UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
IRIN Update 446 for 4/20/99

IRIN Update 446 for 4/20/99


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@ocha.unon.org

IRIN-WA Update 446 of events in West Africa (Tuesday 20 April)

SIERRA LEONE: International contact group supports peace process

An international Contact Group on Sierra Leone suggested in New York on Monday that the government of Sierra Leone and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) maintain a twin-track policy of negotiations and force to restore peace to the country.

In a concluding statement at the end of a day-long meeting, the group's chairman, British Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Tony Lloyd told representatives of 22 countries and other agencies that the Sierra Leone government should pursue dialogue with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel movement "as a matter of priority".

He called on Freetown to explain the benefits of this policy to the public. He also said the government should maintain respect for human rights, international humanitarian law and promptly investigate reported violations of these standards.

Call to support a democratic army, police

Lloyd also urged the government, with the help of the international community, to build a new, democratically accountable army and police force. He said army recruitment should be free of discrimination and representative of all ethnic groups. Lloyd also called on the government to allow humanitarian agencies and the ICRC to work without interference.

He called on ECOWAS chairman, President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo, to support the peace process fully and work closely with the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sierra Leone, Francis Okelo, in achieving this aim.

In addition, ECOWAS was asked to keep its force, ECOMOG, in Sierra Leone with the help of the international community, until the country's own military could ensure security. Lloyd called on ECOMOG and Britain to continue training the new army and for international financial support for this.

Britain, the former colonial power in Sierra Leone, has promised an additional 270,000 pounds (US $432,000) to the 10 million pounds (US $16 million dollars) already pledged or disbursed to the security sector.

ECOMOG commander

ECOMOG Force Commander Major General Felix Mujakperuo presented the meeting with a list of logistic needs for the force. It included air support, vehicles, communications, engineering equipment and clothing.

Rebel leader waits for colleagues

In the Togolese capital, Lome, Corporal Foday Sankoh, the leader of the RUF, waited for the third day running on Tuesday to meet other leaders of the rebel movement to discuss their strategy for peace talks with the government of President Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

News organisations reported that Sankoh, sentenced to death for treason last year and released from his Freetown prison for the UN-sponsored talks, had met in the meantime with the Togolese president, General Gnassingbe Eyadema.

AFP quoted him as telling Eyadema he was "ready to negotiate for peace" in Sierra Leone: "I expect to meet my colleagues perhaps today or tomorrow."

News reports quoted officials saying it had been difficult coordinating transport for the rebel leaders from the bush to the Liberian capital, Monrovia, from where the UN was due to fly them to Lome.

Libyan diplomat takes part in Sierra Leone peace talks

Meanwhile, Ali Triki, the Libyan deputy foreign minister, has arrived in the Togolese capital, Lome, for the talks, the BBC reported. Libya has maintained close contacts with both sides in the Sierra Leone conflict.

NIGERIA: Diarrhoea the leading killer

Diarrhoea has become the leading killer in Nigeria, accounting for 25.4 percent of all deaths, according to a new study supported by WHO.

WHO information officer Austine Oghide told IRIN on Tuesday that the study presented at the weekend by officials at the National Conference on Primary Healthcare, showed diarrhoea claimed more lives in Nigeria than the next major killer, malaria, which accounts for 21.4 percent of deaths.

Poor sanitation and the widespread use of impure water were main reasons for the high level of diarrhoea-related deaths, Oghide said. He said the government, in collaboration with the NAFDAC (National Agency of Food and Drug Administration and Control) was trying to "crack down" on the manufacture and distribution of sub-standard bottled water sold as "pure" mineral water.

Other major causes of mortality in Nigeria included measles accounting for 8.7 percent of deaths, acute respiratory infections claiming 8 percent and maternal causes at 5.6 percent. Road and work related accidents it said claimed 9.9 percent of deaths.

The study recommended improved training for community health workers.

Civil service job cuts

Nigeria's military government has begun a clearout of the civil service which could cost tens of thousands of jobs before the return to democracy next month, according to a Reuters report on Monday quoting officials in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

"The directive has been given for all heads of parastatals and federal ministries to forward a list of staff due for retirement and those who committed one crime or another, especially fraudulent practices," Reuters quoted an official as saying. The official added that an estimated 800,000 jobs could go, allowing the state to meet promised pay rises.

The situation has recently become more serious since the country's leader, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, approved a rise in the minimum wage to civil servants, Reuters reported.

Last Tuesday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) called a strike in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states after military administrators refused to pay the minimum wage saying they could not meet the demands without massive redundancies.

International financial organisations have asked Nigeria to reform its overstaffed public sector for a long time, according to Reuters.

NIGER: Wanke pledges November election

Niger's new military leader, Major Daouda Mallam Wanke, has pledged to hold elections for a civilian government and a new president in November.

Wanke who heads a new ruling body of army officers called the National Reconciliation Council (NRC), made the announcement in a radio and television broadcast on Monday in which he said a new president would be sworn in after the elections on 31 December.

In the broadcast, Wanke, again insisted that the death of his predecessor Ibrahim Bare Mainassara had been "accidental". Wanke seized power after Mainassara was gunned down on 9 April by members of a presidential guard unit which Wanke himself commanded.

Wanke said the nine-month transition to civilian rule in a process agreed in consultation with the country's political parties would also be used to carry through a 1996 economic and financial reform programme.

France, the impoverished country's main aid donor, has suspended assistance since the coup. The European Union has said it was "reviewing" its aid programme and Japan said it too would "reconsider" its assistance if democracy was not restored quickly in Niger.

At the weekend, Wanke appointed a 20-member transitional cabinet with most portfolios going to civilians, two of them women. Only two army officers were appointed as the ministers of defence and interior.

Wanke in French radio interview

In an interview with Radio France Internationale monitored by the BBC on Tuesday, Wanke said: "As you know, President Bare died at a time when Niger is passing through difficult times. It has economic and financial as well as political and social difficulties. Following consultations with the political parties and the civil society, the National Armed Forces have decided to stop this drift and assume their responsibility in order to put the country back on course."

Asked to show "proof" that he would step down after nine months, he said: "I think that there is nobody in Niger who doubts our sincerity. If God permits, the NRC will do everything, and I repeat this, so that on 1 January 2000 the newly and democratically elected authorities can be installed."

He hoped the international community would "judge us through what we will be doing".

LIBERIA: American group reports on Liberian democracy

An American-based elections organisation currently providing technical assistance to the Liberian Elections Commission, has recommended a greater role for Liberian civil society in election activities, independent 'Star Radio' reported on Tuesday.

The International Foundation for Elections Systems (IFES) said in a report more work was needed to get Liberians interested in elections.

The report called on the media, political parties and civic organisations to get involved in spreading "voter and civic education messages". Other recommendations included training for poll workers and party representatives.

Taylor visits Libya

President Charles Taylor held talks with the Libyan leader Moammar Kadhafi this week on what he called a visit "to congratulate" Kadhafi on the suspension of UN sanctions, news organisations reported on Tuesday.

Taylor, on his second visit to Libya in two years, arrived in Libya on Monday. News agencies and the official Libyan media did not say how long the Liberian president would be in the country. It said the two leaders had discussed issues ranging from conflicts in Africa to bilateral affairs.

BENIN: Kerekou to fight corruption

Benin President Mathieu Kerekou promised again on Monday to prosecute fraud suspects in a renewed drive to stamp out corruption in the tiny West African country, news reports said.

"My government is determined to assume its responsibility in bringing to justice all those identified with fraud or known for ignoble and illegal practices," AFP quoted him as saying.

But an analyst in Benin told IRIN on Tuesday: "The public wants to believe in the president but is sceptical." He said Kerekou had received the support of former World Bank President Robert McNamara and the international watchdog, Transparency International, in ending corruption.

Kerekou, whose term of office ends in two years, created an office to fight corruption known as La Cellule de moralisation de la vie publique (CMVP), when he returned to power in 1996.

AFP reported that the state loses an estimated 60 million CFA francs (US $100,000) annually to fraud and that 90 percent of Beninese never pay taxes. The analyst said tax evasion mostly concerned businessmen who often bribed officials.

Abidjan, 20 April 1999 17:15 GMT

[ENDS]

Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 18:00:35 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.ocha.unon.org> Subject: IRIN Update 446 for 20 April [19990421]

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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