| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER |
Tel: +225 21 73 54 Fax: +225 21 63 35 e-mail: irin-wa@ocha.unon.org
IRIN-WA Update 473 of events in West Africa (Wednesday 27 May)
NIGERIA: Rights groups send wishlist to incoming head
Three human rights groups want incoming Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo to repeal repressive military decrees, release of the bodies of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni activists hanged in 1995, and begin a transparent process to draft a new constitution.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) and two Nigerian groups, the
Civil Liberties Organization and the Constitutional
Rights Project, called for these and other steps in
a joint letter to Obasanjo in which they suggested
priorities for his government, HRW reported on Thursday.
"After decades of military rule, Nigeria faces
huge challenges to restore respect for human rights
and the rule of law," said Peter Takirambudde,
executive director of HRW's Africa Division. "But
there are certain first steps that President Obasanjo
can take to show that he is moving in the right direction."
HRW has also released a new report titled "Crackdown in the Niger Delta," on the situation in the Niger Delta. In the 25-page report, it draws attention to the crisis among Nigeria's oil-producing communities where, it says, serious human rights violations have continued, despite the relaxation of repression elsewhere in Nigeria since the death of former head of state General Sani Abacha in June 1998.
Among the incidents highlighted is an attack on two remote communities in January 1999 for which, HRW said, the Nigerian army used a helicopter and boats contracted to Chevron Nigeria.
The report is an update to "The Price of Oil",
a 200-page Human Rights Watch report on corporate responsibility
in the oil-producing communities in Nigeria released
in February 1999.
The report also examines the military response to initially
peaceful demonstrations against oil production in the
Niger Delta in late December and early January, concluding
that more than 100 people, mostly unarmed, were killed
by soldiers.
[The report and letter are available on the Human Rights Watch website at <www.hrw.org>.]
SIERRA LEONE: Tentative start to negotiations
Negotiations in Lome between the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and Sierra Leone's government finally began on Thursday but were immediately adjourned after the rebels raised the issue of their leader's freedom, news organisations reported.
"We asked the government to clarify its position on the question of (Foday) Sankoh's freedom," Omrie Golley, legal adviser to the RUF, told Reuters. He added, though, that Sankoh's release was not a condition for continuing the talks, which are being held in Lome, Togo.
An information officer representing the UN mission in
Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL) told IRIN that both sides seemed
committed to continuing with the dialogue which was
due to resume late Thursday afternoon.
[See separate item: irin-english-903, headlined "Tentative
start to negotiations"]
SIERRA LEONE: ECOMOG says rebel convoy on the move
In Sierra Leone itself, a large rebel convoy was on the move from the north-eastern town of Makeni, the West African intervention force (ECOMOG) spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Olukulade, said on the BBC on Wednesday.
He said that as many as 3,000 rebels with a convoy of petrol tankers were moving from Makeni towards Kambia some 80 km north of Freetown. This movement of troops and tankers, he added, suggested the rebels were closing in on Lungi International Airport and Freetown, adding that the rebel incursion in January followed a similar pattern. "ECOMOG will not take kindly to this violation," Olukulade said.
In a separate development, an official of the Professional Drivers' Association said that since the signing of the truce, members of the transport union had resumed traffic on the main highway between Freetown and the eastern town of Kenema. A convoy of 15 trucks left Freetown on Wednesday, news organisations said.
Human rights commissioner to visit in June
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, is scheduled to visit Sierra Leone towards the end of June at the invitation of the country's government.
The primary aims of the mission will include supporting the peace process, encouraging programmes for the promotion and protection of human rights, highlighting the plight of women, children and other vulnerable groups, advocating the right of access to affected populations and empowering and expressing solidarity with communities of human rights victims and defenders.
GUINEA BISSAU: Families of Vieira loyalists evicted
The families of several military officers loyal to ousted President Joao Bernardo Vieira started leaving their homes on Thursday after being ordered to do so within 24 hours, AFP reported, quoting informed sources.
The homes are expected to be taken over by the country's new leaders, the agency said. AFP reported a military officer as saying that the eviction was necessary because many of the new leaders had nowhere to live. Prime Minister Francisco Fadul, Military Junta chief Brigadier General Ansumane Mane and Defence Minister Francisco Banane live in barracks, the officer said.
Government team to explain need to try Vieira
The new government has set up a three-member team of envoys to tour foreign capitals and explain why Vieira must stand trial, Reuters reported on Wednesday, quoting a government spokesman Armando Procel.
Vieira has been accused of committing treason by inviting Guinean and Senegalese troops into the country without parliamentary approval, and of failing to stop some of his senior officers from smuggling arms to Senegalese separatists.
Reuters quoted unnamed political sources as saying that friction had developed between Fadul and Mane over Vieira. Fadul is reportedly in favour of allowing the ex-president to go into exile while Mane wants him tried.
Abidjan, 27 May 1999, 18:41 GMT
[ENDS]
[IRIN-WA: Tel: +225 217366 Fax: +225 216335 e-mail: irin-wa@ocha.unon.org ]
Item: irin-english-905
[This item is delivered in the "irin-english" service of the UN's IRIN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. For further information or free subscriptions, or to change your keywords, contact e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org or fax: +254 2 622129 or Web: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer.]
Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 1999
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
| Previous Menu | Home Page | What's New | Search | Country Specific |