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: 16-12-1999

* Africa. Advance made in human rights  -  On 9 December, Human
Rights Watch, an international lobby group, praised the growing
willingness of the international community to place human rights
over the concept of national sovereignty. In its annual report, the
group said the trend marked the start of a new era for the human
rights movement. Until now, the lack of anything resembling an
international criminal justice system restricted the options
available to defend human rights", it said. Although groups could
shame abusive governments and galvanise diplomatic and economic
pressure, they could rarely trigger the prosecution of tyrants or
count on governments to use their military prowess to defend human
rights. The group cited the use of troops in Kosovo and East Timor
to stop bloodshed and the growing use of international war crimes
tribunals. It praised Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, who
insisted that sovereignty must give way to the imperatives of human
rights -þ "a courageous stand for a man who leads an organisation
of governments".   (Financial Times, UK, 10 December 1999)

* Africa. Action against the Media.  -  Burkina Faso: No one has
yet been brought to justice for the murder of journalist Norbert
Zongo and three others on 13 December 1999, says Amnesty
International on 10 December. Congo RDC: The Court of Military
Order has heard the testimony of three witnesses summoned by Joseph
Mbakulu Pambu Diana, a journalist with Mtadi Radio-Television, at
his public hearing on 9 December. Mbakulu has been jailed for the
last thirteen months for "propagating false news". Guinea: On 7
December, in a letter to the Security Minister, RSF protests the
seizure of all the copies of the private weekly L'Independant in
Conakry.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 December 1999)

* Afrique. Urgences alimentaires  -  Quelque 1,6 million
d'Africains sont actuellement prives d'aide alimentaire du fait de
troubles civils ou de conflits armes, a indique la FAO le 15
decembre. L'organisation met en garde contre "une grave crise
alimentaire" dans son dernier rapport sur l'Afrique subsaharienne,
estimant que ces troubles "aggravent une situation deja rendue
precaire par des secheresses". Selon la FAO, quinze pays sont
confrontes a des situations d'urgence alimentaire exceptionnelle
generalement dues a des troubles civils, notamment l'Angola, le
Burundi, la Sierra Leone, la Somalie et le Soudan. Au Congo-
Kinshasa, la situation alimentaire de quelque 10 millions de
personnes "est affectee ou risque de l'etre prochainement" en
raison des troubles civils. Le rapport signale cependant les bonnes
recoltes dans la region sahelienne de l'Afrique de l'Ouest.   (La
Libre Belgique, 16 decembre 1999)

* Africa. FAO warns of growing food crisis  -  A FAO report
released on 15 December warns of a growing food crisis in Eastern
African regions. In Somalia, some 1.6 million people are cut off
from relief operations and there have been some deaths from
starvation. In Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, dry spells and
erratic rains have reduced cereal production, making many people
dependent on food assistance. In Eritrea, half a million people
displaced by the war with Ethiopia, face severe food shortages. In
Sudan, despite promising harvest prospects, 2 million people in the
south are depending on emergency food assistance because of the on-
going civil war.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 December 1999)

* Afrique de l'Ouest. Prevenir les conflits  -  Le sommet des chefs
d'Etat et de gouvernement de seize pays de la Communaute economique
des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (CEDEAO) s'est acheve le 10
decembre a Lome, par la signature d'un protocole sur la prevention
et le reglement des conflits, mais sans decision concrete pour
l'integration economique. L'accord sur la prevention des conflits
prevoit notamment la creation d'un "conseil de securite et de
mediation" dont les membres sont le Benin, la Cote d'Ivoire, la
Gambie, le Ghana, la Guinee, le Liberia, le Mali, le Nigeria, le
Senegal et le Togo. Il prevoit aussi la lutte contre la circulation
illicite des armes legeres. Depuis le debut des annees 1990, des
guerres civiles au Liberia et en Sierra Leone ont ensanglante la
region.   (Le Soir, Belgique, 11 decembre 1999)

* Algerie. Ramadan et massacres  -  Des premiers massacres ont ete
enregistres en Algerie au cours du ramadan commence le 9 decembre.
Le 11 decembre, en debut de soiree, au moins quinze personnes ont
ete assassinees a la sortie de Blida (50 km au sud d'Alger) a un
faux barrage. Dans la nuit du 13 au 14 decembre, onze personnes ont
ete tuees et quatre autres enlevees a Taghit, pres de Bechar, a 950
km d'Alger. Le 15 decembre, onze militaires ont ete tues et 22
autres blesses dans une enbuscade tendue a une quinzaine de km de
Chlef (240 km a l'ouest d'Alger). - Dans la capitale, des mesures
de protection drastiques ont ete prises: les controles sont
multiplies aux differentes entrees de la ville, le stationnement a
ete tres reglemente entre 7h et 23h sur les grandes arteres, les
administrations publiques ont recu des consignes de vigilance
extreme, meme les journalistes se sont entendu dicter des
recommandations pressantes pour ne pas trainer pres de leur lieu de
travail. Tout le monde a peur; on se souvient des ramadans
precedents et on craint a nouveau le pire. - D'autre part, de
source officielle, l'assassin d'Abdelkader Hachani, le leader du
FIS tue le 21 novembre, a ete arrete. Fouad Boulemia, 29 ans,
aurait ete retrouve "en possession de l'arme du crime et des pieces
d'identite du responsable islamiste abattu", selon le ministre de
l'Interieur.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16 decembre 1999)

* Angola. Prise de Calai  -  Le 10 decembre, les forces
gouvernementales angolaises ont repris aux rebelles de l'Unita la
ville de Calai, proche de la frontiere avec la Namibie, a rapporte
la television namibienne. Cette ville etait aux mains des rebelles
depuis un quart de siecle. Cette victoire couronne une offensive
gouvernementale le long de la frontiere qui s'est egalement soldee
par la prise de Cuangar. Pres de 3.000 civils se sont refugies en
Namibie.   (AP, 10 decembre 1999)

* Botswana. Island dispute  -  13 December: The International Court
of Justice in The Hague has ruled in favour of Botswana in a
territorial dispute that brought it to the brink of military
confrontation with neighbouring Namibia. The two countries had
asked the court to decide the status of a tiny, waterlogged and
uninhabited island in the Chobe River on their common border. The
court voted 11 to four that the 3.5 sq km island, which is
submerged in floodwaters for half the year, forms part of
Botswana's territory. The court said the water surrounding it was
not owned by either country and "should enjoy equal national
treatment". 15 December: Many residents in Namibia's eastern
Caprivi region are disappointed by The Hague ruling. They express
fears that the decision could prompt Botswana to claim other border
islands.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 December 1999)

* Burkina Faso. Nouvelle bible en moore  -  Une nouvelle bible en
langue moore vient d'etre publiee. Sa realisation a demande 13 ans
de travail et est l'oeuvre conjointe de l'Eglise catholique et de
la Societe biblique burkinabe. Le moore est la langue des Mossis,
qui representent 48% de la population du Burkina; 2 millions de
Mossis vivent aussi en Cote d'Ivoire. La nouvelle bible est
consideree comme un chef d'oeuvre de la litterature moore. En deux
semaines, 11.000 exemplaires ont ete vendus.   (DIA, Kinshasa, 8
decembre 1999)

* Burkina Faso. Bread billed unfit  -  Bread sold in Burkina Faso
for the past year contains cancer-provoking substances due to use
of potassium bromate in bakeries, the General Inspectorate for
Economic Affairs has discovered. The general inspector of economic
affairs, Goumoun Ganet Some, last week revealed that the use of the
cancer-causing product has gone on in the country for more than two
years. He said tests on the sample from 29 bakeries in Ouagadougou
by the inspectorate for quality and metrology showed that out of 8
makes of additives used in bread-making, 2 (Magimix and Exel)
contain potassium bromate. Another additive (EK 300) used by some
bakeries, contains ammonium persulfate. Out of the 29 bakeries
inspected, 13 use these products most of which are cancer-causing.
Indigestion of potassium bromate causes nausea, vomiting, severe
abdominal pains, diarrhoea, low level of consciousness and even
nervous breakdown, Bouamane Sourabie, a Burkinabe nutritionist
said. He warned that potassium bromate can be the cause of high
heart-beat pace, of high breathing pace and low blood pressure,
leading to death one or two weeks later after the first attack. The
discovery was sparked during arguments at a meeting between bakers'
trade unions and the inspectorate when some bakeries were accused
of using the products although they were harmful and had been
banned in Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal.   (PANA, Dakar, 8 December
1999)

* Burkina Faso. Anniversaire de la mort de Zongo  -  Le collectif
des organisations democratiques et des partis politiques a lance,
dans la nuit du 11 decembre, une campagne de sensibilisation sur la
mort du journaliste Norbert Zongo, survenue il y a un an.
L'operation, qui se deroule sur tout le territoire national, est
axe sur le theme "C'est trop, plus jamais ca". Une greve generale
de 48 heures est prevue les 13 et 14 decembre. Dans un communique
publie le 12 decembre, le ministere de l'Enseignement a annonce la
fermeture jusqu'a nouvel ordre de l'universite de Ouagadougou.
Celle des etablissements d'enseignement primaire et secondaire
avait deja ete decidee le 10 decembre. Les etablissements des
villes de Koudougou et de Bobo-Dioulasso risquent d'etre egalement
fermes, vu la montee de la protestation. - Le 13 decembre, jour de
l'anniversaire de sa mort, quelque 30.000 personnes se sont
rassembles au cimetiere de Ouagadougou pour rendre hommage a
Norbert Zongo.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 14 decembre 1999)

* Burkina Faso. Commemorating Norbert Zongo  -  Journalist Norbert
Zongo was murdered one year ago while he was investigating the
killing of a government employee close to the President's family.
Many people in Burkina Faso believe he was murdered to stop his
investigations. He is not forgotten. 7 December: In a new report,
Reporters sans Frontieres asks: "What's happening after the inquiry
into Norbert Zongo's death?". 10 December: The organisation Article
19 calls for an end to impunity in Burkina Faso. The authorities
decide to shut down all primary and secondary schools in Kadiogo
region ahead of a planned strike in memory of Norbert Zongo. 11
December: A group of mass democratic organisations and political
parties launch a campaign to sensitise and inform citizens about
Norbert Zongo's death. 12 December: The University of Ouagadougou
is closed out of a need to maintain law and order in the period
leading up to the commemoration of the first anniversary of Norbert
Zongo's death. 13 December: Thousands take to the streets of
Ouagadougou to call for justice in the Norbert Zongo case.   (ANB-
BIA, Brussels, 14 December 1999)

* Burundi. Des rebelles demandent l'aide d'Harare  -  Dans ses
editions du 10 decembre, le journal Zimbabwe Independent indiquait
qu'une delegation de quatre personnes de la direction des rebelles
hutu -- que le journal n'identifie pas -- est depuis deux semaines
a Harare, ou ils negocient avec le ministre de la Defense et la
direction du parti au pouvoir, la Zanu-PF, la fourniture
d'equipements et armements, dont des bombes et mines, ainsi que de
la nourriture, des uniformes et des bottes. Selon les sources
gouvernementales citees par le journal, Harare examine leur
demande, mais n'a pas encore repondu. Selon la delegation rebelle,
le president congolais Kabila serait pret a les aider a payer la
commande.   (La Libre Belgique, 11 decembre 1999)

* Burundi. Cholera in the camps  -  13 December: The authorities in
Burundi say 47 people have died of cholera in the past week in one
of the "regroupment" camps near Bujumbura. Vice-President Frederic
Bamvuginyumvira made the announcement after a visit to the Kabezi
camp on 12 December. Three other camps in the province are also
known to have suffered cholera outbreaks. The outbreak at Kabezi
can hardly have come as a surprise. Journalists who visited the
camp last week, said that about 35,000 civilians were living
crammed onto two hillsides in appalling conditions.   (BBC News, 13
December 1999)

* Burundi. Difficiles negociations  -  Les negociateurs de la paix
au Burundi se sont separes le 11 decembre a Arusha, sans pouvoir
trouver de compromis sur la question de la transition. Pendant une
semaine de tractations, les comites des representants de 18
delegations refletant presque toutes les sensibilites politiques
burundaises, n'ont pas pu s'entendre sur la constitution des
services de securite, la duree et le gestionnaire de la transition,
et le mode electoral a adopter a la fin de la transition. Le chef
de l'equipe de la facilitation, le juge Mark Bomani (Tanzanie) a
cependant affirme que "l'ecart entre les parties en presence s'est
retreci".   (Agence Hirondelle, Arusha, 13 decembre 1999)

* Cameroun. Les ONG sous controle de l'Etat  -  Lors de sa derniere
session annuelle (du 9 novembre au 9 decembre), l'Assemblee
nationale a adopte un projet de loi qui consacre le controle de
l'Etat sur les organisations non gouvernementales. Des la
promulgation de cette loi par l'executif et l'agrement du ministere
de l'Administration territoriale, les ONG devront se soumettre a un
controle financier et administratif de l'Etat. Selon le
gouvernement, cette loi est destinee a "assainir le milieu
associatif". Mais elle est diversement interpretee par certaines
ONG, qui y voient "un embrigadement" et "une peur des pouvoirs
publics face au renforcement de la societe civile qui etale au
grand jour les carences de la politique gouvernementale".  
(Reporters associes, Cameroun, 14 decembre 1999)

* Congo-Brazza. Condamnations  -  Le 9 decembre, quatre Europeens
(2 Francais, un Croate et un Italien), accuses d'atteinte a la
securite de l'Etat et de complot contre le president Nguesso, ont
ete condamnes a des peines de prison de 2 a 7 ans. Les quatre
avaient ete arretes en mars dernier a Brazzaville ou ils etaient
venus pour assurer la protection du president et former les agents
des services de securite. - Par ailleurs, la chambre d'accusation
de la cour d'appel de Brazzaville a condamne a 20 ans de prison
ferme par contumace l'ancien president Pascal Lissouba et son
ancien ministre des finances. - D'autre part, le 8 decembre le
gouvernement a adopte une loi d'amnistie pour les "crimes lies a la
guerre"; tous les combattants qui se seront retires des milices et
auront remis leurs armes d'ici la fin de l'annee beneficieront de
cette mesure. Mais des sources humanitaires signalent toujours des
combats sur le territoire.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 10
decembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Pretre distingue en France  -  Le 9 decembre, le
Premier ministre francais Jospin a remis le prix des Droits de
l'homme decerne par la Commission nationale consultative des droits
de l'homme. L'un des laureats est le P. Dominique Kahanga,
responsable de la Commission Justice et Paix en RDC. Il est
recompense pour l'assistance humanitaire apportee aux familles
deplacees par la guerre dans l'est du pays. Ce travail de mediation
et de reconciliation a porte, cette annee, sur les couples mixtes
congolais-rwandais.   (La Croix, France, 10 decembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Sida  -  Les autorites du Congo-Kinshasa ont choisi
la periode du 1er au 11 decembre pour mener une campagne de
sensibilisation contre le sida. Les statistiques suivantes ont ete
donnees: les personnes porteuses du virus sont au nombre de
1.050.178; les cas de sida de 564.864; les deces causes par la
pandemie de 517.768; et le nombre des orphelins de 410.000.  
(D'apres DIA, Kinshasa, 10 decembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Inondations a Kinshasa  -  Les inondations annoncees
depuis deux semaines gagnent en importance dans la ville de
Kinshasa. Les communes longeant le fleuve (Limete, Kingabwa, Masina
et Matete) se vident de leurs populations. Les ports y sont sous
eau. Dans le port de Matadi les eaux sont arrivees a un metre de la
surface du quai, alors qu'elles en etaient a 9 metres il y a trois
semaines. Le fonctionnement du port risque d'etre paralyse et les
magasins sont egalement menaces. Kinshasa et le Bas-Congo sont deja
menaces de famine et les inondations font craindre le pire.  
(D'apres DIA, Kinshasa, 10 decembre 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Leaders "committed" to ceasefire  -  12 December:
Leaders of the military alliance supporting the government of Congo
RDC in its conflict with rebel forces, say they are committed to
upholding a ceasefire agreement and call for the speedy
implementation of UN peacekeepers. Meeting in the Namibian capital,
Windhoek, President Mugabe (Zimbabwe); Angola's Defence Minister,
Kundi Paihama; Congo RDC's President Kabila; President Sam Nujoma
(Namibia), say "they note with concern that while the ceasefire was
largely being observed, there had been violations". 14 December:
The Windhoek meeting blames the two rebel groups in Congo RDC for
breaking the ceasefire. 15 December: Former Botswanan President
Ketumile Masire says he has not yet decided to accept the job of
mediating in the peace talks between the government and rebels in
Congo RDC.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 December 1999)

* Congo (RDC). Efforts de paix  -  Le 9 decembre, le ministere
zimbabween de la Defense a dementi la conclusion d'un accord avec
le Rwanda sur le ravitaillement de ses troupes a Ikela, indiquant
que l'information a ete donnee pour "provoquer une division au sein
de l'alliance" de la SADC. Selon des sources rwandaises, une
delegation zimbabweenne s'est engagee a rendre aux rebelles la
ville de Bokungu en echange du ravitaillement de ses troupes
encerclees. -Le 12 decembre, lors d'une rencontre a Windhoek
(Namibie), les leaders de l'alliance soutenant le regime de
Kinshasa, les presidents de la RDC, de Namibie, du Zimbabwe et le
ministre de la Defense d'Angola, ont appele a un deploiement
precoce" des forces de paix de l'Onu. Ils rejettent les violations
du cessez-le-feu sur les rebelles et sur le Rwanda et l'Ouganda. La
veille cependant, l'ambassadeur americain a l'Onu, Richard
Holbrooke, au terme d'une tournee en RDC, s'etait montre tres
prudent concernant le deploiement d'une force de paix de l'Onu,
affirmant qu'une telle operation necessite d'abord "un programme
qui marche". Il a toutefois affirme que les belligerants sont
unanimes a declarer qu'ils donnent leur soutien a l'accord de
Lusaka. Le secretaire general de l'OUA, Salim Ahmed Salim,
convoquerait le 14 decembre une reunion pour examiner la question
du facilitateur. -13 decembre. Le dirigeant du mouvement rebelle
MLC, J.P. Bemba, a annonce que son groupe avait perdu le controle
de la ville de Nkonya, au nord-ouest, au profit des troupes
gouvernementales. - 15 decembre. Salim Ahmed Salim a confirme a
Addis Abeba que les belligerants congolais s'etaient entendus pour
choisir Ketumile Masire, 74 ans, ex-president du Botswana, comme
facilitateur qui devra organiser les negociations prevues dans
l'accord de paix de Lusaka. (M. Masire -- anglophone, pour des
debats qui se derouleront en francais -- etait le candidat de
l'Ouganda et du Rwanda, alors que Kinshasa preferait la communaute
de S. Egidio). D'autre part, la Mission d'observation de l'Onu en
RDC a confirme que ses equipes d'officiers de liaison etaient
maintenant en place a Goma, Kananga et Gbadolite, ainsi qu'a
Kinshasa. Une autre equipe, prevue pour Kisangani, sera basee a
Kindu.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16 decembre 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Parliament approves electoral commission  -  Cote
d'Ivoire's parliament has approved laws to create a supervisory
electoral commission and regulate public funding of political
parties ahead of national elections in 2000. The vote on 8
December, reported by state television and the government daily,
Fraternite Matin, followed a negotiated deal between President
Henri Konan Bedie's ruling Democratic Party (PDCI) and the main
opposition Ivorian Popular Front (FPI). The vote coincides with a
political crisis over former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara's
plan to challenge Bedie in next October's presidential election as
the candidate of the Rally of the Republicans, the second largest
opposition party. The new multi-party commission, which falls short
of the socialist FPI's demand for a commission to take over the
running of elections from the interior ministry, will supervise the
electoral process to ensure transparency and fair play. State
television said that parliament, where the PDCI enjoys a crushing
majority, passed the bill unanimously.   (CNN, 9 December 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Levee d'immunite  -  Une commission de l'Assemblee
nationale ivoirienne a vote la levee de l'immunite parlementaire
d'un depute du parti de Ouattara, accuse d'avoir tenu des "propos
injurieux" envers le president Bedie. Cette procedure engagee a
l'encontre de Coulibaly Amadou Gon, elu du RDR, a toutes les
chances d'aboutir, l'assemblee etant largement dominee par le PDCI
au pouvoir. L'affaire s'inscrit dans la partie de bras de fer entre
le pouvoir et M. Ouattara, contre lequel un mandat d'arret a ete
lance recemment. Concernant ce dernier fait, divers pays ont
exprime leur inquietude, le 10 decembre; Washington a exprime sa
"preoccupation" et Londres a juge la mesure ivoirienne "hautement
regrettable".   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 11 decembre 1999)

* Cote d'Ivoire. Cacao et huile de palme  -  Les producteurs de
cacao pourraient reprendre et durcir, des le 13 decembre, la greve
qu'ils avaient suspendue le 1er decembre et qui leur avait permis
de bloquer, pendant dix jours et pour la premiere fois dans
l'histoire de la Cote d'Ivoire, la commercialisation du cacao. Ils
demandent la mise en place d'un cadre stabilise de
commercialisation gere strictement par les operateurs prives, qui
soit a meme de leur proposer des prix garantis. Quant aux
producteurs de palmiers d'huile, ils ont mis fin, le 2 decembre, a
une greve de 15 jours, apres avoir trouve un compromis avec les
usiniers sur le prix au producteur.   (D'apres Marches Tropicaux,
France, 10 decembre 1999)

* Djibouti. Leader de l'opposition amnistie  -  A l'occasion du
debut du ramadan, le president Ismael Omar Guelleh a ordonne la
liberation de 7 prisonniers politiques. Parmi eux figure Moussa
Ahmed Idriss, rival de Guelleh aux elections presidentielles du
printemps dernier et editeur du mensuel Le Temps. Il avait ete
arrete en septembre pour propagation de fausses nouvelles.  
(D'apres Misna, Italie, 14 decembre 1999)

* Guinee. Agents de sante reprennent le travail  -  Le 13 decembre,
la Federation syndicale professionnelle de la sante a mis fin a un
mouvement de greve lance le 6 decembre pour exiger de meilleures
conditions de travail et le deblocage categoriel de tous les agents
de sante. Des negociations ont permis d'aboutir a un compromis. Le
gouvernement a accepte de ne prendre aucune sanction contre les
grevistes et a promis de continuer les negociations avec le
syndicat.   (IRIN, Abidjan, 14 decembre 1999)

* Guinee-Bissau. Second tour des presidentielles  -  Le deuxieme
tour des elections presidentielles aura lieu le 16 janvier
prochain, a annonce le president de la Commission nationale
electorale. Il opposera M. Kumba Yala, candidat du Parti de la
renovation sociale arrive en tete au premier tour, a M. Malam Bacai
Sanha, candidat du Parti africain pour l'independance de la Guinee-
Bissau et du Cap Vert.   (PANA, 15 decembre 1999)

* Kenya. Grace presidentiele  -  Le 12 decembre, le president
kenyan Daniel arap Moi a annonce la liberation de 13.000
prisonniers a l'occasion du 36e anniversaire de l'independance du
pays. Dans un discours prononce au stade national de Nyayo, le chef
de l'Etat a invite ses concitoyens, quelle que soit leur
appartenance politique, a s'unir pour la cohesion politique et le
developpement economique du pays. Cependant, les principales
formations de l'opposition ont boycotte cette ceremonie et ont
organise un rassemblement parallele pour debattre du processus de
revision constitutionnel bloque.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
13 decembre 1999)

* Libye. Vers la levee des sanctions  -  Le 9 decembre, le
president algerien Bouteflika, president en exercice de l'OUA, a
reclame la levee de toutes les sanctions imposees a la Libye par le
Conseil de securite de l'Onu. Dans une lettre adressee au
secretaire general Kofi Annan, M. Bouteflika a notamment ecrit que
l'Afrique attend ce geste qui "encouragera toutes les bonnes
volontes qui oeuvrent sans relache au maintien de l'esprit de
comprehension et de dialogue".   (Le Monde, France, 11 decembre
1999)

* Malawi. Election recount  -  9 December: Early recounting in
Malawi's disputed presidential election, the country's second
democratic poll, puts incumbent Bakili Muluzi in the lead. The High
Court in the commercial capital, Blantyre, on 7 December, ordered
an inspection of ballots cast on June 15 in 16 of the southern
African country's 25 districts at the request of the opposition.
Violent protests had rocked the country in June after Muluzi,
Malawi's first democratically elected leader, was declared the
winner in the closely contested vote. "So far, the inspection shows
President Muluzi in the lead. We hope this will help calm down all
the tensions", an official said. The army was called in to
supervise the recount on 8 December, after clashes between police
and a few hundred opposition supporters. No injuries were reported. 
 (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 10 December 1999)

* Malawi. Women in decision-making positions  -  Reen Kachere,
Executive Director of the Association of Progressive Women, a human
rights NGO in Malawi, has recently said that Malawi is among the
countries in the SADC region with the lowest figures of women in
decision-making positions. She said: "Statistics still show that
there are gender disparities between men and women in Malawi". Vera
Chirwa, president of the NGO Voice of Women, expressed concern
about the plight of women in Malawi, alleging they are still behind
men in the new multiparty system of government. "How many women
traditional leaders do we have? What about women cabinet ministers
and MPs?" she asked at a Workshop on Democracy and Human Rights For
Women. She said that women in malawi need motivation.   (Binson
Musongole, ANB-BIA, Malawi, 13 December 1999)

* Maroc. Financement des structures portuaires  -  Six des
principaux ports du Maroc, dont ceux de Casablanca et de
Mohammedia, seront en partie rehabilites grace a un nouveau
financement de la Banque europeenne d'investissement. D'apres ce
qui a ete officialise le 13 decembre a Bruxelles, le montant du
financement est de 32 millions d'euros, ce qui portera a 62
millions d'euros le total des financements concedes cette annee aux
ports marocains.   (Misna, Italie, 14 decembre 1999)

* Mozambique. New schools for Zambezia province  -  A total of 131
new schools of which 104 will be first level primary schools, are
due to open in Mozambique's central province of Zambezia next year,
a government spokesman said on 10 December. Joao da Silva, head of
the provincial education planning department in Zambezia said the
104 primary schools, teaching up to grade five, would cater for
about 129,440 students. This, da Silva said, would bring the total
of first level primary school pupils in the province to about
449,200 which represents a growth of 14 per cent compared to the
1999 school year. For grades one to five, the province would have
to recruit 500 new teachers for the new school year and most of
them would come from the primary school teacher training centres in
the Zambezia capital of Quelimane and the nearby district of
Nicoadala. Second level primary education for grades six and seven
would benefit from 27 new schools which would bring the number of
these schools to 81, da Silva said. At this level, the provincial
education authorities expect to enrol more than 28,920 students
which represents a growth of about 41 per cent compared with 1999,
said da Silva. He said the authorities were also considering a
proposal to open a pre-university school in Gurue, adding that
together with the two existing pre-university schools in Zambezia,
altogether 1,369 pre-university students would easily be
accommodated, compared to just 563 this year.   (Africa Press
Bureau, Johannesburg, 11 December 1999)

* Mozambique. Election cliffhanger  -  14 December: Renamo issues
a formal complaint against the Electoral Commission, accusing it of
withholding the final result so that it could be rigged against
Renamo. 15 December: Tension is mounting over the Electoral
Commission's continuing delay in announcing the final batch of
results from the elections 10 days ago. The official results from
the ten of Mozambique's eleven provinces declared so far, put the
governing party, Frelimo, narrowly ahead in both the presidential
and legislative elections, but the opposition Renamo party is
expected to beat Frelimo in the remaining province and could yet
win overall. The Electoral Commission says that computers have
rejected some of the data, partly delaying the tabulation of the
results.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 December 1999)

* Namibie/Botswana. L'ile de Kasikili/Sedudu  -  Le verdict de la
Cour internationale de justice (CIJ) de La Haye, rendu le 13
decembre et attribuant au Botswana l'ile de Kasikili/Sedudu, a ete
accueilli avec deception en Namibie. Le gouverneur de Caprivi a
declare que "le verdict a ete rendu sans tenir compte de l'histoire
des frontieres entre les deux pays", tout en ajoutant qu'il "n'y a
pas d'autre alternative que de se conformer a la decision". Le
verdict de la Cour met fin a un differend territorial qui oppose
depuis 5 ans la Namibie et le Botswana; l'affaire avait ete portee
devant la CIJ apres l'echec des efforts de mediation regionale.  
(D'apres PANA, 15 decembre 1999)

* Nigeria. More States move towards Sharia  -  10 December: Two
more States in northern Nigeria have taken steps to introduce
Islamic Law, which was pioneered by Zamfara State in late October.
On 9 December, Kano State Parliament passed a bill adopting Sharia;
it is to take effect after various committees have worked out
details for its implementation. The day before, the government of
Sokoto State, which borders Zamfara, announced a ban on the sale
and consumption of alcohol and on prostitution -- to take effect in
two week's time -- as part of the introduction to Sharia.   (BBC
News, 10 December 1999)

* Nigeria. La sharia dans deux nouveaux Etats?  -  Apres
l'instauration de la sharia (loi islamique) dans l'Etat de Zamfara
en octobre dernier, deux nouveaux Etats du nord, Kano et Sokoto,
veulent faire de meme. A Sokoto, l'alcool et la prostitution ont
deja ete mis hors la loi. A Kano, deux commissions ont ete
designees pour etudier comment instaurer la sharia. Si la grande
majorite des habitants de ces Etats sont musulmans, une importante
population chretienne y habite. Celle-ci s'est dite tres inquiete.
De nouvelles flambees de violence pourraient menacer le Nigeria,
traverse par de profondes lignes de fractures ethniques et
religieuses.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13 decembre 1999)

* Nigeria. Lagos governor cheats death  -  12 December: The
governor of Lagos narrowly escaped being killed, today, after his
convoy ran into a group of armed men who opened fire. Four of the
armed men were killed in the ensuing shoot-out, while seven were
arrested. The Governor, Bola Tinubu, is reported to be very shaken
by the incident but it is not hurt. The attack took place in the
very centre of Lagos. 14 December: Ajegunle, a Lagos suburb, may
again be heading for violence if the resumed extra-judicial
killings are not quickly halted. Hoodlums have started to take the
law into their own hands, with "anti-robbery" crusaders
intensifying their efforts at searching for both real and imagined
bandits for instant justice.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 15 December
1999)

* Sahara occidental. Mission de l'Onu  -  Le 14 decembre, le
Conseil de securite a decide de prolonger le mandat de la mission
de l'Onu au Sahara occidental jusqu'au 29 fevrier prochain, et il
s'est inquiete du risque probable d'un nouveau report du referendum
d'autodetermination en raison des problemes concernant la
designation des electeurs. Au debut du mois, Kofi Annan avait
annonce que le referendum pourrait etre repousse a 2002 ou plus
tard en raison des dizaines de milliers de reclamations deposees
concernant l'identification des electeurs. Le principe d'un
referendum avait deja ete accepte en 1981.   (AP, 15 decembre 1999)

* South Africa. Parliament of World Religious ends  -  The
Parliament of World Religious ended in Cape Town on 9 December,
with more than 6,000 spiritual leaders pledging their commitment to
200 projects that address critical social issues around the world.
The 1999 Parliament, patterned after the 1993 Parliament in
Chicago, engaged a wide range of religious figures in Inter-
religious dialogue and collaboration for social change with their
counterparts in government, science, business, media, education and
other spheres of influence. "The Parliament exceeded all of our
expectations", Jim Kenny, international director of the Chicago-
based council for a parliament of the world's Religious said. He
also praised the assembly's deliberations within the Parliament for
its "concrete new initiatives". In his closing address, the exiled
Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, said genuine respect for
different traditions would go a long way towards establishing a
lasting peace throughout the world. He reminded Christian,
Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and other spiritual leaders that ending
religious-related conflicts, poverty, corruption and other worldly
ills requires action. "Many people are sceptical about religion and
the violence done in its name", the Roman Catholic Archbishop Buti
Tlhagale of Bloemfontein, South Africa, told the closing plenary
session. "Interfaith dialogue contributes to lessening mutual
suspicion, and yet Christian majorities in some nations decline to
participate", he said.   (PANA, Dakar, 9 December 1999)

* Afrique du Sud. Dalai Lama  -  Le Dalai Lama a entame le 4
decembre une visite d'une semaine en Afrique du Sud, ou il a
participe au Parlement des religions du monde. Le dirigeant
spirituel thibetain esperait rencontrer le president Thabo Mbeki,
mais les services de la presidence ont estime qu'une entrevue etait
peu probable, a cause de l'agenda charge du chef de l'Etat, ont-ils
precise. La presse locale jugeait cependant que M. Mbeki avait cede
aux pressions chinoises. L'archeveque Desmond Tutu, en voyage en
Australie, a critique cette reticence du president Mbeki, qu'il a
qualifiee de "triste"; il s'est declare "decu", d'autant plus que
Nelson Mandela avait donne une chaleureuse accolade au Dalai Lama
lors de sa venue au Cap en 1996.   (Marches Tropicaux, France, 10
decembre 1999)

* Soudan. Etat d'urgence  -  Le 12 decembre, le president du Soudan
Omar el-Bechir a declare l'etat d'urgence pour trois mois dans le
pays et a prononce la dissolution du Parlement. Ces mesures qu'il
a annoncees a la television publique, sont motivees par une lutte
interne pour le pouvoir. Le coup de force du president a pris de
vitesse son rival Hassan el-Tourabi, chef du Congres national (le
parti au pouvoir) et president du Parlement, peu avant des debats
sur un projet de loi restreignant les prerogatives du chef de
l'Etat. El-Tourabi a qualifie le geste de "coup d'Etat" et accuse
le president d'avoir "trahi les valeurs islamiques". Le president
Bechir, lui, a declare qu'il ne s'agissait pas d'un coup d'Etat,
mais d'une "mesure pour restaurer le prestige de l'autorite".
"Avoir deux capitaines aux commandes d'un seul navire peut
provoquer son naufrage", a-t-il ajoute. Il a affirme avoir le
soutien de l'armee, de la police et des officiers de la securite.
L'Egypte et la Libye ont exprime leur soutien au chef d'Etat
soudanais. Le 14 decembre, Tourabi s'est engage a poursuivre la
lutte contre le president el-Bechir et a appele les militants de
son parti a la resistance. Le Congres national a appele le
gouvernement a donner sa demission. Il a ete suivi par le premier
vice-president Ali Osman Mohamed Taha et par six ministres, dont le
ministre des Affaires etrangeres.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses,
15 decembre 1999)

* Sudan. State of Emergency  -  12 December: President Omar al-
Bashir has declared a state of emergency in Sudan which will last
for three months. He says the move is to preserve unity in the
country because of what he describes as dangers from abroad, and
internal problems. The move follows a mounting power struggle
between the President and parliamentary Speaker, Hassan al-Turabi.
The President also issued a decree dissolving Parliament and
authorising new parliamentary elections, but no date is given. 13
December: Sudan is in political turmoil. President Al-Bashir says
he acted to control a power struggle with Hassan al-Turabi. Mr
Turabi denounces the President's move as a coup d'etat. Reports
from Khartoum say soldiers have been posted outside parliament.
Appearing in military uniform, the President says that two captains
commanding one ship would cause it to sink. 14 December: Egypt and
Libya have backed President al-Bashir. Foreign Minister Mustafa
Osman Ismail resigns to protest the imposition of emergency rule.
15 December: Hassan al-Turabi meets with his supporters at the
headquarters of what was the ruling party, the National Congress. 
 (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 December 1999)

* Tanzanie. Naufrage sur le lac Victoria  -  Le soir du 10
decembre, sur le lac Victoria, un bateau avec 145 passagers a bord
a heurte un rocher et a coule. 102 personnes, qui s'etaient
accrochees aux rochers ou a l'epave du bateau, ont pu etre sauvees.
Le 13 decembre, les sauveteurs ont encore retrouve 11 corps. Les
recherches continuaient toujours pour retrouver d'autres disparus
et d'eventuels survivants. C'est le naufrage le plus grave dans la
partie tanzanienne du lac, apres celui du navire Bukoba qui avait
fait plus de 800 victimes en mai 1996 pres du port de Mwanza.  
(D'apres PANA, 13 decembre 1999)

* Tchad. Nouveau gouvernement  -  Le 14 decembre, le president Deby
a nomme un de ses proches, Nagoum Yamassoum, a la tete d'un nouveau
gouvernement, ou il remplacera M. Nassour Ouado, qui avait donne sa
demission la veille. Le nouveau Premier ministre devra faire face
a deux dossiers chauds: d'une part, la realisation du projet
petrolier de Doba et de l'oleoduc Tchad-Cameroun, mis a mal par les
compagnies Shell et Elf qui "reexaminent" leur participation; et
d'autre part la rebellion au nord, dans le Tibesti, menee par un
ancien ministre de la Defense et de l'Interieur, Youssouf Togoimi,
et dont l'ancien gouvernement n'a jamais reussi a venir a bout. M.
Yamassoum a deja forme son gouvernement compose de 26 ministres. Le
nouveau ministre de la Defense, Weiding Assi-Assoue, est egalement
un fidele du president Deby.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 16
decembre 1999)

* Uganda. Donors denounce referendum boycott  -  On 9 December,
Uganda's leading donors described the move by mainstream political
parties to boycott next year's referendum on political systems, as
"unhelpfully negative". Speaking on behalf of donors, who included
heads of missions of the EU in Uganda and the ambassadors of Japan,
Norway and the USA, British High Commissioner Michael Cook, said
the referendum was a constitutional requirement. "The Constitution
may not be prefect, but it has been generally accepted. We are
opposed to a boycott. The best way for those who want a different
system, is to participate fully in the referendum".   (The New
Vision, Uganda, 9 December 1999)

* Ouganda. 365 detenus enleves  -  Dans la matinee du 9 decembre,
quelque 200 rebelles des Forces democratiques alliees (ADF) ont
attaque la prison de Katojo, pres de Fort Portal, dans l'ouest de
l'Ouganda, et ont enleve 365 prisonniers. Un soldat et l'epouse
d'un gardien ont ete tues. L'attaque semble avoir vise a renforcer
les rangs clairsemes des ADF et a distraire l'armee ougandaise de
son offensive en cours contre les rebelles dans les monts
Ruwenzori. Selon le porte-parole des ADF, les rebelles visaient le
chef d'etat-major ougandais, James Kazini, dont la presence avait
ete signalee a Fort Portal, mais ils l'ont manque de justesse. - Le
10 decembre, les ADF ont attaque cinq casernes militaires dans le
district de Bundibuygo; quatre soldats sont morts et un certain
nombre blesses, six rebelles ont egalement ete tues. Durant le
week-end du 11-12 decembre, les rebelles ont encore continue leurs
attaques contre des positions de l'armee.   (D'apres IRIN, 10-13
decembre 1999)

* Uganda. Rebel activity  -  9 December: Allied Democratic Forces
(ADF) rebels raid Katojo Prison in Fort Portal and free 365
inmates. 11 December: About 50 ADF rebels attack Bundibugyo town in
the morning. They are repulsed by the UDF and the LDU in a two-hour
gun battle. Seven people, including a Uganda People's Defence Force
(UDPF) soldier, die instantly when their truck destined for
Bundibugyo is overturned in an ADF rebel ambush in the evening.
Early this week, Parliament had passed the Amnesty Bill granting
blanket amnesty to those rebels who have since 1986, been fighting
President Museveni's government. 12 December: Ten Members of
Parliament are ambushed at 6.00 p.m. by a group of Karimojong
Matheniko warriors at Adokdok road junction, 6 kms from Moroto
town. One person sustained bullet wounds, while others are nursing
minor injuries. 13 December: In Bundibugyo, the situation is
reportedly calm after two days of heavy gunfire between rebels and
the UPDF.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 December 1999)

* Uganda. Leading in domestic violence  -  Uganda has the highest
rate of domestic violence in the world, according to the UNICEF
State of the World's Children report released on 13 December,
reports John Eremu. The report ranked Uganda the first among the 16
countries surveyed with up to 57.9% of the adult women being
physically assaulted by their intimate male partners. The assault
cases excluded sexual abuse and rape. Uganda was followed by Papua
New Guinea with 56.1% women being assaulted, Bangladesh 47%,
Ethiopia 45%, Egypt 34.4%, Nigeria 31.4%, the United Kingdom 30%,
Canada 29%, Mexico 27% and the United States 22.1%. The Philippines
had the least cases with only 5.1% of women being assaulted. The
report observed that any violence against women affect the
children. "...Violence within a family, though hidden from public
sight and statistics, is almost certainly the most persistent, ...
it trickles down from one generation to the next, turning children
reared on violence into violent adults," it said.   (The New
Vision, Uganda, 14 December 1999)

* Zambia. Street children's plight  -  Zambia's Youth, Sport and
Child Development Ministry and UNICEF will this week hold the first
national planning workshop aimed at formulating new strategies for
dealing with the problem of street kids and orphans in the country.
The permanent secretary of the ministry, Helen Matanda, announced
this at a joint press briefing with UNICEF Resident Representative
Peter McDermott in Lusaka, on 7 December. Matanda noted that there
was a need to come up with new strategies in dealing with the
problem of street kids so as to safeguard the country's children.
She explained that there were 75,000 children currently living on
the streets and that this had painted a gloomy picture for Zambia's
future. "The children living on the streets have fallen prey to
various vices such as drug abuse and child prostitution. This
situation should not be allowed to continue in the new millennium",
Matanda said. McDermott pointed out that there was need to deal
with the problem of HIV/AIDS, if the issue of street kids was to be
tackled effectively. He noted that a number of children on the
streets were those who had been orphaned as a result of AIDS and
called for concerted efforts to flight the scourge. McDermott said
the planning workshop would be attended by 200 stakeholders,
including those that directly deal with street children such as the
Fountain of Hope.   (PANA, Dakar, 9 December 1999)

* Zambia. Anglo forms minor subsidiary company in Zambia  -  The
Anglo-American Corporation (ACC) on 10 December said it has formed
a minor subsidiary company in Zambia to take care of its interests
in Konkola copper, one of the three remaining assets of the state-
owned Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM). The new company,
Konkola Copper Mines, has been formed by the Zambia Copper
Investment Limited, Anglo's main subsidiary and front-runner to buy
the ZCCM's three remaining assets, Konkola, Nchanga and Nampundwe
mines. Apart from these three major assets, Anglo has an option
over the acquisition of the smelter and refinery at Nkana mine in
the Copperbelt town of Kitwe. If not sold to other corporate
interests by January 2000, Anglo will enter into an agreement with
the ZCCM to run the Nkana smelter and refinery under contract for
three years, the statement said. According to the statement, the
new company will not provide housing to its Zambian employees but
will take over the local mine hospital and the existing ZCCM trust
school so that Konkola Copper Mine could continue to provide health
care and educational services to workers and their immediate
families. The new company will employ 3,000 persons only, against
the 4,640 who were previously employed by ZCCM. As part of the
improvement of operations the new company will sink a new shaft and
build a new concentrator so as to expand significantly on the
present output of copper ore from the mine.   (Africa Press Bureau,
Johannesburg, 11 December 1999)

* Zambie. Refugies angolais  -  Pres de 4.000 refugies angolais,
fuyant la reprise des combats entre le gouvernement de Luanda et
les rebelles de l'Unita, sont arrives en Zambie par Luanginga,
portant a 11.000 le total des refugies entres dans le pays depuis
le mois d'octobre. L'armee de l'air angolaise aurait effectue des
bombardements, le 6 decembre, alors qu'elle pourchassait des
detachements de l'Unita qui s'etaient approches de la frontiere
zambienne. Parmi les refugies se trouvaient aussi quelque 250
soldats angolais; le gouvernement zambien a declare qu'il les
rendrait a leur pays.   (D'apres PANA, 14 decembre 1999)

* Zambia. Ukrainian "spies" in Zambia suffer from emotional stress 
-  The nine Ukrainian "spies" who had a charge of espionage against
them withdrawn last weekend, suffer from trauma and are still being
treated in the Zambian capital of Lusaka, their defence lawyer said
on 14 December. Defence lawyer Sakwiba Sikota said the Ukrainians
will only leave the country once they have fully recovered from
emotional stress and anguish they endured during their detention in
Zambian jails since their arrest four months ago. The Ukrainians,
a Zambian businessman Donovan Gray and a South African Zielenulik
Wiktor Nokolajewicz were arrested on 14 August and charged with
espionage for flying over a military installation known as "PAPA 4"
before landing at Lusaka Airport. The Zambian government initially
accused them of using Zambian airspace to ship arms and other war
material to Angola's UNITA rebel movement. The government last
weekend suddenly decided not to prosecute them and ordered that
they should leave the country not later than Friday. No specific
reason was given for the discontinuation of the case against the
men.   (Africa Press Bureau, Johannesburg, 14 December 1999)

* Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe denies Congo RDC deal  -  Zimbabwe has denied
that it has reach an agreement with rebels in the Democratic
Republic of Congo to send food supplies to its soldiers who are
currently besieged around the northern town of Ikela. Rebels
claimed earlier this week that a team of Zimbabwean military
officers on a mission to the Rwandan capital, Kigali, had agreed to
vacate nearby town of Bokungu, in exchange for the rebel forces
letting food supplies through. The fighting around the town of
Ikela currently poses the greatest threat to the Lusaka ceasefire
accord signed in July. The detachment of up to 3,000 soldiers from
Zimbabwe, Namibia and the Congolese Government, is surrounded by
rebel forces and their Rwandan allies.   (BBC News, 9 December
1999)

* Zimbabwe. Protests against new draft Constitution  -  11
December: Riot police in Harare, use tear gas and truncheons to
disperse a march protesting against the country's new draft
Constitution. The draft, presented to President Mugabe two weeks
ago, has been widely criticised for ignoring the people's wish to
strip the President of his powers. The march was organised by a
coalition of church groups, trade unions and opposition parties
unhappy with the way the draft was written.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels,
13 December 1999)