UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
IRIN-West Africa Update 256 22.7.98

IRIN-West Africa Update 256 22.7.98


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 256 of Events in West Africa, (Wednesday) 22 July 1998

NIGERIA: Police shut down party offices

As police in Nigeria shut down the offices of five discredited political parties dissolved earlier this week, a former presidential candidate took up the military government's offer to set up new associations in preparation for promised democratic elections next year.

Media reports said the authorities in Lagos moved quickly to seal off the headquarters of the five registered parties, which analysts say discredited themselves earlier this year by adopting the late Head of State General Sani Abacha as their sole candidate for a civilian presidency. Armed police reportedly stopped party workers from entering premises to stop looting of public property, while military officers wound down party affairs.

Nigeria's new military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, dismissed the parties. In a major address to the nation on Monday, he promised to restore democracy in Nigeria, which the military has ruled for all but six years since independence from Britain in 1960. Abubakar also gave the go-ahead for politicians to register new political parties.

Former presidential candidate Dr Tunji Braithwaite, who has already unsuccessfully stood in two elections, was the first to announce the formation of his party on Tuesday, the Democratic Advance Movement, Nigerian radio said.

According to AFP, Braithwaite praised Abubakar's speech for tackling the country's problems "satisfactorily". "The convergence of minds between us is remarkable," he said.

Opposition unconvinced

However, exiled Nigerian opposition member and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka said on Tuesday he was unconvinced by the military government's promise to restore democracy by May of next year.

Speaking in an interview with AFP, Soyinka said the military would select its own leader and deny voters a chance to elect the president. "This is very disappointing," he said. "It is not yet time to abandon the opposition," he added.

GUINEA BISSAU: Former Portuguese president appeals for peace

Former Portuguese President Mario Soares appealed on Tuesday for a peaceful solution to Guinea Bissua's civil war, the Portuguese news agency Lusa said.

Speaking in Lisbon after meeting with Guinea Bissau community leader Jose Pelligrin Henriques, Soares said there was no military solution to the seven-week long army revolt against President Joao Bernardo Vieira.

Soares reportedly also rejected suggestions he mediate between Vieira and the rebels led by former chief-of-staff, Anusmane Mane, insisting the community of Portuguese-speaking countries and the Catholic Church should take the lead. Soares reportedly criticised Senegal's intervention on Vieira's behalf, saying: "No one can rule against the will of the people and with the help of foreign troops."

Meanwhile, Henriques said he believed the conflict in Guinea Bissau was not just a military rebellion. The crisis could lead to Senegal annexing the country, he warned.

LIBERIA: Taylor "failed Liberia"

Liberia's President Charles Taylor told delegates at a national reconciliation conference on Tuesday that his administration had failed Liberia, independent Star Radio reported.

According to the Monrovia-based station, Taylor said he had wanted to do more for the people, but lack of funds had "tied his hands". Taylor reportedly said he was aware of the problems of unemployment and damaged infrastructure, but the international community had "failed to deliver".

Taylor called on Liberians to forget their differences and "unite in nation building".However, senior diplomatic sources in Monrovia told IRIN on Wednesday that Taylor's comments were "misleading".

According to one source, Liberia had already defaulted on some US$ 3 billion it owed to international lending groups. "The reality is there is no new money until they can service this debt," he said. "The government has to get its house in order and implement sound macro-economic policies, control its security forces and attend to human rights before the international releases funding," he added.

WEST AFRICA: First Ladies meeting

West African First Ladies will meet in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, next week for a two-day "peace mission", PANA reported on Wednesday.

Ghana's First Lady and the group's First Vice-Chairperson, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, is reportedly hosting the "African ladies strive for peace" conference as a follow-up to last year's event in Abuja.

PANA quoted Ghana's foreign affairs minister, James Victor Gbeho as saying the discussions would centre on how women can get more involved in the resolution of conflicts.

Although women and children are hardest hit during conflicts, they are the least represented on peace missions, he said.

Abidjan, 22 July 1998 16:50 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, 22 Jul 1998 16:54:03 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.dha.unon.org> Subject: IRIN-West Africa Update 256 22.7.98 Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.980722164833.16976A-100000@wa.dha.unon.org>

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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