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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 17-06-1999      PART #1/

* Amnesty International. "Towards a world without executions"  - 
In its Annual Report, Amnesty International details human rights in
142 countries. The organisation says that perpetrators of gross
human rights abuses continue to escape justice. The report details
abuses committed by governments and armed opposition groups in 142
countries and territories during 1998, and documents extrajudicial
executions in 47 countries; judicial executions in 36 countries;
prisoners of conscience in at least 78 countries; cases of torture
and ill-treatment in 125 countries and "disappearences" in 37
countries. However, Amnesty International believes that the true
figures for all these statistics are much higher.   (Amnesty
International, 16 June 1999)

* Afrique. Le G7 et la dette  -  Le 12 juin a Francfort, les
ministres des finances des sept grands pays industrialises se sont
mis d'accord sur une proposition d'allegement de la dette des pays
les plus pauvres. Ils ont assoupli les criteres permettant aux 41
pays les plus pauvres repertories par la Banque mondiale d'acceder
a un allegement de leurs creances bilaterales et multilaterales.
Hormis quelques pays en guerre, comme la Sierra Leone, le Liberia
ou la Somalie, l'ensemble de ces pays pourront desormais pretendre
a une annulation pouvant aller jusqu'a 90%. L'allegement devrait
representer un effort de la communaute internationale de l'ordre de
70 milliards de dollars. Il revient maintenant aux chefs d'Etat et
de gouvernement d'adopter definitivement l'accord lors du sommet
qui aura lieu du 18 au 20 juin a Cologne.   (D'apres Le Monde,
France, 15 juin 1999)

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Burundi: The director of the
Azania independent news agency, Ntakarahera Dieudonne, is reported
to have been arrested on 11 June and is currently being held at the
Bureau Special de Recherche. Cameroon: Reporters sans Frontieres
(RSF) is highlighting the case of the weekly newspaper La Plume du
jour. On 11 September 1997, a ministerial decree ordered the
seizure of the 60th issue of the weekly. The next day, the
newspaper was suspended indefinitely. On 9 June 1999, the mother of
the editor-in-chief of La Plume du jour was questioned by
information services agents seeking information about her son. He
is presently in France. Kenya: Mohammed Sheikh, a journalist
working for The People daily newspaper, was arrested and detained
at a police station on 10 June for what the police termed
"publishing an alarming article". He was released on bond on 14
June after admitting to "maliciously fabricating stories". Nigeria:
On 11 June, RSF expressed deep concern about the death of
journalist Edward Olalekan Ayo-Ojo, ("Eddy Ayo-Ojo") who was found
dead beside his car alongside a Lagos road, in the early hours of
1 June. His lifeless body was lying in a gutter. Sierra Leone: The
Committee to Protect Journalists says it is greatly alarmed by the
arrest on 10 June, of Sorie Sudan Sesay and Jerry Tryson, Jr.,
editor and reporter respectively of the Freetown-based biweekly
Independent Observer newspaper and by the raid on their offices by
ECOMOG personnel. Togo: RSF has protested the continued detention
of Romain Koudjodji, editor-in-chief of the weekly Le Reporter des
Temps Nouveaux. He was arrested on 19 April.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels,
15 June 1999)

* Afrique. Journee de l'enfant africain  -  Le 16 juin est celebree
la Journee de l'enfant africain, decretee en juillet 1990 par l'OUA
en souvenir des enfants tues lors de manifestations a Soweto
(Afrique du Sud) en 1976. L'Unicef se joint a cette initiative pour
rappeler la situation de millions d'enfants en Afrique, confrontes
a la guerre, la faim et la maladie. L'OUA et l'Unicef plaident pour
l'initiative 20/20 qui consiste, poour les pays riches, a consacrer
20% de leur aide au developpement aux services de base (sante,
education, eau) en Afrique et pour les pays africains a y consacrer
20% de leur budget national.   (La Libre Belgique, 16 juin 1999)

* Afrique. Le prix de la guerre  -  Le Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), vient de presenter, le 16 juin,
son "Sipri Yearbook 1999", un rapport mondial sur les armaments et
la securite internationale. Dans sa presentation, le SIPRI souligne
le fait que, sur 27 conflits armes majeurs, deux seulement etaient
des conflits inter-Etats: Inde-Pakistan, et Erythree-Ethiopie. Tous
les autres etaient des conflits internes. Parmi les plus grands
fournisseurs d'armes dans la periode 1994-1998, figurent, dans
l'ordre, les Etats-Unis, la Russie, la France, la Grande-Bretagne
et l'Allemagne. Les depenses militaires mondiales se chiffrent
autour de 700 milliards de $US. La proliferation de conflits en
Afrique impliquant plusieurs pays met en lumiere la necessite de
processus de paix oeuvrant dans une perspective regionale, comme en
Afrique centrale, ou la densite des pays engages dans le conflit
est la plus haute au monde.   (ANB-BIA, d'apres SIPRI, 17 juin
1999)

* Algeria. Insurgency continues  -  10 June: France is re-writing
one of the most painful chapters of its history by recognising that
its colonial conflict in Algeria was in fact, "a war". For 37
years, it was referred to officially as a "law and order
maintenance operation" despite the fact that up to one million
people were killed. 11 June: Rebels believed to be from the Armed
Islamic Group (GIA) slash the throats of 14 civilians overnight in
Medea province. 12 June: The leader of the Islamic Salvation Front,
in a rare public declaration played hourly today by state-run
radio, praises the decision by the banned party's military wing to
definitively lay down arms, and calls for other armed groups to do
likewise.   (ANB-BIA), Brussels, 14 June 1999)

* Algerie. Apres l'accord de paix de l'AIS  -  8 juin. Une
cinquantaine d'imams ont exhorte les autres groupes armes d'Algerie
a suivre l'exemple de l'AIS. Parmi eux figure cheick Al-Qardaoui,
chef de la section des recherches islamiques a l'universite du
Qatar. -9 juin. Dans sa lettre d'information l'ex-Front islamique
du salut (FIS) approuve l'accord de paix conclu entre sa branche
armee AIS et le gouvernement. Le FIS exhorte maintenant le
president Bouteflika a autoriser ses membres a reprendre une
activite politique. - 10 juin. Quelques centaines de personnes, en
majorite des femmes, proches de "victimes du terrorisme", ont crie
a Alger leur colere contre le rapprochement esquisse par le
president Bouteflika avec l'AIS. "Bouteflika nous a trahis", ont
crie des meres et epouses de personnes assassinees. - 11 juin. Le
chef historique du FIS, Abassi Madani, en residence surveillee,
s'est prononce sans condition pour l'arret de la violence en
Algerie. Il a affirme soutenir l'initiative de l'AIS et a demande
a tous les "freres qui portent les armes" a se rallier a la paix. -
 12 juin. Le president Bouteflika a donne quelques indications sur
la maniere dont il entend promulguer l'amnistie, qui ferait partie
de l'accord conclu avec l'AIS : il presenterait un projet de loi au
Parlement, puis, en cas de refus, il pourrait recourir a un
referendum. - 13 juin. Selon le journal Assahafa, quelque mille
guerilleros du GIA ont cesse leurs operations militaires et ont
accepte l'accord de paix; il s'agirait de rebelles qui etaient
actifs dans les montagnes de Bouira et la region de Medea. D'autres
rebelles seraient sur le point de suivre leur exemple. - D'autre
part, dans la nuit de 10 au 11 juin, 14 personnes ont encore ete
assassinees par un groupe islamiste presume a Sidi Naamane, pres
d'Alger, dans une region controlee par le GIA. C'est le deuxieme
massacre depuis l'election du president Bouteflika.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 14 juin 1999)

* Algerie/France. La guerre d'Algerie  -  37 ans apres la signature
des accords d'Evian qui ont mis fin a un conflit qualifie jusqu'ici
d'"operations effectuees en Afrique du Nord" dans les documents
officiels, l'Assemblee nationale francaise a adopte, le 10 juin,
une proposition de loi reconnaissant officiellement la "guerre
d'Algerie". Le texte, qui doit encore etre soumis au Senat, stipule
dans son premier article que "la Republique francaise reconnait,
dans des conditions de stricte egalite avec les combattants des
conflits anterieurs, les services rendus par les personnes qui ont
participe sous son autorite a la guerre d'Algerie ou aux combats en
Tunisie et au Maroc entre le 1er janvier 1952 et le 2 juillet
1962". Selon les chiffres officiels, 1.747.000 soldats ont servi en
Afrique du Nord de 1952 a 1962, principalement en Algerie ou 24.300
sont morts au combat.   (La Libre Belgique, 11 juin 1999)

* Angola/Zambie. Nouvel accord  -  Le 8 juin, au Swaziland, apres
12 heures de conversations a huis clos, la Zambie et l'Angola ont
conclu un nouvel accord "pour oublier toutes les vieilles
querelles" et mettre un terme a la deterioration de leurs relations
causee par les accusations angolaises reprochant a la Zambie
d'aider le mouvement rebelle Unita. La Zambie a toujours nie avoir
eu connaissance d'un transit d'armes par son territoire a
destination de l'Unita. Aux termes de l'accord, les deux pays
s'engagent a suspendre toute propagande ou information hostiles a
l'autre et a proteger les ressortissants de l'autre de tout
harcelement inspire par le differend. Ils ont aussi annonce qu'un
dispositif sera mis en place pour prevenir des conflits de ce genre
dans l'avenir.   (IRIN, Afrique australe, 10 juin 1999)

* Angola. Humanitaires assassines  -  12 juin. A proximite de la
ville de Barrata, a 80 km a l'est de la capitale, des hommes armes
portant l'uniforme de l'Unita ont tue deux employes humanitaires et
en ont blesse deux autres, lorsqu'ils ont pris en embuscade le
vehicule d'un organisme d'aide portugais qui participait a une
campagne de vaccination contre la poliomyelite. - Le meme jour,
dans l'enclave de Cabinda, quatre civils ont ete tues et six autres
blesses lors de l'attaque de leur vehicule par des separatistes du
FLEC, pres de Bulo a une dizaine de km de la frontiere avec le
Congo-Brazzaville.   (IRIN, Afrique australe, 14 juin 1999)

* Botswana. Politics take centre stage  -  It being election year,
the battle for the hearts and minds of the electorate has started
in earnest. Ruling BDP and opposition politicians are crisscrossing
the country to sweet-talk voters. At a BDP rally in Toteng, Ngami
MP, Jacob Nkate told his audience that it could do not better than
to vote for his party because of its impressive record. However,
denigrating this record is something that comes naturally to
opposition parties.   (The Reporter, Botswana, 11 June 1999)

* Burundi. Transition?  -  Les groupes d'opposition ont reagi a la
proposition gouvernementale d'une "periode de stabilisation" qui
implique une transition etalee sur dix ans. Le president en exil du
Frodebu, Jean Minani, a declare a la BBC que toutes ces questions
devraient etre debattues par les 18 parties representees aux
pourparlers d'Arusha. Toutefois, des observateurs font remarquer
qu'une question aussi importante doit aussi faire l'objet d'un
debat a l'interieur du Burundi. Par ailleurs, un porte-parole de la
faction rebelle CNDD a declare que la guerre continuera tant que
l'armee de sera pas reorganisee. "Le peuple doit avoir une armee
composee de tous les groupes ethniques", a-t-il declare. - D'autre
part, le president Buyoya a presente dans le detail le nouveau
dispositif de maintien de l'ordre et de la securite dans le pays.
Selon la radio burundaise, il a indique a la presse, le 10 juin,
qu'un corps de police "communal" allait etre mis sur pied. Et un
nouveau corps unique sera cree pour preserver la securite de
"toutes les ethnies" et superviser la gendarmerie, responsable du
maintien de l'ordre, ainsi que de l'armee chargee de la securite
des frontieres, a rapporte la station.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 9-11 juin
1999)

* Burundi. Directeur d'Azania arrete  -  Le directeur de l'agence
de presse independante Azania, Dieudonne Ntakarahera, aurait ete
arrete le 11 juin et serait detenu au Bureau special de recherche
(BSR), un des bureaux de la police burundaise pour la securite
nationale, a indique l'agence NetPress le 14 juin. M. Ntakarahera
aurait ete arrete pour avoir permis a un opposant du president
Buyoya de vivement critiquer le projet politique de ce dernier.  
(Misna, Italie, 14 juin 1999)

* Burundi. Refugies rapatries  -  107 refugies burundais, etablis
pour certains depuis pres de trente ans au Congo, ont ete rapatries
le 16 juin par un vol special du HCR. Ils faisaient partie des 530
Burundais refugies a Mbuji-Mayi (centre du Congo). Certains d'entre
eux se trouvaient dans l'ex-Zaire depuis 1972, apres avoir fui les
massacres massifs de Hutu par les Tutsi au Burundi. D'autres ont
fui les massacres de 1991 et 1993. Le rapatriement a ete organise
en etroite cooperation avec les gouvernements congolais et
burundais.   (La Libre Belgique, 17 juin 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. L'ambassade remet les mercenaires  -  Le 11 juin,
l'ambassade de France a Brazzaville a remis aux autorites
congolaises les trois Europeens, mercenaires presumes accuses de
complot, qui s'etaient refugies a l'ambassade apres s'etre enfuis
de prison le week-end dernier. Un quatrieme homme, Claude Hermant,
de nationalite francaise, accuse de les avoir aides a s'echapper et
lui aussi mercenaire presume, a egalement ete remis aux Congolais.
Les trois premiers sont accuses de complot en vue d'assassiner le
president Sassou Nguesso. -D'autre part, le 10 juin, RFI rapportait
que les troupes regulieres avaient repris, apres des combats
acharnes qui auraient fait des centaines de morts parmi les
rebelles, la ville de Lueto, ancienne base de la milice Ninja dans
la region du Pool. Et le 12 juin, l'Union europeenne a annonce
qu'elle faisait don de $5,2 millions d'aide humanitaire aux
personnes deplacees par le conflit.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 14 juin 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Les rebelles tentent de s'unir  -  Apres trois jours
de reunion a Kabale, Ouganda, en presence d'observateurs ougandais,
rwandais et tanzaniens, les divers mouvements rebelles congolais
(les deux factions du Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie et
le Mouvement de liberation du Congo) ont dit avoir abouti a "la
formation d'un front commun". Selon des sources rebelles, le front
commun devrait se doter de deux comites. L'un sera charge de la
reconciliation des deux ailes du RCD. L'autre comite, dit
"politique", est charge d'elaborer une position commune sur
l'agenda des negociations avec Kinshasa. Aucune de ces taches ne
sera aisee.   (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 14 juin 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Le Groupe Jeremie attaque a Bukavu  -  Le 15 juin
dans l'apres-midi, des militaires (rebelles) ont assiege durant
quatre heures le siege du "Groupe Jeremie", un groupement
catholique de defense des droits de l'homme. Ils ont finalement
defonce les portes, vide les pieces et emporte avec eux tous les
documents. Le 16 juin, a la radio locale, le gouverneur du Sud-Kivu
a dit que le Groupe Jeremie publiait des tracts visant a provoquer
une revolte au sein de la population. Il a accuse ses membres
"d'atteinte a la securite de l'Etat et d'intelligence avec
l'ennemi" et les a menaces d'arrestation, precisant qu'ils seraient
traduits en justice. Le Groupe Jeremie a annonce qu'il ne se
laissera pas intimider et continuera son travail de defense des
droits de l'homme.   (D'apres Groupe Jeremie, Kinshasa, 16 juin
1999)

* Congo (RDC). Closure of "Groupe Jeremie" in Bukavu  -  The press
agency MISNA reports that a group of soldiers broke into the
offices of the Groupe Jeremie yesterday afternoon at 13.00 local
time, removing all documentation. The soldiers, almost certainly
Rwandan, then chain-locked the doors to prevent access to the
building. Prior to the raid, the soldiers were positioned at the
entrance to the Groupe Jeremie offices. It is a Catholic NGO known
throughout the region and country, for its non-violent activities
in favour of civil and human rights. Just yesterday, the Groupe
Jeremie had released an appeal for peace particularly in favour of
the children of East Congo-Kinshasa.   (MISNA, Rome, 16 June 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Le chaud et le froid  -  10 juin. Une delegation de
4 personnes de la communaute St.Egidio est arrivee a Kinshasa. Elle
a eu un entretien avec le ministre des Affaires etrangeres Yerodia,
et prevoit une rencontre avec M. Tshisekedi et la semaine prochaine
avec le president Kabila. - 11 juin. Le president Kabila a appele
a une guerre totale contre le Rwanda. Le Congo est toujours dispose
a signer un cessez-le-feu, mais uniquement sur la base de la
resolution 1234 de l'Onu qui prevoit le depart des forces "non
invitees" (etrangers a la rebellion: Rwanda, Ouganda et Burundi),
a affirme M. Kabila. "Les Rwandais qui croient absorber le Congo
seront absorbes par l'immensite du territoire; ils seront encercles
par l'arriere et seront aneantis", a dit le chef de l'Etat. - 12
juin. Le colonel Kadhafi est arrive a Lusaka, la capitale
zambienne, qui doit accueillir a la fin du mois des negociations
entre les differentes parties impliquees dans la guerre en RDC. Il
a affirme qu'il avait convaincu le president Kabila de rencontrer
les rebelles lors de ce sommet et de signer un accord de cessez-le-
feu. - Le 15 juin, les rebelles ont annonce avoir pris le controle
de la ville de Lusambo, a 120 km au nord du centre diamantifere de
Mbuji-Mayi. Les rebelles ont par ailleurs pose cinq conditions pour
un cessez-le-feu: l'arret des bombardements des villes qu'ils
detiennent, la liberation des prisonniers politiques,
l'instauration du multipartisme, le desarmement des rebelles
rwandais, ougandais et burundais allies de Kabila, et l'arret de la
campagne visant a eliminer les Tutsi du Congo. - 16 juin. En visite
en Afrique du Sud, le president nigerian Olusegun Obasanjo a
declare a Johannesburg que on peut envisager pour l'armee nigeriane
un role de maintien de la paix en RDC. -17 juin. L'Afrique du Sud
organise une rencontre entre le gouvernement de Kinshasa et les
trois rebellions congolaises en vue d'obtenir un accord de cessez-
le-feu avant les negociations prevues entre toutes les parties
(congolaises et alliees) a Lusaka le 26 juin.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 17 juin 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Talks on both sides  -  10 June: MISNA reports that
the first meeting of the S. Egidio delegation is being held today
in Kinshasa after a brief stop-over in Uganda, in an attempt to
find a solution to Congo's problems. 11 June: The three rebel
groups, the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RDC), a breakaway RCD
faction and the Congo Liberation Movement, are on the third day of
talks in the Ugandan town of Kabale in a bid to harmonise their
positions. 12 June: The rebel groups meeting in Kabale say they
will try to speak with one voice during ceasefire negotiations with
President Kabila, but have failed to resolve their differences. 13
June: Libya's President Gaddafi says he ha persuaded President
Kabila to meet face-to-face with rebels at peace talks in Zambia on
25 June. Also, South Africa's new President, Thabo Mbeki, says he
will unveil a "provisional" agreement aimed at ending the bloodshed
in Congo RDC, when he is sworn into office on 16 June. 14 June: The
five-day mission of the delegation headed by the S. Egidio
Community, ends today. 15 June: Rebels claim to have captured the
port of Lusambo, on the Sankuru River. The rebels give Kabila one
week to respond to five conditions for a ceasefire or else face
military defeat. Rebel spokesman Kin-Kiey Mulumba says the rebels
will negotiate with Kabila if he stops bombing rebel-held towns,
frees political prisoners and allows political parties to operate
freely. 16 June: Rebel leaders flie into South Africa as African
Presidents prepare for a consultative meeting tomorrow, in an
effort to bring peace to Congo. Kabila is keeping everyone guessing
as to whether he will attend the talks called to finalise a
ceasefire package to be signed in Lusaka on 25 June.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 17 June 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Civil servants strike  -  Civil servants have
begun a series of strikes to press demands over wage arrears and in
protest against new rules for promotions and retirements. The two
main public service unions announced a go-ahead for the action
after talks at the weekend with President Henri Benie failed to
resolve the dispute. A government statement said negotiations had
made progress and it remained open to discussion. First reports say
the stoppages, which are due to continue until 18 June, closed
state schools in the main city, Abidjan, and brought some
government offices to a standstill. Students have also gone on
strike for the third week running. They are demanding the release
of student leaders jailed for their roles in student protests over
the past two months.   (BBC News, 15 June 1999)

* Egypt. Mubarak ends visits with 9 accords  -  Egyptian President
Mubarak ended a two-day visit to North Africa with nine new
cooperation accords signed with Morocco and an offer extended to
help Algeria and the North African kingdom settle differences.
During the visit, which included a stopover of several hours in
Algiers, Mubarak presided alongside King Hassan II over the third
session of the Egyptian-Moroccan High Commission. Nine bilateral
cooperation accords were signed, ranging from air transport to
export to higher education, the official Moroccan news agency
reported. That brings the total number of accords between the two
nations to 60. However, Mubarak did not limit his meetings to
bilateral talks. In Rabat and Algiers, he discussed the Middle East
peace process, the July summit of the Organization of African Unity
in the Algerian capital, as well as the possibility of Egypt
eventually joining the Maghreb Arab Union, made up of Algeria,
Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania and Libya, officials said. The
Egyptian president also discussed Arab solidarity, including the
prickly issue of the Western Sahara, which Morocco claims, that
divides Morocco and Algeria, traditional backer of the rebel
Polisario Front seeking the territory's independence. Mubarak
suggested Egypt could play a role in bringing the North African
neighbours closer.   (AP, 13 June 1999)

* Egypt. Tomb of the 10,000 mummies  -  A donkey that slipped into
a subterranean tomb complex has triggered one of the largest,
modern discoveries of Greco-Roman remains -- thought to contain at
least 10,000 mummies, some of them wearing golden masks.
Archaeologists in Egypt's western desert who have been examining
the burial ground for four years have succeeded in unearthing 200
of the wrapped bodies from the site, which has now been dubbed the
"Valley of Mummies", Cairo media reported at the weekend. Zahi
Hawass, the director of Cairo and Giza antiquities who led the dig
near Bahariya Oasis, around 185 miles south-west of Cairo, was
quoted as saying that some of the mummies "wore golden masks with
magnificent designs of ancient Egyptian divinities on their
chests". A trove of other items was also found after searchers for
the fallen donkey reported what they had seen. Archaeologist said
a selection of the mummies was being examined by other experts in
Cairo. They expected to make more discoveries in the area.   (The
Guardian, U.K., 14 June 1999)

* Erythree/Ethiopie. Reprise des combats  -  Les combats ont repris
entre l'Erythree et l'Ethiopie en deux points de leur frontiere, a
annonce le 11 juin le ministre erythreen des Affraires etrangeres.
L'armee ethiopienne a lance, le 9 juin, une attaque apparemment de
diversion sur le front est de la frontiere, a hauteur de Burie a 70
km a l'ouest du port erythreen d'Assab. Au cours de cet
affrontement de faible intensite 47 soldats ethiopiens auraient ete
tues et environ une centaine blesses. Les Ethiopiens ont ensuite
depeche, le 10 juin, deux divisions entieres en direction du front
central a la hauteur de Mereb-Setit. Les troupes erythreennes
disaient avoir repousse l'attaque, mais les combats se
poursuivaient le 11 juin. Durant le week-end du 12-13 juin, les
deux camps annoncaient de lourdes pertes ennemies. Selon le porte-
parole du gouvernement ethiopien, plus de 8.200 soldats erythreens
ont ete tues, blesses ou captures; auparavant, l'Erythree avait
annonce que son armee avait tue 4.200 soldats ethiopiens. 14 juin.
Les combats ont repris pour la cinquieme journee consecutive.
L'Erythree a maintenant annonce avoir abattu deux avions ennemis et
tue, blesse ou fait prisonnier plus de 12.000 militaires ethiopiens
depuis le 10 juin. L'Ethiopie a reconnu l'intensite des
affrontements, mais a conteste le bilan d'Asmara. Meme s'il est
impossible de controler les chiffres avances par les deux camps,
les observateurs occidentaux estiment que les pertes doivent etre
tres elevees des deux cotes. 15 juin. Des combats qualifies
d'intenses se sont poursuivis sur le front de Mereb-Setit, proche
de la zone frontaliere contestee de Badme, alors que des combats
moins intenses etaient signales sur un second front a Bure. La
commission erythreenne de secours aux refugies a lance un appel
urgent pour une aide complementaire de $3 millions pour des
deplaces.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16 juin 1999)

* Eritrea/Ethiopia. Heavy fighting  -  10-11 June: Eritrea and
Ethiopia says heavy fighting has broken out on their disputed
border, with each accusing the other of firing the first shot. The
battle began on 10 June and continued onto the next day, marking
the end of a short lull in their year-long conflict. Eritrean
presidential spokesman Yermane Gebremeskel says Ethiopia launched
the attack on the "central section of the Mereb-Setit front" --
close to the disputed Badme region where the war first broke out in
May 1998. Fighting on three fronts along the 1,000km frontier has
continued intermittently since, killing tens of thousands of
soldiers. Both sides also report a minor artillery exchange on the
southern Burre front, close to Eritrea's Red Sea port of Assab, on
10 June. "Ethiopian forces launched a counter-offensive to repulse
the invasion by Eritrea on two fronts", Ethiopian government
spokeswoman Selome Taddesse says, adding that Ethiopia used its
airforce against Eritrean forces. 13 June: An Ethiopian government
spokesman says Ethiopian soldiers have captured, wounded or killed
7,800 Eritrean troops in the three days of renewed fighting.
Fighting continues. 14 June: On the fifth day of fighting, the
Eritrean government says it has shot down two Ethiopian planes. The
Eritrean government says more than 2,000 Ethiopian fighters were
killed today during fierce fighting on the Mereb-Setit front.
Eritrean radio says over 4,000 Ethiopian soldiers have been wounded
since 13 June. 15 June: Battles continue for a sixth day, as both
sides struggle to control high ground along the front.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 16 June 1999)

* Ethiopia/Israel. Jews to go home  -  Outgoing Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the government to speed up the
immigration process for thousands of Jews in Ethiopia wanting to
settle in Israel, his spokesman said. Some 2,500-3,500 Jews in the
mountainous Quara region of Ethiopia were left behind when their
brethren came to Israel seven years ago and have been trying to
reach the Jewish state ever since. Since an April decision to speed
up the immigration, about one hundred Ethiopians Jews have arrived
in Israel. Netanyahu intervened on 13 June and instructed ministers
in his outgoing government to do more to bring the entire group to
Israel, said his spokesman Aviv Bushinsky. Netanyahu's decision
comes on the heels of mounting public awareness for their plight.
Ethiopian Jewish leaders have accused the Interior Ministry,
controlled by the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, of delaying the
immigration process because of questions over whether the group is
really Jewish. The Interior Ministry denied being responsible for
the delays. Many of Israel's Orthodox rabbis have said that because
the isolated Ethiopian community does not conduct ceremonies such
as conversion and divorce according to strict Orthodox Jewish law,
they cannot be sure the community is Jewish.   (AP, 14 June 1999)

* The Gambia. Hosting peace talks  -  11 June: Rebels fighting for
independence in Senegal's southern farming and tourist province of
Casamance will hold preliminary talks in Gambia on 21 June as a
prelude to possible peace negotiations with the government. The
meeting is expected to last four days, they added. The Movement of
Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) took up arms in 1982,
accusing the central government of neglecting the province. Abbe
Diamacoune Senghor, the movement's political leader, has called for
an end to the fighting and peace talks with the government of
President Abdou Diouf. Senghor and Diouf made a similar call in
January but the past few months have seen a resurgence of rebel
raids and clashes with the army in the province. Hundreds of
rebels, soldiers and civilians have died in the conflict, which has
seen the use of landmines -- hitherto rare in West Africa.   (ANB-
BIA, Brussels, 1999)

* Ghana. New parties emerges  -  A new political party, the
Traditional Congress Party (TCP) has been formed. The founder is a
US based Ghanaian Educationist Anthony Toku. In a statement signed
by the Founder/chairman and copied to the press, it said the
party's main aim is to bring total reform in the socio-economic and
political life of the people in the country. Among the objectives,
TCP is to infuse new blood into the political system of the country
and help bring genuine change in the lives of the people of Ghana
through a planned socio economic program tailored to the basic need
of the people and the country. The party's slogan is "HEAT", that
it, Healthcare, Education, Housing, Employment, Agriculture and
Transportation. According to the statement, TCP -- is a party of
reconciliation and unity. The party, the statement said, is
committed to uniting the people of Ghana to fight the economic war
confronting the country.   (The Independent, Ghana, 10 June 1999)

* Guinee-Bissau. Vieira a Lisbonne  -  Le 11 juin, l'ancien
president de la Guinee-Bissau, M. Vieira, est arrive a Lisbonne,
accompagne de l'ambassadeur portugais a Bissau. M. Vieira devrait
se rendre a Paris durant quelques jours pour raisons medicales. On
ne sait pas encore si les autorites portugaises lui ont accorde
l'asile politique ou si elles l'ont accueilli pour raisons
humanitaires.   (Misna, Italie, 11 juin 1999)

* Guinea-Bissau. "Nino"'s onward journey  -  10 June: The press
agency MISNA reports that former president Joao Bernardo "Nino"
Vieira is still in Banjul, The Gambia. However, he is expected to
depart for Lisbon within two days, on board a plane ordered by the
Portuguese government. He will then travel to France for medical
care.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 11 June 1999)

* Kenya. Budget details  -  "Give and take" was the keynote of
Finance Minister Francis Masakhalia's first budget. Here are some
details -- For the consumer: Value Added Tax (VAT) standard rates
are down to 15% from 16%. For beer drinkers: Excise duty down by
5%. For those using private power generators: Duty and VAT
exemptions are extended until 1 January 2000. For tax defaulters:
The penalty is based on tax outstanding. For those in the motor and
transport industry: An increase in road maintenance levy. For
kerosene/fuel users: The excise duty is increased. For consumers of
imported foodstuffs and textiles: Duty is increased. For persons
seeking discretionary tax exemptions: Only 50% of tax payable can
be exempted.   (Thomas Omondi, Kenya, 11 June 1999)

* Kenya. Lettre pastorale sur l'economie  -  Les eveques
catholiques du Kenya ont publie une lettre pastorale intitulee "Sur
l'economie du Kenya", sortie en librairie le 10 juin. Malgre les
richesses du pays, la pauvrete s'accroit de jour en jour, affirme
le document. Les vrais responsables en sont la corruption, la
mauvaise administration, les tensions entre ethnies, la speculation
sur les proprietes terriennes, la polution, etc. Les eveques
demandent notamment aux hommes politiques de respecter les lois et
les institutions democratiques, tout en affirmant que "nul n'est
au-dessus des lois, meme pas le president de la Republique". Ils
demandent donc un radical changement d'attitude de la part de la
classe dirigeante qui, afin de servir ses propres interets, a
maintes fois abuse de son pouvoir.   (D'apres Misna, Italie, 14
juin 1999)

* Kenya. "On the Economy of Kenya"  -  In June, The Catholic
Bishops of Kenya issued a Pastoral Letter, in which they expressed
deep concern about the current state of the economy. They said:
"Our country is rich in both human and material resources. It has
the potential for a vibrant economy in which every person should
enjoy prosperity. Yet our country is beset with grinding poverty,
massive unemployment, and a pervasive sense of hopelessness". The
Bishops suggested a number of steps which need to be taken to
correct the current situation.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 June 1999)

* Malawi. Tightening censorship laws  -  The Malawi Censorship
Board, in a bid to stem moral decadence in the country, has said it
will tighten censorship laws by posting its staff at border posts
and airports to filter out pornographic material, including books,
films and magazines. Eleanor Mataya, deputy chief censuring office,
said in Blantyre on 10 June, that the influx of pornographic
material into the country, needs to be controlled, because it is
contributing to incidents of rape and teenage delinquency. "Cases
of defilement and rape have increased because people are being
exposed to a lot of obscene material from Western countries, and
the situation is so bad that the board has taken this stand of
censoring this offensive material right at entry points", she said. 
 (PANA, Dakar, 10 June 1999)

* Malawi. Elections  -  14 juin. Les echanges d'invectives entre
majorite et opposition donnent a penser que le resultat des
elections du 16 juin au Malawi sera aprement conteste. Selon le
Malawi Congress Party (opposition) "le scrutin ne sera ni
equitable, ni libre". Le parti s'inquiete de la facon dont le
United Democratic Front du president Muluzi a "manipule et domine"
les emissions de la radio-television nationale, et fait etat de
brutalites auxquelles ont ete exposes ses partisans et candidats.
Comme pour attiser la controverse, un groupe d'associations a
publie un document affirmant que 160.000 personnes en age de voter
se sont vu refuser l'inscription sur les listes electorales. - 16
juin. Les Malawiens se sont rendus en masse vers les bureaux de
vote: jusqu'a 80% des inscrits, d'apres les estimations. Pres de 5
millions d'electeurs doivent choisir, pour la deuxieme fois dans
l'histoire du Malawi, leur president et leurs 193 deputes. Le
president sortant, Bakili Muluzi, cherche a obtenir un nouveau
mandat face au candidat d'une coalition de l'opposition, Gwanda
Chakuamba. Le debat electoral a essentiellement porte sur
l'economie. L'opposition accuse le gouvernement de corruption, de
mauvaise gestion et d'incompetence.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 17 juin 1999)

* Malawi. Elections  -  10 June: The treasurer of the opposition
Malawi Congress Party, Heatherwick Ntaba, says "next weeks
elections won't be fair or free". 14 June: Some 100,000 eligible
voters still remain unregistered. The head of the Electoral
Commission says there is not much he can do about it, and appeals
for unregistered voters to stay away from polling stations. 15
June: Election Day. Some 6,400 voting stations have been set up
across the country. President Muluzi is facing four opposition
candidates in his bid for re-election. 11 parties are vying for
control of the 193-seat parliament. When the polls closed, a high
turnout was reported and voting day proved to be remarkably
peaceful. Full results will not be known until 17 June. 16 June:
Initial returns indicate a massive turnout of more than 90% of
voters. It appears that the ruling United Democratic Front of
President Muluzi is leading with 53 parliamentary seats.   (ANB-
BIA, Brussels, 17 June 1999)

* Mali. Draft Law for Forestry Project  -  The Malian cabinet
recently adopted a draft law for the management of 250,000 hectares
of forests in southern Mali by private operators in an
environmentally sustainable manner. A statement issued at the end
of a cabinet meeting on 9 June in Bamako said the project, whose
aim is to prevent deforestation and ecological degradation, will
cover 50 villages in Bougouni, Kolondieba and Yanfolila areas,
located between 140 and 400 km southeast of the capital. The
project seeks not only to promote sustainable management of
forests, but to become a major source of fuelwood and timber to
Bamako and Sikasso, without causing desertification and degradation
of the ecosystem.   (PANA, Dakar, 14 June 1999)

* Morocco. Child Labour  -  More than 500,000 children in Morocco
are working rather than learning, according to new figures
published by the Moroccan government. There are 538,000 child
labourers in the country -- and more than half of them are girls,
the survey has revealed. Aged under 15 years old, most of these
live and work in the rural areas, where they follow the tradition
of toil in the fields. But tens of thousands are sold by their
parents as domestic servants in the cities. The parents receive
around $10 a week, while the children are tied to their job in what
the BBC's correspondent in Morocco, Nick Pelham, says amounts to
near slavery. The government says it is trying to stamp out child
labour. The minister in charge of child protection, Said Saadi,
told the BBC that the government is concentrating its efforts on
attracting children out of the job market and back into school.  
(BBC News, 15 June 1999)

* Niger. Enquetes  -  Le 10 juin, un porte-parole du gouvernement
a annonce qu'une commission de repression des fraudes avait
recupere 1,13 milliard de fcfa ($1,8 million) dus au gouvernement.
La commission, creee par le Conseil de reconcilation nationale
(CRN), a ouvert une enquete sur quelque 600 cas de fraude au sein
du gouvernement. D'autre part, le CRN a annonce qu'il avait ordonne
l'ouverture d'une enquete officielle sur la mort de l'ancien
president Mainassara.   (IRIN, Abidjan, 11 juin 1999)

* Niger. Election programme  -  11 June: Niger's military junta has
published the following elections programme: 11 July: A
Constitutional referendum to usher in democratic rule. 30 October:
Presidential election and if necessary a second round on 14
November. 14 November: Parliamentary elections. 31 December: The
new President will be sworn in. Junta spokesman Mahamadou Danda
told reporters after a cabinet meeting that the referendum has been
brought forward on the recommendation of the Independent National
Electoral Commission. Junta leader Daouda Malam Wanke has pledged
to restore democratic rule in the former French colony by the end
of the year.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 14 June 1999)

* Nigeria. First in list of world bribery  -  Nigeria leads while
Kenya ranks fifth among 23 countries where bribery is rampant
worldwide, a report by an anti-corruption body says. According to
the Berlin-based Transparency International, Denmark is last on the
list. The report, "1998 corruption perception index", says that in
1996 and 1997, the World Bank and IMF fund set precedents in
delaying loans to Afghanistan, Kenya, Nigeria, Cambodia, Papua New
Guinea, Congo and Sudan over concerns that corruption was diverting
funds and subverting the purpose of the loans. Contained in the
1999 London and New York based World Watch Institute Index, the
report adds that the prevalence of corruption appears to deter
foreign investment. Many bribes taken by officials in developing
countries are given to companies based in industrial countries,
according to transparency international. It notes that corruption
is also implicated in government moves that harm the environment
and violate human rights. The report suggests that one technique of
fighting corruption was to ensure government officials were paid
well in order to reduce the appeal for bribes.   (PANA, Dakar, 13
June 1999)

* Nigeria. Nouvelle purge dans l'armee  -  Le 10 juin, le president
Obasanjo a lance une nouvelle vague de purges dans l'armee. 93
officiers superieurs, detenteurs de mandat politique sous la
dictature militaire (entre 1985 et 1999), ont ete mis a la retraite
forcee. Cette decision porte a 149 le nombre de renvois au sein de
l'armee nigeriane depuis la prise de fonction, le 29 mai,
d'Obasanjo, pour qui il s'agit "d'assurer la survie democratique au
Nigeria". Le 14 juin, le quotidien Post Express affirmait que le
president procederait encore a la mise a la retraite de 300 autres
officiers, mais ces informations n'ont pas ete confirmees. D'autre
part, le meme jour, le president Obasanjo a constitue une commision
d'enquete sur les violations des droits de l'homme commises pendant
les quinze annees de regime militaire. Il a egalement annonce la
reorganisation de la fonction publique et nomme 35 secretaires
permanents dans les 28 ministeres et au secretariat de la
presidence.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 15 juin 1999)

* Nigeria. Disorder worries  -  14 June: The police in Lagos appeal
for an end to vigilante attacks which have resulted in at least 20
suspected robbers being burnt to death on the streets in recent
days. The same day, PM News in Lagos reports that Ijaw youths have
taken hostage six expatriates and 42 Nigerian workers of Texaco.
The incident had been kept a closely guarded secret by the company.
Also, Delta State Governor James Ibori has declared Warri a
"disaster zone", so that his administration can provide relief for
the residents made homeless by the intercommunal fighting.   (ANB-
BIA, Brussels, 15 June 1999)

* Nigeria. Nouvelle alliance  -  Lors d'une conference de presse a
Johannesburg, mercredi 16 juin, le president nigerian Olusegun
Obasanjo a declare que les relations entre le Nigeria et l'Afrique
du Sud doivent relever de la collaboration et non de la rivalite.
"Vu les conflits en cours en ce moment en Afrique, si nous ne
cooperons pas vraiment, nous risquons de ne pas voir la fin de bon
nombre d'entre eux." Avec la fin du regime militaire au Nigeria et
l'etroitesse des liens personnels entre M. Obasanjo et l'ancien
president Nelson Mandela, une nouvelle relation strategique fondee
sur un engagement en faveur de la paix et du developpement
economique pourrait se faire jour entre les deux grandes puissances
regionales. Les petits pays risquent toutefois de mal reagir a
toute domination des deux puissances, soulignent les specialistes. 
 (D'apres IRIN, Johannesburg, 17 juin 1999)

* Nigeria. "Winds of change" continue  -  10 June: President
Obsanjo has announced a second round of dramatic purges of the
armed forces, relieving 93 more officers of their posts. A list
published today, retires all officers who held political posts in
the last 14 years under any of the three previous military regimes,
with immediate effect. Many of them served as ministers or as
military governors of the 36 states. This follows the forced
retirement of around 50 ranging from majors to generals into
"compulsory retirement". 14 June: The President inaugurates a panel
to investigate human rights abuses during 15 years of military
rule. "We want to reconcile all those who feel alienated by past
political events, heal wounds inflicted on our people and restore
harmony in our country", he said. 16 June: President Obasanjo has
suspended all forms of enlistment into the military.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 17 June 1999)

* Rwanda. Le regime se prolonge de 4 ans  -  La transition
politique au Rwanda, qui devait se terminer le 19 juillet, sera
prolongee de quatre ans, a decide le 9 juin le forum des "huit
partis politiques du pays" reunis a Kigali. En realite, selon La
Libre Belgique, il s'agit de personnes autorisees par le FPR a
parler au nom de partis politiques dont les activites sont
interdites. Seul le FPR a en effet le droit de tenir des congres;
les autres partis, de facto, n'existent plus: seuls leurs etats-
majors ont le droit de se reunir et ont subi de fortes pressions du
FPR. -La duree limite de cinq ans que s'etait fixe le premier
gouvernement d'unite nationale mis en place en 1994 apres le
genocide, devait permettre un retour a la democratie, l'elaboration
d'une Constitution et l'organisation d'elections legislatives.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 11 juin 1999)

* Rwanda. Une "Eglise patriotique"?  -  La revue catholique New
People, publiee a Nairobi, dans son edition de juillet/aout, accuse
le gouvernement de Kigali de vouloir creer une "Eglise patriotique
rwandaise", calquee sur le modele chinois. New People ecrit
notamment: "Le regime rwandais entend imposer a l'Eglise catholique
un episcopat pro-gouvernement. La propagande rwandaise jette le
discredit sur la hierarchie catholique en lui attribuant des
responsabilites dans le genocide de 1994. Le plus choquant est qu'a
cette 'chasse aux sorcieres' participent des pretres rwandais
proches du gouvernement et soutenus, au niveau international, par
des personnes favorables a la constitution d'une Eglise
patriotique". Ndlr - L'article est repris dans la revue de presse
de ANB-BIA du 15 juin.   (Misna, Italie, 11 juin 1999)

* Rwanda. Rafles et accident mortel  -  Le 13 juin a Kigali, pres
de mille personnes ont ete emmenees par la gendarmerie et la police
et regroupees sur un terrain ou elles sont retenues prisonnieres.
"Cette decision a ete prise pour lutter contre le developpement du
banditisme et le trafic de la drogue a Kigali", a indique le
ministre de l'Interieur. D'autre part, le meme jour, la radio a
annonce qu'un accident avec un autobus surcharge a cause 39 morts
et une centaine de blesses. L'accident a eu lieu le 10 juin sur la
route vers Kibuye a l'ouest de Kigali. Le bus transportait 149
passagers.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 14 juin 1999)

* Senegal. Nouvel appel a la paix en Casamance  -  Le 9 juin,
l'abbe Diamacoune Senghor, dirigeant politique du Mouvement des
forces democratiques de Casamance (MFDC), a lance un nouvel appel
a la paix et a l'ouverture de negociations avec le gouvernement
senegalais. Il a aussi exclu de discuter d'une federation entre la
Casamance, la Gambie et la Guinee-Bissau voisines, comme l'avait
propose Nkrumah Sane, porte-parole en Europe des independantistes
du MFDC. - D'autre part, on a appris que les differentes factions
du MFDC se reuniront du 21 au 24 juin a Banjul (Gambie). Ces
journees de reflexion devraient permettre aux tendances du
mouvement d'harmoniser leurs positions en vue de negociations avec
le gouvernement senegalais pour une paix definitive en Casamance. 
 (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 11 juin 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Peace talks and power-sharing  -  9 June: Peace
talks between the rebel RUF and the government taking place in
Lome, Togo, seem to be stuck over the contentious issue of power
sharing. The government want the RUF to transform their rebel
movement into a political party and contest the forthcoming
elections in about 16 months time. An offer of at least 3
ministerial posts have been granted to the rebels. 11 June: The
mediators in the Lome talks decide that the discussions should
continue until positive results are achieved. Also, the UN Sec.
Council agrees to extend its observer mission for six months. 13
June: Sierra Leone's The Progress says the rebels are demanding the
formation of a cabinet made up of 20 ministries and they are asking
for 11 ministries. 14 June: Mediators in Togo say there is a
"glimmer of hope" that the two sides will reach an agreement. 15
June: "The rebel have promised to free 240 people, including women
and children, by tomorrow", says Bishop Biguzzi of Makeni Diocese,
adding that the hostages will be handed over to the UN Military
Observers in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone's The Progress, reports
that the peace talks have made a breakthrough when it was disclosed
that the rebels' representatives have agreed to transform their
movement into a political party. 16 June: Togo's Foreign Affairs
Minister who is heading the Lome peace talks says: "We hope to
arrive at a definitive conclusion to this work no later than
Friday". Also, UNOMSIL is awaiting the release of 300 children
today. They had been abducted by rebels during the January invasion
of Freetown.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 June 1999)

* Somalia. Key port falls  -  Reports say that the southern port of
Kismayo has changed hands after a fierce artillery battle. The
town, which is Somalia's third largest, has been controlled by the
faction leader, Muhammad Said Hirsi --known as General Morgan --
for the past six years. It's now been captured by rival militiamen
from the Somali National Front, who are allied to one of the
country's main faction leader, Hussein Aideed. Gen.Morgan's
whereabouts is unknown, and there's no clear information, so far,
on casualties. Correspondents say the capture of Kismayo will be a
major political boost to allies of Hussein Aideed, who lost control
of the central town of Baidoa on 7 June.   (BBC World News, 11 June
1999)

* Somalie. Combats et disette  -  Le 11 juin, apres d'apres
combats, la ville portuaire Kismayo (au sud du pays) est tombee
dans les mains du Front national somali. C'est le clan Marehan,
soutenu par le chef de guerre Hussein Aidid, qui a repris la ville
au clan Majertan. - D'autre part, selon des temoins, des troupes
ethiopiennes sont entrees dans le sud de la Somalie pour couper la
route aux rebelles du Front de liberation Oromo (OLF), qui se sont
lies a Aidid et recevraient des armes de l'Erythree. Les Ethiopiens
auraient pris la ville de Baidoa et avanceraient maintenant vers la
base de l'OLF a Coriolei, au sud du port de Merca. L'Ethiopie a
dementi que ses troupes aient envahi la Somalie. - Par ailleurs,
selon un rapport de l'Unite inter-agences du 15 juin, la securite
des approvisionnements dans le sud de la Somalie semble de plus en
plus precaire du fait de pluies tres irregulieres, du mauvais etat
du betail et de la poursuite du conflit.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 15 juin 1999)

* South Africa. Mandela welcomes Gaddafi  -  Libyan leader, Muammar
Gaddafi is in South Africa as the last official guest of President
Nelson Mandela, who is due to leave office in the coming week. For
Colonel Gaddafi, the visit is part of his first foreign trip since
the lifting of international sanctions on Libya -- an event which
was made possible when President Mandela persuaded Col.Gaddafi to
hand over for trial the two Libyans accused of the 1988 Lockerbie
airliner bombing. Col.Gaddafi and President Mandela's developed a
close relationship after Mr.Mandela's release from jail in 1990.
Mr.Mandela acknowledged the Libyan leader's initiative in seeking
a solution to the conflict in the Congo RDC, comparing these to his
own efforts to resolve the Lockerbie dispute. "We look forward with
joy and anticipation to the full re-entry of Libya into the affairs
of our continent and the world", the South African president said.
He was speaking at a reception in Cape Town to welcome Col.Gaddafi,
whom he described as "my brother leader". Col.Gaddafi bestowed the
Libyan Decoration of Steadfastness on Mandela in appreciation of
his "unlimited courage and prolonged steadfastness".   (BBC News,
13 June 1999)

* South Africa. Buying German submarines  -  South Africa is to buy
three German submarines for 660m Euros ($680m) in the first stage
of a $5bn round of defence purchases, according to a draft
agreement between the Pretoria government and a German consortium
announced June 13. As part of the "offset" packages demanded by
South Africa, the German contractors plan to build a 960m Euros
stainless steel plant in Eastern Cape and to spend 175m Euros on
South African military equipment. The consortium of Thyssen
Nordseewerke, Howaltswerke Deutsche Werft and Ferrostall will
supply three 209-class submarines with South African companies
providing many of the command and control systems. "The waters
along the South African coast are ideally suited for submarine
operation, and they are therefore "force multipliers" to the South
African Navy", Joe Modise, outgoing South African defence minister
said.   (Financial Times, U.K., 14 June 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Mbeki president  -  Le 14 juin, Thabo Mbeki, 56
ans, le leader de l'ANC et dauphin designe de longue date de Nelson
Mandela, a ete elu president de l'Afrique du Sud par l'Assemblee
nationale. Tout comme les 400 deputes, M. Mbeki avait, un peu plus
tot, prete serment devant le president de la Cour institutionnelle.
Le 16 juin a Pretoria, en presence d'une trentaine de chefs d'Etat
africains, M. Mbeki a ete intronise president. Dans son discours,
il a rendu hommage a "la generation de titans qui a tire ce pays de
l'abime", et indique qu'il poursuivrait la lutte pour ameliorer le
sort concret de millions de Noirs sud-africains et oeuvrer a la
pacification de l'Afrique. Dans les coulisses, les dirigeants
africains de la region ont notamment enchaine les consultations
pour trouver un reglement viable au conflit au Congo-RDC.   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 17 juin 1999)

* South Africa. Political rumblings for Mbeki  -  11 June: WOZA
Internet says the NNP/DP/ACDP has declined an offer by the
Archbishop of the Anglican Church, Njonginkulu Ndungane, to act as
mediator in the political impasse in the Western Cape, surrounding
negotiations on an all-inclusive coalition government. 14 June:
Parliament has elected Thabo Mbeki to succeed President Mandela,
who formally retires tomorrow. In a speech, Mr Mbeki says: "If all
of us stand tall today, it is only because we are borne aloft by
the firm hands of the ordinary people of our country". 15 June: ANC
supporters stage a mass protest after their party is excluded from
power in the Western Cape. Although the ANC won the most seats for
the provincial legislature, they failed to reach a working
majority. The New National Party and the Democratic Party have
formed a coalition to keep the ANC out of power. 16 June: Thabo
Mbeki is sworn in a President. In his Inaugural speech, President
Mbeki says: "The full meaning of liberation will not be realised
until our people are freed both from oppression and from the
dehumenising legacy of deprivation we inherited from our past."  
(ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 June 1999)

* Sudan/Germany. The death of Aamir Ageeb  -  Aamir Ageeb's death
on 28 May shocked Germany. This "undesirable alien" from Sudan was
forced onto a Lufthansa flight to Cairo. Three border police
executed the deportation. The refugee was chained. He tried to
resist the deportation, so the border police forced his head down,
so much so that the deportee could not breath. When he was
released, he was dead. Three doctors on the plane tried to revive
him, but they failed. What happened raised so many questions about
Germany's deportation policy, that the Minister of the Interior has
stopped, at least for the time being, all deportations by air. This
is not the first case of people being sent back into what could be
dangerous situations. Some years ago, seven asylum-seekers were
returned to Sudan from Germany. What happened to them? Are they
dead or alive?   (Gerhard Knuhl, Germany, 15 June 1999)

* Tanzanie. Refugies  -  Une nouvelle vague de refugies congolais
est arrivee en Tanzanie, ou les camps de refugies debordent. Les
organisations humanitaires cherchent de nouvelles places d'accueil.
Selon le HCR, au cours des trois dernieres semaines, quelque 12.000
Congolais ont traverse le lac Tanganyika. Dans le camp de Lugufu,
au bord du lac, 55.000 Congolais ont ete accueillis depuis le mois
d'aout de l'annee derniere et il n'y a plus de place pour les
nouveaux arrives. Le HCR est en train de construire un nouveau camp
dans les environs prevu pour 10.000 personnes, mais craint que
celui-ci ne soit egalement rempli bientot. Le HCR estime qu'au
total quelque 100.000 Congolais ont fui leur pays depuis aout
dernier, dont 68.000 se trouvent en Tanzanie.   (D'apres De
Standaard, Belgique, 12 juin 1999)

* Tanzania. New era for Zanzibar  -  An agreement to end four years
of political stalemate in Zanzibar means that peace and security
have now returned to the Indian Ocean island, opposition leader
Seif Sharif Hamad told a rally at the weekend. It was Hamad's first
public announcement since signing an agreement last week with the
ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. The deal was brokered by
Commonwealth Secretary-General chief Emeka Anyaoku. Hamad told the
rally that his Civic United Front (CUF) had ended the boycott of
the Zanzibar parliament which it launched four years ago, in
protest against the rigging of the 1995 presidential elections. In
a sign of the new political climate, Hamad's rally was covered by
local radio and television -- which for years had ignored the
opposition. Hamad told the rally that the way was now open to
restore prosperity to Zanzibar by attracting new investment.
Planning Minister Ali Juma Shamhuna, in his budget speech last
week, said only 0.4% economic growth had been registered in the
past year.   (Reuters, 13 June 1999)
* Chad. Controversy over Oil-Pipeline Deal  -  Oil companies and
African politicians are lobbying to secure finance for an oil
project running through Chad and Cameroon as the World Bank readies
final plans for the venture. The Chad-Cameroon Oil and Pipeline
Project is considered vital to the economies of the two countries,
but critics say it will encourage corruption, oppression and
environmental ruin in a politically and ecologically fragile
region. The project involves sinking 300 oil wells in southern Chad
and running a 1,050km underground pipeline across Cameroon to a
marine export terminal in the Atlantic Ocean. The World Bank and
its affiliate, the International Finance Corporation, have been
considering the project since 1993, repeatedly hinting that
approval was at hand, only to put off a decision amid increasing
controversy. A final proposal is expected to go to the Bank's
executive board in September, said Philippe Benoit, the Bank's
project leader.   (The East African, Kenya, 14 June 1999)

* Togo. Denies torturing Amnesty official  -  Authorities in Togo
have "categorically" rejected allegations that Nigerian Amen
Ayodole was arrested and tortured by Togolese security for his
affiliation with Amnesty International. On 10 June in a statement,
Togolese Interior minister, Seyi Menene said Ayodole was arrested
along with others at the Aflao border with Ghana, for questioning
in connection with drug trafficking. He said the suspect was held
in custody on the orders of the attorney general of Togo for
identity verification and investigation of his involvement in the
drug deal. In a press statement on 26 May, Amnesty International
had accused Togo of arresting and torturing Ayodole, an Amnesty
personnel in Nigeria, and called for his release along with all
human rights activists detained in that country. But Menene said
Ayodole was arrested under suspicion of drug trafficking and not
for his affiliation with Amnesty. "During the time of the enquiry,
the person concerned was not either threatened nor tortured,
contrary to Amnesty's allegations", he said. Ayodole was released
on 27 May.   (PANA, Dakar, 11 June 1999)

* Tunisie. Opposants liberes  -  Un nombre indetermine d'opposants
ont recemment ete remis en liberte, a-t-on appris le 14 juin. Parmi
les personnes liberees figurent deux femmes, Radhia Aouididi et
Rachilda Ben Salem. Un troisieme detenu, Nizar Charri, un
enseignant residant a Toulouse, a egalement recouvre la liberte.
Les noms des autres detenus liberes ne sont pas disponibles.   (Le
Monde, France, 17 juin 1999)

* Ouganda. Gel d'un pret du FMI  -  Le FMI va prolonger le gel d'un
pret de quelque $20 millions a l'Ouganda en continuant a
conditionner son versement a la mise en place de reformes
economiques, a declare le representant de l'institution en Ouganda,
le 7 juin. Le FMI exige notamment la reduction des depenses
militaires du pays, un budget equilibre et d'accelerer son
processus de privatisations, critique pour sa lenteur et son manque
de transparence.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 11 juin 1999)

* Uganda. IMF praises defence cuts  -  The IMF has praised Uganda
for its announcements this week that it would reduce defence
spending to $177bn in the 1999/2000 fiscal year. The budget target
marks a 9% drop from last year's target of $193.5bn, and a
considerable fall from actual spending of over $230bn, which
spiralled because of war in the Congo RDC and internal unrest. "We
were very happy with the increase last year, but the budget this
year is in line with what we agreed in the medium-term framework",
said Dr.Zia Ebrahim-Zadeh, the IMF representative in Kampala.
Gerald Ssendaula, the finance minister, said the economy had grown
by 7.8% last year, but also announced a budget deficit of 1.16% of
GDP in 1999/2000, up from 0.93 last year.   (Financial Times, U.K.,
14 June 1999)

* Zambia. Monitoring East Timor Referendum  -  Thirty-two Zambian
election monitors will join the UN Assistance Mission in East Timor
(UNAMET) to help supervise the 8 August 1999 national referendum in
the East Asian island country. UN resident coordinator in Zambia,
Olubank King-Akerele, said in Lusaka that the Zambian team was the
largest among those from African countries invited to serve on the
Timorese UN mission. Uganda is to be represented by a 10-man team,
according to UN officials in Lusaka. A few other personnel from
several other African countries are expected to participate in the
exercise. The UN has recruited an international team of 400
volunteer polling officers, to help conduct the referendum in which
the East Timorese are expected to endorse or reject constitutional
proposals for the country to be granted special autonomy within the
unitary Republic of Indonesia. The East Timorese UN-supervised
referendum is designed to settle disagreements between its former
colonial ruler Portugal, and Indonesia, which invaded and annexed
the island only days after Lisbon had granted it independence in
November 1975.   (PANA, Dakar, 11 June 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Economy in difficulties  -  11 June:: The Danish
government has suspended talks about future loans to upgrade
domestic airports in Zimbabwe because of the country's continued
military intervention in Congo RDC. Also, a report from African
Rights questions the credibility of Zimbabwe's government-
appointed constitutional reform progress. 16 June: Reports from
Harare say tens of thousands of government workers, including
schoolteachers and nurses at state hospitals, have gone on strike.
Also, the government says it will slash a contentious levy on
tobacco exports by half next year.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 June
1999)

* Zimbabwe. Catholics assist the handicapped  -  A Christian
organisation called "Faith and Light" has finally brought the winds
of change to the mentally handicapped in the Mkoba community in
Gweru. Among other things, the organisation intends to help people
with mental handicaps, to find their rightful place at the heart of
the Church. "We believe that Jesus has a particular love for them
and that they have a right to discover the same love within the
Church", said a spokesperson for the organisation. The movement
also believes that every person, both the able-bodied and the
handicapped, is loved equally by God, and that Jesus lives in them.
Even the most handicapped person is called to deepened their lives
in Jesus and to receive the Sacraments. "Faith and Light" was born
of a pilgrimage to Lourdes. While having its roots in the Catholic
Church, the organisation wishes to remain ecumenical.   (Augustin
Deke, Zimbabwe, 7 June 1999)