E-mail from Anonymous July,5 ,1997

ZANZIBAR SAYS NO TO POLITICAL STRINGS OVER AID
EASTERN AFRICA NEWS,July,4, 1997

The Zanzibar minister of state in the President's Office for planning and@investments Ali Juma Shambuna has said donor assistance for poverty eradication programmes should be unconditional and free from political strings.

Opening a two-day seminar on poverty alleviation, Shambuna said more support was needed to assist the poverty alleviation projects. He cautioned, however, that such assistance should be given in good faith and free from any conditions, including political strings.

The minister told the seminar participants, who included Non-Governmental@Organizations (NGOs), government departments, religious organizations, donors and the private sector that the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government will continue to give priority to all poverty eradication programmes.

He said despite all efforts made so far, poverty was still a big problem in Zanzibar. The minister promised that the government would eliminate hurdles@likely to hamper implementation of poverty eradication programmes.

Meanwhile, he urged all parties involved in the programmes to chart better policies and strategies to ensure success. It was only through collective efforts and through close cooperation between the government and NGOs that poverty eradication programmes could make any notable achievements, the minister stressed.


ZANZIBAR HAS PRESS FREEDOM - PRESIDENT
EASTERN AFRICA NEWS,June,9, 1997
Zanzibar Salmin Amour has said that the Isles enjoyed a level of press
freedom unsurpassed anywhere in Africa. In a press conference organized for
the visiting journalists from Kenya at the Maisara State Lodge, Amour said
that journalists were free to practice their profession freely in Zanzibar.

But, he added, there were limits to any freedom, including press freedom, and
anyone found to work beyond existing regulations will be censured. The
President gave the example of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
coverage in Zanzibar, which he said, was "of the kind that would not have
been tolerated anywhere else."

Responding to questions asked by the visiting newsmen, Amour stressed that
there was no crisis and violation of human rights in Zanzibar and noted that
the misinformation was being spread by the Opposition in an attempt to
attract foreign sympathy.

He said any oppressive regime would want to arrest and torture its opponents
which was not the case in Zanzibar where prisons were almost empty with some
having seven inmates and whose crimes were not of a political nature.

He said the people pf Pemba were let down by the Opposition Civic United
Front (CUF) party, denying allegations that the families are suspected to
sympathize with the Opposition.

Amour explained that it was the Opposition who had initiated the boycott of
clashes in Pemba early in 1996, prompting government intervention to persuade
pupils to go back to school.

The President said the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are
still in the Isles to cooperate with Zanzibar since it is their policy not to
interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states, refuting earlier
reports for the withdrawal of the two international monetary organizations.

He said some malicious propaganda against Zanzibar, which has led to the
suspension of aid, has had little effect on the country's economy, adding
that the 1997/98 budget proposals have been written in consideration of
reduced external revenue.

On plans to make Zanzibar a free port by the year 2000, Amour said the move
was aimed at making Zanzibar a transit trade centre for East and Central
Africa. On the anti-drug campaign, the President said his government is
stepping up efforts to check the trafficking and buses of drugs.

ZANZIBAR WESTERN DONOR FREEZE STILL ON
EASTERN AFRICA NEWS,June,9, 1997.
Western donors have continued their aid freeze to Zanzibar, finance minister
Amina Ali Salum told the Isles' parliament on Friday when he presented the
1997/98 budget. The Isles government expects only $ 17.71 million from
grants and these are from non-traditional donors like China, United Arab
Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran.

Salum said because of the aid freeze, and the government's intention to
withdraw from active participation in commerce, development expenditure has
been drastically reduced from $ 38.88 million in 1996/97 to $ 20.55 million
in 1997/98.

Recurrent expenditure, on the other hand, has gone up from $ 53.75 million in
1996/97 to $ 71.01 million in the 1997/98 financial year. The total budget is
$ 92.48 million, a slight drop from the $ 92.91 million in the 1996/97
financial year. The minister said there will be a budget deficit of $ 4.56
million. Meanwhile the Tanzania mainland budget will be presented on June 19.

ZANZIBAR WON'T BOW TO DONORS - AMOUR
EASTERN AFRICA NEWS,APRIL 21, 1997
Zanzibar President Salmin Amour has declared that his government will not bow to pressure by donor countries, many of which have suspected development aid to the Isles.
"We have no business to woo donors who are reluctant to help us," Amour told an Idd El Haj Baraza at the House of Representative in Zanzibar over the weekend.
He said donors' decision to suspend aid will under no circumstances affect the Isles pace of development. The Zanzibar President said donors should not dictate terms to Zanzibar, insisting that people were the main players in bringing development.
Amour's remarks were apparently in reaction to the recent European Commission (EC) decision to freeze development aid to Zanzibar until the prevailing political tension is resolved and the human rights record improved.
The political tension arose after the 1995 presidential elections when the defeated Civic United Front (CUF) candidate, Seif Shariff Hamad, claimed that the poll was rigged and refused to accept Amour as validly elected.
Amour said he was aware that some Zanzibaris devoted their time to convincing donors to stop aid to the government on grounds of lack of democracy but said the islands would prosper despite the suspension of aid.
MKAPA REITERATES NON-INTERVENTION POSITION IN ZANZIBAR
EASTERN AFRICA NEWS,MARCH 15, 1997.
Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa has reiterated the Union's government's position of not intervening in the Zanzibar political crisis.
The reaffirmation followed renewed donor pressure urging that the President's initiative, dialogue and action to resolve the political impasse on the Isles.
Patrick Chokala, the press secretary to the President, said in an interview that there was nothing new that the donors have stated in their request.
"The donors have been backing the opposition against the Isles government since the general elections on October 22, 1995 after Salmin Amour of the Revolutionary Party (CCM) was proclaimed the winner," he said.
"There is nothing new from the donor community on the Isles political crisis and similarly nothing has changed on the side of the President," he said.
Chokala said the President had no mandate to change the Isles general election results as preferred by donors and the opposition.
EU STOPS AID TO ZANZIBAR
EASTERN AFRICA NEWS,MARCH 14, 1997.
The European Union (EU) will no longer offer financial aid for new development projects in Zanzibar until the present political climate changes for the better.
The Tanzanian News Agency, Shihata, said this was announced by Athanassios Theodorakis, deputy director of the European Commission for Development Cooperation.
He explained that EU would wish the Tanzanian government to have a dialogue with opposition party leaders in Zanzibar and come to terms before EU could offer assistance to new projects in Zanzibar.
He said EU will only continue to offer financial assistance on humanitarian grounds to Zanzibar which includes the HIV/AIDS project.
Asked as to when EU will resume financial assistance to Zanzibar, he said that depends solely on Tanzania government's initiative in ending the present political climate in the area.
In the last general elections held in October 1995, President Salmin Amour was re-elected. However, the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) refused to accept the poll result, claiming the election was "rigged".
TANZANIA OPPOSITION CUF RECOGNIZES AMOUR
EASTERN AFRICA NEWS,JANUARY 23, 1997.
The mainland chapter of the Opposition Civic United Front (CUF) has recognized the victory of Isles President Salmin Amour in the 1995 multi-party elections -- a dramatic departure from its position on Zanzibar.
A statement issued by Pawa Mussa and Michael Nyaruba, who are the CUF Acting Vice Chairman and Acting Deputy Secretary General (mainland) respectively, said this was one of the resolutions of the disputed general council meeting held in Dar es Salaam on Monday.
"We also declare that the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government led by Dr Salmin Amour is legally constituted and we urge CUF members to stop the politically-motivated malicious confrontation with the government," said the statement.
The mainland CUF members called for an end to the boycott of the House of Representatives sessions maintained by the Zanzibar members of the party, said the statement.
"It is absurd that we should give the ruling Revolutionary Party (CCM) representatives a free hand to pass laws to control the Opposition without the Opposition taking part in the process," said the statement.
CUF once claimed that Amour, who won the elections by a slim margin, rigged the poll results, and has persistently refused to recognize him and his government.
The statement urged Amour to release CUF members arrested by his government for alleged subversion. "Let us bury the hatchet and open a new chapter of reconciliation," the statement said.
ZANZIBAR LEADER LEAVES MOMBASA AFTER 2 DAY VISIT
EASTERN AFRICA NEWS, JANUARY 9, 1997
President Salmin Amour's two day private visit to Mombasa, Kenya ended yesterday when he flew out back home. The visit caused traffic jams by hundreds of people who turned out to see the Zanzibari leader.
Speaking before his departure, Amour accused Opposition parties in Africa of taking confrontational stances against governments with the advent of political pluralism.
"Opposition parties have adopted the attitude that they have to act as enemies of the ruling parties," he told reporters at the airport. He said the Opposition Civic United Front (CUF) in his own country had fallen prey to that attitude.
"The widely held belief that Opposition parties should function as an enemy in parliament is wrong and this is alienating many African countries from the true meaning of democracy," said Amour.
AMOUR RULES OUT FRESH POLLS IN ZANZIBAR
DAR ES SALAAM (Oct. 26) XINHUA
Zanzibar President Salmin Amour today assured Revolutionary Party (CCM) government there are no internal or external forces which can call fresh elections to appease some political groups till the year 2000.
The official Daily News paper quoted Amour as saying at a mammoth rally to mark one year after his re-election in Zanzibar today that there would be no fresh polls to impose a new government to satisfy some politicians in the isles.
Amour, who doubles as the CCM Vice Chairman (for Zanzibar), said people should not be swayed over the idea Zanzibar would call fresh polls on grounds that the last October election was "not free and fair".
He said those wishing to rule Zanzibar should prepare for the next elections in 2000, insisting that the government is firm to respect the constitution against any attempts of violations.
The president was reacting to reports being circulated in Zanzibar by the opposition that Zanzibar should be pressurized by the international community to hold fresh elections soon.
Last October, Amour won in multi-party elections by a meager 50.2 percent againstized his opponent Seif Shariff Hamad of the Civic United Front (CUF) who polled 49.8 percent out of more than 300,000 votes casts.
He urged the people to work hand in hand with the government to bring development instead of fanning fire of emotion and confrontation in the isles.
Amour noted that this is not the time to depend on foreigners, but the duty of every one to chart out development strategies for the benefit of all Zanzibaris.
Meanwhile, he assured that despite tight financial situation the government would strived to bring a balanced development in Zanzibar and Pemba irrespective of one side's political inclination.
Zanzibari President Dr Salmin Amour argues that the island has left past political difficulties behind and is heading for a brighter future on WebMag "African Development "
ELECTIONS ROW MAY AFFECT CLOVE PICKING
SEPTEMBER 24, 1996 ,EASTERN AFRICA NEWS
The simmering dispute over last year's General Eelction may have far reaching consequences with reports indicating that Zanzibar may harvest only 40 percent of an expected bumper crop of cloves this year. Whereas 90 percent of the 1990 crop was harvested, experts say only about 40 percent of the current one may be brought in.
The election row between the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi and the Opposition Civic United Front - which won all seats in the Pemba Island, may have an adverse effect on the economy since the Island has 90 percent of the clove trees in the whole of Zanzibar and is the economic mainstay.
The clove price had dipped and Zanzibar's main buyers, Indonesia, India and China, have been paying $ 700 (Shs 420,000) per tonne in the past three years. The price had ranged between $ 10,000 and $ 12,000 per tonne from 1975-1985. In the 1950s and 1960s cloves fetched $ 20,000 (Shs 12 million) per tonne.
In its efforts to boost clove-picking, the government has increased the producer price. A kilo of the best grade now fetches Shs 250 ( less than $0.5). It has also provided drying mats, gunny bags and lanterns, but has drawn little enthusiasm from the clove pickers.

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