UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
IRIN-West Africa Update 166, 98.3.16

IRIN-West Africa Update 166, 98.3.16


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 21-73-54 Fax: +225 21-63-35 e-mail: irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci

IRIN-WA Update 166 of Events in West Africa, (Saturday-Monday) 14-16 March 1998

SIERRA LEONE: British motion to lift fuel sanctions

The British envoy to the UN said he had "introduced a draft technical resolution" to "lift the embargo on petrol and petroleum products" against Sierra Leone, the UN reported. Ambassador John Weston said he expected the Security Council to endorse the text on Monday "without controversy." An embargo on arms will remain in place for the time being, the UK envoy said. The sanctions were adopted on 8 October 1997 as part of efforts to restore democracy after a military junta toppled President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah in May 1997.

The UK envoy's move came as the Security Council, through a statement to the press read by its president, Abdoulie Momodou Sallah of Gambia, welcomed President Kabbah's return to Freetown and his commitment to reconciliation and a broad-based government. The Council thanked humanitarian agencies and the West African ECOMOG intervention force for their role in the war-torn country. The Security Council also welcomed the re-opening of the UN office in Freetown under Francis Okelo, the Secretary General's Special Envoy to Sierra Leone.

ECOMOG captures over 4,000 prisoners

ECOMOG has captured more than 4,000 war prisoners in northern Sierra Leone, AFP quoted the local commander of the West African intervention force as saying on Monday. The prisoners were taken during ECOMOG's offensive against the northern towns of Port Loko, Lunsar, Makeni and Kamakwie after the junta was flushed out of the capital on 12 February, said Colonel Ade Sinah. Sinah said a support company from Guinea was stationed in Kambia, 80 km north of Freetown, to assist in "mop-up" operations in the border area. Kambia is located in Sierra Leone eight km from the border with Guinea. Meanwhile independent Star Radio reported that investigations into the conduct of junta loyalists were continuing in Freetown. It said that several high-ranking officials are being probed and more arrests are being made.

In Freetown President Kabbah appointed his spokesman in the person of Septimus Kaikai, a former teacher who spent 22 years in the USA.

Refugees want repatriation from Nigeria

Sierra Leonean refugees in Nigeria called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Sunday to repatriate them to their home country, according to the News Agency of Nigeria. Paul Minah, a counselor at Sierra Leone's High Commission in the Nigerian capital, said the refugees - about 500 - "were waiting for a feedback on the issue from UNHCR."

LIBERIA: Reconciliation chief under threat

The chairman of Liberia's National Reconciliation Commission said on Sunday that he was not prepared to return to the country for fear of assassination, Star Radio reported. A long-time rival of President Charles Taylor who appointed him to the reconciliation body, opposition politician Alhaji Kromah said he would love to come and contribute to the healing of wounds in the country. But he had been advised by some influential persons not to return because of plans to assassinate him. Kromah is currently in the USA.

GUINEA: Border with Liberia soon to reopen

Guinea is about to re-open the border with Liberia to allow some 60,000 refugees to repatriate, a UNHCR spokesperson told IRIN. Speaking from Abidjan on Monday, the spokesperson said the official word from the Guinean authorities is that the border will be open as of 23 March. Guinea closed the border in November 1997 after civil strife spilled over from Liberia. The Director of UNHCR's Central, East and West Africa Bureau, Albert-Alain Peters has arrived in the Ivorian capital after visiting the region. UNHCR officials are meeting in Abidjan on Tuesday to review progress on the voluntary repatriation and re-integration of 480,000 Liberian refugees in exile in West Africa.

NIGERIA: Attacks on human rights

Barely a week before Pope John Paul II visits the country, Nigeria's human rights record came under critical focus in both Geneva and London, news agencies reported on Friday and Saturday. Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea are two West African countries on the agenda of the UN Human Rights Commission, AFP reported. The body opens its 54th annual session on Monday for six weeks. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin will make speeches on Tuesday as about 40 foreign ministers convene to mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In London on Friday Tony Lloyd, Junior Minister at the British Foreign Office, told Parliament that Britain would use its current presidency of the European Union to press for a resolution on Nigeria during the Human Rights Commission session in April, Reuters reported. Lloyd said the UK government was concerned about the continuing detention of Chief Moshood Abiola and of several political prisoners, the health of prisoners in detention, continued detention and harassment of journalists, and the fate of a number of people belonging to the Ogoni ethnic minority. Lloyd's declarations came as human rights groups meeting in London called on the Pope to raise the question of human rights when he pays Nigeria a three-day visit on 21 March, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile the United Action for Democracy (UAD), which groups 26 Nigerian opposition groups, called for a rally to be held in Lagos on 24 March. Earlier, supporters of the military ruler, General Sani Abacha, had called for a rally in Lagos on the same day.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Government denies Amnesty claims

Equatorial Guinea's deputy Prime Minister in charge of foreign affairs, Miguel Oyono on Friday "formally" denied claims by the human rights group Amnesty International that five Bubi separatists had died of ill-treatment at the hands of the authorities, said Radio France Internationale (RFI). Oyono said that one of the five alleged victims, Miguel Barboza, died of malaria in hospital. He added that he was still waiting for Amnesty International to answer his invitation to visit the country.

MAURITANIA: Two ministers sacked

President Maaouya Taya sacked two members of government without explanation on Saturday and appointed new ministers, AFP reported. Mohamad El-Moctar Ould Zamel succeeds Ould Mohamed Saleh as minister for fisheries. Mintate Mint Hedeid is replacing Mint M'Heiham as junior minister for women and family affairs. The government, headed by Prime Minister Mohamed Lemine Ould Guig, was formed in December 1997. Already in January the Mauritanian president, Colonel Taya, had sacked two ministers after accusing them of serious professional misconduct.

Abidjan, 16 March 1998, 17:20 gmt

[ENDS]

[The material contained in this communication comes to you via IRIN West Africa, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. UN IRIN-WA Tel: +225 21 73 66 Fax: +225 21 63 35 e-mail: irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci for more information or subscription. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this report, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. IRIN reports are archived on the Web at: http://www.reliefweb.int/emergenc or can be retrieved automatically by sending e-mail to archive@dha.unon.org . Mailing list: irin-wa-updates]

Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 17:21:19 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.dha.unon.org> ubject: IRIN-West Africa Update 166, 98.3.16 Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.980316170842.13276A-100000@wa.dha.unon.org>

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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