AFRICANEWS
War and peace
CongoSouth African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Zuma left Kisangani on 11 August after holding "fruitful discussions" with the leaders of rival factions of the rebel Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD), a foreign ministry spokesman told IRIN on 12 August. The spokesman said Zuma had gone to Kisangani "in a supporting role" to Zambian President Frederick Chiluba, who has been mandated by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to spearhead DRC peace efforts. The spokesman said the minister, who was accompanied by Zambian Presidential Affairs Minister Eric Silwamba, had been "warmly received" and that she was preparing a report on her mission. It would be up to Chiluba, however, to announce any outcome of her peace mission.
KenyaIf ethnicity becomes the basis of a political programme then that political programme lacks value and would continue to breed dehumanising conflicts in Africa, the General Secretary of the All Africa Conferece of Churches AACC, Rev Canon Clement Janda said here in Nairobi.Elaborating on the dangers of ethic politics, Janda referred to the biblical story of cain and Abel saying that if a leader came to power and only favoured his ethnic group he would be like Cain, who thought that by eliminating his brother, he would gain control. Instead, Cain was cursed. He was addressing participants during a two-day seminar on 3 August jointly by the Kenya Coalition against Landmines (KCAL) and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation (JOOF). The seminar was intended to address the issue of peace and establish effective conflict resolution mechanisms that could be applied in the Great Lakes region.
LiberiaArmed dissidents have occupied five localities in north-western Liberia, Deputy Information Minister Milton Teahjay told IRIN on 12 August. Teahjay said a state of emergency had been declared in the five localities - Monokoma, Kolahun, Sardhu, Konjo and Benduman - to give the security forces "an opportunity to deal with the situation before it spreads to neighbouring towns"."No one has claimed responsibility yet for launching the attacks, but what is clear is that they crossed over from Guinean territory," Teahjay said. The Liberian government, which has closed the border with Guinea and "put in place the necessary security aption to hold off the assailants," hopes to have the situation cleared up in the next few days, he added.
NamibiaThe Namibian governemnt on 12 August admitted that its security forces have committed atrocities in the troubled Caprivi region, where secessionist last week attacked the town of Katima Mulilo. "Definitely we made some mistakes regarding human rights abuses," Defence Minister Erkki Nghimtina told the Namibian newspaper.The security forces, comprising the army, police and Special Field Force paramilitary group have been accused of carrying out widespread torture of suspects round up after the August 2 attack.
Sierra LeoneHuman Rights Watch called on rebels from the Revolutionary United Front(RUF) to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to the civilian population in areas under their control. There are currently 2.6 million civilians residing in areas under rebel control who are facing food shortages and a deteriorating health situation."It is clear that there is a humanitarian disaster in the countryside of Sierra Leone," said Peter Takirambudde. "But until the RUF grants aid agencies access, no one can provide any relief or know the true extent of the suffering."
SudanThe intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) provides the most fruitful negotiating framework for bringing lasting peace to sudan, a Sudanese Catholic Bishop has said. Presenting a paper at the Association of Member Episcopal Conference in Eastern Africa AMECEA meeting here, Bishop Max Maeram Gassis of El Obeid Dioces said it was they would only act to further fragment the prota.g
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