UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 38-97, 8/29/97

IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 38-97, 8/29/97


U N I T E D N A T I O N S

Department of Humanitarian Affairs

Integrated Regional Information Network

for West Africa

Tel: +225 21-63-35

Fax: +225 21-63-35

e-mail: irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci

IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 38-97 of Events in West Africa, 29 August 1997

[As a supplement to its weekly roundups of main events in West Africa, IRIN-WA will produce a daily synopsis of international media reports on the region. IRIN issues these reports for the benefit of the humanitarian community but accepts no responsibility as to the accuracy of the original source.]

SIERRA LEONE: Kabbah appeals to ECOWAS

In what was described as a highly emotive speech to the 20th summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), ousted President Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah described the coup leaders of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) as "barbarians and gangsters". He said the coup had been motivated by a desire to control the country's mineral resources, namely diamonds and gold. Stopping short of a direct call for military intervention, Kabbah reminded his ECOWAS colleagues that the AFRC had seized power by force and "had used the same method to terrorise the people of his country." He asked the leaders to put an end to the "nightmare". Despite earlier threats by Nigerian leaders and the commander of the ECOWAS Peacekeeping Force (ECOMOG), West African leaders, who unanimously condemned the coup, are reportedly reluctant to sanction the use of military force to restore Kabbah. The summit host, Nigerian military leader General Sani Abacha, called for a "rapid and peaceful solution to the crisis". No information has filtered from the meetings on the possible exemption of humanitarian assistance from sanctions. Source: AFP & PANA.

SIERRA LEONE - AFRC celebrates victory

Reacting to the news that an ECOWAS endorsement of military intervention is unlikely, members of the AFRC and their rebel allies, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), are treating the news as a victory. However, a Sierra Leonean parliamentarian warned that celebrations were premature as the sanctions alone would place a heavy burden on the Sierra Leonean population. In Sierra Leone, the leader of the AFRC Johnny Paul Koroma called for a week of "prayers for peace" from 31 August to 8 September. Source: AFP.

LIBERIA - Taylor insists on sovereignty

Insisting on the "sovereignty" of Liberia, President Charles Taylor told the ECOWAS summit leaders that ECOMOG was welcome to remain in Liberia until 2 February 1998, reaffirming Liberia's commitment to ECOMOG's mandate to help the country create a national police. The future role of ECOMOG within the region was one of the principle focuses of the summit discussions. According to diplomatic sources, an 'ECOMOG II' may be created to deal with the Sierra Leone crisis and ensure that sanctions are upheld. Source: AFP.

LIBERIA - Opposition ends boycott

Two opposition parties, the All Liberian Coalition Party (ALCOP) and the United People's Party (UPP), agreed to end their boycott and assume their seats in the government, said an official release from the Liberian Independent Electoral Commission (IECOM). ALCOP holds two seats in the Senate and three in the House, while UPP holds two in the House. The two parties had contested IECOM's allocation of county seats following the elections. Source: Star Radio (Foundation Hirondelle).

NIGERIA - Press club sealed

In a statement by the Independent Journalists Union, dated yesterday, the Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) reported that their meeting house was occupied and sealed by a contingent of armed police on 23 and 24 August. The NUJ Executive Committee claimed the measures were undertaken to prevent an anticipated press conference by the opposition on the continued detention of Chief M.K.O. Abiola on the anniversary of his 60th birthday. Abiola was arrested after he declared himself to be the winner of the annulled 1993 presidential elections. Source: Independent Journalists Union.

NIGERIA - Rights group protests executions

The human rights agency Amnesty International (AI) has expressed its concern over the execution of a 17-year old minor, Chidiebere Onuoha, on 31 July in Imo State, Nigeria. He was convicted of armed robbery along with five adults and another minor, 16-year-old Patrick Obinna Okoroafor. The two were age 15 and 14 at the time of the crime. Okoroafor had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment on 18 July. AI also expressed concerned for five other prisoners facing execution, whose ages are unknown. Source: AI Report Index: AFR 44/18/97.

WEST AFRICA - ECOWAS

The ECOWAS Secretariat praised Nigeria, Benin and Cote d'Ivoire for fulfilling their financial commitment to the community. Their contributions permitted the implementation of some of its programmes. However, other programmes have been virtually brought to a stand still due to the irregular payment of dues by most of the member countries. The executive director also stressed the need for member countries to pay closer attention to the execution of ECOWAS programmes for integration, citing the example of Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal which have created a specific ministry responsible for the integration. Source: Radio Nigeria via BBC Monitoring.

Abidjan, 29 August 1997

[ENDS]

[Via the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs Integrated Regional Information Network for West Africa (IRIN-WA) Reports mailing list. The material contained in this communication may not necessarily reflect the views of the UN or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts from this report should be attributed to the original sources where appropriate. For further information: e-mail irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci, Tel: +225 217367 Fax: +225 216335.]

Message-Id: <199708300954.MAA00439@dha.unon.org> Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 12:45:35 +0300 From: UN DHA IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci> Subject: IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 38-97, 29 August 1997 97.8.29

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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