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IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 52-97 of Events in West Africa, 24 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: Nigeria calls for continued isolation
Nigeria yesterday (Tuesday) called on the international community to isolate the Sierra Leonean military government. Speaking before the UN General Assembly, Nigerian Foreign Minister Tom Ikimi noted with satisfaction that no government had recognised the Sierra Leonean Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). Ikimi stressed that ECOWAS needed international support to reverse the coup d'etat which ousted president Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah in May. The ECOWAS Group of Five on Sierra Leone, led by Ikimi, have met the UN Secretary-General and other senior UN officials over recent days to seek support for sanctions against Sierra Leone. The committee "noted" the AFRC offer to hold talks, according to Nigerian TV. ECOWAS denied that it supported the use of force to remove the Sierra Leonean military government. Source: AFP, NTA TV via BBC Monitoring and IRIN Sierra Leoneans sceptical about talks
Local reaction to the AFRC's offer to hold talks on the Sierra Leonean crisis is one of scepticism. According to a well-known local journalist, despite overtures by AFRC leader Johnny Paul Koroma to engage in direct talks with Kabbah, many Sierra Leoneans had doubts as to the "sincerity" of the gesture. He described the mood in Freetown as one of "resignation and fear". He said that the country had ground to a halt, with most offices and shops still closed since the May coup d'etat. Sanctions were affecting the urban population though commodities were available in a few open stores and markets. He said that goods and other items probably reached Freetown by land via Guinea. ECOMOG seemed to be able to monitor the port but would need further logistical support to monitor the border. Banditry and crime were still rampant in Freetown instilling fear in many city dwellers when night fell. Source: IRIN
Guinea must change Sierra Leone policy, opposition leader says
A Guinean opposition leader, Siradou Diallo, said that the Guinean government should pursue a different policy on Sierra Leone. Diallo, leader of Le Parti du Renouveau et du Progres, said that Guinea's interests were at variance with Nigeria's and should distance itself from Nigeria's stance. He said that Nigeria had spent between US $350 to 400 million on its peacekeeping operation in Liberia alone. Guinea could not afford such an expensive involvement because it needed the funds to invest in its infrastructure, health and other sectors. Source: Africa No.1 via BBC Monitoring.
LIBERIA: Taylor will not attend UN session
Liberian President Charles Taylor will not attend the United Nations General Assembly's plenary session in New York. The Liberian Senate, which approves the president's trips, turned down his request to attend the UN meeting for "security reasons", according to AFP. Foreign minister Monie Captan will deliver Taylor's speech to the General Assembly and attend the Special Conference for the Peace Process in Liberia scheduled for early October. Source: AFP and Star Radio (Foundation Hirondelle) Libyan officials to discuss diplomatic ties
A high-ranking Libyan official was in Monrovia earlier in the week to discuss the opening of an embassy. The 'Heritage' and 'National' newspapers quoted senior foreign ministry officials as saying that the Libyans were in Monrovia because of a bilateral agreement which had been signed earlier this month. The independent press reported two weeks ago that the government had received US $2.5 million from Tripoli to address "pressing" financial needs, AFP reported. The reports added that Liberian Vice-President Enoch Dogolea had signed a two-billion-dollar reconstruction package. AFP said that the information minister disputed the figure but acknowledged that a bilateral agreement had been signed with Libya. Source: AFP
NIGER: Rebel groups join forces
Niger's Tuareg and northern Sahara rebels have joined forces. A statement released yesterday announced the coalition between the Forces Armees Revolutionnaires du Sahara (FARS) led by Mohamed Anako and the Union des Forces de la Resistance (UFRA) led by Baraka Wardougou. The two groups also claimed responsibility for an attack last weekend on the Madama army post near the Libyan border. The rebel coalition said the raid had been launched because of the government's "bad faith" in implementing the peace agreement. UFRA, which groups three Tuareg movements, abrogated the peace accord earlier this month. The rebels said that they wanted jobs and other social benefits before handing over the their guns in compliance with a disarmament timetable. Discussions between the government and humanitarian groups in developing Tuareg areas and reintegrating former rebels started yesterday. Source: AFP
Minister says Libya not involved in attack
Nigerien minister of state in charge of African integration, Jakou Sanoussi, said on Tuesday that Libya had nothing to do with the weekend attack on a military post in Madama, northern Niger. Sanoussi said that the assailants were backed by another country which he did not name, AFP reported. Sanoussi's remarks followed a two-day working visit to Libya on strengthening cooperation. Source: Voix du Sahel via BBC Monitoring
CAMEROON: Ten candidates to run in elections
Cameroon President Paul Biya will face nine contestants in the 12 October presidential elections. The ministry of territorial administration approved the applications of 10 out of 17 candidates. The application of Biya's former minister of health, Titus Edzoa, was turned down. Edzoa was arrested on corruption charges shortly after he announced his intention to run for president. Three main opposition parties, which demanded an independent electoral commission, are boycotting the elections. Cameroonian Foreign Minister Ferdinand Oyono invited international observers to monitor the elections. Biya's two main opponents are likely to be Samuel Eboua of the Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progres (MDP) and Albert Dzongang, a former member of parliament of Biya's ruling party, the Rassemblement Democratique du Peuple Camerounais (RDPC), Reuters reported. Biya's party won 116 of 180 seats in this year's parliamentary elections. Parliament extended the president's term from a once-renewable five to seven years in 1996. Biya, 64, succeeded the first president of Cameroon in 1982. Source: Reuters
Crackdown on journalists
The freedom of the press has been severely curtailed by the Cameroonian government in the last two years, according to a Reporters sans Frontieres press release. Since the beginning of 1997, one journalist was severely beaten, six incarcerated, five taken in for questioning, while eight have been harassed. Joseph Nyada Mani, director of 'Le Proces' was arrested on 27 May for a report on alleged corruption in the state school examinations. He is still in detention. Source: Reporters sans Frontieres.
NIGERIA: Five killed in Osun state
At least five people were killed and many injured yesterday during clashes between the Ife and Modakeke communities in southwest Nigeria. Several buildings in Ile-Ife were burnt down during the fighting, AFP reported. Members of the two ethnic communities recently engaged in fighting following the relocation on 14 August of the local government headquarters from the Modakeke-dominated town of Enuwa to Ife-dominated Oke-Ogbe. A high-powered committee was set up in late August to find a lasting solution but has not yet submitted a report. Source: AFP.
NIGERIA: Landlocked countries to use port
Nigeria's northern neighbours, Chad and Niger, plan to use Lagos ports to ship commodities, a spokesman for the Nigerian port authority said on Monday. A delegation from Niger toured the Tin Can Island port and was quoted by Reuters as being impressed by the modern facilities. Nigeria used to be a transshipment point for Niger until a few years ago, when high charges and corruption drove business away. In the last two years, the government has reformed the procedures and weeded out many corrupt officials. A Chadian delegation is expected soon. Source: Reuters.
Abidjan, 24 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.]
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 1997 15:15:58 +0300 (GMT+0300) From: UN DHA IRIN - Great Lakes <irin@dha.unon.org> Subject: IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 52-97 for 24 Sep 1997 97.9.24 Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.970925150515.1176A-100000@dha.unon.org>
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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