wfn.org | All Africa News Agency - BULLETIN No. 39/02 (a)

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

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Sudan: Humanitarian Flights In The South Halted

NAIROBI/GENEVA (AANA) October 7 - Lutheran World Federation LWF in Kenya, a 
member of Action by Churches Together ACT International, last week sent a 
warning to the ACT Coordinating Office in Geneva and other humanitarian 
organisations, that the Government of Sudan had declared a flight denial 
status for the eastern and western Equatoria in Southern Sudan.

Operation Lifeline Sudan OLS grounded all flights, even security and 
emergency flights as of September 27. As representative of all agencies not 
working under the roof of OLS in Sudan, LWF Kenya advised that Non OLS 
agencies should not fly over south Sudan until more secure routings have 
been agreed on through Ethopian airspace between Ethiopian authorities and 
OLS.

The affected agencies should keep themselves updated in Loki with OLS staff 
on the ground, it was recommended. Reports last week indicated that there 
was bombing and fighting going on in the area of Juba and Torit, where the 
frontline is between the Sudanese army and the Sudan People's Liberation 
Movement/Army (SPLM/A), which has recently accused Khartoum of intensifying 
fighting across the south.

The borders between the north of the country, controlled by the government, 
and the south, controlled by the SPLM/A, are still disputed between both 
sides.

The implication of the grounding of the flights are severe for the Southern 
Sudanese people living in areas under the control of SPLM/A where many 
people have been uprooted because they had to flee fighting. The areas are 
cut off from humanitarian assistance after the flights have been halted.

Prepared by Callie Long, ACT

LWF Launches Inter-Faith Action For Peace In Africa

JOHANNESBURG/GENEVA (AANA) October 7  - The Rev Dr Ishmael Noko, General 
Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation LWF, on September 25 launched an 
Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa under the theme, Embracing the Gift 
of Peace.

Noko announced the inauguration of the process at a press conference in 
Johannesburg, South Africa. The LWF and National Religious Leaders' Forum 
of South Africa NRLFSA, will host a ground-breaking Inter-Faith Peace 
Summit at the Kopanong Conference Center, Benoni, South Africa, October 
14-19. The Summit will be opened by South African President Thabo Mbeki.

Addressing journalists, Noko said the African continent was "enveloped in a 
cycle of violence beyond description". This violence is not imported from 
outside Africa but is "made in Africa," he said.

According to Noko the aim of the Summit would be to get a solid commitment 
to inter-faith dialogue and co-operation for promoting peace in Africa. 
"But it will be more than just a commitment on paper. We want to say less 
and do more and find our own solutions to the problems of Africa," he said.

Noko sees potential for complimentary efforts by religious and political 
leaders. "The (2001) establishment of the African Union (replacing the 
former Organization of African Unity) has created a new environment for the 
promotion of peace...and the New Partnership for Africa's Development NEPAD 
initiative has produced a new sense of commitment to development in Africa".

The Partnership is a commitment by African leaders to eliminate poverty and 
place the African continent on a path of lasting growth and development. It 
is founded on African States practicing good governance, democracy and 
human rights, while working to prevent and resolve situations of conflict 
and instability on the continent.

Calling on African religious leaders to play their part in addressing 
emerging and recurrent conflict on the continent, Noko stressed that "the 
deepest and truest sources of our faith traditions and cultural heritage 
provide us with the means to establish a culture of peace in Africa".

The Rev Ray McCauley, President of the International Federation of 
Christian Churches and NRLFSA executive member, agreed that the Inter-Faith 
Peace Summit initiative could play a role in strengthening the NEPAD plan.

"Africa needs to be at peace for NEPAD to have far-reaching success. 
Religious leaders of the continent can offer much in this area as well as 
strengthen the moral fiber of our countries," McCauley said.

"We must not forget the role that religious leaders played in the build up 
to the elections and peaceful transformation in South Africa in 1994," he 
noted. He said he was convinced that "the Benoni conference could be a 
major milestone in the march towards a true African Renaissance".

NRLFSA member Iman Ebrahim Bham, said the examples of tolerance and peace 
making in South Africa's recent past were worthy of case studies and 
consideration by other countries. He said one would have to look deeper to 
find what were the real reasons for religious intolerance, which sometimes 
came about because of perceived economic imbalances.

Over 100 delegates, representing all major religions, including traditional 
African religions and inter-faith groups across Africa, will be attending 
the Inter-Faith Peace Summit.

Key topics of the conference will include: the role of inter-faith dialogue 
in promoting a culture of peace in Africa; freedom of religion and conflict 
prevention; promotion and protection of human rights; relations between 
religion and the State; and African traditional methods of conflict 
resolution and reconciliation.

In addition the conference will hear first-hand accounts from people caught 
up in wars in Africa, including a former child soldier and a landmine
survivor.

Reported by Pauline Mumia

Authorised Mining Firms Have Yet To Collect Licences

KAMPALA (AANA) October 7 - More than a third of firms granted mining 
licences in Uganda are inactive, according to a list from the Ministry of 
Energy.

The list shows that only 34 licence holders renewed their licences out of 
84 holders whose licences expired in 2001.More than a third valid licence 
holders are not involved in any activity.

The government granted 106 licences in 2001, bringing total of licences 
granted since 1994 to 172.Some firms have began production.

A Canadian firm M/S Canmin Resources started vermiculite with a planned 
output of 40,000 tonnes annually. Some of it has been exported to Israel, 
France, South Africa and UK for laboratory tests.

M/S Krone Uganda Limited has redeveloped Bjordal Wolfram mine, mining 15 
tonnes per month.

Inactivity is pronounced in the gold sector, which ironically has attracted 
more investors. A third of licences granted went to gold miners, according 
to the Energy and Minerals Ministry July 2002 report.

Anglo-Uganda Corporation received a licence to mine gold in Kamalenge and 
Kyasampawo in Mubende district-central- which contains 11,000 ounces of gold.

Mineral production declined from 296,403 tonnes worth UShs 63.8 billion( 
about Ushs 1,750 to the US dollar) in 2000 to 198,336 tonnes to UShs 43.07 
billion in 2001 and is dominated y Limestone, Limonite, Pozzolanic 
materials and Cobalt.

Despite this, there is a growing business involving minerals, underscoring 
the growing importance of re-export economy in the mineral sector.

This is in sharp contrast with exports, which are dominated by cobalt-574 
tonnes, vermiculite 100 tonnes and gold 6.09 tonnes.

Thus while national production is worth shs 43bn, exports stood at UShs 
125.9 billion underlining the growing re-exporting business. Gold 
production is worth UShs 2.4 billion, but exports reached UShs 105.5 billion.

Apparently, some firms have contacted Uganda for more business.  The US 
firm, Global Interests LCC, with seven mining licences, early August asked 
the government to deliver minerals worth US $500m which the government 
turned down.

New Ensign Resources aligned to Irish Glencar mining plc holds five permits 
while International Roraima aligned to South Africa's ISCOR has 20 permits.

Energy Ministry records show that gold miners have leased huge tracts of 
land. Anglo-Uganda Corporation, which has leased 724 square kilometres. 
International Roraima has 20 permits.

Government leased 2406.3 square kilometres in 2001 of which 1938.14 square 
kilometres were for gold investors.

However, there is wide discrepancy in gold production and exports. Ministry 
records put gold production at 0.000142 tonnes in 2001, yet exports reached 
6.07tonnes.

Syda Bumba,Energy and Minerals Minister says no large firms have been 
attracted to Uganda despite the country's liberal legislative regime and 
her strategic position partly because it does not have capacity.

Firms conduct laboratory tests abroad in the absence of facilities in the 
country. Anglo-Uganda Corporation spent US $230,000 excluding the US 
$12,000 on ground rent.

"The country lacks certain professionals such as mining engineers, mineral 
dressers, geophysicists and mineralogists," noted the report, which also 
enumerates poor infrastructure and lack of geological data.

The government has wooed investors through liberal legislative measures. 
Syda Bumba, Energy and Minerals Minister says the new Mining Bill has been 
drafted and awaits parliamentary debate before the end of this year.

Investors will be granted a three-year licence renewable for another two 
terms of two years. In addition, investors will repatriate their income.

The government is also exploiting its geographic strategic position to 
attract more firms.

Admitting mineral information in the country is scanty, government is 
poised to develop mines that cut across international boundaries.

The Kigezi gold field, an extension to the Kivu province gold field 
responsible for 10 percent of gold production in the DRC has been 
identified for exploitation.

Also on board is Ankole tin field that is a gold rich region and is part of 
the Kibaran system that extends from the DRC through northern Tanzania into 
Uganda.

Reported by Crespo Sebunya

SADC Countries To Rehabilitate Major Railway Link

BLANTYRE (AANA) October 7 - Four countries of Southern Africa are pooling 
together their resources to rehabilitate the Nacala railway line, a major 
link to the Indian Ocean.

The move would not only facilitate the smooth movement of imports but also 
rejuvenate cross-border trading activities while also attracting foreign 
direct investment to the region.

The Nacala Corridor was disrupted for almost two decades following 
devastation by the Mozambican civil war that paralysed up to 77 kilometres 
of the line.

Infrastructure was a shambles; there were fears of insecurity due to 
landmines planted along the corridor, while the rugged line hampered faster 
transportation of goods because of the dilapidated state.

The good news in the Nacala Corridor development, which links landlocked 
Malawi to Mozambique and also provides a link to Zambia, is that it has won 
financial pledges from Britain, the US and Japan. The donors are mainly 
concerned with the delay in transporting relief food supplies from the 
ports of Nacala and Beira to famine-stricken Malawi.

Cereals and other relief are stuck at the ports while thousands of people 
suffer from hunger. Six countries of Southern Africa - Malawi, Zambia, 
Mozambique, Angola, Lesotho and Swaziland - are facing food  crisis due to 
drought and poor harvests the previous season (see separate article under 
Features Section).

Some 14 million people in Southern Africa are threatened with famine, 
according to reports from aid agencies.

Britain and Canada are donating US $5.6 million for repairs to the railway 
while the U S which is leading other donors in food supplies to the region 
is to make available a US $22 million loan to Mozambique and Malawi through 
its Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).

"The US government's aim being to help the two countries reduce the cost of 
transporting petroleum and the much-needed food as well as exports in a 
project that is expected to restore Mozambique's infrastructure destroyed 
during the two decade-long civil war," says OPIC president, Peter Watson.

Meanwhile, South Africa has joined the three other partners in the Nacala 
Corridor Development Project calling for its expedited implementation as a 
way to boost economic activities in Southern Africa. The railway link is 
deemed to be a stimulus and impetus to more economic integration and 
corporation.

Investments such as agro-industry, mining, tourism and other resource-based 
ventures are to be boosted by the project especially among the population 
along the corridor. The corridor is to develop adequate cost-effective, 
efficient and reliable transport, telecommunications and energy systems to 
make it a competitive investment area in the region.

South Africa's deputy high commissioner, Lukas Mokwena, speaking during 
last month's stakeholders meeting in Malawi said the project was part and 
parcel of the newly established New Partnership for African Development 
NEPAD which will improve the economies of the countries that are partners 
in the initiative.

"Its something that is really big. It is part of the poverty eradication 
programmes, and it is the beginning of the dream that we have as a 
continent to take part in the development in the global economy," said 
Mokwena whose country is funding the country's secretariat for the 
corridor. He said once completed the initiative would provide employment to 
75 percent of the people along the corridor.

Analysts however doubt if the project would catch up with its deadlines 
considering that most of the partner nations are in dire economic straits 
and rely heavily on donors to support their development project. The thorny 
part being the de-mining of landmines, which experts say is one area that 
would consume most of the donor funding.

At a time when Southern Africa is making efforts to realise most of the 
trading and economic corporation protocols to uplift the living standards 
of the almost 300 million in the region, there is a general perception that 
the partner countries ought to be financially and technically supported to 
ensure the corridor picks up.

Jicks Magitala, an exports manager based in Malawi's commercial capital of 
Blantyre is really anxious about the successful implementation of the 
initiative.

"You see, the Nacala link, we can say, is the central nerve to drive any 
development endeavours of Southern Africa. The respective partner 
governments must soften their hands and supplement funding coming from 
donors so that the change can be felt in the nearest future," says Magitala.

Reported by Hobbs Gama