AFRICANEWS

GHANA

Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings and Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Patterson signed an economic, scientific and technical agreement on August 6 to expand bilateral cooperation, with special emphasis on the agricultural, mining and industrial sectors.

GUENEA BISSAU

The tree-day strike of the National Workers' Union of Gunea Bissau was suspended following successful negotiations. The government reassured the workers that once a study has been undertaken on the impact of increasing and aligning salaries to CFA franc zone, measured would be taken to implement the recommendations. The National Workerss" warned the government that it would resume the strike if ther demands were not met. AFP reported.

LIBERIA

Liberia's new President Charles Tylor, said an honourable burial for late presidents William Tolbert and Samuel Doe woul d be part of Liberia's healing process after a traumatic seven year civil war. President Tylor ordered that the remain s of two slain predecessors be exhumed and given proper state burial. Dr Tolbert was killed in a military coup on August 12, 1980, led by Sergent Doe while Sgt Doe himself was captured by rivals at the height of the civil war and tortured to death on september 10,1990.

NIGER

In an address to the National Assembly on August 7, President Ibrahim BAre Mainassara warned against political "extremism" which he said was pushing Niger towards "unknown risks". H e accused the opposition of trying to undermine the authority of the state, discouraging international partinerships and potential, investors. General Mainassara was the author of a coup in January 1996 which overthrew the civilian government of president Mahamane Ousmane. H e then orchestrated controversial presidential elections in July 1996 in which he was made president, taking 52% of vote. In his address he also announced the organisation of regional municipal elections to take place at the beginning of 1998.

NIGERIA

Nigeria's hanging of Ogoni leader and playwright Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other dissidents during the last Commonwealth summit in Auckland, in November 1995, brought condemnation for the oil-rich African state's military leaders and suspension from membership. Foregn Minister Don Mckinon and deputy chairman of the eight-member Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on Nigeria, a watchdog human rights group charged with recommending actions for resolving the conflict between Nigeria's human rights violations and commonwealth demands for "better govenment" in the West African states said that Nigeria's suspension is likely to be extended at the Commonwealth summit in October, New Zealand until they Nigeria have democratic elections.

RWANDA

Thousands of unarmed civilians are being deliberately and arbitrarily killed in Rwana and massacres have intensified since 1997, while the international community looks the other way, Amnesty International reported on august 8. During May, June and July, more bthan 2,300 unarmed civilians are estimated to have been killed. "These are just the specific cases which have been reported to us, the real number is probably much higher," the human rights organisation said. Among the victims of these killings are returnees who had been living in the former zaire (now the Democratic REpublic of Congo) until the refugee camps there came under attack by the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire.

SOUTH AFRICA

Effort s to end Sudan's 14-year civil war will top talks between South African President Nelson Mandela and visiting Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir on August 13. South Africa's foreign ministry said President Bashir's visit came against the background of regional peace initiative under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), chaired by President Moi. At an IGAD meeting held in Nairobi in July, the Sudanese ,governm ent accepted a declaration of principles for further peace negotiations. Malysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed who recentry met delegations from the conflicting parties will also send a special envoy to pretoria for the talks.

SUDAN

It is reported on August 10 that Israeli intelligence chief Rani Baghum has made a secret visit to rebel-controlled parts of eastern Sudan. The report says that Mr Baghum has travelled to the front line in fighting between the Khartoum govenment and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Armay (SPLA).

The Khartoum government has accused Israel of wanting to take control of Red Sea ports and aiding Eritrea in acts of agression against Sudan, including by supplying manned tanks to Eritrea.

TANZANIA

Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa and President Laurent Kabila of Congo who met in Kinshasa on July 27, agreed in principle on the refugees' repatriation, and the accord is to be formalised by the end of the August. Thousands of some 75,000 refugees staying in two remote camps in Tanzania 40,000 in northern Nyarugusu and 35,000 in southern Ligufu want to return home.

UGANDA

The most important of Uganda's three traditional monarchs, King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, a British-trained lawyer celebrated his fourth anniversary with a day of speeches and activities. Three of Uganda's four traditional monarchies were restored in 1993 by President Yoweri Museveni after a 27-year ban imposed by politicians who wanted no rivals.