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: 19-11-1998 PART #1/ * Africa. Action against the Media - Cameroon: On 12 November, Christopher Ezieh, correspondent with The Herald, was arrested and detained at the police station in Kumba. Lesotho: On 10 November, the office of the weekly newspaper MoAfrika was broken into. Cash and cheques were stolen. This is the latest in a series of attacks against MoAfrika and its editor. (IFEX, Canada, 12-13 November 1998) * Afrique. La femme dans l'islam - Des chefs religieux musulmans de 24 pays d'Afrique et d'Asie, reunis en colloque le week-end du 14-15 novembre a Niamey au Niger, ont invite leurs gouvernements a appliquer le principe d'egalite entre hommes et femmes. Il faut faire une difference entre les traditions negatives de certaines societes musulmanes et les pratiques authentiques de l'islam sur la femme, ont-ils fait valoir. En outre, ils ont considere la planification familiale comme un espacement et non comme une limitation de naissances, et se sont prononces en faveur de la fecondation artificielle a condition qu'elle soit conforme a la volonte du couple. Les travaux etaient organises conjointement par le Fonds des Nations unies pour les activites en matiere de population et par le groupement des organisations islamiques nigeriennes pour les questions de population. (CIP, Bruxelles, 19 novembre 1998) * West Africa. Non-aggression pact - 12 November: Leaders of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia sign a non-aggression pact at a summit in the Guinean capital of Conakry. They agree the pact after a mini-summit attended by US presidential envoy Jesse Jackson. In a joint statement, the three leaders say: "The three heads of state expressed their willingness to reinforce sub- regional integration by reviving the regional Mano River Union". (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 November 1998) * Afrique de l'Ouest. Pacte de non-agression - Le 12 novembre, les chefs d'Etat de Guinee, Liberia et Sierra Leone ont signe un pacte de non-agression, lors de leur rencontre dans la capitale guineenne Conakry. Au terme du pacte, les trois pays, qui forment un ensemble economique connu sous le nom de "Mano River Union" (MRU), veilleront a ce que leur territoire ne serve pas de base arriere a des attaques contre les autres. Ils ont convenu egalement de ressusciter la MRU, dissoute en 1989 lorsqu'avait eclate la guerre civile au Liberia, et d'instituer un "mecanisme concerte et permanent" pour atteindre ses objectifs. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 13 novembre 1998) * Algerie. Kiosques a nouveau pleins - Apres un mois d'absence, les quotidiens La Tribune, Le Soir et Le Matin ont reparu ce week-end du 14-15 novembre, rejoignant dans les kiosques les six autres titres qui avaient deja cesse leur mouvement de protestation. Apres trois semaines de greve, certains journaux avaient reparu apres avoir paye leurs arrieres aux imprimeries d'Etat. La mise en service d'imprimeries privees, qui n'existaient pas jusque-la en Algerie, a finalement permis aux trois derniers titres de contourner les exigences des rotatives d'Etat. (D'apres Liberation, France, 17 novembre 1998) * Algerie. Massacres et suicides - Dix-sept personnes, dont cinq femmes et huit enfants, ont ete tuees par un groupe arme dans la nuit du 11 au 12 novembre dans un hameau de la province d'Ain Defla, un fief islamiste a quelque 130 km au sud d'Alger. Le bref communique officiel ne donne aucun detail sur les circonstances. - Dans le meme departement d'Ain Defla, dans la nuit du 16 au 17 novembre, huit personnes ont ete assassinees et dix autres blessees a Khemis Miliana, ont annonce les services de securite. - D'autre part, la deterioration de la situation sociale amenerait des salaries a menacer de se suicider si leur entreprise est privatisee ou fermee. Selon le quotidien Demain l'Algerie, trois employes touches par une compression d'effectifs dans l'usine de Dra Ben-Khedda auraient deja mis cette menace a execution. Le taux de chomage est officiellement estime a 28% de la population active. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 18 novembre 1998 * Angola. Attaque contre "diamantaires" - Huit personnes, dont deux Britanniques et un Portugais, ont ete tues le 7 novembre dans l'attaque d'une mine de diamants du Lunda-norte, au nord-est de l'Angola. Cette mine est exploitee par une societe britannique Branch Energy et une societe canadienne Diamonds Works, liee au monde des mercenaires de Executive Outcomes, un "nouveau mercenariat" qui constitue de veritables empires financiers au depart d'activites militaires privees. Un des representants de l'Unita a categoriquement nie que son mouvement etait implique dans cette attaque. Il evoque en revanche la possibilite d'un conflit avec certains generaux de l'armee angolaise ayant acquis, eux aussi, des mines de diamants. (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 14 novembre 1998) * Angola. Insecurity continues - 12 November: A senior UN official denies that MONUA troops are being held virtual hostage in the UNITA-controlled towns of Andulo and Bailundo as insurance against a threatened government assault. Delays over the withdrawal of the MONUA soldiers has been due to bad weather.16 November: Half of Angola is inaccessible to the humanitarian community due to road insecurity, and as a result, the living conditions of 40% of the population is unknown. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 12-16 November 1998) * Angola. Le protocole de paix caduc - Le 17 novembre, dans une conference de presse, le vice-ministre de l'Amenagement du territoire charge du traite de paix, le general Carneiro, a declare que le gouvernement angolais considerait desormais caduc le protocole de paix signe entre Luanda et l'Unita en novembre 1994. "Nous considerons que ce traite doit etre annule", a-t-il affirme. Le gouvernement a coupe tout dialogue avec Jonas Savimbi et ne traite plus qu'avec un groupe de dissidents de l'Unita. Le general Carneiro a confirme la degradation de la situation militaire et a ajoute que les Forces armees angolaises se deployaient dans plusieurs regions du pays pour contrer les actions des soldats fideles a Savimbi. Depuis aout, des combats ont repris dans le nord du pays et l'Angola est a nouveau plonge dans un climat d'insecurite generale. (D'apres AFP, France, 18 novembre 1998) * Botswana. Namibian secessionists - The Botwswana goverment is to appeal for international assistance in a bid to address the prison congestion caused by Namibian secessionists who have crossed into Botswana since the end of October. The number of Namibian secessionists has jumped from the 9 November figure of 325, to 393, within the space of two days, including women and children. More are expected to arrive. Botswana's Deputy- Permanent Secretary for Political Affairs in the Office of the President, Andrew Sesinyi, says: "The situation is evolving every day and this is a problem we do not want. We did not expect this sort of thing to happen, and the question is, where are we going to keep them?" The first wave of 92 Nambian secessionists who were armed with an assortment of weapons, arrived in Botswana on 28 October. They identified themselves as members of the Caprivi Liberation Army, which aims at breaking away from Namibia. (Prof Malema, Botswana, 12 November 1998) * Burkina Faso. Presidential elections - 13 November: President Blaise Compaore, in power since 1987, faces his opponents in presidential elections on 15 November. But a boycott by the main opposition party is likely to leave him in power. 15 November: Voting has been taking place calmly. Reports from Ouagadougou speak of a brisk start there. Standing against President Compaore is Africa's first would-be Green Party head of state, Ram Ouedraogo, and conservative Frederic Guirma. Provisional results are likely to be announced tomorrow with final results due on 18 November (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 November 1998) * Burkina Faso. Election presidentielle - Le dimanche 15 novembre, les elections presidentielles se sont deroulees dans le calme. Trois candidats etaient en lice: le president sortant Blaise Compaore, Ram Ouedraogo du parti des Verts et Frederic Guirma du Front du refus-Rassemblement democratique africain. Les grands partis d'opposition, diriges par Joseph Ki Zerbo et Herman Yameogo, ont invoque les menaces de fraude et l'absence de controle independant pour expliquer leur decision de boycotter l'election. Les quelque 7.018 bureaux de vote ont ferme leurs portes vers 18 h. et le depouillement a aussitot commence. Selon les observateurs, le taux de participation a Ouagadougou semblait osciller entre 50 et 70%, alors qu'il etait plus faible a Bobo- Dioulasso (entre 25 et 50%). La participation semblait le seul enjeu de cette election, la victoire du president sortant etant quasiment assuree. - Le 18 novembre, selon des resultats partiels et provisoires, le chef de l'Etat serait assure de sa reelection avec plus de 80% des suffrages exprimes. La participation a ete superieure a 50%, avec un record de 93,82% dans le Yatenga, au nord du pays, alors que les plus faibles taux de participation ont ete enregistres dans l'ouest, traditionnellement refractaire au pouvoir central. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 18 novembre 1998) * Burundi. Trois officiers arretes - Trois officiers de l'unite militaire responsable du massacre de plusieurs dizaines de civils, debut novembre, dans la province de Bujumbura-rural, ont ete arretes, selon un communique gouvernemental. L'armee avait reconnu avoir tue une trentaine de civils dans la commune de Mutambu. Des temoignages de la population locale faisaient etat d'une centaine de tues. "Les premiers resultats des investigations ont conduit a l'arrestation de l'officier responsable et de ses deux adjoints", indique la declaration gouvernementale. - D'autre part, le 18 novembre, le dernier rapport d'Amnesty International accuse l'armee burundaise de violations continuelles des droits de l'homme, assassinats, executions, tortures et viols. L'organisation demande au gouvernement de prendre des mesures severes pour mettre fin aux assassinats de civils. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13-19 novembre 1998) * Burundi. Civilians killed - 12 November: The Burundian government acknowledges its army killed around 30 innocent civilians during an operation against Hutu rebels south of Bujumbura this month. It disputed media reports that more than 100 people died. 19 November: In a report launched today, Amnesty International says that large scale killings of unarmed civilians by the Burundian army and armed opposition groups have continued in 1998. Few of those responsible have been arrested and brought to justice. While the world's eyes have been focused on events in the Democratic Republic of Congo, massacres of civilians have continued in Burundi, virtually ignored by the international community. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 19 November 1998) * Central African Republic. Elections - Parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place on 22 November (first round) and 13 December (second round). At stake are the 109 seats in the National Assembly. The last election was held in 1993. There are six main parties in the electoral race. President Patasse's Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People won 34 seats (out of the 85 in the National Assembly at that time). (CNN, 18 November 1998) * Comores. Nouvelles liaisons avec Anjouan - Le gouvernement comorien a Moroni a leve l'embargo sur les liaisons aeriennes et maritimes avec l'ile secessionniste d'Anjouan. Le president Mohammed Taki, decede la semaine derniere, avait decrete cet embargo en aout 1997 a la suite de la secession de l'ile. (La Libre Belgique, 13 novembre 1998) * Congo-Brazza. Esacalade de violence - Le 14 novembre, une mission de mediation pour retablir la paix dans le fief des Bakongos au sud-ouest de Brazzaville s'est soldee par 33 morts. A Minduli, a 150 km de la capitale, des miliciens Ninjas, partisans de l'ex-maire de Brazzaville Bernard Kolelas, ont fait irruption lors d'une reunion entre notables locaux et un comite de mediation compose principalement de religieux. Ouvrant le feu sans sommation, ils ont abattu 13 personnes: 6 notables, 5 pasteurs, un pretre et un militaire. Une operation de represailles menee par l'armee a fait 20 morts parmi les insurges. (D'apres Liberation, France, 16 novembre 1998) * Congo-Brazza. Six clergymen killed - 14 November: Six clergymen are killed while on a peace mediation mission to a rebel group. The six, members of a church committee set up to end armed conflict in the region, are killed at Mindouli in the Pool region west of Brazzaville. The clergymen, all from Pool region, had gone to speak to the rebels without guards, as they wanted to avoid any suspicion. A spokesman for the Congolese government blames the attack on supporters of exiled opposition leader Bernard Kolelas. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 November 1998) * Congo-Brazza. Mandats d'arret - Le gouvernement a lance des mandats d'arret internationaux contre l'ancien president Pascal Lissouba et plusieurs de ses proches, a annonce le 16 novembre le ministre de la Justice, Pierre Nze. Ces mandats ont ete delivres pour "crimes et crimes economiques" et visent, outre M. Lissouba, son dernier Premier ministre Bernard Kolelas, un autre ancien Premier ministre Joachim Yhombi Opango, et plusieurs proches de M. Lissouba chasses du pouvoir en octobre 1997. (Le Monde, France, 18 novembre 1998) * Congo (RDC). Chadian casualties - 11 November: The authorities in Congo RDC say they are investigating reported heavy casualties suffered by their Chadian allies, possibly at the hands of Congolese troops who mistook them for rebels. The Information Minister says he has no casualty figures from the fighting just over a week ago when the Chadians tried to take the town of Buta, north of Kisangani. 12 November: Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo says that his Congo Liberation Movement clashed with Chadian troops in the northeastern town of Dulia about a week ago. He says his forces killed about 300 Chadian troops and seized 37 in clashes in which his forces were backed by the Ugandan army. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 November 1998) * Congo (RDC). Ministre limoge - Le 13 novembre, le ministre congolais de la Sante, Jean-Baptiste Sondji, a ete emmene par des militaires vers une destination inconnue; un porte-parole du gouvernement a annonce qu'il avait ete limoge. M. Sondji avait recemment critique avec force le programme de reformes constitutionnelles du president Kabila. Il a ete remis en liberte, le 16 novembre, probablement par crainte de troubles, car c'est un homme populaire, notamment dans les milieux estudiantins. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 17 novembre 1998) * Congo (RDC). Impasse diplomatique - Avances rebelles - Le 16 novembre, le ministre congolais des Affaires etrangeres, Jean- Charles Okoto, a eu a Pretoria un entretien avec son homologue sud-africain Alfred Nzo. M. Okoto etait venu en Afrique du Sud pour demander notamment que M. Mandela, en tant que president du SADC, condamne l'invasion du Rwanda et de l'Ouganda au Congo et que l'Afrique du Sud participe a une force d'interposition au Congo. M. Nzo, de son cote, a souligne qu'un telle force ne pouvait se mettre en place qu'en collaboration avec les Nations unies, que le conflit congolais ne pouvait trouver une solution militaire et que le refus du gouvernement de traiter avec les rebelles etait un obstacle majeur a une solution pacifique. Les pourparlers diplomatiques se trouvaient ainsi dans une impasse. Lors d'une conference de presse, M. Okoto a ensuite accuse l'Afrique du Sud de soutenir le mouvement rebelle. - Sur le terrain, les rebelles semblent toujours progresser. Dans la province de l'Equateur, ils sont entres a Bumba. Au Katanga, ils disent aussi avoir pris la ville de Kongolo, mais cette nouvelle n'a pas ete confirmee. Le 17 novembre, les rebelles ont annonce avoir pris Moba, une ville portuaire sur le lac Tanganyika a 150 km au sud de Kalemie. La nouvelle a ete confirmee dans l'apres- midi par des sources independantes. Les mercenaires sud-africains envoyes a Moba le week-end dernier par le president Kabila auraient pris la fuite. Selon d'autres sources, l'aviation zimbabweenne a bombarde a plusieurs reprises ces derniers jours des positions de la rebellion a Samba, une localite du Maniema entre Kalemie et Kindu. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 18 novembre 1998) * Congo (RDC). News update - 13 November: Heavily armed soldiers take Health Minister Jean-Baptiste Sondji away from his Kinshasa office and the government's spokesman says the minister has been fired. "He has been sacked. A decree to that effect has already been published," says the spokesman. He says Sondji has been removed for not maintaining "solidarity with the government" but won't elaborate. He is arrested. Witnesses say armed soldiers have sealed off the health ministry building situated in the city's main boulevard. 15 November: 13 soldiers have been executed after a military tribunal found them guilty of treason for leaving their posts during a battle with rebels. 16 November: Sondji is set free. 16 November: Foreign Minister Jean-Charles Okoto bluntly rejects South Africa's call for talks with the rebels, branding the rebel's cause "a front for aggression from Rwanda and Uganda." 18 November: Rebels say they are closing in on the river port of Bumba. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 November 1998) * Egypt. Government urged to act now on torture - In a letter to President Mubarak, Human Rights Watch appeals to the government for urgent measures to halt torture by police and security forces. Torturers should be investigated and prosecuted for their actions, which violate international and Egyptian law, and should not continue to enjoy impunity. (Human Rights Watch, New York, 17 November 1998) * Egypte. Torture denoncee - Le 17 novembre, l'organisation internationale de defense des droits de l'homme Human Rights Watch a denonce, dans une lettre au president Moubarak, l'usage systematique de la torture par les forces de securite egyptiennes. Une accusation corroboree par l'Organisation egyptienne des droits de l'homme. HRW cite notamment la mort de detenus dans des postes de police dans le delta du Nil, qui ont provoque de violentes emeutes en avril et en aout; et le cas du village Koch'h en Haute Egypte, a la mi-aout, ou des centaines de villageois coptes ont ete interpelles et tortures par la police. L'organisation demande au president Moubarak d'adopter des mesures d'urgence pour mettre un terme a ces pratiques et suggere la creation d'une commission d'enquete independante. (D'apres Le Monde, France, 18 novembre 1998) * Ethiopia. Oromos in Ethiopia and abroad - Oromos in Ethiopia are facing a double-edged attack at home and in neighbouring countries where they have taken refuge. A number of Oromo youth are fleeing their homes for fear of being forcibly conscripted in the Ethiopian armed forces. But they don't get much solace in neighbouring countries. A high-level Ethiopian government delegation visited the Sudan in July, and following this visit, the Sudanese government closed down the Offices of the Oromo Relief Association, confiscating their property. Thousands of Oromo refugees in the Sudan were thus left without any support, and they are likely to be deported back home. According to the Oromia Support Group based in London, Oromo asylum seekers in the following countries risk being deported as well: Israel, Yemen, Djibouti. In Germany, many Oromo refugees, particularly in Bavaria, are complaining of bad treatment by local immigration officials, and face frequent threats of deportation back to Ethiopia. Many are given visas for only one or two weeks and then are forced to go to the Ethiopian Embassy to get their passports. (Lammii Guddaa, Germany, 18 November 1998) * Ethiopia/Eritrea. Border conflict - 12 November: US envoy Anthony Lake leaves Addis Ababa for Eritrea to continue his shuttle diplomacy. 16 November: Anthony Lake has flown back to Washington, as reports of fresh fighting between the two sides emerge. Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of shelling civilian targets in the contested frontier region of Badme. 18 November: Djibouti has severed diplomatic relations with Eritrea after Eritrea accused it of supporting Ethiopia's was effort. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 19 November 1998) * Guinee-Bissau. L'Ecomog n'est pas prete - Le week-end du 14- 15 novembre, le general Shelpidi, le commandant de la force ouest-africaine de maintien de la paix Ecomog, a effectue une visite au president Vieira et au dirigeant rebelle Ansumane Mane, pour determiner les besoins de la force d'interposition qui doit etre deployee dans le pays. Lors d'une conference de presse a l'issue de cette mission, il a cependant declare que ses troupes n'etaient pas pretes a se deployer en Guinee-Bissau en raison de contraintes financieres. L'Ecomog a besoin d'un soutien financier avant de deployer ses troupes, a-t-il explique. Il a egalement demande une aide internationale pour les milliers de personnes deplacees par les combats. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 17 novembre 1998) * Liberia. Treason trial begins - The trial of 32 Liberians charged with conspiracy to overthrow the government of President Charles Taylor, opened on 12 November at a Monrovia criminal court. Only 15 of the 32 people charged appeared. The others, including their alleged leader, Roosevelt Johnson, are abroad. The Liberian government has said it will seek Johnson's extradition. PANA said seven of the accused asked Judge William Metzger to provide them with additional lawyers to help defence attorneys from the local Centre for Law and Human Rights Education. The trial stems from a two-day outbreak of violence in Monrovia in September between government security forces and Johnson's supporters. Johnson, a former faction leader and rival of Taylor, is now in Nigeria. (IRIN, West Africa, 12 November 1998) * Mauritanie. Nouveau Premier ministre - Le president mauritanien, Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, a nomme l'actuel ministre des Affaires etrangeres, Cheick El Avia Ould Mohamed Khouna, au poste de Premier ministre et lui a demande de former un nouveau gouvernement, a rapporte l'agence Reuters le 16 novembre. M. Khouna, un proche du president, remplace Mohamed Lamine Ould Guig, qui occupait ce poste depuis decembre 1997. La radio d'Etat, qui donnait la nouvelle, n'a donne aucune explication concernant la raison du remplacement. (IRIN, Abidjan, 17 novembre 1998) * Namibia/Botswana. Fleeing to Botswana - The Gaborone authorities have warned they can no longer cope with the stream of Namibians fleeing to Botswana to escape, a government crackdown on a separatist movement in the Caprivi region, news reports say. Some 1000 Namibians including women and children, from the remote northeast Caprivi area have crossed the border illegally over the past two weeks seeking asylum. "This is a problem we do not want," says Andrew Sesinyi, an official in the Botswana president's office. "The prisons are already overcrowded and the Botswana government will be making an international appeal as soon as possible." Among those escaping to Botswana, have been armed men claiming to be members of the secessionist Caprivi Liberation Army, and opposition politicians from the region. In their wake have come some 300 civilians from the Mafwe ethnic group and more than 600 San bushmen. They have all allegedly fled security sweeps by the army and para-military Special Field Force. The Namibians are seeking asylum on grounds that they would be persecuted should they return. The Gaborone government and UNHCR are investigating their claims, but are drawing a distinction between the armed rebels and apparent refugees. Namibian president Sam Nujoma has, however, accused all the Caprivians of treason and murder. In a national address at the weekend he demanded they be sent home. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 12 November 1998) * Namibia. The Caprivi Strip - 13 November: Separatist agitation in Namibia's northeast Caprivi region threatens to spill across the border into western Zambia, bolstering similar secessionist demands. The independent The Namibian newspaper reported on 13 November, that leading figures of the Caprivi nationalist movement has held several meetings with Zambia's separatist Barotse Patriotic Front in recent moths. The majority of the 100,000 people in Caprivi are Lozi-speaking and share a common history and culture with Lozis across the border in Zambia, as part of the pre-colonial Barotseland kingdom. The same day it is reported that an influx of Namibians fleeing the Caprivi Strip area south into Botswana this week, raised tensions between Botswana and Namibia. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 14 November 1998) * Niger. Models, designs Blitz Sahara Desert - Flamboyant fashion designers and teenage models in body-hugging tights and tube tops are blitzing the Sahara Desert, in a move bizarre even for the world of haute couture. International runaway successes paraded the latest clothing creations at an outdoor fashion show in the craggy cliffs and shifting dunes of Niger, a mainly Muslim country of goat herders and nomads that is still recovering from a rebellion. Hairdressers, diplomats and cigarette and liquor company executives took up residence alongside turban-clad rebels-turned-soldiers and miniskirted models in a sprawling tent city of Tiguidit, about 60 miles south of the desert town of Agadez. The fashion show, held on the evening of 13 November, on a 100 foot stage at the base of a spotlit cliff, was the brainchild of Alphadi, a designer from Niger who has found a niche in the elite circles of Paris. A few of the best known names in fashion, including Paris-based Japanese designer Kenzo and Sudanese born model Alek Wek, were among the chaotic influx. Also descending on fashion figures were battalions of beggars -- men with twisted limbs and children tugging on sleeves for coins or pens. Wek, who has been billed by some as the next "face" of African fashion to succeed supermodels like Iman, said Africa's small but growing group of designers need a place to show their strengths. "I think that if outsiders will see what there is here in Niger and Africa as a whole and that can only be good," Wek said of trying to raise the profile of designers such as Pepita D from Benin and retired modelling star Katoucha from Guinea. Other models said they felt shocked by the poverty in the region and embarrassed by the opulence of the show. (Associated Press, 13 November 1998) * Nigeria. Africa's food crisis in the next millennium - Unless urgent steps are taken to redress the present trends of food shortages in sub-Saharan Africa, an imminent hunger of greater dimensions than currently being experienced, will afflict most countries in the region, in the early decades of the next millennium. To prevent such a situation, African governments have been advised to face the challenge of food deficits, and work towards arresting the trend, so as to avoid further calamities in the near future. This was the consensus of participants at a recent symposium of agriculturalists, researchers and scholars, drawn from national agricultural research institutes, universities, agribusiness concerns and government agencies, which gathered at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, to mark the fourth anniversary of the International Association of Research Scholars and Fellows of the Institute. The two-day symposium brought into focus, frightening facts about the current gloomy food situation in sub-Saharan Africa, and predicted more serious problems in the next millennium unless drastic steps are taken to stem the bad situation. (Taye Babaleye, Nigeria, 10 November 1998) * Nigeria. Abubakar begins debate on draft Constitution - 11 November: Gen. Abubakar opens a debate on Nigeria's controversial 1995 draft Constitution expected to guide the country towards civilian rule next May. Inaugurating a 25-member Constitutional Debate Coordinating Committee (CDCC) in Abuja, he urges Nigerians to give their views on key issues in the document. He says the novel provisions, such as rotation of the presidency between regions of the multiethnic country of 108 million people, particularly requires fresh views. The CDCC has responsibility to coordinate the debate and assemble views expressed, for submission to the government by 31 December. (Reuters, 12 November 1998) * Nigeria. Enlevements dans la zone petroliere - Le 11 novembre, huit employes de Chevron et Texaco, dont sept expatries, ont ete enleves par des jeunes Nigerians, appartenant a la communaute Foropah, dans la region petrolifere du delta du Niger. Les employes etaient dans un hors-bord a destination d'une plate-forme de forage petrolier. Des assaillants appartenant a des communautes desheritees du sud du pays, riche en petrole, ont a plusieurs reprises dans le passe attaque des installations petrolieres pour reclamer des compagnies qu'elles contribuent au developpement de leur region. - Le 13 novembre, on apprenait que les otages (trois Americains, un Britannique, un Croate, un Italien, un Nigerian et un Sud-Africain) etaient bien portants et que des pourparlers etaient en cours en vue de leur elargissement. - Le 17 novembre, un porte-parole de Texaco a indique que les otages avaient ete liberes sains et saufs, sans qu'aucune rancon n'ait ete payee. Il a ajoute que Texaco avait perdu un mois entier de production en 1998 du fait des sabotages et autres incidents. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 17 novembre 1998) * Rwanda. TPIR: Ntuyahaga plaide non coupable - Le major Bernard Ntuyahaga, accuse d'avoir assassine l'ancien Premier ministre rwandais, Agathe Uwilingiyima, et dix soldats belges de son escorte, a plaide non coupable, le 13 novembre, devant le Tribunal penal international pour le Rwanda a Arusha. L'ancien Premier ministre et les dix soldats belges, membres de la Minuar, ont ete tues le 7 avril 1994 a Kigali aux premieres heures du genocide anti-tutsi et des massacres d'opposants politiques. Ntuyahaga, responsable de la logistique au camp miliaire de Kigali, s'est constitue prisonnier au TPIR en juin dernier, craignant sa "deportation" au Rwanda. (Agence Hirondelle, Arusha, 13 novembre 1998) * Rwanda. Budget concentre sur le secteur social - Le ministre des Finances, Donat Kaberuka, a presente officiellement, le 10 novembre, le budget 1998/99 en soulignant qu'il etait centre sur le secteur social, en particulier sur l'amelioration des services de sante. Il a egalement indique que le gouvernement prevoyait de faire de l'education primaire gratuite une realite d'ici l'an 2005. Les salaires des fonctionnaires vont etre augmentes, mais un certain nombre de personnes seront licenciees apres la reforme du service public. (Infoaza, Burundi, 13 novembre 1998) * Rwanda. Resettling thousands - Rwandan officials say they will build new villages for some of the people who fled attacks by Hutu rebels, a first indication of what will be done with 650,000 people displaced by war. The government has long favoured a policy of moving the people, mainly Hutus from scattered hillside plots into villages where they would be easier to protect -- and control. "The plan is to take these people to their sectors once we are assured about their security," said Alphonse Sharamanzi, a local official, who briefed aid workers and US diplomats about the project on 12 November. "Following discussions with the communities, they will be put into groups of houses where it is safer for them to be," he said. The plan gained momentum earlier this year when tens of thousands of the people grew tired of giving their own scare food, shelter and money to the rebels. They knew they would be killed if they refused, so the Hutu villagers left their homes and sought protection from the army. But similar government-drafted schemes to resettle the Hutus in villages have failed before, leaving thousands of rectangular houses standing empty. Foreign donors, who are expected to finance most of this project, have been reluctant to respond because of fears the resettlement may not be voluntary. Crowding people into villages also raises questions about changing their cultural and social habits. (Associated Press, 15 November 1998) * Western Sahara. Annan to resume talks - 13 November: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will return to North Africa soon to resume his efforts to resolve the Western Sahara dispute, his special envoy is quoted as saying. Annan returned to New York on 12 November after cutting short a 10-day trip to the region, due to the Iraqi crisis. He had been due to visit Tunisia and Algeria to meet leaders of the Polisario Front which is seeking independence for the Western Sahara. "Annan will return to the region in the near future to continue his trip which was interrupted due to the Iraqi crisis," the state-run Algerian APS news agency quotes Charles Dunbar, UN special envoy to Western Sahara, as saying. (Reuters, 13 November 1998) * Sierra Leone. Missionnaire enleve - Le 15 novembre, un missionnaire xaverien, Mario Guerra, a ete enleve ainsi qu'un jeune homme par un groupe de rebelles a Kamalu, diocese de Makeni, au nord du pays. Le jeune homme a ete ensuite relache, annoncant que le pere etait en bonne sante et ne courait aucun danger. On suppose que les rebelles ont enleve le missionnaire pour pouvoir traiter avec l'Ecomog, dont une attaque contre leurs positions etait imminente. Une autre hypothese est qu'ils voudraient l'echanger contre leur leader Fodey Sanko, detenu a Freetown et condamne a mort. (D'apres Fides, Rome, 17 novembre 1998)0 * Sierra Leone. Rebel activity - 9 November: Rebel forces attack the northern town of Pendembu. 10 November: ECOMOG says it has re-taken Pendembu. 11 November: In Pendembu, relatives bury their dead. Aid workers say about one hundred have been killed. Bodies, some beheaded, are found. One source says residents have found the beheaded corpses in backyards, while others have been found with bullet wounds or their throats cut. 14 November: Rebels have attacked Kamaporoto village, killing 16 people with guns and machetes and abducting at least 50 others. Police in Makeni say ECOMOG troops backed by militia have been despatched to the village. Priests arriving in Freetown from Kamakwie say its 30,000 people are in panic, fearing an attack on the town itself. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 November 1998) * Sierra Leone. Jackson meets leader - 13 November: US presidential envoy Jesse Jackson starts talks with Sierra Leone's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah on what a Western diplomat terms "sensitive issues" around the country's war with rebels. "They will include the direction of the war in the country, possible options of ending it, the government's position on the death sentences passed on the 42 civilians...for treason and collaborating with the ousted military junta," the diplomat says. He refuses to comment further. Sierra Leone has taken a hard line against rebels of the Revolutionary United Front and against dissident soldiers and civilians who backed a military junta driven out early this year. (Reuters, 13 November 1998) * Afrique du Sud. Film et television - La troisieme edition du marche annuel du film et de la television d'Afrique australe se deroulera du 17 au 20 novembre au Cap. Les producteurs de films et les realisateurs de television d'Afrique australe, mais aussi de plusieurs pays exterieurs au continent, s'y retrouveront. - D'autre part, on apprend que le tournage du film "Le long chemin de la liberte" (Long walk to freedom), sur la vie de Mandela, a du etre retarde. Ce film, par le realisateur indien Shekhar Kapur, est, avec un budget de pres de 40 millions de dollars, la plus importante production sud-africaine jamais entreprise et son tournage aurait du commencer en novembre. Les difficultes a trouver des acteurs adequats pour jouer le role de Nelson Mandela aux differents stades de sa vie ont contraint la production a retarder cette entreprise jusqu'en mars. (D'apres AFP, France, 16 novembre 1998) * South Africa. Health minister in funds probe - 13 November: South Africa's Health Minister Nkosazana Zuma is to be called before a special tribunal set up by the country's top anti- corruption unit to answer questions over mismanaged funds, a government lawyer says. The case relates to unauthorized expenditure by Zuma's department, on a controversial anti-AIDS play called Sarafina II. An amount of more than US $1.75 million is alleged to have been spent improperly. 16 November: Vice- President Thabo Mbeki's office says it will defend Zuma and that it is certain she has not misappropriated public funds. The same day, Judge William Heath, who is leading the probe, collapsed and was taken to hospital suffering internal bleeding. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 November 1998) * South Africa. Amnesty hearings - 16 November: The Amnesty Committee of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission this week granted amnesty to four applicants who had applied, in connection with a variety of incidents that happened mainly in the Gauteng region in the early 1990s, including murder, attempted murder, robbery and unlawful possession and use of explosives. (TRC, South Africa, 16 November 1998) * South Africa. Independent Forum For Religious Broadcasting - 39 members of different faith groups and representatives of broadcasters, gathered at the Lutheran Conference Centre, Kemto Park, on 16 November, for the annual general meeting of the Independent Forum For Religious Broadcasting. Bishop Peter Lee had strong words of criticism regarding the Green and White papers on religious broadcasting, as well as oral submissions to the Portfolio Committee. He said: "It is increasingly clear that this government, or at least those who are driving its communication policy have a definite, inflexible and ideological position to pursue, regardless of constitutional restraints or the majority of people in the country. They think they can ignore the people on the ground, but they are merely riding for a fall which has to happen sooner or later". (SACBC, 18 November 1998) * Afrique du Sud. Achats d'armes - Le 18 novembre, le gouvernement sud-africain a adopte un programme d'achats massifs d'armements pour une valeur totale de pres de 5,5 milliards de dollars au cours des dix annees a venir. Les achats se feront dans quatre pays europeens, qui ont promis des compensations pour un meme montant. Le gouvernement justifie sa decision en affirmant que l'operation creera 65.000 emplois en Afrique du Sud. Le vice-president Mbeki a annonce que des negociations s'ouvriront "bientot" avec des entreprises allemandes, britanniques, italiennes et suedoises. (D'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 19 novembre 1998) * Sudan. Talks on humanitarian issues are scheduled - 14 November: Yei hopital is "extensively damaged" during a bombing raid. 15 November: A pro-government Sudan newspaper reports 34 northern Sudanese traders were massacred in the south last week in an attack it blames on SPLA rebels. Riek Machar, chairman of the government's southern council, confirms the massacre took place and said he thinks the SPLA was involved. 16 November: Talks between the government of Sudan, the SPLM and the UN are scheduled to start in Rome on 16 November, to discuss ways of improving the delivery of humanitarian assistance in the country. 17 November: Government troops have recaptured Atarba and Agidayi in the east, after "attackers" had captured them. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 November 1998) * Uganda. Banks close - The closure of three local Kampala banks by Uganda's central bank, the Bank of Uganda, last month, has stirred fears of a bank crisis. There is widespread fear that the move will have a negative impact on the economy. The Bank of Uganda says that the International Credit Bank was facing dire financial straits; the Trust Bank Uganda Ltd and TransAfrica Bank Ltd had their operations suspended at their own request for temporary relief. Speculation is rife as to whether the Bank of Uganda will liquidate the International Credit Bank or allow its major shareholders to recapitalise it. The Bank of Uganda governor, Charles Kikonyogo, has said that the banking industry is "in good shape. There is excessive liquidity in the system, but it is not evenly distributed and this has led to cases of extreme lack of liquidity, leading to insolvency". (Peter Bahemuka, Uganda, 8 November 1998) * Zambia. 200 Angolan refugees arrive - Some 200 Angolan refugees have crossed into Zambia fleeing renewed tension in Angola's southeastern Moxico province, UNHCR said in a statement. "At present we have no indication whether more Angolans are likely to enter Zambia but we are preparing ourselves in case a larger influx occurs," UNHCR spokesman in Lusaka, Dominik Bartsch, said. The Angolans are currently being sheltered at a transit centre in Mwinilunga, prior to their transfer to the Meheba refugee settlement in North West province. According to UNHCR, at least some of the refugees fled after incidents of forces conscription by UNITA forces in the Cazombo area. A regional observer said that a recent bombing raid by three Angolan jets on Cazombo has also heightened tensions. "Things are definitely heating up that side, with stories of massive troop movements," he said. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 13 November 1998) * Zambia. Chiluba leaves all guessing - The forthcoming local government elections have caused concern among the opposition parties which have declared their interest in challenging the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) on a common united Front. A central issue in the local polls, which have been postponed since 1994, is the controversial Nikuv voters' register, which opposition parties maintain is the MMD's strongest weapon to manipulate the elections in their favour. The United National Independence Party (UNIP) boycotted the 1996 presidential and parliamentary elections, because of a number of anomalies in the Nikuv voters' register, and the discriminative constitutional clause to bar Dr. Kenneth Kaunda from contesting the presidency because of his parental Malawian connections. Another source of worry to the opposition, is the delay by President Chiluba, in announcing the date of the local government elections, creating fears of a low voter turn-out because of the onset of the rains. (Moses Chitendwe, Zambia, 11 November 1998) * Zimbabwe. World Council of Churches - On a completely redesigned web site launched on 6 November, people around the world with access to the World Wide Web will be able to follow the World Council of Churches (WCC) Eighth Assembly scheduled for 3-14 December in Harare, Zimbabwe. The site will also carry news of the WCC Decade Festival in Harare (27-30 Nov) which marks the culmination of the Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women. Information on the Eighth Assembly will include the reports of the General Secretary and Moderator, presentations from plenary sessions on Africa, the Ecumenical Decade, the assembly theme: "Turn to God -- Rejoice in Hope", and the common understanding and vision study process which has examined and come up with suggestions for the future role and purpose of the WCC. Also available will be information from the two phases of assembly hearing which will examine past WCC work and suggest policies and priorities for the future. Web coverage of assembly worship will include full details of the opening and closing worship, plus an evening vigil service and the 50th anniversary recommitment service. Through WCC press releases posted at http://www.wcc-coe.org, Web users around the world will be able to keep abreast of decisions taken, their implications for the ecumenical movement and the reactions of key ecumenical figures. Coverage will also include news on the more than 400 Padare offerings (padare is a Shone word for meeting place) which will provide opportunities for churches, ecumenical organisations and related groups to explore urgent topics on today's ecumenical agenda. Web users from around the world can send their greetings and comments to the Eighth Assembly at: greetings @mail.wcc- coe.org. (All Africa News Agency, 16 November 1998) * Zimbabwe. Nouvelle greve generale - Le 18 novembre, les grandes villes du Zimbabwe sont a nouveau paralysees par une greve generale, la deuxieme en huit jours, lancee par la Confederation des syndicats zimbabweens pour protester contre la baisse constante du pouvoir d'achat. Les Zimbabweens sont restes chez eux, obligeant les usines, les chantiers, les banques et les commerces a fermer leurs portes. Des negociations tripartites (syndicats, patronat, gouvernement) menees depuis la precedente greve sur une augmentation de 20% des salaires n'ont pas abouti. Les promesses non tenues dans le domaine de la reforme agraire et de la redistribution des terres ajoutent a la frustration des gens, qui s'en prennent desormais directement au president Mugabe. Les analystes craignent qu'en l'absence de mesures rapides, la situation sociale se deteriore rapidement entrainant des flambees de violences. (D'apres AFP, France, 18 novembre 1998) * Zimbabwe. Fermiers blancs assieges - Selon des temoins, une dizaine de grands fermiers blancs de la region de Harare sont assieges depuis plusieurs jours par des groupes de paysans en colere qui reclament des terres et proferent des menaces de mort a leur encontre. Les assiegeants, des anciens combattants officiellement prioritaires dans les plans de redistribution des terres, affirment que les colonisateurs blancs ont vole leur terre et exigent qu'on la leur rende. Ils affirment qu'ils ont du prendre les choses en mains, le gouvernement n'ayant pas tenu ses promesses de saisir 5 millions d'hectares aux Blancs pour leur redistribution aux paysans sans terre. L'expropriation de fermes possedees par des Blancs figure toujours en tete des priorites du gouvernement Mugabe. Mais apres avoir prone la confiscation pur et simple, les autorites ont fait marche arriere et tentent de trouver une solution avec l'aide des bailleurs de fonds. (D'apres AFP, France, 18 novembre 1998)