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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 10-09-1998  PART #1/

* Africa. Action against the Media - Congo RDC: On 4
September, Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) strongly protested
the murder of journalist Fabien Fortune Bitoumbo on 29 August.
On 7 September, RSF protested the forcible entry by a group of
armed men in uniform into the offices of the magazine La Rue
Meurt. Ethiopia: Four journalists, all working for the private
weekly newspaper Tobia, who had been arrested on 16 January
1998, were all released in August 1998. The Gambia: On 30
August, the managing director, the editor-in-chief and the
news editor of the Daily Observer were arrested. They were
detained in connection with an article published in the Daily
Observer about the discovery of armoured cars and an armoury
behind a collapsed wall of State House. (IFEX, Canada, 3-8
September 1998)

* Afrique. Reduction de la dette - Le conseil d'administration
de la Banque mondiale a examine, le 8 septembre, un bilan de
l'Initiative d'allegement de la dette des pays les plus
pauvres. Ce dossier sera examine par le FMI le 10 septembre et
sera ensuite au menu des reunions annuelles de la BM et du FMI
debut octobre. Un document interne propose de prolonger la
date limite (octobre 1998) a laquelle les pays peuvent entrer
dans le processus de selection, pour la porter a fin 2000.
Sept nouveaux pays pourraient ainsi etre candidats a une
reduction de leur dette, dont quatre africains: le Liberia, la
R.D. du Congo, la Sierra Leone et le Burundi. Il est egalement
envisage d'assouplir les criteres de selection des pays
sortant de graves conflits. Lance il y a deux ans, le plan de
reduction de la dette a pour l'instant beneficie a six pays,
dont quatre africains: le Burkina Faso, la Cote d'Ivoire, le
Mozambique et l'Ouganda. Le Senegal et le Benin ont ete
ecartes, leur endettement ayant ete considere comme viable. Le
Mali devrait etre le prochain pays selectionne. Le cas de la
Guinee-Bissau doit etre reconsidere a la lumiere du recent
conflit. (D'apres AFP, France, 8 septembre 1998)

* Africa/Europe. Global Campaigns - In its Forum for Action
(3rd Quarter 1998), the Africa-Europe Faith and Justice
Network urges its members in Europe and in Africa to get in
touch with politicians and members of the civil society to
create a platform for combatting such issues as: the importing
of small arms and light weapons into Africa; injustices
against children; the use of private security
firms/mercenaries. Already, the President of Mali, Alpha Oumar
Konare has proposed a moratorium on the import, export and
manufacture of light arms in West Africa, initially for three
years. These small arms are used by Child Soldiers as well.
Several countries have no laws regarding child labour, or to
prevent recruitment of children by armed groups. More and more
questions are being asked about the private firms protecting
mining and other economic interests in Africa. (AEFJN,
Brussels, September 1998)

* Algeria. 5 killed and 11 injured in bomb blast - 6
September: Government security forces report that five people
have been killed and 11 injured when a bomb exploded southwest
of Algiers. Also, Algerian newspapers report that at least 21
people have died in other incidents as a new wave of violence
hit the North African country over the weekend. Security
forces say the homemade bomb exploded in the village of
Mechraa-Sfa in Tiaret province. They did not say who might be
responsible for the blast, the latest in a series of bomb
attacks blamed by the authorities on Muslim rebels in which
scores have been killed. (InfoBeat, USA, 8 September 1998)

* Algerie. Attentats et embuscades - Cinq militaires algeriens
ont ete tues, le 2 septembre, dans une embuscade tendue par
des islamistes armes a leur vehicule de patrouille dans la
region de Tizi Ouzou, a l'est d'Alger, rapporte le journal
Liberte. Selon le quotidien, trois bombes ont explose devant
le vehicule avant qu'eclate une fusillade qui a dure plus
d'une heure. On ignore les pertes des islamistes. -Dans la
nuit du 6 au 7 septembre, 5 personnes ont ete tuees et 11
blessees lors de l'explosion d'une bombe a Mechraa Sfaa, pres
de Tiaret, a 300 km au sud-ouest de capitale. La veille, le
train Blida-Alger a avait ete la cible d'un attentat qui a
fait 2 morts et 3 blesses. Le 6 septembre, deux personnes ont
ete tuees lors d'une fusillade au centre d'Alger. (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 8 septembre 1998)

* Angola. Dissidents calling "out" to Savimbi - Senior
officials from Angola's former rebel movement UNITA have
called for the removal of Jonas Savimbi, the veteran party
leader. "The officials and members of the Unita have decided
to suspend Jonas Savimbi and his team from their functions as
the leadership of UNITA", said Jorge Valentim, who was
appointed Minister for Tourism in Angola's government of
national unity set up under the 1994 Lusaka peace agreement.
A handful of other UNITA members also endorsed the move, which
follows the government's call on August 31 for UNITA to be
suspended from government and parliament. The government was
formed in April 1997 under the Lusaka Protocol, the 1994 peace
accord which ended two decades of civil war between the MPLA
(Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) and Unita.
Observers in Luanda said that while the move did not
significantly threaten Mr.Savimbi's position, it could reduce
the chances of salvaging the peace process. The MPLA
government, along with several other smaller parties, have
welcomed the breakaway faction and called on the international
community to recognise Mr.Valentim and his supporters as the
true voice of UNITA. (Editor's update: On 4 September,
President Dos Santos also said he was suspending dialogue with
Jonas Savimbi's UNITA. The peace process will continue with
the breakaway faction which calls its "The Committee for
Renewal". On 8 September, the UNITA dissidents said they will
name a negotiating team to open stalled peace talks with the
government).) (Financial Times, UK, 4 September 1998)

* Angola. Dialogue avec l'Unita suspendu - Le president
angolais dos Santos a annonce le 4 septembre a Luanda que son
gouvernement suspendait le dialogue avec l'Unita (ex-rebellion
armee) de Jonas Savimbi, mais que le processus de paix se
poursuivrait avec le "Comite de renovation" cree par les
dissidents de ce mouvement. Le 2 septembre, cinq proches de M.
Savimbi, dont l'ex-secretaire general Eugenio Manuvakola,
avaient desavoue leur "chef historique", l'accusant de faire
obstacle aux processus de paix issu des accords signes en
novembre 1994 a Lusaka. De son cote, la direction de l'Unita,
basee a Bailundo, a affirme qu'il n'y avait aucune scission au
sein du mouvement et qualifie la dissidence d'espoir infonde.
La troika des observateurs (Portugal, Etats-Unis et Russie) a
affirme que l'actuel panorama politique inspirait a la
prudence. (D'apres AFP, France, 4 septembre 1998)

* Benin. Nouvelle commission electorale - Le parlement du
Benin a vote a l'unanimite, le 5 septembre, une loi creant une
nouvelle commission electorale nationale. Parmi les 23 membres
de la commission, 3 seront choisis par le gouvernement, 15 par
l'Assemblee nationale, 4 seront des magistrats et un membre
sera un representant de la commission gouvernementale des
droits de l'homme. Les elections legislatives doivent se tenir
en mars 1999. (IRIN, Abidjan, 8 septembre 1998)

* Burkina Faso. En vue des presidentielles - Le president
Blaise Compaore briguera un second mandat de sept ans aux
elections presidentielles de novembre prochain, ont rapporte
les agences de presse. D'autre part, le 5 septembre, neuf
partis d'opposition ont indique qu'ils boycotteraient le
scrutin si aucun changement n'etait apporte a la commission
electorale nationale, qu'ils considerent comme trop proche du
gouvernement. (IRIN, Abidjan, 7 septembre 1998)

* Burundi. Processus d'Arusha - Un envoye special du mediateur
Julius Nyerere a declare a Bujumbura qu'un accord avait ete
conclu sur la composition et la direction des cinq commissions
de travail etablies pour les pourparlers de paix. D'autre
part, le groupe rebelle a dominance hutu FROLINA (Front pour
la liberation nationale) a exprime son soutien au president
congolais Kabila. Il a declare dans un communique que les
troupes burundaises se battaient en RDC et a mis en garde que
le refus du president Buyoya de retirer ses troupes
"entrainera la reprise de la guerre avec toutes les
consequences sur les pourparlers de paix d'Arusha". (IRIN,
Nairobi, 4 septembre 1998)

* Congo-Brazzaville. Ten months after the civil war - The
capital of Congo-Brazzaville remains in ruins ten months after
the end of the country's civil war. The main university was
damaged and looted during the war. Before the war, the
university had about 62,000 books and close to 600
periodicals. Most of these were stolen. The university's
archives were burned by angry students during the war. Now
students are hunting for old exams or report cards, anything
they can use to re-establish their academic records.
University officials are now scrambling to assemble enough
books and teachers to start the academic year on time.
However, many on the staff are not optimistic. (VOA, USA, 28
August 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Angoisse au Kivu - Le bilan du massacre a
Kasika (dans l'Urega, Kivu-Sud) le 24 aout, ou on avait parle
d'abord de 37 morts dont un pretre, trois soeurs et une
seminariste, est monte a 633 morts decouverts dans un large
secteur, annonce l'agence Misna le 4 septembre. Le 31 aout, un
officier de la rebellion, Jean-Pierre Ondekane, a admis que
ses hommes etaient responsables du massacre et a demande
publiquement pardon. - D'autre part, la Source independante du
Congo (SIC) a lance, le 3 septembre, un SOS pour la population
du Kivu, affirmant que cette population est angoissee par ce
massacre de Kasika et que la vie des gens est chaque jour
davantage perturbee par des actes de banditisme operes par des
hommes armes et des militaires. On craint surtout que, par une
contre-offensive des troupes gouvernementales, le Kivu
devienne un brasier. Le SOS fait un appel a la communaute
internationale pour que tout soit mis en oeuvre pour parvenir
a une solution politique et equitable du conflit. (ANB-BIA, 4
septembre 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Human rights atrocities - 3 September: Amnesty
International accuses all warring factions in Congo RDC of
carrying out, or failing to prevent, human rights atrocities.
Cataloguing what it calls the arbitrary detention of ethnic
Tutsis and the deaths of hundreds of unarmed civilians, the
group calls on all governments and armed groups fighting in
the war-torn country to respect human rights, and blames the
international community for standing idly by. Amnesty
International says: "The international community has failed to
take a decisive position against the perpetrators or to place
itself on the side of the victims". 4 September: MISNA (Rome)
reports that the death toll of the massacre that took place in
Kasika, in the Urega area (south Kivu) has risen to 633
victims. MISNA sources report that a large amount of bodies
have been found in the 11 days since the atrocious crime
committed by the Banyamulenge rebels -- a death toll destined
to grow, given the immensity and configuration of the area
involved that includes not only Kasika, but also Kilungutwe
and other minor villages. In the meantime, anger and disdain
for what took place on the 24 August, has spread not only
throughout the civilians of the Warega ethnic group (ethnic
group of the victims) but also throughout other Congolese
groups resident in Kivu. 31 August: A senior rebel official,
Jean-Pierre Ondekane, arrives in Bukavu from Goma to call back
his troops. He admits that his men were responsible for the
massacre and publicly apologises. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 4
September 1998)

* Congo (RDC). Diplomatie... - 3 septembre. Le president
Kabila a obtenu un succes diplomatique indeniable a la reunion
des pays de l'Afrique australe (SADC), reunis en marge du
sommet des non-alignes a Durban. Leurs dirigeants, y compris
le president Mandela, ont "unanimement soutenu" l'intervention
des voisins du Congo en faveur de Kabila, la jugeant
parfaitement legitime car visant a secourir un gouvernement
legal contre une agression etrangere. D'autre part, le
president du Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, a annonce que tous les
acteurs du conflit se rencontreront le 7 septembre a Victoria
Falls au Zimbabwe pour discuter de propositions de paix. -6
septembre. Les presidents Kabila (Congo), Museveni (Ouganda)
et Bizimungu (Rwanda) sont arrives a Victoria Falls. Sont
egalement attendus les dirigeants Nujoma (Namibie), Dos Santos
(Angola), Chissano (Mozambique) et Chiluba (Zambie), ainsi que
des representants des rebelles congolais. Le representant
special de l'Union europeenne, Aldo Ajello, participera aussi
a la rencontre. Le 7 septembre au soir, apres toute une
journee de discussions, les dirigeants reunis a Victoria Falls
ont annonce etre parvenus a un accord sur le conflit. Le
president zambien, qui avait eu des entretiens separes avec la
delegation des rebelles, a assure qu'un accord serait signe le
lendemain, mais n'a pas revele la teneur de l'accord. 8
septembre. Finalement, le sommet s'est acheve sur un demi-
echec. Les six chefs d'Etat ne sont pas parvenus a signer un
veritable accord, mais se sont separes sur un appel a la
cessation des hostilites et a l'ouverture d'un dialogue entre
Congolais. Toutefois, leurs ministres de la Defense doivent se
reunir le 10 septembre a Addis-Abeba, siege de l'OUA, pour
examiner les modalites d'un cessez-le-feu. La delegation des
rebelles, qui n'avait pas ete admise a la reunion, a annonce
une intensification des combats. D'autre part, l'Afrique du
Sud a annonce un sommet de la SADC, les 13 et 14 septembre,
pour tenter d'arriver a un vrai cessez-le-feu, a un accord sur
le cantonnement des belligerants et a l'ouverture de
negociations sur des elections libres et equitables en RDC.
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 9 septembre 1998

* Congo (RDC). Victoria Falls Summit - 3 September: Rebels say
they are consolidating their positions in the east and
continuing their push west across the country. "Tactically the
main approach now is to consolidate out positions in the east
and move as quickly as possible to the west of the country",
Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma, vice-president of the rebels political
wing, the Congolese Democratic coalition, says. "There are
many difficulties we are facing now on the ground
militarily...but our goal remains the same, to liberate the
country". 7 September: At Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, opening of
a Summit of all countries and parties concerned in Congo RDC's
civil war. The Summit is chaired by President Chiluba of
Zambia. Seven Presidents from Angola, Congo RDC, Zimbabwe,
Namibia, Zambia, Uganda and Rwanda are present plus a
delegation from the rebel Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD).
The same day, a ceasefire is agreed on. President Kabila's
government renews the international arrest warrant against
rebel leaders. 8 September: The RCD delegation states they
will not be bound by a ceasefire agreement as they were
prevented from directly participating in the discussions.
President Kabila's government says it had asked Zimbabwe to
arrest its rebel foes attending the peace talks. (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 9 September 1998)

* Congo (RDC). ...mais les combats continuent - Dans l'ouest
du pays, la route Kinshasa-Matadi est toujours coupee a cause
de la presence de groupes isoles de rebelles. A Kinshasa, les
prix flambent et la population crie famine; des secours
alimentaires s'organisent a partir de Brazzaville. Dans l'est,
deux villes tenues par la rebellion, Kalemie et Lubutu, ont
ete bombardees, les 5 et 6 septembre, par les forces pro-
Kabila. Il y a eu 25 morts a Kalemie, selon les rebelles.
Ceux-ci se disent sur le point de prendre Kindu, ville
strategique de l'est du pays d'ou seraient partis ces raids.
D'autre part, selon certaines sources, les forces de Kabila,
soutenues et encadrees par des mercenaires sud-africains de la
societe privee Security Lining Pretoria, prepareraient une
attaque sur Kalemie a partir de Moba et Manono. Selon le
quotidien belge De Standaard, le Rwanda et l'Ouganda ont
renforce leur presence au Kivu en amenant, la semaine passee,
des milliers de soldats avec du materiel lourd. Autour de
Bukavu, des combats ont lieu entre rebelles et Mai-Mai. Le 6
septembre, a Kabare, 152 personnes auraient ete massacrees par
des soldats "tutsi". (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 10
septembre 1998)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Manifestation anti-gouvernementale -
Plusieurs milliers de manifestants ont defile, le 7 septembre,
dans les rues d'Abidjan contre le gouvernement du president
Bedie. L'appel a descendre dans la rue avait ete lance par les
deux plus grands partis d'opposition, le Front populaire
ivoirien et le Rassemblement des republicains. Les
protestataires denoncaient "le mauvais gouvernement, la
corruption et la mort de la democratie". (La Croix, France, 9
septembre 1998)

* Egypt. Rating outlook improves - 3 September. Thomson
BankWatch, the New York-based credit rating agency, changed
Egypt's rating outlook to positive, following a similar
improvement in outlook granted to Lebanon on 31 August. The
agency reaffirmed Egypt's BB rating and Lebanon's B plus. It
said Egypt's macroeconomic management remained strong and the
tight fiscal discipline demonstrated since 1991 provided great
confidence that the government could, if needed, deliver
further deficit-cutting measures. "Egypt seems to have
embarked on a virtuous cycle of higher growth, rising
investments, and rising savings", said the agency. (Financial
Times, UK, 5 September 1998)

* Eritrea/Ethiopia. Expulsions - 6 September. Ethiopia has
expelled more Eritreans nationals in the continuing dispute
over their common border, both nations' radios, monitored in
Nairobi, reported. Eritrea's radio reported hundreds more
Eritreans had been deported from Ethiopia, while Ethiopian
radio announced a further 370 Eritreans would be expelled. 345
deportees, including 28 children and a number of invalids,
arrived in Eritrea through the border town of Zela Ambesa,
Eritrean radio reported. The deportees said that Eritreans
still in Ethiopia were being denied access to education and
they said their property had been put up for auction, the
radio added. (InfoBeat, USA, 8 September 1998)

* Ethiopia. Possible massacre - Reports reaching the
Solidarity Committee for Ethiopian Political Prisoners
(SOCEPP) in Germany, state that in late July, an armed clash
in the Dila-Hagere Mariam region of Southern Ethiopia, led to
the deaths of no less than 1,000 people. Most credible reports
state that the illegal action of the EPRDF government cadres
and elements of its "Gedeo Democratic Organization" started
the clash. The cadres and Gedeo militants launched a land-
grabbing operation, which led to disagreements and protests
from the Borana people. Elders of the Gedeo and Borana
cautioned the government to stop the land expansion drive (to
incorporate such land into the Gedeo "kilil"), and informed
the cadres that, in the past, the elders had amicably settled
all land conflicts. The government cadres and its Gedeo cadres
refused to heed the call, and the government-controlled Gedeo
organization planted its flag in Borana lands. In the ensuing
armed clash, many people lost their lives and many more forced
to flee the areas. Government troops backed the Gedeo
organization in the armed attacks which led to the loss of so
many lives. The EPRDF government has put the area "off limits"
and kept the whole incident off the news reports. On 6
September, SOCEPP reported that Abera Yeamneab, a peace
delegate who has been jailed illegally since December 1993,
has been taken back to prison from hospital where he had been
waiting for medical treatment. (SOCEPP, Germany, 3 September
1998)

* Ghana. Incidents entre musulmans - Le 3 septembre, la police
a arrete 106 personnes impliquees dans des affrontements entre
sectes musulmanes a Kumasi, la deuxieme ville du pays. Elle
est intervenue pour empecher deux membres influents de la
secte Tijaniya d'etre lynches par ceux de la secte Al-Sunna a
la suite d'un malentendu. La police a egalement saisi des
armes. (IRIN, Abidjan, 4 septembre 1998)

* Guinee-Bissau. Nervosite - Alors que l'accord de cessez-le-
feu etait toujours observe, les chefs de file de l'opposition
bissau-guineenne ont mis en garde, le 3 septembre, contre les
risques d'une reprise des hostilites. Le vice-president du
Mouvement pour le changement reproche aux detachements
senegalais et guineens de renforcer leurs effectifs et leurs
positions. Il a ajoute que si M. Vieira n'abandonnait pas le
pouvoir, il y aurait une guerre civile encore plus fratricide.
Il preconise la designation d'un president interimaire
disposant de pouvoirs limites jusqu'a l'organisation de
nouvelles elections. D'autre part, les partis d'opposition
voudraient etre representes aux nouveaux pourparlers de paix
prevus a Abidjan les 11 et 12 septembre. (D'apres IRIN,
Abidjan, 4 septembre 1998)

* Lesotho. Nouvelles violences - Le 4 septembre, des tirs ont
ete echanges entre policiers et militaires aux abords du
palais royal a Maseru, la capitale du Lesotho, selon l'agence
sud-africaine Sapa. Selon des temoins, un policier a ete
grievement blesse. Les violences se multiplient depuis les
elections du mois d'aout. (Liberation, France, 5 septembre
1998)

* Lesotho. Tension returns - 3 September: One person is shot
dead and scores wounded when gunmen open fire on hundreds of
protesters gathered outside the king's residence to oppose
recent election results, a witness says. Bonner Seakhoa, a
spokesman for the opposition Basotho Congress Party, says the
gunmen jumped out of two vehicles which drove up to the palace
and began firing on hundreds of protesters camped outside. He
says the shooting lasted for 30-40 minutes, killing one
protester and injuring 16 people. Palace guards opened the
gate to allow the protesters to take refuge inside, he says.
7 September: Opposition leaders call for a work stoppage to be
extended until the end of the week. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8
September 1998)

* Libya. Gaddafi suspects Lockerbie "ploy" - 4 September:
Libya reiterates it wants to negotiate with the United States,
Britain and the Netherlands on details of the proposed trial
of two Libyan suspects accused of the Lockerbie bombing. The
official Libyan news agency JANA, quotes a Libyan foreign
ministry source as saying the negotiations can be direct or
through any other party. Libya had earlier said the talks
could be through the Arab League or the United Nations
secretary-general. 6 September: Libya will hand over the two
men accused of the Lockerbie bombing only if it receives
guarantees that Holland will be the "last stop" in the legal
process. In his latest comment on the case, President Gaddafi
says he suspects the Anglo-American offer of a trial under
Scottish law in The Hague, is a ploy to transfer the
defendants to Britain. He told a rally in Tripoli: "We are
prepared to go tomorrow to the Netherlands, provided that the
Netherlands is the last stop in case of acquittal or
conviction". (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 7 September 1998)

* Maroc. Prets de la Banque mondiale - La Banque mondiale a
decide de soutenir l'alternance politique marocaine, apres la
formation en mars dernier d'un gouvernement a forte
connotation progressiste, en accordant a Rabat des prets de
plusieurs centaines de millions de dollars. Ces prets
s'eleveraient, pour le prochain exercice financier, a un total
de 350 millions de dollars, dont 250 millions a decaissement
rapide. Le ministre marocain charge des Affaires generales a
precise qu'environ 70% de ces fonds debloques par la banque
seront investis dans le secteur social. (D'apres AP, USA, 6
septembre 1998)

* Namibia. "Pull out of Congo" say Churches - The Council of
Churches in Namibia (CCN) has urged the government to withdraw
its troops from Congo RDC and to push for a negotiated,
diplomatic solution to the crisis. Speaking on behalf of the
CCN, executive committee, CCN General Secretary, Rev.Nakamhela
said: "Discontent in Congo over the political leadership must
be settled by the people of the Congo. Troops from other
nations, including Namibia must not be drawn into this battle
for whatever reason and task. This is purely internal for the
Congo" Nakamhela suggested that Namibia contribute its best
people to a regional team of negotiators to help the two sides
find ways of solving their problems. "Prolonging the fight
only prolongs the suffering of the people, no matter which
side they support", he says. (The Namibian, Namibia, 31 August
1998)

* Namibia. Land resettlement - The government is under
pressure from the labour movement and some politicians to
repossess land owned by white commercial farmers, and resettle
the black people there. Such a campaign is being led by the
National Union of Namibian Workers which is calling for land
repossession Zimbabwean style -- without compensation. The
Union is pressurising for an amendment to the Namibian
Constitution which is says was hastily put together to appease
the politicians in terms of the policy of reconciliation. Some
of its members have threatened to stage a massive "land march"
within the next six months if their demand for land
appropriation without compensation is not met. But as the
debate rages on, the government says it is opposed to this
radical measure as it is against the national reconciliation
strategy. "We can do it the Zimbabwean way but a chaotic
situation will erupt and we can easily find ourselves at each
other's throats," says Lands Resettlement and Rehabilitation
Minister Pendukeni Ithana. (Mwana Bwalya, Namibia, 26 August
1998)

* Niger. Pluies torrentielles - Plus d'une quinzaine de morts,
des routes coupees, des maisons effondrees, des recoltes
compromises: les fortes pluies qui s'abattent depuis plus d'un
mois sur le Niger sement la desolation dans ce pays sahelien,
plus accoutume a souffrir de la secheresse. En quelques
semaines, plus d'un metre d'eau est tombe, soit trois fois
plus que toutes les precipitations enregistrees la precedente
saison. Il n'a jamais autant plu depuis 1921. A Niamey, dans
la seule journee du 6 septembre, 200 millimetres d'eau sont
tombes et le 8 septembre de nouvelles trombes d'eau se sont
abattues sur la ville. Plus de 20.000 personnes s'y trouvent
sans abri et le probleme de l'eau potable se pose avec acuite.
Selon les services de sante, le paludisme fait rage. Le
gouvernement a lance un signal de detresse, mais l'aide
internationale arrive au compte-gouttes. (D'apres AFP, France,
8 septembre 1998)

* Nigeria. Partis et candidats - Le 2 septembre, on annoncait
la creation d'un second grand parti politique, le All Peoples'
Party (APP), qui regroupe 34 petites formations, y compris le
groupe Afenifere, partisan de Moshood Abiola, vainqueur
presume du scrutin presidentiel de 1993. La creation de l'APP
survient trois jours apres le lancement du Peoples' Democratic
Party, dirige par un ancien vice-president civil, Alex
Ekwueme. - D'autre part, les agences de presse rapportaient le
5 septembre que l'ancien dirigeant militaire, le general
Olusegun Obasanjo, a decide de se presenter aux elections
presidentielles, malgre ses denegations precedentes. (IRIN,
Abidjan, 4-7 septembre 1998)

* Nigeria. Enquete sur les detournements - Le gouvernement
nigerian a lance une enquete sur les detournements de fonds
publics, estimes a des centaines de millions de dollars, par
des responsables de l'ancien gouvernement militaire, ont
rapporte les agences de presse le 7 septembre. Les enquetes
ont deja donne des resultats appreciables, a affirme le
general Abubakar. Ainsi, l'ancien conseiller a la securite,
Ismaila Gwarzo, arrete en aout dernier, a ete oblige de
rembourser 250 millions de dollars. Selon M. Abubakar,
d'autres personnes mises en examen ont egalement rembourse des
fonds, qui sont maintenant conserves sur un compte special a
la banque centrale. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 8 septembre 1998)

* Nigeria. "No repeat of human rights abuses" - On 7
September, opening the doors of the Nigerian presidency to the
international press for the first time in four years,
Gen.Abubakar said he would not allow any repeat of the human
rights abuses committed by the previous regime. He said the 19
activists from Ogoniland arrested after the execution of Ken
Saro-Wiwa, and eight others arrested in 1995, would have their
cases heard in civil courts and not by the tribunal that
convicted Saro-Wiwa. But he voiced concern at the disruptions
in Nigeria's oil-producing areas which have shut down almost
half the country's oil production of 2 million barrels a day.
On 8 September, 20 Ogoni minority activists, imprisoned with
Ken Saro-Wiwa, are set free. (The Guardian, U.K. 9 September
1998)

* Nigeria. Activistes ogonis liberes - Le 7 septembre, un
tribunal de Port Harcourt a libere vingt activistes de la
minorite ogoni, partisans de Ken Saro-Wiwa, emprisonnes depuis
1994. Le regime du general Abacha avait condamne et fait
executer l'ecrivain Ken Saro-Wiwa avec huit de ses
collaborateurs en 1995, ce qui avait provoque de vives
protestations internationales et l'isolement du Nigeria.
(D'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 9 septembre 1998)

* Rwanda. International Tribunal, Arusha - 3 September:
Defense lawyers for former Rwandan prime minister, Jean
Kambanda, who pleaded guilty to genocide before the
International Tribunal, Arusha, Tanzania, urge the court to
treat him leniently when passing sentence on 4th September.
Defense counsel Michael Inglis tells the court that Kambanda,
prime minister during Rwanda's 1994 genocide, was little more
than a puppet with diminished responsibility who acted under
duress, and should only receive a two-year sentence. Both
Inglis and the prosecution lawyers say Kambanda's admission of
guilt on 1 May this year should be taken in mitigation for the
crimes of genocide, complicity in genocide and crimes against
humanity. 4 September: Kambanda is sentenced to life
imprisonment. Amnesty International welcomes the historic
rulings of the International Tribunal. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 5
September 1998)

* Rwanda. Tribunal penal international - Le 4 septembre,
l'ancien Premier ministre rwandais, Jean Kambanda, a ete
condamne a la reclusion a perpetuite par le Tribunal penal
international pour le Rwanda, a Arusha, Tanzanie, pour sa
participation au genocide de 1994. Il avait plaide coupable,
mais le tribunal a refuse une remise de peine en echange de sa
collaboration dans de futurs proces. Les defenseurs ont
annonce qu'ils feraient appel. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
5 septembre 1998)

* Rwanda. Attaque d'une prison - Des rebelles hutu ont
attaque, le 4 septembre, une prison dans la region de Kibuye.
La radio d'Etat cita d'abord le nombre de 2.000 rebelles ayant
participe a l'attaque, et de 5.000 prisonniers liberes. Le 6
septembre, les autorites revoyaient ces chiffres a la baisse.
Le secretaire a la presidence precisait que l'armee avait
abattu une centaine de rebelles qui avaient libere 350
detenus. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 7 septembre 1998)

* Sahara occidental. Fin de l'identification - La Mission des
Nations unies pour le referendum au Sahara occidental
(Minurso) a annonce, le 4 septembre, la fin de l'operation
d'identification des futurs electeurs au referendum
d'autodetermination dans l'ancienne colonie espagnole. Il
reste cependant a resoudre le probleme de trois tribus
(quelque 65.000 personnes) dont Rabat souhaite qu'ils puissent
participer au referendum tandis que le Polisario est d'un avis
contraire. M. James Baker devrait se rendre debut septembre,
a une date non specifiee, dans la region pour regler ce
probleme. (Le Monde, France, 8 septembre 1998)
* Senegal. Mandats presidentiels - L'Assemblee nationale
senegalaise a vote une loi supprimant la limitation a deux
mandats presidentiels de sept ans, ont rapporte les agences de
presse le 27 aout. Les membres du Parlement du Parti
socialiste, au pouvoir, ont introduit le projet de loi le 24
aout, estimant que cela "previendrait toute lutte de
succession et periode de vacance dans la direction de l'Etat".
Par contre, tous les partis d'opposition ont boycotte la
session parlementaire, qualifiant la loi de contraire aux
principes democratiques et de "coup d'Etat constitutionnel".
Les elections presidentielles sont prevues pour l'an 2000. Le
PS a decide de presenter le president actuel, M. Diouf, comme
son candidat. (IRIN, Abidjan, 31 aout 1998)

* Sierra Leone. Treason Trials/Courts Martial - On 25 August,
the All People's Congress Member of Parliament, Victor Bockari
Foh and 15 others were sentenced to death by Justice Edmond
Cowan at the Freetown High Court No.2. The 16 were found
guilty of Treason against the Government of Sierra Leone after
a trial with jury lasting five months. 63 witnesses were heard
during the course of the trials. Two other defendants,
Darlinda Lebbie and Mohamed Kekura Daramy, were found not
guilty and were set free. It took the 12-man jury seventy-two
hours to deliver unanimous verdicts against the 16. This is
the first set of verdicts handed down in the present series of
Treason Trials. The proceedings were described as very fair by
international observers and the civilian population. Five of
the convicted defendants are journalists -- Hilton Fyle (a
former BBC networker for its Africa programmes); Gipu Felix-
George (Formerly director-general -- mass media); Ibrahim B.
Kargbo (New Citizen Press); Dennis Smith (SLBS/TV); Oliviah
Mensah (SLBS/TV). However, the Court Martial in which the
Attorney-General is prosecuting 37 soldiers who endeavoured to
overthrow President Kabbah's government, is regarded by most
observers as a "pseudo-court martial", with the presence of
defence lawyers a mere formality. (Editor's update: On 4
September, rebel leader Foday Sankoh appeared in court charged
with eight counts of treason. On 8 September, the 16 appealed
against their sentences.) (Edward Kwameh Yankson, Sierra
Leone, 31 August 1998)

* Sierra Leone. Chef rebelle en jugement - Foday Sankoh, qui
avait declenche la guerre civile dans son pays en 1991, a
comparu le 4 septembre devant la Cour de justice de Freetown
pour trahison. Le passage en jugement du chef historique du
Front revolutionnaire uni avait ete tenu secret jusqu'a sa
comparution. Des heures avant son arrivee a la Cour, des
dizaines de membres des forces de securite, fortement armes,
ont boucle les rues menant au batiment. La guerre civile en
Sierra Leone a fait des centaines de milliers de victimes,
tuees, amputees ou contraintes a l'exil. - D'autre part, un
ancien ministre sierra-leonais du Conseil revolutionnaire des
forces armees (AFRC), Mohamed Soyah Bangura, a demande l'asile
politique en Grande-Bretagne. Il se cacherait dans un
appartement au sud de Londres et refuserait de rentrer en
Sierra Leone, ou il affirme etre menace d'execution. (ANB-BIA,
de sources diverses, 5 septembre 1998)

* Somalia. Hundreds of thousands could starve - 4 September:
The WFP says hundreds of thousands of people in Somalia will
face starvation after the country's worst harvest in five
years. "The already precarious food supply situation will
continue to deteriorate, leading to a dramatic increase in
malnutrition for hundreds of thousands of Somalis over the
months to come", says Burke Oberle, Somalia representative of
the UN-affiliated WFP. The WFP said that devastating floods
caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon coupled with renewed
conflicts in the region, have severely reduced Somalia's food
production this year. Somalia's 1998 harvest yield was 38%
lower than in 1997, a report by the Food Security Assessment
Unit said earlier this week. (InfoBeat, USA, 4 September 1998)

* Afrique du Sud. Cloture du sommet des non-alignes - Le 12e
sommet des non-alignes a clos, le 3 septembre au soir, ses
travaux par l'adoption de 514 resolutions qui constituent la
Declaration de Durban et definiront sa politique pour le 21e
siecle. Le document de 125 pages reclame notamment une
conference internationale sur le terrorisme et exprime sa
preoccupation face au developpement des armes nucleaires et
des armes de destruction massive. Il souligne sa preoccupation
face a un environnement economique international hostile: "la
globalisation de l'economie mondiale s'est traduite par une
marginalisation croissante de la majorite des pays en voie de
developpement". Il appelle a un dialogue constructif nord-sud
et demande d'alleger la dette, voire d'annuler celle des pays
les plus pauvres. Toutes les resolutions contenues dans le
document ont fait l'objet de six jours d'intenses tractations
pour parvenir au consensus indispensable a leur adoption.
(D'apres AFP, France, 4 septembre 1998)

* South Africa. Bishops welcome new employment legislation -
The Catholic bishops in South Africa have welcomed new
employment legislation aimed at putting more blacks, women and
disabled people into the workplace. But the Employment Equity
Act, passed by the South African parliament on 21 August, has
been attacked by opposition parties and businessmen who say it
will lead to reverse racism and deter foreign investment. The
bishop's parliamentary liaison office said: "We reject the
argument that the bill re-racialises the workplace. The truth
is that the workplace has never been de-racialised". (...)
(The Tablet, U.K., 5 September 1998)

* South Africa. Truth and Reconciliation Commission - 6
September: The final report of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (TRC) which will make findings on apartheid era
crimes, might recommend prosecution for alleged human rights
violators, the department of justice says. A spokesman for
Justice Minister Dullag Omar says the department will be
guided by recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission's report due to be handed to President Mandela on
29 October. Omar's spokesman, Paul Setsetse, says legislation
establishing the TRC provided for prosecution for those who
had not applied for amnesty for human rights abuses committed
during apartheid. (InfoBeat, USA, 8 September 1998)

* Sudan. 80 days for medicine to clear Customs - Hunger is not
South Sudan's only problem. After the long awaited
governmental placet was obtained for the distribution of food
supplies, the real emergency involved health situations.
According to MISNA sources, the government of Khartoum is said
to be deliberately side-tracking emergency medical-aid for the
population of South Sudan. "It took 80 days for a few urgent
boxes of medicine to clear Customs" our missionary source
stated. "Not to mention the doctors and nurses who are trying
to reach southern Sudan and who are blocked because of visa
problems, or by other similar governmental obstacles". (MISNA,
Rome, 4 September 1998)

* Soudan. Inondations - Le gouvernement soudanais a lance un
appel a la communaute internationale pour l'aider a repondre
aux besoins d'urgence causes par des pluies diluviennes et des
inondations dans le nord et l'est du pays. La Federation
internationale de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant Rouge a pour
sa part averti que, comme la saison des pluies vient juste de
commencer, l'urgence pourrait se poursuivre durant trois mois.
On craint des epidemies dans les regions concernees. - Selon
l'AFP, le 7 septembre, le Nil en crue a Khartoum a inonde des
quartiers residentiels et menace l'ile de Tuti en centre-
ville. Il est prevu que son niveau depassera la semaine
prochaine le record de 1988, quand on a enregistre les
inondations les plus importantes depuis 50 ans. Les
inondations ont deja fait des dizaines de milliers de sans-
abris et au moins 19 morts. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8
septembre 1998)

* Sudan. Essential food flown in for flood victims - 4
September: The WFP says it has flown in tons of vitally needed
food relief to thousands of people displaced by last month's
floods in northeastern Sudan. The WFP says it delivered an
emergency one-month food ration to about 8,000 people left
homeless by the floods around the Kassala town area, which has
been pounded by heavy rains since the beginning of August.
Floods have also disrupted transport networks between Kassala
and the war-torn regions along the Sudanese border with
Eritrea, where 20,000 people have been displaced, threatening
to hamper relief operations there, the WFP said. 9 September:
A UN tean investigating food relief distribution in southern
Sudan says it has found that aid intended for famine victims
is being diverted to feed soldiers. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 10
September 1998)

* Tanzania. Zanzibar's political crisis - 26 July: The Sunday
Observer says that compromise protocols that could lead to a
solution to the political crisis in Zanzibar are set to be
signed in August. The crisis resulted from a dispute over the
legitimacy of the results of the 1995 General Election and has
since kept the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and the
opposition Civic United Front (CUF) at loggerheads. 17 August:
The Guardian reports that the CCM has categorically rejected
formation of a federal government in Zanzibar as suggested by
the CUF. 18 August: The Daily News reports that the CUF has
urged the CCM to endorse the Commonwealth recommendations that
the two parties should refrain from petty bickering and create
a conducive atmosphere for international mediation in
Zanzibar's crisis situation. 24 August: According to The
Guardian, the 34-month old political stand-off on the isles
between the CCM and the CUF has taken a new turn as the CUF
says it is not in favour of a coalition government with the
CCM in Zanzibar. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 5 September 1998)

* Tanzanie. Deux suspects arretes - Les enqueteurs de la
police tanzanienne ont arrete deux personnes soupconnees
d'avoir participe a l'attentat a la bombe commis le 7 aout
contre l'ambassade des Etats-Unis a Dar es-Salaam, a rapporte
le 6 septembre le Washington Post. Comme les deux autres
personnes deja detenues aux Etats-Unis dans le cadre de
l'enquete, ces nouveaux suspects sont des extremistes
islamiques proches des reseaux du milliardaire Oussama Ben
Laden, accuse d'etre a l'origine des attentats de Dar es-
Salaam et Nairobi. (La Libre Belgique, 7 septembre 1998)

* Tunisia. Cimpor acquires Jbel Oust - Cimpor, Portugal's
biggest cement group, has acquired 100% of Societe des Ciments
de Jbel Oust, a Tunisian cement company with production
capacity of 1.2m tonnes a year, for Es38.2bn ($213m). The
plant, which accounts for 22% of cement sales in Tunisia,
increases Cimpor's total capacity to 12.5m tonnes and is
forecast to represent 7.5% of total sales and 4% of operating
profits. (Financial Times, UK, 4 September 1998)

* Tunisia. President meets with Tunisia's diplomats - On 27
August, President Ben Ali called on the heads of Tunisia's
diplomatic missions overseas, to actively promote foreign
investment in Tunisia as well as commercial opportunities
abroad for Tunisian firms. In a speech delivered at the
closing of the annual conference of heads of Tunisian
diplomatic and consular missions, President Ben Ali pointed
out that in addition to diplomatic activity, the priority
goals for all Tunisian representatives abroad should be
attracting investment to Tunisia and seeking new outlets for
Tunisian products and more job opportunities for Tunisian
workers. The President stressed the need to increase
coordination between Tunisian representatives abroad in order
to be more flexible in responding rapidly to events and
developments. President Ben Ali underlined the importance of
Tunisia's association agreement with the European Union which
went into effect in March of this year. Noting that Europe is
Tunisia's largest trade and investment partner, the President
said that this privileged relationship "should not make us
lose sight of new challenges inherent in this accord that we
must meet through mobilizing our national potential". (Tunisia
Weekly Bulletin, Tunisia, 1 September 1998)

* Uganda. Weakening value of Ugandan Shilling - Uganda's
Minister of State for Transport, Trade and Industry, Manzi
Tumubweine, alarmed by the weakening value of the Ugandan
shilling against the US dollar, has called for the
intervention of the central bank, the Bank of Uganda. On 31
August, he told the local Press that the persistent
depreciation of the shilling against the US dollar by more
than Ushs 10 over the last three weeks, is very unfortunate.
He says: "As a matter or urgency, the Bank of Uganda should
intervene in the situation and inject dollars into the market
to bring stability". But in mid-August, a senior Bank of
Uganda official had told The Monitor newspaper that the fall
in the value of the shilling did not warrant interference by
the country's central bank, saying the Bank of Uganda
preferred the market forces to determine the rates. Manzi was
chairman of the Parliamentary Sessional Committee on Finance
and Economic Development before his appointment as junior
minister last month. He warned: "With our economy depending
heavily on imported goods, we run the risk of our economy
becoming a shambles!". (Peter Bahemuka, Uganda, 4 September
1998)

* Ouganda. Aide a la secheresse - Le PAM va distribuer plus de
4.000 tonnes d'aide alimentaire a quelque 126.000 personnes
dans les regions les plus touchees par la secheresse dans le
nord-est de l'Ouganda, selon son dernier rapport hebdomadaire.
Les distributions vont cibler les regions de Kotido, Moroto en
Kitgum, sur une periode trois mois. (IRIN, Nairobi, 4
septembre 1998)

* Western Sahara. UN completes Sahara voter registration - 4
September: A UN mission says it has finished identifying
voters for a long delayed referendum on the future of Western
Sahara, except for three disputed tribal groupings. It says
that the UN envoy, former US Secretary of State James Baker,
is expected in the region early this month to resolve
differences between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario
Front over who is eligible to vote among the three tribes. It
has set no specific date. (InfoBeat, USA, 4 September 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Churches urged to fight for justice - The Bishop
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ)
Rt.Rev.Ambrose Moyo, has made a scathing attack against
religious leaders who turn a blind eye against political,
economic and social injustices. Bishop Moyo was speaking at
the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) 32nd Annual general
meeting with the theme "Turn to God, Rejoice in hope". He
pondered: "Are we as Churches going to participate in the
political, economic and social injustices, or are we going to
be like Amos and be the voice of the voiceless? We cannot
speak against nepotism, corruption and embezzlement if we are
practising it in our Churches". Addressing participants, ZCC
president Rev.Enos Chomutiri said the Churches were concerned
over the increasing number of children on the streets, the
rape of young children, orphans, HIV/AIDS, corruption, the
land question, the worsening economic conditions and the debt
crisis. There was also concern over the debt problem in
Zimbabwe, as the nation is faced with a debt of Z$80 billion
as of 1997. He called on richer countries of the world to
cancel the country's debt to enable Zimbabweans to make a
fresh start in the new millennium and enjoy a quality life
which has so far eluded the majority of the population. (AANA,
Kenya, 31 August 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Christians dialogue with Muslims - Different
religions in Zimbabwe have been called upon to tolerate each
other to enable themselves to provide the fundamental
spiritual and material needs of all the people in the country.
The call was made by a University of Zimbabwe lecturer,
Mr.E.Chitando at an interfaith dialogue seminar between
Christians and Muslims held on 25 July 1998 in Zimbabwe's
Midlands city of Kwekwe. The seminar was organised by the
Ecumenical Documentation and Information centre for Eastern
and Southern Africa (EDICESA) and the Zimbabwe Islamic
Mission. It sought to enable Christians, Muslims and other
religions to be united in their diverse religions and
cultures, and to explore ways of working together in serving
all the people of God in the country. (AANA, Kenya, 31 August
1998)

* Zimbabwe. Cash, please - Across Zimbabwe, thousands of black
peasants are camping on hundreds of white-owned farms,
claiming the land as rightful theirs. They have been promised
by President Mugabe that land stolen by white colonialists is
to be returned. given this hope -- and fed up with the
depleted soil in the "communal areas" where they have been
confined since Rhodesian days -- they are taking matters into
their own hands. The police take no action against them, nor
do the white farmers. But they are usually told by some
political bigwig that the farms will be turned over to them
soon -- if they go home until the government works out the
details. These details are supposed to be considered on 9-11
September, when the government is holding a pledging
conference of donor countries to finance its new land
redistribution plan. Over the next five years, according to
the plan, half the country's white-owned land, or 5m hectares
(12m acres), will be bought by the government to resettle
150,000 families. The government reckons the scheme will cost
$2.2 billion, half of which it hopes to raise at the
conference. (Editor's update: On 9 September, international
donors told President Mugabe he won't get financial support
for his land reforms unless they are transparent and fair.)
(The Economist, UK, 5 September 1998)

* Zimbabwe. Pope urges bishops to maintain peace - 4
September: Pope John Paul II urges the bishops of Zimbabwe to
help prevent war spilling over into their country from other
parts of Africa. "Yours is a peaceful nation. You must work to
keep it so by reminding your people that a military solution
to profound social and economic problems will always be the
cause for further grievances and injustices", the Pope said.
Zimbabwe is suffering from slow economic growth and a social
crisis that has already sparked several violent protests. Six
people were killed when troops with armoured vehicles crushed
food riots earlier this year. (InfoBeat, USA, 4 September
1998)

* Zimbabwe. Food shortages expected - The Financial Gazette
says that Zimbabweans should brace themselves for a wave of
basic food shortages and escalating prices, when maize and
wheat millers suspend milling operations, most likely at the
beginning of next week, because many of them are unprepared to
procure new stocks at current high prices. The millers argue
that the purchase prices are too stiff. (Editor's note: On 4
September, the government bowed to trade union demands backed
by the threat of strike action, and scrapped a range of
taxes). (The Financial Gazette, Zimbabwe, 3 September 1998)

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==-> DOC. 1 - CONGO (RDC)
Title: Congo RDC: A long-standing crisis spinning out of
control
Author: Amnesty International, 3 September 1998
Description: In a report published on 3 September, Amnesty
International accuses all warring factions of carrying out, or
failing to prevent, human rights atrocities.
(only in english)

===> Please quote (when ordering) - Veuillez demander:
      /amnesty/rdc-war.doc,
     if you want it in WINWORD 97 format (127 Kb)
or:
      /amnesty/rdc980903a.txt + rdc980903b.txt,
     if you want it in ascii format (31 kb + 30 kb)

==-> DOC. 2 - RWANDA
Title: International Tribunals Historic Rulings
Author: Amnesty International, 4 September 1998
Description: In a News Service report, Amnesty International
welcomes the first rulings of the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda.

==>= Please quote (when ordering) - Veuillez demander:
          /amnesty/rwa0904.txt, 
     (only in english and in ascii format - 4 Kb)