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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 18-02-1999      PART #1/ 

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Kenya: The Network for the
Defence of Independent Media in Africa said on 16 February, that
the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Post on Sunday, Tony
Gachoka, faces an imminent jail sentence for printed comments
implicating the Court of Appeal in bribery. It was reported that he
fled the country on 15 February. Nigeria: Reporters sans Frontieres
(RSF) express concern after various attacks against independent
newspapers and journalists. On 17 February, the International
Federation of Journalists said it was concerned about the recent
arrest of Langre Arogundade, Chairman of the Lagos State Council of
the Nigeria Union of Journalists.Sierra Leone: Further details
about what has been happening to media workers in Sierra Leone. On
3 February, Abdulai Jolloh, news editor of the independent
newspaper African Champion, was killed by an ECOMOG soldier in
central Freetown. Also, Munir Turay, a freelance reporter who has
published articles in the independent newspaper Punch and the
state-owned newspaper, Daily Mail, and who worked as a
correspondent for the state-owned Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service
was killed on an unspecified date, between 9 and 15 January in
Kissy, in the East End of Freetown. Neither his colleagues nor his
family know the exact circumstances of his death, but colleagues
who attended Turay's funeral on 9 February, report that there were
bullet holes in Turay's back. The following journalists are missing
and feared abducted or killed by Revolutionary United Front (RUF)
rebels: Dominick Kabba Kargbo, deputy editor of the independent
newspaper Pathfinder, is currently missing and feared dead. Adams,
a freelance reporter for numerous independent newspapers, is
missing and feared abducted by RUF rebels. He has not been seen by
family or colleagues since the RUF arrival in Freetown. Christopher
Coker, managing editor of the independent newspaper Advocate, is
missing and feared abducted by RUF rebels. Committee to Protect
Journalists sources report that Bishop Joseph Ganda, who was
abducted by RUF rebels in January and later released, stated that
when he was being held by the RUF, some of the abductees were
journalists. Local journalists believe that, based on the
description of the journalists, they could be Adams and Christopher
Coker. On 12 February, IFEX reported the killing of Nigerian
journalist, James Ogogo, in Sierra Leone. Zimbabwe. Further details
regarding the situation of media workers in Zimbabwe. The World
Association of Newspapers has condemned the unlawful detention and
alleged torture of journalists in Zimbabwe and has called on
President Mugabe to end the government's crackdown on the
independent press. Two Zimbabweans journalists -- Mark Chavunduka
and Ray Choto of The Standard newspaper -- were illegally detained
by the military last month following the newspaper's story about an
alleged plot by soldiers to overthrow the government. On their
release, they said that they had been tortured while being
interrogated by the military. Clive Wilson, managing director of
The Standard was held in jail for three nights before being
released unconditionally. Also arrested were Zimbabwe Mirror
Publisher and Editor Ibbo Mandaza, Reporter Grace Kwinjeh, News
Editor Fernando Goncalves and their colleague Farai Mungazi.
Update: Two of the four journalists from the Zimbabwe Mirror who
were arrested by the police on 8 February, were, on 9 February,
formally charged and released on bail. Reporter Grace Kwinjeh and
the group publisher of the paper, Ibbo Mandaza, were released on
bail of Zim$5,000 (US $135). The other two, Fernando Gonclaves and
Farai Mungazi had the charges against them dropped. On 12 February,
the International Federation of journalists condemned the Zimbabwe
authorities for arresting, and, in some cases, torturing
journalists.   (IFEX, Canada, 11-18 February 1999)

* Afrique. L'an 2000: bogue en vue  -  D'apres une evaluation du
probleme du bogue en l'an 2000 effectuee par la Banque mondiale,
rares sont les pays en developpement qui ont pris les mesures
correctives necessaires pour proteger leurs systemes informatiques.
Beaucoup d'entre eux ne peuvent mobiliser les ressources
necessaires pour y faire face. L'enquete revele que sur un eventail
de 139 pays en developpement, 54 seulement commencent a mettre en
place une politique nationale destinee a affronter le probleme, 21
prennent des mesures correctives concretes de protection, et 33 se
declarent "conscients du probleme" mais optent pour l'immobilisme. 
 (L'Autre Afrique, 10 fevrier 1999)

* Africa. Ivory trade ban eased  -  African ivory can be sold
legally in international trade under an experimental programme
approved on 10 February.  -  Discussions are continuing to
establish what stockpiles of ivory exist before a decision can be
taken on how much is to be exported. The projet, opposed by some
animal rights groups, will see a strictly limited amount of ivory
exported from Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to Japan. The ban on
all trade in ivory was introduced nine years ago to protect
elephants, whose numbers had been run down by poaching, but
elephants have flourished in some countries and game protection
officials have argued that they now have more elephants than their
land can sustain. The move has been taken "to support conservation
and community development projects", according to the standing
committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The meeting heard that three of
the four countries involved had implemented required safeguards
designed to ensure that the move did not lead to a return of
poaching.   (Financial Times, UK, 11 February 1999)

* Africa/USA. Trade Bill  -  5 February: A key United States House
of Representatives panel has unanimously approved a bill that would
give African countries that pursue economic and political reforms,
broader duty-free access to US markets. The House Ways and Means
trade subcommittee voted 14-0 to approve the African Growth and
Opportunity Act, which easily passed the whole House last year but
faltered in the Senate under opposition from textile industry. "The
delay in the enactment of this historic legislation has come at the
expense, not only of US firms and workers who would benefit from
increased access to the developing markets in the region, but also
at the expense of the growing number of countries on the continent
committed to free markets and democratic institutions," said sub-
committee Chairman Phil Crane, an Illinois Republican. Supporters
of the legislation said they hoped the Senate would be able this
year to pass a similar bill. The bill is expected again to win
House approval and the two bodies would have to work out any
differences over textiles. The bill, supported by the White House,
would expand duty-free access to the United States for goods
produced in Sub-Saharan African countries that pursue economic and
political reforms. Textiles and apparel products would also be
included, with provisions to help guard against illegal
transshipment of textiles from other regions. Quotas on textile and
apparel products from Kenya and Mauritius would be eliminated under
the legislation. 9 February: The US has a "moral imperative" to
support economic reforms in Africa, including passage of revived
legislation designed to expand trade with sub-Saharan Africa, the
Clinton administration tells Congress. Nearly a year after
President Clinton visited the region and promised efforts to
liberalize trade, the package of trade and investment incentives
remains unpassed. It narrowly passed the House last year, but
became bogged down in the Senate in wider controversies, including
a House-Senate dispute over the administration's failed request for
fast-track authority. However, sponsors suggested the legislation,
reintroduced in the new Congress, has a much improved chance of
passing this year.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 10 February 1999)

* Africa/USA. Africa's battles  -  11 February: Re: Sierra Leone --
A US State Department official says Liberia and Burkina Faso have
become "collaborators" to the atrocities committed by Sierra
Leone's rebels and face possible sanctions. "Those who work with
the rebels are as subject to investigation and prosecution as the
rebels", said David Scheffer, ambassador-at-large for war crimes.
12 February: Re:Eritrea-Ethiopia -- Assistant Secretary of State
Susan Rice, tells a congressional panel that both Eritrea and
Ethiopia are more focused on the battlefield than on a diplomatic
solution. On the previous day, the US had ordered non-emergency
embassy staff, their families and Peace Corps volunteers out of
Ethiopia.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels,13 February 1999)

* Algerie. Elections le 15 avril  -  Le 12 fevrier, dans un
discours transmis a la television, le president Zeroual a annonce
que les elections presidentielles auront lieu le 15 avril prochain.
Cependant, la campagne electorale suscite des polemiques sur
l'attitude des autorites a l'egard des candidats. Reunis dans un
pacte de bonne conduite signe fin janvier, cinq partis affirment
que le scrutin va etre fausse en raison du soutien qu'apporterait
l'administration a M. Bouteflika, qui beneficierait selon eux d'un
"traitement de faveur". Les autorites ont affirme a plusieurs
reprises leur volonte de traiter tous les candidats sur un pied
d'egalite et d'organiser le scrutin dans la clarte. Dans son
discours, le president Zeroual a reaffirme, d'un ton tres ferme,
qu'il userait eventuellement de ses pouvoirs constitutionnels pour
empecher tout detournement de l'election.   (D'apres La Libre
Belgique, 13 fevrier 1999)

* Algerie. Charnier  -  Le charnier decouvert le 9 fevrier a Ouled
Allel, dans la Mitidja aux portes d'Alger, contiendrait les restes
d'une quarantaine de personnes victimes des islamistes, rapporte le
14 fevrier le quotidien El Khabar. D'autres charniers, contenant
une centaine de corps, selon la presse, avaient ete decouverts en
decembre dernier dans le meme secteur. Par ailleurs, 14 islamistes
armes ont ete abattus par l'armee depuis le 10 fevrier.   (Le Soir,
Belgique, 15 fevrier 1999)

* Angola. Refugees fleeing  -  Nearly 20,000 refugees have fled in
recent days across Angola's northern border into Congo RDC, a UNHCR
official said. The announcement confirmed reports last week that
thousands of Angolan refugees were moving into Congo RDC as the war
between government forces and the UNITA opposition movement pushes
deeper into northern Angola. The official also said a few hundred
refugees had also crossed into Zambia fleeing fighting in central
and southern districts. He said the new wave of refugees entered
RDC through the Luvo border post from the Zaire Province capital,
M'banza Congo, which lies 100 km north of the border. A further
4,080 refugees had been registered at Kimpese, about 1000 km north
of Songolo. Reports also indicated that there were an estimated
9,000 refugees camped in the southern RDC port town of Matadi.  
(IRIN, Nairobi, 12 February 1999)

* Angola. Fin de la Monua?  -  12 fevrier. L'armee gouvernementale
aurait repris la ville strategique de Mbanza-Congo, dans l'extreme
nord, un des principaux points d'acces aux gisements de petrole de
Soyo. Selon les Nations unies, pres de 20.000 Angolais ont fui les
combats pour gagner la R.D.Congo. 15 fevrier. Malgre les
recommandations du Conseil de securite des Nations unies, le
president angolais Dos Santos a refuse toute presence continue,
militaire ou politique, de l'Onu dans son pays, mais a demande aux
collaborateurs humanitaires de rester. Il accepte egalement des
visites ponctuelles d'un representant special. Mais il confirme son
souhait de voir la mission de maintien de la paix (Monua),
actuellement deployee sur le terrain, se terminer a la date
convenue, le 20 mars.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16 fevrier
1999)

* Angola. WFP warns of growing crisis  -  Humanitarian officials in
Angola said they were concerned that erosion set off by heavy rains
was further endangering people in the besieged government-held city
of Luena, some 800 km southeast of the capital Luanda. They said a
rift developing in Luena, capital of Moxico Province, had already
severed water-supply pipes and was now threatening to cut
electricity supplies to Luena's 150,000 residents. "This will have
a very serious impact on the population because they are already
accommodating an estimated 40,000 internally displaced people,"
said an official of the UN Humanitarian Assistance Coordination
Unit. "Worse still, there is no obvious solution to this problem
and people cannot leave the city because of the war and roads too
insecure to use. The WFP", he added, "had however, managed to fly
emergency supplies to the city airport". On 16 February, the WFP
said reports of rising malnutrition among more than half a million
displaced people in Angola were become a cause of "extreme
concern". Also, a report from Angola says there is fear that the
fighting around the city of M'banza Congo, once called San Salvador
and classified by UNESCO as a universal cultural heritage, may have
caused the destruction of the monuments.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17
February 1999)

* Angola. UNITA leader condemned  -  A US envoy wrapped up a three-
day visit to Angola on 13 February, by calling on rebel-leader
Jonas Savimbi to end the renewed civil war. "Before we make any
further progress on the mediating process, we must wait for signs
of good faith from Dr.Savimbi," Whitney Schneidman, the US
Assistant Undersecretary of State for African Affairs, told
reporters in the Angolan capital, Luanda. Schneidman condemned
Savimbi for shunning a 1994 UN brokered peace deal that was
supposed to have ended Angola's two-decade civil war. UNITA refused
to hand over land under its control to the government. The rebels
also failed to disarm and abide by UN sanctions, including a ban on
their diamond exports. "We will work hard with other members of the
international community to reinforce the sanctions against UNITA,"
Schneidman said before leaving for Namibia. The US envoy's three-
day visit focused on bilateral economic ties and the civil war that
returned at the end of last year. However, on 15 February,
President Dos Santos is reported as having sent a message to Kofi
Annan, saying there was no longer any justification for the UN
Mission in Angola.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 February 1999)

* Burkina Faso. Decrispation  -  La situation au Burkina s'est
beaucoup decrispee depuis les evenements qui ont suivi la mort
tragique du journaliste Norbert Zongo et trois de ses compagnons.
La commission d'enquete independante que reclamaient les Burkinabe
est maintenant au travail. Consequence: un mot d'ordre d'un
collectif de syndicats appelant a une journee de deuil national n'a
pas connu de participation exceptionnelle. Cependant, les reactions
continuent encore. Cette semaine, le Danemark et l'Autriche, deux
pays qui considerent le Burkina Faso comme prioritaire dans leur
programme d'aide au developpement, ont aborde la question avec les
autorites. Celles-ci leur ont donne l'assurance que toute la
lumiere sera faite sur ce deces.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 12
fevrier 1999)

* Burundi. Scissions  -  La police a interrompu le week-end
dernier, 6-7 fevrier, une reunion tenue par la faction du parti
UPRONA dirigee par Charles Mukasi, a la demande de la faction
rivale dirigee par l'actuel president ad interim Luc Rukingama. La
scission au sein de l'UPRONA etait apparue lorsque le groupe de M.
Rukingama avait decide de se joindre au processus de paix d'Arusha.
Le dirigeant de l'epoque, M. Mukasi s'y etait oppose et avait ete
demis par le comite central en octobre dernier. L'UPRONA n'est
toutefois pas le seul parti politique burundais divise. Un recent
rapport de l'Onu indique que "des divisions deconcertantes se
retrouvent chez pratiquement toutes les parties principales
presentes a Arusha". La prochaine serie de pourparlers devrait se
derouler a Arusha au debut du mois de mars.   (D'apres IRIN,
Nairobi, 11 fevrier 1999)

* Comoro Islands. OAU diplomats stranded  -  The Organisation of
African Unity OAU has appealed to the French government to help
rescue an OAU peace mission stranded by rival factions in the
strife-torn Comoran Island of Anjouan. "The French have a base in
the nearby island of Mayotte and all we are asking is that they
send a helicopter in to rescue the members of our peace mission,"
an African diplomat said. "Rival factions in Anjouan have blocked
the main roads out of town and prevented them from getting to the
airport. They have been there since 8 February. We are still
awaiting a response from the French," the diplomat said. The OAU
delegation went to the Indian Ocean archipelago as part of new
peace initiative aimed at resolving secessionist tensions on
Anjouan. Once the mission is complete, the OAU is expected to
convene an inter-island conference next month. The initiative was
announced in the South African capital, Pretoria, on 1 February. At
the time, OAU secretary-general, Salim Ahmed Salim said that if the
mission found that security continued to deteriorate in Anjouan, or
if the OAU did not get the cooperation of all sides, regional
leaders, "should consider the adoption of all possible security
measures to deal with the situation."   (IRIN, Nairobi, 12 February
1999

* Congo-Brazza. Africa n.1 suspendue  -  Les emissions de la radio
Africa n.1 sur la bande FM au Congo sont suspendues depuis le 6
fevrier. La convention conclue entre cette radio panafricaine et
les autorites congolaises en mars 1994 a ete annulee. Le
gouvernement congolais lui reproche de servir de "tribune pour les
genocidaires refugies a l'exterieur". La grande partie des
journalistes de la radio appartiendraient a l'ethnie de l'ancien
president Lissouba. La station panafricaine se defend de tout parti
pris.   (D'apres L'Autre Afrique, France, 10 fevrier 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. Deplaces  -  Plus de 31.000 personnes deplacees
vivent desormais sur 17 sites differents dans le nord de
Brazzaville, selon les chiffres de la Croix-Rouge. La plupart de
ces sites se trouvent dans l'enceinte ou autour des eglises, ou les
habitants des quartiers de Bacongo et Makelele ont cherche refuge.
D'autre part, on ne sait toujours pas ou, ni dans quel etat, se
trouvent quelque 120.000 autres habitants qui ont fui le sud de
Brazzaville vers la region du Pool, signalent les sources
humanitaires. Ces organismes redoutent que le conflit ait cause
d'enormes degats aux infrastructures, de nombreux pillages et
d'importants mouvements de population.   (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 12
fevrier 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. Rwandan refugee involvement confirmed  -  Rwandans
in Congo-Brazza have become involved in the latest fighting in the
country, UNHCR said in its latest Great Lakes update, issued on 12
February. It said a recent visit by UNHCR personnel to the Kintele
refugee camp near Brazzaville confirmed that there were virtually
no adult males left in the camp, whose remaining occupants said
several hundred men had been armed and deployed by the Congolese
armed forces. UNHCR also said about 300-400 Rwandans had left sites
at Njoundou and Loukolela in northern Congo to join the fighting.
The Congo-Brazza camps housed an estimated 11,000 Rwandan refugees
who arrived mainly in May 1997. In early November 1998, UNHCR
expressed concern that "significant numbers" of Rwandan men had
left the camps in Congo-Brazza for the RDC.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 15
February 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Securite alimentaire fragile a Kinshasa
La deterioration de la conjoncture economique et la baisse du
pouvoir d'achat de la population minent davantage encore la
securite alimentaire dans la capitale, affirment des sources
humanitaires. Les importations de carburant, de vivres et d'autres
produits de base ont diminue depuis que le gouvernement a mis en
place un nouveau regime de changes, et l'approvisionnement se
ressent du transfert vers Brazzaville de certains produits
alimentaires. La fermeture ou la baisse de production de divers
commerces et entreprises a provoque une montee du chomage, alors
que l'augmentation du cout des transports publics a reduit les
sommes dont dispose la population pour se nourrir. Les familles
vivant a la peripherie de Kinshasa consacrent 90% de leurs depenses
quotidiennes a l'achat de nourriture.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 11 fevrier
1999)

* Congo (RDC). Refugees flee atrocities  -  Refugees fleeing Congo
RDC have told the BBC of widespread atrocities being committed
against civilians by rebel soldiers. The refugees are risking a
perilous crossing of Lake Tanganyika to escape their country.
Anthony Mogar of the UNHCR believes rebel patrols are now trying to
stop people leaving; he has heard that two boats have been stopped
and people taken off. No one is sure what has happened to them.  
(BBC News, 16 February 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Offensive rebelle  -  16 fevrier. Les rebelles du
RCD, beneficiant du renfort de nouvelles troupes rwandaises, ont
lance une vaste offensive sur plusieurs fronts, particulierement
intense dans le nord et le sud-est du pays, a indique le
commandement militaire allie de Kinshasa. Cette nouvelle a ete
confirmee a l'AFP par des militaires appartenant a la rebellion,
qui ont precise que l'offensive progressait sur trois axes: vers
Mbandaka (capitale de l'Equateur), Mbuji-Mayi (capitale du Kasai
oriental) et Lubumbashi (capitale du Katanga). La rebellion aurait
engage une campagne de recrutement massive et acquis de nouvelles
armes de gros calibre.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 17 fevrier
1999)

* Congo (RDC). Rebels launch major offensive  -  16 February:
Rebels in the Congo RDC say they have launched a major new
offensive against troops loyal to the government of President
Kabila. This is being launched on three fronts -- at Gemena in the
north, at Kabalo on the Congo River and at Moba in the east of the
country. Zimbabwe, which has provided soldiers to support President
Kabila, has acknowledged the rebel offensive is taking place. The
rebels are reported to have gained many new recruits and more
sophisticated weapons. It is feared their new attack will undermine
peace efforts led by the Zambian President Chiluba. Refugees
fleeing the fighting have told BBC of widespread atrocities being
committed against civilians by rebel soldiers.17 February: Rebels
are pressing towardsa key southern diamond town. But Rwanda denies
ivolvement in the rebel offensive.   (ANB-BIA Brussels, 18 February
1999)

* Congo (RDC). Appel du "Collectif du 16 fevrier"  -  Le "Collectif
du 16 fevrier", une organisation recueillant plusieurs mouvements
d'inspiration chretienne, dans un appel envoye a toutes les parties
en lutte a travers le pays, reaffirme sa volonte de poursuivre la
"lutte non violente" pour le retour de la paix dans le pays. Dans
son appel, le collectif, qui prend son nom de la marche historique
du 16 fevrier 1992 ecrasee dans le sang par les soldats de Mobutu,
invite les responsables de la RDC a rechercher la "reconciliation
nationale pour une societe vraiment democratique". Aux "rebelles"
qui s'opposent a Laurent Kabila, il demande de s'engager dans un
dialogue "franc, sincere et constructif". Aux "agresseurs" --
Ouganda, Rwanda et Burundi -- il demande de respecter la
souverainete du pays et l'integrite du territoire. A ceux qui
soutiennent Kabila, il demande de continuer la "dynamique des
negociations de paix commencee a Windhoek pour trouver une issue
pacifique a la guerre". Au peuple congolais, enfin, le collectif
demande de "reprendre en main le flambeau de la liberte, pour que
la paix triomphe sur la guerre".   (D'apres Fides, Rome, 18 fevrier
1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Islam majoritaire  -  "L'islam est majoritaire en
Cote d'Ivoire, meme si certains, y compris les eveques, ne veulent
pas l'admettre", dit le pere Simeon Atsain, un pretre catholique,
membre de la commission chargee des relations avec les non
chretiens. Une majorite relative, puisque les disciples du Prophete
representent entre 30 et 40% de la population, contre 15 a 20% de
catholiques. Dans ce pays d'Afrique de l'Ouest, comme dans
d'autres, l'islam gagne du terrain de plusieurs manieres: par le
jeu de la demographie, par celui des migrations, mais aussi par les
conversions. On pourrait ajouter que dans un pays ou la polygamie
est repandue dans presque toutes les communautes, l'islam part avec
une longueur d'avance sur le catholicisme. En Cote d'Ivoire, la
problematique religieuse se double d'antagonismes ethniques et
politiques. Depuis la mort d'Houphouet-Boigny en 1993, une rivalite
farouche oppose le president Bedie a l'ancien Premier ministre
Ouattara, un musulman originaire du nord du pays.   (D'apres Le
Monde, France, 14 fevrier 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Prevention des conflits  -  Robin Cook et Hubert
Vedrine devraient faire une breve tournee commune en Afrique de
l'Ouest les 10 et 11 mars. Le secretaire au Foreign Office et le
ministre francais des Affaires etrangeres se rendront au Ghana et
en Cote d'Ivoire, ou ils presideront une reunion des ambassadeurs
britanniques et francais de la region. Cette visite permettra
essentiellement de promouvoir l'institution d'un mecanisme de
prevention des conflits au moment ou le Royaume-Uni et la France
sont impliques a des degres divers dans le maintien de la paix en
Sierra Leone et en Guinee-Bissau.   (Le Monde, France, 14 fevrier
1999)

* Egypt. Ban of arranged weddings sought  -  The top Islamic cleric
in Egypt is urging the government to ban weddings conducted outside
the courts, saying those traditional marriages do not give wives
adequate protection, a newspaper reported. Sheik Mohammed Tantawi,
the Grand Sheik of Al-Azhar -- the leading Islamic institute in the
Sunni Muslim world -- has long refused to conduct traditional
weddings. Women activists and civic groups have recently complained
traditional weddings are on the increase. The activists say that
husbands often abandon their wives shortly after a traditional
wedding, without divorcing them officially. This leaves the wives
in a very complicated situation on legal and religious grounds.  
(AP, 10 February 1999)

* Egypt. Mubarak eyes regional crown  -  The death of King Hussein
of Jordan, which has left Israel almost friendless in the Arab
world, seems likely to enhance the role of the Egyptian president,
Hosni Mubarak, in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
Mr.Mubarak is about to visit Germany and Italy, where the Middle
East peace process will be the focus of his talks with European
leaders, according to Egypt's foreign minister, Amr Moussa.
Rounding off a regional tour in Cairo 14 February, the German
foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, said "Germany and Egypt both
feel a deep concern about the current crisis and deadlock in the
peace process." Egypt and Jordan are the only two Arab states
formally at peace with Israel but Mr.Mubarak's coolness towards the
Jewish state contrasted with Hussein's closer ties. Each in his own
way had to perform precarious balancing acts to appease
constituencies at home and in the Arab world.   (The Guardian, UK,
15 February 1999)

* Erythree/Ethiopie. La guerre s'intensifie  -  10 fevrier. Le
gouvernement d'Asmara a annonce une accalmie dans les combats qui
opposent ses forces a l'armee ethiopienne. Mais a Addis Abeba, le
gouvernement a accuse des unites erythreennes de s'en etre pris a
des positions ethiopiennes sur les deux fronts pour tenter de
reprendre des postes perdus les jours precedents. 11 fevrier. Un
porte-parole americain a annonce que le personnel non essentiel de
l'ambassade des Etats-Unis a quitte ou doit quitter l'Ethiopie. Le
gouvernement ethiopien de son cote a demande a l'Erythree d'evacuer
tous les civils de la zone des combats. 12 fevrier. Apres deux
jours d'accalmie, l'artillerie ethiopienne aurait bombarde des
positions erythreennes autour de la ville de Zala Anbesa. Selon le
porte-parole du gouvernement ethiopien, plus de 7.000 soldats
erythreens ont ete blesses ou tues depuis le debut de la semaine.
L'Erythree a averti qu'elle se reservait le droit d'utiliser son
aviation si l'Ethiopie procedait a des bombardements sur des
objectifs erythreens. 14 fevrier. L'Ethiopie a lance une offensive
terrestre et aerienne pres d'Assab, la ville portuaire erythreenne
pres de la frontiere avec Djibouti, qui represente un axe
strategique important, l'Ethiopie n'ayant plus de debouche sur la
mer depuis l'independance de l'Erythree. Un helicoptere ethiopien
a ete abattu. D'autre part, les experts notent que le conflit peut
constituer une menace de destabilisation de toute la Corne de
l'Afrique, les deux camps creant et armant des mouvements rebelles.
Ainsi, l'Erythree aurait tente de reactiver l'opposition Oromo en
Ethiopie et soutiendrait le chef de guerre somalien Hussein Aidid
avec la volonte de contrer le soutien ethiopien a des factions
sudistes; Addis Abeba aurait pour sa part pris contact avec trois
factions du Front de liberation de l'Erythree et avec des rebelles
Afars dans l'est. 15 fevrier. La situation sur le front etait a
nouveau calme; aucun combat n'etait signale le long de la
frontiere. L'Ethiopie a refuse une proposition de negociation du
Yemen (invitant les deux pays a Sanaa pour "un dialogue amical"),
affirmant qu'elle s'en tenait au plan de paix de l'OUA, alors
qu'Asmara accueillait favorablement l'offre de mediation yemenite.
D'autre part, l'Union europeenne a pris la decision de principe
d'envoyer sa troika en mission dans la Corne de l'Afrique pour
favoriser un reglement rapide du conflit. 16 fevrier. Sur le front
de Burie, pres du port d'Assab, les combats ont repris avec des
echanges de tirs d'artillerie et des bombardements aeriens par
l'armee ethiopienne. L'Ethiopie pourrait etre tentee de prendre
Assab par la force pour se desenclaver.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 17 fevrier 1999)

* Eritrea-Ethiopia. Downing of helicopter gunship  -  On 14
February, Eritrean forces shot down an Ethiopian helicopter gunship
close to the Eritrean port of Assab in the latest upsurge of
fighting between the two sides. In Addis Ababa, an Ethiopian
statement acknowledged the loss of the Mi-24 helicopter with all
its crew, but said that all other aircraft had returned safely to
base. The Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Ethiopian
forces had launched an artillery offensive on the Assab front in
the early morning. The line is 70 km west of Assab port. The
Eritrean authorities say that their air defence unit shot down the
Ethiopian helicopter gunship as it came in to attack the front
line. The news was greeted in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, by
motorists honking their horns and pedestrians whooping with
delight. Both Ethiopia and Eritrea have taken delivery of new
planes. (Ethiopia -- eight Sukhoi 27 fighters; Eritrea -- eight to
ten MiG-29 interceptors). It should be noted that neither side has
pilots qualified for the new planes. They are being flown by pilots
from Russia, Ukraine or Latvia and both are using Russian
technicians for their maintenance. On 15 February, there were
further exchanges of artillery fire between Eritrean and Ethiopian
forces on the front line near the Eritrean port of Assab. On 16
February, Ethiopian jets aim at least six bombs at a water
reservoir outside Assab. Shelling continues for the third day
south-west of Assab. The same day, Amnesty International said it
welcomed yesterday's unexpected release "on humanitarian grounds"
of 38 Eritrean students from Bilattein camp in south-eastern
Ethiopia.   (ANB-BIA, 17 February 1999)

* Grands Lacs. 4 millions de deplaces ou vulnerables  -  Dans la
region des Grands Lacs on compte pres de 4 millions de personnes
deplacees ou vulnerables. Outre quelque 3 millions de refugies et
personnes deplacees, la region heberge plus de 770.000 personnes
vivant dans des conditions vulnerables, dont pres de la moitie en
Tanzanie, selon le dernier rapport sur les "Populations affectees
dans la region des Grands Lacs", publie le 16 fevrier par l'OCHA.
On compte parmi les "vulnerables" notamment les personnes encourant
des penuries alimentaires. OCHA precise que les chiffres indiques
representent un minimum.   (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 16 fevrier 1999)

* Guinee-Bissau. Paix fragile  -  11 fevrier. Le president Vieira
et le Premier ministre designe Francesco Fadul ont eu des
conversations qualifiees de "tres cordiales", examinant a partir de
quand le gouvernement d'unite nationale pourra effectivement entrer
en fonction. La date de la prestation de serment du gouvernement
sera rendue publique apres la signature d'un accord sur le
deploiement du contingent de maintien de la paix et le retrait des
troupes senegalaises et guineennes qui ont appuye le president
Vieira. 1.200 de ces hommes, sur un total estime a 3.000,
partiraient le 14 fevrier; le retrait devrait etre termine le 28
fevrier au plus tard. 14 fevrier. Au cours d'un entretien preside
par la Commissaire europeenne Emma Bonino, le president Vieira et
le dirigeant de la junte, le general Mane, se sont mis d'accord sur
des mesures destinees a renforcer la paix fragile: le desarmement
et le cantonnement de toutes les troupes. C'est la premiere fois
que les deux hommes se rencontraient depuis la signature de paix en
novembre 1998.   (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 12-15 fevrier 1999)

* Guinea-Bissau. Rivals embrace  -  14 February: President Vieira
has declared that peace in Guinea-Bissau will last indefinitely,
after holding talks with rebel leader Ansumane Mane. "Today, more
than ever, we can be certain that peace has come to stay", said the
President. He embraced the rebel leader and called him "brother". 
 (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 15 February 1999)

* Kenya. Risque de penuries  -  Plusieurs regions du Kenya
souffrent toujours de la secheresse, et la survie des populations
comme du cheptel dependra des pluies de mars a juillet. Les foyers
paysans ont epuise les moyens auxquels ils recourent
traditionellement pour survivre aux mauvaises recoltes successives.
"Les riverains des lacs n'auront pas assez pour se nourrir au cas
ou la faiblesse des precipitations perdurerait pendant la saison
des pluies, dans la mesure ou la derniere recolte etait deja
inferieure de 20% a la normale", a mis en garde le dernier bulletin
de FEWS (Systeme d'alerte preventive de la famine). La FAO evalue
actuellement les besoins a l'importation a 147.000 tonnes.  
(INFOAZA, Burundi, 10 fevrier 1999)

* Kenya. The Ocalan affair  -  The Kenyan government has ordered
the expulsion of the Greek ambassador in the fall-out of the Ocalan
affair, saying he had sheltered the Kurdish rebel leader without
its knowledge. Kenya's foreign minister said that when his
government got wind that Mr Ocalan was at the residence of
ambassador George Kostoulas, the envoy vehemently denied it.
According to the Kenyan government, it was only when faced with
concrete evidence, that the Greek representative consulted with
Athens and agreed to the removal of Mr Ocalan from the country.  
(BBC News, 16 February 1999)

* Kenya. Arrestation d'Ocalan  -  Le leader kurde Abdullah Ocalan,
chef du PKK rebelle reclame depuis longtemps par la Turquie, a ete
arrete le 15 fevrier au soir a Nairobi et tranfere le lendemain
vers la Turquie pour y etre juge. Plusieurs versions circulent sur
cette arrestation. Ocalan avait trouve refuge a l'ambassade grecque
dans l'attente, semble-t-il, de trouver un pays qui lui accorderait
l'asile politique. Le 16 fevrier, la Grece a officiellement rejete
sur le Kenya toute la responsabilite du transfert, et a rappele son
ambassadeur en poste a Nairobi. Selon le chef de la diplomatie
grecque, Ocalan, qui avait passe une douzaine de jours a la
residence de l'ambassadeur, aurait commis l'erreur de faire
confiance aux autorites kenyanes qui avaient promis de le
transferer aux Pays-Bas. Mais le chef de la diplomatie kenyane
assure que son gouvernement n'a joue aucun role dans cette affaire
et que ce sont les autorites grecques qui ont determine la
destination d'Ocalan et l'ont fait monter dans l'avion qui l'a
conduit en Turquie.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 17 fevrier
1999)

* Liberia. Enfants captifs  -  La Commission Justice et Paix (CJP)
de l'Eglise catholique liberienne a declare maintenir les
accusations qu'elle avait formulees dans un recent rapport
concernant le travail force et le maintien d'enfants en captivite
dans le sud-est du pays, ajoutant que son enquete avait ete menee
"sans parti pris", rapportait Star Radio le 12 fevrier. Dans son
communique, CJP affirme qu'une mission envoyee par les autorites a
corrobore ses propres allegations. CJP nie que son rapport
s'inscrive dans une campagne visant a jeter le discredit sur les
pouvoirs publics et rejette les affirmations de certains
responsables officiels selon lesquelles le rapport a ete redige
dans le but de recevoir des fonds de sources internationales.  
(D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 12 fevrier 1999)

* Libye. Deblocage sur Lockerbie  -  Le 13 fevrier, le gouvernement
libyen a confirme qu'un deblocage etait intervenu dans les
tractations diplomatiques sur l'affaire Lockerbie, a la suite des
efforts fournis par l'Arabie saoudite et l'Afrique du Sud. Selon
l'agence saoudienne SPA, on est en vue d'un accord sur
l'extradition des deux Libyens soupconnes d'etre les auteurs de
l'attentat contre un Boeing de la PanAm en decembre 1988. Tripoli
semble maintenant accepter la derniere proposition de Londres de
placer des observateurs internationaux dans la prison ecossaise ou
les deux suspects devraient theoriquement purger leur peine s'ils
sont condamnes. Ceci permettrait la levee de l'embargo contre la
Libye.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 15 fevrier 1999)

* Libya. The UN and the Lockerbie men  -  12 February: In a last-
ditch attempt to get Libya to hand over the two suspects wanted in
the Lockerbie airliner bombing, Britain is making the unprecedented
offer of allowing United Nations personnel to be permanently
stationed in a Scottish jail where the men would serve their
sentences if convicted. It seems that Britain is asking Kofi Annan,
the UN Secretary General, to supply monitors to work inside the
top-security wing of Glasgow's Barlinnie Prison if the two
intelligence officers are found guilty. The proposal, approved by
Robin Cook, the Foreign Secretary, was said last night to have been
received positively in Tripoli, as were assurances that Abdel-
Basset al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah would not be
interrogated -- ensuring that damage to the regime and its security
chiefs could be limited. "We are encouraged that we are getting to
a successful endgame," said a senior British source. "The offer of
a UN role seems to have been helpful in giving Gadaffi greater
confidence that the two will not be interrogated". 15 February: The
United Nations and Libya appear close to a deal on the handover of
the two Libyan suspects. Western diplomats say a UN legal team is
drawing up papers that will put in writing an understanding reached
by South African and Saudi mediators who recently held talks with
Libyan leader Muammer Gadaffi. 17 February: Kofi Annan sends a
letter to Gaddafi that he hopes will lead to the handover of the
two suspects.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 February 1999)

* Mozambique. Major donors to assist with election  -  Mozambique's
second general election scheduled for October this year is expected
to cost just over US$42 million, according to local media reports.
The reports quoted Minister of State Administration Alfredo Gamito
as saying that the government would provide about US $9 million
with the remainder coming from donor nations. The country's first
general election in 1994, held after years of civil war, was won by
President Joaquim Chissano's Frelimo Party which took 129 seats,
against 112 by its wartime rival, Renamo, and nine seats by a
smaller opposition party. During that election, Gamito said the
government had only managed to contribute less than 10% of the
budget. The European Union (EU) has already offered US$23 million.
The remaining US $10 million would come from other donors through
the UNDP. Marc De Tollenaere, a UNDP official in Mozambique said
that these donors included Norway, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland
and Sweden. He said it was likely the United States would provide
separate funding to assist political parties. Further financial
assistance could be provided by the Netherlands and Britain, he
added. The budget for the election was established through studies
that were carried out by the government, the EU and the UNDP.
Officials said the most expensive part of the exercise would be the
establishment of a new voters roll which could absorb at least 50%
of the budget. A staff of nearly 10,000 will begin registration of
the country's eight million voters in May. Under Mozambique law,
the government is required to update the voters roll annually.  
(IRIN, Nairobi, 10 February 1999)

* Mozambique. Floods destroy crops  -  Flooding caused by heavy
rains since early January have destroyed nearly 180 square km of
crops in central Mozambique. The National Food Security Warning
System reported that it had sent an assessment team to the area
near the coastal city of Beira which was expected to report on the
full extent of the damage next week. Meanwhile, the government said
seed would have to be distributed to farmers to enable them to sow
new crops. In January, the Buzi, Punge and Metchuria rivers had
burst their banks, the early warning office said. The situation
grew worse this month when the floodgate of the Chicamba dam,
situated on the Buzi's main tributary had to be opened. Travel
between the Metuchira farming district and the town of Nhamatanda,
about 100 km west of Beira was difficult because a key bridge
across the Metchuria had become impassable. Another affected travel
route is the road that links Beira and Caia, 300 km to the north.
Further south, in the Manhica district's Incimati valley, flooding
has hit about 25 square km of crops, while in Gaza Province about
30 square km of farm lands were flooded, according to the early
warning office. The district of Lugela which is in the central
Zambezia Province has been cut off from surrounding districts after
the bridge over Lugela collapsed on the 3 Feb. Apart from the
damage to crops, torrential rain has also halted the production at
the country's largest textile factory, Texlom, near the capital
Maputo.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 12 February 1999)

* Namibia-Botswana. Border tensions  -  On 15 February, the
International Court of Justice in The Hague, started hearing
arguments by Namibia and Botswana over a territorial dispute on
land claims in the Caprivi Strip area. A Namibian government
spokesman told IRIN both nations had agreed to submit their cases
to the court after failing to resolve the issue through bilateral
negotiations. The case opened as tensions between the two countries
increased, after Botswana agreed late last week to grant refugee
status to fifteen asylum seekers who have fled a security crackdown
on alleged secessionists in Caprivi. The spokesman said Namibia had
since sent a note of protest to Botswana government saying the
decision to give the fifteen refugee status was "shocking and
unacceptable". It called on Botswana to reconsider the decision.
Last year, Namibia demanded the return of the 15 to stand trial.  
(IRIN, Nairobi, 15 February 1999)

* Niger. Mines d'or  -  Le ministere des Mines du Niger prevoit de
demarrer a partir de 2001 l'exploitation industrielle de l'or dans
le pays. Le ministre des Mines a evalue a plus de 90 tonnes les
reserves d'or dans trois des quinze sites de la zone de Komabangou,
situee dans l'ouest nigerien. Des societes internationales
prospectent dans cette region depuis 1994. Durant les cinq
dernieres annees, quelque 6 milliards de fcfa ont deja ete investis
au Niger dans la recherche aurifere.   (L'Autre Afrique, France, 10
fevrier 1999)

* Nigeria. Candidats designes  -  Le 15 fevrier, le general
Olusegun Obasanjo, un Yorouba du sud-ouest du pays, ancien chef de
l'Etat militaire du Nigeria, a ete investi a Jos comme candidat du
Parti democratique populaire (PDP) a l'election presidentielle du
27 fevrier prochain. Il a obtenu plus des deux tiers des voix dans
cette primaire, ecrasant ainsi son principal challenger Alex
Ekwueme, un Ibo de l'est. Le PDP est le plus important des trois
partis politiques participant a ces elections; il s'est adjuge 60%
des conseils locaux et le gouvernorat dans 20 des 36 Etats de la
Federation. Le general Obasanjo avait dirige le pays de 1976 a
1979; il avait retabli le multipartisme et rendu le pouvoir aux
civils. -D'autre part, l'ancien ministre des Finances Olu Falae a
ete designe le meme jour comme candidat par l'Alliance pour la
democratie (AD) et le Parti pour tout le peuple (APP) qui ont
conclu un pacte electoral. Falae, qui appartient a l'AD etait en
lice pour cette investiture avec l'ex-gouverneur Ogbonnaya Onu,
membre de l'APP, qui a retire sa candidature. La Commission
electorale avait precise que pour que l'alliance entre les deux
partis soit legale, seul un candidat se presentant sous un seul
logo de parti pouvait recevoir l'investiture. Falae est issu
egalement de l'ethnie yorouba. Economiste, il est considere comme
un expert dans son domaine et un politicien de gauche modere.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16 fevrier 1999)

* Nigeria. Lead up to the elections  -  13 February: Nigeria's
largest political party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), is
holding a national convention to nominate its presidential
candidate for the election later this month. The two main
contenders are a former military ruler, Olusegun Obasanjo, who is
favoured by the Hausa speaking people in the north, and a former
civilian vice-president, Alex Ekwueme. He is supported by members
of his former party and people from the south-eastern Ibo region.
Around two-thousand delegates are taking part in the meeting in the
northern city of Jos. Another Nigerian party, the All People's
Party (APP), is due to meet in the northern city of Kaduna later
today to select its candidate. A third party, the Alliance for
Democracy has already nominated a former finance minister, Olu
Falae. 15 February: Olusegun Obasanjo is nominated as the PDP's
presidential candidate. The APP have nominated Ogbonnaya Onu as its
presidential candidate. It should be recalled that the APP recently
formed an alliance with the Alliance for Democracy (AD) which has
already nominated Olu Falae as its candidate. According to
electoral rules, the alliance can only put forward one joint
presidential nomination, and although Falae is widely thought to be
the favourite, no announcement is expected until after a meeting
between the two parties due to take place later today. In fact,
Samuel Olu Falae is picked to run as the presidential candidate for
the alliance. 17 February: Atiku Abubakar, a prominent politician
from the north, is nominated as running mate to Olusegun Obasanjo
in the presidential elections. The same day it is announced that
former US president Jimmy Carter and former Niger president
Mahamane Ousmane, will head a 60-member delegation monitoring the
presidential election. Also, a planned television debate between
the two presidential candidates turned farcical when Obasanjo
failed to turn up. There was no immediate explanation for his
absence.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 February 1999)

* Rwanda. Sida  -  Le Rwanda vient d'autoriser la mise en vente de
trois nouveaux medicaments contre le sida et a diminue de moitie le
prix du traitement. Les trois produits sont a prendre ensemble.
Delivree par le Centre national de lutte contre le sida, la
tritherapie coute 580 dollars par mois, contre 1.230 dollars sur le
marche libre, a rapporte l'Agence rwandaise d'information. Le
traitement sera disponible aupres de l'hopital de Kigali, de
l'hopital militaire de Kanombe et de l'hopital universitaire de
Butare. Selon le Centre, 11% des Rwandais sont seropositifs.  
(IRIN, Nairobi, 12 fevrier 1999)

* Senegal. Pipeline disaster warning  -  The authorities have
warned that tens of thousands of people are facing a potential
catastrophe from a fuel pipeline running through the capital,
Dakar. Officials say people periodically make holes in the pipeline
to steal fuel, and with many slum-dwellers living along its route
it would only take a single spark to ignite leaking fuel and cause
a huge disaster. Around a quarter-of-a-million people live in the
vicinity of the pipeline, which runs from Senegal's main oil
refinery to fuel depots in the centre of Dakar. More than a
thousand people were killed in Nigeria last year when a pipeline
exploded after holes had been made in it. However, that was in a
rural area, rather than a densely populated city.   (BBC News, 10
February 1999)

* Senegal. Recherche de paix en Casamance  -  Les autorites
senegalaises ont libere au moins 120 rebelles de Casamance,
emprisonnes pour atteinte a la securite de l'Etat. Cette mesure
fait suite a un entretien, le 12 fevrier, entre le Premier ministre
et differentes parties impliquees dans la recherche de la paix en
Casamance, auquel participaient notamment l'abbe Diamacoune, leader
du MFDC, et son plus haut commandant militaire, Sidy Badji.  
(D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 15 fevrier 1999)

* Senegal. Une mosquee a l'universite  -  Des etudiants musulmans
de l'universite de Gaston-Berger (au nord du Senegal) ont donne
suite au projet de construction d'une mosquee a l'interieur de
l'universite et ils ont pose vendredi 12 fevrier la premiere pierre
du batiment. Ceci, malgre le refus oppose au projet par les
autorites academiques qui, au nom du caractere laic de
l'universite, avaient deja refuse aux etudiants chretiens la
construction d'une chapelle dans l'enceinte universitaire (cfr
Weekly News du 28 janvier 99).   (ANB-BIA, Bruxelles, 16 fevrier
1999)

* Sierra Leone. Attaques et deplaces a l'est  -  11 fevrier. Les
derniers jours, les rebelles ont attaque la ville diamantifere de
Kenema, a l'est du pays. La nouvelle a ete confirmee par le porte-
parole de la presidence, qui affirmait cependant que les attaques
avaient ete repoussees. Des dizaines de milliers de personnes ont
fui la region, mais n'ont pu entrer dans Bo, la seconde ville du
pays. Selon le PAM, 60.000 personnes deplacees ont ete stoppees par
l'Ecomog, qui hesite a laisser de grands groupes de civils entrer
dans les villes, du fait que, par le passe, des rebelles se sont
fait passer pour des deplaces afin d'infiltrer les zones urbaines.
"Ces personnes sont maintenant livrees a elles-memes en brousse",
a dit le porte-parole du PAM. Une catastrophe humanitaire se
prepare. Certaines sources parlent de pres de 200.000 personnes qui
seraient prises au piege entre Bo et Kenema. -D'autre part, le chef
d'etat-major de la defense de Sierra Leone a annonce que les
troupes de l'Ecomog resteront dans le pays apres le mois de mai et
que le retrait du contingent nigerian sera progressif; leur retrait
devrait d'abord etre soumis a l'approbation de la CEDEAO. Un
contingent malien de 400 hommes devait arriver en renfort a
Freetown.   (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 11-12 fevrier 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Human rights  -  11 February: The UN Secretary-
General alleges that ECOMOG troops have carried out "summary
executions of suspected rebels, and otherwise mistreated civilians,
including children", while ridding Freetown of rebels last month.
12 February: About 200,000 people are trapped on a barren road with
little food and water after fleeing a rebel assault on the diamond-
mining town of Kenema in eastern Sierra Leone. ECOMOG soldiers have
blocked the refugees, who have been on the road for three days. UN
and NGO sources say a humanitarian catastrophe is developing in
eastern and southern Sierra Leone. 13 February: ECOMOG denies
allegations that it is summarily executing rebels.17 February:
About 100 ECOMOG soldiers have been arrested for questioining about
the excessive use of force and summary execution of civilians.18
February: It is reported that ECOMOG soldiers have captured 33
child-soldiers (aged 5-14) and handed them over to UNICEF so they
can be helped with appropriate therapy.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18
February 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Enfants soldats  -  Des troupes d'intervention
ouest-africaines ont capture 33 enfants-soldats en Sierra Leone et
les ont remis a des responsables de l'Unicef pour leur faire suivre
une therapie. Les enfants, ages de 5 a 14 ans et parmi lesquels se
trouvent trois filles, ont reconnu leur implication dans des
meurtres, des mutilations et des incendies criminels, a declare le
commandant de l'Ecomog le 17 fevrier. Une responsable de l'Unicef
a annonce que les enfants ayant participe a des combats allaient
suivre une therapie speciale et que les autres seraient renvoyes
dans leurs familles.   (D'apres AFP, France, 18 fevrier 1999)

* Somalia. Cholera kills 60  -  Cholera is sweeping southern
Somalia, where a hospital director said that at least 60 deaths
have been confirmed and doctors are struggling to treat hundreds of
infected people. Many people were feared to have died in the
drought-stricken countryside, white trying to make it to the
hospital in Bardera, 250 miles southwest of the Somali capital,
Mogadishu. Officials said the cholera outbreak in Somalia's arid
Gedo region, where drinkable water is scarce, has been complicated
by an influx of refugees arriving mainly from northeastern Kenya.
Thousands of families reportedly have gathered around a river
running through Bardera to drink the dirty water. There have been
reports of dysentery in the region. Cholera and dysentery --
intestinal infections that are spread through contaminated water --
lead to death if not treated.   (AP, 15 February 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Hautes visites  -  Le roi Juan Carlos d'Espagne,
accompagne de la reine Sophie, a entame le 14 fevrier la premiere
visite d'un souverain espagnol en Afrique du Sud. Le 15 fevrier, le
couple royal sera recu officiellement par le president Mandela, et
le roi prononcera ensuite un discours devant les deux chambres du
parlement reunies. La partie officielle de la visite prendra fin le
17 fevrier au soir. - D'autre part, le vice-president americain Al
Gore, accompagne de la ministre de la Justice Janet Reno, se rendra
en Afrique du Sud du 16 au 19 fevrier a la tete d'une delegation de
haut niveau. La Maison Blanche et les milieux d'affaires americains
tentent de faire passer au Congres un projet de loi sur le
developpement economique en Afrique, qui a pour but d'accroitre la
presence americaine dans l'Afrique subsaharienne. L'Afrique du Sud
est consideree par Washington comme une tete de pont pour les
investissements americains dans la region. - D'autres personnalites
encore rendent visite a l'Afrique du Sud avant la fin du mandat du
president Mandela. Ainsi, le Premier ministre belge, M. Dehaene, y
est arrive le 15 fevrier pour une visite officielle d'une semaine. 
 (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 15 fevrier 1999)

* South Africa. Winnie returns  -  On 15 February, Winnie
Madikizela-Mandela looked likely to make a comeback as a major
political player in South African politics, when the ANC announced
that she was ranked 10th in the list of preferred candidates for
the forthcoming general election. Opposition politicians reacted
with shock to the announcement, which suggested the ex-wife of the
outgoing president Nelson Mandela, was in line to get a ministerial
post in Thabo Mbeki's first cabinet.   (The Guardian, UK, 16
February 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Winnie Mandela revient  -  Le 15 fevrier, Winnie
Mandela a fait son retour sur la scene politique sud-africaine.
Elle figure en 10e position sur la liste des 177 candidats de l'ANC
qui devrait remporter en mai les deuxiemes elections multiraciales
de l'histoire du pays. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, divorcee du
president Nelson Mandela depuis 1996, conserve une grande
popularite aupres des pauvres malgre ses recentes disgraces. L'an
dernier, la Commission verite et reconciliation l'avait reconnue
coupable de graves violations des droits de l'homme.   (Liberation,
France, 16 fevrier 1999)

* South Africa. No amnesty for Biko's killers  -  South Africa's
Truth and Reconciliation Commission has denied amnesty to four
former security policemen involved in the death in custody of the
black political activist, Steve Biko, in 1977. A fifth officer
involved in the killing was denied amnesty in December. The
Commission's Amnesty Committee said it made its decision after
finding that the men had lied in their testimony about the events
leading to Mr.Biko's death, and had conspired to conceal the truth
about them. The committee also found that the killing of Mr.Biko
was not politically motivated, the requirements for granting
amnesty.   (BBC News, 17 February 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Amnistie refusee  -  La Commission verite et
reconciliation (TRC) a refuse, le 16 fevrier, l'amnistie a quatre
anciens policiers impliques dans la mort en 1977 du leader noir
anti-apartheid Steve Biko. Les auditions n'ont pas reellement
permis d'eclaircir les circonstances de ce deces apres 26 jours de
detention sans proces. La TRC a juge que la version des policiers
est "improbable et contradictoire, et doit etre rejetee comme
fausse".   (Le Monde, France, 18 fevrier 1999)

* South Africa. Buthelezi may share power  -  Thabo Mbeki, the
deputy president of South Africa, floated the possibility of a
power-sharing deal with his rival, Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi,
after elections in May. He told reporters that he saw no obstacle
to continuing the coalition established in 1994 between his African
National Congress and Chief Buthelezi's Inkatha Freedom Party,
which controls the country's most populous province, KwaZulu-Natal.
The ANC is virtually assured of an outright majority in the general
election, allowing Mr.Mbeki to rule alone after Nelson Mandela
retires, but analysts believe that continuing to share power could
diminish tension in KwaZulu-Natal, where more than 20,000 people
have died in a 10-year political turf war. Mr.Mbeki did not comment
on speculation that he might appoint Chief Buthelezi, now minister
of home affairs, as his deputy president.   (The Guardian, UK, 17
February 1999)

* Soudan. Initiative de paix entre Dinka et Nuer  -  Une initiative
locale destinee a reconcilier les communautes Dinka et Nuer a ete
lancee par le "New Soudan Council of Churches". Des chefs nuer de
l'Etat du Haut Nil occidental et des chefs dinka de Rumbeck
devaient se rencontrer le 11 fevrier a Thiet, dans le Bahr el-
Ghazal. Cette rencontre doit preparer le terrain (et garantir la
securite) pour une conference de paix plus ambitieuse, au cours de
laquelle des centaines de Nuers seront invites, sans armes, sur la
terre de leurs ennemis traditionnels, les Dinka, pour un ensemble
de discussions et de debats. Une reunion semblable est prevue plus
tard en terre nuer.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 11 fevrier 1999)

* Sudan. Foreign aid workers evacuated  -  Fighting has forced the
evacuation of at least 40 foreign aid workers from a province in
southwestern Sudan where there is supposed to be a three-month
cease-fire, a relief agency said. Doctors Without Borders said it
has halted operations in five of 10 locations in Bahr al-Ghazal
province, which was hard hit by famine last year. The evacuations,
northeast of the provincial capital of Wau, began on 11 January and
continued through the 12 January, according to Doctors Without
Borders. Wau, 600 miles southwest of the Sudanese capital,
Khartoum, is controlled by the government; rebels hold the
countryside and the affected villages.   (AP, 12 February 1999)

* Soudan. Contre l'esclavage  -  Le Soudan a promis de traduire les
esclavagistes en justice et a exhorte la population a signaler les
cas d'esclavage, ont indique le 11 fevrier les journaux de
Khartoum. La commission d'enquete gouvernementale sur les droits de
l'homme a declare dans un communique que les bureaux des procureurs
sont ouverts dans tout le pays a tous ceux qui detiennent des
informations sur des cas d'esclavage, afin que des poursuites
judiciaires puissent etre engagees. L'esclavage est interdit par
les traites internationaux auxquels le Soudan a souscrit, ainsi que
par la constitution du pays, ajoute le communique. Le rapporteur
special de l'Onu sur les droits de l'homme au Soudan, Leonardo
Franco, doit arriver dans le pays le 13 fevrier pour une tournee de
dix jours. Il doit enqueter sur les cas d'esclavage. - D'autre
part, l'insecurite augmente a nouveau dans le Bahr el-Ghazal. L'ONG
Medecins sans frontieres a fait savoir qu'elle evacuait son
personnel expatrie de cinq localites sur les dix ou elle travaille
dans le Bahr el-Ghazal, et d'une de Jonglei. Et selon le HCR,
quelque 10.300 Soudanais se sont enfuis au Tchad au cours des deux
dernieres semaines, portant aenviron 120.000 les personnes
deplacees.   (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 12 fevrier 1999)

* Sudan. Catholic Printing Press in Wau raided  -  A report just
received from Sudan describes how the Catholic Printing Press in
Wau was raided by Military Intelligence officials on 17 December
1998. Two members of the Salesian Congregation were arrested. It
was only on 25 December that they were officially interrogated and
released on 29 December after signing a declaration of promise
stating they would not return to Wau and that they would never
engage in any sabotaging activities against the government. The
Catholic Press has now been closed down indefinitely.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 16 February 1999)

* Soudan. Demenagement force  -  De 150.000 a 200.000 personnes,
presque toutes des chretiens deplaces du sud du pays par la guerre
civile et qui avaient construit un village dans les environs de
Khartoum, a Hajj Youssef, ont ete forcees de demenager dans une
zone desertique, a une dizaine de kilometres de la, sans aucune
structure d'accueil, pour faire place a un nouveau complexe
industriel, a annonce l'agence d'information vaticane Fides.  
(D'apres Fides, Rome, 17 fevrier 1999)

* Tanzania. Ex-Rwanda official arrested  -  A former Rwandan
official suspected of taking part in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda
has been arrested in Kenya, the independent Internews said. Kenyan
police on 10 February arrested Eliezer Niyitegeka, a former
information minister in the extremist ethnic Hutu government, at
the request of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. More
than 500,000 people, mostly minority Tutsis and politically
moderate Hutus, were killed during the three month government-
orchestrated slaughter that began April 6, 1994. Internews said
police picked Niyitegeka up at his home in the Kenyan capital,
Nairobi, on a tribunal warrant. He was taken to Arusha in north
Tanzania, where the UN tribunal is located.   (AP, 11 February
1999)

* Uganda. One government for East, Central Africa  -  A report just
received but published last year on 16 July, describes how
President Museveni wants Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and
Uganda to form a union government. In a Paper circulated to the
National Conference working committee on national integration, he
says: "I have already spoken to most of the leaders of these
countries, and the majority of them have not dismissed the idea.
This is a good beginning." Museveni's 48-page Paper is entitled:
"Towards A Closer Cooperation In Africa".   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 15
February 1999)

* Uganda. Close to big hydroelectric deal  -  AES, the US
independent power company, says it is about to sign a deal to
construct a $500m-$600m 250MW hydroelectric dam at Uganda's
Bujagali Falls, a project that would double the country's power
supply. The investment -- East Africa's biggest -- would show
confidence in Uganda, at a time of donor concern at corruption and
the potential cost of the military involvement in the Democratic
Republic of Congo. Bob Chestnut, the Bujagali project manager, says
the deal would involve a 30-year power purchase agreement with the
Uganda Electricity Board. Uganda suffers from severe power
shortages, which a recent World Bank study cited as a major
impediment to investment. The government estimates that shortages
reduce GDP growth by 2% a year. The country's current energy
source, the hydroelectric dam at Owen Falls, generates only 180MW,
100MW below demand. A planned extension to the Falls should raise
installed capacity to 380MW over the next few years.   (Financial
Times, UK, 11 February 1999)

* Uganda. St. Valentine's Day bombings  -  14 February: Bomb blasts
kill four people and injure 35, three of them critically, as
couples celebrate St. Valentine's Day in a fashionable suburb of
Kampala. Restaurants and bars in Kabalagala, an area popular with
middle-class Ugandans and foreign aid workers, are unusually
crowded on this Sunday evening, when bombs rip through two bars,
the Telex Bar and the Afrianex Restaurant. Nine people are now
helping the police with their investigations. The Monitor has
learnt that eight Ethiopians were arrested at the Family Bar after
the blasts. They are all said to be relatives of the Ethiopian
killed in one of the blasts. 17 February: The Ugandan authorities
are still reportedly holding nine people, including an Austrian
businessman, for questioning.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 February
1999)

* Zimbabwe. Reforme agraire enrayee  -  Les projets du president
Mugabe de nationaliser les terres de centaines de fermiers blancs
ont ete sapes par le pouvoir judiciaire. La Cour supreme a decrete
que plus de la moitie des expropriations prevues etaient illegales,
le gouvernement ayant omis d'en avertir les proprietaires de facon
appropriee, a-t-on appris le 10 fevrier. Un peu plus de 300
fermiers ont ete informes legalement, mais le gouvernement a en vue
800 autres fermes. Le ministre des Terres, Olivia Muchena, a
declare que la reforme agraire continuera. Deja, 120 fermes sont
disponibles. Officiellement, ces terres sont destinees a des
paysans pauvres, mais la pratique semble etre assez differente. Un
certain nombre de fermes sont passees dans les mains de hauts
fonctionnaires. De plus, le gouvernement n'a pas les moyens
financiers pour dedommager les proprietaires, comme l'exige la loi.
La decision de la Cour est tombee le 8 fevrier, apres que le
president Mugabe s'en soit pris violemment au pouvoir judiciaire,
l'accusant de faire de la politique au lieu de rendre la justice.
Le 10 fevrier, des etudiants qui manifestaient contre les dires du
president, ont ete disperses avec des gaz lacrymogenes.   (D'apres
De Standaard, Belgique, 12 fevrier 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Medical report on those arrested  -  On 21 January,
Phlemon Chigwanda, an orthopaedic surgeon and trauma specialist
working in Harare together with Clarkson Bandason, an eyes, ears
and throat specialist, compiled a report confirming excessive
violence perpetrated on journalists Mark Chavunduka and Roy Choto.
The report confirmed that Choto's right ear was oozing with clear
fluid, indication of a perforation in it. Concerning Choto, The
report also states: "When I asked Mr Choto to take off his shoes,
he could hardly bend forward. I asked him to put his hands on his
knees and he could hardly go beyond 90 degrees because of the
stiffness in his back...His right toe and the second toe of the
right foot had marls of electrification". Of Chavunduka, the report
noted that his right ear was inflamed and his right eye showed
marked bruising of the cornea. "On the gastro-intestinal system, he
had a linear mark on his right chest wall which measured 4.5 cm.
which resulted from a booted foot".   (Augustine Deke, Zimbabwe, 15
February 1999)