Weekly anb03296.txt #6

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 29-03-2001      PART #6/6

* Tanzania. What constitutes a "non-indigenous" Tanzanian?  -  The 
Tanzanian government is preparing a policy document to improve the 
country's economic situation. The Government's proposed policy is expected, 
among other things, to restrict "non-indigenous" investors from investing 
in some sectors of the country's economy. The Minister for Industries and 
Commerce, Mr. Idi Simba, says that the government is working on this aspect 
of the policy and invites ideas on the definition of what constitutes a 
"non-indigenous" Tanzanian. He says: "A racial connotation should not be 
entertained...it's wrong to introduce racial motives". But already the 
government's proposed policy seems to have hit an obstacle over the content 
of the definition. Prof. Samuel Wangwe, Executive Director of Economic and 
Social Research Foundation (ESRF), made a policy study on the economic 
empowerment of Tanzanians and suggests an "indigenous Tanzanian" to be any 
citizen of Tanzania by birth, and whose origin can be traced back to at 
least three generations. However, Mr. Simba does not agree with the 
definition and says: "I share the anxiety of those who feel this definition 
is shallow and needs improvement before it's incorporated into the 
envisaged indigenous policy document." The World Bank is certainly not 
supporting such an indigenous policy. An economic officer from the World 
Bank office in Dar es Salaam, Mr. Rakesh Nangia, says the government's 
policy is likely to send negative signals to strategic foreign 
investors.   (Perege Gumbo, ANB-BIA, Tanzania, 9 March 2001)

* Tanzania/Zanzibar. Clearing and forwarding scam  -  Clearing and 
forwarding agents in Zanzibar have accused Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) 
officials of colluding with bogus agents both at the seaport and the 
airport. This is said to be having a bad effect on the country's economy. 
The government is being deprived of revenue, and registered clearing agents 
are losing millions of shillings in the form of lost business. However, the 
TRA has dismissed the allegation of collusion. In what seems to be "passing 
the buck", the TRA says it is authorized agents themselves who sometimes 
abuse their licences by involving bogus agents. Nonetheless, the authority 
says it will look into the allegation. The Financial Times has reported 
that out of 50 clearing and forwarding agents in Zanzibar, only 16 are 
registered.   (M. Mzee Makame, ANB-BIA, Zanzibar, 28 March 2001)

* Tchad. Déby se représente  -  Lors du congrès extraordinaire clôturé le 
21 mars, le Mouvement patriotique du salut a investi le chef d'Etat 
tchadien Idriss Déby comme candidat pour les prochaines élections 
présidentielles, fixées au 20 mai et au 1er juillet. Déby rencontrera comme 
adversaires deux dirigeants de l'opposition: Jean Bawoyeu Alingué, de 
l'Union pour la démocratie et la République, et Ngarledjy Yorongar, de la 
Fédération action pour la République. Arrivé au pouvoir en 1990 par les 
armes, il a été confirmé à la tête du pays par les élections de 1996. -- 
Dans son édition du 28 mars, le quotidien Le Progrès rapporte que les chefs 
de quinze partis politiques menacent de boycotter l'élection estimant que 
le recensement effectué par la Commission électorale nationale indépendante 
était irrégulier. Estimant que le recensement effectué est "partial et 
discriminatoire" parce qu'il exclu une bonne partie de la population en âge 
de voter, ils exigent l'annulation de ce recensement.   (ANB-BIA, de 
sources diverses, 29 mars 2001)

* Togo. "Turning Principles into Practice"  -  A joint Statement from 
Amnesty International and other NGOs, calls on the international community 
to "turn principles into practice", as Mary Robinson highlighted in her 
opening statement to the UN Commission on Human Rights. The case of Togo, 
which has systematically violated international human rights standards, 
will be a test case for whether the Commission on Human Rights can put 
effective action before political interests. As the report of the joint 
UN-OAU Commission of Inquiry for Togo is about to be discussed at its 57th 
session, the UN Commission on Human Rights must ensure a full and prompt 
implementation of their recommendations to address the culture of Impunity 
and provide justice for the victims of grave human rights violations in 
Togo.   (Amnesty International, 26 March 2001)

* Tunisia. Academics in peril  -  In a a letter addressed to Tunisia's 
President Ben Ali, the Human Rights Watch Academic Freedom Committee 
protested the deteriorating situation of human rights in Tunisia and the 
escalating attacks on academics advocating democratic reforms and the rule 
of law. In recent months, government critics have faced markedly greater 
levels of violence at the hands of persons believed to be linked to 
security forces, suggesting a systematic campaign to silence all critical 
voices.   (HRW, 26 March 2001)

* Uganda. After the elections  -  Anxious to put the elections behind him, 
President Yoweri Museveni has begun to revamp both the body and the spirit 
of the army, with the promotion of 930 officers. He is also turning his 
attention to the airforce. 15 officers have been promoted to the rank of 
Colonel, 66 to the rank of Lt. Colonel, and 481 Lieutenants becoming 
Captains. The army is still crucial in Ugandan politics and since 
independence, has been used for political purposes. It was torn apart 
during the elections with some personnel supporting President Museveni's 
rival, Colonel Kizza Besigye. There are indications that the army may be 
growing restless.   (Crespo Sebunya, ANB-BIA, Uganda, 23 March 2001)

* Uganda. Law Society lectures Museveni  -  The East Africa Law Society has 
urged re-elected President Museveni to use his last term in office to 
"fully democratise" the country. The law body said the President was 
"uniquely placed" to transform himself into a statesman for the benefit of 
all Ugandans. "At the end of his term, the "mustard seedn n n n n n " will 
have enjoyed 20 years of uninterrupted monopoly of political power. That 
singular honour is his gift from Ugandans for liberating them from tyranny. 
It is our humble submission that President Museveni must reciprocate this 
act of goodwill by using his last term in office to convert Uganda into a 
modern, fully fledged democratic state with a sound security system and a 
vibrant economy".   (The East African, Kenya, 18-25 March 2001)

* Uganda. AIDS drug reductions mean little to patients  -  In December 
2000, Uganda became the second African country (following Algeria), to win 
price cuts for HIV/AIDS drugs. Now, it appears that price cuts have not led 
to a significant increase in the number of people accessing the drugs. Only 
about 1.2% of the 820,000 AIDS sufferers access the drugs. Two 
international companies, Glaxo Wellcome and Boerhinger Ingleheim cut the 
price of AIDS drugs for Uganda, in December last year, after the country 
had started buying cheaper anti-HIV generic drugs from India. Price cuts 
were announced for AZT, Combivir and 3TC, by up to 50%, raising chances for 
more people to be able to afford treatment for HIV. Major Rubaramira 
Ruranga is a Ugandan who has been living with HIV for the past 16 years. In 
an interview, he said that the price cuts were negligible. "There are very 
few people on the drugs". Professor Francis Omaswa, Uganda's Director of 
Health Services, says the government wants to introduce eight more centres 
throughout the country where people can access the drugs. There are 
presently only five such centres.   (Vincent Paul Mayanja, ANB-BIA, Uganda, 
22& 26 March 2001)

* Uganda/Congo (RDC). Ugandan occupation worsens Congo's problems  -  In a 
50-page report entitled "Uganda in Eastern DRC; Fuelling Political and 
Ethnic Strife", Human Rights Watch documents how Ugandan authorities 
meddled in rivalries among factions of the rebel Congolese Rally for 
Democracy (RCD). Some of these quarrels degenerated into military 
skirmishes in which civilians have been killed and injured. The report 
shows how Ugandan soldiers intervened in a long-standing dispute between 
Hema and Lendu peoples, in many cases lending firepower to hema, sometime 
sin return for payment. During more than two years of Ugandan occupation, 
the Hema-Lendu was claimed more than 7,000 lives and displaced an estimated 
200,000 people.   (HRW, 28 March 2001)

* Zambia. Chiluba's third term as President  -  On 25 March, the ruling 
Movement for Multiparty Democracy announced that the party's national 
executive has agreed to recommend a constitutional amendment to enable 
President Chiluba to stand for a third term in office. An urgent 
extraordinary national party convention will take place towards the end of 
April, and if approved, the recommendation will then go as a Bill to 
Parliament.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 March 2001)

* Zimbabwe. Grève des médecins  -  Le dimanche 25 mars, les médecins 
zimbabwéens ont entamé leur deuxième jour de grève pour réclamer de 
meilleurs salaires. La plupart des hôpitaux du pays ont été désertés. Les 
médecins réclament une hausse non spécifiée des salaires et une 
amélioration des conditions de travail, deux exigences rejetées par le 
gouvernement. Le ministre adjoint de la Santé, David Parirenyatwa, qui 
s'est rendu dans les hôpitaux, a reconnu que la situation était critique, 
mais que les centres de santé traitaient tous les malades. Le gouvernement 
affirme qu'il n'a pas d'argent pour satisfaire les exigences salariales des 
médecins.   (PANA, Sénégal, 25 mars 2001)

* Zimbabwe. Commercial farmers want urgent dialogue with government  -  21 
March: Zimbabwe's white farmers band together after a landmark meeting and 
pledge to work with the Government to resolve the nation's land reform 
crisis -- this after an apparent split within their ranks over the 
violence-wracked scheme. The farmers reaffirm their support for their 
union's current leadership, express their "absolute commitment" to 
negotiating with the Government, and pledge to work to find a solution to 
the land reform crisis. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has described as "illegal and 
outrageous" a Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group decision to send a 
fact-finding mission to Harare. 25 March: The Government says it has begun 
paying compensation to white farmers whose land has ben seized as part of 
its land settlement programme.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 March 2001)

* Zimbabwe. Début d'indemnisations des fermiers  -  Le 25 mars, le 
gouvernement zimbabwéen a annoncé qu'il avait commencé à indemniser les 
fermiers blancs dont il avait confisqué de force les propriétés pour y 
installer des paysans sans terre. Cette indemnité ne couvre cependant que 
les améliorations apportées aux fermes, telles que les puits et les 
clôtures, et non la terre elle-même qui, aux yeux du gouvernement, est du 
ressort de la Grande-Bretagne, l'ancienne puissance coloniale, comme 
convenu dans un accord conclu au moment de l'indépendance. La 
Grande-Bretagne, qui s'oppose avec véhémence à cette réforme agraire, a 
refusé de libérer les fonds promis pour ce programme.   (PANA, Sénégal, 26 
mars 2001)

* Zimbabwe. Government bans foreign exams  -  ZANU-PF's attempt to 
establish its hegemony on the youth -- under the premise of nurturing 
cultural identity, has now been taken to the classroom where the government 
has booted out foreign examinations and introduced a new curriculum policy 
designed to rid the country of perceived colonial relics. With effect from 
next year, the government has banned secondary schools from offering 
examinations set by foreign boards. Institutions that do not conform to 
this directive will be de-registered. Education minister Samuel Mumbengegwi 
says, "Prior to this localisation, our curriculum and examinations were an 
appendage of the British system of education as espoused by the University 
of Cambridge and Local Examinations Syndicate." It is against this 
background that the ministry has banned foreign exams and has introduced a 
new local curriculum. The ministry believes that this will create a 
national identity. Raymond Majongwe, secretary-general of the Progressive 
Teachers Union (PTU) believes this is not the way to go. "The new 
curriculum policy and the announcement on the banning of foreign exams are 
both filled with flaws. We are not opposed to having locally-set exams and 
a locally-established syllabus, but the way for that change to happen is 
through consultation.".   (Percy Makombe, ANB-BIA, Zimbabwe, 27 March 2001)

* Zimbabwe/Congo (RDC). Kabila meets with Mugabe  -  26 March: President 
Joseph Kabila of Congo RDC is holding talks with President Robert Mugabe of 
Zimbabwe. The visit is connected to the latest ceasefire in Congo RDC and 
the withdrawal of foreign troops from that country. Zimbabwe is Mr Kabila's 
main backer in his country's civil war, with more than 10,000 troops 
estimated to be in the country. 27 March: Mr Kabila meets with business 
leaders and then addresses a poorly-attended session of the Zimbabwe 
parliament. He heaps heaped fulsome praise on Zimbabwe and President Robert 
Mugabe for "coming to the rescue" of his country. He says Zimbabwe's August 
1998 military intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo was an act 
of solidarity on the part of Africans. By its actions, Zimbabwe had 
"reinforced" the South African Development Community, the OAU and the UN, 
he says, demonstrating "that no-one can violate international law without 
incurring an appropriate response". Mr Kabila's address is boycotted by the 
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) whose 40 MPs in an assembly 
of 150 members, refuse to attend on the grounds that the president of Congo 
is not an elected president. The MDC is also keenly aware that Zimbabwe's 
military involvement in Congo is hugely unpopular.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 28 
March 2001)

Weekly anb0329.txt - End of part 6/6

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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)
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Everytime somebody keep silent when faced with tyranny, someone else dies 
(Wole Syinka, Nobel Prize for Literature) *
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