AFRICANEWS
Views and news on peace, justice and reconciliation in Africa
June 2001
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AfricaMore than 300,000 children -- some as young as 7 -- are fighting as soldiers in 41 countries around the world, according to an international report on child soldiers released on 12 June. Besides being used as front-line fighters, children are used as minesweepers, spies, porters and sex slaves, according to the report by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers. Governments continue to recruit children to fight because of "their very qualities as children -- they can be cheap, expendable and easier to condition into fearless killing and unthinking obedience," the report said. Though the number of child soldiers has remained constant in recent years, the number of countries where they are used has increased to 41 from about 30 three years ago, coalition spokeswoman Judit Arenas said. The use of child soldiers has decreased in the Middle East and Latin America as conflicts there have ended, while Africa's wars are estimated to engage more than 120,000 children, according to the report. The Asian country of Myanmar has the world's highest number of child soldiers -- 50,000. Rebels in the Philippines and Papa New Guinea use children soldiers and children are fighting in conflicts in Macedonia and Colombia. (Source: CNN)MalawiMalawi's Muslim community have joined their Christian counterparts in attacking President Bakili Muluzi over his ambition to stand as President for the third time. The Muslims have also attacked Muluzi over his poor economic policies. Muluzi who is a Muslim, is also accused by his fellow Muslims of being a fake Muslim, spending most of his time in Christian churches and that he has swindled money meant for the construction of mosques. Muluzi has counter-attacked by saying there is nothing wrong in him attending church services as this is done by other reputable international Muslim leaders. Recently, the police arrested over 600 Muslims including some senior Sheiks who went to the Sanjika Presidential Palace in Blantyre to present a 13-page letter to President Bakili Muluzi petitioning him not to stand for the third term.The letter was signed by 13 leaders of the Sunni Muslim Supreme Council of Malawi. Four of the detained Sheiks were denied bail. The police said they had done this so they could have time to fully investigate the case. However, political analysts said this was meant to silence the Sheiks who are opposition sympathizers. (Source: ANB-BIA) MaliThe first ladies of Mali, Gambia, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea, Benin, and Senegal gathered May 7 and 8 in Bamako, Mali, for the "Vision 2010" forum on how to prevent, and deal with, high-risk pregnancies and child birth. The forum was organised by UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF).According to Adame Ba Konar�, first lady of Mali, "After the Marrackech summit in Morroco in April� and the Head of African states summit about 'HIV/AIDS' in Abuja, Nigeria, the Bamako meeting must [look at ways] to fight against [not only] children's diseases and child mortality, but also women for whom the reproduction function represents a high risk." First ladies must act to find answers to "the delivery tragedy," said Konare. For Andr� Roberfroid, a manager with UNICEF, "Women are in the centre of the social system in Africa." That is why the first ladies must be involved in partnerships in initiatives that would reduce the maternal death rate. The first ladies aim to achieve the objective of reducing the maternal death rate to 100 deaths for every 100,000 births by 2010. According to an UNPF study, the principal causes of maternal and infantile death are: hemorrhaging, infections, abortion, lack of health care and hospitals, aggravated by a lack of pre-natal nursing. After two days, the first ladies came up with their "Declaration de Bamako," which is aimed at putting in "concrete actions" before December to change behaviours and make "pregnancy sure." In developed countries, the risk for women dying during pregnancy or childbirth is 1:1,800. The ratio is 1:130 in Latin America , 1:60 in Asia, and 1:16 in Africa. - by Alex Kalambry NigeriaNigeria's state-run electricity company, said on 7 June that a third of the country would be without power for two weeks in the latest setback to faltering government attempts at reviving electricity supplies. Nepa officials said vandals had attacked a vital transmission line last weekend, plunging 13 states in the east of Africa's most populous nation into darkness and cutting power to several main cities, including Port Harcourt where the 2.2m b/d oil industry is centred. The blackout comes amid growing disillusionment with President Olusegun Obasanjo's government and doubts about its ability to address the chronic infrastructural and institutional deficits he inherited when the military handed power back to elected civilians two years ago. Mr Obasanjo took personal control of the power sector early last year after dismissing senior management at Nepa following a series of nationwide blackouts. There has been little sign of a turnround since then. On a good day Nepa produces scarcely more electricity than nearby Ghana, which has a population seven times smaller. Improving on this has become one of Nigeria's most frustrating challenges for Mr Obasanjo who only recently began to champion accelerated liberalisation of the power sector after a series of staff changes at Nepa and increased public investment failed to produce significant results. The frustrations were such that, late last year, Jerry Gana, the information minister, said "thieves and vandals" were sabotaging Nepa in what he described as an orchestrated ploy by political enemies to undermine the government's reform programme. (Source: Financial Times)AfricaAlec Erwin, South Africa's minister of trade and industry, warned on 7 June that the existence of the World Trade Organisation would be threatened if its annual meeting in Doha in November, followed the inconclusive course of the Seattle talks two years ago. Speaking at the World Economic Forum's southern Africa summit, Mr Erwin said bilateral agreements and negotiations around free trading blocs threatened to overtake the mechanisms of the WTO unless it agreed to have a round where the needs of the developing world were addressed. He urged both the developed and developing world "not to make the fundamental mistake of not having a round. South Africa would not sit back even though it would cause tensions with our neighbours," he said. "We would not allow ourselves as a trading country to be left out of agreements. We are not going to get leadership from the US, Europe or Japan. We should be giving leadership. It can lead to jobs in our economy in a matter of months and years, not decades. (Source: Financial Times)Action against the Media in AfricaCongo RDCFreddy Loseke Lisumba La Yayenga, publisher of the Kinshasa-based newspaper La Libre Afrique, was arrested on 30 May. On 12 June, in a letter addressed to President Kabila, the World Association of Newspapers ans the World Editors Forum, expressed their grave concern at the imprisonment of newspaper publisher Freddy Loske Lisumba La Yayenga.EritreaOn 7 June, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued a letter of inquiry to Eritrea's Minister of Justice, expressing concern about the welfare of 15 journalists who are alleged either to be in prison or to have been forcibly conscripted.TogoThe Writers in Prison Committee said on 1 June it is deeply dismayed to learn of the prison sentence handed down to Lucien Messan, editorial director of the weekly Le Combat du Peuple.ZimbabweOn 5 June, a weekly television talk show was banned after only three broadcasts because callers criticised President Mugabe. On 8 June, Reporters sans Fronti�res (RSF) expressed concern about the deterioration of press freedom in Zimbabwe. (Source: ANB-BIA)
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