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Weekly anb03274.txt #6

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 27-03-2003      PART #4/6
* Kenya. Cost of free education - "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." This is the new slogan which the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) government has adopted in order to popularise its ambitious free primary education programme (FPE) policy. The free and compulsory primary education for Kenyan children, which was one of the key pre-election promises which brought NARC to power in December 2002, has proved not only to be expensive, but also difficult to implement.Some of the challenges facing the FPE programme, which began in January this year, include a severe shortage of classrooms, teachers and facilities. An unexpected 1.5 million children who were previously out-of-school, turned up to attend classes in response to the government's call, bringing a new crisis to the education sector. In many schools, the classroom sizes, especially in the lower classes, have risen from an average of 40 pupils to 120. The number of children enroled in primary schools is expected to further increase to over 7.5 million, from the current 5.9 million, by the end of this year, according to the education ministry. According to a new report released by a task force set up in January to look into measures needed to facilitate the smooth implementation of the programme, it will take at least US $97.1 million for the smooth implementation of the free education policy -- and that is only up to June this year. (IRIN, Kenya, 25 March 2002)
* Kenya. Terror suspect flown to USA - 26 March: A man suspected to have been involved in the 1998 terror attacks in East Africa has been identified and sent to the United States for trial. Kenyan Security Minister Chris Murungaru named him as "al-Qaeda terrorist operative Suleiman Abdalla, alias Ngaka, alias Chuck Norris". The suspect, who the minister said is already on his way to the US, is alleged to have taken part in the 1998 bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania which killed 224 people, mostly Kenyans. He was arrested last week in Somalia and taken to Nairobi, reportedly by FBI agents. The minister said Mr Abdalla, who he said was in his early 30s, would be tried in the US like the others, for "planning and execution" of the bombings. "He was one of the ones being sought by the American security agents and Kenyan security agents and I am sure his capture is a welcome development for the Americans," Mr Murungaru told journalists. @CITA_1 = (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 26 March 2003)
* Kenya. Terroriste présumé extradé - Le 26 mars, un membre présumé du réseau El-Qaeda, enlevé par des agents américains en Somalie le 18 mars, a été transféré aux Etats-Unis. Selon les autorités kényanes, il devrait y être jugé pour son implication dans les attentats d'août 1998 contre les ambassades américaines à Nairobi (Kenya) et Dar es-Salaam (Tanzanie). (Libération, France, 27 mars 2003)
* Liberia. LURD rebels advance on Monrovia - 21 March: Liberians United for Democracy and Development (LURD) rebels have entered the central town of Gbarnga. They met with little resistance. The rebels had been engaged in intense fighting with government forces on the northern highway leading to Gbarnga for nearly a week. 24 March: Government troops and rebels are fighting for control of Gbarnga. On 23 March, government forces were said to be back in the town again. 25 March: There are fears that the continuing displacement of people from central Liberia could quickly overburden the scarce resources of humanitarian agencies. 26 March: Reports from Liberia say rebels advanced to within 10 kilometres of the capital, Monrovia, this week. The government has reported a rebel attack on the town of Ricks Institute, killing several people, but troops had since regained control of the area. News of the advance has caused some panic in the capital and security in the capital has been increased. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 26 March 2003)
* Liberia. Catholic Church decries massive corruption - On 26 March, the Catholic Church, which has been critical of President Charles Taylor's government, claimed "the culture of corruption in the Liberian society exists from top to bottom." Archbishop Michael Francis alleged that "corrupt practices have permeated the society to the extent that it is openly done and nobody cares to take corrective measures. People do not care as the country is financially and morally going down the drain. The whole air is polluted," the Archbishop said at a three-day workshop organised by the Liberia Watch for Human Rights. The workshop is being held on the theme: "Enhancing Transparent Justice and Accountability by Government Officials as a Vital Element for Political Progress." The Archbishop observed that "corruption seems to be the order of the day," recalling that "in the past, corruption was not as open and blatantly arrogant as it is today". He recommended that "serious" action should be taken against those found in financial scandals to deter others from the practice. (PANA, Senegal, 26 March 2003)
* Liberia. Offensives rebelles - Le 21 mars, les rebelles du LURD (Libériens unis pour la réconciliation et la démocratie) ont pris le contrôle de la ville de Gbarnga (comté de Bong, à 180 km au nord-est de Monrovia), après de violents affrontements avec l'armée régulière, rapporte l'agence Misna. Aucun bilan officiel des victimes n'a été donné, mais des témoignages parlent de nombreux morts, surtout parmi les civils. Au moins 30.000 personnes avaient déjà abandonné la région avant les combats. - Le 24 mars, au terme d'un ultimatum de 48 heures lancé par le gouvernement aux civils pour qu'ils quittent la zone, les troupes gouvernementales ont lancé une contre-offensive. De violents combats se déroulent pour le contrôle de la ville. - D'autre part, le 25 mars à New York, le Bureau de coordination des affaires humanitaires de l'Onu a rapporté que les déplacements continus de la population au Liberia, à la suite des combats, pèsent lourdement sur les maigres ressources des agences humanitaires. Celles-ci craignent de manquer de vivres, d'eau et de matériels sanitaires. -26 mars. Les rebelles du LURD ont encore intensifié leur offensive et sont arrivés maintenant à une dizaine de kilomètres de la capitale, où ils ont lancé une attaque contre la localité de Ricks Institute. Les gens fuient massivement le conflit. Les habitants de Monrovia ont été pris de panique, bien que les forces gouvernementales semblent avoir contenu l'avancée des rebelles. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 27 mars 2003)
* Madagascar. Redémarrage - Le redémarrage à Madagascar, secouée, en 2002, par une guerre civile de six mois, semble être en vue. Les autorités malgaches viennent d'annoncer la réouverture des aéroports de province, fermés depuis près d'un an, notamment pour empêcher qu'y atterrissent des mercenaires. Autre signe favorable: les entreprises de la zone franche d'Antananarivo, qui avaient mis en chômage technique quelque 90% de leurs effectifs, devraient en réengager la moitié (soit 60.000 personnes) d'ici fin 2003, viennent d'annoncer leurs représentants. Après un taux de croissance négatif en 2002 (-12%), le nouveau gouvernement espère atteindre un taux de croissance de +7,8% en 2003. (D'après La Libre Belgique, 25 mars 2003)
* Maroc. Manifestations contre la guerre - Le dimanche 23 mars, au moins 100.000 Marocains ont participé à plusieurs manifestations organisées dans diverses villes du royaume pour condamner "l'agression américaine contre le peuple irakien". Ces manifestations auraient réuni quelque 70.000 personnes à Marrakech et 30.000 à Fès. Des manifestations de moindre importance ont été organisées dans d'autres villes dans le nord et le centre du pays. Le 20 mars, le roi Mohammed VI avait mis en garde contre la manipulation du soutien à l'Irak, appelant les Marocains à "faire preuve de sagesse et de circonspection lucide" dans l'expression de leur solidarité avec les Irakiens. D'autre part, le 25 mars, le roi a appelé de nouveau au respect de l'unité du peuple irakien, de son territoire et de son intégrité. (D'après PANA, Sénégal, 23-25 mars 2003)
* Mozambique. Maputo Port privatised - 25 March: Mozambique has privatised the operations of Maputo's port with plans to make it a major South African gateway. Mersey Docks & Harbour Company, Britain's second largest ports operator, heads a consortium that will own 51% of the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC). The consortium will take over operations of Maputo and the coal, grain and aluminium terminal of Matola from the government on 14 April. "The handover of legal and operational responsibility is believed to be the first public/private partnership in Africa involving an integrated port authority," Mersey Docks said in a statement. Under the 15-year concession, volumes are forecast to more than triple to over 13 million tonnes, with upgraded rail links to Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and South Africa boosting trade. Other consortium partners include Swedish construction company Skanska and Mozambique Gestores and Portuguese terminals operator Liscont. The government of Mozambique and the national ports and railways authority, CFM, will hold the other 49% of the Maputo Port Development Company. (BBC, UK, 25 March 2003)@
* Nigeria. Dozens dead in clashes - 22 March: Villagers fleeing violence in Nigeria's oil-rich western Niger Delta say dozens of people have been killed in clashes between soldiers and rival gangs of ethnic militants. Fighting between two local communities, the Ijaw and Itsekiri, has been raging for more than a week, drawing in thousands of soldiers. The refugees described soldiers and militants burning down dozens of villages and firing indiscriminately. The violence prompted Chevron Texaco to suspend operations on 20 March -- slashing output levels in Africa's biggest producer by 13%. 24 March: The Nigerian army says it is bringing the oil-rich Niger Delta region under control after more than a week of clashes. Army spokesman Colonel Onwuamaegbu Chukwuemeka said a military task force had stopped Ijaw militants attacking oil installations and rival local communities. But the three main oil companies in the region have been further cutting back their production in the coastal swamps. Chevron Texaco has now shut down its main export terminal; Shell has evacuated four facilities and Total Fina Elf have pulled out of an oil storage farm. The combined total loss of production now stands at more than one-third of Nigeria's normal output. 25 March: Troops and armoured vehicles are patrolling the streets of the Nigerian oil town of Warri in an attempt to end two weeks of ethnic violence. All vehicles are being searched as they enter or leave the town. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 25 March 2003)
* Nigeria. Aide militaire américaine suspendue - Le 21 mars, le secrétaire d'Etat nigérian aux Affaires étrangères, Bubem Onyia, a dénoncé comme une "pure intimidation" la décision des Etats-Unis de suspendre leur aide militaire au Nigeria. Selon le responsable nigérian, Washington exprime ainsi sa "déception quant à l'hostilité du Nigeria à la guerre contre l'Irak". Le département d'Etat américain, tout en confirmant l'arrêt de la coopération militaire, a justifié cette décision comme réponse à l'implication de l'armée nigériane dans un massacre de quelque 200 civils commis en octobre 2001. (Le Monde, France, 23 mars 2003)
* Nigeria. Stoning appeal delay - 25 March: An appeal, due to begin in northern Nigeria, in the case of Amina Lawal, convicted of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning, has been postponed because the judges failed to turn up. Amina Lawal was found guilty by a court in March last year after bearing a child outside marriage. Under strict Islamic law now in place in northern Nigeria, this was sufficient for her to be convicted of the crime of adultery and sentenced to the mandatory punishment of death by stoning. Amina's appeal has now been delayed until after next month's elections. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 25 March 2003)
* Nigeria. Affrontements dans le delta - Le 22 mars, le groupe pétrolier français TotalFinaElf a annoncé la fermeture de ses centres de production dans la région du delta du Niger (sud-est) et l'évacuation de son personnel en raison d'un regain de violences qui a fait plusieurs dizaines de morts. Deux autres compagnies, Royal Dutch-Shell et Chevron-Texaco, ont récemment arrêté leurs opérations pour la même raison. En effet, pétrole et rivalités claniques sur fond d'élections générales ont plongé la région dans une nouvelle flambée de haine interethnique. Les Ijaws, l'ethnie la plus importante, se plaignent de la pollution pétrolière et réclament des compensations. Leur leader soupçonne également le président Obasanjo de s'appuyer sur leurs rivaux itsekiris, une ethnie minoritaire, pour redessiner la carte électorale régionale. Les jeunes ijaws à Warri assurent que les troupes régulières dépêchées sur place s'attaquent aux villages. En représailles, les Ijaws se seraient rendus maîtres de onze installations pétrolières, ainsi que de pipe-lines. Ils menacent désormais de les détruire si leurs revendications ne sont pas satisfaites. - 24 mars. L'armée nigériane vient d'annoncer avoir repris le contrôle de toute la région du Delta. Une force conjointe est arrivée dans la région pour empêcher de nouvelles attaques des militants ijaws. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 mars 2003)
* Nigeria. Aminé Laval - Le mardi 25 mars, devant la cour d'appel supérieure de la charia de Katsina, devait s'ouvrir l'audience du procès d'Aminé Laval, une Nigériane de 30 ans, divorcée et mère de 4 enfants, dont une petite fille née hors mariage. Accusée d'adultère, elle a été condamnée à mort par lapidation depuis le 22 mars 2002 par un tribunal islamique de l'Etat de Katsina, au nord du Nigeria. Plus de 3 millions de signatures ont été recueillies en sa faveur dans le monde entier. Toutefois, mardi, après une courte audience, le tribunal a ajourné le procès au 3 juin (soit après les élections générales du mois prochain). Seuls deux juges sur quatre étaient présents à l'audience. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 mars 2003) 

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