| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER |
Department of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network
for West Africa
Tel: +225 21-63-35
Fax: +225 21-63-35
e-mail: irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci
IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 34-97 of Events in West Africa, 22 August 1997
[As a supplement to its weekly roundups of main events in West Africa, IRIN-WA will produce a daily synopsis of international media reports on the region. IRIN issues these reports for the benefit of the humanitarian community but accepts no responsibility as to the accuracy of the original source.]
SIERRA LEONE - Envoy accuses AFRC of atrocities
Sierra Leone's envoy to the United Nations, James Jonah, has written to the UN Security Council formally informing them of atrocities carried out by the country's military regime. The atrocities listed include the killing of two students during a police clamp down in Freetown on Monday to stop an anti-government march. According to Jonah, six other students were seriously wounded in the incident. In a letter to the Security Council, Jonah accused the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, led by Major Johnny Paul Koroma, of continuing to carry out 'dastardly acts' against civilians since the 25 May coup which toppled the elected government of President Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. Kabbah is due to lead a Sierra Leone delegation at a two day summit next week which has been called by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Source: AFP.
SIERRA LEONE - Newspapers close because of insecurity
Two leading newspapers in Sierra Leone said today that they would stop printing because 'prevailing conditions were not conducive for free expression.' The press freedom group Reporteurs San Frontieres protested earlier this month about a number of human rights violations. Only eight of the 52 newspapers which were published before the coup are still operating. Information and broadcasting commissioner, Sedu Turay, dismissed the charge as 'baseless'. Source: AFP.
LIBERIA - Country is broke, says Taylor
Liberia's state coffers are virtually empty while the country is in debt to the tune of three billion US dollars, Liberia's new President Charles Taylor told the nation on Thursday in his first presidential address. Warning Liberians that they must tighten their belts to rebuild the country, Taylor said that some US$ 2.5 million was owed in civil service salary arrears while a similar figure had been overdrawn by the central bank. The treasury had less that US$ 17,000. The previous two interim governments had operated without budgets, he said. 'There was no fiscal control in collection of revenue and the fiscal indiscipline proved grossly inadequate.' Taylor told Liberians that the new government would solicit the support of the international financial community while exercising strict financial discipline at home. Source: PANA & Star Radio in Liberia (Foundation Hirondelle).
LIBERIA - Crackdown on crime
Joint patrols between the West African peacekeeping force (ECOMOG) and Liberia's force have begun in Monrovia to check the wave of crime in the city following a spate of armed robberies. In his presidential speech, Taylor said that his administration would deal firmly with the situation and ordered security forces to 'act swiftly and uncompromisingly.' He also stated that Liberian airports and other ports of entry would be fortified against drug trafficking to guard Liberia's youth against the effects of drug abuse. Fighters of Taylor's now-defunct armed faction were widely reported to have gone into battle under the influence of narcotics. Source: Star Radio in Liberia (Foundation Hirondelle).
LIBERIA - New passports issued
Liberia's foreign ministry began issuing new passports yesterday to replace old ones, which it said had been used for criminal purposes dueing the seven-year civil war. The ministry said that many groups had been engaged in the duplication of Liberian passports which had been sold to non-Liberians involved in criminal acts in many parts of the world. As a result, holders of genuine passports faced embarrassment. The new passports are said to have been designed to prevent forgery. All three categories of new passport, ordinary, official and diplomatic, are being sold for US$ 20 each. The old passports will be invalid after 31 December this year. Source: AFP.
SENEGAL - Bodies of soldiers found
The bodies of 23 of the missing 26 Senegalese soldiers were recovered on Thursday in a grave near Mandina Mancagne, southeast of Ziguinchor. The soldiers disappeared during a minor skirmish with members of the separatists group the Casamance Movement of Democratic Forces (Mouvement des Forces Democratiques de Casamance - MFDC). The soldiers were combing the area near Ziguinchor on Tuesday to secure the area against rebel attacks when the incident took place. According to the head of the Senegalese Army, 30 separatists were killed and an important rebel base dismantled. There is concern that the incidences of fighting, which seem to be increasing in frequency, will compromise the peace process. Source: AFP.
NIGERIA - Foreign minister challenges committee
Nigeria's foreign minister has asked a national committee to advise him whether or not Nigeria should remain in the British-led Commonwealth. The 53-member organisation suspended Nigeria following the execution of nine minority leaders, including activist Ken saro-Wiwa, in November 1995. The Commonwealth also gave Nigeria two years to democratise or risk expulsion. The minister, Tom Ikimi, said that if the committee proved that Nigeria could not exist without the Commonwealth, he would follow the recommendation because he was a 'consensus man.' However, if they could not show him why Nigeria must remain in the commonwealth 'we must call their bluff,' he stated. Nigeria is also under sanctions from the European Union and United States over human rights and democracy issues.
The US ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington, who is blamed by Nigerian officials for the frosty relations between Washington and Abuja is to leave his post in October. Carrington, who has clashed regularly with the military regime, was a noted critic of the country's human rights record and slow return to democracy, promised for October next year. Sources: PANA and AFP.
MALI - Opposition leaders begin hunger strike
The ten opposition leaders detained last week after a policeman was killed during an opposition rally have begun a hunger strike, protesting against jail conditions and the judicial process that led to their detention. The ten are charged with committing acts of violence, assault and battery. Some 300 party members staged a sit-in in front of the headquarters of the US/RDA (Union Soudanaise/Rassemblement Democratique African) to protest the arrest and detention of their leaders. Source: Radio France Internationale via BBC Monitoring.
Equatorial Guinea - Spain not considering extradition
The Spanish government has announced it is not considering, for the moment, withdrawing the refugee status of Equatorial Guinean opposition leader Severo Moto, who was sentenced in absentia to 101 years imprisonment for high treason. Moto and twelve others were tried in absentia in Equatorial Guinea for plotting a coup d'etat. Three Spaniards accused of involvement in the plot received 36 years imprisonment, also in their absence. Source: World News Service.
NIGER - New airlink to open
Air Algerie has announced a new airlink between Tamanrasset and the Niger cities of Agadez and Niamey as an extension of its Sahel network in West Africa. The link will open 28 August. Source: Algerian radio via BBC Monitoring.
BENIN - Parliaments call for end to Libya sanctions
The Executive Board of the Union of African Parliaments (UAP) has tabled a resolution calling for an end to UN sanctions on Libya. The resolution will be submitted to the 20th Conference of the Union which opens today (Friday) in Cotonou, Benin. The UN Security Council imposed sanctions and other measures against Libya in 1993 following the bombing of a Pan-Am aeroplane over Lockerbie, Scotland, and a UTA plane over Niger. Libya has refused to extradite two Libyans suspected of involvement in the bombings. Source: PANA.
Abidjan, 22 August 1997
[ENDS]
[Via the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs Integrated Regional Information Network for West Africa (IRIN-WA) Reports mailing list. The material contained in this communication may not necessarily reflect the views of the UN or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts from this report should be attributed to the original sources where appropriate. For further information: e-mail irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci, Tel: +225 217367 Fax: +225 216335.]
Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19970822193553.00b22c30@pop.africaonline.co.ci> Date: Fri, 22 Aug 1997 19:35:53 +0100 From: UN DHA IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci> Subject: IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 34-97, 22 August 1997 97.8.22
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
| Previous Menu | Home Page | What's New | Search | Country Specific |