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Weekly anb11145.txt #7

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 14-11-2002      PART #5/7
* Liberia. Opposition hopes to unite against Taylor - 12 November: Opposition parties in Liberia are trying to unite in order to contest next year's presidential election under one banner. The five opposition leaders, who are based in the United States, include Harry Moniba, the former vice-president of Liberia, and Alhaji Kromah, former vice-chairman of the council of the state. Liberian President Charles Taylor announced in September that the lifting of restrictions, including an end to a ban on political rallies, would pave the way for national reconciliation before next year's elections. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 12 November 2002)
* Liberia. Badly-needed aid - 12 November: The distribution of agricultural and health packages has started in Liberia in six camps for internally displaced persons under a grant provided by the German Government and managed by World Vision's Liberian office. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 12 November 2002)
* Libya/Zimbabwe. Libyan oil deal with Zimbabwe finished - 11 November: Zimbabwe's oil deal with Libya has reportedly collapsed as the government prepares to deregulate the country's oil industry. Libyan ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mohammad Azzabi, was quoted by a South African paper as saying the deal was terminated for commercial and not political reasons. "It's a matter of supply and demand," Mr Azzabi told the Sunday Times. "It's not political but maybe it appears semi-political in a way because we are not taking out the money which Zimbabwe pays since we are investing it here," he said. Economically troubled Zimbabwe has relied on Libya to supply 70% of its oil for the last two years. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has offered president Robert Mugabe political and economic support in the face of Western criticism of Zimbabwe's land redistribution policies. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 11 November 2002)
* Malawi. Aide de la Banque mondiale - La Banque mondiale a approuvé une allocation de 50 millions de dollars au Malawi dans le cadre du programme de relance économique d'urgence afin d'aider ce pays à faire face à la crise alimentaire, a indiqué l'institution le 7 novembre. Outre l'achat de vivres pour la consommation immédiate, une partie de l'argent servira à acheter des semences et des engrais pour les fermiers afin d'éviter une nouvelle crise. Au moins 3,2 millions de Malawites sont confrontés à une pénurie alimentaire. (PANA, Sénégal, 7 novembre 2002)
* Maroc. Nouveau gouvernement - Le 7 novembre, le roi Mohammed VI a finalement nommé un nouveau gouvernement dirigé par le Premier ministre Driss Jettou, un gestionnaire sans appartenance politique, qui avait été nommé à ce poste le 9 octobre. Composé de 37 ministres et secrétaires d'Etat, dont trois femmes, le nouveau gouvernement reproduit largement l'ancienne coalition, en regroupant au total 6 formations politiques autour de l'Union socialiste des forces populaires (USFP) et de l'Istiqlal. Il ne prend cependant pas en compte la nouveauté du scrutin du 27 septembre: la percée des islamistes "légaux" du Parti de la justice et du développement (PJD), arrivés en troisième position. Ceux-ci constitueront la première force d'opposition au Parlement. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8 novembre 2002)
* Mauritania. A future free from slavery? - On 7 November, Amnesty International said that despite the legal abolition of slavery in Mauritania twenty years ago, the government is yet to take practical steps to ensure its abolition in practice. "The Mauritanian government must stop violating its own laws and urgently end slavery, which is an abominable attack on human dignity and freedom", Amnesty's report stated. (Amnesty International, 7 November 2002)
* Mauritanie. A.I.: "toujours des esclaves" - Vingt ans après l'abolition de l'esclavage, la Mauritanie continue de fermer les yeux sur cette pratique d'un autre âge. C'est ce qu'a dénoncé Amnesty International dans un rapport rendu public le 7 novembre. L'organisation de défense des droits de l'homme n'a pas été autorisée à enquêter sur ce sujet par les autorités du pays. Mais elle a recueilli ses informations auprès d'autres organisations non gouvernementales en Mauritanie et à l'étranger. Amnesty exhorte Nouakchott à "adopter une approche volontariste du problème plutôt que de nier son existence". Et souligne que "les personnes qui luttent contre l'esclavage et ses répercussions ne sont pas reconnues par les autorités et sont menacées d'arrestation et d'emprisonnement". (Ndlr.: Le 13 novembre, le gouvernement mauritanien a déclaré que le rapport d'Amnesty "est un mensonge grossier et ne repose que sur du faux"). (Libération, France, 8 novembre 2002)
* Mozambique. 6 morts dans des tempêtes - Six personnes sont mortes lors de pluies torrentielles qui se sont abattues la semaine dernière sur le centre du Mozambique, selon des informations diffusées le 7 novembre par la radio nationale. Les victimes sont décédées dans la province de Sofala, où les tempêtes ont détruit les maisons de quelque 4.000 personnes. Les précipitations ont également touché les provinces de Gaza (sud) et de Tete (nord-ouest), où les dégâts et les coupures de courant ont affecté des centaines de personnes. Début 2000, les pires inondations enregistrées depuis plusieurs dizaines d'années au Mozambique avaient fait quelque 700 morts et détruit environ 150.000 maisons. (AP, 7 novembre 2002)
* Namibia. Award for schools project - An ambitious initiative to provide computers and net access for all schoolchildren in Namibia has been recognised with a prestigious award. The Africa Hafkin Communications Prize was set up by Nancy Hafkin, a pioneer in introducing information and communication technology in Africa. SchoolNet Namibia was singled out by the judges at a ceremony in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia as an exemplary role model for the sustainable introduction of computers in schools across Africa. The project introduces computers into schools across Namibia, using open source and free software solutions. It sets up free internet services in partnership with local government-owned telecom agencies in solar-powered computer labs. Its work has been recognised by the Namibian Government. It has acknowledged SchoolNet as a key player in rolling out technology across all schools in the country. Congratulating the winner on its $7,500 prize, Nancy Hafkin called on governments across Africa to question what impact their policies on information communication technology were having. "Will government provide service subsidies to the poorest or to the disabled? Will government encourage the development of software that the illiterate can use?" she asked. (BBC News, UK, 10 November 2002)
* Niger. Nouveau gouvernement - Le 8 novembre, le président Mamadou Tandja a nommé un nouveau gouvernement. Le Premier ministre Hama Amadou reste en charge. La nouvelle équipe est dominée par les trois principaux partis de la mouvance présidentielle: le Mouvement national pour la société de développement (MNSD), la Convention démocratique et sociale (CDS, parti du président de l'Assemblée nationale et ancien président de la République, Mahamane Ousmane) et l'Alliance nigérienne pour la démocratie et le progrès (ANDP) qui vient de quitter l'opposition pour se rallier au pouvoir. (PANA, Sénégal, 9 novembre 2002)
* Nigeria. Congress on Pastoral Life and the Eucharist - 500 delegates representing the different segments of the people of God from all over Niger, including all Catholic Bishops and representatives of the clergy and religious, will gather at Sts Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State, for the first National Pastoral Congress of the Catholic Church, from 11-15 November 2002. The delegates will deliberate on various aspects of the life and mission of the Church in Africa under the theme: "The Church in Africa: God's People On Mission". Cardinal Arinze will represent the Pope. (Fr. Emm.Adetoyese Badejo, Nigeria, 6 November 2002)
* Nigeria. Court opens up elections to more parties - Nigeria's supreme court cleared the way on 8 November for more parties to contest the country's elections next year, further complicating the faltering process. The court ruled some of the stringent requirements set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when it registered six parties for the polls were unconstitutional. Five of 21 political groups barred from presidential and general elections early next year had gone to court to challenge the guidelines. These included a requirement that a party must have offices in at least 24 of Nigeria's 36 states. "The registration of political parties in Nigeria is governed by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," Chief Justice Muhammed Uwais said, reading a unanimous judgement of seven justices. The constitution only requires that parties seeking to field candidates submit copies of their constitution, logo, addresses of their offices and names of key officials to INEC. INEC is already lagging badly in its preparations for Nigeria's first elections since military rule ended in 1999. It has yet to compile a voters' register, a fact that forced it to postpone municipal polls twice this year. No new date has been set for the local elections, which must be held before presidential and general elections. (CNN, USA, 9 November 2002)
* Nigeria. Nigeria vows to prevent stoning - 9 November: Amid growing controversy over the staging of the Miss World beauty pageant in Nigeria, the government has made it clear that it will if necessary intervene to save the life of a woman sentenced to death by stoning under Islamic law. A statement issued by junior foreign minister Dubem Onyia said that the country's constitution would be used to thwart any negative ruling in the case of Amina Lawal. She lost her appeal against a conviction for adultery in August and is now taking her case to a higher court. But unless the government intervenes directly and actually quashes the conviction itself the controversy over her case will remain as strong as ever. This latest statement is a clear sign of how apprehensive the Nigerian authorities have become to negative publicity over the staging of the Miss World contest. They want the event to portray the country in a positive light, but the controversy over the stoning sentence threatens to overshadow the glitz and glamour of the occasion. The statement makes it clear that, although the government is strongly opposed to the sentence handed down by the Islamic court, it will not at this stage directly intervene. The Justice Minister, Kanu Agabi, has said that, under Nigerian law, it is not possible for central government to interfere with the Islamic justice system unless an appeal reaches the federal supreme court in Abuja. But legal experts have questioned this opinion, saying that the constitution does allow for direct challenge by central government at any stage. (BBC News, UK, 9 November 2002)
* Nigeria. Shoot-to-kill policy in Plateau State - 13 November: Seven people have been shot dead in a clash with security forces in Nigeria's central Plateau State. They are the first casualties of a shoot-on-sight policy introduced by the state governor two weeks ago in an attempt to stem a wave of ethnic and religious violence which has engulfed the state for a year. There is little sympathy for the dead among ordinary people, who are tired of the fighting. Two months ago, the Nigerian election commission temporarily suspended the registration of voters in areas of Plateau State because of the violence. Persons who have yet to be identified opened fire on a joint patrol of police officers who then retaliated. People looked away as the security forces opened fire on the assailants. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 13 November 2002)
* Rwanda. Projet de nouvelle Constitution - Une nouvelle Constitution sera proposée au Rwanda en mars 2003 par référendum. Une Commission constitutionnelle gouvernementale prépare depuis début 2002, notamment par des consultations populaires, cette nouvelle Constitution qui marquera la sortie de la période de transition ouverte au Rwanda en juillet 1994. Avant d'être soumise au référendum, cette Constitution devra être approuvée par le gouvernement en novembre, et votée par l'Assemblée nationale de transition en décembre. Les députés à la nouvelle Assemblée et le nouveau président de la République seront élus au plus tard le 7 juillet 2003. -L'avant-projet a été soumis à 700 délégués de toutes les couches de la population et de la diaspora, réunis depuis le 8 novembre. Ceux-ci ont proposé des amendements: ils rejettent notamment l'abolition de la peine de mort et suggèrent de porter de 5 à 7 ans le mandat présidentiel. Ils plaident aussi pour la préservation des droits des personnes vulnérables et démunies, et pour la discrimination positive en faveur de la femme. Dans l'ensemble, les 7 piliers de la future Constitution sont restés intacts: le partage du pouvoir, l'Etat de droit, la lutte contre le génocide, la prévention de toute forme de division, la promotion de l'égalité pour tous, la justice sociale et la gestion consensuelle du pays, indique l'agence PANA. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 11 novembre 2002) 

Weekly News - anb1114.txt - #5/7