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Weekly anb04264.txt #7

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 26-04-2001      PART #4/7
* Kenya. New bank chief pledges tight fiscal policy - Nahashon Nyagah, Kenya's new central bank governor, said he would maintain the country's commitment to tight monetary policy and low inflation, that donors would resume funding by the beginning of July -- and that God would help him do it. "I am aware of the arguments put forward by some critics that this monetary policy deprives the economy of the liquidity necessary for growth," he said. "But allowing a little more inflation is the wrong strategy -- in fact there is no quicker way to undermine the progress we have made so far." His statement will be seen as encouraging in a country struggling to combat its worst economic crisis since independence, and whose backtracking on economic reforms has led to the temporary suspension of aid flows. But it coincides with fears that the replacement as governor of Micah Cheserem by Mr Nyagah reflects government efforts to curb independent criticism ahead of next year's elections. Mr Cheserem had been seen by donors as a strong independent voice. Mr Nyagah assured journalists he would resist any pressure to print money --but would take account of concerns raised by government and other stakeholders in the economy. He also indicated there were plans to develop "longer-term debt instruments" to address the country's Ks177bn ($2.3bn) domestic debt, and said he would encourage consolidation in the banking sector -- currently saddled with a 38 per cent non-performing loan book. Mr Nyagah remained committed to market-determined interest rates. Finally, Kenyans should learn to trust in God. "The performance of this economy... is determined from high above," he said. "Divine intervention is key. I can tell you that. God is with us." (Financial Times, UK, 25 April 2001)
* Kenya/Tanzania. Zanzibar refugees in stand-off - Zanzibari refugees in Kenya are resisting attempts to move them from their present camp in Shimoni on the Indian Ocean coast in the south-east of the country. Kenyan officials warned the 1,500 refugees that they will be forcibly moved if they continue to resist. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) is currently trying to negotiate with Kenyan officials over the resettlement. The refugees complain that the conditions in the new camp in Dadaab in the dessert area north-east of the country are too harsh. Kenyan authorities sent buses and policemen to Shimoni to transport the refugees to Dadaab. But the refugees have not boarded the buses. Dadaab is one of two official camps in Kenya where refugees are housed. The Kenyan Government has always said that the camp in Shimoni was a temporary base. The Zanzibaris say that they prefer to be by the coast and closer to Zanzibar rather than dropped in the middle of the country. If they do move, the Zanzibaris will join about 120,000 southern Sudanese and Somali refugees in Dadaab. (BBC News UK, 24 April 2001)
* Lesotho. Mbeki promises to help Lesotho develop - The President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, has promised to help develop the kingdom of Lesotho, the small mountain enclave in the southeast of South Africa. Mr Mbeki was speaking on a one-day visit aimed at improving relations between the two countries. Earlier, Mr Mbeki presented a cow to King Letsie the Third, as a fine incurred by the South African president for failing to attend the king's wedding last year. King Letsie had the right to fine Mr Mbeki under tradition, because the President's mother was born in the Kingdom. Opposition groups have said Mr Mbeki is unwelcome, because South Africa has not apologised for its part in a regional intervention in Lesotho in 1998. (BBC News, UK, 20 April 2001)
* Malawi. Marking 100 Years of Evangelization - The Church in Malawi will hold a National Centenary Celebration in Lilongwe on July 28 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Church's presence in this southern African country of 10.3 million people. The Holy Father's special envoy for the occasion will be Cardinal Francis Arinze, who will arrive July 25. Montfort missionaries first arrived in Malawi on July 25, 1901. Other early missionaries included the White Fathers (now Missionaries for Africa), the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa, Daughters of Wisdom, and the Xaverian and Marist Brothers. On March 24, a centenary pastoral letter was published, which expressed the theme of the centenary as a "time of thanksgiving for all the blessings we have received from God and His Church." Moreover, the pastoral letter stated that it "is an occasion to correct our mistakes, a time for forgiveness, reconciliation and healing. Above all, it is a time of renewal and rededication." On April 28, there will be a special celebration at Nzama, to commemorate the founding of the first mission station by the Montfort Missionaries. The Anglican and Catholic Churches in Zomba have planned joint Stations of the Cross, presided over by their respective bishops. (Zenith, Italy, 24 April 2001)
* Mali/Sénégal. Chemin de fer - La gestion de la voie ferrée reliant Dakar à Koulikoro (Mali) est en passe d'être confiée à une société concessionnaire, a-t-on appris le 19 avril à Bamako. Le Sénégal et le Mali avaient décidé en février de retenir le schéma de la concession globale de l'activité ferrovière sur l'axe Dakar-Bamako. Selon ce schéma, une société concessionnaire sera constituée avec la participation des deux Etats, du personnel, des privés nationaux et d'un privé étranger. Cette société sera chargée de l'exploitation technique et commerciale des services de transport des marchandises et voyageurs et de l'aménagement des infrastructures. (PANA, Sénégal, 19 avril 2001)
* Maroc. Prisonniers politiques - Le Maroc compte encore une soixantaine de prisonniers politiques issus de la mouvance islamiste ou sahraouie, a déclaré le 23 avril à Rabat, Pierre Sané, secrétaire général d'Amnesty International (AI). Au terme d'un séjour dans le royaume pour célébrer la naissance officielle de la section nationale marocaine d'AI, Pierre Sané a estimé que ces prisonniers avaient droit à un procès équitable et selon les normes du droit international. Selon les autorités marocaines, il n'existe plus aucun détenu politique dans les prisons du royaume depuis l'accession au trône de Mohammed VI en juillet 1999. Pierre Sané, qui a été reçu par le Premier ministre Abderrahmane Youssoufi, s'est par ailleurs félicité des relations apaisées qu'entretenait désormais AI avec le Maroc, en raison des "progrès remarquables" accomplis par ce pays depuis le début des années 90. (AP, 23 avril 2001)
* Morocco. Amnesty International consolidates its presence - In Press Release issued on 24 April, Amnesty International said that the acquisition by Amnesty International groups in Morocco of section status, is a recognition of the achievements of the organisation's members in the field of protection and promotion of human rights. It will contribute to strengthening the already very active human rights movement in Morocco. (Amnesty International, 24 April 2001)
* Maroc. Dévaluation - Les autorités marocaines ont décidé de procéder, le 25 avril, à une dévaluation à effet immédiat de 5% de la devise nationale, a-t-on appris auprès d'un responsable du ministère des Finances. "Il a été décidé d'une dévaluation de 5% pour stimuler les exportations", a-t-il déclaré. Le dirham s'était apprécié de près de 10% par rapport à l'euro depuis début 2000. La décision de la banque centrale marocaine entrainait les parités suivantes, le 25 avril au matin: 1 $US = 11,5 DH; 1 euro = 10,25 DH. (AP, 25 avril 2001)
* Morocco. EU abandons Morocco fish talks - The European Union and Morocco have abandoned hope of renewing a fisheries agreement after more than 15 months of talks. The agreement would have given about 400 mainly Spanish and Portuguese small boats the right to fish in Moroccan waters. Instead the EU will focus efforts on help for fishermen in the south of Spain and Portugal to restructure and find alternative jobs. EU boats fished in Moroccan waters for more than a decade in return for which Morocco received millions of dollars worth of EU aid. But the agreement expired at the end of 1999 and the two sides have made little progress since then, despite repeated meetings. Last month talks collapsed over the restrictions Rabat wanted to impose on EU boats and the amount of EU financial assistance Morocco should receive in return. (BBC News, UK, 25 April 2001)
* Mauritius. Torture complaints - In a Press Release dated 25 April, Amnesty International expressed concern over the continuing failure of the Mauritian government to investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment during criminal investigation procedures. Ill-treatment of criminal suspects during interrogation has been reported in a number of cases in Mauritius in recent months, and has for many years been of concern to local and international human rights monitors. (Amnesty International, 25 April 2001) * Niger. Solidarité dans la famine - Le 20 avril, les partis de l'opposition nigérienne ont lancé un pressant appel à l'ensemble de la population pour une grande chaîne de solidarité en vue d'aider les populations menacées par la famine. Ils ont demandé au gouvernement des ressources additionnelles et lancé un appel aux partenaires du Niger pour une aide conséquente. L'opposition exige également la diminution du train de vie de l'Etat, et suggère une lutte sans pitié contre les spéculateurs des céréales. A l'issue de la dernière campagne agricole, le Niger accuse un déficit céréalier de 163.300 tonnes, exposant quelque 3,5 millions de Nigériens à la famine. (PANA, Sénégal, 20 avril 2001)
* Niger. Ravages de la méningite - Quelque 303 personnes sont mortes de la méningite, sur un total de 4.596 cas enregistrés du 1er janvier au 8 avril, a annoncé le ministre de la Santé. L'ampleur de la méningite dans certaines localités est imputée au voisinage avec des pays où l'épidémie a atteint des proportions inquiétantes. Des ceintures de vaccination ont été mises en place dans les régions à risques, frontalières du Bénin, du Tchad, du Nigeria et du Burkina Faso. Le Niger est situé dans la ceinture de la méningite où chaque année plusieurs cas sont enregistrés. En 1999, il y a eu des épidémies dans les régions de Diffa et Zinder (est). En 2000, les départements de l'ouest, Dosso, Tillabéry et la communauté urbaine de Niamey ont été touchés par la maladie. (PANA, Sénégal, 24 avril 2001)
* Niger. Meningitis takes a terrible toll - At least 300 persons out of a total of 4,596 cases of meningitis reported from 1 January to 8 April have died, Niger's Health Minister, Assoumane Adamou, has told the National Assembly. The spread of the disease in certain areas is said to be due to their proximity to countries where the epidemic has reached disturbing proportions, Adamou said. He was apparently referring to the Gaya administrative district on the Benin border, as well as that of Madaoua, on the border with Nigeria. Adamou added that vaccination zones have been set up in high-risk regions on the border with Benin, Chad, Nigeria and Burkina Faso in efforts to contain the disease. A stock of 1,200,000 anti-meningitis vaccine doses have been dispatched to the various regions of the country. Another security stock of 321,000 doses has also been constituted. Health technicians have reinforced the epidemiological surveillance at all levels and 57 centres are operational throughout the country to alert the authorities of any new sources of the disease. (PANA, Senegal, 24 April 2001)
* Nigeria. Rescue attempts at mosque - 19 April: Rescue efforts are continuing in the Mushin district of Lagos at the site of a mosque which collapsed on 18 April. At least three people are now known to have died and others are still believed to be trapped under the rubble. Initial reports said there were at least 50 people including 20 children in the unfinished building when it collapsed following a period of heavy rains. Last night huge crowds of local residents stood and stared as cranes borrowed from local construction companies tried to get enough of a grip on the larger pieces of concrete to lift them clear of the site. (BBC News, UK, 20 April 2001)
* Nigeria. Preparing to host African AIDS summit - Nigeria hosts an African AIDS summit this week, but efforts to stem the epidemic are being undermined by the growing number of home-grown "cures," experts say. The United Nations says AIDS is Africa's number one killer and the UN-sponsored summit, in Abuja from April 25-27, is expected to find ways to avert an AIDS crisis in Nigeria, the continent's most populous nation. On the eve of the conference, to be attended by former US President Bill Clinton and UN chief Kofi Annan, the state assembly in northern Kano passed a bill endorsing a group claiming a spiritual cure for AIDS. The assembly's house health committee said last week it had studied clinical data and was satisfied with the cure, which involves smearing honey and petroleum jelly on sufferers and reading verses of the Koran. (CNN, USA, 22 April 2001)
* Nigeria. Ruling party in crisis meeting - Officials from the ruling People's Democratic Party in Nigeria are meeting in what has been described as a crisis session to discuss threats of a breakaway. President Olusegun Obasanjo and senior party members from the country's thirty-six states are in the capital Abuja, for the closed door session. The meeting follows reports that some disgruntled members want the former military leader, General Ibrahim Babanginda, to lead the nation. Some members have already defected from the ruling party and joined rival groups. Nigeria is scheduled to have local elections in March, and presidential elections in two-years' time. (BBC News, UK, 24 April 2001)
* Nigeria. Army chiefs "retired" - The Nigerian government on 24 April announced the unexpected retirement of the country's three military service chiefs in the first shake-up of senior defence ranks since more than 100 officers were fired shortly after the army relinquished power two years ago. No official reason was given for what a brief statement called "the voluntary resignations" of the three men: General Victor Malu, the chief of army staff, Rear Admiral Victor Ombu and Air Vice-Marshal Ibrahim Alfa. Presidency officials said the principal target was Gen Malu, a former commander of regional peacekeeping forces in Liberia who served under Gen Sani Abacha, the most brutal of Nigeria's military dictators. Gen Malu was one of the most influential generals to have survived the mass retirement by President Olusegun Obasanjo of officers deemed to have had political ambitions potentially at odds with the administration's desire to consolidate the transition to civilian rule. Some officials say his outspoken hostility to US assistance in training Nigerian troops for regional peacekeeping duties to had annoyed Mr Obasanjo. "An officer cannot openly criticise the government or president... without being insubordinate," said a close aide to Mr Obasanjo. "Certain habits have survived the end of military rule. We are trying to "constitutionalise" the army." (Financial Times, UK, 25 April 2001) 

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