WAR AND PEACE
ALGERIA
killed in a raid on a village near the garrison town of Bilda, south of
Algiers. The killings were attributed to the five year war waged on the
government by Muslim fundamentalists.
According to official results on a national referendum announced on 29
November, Algerians voted overwhelmingly for constitutional changes banning
Islamic political parties.
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ANGOLA
On 20 November Unita leader Jonas Savimbi announced that Unita's former rebels
had been completely disarmed and that they had dismantled their posts in the
regions that they previously controlled. He also said that Unita had
implemented all the UN recommendations for demilitarization by the 20 November
deadline.
On 21 November the UN announced that it would begin the wind-down of its 6,
500-man peacekeeping operation in Angola in the month of December.
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BURKINA FASO
On 5 December the 19th meeting of African leaders from the Franco-African
countries called on their governments to commit to an all-Africa intervention
force that would step into conflicts before they spin out of control.
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CENTRAL AFRICA
On 26 November President Ange-Felix Patasse rejected rebel soldiers demands for
his resignation in his first public statement since the army mutiny of 15
November.
On 2 December four civilians and three soldiers were killed in a clash between
mutineers and presidential guards backed by French troops. The mutiny was in
protest to President Ange-Felix's move to call in foreign troops to assist him
in times of trouble saying that he was undermining the army's power.
On 18 December rebel soldiers and forces loyal to President Ange-Felix Patasse
agreed to a two-week truce to allow time for the introduction of a 10-point
peace plan. Each side was to retain their weapons and remain in the positions
they held at the time of the truce.
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KENYA
Addressing a news conference on 1 December top ACTION-AID officials said that
some of the short term solutions backed by the world community to avert the
crisis in most African countries ended up worsening the situations, urging for
more efforts in finding the root causes to the problems. They cited Somalia
and Rwanda as some of the cases where military intervention did not improve the
situation.
On 3 December more than 50 people were killed and an unknown number injured
when Samburu and Pokot raiders attacked Turkana families in the Marti area of
Samburu district. Samburu and Pokot pastoralists accused Turkana pastoralists
of assisting cattle rustlers from Turkana district in raids inside Samburu in
the recent past.
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NIGERIA
On 19 November Nigeria's ruler Sani Abacha announced that a visiting
commonwealth team to investigate the human rights conditions in Nigeria was
free to go to any part of the country and interview whoever they wanted. This
was among the indicative signs of Sani Abacha's intention to return the country
to democracy.
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SIERRA LEONE
On 9 December unknown gunmen killed about 150 people in attacks on two communes
in northern Sierra Leone less than a week after the government and rebels had
signed a civil war accord.
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EGYPT
On 24 November assailants attacked a police station and killed four policemen
and wounded six others in the worst attack in southern Egypt. The attack was
seen as an effort by the Muslim militants in their strive to overthrow the
government and install strict Islamic law.
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ZAIRE
On 13 November the OAU Secretary General announced that seven African countries
were willing to commit troops to a multinational force in Zaire. Consultations
for the contribution of more troops from other African countries would still go
on.
On 14 November heavy fighting flared around the eastern Zaire town of Goma
while Tutsi rebels sought to consolidate gains over their Hutu foes.
At the end of a meeting between Zaire opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi and
Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko on 21 November a unity agreement (unifying
the political class) was reached. Mr. Etienne also announced that President
Mobutu had given him the mandate to form a unity government.
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