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: 18-03-1999      PART #1/

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Congo RDC: On 15 March,
Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) protested the detention of two
newspaper editors, Andre Ipakala and Modeste Mutinga who were
arrested on 14 March. Ethiopia: The International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) is concerned about recent arrests and detentions
in Ethiopia. On 16 March, it was reported that four journalists
have been released on bail. Gabon: On 15 March, RSF protested the
banning of programmes of a political nature on Radio
Soleil.Lesotho: On 2 March, the editor of MoAfrika news magazine,
Candi Ramainoane, was denied entrance to an ongoing court-martial
being held in the Lesotho capital, Maseru. This was the second time
in about as many months that Ramainoane was denied access to the
court-martial in which forty nine soldiers were facing charges of
treason and a possible death penalty. The soldiers at the entrance
would not let him enter. On hearing about the incident, Judge
Advocate Brendon Cullinan, who is advisor to the five army officers
presiding over the court-martial, told the court that Ramainoane
"is absolutely entitled to come to this court. I don't know why the
soldiers at the gates are refusing him entrance. He has as much
right as anybody to come to this court". Tanzania: On 3 March, the
Zanzibar Directorate of Information Services, banned a local
freelance journalist, Mwinyi Sadallah, from working on the island.
The Director said he would reconsider Sadallah's application when,
in his opinion, Sadallah refrained from "inventing" stories and
worked on the island according to "professional ethics". Togo: The
IFJ is disturbed by the continued detention of Elias Hounkaly and
Agbeko Amewouho. They were arrested on 6 August 1998, and 10
November 1998 respectively. According to IFJ's information, both
these journalists are being held for press offenses. However, their
cases have not been conducted in accordance with the rules of the
Law on the Press.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 15 March 1999)

* Afrique. Conference sur le paludisme  -  Depuis le 15 mars, pres
de 800 experts internationaux debattent a Durban, en Afrique du
Sud, des moyens de lutter au quotidien contre le paludisme, un
fleau qu'on ne parvient pas a eradiquer et qui tue deux enfants
toutes les minutes dans le monde. Plus d'un million d'Africains
meurent chaque annee du paludisme et plus de 40% de la population
mondiale, soit 2,4 millards de personnes sont menacees par le fleau
qui est endemique dans une centaine de pays et le plus mortel dans
les regions les plus pauvres. Sur le plan scientifique, la
conference de Durban sera centree sur les nouveaux espoirs que
generent les recherches sur les genes, alors que la decouverte d'un
vaccin efficace tarde a se materialiser apres des debuts
prometteurs.   (D'apres AFP, France, 15 mars 1999)

* Afrique australe. Conference des eveques  -  Les conferences
episcopales de l'Afrique australe se sont reunies a Maseru,
capitale du Lesotho. A cette occasion, ils ont lance un appel a la
consolidation de la paix et de la democratie dans tous les pays de
la region. Ils ont souhaite en particulier que les differentes
elections qui auront lieu cette annee dans plusieurs Etats de la
region soient libres, justes et transparentes, et se deroulent dans
la paix et la tranquillite.   (D'apres Misna, Italie, 16 mars 1999)

* Afrique centrale. Proteger la foret  -  Le 17 mars, lors d'un
sommet sur la protection de la foret tropicale qui s'est deroule a
Yaounde sous l'egide du WWF, le Cameroun, le Gabon, la Republique
centrafricaine, le Congo-Brazzaville et la Guinee equatoriale ont
lance un programme conjoint pour proteger 10% des terres boisees du
bassin du Congo. Ils se sont engages a creer un parc protege de 3,5
millions d'hectares de forets entre le Gabon, le Cameroun et le
Congo-Brazzaville. Le projet inclut egalement l'extension des zones
protegees qui couvrent actuellement un million d'hectares de forets
en Afrique centrale. L'accord est inedit, non seulement pour
l'Afrique. Pour les signataires, il s'agit d'"un tournant majeur
qui servira d'exemple au monde entier".   (D'apres La Libre
Belgique, 18 mars 1999)

* East/Central Africa. Rift Valley Fever  -  On 9 March, a joint
FAO/WHO statement said the risk of infection to both humans and
animals from the Rift Valley Fever virus had been reduced to
minimal or negligible proportions in countries of the Horn of
Africa. "Remote sensing satellite data of climatic conditions fully
support ground observations that conditions in the Horn of Africa
countries are highly unfavourable for multiplication of mosquito
vectors of the Rift Valley fever virus. The risk of an epidemic
occurring soon is virtually nil," an official statement said.
Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia are now in a "better than
normal" situation with regard to the virus and other diseases
transmitted through insects to humans and animals. "Climatic
conditions in the four countries since mid-1998 returned to normal
or below normal rainfall amounts and crop growing conditions...thus
the risk of humans or livestock being infected with Rift Valley
fever has returned to historically extremely low levels," it added.
The statement said that a large proportion of the livestock were
immune after being infected in 1997/98 and that there was "no risk
of such livestock transmitting the disease to humans or other
animals." It said the "present extremely low risk" of infection was
comparable to the risk in former years that "permitted the safe
export of livestock." Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has lifted a ban on
the import of livestock from Eritrea a move analysts see as more
political than on health grounds.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 10 March 1999)

* West Africa. British/French policy coordination  -  The British
and French foreign ministers, Robin Cook and Hubert Vedrine,
arrived in Abidjan on 11 March on their first joint visit to West
Africa, aimed at ending centuries of rivalry on the continent. They
flew in from Accra where they held talks with Ghanaian President
Rawlings. In Abidjan, they met their ambassadors to discuss
stronger British-French cooperation in Africa. "Britain and France
have many common interests and responsibilities in Africa and it is
sensible that we should pool our assets and our experiences and
coordinate our approach," Cook said before the trip. This outlook
stems from an Anglo-French summit in St.Malo in December 1998,
where leaders committed their governments to harmonising policies
on Africa and cooperating on the ground, the British Foreign and
Commonwealth Office said on 11 March.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 12 March
1999)

* Afrique/USA. La dette  -  Le 16 mars, s'est ouverte a Washington
une conference ministerielle americano-africaine sur le theme "un
partenariat pour le 21e siecle". Cette rencontre rassemble pour
trois jours pres de 200 ministres des Affaires etrangeres, du
Commerce et des Finances de 46 pays d'Afrique subsaharienne. Lors
de l'ouverture, le president Clinton a lance un appel a la
communaute internationale pour effacer quelque 70 milliards de
dollars de dettes publiques dues par les pays africains. Il a
indique qu'il avait demande au Congres de porter cette annee de 245
a 482 millions de dollars le montant de l'enveloppe consacree par
les Etats-unis pour eponger les dettes africaines. - La deuxieme
journee de cette conference a huis clos a ete consacree au theme de
la paix en Afrique. Les pays africains "souhaitent un engagement
plus actif de Washington pour aider a resoudre les conflits", a
indique un haut responsable americain.   (D'apres AFP, France, 16-
17 mars 1999)

* Africa/USA. Africa policy  -  16 March: Scores of African cabinet
ministers gather at the State Department, Washington, today, with
President Clinton, eight cabinet secretaries, heads of aid, trade
and development agencies, businessmen and NGOs, for the launch of
the latest USA-Africa policy debate. President Clinton asks the
international community to take action which could result in
forgiving $70 billion in Africa's global debt. Calling for
parternership with Africa, he proposes more comprehensive and
faster debt reduction for African nations.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17
March 1999)

* Algeria. Presidential elections  -  Seven candidates are set to
run in Algeria's presidential elections, which appear certain to
give the country's its first civilian leader since 1965. Forty-
eight people initially applied to run in the April 15 ballot, but
only 11 gathered the necessary signatures and political backing to
qualify. Algeria's Constitutional Council trimmed the list further
11 March by barring four out of the 11 candidates. President
Zeroual, a retired general, is stepping down 18 months before his
term ends. The early elections are intended to bolster democracy in
Algeria, which is battling a 7-year Islamic insurgency.   (AP, 12
March 1999)

* Algerie. Sept candidats retenus  -  Le 11 mars, le Conseil
constitutionnel a publie la liste officielle des candidats a
l'election presidentielle du 15 avril. Sur les onze postulants,
sept ont ete retenus: Hocine Ait-Ahmed (socialiste), Abdelaziz
Bouteflika ("candidat du pouvoir"), Abdallah Djaballah (islamiste),
Youssef Khatib (ex-Premier ministre), Mouloud Hamrouche
("reformateur"), Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi (ex-ministre des Affaires
etrangeres) et Mokdad Sifi (ex-Premier ministre). Sont elimines:
Mahfoud Nahnah (islamiste), Sid-Ahmed Ghozali (ex-Premier
ministre), Louiza Hanoune (trotskiste) et Nourredine Boukrouh
(Parti du renouveau), le premier n'ayant pu produire une
attestation de participation a la guerre d'independance, les trois
autres ayant echoue a rassembler le nombre de signatures exige
(75.000 reparties sur 25 des 48 wilayas). Le parti de M. Nahnah a
conteste le rejet de la candidature de son leader, y voyant "une
mesure inconstitutionnelle, prise au detriment du pays, de la
democratie et de l'Etat de droit". D'ailleurs, Youssef El Khatib,
chef prestigieux de la wilaya 4 pendant la guerre de liberation, a
affirme que Mahfoud Nahnah a bien participe a cette guerre.   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 13 mars 1999)

* Algerie. Petrole  -  Le 12 mars, a l'issue de deux jours de
reunion, cinq importants pays producteurs de petrole, dont
l'Algerie, ont decide une reduction de leur production de plus de
2 millions de barils par jour a compter du 1er avril. M. Youssef
Yousfi, ministre algerien du petrole et actuel president de l'OPEP,
a ajoute que les reductions ont ete acceptees par dix membres de
l'OPEP plus le Mexique et le sultanat d'Oman. Dans une interview il
a explique qu'il s'attendait a un hausse rapide du brut.   (D'apres
Le Monde, France, 14 mars 1999)

* Algerie. Violences  -  Treize personnes ont ete tuees en l'espace
de deux jours par des groupes armes, rapportaient le 13 mars les
autorites et un journal independant. Six villageois, dont trois
bebes, ont ete egorges dans la nuit du 12 au 13 pres de Tipaza (100
km a l'ouest d'Alger); trois membres d'une meme famille ont ete
tues et une jeune femme enlevee, le 11 mars, pres de Ain Deflan a
une centaine de km au sud-ouest de la capitale. Par ailleurs,
quatorze islamistes ont ete tues ces derniers jours par les forces
de securite, indiquaient des journaux d'Alger le 14 mars. Dans la
nuit du 14 au 15 mars, six personnes ont ete assassinees et dix
autres blessees par des islamistes armes a Sidi El-Kebir (sud
d'Alger). Selon le quotidien El Acil, plus de 400 civils ont ete
tues depuis l'annonce, en septembre, du depart anticipe du
president Zeroual.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16 mars 1999)

* Angola. Depart de M. Diallo  -  Le 15 mars, M. Issa Dialo,
representant special des Nations unies en Angola, a quitte le pays
pour regagner New-York, confirmant ainsi l'echec de la mission de
l'Onu a mettre fin au conflit entre le gouvernement et les rebelles
de l'Unita. -D'autre part, le gouvernement angolais a fait parvenir
a l'ONU ce qu'il affirme etre des preuves du soutien militaire
apporte par la Zambie au mouvement rebelle Unita, objet de
sanctions onusiennes. Luanda denonce "le soutien direct apporte par
le gouvernement zambien sous la direction du vice-president". - Le
14 mars, lors d'une Journee nationale de reconciliation organisee
par l'episcopat, la communaute catholique a lance un appel a
l'Unita et au gouvernement pour qu'ils mettent fin au conflit
meurtrier qui dissemine la population.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 17 mars 1999)
* Angola. Humanitarian crisis looms  -  14 March: Rebel forces are
reportedly closing in on a strategic town in Angola, endangering
food shipments to tens of thousands of refugees. With reports that
UNITA rebels are as close as 25 miles to Huito, government
authorities told aid workers on 12 March to leave the central
Angolan town. The focus on Kuito, the capital of Bie province,
comes as the United Nations is abandoning its peacekeeping mission
in Angola after civil war re-ignited last December. The WFP, which
is feeding hundreds of thousands of refugees in the vast southwest
African country, evacuated its nonessential staff from Kuito. The
unpaved roads to the town are usually impassable because of
fighting and torrential rains. Aid workers say if fighting hits
Kuito, its airport could be closed, which would stop food
shipments. 15 March: The Portuguese news agency LUSA reports that
UNITA rebels have bombed the northern town of Malange, killing 18
people and wounding 15. 17 March: The South African mining company,
Anglo-American, has announced a suspension of its operations in
southern Angola. A company official says that the escalating
conflict means it is no longer safe to operate in the area.   (ANB-
BIA, Brussels, 18 March 1999)

* Benin. Election postponed  -  Benin's government postponed its
general elections to 30 March, according to AFP. The original date,
28 March, coincided with two holidays, one Christian (Palm Sunday)
and the other Muslim (Eid el Kebir). The government said it put off
the poll to ensure a high turnout by people of all religions.  
(IRIN, Nairobi, 12 March 1999)

* Benin. Deces de Mgr de Souza  -  Mgr Isidore de Souza, archeveque
de Cotonou, est decede le 13 mars d'une crise cardiaque a l'age de
65 ans. Il a ete unanimement salue par l'ensemble de la classe
politique beninoise comme le veritable artisan du passage en
douceur de 17 annees d'un regime militaro-marxiste a un
multipartisme integral. Nomme president de la Conference nationale
en fevrier 1990, il a su creer en 10 jours le consensus necessaire.
Plusieurs autres pays africains ont ensuite suivi cet exemple du
Benin. Apres la Conference, Mgr de Souza a dirige le Haut Conseil
de la Republique, le parlement de transition, avant de presider
jusqu'en 1993 la Cour constitutionnelle provisoire. L'ancien
Premier ministre Houngbedji a estime que "cette disparition
laissera un grand vide dans le coeur des Beninois".   (D'apres AFP,
France, 14 mars 1999)

* Benin. Archbishop dies  -  Isidore de Souza, the Roman Catholic
Archbishop of Cotonou and a key figure in Benin's transition to
democracy, has died of a heart attack, the government announced. He
was 65. The authorities have announced three days of national
mourning. Archbishop de Souza chaired the national conference in
1990 which led to the return of multi-party politics in Benin -- an
example which led to similar policies in several other African
countries. His death came as Benin prepared for legislative
elections at the end of this month. Three days national mourning
have been declared.   (BBC News, 14 March 1999)

* Burundi. Impasse a Arusha?  -  Le 12 mars, l'agence burundaise
Azania signalait que les delegations qui negocient a Arusha
n'avaient toujours pas conclu un seul accord apres pres d'une
semaine de debats, et cela dans toutes les commissions. Le temps ne
joue pas en faveur des negociations, car le dernier budget qui a
ete consenti difficilement pourrait ne pas etre renouvele "si aucun
signe encourageant ne pointe a l'horizon", a indique une source
diplomatique. "On ne voit pas de reel rapprochement. Seul un jeu de
passe-passe semble avoir pris la place d'une reelle intention
d'aboutir". - Le 16 mars, le mediateur J. Nyerere a cloture la
session, appelant les participants a accelerer les travaux. On
notait toutefois un certain nombre de progres, au moins dans deux
commissions. Le CNDD a reproche a la delegation gouvernementale de
vouloir retarder le processus afin de maintenir le statu quo, mais
selon le porte-parole de la Fondation Nyerere il existe "une
volonte veritable" de trouver une solution durable. Une autre serie
de pourparlers se tiendra le 10 mai prochain. - D'autre part, des
combats ont eu lieu les 10 et 11 mars a une vingtaine de km au sud
de Bujumbura. Selon un porte-parole de l'armee, huit rebelles et un
militaire ont ete tues apres que les rebelles aient attaque un
poste militaire a Nyamaboko.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16
mars 1999)

* Burundi. Arusha peace talks end  -  16 March: The peace talks on
Burundi end in Arusha, Tanzania, today, with some progress
achieved. The Committee on Democracy and Good Governance and the
Committee on Reconstruction have made good progress. Unlike the
Committee on the Nature of The Conflict and the Committee on Peace
and Security which have made very little progress. Julius Nyerere
urges delegates to speed up their work. Another round of talks will
take place on 10 May.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 March 1999)

* Burundi. Avocats sans frontieres  -  L'ONG "Avocats sans
frontieres" a commence ses travaux d'assistance judiciaire a
Bujumbura. Ils se posent en complement de ce que fait deja le Haut
commissariat de l'ONU pour les droits de l'homme. Ces programmes
s'adressent prioritairement aux personnes impliquees dans les
crimes d'octobre 1993, comme prevenues ou comme victimes. A ce
moment, dans les prisons burundaises il y a un millier de de
prevenus qui n'ont pas encore rencontre un juge. Dans un premier
temps, le programme s'etend sur 18 mois. Quatre avocats expatries
sont deja sur place, dont un Belge, un Nigerien et un Senegalais.
Ils travailleront avec une vingtaine d'avocats burundais, regroupes
dans un comite paritaire. Quatre dossiers sont deja en cours a
Gitega et douze a Bujumbura.   (D'apres Infoaza, Burundi, 16 mars
1999)

* Comores. Separatistes a Moroni  -  Pour la premiere fois, 600
separatistes de l'ile de la Grande Comore ont manifeste a Moroni,
la capitale federale, pour annoncer leur volonte de gerer eux-memes
leur ile. Ils repondaient ainsi a l'ile d'Anjouan, qui reve de
redevenir francaise et a proclame son independance en aout 1997.  
(La Croix, France, 11 mars 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. No relief for displaced in Pool  -  Many of the
estimated 200,000-300,000 displaced persons in the Pool region are
in a "catastrophic" condition, humanitarian sources reported. The
displaced, concentrated in different areas, are facing starvation
and disease outbreaks with 10-15 people, mostly children, dying
every day in one settlement alone, the sources added. Much of
Pool's population was reported to have fled into the forests as a
result of conflict between government forces and Ninja militia
allied to former prime minister Bernard Kolelas since late
September 1998. In addition, some 120,000 residents of southern
Brazzaville, who fled towards Pool in December at the outbreak of
fighting in the city, remain unaccounted for. Humanitarian agencies
have had no access to the region due to insecurity, and the
displaced have received no relief assistance.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 10
March 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. Children to go home  -  Forty-six refugee
unaccompanied children will be flown by UNHCR and ICRC to Rwanda
next week to be reunited with their parents, UNHCR's Great Lakes
update said. UNHCR plans to end its assistance to Rwandans in the
country by the beginning of April. There are currently about 3,000
Rwandans at the Kintele camp near Brazzaville and another 2,500 in
the northern sites of Loukolela and Liranga. They will be settled
in a new site further from the RDC border. UNHCR last month
announced it would end its assistance to Rwandans in Congo-Brazza
due to the "militarisation" of the refugee camps. There were an
estimated 11,000 Rwandan refugees in the country in mid-1998,
including some 400 unaccompanied children.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 11
March 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Britanniques expulses  -  Le 11 mars, le
gouvernement a ordonne l'expulsion des quatres fonctionnaires
britanniques et un americain detenus a Kinshasa depuis le 7 mars,
accuses d'espionnage. Ils avaient ete interpelles en possession
d'"appareils photo sophistiques" et d'une "cartographie des
casernes de Kinshasa et des environs", a declare le ministre de
l'Interieur Gaetan Kakudji. Les autorites congolaises ont aussi
fait le rapprochement avec l'arrestation au Zimbabwe de trois
Americains en possession d'armes de guerre, qui selon Kinshasa
avaient l'intention d'assassiner le president Kabila. Londres, qui
afirme que les fonctionnaires etaient au Congo pour une mission de
reconnaissance en vue d'une eventuelle evacuation de l'ambassade,
"refuse de considerer comme legitime" l'expulsion de ses
ressortissants et a rappele son ambassadeur.   (D'apres La Libre
Belgique, 12-13 mars 1999)

* Congo (RDC). British envoy recalled  -  Britain has recalled its
ambassador from Congo RDC following the expulsion of six Foreign
Office diplomats and officials accused of spying. Five of the
officials, including an American attached to the British mission in
Kinshasa, arrived in Zimbabwe from RDC after their release from
house arrest. The sixth, Gregor Lusty, was expelled on 10 March.
The Foreign Office said their detention and expulsion was
"unwarranted and unacceptable", and London's ambassador, Douglas
Scrafton, was being brought home. Kabila's government accused the
six officials of spying after they were stopped near a Kinshasa
military base while carrying cameras and maps of strategic points
in the city. The officials had been automatically treated with
suspicion by the Kinshasa authorities, which view Britain as firmly
on the side of the enemy. The Foreign Office said the men were
working on an emergency evacuation plan for embassy staff and
British citizens in case Congo's civil war reaches the capital.  
(The Guardian, U.K., 13 March 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Tueries au Sud-Kivu  -  Plus de 100 civils ont ete
tues par les forces de la rebellion congolaise dans la region de
Kamituga, au Sud-Kivu, selon l'agence Misna. Le massacre, qui a eu
lieu le 5 mars, aurait ete commis en represailles a une attaque des
Mai-Mai, qui ont decime un contingent militaire. Le nombre de
victimes n'est encore que provisoire. Selon d'autres informations
de Misna, les troupes de la coalition rebelle ont aussi commis
d'autres executions sommaires au Kivu depuis le 11 fevrier lors
d'operations de ratissage contre des groupes d'Interahamwe et Mai-
Mai. Ainsi, 78 personnes sont mortes lors d'operations militaires
a Lukweti, Rutshuru et Biholo, entre le 28 fevrier et le 1er mars. 
 (D'apres Misna, Italie, 13 mars 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Government shake-up  -  14 March: President Kabila
announces a major shake-up of his government, appointing a former
ally of the late dictator Mobutu to a key cabinet post. The
business tycoon Bemba Saolona is named as Minister for Economy and
Industry. The new foreign minister is named as Abdoulaye Yerodia
Ndombasi, President Kabila's chief of staff. He replaces Jean-
Charles Okoto, who was appointed a regional governor two weeks ago.
The Finance Minister, Mawampanga Mwana Nanga -- now on an official
visit to the United States -- retains his post, as do the Minister
for Justice, Mwenze Kongolo and the Minister for Interior, Gaetan
Kakudji. The new cabinet is described as a "government of combat". 
 (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 14 March 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Villagers massacred  -  The press agency MISNA says
rebels have killed more than one hundred villagers in the Southeast
of the country. The agency, which relies on information from
missionaries in the field, says the civilians were killed in the
village of Kamituga -- about 1000 km from the capital, Kinshasa.
The report says the killings took place a week ago apparently in
retaliation for an attack by a pro-government militia. There is no
independent confirmation of the attack.   (BBC News, 15 March 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Gouvernement et debat national  -  Le 14 mars, le
president Kabila a nomme une nouvelle equipe gouvernementale,
attendue depuis longtemps, mais sans l'ouverture a l'opposition que
beaucoup de Congolais esperaient. Dans la nouvelle equipe, la
presse souligne surtout la nomination au poste de l'Economie et de
l'Industrie de M. Bemba Saolona, le "patron des patrons" sous
Mobutu et pere de Jean-Pierre Bemba qui commande un groupe de
rebelles dans la province de l'Equateur. Le nouveau chef de la
diplomatie est M. Abdoulaye Yerodia Ndombasi, jusqu'a present
directeur de cabinet du chef de l'Etat. Restent a leurs postes, les
ministres des Finances, de la Justice et de l'Interieur. - D'autre
part, le 16 mars, lors d'une rencontre avec la presse retransmise
a la television, le president Kabila a propose a l'opposition
congolaise, y compris la rebellion, un "grand debat national" sur
trois themes: la legitimation du pouvoir, le projet de Constitution
et le decret-loi sur les partis politiques. Un tel debat pourrait
s'organiser en Italie (a San Egidio) si les rebelles ne se sentent
pas en securite a Kinshasa, a ajoute le president, sans indiquer de
date.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 17 mars 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Sommet de l'OUA annule  -  Le 12 mars, le president
le l'OUA, M. Blaise Compaore, a invite les rebelles du Congo-
Kinshasa et de l'Angola a participer au sommet extraordinaire de
l'OUA consacre aux conflits actuels en Afrique, les 30 et 31 mars.
"Le president Kabila a accepte que les rebelles participent aux
concertations", a declare M. Compaore. "Nous pouvons trouver des
solutions. Ce qui est important c'est un cessez-le-feu, et engager
ensuite un dialogue pour resoudre les problemes a la base de ce
conflit: l'integrite territoriale de la RDC et la securisation des
frontieres du Rwanda et de l'Ouganda". - Le 17 mars cependant, M.
Compaore a annonce l'annulation de ce projet de sommet, precisant
que "les consultations engagees a ce jour n'ont pas permis
d'atteindre le quorum requis pour la tenue d'un sommet
extraordinaire".   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 17 mars 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Bedie faces challenge  -  The deputy head of the
International Monetary Fund, Alassane Ouattara, has confirmed that
he intends to be a candidate in next year's presidential elections
in his home country of Cote d'Ivoire. Mr.Ouattara, visiting Mali as
head of an IMF delegation, said he will be returning home soon; he
criticised recently introduced nationality laws that technically
prevents Mr.Ouattara from standing as a Presidential candidate.
Correspondents say that the ruling party in Cote d'Ivoire has
criticised both Mr.Ouattara and the IMF. Last week, the IMF head,
Michel Camdessus, accused the Cote d'Ivoire government of
conducting a campaign of denigration against some IMF officials.
Under Ivorian law, both parents of Presidential candidates must be
Ivorian born. Mr.Ouattara was Prime Minister in Cote d'Ivoire until
the death of President Houphouet-Boigny in late 1993; he resigned
after losing a constitutional dispute that ensured the succession
of the current President, Henri Konan Bedie.   (BBC News, 10 March
1999)

* Egypte. Pas d'alcool!  -  La cour d'appel du Caire a reconnu aux
hotesses d'EgyptAir le droit de ne pas servir de l'alcool aux
passagers, par respect pour leurs convictions religieuses. Quatre
hotesses qui etaient menacees de licenciement pour avoir refuse de
presenter pendant des vols des boissons alcooliques, avaient porte
plainte devant la justice.   (Al Ahram Hebdo, Egypte, 10 mars 1999)

* Egypte. Pauvrete  -  45 % de la population egyptienne vit en-
dessous du seuil de la pauvrete. C'est le pourcentage avance par le
Comite de la production agricole du Conseil consultatif (Maglis al
Shura). Parmi les raisons essentielles de cette situation
alarmante, il faut citer l'augmentation sensible du prix des
produits alimentaires; la part des depenses des menages dans ce
domaine atteint 61% du revenu par tete. La suppression des
principales subventions a la consommation, suite aux accords avec
le FMI, explique dans une large mesure une telle augmentation, bien
superieure a la croissance des salaires.   (Marches Tropicaux,
France, 12 mars 1999)

* Egypte. Achat d'armes  -  Les Etats-Unis ont accepte, le 11 mars,
une demande egyptienne pour l'achat de 24 avions de combat, de
pieces detachees pour assembler 200 chars et d'une batterie de
missiles antimissiles, le tout pour un montant de 3,2 millards de
dollars. Le contrat sera finance en partie par l'aide militaire
americaine a l'Egypte, qui se monte chaque annee a 1,2 milliard de
dollars.   (La Libre Belgique, 12 mars 1999)

* Egypte. Journee mondiale de l'eau  -  A l'occasion de la Journee
mondiale de l'eau, ce samedi 20 mars, se reunira pour la premiere
fois au Caire la "Commission mondiale sur l'eau pour le 21eme
siecle", destinee a sensibiliser l'opinion publique mondiale sur
les risques de penurie d'eau douce a court terme. Composee de
personnalites de nombreux pays, de scientifiques dont plusieurs
prix Nobel, elle est presidee par l'Egyptien Ismail Serageldin.
Actuellement, pres de 500 millions d'habitants de 29 pays souffrent
de manque d'eau; mais ils sont 1,5 milliard a ne pas avoir acces a
l'eau potable, selon les chiffres des Nations unies et de cette
Commission. En 2025, le cap du milliard d'individus manquant d'eau
dans 48 pays sera franchi. En 2050, pres de 2 milliards et demi
d'etres humains dans 55 pays seront directement touches par le
manque d'eau, si rien n'est fait pour mieux proteger cette
ressource vitale, selon les memes projections realisees par un
organisme de la Commission. Des tensions sont d'ores et deja
apparues entre pays du meme bassin et entre les differentes
utilisations : agriculture, consommation domestique et industrie.
Outre la Journee mondiale de l'eau, plusieurs evenements lies a
l'eau sont attendus au Caire dans les prochains jours: reunion
d'experts sur le bassin du Nil, groupe d'etudes sur l'Afrique,
Partenariat mondial sur l'eau (Global Water Partnership), Forum
mondial sur l'eau (World Water Forum) et Conseil mondial de l'eau
(World Water Council).   (D'apres AFP, France, 18 mars 1999)

* Eritrea/Ethiopia. UN mediation  -  The World Food Programme (WFP)
is launching a $24.4 million emergency operation to feed 272,000
Ethiopians driven from their homes by the border conflict with
Eritrea, the UN said on 10 March. The Ethiopian government
requested the operation, which will begin this month and be
conducted through November, UN spokesman, Fred Eckhard said. The
announcement came as the Security Council intensified efforts to
bring the warring Horn of Africa neighbours together, to start
implementing an African-sponsored peace agreement where both have
said they would accept. Eritrea and Ethiopia are fighting over
their barren 620-miles border, which was never clearly demarcated
when Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia in 1993.   (AP, 11
March 1999)

* Erythree/Ethiopie. Nouvelle offensive  -  Le 11 mars, l'Erythree
a indique etre prete a appliquer "un cessez-le-feu et une cessation
immediate des hostilites" le long de la frontiere avec l'Ethiopie
et a retirer ses troupes de "toutes les zones contestees". Ce
retrait cependant ne se fera que "dans le cadre de la
demilitarisation de la frontiere" prevue dans l'accord de paix de
l'OUA. La demilitarisation suppose un retrait simultane des troupes
des deux pays. Le 14 mars, l'Erythree a accuse l'Ethiopie d'avoir
lance une "offensive de grande envergure" sur le front central,
alors qu'Addis Abeba ne faisait etat que d'accrochages mineurs.
Aucun combat n'avait ete signale depuis une semaine, durant
laquelle les deux pays se sont livres a une querelle sterile sur
l'interpretation du plan de paix de l'OUA. Le 15 mars, de violents
combats se sont poursuivis sur le front central, selon le
gouvernement ethiopien. Asmara a annonce avoir abattu un Mig-23 et
detruit 19 chars, ce qui fut qualifie de "purs mensonges" par
l'Ethiopie. Le 16 mars, l'Erythree a affirme avoir repousse l'armee
ethiopienne sur le front central. L'Ethiopie n'a pas reagi a ces
affirmations. Selon Asmara, l'armee ethiopienne aurait subi
d'enormes pertes en hommes, utilisant "des vagues humaines pour
lancer des assauts successifs". 17 mars. Des journalistes qui ont
pu se rendre sur place, a Belessa, confirment que les forces
ethiopiennes ont perdu la bataille. Ils ont compte au moins 300
corps de soldats ethiopiens et une vingtaine de chars detruits
autour des tranchees erythreennes que les attaquants n'ont
apparemment pas reussi a percer.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
18 mars 1999)

* Eritrea-Ethiopia. Denial of border offensive  -  14-15 March:
Ethiopia denies claims that it has begun a large-scale offensive on
the central front of its border war with Eritrea. The Ethiopian
government spokesperson Salome Tadesse says she is surprised by
reports of a heavy attack involving infantry, tanks with heavy
artillery and aircraft. "We haven't launched a large-scale
offensive. There has been shelling, which unfortunately has been
the routine in the past nine months", she says. First word of the
fighting came in an Eritrean Foreign Ministry statement faxed to
the BBC from its embassy in Nairobi. It said that the attack
started on the Tsorona flank of the front, 100 kms south of the
capital Asmara, at 0500 GMT (8 am local time) on 14 March. The
statement said the attacks followed a heavy two hour barrage of
bombs and artillery shells in the same region on 13 March. There
has been no independent confirmation of the allegations as
journalists are not currently allowed to go to the Tsorona area. 15
March: Eritrea says it has shot down an Ethiopian MiG-23 fighter
and destroyed 19 tanks. 16 March: Eritrea says its forces have
foiled a three-day Ethiopian offensive but Ethiopia dismisses the
claim as a "figment of their imagination". 17 March: Eyewitnesses
say at least 300 Ethiopian soldiers have been killed during two
days of fighting up to 16 March.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 March
1999)

* Ghana. The Asantehene  -  ANB-BIA has received some
clarifications regarding the official role of the late Asantehene
in the political structure of modern Ghana. "The Asantehene, as
well as the Nayire of Nalerigu (Maprussi Paramount Chief), act as
kings in the National House of Chiefs. The National House of Chiefs
plays an important role, representing most of the ethnic groups in
the country, and is thus of great importance for the evolving
political structure in modern Ghana."   (Thomas Schwiedessen,
Germany, 16 March 1999)

* Guinee. Proces d'opposants  -  Le 12 mars, a commence a Kankan le
proces de 40 militants du Rassemblement du peuple de la Guinee
(RPG), dont quatre deputes et deux maires. Tous sont accuses
d'avoir porte atteinte a l'ordre public et d'avoir organise sans
autorisation des manifestations apres l'arrestation du leader du
RPG, Alpha Conde. Les conditions de sante de ce dernier, toujours
en prison, sont jugees preoccupantes depuis qu'il a entame une
greve de la faim pour protester contre le non-respect de ses
droits. -Le 12 mars egalement, le Premier ministre nouvellement
nomme, M. Lamine Sidibe, a presente son gouvernement qui, a deux
exceptions pres, reprend l'equipe de son predecesseur.   (ANB-BIA,
de sources diverses, 15 mars 1999)

* Kenya. "Justice digged by graft"  -  On 9 March, the Chief
Justice and the Attorney-General admitted that corruption and lack
of funds are bogging dowen justice in Kenya. They called for a
rigorous review of the law and the way it operates. Corruption was
particularly rampant in the Ministry of Lands, the police and the
Kenya Revenue Authority, the Attorney-General, Amos Wako said.  
(Daily Nation, Kenya, 10 March 1999)

* Kenya-USA. Legal bounty hunters  -  A California lawyer who was
suspended two years ago for "ambulance chasing" tactics, is
spearheading a series of legal claims -- some against the US State
Department -- by hundreds of Kenyan victims of last year's US
embassy bombing in Nairobi. According to some estimates, the
victims' lawyers could earn as much as $500 million. John Burris is
one of a number of American lawyers launching the claims on behalf
of up to 2,300 Kenyan victims who will pay these attorneys a third
of any damage award arising from the blast in August last year,
which killed 213 people, mostly Kenyans.   (The Guardian, UK, 17
March 1999)

* Liberia. Cholera hits the country  -  Up to 20 people a day are
dying in an outbreak of cholera, according to reports from the
remote south-east of Liberia. The director of the only hospital in
the region, Jackson Kru said the situation was alarming. A lack of
drugs and the difficulty of transport in Grand Kru county meant the
cholera was reaching epidemic proportions. The outbreak is being
blamed on the lack of safe drinking water across the country.
Residents of Grand Kru collect drinking water from contaminated
creeks, which are also used by herders to water their cattle.  
(BBC News, 15 March 1999)

* Malawi. Election date postponed  -  The Malawi Electoral
Commission said on 10 March it had postponed the country's general
election from 18 to 25 May. PANA quoted the Chief Electoral Officer
Stuart Winga as saying the delay was due to logistical problems
that had delayed the start of voter registration. Media sources in
Malawi say that a meeting was scheduled for 11 March between
representatives of the various political parties and the Electoral
Commission to discuss the next phase in the electoral process.
Malawi last held an election in 1994, when Bakili Muluzi was
elected president. Malawi's national assembly has 177 members,
elected for a five year term.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 12 March 1999)

* Mali. Seminaire sur les soins de sante  -  Quelque 200 delegues
de pays africains, asiatiques et latino-americains se reunissent du
8 au 12 mars a Bamako pour evaluer les progres realises en matiere
de prestations de soins de sante au cours des 12 dernieres annees
et pour recommander des moyens permettant d'ameliorer ces services.
La reunion, organisee par le gouvernement du Mali, l'OMS et
l'Unicef, a pour objectif de revoir l'Initiative de Bamako adoptee
en mars 1987 et mise en oeuvre en 33 pays. Visant a garantir aux
populations un acces aux soins de sante primaires, l'Initiative a
permis de rehabiliter plus de 6.000 centres de soins dans environ
15 pays et a assurer a plus de 60 millions de personnes un acces
durable a des soins de sante a un prix abordable, precise un
communique de presse des organisateurs.   (IRIN, Abidjan, 10 mars
1999)

* Mauritanie. Proces d'Ould Daddah  -  L'opposant Ahmed Ould
Daddah, president de l'Union des forces democratiques, et son
collaborateur Mohameden Ould Babah, seront juges le 20 mars par le
tribunal correctionnel de Nouakchott, a-t-on appris le 14 mars de
source judiciaire. Les deux dirigeants sont inculpes d'incitation
a l'intolerance et atteinte a la securite et a l'ordre public par
le procureur de la Republique. Ils encourent une peine de 1 a 5 ans
de prison.   (Le Monde, France, 16 mars 1999)

* Maroc. Un an de gouvernement  -  Le 14 mars, le gouvernement du
socialiste Abderrahmane Youssoufi, charge par le roi de mettre en
place une "politique d'alternance", fete le premier anniversaire de
son arrivee au pouvoir, sans que la vie quotidienne des Marocains
n'ait vraiment change. A sa decharge, estime-ton, l'equipe
gouvernementale s'est heurtee a la traditionnelle prudence de
l'ancien pouvoir, ainsi qu'a des fortes resistances. La plupart des
ministres ne sont pas parvenus a remplacer les anciens hommes-cles
de leurs administrations, tous nommes par decret royal. De meme,
Driss Basri, ministre de l'Interieur depuis plus de vingt ans que
Youssoufi a ete oblige d'admettre dans son gouvernement, a continue
a jouer son role d'une sorte de Premier ministre bis, relevant
directement du palais royal. Les reformes economiques et sociales
demandent du temps a se mettre en place. Neanmoins, cette premiere
annee s'est traduite par un tres net renforcement de la liberte
d'expression, et M. Youssoufi semble ne rien avoir perdu de sa
popularite aupres de l'homme de la rue.   (D'apres AFP, France, 13
mars 1999)
* Maroc/Tunisie. Visite officielle  -  Le 15 mars, le president
tunisien Ben Ali est arrive a Marrakech pour une visite officielle
de 48 heures au Maroc, essentiellement destinee a dynamiser les
relations maroco-tunisiennes et a tenter de donner un second
souffle a l'Union du Maghreb arabe (UMA). C'est la premiere visite
officielle du president Ben Ali au Maroc depuis son arrivee au
pouvoir en 1987. De source marocaine on indique que les discussions
devraient notamment porter sur les moyens de renforcer les
relations economiques entre les deux pays, actuellement extremement
modestes puisque leur volume ne depasse guere les 100 millions de
dollars par an. Tunisiens et Marocains voudraient aussi donner un
nouveau souffle a l'UMA, qui regroupe, outre les deux pays,
l'Algerie, la Libye et la Mauritanie. Cette organisation regionale,
qui vient de feter ses dix ans, est en panne depuis 1994, date de
la fermeture des frontieres terrestres entre l'Algerie et le Maroc. 
 (D'apres AFP, France, 15 mars 1999)

* Mozambique. Update on de-mining  -  Mozambique Foreign Minister
Leonardo Simao told the Mozambican parliament this week that since
the start of the de-mining process in December 1992 and February
this year, more than 53,624 anti-personnel mines had been
destroyed. The PANA news agency quoted Simao as saying that up
until the end of 1998, de-mining operations had cost about US $116
million. In his speech Simao added that to date, 7,718 km of roads,
90 km of railway tracks and 10,560 hectares of land had been
cleared of mines. The de-mining operations in Mozambique is being
carried out by the National De-mining Commission, which was
established in April 1995 to allow for more efficiency in the de-
mining process.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 10 March 1999)

* Mozambique. Helping flood victims  -  South Africa said on 10
March that it was sending helicopters and other transport aircraft
to Mozambique to assist in the relocation of people trapped by
floods. A joint statement by the South African Department of
Foreign Affairs and the South African National Defence Force
(SANDF) said: "Following the assessment made last week by SANDAF's
Special Task Team, the South African government today (10 March)
decided to assist in the location/relocation of people trapped by
the flooding of the Govuro river in the Inhambane district of
Mozambique." People in the Inhambane province have had no access to
food and basic health care since flooding began last week. A
spokesman for the SANDF said that on the first day of the operation
about 10.9 mt of food, supplied by the UN's World Food Programme
(WFP) had been airlifted to people in the affected areas. He added
that these airlifts would continue today, 11 March. He said at this
stage there was no need for people to be evacuated, but they were
in urgent need of food supplies because most of their crops had
been washed away. On 16 March, SANDAF said it had delivered enough
food to Mozambique for at least 45 days.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 16 March
1999)

* Nigeria. Power breakdown  -  A total breakdown in Lagos' long-
unreliable power supply forced many businesses in Nigeria's
commercial capital to close. The electricity supply collapsed late
on 10 March, when the only functioning gas-powered turbine at the
city's Egbin power plant broke down. The other five have been shut
down for maintenance. Radio and television stations continued to
run using their own generators. After 15 years of military rule,
Nigeria, the world's sixth-largest producer of crude oil, is in
dire economic straits, and its infrastructure is crumbling. Power
outrages are a regular event. The Nigeria Electric Power Authority,
or NEPA, is popularly known as "Never Enough Power Anywhere". The
company has resorted to power rationing in most of the country in
the last month.   (AP, 11 March 1999)

* Nigeria. ECOMOG  -  Le 15 mars, le president recemment elu du
Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, a assure a Nairobi que l'instauration
d'un gouvernement civil dans son pays n'entrainera pas un retrait
des troupes de la force africaine Ecomog dans les pays en guerre en
Afrique de l'Ouest. Le Nigeria dirige et fournit l'essentiel des
troupes de l'Ecomog, actuellement presente en Sierra Leone et en
Guinee-Bissau. M. Obasanjo, qui prendra ses fonctions le 29 mai et
qui effectue une tournee dans plusieurs pays d'Afrique pour y
rencontrer leurs dirigeants, a ajoute que la force ouest-africaine
"poursuivrait ses efforts pour retablir la paix dans ces pays".  
(AFP, France, 15 mars 1999)

* Nigeria. Obasanjo urges African unity  -  14 March: The Nigerian
president-elect, Olusegun Obasanjo, is continuing a worldwide
series of visits aimed at reclaiming Nigeria's place in the
international community. General Obasanjo has arrived in Kenya,
where he is expected to hold talks with President arap Moi, after
spending most of Sunday in Mozambique. His whirlwind itinerary has
also taken in Benin and Tanzania over the weekend. After Kenya, he
will fly to Asia, Europe and North America. In Tanzania, he met
President Mkapa, and the two pledged to work towards an end to
military conflicts in Africa. 15 March: The loser in the
presidential election, Chief Olu Falae, files an appeal against
Obasanjo's victory. He says the general was not qualified to stand
in the polls because he belonged to a secret society (the Ogboni)
and had been convicted of treason in an alleged 1995 coup plot
against former dictator Gen. Abacha.   (BBC News, 14-15 March 1999)

* Rwanda. Premier ministre accuse de genocide  -  Le Premier
ministre rwandais, Pierre-Celestin Rwigema, un Hutu, est mis en
cause "depuis un bon moment" dans une procedure ouverte par le
parquet de Kigali pour genocide, qui n'a pour l'instant pas abouti,
ont indique le 12 mars des sources judiciaires dans la capitale
rwandaise. M. Rwigema, qui avait ete nomme au poste de Premier
ministre en aout 1997, est accuse en particulier de distribution
d'armes pendant le genocide, a precise une de ces sources. M.
Rwigema preside un des principaux partis du pays, le MDR, le plus
grand parti hutu autorise dans le pays. La radio rwandaise avait
annonce, le 11 mars, l'exclusion de quatre deputes MDR de
l'Assemblee nationale pour participation au genocide ou complicite
avec la rebellion. M. Rwigema a dementi les accusations portees
contre lui.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13 mars 1999)

* Rwanda. Making a point  -  Evidence is emerging of the scale and
organisation of the groups targeting Britons and American in
central Africa. Last week's murder of eight tourists in western
Uganda -- six of whom were British or Americans -- was a carefully
planned act of terrorism, designed to send a political message. The
rebels separated the Americans and Britons from other nationals and
marched them into the bush. They released Anne Peltier, France's
deputy ambassador to Uganda, despite her being a potentially
valuable hostage. Rwandan Hutus blame Britain and the United States
for supporting the minority Tutsi-led government in Rwanda, and now
appear to have developed strategies for punishing British and
American citizens for their governments' policy.   (The Guardian,
U.K., 13 March 1999)

* Sahara occidental. Pas de referendum cette annee  -  Le
referendum au Sahara occidental qui devait avoir lieu des 1992,
sans cesse reporte en raison des desaccords persistants entre le
Maroc et le Front Polisario, n'est plus prevu avant mars 2000, a
annonce le ministre marocain de l'Interieur, Driss Basri, dans une
interview publiee le 11 mars par le quotidien Al Hayat. Ce
referendum fut reporte la derniere fois a decembre 1999. M. Basri
a affirme que si les efforts de M. Kofi Annan pour organiser cette
consultation echouent, les Nations unies devront prendre une
decision. Mais "le Maroc restera sur son territoire", a-t-il
ajoute. La veille, le Polisario avait declare que l'echec du plan
de l'ONU pourrait entrainer une reprise des combats.   (Le Monde,
France, 13 mars 1999)

* Sao Tome and Principe. Trouble at Central Bank  -  The government
has fired its central Bank's governor, executive board and audit
committee over an alleged multimillion-dollar scam involving
treasury bills. The dismissals were announced on 10 March.
According to AP, the bank's governor signed treasury bills worth US
$500 million without authorization. Three unidentified foreigners
were detained by Belgian police at the request of the Sao Tome
authorities when they tried unsuccessfully to exchange the treasury
bills at a bank in Brussels. Meanwhile, an investigation continues
into the alleged embezzlement in December 1998 of US $1 million
from a Sao Tome government account in a Paris bank.   (AP, 12 March
1999)

* Sierra Leone. Guinean troops attack rebels  -  12 March: RUF
rebels have freed another group of children abducted during the
battle for Freetown in January. The handover of 21 youngsters takes
place at Newton, 39 km from the capital. 14 March: Reports say
Guinean forces have launched a major counter attack against rebels
who control much of Sierra Leone's western border town of Kambia.
Civilians who fled into Guinea say the attacks included airstrikes
on rebel positions. Aid workers in contact with the area say
Guinean forces have retaken Kambia and advanced up to the border.
But one report says the rebels have captured a customs post at
Gbalamya from Guinean troops. Guinea has troops fighting in the
West African peace-keeping force, which is helping the Sierra
Leonean President Kabbah, deal with the rebel offensive against his
government.   (BBC News, 14 March 1999)

* Somalie. Epidemie de cholera  -  Une epidemie de cholera continue
a se propager dans le sud de la Somalie. Actuellement, le village
le plus touche est Habal Bar, a environ 80 km au sud-ouest de
Baidoa. Depuis quatre jours, 120 personnes, dont 80 enfants, sont
mortes dans ce village, d'apres des sources officielles. Ces deux
derniers mois, des milliers de personnes ont deserte les villages
proches de Baidoa pour fuir les combats entre milices rivales de la
ville et se sont entassees dans des campements de fortune depourvus
de toute hygiene.   (Misna, Italie, 13 mars 1999)

* Somalia. Twenty dead in clashes  -  Reports from Somalia say at
least twenty-two people have died and forty others wounded in
renewed fighting between rival militia groups in north Mogadishu.
The clashes -- which broke out on 13 March, led by Musa Sudi
Yalahow, and gunmen who are reported to be funded by business
people in the Karan market -- the second largest in the city. The
Yalahow militiamen are reported to have used heavy weapons,
including seventy five millimetre guns, and mortar fire on
residential areas. Both sides belong to the Abgal sub-clan which is
dominant in north Mogadishu.   (BBC News, 14 March 1999)

* Somalie. Affrontements  -  Le dimanche 14 mars, au moins 22
personnes ont ete tuees lors d'affrontements dans le nord de
Mogadiscio entre les miliciens d'un chef de guerre local et des
hommes armes operant pour la communaute des affaires de cette zone
de la capitale somalienne, portant a au moins 26 le nombre de
victimes pour le week-end, selon des journalistes locaux.   (Le
Monde, France, 16 mars 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Boesak juge coupable  -  Le 17 mars, le pasteur
Allan Boesak, figure emblematique de la lutte anti-apartheid, a ete
declare coupable de detournements de fonds d'un montant total de
plus de 1,34 million de rands (224.000 dollars) provenant de dons
destines aux victimes de l'apartheid. Il risque l'emprisonnement,
apres avoir ete juge coupable par la Haute cour du Cap de 3 vols et
d'une fraude au detriment d'organisations charitables. Le tribunal
va se reunir a nouveau le 23 mars pour examiner la peine
applicable.   (AFP, France, 17 mars 1999)

* Soudan. Esclavage: accusations et dementis  -  L'Unicef a indique
qu'il existait "des preuves irrefutables d'un commerce d'esclaves
bien etabli et qui se poursuit au Soudan". En reponse, un comite
gouvernemental soudanais accuse l'Unicef de propager des
accusations sans fondement sur la poursuite de l'esclavage au
Soudan et Khartoum met au defi ses accusateurs de donner une liste
des noms et adresses des vendeurs, des acheteurs et des victimes de
cette pratique.   (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 16 mars 1999)

* Sudan. Famine in Sudan, 1998  -  In a report published today,
Human Rights Watch accuses all those involved in the civil war, of
being responsible for the terrible famine which caused the deaths
of thousands of people in 1998. The report was researched and
written by Human Rights Watch counsel and Sudan-researcher, Jemera
Rone, who conducted research in rebel-held areas of the Nuba
Mountains and southern Sudan, and in Kenya and Uganda in October
1997 and April-May 1998. Other interviews were conducted in the
USA.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 March 1999)

* Soudan. Rapport de HRW sur la famine  -  Dans un rapport de 200
pages, intitule "La famine au Soudan en 1998: causes liees aux
droits de l'homme", publie le 18 mars, Human Rights Watch accuse
les parties impliquees dans la guerre civile qui dechire le Soudan
depuis 15 ans, d'etre responsables de la terrible famine qui a
touche plus de 2,6 millions des 27 millions d'habitants de ce pays
en 1998 et qui menace d'etre plus meurtriere encore en 1999. HRW
affirme que les tactiques militaires abusives mises en oeuvre par
les forces gouvernementales et les actes d'agression commis par les
groupes rebelles et les milices tribales soutenues par le
gouvernement ont aggrave la situation de famine, la transformant en
un desastre d'une ampleur inegalee. Le gouvernement soudanais
consacre a la guerre environ un million de dollars par jour,
l'equivalent de l'aide d'urgence de la communaute internationale au
moment ou la famine atteignait son paroxysme. Un cessez-le-feu au
Bahr el-Ghazal expirera le 15 avril prochain.   (HRW, New-York, 18
mars 1999)

* Tanzania. Emergency operation  -  The World Food Programme (WFP)
has approved an emergency operation to distribute 19,550 mt of
urgently-needed food aid to people in 12 of the most food-insecure
areas in Tanzania. The US $1 million operation, which started in
early March, will last three months, a WFP emergency report said.
A joint rapid assessment of the food security situation in Iringa
region had recommended relief food interventions in the north of
Iringa, where agro-climatic conditions were very similar to that of
the hard-hit Dodoma region. A WFP team in Dodoma reported declining
school attendance levels in Kondoa South district as children were
forced to join in the search for food. Other areas in the region
reported poor rainfall while the availability of grain in the
markets remains very low. In Singida region, some 8,660 mt of maize
grain has been distributed to 158,594 beneficiaries under the
drought operation, the report said.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 11 March
1999)

* Tanzanie. Bonne gouvernance  -  La Tanzanie va recevoir du PNUD
1,1 million de dollars pour aider a la mise au point d'un programme
de bonne gouvernance, y compris le renforcement de la lutte des
pouvoirs publics contre la corruption, selon le dernier numero de
"Flash", lettre d'information hebdomadaire du PNUD. Le programme
soutiendra un processus consultatif national qui doit permettre aux
pouvoirs publics et a la societe civile de preparer le projet de
bonne gouvernance. Celui-ci doit repertorier les mesures a prendre,
y compris les reformes de politiques et de structures, de nouveaux
textes legislatifs et le renforcement des institutions.   (IRIN,
Nairobi, 12 mars 1999)

* Tanzanie. Disette  -  Plus d'un million de Tanzaniens souffrent
de la faim a la suite d'un temps imprevisible et de la perte des
recoltes qui s'en est suivie, a annonce le PAM le 13 mars, en
ajoutant qu'il n'avait pu rassembler que la moitie des 8 millions
de dollars necessaires pour fournir 20.000 tonnes de nourriture a
la population touchee. Sans cette aide, la directrice du PAM en
Tanzanie craint une generalisation de la malnutrition. Elle definit
la situation comme "une crise majeure".   (D'apres AP, EU, 14 mars
1999)

* Togo. Campagne pour les legislatives  -  La campagne pour les
elections legislatives s'est officiellement ouverte le 6 mars a
minuit. Le chef de l'Etat avait decide de reporter du 7 au 21 mars
le premier tour de l'election, "afin de permettre a l'opposition de
participer au scrutin". Mais en depit de ce report, une dizaine de
nouvelles candidatures seulement ont ete enregistrees. Sans parler
de boycott, l'opposition a decide de bouder ce scrutin tant que le
contentieux de l'election presidenteille de juin dernier n'est pas
regle.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 12 mars 1999)

* Tunisie. Droits de l'homme  -  Le regime du president Ben Ali
s'acharne contre les defenseurs des droits de l'homme. Le "Conseil
national pour les libertes", cree en decembre 1998 a Tunis pour
"assurer une vigilance quant a l'etat des libertes individuelles et
collectives", vient de se voir refuser son agrement par le ministre
de l'Interieur, ce qui le place des lors en situation d'illegalite.
Dans le meme temps, la cour d'appel de Kebili (sud) a confirme la
condamnation de Ali Bedaoui a six mois de prison ferme pour
"rebellion contre les forces de l'ordre", alors qu'il avait
simplement exige une convocation ecrite aux policiers venus
l'arreter sur un marche en janvier dernier. En realite, Bedaoui
semble surtout payer le fait d'etre le frere de Moncef Marzouki,
l'ancien president de la Ligue tunisienne des droits de l'homme,
qui est constamment harcele et menace depuis qu'il a decide d'etre
candidat a la presidentielle de... 1994.   (Liberation, France, 13
mars 1999)

* Uganda-Rwanda. Israel's involvement  -  Israel has stepped up
military involvement in Central Africa with the training of both
Ugandan and Rwandese military personnel. Ugandan military sources
say at least 120 Israeli military specialists are currently
training the 2,000-strong Presidential Protection Unit at
Namunkekera, 40 miles south-west of Kampala, and at Kasenyi, near
Entebbe Airport. There are also plans for Israel to assist in the
rehabilitation of the Ugandan airforce. Reports from Rwanda
indicate that Israel will train 70 pilots and aircrew in the use of
helicopters in combat-missions. Both Uganda and Rwanda recently
acquired reconditioned M1-24 armoured helicopters and both
countries would like to improve their anti-insurgency campaign with
the help of Israel. However, Uganda's increased military budget has
been the subject of controversy between Uganda and western donors. 
 (Crespo Sebunya, Uganda, 10 March 1999)

* Uganda. Political party referendum described as "tyrannical"  - 
Uganda's New Vision (12 March) carried an article by Professor
Mahmood Mamdani, a leading Ugandan political scientist, who
condemned the impending referendum on political parties as
"astonishing" and "tyrannical". He called for "all possible
pressure" to ensure defeat of the referendum due to be held next
year. The article attempts to analyze events leading to the recent
murder of tourists in Bwindi forest and terrorism in Uganda.   (New
Vision, Uganda, 12 March 1999)

* Uganda. Human rights violations  -  In a Press release published
on 17 March, Amnesty International says the vicious circle of
violence in Uganda's northern war zone will not be broken unless
government forces confront their own largely hidden pattern of
human rights violations. The organisation has documented scores of
killings of unarmed civilians -- including of children -- dozens of
rapes and hundreds of beatings by government forces over the last
three years. While some soldiers have been arrested for these
crimes, few have been brought to court, as weakness in the criminal
justice system delay trials of soldiers almost indefinately.  
(Amnesty International, 17 March 1999)

* Zambia. Press under siege  -  Events leading up to the recent
arrest of a number of journalists in Zambia are as follows
(information from IFEX, Canada): 9 March: Police fan out over
Lusaka to arrest journalists from The Post newspaper apparently
after an order for them to arrest all Post journalists before dawn.
The crackdown followed an uproar in the National Assembly, stemming
from the lead story in the Post on 9 March -- "Angola worries
Zambia Army". 10 March: By this morning, police had arrested 6
journalists. At around 7.p.m., police besieged the editorial office
of the Post and its separately located building housing its
printing press, cutting off the power and water supply, and
changing the locks at the gates. The police began controlling
movements to and from the newspaper's premises preventing those
were inside from leaving. Lawyers were reportedly granted access to
the trapped personnel.11 March: Police allowed food to be taken to
those holed up in the various buildings. The newspaper's Thursday
edition was prevented from being distributed. 12 March: The 6
journalists arrested have been unconditionally released. 15 March:
The Post is back on the streets. 17 March: The six reporters are
served with summonses and have been formally charged with
espionage.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 March 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Mouvement politique  -  Le mouvement syndical
zimbabween et des organisations de la societe civile ont decide fin
fevrier de creer une plate-forme politique commune. Il s'agit sans
doute du defi le plus serieux auquel le president Mugabe aura a
faire face au bout de 19 ans de pouvoir presque sans partage. Bien
que le dirigeant du Congres des syndicats se refuse soigneusement
a designer la nouvelle formation de "parti", preferant l'appeler
"mouvement", il est evident que cette formation representera
desormais une force puissante dans un paysage politique caraterise
par l'eparpillement de l'opposition au pouvoir du president et a
son parti.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 12 mars 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Americans claim torture  -  Security police tortured
three Americans charged with espionage, terrorism and sabotage in
Zimbabwe, their lawyer said during the suspects' first appearance
in court. The men, accused of being mercenaries and arms dealers,
are missionaries for an Indianapolis-based Protestant group,
defense attorney Jeremy Callow said. The three men arrested when a
hand gun carried by one of them activated an airport metal
detector. The men were attempting to board a flight to the United
States via Switzerland. Zimbabwe police said -- and Callow admitted
in court -- that the Americans owned a truck found the same day at
the airport. The vehicle contained assault and sniper rifles,
shotguns, a light machine gun, hand guns, firearms, telescopic
sights, knives, camouflage cream, two-way radios and ammunition.
Callow claimed police beat the men and applied electric shocks to
their genitals last week while they were in custody, the state-run
news agency Ziana reported.   (AP, 13 March 1999)<C5,5,0,0,127,0>
<C5,5,0,0,127,0>

UGANDA
Title - Uganda: Breaking the circle: Protecting human rights in the
northern war zone.
Author - Amnesty International, 17 March 1999
Description - In a News Release, Amnesty International says the
vicious circle of violence in Uganda's northern war zone will not
be broken unless government forces confront their own largely
hidden pattern of human rights violations.

This report can be obtained directly from Amnesty International on:
       <owner-amnesty-1@host.oil.ca>

You also can obtaine it by e-mail at our office, asking for:
       <\AI\UG0317.TXT>
but, please, don't use the "REPLY" command.
Thanks