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 West Africa Tel: +225 22-40-4440 Fax: +225 22-41-9339 e-mail: irin-wa@irin.ciWEST AFRICA IRIN-WA Weekly Roundup 39 23 to 29 September 2000
CONTENTS: AFRICA: Red Cross societies vow to tackle diseases COTE D'IVOIRE: African leaders try to defuse political crisis COTE D'IVOIRE: Mediation bid sparks protests COTE D'IVOIRE: Top generals blamed for attempt on Guei's life THE GAMBIA: Former president wins lawsuit THE GAMBIA: Government pulls out of Senegalese talks THE GAMBIA: Student leaders, police responsible for student deaths GUINEA: Scores of civilians flee border village GUINEA: UNHCR begins security assessment in the southeast GUINEA: UNHCR employee free GUINEA: Government says it still welcomes refugees LIBERIA: Offensive in the north LIBERIA: Reprieve for Liberians in US LIBERIA: Taylor asks OAU to help jump-start Lome accord NIGER: Weapons destroyed NIGERIA: Muslim authorities import amputation machines SIERRA LEONE: Ukraine to send peacekeepers SIERRA LEONE: UN Security Council mission due UNITED NATIONS: Drive to wipe out polio UNITED NATIONS: Discussion to improve peacekeeping AFRICA: Red Cross societies vow to tackle diseases The heads of African Red Cross and Red Crescent societies vowed on Monday to work harder to tackle HIV/AIDS and other diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and diarrhoeal illnesses, that have been killing millions of people each year in Africa. They also called for an increase in resources to address public health and food security issues and pledged to work to improve the recruitment, training and motivation of volunteers. "The Ouagadougou Commitment" capped the Fifth Pan-African Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, held in the Burkinabe capital on 21-25 September. COTE D'IVOIRE: African leaders try to defuse political crisis A committee of African leaders mandated by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to broker a solution to Cote d'Ivoire's political crisis proposed setting up a transitional council led by Ivorian military leader General Robert Guei, with the heads of the country's main political parties as vice presidents. The committee - represented by the presidents of Algeria, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Togo - met with Guei and the heads of Cote d'Ivoire's main parties on Monday. The African leaders suggested delaying presidential elections scheduled for 22 October and allowing all candidates to run. One of the main points of discord is the question of eligibility for presidential candidates. A leading opposition figure could be disqualified because he has been accused of being Burkinabe. The Ivorian government said on Thursday it would consider the proposals. African nations are afraid that the political crisis could develop into a deeper conflict that affects the West African region. "They do not want another Liberia or Sierra Leone on their hands," a West African diplomat told IRIN. COTE D'IVOIRE: Mediation bid sparks protests An attempt by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to end the political crisis in Cote d'Ivoire has triggered demonstrations by groups accusing the OAU of meddling in Cote d'Ivoire's internal affairs. Small demonstrations were held on Tuesday and Wednesday against the OAU-backed proposals. Up to 5,000 demonstrators marched to the Presidential Palace in Abidjan on Thursday to show their support for the government and held up placards telling foreigners to leave the country. This was followed by yet another demonstration on Friday. AFP reported that, on Thursday, security forces dispersed a counter-demonstration in favour of the OAU proposals. COTE D'IVOIRE: Top generals blamed for attempt on Guei's life Cote d'Ivoire's ruling Conseil National de Salut Publique (CNSP) has accused two of its most senior members of being behind an attack on the home of CNSP chairman General Robert Guei in what it said was a plot to kill him and overthrow the government. The two men, generals Lassana Palenfo and Abdoulaye Coulibaly, were dismissed as ministers of security and transport respectively in the aftermath of the 18 September attack on Guei's home, and went into hiding. On Tuesday, Coulibaly denied that they were involved in any attempt to kill Guei, who came to power in a coup last December. THE GAMBIA: Former president wins lawsuit Former president Dawda Jawara of The Gambia has won a lawsuit he filed four years ago against the country's rulers, accusing them of human rights abuses after they ousted him in 1994. The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights ruled that the government of President Yahya Jammeh was guilty of basic human rights abuses and urged it to make its laws conform with the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, 'The Independent' newspaper of Banjul reported on Friday. THE GAMBIA: Government pulls out of Senegalese talks The Gambia has decided to stop mediating between the government of Senegal and rebels fighting for an independent state in the southern area of Casamance, officials said on Thursday. A senior Gambian government official said Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade had not mandated Banjul to mediate, as they had done in mid-1999 and early 2000 under his predecessor, Abdou Diouf. THE GAMBIA: Student leaders and police responsible for student deaths Security forces and leaders of The Gambia Students' Union (GAMSU) were responsible for the deaths of students during street clashes in April, according to an official probe into the unrest cited by 'The Independent' newspaper of Banjul. The Commission of Inquiry said platoons of the Police Intervention Unit were "largely responsible" for the deaths and injuries. It said GAMSU leaders were responsible for encouraging the students to demonstrate. The April protests, which were sparked by the death of a student who had allegedly been tortured, left at least 12 people dead. Up to 100 others were arrested. GUINEA: Scores of civilians flee border village Scores of civilians have been fleeing the Guinean border village of Guekedou in anticipation of further armed attacks from Liberia, UNHCR spokeswoman Delphine Marie said on Friday in Geneva. "People are reportedly moving north toward Kissidougou Prefecture, as well as other locations in Upper and Middle Guinea, and Conakry," she added. She said the Guinean Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralisation and Security reported possibly 17,000 internally displaced people in Kindia and 21,000 in Forecariah following attacks on the two locations. Both areas border northwestern Sierra Leone. GUINEA: UNHCR begins security assessment in the southeast UNHCR and Guinean government officials began a security assessment mission on Tuesday in the southeastern Guinean towns of Guekedou, Macenta and Nzerekore, hit by recent raids by armed men from Liberia, a UNHCR official told IRIN. Abou Moussa, the West and Central African Regional Director of the UNHCR, said on Wednesday that a decision to return his workers to the sites would be made after the completion of the security evaluation. Armed men from Liberia attacked Macenta on 17 September, killed UNHCR official Mensah Kpognon and kidnapped another UNHCR worker, Sapeu Laurence Djeya. Angry Guinean vigilantes, mobilised by the government to help the army repulse the attackers, had also stoned UNHCR vehicles and threatened staff members. The agency withdrew its staff to Conakry, the capital, and some have expressed fear of returning. "Now the situation is better but our colleagues are traumatized," Moussa said. GUINEA: UNHCR employee free UNHCR employee Sapeu Laurence Djeya, 37, returned home on Thursday after escaping from unidentified armed men who had seized her in a cross-border raid from Liberia on the southeastern Guinean town of Macenta on 17 September. Djeya spoke briefly of her ordeal after arriving in Abidjan on a UNHCR-chartered flight from Monrovia, the Liberian capital. She cried occasionally as she told of a five-day trek though forests with two other abducted women - Liberians - with whom she escaped from their captors. They were eventually rescued by Liberian soldiers. UNHCR representative Abou Moussa told IRIN the identity of Djeya's abductors was not immediately known. GUINEA: Government says it still welcomes refugees Guinea will continue to welcome and protect all refugees on its soil, especially Liberians and Sierra Leoneans, Minister of Territorial Administration Moussa Solano said on Tuesday. His pledge, in a state-wide radio broadcast, appeared aimed at allaying the fears of the refugees. They began fleeing their host country after Guinean youths, angered by a spate of cross-border raids on their country, set on the refugees and demanded their explusion. Guinea hosts 130,000 Liberian and 360,000 Sierra Leonean refugees registered with the UNHCR. LIBERIA: Offensive in the north Liberia says it has launched a "massive offensive" against rebels in the north of the country, while describing Guinea's alleged shelling of the town of Zorzor as an act "tantamount to a full-scale war", the BBC reported on Monday. Liberia claims Guinea shelled Zorzor with heavy artillery on 22 September, causing civilian casualties. Each country has repeatedly accused the other of supporting cross-border attacks by anti-government dissidents. There was a recent raid on the Guinean village of Klambeme, 45 km from Macenta, in which Guinea says seven people were killed and four civilians abducted. A ranking official at Guinean state radio told IRIN on Monday that the army would pursue any rebels attacking Guinea to the heart of their sanctuary,"even if it means entering Liberia and Sierra Leone". LIBERIA: Taylor asks OAU to help jump start Lome accord President Charles Taylor has asked the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to help jump-start the Lome peace plan for Sierra Leone, Information Minister Joe Mulbah told IRIN on Thursday. Taylor's plea was to OAU special envoy Kingsley Mamabolo, who is visiting Guinea, Liberia and Mali for consultations on ending nine years of war in Sierra Leone. He has already visited Nigeria, the largest troop contributor to the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). Mulbah quoted Taylor as saying that a Western-style formula was unworkable in Sierra Leone. Mulbah said Liberia wanted UNAMSIL to be supportive of the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)to re-establish peace in Sierra Leone. "Now that India and possibly Jordan are pulling out of UNAMSIL, ECOWAS should be given the chance to do the job," Mulbah said. LIBERIA: Liberians in US get reprieve Nearly 10,000 Liberians living in the United States were granted a reprieve on Thursday when President Bill Clinton extended their residency status by one year. It expired on Friday. Clinton said the decision was "aimed at promoting stability in Liberia and West Africa". The residency status of the refugees was also extended for a year in 1999. Liberians fled civil war in their country in the 1990s. US lawmakers are considering two bills to grant the Liberians permanent residency in the United States. NIGER: Weapons destroyed The president of Niger, Mamadou Tandja, lit a "flame of peace" to destroy more than 1,000 weapons that had been relinquished by former rebels and to celebrate an end to fighting in the north of the country, PANA reported on Monday. The arms destroyed in the bonfire had been handed over between 1992 and 1995 when peace agreements were reached between the government and Tuareg rebels and other fighters. NIGERIA: Muslim authorities import amputation machines The northern Nigerian state of Kano is to import amputation machines to carry out punishment in accordance with court rulings based on Islamic law, 'The Guardian' newspaper of Lagos reported on Monday. Traditional rulers meeting in Kaduna called for nationwide implementation of Sharia. They urged the federal government to amend the constitution and provide for the establishment of a Federal Sharia Court of Appeal. Sharia has been adopted by eight other northern Nigerian states amid considerable opposition from Christians who say it deprives them of their fundamental human rights. Hundreds of people have died in riots between the pro- and anti-Sharia lobbies in Nigeria. SIERRA LEONE: Ukraine to send peacekeepers Ukraine has offered troops and equipment to the UN Mission in Sierra Leone, following India's announcement of its intention to withdraw. The offer was made by Ukranian Foreign Minister Borys Takasyuk and is a follow-up to the country's declared intention to increase its involvement in ending African crises, the Ukranian new agency, UNIAN, reported on Friday. SIERRA LEONE: UN Security Council mission due A UN Security Council team is due to visit Freetown on 7-14 October to review procedures for full compliance with the council's resolutions and improve the effectiveness of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone, UNAMSIL. In a letter made public on Monday, Council President Moctar Ouane told Secretary-General Kofi Annan that the mission would review, with the Sierra Leone government, the progress made in implementing the Lome Peace Agreement that was meant to end that country's nine-year civil war. Ouane said the team would "consider the regional dimensions of the crisis, including its humanitarian aspects, and what other measures the Council could envisage taking in this regard". UNITED NATIONS: Drive to wipe out polio Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, said on Wednesday it would join a global effort to wipe out polio. President Olusegun Obasanjo made the commitment to leaders from business, government, UN agencies and humanitarian groups who met at the UN headquarters to galvanise financial and political resources to create a polio-free world by 2005. Nigeria, with a population of 120 million, will be part of an effort beginning in October to eradicate polio in 17 countries of West and Central Africa. The immunisation campaign will attempt to reach 70 million children under five years of age within one week. The UN described this as "the largest regional health initiative ever undertaken in Africa". UNITED NATIONS: Discussions to improve peacekeeping The UN Security Council on Wednesday held its first consultations on recommendations designed to improve UN peacekeeping operations around the world. Council President Moctar Ouane of Mali told reporters that Council members had agreed on the importance of "clear, credible and achievable" mandates. They also agreed on what they saw as a critical need to ensure that peacekeeping missions were deployed rapidly, with the necessary levels of qualified, equipped and well-supported personnel, a unified chain of command and clear rules of engagement, Ouane said. Specific recommendations are to be made to the Council by the end of October. A report in August by the Panel on Peace Operations recommended providing peacekeeping troops with the authorisation, equipment and backing to respond to violence against civilians and to take action against one side in a conflict if it violates peace agreements. Abidjan, 29 September 2000; 18:00 GMT [IRIN-WA: Tel: +225 22-40-4440; Fax (Admin): +225 22-40-4435; Fax (Editorial Desk): +225-22-41-9339; e-mail: irin-wa@irin.ci] [This item is delivered in the "africa-english" service of the UN's IRIN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or to change your keywords, contact e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org or Web: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. 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