Mozambique refuses to pay compensation

Maputo (Mozambique) Mozambique said on Tuesday it would not compensate relatives of the 101 victims who died in Thursday’s horrifying munitions dump explosions, a senior official said has said.

Prime Minister Luisa Diogo told APA on Tuesday that the government would only give necessary support during the mourning period, including the recovery of some basic needs.

But Diogo ruled out any possible compensation for the victims’ relatives, amid criticism from the victims’ relatives.

“There is no way that dead people can be compensated,” she insisted. “This was an accident from a state weaponry depot. There is no monetary compensation.”

She added, “We have split our support into two parts : one part is that we will help with burials and the second is that we would assist during the recovery period since some people need shelter and basic utensils.”

A call for compensation has been growing following the tragic incident, with the government facing stinging accusations of negligence.

The government’s claim that the key cause for the armoury to blow-up was a soaring temperature has since been dismissed as a non-starter.

“We had five people killed in 2003 during explosions at the Beira depot while it was raining heavily. It was not hot at all last week. That’s just an excuse,” Nelson Dibolo, who lost six members of his family when their home was struck twice, told APA.

“I want compensation. They (government) should have removed the arsenal a long time ago. It was the same government which allowed the people to build houses close to the armoury,” said Abel Cruz, who lost a relative when a rocket ripped a bus apart, killing 13 people instantly.

The government has launched an inquiry into the cause of the disaster and the results are expected to be made known in two weeks.

“This was not a natural disaster. The government must take responsibility for it. And it should compensate all those who lost their relatives and homes because this is what we expect from an elected government,” an opposition Renamo spokesman said.

Half of the dead were buried on Monday at mass ceremony which marked the end of the decreed three-day national mourning period.

Apart from the dead, at least 300 children have been reported missing and 490 people have sustained serious injuries from the explosions.

Arrangements are being made to send some of the injured children to South Africa for specialised medical treatment, according to the government.

By Korir

African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.apa

Senegalese officials granted bail

Banjul (The Gambia) The case of the five Senegalese customs officials who were arrested in February 2007 for allegedly possessing fire arms in Gambian territorial waters, have been granted bail by the magistrates court at Kanifing, outside the capital, Banjul, APA has learnt.

Magistrate, Pa Harry Jammeh, Monday granted the men bail on condition that each accused person provided two Gambian sureties with property in the Greater Banjul Area.

At the trial, defence counsel, Antouman Gaye, had also cross examined Cherno Jobe of The Gambia Navy who had at a previous session of the court testified about the arrest of the accused persons.

The five men are being held in remanded custody at Mile 2 Central Prisons near the capital, Banjul.

By Korir

African Press in Norway, apn, africnpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.apa

Former armed opposition man appointed prime minister

Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire) The secretary general of the former armed opposition or New Forces (FN), Guillaume Soro, was Monday appointed new Ivorian prime minister in Ouagadougou, the Burkinabe capital, reliable sources told APA here.

The appointment of Guillaume Soro, which is considered as the conclusion of a painstaking direct dialogue between the presidential camp and the New Forces was initiated by the two Ivorian embattled leaders’ representatives.

Through the mediation of Djibril Bassole, the Burkinabe security minister, Louis Dakoury sat for the presidential camp while Tabley represented the former rebels.

The joint agreement states that the new Ivorian premier will head the government until the presidential poll slated by the end of 2007, although he cannot vie for the presidency.

The official appointment of Soro by a presidential decree should be effective by the weekend, sources said.

Charles Konan Banny, the former governor of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), had been the Ivorian premier since 2005.

In addition to his extended mandate, he was also empowered in November 2006, courtesy of UN Resolution 1721, in a bid to enable him achieve the peace process and hold elections by late October 2007.

In his 19 March speech in Yamoussoukro the Ivorian administrative capital, Banny said he would “sacrifice” himself for Cote d’Ivoire, without hinting at his withdrawal from the premier’s post, adding that “any mission has an end”.

President Laurent Gbagbo and the NF secretary general, Guillaume Soro had signed in Ouagadougou a peace agreement which had a clause pertaining to the appointment of a new premier who would immediately form a new cabinet.

By Korir

African Press in Norway, apn, africnpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.apa

New things that make us different from other people

Check it out and entertain yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzDtI7cXOw0&feature=RecentlyWatched&page=1&t=t&f=b

By Karuga wa Njuguna

Published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525