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IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 56-97 of Events in West Africa, 1 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: Ousted leader seeks UN's help
Ousted Sierra Leonean president Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabbah appealed on Wednesday to the United Nations to help restore his government to power. In a speech to the UN General Assembly, Kabbah said that a "great tragedy" was unfolding in Sierra Leone, AFP reported. He said Sierra Leone has been transformed into a "gulag of horrors". Kabbah called on the international community to save Sierra Leone by restoring the democratically-elected government. He recalled that on 6 August the UN Security Council had promised "appropriate measures" to restore his government and sought its backing for ECOWAS sanctions. The UN Security Council is currently considering imposing a global ban affecting arms, oil, petrol and lubricants and travel by members of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council AFRC). Kabbah was sceptical about negotiating with the AFRC, which he described as an "unstable coalition" controlled by former rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). However, he said if negotiations were resumed, they should be "time-bound"to prevent "a creeping de facto recognition" of the regime. Source: AFP.
AFRC makes concessions to press
The AFRC yesterday (Tuesday) announced a "concession" on its newspaper registration deadline. Commissioner for Information and Broadcasting Sedu Turay said he would allow all newspapers legally registered before 25 May to continue publishing until the end of the year, AFP reported. In an interview with the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Turay said that the registration and re-registration of newspapers were not intended "to stifle the press". Newspapers not registered prior to March 1996 would not be covered by this concession and would have to cease publication right away. Out of a total of 13 titles, only six would be allowed to publish until registration next year. Journalists want the 1980 Newspaper Act to be repealed but Turay said it protected the public from "libellous and seditious newspapers". Paul Camara, a journalist with the Freetown daily 'For Di People', said that his newspaper would not register with the AFRC as it would be recognition of "the junta". He said his newspaper would rather "call it quits" than submit to AFRC pressure. Sources: AFP and IRIN.
LIBERIA: UN special envoy departs
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Liberia, Tuliameni Kalomeh, left Monrovia for New York on Tuesday. Kalomeh said that a small team would remain behind for three months to finalise the liquidation of the United Nations Observer Mission (UNOMIL) in Liberia. This mission was the first peacekeeping mission deployed with a regional peacekeeping force, the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG). It completed its four-year mission on 30 September. Source: UN news.
NIGERIA: Abacha pledges to hand over power
Nigerian head of state General Sani Abacha pledged on Wedesday to hand over power to an elected civilian administration in twelve months' time. In a nationwide broadcast speech marking the 37th anniversary of Nigerian independence, Abacha said that the "political transition programme will... terminate on 1 October 1998 with the entry into office of an elected civilian administration", news organisations reported. Abacha did not say whether he himself would run in the presidential elections scheduled for August 1998. The Nigerian leader said that the country had overcome a serious political crisis which had brought it to the "brink of anarchy and disintegration". On Nigeria's international standing, Abacha deplored the fact that "irredeemable detractors" were "wrongly" characterising the country as one where institutionalised and rampant denial of fundamental human rights occurred. Sources: (see below).
Abacha tells opposition to support transition
Abacha told Nigerian dissidents to join the transition to democracy. Those who considered themselves "aggrieved and alienated" should try to find a role within the transitional process. Condemning the spate of bomb attacks, Abacha said that those responsible had "declared war on Nigeria".
Abacha calls for Sierra Leone talks
In his speech, Abacha called on the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council to resume talks to negotiate their "way out of power". He called on the "illegal regime" in Freetown to resume negotiations and dialogue to ensure the reinstatement of ousted president Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. Sources: Reuters, AFP and IPS.
Disappointment over Abacha's speech
A Nigerian journalist with the Lagos daily 'Punch' told IRIN that Nigerians were disappointed at Abacha's speech. There were expectations that Abacha would make announcements in three key areas: the release of some political detainees, his role in the forthcoming presidential elections and civil service reform. The source said that Nigerians believed that the release of one or two political prisoners would have pacified the opposition to a certain degree. Source: IRIN.
Opposition calls for day of prayer
The main opposition umbrella group, NADECO, called on Nigerians to turn their national day into a day of prayer. Tunji Adebiyi told reporters in Lagos that Nigerians and supporters should use independence day to pray for the "restoration of justice, fair play, peace and progress in Nigeria", Reuters reported. In an open letter to Abacha, Abubacar Umar, a retired colonel, said Abacha could not achieve his stated objectives by burying 12 June which has remained "indelible in the minds of Nigerians", IPS reported. The Nigerian government annulled elections said to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola on 12 June 1993. Abiola is currently in jail. Source: Reuters and IPS.
SENEGAL: Armoured vehicle hits landmine
A Senegalese army vehicle hit a landmine in Casamance on Monday evening. There were no casualties. The armoured vehicle, which was supplying troops with food, was severely damaged. Military sources acknowledged damage to the vehicle but claimed it was an accident. The incident occurred at around 7 p.m. on the road from Badem to Maison Forestiere, 20 km from Ziguinchor, Casamance's provincial capital. Source: AFP.
CAMEROON: Opposition condemns "unfair" allocation of air time
Three opposition candidates have condemned the unfair allocation of election campaign air time. They claimed that with the exception of the one-hour live slots shared equally among the nine candidates, all other programmes are dominated by the ruling party, the Rassemblement Democratique du Peuple Camerounais.Presidental candidates have taken to door-to-door campaigning with few rallies to ensure that there views are known by the public. Source: Africa No.1 via BBC Monitoring.
Abidjan, 1 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: <199710020743.KAA09237@dha.unon.org> Date: Thu, 02 Oct 1997 10:34:55 +0300 From: UN DHA IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci> Subject: IRIN-WA Daily Media Update for 1 October 1997 97.10.1
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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