Weekly anb06074.txt #7

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 07-06-2001      PART #4/7

* Côte d'Ivoire. Air Afrique's mayday call  -  Ten transport ministers from 
11 African countries that have a stake in Air Afrique are meeting in 
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to decide the future of the cash-strapped carrier. 
More than 500 workers demonstrated outside the meeting to protest against 
proposals to either liquidate or break up the airline. The World Bank last 
week wrote to the Chadian and Ivorian transport ministers proposing two 
possible solutions for ending the airline's long-running crisis, both 
involving liquidation. This has angered Air Afrique staff and some 
shareholders who see the company as an African success story despite its 
financial troubles. The World Bank denies that the organisation itself 
proposed liquidation, stressing it was only forwarding the recommendations 
of the US consultancy, which it funded to prepare Air Afrique for 
privatisation. Air Afrique has been hit by strikes since Jeffrey Erickson, 
the former chief executive of failed US airline TWA, and his team were 
appointed as interim managers in January to restructure the company. Mr 
Erickson works for the consultancy Simat, Helliesen and Eichner, which 
supplied the liquidation recommendations to the World Bank. The management 
of the carrier has denied it is planning to liquidate the airline and says 
it is working toward a restructuring and privatisation. In February, Mr 
Ericsson announced plans to lay off some 2,000 employees, half of Air 
Afrique's staff but later backtracked, offering voluntary 
retirement.   (BBC News, UK, 6 June 2001)

* Egypt. Mubarak faults fundamentalists among Muslims  -  Islam's main 
problem is in its own ranks, among the "ignorant who do not know the real 
principles of religion", says President Mubarak. Addressing the 13th 
Congress of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, which includes 
representatives from 70 countries, Religious Affairs Minister Mahmud Zagzug 
read a message from Mubarak in which the latter emphasized the "the 
problems faced by Islam do not come from its well-known enemies, but from 
those who are ignorant of our religion. Ignorant Muslims confuse others 
with their mistaken concepts".   (Zenit, Italy, 1 June 2001)

* Eritrea. Dissent surfaces  -  Dissent within the ruling party in Eritrea 
has come out in the open for the first time since the People's Front for 
Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) took power 10 years ago. An internal letter to 
party members, containing an unprecedented attack on President Isaias 
Afewerki, was leaked to a web site. Fifteen senior members of the party, 
including government ministers and army generals, accused the president of 
working in an illegal and unconstitutional manner. The signatories said Mr 
Afewerki had consistently refused to allow collective leadership, and 
failed to convene legislative bodies intended to regulate presidential 
powers. "It is obvious that our country is in a crisis," the letter said. 
"This crisis is the result of the weaknesses of the PFDJ and the 
government, and the invasion of our country by the enemy."   (BBC News, UK, 
31 May 2001)

* Erythrée. Ethiopiens discriminés  -  L'avenir des citoyens éthiopiens 
résidant en Erythrée, réduits à quelques dizaines de milliers, reste 
incertain. Une vingtaine d'entre eux ont été arrêtés à Gasha-Baraka (près 
de Barentu, nord-ouest) et seraient incarcérés à la prison de Hadaz. Selon 
l'agence éthiopienne de presse (ENA) sept autres auraient été séquestrés. 
Selon des sources diplomatiques, de nombreux Ethiopiens auraient "disparu"; 
la majorité d'entre eux seraient incarcérés parce qu'ils seraient dépourvus 
de permis de séjour valide. Dans la plupart des cas, ils sont renvoyés en 
Ethiopie. L'ENA dénonce également la mise aux enchères de biens immobiliers 
appartenant aux citoyens éthiopiens; il s'agirait de véritables 
liquidations, sans que les anciens propriétaires ne reçoivent aucun 
dédommagement. En fait, la fuite forcée des Ethiopiens coûte cher à 
l'économie érythréenne. Au moins 35% des activités commerciales d'Asmara 
appartenaient à des Ethiopiens, et plus du double à Assab et Massaua. La 
retombée négative sur l'économie a particulièrement affligé les secteurs de 
la construction immobilière et des travaux portuaires, traditionnellement 
gérés par des citoyens éthiopiens.   (Misna, Italie, 31 mai 2001)

* Eritrea. "God Loves This Country"  -  On the occasion of the 10th 
anniversary of Eritrean Independence Day, the Eritrean Catholic Bishops on 
24 May, issued a Pastoral Letter entitled: "God Loves This Country". The 
Letter, originally written in the Tigrigna language is addressed to the 
nation and its leadership, to the faithful and to all the people of good 
will. The first part of the Letter gives an overall review of the past ten 
years since independence. It recalls the achievements the country has made, 
and the reconstruction after Eritrea was devastated by war and drought. In 
part two, the bishops show that the major task now is to build a society of 
justice, where human rights, the dignity and respect of the human person, 
social justice and holistic development based on the Constitution will 
prevail.   (CISA, Nairobi, 31 May 2001)

* Ethiopia. Activists freed on bail  -  Two of Ethiopia's leading human 
rights activists have been released from custody on bail after a fifth 
court appearance having spent four weeks in jail. Professor Mesfin 
Professor Mesfin-Wolde Mariam and Berhanu Nega have been charged with 
inciting university students to riot and of membership to an illegal 
political party. The detention of the two men was heavily criticised both 
in Ethiopia and internationally with many claiming that the government was 
trying to silence dissenting voices. The two men were arrested on 8 May 
after being accused by the government of instigating the recent student 
protests that resulted in the deaths of more than 30 people and damage 
worth millions of dollars. The tense atmosphere in the courtroom erupted 
into cheers as two men were told that could go home. Hundreds of friends, 
relatives and supporters who had packed into the small courtroom and 
gathered in the courtyard outside, ululated and cheered as presiding judge 
Ambacho Abate declared that the two prominent scholars should be released 
on bail. After a lengthy statement Judge Ambacho argued that according to 
Article 63 of the Ethiopian Procedural Law, the two defendants should be 
released from police custody until the date of the next hearing.   (BBC 
News, UK, 5 June 2001)

* Ghana. Rawlings threatens government  -  A row has broken out in Ghana 
between the government and former president Jerry Rawlings over his first 
speech made since leaving office in January. In an address to celebrate Mr 
Rawlings' 4 June coup, he criticised the government for waging a campaign 
of terror and intimidation against supporters of his NDC party. He warned 
that such acts could degenerate into hatred.Government spokeswoman 
Elizabeth Ohene said Ghana had examined the Rawlings legacy and had 
rejected it comprehensively in free and fair elections. Correspondents say 
other commentators have suggested that Mr Rawlings should concentrate on 
fighting malaria.   (BBC News, UK, 5 June 2001)

* Guinea. UNHCR get figures wrong in Guinea  -  The United Nations refugee 
agency (UNHCR), which earlier this year said Guinea faced the world's worst 
humanitarian crisis, insists it has got its figures right even though it 
cannot account for over 200,000 refugees. Before the crisis, sparked in 
September last year by cross-border attacks by rebels based in Sierra 
Leone, the UNHCR said there were 466,000 refugees in the country. UNHCR 
refugee numbers 192,000 refugees 55,000 repatriated 30,000 gone home 
277,000 total 466,000 original estimate Now it says it has access to just 
192,000. A further 55,000 refugees have been repatriated, and, at a 
generous estimate, 30,000 have returned home by themselves. Yet the UNHCR 
is not raising the alarm about the 200,000 who have apparently gone 
missing. The discrepancy emerged after the UNHCR completed its four-month 
long relocation of almost 60,000 refugees from camps threatened by rebel 
attacks in the Parrot's Beak and from other areas in south-east 
Guinea.   (BBC News, UK, 4 June 2001)

* Guinea-Bissau. Fishing agreement signed with EU  -  An agreement was 
signed on 31 May in Brussels between the European Union and Guinea-Bissau 
covering fishing in Guinea-Bissau's waters. The agreement will enter in 
vigour on June 16 and will be valid until the summer of 2006. Based on the 
accord, French, Greek, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese fishing boats will 
be able to fish off the coasts of Guinea-Bissau. Meanwhile, Guinea-Bissau's 
parliament, on 30 May approved the 2001 budget, estimated at 94-billion CFA 
francs, around 2 billion CFA francs more than the previous year.   (MISNA, 
Italy, 31 May 2001)

* Libéria. Interdits de voyage  -  Pour couper le soutien apporté par le 
Libéria à la rébellion sierra-léonaise du Front révolutionnaire uni (RUF), 
le Conseil de sécurité de l'Onu a publié une liste de quelque 150 
dirigeants libériens interdits de voyage, a annoncé l'Onu le 5 juin. Parmi 
eux figurent le chef de l'Etat, Charles Taylor, ses principaux ministres et 
chefs militaires, ainsi que leurs épouses. Y figurent aussi notamment un 
chef du RUF, Sam Bockarie, et des "trafiquants d'armes". La liste sera mise 
à jour régulièrement. La résolution de l'Onu demande aux Etats de refuser 
l'entrée ou le transit de ces personnes.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 7 
juin 2001)

* Malawi. Heurts à Lilongwe  -  Le 5 juin, des incidents entre manifestants 
et policiers à Lilongwe ont fait une vingtaine de blessés, dont dix 
grièvement. Près d'un millier de manifestants ont protesté devant le 
Parlement, demandant au président Muluzi d'employer davantage de ressources 
de l'Etat en faveur du développement du pays. Selon des sources locales, le 
mécontentement contre l'actuel gouvernement s'empare de plus en plus des 
secteurs de la société civile.   (Misna, Italie, 6 juin 2001)

* Malawi. Clashes leave 20 injured  -  There have been clashes between 
government and opposition supporters outside the parliament buildings in 
the Malawi capital, Lilongwe. The clashes occurred as parliament began its 
winter session. At least 20 people were injured, 10 of them seriously. 
Reports say the clashes continued for some 20 minutes before police 
restored order. Press photographers who tried to take pictures were 
attacked, and their cameras confiscated. The leader of the opposition 
National Democratic Alliance, Brown Mpinganjira, blamed the clashes on 
President Bakili Muluzi, alleging that the president had encouraged his 
supporters to use violence against the opposition. But the presidential 
affairs minister, Dumbo Lemani, denied this. Correspondents say that the 
clashes were the latest indication of rising political tension in Malawi in 
recent months.   (BBC News, UK, 6 June 2001)

* Maroc. Grâces royales  -  Le roi Mohammed VI a accordé des mesures de 
grâce au profit de 780 détenus, dont 288 vont être libérés immédiatement à 
l'occasion de la fête musulmane de Mouloud, qui commémore l'anniversaire de 
la naissance du prophète Mahomet. Outre les 288 détenus graciés totalement, 
le souverain a accordé une remise de peine en faveur de 492 
prisonniers.   (La Figaro, France, 5 juin 2001)

* Morocco. King meets Amnesty head on rights issues  -  On 6 June, King 
Mohammed met Colm O'Cuanachain, chairman of London-based Amnesty 
International, to discuss human rights issues, the official news agency MAP 
reported. Since succeeding his late father King Hassan two years ago, the 
reform-minded Mohammed has released dozens of political prisoners, created 
a human rights advisory council to examine about 5,000 complaints and set 
up a multi-million dollar fund to compensate victims of human rights 
abuses. King Mohammed met O'Cuanachain at Rabat's royal palace in the 
presence of Human Rights Minister Mohamed Aujjar and Amnesty 
representatives, MAP said without elaborating. It was the first meeting 
between the Moroccan monarch and Amnesty envoys since he ascended to the 
throne in mid-1999.   (CNN, USA, 6 June 2001)

Weekly anb0607.txt - #4/7