Daily Press Cuttings

WEDNESDAY 26 APRIL 2000

THE INDEPENDENT: Zimbabwe: Britain has offered to resume its financial help to Zimbabwe for land redistribution under conditions that occupation of white-owned farms cease, that violence against farmers and opposition figures ends and that the rule of law is re-established. However matters are complicated by the growing conflict between the ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general described the crisis as “extremely dangerous” and that “it could get worse” if it is not handled properly. India: The Indian central government has been accused of not handling the drought crisis adequately because of a lack of long-term preparation for the water crisis that has now arrived. Further, this is not a purely Indian drought: a great part of South Asia, from Souther Afganistan through Balochistan and Sindh in Pakistan, to North-west India and right across to the Easr is in desperate straits. Malaria Conference: The Nigerian President used the meeting to demand debt cancellation: “We have reached a stage now whereby the small amounts we could have allocated to combatting malaria and improving health care are being used to service our debt”. A study has revealed that the disease is trapping many poor nations in their poverty: “It's absolutely shocking” said the author of the study, Jeffrey Sachs.

THE GUARDIAN: Chile: On the eve of a court session on whether General Augusto Pinochet should be immune from prosecution, the former dictator said through an aide yesterday that he had no hand in killings during his regime. Colombia: The Colombian government has agreed to pull troops and police out of a northern region to enable peace talks with the country's second largest leftwing rebel group, the National Liberation Army or ELN.UN: The UN World Education Forum opens today in Dakar. 500 leaders from 181 countries are expected. However the article highlights that although ten years ago these same governments and international bodies pledged to provide schooling for all by the year 2000, today 125 million children have never seen the inside of a school while another 150 million have been forced to drop out before they could read or write. Meanwhile, 880 million adults are illiterate and few governments or world bodies will admit there is even a crisis. Nigeria: Article on Saro-Wiwa, the Ogononi activist whose execution in 1995 brought light on Shell's activities in the country.

THE TIMES: Britain: Article on the lack of will to prosecute dictators on in the British courts referring to Pinochet and Colonel Tharcisse Muvunyi (accused of involvement in genocide in Rwanda).

TELEGRAPH: India : - drought in Rajasthan and Gujarat was discussed in Indian government. MP's were berated for failing to prevent recurring drought in the region. State water resources would be sending water trains next month when the drought would worsen.

FT: LA Comment - Political instability in Bolivia and Peru point to a widening gap between stronger and weaker economies in the region. Brazil and Argentina, Mexico, Chile are wealthier economically. The Andean countries are more dependent on primary commodities and have been badly hit by declining prices. The WB and IMF have, up to now, considered Bolivia and Peru as successful, adhering to the economic blueprint of the 'Washington consensus' of 10 years ago. There are fears that democracy could suffer from the growing popular discontent and concern about unemployment, poverty, corruption and crime. Enrique Iglesias, president of the IDB says "we have to eliminate the rise of a return to authoritarian government and chronic political instability”. Colombia : coffee will soon have to be imported. The traditional strength of the country's main export has been undermined by a slump, funding problems and natural disaster.

Zimbabwe : as the auctions begin today the tobacco industry is under threat, it is its biggest export but there is uncertainty about prices, devaluation and future prospects.

TUESDAY 25TH APRIL 2000

HERALD TRIBUNE: 25/04/00: Rio + 8: Government ministers from more than 50 countries and representatives of some 1000 NGOs are expected to attend the annual United Nations summit on sustainable development. At the Rio Earth Summit more than 100 heads of state signed conventions on climate change and biological diversity, joined in a declaration on environment and development and adopted Agenda 21, a comprehensive plan for achieving sustainable development in the 21st century. Andes: Focusing on Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, the piece highlights that although Democracy has been an ascendant in the region for the past decade, the longing for more representative and responsive governance is greater now than ever before. Editorial: Leader on the Global AIDS Epidemic, a plague that threatens not just the lives of millions but the economic development and stability of vast regions. 24/04/00: Ethiopia: Unlike in 1985 the cause of this year's incipient famine appears to be a two-year drought that has decimated the livestock upon which the ethnic Somalis who populate Ethiopia's south depend on for their livelihood. Although the current war between Ethiopia and Eritrea costs an estimated $1 million a day, the piece argues that doing nothing is not an option as the drought's victim should not have to suffer because of their government's callous priorities. 21/04/00: UN: The Security council has put on notice any country or leader breaking international sanctions by trading with a rebel movement in Angola (UNITA) that has sustained itself by selling diamonds and smuggling weapons and oil. Those found to have violated international embargoes could be subjected to sanctions themselves.

FT: 25/04/00: IMF: Leader by E.Phelps from Columbia University highlights that market crashes are not always dysfunctional because they may wipe out some of the weaker entrepreneurs. Crashes are inherent part of the market and although the poor are casualties of a crisis, they are also beneficiaries of capitalism's productivity. By aiming to avoid crisis, the piece argues that the IMF will do what the protesters in Washington want it to do: the eventual shut-down of the capitalist system. Africa: Malaria has cost Africa up to $100 billion in GDP over the past three decades and continues to slow growth by more than 1% a year according to research published at a summit on malaria opening day. According to a report by Jeffrey Sachs, the cost of failing to address these developments will be huge. "This year Nigeria will spend five times its public health budget on debt servicing. I will argue that the right thing would be to ask the government to come up with a public health programme including Aids and malaria control in exchange for debt forgiveness", Dr Sachs said. Indonesia: President Wahid has dismissed two ministers in a bid to strengthen his economic team. Stanley Fischer, IMF acting manager, said that he was encouraged by recent efforts at economic reform but warned Indonesia to continue the pace for IMF money to flow. Indonesia has just secured approval for the postponement of $5.8bn of bilateral debt from the Paris Club, conditional on resumption of IMF lending.

WALL STREET JOURNAL: Editorial: The piece argues that debt forgiveness will deter private investors, necessary for real development to take place, as developing-country politicians manage to convince Western governments to break past loans agreements. Europe should instead lower trade barriers and open its market to developing countries, therefore helping these countries to help themselves.

THE GUARDIAN: Turkey: The British government faces high court action for breaches of international law if it gives financial support to a giant dam project in Turkey, after the prime minister has pushed a £200 million application from the construction company Balfour Beatty for export credits for the Ilisu Dam project. The fact that Turkey has not consulted its downstream neighbour countries Syria and Iraq over the project is a breach of international law. Zimbabwe: Supporters of President Mugabe's party stepped up their terror campaign against the political opposition in Zimbabwe yesterday as they switched the target from white farmers to black farm labourers, suspected of supporting the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change. The switch in tactics pointed to the growing desperation of Mr Mugabe and his party in the run-up to elections, which were due to be held next month but are now likely to delayed.G2: Focus on Zimbabwe.

THE INDEPENDENT: India: The lives of 50 million people are threatened by the worst drought this century to occur in north-western states of the country. The effect of the drought are being multiplied by a spreading famine in other parts of the region.