Weekly ANB1127_04.txt #6

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

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 27-11-2003      PART #4/6

* Gabon. Jeunes volontaires japonais  -  Le Gabon s'apprête à accueillir, 
pour la première fois, un contingent de jeunes coopérants en provenance du 
Japon, dans le cadre du renforcement des relations entre les deux pays, 
a-t-on appris le 20 novembre à Libreville de source officielle. Un document 
a été paraphé permettant au Gabon de bénéficier des compétences techniques 
de volontaires regroupés au sein de la Japanese Overseas Volonteers 
Cooperation. Le programme, assez vaste, couvre les domaines de 
l'agriculture, de la santé publique, de la foresterie et de la pêche, mais 
aussi de la maintenance, du sport, etc.   (PANA, Sénégal, 20 novembre 2003)

* Guinea. Presidential election campaign  -  Campaigning for December's 
presidential election has officially got underway following a presidential 
decree broadcast on state radio on the night of 19 November. The campaign 
got off to a quiet start in the capital, Conakry, particularly within the 
camp of the ruling Party for Unity and Progress (PUP), the party of the 
incumbent head of state, General Lansana Conte. Conte is one of only two 
candidates authorised to stand by Guinea's supreme court. His one opponent 
is Ahmadou Bhoye Barry,of the Union for National Progress, a virtual 
unknown. Campaigning will continue until December 20, with elections 
scheduled for the following day. Given the one-sided nature of the 
election, observers anticipate a low-key campaign. Sources contacted by 
today showed their concerns lay elsewhere. A university student criticised 
the lack of choice. "Why opposition parties were not approved for the 
election I cannot tell, but it smacks of a lack of democracy in this 
country", he said.   (IRIN, Kenya, 20 November 2003)

* Kenya. Matatu strike  -  20 November: The Kenyan Government says it will 
not back down in the face of a second day of a strike by the owners of 
minibus taxis, known as matatus. There is again very little public 
transport and many people have walked long distances to work. The 
government wants all matatus to be fitted with seatbelts and speed 
regulators to improve road safety. Matatu drivers are notorious for their 
dangerous driving but owners say the new rules will increase bus fares. The 
government says it will not bow to blackmail by the matatu operators. The 
new regulations are due to take effect on 31 January 2004. Later it is 
reported that the Matatu operators have ended their two-day strike. They 
say they have now agreed to discuss their grievances with Transport 
Minister John Michiku. The decision looks like a climbdown by the matatu 
operators after the government vowed not to bow to blackmail. The new 
regulations are due to take effect on 31 January 2004.   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 
20 November 2003)

* Kenya. Women MPs walk out over handbags  -  20 November: Women Members of 
Parliament have walked out in protest at a ban on handbags in the debating 
chamber. It was imposed ten months ago because the parliamentary 
authorities feared bags could conceal dangerous weapons. But the women have 
campaigned against the ban ever since, and came into Parliament with their 
bags, today. The Speaker refused to allow the bags so 12 women MPs walked 
out to applause from other female MPs. They will decide what to do next 
week when Parliament reconvenes.   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 20 November 2003)

* Kenya. 9th man charged in resort attack  -  On 21 November, a court 
charged a ninth man with murder for the car bombing of a Kenyan coastal 
resort hotel filled with Israeli tourists, an attack claimed by al Qaeda. 
Mohammed Ali Saleh Nabhan, the younger brother of another suspect in the 
attack, pleaded innocent at a hearing in Nairobi's High Court. Judge John 
Osiemo ordered the defendant to appear with the other suspects on 28 
November, the anniversary of the attack that killed 10 Kenyans and three 
Israeli tourists. Two suicide bombers also died. After the hearing, 
prosecutor John Gacivih said there was "a lot of evidence" against Nabhan, 
the younger brother of suspected bomb builder Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, who 
remains at large. One of the defense attorneys, Moabe Mao, has called the 
case "entirely circumstantial" and said there was no physical evidence 
linking the defendants to the bombing, suggesting the men were charged 
because of US pressure.   (CNN, USA, 21 November 2003)

* Kenya. Le FMI reprend son aide  -  Le Fonds monétaire international a 
repris son aide au Kenya, suspendue en 2001, et a approuvé un prêt de 250 
millions de dollars, car le gouvernement a montré son engagement à 
combattre la corruption, a annoncé le ministre kényan des Finances le 22 
novembre. "Le Kenya aura immédiatement accès à des fonds d'un montant de 36 
millions de dollars", a ajouté le ministre, qui était accompagné du 
représentant local du FMI, Samuel Itam. Le président Kibaki a appelé les 
autres donateurs à suivre l'exemple du FMI et à reprendre leur aide 
financière à son pays, soulignant que le gouvernement avait mis en place 
des mesures adéquates pour garantir que ces fonds soient dépensés et gérés 
convenablement, indique un communiqué de la présidence.   (ANB-BIA, de 
sources diverses, 24 novembre 2003)

* Kenya. IMF unfreezes key funds  -  22 November: The International 
Monetary Fund (IMF) has resumed aid to Kenya after a three-year gap and 
approved a loan of $250m. Assistance had been frozen because of concerns 
over corruption and due to the country's poor economic record. President 
Mwai Kibaki says he hopes donors will follow the IMF's lead and resume 
financial support. Aid has increased since Mr Kibaki became president last 
December and started tackling corruption."The government has put in place 
adequate measures to ensure proper use and management of donor funds," a 
statement from the president's office said. 24 November: President Kibaki 
warns that economic reforms may not yield lasting results, unless donors 
provide more financial assistance. Mr Kibaki was speaking after the 
International Monetary Fund (IMF) resumed aid after a three-year gap. 
Makhtar Diop, the World Bank representative in Kenya, says the country 
should accelerate reforms. "Kenya's potential has been suppressed by an 
inefficient and poorly enforced legal structure and by a high cost of doing 
business. This has to change."   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 24 November 2003)

* Kenya. "Still On The Road To Democracy"  -  On 25 November, Kenya's 
Catholic bishops issued a Pastoral Letter entitled: "Still On The Road To 
Democracy". The bishops expressed their thanks to God for the peaceful 
general elections and the smooth transition to a new government. An 
evaluation of the new government's achievements, include: Free primary 
education for all; efforts and campaign against corruption; the cleansing 
efforts in the judiciary; efforts and campaigns against HIV/AIDS. However, 
the bishops note on the negative side: The daily bickering and persistant 
squabbling among the country's leaders over the power-sharing Memory of 
Understanding; wasteful and lavish spending; appointments to the Cabinet, 
civil service and parastatal positions. Concern is also expressed over the 
state of insecurity exisiting in Kenya and the slow progress in the review 
of the Constitution. The bishops conclude by saying: "We are still on the 
road -- not only to democracy -- but also to the One who created and 
sustains us".   (CISA, Kenya, 25 November 2003)

* Liberia. Call for a war crimes court  -  The Catholic Church's Justice 
and Peace Commission (JPC) has said a war crimes court should be 
established to prosecute armed Liberian groups for gross human rights 
abuses committed after the signing of the country's peace agreement on 18 
August in Ghana. Francese Johnson-Morris, head of the JPC, told reporters 
on 19 November that the need for such a court had been prompted by constant 
reports of harassment, torture and rape by fighters of the second rebel 
group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL). Many of the 
atrocities were being committed in the port city of Buchanan 120 km 
southeast of the capital, Monrovia. Some were being committed elsewhere 
too, she said.   (IRIN, Kenya, 20 November 2003)

* Liberia. Women demand an end to violence  -  Hundreds of women marched 
through Liberia's capital on 20 November demanding swift disarmament of 
fighters who have preyed on women throughout the west African country's 14 
years of civil war. "We the women of Liberia will no more allow ourselves 
to be raped, abused, misused, maimed and killed," shouted Leymah Gbowee, 
the protest's organiser, in front of Monrovia's city hall at end of the 
march. About 800 women took part in the noisy demonstration, many wearing 
white to symbolise their hope for peace. Protesters waved placards bearing 
slogans such as "Women of Liberia say "yes" to disarmament" and "Disarm, 
disarm, disarm". Ms Gbowee declared: "Our children and grandchildren will 
not be used as killing machines and sex slaves." Her comments drew vigorous 
nods of assent from the watching Gyude Bryant, head of a transitional 
government formed to lead Liberia into peace and democratic elections. Rape 
has been widespread during Liberia's conflict, with all sides guilty of the 
crime. Aid groups have yet to estimate how many have been raped; some women 
in the country say they believe virtually all have.   (The Independent, UK, 
21 November 2003)

* Liberia. Le Nigeria pourrait extrader Taylor  -  L'ancien président du 
Liberia, Charles Taylor, sera extradé pour être présenté devant la justice 
de son pays si ce dernier en fait la demande, a annoncé le président 
nigérian Obasanjo le 25 novembre. Jusqu'à présent, Obasanjo avait refusé de 
livrer Taylor, qui fait l'objet d'un chef d'inculpation par un tribunal de 
Sierra Leone mis en place par les Nations unies, mais a précisé maintenant 
qu'il l'extraderait si le Liberia en fait la demande. Charles Taylor vit en 
exil dans le sud du Nigeria depuis le début du mois d'août. Si le 
gouvernement du Liberia souhaite le juger sur son territoire "alors je 
pense qu'il comprendra la nécessisté de rentrer chez lui", a déclaré le 
président Obasanjo, qui a ajouté: "Je le persuaderai".   (AP, 25 novembre 2003)

* Libye. Egyptiens clandestins expulsés  -  Un groupe de 232 Egyptiens ont 
été expulsés par la Libye, où ils avaient été arrêtés pour tentative 
d'immigration clandestine vers l'Italie. Plusieurs ont avoué avoir versé 
2.000 euros à un Egyptien et un Libyen qui avaient promis de les emmener en 
Italie. Ils avaient traversé la frontière entre l'Egypte et la Libye et 
avaient été regroupés sur le littoral en prévision du départ.   (La Libre 
Belgique, 24 novembre 2003)

* Libya. Lockerbie bomber learns fate  -  24 November: The man convicted of 
the Lockerbie bombing appears in court and is told he must serve at least 
27 years in jail. Tight security was in place at the High Court in Glasgow 
for the appearance of Abdelbaset ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. The Libyan secret 
service agent was sentenced two years ago, to life in prison for the 1988 
bombing, with a recommendation that he serve at least 20 years. However, a 
change in the law meant Megrahi had to come again before the Scottish 
courts so that the punishment period could be set. The sentence is 
backdated to 1999 when he was first taken into custody. Pan Am Flight 103 
exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in December 1988, causing the 
death of 270 people. Megrahi was found guilty of their murder after an 
84-day trial under Scottish law in the Netherlands. Human rights laws have 
since been introduced which mean that lifers must be told exactly how long 
they must serve before they can apply for parole.   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 24 
November 2003)

* Madagascar. Les Eglises s'inquiètent  -  Les Eglises chrétiennes de 
Madagascar sortent de la réserve qu'elles observaient depuis plus d'un an. 
Pour la première fois, elles ont adopté une prise de position critique 
contre le régime de Marc Ravalomanana qu'elles ont pourtant aidé à accéder 
au pouvoir l'an dernier. La Conférence des évêques catholiques de 
Madagascar et le Conseil oecuménique des Eglises chrétiennes de Madagascar 
s'inquiètent en effet de la marche du pays. "Rien n'a changé dans la 
manière de faire de la politique", déplorent-elles en dénonçant l'usage de 
la religion et de la prière à des fins politiques. "Malgré les efforts" 
entrepris, "la corruption continue dans le pays" et "l'insécurité 
règne".   (La Croix, France, 21 novembre 2003)

* Madagascar. Elections municipales  -  Le dimanche 23 novembre, les 
élections municipales se sont déroulées dans le calme dans les 45 communes 
urbaines du pays. Un candidat indépendant s'est toutefois retiré de la 
course, dénonçant des "irrégularités" au profit du candidat du parti 
présidentiel. Il y a 15 jours, le scrutin concernait les 1.054 communes 
rurales du pays. Le parti présidentiel Tiako I Magasikara (Tim) avait 
dominé le scrutin, en emportant 56% des mairies, selon les résultats 
provisoires globaux du ministère de l'Intérieur. Le scrutin de ce dimanche 
devrait confirmer cette suprématie, notamment dans la capitale 
Antananarivo. -- 25 novembre. Le parti du président a remporté 30 des 45 
communes urbaines. Le "Tim" a notamment conservé la mairie d'Antananarivo, 
mais voit lui échapper deux capitales régionales sur six: Fianarantsoa et 
Toamasina. Par ailleurs, à Mahajanga, deuxième ville portuaire du pays, les 
candidats, excepté celui du parti présidentiel, ont porté plainte contre 
l'administration et réclament de nouvelles consultations.   (ANB-BIA, de 
sources diverses, 26 novembre 2003)

* Mali. Epidémie de choléra  -  Au moins 75 personnes sont mortes au Mali 
au cours de ces trois dernières semaines, en raison d'une épidémie de 
choléra qui menace directement un demi million d'habitants. La maladie, 
dont le foyer a été localisé au sud du pays, serait en cours de diffusion 
le long du fleuve Niger. Selon Médecins sans frontières (MSF) qui a lancé 
l'alarme, les habitudes d'une population essentiellement nomade, vivant le 
long du fleuve, pourraient favoriser la rapide diffusion de la maladie. 
D'août à la mi-novembre, MSF a enregistré 693 cas d'infection et le décès 
de 55 patients, mais le bilan s'est aggravé au cours de la dernière 
semaine, durant laquelle une vingtaine de personnes sont 
décédées.   (Misna, Italie, 20 novembre 2003)

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