DATE=2/2/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244991
TITLE=GUINEA BISSAU / FIGHTING (L)
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT IS DENYING THAT ONE OF ITS WARSHIPS
HAS ATTACKED REBEL POSITIONS NEAR THE CAPITAL OF GUINEA BISSAU.
V-O-A'S WEST AFRICA CORRESPONDENT JOHN PITMAN REPORTS GUINEA
BISSAU'S INTERIM PRIME MINISTER SAID (TUESDAY) THAT A FRENCH
SHIP SENT TO DELIVER WEST AFRICAN PEACEKEEPERS FIRED AT REBEL
POSTS ON MONDAY.
TEXT: SPEAKING TO PORTUGUESE RADIO, INTERIM PRIME MINISTER
FRANCISCO FADUL ACCUSED FRANCE OF PARTICIPATING IN MONDAY'S
ARTILLERY ATTACK ON REBEL POSITIONS NORTH OF THE CAPITAL, BISSAU.
MR. FADUL SAID THE BOMBARDMENT HAD CAUSED DAMAGE AND A NUMBER OF
VICTIMS. HE SAID HE WAS SURE A FRENCH WARSHIP CRUISING OFF THE
COAST HAD BEEN INVOLVED BECAUSE, IN HIS WORDS, THE SHELLS WERE
MORE POWERFUL THAN ANYTHING USED BY THE TWO WARRING SIDES.
THE FRENCH SHIP "SIROCO" IS CURRENTLY STEAMING ABOUT 30
KILOMETERS OFF THE COAST OF GUINEA BISSAU. ITS ORIGINAL MISSION
WAS TO DELIVER ABOUT 300 WEST AFRICAN, ECOMOG, PEACEKEEPERS TO
BISSAU. HOWEVER, FIGHTING IN THE CAPITAL ON MONDAY FORCED THE
SHIP TO POSTPONE ITS ARRIVAL.
IN BISSAU, THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR DENIED MR. FADUL'S ALLEGATION,
SAYING THE ONLY FRENCH MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE COUNTRY CONSISTS
OF THE 16 GUARDS AT THE FRENCH EMBASSY.
IN PARIS, A SPOKESMAN AT THE FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY ALSO DENIED
THE PRIME MINISTER'S CHARGE, CALLING IT "ENTIRELY FALSE." IN A
SEPARATE INTERVIEW WITH PORTUGUESE RADIO, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE
SHIP CRUISING OFF BISSAU WAS A TRANSPORT VESSEL, WHICH IS NOT
EQUIPPED WITH HEAVY GUNS.
/// OPT /// NEWS REPORTS FROM THE SHIP ITSELF HAVE NOT
MENTIONED THE USE OF ANY WEAPONS. AFTER THE OUTBREAK OF
HOSTILITIES BETWEEN REBELS AND PRO-GOVERNMENT FORCES ON MONDAY,
THE SHIP DID SEND SMALL BOATS TO SHORE TO EVACUATE A GROUP OF
FOREIGNERS, BUT ACCORDING TO THE NEWS REPORTS, THAT APPEARS TO BE
THE SHIP'S ONLY DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE SHORE. /// END OPT
///
THE FRENCH NEWS AGENCY REPORTED TUESDAY THAT THE SHIP MAY RETURN
TO DAKAR, SENEGAL ON WEDNESDAY. QUOTING A NAVAL SPOKESMAN, THE
AGENCY SAID THE SHIP COULD NOT DISCHARGE ITS CARGO OF
PEACEKEEPERS WHILE THE CAPITAL IS A WAR ZONE.
THE ECOMOG PEACEKEEPERS WERE ACCEPTED BY BOTH SIDES LAST NOVEMBER
UNDER THE TERMS OF A PEACE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN NIGERIA. MORE
THAN 100 PEACEKEEPERS ARE ALREADY ON THE GROUND IN THE CAPITAL,
BUT THEY HAVE BEEN CONFINED TO THE AIRPORT BY THE RESURGENCE OF
FIGHTING.
/// RTP-PORTUGUESE TELEVISION NEWSCAST -- FADE UNDER ///
ON TUESDAY, PORTUGUESE TELEVISION REPORTED INTENSE FIGHTING IN
THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. THE TELEVISION PICTURES SHOWED
LONG LINES OF CIVILIANS CONTINUING TO FLEE BISSAU, AS WELL AS
INTERVIEWS WITH CIVILIANS COMPLAINING ABOUT A LACK OF FOOD AND
WATER.
THE UNITED NATIONS HAS WARNED OF A RECURRENCE OF FOOD SHORTAGES
IN AND AROUND BISSAU DUE TO THE VIOLENCE. THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM
SAYS UP TO 80 PERCENT OF THE CAPITAL'S CIVILIANS HAVE LEFT THEIR
HOMES
THE PORTUGUESE TELEVISION PICTURES SHOWED CLOUDS OF BLACK SMOKE
HANGING OVER THE CAPITAL. THEY ALSO INCLUDED IMAGES OF THE
HOSPITAL, WHERE WORKERS WERE SHOWN LOADING BODIES INTO A TRUCK.
THE HOSPITAL AND SEVERAL OTHER CIVILIAN TARGETS WERE HIT BY
ARTILLERY FIRE OR MISSILES ON MONDAY. A DEATH TOLL FROM THE
VIOLENCE HAS NOT YET BEEN ESTABLISHED.
/// REST OPT ///
IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHAT STARTED THE FIGHTING ON MONDAY, BUT EACH
SIDE HAS ACCUSED THE OTHER OF SHOOTING FIRST.
SOME UNCONFIRMED REPORTS SAY THE INITIAL CLASHES FLARED UP
BETWEEN REBELS AND SOLDIERS FROM GUINEA-CONAKRY, WHO ARE
SUPPORTING PRESIDENT JOAO BERNARDO VIERA'S GOVERNMENT. SENEGAL
HAS ALSO SENT TROOPS TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT VIERA, BUT A STATEMENT
FROM THE SENEGALESE GOVERNMENT IN DAKAR HAS DENIED ITS TROOPS
WERE INVOLVED IN THE FLARE-UP.
UNDER TERMS OF THE NOVEMBER PEACE AGREEMENT, THE SENEGALESE AND
GUINEAN TROOPS WERE TO BE WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY THE ECOMOG
PEACEKEEPERS.
THE VIOLENCE ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY HAS RAISED SERIOUS QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE COUNTRY'S PEACE PROCESS, WHICH APPEARED TO BE ON TRACK.
A TRANSITION GOVERNMENT WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH SIDES HAD
BEEN SELECTED, AND STEPS HAD BEEN TAKEN TO ORGANIZE GENERAL
ELECTIONS.
REGIONAL DIPLOMATS SAY THEY ARE NOW TALKING TO BOTH SIDES TO TRY
TO SALVAGE SOME OF THE GOOD WILL THAT HAD BUILT UP SINCE
NOVEMBER. (SIGNED)
NEB/JP/JWH
02-Feb-99 10:23 AM EST (1523 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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