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.ci


WEST AFRICA
IRIN-WA Weekly Roundup 157
04 - 10 January 2003


CONTENTS:

COTE D'IVOIRE:  West and southwest latest 'hot-bed'
NIGERIA: Parties gearing up for presidential elections
LIBERIA: Religious leaders charged with treason
SENEGAL:  Casamance clash leaves many dead

COTE D'IVOIRE:  West and southwest latest 'hot-bed'

A series of clashes this week rendered western and southwestern Cote
d'Ivoire the latest "hot spot" as thousands of displaced have fled towns
in the area and have sought refuge in safe areas in Abidjan and its
environs as well as in towns in central Cote d'Ivoire.

The southwestern port city of San Pedro had become the latest transit town
for the men, women and children who this week fled fighting that broke out
in towns such as Duekoue, Neka, and Grabo. The latest incident took place
on Thursday when the Ivorian national army, using helicopters, attacked
Grabo. Earlier in the week Grabo had already been the scene of fighting
between the national army and rebels of the Ivorian Popular Movement of
the Great West (MPIGO).

The deteriorating situation has led the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
to relocate its western bureau, hitherto located in Guiglo near the Nicla
refugee camp, to Tabou. The World Food Programme is also contemplating
such a move so as to better manage the situation. An interagency mission
is slated to conduct a mission to the area next week.

UNHCR reiterated its concern for the thousands of mostly Liberian refugees
who are trapped in the west and appealed for their relocation either in
safer and more secured areas in Cote d'Ivoire or in neighbouring
countries. Attempts to relocate the refugees to the coastal city of
Grand-Lahou, 158 km west of Abidjan, were unsuccessful as residents and
local authorities cited overall insecurity fore refusing to accept the
refugees in the town.

The MPIGO and the Justice and Peace Movement (MJP) signed on Wednesday a
"verbal" ceasefire agreement with French troops stationed in the western
area. The two groups, who sprung out of the area in late November to, they
say, avenge the death of General Robert Guei, also said they would attend
next Wednesday's meeting of Cote d'Ivoire's major political actors in
Paris.

For IRIN coverage of Cote d'Ivoire please go to
http://www.irinnews.org/frontpage.asp?SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=Cote_d_Ivoire

NIGERIA: Parties gearing up for presidential elections

Nigeria's ruling party and the main opposition parties nominated this week
their candidates for presidential elections scheduled for 19 April 2003.

The ruling People's Democratic Party on Sunday held its convention where
delegates overwhelmingly voted for President Olusegun Obasanjo. Obasanjo
got than 75 percent of votes and used the opportunity to present his
running mate who is his actual vice president, Atiku Abubakar.

Three days later, the opposition All Nigeria's People Party on Wednesday
declared a former military ruler, Maj-Gen Muhammad Buhari, its candidate
for the polls, amid accusations from the other contestants that withdrew
from the race because of what they claimed was fraud and manipulation. He
chose Chuba Okadigbo, a former senate president and official of the PDP,
as his running mate.

The parties became the first two to designate their flag bearers for the
upcoming elections, four years after the first democratic elections that
ended 15 years of military rule. The vote is also considered crucial for
the West African nation, as it will test its ability to organise a
civilian transition of power. Previous attempts in 1966 and 1983 had been
accompanied by widespread electoral violence resulting in military
intervention.

LIBERIA: Religious leaders charged with treason

Two members of the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia detained by the
state since 28 December were charged with treason on Wednesday. David
Kiazolu and Christopher Toe had been arrested by government security
personnel on suspicion of being collaborators of the rebel Liberians
United For Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD).

Their lawyers had filed for their release at the Criminal Court of Liberia
on the grounds that they were being held without charge beyond the maximum
48 hours allowed by the constitution. The court ordered their release but
minutes later they were charged with treason.

The two men were being detained at the Monrovia Central Prison.

SENEGAL:  Casamance clash leaves many dead

The Senegalese national army and rebels of the Mouvement des Forces
Democratiques de Casamance (MFDC) clashed this week in Casamance, southern
Senegal, leaving several dead on both sides. Both sides claimed "victory"
in the skirmish, the first in several weeks.

While according to the military, the clash was part of a "securisation
campaign," the MFDC deemed it a provocation.

MFDC spokesman Alexandre Djiba told IRIN on Thursday that there had not
been any significant advance made regarding proposed peace talks on the
Casamance conflict, which has now entered its 22nd year.  The conflict is
essentially over sovereignty and self-determination as the MFDC had stated
that it wants independence for Casamance, which is cut off from the rest
of Senegal by The Gambia. MFDC arguments include marginalization of the
region and the fact that Casamance was not under French colonial authority
when present-day Senegal was still a colony. ON the other side, successive
governments have said Casamance belongs to Senegal.

An armed rebellion broke out in 1982.


IRIN-WA
Tel: +225 22-40-4440
Fax: +225 22-41-9339
Email: IRIN-WA@irin.ci

[This Item is Delivered to 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.irinnews.org . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this
item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Reposting by commercial
sites requires written IRIN permission.]

Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2003


distributed by
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International Disaster Information
Volunteers in Technical Assistance
                                          web: www.cidi.org
                                     listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
West Africa                      www.cidi.org/humanitarian/irin/wafrica