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: 25-06-1998 PART #1/ TIT_3 = * Afrique. Forum pour le developpement - Un Forum de la Banque mondiale pour le developpement economique et social de l'Afrique, regroupant 16 chefs d'Etat d'Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre et le president de la BM, s'est deroule le 21 juin a Dakar (Senegal). Il a voulu se pencher sur les priorites des Etats africains et definir les principaux axes de partenariat avec la BM. Cette rencontre constituait, selon les organisateurs, une nouvelle approche de la BM dans ses rapports avec l'Afrique. (D'apres AFP, France, 21 juin 1998) * Africa. Action against the Media - Cameroon: Pius Njawe, editor-in-chief of the privately-owned weekly "Le Messager", is suffering from an eye ailment for which prison authorities refuse to allow him proper medical treatment. Congo RDC: The Kinshasa satirical journal "Pot Pourri has reported that two of its journalists have been apprehended by security agents. The paper's editorial staff reported that both the director and editor of the publication "disappeared" of 15 June 1998. Kenya: In a ministerial statement issued in Nairobi on 16 June, Finance Minister Simeon Nyachae accuses The Nation of a "witch hunt". Tanzania: At least four journalists have come under pressure variously from the police and private individuals, to reveal the source of an article which appeared in January in the satirical weekly newspaper Sanifu. The government-owned Daily News said on 20 June, that the government intends to review media laws which have been deemed oppressive. Police in Zanzibar on 21 June, confiscated the film of photo- journalist Amour Nassor, who works for the state-owned weekly Nuru. On 22 June, the government banned two privately-owned Kiswahili newspapers, Tingisha and Watu. Zambia: On 28 May, various civil society organisations rejected the second draft of the Public Order and Security Bill. The Bill, which was gazetted in April 1998, will seek to replace the notorious Law and Order (Maintenance) Act of 1960. (IFEX, Canada, 18-24 June 1998) * Afrique/France. Chirac en Afrique australe - Le 25 juin, le president francais Jacques Chirac entame une tournee en Afrique australe, ou il visitera quatre pays: la Namibie, l'Afrique du Sud, le Mozambique et l'Angola. Une quarantaine de patrons l'accompagnent, ainsi que les ministres des Affaires etrangeres et de la Cooperation. La dimension economique du voyage est sans doute plus consistante que sa dimension politique. M. Chirac va tenter de donner une image renovee de la politique africaine de la France, et offrir a ces pays un partenariat different. (D'apres Liberation, France, 25 juin 1998) * Algeria. Uncertainty regarding murder of Trappist monks - The "Guardian Weekly" (21 June), in its English-translation of articles taken from France's "Le Monde", highlights recent investigations in the murder of seven French Trappist monks (kidnapped on 27 March 1996). The paper says: "Two years after the kidnapping and murder of seven French Trappist monks in Algeria, a great deal of uncertainty still surrounds the negotiations that took place between the Algerian and French authorities after the kidnapping, the circumstances of the murders and the discovery of the bodies. However, more information has recently emerged about a tragedy that shocked both Muslim and Christian communities of both nations. Evidence that has come to light throws doubt on the theory that the fundamentalist Armed Islamic Group (GIA) was solely responsible". A second article asks if the killing of Bishop Pierre Claverie of Oran on 1 August 1996 was connected with the case of the monks? Or was it a warning to the Algerian government which was about to normalise relations with France? A third article concerns the authorship of the GIA communique issued on 18 April 1996, three weeks after the monks were kidnapped, and signed by Djamel Zitouni. Some suspect that documents attributed to the GIA may have been inspired, if not directly written, by specialists in Islamic theology or law. They see as evidence for this, a 35-page booklet by Nasreddin Lebatelier, (whose real name is Jean Michot, a Belgian convert to Islam) published in Beirut last year. It is a comprehensive justification of the monks' murder, and absolves the killers of all blame. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 21 June 1998) * Algerie. Les massacres continuent - Treize personnes ont ete tuees et six autres blessees dans la nuit du 16 au 17 juin au cours d'une attaque contre un village proche de Medea, au sud d'Alger. - Le 19 juin, 6 femmes ont ete tuees et plusieurs blessees par une serie d'explosions au cimetiere de Hmaidia, pres de Medea (80 km au sud d'Alger), ont rapporte plusieurs journaux. Les victimes se recueillaient sur les tombes de leurs proches. D'autre part, la presse algerienne a annonce la mort d'au moins 65 islamistes lors d'une operation de l'armee dans l'ouest du pays. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22 juin 1998) * Algeria. 65 rebels killed - Local dailies said on 21 June, that government troops have killed at least 65 Muslim rebels in the midst of a flare-up of terror in remote areas of western Algeria. They said the rebels had increased their raids on villages, and their attacks at fake roadblocks on civilians. Among the dead in the new spasm of bloodshed in these areas were at least 14 peasants who had their throats cut over the period 19-20 June, and 13 traders killed by having their throats cut at a fake roadblock four days earlier. (InfoBeat, USA, 22 June 1998) * Angola. Refugies - Environ 10.000 Angolais se sont refugies en R.D. Congo a la suite d'une offensive de l'Unita, l'ancienne rebellion armee, dans l'est de l'Angola, selon un bilan officiel publie le 19 juin a Luanda. Les organisations humanitaires ont du egalement se refugier en RDC, tandis que leur equipement tombait aux mains des assaillants. Au total, quelque 240.000 Angolais ont fui leur pays. (Le Soir, Belgique, 20 juin 1998) * Angola. War threatens to return - War threatens to return to Angola, following delays to the final stages of a UN-backed peace process, diplomatic and humanitarian sources in Luanda said. Opinion is hardening within the government that UNITA's commitment to the 1994 Lusaka peace agreement is a sham and that those urging military action against UNITA over its failure to honour key aspects of the accord appeared to have gained the upper hand. A major offensive against UNITA could take place in the next four to six weeks, analysts say. On 19 June, the UN Secretary-General described the situation in Angola as "reaching a critical watershed", mainly because of the failure of UNITA to fulfil the terms of the 1994 peace accord. Two days later, on 21 June, he recommended that the UN mandate in Angola be extended for two months to salvage the peace process. On 22 June, the UN Secretary- General's special representative in Angola, Alioune Blondin Beye, travelled to Andulo, for talks with Jonas Savimbi. Diplomatic sources say that the UN Security Council's sanctions against UNITA are likely to be postponed, following "concrete concessions" by UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi over the state administration of the remaining areas under his control. On 24 June, the Namibian newspaper reported that hungry ex-UNITA rebels in drought stricken southern Angola, are bartering their weapons for food from Namibian villagers across the border. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 June 1998) * Burundi. Negociations d'Arusha - 18 juin. Le mediateur tanzanien, M. Nyerere, s'est declare satisfait de ses consultations avec une vingtaine de delegations burundaises, reunies depuis le 15 juin. Un consensus aurait ete atteint sur des questions fondamentales, portant sur l'agenda, la constitution de six commissions et la representation des partis en leur sein. Le mediateur s'est montre optimiste quant a la conclusion d'une treve, mais ce point crucial continue a soulever des difficultes. Quant aux sanctions economiques qu'observent 9 pays africains, le mediateur aurait indique que "le moment n'est pas encore venu d'envisager leur levee"; il en serait question lors de l'ouverture de negociations sur le fond. - 21 juin. Dix-sept factions burundaises participant aux pourparlers ont signe un texte commun prevoyant un cessez-le-feu "au plus tard le 20 juillet", apres cinq ans de guerre civile. Un communique prevoit l'ouverture d'ici a un mois de negociations de paix, dont le calendrier et les modalites sont discutes depuis le debut de la semaine. Toutefois, dans le texte du cessez-le-feu le terme "parties armees" a ete remplace par "factions armees", ce qui n'impliquerait donc pas l'armee burundaise. A Bujumbura, le ministre charge du processus de paix a declare que "le gouvernement n'est pas concerne par la suspension des hostilites et doit continuer a defendre la population". D'autres parties signataires ont egalement exprime des reserves a cote de leur signature, principalement concernant la cessation des hostilites et l'embargo economique. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 23 juin 1998) * Burundi. Arusha Peace Talks - 18 June: The main CNDD rebel group and its armed wing, the Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD), are ready to accept any peace solution found at the current all-party talks in Arusha, Tanzania, as long as the deal guarantees CNDD-FDD objectives for "security and democracy for all". The organisation's spokesperson declared that the CNDD-FDD was not invited to the Arusha peace talks and warned against "those who continue to conclude agreements in the name of CNDD. 21 June: 17 factions in Burundi's conflict sign a common text foreseeing a ceasefire by 20 July at the latest. Also, they have agreed to a second round of talks on that date. 23 June: A senior army official says that troops will continue normal military operations despite the peace talks agreements. Lt.Col. Longin Minani said: "We don't agree to the truce. The Burundi government cannot declare a truce because it is not attacking anybody. Our job is to protect the population and we will continue doing that". (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 June 1998) * Centrafrique. Commission electorale - Les membres de la commission electorale mixte independante ont prete serment le 18 juin. Ces 53 membres sont charges d'organiser et de superviser les elections legislatives prevues en aout-septembre de cette annee. Une de leurs taches est de reviser les listes electorales et de fixer les dates definitives des elections. Le president de la commission est assiste par deux vice-presidents, un nomme par le gouvernement, l'autre par le groupe de onze partis de l'opposition. (IRIN, Nairobi, 20 juin 1998) * Congo-Brazza. Programme de reconstruction - Le gouvernement congolais a conclu un accord avec les bailleurs de fonds internationaux a Washington pour son programme de reconstruction du pays. Le ministre des Finances a indique que les donateurs avaient consenti a accorder 95 millions de dollars, alors que le gouvernement financerait 145 millions. Le programme de reconstruction prevoit de reconstruire la capitale devastee par la guerre, de remettre sur pied l'administration et les secteurs de l'education et de la sante. D'autre part, selon un dernier rapport humanitaire, la securite alimentaire reste precaire dans l'ensemble du pays; les services publics auraient commence a fonctionner au ralenti, mais les systemes de sante et d'education sont toujours pratiquement inexistants. (IRIN, Nairobi, 19-20 juin 1998) * Congo-Brazza. Mixed signals in recovery programme - Seven months after the end of the 1997 civil war, Congo-Brazzaville's gradual steps towards recovery, though positive, emit some mixed signals. Displaced people have continued to return to the devastated capital and a few shops and restaurants have even re- opened in the destroyed city centre. But the steady erosion of the population's purchasing power in the face of prolonged economic activity means that very few Congolese can afford to frequent these establishments. While public services are being slowly reactivated, health and education systems remain very weak throughout the country. Payment of civil servants salaries are becoming more irregular, and absenteeism is said to be increasing. Congo's central bank has re-opened, international air flights to Brazzaville have resumed and a handful of foreign businesses have returned. On account of the oil and forestry industries, the national monetary committee estimates that the Congolese economy will grow by about 8% in 1998. But the committee noted that the war had profoundly affected the country's macro-economic situation and that the other sectors of the economy has regressed. (IRIN, Nairobi, 19 June 1998) * Congo (RDC). Conference de paix au Sud-Kivu - Selon l'ONG Synergies Africa, les communautes voisines Banyamulenge et Bazibaziba, qui ont eu des relations tendues depuis le guerre de 1996, ont tenu une conference de paix a Baziba (Sud-Kivu) du 11 au 14 juin. Plus de cent delegues, dont plusieurs chefs coutumiers, ainsi qu'une centaine de Mai-Mai qui avaient depose les armes, ont participe a cette reunion. (IRIN, Nairobi, 19 juin 1998) * Congo (RDC). Le franc congolais - La nouvelle monnaie a ete officiellement presentee, le 18 juin a Kinshasa. Le president Kabila a confirme qu'elle sera lancee, comme prevu, le 30 juin prochain. La parite retenue est de 1 franc congolais (FC) pour 100.000 nouveaux zaires et de 1 FC pour 14 millions d'anciens zaires, toujours en circulation au Kasai, soit environ 1 FC pour 0,8 USD. De l'avis general, cette nouvelle reforme monetaire a ete bien mieux preparee que la precedente (1993), qui avait echoue. D'autre part, toute l'economie congolaise est menacee par la stagnation creee par la politique anti-inflationniste de Kinshasa. Beaucoup de Congolais esperent que le FC ameliorera la situation, mais s'inquietent de la maniere dont il sera finance quand "il n'y a pas de production". Par ailleurs, le gouvernement a annonce, le 20 juin, avoir mis en place un fonds special dans le cadre du programme de reconstruction evalue a plusieurs milliards de dollars. (La Libre Belgique et IRIN, 19-21 juin 1998) * Congo (RDC). Nouveau rapport accablant - L'International centre for human rights, une association subsidiee par le gouvernement canadien, et l'Asadho, la principale association des droits de l'homme congolaise, ont rendu public, le 20 juin, un rapport confirmant que 200.000 personnes, principalement des refugies rwandais hutu, avaient disparu dans la guerre dans l'ex-Zaire en 1996-97. Les deux associations accusent les forces de Kabila d'etre responsables des massacres et des executions de 70% des personnes tuees au cours de la guerre. Reagissant a ce rapport, trois quotidiens de la RDC, habituellement critiques, ont dans un texte commun apporte un soutien inhabituel au president Kabila. (La Libre Belgique, 22 juin 1998) * Congo (RDC). COMESA meeting - As ministers from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) countries gather in Kinshasa this week to prepare for next week's 29-30 June summit, local media reports say Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni and Rwanda's Vice-President Paul Kagame have still not confirmed their attendance. This has raised fears the two leaders, previously close allies of Congo RDC's President Kabila, will once again boycott a regional gathering in Kinshasa. Both Kagame and Museveni are reportedly displeased with Congo RDC's army's handling of the security situation in the volatile eastern part of the country. Meanwhile, other delegations have arrived in Kinshasa ahead of the summit. 23 June: Diplomatic sources say that an invitation had been sent directly to Kagame from Congo RDC's government and it was thought he would attend. "It's time to put the political wrangling behind us, otherwise it just damages the sub-region", a well-placed Rwandan source said. Diplomats in the capital said that although the COMESA summit differed from a regional security summit proposed by Congo RDC in May, in terms of attendance it was still of enormous significance for Congo RDC's leadership's credibility. The COMESA meeting is intended to coincide with the launch by Kabila of a new Congolese Franc and independence festivities on 30 June. (IRIN, Nairobi, 23 June 1998) * Congo (RDC). Journalistes liberes - Le 23 juin, apres avoir recu une delegation d'editeurs de presse, le president Kabila a ordonne la liberation de cinq journalistes. Trois ont ete liberes le meme jour, deux autres devraient l'etre rapidement. D'autre part, l'organisation "Medecins du monde" a annonce que son volontaire Fabrice Michalon est detenu arbitrairement a Kinshasa depuis huit semaines et a appele les autorites a le liberer. (Le Monde, France, 25 juin 1998) * Cote d'Ivoire. Fire in cocoa factory - 23 June. Cote d'Ivoire's second largest cocoa factory, UNICAO, was expected to restart production after a fire on 22 June which destroyed 800 tonnes of cocoa products, agencies said. The cause of the fire at the 86,000 tonnes-capacity Abidjan factory remained unclear. Factory production was halted to avoid odour tainting of beans that escaped the fire, said Yves Lamblin, president of SIFCA, UNICAO's majority owner. SIFCA is a main buyer and exporter of cocoa in Cote d'Ivoire, the world's largest producer. (Financial Times, U.K., 24 June 1998) * Egypt. Human rights abuses - 23 June. Torture, killings and excessive use of force increased in Egypt last year, as the state battled against Muslim militants, an Egyptian human rights group said. "The year 1997 witnessed a setback in the situation of human rights in many aspects compared with the previous year", said Mohamed Moneib, secretary-general of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights. "The main focus of concern in 1997 were violations of the right of life for reasons that were as varied as the perpetrators", he said. The number of killings, including those by militants, rose to 191, 9% higher than the 1996 death toll. (InfoBeat, USA, 23 June 1998) * Eritrea. Humanitarian law missing - Reports emanating from Eritrea indicate that Ethiopian prisoners of war are being maltreated by their Eritrean captors. An Ethiopian government report states that about 600 Ethiopian civilians resident in Eritrea are known to have been "imprisoned, tortured, and suffering the most inhuman treatment". The report goes on: "All over Eritrea, the authorities have been herding thousands of Ethiopians into camps, confiscating their property and personal belongings and dumping them at the border. In this regard, all mandated international institutions should intervene with the Eritrean authorities to put an end to these atrocities". (Addis Tribune, Ethiopia, 19 June 1998) * Erythree/Ethiopie. Les mediations echouent - 18 juin. Une delegation de l'OUA a entrepris une navette diplomatique entre Addis Abeba et Asmara, afin d'obtenir un reglement pacifique du conflit, mais sans obtenir des resultats tangibles, malgre une bonne volonte de part et d'autre. Les deux pays campent sur leurs positions, malgre un cessez-le-feu de fait. - 19 juin. La tentative de mediation de l'OUA s'est revelee un echec. Un duel d'artillerie a oppose dans la matinee les troupes ethiopiennes et erythreennes sur le front de Zalanbesa. Le secretaire general de l'Onu a exhorte les deux belligerants a s'abstenir de toute action susceptible d'aggraver le conflit, mais celui-ci semble a nouveau exploser. - 21 juin. Le president ethiopien Zenawi a declare que son pays etait pret a attaquer au moment opportun. La zone du front est maintenant interdite aux journalistes pour ne pas reveler le dispositif ethiopien. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22 juin 1998) * Eritrea/Ethiopia. Little progress with peace process - 18 June: The presidents of Burkina Faso, Rwanda and Zimbabwe, and Djibouti's foreign minister, meet Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi for talks, and then fly to Eritrea's capital, Asmara. Prime Minister Zenawi is coming under increasing pressure to attack Eritrean forces occupying large areas of northern Ethiopia. he says: "If and when the peace initiative fails, we will strike back". 19 June: Artillery exchanges along the border. The peace process appears to be getting nowhere. Salim Ahmed Sali, Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) says his delegation has been unable to make headway because Eritrea is still refusing to accept the four-point peace proposal produced by the United States and Rwanda. 22 June: Ethiopia says that Eritrea's rejection of the mediation bid last week has diminished chances of resolving their border dispute peacefully. 24 June: Artillery fire is heard along the frontier regions. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 June 1998) * Guinee-Bissau. L'impasse - 18 juin. Malgre les communiques de victoire des forces gouvernementales et de leurs allies guineens et senegalais, les combats n'ont pas cesse a Bissau et se sont etendus pres de la frontiere avec le Senegal. Les mutins ont en effet des sympathisants au sein du mouvement de liberation de la Casamance, en lutte contre Dakar. La tentative de mediation gambienne entre le chef des rebelles et le president Vieira a echoue. - 19 juin. Apres une nuit calme, les combats a l'arme lourde ont repris. Les rebelles tiennent toujours l'aeroport. La delegation gambienne a regagne son pays. La situation humanitaire a Bissau devient tres preoccupante; plus de 200.000 habitants, prives de nourriture, auraient fui les combats. - 21 juin. Selon l'agence Lusa, une nouvelle tentative de mediation se deroulait a Bissau, conduite par l'eveque de Bissau, l'ambassadeur du Portugal et le president d'un parti d'opposition. Mais en fin d'apres-midi, une nouvelle offensive etait lancee par les forces loyalistes contre l'aeroport. - 22 juin. La junte militaire a repondu favorablement a l'offre de mediation faite par des personnalites locales. Sur le terrain, les forces loyalistes, appuyees par des soldats senegalais et guineens, s'efforcaient toujours de prendre l'aeroport, dernier bastion des mutins. - 23 juin. Selon les agences de presse, apres 16 jours de combats, l'epreuve de force entre les troupes loyalistes et les mutins serait dans une impasse, aucune des deux parties n'etant capable de chasser l'autre. Pendant ce temps on cherche a venir en aide aux centaines de milliers de personnes deplacees. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 juin 1998) * Guinea-Bissau. At war with itself - 17 June: Relief agencies are pressing for a truce to enable them to get emergency aid to civilians stranded in Bissau and upcountry. The UN World Food Programme echoes Pope John Paul's call for a truce. 18 June: Fresh shelling erupts in Bissau as the Gambia's mediator pushes for a meeting with rebel leaders to discuss a truce. Both the International Committee of the Red Cross and Portuguese Radio report a resumption of shelling in Bissau. 19 June: Fighting intensifies. There are reports that most of Guinea-Bissau's army have joined the rebels. Refugees in Dakar say that rebel leader Ansumane Mane is backed by all but two of Guinea-Bissau's army leaders. The Gambia's mediator, Foreign Minister Lamine Sedat Jobe, has sailed home on a French naval ship after meeting only the government side in Bissau. 21 June: Sunday morning -- all is calm in Bissau. The rebels appear to be well dug in at their airport stronghold. 22 June: Lansana Kouyaute, executive secretary of ECOWAS, starts a tour of the countries most clearly involved in the conflict --Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. A new offensive has been launched by the government against the rebel- held airport. 23 June: Senegal says that rebels have started a guerrilla war in the suburbs of Bissau under the cover of a cashew nut plantation. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 June 1998) * Guinea-Bissau/Senegal. Disaster feared in Bissau exodus - A quarter of a million West Africans fleeing on foot from fighting in Guinea-Bissau without food or water are heading north into another civil war where they face landmines, hostile Senegalese troops and swamps. As this human emergency advances on Casamance -- the region of Senegal where a 16-year independence conflict has turned into a guerrilla war --international aid agencies are unable to intervene. Sixteen days after the rebellion in Guinea-Bissau, the Guinea- Bissauan refugees have been forced by the rainy season to flee towards Casamance. They are now caught inside their own country, between shelling in the south and landmines in the north. (The Guardian, U.K., 24 June 1998) * Kenya. Riot after blackout - 17 June. Kenyan students went on the rampage after a power blackout interrupted coverage of the World Cup match between Cameroon and Italy, local papers reported. About 300 students armed with metal bars, stones and other crude weapons attacked motorists, smashed windows and looted goods in the city centre, the Daily Nation reported. The students were angry about a power blackout which affected the University of Nairobi half an hour into the game which Italy won 3-0. It was the third riot involving University of Nairobi students since March. The other disturbances were unrelated to sports. (InfoBeat, USA, 19 June 1998) * Mali. Municipales sous la pluie - Le 21 juin, les elections municipales partielles, dans les 19 communes deja en exercice au Mali, se sont deroulees sans incidents majeurs. L'opposition radicale avait appele au "boycott actif", mais certains de ses militants se sont presentes comme candidats independants. Au total, 33 partis politiques et 35 listes de candidatures independantes ont pris part a ces elections. Les observateurs ont note que l'affluence n'a pas ete grande dans les bureaux de vote, apparemment a cause de la pluie diluvienne qui tombait sur le pays et... la retransmission des matches de la Coupe du monde de football. (AFP, France, 21 juin 1998) * Mozambique. Tension rising over municipal elections - 24 June. Tension is rising in the final week of campaigning in Mozambique's municipal elections boycotted by the main opposition parties, analysts in Maputo say. "It's starting to become a little tense, there have been insults and threats", a political commentator said. "There's talk of violent actions and I think it's serious". A total of 18 opposition parties including the former rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO), have vowed to boycott the 30 June polls, accusing the electoral authorities of lacking transparency. The only opposition to the ruling FRELIMO party comes from a handful of independent candidates. The dissident parties have launched an anti-election campaign, touring the country to publicise their protest over the organisation of the country's first multiparty municipal poll since independence. RENAMO leader Afonso Dhlakama has also threatened a wave of demonstrations during the elections. "He has said he will do everything he can to make the elections non-valid", a local media source said. (IRIN, Nairobi, 24 June 1998) * Nigeria. Nouvelles liberations - Le nouveau regime militaire du general Abubakar a annonce la liberation de six autres prisonniers politiques. Le 19 juin, deux d'entre eux etaient deja en liberte: l'ecrivain Arthur Nwakwo et l'activiste des droits de l'homme Ebun Olu Adegboruwa. Le 15 juin, neuf prisonniers avaient deja ete liberes. Moshood Abiola est toujours en prison. La BBC a rapporte le 23 juin que des representants du gouvernement se sont entretenus avec M. Abiola la semaine passee; les speculations sont qu'on negocierait sa liberation. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 20-23 juin 1998) * Nigeria. Coalition opposes talks with military - 23 June. A coalition of Nigerian opposition groups said it was against consultations which new military ruler Gen.Abdulsalam Abubakar has begun on restoring civilian rule. The Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON) coalition said instead of the discussions, power should be given to detained tycoon Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of 1993 elections annulled by the military five years ago. Veteran activist Gani Fawehinmi, who leads the JACON group of 45 pro-democracy bodies, said, "What's to be done is simple: release Abiola to take his mandate. All the military needs to negotiate is how to organize their return to the barracks before oct.1". (InfoBeat, USA, 24 June 1998) * Nigeria. Clearing the air - 18 June: News reports says that Nigeria's new military leader, General Abdulsalam Abubakar has been told by the leaders of four of the country's five officially registered political parties, that the military government should remain in power for up to 12 months longer than currently planned so as to ensure a properly organised election and a smooth return to civilian democracy. After their second meeting with Abubakar, who has committed himself to a handover to civilian rule in October, only the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) opposes the move, saying he should abide by the October deadline. 21 June: A senior Nigerian government official says military rulers have held talks with Moshood Abiola, the detained presidential claimant, which have covered the possibility of a conditional release. The official says there was a real possibility that the talks could lead to freedom for Nigeria's most prominent political prisoner if he gives up his claim to the presidency. "Negotiations with Chief Abiola began on 16 June and have reached an advanced stage...He is a very important factor in the reconciliation drive of this administration", the official says. The two members of the military Provisional Ruling Council met Mr.Abiola at the mansion where he is kept under heavy guard in Abuja, and proposed a new start, forgetting about the 1993 elections which Mr.Abiola had been poised to win. Opposition groups, largely confined to south-western Nigeria, say they will only be satisfied, if Mr.Abiola is released to head a national unity government that will then organise fresh elections. 24 June: A British Minister representing the EU will fly to Nigeria on 25 June to hold talks with General Abubakar. (ANB- BIA, Brussels, 25 June 1998) * Nigeria. Urged to reform - 24 June. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) added its voice to calls for reform in Nigeria, urging it to move quickly towards a "rules-based market economy". In a report on Nigeria's trade policies, the WTO urged "credible structural reforms" to help Nigeria liberalise its trade and improve living standards. Foreign investors have largely steered clear of Nigeria because of corruption and political instability. Following the death of Gen.Sani Abacha, the new ruler, Gen.Abubakar, has moved to restore civilian rule. The neglected state sector has left Nigerians short of fuel, transport and communications. The oil industry, responsible for 95% of export earnings is in a parlous state. Development of reserves is held up by under-funding and failure to agree terms to protect investors. The WTO called on Nigeria to remove import prohibitions, reform inefficient public sectors such as telecoms and oil refining, and introduce competition policy legislation. "Steps to increase transparency in government must be pursued if international confidence is to be regained". (Financial Times, U.K., 25 June 1998) * Rwanda. "Disappearances" and killings continue on a daily basis - In the last few months, the number of "disappearances" in Rwanda has reached such a level that many families no longer even try to let the authorities know that their relatives have "disappeared", Amnesty International says in a report issued on 23 June 1998. At the same time the armed conflict has worsened -- fuelled in part by the ready flow of arms into the country -- leading to the deliberate killings of thousands of unarmed civilians by both government soldiers and armed opposition groups. The report, based on research carried out in Rwanda earlier this year, shows that the dramatic escalation in the number of dead and "disappeared", which started after the return of refugees at the end of 1996, is continuing to this day -- and warns that unless the authorities take action to turn the tide of violence, it risks becoming an inevitable part of life in Rwanda. (Editor's note: On 24 June, the Rwandan government dismissed the report as "irresponsible".) (Amnesty International, 23 June 1998) * Rwanda. Amnesty accuse - Dans un communique publie le 23 juin, Amnesty International demande a la communaute internationale de stopper toute vente d'armes au Rwanda, ou elle denonce des tueries et des disparitions. Elle demande "de denoncer publiquement les graves abus commis non seulement par des groupes d'opposition armes, mais aussi par les forces de securite." A.I. estime qu'il y a eu une "aggravation dramatique" du nombre de personnes tuees ou disparues, en particulier apres le retour des refugies a la fin 1996. Elle indique que les groupes d'opposition armes continuent d'obtenir des armes, malgre l'embargo decrete par les Nations unies. - D'autre part, le 22 juin, 18 personnes ont ete tuees et 40 blessees, en majorite des enfants, dans l'attaque d'un bus scolaire a Kivumu, dans la prefecture de Kibuye, probablement par la rebellion. (Le Soir et La Libre Belgique, 23-24 juin 1998) * Senegal. Attaque en Casamance - Le 16 juin, une attaque des rebelles independantistes de Casamance, dans la peripherie de Ziguinchor, a ete repoussee par l'armee senegalaise. Les combats ont dure pres de vingt heures et auraient fait, chez les rebelles, un nombre indetermine de morts et de blesses. (La Croix, France, 19 juin 1998) * Sierra Leone/Liberia. Fate of refugees in Liberia - On 18 June, Human Rights Watch warned that unless the international community takes immediate steps to address the desperate plight currently facing Sierra Leonean refugees in Liberia, it is likely that the situation will worsen and ultimately pose a bigger burden to the international community. Human Rights Watch, which visited the camps last week, found that some 32,000 Sierra Leonean refugees in one camp in Lofa county, Liberia, are receiving inadequate assistance and face serious security threats due to their proximity to the border with Sierra Leone where fighting continues. (Editor's note: The same day, hundreds of AFRC/RUF rebels attack ECOMOG troops at Masiake, 70 kilometres from Freetown). (Human Rights Watch, USA, 18 June 1998) * Sierra Leone. Des rebelles deposent les armes - Les soldats du Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) renverse ont commence a se rendre cette semaine avant l'expiration d'un ultimatum qui leur offrait une amnistie presidentielle. Selon un porte-parole de l'Ecomog, les partisans du AFRC et leurs allies du Revolutionary United Front (RUF) ont profite de l'offre du president Kabbah et se sont rendus a l'Ecomog au nord et a l'est de la Sierra Leone. Des sources humanitaires n'ont pu confirmer le nombre de 1.500 rebelles, qui auraient depose les armes, avance par l'Ecomog. Selon certaines sources, de nombreux combattants du AFRC sont desireux de se constituer prisonniers, mais craignent les represailles de la population et de leur propre camp. (IRIN, Abidjan, 18 juin 1998) * Sierra Leone. Mourning for the First Lady - Sierra Leone's First Lady, Mrs Patricia Kabbah, is dead, but she is still being mourned by various organisations she was associated with during her lifetime. She was a fervent Catholic and was described by parishioners during her burial in Freetown, as a "dear sister and asset to the Catholic Church in Sierra Leone. Her death will not easily be forgotten". On 12 June this year, the organisation "Sisters Unite", an umbrella organisation of various women's organisations, offered special prayers for her at Freetown's City Hall. Her husband, President Tejan Kabbah is a Muslim, but Mrs Kabbah always held firmly to her Catholic faith. It should be noted that Catholic organisations are to the forefront in helping Sierra Leone's many displaced people and in distributing relief aid throughout the country. Particular mention should be made of the efforts to help the children. 225 children have been taken off the streets of Freetown alone and funds have been made available so that they can continue their education. The incidence of juvenile delinquency is also being tackled -- many of the young offenders are former child combatants. (Alpha Rashid Jalloh, Sierra Leone, 22 June 1998) * Somalia. Lack of funding - UN agencies working in Somalia have expressed their deep concern over the lack of funding for their operations in 1998. In a press statement released on 10 June and during a briefing for donors on 11 June, the Agencies reported that out of 79 million US dollars they had appealed for earlier in the year to cover their operations in 1998, only 8% has so far been received. They stressed that they had cut down their requirements to a bare minimum for 1998 already covering only the most urgent needs. (IRIN, 18 June 1998) * South Africa. Botha refuses to apologise - Defiant to the last, the ageing apartheid-era president P.W. Botha refused at the close of his trial on 15 June, to apologise for human rights abuses committed during his rule. "He is not aware of anything he must apologise for," Mr Botha's lawyer, Ernst Penzhorn, said. Mr Botha, 82, was on trial for snubbing the Truth and reconciliation Commission, which is investigating apartheid crimes. If found guilty, Mr Botha faces an unspecified fine or two years in jail. (The Independent, U.K., 16 June 1998) * South Africa. Court ruling tackled on two fronts - On 19 June, the National Party called on the judge who overturned President Mandela's appointment of a Commission of Inquiry into Rugby, to give reasons for the decision. The appeal followed an unprecedented attack on the judiciary by the ruling ANC, which accused Mr Justice William de Villiers of having come close to sabotaging the country's constitution by summoning President Mandela to justify an executive decision. While describing the ANC's statement as "hysterical", the National Party said it was a matter of urgency that the judge explain the reason behind his judgement. (The Guardian, U.K., 20 June 1998) * South Africa. Truth & Reconciliation Commission - 19 June: South African white right winger Eugene Terre Blanche has for the first time accepted moral and political responsibility for bombings before the 1994 elections which killed 21 people. The bearded, camouflage-clad leader of the Afrikaner Resistance Movement (AWB) made the written admission to a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearing where 10 rightwingers are asking for amnesty for the attacks. "As political head of the AWB, I accept political and moral responsibility for the acts", said Terre Blanche, whose once menacing AWB has drifted off into the political wilderness. 23 June: "The TRC is a key part of the process of peaceful post- apartheid transformation in the country", Archbishop Tutu said. "One of the most wonderful things that has happened in the TRC, is sitting there listening to ordinary people. People who for so long were anonymous. The ones who for so long had no voice", said Tutu, the Commission's chairman. He added: "The Commission, which for two years has been hearing evidence of some of the dirtier acts committed by all sides during apartheid, has enabled bereaved families to hear the fate of their missing members and begin to lay to rest the ghosts of the past". The same day, Graca Machel, widow of the late Mozambican President Samora Machel, was overcome as she told the TRC about his death in a suspicious plane crash in 1986. (InfoBeat, USA, 19 & 23 June 1998) * South Africa. McBride framed - South Africa's ruling African National Congress said it believed a senior foreign affairs official arrested in Mozambique on suspicion of gun-running had been framed. The ANC said it was unclear how Robert McBride had been set up. President Mandela has ruled out intervening in the McBride affair. (The Guardian, U.K., 22 June 1998) * South Africa. Footprints make tracks - The oldest set of human footprints known have been removed from their site in South Africa and flown by helicopter to a conservation workshop, because visitors put their survival at risk. The 117,000-year-old tiny female prints, dubbed "Eve's Footprints", lay undiscovered on the shores of Langebann Lagoon about 75 miles north of Cape Town, until 1995. Since their discovery, visitors have scratched their names near the prints and placed their feet in them. Set in crumbly sandstone, they are also vulnerable to erosion. "If human beings don't get the footprints, nature will", said geologist Dave Roberts who discovered them. After a brief stop at an engineering workshop for more conservation work, the prints will be moved to the South African Museum in Cape Town later this week. (The Guardian, U.K., 24 June 1998) * Sudan. Opposition launches two attacks - 19 June. The Sudanese opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) said its forces had launched two attacks on government-held areas near Sudan's eastern border with Eritrea on the 18 June, killing at least five army soldiers. Lt.Gen.Abdel Rahman Saeed, spokesman for the NDA's armed forces, said combatants from the Fatah wing had killed five government soldiers in an ambush which took place 5.4 miles east of Kassala town. Troops from the Umma Liberation Army attacked a garrison at Garabah which lies southeast of Kassala, killing several soldiers and seizing artillery and vehicles. (InfoBeat, USA, 19 June 1998) * Soudan. Combats au Darfour - Quelque 6.000 Soudanais du Darfour, a l'ouest du pays, se sont refugies au Tchad, apres de lourds combats entre des habitants d'origine arabe et la communaute noire, les Fours, qui auraient fait des centaines de morts la semaine passee. Selon le gouverneur de Darfour, le conflit aurait fait 235 morts et 74 villages auraient ete detruits. Des temoins parlent de milliers de morts dans les deux camps. Tous deux emploient des armes sophistiquees, les Arabes etant armes par Khartoum, les Fours par des groupes d'opposition du Tchad et de la Centrafrique. L'origine du conflit serait des contestations sur des droits fonciers. (De Standaard, Belgique, 20 juin 1998) * Chad. EU parliament demands opposition release - Members of the European Parliament have demanded the release of leading Chad opposition member of parliament Ngarledji Yorongar. According to a parliamentary human rights resolution passed on 16 June, Yorongar was unfairly arrested for defamation in June, after criticising a joint Chad-Cameroon oil extraction project which, he said, threatened local communities in the area. (IRIN, Nairobi, 19 June 1998) * Togo. Elections : Eyadema reelu - 16 juin. Selon la radio gabonaise Africa Nr1, l'opposition togolaise s'est plainte de ce que les medias d'Etat avaient entrave sa campagne pour les elections presidentielles du 21 juin, operant dans les discours des candidats des coupures qui equivalaient a une censure. Le porte- parole du Comite d'action pour le renouvellement a egalement deplore que son parti ait ete empeche de faire campagne dans le nord du Togo, M. Agboyigbor n'ayant pu tenir un meeting sous pretexte qu'il coincidait avec un meeting du gouvernement. D'autre part, le president Eyadema a appele a l'unite nationale, estimant que le pretendu fosse nord-sud au Togo etait un "faux probleme". - 18 juin. Tous les candidats de l'opposition ont demande le report du scrutin. Ils invoquent des anomalies dans la distribution des cartes d'electeurs, la recusation par le gouvernement des observateurs togolais et les disparites dans le traitement accorde aux candidats par les medias de l'Etat. D'apres l'aveu meme de la presidente de la commission electorale nationale, 20% des cartes d'electeurs n'ont pas ete distribuees. - 21 juin. Les elections se sont tenues dans le calme. Toutefois, plusieurs milliers d'habitants de Lome, acquis a l'opposition, n'ont pu y participer et ont manifeste devant l'ambassade des Etats-Unis. Selon une projection du ministre de l'Interieur, le president sortant Eyadema serait elu des le premier tour du scrutin. - 22 juin. Le depouillement du scrutin a ete suspendu a Lome par la commission electorale locale, sans explication. La presidente de la commission nationale declarait que rien ne justifiait une telle interruption. - 23 juin. Deux candidats, Eyadema et Gilchrist Olympio, se sont autoproclames vainqueurs, alors que les resultats n'etaient pas encore publies. Dans la soiree, la presidente de la commission electorale nationale, quatre de ses delegues et toute la commission locale de la ville de Lome demissionnent, denoncant un "climat de pressions, d'intimidation et de menaces". -24 juin. Le ministre de l'Interieur annonce la reelection du general Eyadema, qui selon lui a obtenu 52,13% des voix, contre 34,6% pour Gilchrist Olympio. Des milliers de jeunes protestent dans les rues de Lome. L'Union europeenne a denonce des "problemes relatifs au respect des procedures electorales". (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 25 juin 1998) * Togo. Presidential elections - 19 June: The BBC reports that the Togolese government has rejected opposition demands that it postpone presidential elections because of problems linked to the distribution of voter registration cards. The Togolese minister of interior says any mistakes that have been made, have already been rectified and the elections will go ahead as planned. Two presidential candidates of the Togolese opposition had called for the postponement of the elections in the light of irregularities, Radio France International reports. Yao Agboyibor, leader of the Comite d'Action Pour Le Renouvellement (CAR) and Zarifou Ayeva, leader of the Parti pour la democratie et le renouveau (PDR), also complained of censorship by the state media. 21 June: Presidential election. Eyadema faces five challengers. Hundreds of youths take to the streets of Lome protesting at alleged irregularities in the elections. 22 June: The Interior Minister reckons that General Gnassingbe Eyadema has been re-elected at the first round of polling. Early trends shows Eyadema is on course to score a first round win. But the main opposition party challenges the projection. The Lome electoral commission suspends the counting of votes. 24 June: A demonstration takes place in Lome against Eyadema's victory at the polls. Final results: Eyadema 52.13% of votes cast; Gilchrist Olympio -- 34.6%. 68.9% of those eligible to vote actually voted. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 June 1998) * Uganda. Crying Muslim women with their babies storm House - On 17 June, a group of Muslim women in tears recounted to Members of Parliament harrowing stories of suffering, since their husbands were allegedly arrested and mysteriously disappeared since the beginning of April this year. "Our children are sick and hungry and out of school", said the unofficial leader and spokesperson of the group, Janat Asia. "We are being evicted out of our homes and we have nowhere to go. Sometimes we get charity from fellow Muslims and share it out amongst ourselves, especially to feed the children, but it's not enough and we often go without". Some of the mothers had their little children with them who cried, mostly from hunger and fatigue. The mothers had walked from the High Court to Parliament and then sat for an hour in the sun. Asia led a group of about 48 women to the gates of Parliament where they pitched camp, brandishing placards to demonstrate against the disappearance of the husbands. After an hour of being ignored by Members, a number came out to meet the women. They gave the women a sheet of plain paper to go back and write down the details of how their husbands had disappeared. (Ted Nannozi, 19 June 1998) * Uganda. Schoolgirls abducted - Rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) raided St.Charles Lwanga Secondary School in Kitgum District and abducted 39 girls. Two of the girls have since escaped. Fifty other people were kidnapped 20-21 June in a series of raids by the LRA, who are based in southern Sudan and whose main method of recruitment is abduction. According to UNICEF, the LRA have taken at least 10,000 young people in the past three years. (The Guardian, U.K., 23 June 1998) * Ouganda. Attaques rebelles et enlevements - L'Armee de resistance du Seigneur (LRA) a enleve 39 ecolieres dans le district de Kitgum, dans le nord de l'Ouganda, ont annonce le 22 juin des organisations humanitaires a Kampala. Une quarantaine de rebelles ont attaque, le 21 juin, une ecole secondaire et enleve les jeunes filles, a confirme le general Saleh. Les ONG ont indique que les rebelles avaient attaque deux autres localites, Ngora et Patongo, ou sept autres personnes ont ete enlevees. La LRA a attaque par ailleurs trois quartiers peripheriques de Gulu, enlevant 30 civils, selon le quotidien "Vision". Des centaines de civils pourchasses par les rebelles se sont refugies dans un parking et a l'hopital. Selon le general Saleh, 295 rebelles de la LRA, des enfants enleves et formes aux combats, se sont echappes depuis le 20 mai. (Le Monde, France, 24 juin 1998) * Zambia. The jobless syndrome - Zambia is experiencing increasing lay-offs in the job market. Lusaka City Council alone plans to lay-off 1,300 workers out of a total workforce of 2,800. And once a worker is laid off, it takes an age for him/her to receive the appropriate severance pay. Outside the capital, the trend is the same. The Copperbelt Energy Corporation (formerly the Copperbelt Power Company) is to lay off 160 workers this year. Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines plans to retrench thousands of its workers. At the present moment, the government is attaching great importance to its privatisation programme but this does nothing to contribute to the people's welfare. Zambia's GNP grew by 3.5% in 1997, but this hasn't meant any corresponding well-being for the people. (Justin Mupundu, Zambia, 22 June 1998) * Zimbabwe. "Working For The Common Good" - In a Joint Pastoral Statement, the Catholic Bishops of Zimbabwe say that the country is going through a time of crisis. The Bishops' four-page message reacts to "the sharply rising cost of living, deteriorating public health and educational services, huge unemployment, growth in corrupt practices and the decreasing purchasing power of so may workers' salaries". Deploring the growing poverty, the Bishops call for a "return to gospel values: inefficiency must be weeded out, and there must be a clear commitment to the ideal of service for others". The Bishops support the proposed agrarian reform, if carried out in the right way. "The ultimate goal should be an honest and transparent programme of redistribution and resettlement, adequately funded and prepared, together with clear criteria for eligibility for resettled land". (Zimbabwe Cath. Bishops Conference, 5 June 1998) * Zimbabwe. Peasants occupy white-owned farms - Some 4,000 black peasants have illegally occupied three-white owned commercial farms, saying they had come back to the land of their fathers, state media reported on 21 June. The peasants descended on the large agricultural businesses in Marondera and Goromonzi districts over the past four days and vowed to ignore appeals by the government to return to their current homes and await a legal resettlement scheme. The peasants has set up camps on the farms but had not interfered with their owners. On 22 June, the government said it will begin resettling thousands of landless black peasants this month on 12 former white-owned commercial farms. Local Government and National Housing Minister John Nkomo told a press conference that the new resettlement policy sought to relieve congestion in the rural areas and boost peasant agricultural production. (InfoBeat, USA, 22 June 1998) * Zimbabwe. Serious food shortage - 23 June. Southern Zimbabwe is facing serious food shortage as a result of poor rains this season in a region that had barely recovered from a crippling drought in 1992, the government and aid agencies have warned. "The situation in some areas is really bad. In some places they've harvested nothing", a programme officer of the development agency OXFAM in Harare said. He added that some of OXFAM's development projects have ground to a halt as "most of the time people are looking to find ways to feed their families". According to the Ministry of Social Welfare, in six districts in the south, the average yield of the staple maize per person this year amounts to just 14 kg to last until the next harvest in April. Normal annual production is equal to 155 kg per capita. The government says that 1.2 million people out of a population of 12.5 million are in need of food aid. The government has set aside some US $15 million for a relief programme to assist the elderly and infirm. A loan scheme is also in place to allow people to borrow maize until next year's harvest. According to the official Herald on Sunday newspaper, around 417,000 people are currently receiving free maize allocations. However, the OXFAM officer noted that nutritionally, more than just maize is required. "So far the government has not been very clear to the NGO community what kind of supplementary support they need", he said. Meanwhile, the state-owned Grain Marketing Board (GMB) needs to import over 200,000 mt of maize by the end of this month to replenish its strategic grain reserves, news agencies reported. The strategic reserve, which should have at least 500,000 mt, was currently holding 270,000 mt and had to be topped up by imports because local supplies were inadequate to cope with normal national demand, GMB chairman Kumbirai Katsande said in a statement. Industry officials estimate the 1997/98 maize deficit at around 600,000 mt. (IRIN, Nairobi, 23 June 1998)