Weekly anb06273.txt #6

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

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 27-06-2002      PART #3/6

* Congo (RDC). Nouveaux combats  -  Kivu. De nouveaux combats opposent dans 
le Sud-Kivu, à l'est du Congo, l'armée rwandaise aux troupes d'un leader 
tutsi congolais, le commandant Patrick Masunzu, un ancien officier de la 
rébellion du Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie (RCD) pro-rwandais, 
qui le considère aujourd'hui comme "déserteur". Les combats se déroulent 
dans les collines de Ngoma, près de Baraka. Le commandant Masunzu, soutenu 
par des milices tribales autochtones Maï-Maï, a été récemment rejoint par 
plusieurs centaines d'hommes sous les ordres du commandant Aaron 
Nyamushebwa, lui aussi déserteur du RCD. En mars et avril, de violents 
combats ont opposé les troupes rwandaises aux hommes de Masunzu dans la 
région des hauts plateaux, territoire de la communauté tutsi congolaise 
dite des Banyamulenge. Les partisans de Masunzu signalent le regroupement 
forcé de près de 10.000 personnes dans ces plateaux par les forces 
rwandaises, qu'ils accusent de violences, notamment de viols, contre les 
populations civiles. L'armée rwandaise a aussi procédé à des bombardements 
aériens des hauts-plateaux de Minembwe, qui abritent des Banyamulenge. - 
Katanga. Depuis le 20 juin, les Maï-Maï occupent la localité stratégique de 
Pweto, dans le sud-est du Congo, a affirmé le porte-parole de la Monuc (la 
mission de l'Onu) le 21 juin. Le RCD avait accusé les forces 
pro-gouvernementales de s'être emparées de cette ville du Nord-Katanga, 
proche de la ligne de front et sous administration du mouvement rebelle. 
Les Maï-Maï combattent majoritairement aux côtés du gouvernement de 
Kinshasa, contre le RCD. Le RCD-Goma, qui n'entend pas renoncer à Pweto, a 
demandé au président Kabila de retirer les forces pro-gouvernementales, en 
invitant le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU à faire pression sur l'exécutif de 
Kabila. Dans le cas contraire, le RCD-Goma menace de lancer l'attaque 
contre Pweto. Kinshasa, de son côté, a nié toute implication dans cette 
affaire qui ne serait qu'un prétexte pour une rupture du 
cessez-le-feu.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 juin 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Prison de Kinshasa: un mouroir  -  Le 22 juin, l'ONG 
congolaise la Voix des sans voix a publié la liste d'une quarantaine de 
personnes décédées entre le début de mars et la mi-juin au Centre 
pénitentiaire et de rééducation de Kinshasa (l'ex-prison de Makala). L'ONG 
déplore cette recrudescence de décès, favorisée par le manque de nourriture 
et de médicaments. Elle dénonce aussi les traitements cruels, inhumains ou 
dégradants qui sont infligés aux détenus. Et elle stigmatise la 
surpopulation, la mauvaise tenue des installations hygiéniques et la 
promiscuité, qui contribuent sensiblement à la détérioration des conditions 
carcérales.   (D'après DIA, Kinshasa, 24 juin 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Et maintenant l'or noir¼  -  La compagnie pétrolière 
Heritage Oil a annoncé la conclusion d'un important contrat en République 
démocratique du Congo: elle a obtenu les droits exclusifs pour développer 
l'exploitation et le transport du pétrole dans une zone de 31.160 km2 (à 
peu près la superficie de la Belgique) et les premiers forages devraient 
commencer cet été. Cette information, purement économique en apparence, 
donne un autre éclairage à l'actualité congolaise et en particulier à la 
situation qui prévaut dans l'Ituri, la province voisine de l'Ouganda, où 
des troubles ethniques mettent aux prises les deux principaux groupes, les 
Lendu et les Hema. En effet, les forages de Heritage Oil vont avoir lieu 
sur les rives du lac Albert, voisin de Bunia la capitale de l'Ituri. Les 
réserves potentielles du lac Albert sont évaluées à un milliard de barils 
ce qui ferait du Graben est-africain (le sud de la vallée du Rift qui court 
à travers toute l'Afrique de l'Est) le rival potentiel de 
l'Angola.   (D'après C.Braeckman, Le Soir, Belgique, 25 juin 2002)

* Côte d'Ivoire. Prison pour les putschistes  -  Ahmed Bassam, un homme 
d'affaires, et Kambiré Sié, un militaire, accusés tous deux d'avoir fomenté 
le putsch manqué de janvier 2001 en Côte d'Ivoire, ont été condamnés, le 24 
juin, à vingt ans de prison par la cour d'assises d'Abidjan.   (Libération, 
France, 25 juin 2002)

* Côte d'Ivoire. Coup plotters convicted  -  25 June: A court has sentenced 
two men to 20 years in prison for their alleged involvement in a coup 
attempt last year. The prosecution described one of the accused, the 
businessman Ahmed Bassam, as the leader of the failed coup. Last month six 
other people were jailed for their involvement in the alleged plot, and 
eleven people were acquitted. The exact details of the conspiracy are 
vague. Defence lawyers maintained that there had never been a plot and that 
the trial was politically motivated. Members of the opposition say the 
trial reflects increasing tension between the government and the mainly 
Muslim opposition in the north of Côte d'Ivoire in the run-up to district 
elections next month.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 June 2002)

* Côte d'Ivoire. Affrontements à un meeting  -  Les préparatifs pour la 
tenue d'un meeting prévu le 25 juin à Daloa (350 km à l'ouest d'Abidjan) 
ont tourné à l'affrontement entre militants de différents partis 
politiques, faisant 4 morts et 27 blessés, dont la plupart par balles, a 
indiqué un responsable local du Rassemblement des républicains (RPR, 
opposition). Ce bilan, qui n'a pu être confirmé, fait également état de la 
destruction de trois édifices religieux (deux mosquées et une église) et 
celle de nombreux biens privés, à la suite de véritables scènes d'émeute 
qui ont duré toute la journée. Le calme serait revenu dans la soirée. La 
ville de Daloa, qui est administrée par la formation politique dirigée par 
l'ancien Premier ministre Alassane Ouattara, est située en plein coeur du 
pays bété, l'ethnie du président Gbagbo.   (PANA, Sénégal, 26 juin 2002)

* Côte d'Ivoire. Market razed in clashes  -  26 June: A market has been 
burnt down in the central Ivory Coast town of Daloa and police suspect a 
political motive. The government has imposed a two-day curfew from dusk 
until dawn in an attempt to halt the violence. The market fire came a day 
after three people were shot dead and about 30 more injured in clashes 
between rival political parties. Supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo's 
ruling FPI party fought with activists from Alassane Ouattara's RDR 
party.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 June 2002)

* Egypt. Egypt rejects provisional Palestinian state  -  On 19 June, Egypt 
and Jordan rejected the idea of a provisional Palestinian state, a concept 
they fear will emerge in President George W. Bush's anticipated speech on 
the Middle East. Arab leaders have grown worried in recent days by reports 
that Mr Bush will endorse the creation of a Palestinian state without 
specified borders. His speech, expected on 19 June, was delayed following 
Tuesday's suicide bomb attack in Israel that killed 19 Israelis and a 
further explosion on 20 June. Both Egypt and Saudi Arabia have lobbied the 
US administration to back a Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders, with the 
details of the boundaries to be negotiated between Palestinians and 
Israelis over a limited period. Although most western governments -- and 
Israel's Labour party -- have long assumed that any future Palestinian 
state would exist on virtually all the land occupied in 1967, that notion 
has been adamantly rejected by the rightwing Israeli government. But Arab 
and Israeli officials now expect the speech to try to satisfy both sides by 
adopting the idea of an interim Palestinian state and calling for 
negotiations on its final borders.   (Financial Times, UK, 29 June 2002)

* Eritrea. Eritreans boycott war dead ceremonies  -  20 June: Eritreans 
around the world are remembering their war dead, but this year's 
commemorations may prove more divisive. The country has been at war for 
most of the past 40 years, and for a nation of just over three million 
people, it has suffered a disproportionate number of dead. In the 1960s 
they launched a war of independence against Ethiopia, that brought 
independence, but at the cost of 70,000 lives. And then -- after a brief 
respite in the 1990s -- the country was fighting Ethiopia once again, this 
time over their disputed border. Traditionally Eritreans gather at the 
cathedral in the capital, Asmara, to honour their dead. And the large exile 
community finds its own ways of commemorating their people's sacrifices. 
But this year could be very different for the Eritrean diaspora. A wave of 
arrests of senior government politicians last September, and the repression 
of the country's free press has left the community divided. Many Eritreans 
will boycott official ceremonies organised by their embassies around the 
world. In countries as far apart as Sweden and the United States, Eritreans 
will be lighting their candles of remembrance away from the official 
commemorations -- a reflection of how events have become politicised in the 
Eritrean community.   (BBC News, UK, 20 June 2002)

* Ethiopia. Korea donates 1,000 footballs to Ethiopian children  -  World 
Cup host Korea donated 1,000 footballs to Ethiopian children on 25 June and 
said soccer could play a role in fighting HIV/AIDS. The children were 
handed the footballs by the Korean ambassador, Kim Chang-soo, who said the 
World Cup should promote the rights of young people.Gizaw Teklemariam, 
president of the Ethiopian Olympic Committee and Football Federation, said 
the donation would help keep young people healthy. "This is especially 
important at this time when our young people are facing the bitter reality 
of the HIV/AIDS epidemic," he said. In Ethiopia, the virus has orphaned one 
million children and infected more than 250,000. Ibrahim Jabr, the head of 
the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) office in Ethiopia, said 
football could play a key role in fighting the virus. "With determination 
and hard work, it is possible to win against great odds," he said. "This is 
an important message for us in Ethiopia. This country faces developmental 
challenges. Football is an important factor to build self-esteem among the 
young people of Ethiopia, and hope for a better future."   (IRIN, 25 June 2002)

* Kenya. Confusion over poll date  -  21 June: President Daniel arap Moi of 
Kenya has said according to the current schedule the country's general 
election will be held by the end of the year. But the veteran leader also 
defended parliament's right to change the poll date. There was furious 
criticism both from Kenyans and foreign diplomats when the president's 
ruling party, Kanu, proposed to extend parliament until well into next 
year. But the president's remarks have only added to the confusion, making 
it one of the most confusing weeks in Kenyan politics for a long time. At 
first it looked as if the polls might be postponed. Then the president 
weighed in suggesting they would not -- or did he?   (ANB-BIA, Brussels 21 
June 2002)

* Liberia. New refugee crisis in Liberia  -  20 June: The United Nations 
food agency has warned that West Africa faces a new refugee crisis as 
Liberians fleeing fighting pour into neighbouring countries. The World Food 
Programme (WFP) says concern is also increasing for the welfare of 
thousands of internally displaced Liberians driven from their home areas by 
the outbreak of hostilities between rebels and the forces of President 
Charles Taylor. Relief officials fear they will not have the resources to 
cope with the new emergency. With Liberia engulfed in a new civil war since 
February, neighbouring countries are struggling to cope with an influx of 
wretched civilians fleeing the fighting. The WFP is appealing for donations 
to help it cope with what its regional director, Manuel da Silva, says is 
an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 20 June 2002)

* Madagascar. USA recognises Ravalomanana  -  20 June: Madagascar's 
newly-proclaimed president, Marc Ravalomanana, has withdrawn an offer of 
amnesty for his rival claimant, Didier Ratsiraka. Mr Ravalomanana accused 
the country's former leader of involvement in an attempt to send a group of 
French mercenaries to Madagascar to try to destabilise the new government. 
Mr Ratsiraka left Madagascar for France last week, and the Ravalomanana 
government says that if he returns, he will be prosecuted for trying to 
seek weapons and allies abroad. 21 June: In a Press Release, Amnesty 
International says that talks on the political crisis being held today in 
Addis Ababa, must address the deteriorating human rights situation. 22 
June: The Organisation of African Unity has decided to freeze Madagascar's 
seat until a constitutional and legitimate government is established there. 
At an OAU emergency meeting in Addis Ababa, delegates decided that neither 
Mr Ravalomanana nor Mr Ratsiraka could be said to be the legitimate 
government and called for new elections. The eight-hour meeting ran into 
the early hours of this morning. 23 June: Didier Ratsiraka, has insisted he 
is the rightful leader, after returning to the divided island following 
several days abroad. Mr Ratsiraka, who left Madagascar on a surprise trip 
to Paris on 14 June, also denied allegations that he hired mercenaries to 
kill Marc Ravalomanana. 25 June: Dozens of people have been used as a human 
shield by former president Didier Ratsiraka's supporters in one of his two 
remaining strongholds on the island. Around 70 people who had been chained 
to the railings of the governor's office in Antsiranana on 24 June were 
later taken to a military camp by their captors. The people used to make up 
the human shield are reported by Mr Ratsiraka's camp to be Mr 
Ravalomanana's mercenaries captured in combat, but witnesses said they were 
itinerant traders from the same ethnic group as Mr Ravalomanana. This 
latest development in the crisis which has pitted the two men against each 
other since they ran for the presidential election in December, comes 24 
hours after Mr Ravalomanana said that his camp would soon control the two 
provinces held by Mr Ratsiraka. 26 June: The United States is the first 
major power to formally recognise Marc Ravalomanana as Madagascar's 
president. A letter from President George W Bush is presented, today, to Mr 
Ravalomanana, by the US Ambassador. Also, today, ambassadors from all the 
major donor countries, except former colonial power France, attend an 
independence day speech by Mr Ravalomanana. Other western countries look 
set to follow the US lead, with the possible exception of France. Mr 
Ravalomanana, however, said he expected France to recognise him 
soon.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 June 2002)

Weekly anb0627.txt - #3/6