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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 12-05-1999      PART #1/

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Algeria: On 6 May, The
Committee to protect Journalists urged the Algerian government to
locate and bring to safety "disappeared" Algerian journalists
Djamel Eddine Fahassi and Aziz Bouabdallah, who were abducted by
men believed to be security agents in 1995 and 1997 respectively.
Congo RDC: RSF says that Stephane Kitutu O'Leontwa, president of
the Congolese Press Union, was detained for questioning by police
officers on 8 May and placed in solitary confinement. Sierra Leone:
On 5 May, journalists Ahmed Kanneh, Thomas Gbow and Mohhamed
Massaquoi from The Storm weekly newspaper, were arrested. Also, the
Sierra Leone government has announced (report received 10 May) that
all newspapers published in the country have to be registered by
the end of the week. Zambia: On 5 May, the Zambia Independent Media
Association vowed that journalists would not stop writing the truth
about what was pertaining to the country.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 10
May 1999)

* SADC. The Defence Protocol further divides the region  -  The
recently signed Defence Protocol by the SADC Defence Ministers of
Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Congo RDC in Luanda, Angola, on 4
April, exposes the growing political rift the region is facing. The
signing of the Protocol by certain SADC countries illustrates the
growing division among some member-states, especially between
Angola and Zambia. There are also divergences among member-states
over the Congo RDC issue. People are now asking why the SADC have
never helped the Angolan government crush the rebel UNITA forces of
Jonas Savimbi. Also, although Zimbabwe's President Mugabe is
responsible on behalf of the SADC for security in the region, other
states mistrust him. He is accused of war mongering within the
region. Though he should be preaching the gospel of peace, his
government is accused of peddling arms in conflict areas.  
(Augustine Deke, Zimbabwe, 6 May 1999)

* Afrique australe. Sida "hors controle"  -  L'epidemie de sida a
pris des proportions telles qu'elle est desormais "hors controle"
en Afrique australe, affirme le principal epidemiologiste de
l'Onusida, Bernhard Schwartlaender, dans l'hebdomadaire allemand
Focus date du 10 mai. Plus d'un quart de la population adulte du
Botswana, de la Namibie, du Swaziland et du Zimbabwe est infecte
par le VIH. En Afrique du Sud, l'epidemie serait exponentielle
depuis le debut de la decennie. L'OMS publie le 11 mars son rapport
annuel qui souligne que le sida est devenu la quatrieme cause de
mortalite dans le monde et la premiere en Afrique.   (Le Monde,
France, 11 mai 1999)

* Africa-Europe. The Europeans elections and Africa  -  The Africa-
Europe Faith and Justice Network (AEFJN) has launched a campaign
for the elections to the European Parliament of June 1999, so as to
influence the candidates to take into account the interests of
African countries in their electoral programmes and in their
parliamentary work. AEFJN is interested in having reactions to such
issues as the elimination of debt for the poorest countries,
traffic and trade in arms, deterioration of the environment, the
question of women, the eradication of poverty and the terrible
consequences of Structural Adjustment Programmes on education,
health, and social programmes...subjects in which European policies
play an important role.   (AEFJN, Brussels, 10 May 1999)

* Angola. Currency reserves drained  -  The Angolan government has
virtually no foreign exchange reserves or cash, the central bank
chief has warned. "Our reserves are on the verge of exhaustion, the
state has neither money nor foreign exchange". He said the only
solution was to drop all exchange controls and allow the local
currency, the Kwanza, to float according to its real market value. 
 (Reuters, 6 May 1999)

* Angola. Crise humanitaire dramatique  -  Alors que le Conseil de
securite de l'Onu a decide, cette semaine, de renforcer les
sanctions contre l'Unita, certains responsables sur place ont
declare que la crise dans le pays est devenue "dramatique au plus
haut point". "Depuis la reprise des hostilites a la fin de l'an
dernier, il se trouve en Angola 800.000 personnes nouvellement
deplacees qui ont besoin d'assistance de facon absolument
desesperee", a declare le porte-parole du Service de coordination
humanitaire de l'Onu. Par ailleurs, le 5 mai, le Conseil de
securite a decide d'envoyer en Afrique du Sud le president de son
comite des sanctions contre l'Angola. M. Fowler, dans une tournee
de trois semaines, se rendra en Afrique du Sud, Namibie, Zimbabwe,
Zambie, Botswana, RDC et Angola. Il devrait aussi etablir des
equipes chargees d'enqueter sur le commerce illegal des diamants et
les achats d'armes.   (D'apres IRIN, Afrique australe, 7 mai 1999)

* Angola. UN to probe sanctions busting  -  In a resolution brought
jointly by the United States, the Russian Federation, Portugal and
Canada, the UN Security Council condemned what it called continued
indiscriminate attacks by Unita against the civilian population of
Angola and blamed Unita's leader, Jonas Savimbi, for the
deteriorating situation in the country. It has decided to set up a
panel of experts to investigate reports of the violation of
sanctions imposed on Unita, including the supply of mercenaries,
arms and petroleum to the organisation, and the movement of
diamonds and Unita funds. The panel has been asked to identify
those responsible and to recommend measures to end the sanctions-
busting.   (BBC News, 7 May 1999)

* Angola. La pose de mines continue  -  En Angola, dans des zones
deja deminees, on repose a nouveau d'autres mines. L'institut
angolais pour le retrait des mines estime que plus de 100.000
personnes ont deja ete mutilees par l'explosion de mines, et selon
l'Unite de coordination pour l'assistance humanitaire de l'Onu, le
nombre de victimes a augmente de facon significative les derniers
mois parce qu'on en pose continuellement des nouvelles. Le
processus de deminage est d'ailleurs paralyse a cause de la guerre. 
 (D'apres Misna, Italie, 10 mai 1999)

* Burkina Faso. More unrest  -  11 May: Reports from Burkina Faso
say there has been a second day of student protests in Ouagadougou.
Police are said to have used tear gas to break up demonstrations
outside secondary schools, and there are reported to have been a
number of arrests. The students are demanding the arrest of several
members of the presidential security guard suspected of murdering
the reporter, Norbert Zongo, in December.   (BBC News, 11 May 1999)

* Burkina Faso. Zongo "assassine"  -  Le journaliste Norbert Zongo,
trouve mort le 13 decembre a bord d'une voiture carbonisee, "a ete
assassine pour des motifs purement politiques parce qu'il
pratiquait un journalisme engage d'investigation". Telle est la
conclusion de la commission d'enquete, dont le rapport final a ete
rendu public le 7 mai. Norbert Zongo avait notamment enquete sur la
mort suspecte du chauffeur du frere du president Compaore. Le
rapport etablit que le chauffeur est mort sous la torture et que le
journaliste a ete abattu par balles avec ses trois compagnons de
voyage, avant que le feu ne fut mis a leur vehicule. Faute de
"preuves formelles", la commission, a laquelle participait
Reporters sans frontieres, n'a toutefois pas designe comme
coupables, mais seulement comme "serieux suspects" des membres de
la garde presidentielle. - Le secretaire general de RSF, Robert
Menard, a ete interpelle apres une interview ou il revenait sur les
conclusions de la commission. Il a pu quitter Ouagadougou, le 9
mai, escorte par des gendarmes. -Le 10 mai, les forces de securite
se sont opposees a grand renfort de gaz lacrymogenes a des
etudiants qui voulaient manifester pour l'arrestation de suspects
dans le cadre de l'affaire Zongo. Plusieurs arrestations et
l'evacuation du campus universitaire ont ramene le calme dans
l'apres-midi. Les etudiants ont decrete une greve de 72 heures dans
l'attente des conclusions du conseil extraordinaire des ministres
sur le rapport de la commission d'enquete.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 8-12 mai 1999)

* Burundi. Combats: 72 morts  -  72 civils ont peri lors d'une
flambee de violence entre rebelles et soldats burundais dans le sud
du pays, pres de la frontiere tanzanienne, ont declare le 9 mai des
organisations des droits de l'homme, qui evoquent l'exode de 16.000
civils. Ces combats interviennent alors que doit s'ouvrir, le 10
mai a Arusha, une nouvelle session de negociations de paix entre le
gouvernement et les rebelles.   (Liberation, France, 10 mai 1999)

* Comoros. Coup leader sworn in as President  -  6 May: Colonel
Azali Assoumani is sworn in as President and he names a new
government. He later names a 12-member Committee of State. The
average age of the commissioners is 33 and only three have held
previous government posts. 7 May: The EU has threatened to suspend
development cooperation with the Comoros Islands unless the
government is reinstated. In a statement issued by the EU's Germany
presidency, the 15-nation EU said it "deeply regretted" the
deterioration of the political situation in the Comoros, and urged
the army to release President Ben Said Massounde from house arrest.
The EU statement said: "As a result of the coup, the European Union
will re-examine its development cooperation with...the
Comoros...within the Fourth Lome Convention, which allows for
appropriate steps to be taken including...the full or partial
suspension of application of the Convention".   (ANB-BIA, 7 May
1999)

* Comores. Nouveau gouvernement  -  Le 6 mai, le colonel Azali
Assoumani, qui a mene le 30 avril un putsch militaire aux Comores,
a prete serment sur une Constitution qu'il a lui-meme promulguee et
par laquelle il s'attribue les fonctions de chef de l'executif et
ministre de la Defense. Ni la France ni l'OUA, qui ont comdamne le
putsch, n'avaient des representants. "Notre priorite est
l'application des accords d'Antananarivo creant l'Union des iles
Comores", a souligne le colonel Azali, qui a aussi nomme par decret
un comite d'Etat (gouvernement) compose de douze commissaires. - Le
10 mai, l'OUA reunie a Addis Abeba a appele la communaute
internationale a rompre toute cooperation avec la junte militaire.
Dans le meme communique, l'organisation annonce le retrait des
elements militaires de son equipe d'observateurs dans le pays tant
que "l'ordre constitutionnel ne sera pas retabli".   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 12 mai 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Congo epidemic is Marburg fever  -  On 5 May, WHO
officials said the virus responsible for dozens of deaths in Congo
RDC is not Ebola, but a related haemorrhagic fever probably
transmitted by bats or rats. Blood samples taken from the victims,
mainly gold diggers, and tested by the National Institute of
Virology in South Africa, showed it was the fatal Marburg virus. A
WHO spokesman said: "It is a virus very closely related to Ebola,
but not Ebola. The clinical symptoms are very similar -- the sudden
onset of fever, haemorrhaging, muscle pain, headaches etc."  
(Reuters, 6 May 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Epidemie de Marburg  -  La maladie de Marburg, et
non le virus tueur de l'Ebola, est responsable de la mysterieuse
epidemie qui a fait plusieurs dizaines de morts dans l'est de la
RDC, a declare l'OMS le 6 mai. Baptisee du nom de la ville
allemande ou elle fut identifiee en 1967, la maladie de Marburg est
un type de fievre hemorragique dangeureuse, mais dont le taux de
mortalite est inferieure a celui de l'Ebola. Alors que le nombre
des cas enregistres est inferieure a la centaine, le bureau
africain de l'OMS a declare que le virus a deja fait au moins 75
morts a Durba, dans le district de l'Ituri. La forte mortalite
pourrait s'expliquer par la combinaison du Marburg avec d'autres
facteurs, notamment la presence endemique de maladies dans la
region, comme le paludisme, qui affaiblissent le systeme
immunitaire. Quatre provinces congolaises sont sous etat d'alerte.
Comme la tache de l'OMS est rendue ardue par la guerre qui sevit
encore dans la region, l'organisation a lance un appel aux
belligerants, leur signifiant qu'entraver ses efforts est sans
conteste s'exposer a des morts inutiles. - Selon des rapports
parvenus le 10 mai, l'equipe medicale sur place rencontre une bonne
cooperation des autorites rebelles de la region. Le rapport precise
que la plupart des victimes dans le village de Durba sont des
hommes qui travaillent illegalement dans les mines d'or du pays
dans des conditions insalubres. D'autre part, un vol humanitaire
transportant du personnel medical et du materiel depuis Kinshasa,
a atterri a Watsa le 8 mai. Il s'agit du premier vol direct entre
Kinshasa et le territoire tenu par les rebelles depuis le
commencement de la guerre en aout dernier.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 10 mai 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Debat national reporte  -  Le 9 mai, le ministere
kenyan des Affaires etrangeres a communique que le "debat national"
inter-congolais, qui devrait reunir tous les partis, a ete reporte
au mois de juin. Cette rencontre avait ete fixee a Nairobi le 8,
puis le 14 mai, mais des acteurs politiques eminents, tels MM.
Tshisekedi (UDPS) et Gizenga, ont deja refuse d'y participer. Le
ministre congolais des Affaires etrangeres Yerodia, de passage a
Bruxelles, a tente de convaincre de la bonne volonte du
gouvernement a ce sujet. Selon lui, ce debat doit permettre de se
mettre d'accord entre Congolais sur la maniere d'aller aux
elections, sur le devenir du pays.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
10 mai 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Combats et pillages  -  Des soldats rwandais et
ougandais se sont entretues recemment pour le controle de mines
d'or et de plantations dans l'est de la RDC, a affirme a Kinshasa
l'etat-major des Forces armees congolaises. Les fusillades entre
les militaires, allies de la rebellion, ont fait au total 213
morts, 200 Rwandais et 13 Ougandais, dans la province orientale et
celle du Maniema. -D'autre part, des soldats des forces
gouvernementales, qui ont pris la fuite apres la perte de Lodja au
mois d'avril, se sont livres a des pillages dans les deux provinces
du Kasai. Ils ont notamment mis a sac divers hopitaux, couvents et
paroisses catholiques. Les rebelles essaient de progresser de Lodja
vers Bena-Dibela et Lusambo. Les dernieres semaines, le Rwanda a
envoye encore quelque 13.000 soldats vers le front oriental au nord
du Katanga. Les forces loyalistes resisteraient encore a Manono,
Kabalo et Pweto/Moba. Mais les rebelles ont annonce qu'ils
s'etaient empares le 8 mai de Manono, la ville natale du president
Kabila. Probablement en riposte, le 11 mai au soir, les villes de
Goma et d'Uvira, places fortes de la rebellion, ont ete bombardees
par les forces gouvernementales, causant la mort de 28 personnes
selon la rebellion. C'est la premiere fois que les forces
gouvernementales procedent a des bombardements aussi loin dans
l'est du pays.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 12 mai 1999)

* Congo RDC. Goma bombed  -  12 May: The government of Congo RDC
has bombed a rebel stronghold in the east of the country, rebels
said. A rebel commander, General Celestin Ilunga, said a military
plane dropped four or five bombs on the rebel capital, Goma, and
subsequently attacked the town of Uvira, 200 km further south.
General Ilunga described the attacks as an act of desperation by
President Kabila in the face of increasing territorial gains by the
rebels during the nine-month civil war.   (BBC News, 12 May 1999)
* Cote d'Ivoire. Agitation estudiantine  -  Alors qu'une nouvelle
greve frappait, le 6 mai, les etablissements primaires et
secondaires, le gouvernement ivoirien a hausse le ton contre les
etudiants: fermeture d'etablissements, suspension du paiement de
bourses, poursuites judiciaires et exclusion des "agitateurs". Le
president Bedie a qualifie la contestation estudiantine, observee
depuis deux semaines, de "mouvement de destabilisation de la Cote
d'Ivoire a caractere quasi insurrectionnel". Le 6 mai, le mot
d'ordre de greve lance par la federation estudiantine dans les
ecoles, colleges et lycees etait largement suivi, bien que le
syndicat ait ete interdit de militer dans le primaire et le
secondaire. Les grandes ecoles privees sont egalement en greve pour
deux jours pour denoncer notamment l'insuffisance et l'irregularite
des bourses. Un nouveau mouvement de greve est prevu a partir du 11
mai dans les universites.   (AFP, 6 mai 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Farmers support students  -  Coffee and cocoa
farmers in Cote d'Ivoire have proposed setting aside some of their
profits towards helping alleviate a crisis in the education system.
The head of the Coffee and Cocoa Association said a special fund
would be set up to fund the construction of new schools and
university buildings. The proposal follows two weeks of students
unrest, which prompted the government to order the indefinite
closure of primary and secondary schools in the country's two main
cities, Abidjan and Bouake.   (BBC News, 7 May 1999)

* Egypt. Foreign currency bureaux closed  -  Egypt's economy
minister has ordered the closure of 13 foreign exchange bureaux
accused of hoarding currency to exploit a shortage of foreign
exchange. One of the bureaux was closed permanently, while the rest
had their operations suspended for between one and three months.
All are accused of hoarding several million US dollars and selling
exchange at rates up to 2.9% higher than the official bank rate.  
(Financial Times, UK, 7 May 1999)

* Ethiopia/Eritrea. OAU peace mission put back  -  One year after
the outbreak of the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, peace
remains remote. A peace mission by OAU chairman and Burkina Faso
President Compaore to the two countries has been postponed, and
some diplomatic sources say it has been cancelled altogether. In
its place, a mission by the foreign minister of Burkina Faso is
expected in the coming days, diplomatic sources say in Addis Ababa.
UN Special Envoy Mohamed Sahnoun was reported to be leaving Addis
Ababa on 7 May for the Eritrean capital Asmara via Jeddah.
Sahnoun's latest mission "did not achieve any breakthrough", a
diplomatic source said. The Ethiopian government spokeswoman,
Selome Tadesse, said there was "nothing new happening" on the
diplomatic or military front. While both sides in the conflict
claim to accept an OAU framework agreement for peace, their
differing interpretations have resulted in a diplomatic stalemate.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Zeles Zenawi on 6 May lashed out at what
he called the international community's "double standards" in
dealing with conflicts around the world. Violations of
international law, he said, are not tolerated in other parts of the
world, but in Africa, are greeted just with "empty sermons",
crocodile tears and vacuous lamentations. Regarding the peace plan,
Ethiopia claims the OAU has accepted its interpretation. A letter
from Prime Minister Zenawi to the OAU late last year states that
"the high-level delegation underscored in its clarification, that
with regards to article 3 (regarding redeployment of Eritrean
forces), the Eritrean forces are to withdraw from all Ethiopian
border territories that they have occupied since 9 May 1998".  
(IRIN, Central Africa, 7 May 1999)

* Guinee-Bissau. Putsch surprise  -  7 mai. Apres une nuit de
combats, qui auraient fait au moins 70 tues civils, les militaires
du general Ansumane Mane s'emparent de la capitale. Le president
Vieira, en fuite, s'est refugie a l'ambassade du Portugal. Les
troupes qui lui etaient loyales se sont rendues. Apres le conflit
declenche en juin dernier entre Vieira et Mane, un accord avait ete
signe en novembre, une force d'interposition de la Cedeao (Ecomog)
deployee. Mais malgre la mise en place d'un gouvernement d'union
nationale, la mefiance continuait a regner. Le chef de la junte a
ainsi juge inacceptable que Vieira dispose d'une garde
presidentielle de 600 hommes, alors que son camp avait depose les
armes. Les insurges ont ouvert un conteneur d'armes et pris
possession de la capitale sans que les forces d'interposition
puissent s'y opposer. 8 mai. Le Premier ministre Fadul rentre au
pays, venant de Lisbonne. 9 mai. Des tractations se poursuivent
toujours pour designer un successeur a M. Vieira. Plusieurs
responsables de l'ancien regime ont ete arretes et remis a l'Ecomog
pour "garantir leur securite"; ils pourraient etre traduits en
justice dans l'affaire du trafic d'armes vers la Casamance, qui
avait provoque le debut de la rebellion il y a onze mois. D'autre
part, on apprenait que le Portugal avait accorde l'asile politique
au president dechu Vieira, mais on ne sait pas si ses adversaires
lui permettront de quitter l'ambassade portugaise ou il a trouve
refuge. 11 mai. Le president de l'Assemblee nationale, M. Malam
Bacai Sanha, a ete nomme president par interim de la Republique.
Francisco Fadul continuera a diriger le gouvernement d'unite
nationale.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 12 mai 1999)

* Guinea-Bissau. Coup d'Etat  -  6 May: Thousands of people flee
from Bissau because of shooting. 7 May: At 5.30 a.m., heavy
artillery fire is heard in Bissau. At 7.40 a.m. three bombs fall on
the entrance of the professional Education Centre in Bissau,
killing 24 people and injuring many others. By 12.57 it is reported
that General Ansumane's Mane's military junta forces are advancing
towards the presidential palace where President Vieira's troops are
positioned. At 15.14, Umberto Gomes, Chief of General Staff of the
forces loyal to the President, announces the unilateral surrender
of his forces. 7 May: President Vieira takes refuge in the
Portuguese Embassy. 9 May: Tension remains high as shots are fired
at the Portuguese Embassy. Vieira has now been granted political
asylum by Portugal. 10 May: The rebels and main political parties
are trying to transfer power in accordance with the Constitution.
The new military rulers are considering putting Vieira on trial for
corruption.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 11 May 1999)
* Malawi. Where are the voter registration forms?  -  Electoral
Commission officials say that as many as 100 registration centres
have never opened since the registration programme began on 16
March. Apart from a lack of equipment and stationery, the Electoral
Commission has levelled blame on District Commissioners for failing
to account for thousands of registration forms. This has endangered
the electoral process as the Commission has threatened to stop the
whole process if the forms are not traced. An undisclosed number of
registration forms were intercepted by immigration officials at the
Tanzanian border in the hands of United Democratic Front (UDF)
officials in coffins which were thought to be carrying bodies of
relatives who had died abroad! The matter is being investigated.
The District Commissioners, on the other hand, are demanding more
registration forms, but official figures show that only 2.7 million
voters had been registered, as against the possible five million
for whom registration forms had been delivered at the registration
centres.   (Hamilton Vokhiwa, Malawi, 5 May 1999)

* Malawi. Tensions politiques  -  Le climat politique est devenu
fort tendu au Malawi a l'occasion de la campagne pour les elections
legislatives du 25 mai, l'opposition accusant la commission
electorale de favoritisme envers le parti UDF du president Muluzi.
La commission s'est elevee contre l'alliance conclue entre les deux
principales formations de l'opposition, MCP et AFFORD, et s'est
pourvue devant la Cour supreme apres qu'une haute cour ait rejete
sa demande d'interdiction de l'accord. La commission electorale est
critiquee aussi pour la mauvaise organisation du processus
d'inscription sur les listes electorales, surtout dans le centre et
le nord, consideres comme des bastions de l'opposition.   (D'apres
IRIN, Nairobi, 7 mai 1999)

* Malawi. "Official" swindle  -  A synicate has been uncovered
involving three top government officials, allegedly on a payroll of
investors, who have in turn swindled the government of about Malawi
Kwachas 1 billion in the past two years. The syndicate, according
to the 8 May Malawi News, hinges on helping investors undervaluate
their imports, or in some cases, allowing them to go scot-free
without paying duty amounting to millions of Kwachas. From 1996-
1997, says the report, this "arrangement" has caused the government
to lose Kwachas 800 million in customs revenue, and over Kwachas
600 million in foreign exchange. Three senior civil servants have
been named: Alfred Upindi, Raspicious Dzanjalimodzi, and Ernest
Mtingwi.   (Hamilton Vokhiwa, Malawi, 10 May 1999)

* Niger. Nouvelle Constitution  -  La junte militaire nigerienne a
annonce le 3 mai la creation d'un "comite technique" pour elaborer
une nouvelle constitution avant le 17 mai. Ce comite devra
egalement rediger un code electoral, une charte des partis
politiques et un statut de l'opposition. Le gouvernement lui a
aussi attribue la tache de reflechir sur "la dimension
republicaine" de l'armee et "l'independance" du pouvoir judiciaire.
Le Conseil de reconciliation nationale a promis de rendre le
pouvoir aux civils au terme d'une transition qui s'achevera en
decembre 1999 apres un referendum constitutionnel et des elections
legislatives et presidentielle.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 7 mai
1999)

* Niger. Austerity measures announced  -  The government of Niger
has announced budget cuts following the suspension of aid
programmes by major donors after the military takeover on April 9.
The West African country's budget minister, Sidibe Seydou, told a
news briefing on 8 May, that the salaries of some senior civil
servants would be cut in half, and that ways of restructuring the
state payroll were being studied. Niger's three-year structural
adjustment programme runs until June. Given its parlous economic
state and debt burden it will then need to negotiate further loans
with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Seydou
promised civil servants that they would receive a month's salary
next week. Civil service pay is up to seven months in arrears and
frequent strikes contributed to the social unrest that preceded the
April coup. A military council has ruled the country with civilian
ministers since the assassination of President Ibrahim Mainassara
on April 9. The military has promised to organise multi-party
elections and return the country to civilian rule by the end of the
year.   (Reuters, 9 May 1999)

* Nigeria. Walking away with the treasury  -  The minutes of last
month's ministerial meeting of Nigeria's outgoing military regime
call for $40m of "walking capital" for an aluminium project many
regard as a white elephant. Although "walking" has been crossed out
and replaced by "working", the original version may be closer to
the truth. Much of the $40m, Nigerians suspect, was destined for
Swiss bank accounts. Gen. Abubakar, the outgoing military head of
state, has now moved to halt its disbursement amid public alarm
that he would be handing over an empty treasury to the elected
government when it takes office in three weeks.   (Financial Times,
UK, 7 May 1999)

* Nigeria. Agricultural research and development  -  30 April: The
Head of State, General Abubakar and his successor, General
Obasanjo, have pledged their support to agricultural research and
development. This was during an unique event, held at the
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan,
where the two leaders were speakers at a seminar on the Development
of Sustainable Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa organized by IITA,
to sensitize African governments and the donor community to their
roles in ensuring food security in sub-Saharan Africa. In his
opening address, General Abubakar commended the immense
contribution made by IITA to ensuring improvement in staple food
crops in the region. General Obasanjo, who has been farming since
he voluntarily handed over power to a civilian president after
ruling Nigeria for three years, challenged scientists and other
participants to focus on increasing food production.   (Taye
Babaleye, Nigeria, 10 May 1999)

* Nigeria. The challenges of Nigerian films  -  A communique issued
at the end of a two-day Workshop on "The Challenges of Nigerian
Films and Audio-Visuals to Ethics and Spirituality" organised by
the Association of Catholic Media Practitioners of Lagos, Ibadan
and Benin Provinces, urged producers, directors actors and
actresses to down-play violence and immorality in their work, and
to promote wholesome values and ideals for the benefit of society.
Participants pledged to promote and reward films and film makers
who take into consideration the integral nature of the human being
and who desist from jeopardising his spiritual existence. They
appealed to the government and to all existing professional control
organisations, to establish a regulatory body, which will monitor
and regulate the training and activities of media practitioners and
investors in the film industry.   (Catholic Secretariat, Lagos, 9
May 1999)

* Rwanda. Deces de l'abbe Modeste Mungwarareba  -  L'abbe Modeste
Mungwarareba, secretaire general de la Conference episcopale du
Rwanda, est mort le 3 mai a l'age de 48 ans a l'hopital de Butare.
Dementant les rumeurs --- une depeche de l'AFP du 5 mai parlait de
"mysterieux deces"; d'autres sources a Kigali repandaient le
soupcon d'un empoisonnement --- ses proches a Kigali ont confirme,
le 6 mai, que l'abbe etait malade depuis un certain temps et qu'il
est decede d'une mort naturelle. S'il avait l'air en bonne sante,
il gardait les sequelles d'un long sejour en prison en 1990. Apotre
de la reconciliation entre Hutu et Tutsi, ce pretre d'origine tutsi
etait une grande figure de l'Eglise catholique rwandaise, connue
bien au-dela de la region des Grands Lacs. De meme que Laurien
Ntezimana, il avait recu le 25 novembre dernier a Louvain-la-Neuve
le Prix international de la paix de Pax Christi.   (D'apres APIC,
Suisse, 6 mai 1999)

* Rwanda. Menage dans l'armee  -  Le 5 mai, 178 militaires, dont
douze grades, ont ete chasses de l'Armee patriotique rwandaise par
le secretaire general au ministere de la Defense pour
"indiscipline", certains s'etant "lances dans des actes
susceptibles de semer l'insecurite".   (La Croix, France, 7 mai
1999)

* Sahara occidental. Nouveau calendrier  -  Le 29 avril, le
secretaire general de l'Onu a propose un calendrier revise pour
l'organisation d'un referendum au Sahara occidental avec, au mieux,
un scrutin en juillet 2000. M. Annan a toutefois conditionne le
respect de ce calendrier a la "cooperation entiere et sans
equivoque des deux parties". M. Annan a recommande aussi de
prolonger de six mois, jusqu'au 30 octobre, le mandat de la mission
de l'ONU, Minurso, qui expirait le 30 avril. Mais le Conseil de
securite a decide un prolongement de quinze jours, afin d'etudier
en detail le rapport du secretaire general, qui a demande egalement
des ressources supplementaires.   (D'apres Al Ahram, Egypte, 5-11
mai 1999)

* Sierra Leone. A conditional nod to ceasefire  -  Sierra Leone's
government said it was ready to agree to a ceasefire with rebels in
their eight-year war provided the United Nations sent 1,000
monitors to the West African state. Information Minister Julius
Spencer told Reuters that President Kabbah's government had
formally asked the UN to send the monitors. As soon as they were in
place Kabbah would sign a truce with Revolutionary United Front
(RUF) rebels, he said. "The Sierra Leone government is willing and
ready now to accept a cease fire any time the UN troops arrive in
the country to begin to implement the cease fire", Spencer said.
"We are ready to sigh a ceasefire if the peacekeeping troops arrive
before peace talks begin between us and the rebels or when the
talks have already begun...But...no less than 1,000 UN troops must
be in the country before the government agrees to any ceasefire",
Spencer added. The government's latest pronouncement appeared to
put the onus of a ceasefire on the United Nations, which has been
pressuring both parties to agree a deal.   (Reuters, 7 May 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Situation humanitaire  -  Seuls 356 des 3.286
enfants portes disparus dans la region de Freetown, apres une
attaque rebelle en janvier dernier, ont ete retrouves, selon le
rapport d'avril publie par l'unite des Nations unies pour la
coordination de l'assistance humanitaire (HACU). Par ailleurs, les
organisations humanitaires sont dans l'incapacite d'acheminer de
grandes quantites de secours vers la plupart des regions du pays.
Les districts septentrionaux de Bambali, Koinadugu, Kambia,
Tonkolili et Port Loko, ou resident environ 1,6 million de
personnes, ont ete inaccessibles aux organisations de secours
pendant de tres longues periodes, selon le rapport de l'HACU. Dans
les regions plus accessibles controlees par le gouvernement, ou
vivent environ deux millions de personnes, les organisations
humanitaires apportent de l'aide a plus de 120.000 personnes, bien
que l'insecurite des routes entrave leurs operations. -- D'autre
part, le 7 mai, le porte-parole de la presidence a confirme que le
gouvernement etait pret a conclure une treve avec la rebellion a
condition que des observateurs de l'Onu soit mis en place.
Toutefois, le meme jour, les soldats de l'Ecomog ont repousse une
attaque rebelle contre la ville de Port Loko, au nord de Freetown;
on deplore de lourdes pertes de part et d'autre, ont rapporte le 9
mai des diplomates occidentaux.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 10
mai 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Milosevic  -  Le president yougoslave Slobodan
Milosevic ne sera pas empeche de venir s'installer en Afrique du
Sud s'il decide de fuir son pays, a assure le president Mandela le
9 mai. M. Mandela repondait aux informations publiees par le
"Times" de Londres, selon lesquelles M. Milosevic envisagerait de
se refugier en Afrique du Sud dans l'hypothese ou il serait
contraint a un accord de paix avec l'Otan. "Nous ne rejetons
personne. Ce que nous condamnons, ce sont ses actes", a rappele M.
Mandela. Le Times evoquait les fortes rumeurs a Belgrade, selon
lesquelles le leader serbe aurait deja transfere l'essentiel des
avoirs de sa famille en Afrique du Sud.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 10 mai 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Adieux de Mandela a Jo'burg  -  Le 10 mai, au
cinquieme anniversaire de sa prise de fonction a la tete du pays,
Nelson Mandela a fait ses adieux a la ville de Johannesburg. Devant
une foule enthousiaste, il a dit: "La suprematie blanche est
vaincue dans ce pays; elle ne reviendra jamais". M. Mandela, qui
quittera officiellement la presidence le 16 juin, s'est dit pret a
servir d'emissaire de paix sur le plan international, mais il
prefererait une retraite paisible et anonyme dans sa region natale
du Transkei.   (D'apres AFP, 10 mai 1999)

* South Africa. ANC -- Heading for a clean sweep  -  President
Mandela's dream of forging a united, non-racial nation reamins
largely unfulfilled, as he prepares to step down. Mandela has not
yet succeeded in shattering the racial mould inherited from the
past. Political analysts expect few changes from 1994 in the racial
vote. Then the ANC vote comprised: 94% black; 4% coloured (mixed
race); 1.5% Indian; 0.5% white. The second-placed National Party's
vote was: 49% white; 30% coloured; 14% black; 7% Indian. Probably,
the most hotly contested province in South Africa, Western Natal,
is set for a cliffhanger election with most observers reluctant at
this stage to speculate whether the New National Party of the ANC
will emerge victorious. The ANC may need partners to govern in the
Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.   (James Brew, South
Africa, 11 May 1999)

* South Africa. Arms cache found in KwaZulu  -  On 11 May, South
African prosecutors said they had discovered a huge cache of arms
(seven tonnes), enough to start a small war, hidden in strife-
ridden KwaZulu-Natal apparently before the historic all-race
elections in 1994. Detectives had discovered the arms in a bunker
in northern KwaZulu-Natal and said most of them would be destroyed
in a controlled explosion later in the day.   (Financial Times, UK,
12 May 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Vers le desarmement du KwaZulu  -  La decouverte
d'une enorme cache d'armes du parti zoulou Inkatha (IFP) dans un
bunker du KwaZulu-Natal apparait comme un premier pas vers le
desarmement d'une province consideree comme une poudriere, a trois
semaines des elections generales prevues le 2 juin. Les enqueteurs
estiment qu'il reste encore plusieurs tonnes d'armes clandestines
dans la region apres la saisie d'une quantite d'explosifs et de
munitions suffisante pour "faire sauter en partie la ville de
Durban", selon les experts. L'arsenal avait ete donne a l'IFP en
1993 par la police secrete de l'apartheid pour contrer le Congres
national africain (ANC, au pouvoir depuis 1994) et destabiliser le
pays a la veille des premieres elections multi-raciales. "Il y a eu
sept camions envoyes au KwaZulu, nous en avons seulement trouve la
valeur de deux... surtout des explosifs et peu d'armes... Nous
cherchons encore des AK-47, des R1 et des R5", des pistolets-
mitrailleurs de fabrication sovietique et sud-africaine, a declare
mercredi le procureur en chef Bulelani Ngcuka. Outre la question
des armes, les enqueteurs veulent aussi savoir qui au sein de l'IFP
etait au courant de l'existence de ces armes. Le KwaZulu-Natal est
domine par le IFP. Une situation qui pourrait basculer au scrutin
de juin, selon certains sondages.   (D'apres AFP, France, 12 mai
1999)

* Soudan. Pour une reconciliation nationale  -  L'eminence grise du
regime islamiste soudanais, Hassan Tourabi, et le chef en exil de
la principale formation de l'opposition nordiste, le parti Umma,
Sadek al-Mahdi, ont decide d'oeuvrer pour une reconciliation
nationale, a annonce le 3 mai le parti Umma. A l'issue d'une
rencontre les 1 et 2 mai a Geneve, MM. Mahdi et Tourabi ont decide
"d'oeuvrer en vue de l'adoption d'un mecanisme pour parvenir a un
accord politique soudanais susceptible de resoudre toutes les
questions en litige" entre le gouvernement et l'opposition. Il
s'agit de la premiere rencontre du genre entre les deux hommes
depuis que M. Mahdi a fui le Soudan en 1996.   (Marches Tropicaux,
France, 7 mai 1999)

* Sudan. Peace talks postponed indefinitely  -  Peace talks
scheduled for next week between rebels in southern Sudan and the
Sudanese government have been postponed indefinitely, a rebel
spokesman said. Samson Kwanje of the Sudan People's Liberation Army
said the Foreign Ministry of Kenya --where the talks are to be held
-- sent the rebels a letter on 7 May saying there would be no
discussions as announced by the Sudanese government for 10 May. The
reason for the postponement was not immediately clear, and Kenyan
and Sudanese authorities were unavailable for comment. An earlier
round of talks scheduled for April 20 was postponed at the request
of the Sudanese government, which accused the rebels of violating
a cease-fire. The rebels have been fighting various Sudanese
governments since 1983 for more autonomy for the largely christian
and animist people of southern Sudan. About 1.9 million people have
been killed in the fighting and resulting famines.   (AP, 9 May
1999)

* Sudan. News briefs  -  8 May: President al-Bashir and Ethiopia''s
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi holds talks in Djibouti designed to
improve cppl relations between their two countries. 9 May:
According to media reports, calm has returned to the southern Unity
state after clashed between state troops and armed militias for
control of its oilfields. A rebel militia --ostensibly part of the
pro-government South Sudan Defence Forces, had attacked oilfield
areas in Unity state and took 23 Chinese oil workers captive late
last week. Also, the state-run Omdurman Radio, alleges that more
than 250 rebels and some 800 civilians have fled to the government-
held town of Kapoeta from the "appalling conditions" in the rebel
movement and the alleged torching of villages in east equatoria. 10
May: The rebel SPLM/A claim four civilians were killed in the
government bombing of two relief centres, in Loka and Lainya. A
press statement from the SPLM said the bombings made a mockery of
the government's stated ceasefire and had driven the population of
the centres into nearby forests.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 11 May 1999)

* Swaziland. Angola-Zambia talks  -  5 May: Talks aimed at easing
the tension between Zambia and Angola will be held on 10 May in
Mbabane. Zambia's Foreign Minister said the talks were originally
slated for today but had been rescheduled to next week because of
unforeseen circumstances.   (Post of Zambia, 5 May 1999)

* Tunisie. Syndicalistes arretes  -  Le 10 mai en fin de journee,
la police aurait procede a l'arrestation de plusieurs responsables
syndicalistes hostiles a l'actuelle direction de l'Union generale
des travailleurs tunisiens (UGTT), selon les milieux de
l'opposition. Parmi les personnes interpellees figureraient
d'anciens secretaires generaux de l'UGTT, Ali Ben Romdhane et
Abdelmajid Sahraoui, ainsi que l'universitaire Abdeljelil Bedoui. 
 (Le Monde, France, 12 mai 1999)

* Uganda. Saleh sells airline to his wife  -  Uganda's Sunday
Vision (2 May) reports that Maj-Gen. Salim Saleh has sold the
lucrative Air Alexander to his wife, Jovia Akandwanaho. Air
Alexander is the main transporter between Entebbe Airport and
Eastern Congo. Unofficial reports said Jovia, who has now taken
full charge of the company, could have offered her husband close to
Sh 100 million for 50% shares in the money-spinning airline which
was registered in 1994 and started operations in 1996.   (Sunday
Vision, Uganda, 2 May 1999)

* Uganda. The Churches urge "talks with rebels"  -  President
Museveni has said he will give the idea of talking to his military
opponents "serious consideration", once their leaders show a
willingness to talk. He said this on 25 April, during the
installation of the Rt. Rev. Mugenyi Sabiiti Apuuli as Archbishop
of the Anglican Church in the district of Fort Portal, Western
Uganda. This area has frequently fallen prey to increased rebel
attacks by Allied Democratic Front rebels. (Rebels in Uganda say
they are fighting to end what they call "one party dictatorship").
The current unrest has been a major source of worry for the
Churches. On 26 April, the Anglican House of Bishops issued a
statement calling on the government to open a dialogue with the
rebels. It should be remembered that the Anglican Church
constitutes 20%-30% of Uganda's population, making it the second
largest Christian Church after the Catholic Church. But Ugandan
political leadership is dominated by Anglican Church members.  
(Crespo Sebunya, Uganda, 6 May 1999)

* Uganda. On alert for Marburg virus  -  Ugandan authorities have
warned health officials to be on the alert for the fatal Ebola-type
virus which has killed at least 52 people in the Congo RDC. The
Marburg virus causes death within 48 hours. Its symptoms include
high fever, headaches, vomiting and bleeding from the gums and
skin. Like Ebola, to which it is related, it is incurable and does
not respond to treatment. The virus has struck mainly gold miners
in the remote northeastern part of RDC and is thought to be spread
by bats and rats. Ugandan officials fear the virus could spread
over the border into areas which are more densely populated.   (BBC
News, 7 May 1999)

* Ouganda. Les eveques accusent  -  Une lettre pastorale de 12
pages, signee par 25 eveques catholiques de l'Ouganda, affirme que
des Ougandais de l'interieur et de l'exterieur font des profits
financiers sur les conflits armes qui se deroulent dans le pays et
la region a travers les ventes d'armes et le commerce illicite. Les
eveques exhortent une fois de plus le gouvernement, les hommes
politiques et les rebelles a arreter les combats et a privilegier
la negociation pour parvenir a une issue pacifique a leurs
differends.   (DIA, Kinshasa, 10 mai 1999)

* Ouganda. Pret a se retirer de la RDC  -  Le gouvernement
ougandais est pret a se retirer de la RDC s'il peut trouver une
force neutre pour sauvegarder ses interets securitaires, ont
confirme des representants du gouvernement le 10 mai. "Notre
preocupation est la securite", a dit le ministre d'Etat charge de
la presidence, Rukahana Rugunda. Selon lui, une fois que le pays
sera certain que les troupes etrangeres se seront retirees afin de
permettre un cessez-le-feu global, "nous n'aurons plus rien a faire
dans ce pays. Nous laisserons la RDC resoudre ses problemes... Si
nous obtenons une force neutre qui puisse prendre en charge nos
preoccupations, nous nous retirerons plus tot". Selon des
observateurs, les bailleurs de fonds exercent une pression sur
l'Ouganda pour qu'il se desengage de la RDC.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 10
mai 1999)

* Uganda-Congo RDC. Ugandan army hit rebels  -  On 11 May, army
officers in Uganda said their troops had killed 15 Rwandan Hutu
extremists during clashed in a national park in the east of Congo
RDC. The commander of the western Uganda army, Colonel Benon
Biraro, said the fighting took place in the Virunga National Park
on 7 May, about 50 kms inside Congo RDC.   (BBC News, 11 May 1999)

* Zambia. Civil society reviews debt burden  -  A group of Zambian
civil society organisations have undertaken a critical review of
the High Indebted Poor Countries (HIPS)s Debt Initiative, and have
called for its modification so that it runs complementary to the
Jubilee 2000 Debt campaign. Zambia's external debt stands at a
staggering US $7.1 billion. In their latest report on the HIPC
review process, the group of civil society organisations states
that the current HIPC initiative framework does not achieve debt
sustainability. The report, released in March 1999, was prepared by
the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace and the Jesuit centre
for Theological Reflection, which are jointly coordinating the
Jubilee 2000 Zambia Debt Project. The Jubilee 2000 Zambia campaign
was launched in August 1997 by the three Church bodies -- the
Christian Council of Zambia, the Zambia Episcopal Conference and
the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia. The campaign calls for the
total cancellation of the country's unpayable debts.   (Moses
Chitendwe, Zambia, 6 May 1999)