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[The weekly roundup is based on IRIN daily updates and other relevant information from UN agencies, NGOs, governments, donors and the media. IRIN issues these reports for the benefit of the humanitarian community, but accepts no responsibility as to the accuracy of the original sources.]
Central and Eastern Africa: IRIN Weekly Round-up 26-98 covering the period 19 - 25 June 1998
BURUNDI: Parties agree to "suspend hostilities"
After a week of closed-door meetings, delegations representing 17 Burundian factions at all-party talks in Arusha, northern Tanzania agreed on Sunday to a "suspension of hostilities". A communique said the participants, brought together under the mediation of former Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere, had agreed "to bring an end to the constant cycle of violence and fratricidal killings which have afflicted Burundi for a long time".
The ceasefire is due to come into force before 20 July when detailed peace negotiations begin. Initial reaction to the agreement was cautiously optimistic. The European Union's special envoy Aldo Ajello said he was "very satisfied" with the deal. Washington's special envoy Howard Wolpe described it as "very positive" and said it represented an "encouraging start" to resolving the conflict.
Several parties note reservations
However, seven of the 17 parties who signed the final declaration did so with reservations. A copy of the document, received by IRIN, showed that representatives of the Burundian government, and the Tutsi-dominated UPRONA and PARENA parties were among those whose handwritten reservations accompany their signatures.
Three contentious points emerge from these reservations. One is mention of Arusha as the venue of the next round of talks on 20 July 1998. The Burundian government has hoped for some time to move the peace process away from Tanzania, accusing Tanzania of not being neutral. The second is the "suspension of hostilities" itself: the government, and some of its supporters, felt that the relevant clause should specify "armed factions" rather than "armed parties" in an attempt to distinguish the army from rebel movements. The third common complaint was that no mention is made of lifting sanctions in the declaration.
In a separate development, Reuters quoted a senior Burundi army official as saying his troops would continue normal military operations against Hutu rebels despite the Arusha deal. "We don't agree to the truce," Lieutenant-Colonel Longin Minani was quoted as telling the news agency by telephone. "The Burundi government cannot declare a truce because it is not attacking anybody. Our job is to protect the population and we will continue doing that." Annan welcomes deal
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomed the weekend deal, saying in a statement it had generated hope in the peace process. He congratulated all participants at the talks. "The Secretary-General urges all the parties and signatories to the Arusha declaration of 21 June to strictly and fully implement their commitment to a cessation of hostilities with a view to establishing a favourable environment for the substantive negotiations scheduled to commence on 20 July at Arusha," the statement said.
Burundi calls for sanctions to be lifted
Meanwhile, Burundi called for sanctions against the country to be lifted. AFP reported that Communications Minister and government spokesman Luc Rukingama had deplored the fact the Arusha accord made no mention of lifting the sanctions. Meanwhile, Belgium said it was in favour of lifting the sanctions. The Belgian foreign minister told Belgian radio that it was time "to pay a little attention to the fate of the population, which is currently dramatic". A senior Belgian diplomat told IRIN Belgium believed Buyoya's government deserved some recognition for taking "important steps".
EU ready to resume aid
European Commissioner Joao de Deus Pinheiro said on Tuesday that the EU was intending to gradually resume its cooperation with Burundi, according to an EU press release received by IRIN. Pinheiro, the commissioner responsible for development, cooperation and external relations with the ACP countries, met on Tuesday with the Speaker of the Burundi parliament, Leonce Ngendakumana, who briefed him on recent political progress.
RWANDA: Amnesty says killings of unarmed civilians continue
Amnesty International (www.amnesty.org) accused the Rwandan government and opposition groups of the "deliberate killings of thousands of unarmed civilians." The human rights watchdog said in a report released on Wednesday that in the last few months, the number of "disappearances in Rwanda has reached such a level that many families no longer let the authorities know that their relatives have disappeared."
The organisation said the report was based on research done in Rwanda earlier this year which revealed a dramatic escalation of the number of people killed or "disappeared". It warned that unless the government took immediate action, the violence would become an inevitable part of life in Rwanda. The report alleged the Rwandan Patriotic Army had made mass arrests in the northwest part of the country which resulted in "large-scale disappearances." It said people were detained in military camps which were not accessible to visitors.
The Rwandan government rejected the report, saying the allegations had not been accompanied by any research or proof on the ground. "That kind of reporting is highly irresponsible," Emmanuel Gasana, a top government official, told Reuters.
Rebels attack schoolbus
Meanwhile the killings continue. The death toll from an attack on a displaced persons' camp in northern Rwanda rose to 25 after two more people died of their wounds, news reports said. At least 55 children were among the 85 wounded in Wednesday's attack at Nkamira, some 90 km northwest of Kigali. Meanwhile, an attack on a school bus in western Rwanda on Monday left at least 18 dead and 40 wounded, mostly children, news reports said. It said the attack occurred on Monday afternoon in Kivumu on the road to Kibuye town about 100 km west of Kigali.
SUDAN: Sudan and Eritrea in war of words over alleged attack
Sudanese state radio, monitored by the BBC, on Friday claimed that Eritrean forces shelled seven positions on the countries' common border. The report said that the attack, using tanks and
artillery was repulsed and that an unstated number of Eritrean troops had been killed "while heavy and light military hardware was captured." Eritrea denied the claims. A spokesman at the Eritrean embassy in Nairobi told IRIN that Eritrean support for Sudanese rebels was "moral and political" only.
Sleeping sickness epidemic
The worst epidemic of sleeping sickness since colonial times is centred on Tambura county in southwestern Sudan, according to the medical NGO MERLIN. In collaboration with CARE, IMC and OLS, MERLIN is introducing "high-tech" traps to catch tsetse flies which spread the fatal disease. In a statement received by IRIN, MERLIN Medical Director Doctor Bruce Laurence said: "We must stop the disease from spreading in neighbouring countries, by taking preventative measures urgently."
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: More Angolans arrive in DRC
A total of some 10,000 Angolan refugees had arrived at Dilolo in Katanga and a further 5,000 were on the way, UN humanitarian sources in Kinshasa told IRIN on Wednesday. Most of them crossed over from Luau following recent clashes between Angolan government forces and troops of the former UNITA rebel movement. The sources said there were also 1,000 refugees in Bandundu province and some 500 in Bas-Congo province. They said the DRC government had approved the setting up of refugee camps in the area.
Former head of military intelligence jailed
The former head of military intelligence was jailed for two years on Monday by a military tribunal, Reuters reported. It said Sikatenda Shabani was convicted of ordering the arrest and torture of a senior aide to Justice Minister Mwenze Kongolo and inciting racial hatred in his home region in eastern DRC.
Banyamulenge and Bazibaziba representatives hold peace conference
Neighbouring Banyamulenge and Bazibaziba communities last week held a peace conference in Kaziba in eastern South Kivu province, the NGO Synergies Africa told IRIN. It said that more than 100 delegates, including the Pacification Commission President General Luecha and several South Kivu traditional chiefs attended the 11-14 June meeting. Over 100 Mayi-Mayi fighters "who had laid down their arms" also allegedly took part. The Bazibaziba and the Banyamulenge have had tense relations in the area around Kaziba since the war in 1996.
Kabila sets up reconstruction fund
The DRC has set up a special fund as part of the country's planned multi-billion-dollar reconstruction programme, Reuters reported government spokesman Didier Mumengi as saying on Saturday. He added that ministers had agreed to contribute 10 percent of their monthly salaries from the end of June to the fund. Meanwhile, President Laurent-Desire Kabila has said he wants a strong and stable currency for the country and the introduction on 30 June of a new Congolese Franc could be a step towards that. MDM goes public over aid worker's detention
A Medecins du monde (MDM) aid worker has been detained in DRC since the beginning of May without being charged, the French NGO MDM said in a press release on Wednesday . Fabrice Michalon was arrested in Goma on 4 May and
transferred the following day to Kinshasa where he is detained at the premises of the ANR (Agence nationale de renseignement). He was arrested for "identification" purposes, but the DRC authorities never detailed any official charges against him, MDM said.
An MDM spokesman told IRIN that MDM had hoped to solve the case without making it public, but after two months of fruitless negotiations they had now decided to denounce his arbitrary arrest. Since the arrest of their staff member, MDM has suspended its operations in DRC.
Five journalists reported released
Meanwhile, RFI reported Kabila had ordered the release of five journalists. Three of them, including two journalists of the satirical paper "Le Pot Pourri", were released later that day. This announcement comes after a local press meeting organised in Kinshasa last Friday. At the end of the meeting, participating editors and journalists had invited the DRC president to guarantee freedom of expression, the state news agency ACP reported.
Unpredictable and fragile humanitarian situation in Province Orientale
The accumulation of social, economic and sanitary problems in Province Orientale, in eastern DRC, has contributed to a very unpredictable and fragile humanitarian situation, according to a joint OCHA/UNDP report. The report, based on an inter-agency field mission, underlined that Province Orientale had suffered over the two last years from floods, epidemics, and the 1996-97 civil conflict.
Infrastructure and state services are in decay with less than 10 percent of the rural population having access to drinkable water. The report also said that the variety of health problems encountered was "making it a public health laboratory".
WHO details number of river blindness sufferers
WHO says over 18 million people out of a population of more than 48.5 million are exposed to river blindness in DRC. Of these 41,990 are completely blind and some 5.2 million are infected. The most severely-affected areas are the provinces of Kasai, Bas Congo, Equateur, and Province Orientale where the inhabitants of entire villages are blind.
WHO warns the disease threatens to slow down socio-economic activity in rural communities where it has taken hold. According to a WHO report, the situation is worsening because no systematic action has been taken to combat the disease and also because living conditions are not improving. UN rights report to be published on 29 June
A UN human rights report on DRC is to be published on 29 June, the spokesman of the Secretary-General said on Monday. Fred Eckhard told the daily news briefing in New York Atsu-Koffi Amega, head of the team which drew up the report, had been asked to come to headquarters just ahead of the release date and arrangements were in hand for him to be at the briefing on 29 June. CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE: Malnutrition remains acute
Congo is gradually recovering from its civil war though there remain a number of areas of concern, according to the latest humanitarian report on the country. It said displaced people have continued to return to the devastated capital, but the erosion of the population's purchasing power in the face of prolonged economic inactivity means the Congolese still face major economic difficulties. Food security remains precarious for much of the population while the nutritional situation in Brazzaville, with an acute malnutrition rate of nine percent, has not improved significantly in recent months.
The UN report also underlined that the ability of UN agencies to respond to urgent humanitarian and rehabilitation needs was hindered by insufficient resources. The 1998 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for the Congo had received only five percent identified requirements as of end-May.
Meanwhile, the Congolese government has clinched a deal with international donors in Washington on a reconstruction programme for the country. Congolese Finance Minister Mathias Dzon was quoted by news agencies as saying that donors had agreed to contribute US $ 95 million while the government itself would put in US $ 145 million. The reconstruction programme for 1998 aims to rebuild the war-devastated capital and reestablish government administration and the education and health sectors.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Former prime minister returns
The Central African Republic's former prime minister Jean-Paul Ngoupande returned to Bangui on Tuesday after a stay of several months in France and was greeted by several thousand supporters at the airport, AFP reported. Ngoupande was ousted from his post as prime minister in January 1997,
seven months after his nomination by President Ange-Felix Patasse.
Electoral commission sworn in
Members of the independent electoral commission CEMI (Commission electorale mixte independante) were sworn in on Thursday, AFP reported. The 53-member CEMI is responsible for organising and supervising parliamentary elections scheduled for August-September this year. One of its most important tasks is revise electoral lists and set definitive election dates.
UGANDA: Rebels abduct schoolgirls
Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels kidnapped 39 girls at a school in the northern Ugandan district of Kitgum in a night raid over the weekend. The raid on Saint Charles Lwanga secondary school at Kalongo was confirmed by Major General Salim Saleh, a defence ministry aide to President Yoweri Museveni.
UNICEF condemned the abductions and called on all governments and international agencies to "put pressure on this group and those that support them". humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. The latest abduction comes shortly after Olara Otunnu, UN Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict, returned from Khartoum with a promise from the government to help try and secure the release of abducted children. Three were released during his visit.
KENYA: Two soldiers killed
Two soldiers - one US serviceman and one Tanzanian - who were taking part in a joint military exercise in Lodwar have died in separate incidents, the 'EastAfrican' reported on Monday. The American, Dave Thuma, died of a heart attack while jogging with his colleagues last week while the Tanzanian, whose name could not be established immediately, died in a road
accident on the Nakuru-Eldoret road in the Rift Valley. More than 2,200 soldiers drawn from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, backed up by 375 US special troops, are taking part in the exercise. The purpose is to try and train a regional force which can deal with peacekeeping missions.
Nairobi, 26 June 1998 12:00 GMT
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