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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 04-11-1999

* Amnesty International. Concern expressed  -  Egypt: Amnesty
International has written to the Egyptian government (29 october)
to express its concern over the arrest and detention, earlier this
month, of 20 Egyptian professionals, for their alleged affiliation
with the banned Muslim Brotherhood organisation. Equatorial Guinea:
Amnesty International says (2 November) that harassment of
political opponents to the government of President Teodoro Obiang
Nguema Mbasogo, continues to be widespread in Equatorial Guinea.  
(ANB-BIA, Brussels, 4 November 1999)

* Afrique. Victimes de la guerre a la TV  -  Pour celebrer les
droits de l'enfant et notamment ceux victimes de guerre, la chaine
TV France 2 diffusera, le jeudi 11 novembre, date anniversaire de
l'armistice de 1918, a 20H50, une emission speciale "Va t'en la
guerre!" Les realisateurs de cette emission exceptionnelle
souhaitent montrer le choc des realites des guerres modernes, alors
que l'on s'apprete a celebrer les 10 ans de la Convention des
droits de l'enfant, le 20 novembre prochain, a quelques semaines de
l'an 2000 baptise par l'ONU annee de la paix. Dans plus de 40
conflits armes recenses en cette fin de siecle, plus d'un million
et demi d'enfants ont ete tues au cours des dix dernieres annees,
plus de 4 millions d'entre eux sont restes handicapes, 200.000 de
moins de 15 ans sont devenus des combattants, souligne Michele
Cotta, directrice generale de la chaine. L'emission sera divisee en
cinq parties (les enfants soldats, les enfants blesses: le probleme
des mines, les enfants otages: les refugies, les generations nees
avec la guerre, les enfants orphelins).   (D'apres AFP, France, 27
octobre 1999)

* Afrique. Cecite des rivieres  -  Le Centre Carter a annonce qu'il
avait recu le don le plus important jamais attribue a un projet
specifique d'un montant de 30 millions de dollars, echelonnes sur
dix ans, afin de combattre la cecite des rivieres et le trachome
dans quinze pays d'Afrique, du Moyen Orient et de l'Amerique
latine. Le don, provenant de la Fondation internationale des Lions
Clubs et de la Fondation Conrad Hilton, permettra la mise en place
de programmes de prevention dans quinze pays, dont le Cameroun,
l'Ethiopie, le Ghana, le Mali, le Nigeria, le Soudan et l'Ouganda.
Le trachome, principale cause mondiale de la cecite evitable, est
vehicule par des parasites qui penetrent le corps suite a des
morsures de mouches qui proliferent dans les eaux rapides.   (IRIN,
Abidjan, 28 octobre 1999)

* Afrique. Des chiffres a mediter  -  Quelques indicateurs sociaux
de l'Afrique subsaharienne, d'apres les donnees de differentes
agences onusiennes. Sante -- Esperance de vie pour un homme: 50 ans
(69 en Europe). 250.000 meres meurent en couches chaque annee.
Mortalite infantile la plus elevee au monde: 87/1000. Chaque annee,
500.000 enfants au-dessous des cinq ans meurent de rougeole ou
rubeole, 600.000 de malaria, 800.000 de diarrhees et 1,2 million de
maladies respiratoires. En Afrique orientale et australe, on compte
six millions d'orphelins a cause du sida, soit plus de 70% du total
mondial. Enfants -- Bien que le taux de scolarisation primaire soit
plus que double en 38 ans (25% en 1960, 57% en 98), 80 millions
d'enfants sont prives d'ecole. 80 millions d'enfants sont
economiquement actifs. 120.000 "enfants soldats" sont enroles de
force dans les guerillas ou les armees regulieres (Angola, Liberia,
Congo-RDC, Sierra Leone...). L'Afrique subsaharienne compte sept
millions de refugies, la moitie du total mondial.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 3 novembre 1999)

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Angola: On 26 October, the
attorney general officially refused a bail application by detained
journalist, Rafael Marques. On 2 November, the Media Institute of
Southern Africa and the International Federation of Journalists
said the harassment of the Media in Angola continues. Cote
d'Ivoire: In a 29 October letter to President Bedie, the Committee
to Protect Journalists expressed grave concern over the continued
deterioration of the press freedom situation in Cote d'Ivoire.
Ethiopia: In a 27 October letter to Prime Minister Zenawi, the
World Association of Newspapers expressed its serious concern at
the continued imprisonment of at least eight Ethiopian journalists.
Kenya: In a move that took everyone by surprise, the government
released the Post on Sunday's publisher, Tony Gachoka, on 3
November. Mozambique: A RENAMO provincial leader, Manual Pereira,
has threatened to ban the Mozambican press from covering RENAMO in
the current general election campaign. Nigeria: The Committee to
Protect Journalists is strongly protesting the arrest and continued
detention of journalist, Jerry Needam, acting editor of the Ogoni
Star. On 2 November, he was released on bail. Swaziland: At least
two journalists were threatened and forced to leave their posts on
28 October, following an apparent illegal strike by workers at the
Swaziland Television Broadcasting Corporation. Zambia: On 1
November, twelve journalists from the Post newspaper, charged with
espionage, appear before the Lusaka High Court   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 4 November 1999)

* Afrique/USA. La loi sur le commerce trebuche  -  Une loi visant
a liberaliser les echanges entre les Etats-Unis et l'Afrique a ete
enterree au Senat, le 29 octobre, les parlementaires ayant echoue
a surmonter le dernier obstacle legislatif leur permettant de voter
ce texte. Cet echec est un desaveu pour le president Clinton.
Celui-ci avait, la veille, appele le Senat a adopter cette
legislation "vitale" selon lui pour l'Afrique. Le president
americain avait lance cette initiative lors d'une grande tournee en
Afrique en avril 1998. Le commerce avec l'Afrique subsaharienne
represente moins de 1% du total des exportations americaines dans
le monde.   (Le Monde, France, 31 octobre 1999)

* Algerie. Remaniements  -  Le 28 octobre, le president Bouteflika
a limoge des dizaines de hauts fonctionnaires et s'appreterait a
proceder a un vaste remaniement au sein de la hiearchie militaire.
Pour rehabiliter une haute fonction publique percue comme
inefficace et corrompue, la presidence a annonce le limogeage de 8
secretaires generaux de prefectures et de plus de 70 autres
responsables locaux. 12 autres secretaires generaux de prefecture
et 235 responsables locaux sont mutes dans l'espoir de remedier a
l'inertie bureaucratique resultant d'affections prolongees. Le chef
de l'Etat s'apprete aussi a mettre a la retraite 17 generaux, dont
les commandants de la marine, de l'armee de l'air et de la
gendarmerie, croit savoir le quotidien El Khabar. Quatre chefs de
region militaire et sept attaches militaires en poste a l'etranger
seront egalement mis a la retraite, selon le journal.   (Reuters,
28 octobre 1999)

* Algeria. Political activity  -  President Bouteflika said on 1
November that the outlawed Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) would not
be allowed back into mainstream politics, even under a new name.
"It is completely clear to my mind that the FIS cannot be reborn,
either under the name of the FIS or under any other name", he said.
On 2 November, the newspapers reported that President Bouteflika
will appoint eight new ministers in a partial government reshuffle
to be announced around mid-November. On 3 November, the authorities
freed 167 Muslim militants in a presidential amnesty for more than
6,000 prisoners.   (CNN, 1-3 November 1999)

* Algerie. Vers la "concorde civile"  -  A l'occasion du 45e
anniversaire du debut de la guerre d'independance (1er novembre
1954), le president algerien Abdelaziz Bouteflika a gracie 6.683
prisonniers, dont 167 islamistes incarceres pour leur role dans des
activites de guerilla limitees et couvertes par la loi sur la
"concorde civile", a rapporte la radio nationale. La plupart des
autres gracies sont des detenus de droit commun dont la peine, ou
ce qui reste a effectuer, est inferieure a un an de prison.
L'amnistie ne s'applique pas aux islamistes incarceres pour
meurtres, attentats a la bombe contre des lieux publics ou pour
viols, ni aux personnes ecrouees pour corruption ou trafic de
drogue. Depuis son election en avril dernier, M. Bouteflika a
gracie plus de 14.500 detenus. Par contre, il a exclu toute
reintegration du Front islamique du salut (FIS) sur la scene
politique algerienne, meme sous un nouveau nom. Dans une interview
a RFI, le chef de l'Etat a explique que le peuple algerien a trop
paye pour la violence qui regne dans le pays depuis 1992, date de
l'interdiction du parti islamiste apres l'annulation d'elections
legislatives qu'il etait en passe de remporter: la violence
politico-religieuse, a-t-il affirme, a deja fait pres de 100.000
morts.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 novembre 1999)

* Algeria. EU trade talks  -  European Commission representatives
arrive in Algeria today, for the second meeting in less than a
month aimed at restarting negotiations on a trade partnership.
Chris Patten, EU commissioner for external relations, will be
accompanied by Javier Solana, commissioner for external security,
and a third senior official. Talks will also cover relations within
the five-member Arab Maghreb Union, European financial assistance
to Algeria and the Western Sahara conflict.   (Financial Times, UK,
3 November 1999)

* Algerie. Ouvertures  -  Chine -- A l'issue d'une visite de 24
heures du president chinois Jiang Zemin, dimanche 31 octobre, la
Chine et l'Algerie ont exprime leur volonte de renforcer la
cooperation economique et commerciale tout en reaffirmant une
"large identite de vue au plan politique". Les relations
economiques entre la Chine et l'Algerie sont peu developpees, en
depit d'excellentes relations au plan politique qui remontent a
avant l'independance de l'Algerie en 1962. Au plan politique, les
deux dirigeants ont notamment reaffirme que "les droits de l'homme
ne pouvaient pas etre places au-dessus de la souverainete des
Etats". La Chine et l'Algerie sont critiquees par les organisations
de defense des droits de l'homme qui leur reprochent des violations
dans ce domaine. Le president Bouteflika a ete invite a participer
en octobre 2000 a Pekin a un forum organise par le gouvernement
chinois sur la cooperation sino-africaine. Union Europeenne --
L'Union europeenne a envoye, mercredi 3 novembre, une delegation de
haut niveau a Alger afin d'evoquer avec les autorites de
l'evolution du processus euro-mediterraneen, la stabilite, la
securite et la paix en Mediterranee, la lutte contre le terrorisme
et les perspectives de relance de l'Union du Maghreb arabe (UMA).
La delegation est composee de Tarja Halonen, la ministre
finlandaise des Affaires etrangeres dont le pays assure la
presidence de l'UE, Chris Patten, commissaire europeen aux
relations exterieures, Jaime Gama, ministre portugais des Affaires
etrangeres, et Javier Solana, responsable europeen de la politique
etrangere et de securite commune. L'un des objectifs de la visite
de la "troika" europeenne est aussi de relancer les negociations en
vue de conclure avec Alger un accord d'association pour des
relations privilegiees, notamment dans le secteur commercial.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 4 novembre 1999)

* Angola. Le fils de Savimbi accuse son pere  -  Un des fils de
Jonas Savimbi, le leader de l'Unita, a accuse son pere d'etre "le
pire des assassins que l'Angola ait jamais connu". Araujo Domingos
Sakaita, 22 ans, un des 28 enfants de Savimbi, est retourne le 1er
novembre a Luanda en provenance de Lome, ou il a acheve ses etudes
avec quatre de ses freres. Lors d'une conference de presse, il a
declare que sa mere Antonia Macuia, a ete assassinee en 1984 sur
ordre de Savimbi. La paix ne pourra etre realisee en Angola
qu'apres l'aneantissement de Savimbi et la destruction de sa
machine de guerre, a affirme Sakaita. Il a egalement accuse
certains pays, dont le Burkina Faso, le Togo, la Cote d'Ivoire et
l'Afrique du Sud de continuer a commercialiser des diamants
angolais pour permettre a l'Unita d'acheter des armes.   (Agence
burundaise de presse, 2 novembre 1999)

* Angola. Cautious "yes" for UN mission  -  The Angolan government
has approved the return of a UN mission -- but has imposed
restrictions on the role that the UN will be allowed to play. The
government has accepted a 30-member UN mission, but only with
reservations. There is to be no political role for the new UN
office, for example. Nor will the mission be allowed to open its
own broadcasting station as requested.   (BBC News, 3 November
1999)

* Botswana. Condemned Bushmen win their mistrial  -  Death warrants
for two Botswana Bushmen's death warrants had already been signed
and their graves had been dug at the cemetery of the Central Prison
in the capital of Gaborone. All avenues of appeal had been
exhausted and an appeal to President Festus Mogae to show clemency
towards Gwara Brown Motswetla (28) and Phetolo Maauwe (30) --
sentenced to death by the High Court in Botswana's northern town of
Francistown in 1995 -- had been refused. But six hours before they
were due to hang, the two Bushmen who were found guilty of killing
a man whose cow they had allegedly stolen, were granted a stay of
execution when a Botswana human rights organisation, Ditshwanelo,
found evidence of a mistrial. It was alleged they burnt the man's
body. But no body, only charred bones were found. On 29 October,
Motswetla and Maauwe won their mistrial when the High Court in
Gaborone set aside their death sentences and ordered a new trial.
The human rights organisation claimed that the men spoke
Secherechere, a San (Busmen) dialect, and at the time of their
trial understood neither Setswana (the language of Botswana) nor
any other language other than their own. They could not understand
the language of the trial, translations had been imperfect and
attempts by the men to change their pro deo counsels had been
disregarded. The counsels were later branded by the prosecuting
attorney general Phandu Skelamani as "inadequate" and
"inexperienced or stupid". Justice Reynolds on 29 October, ruled
that the men had clearly been deprived of their constitutional
rights to fair hearings.   (Africa Press Bureau, Johannesburg, 30
October 1999)

* Burundi. Perspectives d'avenir  -  Le 2 novembre, le ministre
tanzanien des Affaires etrangeres a dit que la decision avait ete
prise de convoquer une reunion au sommet des dirigeants des Grands
Lacs pour debattre des "perspectives d'avenir" du processus de paix
au Burundi. Au cours de cette reunion, ils pourraient examiner les
noms proposes pour le remplacement de M. Nyerere comme mediateur.
Pour sa part, le gouvernement burundais a affirme qu'il restait
engage en faveur du processus et qu'il etait necessaire de nommer
un mediateur sans tarder, les negociations se trouvant dans "une
phase critique". Le gouvernement desire la nomination d'un
mediateur "neutre" assiste de deux adjoints au moins. Il souligne
par ailleurs que les factions armees des groupes rebelles devraient
prendre part au processus de paix.   (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 2
novembre 1999)

* Burundi. Besoins d'urgence  -  Le Burundi n'a jamais eu autant
besoin de la communaute humanitaire que maintenant, a declare l'Onu
dans un appel consolide inter-institutions couvrant l'an 2000. Le
document publie le 1er novembre affirme que les recents
regroupements de personnes a Bujumbura rural a fait passer a
800.000 le nombre total des personnes deplacees, soit 12% de la
population. En 1999, l'economie s'est deterioree davantage, les
prix des denrees alimentaires ont augmente, les donateurs ont
continue a limiter leur intervention au financement des secours
d'urgence et le gouvernement n'a pas ete en mesure d'accroitre la
fourniture des services de base, explique le document. Neuf
institutions de l'Onu ont demande un total de 70,6 millions de
dollars pour leurs activites au Burundi.   (IRIN, Nairobi, 2
novembre 1999)

* Cameroon. The most corrupt nation  -  Cameroon's Prime Minister,
Peter Mafany Musonge, has expressed surprise and deep frustration
at a report ranking his country as the world's most corrupt for the
second consecutive year. Musonge told state radio on 27 October
that a world corruption index compiled by Berlin-based Transparency
International appeared to have ignored efforts by his government to
uphold accountability. "I must say it has come as a great
surprise," Musonge said. "Ours is one of the rare governments in
Africa to have launched an anti-corruption campaign which was
heavily carried by the media. We have a feeling that our quest for
transparency has been misunderstood," he said. Musonge said that
following a similar report last year, he invited Transparency
International to come to Cameroon to see what the government was
doing to fight corruption. "We are still waiting for them and
looking forward to welcoming them to Cameroon," he declared. He
cited last month's arrests of two senior ruling party members after
allegations of graft as evidence of a crackdown on corruption. "I
also have a feeling of injustice....We are all aware of the bold
actions that have been undertaken in recent times in the fight
against corruption in our country," he added. Many Cameroonians,
however, admit to massive corruption in the West African country.
They say the government has a long way to go in tackling the
problem and needs to broaden its crackdown. The survey ranks
countries by scores ranging from 10 (highly clean) to zero (highly
corrupt). Cameroon trailed all other comers with a paltry 1.5,
suggesting that most people expect to have to grease the palms of
public officials to do business here. More than two-thirds of the
99 countries in the survey, drawn up on the basis of 17 surveys
carried out over the last three years, scored less than 5.5 -- the
number Transparency International views as pointing to a problem
for the government concerned.   (Reuters, 28 October 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. Rapport de MSF  -  L'armee, les milices pro-
gouvernementales et les groupes rebelles armes "ont perpetre des
atrocites massives et aveugles" contre les populations civiles
depuis la reprise du conflit en decembre 1998, affirme Medecins
sans frontieres dans son rapport publie le 27 octobre. Plus de 10%
de la population ont ete deplaces. Des civils sont victimes
d'executions arbitraires, de mutilations, de viols et de
disparitions, affirme le rapport. Vu la gravite de la situation "le
silence et l'indifference de la communaute internationale sont
insoutenables". Bien que la capitale ait retrouve un calme relatif
depuis juillet, il existe peu d'espoir pour une solution rapide et
negociee au conflit. Entre-temps, les equipes de MSF au Congo ont
fait etat d'une "crise nutritionnelle et medicale sans precedent". 
 (D'apres IRIN, 29 octobre 1999)

* Congo (RDC)/Ouganda. Message de paix  -  "Je suis venu a Kampala
pour porter au president Museveni un message personnel de paix du
president Kabila", a declare le 29 octobre au quotidien ougandais
The Monitor le ministre congolais de la Justice, Mwenze Kongolo. Ce
message, remis la veille au president ougandais, intervient alors
que la Cour internationale de justice de La Haye a ete saisie d'une
plainte de Kinsahasa contre l'Ouganda, le Rwanda et le Burundi pour
violation de la souverainete congolaise. M. Kongolo a assure que
Kinshasa n'excluait pas de regler cette affaire en dehors de la
Cour. Selon le ministre congolais, des responsables ougandais
seront invites a poursuivre les pourparlers a Kinshasa.   (La Libre
Belgique, 30 octobre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). De nouveaux massacres a Uvira  -  Plusieurs dizaines
de personnes, dont la plupart des femmes, ont ete tuees, samedi 23
octobre, au marche de Kahungwe, localite a une quarantaine de km au
nord de la ville d'Uvira. Ce nouveau massacre fait suite a une
escarmouche entre des elements des FAP (Forces armees populaires,
reunissant des Mai-Mai actuellement allies de Kabila) et des
soldats du RCD qui, mis en fuite par les FAP, se sont replies vers
le marche ou ils ont ouvert le feu sur la foule. Radio Uvira, qui
en a donne la nouvelle le lendemain, parle de 14 victimes. Citant
des sources locales, l'agence italienne MISNA parle de 75 victimes.
D'apres SOS-DHC (SOS-droits de l'homme au Congo), certains rescapes
au massacre auraient ete "froidement executes par les troupes
composees essentiellement de groupes banyamulenge et de militaires
burundais commandes par un certain "Moto-Moto"", pendant qu'isl
essayaient d'atteindre la localite de Sange.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 2 novembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Vers la paix ou la guerre?  -  La Commission
militaire mixte (CMM) prevue par l'accord de Lusaka, a procede le
31 octobre a la division du Congo RDC en quatre zones
operationnelles couvrant les regions sous controle du gouvernement
ainsi que celles sous controle des rebelles. Chacune des zones sera
presidee par un officier militaire d'une nation africaine neutre,
designe par l'Organisation de l'unite africaine (OUA) et approuve
par les parties en conflit, a precise le journal. De son cote, le
2 novembre, le secretaire general des Nations unies, Kofi Annan, a
recommande au Conseil de securite de prolonger jusqu'au 15 janvier
2000 le mandat des officiers de liaison de l'ONU en RDC (qui expire
le 6 novembre) et d'y autoriser une mission d'observation de l'ONU
(MONUC) de 500 membres (actuellement, moins de 45 officiers de
liaison sont sur le terrain). Les responsables de l'ONU considerent
ce deploiement comme une etape vers la mise en place d'une force de
maintien de la paix de l'ONU beaucoup plus importante, chargee de
la mise en oeuvre de l'accord de Lusaka. Les fonctionnaires de
l'ONU estiment que plus de 10.000 casques bleus seraient
necessaires, mais le Conseil de securite hesite, craignant un
regain de violences. Le deploiement des membres de la MONUC dans
certaines regions de la RDC continue cependant a susciter la
polemique. Si le ministre de l'Interieur, M. Kakudji, a autorise la
MONUC a visiter les zones sous controle rebelle, selon un reportage
de la television nationale, il lui est "formellement interdit" de
se rendre dans les zones de Mbandaka, Mbuj-Mayi, Lubumbashi,
Kananga, Matadi et Kamina, sous controle gouvernemental. "Aucune
des visites prevues n'a pu avoir lieu a cause du refus de la RDC de
fournir des garanties ecrites de securite et de liberte de
mouvement permettant aux agents de l'ONU de visiter des sites
proposes auparavant", a explique un porte-parole de l'ONU. L'ONU a
invite le gouvernement de la RDC a fournir par ecrit des garanties
de securite et de liberte de mouvement. A l'attention de l'ONU, le
ministre des Affaires etrangeres Abdoulmaye Yerodia a lance: "Qu'on
s'arrange pour que ca (la guerre) prenne rapidement fin. Si tel
n'est pas le cas, nous nous arrangerons nous-memes. Nous ne
commencerons pas le siecle prochain sous l'occupation rebelle. Ce
n'est pas de la phraseologie". Le 1er novembre au soir, la
television officielle de Kinshasa, dans un editorial intitule
"Avertissement du president Kabila a Paul Kagame", l'homme fort du
Rwanda, affirmait que la nouvelle armee du Congo-Kinshasa etait
desormais "prete" pour passer a l'offensive et "remplir sa mission
liberatrice" dans l'est du pays, controle par les armees rwandaise,
ougandaise et rebelles. "Les agresseurs ont gagne des batailles,
mais pas la guerre, a poursuivi l'editorialiste. La replique des
forces armees congolaises risque d'etre terrible mais justifiee"
pour le Rwanda. Kamage avait declare recemment que son armee
"devait encore rester" au Congo aussi longtemps que l'exigerait la
securite du Rwanda. Annonce d'une reprise des hostilites?   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 3 novembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Charles Mfwamba transfere a Kinshasa  -  Le
defenseur congolais des droits de l'homme Charles Mfwamba, a ete
arrete a Mbuji-Mayi, le 25 octobre dernier, par la police
congolaise. Au moment ou nous ecrivons, on ignore les raisons de
cette arrestation. Le 2 novembre, il a ete transfere a Kinshasa,
dans un lieu pour le moment inconnu. M. Mfwamba est le responsable
des CEFOP (Centre de formation populaire, une ONG d'inspiration
chretienne). Les CEFOP avaient publie, il y a environ trois
semaines, un dossier sur la situation des droits de l'homme a
Mbuji-Mayi, la ville congolaise du diamant.   (D'apres Misna,
Italie, 3 novembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). In Lusaka, meeting of the Joint Military Commission 
-  1 November: The United Nations says that President Laurent
Kabila has signed safety guarantees for UN personnel, clearing the
way for implementing a peace plan in Africa's third largest state.
"It is our understanding that President Kabila has signed the
safety guarantees. A delegate from Kinshasa is expected in Lusaka
to deliver the formal note," says British Colonel James Ellery,
head of the UN team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. "This
is a significant development." The United Nations had urged African
countries to put pressure on Kabila's administration to sign the
guarantees for safety and free movement in the vast central African
country. A meeting of the Joint Military Commission (JMC) which
oversees the ceasefire, is taking place in Lusaka. The JMC
comprises the opposing sides in the Congo war and their allies from
Zimbabwe, Namibia, Angola, Rwanda and Uganda. Kinshasa is backed by
the former three while Rwanda and Uganda backed rival rebel
factions. 2 November: The UN says it welcomes the safety guarantees
granted to its personnel by President Kabila, but objects to
bureaucratic procedures he has introduced. 3-4 November: The
military officials from the warring parties are still locked in
talks. The discussions are said to be friendly and relaxed, but
progress is slow. An agreement has been signed paving the way for
the release and exchange of prisoners of war.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels,
4 November 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Violence politique  -  La bataille entre le
pouvoir ivoirien et l'opposant Alassane Ouattara, candidat a la
presidence dont la nationalite est contestee, s'intensifie. Apres
les affrontements a Abidjan entre les forces de l'ordre et des
militants du Rassemblement des republicains (RDR) de Ouattara, la
violence a gagne le nord du pays. Le 27 octobre, a Korhogo, les
manifestants ont erige des barricades et ont pris ensuite d'assaut
la prefecture. Sept hauts responsables du RDR, dont la secretaire
generale, Henriette Diabate, et quatre deputes, ont ete places en
detention et seront juges la semaine prochaine. Ils sont rendus
responsables des debordements et risquent de six mois a cinq ans de
prison. Divers pays ont exprime leurs preoccupations. Le 29
octobre, le porte-parole du Departement d'Etat americain, James
Rubin, a dit que les Etats-Unis etaient "profondement preoccupes"
par l'arrestation des dirigeants du RDR et demandaient au
gouvernement ivoirien de les liberer immediatement. Le Burkina Faso
s'est declare inquiet des effets potentiels de ces evenements
politiques et desire des solutions rapides.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 2 novembre 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. USA row with Cote d'Ivoire  -  A diplomatic row
has broken out between Cote d'Ivoire and the USA over the arrest of
most of the leaders of the opposition Republican Party. It comes on
the eve of a trial in Abidjan, at which 19 of them face possible
jail sentences. The USA has condemned the arrests, saying it
appeared to be aimed at stifling democracy. But the Ivorian
government has reacted strongly, saying the Americans are
encouraging political violence by taking this position, since the
charges against the politicians relate to vandalism committed on
the day of the arrests. The opposition leaders were detained while
they demonstrated in support of Mr Alassane Ouattara, their
candidate in the next presidential elections due to be held next
year.   (BBC News, 3 November 1999)

* Egypte. Catastrophe aerienne  -  Le 31 octobre, un Boeing 767
d'EgyptAir, en provenance de Los Angeles et en route vers le Caire
avec 217 personnes a bord, s'est abime dans l'Atlantique au large
de la cote est des Etats-Unis. Parmi les passagers figuraient 62
Egyptiens, dont 32 officiers de l'armee. Les recherches de
survivants ont ete abandonnees le 1er novembre; un seul corps avait
alors ete retrouve ainsi que des debris de l'appareil. Les causes
du drame restaient toujours mysterieuses.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 2 novembre 1999)

* Ethiopia. Why a peace-keeping force? An opinion  -  It is common
knowledge for peacekeepers to intervene in conflicts either very
late or too early. As far as the Ethiopian-Eritrean war is
concerned, the alternative to peace is forcing the Eritrean regime
to withdraw from all occupied territories. Otherwise, the war
should be allowed to "burn itself out" as E. N. Luttwark calls it.
According to Luttwark, a war "burns itself out" when the two
belligerents are exhausted or one of them loses a battle. Clearly,
the Ethiopian-Eritrean war can "burn itself out" when the Eritrean
regime loses the battlefield and its psychological as well as
material potential is exhausted. It has already been losing the
psychological potential that can be derived from the army, the
Eritrean citizens and the international community. But the material
support seems to be unending as there are some Arab countries that
add fuel to fire, which is devastating the two countries. Besides,
the great powers tend to perpetuate the state of war by becoming
reluctant to enforce an arms embargo on the aggressor. Rather than
letting the just cause overcome the unjust cause in its own way,
they are busying themselves with complex peace initiatives.
Whatever the circumstances, the war will "burn itself out", as the
Ethiopian defence force will ultimately recapture the occupied
territories. By that time the military muscle will be put to the
final test, and the Eritrean army will disintegrate. By the time
the war "burns itself out", it has already devastated human life
and public property. As the time-span of the possibility of the war
to "burn itself out" increases, there will be more destruction
wreaked for the war may take time to end this way for some new
reasons. At least, it is possible to recognize that a no-war, no-
peace deadlock is an opportunity for the EPLF to breathe deep.
Basically, it would be naive to think that Ethiopia would stop the
war mainly due to an imposed cease-fire and the unfortunate arrival
of a peace-keeping force. Rather, the Ethiopian defence force will
be obliged morally and legally to continue fighting to recapture
the remaining occupied territories. In the meantime, the
peacekeepers should either leave peacefully if they, unfortunately,
come, or become part of the conflict. If the latter is the case, it
would be the second great failure in the Horn region next to the
Somalian experience. To send a peace-keeping force to this region
may not be as simple as it is thought to be. It is only right to
say that Americans have never kept peace in the Horn; and they will
never do so in the future. More often than not, the Ethiopian
people are united for peace. Therefore, the shuttle diplomacy to
convince, and sometimes pressurize, the Ethiopian government to
comply with US interests, takes the situation back to square one.
Ethiopia can never compromise its sovereignty -- as it never did
for centuries -- for the deployment of peacekeepers of alien
culture and interest is tantamount to aggression. Finally, the
Ethiopian government should inform the international community to
reconsider the scenario and call a spade a spade. Otherwise, it
would be the international community that is to be held responsible
for the loss of human life in this part of the world.   (Chal.
Tadesse, The Reporter, Addis Ababa, 28 Oct. 99)

* Ghana. Lonmin withdraws bid for Ashanti  -  Lonmin, the mining
group, has withdrawn its offer for rival Ashanti after rejection by
the Ghana-based group. The withdrawal was not a surprise: it was
conditional on the approval of the Ghanaian government, which had
signalled its opposition. Lonmin is Ashanti's biggest shareholder
with a third of the equity; the Ghanaian government has 20% and a
golden share allowing it to block takeovers. Lonmin said both its
offers had been made at Ashanti's invitation. It also said it would
resume negotiations at the request of Ashanti or the Ghanaian
government.   (Financial Times, UK, 4 November 1999)

* Guinee. Vaccination  -  Un million et demi d'enfants, ages de six
mois a cinq ans, ont ete vaccines contre la poliomyelite sur toute
l'etendue du territoire national, a-t-on annonce le 31 octobre de
source officielle. L'OMS, les Etats-Unis, le Canada et le Japon ont
fourni a la Guinee des moyens financiers et logistiques pour aider
a l'organisation de ces premieres journees de vaccination, qui
entrent dans le cadre d'une campagne mondiale pour l'eradication de
la poliomyelite.   (Le Monde, France, 2 novembre 1999)

* Guinea-Bissau. Soldiers demand back pay  -  Scores of soldiers
with guns and grenades blocked the road to a state school inside a
barracks in Bissau on 3 November, to press demands for unpaid
wages. The soldiers, who said they had not been paid since the
civil war erupted in June 1998, later suspended their protest
outside Santa Lucia barracks after discussions with their
commander. Elections are due in Guinea-Bissau on 28 November.  
(CNN, 3 November 1999)

* Guinee-Bissau. Breve mutinerie  -  Le 3 novembre, des soldats
mecontents ont bloque l'acces a leurs casernes a Bissau apres avoir
tire en l'air avec leurs kalachnikovs pour reclamer le paiement de
leurs arrieres, ont rapporte les medias. Ils ont mis fin a leur
mutinerie une fois que le general Ansumane Mane, a la tete de la
junte militaire qui a renverse le president Vieira, a promis pour
le lendemain le paiement des arrieres de salaires. Selon la BBC,
pres de 160 soldats ont pris part a cette mutinerie.   (IRIN,
Abidjan, 3 novembre 1999)

* Kenya. Famine: The grim, bitter truth  -  Kenya's national
strategic grain reserves have been so badly depleted that the
government's relief can reach only 10 per cent of the five million
people threatened by the famine ravaging parts of the country. The
most-hit districts are in the arid and semi-arid north and in
eastern Kenya. The Meru districts and Kiambu also have pockets of
hunger-stricken families. Reports indicate that 31 districts are in
dire need of food. As part of an all-out assault on famine, the
government may be forced to further lower duty on imported maize
next year to facilitate the inflow of exports, according to a
document published this month by United States Agency for
International Development (USAID). "The government has indicated
that further revisions on duty levied on imported maize will be
undertaken after the quality of the short rains becomes clear -
probably during the first quarter of 2000," says USAID's Kenya
Vulnerability Update. Statistics from the Office of the President,
Relief and Rehabilitation department, reveal that at least seven
out of 10 residents of Moyale, Marsabit and Garissa districts are
in dire need of relief food. And nearer Nairobi, where the relief
effort is coordinated and possibly stocked, three per cent of
Kiambu's population, 15 per cent of Thika's and about 30 per cent
of Machakos, is short of food. A two-year drought period compounded
by low prices for cereals have caused food shortages in many areas.
Before the government imposed a 25 per cent levy on maize imports,
the local market was awash with cheap imports which depressed
prices. The authorities are yet to establish the exact amount of
relief needed to cover the next two months. However, simple
calculations based on the extent of famine reveal that at least
180,000 bags are required. Permanent Secretary Zachariah Cheruiyot
estimates that half a million tonnes of maize will have to be
imported from next March to meet the shortfall. This amounts to
about 5.5 million bags, almost 25 per cent of the national average
yearly production. The strategic grain reserve had only 35,000
tonnes in August, which is to be diverted to relief. The National
Cereals and Produce Board held an additional 27,000 metric tonnes
of commercial stock. The board indicates that in August, maize
stocks in the national strategic reserve were 33,480 tonnes. The
expected reserve is 270,000 tonnes. Therefore, there is a deficit
of 236,520 tonnes. Further, current stocks have already been
allocated for use as relief food.   (Ken Opala, The Nation, Kenya,
31 October 1999)

* Lesotho. First woman Speaker elected  -  Lesotho's Parliament has
elected the first woman Speaker after the deputy speaker, Ms.
Ntlhoi Motsamai, was unanimously dragged to the chair on 29 October
without any contest at the National Assembly in Maseru. Ms.
Motsamai, has been deputising the late Dr. John Teboho Kolane since
July 1996 when she was elected into the deputy chair by the
Basutoland Congress Party (BCP) led parliament. In a brief
interview with our reporter after her election, she said it did not
come as a shock as she had already been doing the work and there is
nothing new in it. "I have never dreamed of becoming a Speaker of
Parliament, firstly it is because parliament was not well-known
back then, but now I am in the job and I know what it takes," she
said. She however said she wished to thank members of parliament
for showing such great confidence in her. "I think women are
beginning to be recognised fully in decision making, otherwise they
could have gone to look for another man to take over as the new
Speaker," she said. About her work, she said she has gained a lot
from the past Speaker, and she is now confident she will do her job
well. She said she used to be encouraged by the late Dr. Kolane,
who every time, when she had to be left alone to do the work, he
would say: "Madam Speaker, I know you will hold the fort as usual". 
 (Lawrence Keketso, The Survivor, Lesotho, 2 November 1999)

* Libye. Les deux suspects inculpes  -  Les deux suspects libyens
de l'attentat de Lockerbie en 1988 ont ete inculpes le 29 octobre
par les procureurs ecossais qui menent l'accusation a leur proces
aux Pays-Bas. Les deux hommes plaident non coupables. Leur proces
doit s'ouvrir debut fevrier 2000 et pourrait durer plus d'un an.  
(Le Monde, France, 31 octobre 1999)
* Malawi. Banks told to be more flexible  -  Commercial banks in
Malawi have been told to be flexible in their disbursement of loans
to the public, or else risk having their licenses withdrawn.
President Bakili Muluzi said this in Blantyre, when he officially
opened Loita Investment Bank, a new commercial bank operating in
the commercial capital, Blantyre. The President observed that many
of the commercial banks in the country, were denying a majority of
Malawians, access to loans, because of tough terms which he said
are not good for a poor and developing country like Malawi. Muluzi
said: "You have to change or else my government will withdraw your
operating licences." The President criticised the banks for having
loans conditions that only favoured the rich. This is against his
government's policy of "Poverty Alleviation". President Muluzi's
remarks come at a time when a lot of Malawians, especially those
living in the rural areas, have complained bitterly to the
government that they are unable get loans to start small businesses
because of tough loan conditions.   (Aubrey Sumbuleta, ANB-BIA,
Malawi, 27 October 1999)

* Malawi. AIDS crisis  -  The Malawi government is appealing for
substantial financial assistance in the fight against the deadly
disease, AIDS, which Malawi's President Bakili Muluzi has described
as a national disaster. "We are developing into a sick nation, and
economic development has suffered," says Wilfred Chalamira Nkhoma,
programme manager for the National AIDS Control Program. The appeal
comes after the country has launched the country's first strategic
AIDS plan which will run from the year 2000 to 2004. The function
was officially presided over by President Muluzi. Nkhoma says the
plan seeks to "break the silence" about the gravity of the AIDS
situation by raising public awareness, after reported AIDS cases
had peaked to 260,000 last year since the first case was diagnosed
in the country in 1985. Nkhoma says: "Infection rates are growing
in Malawi, mainly in urban centres rather than in rural areas where
90 per cent of the population live." A senior health official, Roy
Hauya, says the strategic AIDS plan was an expensive exercise as it
took 18 months to draw up the plan which was blessed with funding
from international donors that included USAID, UNDP, NORAD and the
European Union.   (Aubrey Sumbuleta, ANB-BIA, Malawi, 1 November
1999)

* Malawi. Le mur du silence sur le sida est brise  -  Devant
quelque 2.000 personnes rassemblees la semaine derniere a Blantyre,
parmi lesquelles figuraient des prostituees, des militaires, des
villageois et des sideens, le president malawite Bakili Muluzi a
donne le coup d'envoi d'un ambitieux programme quinquennal contre
le SIDA, brisant ainsi le mur du silence qui entourait la maladie
dans son pays. "Ce silence mortel, nous l'avons brise et nous avons
rallie le reste du monde en declarant la guerre a cette pandemie",
a declare M. Muluzi, flanque des 32 membres de son gouvernement.
Sur une population de 11 millions de personnes, on estime a 1
million le nombre de porteurs du virus du SIDA au Malawi. L'armee,
qui reconnait que le taux d'infection dans ses rangs est tres
eleve, a rallie la campagne. Les Nations unies et l'Union
europeenne ont debloque des fonds pour aider l'armee dans sa
campagne de lutte contre le SIDA, a indique le commandant Gondwe.
Au cours de la ceremonie, le president malawite a condamne
certaines pratiques traditionnelles responsables, selon lui, de la
propagation de la pandemie, telle l'obligation de relations
sexuelles entre une veuve et un frere du defunt pour purifier
l'esprit de ce dernier. Le programme quinquennal lance par le
president Muluzi envisage egalement l'ouverture d'un debat sur
l'eventualite d'une legalisation de la prostitution au Malawi, qui
permettrait, notamment, un meilleur suivi et encadrement des
prostituees.   (D'apres AFP, France, 1 novembre 1999)

* Malawi. UN agencies join Malawi to combat drug abuse  -  Two
United Nations agencies on 1 November launched a campaign of US
$515,950 to assist the Malawian government to combat drug
trafficking and drug abuse in the country. The campaign, sponsored
by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Office for Drug
Control and Crime Prevention was also aimed at assisting government
with legislation to improve the country's law enforcement
capabilities in the fight against drug trafficking, press officer
of the UNDP Hazwell Kanjaye said. Kanjaye said Malawi was
increasingly being used by South American drug cartels for the
distribution of drugs to the lucrative markets in South Africa and
Asia. Malawi, he said, was among the world's largest producers and
users of drugs such as marijuana and cannabis sativa. Cannabis,
also known as "chamba" or "gold" among drug users and traffickers,
is mostly grown in Malawi's central Nkhota Kota district and the
northern district of Mzimba. Police spokesman Oliver Soko said the
areas in which cannabis is grown were inaccessible jungles which
hamper police raids.   (Africa Press Bureau, Johannesburg, 3
November 1999)

* Malawi. Malawi's new First Lady -- a profile  -  On 8 October
1999, it was learned that Malawi had a new First Lady -- Patricia
Shanil Muluzi, formerly, Patricia Fukulani Dzimbiri. President
Muluzi was married to the new First Lady at a private Islamic
function known as "Nikaah", in the presence of four Sheikhs.
Patricia is the youngest of a family of seven. She was born on 25
September 1964 and grew up in the capital, Lilongwe. Like any other
Malawian child, Patricia went to ordinary schools and it was her
ambition to become a radio announcer. She went to a teacher
training college, not because she wanted to be a teacher, but
because the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation was giving priority to
people with experience in teaching when it came to recruiting
staff, especially announcers. It was during her time of teaching,
that Patricia Fukulani met the future President, Bakili Muluzi, in
1986, and they were married a year later at a civil ceremony.
Patricia who was born and grew up as in a Roman Catholic family,
immediately converted to Islam and became Muluzi's second wife. In
1992/93 during the winds-of-change period in Malawi, she fought
alongside her husband for change. Muluzi eventually became
President and went to live at Sanjika Palace in the commercial
capital, Blantyre, while Patricia was sent to live at another state
house in the former colonial capital, Zomba, about 70 Kilometres
from Blantyre. The couple have five children, two of whom are
twins.   (Aubrey Sumbuleta, ANB-BIA, Malawi, 4 November 1999)

* Maroc. Redynamiser la fonction publique  -  Sortant de
l'attentisme prudent observe sous le regne de Hassan II, le
gouvernement socialiste d'Abderrahmane Youssoufi s'est lance dans
une ambitieuse reforme de la fonction publique, repondant ainsi aux
critiques l'accusant d'immobilisme depuis sa nomination, en fevrier
1998. Lors d'une reunion du gouvernement, jeudi 28 octobre,
Youssoufi, 75 ans, a declare que les ministres et hauts
fonctionnaires repondraient desormais devant lui-meme de leurs abus
de pouvoir, inefficacite ou inertie. Quant a l'administration dans
son ensemble, qui compte 750.000 fonctionnaires, elle doit
s'engager avec "fermete et discipline" dans la modernisation voulue
par le gouvernement et eviter toutes les formes de "bureaucratie et
de suffisance". "Notre pays se bat pour une croissance soutenue et
une nouvelle culture de la communication fondee sur le respect et
la confiance", a assure Youssoufi, en revendiquant l'appui ferme du
nouveau roi. Comme pour lui donner raison, Mohammed VI est revenu
a la charge le 29 octobre en adressant un message aux participants
a un colloque sur le service public dans lequel il insistait sur la
necessite de faire bouger les choses. "Nous avons donne l'ordre de
simplifier les procedures, d'actualiser les textes administratifs,
de moderniser les methodes de gestion et de veiller a concilier les
imperatifs de l'administration avec l'esprit de l'epoque",
ecrivait-il notamment dans son message. Pour Mohammed VI, "le
service public doit se conformer a une haute moralite et a servir
les citoyens avec une abnegation digne de ce service et de
l'interet superieur". Pour le souverain, "l'ethique est l'un des
fondements de l'Etat puisque sa perennite ou sa decheance en
dependent".   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 novembre 1999)

* Mauritanie/Israel. Liens diplomatiques contestes  -  Le 30
octobre, les lyceens de Nouakchott ont manifeste spontanement
contre la decision de leur gouvernement d'etablir des relations
diplomatiques avec Israel. Cette mesure, annoncee le 28 octobre, a
suscite de nombreuses critiques, notamment de la part du secretaire
general de la Ligue arabe. A Tripoli, le colonel Kadhafi a discute
la decision mauritanienne avec les ministres egyptien, soudanais et
marocain des Affaires etrangeres. Le porte-parole du ministere
iranien des Affaires etrangeres a exprime les "regrets de l'Iran",
la decision mauritanienne allant, selon lui, "a l'encontre des
aspirations de la nation palestinienne et des autres pays
musulmans".   (Le Monde, France, 2 novembre 1999)

* Nigeria. Clinton backs Nigeria debt relief  -  President Clinton
has praised Nigeria for its democratic reforms and said he would
encourage international creditors to ease the country's $31 billion
debt burden. He said Nigeria was pivotal to the future of Africa
and praised President Obasanjo's efforts to fight corruption and
implement economic reform. He was speaking after talks with Mr
Obasanjo, who is making his first official visit to Washington,
since coming to power in May.   (BBC News, 28 October 1999)

* Nigeria. Sharia anticonstitutionnelle  -  Le 30 octobre, le
president du Nigeria, Olesun Obasanjo, a declare
inconstitutionnelle l'instauration de la sharia, la loi islamique,
le 27 octobre dans l'Etat de Zamfara, au nord-ouest du pays, a
majorite musulmane. Devant une audience a l'universite de Harvard
aux Etats-Unis, il a affirme que les preceptes islamiques sont en
contradiction avec la Constitution federale du Nigeria et que, de
ce fait, il est probable que leur application soit vouee a l'echec.
D'autre part, les protestations des chretiens se multiplient. Le
1er novembre, les eveques ont demande une rencontre urgente avec le
president. Et l'Assemblee d'Etat de Cross River, au sud, a
preconise de se declarer "Etat chretien" si le president ne mettait
pas fin a l'application de la sharia. Pendant ce temps, a Gusau, la
capitale de l'Etat de Zamfara, les effets de la loi islamique ont
ete immediats: les premiers bus et taxis pratiquant la segregation
des sexes sont deja apparus. Huit personnes sont mortes au cours
d'incidents provoques par les celebrations dans d'autres regions
musulmanes.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 novembre 1999)

* Nigeria. Implementation of Sharia Law  -  29 October: The
Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has requested to
meet with the President of the Federation, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,
over issues not unconnected with the implementation of Sharia Law
in Zamfara State of Nigeria. The Bishops have come to a consensus
that the imposition of the Sharia in any state of Nigeria, is
unacceptable in view of the provisions of Nigeria's Constitution.
The same day, in a Press Release, Archbishop Albert K. Obiefuna,
president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference calls on Nigerians to
embark on ceaseless prayers for the nation in order to be rescued
from the many problems still facing the country. 3 November:
President Obasanjo is quoted by the country's media as having said
the adoption of Sharia was unconstitutional.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels,
4 November 1999)

* Rwanda. Premier cited in embezzlement scandal  -  Prime Minister
Pierre Celestin Rwigema has been accused of embezzling World Bank
funds by a parliamentary commission set up to investigate
mismanagement of an education project. A report says the project
was allocated $26.9 million to construct new schools, rehabilitate
others, purchase furniture and train teachers. The report accuses
Rwigema of diverting money to construct two new schools in his home
town of Gitarama which were not proposed in the project.  
(Reuters, 30 October 1999)

* Rwanda. Premier ministre accuse de fraude  -  Le Premier ministre
rwandais, Pierre Celestin Rwigema, est mis en cause par une
commission parlementaire chargee d'enqueter sur la mauvaise gestion
d'un programme educatif. Selon la radio nationale, il a detourne
une partie des 26,9 millions de dollars alloues par la Banque
mondiale pour la construction d'ecoles, l'achat de meubles et la
formation des enseignants. La somme detournee est estimee a pres de
500.000 dollars. Sont egalement mis en cause l'actuel secretaire
d'Etat au ministere de l'Agriculture, Laurien Ngirabanzi, certains
sous-prefets et des bourgmestres. Le Premier ministre a dementi. M.
Rwigema, un Hutu, est Premier ministre depuis 1995; il avait deja
ete mis en cause a la mi-mars dans une affaire pour genocide, qui
n'a pour l'instant pas abouti.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2
novembre 1999)

* Rwanda. Le TPIR sur place  -  Une equipe du Tribunal penal
international pour le Rwanda, base en Tanzanie pour juger les
principaux criminels du genocide de 1994, se rendra pour la
premiere fois au Rwanda. Elle enquetera sur le terrain dans le
cadre du proces de plusieurs personnalites, dont Ignace
Bagilishema, maire de la petite ville de Mabanza, inculpe de
genocide et complicite de genocide.   (Liberation, France, 2
novembre 1999)

* Sahara occidental. Referendum repousse?  -  Le referendum
d'autodetermination au Sahara occidental pourrait de nouveau etre
repousse en raison du nombre de personnes ayant demande a la
derniere minute a etre inscrites sur les listes electorales, a
declare, le 29 octobre, le secretaire general des Nations unies. Il
a precise que l'examen de ces quelque 79.000 requetes pourrait
prendre un an et de ce fait influer sur l'organisation du
referendum, fixe au 31 juillet 2000. Le Front Polisario accuse
Rabat d'envoyer des Marocains peupler le territoire pour les faire
enregistrer sur les listes et faire pencher la balance vers
l'integration du Sahara occidental au Maroc. - D'autre part, le 2
novembre, le Front Polisario a accuse les forces marocaines d'avoir
blesse un grand nombre de ses partisans en d'en avoir arrete une
centaine au cours de manifestations dans le territoire conteste.
Ces accusations n'ont pas ete confirmees par des sources
independantes, mais les journaux marocains ont fait etat d'emeutes
de jeunes en colere.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 2 novembre
1999)

* Sierra Leone. Demobilisation  -  Le 1er novembre, au cours d'une
reunion d'urgence du Comite national pour le desarmement, la
demobilisation et la reinsertion, il a ete convenu d'ouvrir quatre
nouveaux centres de demobilisation, deux a Porto Loko, un a Kenema
et un a Dafu. Lors de la reunion, Foday Sankoh, dirigeant du RUF,
et J.P. Koroma, dirigeant de l'ex-AFRC, ont convenu de demander a
leurs combattants de remettre leurs armes a ces centres. D'autre
part, les rebelles du RUF ont pris le controle des villes de Lunsar
et Makeni, au nord du pays, sur ordre de Foday Sankoh, parce que
certains combattants de l'ex-AFRC ne voulaient pas "donner de
chance a la paix". Selon l'Ecomog, "le calme regne a Lunsar et les
bases sont jetees pour poursuivre la demobilisation". -- Par
ailleurs, le 2 novembre, le representant special de l'Onu, Francis
Okelo, a declare que les Nations unies sont "extremement
preoccupees par la gravite des recentes violations du cessez-le-
feu" en Sierra Leone. Ces violations comprennent le combat actif,
le mouvement de troupes et d'armements, les atteintes aux droits de
l'homme, les attaques systematiques contre le personnel humanitaire
et son equipement, et les detentions continues de personnes
enlevees. "Il est devenu clair que la direction du RUF/AFRC ne se
conforme pas aux dispositions des accords de paix de Lome ou
qu'elle ne peut controler d'une maniere adequate ses commandants et
ses combattants sur le terrain", est-il precise dans la
declaration. D'autre part, Amnesty International en appelle au
Commonwealth, en qualite de signataire et de garant moral des
accords de paix, en vue de "garantir le succes du processus de paix
et pour que les parties signataires respectent et protegent les
droits de l'homme".   (IRIN, Abidjan, 2-3 novembre 1999)

* Sierra Leone. UN warns warring rebels  -  The United Nations says
it is "extremely concerned" at fresh fighting which has broken out
in Sierra Leone and has warned rebel groups that it will not
tolerate any subversion of the peace process. The UN's strongest
warning to date comes shortly before the planned deployment of
about 6,000 UN peacekeepers in the next few weeks. The statement
also coincides with the swearing-in of a new government in Sierra
Leone. Serious battles involving the Revolutionary United Front and
the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council broke out in northern Sierra
Leone in the middle of October.   (BBC News, 3 November 1999)

* Somalie. Des milices islamiques prennent Merca  -  Les milices
d'un tribunal islamique de Mogadiscio se sont emparees le 29
octobre du port de Merca, a 100 km au sud de la capitale, selon des
sources concordantes. La veille, le tribunal avait declare Merca
liberee des factions armees qui se la partageaient. "Les tribunaux
islamiques ont commence a resoudre les problemes des gangs, du
banditisme et des viols", a declare un des chefs autoproclames de
la ville.   (La Libre Belgique, 30 octobre 1999)

* Soudan. CSI exclue de l'Onu  -  Solidarite chretienne
internationale (CSI), une ONG suisse qui mene campagne pour la
liberation d'esclaves noirs au Soudan du Sud, a perdu son statut
consultatif aux Nations unies. Reclamee depuis plusieurs mois par
le Soudan, cette exclusion a ete votee le 26 octobre par 26 voix
contre 14, avec 12 abstentions et en l'absence de deux membres,
dans le cadre du Conseil economique et social (Ecosoc) a New York.
CSI, qui dit avoir libere plus de 15.000 esclaves noirs depuis
1995, a vivement proteste contre cette exclusion.   (Le Monde,
France, 30 octobre 1999)

* South Africa. EU concerns over Trade Agreement  -  The European
Union-South Africa negotiations suffered a setback on 26 October
which could delay the implementation of parts or of the whole
trade, development and co-operation agreement, EU sources said.
Earlier in the day, three SA parliamentary committees -- on trade
and industry, agriculture and land, and foreign affairs --
unanimously recommended that the already signed EU-SA agreement be
ratified. In Brussels, though, Coreper, the body of EU ambassadors,
failed to endorse a separate wines and spirits accord, after
expressing unhappiness with the text. EU members' representatives
decided that their experts should examine the parallel agreement
over the next two weeks before deciding. This means the new
deadline of 31 October -- set for the conclusion of the wine talks
-- will be missed, undermining the political momentum gained by
Trade Minister Alec Erwin and EU development commissioner Paul
Nielson. Officials from the European Commission who negotiated on
behalf of the 15 EU states, now fear other agreed issues will be
reopened. One concern was that the unhappiness was shared by
several EU states. "They feel this is far from what they
want...that it is a harmful precedent for future negotiations with
third countries," one official said. The delays will cause
difficulties in preparations for the implementation of the wines
and spirits accord.   (Business Day, Johannesburg, 27 October 1999)

* South Africa. Top civil servant ousted for corruption  -  On 3
November, the South African government sought to strengthen
President Thabo Mbeki's much-trumpeted campaign against corruption
in the post-apartheid era, by forcing the resignation of a senior
civil servant found unfit to hold high office by parliament. But
Khulekani Sitole, commissioner responsible for the country's
prisons and the latest official to have his misdeeds exposed by the
local media, was spared the sack and will go on "special leave"
until his resignation goes into effect in three month's time. Mr
Sitole gave himself undeserved bonus payments, wasted money on
unnecessary overseas trips, handed jobs to relatives and friends,
and used government money to fund a scholarship programme in the US
named after himself.   (Financial Times, UK, 4 November 1999)

* Tunisie. Opposant interpelle  -  Mustapha Ben Jaafar, membre du
Comite national pour les libertes en Tunisie et president du Forum
democratique, a ete arrete le 28 octobre a Tunis au debut de
l'apres-midi, puis libere dans la soiree apres cinq heures
d'interrogatoire "au sujet de ses activites dans le cadre d'une
"organisation non reconnue"". M. Ben Jaafar avait pris des
positions publiques sur la situation politique et les libertes
durant la campagne electorale qui a conduit a l'election du
president Ben Ali avec le score de plus de 99% des suffrages.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 30 octobre 1999)

* Uganda. 150 billion shillings missing in state coffers  -  About
$100 million (about shillings 150 billion) have disappeared from
the Ugandan State coffers in the 1997/1998 financial year, the
Auditor-General said in a report on 2 November. He said he had
found shillings 145 billion ($95.4 million) of missing tax revenues
or spending that was either unauthorised or unaccounted for. He did
not say if the missing money was the result of corruption or poor
book-keeping.   (The New Vision, Uganda, 3 November 1999)

* Zambia. Kenneth Kaunda's son shot dead
A son of former President Kenneth Kaunda died early on 4 November
of gunshot wounds inflicted on him by unknown assailants late on 3
November outside his Lusaka residence. Police confirmed that Wezi
Kaunda, 47, was shot at four times, twice in the shoulder and once
in the buttocks and abdomen. It described the attackers as heavily
armed bandits, who also snatched Wezi's car, leaving him critically
injured. They had ambushed his vehicle at the gate of his residence
in the Kabulonga residential area of Lusaka as he and his wife,
Didi, were returning home from an outing at about 8:00 pm (1800
GMT). His wife escaped unhurt. Don Mwape, a spokesman of the
University Teaching Hospital, where Wezi was rushed, confirmed on
4 November that he died at about 0600 am (0400 GMT) after surgeons
at the hospital had battled for almost 10 hours to save his life.
The same day, police said Wezi's vehicle, a Toyota Landcruiser GX,
was recovered an hour later after the shooting. The vehicle had
apparently overturned in the nearby Garden compound within the
environs of the city. At the time of his death, Wezi was Lusaka
district chairman of his father's main opposition United National
Independence Party. He once served as junior home affairs minister
during his father's reign. Wezi's death comes almost a year after
former finance minister Ronald Penza was killed in similar
circumstances 6 November, 1998. Nobody has been arrested in
connection with Penza's slaying in his bedroom. Kenneth Kaunda's
head of security, Moyce Kaulung'ombe said of Wezi's death: "We
suspect this is a political incident." He added that a number of
suspicious looking "guys" had trailed the couple as they drove home
from a yet to be established place. "We do not have all the details
but suffice to say the state should this time act better than
before," he said, in reference to an attempt to shoot the former
president about two years ago. Wezi, Kaunda's third son, is
survived by his wife and two children.   (Mildred Mulenga, PANA, 4
November 1999)