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IRIN-WA Update 273 of Events in West Africa, (Friday) 14 August 1998
SIERRA LEONE: ECOMOG recaptures strategic town in east
The West African intervention force, ECOMOG, has recaptured an important diamond town from rebels in the east of the country, news agencies reported on Thursday, quoting ECOMOG officers.
ECOMOG, backed by Kamajor fighters, captured Gandahorun after 10 days' heavy fighting. A senior officer described the fall of Gandahorun as a "back-breaking blow" for the rebels. He said the diamonds mined there "bought large quantities of arms and ammunition from across the border in Liberia", Reuters said. Gandohorun is also strategically located between the major diamond centres of Kono and Kailahun. The rebels still control in number of towns in this area, including Kailahun.
No official casualty figures were available but Kamajor commanders in Freetown quoted by Reuters said at least 60 rebels had died in the fighting. AFP reported 32 rebels killed.
According to AFP on Friday, ECOMOG also retook the eastern town of Yamandu, in Kono district, which had been held by the rebels for more than four months. The local brigade commander was quoted as saying rebels had suffered heavy casualties.
ECOMOG has continued to face resistance from forces loyal to the toppled junta in several parts of the country.
GUINEA BISSAU: Bishop warns ceasefire could break down
The bishop of Bissau, Settimio Ferrazzetta, on Thursday expressed concern that postponement of peace talks between the government and rebels could lead to a resumption of fighting, news organisations reported. The talks were scheduled for 18 and 19 August in the Cape Verdean island of Sal.
Meanwhile, the Guinea Bissau mediation commission set up by the National Assembly, chaired by the bishop, also said the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) should continue its mediation with the support of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Rebels want lusophone mediation
In the debate as to who should lead the mediation drive,
the rebels led by Ansumane Mane reiterated their confidence
in the CPLP mediation efforts and urged the Guinea
Bissau government to respect the original timetable
and agenda for the talks, Portuguese Renascenca radio
reported on Thursday.
A communique issued by the rebels on Wednesday stressed the CPLP's "positive role". The rebels also invited ECOWAS to contribute to the peace process. But, the radio added, the rebels also believed that ECOWAS should not be in charge of the peace negotiations since forces from two of its member states, Senegal and Guinea (Conakry), had intervened to support government forces.
In interviews with the Portuguese broadcast media on Thursday, President Joao Bernardo Vieira said ECOWAS and the CPLP should join forces, AFP reported. Both organisations had a role to play in the talks, Vieira added. He acknowledged that postponement of the peace talks could jeapordise the ceasefire which is currently holding.
The Portuguese Foreign Ministry viewed the results of the ECOWAS-CPLP meeting in Abidjan "positively", the Portuguese 'Publico' newspaper said. According to the Portuguese secretary of state for foreign affairs, Luis Amado, the decision as to whether ECOWAS should mediate in the conflict was a matter for the two sides in Guinea Bissau.
NIGERIA: Military body to discuss new government
Nigeria's top military ruling body is to meet on Friday in the capital, Abuja, to ratify the choice of a new government, AFP reported.
The 27-member military Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) headed by Head of State General Abdulsalam Abubakar is expected to discuss the new government, official sources quoted by AFP said.
Nigeria has been without a government since the dismissal in early July of ministers appointed by the former military ruler, General Sani Abacha.
Southern politicians urge restructuring
A meeting of leading southern politicians has called for a radical restructuring of the Nigerian federation, AFP reported.
The meeting in Lagos on Wednesday also called for a "real devolution" of power to the regions and splitting up of the army into regional units. "The army should be organised into zonal commands with each zone/unit under an indigene [local person] with 80 percent of ranks being indigenes."
Southern Nigerians have complained about northern military domination and marginalisation of the south. According to the dispatch, the calls for a power shift and splitting up of the army have alarmed military and diplomatic observers who fear the divisive potential of such realignments. Earlier this week, the Nigerian chief of defence staff, Air Vice Marshal Amin Daggash, criticised calls for splitting up the armed forces and warned the consequences could be grave.
Eleven die in communal clashes in southwest
Eleven people have died in renewed fighting during the last week between the Ife and Modakeke communities in southwestern Nigeria, AFP reported quoting the independent newspaper, 'The Guardian'.
Five people were killed on Monday and six on Thursday, the paper said. The fighting is part of an ongoing feud between the two communities following the move of a local authority headquarters from Ife to Modakeke.
The placing of a headquarters in an area means money and jobs for the area. Although the headquarters were relocated midway between the two towns to a neutral site in an attempt to stop the fighting, the feud set in and has been allegedly fuelled by local leaders, the report said.
Oil tankers wait in Nigerian waters
Eight laden oil tankers were languishing in Nigerian waters this week after the government refused to pay for gasoline ordered under late hardline military ruler, General Sani Abacha, Reuters reported on Thursday. Noting that some Abacha officials were being investigated for corruption, it quoted the state importing agency, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) as saying that under Abacha's rule, Nigeria overpaid for fuel by roughly US$ 10 per tonne. Since June last year, it had imported at least 2.4 million tonnes.
"The government was investigating the import arrangement and said it would not pay for the fuel, a lot of which was in any case off specification,'' a senior PPMC official told Reuters. The vessels could not leave because they had incurred costs of over US$ 2 millioin for overstaying the period normally stipulated for cargo discharge, it said.
One of General Abdulsalam Abubakar's first moves after taking over following Abacha's sudden death on June 8, was to try and clean up what Reuters called the chaotic and corrupt arrangements for fuel imports -- which rarely met demand. For many Nigerians, it added, the constant fuel shortages had become a blatant symbol of years of military misrule in Africa's biggest oil producer.
LIBERIA: National conference ends
The three-week national conference on the future of Liberia ended on Wednesday with calls on Liberians to refrain from war and settle disputes through dialogue, news organisations reported.
The conference proposed reforms in politics, education, health security and the judiciary. It also proposed decentralisation of political power and the election of local leaders presently appointed by the president. It also proposed legislation to safeguard privatisation and Liberian participation in investments.
The conference also called on the government to produce a comprehensive "Liberia, Vision 2024" document by the beginning of next year to guide planners in preparing and implementing social, economic and political plans.
TOGO: Government threatens to sack striking state workers
The Togolese government has warned state employees they face dismissal if they support an opposition call to strike in protest against the June presidential elections, news organisations reported.
Speaking on state television, Communications Minister Salitoki Esso said state employees would be replaced "immediately" if they stayed away for political reasons.
Government services and banks were partially affected by strike action on Monday and Tuesday, the third such protest in the past month.
The opposition has vowed to disrupt the country in protest at President Gnassingbe Eyadema's proclamation of himself as winner of the June elections before all the votes had been counted. The opposition says the real winner is Gilchrist Olympio, leader of the Union des forces du changement.
Abidjan, 14 August 1998, 14:45 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 or can be retrieved automatically by sending e-mail to <archive@ocha.unon..org> - mailing list: irin-wa-updates]
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 14:45:35 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.dha.unon.org> Subject: IRIN-West Africa Update 273, 98.8.14 Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.980814144321.11691B-100000@wa.dha.unon.org>
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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