ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belg TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: anb- bia@village.uunet.be _____________________________________________________________ WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 25-02-1999 PART #1/ * Africa. Action against the Media - Angola: Reporters sans Frontieres has said it is concerned by repeated censorship and threats against journalists and independent radio stations. Botswana: The Minister of Finance and Development Planning and the Botswana Democratic Party Deputy Treasurer, have launched a libel law suit (on 26 January 1999) against the proprietor of the Botswana Guardian, Satar Dada, and the editor, Outsa Mokone. This follows a story published by the Guardian, dated 4 September 1998, questioning a government grant to an Indonesian investor who bought Dada's textile factory. Congo RDC: Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) has protested the continued detention of a journalist since July. According to RSF's information, Oscar Kangoa, a journalist with the weekly Umoja was jailed on 2 July, after being sentenced on 31 May to a 12-month prison sentence for "slander against the authorities". Kenya: On 20 February, Kenyan government Assistant Minister Fidelis Gumo warned that journalists who write reports which tarnish the names of politicians, will be "dealt with accordingly". Nigeria: On 19 February, Article 19 wrote to Gen. Abubakar expressing concern about the recent increase in harassment of the Media. Zambia: On 16 February, the Zambian minister of education said in parliament that the law relating to libel and defamation in the country needed amendment because some sections of the Press were abusing it. (IFEX, Canada, 18-25 February 1999) * Afrique. Liberte d'expression - La World Press Freedom Review de l'Institut international de la presse (IIP) fait le recensement, pour l'annee 1998, des violations de la liberte de la presse, dont le meurtre d'au moins 50 journalistes. L'IPP estime qu'au moins 31 des 50 journalistes assassines l'ont ete pour des motifs lies directement a leur travail. Par ailleurs, des centaines de journalistes ont ete arretes en 1998 et plus d'une centaine sont toujours incarceres. En Afrique, neuf journalistes ont ete assassines en 1998, alors que d'autres etaient la cible de tentatives d'assassinat, de menaces de mort et autres violences physiques, de persecution et d'intimidations. Des arrestations et incarcerations arbitraires sont notees surtout en Ethiopie, en R.D.Congo et au Nigeria avant la mort du dictateur Abacha. Enfin, les medias sont astreints a des restrictions juridiques par exemple en Ethiopie, au Tchad, au Togo, au Cameroun et au Gabon. (D'apres IFEX, Canada, 16 fevrier 1999) * Afrique. Le G7 et la dette - Les ministres des Finances et les presidents des banques centrales des pays du G7 se rencontrent le 20 fevrier a Bonn, pour preparer le sommet du G7 en juin prochain. Un des dossiers en discussion est la reduction de la dette des pays du tiers-monde. Dans un appel lance la veille, l'Unicef a deplore que l'aide a ces pays est en chute libre. Plusieurs propositions d'allegement de la dette des pays pauvres ont ete avancees. (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 20 fevrier 1999) * Afrique/Etats-Unis. Partenariat - A l'occasion de la visite du president Rawlings du Ghana a Washington, le 24 fevrier, le president americain Clinton a reaffirme son engagement dans un partenariat entre les Etats-Unis et l'Afrique. Le 16 mars prochain s'ouvrira a Washington une grande conference ministerielle EU- Afrique, a laquelle sont invites les ministres des Affaires etrangeres, des Finances et du Commerce de 46 pays africains, et qui se penchera sur l'initiative de partenariat et sur les moyens d'accelerer le developpement economique, le commerce et les investissements en Afrique. M. Clinton a encore affirme sa volonte d'encourager les pays africains a creer une force multilaterale de paix, et il a indique que les Etats-Unis etaient prets a soutenir financierement et materiellement le deploiement d'une telle force en cas d'accord de paix au Congo. Le president americain s'est toutefois montre plus circonspect sur l'annulation de la dette des pays africains. "L'effacement de la dette ne produit des resultats que s'il est accompagne de politiques economiques saines a long terme", a-t-il note. (D'apres AFP, France, 25 fevrier 1999) * Algerie. Candidats a la presidence - Mahfoud Nahnah, dirigeant du premier parti islamiste legal, le Mouvement de la societe pour la paix (MSP, islamistes moderes), a annonce le 21 fevrier sa candidature a l'election presidentielle. M. Nahnah avait recueilli 25% des suffrages lors de la premiere presidentielle pluraliste en novembre 1995, arrivant ainsi en seconde position apres le president Zeroual. De son cote, l'ancien ministre des Affaires etrangeres, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, regulierement sous dialyse a cause d'une insuffisance renale, a ete hospitalise d'urgence a Geneve. Sa maladie pourrait lui servir d'alibi pour se retirer de la course presidentielle. Candidat du consensus au sein de l'armee, il reprocherait aux militaires de ne pas assez le soutenir. (ANB- BIA, de sources diverses, 23 fevrier 1999) * Angola. Proces symbolique de Savimbi - Le 19 fevrier, le tribunal supreme angolais a decide d'ouvrir un proces pour crimes de guerre contre Jonas Savimbi, le chef des rebelles de l'Unita. Le procureur de la Republique a annonce que Savimbi, qualifie de "criminel de guerre" dans une motion adoptee en janvier par le Parlement, devrait repondre de plusieurs chefs d'accusation, qu'il n'a pas precises. (Liberation, France, 20 fevrier 1999) * Angola. War continues - 18 February: The government-held city of Malanje sustains a daily barrage of heavy shelling by long-range UNITA artillery. The UN Mine Action Programme (for de-mining) has been brought to a virtual halt in recent weeks. 19 February: Government forces consolidate the recapture of M'Banza Congo from UNITA. The humanitarian community says it is concerned at reports that the local hospital has been ransacked. The same day, the Supreme Court decides to launch war crimes proceedings against Jonas Savimbi. 23 February: The government again turns down the UN Security Council's request for a continued political and military presence in the country but says it wants humanitarian and development workers to remain. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 February 1999) * Benin. Jet set and match - The latest leader to succumb to the need for personal air transport is President Mathieu Kerekou, who has secured three billion CFA francs to buy a second-hand personal jet. He has an unfortunate history with presidential planes. Towards the end of his 17-years as military dictator, he bought an old Boeing 707 from South Korea's Reverend Moon. He enjoyed the jet -- luxuriously transformed, with panelled bedrooms, gold plated taps and a wine cellar -- for only a short time. It was impounded by Belgium to pay a repair bill. Back in power in 1996, he had it sold against the US $371,000 debt; it's now used as a restaurant in the Belgian town of Genk. (Africa Confidential, UK, 19 February 1999) * Benin. New Marxist party - A new Marxist political party has been set up in Benin in the run-up to next month's parliamentary election. The new party, which calls itself the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Benin, is headed by Magloire Yansunnu who was expelled from the rival Communist Party of Benin last year. (BBCNews, 21 February 1999) * Burkina Faso. Re: journalist's death - President Blaise Compaore has been making consultations with various groups in the country, in efforts to end the political crisis over the tragic death of Norbert Zongo, managing editor of L'Independent newspaper on 13 December 1998. On 23 Februaryhe received in audience, the 14 February Group (a radical opposition party) in an attempt to learn from these organisations on how to overcome the crisis over Zongo's mysterious death. Zongo and three fellow journalists died in a mysterious accident in Sapouy, 100 km from Ouagadougou, where the vehicle in which they were travelling was found burnt. (PANA, 23 February 1999) * Burkina Faso. Joint Statement - On 5 February, the Chief Executives of the Organisation of African Unity, the Economic Commission for Africa and the African Development Bank issued a Joint Statement at the end of their Ninth Consultative Meeting held in Ouagadougou. Highlights of the Statement include: Emphasis on the importance of ownership by African countries of their development programmes and the need for strong partnership between Africa and the international community; Welcome and support for the creation by the Economic Commission for Africa of the African Development Forum to build consensus on policies and programmes pertaining to Africa's development; a call to the international community to support African initiatives. (APIC, Washington, 23 February 1999) * Burundi/Tanzanie. Ameliorer les relations - La representation diplomatique burundaise a Dar es-Salaam sera portee au niveau d'ambassadeur, a fait savoir un communique conjoint publie le 16 fevrier dans la capitale tanzanienne, lors de la visite du ministre burundais des Affaires etrangeres, M. Ntahomvukiye. Une commission tripartite, comprenant les deux pays et le HCR, devrait se reunir les 28 et 29 mars prochains. L'ordre du jour portera entre autres sur la securite entre la Tanzanie et le Burundi, la situation des camps de refugies en Tanzanie et la question des rebelles armes qui s'y trouvent. (D'apres Infoaza, Burundi, 19 fevrier 1999) * Burundi. "Lets be friends" - Burundi is moving to improve its troubled relations with Tanzania, with a personal emissary of Major Pierre Buyoya expected in Dar es Salaam this week (15-20 February). The hostility between the two countries centres mainly around Burundi claims that Tanzania is harbouring armed interahamwe rebels bent on ousting Major Buyoya. Burundi's ambassador to Tanzania has said that Burundi's Minister for Foreign Affairs will arrive in Dar es Salaam, bearing a message of goodwill from Major Buyoya to the government and people of Tanzania. (Editor's note: On 16 February, Burundi and Tanzania agreed to restore diplomatic relations). (The East African, Kenya, 15-21 February 1999) * Burundi. Aide en semences - Le PAM et la FAO ont lance ensemble des projets pour venir en aide aux familles severement touchees par la secheresse lors de la derniere campagne agricole. Le PAM distribuera plus de 6.500 tonnes de nourriture a plus de 158.000 familles, pour eviter qu'elles soient obligees de manger leurs semences. De son cote, la FAO a commence a distribuer 1.300 tonnes de semences de feves a 130.000 familles de cultivateurs. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 20 fevrier 1999) * Congo (RDC). Arrestation arbitraire - Le pere Charles De Souza, de la Societe du Verbe Divin (SVD), a ete arrete le 11 fevrier a Kenge, dans la province de Bandundu, et transfere a Kikwit a la prison de Kokola. Le motif de son arrestation est qu'il avait dans son sac des publications du groupe Amos annoncant des manifestations le 16 fevrier pour la celebration des martyrs de la democratie, tues sous Mobutu. Ces celebrations ont ete interdites par les nouvelles autorites de Kinshasa. (Congosol, Italie, 19 fevrier 1999) * Congo (RDC). Vers un nouveau gouvernement - 18 fevrier. L'Union europeenne a presse le president Kabila de mettre en application ses recentes declarations et de conclure "le plus rapidement possible" un cessez-le-feu au Congo. D'autre part, Arthur Z'Ahidi, l'un des premiers dirigeants civils de la rebellion, a quitte le Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) et annonce son intention de former une coalition de democrates pour sortir de la spirale de la guerre. 19 fevrier. Selon certaines sources, les forces rebelles, qui avancent en direction de Mbuji-Mayi, auraient ete repoussees par les soldats du Zimbabwe. En province d'Equateur, les troupes tchadiennes auraient subi des pertes serieuses et le Tchad songerait a se retirer du Congo. 20 fevrier. Le president Kabila a prononce la dissolution du gouvernement; un nouveau gouvernement serait forme incessamment. La dissolution est liee au conflit arme, et a la necessite de renforcer l'unite nationale, la democratisation et les efforts de reconstruction. 22 fevrier. Selon la presse de Kinshasa, l'UDPS (le parti d'Etienne Tshisekedi) refuse pour l'instant d'etre associee au gouvernement et demande au prealable une table ronde des forces politiques. En revanche, la classe politique s'attend a l'entree au cabinet de proches du defunt president Mobutu. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 23 fevrier 1999) * Congo (RDC). Annan eyes peacekeepers for Congo - "UN peacekeepers will probably be needed in Congo if there is a negotiated settlement of the civil war, although US troops wouldn't be necessary", Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General said on 23 February. "UN forces haven't been used enough to help solve the growing number of civil and ethnic blowups around the world, especially in Africa", Annan said. "International reluctance to get involved, led to the deaths of nearly one million people in Rwanda's genocide". (AP, 23 February 1999) * Congo (RDC). Droits de l'homme - Le rapporteur special de l'Onu sur les droits de l'homme en RDC, Robert Garreton, a termine, le 23 fevrier, une visite d'une semaine dans l'ex-Zaire. Le rapporteur chilien etait interdit de sejour en RDC jusqu'au debut de l'annee pour ses denonciations des massacres de refugies hutus rwandais lors de la guerre de 1996-97. M. Garreton a souligne le changement d'attitude du gouvernement et a salue le travail remarquable du ministre congolais des droits humains. Mais il a juge que la situation des droits de l'homme restait grave, surtout dans l'est, sous controle rebelle, ou la population vit dans la peur, notamment des militaires de la rebellion. Dans le camp gouvernemental, M. Garreton s'est dit preoccupe du grand nombre de prisonniers politiques et du recours repete a la peine de mort, ainsi que de la situation de la presse et des associations de defense des droits de l'homme. De son cote, dans un rapport publie ces derniers jours, l'organisation humanitaire "Human Rights Watch" denonce egalement les nombreuses violations des droits de l'homme commises par les deux camps qui se font la guerre en RDC. - D'autre part, a Uvira, la radio RTNC, controlee par les rebelles, a rapporte le 22 fevrier que sept personnes impliquees le mois dernier dans le massacre de Makobola ont ete condamnees a la peine capitale par un tribunal militaire. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 fevrier 1999) * Cote d'Ivoire. 4eme MASA - Du 20 au 27 fevrier, se tient a Abidjan la quatrieme edition du "Marche des arts et du spectacle africain". Pas moins de 52 spectacles sont proposes: 31 formations musicales, 13 troupes de theatre et 8 compagnies de danse. 23 pays sont representes. Plus de 600 artistes, 70 regisseurs et techniciens et un millier de promoteurs et artistes d'Europe, d'Asie, d'Amerique et d'Afrique sont attendus a cette manifestation artistique, qui veut "projeter l'art africain vers des lendemains qui savent chanter des airs nouveaux". (AFP, France, 19 fevrier 1999) * Eritrea-Ethiopia. Fighting continues... - 21 February: Ethiopia says its planes bombed the airfield at Assab, Eritrea, on the Red Sea, around dawn. It called the airport, which handles civilian aircraft, a "strategic military target". 23 February: Heavy fighting on the Badme border area. The Organisation of African Unity is sending a high-powered delegation to Asmara, today, to express the continental body's concern over the escalating border war. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 February 1999) * Ethiopie/Erythtree. Vaines mediations - 19 fevrier. Le ministre ethiopien des Affaires etrangeres a rencontre une delegation de l'Union europeenne qui effectue une mediation dans le conflit entre l'Ethiopie et l'Erythree. Les emissaires europeens devaient rejoindre ensuite Asmara. 20 fevrier. La delegation europeenne a quitte la region sans etre parvenue a obtenir un cessez-le-feu. 21 fevrier. Le gouvernement ethiopien a affirme que son aviation avait bombarde l'aeroport d'Assab sur la mer Rouge et qu'il l'avait rendu inutilisable. Asmara dit que les bombes ont manque leur cible. 22 fevrier. L'OUA cherche a relancer sa mediation; une delegation etait attendue le soir a Asmara. 23 fevrier. Des combats terrestres importants ont repris sur le front ouest, dans la region de Badme. Addis Abeba a affirme avoir lance une offensive a grande echelle; Asmara a declare avoir inflige de lourdes pertes aux forces ethiopiennes et detruit neuf chars. 24 fevrier. Les combats pour le controle de la region de Badme se poursuivent. Chaque camp affirme avoir inflige de lourdes pertes a l'ennemi. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 25 fevrier 1999) * Equatorial Guinea. Human rights - In a News Release issued on 18 February, Amnesty International says the recent arrests of opposition party candidates in Equatorial Guinea are a clear attempt to intimidate them and contradict the government's promise of free elections. More than 10 candidates of opposition parties have been arrested, as the country prepares for legislative elections scheduled for 7 March 1999. (Amnesty International, 18 February 1999) * Guinee-Bissau. Espoirs de paix - Selon le termes de l'accord pour retablir une paix durable dans le pays, le Senegal a annonce le 18 fevrier qu'il allait retirer encore 700 soldats de Guinee- Bissau, portant ainsi a 900 le nombre de soldats senegalais retires. Les troupes guineennes et senegalaises doivent etre retirees pour la fin fevrier au plus tard, et remplacees par la force d'interposition ouest-africaine Ecomog, qui dispose deja de 600 hommes sur place. Par ailleurs, le 20 fevrier a Bissau, en presence du president Vieira et du chef de la junte militaire, le general Mane, a eu lieu la ceremonie d'investiture du nouveau gouvernement d'unite nationale, dirige par Francisco Fadul. Compose de seize membres nommes par le president Vieira, en accord avec le general Mane, ce gouvernement met fin a huit mois de rebellion armee. "La raison a prevalu", s'est felicite M. Fadul, soulignant que sa mission consiste a "guerir un pays gravement malade". (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 21 fevrier 1999) * Kenya. "Parties betraying Kenyans" - On 7 February, Kenya's Catholic Primate, Ndingi Mwana a'Nzeki, the Archbishop of Nairobi, issued a ringing condemnation of the parliamentary political parties, accusing the politicians of deliberately delaying the constitutional review process. The Archbishop spoke on the eve of today's (8 February) deadline for the submission of the names of political party nominees to the Constitution Of Kenya Review Commission. The names must be submitted to Attorney-General Amos Wako, no later than midnight tonight. The Archbishop urged leaders to address the review process with the urgency it deserves. He poured scorn on "prophets of doom" whom he described as pessimists of the constitutional review process. (East African Standard, Kenya, 8 February 1999) * Kenya. Finance Minister resigns - Simeon Nyachae, the Kenyan Finance Minister, has resigned following a cabinet reshuffle in which he swapped jobs with Francis Masakhalia, the relatively unknown minister for industrial development. Mr Nyachae's demotion and subsequent resignation has raised concerns over imminent negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, which are expected to result in the resumption of Kenya's $205 million Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility, frozen in 1997. (Financial Times, 19 February 1999) * Kenya. Remaniement ministeriel - Le role trouble qu'a joue le Kenya dans l'arrestation du leader kurde Ocalan, a provoque une crise dans le pays. Le chef des services d'immigration, le patron de la police et le directeur des affaires criminelles ont ete limoges par le president Moi, le 18 fevrier. Les medias d'Etat ont annonce en meme temps un remaniement ministeriel, dont la principale victime est le ministre des Finances, Simeon Nyachae. Il avait declare que le pays etait "ruine" et devait etre place en "soins intensifs". Des recentes revelations sur les dettes de personnalites haut placees avaient suscite des remous dans la nomenclature kenyane. (D'apres Le Monde, France, 21 fevrier 1999) * Kenya. Drug trade - A Kenyan government minister has expressed concern that the country has become a major centre for the use and trafficking of drugs. The minister in the President's office, Marsden Madoka, said international drug barons had developed fertile new markets in Africa. Speaking at a conference in Nairobi, Mr.Madoka said Kenya was determined to track down the traffickers and to fight the consumption of drugs. He told the BBC that corruption in some African governments had made the problem worse. (BBC, News, 23 February 1999) * Liberia. Arreter l'implication en Sierra Leone - Le gouvernement liberien a annonce une serie de mesures visant a "decourager les Liberiens de compliquer la crise en Sierra Leone". Les mesures comportent entre autres une amnistie pour les Liberiens qui combattent en Sierra Leone. Le gouvernement leur donne un delai de 45 jours, a dater du 20 fevrier, pour cooperer a un "programme volontaire de rapatriement". D'autre part, des personnes soupconnees de collaborer avec le RUF et la junte militaire de Sierra Leone ont ete arretees a Monrovia. (D'apres IRIN, 22 fevrier 1999) * Libya. Seeking to clarify trial issues - The Libyan government is still seeking clarification on key issues surrounding the hand over of two Libyans for trial in the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet, diplomats and the UN said. Libya's foreign minister, Omar al- Muntasser, responded over the weekend to a letter of assurances from UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, about the trial and requested clarification of "some elements", said UN spokesman Fred Eckhard. He refused to elaborate, but UN officials and diplomats said al-Muntasser raised two issues -- the lifting of sanctions against Libya and the imprisonment of the two Libyans in Scotland if convicted. Libya had objected to the same issues when the United States and Britain made a joint proposal in August for a trial in the Netherlands under Scottish law. The crash over Lockerbie, Scotland, killed 270 people. Eckhard said Annan was studying the letter and would report to the Security Council. (AP, 22 February 1999) * Malawi. Prisons run out of food - A prisoner has died due to the cash-strapped Malawi government's inability to buy food for its prison population, a senior prison official, Prisons Commissioner, Liwewe Mahamadu, has confirmed. "Yes, our prisons are experiencing a serious food shortage but we are solving it," he says. Sources at the country's main prisons are not very optimistic, painting a grim picture of the situation. Prison guards in Zomba Prison, in the former colonial capital, and Chichiri Prison in the commercial city of Blantyre, say the situation is so acute, that prison authorities have since instructed them to advise the prisoners to contact their friends and relatives to be bring them food to the two centres. Mark Mtema, a prison warder at Chichiri Prison in Blantyre, says that prisoners have been living on a quarter of the normal ration and lots of boiled water. "It's pathetic", he says. "Prisoners are living on boiled water with a little sugar added. Some lucky ones are depending on food from their relations but it's hell for those who come from far afield." (PANA, 23 February 1999) * Malawi. Minister In dud cheque Scam - A senior minister in Malawi President Bakili Muluzi's scandal-ridden administration has become the latest laughing stock after his dishonoured cheque was put on display alongside his picture outside a shop in the commercial city of Blantyre. George Bundabunda Phiri, minister of state in the president's office, responsible for local government and district administration, acquired a Hi-Fi stereo system worth slightly over 1,000 US dollars from the New City Centre, an upbeat electrical equipment shop in Blantyre in July last year, using a defunct personal cheque. Ibrahim Bhana, the shop's owner, said the cheque was not honoured at a bank when he tried to cash it. "We were disgusted when the cheque bounced," he said. "Further investigations by the bank showed that the account against which the cheque was supposed to be cashed, was closed a long time ago, which meant we were clearly defrauded". Bhana said the shop has been trying to recover the money from the minister but without any success. He said various correspondence and phone calls had amounted to nothing, thereby forcing the shopowner to resort to the unorthodox way of displaying the bad cheque and the minister's face outside his shop."We thought maybe a little embarrassment will pump some sense into him," he added. (PANA, 23 February 1999) * Maurice. Emeutes - Pour la troisieme journee consecutive, des emeutes se sont produites, le 23 fevrier, dans un quartier pauvre de Port-Louis, la capitale de l'ile Maurice, apres la mort en garde a vue le 21 fevrier d'un chanteur populaire de reggae. Joseph Reginald Topize "Kaya", 39 ans, est mort en prison trois jours apres son arrestation pour avoir fume de la marijuana en public. Au cours des emeutes, le 22 fevrier, un autre chanteur de reggae a ete tue par un policier, qui a ete aussitot suspendu et fait l'objet d'une enquete. (Le Soir, Belgique, 24 fevrier 1999) * Nigeria. Amnistier les militaires - Par crainte d'une armee encore toute-puissante, les candidats a la presidentielle se sont engages a ne pas enqueter sur les militaires corrompus au pouvoir depuis 1983. Il n'y aura pas de chasse aux sorcieres, clament-ils, alors que plus de 20 milliards de dollars auraient disparu des caisses de l'Etat ces quinze dernieres annees, soit les deux tiers de la dette exterieure du pays. (La Croix, France, 18 fevrier 1999) * Nigeria. Elections - 20 February: Parliamentary (Senate and National Assembly) elections. 22 February: The turnout appears to have been low but orderly. Observers say the low turnout was due to: voters being badly informed of the candidates standing for election; they were "burnt out" by the two previous elections; they were too focused on the forthcoming presidential elections. Results so far give a strong lead to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, a coalition of establishment figures from across the country. With more than half the results in, the PDP is leading with 194 seats in the 360-seat House of Representatives. In the 109-seat Senate, the PDP have won 59 seats. The Alliance for Democracy and its ally, the All People's Party have won 127 House and 39 Senate seats between them. Olu Falae, one of the two candidates in the presidential election, says he would be prepared to sell off part of the government's 60% stake in the oil sector as part of a radical restructuring of the country's estimated $29 billion external debt. Lola Abiola-Edowar, daughter of Moshood Abiola, wins a seat in the House of Representatives. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 February 1999) * Nigeria. Elections legislatives - Le 20 fevrier, quelque 40 millions d'electeurs etaient appeles a elire un parlement bi- cameral (chambre des representants et senat) dans les 115.000 bureaux de vote repartis a travers la federation. Il y a 360 sieges a pourvoir a la chambre des representants et 109 au senat, mais on ne connait pas la duree de leur mandat, car la nouvelle Constitution n'a toujours pas ete rendue publique. L'enjeu de ce scrutin ne semble pas avoir suscite l'enthousiasme des electeurs, qui attendent surtout l'election presidentielle du 27 fevrier; selon des observateurs, moins de 20% d'entre eux auraient vote. Le 22 fevrier au soir, le depouillement de plus des deux tiers des votes donnait une majorite absolue au PDP, avec 185 sieges sur 360 a la Chambre des representants, et 57 sur 109 au Senat. Parmi les candidats elus figure l'une des filles de Moshood Abiola, qui se presentait sous les couleurs de l'ADP. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 23 fevrier 1999) * Nigeria. Delta oil companies - Human Rights Watch has accused oil companies of failing to respond adequately to serious human rights abuses in Nigeria's Niger delta. In a report, Human Rights Watch says that although the ultimate responsibility for abuses in the southern region lies with the Nigerian government, oil companies also have a duty to try to stop them. The organisation argues that the oil companies, which operate joint ventures with the Nigerian government, can influence policy in the delta, but have chosen not to do so. (BBC News, 23 February 1999) * Nigeria. "Missing" Constitution sparks concern - In the tumult leading up to Nigeria's presidential elections on 27 February, one important fact frequently gets overlooked. The country has no Constitution, and therefore the powers and responsibilities of the political offices which are avidly being vied for, remain unknown. The military government of Gen.Abubakar has said the Constitution will be unveiled before the inauguration of democratic rule on 29 May. He has also said that it will not be an entirely new document but will draw heavily on the 1979 constitution, which ushered in Nigeria's last civilian administration. A spokesman for presidential frontrunner, Olusegun Obasanjo, said that he is satisfied with the military's assurances. "We just have to have faith that it (the Constitution) will not create problems for the new government. I don't think it will deviates so much from the '79 constitution". Human rights groups are not so sure. In a transition process in which the military has clearly come out in support of Obasanjo's presidency, the missing Constitution is regarded as their final trump card. If Obasanjo does not win, then a redrafted Constitution could be used to dilute the presidential powers of his rival Olu Falae, they claim. "I think it's one of the saddest aspects of the current transition programme," director of the Constitutional Rights Project, Clement Nwankwo, said. "The dangers are the military may end up giving a constitution on the basis of how comfortable they are with the eventual winner of the election." (IRIN, Nairobi, 23 February 1999) * Republique Centrafricaine. MINURCA - Le 18 fevrier, le Conseil de securite de l'Onu s'est declare preoccupe par l'incidence des tensions politiques actuelles en RCA sur la stabilite du pays, et a fait part de son soutien aux demarches qui visent a mettre un terme a l'impasse politique suite aux elections legislatives de fin 1998. Dans un communique, le president du Conseil a declare que le futur mandat et le maintien de la Mission de l'ONU en RCA (MINURCA ) sont etroitement lies au respect des engagements pris par le gouvernement, notamment en ce qui concerne la reprise immediate d'un dialogue politique constructif. Le mandat de la MINURCA expire le 28 fevrier et M. Annan a recommande sa prorogation jusqu'aux elections presidentielles prevues cette annee a une date indeterminee. (IRIN, Nairobi, 19 fevrier 1999) * Centr.Afr. Rep. Refugees moved inland - 19 February: Some 4,400 Congolese refugees are being relocated from a temporary camp in the port of Bangui, to a new location in Boubou, some 325 kms away. The operation started on 18 February and about 100 refugees are being trucked every two or three days to the Boubou camp. There are an estimated 6,700 Congolese refugees in the CAR. (IRIN, Nairobi, 19 February 1999) * Rwanda. Penurie alimentaire - La faible pluviosite qui persiste depuis novembre va provoquer la reduction des recoltes de la campagne qui s'etend de septembre 1998 a fevrier 1999, selon une equipe d'evaluation. L'equipe estime que la production baissera d'environ 15% par rapport a l'annee derniere. Pour le premier trimestre de 1999, la penurie alimentaire est estimee a 158.000 tonnes d'equivalent de cereales, a fait savoir le representant de la FAO. Par ailleurs, selon le dernier rapport du Famine Early Warning System, le nombre de personnes deplacees est en diminution dans les prefectures de Gisenyi et Ruhengeri (nord-ouest), grace a l'amelioration de la securite en decembre. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 19 fevrier 1999) * Rwanda. Enlevements - Dans un communique publie le 19 fevrier a Bruxelles, le Centre de lutte contre l'impunite et l'injustice au Rwanda (CLIIR) dit qu'il continue d'enregistrer de nombreux cas d'enlevements, suivis de disparitions, operes par les militaires de l'armee patriotique rwandaise. Selon le document, les mois de juin, aout et decembre 1998 ont ete caracterises par des rafles aveugles a Kigali qui ont emporte des centaines de personnes dont on ignore le sort jusqu'a ce jour. Le texte donne des details sur une dizaine de personnes enlevees dans le secteur Gatsata. (Le CLIIR est une organisation de defense des droits de l'homme apolitique basee en Belgique. Ses membres sont des militants des droits humains de longue date. Certains ont travaille au Rwanda au sein d'organisations locales et ont participe a l'enquete sur le genocide de 1994. Lorsqu'ils ont commence a enqueter sur des crimes du regime rwandais actuel, ils ont subi des menaces et ont ete contraints a s'exiler.) (ANB-BIA, Bruxelles, 19 fevrier 1999) * Rwanda. International Genocide Tribunal - Efforts have been made to speed up the work of the UNtribunal investigating the 1994 genocide. The tribunal has sworn in three new judges and opened a third courtroom. Five years after the court in Arusha, Tanzania, was founded to bring to justice those who had committed atrocities in Rwanda's civil war, judges have convicted just one man. The painstakingly slow process has prompted Rwandan authorities and human rights groups to accuse the court of incompetence. There will now be nine judges serving the tribunal. Two defendants have pleaded guilty to crimes of genocide, and a third has been convicted on the same charges. The latter has been sentenced to life in prison. The tribunal took a 34th suspect into custody over the weekend when Ignace Bagilishema was transferred to Arusha from South Africa, where he had surrendered to authorities. (BBC News, 22 February 1999) * Sahara occidental. MINURSO - Le 11 fevrier, les quinze membres du Conseil de securite de l'Onu ont adopte a l'unanimite une resolution etendant jusqu'au 31 mars le mandat de la mission de l'ONU chargee de preparer le referendum dans l'ancienne colonie espagnole du Sahara occidental. Ce vote est intervenu quelques heures apres la signature par le Maroc d'un accord technique, permettant aux membres de la MINURSO de porter des armes dans certaines regions. L'Algerie et la Mauritanie ont signe des accords similaires sur le statut des forces en novembre dernier. Le referendum est prevu en principe pour decembre 1999, apres avoir deja ete reporte a plusieurs reprises depuis 1991. (D'apres Marches Tropicaux, France, 19 fevrier 1999) * Sierra Leone. Nigerians "sacrifies" - Les Nigerians installes a Freetown ont exprime leur colere cette semaine contre la population de Sierra Leone, s'estimant "sacrifies" dans des combats qui ne les concernent pas. Quelque 35.000 Nigerians resident en Sierra Leone, ou ils travaillent notamment dans le commerce ou dans le secteur de l'education. 1.500 d'entre eux ont ete recemment rapatries apres avoir perdu tous leurs biens lors de l'invasion de la capitale. "Nous avons perdu un grand nombre de Nigerians", a declare l'ambassadeur du Nigeria a Freetown, pour qui "il est extremement decevant d'apprendre que les rebelles disposaient de listes de Nigerians et l'adresse de leurs boutiques. Le Nigeria a tant fait pour aider la Sierra Leone a acceder a la paix et la stabilite, et voila comment nous sommes payes". D'autre part, le ministre nigerian de la Defense a dementi, le 18 fevrier, qu'une centaine de soldats nigerians de l'Ecomog aient ete arretes pour avoir execute des civils en Sierra Leone, comme l'avait indique un rapport de l'Onu. Le president nigerian, le general Abubakar, a annonce son intention de retirer ses troupes de l'Ecomog en Sierra Leone d'ici le mois de mai. Le 20 fevrier, le premier contingent de 428 soldats maliens destines a renforcer la force d'interposition ouest-africaine est arrive a Freetown. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22 fevrier 1999) * Sierra Leone. Consolidation - 17 February: A US chartered ship arrives in Freetown with the non-military aid supplies. The shipment from the US government includes 20,000 blankets and plastic tarpaulins to build shelters for about 7,000 refugees. ECOMOGadmits to excesses by some of its members. The government announces plans to reinstate 200 former military officers. 20 February: Some 400 soldiers have arrived from Mali to join ECOMOG. Maj. Gen. Timothy Shelpidi welcomed the troops at Freetown Airport saying ECOMOG's effectiveness had been impeded by a lack of soldiers. 22 February: President Kabbah calls on the UN to act against arms suppliers who are helping fuel the civil war. (ANB- BIA, Brussels, 23 February 1999) * Sierra Leone. Missionaries of Charity reopen - The Missionaries of Charity mission has reopened in the Kissy neighbourhood of Freetown, according to the missionary news agency MISNA. The bishop of Makeny, Giorgio Biguzzi, who visited the mission on 20 February, said he was surprised to see it functioning despite the absence of the Sisters. Two men and two women, who had previously assisted the Sisters, were administering care to some 30 people, mostly children and the elderly. "I was convinced that everything would have been abandoned after all the looting in the past weeks," the bishop said. A nearby parish was supplying food and medicine. In January, rebels kidnapped six Sisters of Charity and four of them lost their lives, MISNA recalled. (IRIN, Nairobi, 23 February 1999) * Somalia. Civilians as victims - A Somali militia group, the Rahanwein Resistance Army, says rival militiamen loyal to the faction leader, Hussein Aideed, have killed dozens of civilians around the southern town of Baidoa over the past two days. A spokesman for the Rahanwein Resistance Army in Mogadishu said the civilians had been rounded up in Baidoa and the nearby village of Daynunay, before being shot. He said Hussein Aideed's forces suspected them of being sympathizers of the Rahanwein Resistance Army, which had earlier killed four of Hussein Aideed's men. There's no independent confirmation of the account. (BBC News, 23 February 1999) * Somalia. More arms supplies - An unidentified vessel is unloading arms and ammunition thought to be for faction leader Hussein Aideed at the port of Merca, south of Mogadishu, several independent diplomatic and political sources have informed IRIN. The material is said to include armoured personnel (APC) carriers; The sources added that the APCs included "BRDM -type and Ferret- type scout cars". Meanwhile, a Mogadishu newspaper Xog-Ogaal, monitored by the BBC, reported on 21 February. that 200 of Aideed's militiamen would soon be trained in Eritrea, the latest signal that the conflict in Ethiopia and Eritrea was spilling over into the Horn of African neighbour. Since January, factions opposed to Aideed have protested that Eritrea has delivered arms to his faction. In late January, AFP reported that the Rahanwein Resistance Army, which has been clashing with Aideed in southwestern Somalia, and is aligned with Ethiopia, had alleged that Aideed had received five planeloads of weapons from Eritrea. (IRIN, Nairobi, 23 February 1999) * South Africa. Murder of Fr Albert Peleman OSB - On 19 February, the Southern African Conference of Bishops (SACB) issued a Press Release about the murder of Father Albert Peleman OSB, a priest who devoted himself to the blind and the people of his mission where he served as parish priest and where he worked the land and helped his people in so many practical ways. The number of Catholic priests and nuns who have been shot and killed by bandits, is a cause of great concern. These are people who have given their lives to the Church and to their people. The death of Father Peleman underlines a cold fact of life in South Africa: life has ceased to have any value. (SACB, 20 February 1999) * South Africa. TRC/Amnesty Committee - 18 February: Two former policemen who bombed the house of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in 1985, are granted amnesty. They were also granted amnesty for bombing a clinic run by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, but were denied amnesty for other crimes, including murders and robberies. 19 February: The Mail & Guardian reports that squabbling has broken out over the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's (TRC) Final Report and record of evidence. Computer boffin Steve Crawford who designed and maintained the Commission's excellent Internet site, capped his efforts by producing a CD-Rom for R200, which contained the whole thing -- the Final Report and all the evidence -- on a single disc. Now he has been forced to withdraw the CD after threats of legal action by the TRC, urged on by Juta & Co who, it transpires, have bought sole and exclusive distribution rights to the Final Report, and have in turn flogged the rights outside Africa to the British publishers, Macmillan. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 22 February 1999) * South Africa. First satellite launched - The first satellite built by South Africa has been launched into orbit at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The satellite, named Sunsat, went up on a Delta II rocket, after eleven delays in recent weeks. Correspondents say a long period without contact, caused anxious hours for the builders of Sunsat, but communications was finally established. Sunsat was created by engineering students at South Africa's Stellenbosch University. Its sensing instrument is a high-resolution stereo colour imager, useful for agricultural and environmental monitoring. (BBC News, 24 February 1999) * South Africa. Four former police get amnesty - On 23 February, a panel probing apartheid era crimes, granted amnesty to four former South African policemen who kidnapped and killed a leading anti-apartheid activist, Sizwe Kondile, in 1981. They then drugged and shot him before burning his body and throwing the remains into a river near South Africa's border with Mozambique. the decision comes after a flurry of amnesties were granted last week by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to 14 policemen, including the notorious torturer, Jeffrey Benzien. (AP, 23 February 1999) * Afrique du Sud/UE. Rejet d'accord - Le 22 fevrier, les ministres europeens des Affaires etrangeres ont rejete le projet d'accord commercial avec l'Afrique du Sud. Fin janvier, le commissaire europeen Pinheiro et le ministre sud-africain du Commerce etaient arrives a un compromis, qui avait ete accepte par l'ensemble de la commission UE et par le gouvernement sud-africain. Mais la decision finale revient aux Etats membres, qui viennent donc de rejeter l'accord. La principale pierre d'achopement consiste dans l'utilisation par les viticulteurs sud-africains de l'appellation porto et sherry. Les ministres ont charge la commission de trouver une solution avant le 22 mars. Le 23 fevrier, le gouvernement sud-africain a exprime sa "reelle deception" apres le refus de l'UE d'endosser l'accord de libre echange, mais a laisse la porte ouverte a de nouvelles negociations. (D'apres de Standaard, Belgique, 24 fevrier 1999) * South Africa. "Port" and "Sherry" - On 24 February, South Africa sharply criticised five European Union countries for blocking an EU-South Africa free trade pact, accusing them of pursuing their own "very narrow interests" in agriculture and warning that the whole package was now at risk. On 22 February, EU foreign ministers refused to accept the free trade pact because France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece argued that it was too generous to South Africa. They were particularly unhappy about South African wine and fruit exports to Europe, and about a compromise clause on the continued use by South African vineyards of the term "port" and "sherry". Portugal and Spain say the words should be applied only to the products of the regions around Oporto and Jerez. (Financial Times, UK, 25 February 1999) * South Africa. Rwandan genocide suspects infiltrate South Africa - South Africa is being infiltrated by Rwandan genocide suspects who use it for drug and gun running operations because of weak immigration and anti-crime enforcement, Rwanda's ambassador said on 22 February, following the arrest and deportation of a suspect wanted by the international genocide tribunal in Arusha, Tanzania. Ignace Baglishema, the former mayor of Mabanza who is accused of ordering the killing of Tutsis, was arrested last week in Pretoria with false travel documents. Bagilishema had been a fugitive since 1996 and had lived in Malawi and Mozambique as well as South Africa. Ambassador Ben Karenzi told the Star newspaper that Bagilishema's arrest indicates that genocide culprits are using South Africa as a base. He declined to estimate the number of Rwandans in question but said there was a large number. "There is a continuous flow of criminal genocide elements in this country. We have clear evidence they are involved with arms and drugs trafficking in this country," he was quoted as saying. (PANA, 23 February 1999) * Soudan. Bechir pret a se separer du Sud - Le president soudanais el Bechir a annonce qu'il serait pret a laisser le Sud- Soudan faire secession s'il mettait fin a la guerre civile qui sevit depuis quinze ans, a rapporte le 20 fevrier la television nationale. Selon celle-ci, Bechir a declare a une chaine de television qatarie que son gouvernement comptait encore s'efforcer d'unifier le Nord musulman et le Sud animiste et chretien, mais qu'une secession du Sud etait preferable a la poursuite de la guerre. Les premieres reactions de Soudanais du Sud sont a la fois favorables et sceptiques. (D'apres AFP, 21 fevrier 1999) * Sudan. Sudan offers South secession - 21 February: President al-Bashir says he is ready to let the South secede if that would end the country's long-running civil war. He told a Qatari TV station, that the continuing unity, or future separation, of the country were both possibilities, if the conflict with the southern- based Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) carried on. "However, the option of separation with peace, is better than that of unity with the continuation of the war", he said. He added that his Islamic government was ready to "open up all avenues" and that his government was working to "bridge the gap with the SPLA". (BBC News, 21 February 1999) * Tanzania. Awaiting FBI evidence - Tanzanian authorities are still waiting for key evidence from the FBI before they can prosecute two suspects in the terrorist bombing of the US Embassy. The forensic evidence has not yet arrived from the FBI laboratories in Washington. The two suspects, Mustafa Mahmoud Ahmed and Rashid Saleh Hamed, have been charged with the 7 August bombing of the embassy in Dar es Salaam. (AP, 23 February 1999) * Togo. Legislatives boudees - La campagne pour les elections legislatives, dont le premier tour est prevu le 7 mars, s'ouvre le 20 fevrier sans l'opposition qui n'a presente aucun candidat dans les delais legaux. Les autorites togolaises avaient decide la semaine derniere de reporter de 20 jours la date de cloture des candidatures, esperant attirer des membres de l'opposition et "assurer un plus large pluralisme". Mais selon la liste remise le 18 fevrier, seuls le parti du chef de l'Etat et trois partis de la mouvance presidentielle, ainsi qu'une douzaine de candidats independants, ont fait acte de candidature. Seules 122 personnes brigueront les 81 sieges a pourvoir dans la future Assemblee. (AFP, France, 19 fevrier 1999) * Tunisie. Violences de lyceens - Plusieurs villes tunisiennes auraient ete le theatre, la semaine derniere, de manifestations violentes a l'initiative des lyceens, a-t-on appris de sources proches de l'opposition. Il y a eu des blesses, il y aurait meme eu des morts, selon certaines sources. Les manifestations auraient ete provoquees par des rumeurs a propos de la prochaine suppression d'une session de rattrapage au baccalaureat. Le 15 fevrier, le president Ben Ali a procede, sans explication, au changement de ministre de l'education. (D'apres Le Monde, France, 20 fevrier 1999) * Uganda-Kenya. The "Ocalan Affair" - 19 February: Uganda's New Vision reports: The aircraft which carried the kidnapped Turkish dissident Abdullah Ocalan from Nairobi to Turket was on standby at Entebbe Airport for five days beforehand. The New Vision has established that the French-built Falcon-900 aircraft, landed at Entebbe Airport on 10 February. It is reportedly owned by a prominent Turkish businessman. The jet flew out of Entebbe on 15 February at 1.55 pm en route to Nairobi. It is believed the plane picked up Ocalan at Nairobi after he had been kidnapped. 20 February: New Vision reports: The Government denies Turkish commandos used Uganda as a base to net Abdullah Ocalan. The Internal Affairs Minister, Major Tom Butime said: "The Government would like to make it categorically clear that it had no hand in the arrest of Mr Ocalan and was not even aware of his whereabouts. It is not true that as soon as the Turkish plane landed at Entebbe Airport, both the crew and passengers were received by members of the Uganda Marines and taken to an unknown place. It is true that Nergis Air, the company which operates the Falcon plane, sought permission which was granted, to land at Entebbe. The plane later flew away". (New Vision, Uganda, 19-20 February 1999) * Uganda. Interview with Idi Amin - Former Ugandan despot Idi Amin has said he is at peace with himself and that his only passion now is Islam, according to an interview published in Uganda's Sunday Vision newspaper. "I am leading a quiet life and committed to my religion, Islam and Allah. I don't have problems with anyone," Amin told the newspaper's reporter in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah where he has lived since his brutal regime was toppled in 1979. "I left Uganda nearly 20 years ago but today, Museveni still abuses me," he said. "Unlike some African heads of state, I did not flee Uganda with state funds. But I am satisfied with what I am getting and even paying school fees for a number of my orphaned relatives in Uganda, and helping needy people". (Daily Nation, Kenya, 14 February 1999) * Uganda. Bomb blasts in Kampala - The international St. Valentine's day for lovers on February 14 turned bloody in Kampala, when two bomb blasts exploded at two adjacent pubs in Kabalagala, a city suburb, killing five people and injuring another 35. Preliminary investigations have indicated that the bombs were home- made, similar to the ones that were used in three different incidents last year. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Major Tom Butime, said nine people, seven of whom were Ethiopians, were helping the police with investigations. The official government position attributes the bombs to the Sudanese sponsored Allied Democratic Force (ADF) rebels operating in Western Uganda since November 1996, seeking to oust the National Resistance Movement government of Yoweru Museveni. The ADF's worst attack todate, occurred on 8 June, when they burnt to death 80 students of Kichwamba National Technical Institute in Kabarole district, Western Uganda. President Museveni has reassured Ugandans that the government is "more than ever resolved to fight terrorism on all fronts". But opposition politicians doubt the President's optimism. (William Tayebwa, Uganda, 19 February 1999) * Uganda. Kampala's mayor sentenced - The Mayor of Kampala, Nasser Sebaggala, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison in the USA after being found guilty of bank fraud, transporting altered cheques and making false statements. The judge said he has reduced the mayor's jail term because of hardships being faced by his family. (BBC News, 25 February 1999) * Zimbabwe. Mugabe accuses... - 18 February: Parliament's legal committee ruled as "unconstitutional", President Mugabe's decree which outlawed the staging of or promotion of industrial action such as job stayaways. 21 February: President Mugabe marks his 75th birthday by accusing whites of orchestrating a campaign against him. In an interview on state television, he says many white farmers are meddling in the nation's politics by lobbying the IMF, which froze some loans to Zimbabwe, over its plans to re-distribute white-owned farms to poor blacks. He also reiterated his challenge to four senior judges to resign. The same day, South Africa's The Southern Cross says church workers and human rights activists in Zimbabwe are concerned for the safety of Zimbabwe's Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace chairman, Michael Auret, after President Mugabe launched a thinly veiled threat against him. 22 February: A court in Zimbabwe has ruled that the two journalists who say they were tortured in detention last month, can travel abroad for medical treatment. The two Mark Chavanduka and Rayo Choto were arrested after their newspaper, The Standard, published a report alleging a coup plot against President Mugabe. However, on 23 February, the state appealed against the court's decision, effectively blocking the departure of the two journalists. (ANB- BIA, Brussels, 24 February 1999)