Africanews

WAR AND PEACE

ANGOLA On October 14, 1996 the US called on the Angolan rebel factions to honour the peace accords. This came about after Unitas leader Jonas Savimbi failed to turn up for talks. Meanwhile the UN peacekeeping troops are due to begin leaving in February next year.

BURUNDI Burundis Tutsi-led military rule on October 19, 1996 declined to negotiate with Hutu rebels until neighbouring countries lifted economic sanctions. At an earlier meeting, October 16 held in Tanzania leaders from neighbouring countries implemented sanctions on Burundi citing offenses by the military government. On October 24, 1996 Burundi forces wre reported to have been fighting Hutu rebels near the border with Zaire. On the same day a civilian truck was ambushed and set on fire on the road to Bujumbura. On October 27, 1996 five civilians and 10 Hutu rebels were killed during an attack on a camp for displaced people in Burundis Central Muramvya Province. The Incident was linked to the clash of the army and rebels after increased rebel activity in the adjoining areas of eastern Zaire.

CENTRAL Africa On October 17, 1996 the Central African national assembly set up a commission to try to settle a row between the army and the government over one regiments refusal to move out of the capital. The President ordered the Territorial Operational Defense Regiment (RDOT) whose soldiers were behind two mutinies in Bangui last April and May, to go to a new base at Bouar. The soldiers refused to obey. On October 24, 1996 the president warned the disgruntled soldiers saying that there was not going to be a third mutiny over their demands.

EGYPT Four Islamic militants and a peasant were killed on October 28, 1996 when a two day police manhunt in southern Egypt for a gang of armed militants ended in gun-battle.

LIBERIA On October 16, 1996 aboard a Matesc flagged Cargo vessel, some 700 Ghanain soldiers, including 40 officers, after serving in the ECOMOG peacekeeping force for 11 months left Liberia. They were replaced by 600 others who left Accra for Liberia on October 12, 1996. On October 24, 1996 it was reported that West African peacekeepers had sent an advance contingent to the Southeastern part of Greenville. The first deployment of peacekeepers was expected to cover the region where supporters of faction leader Charles Taylor have been fighting with ethnic Krahn rivals. The Commander of Peacekeeping Operations in Liberia on October 28, 1996 accused the country's armed faction leaders of jeopardizing renewed peace efforts and warned them against further intransigence.

RWANDA While visiting Israel on October 18, 1996 Rwanda's vice president Gen. Paul Kagame said that Muslim fundamentalists from Sudan were training members of the former Rwandese government responsible for killing over 500,000 of his countrymen.

SIERRA LEONE On October 12, 1996 hooded pirates firing AK-47 automatic rifles attacked a Greek fishing boat off Sierra Leone wounding some crew. On October 14, 1996 reports reaching the Sierra Leone capital Freetown, indicated that rebels had released more the 800 civilians, including women and children, after holding them captive for two years. Members of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) which has fought a bloody rebellion for more than five years, released the civilians near the former headquarters of their leader Foday Sankoh. On October 25, 1996 the Sierra Leonean President met with rebel leader Foday Sankoh to discuss the possibility of reaching a peaceful agreement with the rebels. They set a deadline for the complete peace process for December 1, 1996.

SOMALIA On October 12, 1996 at least 10 people were killed and nine others wounded in a string of attacks in the Somali Capital, Mogadishu. The jostle for power had been expected since the announcement of a Kenyan sponsored peace talks earlier in the month. At least 21 people were killed and 50 wounded on October 30, 1996 when militiamen of Somali warlord Osman Hassan Ali attacked and occupied an airstrip 50 kilometers south of Mogadishu.

SUDAN At the end of informal negotiations on October 11, 1996 held in Nairobi, Sudan's southern rebel factions were all in favour of reaching a negotiated peace agreement. This team also included the key rebel factions of Col. John Garang. On October 24, 1996 Sudan agreed to abide by its border agreement with Uganda. The setting of a monitoring group was proposed to ensure that neither government helps rebels operating in the area.

UGANDA The government newspaper reported on October 20, 1996 that Christian fundamentalist rebels in Uganda had kidnapped 300 people from northern villages and were taking to military training camps. Meanwhile President Museveni announced on October 22, 1996 that he might change tack and negotiate with the rebels. Earlier on in the week the president had moved his capital to the region in an attempt to end the 10 year rebellion. Uganda said it would not sign the Tehran peace pact meant to set up a framework for the peace process between Kampala and Sudan citing violations to the peace settlement of September 9, 1996. The two countries agreed on November 4, 1996 to hold talks in Kampala in December this year.

ZAMBIA Riots broke out in Zambia on October 20, 1996 after President Frederick Chiluba braved to immense political pressure and announced that the country would go to polls in a months time. Violence erupted when the president later announced the nomination of a junior minister to stand in the Kabwe constituency instead of a popular local businessman.

ZAIRE On October 12, 1996 the vice governor of the eastern Kivu province was suspended after threatening a group of stateless Rwandans with war. On October 19, 1996 a team of officials from Uganda held talks with their Zairian counterparts at Rutshuru, in Zaire to discuss the deteriorating security situation across the common border. By October 21, 1996 almost a quarter million Rwandese and Burundian Hutu refugees abandoned all the 12 camps around the Zairian town of Uvira where the army was battling with Tutsi rebels.

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