wfn.org | ALL AFRICA NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN No. 44/02 (c)

[George Conklin <gconklin@igc.org>]

November 11, 2002

AANA Bulletin is an ecumenical initiative to highlight all endeavours and 
experiences of Christians and the people of Africa.  AANA Bulletin is 
published weekly and, together with the French Edition - Bulletin APTA - is 
also available through e-mail.	For editorial and subscription details, 
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All Africa News Agency
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'If Theology Is To Be Credible, It Ought To Be Relevant'

Title - Marginalized Africa: An International Perspective
Editor: Peter Kanyandago (General Editor)
Publisher: Paulines Publications Africa. P.O Box 49026, Nairobi-Kenya
Printer: Kolbe Press P O Box 468, Limuru, Kenya
Volume: 200 pp
Price: KShs 400 (about US$5)
Year of Publication: 2002
Available: In all Paulines Book centres (Nairobi, Johannesburg, Lusaka and 
Lagos)

NAIROBI (AANA) November 11 - In the book under review, contributors by 
Catholic theologians have raised pertinent issues concerning the 
marginalization of the African continent by developed nations.

In his introductory remarks, Ugandan Catholic Priest, Peter Kanyandago, the 
book's general editor, has observed that "although the presentations were 
originally prepared with the Jubilee Year in mind, the general theme of 
marginalization, which they deal with in the African and international 
contexts remains factual and needs our attention".

He reminded that while marginalization is a common problem, it is not 
experienced in the same way in the different regions of the world.

Tanzanian Catholic priest, Laurenti Magesa in his article, African 
Renaissance: The Jubilee and Africa's Position in the International 
Context, observed that despite all the encouraging signs now merging in 
Africa, the continent still endures a peripheral position in the world.

The debt issues, he further says, continues to plague it and to shape 
negatively its plans and policies.

In the context of this Jubilee Year, there has been campaigns, and gestures 
from the creditor or debtor countries, to have African (and other Third 
World) debts reduced or written off altogether, says the Tanzanian Catholic 
priest.

According to him this will make a difference in the lives of the peoples of 
the continent, provided the money is used to establish "human capital," 
that is, to create good educational and health infrastructure, not for 
useless prestige projects, as is usually the case.

Ugandan Catholic clergyman, John Waliggo, stresses that "if theology is to 
be credible, it ought to be relevant and contexualized". The theological 
reflections on Africa's external debt must be done within the current 
realities on the continent, says the clergyman.

He stresses that "doing theology in Africa demands identification of the 
aspirations, hopes and joys of the African people on one hand, and their 
anguishes, sufferings, problems and needs on the other".

A Dominican priest and regional representative in West Africa for the 
International Movement for Development and Civilisation states that against 
all forms of marginalization, and especially against the phenomenon of 
exclusion from land, the Jubilee proclaims social justice.

He recommends that the African Church aware of the difficulties of the poor 
must be sensitive to whatever makes them poorer, stressing that "Africa for 
a long time put emphasis on power, without paying sufficient attention to 
the power of ideas".

Malawian Catholic priest, Joseph Chaphadzika Chakanza in The Scandal of 
Marginalization Worldwide: A political perspective has observed that four 
decades after independence many people especially in Africa  "continue to 
be excluded from any critical or significant contribution to the ethnic of 
the body politic, basic human rights, individual freedom and democratic 
participation".

In the case of Malawi, there is now a growing realization that the 
democratic dispensation has scarcely addressed the issue of economic 
inequality inherited from previous regimes.

Reviewed by Osman Njuguna

FEATURES  SECTION

Somali Factions Agree To Peace, But Will It Hold?

The first phase of Somali factional peace talks concluded in Eldoret, 
Kenya, over one week ago with the 22 groups, which included the 
Transitional National Government, agreeing to end 11-year hostilities that 
have denied the country a central government since dictator Siad Barre was 
deposed in 1991. But will the latest peace initiative finally make a 
difference?

By Pedro Shipepechero

I
t was all jubilation when delegates at the Somali National Reconciliation 
Conference signed the Declaration of Cessation of Hostilities, which came 
into force on October 27.

The six-point agreement to cease hostilities calls for "inclusive, 
representative" federal government that will oversee regional governance, 
international observers to monitor arms embargo to Somalia, commitment to 
fight terrorism, and assurances that relief aid to can be delivered and 
received safely.

Out of the chaos, despair and bloodshed for over a decade during which the 
war that had plunged the nation into anarchy, hopes for durable peace in 
Somalia seems to be won. The truce was signed at the Somali National 
Reconciliation Conference to end the long protracted war as warlords and 
Somali Transitional National Government agreed to a ceasefire and pledged 
to create a federal government.

The declaration has been hailed by observers at the talks chaired by Kenyan 
President Daniel arap Moi's special envoy Mr Elijah Mwangale, as the most 
inclusive ever signed by Somali factions. Among other things, the Somali 
warlords have undertaken to create federal governance structures for Horn 
of Africa nation, which besides civil strife, has also been subjected to 
climatic swings since 1997 that result in frequent famines.

But as delegates appeared to agree to end hostilities that have led to the 
plunder of the Somalia's resources, especially the environment, 
representatives of the civil society at the conference were cautious that 
the signing of the peace accord would automatically translate into lasting 
peace.

The peace deal hammered out by the factions represented by 450 delegates, 
calls for a negotiated Constitution that embraces the principle of 
decentralisation of an integral part of Somalia governance structures. If 
implemented, Somalia will have a federal government that recognises that 
the various clan interests.

The leaders also pledged to fight all forms of terrorism and to co-operate 
with the international community in the fight against terror. Mid this 
year, the Central Intelligence Agency CIA reported that elements of the Al 
Qaeda terror gangs who were flushed out of Afghanistan by international 
forces led by the United States, relocating to the lawless Somalia.

The absence of a central government in the country makes the country 
natural haven for terror gangs because it makes their tracking almost 
impossible.

News of Al Baraakat Bank, a Mogadishu bank with links to Al Qaeda put the 
US government on high security alert, with the suspicion that Osama bin 
Laden would use the country to launch attacks on American installations in 
Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Allegations of movement of a bulk of gold stolen Afghanistan to suspected 
Al Qaeda hideouts in Somali place Somalia on the US blacklist, as a harbour 
for one of the bin Laden's terrorists cells. The threat of the presence of 
terrorists in Somalia has shifted focus from Sudan, previously suspected to 
harbouring Al Qaeda elements.

The latest peace deal binds the signatories to implement fully the United 
Nations Security Council resolutions 733 of 1992 for arms embargo for 
Somalia and guarantees security for all humanitarian and development 
personnel and installations as well as ensuring safe access to aid for the 
people of Somalia.

The leaders also committed themselves to inviting the international 
community to undertake field-based and remote monitoring of the arms 
embargo and to combat all forms of terrorism, including prevention of 
Somali territory as a base for terrorist activities pursuant to the UN 
Security Council resolution 1373 of 2002.

The factions also undertook to adhere to the conclusions resulting from the 
Somalia national reconciliation process and invite Inter-Governmental 
Authority on Development IGAD - the sponsor of the talks.

They also committed themselves to observing and enforcing the ceasefire in 
accordance with people's desire for peace and to resolve their 
disagreements peacefully.

In his comments following the signing of the declaration, the chairman of 
the leaders committee Mr Mowlid Maane Mohamed said that signing of the 
declaration was a historical event, which has ushered in new hope for a 
long-lasting peace for Somalis.

"The children who were 10 years old in 1991, when the Somalia civil war 
broke out, are now 22 years and have never known what peace and security is 
in their motherland," Mohamed said.

There was jubilation when Mwangale, who is also the chairman of the 
conference, assured the delegates that IGAD, the African Union and the 
United Nations recognise Somalia territorial boundaries as set during the 
time of independence.

He was responding to the issue regarding that the self-declared independent 
Somaliland, with its capital city in Hargeisa. The faction that carved off 
Somaliland from the rest of the country has declined to take part in the 
talks.

However, the agreement to create a federal state, the leaders at the talks 
hoped, offered a glimmer of hope that the leaders of the breakaway 
"republic" will in future find it necessary to participate in the talks.

On the sensitive issue of property and land rights, Mwangale told the 
leaders that it would be addressed at committee stage once they are 
constituted.

Following the peace deal, the 800 delegates attending the talks in Eldoret 
will break into smaller committees to look into how the various sticking 
points such as the Constitution, the structure of the future national 
government, the powers of the federal governments, disarmament and 
demobilisation.

In response to the agreement, Moi, the host of the talks, said that he was 
pleasantly surprised by the new development. Past attempts by the Kenyan 
leader to force the warlords to the negotiating table had further fuelled 
acrimony, with some leaders accusing Nairobi of favouring the late Farah 
Mohemmed Aideed's faction.

The past 12 attempts at Somali peace by Nairobi never gave peace a chance. 
Moi informed the delegates that the would meet them "at a convenient date."

With the Kenyan leader preoccupied with campaigns  ahead of the general 
election scheduled for December 27, it is doubtful if this meeting will 
materialise before he relinquishes the presidency at the end of his second 
term this year.

More Tanzanians Now Live Above Poverty Level

A recently released report on Tanzania's Household Budget Survey, HBS, 
conducted in 2000-01 shows that although agriculture is the main source of 
cash income in Tanzania, the proportion of households depending on 
agriculture has however dropped from 67 to 62 percent during a ten-year 
period from 1991-2002. But the country is still prone to sporadic famine.

By Henry Neondo

A
ccording to monthly report of Famine Early Warning Systems FEWS Net on 
Tanzania for September, households dependence on business, wages and 
salaries, and remittances for cash incomes has increased.

In 1991-92 and at present, about 41 percent of households have depended 
specifically on food crops to earn cash income.

A 2000-01 Household Budget Survey, published in July, compared current 
Tanzanian incomes to those of 1991-92, revealing an increase, in real terms 
of 17 percent.

Growth was higher in Dar Es Salaam than in other places, especially the 
rural areas. In both cases proportions of household expenditure devoted to 
food declined from 69 to 61 percent between 1991-92 and 2000-01.

To ensure that food security is maintained following a drop in the ratio of 
farmers to market dependents, the report calls on the government to put in 
place strategies to increase farmer productivity and real incomes of market 
dependents.

"Improving farmers' access to and use of better and more affordable 
technologies, such as oxenization and high yielding seed varieties with 
tolerance to pests and diseases, can improve their productivity. Better 
access to credit can help both farmers and households engaged in business 
to improve performance of their activities," the report says.

The same report showed that between 1991-92 and 2000-01, household 
consumption rose in real terms by around 17 percent. However, the 
consumption gap between Dar Es Salaam and rural areas widened with 
increases registering at 47 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

Over the past 10 years, average monthly expenditures in Dar Es Salaam rose 
from TShs 14,900 (about TShs 960 to the US dollar) to TShs 22,000, while 
rising more modestly in rural areas, from TShs 7,600 to TShs 8,500.

Computation of statistics from all over the country shows a considerable 
decline in food expenditure as proportions of total household expenditure 
in both the urban and rural areas.

Overall, the report says that the proportion dropped from 69 to 61 percent 
between the two HBSs, but the proportion of household expenditure spent on 
food is higher in rural areas than in Dar Es Salaam. This indicates that 
poverty remains overwhelmingly rural; 87 percent of the poor are living in 
rural areas.

The report further says that the above average poverty levels were noted 
for households that depend on agriculture, particularly those relying on 
sale of livestock, adding that "diversification remains an important way by 
which rural households try to raise their incomes".

The proportion of Tanzanians that fall below the food poverty line, defined 
as the minimum spending per person needed to provide 2,200 calories a day 
for one month based on the foods consumed by the poorest 50 percent of the 
population, decreased from 22 to 19 percent over the past 10 years.

The report shows that the proportion of Tanzanians who fall below the basic 
needs poverty line - which is the food poverty line adjusted to incorporate 
other basic needs such as clothes - decreased from 39 to 36 percent

The report, however, stated that the decline is not considered large enough 
to be statistically significant.

FEWS Net show that the food security outlook in Tanzania for the coming 
three months is good. "This is evidence by ample grain stocks held on farm, 
by traders, and by the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR). In addition, there 
are some amounts of root and tuber crops and banana on farmers' fields".

But wholesale prices for maize on monitored markets in the major maize 
producing regions including Rukwa, Mbeya, and Iringa in the Southern 
Highlands, and Dodoma in Central Tanzania were higher this month than their 
five-year period of 1997-2001 averages.

Also, on some other markets such as Kilimanjaro and Tanga, northern 
Tanzania, wholesale prices for maize have already started to rise at 
earlier dates relative to their five-year average trends.

"If these trends continue and are coupled with limited opportunity for 
market dependents to diversify their sources of income, food security may 
be jeopardized," the report says.

It adds that facing higher food prices, the market dependents might have to 
reduce the quantities they buy or switch to cheaper alternatives.

Also, at rising prices, "farmers can be stimulated to sell more to earn 
cash, compromising their near future food requirements".

Following the recent harvest, households still have sufficient quantities 
of grain in storage facilities and some amounts of root and tuber crops and 
banana, as well, on farms.

However, authorities and the media from Korogwe district, Tanga region, 
reported shortages of staple food crops, attributed to below normal 
production during 2001-02.

These shortages have resulted in an earlier than normal increases in maize 
wholesale prices, relative to the trend of five-year 1997-2001 averages.

Substantial wholesale maize price variations were observed from one market 
to another when comparing September to last year and the five-year 
(1997-2001) averages.

On all key markets, wholesale prices for rice in September were below last 
year's prices and the five-year (1997-2001) average price. Prices were 
reasonably stable, ranging from three percent below to 10 percent above 
last month's prices for some markets.

The relative stability of maize prices, together with low rice wholesale 
prices, is a result of good supplies of the commodities to key markets. The 
prices suggest that households with good income might have increased rice 
consumption relative to maize consumption.

The government and other stakeholders in Tanzania say, however, that they 
are monitoring the trends closely to enable timely formulation and 
implementation of appropriate interventions if threats to food security are 
noted.

In the long run, the price increases may have a positive effect on food 
security if they encourage farmers to invest more in agricultural 
production, especially at the moment when preparations for planting are 
going on in many parts of Tanzania.