13 NOV 98 - 13:34

Guinea-Bissau: Government Monopolizing Aid, Rebels Charge

Bissau, Nov. 13 (Lusa) - The rebel Military Junta, which controls about 95 percent of Guinea-Bissau's territory, including parts of the capital, has denounced what it calls government monopolization of scarce humanitarian aid.

Insurgent spokesman Comd. Zamora Induta told reporters Thursday that recent shipments of European Union aid destined for rebel-controlled zones was not arriving at their destination.

"The greater part of humanitarian aid is being arbitrarily distributed by the government," Induta charged, adding that rebel forces would "not allow things to continue as at present."

The insurgents control Bissau airport, which has been reopened exceptionally in recent days for humanitarian flights.

About two-thirds of Bissau's pre-war population of some 300,000 remains in refuge in rebel areas despite the peace accord signed 11 days ago.

Observers said most of the refugees were wary of returning home until foreign troops backing the government were withdrawn. - Lusa

13 NOV 98 - 13:29

Guinea-Bissau: President Vieira to Withdraw, Says Gambian Foreign Minister

Dakar, Nov. 13 (Lusa) - The foreign minister of Gambia, whose government played a pivotal mediating role in the Guinea-Bissau conflict, was quoted Thursday as saying the peace accord would allow a "smooth" exit for Bissau's embattled President Nino Vieira. "President Vieira will set up a national unity government and will withdraw smoothly" from the presidency, the Senegalese newspaper "Walfadjri" cited Foreign Minister Sedate Jobe as saying in an interview.

He said Vieira would not run again for the presidency in elections to be held by March under the Nov. 2 peace agreement.

Jobe said the "spirit" of the accord reached in Abuja, Nigeria, required Vieira to withdraw while "keeping his privileges as chief of state."

On returning to Bissau after the peace agreement was signed, Vieira told reporters it was still "too soon" to discuss whether he would stand again for presidential office.

A legendary commander in the guerrilla war against Portugal, Vieira seized power in a military coup on Nov. 14, 1980, and was then elected president in run-off balloting in the country's first multiparty voting in 1994. - Lusa

13 NOV 98 - 13:11

Guinea-Bissau: Joint Commission Holds First Meeting on Implementing Peace Accord

Bissau, Nov. 13 (Lusa) - Delegations from Guinea-Bissau's warring sides began meeting Friday morning for the first time, seeking full implementation of the Nov. 2 peace accord which ended five months of fighting.

The so-called Joint Commission, composed of a five-member government team and six leaders of the rebel Military Junta, gathered at the European Union's offices in Bissau, with several European ambassadors and the local Catholic bishop as observers.

Participants told Lusa they were meeting without an agenda. But rebel spokesman, Comd. Zamora Induta, said his side wanted early discussion of the agreed withdrawal of Senegalese and Guinea-Conakry troops backing the government and their replacement with peacekeepers from the Economic Community of West African States. In opening the talks, EU representative Miguel Amado of Portugal appealed for understanding by the opposing parties and promised European aid to rebuild the country.

Portuguese Ambassador Francisco Henriques da Silva underlined recent positive "signs of change," noting that the cease-fire was holding and that humanitarian aid was beginning to arrive at Bissau's airport and harbor.

Other observers at the meeting were the French ambassador, the Swedish chargé d'affaires and Bishop Septimio Ferrazzetta. - Lusa

Contactos E-mail:
Geocities:  bissau@oocities.com

Outros endereços desta Página:

Guiné-Bissau, o Conflito no «site» FortuneCity

Guiné-Bissau, o Conflito no «site» Terràvista

---