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IRIN-WA Update 226 of Events in West Africa, (Wednesday) 10 June 1998
GUINEA BISSAU: Senegal and Guinea stand by government
As army mutineers held out for a fourth day in their
showdown against Guinea Bissau's government, media
reports said neighbouring countries had sent troops
to reinforce soldiers loyal to President Joao Bernardo
Vieira.
According to the BBC and Reuters, up to 1,700 soldiers
from Senegal and Guinea (Conakry) were now reported
to be in the capital, Bissau. Nevertheless, AFP quoted
Senegal's justice minister on Tuesday as denying any
Senegalese troops were involved in the operation. "We
have a tradition of non-interference," he said.
The revolt started at the weekend following the appointment
of a new army chief of staff, General Humberto Gomes.
His predecessor, Absumane Mane, was suspended earlier
this year after several military officers were arrested
for allegedly smuggling weapons to separatist rebels
in Senegal's southern province of Casamance.
Rebels control international airport
Media reports said rebel troops seized two army barracks
on the outskirts of the city on Sunday. They had since
also seized control of the international airport after
troops guarding it swapped sides.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese news agency Lusa said on Wednesday
it had received a statement from Mane. "Mane said
that the government did not control the situation in
the capital, and demanded President Bernardo 'Nino'
Vieira and his executive resign to spare the country
bloodshed," the Lusa dispatch said. "Mane
said that his forces had no long-term political ambitions
and called for free and transparent elections in July."
Mane also said he was on the verge of ending Vieira's
18-year rule over the former Portuguese colony. Only
the risk of "heavy casualties" stopped him
overrunning the city centre.
But an opposition politician was quoted by Reuters as
announcing the rebels wanted to "find ground for
negotiations". According to AFP, Vieira gave permission
on Wednesday to open talks following a late night meeting
with national assembly leaders. He insisted, however,
the rebels first agree to a ceasefire. This reportedly
came into effect by the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Diplomats described the military situation in the capital
as a "stalemate" and the Portuguese foreign
minister, Jaime Gama, said contingency plans had been
drawn up for the evacuation of foreign nationals, Reuters
reported.
News agencies estimated some 30 people had so far been
killed in the fighting. Hundreds of others were reportedly
fleeing the city fearing the crisis would escalate.
Food supplies were also becoming scarce, Reuters reported,
as shops largely remained closed.
NIGERIA: Abubakar pledges transition will go ahead
Nigeria's new military leader, General Abdulsalam Abubakar,
told television viewers on Tuesday that his government
remained fully committed to implementing the late General
Sani Abacha's programme of transition to civilian rule,
media reports said.
In his first public address since the sudden death of
his predecessor on Monday, Abubakar appealed to all
Nigerians to join the process of national reconstruction
and reconciliation. Abubakar said he needed everyone's
full co-operation "to succeed in this sacred endeavour".
He called on all those in "self exile" to
return home.
But the six-minute address would have disappointed many
waiting to hear news about releasing the country's
political prisoners, news agencies said. According
to the BBC, Abubakar's reference to "self exile"
would also insult Nigerian activists who had been forced
to flee the country for fear of arrest by the military.
Responding to the address, leading human rights campaigner
Gani Fawehinmi said Abubakar was nothing "but
an incarnation of Abacha", Reuters reported.
The main opposition group, the United Action for Democracy,
also said it also rejected Abubakar's appointment and
would go ahead with demonstrations on Friday calling
for an immediate end to military rule.
October deadline
Meanwhile, another senior military officer, Air Vice-Marshal
Isaac Alfa, said the government would stick with the
October deadline fixed by Abacha for the restoration
of democracy. But he added that the date for August
presidential elections could change, the BBC reported.
However, it said the real test of the military's commitment
to a transition would be whether there was a free choice
of candidates or if pressure was applied by the military.
All five of Nigeria's registered political parties
had picked Abacha as their consensus candidate.
OAU: Annual summit ends
The 34th annual summit of the OAU ended in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Wednesday with a decision to send a high-level mission to try and mediate an end to the new border conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Officials and media reports said the OAU, with a plea by South African President Nelson Mandela, also sought to ease UN sanctions on Libya.
The summit, however, was largely overshadowed by the death of General Abacha in Nigeria and a military revolt in Guinea Bissau, analysts said. Media reports said OAU leaders were thus unable to do little more than urge Nigeria's new military leadership to restore democracy and call for a ceasefire in Guinea Bissau.
Blaise Compaore, the president of Burkina Faso, succeeded Robert Mugabe as new OAU chairman.
Yellow Fever congress
In a separate development, PANA news agency reported on Wednesday that health experts from most OAU countries, the UN and Western governments will hold an international seminar aimed at tackling the disease yellow fever. The seminar, to be held in Dakar, Senegal, 25-27 June, will discuss how the disease had resurfaced in Africa despite the availability of yellow fever vaccine over the last 50 years. It quoted WHO and French figures as saying that 34 countries in sub-Saharan Africa were at risk.
Abidjan, 10 June, 1998 17:30 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: Wed, 10 Jun 1998 17:40:18 +0000 (GMT) Subject: IRIN-West Africa Update 226, 98.6.10 Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.980610173745.11091A-p://www.reliefweb.int/emergenc
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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