UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 60-97, 10/8/97

IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 60-97, 10/8/97


U N I T E D N A T I O N S

Department of Humanitarian Affairs

Integrated Regional Information Network

for West Africa

Tel: +225 21-63-35

Fax: +225 21-63-35

e-mail: irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci

IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 60-97 of Events in West Africa, 8 October 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: UN adopts sanctions

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted sanctions against Sierra Leone's military government today. The resolution calls on the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), which took power in a May 1997 coup, to "take immediate steps to relinquish power in Sierra Leone and make way for the restoration of the democratically-elected government." The sanctions, which include a global embargo on oil, arms and travel, will remain in force until "constitutional order" has been restored. The resolution also provides for a case-by-case exemption to the oil embargo for humanitarian activities. The 16-nation Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has been authorised to enforce the sanctions. Although the sanctions adopted are aimed at supporting the ECOWAS sanctions, they are not as broad, according to AFP. Source: AFP.

Influential officer defects

The AFRC Chief of Staff, yesterday, confirmed the defection of brigade commander colonel Falla Sewah. The colonel defected to ECOMOG troops stationed at Jui, near Freetown, over the weekend. He was reportedly airlifted to Guinea, where ousted president Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah is in exile. According to military sources, Sewah was greatly respected by both Sierra Leonean soldiers and members of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). He is also the highest-ranking officer of some 50 soldiers who have defected to date. Source: AFP.

Political detainees released

The AFRC yesterday (Tuesday) released a dozen people held under house arrest since July, state radio and television announced today. The government communique gave no names, but the released detainees included Sam Banya, who was vice-president in Kabbah's ousted government. Banya and the other detainees were arrested following allegations of a July 1997 countercoup plot against the AFRC. One of those released said: "We have had enough of worry and we don't intend to raise more dust." The communique made no mention of some 70 other political detainees who remain in Freetown's maximum-security prison. Source: AFP.

Nigeria claims AFRC used nerve gas

Nigeria has accused the AFRC of using nerve gas against ECOMOG forces in Sierra Leone. However, the Nigerian Defence Ministry spokesman, who made the statement yesterday, did not provide any substantiating proof. The allegations follow an AFRC statement on Monday, accusing ECOMOG of planting landmines near the international airport and endangering the lives of civilians. Source: AFP.

CAMEROON: Candidate calls for national dialogue

The leader and presidential candidate of the Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progres (MDP), Samuel Eboua, has called for the creation of a "national dialogue committee" to resolve the electoral crisis in Cameroon. Speaking on national radio yesterday, he said: "Today, more than ever before, all the conditions for violence have come together in Cameroon" but there was "still a place for dialogue". Eboua has called for a meeting on Friday and has contacted the government, opposition parties, religious leaders and others key players. Eboua is considered to be the main contender to President Paul Biya in the 12 October elections. Source: AFP.

Opposition condemns rally ban

Two of the three opposition leaders boycotting the elections have condemned the government decision to ban yesterday's rally. "It is difficult to understand why three legally recognised parties should be denied [permission] to hold a public rally to explain their position on the forthcoming elections," the leader of the Union Democratique du Cameroon (UDC) told Reuters. The leader of the Union Nationale pour la Democratie et le Progres (UNDP) said on Africa No.1 radio he was also angered by the government's decision which he said had no legal basis. However, speaking on state radio, a local authority official said: "Violence is not a form of democratic expression and we cannot condone it."

Local sources told IRIN there was no unified opposition response to the ban and there was general indifference to it. They said they were "baffled" by this passivity in view of the forthcoming elections and the current social and economic situation. Schools have been closed due to a teachers' strike, hospitals are short of drugs and medical equipment, transport and food prices are high, and public sector wages low. Source: IRIN, Reuters and Africa No 1 radio via BBC Monitoring

SENEGAL: Rebels deny leader's death

The separatist Mouvement des Forces Democratiques de Casamance (MFDC) has officially denied that its leader, Salif Sadio, was killed last month. Sadio was reportedly killed in an attack on an MFDC base by the Senegalese army on 22 September. Speaking from his home in Paris, Mamadou N'Krumah Sane, widely considered to be the movement's number two leader, told AFP that he had received a message from the rebel chief denying that any member of the rebel command had been killed.

Commenting on the renewed hostilities and the breakdown in negotiations, Sane said that true negotiations were never possible because MFDC Secretary-General Father Augustin Diamacoune Senghor and his lieutenants were "prisoners" in their own homes and could not speak for the MFDC. He said they were President Abdou Diouf's "hostages". He added that the only negotiations taking place were on the battlefield. Source: AFP.

NIGERIA: Human rights activist still to face trial

The chairman and four other members of the Nigerian NGO Human Rights Africa (HRA), who were released on bail on Monday, are due to reappear in court in December. IRIN's local sources had reported on Monday that charges had been dropped against HRA chairman Tunji Abayomi and the others. The five were charged with unlawful assembly and possession of seditious articles following a conference on democracy in Jos. Seventy people attending the conference were also detained and later released. Speaking outside the courtroom following his release, Abayomi said the incident would not deter him from embarking on programmes he believes will transform the country. Source: NewsReport Journal and IRIN.

NIGER: First journalist condemned under new press law

The first journalist to be tried under Niger's new press law was sentenced to three months imprisonment and a fine yesterday. The director of the independent weekly 'Alternative' was charged following the publication of correspondence between the Office of the President and the minister of education in the daily. Among other restrictions, the July 1997 law forbids the publication of all documents and information pertaining to ministerial correspondence. International press groups such as the Committee to Protect Journalists called for international condemnation of the new law because of undue restriction of the press. Source: AFP.

Abidjan, 8 October 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: <3.0.1.32.19971009094735.00a5a770@pop.africaonline.co.ci> Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 09:47:35 +0100 From: UN DHA IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci> Subject: IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 60-97, 8 October 1997 97.10.08

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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