wfn.org | All Africa News Agency March 24 2003 (c)

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

AANA BULLETIN No. 11/03, March 24, 2003 (c)

ALL AFRICA NEWS AGENCY
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FOCUS ON SMALL ARMS

Authorities Demonstrate Commitment To Arms Control

NAIROBI (AANA) March 24 - On March 15, Kenyan authorities torched an 
assortment of more than 1,000 guns as part of a larger plan to destroy an 
estimated 7,227 weapons, to express commitment to control of proliferation 
of illicit weapons in the Great Lakes region.

The symbolic event, witnessed by diplomats, UN officials, cabinet ministers 
and senior Kenyan security officers, was led by the country's 
Vice-President, Michael Wamalwa Kijana, and Dr. Chris Murungaru, a Minister 
of State in-Charge of Provincial Administration and National Security.	It 
took place at Nairobi's historic Uhuru Gardens.

Leading the congregation into prayers at the beginning of the event, 
Catholic Jesuit Priest, Rev. Fr. Joakim Omolo observed, "We have come here 
to symbolically burn some weapons, a sign of human commitment to 
destruction [of illicit arms]."

He added: "We are here today to [lament] massive destruction of human life 
through misuse of weapons, hence the torching up of these weapons."

Noting the historic value of the venue, Fr. Omolo recalled that 40 years 
ago, Kenyans converged at the same spot to witness the hoisting up of the 
flag after attaining independence.

In his address before torching the assorted light weapons, Vice President 
Wamalwa remarked: "While I recognise that the problem of proliferation of 
illicit small arms and light weapons is a daunting task, it must be solved 
for security and prosperity of our people".

Mr Wamalwa asked the public to stop looking at the cash value of the 
weapons destroyed, but at the pain that would be spared by putting the 
firearms out of circulation.

Most of the weapons are said to have found their way into the country from 
neighbouring unstable countries such as Somalia, and tactfully got into the 
wrong hands of armed robbers, cattle rustlers, among other criminals.

Dr. Murungaru, said the occasion was organised to coincide with the third 
commemoration of the Signing of the Nairobi Declaration on Illicit Small 
Arms and Light Weapons.

The Declaration, he explained, was a comprehensive effort aimed at 
effectively combating major factors fuelling the demand of illicit weapons, 
which has created untold suffering to the people of the Great Lakes region.

In an interview with AANA, UNDP/Small Arms Reduction Programme 
Communications/Awareness Raising Officer, Tusingwire Maria-Lovence said, 
"By burning weapons publicly, Kenya was simply leading other countries 
within the region in proving physical commitment to destroying illicit 
weapons".

Maria Lovence added that the country became the first country within the 
ten member-states bound by the Nairobi Declaration to make such a move.

Other countries to have performed a similar event include the Republic of 
Congo and Niger, under the direction of UNDP, she noted.

Reported By Osman Njuguna

Tracing The Manufacture Of Small Arms In Region

NAIROBI (AANA) March 24 - In Africa, Egypt is one of the oldest and largest 
of the region's small arms producers, and manufactures a wide range of 
small arms and ammunition.

Almost all the weapons produced in Egypt are based on Soviet-era designs. 
It continues to produce the AK series assault rifles, often with modest 
modifications for the export market.

In Sudan, small arms are produced in a state-owned company, the Military 
Industry Corporation.

The firm has received support from a variety of countries in Eastern Europe 
and Middle East.

There are confirmed reports that Pakistan Ordnance Factories helped 
re-commission Sudan's small arms factories.

And in Kenya the decision to establish a domestic arms production 
capability was mooted in the mid 1970s, when President Idi Amin of Uganda 
made a number of territorial threats against Kenya.

Kenya government allocated Ksh 300 million (about US$ 4 million) in 1989 to 
the construction of a factory situated in Eldoret, about 300 Kilometres 
north-west of Nairobi.

The factory was completed in mid 1996, and the first batch of ammunition 
produced in November the same year.

Although this was initially a project of the department of defence, it was 
later converted into a State Corporation, the Kenya Ordnance Factories 
Corporation (KOFC).

It is believed the factory is in the interest of some prominent politicians 
in the previous government.

This was about the time Churches of East Africa based in Kitale (near Mount 
Elgon in western Kenya), came under fire by the government, following what 
was described as a cache of dangerous firearms, military uniforms and 
powerful telecommunications gadgetry.

Three Americans working for the organisations, Messrs Richard Scott 
Hamilton, his son Richard Scott Hamilton Jr, and Lyre Huston, were picked 
up from Kitale and taken to Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in 
Nairobi for interrogation.

Houston collapsed and died at the CID headquarters on learning that the 
organisation was under investigation for threatening security in Kenya.

It was not clear what came out of the investigation, but the Church was 
allowed to go on with its work.  Some of its clergy, who had been asked to 
leave the country, were recalled.

Before the Church was allowed to continue with its project, Hamilton had 
threatened that sponsors of various projects in the country could cut off 
their aid.

Among the threats was a revocation of US $5 million grant from World Vision 
International, for a major project in West Pokot district.

By Fr. Joachim Omolo Ouko

FEATURES  SECTION

Influence Of The Church In Bringing About Change

Statistics of HIV/AIDS prevalence in Namibia are not impressive. The 
figures are worrying.  However, a holistic approach to fighting the 
pandemic may reverse the trend, if the ongoing efforts are maintained or 
intensified.  Led by the Lutheran Church in the country, religious 
organisations have assumed a major role in this endeavour,  reports Erika 
von Wietersheim.

"I
  am urging every Lutheran congregation in Namibia to form its own HIV/AIDS 
committee during the year 2003. This is the only way we can implement our 
programme to combat the AIDS pandemic."

These words were spoken recently by Bishop Dr Zephania Kameeta of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN).

The call was directed at more than 880,000 members of the Lutheran Church, 
who make up almost 50 percent of the country's population.

With an HIV prevalence rate of 22.3 percent among its population, and with 
over 80,000 orphaned children, Namibia is one of the countries in southern 
Africa greatly affected by the AIDS pandemic, alongside Botswana, Swaziland 
and Zimbabwe.

In some regions, one out of three pregnant women is HIV-positive. Average 
life expectancy in the country may fall from 61 to 40 years by 2005 because 
of HIV/AIDS.

"Ignorance, stigmatisation and discrimination have long characterised the 
attitude of both church and government toward HIV-positive persons and AIDS 
patients," says Rev Angela Veii, Co-ordinator of Lutheran Unity in Namibia.

Efforts are nevertheless being made to remedy the situation. The 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) has been running an AIDS 
Action Programme since December 2000.

Its counterpart, Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia 
(ELCRN) followed suit in July 2001 with Evangelical Lutheran Church AIDS 
Programme (ELCAP) in July 2001.

The current emphasis of these programmes is training in home-based 
care.  About 130 laypersons have completed the basic training course.

"Only by recruiting laypersons and volunteers can the programme be 
sustainable and remain independent of outside help," says Veii, who also 
co-ordinates AIDS programmes of Lutheran churches in Namibia.

A major goal of the programmes this year is to build a network of village 
AIDS committees, among the 165 congregations in the country.

Using a holistic approach, the AIDS groups will work in three areas, 
namely, home-based care, youth education, and practical and spiritual care 
for the increasing number of orphaned children.

Veii observes: "HIV/AIDS work only makes sense when you tackle the problem 
from all sides. It is only in this way that congregations can become 
effective as 'healing communities' at the local level - even if we have to 
do it without money and medicines."

The holistic approach is also important because HIV/AIDS education has to 
go together with developing new morals about sexual relationships. 
"Sexuality is still a taboo as a topic," points out Rev. Hosea Iyambo, 
Coordinator of the ELCIN's AIDS Action for the Western Diocese.

He explains that women are still in an inferior position in families. They 
are often exposed to domestic violence from their husbands, who refuse to 
use effective methods of prevention.

According to him, providing active care for AIDS patients and orphans 
requires creation of new social networks.

Veii agrees, stressing, "Programmes which work directly, holistically and 
locally to combat the AIDS pandemic through personal involvement with AIDS 
patients and the healing influence of the church community, can bring about 
transformation."

A significant factor in the success of AIDS work is ecumenical 
co-operation. Lutheran churches in Namibia are founding members of Church 
Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), launched in November 2002.

CAFO unites 11 church organisations in promoting practical care and trauma 
healing for orphaned children. "We would like to create a society in 
Namibia in which orphans too, feel lifted up and supported," said Rev. Dr 
Henry Platt, at the launching ceremony.  He is the National Co-ordinator of 
CAFO.

He said since the traditional African extended family could no 
longer	accommodate all the orphans in its social welfare network, there 
were increasing numbers of children living alone, caring for younger 
siblings, hungry, and unable to attend school.

The difficulties in combating HIV/AIDS are immense. Despite generous 
material support from the United Evangelical Mission and the Finnish 
Evangelical Lutheran Mission, there are not enough funds or trained 
personnel.  There is also no adequate administrative infrastructure.

In rural areas, there is still great lack of awareness about the dangers of 
infection, since there are neither televisions nor newspapers to use in 
education campaigns.  People rely only on the radio.

However, not all is bad.  The Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr 
Libertine Amathila, speaking last December after releasing 2002 AIDS report 
for Namibia, pointed out some regions where the rate of new infections had 
stabilised or even decreased.

Six of the larger towns in Namibia reported decreases by 3 to 4 percent for 
the last 12 months. This shows, she noted, "our work is bearing fruit."

She said this had been made possible by combined education campaigns 
carried out in towns by the government and civil society groups in the past 
few years.

Along with schools, the minister considered churches the most important 
actors in the civil society. To this, Veii adds: "In Africa, participation 
of churches and religious leaders strengthens credibility and success of 
government campaigns."

She continues: "More than 90 percent of Namibians are church members. Even 
in the most remote parts of the country, you can find a church and worship 
services. So we take our work seriously and work together at all levels."

Tanzania Leads Region In Anti-Terrorism Efforts

Globalisation has brought many opportunities for advancement in Tanzania, 
but with it, has emerged an ugly element. It has made it easier for 
terrorist networks to finance their activities.   Aware of this twist, 
authorities in Tanzania have embarked on instituting measures to combat 
money laundering as a way of confronting terrorism, reports AANA 
Correspondent Daniel Msangya.

T
he twin terrorist attacks on American embassies in Dar es Salaam and 
Nairobi on August 7, 1998, and on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon 
in USA on September 11, 2001, could not have been executed without the 
necessary funding from overseas sources.

Last November's bombing of a tourist hotel in Kenya's coastal city of 
Mombasa, and terrorist threats against similar interests in Zanzibar, made 
authorities in East Africa wary of the potential of terrorist networks.

Tanzania enacted an anti-terrorist law last year, but not without some 
challenges. Muslims in the country complained that the law was aimed at 
muzzling their religious freedom.

The government had to issue a statement elaborating the need for the law, 
and explaining	that it was not aimed at threatening any religious group.

Tanzanian authorities said that after the attacks in Nairobi and Dar es 
Salaam, it was essential that preventive and punitive responses were put in 
place by any responsible government.

The country and the United States are now partners in a global coalition to 
fight terrorism through combating terrorist financing.

According to US Ambassador to Tanzania, Robert Royall, money laundering is 
practised by terrorists and other organised criminal groups.  "It is the 
key to financing of terrorism and the lifeblood of organised crime," he 
said recently when addressing members of parliament in Dodoma.

Recognising this, the US has embarked on a world-wide effort to assist 
countries to develop effective anti-money laundering regimes. "It is in our 
own interest and in your interest as well," noted Royall.

Tanzania has shown willingness to fight illicit transfer of money.  The 
country leads in this region in that effort, and hosts the Eastern and 
Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) in Dar es Salaam.

Each member of the group is required to establish a national 
multi-disciplinary anti-money laundering committee to act as advisors to 
respective governments, on issues pertaining to policy, law, and finance.

The first twelve countries that formed the group are Tanzania, Kenya, 
Uganda, South Africa, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, 
Swaziland, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.

ESAAMLG is governed by a council of ministers drawn from finance, justice 
and security ministries in member countries.  The council meets annually.

Tanzania has already formed a committee comprising members from both 
Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar.

Finance Minister, Basil Mramba, says the formation of an inter-ministerial 
working group to address the issue is a positive step in establishing  an 
effective regime in Tanzania.

According to him, money laundering and its related offences, notably 
terrorism, is a global phenomenon that affects all countries in varying 
degrees. "Money laundering can create economic instability and distort a 
government's ability to make appropriate economic and fiscal decisions," he 
explains.

Failure to prevent the problem allows criminal organisations to accumulate 
considerable political, economic and financial power, which can ultimately 
undermine national peace and democratic systems.

"Money laundering generally harms society by oiling the wheels of financial 
crime, which has no boundaries," adds the finance minister.

It is obvious that the scam provides financial support for drug dealers, 
terrorists, arms dealers and other criminals to operate and expand their 
empires.

In an effort to tackle the problem, Ambassador Royall signed a workplan 
with Tanzania, on August 26, 2002, under which	the US agreed to provide 
technical assistance for capacity building in developing a strategic plan.

The arrangement was to strengthen corruption investigations, and to lay 
down infrastructure that would make it easier to identify, investigate and 
prosecute money transfer violations.

Since then, the United Kingdom and a number of organisations have shown 
interest in supporting the endeavour.

Co-operating partners include the Commonwealth Secretariat, the United 
Nations Global Programme against Money Laundering, and the Financial Action 
Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF).

John Lyons and Bill Gilligan of the US Treasury Department maintain that 
internationally, the first laws against money laundering targeted drug 
trade, but in recent times, most international organisations and countries 
have recognised the need to expand the laws to cover all crimes.

After all, in many countries, proceeds from economic crime or corruption 
far exceed those of narcotics trafficking.

In the US, regulations were instituted in 1970, which were focused on 
preventing criminals from getting their illicit money into the financial 
system.  "We have mandatory reporting of large cash transactions," explains 
Bill Gilligan.

He adds: "As a result of our closing US banks to an influx of criminal 
cash, criminals have had to resort to physical transportation of cash to 
neighbouring countries, where they put it into the financial system."

Similarly, if Tanzania is perceived as having weak anti-money laundering 
procedures, criminal funds could find their way into the Tanzanian 
financial system.

Because of the complexity of the problem, Royall recommends that it is 
advisable to enact laws that  cover all financial institutions, including 
insurance and securities companies, and casinos, among others.

Tanzania has a number of laws criminalising money laundering, including a 
Prevention of Terrorism Act of 2002.

However, as the scam becomes more sophisticated and dangerous, there is a 
great need to update the legal framework.

According to the Minister for Finance, the Government of Tanzania is 
determined to put in place a comprehensive law on anti-laundering, to 
complement the new anti-terrorism Act.

Mysterious Beast Unleashes Terror On Villagers

Malawi seems to have entered this year on the wrong foot.  After enduring 
widespread flooding and attacks by man-eating lions, villagers in parts of 
the country now have to contend with harassment by a strange-looking 
animal.  The beast has struck with so much might that thousands of people 
have been displaced from their homesteads, reports AANA correspondent 
Hamilton Vokhiwa.

T
here seems to be no end in sight to calamities afflicting Malawi.

This year opened with floods, brought about by cyclone Delfina.  The 
disaster caused widespread damage to transport infrastructure, by 
destroying bridges and railway lines.  Large tracts of crop fields were 
also washed away.

At least ten people died and tens of thousands others got displaced from 
their homes. The survivors are yet to recover from the disturbance.

Come February, authorities again got dumbfounded by wild beats attacks on 
people living near woodlands in Central Malawi.

The past two months were marked by stray lions harassing villagers.  The 
man eaters were suspected to have come from national parks in Kasungu and 
Nkhotakota districts.  They killed and devoured seven people.

Government game rangers killed at least one of the marauding lions, but 
there were fears that three more  were still on the loose.

The latest incident is strange.  It involves an unidentified beast that has 
killed three people and severely injured 16 others.  Three of the victims 
had their arms amputated in hospital following the attack.

It was early March, when the strange beast, which fails to take description 
of a hyena or any other known beast, attacked and killed the three at one 
stroke in Dowa district, also in Central Malawi.

About 4,000 residents from Chitambalala, Mbonyeni and Kalinda villages in 
the district, had to flee their homes. They sought refuge at Chezi trading 
centre, along the main road leading from the capital Lilongwe to the 
lakeshore district of Salima.

Some of the displaced villagers camped at the District Commissioner's 
office and in schools around Dowa township.

The government, through the Department of Disaster Preparedness, Relief and 
Rehabilitation, provided relief food to the victims.

The police launched a round-the-clock patrol in Dowa in an effort to track 
down the marauding beast believed by locals to be supernatural.

Police spokesman, Kelvin Maigwa, confirmed that efforts to kill it had 
proved futile. He said both police and the District Commissioner of Dowa, 
were working hand-in-hand to find a way of killing the animal.

The officer in charge at Dowa police station, Manfred Kaluwa, said their 
patrol team was failing to find the beast, despite information by some 
villagers that they had spotted it at different places, but that it 
disappeared whenever they tried to capture it.

At one time, said one policeman, the beast was spotted preying on a goat in 
a kraal in one of the villages.  When police officers fired at the animal, 
the bullets missed, instead hitting the goat. The beast came out of the 
kraal and ran away, unwounded.

Francis Golden, a driver travelling with police patrol team talked of a 
spectacular incident during one of the evenings. "One of the police 
officers fired at the beast from a close range, but to our surprise the 
animal split into three smaller beasts, which then disappeared into the 
thicket," he claimed.

The police sealed caves and holes believed to be dens of hyenas along 
Lipimbi river, near Chatambalala village, in a bid to contain the 
menace.  "We are still providing security in the area. We sealed two holes 
where we found the remains of goats and pigs that had been devoured by the 
fierce animal along the river," said Kaluwa.

Many people believe there is an element of superstition in the	incidents 
involving the strange animal.  Last year, some people in the same region 
killed a strange beast that had terrorised the area. There were conflicting 
accounts of how the beast died.

The locals claimed that they killed it using "traditional" methods. But 
officials in the Department of Parks and Wildlife reported that the huge 
beast, which looked like a hyena but with some strange features, died of 
hunger.

This angered the villagers. This year the "village experts" have refused to 
co-operate with government personnel.

They accuse the authorities of not recognising their "ability" to kill the 
beast, and have sarcastically challenged the police and game rangers to 
deal with the situation alone with "their modern guns".