Weekly anb0626_5.txt #6

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

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 26-06-2003      PART #5/6

* Nigeria. Nigeria's free newspaper club  -  How would you like to read all 
daily newspapers without having to pay a penny for them? The idea may be 
inconceivable in many countries, but not on many of Nigeria's busy street 
corners. A group of Nigerians who call themselves members of the Free 
Readers Association Nigerians have found a way of reading newspapers from 
vendors for free. The association says those who cannot afford to purchase 
a newspaper can just turn up at a vendors and read all the daily local and 
international papers and magazines. It is not a registered company but it 
"meets the needs of its customers to their satisfaction" as I found out in 
Suleja, a satellite town of the Nigerian capital, Abuja on one busy morning 
as people rush to work in the city centre. As the bus conductors tout for 
passengers in one corner, so the newspaper vendor attends to his customers 
in another. On his table are a wide range of Nigerian newspapers and 
magazines. But the strange thing is, most of the customers are not buying 
the papers. They are just standing there and reading them. "Sometimes we 
read the papers freely and if we give the vendor five naira (two cents) we 
gather all the information nationally and internationally", says a young 
man.   (BBC News, UK, 19 June 2003)

* Nigeria. Shell opens its books on Nigeria  -  Shell has bowed to pressure 
from Britain's prime minister, Tony Blair and human rights campaigners by 
publishing details of payments made to the Nigerian government, which 
amounted to $900 million last year. The information is included in a new 
report on its operations in Nigeria, which also shows the Anglo-Dutch 
company produced 15.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. The 2002 
financial details -- included for the first time in such a report -- are 
attributed to various petroleum taxes and other "levies". The 2001 figure 
was even higher at $1.2 billion.   (The Guardian, UK, 20 June 2003)

* Nigeria. Le prix du pétrole  -  Le 19 juin, le président Olusegun 
Obasanjo a créé un organisme chargé de fixer le prix du pétrole, afin de 
mettre fin à la pénurie chronique d'essence qui affecte le plus grand 
exportateur de pétrole d'Afrique. Au cours de la cérémonie inaugurant 
l'Agence de régulation des produits pétroliers, le président, qui vient 
d'être réélu, a déclaré qu'il espérait assister un jour à la dérégulation 
pleine et entière du marché du pétrole. - Le gouvernement a décidé une 
hausse des prix des produits pétroliers, le kérosène passant de 24 à 38 
nairas et le diesel de 26 à 38 nairas (1 dollar = environ 125 nairas). Le 
vendredi 20 juin, l'Association des transporteurs routiers a réagi vivement 
à cette hausse, en demandant à ses membres d'observer à partir de lundi une 
grève en guise de protestation. La Confédération des travailleurs et 
l'Association nationale des étudiants ont également condamné cette hausse. 
Le président Obasanjo a affirmé que le gouvernement ne pouvait se 
permetttre de continuer à subventionner annuellement les produits 
pétroliers à hauteur de 250 milliards de nairas, soutenant que cet argent 
pourrait être utilisé dans d'autres secteurs de l'économie 
nationale.   (ANB-BIA), de sources diverses, 21 juin 2003)

* Nigeria. Firm blamed for oil blast  -  22 June: Angry villagers have hit 
out at Nigeria's state oil company after an explosion on a vandalised 
pipeline killed 105 people. A village chief, Charles Onoha, said the 
Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) failed to repair the ruptured 
line, which exploded on 19 June in the worst accident of its kind in nearly 
three years. "We begged NNPC to stop the spillage, but they did nothing," 
Onoha said. "They should be held responsible for this disaster." But the 
company says it only became aware of the leakage after the explosion, 
though it is thought the pipe was deliberately ruptured by looters more 
than two weeks before the blast. People were reportedly siphoning oil when 
the explosion was ignited by a spark from a passing motorcycle in the 
village of Amaokwe Oghughe, about 50 km north of the Abia State capital, 
Umuahia.   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 22 June 2003)

* Nigeria. Explosion d'un oléoduc: 105 morts  -  Au moins 105 villageois 
ont été tués et de nombreux blessés au Nigeria dans l'explosion d'un 
oléoduc. Selon le président de la Croix-Rouge nigériane, on s'attend à 
"bien plus de morts", de nombreux blessés étant grièvement atteints. 
L'explosion s'est produite le jeudi 19 juin, non loin d'Ovim, dans l'Etat 
d'Abia (sud-est), alors que les villageois récupéraient de l'essence 
s'échappant d'un oléoduc vandalisé. Il avait commencé à fuir il y a six 
semaines environ. Selon le quotidien This Day, les habitants avaient 
demandé à des responsables de colmater la fuite, mais la police avait au 
contraire institué un droit d'entrée de 100 nairas (environ 70 centimes 
d'euros) par personne désirant se rendre sur le site. Au début, l'oléoduc 
transportait du pétrole lampant, puis du gasoil, mais ensuite de l'essence. 
Quand l'essence, beaucoup plus volatile et plus chère, a commencé à 
s'échapper du conduit, une importante foule s'est rendue sur la zone pour 
tenter de remplir jerrycans et bouteilles...   (ANB-BIA, de sources 
diverses, 23 juin 2003)

* Nigeria. Shadow of unrest  -  Nigeria is facing the threat of industrial 
and social unrest after the government raised petrol prices by more than 50 
per cent in response to a supply problem causing long fuel queues and 
crippling the economy. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the country's 
umbrella trade union body, condemned the increase and said it would meet 
this week to consider protests that could ultimately include a general 
strike. The dispute reflects the country's history of mismanagement and 
corruption and is seen as a key test for Olusegun Obasanjo, the recently 
re-elected president. "The NLC has already asked the government to withdraw 
the increase," said Owei Lakemfa, NLC assistant secretary-general. "The 
government in power cannot behave like a conquering army. We can call the 
Nigerian people out for a closure of the country. Anything can happen -- 
the truth is the Nigerian people are not happy." Petrol shortages have long 
been a source of frustration to Nigerian consumers and businesses, who ask 
how one of the world's top 10 oil exporting countries can fail to supply 
its own people. Fuel queues went into abeyance during Mr Obasanjo's first 
term but returned to embarrass the government in the run-up to April's 
presidential and parliamentary polls. The government, which makes more than 
90 per cent of its export earnings from oil, offers in effect a fuel 
subsidy by selling crude oil for domestic processing at a discount to world 
market prices and by importing refined fuel to sell on to consumers at a 
loss. Economists say part of the problem is the inefficiencies of the four 
domestic refineries, which are due for privatisation after being allowed to 
deteriorate by corrupt officials.   (Financial Times, UK, 23 June 2003)

* Nigeria. Archbishop in conflict with Canterbury  -  19 June: The leader 
of the biggest church in the worldwide Anglican Communion deepens the 
crisis over homosexuality when he threatens to split with the Church of 
England if it proceeds with the consecration of its first gay bishop. 
Archbishop Peter Akinola, leader of the 17.5 million-strong church in 
Nigeria, who has declared homosexuality to be an abomination, warns he will 
precipitate a schism if Canon Jeffrey John becomes suffragan bishop of 
Reading (UK). Archbishop Akinola's outburst represents an extraordinary 
interference in the affairs of a national church by a primate of another 
country and comes despite an assurance from Canon John that, although he 
remains in a 27-year partnership, he is now celibate. Archbishop Akinola 
tells BBC radio: "We claim we are Bible-loving Christians. We cannot seen 
to be doing things clearly outside the boundaries allowable by the Bible. 
This is only the beginning. We would sever relationships with anybody, 
anywhere...anyone who strays over the boundaries we are out with them. It 
is as simple as that." 22 June: The Reverend Canon Akin Johnson of the 
Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos, says in a sermon, that homosexuality has 
become an additional serious problem which must be rooted from the church 
of God. A female worshipper at the Cathedral says: "Homosexuality is an 
abomination. How can two men marry? It is against the Bible and it is 
against religion. They should not have appointed him at all". Another 
member says: "These white people, they are very different. They are very 
funny. They have their own reasons for doing these things which are not 
African at all. We should not copy them". A male member of the congregation 
says: "I believe it is not right and if there is no reconciliation on the 
matter, the Church of Nigeria has every right to consider what is best for 
it, even if it means breaking up". 23 June: The Archbishop of Canterbury, 
Dr. Rowan Williams makes a plea for tolerance and reflection among his 
fellow bishops and the evangelicals who have threatened to divide the 
worldwide Anglican Communion. 24 June: Bishop Cyril Okoracha from Owerri 
Diocese, eastern Nigeria, says Dr. William's failure to oppose Dr. John's 
selection, means he is walking away from the majority of the world's 
Anglicans.   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 24 June 2003)

* Nigeria. Slow start for election case  -  24 June: A court case against 
the election victory of Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo is continuing 
in the capital, Abuja. Four opposition parties are challenging Mr 
Obasanjo's victory in April's presidential elections. The hearing, which 
started on 23 June, is still bogged down in legal arguments. The opposition 
parties allege that Mr Obasanjo's re-election was secured through fraud and 
violence. They want the election results nullified. Both Nigerian and 
international observers found that the election was marred by rigging, 
particularly in parts of the south and east. After the 23 June hearing, 
supporters of Muhammadu Buhari and the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) 
demonstrated on the streets of Abuja.   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 24 June 2003)

* Rwanda. Former PM goes home  -  20 June: Former Rwandan Prime Minister 
Faustin Twagiramungu, is on his way home after eight years in exile in 
Belgium. He has been living in Belgium since 1995, a year after the 
genocide in Rwanda. He expected a "very sad homecoming", he said. He 
announced last week that he will stand in the country's presidential 
election due later this year. Presidential and parliamentary elections, set 
for September, were announced after Rwandans voted overwhelmingly in a 
referendum last month to approve a draft constitution.   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 
20 June 2003)

* Rwanda. Twagiramungu arrivé à Kigali  -  Le 20 juin, le plus connu des 
opposants rwandais, l'ex-Premier ministre Faustin Twagiramungu est arrivé à 
Kigali, où il entend déposer sa candidature aux élections présidentielles 
annoncées. Celles-ci, ainsi que les législatives, doivent se tenir dans les 
six mois suivant le référendum constitutionnel du 26 mai. On attend 
également les lois électorales et sur les partis, pour savoir dans quelles 
conditions se tiendront les campagnes électorales. -- Le lundi 23 juin, le 
Parlement a adopté la loi sur les partis qui régit la création et les 
activités des partis politiques. La loi interdit notamment aux 
organisations politiques de "s'identifier à une race, une ethnie, un clan, 
une région, un sexe, une religion ou tout autre élément pouvant servir de 
base à discrimination". La loi électorale, préparant les scrutins 
présidentiel et législatif, devait être adoptée le mardi, mais le mercredi 
soir la discussion se prolongeait toujours au Parlement.   (ANB-BIA, de 
sources diverses, 25 juin 2003)

* Sénégal. Expulsion de Français  -  Le 19 juin, le Sénégal a annoncé que 
les Français en situation irrégulière seraient désormais expulsés comme les 
Sénégalais sans papiers en France. "Ce sera charter contre charter", se 
réjouissait la presse de Dakar. Cette annonce intervient après une 
rencontre, le 13 juin à Paris, entre le Premier ministre Idrissa Seck et le 
ministre français de l'Intérieur, Nicolas Sarkozy. Dans un communiqué 
commun, il était prévu de "procéder, à une date qui sera précisée 
ultérieurement, au rapatriement de ressortissants français en situation 
irrégulière au Sénégal". En mars et avril, le "rapatriement" de plus de 120 
Sénégalais avait provoqué des réactions indignées au Sénégal. Une quinzaine 
de Français qui purgent des peines de prison pour divers délits, allant de 
la consommation de cannabis au meurtre, pourraient être concernés par une 
mesure d'expulsion.   (Le Figaro, France, 21 juin 2003)

* Sierra Leone/UE. Accord de coopération  -  L'Union européenne et la 
Sierra Leone ont signé un accord de coopération d'un montant de 220 
millions d'euros pour la période allant de 2003 à 2007, a-t-on appris le 25 
juin de source officielle à Bruxelles. Selon un communiqué publié par la 
Commission européenne, l'objectif principal de cet accord est de soutenir 
le gouvernement sierra-léonais dans la reconstruction du pays et de l'aider 
dans sa stratégie de réduction de la pauvreté.   (PANA, Sénégal, 25 juin 2003)

* Somalia. Radio education helps Somalis  -  Some 10,000 Somalis have been 
taught basic literacy, numeracy and life skills following a successful BBC 
World Service broadcast. Macallinka Raadiyaha (Radio Teacher), a BBC World 
Service Trust project, is an education programme designed to help people 
who signed up for the Somalia Distance Education Literacy Programme, or 
Somdel. Of the 10,908 people on Somdel, 9,000 passed their final exam. Of 
those, 70% were women. "The success of Somdel cannot be underestimated 
given that as a result of civil war, a whole generation of people have been 
excluded from education," said John Tuckey, the project manager of BBC 
World Service Trust. He added that the success of Somdel would be of great 
benefit to the country. "Developing literacy, numeracy and life skills will 
improve their opportunities for sustainable livelihoods in a country where 
conflict is endemic," he stressed. "It also demonstrates that radio is a 
powerful educational tool."   (BBC News, UK, 19 June 2003)

* South Africa. Whites face treason trial  -  23 June: The first treason 
trial in South Africa since apartheid ended has got under way, with a group 
of alleged white supremacists accused of trying to overthrow the 
government. A total of 22 men thought to belong to the underground racist 
group "Boeremag" are accused of attacks against government targets. The 
prosecution argues the men's aim was to kill off the country's majority 
black population or drive them from South Africa. They are accused of the 
murder of Claudia Mokone who was killed in one a bomb blast in the black 
township of Soweto. And prosecutors say they also conspired to kill Nelson 
Mandela by blowing up a car transporting the former president to a public 
event. The group faces 42 charges, including high treason, murder, 
attempted murder, terrorism and the illegal possession of weapons. Six of 
the men have entered not guilty pleas, two are to plead at a later date 
while another man refused to enter a plea. But 13 of the men have decided 
to challenge the court's jurisdiction.   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 23 June 2003)

* Afrique du Sud. Siège du Parlement panafricain?  -  L'Afrique du Sud a 
fait un pas supplémentaire dans sa tentative d'abriter le siège du 
Parlement panafricain, avec l'annonce, le 25 juin, de la convocation la 
semaine prochaine au Cap d'une réunion de parlemantaires africains pour 
discuter de cette question. Pretoria s'est déjà assuré du soutien de 
l'ensemble des pays de la Communauté de développement de l'Afrique australe 
(SADC). Le Parlement panafricain devrait être l'organe législatif de 
l'Union africaine et le garant des valeurs démocratiques.   (PANA, Sénégal, 
25 juin 2003)

Weekly anb0626.txt #5/6