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IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 48-97 of Events in West Africa, 17 September 1997
[As a supplement to its weekly round-ups 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: Dockers resume work
Dozens of dockers resumed work at Freetown's main port today after stopping work for almost a week for fear of attacks by Nigerian planes, AFP reported. The stayaway began after last week's strafing of a fuel boat by the Nigerian-led peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, in which two people were killed. One of the two men who died was buried today as mourners shouted anti-Nigerian slogans. Port authorities claimed that the fuel boat had been undergoing repairs. ECOMOG Task Force Commander, Colonel Max Khobe, told AFP in a telephone interview that the boat had persistently violated sanctions by buying fuel from other vessels in the high seas. Khobe warned against any attempts to violate the sanctions. Meanwhile, local sources say that many people are returning to their homes in the port area, but that a small number are still leaving the area.
Local sources told IRIN that the port is open but there are no movements of vessels entering or leaving the harbour. Three vessels have been trying to leave the harbour but fear being attacked. The shipping companies have asked ECOMOG to ensure their safe passage. ECOMOG could not confirm this. Source: AFP and IRIN LIBERIA: UNHCR to promote Liberian refugee repatriation
UNHCR will actively promote the voluntary repatriation of some 479,000 Liberian refugees from Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ghana. The director for East, West and Central Africa, Albert-Alain Peters, said at a press briefing in Abidjan today that security conditions permitted the voluntary repatriation of all Liberians who wished to return. UNHCR would be opening sub-offices in Gbarnga, Harper, Voinjama and Zwedru to facilitate the repatriation of these refugees. These programmes would particularly cater for women and children. The agency facilitated the repatriation of 1,500 refugees prior to the July elections. Source: UNHCR and AFP.
CAMEROON: Amnesty condemns "blatant" human rights violations
Amnesty International published a report yesterday condemning the Cameroon government's persistent violation of fundamental human rights. Suppression of the political opposition was likely to continue as the presidential elections due to take place on 12 October approached. As many as 300 people, mostly members and supporters of the principal opposition party, the Social Democratic Front (SDF), had been arrested in the northwest and southwest provinces, both strongholds of the opposition. It called on the government to end its systematic violation of human rights and called on the international community to take action.
Speaking on Radio France Internationale, the Cameroonian information minister rejected the report today. He said AI "must have been referring to another country" when it issued the report. Source: AI statement and RFI.
NIGERIA: Commonwealth leader calls for Obasanjo release
The chairman of the forthcoming Commonwealth summit, to be held in Edinburgh in October, yesterday (Tuesday) urged Commonwealth leaders to insist that Nigeria free former head of state Olusegun Obasanjo. The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Lester Bird, wrote to British Prime Minister Tony Blair urging him to support the demands. Obasanjo and 40 others are serving jail sentences for allegedly taking part in a plot to overthrow Nigerian military ruler General Sani Abacha. Source: Reuters
Human rights body slams military government
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) set up by the military junta in 1994 spoke out strongly for the first time against arbitrary arrests and other human rights violations. Several newspapers reported that the head of the commission, Justice Paul Nwokedi, on Tuesday, warned that the actions by the law enforcement agencies showed the government as condoning human rights violations. Speaking at a seminar in Abuja, Nwokedi did not criticise the regime outright but warned that the government was failing to respect the various international conventions on human rights. Source: AFP
MALI: New government faces challenges ahead
Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare yesterday (Tuesday) announced the formation of a new government led by Prime Minister Ibraham Boubacar Keita. The 22-strong government drawn from seven political parties included 11 newly-appointed ministers and 11 who served in the previous government. The radical opposition is not represented in the new government due to its refusal to participate until ten opposition leaders are released from prison. These arrests followed the killing of a policeman at an opposition rally in August. Source: AFP.
NIGER: Rocket attack on northeastern town
Several rockets were fired at the town of Tchighozerine, 750 km northeast of Niamey, in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Citing a Tuareg source, AFP said that no-one had been injured. The incident was not reported in the Niamey press. On Tuesday, the Niger president met the leaders of the Tuareg Front de Liberation de l'Air et de l'Azaouk (FLAA) during his visit to Ingal, 650 km northeast of Niamey. They reportedly distanced themselves from the attack and assured him of their commitment to the peace process. The meeting was not attended by the Union des Forces de la Resistance Armee (UFRA), which represents three Tuareg rebel groups, and has challenged the 5 September timetable for implementing the peace process. Source: AFP
GUINEA: National electoral commission rejected Guinean Minister of Territorial Administration Dorank Assifat Diasseny announced yesterday that he would not be establishing a national independent electoral commission to oversee next year's elections. Opposition parties and the speaker of the National Assembly had called for an electoral commission and condemned this decision. Source: AFP
Abidjan, 17 September 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: <199709181118.OAA08958@dha.unon.org> Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 14:14:00 +0000 From: UN DHA IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci> Subject: IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 48-97 17 Sep 1997 97.9.17
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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