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SOUTHERN AFRICA
IRIN-SA Weekly Round-up 69
27 April - 03 May 2002


CONTENTS:

MADAGASCAR: An olive branch at last
ANGOLA: MSF rushes aid to starving
ZIMBABWE: Red Cross adds to calls for help
LESOTHO: Food shortage amid economic crisis
MALAWI: Malnutrition aids cholera epidemic
SWAZILAND: No progress in fight for democracy


MADAGASCAR: An olive branch at last

The week ended in Madagascar with opposition leader Marc Ravalomanana
extending an olive branch to his political rival, incumbent president
Didier Ratsiraka.

News reports on Friday said that Ravalomanana issued a statement in
Antananarivo saying he was prepared to work with Ratsiraka to set up a
government of national reconciliation.

"I am working in the direction of putting in place a government that
reconciles all Madagascans. I will ask that government of national
reconciliation to prepare the conditions for a democratic conclusion to
end the crisis in Madagascar," the statement read. Ratsiraka has yet to
respond.

Also on Friday, local daily newspaper L'Express reported that another
bridge around 40 km south of Antananarivo was blown up. It was the fifth
to be dynamited in recent weeks along roads linking the capital to the
rest of the island.

On Thursday, Ravalomanana postponed his investiture as the country's
president. The self-proclaimed president's decision came in the wake of
secessionist threats from four of the six provinces and the blowing up of
a key bridge. Ravalomanana, who was declared the overall winner of
December's disputed election, was supposed to be sworn into office on
Friday. But news reports said that he would delay the ceremony at the
request of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org./report.asp?ReportID=27581

In an attempt to diffuse tensions on the divided island the OAU on Tuesday
called for a referendum to chose between Madagascar's political rivals,
despite a court ruling that Ravalomanana won a disputed December
presidential election. OAU Secretary-General Amara Essy said in a
statement that a referendum under the terms of an agreement brokered in
Senegal earlier this month was the only way to end the Indian Ocean
island's political crisis, and avoid the country's partition.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org./report.asp?ReportID=27550

In a surprise verdict, Madagascar's High Constitutional Court (HCC) on
Monday declared Ravalomanana the outright winner of the December election.
Analysts predicted an increase in the political violence that has shaken
the Indian Ocean island.

More details :
http://www.irinnews.org./report.asp?ReportID=27523


ANGOLA: MSF rushes aid to starving

A humanitarian emergency is unfolding as previously inaccessible areas of
Angola open up to relief agencies, aid workers warn. On Thursday the
international medical relief organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)
launched an emergency feeding and medical programme in Chipindo, in the
southern province of Huila, to aid 18,000 isolated people in severe need.

"We have seen hardly any little children under five. Lots of them had
already died," the statement quoted Mercedes Tataļ, MSF's medical
emergency coordinator as saying. "A whole hill has been covered with fresh
graves since September."

More details: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27589

In a focus report, IRIN explored the challenges to the country's
ceasefire. Analysts warn that the process envisaged by the government is
highly ambitious, and would require significant donor assistance for its
implementation.

More details: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27583

Meanwhile, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) has backed the
continuation of UN sanctions against Angola's UNITA rebel movement until
"there is irreversible progress in the (Angolan) peace process".

More details: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27559


ZIMBABWE: Red Cross adds to calls for help

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on
Friday joined other agencies seeking urgent funds for humanitarian aid
saying it needs Swiss francs 6.8 million (US $4.2 million) to help 450,000
people in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe over the next year.

In Zimbabwe the operation would focus on two districts, Zaka in Masvingo
Province and Gwanda in Matabeleland. The intervention would mainly target
HIV/AIDS-affected families and orphans, providing bulk food distribution
and supplementary feeding at communal kitchens. It would also focus on
sanitation and health initiatives and teaching less reliance on the
threatened maize crop.

Care International has also said it would expand its food programme in
Zimbabwe. Care Zimbabwe is currently distributing food to about 130,000
children daily in Midlands, Masvingo and Manicaland and is planning to
scale up to meet increasing needs, a statement said.

Their announcements follow President Robert Mugabe's declaration of a
state of disaster in the country.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27542

One of the reasons cited for the food shortages was the controversial land
resettlement programme which the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) says has
so far seen 250 farmers evicted since the March election.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union President Lovemore Matombo
threatened strike actions saying workers were finding it difficult to cope
with the high cost of living.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27580

Three journalists were arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday under the
country's controversial new media law over a story that incorrectly
alleged ruling party youths beheaded an opposition supporter.

US journalist Andrew Meldrum working for a British newspaper in Harare and
Daily News reporters Lloyd Mudiwa and Collin Chiwanza were arrested on
charges of abuse of journalistic privileges and publishing false
information under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.


More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27555

Also in court this week were Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan
Tsvangirai and two other senior officials Welshman Ncube and Renson Gasela
who were arrested earlier this year on allegations of a plot to
assassinate Mugabe. The allegations related to a secretly filmed video.
They will return to court on 31 May.

This week also saw a United Nations Security Council delegation visit
Zimbabwe as part of its itinerary of countries involved in the Democratic
Republic of Congo peace process.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27575


LESOTHO: Food shortage amid economic crisis

The tiny mountain kingdom of Lesotho faces enormous challenges: it is in
the grip of a serious food shortage and its economy is in desperate need
of revival.

IRIN reported on Tuesday that the country was experiencing a food
emergency this year as a result of two successive poor harvests and rising
local prices for staple cereals. A UN Food and Agricultural Organisation
and World Food Programme team will tour the country to assess what the
projected shortfall will be.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27532

While it struggles with poor harvests the country is also battling to
recover from the effects of political violence in 1998, the loss of
foreign currency earnings of migrant workers and rampant corruption.

Half the population live in poverty and IRIN reported that official
estimates of the unemployment rate varied from 30 percent to between 40
percent and 45 percent. South African mines were a major source of
employment for Basotho men, whose remittances were a significant source of
household incomes. Mine retrenchments have deepened Lesotho's unemployment
problem.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27544


MALAWI: Malnutrition aids cholera epidemic

Malawi is currently experiencing its worst ever cholera epidemic, and
experts believe malnutrition, mismanagement and a lack of capacity have
aided the outbreak.

The cholera epidemic has already claimed nearly 1,000 lives. It peaked in
February and March with about 40,000 reported cases and is on a downward
trend in terms of infection rates, said World Health Organisation (WHO)
country representative Youcef Chellouche.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27556

Meanwhile, the British government has approved a food aid grant of US $1.6
million) for Malawi which has struggled to raise emergency funds to fight
food shortages that forced President Bakili Muluzi to declare a disaster
in February.

A statement released by DFID in Lilongwe on Thursday said the grant was
intended to maximise cultivation during the dry winter season know as
dimba cultivation.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27600


SWAZILAND: No progress in fight for democracy

Opposed by meek pro-democracy forces, King Mswati's government is likely
to succeed in promulgating a new constitution to preserve palace power,
Swazi political analysts told IRIN in a focus report.

This is the dilemma faced by the kingdom's opposition groups, who are
unable to stir up excitement among the tradition-minded populace most of
whom are loyal to Mswati. Though some worry about corrupt palace
officials, according to one survey by the Swaziland National Association
of Journalists.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27599


IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 880-4633
Fax: +27 11 447-5472
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za

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