Burundi: En bref ce 30 MARS 2006 ...

-30/03/06 - www.ekklesia.co.uk

As the food crisis in Africa continues to loom large, UK-based international aid agency Christian Aid says that its partners have distributed 130 tonnes of bean seeds to more than 10,000 families in response to shortages in northern Burundi.

The Episcopal Church in Burundi and the Union of Baptist Churches in Burundi, distributed seeds to people in areas most affected by food shortages.

The hand-outs are being accompanied the United Nations’ provision of food rations, tools and fertiliser. Development agencies, both religious and secular, stress that long term solutions lie in changes to the international food, trade and financial systems – but in the meantime, assistance is vital.

Christian Aid’s programme manager in Burundi, Jean Marie Bashale, said the rations were of 13kg of beans but he added: “Everywhere we saw the same phenomena. Each beneficiary shared their allocation of seeds with their neighbours.”

Due to drought and plant disease, everyone is in need of seeds to plant this season. “We have been immensely impressed by this spontaneous inter-community solidarity,” said Mr Bashale.

For a country which has suffered years of civil war, based in part on inter-ethnic violence, this spontaneous solidarity may be a mark of reconciliation and progression towards peace.

It is thought that thanks to this generosity more than 14,000 households had received seeds last week. The work continues.

La Représentante spéciale de l'ONU quitte le Burundi vendredi
Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) - 30 mars 2006- La Représentante spéciale du secrétaire général et chef de l'Opération des Nations unies au Burundi (ONUB), Mme Carolyn Mc Askie, a annoncé officiellement jeudi matin à la presse qu'elle quittait définitivement le pays vendredi au terme d'un mandat de près de deux ans.

Service de renseignement, un homme avertit en vaut deux
mercredi 29 mars 2006. www.burundi-info.com

Le Président de la République du Burundi, M. Pierre Nkurunziza s’est entretenu, ce mercredi 29 mars 2006 avec le personnel du Service National de Renseignement, l’ancienne « Documentation Nationale », à Banga, commune Matongo de la province Kayanza. Tout le staff de cette Police Présidentielle s’était déplacée de tous les coins du pays.

L’objet, comme il l’a fait savoir dans son mot d’introduction, était de voir comment améliorer ce service, qui est la cible privilégiée de tous les détracteurs du pouvoir en place qui l’accusent de « violations massives de droits de l’homme ». « A l’heure actuelle, ce service ne doit pas fonctionner comme à l’époque des régimes totalitaires qui se sont succédés, a dit M. Nkurunziza. Tout élément se rendant coupable de torture, de violation de droit de l’homme, doit être sanctionné conformément à la Loi. »

Lors de cette réunion tenue à huis clos, le Président de la République a annoncé que ce service est régi par de nouveaux textes depuis le 3 mars 2006 et que « désormais, il n’y aura pas d’excuse. Les interrogatoires devront se tenir dans le respect le plus strict des droits de la personne humaine. »

Signalons qu’avant le début de la réunion, l’ Administrateur Général Adjoint du Service de renseignement, le Colonel Kiziba Léonidas, avait pris le soin de faire sortir 4 personnes qui se sont rendues coupable de torture et autres violations de droits de l’homme. Ces personnes ont été immédiatement arrêtées et seront jugées, d’après le Colonel Kiziba.

Summary executions rock peace in Burundi

March 30, 2006 / www.capeargus.co.za By Beauregard Tromp

While South Africa and the continent bask in the "success story" of Burundi's peaceful transition to democracy, the country's new government under President Pierre Nkurunziza has been accused of summarily executing its opponents in the streets.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW) government soldiers have killed scores of suspected supporters of the rebel Forces for National Liberation (FNL) and detained thousands more or forced them to flee.

And a new HRW report says the FNL has also committed atrocities, murdering nine civilians who refused to give it money and food.
A civil war raged in Burundi from 1993 to 2004, pitting the minority Tutsi government against rebel Hutu groups.

After sustained international pressure and the mediation efforts of Nelson Mandela, Jacob Zuma and President Thabo Mbeki, Burundi finally held elections last year, won by Nkurunziza's CNDD-FDD.

But since then one of the largest Hutu opposition groups, Frodebu, has walked out of the government, accusing Nkurunziza's party of making unilateral decisions.

"It is now inter-Hutu warfare in Burundi," said analyst Jan van Eck. He expected other parties, including the largest Tutsi party, Uprona, to follow soon.

The continued isolation by the CNDD-FDD of other parties in government has prompted many to forge links with the FNL, the only rebel group which has not laid down its arms.

FNL leader Agathon Rwasa had been waiting in Dar es Salaam since March 9 to negotiate with the government without preconditions, said van Eck, who has just returned from a trip to the region.

But it is understood that Nkurunziza is placing extensive conditions on any talks with the FNL.

Although the actual total of FNL fighters is unknown, a large number are believed to be "sleepers", waiting to be activated for large-scale operations.

Burundi army sources indicate that the FNL is on a huge recruitment drive and has bought large arms supplies from the lawless eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The rebels have extended their influence to five provinces in tiny Burundi.

In the capital, Bujumbura, the atmosphere is tense amid the political crackdown, with opposition politicians fearing arrest following the withdrawal of South African troops from the UN contingent.

Les ministres Frodebu siègent au conseil
jeudi 30 mars 2006. www.burundi-info.com

Les ministres issus du Frodebu ont siégé au Conseil des Ministres de ce jeudi 30 mars 2006 malgré l’ordre leur intimé par leur parti de démissionner du gouvernement Nkurunziza. Cette décision de quitter le gouvernement a été prise le 25 mars 2006 lors d’une réunion du Comité Directeur du parti Frodebu.

Toutefois, plusieurs hauts cadres du parti dont l’Honorable Jean-de-Dieu Mutabazi, l’ancien porte-parole du Frodebu, ne partagent pas cet avis et pensent que l’actuel président du Frodebu veut retirer ces 3 ministres car ce sont des proches de l’ancien président du parti, le Docteur Jean Minani.

Les trois ministres, Odette Kayitesi, ministre de l’aménagement du territoire, environnement et tourisme ; Elie Buzoya, ministre de l’agriculture et l’élevage ainsi que le Dr. Mbonimpa Barnabé, ministre de la Santé, refusent toujours de démissionner, ecourant ainsi le risque d’être radiés du parti Frodebu.

Selon le Porte-parole du Gouvernement, le ministre Karenga Ramadhan, le Gouvernement attendra que ces ministres remettent le tablier, s’ils le veulent, tout en précisant que les conflits internes au parti Frodebu ne peuvent pas constituer une entrave au bon fonctionnement du gouvernement.

Rien ne semble aller au sein de la maison Frodebu
Fabrice Gisanganya Bujumbura, le 29 Mars 2006 (Kirimba). Quatre jours après la déclaration de retrait du Frodebu du gouvernement, aucun ministre issu de ses rangs ne s’est encore décidé à rendre le tablier. En plus de cela, des voix, et pas des moindres, commencent à s’élever contre cette décision qualifiée, dans certaines antichambres de ce parti, d’unilatérale.

LE MINISTRE DE LA COMMUNICATION DES RELATIONS AVEC L'ASSEMBLEE ET PORTE-PAROLE DU GOUVERNEMENT REJETTE LES ALLEGATIONS DE VIOLATIONS DES DROITS DE L'HOMME PAR LE PARTI FRODEBU POUR DEMISSIONNER DU GOUVERNEMENT
Bujumbura, le 28 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-Le ministre de la communication, des relations avec l'assemblée et porte-parole du gouvernement monsieur Karenga Ramadhan a rejeté catégoriquement ce lundi 27 mars 2006, les allégations de violations des droits de l'homme avancées par le parti Frodebu pour démissionner du gouvernement. Par ailleurs, les trois ministres qui appartiennent au parti politique Sahwanya-Frodebu à savoir madame Odette Kayitesi, la ministre en charge de l'environnement , monsieur Elie Buyoya, ministre de l'agriculture et de l'élevage et monsieur Barnabé Mponimpa, ministre de la santé ne se sont pas rendus à leurs cabinet respectifs ce lundi 27 mars 2006, ce qui laisse croire que les ministres en questions ont répondu à l'appel de démission lancé par l'honorable Léonce Ngendakumana, président du parti Frodebu. Il faudrait ajouter que le ministre de la communication, des relations avec l'assemblée et porte-parole du gouvernement, monsieur Karenga Ramadhan a laissé entendre que le parti Cndd-fdd est en mesure de continuer à diriger le gouvernement sans difficulté et pour cause le parti Cndd-fdd a une majorité à l'assemblée nationale et au sénat. Il faut ajouter que tous les ministres ressortissant du Frodebu ont répondu présents à leur cabinet ce mardi 28 mars 2006.

A Tutsi Pesach?Local rabbi to lead seder for tribe that may have Jewish origins
by Anath Hartmann / Special to WJW / 3/29/2006
http://www.washingtonjewishweek.com

Rabbi David Kuperman will not be home for Passover this year. In fact, none of his family members will be. The Silver Spring resident, his wife, Linda Siegel, and their 6-year-old daughter, Hannah, will be flying to Brussels for the second year in a row to celebrate the chag with members of the African Tutsi tribe, one of three ethnic groups from the central region of Africa.

Kuperman, a writer/editor for the MITRE Corporation in McLean and a life-cycle consultant for Am Kolel Sanctuary and Renewal Center in Beallsville, initially visited Belgium last year. He was asked to do so by Kulanu, a Silver Spring-based Jewish organization "dedicated to finding and assisting lost and dispersed remnants of the Jewish people."

In a school just a few miles outside the Belgian capital, Kuperman last year led more than 80 Kushite men, women and children in exile in a traditional Passover seder, and he will do so again this spring.

"When I first started, I thought I'd be doing life-cycle events and teaching," Kuperman said of his initial acceptance of the position with Kulanu, for which he now coordinates the support of Tutsis in Central Africa and in exile in Europe.

"But it became quickly obvious to me that the more important thing was to keep this people alive."

According to Kulanu's Web site, the Tutsis are originally from modern-day Ethiopia or "Kush," and distinguished themselves from other groups while the kingdom in which they were living was still a Jewish one.

After the kingdom fell in 1270 C.E., the site holds, members of the cattle-herding tribe migrated to the African Great Lakes region, which consists primarily of Rwanda and Burundi.

Beginning in the late 19th century, Catholic missionaries came to the area to convert its people.

"The church tried to erase that memory of Jewishness," said Kuperman. "The Tutsis were given pork and other nonkosher meats to eat at these Christian schools, and they were taught that the old [Jewish] ways were foolish ... eventually the church succeeded" in its indoctrination of the Tutsis.

Now, Kuperman says, it is not uncommon to see the effects of that proselytizing. "There are people who come to the seder wearing crucifixes," he continued. "There's a lot of interest in Judaism now, but nobody's a full-fledged ba'al t'shuva," or person who has returned to Judaism.

But not everyone is sure the Tutsis are Kush.

According to the popular online encyclopedia Wikipedia: "[There] arose the great myth that the 'Tutsis' came from Ethiopia, which is repeated even today. However, these remain historical myths and rumours, invented by nineteenth and twentieth-century Germans, without the slightest shred of evidence to support them."

"They're not Jewish ‹ that's the first thing to say," said Paul Landau, historian of culture and politics in southern Africa and associate professor of history at the University of Maryland at College Park. "People adopt identities because they are effective for them in some ideological sense. ... This is people taking up that Hamitic myth, which says that nothing good in Africa has been done by Africans [but] by Westerners, and the Tutsis who are rediscovering their Jewishness are part of that. You can't view this as an apolitical rediscovery."

Kuperman and his Tutsi friends think otherwise.

"The Tutsis have known always that their traditions are special, that they are part of the chosen people," the rabbi said. "Everything [Jewish], having to do with birth, death, marriage ‹ they do. They would never have dreamed of killing a cow, for example. They do eat sheep, but otherwise, they have traditionally kept kosher by default."

This year, Hannah and her mother will conduct a children's seder together, along with Yochannan Bwejeri's children.

"It's a fascinating endeavor," Kuperman said of the sedarim. "It's partly my own tradition ‹ part Ashkenazic ‹ and part Sephardic, because I adapt. It's in Hebrew, French and English. It's not a traditional Tutsi seder," but there are traditional Tutsi elements to it.

One of them is the placing of a bowl of water, symbolizing the Sea of Reeds, on the floor and having attendees step over it to "re-enact" the exodus from Egypt. The men recite typical Tutsi poetry about their virility, and there is dancing ‹ though the men and women tend to dance separately.

"Things start late," Kuperman said, with a laugh. "But they have a traditional African flavor. The men tend to wear robes, traditional [Tutsi] hats and carry staffs Š and there is matzah. The grain comes from Burundi. They make it like we make it, except that they cook it and serve it immediately, right out of the pan."

He enjoys the music played after the seder, too, though noted that it wasn't traditionally "Jewish."

"When you think of Jewish music, you think of Hava Nagila," he said. "But they've got Jewish music that [includes] some heavy-duty drumming. I miss the people when I'm not there. I leave with regret."

The Kupermans have made good friends with a Belgian Tutsi prince and his family, and will stay at their home again this spring. Prince Yochannan Bwejeri of the Bene-Zagwei clan of the Tutsis of Burundi is president of the Havila Institute, a "Hebraic" organization with ties to Kulanu. He and his family are in the process of rediscovering their Jewish identities, said Kuperman, who added:

"The Tutsis are a very warm people. They're absolutely beautiful, especially the women. One of them is said to be a direct descendant of the queen of Sheba, and when you look at her you can believe it, too."

LE PREMIER VICE-PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE RENCONTRE LES AUTORITES JUDICIAIRES DE LA PROVINCE GITEGA
Bujumbura, le 29 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-Le premier vice-président de la République, le docteur Martin Nduwimana a rencontré ce mardi 28 mars 2006 au chef-lieu de la province Gitega les autorités judiciaires de la province Gitega en vue d'améliorer le secteur de la justice. La réunion du premier vice-président de la République et les autorités judiciaires de la province Gitega se tient au moment où la population se plaint à gauche et à droite de la corruption dans le corps des magistrats et chez les autres agents du ministère de la justice. Les autorités judiciaires de la province Gitega ont demandé de bénéficier d'un statut spécial parce qu'ils travaillent dans des conditions délicates. Les autorités judiciaires de Gitega ont déclaré au premier vice-président de la République qu'ils font face à des difficultés de transport.

LES MINISTRES DE LA JUSTICE ET DE LA BONNE GOUVERNANCE ETAIENT LES INVITES DE L'ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE POUR LES QUESTIONS ORALES
Bujumbura, le 29 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-Les ministres de la justice et de la bonne gouvernance respectivement madame Clotilde Niragira et monsieur Venant Kamana étaient les invités de l'assemblée nationale ce mardi 28 mars 2006 au cours de la séance des questions orales. Les deux ministres devaient donner des explications concernant l'arrêt de la cour constitutionnelle sur l'inconstitutionnalité de certains articles de la loi portant création de la cour des comptes sur les jugements à rendre contre ceux qui sont accusés de détournement des biens publics, ce qui fait que l'arrêt de la cour constitutionnelle n'a pas reconnu de mission juridictionnelle à la cour des comptes. La ministre de la justice Clotilde Niragira a déclaré que la poursuite de ceux qui sont accusés de détournement et de corruption se fera au niveau du ministère de la justice et que la cour des comptes va continuer de contrôler la régularité de comptes de l'Etat et fera rapport à l'assemblée nationale. A la question des parlementaires de savoir s'il serait utile de modifier la constitution afin de donner la mission juridictionnelle à la cour des comptes, la ministre Clotilde Niragira a déclaré que la constitution est un texte législatif fondamental qui a été adopté par référendum et que les membres de l'exécutif doivent présenter des projets de lois qui sont en conformité avec la constitution.

LE PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE RECOIT LES PRESTATIONS DE SERMENT DE LA COUR CONSTITUTIONNELLE
Bujumbura, le 29 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-Les membres de la cour constitutionnelle ont prêté serment ce mardi 28 mars 2006 devant le président de la République, monsieur Pierre Nkurunziza. Chaque membre de la cour constitutionnelle jurait de respecter la loi et la constitution tout en mentionnant qu'il respectera le secret de la délibération avant d'aller saluer le président de la République et signer ensuite dans le livre d'or. Il faudrait signaler que la cérémonie a eu lieu à la présidence de la République en face du président de la République et de quelques membres du gouvernement. Il faudrait rappeler que la nouvelle cour constitutionnelle est présidée par monsieur Elysée Ndaye, madame Spès-Caritas Niyonteze est vice-présidente et que monsieur Népomucène Sabushimike, Marius Rusumo et Onesphore Baroreraho sont des membres de la nouvelle cour constitutionnelle.

LA REPRESENTANTE SPECIALE DU SECRETAIRE GENERAL DES NATIONS UNIES AU BURUNDI EST ALLEE DIRE " A BIENTOT " AU PREMIER VICE-PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE
Bujumbura, le 28 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-La représentante spéciale du secrétaire général des Nations Unies au Burundi, madame Carolyn Mc Askie a été reçue en audience par le premier vice-président de la République le docteur Martin Nduwimana ce lundi 27 mars 2006. A l'issue de l'audience, madame Mc Askie a déclaré à la presse qu'elle a préféré dire qu'elle est venue dire " à bientôt " au premier vice-président de la République plutôt que de dire qu'elle était venue présenter ses adieux. Elle a précisé à la presse qu'elle quitte le Burundi à la fin de la semaine et qu'elle apprécie la collaboration des autorités gouvernementales avec les institutions onusiennes qu'elle représente au Burundi.

LE PREMIER VICE-PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE ET LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL ADJOINT DES NATIONS UNIES LANCENT UNE SEANCE DE TRAVAIL DES GROUPES TECHNIQUES POUR LA MISE SUR PIED DE LA COMMISSION VERITE ET RECONCILIATION ET DU TRIBUNAL SPECIAL POUR LE BURUNDI
Bujumbura, le 28 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-Le premier vice-président de la République, le docteur Martin Nduwimana et le secrétaire général adjoint Nicolas Michel ont procédé ce lundi 27 mars 2006 au lancement d'une séance de travail des groupes techniques pour la mise sur pied d'une commission vérité et réconciliation et le tribunal spécial pour le Burundi. Après la séance inaugurale, les délégations onusienne et gouvernementale se sont rencontrées dans l'après-midi du même lundi pour échanger sur la mission de la délégation onusienne. Il a été établi que cette mission de la délégation onusienne vise à mettre en place un double mécanique qui vise la réconciliation et la lutte contre l'impunité à travers la mise en place de la commission vérité et réconciliation et du tribunal spécial pour le Burundi. Par suite, il a été créé deux commissions l'une composée des experts des Nations Unies et l'autre composée des experts nationaux.

LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL ADJOINT DES NATIONS UNIES CHARGE DES QUESTIONS ADMINISTRATIVES ET JURIDIQUES A ETE RECU EN AUDIENCE RESPECTIVEMENT PAR LA PRESIDENTE DE L'ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE ET PAR LA DEUXIEME VICE-PRESIDENTE DE LA REPUBLIQUE
Bujumbura, le 29 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-Le secrétaire général adjoint des Nations Unies chargé des questions administratives et juridiques, monsieur Nicolas Michel a été reçu en audience ce mardi 28 mars 2006 respectivement par la présidente de l'assemblée nationale madame Immaculée Nahayo et par la deuxième vice-présidente de la République, madame Alice Nzomukunda. A la fin de ces audiences, monsieur Nicolas Michel a indiqué à la presse que les entretiens avec la délégation burundaise montrent que la situation est prometteuse quant à la création de la commission Vérité et Réconciliation et que l'objectif est d'arriver à trouver un cordon qui lie cette commission Vérité et Réconciliation au tribunal spécial pour le Burundi.

LE DEUXIEME VICE-PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE RECOIT EN AUDIENCE MADAME CAROLYN MC ASKIE VENUE LUI PRESENTER SES ADIEUX A LA VEILLE DE SON DEPART DEFINITIF DU BURUNDI
Bujumbura, le 29 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-La représentante spéciale du secrétaire général des Nations Unies au Burundi, madame Carolyn Mc Askie a été reçue en audience ce mardi 28 mars 2006 par la deuxième vice-présidente de la République madame Alice Nzomukunda. Madame Mc Askie qui était allée présenter ses adieux à madame Alice Nzomukunda, a félicité celle-ci pour les activités qu'elle mène au Burundi et a reçu des mains de la deuxième vice-présidente de la République, un cadeau de bon retour qui était à l'intérieur d'un panier confectionné et décoré manuellement et traditionnellement.

LE BANDITISME FAIT RAGE DANS LA COMMUNE URBAINE DE KINAMA
Bujumbura, le 28 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-Le banditisme fait rage dans la commune urbaine de Kinama. En effet, dans la seule nuit de ce dimanche 26 au lundi 27 mars 2006, quatre vols commis dont le vol avec cambriolage d'une moto à la sixième avenue du quartier Gitega de la commune urbaine de Kinama. La colère est grande chez les habitants de la commune Kinama qui estiment qu'ils ne sont pas suffisamment sécurisés et demandent aux autorités policières un renforcement des mesures de sécurité.

LA CRISE ALIMENTAIRE COMPROMET LE PROGRAMME DE SCOLARISATION UNIVERSELLE
Bujumbura, le 28 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-Au nord et à l'Est du Burundi, le programme de scolarisation universelle est gravement compromis par la crise alimentaire. Dans la province Ruyigi par exemple on enregistre plus de trois mille trente cas d'abandons scolaires dans les écoles primaires. La télévision a montré ce lundi 27 mars 2006, une classe de l'école primaire à moitié vide quant on était habitué à voir des classes surpeuplés avec environs quatre à cinq écoliers par banc pupitre d'un mètre et demi de long.

LE MINISTRE DU COMMERCE ET DE L'INDUSTRIE RECOIT LES REPRESENTANTS DES TRAVAILLEURS DU COMPLEXE TEXTILE DU BURUNDI RENVOYES EN CHOMAGE TECHNIQUE
Bujumbura, le 28 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-Les travailleurs du Complexe Textile du Burundi (COTEBU) qui ont été renvoyés en chômage technique continuent à réclamer leurs indemnités de chômage technique et c'est dans ce cadre que le ministre du commerce et de l'industrie madame Denise Sinankwa a rencontré ce lundi 27 mars 2006 les représentants de ces travailleurs du COTEBU afin d'arriver à des solutions concertées. La réunion du ministre du commerce et de l'industrie s'est tenue à huis clos et le ministre a promis d'annoncer plus tard le résultat de ces négociations.

LE PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE REAFFIRME LA POLITIQUE DE SCOLARISATION UNIVERSELLE AU COURS D'UN ATELIER DE MOBILISATION POUR LA CONSTRUCTION DES INFRASTRUCTURES SCOLAIRES
Bujumbura, le 28 Mars 2006 (RTNB)-Le président de la République, monsieur Pierre Nkurunziza a réaffirmé la politique de scolarisation universelle à l'occasion de l'ouverture d'un atelier de mobilisation pour la construction des infrastructures scolaires. Le président Nkurunziza a annoncé que le gouvernement est entrain de déployer des efforts en vue de la scolarisation universelle des enfants et qu'il a été attribué un budget de seize milliards de francs burundais afin d'augmenter le nombre des infrastructures scolaires ; cependant cette enveloppe budgétaire est loin de suffire en égards au chiffre élevé des enfants scolarisés qui étudient dans des conditions déplorables. Il faudrait préciser que cet atelier de mobilisation des infrastructures scolaires a connu la participation de plusieurs hautes autorités dont le deuxième vice-président de la République et de plusieurs partenaires de l'éducation dont les représentants des confessions religieuses et des directeurs de l'enseignement provincial.

29.03.06 www.christianaid.org.uk

Christian Aid has given £50,000 to provide food and seeds to Rwandans hit by a drought that has destroyed crops in parts of the country.

In some areas, lack of rain completely destroyed bean, maize, sorghum and sweet potato harvests.

The money has gone to the Union of Baptist Churches in Rwanda (UEBR) which is handing out food and seeds to many of the worst affected people in these areas including the elderly, sick, people with HIV/AIDS, widows and orphans.

The southern and eastern provinces of Rwanda have been suffering from unreliable rainfall for the past four years.

To make matters worse, cassava – a drought-resistant crop, which can be preserved for a long time in dried or flour form – has been all but destroyed by a disease unrelated to the drought.

On top of this, there has been an outbreak of foot and mouth – an infectious disease affecting livestock. While not normally fatal to adult animals, it causes a reduction of milk yields.

The government has banned cattle movements in those areas so farmers cannot sell their livestock.

The situation in Rwanda is made worse by similar food shortages in neighbouring Burundi, as hungry people cross the border looking for sustenance.

Christian Aid partners and local authorities have reported the deaths of some older people and an increase in child malnutrition rates, due to lack of food.

People have been forced to move to other parts of the country to find work to buy food for their families, sometimes leaving their relatives to fend for themselves.

Local authorities also report increased crime, especially theft of food.

Even with good rains this season, there will no harvest until June. The government of Rwanda estimates that one million people are affected by food shortages.

During the next two weeks, UEBR will provide ration packs consisting of 10kg of beans, 13kg of maize and 10kg of sorghum per family and 10kg of bean seeds and disease-resistant cassava for planting, for around 30,000 people.

However, according to the Famine Early Warning System Network, if rains do not improve, another food crisis is expected later this year

ANGOLA

UGANDA

RPT-Aid agencies demand U.N. action on Uganda war
By Daniel Wallis KAMPALA, March 30 (Reuters) -
The U.N. Security Council must act to end suffering brought by two decades of war in northern Uganda, a coalition of local and foreign aid agencies said on Thursday as U.N. aid chief Jan Egeland flew into the country.

Egeland will hold talks with government officials before visiting camps in the north that are home to more than 1.6 million people sheltering from fighting between troops and rebels from the cult-like Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

He has called the war one of the world's most neglected humanitarian disasters. Civil Society Organisations for Peace in Northern Uganda (CSOPNU) demanded the Security Council add its voice to their call for peace talks to end the violence.

"It should express its conviction the crisis ... can only be ended via a process of political engagement, diplomacy, and peaceful negotiation," the coalition said in a statement.

One study last year estimated that 1,000 people died every week in the north as a result of poor living conditions. In its new report, CSOPNU said the main war victims were children.

Some 25,000 have been abducted by the LRA as fighters and "wives", while tens of thousands more trudge into towns every night rather than risk being kidnapped from their beds.

Half of all camp residents are under the age of 15. A quarter of all children over 10 have lost one or both parents.

"This is a catastrophe that is fuelled not only by terrible acts of war and violence. It is also fuelled by a shameful litany of failure," CSOPNU said.

Uganda's government says the LRA has been greatly weakened by a combination talks, amnesty and military operations. But the aid groups accused the government of pursuing a military victory against the LRA at the expense of protecting civilians.

The government denies the charge.

The Security Council should investigate the LRA and its supporters, CSOPNU said, and it urged U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to send a special envoy on the war to Uganda.

UN boss to visit northern
Thursday, 30th March, 2006 By Charles Ariko www.newvision.co.ug
THE United Nations (UN) Emergency Relief Coordinator, Jan Egeland, is scheduled to visit northern Uganda today to assess the effects of the 20-year-long rebellion that has left over two million civilians displaced.

Egeland’s visit is part of his nine-day mission to East Africa, where he will visit countries that are suffering from humanitarian crises due to conflicts or natural causes.

The other countries on Egeland’s itinerary are Kenya, Chad and Sudan.

While in Uganda, he is expected to have a first hand view of the situation in northern Uganda by visiting IDP camps, a statement issued by the UN said yesterday.

“Egeland’s first port of call will be Uganda, where a 20-year-long rebellion by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has uprooted almost two million civilians amid accusations of grave human rights violations by the rebels. The violations include the kidnapping of thousands of children as fighters or ‘wives’ of the rebels,” the statement said.

From Uganda, Egeland will travel to Juba in Sudan, where the UN Mission in the country (UNMIS) is preparing for the return of more than four million refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Uganda: Follow the Danish Envoy's Example

The Monitor (Kampala) March 30, 2006

On Tuesday March 28, the Danish Ambassador, Mr Stig Barlyng, met Muslim leaders in Uganda and apologised for the publication of cartoons that were ridiculing Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper.

Muslims across the globe vented their wrath by breaking houses, burning cars and embassies, and generally holding violent demonstrations against what they saw as an irresponsible press and country that was depicting their prophet as a terrorist.

Against demands that the newspaper be disciplined, the Danish authorities demurred, saying the paper was protected by a constitutional right of freedom of expression, just as there was freedom of worship. Nevertheless, the authorities went ahead to apologise, thereby taking responsibility for their publication, despite the fact they were not in any way involved in the decision to publish the cartoons.

In the same way should the leaders of the ministry of health be responsible enough to take blame for the Global Fund's mismanagement. Even with stretched imaginations of their being innocent of any financial misappropriation, as morally upright members of society who do not wish their reputations soiled, the least they can do is apologise for their being less vigilant managers, and resign their posts.

There is even another example to follow that has a direct bearing on the Global Funds case, that of the Geneva based Global Funds Executive Director, Prof. Richard Feachem, who recently resigned his juicy international post because of conflict of interest - not even a remote connection to misappropriation of funds.

It is only by looking beyond ourselves as individuals, and carrying the torch of nationalism, that we can build this country into a better place to be. The stigma of wrongdoing, with catastrophic results, can never be rubbed off, because many lives, which would have been saved, have been lost as a direct result of failure to access drugs. Neither can this shadow of guilt be lessened by self-effacing denials and crude protestations of patriotism; these only exacerbate the matter.

So stand tall like men, and apologise - by resigning. And so should every Ugandan who loves his conscience and country do whenever he is compromised.

DR CONGO : Doctors Worldwide operating in Katanga

March 30, 2006 Source : Relief Web By Andnetwork .com

Doctors Worldwide has started a project to help internally displaced people in Katanga region in Congo (DRC).

Mayi-mayi guerrillas started rebellion against central government in northern Katanga (Bukama and Malemba/Nkulu territories) three months ago.They burned the villages and killed hundreds of people.

Many people have fled from them to safe parts of Bukama and Malemba/Nkulu territories. Government and UN forces made significant improvement recently and defeated guerrillas but they moved to north and still continue fighting.

There are 15,343 displaced people in Nyonga village (local population 12,866) and 5130 displaced people in Kibondo village (local population 11,800) in Bukama territory.Their homes and livestock burned by guerrillas.

They need food medicine and shelter urgently. DWW with local partner NGO RADEM rented houses in two villages to set up clinics there. DWW/RADEM team led by Dr Eric Kikonde are in Bukama. There is cholera epidemic in the area due to lack hygiene. DWW offered to work in Malemba/Nkulu territory by UN authorities as there is no NGO working there.

DWW assessment team headed to Malemba/Nkulu territory this week to organize relief operation there.

AFRIQUE DU SUD :

SOUTH AFRICA : Palestinian president on visit

March 30, 2006 Source : Xinhua By Andnetwork .com

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will start his state visit to South Africa from Thursday and will hold talks with his counterpart Thabo Mbeki in Cape Town, the South African Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday.

Abbas's 3-day visit "comes within the context of South Africa's priority to promote the peaceful resolution of conflict and post-conflict reconstruction and development in the Middle East, through .. continued dialogue with both the Israelis and Palestinians," said a statement issued by the ministry.

The talks between Mbeki and Abbas, scheduled on Friday, are expected to focus on bilateral relations and the current situation in between Israel and Palestine following elections in Palestine in January and Israel this month, it said.

They will also discuss the political and socio-economic conditions in both the Middle East and southern African regions, according to the ministry.

Abbas is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on former president Nelson Mandela, address the National Assembly, and hold discussions with the leaders of various political parties, and the Muslim and Jewish communities in South Africa.

India, Brazil, South Africa agree on trade
AP. MAR. 29 India, Brazil and South Africa on Wednesday agreed to keep a rapidly growing trilateral trade as a way of strengthening their common standings in talks for trade liberalization with developed nations, officials of the three countries said.
"We are doing the right thing," Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said at the closing of a one-day forum on trade and investment among the three nations.
"Only in the last two years, bilateral trade with India increased by 170 percent. With South Africa it went up by 86 percent," he said, adding that 54 percent of Brazil's total trade of about US$200 billion (euro166 billion) last year came with developing nations. "We are creating better conditions to negotiate at the World Trade Organization."
Indian Deputy Trade Minister Jayant Dasgupta said the three countries identified areas to increase trilateral trade, and were ready to encompass all areas, including oil, natural gas, infrastructure, auto industry and agriculture.
South African Foreign Trade Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said the trio had pointed out areas where trade could develop further, but gave no details.
The three nations make up a commission known as IBSA -- an acronym for India, Brazil and South Africa -- which has been working to boost trade and expand cooperation among developing nations of the three continents they represent.
The forum took place ahead of an informal WTO meeting Friday and Saturday in Rio de Janeiro with U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman, European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, WTO chief Pascal Lamy, and Brazil's Amorim.

AFRIQUE / U A :

Charles Taylor rattrapé, la crise évitée
M.F.C. (avec Reuters, AFP, AP) / La Libre Belgique 2006

Ouf! C'est ce qu'a dû se dire, mercredi, le président du Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, en apprenant l'arrestation de Charles Taylor, l'ancien président du Liberia accusé de 17 crimes de guerre et contre l'humanité par le Tribunal spécial pour la Sierra Leone. Le Liberia avait «exporté» sa guerre civilo-mafieuse dans ce pays voisin.

Charles Taylor a été arrêté à la frontière camerounaise, par les forces de l'Etat fédéré nigérian du Borno. Il avait quitté lundi soir la luxueuse villa de Calabar (sud-est du Nigeria) où il vivait depuis un accord d'août 2003, destiné à mettre fin à la guerre civile au Liberia.

Samedi dernier, les autorités nigérianes avaient annoncé que le Liberia -qui demande l'extradition de Charles Taylor depuis quelques semaines- était «libre de récupérer et incarcérer» son ancien chef d'Etat. Abuja n'avait toutefois pas dit de quelle manière le Liberia pouvait entrer en possession de son ex-président, ni quand, et avait refusé d'arrêter l'accusé -au prétexte que la demande officielle du procureur du Tribunal spécial ne lui était pas parvenue officiellement- et même de le faire garder, comme le lui demandait l'organisation humanitaire Human Rights Watch.

Fuite prévisible

Ces derniers jours, des journalistes avaient pu interviewer sans difficulté celui contre lequel avait été lancé un mandat d'arrêt international et n'avaient vu aucune mesure de sécurité particulière autour de la villa pour que Charles Taylor ne puisse la quitter comme l'avaient fait, la semaine dernière, une dizaine de ses parents.

La fuite prévisible de l'ex-chef d'Etat -fuite dont le Liberia n'a pas reçu notification officielle, selon Monrovia- a entraîné des jugements sévères à l'encontre d'Abuja. Washington, où le président nigérian est attendu cette semaine, a dit tenir Abuja pour «responsable» de sa livraison à la justice internationale. Une réunion du Conseil de sécurité était prévue mercredi soir à ce sujet et le secrétaire général de l'Onu avait déjà appelé les pays d'Afrique à refuser l'asile au fugitif. Le procureur du Tribunal spécial -appuyé par l'Onu- avait vu dans cette fuite «un affront à la justice» et «une menace pour la sécurité» en Afrique de l'ouest.

Sierra Leone

Echaudé, le président Obasanjo a fait expulser immédiatement Charles Taylor vers le Liberia.

Ce pays avait, lundi, déclaré qu'il préférait que l'accusé soit déféré directement au Tribunal spécial en Sierra Leone. La Mission de l'Onu au Liberia s'est chargée du prisonnier dès son arrivée à Monrovia, mercredi après-midi, et de son transfert vers Freetown, capitale de la Sierra Leone.

MOZAMBIQUE: ‘Africa must mobilise its resources’ - Nepad
panapress 30 Mar 2006

Maputo - The New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) is based on the principle of mobilising Africa's resources for its development, said Firmino Mucavele, Nepad executive director.

Speaking at a Nepad seminar for Mozambican MPs, he said: "if Africa is not to be marginalised, it needs to link up its efforts to improve its image."

According to him: "Smart partnerships must be established, and credibility created through establishing mechanisms of continual and objective mutual evaluation."

The necessary conditions for sustainable development, he said, included "peace, security, stability, democracy and good governance," stressing the reduction in the number of armed conflicts on the continent, to complement recent successful elections. Examples are Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Burundi and Liberia.

On those basic conditions could be built the "development priorities," including transport and energy infrastructures, education and health services, agriculture and food security, said the Nepad official.

Mucavele said Nepad had been "integrating the priorities, values and principles of Nepad into national development plans," and in strengthening partnerships, both between African countries and with their outside development partners.

"Africa must mobilise its own financial resources to speed up implementation of the projects it has defined," he emphasised. "We must build capacity in African states to set up financial and capital markets to stimulate the African economy. We must look inside our countries before we look for funding abroad."

Mozambican Prime Minister Luisa Diogo told the seminar that "Nepad says no to the marginalisation of Africa in globalisation, and yes to African self-esteem."

She said all efforts under the initiative were aimed "at the eradication of poverty and the creation of a better life for Africans".

Diogo also stressed Mozambique's commitment to Nepad's African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), for the assessment of development and governance.

Mozambique signed up to APRM in March 2003, but Diogo explained that when an APRM advance mission arrived in the country in mid-2004, it was the eve of a general election campaign which made it difficult for the review to commence.

She said the government has now proposed a new timetable for the review procedure to begin later this year. -panapress

UN /ONU :

USA :

PanAfrica: Jubilee USA Welcomes World Bank Approval of Debt Cancellation Deal
Jubilee USA Network (Washington, DC) / March 29, 2006
Washington, DC
Jubilee USA Network welcomed the decision yesterday by the World Bank Executive Board to approve a financing framework for debt cancellation for an initial 17 countries effective July 1, and applauded the Bank's reversal of a proposal it had been poised to approve which would have added significant delays to countries receiving needed debt cancellation.
Neil Watkins, National Coordinator of Jubilee USA Network said: "We welcome today the reversal of a proposal at the World Bank that would have delayed for up to 15 months debt cancellation for some nations. Tens of thousands of phone calls and e-mail messages from Jubilee supporters to World Bank President Wolfowitz; a letter from several prominent US Congressmembers; and support from allies in governments and civil society across the globe led to this important reversal. But as we highlight this step forward today, we are clear that our work is far from done ? we will build our campaign in the months ahead for a true Jubilee cancellation of debt, including cancellation of all unjust and unfair debts without harmful economic strings attached."
The plan for implementation of debt cancellation originally under consideration at the World Bank Board would have required impoverished countries to keep making non-refundable debt payments to the World Bank, even after reaching completion point ? when they were promised relief. The announcement by the World Bank yesterday reversed this proposal, allowing additional impoverished countries that complete mandatory economic reforms and reach "completion point" in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank's debt relief program to see their debts cancelled within three months of qualifying. This will enable a country like Malawi which is estimated to reach completion point in June to see debt cancellation to the World Bank on July 1, 2006, rather having to wait until July 2007 for desperately needed relief.
The debt agreement finalized yesterday will cancel 100% of 17 impoverished countries' debts to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and African Development Bank in 2006. But the deal excludes dozens of other impoverished nations that require debt cancellation to meet Millennium Development Goals and debt to other significant creditors such as the Inter-American Development Bank, does not address odious and illegitimate debt, and preserves economic conditionality. Jubilee USA will continue its campaigns to build on the current agreement towards a bold Jubilee cancellation of debt to fight poverty in 2006 and beyond.
Jubilee USA Network is the US arm of the international movement working for debt cancellation for impoverished nations. Jubilee USA is a network of 75 religious denominations and faith-based groups, labor groups, environmental organizations, and community and advocacy groups working for freedom from debt and economic justice for countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

CANADA :

EUROPE :

EU African airlines ban ‘unfair’
Thu, 30 Mar 2006 www.businessinafrica.net

Nairobi - African Airlines Association (AFRAA) on Wednesday termed the banning of certain African airlines from European skies as damaging the African airlines business and paints a negative picture of all scheduled flights from the continent.

The ban imposed last week by the European Union (EU) transport commissioner, Jacques Barot in Brussels, was adversely effecting the African airline industry, including those adhering to world class standards and safety operations, said AFRAA secretary-general Christian Kossi.

Citing the failure by some African airlines to adhere to world class standards and safety operations, the EU banned scores of airlines in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea and Swaziland from entering European airspace.

He said the blacklisting sends the wrong message to the average European passenger "that all the African airlines are potentially dangerous and it is safer to travel with European airlines".

"This amounts to an act of misinformation and unfair competition that should be discredited," said Kossi, adding, "the move was tantamount to tarnishing Africa's image.”

Kossi pointed out that no scheduled African airline member of IATA or AFRAA is included in the blacklist, insisting that none of the banned airlines actually fly in European skies.

"This implies that the scheduled African airlines, especially those flying to Europe, comply with the same safety standards as their European competitors.

Punching holes in the EU blacklist, he said the bulk of the blacklisted airlines "only exist on paper and nobody knows them and nobody could have inspected to pinpoint any failures.

"At a time when the Third World markets are opening up to globalisation, at the request of the developed world, these announcements may dangerously lead to a parochial attitude that will prompt European passengers to travel exclusively with European airlines," he said.

Kossi challenged the EU to first indicate the list of the good African airlines which enjoy, without reservation, regular licenses to operate to Europe "before listing in great numbers those that do not even exist".

He accused the EU of unfairly tarnishing Africa's image. -panapress

CHINE :

China-Nigeria relationship deepens
03-30-2006 english.cctv.com
China's top legislator Wu Bangguo has met Aminu Masari, the Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives. That took place at the Great Hall of People.
Wu Bangguo says China is willing to work together with Africa, including Nigeria, to build a new type of strategic partnership based on mutual trust, cooperation and benefit. He thanked Nigeria for its adherence to the One-China policy and for its support for China's stance on human rights. Meanwhile, Masari reiterated that Nigeria would stick to the One-China policy and promote relations with the Chinese National People's Congress.

INDE :

BRAZIL: