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: 26-11-1998 PART #1/ * Afrique. Sida: progression alarmante - Le rapport annuel du Programme des Nations unies de lutte contre le sida, presente le 24 novembre a Geneve, fait etat d'une forte progression de la pandemie en 1998. Le nombre total des personnes infectees aujourd'hui a travers le monde est estime a 33,4 millions, dont 22,5 millions vivent dans les pays d'Afrique subsaharienne. Le nombre de nouvelles contaminations en 1998 est estime a 5,8 millions, dont 4 millions en Afrique subsaharienne, ou maintenant 8% des adultes de 15 a 49 ans seraient contamines. Au Botswana, en Namibie, au Swaziland et au Zimbabwe, entre 20 et 26% des personnes seraient seropositives, selon l'Onusida, et l'Afrique du Sud est en train de connaitre le meme sort. Il y a aussi des exceptions: le Senegal p.ex. n'a que 1% de personnes seropositives, et l'Ouganda a reussi a inverser la tendance, les cas de seropositivite y diminuent. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 25 novembre 1998) * Africa. Action against the Media - Algeria: Reporters sans Frontieres has expressed concern further to the Algerian government's refusal to grant accreditation to journalist Arezki Ait-Larbi, an Algerian national and correspondent of Le Figaro. Benin: On 20 November, Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) expressed concern over 6 months jail terms handed down to two journalists, Maurice Chabi and Pascal Zantou, for allegedly defaming a former Education Minister, Djidjoho Padonou. Cameroon: On 23 November, Article 19 and the Commonwealth Press Union sent a joint letter to President Biya regarding journalists still imprisoned. There are increasing concerns regarding the human rights situation in Cameroon. Congo RDC: On 3 September 1998, Belmonde Magloire Missinhoum, a citizen of Benin and owner of the financial newspaper La Pointe Congo, was last seen when he was arrested shortly after a traffic accident with a military vehicle in Kinshasa and transported to an unknown location. Also, in late August 1998, Loseke Lisumbou, editor of La Libre Afrique, was arrested by military security forces and detained at the National Security Council (CNS) headquarters, in connection with an article published in the newspaper reporting on the "flight" from the country of Security Advisor and Chief of the CNS, Mr Kazadi. Loseke has not been released or charged in court, and his whereabouts remain unknown.Ethiopia: An International Pen Day press release has expressed concern for journalists Moti Biyya (pen name), Garuma Bekelle and Tesfaye Deressa, who were arrested in October 1997. They are still detained. Namibia: On 23 November, it was reported that journalists are still being detained then released, and others are being harassed by soldiers. Niger: On 28 October, the International Federation of Journalists said it was disturbed by threats against various media in Niger. Nigeria: On 12 November, Osa Director, senior assistant editor of Tell magazine was severely beaten by plain clothes security operatives from the Directorate of Military Intelligence. South Africa: The Peninsula Technikon took an extraordinary decision on 17 November, to expel student journalist Max Hamata, following his article, "Sex for sale on campus" published a few months ago in the Mail & Guardian's 18-24 September edition.. (IFEX, Canada, 19-25 November 1998) * Southern Africa. Bishops laud TRC - The Catholic Bishops of Southern Africa have welcomed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report issued in late October, but criticised the court actions against the TRC by former state president F.W. de Klerk and the ruling ANC. In a statement issued by the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference, the bishops said the TRC report would "stand for generations to come as an indisputable record of the atrocities committed during the apartheid era." However, the bishops attacked former state president P.W. Botha and other apartheid functionaries for obstructing the TRC, and called for those who had not sought amnesty, to be prosecuted. (The Southern Cross, South Africa, 22 November 1998) * Sub-Saharan Africa. Global epicentre of AIDS - Almost 6 million people have been infected with HIV over the past year, the UN said on 24 November. Half of the new infections are in the 15 to 24 age group, and two thirds are in Africa. (...) The UNAIDS report issued ahead of World AIDS Day on 1 December, shows that sub-Saharan Africa is the "global epicentre of AIDS". The epidemic is spreading most rapidly in the continent's southern-most countries, where 20 to 26 per cent of adults are infected. In this region, AIDS is an urgent and massive threat to development. (Financial Times, U.K., 25 November 1998) * Afrique/France. Liberte de presse - A l'occasion de la 20e conference des chefs d'Etat d'Afrique et de France, qui se tiendra a Paris les 27 et 28 novembre, l'organisation Reporters sans frontieres a adresse, le 24 novembre, au president francais Jacques Chirac une lettre attirant son attention sur le fait que dix responsables politiques presents a la conference "se sont illustres par leurs atteintes repetees a la liberte d'opinion et d'expression". RSF note des faits remarquants en Erythree, Tunisie, Cameroun, Rwanda, Angola, Togo, R.D. du Congo, Guinee equatoriale, Mauritanie et Ethiopie, et prie M. Chirac d'user de son influence afin de "favoriser la liberation des journalistes detenus et l'emergence d'une presse libre et independante a travers tout le continent". (ANB-BIA, Bruxelles, 24 novembre 1998) * Africa/France. Franco-African Summit - 25 November: Lansana Kouyate, Secretary-General of the Economic Community of West African States says that "Europe must continue to help Africa...and we hope France will support us in this case". He was speaking at a conference on ties between Paris and its former possessions, ahead of a two-day Franco-African summit opening in Paris on 27 November. (Reuters, 25 November 1998) * Africa/UN. Urging moratorium on arms sales - 19 November: The UN Security Council, several of whose members are major arms exporters, calls for a voluntary moratorium in shipping weapons to conflict zones in Africa. In a resolution adopted unanimously, the 15-member body also says, countries should participate in the already-established UN small arms register, which has major gaps in arms sales from most countries in the world. It asks Secretary- General Kofi Annan to explore means of identifying international arms dealers violating national or international regulations and says African countries should establish their own regional arms register. (Reuters, 20 November 1998) * Afrique/USA. Mission commerciale - Le secretaire americain au commerce, William Daley, a annonce, le 25 novembre, qu'il conduira une mission commerciale d'une quinzaine d'industriels americains en Afrique du 30 novembre au 7 decembre. Ils se rendront dans quatre pays: Afrique du Sud, Kenya, Cote d'Ivoire et Nigeria. Cette tournee, explique M. Daley, "repond aux possibilites commerciales et d'investissement grandissantes offertes par les marches africains". Cette mission s'inscrit dans le cadre du nouveau "partenariat" americano-africain propose par le president Clinton lors de sa visite en Afrique subsaharienne au printemps. (D'apres AFP, France, 26 novembre 1998) * Great Lakes. Thousands of civilian victims - In a new report, Amnesty International says that all parties in the escalating conflict in Congo RDC are waging a war against civilians. Thousands have been massacred and many others have disappeared or been abducted, tortured, raped or unlawfully detained since he outbreak of recent fighting on 2 August. The report highlights abuses committed by government soldiers, armed opposition forces and ethnic groups allied to both sides, and foreign forces intervening and supporting the government and armed opposition. Every hour, a person is arrested, a person is illegally detained, a person is tortured, a person is raped, according to one local human rights activist, interviewed by Amnesty International. While the conflict has received some international attention, almost nothing has been said or done about the atrocities inflicted on the unarmed civilian population. These victims, regardless of their identity, must be protected. (Amnesty International, 23 November 1998) * Great Lakes. Rebel activities financed by drugs - 23 November: A UN report says Rwandan rebels fighting in the Great Lakes region are financing their activities through the narcotics trade. A final report by the UN International Commission of Inquiry, investigating illegal arms flows in the Great Lakes region, found that Rwandan ex-FAR, Interahamwe and other armed groups were directly involved in the arms trade. The report says that information suggested that Mandrax, destined for South Africa was smuggled from India into Kenya and Tanzania. Narcotics were also said to be supplied from Latin America. According to the Commission -- which has a Security Council mandate -- numerous reports implicate prominent members of the ex-FAR and Interahamwe based in Mombasa and Dar-es-Salaam. (IRIN, Nairobi, 23 November 1998) * Algerie. Une edition de "Vivant Univers" - La revue "Vivant Univers" consacre son numero de novembre-decembre a l'Algerie. Les auteurs des articles, Algeriens pour la plupart, y analysent les causes de la situation actuelle. Selon eux, l'Algerie souffre d'un deficit democratique plus que d'un conflit de nature religieuse, et le regime politique y a une large part de responsabilite. L'armee refuse de perdre son pouvoir. Et la communaute internationale reste silencieuse parce que, a la paix et la democratisation, elle prefere la stabilite d'un regime avec qui elle fait des affaires. (Vivant Univers, Ch. de Dinant 115, 5000 Namur, Belg. - Fx 081/24 10 24 - e-mail: vivant.univers@skynet.be) (ANB-BIA, Bruxelles, 25 novembre 1998) * Angola. Humanitarian community extremely concerned - The humanitarian community in Angola said it was "extremely concerned" that intensified fighting between government troops and UNITA forces in the central highlands in recent days was making it difficult to sustain relief operations. "The humanitarian community is extremely concerned at the increasing number of security incidents that has led to the closure of several roads around the country," the Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit (UCAH) said in its latest report. "Most recently, the closure of the Lobito- Humabo highway, following the alleged occupation of Alto Hama by UNITA, is leaving the provinces of Huambo, Bi, and Kuando Kubango inaccessible to food deliveries and humanitarian relief by road". UCAH said a prolonged closure would have a serious impact on the ability to provide relief and require possible airborne operations. At a monthly humanitarian coordination meeting in Luanda on 17 November, UNICEF and WHO officials in Angola said they were concerned at the threat of deteriorating health conditions resulting from the breakdown in infrastructure and the national health system. Meanwhile, the South African Press Association quoted military sources in Luanda as saying some UNITA strongholds in the central highlands were surrounded by government forces. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 19 November 1998) * Burkina Faso. Resultats des elections - Selon des resultats officiels provisoires publies le 18 novembre, le president sortant, Blaise Compaore, a ete reelu avec une grande majorite a la presidence du Burkina. Sa victoire est marquee par un taux de participation de 56,08%, contre 25% seulement lors de l'election presidentielle de 1991. M. Compaore a obtenu 87,53% des voix exprimees; Ram Ouedraogo 6,61% et Frederic Guirma 5,86%. La Cour supreme a onze jours pour confirmer les resultats. Les observateurs nationaux et internationaux n'ont pas releve de "fraudes flagrantes". (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 19 novembre 1998) * Burkina Faso. Compaore re-elected - Burkina Faso's incumbent president won a sweeping electoral victory, extending his mandate by another seven years, Burkina Faso's elections commission said. Blaise Compaore received 88% of the vote in last weekend's election, while the next closest candidate, Green Party contender Ram Ouedraogo, got only 7%. The remaining 5% of the votes went to a third candidate or were spoiled ballots. The victory, however, came against little real competition. Most opposition candidates had opted to boycott the vote and the two candidates who did run were seen as Compaore supporters. For Burkina Faso, however, the peaceful election was a victory for democracy, Compaore insisted. "I would like to pay homage to the political action of our people, who by mobilizing for this election have strengthened the state and the rule of law," Compaore said. About 56% of eligible voters cast ballots on 22 November, up by more than 30% from the last presidential election in 1991. Opposition leaders had been campaigning for a widespread boycott of the election, saying it was flawed and that Compaore had manipulated the registration process in his favour. Independent election monitors from the European Union and Burkina Faso earlier this week declared the election free and open. On 24 November, the Supreme Court validated Compaore's victory at the polls. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 November 1998) * Burundi. Cloture du centenaire - Le cardinal Lustiger, archeveque de Paris, a ete delegue par le pape pour le representer lors des celebrations de cloture du centenaire de l'evangelisation du Burundi, ou il devait sejourner du 20 au 25 novembre. Le 20 novembre, il a rencontre le major Pierre Buyoya, president de la Republique, et Leonce Ngendakumana, president de l'Assemblee nationale. Le dimanche 22, il a preside a Gitega la messe solennelle qui cloturait l'annee jubilaire durant laquelle l'Eglise du Burundi a multiplie ses efforts de reconciliation. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 novembre 1998) * Centrafrique. Elections legislatives - Les electeurs centrafricains se rendent aux urnes le dimanche 22 novembre pour le premier tour des elections legislatives, qui sera suivi d'un second tour le 13 decembre. Ils designeront 109 deputes a l'Assemblee nationale. Quelque 849 candidats, de 29 partis politiques ou independants, avaient ete enregistres au 30 octobre. Ces elections sont marquees par une forte implication internationale. La RCA, secouee en 1996 par trois mutineries consecutives et engagee dans un processus de reconciliation nationale, reste dans une situation economique et politique fragile. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 20 novembre 1998) * Central African Rep. Vote counting - Vote-counting in the Central African Republic gathered pace peacefully on 23 November, one day after a parliamentary election was held to help foster national reconciliation. A strong turnout was reported on November 22 in what was only the second multi-party parliamentary election in the diamond-rich yet impoverished former French colony, which has been plagued by political and ethnic rivalry. "The most striking thing was the high turnout of voters," said Vincent de Herdt, head of an 11-strong European Union monitoring team. (Reuters, 23 November 1998) * Comoros. New prime minister - The acting head of state of the Comoro Islands has named main opposition leader Abbas Djoussouf prime minister in a sign of political rapprochement that could bring a ray of hope in the country's long secessionist crisis. Tadjiddine Ben Said Massonde, who took over last month after the death of President Mohamed Taki, made the appointment late on 22 November, four days after a meeting between the ruling National Rally for Development and two of the three main opposition parties. The appointment followed an Organisation of African Unity mission to the Comoros last week which was attempting to mediate between the disparate political forces. (Reuters, 23 November 1998) * Comores. Gouvernement d'union nationale - Le 22 novembre, le chef de l'opposition, Abbas Djoussouf, a ete nomme au poste de Premier ministre par le president ad interim Tadjidine Ben Said Massounde. Age de 55 ans et originiare de la Grande Comore, la plus grande des trois iles de la republique federale, Abbas Djoussouf avait ete battu en 1996, lors de l'election presidentielle, par Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim, decede le 6 novembre. Le nouveau gouvernement d'union nationale veut resoudre la crise provoquee par la secession de l'ile d'Anjouan. (Le Monde, France, 24 novembre 1998) * Congo (RDC). Nouvelles concertations - Le 20 novembre a Gabarone, la capitale du Botswana, s'est ouverte une nouvelle concertation sur la guerre en RDC, a laquelle participent l'Afrique du Sud, le Botswana, la Zambie, le Mozambique et la Tanzanie, ainsi que le secretaire general de l'OUA et l'envoye special des Nations unies, Berhanu Dinka. Une delegation des rebelles y etait egalement presente, mais le gouvernement de Kabila n'a pas envoye de delegation, tout en annoncant son intention d'etre present a une conference ministerielle de la SADC a Lusaka, le 8 decembre. - Au cours de la concertation, les rebelles congolais, qui ont reitere leur demande de discussions directes avec le president Kabila, ont donne leur accord de principe a un projet de cessez-le-feu, qui devra etre ratifie a la conference de Lusaka. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 21 novembre 1998) * Congo (RDC)/Rwanda. La guerre des mots - Kigali a vivement reagi aux accusations du president Kabila qui, dans une interview au journal belge Le Soir du 19 novembre, declarait que les massacres dans l'est du Congo et dans la province de l'Equateur durant la guerre de 1996-97 avaient ete commis par ses allies rwandais. Dans un communique, Kigali denonce ces accusations pathetiques et absurdes. Sans donner d'autres precisions sur le sort de quelque 180.000 refugies hutu portes disparus dans l'est du Congo, le texte accuse le regime de Kabila de continuer a massacrer des Rwandais et des Tutsi congolais. --Durant le week-end du 21-22 novembre, les 19 derniers Tutsi, qui s'etaient refugies al'ambassade belge a Kinshasa, ont pu partir vers la Belgique. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 23 novembre 1998) * Congo (RDC). Six barges coulees - Durant le week-end du 21-22 novembre, l'aviation zimbabweenne a coule six embarcations sur le lac Tanganyika transportant au moins 600 rebelles convoyes vers le port de Moba, ou les rebelles ont pris position la semaine derniere. Les avions zimbabweens ont detruit 4 embarcations le 21 novembre, et 2 autres le lendemain. Les rebelles pourraient tous avoir peri dans la destruction des barges, qui transportaient egalement du materiel militaire. Depuis une semaine, de violents combats opposent a Moba les Forces armees congolaises aux rebelles, qui y ont debarque par le lac, la route reliant Kalemie a cette localite etant tenue par les FAC. Selon des informations non confirmees, des avions zimbabweens ont egalement bombarde Kongolo, dans l'extreme nord du Katanga, et des combats au sol seraient en cours dans cette zone. (D'apres Infoaza, Burundi, 23 novembre 1998) * Congo (RDC). Zimbabwean planes bombing boats - RCD's rebels have acknowledged that Zimbabwean planes bombed Kalemie yesterday (24 November), but denied there were any casualties. RDC state radio said allied aircraft had hit a rebel transport plane at the airport. The RCD has however denied claims by Kinshasa that 600 rebels died at the weekend when Zimbabwean planes strafed and sank barges ferrying troops between Kalemie and Moba. (IRIN, Nairobi, 25 November) * Congo (RDC)/Botswana. ...and more talks - 19 November: President Kabila's government will not attend talks due to start in Botswana on 21 November, to try and bring peace to Congo RDC. A senior government official said: "We are not going. We are not sending anyone there". The meeting in Gaborone will bring together senior officials from the UN, the OAU and foreign ministers from the SADC. A delegation from the rebels in Congo, will also attend. 23 November: The peace talks end inconclusively. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 November 1998) * Congo (RDC). Tournee europeenne de Kabila - Le president Kabila a entame le 23 novembre une tournee en Italie, en Belgique et en France, ou il doit participer du 26 au 28 novembre au sommet France-Afrique. 20 novembre --Les Instituts missionnaires au Congo, reprenant l'appel de l'episcopat congolais pour une solution rapide du conflit, ont adresse une lettre au Premier ministre italien pour lui demander de prodiguer tous ses efforts aupres de Kabila pour obtenir un cessez-le-feu immediat, l'ouverture de canaux humanitaires, une force d'interposition et une conference inter- africaine pour la pacification en RDC. A Bruxelles, un avocat bruxellois, au nom d'un couple belgo-congolais, depose une plainte contre Kabila pour "crimes de droit international". 23 -- Dans une conference de presse, Amnesty International denonce les violations des droits de l'homme commises tant par le gouvernement que par la rebellion depuis le debut du conflit. Guillaume Ngefa, de l'Association africaine de defense des droits de l'homme (ASADHO), denonce, de son cote, surtout le business de la guerre (soulignant la spoliation des richesses congolaises par l'Ouganda, le Zimbabwe et la Namibie), et le viol systematique des femmes pratique par toutes les parties en cause. 24 -- Rome. Kabila rencontre le president italien et est recu en audience par le pape, qui lui exprime sa profonde preoccupation au sujet du conflit au Congo, souhaitant que "a travers le dialogue au niveau tant international que national, on parvienne rapidement a une solution pacifique". En soire, M. Kabila arrive a Bruxelles. 25. M. Kabila rencontre des representants de la Chambre et du Senat belges, ainsi que le commissaire europeen au Developpement, M. Pinheiro. Il annonce la liberalisation des partis politiques a partir de janvier et confirme la tenue d'elections l'annee prochaine: mais il reste oppose a un gouvernement d'union nationale. 26 -- Depart sur Paris, apres avoir ete recu par le roi. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 novembre 1998) * Congo (RDC). Kabila's European safari - 24 November: Pope John Paul II grants a brief audience to President Kabila and urges him to seek a negotiated end to a rebellion that threatens to bring on a larger African war. Kabila also talks with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, and with Mgr. Jean-Louis Tauran, the Secretary For Foreign relations. President Kabila also meets with members of the Rome-based Sant'Egidio community, which has mediated conflicts worldwide. The same day, Kabila travels on to Brussels where he says that political parties in Congo will be legalised in two months' time. Over the radio he says: "The people have to decide who should lead them". 26 November: Kabila is due to attend the 26 November Franco-African summit in Paris, as "acting" head of state. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 November 1998) * Egypte. Vers une treve terroriste - Les sept chefs de la Jamaa islamiya, principal groupe islamiste arme egyptien, incarceres dans leur pays, ont accepte un arret de la violence, ralliant ainsi l'appel lance en octobre par le guide spirituel de l'organisation, cheick Omar Abdel Rahmane. La Jamaa est la principale organisation islamiste qui declencha en 1992 la vague de violence, faisant jusqu'a 1.370 morts. (Le Soir, Belgique, 20 novembre 1998) * Egypte. Droits de l'homme - Le 24 novembre, la justice egyptienne a ouvert une enquete sur l'activite de l'Organisation egyptienne des droits de l'homme (OEDH) a la suite d'accusations de "trahison" portees contre elle par l'hebdomadaire Al-Ousboue. Celui-ci avait publie la photocopie d'un cheque de 25.000 dollars en faveur de l'OEDH, affirmant que c'etait "le prix verse pour sa publication le 28 septembre du rapport sur les brutalites contre les coptes dans la ville d'al-Kocheh" en Haute-Egypte. Selon le secretaire general de l'OEDH, "cette enquete est un prelude a la liquidation, non seulement de l'OEDH, mais de toutes les organisations des droits de l'homme en Egypte". (D'apres AFP, France, 24 novembre 1998) * Guinee equatoriale. Demande d'extradition - Le gouvernement equato-guineen a demande a son Parlement de requerir a l'Espagne l'extradition de l'opposant en exil Severo Moto, accuse d'avoir prepare un coup d'Etat contre le president Nguema. Cette demande intervient quelques jours apres que M. Moto eut porte plainte contre le president Nguema pour "terrorisme d'Etat, crimes et genocide" commis depuis son accession au pouvoir en 1979. (La Libre Belgique, 24 novembre 1998) * Kenya. Ethiopian refugees repatriated - The UN refugee agency said it has started returning about 5,000 refugees from a camp in Kenya to their homes in Ethiopia. Among the repatriating refugees are older men and women who first fled Ethiopia for neighbouring Somalia in 1977. In 1991, they joined thousands of Somalis in fleeing to Kenya. Many of their children are now seeing their homeland for the first time, said Kris Janowski, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The refugees are being flown from the Dadaab camp in Kenya to Moyale in Ethiopia. From there, they will travel overland to their homes, Janowski said in Geneva. From now until the 20 December beginning of Ramadan, the United Nations plans to fly the 2,500 Ethiopians home he said. The remainder will be flown home after the month-long Muslim fast. Each of the returnees will be given nine months of food aid and $60 to assist with the move to their home villages or towns. The agency said Kenya currently has about 186,000 refugees, down from 420,000 in 1992 -- mostly from Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda. (AP, Kenya, 20 November 1998) * Kenya/Sudan. Garang escapes hit squad - The Kenya press reports an attempt to assassinate Sudanese rebel leader, John Garang, in Nairobi. On 14 November, the SPLA leader was attacked by supporters of his rival, Maj.Gen. Kerubino Kuanyin Bol. Garang was in his residence at the time but was unhurt when about 8 supporters of Bol raided Garang's residence with the intention of assassinating him. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 November 1998) * Libye. Toujours l'affaire Lockerbie - Des responsables des services secrets libyens, dont les chefs des renseignements exterieurs et interieurs, ont ete recemment traduits en justice apres avoir ete accuses de "carence" a affirme, le 25 novembre, le quotidien arabe Al-Hayat qui precise: "Par ce proces, Tripoli veut eviter le deplacement de ces responsables pour temoigner dans l'affaire Lockerbie, arguant qu'ils ont deja ete juges et chaties en Libye". - Le meme jour, le secretaire general de l'Onu, M. Annan, a declare qu'il rencontrerait peut-etre des responsables libyens, lors de son voyage en Afrique du Nord prevu au debut decembre, pour tenter de trouver une solution a la crise qui perdure a propos de l'attentat de Lockerbie. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 novembre 1998) * Malawi. Tobacco production to decrease - For a long time, Malawi has relied on tobacco for foreign exchange. The industry which employs over 80% of the working population, has been faring badly due to a number of factors. The anti-smoking lobby in the West is said to be the major cause which has reduced the number of buyers to about 60%. In the 1995/96 crop market season, the leaf sold at an average of 191 US cents per kilogram, slumping to 152 US cents per kilogram in the 1996/7 season, and further down to 130 US cents in the 1997/8 season, which has greatly affected Malawi's economy. But the Tobacco Export Association of Malawi, maintains there is still a demand for the crop on the international market. The Association says 180,250 tonnes of the leaf will be in demand during the next market season. However, the experience of selling the crops at low prices, will not encourage many smallholder farmers to grow tobacco, which demands high farm inputs such as fertilizer and chemicals. (Akwete Sande, Malawi, 10 November 1998) * Mozambique. WFP food distribution - WFP said that it was distributing food this month to 143.000 people across Mozambique. The aid amounted to 3,200 tonnes of maize, beans, vegetable oil, sugar and milk. A total of 23,000 people mainly living in areas affected by recent floods in the central provinces of Tete, Sofala and Cabo Delgado in the north of the country, will receive free food. The majority, however, were receiving the aid under "food- for-work" programmes mainly in the southern drought-affected provinces of Gaza, Inhambane, Maputo and the southern areas of Sofala and Manica. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 19 November 1998) * Namibia-Botswana. Protection needed for Caprivi refugees - The number of Namibians fleeing the Caprivi Strip region to into northern Botswana has been growing daily, as officials estimated up to 500 asylum seekers requesting assistance in southern Africa's latest refugee crisis. The spokesman said UNHCR's Director of Southern Africa operations, Nicolas Bwakira, after preliminary interviews with a cross section of refugees, has asked the Botswana government this week not to send people back against their will, to drop charges of illegal entry brought against some of them, grant them protection and allow their application to be considered fairly. "We expressed our readiness to support efforts in assisting and addressing the needs of the asylum-seekers," Bwakira said. The spokesman said Bwakira was satisfied after talks with vice- President Lt.Gen. Ian Seretse Khama that Botswana was respecting its obligations towards the refugees under international law. Botswana government officials and media reports said up to 1,000 San bushmen had also fled, but that most had not formally applied for asylum. The refugees include the leader of Namibia's opposition Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA), Mishake Muyongo and Chief Boniface Mamili, the traditional leader of the Mafwe, part of a Lozi-speaking federation of ethnic groups believed to be at the heart of the Caprivi secessionist movement. The remote Caprivi strip is home to some 100,000 mostly Lozi-speaking people. Most refugees, who include women and children were being housed in the Dukwe reception centre in northern Botswana. UNHCR said that contrary to media reports, only a handful of those who had entered the country were armed. "There are also women and children among them," the spokesman said. "Upon arrival, those carrying arms willing and readily surrendered their weapons and themselves to the authorities. They have since been detained and charged with illegal entry and possession of arms. It is hopes they too, will be allowed out to the reception centre where they can be properly provided for." (IRIN, Southern Africa, 19 November 1998) * Rwanda. Condamnations pour genocide - Le 23 novembre, le tribunal de premiere instance de Gikongoro a rendu son verdict dans un proces collectif de 25 personnes accusees de genocide. Six accuses ont ete condamnes a mort, dont un ancien sous-prefet et deux ex-bourgmestres. Les trois hommes sont les premiers hauts responsables politico-administratifs a etre condamnes a mort pour genocide. A l'acte d'accusation principale s'ajoutait la non- assistance a personne en danger "alors qu'ils en avaient le pouvoir et les moyens". Parmi les autres accuses, onze ont ete condamnes a la prison a perpetuite; cinq a des peines allant de 5 a 7 ans de prison; et trois ont ete reconnus innocents et relaches immediatement. (D'apres Hirondelle, Arusha, 23 novembre 1998) * Rwanda. Rebelles trafiquants de drogue - Selon le rapport d'une commission internationale d'enquete des Nations unies, publie le 24 novembre, des rebelles hutu rwandais financent leurs operations dans l'Afrique des Grands Lacs par des trafics de drogue. Selon la commission, des membres des ex-Forces armees rwandaises et des miliciens extremistes Interahamwe se sont lances dans un commerce de stupefiants entre l'Inde, l'Afrique du Sud et l'Europe. (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 25 novembre 1998) * Senegal. Mines en Casamance - Les mines antipersonnel disseminees en Casamance ont rendu 80% des terres inutilisables et elles ont tue des dizaines de personnes en un an, a indique le 19 novembre Alieu Tine, dirigeant de l'organisation Rencontre africaine pour la defense des droits de l'homme a Dakar. Selon lui, 200 localites de la region sont devenues des "villages fantomes" a cause de ces mines. En outre, en raison des 15 annees de guerre civile, 120.000 personnes sont refugiees ou deplacees. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 19 novembre 1998) * Sierra Leone. Return of refugees suspended - The UNHCR has suspended cases of the disease were reported in camps in Guinea after an outbreak of meningitis in refugee camps. The official said several cases of the disease were reported in camps in the Guinea prefecture of Gueckedou where most of the 350,000 refugees are camped. Others are in the Forecariah camp, 100 km south of Conakry, the Guinean capital. There is not enough vaccine in Guinea to cover the entire refugee population, the official said, so efforts are being made to obtain additional supplies from the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Senegal. Since August, at least 3,500 refugees have been repatriated from Gueckedou to Freetown, at the request of the Sierra Leonean government. Since the operation began in August, 18.000 refugees have been repatriated. The effort was to have ended on 4 December. (IRIN, West Africa, 18 November 1998) * Sierra Leone. Le RUF appelle a des pourparlers - Sam Bockari, le numero deux du Front revolutionnaire uni (RUF), a appele le 20 novembre, dans un entretien telephonique avec l'AFP a Abidjan, a des "discussions de paix en Sierra Leone sous l'egide de l'OUA". Interroge sur l'enlevement d'un missionnaire italien en debut de semaine, il a declare "l'avoir appris par la radio" et etre en train de verifier aupres de ses unites sur le terrain. Le chef rebelle a egalement indique que son seul souhait etait de voir liberer Foday Sankoh, le chef historique du RUF condamne a mort par un tribunal de Freetown. (D'apres AFP, France, 20 novembre 1998) * Somalie. Nouvelle menace de famine - Le 20 novembre, le Programme alimentaire mondial a averti qu'une crise majeure menacait le sud et le centre de la Somalie ou, apres trois annees de mauvaises recoltes, 300.000 personnes risquent de souffrir de la faim. Il demande une aide d'urgence de 18 millions de dollars. Selon le PAM, la penurie de nourriture a deja conduit au moins 7.000 Somaliens a quitter leurs domiciles pour gagner la cote ou la frontiere kenyane. (D'apres AP, USA, 20 novembre 1998) * Somalia. Famine - For the second time in six years the dark spectre threat of famine hangs over war torn southern Somalia. The United Nations World Food Programme, which has been monitoring a deteriorating situation since early this year, says as many as 300,000 people are at imminent risk of starvation. Edward Kallon, the WFP's programme co-ordinator for Somalia said: "The situation is critical and WFP has no option but to divert all available resources to saving lives in Bay and Bakool." Mr.Kallon added that if the international community did not act immediately, there would be severe famine in the area early next year. Bay and Bakool, the traditional breadbasket districts of Somalia, are worst hit, with food shortages brought on by the civil war, which has displaced a large number of people. Floods early in the year, which washed away thousands of acres of crops, and the failure of recent rains have combined to worsen the crisis. (Editor's note: United Nations agencies in Somalia have appealed for $18 million to mitigate the impending humanitarian disaster in southern and central Somalia.) (The Guardian, U.K., 20 November 1998) * Somalia. Hundreds flee floods - Hundreds of families have fled their homes in southern Somalia this week after the country's largest river, the Juba, burst its banks and flooded 25 villages in the Middle Juba region, local officials said. The officials, contacted by shortwave radio, said 2.025 acres of land owned by subsistence farmers had been flooded by waters as high as 9 feet. There were no details of casualties. Elders in Jilib, some 220 miles south of the capital Mogadishu, said hundred of displaced people, many of whom were rescued by boat, were headed towards the town and the neighbouring towns of Baladul and Karim. (Reuters, 20 November 1998) * South Africa. Millions may be denied vote - Nearly five years after South Africans joyously voted apartheid into history, a mix of bureaucracy, politicking and money could deny millions of them a vote in the second free election next year. Political parties, the Home Affairs Department and the Independent Electoral Commission are engaged in finger-pointing amid accusations of racism and warnings that the election will degenerate into farce. The main sticking point is an insistence by the ruling African National Congress that only people with new-style identification documents should be able to vote. (Reuters, 18 November 1998) * South Africa. Botha off the hook - The South African government will not prosecute former apartheid strongman P.W.Botha for human rights violations committed under his rule due to lack of evidence, South African radio reports. "We have no evidence needed to bring him before a court of law. We have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt," it quotes Jan D'Oliviera, the deputy director of national prosecutions, as saying. In its final report handed to President Mandela in October, South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission said Botha, 82, was accountable for gross violations of human rights committed on a wide scale during the period he was president. (Reuters, 20 November 1998) * South Africa. Apartheid-era politicians avoid prosecution - South African Minister Dullah Omar said prosecutions arising from the truth probe would be done in the national interest, a move officials said could let apartheid-era politicians off the hook. Omar told a media briefing that he foresaw that cases against alleged human rights abusers would take up to a decade to settle in the wake of the two-year investigation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of apartheid atrocities committed by all sides. "The TRC has recommended that prosecutions be completed in two years. I think that is wishful thinking....it is unattainable," Omar said. (Reuters, 20 November 1998) * South Africa. ANC election campaign - President Mandela launched his party's campaign on 21 November for next year's elections -- South Africa's second democratic poll -- with a bitter attack on crime and corruption. "Among our country's major challenges are crime, joblessness and corruption," he told a gathering of 250 local people and religious leaders. "We need to work together, all of us, to instill that deep-rooted and pervasive respect for human life, for the rights of others and for our own dignity as being able to care for others," Mandela said, kicking off the election campaign for his African National Congress. (Reuters, 23 November 1998) * Soudan. Baisse de la mortalite - Le bureau de l'Unicef a Wau, dans le Bahr el-Ghazal, a rapporte de faibles (dans un sens encourageants) taux de mortalite le mois dernier. On a enregistre 280 deces en octobre, alors qu'en juillet et aout 50 personnes mourraient chaque jour. - Par ailleurs, une mission d'evaluation a propose un programme d'urgence de 230 millions de dollars pour aider le pays a se redresser apres les inondations survenues en aout et septembre dans 18 des 26 Etats du Soudan. Celles-ci ont touche pres d'un million de personnes, dont plus de 100.000 sont desormais deplacees. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 20 novembre 1998) * Soudan. Accords humanitaires - Le 18 novembre a Rome, a l'issue de trois jours de pourparlers, le gouvernement soudanais, le groupe rebelle SPLM et les Nations unies ont signe deux accords visant a faciliter et etendre l'acces aux personnes qui ont besoin d'aide humanitaire et a ameliorer la securite du personnel humanitaire dans le pays. Dans le communique final, le gouvernement et le SPLM ont declare qu'ils allaient "considerer" une prolongation du cessez-le-feu qui ne couvre actuellement que l'Etat du Bahr el- Ghazal et expire le 15 janvier prochain. (D'apres IRIN, Nairobi, 20 novembre 1998) * Sudan. WFP completes relief voyage - A WFP convoy along the Sobat river in Upper State has completed its deliveries of food aid to war-affected populations in 41 different locations. The convoy, which started its journey on 1 October from the port of Kosti in While Nile State; wound up its deliveries in Nyandit near the Ethiopian border on 3-4 November. A total of 99,292 beneficiaries in areas held by both the government and the allied South Sudan Independence Movement (SSIM) received food from the barge, the first along the Sobat this year. A UNICEF health team aboard the convoy, vaccinated 6,842 children against polio and 3,114 against measles, while some 4,000 women received tetanus shots, according to the latest UNICEF weekly report from Khartoum. Fishing equipment was also distributed to over 44,000 people to improve household food security in the river communities, UNICEF said. (IRIN, Nairobi, 20 November 1998) * Sudan. Highlights of the Khartoum bombing trial - 2-3 November: The Investigator finishes his presentation of the whole case. The defense council questions the Investigator about the case presented by him. 3-4 November: Hearings are postponed. 7 November: The prosecution presents 4 witnesses, all from the Security. The defense presents to the Court an objection against the impartiality of these witnesses. - 8 November: The Court listens to the accusation witnesses. The witnesses reveal to the court how the accused were arrested. 9 November: The prosecution presents 6 witnesses. 10 November: No hearing today. 11 November: Two witnesses are present. The defence requests to see the video on the explosions and they see it. 17 November: 3 witnesses presented by the prosecution are heard. The engineers present the damage caused by the explosions in different areas of Khartoum. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 November 1998) * Swaziland. Nouveau gouvernement - Un nouveau gouvernement de seize membres a ete investi par le roi Mswati III, a la suite des elections generales des 16 et 24 octobre. Il est dirige a nouveau par le Premier ministre Sibusiso Dlamini. Les principaux portefeuilles sont attribues egalement a des sortants, mais huit nouveaux ministres font leur entree dans le gouvernement. Seuls trois des 16 ministres ont ete elus directement par les electeurs, les autres ayant ete choisis au sein du contingent nomme au Parlement par le roi; ce qui a ete denonce par l'opposition, qui est interdite legalement et avait appele au boycott des elections. (D'apres AFP, France, 20 novembre 1998) * Swaziland. AIDS crisis, union leader held - The authorities in Swaziland said that hospitals and health care centres in landlocked Southern African kingdom were becoming congested with people suffering AIDS-related illnesses, the South African Press Association reported. It quoted the country's health secretary, Myekeni Vilikazi, as saying existing facilities in health establishments were now overstretched and that the ministry intended introducing home-based care centres to cater for the treatment of Aids patients. The government also planned to invest more funds in educating health workers and the public at large about the dangers of Aids. According to the latest UNAIDS report of June 1998, 18.5% of the country's population suffer from Aids. Of a total of 84,000 patients with the disease aged between 15 and 49, 41,000 are women. The number of children up to the age of 14 with AIDS was given at 2,800. (IRIN, Southern Africa, 19 November 1998) * Swaziland. Bomb blast - 19 November: Police say they have arrested an opposition leader in connection with a bomb blast last month near a highway where the monarch, King Mswati III, had passed two hours before. People's United Democratic Movement President Mario Masuku became the latest person arrested this week amid simmering political tensions after the African kingdom's recent parliamentary elections. Swaziland police arrested four top trade unionists on 17 November, including the chief of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, Jan Sithole. Three of the labour union officials were released and Sithole was freed on 18 November. 20 November: Another bomb blast rock Mbabane in the afternoon, killing one man and injuring two. "There was bomb blast at the government offices in the city centre at 4:45 p.m.," a Swazi reporter says, confirming South African radio reports. A journalist from the Times of Swaziland says one man, believed to be a security guard, has died in the blast. The Times of Swaziland journalists say the explosion occurred at the building housing the offices of Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Khoza while a new cabinet was being sworn in 2 miles away. (Reuters, 20 November 1998) * Tanzanie. Besoin d'aide alimentaire - Le 20 novembre, la FAO a indique que plus de 350.000 personnes en Tanzanie auront besoin d'une aide alimentaire entre octobre 1998 et mars 1999, en particulier dans les regions centrales de Singida et Dodoma. Le Premier ministre a exhorte les Tanzaniens a ne pas "gaspiller", vu les faibles reserves existantes. (D'apres Infoaza, Burundi, 20 novembre 1998) * Chad. President has health problem - 22 November: Chad's president, Idriss Deby, has had tests in Saudi Arabia for an intestinal problem, but his condition has improved markedly. A statement said Deby, who had been in the Saudi capital Riyadh since 20 November, has suffered colon problems. Presidential aides said Deby, who seized power in a French-backed coup in 1990 and won a 1996 presidential election, had stomach problems. The statement said Deby had caught a chill during a visit to the desert town of Agadez in neighbouring Niger, on 14 November. It also attributed his condition to a hectic schedule, involving repeated trips both upcountry and abroad. (Reuters, 23 November 1998) * Tunisie. Droits de l'homme - Le 20 novembre a Geneve, deux jours apres que la Tunisie y avait defendu son bilan sur les droits de l'homme, le Comite contre la torture des Nations unies a prononce un veritable requisitoire contre les autorites tunisiennes. Le comite se dit "preoccupe par le large ecart qui existe entre la loi et la pratique" et par "les pratiques de torture et de traitements cruels perpetrees par les forces de securite et la police". Le regime de Ben Ali est parti en guerre contre ces conclusions du comite par la voix de son ambassadeur a l'ONU. (D'apres Liberation, France, 21 novembre 1998) * Uganda. Mkura victims dug up - The remains of the 69 people suffocated to death in a train wagon by the National Resistance Army in Mukura Kumi district in 1989, have been exhumed and reburied. Three sackfuls of the remains were buried, on 17 November, in a cemented mass grave built near Mukura railway station. The Government was represented at the re-burial and the President's Office contributed sh5m for the burial and erection of a monument on which the names of the victims were inscribed. In an operation carried out by the National Resistance Army (now the Uganda People's Defence Force), on 9 July 1989, at the peak of insurgency in Teso, 206 people were rounded up in the three sub- counties of Ngora, Kapir and Mukura in Kumi district and locked up in a wagon. (...) The heat and lack of fresh air, suffocated 69 to death within one hour. (New Vision, Uganda, 19 November 1998) * Uganda. Rebels in Gulu - On 22 November, the army said that Kony rebels have crossed to Gulu after four weeks in Kitgum. Fourth Division chief Brig. Edward Katumba said the rebels entered Gulu over the weekend. He cautioned the people of Gulu, especially of Odok, Lalogi, Aswa and Ato hills to watch over children aged 9-14, whom the rebels target. "Letters claiming that the rebels are friendly must be ignored. It is a trick", Katumba said. (New Vision, Uganda, 23 November 1998) * Zimbabwe. Canaan Banana found guilty 26 November: A judge has found former President Canaan Banana guilty on all 11 counts of sodomy and homosexual assault. Prosecutors confirmed the politician had fled to neighbouring Botswana. The Botswana authorities have informed the Zimbabwean authorities that the former president is on their soil. Botswana's Chief Prosecutor, Augustine Chikumira, said that Banana wants political asylum in Botswana. Zimbabwe is immediately seeking his extradition. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 November 1998) * Zimbabwe. Mugabe appeals for unity - On 19 November, President Mugabe, breaking a loud silence on strikes rocking his country, appealed for unity to arrest Zimbabwe's economic decline. "Mistrust and constant bickering among ourselves will not yield anything but chaos and ruin to our economy. There can be no alternative to dialogue in nation building. I want to believe we must have one understanding, one sentiment and one heart beat," said the President at a meeting on the economy with business representatives -- a meeting boycotted by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 19 November 1998) * Zimbabwe. Fears of Congo mutiny - Zimbabwe dispatched 1,500 military police to Congo RDC on November 20, amid fears some Zimbabwean troops deployed there are on the verge of mutiny, according to the Zimbabwe Independent, a respected independent business weekly. The paper said the military police aimed to crack down on "unprecedented indiscipline" among soldiers discontented with their role in an offensive against Congolese rebels in the east of the vast mineral-rich country. Zimbabwe has about 8,000 troops fighting alongside Angolan and Namibian allies supporting President Kabila of Congo. (Financial Times, U.K., 21 November 1998) * Zimbabwe. Squatters invade farms - Hundreds of impoverished blacks armed with axes and knives have occupied farms in Enterprise Valley, angry with the pace of government efforts to resettle blacks on white-owned land. The escalating tension in Enterprise Valley, 30 miles east of the capital, Harare, came after the government on 18 November reiterated its intention to seize 841 white-owned farms across Zimbabwe. Since independence in 1980, about 70,000 black families have been resettled on former white- owned farms, less than half of the target of 160,000 families. About 4,000 whites own roughly one-third of the southern African nation's most productive land. For Stix Chimuti, a 45-year old veteran of the guerrilla war that led to independence, the land handover is proceeding too slowly. Now the leader of a group of about 100 squatters encamped on a neatly ploughed corn, tobacco and paprika farm, Chimuti vowed on 20 November, to fight to the death for a home for his wife and 12 children. "The while man stole our land, and we're going to have it back. We're prepared to die for it," he said. Chimuti and his followers, axes and knives stowed in their makeshift shelters, trekked to Enterprise Valley a week ago from densely populated arid land nearby. "That land is not suitable for people, just goats," he said. At a wheat and corn farm nearby, squatters have daubed the farm sigh with the word "tatora" ("we take" in the local Shona language), and have lit fires and pounded tribal drums at night, 100 yards from the farmers's bedroom. (AP, 21 November 1998)