Weekly Round-Up - IRINSA-302: 06-Oct-06
U N I T E D N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Southern Africa
Tel: +27 11 880 4633
Fax: +27 11 880 1421
e-mail: irin-sa@irin.org.za
SOUTHERN AFRICA
IRIN-SA Weekly Round-Up 302
30 September - 6 October 2006
CONTENTS:
ZAMBIA: Elections followed by violence and arrests
ZIMBABWE: HIV-positive farmworkers forgotten
ANGOLA: Concern as Luanda pushes through Cabinda peace deal
ZIMBABWE: Water under pressure
ZIMBABWE: Police defy magistrate's order to investigate torture claims
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Give peacekeepers ARVs, new study urges
SEYCHELLES: Police crack down on media freedom protesters
ZAMBIA
Presidential incumbent Levy Mwanawasa was sworn in on Tuesday after
winning a second and final term in office with 42 percent of the vote.
Final results by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) gave
presidential hopeful Michael Sata 29 percent, with Hakainde Hichilema,
head of the three-party United Democratic Alliance, in third place on 25
percent of the 2.52 million votes cast.
Violent clashes between security forces and supporters of opposition
Patriotic Front candidate Michael Sata rocked several Zambian towns in
the wake of the country's fourth multiparty elections, amid allegations
of vote rigging. Sata conceded defeat and called for an end to the
protests. Meanwhile, police have been ignoring appeals for the release
of over 100 people facing charges of riotous behaviour in the wake of
the election.
See reports:
ZAMBIA: No reprieve for arrested opposition party supporters:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55857
ZAMBIA: Mwanawasa retains presidency amid protests:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55797
ZAMBIA: Election violence as opposition leader's early gains fade:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55784
ZAMBIA: Mwanawasa praises rivals to restore calm:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55816
ZAMBIA: Sata denies plans to set up 'parallel government':
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55840
ZIMBABWE: HIV-positive farmworkers forgotten
Little is being done to provide treatment and care for Zimbabwean
farmworkers living with HIV/AIDS since the government launched its
controversial fast-track land redistribution programme in 2000.
Historically neglected, the chaotic reform programme and a series of bad
droughts have deepened the vulnerability of the remaining farm labourers
working the land. Many farmworkers cannot access treatment or even basic
healthcare services, and HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns seldom target or
reach the poorly educated farm labourers, allowing myths about the
disease to go unchallenged.
See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55818
ANGOLA: Concern as Luanda pushes through Cabinda peace deal
Human rights organisations have become increasingly concerned that
Angolan government pressure to enforce a peace deal it brokered with
oil-rich Cabinda's splintered secessionist movement may stoke political
tensions.
The Angolan government said it had been in discussions with Cabinda's
secessionist movements since March, and in August signed a peace treaty
with Antonio Bento Bembe, a former leader of the Front for the
Liberation of the enclave of Cabinda - Armed Forces of Cabinda. Bembe
claims to represent the Cabinda Forum for Dialogue - the representative
body of the enclave's secessionist movements that include civil society
groups, Catholic Church representatives and FLEC. However, the deal has
not been recognised by the majority of FDC and FLEC members.
See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55817
ZIMBABWE: Water under pressure
Clean drinking water has joined the growing list of shortages in
Zimbabwe. Although Harare's reservoirs are near capacity, the water
scarcity is being blamed on Zimbabwe's foreign currency shortage, which
makes it difficult for the government to afford water treatment
chemicals and the necessary spare parts to keep an ageing reticulation
system going.
See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55833
See special report on water (Running Dry):
http://www.irinnews.org/webspecials/runningdry/default.asp
ZIMBABWE: Police defy magistrate's order to investigate torture claims
Police are defying a magistrate's order to produce a detailed report on
the alleged assault and torture while in custody of more than a dozen
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) members after a protest was
foiled by the security forces.
On Tuesday magistrate William Bhila dismissed a police report written by
the arresting officers, which said there was no substance to the torture
allegations, and ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to
take over the enquiry, as it was improper for the police "to investigate
themselves". Among those arrested and allegedly beaten last month were
ZCTU president Lovemore Matombo and secretary-general Wellington
Chibhebhe.
See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55856
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Give peacekeepers ARVs, new study urges
As the African Union (AU) moves towards establishing a formal
peacekeeping brigade, a new study has suggested the need for troops on
missions to be supplied with anti-AIDS medication.
UNAIDS estimates that the risk of military personnel contracting HIV is
two to five times higher than among the general population during
peacetime, and troops run an even greater risk during conflict. The
study, backed by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), an
Africa-based think-tank, deals with the experiences of armies in
Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.
See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55831
SEYCHELLES: Police crack down on media freedom protesters
Police in the capital of the Seychelles, Victoria, fired teargas and
rubber bullets to disperse protesters demanding the opening of the
airwaves.
Up to a hundred supporters of the opposition Seychelles National Party
(SNP) gathered outside parliament during a discussion on an amendment to
broadcasting laws that deny other political parties access to radio and
TV stations. Some opposition party members were detained and others
hospitalised.
See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55826
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