IRIN-West Africa Update 190, 98.4.20

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IRIN-WA Update 190 of Events in West Africa, (Saturday-Monday ) 18-20 April 1998

SIERRA LEONE: Heavy fighting continues in east

The Sierra Leonean government on Friday announced that the West African intervention force, ECOMOG, had gained control of the eastern diamond town of Koidu, Reuters reported. A spokesman of Sierra Leonean President Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah told a news conference that Koidu had been captured and ECOMOG was pushing forward on to Kailahun and Koindu. But according to Reuters, sources close to ECOMOG and aid workers in the area said remnants of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) were holding out in the eastern section of Koidu. Aid workers, quoted by agency, added that ECOMOG was fighting to take the eastend district held by the ousted junta with the support of about "500 former rebels from Liberia". Aid workers in the Kono district reportedly told their Freetown headquarters that an estimated 1,000 Sierra Leonean civilians per day had been crossing into neighbouring Liberia to flee fighting. No independent confirmation was available.

Meanwhile, rebel forces in Sierra Leone said they were in control of Koindu, the capital of Kailahun, independent Star Radio reported on Sunday. The radio quoted the RUF leader, Sam Bockari, speaking from an undisclosed location, as saying his fighters controlled several towns in the area. He described the situation in the area as tense.

Nine Nigerian soldiers killed in fighting

Nine Nigerian soldiers belonging to ECOMOG were killed during fighting in eastern Sierra Leone, AFP reported on Monday, quoting Arthur Williams, a chief pathologist in Freetown. Williams told reporters that the soldiers were killed in the diamond-rich Kono district. He added that eight other ECOMOG soldiers had died in a road accident and a further three from natural causes. The bodies are scheduled to be flown out to Nigeria later on Monday.

UN to deploy 10 military and security officers

The UN Security Council on Friday authorised the deployment of 10 UN military and security officers to Sierra Leone to report on the military situation and assist in the disarmament exercise, a UN press release said. They will assess and assist in finalising planning by ECOMOG for future tasks, such as identification of former combatants to be disarmed and the disarmament plan. The officers will work under the Secretary-General's Special Envoy, Francis Okelo, and in close collaboration with the Sierra Leonean government and ECOMOG. The Security Council also welcomed Kabbah's efforts towards restoring peace and security in the country, re-establishing an effective administration and embarking on reconstruction and rehabilitation. The Security Council also commended the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for its role in helping restore peace and security.

In a related development, the European Union (EU) allocated US$ 7 million to assist in the reintegration of loyal demobilised soldiers into society, Reuters reported on Friday. Kabbah's national security adviser, Sheka Mansary, said the funds would be used to set up camps and implement reintegration programmes during the next six months.

Thousands of civil servants paid

Thousands of civil servants, ministers and members of parliament received their pay cheques for the first time this year, AFP reported on Saturday, quoting the Sierra Leone finance minister. The report added that it was the first time that Kabbah had received a salary since taking office two years ago.

NIGER: More anti-government demonstrations

Opposition supporters demonstrated over the weekend in Zinder and Maradi, in southern Niger, calling for the resignation of Nigerien President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara, news organisations reported. Demonstrators on Sunday set fire to a police station and the regional headquarters of the ruling Rassemblement pour la democratie et le progres (RDP) in Zinder, the second largest town in Niger, 700 km east of Niamey, the capital.

According to Reuters, supporters of an eight-party opposition alliance in Maradi, 550 km east of the capital, Niamey, tried to march into the city centre on Saturday to protest against a planned RDP rally. Demonstrators ransacked buildings, built barricades and burned tyres. However, the pro-Mainassara rally went ahead with a heavy police presence. About 100 riot policemen were flown in from Niamey to contain the demonstrations. In clashes between security forces and demonstrators, some 10 people were wounded, four of whom policemen, Reuters reported. On Sunday, RDP officials and a visiting minister of sports, Abdoulrahamane Saidou, were attacked by opposition members, according to AFP. The minister's bodyguard was injured and taken to hospital for treatment. The prefect of Maradi, Major Aboubacar Algoumaret, said demonstrators on Sunday had targeted residences and property belonging to RDP supporters.

The Nigerien opposition Front pour la restauration et la defense de la democratie (FRDD), launched a nationwide series of demonstrations on 11 April to back up its call for Mainassara's resignation, news agencies reported.

Government denounces violence

The Nigerien minister of interior, Souley Abdoulaye, on Friday condemned the increase in violent political protests, adding that the security forces would do whatever was necessary to ensure the security of people and property, Reuters reported. Abdoulaye issued the warning at a news conference after groups of individuals ransacked or burned five vehicles, including one belonging to the army on Thursday.

In a related development, Abdoulaye on Friday said Wednesday's attack on a pro-opposition publishing house was not "politically motivated", according to AFP. He said the raid was an attempt to destabilise the regime. A dozen armed men stormed the premises of the publishing house, but were prevented from setting the building ablaze by police. The director of the publishing house claimed that the incident was politically motivated.

NIGERIA: Abacha to face elections unopposed

Nigerian military ruler General Sani Abacha won the endorsement of all five registered political parties as presidential candidate in elections slated for 1 August, news organisations reported on Monday. The last of the five parties, the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM), on Monday morning adopted Abacha as its consensus candidate at its convention in Maiduguri, 550 km north of Lagos, after bitter wrangling over whether he was eligible for nomination. The decision was put to a vote after the party hurriedly changing its constitution. In the final ballot, Abacha polled 1,368 votes against 408 for the GDM aspiring presidential candidate, Mohamed Yusuf. Yusuf's supporters held a small demonstration outside the stadium where the convention was being held. A senior GDM party official resigned saying he did not want to be part of a scheme to impose a key candidate on the party, BBC reported. The report said the decision meant that if, as widely expected, the Abacha chooses to stand, he would be unopposed in the contest.

On Saturday, three registered parties - the Congress for National Consensus (CNC), the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) and the National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCNC) chose Abacha by acclamation at their separate conventions. The dominant United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) was the first party to endorse Abacha at its convention on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the BBC, quoting a senior government spokesman, said on Monday the Nigerian government was cancelling the August presidential elections after the decision by the five registered political parties to back Abacha and would be holding a referendum instead. Local sources told IRIN that there had been no official statement to that effect.

Opposition coalition to prepare "mass actions"

The Nigerian opposition coalition, the United Action for Democracy (UAD), on Sunday called on Nigerians to boycott all elections under Abacha's transition to democracy, starting with the 25 April national assembly polls, news organisations reported. A UAD statement quoted by Reuters called on Nigerians not to vote in such circumstances as it would "indirectly" assist Abacha to impose himself on the nation. It promised to intensify a programme of civil disobedience and said "mass actions" would be announced within the next two weeks to push for a transitional programme. The statement also said that the current situation proved without a "shadow of doubt the validity of our long-held position that the transition programme cannot lead to a democratic end".

SENEGAL: Three killed in attack in east

Three people were killed and several others injured on Sunday during an attack by armed bandits on the Mama Ndao village in the department of Kidira, according to AFP. The assailants, suspected of being Mauritanian refugees, allegedly set fire to several compounds in the village in the Senegal, Mauritania, Mali border area, in retaliation for the death of four Mauritanian refugees last week. Security forces launched a military campaign to flush out the perpetrators. Clashes between rival communities last week have resulted in 10 deaths and several seriously injured.

LIBERIA: US concerns on junta training allegations

US ambassador to Sierra Leone John Hirsh said reports about Liberia's alleged role in training ousted Sierra Leone junta was creating "fear", independent Star Radio reported on Monday. Speaking in Monrovia during talks with Liberian Defence Minister Daniel Chea, Hirsh said his visit was part of an effort to find a solution to the crisis in Sierra Leone. He added that the US government was ready to support all initiatives aimed at resolving the crisis. Chea denied the allegations of training ousted junta members, describing them as "political propaganda and disinformation".

US pledges US$ 75 million

The US government pledged to provide US$ 75 million in two years towards Liberia's reconstruction, of which US $34 million would go towards humanitarian assistance, independent Star Radio reported on Saturday. There was no independent confirmation of this report.

408 Liberian refugees leave Ghana

A total of 408 Liberian refugees left a refugee camp near the Ghanaian capital, Accra, for Monrovia on Monday, AFP reported. UNHCR spokesman Khassim Diagne said this brought the number of returning Liberian refugees to 3,000. Diagne said UNHCR would repatriate hundreds of Liberians living in Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire this week. 17,000 Liberian refugees settled in Ghana after the Liberian civil war erupted in 1989.

MALI: Opposition threatens "civil disobedience"

The Malian radical opposition on Saturday threatened to launch a "civil disobedience" campaign despite having accepted former US president's mediation between the opposition and the ruling party, according to AFP. Oumar Dicko, a member of the coalition, said although they had accepted Carter's mediation, talks were necessary before the political crisis could be resolved. A local source told IRIN the opposition was attempting to pre-position itself for scheduled negotiations with the ruling party.

TOGO: Opposition presidential candidate

Togo's largest parliamentary opposition party on Friday chose its leader, Yaovi Agboyibo, as its presidential candidate to challenge Togolese head of state Gnassingbe Eyadema in June, news agencies reported. Agboyibo, a lawyer, was unanimously adopted at a one-day congress of the Comite d'action pour le renouveau (CAR). Eyadema has been in power since 1967.

WEST AFRICA: Panafrican military exercises in Togo

A regional military exercise for West African troops began in Togo on Friday to prepare soldiers for multinational peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, Reuters reported quoting a Togolese high command statement. Separate manoeuvres were scheduled simultaneously in Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria. Officers from Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Guinea were involved in the exercise, while observers were expected from Britain, France and United States.

Energy crisis continues

The Ghanaian minister of mines and energy, Fred Ohene-Kena, said the energy crisis would be over in December as soon as generators were put in place, PANA reported on Saturday. Ohene-Kena told reporters that arrangements were under way for private investors to provide an additional 200 megawatts of power by June.

Meanwhile, Nigeria will provide Benin and Togo with 70 megawatts of electricity a day in 12 months' time, Reuters reported. This represents half of the two countries' needs. The three countries agreed to reactivate an old project linking power systems between their countries. The project will cost US$ 40 million and Nigeria has promised to contribute US$ 22 million.

Togo, Benin and Ghana are facing a severe power shortage owing to a drought.

Abidjan, 20 April 1998, 19:15 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, 20 Apr 1998 19:25:46 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.dha.unon.org> Subject: IRIN-West Africa Update 190, 98.4.20 Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.980420192423.6933A-100000@wa.dha.unon.org>

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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