---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 01 Nov 2002 17:54:54 +0000
From: Charlotte Utting <[log in to unmask]>
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To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [WASAN] FW: ADNA UPDATE: Africa Update
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From: "Nunu Kidane" <[log in to unmask]>
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Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2002 09:59:30 -0800
To: "ADNA E-mail List" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: ADNA UPDATE: Africa Update
ADNA UPDATE: 021101
Message from: Society of Missionaries of Africa
For contact information see also:
http://www.africaaction.org/adna
Friends: here is another comprehensive Africa Update thanks to
Phil Reed, Justice and Peace Office at the Society of Missionaries
of Africa. For information on this, contact Phil directly at:
[log in to unmask]
Nunu
AFRICA UPDATE
To start off on a positive note, Reporters Without Borders published
their first freedom of the press world rankings. Africa watchers
should be happy to note that four African countries find themselves
in the top fifty with Benin (21st) leading the way. The other three
are South Africa (26th), Mali (43rd) and Senegal (47th). Eritrea
(132nd) and Zimbabwe (122nd) were judged to be the most
repressive Sub-Saharan African countries as far as the press was
concerned. Kudos to Benin and company.
Another encouraging piece of news is the rather historic verdict
issued in the High Court of Lesotho this week. Canadian Acres
International was fined over 3 million Euro for bribing the head of the
Lesotho highlands development authority. The official was
convicted last June and sentenced to 18 years in prison. The
bribing was in the context of a "controversial project for the
construction of large dams to provide water to South Africa and
electrical power to Lesotho," according to MISNA. Other large
European companies are also under inquiry. Let's hope this kind of
action is contagious.
Hot spots this month included Côte d'Ivoire with its six week old
rebellion. The French have set up a buffer zone between the rebels
and the government forces while peace talks have begun in Lomé,
Togo under the auspices of that harbinger of peace, President
Eyadema (whose party just scored an overwhelming parliamentary
victory)... Anyway, the Patriotic Movement of Côte d'Ivoire says it
will lay down its arms if new elections are held within six months.
They're not too keen on President Gbagbo either. The latter is
hedging his bets with the latest reports stating that he has invited
some 200 South African mercenaries to come in and shore up his
own protection and the government forces. President Compaore of
Burkina issued a veiled threat to Côte d'Ivoire if its citizens in the
Côte were not better protected.
Surprisingly but equally hot was the Central Africa Republic which
experienced an attack on the capital of Bangui by rebel supporters
of former army chief Francois Bozize. The latter had fled to Chad
after his dismissal and is now reported to be in France. Chadians
in CAR have been experiencing the same harassment as
Burkinabe in Côte d'Ivoire. The CAR government continues to insist
that Chad is behind the seemingly short-lived rebellion. Libyan
planes helped to bomb the rebels. At last report, the rebels had left
the city but it was unclear if they had been chased out or had
simply left on their own and how far they had retreated. The US
closed its embassy and is pulling out its nationals.
Difficult negotiations, charges and counter charges continue in
attempts to negotiate an end to the civil war in Sudan. At least the
Sudanese government and the SPLA signed an agreement that
gave aid agencies unfettered access to hundreds of thousands of
people at risk. The UN World Food Program said this would enable
them to help another 500,000 people, beyond the 3 million they are
already assisting. On Thursday President Bush (the American
President) ordered an extension of bilateral sanctions against
Sudan. Continuing concern over alleged terrorist groups in the
country was the principal reason given, although human rights
violations, slavery and lack of religious freedom also factored in.
Negotiations in Dar Es Salaam on the conflict in Burundi seemed
to be mired in a climate of distrust and suspicion. Late this week,
however, the President of Burundi expressed optimism about the
negotiations, saying that they 'exceeded our expectations.' The
FDD announced it would suspend all hostilities as of November
3rd. Although President Buyoya returned to Bujumbura for a prior
institutional commitment, talks continued in Dar, leading some to
say that the President must have given sufficient guarantees that
encouraged the FDD to continue talking in his absence.
Still between peace and conflict is the neighboring Democratic
Republic of Congo. Foreign powers continue a pullout from Congo.
An official ceremony this week in Kinshasa marked the departure
of the government's armed supporters hailing from Angola, Namibia
and Zimbabwe. Ugandans and Rwandans had begun visible
withdrawals in the last few weeks, although there is a dispute as to
how many have actually left and how many have come back in or
infiltrated the ranks of the "rebels." Talks continue in Pretoria at the
highest level. On November 1 both President Kabila and President
Kagame were expected there by President Mbeki. A power-sharing
deal had been agreed upon with a 1+4 formula: one President
(presumably Kabila) with 4 vice-presidents, one each from the
belligerent groups. Discussion continues about representation of
the different belligerants in the various ministries. Meanwhile violent
combat continued around Uvira between the Maï Maï and the RCD.
A UN report that came out this month has called on the Security
Council to impose financial sanctions against companies and
individuals who plunder Congo's wealth. Fifty-four companies were
listed in the report, most of which are African but also include four
Belgian diamond firms and a Belgian mining group (Group George
Forrest) which has a joint venture with the US-based OM Group.
Twenty-nine individuals were also named and recommended for
travel bans, a freeze on personal assets and financial restrictions
similar to those put on businesses.
The IMF issued an internal report that found (better late than never,
eh?) that nearly $1bn disappeared from Angolan government
finances last year. That makes $4bn over the last five years.
Pressure is growing on the Angolan government to clean up its
financial act as the war ends and the dividends from the rich
resources start to come in. Will the international attention be able
to shame them into sharing with the millions of Angolans still at
survival level after decades of war?
The International Court of Justice ruled this month that the disputed
Bakassi peninsula belongs to Cameroon and not to Nigeria. Initial
reports that President Obasanjo would accept the ruling of the
court seemed to have been mistaken. The President said this week
that he would never give a 'blank cheque' by agreeing to a judgment
without knowing which way it would go. Has he been talking to
another President that I will not name? The swampy peninsula is
said to be rich in commercially viable oil deposits. Nigeria and
Cameroon have clashed several times over it, finally submitting it to
the Court. The Nigerians are now saying that the Court failed to
take into account the rights of traditional kings and chiefs as the
true owners of the land. Obasanjo said that he was ready to meet
President Biya of Cameroon to reolve their dispute over the
peninsula..... I thought the Court did that.
Elections in Kenya have been scheduled for December 27 and the
Parliament dissolved. The National Constitutional Conference has
also been shut down by order of the President who wants nothing
to get in the way of the election of his 'guidable' choice, Uhuru
Kenyatta. To add to the volatile situation in the run up to the
elections the famous Akiwumi report was finally released. It
recommends that prominent current and former Kenayn ministers
be investigated for their roles in tribal clashes that took place in the
run-up to elections in 1992 and 1997.
Madagascar remains a pariah at least for the African Union. It is
the only organization to not recognize Marc Ravalomanana as
President. After a meeting with Ravalomanana and three African
Union reps in South Africa, the AU delayed a decision on whether
Madagascar should join the organization. They contend that the
transfer of power from Ratsiraka to Ravalomanana was
unconstitutional. We wouldn't want any of that kind of thing to
infiltrate an organization that seats Sassou Nguessou, Eyadema,
Kabila, Kagame, etc. now would we?
Relations are getting frosty between the US and Eritrea. You won't
read about it in the press in Eritrea but the US has called on the
government to release two local employees of the US embassy in
Eritrea who have been in detention since last year. The government
in Asmara accused the Clinton administration of employing the CIA
to seek to unlawfully change the government during the war
between Eritrea and Ethiopia. See? Regime change isn't so new
after all in DC.
The Horn of Africa may be getting a few more Americans to
complement the 800 already stationed in Djibouti to coordinate
antiterrorist operations there. General Tommy Franks announced
that a new ship may join them, a "Blue Ridge class" amphibious
command-and-control ship that has a crew of more than 800. They
would be in contact with another ship, the USS Belleau Wood
which is cruising (isn't that a great word?) in the area with nearly
2000 Marines aboard. This will enable the US to conduct exercises
with countries including Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and
Yemen. What about Sudan? Maybe next month.
--------------------------------
"The weakness of power is that when power is confronted by the
authority of truth, it is no match for the power of weakness that
bears the mark of truth."
Paul Lehmann, The Transfiguration of Politics
---------------------------
This message from Society of Missionaries of Africa is distributed
through the Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA) via IDEX
Nunu Kidane
Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA)
Communications Facilitator for IDEX
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Next WASAN meeting is Wednesday, October 30, 2002. Location: Douglas-Truth Library, 2300 Yesler, Seattle
7:00 pm Business meeting
7:30 pm Program: The Complexity od Addressing HIV/AIDS with in the Masaai Culture, by Jayne Lewis. (Everyone is welcome).
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