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IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 50-97 of Events in West Africa, 22 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: AFRC and Nigerian troops clash
Nigerian ECOMOG and Sierra Leonean Armed Forced Revolutionary Council (AFRC) troops exchanged heavy artillery fire early today (Monday) at Freetown's international airport. A Nigerian colonel was quoted by AFP as saying that his men were reacting in self-defence since Nigerian soldiers had been harassed since Saturday by "rebels " linked to the Sierra Leonean army. A Sierra Leonean military source claimed that Nigerian soldiers had moved from their positions towards the army's airport base in an attempt to take it. Monday's clash followed an ECOMOG air attack on Saturday, in which a power plant was damaged and a nearby police hospital hit. Hospital patients and staff fled. State radio and television reported that there were no casualties. A Lebanese resident, who witnessed the raid, said the plane seemed to be aiming at an embargo-breaking oil tug. The Sierra Leonean under-secretary for energy and power, Hassan Barrie, said the tug was owned by the National Power Authority (NPA) and did not have a drop of oil aboard. Barrie said his government was appalled by the "reckless bombing". ECOWAS Force Commander General Victor Malu denied the report and said ECOMOG had nothing to do with the bombing of the power plant. He said it must have been an act of "sabotage from within". Source: AFP and IRIN
AFRC will not give up power
The AFRC denied a front-page report in the Freetown 'Standard Times' daily that it was ready to relinquish power. A press release issued on Friday said that the AFRC dissociated itself from "such baseless and unfounded information". Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Lt Andrew Collins denied that a meeting between the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and the AFRC had turned ugly when the participants failed to agree on a common solution to the current political stalemate. Local sources confirmed that there were growing divisions within the AFRC as to how to settle the lingering crisis. The AFRC seemed more conciliatory than the hardline rebels who are against talks with ousted president Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. Source: IRIN and SLBS radio via BBC Monitoring.
Crackdown on press
The AFRC, on Friday, ordered newspapers to obtain clearance from the ministry of information before going to the press. Any publications failing to comply would be liable to suspension with immediate effect, a statement broadcast on state radio and television said. The move was widely condemned by newspaper editors as an attempt to muzzle the press. The commissioner for information, Sedu Turay, denied that this was a first step towards censorship, saying: "We are only drawing their attention to a clause in the law as it has been frequently ignored." Source: AFP LIBERIA : Taylor in South Africa for treatment
Liberian President Charles Taylor travelled to Johannesburg on Saturday for medical treatment. South African foreign ministry spokesman Marco Boni said that the Liberian president was on a private visit. In Monrovia, Minister of Information Joe Mulbah explained that Taylor, accompanied by a five-man delegation, would meet President Nelson Mandela during his visit. The South African foreign ministry could not confirm the meeting. Although the two countries have diplomatic relations, neither has opened an embassy in the other country. Source: AFP and Reuters.
Crackdown on crime
Police and ECOMOG peacekeepers killed armed robbers and arrested 20 in weekend raids on several Monrovia suburbs. Police director Joe Tate said that the police had launched "Operation Clean Monrovia" last week to make the city a safer place. Some 400 police officers would soon be assigned to crime prevention neighbourhood watch teams. Source: AFP and Star Radio (Fondation Hirondelle)
NIGERIA: Police deny breaking up US envoy's party
Nigeria insisted that the police who broke up a farewell party for the US ambassador at a private residence on Friday just happened to be in the neighbourhood at the time. A police communique issued on Saturday said police had raided the home where the party was hosted because they had received "very reliable" information that two lorries were taking arms and ammunition to that part of Lagos. The communique added that the police regretted any "inconveniences or embarassment". On Friday, the US State Department registered "serious concern" and demanded an explanation over the incident. Source: AFP, IRIN and NTA TV via BBC monitoring.
US official on conditions for better ties
The acting US assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, told a House of Representatives hearing on 18 September that the US would welcome improved bilateral relations with Nigeria if conditions permitted. He said the release of political prisoners, resumed extradition of drug traffickers, a more open and competitive press and an end of press harassment would be viewed as positive steps by the US government. Source: USIS
SENEGAL: Six killed in Casamance ambush
Two Senegalese government soldiers and four rebels of the separatist Mouvement des Forces Democratiques de Casamance (MFDC) were killed in clashes on Friday in the southern province of Casamance. Seven soldiers were wounded, four of them seriously, when an army patrol was ambushed 18 km southeast of Ziguinchor, AFP reported. Radio France Internationale reported today that a Casamance pro-peace movement was growing. However, a Senegalese journalist based in Dakar told IRIN that Casamance groups supporting a peaceful resolution to the 15-year-old crisis were still "weak" and unlikely to have a major impact on the current situation. Sources: AFP and IRIN.
NIGER: Five soldiers killed by rebels
Five soldiers died and five were injured on Saturday in an attack on a military post in northern Niger by the separatist group, Forces Armees Revolutionnaires du Sahara (FARS). The post in Madama was attacked by mortars and heavy machine gunfire for three hours, according to an army communique. AFP said the soldiers had been brought in to reinforce the garrison under attack when their lorry hit a land mine. The Niger military linked the incident to the resumption of oil exploration in the Djado and Mangueni regions bordering Libya controlled by the FARS. Niger Interior Minister Idi Ango was quoted as saying that the government was "stunned and surprised" by the unilateral breaking of the ceasefire. He claimed that "a neighbouring country" was supporting the rebels. The FARS and Niger government signed a ceasefire in June and had been due to resume talks in mid-October in Chad. Source: AFP and Camel express telematique.
TOGO: Opposition march against elections
Supporters of Togo's political opposition marched in their thousands on Saturday to protest against government plans to hold "fraudulent" elections. Three main opposition parties, the Comite d'Action pour le Renouveau (CAR), l'Union des Forces du Changement (UFC) and the Parti pour la Democratie et le Renouveau (PDR), condemned the "hasty" adoption of an electoral law establishing the national electoral commission. This law allows deputies of the ruling party, the Rassemblement du Peuple Togolais (RTP), to elect the opposition representatives who will sit on the national commission. Source AFP
Abidjan, 22 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: <199709231100.OAA19678@dha.unon.org> Date: Tue, 23 Sep 1997 13:58:54 +0000 From: UN DHA IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci> Subject: IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 50-97 22 September 1997 97.9.22
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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