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ZAMBIA-DRC: Congolese refugees and troops cross into Zambia
The number of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) troops that have fled to northern Zambia since Sunday is now well over 600, a UNHCR representative told IRIN this week. "But we are getting reports of an entire brigade of DRC soldiers, numbering up to 3,000 who have crossed but are still out in the bush," John Tabayi, Head of Mission, UNHCR Kwambwa told IRIN. A Zambian government refugee officer in Chiengi, Malindi Kaima, told IRIN the soldiers were tired and starving when they reached Zambia.
Tabayi said that refugees arriving at Chiengi, the nearest town to Pweto on the Zambian side of the border, told him that Pweto had definitely fallen to rebel forces. The capture of Pweto, has put the town of Kasenga, under rebel threat. According to UNHCR, some of the soldiers renounced their military status and became refugees, but most wanted the Zambian authorities to repatriate them to government-held areas of southern DRC. Contrary to news reports, these soldiers were not on hunger strike, and negotiations to have the group repatriated were underway, Kaima said
Only 10,000 refugees were confirmed to have arrived in the northern Zambian border town of Chiengi on Tuesday, but UNHCR in Lusaka said that they were expecting that as many as 100,000 people could be uprooted by ongoing fighting in DRC's Katanga province. The refugees are being transferred from Chiengi to a refugee camp at Kala, some 140 km inland, where UNHCR said it was rushing more staff and supplies. "We can just about cope, but we desperately need more medicine, clothes and food for these people and the thousands more expected," Kelvin Shimo, a UNHCR spokesman in Lusaka told IRIN.
Meanwhile, Zambian Home Affairs Minister Peter Machungwa said on Thursday that Zambia would beef up security along its border with the DRC because of the increasing numbers of civilians and soldiers entering Zambia. Machungwa told journalists that the wave of soldiers and civilians entering Zambia was a security risk in Northern and Luapula provinces. "I have discussed with the minister of defence to see if we can increase the presence of our security personnel in the areas," Machungwa said. He said Zambians living near the border should be assured that government was addressing the situation.
ZAMBIA-DRC: Zambia asks Zimbabwe to repatriate fugitive soldiers
Zambia has requested Zimbabwe to repatriate its soldiers who reportedly crossed into its territory from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the fall of the southeastern town of Pweto to rebel forces, agencies reported on Friday. Zimbabwean troops are supporting President Laurent-Desire Kabila's troops against rebels backed by Rwanda and Uganda. The number of Congolese, Zimbabwean and Hutu militia that crossed into Zambia is unclear, some agencies put the figure as high as 10,000.
Zambia's foreign minister Keli Walubita confirmed to journalists on Thursday that President Robert Mugabe's government had been asked to repatriate its troops. The rebel Rally for Congolese Democracy announced that it had captured Pweto two days ago. According to Walubita, Zambia lacks the capacity to handle such a huge influx of soldiers. Consequently, Lusaka has appealed to the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross for assistance.
Walubita said that Zambian troops had managed to disarm the Congolese and Zimbabwean soldiers who have congregated in the Zambian border town of Chiengi. They have also reportedly been separated from the thousands of civilian refugees who have also fled the fighting. Thousands more soldiers may have crossed the border but remain camped in the bush. Walubita said that arrangements were being made to repatriate the Congolese soldiers to the DRC.
ZAMBIA: EU assistance for DRC and Angolan refugees
The European Commission (EU) said this week that it would give an estimated US $1.76 million in humanitarian assistance for Congolese and Angolan refugees in Zambia. The EU's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) announced in a statement on Tuesday that the money would support relief efforts of four partners: WFP, MSF-Netherlands, the International Red Cross Federation and Dan Church Aid. ECHO said that the focus of its support for Congolese refugees was the new Kala camp in Zambia's North Western province. Kala has been established to deal with a continuing influx of people. The funds are being used for various measures relating to the setting up and management of the camp, and to help provide health facilities. More than 8,500 recently-arrived Angolan refugees were receiving help in the form of temporary shelters, water and hygiene facilities, domestic equipment and transport.
ZAMBIA: Government orders Danish journalist to leave
The Zambian government on Tuesday ordered a Danish journalist, Bo Cristensen, to leave the country within seven days, but declined to state any reasons for its refusal to extend his visa. The Zambia Independent Media Association (ZIMA) immediately condemned the government's move, calling it a breach of press freedom. ZIMA said in a statement the government's move was linked to a news story written by Christensen for the privately-owned weekly newspaper, 'The Monitor', in its 17-23 November edition. In his story, headlined "Chiluba funds third term bid", Christensen, a student journalist attached to 'The Monitor', alleged that President Frederick Chiluba has set aside "billions of kwacha" for campaigns intended to allow him to run for a third term contrary to the provisions of the constitution. ZIMA said the same story was carried on Zamnet, one of the internet providers in the country. ZIMA, however, said the story was later withdrawn by Zamnet management, who apologised to Chiluba for highlighting it on their web page. The media association said it believed this action was influenced by Chiluba.
ANGOLA: Russia to provide military aid to Angola
Russia has agreed to provide military aid and training to the Angolan government in its fight against the rebel UNITA movement, Angolan Defence Minister Kundi Paihama said this week. "The aim is to break the backbone of UNITA rebel leader Jonas Savimbi," Paihama said. He said the deal included training Angolan army staff in Russia and providing advisers to teach Angolan troops on the use of arms to be acquired by Luanda. A military agreement was signed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov and Paihama during Klebanov's two-day visit to Angola which ended on Tuesday. During his visit, Klebanov also signed an agreement with Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos to increase bilateral economic support, especially in Angola's diamond industry which exports up to US $1 billion worth of rough diamonds annually.
ANGOLA: German aid for IDPs
The German government will disburse about US $500,000 to help resettle internally displaced persons (IDPs) in southern and central Angola, the German Ambassador to Angola Hendrick Dane was quoted by the official news agency 'Angop' as saying on Wednesday. The ambassador said the donation would be made up of assorted medicines, construction materials, farming tools and hygienic items. The goods offered by the German government will benefit IDPs in the southern provinces of Huila, Cunene and Cuando Cubango, as well as Central Huambo and Benguela provinces.
ANGOLA: Land rights in southern Angola threatened
The proliferation of ranches and commercial farms in southwest Angola is threatening the livelihoods of myriad communities which say their traditions and customs passed down over centuries are now under threat. Thousands of hectares of land, once solely the territory of pastoral people and their cattle, have become the fenced-in, private property of wealthy new landowners including government officials.
Pastoral leaders say the land has been taken illegally. They are concerned that if their rights are not defended in law, their culture will soon disappear. "These new people come to do intensive cattle farming and put their own interests first, threatening our customs. They abuse the law and take away our rights. Nobody consults us, but we are the people of the land where we have our animals which are our only fortune," explains 56-year-old Nicolau Wonga, from the Gambos community, 120 km south of Lubango, the capital of southern Huila province. "When we are forced to live without land, we live without life."
An IRIN Focus report on land rights in southern Angola cane be found at: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/sa/countrystories/angola/20001206.phtml
MALAWI: Report says 65 percent of population living in poverty
An official report released on Friday said at least 65.3 percent of Malawians still live below the poverty line. The report by the National Statistics Office (NSO), said poverty was more acute among women than men. Charles Machinjiri of the NSO said of the 65.3 percent of poor Malawians, 29 percent are so poor that they were barely surviving. "These live in very deplorable conditions," he said, adding that government would have to spend at least US $325 million or about 19 percent of Malawi's gross domestic product (GDP), to improve the lives of the poor. Launching the report at a ceremony in Lilongwe on Friday, vice-President Justin Malewezi said there was a need for political will to end poverty in Malawi. "We must facilitate opportunities for poor people to reduce their poverty," he said
MALAWI: Britain gives Malawi US $41 million in debt relief
Britain is to release at least US $41 million to Malawi following London's decision to forgive debt for 41 heavily indebted countries in the world. Malawi's Finance Minister Mathews Chikaonda told journalists on Wednesday the news of the debt relief was delivered by visiting British Financial Secretary of the Treasury, Stephen Timms. "This shows a measure of trust in the expenditure control measures which the Malawi government has put in place," he said. Chikaonda also said the Malawi government had submitted an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper to the board of the World Bank and the IMF, which the two institutions will use to certify the eligibility of heavily indebted countries for debt relief. He said the board would meet later in December to consider Malawi's position.
NAMIBIA: Judge refuses to release UNITA representative
Judge President Pio Teek on Wednesday refused to direct the Namibian government to comply with a month-old High Court order for the release of alleged UNITA representative Jose Domingos Sikunda from detention at Rundu, 'The Namibian' said on Thursday. Sikunda, a born Angolan who has been living in Namibia for some 25 years, remains in detention at Sarasungu near Rundu despite a High Court order for his release. Acting Judge John Manyarara ordered his immediate release 37 days ago, on 24 October. Reacting to the outcome of the proceedings in the High Court in Windhoek, the Vice President of the Society of Advocates of Namibia, Susan Vivier, issued a statement on behalf of the Bar Council to voice their gravest concern at the decision of the High Court. "What is clear is that an order of the High Court has been given and that it must be obeyed until it is set aside. The failure of the Judge President to direct compliance with a clear order of the High Court, particularly when that order involves the release of a detainee who is detained without trial, amounts to a travesty of justice and serves to seriously undermine the rule of law and, with it, constitutional governance in Namibia," the statement said.
ZIMBABWE Mugabe warns against legal action
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has warned white farmers that they will be forced off their land if they persist with legal challenges against government plans to seize their farms and redistribute them. "I urge farmers to drop the nonsense of fighting the land issue in the courts, as that will make us even more angry. "If the farmers cannot be harmonious, ... then we will ask them to leave our country harmoniously," Mugabe said.
ZIMBABWE: Health disaster looms on resettled Masvingo farms
A health crisis could break out on 100 farms with over 7,000 families resettled in Zimbabwe's southern Masvingo province, the 'Daily News' reported on Tuesday. The families have been resettled under the government's fast-track programme and are suffering from a shortage of sanitary and health facilities. Masvingo provincial administrator, Alphonse Chikurira, last week said most of the families were in areas without health facilities. "You will find there are no clinics and proper sanitary facilities,thereby exposing themselves to cholera. "There are mosquito-infested farms in Masvingo province with some of the families so poor they cannot afford mosquito nets," Chikurira said. He said plans were underway to turn farm houses into health centres to cater for the families. This would enable resettled families to receive medical services from established health centres.
ZIMBABWE: State turns to church for land solution
Zimbabwean policy-makers this week turned to the church over the country's deepening economic and political crisis by making overtures to the Catholic Church and leading clergymen to help broker a lasting solution to the land crisis. Father Oskar Wermter, the social communications secretary of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference, said his church was ready to help broker a solution as long as those involved were now serious. "The church is prepared to mediate but of course if there is no readiness to make a compromise among the parties involved, then the whole exercise will fail," he said. "The church in principle is prepared to do anything it can to help mediate and therefore to promote peace because the danger of more violence and the danger of even a kind of a civil war is quite real."
ZIMBABWE: Food shortages in the south
At least 200 families whose crops were destroyed by cyclone Eline in Chikombedzi, Chiredzi district, 300 km south of Zimbabwe's capital Harare are faced with severe food shortages, 'The Herald' reported on Thursday. The families are reportedly surviving on wild fruits, roots and tubers in a desperate attempt to keep starvation at bay. Despite applying for relief food from the government through the district administrator's office, the families have not yet received a response. In an interview with the newspaper, a spokesman for the villagers said: "We sent our names and food requirements to the district administrator's office in Chiredzi about three months ago but we have received nothing," he said. "We are now looking for fruits and tubers from the forests but we can not survive on that alone," he added. The district administrator's office in Chiredzi on Wednesday confirmed the report, saying it has passed on the villagers' food requirements to the provincial civil protection unit.
SOUTH AFRICA: Concern over anti-terrorism bill
International rights group, Amnesty International said this week that it was concerned about the proposed anti-terrorism bill, and has called on the South Afican government to "re-think" the proposed legislation. "If the law in its present form is enacted, it will place South Africa in breach of its international and regional obligations and may lead to human rights violations", the organisation said. It said that it would give the government "what are in effect emergency powers, without any of the safeguards provided for under national and international law when there is a formal declaration of a state of emergency." Amnesty expressed concern that certain provisions in the draft law, particularly those allowing for detention without charge or trial, carry a risk of a repetition of part of South Africa's past pattern of human rights violations. It said it shared the South African Law Commission's concern that South Africa had "a terrible history of abuse in detention" in the apartheid era and that this history had to be kept in view in considering any "measures to be implemented in combating terrorism".
Amnesty said that it "acknowledged" that the South African Government was faced with a very serious security situation, primarily in the Western Cape province. "While Amnesty International condemns deliberate and arbitrary killings or threats of violence by armed opposition groups, the solution to the problems in the Western Cape should not involve passing new laws which would seriously affect fundamental human rights guaranteed under South Africa's own Constitution and the international human rights treaties ratified by South Africa, including most recently the Rome Treaty for the International Criminal Court," the statement said.
SOUTH AFRICA: Local elections usher in two-party system
With the vast majority of local election votes counted by Thursday, the ruling African National congressman (ANC)) had 59 percent of the popular vote and the newly-formed Democratic Alliance (DA) increased its support with 23 percent, agencies reported. The results prompted analysts to declare that post-apartheid South Africa - dominated so far by the ANC - was on the road to becoming a two-party state for the first time. Later returns from rural areas were expected to increase the ANC's share of the vote, but DA leader Tony Leon calculated that his party would win 24 percent of the vote countrywide once all votes were in. The ANC officially won control of three new metropolitan councils in Gauteng Province that include the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria and the Eastern Cape province's Nelson Mandela metropole that includes the city of Port Elizabeth. But after a closely fought campaign in Cape Town, the DA triumphed with 53 percent of the support and the ANC 38 percent. National turnout stood at 48 percent of registered voters.
AFRICA: Fighting the stigma of AIDS
Accused of not doing enough, African leaders were urged this week to take up the challenge of combating the scourge of HIV/AIDS across the continent. The analogy repeatedly used at this year's Africa Development Forum on leadership and AIDS, organised by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), was one of war. "This is a battle for our continent's survival," ECA Executive Secretary K.Y Amoako said on Sunday at the opening of the five-day forum. Africa is facing 2.4 million AIDS-related deaths a year and a total of 12.1 million orphans. The overall impact is putting whole economies at risk. "This is the time to be decisive, this is our test," Amoako stressed. He appealed to African leaders to prove themselves capable of meeting the challenge.
As devastating as the impact of AIDS has been on households, the crisis is yet to translate into radical behavioural change both in terms of people practising safe-sex, and their attitudes to those living with the virus. Clement Mufuzi of the Network of Zambian People with HIV or AIDS told IRIN he was "more than angry". His frustration is with the political authorities, for the inadequacy of their response to an epidemic the world has been aware of for 20 years, and a society that continues to stigmatise HIV-positive people. "Governments must be very honest and should have their eyes opened. They sit in air-conditioned offices and don't see what happens on the ground, the reality that people are silently dying in their homes. They must see the reality, not only the statistics, and then they'll be compelled to act," Mufuzi said.
An IRIN report on fighting the stigma of AIDS can be found at: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/cea/countrystories/other/20001205.phtml
AFRICA: Improving the response to AIDS
In the doom and gloom surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, what can be overlooked is that there are examples of what works in combating its spread, experts at the Africa Development Forum (ADF-2000) on AIDS stressed this week. "Africa already possesses most of the 'tools' - if not the recourses - needed to change the course of the epidemic," a working paper produced for the five-day forum, hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), said.
"There is an urgent need to build on the lessons learned about HIV/AIDS prevention and care over the past two decades. The major challenge is how to develop successfully, within the resource constraints facing African countries, the scale and reach of the many programmes which are successful in their work but which only help a small percentage of the population," the paper added.
IRIN Focus on improving the response to AIDS can be found at: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/cea/countrystories/other/20001206.phtml
Johannesburg, 8 December 17:25 GMT
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