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IRIN-WA Weekly Roundup 02-98 of Main Events in West Africa covering the period (Friday-Thursday) 2-8 January 1998
SIERRA LEONE: Kamajor successes reported in east Sierra Leone
Kamajor militia loyal to Sierra Leone's ousted civilian President Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah clashed repeatedly this week with troops from the ruling Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). Sources told IRIN the fighting was heaviest in Sierra Leone's second city, Bo, and the nearby districts of Zimmi and Tongo Fields. AFRC troops had used heavy guns and rocket propelled grenades against hundreds of Kamajors armed with AK-47 rifles, machetes and spears during the fighting. Neither side, however, were reported to have made major gains.
Earlier in the week, Kamajors seized several roads in the northeast of the country. This came a month after the reported launch of a Kamajor "Operation Black December" to return Sierra Leone's highways to the control of the West African peacekeeping force ECOMOG. It was reported that travel to the capital had become more difficult. "The Kamajors warned civilians on local radio not to travel by road, and every now and again they launch an ambush," said one source.
Meanwhile, basic food commodities in parts of eastern Sierra Leone remained in short supply because the fighting had disrupted road movement. "The road to Freetown is still just open but I would not send anyone myself," said one source.
New tension between AFRC and ECOMOG over jet sortie
The clashes coincided with heightened tension between the AFRC and ECOMOG, when AFRC ground troops opened fire on a Nigerian ECOMOG jet which circled Freetown on Wednesday. ECOMOG's outgoing commander, Major General Victor Malu, said the jet had not violated the the ceasefire between ECOMOG and the AFRC, but had been dispatched to check reports of sanctions violations by ships in the area. At the same time, he announced an additional 10,000 ECOMOG troops would be sent to join the 5,000-strong contingent already serving in neighbouring Sierra Leone.
UN sends technical team to Sierra Leone
A UN survey team led by UN Special Envoy to Sierra Leone Francis Okelo will start a detailed study of the situation in coming days to see how the UN can help implement the Sierra Leone peace accords signed in Conakry last year. The peace deal provides for the restoration of civilian rule to Sierra Leone in April 1998.
AFRC sacks six for looting Iranian embassy
In a separate development, the AFRC arrested the Sierra Leone army corporal who announced the May 1997 coup which brought it to power. Corporal Tamba Gorbie and five others were sacked from the AFRC for looting the Iranian embassy in Freetown on New Year's eve.
LIBERIA: ECOMOG chief replaced
Malu, commander of ECOMOG in Liberia since September 1996, was replaced this week by another Nigerian officer, Major General Timothy Shelpidi. Shelpidi, currently the head of armed forces training in Nigeria, becomes the seventh ECOMOG force commander appointed. The peacekeeping force, which successfully supervised elections in Liberia in July, is due to withdraw from the country on 2 February.
Malu said he was disappointed to leave Liberia without completing the disarmament of the Liberian factions. Liberia's President Charles Taylor clashed with him repeatedly last year over ECOMOG demands that it restructure the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) as the final part of the mandate to end the seven-year Liberian civil war. Taylor maintained the defence of Liberia was his sole prerogative as elected president.
Government dismisses 2,500 troops from army
The Liberian government announced plans to dismiss some 2,500 troops from the AFL. They included an unspecified number of generals. Analysts saw the move as a possible bid to sideline AFL personnel who had fought against Taylor during Liberia's seven-year civil war. "Some of the generals dismissed were high up in anti-Taylor factions," an analyst said.
Government closes down newspaper and two radio stations
The Liberian government ordered Monrovia's only printing press to stop production of the bi-weekly 'Heritage'. Its editor Charles Jackson was told the publication would remain closed until "certain problems between the paper and the government were solved".
Two radio stations were also closed down. Taylor ordered the closure of his own radio station, Kiss FM, because of "inefficiency". The government also closed down Monrovia's independent Star Radio on Wednesday on grounds of illegally using two frequencies allocated to its partner station, Radio Monrovia.
NIGER: Former prime minister detained
Police in Niger arrested former prime minister Hama Amadou for plotting to assassinate President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara and other government officials. The Front de Restauration et de Defense de la Democratie (FRDD), a coalition of eight opposition parties established in 1996 following Mainassara's military coup, denounced these allegations as a "crude frame-up". On Sunday, the government ordered private radio stations to stop broadcasting opposition statements on the plot. Two opposition leaders, Issoufou Assoumane, leader of the Union Democratique des Forces Progressistes (UDFP), and Mohamed Bazoum, vice president of the Parti Nigerien pour la Democratie et le Socialisme (PNDS) Union Democratique des Forces Progressistes (UDFP) were briefly detained for denouncing the alleged coup attempt on international radio.
Niger's former president Mahamane Ousmane, meanwhile, appealed to the government to be flexible in dealing with those accused of involvement in the coup plot. Amadou was subsequently released on bail, but seven other politicians remained in detention.
Niger has been troubled since the 1996 coup in which Amadou's government was overthrown by Ibrahim Bare Mainassara.
NIGERIA: Nigeria says foreign governments had role in failed coup
Nigerian Foreign Minister Chief Tom Ikimi told African diplomats that unnamed foreign countries may have been involved in December's failed coup. Ikimi said investigations had revealed possible foreign involvement in the alleged attempt to assassinate Nigerian Head of State General Sani Abacha. Ikimi also said diplomatic missions had colluded with the coup plotters, but no further details were given.
Diplomats and Nigerian media were also shown video footage of Lieutenant-General Oladipo Diya, formerly Abacha's no. 2, allegedly confessing and begging Abacha's forgiveness. Critics discounted the confessions as having been extracted under duress.
Last budget
Presenting Nigeria's last budget before the return of democracy scheduled for later this year, Abacha agreed to privatisation plans aimed at opening up the economy. The moves have been long demanded by international lending institutions.
Journalist released
Akin Adesokan, a journalist for the independent newspaper 'The Post Express', was released on 4 January after two months in prison. No official reason was given for his arrest, or for his release.
MALI: Government closes schools as tension rises
The government closed all state and private schools in Mali this week after students clashes with police in demonstrations for higher grants. On Wednesday, security forces used tear gas to disperse demonstrators and dismantle barricades in the capital, Bamako, and other major towns across the country. The students, who have refused to return to class since the New Year, were demanding a 75 percent increase in grants, more places in secondary education institutions and a state-funded office for their organisation. Students had also set fire to the headquarters of the ruling party at Markala, 320 km north of Bamako. At least two student leaders were arrested.
Opposition refuses to participate in National Forum
The opposition coalition of 18 "radical" political parties this week refused to participate in a national forum aimed at resolving Mali's political crisis which has worsened since legislative elections were annulled in April 1997.
Tuareg clashes
Meanwhile, later in the week, confrontations between two Malien Tuareg communities resulted in five deaths. Fighting erupted in Daousaks and Fourgoumisset, northeast Mali, over the management of a shared oasis - one of the few sources of water and fertile land in the area. Only two weeks ago, a similar conflict between Peuhls and Tuareg ethnic groups over water rights also resulted in a death. The former Tuareg rebel leader, Rhissa AG Sidi Mohamed, warned that the government must develop the region "if they do not want northern Mali to explode again".
SENEGAL: Guinea-Bissau troops kill 10 Casamance rebels
Guinea-Bissau border troops killed 10 people and took 40 prisoners in an operation against separatists of the southern Senegalese province of Casamance. The action marked the first intervention by Guinea-Bissau soldiers against rebels of the Mouvement des Forces Democratiques de Casamance (MFDC). Earlier, the MFDC had accused Guinea-Bissau of massing troops at the border in preparation for an attack on their bases.
Casamance mediation
Senegal, meanwhile, welcomed an offer by Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to mediate in the Casmance conflict. The Senegalese ambassador in Gambia, Madieng Kharyf Dieng, said Jammeh, who is of the same Diola ethnic roots as the Casamance rebels, could "bring the problem forward". In recent weeks, there has been an upsurge of violence in Casamance, where some 20 people have been killed and more than 30 injured in mine explosions.
CAMEROON: Journalist to stand trial
The editor-in-chief of the opposition daily, 'Le Messager', Pius Njawe, is be tried "for propagating false information" on 13 January. Njawe faces up to two years in prison and a fine of FF 20,000. He was arrested 24 December following an article in the paper suggesting President Paul Biya had heart problems. The action against the editor was protested by Amnesty International.
Abidjan, 9 January 1998, 17:00 gmt
[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-weekly]
Date: Fri, 9 Jan 1998 17:26:39 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.dha.unon.org> Subject: IRIN-WA Weekly Roundup 02-98, 98.1.9 Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.980109171757.16192A-100000@wa.dha.unon.org>
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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