Weekly anb06144.txt #8

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

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 14-06-2001      PART #4/8

* Congo (RDC). Rebel fighting imperils Beni residents  -  On 12 June, Human 
Rights Watch said that residents of the eastern Congolese town of beni are 
caught in the crossfire of week-long violent clashes between two competing 
rebel factions, with many civilians killed and injured. beni is the 
administrative capital of parts of northeastern Congo occupied by Uganda 
and nominally controlled by the Ugandan-backed rebel Front for the 
Liberation of Congo (FLC). The clashes have erupted between opposing 
factions of the Army for the Liberation of Congo (ALC), those loyal to the 
FLC's leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, and those loyal to Mbusa Nyamwisi, a local 
rebel leader who had left thee town soon after joining forces with the 
FLC.   (HRW, 12 June 2001)

* Congo (RDC). L'opposition accuse la Belgique  -  Alors que l'on s'attend 
à ce que les autorités belges annoncent bientôt des progrès vers une 
reprise de la coopération d'Etat à Etat, l'opposition congolaise, dans une 
lettre datée du 7 juin, prend publiquement position contre cette politique. 
Le document est signé par les principaux ténors de l'opposition congolaise: 
Etienne Tshisekedi (UDPS), Catherine Nzuzi wa Bombo (MPR), Joseph 
Olenghankoy (FONUS), François Lumumba (MNC), Justin Bomboko et Cléophas 
Kamitatu. Les signataires accusent la Belgique "d'encourager, par ses 
démarches politique, économique et diplomatique actuelles, la partition du 
Congo" et demandent aux partenaires du Congo de "s'abstenir de poser des 
actes qui relèvent de la coopération structurelle avant l'aboutissement des 
travaux du Dialogue intercongolais".   (La Libre Belgique, 12 juin 2001)

* Congo (RDC). Prolongement de la mission de l'ONU?  -  Le mardi 12 juin, 
la France a prôné l'introduction d'une résolution prolongeant la mission de 
maintien de la paix des Nations unies au Congo d'un an, afin qu'elle puisse 
surveiller le bon déroulement du désarmement des combattants de la guerre 
civile. Le projet de résolution, présenté aux membres du Conseil de 
sécurité mardi, soutient la recommandation du secrétaire général Kofi Annan 
de maintenir les 5.537 hommes de la force onusienne de maintien de la paix, 
parmi lesquels on compte 500 observateurs. Le Conseil doit se réunir 
mercredi sur le dossier du Congo, et votera la résolution vendredi.   (AP, 
USA, 12 juin 2001)

* Djibouti. Des rebelles remettent leurs armes  -  L'application de 
l'accord de paix conclu le 12 mai entre le gouvernement de Djibouti et les 
rebelles du Front pour la restauration de l'unité et la démocratie (FRUD) 
progresse. Le 7 juin, plus de 1.200 hommes fidèles au mouvement ont remis 
leurs armes aux autorités dans les districts de Tadjourah et d'Obock (190 
et 300 km au nord de la capitale). L'entente a mis fin à dix ans de conflit 
entre forces gouvernementales et le FRUD, dirigé par Ahmed Dini, Premier 
ministre au lendemain de l'indépendance en 1977.   (Misna, Italie, 8 juin 2001)

* Djibouti. Impoverished groups hit by border closure  -  There had been 
further impoverishment of vulnerable groups in the north, by the border 
closure between Djibouti and the self-declared independent state of 
Somaliland, northwestern Somalia, the joint European Commission and UN Food 
and Agricultural Organisation monthly Food Security Report noted in June. 
It said that in Awdal Region, near the Djibouti and Ethiopian borders, the 
poor food-economy group, who rely on petty trade, had felt the impact of 
the border closure, as all locally produced cereals and vegetables were 
usually marketed in Djibouti. Imported food commodity prices were expected 
to further increase in the coming months because of the seasonal monsoon 
closure of the seaports in Somalia. Over the last six months, the price of 
fuel had dramatically increased, especially diesel, which had affected 
mechanised agriculture, water pumping and transport. Concern had been 
expressed "from many quarters" over poor crop conditions, especially in the 
northern production areas of Hiran, Gedo, Bay and Bakool.   (IRIN, Horn of 
Africa, 11 June 2001)

* Egypte. Le pont suspendu de Suez  -  La construction du pont suspendu de 
Suez, reliant le Sinaï au reste de l'Egypte, est achevé. L'idée de ce pont 
était née en 1990. Après 7 ans d'études, sa construction avait commencé en 
juin 1997. Le pont a été financé par l'Egypte et le Japon. 60% du coût 
général du projet est un don du gouvernement japonais. La hauteur du pont 
est de 70 mètres à partir de la surface du canal de Suez. Sa longueur est 
de 9,5 km et sa largeur de 20 mètres. Il reste à faire des travaux de 
finition. L'inauguration est prévue le 6 octobre prochain. Tout comme le 
pont Al-Ferdane, qui traverse également le canal de Suez et qui est destiné 
au passage des trains, le nouveau pont est destiné à servir le projet 
national pour le développement du Sinaï, où 3,5 millions de citoyens 
devraient s'installer.   (D'après Al-Ahram hebdo, 6-12 juin 2001)

* Egypt. Microsoft links with Egypt  -  Microsoft Corporation, the computer 
software giant, on 11 June teamed up with LinkdotNet, an Egyptian internet 
service provider, to launch the Arab world's first international web 
portal. MSN.Arabia.com will come online in September and will carry content 
in both Arabic and English. LinkdotNet, which says it is the largest 
private ISP in the region, will develop the content in both Cairo and 
Dubai. Both Microsoft and its Egyptian partners say the web portal will 
provide e-commerce opportunities to small local companies unable to spend 
lavishly on marketing and advertising. Companies will also have access to 
the 1.8m Arab users of Hotmail, Microsoft's free e-mail service. Although 
still small, internet use in the Arab region is growing fast.   (Financial 
Times, UK, 12 June 2001)

* Eritrea. President sacks dissenters  -  Two of Eritrea's top ministers 
have been sacked after being openly critical of President Afewerki. the 
official statement simply stated that there was a new Minister of Fisheries 
and a new Minister of Trade and Industry. Both the former Minister for 
Fisheries, Petros Solomon, and the Trade and Industry Minister, Haile 
Woldensae, were founding members of the Eritrean Liberation Movement which 
now rules the country. They were widely considered to be two of the most 
capable men in the government and have previously held the highest 
ministerial posts.   (BBC News, UK, 11 June 2001)

* The Gambia. Press complains to UN team  -  On 8 June, members of the 
Gambian press complained to the visiting two-man United Nations delegation 
of their ordeal at the hands of the Gambian government. Robin Ludwig, 
senior political adviser, Electoral Assistance Division, at the UN 
Department of Peace-keeping Operations, and her colleague, Christian 
Nadeau, are on a week-long visit to the country aimed at assessing the 
country's electoral process leading to presidential polls in October. The 
UN team disclosed at the 8 June press briefing that their visit was in 
connection with an invitation extended to the UN by The Gambia's 
Independent Electoral Commission, following the UN secretary-general's 
discussions with the Gambian authorities during his visit last year. The UN 
delegation said their findings would determine whether or not the UN would 
send observers to monitor the forthcoming general elections.   (The Daily 
Observer, The Gambia, 11 June 2001)

* Ghana. Military backs government  -  Ghana's armed forces have taken 
exception to comments made by former President Jerry Rawlings and restated 
their allegiance to the man who replaced him. Mr Rawlings said on 4 June 
that his successor, John Kufuor, did not have the confidence of the 
military. But a statement issued by the high command on 7 June said the 
armed forces were behind the country's new leader.The statement said: "The 
Ghana Armed Forces are prepared to defend the constitution of Ghana at all 
times." Mr Rawlings caused controversy in his speech marking the 
anniversary of the first of his two coups.   (BBC News, UK, 7 June 2001)

* Ghana. "Leave Ghana alone"  -  On 12 June, a coalition of democratic 
organisations went on a peace march in Accra to present a resolution to the 
Speaker of Parliament against a speech delivered by the NDC leader, ex-Flt. 
Lt. Rawlings on June 4, 2001. The march started from the Kwame Nkrumah 
Circle and ended behind the Accra Sports Stadium in a mini rally after 
which representatives of the coalition went to Parliament, less than a 
kilometre away to present the resolution. A last minute attempt by the 
Chief of Staff, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, to stop the march was flatly 
rejected by the huge crowd, which had assembled. The resolution stated that 
"The Coalition for the Defence of Democracy, concerned about the security 
of the state, and the threats against the security, nation unity and 
democracy inherent in the speech of former President J.J. Rawlings at the 
Arts Centre, Accra on June 4, 2001 (transcript of speech attached), wishes 
on behalf of the people of Ghana, to draw attention to the following:- (1) 
That the people of Ghana, already reeling from the effects of a 
strangulating economic and political regime imposed by the PNDC and NDC 
under ex- President Rawlings, need the peace and tranquillity to go about 
the enormous task of re-aligning and rejuvenating the economy; (2) That the 
economy under ex-President Rawlings has been mismanaged, while the 
political aspirations of the people have been suppressed; (3) That the 
nineteen (19) years of the Rawlings regime has been full of broken promises 
and a complete betrayal of the self-proclaimed principles of probity, 
accountability and transparency; (4) That the PNDC and NDC governments 
under former President Rawlings, apart from the dismissal of over 200,000 
workers, was the most corrupt government in the history of Ghana; (5) That 
former President Rawlings has a hidden hatred for multi-party rule which he 
has consistently sought to undermine. (...)   (Accra Mail, Ghana, 13 June 2001)

* Kenya. Cabinet reshuffle brings in Opposition  -  11 June: President Moi 
has reshuffled his cabinet, appointing opposition party lader Raila Odinga 
as Energy Minister. This is the first coalition government in Kenya's 
history. The National Development Party leader has been detained three 
times by President Moi's government in the past. Another opposition member, 
Adhu Owiti, will head the Planning Ministry. The NDP has been cooperating 
with the ruling party and there has been talk of a merger ahead of general 
elections due by the end of 2002.   (BBC News, UK, 11 June 2001)

* Kenya. Gouvernement de coalition  -  Le président Moï a remanié son 
gouvernement en l'ouvrant à deux membres de l'opposition. Un leader 
historique de l'opposition, Raila Odinga, du National Development Party 
(NDP), est appelé à diriger le ministère de l'Energie, et un autre membre 
de ce parti, Adhu Owiti, est nommé ministre de la Planification. Selon les 
observateurs, cette ouverture serait liée à la récente visite au Kenya du 
secrétaire d'Etat américain Colin Powell.   (D'après Misna, Italie, 11 juin 
2001)

* Kenya. Rumania sends missionaries to Kenya  -  The Church in Rumania, a 
former Communist country, is sending out missionaries to Africa. Bishop 
Petru Gherghel of Iasi Diocese has made a missionary commitment with 
Kenya's Diocese of Marsabit. Bishop Gherghel has sent two priests to work 
in Maikona Parish of Marsabit. This is the first time that the Church in 
Rumania has taken such a commitment in Africa. Rumania has eleven Catholic 
dioceses: 6 are Latin, and 5 are Greek Catholic.   (CISA, Nairobi, 11 June 
2001)

* Kenya. 12 more join review team  -  On 11 June, twelve new commissioners 
joined the expanded Constitution of Kenya Review Commission. This brings 
the toal number of the law review commissioners to 27. The 12 names were 
nominated by the Ufungamano Initiative and the Parliamentary Select 
Committee. Their appaointment has been cleared by President Moi.   (Daily 
Nation, Kenya, 12 June 2001)

Weekly anb0614.txt - #4/8