Burundi: En bref ce 29 MAI 2006 ...

Révision à la hausse du budget de l`Etat au Burundi

Bujumbura, Burundi, 29/05 - ANGOP - Le budget général révisé de l`Etat est passé de 336 milliards de francs burundais (environ 336 millions de dollars US) à 357 milliards (357 millions de USD), soit une légère augmentation de l`ordre de 3,3%, a-t-on appris de source officielle à Bujumbura.

Le gouvernement a tenu compte de l`augmentation substantielle des recettes sur dons courants pour réviser à la hausse son budget général 2006, assure-t-on au ministère burundais des Finances où on indique que ces recettes sont passées de près de 72 millions de dollars US à 108 millions de dollars).

La révision à la hausse du budget de l`Etat a par ailleurs été motivée par le fait que le gouvernement doit faire face à de nouveaux besoins liés à des dépenses publiques imprévues liées notamment à la récente mesure portant augmentation des salaires des fonctionnaires de l`Etat dans des proportions de 15%.

Cette révision prend également en compte la gratuité des soins maternels et infantiles introduite récemment dans la nouvelle politique sociale du pays.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PERD TOUTE SA CREDIBILITE DANS CETTE AFFAIRE ! MAIS IL SEMBLE QUE C'EST PLUTÔT LA LIGUE ITEKA QUI SE CACHE DERRIERE.

AI demande la libération des militants anti-génocide au Burundi

BURUNDI - 28 mai 2006 - PANAPRESS
L'ONG Amnesty International (AI) a demandé au président burundais Pierre Nkurunziza de faciliter la "libération immédiate et inconditionnelle" de trois militants de l'Association nationale de lutte contre le génocide en prison pour avoir tenu dernièrement une réunion non autorisée.
Les prévenus, Thacien Sibomana, Popo Mudugu et son épouse Aline Ngendankazi, ont été arrêtés le 21 mai par la Police à Gitega sous le chef d'accusation d'avoir tenu une réunion non autorisée sur la vie de leur association dans cette ville du centre du Burundi.

Dans sa lettre au chef de l'Etat burundais, AI met en avant la liberté d'association et d'expression reconnue par les conventions nationales et internationales pour qualifier d'"injustes" de telles incarcérations.

L'organisation de défense des droits de l'Homme trouve particulièrement "infondée et injuste" le fait d'accuser des personnes de menacer la sécurité d'un Etat par la tenue d'une simple réunion.

AI rappelle en outre que l'Association de lutte contre le génocide a l'autorisation de réunir mensuellement ses membres depuis 1997, tout en réclamant, dans la même lettre, la "libération immédiate et inconditionnelle" d'un autre militant des droits civiques, en prison depuis plusieurs jours.

Il s'agit de Thérence Nahimana, représentant légal du Cercle d'initiative pour une vision commune (CIVIC), un collectif d'une centaine d'associations de la Société civile, en détention à Mpimba, la prison centrale de Bujumbura, depuis le 15 mai 2006.

Il lui est reproché d'avoir critiqué publiquement le peu d'empressement du pouvoir à négocier la paix avec le Front national de libération (FNL), le dernier mouvement de rébellion encore actif dans le pays.

Burundi rejects criticism about activists

May 29 2006 By Patrick Nduwimana

Bujumbura - Burundi's government on Sunday rejected criticism from human rights groups over its jailings of activists in the past month.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Burundi's biggest rights watchdog, Iteka, have all accused the government of cracking down on free expression after the three activists were arrested and charged with threatening state security.

Government spokesperson Karenga Ramadhani told Reuters that the rights groups' reports were inaccurate. Burundi respected freedom of expression, he said.

"But it can not keep silent when there are people who violate the law by saying things which threaten the security of the state or incite to war," Ramadhani said.

The tiny tea and coffee-producing country of seven million is emerging from 12 years of civil war that pitted rebels from the Hutu majority against the ruling Tutsi minority. More than 300 000 were killed.

Burundi's Iteka watchdog and New York-based Human Rights Watch criticised the May 10 arrest of Terence Nahimana, a Hutu peace activist.

He had accused the government of choosing a military option over dialogue with the last remaining rebels, to give it a pretext to invade the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"Arresting someone for questioning government actions sends a message that dissenters shouldn't dare to speak out," Alison Des Forges, senior Africa adviser at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement released earlier this month.

The government charged Nahimana, a former legislator who cut his links with the political wing of the rebel Forces for National Liberation (FNL) in 1990, with having improper links with the rebels and of inciting potential violence.

He is being held pending trial and faces between six months and five years in prison if convicted.

Amnesty International on Friday called for the immediate release of two Tutsi activists arrested on May 21 in the central province of Gitega.

Police accused them of holding an illegal meeting the activists said was to remember Tutsis killed in ethnic violence at the start of the civil war in 1993.

Burundi's newfound peace is generally seen as an African success story, but rights watchdogs have warned its security services still commit abuses.

- Palipehutu-fnl/Rwasa : Les pourparlers reportés
lundi 29 mai 2006 http://www.burundi-info.com

Les pourparlers de Paix inter-burundais viennent d’être reportés pour la semaine du 4 au 11 juin 2006, a déclaré le Ministre Sud-africain de la Sécurité et Facilitateur dans les pourparlers de paix entre le Pouvoir de Bujumbura et le Mouvement Palipehutu-Fnl. La raison principale de ce report est que M. Agathon Rwasa a déclaré que sa délégation n’était pas complète.

Forte de 4 personnes uniquement, le Palipehutu-Fnl/Rwasa a demandé à la Facilitation de reporter les vrais discussions pour 2 semaines, afin de lui permettre de compléter sa délégation (31 personnes d’après une source proche de ce mouvement). Cette proposition a été catégoriquement rejettée par la partie gouvernementale, qui trouve que c’est une façon de plus de retarder les pourparlers. Le Facilitateur a eu du mal à comprendre la position subite de M. Agathon qui aurait agi, selon une source bien informée, sous l’influence de Jan Van Eck, un Sud-africain très proche du mouvement Palipehutu-Fn et présent à Dar-es-Salaam la capitale Tanzanienne depuis quelques jours. On note aussi la présence, depuis ce dimanche 28 mai, de quatre membres du Cndd Nyangoma, qui sont venus jouer le jeu de « conseiller politique » de M. Agathon Rwasa.

Malgré le report de ces pourparlers, la délégation gouvernementale affirme qu’elle a été « mandatée pour mener à terme ces pourparlers pour que la paix totale règne sur tout le territoire national ». Elle se dit prête à rester à Dar-es-Salaam pour laisser à Rwasa le temps de se préparer. « Il disait qu’il était prêt depuis plusieurs mois, et voilà que nous sommes en face d’un autre langage » a déclaré le Général de Brigade Evariste Ndayishimiye, ministre burundais de l’intérieur et Président de la délégation gouvernementale, dans son discours lors des cérémonies d’ouverture de ces pourparlers.

Burundi rebels, government talks on in Tanzania
Mon May 29, 2006 By Lenny Majigo

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Long-delayed peace talks between Burundi's government and its last rebel group started in Tanzania on Monday, with calls for the rebels to agree to join President Pierre Nkurunziza's government.

"The decision as to how you end the conflict is yours," Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said in comments directed at Hutu Forces for National Liberation (FNL) rebels at the start of the talks.

"You may choose to take the path to triumphalism, or you can choose to recognise the need for an inclusive peace," he added.

Burundi's government, backed by African governments and the international community, has said the FNL must follow Burundi's U.N.- backed peace plan to end 12 years of conflict that killed 300,000 people in bouts of ethnic clashes.

That would mean the rebels, like other insurgents that have signed the deal, join Burundi's new army and police force. The FNL rebels have refused, saying they will not have a position forced upon them.

Burundi's Minister for the Interior and Public Security, Evariste Ndayishimiye, said he hoped the talks would find a way of incorporating FNL into Burundi's leadership.

"We have a formula of integration. Now we have come here to talk about how to bring Palipehutu FNL to Burundi leadership," Ndayishimiye said.

DIVISIONS

But as Monday's session was about to begin, the two sides seemed divided even on what they would discuss, a harbinger of more trouble for talks that have failed time and again to remove one of the last barriers to true peace in Burundi.

"We want freedom of opinion, so that more people can give their views, and for our group to be recognised and be allowed to undertake political activity," Agathon Rwasa, the FNL leader, told reporters after opening remarks at the talks.

"For the peace to hold, we need the police, army and intelligence not to break the law," Rwasa added.

President Nkurunziza, a former Hutu rebel leader, was elected in August under the peace plan, viewed as an African solution for stability in the nation of 7 million.

Rwasa and his top deputies have been in Dar es Salaam for nearly three months.

The FNL said late last week they would accept a South African mediator, dropping an objection in earlier talks that led neighbouring Tanzania to assume that role behind the scenes.

Joram Diswaro, the director for Africa at Tanzania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, confirmed South Africa's Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula was leading the talks.

Despite peace overtures, Burundi's army continues pursuing the FNL. Last week they killed 10 rebels in helicopter raids on the remote Kibira forest in the northwest of the tea- and coffee-growing country.

Peace talks between Burundi's government and the only active rebel group have begun in Tanzania.
The Hutu National Liberation Forces (FNL) is the only group still outside a power-sharing agreement aimed at ending a 13-year civil war.

Burundi has long been dominated by its Tutsi minority but now has a Hutu leader - ex-rebel Pierre Nkurunziza.

A ceasefire signed by the FNL last year soon broke down. But correspondents say both sides now seem committed to peace.

Opening the talks, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete told both sides they could ruin the country by letting the "guns usurp the place of reason" or they could agree to negotiate a peace deal.

South African Security Minister Charles Ngqakula is to mediate at the talks in Dar es Salaam.

The BBC's Prime Ndikumagenge in Burundi says the FNL has imposed different conditions from the other rebel groups, maintaining that the problem in Burundi is between Hutus and Tutsis and demanding direct negotiations with Tutsi army or civilian leaders.

The current round of talks had been delayed by a disagreement over who would broker the talks, but both sides have now agreed to Mr Ngqakula's mediation.

However, Reuters news agency reports that the two sides have not yet agreed on what will be discussed.

Some 300,000 people were killed in the civil war, which was sparked in 1993 by the assassination of Burundi's first Hutu head of state and democratically elected president, Melchior Ndadaye.

Fighting between the government and FNL resumed in May 2005, only one week after the two sides signed an agreement.

Burundi government officials meet with representatives of the only remaining rebel movement Palipehutu-Forces for National Liberation (Palipehutu-FNL) in Dar es Salaam today under Kingley Mamabulu, South African Ambassador to the Great Lakes region.

The peace talk process aims at bringing to the end, a 13-year old civil strife which opposed the two main ethnic groups ? Hutus and Tutsis.

An eleven-man delegation will discuss matters on behalf of the people of Burundi government.

The head of the delegation is Brig Gen Evariste Ndayishimiye, Burundi’s Home Affairs, Public Safety and Security minister.

Other members of the Burundi delegation are Brig Gen Lazarre Nduwayo, who is the Principal Counsellor of the first Vice President and Melchiade Nzopfabarushe who is the deputy chief of civil cabinet.

Ambassador Ntacobamaze Salvator who is the State’s Chief Protocol, Anatolie Muzakare, the Judicial Counsellor in the first Vice President’s Office and Ambassador Jérémie Ngendakumana are also in the delegation.

Others in the Burundi government delegation are Col Pierre-Claver Gahungu, Col Lazard Ngendakumana both from the National Police; Col Bernard Bandonkeye and Col Etienne Ntakarutimana from the National Defence Forces (FDN) and Willy Nyamitwe who is the communication counselor in the President’s Office.

The Burundi government says it will integrate the rebels in the army and the national Police.

’We don’t want to waste time. The government’s position is to see how the FNL can be integrated into the army and the police,’ Burundi presidential spokeswoman, Afsa Mosi said.
She added: ’It is not a question of discussing the constitution or other peace deals on which the Burundian people have already agreed.’

’Our movement has never asked to integrate in the army or the police. We must sit together and discuss why Hutus and Tutsis have killed one another and see what could be a good future for both ethnic groups,’ FNL spokesman Pasteur Habimana said.

FNL leader Agathon Rwasa and his top deputies have been in Dar es Salaam for nearly three months now.

PALIPEHUTU-FNL, the only remaining rebel group still fighting the Bujumbura government, was formed in the early 1980s following the killing of over two hundred Hutus in 1972 under the regime of Capt Michel Micombero.

Nqakula off to Tanzania for Burundi peace talks
BuaNews 28 May 2006

Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula today departs for Tanzania as part of the ongoing consultations with other African leaders on the peace process in Burundi.

The visit would be his second since his recent appointment as the peace facilitator for Burundi.

Mr Nqakula visited Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi early this month to meet role-players and map a way forward for the peace process.

During his last trip to the Great Lakes region, a regional Technical Team was established to provide support to the Facilitator.

The minister is expected to participate in a regional meeting which would be attended by Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, President of Burundi Pierre Nkurunziza, representatives from the United Nations Operations in Burundi as well as the African Union, among others.

Issues to be discussed include the pursuit for negotiations by all role players to advance the Burundi peace process as well as mechanisms that could end conflict and bring about stability in that country.

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said the meeting would also discuss the implementation of the cease-fire agreements.

The meeting would also be attended by the Palipehutu - National Liberation Forces (FNL).

The NLF is the only rebel group that has not joined the peace process.

The other rebel group, the Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) agreed to join the power-sharing government to end the civil war between Hutu rebels and the Tutsi army in 2003.

"South Africa reiterates its commitment to working with the regional leadership of the African Union, the government and the people of Burundi, the Palipehutu - FNL in their efforts to find a sustainable solution to their current political challenges aimed at bringing lasting peace to Burundi," said Mr Mamoepa.

Mr Mamoepa said that South Africa remained optimistic about the prospects for a lasting peace in Burundi.

Abarundi baba muri Amerika bararonse iteka ryo kwakira icegera ca kabiri c’umukuru w’igihugu nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda. Ibibazo bamubajije yabisubije neza cane, n’ubwintozi bwinshi, n’ubumenyi bwinshi cane! Twese rero twari tuhari twaranezerejwe, n’ubwenge bwinshi cane bwa nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda. Hari abanditse bivugira yuko ata banyamakuru bemerewe guherekeza nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda. Ivyo mugabo sivyo kuko twiboneye abanyamakuru baje bavuye mu Burundi. Umwanditsi wa runo rwandiko yashaka mbere amenyeshe abasoma iyi nkuru yuko, mu banyamakuru baje harimwo umusengezano wiwe! Mbega none nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda, yoba yaravuze amajambo mabi yerekeye umukuru w’umugambwe CNDD-FDD? Yoba yarashigikiye Basabose nkuko benshi bavyanditse, kandi nkuko amaradiyo yo mu Burundi yabivuze? Inyishu kuri ivyo bibazo iroroshe cane: baramubeshera na kare ngo uwugutuka ntagutorera. Noneho rero twagize n’Imana kuko ubu butumwa burimwo video, n’amajwi biza kwereka abafise amakenga aho ukuri kuhagaze. Abarundi baje gusanganira nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda, baranezerewe cane, kandi baramushimiye ubwitonzi, urufasoni, n’ubwenge bwinshi yerekanye. Ibibazo twamubajije vyose, yabisubije neza cane. Birababaje rero, kwumva hari benshi batari banahari, bagiye bakwiza ibihuha n’ibinyoma ataho bihuriye n’ivyo nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda yatubwiye. Nkuko navyanditse aho hejuru, hari bamwe bagiye bandika ibinyoma bavuga yuko nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda yoba yaravuze amajambo atari meza, yerekeye Basabose na Rajabu. Abantu baje kuraba icegera c’umukuru w’igihugu barababajwe cane n’ivyo binyoma. Baca umugani mu Kirundi ngo ikinyoma gikubitirwa ahashashe, na none kandi ngo uwugutuka ntagutorera. Nashoboye kuvugana kuri telephone n’umunyamakuru yitwa Frederic Nkundikije akorera Ijwi ry’Amerika. Ico yamesheje nuko, ata mutegetsi numwe yavuye muri Afrika yigeze, yishura neza ibibazo nkuko nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda yabigize. Umumenyeshamakuru Frederic yakomeje avuga ati nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda yatanze ibiganiro kw’Ijwi Ry’Amerika mu ndimi zine : ikirundi, igifaransa, icongereza, n’igiswahiri. Benshi rero ivyo vyarabatangaje cane kandi birabanezereza. Hari kandi urwandiko rwasohotse, rushima ivyashikirijewe na nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda, ubu rwamaze gushikirizwa umukuru w’igihugu c’Amerika. Kugirango rero Ijwi Ry’Amerika ribikore gutryo nuko abaritwara bashimye cane ivyo nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda yashikirije. Mu minsi mike nzorushikiriza Abarundi bene wacu ncishije kuri internet, kugirango bamenye ukuri !
Hano rero muri Amerika, nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda yarateye iteka Uburundi, na Afrika. Yareteye kandi iteka abafasoni kuko yerekanye yuko abafasoni bafise ubumenye, ubushobozi, bikomeye cane kurusha mbere na basaza babo! Aha umuntu yoshimira Umukuru w’igihugu Nyenicubahiro Petero Nkurunziza, yahaye amabanga ahambaye cane abafasoni mu Burundi. Na kare ngo nta mwana n’ikinono ! Tukanakengurukira kandi abarundikiza bariko barereka Uburundi n’amakungu yuko bashoboye gutwara nka basaza babo, ndetse bashobora kenshi no kubarusha ! Niyo mpamvu rero, abarundikazi, n’abarundi bonezerezwa cane n’ukuntu icegera c’umukuru w’igihugu cabo nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda yifashe neza cane mu rugendo rwiwe yagiriye ino muri Amerika.
Ivyafunditswe kandi mu rugendo rwiwe ni vyinshi cane kandi bizofasha mu kwubaka igihugu cacu. Biragoye rero kwumva ukuntu umuntu akora neza, ashoboye akazi, yitaye ku neza y’igihugu ciwe no ku neza y’Abarundi, hari abantu bihanukira bakamwambika ibara bakamuvugira ivyo atigeze avuga! Eka ivya politike n’agahomera bunwa ! Nashaka kandi nkebure bene wacu batushikiriza amakuru, kwitonda no kutwigorera, bakatubwira ivyo babanje kutohoza neza. Ni nayo mpamvu nasanze noshikiriza, uru rwandiko kugirango ibinyoma abantu bamaze iminsi basoma, canke bumva, bije ahabona, bamenye neza yuko atariko bimeze. Nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda naramwiboneye, arazi ubwenge, afise ubwitonzi kandi, igihugu cagize Imana kumuronka.
Mu rugendo rero yagize hano muri Amerika, yahuye n’abakozi bo hejuru cane, kandi abo babonanye baramushimye cane, bongera bemera kuzofata igihugu cacu mu mugongo mu nzira y’iterambere. Simbona rero impamvu abantu baciye badumisha inkuru ngo karabaye, kubera yuko atashoboye kubonana n’abategetsi b’Ububirigi. Ngirango impamvu zashikirijwe na Leta y’Uburundi kuri urwo rugedo ziratomoye cane, sinozigarukako.
Mu bintu icegera c’umukuru w’igihugu nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda yashikirije abanyamakuru b’ijwi ry’Amerika, canke mu biganiro yagiranye n’Abarundi, nta majambo mabi twigenze twumva. Twarumvise abanyamakuru bavuga yuko icegera c’umukuru w’igihugu yoba yarashigikiye Basabose mu kibazo afitaniye n’umukuru w’umugambwe CNDD-FDD Hussein Rajabu. Twebwe abantu twari tuhari, twarakubiswe n’inkuba twumvise ico kinyoma ! Abari bahari, turazi yuko ata kintu na kimwe nkico yavuze. Ico yashikirije umurundi yabajije ico kibazo, yamubwiye yuko aserukira leta y ‘uburundi, ataje kuvugira umugambwe wa CNDD-FDD. Yongera avuga ati ikibazo ca Basabose ubu kiri mu minwe y’ubucamanza, ati rero niturindire, ubucamanza bukore akazi kabwo, ati igihe ubucamanza buzoshikiriza ivyo bwashitseko azoheza atumenyeshe. Ngirango ayo majambo, biraboneka cane ko atandukanye, n’ibinyoma vyanditswe bivuga ngo yashigikiye Basabose !
Abifuza rero, inkuru y’imvaho, abifuza kumenya ivyashikirijwe na nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda, nibafyonde aho hepfo, bibonere video kandi bumve inkuru y’imvaho. Nashaka kandi gukengurukira umumyamakuru Frederic Nkundikije, yamesheje ukuntu noronka ivyo baganiriye na nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda. Yakoze cane, uyo muvukanyi wacu Frederic Nkundikije, kuko yatumye nshobora gushikiriza bene wacu bo mu Burundi, ico kiganiro yahaye nyenicubahiro Alice Nzomukunda. Mpejeje nkebura abari ku butegetsi mu Burundi, ntibaryame umukondora zosi. Birakenewe, ko boshiraho uburyo bwo kumenyesha Abarundi ibikorwa mu gihugu. Uburyo buciye kuri internet, burarashe cane kandi bobukoresha, bakabukoresha neza batubwira ukuri, batubwira ibiba mu gihugu. Ibi bizotuma, turonka urundi rusata rw’ibintu biba mu Burundi. Nayo ahandi hoho, tuzokomeza gusoma, ivyanditswe n’abandi bantu, bafise iyindi ntumbero, canke batabona impamvu yo kwandika ibivuga neza igihugu cacu. Twizere rero yuko aka kamo, abategetsi b’igihugu bazogashira ku muzirikanyi.

Visiperezida Nzomukunda ngo nta Macakubiri muri CNDD-FDD
18/05/2006 Alice Nzomukunda
Guhera ejo ku wa kane biravugwa ko Visiperezida w'Uburundi, Madamu Alice Nzomukunda, yaba ngo yirukanywe k'umwanya we.

Ibyo biravugwa mu gihe nta gihe cyari gishize atangarije Ijwi ry'Amerika ko nta macakubiri aba muri CNDD-FDD iri k'ubutegetsi. Ikiganiro yahaye Ijwi ry'Amerika icyo gihe kiri mu ntangiririo y'iyi nyandiko.

Ushaka kureba icyo kiganiro akirebere hano:

UGANDA

Uganda, Kenya sign pact to curb illegal firearms

www.chinaview.cn 2006-05-29 Editor: Lin Li

KAMPALA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan and Kenyan authorities have signed the Fifth Joint Communique to control the flow of illegal small firearms in the two neighboring countries, local media reported on Monday.

The communique was signed at the end of a meeting which was held in Eldoret, Kenya last week, when the two east African countries were struggling to disarm warriors who carried out cattle rustling in each other's territories and killed people in some cases, reported Daily Monitor.

Dauda Kasibante, the Resident District Commissioner for Tororo district in eastern Uganda, signed the communique on behalf of Uganda while the head of the Kenyan delegation, Abdul Mwaserah the Western Provincial Commissioner, signed on behalf of Kenya.

Kasibante called for a joint fight on the disarmament exercise and cattle rustling in the two countries while thousands of armed warriors in northwestern Kenya have crossed to Uganda to evade the exercise in Kenya.

He said the warriors would be forced by Uganda authorities to surrender their guns,.

In northeastern Uganda's Karamoja sub-region, the Uganda People's Defense Forces are carrying out a disarmament exercise and over 10,000 guns have been recovered from the Karimojong warriors since President Yoweri Museveni launched the exercise in 2001.

The army estimates that there are over 30,000 illegal guns in Karamoja region. The exercise is facing stiff resistance from the warriors who at times ambush government forces.

The Ugandan military also deployed its soldiers in suspected gun markets near neighboring southern Sudan, who ended a 20-year war early last year.

Roundup: Budget cuts to affect HIV/AIDS patients in Uganda
May 29, 2006 Source: Xinhua

The budget cuts may hinder thousands of HIV/AIDS patients from access to the key medication they received to prolong their lives, an official has warned.

Kihumuro Apuuli, director general of the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC), quoted by the state-owned New Vision daily on Friday, said the budget cuts in the proposed budget framework for 2006/07 were likely to affect patients' access to anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), currently used by 75,000 patients.

He said of the 75,000 patients, 47,000 received ARVs with the assistance of donor funding from various organizations and projects, noting a number of the projects that have been supplementing the ministry's funding were winding up their operations, thus requiring the government to fill the gap.

Uganda had over the years failed to increase its annual healthcare budget to 15 percent as agreed by the African heads of state in Abuja, Nigeria, five years ago.

"The budget framework has reduced money for the health sector. We are likely to get little funds for HIV/AIDS activities and there is no money for drugs," he said.

During a recent meeting with Ministry of Finance officials, he was informed that the budget cuts were due to the current energy crisis in the east African country.

Kihumuro's fears come at a time when recent findings indicated that more Ugandans were getting infected with HIV at a rate of 130, 000 annually.

"The number of people in need of ARVs is going to double. Where shall we find resources to help them?" he asked.

Last week, the UAC said that it requires 1.2 billion U.S. dollars annually to accelerate the search for AIDS vaccine but only 650 million dollars was in place.

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria last year temporarily suspended its five grants to Uganda citing mismanagement.

The organization made the decision after an investigation of one of the grants by PricewaterhouseCoopers of "serious mismanagement" by the Project Management Unit in the Ministry of Health that was established to control the grants.

HIV/AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981, making it one of the greatest public health and economic challenges to mankind.

According to the Ministry of Health, majority of those who are affected with the disease are within the bracket of 15-to-40 years old, where the majority of the labor force comes from.

The 2005 Uganda AIDS Indicator Survey conducted by the Ministry of Health shows that the HIV prevalence rate has stagnated at about 6.5 percent for the last three years, causing worry among experts.

Uganda is hailed internationally for bringing down its HIV prevalence rate from 18 percent in the early 1990s to 6.5 percent in 2005.

Air Tanzania subsidies reach $2.8 million

By WILFRED EDWIN Special Correspondent
http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/
The Tanzania government has been subsidising the Air Tanzania Company Ltd (ATCL) to the tune of more than Tsh500 million ($400,000) every month following its decision to end joint ownership of the airline with the giant South African Airways.

Air Tanzania has been running under government subsidy for the past seven months, with the total amount now coming to Tsh3.5 billion ($2.8 million).

The Minister for Infrastructure, Basil Mramba, told The EastAfrican last week that the situation was "becoming increasingly intolerable."

He said the disengagement had reached the stage of "governmental level talks," which implied that technical issues were left to shareholders.

"I am becoming impatient seeing a commercial airliner running on subsidies. We can’t operate like this any more," said Mr Mramba. He would not, however, reveal the government’s course of action should the situation fail to improve.

The acting chief executive officer of Air Tanzania, Gert van Wyk, confirmed last week that the firm has been running on subsidies since November last year.

Industry analysts observe that Air Tanzania is beginning to offer a bad example as a failed privatisation attempt; the firm is headed for further huge losses to the tune of Tsh6.7 billion ($5.5 million) this financial year.

Ever since the controversial deal to sell a 49 per cent stake to the South Africans, ATCL has been making substantial losses. It made losses of Tsh8.7 billion ($7.3 million) in its first year after privatisation in 2003, and a further loss of Tsh9.3 billion ($7.7 million) in 2004.

Thus, it made a total loss of Tsh24.7 billion ($20.6 million) during its four-year marriage with South African Airways (SAA), which has seen it operating with only two aircraft. Prior to privatisation, the airline had three operating aircraft.

SAA, itself currently mired in a management crisis, is reported to have also been seriously affected by a financial crisis deepened by leases of Boeing aircraft that have swallowed up more than R1 billion ($167.8 million), and the impact of a recent weeklong strike by cabin crew and ground staff.

Mr Mramba said recently that the country is now focusing on creating Air Tanzania as its own national airline once the SAA-ATCL deal is over.

However, key questions pertaining to the airline deal remain unanswered. A member of the Parliamentary Committee for Economics and Finance recently asked the government to explain how much was needed and who would fund the breaking up the SAA-ATCL affair. So far, no figures have been made available.

Analysts are of the opinion that the SAA-ATCL partnership deal could prove to be one of President Jakaya Kikwete’s acid tests, showing how his new government will deal with "bad contracts."

When Tanzania sold shares to SAA for $20 million, the latter had no experience in running foreign airline joint ventures; thus, Air Tanzania became its first international training ground.

Last week, an ATCL official said that although a Boeing 737-200, number 5H ATC, had been brought back from South Africa where it had been taken for maintenance, there would still be a shortage as a similar plane is due for maintenance.

DR Congo 'plot' suspects released

Monday, 29 May 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5026976.stm

Joseph Kabila (l) succeeded his assassinated father Laurent-Desire
The 32 foreigners who were arrested last week in the Democratic Republic of Congo and accused of plotting against the government have been released.
The 32, comprising American, Nigerian and South African security staff, were ordered to leave the country but no charges were brought against them.

Some of them were working for Oscar Kashala, a presidential candidate.

The BBC's Arnaud Zajtman in Kinshasa says diplomats and many Congolese doubt there was ever a plot.

The three Americans left DR Congo on Saturday and the 19 South Africans on Sunday.

I felt like I was in Survivo

South African Chris Sauer
It is not clear whether the 10 Nigerians in the group have returned home.

Mr Kashala, an opposition candidate in elections scheduled for late July, is still expected to stand but has lost his private security contingent, our correspondent says.

Congolese Interior Minister Theophile Mbembe Fundu has said DR Congo would not conduct any further investigation into the affair, as the judiciary was not equipped for the task.

He said that the men's countries of origin would conduct further investigations, but diplomats have described this as a face-saving measure, and are convinced of the men's innocence, our correspondent says.

'Misunderstanding'

Many Congolese citizens are comparing the accusations to strategies used by former dictator Mobutu sese Seko to discredit his opponents.

Alex de Witt, chief executive of the Omega Group which employs the men, told the South African Star newspaper the arrests were the result of a misunderstanding.

"I felt like I was in [reality television series]Survivor," South African Chris Sauer told The Star newspaper as he arrived at Johannesburg airport on Sunday.

Polls

DR Congo's first multiparty elections in 40 years are currently scheduled for the end of July.

Last week, the defence minister warned Congolese politicians that they should not have more than 25 bodyguards, amid pre-election tension.

Anneke Van Woudenberg of Human Rights Watch told the BBC the growing reliance on private security firms is symptomatic of increasing insecurity in Kinshasa.

A United Nations peacekeeping force of nearly 17,000 troops - the world's largest - operates in the country and is being augmented by a 1,500-strong European Union rapid reaction force over the election period.

RDC: L'ISS rejette la théorie du "complot" avancée par les autorités de la RDC
JOHANNESBOURG, le 29 mai (IRIN) - L’institut des études sur la sécurité (ISS) de Pretoria, en Afrique du Sud, a formellement démenti les allégations selon lesquelles les prétendus mercenaires étrangers arrêtés en République démocratique du Congo (RDC), préparaient un coup d’état ou envisageaient de déstabiliser les institutions du pays avant les élections du 30 juillet.

Le 23 mai, les forces de sécurité congolaises ont appréhendé à Kinshasa, la capitale, 32 ressortissants étrangers - trois Américains, 10 Nigérians et 19 Sud africains - tous accusés de complot visant à déstabiliser les institutions du pays. Dix opposants, candidats à l’élection présidentielle, ont également été arrêtés pour les mêmes raisons.

Les ressortissants sud africains étaient des collaborateurs du groupe international Omega, une société sous contrat avec le gouvernement de RDC pour former le personnel chargé de la sécurité du port. Selon Henri-Mova Sakanyi, porte-parole du gouvernement congolais, les agents de sécurité qui ont appréhendé les « mercenaires » ont également trouvé dans leurs appartements des documents compromettants.

« 32 personnes prétendant travailler pour une agence de sécurité ont été arrêtées », a déclaré M. Sakanyi à Kinshasa. « Il disent travailler pour une agence de sécurité, mais les informations dont nous disposons nous font penser qu’ils avaient d’autres objectifs. Ils voulaient déstabiliser les institutions du pays, c’est-à-dire fomenter un coup d’état ».

M. Sakanyi a également indiqué que les personnes appréhendées ont avoué qu’elles s’apprêtaient à commettre un coup d’état avec l’appui de certains opposants congolais dont ils n’ont pas révélé les noms. Henri Boshoff, analyste à l’ISS, a affirmé jeudi qu’il n’y avait aucune menace réelle de coup d’état ou de déstabilisation des institutions en RDC. Ces arrestations pourraient donc être liées à des problèmes de politiques internes.

En outre, précise M. Boshoff, le fait que les ressortissants sud africains aient été arrêtés dans la société de trois Américains recrutés pour assurer la protection de l’opposant Oscar Kashala, un des 33 candidats à la présidentielle, laisse penser que les deux sociétés pour lesquelles ces hommes travaillaient agissaient en parfaite légalité.

« On est en droit de penser que l’arrestation des prétendus mercenaires est liée à leurs relations avec un candidat de l’opposition », a expliqué M. Boshoff.

Cette arrestation pourrait aussi être en rapport avec la récente déclaration du ministre congolais de la défense qui affirmait que les candidats de l’opposition ne devraient pas avoir plus de 25 gardes du corps, un nombre bien insignifiant comparé aux quelque 10 000 hommes chargés de la protection du Président Joseph Kabila.

« La communauté internationale, notamment les missions diplomatiques et des Nations unies ne croient pas en la version des autorités congolaises et attribuent plutôt cette arrestation aux rivalités politiques », a indiqué M. Boshoff.

La déposition d’Alex De Witt, directeur général de la société Omega, devant la Commission de la défense du Parlement sud africain a été « utile et déterminant », a déclaré l’ISS, à un moment où la Commission examine le projet de loi anti-mercenaire. Depuis, la société Omega a exprimé ses vifs regrets expliquant que l’arrestation des ses collaborateurs est dû à un malentendu.

Il aurait été insensé de fomenter un coup d’état pendant que près de 16 500 casques bleus de l’ONU sont déployés dans le pays, a commenté M. Boshoff.

L’analyse de l’ISS a été publiée à un moment où Etienne Tshisekedi, leader de l'Union pour la Démocratie et le progrès social (UDPS), un des principaux partis de l’opposition, a affirmé que le prétendu coup d’état est un complot ourdi par les autorités pour détourner l’attention de l’opinion publique des élections et l’échec du gouvernement de transition.

Rapportant les propos d’un officier de renseignements congolais, des journaux ont indiqué que les allégations de coup d’état sont sans fondement et que les récentes arrestations pourraient être liées à des problèmes de politique interne.

Toutefois, le Président sud africain Thabo Mbeki a demandé que la loi congolaise soit appliquée dans toute sa rigueur contre les ressortissants sud africains arrêtés, si les soupçons qui pèsent sur eux sont confirmés.

South Africans detained in DRC a misunderstanding

Omega Risk Solutions says the detention of employees by Congolese authorities was a misunderstanding

May 29, 2006 http://www.sabcnews.com

Omega Risk Solutions says the detention of its employees by Congolese authorities was just an unfortunate misunderstanding. The company employs 15 of the 19 South African passport holders who were deported from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to the company, they were in the DRC on a state contract to upgrade that country's ports, to comply with international harbour security standards.

Yesterday, the men reportedly touched down at Johannesburg International. A large media contingent was at the airport, along with the men's family and friends. They were arrested last Friday on allegations that they were trying to destabilise Congolese state institutions.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has released a group of South Africans, Nigerians and Americans arrested over what the Government says was a suspected coup plot ahead of elections in July.

DRC said on Wednesday it had detained the 32 foreigners for planning a coup ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls.

Security sources say the arrests were linked to domestic political rivalries and that there was never a serious threat to the Government.

South African officials say the Democratic Republic of Congo had deported 19 of its citizens arrested in connection with the plot allegations.

"They have been released and ... all charges have been dropped," Sisa Ngombane, South African ambassador to DRC, told Reuters in Kinshasa.

South African foreign affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa says a plane carrying the men took off from Kinshasa airport en route to South Africa.

Most of the 19 were employees of a Pretoria-based security firm and had been providing security training for DRC's National Transport Authority.

But some were advising a presidential candidate, Harvard-trained doctor Oscar Kashala, one of 32 contenders vying with President Joseph Kabila for the country's top job.

The DRC Government was not immediately available to comment.

The July 30 polls will be the first multi-party elections in four decades in the former Belgian colony lying in the heart of Africa.

International donors on Friday accused DRC's government of exploiting the alleged coup plot to harass political opponents.

DRC: South African institute discounts "coup plot" theory following arrests
26 May 2006 Source: IRIN

JOHANNESBURG, 26 May (IRIN) - The South African-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS) has ruled out chances that the men arrested and identified as foreign mercenaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were plotting a coup or planning to destabilise the country ahead of 30 July elections.

Security agents in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, arrested 32 foreigners on Tuesday: three Americans, 10 Nigerian passport holders and 19 South African passport holders. They were arrested on charges of plotting to destabilise the country. Ten local opposition presidential candidates were also arrested in connection with the alleged plot.

All the South Africans were employees of Omega International Association, a company the DRC government contracted to train harbour personnel. According to DRC government spokesman Henri-Mova Sakanyi, state security agents, who arrested the men, also found documentary links to a coup plot in their apartments.

"About 32 persons claiming to work for a security company have been arrested," Sakanyi said on Wednesday in Kinshasa. "They say they were working for a security company but our information suggests they had other motives. They wanted to destabilise the country, and that means a coup attempt."

He also claimed that some of the alleged mercenaries had confessed that they were plotting a coup with unnamed local politicians. In an analysis released early on Thursday, ISS senior researcher Henri Boshoff said there was no real threat of a coup or any form of destabilisation in the DRC, but rather the arrests could have been linked to internal political rivalry.

He said the fact that the South African nationals were arrested in the company of three Americans who were in the country to take up guard duties around opposition leader Oscar Kashala, who is one of 33 presidential candidates, suggested both companies were acting within the law at the time.

"It is not beyond reason to suggest that the arrest of the alleged mercenaries is linked to their involvement with an opposition candidate," Boshoff said.

He said the arrests could also be in line with a recent proclamation by the DRC Ministry of Defence, which said opposition candidates should not have more than 25 bodyguards, a number which analysts view as insignificant when compared with President Joseph Kabila's 10,000-strong presidential bodyguard.

"The international community, including the diplomatic and UN missions in the country do not believe that there were any plans to topple the Congolese government, but rather attribute it to political rivalry," Boshoff said.

The ISS said the Omega chief executive officer, Alex De Witt, had on Monday made "useful and supportive" presentations to the South African Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, which is at the moment examining the country's proposed Mercenary Bill. Omega has since expressed its worry, saying the men were arrested as a result of misunderstandings.

Boshoff also said it would have been far-fetched for the alleged mercenaries to plan to stage a coup when a 16,500-strong UN peacekeeping force was in the country.

The ISS analysis came as DRC's leading opposition party, the l'Union pour la Democratie et le progres social (the Union for the Democracy and the Social Progress - UDPS) of Etienne Tshisekedi said the coup allegation was a plot by the government to divert attention from the elections and the failures of the transitional government.

News agencies also quoted a senior Congolese military intelligence official as saying there was no merit behind the coup allegations. He said domestic political motives could have been the main motivation for the arrests.

However, South African President Thabo Mbeki said on Thursday that the laws of the DRC should be applied strongly against any South Africans arrested in connection with the case if the allegations were found to be true.

DRC 'coup plotters' back in Johannesburg

Johannesburg, South Africa - Sapa 29 May 2006

Nineteen South African passport holders deported from the Democratic Republic of Congo for their alleged involvement in a coup plot arrived home on Sunday night.

Their flight from Kinshasa landed at Johannesburg International airport just after 6.20pm.

The men emerged into the international arrivals hall to an emotional welcome from waiting family members.

"I'm glad to be here with my family, it feels like a champion to be home [sic]," said Chris Sauer (68).

Asked if he would demand apologies for the arrest, Sauer said, "No, I think anybody who has been held 10 days in holding cells will be angry ... but it's past now, it's gone."

"This was the last time, I'll never go there [to the DRC]," he said.

"The past week was long. I was just worried, I was stressed," said Antonio Viera, who had just welcomed his father Jo-Jo, also from Pretoria.

Herman Thyssen, from Pretoria, said he would not return to the DRC while President Joseph Kabila was in power.

"Under the current regime I will not go back there. But if there is a change in government, I might consider going back," a tearful Thyssen said.

Omega Group CEO Alex de Witt said 15 of his employees were among the group of 19.

He said they were security systems specialists and had been involved on a state contract upgrading the DRC's ports to comply with international harbour security standards.

"We are delighted that our staff members have been released, and we are grateful to the DRC authorities and the South African Foreign Affairs staff who assisted in achieving their release," De Witt said.

"I would like especially to thank our Ambassador Sisa Ngombane in Kinshasa, and DRC's Ambassador Bene M'pako in Pretoria, for their support and commitment in resolving this misunderstanding," he said.

The DRC government had alleged the men were planning a coup with the help of three Americans, who were also released on Sunday, according to an Associated Press report.

The Americans formed part of the election team of Dr Oscar Kashal, one of the 32 presidential candidates in the country's elections on July 30. Ten Nigerians were also arrested.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Stefan Ferreira, the company's manager -- who was also arrested -- said: "We are very relieved to be glad to be back in South Africa."

"It was a total misunderstanding, we were held and released without being charged," he said.

Ferreira said the group was barely awake when the authorities pounced on them at 5am on May 19, searched their places and escorted them to the custody

De Witt said the company was still carrying on with operations in the DRC and members were recruited on daily basis.

"We have contracts in place, we'd like to continue with our contracts and support the DRC government," De Witt said.

He said he would be flying to the country to resolve the issue and ensure that "any outstanding" matters are dealt with.

"No charges have been laid, nothing has been laid for us on why they have been arrested," he said.

Congo Releases Americans Accused of Plotting Coup
May 28, 2006 VOA, VOA Africa, VOA Human Rights and Law
By VOA

The Democratic Republic of Congo has released three Americans, held for over a week on accusations of plotting a coup.

The three are security consultants for the AQMI Strategy Corporation of Orlando, Florida and they had been providing security services for DRC presidential candidate Dr. Oscar Kashala ahead of July elections.

The three, Joe Robinson, Kevin Billings and Seth Taylor were flown out of the DRC Saturday night by AQMI and are expected to return to the U.S. in the next few days.

They were detained along with a number of South Africans and Nigerians.

South Africa reported Sunday that the DRC has deported 19 of its citizens, held for coup plotting. The men were flown to Johannesburg.

Most of the South Africans are employees of a Pretoria-based security firm that had been giving security training to Congo’s transport authority. The company has also been hired to protect Dr. Kashala.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters

Cholera in Angola: European Commission doubles emergency response

IP/06/686 Date: 29 May 2006
Source: European Commission - Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO)

Brussels, 29 May 2006 - The European Commission has allocated a further €1.5 million in emergency humanitarian aid to fight the increasing incidence of cholera in Angola. More than 36,000 cases have been reported since the first outbreak on 13 February. Eleven of Angola's 18 provinces are now affected, including the capital Luanda. More than 1,300 people have died and, according to UNICEF, 35% of the victims are children under five. This new aid comes on top of an initial emergency grant of €1.5 million announced by the Commission on 21 April (see IP/06/516). At that stage, the Commission already envisaged the possibility of mobilizing extra resources, should the need arise. Epidemiologists now expect as many as 30,000 new cases over the coming two to three months. Due to the rapid spread of the disease, relief agencies and international bodies like the World Health Organisation (WHO) have continued to scale up their operations. The Commission's contribution is a vital part of this international effort.

The cholera outbreaks in suburban areas of several Angolan cities are the result of extremely heavy rains over much of southern Africa since January, compounded by poverty, a lack of basic sanitation and poor hygiene standards. The first outbreak was declared in the slum districts of Sambizanga and Ingombota (Boavista) in Luanda on 13 February. Since early April, the outbreak has spread extremely rapidly to other areas of the capital and ten other provinces of the country (1), despite the strenuous efforts of the Angolan Government, UN bodies and relief agencies to contain it. In mid-April, the epidemic reached emergency proportions. On 18 May, the WHO announced 35,775 recorded cases including 1,298 deaths, representing a fatality rate of 3.6%. Between a quarter and a half of cholera cases are fatal if untreated; appropriate treatment can reduce the mortality rate to below 1-2%. The cholera case-fatality rate in Africa is generally 5%, the highest in the world.

The emergency funds have been mobilised by the Commission's humanitarian aid department (ECHO) and are being channelled through humanitarian organisations such as 'Médecins du Monde'; 'Médecins Sans Frontières', 'Oxfam' and UN agencies such as UNICEF and the WHO. DG ECHO comes under the direct responsibility of Louis Michel, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid.

Note:

(1) The provinces of Bié, Bengo, Benguela, Huambo, Huila, Kwanza Norte, Kwanza Sul, Malanje, Uige, Zaire.

Angola and South Africa Discuss Military Inspections

Luanda, 05/29 - ANGOP- Angolan and South African military delegations of the inspections sector, are holding a meeting this Monday, here, under the bilateral relations process in the defence area.

The Angolan delegation is led by the Armed Forces (FAA)`s general inspector, gen. Rafael Sapilinha "Sambalanga" and the South African team is headed by the SA Armed Forces general inspector, general-major Mxolisi Eduard Petane, who is in Luanda since Friday for a five-day official visit to the country.

Apart from the official conversations, set to take place in the Angolan Armed Forces General Inspections (IGFAA)`s hall, the South African delegation will be received by the Defence minister, Kundi Paihama and by the Army`s Chief of Staff, Gen. Agostinho Nelumba "Sanjar".

According to an official programme that ANGOP had access to, inspections visits to the Land Forces, Marine and Air-Force bases will be carried out.

There will also be visits to FAA`s 101 Tank Brigade, at Funda region, outskirts of Luanda Province and Kifangondo historic site, as part of the South African delegation working agenda.

South Africa`s delegation will leave Friday, 02 June.

Angola, Mozambique Boost Cooperation

Luanda, 05/29 - ANGOP- Mozambique`s Public Works Minister Feliciano Pedro Zacarias, arrived Saturday afternoon in the country for a four-day working visit, aiming at boosting the co-operation, mainly in the areas of infrastructures and sanitation, Angop has learnt.

Addressing the press, at "4 de Fevereiro" International Airport, the Mozambican official said that both countries emerged from an armed conflict that caused rural exodus to big cities, and consequently the appearance of many suburbs.

Feliciano Zacarias, who was welcomed at the airport by his Angolan colleague, Higino Carneiro, added that for this reason the two countries have the same problems in matters related to urbanization and should find out ways for solving them.

SOUTH AFRICA:

South Africa's economy runs well despite currency depreciation
Source: Xinhua 12, May 29, 2006

South African President Thabo Mbeki has said that the recent decline in the value of the country 's currency may help narrow the trade deficit and is not a cause for concern.

President Mbeki said in the latest online newsletter of ANC Today that South Africa would not be well served by a major weakening of the rand.

"Nothing has happened or is happening in our economy which should result in an automatic negative sentiment towards our country on the part of the domestic and global economic actors and 'movers and shakers'," Mbeki said.

Mbeki's comments came as rating agency Moody's said the rand looked set to extend a near five-year bull run against the U.S. dollar. But it would be restrained in the near term by volatility in commodity prices.

Emerging market jitters have sent the rand to a six-month low of 6.67 rand to the dollar. The Johannesburg Security Exchange's all-share index is down about 11 percent since the beginning of this month. The rand was trading at 6.5222 rand to the dollar on Monday.

Mbeki said that South Africa's economic fundamentals remained sound, although the current account deficit had continued to grow over the past few quarters.

He said it was more important to focus attention on what impact the market jitters would have on the economy in the medium term, as it is during this time that "the basic economic tendencies will become clear."

"It is important for all of us to understand that the recent falls in value affecting the rand and the JSE are pretty much in line with other comparable emerging markets.

"Some countries have done a little worse. South Africa has therefore not negatively been singled out among the emerging markets," he said.

Mbeki said that the underlying and decisive reason for the sensitivity of markets was that, globally, there was a considerable volume of savings chasing good investments.

South Africa : Safety and Security Minister in Tanzania for Burundi talks
May 29, 2006 By Mapitsi Phukubje

Johannesburg (AND) The South African Minister of Safety and Security, Charles Nqakula left yesterday for Tanzania to consult with leaders of the region in his capacity as facilitator of the Burundi Peace Process.
President Thabo Mbeki appointed Nqakula as a facilitator of the Burundi Peace Process.
The minister is scheduled to participate in a regional meeting that will be attended by President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, the United Nations Operations in Burundi (ONUB), the African Union and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL.
Issues that are going to be discussed are: the implementation of the Cease-fire Agreement and other related agreements, the pursuit of negotiations by all role players in the Burundi Peace Process, and the mechanisms aimed at ending the conflict.
Ronnie Mamoepa, foreign affairs spokesperson says that "South Africa reiterates its commitment to working with the regional leadership of the African Union, the government and the people of Burundi and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL in their efforts to find a sustainable solution to their current political challenges aimed at bringing lasting peace to Burundi".
The minister is visiting Tanzania for the second time since his appointment as the Peace Facilitator. He visited Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi on the 10 May 2006.
Nqakula will return to South Africa on 30 May 2006. Johannesburg Bureau

South Africa to recognise minority tribes

May 29, 2006 By Mabutho Michael Ngcobo
Johannesburg Bureau

Johannesburg (AND) The KwaZulu Natal province has embarked on a campaign to recognise all the minority tribes residing in the province to ensure the survival of their cultures and traditions.

The government Bua news quoted KwaZulu-Natal Minister of Arts and Culture Ms Weziwe Thusi saying that the province needs to take pride in having diverse cultural groups.

The minister said she is currently engaging with all minority tribes to properly record their practices.

This weekend she attended the cultural celebration of the Amathonga tribe one of the minority groups found in the far northern parts of the province.

The Amathonga are originally from Mozambique under Tembe chieftainship, and some people belong to the tribe are also found in Limpompo province.

The tribe’s language is regarded as one of the primary contributors to the modern Zulu language, which is mainly spoken in KwaZulu-Natal and in Gauteng province of South Africa.

The Minister promised to organise a conference where all tribes residing within the borders of the KwaZulu-Natal province will be invited to explore how the culture practices can yield benefits for all the tribes.

Although the KwaZulu-Natal province is made up of different tribes, but the Zulu tribe remains dominant to other tribes in the province. This can be traced back to the times of the ‘mfecane’ (series of wars} in the early 19th century when the late King Shaka fought and chased away many tribes who were residing in the Zululand.

AFRICA / AU :

- 29 May Despite much needed rains the situation for many people in East Africa remains criticial after one of the most severe droughts for a generation.

ActionAid is working across the region providing immediate relief and long–term recovery, helping those worst affected to rebuild their lives.

Already we are focussing on restoring people's livelihoods through the provision of seeds, livestock restocking and irrigation projects in order to reduce people's vulnerability to such crises in the future.

The following is some highlights of our work.

Somaliland:

The Gu' (April-May) rain season is ending in few days time, but the amount which fell in areas where ActionAid works has been inadequate.

Access to water is still the main issue as it did not rain at all in many areas. Herders have been forced to move elsewhere in search of water and pasture, which could trigger conflict, as it has in Kenya.

Many people are currently surviving on water in rain pools, but this might be finished in two to three weeks due to over use, infiltration and evaporation.

ActionAid's response over the next three months will reach 12,688 people in Sanaag – the largest of the 6 regions that make up the republic - and 8,459 in Togdheer, by:

water trucking in Sanaag and Togdheer

rehabilitating essential water sources (berkads, shallow wells, boreholes and earth dams)

raising awareness on sanitation and hygiene to reduce water related health problems

analysing the impacts of increased water facilities (berkads) on drought prevention and mitigation

cash for work and cash relief programmes linked with projects such as paving roads for water trucking or micro projects that would contribute to drought prevention

The projects will:
Increase the availability of clean drinking water

Save money for food and other essentials, by reducing that spent on water trucked from distant sources.

Help improve the taste of food and consequently people's nutrition and health

help reduce conflict over water sharing

Burundi:
The country looks green but food is still not available. Only now people are people starting to harvest those crops that were planted early. Three weeks of very heavy rain all over the country have aggravated the crisis in some areas as late crops have been washed away. ActionAid is developing a response plan for the coming months, which is likely to focus on food and seed distribution.

A national NGO network, which includes ActionAid, is carrying out further assessments next week in Kirundu, Ruyigi and Rutana - the provinces where ActionAid distributed food last month.

Tanzania:

The situation here is worse than Burundi as harvest is not until the end of July. The crisis is widespread. Even communities in the areas where grain is available are struggling. As domestic grain reserves have dried up, people have been forced to turn to higher priced imported alternatives.

ActionAid has finished the first round of food and seed distribution (cassava and sweet potato which have shorter growing seasons than maize). Plans for the next two months will focus specifically on food aid.

AU soldier killed in Darfur ambush - UN

May 29 2006 By Opheera McDoom

Khartoum - One African Union soldier was killed and another critically wounded when heavily armed men ambushed a patrol not far from their base in West Darfur, the United Nations said.

"The number of attackers is unconfirmed between six to 12 and they were reportedly armed with RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) and AK-47 rifles," the UN statement sent late on Sunday said.

The AU on Monday confirmed the ambush but could not give details. The identity of the men behind the attack was unknown.

Shaky truce in Sudan's violent west
The ill-equipped 7 000-strong AU force is monitoring a shaky truce in Sudan's violent west, but have been largely unable to prevent attacks and have become targets themselves in some areas as violence spirals out of control.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than 2 million forced from their homes during more than three years of fighting in Darfur.

Despite a May 5 peace deal signed between one rebel faction and the government, many other armed groups in the region are unhappy with the agreement and conflict continues.

Khalil Ibrahim, president of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel group, said he and a representative from another other rebel faction would travel to Slovenia on Tuesday to try to find common ground with the AU on the deal.

"We are not going to sign this agreement unless there is a radical change including real regional government for Darfur, and reconstruction of Darfur, compensation for our people and a fair share of power," he said in Cairo.

Attack near Chad border
The attack on AU forces occurred on Friday about 2km from their base in Masteri near the border with Chad in south-west Darfur.

A UN source said on Monday the AU base in Masteri itself was attacked during the night on Friday and several soldiers injured, one critically. He was not expected to survive.

The area has come under attack many times by armed Arab militia, known locally as Janjaweed. They have been amassing since the peace deal and become bolder in engaging AU troops.

The AU has also come under attack in West Darfur in the past by a third rebel group demanding a seat at the Darfur talks.

Many of the two million Darfuris in the miserable camps have also demonstrated against the deal and attacked the AU, killing a Sudanese interpreter working for them. They voice frustration that the AU is unable to protect them from continued, rape, killing and looting.

The international community wants Sudan to accept a UN takeover of the AU mission, but despite intense global pressure, Khartoum has so far refused.

After three days of high-level talks last week, the government finally conceded to comply to a UN Security Council resolution demanding they allow a UN-AU assessment team to go to Darfur and begin planning for a possible transition

UN /ONU :

Congo militia holding seven UN soldiers
Monday May 29 AAP http://news.ninemsn.com.au
Seven Nepalese UN peacekeepers have been captured in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by militia fighters who are demanding a ransom for their release, UN and Congolese sources said.

The soldiers were seized during a UN military operation in Congo's violence-prone Ituri district in which one other peacekeeper from Nepal was killed and three wounded.

The incident showed that the 17,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission in Congo - currently the largest in the world - was still struggling to pacify parts of the vast central African country ahead of elections scheduled for July 30.

It came as the United Nations celebrated Peacekeeping Day to mark the efforts of its blue-helmeted peacekeepers in trouble spots across the globe.

"We do have seven soldiers who are unaccounted for and we are continuing our efforts on the ground to try and determine their fate," said Kemal Saiki, spokesman for the UN mission in Congo.

UN and Congolese sources, who asked not to be named, said the missing Nepalese were being held by militia fighters in Ituri and UN officials were establishing contact with their captors to try to negotiate their release.

"We understand these people have been taken and there are talks going on," a UN source told Reuters.

A Congolese source who has contacts with the rebels said the missing Nepalese were being held by fighters led by militia chief Peter Karim.

"Peter Karim is holding these men and he is demanding money for their release. We are hearing of a figure of $20,000 for each peacekeeper," the source told Reuters.

Saiki said contact was lost with the Nepalese soldiers while their unit was involved in an operation targeting part of the Revolutionary Movement of Congo (MRC), a loose alliance of Ituri militia fighters.

The "cordon and search" mission was taking place in Dhera, 100 km north of the main regional town of Bunia.

Saiki said UN troops found the body of one Nepalese peacekeeper who was killed in action during the operation. Three others were wounded and were being treated in hospital while seven were missing.

UN peacekeepers have stepped up their offensive against militia groups in eastern Congo this year, trying to secure the region ahead of the presidential and legislative elections, the first of their kind in Congo for four decades.

UN humanitarian envoy condemns violence in Somali capital

www.chinaview.cn 2006-05-29 Editor: Lin Li

NAIROBI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Somalia on Monday condemned violence in Mogadishu, urging warring factions to act with humanity.

In a statement issued in Nairobi, UN envoy Eric Laroche said he was deeply disturbed by the fighting which has cost civilian lives and brought further insecurity to the UN humanitarian workers trying to address the serious drought situation.

"The humanitarian coordinator for Somalia is deeply concerned by these reports, as well as shocked at the targeting of hospitals, which are blatant violations of the basic rules of international humanitarian law," the statement said.

The humanitarian coordinator's statement came as latest clashes, which centered on Daynile and Galgalato districts in Mogadishu over the weekend, have claimed 13 lives.

Since the beginning of the year, about 1,500 conflict-related wounded have been admitted to Mogadishu's two main hospitals.

Some 200 people have died in clashes this year between militias loyal to Mogadishu's Islamic courts and an alliance of warlords.

Laroche urged the warring parties to "spare the lives of those not involved in the hostilities and to take all the necessary measures to prevent unnecessary human suffering."

Laroche reminded the warring factions "that any deliberate attempt to prevent wounded or civilians receiving assistance and protection during fighting in the city may constitute elements of future war crimes."

Last week's fighting between Muslim militias and warlords further dampens attempts to restore order to Somalia, which has been swept by anarchy for the past 15 years, since dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991.

A transitional Somali government based in the northern city of Baidoa has so far been unable to establish control of the Horn of Africa country.

Darfur to Get Increased Rations From UN's World Food Program
May 29 (Bloomberg) -- The United Nations World Food Program said it's boosting food rations in Sudan's western region of Darfur to 84 percent of the minimum dail