to be the fiercest
since the clashes began. The clans are fighting for control of
the lower Juba region, of which Kismayu in the central point.
Reports said the Marehan, which had suffered reverses,
recovered ground between Kismayu and Arare, 37 miles north of
the city. It is not known how many people were wounded, but
Kismayu residents said they numbered several hundreds.  (The
Guardian, U.K., 4 May 1998)

* Somalie. Combats pour Kismayo - Lors de combats entre
factions somaliennes pres de la ville de Kismayo (sud), au
moins 20 personnes ont ete tuees durant le week-end du 2-3
mai. Le total des victimes de la semaine ecoulee atteint ainsi
la centaine. Deux factions se disputent la region de Jubba, ou
se trouve le port de Kismayo: le clan des Marehan et celui des
Majertein, qui tient toujours la ville.  (De Standaard,
Belgique, 4 mai 1998)

* South Africa. Former guerrilla to head forces - 29 April.
The South African government appointed Siphiwe Nyanda, a
former African National Congress guerrilla trained in East
Germany and the Soviet Union, as the country's first black
armed forces chief. Lt-Gen Nyanda, aged 47, was given the job
by the cabinet at short notice following the resignation
earlier this month of George Meiring, an Afrikaner general who
over-saw the transition from white minority rule to democracy
in 1994. Gen Meiring quit a year before he was due to retire
over suggestions that rightwing white officers tried to
undermine the government with a false intelligence report
about a coup plot by disaffected left-wing radicals. Lt-Gen
Nyanda was one of the 130 suspects named in that report, which
Gen Meiring passed to President Mandela; Mr. Mandela and his
aides dismissed the report as ludicrous.  (Financial Times,
U.K. 30 April 1998)

* Afrique du Sud. Un Noir a la tete de l'armee - Le 29 avril,
le general Siphiwe Nyanda a ete nomme a la tete des forces
armees sud-africaines. Il est le premier Noir a occuper ce
poste. Cette nomination ameliorera notablement les relations
entre le gouvernement ANC et les responsables de l'armee. Elle
cadre aussi avec les objectifs du gouvernement qui veut un
plus grand pourcentage de Noirs et de femmes dans l'appareil
de l'Etat. Le general Nyanda, 47 ans, etait chef-adjoint des
forces armees sud-africaines. Durant le temps de l'apartheid,
il a mene des operations militaires contre le regime. Arrete
en 1990, il fut libere l'annee suivante dans le cadre des
negociations pour la transition vers un regime democratique. 
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 30 avril 1998)

* South Africa. ANC on Irish peace visit - 28 April. A leader
of an African National Council delegation that is due to visit
jailed Irish republicans in Northern Ireland said they will
also meet imprisoned pro-British activists if requested. Mac
Maharaj, minister for transport in the South African
government who is on the ANC team, said in Belfast the members
wanted to share conflict resolution experiences with a range
of parties in troubled Northern Ireland. Maharaj, who was a
political prisoner and a negotiator during South African's
transition from strife to its peace settlement, warned that in
such situations hard choices with long-term consequences faced
all sides.  (InfoBeat, USA, 29 April 1998)

* South Africa. Mandela abroad - 29 April: President Mandela
will visit Algeria this year, a South African Foreign Ministry
spokesman says. He says no date had been set but that Algerian
authorities have been promised a visit during 1998. Algerian
newspapers say he is due toward the end of the year. South
Africa, which buried apartheid in 1994, hopes to boost its
trade links with the strife-torn North African country to
which it also sells arms. Mandela, who is to step down as
president at general elections due about a year from now, is
spending much of his last year globetrotting. He was on his
first state visit to Angola on 29 April. - The same day,
ending a visit to Angola, President Mandela outlines his
vision of a southern Africa reunited by trade routes that Cold
War conflicts and apartheid tore apart. He thanks Angola's
government for its support during South Africa's long anti-
apartheid struggle and tells a news conference that ties are
better than ever.  (InfoBeat, USA, 29-30 April 1998)

* South Africa. Generals to answer for raid - 1 May. The South
African Truth and Reconciliation Commission said that is had
ordered two apartheid-era generals to account for an army raid
in 1993 in Transkei in which five children were killed. The
outgoing defence forces chief Georg Meiring and the former
army chief Kat Liebenberg have been called to a closed hearing
on the 4 May.  (The Guardian, U.K., 2 May 1998)

* Sudan. Archbishop arrested - 1 May. Sudanese police arrested
the Archbishop of Khartoum, Gabriel Zubeir Wako, on a court
order despite the intervention of President Hassan al-Bashir,
who tried to suspend the arrest so that the Archbishop could
attend peace talks next week. The arrest was ordered in a case
claiming that the Church failed to pay for food supplied to
homeless people 10 years ago.  (The Guardian, U.K., 2 May
1998)

* Sudan. UN optimism for Sudan famine - 28 April: A UN
organization says it is hopeful it can avert a famine
threatening thousands of Sudanese, due to recent signs the
government would allow more planes to airdrop food. Carl
Tinstman, coordinator for the UN Operation Lifeline Sudan,
says talks with the government will probably lead to more
planes being allowed to deliver vital relief to south Sudan,
the critical factor in preventing the famine. Apart from the
estimated 350,000 on the brink of starvation in Bahr el Ghazal
region of southwest Sudan, a similar number face a slightly
less critical situation in western Upper Nile and Eastern
Equatorial provinces. 30 April: A WFP barge convoy has
departed from Malakal beginning a six-week trip along the Nile
river where it will drop off urgently needed food supplies to
tens of thousands in need, before reaching Juba.  (InfoBeat,
USA, 29 April 1998)

* Soudan. Aide humanitaire - Environ 350.000 personnes sont
menacees de mourir de famine dans le Bahr el Ghazal, dans le
sud-ouest du Soudan. Un meme nombre est menace, dans une
moindre mesure, dans les provinces du Nil superieur et de
l'Equatoria oriental. Le Bureau pour la coordination des
affaires humanitaires (OCHA) de l'Onu a appele de facon
urgente a des fonds pour repondre a une situation qui se
deteriore. Par ailleurs, un convoi de barges, affretees par le
PAM, a quitte le port de Malakal le 27 avril, pour un voyage
de six semaines, afin de distribuer de la nourriture le long
du Nil jusqu'a Juba. Les sept barges, transportant 2.040
tonnes de vivres, s'arreteront dans 34 villages. D'autre part,
le gouvernement de Khartoum a pour la seconde fois repousse un
programme d'enquete pour determiner les besoins medicaux de
base necessaires dans le Sud, pour raisons d'insecurite. 
(IRIN, Nairobi, 30 avril 1998)

* Sudan. Famine is man-made - In danger of being lost in the
rising tide of international alarm is the fact that the latest
in a long series of crises in southern Sudan is more man-made
that natural. Sudan's 15-year civil war has been characterised
by a cynical readiness by both the northern Islamic Christian
rebels to use famine as an extra weapon, a tactic calling into
question the merits of the massive western feeding operation
launched a decade ago. Peter Verney, a researcher on Sudan
says: "It's true that even by southern standards, the drought
has been particularly bad this year. But what you're seeing is
50% man-made. Both sides are willing to trade on the existence
of famine while refusing to acknowledge their role in creating
it".  (Financial Times, U.K., 30 April 1998)

* Soudan. Enfants esclaves des mujahidin - Plus d'un millier
d'enfants, garcons et filles, sont esclaves des milices
mujahidin, qui les considerent comme butin de guerre, ainsi
que dix mille vaches. Le destin de ces enfants, ages presque
tous de moins de douze ans, est d'etre vendus sur les marches
arabes et du Proche-Orient, pour travailler ou etre exploites
sexuellement. La nouvelle, recue par Fides, provient de
sources qui ont croise le groupe aux confins du Bahr el-
Ghazal. Les enfants et le troupeau sont la "recompense" que
les milices mujahidin ont recue apres les combats des derniers
mois contre le SPLA dans la zone de Wau. Ces soldats, qui
combattent pour le gouvernement de Khartoum, considerent la
razzia comme leur droit et s'emparent de tout ce qu'ils
rencontrent. Dans les villes du Nord, le gouvernement favorise
la liberation des enfants, mais au centre et dans la zone du
sud-ouest les mujahidin reclament de fortes sommes pour leur
rachat. Des representants de l'Eglise catholique ont pu
racheter 37 petits otages pour les liberer.  (Fides, Rome, 4
mai 1998)

* Sudan. Peace talks - 5 May: The peace talks open today in
Nairobi with both the Sudanese government and the SPLA warning
that it will be difficult to achieve a ceasefire in the 14-
year war. In an opening statement, Kenya's Foreign Minister
Bonaya Godana said the Sudanese government and the SPLA had
not "reconsidered their positions" since last November's round
of talks broke up inconclusively. At the end of the first day,
few details of the substance of the talks are given. 6 May:
The talks end with the two sides failing to agree on a
ceasefire and accusing each other of initiating hostilities
while negotiations were still in progress. Kenya's foreign
minister says "there has been significant progress on the
principle of self-determination for the south, with both sides
saying an eventual referendum on the issue should be
internationally monitored".  (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 7 May 1998)

* Soudan. Negociations de paix - 4 mai. Le regime soudanais et
la rebellion sudiste se sont retrouves a Nairobi pour des
negociations de paix, sous les auspices de l'IGAD (l'Autorite
intergouvenemental pour le developpement, qui regroupe six
pays africains). Apres une breve ceremonie d'ouverture, les
negociations devaient reprendre dans un lieu tenu secret
durant trois jours. -- 6 mai. Apres deux journees de
negociations, les deux partis ont accepte le principe d'un
referendum d'auto-determination au Sud-Soudan, supervise par
la communaute internationale; mais ils n'ont pu se mettre
d'accord sur le nombre d'Etats qui seront concernes par ce
referendum, dont la date n'a pas ete fixee. Le referendum
portera sur "l'unite ou la secession pure et simple" du Sud,
pour mettre fin a 15 ans de guerre civile. De nombreux points
restent cependant a resoudre, ont souligne les negociateurs.
Aucune avancee n'a ete faite sur le theme de la separation de
l'Etat et de la religion. D'autre part, le gouvernement a
accepte la libre circulation au Soudan des organisations
humanitaires et de l'aide internationale pour apporter des
secours aux populations du Bahr el-Ghazal menacees de famine a
grande echelle. Il a meme propose un cessez-le-feu immediat
des hostilites avec la SPLA, que celle-ci a rejete, refusant
de le lier a l'assistance humanitaire.  (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 7 mai 1998)

* Chad. Gaddafi defends Islam - 1 May. Hundreds of thousands
of Chadians flocked to Muslim prayers at a racecourse in
N'djamena too hear Libya's Gaddafi defend Islam as a tolerant
religion maligned by the West. Eight African presidents were
on hand as the white-robed Libyan leader addressed a sea of
people thronging the huge flag-decked course in the Chadian
capital.  (InfoBeat, USA, 1 May 1998)

* Zambia. News items for 5 May - President Kabila of Congo RDC
fails to arrive in Lusaka where he is expected on a day's
visit. Also, a trial of 82 people charged with treason, among
them former President Kenneth Kaunda, fails to begin amid
reports that the case was not listed for the current session
of the High Court which opened 1 May. A legal organisation has
volunteered to defend 36 of the 82 accused.  (PANA, Dakar, 5
May 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Bishops' meeting - 20/21 April. The Catholic
Bishops of Zimbabwe were holding their Ordinary Plenary
Session 1998 at the Africa Synod House in Harare. On this
occasion the Bishops were meeting with their senior co-
workers, i.e., heads of departments of their General
Secretariat, rectors of seminaries, representatives of the
clergy and the lay faithful, heads of religious orders, and
all people with special responsibilities in the Catholic
Church in Zimbabwe. The special theme this time was "Education
in Zimbabwe Beyond the year 2000". A number of eminent
Catholic educationists in the catholic schools were invited.
Dr.M.Peresuh, dean of the Faculty of Education, University of
Zimbabwe, whose children are educated at a Catholic school,
gave the introductory address to set the scene. He showed the
enormous expansion of our educational system: in 1979 there
were 2401 primary schools in Zimbabwe, in 1996 there were
4639; in 1979 there were only 177 secondary schools in the
country, in 1996 there were 1528. But the high population
growth makes even these numbers insufficient. The budget for
education is not keeping up with the educational needs of the
people of Zimbabwe. The economy is static, but the population
keeps growing. ESAP has cut out grants and subsidies which
makes it worse.  (Fr.Oskar Wermter, S.J., Zimbabwe, 29 April
1998)