Weekly anb02271.txt #7

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 27-02-2003      PART #1/7

* Africa. Action against the Media  -  Central African Republic: On 21 
February, Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) reported that Mathurin Momet, 
publications' director of the private daily Le Confident, was arrested by 
plainclothes police officers at his newspaper's offices on 20 February 
2003. RSF condemns this unwarranted arrest. The organisation urges the 
authorities to do everything in their power to ensure that the journalist 
is released without delay and that those responsible for his arrest are 
punished. Congo RDC: On 18 February, the organisation, Journaliste en 
Danger, (JED) sent a letter to Vital Kamhere, commissioner-general in 
charge of the peace process in the Great Lakes region protesting the ban on 
journalists' travel to Gbadolite. The letter stated: "You, personally, 
intervened to prevent four journalists from travelling to Gbadolite. The 
Mouvement de libération du Congo (MLC) rebel movement had invited the 
journalists to visit the city. According to information published in 
Kinshasa-based newspapers on 18 February, journalists Lolo Luasu, of the 
newspaper Le Révélateur, Rombaut Kasongo, of Mosaïque, Elali Ikoko, of La 
Tempête des tropiques, and Vicky Kazumba, of Canal Kin, had expected to 
travel to Gbadolite on a United Nations aircraft in order to cover the 
trial of 27 MLC officers who are accused of carrying out acts of 
cannibalism and war crimes in Ituri. Five minutes before takeoff, an 
otherwise unidentified National Intelligence Agency agent prohibited the 
journalists from travelling on the flight to Gbadolite. He said he was 
acting on your orders". -- On 20 February, JED reported that in an official 
letter dated 17 December 2002, a copy of which was sent to Journaliste en 
danger (JED), Mr. Delphin Paluku, provincial director of the Congolese 
Intelligence Agency (ACR) the RCD/ML rebel movement's intelligence 
services, based in Beni, North-Kivu province, announced the imposition of 
advance censorship of all newspapers. The letter states: "...we hereby 
inform you that as of this date, each new issue of your respective 
newspapers must be sent to the ACR North-Kivu Bureau prior to publication. 
The newspapers will be subject to advance censorship prior to their 
delivery to readers. Your failure to respect this order will lead to 
prosecution." Three Congolese newspapers -- Les Coulisses, Le Millénaire 
and La Colombe Plus, are printed in Kampala and distributed in Beni. -- On 
25 February, JED reported that Raymond Kabala, managing editor of Alerte 
Plus, remains imprisoned even though he finished serving his seven-month 
sentence on 19 February. Malawi: On 19 February, the Media Institute of 
Southern Africa (MISA) said that on 14 February, suspected members of the 
ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) party's youth wing beat up vendors who 
were selling the Daily Times newspaper in the capital, Lilongwe. The Daily 
Times's 10 February edition reported that the Young Democrats, as members 
of the UDF's youth wing are known, allegedly responded to a call by a UDF 
Women's Desk official and praise singer for President Bakili Muluzi, who 
was incensed by a Daily Times headline that read that the president would 
not push for another term in office. The newspaper based its story on a 
speech delivered by President Muluzi at a public rally in southern Malawi. 
In his speech, Muluzi criticised anti-third term campaigners and declared 
that he was "too senior a politician to be taught politics." He further 
stated that the constitution was clear on the issue of presidential terms 
and there was no need for him to clarify his stand. Niger: On 25 February, 
RSF said that Abdoulaye Tiémogo, managing editor of the weekly newspaper Le 
Canard Déchaîné, was released from prison after completing his eight-month 
sentence. Rwanda: On 25 February, RSF protested against the unjustified 
detention for more than a month of Ismael Mboigaba, editor of the 
newspaper, Umuseso.   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 25 February 2003)

* Afrique. Pour une alliance aérienne  -  A Maputo (Mozambique) se tient 
une réunion de l'Association des compagnies aériennes africaines (AFRAA, 
créée en 1968). Le directeur technique de l'association, Elijah Chinhosho, 
a demandé aux compagnies aériennes du continent de former une "alliance 
stratégique" afin de renforcer leur capacité à concurrencer les grandes 
compagnies internationales. 75% des transporteurs aériens qui opèrent en 
Afrique sont actuellement basés à l'extérieur du continent, a-t-il déclaré 
le 25 février, mais il est possible, pour les compagnies africaines, de 
réduire ce pourcentage et d'opérer de façon plus compétitive. Pour cela, 
elles doivent renforcer leur coopération. Treize pays africains prennent 
part à la réunion de Maputo, qui prendra fin le 28 février.   (D'après 
PANA, Sénégal, 25 février 2003)

* Africa. Africa and the Iraqi crisis  -  How is Africa responding to the 
current crisis? Mauritania: The private weekly Akhbar Nouakchott reports 
(26 February) that a delegation comprising representatives of several 
Mauritanian opposition parties has left Nouakchott for Baghdad on a 
solidarity visit to Iraq. Mauritius: On 25 February, Prime Minister Anerood 
Jugnauth said that only the UN Security Council could authorise any 
military intervention in Iraq. South Africa: South African experts have met 
with Iraqi officials in Baghdad (25 February) in an attempt to avert war by 
sharing expertise from their own country's disarmament programme. -- 
President Thabo Mbeki joins leaders of the developing world in Malaysia to 
oppose war in Iraq and urge Baghdad to disarm itself. Sudan: On 26 
February, thousands of Sudanese from all walks of life stage a peaceful 
march through Khartoum to condemn the US and British govts. in their desire 
to wage war on Iraq.   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 26 February 2003)

* Africa. Bishops to meet in Lisbon  -  Catholic Bishops from Africa 
(Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar [SECAM]) and 
the European Union (Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European 
Community [COMEC]) will meet in Lisbon, Portugal, on 27-28 February 2003, 
to promote the human dimension of the Africa-Europe partnership. The 
seminar entitled: "Africa and the European Union -- Partners in Solidarity: 
Contribution of the Church", will bring together over sixty Catholic 
bishops and lay experts from the two continents, to examine the challenges 
facing the Africa-Europe partnership, with high-level representatives from 
the political world.   (SECAM/COMEC, 25 February 2003)

* Afrique centrale. Cri d'alarme des évêques  -  Le Conseil permanent de 
l'Association des Conférences épiscopales de la région d'Afrique centrale 
(ACERAC) s'est tenu il y a quelques jours à Brazzaville. A l'issue de cette 
rencontre, les membres du conseil ont lancé un cri d'alarme. "Nous sommes 
les témoins indignés de la situation de violences, de viols, de 
déplacements forcés, d'humiliations, qui prévaut dans les pays de notre 
région à cause des conflits armés", écrivent les évêques, citant en 
particulier le Centrafrique, le Congo-Brazza et le Tchad. "Dans les autres 
pays, même s'il n'y a pas de conflits armés, existent tout de même des 
situations d'insécurité et des violations flagrantes des droits humains 
dans l'impunité la plus totale", déplorent les signataires, qui constatent 
avec regret que "le dialogue ou la recherche de dialogue ne se fait pas 
dans la vérité et la sincérité, mais dans la duplicité, le mensonge et le 
sadisme".   (D'après Misna, Italie, 25 février 2003)

* Afrique/France. Sommet à Paris  -  20 février. En ouvrant le 22e sommet 
franco-africain à Paris, le président français Jacques Chirac a mis en 
garde les dirigeants du continent africain en décrétant la "fin de 
l'impunité" pour ceux qui ne respecteraient pas les droits de l'homme. Les 
questions de paix et de sécurité (notamment au Burundi, en Centrafrique, en 
Somalie et au Congo) ont dominé la première journée de la réunion. Le 
secrétaire général de l'Onu, Kofi Annan, a exhorté "tous les Ivoiriens, en 
particulier le président Gbagbo, pour qu'ils fassent de l'accord qu'ils ont 
signé un premier pas concret vers la paix". L'après-midi, les 52 pays 
africains représentés ont apporté leur soutien à la France sur le dossier 
irakien, publiant un communiqué affirmant qu'il existe une alternative à la 
guerre. Dans la soirée, M. Chirac a eu un entretien en tête-à-tête avec le 
président zimbabwéen, M. Mugabe. -- 21 février. Le président Chirac a 
affirmé que les relations entre la France et l'Afrique étaient désormais 
sorties "du système de l'assistance pour entrer dans le système du 
partenariat", lequel se définit, selon lui, par "une relation d'égal à 
égal". Il a présenté un certain nombre de propositions destinées à soutenir 
le développement durable du continent, notamment en matière agricole. Il a 
proposé que les pays riches gèlent jusqu'en 2005 les subsides accordés à 
leurs exportations agricoles qui "déstabilisent" l'économie des pays 
africains. La France soumettra cette mesure au prochain sommet des G8 et 
aux négociations de l'OMC. Le sommet a également permis d'évoquer le combat 
contre le terrorisme et le crime organisé, ainsi que de revenir sur la 
pandémie du sida. Le prochain sommet se tiendra dans deux ans à Bamako, au 
Mali.   (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22 février 2003)

* Africa/France. Franco-African Summit  -  20 February: Leaders from 52 
African countries have backed France's opposition to a military 
intervention aimed at disarming Iraq. At their annual Franco-African summit 
in Paris, they endorsed a statement saying: "There is an alternative to 
war." Three African states -- Guinea, Cameroon and Angola -- sit as 
non-permanent members on the 15-nation United Nations Security Council. The 
White House says the new resolution demanding the disarmament of Iraq will 
be offered for discussion by the Council next week. Correspondents say the 
votes of its three African members could prove decisive. "The use of force, 
which entails serious risks of destabilisation for the region, for Africa 
and for the world, should only be a last resort," the summit said in a 
joint declaration. The document called for the continuation of UN weapons 
inspections as an alternative to war. "The disarmament of Iraq is the 
shared goal of the international community," the declaration said. -- 
President Chirac pledges to raise his concern over the deteriorating 
political situation in Zimbabwe, with President Mugabe, during a special 
meeting in the margins of the Summit. Speaking at the opening ceremony, 
Chirac warns African leaders: "The days of impunity are over and violence 
must be denounced wherever it comes from". 21 February: In the run-up to 
the one-and-a-half day Franco-African summit, French officials were 
confidently predicting that -- whatever the British press and politicians 
might say -- the presence of Robert Mugabe in Paris would not spoil the 
party. Zimbabwe, after all, is largely seen in France as a post-colonial, 
British problem. The suffering of the expelled white farmers is viewed with 
pity, but not anger. But when he opened today's edition of Le Monde, the 
French leader would have read an editorial that could have easily come from 
one of the more moderate sections of the British press. "Mugabe's presence 
in Paris for this summit is an insult to all the victims of his regime. Did 
Jacques Chirac really think that ticking him off -- in a corridor --about 
democracy and human rights, would really change the mind of this ageing 
autocrat?" And if the rest of the French media has been less explicit in 
its criticism of the president, it has been noticeable that most newspapers 
-- including the pro-Chirac Le Figaro -- have filed reports this week about 
human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. 22 February: The Summit has closed with a 
statement by President Chirac: "I will be the tireless lawyer of 
Africa".   (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 22 February 2003)

* Afrique/France. Un clandestin tombé d'un avion  -  Le 25 février au 
matin, les policiers ont retrouvé le corps sans vie d'un Africain dans la 
véranda d'un pavillon à Groslay (Val d'Oise, France). L'homme, âgé de 20 à 
25 ans, sans papiers d'identité, est tombé d'un avion. Les vols en 
provenance d'Afrique sont nombreux à arriver à l'aéroport de Roissy vers 6 
heures. D'après les premiers éléments de l'enquête, l'homme se serait caché 
dans le train d'atterrissage et serait tombé au moment même où l'avion 
atterrissait. Deux ou trois corps sont ainsi retrouvés chaque année. Il 
s'agit de clandestins qui réussissent à embarquer depuis leur pays 
d'origine en se cachant.   (La Croix, France, 26 février 2003)

* Africa/UK. UK's junior Foreign Minister on tour  -  On 25 February, 
Baroness Amos, the junior Foreign Office minister, embarked on a three-day 
African tour as part of an intensive US-British diplomatic drive to secure 
the votes of six wavering security council members. Washington has ordered 
its diplomatic corps to pull out all the stops, and the Foreign Office has 
followed suit. "The order from the White House was to use "all diplomatic 
means necessary"," one US diplomat said. "And that really means 
everything." A round of meetings and telephone calls by the US president, 
George Bush, and the prime minister, Tony Blair, are being replicated at 
the state department and the Foreign Office. Baroness Amos was dispatched 
from Britain hours before the new resolution was tabled on Monday and she 
was due to see the president of Guinea, Lansana Conté, last night. She is 
scheduled to hold talks today or tomorrow morning in Angola with the 
president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, and in Cameroon with the president, 
Paul Biya, tomorrow. All three countries are on the security council. The 
three, along with Pakistan, Mexico and Chile, are regarded by the US and 
Britain as persuadable. With the US, Britain, Spain and Bulgaria already 
supporting the resolution, they need only a further five to have the 
necessary majority on the 15-member council. Germany and France yesterday 
met the 10 non-permanent members of the security council, including the 
three African ones, in New York. The British and Americans are scheduled to 
hold a similar meeting today to make their case.   (The Guardian, UK, 26 
February 2003)

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