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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 18-11-1999 

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Congo (RDC): Reporters sans
Frontieres (RSF) has protested (12 November) the arrest of Djoddjo
Kazadi, director of the weekly La Palme d'or. Ghana: On 11
November, a court sentenced Eben Quarcoo, a local journalist, to 90
days in prison, for libelling the First Lady, Nana Konadu Abyemang
Rawlings. Mauritania: RSF has denounced (12 November) the
censorship against the independent weekly La Depeche. Mozambique:
RENAMO has told Noticias not to cover any of the election campaign
activities of its leader and presidential candidate, Afonso
Dhlakama. Tanzania: At least 19 newspapers have been cautioned by
the government over the past year and threatened with government
action because of their content.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 17 November
1999)

* Afrique centrale. Message des eveques  -  L'Association des
conferences episcopales d'Afrique centrale (ACEAC), reunissant les
eveques du Burundi, du Rwanda et de la R.D.Congo, a tenu son
assemblee pleniere a Nairobi du 12 au 15 novembre. A l'issue de
leur reunion, les eveques ont adresse un message a leurs fideles et
aux hommes de bonne volonte, intitule "Vous etes tous des freres:
arretez les guerres!". Evoquant le drame des guerres et des
refugies, ils ont appele a une paix durable, qui exige le respect
de la souverainete et de l'integrite territoriale de chaque pays,
ainsi que le respect des droits des personnes et des groupes.
S'adressant a la communaute internationale, ils affirment que leurs
populations "n'ont pas besoin de chars de combat et d'autres armes
de guerre, mais d'outils pour le developpement". Evoquant le cas de
Mgr. Misago, ils demandent que "la justice soit rendue le plus tot
possible, en toute transparence et equite".   (ANB-BIA, Bruxelles,
16 novembre 1999)

* Commonwealth. Durban Conference  -  10 November: The Commonwealth
Conference is likely to focus on the search for an equitable share
of the global economy. Also, Nigeria will be "welcomed back into
the fold". The Commonwealth secretary-general indicates there will
be no further censure against the military regime in Pakistan. The
present secretary-general, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, is due to hand over
to a successor. Pressure mounts on the summit to censure Zimbabwe,
Zambia, Kenya, Swaziland and Sri Lanka, for human rights
violations. 12 November: Opening of the Commonwealth Conference.
President Mugabe of Zimbabwe attacks British Prime Minister Tony
Blair, dismissing him as unfit to be prime minister because he is
"less mature than the Tories". The new secretary-general is Don
McKinnon, the New Zealand Foreign Minister. South Africa's
President Thabo Mbeki says the decision was "unanimous". 15
November: Leaders of the Commonwealth end what they called a "truly
successful" summit meeting in South Africa with a communique
underlining the organisation's commitment to democracy in all
member states. South Africa's President Mbeki has been appointed
the first chairman of the Commonwealth, a new position created by
the Commonwealth Heads of Government.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16
November 1999)

* Algerie. Bouteflika en Italie  -  Le 15 novembre, l'Italie a
reserve un accueil chaleureux au president algerien Bouteflika,
souhaitant apporter sa contribution au renforcement des relations
entre l'Algerie et l'Union europeenne. Le president italien M.
Ciampi a affirme que son pays fera tout son possible pour aider
l'Algerie dans sa tentative de reconciliation nationale et pour
soutenir sa transition vers une economie du marche. M. Bouteflika
avait commence sa visite officielle de quatre jours par un
entretien avec le pape Jean Paul II, dont il a recu l'appui dans
ses efforts contre la violence. Il s'est egalement entretenu avec
le secretaire d'Etat du Vatican, le cardinal Solano. "Il a ete bien
sur question de la situation de l'Eglise catholique en Algerie,
avec l'espoir qu'elle puisse poursuivre ses bons offices pour le
bien de tous, dans une securite maximale", a indique le porte-
parole du Vatican. M. Bouteflika regagnera Alger le 18 novembre.  
(D'apres Reuters, 15 novembre 1999)

* Algeria. Bouteflika in Italy  -  15 November: Algeria may be a
short hop from mainland Europe but President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's
state visit to Italy this week marks a big step towards raising the
nation's international profile after years of civil strife and
isolation. Bouteflika arrives in Rome, today, for his first
official visit to a European Union nation since his election in
April as president of one of the world's most violence ridden
countries. His quest for national reconciliation and swift action
to try to repair relations with neighbouring and Western states
have already earned him plaudits abroad. The international
community quickly warmed to Bouteflika's refreshing approach after
being left sickened yet impotent before seven years of
bloodletting, sparked by the cancellation of a general election
which radical Islamists were seen winning. "He is trying hard
despite great difficulties internally to improve the situation", an
Italian Foreign Ministry source said. "He could now be helped in
this delicate task".   (CNN, 15 November 1999)

* Algerie. Nouveaux massacres  -  Dans la nuit du 15 au 16
novembre, dix-neuf personnes, dont 11 membres d'une meme famille,
ont ete assassinees a Ouled Djilali-Benyahia, dans la region de
Chlef a 200 km a l'ouest d'Alger. Les services de securite n'ont
fourni aucune indication sur les circonstances du massacre (le plus
important depuis le mois d'aout dernier). Une autre tuerie a eu
lieu le 16 novembre au soir, visant des militaires. L'explosion
d'une bombe au passage d'un convoi militaire a Baghlia, en Kabylie,
a fait de "nombreuses victimes" (au moins cinq, selon plusieurs
sources). Un policier a encore ete tue a Chettia, pres de Chlef, et
quatre personnes a Tiaret. Depuis environ deux mois, les violences
se reinstallent dans le pays, particulierement en Kabylie, et
touchent pour l'essentiel des miliciens, des militaires ou des
policiers. Depuis la promulgation de la loi sur la reconciliation
nationale le 13 juillet, le nombre des victimes des groupes armes
depasse les 500.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 18 novembre 1999)

* Angola. Holden denonce la terreur du regime  -  Lors d'un
conference de presse a Bruxelles, Roberto Holden, l'ex-chef de la
guerilla du FNLA, a compare le pouvoir du MPLA de Luanda aux ex-
colons portugais, le qualifiant de regime "de terreur, qui fait fi
de toutes les libertes fondamentales". M. Holden a declare que le
peuple angolais n'etant "pas homogene", il fallait trouver une
"formule pour harmoniser les differentes couches de la societe
angolaise, a savoir les couches angolaises d'origine etrangere,
veritables beneficiaires lors de l'independance (...) d'une part et
de l'autre les populations autochtones". Une forte opposition
existe entre les populations de l'interieur du pays, souvent
favorables a l'Unita, ou les Kongos du nord de l'Angola, et les
populations occidentalisees, voire metissees de la cote.   (D'apres
La Libre Belgique, 16 novembre 1999)

* Benin. Cotonou has a new Archbishop  -  After almost 8 months,
70-year old Msgr. Nestor Assogba was appointed Archbishop of
Cotonou, the capital city of Benin. The prelate, since 1976
Archbishop of Parakou (North Benin), was nominated on 9 November by
the Holy See. Archbishop Assogba will be installed as Cotonou's
Archbishop on 12 December by Cardinal Josef Tomko, Prefect of the
Congregation for Evangelising Populations.   (MISNA, 10 November
1999)

* Burundi/Tanzanie. Refugies  -  Quelque 4.000 refugies en
provenance du Burundi ont afflue en Tanzanie au cours des dernieres
semaines apres des combats entre les troupes gouvernementales et
les rebelles, a indique le 9 novembre un porte-parole du HCR a
Geneve. Quelque 275.000 refugies burundais se trouvent dans des
camps en Tanzanie. Le programme de rapatriement de quelque 200
personnes par semaine mis en place par le HCR a ete interrompu
apres l'assassinat, le 12 octobre, de deux membres des Nations
unies au Burundi.   (Le Monde, France, 11 novembre 1999)

* Burundi. On the threshold of disaster  -  On 11 November, Amnesty
International warned that Burundi is on the verge of a humanitarian
and human rights crisis. "Failure to take immediate meaningful
steps to protect the civilian population could have catastrophic
repercussions on the human rights situation in the country",
Amnesty International said. "With the peace talks due to resume
shortly, all parties to the conflict have an opportunity to prevent
a further slide into disaster".   (Amnesty International, 11
November 1999)

* Burundi. Buyoya en Chine  -  Le 14 novembre, le president Buyoya
a quitte Bujumbura pour une visite d'une semaine en Chine. A cette
occasion, le porte-parole du ministere des Relations exterieures et
de la Cooperation a rappele la bonne cooperation entre les deux
pays et notamment deux dons recents de la Chine d'un montant global
de 38 millions de yuans (4.750.000 dollars) pour des projets
prioritaires burundais. Une equipe medicale chinoise est egalement
attendue, qui viendra travailler dans les hopitaux de Gitega,
Muramvya et Bujumbura.   (Agence burundaise de presse, 14 novembre
1999)

* Congo-Brazza. Thousands displaced by Congo floods  -  Tens of
thousands of people have been displaced by heavy flooding in
northern Congo-Brazzaville. Government officials in the capital,
Brazzaville, said towns and villages have been flooded, crops
ruined and bridges over the river Congo washed away. The officials
added there was a danger of cholera and other diseases. The
flooding has also affected Congo Brazzaville's southern neighbour,
the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.
The government's ability to address the situation is severely
hampered by the war between the government and rebel forces, which
continues in the south and centre of the country.   (BBC News, 11
November 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. Le silence denonce  -  Sous le titre "Congo-
Brazzaville: brisons le silence", deux hebdomadaires chretiens,
Reforme pour les protestants, Temoignage chretien pour les
catholiques, viennent de lancer un appel conjoint afin de mettre
fin a la tragedie humaine qui frappe ce pays. "600.000 personnes
deplacees, des dizaines de milliers de morts, c'est le bilan d'un
an de guerre civile et de campagnes de terreur au Congo-
Brazzaville", ecrivent les auteurs, qui s'etonnent de
l'indifference de la communaute internationale et soulignent que
"le peuple congolais a tout simplement ete oublie par ceux qui
auraient pu lui apporter l'aide necessaire".   (Le Monde, France,
16 novembre 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. Accord with rebels  -  The government says it has
reached an accord with rebel militia to end a year-long insurgency
that has made tens of thousands of people homeless. In a statement,
the government said all sides had agreed to an unconditional end to
hostilities and an amnesty for all rebels who handed in their
weapons.   (BBC News, 16 November 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Inquietudes et espoirs  -  L'emissaire de l'Onu au
Congo, Mustapha Niasse, a declare qu'un accord a ete trouve a la
suite duquel les officiers de liaison de l'Onu pourraient se rendre
dans les sites retenus de commun accord dans les zones sous
controle du gouvernement. Malgre cela, la situation devient de plus
en plus inquietante et l'UDPS, le principal parti d'opposition, a
demande a l'Onu de prendre toutes les mesures pour eviter au pays
de sombrer dans une guerre lourde de consequences, car la reprise
des hostilites signifierait la desintegration de l'Etat. D'autre
part, le MLC de J.P. Bemba est revenu sur sa decision et se dit
toujours engage par l'accord de paix. Notons que le Rwanda et
l'Ouganda ont declare que leurs deux pays etaient toujours lies par
l'accord de cessez-le-feu. Le president du RCD-Goma, lui, a declare
qu'il fallait epuiser tous les moyens de recours pacifiques avant
de songer a reprendre la guerre. -Cependant, le 12 novembre, J.P.
Bemba annoncait une offensive generale des troupes
gouvernementales, ce qui fut confirme le lendemain par les
autorites ougandaises, selon lesquelles Kinshasa avait lance une
offensive sur trois fronts contre les positions rebelles de
l'Equateur, attaquant Basankusu, Makanza et Zongo. Selon le porte-
parole du RCD-Goma, de violents combats se deroulent a 18 km de
Bokungu. Le president Kabila a affirme que ce sont "les rebelles et
leurs allies qui attaquent et les Forces armees congolaises qui
resistent". Le 13 novembre, le gouvernement de Kinshasa a decrete
un couvre-feu dans tout le pays entre 21 h. et 6 h. du matin.  
(D'apres Le Soir, Belgique, 12-15 novembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Combats Mai-Mai/Ougandais  -  Plus de 60 personnes
ont trouve la mort dans des combats entre guerriers Mai-Mai, allies
des troupes gouvernementales, et soldats ougandais, qui soutiennent
la rebellion. Ces affrontements, dans l'est de la RDC, ont tourne
en defaveur des Mai-Mai. Un officier ougandais et deux de ses
gardes du corps ont toutefois egalement ete tues. Des combats
sporadiques avaient deja oppose les deux groupes fin octobre dans
la ville de Bunia.   (La Libre Belgique, 16 novembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). UN team starts work but fighting continues  -  11
November: The United Nations has begun its deployment of military
liaison officers throughout Congo RDC -- a significant step forward
in the implementation of the Lusaka peace accords. After three
weeks of waiting in Kinshasa, an 110-member team of UN technical
experts in humanitarian, logistical and military affairs, left
Kinshasa's Ndjili international airport on 11 November, for the
rebel-held city of Gbadolite, from where they will travel to
several other cities in rebel-held areas on a one-week tour. The
main wing of the rebel group, the Congolese Rally for Democracy
(RCD) says that on 10 November, it found three mass graves,
containing the bodies of around 30 people, at Boango, near Bokungu,
shortly after repelling an attack on their positions at Nkembe. 13
November: A night-time curfew is imposed in the area controlled by
the government. Rebels accuse President Kabila's troops and their
allies of opening a new front, 18 kilometres from Bokungu in
northern Equateur province, at Ngomi, Isongo and Bowe. 14 November:
Heavy fighting is reported between pro-government Congolese
militias and Ugandan-Backed rebel forces, near Beni in northeast
Congo. 16 November: The Organisation of African Unity deploys its
first group of investigators to the Regional Joint Military
Commission, to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire
agreement. The government renews charges of rebel violations of the
ceasefire.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 18 November 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Deploiement d'observateurs  -  Le 16 novembre, le
premier groupe d'observateurs de l'OUA s'est deploye pour
surveiller l'application du cessez-le-feu conclu le 31 aout. Les 15
observateurs doivent se deployer a Kabinda (Kasai oriental;
"verrou" protegeant Mbuji-Mayi, la capitale du diamant du pays).
D'autres seront prochainement deployes a Boende et Lisala, dans la
province de l'Equateur, et a Kabalo, dans la province du Katanga,
a indique le president zambien Chiluba. Les observateurs sont
originaires du Malawi, d'Algerie et du Senegal; ils doivent etre
rejoints par des Nigerians. L'Onu envisage l'envoi de 500
observateurs militaires; le 16 novembre, la Namibie a depose un
projet de resolution en ce sens au Conseil de securite, mais les
Etats-Unis, la Grande-Bretagne et la Russie ont exprime de
serieuses reticences en raison de l'instabilite dans le pays. Kofi
Annan a nomme un diplomate tunisien, Kamel Morjane, representant
special en RDC pour aider au processus de paix, a indique l'Onu le
16 novembre. Ce processus est cependant de plus en plus menace.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 18 novembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Banques  -  Apres un sejour de deux semaines au
Congo-Kinshasa, une mission de la Banque mondiale, comprenant
egalement des representants du FMI, de plusieurs agences de l'Onu
et des bailleurs de fonds, a exprime sa satisfaction. "Il y a une
reelle volonte de la part du gouvernement de s'integrer dans le
systeme financier international", a declare le 15 novembre M.
Emmanuel Mbi, qui dirigeait la mission. Il s'est dit confiant que
le gouvernement modifierait les mesures economiques interdisant la
possession de devises. - Cependant, au meme moment, la banque BBL
a decide de se retirer du Congo, en raison de l'insecurite
juridique et judiciaire qui y regne. La BBL est actionnaire
majoritaire de l'Union des banques congolaises (UBC) qui accumule
des condamnations en justice estimees manifestement iniques dans le
monde bancaire. La BBL a rapatrie son personnel europeen, coupe les
lignes de credit a l'UBC et, selon un journal de Kinshasa, debite
les comptes de sa filiale congolaise de quelque 8,4 millions de
dollars.   (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 18 novembre 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. L'affaire Ouattara: proces  -  Le 10 novembre, a
commence le proces contre une vingtaine des plus importants
dirigeants du RPR, le parti d'Alassane Ouattara, candidat a la
presidentielle dont le pouvoir denie la nationalite ivoirienne. Ils
doivent repondre des incidents intervenus le 27 octobre lors de
violents affrontements a Abidjan. Depuis lors, des incidents ont
oppose depuis trois jours a Abobo et Yopougon, deux quartiers
d'Abidjan, des chauffeurs de taxis et de minibus aux forces de
l'ordre, les manifestants reclamant la liberation du president de
leur syndicat qui fait partie des instances dirigeantes du RDC. Des
marches ont eu lieu dans plusieurs villes de province a l'ouest et
nord du pays. Le 5 novembre, un partisan de Ouattara est decede,
apres avoir ete blesse lors d'affrontements a Daloa. Au proces, le
procureur a requis trois annees de prison ferme contre 17 prevenus
pour incitation a la violence. Les avocats de la defense ont
denonce un proces politique. Le 12 novembre, le juge Alain Zunon a
prononce des peines de deux ans de prison et de 300.000 fcfa
d'amende contre onze dirigeants du RPR, cinq autres ont ete
condamnes a un an de prison et 100.000 fcfa d'amende. Parmi les
condamnes figurent la secretaire generale du parti, Henriette Dagri
Diabate, et quatre deputes au Parlement. Les avocats de la defense
ont annonce leur intention de faire appel.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 12 novembre 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Child slavery  -  The Ivorian government has
launched a fresh initiative to end child slavery in the country. In
a joint statement with the United Nations Children's organisation,
(UNICEF), the country's foreign ministry called on all states and
individuals with knowledge of children working in conditions of
slavery to inform the authorities. Cote 'd'Ivoire and UNICEF issued
a joint report last year highlighting the cases of fifty-two
children working as slaves. But there have been new reports from
Mali which suggest the practice is continuing. A regional
conference on the problem will be held in Gabon next February.  
(BBC News, 13 November 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Burkinabe en fuite  -  Un litige foncier, qui a
fait plusieurs morts la semaine derniere dans la region de Tabou,
a 400 km d'Abidjan, a entraine l'exode d'au moins 2.000 Burkinabe
en six jours. Tabou est une zone de forets et de plantations de
cacao ou travaillent de nombreux etrangers, essentiellement des
Burkinabe. Selon un humanitaire, l'affaire a debute le 4 novembre,
quand des jeunes guerriers kroumen (l'ethnie locale) ont demande
aux Burkinabe de quitter les terres afin de les attribuer a des
autochtones. Il y a eu des echanges de coups de feu; deux Kroumen
son morts, et deux Burkinabe tues en represailles. Le 14 novembre,
la tension etait toujours vive; les autorites locales ont appele au
calme. Le 16 novembre, on annoncait que 12.000 Burkinabe avaient
deja regagne leur pays. Trois millions de Burkinabe sont installes
en Cote d'Ivoire.   (D'apres Liberation, France, 15-17 novembre
1999)

* Gabon. Lute contre l'insecurite  -  Apres celle de juillet et
aout derniers, une nouvelle operation securitaire, baptisee "Nguene
2" (nom de la vipere en langue obamba, ethnie du sud du Gabon), a
ete declenchee a Libreville, depuis le 2 novembre 1999. Menee
exclusivement par les elements de la gendarmerie et de la police
nationale, elle consiste dans le controle systematique des
vehicules, et des taxis en particulier. Selon l'etat-major de la
police, elle vise a reduire une insecurite que "Nguene 1" -- qui
avait mobilise 1500 hommes en armes et s'etait traduite par
l'interpellation de 3.400 personnes, dont 3.140 etrangers "sans
papiers" -- avait a peine reussi a freiner. L'operation en cours ne
va pas sans occasionner quelques desagrements pour la population.
Les plus notables sont la baisse du trafic de jour comme de nuit,
les exactions -- comme par le passe -- des agents sur les
chauffeurs de taxi, et les fouilles systematiques des habitations
privees qui se soldent souvent par des pillages et des viols,
surtout dans les quartiers populaires de Stfo, Gare routiere "Yogo
sante", Cocotiers, etc., habites en grande majorite par les
etrangers.   (Luc Kamga, ANB-BIA, Gabon, 18 novembre 1999)

* Ghana. Opposition parties to storm Accra on 25 November  -  Four
political parties, the Convention Party, the New Patriotic Party,
the National Reform Party and the Peoples National Convention have
announced that they will hold a national demonstration in Accra on
25 November, in support of democracy and against the hardships
imposed on the people of Ghana by the NDC government's lack of
policy direction and its mismanagement. In a statement signed by
top executives of the four parties and read in Accra recently by
Peter Gameli Kpordugbey, Interim chairman of the Reform Party, they
stated that they will demand on the 25th of this month, greater
consultation and openness in the policy formulation and
implementation process of government policies, ask for the
withdrawal of increases in University academic user fees for the
1999-2000 academic year and the institution of a democratic process
for determining how tertiary education will be funded in the years
to come. The parties will also demand an immediate withdrawal of
increases in hospital user fees nation wide, call for a freeze on
all lay-offs and redundancies in the public sector including lay-
offs and redundancies associated with the divestiture of the State
Owned Enterprises. Finally the four political parties will demand
a commitment that the government will stabilize the ex-pump price
of petroleum products by reducing petroleum specific taxes which
will require full disclosure of the formula used in setting
petroleum prices in Ghana.   (The Independent, Ghana, 9 November
1999)

* Ghana. Apres les inondations  -  Les victimes des recentes
inondations dans le nord du Ghana ont un besoin urgent de vivres,
medicaments et abris, selon un rapport de situation publie le 10
novembre par le Bureau des Nations unies pour la coordination des
affaires humanitaires. Le besoin le plus urgent concerne la
nourriture. De nombreux villages de pecheurs et de nombreuses
exploitations agricoles ont ete touches et l'aide alimentaire sera
necessaire jusqu'a la prochaine recolte. De nombreuses regions sont
toujours sous eau; des maisons, des ecoles, des routes, des ponts,
des digues et des canaux se sont effondres et doivent etre repares. 
 (IRIN, Abidjan, 11 novembre 1999)

* Guinea-Bissau. Democracy on army's terms  -  17 November: Less
than two weeks before the elections, the country's military ruler
has announced that his junta intends to remain in existence for at
least another ten years to observe elected civilian governments.
General Ansumane Mane said that any President who fails to keep
election promises will immediately be overthrown. His remarks
coincided with campaigning for presidential and parliamentary
elections on 28 November, which are being supervised by the United
Nations and are supposed to return Guinea-Bissau to civilian rule. 
 (BBC News, 17 November 1999)

* Kenya. Parliament makes history  -  In an historic move, the
Kenyan parliament has voted to change a key part of the
Constitution which enables the President to control it. 185 members
voted with no opposition, to withdraw the President's right to
appoint the clerk of the house. Parliament will now have the right
to choose its own clerk a power that was taken away from members by
the country's first President, Jomo Kenyatta. Correspondents say
the move is a humiliating setback for President Daniel Arap Moi, a
vocal opponent of the bill. The opposition MP who initiated the
bill, Peter Oloo Aringo, described it as the most historic day
since independence. Members of Parliament cheered and stamped their
feet as they carried the vote.   (BBC News, 11 November 1999)

* Kenya. The Church in Kenya -- a bastion against corruption  - 
When the President of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference was in Madrid
recently, he granted an interview to the magazine Reino Social
(Social Kingdom), published by the Fathers of Sacred Hearts. Bishop
John Njue of the diocese of Embu, reflected the same courage as
other Kenyan Bishops, who, in numerous pastoral letters, have
denounced corruption and appealed for radical reforms. According to
Bishop Njue, the issue of greatest concern at the moment is
Constitutional reform. According to the bishop, the Church's
position has been "clear, single-minded, and very strong in
favouring a change in the Constitution. We are not talking about
minor amendments but substantial reform. The government's tactics
are to delay the reform until we are relatively close to the 2002
elections, and it can then be argued that we should wait until they
are over. This is unacceptable to the Church. We are trying to
convoke a forum which will represent all political parties and
interested social groups. The people of Kenya must be able to
express their opinion freely. I think this forum would be a good
vehicle to channel the debate". When asked if popular protests were
necessary to call attention to the need for reform, Bishop Njue
cautioned: "We must avoid taking to the streets. I believe there
still is a margin for negotiation. The dialogue is slow, but result
be exhausted. However, we must not be naive: reform will be the
result of struggle," Bishop Njue emphasized.   (Africa Infodoc, 12
November 1999)

* Liberia. Second round of re-constructive surgery  -  A US medical
charity group, Physicians for peace (PFP), has returned to Liberia
to provide another round of free re-constructive surgery for
deformed persons in the country. The exact number of beneficiaries
is not yet known, but they will be drawn from some 320 patients who
will undergo a final pre-surgery screening by a joint team of
American and Liberian doctors that will perform the surgery. When
the group visited Liberia in March, it performed nearly 150 re-
constructive plastic, and orthopaedic surgeries at Monrovia's John
F. Kennedy Hospital. The PFP team, headed by Liberian plastic
surgeon, Dr. Robert Dennis of the Howard University in Washington,
D.C., includes neuro, oral, plastic and orthopaedic surgeons as
well as anaesthesiologists and nurses. According to the chief
medical officer at the hospital, Dr. Mohammed Sheriff, the team
will provide surgical and cosmetic management for children with
facial deformities such as cleft lips and palates, deformities
related to concrum oris, birth defects, burns and trauma. Also
earmarked are those with deformities on their extremities that have
caused them serious disabilities, such as rheumatoid arthritis,
Sheriff said.   (Peter Kahler, PANA, 10 November 1999)

* Liberia. Mission de donateurs  -  Une equipe de representants de
donateurs est au Liberia pour une mission de quatre jours en vue
d'etudier comment repondre au mieux aux besoins de recontruction du
pays. Les conclusions de la mission, qui quittera Monrovia le 19
novembre, permettront d'indiquer la meilleure facon de respecter
les engagements pris lors d'une conference a Paris, en avril 1998,
au cours de laquelle 11 pays avaient accepte de donner au Liberia
220 millions de dollars dans le cadre de la premiere phase d'un
programme national de reconstruction en deux ans.   (IRIN, Abidjan,
16 novembre 1999)

* Libye/Maroc. Visite de Youssoufi  -  Le Premier ministre marocain
Abderrahmane Youssoufi a acheve le 15 novembre une visite de trois
jours en Libye. M. Youssoufi, qui a rencontre le president Kadhafi
le 14 novembre, a notamment plaide pour une reprise rapide des vols
de la compagnie Royal Air Maroc a destination de la Libye. Il a
aussi souligne la necessite de relancer l'Union du maghreb arabe et
la creation d'un marche maghrebin, ainsi que l'instauration d'un
veritable partenariat entre les deux pays en prevision de la zone
de libre echange euro-mediterraneenne.   (AP, 15 novembre 1999)

* Madagascar. Maire d'Antananarivo  -  Marc Ravalomanana, PDG de la
plus importante usine agro-industrielle de Madagascar, a gagne les
elections municipales dans la capitale malgache. Protestant tres
pratiquant et mecene de nombreuses eglises, il se qualifie de self-
made man. Il a mene une campagne a l'americaine, distribuant des
cadeaux et des produits laitiers de sa societe dans les quartiers
pauvres d'Antananarivo. Il etait oppose a 18 autres candidats.  
(La Croix, France, 16 novembre 1999)

* Malawi. Financial budget stretched  -  Malawi's financial budget
is overstretched and the government may call for an extraordinary
sitting of the National Assembly where a supplementary budget can
be discussed. President Bakili Muluzi commenting on his recent
declaration of a 27th administrative district, said the declaration
has obviously affected the country's national budget presented in
the house in July this year. "It is therefore obvious that the
budget is subject to review", he said upon arrival from his nine
day visit in the northern region where he declared the two islands
of Likoma and Chisumulu a district. Muluzi called on all government
departments that are to establish offices in the newly set district
to come forward with their mini-budgets which may help in the
compiling the supplementary budget.   (Aubrey Sumbuleta, ANB-BIA,
Malawi, 10 Nov. 1999)

* Malawi. Troops sent to Congo RDC  -  A contingent of 10 Malawian
soldiers on 10 November left for the Zambian capital of Lusaka
where they will undergo a training course in peace-keeping before
proceeding to Kinshasa in Congo RDC. A statement issued by the
Malawian army headquarters in Lilongwe said the Malawian contingent
is part of an Organisation of African Unity (OAU) initiative. A
spokesman for the army said the Malawian soldiers will not be
involved in any combat but will be deployed in a mediatory role.  
(Africa Press Bureau, Johannesburg, 11 Nov. 1999)

* Malawi. Reviewing its refugee laws  -  The Malawian government on
12 November said it has decided to review the country's laws to
enable refugees to work, attend public schools and engage in
various businesses. Chenda Mkandawire, deputy Minister responsible
for relief and rehabilitation in the President's office, told
journalists the government decided to review the laws because of
the numerous professionals among the refugees who could be of use
to the country. "For instance, among refugees recently, there was
one experienced pilot and medical doctor", Mkandawire said, adding
that by changing the laws the government could take advantage of
their varied skills and at the same time it would ease the UNHCR's
burden to provide the refugees with their daily needs.   (Africa
Press Bureau, Johannesburg, 13 Nov. 1999)

* Maroc. Autonomie pour le Sahara occidental?  -  Le limogeage de
l'ancien ministre marocain de l'Interieur, Driss Basri, pourrait
conduire a une solution negociee dans le conflit du Sahara
occidental et a une large autonomie pour cette region, selon le
quotidien espagnol El Pais, qui cite, le 11 novembre, des sources
diplomatiques et politiques a Rabat. Le roi Mohammed VI serait en
train de preparer un projet d'autonomie, incluant l'election d'une
administration locale pour l'ancienne colonie espagnole. Le Maroc
eviterait ainsi d'en passer par le referendum prevu par les Nations
unies et de courrir le risque d'un desaveu des populations locales. 
 (Le Monde, France, 12 novembre 1999)

* Maroc. Apres Basri, l'entourage?  -  Des membres de l'entourage
de l'ancien ministre marocain de l'Interieur Driss Basri, limoge le
9 novembre, sont empeches de quitter le territoire marocain, a
revele le 15 novembre le quotidien Al Ahdat al Maghribia, citant
des sources gouvernementales. Une trentaine de proches de l'ancien
ministre (dont des prefets et de haut-fonctionnaires) seraient
ainsi interdits de sortie du territoire. Le limogeage brutal de
Driss Basri, inamovible ministre de l'Interieur depuis 1979, est
intervenu une dizaine de jours apres un mysterieux incendie
d'origine criminelle au siege de la Direction generale de la
surveillance du territoire, au cours duquel des archives ont ete
detruites. - Par ailleurs, alors que l'opposant Abraham Serfaty,
retourne dernierement au Maroc, estimait dans une interview recente
que Basri devrait etre juge pour crimes contre l'humanite, une
plainte contre l'ancien ministre a ete deposee, le 16 novembre,
devant le parquet de Bruxelles par un ancien syndicaliste etudiant,
Mohamed el Battiui, de nationalite marocaine et belge, qui a ete
victime en 1984 d'emprisonnement arbitraire et de tortures.   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 17 novembre 1999)

* Mauritius. Mauritius launches blood donors association  - 
Mauritius's President Cassam Uteem has appealed to his people to
become blood donors to end the scarcity of the life-saving liquid.
He made the call on 10 November during the official launch of the
Mauritian Blood Donors Association at Reduit, 10 km south of Port-
Louis, in a bid to educate people on the need to donate their
blood. The objective of the association is also to bring together
all the organisations involved in blood donations under one roof so
as to ensure the smooth running of the blood donation programme in
Mauritius. Uteem said there is no substitute for blood."If people
lose blood from surgery or injury, or if their bodies cannot
produce enough, there is only one solution and that is to turn
towards volunteer blood donations," he added. Uteem said that about
60% of the population will need to receive a blood donation at some
time in their lives. Hospitals in Mauritius currently need at least
40,000 pints of blood annually compared to 15,000 pints 10 years
ago. Only a quarter of the blood needed in 1998 was collected.  
(PANA, 11 November 1999)

* Mozambique. Mozambique targets Nigeria for coal exports  - 
Mozambique is to target Nigeria for coal exports and has already
obtained a tentative agreement to supply an initial two million
tons per year, said the country's mineral and energy resources
minister, John Kachamila, on 10 November. Mozambique will,
Kachamila said, attempt to gradually increase this to 4 million
tons per year and will in return import oil from Nigeria. The
announcement follows a series of meetings between Kachamila,
Mozambican Prime Minister Pascoal Mocumbi and Nigerian Energy and
Steel Minister Chief Bola Ige in Maputo. Kachamila confirmed
Nigeria indicated that it was interested in 4 million tons per year
but said Mozambique's Moatize coal field in the western province of
Tete currently only produces an estimated 3,5 million tons. Moatize
is believed to have reserves of 3 billion tons but is hampered by
transport infrastructure problems. The Sena railway line linking
Moatize to Beira's port was badly damaged during Mozambique's 16-
year civil war and has not yet been rehabilitated due to national
budget constraints. International donors and investors are being
lobbied to underwrite refurbishment on the line after government
planners pointed out that the railway was also Malawi's shortest
route to the sea. Kachamila stressed that Moatize's coal was of a
high grade and would earn at least US $44 per ton from Nigeria.  
(Africa Press Bureau, Johannesburg, 12 Nov. 1999)

* Mozambique. Noose tightened on contraband smugglers  -  Over 100
para-military customs officers graduated from advanced training at
Boane, 30km from Maputo, this week as part of the country's
crackdown on contraband smuggling. The 104 officers are the second
batch of new customs officers trained at the centre this year to
upgrade security at the country's border posts with South Africa,
Swaziland, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. The clampdown has already
seen a series of large busts at border posts, with customs
officials seizing 36 boxes of assorted medicines, 233 flasks of
assorted medical liquids and 800 loose pills in the northern
province of Nampula on Monday. Customs officials said the owner,
who was not identified, attempted to bring them into the country
without an import licence and without any accompanying invoices.
Nampula customs officials have also seized 19 tonnes of contraband
sugar from Malawi and 975 boxes of cigarettes from Zimbabwe since
July 1. The duties and taxes owing on the seized goods are
estimated at 145,6 million Meticais (about US$11 200). Customs
officers at the Namaacha with Swaziland also recently confiscated
two 9mm pistols and 23 round of ammunition from two South Africa
truck drivers after they allegedly tried to smuggle the weapons
into Mozambique without applying for permit. The weapons were
licensed in South Africa but not declared at the border post
between Swaziland and Mozambique. The new batch of paramilitary
customs officers will be tasked with inspecting all imported and
exported merchandise, as well as searching vehicles at border posts
and passenger terminals. Mozambique began restructuring its customs
services in 1997 and has to date trained more than 900 specialist
customs inspectors and paramilitary officers.   (Africa Press
Bureau, Johannesburg, 16 Nov. 1999)

* Niger. Dinosaures inconnus  -  Les restes fossiles de dinosaures
vegetariens geants quasi complets, appartenant a une espece
jusqu'ici inconnue et vieille de quelque 135 millions d'annees, ont
ete mis au jour par une equipe internationale au Niger, annonce la
revue Science dans son numero du 12 novembre. Cette nouvelle
espece, "Jobaria tiguidensis", est celle d'un dinosaure de 17
metres de long, muni de dents en forme de spatule qui lui
permettaient de pincer les petites branches des arbres. L'equipe
scientifique a trouve egalement le fossile d'une autre espece
nouvelle, plus jeune (110 millions d'annees) et plus petite (13
metres), nommee "Nigersaurus taqueti".   (Le Soir, Belgique, 12
novembre 1999)

* Niger. Mutineries et affrontements  -  Des soldats loyaux au
gouvernement ont ecrase une rebellion de militaires, qui
reclamaient des primes, dans la garnison de Madewela, pres de la
ville septentrionale d'Arlit, a indique le 16 novembre le porte-
parole du Conseil de reconciliation nationale, le major Hima. Selon
lui, l'incident a ete instigue par les partis politiques opposes au
second tour des elections presidentielles prevues le 24 novembre.
De l'agitation a egalement ete signalee a Agadez, a quelque 800 km
au nord-est de Niamey, ou un groupe de soldats a tente de liberer
deux de leurs collegues arretes par la police paramilitaire pour
suspicion de viol. - D'autre part, les gendarmes ont restaure le
calme dans un village de la commune de Kirtachi, pres de Niamey,
apres des affrontements entre eleveurs nomades et planteurs, qui
ont fait 5 morts et 15 blesses.   (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 16
novembre 1999)

* Nigeria. Crackdown on violence  -  The Vice President of Nigeria,
Atiku Abubakar, has threatened a crackdown on the "lawless
behaviour" of militant groups in the troubled Niger Delta region.
In an unscheduled address, Mr Abubakar said that "evil and heinous
crimes against civilians and the state" had reached new heights
following the deaths of at least 10 policemen. Mr Abubakar hinted
that he may introduce a state of emergency. When Nigeria's new
democratic government took power in May it said one of its
priorities would be tackle the crisis in the Niger Delta. Five
months later the situation in the delta is worse than ever. This
region, which produces close to two million barrels of oil each
day, is among the poorest in Nigeria, and its people have resorted
to increasing violent tactics to draw attention to their demands. 
 (BBC News, 10 November 1999)

* Nigeria Local government strike continues  -  Local government
employees in Nigeria have refused to return to work following calls
from the government. The president of their association, Mustapha
Abubakar, said they weren't invited to a council of state meeting
which discussed the issue. Mr Mustapha said the meeting had nothing
new to report. The employees have objected to a government plan for
their salaries to be paid from state coffers instead of from the
federal budget. The employees, who've been on a nationwide strike
for the past three weeks, say the proposed method will require them
to fulfil certain local payments from their salaries.   (BBC News,
11 November 1999

* Nigeria. La sharia (suite)  -  "La position du president Obasanjo
sur la delicate question de la sharia est equivoque; il abdique ses
responsablilites constitutionnelles de maintenir la paix, l'ordre
et la bonne gouvernance au Nigeria", denonce la commission Justice
et Paix de la conference episcopale du Nigeria, dans une lettre
adressee au procureur general de la federation. La loi islamique
est en vigueur dans l'Etat de Zamfara depuis le 27 octobre dernier.
La lettre declare que le president "a renie le pacte souverain avec
son peuple", car il s'est limite a declarer que l'introduction de
la sharia etait inconstitutionnelle, sans toutefois prendre des
mesures. Dans l'Etat de Zamfara, les chretiens representent 10% de
la population, en grande partie des Yoroubas et Ibos originaires du
sud. Deja, plusieurs d'entre eux ont quitte Gausa, la capitale de
l'Etat, pour aller vivre ailleurs.   (D'apres Fides, Rome, 18
novembre 1999)

* Rwanda. Vers une societe democratique  -  Le representant special
de la Commission des droits de l'homme de l'Onu pour le Rwanda a
indique que le pays est en train de sortir de l'ombre du genocide
et de jeter les bases d'une societe democratique. Il a note des
developpements positifs dans la situation au cours de l'annee
derniere, telles que des elections locales, la creation d'une
commission des droits de l'homme et d'une commission pour l'unite
et la reconciliation, ainsi que la proposition d'utiliser les
systemes judiciaires traditionnels (gacaca) afin d'accelerer les
proces pour genocide (a laquelle il exprime son soutien comme etant
la seule alternative viable pour reduire le surpeuplement des
prisons). Toutefois, en depit des progres realises, il n'existe pas
encore une culture des droits de l'homme au Rwanda, indique le
rapport, et la situation dans les prisons demeure inacceptable. Le
rapport appelle egalement a une presse libre, mais prend acte de
l'amelioration de la situation en matiere de securite, notamment
dans le nord-ouest du pays. Selon le rapport, les autorites
devraient maintenant s'attaquer a d'autres problemes majeurs: le
retour des refugies, la propriete privee des terres, la liberte de
circulation et d'expression, et les liberations de prisonniers.  
(D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 10 novembre 1999)

* Rwanda. Procureur de TPIR indesirable?  -  Le 11 novembre, la
radio rwandaise annoncait que le Rwanda avait rejete une demande de
visite du procureur du Tribunal penal international pour le Rwanda,
Carla Del Ponte. Le ministre de la Justice lui a fait savoir qu'il
"n'etait pas pret a la recevoir en ce moment a cause du
comportement du tribunal" concernant la remise en liberte, le 3
novembre, de Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza, ancien dignitaire accuse de
genocide et relaxe pour vice de procedure. Le Rwanda a lance un
nouveau mandat d'arret international contre Barayagwiza, qui attend
dans la prison a Arusha une reponse au recours qu'il a introduit
pour pouvoir choisir lui-meme le pays ou il sera reconduit. -
Quelques jours plus tard, le gouvernement est cependant revenu sur
sa decision, et Mme Del Ponte entamera le week-end prochain une
tournee de deux semaines au Rwanda et au siege du TPIR a Arusha, en
Tanzanie.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 18 novembre 1999)

* Senegal. Jacques Diouf reelu a la FAO  -  Le 13 novembre, le
directeur general de la FAO, le Senegalais Jacques Diouf, a ete
reelu a la tete de cette agence des Nations unies pour un nouveau
mandat de six ans, avec 137 voix sur 163 votes exprimes. Agronome
de formation, ancien banquier et diplomate, M. Diouf, 61 ans, est
a la tete de la FAO depuis 1993. Sans lien de parente avec le
president senegalais Abdou Diouf, il a ete secretaire d'Etat a la
recherche scientifique du Senegal en 1978 avant d'entamer une
carriere diplomatique. Il a ete notamment ambassadeur de son pays
au siege des Nations unies a New York.   (La Libre Belgique, 15
novembre 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Enfants liberes  -  Un total de 268 enfants ont ete
liberes au cours du mois d'octobre, indique un rapport de
situation. L'Unicef a enregistre 4.341 enfants manquants dans la
zone ouest depuis janvier, et 2.661 sont toujours portes disparus,
indique le rapport. La branche de Makeni de l'organisation
catholique Caritas, qui dirige un centre pour jeunes filles, a aide
490 enfants entre le 20 juillet et le 9 novembre, a indique
l'agence Misna. D'autre part, selon l'ONG sierra-leonaise Working
Group on Child Rights, de nombreux enfants associes aux forces
combattantes auraient ete infectes par le virus VIH/SIDA.  
(D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 11 novembre 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Militias refuse to disarm  -  The disarmament
process which should have started some four months back in line
with the Lome peace accord, received another set back when the high
commander of the local militia force known as the Kamajor,
disclosed that their men will not let go their arms until rebels of
the main rebel group, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) have
been disarmed. According to senior Kamajor officials based at the
southern town of Bo, Kamajor militia will only disarm when RUF
rebels have lay down their weapons. "There is a growing conviction
that RUF rebels are planning an attack on the capital and that they
want to grip power with force and we are not going to accept it",
the Kamajor told newsmen.   (The Progress, Sierra Leone, 12
November 1999)

* Somalia. Battle for control of port  -  Heavilyþarmed militia
from rival Somali clan factions battled for control of the port of
El Ma-an, 30 km (20 miles) northeast of Mogadishu, on 13 November,
residents reported on 14 November. An estimated 120 fighters used
anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades in
a day-long battle, and at least one gunman was killed and 15
wounded, they said. A ship carrying 6,500 tones of food and a
number of other boats in the small port headed for the open sea to
escape the violence. The fighting died down when night fell, and
clan elders called on both sides to halt the violence. But activity
in the port remained paralysed on 14 November. Both clan factions
involved in the fighting support Ali Mahdi Mohamed, the warlord who
controls north Mogadishu, and clan elders appealed to him to
restore calm in the port area.   (CNN, 14 November 1999)

* Sudan. Khartoum's reconciliation offer rejected  -  The Sudanese
opposition umbrella, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has
said it is too early to accept the government's latest proposals
for reconciliation. The NDA was responding to a government pledge
to pardon political prisoners and return confiscated opposition
properties, in an attempt to create a suitable atmosphere for
reconciliation with the opposition. An NDA spokesman in Cairo
Farouk Abu Eissa said the opposition was used to words and
promises, and it was too early to judge whether the government was
serious. He said a ban on trade unions must be lifted before
dialogue was possible. Earlier this month President el-Bashir
offered a general amnesty to exiled political opponents, calling on
them to return home to help end the sixteen-year civil war.   (BBC
News, 14 November 1999)

* Soudan. Enquete sur l'esclavagisme  -  Le gouverneur du Nord-
Kordofan a recemment institue une commission d'enquete sur des cas
d'esclaves decouverts dans son Etat. La decision a ete prise a la
suite de l'arrestation d'une vingtaine de Pakistanais en train
d'acquerir des esclaves a Hamarat El Sheick. Ces hommes, accuses de
commerce d'esclaves, ont ete transferes a Khartoum, puis consignes
a l'ambassade du Pakistan. L'Unicef a suggere que les autres Etats
du Nord-Soudan instituent des commissions analogues.   (D'apres
Misna, Italie, 15 novembre 1999)

* Sudan. The Archbishop of Khartoum addresses the Bishops of France 
-  In an address given to the Bishops of France at their plenary
session in Lourdes, 7 November, Archbishop Gabriel Zubeir Wako,
Archbishop of Khartoum said that the Archdiocese of Khartoum has
acquired a special place in the Church of the Sudan. It is host to
over two and a half million displaced persons. It is estimated that
of the nearly five million Christians in the Sudan (of whom about
three and a half million are Catholics), over a million Catholics
now inhabit the Archdiocese of Sudan. The Archbishop said that
despite this big number, "we, the Christians of the Sudan, feel we
have been forgotten by the rest of the Christian world, or, at
least, our problem has not been fully understood by the rest of the
Christian world". The Archbishop declared that the Church in the
Sudan is neither anti-Islam nor anti-government. It is a Church
that has set itself to witness in a divided and war-torn country to
Christ, who remains always a sign of contradiction.   (ANB-BIA,
Brussels, 16 November 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Sommet du Commonwealth  -  Le 12 novembre, s'est
ouvert a Durban le sommet du Commonwealth qui devra durer quatre
jours. Le president sud-africain Thabo Mbeki et le secretaire
sortant du Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku, ont accueilli les 47 chefs
de gouvernement du groupe et la reine Elisabeth d'Angleterre, chef
de cet ensemble de 54 membres en majorite anglophones. Selon M.
Anyaoku, le sommet aurait pour theme la quete d'une place pour les
communautes defavorisees dans l'economie mondiale. "La naissance
d'un nouveau siecle et d'un nouveau millenaire suggere la naissance
d'une nouvelle realite humaine, a declare M. Mbeki. La question a
laquelle nous devons repondre est de savoir si nous avons assez
d'imagination pour definir ce que devrait etre cette realite". - Le
14 novembre, les chefs de gouvernement du Commonwealth ont appele
les prochaines negociations sur le commerce mondial a garantir un
acces accru aux marches globaux pour les pays en developpement.
Dans une Declaration sur la globalisation et un developpement base
sur les peuples, le Commonwealth appelle les negociations de l'OMC
de Seattle "a viser un meilleur acces aux marches agricoles,
industriels et de services, beneficiant a tous, particulierement
aux pays en developpement".   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 15
novembre 1999)

* Soudan. Aide dans les montagnes Nouba  -  A la suite d'une
mission humanitaire effectuee dans les montagnes Nouba en
collaboration avec le gouvernement soudanais et le SPLA, le
programme humanitaire de l'Onu pour le Soudan comprendra l'annee
prochaine, pour la premiere fois, un volet d'assistance
multisectorielle en faveur des populations des montagnes Nouba, a
declare l'Onu le 10 novembre. Le programme, dont le budget est
estime a 10 millions de dollars, visera a "satisfaire les besoins
humanitaires essentiels ainsi que les activites a moyen terme de
rehabilitation et de reconstruction".   (IRIN, Nairobi, 12 novembre
1999)

* Swaziland. Politics-Bomb explosion  -  Slowly, agonizingly the
once dubbed oasis of peace in Africa, the Kingdom of Swaziland is
sliding into civil strife. In the early morning hours of Friday, on
12 November, another powerful bomb blast rocked Mahlanya Inkhundla
(Constituency), five kilometres away from the traditional
headquarters of Ludzidzini Royal Residence, just a year after the
bomb explosion at the Deputy Prime Minister's offices, the
Tinkhundla Headquarters, claiming an innocent life of a security
officer, Melika Zwane. The sleepy Mahlanya community was suddenly
awakened by a booming bomb explosion, which reduced the Mahlanya
Inkhundla building to a pile of rubble. It also destroyed property
worth over Emalangeni (E) 150 000. Following this bomb blast, the
Royal Swaziland Police have put aside E 250 000 as a reward for
people who will furnish them with information leading to the arrest
of the bombers. This bomb explosion marked the anniversary of the
first explosion in a similar style, but only avoided the loss of
human life. A local bomb expert, Superintendent Sonias Dludlu, who
headed the police team that carried out the inspection at the
destroyed offices found some similarities in the bomb components
that exploded at the DPM's office last year and the one at the
Mahlanya Inkhundla office.   (Vuyisile Hlatshwayo, ANB-BIA,
Swaziland, 15 Nov 1999)

* Swaziland. EU withdraws funds from Swazi Constitutional
Commission  -  The European Union has withdrawn a grant of 2
million Lilangeni from Swaziland's Constitutional Review Commission
following its failure to meet a set deadline. The grant had been
for a civic education exercise, but the Commission failed to
utilise the grant before the 30 October deadline. Swaziland, which
is a kingdom, is reviewing its Constitution to pave the way for
political pluralism. The Commission's chairperson, Prince
Mangaliso, confirmed the loss of the donation, saying it had to
drop the idea of civic education after its failure to meet the
conditions set by the union. One of the conditions was that the
Commission should hire professionals, including civic education
advisors, educators and support staff during the civic education
programme, which was to run concurrently with the last phase of the
Commission's public submission collection. The grant has been
shrouded in controversy after the Commission failed to adhere to
certain terms of the contract. Efforts were made by the commission
to meet some of the terms, which were overlooked during the
original civic education exercise, but the deadline worked against
it. Mangaliso, however, said he expected the union to pay some of
the expenses because the commission met some terms of the contract. 
 (Vuyisile Hlatshwayo, PANA, 11 November 1999)

* Tanzania. Refugees sell food rations  -  Dar es Salaam's Daily
Mail reported on 2 November, that Congolese refugees living in
Nyarugusu and Lugufu Camps in Kigoma region have to sell their food
rations so as to pay for their children's education. Parents feel
obliged to part with the little food they have, to local people, so
as to raise fees for their children who are attending secondary
school in the refugee camps. There are a total of 11 such secondary
schools run by the refugees themselves. There are also a few
primary schools and no colleges, so those who were forced to cut
short their university studies in Congo because of the war, have
nowhere to go.   (Daily Mail, Tanzania, 2 November 1999)

* Tanzania. Privatisation body's mandate prolonged  -  The
Tanzanian parliament has extended the tenure of the country's
privatisation agency for four years. The House on 10 November
passed a bill presented by finance Minister Daniel Yona, to enable
the Parastatal Sector Reform Commission, the agency entrusted with
selling state assets, to complete the divestiture. The Commission
was created in 1993 with a mandate to privatise close to 400 state-
owned companies. But at the end of December 1998 it had privatised
only about half of the assets and was given up to December to
complete the job. However, Yona told parliament that the
divestiture will not be completed as initially planned, and that
the Commission needed at least four more years. By October, it had
divested 263 out of 395 parastatals earmarked for privatisation,
which meant 40 percent of the work remained to be done, according
to the minister. The remaining include infrastructure companies
like Tanzania Telecommunications Company, Tanzania Electric Supply
Company, Air Tanzania Corporation, National Insurance Corporation,
National Microfinance Bank, Tanzania Harbours Authority and Dar Es
Salaam Water and Sanitation Authority. The privatisation process
has involved outright sale, lease and management contract.   (PANA,
Dakar, 11 November 1999)

* Tchad. Petrole: le projet en danger  -  Les compagnies Shell et
Elf ont decide de se retirer du projet d'exploitation du petrole du
bassin de Doba, a annonce le gouvernement tchadien le 9 novembre,
d'apres le quotidien Le Monde. La decision aurait ete prise la
veille a la suite d'une reunion d'evaluation entre le gouvernement
et les deux societes qui detiennent respectivement 40 et 20% des
parts du projet. "Le caractere brusque de ces decisions laissent
penser qu'elles ne sont dictees ni par des raisons economiques, ni
par des considerations techniques. Ce lachage ne vise qu'un seul
but, a savoir compromettre la realisation du projet", indique un
communique officiel. Cependant, selon le Financial Times, les
compagnies ont precise leurs positions quelques heures apres ce
communique. Shell affirmait qu'elle allait revoir sa participation,
alors que Elf disait qu'elle n'avait pas encore pris de decision.
Les gisements de Doba sont estimes a 25 ans de production. Le
petrole devait etre achemine au terminal de Kibri (Cameroun) par un
oleoduc. Le projet rencontre de fortes oppositions d'organisations
de defence de l'environnement et des droits de l'homme.   (ANB-BIA,
de sources diverses, 11 novembre 1999)

* Tchad. Future of pipeline project in doubt  -  11 November: The
future of the controversial Chad-Cameroon oil development project
and pipeline was in doubt yesterday after Exxon announced it was
"considering changes" in the consortium which has planned to
undertake the venture. Royal/Dutch Shell which like Exxon, holds a
40% share, said it was reviewing its participation, and Elf, which
has a 20% share, said it had not yet made a decision on whether to
pull out of the $3.5 billion project. The companies issued
statements hours after the government of Chad said they had
"unexpectedly made known their decision to stop funding the Doba
oil project in southern Chad".   (Financial Times, UK, 11 November
1999)

* Togo. Enquete et crise economique  -  Dans un nouveau rapport
intitule "Togo. Il est temps de rendre des comptes", Amnesty
International souligne "l'urgence d'une commission d'enquete
internationale" au pays du general-president Eyadema, au pouvoir
depuis 33 ans. Engage depuis six mois dans une polemique avec le
gouvernement togolais, qui poursuit Amnesty en justice pour
"diffamation" et accepte la venue d'une commission d'enquete des
Nations unies, l'organisme de defense des droits de l'homme
renouvelle ses accusations contenues dans un rapport publie en mai,
selon lequel "des centaines de cadavres" auraient ete jetes a la
mer peu apres la presidentielle d'aout 1998. - D'autre part, prive
d'aide exterieure, le Togo s'enfonce dans la crise economique.
Suite aux troubles politiques, la quasi-totalite de l'aide
exterieure a ete suspendue depuis 1993, et le FMI et la Banque
mondiale ont egalement suspendu toute aide en 1998. La situation
entraine des mouvements sociaux, notamment dans l'education
nationale. La plupart des enseignants n'ont pas repris les cours a
la rentree pour exiger le paiement des arrieres. Le 8 novembre,
etudiants et enseignants ont manifeste a Lome. La plupart des
bailleurs de fonds internationaux semblent disposes a reprendre
leur cooperation, mais l'Union europeenne et les Etats-Unis exigent
la normalisation de la situation politique avant toute reprise.  
(ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16 novembre 1999)

* Togo. "Time for Truth and Justice"  -  In a Press Release,
Amnesty International calls for a Commission of Inquiry into human
rights abuses in Togo. In its Report, Amnesty International
documents the continued human rights violations in Togo and
confirms earlier reports that bodies were washed up on the beaches
of Togo and Benin, as well as being seen floating in the sea around
Benin for at least four days, following the June 1998 presidential
elections. The Togolese authorities have finally accepted the
establishment of an international Commission of Inquiry.   (ANB-
BIA, Brussels, 17 November 1999)

* Tunisia. Political prisoners released  -  The London-based human
rights organisation, Amnesty International, says that Tunisia has
released some six hundred political prisoners. The prisoners, most
of whom are alleged members of the Islamic Al-Nahda movement, have
been released to mark the twelfth anniversary of President Zine El
Abidine Ben Ali's accession to power. The human rights group said
the government's latest move could symbolise the beginning of a new
era if they were followed by significant measures to change human
rights practices.   (BBC News, 10 November 1999)

* Tunisie. Grace presidentielle  -  Le 6 novembre, plusieurs
militants de gauche et des islamistes ont ete relaches et places en
liberte conditionnelle dans le cadre d'une mesure de grace
presidentielle, a annonce le Comite pour le respect des libertes et
des droits de l'homme en Tunisie. La grace presidentielle aurait
touche au moins cinq militants du Parti ouvrier communiste tunisien
(extreme gauche) et des prisonniers d'obedience islamiste du
mouvement Ennhada.   (Le Monde, France, 11 novembre 1999)

* Tunisie. Distribution de journaux francais suspendue  -  Depuis
le 21 octobre, Le Monde, Liberation et France-Soir, ainsi que des
magazines d'actualite ne sont plus distribues en Tunisie; le Figaro
est distribue avec un jour de retard. La television est egalement
touchee. Les emissions de France 2, apres avoir ete brouillees une
journee, ont ete suspendues depuis l'election presidentielle du 24
octobre marquee par la reelection du president Ben Ali avec plus de
99% des suffrages.   (D'apres Le Monde, France, 13 novembre 1999)

* Tunisie. Nouveau gouvernement  -  Le 17 novembre, le president
Ben Ali a forme un nouveau gouvernement, a la tete duquel se trouve
un economiste de 58 ans, Mohamed Ghannouchi. Celui-ci remplace
Hamed Karoui, 72 ans, Premier ministre pendant dix ans. Une des
taches prioritaires de ce gouvernement sera de gagner le pari de
l'emploi. Un Fonds national devra creer des emplois dans ce pays
qui accuse un taux de chomage officiel de 15,6% (20% selon les
milieux economiques internationaux). Le nouveau gouvernement compte
27 ministres et 14 secretaires d'Etat, dont quatre femmes. M. Habib
Ben Yahia, ministre de la Defense dans l'ancien cabinet, a ete
nomme ministre des Affaires etrangeres. Par ailleurs, un ministere
charge des Droits de l'homme, de la Communication et des relations
avec le Parlement a ete cree.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 18
novembre 1999)

* Uganda. Bizimungu, Museveni to unite Congo RDC rebels  -  On 8
November, Uganda and Rwanda agreed to unite the various rebel
factions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They also agreed to
facilitate the rebel representatives on the Joint Military
Commission, set up under the Lusaka Peace agreement. Rwanda
supports the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) rebels based in
Goma who are hostile to Uganda-backed RCD-Kisangani and the
Congolese Liberation Movement led by Jean Pierre Bemba. The Rwandan
President, Pasteur Bizimungu, accompanied by Vice-President Paul
Kagame and several ministers, had attended, on 8 November, a one-
day meeting in Uganda at the invitation of President Yoweri
Museveni. The talks lasted five hours at Kabale's White Horse Inn.
Kagame arrived first in a fleet of unregistered vehicles. He came
through the Katuna border post and was received by Mr Amama
Mbabazi, State Minister for Regional Cooperation. Bizimungu and
Museveni each came in army helicopters. A UPDF brass band played
and both leaders inspected the guard of honour. Both leaders agreed
to help the Congolese rebels harmonise their positions on the
forthcoming negotiations on the future of Congo. Museveni told the
press that the army chiefs from both countries had formally handed
over to them (Museveni and Bizimungu) the probe report on clashes
in Kisangani last August.   (Emmy Allio and James Mujuni, The New
Vision, Uganda, 9 November 1999)

* Zambia. President reshuffles his cabinet  -  In a move that
surprised political pundits, Zambian President Frederick Chiluba on
10 November moved his Health Minister Nkandu Luo to Transport and
Communications and appointed the Commerce Minister David Mpamba as
Minister of Health. Professor Luo is a medical doctor and Mpamba is
an accountant by profession. In the mini cabinet reshuffle, Chiluba
also dismissed two deputy ministers, Michael Mabenga and Bernard
Mpundu. Deputy Agriculture Minister Ackson Sijane has been promoted
as Local Government Minister, filling the vacancy left by the late
Bennie Mwiinga who died after a short illness in a South African
clinic last month. Communications Minister David Saviye has been
transferred to Environment, succeeding William Harrington who moves
to Commerce to replace David Mpamba. Chiluba did not give any
reasons for the changes.   (Africa Press Bureau, Johannesburg, 11
Nov. 1999)

* Zambia Improvement in exports to European market  -  Zambia has
increased the volume of its exports of non-traditional goods to
Europe to a level now reaching more than US $100 million, the
Export Board of Zambia (EBZ) said on 15 November. According to the
EBZ, the European Union in general has become the largest market
for Zambian non-traditional exports such as flowers, textiles,
tobacco, coffee, cotton and vegetables. Of these items, high value
crops have been identified as paprika, marigold, essential oils,
herbs, spices and roses which are normally move to Europe on
special air charter flights arranged by the Zambia Export Growers'
Association. "Currently the European market is the biggest foreign
exchange earner for non-traditional exports, bring into Zambia US
$106.4 in 1998," the EBZ said. By comparison, the Common Market for
Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), earned Zambia US $86.5
million while exports to Asia earned Zambia 27.9 million dollars.
The UK has become Zambia's largest single market in the EU followed
by Germany and the Netherlands. Zambia's entry into the EU market
was negotiated under the Lome Convention between 15 EU member
states and 71 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries in different
economic sectors. Under the Lome IV Convention, the EU has given
Zambia a grant of about US $10 million through the Export
Development Programme, a medium term development programme targeted
at five sub-sectors of the Zambian non-traditional export sector. 
 (Africa Press Bureau, Johannesburg, 16 Nov. 1999)

* Zimbabwe Human rights report "rubbished"  -  Zimbabwe says a
report criticising its human rights record is "utter rubbish". The
report, put together by an independent think tank, the Foreign
Policy Centre, says Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia and Sri Lanka should be
expelled from the Commonwealth if they do not improve the treatment
of their citizens. Zimbabwe's response came in comments by the
Foreign Minister, Stan Mudenge, to the official Herald newspaper.
"This is ridiculous and utter rubbish. The report was prepared by
young toddlers trying to come to grips with important international
relations", Mudenge said. "I saw the report. There was no substance
to it and all I did was crumple it and throw it into the trash can.
That is where it belongs", he said. The London-based Daily
Telegraph said when it published the report on 8 November, that it
would be released at the forthcoming Commonwealth Summit in South
Africa. But Mr Mudenge said that this would not happen.   (BBC
News, 10 November 1999)

* Zimbabwe ZimRights releases report on 1980s atrocities  - 
Zimbabwe's human rights watchdog, Zimrights, has released a report
containing evidence of politically-motivated acts during violence
that rocked Matabeleland and the Midlands in the early 1980s and
which human rights activities this week said could be used by the
victims to push for compensation from the state. The 184þpage
report, entitled "Choosing the Path to Peace and Development -þ
Coming to Terms with the Human Rights Violation of 1982 to 1987 in
Matabeleland and the Midlands", provides detailed information as
well as a comprehensive insight into what happened during the civil
strife in both provinces. The report estimates that 7,000 people
died due to the fighting between government troops and a handful of
rebels, widely thought to be sympathetic to the late vice president
Joshua Nkomo. "I hope the government will read the report, which I
find enlightening", said Catholic Bishop Pius Ncube. "But we are
dealing with an arrogant government that might not take the report
seriously. Nonetheless, it gives us another view of what really
happened during those dark years.   (Financial Gazette, Zimbabwe,
11 November 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Doctors' strike  -  The strike (21 September-4
November) by more than 400 government doctors drew sharp criticism
for the government from both Press and public, who feel the
government should have moved in swiftly to end the industrial
action. The Financial Gazette demanded the government's immediate
resignation. Why? Because "instead of swiftly moving to end the
strike, the second in three years, the government has resorted to
its tactics of old -- dithering and doing as little as possible in
the faint hope the dispute will eventually disappear". The paper,
which echoed the sentiments of the independent media, including the
Zimbabwe Independent and The Daily News said that hapless patients,
most of them poor, have died, while others are staring death in the
face. It accused the government of going on "a public relations
offensive to tell a numbed nation that it cannot meet the strikers'
demands for better pay because it has no money". The Financial
Gazette questioned the government's sincerity in addressing the
strike action, saying that if the government has money to deploy
troops, tanks and jets in Congo RDC for 14 months at a cost of US
$42 million, why can't it find the money to pay its long-suffering
doctors whose plight has forced them onto the streets for the
fourth time in ten years.   (Simba Chabarika, ANB-BIA, Zimbabwe, 5
Nov. 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Judiciary's independence threatened?  -  The government
and its supporters are outraged by what they believe were lenient
sentences passed on the three Americans who had been arrested at
Harare International Airport on 7 March, carrying offensive
weapons. But critics have branded the government's outbursts as
"incautious statements", further denting Zimbabwe's credibility as
a country that honours its judiciary and upholds the rule of law.
In September, a High Court Judge had sentenced the three Americans
to a total of 27 months each in jail. The six months already served
since their detention on 7 March, plus two concurrent six-months
terms, plus nine months suspended sentence, were all subtracted
from the total, leaving the Americans to serve just six months in
jail. This means, they will be home by Christmas. The Justice took
into account that the three accused had been subjected to torture
whilst held by the police and prison authorities. However, the
Attorney-General attacked the Judge's ruling, saying it trivialised
the seriousness of the offenses. He said the government will be
appealing to the Supreme Court for a review of the sentences. The
government controlled daily, The Herald, claimed that the trio "got
away with a light sentence simply because they are white".  
(Tendai Madinah, ANB-BIA, Zimbabwe, 3 Nov. 1999)