ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belg
TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: anb-
bia@village.uunet.be
_____________________________________________________________
WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 09-12-1999  

* Afrique. Eradiquer l'esclavage  -  "La persistance de
l'esclavage, a une epoque de progres dans le respect des droits
humains, est absurde", a declare le secretaire general de l'Onu
dans un communique publie le 2 decembre, a l'occasion de la
journee mondiale de l'Abolition de l'esclavage. Bien que les lois
l'interdisent, cette pratique existe toujours sous de nombreuses
formes, note M. Kofi Annan. Ce sont notamment l'esclavage
traditionnel par possession, le travail force, la servitude, le
travail des enfants, le travail migrant, le travail domestique,
et l'esclavage a des fins rituelles ou religieuses.   (IRIN,
Abidjan, 2 decembre 1999)

* Afrique. OMC: victoire pour les pays pauvres  -  Le 3 decembre,
la plupart des pays en developpement ont commente avec
soulagement et satisfaction l'echec des negociations de
l'Organisation mondiale du commerce a Seattle. La resistance
affichee par une majorite d'entre eux aura paye. Des le 2
decembre, les pays africains avaient denonce avec violence leur
marginalisation dans le processus de negociation. Et
l'Organisation de l'unite africaine, qui regroupe 52 pays, avait
publie un communique dans lequel elle menacait de ne pas signer
le projet d'accord que leur presenterait l'OMC. "Il n'y a aucune
transparence dans les procedures et les pays africains sont
marginalises et en general exclus des questions d'une importance
vitale pour nos peuples et notre avenir", precisait le
communique.   (D'apres Le Monde, France, 5 decembre 1999)

* Africa. AIDS orphans portend catastrophic future in Africa  - 
A United Nations report shattered notions that the AIDS epidemic
is subsiding worldwide and raised an even more alarming spectre:
the effect of the disease on children and implications for the
future in parts of the world. The report contains dire
predictions, particularly for Africa, where experts say the
impact, present and future, of millions of children orphaned by
AIDS and abandoned is tearing at the very fabric of the entire
continent. According to the new report by UNICEF and UNAIDS,
Africa has been overwhelmed by AIDS orphans -þ more than 10
million. The epidemic has yet to peak, and the numbers are
expected to grow massively. In Zambia alone, more than 360,000
children þ one in 10 of the total population -þ have lost either
their mother or both parents to AIDS. With resources already
stretched to the breaking point, many of these Third World
countries þ- with the focus in eastern and southern Africa þ have
been forced to leave millions of these youngsters to fend for
themselves. Poor, malnourished, uneducated and unwanted, they
represent a social plague yet to come. Sources say the social
indicators for infant mortality and malnutrition in many of these
countries is equivalent to countries that have been at war for
10 or more years. The UN report said 33 million people worldwide
are currently living with AIDS. The overwhelming majority are in
Africa. Subsequently, this is where the majority of orphans are
found. With nowhere else to go, thousands, for example, have
flooded the streets of Zambia's capital Lusaka.   (CNN, 6
December 1999)

* Afrique. Droits de l'homme  -  L'Observatoire pour la
protection des defenseurs des droits de l'homme a publie, le 7
decembre, son deuxieme rapport annuel. Entre novembre 1998 et
octobre 1999, on compte au moins 200 defenseurs des droits de
l'homme mis a mal en raison de leurs actions. Si le bilan de ce
rapport est peu rejouissant dans l'ensemble des pays, il est
encore plus alarmant pour l'Afrique, veritable continent
"martyr". Ainsi, la Republique democratique du Congo arrive en
tete quant au nombre d'arrestations ou de detentions arbitraires,
avec quinze cas recenses cette annee sur l'ensemble du
territoire. Bon nombre de pays sont le theatre d'affrontements
sanglants, comme l'Angola, le Congo-Brazzaville, le Soudan.
Autant de terres peu propices au respect des droits de l'homme. 
 (La Libre Belgique, 8 decembre 1999)

* West Africa. UEMOA: Single Customs Territory  -  The eight
member of the states of the West African Economic and Monetary
Union (UEMOA) comprising Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire,
Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo will become a single
customs territory effective 1 January, 2000. This is en entity
covering a land area of over 3 million 500,000 sq. km and a
market of 70 million consumers. The union, known as UEMOA, was
established 10 January 1994 in Dakar to strengthen the
competitiveness of economic and financial activities of member
states in an open and competitive market and rationalised and
harmonised legal environment. It must also ensure the convergence
of the economic performances of member countries, establish
between member states a common market based on the free movement
of people, goods, services, capital and the right of people to
exercise unpaid or paid activity, as well as a on a common
external tariff. The aim of UEMOA is also to harmonise the
legislations of member states, and particularly the fiscal regime
and to institute a co-ordination of national sectional policies.
The establishment of UEMOA was in line with the strategy adopted
by members states following the devaluation of the CFA franc on
11 January 1994 in Dakar. After the devaluation of the common
currency, two major events appeared to be dreadful including that
of 1 January 1999, the date when the Euro came into force and
threatened a new devaluation of the CFA. The coming into force,
1 January, 2000 of all the Marrakech accords, with the result of
the globalisation of the economy and increased competition, was
also cause for concern for UEMOA member states.   (Afeto Kuma,
PANA, 5 December 1999)

* Africa/USA. Holbrooke's Africa peace tour  -  2 December: The
American ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Holbrooke, has
gone to Angola on the second stage of his tour of African Nation.
As he left Mali, he said control of the movement of weapons was
essential to peace and security in Africa. A focus of his tour
will be promoting the peace process in Congo RDC, visiting
countries supporting both sides in the conflict there. 4
December: In Namibia, Holbrooke says he is worried that the
fragile ceasefire agreement in Congo RDC is falling apart and
that the failing peace must be revived as soon as possible. 5
December: Former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa meets
with Holbrooke for discussions which are to include events in
East Timor, Burundi and the Middle East. 6 December: Richard
Holbrooke is due to address guests of the United States, United
Nations and Africa at a meeting in Pretoria, South Africa. He
leaves for Zimbabwe later today. 7 December: Holbrooke has talks
with Zimbabwe's President Mugabe on the faltering peace process
in Congo RDC.   (BBC News, 8 December 1999

* Algerie. Violences  -  Le 2 decembre, onze nomades, parmi
lesquels des enfants et des femmes, ont ete assassines par un
groupe terroriste dans leur campement dans le sud du pays pres
de Laghouat. D'autre part, seize personnes d'un important groupe
de terroristes ont ete tuees pres de Chlef, lors d'une vaste
operation des forces de l'ordre dans cette region ou ont ete
perpetres de nombreux attentats ces dernieres semaines. A
quelques jours du ramadan, qui commencera cette annee le 8
decembre, les groupes islamistes multiplient les attentats, alors
que les forces de l'ordre reagissent en lancant d'importantes
operations de ratissage. - Le 7 decembre, la presse algerienne
rapportait que huit personnes, dont un policier et un membre des
groupes de legitime defense, ont ete assassines ces deux derniers
jours au cours de trois attentats, a Khemis Miliana (100 km a
l'ouest d'Alger), Keddara (80 km a l'est d'Alger) et Constantine
(450 km a l'est d'Alger).   (D'apres AP, 3 et 7 decembre 1999)

* Algeria. Call to end truce  -  The jailed leader of the
outlawed Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in Algeria, Abassi Madani,
has called for an end to political co-operation with President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika. In a letter from house arrest, quoted by
Qatari satellite TV, Mr Madani accused the president of reneging
on promise of reconciliation with his party. He also criticised
the agreement between the armed wing of the front and the army
under which they jointly fight against militants of the Armed
Islamic Group, which refuses to observe a two-year-old truce. BBC
North Africa correspondent Heba Saleh says Mr Madani's call is
a sign of the frustration felt by FIS leaders at the authorities'
failure to allow the party to resume political activity. Mr
Madani gave his support to the peace initiative in June. He urged
his followers to do likewise. President Bouteflika has given
those rebels who not lay down their arms until 13 January 2000
to surrender as part of a peace plan.   (BBC News, 7 December
1999

* Algerie. Madani hausse le ton  -  Dans une lettre rendue
publique le 7 decembre, Abassi Madani, un des trois principaux
dirigeants du FIS, en residence surveillee depuis 1997 et qui
avait soutenu la "concorde civile" du president Bouteflika en
appelant a la reddition des groupes armes, s'eleve contre "la
mauvaise foi" du president qui a "renie ses engagements". Il
poursuit: "Nous demandons a ceux qui ont suivi cette voie par
erreur de revenir sur leur decision et de se distancer de cette
reddition". M. Madani affirme cependant qu'il reste ouvert a un
"dialogue serieux" qui reunirait "toutes" les parties
responsables. Cette lettre, adressee fin novembre a plusieurs
responsables islamistes, a ete rendue publique a la veille de
l'ouverture du ramadan dans un climat de recrudescence de la
violence. Depuis le debut de novembre, plus de 200 personnes ont
trouve la mort, ce qui fragilise encore un peu plus l'espoir d'un
retour a la paix.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 9 decembre
1999)

* Angola. Oil firms funding conflict  -  The British pressure
group, Global Witness, has launched a campaign aimed at stopping
Angola's lucrative oil revenue from being used to fund the long-
running war there. The prime targets of the campaign are British,
French and United States oil companies, which the pressure group
says should work together with the international community to
promote transparency in where the money goes. The group claims
the money buys new weapons and goes into the pockets of Angola's
super-rich ruling elite. Angola's people are among the very
poorest of the poor. Some 80% are living below the poverty line,
and they can hope to survive only until the age of 42. Some are
starving to death in areas most affected by the war. This, Global
Witness says, is unacceptable in what is potentially one of the
richest countries in the world. Angola produces 750,000 barrels
of superb quality oil a day and this is set to almost double in
the next century, when recent discoveries are fully exploited by
Western oil companies. It is these companies that Global Witness
wants to work in coalition with the International Monetary Fund,
to make sure that the Angolan people get to see at least some of
their wealth.   (BBC News, 05-12-99

* Burkina Faso. Anniversaire de la mort de Zongo  -  A l'occasion
du premier anniversaire de la mort du journaliste Norbert Zongo,
le 13 decembre 1998, Reporters sans frontieres rend public un
rapport qui fait le point sur les avancees de l'enquete et sur
les promesses faites par les autorites burkinabes pour elucider
cette affaire. "Le fait, constate l'organisation, qu'aucun des
six suspects cites par la Commission d'enquete independante n'ait
ete inculpe a ce jour, et que Francois Compaore, frere du chef
de l'Etat, n'ait meme pas ete entendu par le juge d'instruction,
temoigne que le pouvoir, malgre ses declarations, n'est toujours
pas decide a faire toute la lumiere sur cette affaire". RSF
s'inquiete egalement de la lenteur de la justice burkinabe.
Enfin, l'organisation recommande aux principaux bailleurs de
fonds "de faire pression sur les autorites de Ouagadougou pour
que toute la lumiere soit faite sur les assassinats de Norbert
Zongo et de ses trois compagnons".   (RSF, Paris, 7 decembre
1999)

* Burundi. Deplacements de population  -  Un document de l'OCHA
(Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) des Nations
unies a Bujumbura, date du 26 novembre, indique la situation
actuelle des populations dans les sites de deplaces et regroupes.
12% de la population burundaise, soit 795.000 personnes, se
trouvent dans de tels sites. La province de Bujumbura rural est
la plus touchee, avec 72% de sa population, soit 313.500 sur pres
de 437.000. Suivent la province de Bubanza, avec 54% de sa
population, la province de Makamba avec 24% et la province de
Bururi avec 20%.   (ANB-BIA, Bruxelles, 6 decembre 1999)

* Burundi. Peace negotiations  -  2 December: Regional leaders
in East and Southern Africa have urged the Burundian government
to close the camps it has set up for civilians in areas where
there is fighting. Judge Mark Bomani,a key figure in the Burundi
peace process, is to travel to South Africa to brief Mr Mandela
over the weekend. Judge Bomani worked closely with Julius
Nyerere, the former peace negotiator. 5 December: Nelson Mandela
says he will start a new round of peace talks in February, which
will include all sides in the civil war. "We can't sideline
anybody who can create instability in the country", he said.  
(ANB-BIA, Brussels, 6 December 1999)

* Burundi. Buyoya en Libye  -  Le 6 decembre, le president Buyoya
a quitte Bujumbura a destination de la Libye pour une visite
officielle de trois jours, au cours de laquelle il aura des
entretiens avec les autorites libyennes sur l'etat d'avancement
des mesures prises au mois de juillet dernier pour renforcer les
relations bilaterales. Avant son depart, M. Buyoya a rappele a
la presse que les deux pays avaient decide de retablir leurs
relations diplomatiques.   (Agence burundaise de presse, 6
decembre 1999)

* Burundi. Rebelles aux negociations  -  Nelson Mandela, nomme
recemment mediateur dans les pourparlers de paix sur le Burundi,
a annonce le 6 decembre qu'il voulait impliquer les rebelles hutu
dans ces discussions. "Nous devons trouver le moyen de les
integrer dans ces discussions, soit en les invitant a nous
rejoindre, soit en les recevant separement, mais nous ne pouvons
pas les ignorer", a souligne M. Mandela. L'ancien president sud-
africain a annonce que les negociations de paix reprendraient en
fevrier prochain.   (La Libre Belgique, 7 decembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Ougandais dans un parc national  -  Environ 200
familles ougandaises occupent depuis deux mois une partie du parc
national des Virunga, une aire protegee figurant depuis 15 ans
sur la liste du patrimoine mondial de l'humanite etablie par
l'Unesco. Accompagnes de 2.000 tetes de betail, ils se sont
installes dans la plaine de la Semliki, dans la province du Nord-
Kivu, occupee par les rebelles congolais et les armees de
l'Ouganda et du Rwanda. Le parc national des Virunga (8.000 kmý)
est le plus riche en biodiversite des parcs nationaux de la RDC;
la plaine de la Semliki est connue pour ses vestiges
archeologiques. Le mois dernier, le ministre congolais des
affaires foncieres avait alerte les instances du commerce mondial
sur l'exploitation massive d'une ecorce rare, le pignum
africanum, servant a soigner des complications de la prostate.
Les forces rebelles et leurs allies ougandais et rwandais en
exporteraient 20 tonnes par mois a partir de Lubero.   (D'apres
PANA, 7 decembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Conflit ethnique en Ituri  -  Selon un rapport
publie ce mois-ci par le groupe de defense des droits de l'homme
ASADHO, le conflit interethnique qui fait rage depuis plusieurs
mois dans le district d'Ituri, au nord-est du pays, entre Lendu
et Hema s'explique en partie par un manque de protection et de
confiance en l'Etat. Soulignant que les deux ethnies s'opposent
depuis des annees pour des questions foncieres, ASADHO declare
qu'au debut de septembre le conflit actuel avait deja fait au
moins 1.200 morts, mais que le bilan etait probablement beaucoup
plus lourd. A la mi-novembre, des dizaines de milliers
depersonnes avaient ete deplacees. La situation s'est exacerbee
par "l'attitude partisane" des troupes ougandaises dans la region
envers les Hema. ASADHO exhorte les troupes ougandaises et les
rebelles du RCD qui controlent la region, de garantir avec
impartialite la securite de tous les habitants de la region.  
(IRIN, Nairobi, 7 decembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Plenty of war: precious little peace  -  2
December: A senior Congolese official says that hundreds of UNITA
soldiers from Angola, are pouring across the border into Congo.
It is not yet clear whether Savimbi intends to attack Angola from
inside Congo, or plans to help remove Kabila. 3 December: A
spokesman for the rebel Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), says
Congolese soldiers have occupied the town of Bokungu after using
helicopters, boats and Antinov aircraft in a long offensive
against rebel positions. 7 December: RCD rebels have struck a
deal with the Zimbabwean Government enabling them to regain
Bokungu from Congolese government forces in exchange for
guarantees that Zimbabwean troops will receive food supplies.  
(ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 December 1999)

* Congo (RDC). La guerre reprend  -  2 decembre Un officier de
la Mission d'observation des Nations unies a declare qu'environ
2.000 soldats zimbabweens sont encercles par les rebelles
congolais a l'aeroport d'Ikela (au sud-ouest de Kisangani). "On
nous rapporte egalement que des combats se propagent d'est en
ouest autour de Basankusu", a-t-il ajoute. Le porte-parole des
forces etrangeres qui soutiennent Kabila a confirme ces
informations. Selon les rebelles, des soldats congolais et des
troupes de Namibie et d'Angola, se trouvent egalement a Ikela. -
 3 decembre. Les rebelles du RCD-Goma ont annonce avoir perdu la
veille la localite de Bokungu, qui verrouille l'acces a Ikela.
Bokungu, a environ 120 km d'Ikela, a ete prise par les forces
pro-Kabila. D'autre part, un communique de l'armee de Kinshasa
affirme que les rebelles congolais ont fait leur jonction avec
les forces angolaises de l'Unita dans l'ouest du pays, ou le
calme prevalait depuis aout 1998. Le president zambien Chiluba,
mediateur du conflit, a declare qu'il consulterait les pays
impliques et la commission militaire conjointe. L'Ouganda a
affirme que ces violations du cessez-le-feu ne remettaient pas
en cause le processus de paix, mais le Rwanda estime que plus le
temps passait plus les chances de paix s'amenuisaient. - 7
decembre. Selon l'agence Reuters, un accord serait intervenu
entre les forces pro-Kabila et les rebelles et le Rwanda: les
troupes gouvernementales et leurs allies se retireraient de
Bokungu, alors qu'en echange des couloirs seraient ouverts pour
approvisionner les soldats congolais, zimbabweens et namibiens
encercles a Ikela. Mais cet accord, entre le Rwanda et une
delegation d'officiers zimbabweens venus a Kigali, aurait ete
conclu par-dessus la tete du gouvernement Kabila. Par ailleurs,
des soldats d'origine angolaise, appartenant a l'Unita, ont ete
vus a Bukavu, d'ou ils ont ete diriges vers Uvira et Kalemie,
pour renforcer le front au Nord-Katanga.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 9 decembre 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Mandat d'arret contre Ouattara  -  Alassane
Ouattara, candidat aux presidentielles de 2000, mais accuse de
"faux et usage de faux" concernant ses cartes d'identite, a
appris le 8 decembre qu'il etait sous le coup d'un mandat d'arret
lance le 29 novembre par un juge d'instruction du tribunal
d'Abidjan. M. Ouattara, qui se trouve aujourd'hui en France, a
indique qu'il allait consulter ses avocats, mais la bataille
semble perdue. Il a desormais le choix entre l'exil et la prison. 
 (D'apres Liberation, France, 9 decembre 1999)

* Ethiopia. OAU's "Technical Arrangements"  -  After months of
studying mediation efforts to settle its border dispute with
Eritrea, Ethiopia has finally rejected the "technical
arrangements" approved by the July OAU summit in Algiers. The
country's prime minister, Meles Zenawi, rejected them in a rare
interview with state television on 6 December, the highlights of
which were published in the official press the following day. The
arrangements were made to complement the OAU's framework
agreement to resolve the Ethiopia-Eritrea border conflict which
broke out in mid-1998. Meles said he rejected the arrangements
on the grounds that they fail to ensure Ethiopia's sovereignty.
"Ethiopia will not kneel down to any pressure imposed on the
country to accept the technical arrangements, unless the document
is prepared to guarantee its sovereignty", Meles reiterated.  
(Ghion Hagos, PANA, 7 December 1999)

* Ethiopia/South Africa. Mengistu extradition  -  6 December: The
South African government says it is still reviewing a request
from Ethiopia for the extradition of the former Ethiopian
president, Mengistu Haile Mariam. A spokesman for the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the request was received on
Friday, but could not give any details of what was in it, or
whether South Africa would agree to it. "All developments in this
regard will be discussed with the Ethiopian authorities within
existing diplomatic channels", Mr Daniel Ngwepe said. Former
President Mengistu travelled to South Africa three weeks ago for
medical treatment, travelling on a Zimbabwean diplomatic passport
with a special visa. He has lived in exile in Zimbabwe since
fleeing Ethiopia in 1991 as rebel forces closed in on the capital
Addis Ababa. He has ruled Ethiopia for 17 years after
overthrowing Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974. The Ethiopian
Government wants Mr Mengistu to face charges of genocide and
crimes against humanity for the murder of thousands of opponents
of his military Marxist regime during its so-called "Red Terror"
campaign of 1977 and 1978. 7 December: Mengistu has now returned
to Zimbabwe.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 December 1999)

* Guinee-Bissau. Deuxieme tour  -  Un deuxieme tour sera
necessaire pour l'election presidentielle en Guinee-Bissau.
D'apres les resultats de l'election du 28 novembre, qui a vu une
participation record de 88%, Kumba Yala, le principal opposant,
arrive en tete (avec 38,46% des suffrages), devancant largement
le president sortant Malam Bacai Sanha (23,42%). La majorite
absolue n'ayant pas ete atteinte, les electeurs seront rappeles
aux urnes dans les premiers jours de janvier. - Pour les
elections legislatives, le Partido da Renovacao Social de Kumba
Yala arrive egalement en tete obtenant 37 des 102 sieges a
pourvoir, suivi du parti Resistencia da Guinea qui en obtient 27.
Le PAIGC, le parti qui a dirige le pays depuis l'independance,
n'a obtenu que 25 sieges.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 7
decembre 1999)

* Guinea-Bissau. Elections  -  2 December: The leading opposition
candidate in the presidential elections, Kumba Yala, claims
victory. However, many of the results still have to be officially
declared. 4 December: Guinea-Bissau will hold a second round of
presidential elections after the two leading candidates failed
to win an outright majority. These are Socialist Renewal party
leader Kumba Yala who won 30% of the first round votes, against
Malam Bacai Sanha, leader of the forming ruling African Party for
the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), who won 21%
of the votes, according to provisional results. 7 December: Final
results from the parliamentary election gives opposition leader
Kumba Yalla's Party for Social Renewal (PRS) 37 seats out of a
total of 102. The Resistance Party has 27 Seats; the governing
African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde
(PAIGC) -- 25 seats.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8 December 1999)

* Kenya. Moi criticises Somali warlords  -  President Moi of
Kenya has ordered Somalis from all factions to go back to Somalia
if they are not serious about trying to solve their problems and
form a government. In a speech on 2 December, Mr Moi repeated a
long-standing accusation that the influx of Somalis into Kenya
had led to an influx of guns. A correspondent for the BBC in
Nairobi says that Mr Moi's outburst against Somalis in Kenya, his
most vehement for some time, stems from the failure of his
attempts last month to bring Somali faction leaders together in
Nairobi for peace talks. Our correspondent says that some of the
Somali warlords refused to talk to each other, leaving Kenya with
little to show for its efforts except large hotel bills. A
regional summit a week ago, attended by President Moi, endorsed
a Djibouti peace plan for Somalia which aims to isolate the
warlords.   (BBC News, 2 December 1999

* Kenya. Kenya Airways/Air Afrique  -  Kenya Airways have entered
into a joint services agreement to enhance links western and
eastern Africa. The Kenya Airways marketing manager, Lucy Mbugua,
said that passengers travelling to destinations not served by the
airline would be served by Air Afrique. She added that the co-
operation will provide 17 new destinations for Kenya Airways. Air
Afrique's commercial director, Baba Abacha, said the launch of
its services to Nairobi had opened new opportunities in the east
African region for the west African business community. Air
Afrique has a strong presence in Francophone Africa. Meanwhile,
Air France will end all passenger services between Nairobi and
Paris in March, an official of the airline said, citing low
profitability for the five-day-a-week service. Benoit Desouches,
the company's general manager, said the airline will shift to
more profitable north Atlantic runs, but will continue operating
cargo flights to Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The
last Air France passenger flight from Nairobi will be 25 March.
Other major airlines that have recently ended passenger services
to Nairobi include Germany's Lufthansa and Olympic of Greece.  
(PANA, Dakar, 8 December 1999)

* Lesotho. Internal problems  -  Lesotho's Prime Minister
Pakalitha Mosisili on 3 December called on the international
community to join the small mountain kingdom in its efforts to
eradicate poverty and raise the economic standing of the Basotho
people. Speaking after the signing of an agreement between the
government and the Interim Political Authority (IPA) on
preparations for fresh elections next year, Mosisili said his
country was now "ready for a peaceful solution to its internal
problems". Mosisili said the signing of the agreement marked the
start of a new era in Lesotho's political culture which has
launched the country into the new millennium in the spirit of
peace. The agreement was signed by Mosisili, the co-chairpersons
of the IPA, Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano and chairman
of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and
representatives of the United Nations and the Commonwealth. The
agreement covered provisions for the review of the election
timetable, the appointment of new independent electoral
commissioners, the establishment of a security liaison committee,
and the promotion of communication between the IPA and the
government. It also covered issues of the establishment of a
joint media committee and the appointment of a joint
implementation committee. Mosisili said the presence of President
Chissano, who flew to Lesotho after casting his vote in
Mozambique's second democratic elections which started on 3
December was "a measure of his commitment to peace in the sub-
continent and in Africa as a whole". On a timetable for the next
election, the agreement declared that the four SADC countries of
Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe as well as the
Commonwealth would appoint an expert group to review the state
of preparations for the election. The agreement, however, did not
specify when Lesotho's next general election would be held but
said an expert group would advise on a realistic timetable for
the holding of the elections.   (Africa Press Bureau,
Johannesburg, 5 December 1999)

* Libye/Italie. Visite de M. D'Alema  -  Le Premier ministre
italien, Massimo D'Alema, a termine le 2 decembre une visite de
24 heures en Libye. M. D'Alema etait le premier chef de
gouvernement occidental a se rendre en Libye depuis 1992 et les
sanctions de l'Onu contre ce pays. A l'issue d'une rencontre avec
le colonel Kadhafi, une declaration commune a ete signee ou les
deux pays s'engagent a "lutter contre le terrorisme". M. D'Alema
a aussi exprime sa volonte de renforcer les relations entre
l'Italie, la Libye et la communaute europeenne. L'Italie,
ancienne puissance colonisatrice de la Libye, est son plus grand
partenaire commercial. Elle achete un quart de son petrole a ce
pays.   (D'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 3 decembre 1999)

* Libya. Italy pursues goal to increase Libya trade  -  On 2
December, Massimo D'Alema, Italy's prime minister sought to boost
his country's trade relationship with Libya, by becoming the
first western leader to hold talks with Colonel Gaddafi in
Tripoli for seven years. But although Italy is keen on doing
business with Libya following the recent suspension of United
Nations sanctions, Mr D'Alema carefully allayed US fears that Mr
Gaddafi might soon pay a return visit to Rome.   (Financial
Times, UK, 3 December 1999)

* Libye. Proces Lockerbie  -  Les deux suspects libyens qui
seront juges l'an prochain pour l'attentat de Lockerbie ont
demande l'abandon d'un des chefs d'inculpation retenus contre
eux, celui de conspiration pour meurtre, en invoquant le principe
d'extra-territorialite: la juridiction ecossaise serait
incompetente. Toutefois, selon le quotidien britannique The
Independant du 6 decembre, les procureurs ecossais se sont rendus
aux Etats-Unis pour interroger un temoin, un Libyen refugie, qui
affirme avoir vu les deux accuses preparer une bombe. Sa
credibilite serait cruciale pour le proces. - Le 8 decembre, lors
d'une audience preliminaire du tribunal, l'ouverture du proces,
prevue pour le 2 fevrier prochain, a ete reportee au 3 mai, apres
l'octroi d'un nouveau delai a la defense. Les avocats ont
cependant echoue a faire annuler l'inculpation de "complot",
l'une des trois charges retenues contre leurs clients.   (ANB-
BIA, de sources diverses, 9 decembre 1999)

* Malawi. Anti-drugs campaign  -  The Malawi Police, through its
anti-drug section, is on a nationwide campaign arresting drug
dealers, following rumours that the acute shortage of drugs in
Malawi's hospitals is because some hospital staff are selling the
drugs to outsiders. Various drug vendors have been arrested in
the main cities. Also, some hospital staff have been arrested. 
 (Binson Musongole, ANB-BIA, Malawi, 2 December 1999)

* Malawi. Re-introduction of a constitutional provision  - 
Dissatisfied with an undesirable performance by Members of
Parliament, the Livingstonia Synod of the Church of Central
Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) in the northern part of the country,
has undertaken a move to lobby for the re-introduction of Section
64 of the Constitution which empowered constituents to recall
their MPs who had failed to deliver the expected goods. The
country's 193-member parliament had repealed the provision in
1995, claiming that a poor country like Malawi could not afford
the "luxury" of holding by-elections regularly when an MP had
been recalled by his constituents. The Synod general-secretary,
rev. Overtin Mazunda said the scrapping of the provision as a
serious betrayal of the electorate, since it was done without any
consultation with them.   (Prince Jamali, ANB-BIA, Malawi, 2
December 1999)

* Mali. Commodity prices rise ahead of Ramadan  -  Prices of
certain essential commodities such as cooking oil, sugar and
cereals have shot up in Mali before the beginning of the Muslim
fasting month, Ramadan. According to a survey published on 8
December, by the independent daily, Info-Matin, the price of a
litre of cooking oil rose from 750 to 900 or 1,000 CFA francs,
while the 100-litre drum has risen to 16,000 francs from 12,500
francs. Meanwhile, the 50-kg bag of sugar rose from 14,500 to
22,500 francs, then to 27,000 francs. The price of millet and
sorghum have also shot up. The Malian government usually grants
tax exemptions to major importers of cooking oil, rice, sugar and
cereals in order to stabilise the market at the beginning of the
fasting period.   (PANA, Dakar, 8 December 1999)

* Maroc/UE. Fin de l'accord de peche  -  L'accord de peche qui
lie le Maroc a l'Union europeenne arrivait a echeance le 30
novembre. Il n'a pas ete renouvele a temps. Les pecheurs
europeens, surtout espagnols, sont donc contraints de quitter les
eaux marocaines. Officiellement, le Maroc ne veut pas renouveler
l'accord en l'etat, mais veut reactiver son propre secteur de
peche qui emploie 400.000 personnes. Mais l'an prochain, les
Quinze et le royaume doivent renegocier les quotas d'importation
de produits marocains dans l'Union. Sans doute, le Maroc attend-
il des concessions sur ses produits agricoles.   (D'apres La
Croix, France, 2 decembre 1999)

* Maroc. Justice et Verite  -  L'assocation Justice et Verite,
regroupant les victimes de la repression et leurs familles, des
partis politiques de gauche et des organisations non
gouvernementales, a ete creee cette semaine a Casablanca. Elle
s'est donne comme objectif de faire toute "la lumiere sur les
violations des droits de l'homme depuis l'independance, sur les
disparitions, et traduire en justice les coupables".   (La Croix,
France, 3 decembre 1999)

* Mozambique. Elections  -  Les elections presidentielles et
legislatives des 3 et 4 decembre ont ete prolongees d'un jour.
Les bureaux de vote ont ete fermes le dimanche soir, 5 decembre.
Les Mozambicains ont vote dans le calme; la participation
pourrait etre de 88%. Le parti d'opposition Renamo a parle de
fraudes electorales, mais selon l'Union europeenne, "si, au pire,
quelqu'un reussissait a frauder, le resultat serait peu
significtaif a l'echelle nationale". Selon les observateurs, le
president sortant Joaquim Chissano est pratiquement certain
d'etre reelu, mais il pourrait etre contraint a une cohabitation
avec l'opposition qui parie sur une victoire aux legislatives. 
 (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 6 decembre 1999)

* Mozambique. Elections  -  3 December: Mozambique's 7.1 million
voters will make history at the weekend by becoming one of the
few African electorates to possibly vote out of power the party
that has governed them since independence. Frelimo is politically
vulnerable and may lose its parliamentary majority in the
presidential and parliamentary elections being held today and
tomorrow. This is Mozambique's second democratic election. Early
indications suggest that the turnout will be high. 4 December:
Second day of elections. 5 December: Voting has finally ended
after being extended for an extra day. The unscheduled third day
was declared by electoral officials after polling stations in
some provinces opened late on 4 December because of heavy rain.
Election officials said that polling had gone well, with an
estimated 80% turnout of the seven million Mozambicans eligible
to vote. 6 December: International observers hail the elections
as free and fair but expressed concern at the way electoral
officials handled complaints by the main opposition. 7 December:
Early results show that President Chissano's governing Frelimo
party is leading in many provinces.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 8
December 1999)

* Namibie. Triomphe electoral  -  Le president namibien sortant,
Sam Nujoma, et son parti la SWAPO ont ete triomphalement
reconduits au pouvoir avec plus de 75% des voix, selon les
resultats presque complets des elections des 30 novembre et 1er
decembre. Neuf ans apres l'independance, cette hegemonie du parti
de Sam Nujoma inquiete l'opposition, mais egalement les
analystes: avec une majorite superieure au seuil des deux tiers,
la SWAPO a desormais les mains libres pour amender la
Constitution. Et certains redoutent de voir s'installer de facto
un systeme a parti unique.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 7 decembre 1999)

* Namibia. Elections  -  2 December: Counting is under way, with
a high turnout reported. Final results are expected in a few
days. Opposition parties have complained of serious
irregularities. EU observers say they are investigating the
allegations. 3 December: President Sam Nujoma has an unassailable
lead with more than half the votes counted. 5 December: President
Sam Nujoma and his South-West African People's Organisation
(SWAPO) win around 77% of the vote. 8 December: The Opposition
Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) formally accepts the election
results.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 December 1999)

* Nigeria. Muslims to consider more Sharia  -  Nigeria's Muslim
leaders have agreed to hold a national seminar on Islamic law
sharia a following its introduction in the northern state of
Zamfara in October. At a meeting in the northern city of Kaduna,
the umbrella organisation for Muslims throughout Nigerian Jammat
ul Nasru Islam decided on a seminar in order, it said, to resolve
the controversy generated by Zamfara's move. A correspondent for
the BBC in Kaduna says that traditional and religious leaders
appear to have caved in to pressure from young Muslim militants
who want Islamic law introduced elsewhere in Nigeria. Our
correspondents says that people in northern Nigeria seem divided
over sharia: while younger religious leaders and academics favour
it, elder statesmen have placed newspaper advertisements urging
caution because they say the issue might break up Nigeria; the
Women in Nigeria organisation criticised Zamfara's introduction
of sharia as a step backwards for women.   (BBC News, 2 December
1999

* Nigeria. Political party elects new chairman  -  Nigeria's
second largest political party, the All People's Party, has
chosen a chairman after months without a leader. The new
chairman, Yusuf Ali, a one-time managing director of an oil
company, was elected at the party's national convention in Abuja.
More than half of the six-thousand delegates voted for Mr Ali,
who beat a former presidential candidate, Lema Jibrilu. The
former president of the National Labour Congress, Pascal Bafyau,
withdrew from the contest at the start of the convention. The
party faced major internal crisis when some of its key members
including the former chairman, Mahmud Waziri, defected to the
governing People's Democratic Party of President Olusegun
Obasanjo.   (BBC News, 5 December 1999

* Nigeria. Major Error Spotted in new bill  -  Government
officials have stopped a major error in the information contained
in Nigeria's new 100 naira bill released to the public with
fanfare last week. This has to do with the picture of Zuma Rock,
a landmark on the flip side of the brownish note, which also
bears the portrait of Nigeria's late politician Obafemi Awolowo
Whereas the rock is located in the Northern state of Niger, the
information on the note indicates that it is in the federal
capital, Abuja. The bill is the highest of the five currently in
circulation and experts warn that apart from constituting a huge
loss, is withdrawal could harm the economy. But authorities in
Niger state are not taking the matter lightly. The state's
justice ministry has been put on alert, while the governor,
Abdulkadir Kure, is said to have complained to vice-president
Atiku Abubakar on the embarrassing oversight. The state
government is reportedly concerned about the misinformation,
partly because the rock is near one of its major investments, the
Suleja International Hotel. There is also the fear of
"annexation", of the rock area by the federal capital authorities
since Abuja and Niger state share borders. Meanwhile, the Central
Bank of Nigeria, the currency issuing authority, faces a major
dilemma on how to handle the embarrassing national error.   (Paul
Ejime, PANA, 5 December 1999)

* Rwanda. Genocide book takes award  -  Philip Gourevitch's
horrifying understated account of the Rwandan genocide has won
the inaugural Guardian First Book Award. "We Wish to Inform you
that Tomorrow we will be Killed with our Families", which gives
the lie to the belief that the massacres were part of an age-old
tribal conflict, was described by the judges as "more than just
a great piece of journalism, but a monument to events which defy
comprehension". The title is taken from a letter written by a
group of Tutsi priests to a Hutu counterpart who turned his back
on them during the fateful days in the spring of 1994 when nearly
a million people died, most of them hacked down with machetes.
(Published by Picador at œ16.99 sterling).   (The Guardian, UK,
3 December 1999)

* Rwanda. Life sentence for genocide leader  -  The International
War Crimes Tribunal (TPR) for Rwanda, in Arusha, Tanzania, has
convicted a former leader of the Interahamwe militia that led the
1994 genocide in Rwanda, sentencing him to life imprisonment.
Former businessman and vice-president of the Interahamwe militia,
Georges Rutaganda, 41, was found guilty on one count of genocide,
one count of crimes against humanity and one count of murder. he
is the sixth Rwandan to be convicted by the TPR and the fourth
to be sentenced to life imprisonment.   (BBC News, 6 December
1999)

* Rwanda. Prison a vie  -  Le 6 decembre, Georges Rutaganda,
ancien haut responsable des milices hutu interahamwe, a ete
condamne a la prison a vie par le Tribunal penal international
pour le Rwanda. Il a ete condamne pour genocide et pour crimes
contre l'humanite. Rutaganda, 41 ans, ancien second vice-
president des comites nationaux des interahamwe, est le quatrieme
responsable rwandais condamne a la peine maximale prevue par le
TPIR sur six verdicts prononces par ce tribunal depuis sa
creation en novembre 1994 a Arusha.   (ANB-BIA, de sources
diverses, 7 decembre 1999)

* Rwanda. Mme Del Ponte en visite  -  Le 3 decembre, le
gouvernement rwandais a finalement delivre le visa permettant au
procureur du Tribunal penal international, Mme Carla Del Ponte,
de visiter, pour la premiere fois, ses bureaux a Kigali. Les
relations entre le Rwanda et la juridiction internationale
s'etaient envenimees le 3 novembre, avec la decision de la cour
d'appel du tribunal de liberer, pour vice de forme, J.B.
Barayagwiza, accuse d'etre l'un des architectes du genocide. Mme
Del Ponte a presente un recours en vue de reexamen du dossier,
sur la base de faits nouveaux. Le ministre rwandais de la Justice
a cependant precise que "la suspension de la cooperation avec le
TPR restera en place jusqu'a une nouvelle decision de la cour
d'appel". Mme Del Ponte est arrivee le 4 decembre a Kigali. Le
8 decembre, elle a declare que, si la decision de relaxer J.B.
Barayagwiza etait confirmee, "on doit etre pret a l'arreter de
nouveau pour qu'il soit juge par une juridiction nationale",
precisant que celle-ci pourrait etre rwandaise.   (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 9 decembre 1999)

* Sahara occidental. Creation d'emplois  -  Apres les violentes
emeutes de chomeurs au Sahara occidental en septembre, le
ministre marocain de l'Emploi a annonce, le 6 decembre,
l'embauche de 1.179 diplomes chomeurs sahraouis dans la fonction
publique et la mise en place d'un programme pour l'habitat,
creant 10.000 emplois de plus.   (Liberation, France, 7 decembre
1999)

* Sahara occidental. Le referendum differe  -  Le 7 decembre,
l'ONU a annonce avec pessimisme qu'elle devrait repousser de
juillet 2000 a 2002, au plus tot, le referendum
d'autodetermination au Sahara occidental, differant une nouvelle
fois le reglement d'un des plus anciens conflits d'Afrique. Les
desaccords entre le Maroc et le Front Polisario sur
l'identification des electeurs "font qu'il ne semble guere
possible d'organiser le referendum avant 2002, voire au-dela",
a dit M. Kofi Annan dans un rapport au Conseil de securite. Seule
une "solution miracle" pourrait conduire a un compromis, a-t-on
encore indique.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 9 decembre 1999)

* Western Sahara. New delay in referendum  -  UN Secretary-
General Kofi Annan has proposed delaying the referendum on
independence for Western Sahara for a further two years. In a
report to the Security Council, he said wrangling in the region
over who should be allowed to vote, has caused the proposed
delay. This latest delay will fuel doubts about whether the
referendum will ever be staged at all.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9
December 1999)

* Senegal. Rebels meet to prepare talks  -  Separatists rebels
from Senegal's Casamance region met in Banjul, the capital of
Gambia, on 6 December to decide who will represent them at peace
talks with the Senegalese government. The activists from the
Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) were greeted
by Mamadou Lamin Sedat Jobe, the foreign minister of Gambia,
which has been acting as mediator. "We are gathered here for the
next two days for a single purpose. The MFDC, through its
national bureau, is expected to establish a list of
representatives who will engage in substantive negotiations with
their government, the government of the Republic of Senegal",
Jobe said. He gave no timetable for the talks. In early November,
he said he hoped they could begin by early December.   (CNN, 6
December 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Desarmement  -  Le 2 decembre, 158 combattants
de l'ex-SLA, dont 77 enfants soldats, ont remis leurs armes a
l'Ecomog a Laia Junction, a quelque 50 km a l'est de Freetown.
D'autre part, l'Onu envisage de deployer un bataillon de soldats
indiens dans la province Est, ou se trouve la base du commandant
militaire du RUF, Sam Bockarie. Celui-ci a declare qu'il
s'opposait a ce que ses soldats soient desarmes par l'Ecomog.
Jusqu'a present, il n'y a eu aucun desarmement des rebelles du
RUF dans la region diamantifere de l'est du pays. Cependant, le
3 decembre, le chef de l'ancienne junte militaire, Johnny Paul
Koroma, s'est adresse a ses hommes leur disant de remettre leurs
armes. - D'autre part, Human Rights Watch, dans un communique
publie le 6 decembre, affirme que les assauts rebelles contre les
civils se poursuivent dans certaines regions du nord de Sierra
Leone. Une vingtaine de villages ont ete attaques et pilles le
mois dernier et les civils sont victimes de viols, meurtres et
enlevements, selon l'organisation.   (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 3-6
decembre 1999)

* Sierra Leone. Indian peacekeepers arrive  -  Battle-tested UN
peacekeepers from India came to Sierra Leone on 7 December as
human rights observers reported mounting rebel atrocities against
civilians. The Indian contingent arrived eight days after 130
Kenyan soldiers flew in to begin what is largest UN peacekeeping
mission in Africa in two years. The peacekeepers are charged with
maintaining the peace accord between Sierra Leone's government
and rebel groups that ended an eight-year civil war. The first
140-member Indian company touched down at Lungi airport Tuesday
afternoon to a low-key welcome from the UN Observer Mission in
Sierra Leone. Earlier in the day, Indian Maj. Gen. Vijay Kumar
Jetley flew into the capital to take command of the UN
peacekeeping force, which eventually will number 6,000 troops.
Many among the Indian contingent -þ which is to make up the bulk
of the UN force -þ have battle experience in the Himalayan
territory of Kashmir, where Pakistan and India have fought
countless skirmishes. The Indians' experience will likely be
tested in Sierra Leone, where most observers have predicted the
UN mission will suffer casualties. Jetley said his troops will
try to disarm Sierra Leone's 45,000 fighters. The peacekeepers
are authorised to use force to defend themselves and civilians.
(Editor's update: on 8 December, the United Nations expressed
"serious concern" about continuing ceasefire violations and human
rights abuses in Sierra Leone).   (CNN, 7 December 1999)

* South Africa. Mandela's jail  -  South Africa's notorious
Robben Island, where former president Nelson Mandela was
imprisoned, has been declared a World Heritage site. South
Africa's Robben Island became an international symbol of the
fight for human rights when Mr Mandela was jailed there for 18
of his 27 years in apartheid prisons. The island is one of 48 new
cultural and natural sites announced by the United Nations
education and scientific body, Unesco, at a meeting in Morocco.
The list now has more than 600 sites including the Pyramids in
Egypt and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Robben Island has
been turned into a museum as a reminder of the evils of apartheid
and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
"Robben Island represents all political prisoners", said former
inmate Ahmed Kathrada who is now head of the museum."The main
message of Robben Island is a message of triumph, a message of
victory".   (BBC News, 2 December 1999

* Afrique du Sud. Dialogue interreligieux  -  Environ 6.000
delegues de 70 pays, representants des religions de la planete,
se sont retrouves le 1er decembre au Cap a la reunion du
"Parlement des religions du monde". Malgre une manifestation
hostile a la reunion de radicaux islamistes, les participants ont
pu aborder des themes tels que les rapports entre la religion et
la science, la femme, l'allegement de la dette, la liberte
religieuse, le sida.   (La Croix, France, 3 decembre 1999)

* South Africa. Parliament of World Religions  -  The Dalai Lama
on 5 December, called for two fellow Nobel laureates -þ former
South African President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmon Tutu
-þ to mediate talks between Tibetan leaders and China to resolve
a 40-year dispute. "They can make a contribution, of course, no
doubt", he said in an interview on SABC television. "I personally
would appreciate that". The Dalai Lama is in South Africa to
attend the Parliament of World Religious, a meeting of mainstream
religions that opened on 1 December. Later in the day, Mandela
spoke to 3,000 religious leaders at the conference. "This century
has had too many leaders attempting to exploit differences to
their own ends", Mandela said, citing Alexander the Great,
Caesar, Napoleon and Hitler as examples. "It was the ordinary
people who put an end to these tyrants". He did not mention the
situation in Tibet. Chinese troops occupied Tibet in 1950,
sending the Dalai Lama and others fleeing into exile in India.
China claims that Tibet as an integral part within its borders,
but Tibetan exiles are seeking autonomy for their country. The
Dalai Lama said in the interview that he was not seeking
independence for Tibet. In the past, he has advocated autonomy
that would preserve Tibetan culture, religion and language.  
(CNN, 5 December 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Mengistu s'esquive  -  7 decembre. Selon
l'agence PANA, le ministre sud-africain de la Justice a demande
au procureur general de la Republique d'examiner la possibilite
de juger un ancien chef d'Etat, l'Ethiopien Mengistu Haile
Mariam, pour crimes contre l'humanite. Refugie au Zimbabwe depuis
sa chute en 1991, le colonel Mengistu sejournait depuis novembre
en Afrique du Sud pour raisons de sante. L'ancien president a
dirige de 1974 a 1991 un regime militaro-marxiste accuse d'etre
responsable de la disparition de dizaines de milliers
d'Ethiopiens. Human Rights Watch a demande qu'il soit juge en
Afrique du Sud. L'Ethiopie a demande son extradition. - 8
decembre. On apprend que le dictateur dechu, dans un depart aussi
precipite que discret, aurait regagne le Zimbabwe ou il jouit de
l'asile politique.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 9 decembre
1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Suspect d'attentats arrete  -  Le 8 decembre,
la police sud-africaine a arrete un homme suspecte d'avoir pris
part a l'attentat a la bombe qui a fait 48 blesses le 28 novembre
dans une pizzeria sur une plage populaire pres du Cap. Il
s'agirait d'un homme blanc de 26 ans. Le suspect etait egalement
recherche dans le cadre de l'attentat debut novembre contre un
night-club du Cap. Les enqueteurs estiment que le suspect
n'aurait pas agi seul mais dans le cadre d'un groupe.  
(Liberation, France, 9 decembre 1999)

* Soudan. Pretres liberes  -  Les deux pretres catholiques,
Hilary Boma et Lino Sabit, arretes en juillet et aout 1998,
accuses d'attentats, ont ete liberes le 6 decembre, avec 18
autres Soudanais accuses dans la meme affaire. Leur proces avait
commence devant un tribunal militaire et ete transfere ensuite
devant un tribunal civil ou il etait reste bloque. Les deux
pretres avaient refuse l'amnistie qui leur avait ete recemment
proposee, voulant qu'on reconnaisse leur totale innocence.  
(D'apres Misna, Italie, 6 decembre 1999)

* Sudan. Accused bombers pardoned  -  Sudanese President Omar al-
Bashir says he has pardoned a group of some 20 southerners,
including two Catholic priests, accused of involvement in a
series of bomb blasts in the capital, Khartoum, in June last
year. No-one was injured in the blast and no-one admitted causing
the explosions. It is not clear why the group is being released
now but the government said it is part of wider efforts to
promote national reconciliation. This has been an extremely
controversial case. Human rights activists had objected to the
way the prisoners were treated and questioned whether they were
really guilty. Nevertheless, General Bashir said the pardon was
made at the request of the two priests and in a spirit of
political detente. (Editor's update: 6 December: The Catholic
Church in Khartoum confirms that Fathers Boma and Sebit were
released at 10 pm. 7 December: All but one of those detained,
have now been released. The last prisoner is still in military
hospital and is expected to be released in the days to come.). 
 (BBC News, 6 December 1999

* Soudan/Ouganda. Accord de paix  -  A Nairobi, grace a la
mediation de l'ex-president americain Carter, les presidents de
l'Ouganda et du Soudan ont decide de retablir les relations
diplomatiques entre leurs deux pays, rompues en 1994, et de ne
plus soutenir les groupes rebelles contre leurs gouvernements
respectifs. Ils ont notamment decide de respecter la souverainete
et l'integrite territoriale de l'autre pays, de ne plus soutenir
les groupes rebelles, d'echanger des prisonniers et d'accorder
l'amnistie aux rebelles qui deposeraient les armes.   (D'apres
De Standaard, Belgique, 9 decembre 1999)

* Swaziland. Unions banned from airwaves  -  Swaziland's
Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS) has banned the
Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions from broadcasting any
announcements unless they have been approved by the police. Tars
Makama, director of the SBIS, told the union federation he would
not give it access to the airwaves unless the police give
permission. The federation used to announce forthcoming union
meetings on the state-run radio station. But Makama said he would
not allow the federation to use the airwaves to further the
unions' political agenda. Recently officials from the union body
were turned away from the SBIS building in Mbabane when they
arrived to announce a mass stay-away on the radio station. The
union federation has raised government ire by siding with
progressive multi-party democracy formations in the tiny kingdom,
including the Swaziland Democratic Alliance.   (Africa Press
Bureau, Johannesburg, 5 December 1999)

* Swaziland. Constitutional Review Commission  -  If Swazis
needed a reminder of their "no rushed lifestyle" at the dawn of
the millenium, it is the snail-pace constitution-making exercise
set, both against the will of King Mswati III and the nation, to
take six years. The Chairman of the Constitutional Review
Commission (CRC) Prince Mangaliso has announced that it will now
complete drafting the constitution in 2001. This means that the
CRC will effectively take six years to complete a two-year task
it was assigned by the king in 1996. According to the chairman,
the Commission is set to complete its collection of public views
by August next year. Its next stage would be to analyse the
submissions and prepare a draft of the Constitution which will
be submitted to King Mswati not later than August 2001. Prince
Mangaliso explains that the draft of the Constitution would be
presented to the nation at the traditional headquarters,
Ludzidzini Royal Residence inside the cattle byre. This is the
traditional way whereby the 31-year-old monarch would decide
whether or not it is to be debated. He further hints that there
is a possibility that another constitutional team could be set
up to circulate the draft of the constitution to the 55
constituency (tinkhundla) centres and chiefs' kraals in order to
allow the people to confirm and verify if its contents truly
represented their interests. Since the beginning of this phase
in June, the CRC has collected views from more than 18,000 people
in 18 tinkhundla centres. An additional 155,000 people are still
expected to make submissions to it from the remaining 37
constituency centres. Prince Mangaliso concedes that there is
absolutely no guarantee that the next general elections in 2003
will be conducted under a new Constitution.   (Vuyisile
Hlatshwayo, ANB-BIA, Swaziland, 6 Dec. 1999)

* Tanzania. Maasai strike landmark land deal  -  With their
spears planted in the ground nearby and knives in hand, Maasai
tribesmen squatted along the riverbank, feasting gleefully on
huge cuts of grilled beef served atop green leaves. The red-clad
tribesmen had reason to celebrate. In a landmark agreement, their
village of Ololosokwan had just received a payment of $34,500 for
leasing land to a South African tour operator. "For years, lions,
elephants, giraffe and other wildlife have been our neighbours,
but never before have we benefited as much from living in their
midst", Ole Ngoitiko said during last week's ceremony, as gusts
of wind blew over the village on the northeastern edge of
Serengeti National Park. Under the agreement, Conservation
Corporation Africa (CCA) has exclusive use of thousands of acres
of prime Serengeti land owned by the Maasai, as well as sole
access to a tourist camp built by an American professional hunter
in 1926. Until now, such agreements were usually struck between
tour operators and local officials , who received 40 percent of
the fee, while Maasai villagers would receive less than 7
percent. Under the 15-year lease with CCA, the 40 percent will
now go to Ololosokwan's residents, who will in turn pay local
taxes. They will also receive an increasing percentage of the
lodge rentals. The villagers also retain the right to graze herds
and collect water on most of the leased land. The lodge is
perched on the edge of the Kuka Hills, overlooking wooded
hillsides and the rolling grasslands of the Serengeti. The
25,000-acre tract lies along the great wildebeest migration route
between the Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara.   (CNN, 4 December
1999)

* Tanzania. Major constitutional changes anticipated  - 
Tanzanians want amendments made to the current constitution that,
if fully implemented, might soon lead to sweeping political
changes in the country. Tanzanians want the late former President
Julius Nyerere's ideology of Ujamaa (African socialism) removed
from the constitution, the excessive powers of the president
curtailed and independent candidates, not affiliated to any
political party, allowed to stand for some elected offices. These
are some of the finding of a committee appointed by President
Benjamin Mkapa to collect people's view on the government's white
paper about the proposed constitutional change. After issuing the
paper in 1998, the president appointed a committee headed by an
appeals court judge, Robert Kisanga, to sample the people's
opinion throughout the country on the proposed changes. Mkapa's
press secretary, Geoffrey Nkurlu, released the committee's report
to the media at the weekend, making its findings officially
public. He said that if all the opinions contained in the report
were to be implemented, the political set-up in Tanzania would
have to be a federal system, with Tanganyika and Zanzibar having
autonomous governments.   (PANA, Dakar, 6 December 1999)

* Tanzanie. Amendements a la Constitution  -  Une commission
nommee par le president Mkapa et chargee de recueillir l'opinion
du public sur un livre blanc du gouvernement relatif a des
amendements proposes a la Constitution, a donne ses conclusions.
Il en ressort que les Tanzaniens souhaitent notamment la
disparition de l'ideologie Ujamaa (socialisme africain) de la
Constitution actuelle (de 1977), que les pouvoirs excessifs du
president soient restreints et que des candidats independants,
non affilies a un parti politique, soient autorises a briguer
certains mandats electoraux. Le rapport a ete remis au
gouvernement et au parti au pouvoir pour etre examine plus en
detail.   (D'apres PANA, 7 decembre 1999)

* Togo. Sommet de la CEDEAO  -  Le sommet de la CEDEAO s'ouvrira
le 9 decembre a Lome. Le conseil preparatoire des ministres des
16 Etats membres s'est ouvert le 5 decembre. Il examinera
notamment le programme relatif au transport routier, l'energie
et les telecommunications, ainsi que la question de la cour de
justice et un document concernant le mecanisme de prevention des
conflits.   (D'apres PANA, 7 decembre 1999)

* Zambia. 50 more Police Officers to Kosovo  -  Zambia has sent
50 more police officers to Kosovo to help consolidate peace under
the mandate of the United Nations. Lusaka sent 20 police officers
to Kosovo in August on a similar mission. The Zambia police
spokesperson, Lemmy Kajoba, said the policemen and women are
expected to work in 29 police stations in five Kosovar districts.
Zambian policemen previously served on UN observer missions in
Somalia, Rwanda and Angola. Meanwhile, Kajoba said Zambia has
plans to send police officers on peace duties in Bosnia and East
Timor as soon as the UN provides the actual numbers of peace
keepers required for those countries.   (PANA, Dakar, 6 December
1999)

* Zimbabwe. Reactions to Draft Constitution  -  Financial Gazette
(Harare -- 2 December): "Indeed, the darkest hour is always right
before the dawn. So it proved with the Constitutional Commission.
After the squall of the idiot wind that blew so violently on 27
November, the long hours of bargaining, caucusing, refining and
persuasion by the coordinating committee and various groups of
commissioners, finally struck the right note with the plenary
session on 29 November. The Constitutional Commissions proposed
Constitution for Zimbabwe was adopted by acclamation, ushering
in a future of renewed hope and promise for better governance and
human fulfilment." However, the same paper reported that the
outspoken economic empowerment activist, Lawrence Chakaredza, is
bitter. "We are taken aback. Things were not supposed to happen
this way". The Zimbabwe Standard (Harare -- 5 December): "Former
Rhodesian prime minister, Ian Smith, has dismissed the draft
constitution, as a monumental fraud whose sole purpose is to
serve the interests of the ruling ZANU-PF party. His sentiments
were echoed by ZANU Ndonga's Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole, who said
a fair and just constitution could only be crafted if Zimbabweans
rejected the present draft in next year's referendum and instead,
support the National Constitutional Assembly which is running a
parallel constitution-drafting exercise. Irin (Southern Africa -
- 8 December): "Opponents of President Mugabe are planning a
series of nationwide marches at the weekend to protest against
the new draft Constitution."   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 December
1999)

* Zimbabwe. World Bank indefinitely postpones talks  -  The World
Bank has indefinitely postponed talks on a new US $140 million
structural reform programme until the Zimbabwean government gets
its programme with the IMF back on track. The IMF, which approved
a standby loan of nearly US $193 million to Zimbabwe in August
subject to the government meeting economic targets, has
reportedly asked for clarification from the government over
Harare's alleged overspending on the Congo RDC conflict. If there
is evidence that the government had deliberately misled the IMF,
"it's going to impact on IMF and World Bank programmes which are
themselves a precursor to other donor funding", said a diplomat
based in Harare. Finance minister Herbert Murerwa said an
internal memo, which claimed Zimbabwe had spent US $166 million
from January to June on the Congo war rather than US $3 million
a month as the IMF was told, had been quoted out of the context.
He said the memo, quoted by London's Financial Times recently,
referred to the potential, rather than the actual coasts of the
intervention. However, a defense analysts said that the US $166
million figure is "about right" for the total costs of keeping
Zimbabwe's 10,000-13,000 troops, plus tanks and aircraft, in
Congo.   (MISNA, Rome, 2 December 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Mugabe's party blackmails children  -  Challenged by
the growing popularity of the newly formed labour-backed
opposition party, Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF has resorted to
blackmailing needy children into chanting party slogans in return
for some goodies, in a frantic effort to prop up the tottering
party. According to the independent Daily News of December 7,
1999, top members of the Zimbabwe African Nation Union Patriotic
Front party, on the previous day turned a children's Christmas
party into a political party rally. The 400 poor children, aged
between two and 12 years, who were enjoying themselves at a fast
food outlet, Chicken Inn, in Harare, were made to chant ZANU-PF
slogans against their will. They were also asked to denounce
Morgan Tsvangirayi, the leader of the rival Movement for
Democratic Change. Human rights activists have condemned this
coercion of politically immature and disadvantaged children as
a violation of the rights of these children.   (Stewart Musiwa,
ANB-BIA, Zimbabwe, 8 December 1999)