UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 40-97, 9/3/97

IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 40-97, 9/3/97


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 40-97 of Events in West Africa, 3 September 1997

SIERRA LEONE - Business returns

The situation in Sierra Leone "is gradually returning to normal", sources report. Business confidence received a boost from last week's decision by the summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) not to endorse military intervention. Shops that had been closed since the May coup by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) are apparently reopening. On Monday, a bus-load of Lebanese businessmen - traditionally key players in the local economy - crossed the border from Guinea and arrived in the capital Freetown. The AFRC had feared a military strike by West African peacekeeping troops (ECOMOG) to restore ousted president Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. It apparently regards the ECOWAS decision to take a softer line and apply sanctions and a blockade as a "victory".

In Freetown, the price of the main dietary staple, rice, is currently 20,000-21,000 leones per bag, up from 17,000-18,000 before the AFRC's takeover. The price had risen to 40,000 leones at the height of the crisis. The cost of food is reportedly much higher in Lungi as a result of the AFRC's interdiction of boat traffic crossing the estuary. A defence spokesperson reportedly said that the 'security measures' were to prevent infiltration by Nigerian troops. The black market rate for the dollar is around 1,050 leones as opposed to 900 earlier in the year.

The security situation in the capital has improved, according to sources, with harassment of civilians by AFRC soldiers "greatly reduced". A local paper today reported a recent attack by Kamajor militia on the town of Zimmi, close to the Liberian border, which was repulsed by AFRC forces. The AFRC has accused Nigerian troops of participating in the assault by shelling the town from across the Mano River bridge in Liberia. The Kamajor are fighting to restore elected President Kabbah. ECOWAS sanctions on Sierra Leone, agreed at last week's summit, are aimed at forcing the AFRC to hand back power. Source: local sources.

LIBERIA - Teachers threaten strike

Liberia's Education Minister Evelyn Kandakai has appealed to teachers not to go ahead with a threatened strike. Public school teachers warned they would not return to work when schools reopen on 15 September until eight-month-old salary arrears are paid. They are also demanding that the government assist in the resettlement of teachers working outside Monrovia. After his election victory in July, President Charles Taylor said there was only US$ 17,000 in the treasury. The government is said to owe its workers US$ 112 million in backpay. Source: Star Radio

LIBERIA - Elections commission account frozen

ECOWAS has frozen the bank account of Liberia's dissolved Independent Elections Commission (IECOM). The freeze, affecting an estimated US$ 300,000, will remain in force until further notice, Nigerian Foreign Minister Tom Ikimi said. He added that ECOWAS chairman, Nigerian head of state Gen. Sani Abacha, would discuss with Liberian President Charles Taylor how to dispose of IECOM's assets. The seven-member IECOM was recently embroiled in controversy over allegations of corruption. Meanwhile, IECOM chair Henry Andrews, who had denied the accusations, died today in hospital. Source: Star Radio.

LIBERIA - Flights resume

The private Nigerian airline ADC plans to resume flights to Liberia Saturday. The resumption follows the opening of Robertsville international airport in Monrovia. ADC will operate a regular weekly service. Flights were suspended last year following renewed fighting in the country. Source: AFP.

NIGERIA - Children caught in bomb blast

Four schoolchildren were among eight people seriously wounded in a bomb attack Tuesday morning on the convoy of the military administrator of Ekiti State. The administrator, Lt-Col Muhammed Bawah, was unhurt in the explosion that destroyed his official car. The schoolchildren, standing by the roadside, were caught in the blast. The area was sealed off and 30 people were arrested for interrogation. The explosion in the southwestern state is the seventh bomb attack aimed at Nigeria's ruling military since 16 December. Source: NAN, Reuters & AFP.

NIGERIA - Message to Mugabe

Nigerian Foreign Minister Tom Ikimi delivered a message from Nigerian head of state Gen. Sani Abacha to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Tuesday. The message reportedly centred on the outcome of last week's ECOWAS summit chaired by Abacha. Ikimi told reporters in Harare that 11,000 ECOWAS troops would remain in Liberia until January to provide stability and security following the country's recent elections. Source: PANA.

NIGERIA - Shell closes flow stations

A Nigerian community's refusal to let the oil company Shell repair a leaking pipeline has forced the closure of three flow stations at the loss of 15,000 barrels per day. A Shell spokesman said negotiations were still underway with the Iyokiri community in southeastern Rivers State for access to the buried pipeline. According to Shell, the community is demanding money before it allows the repair team in, Reuters said Monday. "I want to assure this community that we do compensate communities for damage caused by spills as long as the cause is not sabotage," Eastern Division General Manager Chris Haynes said. The leak was first reported a week ago. Source: Reuters.

LIBYA - Opening borders to trade

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has opened his borders to trade with southern neighbours Niger, Chad and Mali. He said smugglers could operate freely without fear of police or customs officers. "There is nothing banned with Niger, Chad and Mali," he said on Monday night in a speech marking the 28th anniversary of his rule. "There is no more customs, police, hunting, bullets, executions." Gaddafi, last month, proposed to the heads of state of Niger, Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso a plan for regional integration to enable the Saharan countries to develop trade with Europe through Libya's Mediterranean ports. Source: Reuters. EQUATORIAL GUINEA - National conference on development Equatorial Guinea is to hold a national conference next week to discuss how an expected oil bonanza is to be spent. The government has invited diplomats, representatives from the opposition, national economic bodies, oil companies, as well as the UN, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Meanwhile, there are reports of a government crackdown on political dissidents. The arrests follow the escape to Spain of a senior opposition leader, Severo Moto. Angolan authorities arrested Moto in May in Cabinda on a Russian-registered boat. The boat was also carrying arms and mercenaries from Angola, Italy and Russia. Source: Reuters.

MAURITANIA - Rights group condemns censorship

Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) has called on French President Jacques Chirac to raise the issue of press freedom in Mauritania during his two-day visit to the country this week. In a letter to Chirac on Monday, the press freedom group condemned the treatment of Mauritanian journalists who it alleged are "incessantly subjected to arbitrary [harassment] by the authorities and whose writings are censored." RSF noted the frequent use of Article 11 of the Mauritanian press law, "which gives the ministry of the interior powers to censor a publication, without necessarily justifying such a measure." RSF has paid for inserts in four local, privately-owned papers, to "denounce the lack of respect for press freedoms by authorities in Nouakchott". The inserts will run during Chirac's visit, which begins Friday. Source: RSF via IFEX.

Abidjan, September 3 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: <199709040648.JAA02336@dha.unon.org> Date: Thu, 04 Sep 1997 09:45:01 +0000 From: UN DHA IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci> Subject: IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 40-97, 3 September 1997

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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