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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 09-07-1998      PART #1/  

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Ethiopia: On 9 June, Tesfaye
Tadesse, former editor-in-chief of the monthly Amharic-language
magazine Mestawet, was stabbed to death by unknown assailants.
Kenya: On 1 July, the Kenya High Court, sitting in Nairobi,
restrained The Post on Sunday magazine from publishing any matter
touching on Nairobi businessman, Joshua Kulei. Nigeria: As world
leaders focus on the possible release of Moshood Abiola as a way
for the new Nigerian regime to achieve credibility, the
organisation, Article 19, on 2 July, urged them to accept nothing
less than major structural changes in Nigeria as a basis for
rapprochement. Sierra Leone: On 2 July, Joseph Mboka, editor of the
Democrat, Jonathan Leigh, Managing editor of the Independent
Observer, and Ahmed Kanneh, managing director of Newstorm were
arrested for violating Proclamation 1, the current emergency
regulations banning the publication of information regarding the
current war with the RUF. Sudan: On 4 July, Sudanese authorities
confiscated editions of some independent newspapers. Tanzania: On
the night of 30 June, a BBC correspondent, Nechi Lyimo, and his
family escaped death after their house was set alight by unknown
people in Moshi.   (IFEX, Canada, 3-7 July 1998)

* Africa. Airline's jets to be seized  -  5 July. Air Afrique, the
multinational airline, said that credit insurers were seizing its
four A310-300 aircraft from midnight 6 July because of non-payment
of arrears on its debts. Air Afrique has been trying to set up a
leasing company to take over the aircraft and related debt. "The
difficulties encountered in setting up this leasing company have
led the credit insurers to decide to take back the four A310-300s",
the airline said in a statement. Air Afrique said the insurers were
taking back the planes despite the fact that it had been paying CFA
Fr300m ($494,000) each week since January 1997 to service its debt.
Suppliers and other creditors were also being paid regularly and it
had shown a profit of more than CFA Fr1bn in the first quarter of
1998. The 11 West and Central African countries that own 70% of Air
Afrique agreed to set up a leasing company in 1997 to take on the
aircraft and debts, but have not come up with the starting capital. 
 (Financial Times, U.K., 6 July 1998)

* Algerie. Mission d'information de l'Onu  -  Une mission
d'information de l'ONU, comprenant des personnalites de haut
niveau, va se rendre prochainement en Algerie a l'invitation du
gouvernement algerien, a annonce le 2 juillet un porte-parole des
Nations unies. La delegation, qui sera conduite par l'ancien
president portugais Mario Soares, aura "pour mandat de recueillir
des informations sur la situation" du pays. Alger a donne au
secretaire general M. Annan l'assurance que la mission de six
membres aura un "acces libre et entier" a toutes les sources de
l'information. - On apprenait le 8 juillet, que le panel
d'observateurs reuni par le secretaire general de l'ONU se rendra
en Algerie le 22 juillet et y restera environ deux semaines.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3-8 juillet 1998)

* Algeria. Berbers protest at Arabic law  -  5 July. Algeria began
enforcing a new law which makes Arabic compulsory for all official
business, despite protests from the country's berber minority.
Hundreds of Berber activists took to the streets of central Algiers
to denounce the policy and demand recognition of their Tamazight
tongue as an official language too. Up to 5 million Algerian are
believed to be Berber-speakers, mostly in the mountainous Kabylie
region in the north-east. For 30 years, activists have tried to
have their language given the same official status as Arabic. A
hitherto unknown Berber group threatened last week to eliminate any
Algerians who tried to apply the Arabisation policy.   (The
Guardian, U.K., 6 July 1998)

* Algerie. Arabisation  -  Le dimanche 5 juillet, jour du 36e
anniversaire de l'independance, la loi sur l'arabisation, votee en
1996, entre en vigueur en Algerie, generalisant l'usage de cette
langue. Cette loi se heurte a la vive opposition d'une partie de
l'opposition et suscite la colere en Kabylie. Elle oblige notamment
les administrations, les entreprises et les associations de rediger
uniquement en arabe. Des derogations sont prevues, p.ex. pour les
echanges avec l'etranger. Pour l'enseignement superieur,
l'arabisation complete est repoussee au 5 juillet 2000. -Durant le
week-end, des centaines de militants berberes sont descendus dans
les rues a Tizi-Ouzou et a Alger. 5 millions d'Algeriens, sur 29
millions, parlent le tamazight. L'apparition d'un groupe jusque-la
inconnu, le Mouvement berbere arme, fait craindre le pire. Celui-ci
a diffuse un bref texte le 2 juillet, promettant de venger la mort
de Lounes Matoub et de tuer ceux qui appliqueront la loi sur
l'arabisation. - Le 6 juillet, pour la deuxieme journee
consecutive, des heurts ont oppose la police anti-emeutes a des
manifestants a Bejaia, la deuxieme ville de Kabylie. Un policier a
ete blesse. Le president Zeroual, recevant une delegation du FFS
(Front des forces socialistes, opposition), a juge "grave" la
situation en Kabylie, mais il n'envisage pas de reconnaitre le
berbere comme langue nationale, meme s'il concede que l'arabisation
se fera de maniere "graduelle".   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8
juillet 1998)

* Angola. Tense after diamond embargo  -  2 July. Angola's diamond
industry has again become a political pawn, six months after UNITA
surrendered its mining operations in the Cuango valley. The UN
imposed sanctions on the rebel movement's economic activities,
including diamond trading, in a bid to avert the collapse of the
peace process in Angola. The move follows increasing military
activity by UNITA and several failed deadlines. However, the
sanctions cover not only UNITA's diamonds but all diamonds exported
without a government export certificate. Large quantities of
Angolan gemstones have reached the open market in recent years. De
Beers bought some $800m in 1996 and $600m-$700m last year, but this
year the supply has fallen with UNITA's withdrawal from the Cuango
valley. UNITA has been the main source of smuggled diamonds from
Angola since 1992, accounting for two-thirds of its estimated $1bn
production last year. The return of the Cuango valley to state
control at the beginning of this year, seemed to be the green light
for the beleaguered diamond sector, as Angola's most valuable
diamond resource. Sociedade Desenvolvimento Minerai -- a consortium
comprising Ashton Mining of Australia, Odebrecht Mining Services of
Brazil and the Angolan parastatal Endiama -- formally took over the
Luzamba mines in January and has been rehabilitating the area. The
consortium expects to begin small-scale mining operations this
month, stock-piling the production until repairs to its dense media
separation plant and sort house are completed. UNITA's occupation
of the mining regions in 1992 had brought official mining
activities almost to a halt, but growth in the sector over the past
year has been considerable.   (Financial Times, U.K., 3 July 1998)

* Angola. L'Unita reprend Kamachilo  -  Le 7 juillet, l'ex-
rebellion Unita a pris le controle de la ville de Kamachilo, dans
la province de Lundo-Norte au nord-est du pays, apres 24 heures de
violents combats avec les forces gouvernementales. Selon une
declaration du chef de la police, des dizaines de civils auraient
ete tues au cours des affrontements.   (La Libre Belgique, 8
juillet 1998)

* Angola. Another oil discovery  -  7 July. International oil
companies operating off Angola announced another deep water
discovery on Block 14. It is the latest confirmation that the deep
water off Angola is likely to emerge as a world class oil
production area in the next decade. The first well drilled on the
Benguela prospect in Block 14 struck high quality oil, which flowed
under test at more than 20,000 barrels a day. The partners in Block
14 are Chevron, which is the operator, Sonagol, the Angolan state
oil company, Agip, Total and Petrogal. Two previous discoveries
have been made on Block 14, including the giant Kuito reservoir,
which will be developed in stages. First production from Kuito is
expected at the end of 1999. Landana, the second discovery, is
being evaluated. Although oil prices this year have been low, there
is no sigh that international companies are slowing the pace of
deep water developments off West Africa. A recent study from
Douglas-Westwood Associates, a UK oil consultancy, estimates that
capital expenditure over the next five years in deep water off West
Africa will total $17.7bn, with much of that devoted to Angola.  
(Financial Times, U.K., 8 July 1998)

* Burkina Faso. Tourisme  -  Fort d'une augmentation de son
activite touristique ces dernieres annees, le Burkina Faso souhaite
s'affirmer comme une "destination sure" au 21e siecle. Entre 1988
et 1997, le Burkina a compte une moyenne annuelle de 138.000
touristes et espere en totaliser 150.000 en 1998. Le ministre du
Transport et du Tourisme a reuni, durant le week-end du 4 au 5
juillet, tous les partenaires de la filiere pour definir ses
strategies. L'un des obstacles a la croissance demeure le cout du
billet d'avion. Les compagnies aeriennes, elles, se plaignent de la
cherte du prix du carburant et d'une concurrence deloyale.  
(D'apres AFP, France, 6 juillet 1998)
* Burundi. Just how many were killed?  -  No one knows how many
people have been killed in five years of bloody civil conflict in
the central African nation of Burundi but all agree that both
majority Hutus and minority Tutsis have died -- and are continuing
to die -- in great numbers. Human rights groups, the media and the
government estimate anywhere between 100,000 to 200,000 people,
mostly civilians, have been killed as a direct result of the
conflict since 1993. But the figures are just that --estimates. The
starting point for Burundi's current crisis is October 1993, when
its first democratically elected president, Melchior Ndadaye, a
Hutu, was assassinated by Tutsi troops in an attempted coup.  
(InfoBeat, USA, 7 July 1998)

* Burundi. Paix et combats  -  Le 1 juillet, a l'occasion de la
celebration de l'anniversaire de l'independance, le president
Buyoya a encore une fois souligne son engagement pour les
negociations de paix. Il a declare que les pourparlers allaient
continuer a "fermer les portes a ceux qui cherchent a nous voler
notre independance". Ses commentaires surviennent quelques jours
apres des affrontements qui ont eclate entre l'armee burundaise et
les rebelles a Kiderege dans la region de Nyanza-Lac. Selon le
porte-parole des rebelles FDD, les combats ont commence le 27 juin
et ont dure trois jours; 34 soldats auraient ete tues. - Durant le
week-end du 4-5 juillet, deux attaques rebelles se sont soldees par
19 victimes dans le sud du pays, selon la radio nationale. Cinq
civils ont ete tues pres de Makamba, a 100 km au sud de Bujumbura.
Intervenant rapidement, les forces de securite ont a leur tour tue
une dizaine de rebelles. En outre, des rebelles presumes ont abattu
4 civils en mitraillant un minibus.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 3-8 juillet 1998)

* Centrafrique. Elections prevues  -  La Commission electorale de
la Republique centrafricaine a propose les dates du 20 septembre et
du 11 octobre pour la tenue des elections legislatives, mais ces
dates ne sont pas encore officielles. Le Conseil de securite de
l'Onu decidera le 15 juillet de la prolongation eventuelle du
mandat de la mission des Nations unies en RCA, la Minurca, qui
jusqu'a present a notamment apporte une aide technique aux organes
electoraux locaux.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 7 juillet 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Troops seal off Kabila residence  -  3 July.
Soldiers sealed off neighbourhoods around President Kabila's
official residence in Kinshasa after sporadic shooting broke out
there, eyewitnesses and military sources said. The cause of the
hour-long exchange was not immediately clear although one senior
police source said troops conducting a weapons search broke in a
neighbourhood had come across illegally armed members of the late
dictator Mobutu army. The source said the former soldiers had
opened fire after refusing to hand over their weapons. Presidential
security sources and civilian residents of the neighbourhood said
calm had returned and traffic was circulating normally after a
period of panic. A civilian resident watching from a balcony said
tanks had moved down from the president's residents to block off
the main road past it and soldiers had stopped all traffic from
entering the area during the period of sporadic shooting. It was
not immediately clear whether Kabila was at his residence at the
time. The incident was the latest in a series of security problems
that have hit Kinshasa since Kabila seized power in May, 1997 in
the former Zaire, renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Mobutu fled and died in exile four months later. The shoot-out
followed clashes on 2 July between soldiers and militiamen in which
at least eight people were killed, according to interior ministry
officials. They said that incident started when guards of
secessionist leader King Mizele exchanged fire with troops
conducting a weapons search.   (Times of Zambia, 4 July 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Secessionist "King" arrested  -  6 July. A self-
proclaimed king who has called for the independence of three of the
11 provinces of Congo RDC has been arrested along with dozens of
supporters, government officials said. "King" Bernard Mizele was
arrested at the weekend in the town of Muanda in the province of
bas-Congo. Mizele fled there after eight militiamen and soldiers
were killed in clashes between his guards and government troops
conducting a weapons search around his home in Kinshasa on 2 July.
Military officials said the secessionists would be brought before
a military tribunal, probably on 7 July.   (InfoBeat, USA, 6 July
1998)

* Congo (RDC). Bakongo contre l'armee  -  Le 2 juillet, huit
personnes au moins, 2 militaires et 6 civils, ont ete tues a
Kinshasa dans des affrontements entre les forces armees et des
membres d'une secte tribale, a annonce le 3 juillet le ministere de
l'Interieur. Les affrontements se sont produits au cours d'une
operation de ratissage menee dans le quartier Makala, dans l'ouest
de Kinshasa, pour rechercher des armes. Des membres de
l'organisation Royaume uni du Kongo (RUK) se sont opposes a cette
operation. Le RUK se bat pour affirmer la suprematie des Bakongo
sur les autres ethnies environnantes. Le 6 juillet, les autorites
ont annonce l'arrestation de Bernard Mizele Nsemi, le "Roi du
Kongo", leader de la secte. 29 autres membres du mouvement ont ete
arretes et transferes au camp militaire de Kokolo dans la capitale. 
 (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 4-7 juillet 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Marche contre l'ONU  -  Le 6 juillet, plusieurs
milliers de femmes ont marche a travers le centre de Kinshasa pour
protester contre le rapport des Nations unies sur les massacres de
refugies en RDC. La manifestation etait encadree par le secretariat
executif de l'AFDL. Les participantes brandissaient des bannieres
qualifiant les Nations unies de "marchands d'esclaves" et accusant
l'organisation d'avoir deux poids et deux mesures pour ne pas avoir
enquete sur les atrocites commises pendant l'ere Mobutu.   (IRIN,
Nairobi, 7 juillet 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Tshisekedi freed  -  1 July: Dozens of supporters of
veteran Kinshasa politician Etienne Tshisekedi turn up at his house
in the capital of Congo RDC to welcome him back from months of
internal exile. The opposition leader, who had been held by the
President Kabila's administration at his native village in the
Kasai province since February, shook hands with followers but made
no comment to the press. At his house in the Limete district,
militants of his Union for Democracy and Social Progress party were
excited but cautious over the meaning of the return. 3 July: In a
letter to President Kabila, Human Rights Watch welcomes his
decision to free Etienne Tshisekedi from internal exile, but
cautions that many others are still under arbitrary detention in
Congo RDC. 7 July: Etienne Tshisekedi says he will work with
President Kabila's government on designing a new constitution. But
the Congolese people should resist attempts to install "a new
dictatorship" and should pressure Kabila to ensure the rule of law.
Tshisekedi says his supporters still have informal contacts with
Kabila's AFDL.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 July 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Tshisekedi defie et se rallie  -  Le 2 juillet,
Etienne Tshisekedi, president de l'UDPS tout juste sorti de son
exil interieur, a declare qu'il continuerait a ignorer
l'interdiction des activites politiques decretee par le president
Kabila. "Je me suis battu pendant 18 ans pour imposer la liberte.
Ce n'est pas Kabila qui va m'empecher d'etre libre", a-t-il declare
dans un entretien avec l'agence Reuters. Mais le 7 juillet, au
cours d'une conference de presse, il a annonce qu'il allait
travailler avec le president Kabila. "Nous devons et nous allons
travailler ensemble avec l'AFDL", a-t-il declare. Il a ajoute qu'il
devait se mettre d'accord avec le chef de l'Etat "sur
l'instauration d'un Etat de droit, dans le cadre d'une Constitution
que nous devrons elaborer ensemble". Des observateurs se demandent
comment expliquer ce changement radical de ton et si les
declarations de M. Tshisekedi au sujet de la Constitution
indiqueraient qu'un accord a ete conclu pour qu'il dirige
l'assemblee constituante.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 4-8
juillet 1998)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Revision constitutionnelle  -  Les deputes
ivoiriens ont adopte, le 30 juin, un projet de revision de la
Constitution, qui accroit considerablement les pouvoirs, deja tres
etendus, du chef de l'Etat. Le president pourra entre autres
decider unilateralement du report de l'election presidentielle,
prevue pour l'an 2000. Apres la revision, le chef d'Etat ivoirien
sera elu pour sept ans et pourra se presenter jusqu'a l'age de 75
ans, alors que le mandat etait de cinq ans, renouvelable une fois.
Le tiers du Senat sera designe par le chef de l'Etat. Le Premier
ministre ne sera plus qu'un coordonnateur. L'opposition, ultra-
minoritaire, denonce la mise en place de nouvelles institutions
sans debat public, puisque l'essentiel du travail parlementaire a
ete effectue en commission, a huit clos, et que l'adoption en
seance pleniere ne fut qu'une simple formalite.   (Le Monde,
France, 3 juillet 1998)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Enquetes sur le deces d'A. Beye  -  Deux enquetes
officielles ont ete ouvertes sur l'accident aerien qui a provoque,
le 27 juin, la mort de 7 personnes dont M. Alioune Beye,
representant special de l'ONU pour l'Angola. Les Nations unies ont
decide d'instituer, aux cotes de la commission d'enquete du
gouvernement ivoirien, leur propre commission. Alors que d'apres
les premieres informations disponibles, la boite noire de l'avion
n'aurait pas revele grand chose, les rumeurs d'un eventuel attentat
ne font que s'amplifier.   (Misna, Rome, 7 juillet 1998)

* Egypte. Journalistes acquittes  -  La Cour de cassation du Caire
a annule, le 2 juillet, l'emprisonnement de deux journalistes
islamistes. MM. Hussein et Hilal avaient ete condamnes le 24
fevrier pour diffamation a l'encontre d'un fils de l'ancien
ministre egyptien de l'Interieur, Hassan al-Afi Ala.   (Le Monde,
France, 4 juillet 1998)

* Egypt. Observing an undeclared truce  -  6 July. An Islamist
lawyer was quoted as saying that al-Gama'a al-Islamiya, Egypt's
largest Muslim militant group, was observing an undeclared
ceasefire. Montasser al-Zayyat, who has acted as defense lawyer for
militants in the past, told the London-based Arabic-language
newspaper Al-Hayat there had been a lull in violence since a
statement issued by Gama'a leaders in exile in late January. The
statement said Gama'a was considering accepting a ceasefire call
made in July by six Gama'a leaders jailed in Egypt. About 1,200
people, mostly militants and policemen, have been killed since
radical Islamic groups took up arms in Egypt in 1992.   (InfoBeat,
USA, 6 July 1998)

* Erythree/Ethiopie. Mediations  -  Le Rwanda s'est retire de la
mediation entreprise par l'OUA dans le conflit frontalier entre
l'Erythree et l'Ethiopie afin de ne pas compromettre les chances de
la mission de paix interafricaine, a-t-on appris le 2 juillet a
Addis-Abeba. Le Rwanda a ete l'instigateur, avec les Etats-Unis,
d'un plan de paix approuve par l'OUA et le Conseil de securite des
Nations unies, accepte par Addis-Abeba mais refuse par Asmara. Le
2 juillet, une mission de l'OUA s'etait rendue a Asmara pour
poursuivre ses travaux avec le gouvernement erythreen. La
representation diplomatique rwandaise ne participera pas a ces
travaux. -Le 7 juillet, devant le Parlement ethiopien, le Premier
ministre Zenawi a declare que l'Ethiopie defendra sa souverainete
par la force si l'Erythree continuait d'occuper les territoires
disputes. Les deux pays ont masse de nombreuses troupes de part et
d'autre de leur frontiere, ou les combats ont pratiquement cesse
depuis le 11 juin. Une mission de paix de l'OUA tente toujours de
renouer le dialogue entre les deux protagonistes. Le president
ougandais Museveni a entame, le 5 juillet, une navette entre Asmara
et Addis Abeba et propose ses bons offices.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 8 juillet 1998)

* Eritrea/Ethiopia. Talks on the war  -  1 July: Four African
ambassadors hold talks with Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki as
part of a peace initiative aimed at resolving a border conflict
with Ethiopia in which hundreds have died. Eritrean government
officials describe as "positive" the visit of the ambassadors, who
studied maps of a disputed border area around Badme and documents
supplied by the government. Afewerki last month rejected a
presidential OAU mission to both capitals because its facilitation
was based on the US-Rwanda plan that calls on Eritrea to withdraw
from territory around Badme. It makes no such demand of Ethiopia.
The team of negotiators represents the four-nation team mandated by
the OAU summit on 10 June in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.3 July: The
team of African diplomats leaves Addis Ababa for Asmara in renewed
peace efforts -- without the Rwanda representative, Rwanda having
announced its withdrawal from the team. Rwanda's withdrawal is to
allow the OAU mediation team a chance of success, after Asmara
rejected a US-Rwanda peace plan which called for a neutral
demarcation of the border and withdrawal of Eritrean troops to pre-
6 May positions. 7 July: Ugandan President Museveni arrives in
Ethiopia from Eritrea in the latest attempt to resolve the dispute. 
 (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 July 1998)

* Ethiopia. Abduction  -  2 July. The International Committee of
the Red Cross said it believed six of its staff missing for a week
in eastern Ethiopia had been abducted. The six, five Ethiopian
nationals of Somali extraction and one Swiss national, were seen
walking with unidentified armed men, according to ICRC spokesman
Michael Kleiner in Geneva. The six were travelling in three
vehicles to Degah Bur from Gode in the ethnic Somali region of
Ethiopia when they went missing. Their ultimate destination had
been the town of Jijiga.   (InfoBeat, USA, 2 July 1998)

* Guinea-Bissau. Stalled talks resume  -  1 July: Representatives
of the government and army mutineers in Guinea-Bissau resume
ceasefire talks aboard a Portuguese navy vessel. As progress on the
talks is awaited, Western diplomats monitoring the situation from
Dakar, Senegal say that Senegalese troops backing the government
have been unable to make major progress in nearly a month of
fighting. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres reiterates in
a Portuguese radio interview, that despite the deadlock, Lisbon has
no intention of intervening militarily in its former colony where
the capital, Bissau, has been devastated by artillery shelling. The
talks are between Mane and Guinea Bissau's premier, Carlos Correia.
The same day, in a News Release, Amnesty International calls on all
involved in the conflict to ensure that any peace agreement
implemented, builds respect for human rights. 3 July: Fighting
spreads throughout Bissau. Army mutineers pound Senegalese troops.
Inland, the fighting also intensifies in what appears to be an all-
out effort by rebel forces to gain the upper hand. 5 July: Forces
loyal to the government exchange fire with rebel soldiers in the
capital in some of the fiercest fighting since the military revolt
began four weeks ago. 6 July: Pro-government forces fire heavy
artillery at the rebel stronghold near the airport in Bissau and
may be gaining the upper hand in the fighting.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 7 July 1998)

* Guinee-Bissau. Les combats s'etendent  -  Les 2 et 3 juillet, les
combats entre militaires insurges et forces loyalistes se sont
etendus a l'interieur du pays. Les forces loyalistes controleraient
toute la partie est et sud-est du pays, tandis que les troupes
rebelles du general Ansumane Mane tiendraient toujours solidement
la zone de l'aeroport, au nord de Bissau, qui commande tout le
trafic routier de la capitale vers l'interieur du pays. - Le 4
juillet, les ministres ouest-africains, reunis a Abidjan, ont
preconise "l'usage de la force" pour mettre un terme a la
rebellion. Mais ils ont pris la precaution de renvoyer la question
devant le Conseil de securite de l'ONU, de sorte qu'une
intervention de l'Ecomog parait peu probable. -5 juillet. Selon la
la television portugaise, la capitale Bissau subit les
bombardements les plus intenses qu'elle a connus depuis le debut
des hostilites. De violents combats auraient fait plus de 200 morts
dans les rangs des insurges, selon une source militaire. - 7
juillet. Selon des sources diplomatiques, les troupes senegalaises
ont sensiblement progresse vers l'aeroport. L'artillerie des
rebelles, qui pourraient manquer de munitions, ne riposte plus. Les
insurges ont de nouveau propose un cessez-le-feu sur la base des
positions occupees par les deux parties. Ils accepteraient de
deposer les armes a deux conditions: la mise en place d'une force
d'interposition lusophone et le retrait des forces etrangeres
(senegalaises et guineennes). Les tentatives de mediation se
poursuivent, la derniere en date par une commission de l'Assemblee
nationale, mais le president Vieira exige toujours que les insurges
deposent les armes avant l'ouverture de negociations. Selon
l'eveque de Bissau, Mgr. Ferrazzetta, la situation est dramatique,
les centaines de milliers de deplaces manquant totalement de
nourriture et de medicaments. Il appelle le president Vieira a
accepter de dialoguer.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8 juillet
1998)

* Kenya. 84 morts pour une vache  -  Des combats entre tribus
kenyane et ougandaise ont fait 84 morts dans le nord-ouest du
Kenya. Les combats ont commence le 2 juillet. Des Pokots, membre
d'une tribu kenyane, ont poursuivi et tue 36 Karamajongs,
appartenant a une tribu ougandaise, apres s'etre fait voler une
vache. Les Karamajongs ont ensuite tendu une embuscade aux Pokots
et leur ont tire dessus au Bazooka. Le gouvernement kenyan a prevu
de deployer deux unites.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 6 juillet 1998)

* Libya. No chance for dissenting voices  -  3 July. Amnesty
International is demanding that the Libyan authorities reveal the
whereabouts of at least 100 professionals arrested in early June on
suspicion of political opposition activities. "This is yet another
example of the culture of secrecy that cloaks the treatment of
those who dare to express dissent in Libya", Amnesty International
said. "These people appear to have been arrested simply because
they were suspected of supporting or sympathizing with the Libyan
Islamic Group -- an underground Islamist movement which is not
known to have used or advocated violence", the organization said.
"And now there is a danger that they may be tortured for their
beliefs". Amnesty International is calling on the Libyan
authorities to release immediately all those imprisoned solely for
their beliefs. Those arrested were mostly taken by security forces
from their homes at night. They include university lecturers,
engineers, medical doctors and civil servants. The arrests took
place in a number of major cities, particularly Benghazi. Scores of
others fled the country but family members left behind are said to
be under constant harassment from the security forces.   (Amnesty
International, 3 July 1998)

* Libya/Italy. Italy wants to bring back Libya  -  Italy is seeking
to normalize relations with Libya in the hope that such bilateral
links can help the return of the North African country into the
international fold. The hope that Italy could start to thaw Libya's
icy relations with much of the rest of the world surfaced after the
latest meeting of a joint commission which ended 4 July. The
meeting, chaired by Italian foreign minister, Lamberto Dini and his
Libyan counterpart Omar Mustafa El-Muntasser, ended with a pledge
to sigh as soon as possible a document..."to close definitively the
negative legacy of the past" between the two countries and start a
new chapter in relations.   (InfoBeat, USA, 6 July 1998)

* Libya. Presidents defy UN embargo  -  The presidents of Chad and
Niger defied a United Nations air embargo by flying into Libya on
6 July for special prayers to be led by Muammar Gadafy to celebrate
the Prophet Mohamed's birthday. Idriss Deby of Chad and Ibrahim
Mainassara of Niger will be joining thousands of representatives of
Muslim organisations in the prayers in the northern seaside town of
Al-Bayda, 865 miles east of the capital Tripoli. State television
said four other presidents -- Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali, Ahmad
Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone, Yahya Jammeh of Gambia and Abdou
Diouf of Senegal -- were also in Libya. However, they came by road. 
 (The Guardian, U.K., 7 July 1998)

* Libye. Sanctions prorogees  -  Le Conseil de securite des Nations
unies a proroge, le 2 juillet, pour quatre mois les sanctions
internationales imposees depuis 1992 a la Libye pour son refus de
cooperer dans l'affaire de l'attentat de Lockerbie. Les pays
africains et non alignes ont reclame sans succes la levee de ces
sanctions. - D'autre part, le colonel Kadhafi, qui s'est brise la
hanche apres une chute le 6 juillet, devait etre opere dans la
journee, a fait savoir son medecin. Des rumeurs de tentatives
d'attentat ont ete dementies par Kadhafi a la television libyenne. 
 (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 4-7 juillet 1998)

* Libya. Gaddafi to undergo operation  -  6 July. Libyan leader
Muammar Gaddafi is to undergo surgery for a broken hip suffered
after he tripped while exercising, Libyan television said. The
television showed Gaddafi lying in bed in a meeting room in the
city of Beida, receiving heads of state from Muslim countries in
Libya to mark the birth of the Prophet Mohammad. Gaddafi's doctor
interrupted the meeting with delegates and the press and said
Gaddafi suffered a hip fracture while exercising and would undergo
surgery after the news conference. Gaddafi was lying on a bed
surrounded by his health team, bodyguards and cabinet members, with
West African presidents sitting in front of him. The fracture
prevented Gaddafi from leading special prayers at Beida's Bilal
mosque.   (InfoBeat, USA, 7 July 1998)

* Mali. Alioune Blondin Beye laid to rest  -  Alioune Blondin Beye,
Special Representative of the UN in Angola, who died in a plane
crash on 26 June, was buried on 30 June in Bamako. Media reports
said his funeral in the Malian capital was presided by President
Alpha Konare with delegations from Angola and the UN assistant
Secretary-General, Bernard Mounier. Beye, 59, a barrister and
former Malian foreign minister, was killed on 26 June when the
light aircraft in which he was travelling crashed in thick bush
late on the same day outside Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. In a special
tribute, Ivorian foreign minister, Amara Essy, and Malian Prime
Minister Ibrahim Keita called Beye a "worthy son of Africa, a
fearless soldier of peace".   (IRIN, Nairobi, 1 July 1998)

* Morocco. Protesting Amnesty report  -  2 July. Moroccan media
said the prime minister plans to write to Amnesty International to
protest against the human rights group's recent reports about the
north African country. Prime Minister, Abderrahmane El Youssoufi
met an Amnesty team headed by Secretary-General Pierre Sane last
month. During Sane's visit, Amnesty hailed efforts made by Morocco
to clear up cases of political prisoners and forced disappearances.
But it said the fate was still unknown of some 500 people, mainly
Western Saharans who disappeared between 1964 and 1987.  
(InfoBeat, USA, 2 July 1998)

* Namibia. High level of AIDS  -  About 20% of Namibian adults
between the ages of 15 and 49 are infected with the HIV-virus. This
was revealed in a UNAIDS report at the United Nations' 12th World
AIDS conference held in Geneva. The report says 150,000 people in
the country are HIV positive. UNAIDS country programme director
Mary Guinn Delaney said HIV/AIDS was the single most important
macro-economic variable for the country for the next 10 years.
Delaney predicted that the cost of hundreds of sick people and
their eventual deaths would overwhelm the country's health care
system. Namibia was ranked among the top 10 AIDS infected countries
in a report by the Health Ministry in December 1996.  
(UN/Infolink, 2 July 1998)

* Namibie. Reforme de la Constitution?  -  La Swapo, parti au
pouvoir en Namibie, se reunira en congres extraordinaire le mois
prochain pour debattre d'une reforme de la Constitution qui
permettrait au president Sam Nujoma d'accomplir un troisieme
mandat. Le secretaire general de la Swapo a declare, le 7 juillet,
que son parti avait decide que M. Nujoma, 69 ans, serait le
candidat investi pour l'election presidentielle de l'annee
prochaine, malgre la limite constitutionnelle de deux mandats de
cinq ans. L'opposition s'est dressee d'un bloc contre ce projet,
mais la Swapo dispose de plus de deux tiers des sieges au Parlement
et est par consequent en position d'amender la Constitution malgre
les objections de l'opposition.   (D'apres AFP, France, 8 juillet
1998)

* Nigeria. Ballet diplomatique  -  Le 30 juin, le nouveau chef de
l'Etat, le general Abubakar, a nomme le general Abdullah Muhammed
au poste de conseiller politique, en remplacement d'un proche de
l'ex-president Abacha. Il a egalement renvoye trois conseillers
politiques proches d'Abacha. Le 27 juin, M. Abubakar avait
rencontre les dirigeants de la National Democratic Coalition
(opposants defenseurs des droits de l'homme et de la democratie)
pour discuter de l'avenir du pays. Et le 26 juin, il avait
egalement recu un groupe de 34 representants politiques qui lui ont
propose la mise en place pour un an d'un gouvernement de
transition, charge d'assurer la preparation d'elections a l'echelle
nationale.   (D'apres Marches Tropicaux, France, 3 juillet 1998)

* Nigeria. Liberation des prisonniers politiques  -  Le 2 juillet,
le secretaire general de l'ONU a annonce a Abuja que le
gouvernement nigerian etait d'accord pour liberer tous ses
prisonniers politiques. Une amnistie devrait permettre un
elargissement rapide du principal opposant Moshood Abiola. En
echange de sa liberte, l'ancien candidat de l'election
presidentielle de 1993 accepte de renoncer a sa victoire. Le
general Abubakar avait deja libere 27 prisonniers. Selon le Comite
pour la defense des droits de l'homme, les detenus d'opinion au
Nigeria seraient plus de 250. - D'autre part, lors d'une reunion
avec M. Annan le 1 juillet, le conseil consultatif nigerian des
chefs traditionnels a demande un report au 1er janvier 1999 des
elections presidentielles afin de donner plus de temps pour une
participation totalement democratique.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 3 juillet 1998)

* Nigeria. Positive moves  -  1 July: At a meeting with UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Nigerian traditional rulers'
consultative council calls for presidential elections in Nigeria to
be postponed to 1 January 1999. This will allow more time for full
democratic participation, including Moshood Abiola, the presumed
winner of the annulled 1993 polls. The traditional rulers also call
for the release of all political prisoners and say the country's
five registered political parties should not be disbanded. 2 July:
Kofi Annan says he has obtained a promise from Nigeria's military
leaders that all remaining political prisoners, including the
politician Moshood Abiola, will be released. The promise appears to
signal that Nigeria wishes to shed its pariah status, but the
release of Chief Abiola, who was jailed by the military after
claiming to have won the 1993 presidential elections, seems to
depend on his giving up the claim to lead Africa's most populous
country. The timing of the release of the estimated 100 prisoners
is not clear. Mr.Annan says: "The announcement will be made at the
appropriate time". The same day, Human Rights Watch welcomes the
announcement that the Nigerian Head of State has agreed to release
all political prisoners. 3 July: Rumours are circulating that
General Abubajar will soon announce a timetable for free elections
by the end of the year. The Commonwealth Secretary-General says he
has noted a new mood in Nigeria and is confident its military
rulers will restore democracy. 6 July: The Daily Times (government-
owned) says Nigeria's transition to civilian rule may be extended
by a year from its scheduled termination date of 1 October. The
same day, a high level US delegation arrives in Nigeria. 7 July:
Chief Moshood Abiola, the millionaire businessman who claimed to be
Nigeria's rightfully elected President, dies in the middle of
negotiations to secure his release from jail. He died of an
apparent heart attack after being taken ill at a meeting with
Nigerian and US government officials.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 July
1998)

* Nigeria. Death of Chief Abiola  -  Chief Moshood Abiola, the
millionaire businessman who claimed to be Nigeria's rightfully
elected president, died on 7 July, in the middle of negotiations to
secure his release from jail. His death, announced in an official
statement by the Nigerian military government, could inflame
passions in the volatile political atmosphere in the country since
the death of Gen.Sani Abacha, the former military ruler, just one
month ago. According to the statement, Chief Abiola died of an
apparent cardiac arrest after being taken ill at a meeting with
Nigerian and US government officials. The US delegation, led by
Thomas Pickering, under-secretary of state, had arrived to discuss
arrangements for a return to democracy in Nigeria with
Gen.Abdulsalam Abubakar, the new head of state. Chief Abiola's
release from detention was seen as an essential condition for that
process. His sudden heath is likely to be interpreted by his
supporters -- above all among the Yoruba people of Lagos and south-
western Nigeria -- as anything but death by natural causes.
However, the government immediately promised to order a post
mortem, if his family would permit it. Negotiations for his release
centred on his willingness to abandon his claim to the presidency,
based on his presumed victory in civilian elections in 1993, which
were annulled by the then military government.   (Financial Times,
U.K., 8 July 1998)

* Nigeria. Mort de Moshood Abiola  -  Le 7 juillet, le principal
opposant au regime militaire, Moshood Abiola, incarcere depuis
1994, est mort en prison. Selon un communique de la presidence, il
est decede d'une crise cardiaque. Le texte precise qu'il a ete pris
de malaise en fin d'apres-midi, lors d'un entretien entre des
representants nigerians et americains, auquel il assistait. Une
autopsie sera effectuee, avec l'accord de la famille, pour
determiner les causes exactes de sa mort. Sa liberation etait
consideree comme prochaine et devait permettre une transition
democratique au Nigeria. C'etait de cela qu'une delegation
americaine, menee par le sous-secretaire d'Etat aux Affaires
politiques Thomas Pickering, etait venue discuter. La delegation,
qui devait repartir dans la soiree, a decide de rester au Nigeria
au moins jusqu'au lendemain. Quelques centaines de jeunes,
contestant le deces, sont descendus dans les rues de Lagos et ont
erige des barricades. Des unites de police ont pris position autour
de la maison familiale d'Abiola pour eviter de possibles
rassemblements populaires. Le lendemain, des emeutes qui ont eclate
a Lagos et dans plusieurs villes du sud du pays ont fait au moins
19 morts, mais le calme semblait etre revenu dans l'apres-midi. Le
general Abubakar a appele le pays au calme et a dissou le
gouvernement, mais sans toucher a l'instance militaire supreme, le
PCR (Conseil provisoire de gouvernement).   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 9 juillet 1998)

* Rwanda. Commemoration  -  Le 4 juillet, quelque 35.000 Rwandais
ont participe a Kigali, sans enthousiasme, a une ceremonie
commemorant l'entree des troupes du Front patriotique rwandais dans
Kigali, le 4 juillet 1994. La ceremonie, qui s'est deroulee dans le
grand stade de la capitale rwandaise, a ete placee sous le signe de
la reconciliation et de la reconstruction, maitres mots du
gouvernement domine par le FPR, qui gouverne depuis la fin de la
guerre.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 6 juillet 1998)

* Sao Tome e Principe. The military "unhappy"  -  1 July. In the
former Portuguese colony of Sao Tome e Principe, the military says
it is "unhappy" with the government. Portuguese Antena I Radio says
that officers have given Prime Minister Raul Braganca 10 days,
until 11 July, to resolve their situation. It quotes a statement by
the officers saying that the government has not "kept its promises"
to recently demobilised officers. "The document warns that the
situation in Sao Tome is similar to that in Guinea-Bissau", the
radio report said. Sao Tomean Defence Minister Joao Bexigas says,
however, the situation will be resolved and that there is "no
possible" comparison with Guinea-Bissau.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 1 July
1998)

* Senegal. Nouveau Premier ministre  -  Le 3 juillet, Mamadou
Lamine Loum, ministre de l'Economie et des finances du gouvernement
sortant, a ete nomme Premier ministre par le president Diouf.
Plusieurs partis de l'opposition, dont le Parti democratique
senegalais de Me Wade, qui avaient accepte de participer au
gouvernement mis en place en 1993, ont annonce leur refus de faire
partie du nouveau gouvernement. Le lendemain, 4 juillet, M. Lamine
Loum a publie les noms de son equipe gouvernementale, qui comprend
32 ministres et ministres delegues, dont 5 femmes.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 4 juillet 1998)

* Sierra Leone. Relief help  -  1 July. The US said it was donating
$19.5 million to relief organizations working in and around the
West African state of Sierra Leone, where civil war has displaced
hundreds of thousands of people. The State Department said the
money would go to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, the International
Red Cross, the World Food Program and non-governmental
organisations. It brings to more than $50 million the money the US
has contributed in food and other assistance to people in Sierra
Leone since the crisis began. The biggest single sum was $3.8
million earmarked for the International Red Cross's relief
operations in Sierra Leone and in Liberia.   (InfoBeat, USA, 2 July
1998)

* Sierra Leone. Refugies  -  Le 3 juillet, le Haut commissaire de
l'ONU pour les refugies, Sadako Ogata, a demande au gouvernement
guineen l'acces immediat aux camps qui abritent plus de 150.000
refugies du Sierra Leone, qui sont coupes de toute aide humanitaire
depuis trois semaines - D'autre part, 17 anciens soldats accuses
d'avoir des liens avec la junte militaire dechue seront traduits en
justice la semaine prochaine sous linculpation de trahison; ils
risquent la peine capitale.   (IRIN, Abidjan, 3 juillet 1998)

* Somalie. Nouvelles violences  -  La Somalie fait face a une
recrudescence de violences, alors que de nouveaux protagonistes,
miliciens des cours islamiques, ont fait leur apparition. Ceux-ci
sont notamment intervenus a Beletwein (centre) pour y faire cesser
des combats qui avaient fait 18 morts en 4 jours. La communaute
internationale commence a perdre patience. Les Nations unies
tentent desormais de travailler avec des representants de la
societe civile, a indique le representant de l'ONU, David Stephen.
L'Ethiopie et l'Egypte multiplient leurs tentatives de
reconciliation, mais sans resultat. Par ailleurs, l'Armee de
resistance rahanwein, basee dans et autour de Baidoa, accuse les
miliciens de Hussein Aidid de massacres et violations des droits de
l'homme. Pres de 6.000 personnes ont fui Baidoa pour se refugier a
Mogadiscio, ou les rares ONG encore presentes font difficilement
face a la situation.   (D'apres Marches Tropicaux, France, 3
juillet 1998)

* Somalia/Libya. Talks with Gaddafi  -  Somali warlords left by air
on 5 July for talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on restoring
peace in their strife-torn Horn of Africa nation. Faction leaders
Ali Mahdi Mohamed, Hussein Aideed and Osman Ali Atto, accompanied
by large delegations and by the Libyan ambassador to Somalia, Ali
Sayid Ma'tug, took off from the airport at Ballidogle, 60 miles
south of Mogadishu. The spokesmen said Gaddafi had invited the
faction leaders for talks on ways of restoring peace and normality
in Somalia, which has had no central government since President
Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted in 1991.   (InfoBeat, USA, 6 July
1998)

* Somaliland. Vaults are nearly empty  -  When the governor of
Somaliland's central bank wants to find out how his currency is
faring against US dollars he walks out on to the streets of
Hargesia, the capital of Somaliland, and trades a few hundred
dollars with the money changers who sit in the dust. "If we see the
rate rising, we collect traders and bring them to the bank", says
Abdul Rahman Dualeh Mohamoud. "Each time we put $30,000 to $80,000
into the market to withdraw shillings". Maintaining the street
value of the Somaliland shilling against the widely used dollar is
part of Mr.Mohamoud's tricky task in shepherding a currency
introduced less than four years ago by the self-declared republic,
which has yet to gain international recognition. "The governor
comes to deal on the street maybe once a month", says Adbul Hakim,
29, from behind his little wooden box laden with teetering towers
of Somaliland shilling notes. "I have dealt with him often".
Mr.Hakim and the other money changers are still enjoying the fact
that they can set out their cash without fear of armed robbery. Not
long ago it would have been unthinkable. The government of
Somaliland has bought peace in this war ravaged country by paying
freelance militias to stay in camps, preventing them from turning
their AK-47s, artillery and T55 tanks on each other and the
civilian population.   (Financial Times, U.K., 6 July 1998)

* South Africa. Police can't read  -  1 July. A total of 30,000
police service members and more than 19,000 civilians in the
service of the police cannot read and write sufficiently to do
their job properly. The division responsible for in-service
training and specialised training promotion of the police,
confirmed that all these members would be undergoing training to
improve their literacy level. It is being said that there are
members in the force who cannot even read or write. There is
frustration amongst members of the police service who have to
perform the work for illiterate colleagues, in order to ensure that
the service can continue to perform its duties, Senior
Superintendent Johan Smal, spokesman for the Police Service's human
resources management in Pretoria, said. The literacy problem is
viewed in a serious light as a result of the staff shortage and the
additional workload many police officials have to take on. Despite
the fact that one of the prerequisites for employment in the police
service is that of a matric (Grade 12) qualification, hundreds of
employees only have a Grade 6 (Std.4) or lower qualification. As a
result of the serious nature of the matter, the Adult Basic
Education and Training Project (Abet) is now being intensively
pursued by the police. The Abet course takes members up to Grade 10
(Std.8). Afterwards, the members can study further on their own
initiative. However, this is not compulsory and the police hope
that the salary increase which goes with a matric qualification
will act as an incentive, Smal said.   (PeaceLink, Italy, 2 July
1998)

* South Africa/Libya. Arms-for-oil deal  -  27 June: London's
Sunday Telegraph reports that South Africa has concluded a secret
œ300 million deal to supply Libya with weapons and spare parts, in
return for cut-price oil. 30 June: The Sunday Telegraph sticks to
its weekend report, despite denials by the South African government
and Armscor that it was involved in the transaction.   (Peacelink
for Africa, Italy, 2 July 1998)

* South Africa. Anglo linked to Tenke project  -  Anglo American
Corporation, South Africa's biggest company, says it has been asked
to make a bid for participation in the $475m Tenke Fungurume
copper-cobalt project in Congo RDC. However, Phil Wright, president
of Tenke Mining, which owns 55% of the project, refused to confirm
Anglo had been invited to bid. He said: "a number of companies have
been doing their due diligence work for six months and I am not
willing to release their names. "Tenke is a world-class project and
it is important that we take the time to ensure that we have the
right partners to participate in its development. This is perhaps
the most important decision we will make". Julian Ogilvie Thompson,
Anglo chairman, referred in his annual statement to Africa's
potential as a low cost producer of base metals and suggested that
Tenke, in which Congo's state-owned Gecamines has a 45% stake, had
the potential to produce 400,000 tonnes of copper and 20,000 tonnes
of cobalt a year.   (Financial Times, U.K., 3 July 1998)

* South Africa. President Mandela meets Pope  -  Pope John Paul and
President Mandela have met for talks on the future of South Africa
and the African continent. From the beginning of their half-hour
encounter at the Vatican on 18 June, it was clear that both leaders
wanted to express their mutual esteem. President Mandela, at nearly
80 almost two years older than the pontiff, bent protocol with a
heartfelt vocal greeting as he approached the door of the pope's
library. "What an honour it is to meet your Holiness again", he
said in a booming voice. "Welcome to the Vatican", replied the
Pope. "Your Holiness is looking very well", Mandela added. The Pope
chuckled, then turned with the help of his cane and led the
President in for private conversation. A Vatican statement said
President Mandela thanked the Pope for the great contribution made
by the South African Church towards the spiritual and material
progress of the country, especially in the long and difficult
transition from apartheid to racial equality and reconciliation.
The President said he specially appreciated church efforts in
education and social assistance. The two also discussed trouble
spots in Africa and the "urgent" need for solutions on many fronts.
Mr.Mandela presented the Pontiff with a small statue of an African
woman with a child in a sling around her neck. "This is how they
carry babies in Africa", he said. After the Pope offered a blessing
for South Africa, the President told him that the meeting, their
first since a papal visit to South Africa in 19995, had been a real
honour. "I wish Your Holiness a long and healthy life", Mr.Mandela
said before departing for talks with the Vatican Secretary of
State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.   (The Southern Cross, South Africa,
5 July 1998)

* Afrique du Sud. Parti communiste  -  Le 5 juillet, apres une
confrontation ideologique sans precedent, le Parti communiste sud-
africain a conclu son 10e congres en affirmant sa loyaute envers
l'ANC au pouvoir. Bien qu'entre ces deux partis il y ait un
desaccord fondamental au sujet de la politique economique, leur
alliance strategique durera au moins jusqu'aux elections de 1999. 
 (De Standaard, Belgique, 6 juillet 1998)

* South Africa. Lacking experience  -  The South African government
was reassuring local journalists at the weekend that the startling
appointment of Tito Mboweni to head the reserve bank had been long
planned -- a year, by one account, writes a correspondent in
Johannesburg. If this was the case, it seemed to have omitted to
tell the outgoing governor, Chris Stals. Two weeks ago he said in
an interview that his successor would been two qualifications: he
or she "must be someone with real banking experience" and able to
command the loyalty of staff. If the staff enthuse at Mr.Mboweni's
appointment it will not be because of his banking experience, which
is non-existent. But he cannot be criticised for lack of ability.
A graduate of the University of East Anglia, with a master's degree
in development economics, Mr.Mboweni, aged 39, is seen as one of
the most capable members of South Africa's cabinet. Under his
direction the African National Congress government has churned out
a slew of labour legislation -- most of it, however, seen as
generous to a fault to the unions. He has been heavily dependent on
left-wing advisers at the labour ministry, and in the exile years
was reportedly a member of the South African Communist Party. But
he appears to accept South Africa's commitment to an open economy,
saying at the weekend that trying to shield an economy from the
effects of globalisation was like "trying to create laws to limit
the Internet". Characterised by the local Financial Mail as
"supremely self-assured, opinionated, affable, cutting and easily
bored", he has seemingly lost interest in the labour portfolio.
Considered an ambitious politician, he had been seen as capable of
succeeding Thabo Mbeki in the presidency. But after the new
appointment, he says he has no further political ambitions and
envisages a subsequent career in academia.   (The Guardian, U.K.,
7 July 1998)

* Sudan/Egypt. Tension on border  -  2 July. A Sudanese official
was quoted as saying Egyptian forces were harassing Sudanese
citizens and beating up tribal chiefs in the disputed Halaib border
triangle on the Red Sea coast. The independent Khartoum daily Al-
Usbou quoted Nafie Ali Nafie, commissioner of Halaib province, as
saying Egypt's actions in the area were a form of pressure on
Khartoum. Earlier this year Cairo and Khartoum were seeking to
improve their strained ties, but negotiators failed to reach
agreement on the return of Egyptian property seized in Sudan.  
(InfoBeat, USA, 2 July 1998)

* Sudan. Accusations concerning bombs  -  Sudan's Islamist
government said its opponents planted bombs in Khartoum to disrupt
the anniversary of the coup d'etat that brought it to power. An
Interior Ministry statement said on 1 July: "Opposition elements
backed by quarters outside Sudan" had placed the bombs in key
installations in and around the capital. Targets included the
Friendship Hall in central Khartoum, power stations in and around
the city and oil reservoirs in its southern suburbs. An opposition
source based in Cairo said the claims were government propaganda. 
 (InfoBeat, USA, 2 July 1998)

* Sudan. Vatican calls for more food  -  5 July. Famine in Sudan's
southern Bahr el Ghazal region has worsened, and up too 60% of
people is some areas are suffering from malnutrition, the Pope's
administrator for the area said in Nairobi. Mgr.Caesar Mazzolari,
who has been visiting the region's Rumbek diocese, said in a
statement, "The food distributed by the United Nations World Food
Programme, aid agencies and the Churches is far from being enough".
He said the WFP was able to deliver only about half the 10,000 tons
of food needed each month. "The famine is now hitting hard the
children, the disabled, the elderly and the lepers -- those who
have most difficulty in reaching the food distribution centres", he
said. "I witnessed dramatic cases of starving mothers with their
children collapsing on an airstrip after walking all night -- and
finding that the food distribution had ended". He said an increase
in the flow of food to the famine-hit areas was urgently needed in
July and August.   (The Guardian, U.K., 6 July 1998)

* Soudan. L'insecurite entrave l'aide  -  Dans un communique de
presse du 6 juillet, MSF a prevenu que l'insecurite entravait
serieusement les distributions de nourriture d'urgence dans la
region et que les organisations humanitaires avaient ete obligees
de se retirer de l'Etat du Haut Nil occidental a cause des combats,
laissant derriere elles 751 enfants sans nourriture. Selon des
informations en provenance de la ville de Leer, un certain nombre
de batiments y ont ete brules et les maisons du personnel
humanitaire pillees. MSF declare que la paix est essentielle si
l'aide humanitaire doit empecher une famine plus importante. Par
ailleurs, le gouvernement allemand a annonce qu'il accordait $1,4
million d'aide au Sud-Soudan.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 7 juillet 1998)

* Tanzanie. Suspects de genocide  -  Le Tribunal penal
international pour le Rwanda, etabli a Arusha, a fait parvenir a la
Tanzanie une liste de suspects, presumes avoir pris part au
genocide au Rwanda en 1994, a annonce le 7 juillet le president
tanzanien Benjamin Mkapa. "Nous suivrons la procedure legale pour
les arreter, mais nous le ferons bientot", a-t-il affirme, sans
toutefois preciser combien de noms figuraient sur cette liste, ni
si tous les suspects allaient etre arretes. Pres d'un demi-million
de refugies hutu vivent actuellement dans des camps dans le nord-
ouest de la Tanzanie.   (AP, Etats-Unis, 7 juillet 1998)

* Uganda. Government scoffs at rebels' demands  -  2 July. Ugandan
politicians described as "a joke" rebel demands for the secession
of northern Uganda, but urged the government to pursue peace talks.
Rebels fighting the Ugandan government said in demands made public,
that they wanted to see northern Uganda secede. They also accused
the government of unleashing a secret army on the population of the
north. Member of Parliament Aggrey Awori described the rebels
separatist bid as a public relations "joke", but said it should not
prevent the government from engaging in peace talks.   (InfoBeat,
USA, 2 July 1998)

* Uganda. Rebel activity  -  2 July. Up to 30 rebels of the Allied
Democratic Forces (ADF) have been killed by the army during heavy
fighting in western Uganda, army spokesman Shaban Bantariza said.
He also said that another rebel camp in the Ruwenzori mountain area
had been overrun, bringing the number of rebel camps smashed by the
army to 11 over the past week. He added two government soldiers had
been killed and a number of others injured. The Ugandan army had
crossed into Congo RDC to attack a camp at Ntabi, but found it
deserted after the rebels were tipped off, he said. 4 July: The
Ugandan army has relocated its tactical headquarters in the west,
to neighbouring Congo RDC to try and wipe out rebels operating in
the Ruwenzori mountains. Also, Joseph Kony, leader of the rebel
Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has returned to his rear bases in
Sudan after earlier entering Uganda.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 3-6 July
1998)

* Ouganda. Attaques de l'armee  -  Une trentaine de rebelles de
l'ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) ont ete tues par l'armee lors de
combats dans l'ouest de l'Ouganda, a indique le 2 juillet le porte-
parole de l'armee. Un autre camp rebelle dans les monts Ruwenzori
a ete detruit, portant a onze le nombre de camps rebelles saccages
par l'armee en une semaine. Deux soldats gouvernementaux ont ete
tues et un certain nombre blesses. L'armee ougandaise a traverse la
frontiere avec la RDC pour attaquer le camp de Ntabi, mais elle l'a
trouve desert, les rebelles ayant ete avertis. Le 7 juillet, New
Vision rapportait que plus de 50 rebelles avaient ete tues lors
d'une nouvelle offensive gouvernementale. D'autre part, le HCR
annoncait que le rapatriement de 9.000 refugies congolais de
l'ouest de l'Ouganda se deroulait lentement mais sans incident.  
(IRIN, Nairobi, 3-7 juillet 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Controversial land plan  -  1 July. Zimbabwe said its
controversial land reforms will cost about 40 billion Zimbabwe
dollars (US $2.2 billion) over the next five years, and it expects
foreign donors to help fund the program. Joseph Msika, who is chief
coordinator of the reforms, said President Robert Mugabe's
government might revise its policy of not compensating white
farmers for seized land if donors pledged funds at a conference
planned for September. Mugabe last year announced plans to acquire
1,500 mainly white-owned farms by force and hand them over to
blacks, paying only for buildings and improvements, on the grounds
that whites "stole" the land when British settlers colonized the
country in 1890. The government intends to acquire 12.5 million
acres of land for the resettlement of 100,000 peasant families.  
(ANB-BIA, Brussels, 6 July 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Government reopens dialogue  -  2 July. President
Mugabe held what the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has
described as "break through" talks with labour leaders, in a move
to reopen dialogue with the powerful worker's movement. Mugabe
under fire for his government's economic policy, listened
sympathetically to labour's grievances over spiralling food prices,
a crippling tax system and the ZCTU's boycott of the National
Economic Consultative Forum (NECF), union sources said. Mugabe is
to present a ZCTU position paper to the cabinet on 7 July for
discussion. "It was a really good meeting", ZCTU Secretary-General
Morgan Tsvangirayi told IRIN. "It was a fair exchange of positions
on how we as labour feel things are drifting. The impression so far
is that the government will take these short term issues of
concern. But what is needed is a lasting mechanism to deal with
long term issues".   (IRIN, Nairobi, 3 July 1998)