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IRIN-WA Update 246 of Events in West Africa, (Wednesday) 8 July 1998
NIGERIA: Abubakar moves to stem backlash
Nigeria's military leader, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, sacked his entire cabinet on Wednesday in a bid to calm violent unrest sparked by the sudden death of gaoled opposition leader Chief Moshood Abiola, news agencies reported. At least 17 people died in clashes with police late on Tuesday and on Wednesday as news of his death spread.
In a tribute to Abiola broadcast nationwide on Wednesday evening, Abubakar said: "For me personally and for the whole of the nation, this must be one of the saddest moments of our lives." He said an autopsy would be conducted, in accordance with the wishes of the Abiola family, by a team of pathologists from the United States, Britain and Canada.
Although calm returned to Lagos, where youths went on the rampage in the heaviest rioting, by Wednesday evening, news agencies said the situation on the streets of many cities in Abiola's native south-west remained tense. Agencies also reported rioting in his birthplace, Abeokuta, in the southwest Yoruba heartland. Disturbances were also reported in the country's second city, Ibadan.
Last moments
Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 elections, collapsed with a suspected heart attack while discussing his release with a US delegation led by Under-Secretary of State Thomas Pickering, the State Department said.
Opposition suspects foul play
Although Pickering said he did not suspect foul play, Nigeria's opposition blamed the military government for his death. A representative of the Nigerian Medical Association -- which had already demanded Abiola's release on health grounds -- said it held the junta "responsible" for his death even if it had not directly killed him, AFP reported.
His daughter, Hafsat, told CNN news: "We have been trying for 18 months to get my father access to his doctor," she said. "He died either because medical neglect brought on a heart attack or because they poisoned him."
Nigerian political activist Oya Soyinka told the BBC it was "not beyond the bounds of medical possibility" something could have been administered to Abiola prior to the meeting. "The future of Nigeria as a united state is going to be put in great doubt," he said.
Amnesty demands inquiry
Meanwhile, the London-based human rights organisation, Amnesty International called on Wednesday for a full inquiry into Abiola's death. Whatever the findings of the autopsy, it said an independent judicial inquiry should investigate whether medical neglect and harsh conditions of imprisonment may have contributed to his death.
"It seems very probable that the physically and mentally stressful conditions under which he was held contributed to his unexpected death," Amnesty said.
World leaders react
President Bill Clinton said he had been encouraged by steps taken towards democracy following the death of the former Nigerian head of state, General Sani Abacha, exactly one month ago. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and South Africa's President Nelson Mandela also expressed their sorrow at Abiola's death, urging Nigeria to speed up the process of democratic reform.
Special Report
This update is accompanied by an IRIN special report looking at the consequences of Abiola's death. Subscribers who may not have received this report can request it by e-mail to irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci with "abiola" in the subject line.
GUINEA BISSAU: Senegalese "occupation force"
The Roman Catholic bishop of Bissau, Settimio Ferrazzetta, on Tuesday said troops sent by neighbouring Senegal to support President Joao Bernardo Vieira were responsible for uncontrolled looting in the capital, news organisations reported.
Portuguese radio also quoted refugees fleeing the fighting as saying Senegalese troops were "behaving like an occupation force". According to one refugee, women had been raped and sexually abused during searches. "We do not see national troops on the government's side," the refugee added.
In an urgent appeal to the outside world, the bishop said people in Bissau were now calling for the withdrawal of Senegalese forces, which reportedly advanced on Tuesday against rebel positions near the international airport.
According to the bishop, hundreds of thousands of people in the country were now also without food and medecine as a result of the month-long army mutiny.
Intervention exacerbates the crisis - agencies
Meanwhile, European NGOs meeting in Brussels on Tuesday also said intervention by foreign troops in Guinea Bissau had worsened the crisis.
In a press relase issued at the end of the meeting, which was also attended by the European commissioner for aid, Emma Bonino, NGOs said the war in Guinea Bissau now risked becoming a prolonged conflict. "Foreign troops have not re-established law and order, but instead have contributed to the displacement of more than 350,000 people and the deaths of a significant number of people," the statement said.
NGOs called for an immediate ceasefire, the opening of humanitarian corridors into Guinea Bissau, and the urgent establishment of a mission to monitor human rights in the country.
Abidjan, 8 July 1998, 19:30 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, 8 Jul 1998 19:45:46 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.dha.unon.org> Subject: IRIN-West Africa Update 246, 98.7.8 Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.980708193934.11981C-100000@wa.dha.unon.org>
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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