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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 28-01-1999      PART #1/  

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Angola: The Media Institute
of Southern Africa has reported that 2 journalists, Jose Manuel
Alberto and Jose Cabral Sande were arrested on 11 January. They
were eventually released after appearing in court but the case
(disobedience and offenses against the head of state) is still with
the police and this means the journalists can be picked up at any
time. Lesotho: On 19 January, Candi Ramainoane, the editor of
MoAfrika newspaper, was denied access to a court martial case in
which 50 soldiers are being tried for mutiny. Sierra Leone: The war
in Sierra Leone has claimed its victims among the Media -- On 9
January, Jenner Cole, an on-air broadcaster with SKY-FM was killed
by RUF rebels. However, Lansana Fofana, a stringer with the BBC, is
reportedly alive and safe in Freetown. On 22 January, the West
African Journalists Association issued a statement concerning the
"senseless and indiscriminate attacks and persecution of both
foreign and local journalists in Sierra Leone". South Africa: On 22
January, the World Association of Newspapers expressed its serious
concern to President Mandela about a government investigation of
"media racism" by a Commission with powers of search, seizure and
arrest". Zimbabwe: In a News Release dated 21 January, Amnesty
International says that the severe torture and illegal detention of
two journalists, Mark Chavunduka and Ray Choto, clearly illustrates
how President Mugabe is failing to stop his own ministers and
military officials from making a mockery of the law. The same day,
both journalists were released on bail with visible signs of
torture on their bodies. The same day, RSF expresses concern about
the beating up of four journalists in Masvingo. On 22 January,
Clive Wilson, managing director the Independent and the Standard
newspapers is arrested. He is released on 25 January.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 26 January 1999)

* Afrique. Comite olympique  -  La commission du Comite olympique
international a propose l'expulsion pour corruption de six de ses
membres, dont quatre de l'Afrique: Jean-Claude Ganga (Congo), Zein
El Abdin (Soudan), Charles Mukora (Kenya) et Lamine Keita (Mali).
Un supplement d'enquete a ete demande pour Louis Guirandou N'Diaye
(Cote d'Ivoire). La semaine precedente, l'expert comptable du
Swaziland, David Sikhulumi Sibandze, avait donne sa demission. La
decision du Comite risque d'entrainer, dans l'avenir, un arret des
programmes de developpement sportif du continent, generalement
finances par les comites olympiques des pays riches.   (D'apres
Misna, Italie, 25 janvier 1999)

* Africa. International Olympic Committee  -  Jean Claude Ganga,
president of the Association of African National Olympic
Committees, has been asked to resign over allegations of
corruption. He is accused of making more than 55,000 dollars from
a land deal set up by Salt Lake City. A former Congo-Brazzaville
Tourism Minister, Mr Ganga has been a member of the IOC since 1986.
He has refused to resign saying he has done nothing wrong. The
other IOC members who have been asked to resign include Lamine
Keita (Mali), Charles Nderitu Mukora (Kenya), Zein el Abdin Ahmed
Abdel (Sudan). The treasurer of the Association of National Olympic
Committees of Africa has described the corruption scandal as "a
disgrace for Africa".   (BBC News, 25-26 January 1999)

* Africa. African reactions to Olympic scandal  -  From the Sahara
to the Cape of Good Hope, sports authorities in Africa complain
that their IOC members have been unfairly made the focus of the
biggest corruption scandal in Olympics history. With 6 Africans
among the 9 members expelled or forced to resign, and a seventh
delegate from Africa still under investigation, officials said on
26 January, that they have been portrayed as villains instead of a
small part of a corrupt system.   (AP, 27 January 1999)

* East Africa. East African Cooperation progress  -  The Heads of
State of the three East African Co-operation (EAC) member states,
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, met in Arusha, Tanzania on 22 January,
to review the progress of the EAC since their last summit meeting
on 28 April 1997. It was noted that progress has been made in
various areas, including the following: Harmonisation of policies
leading to the establishment of a single market and investment area
in East Africa; Implementation of 80% Common Market for Eastern and
Southern Africa COMESA preferential tariff reduction by the three
member states; Development of regional infrastructures; A
Tripartite agreement on road transport and inland waterways
transport; A Memorandum of Understanding on foreign policy co-
operation. ("The East African", Kenya, in its issue of 25-31
January notes that the ratification of the EAC Treaty by the three
Presidents, has paved the way for the realisation of a joint
economic community by the end of July. Rwanda received a tentative
go-ahead to join the EAC after the treaty is signed.)   (Kenya
Times, 23 January 1999)

* Afrique de l'Est. Communaute est-africaine  -  Le 22 janvier, les
chefs d'Etat du Kenya, de Tanzanie et d'Ouganda ont sanctionne les
projets de creation de la East African Community a la fin du mois
de juillet. Le president kenyan, Arap Moi, a meme propose une
federation politique, comportant une "assemblee regionale a
pouvoirs limites". Le Rwanda pourra se joindre aux trois autres
membres, des que le traite sera signe. La candidature du Burundi
serait etudiee favorablement.   (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 22 janvier
1999)

* Afrique de l'Est. Menace de famine  -  L'Afrique de l'Est,
severement touchee l'an dernier par des inondations, est desormais
menacee par la famine en raison du manque de pluie. Au Kenya, en
Tanzanie, en Ethiopie, au Soudan et en Ouganda, les cultures de
subsistance ont ete gravement affectees par la faiblesse des
precipitations tombees lors de la derniere saison de pluies. Les
meteorologues attribuent la secheresse a "La Ni¤a", un phenomene
climatique qui suit "El Ni¤o", dont les pluies torrentielles
avaient emporte les cultures et detruit les infrastructurs de la
region entre octobre 1997 et mars 1998.   (D'apres AFP, France, 25
janvier 1999)

* World Bank. The "Millennium Bug"  -  Just over a third of
developing countries have initiated programmes to deal with the
"Millennium Bug" Year 2000 computer problem, and barely 1 in 7 are
taking serious steps to protect their computer systems, a new
survey by the World Bank has found. Of 139 countries in the study,
only 54 had adopted "Y2K" policies and just 21 had embarked on a
concrete programme design to safeguard vulnerable economic sectors
such as power generation and financial and transportation systems.
The problem arises because many older computers are unable to tell
the difference between 1900 and 2000, causing potential serious
disruptions.   (Financial Times, UK, 27 January 1999)

* Algerie. Candidate aux presidentielles  -  Louisa Hanoune, 45
ans, deputee et chef de file du Parti des travailleurs (formation
d'extreme gauche comptant quatre elus au sein de la Chambre basse)
a decide de se porter candidate a l'election presidentielle.
Haroune et son parti sont de farouches partisans d'un dialogue
entre le pouvoir et l'opposition, y compris le FIS, pour tenter de
mettre fin aux violences qui ensanglantent l'Algerie. - D'autre
part, le second parti islamiste algerien, Ennahda, qui compte 10%
des sieges a l'Assemblee nationale, semble connaitre une importante
scission. Son fondateur, Abdallah Djaballah, a annonce le 21
janvier qu'il quittait le mouvement et qu'il allait creer un
nouveau parti, le Mouvement de la reforme nationale, sans doute
plus distant du pouvoir que ne l'est Ennahda.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 25 janvier 1999)

* Algeria. Contesting the election  -  No less than 24 politicians
are planning to contest Algeria's presidential election in April.
Algerian newspapers said 24 potential candidates have collected
official documents allowing them to begin gathering the 75,000
signatures needed to run. Among them are prominent critics of the
regime running as independent candidates. They include Mouloud
Hamrouche, the former prime minister and architect of Algeria's
first economic reforms, and Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi, a former foreign
minister who has consistently called for dialogue with the Islamic
Salvation Front, the party stripped of an electoral victory in
1992.   (Financial Times, UK, 26 January 1999)

* Algerie. Violence a l'est  -  Le 26 janvier, sept personnes ont
ete egorgees par des islamistes armes a un faux barrage pres de
Lakhdaria, a 70 km a l'est d'Alger, dans la region de Bouira. Cette
region connait depuis quelques mois une multiplication d'attentats;
l'armee procede a des ratissages. Le 24 janvier, dans les monts de
Mizrana et Sidi Ali Bounab, l'armee aurait tue de 3 a 19
islamistes, selon les journaux du 27 janvier. La recrudescence des
actions des groupes armes dans cette region, ainsi que dans celle
de Tizi Ouzou, en Kabylie, confirme un deplacement de la violence
a l'est de la capitale.   (D'apres AFP, France, 27 janvier 1999)

* Angola. L'Onu en spectateur  -  21 janvier. L'Unita a annonce
avoir pris le controle d'un pont strategique sur la riviere Cuanza,
a 48 km de Malanje (sud-est de Luanda), vers laquelle ses troupes
progresseraient. De son cote, l'armee angolaise a reconnu que la
situation militaire etait "particulierement preoccupante" a Malanje
et a Huambo (centre), ou les rebelles de l'Unita affrontent depuis
la mi-novembre les troupes regulieres. 500.000 refugies auraient
deja fui les zones de combat. - 22 janvier. Les rebelles de l'Unita
progressaient en direction du nord, vers la ville de Soyo, a
l'extreme pointe nord-ouest du pays a l'embouchure du fleuve Congo,
un centre vital pour les compagnies petrolieres dont les dollars
font vivre le regime. - Le meme jour, malgre la recommendation de
Kofi Annan d'un retrait total de l'Angola, le conseil de securite
de l'Onu a decide, sous pression americaine, le maintien a Luanda
d'un representant special et d'une centaine de collaborateurs
militaires et civils. La MONUA, dont le mandat arrive a echeance le
26 fevrier, changerait simplement de nom. - Le 25 janvier, la
presse locale rapportait que l'Unita avait attaque, ces derniers
jours, les positions gouvernementales a Kuquema, pres de Kuito,
dans le centre du pays. L'armee gouvernementale affirme tenir
Kuito, Catabola, Camacupa, Kunhinga et Chinguar a la suite d'une
contre-offensive lancee dans la region. Pour leur part, les
rebelles controlent Nharea et Andulo. 26 janvier. Le gouvernement
angolais a denonce les accords de paix de Lusaka conclus en 1994
avec l'Unita, mais cherche des accords avec son aile dissidente,
l'Unita Renovada, dont il veut nommer des dirigeants a des postes
au sein de l'administration centrale et locale.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 27 janvier 1999)

* Angola. Situation getting critical  -  20 January: It is now
getting hard to find anyone in Luanda who has a kind word for the
UN. It is also reported that on the previous day, hundreds of young
men lined up outside government offices to register for compulsory
military service and possible combat duty. The UN's Deputy
Emergency Relief Coordinator has urged Angolan government officials
to ensure safe access for the provision of emergency humanitarian
aid in the country. 21 January: Some UN Security Council members
say they hope to keep some observers in Angola despite Kofi Annan's
recommendation that all be withdrawn. 22 January: Residents
scramble to escape from Malanje after UNITA rebels seized a key
bridge and vow to shell the city. Amnesty International backs the
UN call for a continued UN human rights presence in Angola. 24
January: UNITA says it is breaking off diplomatic relations with
the Portuguese government. Also, reports from Angola say gunmen
have killed 30 people, including police officers, in an ambush on
two vehicles, on the road from Saurimo to Luena. 26 January:
Parliament says it plans to renounce the four-year-old Lusaka Peace
Accords and pass legislation declaring Joseph Savimbi a war
criminal. Government forces have launched a new attack on positions
held by UNITA outside Malanje. UNITA have overrun a key northern
town that gives them control of a large area from which they can
launch attacks on the government's oil-producing areas. UNITA
rebels took control of M'banza Congo after days of heavy shelling
and intense fighting with government troops. Government officials
say the rebels' aim is to disrupt the production of oil, which is
the government's main source of revenue.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 28
January 1999)

* Burkina Faso. Soutien au RUF?  -  Les partis d'opposition du
Burkina Faso ont appele a l'ouverture d'une enquete internationale
sous les auspices de l'Onu a propos des allegations que le
gouvernement a accorde son appui au rebelles sierra-leonais du RUF
(Front uni revolutionnaire), rapportaient les agences de presse le
22 janvier. Le ministre des Finances de Sierra Leone avait declare
a la BBC que le Burkina entrainait "des milliers" de rebelles.  
(D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 22 janvier 1999)

* Burundi. Sanctions suspendues  -  Le 23 janvier a Arusha
(Tanzanie), les chefs d'Etat de la region (Tanzanie, Kenya,
Ethiopie, Ouganda, Rwanda, Zambie et Congo-RDC) ont decide de
suspendre les sanctions imposees au Burundi apres le coup d'Etat du
31 juillet 1996. "Les dirigeants de la region ont estime a
l'unanimite que les sanctions devraient etre supendues, et non
entierement levees", a tenu a preciser le president ougandais
Museveni. De son cote, le president burundais Buyoya s'est engage
a redoubler d'efforts pour en finir avec la guerre civile qui
oppose son regime aux rebelles hutu. Les responsables politiques
burundais resteront encore a Arusha jusqu'au 28 janvier pour leur
4e round de negociations internes. Qu'un accord de paix soit signe
vers le mois d'aout, comme l'a promis le mediateur Nyerere, reste
toutefois fort improbable.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 25
janvier 1999)

* Burundi: Sanctions suspended  -  22 January: Human Rights Watch
calls on African leaders to impose an arms embargo against Burundi,
covering both sides of the conflict, as step towards an
international ban. In a statement, HRW said key members of the UN
Security Council have indicated they will support an arms embargo.
23 January: Sanctions against Burundi are suspended to encourage
peace negotiations. The suspension of sanctions will be "subject to
review". The move on sanctions was welcomed by UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan. He said he hoped it would bring peace closer to
Burundi. The World Food Programme says the suspension of sanctions
will be major step in restoring the country's ability to meet its
food needs.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 January 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. Fighting rocks Brazzaville  -  22 January:
Brazzaville is shaken by artillery and machine gun fire with some
rounds falling across the river in Kinshasa. The shelling is
directed from the centre of Brazzaville towards the southern
districts of the city. It appears that Ninja militia, loyal to
former prime minister Bernard Kolelas, had re-infiltrated the
southern Bacongo and Makelekele districts of the city, which
government forces had reportedly cleared. The Ninja were described
as lightly armed but numerous. Angolan troops, identified by their
black uniforms, deployed tanks and multiple rocket launchers to
drive them out.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 22 January 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. Les combats continuent  -  Le 22 janvier, les
miliciens du president Nguesso, epaules par l'armee angolaise, ont
tente de reduire a l'arme lourde les milices ninjas qui seraient
encerclees au sud-ouest de la capitale. La veille, une vingtaine de
ces derniers avaient attaque la residence de l'ambassadeur de
France. Le Quai d'Orsay a dit etudier des "mesures appropriees pour
eventuellement faciliter le depart" des quelque 350 Francais qui se
trouvent toujours a Brazzaville. D'autre part, Pointe Noire, la
capitale economique, vit depuis deux semaines sans eau ni
electricite en raison de la prise de controle par les miliciens
cocoyes de Lissouba des principales installations electriques du
sud-ouest du pays. - Le 25 janvier, des affrontements ont fait huit
morts aux abords de Dolisie, troisieme ville du pays et fief de
Lissouba, lorsque les "Cocoyes" ont tente de s'emparer de la gare.
Le lendemain, le calme etait revenu. Le 27 janvier, on apprenait
que neuf ressortissants europeens, dont deux pretres, un Francais
et un Suisse, etaient portes disparus dans la region de Dolisie.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 28 janvier 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Rebels plan formal government  -  20 January:
Congolese rebels, looking to reunite and re-energize their
movement, have set out an ambitious plan to establish a formal
government and open it to other activists opposed to President
Kabila. Leaders of the 28-member coalition of ethnic Tutsis,
disaffected Congolese soldiers and opposition politicians, say they
will establish a 137-member assembly, a government and a president
in charge of the rebel-controlled eastern half of Congo. Once
Kabila is ousted, elections will be held for a new government in
Kinshasa.   (AP, 22 January 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Les rebelles restructurent leur mouvement  -  Les
rebelles du Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) vont
elargir leur mouvement pour y integrer d'autres groupes
d'opposition et elaborer un programme politique ainsi qu'une
constitution federale, ont rapporte le 20 janvier les agences de
presse. Le RCD a l'intention de creer une assemblee nationale
representative de 137 membres qui fera office de parlement. Un
gouvernement de 24 membres et une presidence collective de 8
membres auront la responsabilite des regions sous controle rebelle.
- Cette restructuration a ete de fait annoncee durant le week-end
du 23-24 janvier, mais selon des observateurs, elle n'aurait pas
calme les disputes entre mobutistes et renovateurs. Plusieurs voix
s'etaient elevees pour elargir la structure du mouvement a des
personnalites de la societe civile et de partis politiques
representatives de la societe congolaise; ce qui ne s'est pas fait.
Les "renovateurs" entendent se constituer en "groupe parlementaire
d'opposition". Dans une communication telephonique avec Reuters,
Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma, un des leaders du mouvement, a annonce le 27
janvier qu'il quittait le RCD. - D'autre part, selon des sources
humanitaires, des accrochages ont eu lieu le 24 janvier dans la
region d'Uvira entre soldats banyamulenge du RCD et des soldats
rwandais, faisant au moins deux morts. Selon le porte-parole de
l'armee rwandaise, les soldats rwandais avaient ete envoyes a Uvira
pour resoudre certains problemes d'indiscipline.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 21-27 janvier 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Arrests  -  18 January: Amnesty International says
that five leading politicians of prominent opposition parties, were
arrested in Kinshasa on 16 January. They are now in custody.
Amnesty International is concerned that the five are being detained
solely on account of their no-violent political activities. 22
January: IRIN (Nairobi) reports that since 12 January, over 40
politically motivated arrests and detentions in "inhuman
conditions" have been made by RDC security officials. The human
rights group ASADHO, says that 32 people, most of Rwandan
extraction, were abducted from Bethany, a Catholic centre in the
Gombe area of Kinshasa on 12 January were taken to Kokolo military
camp.   (ANB-BIA,, Brussels, 26 January 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Legere avance gouvernementale  -  Selon des sources
parvenues au quotidien belge De Standaard, les troupes alliees du
president Kabila auraient fait quelques progres sur differents
fronts. Au sud-ouest, elles auraient repris les villes de Moba et
de Nyunzu, et concentreraient leurs efforts sur Kalemie. Dans la
province de l'Equateur, les forces rebelles de Jean-Pierre Bemba
auraient du se retirer des villes de Libenge, Businga et Gemena, et
se seraient repliees sur Lisala et Bumba.   (D'apres De Standaard,
Belgique, 26 janvier 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Kolwezi tailings deal reached  -  Ango American, the
South African conglomerate, and the Texas-based America Mineral
Fields have reached an preliminary agreement with the government of
Congo RDC to exploit the country's Kolwezi copper and cobalt mine
tailings, in a deal worth $130 million. Under the agreement, an
Anglo-AMF joint venture, called Congo Mineral Developments will
have a 60% stake in a new holding company called KMT, with the
state-owned Gecamines holding the rest. However, the agreement
depends on ratification of the project by a presidential decree
from President Kabila, and on South African Reserve Bank approval
for the transfer of funds from South Africa.   (Financial Times,
UK, 28 January 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Liberalisation welcomed  -  21 January: The World
Bank has welcomed a move by Cote d'Ivoire, the world's leading
cocoa produce, to dissolve Caistab, the parastatal commodities
marketing board, a step towards the final liberalisation of the
cocoa and coffee markets. In Abidjan, World Bank officials said the
dissolution of the board coincided with decrees promulgating export
procedures and minimum pricing for coffee, which was officially
liberalised last October, but effectively only so, now.  
(Financial Times, UK, 22 January 1999)

* Gabon. Ecoles fermees  -  Le 22 janvier, les ecoles et
universites du Gabon ont ete fermees jusqu'a nouvel ordre apres une
semaine de manifestations, parfois violentes, d'etudiants. Dans la
journee, la police avait utilise des gaz lacrymogenes pour
disperser des etudiants qui jetaient des pierres sur les forces de
securite et avaient mis le feu a des voitures a Libreville, la
capitale. Ces manifestations interviennent apres le rejet par
l'opposition de la reelection du president Omar Bongo, qu'elle dit
avoir ete entachee de fraudes. Le 21 janvier, le president Bongo a
prete serment pour un nouveau mandat de sept ans a la tete du pays.
Le 23 janvier, il a nomme un nouveau Premier ministre, Jean-
Francois Ntoutoume Emane (ministre sortant), en remplacement de
Paulin Obame Nguema.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 janvier
1999)

* Guinea-Bissau. Working towards national unity  -  19 January:
ECOMOG will complete its deployment in Guinea-Bissau by the end of
the month. Officials from troop contributing countries -- Benin,
The Gambia, Niger and Togo -- as well as representatives from donor
countries, met today in Lome, to make final plans for deployment.
When they arrive, the troops will take up positions between
loyalist government forces and those of the mutinous military
junta. The same day, Prime Minister Francisco Fadul said that the
fragile peace in Guinea-Bissau might unravel if foreign troops
remain in his country. On 19 January, he had asked the EU to try to
secure their withdrawal and their replacement by a West African
peacekeeping force. 22 January: The Prime Minister says he will
recommend that the government of national unity should only be
sworn in on 7 February. He says there are still further questions
to be put to ECOWAS later today. 25 January: The new government
will now be sworn in on 7 February, three days after the scheduled
withdrawal of Guinean and Senegalese troops from the country.  
(IRIN, West Africa, 20-26 January 1999)

* Kenya. Toxic chemical summit  -  20 January: Delegates from more
than 100 countries gather in Kenya next week to start negotiating
the first global treaty to limit 12 toxic chemicals. The targeted
chemicals include pesticides such as DDT and industrial chemicals
such as dixin and PCBs, which have been linked to cancer, birth
defects and other genetic and developmental abnormalities.   (AP,
20 January 1999)

* Kenya. Moi names anti-corruption panel  -  19 January: President
Moi has named a seven-member board to advise him on the choice of
new leaders for the troubled Kenya Anti-Corruption Authority. The
board's job will be to recommend candidates for the jobs of
director and assistant director of the Authority, set up in 1997,
amid official vows to end government corruption. Moi created the
board a week after the International Monetary Fund said the release
of frozen loans was being held up because of the government's
reluctance to create a strong anti-corruption agency.   (AP, 20
January 1999)

* Kenya. What the papers say  -  15 January: The Daily Nation says
that talks on a resumption of International Monetary Funding
lendings to Kenya have been delayed by the government's failure to
set up a new anti-corruption authority. 17 January: The Sunday
Nation carries a feature article with photos of Professor Wangari
Maathai who was injured in a brutal attack by private guards, hired
to keep her away from the Karura Forest plots which have been
allocated to private developers "in shady deals that have left the
nation in shock". The same paper reports that on 16 January,
President Moi had ordered Attorney-General Amos Wako not to allow
the registration of new political parties associated with sitting
members of parliament. 19 January: The Daily Nation reports that
Kenyan soldiers have engaged the Ethiopian army in a fierce fight,
as the Ethiopian army swept over the Kenyan border in hot pursuit
of Oromo militiamen.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 January 1999)

* Kenya/Ethiopia. Words exchanged over border skirmish  -  Kenyan
and Ethiopian delegates traded accusations at a meeting called last
week to discuss a border skirmish in which 60 Ethiopian government
soldiers were killed by rebels of the Oromo Liberation Army. The
high-level security meeting collapsed on 21 January, after the
Kenyan delegation contested accusations by the Ethiopians that
Nairobi was backing the Oromo rebel group. Kenya insisted that
three people abducted by he Ethiopian soldiers as they returned to
their side of the border, be released before any meaningful talks
could be held.   (The East African, Kenya. 25-31 January 1999)

* Lesotho. Inhumane prison conditions  -  Amnesty International
says it is concerned at the failure of the Lesotho authorities to
take steps to improve the inhumane conditions at the maximum
security prison in Maseru where 50 soldiers, facing court-martial
and possible death sentences, have been held for up to 3 months.
Amnesty International is also concerned that the court-martial
established to hear the case against the prisoners, who are charged
in connection with the 11 September 1998 mutiny against the army
command, does not meet international standards for independence and
impartiality.   (Amnesty International, 21 January 1999)

* Lesotho. Mort de Ntsu Mokhehle  -  L'ancien Premier ministre Ntsu
Mokhehle, figure historique du Lesotho, est mort a 80 ans des
suites d'une longue maladie, a annonce la radio d'Etat le 7
janvier. Ntsu Mokhehle avait conduit la lutte pour l'independance
du petit protectorat, accordee par la Grande-Bretagne en 1966. Il
a passe des annees dans l'opposition avant de devenir en 1993 le
chef du premier gouvernement democratiquement elu. Il avait
abandonne les renes du pays en mars 1998, apres des elections
controversees.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 22 janvier 1999)

* Liberia. "State of the Union"  -  On 25 January, in a "State of
the Union" address, President Charles Taylor told Liberians to be
more self-reliant, and stressed that Liberia does not have special
relations with any country in the world. He said that fighting
among Liberians will not promote national recovery, and warned
Liberians against disunity, especially in the midst of
international accusations.   (IRIN, West Africa, 26 January 1999)

* Mozambique. Nouveau barrage?  -  La France et l'Allemagne ont
accorde au Mozambique une aide d'environ 7 millions de dollars
destinee au financement d'une etude de faisabilite de l'utilisation
du potentiel economique de la vallee du Zambeze. L'etude, dont la
realisation debutera en fevrier prochain, devra repondre a la
question de savoir s'il vaut la peine ou non, du point de vue
economique, de construire un barrage a Mepanda Uncua, 70 km en aval
de celui de Cahora Bassa. La fonderie d'aluminium qui se trouve en
construction a Maputo, le projet Mozal, pourrait etre ravitaillee
en energie electrique par ce barrage, dont le cout probable est
estime a environ 2 milliards de dollars.   (Marches Tropicaux,
France, 22 janvier 1999)

* Nigeria. Positive moves  -  21 January: The prospect of radical
changes to Nigeria's structure has come a step closer, when
Olusegun Obasanjo, the country's former military ruler, said he was
prepared to respond to calls for greater regional autonomy by
presiding over a process of constitutional reform, should he win
next month's presidential election. If conceded, such a move could
prove a landmark in Nigeria's post-independence history and help to
defuse tensions between the traditional dominant north of the
country and other regions over the allocation of federal funds and
mismanagement of the economy. 22 January: The government is close
to an agreement with the IMF intended to pave the way to an
estimated $1 billion loan by the end of the year. 24 January:
Nigeria reaches agreement with the IMF on a Fund-monitored economic
programme. 25 January: The government is expecting an early meeting
of international donors to seek funding for the country's $1.5
billion financing gap. 26 January: Leaders of two of the three
political parties contesting the elections, formally announce their
intention to form an electoral alliance. 27 January: The Alliance
for Democracy announces its candidate for the presidency. He is Olu
Falae, a former finance minister. Also, elections are taking place
in Nigeria today for the leadership of the main union federation,
the Nigerian Labour Congress -- as part of the country's transition
to civilian rule.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 28 January 1999)

* Nigeria. Burst pipes must be repaired  -  Unless urgent steps are
taken to salvage the burst pipes of the Nigerian National Petroleum
Company in two villages near Ijebu-Ode, the commercial nerve centre
of Ogun State, South-Western Nigeria, there will be a fire disaster
of the kind that claimed over 1,000 lives in Jesse in the Niger
Delta area late last year. Father John Patrick Ngoyi of the Justice
Peace and Development Commission, discovered the illegal business
of fetching refined petroleum products such as motor fuel, kerosene
and diesel freely from the burst pipes for the past weeks. He warns
that "another Jesse disaster is imminent", adding that altogether,
there are about 300 "oil wells" dug by people who have suddenly
discovered the "black gold" in their back yards.   (Taye Babaleye,
Nigeria, 20 January 1999)

* Nigeria. Pressure on Abubakar to release Diya  -  Frantic appeals
are being made to Gen. Abubakar, by notable Nigerians, human rights
organisations, ministers of religion and labour leaders, to release
former Nigerian Chief-of-General Staff, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya, who
was condemned to death by the late Gen. Abacha. It is clear that
Diya is critically ill in detention.   (Taye Babaleye, Nigeria, 20
January 1999)

* Nigeria. Aide du FMI  -  Le Fonds monetaire international a donne
son aval a un programe de redressement economique qui sera place
sous sa surveillance, ont rapporte les organes de presse sur la foi
des propos tenus a Washington par William Murray, porte-parole du
FMI. L'accord est le premier du genre depuis pres de dix ans, mais
n'implique aucun octroi de fonds de la part du FMI. M. Murray n'a
fourni aucun detail, se bornant a indiquer que l'accord vise a
appuyer les efforts de stabilisation du Nigeria, a ameliorer sa
gouvernance et a promouvoir les reformes structurelles, y compris
les privatisations.   (IRIN, Abidjan, 26 janvier 1999)

* Rwanda. Kofi Annan et le genocide  -  Entamant, le 26 janvier,
une visite a Bruxelles, Kofi Annan a accepte l'idee d'une enquete
independante sur son role dans le genocide au Rwanda en 1994. Un
groupe de personnalites et de parents de victimes a demande cette
enquete. M. Annan, qui dirigeait les operations de maintien de la
paix de l'Onu a l'epoque, ne nie pas sa responsabilite mais en
rejette la plus grande part sur les Etats. "Nous devons inclure le
Conseil de securite a cette enquete", a-t-il dit. "Personne au
Conseil de securite ne peut pretendre qu'il ne savait pas ce qui se
passait au Rwanda... Nous avons fait de notre mieux. Cela n'a pas
suffi".   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 27 janvier 1999)

* Senegal. Polemique entre chretiens et musulmans  -  Un projet de
construction d'une mosquee dans l'enceinte de l'universite Gaston
Berger (UGB) de St. Louis, la deuxieme universite du pays, oppose
etudiants musulmans et chretiens. Les autorites universitaires
n'entendent pas en delivrer l'autorisation, ayant rejete recemment
une requete des etudiants chretiens, qui ont du construire leur
chapelle hors du perimetre de l'UGB. Les etudiants musulmans, tout
en arguant de la loi du nombre, declarent cependant souhaiter voir
la communaute chretienne eriger un lieu de culte au sein de
l'universite. Les chretiens par contre soulignent que "la laicite
est un des dogmes" de la Republique senegalaise et, puisqu'ils ont
du construire leur chapelle en dehors de l'UGB, ils pensent que
"tout le monde doit accepter de jouer le jeu".   (A. Agboton,
Senegal, 19 janvier 1999)

* Senegal. Rencontre sur la Casamance  -  Le 22 janvier a
Ziguinchor, le president Abdou Diouf a recu l'abbe Augustin
Diacoume, le secretaire general du Mouvement des forces
democratiques de Casamance, apres avoir lance un vibrant appel a la
paix dans la region, soumise depuis 16 ans a une sanglante
rebellion independantiste. Cette rencontre devrait permettre de
relancer les negociations de paix sur le conflit, qui butaient ces
derniers mois sur des problemes de dissensions au sein du MFDC.  
(D'apres Le Monde, France, 24 janvier 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Terreur a Freetown  -  Le 21 janvier, l'archeveque
de Freetown, Mgr. Ganda, capture par les rebelles, est parvenu a
s'evader en compagnie de quatre missionnaires, alors que deux
autres missionnaires et six religieuses de Mere Teresa etaient
encore aux mains des rebelles. Le 22 janvier, une de ces
religieuses, soeur Aloysius Maria, a ete abattue par les rebelles
et un autre missionnaire, blesse par balle, a reussi a s'echapper,
a rapporte l'agence Misna. On est sans nouvelles des autres
religieux encore detenus. Et les prises d'otages continuent. Le 24
janvier, les rebelles ont kidnappe onze hommes d'affaires indiens.
Le 25, ils ont capture deux journalistes, un Francais et un
Espagnol, reporters au Figaro et a El Mundo; le premier a ete
rapidement libere, avec mission de porter une declaration politique
a la BBC, alors que le second etait retenu en otage. - D'autre
part, la situation humanitaire est grave. Le PAM a denonce le
climat d'insecurite qui freine la distribution de l'aide. L'Ecomog
a interdit aux operateurs humanitaires d'utiliser des moyens de
telecommunication, ce qui ralentit les operations de secours. Le
nombre de deplaces a Freetown atteint les 150.000. - Le 25 janvier
a Freetown, le ministre nigerian des Affaires etrangeres a menace
de traduire en justice le president liberien Charles Taylor qu'il
accuse de collaborer avec la rebellion sierra-leonaise. M. Taylor,
accuse deja a plusieurs reprises de soutenir les rebelles, a
dementi ces accusations sommant ses detracteurs d'apporter des
preuves. Le 26 janvier, L'Ecomog a pilonne la banlieue ouest de la
capitale et poursuivait ses combats pour tenter d'en exfiltrer des
groupes de rebelles. Les combats auraient fait environ 3.000 morts
depuis le 6 janvier. Le 27 janvier, le journaliste d'"El Mundo",
Javier Espinosa, capture le 25 par les rebelles, a ete libere sain
et sauf.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 28 janvier 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Freetown -- a capital in disarray  -  20 January:
Residents of Freetown venture into the streets, hungry and fearful,
in a desperate search for food and water, amid a wasteland of
gutted buildings and rotting corpses. Some city dwellers are
burying the dead in their backyards because they are afraid of
roaming too far from home. 21 January: The WFP says that continued
insecurity at the main port of Freetown continues to prevent
humanitarian agencies from providing urgently-needed food aid to
tens of thousands of people in the city. Also, Sierra Leone's
finance minister says the government is setting up an interim
defence force while long-term training of an army takes place. 22
January: Amnesty International says that plans to reduce the size
of the UN peace-keeping mission in Sierra Leone, when citizens
continue to suffer appalling atrocities, are unacceptable. ECOMOG
forces have encircled RUF rebels in the eastern outskirts of
Freetown, cutting off their escape routes. 23 January: The Press
reports that the Archbishop of Freetown and four other clerics
escaped from the rebels two days ago. The same day, the missionary
news service MISNA reports that rebels have killed Sister Aloysius
Maria, a nun from the Missionaries of Charity. A priest was
wounded. 24 January: 22 tons of medical supplies are flown into
Freetown. In Mexico City, the Pope condemns the killing of Sister
Aloysius Maria as a "barbarous assassination" and says "no motive
can justify such an attack". 25 January: ECOMOG says there are
still pockets of rebel resistance in the Kissy neighbourhood of
Freetown. 26 January: ECOMOG forces are still "mopping up" in the
suburbs of Freetown. 26 January: Fuel shortages have hit Freetown,
partly because there have not been any supplies for weeks and oil
companies have had to supply ECOMOG with fuel.   (ANB-BIA, 27
January 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Summary executions  -  "Amnesty International has
accused troops loyal to the government of summary executions.
Amnesty says that the Nigerian-led troops from the intervention
force ECOMOG killed 22 suspected rebel sympathisers on a bridge
across a lagoon in western Freetown on 13 January. Other sources in
Freetown have reported exceutions on this bridge, and last week I
saw the bloodstains on the railings, which the sources said
resulted from the killings. Nigerian officers say quite openely
that they shoot rebel suspects on sight. One Nigerian officer told
me his forces were advancing against the rebels because the
Nigerian army had adopted the rebels' own tough guerrilla tactics.
The officer said, on condition of anonymity, "it takes a thief to
catch a thief"".   (Mark Doyle, BBC News, 26 January 1999)

* Somalia. Warring Somalians blamed for deaths  -  Warring clans in
the southern Somali port of Kismayo have killed at least five
prisoners captured during recent battles for control of the town,
independent sources said on 20 January. Sources in the region,
interviewed on condition of anonymity, said rival militiamen from
the Majerten and Marehan clans, had killed prisoners of the other
clan. An upsurge in fighting around Kismayo has left dozens dead.
At least 30 people were killed and over 50 wounded on 6 January
during the latest round of fighting.   (AP, 20 January 1999)

* Somalia. Deadly famine  -  A drought covering much of southern
Somalia has left streams and shallow water wells dry, creating food
shortages and endangering thousands of people. Khadija Ahmed
Abukar, a World Health Organisation official, says more than
700,000 Somalis are affected by food shortages in the south of the
country.   (AP, 25 January 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. L'ANC sollicite les travaillistes britanniques  -
  Le Congres national africain (ANC) a sollicite les "conseils" des
travaillistes britanniques pour sa gestion de l'apres-Mandela.
Selon le Times, l'ancien ministre de Tony Blair, Peter Mandelson,
contraint a la demission en decembre dernier pour une affaire de
pret immobilier, serait en discussion avec l'ANC dans le but de lui
faire profiter de ses conseils politiques. M. Mandela a fait
dementir l'information, mais le parti travailliste a reconnu avoir
ete sollicite.   (La Libre Belgique, 23 janvier 1999)

* South Africa. Political violence  -  25 January: 13 people lay
dead last night at the end of a weekend of killings in South
Africa, triggered by the assassination of opposition leader Sifiso
Nkabinde, secretary-general and provincial boss of the United
Democratic Movement, who died in hail of bullets in the centre of
Richmond, 40 miles west of Durban on the morning of 23 January.
That night, armed men burst into the nearby home of a family loyal
to the ANC, killing 11 men and wounding seven more. One of the
attackers also died. On 24 January there was a gun battle in
Richmond, only yards from where Nkabinde died, after gunmen
ambushed a group of visiting ANC officials. The violence continued
on 25 January with a further murder -- that of Vulindela Matiyase,
deputy chairman of a regional UDM branch in Cape Town's Cape Flats
squatter camps.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 January 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Assassinats de leaders politiques  -  Le 23
janvier, Sifiso Nkabinde, leader politique anti-ANC au KwaZulu-
Natal, a ete assassine a Richmond d'une rafale de tir automatique.
Dans la soiree du meme jour, onze personnes d'une meme famille ont
ete tuees et sept autres personnes blessees lors d'une operation de
represailles. Sifiso Nkabinde fut, jusqu'au debut 1997, un
dirigeant eminent de l'ANC. Accuse d'espionnage au profit du regime
d'apartheid, il fut expulse de l'ANC. Quelques mois plus tard,
accuse de seize meurtres, il fut arrete, puis relache en mai 1998
faute de temoins a charge. Il avait rejoint le parti d'opposition,
le Mouvement democratique uni (UDM) de Roelf Meyer et Bantu
Holomisa, dont il devint rapidement le numero trois. Son charisme
attirait beaucoup de personnes vers ce nouveau parti. "Son
assassinat est un test pour la democratie sud-africaine",
commentait le lendemain le Sunday Independant. - Le 25 janvier, un
deuxieme leader de l'UDM, Vulindlela Matiyase, responsable du parti
dans la province du Cap occidental, a ete assassine. Les auteurs
des assassinats sont toujours recherches. On craint une periode
sanglante durant la preparation aux elections qui devraient se
tenir au mois de mai. Par ailleurs, le juge Johann Kriegler, qui
preside depuis 1993 la Commission electorale independante, a
demissione le 26 janvier. Le president Mandela a assure que cette
demission n'affectera pas la tenue des prochaines elections.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 27 janvier 1999)

* Soudan. Proces de religieux  -  Le 24 janvier, la Cour supreme
s'est declaree incompetente dans le recours introduit au sujet du
proces de deux pretres soudanais, Hilary Boma et Lino Sebit,
accuses d'attentats en 1998. Le recours avait pour but d'enlever le
proces des mains de la cour militaire pour le transmettre a un
tribunal penal, mais d'apres une nouvelle loi, ce processus depend
maintenant de la Cour constitutionnelle. -D'autre part, on apprend
que deux Salesiens indiens, le pere Rayen et le frere Tyrone, qui
geraient un centre d'accueil pour enfants des rues a Wau, dans le
sud, ont ete arretes le 17 decembre dernier, puis relaches le 29
decembre, sous condition de ne plus retourner a Wau. On ne sait pas
ce dont ils ont ete accuses.   (D'apres Fides, Rome, 25 janvier
1999)

* Tanzania. Refugee Bill  -  January 11: Church leaders in Tanzania
have warned the government to be careful in implementing the
Refugees Bill of 1998, insisting that any human being has the right
to immigrate from one place to another regarding the stability and
instability threatening his or her life. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter
Mwamasika urged the government to treat refugees with love and
patience without enforcing tough laws over them. Instead, they need
an environment which will assist them to remain peaceful in their
camps.   (AANA News, 11 January 1999)

* Ouganda. Appel des chefs religieux  -  Les chefs religieux
d'Acholi, au nord de l'Ouganda, ont lance un appel aux autorites
pour qu'elles declarent la region zone sinistree et qu'elles
entrent immediatement en negociations avec les rebelles de la
Lord's Resistance Army, a rapporte le 21 janvier le journal semi-
officiel New Vision. "Nous pensons avoir atteint la limite et il
est clair que les moyens militaires ne resoudront pas le probleme",
ont fait savoir trois eveques et deux cheiks de Gulu et Kitgum. Ils
avertissent que deux Ouganda sont en train de se former, un sud
riche et stable, et un nord desespere et pauvre. Les religieux ont
egalement demande a la LRA de relacher les enfants captifs, en
signe de bonne volonte.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 22 janvier 1999)

* Uganda. Vice-President fights back  -  The World Bank has opened
investigations into a controversy on which Vice-President Specioza
Wandira Kazibwe has been criticised for her handling of a $2.5
million rural construction project, which a parliamentary select
committee terms a "rip-off". Reports of the independent inquiry
came amid revelations that the country's Central Tender Board,
which should grant all such tenders, was kept in the dark until the
final stages of the award process. The Vice-President, whose
portfolio includes the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and
Fisheries, has been accused of failing to supervise the
construction and rehabilitation of 19 water dam and tanks in the
cattle corridor districts of Mubende, Sembabule, Kibiga and
Ntungamo, under the Livestock Project; leading to huge financial
losses. Mrs Kazibwe denies the charges as "false", and dismissed
the parliamentary committee members as "functionally illiterate". 
 (The East African, Kenya, 18-24 January 1999)

* Uganda. Guardianship of the Buganda royal tombs  -  On 23
January, Kabaka Ronald Mutebi emerged victor after a week-long
Buganda royalty wrangle with rebel princesses, and installed his
own guardian of the royal tombs at Kasubi. Thousands of Baganda,
who had stayed at the tombs overnight, celebrated with singing,
drumming and dancing in the city suburb, as they cursed the rebel
princesses who denounced the Kabaka last weekend. Princesses
Catherine Nkinzi, Dorothy Nabweteme and Elizabeth Nakabiri, in
collaboration with Princess Irene Ndagire, had claimed an
alternative guardian and subsequently questioned Mutebi's
paternity. There was a big traffic jam which stretched for 2km, as
thousands turned out to witness the installation of the guardian in
the biggest royal ceremony since Mutebi's coronation in 1993. After
the installation of Nnalinya Beatrice Mpologoma Namikka, a 43-year-
old lawyer, the former Katikkiro of Buganda, Mayanja Nkangi,
challenged the disgruntled royals to go to court.   (Sunday Vision,
Uganda, 24 January 1999)

* Uganda. Referendum on political systems  -  This is how the Press
is reporting the holding of the referendum on political systems
scheduled for next year. 13 January: The New Vision says it has
launched a survey to evaluate the Movement Government which clocks
13 years in power on 26 January. The new survey covers a broad
section of issues in the economic, social and political spheres,
and is objective. In the same paper, a feature article on the role
of the Church in the referendum, informs us that "the pulpit will
not derail the train to the referendum". (A reference to the fact
that Cardinal Wamala and other Catholic officials are calling for
a boycott of the coming referendum.) 14 January: The New Vision
says that the Muslim leadership has joined the Catholic Church in
opposing the referendum. "Amending the Constitution to remove the
provision, is the only way the Movement can score credit", says
Sheikh A.Mukasa. Another article in the same paper says that
Uganda's government is facing mounting pressure to embrace
democratic reforms and scrap the planned referendum next year.  
(ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 January 1999)

* Zambia. Modern satellite technology  -  Farmers in Zambia may
soon be able to deal more effectively with adverse climatic
conditions that affect their crop production -- thanks to modern
satellite technology --Aerial Crop Scanning. The government is
working with IKRLimited, a Hungary-based supplier, to introduce the
system into the country. With its ability to detect in advance crop
disease, crop yields and crop failure, the Aerial Crop Scanning
system promises to help farmers prepare for emergencies and put
corrective measures in place. Also known as Satellite Remote
Agricultural Sensing, the technology used, is acclaimed for its
ability to detect the amount of fertiliser required; soil fertility
and water content in the soil. Russel Mulele, permanent secretary
in Zambia's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, believes
that through the use of this revolutionary system, the government
will be able to gather data on the state of agriculture and supply
farmers with the necessary information they need.   (Wilcliff
Sakala, Zambia, 26 January 1999)

* Zambia. Tension with Angola  -  20 January: Zambia's President
Chiluba says that Angola has formally written to the Zambian
government, reiterating its accusation that it is supplying arms to
UNITA. Chiluba says it is "unfortunate" that the charges, first
voiced last weekend during Zambian-chaired talks on the crisis in
Congo RDC should come just after similar accusations had been
dispelled by a UN and OAU verification mission. The same day,
Chiluba warns that his country will defend itself if Angola decides
to attack.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 21 January 1999)

* Zambia. Student accommodation problem  -  The University of
Zambia is crippled with problems concerning accommodation for its
students. On 24 January, Professor Mutale Chanda said that about
900 students were adversely affected with the accommodation problem
because the University of Zambia was faced with a critical shortage
of beds and mattresses as a result of liquidity difficulties. The
university has appealed to students who already have homes in
Lusaka, to allow those who come from outside the city, to be
accommodated first of all. But students' representative Ryan Kanswe
says the university administration should sort out the
accommodation problem. A check at the Great East Road campus, has
revealed that some students are sharing available bedding with
those who are affected by the plight of inadequate accommodation. 
 (Fred Chela, Zambia, 25 January 1999)
* Zimbabwe. Fears for newspaper director  -  On 22 January, Amnesty
International issued a worldwide alert, expressing concern for the
safety of Zimbabwean newspaper director/publisher Clive Wilson
after his arrest without charge earlier in the day. "Clive Wilson's
arrest comes one day after the release of two journalists (Mark
Chavunduka and Ray Choto) who were viciously tortured by military
police, with the apparent collusion of the civilian police,"
Amnesty International said. "There's a clear possibility that he
may also be tortured like the other two". (Editor's note: Clive
Wilson was released on 25 January).   (Amnesty International, 22
January 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Sunday Standard, suite  -  Mark Chavunduka, redacteur
en chef de l'hebdomadaire d'opposition Sunday Standard, arrete par
la police militaire le 12 janvier a la suite d'un article
concernant une tentative de coup d'Etat, a ete libere sur ordre de
la Haute cour de justice. Son arrestation avait provoque une crise
constitutionnelle. Un juge de la Haute cour avait ordonne que le
redacteur soit libere le 18 janvier avant 22h locales (il etait
detenu au secret dans une caserne d'Harare), sous peine de lancer
un mandat d'arret contre le ministre de la Defense Moven Mahachi,
qui avait refuse d'obeir a un premier ordre de la justice exigeant
la remise en liberte du journaliste. - Le directeur de
l'hebdomadaire fut ensuite arrete le 22 janvier, mais remis en
liberte le 25, le procureur general ayant estime que les
allegations contre lui etaient insuffisantes.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 26 janvier 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Police halt torture protest  -  On 26 January, riot
police used dogs, batons and tear gas to disperse 300 lawyers who
sat in the road in front of parliament to protest at evidence that
the government used torture and flouted the law by ignoring court
orders. The lawyers had marched through central Harare with human
rights activists, carrying placards stating: "No to torture!" and
"To Hell with Gestapo!" They were reacting to the detention of
three journalists in the past week, two of whom bore injuries
apparently inflicted as torture by interrogators. An initial court
order for their release was ignored.   (The Guardian, U.K., 27
January 1999)

* Zimbabwe. The fight for Zimbabwe's soul  -  A battle is raging in
Zimbabwe about how the country is to be governed after it was
revealed that officials of Robert Mugabe's government had tortured
two journalists. The shockwaves from the case are sweeping the
country. Human rights groups and Church organisations have held
demonstrations in protest. Foreign diplomats issued strongly worded
statements, and on 27 January a delegation of lawyers pressed the
government to investigate the offenses. (...)The country's fledging
civil society groups find themselves suddenly burdened with the
urgent defence of basic legal rights against a hostile government.
Caught in the middle is the public which has little idea of what is
really going on. Little is being done by the government after the
revelation. The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists has called on the
international community to withhold further aid until the rule of
law is restored.   (The Guardian, UK, 29 January 1999)