African Press International (API)

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Archive for February 19th, 2008

Annan in closed door meeting with Kibaki

Posted by African Press International on February 19, 2008

Nairobi (Kenya) Kenya’s Chief mediator, Kofi Annan on Tuesday afternoon held a one hour closed door talks with President Mwai Kibaki in a bid to hasten a political deal that will end Kenya’s post election crisis.

The meeting was also attended by Kenya’s Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and also the government negotiation team led by Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister, Martha Karua.

However details of the talks were not divulged to the media that was camped outside the President’s Nairobi, Harambee office.

Annan held similar talks with opposition leader, Raila Odinga on Monday.

Annan said at a press conference on Friday that the ongoing mediation talks have reached a critical stage in which the two leaders have to make difficult choices.

On Monday, United States secretary of state, Condollezza Rice appealed to both Kenyan leaders to make the last steps and form a power sharing government.

Meanwhile, a Nigerian diplomat, ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji is expected to arrive on Tuesday in Nairobi to assist Annan in the mediation efforts.

Adeniji is a former Nigerian ambassador to the United Nations.

Published by Korir, API africanpress@getmail.no source.apa

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Suspending publication of print media

Posted by African Press International on February 19, 2008

N’Djamena (Chad) The Chadian media resolved, at the end of a Monday meeting in Ndjamena, to suspend publication of all the print media until further notice, corroborating sources told APA.

During that meeting, the Chadian print media felt the state of emergency, the insecurity, and the vicious political situation marked by the arrest and the murder of some of the main opposition leaders prevent them from working in serenity.

The decision to suspend the publication of the newspapers just confirmed a de facto situation prevailing in the country since the rebels’ withdrawal from the capital on 2 February.

The Chadian authorities triggered a fierce manhunt against the leaders of the political opposition and the civil society shortly after the rebels withdrew from Ndjamena.

The rebels, from the east of the country, besieged for hours the Chadian capital but were kept at bay by the national army after violent confrontation.

Many independent and private media reporters were threatened at home by gunmen while some media practitioners narrowly escaped death or abduction attempts.

Most of the Chadian print media officials have now fled the country, pending the return of security and serenity fit for the exercise of their profession.

Other media owners settled abroad, are living undercover for fear for their lives.

Last week, only two newspapers were published –”L’Observateur” and the pro-governmental daily “Le Progrès” of Mahamat Hissène, the civil executive assistant to President Idriss Deby Itno.

Published by Korir, API africanpress@getmail.no source.apa

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Dismantling terrorist group

Posted by African Press International on February 19, 2008

Rabat (Morocco) Moroccan authorities Monday announced the dismantling of a 23-member “elaborate terrorist group” in the north African country.

According to the preliminary investigation, the group, the largest since the Ansar El Mahdi network of 52 members, was planning terrorist activities in Morocco.

The “Jihadist-based” network is reportedly linked to organisations “active in Morocco and abroad” the authorities said.

On 5 February, Moroccan courts slammed jail sentences ranging from one and 10 years on 17 members of a group accused of terrorism.

The group was about to “send young Moroccans abroad for paramilitary training and undertake sabotage activities upon return” in Morocco, the authorities said.

Published by Korir, API africanpress@getmail.no source.apa

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