wfn.org | All Africa News Agency Nov 17 2003 News

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

ALL AFRICA NEWS AGENCY

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AANA Bulletin			 Bulletin APTA
Editor -Elly Wamari		Editor - Silvie Alemba

AANA BULLETIN No. 45/03 November 17, 2003 news

NEWS  SECTION

AACC Assembly Set To Tackle Pertinent African Issues

NAIROBI (AANA) November 17 - Preparations are in top gear for the 8th 
General Assembly of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), to be 
held in Yaounde, Cameroon, from November 22 to 27.

The assembly, which is set to tackle pertinent issues confronting Africa, 
will be held under the theme, Come Let Us Rebuild, derived from the Book of 
Nehemia 2 :17-18

Under this main theme, a number of  sub-themes are lined up for 
deliberation, to focus on areas considered key in rebuilding the continent, 
currently wallowing in poverty, disease and conflict.

According to a programme document from the assembly co-ordination office 
here, the sub-themes include : Health and Healing, Africa and 
Democratisation Process; Selfhood of the African Church; and Challenges of 
Globalisation for Africa.

Others are, Our Personhood: Human Rights and Our Prophetic Voice, 
Contemporary Reconfiguration of the Ecumenical Movement, and Unity of the 
Church in the 21st Century.

Under Health and Healing, discussions will focus on ethical and moral 
issues concerning HIV/AIDS and malaria as the main killer diseases, besides 
seeking to heal the wounds and trauma of destruction that have been brought 
forth by conflict.

The key speakers for this topic will be Dr Peter Okaalet from Uganda, Dr 
Musa Dube from Botswana, and Dr Nkuni Zinga Jose from and Rev Dr Masamba ma 
Mpolo from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Africa and Democratisation Process will dwell on issues of power, authority 
and governance, with the aim of consolidating suggestions for a homegrown 
democratic system of governance for the continent.

Key facilitators of these discussions will be Ms Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf from 
Liberia, Dr Emmanuel Pondi of Cameroon, and Mr Patrick Lumumba from Kenya.

Selfhood of the African Church will look into the contextualisation of 
liturgy and theology, discuss ways of improving interfaith relations in 
Africa, and seek to empower African churches for resource self-sufficiency.

Main speakers on these issues will be Rev Louise Tappa, Rev Japhet Ndhlovu, 
Rev Dr Johnson Mbillah, and Mrs Mary Mwenda, from Cameroon, Zambia, Ghana, 
and Kenya respectively.

Under Challenges of Globalisation for Africa participants are expected to 
discuss indepth, the degradation of the continent's natural resources, and 
the New Partnership for Africa's Develoment (NEPAD).

Our Personhood: Human Rights and Our Prophetic Voice is aimed at reviewing 
issues of gender, with a view to empowering the African woman and child.

Discussions on these topics will be facilitated by Dr Molefe Tsele of South 
Africa, Rev Pasteur Jean Blaise Kenmogne of Cameroon, Mrs Hellen Wangusa of 
Uganda, Dr Abrahama Berinyuu of Ghana, Dr Catherine Akale of Cameroon, and 
Ms Felicidada Cherinda of Mozambique.

Consultations involving reconfiguration of the ecumenical movement and 
church unity in the 21st Century, will be handled by known ecumenical 
personalities like Rev Dr Konrad Raiser, Prof Jesse Mugambi, Archbishop 
Desmond Tutu, Rev Josi B. Chipenda, Rev Dr Setri Nyomi, Rev Dr Ishmael 
Noko, and Rev Dr Richard Andriamanjato.

Reported by Joseph K'Amolo

Uganda To Host An Inaugural Continental Tourism Summit

KAMPALA (AANA) November 17 - Uganda plans to host the first ever Africa 
Tourism Investment Summit in March 2004, where Africa tourism ministers 
will be in attendance.

The Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry says the three-day summit will 
involve tour operators and related organisations from Africa, Europe, 
Asia/Asia Pacific, and United States.

The Minister for Tourism, Professor Edward Rugumayo, has already asked 
parliament for a UShs 300 million (about US$ 150,754) budget slot for 
2003/04 financial year, to cater for the event.

A ministerial statement for the 2003/04 financial year budget stated that 
the objective of the summit, which thereafter will be an annual event, is 
to increase direct foreign investments in African tourism sector, and will 
allow Uganda to position itself favourably as one of the top African 
tourist destinations. Currently, the country occupies 13th position in this 
respect.

"Uganda stands to benefit from the exposure the summit will bring...," a 
ministerial statement signed by Prof Rugumayo states.

Ugandan strategists believe that the exposure will be one way to attract 
global attention on the country's tourism potential. Besides conferences, 
planners have targeted producers of the popular  Discovery Channel to film 
Uganda's tourist attractions.

The planned conference highlights the country's growing efforts to promote 
tourism. Uganda is currently working on modalities of creating a 
trans-boundary national park along its border with Kenya.

Ministerial records show that an agreement for the creation of Mt Elgon 
National Park will be initiated under the East African/International Union 
for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) initiative.

Already, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Uganda 
Wildlife Authority and the Kenya Wildlife Service, on the management of the 
park.  A project document for funding of the project has already been 
presented to Ugandan government.

Reported by Crespo Sebunya

Gender Groups Call For Women-Sensitive Poll System

BLANTYRE (AANA) November 17 - Representatives of  women organisations in 
Malawi have called for the adoption of a system that would enable more 
women to contest parliamentary positions during next year's general 
elections, scheduled for May 18 .

The women made the resolution at the end of a two-day workshop here on 
November 4 and 5, organised by Gender Electoral Support Network (GESN), in 
collaboration with the Association of Progressive Women (APW).

A cross-section of participants stressed the need for quick implementation 
of the resolutions reached, saying that stakeholders should promote 
activities that would enable women to vie for positions in the national 
assembly.

Subsequently, they called for extensive civic education for the rural 
masses, on a Protocol of the Heads of State of Southern Africa Development 
Community (SADC), that recommended a 30 percent female representation in 
national assemblies of member states.

Ngeyi Kanyongolo, a lecturer in Law at Chancellor College of the University 
of Malawi,  who facilitated the workshop, confirmed that the women had 
resolved to set up a fund to enable them to come strong in their campaign 
for greater decision-making positions.

The women also called on political organisations to create "conducive 
environments" for accommodating more women to contest for legislative 
positions during the coming general elections, in order to achieve a 30 
percent representation in parliament.

The development comes against a background of what has been described as 
insufficient number of women in decision-making positions in member states 
of SADC, of which Malawi is a member.

A number of political parties were represented at the workshop and gave 
their views.

Bazuka Mhango, Secretary General of the main opposition group, Malawi 
Congress Party (MCP), pointed out the need for women to be aggressive 
enough so as to achieve the intended percentage representation in parliament.

Dr Ken Lipenga, the Publicity Secretary of the ruling United Democratic 
Front (UDF), stressed the need for the women organisations to involve men 
in the process, and appealed for women's co-operation.

Malawi Electoral Commission could not comment on a proposal by GESN 
chairperson, Catherine Munthali, that it reserves some constituencies for 
women contenders only, in next year's general elections.

Munthali had expressed the desire to lobby the electoral commission and 
political parties in the country to reserve at least one constituency per 
district for women.

But this idea has been widely criticised. Some commentators have said that 
women should stand tall and contest on merit, and not because they are
female.

Reacting to the issue, Public Relations Officer for the Malawi Electoral 
Commission, Fergus Lipenga, said it was too early to comment on the matter, 
since the proposal had not officially been presented to the commission.

Reported by Hamilton Vokhiwa

New Report On Illegal CFC Adversely Names South Africa

NAIROBI (AANA) November 17 - South Africa has been adversely mentioned in a 
new report on smuggling of Chloroflorocarbons (CFC), a major ozone 
depleting substance whose use has been marked for phase out under the 
Montreal Protocol, adopted in January 1987.

A report launched here last week by the Environment Investigation Agency 
(EIA), which contains findings of an in-depth investigation by EIA, says 
that illegal trade in CFCs continue unabated between Singapore, South 
Africa and the United States, and threaten to interrupt the success of the 
Montreal Protocol.

The Protocol, now ratified by 184 countries around the world, aims to 
eliminate the use of ozone depleting substances (ODS) by 2010.

EIA's report, titled, Lost in Transit: Global Smuggling Trends and the Need 
for Faster Phase Out, exposes an elaborate CFC smuggling scam involving 
established transit companies in Singapore and goldmines of South Africa, 
and names US as a major market for "used CFCs".

According to EIA Senior Campaigner, Dr Ezra Clark, unscrupulous Singaporean 
chemical dealers take advantage of weak legislation and the country's 
position as a major international trade hub, to falsify paperwork and 
export CFCs to South Africa through neighbouring countries.

Using the cover of reclaiming used CFC from heavy refrigeration equipment, 
South African goldmines involved in the scam export the "used CFC" to the 
"most lucrative" CFC market - the United States.

Said Dr Clark on November 10, at the launch of the report: "Our Singaporean 
investigations eventually led us to CFC smugglers in South Africa, who use 
goldmines as a cover for a complex scam culminating in the sale of CFCs 
falsely claimed as recovered on the lucrative US market."

EIA, which is the only environmental organisation actively investigating 
illegal international trade in ODS, expressed fear that the growing CFC 
black market "could further delay the recovery of the ozone layer", whose 
hole has once again grown to the all-time maximum size of 28 km square.

"Despite the achievements of the Montreal Protocol, the slow reaction to 
the problem of smuggling has allowed the illicit CFC trade to undermine the 
success and integrity of the Protocol," said a press statement from the
agency.

The organisation, whose representatives were here to attend an annual 
meeting of the Montreal Protocol, called on the parties of the agreement to 
strengthen the controls of ozone depleting substances.

"These sophisticated global smuggling networks present a formidable 
challenge to the Montreal Protocol.  Ultimately, as long as CFCs are being 
produced, this illicit trade will exist.  Thus, the only real solution is 
to speed up the final phase-out of ozone destroying substances and allow 
the rapid recovery of the ozone layer," said Dr Clark.

Reported by Elly Wamari

United States Bounty For Taylor Irritates Nigerian Authorities

ABUJA (AANA) November 17 - Nigeria has reacted angrily to November 8 
reports that the United States (US) has posted a US$ 2 million bounty for 
the capture of exiled former Liberian president, Charles Taylor.

A government spokesman was last week quoted to have referred to the US 
offer as being on the verge of state-sponsored terrorism, pledging to 
resist any attempts to seize Taylor.

The US announcement confirmed fears of critics of the special war crimes 
court for Sierra Leone, including former Liberian government officials, 
that the court was politically created by the US to get Taylor.

The former Liberian president stepped down on August 11 and went into exile 
in Nigeria as part of a peace process spearheaded by West African leaders, 
to end 14 years of civil war in Liberia.

But the US insists that he should face trial in Sierra Leone. He was 
indicted for war crimes by the court as he attended peace talks in Accra, 
Ghana, in June.

Reports say Taylor got wind of the American offer nearly two weeks earlier, 
and alerted President Olusegun Obasanjo about the matter.

The bounty was part of a bill signed into law by President George Bush, 
providing funds totalling US$ 87.5 billion for operations in Iraq and 
Afghanistan.

However, a small clause in the bill refers to the provision of US$ 2 
million reward money for the capture of "an indictee of the Sierra Leone 
war crimes tribunal," a clear reference to Taylor.

Nigerian presidential spokesman, Femi Fane Kayode, told the BBC that they 
were surprised and shocked by news of the bounty on Taylor's head, "a 
reward that encouraged lawless and illegal behaviour."

"Such a venture violates not only international law, but also all the norms 
of civilised behaviour," said Kayode.

Following the US offer, the Nigerian authorities have stepped up security 
around Taylor's residence in Calabar, in the south-east of the country.

Reported by Nernlor Gruduah

Zimbabwean Government Hits Hard At Striking Doctors

BULAWAYO (AANA) November 17 - The Zimbabwean government last week ordered 
police to arrest striking doctors in a desperate move to curb a 
two-week-old industrial action, which has crippled the country's already 
ailing health sector.

Disgruntled over poor remuneration, junior and middle-level doctors from 
all the main referral hospitals, namely, Parirenyatwa, Harare Central, 
United Bulawayo, and Mpilo, went on strike to press the government for a 
whooping 8,000 percent salary increment.

Dr Elias Phiri, the Vice-President of the Hospital Doctors Association, 
said the doctors' arrests would only worsen the state of service delivery 
in the country's beleaguered health sector.  "They can only arrest us at 
their own peril, as that will only exacerbate the situation," he said.

The doctors argue that their current salaries are not sustainable, given 
the high cost of living, compounded by a galloping inflation currently 
hovering around 470 percent.

The move to arrest the doctors came after the Public Service Commission 
(PSC), a government arm that employs all civil servants, won a Labour Court 
ruling that declared the strike illegal.

Junior and middle-level doctors presently earn about Z$ 4.5 and Z$ 5.7 
million (about US$ 5,461 and 6,917) a year respectively, after the PSC job 
evaluation exercise in July reviewed their salaries upwards.

The doctors want monthly salary of Z$ 30 million (about US$ 36,407), but 
health minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa, says the government cannot afford 
the "black market salaries" being demanded.

Declaring the strike illegal, the Labour Court ordered the striking doctors 
to resume work while their employer addressed their grievances.

But the doctors declined and vowed to continue with the industrial action 
until the government gives them written guarantees on when the upward 
revision of their salaries will be effected.

Under the country's laws, health personnel cannot go on strike because 
their services are considered essential and indispensable to the community.

PSC chairman, Mariyawanda Nzuwah, said in a statement that the doctors had 
clearly shown contempt of the law by failing to abide by the court ruling.

Said he: "The Hospital Doctors Association (and) its executive members 
deliberately and intentionally violated the provisions of Sub-section 3 of 
Section 104 of the Labour Relations Act. They therefore committed a 
criminal offence and must be charged in terms of Section 109 (1) and be 
prosecuted accordingly."

Since the beginning of the strike, the health sector has been rocked by a 
spate of resignations. So far, 18 doctors have left their jobs in protest 
over failure by the government to address their grievances.

This is the third time within eleven months that doctors have gone on 
strike over pay.

Reported by Ntungamili Nkomo

Pundits Condemn Crackdown On Foreign Currency Holders

BULAWAYO (AANA) November 17 - Police last week launched a massive crackdown 
on illegal foreign currency dealers in Zimbabwe's major cities and towns, 
confiscating millions of dollars from tourists and visitors, a move which 
analysts say will only cause the country's ailing tourism sector more
trouble.

Several tourists and foreigners throughout the country complained of 
incessant police harassment, with some threatening to sue the Ministry of 
Home Affairs for unlawful detention and confiscation of their cash.

Code-named Inotho Yethu, meaning "our economy", the operation started last 
Monday in Harare and Bulawayo, the country's major cities, following the 
formation of a nine-member Cabinet taskforce to monitor foreign currency 
inflows.

Chaired by Joyce Mujuru, the taskforce will be responsible for compiling a 
databank of all exporting companies, and examine foreign currency leakage.

Eric Bloch, a prominent Bulawayo-based economic commentator, described the 
indiscriminate confiscation of foreign currency as "prejudicial, very 
unlawful, and suicidal to the country's battered economy".

"I don't have any problem with the Police enforcing the laws governing the 
country, but I get extremely disturbed when the very law enforcers 
misinterpret the law to suit their own unreasonable whims," he charged.

"The blitz is unlawful and I am afraid it will adversely contribute to the 
woes bedevilling our tourism industry, as the few tourists that still have 
the courtesy to visit our country are harassed and robbed of their money by 
the government," said Bloch.

The ministerial taskforce is expected to suggest a foreign currency 
allocation mechanism in accordance with national priorities, and recommend 
an appropriate Central Exporting Authority.  It should complete its task in 
three weeks.

The Zimbabwean government has blamed the deep-seated foreign currency 
shortages on illegal dealers and multinational companies, that it alleges 
are working in cahoots with the British government to sabotage the 
country's economy through external banking.

Many people entering Zimbabwe through Beitbridge and Plumtree border posts 
said they were severely harassed by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) 
officials, who seized their foreign currency.

Eddy Cross, another economic pundit and special adviser to the Movement for 
Democratic Change (MDC), condemned the operation and urged the government 
to find "intelligent, lawful and reasonable" ways of addressing the foreign 
currency shortages.

"The operation is very radical and unreasonable. People continue to be 
harassed everyday by the police who seize their hard-earned cash. To make 
matters worse, foreigners and tourists, the very people we should be 
working closely with to end the foreign currency shortages, are the main 
targets," said Cross.

Kembo Mohadi, the Minister for Home Affairs, vowed last week that his 
ministry would intensify the operation to address shortages of foreign 
currency.

Reported by Ntungamili Nkomo

  Human Rights Group Tells Kabila To End Child Soldiering

NAIROBI (AANA) November 17 - A visit to the United States (US) by Congolese 
President, Joseph Kabila, in early November, was met by appeals by human 
rights activists for his government to end the use of child soldiers.

According to a press statement by Amnesty International (AI), activists 
called on the president to take action now, to put an end to child 
soldiering rampant in the DRC.

"Over the past five years, tens of thousands of children have been forced 
to fight alongside government armed forces and armed political groups in 
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)," said a statement from AI.

The human rights organisation is concerned that despite the signing of a 
peace agreement and the formation of a new transitional government of 
national unity, the rate of child recruitment is believed to be increasing 
in some parts of the DRC.

"There is a desperate need for adequately resourced programmes to 
rehabilitate child soldiers and offer them opportunities to develop their 
lives and potential, so that they are not compelled to rejoin armed groups 
to survive, or to live on the street where they are vulnerable to crime and 
exploitation," said AI.

Ironically, representatives of many of the armed groups still recruiting 
children recently took up senior positions in the new transitional 
government.  "This new DRC government needs to make demobilisation and 
rehabilitation of child soldiers a priority of its administration," added AI.

Joseph Kabila, who came to power in 2001 to take over from his assassinated 
father, Laurent Kabila, visited the US less than two weeks ago to meet US 
President, George Bush, this being their fourth meeting in two years.

Reported by Henry Neondo

Tanzanian Govt Bans Trade On Second-Hand Underpants

DODOMA (AANA) November 17 - The Tanzanian government has imposed a total 
ban on the importation of second-hand innerwear.

The move, okayed by parliament sitting in the capital city of Dodoma, 
appears to have been influenced more by dignity than health concerns.

Importation of used innerwear, stressed the government, was not part of the 
country's tradition, but rather a disgrace to the dignity of Tanzanians.

According to the Minister for Trade, Mr Juma Ngasongwa, Tanzanians are not 
so economically hard-up as to stoop low to wearing used underpants.

But traders of second-hand clothes, barked by many low income earners, term 
the government's move unacceptable and taken in haste without paying due 
consideration to resultant repercussions.

However, the Director of Tanzania Bureau of Standards, Mr Dimon Mwakyembe, 
is reported to have defended the ban, saying it was degrading to put on 
underpants discarded by others.

He specified that the banned innerwear were those covering private 
parts.	Accordingly, other wears, such as brassieres, petticoats, vests and 
socks, are not affected by the ban.

Reported by Oscar Obonyo