Weekly anb06147.txt #8

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

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 14-06-2001      PART #7/8

* Sierra Leone. Encore 59 enfants libérés  -  Le 9 juin, 59 enfants soldats 
ont été libérés à Kailahun par la rébellion sierra-léonaise du Front 
révolutionnaire uni (RUF). Cela porte à 828 le nombre d'enfants remis à la 
Mission des Nations unies en Sierra Leone depuis trois semaines. - D'autre 
part, le 9 juin, 39 personnes, dont un officier supérieur, ont été arrêtées 
à Freetown, rapporte l'agence Misna. Il s'agit du colonel Gabriel Mani, 
responsable de la formation de la nouvelle armée nationale. On a découvert 
chez lui trois dépôts de matériel de guerre, contenant des fusils d'assaut, 
des obus antichar, des grenades et des mitrailleuses. 24 soldats et 14 
civils ont fini sous les verrous avec lui. La police tente de déterminer 
les raisons pour lesquelles l'officier a accumulé une telle quantité 
d'armes dans la capitale, désignée comme zone démilitarisée.   (ANB-BIA, de 
sources diverses, 11 juin 2001

* Sierra Leone. UN commander complains about resources  -  The commander of 
United Nations' peacekeeping forces in Sierra Leone, General Daniel Opande 
of Kenya, says that his plans to disarm combatants in the civil war are 
being held up because of the lack of proper facilities. General Opande said 
his forces were ready to begin the disarmament process immediately, but 
could not do so unless there were proper provision of such things as 
accommodation, food and water. He said he hoped that the National 
Commission for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration which was set 
up under the recent peace agreement would help with the necessary 
facilities in the eastern district of Yengema. Disarmament was due to begin 
at the end of May, but has been put off because the disarmament centre in 
the northern town of Lunsar was not ready.   (BBC News, UK, 11 June 2001)

* Sierra Leone. Army arrests  -  A top army official has been arrested 
after a large quantity of arms and ammunition was found at his home. The 
director of training for the Sierra Leonean army, Colonel Gabriel Mani, was 
detained on 9 June after a search of his house in Freetown. 24 soldiers and 
14 civilians were also arrested by the police and UN security 
forces.   (BBC News, UK, 11 June 2001)

* South Africa. Unwavering on AIDS drugs  -  The South African government 
on 7 June reiterated its position on anti-retroviral drugs to combat 
HIV/AIDS, in spite of winning a court battle with pharmaceutical companies 
to ensure the provision of cheaper generic drugs. "At the prices 
anti-retrovirals are, we can't afford them. I made some calculations and it 
became very clear that we would not be able to use anti- retrovirals," 
Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, the minister of health, said. Speaking at the 
World Economic Forum's southern Africa economic summit in Durban, she said 
treatment of HIV/AIDS formed part of the government's integrated approach 
to relieve poverty and underdevelopment. The government's emphasis would be 
on an HIV/AIDS prevention programme. Mrs Tshabalala-Msimang said access to 
cheaper medicines achieved in the court battle would help to treat diseases 
such as tuberculosis, malaria and sexually transmitted diseases. "We must 
do those things that we know work. We must not fool ourselves. 
Anti-retrovirals do not cure HIV."   (Financial Times, UK, 8 June 2001)

* South Africa. Concern for Zimbabwe  -  Senior South African officials are 
increasingly concerned about the possibility of an imminent collapse of 
Zimbabwe after months of political violence and deepening economic crisis. 
Conventional opinion is that South Africa holds the whip hand in relations 
with Zimbabwe but has failed to apply it, perhaps because of an affinity 
with President Robert Mugabe. Mr Mugabe, however, may have more cards to 
play than is generally appreciated, or so an influential camp within South 
Africa's ruling ANC argues. Fear of what Mr Mugabe could do to South Africa 
has led to paralysis in policy-making even though some in the ANC view 
Zimbabwe as the greatest national security threat post-apartheid South 
Africa has faced. This fear has persuaded President Thabo Mbeki to take a 
non-confrontational diplomatic approach to Zimbabwe in spite of the damage 
illegal land invasions, a war of words with the UK and a crackdown on 
political opponents have done to the region's international image. "With 
Ian Smith [Zimbabwe's former white president], South Africa was dealing 
with a racist who it could be assumed would act rationally under pressure," 
warned one ANC policy shaper. "With Robert Mugabe we are dealing with a 
racist whose responses to pressure are unpredictable."   (Financial Times, 
UK, 8 June 2001)

* South Africa. Arms inquiry begins  -  11 June: Public hearings open in 
South Africa into a US $6 billion arms deal, which has been at the centre 
of allegations of fraud and corruption at high levels in the government in 
Pretoria. The case at pretoria High Court was due to start two weeks ago, 
but was immediately adjourned at the request of the Defence Ministry, which 
said it needed more time to prepare. The government has been accused of a 
cover-up. Something it denies.   (BBC News, UK, 11 June 2001)

* South Africa. To work with UK over Zimbabwe  -  South Africa and the UK 
were agreed in their approach to resolving the instability and economic 
crisis in Zimbabwe, Essop Pahad, the minister in charge of the South 
African presidency, said at the weekend. Mr Pahad said discussions on 
helping bring peace to Zimbabwe would take place during President Thabo 
Mbeki's three-day state visit to the UK, which begins on 12 June. There 
were "no fundamental points of difference" between the two governments. 
South Africa has pursued a policy of "quiet diplomacy" in response to 
illegal farm occupations, the breakdown of the rule of law and intimidation 
of political opposition in Zimbabwe. It argued that it would bear the brunt 
of its neighbour's collapse and has maintained economic links and 
conciliatory diplomatic contact. "If there were a collapse in Zimbabwe, all 
those people wouldn't go to the UK, they would come here," Mr Pahad said. 
Last week Mr Mbeki received a vote of support from an unexpected quarter 
when Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the Zimbabwean opposition, endorsed 
the South African approach. Mr Tsvangirai insisted that South Africa should 
keep lifelines in place instead of applying economic pressure.   (Financial 
Times, UK, 11 June 2001)

* South Africa. Bishops denounce xenophobia  -  The Catholic Bishops of 
South Africa has issued a Pastoral Letter for International Refugee Day 
2001, to encourage their countrymen to give an evangelical welcome to those 
without a homeland. The document entitled "Our Responsibility Toward 
Refugees", begins by reminding the faithful that since 1990, "refugees have 
been coming to seek refuge in South Africa from troubled spots in Africa 
and other parts of the world. The unending wars and stalling peace 
processes mean that we expect this trend to continue".   (Zenit, Italy, 11 
June 2001)

* South Africa. Agreement reached on mineral rights legislation  -  The 
South African government and the mining industry on 11 June reached a 
landmark agreement on controversial new legislation that seeks to abolish 
private ownership of mineral rights, returning them to the state. The 
decision to bury the hatchet after long and often bitter argument was 
announced on the eve of the South African president's official visit to the 
UK. Thabo Mbeki arrived on 12 June with dozens of businessmen and eight 
cabinet ministers on a four-day visit. The draft Minerals Development Bill 
has been an object of contention since its publication last December. The 
government maintained its intention was to bring South Africa in line with 
best international practice, to redress the imbalances of the past and to 
prevent companies hoarding their mineral rights without exploiting their 
resources by introducing a "use it or lose it" policy. South Africa's 
Chamber of Mines, as well as international fund managers and investment 
analysts, objected that the proposed legislation gave the mining minister 
excessive discretionary powers to deny or refuse mining licences. Without 
security of tenure, they warned, "alarm bells will ring for investors" who 
would fear "expropriation without compensation".   (Financial Times, UK, 12 
June 2001)

* Afrique du Sud. Thabo Mbeki reçu par la reine  -  La reine Elizabeth a 
reçu en grande pompe le président sud-africain Thabo Mbeki, lors de la 
première journée de sa visite en Grande-Bretagne. Cette visite d'Etat de 
quatre jours vise à promouvoir les relations économiques et politiques 
entre les deux pays. Le commerce bilatéral entre l'Afrique du Sud et la 
Grande-Bretagne s'est élevé à 5,5 milliards de dollars en 2000, soit 40% de 
plus par rapport à l'année précédente. Thabo Mbeki, qui avait suivi des 
études d'économie à l'université du Sussex (sud-est de l'Angleterre), 
retrouve 40 ans après le pays qui l'avait accueilli en tant que jeune 
réfugié politique fuyant l'apartheid. Le président sud-africain a aussi 
rencontré le nouveau chef de la diplomatie britannique, Jack Straw, qui a 
réaffirmé que "les relations avec l'Afrique constitueront une priorité 
importante du deuxième mandat de ce gouvernement". Lors de cette visite, 
les deux pays aborderont aussi très probablement la situation au Zimbabwe, 
sujet de friction entre Pretoria et Londres depuis que le ministre chargé 
de l'Afrique, Peter Hain, a critiqué l'an dernier la "diplomatie 
tranquille" du gouvernement sud-africain envers la politique du président 
Robert Mugabe.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13 juin 2001)

* South Africa. Mbeki in Great Britain  -  South African President Thabo 
Mbeki has thanked Britain for its support in ending apartheid seven years 
ago. Mbeki and his wife were hosted by Queen Elizabeth II for the four-day 
state visit -- his first to Britain. "We know it as a matter of fact that 
Her Majesty, the rest of the royal family and the people of these isles 
wish us well," he told a state banquet on 12 June at Windsor Castle, the 
royal residence west of London, Reuters reported. "We will strive 
constantly, in a principled manner, without bitterness, avoiding being 
driven by the animosities of the past, towards a future of happiness for 
all the children of our country, both black and white," he added. Queen 
Elizabeth in turn praised Mbeki for maintaining the momentum of reform, 
Reuters said. "It is to your credit. Mr President, that this drive forward 
has continued," she said. "It is easy to forget just how much has been 
achieved." The Queen promised that Britain would continue to give South 
Africa full support.   (CNN, USA, 13 June 2001)

* Soudan. Reprise des raids aériens  -  Le 11 juin, le gouvernement 
soudanais a annoncé que ses forces armées allaient "reprendre les raids 
aériens" dans le sud du pays "pour se défendre face aux agressions 
répétées" des rebelles sudistes. Le gouvernement avait décidé le 25 mai la 
suspension des raids aériens dans le sud, où les combats se déroulent entre 
forces gouvernementales et SPLA depuis environ trois mois.   (Le Monde, 
France, 13 juin 2001)

* Tanzania. Alert on Zanzibari prisoners  -  On 7 June, Amnesty 
International expressed concern for the physical safety of two prisoners 
charged with the murder of a police officer during a political 
demonstration on Pemba Island on 27 January, and who have not been released 
despite Zanzibar's Attorney general having ordered the authorities to do 
so.   (Amnesty International, 7 June 2001)

* Chad. Violent crackdown on peaceful protestors  -  In a Press release 
dated 12 June, Amnesty International says it is deeply concerned about the 
safety of members and supporters of the political opposition as well as of 
human rights defenders in Chad, following a violent crackdown by the 
Chadian security forces in the wake of a disputed presidential election. 
"The weeks since the announcement of the election results on 27 May 2001 
have been marked by a pattern of government harassment and repression of 
the opposition", Amnesty International said.   (Amnesty International, 12 
June 2001)

* Tchad. Manifestation violemment dispersée  -  Le 11 juin, une 
manifestation de plusieurs dizaines de femmes, qui entendaient protester 
devant l'ambassade de France contre la "complicité" des autorités 
françaises dans le "hold-up électoral" du président Déby, réélu le 20 mai 
avec 67,35% des voix, a été violemment dispersée par la police anti-émeute. 
Deux femmes, dont l'avocate Jacqueline Moudaïna, qui mène une enquête sur 
les tortures et massacres du temps de l'ancien président Habré, dont Déby 
fut le chef d'état-major général, ont été blessées par des éclats de 
grenades défensives. - Quinze jours après la diffusion des résultats des 
élections présidentielles, les Eglises chrétiennes du Tchad ont publié une 
dure prise de position. "La proclamation des résultats provisoires a 
profondément humilié, découragé quant à l'espoir de voir s'instaurer" dans 
le pays "un véritable Etat de droit", peut-on lire dans une "Lettre aux 
chrétiens et aux hommes de bonne volonté", signée par les responsables de 
l'Eglise catholique, de l'Alliance évangélique des Eglises de la Pentecôte 
et de l'Entente des Eglises et des Missions évangéliques. Le 13 juin, le 
Conseil constitutionnel tchadien a confirmé la réélection du président Déby 
au premier tour.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 14 juin 2001)

* Togo. Doyen de la presse privée condamné  -  Le 5 juin, Lucien Messan, 
directeur de la rédaction de l'hebdomadaire Le Combat du peuple, a été 
condamné à 18 mois de prison, dont 6 avec sursis, pour "faux et usage de 
faux" par un tribunal de Lomé. On lui reproche d'avoir apposé sa signature 
au bas d'un communiqué de l'Association togolaise des éditeurs de la presse 
privée, qui dénonçait les affirmations du Premier ministre selon lesquelles 
"les directeurs de publication ont été unanimes pour affirmer qu'il n'y a 
jamais eu des centaines de morts au Togo". RSF a protesté contre cette 
condamnation. Agé de 55 ans, Lucien Messan est le doyen de la presse privée 
togolaise. Il est connu pour être l'un des journalistes les plus virulents 
envers le régime d'Eyadéma. Il avait déjà été interpellé en septembre 1998 
et accusé de diffusion de fausses informations.   (RSF, Paris, 8 juin 2001)

Weekly anb0614.txt - #7/8