@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: 03-06-1999 PART #1 ******> NOUS VOUS SIGNALONS <*********** ==-> CAMEROUN - EGLISE Titre: Monseigneur Jean Zoa. Son heritage et son enseignement. Actes du colloque. Yaounde, 9 et 10 decembre 1998. (Yaounde 1999, 125 pp.) Demander a: Centre d'Etudes Redemptor hominis, B.P. 123, Mbalmayo, Cameroun - e-mail: rhmbyo@camnet.cm) Description: Le volume rassemble les Actes d'un colloque organise peu de mois apres la disparition de Mgr Zoa, archeveque de Yaounde de 1961 a 1998, une figure majeure de l'Eglise. Il souligne la necessite d'approfondir son heritage pastoral et theologique extremement riche. ************** * Africa. Action against the Media - Cote d'Ivoire: Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) says that five journalists from the newspaper Le Populaire, are being held in Abidjan's Maison d'Arret et de Correction. They were arrested on different dates from 28 April-10 May. Ghana: An Accra High Court has ordered the Ghanaian Chronicle, private newspaper in Ghana, to pay an unprecedented record fine of approx. US $17,500 for libel to Minister of Roads and Transport, Edward Salia. (Report dated 1 June). Malawi: A High Court injunction on 24 May, restrained the pro-opposition Malawi Congress newspaper National Agenda from writing articles about a senior ruling party official, Mary Nyandovi-Kerr and her husband, David Kerr. Nigeria: On 27 May, Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), said it is alarmed by the killing, during ethnic riots, of a second journalist in Nigeria since April. Sam Nimfa-Jan, a journalist with Detail magazine, was killed in Plateau state (east of the capital, Abuja), by a mob during clashes between two ethnic groups. The journalist was covering a merchant riots between the Hausa-Fulani and the Zangon-Kataf. He was reportedly killed by rioters armed with arrows, cutlasses and farm implements. On 18 April, Fidelis Ikwuebe was killed during ethnic clashes in Anambra state. RSF urged the authority to thoroughly investigate the murder and to ensure that the killers are found and punished. It also asked for the security of the journalists while they are covering marches and riots. On 27 May, the organisation, Article 19, released a report raising serious concerns about human rights violation in Nigeria, entitled "Censorship and Democratic Transition in Nigeria". On 28 May, RSF took the opportunity of the handover to civilian rule, to remind the incoming President of several cases regarding Nigerian journalists who have been killed or gone missing in the course of their work. Tunisia: On 27 May, international human rights organisations issue a joint statement expressing concern that journalists are among those increasingly subject to intimidation and harassment in Tunisia. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 June 1999) * Africa. Debt crisis - From 19-21 May, groups representing the civil society in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, met in Lusaka, Zambia, to work out an African consensus for sustainable development and finding solutions to Africa's debt crisis. In what was entitled, the "Lusaka Declaration", the Declaration stated that ways and means of challenging undemocratic processes through which the various governments contract loans and waste resources, have to be found. There has to be public awareness of what is presently happening. It is only then that sufficiently enlightened citizens will vote for credible leaders. It was significant that none of the Zambian government officials invited to the Workshop, attended, in spite of confirming they would be there. This was a lesson in itself! However, the IMF's representative in Zambia did attend. (Kudzai Makoni, Zimbabwe, 28 May 1999) * Afrique de l'Ouest. Gazoduc - Quatre pays cotiers ouest- africains, le Nigeria, le Benin, le Togo et le Ghana, se sont associes avec des partenaires prives pour construire un gazoduc entre Lagos (Nigeria) et Accra (Ghana). Ce projet, evalue a 2,5 milliards de francs, sera finance par plusieurs societes locales et etrangeres, et devrait s'achever en 2002. (La Croix, France, 2 juin 1999) * Algerie. Bouteflika sort du silence - Le 29 mai, le president Bouteflika a tenu son premier discours a la nation depuis son investiture en avril. Les reactions a ce discours fleuve de pres de deux heures sont cependant mitigees, la plupart des observateurs estimant que le chef de l'Etat n'a pas apporte de reponses concretes aux sujets brulants du moment. Eludant les questions politiques, il a prefere presenter les grands chantiers economiques et sociaux de son quinquennat, promettant des reformes dans les secteurs de l'economie, l'education nationale et la justice. Sur la question des islamistes, M. Bouteflika n'a rien annonce de precis. Il s'est place sur la meme ligne que son predecesseur, affirmant que la justice devait s'appliquer dans toute sa rigueur pour la barbarie criminelle, mais laissant la porte ouverte a ceux qui ont ete pris dans la tourmente. Il aura surtout donne l'impression de veiller a ne pas remettre en cause un statu quo cher a l'armee et aux services de securite. D'autre part, 4.000 prisonniers de droit commun ont ete gracies par le president a l'occasion de son election du 15 avril dernier, a annonce la radio officielle le 29 mai. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 31 mai 1999) * Algerie. Recherches d'hydrocarbures - La compagnie algerienne des hydrocarbures Sonatrach et la compagnie Agip du groupe italien ENI ont signe, le 30 mai a Alger, deux contrats d'un montant total de 22 millions de dollars portant sur la recherche et l'exploitation d'hydrocarbures dans le Sahara algerien. Le premier contrat prevoit des recherches sur une duree de cinq ans dans la partie centre-nord du bassin d'Illizi; le second concerne une zone situee pres d'El Borma, a 250 km au sud-est de Hassi Messaoud, et prevoit des recherches pendant 24 mois. (AP, 31 mai 1999) * Algeria. President addresses the Nation - 29 May: In a long speech, President Bouteflika fails to give either his allies or his opponents an indication of his agenda for national reconciliation. The absence of detail in his 90-minute speech, shows a cautious Bouteflika, fearful of alienating his powerful supporters and upsetting the status quo in Algeria. He paints a grim picture of the country torn by seven years of violence. The following day, a bomb explodes in a square in the hills above Algiers. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 1 June 1999) * Algerie. Offensive de l'armee - Les forces algeriennes ont abattu 33 rebelles islamiques au cours de la derniere offensive en date contre les bastions de la guerilla, rapportent deux quotidiens algeriens le 1er juin. Des troupes d'elite ont tue 24 rebelles retranches dans les montagnes d'Ouastili pres de Batna, a 300 km a l'est d'Alger, ecrit El Watan. Neuf rebelles ont ete tues lors d'une autre operation militaire au cours des derniers jours dans les montagnes de Bouinan, pres de Blida, a 50 km au sud d'Alger, ecrit le journal Liberte. Par ailleurs, selon le journal Sawt el- Ahrar du 2 juin, sept islamistes ont encore ete tues le 31 mai dans une autre operation des forces de securite dans les monts Zaccar (160 km au sud d'Alger). D'autre part, six personnes ont ete tuees et quatre autres blessees a un faux barrage pres de la ville d'Ain Oussera, a 150 km au sud d'Alger, a-t-on appris le 31 mai de sources hospitalieres. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 juin 1999) * Angola. 1,6 million de deplaces - Le 26 mai, le Conseil de securite de l'Onu a reitere "sa profonde preoccupation" devant "le nombre toujours croissant" de personnes deplacees par la guerre civile en Angola. Un porte-parole a indique que les 300.000 personnes deplacees depuis la reprise des combats en novembre 1998 portent le total des deplaces a 1,6 million. Les quinze membres du Conseil se sont aussi dit preoccupes par "la deterioration continue de la situation humanitaire" en raison des combats. - Par ailleurs, la banque centrale d'Angola a decide de devaluer la monnaie du pays par rapport au dollar pour en aligner le cours officiel avec celui du marche noir, a rapporte la radio d'Etat. - D'autre part, selon Radio Ecclesia, un pretre catholique angolais du diocese de Huambo, Carlos Francisco, 70 ans, aurait ete tue cette semaine par des hommes non identifies. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 28 mai 1999) * Angola. Vital medicine and food needed - 31 May: Cash-strapped and war-torn Angola is asking South Africa for supplies of food and medicine amid a spiralling humanitarian crisis. In a list of items sent to South Africa's trade department and published in newspapers, Luanda-based merchants are requesting exports of hospital equipment, medicine and food, as resources run dry in the decaying capital. 2 June: A disturbing report indicates that both the Angolan Armed Forces and UNITA have been laying new landmines in Angola since hostilities resumed last year. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 June 1999) * Burundi. Onze morts en Bujumbura Rurale - Onze personnes auraient ete tuees cette semaine et trois autres grievement blessees, lors d'une attaque dans la zone de Ruziba dans la province de Bujumbura Rurale. Le gouverneur de la province en a fait porter la responsabilite aux rebelles hutus, mais selon les survivants l'attaque a ete menee par des soldats a l'instigation d'elus locaux. Le gouverneur a dementi ces accusations. Le porte- parole de l'armee a annonce qu'une enquete a ete ouverte. (IRIN, Nairobi, 28 mai 1999) * Burundi. Soldats engages en RDC - Selon le journal belge Le Soir citant AFP, environ deux mille soldats burundais combattent en Republique democratique du Congo les rebelles des Forces de defense de la democratie (FDD) allies a Laurent-Desire Kabila. Un officier a souligne que les soldats burundais combattaient les rebelles burundais au nord de Kalemie, et que ces derniers passaient regulierement avec armes et bagages en Tanzanie, ou rien n'est fait pour les arreter. - Le centre d'information "Burundi-Bureau" precise que des militaires burundais ont ete captures sur le front par les Forces armees congolaises (FAC), les uns etant soignes a Lubumbashi, d'autres se trouvant en prison a Kinshasa. 400 militaires burundais seraient aussi bloques a Malindi, a 20 km de Baraka, encercles par des forces alliees aux FAC et les combattants Mai-Mai. Le gouvernement burundais dement toujours son implication au Congo. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 juin 1999) * Cameroun. Visite "ad limina" - Le 1er juin, le pape Jean-Paul II a recu les eveques du Cameroun a l'occasion de leur visite quinquennale a Rome. Decrivant la situation generale au Cameroun, le president de la conference episcopale, Mgr Wouking, a note que la democratisation "tarde a trouver ses marques dans une region mise a feu et a sang par ses leaders politiques". Dans sa reponse, le pape a notamment declare que les communautes chretiennes ont besoin de pasteurs aux paroles "claires et vraies, sans entrave d'aucune sorte". La recherche du bien commun, a ajoute le pape, "comporte aussi le devoir de lutter courageusement contre toutes les formes de corruption, de gaspillage ou de detournement de ce qui appartient a la collectivite au profit de quelques-uns". (CIP, Bruxelles, 3 juin 1999) * Congo (RDC). Nouveau nonce apostolique - Le 27 mai, le nouveau nonce apostolique, Mgr. Francisco-Javier Lozano, est arrive a Kinshasa. Age de 55 ans, Mgr Lozano est Espagnol. Il est entre au service diplomatique du Vatican en 1976 et exerca plusieurs fonctions, notamment au Nigeria et en Afrique du Sud. Il fut nonce apostolique en Tanzanie de 1994 a 1999. Le 20 mars 1999 il a ete nomme nonce apostolique en RDC. (DIA, Kinshasa, 28 mai 1999) * Congo (RDC). Mouvements de troupes. - 27 mai. Conformement a l'accord conclu en avril en Libye, le Tchad est en train de retirer ses troupes de la RDC. Selon des sources de l'Onu, mille soldats tchadiens ont traverse cette semaine la riviere Ubangi vers la Republique centrafricaine, et mille autres devraient suivre. Par ailleurs, le 25 mai, selon un temoin, les Ougandais retiraient des troupes et du materiel de Goma; ils seraient en train de se retirer des deux Kivus, controles par l'armee rwandaise. En revanche, ce mouvement de retrait ne serait pas enregistre dans la Province orientale, ni dans l'Equateur, ou les troupes de Kampala apportent un appui au mouvement guerilla de Jean-Pierre Bemba. Toutefois, le 27 mai, la Libye a annonce que "des forces libyennes etaient arrivees en Ouganda pour former l'avant-garde d'une force africaine de maintien de la paix et de surveillance du cessez-le-feu". (En fait, il s'agit de 42 soldats libyens arrives a l'improviste a Kampala, selon le porte-parole de la presidence). - D'autre part, selon l'eveque de Kabinda, Mgr Valenti Mosengo, les troupes gouvernementales controlent toujours cette ville et elles auraient refoule tres loin les rebelles dans une contre-offensive, les 17 et 18 mai. - Par ailleurs, les autorites congolaises ont declare que les preparatifs se poursuivent en vue du debat intercongolais et ont renouvele leur invitation au mouvement rebelle d'y participer. Le ministre des Affaires etrangeres a declare que sans pouvoir porter sur le partage du pouvoir, le debat abordera les moyens de renforcer sa legitimite, le projet de constitution et la liberalisation des activites politiques. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 28 mai 1999) * Congo (RDC). Cessez-le-feu du Rwanda - Le 28 mai, le gouvernement de Kigali a proclame un cessez-le-feu unilateral en RDC, ou des milliers de soldats rwandais se battent a cote des rebelles. "Le Rwanda a decide de declarer une cessation des hostilites qui prend effet ce soir a minuit", a annonce le ministre des Affaires etrangeres. "Il est absolument necessaire de creer un climat entre toutes les parties impliquees dans le conflit qui laisse une chance realiste au processus de paix", a-t-il ajoute, tout en precisant: "La cessation des hostilites, si elle prend effet, devra etre respectee par toutes les parties impliquees. Elle implique le deploiement d'une force de maintien de la paix et la cessation de toute activite qui pourrait donner un avantage tactique ou militaire a l'une des parties". Le 31 mai, le vice- president et ministre rwandais de la Defense, Paul Kagame, a cependant declare que les soldats rwandais continuaient a se battre au Congo "pour se defendre". "Notre offre de cessation des hostilites n'inclut pas le fait d'etre passifs quand nous sommes attaques", a-t-il dit a Kigali. Les differentes factions de la rebellion ont decide cependant de ne pas cesser les hostilites sur le terrain. Et le 1er juin, le gouvernement de Kinshasa accusait l'armee rwandaise de violer son propre cessez-le-feu, lancant "des actions offensives"; des combats auraient lieu dans les regions de Lusambo (Kasai) et Manono (Katanga). (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 1 juin 1999) * Congo (RDC). Pourparlers divers - Le president sud-africain Nelson Mandela et son homologue namibien Sam Nujoma ont annonce qu'une reunion au sommet se tiendrait le 26 juin a Lusaka (Zambie); un cessez-le-feu y sera a l'ordre du jour. Le president zambien Frederick Chiluba y a invite tous les chefs d'Etat de la region. - D'autre part, le president ougandais Museveni et le vice-president rwandais se sont rencontres le 1er juin en Tanzanie pour des pourparlers au sujet de la situation au Congo-Kinshasa sous l'egide de la presidence tanzanienne. -Et le ministre congolais de la Justice, Mwenze Kongolo, a eu en Ouganda des entretiens avec le gouvernement ougandais. On apprenait, le 1er juin, que Kampala et Kinshasa ont convenu de creer un "comite d'experts" charge "des modalites pratiques" de l'accord de Syrte. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 juin 1999) * Congo (RDC). Combats dans l'est - Malgre le cessez-le-feu unilateral du gouvernement rwandais, des camions bondes de soldats arrivent chaque jour au Kivu en provenance du Rwanda, selon des sources de l'agence Misna. Ces renforts se dirigent au nord-ouest vers Bunyakiri (80 km de Bukavu) et au sud-ouest vers Walungu (40 km de Bukavu), ou une offensive conjointe des forces loyalistes et des Mai-Mai serait en cours. On craint un nombre tres eleve de victimes. D'autre part, le 1er juin, les troupes loyalistes auraient (au moins pendant quelques heures) conquis la ville de Shabunda, a 270 km a l'ouest de Bukavu. (Misna, Italie, 2 juin 1999) * Congo RDC. Moves towards a ceasefire - 28 May: Rwanda declares a unilateral ceasefire in order to enhance chances of a settlement of the civil war. The ceasefire is set to go into effect at midnight. 31 May: A spokesman for Congo RDC welcomes Libya's military presence at the country's northeastern border, saying it is in keeping with the Sirte Agreements. 1 June: Presidents Mandela (South Africa) and Sam Nujoma (Namibia) announce the convening of a heads of state summit on 26 June to discuss implementing a ceasefire following "progress" towards settling the conflict. Also, Uganda and Congo say they will set up a team of experts to figure out how to implement a Libyan-brokered agreement to end the 10- month civil war. The team will also work out ways of deploying an African peacekeeping force in Congo. The same day, Rwanda announces that RCD rebels and their Rwandan allies have shot down 2 Zimbabwean fighters. 2 June: A Rwandan official says Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania will work to unite Congo's three rebel groups ahead of upcoming Congolese peace talks. Officials from the three nations will talk to rebel leaders before a 14-18 June meeting in Zambia, of African foreign and defense ministers. Also, reports from Congo say government aircraft have attacked the eastern rebel stronghold of Uvira. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 June 1999) * Cote d'Ivoire. Student protests - 27 May: Police fire tear gas at Cote d'Ivoire's main university campus to disperse students planning to hold a meeting to demand the release of six jailed students union activists. The incident, at the Cocody campus in Abidjan, follows weeks of student unrest which closed secondary schools and sparked rampages and looting in populous outlying suburbs of Abidjan and upcountry. The student protests, led by the FESCI student union which is close to the Opposition, began with strikes over grants and conditions in the West African nation's education system. President Konan Bedie and his government have taken a firm line, arguing that any student convicted of breaking the law will receive the appropriate sentence. 30 May: Security forces close the student residences in national university campuses in Abidjan and in Bouake. 1 June: The Security Minister bans a sit- in planned by protesting university students today. The police have been told to arrest the organisers of the sit-in. The same day, pupils and students desert schools and universities in response to the call by the Federation of Ivoirian students to boycott classes for 5 days. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 June 1999) * Egypt. NGOs strips of rights - "A new draft law regulating non- governmental organizations in Egypt, passed on 27 May 1999 by the Egyptian Parliament, imposes restrictive conditions on civil society institutions in violation of international law", says six international human rights organizations. "The draft law restricts the right of freedom to association as guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It is a cause for serious concern that it provides a set of criminal penalties, including a maximum sentence of one year in prison, for offenses that might amount to no more than the exercise of freedom of association", say the six groups. The text, which has yet to be ratified by the Egyptian president, would give the authorities far- reaching controls over non-governmental organizations activities, including the work of Egyptian human rights groups. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 May 1999) * Eritrea/Ethiopia. 785 killed in conflict - 27 May: Eritrea says its forces have killed 785 Ethiopian soldiers in five days of heavy fighting along the disputed border between the two countries. The Eritrean News Agency says the fighting on the Badme front southwest of the Eritrean capital started 21 May and carried on until 26th May. It says 1,000 Ethiopian soldiers have been wounded and 14 captured. Presidential adviser Yermane Gebremeskel, says: " The Ethiopians were trying to occupy some areas which are no man's land. Maybe they wanted to control some strategic areas or hills which would be useful later". Eritrea says its forces killed 405 Ethiopians, wounded 825, and captured four in fighting on 25 and 26 May alone. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 May 1999) * Kenya. Malaria outbreak in Western Kenya - 27 May: An outbreak of malaria has killed more than 106 people and hospitalised at least 2,000 people in Kisii and Bondo districts in western Kenya. Reports reaching Nairobi said that a further 3,187 cases had been recorded and include patients who have been treated for the fever and then discharged. Doctors fear that the death toll could be even higher because many other people might have died at home. For lack of transport, patients were being taken to hospital in wheelbarrows and handcarts. the local people attributed many of the deaths, to the poor state of the roads, which hampered timely transportation of patients to health centres. (PANA, Senegal, 27 May 1999) * Kenya. Water management conference - Delegates from some 20 African countries are meeting in Nairobi to discuss how they can manage the continent's water resources. "Water is life", the conference was told and at the moment the lives of millions of Africans are blighted by either the complete absence of water of its low quality. The meeting is being hosted by the Kenyan government together with the World Bank and the United Nations environmental body, UNEP. The organisers want to promote dialogue between the people responsible for water management in different countries so that policy makers can learn from schemes which have succeeded and avoid ones which have failed. The clear message is that many governments, despite having to contend with droughts and with flooding, could do a lot more. (BBC News, 26 May 1999) * Liberia/Sierra Leone. Accusations et dementis - Les dementis apportes par le Liberia aux accusations selon lesquelles il se preparerait a envahir la Sierra Leone ne semblent pas avoir convaincu la force de maintien de la paix Ecomog. Le porte-parole de l'Ecomog a declare, le 28 mai, que "les rapports des services de renseignement faisaient etat d'un regroupement massif de troupes liberiennes a la frontiere avec la Sierra Leone, pres de Zimmi". Auparavant, le president liberien Charles Taylor avait accuse l'Ecomog d'entrainer des hommes en vue de renverser le gouvernement du Liberia. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 28 mai 1999) * Mali. Crise energetique - Depuis bientot deux mois, la population vit dans le noir. La societe d'electricite EDM ne parvient plus a servir ses abonnes. Le pays compte un barrage hydro-electrique et quelques groupes electrogenes; mais en cette periode de l'annee, ou la temperature avoisine les 45§, la retenue d'eau est vide, et la plupart des groupes sont en panne car ils datent des premieres heures de l'independance. Consequence: certains abonnes peuvent rester deux jours sans etre servis. Tous les soirs, il y a des manifestations de rue: les etudiants qui doivent preparer leurs examens sont les premiers a manifester. La presse reproche au Premier ministre de n'avoir pas prevu cette crise. L'opposition demande purement et simplement la demission du gouvernement. EDM a fait venir d'urgence une turbine a gaz, qui permet juste d'alimenter la moitie de la capitale Bamako, l'autre restant dans le noir... (A. Kalambry, Bamako, 31 mai 1999) * Niger. Plainte contre X - La famille de l'ancien president nigerien Ibrahim Bare Mainassara, assassine le 9 avril dernier sur une base militaire pres de Niamey, a porte plainte contre X pour assassinat, a indique le 1er juin a l'AFP un membre de la famille. La plainte a ete deposee au parquet de Niamey le 24 mai dernier. (La Croix, France, 2 juin 1999) * Nigeria. Fin du regime militaire - Le 29 mai a Abuja, en presence de plus d'une vingtaine de chefs d'Etat africains, une imposante ceremonie a salue le retour des civils au pouvoir au Nigeria apres quinze ans de regime militaire, avec l'investiture du nouveau chef de l'Etat, Olusegun Obasanjo. Pretant serment, M. Obasanjo, qui succede au general Abubakar, a promis de combattre la corruption et la pauvrete qui minent le pays. Il a annonce un prochain relevement des bas salaires dans la fonction publique et promis un plan de developpement pour la region du delta du Niger. Mais, a-t-il averti, "je ne suis pas un faiseur de miracles". Le meme jour, M. Obasanjo a nomme quatre nouveaux chefs des armees, un nouveau gouverneur de la banque centrale et le directeur de la compagnie publique petroliere. Cependant, durant le week-end du 29- 30 mai, une nouvelle explosion de violence a eu lieu dans la ville d'Arunton, pres de Warri, en plein coeur de la region petroliere. Une cinquantaine de personnes ont ete tuees par quelque 200 assaillants; les victimes sont essentiellement des jeunes Itsekiris attaques par la communaute rivale Ijaw. Ces deux groupes ethniques s'affrontent depuis des annees pour le controle de l'eau et des terres. -D'autre part, les leaders de la societe civile ont exige du nouveau gouvernement une reorganisation radicale du pays; ils ont demande la convocation d'une conference nationale pour en tracer les grandes lignes, et veulent aussi que la hierarchie militaire rende des comptes apres la corruption et les violations des droits de l'homme qui ont caracterise les gouvernements precedents. - Le 31 mai, le nouveau president a ordonne la suspension de tous les contrats, licences et nominations emanant du gouvernement militaire precedent depuis le 1er janvier dernier. Une commission d'enquete sera chargee de controler tous ces contrats. Onze permis d'exploitation petroliere off-shore particulierement lucratifs, concedes a des societes liees a des officiers superieurs, feront notamment l'objet de cette enquete. - Le 1er juin, l'Union europeenne a annonce qu'elle leverait les sanctions prises a l'encontre du Nigeria en 1995. Par contre, le Canada a decide d'attendre que soit devoile le programme du gouvernement pour reprendre son aide. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 juin 1999) * Nigeria. Handover of power - 29 May: Olusegun Obasanjo becomes Nigeria's first elected civilian president in more than 15 years, when the country's military leadership bows out of office. He almost immediately appoints his main advisers at the new presidency, names a new central bank governor and replaces top military commanders. In his inaugural speech he utters a vigorous attack on the record of his military predecessors. 31 May: The President has suspended all contracts entered into by the previous military government since the beginning of the year. A public sector strike by members of the main trades union organisation in Nigeria, has been suspended following the swearing in of the new President. 1 June: The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth says the organisation will contribute to the rejuvenation of the Nigerian economy and consolidation of democracy. The EU says it is going to lift sanctions imposed on Nigeria in 1995 when the late Gen. Abacha executed nine minority rights activists accused of murder. 3 June: Official opening of Parliament. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 June 1999) * Nigeria. Ethnic fighting erupts - 31 May: Dozens are reported to have died in renewed ethnic fighting near the oil town of Warri. Newspapers say armed youths in motor boats took part in an organised attack on the village of Arunton, forcing hundreds of people to flee the area. Oil companies based in the area say there has been substantial and brutal fighting but are unable to confirm the number of deaths. 3 June: The authorities have closed the port and deployed soldiers in Warri. Local leaders and government officials have been meeting to discuss the crisis. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 June 1999) * Rwanda. Changing the national symbols - For many Rwandans, the basic agricultural tools that make up the nation's coat-of-arms, do not represent a pastoral idyll, but instead are symbols of the 1994 genocide, when hoes and machetes were used to slaughter more than half a million people. The new seal of the republic will have seeds and talks of grain, officials said on 1 June. The red, yellow and green flag with a big, black R in the middle will go, too, as will the words of the national anthem and the motto: "Freedom, Cooperation, Progress". "Unity, Labour, Courage", better reflect the new Rwanda, the government said. Also, reports from Rwanda say up to thirty million Rwandan francs (about US $100,000 have disappeared from the country's National Bank. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 June 1999) * Sierra Leone. Pourparlers - 28 mai. Le gouvernement de Sierra Leone et le Front revolutionnaire uni (RUF) se sont mis d'accord sur le principe de la liberation du leader rebelle Foday Sankoh, ce qui a toujours ete une des principales exigences de la rebellion. Par ailleurs, les deux parties se sont mises d'accord pour engager une negociation directe sur la question delicate de la mise en place d'un gouvernement provisoire. Le RUF s'etait prononce en faveur d'un gouvernement transitoire de quatre ans; mais le president Kabbah s'oppose a ce que son cabinet cede la place a un tel gouvernement qui comprendrait des membres de la rebellion. - Selon une depeche de l'agence Misna du 2 juin, le cessez-le-feu connait cependant des violations reciproques. Pousses par le besoin de se ravitailler, les rebelles du RUF ont attaque plusieurs centres urbains, alors que les Kamajors (milices loyalistes) ont attaque des postes rebelles. Mais les negociations se poursuivent. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 juin 1999) * Sierra Leone. Fragile ceasefire - 27 May: MISNA says that according to Bishop Biguizzi (Makeni Diocese), the "atmosphere at the talks is positive and there is a concrete possibility that Sierra Leone may reach a long-awaited lasting peace". However, Sierra Leone rebels have been accused of violating the ceasefire agreement. A spokesman for ECOMOG says that as many as 3,000 rebels are moving from Makeni. 28 May: UN military observers in Sierra Leone say the ceasefire is holding as well as can be expected. 30 May: The negotiators agree to resume talks on 31 May with a regular timetable of meetings, approximately eight hours a day, six days a week in Lome. 31 May: ECOMOG's commander says the ceasefire is in danger of collapsing because the RUF have set up roadblocks near Freetown. Representatives of religious groups in Sierra Leone have "warmly embraced" a move to pardon Foday Sankoh. 1 June: The rebels have now removed the roadblock in an area known as the Okra Hills. 2 June: Civilians fleeing the Northern Provincial headquarters town of Kambia say that members of the AFRC/RUF alliance have burned down over 400 houses in the town alone. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 June 1999) * South Africa. Botha wins appeal - The former South African President, P.W. Botha, has won his appeal against a conviction for contempt imposed after he refused to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The decision by the High Court in Cape Town overturns a fine of $1,557 or a one year suspended sentence, imposed by a magistrate last year. The TRC had summoned Mr Botha in December 1997, to question him on his role as head of the State Security council. (BBC News, 1 June 1999) * Afrique du Sud. Condamnation de P. Botha annulee - Le 1er juin, la Haute Cour du Cap a invalide en appel la condamnation, en aout dernier, de l'ancien president sud-africain Pieter W. Botha a 10.000 rands d'amende et 12 mois de prison avec sursis pour refus de comparaitre devant la Commission verite et reconciliation (TRC). Le tribunal de premiere instance l'avait reconnu coupable d'"offense a la Cour". La Haute Cour a suivi l'argumentation des defenseurs qui contestaient la validite de la procedure suivie par la TRC. Celle-ci voulait a l'epoque entendre M. Botha sur le role du Conseil de la securite de l'Etat dans les atrocites commises sous l'apartheid pendant ses 11 annees au pouvoir. (La Libre Belgique, 2 juin 1999) * Afrique du Sud. Elections - 31 mai. Deux jours avant le scrutin general, les membres de la police, les fonctionnaires, les personnes agees et handicapees ont deja pu voter aux deuxiemes elections generales depuis la fin de l'apartheid. Ces elections seront entourees d'un tres important dispositif de securite pour empecher une reedition de la violence qui avait ensanglante le scrutin de 1994. 2 juin. 18,3 millions d'electeurs enregistres etaient appeles aux urnes pour renouveler les 400 sieges de l'Assemblee nationale. Pres de 10.000 observateurs locaux et internationaux controlaient le processus. La participation des electeurs a ete massive (85% selon le responsable de la commission electorale). Le vote s'est deroule dans le calme; aucun incident majeur n'a ete rapporte. Selon les premiers resultats partiels (55,8% des votes exprimes), le 3 juin, a 12h20 heure locale, l'ANC recueillait 64,9% des suffrages, le Parti democrate (droite liberale) 10,5%, le parti Inkhata 8,3%, et le Nouveau parti national 7,77%, d'autres petits partis se repartissant le reste. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 juin 1999) * South Africa. Elections - 31 May: Opinion polls show that about 15% of the country's 18.2 million registered voters have not decided which of the national parties they will back in the presidential and parliamentary balloting. 2 June: South Africans begin casting their votes. Voting goes on into the night in some areas and may continue the next day because of the length of queues. 3 June: Counting has begun with the ANC already taking a comfortable lead. By 10h20GMT, the ANC had 64.9% of votes cast; the Democratic Party 10.5%; Inkatha Freedom Party 8.3%; the New National Party 7.77%. Turnout in the voting was high -- more than 80%. The Independent Election Commission says it could take days to get official results. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 3 June 1999) * Soudan. Nouveau parti de Nimeiri - Le 26 mai, l'ancien president Nimeiri, rentre au Soudan quelques jours auparavant, a annonce la formation d'un nouveau parti, le "People's Working Forces Alliance". Selon lui, ce parti s'efforcera de reconcilier le gouvernement et l'opposition, et de trouver une solution a la guerre civile qui ensanglante le pays depuis 1983. La creation de ce parti est conforme a la nouvelle loi admettant le multipartisme, considere par la dissidence soudanaise comme une enieme farce du regime en place. (D'apres Misna, Italie, 27 mai 1999) * Sudan. Parliamentary elections - 30 May: The Umma party has decided not to take part in June's elections for state legislatures, leaving the ruling National Congress Party a clear run in what was supposed to be the first multi-party vote since 1988. This party was formed as a split-off from the older opposition Umma Party, which has the same name and is led by former prime Minister Sadeq al-Mahdi. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 30 May 1999) * Soudan. Inauguration d'un oleoduc - Le 31 mai, en presence de ministres et de hauts dirigeants, le president El Bechir a inaugure a Hijleg (Sud-Soudan) un oleoduc de 1.503 km, realise par un consortium de diverses compagnies internationales, pour le transfert du petrole de la region de Bentiu (Haut-Nil) a un terminal dans la zone de Port-Soudan (mer Rouge). Dans un premier temps, l'oleoduc transferera 150.000 barils par jour, avant d'atteindre sa capacite maximale de 450.000 barils par jour. (D'apres Misna, Italie, 1er juin 1999) * Swaziland. Constitutional review starts - 31 May: Swaziland's Constitutional Review Commission appointed by King Mswati III, has started six months of canvassing people's views on constitutional issues. Because political organisations are outlawed, the Commission said it would ask individuals to fill out a questionnaire on constitutional issues and that no organisations will be permitted to submit any proposals. The 25-member Commission will visit about 350 chiefdoms over the next six months, to receive submissions from individual citizens on whether they want a multi- party system or whether they prefer traditional or conventional law. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 1 June 1999) * Uganda. Flurry of activity - 28 May: Four Kabila ministers (Congo RDC) led by the influential Justice Minister, Mwenze Kongolo, arrive in Uganda for talks with President Museveni. 30 May: Kongola holds talks with Uganda's State Minister for Foreign Affairs. The talks end with an agreement to implement the Sirte (Libya) Agreement. 31 May: The contingent of Libyan soldiers in Uganda to monitor the proposed ceasefire in Congo RDC, have visited some of the areas affected by the ADF insurgency. Another 250 Libyans are expected. The Kabila ministers have yet to meet with the President. Also, it is reported that three senior Sudan opposition leaders have been holding closed meetings in Kampala and reportedly have discussed several issues regarding their struggle against President el-Bashir's Khartoum government. 1 June: 30 people are reported to have been arrested in connection with a series of bomb blasts in Uganda. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 2 June 1999) * Zambia. Human rights record - 26 May: Human Rights Watch calls for Zambia's donors to continue to attach clear human rights benchmarks for the release of payments support, in the light of the Zambian government's continued human rights violations. Today, in Paris, the donors, known as the World Bank Consultative group on Zambia, will discuss Zambia's human rights record. Balance of payment support was suspended by a number of governments in 1996 because of human rights abuses committed by the Zambian government. Since then, balance of payment support has been tied to a number of conditions, including human rights. From 27-28 May, the Consultative Group will discuss what types of conditions should remain. (Human Rights Watch, 26 May 1999) * Zambia. Accommodation hitch for AIDS conference - Lusaka is to host an international conference on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in September this year, but has hit an accommodation problem, because the city has limited hotel room accommodation capacity, probably only about 3,000 rooms, leaving a deficit of about 2,000 rooms needed. The 11th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases is about three months away, but this is causing headaches to organisers to ensure that adequate accommodation is readily available for the 5,000 expected delegates from all corners of the globe. The Conference organisers are mobilising private lodges and homes in Lusaka to provide adequate, but decent accommodation. Some of the colleges in the city are undergoing renovation to increase the accommodation capacity. (Fred Chela, Zambia, 26 May 1999) * Zimbabwe. Debt cancellation nightmare - Ordinary people are asking if Zimbabwe's debt will be cancelled by the year 2000. To- date, the country's foreign debt is $90 billion; up from $75 billion in 1996. Zimbabwe's major creditor countries are France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan, Great Britain, Russia and America. Although the campaign Jubilee 2000 is appealing for the debt to be cancelled, chances remain slim. After a recent trip to China, President Mugabe made his feelings felt regarding the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He said: "I do not like the IMF. It is a tool being used by imperialists to subject us to their will. The IMF is being political, and we will become political in our attitude towards it. It is a monster we do not deserve. We are better off without it". (Augustine Deke, Zimbabwe, 15 May 1999) * Zimbabwe. Workers to launch party in July - Addressing workers in May, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) chairman, Gibson Sibanda, revealed that the workers will formally launch a party in July. "I wish to assure you, that the "pregnancy" is already there", he said. "Just go home and prepare some nappies for the child". The Workers Movement is making capital out of waning support for President Mugabe both at home and abroad. A recent ZCTU study has revealed that the Zimbabwean government has lost $17 million during the years 1997-1998 due to corrupt senior government officials. (Augustine Deke, Zimbabwe, 15 May 1999) * Zimbabwe. Rationnement du carburant? - Le gouvernement zimbabween envisage de rationner le carburant a titre provisoire pour attenuer la crise que traverse la National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOCZIM), rapportaient les organes d'information le 31 mai. Le rationnement pourrait preluder a une hausse du prix de detail du carburant. A la fin de l'annee, les pertes de la NOCZIM se montaient a 145 millions de dollars americains. Ces pertes sont attribuees a la corruption et a la mauvaise gestion, mais les autorites ont refuse de mettre fin au monopole de la compagnie, arguant de "considerations strategiques". La NOCZIM n'a procede qu'a deux hausses des prix du carburant en depit de la baisse de 65% du taux de change du dollar zimbabween depuis la fin de 1997. (IRIN, Afrique australe, 31 mai 1999) THE END