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IRIN-WA Update 91-97 of Events in West Africa, (Wednesday) 26 November 1997
[As a supplement to its weekly round-ups of main events in West Africa, IRIN-WA will produce a daily synopsis of 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 claims ECOMOG building up forces
The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) accused the Nigerian-led West African peacekeeping force ECOMOG of building up its forces near Freetown on Wednesday. According to an AFRC radio statement, ECOMOG, which strongly supports the restoration of ousted civilian president Alhaji Tejan Kabbah, airlifted dozens of Kamajor militia who are also loyal to Kabbah, to its bases at Lungi airport and Jui, 30 km from the capital Freetown. AFRC Secretary-General Colonel Abdul Sesay told AFP this act was a "provocation and blatant disregard" of the Conakry peace agreement. Sesay denied that the AFRC was also building up its forces. "We are respecting the peace agreement and will abide by it," he said. An AFRC spokesman told AFP that ECOMOG force commander Major General Victor Malu would visit Freetown on Thursday with UN and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)representatives. The AFRC vetoed proposals to meet at Nigerian-controlled Lungi, but confirmed talks on the Conakry accords would take place in Freetown.
Humanitarian assistance delayed
An AFRC government official complained on Tuesday that humanitarian aid was still not getting through to Sierra Leone. According to the BBC, the spokesman said assistance should have started up a week ago, but none had appeared. A humanitarian source in Conakry told IRIN on Wednesday that assistance operations in Sierra Leone had never stopped, particularly in the health and medical sectors. "Cross-border operations are only designed to reinforce ongoing humanitarian activities," he said. A Conakry agreement task force mandated to clear cross-border aid is now finalising modalities to immediately move relief supplies into Sierra Leone from Guinea.
LIBERIA: Liberia asks UN to lift arms embargo
Liberia asked the UN Security Council to lift its arms embargo against Liberia on Tuesday. Liberian ambassador to the UN William Bull told UN radio that circumstances which led to the imposition of the arms embargo in 1992 "no longer exist." Liberia recently clashed with ECOMOG over plans to restructure and re-arm its security forces.
NIGER: Opposition criticises government's dismissal
A Niger opposition leader criticised President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara's dismissal of the government on Tuesday. General-Secretary of the Union des Forces Populaires pour la Democratie (UFPD) Issoufou Assoumane said the move was an attempt to deceive the international community. General Mainassara should dissolve parliament and hold fair elections instead of portraying the opposition as refusing to take part in government, he said. According to the BBC, opposition groups are not willing to work with Mainassara, saying he is a "dictator who won't allow free political activity." Mainassara came to power in a 1996 coup and was declared president six months later after sacking the Niger electoral commission.
Mainassara announces austerity measures
Mainassara cancelled all "ostentatious" festivals and official events because the country cannot afford them, Niger officials announced on Wednesday. Mainassara also appealed to citizens to use this year's harvest "rationally". The Niger government claims a 152,000 tonne grain deficit exposes more than a quarter of the population to famine. A government-backed newspaper announced on Wednesday that Libya has allocated a US$ 16 million loan to Niger. According to 'Le Sahel', the agreement with the Libyan Arab Bank was signed on 3 November under "very favourable conditions" including part payment of 1,500 camels a year. Last year, the World Bank and IMF withheld credits because of poor financial performance.
University professors end strike
University professors ended their 36-day strike for pay arrears on Wednesday. A communique released by the professors' union said the return to work followed two meetings with Mainassara. The communique did not state whether the union's demands had been met.
NIGERIA: Abacha delays release of political prisoners
Local media accused Nigerian president General Sani Abacha on Tuesday of delaying the release of political prisoners. According to the South African 'Mail and Guardian', Abacha has "dragged his feet" on fulfilling a promise to free prisoners which he made last Monday during a nation-wide speech to mark the fourth anniversary of his coming to power. Nigerian officials told news sources that the delay may be due to logistical problems in passing documentation to Abuja.
Nigeria looks to former Eastern bloc for friendship
The Nigerian government says Nigeria is looking to the former Eastern bloc for friendship. According to PANA, Nigerian officials told a Ukrainian trade delegation on Tuesday that hostile attitudes to Abuja by Western countries over democracy and human rights were to blame.
WEST AFRICA: FAO reports mixed harvest prospects
A report by the FAO released on Monday said harvest prospects in West Africa are mixed. Mid-season dry spells in parts of the Sahel meant rainfall in July and August was well below normal levels in most of Senegal, The Gambia and Mauritania. According to the report, this has severely affected crops that were planted early. Localised deficits are also anticipated in several areas of Burkina Faso and Niger.
Abidjan, 26 November 1997, 19.30GMT
[ends]
[The material contained in this communication comes to you via IRIN West Africa, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. UN IRIN-WA Tel: +225 21 73 66 Fax: +225 21 63 35 e-mail: irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci for more information or subscription. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this report, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. IRIN reports are archived on the Web at: http://www.reliefweb.int/emergenc or can be retrieved automatically by sending e-mail to archive@dha.unon.org . Mailing list: irin-wa-updates]
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 19:47:05 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.dha.unon.org> Subject: IRIN-WA Update 91-97 of Events in West Africa, (Wednesday) 26Nov , 1997 97.11.26 Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.971126194151.7857A-100000@wa.dha.unon.org> O
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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