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Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 17:04:50 -0700
From: charlotte utting <[log in to unmask]>
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Subject: [WASAN] FW: WEST AFRICA NEWSLETTER, Vol.2, No.3, April 19,2002
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Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 08:59:48 -0500 (CDT)
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Subject: RE: WEST AFRICA NEWSLETTER, Vol.2, No.3, April 19,2002
International Center and Liberia Institute of Journalism
WEST AFRICA NEWSLETTER
Reporting on Human Rights, Democracy & Development
Vol. 2 No. 3 April 19, 2002
Please send this newsletter to anyone who is interested!!!
CONTENTS
1. EDITOR’S COMMENTS
2. RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
3. REFUGEES
4. HEALTH/ ENVIRONMENT
5. DEVELOPMENT
6. MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY
7. GRANTS
8. ELECTIONS/WEST AFRICA
9. WORLD BANK PIPELINE
10. ANNOUNCEMENTS
11. ECOWAS NEWS
12. ABOUT US
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
1. EDITOR’S COMMENTS
http://www.lij.kabissa.org
It is hard to believe that the United States who champions Human Rights
World
wide is the same United States who is abusing the Rights of non-citizens
since
the 9-11 attack.
“A New York-based human rights body has expressed concern over the large
number
of detainees in the United States of America following the September 11,
2001
terrorist attacks.
Executive director of Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (LCHR) Mr. Michael
Posner termed the situation a crisis, which needed urgent attention.
He said non-citizens were being detained in different places without access
to
lawyers.”
Writes Caroline Mango of the East African Standard in Nairobi, Kenya.
We do agree that the act that was committed on 9-11-01, was barbaric, an act
of
terrorism and cowardice on the part of the perpetrators. Without a shadow of
a
doubt they should be brought to justice, but for the United States to
detained
non-citizens and denied them access to lawyers, not even releasing the names
and numbers of detainees on security grounds would seem that the United
States
is a coward as well. One of the aims of the terrorists I am sure is to have
the
US run scare and abusing the rights of non-citizens is a telling time that
Uncle Sam is running scare.
This reminds me of the early forties when Pearl Harbor was bombed by the
Japanese and many Japanese-Americans were detained and had to languished in
jails. The same trend is taking place and in the end the US will have to pay
reparations to the victims or their descendants.
This sends a bad message for human rights advocates/activists world over and
a
good message for dictators’ world over to justify their inhumane actions. We
pray that the United States government will move swiftly and don’t give the
dictators a room to justify their actions. Mr. Bush let freedom ring, let
justice and fair play be the hallmark. United States is seen World over as a
double dealer when it is not in her interest the rule is thrown out of the
window. That’s the terrorists’ argument. Don’t let them have the day.
2. RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
Banjul: Female Genital Mutilation Increases Infections, Researchers Say
http://allafrica.com/stories/200204200003.html
Women who have undergone female genital mutilation in The Gambia have a
higher
prevalence of bacterial and viral infections, a recent study of 1348 women
aged
15-54 years found.
GUINEA-BISSAU: State, interest groups, civil society pursue dialogue
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?
ReportID=27377&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=GUINEA-BISSAU
ABIDJAN, 19 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - Representatives of the state, opposition
parties
and civil society called this week for the creation of conflict-prevention
and
resolution mechanisms in Guinea-Bissau.
NIGERIA: HRW writes to President Obasanjo over massacres
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?
ReportID=27375&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=NIGERIA
ABIDJAN, 19 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - The global rights watchdog, Human Rights Watch
(HRW), has written to Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo over the massacre
of
civilians by the military in October 2001. The letter was in response to
Obasanjo's recent dismissal of an earlier report by the rights group.
LIBERIA: Taylor taking advantage of state of emergency, says Amnesty
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?
ReportID=27187&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=LIBERIA
ABIDJAN, 9 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - President Charles Taylor has taken advantage of
a
state of emergency to curtail the rights of Liberians, ranging from the
right
to life to the right of freedom of expression, Amnesty International (AI)
said
on Tuesday.
3. REFUGEES
GLOBAL: IDP agreement "a very positive step forward"
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?
ReportID=27383&SelectRegion=Global&SelectCountry=GLOBAL
NEW YORK, 19 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - The United Nations Emergency Relief
Coordinator,
Kenzo Oshima, and the Representative of the Secretary-General on Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs), Francis Deng, on Wednesday signed a memorandum of
understanding in New York to improve UN efforts to respond to the severe
crisis
of internal displacement around the world, the UN Office for the
Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Thursday.
SIERRA LEONE: Most chiefdoms now safe for resettlement
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?
ReportID=27356&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=SIERRA_LEONE
ABIDJAN, 18 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - Most of the 150 chiefdoms in Sierra Leone have
now been declared safe for resettlement by internally displaced persons
(IDPs)
with the exception of 11 in the former rebel-held eastern district of
Kailahun,
the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), reported
on
Tuesday.
MANO RIVER UNION: IDP unit to assess regional situation
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27283&SelectRegion=West_Africa
ABIDJAN, 15 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - The United Nation's Internally Displaced
Persons
Unit (IDP Unit) will begin a 10-day mission on Tuesday to assess the
situation
of IDPs living in the Mano River countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra
Leone.
4. HEALTH/ ENVIRONMENT
GLOBAL: MSF publishes humanitarian law guide
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27303&SelectRegion=Global
NEW YORK, 16 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has assisted
in
the publication of a guide to humanitarian law which aims to explain the
rights
of victims and humanitarian organizations in times of conflict, tension and
crisis.
GLOBAL: Polio eradication effort continues
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27306&SelectRegion=Global
ABIDJAN, 16 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - Polio cases worldwide dropped from 350,000 to
537
between 1988 and 2000 but despite their success, global efforts to eradicate
the disease could still be affected by conflicts, the World Health
Organisation
reported on Tuesday.
BURKINA FASO: Red Cross appeals for funds to fight meningitis
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?
ReportID=27374&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=BURKINA_FASO
ABIDJAN, 19 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - The International Federation of the Red Cross
is
appealing for US $59,000 to help counter the further spread of meningitis in
Burkina Faso, where the disease has killed 1,056 people this year and
infected
nearly 8,500.
WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA: Regional meeting to help AIDS-orphans
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?
ReportID=27277&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=WEST%20AND%20CENTRAL%
20AFRICA
ABIDJAN, 15 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - The weeklong technical workshop attended by 22
countries that ended on Friday in Cote d'Ivoire underscored a high level
awakening by West and Central Africa to the plight of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
on
children.
5. DEVELOPMENT
NIGERIA: More than one billion 'Abacha' dollars to be returned
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?
ReportID=27376&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=NIGERIA
ABIDJAN, 19 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - Nigeria is to receive more than US $1 billion
in
an out-of-court settlement of a case against relatives and associates of its
former president, the late Sani Abacha, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice
(FOJ) reported on Wednesday, in Geneva. US $535 million is to be sent back
from
Switzerland while the rest will come from other countries.
6. MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY
GPU to Challenge Media Commission Bill
http://allafrica.com/stories/200204190368.html
PK Jarju
Banjul
The external affairs secretary of The Gambia Press Union Ebrima Sillah has
vowed that the Union would challenge the proposed National Media Commission
Bill should the National Assembly enact it the way it was drafted.
7. ELECTIONS/WEST AFRICA
CAMEROON: Municipal and legislative elections set for June
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?
ReportID=27381&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=CAMEROON
YAOUNDE, 19 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - Long-delayed municipal elections will now be
held
on 23 June in Cameroon, along with legislative polls, Minister of State
Marafa
Hamidou Yaya, secretary general of the Presidential Office, announced on
Thursday in a news release.
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE: President calls for ban on vote buying
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?
ReportID=27372&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=SAO_TOME_AND_PRINCIPE
ABIDJAN, 19 Apr 2002 (IRIN) - Sao Tome and Principe's president has urged
parliament to introduce laws against vote buying, which he said was rampant
during a legislative election held in March, the Portuguese news agency,
Lusa,
reported.
8. GRANTS
International Postdoctoral Research Training Fellowships Offered
Pan American Fellowships at The National Institute of Health
Post-doctoral training in Biomedical, Clinical, Epidemiological and
Behavioral
Sciences
Information on the rationale, objectives, activities, eligibility
requirements,
and how to apply, at: http://www.paho.org/English/HDP/HDR/fogarty.htm
Dateline: 31 July, 2002
The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO)
and
the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invite researchers from Latin
America
and the Caribbean to apply for one-year post-doctoral training in the
intramural laboratories and / or offices of the NIH. This initiative is
aimed
at training researchers, with the ultimate goal of building research
capacity
in priority areas impacting upon public-health issues in the Region
9. WORLD BANK PIPELINE
Burkina Faso: World Bank and IMF Support Additional Debt Relief Under
Enhanced
HIPC Initiative
http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/news/pressrelease.nsf/92203140240d75178525678c0
0585
fc3/6b834179b3fd616b85256b990077a8a7?OpenDocument
WASHINGTON, April 12, 2002 -- The World Bank's International Development
Association (IDA) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed this week
that Burkina Faso has taken the steps necessary to reach its completion
point
under the enhanced framework of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
Initiative. Burkina Faso becomes the fifth country to reach this point,
joining
Bolivia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda. 1
Debt relief under the enhanced HIPC Initiative from all of Burkina Faso's
creditors amounts to US$195 million in net present value (NPV) terms. This
comes in addition to US$229 million in NPV terms the country received when
it
reached its completion point under the original HIPC framework in July 2000.
Although this relief cuts its debt stock by nearly 50 percent, exogenous
factors have adversely affected Burkina Faso's export performance and
capacity,
raising the NPV of debt to export ratio at completion point substantially
above
the 150 percent target set out under the enhanced HIPC framework. Despite
prudent policy responses, Burkina Faso would not be able to exit from
external
debt rescheduling, a key objective of the HIPC Initiative.
Countries Off Track On Reaching
Poverty Goals
World Bank urges action by both rich and poor countries
http://www.worldbank.org/data/
April 20, 2002—Despite progress in recent years, both poor and rich
countries
need to do much more if the international community is to meet its
commitment
of halving global poverty in all the world's regions by 2015, says a new
World
Bank report, World Development Indicators 2002.
At the United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development
in
Monterrey, Mexico, world leaders confirmed their support for the goals of
the
UN Millennium Declaration, which call for reducing world poverty in all its
forms. Current estimates say that brisk economic growth in China and India
will
enable the world to reach the overall goal of halving global poverty by
2015.
But the data in the new study–which covers all eight of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs)–say progress is uneven and that too many regions
and
countries are falling far short of the goals.
.
10. ANNOUNCEMENTS
World Bank Meetings: What's in it for the World's Poorest?
http:// www.africacncl.org
WHAT: Working dinner to focus on economic integration among eight
of West Africa's poorest countries that together make up the West Africa
Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). WAEMU countries are Benin, Burkina
Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. WAEMU
encompasses 72 million people in one of Africa's most dynamic common
markets.
WHERE: The Army and Navy Club, Main Ballroom, 2nd Floor,
Washington, D.C.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 23, 2002, 7:00 p.m.
SPEAKERS: N'Guessan Affi, Prime Minister of the Republic of
Côte d'Ivoire
Moussa Touré, President of the WAEMU Commission
Rosa Whitaker, Assistant United States Trade
Representative for Africa* (Invited)
James Harmon, Chairman, the Corporate
Council on Africa
Also present will be the finance ministers
from WAEMU-member countries and a delegation of senior WAEMU officials, in
addition to U.S. government and American private sector representatives.
MEDIA
OPPORTUNITIES: Members of the media may cover the dinner event. Media must
RSVP no later than COB, Monday, April 22, and should arrive no later than
6:45 p.m. to register for coverage and set-up.
Anti-Slavery's trafficking campaign is now in full swing and there
are lots of ways you can take action and get more involved.
Sign up to stop trafficking!
Please sign the online petition on our website
http://www.antislavery.org/homepage/campaign/petition.htm
11. ECOWAS NEWS
EXPERTS MEET TO ADOPT ECOWAS POLICY ON GENDER MAINSTREAMING
http://www.ecowas.int/
A four-day technical meeting to synthesis ideas and recommendations from
participants towards enriching a gender mainstreaming policy document for
ECOWAS will begin on Monday, 25th March, 2002 at the ECOWAS Secretariat,
Abuja.
12. ABOUT US
The WEST AFRICA NEWSLETTER (WAN), is published online by the Liberia
Institute
of Journalism (LIJ), at the Corner of Broad and Johnson Streets, in
Monrovia,
Liberia, located in the Koushouk Building, Suite # 2, Telephone number:
231-226-
888- 229-014. This project is funded by the International Center, 731-8th
Street S.E., Washington, D.C. WAN is distributed free of charge. We do
accept
articles, announcements, press releases and information for publication.
Please
send them to the Editor Vinnie Hodges, [log in to unmask] You can SUBSCRIBE
OR
UNSUBSCRIBE by going to our website: http://www.lij.kabissa.org
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Next WASAN meeting is Wednesday, April 24, 2002. Location: Safeco Jackson Street Center, 306 23rd Ave. S @ S. Main St, Suite 200, Seattle (enter parking lot off of S. Main, between 23rd and 24th)
7:00 PM WASAN business meeting
7:30 PM PROGRAM: "Kenya: Development Challenges and Successes form the Grassroots" with Wriko Waita. A free event.
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