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: 03-12-1998 PART #1/ * Africa. Press watchdog denounces violations - The Paris-based press watchdog, Reporters Sans Frontieres, in an open letter on 27 November, called on French President Chirac to use his influence during the Franco-African summit to release detained journalists and advocate for the freedom of the press. The statement cited 10 countries where journalists were being detained for carrying out their job. In West Africa, it singled out Togo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Mauritania as violating the freedom of expression. (IRIN, West Africa, 27 November 1998) * Afrique. Conference mondiale sur la desertification - Le 29 novembre a Dakar, le president senegalais Abdou Diouf a ouvert une conference internationale sur la desertification, qui menace un milliard d'etres humains. 2.000 delegues participent a la conference, representant 500 ONG, 190 Etats et une centaine d'organismes internationaux. Les experts presents avancent des chiffres alarmants: 110 pays concernes sur tous les continents, 42 milliards de dollars de pertes par an et 3 milliards d'hectares de terres affectees. Rien que le continent africain perdrait 316 millions d'hectares de forets chaque annee. En Afrique, 73% des terres arides sont "gravement ou moderement desertifiees". Dans la region du Sahel, 200.000 personnes sont estimees mortes pour des raisons liees a la secheresse. L'un des objectifs de la conference est de susciter la mobilisation de la communaute internationale pour aider les pays agresses a faire face au fleau. (D'apres AFP, France, 29 novembre 1998) * Afrique. Sida - Le 30 novembre, a la veille de la Journee mondiale du sida, le Dr. Peter Piot, directeur general de l'agence ONUSIDA, a lance un cri d'alarme face a la hausse dramatique de cas d'infection par le virus en Afrique subsaharienne. Environ deux tiers des 33 millions de personnes infectees vivent au sud du Sahara. Deux millions en mourront cette annee, soit quatre fois plus que dans le reste du monde. Le taux d'infection chez les adultes oscille entre 20 et 25% au Botswana, en Namibie, au Swaziland et au Zimbabwe. Pour le Dr Piot, il est "frappant et choquant" de constater que les jeunes filles du continent sont particulierement touchees. En Afrique du Sud, 9,5% des adolescentes de moins de 15 ans enceintes sont seropositives. (D'apres AP, US, 30 novembre 1998) * Africa. Human Rights - On 3 December, Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued its annual world report. HRW praised major advancements in human rights over the last fifty years, but called for an international system of justice to anchor that progress in permanent institutions. In 1998, the Middle East and North Africa experienced a steady erosion of freedom of expression and association, although the bleak picture was brightened by some prisoner releases and ratifications by governments of international human rights treaties. (Human Rights Watch, Washington, 3 December 1998) * Afrique/France. 20e sommet franco-africain - * Le 27 novembre, s'est ouvert a Paris le 20e sommet franco-africain. Une cinquantaine de delegations y participent, dont 34 dirigees par des chefs d'Etat, contre une vingtaine lors du dernier sommet a Ouagadougou. La reunion a cesse d'etre celle des anciennes colonies francaises: elargie d'abord a tous les francophones, puis aux lusophones, elle est aujourd'hui ouverte egalement aux anglophones, de sorte que seuls trois pays africains n'y ont pas ete invites: la Libye, le Soudan et la Somalie. - La guerre en RD du Congo a domine les debats. Ouvrant la conference, le president francais Chirac a affirme que "la France n'abandonne pas l'Afrique" et a propose la tenue d'une conference sur la paix, la securite et la stabilite dans la region des Grands Lacs. Le secretaire general de l'Onu, M. Kofi Annan, a exhorte les parties impliquees dans le conflit en RDC a "faire le choix de la paix et du compromis". Le president du Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaore, president en exercice de l'OUA, a confirme sa decision de convoquer les 17 et 18 decembre une reunion sur les conflits majeurs qui dechirent l'Afrique, la guerre en RDC et l'affrontement entre l'Ethiopie et l'Erythree. - Le 28 novembre, a l'instigation de M. Annan, le president Kabila et les dirigeants des six pays militairement engages dans la RDC ont promis de parapher un accord qu'ils signeraient plus tard: ils ont donne leur parole de conclure, le 8 decembre a Lusaka, un "accord preliminaire", puis, le 17 decembre a Ouagadougou, un "accord en bonne et due forme", qui pourrait comprendre la cessation des hostilites, le retrait des troupes etrangeres et l'interposition d'une force africaine. Mais les rebelles congolais, qui n'avaient pas ete consultes, ont aussitot desavoue la validite de cet engagement; et dans une conference de presse, M. Kabila a toujours exige le retrait sans condition des troupes ougandaises et rwandaises. - Le sommet sur la securite en Afrique a ete ainsi sacrifie a l'actualite la plus forte, celle de la RDC. La specificite des retouvailles franco-africaines tend a se perdre depuis qu'elles se sont transformees en sommets panafricains. Toutefois, le Mali et le Cameroun se sont portes candidats pour accueillir le prochain sommet en l'an 2000. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 30 novembre 1998) * Southern Africa. UNHCR urges more tolerance - The UNHCR is urging governments and the media in Southern Africa to do more to combat xenophobia attitudes and prejudices against refugees, even though the region has relatively few asylum seekers when compared to central, east and west African nations. Opening a two-day symposium on 25 November on the institution of asylum and refugee protection, Nicolas Bwakira, UNHCR Director of Operations, Southern Africa Region said he was concerned that government policies were emerging in the sub-continent with the aim of placating public sentiments and negative perceptions about outsiders entering their borders. He said that while abuse of the asylum systems or violence and criminal acts by refugees could not be condoned or tolerated, the failure or unwillingness of governments to take measures to stop xenophobia or irrational violence against refugees also had to be countered. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 27 November 1998) * Southern Africa. Refugees repatriation suspended - The UNHCR has suspended the repatriation of an estimated 300,000 Angolan refugees spread across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, because of renewed fighting in Angola. UNHCR spokesman Dominik Bartsch confirmed in Lusaka on 27 November, that organised repatriation could not be effected because of present insecure conditions in Angola. Both Zambia and Zimbabwe are concerned and worried about the continuing eruption of conflicts in the SADC region. They have pledged to pool their resources so as to bring peace to the region. (Fred Chela, Zambia, 27 November 1998) * Algeria. Mass graves - Algerian newspapers said on 26 November that scores of skeletons believed to be those of the victims of Islamic guerrillas had been unearthed from mass graves and one gave the total as at least 200. they said the victims had been kidnapped by the Armed Islamic Group who killed and dumped them into two wells in an orange grove some 12 miles southwest of central Algiers. Other newspapers spoke of "Tens of corpses of victims of terrorism have been found." An Algerian official said workers were still searching for more bodies but declined to give a figure. The state-run media made no mention of the discovery. (Reuters, 27 November 1998) * Algerie. Futur Premier ministre - Le Premier ministre algerien, Ahmed Ouyahia, devrait presenter la demission de son gouvernement en decembre, a indique le 18 novembre le porte-parole du gouvernement. Selon plusieurs journaux d'Alger du 29 novembre, l'ancien ambassadeur algerien Smail Hamdani devrait etre nomme a la mi-decembre a la tete d'un gouvernement de transition. - D'autre part, on signale que sept personnes ont ete tuees et trois autres, dont un militaire, ont ete blessees ces deux derniers jours au cours d'actions menees par des groupes operant au sud-ouest d'Alger. Aucune de ces actions n'a ete annoncee par les autorites. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 30 novembre 1998) * Angola. Annan deeply concerned - UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan this week told the UN Security Council he was "extremely concerned" at the deteriorating humanitarian situation and increased tensions in Angola between the government and the UNITA rebel movement led by Jonas Savimbi. The Angolan peace process was now stalled, while implementation of the UN-brokered Lusaka protocol of 1994 was "paralysed" he said. He said the situation in Angola now was worse than that which prevailed at the time of this last report to the Security Council on 15 October. Despite "the absence of any progress" on implementing the Lusaka Protocol, Annan recommended that the UN Observer Mission (MONUA) remain on in Angola at least until 30 June 1999. Should both sides still remain deadlocked, and the situation deteriorate, he warned that he would recommend the withdrawal of the mission. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 27 November 1998) * Angola. 2 WFP staff killed - The United Nations' World Food Program said that two local staff had been shot dead and one injured when a convoy was attacked in northern Angola. Spokesman Christiane Berthiaume said that the clearly-marked UN convoy of 30 trucks, carrying some 400 tons of goods, was attacked on 26 November. It was travelling to northern Angola from the Huila provincial capital of Lubango. The driver and owner of a vehicle were shot to death. (Reuters, 27 November 1998) * Burundi. Pourparlers et attaques - Des pourparlers se sont deroules a Bujumbura la semaine derniere, procedant a un echange de vue entre les differentes parties representees au processus de paix d'Arusha. Elles ont constate que la violence continuelle et les sanctions constituaient un obstacle majeur aux pourparlers et ont appele la communaute internationale a reprendre sa cooperation. D'autre part, le 22 novembre, un groupe arme a tue 24 personnes dans la commune de Gihanga, province de Bubanza, et a incendie 114 maisons; et 5 personnes ont ete tuees lors d'une embuscade sur un vehicule dans la province de Makamba. Le 25 novembre, deux soldats ont ete tues et deux autres blesses au cours d'affrontements dans la region de Rumonge; le nombre de victimes rebelles n'est pas connu. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 26-27 novembre 1998) * Burundi. Two soldiers killed in clashes - Two soldiers were killed and two other injured on 25 November during clashes with rebels in the southwest Rumonge area, the Agence burundaise de presse reported on 26 November. It said fighting broke out after the rebels, abducted two civilians near Rumonge town. Several weapons were captured, but rebel casualties were unknown, the news agency added. The Burundian news agency Net Press, which was closed down by the authorities in March, this week resumed operations. Net Press said the regulating body, Conseil National De La Communication, deemed the closure illegal and they were given permission to start work again on 17 Nov. (IRIN, Nairobi, 27 November 1998) * Burundi. Cooperation - Le 27 novembre, le gouvernement belge a "degele" quelque 180 millions FB pour des projets dans les domaines de la sante et de l'education au Burundi. Mais officiellement, il n'est toujours pas question de reprendre la cooperation gouvernementale ou de debloquer de nouveaux credits. Pour ce faire, on attendra les conclusions de la prochaine reunion internationale des pays donateurs du Burundi en janvier prochain. - D'autre part, le 30 novembre, le Conseil europeen des ministres charges de la cooperation au developpement a accueilli favorablement la proposition de M. Nyerere, mediateur du conflit burundais, de suspendre les sanctions economiques imposees par neuf pays de la region apres le putsch de 1996. Les ministres ont cependant estime que toute reprise de la cooperation avec le Burundi devrait etre subordonnee a la signature d'un accord de paix entre les parties burundaises. M. Nyerere a annonce qu'il proposera au sommet de l'OUA, qui se tiendra a Ouagadougou les 15 et 16 decembre, la levee de l'embargo sur le Burundi. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 1 decembre 1998) * Cameroun/Nigeria. Echange de prisonniers - Le 24 novembre, en presence de la Croix-Rouge internationale, le Nigeria et le Cameroun ont echange 211 prisonniers, captures ces dernieres annees lors d'affrontements dans la peninsule de Bakassi, convoitee par les deux pays a cause de ses ressources naturelles. Ce conflit territorial a ete soumis, en 1996, a la Cour internationale de La Haye, qui a demande aux deux Etats de respecter le statu quo. (Misna, Rome, 25 novembre 1998) * Congo-Brazza. Commission constitutionnelle - Le 18 novembre, le president Nguesso a mis en place une commission constitutionnelle chargee d'elaborer la future constitution du Congo-Brazzaville. Le projet de constitution sera soumis a referendum en 1999. Pour elaborer ce projet, la commission, composee de 26 membres choisis en fonction de leur experience professionnelle, devra s'inspirer des conlusions du forum sur l'unite et la reconciliation convoque en janvier dernier. Le forum a decrete une periode de transition de trois ans et s'est prononce en faveur d'un regime presidentiel avec un mandat de sept ans renouvelable pour le chef de l'Etat. (D'apres Marches Tropicaux, France, 27 nov. 1998) * Congo (RDC). L'humanitaire et la guerre - A Kinshasa la penurie alimentaire persiste. Au Nord-Kivu, une mission d'evaluation a Goma indique que les besoins les plus urgents concernent l'assistance a quelque 80.000 personnes deplacees. A Kindu, ou les combats du mois d'octobre avaient provoque la fuite de 80% de la population dans les forets environnantes, on signale de nombreux deces et maladies; les prix des produits de base ont augmente de 200 a 800%. - Sur le terrain, alors que le Zimbabwe affirme que ses attaques aeriennes ont marque le debut de l'offensive alliee, la rebellion dit avoir capture la ville de Nyunzu, a 200 km a l'ouest de Kalemie; la population se cache en brousse. Les combats semblent maintenant se concentrer dans la region de Kabalo, ou la ligne de front est marquee par le fleuve Walaba (un affluent du Congo) a une quinzaine de km au sud-ouest de Kabalo. Selon l'AFP, suite a l'accord verbal de Paris en faveur d'un cessez-le-feu, un officier rwandais a Nyunzu a indique, le 30 novembre, que les unites rwandaises combattant aux cotes des rebelles congolais avaient recu l'ordre de "stopper leur progression"; mais un autre officier rwandais a declare a AP qu'il n'avait recu aucun ordre de cessez-le-feu et qu'il preparait une attaque contre les positions ennemies a Kabalo... (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 1 decembre 1998) * Congo (RDC). Ceasefire but... - A fresh attempt at resolving the conflict in the Congo has been taken with an agreement in principle on a ceasefire by the main states backing the regime of Laurent Kabila and the rebels opposing him. The accord follows intense diplomatic activity over the past four days in Paris on the sidelines of the 20th France-Africa summit attended by 49 African leaders plus Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary-general. However, French officials remained cautious while saying important progress had been made to end the rebellion. The main doubt focused on the rebels fighting against Mr.Kabila who hold large tracts of territory in the east of the Congo bordering Uganda and Rwanda. A delegation from the rebel Movement for Congolese Democracy (RDC) was in Paris during the summit but was not accorded official status. But on 29 November, they said they were sceptical of a ceasefire deal. The following day, the rebels said they were taking advantage of a break in fighting to regroup for a new offensive. On 1 December, the UNHCR said that fighting in southeastern Congo has led to a new wave of Congolese refugees crossing Lake Tanganyika into Tanzania. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 December 1998) * Congo (RDC). Meurtres et pillages au Kivu - Le bihebdomadaire congolais Vision, dans son edition du 1er decembre, indique que 3.379 personnes ont ete tuees au Kivu ces derniers mois par les militaires. Le journal se base sur un document de la Societe civile du Sud-Kivu, date du 20 novembre, qui cite les noms des victimes et les lieux des massacres. D'autre part, des informations recues a ANB-BIA le 30 novembre annoncent des pillages a Burhale: "Les militaires tutsi y ont tout pille et detruit. En ce moment, ils sont en train de bruler le mobilier de toutes les communautes religieuses et meme les bancs de l'eglise paroissiale. Les pretres et les religieuses se sont enfuis a Bukavu. La population a fui la region et se trouve a Mubumbano sans aucune assistance". (ANB- BIA, de sources diverses, 2 decembre 1998) * Congo (RDC). Malaise dans la rebellion - Le Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD), bras politique de la rebellion, accuse un certain malaise. Plusieurs de ses dirigeants ont du admettre publiquement l'impopularite de leur mouvement, particulierement au Kivu. Une partie des membres du RCD ont decide de creer un "courant renovateur", proposant notamment la mise en place, dans les zones dites liberees, d'une administation interimaire a travers des consultations electorales democratiques. (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 3 decembre 1998) * Cote d'Ivoire. "Pre-festival" des Afromusiques - Le 2 decembre s'est ouvert a Abidjan le "pre-festival" des Afromusiques, prelude au festival proprement dit qui doit se derouler du 1 au 12 decembre 1999 a Abidjan et a Yamoussokro. Ce prelude honorera "la forme musicale noire des temps modernes: le reggae". Jusqu'au 6 decembre vont se succeder quatre concerts de reggae et deux colloques, l'un sur le theme "musiques noires, musiques du monde", l'autre sur l'influence africaine dans la langue, la religion, la litterature et la musique sur le continent latino-americain. (D'apres AFP, France, 2 decembre 1998) * Egypt. Gas filling stations plan - A leading Egyptian private sector gas distribution company plans to build a nationwide network of natural gas distribution centres for gas-powered vehicles. The Nile Valley Gas Company (NVGC), a joint venture between BG of the UK, Edison International of Italy, Orascom of Egypt and Middle East Gas and Energy Association, on the 26 November, formed a subsidiary to distribute gas supply centres throughout Egypt's road network. The new company, the Gas Powered Vehicles company (GPVC), is intended to exploit Egypt's estimated 40,000bn cubic feet of offshore gas reserves. Egypt's government is intent upon maximising domestic gas use in order to increase earnings from oil exports. GPVC aims to use local distributors to establish a nationwide network. The partners in the company were last April awarded a contract to establish a domestic gas distribution network for residential and industrial consumers in northern and central Egypt. (Financial Times, U.K., 27 November 1998) * Egypt. Hangings blow to truce calls - Egyptian Islamists in exile said executions this week of three militants could incite more violence when their bodies were calling for a truce. Egypt executed three men on 22 November convicted on charges which included planning killings and belonging to the Muslim militant groups Jihad and al-Gama'a al-Islamiya. Adel Abdel-Meguid, on the run after an Egyptian court sentenced him to death in absentia in the case of a planned bombing, also predicted the executions would enforce confrontation. Egypt has executed 68 of 90 militants sentenced to death. A number of jailed Islamist leaders have made several calls for truce since 1997, including one this month. (Reuters, 27 November 1998) * Egypte. Droits de l'homme - Le 1er decembre, le secretaire general de l'organisation egyptienne des droits de l'homme (OEDH, Hafez Abou Saada, a ete arrete au Caire, accuse d'avoir "recu des fonds de pays etrangers afin de porter atteinte aux interets du pays". Ces fonds juges suspects sont en fait une subvention de 25.700 dollars octroyes a l'association par la commission des droits de l'homme du Parlement britannique, subvention qui a d'ailleurs ete restituee au donateur. Les autorites rendent l'OEDH notamment responsable d'informations sur une "punition collective" infligee par la police dans le village copte d'El Kocheh. Huit organisations des droits de l'homme egyptiennes ont dit voir dans l'arrestation de M. Saada une declaration de guerre inutile visant leur combat. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 decembre 1998) * Egypt. Human Rights group leader arrested - On 2 December, the police arrested the secretary general of the country's main human rights organisation, after accusations that the British embassy paid it to write a report which exposed police brutality against civilians. Hafez Abu Seada, secretary general of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights, was arrested and committed to 15 days' detention after being accused of treason and false reporting by a Cairo newspaper, el-Osboa. He faces a prison sentence wuith hard labour if he is found guilty. (Financial Times, U.K., 3 December 1998) * Gabon. Vers les presidentielles - Dimanche prochain, le 6 decembre, aura lieu le premier tour des elections presidentielles au Gabon. Le principal enjeu semble etre de savoir si le president sortant, Omar Bongo, sera elu au premier tour. Le morcellement de l'opposition, qui alignera pas moins de cinq candidats, est son handicap majeur. La campagne s'est deroulee dans le calme, mais on craint qu'une nouvelle victoire de M. Bongo puisse etre facteur de troubles. Un representant de la coalition gabonaise d'opposition a accuse le candidat Pierre Mamboundou d'introduire des armes dans le pays et de preparer un soulevement urbain au cours des elections, a rapporte l'AFP le 27 novembre. D'autre part, le Conseil national de la communication a interdit la pu-blication de sondages de fin novembre au 6 decembre: la publication, la distribution et les commentaires sur des sondages d'opinion sont interdits durant cette periode. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 decembre 1998) * Grands Lacs. Message des eveques du Burundi et du Rwanda - Les eveques du Burundi et du Rwanda, a l'issue d'une reunion de travail du 24 au 26 novembre a Giheta (Burundi) sur le theme Eglise- famille, ont adresse un message a leurs fideles et aux populations des deux pays. Constatant les actes de violence et d'injustice et la situation constante d'insecurite dans la region, ils appellent toutes les parties a mettre fin a la guerre interne en s'engageant dans le dialogue et demandent aux grandes puissances de faire tout ce qu'elles peuvent pour retablir la paix dans la region des Grands Lacs. (D'apres L'Osservatore Romano, 1 decembre 1998) * Guinee. Preparatifs pour les elections - Le dirigeant guineen d'opposition, Alpha Conde, en exil volontaire, est rentre en Guinee le 1er decembre, alors que la tension montait dans le pays a la veille des elections presidentielles du 14 decembre. En dehors de M. Conde, trois autres candidats sont en lice: le president sortant Lansana Conte, Mamadou Ba et Siradiou Diallo. Alors que des affrontements ont ete signales entre les partisans de candidats rivaux, certains membres d'organisations humanitaires vont reduire leurs activites avant les elections "par mesure de precaution". (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 1er decembre 1998) * Guinee-Bissau. Force d'interposition - Le Niger, le Togo, le Benin et la Gambie se sont engages, le 26 novembre, a fournir ensemble 1.450 hommes a la force de maintien de la paix en Guinee Bissau, a indique un communique de la CEDEAO. Le deploiement d'une force d'Afrique de l'Ouest est un des elements de l'accord de paix signe le 1er novembre a Abuja. Le 25 novembre, la France avait declare etre prete a apporter un soutien logistique a cette force d'interposition ouest-africaine. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 26 novembre 1998) * Guinee-Bissau. Le Parlement demande la demission du president - Le 27 novembre, une majorite des deputes ont demande la demission du president Joao Bernardo Vieira, accuse d'avoir viole la Constitution en decidant de faire appel, en juin, sans l'accord de l'Assemblee, a des troupes etrangeres pour contrer une rebellion militaire. Des sources diplomatiques ont indique cependant, le 30 novembre, que cette demande du Parlement est contraire a l'accord de paix d'Abuja et qu'elle perturbe le calendrier. Aux termes de l'accord, M. Vieira, qui a refuse de demissionner, doit diriger un gouvernement d'unite nationale. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 30 novembre 1998) * Kenya. Blind MP - Safina nominated MP Josephine Odira Sinyo 17 November as the first blind person to be sworn into Kenya's Parliament by Speaker Francis ole Kaparo. Ms Sinyo was escorted to the speaker's chair by Gichugu MP Martha Karua (DP) and Dagoretti MP Beth Mugo. The Speaker gave a dispensation to the media to record the historic event on camera inside the Chamber as Ms.Sinyo read the oath in braille during the swearing-in. The Clerk, Mr.Japhet Masya, helped her hold the Bible on one hand as she read out the oath. She moved from the bar with the aid of her walking stick and Mrs.Mugo. She was introduced to the Speaker by Ms Karua. The House broke into long applause as Ms.Sinyo appended her signature on the oath of allegiance. Many physically-handicapped people were in attendance in the public galleries to witness the swearing-in. (Daily Nation, Kenya, 18 November 1998) * Kenya. AIDS - The number of AIDS orphans in Kenya is expected to increase to 580,000 by the year 2000, a report by the National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control Programme (NASCOP ) says. And by the year 2005, the number will have risen to 1 million. The report released during a meeting for the Nakuru District inter-sectoral AIDS committee adds that currently, 80,000 children are HIV-positive. The infant mortality rate due to AIDS will rise from 50 to 60 for every 1,000 live births by the year 2000. "Child mortality rate was expected to have declined from 115 to about 70% every 1000 live births but due to AIDS, it shall remain constant or rise to 125," adds the report. (Standard, Kenya, 20 November 1998) * Kenya. Troubled banking sector - The International Monetary Fund is to appoint a team to overhaul the Kenyan central bank's supervision department, days after the finance ministry announced a $34m bailout for the troubled National Bank of Kenya. IMF officials said on 26 November that the team would lay down tough guidelines for on-site bank inspections, speed up a supervision procedures, and introduce software to improve off-site analysis of bank portfolios. The decision coincides with a substantial shake-up within Kenya's banking sector. Weeks of speculation about liquidity problems in the National Bank of Kenya culminated in a $25m run last week and a government bailout at the weekend, prompting fears about other large domestic commercial banks. Five smaller Kenyan banks have been placed under central bank management for failing to meet clearing house obligations, and minimum capital rules which will enter into force next year threaten several more. On 29 November, Western donors welcomed the Kenyan government's dramatic decision to name leading politicians who are among the debtors of troubled local banks. A list released late on 27 November by the Central Bank of Kenya, and published in local papers, includes Nicholas Biwott, one of the country's most powerful cabinet ministers, and Raymond Kipruto, a son of president Daniel arap Moi among ministers, members of parliament, and leading business men with shares in companies owing substantial amounts to troubled banks. The disclosure of the names is seen by donors as evidence of tougher financial discipline before next month's talks on the renewal of a $220m IMF loan programme, suspended in mid-1997 after the government failed adequately to address Fund concerns about corruption. (Financial Times, U.K., 27-30 November 1998) * Libya. Kofi Annan to visit Libya - 2 December: UN Secretary- general, Kofi Annan, announces that he will visit Libya at the end of his North African tour this week. A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, says Annan will travel to Tripoli on 5 December, to talk with Libyan authorities about the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. (AP, 2 December 1998) * Mauritanie. L'ancien president denonce le regime - Le 27 novembre a Paris, l'ancien president mauritanien Moktar Ould Daddah a lance un appel pour un changement de regime dans son pays. Exile en France depuis son eviction en 1978, il estime qu'il est temps d'"oeuvrer a la mise en place d'un executif de transition" pour mettre un terme au "pillage" dont se rendrait coupable, selon lui, le "clan corrompu" aujourd'hui au pouvoir. "La situation est de plus en plus alarmante. Le tribalisme renait. La Mauritanie risque d'eclater", a-t-il ajoute. (D'apres Le Monde, France, 1 decembre 1998) * Mozambique. Refugies demandent asile - Apres avoir rapatrie 1,7 million de refugies mozambicains qui s'etaient enfuis durant la guerre qui a ensanglante le pays durant 16 ans, le Mozambique est confronte aujourd'hui au probleme de refugies d'autres pays qui arrivent par centaines de la Somalie, l'Ethiopie et la region des Grands Lacs. Selon le HCR, en 1997, 700 personnes ont demande l'asile politique dans ce pays qui connait la paix depuis six ans. Actuellement, dix mille refugies somaliens, qui se trouvent dans le camp de Dadaab (au nord-est de Nairobi au Kenya), demandent l'asile au Mozambique affirmant qu'ils sont des descendants d'anciens esclaves deportes du Mozambique. Les autorites du Mozambique, qui reste le deuxieme pays le plus pauvre d'Afrique, essaient de freiner le mouvement. "Je peux comprendre la situation humanitaire difficile que connait la population de la Somalie, mais nous ne sommes pas le seul pays a pouvoir solutionner leur probleme", a dit le Premier ministre Pascal Mocumbi. (D'apres Fides, Rome, 26 novembre 1998) * Niger. Pret de la BAD - Selon un communique du 26 novembre, le Fonds africain de developpement, une unite de la Banque africaine de developpement (BAD), a approuve au Niger un pret d'environ 15,5 millions de dollars pour restructurer ses institutions financieres. Il s'agit d'un pret sur 50 ans, a un taux d'interet de 0,75% assorti d'un delai de carence de 10 ans, qui devrait aider le Niger a atteindre un taux de croissance du PNB de 4,5% par an et permettre d'ameliorer les conditions de vie de la population. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 26 novembre 1998) * Niger. Greve generale des enseignants - Le 30 novembre, les etablissements scolaires nigeriens sont paralyses par une greve generale d'au moins trois jours, declenchee par deux des trois syndicats d'enseignants pour exiger le paiement d'arrieres de salaires. Les quelque 15.000 enseignants du Niger, tout comme les autres fonctionnaires, accusent 7 a 8 mois d'arrieres de salaires accumules entre 1996 et 1998. Il y a deux ans, le gouvernement avait reduit la masse salariale et decide de differer le paiement de 5 a 6 mois d'arrieres, en attendant une amelioration des finances publiques. Les perturbations actuelles interviennent alors que le gouvernement, appuye par les bailleurs de fonds, vient de mettre en oeuvre un nouveau systeme educatif pour augmenter le taux de scolarisation, qui stagne aujourd'hui a 30%. (D'apres AFP, France, 30 novembre 1998) * Nigeria. Carburant - Les autorites nigerianes ont annonce que les chefs traditionnels avaient suggere une augmentation des prix du carburant pour resoudre les problemes de penurie sur le marche interieur, ont rapporte les agences de presse le 25 novembre. Des specialistes estiment que le prix peu eleve du carburant nigerian, par rapport aux prix pratiques dans les pays voisins, favorise la contrebande, limitant d'autant l'offre sur le marche interieur. Le gouvernement n'a cependant pas encore pris de decision a ce sujet, qualifie de "tres sensible", la derniere hausse des prix en 1994 ayant provoque une serie de manifestations dans les grandes villes du Nigeria. - D'autre part, un porte-parole de la compagnie Shell a indique que les jeunes Ijaws avaient mis fin, le 25 novembre, a leur occupation de toutes les stations de pompage a l'exception d'une seule dans la region du Delta. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 26 novembre 1998) * Nigeria. Electoral decrees - 2 December: General Abubakar signs into law, four decrees crucial to local elections on 5 December and guaranteeing the independence of the electoral commission. The decrees signed are: The Transition to Civil Rule Decree (Political Programme); The Local Government Decree (Basic Constitutional and Transitional provisions); The Political Parties Decree (registration and activities); The Independent Electoral Commission Amendment Decree. The council polls are the first of a series, culminating in presidential elections in February 1999. (IRIN, West Africa, 2 December 1998) * Rwanda. Prix de la paix de Pax Christi - Le 25 novembre, a l'universite de Louvain-la-Neuve en Belgique, Pax Christi International a remis son prix annuel de la paix a deux Rwandais: Modeste Mungwarareba, pretre et secretaire de la conference episcopale rwandaise, et Laurien Ntezimana, theologien laic. Ils ont ete honores pour leur long engagement en faveur de la paix et de la reconciliation dans leur pays dechire par les oppositions ethniques. (D'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 27 novembre 1998) * Rwanda. Sentenced to death for genocide - A court in Gikongoro sentenced six people to death following a joint trial of 22 genocide suspects, the independent Hirondelle news agency reported. Those sentenced include a former sub-prefect and two former mayors, the highest-ranking administrators to be condemned to death by a Rwandan court for genocide, it added. Meanwhile, a former Rwandan officer was sentenced to death for genocide and rape by the Kigali military tribunal, the Rwanda News Agency reported. -- The justice ministry says a "strange disease" possibly typhoid, has broken out in a Kigali prison, killing 40 genocide suspects, the Rwanda News Agency reported. Health officials are investigating the outbreak at Rilima prison. (IRIN, Nairobi, 27 November 1998) * Rwanda. Premiere vague de liberations - Le 1er decembre, 76 detenus accuses de genocide, dont 10 femmes, ont ete liberes de la prison de Rilima, a 50 km au sud-est de Kigali. Ces prisonniers venaient de passer au moins trois ans en detention. Selon le procureur charge des enquetes, le parquet n'avait trouve aucune charge contre eux, malgre tous ses efforts. Mais, a-t-il precise "nous pensons que, maintenant qu'ils retournent dans leurs villages, nous pourrons obtenir des indices"! Il reste toujours 7.604 detenus dans la prison de Rilima, construite pour une capacite dix fois moins importante. Les 76 detenus constituent la premiere vague de liberation des dix mille prisonniers sans dossier decidee par le gouvernement. (D'apres Hirondelle, Arusha, 1 decembre 1998) * Sahara occidental. Tournee de M. Annan - Le secretaire general des Nations unies, Kofi Annan, a commence le 30 novembre en Algerie une tournee en Afrique du Nord consacree a la recherche d'une solution au conflit du Sahara occidental. Il doit y rencontrer les dirigeants du Polisario avant d'avoir, les 1 et 2 decembre, une serie d'entretiens avec les dirigeants algeriens. M. Annan, soutenu par le conseil de securite, a propose de publier des ce mois de decembre la liste des electeurs deja retenus et d'identifier individuellement les 65.000 Sahraouis contestes durant les 4 mois a venir. Cette proposition a ete acceptee par le Polisario et l'Algerie, mais est rejetee par le Maroc. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 1 decembre 1998) * Western Sahara. Polisario says "yes" - On 30 November, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that after talks with Polisario Front leaders, he had won a clear "yes" from them on his peace plan to resolve the long-running Western Sahara dispute. But he added that Morocco has raised some concerns on his so-called settlement plan aimed at clearing the way for a long-delayed referendum. He said that he hoped economic sanctions wouldn't be necessary to keep alive the peace process in Western Sahara. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 December 1998) * Senegal. Desertification Conference - On 30 November, signatories to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification began presenting reports at an international conference in Senegal on their efforts to stop land degradation, and reduce the effects of drought. The review will allow governments to direct their efforts at areas with the highest priority in fighting desertification. The consequences of desertification in Africa have been devastating. More than 200,000 people have died since the early 1970s as a result of starvation brought on by drought. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 December 1998) * Sierra Leone. 120,000 infected with HIV - Some 120,000 Sierra Leoneans are infected with AIDS, the national coordinator for the control of the disease, Dr.Kosia has said. Dr Andrew Kosia said the figure represented 5.5% of the sexually active population in this nation of 4.5 million people. He said 300 people had died of the disease since 1987, when it was first reported in the country. However, in a country fact sheet published in June, WHO estimates that 68,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 1997. The UN agency puts the number of dead at 54,000 since the beginning of the epidemic. Kosia said the government and WHO were running a public educational campaign on the disease. (IRIN, West Africa, 27 November 1998) * South Africa. Voter registration - 26 November: This weekend's registration of millions of voters for South Africa's second all- race elections will be bumpy and problems have already surfaced, election officials said. The blunt assessment by the Independent Electoral Commission came during preparations for the registration of the country's 25 million potential voters -- the first time voter lists have been established in South Africa's history. Some civil servants who are supposed to register voters for the 1999 elections have not appeared for training. Leaflets with registration dates and procedures have not been distributed to all households as planned. And some voter registration equipment has disappeared, said chief electoral officer Mandla Mchunu. Mchunu called for patience, saying election officials were feeling their way. "It's a maiden voyage for them," he told a news conference. "They've got to learn to deal with problems." In a statement, the commission said, "We believe that the registration process will not be perfect, but it will be good enough." The National Party, which ruled during apartheid, threw a potential monkey wrench into the works when it announced it will go to court to make it easier for mostly white South Africans to register. The government and the commission have decreed that South Africans can only use the latest generation of identity cards, which have a computer bar code, to register and vote. 30 November: Less than 30% of eligible voters have registered. The Independent Electoral Commission will schedule more voting registration exercises next year. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 1 December 1998) * Afrique du Sud. Electeurs peu motives - Quatre ans apres l'acquisition du droit de vote en Afrique du Sud, l'enthousiasme des electeurs semble s'etre refroidi. Durant le week-end du 28-29 novembre, moins de la moitie des electeurs se sont presentes a l'enregistrement obligatoire. Devant cette apathie, les autorites n'ont eu d'autre choix que d'annoncer un deuxieme tour d'enregistrement. (D'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 1 decembre 1998) * Soudan. Les deplaces a Khartoum - Des sources humanitaires ont fait savoir, le 24 novembre, qu'un des quartiers de Khartoum, Carton Kassala, ou des milliers de personnes deplacees s'etaient installees illegalement, a ete demoli par les autorites. Depuis plusieurs annees, pres de 1,8 million de deplaces se trouvent dans et autour de Khartoum, la plupart ayant fui depuis 1983 le conflit ou la secheresse dans le Sud Soudan. Ils sont eparpilles dans des centaines de quartiers non autorises, n'ayant aucune terre a cultiver et peu de sources de revenus. Depuis 1991, de nombreux sites ont ete demolis a Khartoum dans le cadre d'une nouvelle planification urbaine. Les personnes qui y vivaient sont tranferees dans des camps officiels a la peripherie de la ville. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 24 novembre 1998) * Soudan. Demission de Hassan Tourabi - Hassan Tourabi, l'homme le plus influent du regime soudanais, a demissionne le 2 decembre de la presidence du Parlement afin de se consacrer au parti du Congres national au pouvoir, a annonce la television officielle. Tourabi est considere comme le principal ideologue islamique du gouvernement. Sa demission attendue ne devrait pas reduire son role en coulisse. Selon les observateurs, cette demission represente une tentative du gouvernement pour appaiser l'opposition avant l'adoption d'une loi legalisant les "associations politiques" a partir du 1er janvier. (AP, USA, 2 decembre 1998) * Swaziland. Bomb blasts - 27 November: US experts have arrived in the Swaziland capital of Mbabane to assist local police in their investigation of three recent bombings. Two of the blasts occurred on 20 November. One was near a site where new army headquarters are under construction, and the other at the offices of Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Khoza, where one person was killed and two others wounded. The government suspects that the people responsible for last week's attacks also detonated a bomb in late October near a highway where the country's monarch had passed earlier. 2 December: A group that claimed responsibility for one of the bomb blasts on 20 November, has threatened to launch a reign of "fear and terror" unless a 25-year-old ban on political parties in Swaziland is reviewed. The Black Tigers made the statement threatening Cabinet ministers, in a fax to The Times of Swaziland, which splashed the letter across its front page today. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 December 1998) * Tanzania. Prime Minister declares wealth - Tanzania's Prime Minister, Frederick Sumaye, has declared his wealth, saying he owned 43 hectares (105 acres) of land, two homes, three cars and two old tractors, all acquired during the past two decades. The prime minister told local reporters on 20 November, that he had also invested 1,500 dollars at the Dar-es-Salaam stock exchange. Sumaye's announcement is in line with last week's resolution by the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) demanding public figures declare their assets in public in an effort to combat corruption. The prime minister said he borrowed 50 million shillings (74,000 dollars) from a state-run pension fund earlier this year to build the houses and develop his farms. Sumaye declined however to reveal how much money was deposited in his bank account, saying it was too little compared with his debts. (Standard, Kenya, 21 November 1998) * Tanzania. Refugee influx - Congolese refugees arriving in western Tanzania said the recent capture of Moba by Congo RDC rebel forces will lead to more refugees crossing in the coming days. Over 400 Congolese refugees were reported to have arrived in recent days in the Rukwa and Mwakizega areas, while 81 new arrivals were reported in Kigoma between 16-19 November. Over 14,700 Congolese have arrived as refugees in the Kigoma areas since the beginning of August. (IRIN, Nairobi, 27 November 1998) * Uganda. Privatisation - Ugandan members of Parliament have promised tough action against any minister found to have been involved in irregular dealings in the country's privatisation programme. The ministers, who say they have overwhelming evidence of corruption in the privatisation process, are awaiting the report of a committee investigating the sale of government enterprises, to be released next month. Some MPs last week said that the privatisation of certain institutions had been deliberately mismanaged to suit the interests of a few people. One MP, Dr.Sam Lyomoki, said the report, which he regarded as a formality, would only show the tip of the iceberg. He said although privatisation had achieved tangible results, it had been badly managed. (The East African, Kenya, 23-29 November 1998) * Ouganda/Zimbabwe. Rearmement - L'Ouganda vient d'importer des dizaines de tanks depuis le port tanzanien de Dar es-Salaam, selon des rapports de presse. Les blindes sont arrives le 20 novembre. Un correspondant de Reuters a compte au moins 64 tanks, mais cite un responsable du port qui precise qu'on en a decharge 90. - Par ailleurs, selon le journal zimbabween Standard, Harare a achete des helicopteres, des avions de combat et des guetteurs russes d'une valeur globale de 54 millions de dollars. Le ministre de la Defense a dementi l'information, mais une autre source confirme que la rumeur circule dans le milieu militaire. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 26 novembre 1998) * Uganda. Importing tanks - Uganda has imported 90 tanks to bolster its armed forces which have been fighting on several fronts, a senior Ugandan official said on 26 November. The official at the Ugandan embassy in Tanzania said the tanks were at the port of Dar-es-Salaam and would soon be transported to a military base in the southern Ugandan town of Masaka. He said the tanks had been imported from Ukraine, although Ukrainian government officials authorised to export arms denied they were working with Uganda. The International Institute for Strategic Studies in London says the Ugandan armed forces already have around 70 tanks. Most of them were supplied by Ukraine. Dar es Salaam port officials said the new tanks arrived late last week and were now covered with sheeting and loaded onto open rail cars. But Ugandan officials said the Tanzanian government had not yet offered logistical support for moving the shipment of tanks. "There's been a hitch. The Tanzanian government has refused to provide military escort as they usually do for other military equipment," an unnamed Ugandan diplomat said. (New Vision, Uganda, 27 November 1998) * Uganda. Children lose their parents - 55% of the children in Kitgum have had their fathers killed by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels. A survey carried out by the International Service Volunteers Association, in conjunction with the District Medical Office, also discovered that 15% of the children have had their mothers killed by the LRA. These findings were recently presented by the UNICEF coordinator during a two-day conference on human rights held at Ranch on Lake Entebbe. He also revealed that at least 2 children in Kitgum have been kidnapped by the rebels every day for the last two years. (New Vision, Uganda, 3 December 1998) * Zambia. New arrival of refugees - The UNHCR said on November that it was concerned at the increasing number of refugees crossing into Zambia from Angola and Congo RDC with which it shares borders. In a statement received by IRIN in Johannesburg, the Representative of the UNHCR, Oluseyi Bajulaiye, said that in recent days up to 200 refugees had arrived in the Luapula and Northern provinces of Zambia following an increase in military tensions in southern Congo. He also said 69 refugees fleeing fighting in Angola had crossed the border to Chavuma in Zambia's North West Province during the past week, and the number of Angolans fleeing had been rising steadily since July. He said UNHCR had arranged contingency plans of emergency measures to be activated incase of a sudden large influx. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 27 November 1998) * Zimbabwe. Former president flee to Botswana - Zimbabwe's former president, Rev.Canaan Banana, fled to neighbouring Botswana on the eve of a court judgement in which he was found guilty in absentia of alleged sex crimes. As the news of his failure to appear for judgement was announced, a Zimbabwe government spokesman said a warrant had been issued for his arrest. In Gaborone, capital of Botswana, the foreign ministry said the 62-year old Methodist clergyman who served as president of Zimbabwe between 1980-1987 was in Botswana under the protection of the Anglican Church. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 27 November 1998) * Zimbabwe. Suspension du droit de greve - Suite a plusieurs greves organisees par les syndicats pour protester notamment contre l'augmentation du prix de l'essence, le president Mugabe a suspendu le droit de greve pendant six mois et menace d'emprisonner les organisateurs des mouvements de protestation. Les peines prevues vont jusqu'a 2.700 dollars d'amende, ou trois ans de prison, ou les deux a la fois. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 29 novembre 1998) * Zimbabwe. Unions to challenge strike ban - 30 November: The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) says it plans to challenge in court, a ban on strikes announced at the weekend by the government. "We are seeking legal opinion on the matter and we will take appropriate action for the redress of this situation", said Gibson Sibanda, president of the ZCTU. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 30 November 1998) * Zimbabwe. Calls for Nkomo's retirement - Senior Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) officials have endorsed a call by party youth, for Vice-President Joshua Nkomo to retire, while peace still prevails. Nkomo (82), holds one of the two vice-presidential posts. He is regarded by the people of Matabeleland as one of their leaders. The ZANU-PF youth called for his resignation because they believe he is no longer in a position to forcefully represent the interests of the people of Matabeleland. The chairman of the Bulawayo United Residents Association, Mr Edward Simela, says: "We support the idea that Nkomo must go. We need to see him leaving his office with dignity. He has made an important contribution to Zimbabwe's unity, therefore he must leave office with pride and dignity. As Nkomo's successor, we want someone who will be chosen by the people and respected by everybody". Names being circulated include John Nkomo (not related to Joshua Nkomo), Dumiso Dabengwa, and Joseph Msika. (Dumisani Khumalo, Zimbabwe, 30 November 1998) * Zimbabwe. Conseil oecumenique des Eglises - Le 3 decembre s'ouvriront a Harare, la capitale du Zimbabwe, les travaux de la 8e assemblee du Conseil oecumenique des Eglises. Les responsables de plus de 320 Eglises protestantes, anglicanes et orthodoxes sont attendus a cette assemblee, placee sous le theme "Tournons-nous vers Dieu dans la joie de l'esperance". Cette 8e assemblee marque egalement le 50e anniversaire de cette institution oecumenique. (D'apres DIA, Kinshasa, 2 decembre 1998) * Zimbabwe. World Council of Churches - The 8th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) takes place in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 3-14 December. "Turn to God -- Rejoice in hope", is the underlying theme of the Assembly. More than 4,000 people representing 320 member churches are expected to attend. The Catholic Church is not a full member, but has observer status. An official delegation of the Vatican, led by Bishop Mario Conti of Aberdeen, Scotland, with 25 members, will be present at the Assembly. Archbishop Patrick Chakaipa of Harare will be part of it. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 December 1998)