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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 16-09-1999

* Afrique. Sommet de l'OUA  -  Lors du sommet extraordinaire de
l'OUA les 8 et 9 septembre a Syrte en Libye, les dirigeants
africains ont debattu d'une "Union africaine" (les "Etats-Unis
d'Afrique", dont reve Kadhafi). Tout en voulant ne pas "precipiter
les choses", ils ont reconnu qu'une unite plus forte serait le seul
moyen de relever le defi de la mondialisation economique. Ils ont
examine diverses propositions, dont un projet d'union economique a
moyen terme. Dans leur declaration finale, ils ont encore mandate
les presidents algerien et sud-africain pour qu'ils negocient
l'annulation de la dette africaine. Quant a la charte de
l'organisation, le comite de revision a ete invite a presenter un
rapport complet au prochain sommet, prevu au milieu de l'an 2000 au
Togo. Une Union africaine pourrait etre envisagee en 2001.   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 10 septembre 1999)

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Benin: 10 September: In a
letter to the Justice Minister, Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF)
protested the sentencing of six journalists in Cotonou to prison.
Burundi: On 10 September, Human Rights Watch strongly condemned the
reported statement of the Minister of Defense directing the
journalists should be considered enemies and legitimate military
targets if they entered zones of conflict in Burundi. Congo RDC:
The Canadian Journalists for Free Expression is strongly protesting
the confiscation of travel documents and the ban on travel enacted
against Modeste Mutinga Mutuishayi, editor-in-chief of Le
Potentiel. On 15 September, RSF said the treatment of journalists
in Congo is worse now than under the latter years of former
President Mobutu. The Gambia: On 13 September, it was reported that
at least five journalists, including a Nigerian and Ghanaian
journalists have been expelled from The Gambia as The Gambian
government begins a fresh clampdown on private and foreign media in
Banjul. Sierra Leone: On 10 September, RSF sent a letter to
President Kabbah, expressing deep concern about the government's
decision to shift the Public Emergency Regulation into a new law,
thus endangering the country's commitment to freedom of expression.
Zimbabwe: On 10 September it was reported that the Ministry of
Information, Posts and Telecommunications had completed working on
an information and mass media policy framework that seeks to
regulate the operations of the Media in Zimbabwe.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 14 September 1999)

* Afrique. XIe Conference sur le SIDA  -  Le 12 septembre s'est
ouverte a Lusaka (Zambie) la XIe Conference internationale sur le
sida, sous le theme "Regard vers le futur". La conference, qui
reunit plus de 5.000 personnes, s'achevera le 16 septembre. Aucun
chef d'Etat, ni meme le moindre ministre de la Sante d'un pays
occidental, n'est finalement venu a la ceremonie d'ouverture. Des
absences inedites, qui ont renforce un peu plus l'impression
catastrophique qui prime aujourd'hui sur le front du sida en
Afrique. Dans un entretien accorde a Reuters, le directeur du
programme commun des Nations unies sur le sida (Onusida), le Dr
Peter Piot, a accuse les pays occidentaux de ne rien faire ou
presque pour lutter contre l'epidemie en Afrique subsaharienne, ou
22 millions de personnes sont infectees par le virus VIH. Se disant
ouvertement "en colere", il affirme: "La communaute internationale
ne reagit pas comme elle le devrait. Les gouvernements n'apportent
pas les reponses qu'il faudrait. Il leur fut facile de se mobiliser
pour le Kosovo. Le sida est un probleme majeur et on ne voit aucune
reponse". Alors que l'epidemie semble controlee dans le monde
occidental, l'Afrique est plus gravement atteinte que jamais. En
une quinzaine d'annees, la maladie a deja tue 11 millions de
personnes en Afrique. Le vice-president de la Banque mondiale a
declare que les benefices du developpement acquis en Afrique sont
en train de disparaitre en raison des consequences catastrophiques
de la pandemie. Le 14 septembre, la Banque mondiale, qui avait
reduit fortement sa contribution ces dernieres annees a la lutte
contre le sida, a annonce le lancement d'un plan strategique de 3
milliards de dollars par an pour combattre cette maladie sur le
continent noir.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 15 septembre 1999)

* Africa. AIDS -- the Lusaka Conference  -  11 September: At an
Ecumenical Prayer Service organised by the Zambian clergy in
Lusaka, Vice-President Tembo says that "while Africa and the rest
of the world cannot afford to carry the AIDS burden into the new
millennium, the pandemic "cannot be wished away", but requires
interventions to give hope to the new generations". 12 September:
In Zambia, opening of the Lusaka Conference on AIDS. (The XI
International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases
in Africa). In a welcoming speech, eight-year-old TSepo Sitali
urges governments to declare AIDS "a disaster" in order to secure
a future for children. She added that many of her own friends were
AIDS orphans. Her message was taken up by luminaries at the
conference, including UNAIDS agency chief Peter Piot, and World
Bank Vice-President Callisto Madavo. In a speech read by Vice-
President Christin Tembo, President Chiluba calls on African
researchers to "find imaginative, novel and bold solutions to the
diseases. Among the worst affected countries, such as Botswana,
Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Zambia, between a fifth and a
quarter of adults are infected. About 11.5 million Africans have
already died, more than 80% of all global AIDS deaths. The opening
session ends with Africa's leaders pledging greater resources to
tackle the epidemic. 13 September: UN agencies express
disappointment that none of the African leaders, including host
President Chiluba, have attended the Conference. The former
Nigerian health minister, Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, accuses some
African governments of corruption and stealing the bulk of funds
meant for the purchase of medical drugs. He tells the conference
that due to inefficiencies and the waste of drugs, only US $12
worth of drugs eventually gets to the patient, out of every $100,
according to World Bank estimates. Peter Piot says it will be ten
years rather that six months before AIDS is stemmed. 14 September:
The African Press Bureau reports that the Ugandan Health Minister
has accused the World Bank-sponsored Joint United Nations Programme
on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) as being a mere front for Western
multinational pharmaceutical companies, to cash in on Africa's
desperate situation. 15 September: In one of the hardest hitting
speeches of the conference, UNICEF head Carol Bellamy sounds a
wake-up call to African leaders, saying the fight against AIDS in
Sub-Saharan Africa is doomed to fail without their absolute
commitment.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 September 1999)

* Afrique de l'Ouest. Bonnes perspectives agricoles  -  Malgre des
precipitations anormalement importantes en juillet dans sept pays
saheliens, les perspectives culturales et pastorales pour la sous-
region sont bonnes, selon la FAO. Dans son dernier rapport publie
le 10 septembre, la FAO indique que les pluies ont ete
particulierement benefiques pour les agriculteurs en Mauritanie, au
nord du Senegal et au Mali. "Les perspectives des recoltes sont
generalement favorables", indique l'agence. Les resultats pour les
cultures au Burkina Faso, au Tchad et au Niger dependront de la
poursuite des precipitations en septembre, ajoute le rapport.

* Algerie. A la veille du referendum  -  9 septembre. 52 membres du
GIA se sont encore rendus aux autorites dans la region de Texenna
a Jijel, a 300 km d'Alger, ont rapporte plusieurs organes de presse
algerois. Selon ces anciens maquisards, d'autres membres du GIA
sont sur le point de se rendre et de cesser les hostilites. - 10
septembre. Dans un point de vue publie par le quotidien francais La
Croix, Mgr Henri Teissier, archeveque d'Alger, estime que "le
referendum du 16 septembre marquera l'entree de l'Algerie dans un
nouveau temps", ajoutant que l'enjeu est de savoir "comment assumer
a la fois la condamnation du crime et l'ouverture a la
reconciliation". D'autre part, une nouvelle tuerie attribuee a un
groupe d'islamistes armes a provoque la mort de sept personnes, les
parents et cinq enfants d'une meme famille. -12 septembre. Le Front
islamique du salut (FIS) est divise sur le referendum, plongeant
ses sympathisants dans le desarroi. Ali Belhadj, seul dirigeant du
mouvement encore emprisonne, refuse de prendre position. Le
president Bouteflika, qui a deplore cette attitude, a exclu de le
liberer. En revanche, l'instance executive du FIS a l'etranger est
favorable a la loi. - 13 septembre. Les operations de vote du
referendum ont debute pour les corps constitues (armee, police,
gendarmerie), ainsi que pour les habitants des zones enclavees et
les populations nomades du sud du pays. - 15 septembre. Le
president Bouteflika a ordonne l'amnistie des insoumis au service
militaire nes entre 1959 et 1965, apprenait-on de sources
officielles. Cette mesure de clemence concernerait plus d'un
million de jeunes Algeriens. D'autre part, Bouteflika a autorise
des responsables d'Amnesty International a se rendre en Algerie,
levant une interdiction en vigueur depuis trois ans. - Ce 16
septembre, 17,5 millions d'electeurs se rendront dans les 39.000
bureaux de vote. La question soumise est la suivante: "Etes-vous
pour ou contre la demarche generale du president de la Republique
visant a la realisation de la paix et de la concorde civile?". A 11
h, heure locale, le taux de participation atteignait 29,43%.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16 septembre 1999)
* Algeria. Pain and bitterness persist  -  For Geroudy Massouda,
the decision by Algeria's new president to pardon thousands of
people jailed for supporting Islamic insurgents is nothing but a
cruel joke. Under the plan that aims to end seven years of violence
in Algeria, the religious militants responsible for the 1996
killing of her 28-year-old son, Noureddine, will be released soon
from prison. Although the public seems to support President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika's peace efforts, feelings of pain, bitterness
and indignation haunt many Algerians struggling to cope with their
grief and loss. The amnesty was approved by parliament in July but
must be endorsed by voters in a referendum on 23 September. It is
part of a step-by-step plan for bringing "civil concord" and an end
to the Islamic uprising that began in 1992 after the secularist
army cancelled parliamentary elections that Muslim political
parties were poised to win. There are concerns among some that the
fast pace toward national reconciliation since Bouteflika, a former
foreign minister, was elected president 15 April could destabilize
the North African nation.   (CNN, 12 September 1999)

* Algeria. Peace referendum  -  16 September: After seven years of
bloodshed and 100,000 deaths, Algeria's President Bouteflika is
urging the nation to choose new beginning by voting "yes" in a
referendum on a plan aimed at bringing peace to the country. The
ballot asks Algeria's 17 million eligible voters a single question:
"Do you agree with the steps by the President of the Republic
toward civil concord?"   (CNN, 16 September 1999)

* Angola. L'Onu epinglee  -  Dans son rapport "L'Angola
s'effiloche", publie le 13 septembre pour expliquer l'echec des
accords de paix signes en 1994, Human Rights Watch impute la
responsabilite de la reprise de la guerre civile en decembre non
seulement a la mauvaise foi de l'Unita, mais aussi a l'Onu qui
n'aurait jamais proteste contre des violations, y compris des
droits de l'homme, par l'Unita ou le gouvernement. L'Onu se serait
contentee d'"observer" ces abus. L'organisation humanitaire releve
aussi que deux pays de la troika censee prodiguer de bons offices,
le Portugal et la Russie, ont assiste le regime de Luanda par une
"cooperation militaire technique" ou des ventes d'armes. Malgre la
plus importante operation pour le maintien de la paix dans le
monde, qui a coute 9 milliards de FF, l'Angola est a nouveau en
guerre.   (Liberation, France, 14 septembre 1999)

* Angola. More misery  -  10 September: Aid agencies are pulling
out of the besieged government-held city of Kuito, following
reports that UNITA are closing in on villages less than 25
kilometres away. 13 September: Human Rights Watch condemns the UN
for running away from its responsibilities in Angola. In a report,
the organisation maintains that the UN has undermined the 1994
Lusaka peace accords, by turning a blind eye to offenses both by
the government and UNITA. 15 September: Senior government officials
are said to be helping the rebels move fuel and diamonds.   (ANB-
BIA, Brussels, 16 September 1999)

* Burundi. Journalistes menaces  -  Dans la nuit du 9 au 10
septembre, un nouveau raid a eu lieu dans les quartiers nord de
Bujumbura. Trois personnes ont ete tuees. Des centaines d'habitants
se sont enfuis de peur de nouvelles attaques. D'autre part, dans
une lettre adressee au president Buyoya, Reporters sans frontieres
a vivement proteste contre des menaces proferees a l'encontre des
journalistes. Le 9 septembre, lors d'un discours devant des
officiers, le ministre de la Defense, le colonel Nkurunziza,
reagissant a une information sur le blocage par les rebelles d'une
route allant vers le nord, a recommande a ses subordonnes de
considerer comme des ennemis, au meme titre que les rebelles, les
journalistes qui se rendent dans la region de Bujumbura rural. Les
journalistes sont empeches de couvrir les affrontements. Par
ailleurs, des journalistes ont ete ouvertement menaces pour avoir
publie des informations sur des massacres de civils par les
soldats. - Le 14 septembre, un communique du ministere de la
Defense dementait ces allegations et affirmait que les journalistes
peuvent circuler sur toute l'etendue du territoire national,
precisant qu'il n'y a aucun danger a attendre du cote de l'armee
dont le role est d'assurer la securite de tout le monde.   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 14 septembre 1999)

* Burundi. Peace Talks  -  9 September: The Bishops of Burundi
issue a Declaration expressing their concerns over the situation in
their country. 10 September: Peace Talks are set to resume on 13
September in Arusha, without the mediator, Julius Nyerere, who is
in hospital in London with an undisclosed illness. 13 September:
The peace talks resume. A spokesman says "The talks are on, all who
are concerned and involved are here. The heads of delegation met in
the morning and the various committees will start their sessions in
the afternoon. The committees are at different stages, Some are
"about to finish", whereas others still have issues to address". 14
September: Seven opposition parties say they will leave the peace
talks if immediate agreement is not reached to stop the fighting
around Bujumbura.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 14 September 1999)

* Burundi. Les pourparlers d'Arusha  -  Le 13 septembre, les
pourparlers de paix inter-burundais ont repris a Arusha (Tanzanie)
sous la presidence du mediateur Julius Nyerere (en consultation
medicale en Grande-Bretagne, il est attendu a Arusha en milieu de
semaine). Jusqu'a present, 18 factions y participent, mais Nyerere
refuse toujours d'y admettre deux ailes armees des mouvements hutu,
le Front de liberation nationale (FLN) et les Forces de defense de
la democratie (FDD). Ces pourparlers ont deja commence en juin
1998, mais avancent tres lentement. Les points les plus epineux des
tractations restent encore la reforme de l'armee, la suspension des
hostilites, les mecanismes des phases de transition pour le retour
a la democratie et les instances qui devraient les gerer. Les
eveques burundais, reunis a Rome pour leur visite ad limina, ont
envoye, le 9 septembre, un urgent appel a toutes les instances
impliquees pour qu'elles "retournent a la raison, terminent la
guerre et fassent la paix". - Le 14 septembre, dans un communique
de presse, les delegues de sept petits partis a dominante tutsi ont
exige la cessation immediate des hostilites comme prealable a la
poursuite des negociations de paix inter-burundaises; or, la
question de la cessation des hostilites est le dernier point
inscrit a l'agenda de la commission chargee de la paix et de la
securite. Pour sa part, le gouvernement burundais s'est oppose a
tout prealable a la poursuite des negociations.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 15 septembre 1999)

* Centr.Afr. Rep. Elections postponed  -  10 September: President
Ange-Felix Patasse escapes unhurt after his helicopter crashes
while leaving an election rally. The helicopter was taking off from
a sports stadium in Boali. The first round of presidential
elections is scheduled for 12 September. 11 September: The
presidential elections are postponed by a week. They are now
rescheduled for 19 September. The official reason for the
postponement is the failure of preparations for the poll, but the
root cause is thought to be ethnic suspicions between political
leaders.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 September 1999)

* Centrafrique. Presidentielles reportees  -  Le 11 septembre, a la
veille des elections presidentielles dont le premier tour etait
prevu le 12, le porte-parole de la presidence a annonce que le
scrutin etait reporte d'une semaine, au 19 septembre. Trois
prefectures sur 17 n'avaient toujours pas recu le materiel
electoral necessaire. Deux de ces prefectures sont situees au nord-
ouest, une des regions les plus peuplees du pays et qui soutient
traditionnellement le president Patasse. D'ailleurs, le 10
septembre au soir, l'impression des bulletins n'etait pas terminee
en raison de "problemes techniques". La campagne electorale a donc
repris, bien que sans grande conviction, et les accusations de
fraudes et d'incompetence continuent a fuser de part et d'autre. Le
14 septembre, les candidats opposes au president sortant ont
demande un troisieme report des elections en raison des
irregularites, mais ils ont dit qu'ils ne boycotteraient pas le
scrutin si leur requete n'etait pas accordee.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 15 septembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Wamba demenage  -  La faction du Rassemblement
congolais pour la democratie (RCD), soutenue par l'Ouganda, a
transfere son quartier general a Bunia, dans l'extreme nord-est, a
indique le 11 septembre son leader Wamba dia Wamba. Son Q.G. se
trouvait auparavant a Kisangani, ou des combats entre troupes
ougandaises et rwandaises (soutenant l'autre faction) ont fait plus
de 200 morts au mois d'aout. Une demilitarisation de Kisangani est
actuellement en cours, les troupes ougandaises et rwandaises se
retirant du centre-ville. Par ailleurs, dans une conference de
presse, le 14 septembre, le president ougandais Museveni a exprime
des doutes sur la possibilite de retirer ses troupes du Congo dans
les temps prevus par l'accord de Lusaka, invoquant les difficultes
au sein du mouvement rebelle et celles liees au processus de
democratisation, ainsi que les problemes logistiques. - D'autre
part, on signalait que le virus Marburg, un virus de type Ebola, a
fait 73 morts dans une mine d'or a Durba, dans le nord-ouest du
pays. Depuis le mois de mai, la maladie a pris les proportions
d'une epidemie, a indique un epidemiologiste de l'OMS.   (ANB-BIA,
de sources diverses, 14 septembre 1999)
* Congo (RDC). Rapport de RSF  -  Dans un rapport du mois de
septembre, Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) dresse un lourd bilan du
regime du president Kabila en matiere de liberte d'expression.
Depuis son accession au pouvoir, le 17 mai 1997, "plus de 80
journalistes ont ete incarceres pour de plus ou moins longues
periodes, souvent sans aucune explication, la plupart du temps sans
etre juges. Au moins trois d'entre eux sont toujours detenus.
D'autres ont ete maltraites, fouettes". L'organisation de defense
des droits de la presse estime que les atteintes a la liberte de la
presse sont plus nombreuses aujourd'hui que lors des dernieres
annees du regne du president Mobutu, et voit dans la Republique
democratique du Congo de Laurent-Desire Kabila "l'un des regimes
les plus repressifs de toute l'Afrique subsaharienne". Malgre ces
entraves, continue le rapport, "la presse continue de critiquer
certaines autorites avec une relative liberte de ton, parfois meme
de facon outranciere", offrant ainsi un espace d'expression
politique aux partis d'opposition.   (ANB-BIA, d'apres RSF,
Bruxelles 15 septembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Pretre grievement blesse  -  Le 13 septembre, l'abbe
Gustave Amuri, cure de la paroisse de Murhesa pres de Bukavu, a ete
gravement blesse par un groupe d'"hommes en uniformes". D'apres les
premieres informations, le pretre a ete touche par deux projectiles
et se trouve dans un etat grave. On attend de plus amples details.
Bukavu, le chef-lieu du Sud-Kivu, se trouve sous le controle des
troupes rwandaises.   (Misna, Italie, 15 septembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). La guerre n'est pas finie  -  Malgre l'accord de
Lusaka qui prevoit un cessez-le-feu entre tous les belligerants,
les rebelles et leurs allies rwandais poursuivent leur penetration
au Kasai ou ils ont concentre des troupes et du materiel. Dans la
ville de Kabinda, des tracts ont ete distribues avec la mention
Nous arrivons, et invitant la population a ne pas paniquer. Depuis
sept mois les rebelles tentent de prendre Kabinda, a 150 km de
Mbuji Mayi, la capitale du diamant congolais.   (Le Soir, Belgique,
16 septembre 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. The missing millions  -  Cote d'Ivoire has agreed
to repay some $30m of embezzled European Union aid funds. A joint
statement from the Ivorian government and the EU office here in
Abidjan said the money would be repaid over five months. The EU
froze budgetary aid to Cote d'Ivoire when a financial audit last
year revealed irregularities. The issue has become a sensitive
political one in Ivory Coast with the government accused of
damaging the country's until now relatively good image in the West.
Opposition political parties referred to the case as one of several
examples of official corruption here. Ordinary Ivorians bring up
the matter whenever there is an increase in the prices of basic
products, saying they are being forced to pay for crimes committed
by their leaders. The gap between rich and poor in Cote d'Ivoire is
very wide. The Case of the European Millions, as it is popularly
known here, has fuelled widespread belief that the sumptuous villas
and limousines used by the ruling class were not obtained entirely
legally. The government has agreed to implement a series of
measures to tighten up on corruption.   (BBC News, 10 September
1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Activists seized  -  14 September: At least 400 of
opposition leader Alassane Dramane Ouattara's supporters are
arrested after a scuffle with police, who tried to deliver a police
summons to Ouattara.15 September: The police places Ouattara under
house arrest. The arrest heighten tensions between Alassane Dramane
Ouattara's opposition party, the Rally of the Republicans, and the
government.   (CNN, 15 September 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Tension politique  -  La tension politique s'est
brutalement accrue en Cote d'Ivoire apres l'annonce par le ministre
de la Justice de possibles poursuites judiciaires contre l'opposant
Allassane Ouattara pour "faux commis dans certains documents
administratifs". Le camp gouvernemental conteste a M. Ouattara,
Premier ministre (1990-93) d'Houphouet-Boigny, la nationalite
ivoirienne, affirmant qu'il est Burkinabe et ne peut se presenter
a l'election presidentielle de l'an 2000. M. Ouattara a decide, le
9 septembre, de riposter et de porter plainte contre l'Etat. - Le
14 septembre, une centaine de partisans de M. Ouattara campant
autour de sa residence pour le "proteger" d'une eventuelle
arrestation, ont pris a partie des policiers venus lui apporter une
convocation; ils ont ete embarques par les forces de l'ordre. -
Mercredi 15, la police a place Ouattara en residence surveillee.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16 septembre 1999)

* Eritrea/Ethiopia. Ethiopia warns it will resort again to force
against Eritrea  -  Ethiopia has warned it will again use force to
dislodge Eritrean forces from pockets along its disputed 1,000-
kilometre (620-mile) border unless a proposed peace plan guarantees
its sovereignty over the territory. In the past 16 months,
thousands have been killed in sporadic clashes between the two Horn
of Africa nations over their contested border, which has not been
demarcated since Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993.
"If Ethiopia's sovereignty is not fully restored in the occupied
territories, Ethiopia has an obligation to liberate its territories
by force," President Negasso Ghidada said on 11 September in a
nationally broadcast address marking Ethiopia's New Year's Eve.
Ethiopia last weekend rejected the implementation terms of a peace
proposal backed by the Organization of African Unity, saying they
contradicted the original formula to end the war. Eritrea called
the rejection "tantamount to a declaration of war." Ethiopia is
said to object to a provision in the peace accord calling for a
peacekeeping force to monitor compliance with the pact. Negasso
expressed bitterness on 11 September over what his government
regards as equal -- and unfair -- treatment toward both sides in
the talks.   (CNN, 12 September 1999)

* Ghana. L'universite d'Accra fermee  -  Le 14 septembre,
l'universite d'Accra a ete fermee par les forces de l'ordre. La
mesure, qui comprend l'interdiction aux etudiants d'entrer dans les
batiments, a ete prise apres une semaine de boycott et de divers
actes de protestations. Le mecontentement est ne de l'annonce faite
par le gouvernement d'augmenter les taxes universitaires, une
mesure dont les etudiants demandent le retrait.   (Misna, Italie,
15 septembre 1999)

* Guinee. Attaque liberienne  -  Le 10 septembre au matin, des
"soldats gouvernementaux liberiens" ont attaque trois villages
guineens, situes dans la region de Macenta pres de la frontiere
entre les deux pays, faisant 28 morts. Un soldat liberien a ete
fait prisonnier par l'armee guineenne qui a repousse l'attaque. Le
10 aout, des rebelles, non precisement identifies, avaient fait une
incursion en territoire liberien dans le comte de Lofa, frontalier
avec la Guinee et la Sierra Leone. Monrovia a affirme qu'ils
venaient de Guinee ou ils auraient des bases, des accusations
rejetees par Conakry.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 13 septembre 1999)

* Liberia/Guinea. Liberia denies army killed Guinean villagers  - 
11 September: Guinea accuses Liberian army soldiers of crossing
over their border and killing 28 villages. Liberia's President
Charles Taylor describes the allegations as nonsense. Alikaly
Fofana, governor of the Nzerekore region in southern Guinea, said
the Liberian soldiers attacked three villages in the area around
Macenta with guns and machetes on 10 September and killed 28
people, including two who were burnt alive. 15 September: A mini-
summit of seven ECOWAS countries takes place today in Abuja, on the
border crisis between Liberia and Guinea.   (CNN, 16 September
1999)

* Libya. Gaddafi still very much in control  -  After 30 years of
Moammar Gaddafi's iron control in Libya, nearly everything said
about him comes in superlatives. In a recent English-language
edition of the state-run newspaper Al-Zhaf Al-Akhdar, an admirer
rhapsodized that Gaddafi's teeth are "naturally immune to stain"
and when he "releases a full blown smile, the naturally white teeth
discharge a radiation pregnant with sweet joy and real happiness."
It's the rhetoric of the old-style cult figure Gaddafi cultivates
at home. But abroad, he's eager to be seen as a modern, peace-
loving statesman. "We are not pirates or rebels or terrorists," he
told business people from Africa, Europe and Asia gathered in
Tripoli for an investment conference held last week to coincide
with the 30th anniversary of the coup that put him in power. Some
diplomats say Gaddafi's years of kindling trouble around the world
are over. He got international sanctions lifted by handing over for
trial in the West two Libyans charged in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am
Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. He appears to have
successfully distanced himself from another terror bombing that
brought down a French jetliner in 1989. The United States sent
warplanes on punishment raids against Libya twice in the 1980s and
pushed for the sanctions in the Flight 103 case. But earlier this
year, former State Department official Herman Cohen made an
unofficial visit to promote friendlier relations.   (CNN, 12
September 1999)

* Libye. Sanctions levees  -  Le 13 septembre, l'Union europeenne
a leve la majeure partie de ses sanctions encore en vigueur contre
la Libye, mais a maintenu un embargo sur les ventes d'armes. La
plupart des sanctions economiques avaient deja ete levees en avril.
L'UE a affirme avoir pris sa decision suite a la publication en
juin d'un rapport de l'Onu, selon lequel "les recents actes des
autorites libyennes etaient indicatifs de la renonciation de l'Etat
libyen au terrorisme".   (AP, 13 septembre 1999)

* Malawi. Companies say "no" to refinery plant  -  10 September:
The recent liberalisation of fuel in Malawi may have a negative
impact on the country's industrial base, as oil companies have said
that they are no more interested in having their own refinery plant
as per previous plans. All concerned parties in the plans to have
the refinery plant constructed in Malawi for the first time, have
said they are no longer interested in the project but rather prefer
importing already finished fuel products. Out of the four main
local oil dealing companies in Malawi, none is buying the proposal
of processing the product in the country because they think it
could be expensive and at the same time not necessary.   (Aubrey
Sumbuleta, Malawi, 10 September 1999)

* Malawi. Sugar pricers fall: Malawi not affected  -  10 September:
Sugar prices on the world market continue to drop due to
overcapacity but Malawi's sole sugar producer, the Sugar
Corporation of Malawi (SUCOMA) says that it has not been affected.
The 1998/99 world sugar production is reported to be between 126.5
and 131 million tonnes against a global consumption of 125.4
million tonnes. According to analysis, the prices will not pick up
until the next two years. However, SUCOMA says that as it exports
its product to preferential markets like the European Union (EU),
it is not going to be affected by this trend, as it is given
special preferences, Malawi being on the world's poorest countries'
list.   (Aubrey Sumbuleta, Malawi, 10 September 1999)

* Mali/Senegal. Reouverture du chemin de fer  -  Le 8 septembre, la
ligne de chemin de fer entre Bamako et Dakar a ete rouverte. Elle
etait devenue impraticable depuis le 1er aout, apres que de fortes
pluies aient detruit deux ponts a la hauteur de la ville de Kayes.
Ces ponts ont maintenant pu etre repares. En plus des passagers, le
chemin de fer assure environ 17% du transport de marchandises entre
le Mali et le Senegal.   (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 9 septembre 1999)

* Mauritanie. Privatisations  -  Le gouvernement de Mauritanie a
cree un nouveau conseil charge de superviser les privatisations
d'entreprises d'Etat, a annonce la presidence le 7 septembre. La
premiere tache du conseil sera de superviser la privatisation du
secteur des telecommunications, prevue pour le premier trimestre de
l'an 2000. Ce conseil est compose de quatre membres nommes par
l'Etat pour quatre ans. Il est preside par Mohammed Ould Cheick
Mohamedou, ancien conseiller economique du president Ould Taya.  
(IRIN, Abidjan, 9 septembre 1999)

* Mozambique. Maputo stock exchange breaks new ground  -  The
Mozambique stock exchange (BVM) began its over-the counter market
operations the week of 13 September. The BVM is rearing to go, and
earlier had fixed 17 September as the starting date with Planning
and Finance Minister Tomaz Salomao, who has still to give his
official go-ahead. In its initial stage, the BVM will be open for
business twice a week, dealing in treasury bonds issued by the
government. In May the government auctioned about US $5 million
worth of treasury bonds to the main commercial banks, which in turn
sold them to the public. These bonds may now be traded through the
stock exchange. And the BVM says it will open for business more
frequently as public demand grows. Currently, the BVM staff is
receiving last-minute advice from consultants of the Portuguese
stock exchange in the premises from which the bourse will operate.
It is expected that the BVM will soon start selling shares in the
privatised brewing company Cervejas de Mocambique, which has
decided to be listed. Although there has been a wait-and-see
attitude to flotation, three commercial banks are said to be ready
to join the stock exchange chiefly to raise capital through new
issues, and the offer of debentures.   (Africa Press Bureau,
Johannesburg, 14 September 1999)

* Niger. Niger's nomadic warriors  -  It is four years since desert
raiders with flowing turbans and flashing sabres abandoned their
guerrilla war in Niger's Sahara Desert and returned to their
nomadic calling. The rebellion by Tuareg tribesmen took hundreds,
perhaps thousands, of lives before these pirates of the sand, an
olive-skinned people who don't consider themselves African, buried
their Kalashnikovs for government promises to improve agriculture
and bring tourism. But little has been done to ease the Tuaregs's
poverty, and discontent is bubbling again in the desolate north of
this politically turbulent West African country of 9.7 million
people. Former Tuareg fighters like Mohammed Abdullah warn they
will revive the rebellion unless Niger's black-dominated military
regime delivers jobs and development aid promised by successive
governments. Abdullah, a burly Tuareg in his 50s, left his job 10
years ago as a university-trained agronomist to become a commander
in one of the dozen Tuareg rebel factions. Like many others, he was
promised a plum civil service or military post in the 1995 peace
deal. But few jobs materialized in the chaos of two government
turnovers, the most recent of which came in April when President
Ibrahim Bare Mainassara was gunned down by members of his own
presidential guard. "Our people still have nothing to show for the
war. But we will fight again if we have to," Abdullah said, an
indigo blue turban shrouding his dark, bearded face as he drove a
battered Toyota utility vehicle used during the war to ferry
supplies for the Libyan-backed insurgents. The Tuaregs' struggle
for a share of Niger's meagre resources is rooted in historic
racial and tribal rivalries that remain a delicate issue in the
multi-ethnic country.   (CNN, 12 September 1999)

* Nigeria. Appel aux Eglises  -  Le president Obasanjo a demande
aux Eglises du Nigeria de l'aider dans sa croisade pour eradiquer
la corruption. "J'en appelle aux Eglises et leur demande d'aller
vers ceux que la drogue, le crime, la corruption ont perdus", a-t-
il declare dans un message lu en son nom par le ministre de la
Justice a la Conference des eveques catholiques organisee a Jos. Il
a fait ausssi appel a l'Eglise pour aller au devant des besoins
moraux, sociaux, intellectuels et politiques de la societe.  
(D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 9 septembre 1999)

* Rwanda. Le proces contre Mgr. Misago  -  Le proces de Monseigneur
Augustin Misago, l'eveque du diocese de Gikongoro (sud-ouest du
Rwanda), a repris mardi 14 septembre, devant la chambre specialisee
du Tribunal de premiere instance de Kigali. Le prelat est accuse de
genocide, de crimes contre l'humanite et de non-assistance a
personne en danger de mort. Dans une declaration lue devant le
tribunal, Mgr Misago s'est presente comme le bouc emissaire d'un
Etat rwandais decu de ne pas avoir obtenu d'excuses de l'Eglise
catholique pour son role dans le genocide rwandais. L'eveque a
souligne qu'il n'y avait aucun dossier judiciaire sur lui, lors de
son arrestation le 14 avril, une semaine apres les propos du
president rwandais, Pasteur Bizimungu. Le premier temoin a charge,
en effet, n'a ete entendu que le lendemain, a-t-il indique. "Ces
accusations sont une pure machination du parquet pour mener a bonne
fin la position affichee le 7 avril dernier par le president
rwandais lorsqu'il m'a publiquement accuse de genocide". Le chef de
l'Etat avait alors declare: "Meme si son innocence arrivait a etre
prouvee, nous demanderons malgre tout au Vatican de nous
debarrasser de cet homme, qu'il soit nomme eveque ailleurs qu'au
Rwanda".   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 15 septembre 1999)

* Rwanda. Bishop Misago goes on trial  -  13 September: Bishop
Augustin Misago will go on trial in Rwanda. The trial will examine
his role in the slaughter of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and
moderate Hutus, and judge what many regard as the Church's silence
and lack of remorse. Specifically, Bishop Misago stands accused of
refusing shelter to Tutsis, of sending some 30 schoolchildren and
3 priests to their deaths and, crucially, of participating in high-
level meetings that organised the killings. "His case is classified
in the first category, among those who planned the genocide,"
Kigali public prosecutor said. "That is the most serious of crimes
and it can carry with it the death penalty". Bishop Misago,
arrested on 14 April, resolutely denies the charges against him and
says he is the victim of a political campaign against the Church
spurred on by senior government officials. (CNN, 13 September). 14
September: In his opening remarks, Bishop Misago says: "I deny all
five of the charges against me: I don't accept any of them". He
says he tried to protect the 3 priests, by bribing Hutu Interahamwe
militia who came to arrest them. The prosecution accuses Bishop
Misago of colluding with the militia to have the priests murdered.
(Financial Times, 14 September). 15 September: Bishop Misago says
he attended meetings with senior officials, including the then
prime minister, Jean Kambanda, but only to lobby for peace and
ensure that food supplies reached people displaced by the fighting.
(BBC, 15 September)   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 September 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Aid reaches rebel areas  -  12 September: The UN
and other agencies have sent their first food convoy to a major
rebel-held town in northern Sierra Leone since the ceasefire
agreement signed in July. A UN spokesman says a convoy of 60 trucks
carrying over 1,000 metric tons of food, has arrived in Makeni over
the weekend and that distribution of it has already begun.   (BBC
News, 12 September 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Progres en vue  -  Lors d'une reunion a Freetown,
les officiers superieurs de l'ancienne armee de Sierra Leone (ex-
SLA) ont promis de faire en sorte que leurs troupes respectent
l'accord de paix conclu il y a deux mois, a rapporte l'Ecomog le 10
septembre. Les officiers de l'ex-SLA "se sont engages a obtenir que
leurs hommes adoptent une attitude positive vis-a-vis de
l'operation de desarmement, et a garantir que cessent les prises
d'otages et autres violations du cessez-le-feu". Le desarmement et
la demobilisation auraient du commencer depuis le 18 aout. L'ex-SLA
est a la base d'une serie d'enlevements perpetres ces dernieres
semaines.   (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 13 septembre 1999)

* Somalie. Guerre des clans  -  Des villages entiers du sud de la
Somalie ont ete detruits dans des affrontements entre milices
rivales qui ont fait plusieurs dizaines de morts, ont declare le 12
septembre des voyageurs fuyant la zone des combats. Au cours des
deux dernieres semaines, 47 personnes auraient ete tuees et plus de
60 autres blessees dans ces affrontements sporadiques entre membres
des clans Ogaden et Cheikhal, indiquent des radio-amateurs. Le
village d'Hosingo, ou vivaient un millier d'habitants, aurait ainsi
ete entierement rase.   (La Libre Belgique, 13 septembre 1999)

* South Africa. Rugby victory for Mandela  -  11 September: Former
President Nelson Mandela wins a legal battle against the country's
rugby authorities, when the Constitutional Court upholds his
decision two years ago to launch an investigation into alleged
racism and financial irregularities at the South African Rugby
Football Union. The Court, the highest in the land, overturns a
controversial ruling by the Pretoria high court last year that Mr
Mandela had not been entitled to appoint a commission of inquiry
into the Union.   (Financial Times, UK, 11 September 1999)

* South Africa. All-Africa Games  -  10 September: The opening
ceremony of the Games is disrupted by a huge case of food
poisoning. More than 500 children due to take part in the ceremony
fall ill. The children suffering from stomach cramps and vomiting,
are rushed to hospitals that are put on disaster alert all over
Johannesburg. 11 September: South African officials are so nervous
that the estimated 5,000 athletes competing in Africa's biggest
sports event will fall victim to the country's crime wave, that
they have put them in what appears to be a military camp rather
than an athlete's village. The nearby township of Alexandra, where
carjackings, murders and rapes are all too common, has been
declared a no-go area. The athletes village, which accommodates
6,000 people, will be handed over to poor Alexandra families, after
the Games end on 19 September. 13 September: So far, Nigeria is
leading the medals' table with 18 gold. 15 September: The Nigerian
team are still leading the medals' table. They have 33 gold, Egypt
32 and South Africa 30.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 September 1999)

* South Africa. Parliamentary session  -  Parliament reconvened in
mid-August and sits till 1 December 1999. 94 Bills are scheduled
for discussion during this period. This seems quite a formidable
task. Foremost among them are the Open Democracy, Administrative
Justice, and Equality Bills which, according to the Constitution,
must come before Parliament by February of next year. These
important Bills will go a long way to ensuring legal equality in
the daily lives of citizens.   (SACB, Parliamentary Liaison Office,
South Africa, September 1999)

* Uganda. Dropping Congo RDC?  -  The high cost in human lives and
increasing donor pressure, has compelled the Ugandan government to
consider dropping its military intervention in Congo RDC, as a
means of solving that country's internal problems. Uganda's second
deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, recently
told an EU delegation, that Uganda is now considering a political
settlement in Congo RDC. Uganda is now experiencing the fact, that
apart from the loss in human lives, the economy is paying dearly as
a result of the war. The Ugandan Shilling has weakened and has lost
nearly half its value since the beginning of the war. The holding
of a national census has been postponed for another two years (from
January 2000) owing to financial problems and inadequate
preparations. (Editor's update: On 15 September, President Museveni
says Uganda may delay the withdrawal of its troops from Congo. "We
may not meet the deadline in January but around there we shall be
able to pull out").   (Crespo Sebunya, Uganda, 10 September 1999)

* Ouganda. Prisons surpeuplees  -  Le president Museveni a amnistie
plus de 200 prisonniers, essentiellement les plus vieux, les
mineurs, les malades en phase terminale et les femmes enceintes. Le
surpeuplement des prisons ougandaises provoque la mort de nombreux
prisonniers, en raison des conditions sanitaires deplorables.  
(Liberation, France, 11 septembre 1999)

* Ouganda. Batailles sanglantes pour du betail  -  Selon l'agence
Misna, de violents affrontements entre differentes ethnies pour
vols de betail auraient fait des centaines de morts, les 10 et 11
septembre dans la region de Karamoja au nord-est de l'Ouganda. Pres
de 2.000 guerriers, notamment Bokora et Jie, ont attaque les fermes
des Makeno et Turkana pour enlever le betail et survivre ainsi a la
secheresse. A un certain moment, des helicopteres de l'armee
ougandaise sont intervenus et ont ouvert le feu sur les deux
parties, tuant aussi des femmes et des enfants. Le bilan total des
victimes s'eleverait a plus de 400 morts.   (D'apres Misna, Italie,
13 septembre 1999)

* Uganda. Karamojong massacre 400  -  On 11 September, Karamojong
warriors massacred about 400 people in a revenge attack on a rival
clan in northeastern Uganda. Most of the dead during the attack on
the nomadic village of Apule were children, women and old men. On
12 September, police deputy spokesman, Eric Naigambi, would neither
deny nor confirm the incident. Third Division Commander, Col.
Geoffrey Taban, confirmed the clashes but said he did not have the
exact figure of the dead. He said the UPDF has responded
immediately and repulsed the attackers. he did not give details. On
14 September, helicopter gunships, tanks and heavy artillery were
reported to be extensively utilised in a major military offensive
to pacify the Karamojong.   (The New Vision, Uganda, 13-14
September 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Nouveau parti d'opposition  -  Le 11 septembre, les
syndicats du Zimbabwe lanceront un nouveau parti politique, qui
pourra constituer une menace pour le regime du president Mugabe.
Les syndicats revendiquent quelque 300.000 adherents, auxquels
doivent s'adjoindre des groupes de religieux, d'anciens combattants
et de defense des droits de l'homme. Pour la premiere fois depuis
l'independance, un parti semble capable, selon les analystes, de
proposer une alternance, profitant de la crise economique la plus
grave qu'ait jamais connu le pays.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
10 septembre 1999)

* Zimbabwe. New Zimbabwe opposition party  -  Zimbabwe's latest
opposition party entered the political fray on 11 September,
promising to end President Robert Mugabe's 19-year hold on power,
which it said has divided and impoverished the nation. At a rally
attended by over 15,000 people in Harare, the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) was formally born with trade unionists
Gibson Sibanda and Morgan Tsvangirai at its helm as interim
chairman and secretary-general respectively. "It is my historic
task to launch the Movement for Democratic Change. We are ready to
bring about the change that Zimbabwe deserves," Sibanda said to
cheers from the festive crowd. "Today we take control of our lives
and our future. Today we put an end to silent oppression and become
a people inspired again to fight for what is right for Zimbabwe."
Tsvangirai, who led mass demonstrations against Mugabe's government
last year, said the MDC would end corruption, reduce the size of
the cabinet, redistribute land equitably, seek national unity and
would not be in opposition for long. Tsvangirai is expected to lead
the new party when it holds its inaugural congress later this year.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has sponsored the new
party, arguing that it has a moral responsibility to save the
economy from mismanagement by Mugabe. It has also received strong
backing from church, business and student leaders and human rights
campaigners. (Editor's note: 13 September: The government has
reportedly ordered the attorney-general's office to advise it on
the legality of leaders of the ZCTU holding senior positions in the
newly-created party.)   (CNN, 11 September 1999)

* Zimbabwe. 3 Americans sentenced  -  13 September: A Zimbabwean
court sentences three Americans to six months each in jail for
illegal possession of weapons of war and arms smuggling. Garry
Blanchard, Joseph Pettijohn and John Dixon were arrested in March
at Harare international airport trying to board a plane with a
large assortment of arms. They faced a maximum life imprisonment
under Zimbabwe's laws, but High Court Judge Adams says the seven
months the trio have spent in jail and their alleged torture in
prison, has mitigated against a lengthy sentence. 15 September: The
attorney-general says he will appeal against the lenient sentence. 
 (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 15 September 1999)