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: 04 PART #1/ * Africa. Action against the Media - Egypt: On 1 March, the Egyptian Organization For Human Rights said it was deeply alarmed by the Higher Press Council's decree cancelling the license of Sawt Al-Ummah newspaper. Nigeria:The Committee to Protect Journalists has (CPJ) released a special report depicting the horrors Nigerian journalists have endured under oppressive military rule. Despite his promises of a democratic election and a transition to democracy, General Abubakar has failed to take steps to ensure that the repressive laws used to criminalize independent media are repealed. "Outliving Abacha: Six Journalists' Prison Stories", the CPJ's special report on Nigeria, comprises vivid narratives by prominent independent journalists who were imprisoned because of their journalists work: Kunle Ajibade, Chris Anyanwu, Ben Charles- Obi, George M'bah, Onome Osifo-Whiskey, and Babafemi Ojudi. The report stresses that despite the release of 16 journalists who were imprisoned under Abacha, one newspaper editor has not been freed: Niran Malaolu, the editor of The Diet, has been in prison for more than a year. He was arrested on 27 December 1997, tried and convicted by a special military tribunal in April 1998 for alleged involvement in a coup plot. In July, his life sentence was reduced to 15 years. He is reportedly critically ill and denied medical treatment. Rwanda: On 3 March, Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) protested against the detention in Kigali, of John Mugabi, editor of the monthly The Newsline, who was arrested on 26 February. Sierra Leone: On 24 February 1999, plainclothes police officers arrested Phillip Neville, managing editor of the independent Standard Times, following the newspaper's publication on the same day of an article titled "Joe Demby's Partner to Kill Kabbah and Jonah." The article reported on business ties between Demby, vice president of Sierra Leone, and Yail Galkaleil, an Israeli national who has been in detention in Sierra Leone for three weeks on espionage charges. The article also reported that Galkaleil planned to assassinate President Kabbah and Finance Minister James Jonah. Zimbabwe: Editors of leading independent newspapers in Zimbabwe said they would resist any government attempt to muzzle the press, which President Mugabe accuses of smearing and undermining his administration. After Willard Chiwewe, the information secretary, told the press "to behave responsibly and in a patriotic manner" in their reporting, the editors said they would do their job professionally. Four editors were summoned by Mr.Chiwewe on 29 February to discuss the government's grievances with the private media. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 4 March 1999) * Africa-USA. Plans for closer ties - President Clinton has restated his support for closer ties between the United States and developing countries in Africa. He made the comments at a joint media conference in Washington with the visiting Ghanaian president, Jerry Rawlings. At the same time, the White House unveiled plans for a US-Africa conference to be held in Washington next month. Correspondents say the US hopes to bring together the foreign affairs, finance and trade ministers of more than forty African countries. Earlier, President Clinton said he would support whatever necessary force was required to ensure peace in the Congo RDC. Mr.Clinton said the US was prepared to take part in an internationally recognized peacekeeping effort. (BBC News, 25 February 1999) * Africa. OAU Summit - The conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea will be discussed at an OAU Summit that Burkina Faso is hoping to organise at the end of this month. A spokesman in Ouagadougou said President Compaore is seeking the agreement of the necessary two- thirds of OAU members to hold this extraordinary summit. Burkina Faso wants the conflicts in Sierra Leone and Congo RDC to be on the agenda as well. (BBC News, 3 March 1999) * Afrique australe et de l'Est. Cholera - L'OMS vient d'etre informee par les services de sante de plusieurs pays d'Afrique australe et de l'Est d'une brutale augmentation des cas de cholera. "La situation en Afrique de l'Est est similaire a celle de la fin de 1997, lorsque presque tous les pays de la Corne de l'Afrique ont ete touches par de graves epidemies de cholera ou en etaient menaces", a declare l'OMS dans un communique publie le 26 fevrier. Les pays ayant signale soit de nouveaux cas, soit une augmentation importante des cas de cholera sont le Kenya, le Mozambique, la Somalie, l'Ouganda, la Tanzanie, la Zambie et le Zimbabwe. (IRIN, Nairobi, 27 fevrier 1999) * Afrique centrale. Sommet sur la securite - Sept chefs d'Etat d'Afrique centrale (Cameroun, Tchad, RCA, Congo-RDC, Congo-Brazza, Burundi, Sao Tome et Principe) et des delegations de deux autres pays (Gabon et Guinee equatoriale) se sont penches, le 25 fevrier a Yaounde, sur les problemes de securite dans la sous-region lors d'un sommet du Comite consultatif des Nations unies. A l'ouverture, le president camerounais Paul Biya a exhorte ses invites a resoudre "eux-memes" leurs problemes de securite; et le representant de l'OUA a egalement estime que "le maintien de la paix et de la securite en Afrique est avant tout une responsabilite des Etats du continent". Le reste des travaux s'est passe a huis clos. (D'apres AFP, France, 25 fevrier 1999) * Afrique de l'Ouest. Air Afrique privatisee? - Lourdement endettee, la compagnie Air Afrique veut decoller grace au prive. Le 27 fevrier, a l'issue d'un conseil d'administration a Abidjan, les onze Etats membres actionnaires de la compagnie (Benin, Burkina Faso, RCA, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Tchad, Mauritanie, Niger, Senegal, Togo) ont accepte de perdre le controle absolu de l'entreprise, en ne gardant que 33%, voire 22% du capital de la multinationale. En novembre deja, les adminsitrateurs avaient decide de reduire leur participation a 51%; mais aucun investiseur n'avait souhaite s'impliquer dans une compagnie encore sous controle de onze Etats. Le futur repreneur devra toutefois s'engager a remplir certaines missions de service public, comme la desserte des pays enclaves. (D'apres AFP, France, 28 fevrier 1999) * Algerie. Charte electorale - Le 25 fevrier, sept candidats a l'election presidentielle, ainsi que l'ex-secretaire general du RND (parti du president), ont presente une charte electorale ou ils reclament des "elections libres et regulieres". Ils demandent egalement que toutes les etapes du scrutin soient ouvertes a "l'observation des citoyens, aux organisations civiles locales et aux observateurs internationaux". - Le 28 fevrier avant minuit, les dossiers de douze candidats ont ete deposes au siege du Conseil constitutionnel a Alger. Le Conseil dispose d'une quinzaine de jours pour valider ou rejeter les candidatures deposees. 36 candidats n'ont pu recueillir le quota de signatures requis: 75.000 signatures d'electeurs ou 600 signatures d'elus dans plus de la moitie des 48 departements. Le meme jour, le president Zeroual avait fermement reaffirme sa determination de maintenir le vote a la date du 15 avril. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 1er mars 1999) * Algeria. The "wall of silence" begins to crack - In a News Release, Amnesty International says the wall of silence which has surrounded the "disappearance" of some 3000 Algerian men and women over the past six years, has begun to crack, thanks to the relentless efforts of their mothers, wives and other relatives. In the past year, more and more families of "disappeared", driven by despair, overcame their fear, and their increasingly persistent protests and lobbying forced the issue to be debated in parliament, on the streets and on the front pages of the national press. "This is a major breakthrough because now, those who -- in Algeria or elsewhere -- claimed that the problem of "disappearances" did not exist, can no longer do so". (Amnesty International, 3 March 1999) * Algerie. A.I. accuse - Le 3 mars, dans un rapport intitule "Disparitions: le mur du silence", Amnesty International a presente les dossiers de plus de 3.000 personnes "disparues" en Algerie apres avoir ete arretees. Depuis le debut de la crise algerienne, en 1992, la "pratique systematique" des detentions au secret, la torture et les disparitions constituent "un acte de terrorisme du gouvernement" algerien, a accuse le responsable d'AI pour l'Algerie, lors d'une conference de presse a Madrid. Le phenomene touche tout le monde et tout le pays, a-t-il affirme, soulignant que l'ensemble des forces de securite (police, gendarmerie, securite militaire et milices armees par l'Etat) sont impliquees dans ces "disparitions". (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 4 mars 1999) * Angola-Zambia. Efforts to end differences - 24 February: Angolan president Eduardo dos Santos holds talks with his Mozambique counterpart, Joaquim Chissano and South Africa's foreign minister, Alfred Nzo, on ways of resolving tensions with neighbouring Zambia and the crisis in the Congo RDC. Officials say that Nzo conveyed a message from President Mandela suggesting that dos Santos and President Chiluba of Zambia discuss Angolan charges that Zambia had been providing arms to the Angolan UNITA rebel leader, Jonas Savimbi. An official Angolan television report says that Nzo's brief visit is prompted by the latest developments in the RDC, relations between Angola and Zambia, and the situation in Southern Africa in general. It also cites Mandela's concern for the security of the RDC's neighbours and the implementation of a ceasefire in that country. The UN Security Council is preparing this week to shut down its mission in Angola, convinced that the military observers have no job to do because the 1994 peace accord they were overseeing collapsed. Nevertheless, council members are also laying the groundwork for a future UN presence in Angola in hopes of resurrecting the accord and ensuring that the $1.5 billion invested in the peace accord in the past four years isn't wasted. As a first step, though, the US, Russia and Portugal, the three nations overseeing the peace accord, circulated a draft resolution 24 February that would phase out the UN Observer Mission in Angola by March 20. 25 February: A high-level OAU mission, headed by Assistant Secretary General, Ahmed Haggag, has left Addis Ababa on a mission aimed at reconciling differences between Angola and Zambia. The mission has come about "following unfortunate developments in the relationship between the two countries". The mission, dispatched by Secretary-General, Salim Ahmed Salim, is expected to consult with the governments of the two countries, "on how best the OAU can contribute to the on-going efforts within the region, to overcome the current differences and improve the relations between the two countries", the OAU said. Angola has accused Zambia of using its territory to ferry arms to UNITA which is fighting the Luanda government. Zambia has denied the charges. 26 February: The UN Security Council votes to close its peacekeeping mission in Angola. (ANB-BIA, 25 February 1999) * Angola. Fin de la Monua - 25 fevrier. Quatre personnes au moins ont ete tuees et une dizaine blessees lors de deux jours de bombardements de la ville de Malange par les forces de l'UNITA, qui controleraient deja 11 des 14 municipalites de la province. 26 fevrier. Le Conseil de securite de l'Onu a mis fin a sa mission de maintien de la paix en Angola. Les quinze membres du Conseil ont adopte a l'unanimite la resolution stipulant la liquidation technique de la Monua. La mandat de cette force de 980 hommes s'achevait ce jour. L'essentiel de son retrait devra etre termine d'ici au 20 mars. Toutefois, a la demande du president Dos Santos, l'Onu continuera ses actions d'aide humanitaire, d'aide au developpement et au respect des droits de l'homme. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 27 fevrier 1999) * Angola. Fighting continues...Likewise the misery - 1 March: The UN special representative in Angola, Issa Diallo, says the Security Council blaims mainly UNITA for the failure of MONUA to fulfill its mandate. 2 March: The Auxiliary Bishop of Luanda, Bishop Anastacio Kahango tells the press agency MISNA that there is a continous increase in "growing misery and the numbers of displaced people". 3 March: Reports from Angola say government troops have been forced to retreat from their positions near the central town of Andulo, following fierce fighting with UNITA. The reports say the troops backed off some 14 kms from the rebel stronghold and are now seeking to set up a new operations base. (ANB-BIA Brussels, 3 March 1999) * Burkina Faso. Security forces stop march - 25 February: Security Forces stopped a procession of intellectuals from submitting a protest note to President Compaore, sources in Ouagadougou said. The security forces sealed access routes to the presidential lodge where the 300 marchers were headed. However, the intellectuals refused to hand over the note to the minister in charge of territorial administration, Yero Boly, when he asked them to do so. The minister warned that the marchers ran the risk of creating public disorders if the demonstration is allowed to go on. The angry members of the committee retreated with the manifesto. Prof.Mahamade Savadogo, member of the Committee, said the march had been authorised and should not have been stopped. The protest note, which was signed by 800 intellectuals, dwelt on the poor human rights situation Burkina Faso and the need to improve it. (PANA, Dakar, 26 February 1999) * Burkina Faso. "Mobutu Roi du Zaire" - "Mobutu Roi du Zaire", film qui retrace l'histoire d'un des "plus anciens et des plus tenaces dictateurs issus de la guerre froide et de la decolonisation", a ete presente mercredi soir en premiere mondiale au Festival panafricain du cinema de Ouagadougou (FESPACO). "C'est le lieu ideal pour la toute premiere mondiale. J'ai choisi le FESPACO, en terre africaine, ou se concentre toute l'intelligentsia, toute la creativite et la reflexion des cineastes africains", a explique a l'AFP son realisateur, le Belge Thierry Michel. Pour lui, la vie de Mobutu est une tragedie africaine, a l'image des grandes tragedies grecques ou Shakespeariennes. "Il fallait un film parce que derriere la tragedie de l'homme, il y a celle de son pays et de son peuple", dit-il. Le realisateur souhaite presenter son oeuvre en Republique democratique du Congo (RDC, ex-Zaire) afin qu'elle participe a "l'accouchement de la democratie". Car, pour lui, "on ne peut pas faire l'histoire avec l'amnesie de l'histoire". "Mobutu Roi du Zaire" va voyager dans de nombreux festivals dans le monde. Il est attendu a Milan, en Suisse, a Montreal et a Cannes. Il va sortir en salles en France et en Belgique. Ce film hors competition, qui a fait forte impression sur le public venu en masse assister a sa projection, a aussi recu des commandes de diffusion dans quelques pays d'Afrique. (D'apres AFP, France, 4 mars 1999) * Burundi. Greve des etudiants - Le 24 fevrier, les etudiants de l'universite se sont mis en greve "illimitee". Ils reclament notamment la construction de nouvelles salles de classe et l'elargissement du home universitaire. Depuis 7 ans, l'universite n'a pas acquis une seule infrastructure; or, les effectifs ont plus que double par rapport a 1992. Les taux d'echecs sont devenus explosifs. Et depuis que la fonction publique n'engage plus, les diplomes ne trouvent plus d'embauche. (D'apres Infoaza, Burundi, 24 fevrier 1999) * Cameroon. Central African security meeting - Eleven member states of a UN consultative committee were due to meet in Yaounde, Cameroon, to discuss security issues in central Africa. According to a statement issued by the Cameroonian presidency, the meeting would group the leaders of Gabon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, congo-Brazzaville, and Cameroon. The report said it was likely some leaders would not attend, but would send representatives instead. (AFP, France, 25 February 1999) * Comoros. Teachers on sit-down strike - Members of the National Union of Comorian Teachers began a sit-down strike 25 February, to press demands for the payment of salary arrears for January and February 1998, the strikers' union said in Moroni. In a circular distributed to its members, the union called for the application of the "protocol accord signed between the government and teachers' union" which made a special provision for the payment of these salaries before 15 February. "Not only that salary have not been paid but no explanation was made to us" said Ibouroi Ali Toibibou, secretary general of the union. Toibibou was expected to meet Prime Minister Abbas Djoussouf on 26 February. (PANA, Dakar, 26 February 1999) * Comoros. Untenable humanitarian situation - The humanitarian situation in the breakaway island of Anjouan in the Indian Ocean island state of the Comoros remains untenable. This is the view of residents and various OAU missions that have visited the Comorian since factional fighting broke out in the wake of a secessionist movement in December 1998. "The killings, plunderings and complete breakdown of law and order could lead to a large-scale humanitarian disaster", a military mission dispatched to the island by the OAU warned. It said that "provisions of water and health services are inadequate", while "pregnant or lactating women are exposed to high risks". "The self-proclaimed government no longer works. Public order is not maintained, which opens the door to killings as well as uncontrolled circulation and use of weapons, namely light weapons, grenade-launchers and light artillery pieces", the mission said in a report prepared in December. (PANA, Dakar, 26 February 1999) * Centrafrique. La Minurca prolongee - Le 26 fevrier, le Conseil de securite a prolonge le mandat de la mission de l'Onu en RCA jusqu'au 15 novembre prochain. La resolution, prise a l'unanimite, autorise la MINURCA a jouer un role d'appui lors des elections presidentielles, qui devraient se derouler vers la fin du mois d'octobre. Elle appelle le gouvernement centrafricain a etablir une nouvelle commission electorale des que possible, pour organiser les prochaines elections. Le Conseil a egalement decide de reexaminer le mandat de la MINURCA apres 45 jours. (IRIN, Nairobi, 1er mars 1999) * Congo-Brazza. Appel des eveques - Les eveques catholiques du Congo ont denonce, le 1er mars, les violations des droits de l'homme dans le pays, y compris les "massacres de civils innocents" et le pillage des biens publics et prives. Ils ont declare que les forces de securite devraient arreter de "terroriser les civils". Les eveques ont egalement exhorte au ramassage systematique des armes et ont instamment demande la reconciliation entre les partisans de MM. Nguesso, Lissouba et Kolelas. (IRIN, Nairobi, 2 mars 1999) * Congo (RDC). Rebels report advances - With peace talks in limbo, Congolese rebels reported fresh advances against government troops and their foreign allies in a drive to capture a southern diamond-producing city. Maj.Siatilo Ngizo, a rebel commander, said his troops had captured the town of Opala, 90 miles southwest of Kisangani, the rebel army headquarters on the Congo River. The rebels, backed by their Ugandan and Rwandan allies, were moving in from Kisangani on Mbuji-Mayi, 590 miles east of the capital, Kinshasa, and the main source of revenue for Congolese President Kabila. (AP, 25 February 1999) * Congo (RDC). Guerre au Kivu - Selon un communique du SIC (Source independante du Congo) date du 28 fevrier, des troupes venant du Rwanda auraient declenche une operation militaire au Sud- Kivu. Arrivees vers la mi-fevrier, elles auraient attaque des villages dans la collectivite de Ngweshe, dans le Bushi, brulant des maisons et tuant des gens. Elles auraient ensuite poursuivi leur marche vers l'Urega, pillant et incendiant d'autres villages. Le 22 fevrier, elles seraient arrivees a Kamituga, et le 27 a Kitutu. Le but serait de reprendre le controle des mines de Kamituga-Lugushwa et d'infliger un coup serieux aux combattants Mai-Mai et a des groupes de miliciens hutu. Cette strategie de la terre brulee, terrorisant la population civile, a des consequences de plus en plus dramatiques pour la population. (D'apres SIC, Bukavu, 28 fevrier 1999) * Congo (RDC). Peu d'optimisme - Entre 8.000 et 10.000 ressortissants de la RDC se sont refugies dans le nord du Congo- Brazzaville pour fuir les combats dans la province de l'Equateur. D'autre part, a l'issue d'une tournee dans la region, l'emissaire europeen Aldo Ajello a estime que le conflit en RDC est "loin d'une solution" et qu'il n'y a "pas de raison d'etre optimiste". Emissaires, envoyes speciaux et chefs d'Etat ont multiplie leurs navettes la semaine derniere, sans grand resultat. L'activite diplomatique coincide avec le renforcement des belligerants sur le front de l'est, selon des informations a Kinshasa. - Le 1er mars, un sommet reunissait a Kinshasa autour du president Kabila, les chefs d'Etat de l'Angola, de Namibie et du Zimbabwe, ses allies, qui souhaitent une issue negociee au conflit. Ils ont examine les moyens de mettre fin a la guerre, tout en lancant une mise en garde aux rebelles congolais et a leurs auxiliaires etrangers. A l'issue du sommet, le president du Zimbabwe a declare que les allies feront tout ce qui est en leur pouvoir pour aider la RDC a retablir sa souverainete et son integrite territoriale. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 mars 1999) * Congo (RDC). Support grows for peacekeepers - On 2 March, the deployment of UN peacekeepers to Congo RDC moved a step closer as Kofi Annan expressed support and Britain began canvassing world opinion. Annan said he was hopeful the UN Security Council would send an international force once a firm settlement of the civil war had been reached. "The Council is beginning to look at these issues more critically and with a bit more of an open mind", Annan said. Britain appears to hold some hopes that a peace can be secured and has informally begun discussing the possibility of sending UN peacekeepers to Congo RDC of a ceasefire is secured. (CNN, USA, 3 March 1999) * Congo (RDC). Nouveau mouvement rebelle - Un troisieme groupe de rebelles contre le president Kabila a vu le jour. L'Union des nationalistes republicains pour la liberation (UNARL) s'est emparee, selon ses propres dires, de la ville de Bolobo sur le fleuve Congo, entre Kinshasa et Mbandaka. Selon son porte-parole, l'ancien journaliste Imana Ingulu, tout trafic sur le fleuve aurait ete arrete. Le commandant militaire de l'UNARL est le colonel Jean Imbamba, un officier de l'ancienne garde presidentielle de Mobutu. (D'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 4 mars 1999) * Cote d'Ivoire. White collar crime on the rise - White collar crime is on the increase in the country, a security ministry report has disclosed. "Economic crimes worth 14.5 billion CFA francs were committed in the country last year as compared to 10 billion CFA francs in 1997", the report said. The report failed to give reasons for the increasing incidence of white collar crimes in the country. Observers however, link it to difficulties most Ivorians face having to live within their meagre incomes made worse by inflation and high costs of imported consumer items on the local market. The report revealed that 84,798 suspects were rounded-up by the police in 1998 in connection with crimes. It added that 64 suspected criminals were shot and killed by the police during the same period as compared to 123 killed in 1997. Also some 167 houses were ransacked in 1998 as against 239 homes in the previous year and attacks on businesses, especially in the Abidjan district, were reduced from 212 in 1997 to 177 in 1998. (PANA, Dakar, 26 February 1999) * Ethiopie/Erytrhee. Victoire ethiopienne - 25 fevrier. Au troisieme jour de combats entre les forces ethiopiennes et erythreennes dans la region de Badme, l'OUA a decide de tenter une nouvelle mediation. Son porte-parole a affirme qu'une nouvelle equipe composee de trois representants se rendra des que possible en Erythree. 26 fevrier. Selon des sources diplomatiques, l'Ethiopie a obtenu "plusieurs victoires significatives" sur le front de Badme. 27 fevrier. L'Erythree a reconnu que ses troupes avaient battu en retraite et annonce qu'elle acceptait le plan de paix de l'OUA, deja accepte par l'Ethiopie. 28 fevrier. L'Ethiopie a revendique une "victoire totale" dans la region de Badme, faisant neanmoins etat d'operations de ratissage. Le Conseil de securite a appele a un cessez-le-feu, mais les chances qu'il soit instaure semblent minimes. L'Erythree a annonce qu'Addis Abeba avait lance une nouvelle offensive le 28 fevrier et que les combats se poursuivaient le 1er mars. 2 mars. Le gouvernement d'Addis Abeba a declare son intention de poursuivre la guerre "jusqu'a ce que les forces ennemies soient totalement aneanties". Il semble qu'apres avoir "expurge" la zone de Badme, les autorites ethiopiennes ont decide de pousser leur avantage en territoire erythreen. (ANB- BIA, de sources diverses, 3 mars 1999) * Ethiopia-Eritrea. "Total victory" - 25 February: Ethiopia claimed its warplanes shot down an Eritrean MiG-29 in a dogfight over their disputed western border, where fierce ground fighting raged for a third consecutive day. Ethiopian fighter jets brought down the plane over the Badme front, 600 miles north of the capital, Addis Ababa, a diplomatic source said. The two countries in the Horn of Africa are contesting parts of their 620-miles border that were never demarcated after Eritrea won independence from Ethiopia in 1993. Government spokeswoman Selome Tadesse did not confirm the shootdown, saying only that Ethiopian forces had inflicted heavy damages on Eritrean air and ground units. 27 February: Eritrea accepts an OAU peace plan and says the "ceasefire depends on Ethiopians, since they are the ones putting up conditions". 28 February: Ethiopia declares "total victory" in its war with Eritrea after driving Eritrean forces out of their position in the Badme region of northern Ethiopia. A government statement said that Ethiopian troops had overrun 100km of heavily- fortified Eritrean trenches, dealing a "monumental and humiliating defeat" to the Eritrean army. But Eritrean authorities reject the suggestion of a wholesale defeat, describing Ethiopia's victory statement as "boasting and lies". 1 March: The OAU calls for an immediate ceasefire. 2 March: Thousands take to the streets of Addis Ababa celebrating the "victory of Badme". The same day, the government of Ethiopia says it intends to continue the war. The conflict will be discussed at an OAU summit that Burkina Faso is organising at the end of this month. (ANB-BIA, 3 March 1999) * Guinee-Bissau. Maladies et deminage - Selon des sources humanitaires, plus de 180 cas de meningite ont ete enregistres dans les seules regions de Bafata, Mansoa et Quinhamel. La rougeole aussi continue a sevir. Une bonne partie de la population souffrant de malnutrition n'offre que peu de resistance a ces maladies, et les structures sanitaires disposent de fort peu d'equipement. - D'autre part, l'etat-major senegalais a decide que ses troupes ne quitteront pas la Guinee-Bissau le 28 fevrier comme prevu, mais qu'elles effectueront d'abord une vaste operation de deminage, enlevant quelque 2.000 mines antipersonnel qui menacent la population. (D'apres Misna, Italie, 25-27 fevrier 1999) * Kenya. Dommages et interets - Plus de 2.000 Kenyans sont prets a attaquer en justice le gouvernement des Etats-Unis pour obtenir des dommages et interets apres l'attentat d'aout dernier contre leur ambassade a Nairobi, rapporte le 1er mars l'hebdomadaire US News and World Report. Les plaignants demanderaient, toutes plaintes confondues, plus de 8,4 milliards de FF. (La Croix, France, 1er mars 1999) * Liberia. Foreigners deported - Liberia has announced that it's deporting two foreigners -- a Briton and a Sierra Leonean -- accusing them of being part of a network trying to undermine the Liberian government. The Liberian justice minister, Eddington Varmah said the two men had collaborated with the information officer at the Sierra Leonean embassy to discredit Liberia by fabricating evidence suggesting that the Liberian government was supporting the rebels in Sierra Leone. On 26 Feb. President Taylor, says he has ordered the deportation of three men, one of them an official at the Sierra Leone's embassy, David Seesay, who he accused of being mercenaries. The President said the men would have to leave the country by midday today, 26 Feb. He said there was an international campaign to discredit the Liberian government and to avoid falsehood it was better that the men left the country. Correspondents say several countries have accused Liberia of providing arms for Sierra Leone's rebel movement, a charge Mr.Taylor has repeatedly denied. (BBC News, 26 February 1999) * Liberia. Allegations of child slavery - The Catholic Justice and Peace Commission and Focus have both been taken to court, following suits filed by Sinoe, Maryland, Grand Kru and Bong counties against the two human rights organisations. In a report issued recently, the two organisations claimed forced labour and child slavery were being carried out in southeastern Liberia, which prompted the government to send a fact-finding mision to the area. The four counties said the allegations "gave a wrong impression to the international community", making it difficult for them to mobtain assistance. (IRIN, West Africa, 2 March 1999) * Libye. Lockerbie: ultimatum - Le 26 fevrier, les Etats-Unis et la Grande-Bretagne ont menace d'imposer des sanctions supplementaires a la Libye si les deux suspects dans l'affaire Lockerbie n'etaient pas livres dans un delai d'un mois. Le lendemain, Tripoli qui veut des garanties sur un "proces equitable", a affirme son refus de se voir imposer un ultimatum. Toutefois, dans une declaration commune avec le president namibien Nujoma en visite a Tripoli, M. Kadhafi a declare que la Cour internationale de justice de La Haye etait la mieux placee pour traiter le dossier. Et le 2 mars, lors d'un meeting populaire a Benghazi, Kadhafi a encore fait etat d'un "compromis qui sauve la face a toutes les parties", sans toutefois livrer le moindre detail. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 mars 1999) * Libya. "No" to Lockerbie ultimatum - 26 February: The US and UK give Libya a month to hand over the Lamen Khalifa Fhimah and Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, who are accused of bombing Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in Scotland, in which 270 died. 27 February: Libya says it cannot accept the 30-day limit imposed by Britain and the United States for handing over the Lockerbie bombing suspects. Today, Libyan television broadcasts a statement from the Foreign Ministry saying that the latest US-UK demand "could not be talked about or discussed before agreeing on the arrangements and guarantees which the Great Jamahiriyah (Libya) demanded". 2 March: President Gaddafi says a deal on the trial of the two men is near, and he praises the fairness of Scottish justice. "I ask the people to trust South Africa's President Mandela and Saudi Arabia who asked us to accept the deal. It is not possible to doubt the fairness of a Scottish court". (BBC News, 3 March 1999) * Malawi. House adopts report - The Malawi Parliament, sitting in an extraordinary session in the capital, Lilongwe, pending general elections in May, has finally adopted a report by the country's Electoral Commission which threatened to derail the electoral process. The report originally recommended 70 additional constituencies in the run-up to the scheduled 18 May elections. The majority of the new seats, according to the report, were to be allocated to Southern Malawi, the ruling United Democratic Front party's stronghold. After an outcry of "legal rigging" intentions by electoral experts and opposition parties in parliament, however, the house approved only 16 of the new constituencies. Meanwhile, the Commission's chairman, William Hanjahanja, has told journalists in Blantyre that although certain procedures have been delayed, the commission will make sure the elections are held as scheduled. (PANA, Dakar, 25 February 1999) * Mali. Economie en progres - Le FMI estime que le Mali a accompli "des progres considerables" en matiere economique depuis 1994, mais a toujours besoin d'assistance exterieure s'il veut atteindre ses objectifs economiques et sociaux. Actuellement beneficiaire d'une facilite d'ajustement structurel renforce, le Mali a vu son economie continuer a croitre en 1998 en depit de mauvaises conditions meteorologiques, releve un rapport du FMI. Toutefois, son economie demeurant "fragile", le FMI recommande que le pays se voit accorder un allegement supplementaire de sa dette. (IRIN, Abidjan, 26 fevrier 1999) * Mali. IMF hails economic progress - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) considers that Mali has made "considerable progress" in its economy since 1994, but says it still needs outside assistance to achieve its social and economic goals. According to an IMF report, Mali -- under economic programmes governed by the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility -- sustained its economic growth in 1998, despite adverse weather conditions. However, as the economy was still "fragile", the IMF recommended additional debt relief for the country. It also urged the Malian government to continue with their policy of fiscal consolidation, including modernisation of the tax system, and to accelerate structural reforms. (IRIN, Nairobi, 26 February 1999) * Mali. Aide - La Banque mondiale a accorde au gouvernement malien un credit de 40 millions de dollars pour financer un vaste programme de sante d'ici a fin 2003. La France a accorde deux financements de 500 millions de fcfa, l'un pour l'etude d'un projet hydraulique villageois dans la zone de Nioro du Sahel, l'autre pour la gestion des ressources forestieres dans la region de Sikasso. Enfin, le 19 fevrier, un accord a ete signe avec l'USAID par lequel le gouvernement americain met a la disposition du Mali une aide financiere supplementaire de 3 millions de dollars pour le developpement du nord du pays. (D'apres Le Republicain, Mali, 26 fevrier 1999) * Morocco. Pilgrims can go to Jerusalem - For the first time in more than 30 years, Moroccan pilgrims will be allowed to travel to Jerusalem to pray at the Al Aqsa mosque. The policy shift was announced by the foreign Minister Abdelkebir Alaoui M'daghri. Since 1967, when Israel captured Jerusalem and the hilltop where the revered mosque is located, Moroccans have no longer travelled there for prayer. Some 24,000 Muslim Moroccans are expected to travel this year to Mecca, a holy site in Saudi Arabia, and some of them will travel onto Al Aqsa. To avoid landing at an Israeli airport, the pilgrims will travel to the newly opened Palestinian airport, Gaza International, and then travel by land to Jerusalem. (AP, 26 February 1999) * Maroc. Anniversaire - Le 3 mars, a l'occasion des ceremonies marquant le 38e anniversaire de son accession au trone, le roi Hassan II a gracie 1.500 personnes. Dans un discours, il a egalement reaffirme l'attachement du Maroc au plan de paix de l'Onu qui prevoit un referendum au Sahara occidental; mais il a insiste sur le fait qu'aucun Sahraoui ne devait etre prive du droit de s'y exprimer, faisant ainsi allusion au probleme des 65.000 membres de tribus contestees par le Front Polisario. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 4 mars 1999) * Mauritius. Order returns - Businesses, banks and government departments opened again in Mauritius today after being forced to close for two days because of riots. Buses were operating normally across the island as road blocks were cleared but schools and universities remained closed. On 24 February, President Uteem threatened to declare a state of emergency to curb ongoing violence which broke out after a popular reggae singer, known as Kaya, died in police custody. The President promised that there would be a judicial inquiry into the death of the singer, who was buried on 24 February. At least four people died in clashes with police, which have been described as the worst the island has seen for 30 years. On 1 March, reports from Mauritius said that 40 people were arrested over the weekend, suspected of rioting or looting during the unrest. (BBC News, 25 Feb-1 March 1999) * Maurice. Retour au calme - Apres avoir ete fermees durant une semaine, les ecoles et les universites ont rouvert leurs portes, le 1er mars. Des emeutes, qui ont fait trois morts, ont secoue l'ile Maurice apres la mort en detention d'un chanteur de reggae Kaya. Une quarantaine d'emeutiers devraient etre juges. Une commission d'enquete doit eclaircir les circonstances du deces du chanteur. (La Croix, France, 2 mars 1999) * Mozambique. Good harvest expected - Officials in Mozambique said a good harvest was expected this year even though some part of the country has been subjected to heavy torrential rain and flooding in recent weeks. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture said 24 Feb. the harvest was expected to bypass the expected target of 1.7 million mt of grain. He added that despite yearly floods, food production was increasing each year. In 1997, floods destroyed nearly 100,000 hectares of crops. Since mid- January this year, floods had destroyed only an estimated 44,000 hectares, he added. (IRIN, Nairobi, 24 February 1999) * Niger. Refugees bodies found - A rebel leader in Niger say that the bodies of 150 people who disappeared have been found in the east of the country. The leader of the Democratic Revolutionary Front, Isa Lamine, told reporters the people were killed by local soldiers at the village of Bula-Tunger in Diffa state. They are thought to be part of group of refugees who returned to Niger after the Democratic Revolutionary Front, which represents Toubou nomads, signed a peace agreement with the government last year. The time and circumstances of the alleged killings are not known. (BBC News, 25 February 1999) * Nigeria. Statement by the Bishops - On 24 February, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria issued a Statement on the Eve of the Presidential Election of February 27, 1999. The Bishops called on the government and its agents "to be manifestly impartial umpires at the presidential election. They should not give the slightest hint of supporting one candidate against the other. The Independent National Electoral Commission should live up to its acclaimed independence, by ensuring that none of its officials at any level succomb to corruption by agents of the contending parties, before, during or after the election. Security agents should be alive to their reponsibilities by not allowing anyone, no matter who he or she may be, to pevert the electoral process. The political parties, for their part, should not make of the election a "do" or "die" affair, where anything goes. They should resist the temptation to corrupt electoral officers, security agents, and indeed agents of their opposing parties in order to secure fraudulent results. After the election, the winners should be humble in victory, while the losers should be gracious in defeat. The spirit of sportmanship should prevail among the contending parties..." (Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, 24 February 1999) * Nigeria. Elections presidentielles - Le 24 fevrier, les eveques catholiques ont publie un communique appelant le gouvernement a l'impartialite et les partis a s'abstenir de toute corruption dans les elections. Ils demandent aussi avec insistance a la population de participer en masse au scrutin. - Le 25 fevrier au soir, la campagne presidentielle s'est achevee. Les deux candidats en lice, Olusegun Obasanjo et Olu Falae, ont en commun d'appartenir a la meme ethnie Yorouba, d'avoir croupi dans les geoles militaires et d'etre de la meme generation (Falae a 60 ans, Obasanjo 61). Ils ont egalement affiche des programmes aussi vagues que semblables, axes sur les necessites criantes du pays. - Le 27 fevrier, le scrutin s'est deroule dans le calme. Le taux de participation a semble depasser les 50% des 40 millions d'electeurs inscrits. Le president Abubakar a appele les deux candidats a accepter le verdict electoral "dans un esprit de fair-play". Il a egalement annonce que la nouvelle Constitution du pays, detaillant le mandat presidentiel et les pouvoirs de l'Assemblee nationale, serait prete cette semaine. - Le 1er mars, Olesegun Obasanjo a ete officiellement proclame vainqueur avec 62,78 % des voix, mais le parti d'Olu Falae, l'APP, a annonce son rejet des resultats, affirmant qu'ils etaient completement truques. Selon les observateurs cependant, cette election "reflete les voeux du peuple nigerian", bien qu'elle ait ete marquee de "serieuses irregularites". Selon l'ex-president americain Jimmy Carter, chef d'une importante delegation d'observateurs etrangers, "il existe une forte disparite entre le nombre de votants observe dans les bureaux de vote et le resultat final tel qu'il a ete annonce dans plusieurs Etats". Mais l'agence Reuters note que les fraudes semblent avoir existe des deux cotes. - Le 2 mars, M. Obasanjo a annonce qu'il constituerait un gouvernement d'ouverture et de transparence. Il s'est engage a restaurer la dignite du pays, revigorer l'economie, soulager la pauvrete, assurer la securite, la justice et l'egalite. Et il a promis d'oeuvrer pour reconcilier tous les Nigerians et refermer les plaies du passe. M. Obasanjo accepterait ainsi de former un gouvernement d'unite nationale, dont pourrait faire partie M. Falae. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 mars 1999) * Nigeria. Presidential election - 24 February: Nigeria's military government issues new rules limiting the winner of the presidential election to two four-year terms and requiring that he declare all assets before assuming power. The government of General Abubakar also sets out other election rules, including jail terms and fines for anyone caught offering or accepting bribes. The rules are released as part of Nigeria's draft constitution, which is still being debated and written. The presidential elections are being contested by retired Gen.Olusegun Obasango and former finance minister Olu Falae. 25 Feb.: Final rallies are taking place on the last official day of campaigning before the presidential election - - the final stage in the transition to civilian rule. 27 February: Presidential election --Olusegun Obasanjo versus Olu Falae. 1 March: Olusegun Obasanjo has swept back into power. The result is denounced by Olu Falae. He says: "From what I have heard so far, the election has been a farce". He says he will challenge the result in court. Former US president Jimmy Carter had declined to endorse the election as free and fair, because of rigging. The chairman of the Electoral Commission says: "The stage has been set for the enthronement of a genuine democratic order in Nigeria." President-elect Obasanjo says he will work to restore faith in democracy. International leaders offer qualified congratulations to the President-elect. 2 March: The USA congratulates Nigeria over the way in which the election was run. (ANB-BIA, 3 March 1999) * ONU. Mines antipersonnel - Le Traite d'Ottawa concernant les mines antipersonnel entre officiellement en vigueur le 1er mars, six mois apres sa 40e ratification intervenue le 16 septembre 1998 par le Burkina Faso. La convention concerne l'interdiction de l'emploi, du stockage, de la production et du transfert de toutes les mines antipersonnel. Les organisations militant contre cette arme estiment a 100 millions le nombre de mines antipersonnel qui jonchent la planete. Elles tuent ou mutilent 2.000 personnes chaque mois. Le dimanche 28 fevrier, le pape Jean Paul II a appele tous les pays du monde a signer le plus rapidement possible le traite. Si 133 pays ont deja signe ce texte, on trouve parmi les exceptions notoires les Etats-Unis. Jusqu'a present, seuls 65 pays ont ratifie le traite. (D'apres AFP, France, 28 fevrier 1999) * Rwanda. Education ministry defrauded - The Rwandan Ministry of Education has taken a New York-based consulting firm, Network International (ICN), to court for defrauding it of about US$500,000 in a computer-purchasing deal that went sour, according to the Rwanda News Agency (RNA). According to the ministry's director, Charles Gahima, the money was paid to ICN, but the computers supplied were rejected because they were no good. The Ministry is now demanding a refund. The Ministry is also trying to recover money which it says, was embezzled from a project to rebuild schools in the country and reportedly borrowed from the World Bank. The ministry has taken the project's director and 11 foreign contracting companies who stole about US$2.7 million to court to get the money back, according to RNA. (IRIN, Nairobi, 25 February 1999) * Sierra Leone. Enfants disparus - Deux mille enfants, ages de 5 a 14 ans, sont portes disparus depuis l'invasion rebelle de Freetown, le 6 janvier dernier, a-t-on appris le 25 fevrier du ministere sierra-leonais des Affaires sociales. "D'apres nos statistiques, nous pensons que beaucoup d'entre eux ont ete enleves par les rebelles, lorsque ces derniers ont ete chasses par l'Ecomog et emmenes en brousse", a declare un responsable. En octobre dernier, l'Unicef estimait a 4.000 le nombre d'enfants-soldats dans ce pays ravage par sept ans de guerre civile. Quelque 2.500 d'entre eux seraient enroles de force par les rebelles et le reste dans le camp gouvernemental. (La Libre Belgique, 26 fevrier 1999) * Sierra Leone. Negociations? - 25 fevrier. Les rebelles du RUF se sont dit prets a tenir des pourparlers de paix avec le gouvernement et a accepter un cessez-le-feu sous l'egide des Nations unies, a rapporte l'agence Reuters. Le RUF a indique qu'une rencontre devait d'abord avoir lieu entre son dirigeant emprisonne, Foday Sankoh, et ses lieutenants, comme l'avait suggere le president Kabbah. Comme lieu de rencontre ils proposent Ouagadougou, Abidjan ou Lome; mais Ouagadougou est inacceptable pour le gouvernement, a indique le porte-parole de la presidence "etant donne que le president du Burkina est implique dans la crise". -D'autre part, la communaute humanitaire a exprime son inquietude concernant la situation dans le nord du pays, presque inaccessible pour les organisations de secours. La region de Kailahun est touchee par la meningite et des cas ont ete enregistres aussi parmi des personnes deplacees arrivant de Kenema. - Les leaders religieux de toutes confessions (catholiques, musulmans et protestants) ont lance un appel aux rebelles afin qu'ils liberent trois missionnaires catholiques enleves ces dernieres semaines. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 fevrier 1999) * Sierra Leone. Religious leaders take the initiative - 1 March: Foday Sankoh, leader of the rebel Revolutionarr United Front (RUF), meets with a delegation of religious leaders (Muslim, Protestant and Catholic). The news was referred to the agency MISNA by Bishop Giorgio Biguzzi (Bishop of Makeni), who represented the Catholic Church at the meeting. 3 March: IRIN reports that the influential Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone has called on the government to listen to what the RUF has to say. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 4 March 1999) * Sudan. The "26" on trial - In an updated report (22 February 1999), Amnesty International said, the unfair trial in Khartoum of 26 men, including two Roman Catholic priests, on charges relating to alleged involvement with explosions in Khartoum in June 1998 remains suspended, apparently indefinitely. However, this is nowhere near the end of the case. The trial is suspended pending a ruling by the Constitutional circle of the Supreme court on whether the military court has jurisdiction. It is not clear when this ruling will be made. On 24 Jan.1999, the court was scheduled to hear an appeal from defence lawyers about the constitutionality of the military court. However, on that day Mr.Jalal Ali Lutfi, President of the Constitutional Circle of the Supreme Court, postponed the hearing for an indefinite period, for the stated reason that the composition of the Constitutional Court was incomplete. If the court eventually rules that the military trial can continue, a final judgement is likely to follow quickly. This could involve the imposition of the death penalty. Should the Constitutional Circle of the Supreme Court rule that the military court has no jurisdiction, there is every possibility that the case will be transferred to the jurisdiction of the civilian High Court. This means that the defendants will be subjected to a new trial. (Amnesty International, 25 February 1999) * Soudan. Appel desespere de Wau - Selon l'agence Fides, dans la seule ville de Wau, 1.500 personnes meurent de faim chaque mois; et dans toute la region du Bahr el-Ghazal, on estime que 700 personnes meurent de faim chaque jour. Des temoignages recus lancent un appel desespere a la communaute internationale. Il y a un an, le SPLA avait repris la ville de Wau, mais tres tot apres, les troupes islamistes et les pillards baggaras sont retournes en force en s'adonnant a une veritable chasse a l'homme contre les Dinkas. La population s'est enfuie dans les campagnes, mais la faim les a fait retourner en ville. Ces derniers mois, leur nombre se compte par dizaines de milliers. La faim et les maladies deciment la population. (D'apres Fides, Rome, 26 fevrier 1999) * Sudan. UNICEF to probe slavery - The NGO Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said it had bought the freedom of another 300 women and children enslaved in Sudan, part of a larger group seized in raids by government troops and allied Popular Defence Forces militia. The BBC quoted a spokesman as saying CSW had paid about US$50 per person. Meanwhile, a UNICEF spokesman in Geneva said that UNICEF would carry out a study on slavery in Sudan, whose government had asked the UN agency to look into the issue. (IRIN, Nairobi, 26 February 1999) * Sudan. Meningitis epidemic spreading - The meningitis epidemic in Sudan is spreading and has reached the capital Khartoum, a WHO official in Geneva said. Maria Santamaria, a medical officer in WHO's communicable diseases programme, said 1,160 meningitis cases had been reported in Sudan since December 1998, with 175 deaths attributed to the disease. The epidemic started in Darfur and has touched Kordofan, White Nile, Sennar, River Nile as well as Khartoum, where 80 cases and 25 deaths have been reported so far, she said. Epidemic control efforts are being undertaken by UNICEF, WHO, IFRC, MSF and the government. Santamaria said the government had recently provided three million doses of meningitis vaccines while donor agencies had contributed another four million doses. (IRIN, Nairobi, 26 February 1999) * Soudan. Contacts avec Londres - Le 26 fevrier, le chef de la diplomatie soudanaise, Moustafa Osman Ismail, a affirme que Khartoum souhaitait reprendre ses relations avec la Grande- Bretagne, qui avaient ete rompues suite a l'appui de Londres au raid aerien americain contre l'usine pharmaceutique Al-Chifa en aout dernier. M. Ismail a indique avoir echange des messages avec son homologue britannique Robin Cook relatifs a la maniere dont ces relations pourraient etre retablies. (La Libre Belgique, 27 fevrier 1999) * Soudan. Paix au Darfour - Les communautes cultivatrices et nomades, impliquees dans un conflit sanglant dans l'Etat du Darfour occidental, a l'ouest du Soudan, ont signe un accord de paix, le 27 fevrier, dans la capitale de l'Etat, El Geneina, a rapporte la television officielle. Des dizaines, sinon des centaines de personnes ont ete tuees ou blessees depuis la fin de l'annee derniere dans ce conflit qui oppose les fermiers Massalit et les communautes nomades arabes pour le controle de terres et de points d'eau. Plus de 60 villages ont ete incendies, quelque 2.000 familles ont fui vers El Geneina, et plus de 10.000 personnes ont cherche refuge au Tchad. (IRIN, Nairobi, 1er mars 1999) * South Africa. Debating over white contestant - The appearance of a white contestant in an African-wide beauty pageant has sparked controversy in a country that is trying to leave racial divisions behind. Tracey Maitland-Stuart is representing South Africa in the Face of Africa beauty pageant, which concludes 28 February in Namibia. Calling for her disqualification, a journalist wrote in Tribute, a South African magazine with a mostly black audience, that the "face" of Africa should be an "African face, and not a white Western face". Many South Africans have written letters to local newspapers supporting Maitland-Stuart. (AP, 25 February 1999) * Afrique du Sud. Pas d'amnistie generale - Le 25 fevrier, les partis politiques sud-africains ont debattu d'une extension de l'amnistie politique en discutant le rapport de la Commission verite et reconciliation. A l'ouverture du debat, le president Mandela a exclu l'amnistie generale pour les crimes de l'apartheid. "Le principe de responsabilite existe et la ou il y a des preuves, des poursuites devraient etre ouvertes pendant une periode definie", a-t-il dit devant le Parlement. L'amnistie generale "serait contre l'essence meme du processus que nous avons decide ensemble, cela minerait nos efforts pour creer une culture de responsabilite morale". (D'apres AFP, France, 25 fevrier 1999) * South Africa. Small arms to be destroyed - South Africa said it planned to destroy all surplus small arms because it was concerned at the "devastating effect" of the proliferation of small arms in the sub-continent. The announcement was made in a statement by the foreign ministry following a meeting of the National Conventional Arms Control committee (NCACC). The statement said South Africans police had already started destroying arms worth an estimated US$18 million. NCACC chairman Kaider Asmal said the decision "forms part of the government's strategy to curtail the excessive and destabilising accumulation of small arms". The magnitude of the problem is of such a nature that it can only be addressed through appropriate national, regional and international action. (IRIN, Nairobi, 25 February 1999) * Afrique du Sud. Elections le 2 juin - Le 3 mars, le president Mandela a fait savoir que les elections legislatives, deuxieme scrutin democratique depuis la fin de l'apartheid, auront lieu le 2 juin. Ce meme jour se tiendront egalement les elections provinciales. Les sondages laissent presager une victoire du Congres national africain, malgre le retrait annonce de Mandela, age de 80 ans. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 4 mars 1999) * South Africa. Election date - 3 March: President Mandela has named 2 June as the date for the election to choose his successor. Parliamentary and regional elections will be held on the same day. The vote for president is a foregone conclusion. Mr Mandela's annointed successor, Thabo Mbeki, is all but certain to win. But the outcome of the battle for parliament and control of the regions is less certain. The ANC is seeking a two-thirds majority in parliament to permit it to change the Constitution. It won 63% in 1992. It is also attempting to overturn the Inkatha Freedom Party's control of KwaZulu-Natal and the National Party's grip on the Western Cape, but looks unlikely to succeed. (The Guardian, UK, 4 March 1999) * Tchad. Officiers limoges - Le 1er mars, le president Deby a limoge 35 officiers, dont quatre colonels, ont rapporte les agences de presse. Aucune raison officielle n'a ete donnee, mais des sources militaires ont indique qu'ils etaient soupconnes d'entretenir des liens avec les rebelles tchadiens. Parmi eux se trouvent deux colonels qui ont pris les armes contre Deby il y a trois ans. (IRIN, Abidjan, 2 mars 1999) * Togo. Elections postponed - President Eyadema of Togo has now said that parliamentary elections due next month will be postponed for two weeks, until 21 March. The decision followed a lengthy meeting between President Eyadema and an opposition delegation. But an official of one of the main opposition parties the secretary- general of the CDPA, Leopold Gnininvi told the BBC the talks did not produce an agreement on the date of the election and the opposition would not register until a dispute over the outcome of last year's presidential elections was resolved. (BBC News, 25 February 1999) * Tunisie/Italie. Liens economiques - La Tunisie et l'Italie veulent renforcer leurs liens economiques en approfondissant les relations entre leurs patronats respectifs. Un accord dans ce sens a ete signe, le 2 mars, entre les chefs des deux patronats. L'accord vise a developper un nouveau partenariat dans des secteurs juges prioritaires, tels que l'agro-alimentaire, les industries mecaniques, electriques et electroniques, le cuir et les chaussures, le textile et l'habillement, ainsi que l'emballage et le secteur de l'infrastructure. (AFP, France, 3 mars 1999) * Ouganda. Huit touristes tues - Le matin du 1er mars, des hommes armes, vraisemblablement des rebelles rwandais bases au Congo RDC, ont investi des campements de touristes dans le sud-ouest de l'Ouganda, dans le parc de Bwindi connu pour ses gorilles. Quatre accompagnateurs ougandais ont ete tues, alors que 31 touristes etaient pris en otage. 17 d'entre eux ont ete liberes ou ont pu se sauver. En revanche, 14 autres ont ete emmenes par les assaillants. Le 2 mars, on apprenait la mort de huit otages (4 Britanniques, 2 Americains et 2 Neo-Zelandais) et la liberation de six autres. Selon le temoignage d'un rescape, six des huit otages tues ont ete liquides par les rebelles durant leur fuite. Les ravisseurs ont remis une lettre a un des otages, expliquant vouloir par ce rapt faire pression sur la communaute internationale contre l'intervention du Rwanda et de l'Ouganda au Congo. -En aout dernier, ces rebelles avaient enleve 4 touristes et leurs 7 guides et porteurs. Ces derniers et un touriste ont ete liberes, mais on est toujours sans nouvelles des trois autres, deux Suedois et un Neo-Zelandais. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 mars 1999) * Uganda. Tourists murdered - 2 March: Eight foreign tourists kidnapped by Rwandan rebels in Uganda have been killed and six escaped death, according to police. A BBC correspondent in Uganda has confirmed reports of the deaths, which followed the kidnap of 14 Western tourists in the Bwindi National Park on 1 March. The New Vision describes the rebels as Rwandan army militia "interahamwe". The paper says the Warden for Community Conservation, John Ross Wagaba was also killed, plus three rangers. The tourist victims, four men and four women were murdered with machetes and axes as they were marched towards the border with Congo RDC by their captors. There was no exchange of fire with Ugandan security forces. 3 March: President Museveni promises that the rebels will be hunted down but admits that park staff "laxity" was partly to blame. "The park authorities should have forseen this problem and asked for support", he said. 4 March: A Ugandan force of several hundred troops and police have crossed into Congo RDC in pursuit of the rebels. (ANB-BIA, 4 March 1999) * Zambie. L'Eglise cree un Forum national - L'Eglise de Zambie vient de creer un "Forum catholique national", qui constituera desormais l'instrument pastoral pour faire de l'Eglise une "famille de Dieu". Le Forum comprend les dix eveques du pays, les responsables diocesains du service pastoral, 14 representant(e)s du Conseil des laics, un delegue(e) des conseils pastoraux diocesains, des religieux et religieuses et des representants des pretres. Il permettra une participation aux decisions et a la realisation des taches pastorales. (D'apres DIA, Kinshasa, 26 fevrier 1999) * Zambie. Attentats - Le 28 fevrier, de minuit a l'apres-midi, la capitale Lusaka a ete la cible de six attentats a la bombe. La deflagration la plus forte s'est produite a l'ambassade d'Angola, ou un agent de securite angolais a ete tue. Aucune organisation n'a revendique ces attentats, attribues par le ministre des Affaires judiciaires a des "forces exterieures". A plusieurs reprises, l'Angola a accuse la Zambie de laisser passer des transports illegaux d'armes destines aux rebelles de l'Unita. Le president zambien Chiluba mene en ce moment une mediation de paix au Congo RDC, ou sont egalement impliquees des forces angolaises. Le 1er mars, trois nouvelles bombes ont ete desamorcees a Lusaka. Le gouvernement zambien a demande l'aide des Etats-Unis pour retrouver les coupables. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 1er mars 1999) * Zambia. Bombs hit the capital - 28 February: A bomb explodes at the Angolan Embassy, killing a security guard and extensively damaging the building. Bombs also go off in four other areas in Zambia's capital. Security in Lusaka, the capital, has been tightened ever since. The legal affairs minister Vincent Malambo says the government is treating the bombings as a security crisis and has placed the armed forces on full alert. The Zambian President Chiluba says the perpetrators and their sponsors will not go unpunished. Relations between Angola and Zambia have deteriorated since Angola accused the Zambian government of aiding UNITA rebels fighting to overthrow President dos Santos. 2 March: Lusaka is without running water because oif the bomb blast. Taps finally dried up today after the main city reservoir emptied. Some parts of the city are also experiencing electricity shortages. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 March 1999) * Zimbabwe. Action leader dies - Roger Boka, a leading African black empowerment advocate whose bank collapsed last year amid questionable practices, is dead at age 54. Boka died aboard a private jet 21 Feb. as it approached Harare's airport, his family said. His daughter, Rudo, said Boka was returning from the United States where he sought treatment. She would not specify the illness. Zimbabweans newspapers reported he suffered from ailments often linked to AIDS, including Kaposi's sarcoma. Boka was wanted for questioning over the alleged illegal transfer abroad of US$25 million from his collapsed United Merchant Bank. Police said last month that their investigations into the operations of Boka's bank were hampered by his poor health. (AP, 24 February 1999) * Zimbabwe. Mugabe versus the judiciary and the Media - 25 February: A judge has ordered Zimbabwe's defense minister and two other senior officials to appear in court to face contempt charges, a newspaper reported. The move threatens to widen a rift between President Mugabe and the nation's judiciary. Defence Minister Moven Mahachi, Defense Secretary Job Whabira and chief of military police Maj.Fidelis Mhonda must appear before a High Court judge on 26 February, the independent Financial Gazette reported. The contempt of court charges stem from the military's failure last month to obey two High Court orders to release detained journalist Mark Chavunduka. On 2 March, the Press reported that President Mugabe had lashed out at his critics in the Media during a weekend rally of the ruling ZANU-PF. "The private media are out to tarnish our party, our government and my leadership, but we will not let them get away with it". (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 4 March 1999)