ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belg TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: anb- bia@village.uunet.be _____________________________________________________________ WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 08-10-1998 PART #1/ * Africa. Action against the Media - Lesotho: According to the Media Institute of Southern Africa (1 October), most of the independent newspapers in Lesotho have suffered heavy losses following the political turmoil in the country. Newspapers were affected by property destruction, looting and /or theft in Maseru. (IFEX, Canada, 1 October 1998) * Africa. Francophonie - 1 October. Central and West African countries will be able to maintain the fixed parity of the CFA franc after the introduction of the single European currency next January. The announcement follows July's confirmation, by the European Commission, that the link between the CFA and French franc was compatible with European economic and monetary union (Emu). That approval was followed by discussions with the European Central Bank, which will be taking over monetary policy from the 11 central banks of countries participating in Emu. The CFA franc, the trading currency of France's former African colonies, has been pegged at 100 to the French franc since 1994. The agreement also covers the Comoro franc, which is fixed at 75 to the French franc. The parities of both currencies will be fixed from January against the euro, at the irrevocable conversion rate that will be set for the French franc. (Financial Times, U.K., 2 October 1998) * G7/IMF. Financial crisis is worsening - Policymakers from the world's leading economies pledged in Washington at the weekend to tackle the global financial crisis but failed to reach much agreement on possible action. In lengthy meetings of the Group of Seven leading industrialised countries and the interim committee of the International Monetary Fund, finance ministers and central bank governors acknowledged that the crisis was getting worse. They repeated their observation last month, that recession was the more pressing concern for the world economy than inflation. "Financial market conditions have deteriorated in many parts of the world, leading to a further weakening of growth prospects, especially in most emerging market countries", the G7 said in a statement. "In this context, we reaffirmed our view that the balance of risks on a global basis has shifted." But there was little consensus either on specific proposals to deal with the immediate economic crisis, or on longer-term reforms to the international financial systems. (Financial Times, U.K., 5 October 1998) * Algerie. Partis politiques desempares - Les partis politiques algeriens sont desempares par l'annonce surprise du president Zeroual d'ecourter son mandat. Recus par le president le 30 septembre, ils lui ont demande de "reconsiderer" sa decision ou au moins de reporter la date du scrutin, qui devrait en principe avoir lieu avant la fin fevrier. Ils veulent du temps pour s'organiser, definir leur strategie electorale et eventuellement designer leurs candidats a ce scrutin. Ils lui ont aussi demande d'"d'ouvrir un dialogue franc et transparent avec toutes les forces politiques qui rejettent la violence et le terrorisme". Le president Zeroual a affirme que "le dossier du FIS est clos" et que ce dialogue ne pouvait le concerner. Il a refuse de revenir sur sa decision politique, mais a toutefois concede qu'il n'etait pas oppose a un report du scrutin de quelques semaines, a condition que l'ensemble de la classe politique soit d'accord. (AFP, France, 1 octobre 1998) * Algeria. Two die in Algerian blast - A bomb ripped through an open-air market killing at least two people and wounding 46 in western Algeria, where a newspaper said 100 Muslim rebels had been killed in a government offensive. Government forces said the bomb exploded mid-morning at a weekly market in Ghris, 190 miles west of Algiers. Ghris is in Mascara province where troops are trying to flush out guerrillas who have taken refuge from the north. (The Guardian, U.K., 6 October 1998) * Algerie. Attentat et assassinats - Le 5 octobre, trois personnes ont ete tuees et 61 blessees dans l'explosion d'une bombe artisanale sur le marche de Ghris (ouest), selon les services de securite. La localite de Ghris est situee a une vingtaine de km de la commune de Sidi Boubekeur ou les forces de securite ont aneanti, il y a quelques jours, un groupe arme islamiste d'une quinzaine d'hommes. - Le meme jour, sept membres d'une meme famille ont ete egorges dans l'ouest du pays. Et le 7 octobre, sept personnes ont ete assassinees et cinq blessees a un faux barrage routier a 200 km au sud-ouest d'Alger. - Par ailleurs, la presse annonce que les deux principaux responsables du Front islamique du Djihad arme (Fida), specialise dans les assassinats de personnalites et d'intellectuels, ont ete tues. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8 octobre 1998) * Angola. Combats en Cabinda - Un mouvement independantiste a annonce que de violents combats se deroulaient dans l'enclave angolaise de Cabinda depuis le 25 septembre. Ils auraient fait 200 victimes dans les rangs de la guerilla et des forces armees angolaises. La rebellion affirme que l'offensive a provoque la fuite de milliers de Cabindais. (La Croix, France, 6 octobre 1998) * Benin. OCHA investigating flood devastation - The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said that a multi-donor mission was in Benin to investigate reports that some 20,000 people might have been rendered homeless by recent floods. It said that it expected a review on the situation in coming days with "a detailed account on the flood impact and requirements for international assistance". Last week, news reports quoted the government as saying that "more than 2,500 people had been left homeless and 20,000 tonnes of grain destroyed", in the floods about 500km northwest of the capital, Cotonou. Five people were reported killed, two by drowning, and three from cholera, the reports said. (IRIN, West Africa, 1 October 1998) * Burkina Faso. 3 candidats aux presidentielles - La Cour supreme du Burkina Faso a approuve trois candidats pour les elections presidentielles qui doivent se tenir le 15 novembre prochain. Ce sont l'actuel president Blaise Compaore du CDP, Ram Ouedraogo du parti des Verts et Frederic Guirma du RDA. Neuf autres partis ont appele a un boycott du scrutin parce qu'ils estiment que la Commission electorale independante "n'est pas independante". (IRIN, Abidjan, 5 octobre 1998) * Burundi. Reunions de reconciliation - Des reunions se deroulent actuellement dans divers forums avant la reprise des pourparlers de paix d'Arusha prevue le 12 octobre. Des Burundais de la diaspora se sont rencontres a Nairobi, reunissant des personnes des deux communautes, hutu et tutsi, en presence aussi de representants du gouvernement et de l'armee; ils ont discute notamment de la reconciliation et de la reforme du systeme judiciaire. Par ailleurs, un seminaire sur les techniques de resolution de conflit a lieu actuellement a Nairobi; les 24 participants incluent des hommes politiques des partis Uprona et Frodebu, ainsi que des membres du gouvernement. (IRIN, Nairobi, 6 octobre 1998) * Burundi. Nouveau president a l'Uprona - Le 7 octobre, a une reunion houleuse et parfois violente, le parti Uprona a elu un nouveau president en la personne du porte-parole du gouvernement, M. Luc Rukingama, ainsi qu'un vice-president, M. Aloys Rukuba. Deux camps s'opposent au sein du parti: un groupe favorable au president Buyoya, qui est sorti vainqueur, et un autre dans la dissidence, incarne par Charles Mukasi. Selon des observateurs, le gouvernement a voulu s'impliquer dans la vie du parti. Les forces de l'ordre ont empeche certaines personnes a prendre part aux debats. Pour beaucoup, l'actuel president est un mandataire du gouvernement. Le nouveau president a cependant promis d'organiser un congres ordinaire, aussitot que possible, et a indique que l'actuelle direction est provisoire. (D'apres Infoaza, Burundi, 7 octobre 1998) * Centrafrique. Calendrier des elections - Un nouveau calendrier des elections legislatives a ete confirme par decret du president: le premier tour du scrutin se deroulera le 22 novembre prochain, le second tour est fixe au 13 decembre. L'installation de la nouvelle Assemblee nationale est prevue le 1er janvier 1999. (Marches Tropicaux, France, 2 octobre 1998) * Congo (RDC). Guerre et consultations - 30 septembre. La radio des rebelles annonce qu'un premier convoi de personnes deplacees en provenance du nord du Katanga est arrive a Uvira; jusqu'a 20.000 personnes, pour la plupart des Banyamulenge, fuieraient les regions de Vyura et Moba. D'autre part, apres deux jours de pourparlers en Angola, les chefs d'etat-major des pays de la SADC ont rapporte qu'ils avaient dresse une liste de recommandations pour ameliorer la securite dans la region, mais sans divulguer aucun detail. Par ailleurs, le ministre ougandais de la cooperation regionale a rencontre le president Mugabe du Zimbabwe pour discuter de la crise en RDC. Et a Syrte, en Libye, se tient un mini-sommet sur la situation en RDC, reunissant les presidents de la Libye, du Tchad, du Niger et de l'Erythree. 1 octobre. Le porte-parole du gouvernement a dit qu'il ne pouvait confirmer la prise de Punia, a 200 km au nord de Kindu, revendiquee la veille par les rebelles. A Goma, les eveques du Kivu reunis en seance extraordinaire adressent un message aux fideles et aux hommes de bonne volonte; denoncant tant les oppositions ethniques, que la situation desastreuse de la population et les exactions des militaires, ils demandent l'arret immediat de la guerre. 2 octobre. Selon l'agence libyenne JANA, le president ougandais, M. Museveni, qui s'etait egalement rendu en Libye, a estime que les consultations de Syrte avaient ete concluantes, mais sans donner d'indications sur les mesures convenues. Selon les agences de presse, M. Kadhafi a propose de deployer en RDC une force africaine en remplacement des forces etrangeres, notamment ougandaises et rwandaises. 3 octobre. Des initiatives des pays francophones sont egalement en cours: M. Dupuch, conseiller du president Chirac, et Emile Zinsou, emissaire de la Francophonie, ont rencontre separement le president Kabila. 4 octobre. Les rebelles annoncent etre entres dans Kindu, a 380 km a l'ouest de Goma, et d'y occuper l'aeroport. Les combats se poursuivraient a l'interieur de la ville. Selon leur porte-parole, les insurges se seraient egalement empares de Buta, a 120 km au nord de Kisangani, et de Bumba, a 400 km au nord-ouest de cette meme ville. Ces informations n'ont pu etre confirmees. 5 octobre. Le gouvernement de Kinshasa a reconnu que les combats s'approchent de Kindu, mais affirme que la ville est calme et entierement controlee par les FAC. L'AFP a pu constater que la rebellion a pris le controle d'au moins une des deux pistes d'atterrissage de la ville de Kalima (a 80 km au nord-est de Kindu), apres qu'elle aurait pris la localite elle-meme, videe de sa population. 6 octobre. Selon le commandant rebelle A. Mulunda, la rebellion a lance le matin du 6 une offensive contre le quartier general operationnel des forces loyalistes a Kindu, bombardee avec des mortiers et theatre de combats de rue. 7 octobre. Les deux camps signalent des combats violents autour de Kindu, mais les informations concretes different radicalement: les rebelles disent avoir conquis quelques faubourgs, alors que Kinshasa situe les combats a une cinquantaine de km de la ville. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8 octobre 1998) * Congo (RDC). War and talk - 30 September: Army leaders from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) agree that a threat to any member of the 14-nation regional grouping, could justify allied military intervention, as in Congo RDC. The same day, Uganda's Minister of Regional Cooperation, Amama Mbabazi, meets with Zimbabwe's President Mugabe in Harare, to discuss the Congo RDC crisis. Also, Libya's ambassador to Congo RDC says his country is in contact with "certain Congolese leaders" to resolve the crisis "without blood being spilled". 1 October: Rebel controlled radio in the South Kivu town of Uvira says the first convoy of displaced people from Katanga province has arrived in a weakened state. The radio says that the first group of 313 displaced persons to arrived in Uvira, included 227 children 50 women and 36 men. Many of them are ill or malnourished. Rebels say that up to 20,000 mainly Banyamulenge residents are fleeing the Vyura and Moba areas of Katanga to escape attacks against them. 5 October: Rebels say they are advancing by foot through forest towards a key eastern town still held by government troops. "For the moment, we are still 12 miles from Kindu", rebel battalion commander Arthur Mulunda says. 6 October: President Kabila's forces say they have repulsed a rebel attack on Kindu. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 October 1998) * Cote d'Ivoire. Cinema: Festival du court metrage - L'Afrique de l'Ouest avait deja le Festival panafricain du cinema et de la television de Ouagadougou (Fespaco). Elle aura bientot son Festival international du court metrage a Abidjan (Fica), dont la premiere manifestation se tiendra du 15 au 19 decembre 1998. Les films en competition seront ceux realises durant les deux dernieres annees par les pays ACP (Afrique, Caraibes, Pacifique) et dont la duree n'excede pas 52 minutes. (Jeune Afrique Economie, France, 5 octobre 1998) * Egypte. Armes nucleaires? - L'Egypte n'hesitera pas a se doter d'armes nucleaires en cas de necessite, affirme le president Moubarak dans un entretien publie le 5 octobre par le quotidien El Hayat. Il ajoute toutefois que "rien ne presse" et que "c'est la derniere chose a laquelle nous pensions". M. Moubarak precise que l'Egypte dispose actuellement d'un reacteur nucleaire de fabrication argentine, une installation d'une puissance de 22 megawatts qu'elle n'utilise pas a des fins militaires. Il a livre ces precisions apres avoir reproche a Israel son refus de signer le Traite de non-proliferation nucleaire. "La paix a besoin d'une force pour assurer sa protection", a-t-il conclu. (D'apres AP, USA, 5 octobre 1998) * Ethiopia/Eritrea. US mediation - Ethiopia said that former US National Security Adviser Anthony Lake would visit the country on 8 October in an effort to mediate in the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Lake will visit first the Eritrean capital Asmara, Ethiopian government spokesman Selome Taddesse said. A statement from Taddesse said Ethiopia was still committed to the peace initiative by the Oreganization of African Unity "as the only one that could guarantee a peaceful solution to the crisis", but welcomed "any effort made...to bolster this initiative." (InfoBeat, USA, 6 October 1998) * Ethiopie/Erythree. Regain de tension - Le 5 octobre, a la rentree parlementaire a Addis Abeba, le president ethiopien, Negasso Gidada, a declare que "les chances d'une resolution pacifique du conflit s'amenuisent de jour en jour". Tout en fustigeant "l'intransigeance du regime erythreen", il a soutenu qu'il "considere toujours la guerre comme dernier recours". Depuis juin, "les forces armees ethiopiennes ont recu l'ordre d'etre en etat d'alerte et de preparation maximale", a-t-il precise. - Cependant, les Etats-Unis font une nouvelle tentative de mediation. Leur mediateur Anthony Lake est arrive le 7 octobre au soir a Asmara et se rendra le 8 a Addis Abeba. On ne connait pas les nouvelles propositions qu'il soumettra aux deux pays. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8 octobre 1998) * Gabon. Campagne presidentielle - Le chef du Rassemblement national des bucherons, principal parti d'opposition, le pere Paul Mba Abessole, s'est lance officiellement, le 3 octobre, dans la campagne pour l'election presidentielle de decembre prochain, en se faisant designer candidat de son parti. Figure emblematique de l'opposition gabonaise, M. Abessole est le cinquieme candidat declare a ce scrutin. Il est considere par l'ensemble des observateurs politiques comme le plus serieux adversaire de l'actuel chef de l'Etat Omar Bongo. Ce dernier n'a toujours pas annonce s'il se representerait pour un nouveau mandat de sept ans. (AFP, France, 3 octobre 1998) * Ghana. Disease no longer a threat - Samuel Sowah, a WHO regional expert on river blindness, told IRIN that river blindness no longer constituted a social, economic or health problem in Ghana. He was reacting to news reports this week which said black flies believed to be carriers of the disease had invaded the Bunkprugu region of Ghana, some 500 km north of the capital Accra. AFP, quoting local newspapers, said that farmers had abandoned their harvest, and that schoolchildren had been made to wear long sleeves and trousers to protect them from the painful fly bites. A report in the Daily Graphic on 28 September quoted a regional deputy, Joseph Labik, as saying: "Those in charge of the programme against onchocerciasis (river blindness) tell us that the parasite has been eliminated but the flies are still venomous and their bites painful". The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the disease, which has been prevalent in the savannah regions of Burkina Faso, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Niger and Togo, has been mostly eradicated. Sowah said the WHO was not mandated to control the flies but to treat diseases. He said: "The cost of US$ 900 for spraying a stretch of river is far too much for government budgets when this money could be put to better use building schools". He added that years of treating rivers had rendered the flies harmless and that "in any case, rivers cannot be treated for flies on a permanent basis". (IRIN, West Africa, 1 October 1998) * Guinea. President marks 40th anniversary - 2 October. President Lansane Conte of Guinea marked the country's 40th of independence saying he "ardently" hoped the presidential election later this year would proceed peacefully and in strict compliance with the law, AFP reported. Guinea, which gained independence from France in 1958, he added, had managed "to resist the forces of division", which has afflicted neighbouring nations. He urged the country to "reinforce national unity". (IRIN, West Africa, 2 October 1998) * Guinea Bissau. Senegal says intervention was for peace - Senegalese Foreign Minister Jacques Baudin told the 53rd session of the UN General Assembly on 30 September that his country's military intervention in neighbouring Guinea Bissau fell under a bilateral defence treaty and was designed to secure peace in the country. "I would like to recall that Senegal's engagement in Guinea Bissau is solely to help restore constitutional order," he said. Baudin said the intervention was also aimed at "ending the threat to public security and to foreigners, and contribute to reinforcing stability and security in the sub-region and in Africa." The 16-member Economic Community of West African States and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), he added, had persuaded the Guinea Bissau government and its rebellious army, under General Ansumane Mane, to sign a ceasefire in first stage towards "normalisation" in the country. (IRIN, Nairobi, 2 October 1998) * Kenya. Muslims protest deregistration of NGOs - Around 1,000 Kenyan Muslims marched through the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa in a protest against a government order to deregister five non- governmental organisations, witnesses said. The Kenyan government cancelled the registration of the five Muslim groups last month, after the 7 August bomb attack on the US embassy in Nairobi, saying they were a possible security threat. The demonstrators, carrying banners and waving palm branches, called for President arap Moi to quit and denounced the US FBI, which has been investigating the explosions. (InfoBeat, USA, 2 October 1998) * Lesotho. Negociations dans la confusion - Le 2 octobre, les negociations entre le gouvernement et l'opposition se sont achevees dans la confusion et la colere. Dans une intervention televisee, le vice-president sud-africain, Thabo Mbeki, a annonce des elections generales dans 15 a 18 mois, alors que le gouvernement actuel resterait en place jusqu'a ces elections et que les troupes d'intervention maintiendraient leur presence. Ces declarations ont souleve la colere de l'opposition qui a dementi avoir conclu un accord et affirme que les negociations etaient toujours en cours. Le lendemain, les services de la vice-presidence sud-africaine ont reconnu que M. Mbeki avait commis une erreur, ayant ete mal informe, et qu'il en prenait l'entiere responsabilite. -Le 5 octobre, le gouvernement et l'opposition ont decide de suspendre leurs negociations pour reflechir sur une proposition de la SADC visant a mettre en place une "structure transitionnelle" qui comprendrait deux representants des differents partis politiques et creerait des conditions favorables a la tenue d'elections libres. Cette proposition cherche a sortir les negociations de l'impasse: l'opposition exigeait la formation d'un gouvernement d'union nationale, ce que rejetait totalement le parti au pouvoir. (D'apres AFP, France, 2-5 octobre 1998) * Lesotho. Mediation efforts - 2 October: South Africa announces an agreement to resolve the political crisis, including new elections within 18 months, following last week's chaotic invasion by South African forces to end an army mutiny and save the beleaguered Lesotho government. It comes after a day of negotiations between the feuding political parties of Lesotho as well as the governments of South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe. 3 October: The South African vice-presidency explains that South Africa's Vice-President Thabo Mbeki made a mistake in announcing the previous evening that the present government in Maseru could remain in office until the new elections. While the parties in question have agreed to the holding of new elections, the question of who will govern Lesotho during this time is still being discussed and negotiated. 7 October: Political parties in Lesotho have accepted in principle the holding of fresh elections in the next 15 to 18 months. There is still deadlock over who shall govern the kingdom. South Africa has sent 750 more soldiers to Lesotho to search for arms caches. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 October 1998) * Liberia. US embassy closed - The United States charge d'affaires in Liberia, John Baumann, has said the embassy in Monrovia would remain closed until the Liberian government "thoroughly investigates" and apologises for a recent shooting incident at the embassy on 19 September, independent Star Radio reported today 1 October. Baumann was quoted as saying his government was re-assessing its relations with Liberia and a decision would be made whether to continue, scale down or close the embassy operations. He said the embassy "will be dealing strictly with humanitarian affairs", the radio said. The embassy was closed when the former faction leader, Roosevelt Johnson, sought sanctuary there after his ethnic Krahn stronghold in central Monrovia was raided by government forces. The US maintains that Liberian forces shot into the embassy compound in pursuit of Johnson. But President Taylor recently denied this, saying all firing had taken place on Liberian soil. The Press Union of Liberia observed its 34th anniversary "silently" on 1 October so that it could reflect "soberly" on the situation in the country, Star Radio reported. The union said it would hold the government to its promise to uphold press freedom. (IRIN, West Africa, 1 October 1998) * Liberia. Peacekeepers leave kids behind - West African intervention troops brought peace but also love to Liberia in the eight-year war that ended in 1997, fathering up to 25,000 babies, according to a Nigerian report. The West African peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, will move to Sierra Leone in October to focus on rebels there. However, efforts are underway to find the fathers -- many of them now back home -- of children aged between three months and 8 years. "My wife should have waited for me," a cuckolded Liberian husband said after returning from Ghana to find his wife remarried with children. "She could have extra marital affairs, but that does not give her the free will to give birth to a child by an ECOMOG soldier". (InfoBeat, USA, 1 October 1998) * Maroc. Dossiers des disparus et detenus politiques - Au moment ou le Premier ministre marocain entame sa visite a Paris, le Maroc s'apprete a tourner la page des "annees noires" et a reconnaitre le deces de 70 "disparus" entre les annees 60 et 80. Il s'apprete aussi a liberer 28 detenus politiques, tous islamistes, mais n'a pas encore tranche le sort de vingt autres, impliques dans des crimes de sang et condamnes. En revanche, deux dossiers semblent rester pour le moment en suspens: celui de l'opposant Abraham Sarfaty, expulse vers la France en 1991 apres avoir passe 17 ans en prison, et celui du leader islamiste Abdessalam Yassine, en "residence protegee" depuis 1989 dans sa maison de Sale. (AFP, France, 1 octobre 1998) * Maroc. Youssoufi en France - Les 1 et 2 octobre, le Premier ministre marocain Abderrahmane Youssoufi a rendu une visite officielle a Paris, destinee a renforcer la cooperation avec la France. Il y a recu un accueil chaleureux. Un geste financier significatif a donne corps a l'interet de la France pour la "democratisation" en cours au Maroc. Au total, la France degagera 4,2 milliards de FF de moyens financiers supplementaires: 2 milliards pour l'allegement de la dette marocaine et 2,2 milliards pour des projets de developpement. (D'apres Liberation, France, 3 octobre 1998) * Morocco. Those who have disappeared - On 4 October, relatives of about 70 activists reported to have disappeared in Morocco from the 1960s to the 1980s, urged the government to tell them the fate of their loved ones. They accused security forces of abducting the activists and said they were growing impatient. Spokesman Omar el Manouzi aid one person who vanished was his brother Hocine, a workers' union activist who disappeared in 1964 after "being kidnapped by police". El Manouzi said there was evidence some of those who disappeared were still alive in jails in southeastern Morocco and Tazmamart in the Atlas Mountains. (InfoBeat, USA, 5 October 1998) * Maroc. Sanctions contre des magistrats. - La Cour supreme de justice a pris des mesures disciplinaires contre 30 magistrats, dont 9 ont ete revoques pour corruption, comportements nuisants a la credibilite de la justice et erreurs professionnelles, a annonce le 7 octobre le ministre de la Justice. 13 juges ont en outre ete exclus temporairement. (Liberation, France, 8 octobre 1998) * Mozambique. Close to achieving debt relief - On 1 October, Finance Minister Tomaz Salamao said Mozambique is about to get relief on its enormous external debt, but it has been a long, tortuous process. Mozambique reached the so-called "decision point" for debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries initiative from international creditors earlier this year, and will pass the "completion point" -- when relief is actually granted -- in the middle of 1999. The government sees a quarter of its spending swallowed by interest payments on its $5.6 billion worth of debt. (InfoBeat, USA, 2 October 1998) * Niger. Municipal election may be postponed - Municipal elections in Niger scheduled for 22 November may have to be postponed, AFP reported today 1 October. According to the report, the Commission Electorale Nationale Independante (CENI), the only body authorised to make such changes, said that a 22 September deadline for registration of candidates had passed without a single application to the interior ministry. The electoral campaign was to have started on 31 October, but a number of leaders of the country's 11 opposition parties had already requested a postponement so that they could ensure a fair contest, the report said. In July, they signed a pact with the governing parties granting them equal access to state media and guaranteeing the "strict neutrality" of traditional chiefs. Meanwhile, AFP said foreign donors had provided a CFA 3 billion (30 million French franc) fund for the elections. (IRIN, West Africa, 1 October 1998) * Niger. Report des elections locales - Le Niger a reporte au 7 fevrier 1999 les elections locales qui etaient prevues pour le mois prochain, "afin de garantir que le scrutin ait lieu dans le calme et la transparence totale", ont rapporte le 3 octobre les agences de presse. Le porte-parole du gouvernement a declare que la Commission avait demande davantage de temps pour preparer le scrutin. Selon l'AFP, tous les partis, y compris ceux de l'opposition, ont confirme qu'ils participeraient aux elections. (IRIN, Abidjan, 5 octobre 1998) * Nigeria. Anniversaire de l'independance - Dans un discours a la nation diffuse le 1er octobre par la radio et television nationales a l'occasion du 38e anniversaire de l'independance du pays, le general Abubakar a invite les civils, qui seront a nouveau au pouvoir l'an prochain, a tirer les lecons des erreurs des regimes militaires successifs. Il a une nouvelle fois promis une transition democratique etalee sur 10 mois, qui doit s'achever le 29 mai 1999 par la remise du pouvoir a un gouvernement elu. (IRIN, Abidjan, 1 octobre 1998) * Nigeria. 38th Anniversary of independence - In a nationwide radio and television speech marking Nigeria's 38th independence anniversary today the 1 October, the country's military ruler, Gen.Abubakar, urged civilians who will regain power next year to learn from the mistakes of successive military administrations. "I pray and hope that our civil leaders on whom the mantle of national leadership will fall in a few months' time have learned useful lessons from our past travails," Abubakar said. He said it was unfortunate that the "efforts of our founding fathers were interrupted in 1966 with the first military intervention in government". Abubakar, who assumed power on 9 June after the sudden death of his hardline predecessor, Gen.Sani Abacha, also pledged to end the two-tier foreign currency exchange rate and to finalise a new draft constitution designed to end decades of military rule. Reuters said the abolition of the dual-rate system of exchange was one of the main conditions for improved relations with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It said the measure could eventually lead to relief of external debts of more than $30 billion. In his speech, Abubakar said Nigeria's independent national commission had met officials from the United Nations and the Commonwealth as part of "continuing efforts to ensure free and fair elections. We must take an unflattering excursion into our past, critically but objectively evaluate our efforts at nation- building, and humbly acknowledge our mistakes", he said. Abubakar has promised a 10-month transition to civilian rule with the military handing power to an elected government on 29 May, 1999. (Editor's note: On 5 October, Nigerians began registering to vote in the series of elections.) (IRIN, West Africa, 1 October 1998) * Nigeria. Declaration d'avoirs personnels - Les militaires au pouvoir au Nigeria ont decide de rendre public le montant de leur fortune personnelle. Une mesure qui correspond aux intentions affichees par le nouveau president, le general Abubakar, de remettre une administration "propre" aux futurs dirigeants civils du pays. (La Croix, France, 2 octobre 1998) * Nigeria. Affrontements ethniques - Selon des declarations d'humanitaires, le 4 octobre, des milliers d'habitants du sud-ouest du Nigeria ont fui leurs maisons suite a des affrontements entre Ijaw et Ilaje. Ces affrontements ont commence le 19 septembre. Selon les habitants, plus de 30.000 personnes auraient fui les zones des combats intercommunautaires pour le controle du territoire d'Apata, riche en petrole. On signale des centaines de morts. Les Ijaw, qui vivent de la peche dans le delta du Niger, se plaignent d'etre traites en citoyens de seconde zone. Les compagnies petrolieres signalent des attaques quasiment quotidiennes contre leur personnel et leurs equipements. Selon un avocat, les differends sur les proprietes foncieres existent depuis plusieurs annees entre les deux ethnies. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 5 octobre 1998) * Nigeria. Enregistrement des electeurs - Les medias signalent qu'un grand nombre de Nigerians se presentent aux bureaux d'inscription des electeurs dans tout le Nigeria. Selon l'AFP, la nouvelle commission electorale independante a engage 222.000 agents pour l'enregistrement et quelque 11.000 superviseurs pour traiter les dossiers des 60 millions d'electeurs qui devraient s'inscrire avant le delai du 19 octobre. Elle a aussi fait diffuser une serie d'annonces publicitaires par les stations radio sur le theme "votre vote, c'est votre pouvoir", pour encourager l'electorat. (IRIN, Abidjan, 5 octobre 1998) * Rwanda/Vatican. Visite ad limina - Selon un rapport du "Jesuit Refugee Service", le pape Jean Paul II a exhorte les eveques rwandais, qui ont fait leur visite ad limina a Rome, la premiere apres le genocide, a essayer plus fortement d'arriver a la reconciliation et a "prendre soin de tout le monde sans aucune exception". "Les liens qui lient les gens au Christ ne sont pas toujours aussi forts que ceux qui lient les communautes humaines", a precise le pape. Par ailleurs, selon The Tablet, le pape a exhorte les eveques a reconnaitre que des membres de l'Eglise, y compris le clerge, avaient "commis des infidelites a l'evangile qui demandent un examen de conscience". (IRIN, Nairobi, 2 octobre 1998) * Rwanda. Tribunal international - Le 2 octobre, le Tribunal penal international pour le Rwanda d'Arusha a condamne a la reclusion a perpetuite Jean-Paul Akayesu, 45 ans, ancien maire de Taba dans le centre du pays. Il avait ete reconnu coupable, le 2 septembre, de neuf chefs d'inculpation, dont genocide, incitation directe et publique au genocide, crimes contre l'humanite pour extermination, assassinat, torture et viol. M. Akayesu, qui avait demande pardon mais maintenu son innocence, a interjete appel. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 octobre 1998) * Rwanda. Seeking Kenya's support - Last week, Rwanda turned to Kenya for support, as Laurent Kabila seemed to match his victories on the war front with growing support in emerging diplomatic initiatives geared at ending the two-month-old conflict in Congo RDC. During a six-hour private meeting with President Moi on 22 September on the eve of a major Francophone meeting on the conflict in Gabon last week, Rwandan Vice-President Paul Kagame is understood to have explained Kigali's role in the conflict. He is also said to have sought Kenya's diplomatic support in emerging regional peace initiatives such as the one planned by Tanzania and Zambia. (The East African, Kenya, 28 sept-4 Oct 1998) * Rwanda. Attaque rebelle - Le 2 octobre, une trentaine d'hommes portant des uniformes militaires, supposes etre des interahamwe, ont attaque la commune de Kanama, au nord-ouest du pays, faisant 6 morts et 6 blesses. L'armee est intervenue et effectue des operations de recherche. L'annee passee, la quasi-totalite des 80.000 habitants de cette commune avaient ete obliges de fuir suite a des attaques rebelles. Ils reviennent maintenant chez eux, la situation securitaire s'etant stabilisee, malgre qu'il y ait toujours des attaques sporadiques. Le PAM a commence a y faire des distributions de nourriture. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 3 octobre 1998) * Rwanda. Ex-mayor jailed - On 2 October, Jean-Paul Akayesu, 45, a former Rwandan mayor, was given three life sentences for genocide and crimes against humanity, plus 80 years for other violations. He was convicted early last month by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which sits in Tanzania. Akayesu, who was not accused of personally taking part in any murders or rape, was mayor of the commune of Taba during the 1994 genocide. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 October 1998) * Sao Tome e Principe. Scrutin legislatif - Le president de Sao Tome e Principe, Miguel Trovoada, a annonce le 1er octobre que les elections legislatives auraient lieu le 8 novembre prochain. Un second tour sera prevu si necessaire. Six partis au moins (dans ce pays de 135.000 habitants, ndlr.) devraient se disputer les sieges. (IRIN, Abidjan, 2 octobre 1998) * Senegal. Syndicalistes restent arretes - Une cour d'appel senegalaise a rejete la demande de liberation provisoire d'un groupe de syndicalistes arretes en juillet dernier apres une greve lancee par le Syndicat unique des travailleurs de l'electricite, a rapporte l'AFP le 30 septembre. Un nombre non precise de detenus sont accuses d'avoir sabote les installations de la Societe nationale d'electricite au cours d'une greve de protestation contre des projets de privatisation. Les avocats des syndicalistes introduiraient un nouvel appel, tandis que d'autres syndicats envisagent d'autres actions de protestation et de soutien. (IRIN, Abidjan, 1 october 1998) * Senegal. Helicopters from the United States - The US pledged to provide Senegal with helicopters and ammunition, US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security, Franklin Kramer said. "We will look to provide greater support for example in one year or so to supply Senegal some of the same kinds of helicopters the US uses," he told reporters after meeting Senegal's President Abdou Diouf. "We will be supplying some logistical support as well as ammunition." He said Washington supports Senegal's intervention in Guinea-Bissau to help President Joao Bernardo Vieira put down an army rebellion. (InfoBeat, USA, 1 October 1998) * Sierra Leone. Asking international community to remain - 1 October. Sierra Leone urged the international community to remain in the country until it has a properly functioning new army. Speaking to delegates at the 53rd session of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Sama Banya said: "In this regard, the Federal Republic of Nigeria has agreed to the secondment of Brigadier-General Maxwell Khobe, commander of the ECOMOG Task Force in Sierra Leone as our chief of defence staff." Banya said that prompt action by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had demonstrated "what a regional organisation could achieve if the determination and the leadership are there." However, he said, despite ECOMOG's capacity to deliver, "it needs the tools which only the international community could provide." He said that although 90% of the country was "secure and safe", remnants of the ousted military junta and their allies in the east and the northeast of the country continued to operate "only because they have a safe haven in a neighbouring country, while one other country renders its support to them by remote control." He did not name either country. "That notwithstanding, every effort is now being made by both ECOMOG and civil defence units to flush them out and finally put this whole tragedy behind us," he said. (IRIN, West Africa, 2 October 1998) * Sierra Leone. Enfants soldats - L'UNICEF a demande, le 2 octobre, au gouvernement de Sierra Leone de demobiliser les enfants enroles dans les forces regulieres et d'amnistier les jeunes rebelles captures. Selon les estimations de l'Onu, la Sierra Leone compte plus de 4.000 enfants soldats, quelque 2.500 enroles par les rebelles et le reste dans le camp gouvernemental, au sein des milices de chasseurs traditionnels. Selon la directrice de l'UNICEF, Mme Bellamy, en visite dans le pays, ce recrutement se poursuit encore. Le president sierra-leonais, M. Kabbah, a affirme son "plein engagement pour la demobilisation des enfants". -D'autre part, le 1er octobre a l'assemblee generale de l'ONU, le ministre des Affaires etrangeres sierra-leonais a presse la communaute internationale de maintenir sa presence dans son pays, tant que son armee n'est pas en bon ordre de fonctionnement. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 octobre 1998) * Sierra Leone. Des milliers fuient de nouveaux combats - Des milliers de civils ont fui les combats qui ont a nouveau eclate au nord de la capitale Freetown entre l'ECOMOG et les rebelles, a rapporte la BBC le 4 octobre. Les combats ont commence il y a une semaine dans le district de Kambia, pres de la frontiere avec la Guinee. 5.000 civils auraient fui en Guinee, qui accueille deja 100.000 refugies. Parallelement, le HCR a signale que, le 29 septembre, plus de 3.000 Sierra-Leonais avaient traverse la frontiere guineenne apres que les rebelles aient tue des civils et brule des dizaines de maisons dans le village Kukuna, au nord-ouest du pays. D'autre part, selon l'agence Reuters, les rebelles ont demande au gouvernement des pourparlers de paix sous l'egide des Nations unies et du Commonwealth, mais le gouvernement a declare qu'il n'etait pas interesse par des negociations concernant un partage du pouvoir. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 5 octobre 1998) * Sierra Leone. Proces de Foday Sankoh - Le juge Ademusu a decide, le 5 octobre, que le proces du chef rebelle Foday Sankoh aurait lieu, malgre l'absence d'avocat de la defense, a cause de la loi sur l'etat d'urgence. Les avocats sierra-leonais ont refuse de le defendre. Neuf charges ont ete retenues contre lui, dont la trahison, le meurtre et des crimes contre l'humanite. M. Sankoh a plaide non coupable. Il risque la peine capitale. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 6 octobre 1998) * Somalie. Depart des dernieres religieuses - Il ne reste plus de religieux catholiques en Somalie. Les trois dernieres religieuses, missionnaires de la Consolata, ont quitte Mogadiscio le 26 septembre, quinze jours apres que l'une d'elles ait ete sequestree. Durant les six dernieres annees, tous les religieux ont du quitter le pays. (Fides, Rome, 2 octobre 1998) * South Africa. Possible trial for involvement - Archbishop Desmond Tutu said South Africans who snubbed an offer of amnesty could face prosecution once his Truth Commission's report into the war over apartheid is released next month. Tutu's comments on a visit to Ireland indicated South Africa might not shirk from punishing key figures for failing to reveal full details of crimes during that period. Asked if the believed people would or should be prosecuted after the release of the report to South African President Mandela, Tutu told reporters, "We have said any people who did not take advantage of the very generous amnesty provisions should then, if there is evidence be prosecuted." (InfoBeat, USA, 1 October 1998) * South Africa. Amnesty Committee - The Amnesty Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission continues its work. 28 September: It is announced that the Committee's spotlight will fall on the 1993 murder of a Grahamstown lawyer, Mr Allistair Weakley, and his brother, Glenn, near Port St. Johns, and the mystery behind a spate of armed attacks on farmers near Stutterheim in the 1990s. 1 October: The Amnesty Committee appeals to victims of the 1987 NU 1 Mdantsane attack to urgently contact the TRC Cape Town offices to provide the Commission with additional information which will make them eligible to apply for reparation to the President's Fund. A similar appeal was sent to victims of the 1993 St James Church massacre or their next of kin. (TRC, South Africa, 28 Sept-1 October 1998) * Sudan. Protest to UN against Uganda, Eritrea - On 5 October, Sudan said it had protested to the UN Security Council over an alleged Ugandan and Eritrean offensive last month in the south of the country. Hassan Abdin, undersecretary at the Foreign Ministry says: "The Ugandan-Eritrean attack violates Sudan's sovereignty, threatens its unity and is considered an obvious violation of the charter of the UN." (InfoBeat, USA, 5 October 1998) * Soudan. Plainte a l'Onu - Le Soudan a depose une plainte officielle aupres du Conseil de securite de l'Onu, accusant l'Ouganda et l'Erythree d'avoir envoye des troupes pour soutenir les rebelles dans le sud, a signale l'agence officielle de presse SUNA. Pour sa part, Kampala a dementi que ses troupes soutenaient la SPLA. Cependant, il y a deja trois semaines, l'Ouganda a transfere les quartiers generaux de son commandement du nord pres de la frontiere avec le Soudan pour essayer de sceller la frontiere. (IRIN, Nairobi, 5 octobre 1998) * Sudan. Denies bombing - Sudan has denied it launched bombing raids in northern Uganda in which six people were injured, newspapers reported. The Sudan foreign ministry "denied its planes bombed the towns of Adjumani and Pakele in northern Uganda on 3 October." It was responding to a Ugandan statement which said six bombs were dropped in Adjumani, about 350 miles northwest of Kampala, and four hit areas near the border with Sudan. Ugandan intelligence officials accused Sudan of carrying out another bombing raid in western Uganda a week ago, an attack they had initially blamed on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. No casualties were reported in that attack. (InfoBeat, USA, 6 October 1998) * Soudan. Proces de deux pretres - Selon le quotidien Akhbar Al Youm, les pretres catholiques Hillary Boma et Lino Sebit ont comparu devant un tribunal militaire avec 18 autres inculpes. Le pere Boma est accuse d'appartenir a la SPLA et d'etre a la tete d'un groupe de 19 guerilleros qui ont tente de faire sauter le systeme de transmission electrique de la capitale le 30 juin. Des 20 accuses, 18 sont chretiens. Tous se sont declares innocents, a l'exception d'un seul. Le proces a ete ajourne au 13 octobre. Par ailleurs, lors d'une visite qu'il a recue le 1 octobre de quatre pretres, le P. Boma a admis qu'il a ete torture ainsi que le P. Sebit, et qu'il a signe une confession pour faire cesser les tortures infligees au P. Sebit sous ses yeux. (Fides, Rome, 6 octobre 1998) * Chad. Opposition condemns Congo RDC force - Two opposition parties in Chad have condemned the dispatch of 1,000 troops to help President Kabila put down a rebellion in Congo RDC. AFP reported the Front national du Tchad renouvel (FNTR) and the Conseil democratique revolutionaire (CDR) as saying the intervention was a dangerous development which risked embroiling Chad in international conflicts. "Chad, which laid to rest its 30 years of wars at home and abroad with difficulty, must respect a construction neutrality in African conflicts", the CDR said. According to media reports, Chad's government only acknowledged that it had already sent troops to help Kabila earlier this week, saying the action was in support of "efforts to preserve" peace in Congo RDC. (IRIN, West Africa, 1 October 1998) * Ouganda. L'accident d'avion - Les debris de l'avion disparu le 25 septembre ont ete retrouves le 1er octobre a Katebwa. L'avion s'est ecrase sur une montagne a 25 km de la ville de Fort Portal, a l'est du Ruwenzori. Selon le journal New Vision du 2 octobre, les equipes de sauvetage ont retrouve quatre survivants, dont le Lt.Col. Mwebaze. Le pilote de l'avion aurait trouve la mort dans l'accident. - D'autre part, selon le ministre d'Etat ougandais a la securite, le dirigeant rebelle Joseph Kony serait dans un etat critique, suite a des blessures encourues aux combats. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 octobre 1998) * Uganda. Congo-RDC war affects business - The war in Congo RDC has led to a drastic reduction in the amount of the country's transit cargo passing through Entebbe Aiport. Clearing agents have expressed fears that business will come to a standstill if the war continues for much longer. According to the vice-chairman of the Uganda Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association, the amount of cargo going to Congo RDC via Entebbe Airport is negligible. Before the war, over 44 tonnes of cargo destined for Congo RDC would arrive on each flight from Dubai. The decline in the amount of cargo has been attributed to Uganda Airlines' suspension of flights to Congo RDC when war broke out there in early August. (The East African, Kenya, 28 Sept-4 Oct 1998) * Vatican. La dette des plus pauvres - Le 1er octobre, le Vatican a appele les gouverneurs de la Banque mondiale et du Fonds monetaire international a etudier la reduction de la dette des pays les plus pauvres lors de leur rencontre la semaine prochaine a Washington. "Les besoins de ces pays ne doivent pas etre consideres comme des besoins de second ordre", declare un communique du Conseil pontifical pour la justice et la paix. Le Conseil rappelle que le pape Jean Paul II a deja, a maintes reprises, appele a des reductions substantielles des dettes des pays en voie de developpement. (AFP, France, 1 octobre 1998) * Zambia. KK can't retire yet - "I'm itching to retire from party politics," former Zambian president Dr Kenneth Kaunda, 74, curtly quips, but stresses: "But I can't retire now, leaving the United National Independence Party (UNIP) in total disarray. I have led UNIP for the past 40 years". UNIP is currently embroiled in factional internal feuds and wrangles centring on succession to the party presidency. Dr Kaunda is the founding father of the Zambian nation, but, nevertheless, is resolute to quit politics. "My decision to retire from party politics is final and will not change." Dr Kaunda says South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) must honour its pledge to release funds for UNIP's reorganisation. According to Dr Kaunda, the ANC's Treasurer- General, (Joe Modise) who is also South Africa's Defence Minister, assured him during his recent visit to Zambia in June, that funds would be forthcoming. Modise, accompanied by the president of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), had brokered Dr Kaunda's release from detention. (Fred Chela, Zambia, 30 September 1998) * Zambia. From the Press - 30 September:Panafrican News Agency -- Zambia's Permanent Human Rights Commission is to conduct a public hearing on the alleged shooting of former President Kenneth Kaunda in August 1997. Post of Zambia -- Lusaka's University Teaching Hospital has warned of falling standards at the country's leading hospital due to inadequate funding./ Emmanuel Nyirenda, managing editor of the state-owned Times of Zambia, has been arrested for corruption. 1 October: Post of Zambia -- Police in Lusaka have begun a clamp-down on the gay movement and their supporters./ The Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation for Higher Education has terminated the programmes they were supporting at the University of Zambia until the problems at the institution are solved. 2 October: Post of Zambia -- Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Robinson Nabulyato, has retired from his position./ The Zambian Parliament has recently enacted an amendment to the Former Presidents' Pension Benefits Act of 1994. Times of Zambia -- A new pension scheme to provide adequate economic security for the older people at retirement will soon be launched./ Lusaka minibus drivers have defied a directive by the United Transport and Taxis Association to increase fares by 20%, charging that the new fares are already astronomical./The Government has with immediate effect suspended the pre-shipment inspection of imported goods. (Africa News Service, 2 October 1998) * Zambia/South Africa. Micro-credit initiative - South Africa has joined 13 other regional countries that will strive to reach 12 million poor families, with micro-credit by the year 2005. The commitment was made at a September 22-25 summit in Lusaka, Zambia, at which some 200 people signed a declaration to build institutional capacity to reach poor people nationally and regionally, especially women. Other participants at the four-day smmit came from Angola, Botswana, Congo RDC, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Dr Tani Madinane, head of South Africa's Khula Institutional Support Services, said the new South Africa is a nation emerging from a protracted history of suppressed human potentials and opportunities. He said that in the on-going transition process, the need to expand the economy and create new jobs, is a challenge that cannot be solved by the existing private sector capacity. (Charles Mubambe, Zambia, 5 October 1998) * Zimbabwe. Paying the price for Congo RDC intervention - Local analysts say Zimbabwe's economy is reeling from the impact of government spending on the conflict in Congo RDC. Zimbabwe is reportedly spending about US $1 million a day in supporting the Kinshasa government. According to Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa, this year's unexpected expenditure is bound to push the budget deficit from the predicted 8% of Gross Domestic Product, to 12%. That would have serious consequences for the government's reform programme, analysts warn. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 5 October 1998)