Weekly anb01173.txt #7

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

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 17-01-2002      PART #3/7

* Congo (RDC). Masire denounces renewed fighting  -  On 14 January, Former 
Botswana President Sir Ketumile Masire expressed concern about the 
resumption of fighting in North-eastern Congo RDC, saying this could have a 
negative impact on the on-going process toward national dialogue. Ketumile, 
who is the facilitator of the dialogue, said this at a special SADC summit 
called by the Malawi President Bakili Muluzi in Blantyre to look into the 
sub-region's conflicts. In a statement, Ketumile asked the SADC leaders to 
make use of their good offices to ensure that "foreign armies are withdrawn 
and all hostilities come to an end". Rwanda and Uganda sent troops to back 
rebels seeking to topple the government in Kinshasa while Angola, Namibia 
and Zimbabwe rushed forces to prevent this happening. The retired statesman 
asked for political and material support from the 14-nation Southern 
African Development Community (SADC) to complete the Inter-Congolese 
Dialogue, which started in October 2001. The facilitator appraised the SADC 
leaders on some of the difficulties in the run up to the Dialogue to be 
held in Sun City, South Africa. According to him, funding remains a major 
concern in view of the great number of delegates expected at the meeting in 
South Africa. "This together with the outstanding issues namely the 
representation of the Mai Mai, political opposition, RCD-ML, Diaspora and 
religious groups, are likely to cause a slight delay in the resumption of 
the Dialogue, which started in Addis Ababa last October and was scheduled 
to resume at the end of January," reads the news release. Ketumile Masire 
requested the SADC leaders' continued understanding and their "willingness 
and readiness to provide me the political and financial support, which will 
allow us to help the Congolese regain their sovereignty."   (PANA, Senegal, 
14 January 2002)

* Congo (RDC). Les non-belligérants à Bruxelles  -  15 janvier. Le ministre 
belge des Affaires étrangères, M. Michel, a organisé à Bruxelles, une table 
ronde des partis politiques et de la société civile congolaise, les parties 
non-belligérantes retenues par le facilitateur Sir Masire. Quelque 85 
représentants assistent à cette conférence. Si deux des principaux partis, 
UDPS et FONUS, ont rejeté l'invitation, des délégués de l'opposition 
extérieure (la "diaspora") ont été admis et des représentants du président 
Kabila sont venus en observateurs. Des observateurs de l'Onu, de l'OUA, de 
la facilitation et de l'Union européenne sont également présents. Thèmes au 
programme: les institutions de la transition, la future Constitution (avec 
l'épineuse question de la nationalité), les élections et la création d'une 
armée nationale. Les discussions de Bruxelles ont pour but principal de 
rapprocher les positions au sein d'une opposition hétéroclite, en 
préparation du dialogue intercongolais qui devrait se tenir en Afrique du 
Sud. - Le 16 janvier, les participants sont parvenus à un "consensus 
complet" sur l'ordre des futures élections sur tout le territoire, d'abord 
locales puis législatives et présidentielle (les provinciales restant à 
déterminer). Ces élections devront répondre à cinq conditions minimales: 
être précédées d'un recensement national, du rétablissement de la libre 
circulation des personnes et des biens, d'une campagne d'éducation civique 
et d'une assistance technique et financière, et de la mise en place 
d'instruments juridiques adéquats. Quant à la future armée, ils se sont 
contentés de la définir comme devant être nationale, subordonnée au pouvoir 
civil, non tribale, respectueuse des personnes et de la propriété privée. 
Les textes concernent aussi les institutions durant une période de 
transition, et la Constitution, d'abord transitoire puis définitve. Les 
participants ont encore opté pour une présidence unique, sans 
vice-présidents. - Les accords feront l'objet, le 17 janvier, d'une 
cérémonie d'endossement des conclusions.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 
17 janvier 2002)

* Côte d'Ivoire. Armed forces train in human rights  -  Ivorian authorities 
are broadening training of the country's military to encompass support for 
human rights and democratic rule, according to a report by the UN 
Development Programme (UNDP). The report issued at the weekend says the 
country's military also plans to step up support for development and 
poverty reduction programmes. The move is part of efforts to re-establish 
public trust long diminished by election-related killings in 2000, and to 
support political stability and economic recovery. In that regard, the 
military plans to mobilise the technical capacity and resources of its 
engineers to build roads, hospitals, schools and health centres and to help 
open up remote areas. The initiative is also in support of a national 
reconciliation forum that was held from October through December 2001. 
Military leader Brigadier-General Mathias Doué recently introduced the 
training initiative to representatives of the international community at 
UNDP Offices in Abidjan, following which the ministry of Defence and Civil 
Protection organised a seminar for military officers. Doué stressed that 
the success of the initiative would depend on the triangle including the 
ministry of Defence and Civil Protection that defines government policy in 
such matters, military leaders carrying out the policy, and the UN system 
and other development partners providing support.   (PANA, Senegal, 14 
January 2002)

* Côte d'Ivoire. Vers une rencontre des "4 grands"  -  Les quatre 
principaux dirigeants politiques de la Côte d'Ivoire sont convenus de se 
rencontrer le 22 janvier dans la capitale Yamoussoukro, afin de débattre 
des stratégies pour renforcer la paix et les efforts de réconciliation qui 
avaient débuté l'an dernier. Le 14 janvier, le président Gbagbo s'est réuni 
avec l'ancien président Henri Konan Bédié et avec l'ex-Premier ministre 
Alassane Ouattara pour discuter des prochaines concertations, une 
initiative annoncée par M. Gbagbo à la fin du forum de réconciliation 
nationale en décembre. La réunion doit tourner autour des suggestions 
soumises durant le forum. Le général Gueï est également attendu à 
Yamoussoukro.   (IRIN, Abidjan, 15 janvier 2002)

* Côte d'Ivoire. "Fruity strike"  -  15 January: The Government and farmers 
are engaged in talks in Abidjan to avert the planned strike by pineapple 
growers. On 14 January, farmers dumped tons of pineapples on a road to the 
city's port, blocking it off. They are protesting at the slump in sales of 
pineapples to Europe, and calling for the closure of the country's main 
export firm, L'Organisation Centrale d'Ananas et de Bananes. The angry 
farmers accuse the firm which supplies 55% of Europe's pineapples, if 
stealing their profits. The farmers say they have received no income for 
the last nine months and will be forced to stop fruit production if nothing 
is done.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 January 2002)

* Ethiopia/Italy. UN urged to resolve Obelisk row  -  The Ethiopian 
Government has asked the UN to intervene to ensure Italy returns one of its 
most famous monuments -- the Obelisk of Axum. Although Addis Ababa has 
repeatedly asked for the return of the 3,000 year old monument and previous 
agreements have been signed between Ethiopia and Italy, the Italians have 
so far failed to fulfil their obligations. Ethiopia has now turned to the 
United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) 
asking them to help Ethiopia regain the obelisk, which now stands in 
central Rome. The ancient Ethiopian monument was taken by the army of 
Italian dictator Benito Mussolini more than 60 years ago. But Italy appears 
unwilling to part with the monument claiming it has become naturalised and 
Italian.   (BBC News, UK, 10 January 2002)

* Ethiopie. Ministre chinois en visite  -  Le ministre chinois des Affaires 
étrangères, M. Tang Jiaxuan, qui a bouclé le 13 janvier une visite 
officielle de trois jours en Ethiopie, a déclaré que son gouvernement était 
prêt à travailler avec l'Ethiopie en vue de renforcer les relations de 
coopération entre les deux pays. Selon lui, l'Ethiopie et la Chine ont 
développé une coopération fructueuse dans les domaines politique, 
économique, commercial, culturel et éducatif.   (PANA, Sénégal, 14 janvier 
2002)

* Gabon. Opposition joins government  -  Reports from Gabon say the leader 
of the country's largest opposition party, Father Paul Mba Abessole, has 
persuaded the activists of his National Woodcutters' Rally or RNB/RPG, to 
allow the party to join the government. The move was in response to an 
invitation from the country's president, Omar Bongo, to take part in what 
he has called collective management of the state. Father Paul, who is also 
mayor of Libreville, said that Gabon was experiencing a political, social, 
economic and cultural crisis. He told activists that no one party could 
solve the problems alone. Correspondents say if Father Abessole's party 
joins the government it will be the first opposition party to do so since 
Gabon held its first multi-party election in 1990. President Bongo's 
governing Gabonese Democratic Party won a comfortable majority in 
parliamentary elections in December that were marred by violence, 
organisational problems and a low turnout in the big cities.   (BBC News, 
UK, 13 January 2002)

* Gabon. L'opposition entre au gouvernement  -  Le 12 janvier, le parti du 
député-maire de Libreville, Paul Mba Abessole, opposant historique au 
président Omar Bongo, a négocié un virage politique majeur en acceptant le 
principe de sa participation à un "gouvernement d'ouverture". Il l'a 
justifié en estimant qu'"aucun camp ne peut résoudre tout seul" la crise 
aiguë que traverse le pays.   (Le Figaro, France, 14 janvier 2002)

* Gabon. Ebola outbreak  -  14 January: International medical experts 
investigating the deadly Ebola virus have agreed to return to a town in 
northeast Gabon after the government promised to address worries about 
their safety. The medical team left the town of Mekambo on 8 January 
because of local hostility to its attempts to stop traditional practices 
that could spread the disease. A spokesman for the International Red Cross, 
Andrei Neacsu, said the authorities had persuaded local inhabitants that 
the international team was needed there. Thirty-four cases of Ebola have 
been confirmed; 25 people have died of it in Gabon and neighbouring 
Congo-Brazzaville. The infection begins with flu-like symptoms and then 
attacks the internal organs. 15 January: The international team have yet to 
return to Mekambo. The move from Mekambo had been prompted by local 
hostility.   (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 16 January 2002)

* Kenya. Violences policières  -  Au Kenya, six des décès par balles sur 
dix survenus au cours des cinq dernières années ont été le fait de la 
police, a rapporté le 14 janvier un quotidien citant une étude 
confidentielle réalisée par des médecins et des juristes. L'an dernier, la 
police a tué dix fois plus de personnes que les criminels (232 contre 23), 
souligne le Daily National, qui précise que cette comparaison fournie par 
l'enquête, menée dans cinq centres urbains du pays, n'est disponible que 
pour la seule année 2001. Selon cette étude, la police a été à l'origine de 
60% des décès par balles entre 1997 et 2001, 39% ont été le fait de 
criminels et 1% est attribué à des suicides ou à des coups de feu 
accidentels.   (La Libre Belgique, 15 janvier 2002)

* Kenya. Clearing the way for drought and disaster by felling forest for 
votes  -  Fears of an environmental disaster are growing in Kenya because 
President Daniel arap Moi's government is pushing ahead with plans to clear 
vast areas of forest before elections later this year. The government says 
it needs 167,000 acres to settle squatters. But opponents say the scheme is 
merely a ploy to buy political favours. They warn that the notoriously 
corrupt regime will stop at nothing to win the poll, even if it means 
damaging the tea and tourism industries and threatening millions of 
ordinary Kenyans with drought. "They will go to any length to hold on to 
power. There is no other explanation," said Professor Wangarai Maathai, a 
leading environmentalist. On the edge of the Mau Forest -- a key area 
already eroded by illegal logging -- Francis Kimani, a farm labourer, shook 
his head as trucks laden with freshly cut trees trundled by. "This is what 
we call wanton destruction," he said."If these people keep cutting, we feel 
our country is going to run dry." Kenya has a critical shortage of tree 
cover. According to experts, at least 10 per cent of the land needs the 
cover to ensure a reliable water supply. While neighbouring Tanzania has 36 
per cent, Kenya has 1.7 per cent. A severe drought last year brought the 
country to its knees. Four million people became dependent on food aid as 
reservoirs emptied, causing severe water and electricity rationing. The 
vanishing forest cover was an important factor. Kenya's problem is that it 
relies on a handful of "water towers" -- areas of highland forest that 
sponge up rainfall in the wet season, then release it slowly in dry times. 
But the government wants to chop down 15 per cent of the largest "tower", 
the Mau Forest.   (The Independent, UK, 16 January 2002)

Weekly anb0117.txt - En of #3/7