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Weekly anb02155.txt #5
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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 15-02-2001 PART #5/5
* Tanzanie. Réfugiés - Les fortes pluies ont entravé l'acheminement de
produits alimentaires d'urgence dans les camps de réfugiés au nord-est de
la Tanzanie, a indiqué le PAM. L'état des axes routiers reliant Kigoma à
Kasulu, et Kasulu à Kibondo, est déplorable, a affirmé l'organisation. Plus
de 10 camions y sont bloqués depuis deux jours. Ces retards ont entraîné
une nouvelle réduction de la taille des rations aux réfugiés. - D'autre
part, le 8 février au soir, des rebelles burundais du CNDD-FDD ont attaqué
le centre de transit pour réfugiés de Kigadye (région de Kigoma), tuant un
homme et enlevant 36 personnes au cours d'une tentative visant à les faire
adhérer à leur mouvement, d'après la police tanzanienne. (IRIN, Nairobi,
12-13 février 2001)
* Tanzania/Zanzibar. A new twist to the islands' mayhem - Whilst the
political tension that mounted up during the 27 January clashes between the
police and the opposition Civic United Front supporters is still simmering
down, the whole saga has taken a new dimension. Human rights bodies and
legal institutions are calling for an independent inquiry into the events
that reportedly claimed 300 lives on the island of Pemba. The Zanzibar
Legal Services Centre, says the police acted outside the realm of law
enforcement and should be probed. The Legal and Human Rights centre has
described the whole episode as "the shame and barbarism of the millennium",
and says the government should not only institute an inquiry into the
issue, but it should also compensate the bereaved on Pemba and Zanzibar.
(Makame Mzee Makame, ANB-BIA, Zanzibar, 13 February 2001)
* Tunisie. Congrès de la LTDH annulé - Le 12 février, la justice tunisienne
a ordonné l'annulation des résultats et des décisions du 5e congrès de la
Ligue tunisienne de défense des droits de l'homme (LTDH) et décidé de "la
tenue d'une autre assemblée élective sous l'égide de l'ancienne direction".
En octobre 2000, la LTDH avait élu un nouveau comité directeur, affichant
une grande autonomie à l'égard du pouvoir. Quatre candidats battus avaient
alors déposé plainte. Le régime de Ben Ali tolère en effet de moins en
moins que le moindre espace public lui échappe, et la campagne médiatique
dans la presse gouvernementale avait continué contre la nouvelle équipe
dirigeante de la Ligue. Celle-ci compte faire appel du jugement, mais en
fait la justice tunisienne l'a formellement mise hors- la-loi. (ANB-BIA, de
sources diverses, 13 février 2001)
* Tunisia. Court rules against human rights group - A Tunisian court has
ruled against a human rights group that is one of the last remaining
centres of opposition to Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, the president. Earlier
this week, the court ordered that the Ligue Tunisienne de Droits de l'Homme
(LTDH), the oldest human rights body in the Arab world, must hold new
leadership elections. The group has been under judicial supervision and
effectively shut down since October when it elected a new, more independent
leadership, critical of Tunisia's poor human rights record and Mr Ben Ali's
regime. Members say Mr Ben Ali's ruling Rassemblement Constitutionel
Democratique (RCD) party had infiltrated the group in the late 1990s and
succeeded in hamstringing it. In the wake of the October elections, a case
was brought by four members of the league, two of them also members of Mr
Ben Ali's party, who are contesting the results. One of the appellants,
Kamel Ben Younes, a journalist, says that the more radical members of the
league did not observe due process during the elections. The league's new
leadership disagrees, saying Mr Ben Ali's government put the appellants up
to the job. "The authorities have a very clear strategy to tie up the Ligue
with continual postponements and delays," says Mukhtar Trifi, the LTDH
president- elect. "It is very difficult, if not impossible, for us to work
under these conditions." Western diplomats say Mr Ben Ali wants to repress
potential opposition ahead of a possible referendum that would give him a
fourth term as president. When he seized power in 1987 as Habib Bourguiba,
the former president, slipped into senility, Mr Ben Ali changed the
Tunisian constitution to limit any president to only two re-elections.
Under current arrangements his time is up in 2004. The crackdown on the
league is part of a broader campaign to stifle the opposition. Moncef
Marzouki, Tunisia's best known human rights activist, has also been
prosecuted but is free awaiting the results of an appeal. Mr Marzouki, now
the spokesman of the Conseil National pour Liberte en Tunisie, was found
guilty of spreading information illegally and of disturbing public order.
(Financial Times, UK, 14 February 2001)
* Uganda. Elections divide army - The narrowing of the margin between the
two presidential candidates, Col (rtd) Kiiza Besigye and President Yoweri
Museveni is sharply dividing the army. It was thought that the army was
firmly behind Museveni, but such is not the case. Indeed, there is a great
deal of violence taking place, with army personnel frequently the victims.
Even officers who have maintained an independent stand, though remaining
critical of the Museveni regime, are under the watchful eye of the regime.
Col Kiiza Besigye says many within the army disillusioned with the Museveni
administration. Many rank and file are not happy because their salaries are
embezzled by the top brass and nothing is done to the culprits. The
electoral laws ban campaigning in military installations, yet only
Museveni's portraits are allowed to be displayed in the barracks. (Crespo
Sebunya, ANB-BIA, Uganda, 8 February 2001)
* Uganda. Religious holiday delays vote - The presidential election in
Uganda has been postponed for a day to avoid a possible clash with a public
holiday. The Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Adha, could fall on the original
date for the election -- 6 March -- and by law, voting cannot be held on a
public holiday. the poll will now be held on 7 March. (BBC News, 8 February
2001)
* Ouganda. Enfants soldats - L'Unicef a salué l'Ouganda pour avoir ouvert
les portes d'un camp d'entraînement militaire et politique hébergeant des
enfants soldats du Congo-RDC et pour avoir accepté que tous les soldats du
camp ayant moins de 18 ans soient confiés à l'Unicef qui les prendra sous
sa protection jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient réunis avec leurs familles. A partir
du 13 février, l'Unicef et d'autres organisations bénéficieront d'un accès
libre et illimité au camp pour déterminer combien il y a d'enfants.
L'entraînement de ces soldats s'inscrit dans le cadre du soutien que
l'Ouganda apporte aux rebelles à l'est de la RDC, rapporte le journal
ougandais Monitor. Le chef d'état-major de l'armée ougandaise a indiqué que
l'armée n'avait pas eu l'intention de recruter des enfants. (IRIN, Nairobi,
12 février 2001)
* Ouganda. Karamoja: campagne pour le désarmement - Le 10 février, le
gouvernement de Kampala a officiellement lancé une campagne pour le
désarmement des bergers karimojongs à Kotido (nord) en la présence de la
vice-présidente Speziosa Kazibwe et du ministre du Nord, Omwony-Ojwok. Dans
le secteur nord-est de l'Ouganda, les fréquentes migrations de pillards
karimojongs durant la saison sèche s'accompagnent de violences à l'égard de
la population d'ethnie Acholi. A la cérémonie à Kotido était notamment
présente une délégation de l'ARLPI (initiative pour la paix des chefs
religieux acholis), une association interreligieuse qui cherche depuis
trois ans une solution pour mettre fin aux incursions qui ensanglantent la
région, mais les autorités des districts acholis victimes des raids étaient
absentes. Le gouvernement de Kampala a promis que la remise des armes
permettrait la réalisation de projets de développement dans la région
Karamoja. L'opération de récupération des armes durera 6 mois; ensuite,
tout transgresseur sera punissable. (Misna, Italie, 13 février 2001)
* Uganda. Religious leaders launch Conflict Resolution Team - Leaders from
all religious sects in Uganda, in association with NEMGROUP, have launched
a Conflict Resolution Team (CRT) to promote tolerance and resolve disputes
during and after the elections. The delegation of religious leaders
included Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, who officially launched the team
yesterday, Arch Bishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo, Metropolitan Arch
Bishop Jonah Lwanga, who acted as chairman of the delegation, and the
Secretary General of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, Edirisa Kasenene.
Each of the religious leaders expressed their allegiance to the team in
making the elections a smooth process. "We, your religious leaders, are
with you in all these good values, which are the building block of the
nation. We are accompanying you in the democratic processes and all
endeavours which you are engaged in for nation building," Emmanuel Cardinal
Wamala said. In addition to monitoring elections, NEMGROUP will, through
the CRT, attempt to solve conflicts especially those arising during the
polls. "Violence is triggered off by factors related to elections; this is
the belief behind the creation of the CRT," NEMGROU P national coordinator,
Rev. Canon Grace Kiaso said. The team is composed of 12 high-standing
members of society, among whom are: former Chief Inspector of Schools, Tom
Mugoya; Bishop Onono Olweng of Northern Uganda; Head of Nakasero Mosque,
Hajji Abdul Byaruhanga and retired Bishop Lucas Gonohasa. Also at the
launch was Electoral Commissioner Robert Kitariko and police assistant
public relations officer, Eric Naigambi. (The Monitor, Uganda, 14 February
2001)
* Ouganda. Don du pape contre le sida - Le pape Jean-Paul II a décidé de
verser une somme d'un milliard de lires (3 millions de FF) -- somme qui lui
avait été offerte l'an dernier par la municipalité de Milan à l'occasion du
Jubilé -- pour soutenir les programmes de lutte contre le sida en Ouganda.
Dans la pensée du pape, ce don "constitue un petit ruisseau, mais rejoint
le grand fleuve de la charité chrétienne". (Le Figaro, France, 14 février 2001)
* Zimbabwe. Tensions without and within - International relations: Sweden
has strenuously denied Zimbabwean government allegations that it intends to
fund the Opposition out of its bilateral aid budget. Judges: Several
Zimbabwean judges have begun searching for alternative employment elsewhere
in Southern Africa because of frustration over the government's "siege on
the judiciary". Judge Rita Makarau, newly appointed to the High Court, has
ordered Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri to evict war veterans and
ZANU-PF supporters from commercial farms they have forcibly occupied in
Hwedza. On 9 February, the 63 government Members of Parliament passed a
vote of no confidence in the Supreme Court. The vote was prompted by a
Supreme Court decision overturning an order by President Mugabe that
prevented opposition parties from challenging the results in 37
constituencies at last June's general elections. The Media: The government
has said it plans to ban all foreign investment in private media
organisations in Zimbabwe. The Government has dismissed protests over the
Daily News bombing. The Opposition: The government is considering a
petition to ban the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)'s open
hand salute. On 13 February, the Opposition began its court challenge to 39
election results. Economy: On 9 February, Zimbabwe announced exchange
controls which require all export earnings to be paid to the central back
and the state-owned National Oil Company. On 12 February, the Government
backtracked on its previous announcement that three- quarters of all export
earnings should be paid to the central bank and one- quarter to the
national oil company. The price of bread has gone up for the second time in
a month, with bakers saying the price is set to increase every month to
keep pace with production costs. Fuel supplies are expected to remain
critical for sometime owing to diminishing foreign currency reserves. Sone
500,000 people are in need of food assistance in drought-prone Masvingo
province. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 15 February 2001)
Weekly anb0215.txt - End of part 5/5
THE END
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Un homme meurt chaque fois que l'un d'entre nous se tait devant la tyrannie
(W. Soyinka, Prix Nobel litterature)
--------
Everytime somebody keep silent when faced with tyranny, someone else dies
(Wole Syinka, Nobel Prize for Literature) *
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