Weekly anb06063.txt #7

[anb-bia <anb-bia at village.uunet.be>]

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 06-06-2002 PART #3/7

* Congo-Brazzaville. Correction in election results - On 5 June, the 
government said that 51 lawmakers were elected in the first round of 
parliamentary elections, rather than 55 as previously announced. The 
Interior Ministry blamed a typing error for the mistake contained in a 
statement issued on 4 June. President Denis Sassou-Nguesso's party had a 
strong lead, securing 29 seats, compared to just two seats apiece for its 
two nearest rivals. The May 26 election was the first parliamentary vote 
since two back-to-back civil wars ended in 1999 in this central African 
country, which shares a border with the much-larger Congo RDC. Candidates 
needed more than 50 percent of the vote to secure seats in the 137-member 
National Assembly. A second round of voting for the 86 seats still 
undecided is scheduled for June 23. The vote was marred by allegations of 
ballot box stuffing and other irregularities. A dozen candidates were 
disqualified, and voting had to be repeated in 11 districts. Voting did not 
take place at all in eight other districts in the southern Pool region, 
where the government had been battling insurgents led by renegade pastor 
Frederic Bitsangou. The government claimed on 3 June to have regained 
control of the region. (CNN, USA, 5 June 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Kinshasa demande une enquête - Kinshasa a demandé au 
Haut-commissaire aux droits de l'homme de l'Onu, Mary Robinson, de lancer 
une enquête internationale sur les violences du 14 mai à Kisangani, a 
annoncé le 30 mai le ministre des Affaires étrangères de la RDC, Léonard 
She Okitundu. "Ce n'est un secret pour personne, le Rwanda est responsable 
des massacres qui ont été commis. Cela a été confirmé par la Monuc (Mission 
des Nations unies au Congo), qui met gravement en cause Kigali", a-t-il 
dit. - D'autre part, le Conseil de sécurité de l'Onu se penchera la semaine 
prochaine sur la situation en RDC, a indiqué M. Amos Namanga Ngongi, 
représentant de l'Onu au Congo. Le thème principal sera le renouvellement 
de la Monuc, mais le Conseil se penchera également sur les événements de 
Kisangani. M. Ngongi a dit aussi qu'il comprend les frustrations de la 
population de Kisangani devant l'apparente inefficacité de la Monuc, mais 
rappelle qu'elle n'est pas une force d'interposition ou de dissuasion, mais 
une mission d'observation, et que seul le Conseil de sécurité est habilité 
à en changer le mandat et les objectifs. - Par ailleurs, une source 
(requérant l'anonymat) proche de l'Eglise catholique confirme que près de 
200 personnes ont été tuées à Kisangani au cours des représailles. "159 
personnes avaient été dénombrées pendant la semaine et le chiffre des 
victimes approche désormais les 200", a-t-elle affirmé le 31 mai, refusant 
toutefois de nommer les responsables des tueries. (ANB-BIA, de sources 
diverses, 31 mai 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Antenne du TPIR à Kinshasa - Le Tribunal pénal international 
pour le Rwanda (TPIR) a finalement accepté la proposition du gouvernement 
de la RDC d'ouvrir une antenne dans ce pays, expliquant qu'elle permettra 
"de mettre la main sur le plus possible de suspects génocidaires qui 
seraient sur le territoire congolais". Le greffier du TPIR a indiqué que 
cette antenne permettra de renforcer la capacité opérationnelle du TPIR en 
matière d'enquête, d'arrestation et de transfert des suspects, ainsi que la 
recherche de témoins à charge et à décharge. Dans la lettre de demande, 
adressée au TPIR le 11 mai au nom du gouvernement congolais, le ministre 
des Affaires étrangères M. Okitundu avait estimé qu'une telle antenne 
"résoudrait à coup sûr les préoccupations sécuritaires du Rwanda, 
favoriserait la réconciliation nationale rwandaise et devrait logiquement 
amener l'armée rwandaise à quitter le Congo". (Agence Hirondelle, Arusha, 
31 mai 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Rebels accuse UN - 29 May: Rwanda-backed rebels in Congo 
have accused the UN special envoy, Amos Ngongi, of bias and spreading 
propaganda, and have demanded his withdrawal. The UN observer mission in 
Congo (MONUC) last week accused rebels of the Congolese Rally for Democracy 
(RCD) of serious human rights violations and summary executions following a 
mutiny within its ranks in Kisangani. 2 June: Two United Nations 
peacekeeping officials have been expelled from rebel-controlled territory 
in Congo and are on their way to the capital, Kinshasa. They left the 
eastern city of Goma, the stronghold of the Rally for Congolese Democracy 
(RCD) rebel group, after being accused of being a security threat. The RCD 
have accused Lionel Gasparot and Magda Gonzalez of collaboration with the 
authorities in Kinshasa and their allies. The UN mission in Congo (Monuc), 
based in Kinshasa, said in a statement it "categorically rejects all 
allegations" made against its staff by the RCD. The RCD said the UN 
officials had links with a local terrorist group that carried out a grenade 
attack in the region in March. It is the latest of a number of disputes 
between Monuc and the rebels, who control about a third of Congo. 4 June: 
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has defended his special envoy 
in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the face of attempts by 
Rwandan-backed rebels to have him removed from his job. UN spokeswoman 
Marie Okabe said Mr Annan "strongly deplores" what he said was harassment 
and physical intimidation of members of its peacekeeping mission, and had 
"full confidence" in envoy Amos Namanga Ngongi. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 4 June 
2002)

* Congo (RDC). Le RCD expulse des fonctionnaires de l'Onu - Le 2 juin, la 
rébellion du Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie (RCD) a expulsé de 
Goma (est) deux fonctionnaires de la Monuc, un Français et un Colombien. 
Accusés de collaboration avec les autorités de Kinshasa, les deux 
fonctionnaires ont été évacués vers la capitale congolaise. Le 31 mai, le 
RCD avait déjà déclaré "persona non grata" M. Amos Namanga Ngongi, envoyé 
spécial du secrétaire général de l'Onu, ainsi que le responsable de la 
Monuc à Kisangani pour les droits de l'homme, M. Hattenbreck. Soutenu par 
le Rwanda, le RCD contrôle environ un tiers de l'ex-Zaïre. Ses relations 
avec l'Onu se sont dégradées après la tentative présumée de mutinerie à 
Kisangani, le 14 mai. - Le 5 juin, le Conseil de sécurité de l'Onu a appelé 
le Rwanda à faire pression sur le RCD afin qu'il cesse de harceler ses 
fonctionnaires. Le Conseil condamne "dans les termes les plus énergiques 
les actes d'intimidation et les déclarations publiques dénuées de 
fondement" contre les observateurs de l'Onu en RDC. Le Conseil demande 
aussi aux rebelles de retirer leurs forces armées de Kisangani. (ANB-BIA, 
de sources diverses, 5 juin 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Projet de Constitution - Le début des travaux d'élaboration 
du projet de Constitution de la transition avait été fixé au mercredi 5 
juin à Matadi, le chef-lieu de la province du Bas-Congo. 60 délégués des 
divers signataires de l'accord-cadre de Sun City doivent y participer. 
L'ouverture des travaux a cependant dû être retardée. Des membres 
importants du MLC et de la société civile n'ont pu atteindre Matadi à 
temps, à cause d'un déraillement de train. Ils rejoindront la ville en 
avion. L'avant-projet du programme et l'horaire du travail ont déjà été 
arrêtés par les parties prenantes. (PANA, Sénégal, 5 juin 2002)

* Côte d'Ivoire. Le procès du coup d'Etat - Dans le procès du coup d'Etat 
des 7 et 8 janvier 2001, ouvert le 13 mai dernier, la Cour d'assises 
d'Abidjan a condamné, le 29 mai, quatre accusés à 20 ans de prison et deux 
autres à trois ans, tandis que sept accusés ont bénéficié de 
l'acquittement. Les avocats de la défense ont exigé qu'une somme de 250 
millions de fcfa soit versée à chaque personne acquittée. - Du 3 au 5 juin, 
a eu lieu l'audition de sept autres accusés dans ce procès, qui ont tous 
nié avoir participé à la tentative de putsch, accusant les gendarmes de les 
avoir torturés pour leur extorquer des aveux. (PANA, Sénégal, 30 mai-5juin 
2002)

* Côte d'Ivoire. Importante délégation chinoise - Une importante délégation 
du Parti communiste chinois, conduite par M. Wei Jianxing, membre du comité 
central du parti, est arrivée le 3 juin à Abidjan pour une visite de trois 
jours. Les membres de la délégation s'entretiendront avec plusieurs 
personnalités ivoiriennes. Cette visite devrait renforcer "l'axe 
Abidjan-Pékin", ouvert en avril lors de la visite d'Etat effectuée en Chine 
par le président Gbagbo. Les deux pays n'entretiennent des relations 
diplomatiques que depuis 1983. (PANA, Sénégal, 4 juin 2002)

* Egypt. NGOs and the Opposition take issue with bill on association - 
Charging that a government bill passed recently on association was 
unconstitutional, the opposition and leading human rights groups in Egypt 
called at the weekend for a permanent committee to be set up in the country 
"to defend democracy." "We are deeply concerned and shocked at the 
government's disregard of the constitutional rights of citizens," the 
Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR)'s secretary-general, Hafez 
Abu Seada, told a news conference in Cairo, on 2 June. At the conference 
granted by 15 human rights groups and four opposition parties, Abu Seada 
said the controversial bill was forwarded to Parliament "without giving the 
civil society opportunity to take part in a genuine and democratic 
dialogue." He described the move was "hasty" and "unjustified." The Upper 
House of the Egyptian Parliament, the Shura' Council, passed the bill on 25 
May, provoking anger and frustration within local NGOs. Earlier last week, 
human rights groups urged on President Hosni Mubarak not to enact the new 
legislation, which is currently at the second chamber of Parliament, the 
People's Assembly, which began debates on it, on 2 June. (PANA, Senegal, 3 
June 2002)

* Egypte. Menaces sur les droits de l'homme - Le 3 juin, le Parlement 
égyptien a adopté à une majorité écrasante une loi controversée qui menace 
la défense des droits de l'homme. Réglementant le financement, les 
activités et le statut des ONG, elle limite aussi la collecte de fonds à 
l'étranger. Des organisations égyptiennes entendent intervenir auprès du 
président Moubarak pour qu'il ne ratifie pas ce texte, dont l'opposition 
demandait le retrait. (Libération, France, 4 juin 2002)

* Ethiopia. Storm over Ethiopian obelisk lightning strike - 30 May: 
Ethiopia has blamed the Italian Government for the damage done to an 
ancient obelisk, which has been at the centre of a dispute between the two 
countries for six decades. Ethiopia's Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture 
said Rome "should be held responsible for the damage to the Axum Obelisk" 
during a thunderstorm in Rome on the night of 27 May. The 24-metre granite 
monument was looted from the holy city of Axum in northern Ethiopia, when 
the fascist regime of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini invaded the East 
African country in 1937, and taken to Italy. Although Addis Ababa has 
repeatedly asked for the return of the 3,000-year-old monument and 
agreements have been signed between Ethiopia and Italy, the Italians have 
so far failed to fulfil their obligations. On the night of 27 May, several 
pieces from the top of the Axum Obelisk crashed to the ground during a 
heavy storm. Archaeology experts are assessing the damage, but Rome's 
Prefect Emilio del Mese, the government's representative in the capital, 
has described it as "considerable". Large pieces from the obelisk crashed 
to the ground. 31 May: Italy says it is willing to return the obelisk to 
Ethiopia. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 31 May 2002)

* Ethiopia. $223 million dam project awarded to China - A Chinese 
engineering firm and an Ethiopian company will jointly undertake the 
construction of a dam on River Tekeze in the northern Tigray region for 
223.4 million dollars, it was announced here on 2 June. The Ethiopian 
Electric and Power Corporation has awarded the project to the China 
National Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Corporation and Sur 
Construction of Ethiopia. Construction of the dam and a hydropower station 
would be completed in five years, Ethiopian officials said. (PANA, Senegal, 
2 June 2002)

* Ghana. Ghanaian films grow despite tensions - Whilst the majority of 
African filmgoers continue to enjoy Indian and American films, low budget, 
local films are becoming a growing art form in West Africa. In 2001 over 
500 films were produced in Nigeria and around 100 were produced in Ghana. 
As Franklin Kennedy, a researcher into the Ghanaian film industry, said, 
their popular appeal owes much to the audience's need to identify with the 
characters. "They are popular with young people as they can identify more 
with these movies. They see themselves reflected in these movies." Locally 
produced films can attract tens of thousands of people to watch them in one 
of Accra's many cinemas. Afterwards, discussion groups often gather to 
reflect on the film's significance. (BBC News. UK, 30 May 2002)

* Kenya. Parliament moves to postpone poll - 29 May: A key parliamentary 
committee in Kenya has said elections due this year should be postponed. 
The committee on constitutional reforms said on 28 May that the polls 
should be held under a new constitution -- which may not be ready until 
next year. Both presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled to 
take place before the end of the year and are expected to mark the end of 
President Daniel arap Moi's 24-year rule as he is not eligible to stand. 
The move -- announced by the committee's chairman, Raila Odinga, is likely 
to trigger a public outcry. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 29 May 2002)

* Kenya. Kenya accused of ethnic atrocities - 31 May: A human rights group 
has accused Kenya's ruling party of organising and supporting violence 
designed to displace ethnic communities who are seen as opposition 
supporters. The methods employed in Rwanda's genocide were replicated on a 
much smaller but still deadly scale in Kenya. But the ruling party, Kenya 
African National Union (Kanu) has denied the allegations. Human Rights 
Watch says 100 people died in clashes instigated by the party in 1997 and 
warns of more clashes ahead of polls due in December. It says in its report 
that hired youth gangs used techniques akin to those seen in the 1994 
Rwanda genocide which left 800,000 dead. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 31 May 2002)

Weekly anb06063.txt #3/7