---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 04 Apr 2002 13:18:45 -0800 From: charlotte utting <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: [log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [WASAN] FW: ADNA Africa Update: April Africa Update ---------- From: "Nunu Kidane" <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: [log in to unmask] Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 23:17:22 -0800 To: "ADNA E-mail List" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: ADNA Africa Update: April Africa Update ADNA Update: 020403 Message from: Society of Missionaries of Africa For contact information see also: http://www.africapolicy.org/adna AFRICA UPDATE Twenty-one African leaders met in Abuja this past week as members of the implementation committee of NEPAD (New Partnership for African Development). They met to fine-tune the agreement in anticipation of the upcoming G-8 meeting where NEPAD will be discussed. At the top of the agenda was concern about the effect of the Zimbabwean election fiasco on the chances of NEPAD being taken seriously. To address that the leaders decided to endorse the 'African Peer Review Mechanism' which means to ensure African countries 'comply with benchmarks for economic and corporate management.' Strong support was given for a draft declaration on good political governance, committing leaders to uphold plural democracy, human rights, etc. No overt mention was made of Zimbabwe. Elsewhere in Nigeria the now famous Safiya was being released from her death-by- stoning sentence handed down by a Shari'a court. This came after widespread international pressure. The same day, however, another woman was sentenced to the same punishment. The Justice Minister finally spoke out about the apparent illegality of such sentencing, using the argument that Muslims should not be subjected to harsher punishments than other citizens. He said that it put into question the 'stability, unity and integrity of the nation.' It was the first official word of opposition to Shari'a since it started to be administered in the northern states some two years ago. Human rights and church groups criticized the government for being so slow in speaking up for the constitution and the will of the majority of Nigerians. Although Zimbabwe was not referred to at the NEPAD meeting it has been referred to everywhere else since the recent elections. Robert Mugabe was declared the winner in elections that most observers deemed flawed and unrepresentative. Nearly as soon as the results were in, the crackdown began within the country. Supporters of the opposition candidate and the candidate himself were harassed and even imprisoned. To the horror of western observers, neighboring African countries announced that the elections were free and fair. However, some of those same countries, who happen to be in the Commonwealth, joined with that group in suspending Zimbabwe's membership for one year. That means that Zimbabwe will not be able to attend Commonwealth meetings or receive any new financial aid from the organization except for programs that intend to restore political stability and the rule of law. Another country still reeling after recent elections is Madagascar. A stalemate persists as the mayor of Antananarivo, the opposition candidate, declared himself President and appointed ministers. President Ratsiraka, however, continues to insist that he is the leader even though his power seems to be slipping. His appointed governor of the capital area resigned rather than enforce rulings of the President that he judged would only bring bloodshed. Everyone seems to be going slowly for now and trying to avoid major violence and upheaval. Since the death of Jonas Savimbi hope has been on a rollercoaster in Angola. A UN report revealed that a number of serious security incidents have taken place. However talks continue between the government and rebel army commanders with the blessing of the political representatives of UNITA. Earlier in the month the government ordered its forces to cease military activity, offered an amnesty and, if UNITA disarmed, offered a role in Parliament as well. As the country tries to extract itself from the long-running civil war it now has to deal with the underlying problems. Global Witness published a report alleging that millions of dollars of Angola's petroleum revenue have been embezzled. The report says that the war has been used to enrich Angola's ruling elite through 'highly organized economic abuses involving full-scale appropriation and laundering of state assets.' This is a system that only Enron execs could love. Oil accounts for 42% of Angola's annual output, 90% of total exports and 80% of government revenues. After the rebel forces in the Congo moved in and took over the town of Moliro, the government pulled out of the inter-Congolese dialogue taking place in South Africa. However, a condemnation of the takeover by the UN brought the government back to the table and eventually forced the rebels to give up the town. This week a draft agreement on an interim economic program was produced. This was one of five issues that was to be solved before the April 12 deadline. The other four issues are more contentious. In the political and legal committee delegates were still delivering statements and had not yet begun negotiating. The biggest questions yet to resolve concern the new national military forces and the management of the political transition. The clock is ticking and the facilitator intends to hold to the April 12 deadline. In the other Congo (Brazzaville), Denis Sassou Nguesso won an 'overwhelming' victory if you consider taking 90% of the vote to be so. Who he overwhelmed is another question as his main opponent withdrew from the race alleging electoral fraud. European observers said the election was conducted in an acceptable fashion. The last time President Sassou ran in a real election he was soundly defeated. European oil interests in Angola played no role in any of this. Any of it. Believe me. OK, don't. Since January as many as 80,000 civilians have been displaced in Burundi by continual outbreaks of fighting, 20,000 of those since early March. Many of them come from the suburbs of Bujumbura where most of the violence has taken place. Availability of arms has contributed to the continuing fighting in spite of the peace agreement reached nearly two years ago. Tanzania has decided to fight back. A report last year announced that the snow fields of Mt. Kilimanjaro will be gone in 15 years. The government of Tanzania, however, is disputing that with experts of its own who state that global temperatures are cyclical and that they will probably go back down again. Part of the concern is that the approximately one million villagers living at the foot of the mountain will begin to leave because of fear of drought and thirst for people, livestock and crops. Mt. Kilimanjaro is also a prime tourist spot, bringing in up to 20,000 tourists every year. Bad news for the mountain is bad news for the economy. In a move called 'the Short stop' (just in time for spring training) Clare Short, International Development Minister of the British government delayed 10 million pounds worth of aid to Tanzania. She charged that Tanzania would use the money to help pay for military air traffic control system instead of using it to feed the poor. The British cabinet had earlier argued about the granting of an export license to a British firm wanting to sell the technology to Tanzania. Short had disagreed with the granting of the license but denied that her decision to delay the aid was intended to reopen the Cabinet argument. Her problem was with Tanzania's commitment to poverty reduction. The Kenyans are committed to fighting terrorism so two British reconnaissance planes have recently arrived in the country. These planes join three German surveillance planes and a small contingent of British and German troops, sent to monitor the East African coast. All are in place to keep an eye on neighboring Somalia where the American-led antiterrorism coalition wants to prevent Al-Qaeda from setting up bases. The female Vice President of Uganda recently made public her divorce on the grounds that her husband had beaten her even after she was appointed to office. He countered that he had only beaten her twice. In the past month two different women retaliated for beatings by biting off or cutting off their husbands' testicles and penis. These incidents came on the heel of a survey showing high levels of domestic violence against women in some parts of Uganda. Not for long, I bet. It's time for spring cleaning or something in Cameroon. In a two week period some three thousand people were arrested in Yaoundé. Armed police, paramilitary gendarmes and soldiers were used in the crackdown. Numerous weapons were confiscated, including knives, pangas and various kinds of fire arms. Three thousand people? John Ashcroft was seen nowhere in the area. Insisting their presence does more good than harm, the president of Lundin Petroleum nevertheless decided to suspend operations in Sudan until there is a 'sustainable' period of peace in the area of its oil operations. Recent cease fire agreements have been interpreted differently by the warring factions as to whether oil sites are civilian or military installations and thus fair targets. Lundin will restart its operations after the rainy season if the security situation allows. Foday Sankoh was brought to trial for murder this month in Sierra Leone. However, the trial was postponed as the government could not find a local lawyer willing to represent Sankoh and 49 others. The Attorney General pleaded with members of the local Bar to rise up, telling them they 'should not be afraid.' Of the RUF? Why would they be? Sankoh said, in a statement, that he is innocent of all charges. Meanwhile, those who are presumably guilty, the thousands of young people forced into fighting by the RUF are being given a chance to hand in their guns for computers. Estimates are that at least half of the 15,000 rebel fighters are children. A Sierra Leonean entrepreneur is planning to set up a vocational training center to teach computer and programming skills to the former rebels. With the help of the Norwegian government he hopes to have the program up and running by the fall. Within three years the plan is to have trained enough people for Sierra Leone to become a center for the outsourcing of software programming. Such resurrections can be celebrated by people of any faith. Happy Easter. Happy Passover. --------------------------- This message from the 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 International Development Exchange - IDEX 827 Valencia Street, Suite 101 San Francisco, CA 94110 Tel: (415) 824 8384 www.idex.org ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Stock for $4. No Minimums. FREE Money 2002. http://us.click.yahoo.com/k6cvND/n97DAA/ySSFAA/DKgolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 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. We usually meet the fourth Wednesday of the month. For a calendar of local Africa events see http://www.ibike.org/africamatters/calendar.htm . To post a message: [log in to unmask] To subscribe send a message to [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe send a message to [log in to unmask] . All past postings are archived at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wa-afr-network Your use of Yahoo! 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