Back Issues

Human rights and African Internet policy-making

Heather Ford

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/14184

In this, the first part of a series of articles on Internet legislation in Africa, Heather Ford gives a broad overview of legislation – and lack thereof – dealing with censorship and privacy on the Internet in Africa.

On first glance, the Internet in Africa seems to be coming along quite nicely. Access figures are rising daily, there is a broad commitment by governments in the region to focus development in this sector, and ICT national strategies are being, or already have been, developed in order to accelerate the uptake of communication technologies in various countries on the continent.

If, however, one attempts to look for legislation to deal with human rights issues such as the right to privacy, data protection and freedom of expression on the Internet, there seems to be a vacuum of legislation that has left Internet communities in many African countries open to attacks both by the authorities as well as criminal elements. As more governments start to recognise how the Internet is being used by ‘subversive’ elements within their countries, the dire need to formalize legal instruments to protect citizens from arbitrary surveillance on the Internet becomes all the more clear. As the South African Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) stated in response to recent data protection laws in that country, ‘In order for the Internet to grow, citizens need to feel confident that their privacy online is given the maximum possible protection.’

The right to privacy of Internet users is being attacked for different reasons in Africa: in each case governments claim to be acting in the interests of protecting their citizens – either from ‘moral corruption’, ‘terrorism’, or ‘cybercrime’. This is achieved through the constant surveillance and registration of Internet users, the banning of Internet publications, the use of Internet filters and/or the imprisonment of publishers. This is not to say that Africa is the only continent where the privacy of Internet users is being threatened. After September 11, many countries around the world enacted laws that severely threaten a citizen’s right to privacy on the Internet. Where there are no laws to deal with the Internet in Africa, however, governments use old provisions to survey and censor individuals in cases as they emerge. In other countries, repressive media laws are being developed by authoritarian governments to attack individuals who publish their content on the Internet.

The dearth of laws pertaining to the Internet in Egypt has allowed the government to closely monitor content being published by local nationals and to use existing laws to stop the publishing of any content that intends to ‘corrupt public morals’.

In 2002 the interior ministry in Egypt set up a department to investigate computer and Internet crime. Before that, the government had issued warnings to the local Internet community to refrain from publishing on taboo issues such as homosexuality, human rights violations, criticism of the president and the army, as well as modern versions of Islam. Since early 2001, there have been numerous cases of entrapment of gay men on the Internet, as well as the imprisonment of webmaster, Shohdy Surur for posting a sexually-explicit, socially critical poem written by his late father 30 years ago. Since there is no law in Egypt that refers to Internet publishing, the state brought charges under the law on public morals which forbids possession of material for sale or distribution ‘with intent to corrupt public morals’.

Lack of legislation, on the other hand, has had a positive effect on opposition groups in authoritarian states, enabling them to speak out using a medium that resists control on many, but not all, levels. The internet in Egypt continues to have a positive effect on supporting agents of change, despite government attempts to control it. Some media organizations have been able to circumvent the power of the government to censor their publications in the traditional media by publishing them on the Internet. The Middle East Times publishes on its website all of the articles that were censored in the print edition of the publication (http://www.metimes.com/cens/censored.htm). On another positive note, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) recently succeeded in amending the latest Communications Bill to include references to the protection of privacy as well as restricting the right of security agencies to interfere with private communications.

South Africa is far ahead of most African countries in developing comprehensive laws relating to the Internet. That is not to say that these laws have been greeted with complete enthusiasm by the local Internet community. The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act of 2002 was riddled with controversy over certain provisions, one of which allowed the Minister of Communications the power to declare any database in the country to be critical and set standards for the administration of that database. The act also announced the that all cryptography and authentication providers needed to register with the government, and introduced new ‘Cyber Inspectors’ who are given the power to aid law enforcement in criminal and civil investigations, as well as being granted the power to inspect and confiscate computers, determine whether individuals have met the relevant registration provisions as well as search the Internet for evidence of ‘criminal actions’.

The Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act, 2002 has encountered a similarly controversial path. The act, published in the Government Gazette on January 22, 2003 compels service providers to retain personal data that they have collected from customers indefinitely, and make it available to law enforcement when requested to. It also makes any communication service which cannot be monitored by the authorities illegal, and gives the Minister of Communications broad powers to specify technical and security requirements, facilities and devices as well as the type of communication-related information to be stored.

Even though there are no laws that cover communications over the Internet in Zimbabwe, the government uses some of the country’s repressive media laws such as the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) to prosecute journalists who publish anything "likely to cause alarm or despondency" (POSA) on the Internet or traditional media.

For the majority of African countries without Internet privacy and freedom of expression laws, it is essential that civil society act purposefully and initiate national and region policy processes that are based on International human rights instruments. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any medium and regardless of frontiers’ (Article 19) and ‘No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence’ (Article 12). Regional charters such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Charter on Broadcasting are strong regional statements that could guide new efforts by African civil society to press their leaders to develop, and, more importantly, to enforce new ICT laws that have privacy and freedom of expression at their core.

What you can do:

* Find out what laws govern the Internet and communications in your country and lobby governments to adopt laws that ensure freedom of expression and the right to privacy.
* Join the email discussions around civil society engagement in African ICT policy currently going on at http://www.bellanet.org/lyris/helper/index.cfm?fuseaction=Visit&listname=aisi-l
* Visit the Association for Progressive Communications’ (APC) Africa Internet Policy Monitor website, http://africa.rights.apc.org and join the mailing list http://lists.sn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/africa-ir-public

* Please send comments on this editorial to editor@pambazuka.org

An Open Letter to the Torturers at the Ministry of Interior in Egypt

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/letters/14167

Press Release

23 March 2003

An Open Letter to the Torturers at the Ministry of Interior and their
Superiors

A number of civil society organizations sent an open letter today to
the torturers of the Ministry of Interior and their superiors, who
spent the last three days, since the outbreak of the war against Iraq
in randomly arresting and torturing Egyptian anti war activists and
protesters.

The message follows:

"To all those working at the Egyptian Ministry of Interior and who are
involved in torture or who have ordered it or refrained from stopping
it, although they knew it was taking place:

The undersigned organizations know how you have spent the last three
days torturing our colleagues, antiwar activists and other Egyptian
citizens who have walked the same path of the millions of citizens all
over the world and have peacefully expressed their protest of the
killing going on in Iraq.

We are writing this message to advise you not to sleep too deeply at
night. We wish to inform you that you will be very wrong to think that
you are immune to accountability, trial and punishment.

We are putting together a list of your names. We are documenting the
testimonies of your victims. We are collecting evidence that will
convict you in preparation for the day when we shall settle accounts.

You might be deceived by the lenience of our national legislation on
torture. You may be under the illusion that you are immune to
punishment as long as you have not been put to trial until now. Yet, an
unhappy surprise will soon be waiting for you, when you step out of the
plane in any country of the world to find that you are being handcuffed
and made to face your victims in front of a judiciary that are
merciless with whoever violated international human rights law on the
issue of torture, no matter where it has taken place.

Don't ever believe that the blindfold you put on the eyes of your
victims before torturing them will prevent us from establishing charges
against you. Sharon did not kill the victims of Sabra and Chatila with
his bare hands and Nezar Khazorghy did not himself fly the plane that
bombed the Kurds in Halabja with chemical weapons.

Proving you responsible, even if indirectly so, and guilty for the
crime of torture will relieve some of the anguish of your victims by
watching you behind bars.

He who punched Manal Khaled in the face causing its disfigurement; he
who kicked Norhan Tharwat in her pregnant body, and broke the arm of
Ziad el Uleimy and many more; he who assaulted four of the members of
parliament and many, many others will not bare alone the responsibility
for their crimes. They will be joined by all who could have stopped
this torture and didn't; all who could have held the relevant
authorities responsible and didn't.

Expect us..!"

Signatories (to be completed):

Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

Hisham Mubarak Law Center

El Nadim Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence

Egyptian Popular committee in Solidarity with the Palestinian Intifada

Egyptian Center for the Rights of the Child

Anti-Globalization Egyptian Group

Committee to Support the Intifada at the Press Syndicate

Land Center for Human Rights

Egyptian Center for Housing Rights

Center for Research and Programs of Alternative Development

Human Rights Center for the Assistance of Prisoners

More...

Augustin Loada

Driector, Center for Democratic Governance, Ouagadougou

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/letters/14131

Michael Carmichael

The Oxford Centre for Public Affairs, Oxford, UK

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/letters/14091

As usual, Pambazuka is essential reading. But, may I ask, why is there no reference this week to the political trial of Morgan Tsvangirai? As you know, along with several collegues in the IAPC, I am trying to encourage western press and media to take an interest in his case. Morgan ought to be the poster child of Amnesty International, but he is not even mentioned on their Zimbabwe webpage. Amnesty was, after all, established to bring to light the injustice suffered by political prisoners. Well, Tsvangirai and his MDC colleagues represent the most egregious case of political persecution taking place on the planet - but their plight seems to be invisible to Amnesty International, world press and media. Why?

There is ample media coverage of the trial in heavily censored Zimbabwe to feature one, two or even three items each week in Pambazuka. I am sure that you and your excellent staff know the relevant Zimbabwe websites.

I would like to thank you for everything you have done to make your readers aware of the trial of Morgan Tsvangirai in previous issues of Pambazuka News. Might I suggest that some of your readers would like to remain current on the appalling developments unfolding so brutally in a courtroom in Harare where the state is attempting to assassinate its political enemies by constitutional means.

JUST SUSTAINABILITIES: DEVELOPMENT IN AN UNEQUAL WORLD

edited by Julian Agyeman, Robert D Bullard and Bob Evans

2003-03-27

http://www.earthscan.co.uk/asp/bookdetails.asp?key=3845

Environmental activists and academics alike are realizing that a sustainable society must be a just one. Environmental degradation is almost always linked to questions of human equality and quality of life. Throughout the world, those segments of the population that have the least political power and are the most marginalized are selectively victimized by environmental crises. Just Sustainabilities argues that social and environmental justice within and between nations should be an integral part of the policies and agreements that promote sustainable development. The book addresses the links between environmental quality and human equality and between sustainability and environmental justice.

Rethinking the Labour Movement in the 'New South Africa'

edited by Franco Barchiesi and Tom Bramble

2003-03-27

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0754619818/ref=ed_soc__3_2/202-7397232-0303033

The socio-economic system underpinning apartheid in South Africa was based on the exploitation of black workers in the mines, the factories, the fields and the shops. It is widely recognized that the struggles of the South African black working class contributed decisively to the overthrow of the racist regime. In recognition of the power of organised labour, the democratic government elected in 1994 granted South Africa's unions unprecedented legal and constitutional rights. However, despite these gains, the country's labour movement has been facing a fresh set of challenges, from macroeconomic policy to the factory floor, many of them emanating from labour's political allies in Government. The purpose of this book is to examine how the South African labour movement is responding to these challenges in the new millennium.

Tears of the Sun and Nigeria: A Film Without Context

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/books/14100

Problematic characterization and images of Africa resonate in the recently released Hollywood movie, “Tears of the Sun”, which stars Bruce Willis. Shot in the “jungle” of Hawaii in the US the film is about the rescue of Dr. Lena Kendricks, an American citizen by marriage who was caught in the middle of civil unrest in Nigeria after a military coup. Navy SEAL Lieutenant A.K. Waters and his elite squadron of tactical specialists were sent to rescue Dr. Kendricks from a village in Nigeria before a newly installed military leader, a Muslim Fulani, start “ethnic cleansing of Christian Igbos” in the village.
SOURCE: http://www.wougnet.org

Tears of the Sun and Nigeria: A Film Without Context

By Tokunbo Ojo


“The starving African exists as a point in space from which we measure our own wealth, success and prosperity, a darkness against which we can view our own cultural triumphs.”---Michael Maren, an American and former Peace Corps’ aid worker in Kenya .

At the dawn of the 21st century, African continent is still often portrayed, in the words of Bosah Eboh, as “a crocodile-infested dark continent where jungle life has perpetually eluded civilization” by Western media, and many people across the globe.

These views of the continent have been greatly shaped by books such as Joyce Cary’s Mister Johnson and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, and movies like The god must be crazy, The African Queen, and Tarzan. Most excerpts from these “novels, screenplays, movie reviews, and screen advertising demonstrate the vast propaganda our society has witnessed during the past fifty years about Africa as a “savage” place in need of conquest, “colonization”, and Christianity” according to Richard Maynard, author of Africa on Film: myth and reality, The protagonists are always “white men” who are out to save the dying African population.

These problematic characterization and images resonate in the recently released Hollywood movie, “Tears of the Sun”, which stars Bruce Willis and host of others. Shot in the “jungle” of Hawaii in the US (not the jungle of Africa ! as the movie intended to make us believe), the film is about the rescue of Dr. Lena Kendricks, an American citizen by marriage who was caught in the middle of civil unrest in Nigeria after a military coup. Navy SEAL Lieutenant A.K. Waters and his elite squadron of tactical specialists were sent to rescue Dr. Kendricks from a village in Nigeria before a newly installed military leader, a Muslim Fulani, start “ethnic cleansing of Christian Igbos” in the village.

While it seems like just an ordinary story for entertainment purpose, the movie through its narrative structure and imagery bastardized continent of Africa for to affirm the cultural superiority, economical and political hegemony of the West. With strong symbolism (such as white doves flying away from the village after the white priest was beheaded), hackneyed expressions (such as “God already left Africa”, “That’s what they do”), metaphors and archetype imagery of “savages”, “jungle”, and “beasts” in which people with the “hearts of darkness” were killing themselves for no reason, it dehumanized and misrepresented 120 millions of Nigerians and people of Africa as whole. Like the aids donor agencies that often use “the image of starving Ethiopian children” from the 1984 Ethiopian famine to depict the “reality of Africa” in their advertisement for fund raising, Tears of the Sun, which has a completely slanted story structure and characterization, opened with graphic footages of shooting and killing. Some of these footages, which were taken from Sorious Samura’s documentary, Cry Freetown, on the Sierra Leone civil war, were used to depict an “ethnic cleansing” in Nigeria . These footages were never referenced to Sierra Leone in an attempt to give an element of reality to the distorted and Hollywood manufactured story of “ethnic cleansing in Nigeria ”— that is Muslim Fulani’s mass massacre of Christian Igbos after a Muslim Fulani military dictator overthrew a democratically elected Nigerian government, of which a Christian Igbo was the president.

Nigeria is more than “Fulanis and Igbos.” There are over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria . But just like the so-called white historians and experts on African affairs, who have never stepped their feet on African soils, the writer and producers of the Tears of the Sun seemed to have just gathered information about “AFRICA” (which is a small village in the minds of many a man in the Western world) and ritually framed it within the familiar Western dominant cognitive model of “usual African tribal killing“and “barbarism.” Why a need for a painstaking research about the characterization, setting and narrative structure when such a framing is familiar and comforting to audiences who are used to seeing the dehumanization of Africa and Africans; which Chinua Achebe, a Nigeria born world-renowned novelist, said is an “age-long attitude [that] has fostered, and continues to foster in the world" ? At least in the end, the white men triumphed "and the so-called savages were wiped out", added Niyi Osundare, Commonwealth poetry prize winner.

**Tokunbo Ojo is a Montreal based freelance journalist/writer.

This is culled from Montreal Community Contact.

More...

The State of the World's Children 2003

UNICEF

2003-03-27

http://www.unicef.org/pubsgen/sowc03/index.html

The State of the World's Children 2003 reports on child participation - the 'right' of every child at every age, the responsibility of governments, organisations and families, and a way to promote tolerance, respect for human rights, an appreciation of diversity and peace. The report showcases examples from every region of the world of how things are different when children's viewpoints are taken into account. Photos and artwork are by children. The report includes 9 tables, including a new addition on HIV/AIDS, and 3 maps, which together present a comprehensive set of economic and social indicators on the well-being of children worldwide.

africa: Women bear brunt of Aids toll

2003-03-27

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?a=11&o=17541

Nomvula Nhlapo fell in love at the age of 16 and, to the fury of her father, left home to live with her boyfriend. Four years later, she returned, terminally ill with Aids. Her father refused to allow her into the house. She collapsed under a tree and stayed there for the last few weeks of her life. Nomvula's lonely death sums up the course of the epidemic here. Compared with Aids in the developed world, in South Africa the disease is primarily one affecting women: more women than men carry the virus, they are infected at a younger age, and they die earlier.

angola: A violent peace for Angola's women?

2003-03-27

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/atwork/angola/kkeleven.htm

While the team works with the children at Chissindo camp I have a chance to talk to some of their mothers, who have come to watch the activities. Many of the women we meet are widows, and all have several children to care for. They survive by growing food, and supplementing this with a small income from trading charcoal or traditional maize beer. Read the latest instalment in the diary of an Oxfam worker in Angola.

east/southern africa: Mobilising Communities to Prevent Domestic Violence: A Resource Guide for Organisations

2003-03-27

http://www.raisingvoices.org/

This just released publication, developed by Raising Voices in collaboration with UNIFEM and Action Aid-Uganda, sheds new light on how community-based organisations can design and implement a participatory project to prevent domestic violence. The Resource Guide describes a conceptual framework for preventing domestic violence and provides extensive strategy and activity suggestions for organisations interested in working systematically to affect individual and social change within their communities. Special features in the Resource Guide include: rights-based program ideas and activities; full colour examples of learning materials such as posters, games, murals and booklets; a comprehensive community activism course; and, simple, ready to use documentation and monitoring tools. For more information visit www.raisingvoices.org or email us at info@raisingvoices.org

ETHIOPIA: African Union urged to back women's rights

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33006

The human rights group Amnesty International (AI) has called on the African Union (AU) to back plans to boost and protect the rights of women on the continent. The call comes as a high level AU ministerial conference meets in Addis Ababa on Monday to discuss plans for strengthening women’s rights.

MALI: Rights organisation concerned about violence against women

2003-03-27

http://irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33075

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) expressed grave concern on Tuesday over reports of violence against women in Mali. Apart from forced marriages and polygamy, which are common, 24 percent of Malian women marry before the age of 15 years and 94 percent undergo female genital mutilation (FGM), OMCT said in a report to the UN Human Rights Committee.

Nigeria: stoning trial delay

2003-03-27

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2884283.stm

An appeal, due to begin in northern Nigeria for a Muslim woman convicted of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning, has been postponed because the judges failed to turn up. The case of Amina Lawal, has provoked strong opposition from human rights organisations across the world, many of whom sent representatives to attend the hearing.

southern africa: little space for women

2003-03-27

http://portal.unesco.org/ev.php?URL_ID=10229&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201&reload=1048670347

The southern African media give very little space to the views of women, and, when it comes to subjects such as politics, economy, sport or agriculture, their voice is virtually unheard. Women journalists are, however, given more exposure than men in reporting on subjects that have to do with the body, home and beauty. It is in television that they find the best professional opportunities – essentially as presenters – but they are only employed for a limited time, because in that part of the world it is uncommon to see women working beyond the age of 50 in any media. These are some of the findings of the Southern African Gender and Media Baseline Study.

Swaziland: King's polygamy remarks condemned

2003-03-27

http://www.africapulse.org/index.php?action=viewarticle&articleid=1102

King Mswati III has once more become embroiled in controversy, this time over statements he made that the custom of polygamy did not contribute to the spread of HIV/Aids, contradicting studies that have established a connection.

zimbabwe: 'That woman's trouble, beat her'

2003-03-27

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?a=37&o=17540

It was a trip that had become almost routine. As a lawyer, Gugulethu Moyo was accustomed to visiting Harare police stations, but last Tuesday she walked into a nightmare when she attempted to secure the release of a photographer arrested while covering Zimbabwe's two-day national strike. The 28-year-old lawyer endured vicious beatings and two nights behind bars on the whim of the wife of Zimbabwe's army commander.

africa/global: NEW WEB-BASED RESOURCE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/14156

Human rights groups around the world now have access to a forum for the exchange of practical information in many languages to support their social justice work. The Digital Freedom Network, Forefront and the Centre for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University have partnered to coordinate Human Rights Connection (HRC) at http://www.hrconnection.org, a web-based community resource centre that provides human rights activists with a place to read and post "how to" information, articles and case studies on a wide range of issues, such as working with the media, planning an advocacy campaign, establishing an organisation, and using technology.
NEW WEB-BASED RESOURCE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS LAUNCHED
Human Rights Connection (http://www.hrconnection.org)

Human rights groups around the world now have access to a forum for the
exchange of practical information in many languages to support their social
justice work.

The Digital Freedom Network, Forefront and the Center for the Study of
Human Rights at Columbia University have partnered to coordinate Human
Rights Connection (HRC) at http://www.hrconnection.org, a web-based
community resource center that provides human rights activists with a place
to read and post "how to" information, articles and case studies on a wide
range of issues, such as working with the media, planning an advocacy
campaign, establishing an organization, and using technology. Material on
other topics, such as managing a Board of Directors, fund raising and
financial management for human rights, accountability and coping in face of
danger will be posted in the future.

Human Rights Connection is developed out of longstanding relationships with
grassroots activists. Initially published in English, French, Portuguese
and Spanish (and Arabic and Chinese in the future), the site provides a
forum for South-South exchange and offers materials written and suggested
by activists from around the world who are working to improve their
communities. We invite you to share resources that your organization has
used or found helpful.

As this site will continue to evolve based upon the needs and input of
those in the human rights field, please send us your comments and suggestions.


Contact:
* Atireme Matos, Forefront (http://www.forefrontleaders.org), +(1-212)
845-5242, matosa@forefrontleaders.org
* Bobson Wong, Digital Freedom Network (http://dfn.org/
+(1-646) 223-1266, bwong@dfn.org
* Erhyu Yuan, Center for the Study of Human Rights
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/humanrights),
+(1-212) 854-2479, ey9@columbia.edu


--
Bobson Wong
Executive Director
Digital Freedom Network
1372 Broadway, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10018
U.S.A.
Phone: +(1-646) 223-1282
Fax: +(1-646) 223-1290
E-mail: bwong@dfn.org
Web: http://dfn.org

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drc: amnesty concerned over ituri

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/14040

The Ugandan authorities should bring suspected perpetrators of the serious human rights abuses committed in Ituri to justice before Uganda's courts, Amnesty International says in a new report on the deteriorating situation in Ituri province in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). "There must be no hiding place for those who are alleged to have committed serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in Ituri or elsewhere in DRC", Amnesty International said. "Suspected perpetrators, of whatever nationality, found on Ugandan territory or in areas of the DRC under Ugandan control should be investigated and brought to justice."
News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International
AI-index: AFR 62/009/2003 20/03/2003

The Ugandan authorities should bring suspected perpetrators of the serious
human rights abuses committed in Ituri to justice before Uganda's courts,
Amnesty International said today in a new report on the deteriorating
situation in Ituri province in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC).

"There must be no hiding place for those who are alleged to have committed
serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in
Ituri or elsewhere in DRC", Amnesty International said. "Suspected
perpetrators, of whatever nationality, found on Ugandan territory or in
areas of the DRC under Ugandan control should be investigated and brought
to justice."

Amnesty International's report - Democratic Republic of Congo: On the
precipice: the deepening human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ituri
(View the full report online, visit:
http://click.topica.com/maaaV9AaaWMMQbb0imPb/ )- documents some of the
recent grave human rights abuses in Ituri, where an estimated 50,000 people
have died and more than 500,000 displaced since 1999 as a result of
fighting in the region. Much of the violence stems from armed conflict
between the Hema and Lendu ethnic groups. This conflict has been
manipulated and exacerbated by leaders of armed political groups fighting
for political and economic control in the region.

Armed political groups and ethnic-based militias have committed unlawful
killings, acts of torture, including rape, and other serious human rights
abuses in Ituri, frequently on a mass scale. The majority of victims are
civilians targeted solely because of their ethnic identity. Such abuses
have accelerated in recent months. "Amnesty International calls on these
groups and militia to stop immediately unlawful killings and other human
rights abuses against civilians and combatants who have ceased to take part
in hostilities."

Robust international action needed to protect civilians
As the crisis in Ituri deepens, Amnesty International repeats its call to
the UN Security Council to urgently reinforce the MONUC (UN Organization
Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo) presence in the region, to
implement its mandate to "protect civilians under imminent threat of
physical violence" and to help create conditions for the safe delivery of
humanitarian supplies, desperately needed by Ituri's civilian population.

Amnesty International also calls on the Ugandan People's Defence Forces
(UPDF) present in Ituri to fulfill the Ugandan government's obligations
under international human rights and humanitarian law to protect civilian
life in the region. The UPDF have themselves committed numerous human
rights violations in the province, including unlawful killings of unarmed
civilians. UPDF personnel have reportedly sold arms to warring ethnic
groups and have trained militias, including child soldiers. Repeated shifts
in Ugandan political backing to the rival armed political groups in Ituri
have also deepened and prolonged the crisis.

"Uganda has claimed to act for peace and reconciliation in the region, and
the UPDF has occasionally intervened to halt fighting between opposing
forces. However, the conduct of the UPDF and the Ugandan government
generally with regard to Ituri has been a major factor in the chaos and
violence that has engulfed the region, sowing further discord among ethnic
groups and contributing to the pervasive insecurity."

Justice essential to resolving the crisis
Alleged perpetrators of gross human rights abuses in Ituri have not been
brought to justice, although in some cases they have been publicly
identified. "Those committing and ordering these crimes have drawn power,
wealth and encouragement from their impunity, reinforcing the cycle of
lawlessness and violence in the region," Amnesty International said.

The organization urges the Ugandan government and the international
community to end this impunity by investigating abuses committed in Ituri
and bringing the alleged perpetrators, whether from armed political groups
or the UPDF, to justice. The Ugandan government is obliged under Article
146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 "to search for persons alleged
to have committed or to have ordered to be committed... grave breaches [of
the Convention] and... bring such persons, regardless of their nationality,
before its own courts". Such "grave breaches" include wilful killing,
torture or inhuman treatment.

Amnesty International also urges the UN Security Council to establish an
international commission of inquiry to investigate violations of
international humanitarian and human rights law in the DRC, including in
Ituri. The commission should also make recommendations for bringing
perpetrators of violations to justice, including before national courts.

A lengthening list of mass human rights abuses
Recently, five armed political groups and allied militia vying for control
of Ituri region have allegedly committed grave human rights abuses. These
include:

The Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie - Mouvement de libération
(RCD-ML), Congolese Rally for Democracy - Liberation Movement, often allied
to Lendu ethnic militias. Hundreds of civilians from the Hema and Bira
ethnic groups were reportedly unlawfully killed during an RCD-ML and Lendu
militia attack on the town of Nyankunde in September 2002.
The Mouvement pour la libération du Congo (MLC), Movement for the
Liberation of Congo.
The Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie - National (RCD-N),
Congolese Rally for Democracy - National.
Between October and December 2002 MLC and RCD-N forces reportedly committed
unlawful killings of more than 100 civilians and other serious human rights
abuses, including rape, in and around the town of Mambasa.
The Union des Patriotes Congolais (UPC), Union of Congolese Patriots
soldiers and allied Hema militia, were reportedly responsible for a spate
of unlawful killings of and acts of torture or ill-treatment against
non-Hema or prominent Hema who were suspected of dissidence during the
UPC's rule in Bunia and other towns, between August 2002 and March 2003.
The Front pour l'intégration et la paix en Ituri (FIPI), an offshoot of the
UPC and the latest armed political group to have emerged in February 2003
with Ugandan support.

The UPDF have also committed grave human rights abuses in Ituri. For
example, in February 2002 a UPDF unit was reported to have unlawfully
killed up to 80 mainly Lendu civilians in the region of Gety. In addition,
the UPDF have failed to protect civilians from killings and other human
rights abuses by armed political groups or militias, by not intervening or
intervening only tardily, despite the UPDF's clear military authority in
the areas where these abuses took place.

Background

Ituri has been under the direct or proxy control of the UPDF since the
outset of the current conflict in DRC in August 1998. The five armed
political groups operating in Ituri are all, in one respect or another,
protégés of the Ugandan government. Ugandan backing for the groups,
however, has shifted constantly, exacerbating instability in the region.

Time and again, the provincial capital, Bunia, and other key towns have
fallen under the control of different armed political groups. Most recently
on 6 March 2003, the UPC, which had taken Bunia with UPDF assistance from
the RCD-ML in August 2002, was itself forced out of Bunia by the UPDF. The
latest fighting for Bunia caused loss of civilian life and extensive damage
to property, including to offices of several humanitarian organizations
which were reportedly looted by combatants.


****************************************************************

View Amnesty International's report "On the precipice: the deepening human
rights and humanitarian crisis in Ituri" online, visit:
http://click.topica.com/maaaV9AaaWMMQbb0imPb/

All documents on the Democratic Republic of Congo at:
http://click.topica.com/maaaV9AaaWMMRbb0imPb/

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egypt: Use of Torture, Excessive Force by Cairo Police

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/14060

Hundreds of antiwar activists and demonstrators have been detained in Cairo and some are being tortured by police, Human Rights Watch charges. Hundreds more have been injured as security forces used water cannons, clubs, dogs, and even stones against demonstrators. Police have arrested leaders of movements protesting the Iraq war and Israeli actions in the Occupied Territories; journalists, professors, and students; and onlookers, as well as children as young as 15 years old.


Use of Torture, Excessive Force by Cairo Police

(Cairo, March 24, 2003) Hundreds of antiwar activists and demonstrators
have been detained in Cairo and some are being tortured by police, Human
Rights Watch charged today.

Hundreds more have been injured as security forces used water cannons,
clubs, dogs, and even stones against demonstrators. Police have arrested
leaders of movements protesting the Iraq war and Israeli actions in the
Occupied Territories; journalists, professors, and students; and onlookers,
as well as children as young as 15 years old.

Some detainees reported hearing the use of electroshock torture in
neighboring cells.

"The crackdown many feared has come," said Hanny Megally, executive
director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights
Watch. "Fundamental freedoms in Egypt are now under serious threat."

What started two months ago with isolated detentions of demonstrators and
activists has now become a sweeping repression of dissent, Megally said. He
urged Egyptian authorities to immediately investigate credible reports of
excessive use of force, including beatings of demonstrators and torture of
detainees, and to promptly charge or release those arrested.

The arrests followed a massive demonstration in Tahrir Square in downtown
Cairo on Thursday March 20, the first day of the war against Iraq. Tens of
thousands of protestors rallied, closing the square for over ten hours.
While police violently restrained demonstrators from approaching the
vicinity of the U.S. and British embassies, they generally allowed the
protest to proceed in peace.

The following day, Friday March 21, smaller demonstrations throughout
central Cairo drew a violent response. Protesters gathered in areas
including Al-Azhar Mosque, Talaat Harb Square, Ramses Street, and the State
Broadcasting Corporation. While some onlookers reported scattered
stone-throwing by demonstrators, and authorities alleged that protesters
torched a car near Tahrir Square, police cracked down with excessive force,
both arresting large numbers at the demonstrations and using them as a
pretext to detain others.

Eyewitnesses told Human Rights Watch that mid-afternoon on Friday the
police retaliated against demonstrators who were pushing against a cordon
in Talaat Harb Street. They began beating them with clubs, and then fired
water cannons at them. Many demonstrators were injured. A journalist
present told Human Rights Watch that his digital camera was damaged and the
DVD tape in his video camera confiscated on two separate occasions when he
tried to film police striking demonstrators. He saw dozens of demonstrators
beaten and arrested.

In other demonstrations, four opposition Members of Parliament--Mohammed
Farid Hassanein, Hamdeen Sabahi, Abdel Azim al-Maghrabi, and Haidar
Baghdadi--were beaten by police. Sabahi remains hospitalized. In another
incident, one demonstrator, Muhammed Abdou Taha, reportedly was beaten and
may have suffered a broken spine.

On the evening of March 21, security forces invaded the Lawyers' Syndicate
on Ramses Street, and occupied it for almost six hours. Sayyed Abdel Ghany,
an official of the Syndicate, told Human Rights Watch that over fifteen
lawyers, including some who have defended anti-war demonstrators in the
past, were arrested. Many lawyers were severely beaten. Arrests continued
on March 22. That morning, Marwa Farouq, Shaymaa Samir, and Nourhan
Thabet--three female students who have been prominent antiwar
activists--were arrested while attempting to enter Cairo University to
attend a demonstration. Nourhan Thabet, who is pregnant, was reportedly
beaten, bound and blindfolded. Her whereabouts are unknown and it is feared
she has no access to medical care. Sherine Abul-Naga, a professor at the
university who attended the rally, was arrested afterward but later released.

Police presence at the small university rally was massive and obvious. Like
the Lawyer's Syndicate, Cairo University has traditionally been regarded as
a safe space for dissent, where police forces rarely intervene obtrusively.

Additionally, on the afternoon of March 22, Hossam al-Hamalawi, an Egyptian
journalist and stringer for the Los Angeles Times who has attended recent
anti-war rallies, was arrested while leaving a restaurant in Tahrir Square.
Four plainclothes officers seized him, telling the two friends with him,
"He is known to us to be a dangerous man."

Most of the detainees were reportedly taken to al-Darrassa, a Central
Security (al-Amn al Markazi) barracks in north of Cairo. Others are
believed held at the Lazoughli headquarters of State Security Intelligence
(Mabahith Amn al-Dawla) in Cairo. Human Rights Watch spoke to one person
detained there on March 21 and released early the next morning, who said he
heard five people being threatened with and then tortured with electroshocks.

On the morning of March 22, 61 of the detainees were divided into three
groups and referred to three prosecution offices in Cairo to be charged. At
one prosecution office, Human Rights Watch was able to speak to Gamal 'Id,
arrested on March 21, a member of the Lawyers' Syndicate's Freedoms
Committee and a human rights lawyer. 'Id said that several other detainees
had been beaten so severely on the arms and shoulders that bones appeared
to be broken. He added that 72 people detained in the sweeps shared his
cell at al-Darrassa, including children as young as 15. Human Rights Watch
has documented widespread torture and ill-treatment of children in police
custody. "It is very troubling that many of the witnesses Human Rights
Watch has spoken with describe seeing demonstrators being severely beaten
by the police as they were taken away," said Megally. " It is also worrying
to hear that children have been arrested and are being held in the same
cells as adults."

On the evening of March 22, 'Id and eleven other defendants referred to the
Azbakeyya Prosecutor were given four days in detention, renewable at the
prosecution's discretion. According to the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, an
Egyptian human rights organization, prosecutors examining these twelve
detainees acknowledged that at least four had serious injuries. Fourteen
defendants referred to the Gamalayaa Prosecution Office in Cairo received
15 days' detention, also renewable.

Many of those who have appeared before prosecutors have been charged with
offenses such as blocking traffic or destroying public property. Some have
been charged with holding a gathering of five or more people without a
permit--a crime under Egyptian law.

Human Rights Watch Press release

More...

LIBERIA: Elections will go ahead in October, says Taylor

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=32994

General elections in Liberia will go ahead as scheduled on 14 October "even in the midst of war" between government soldiers and rebels of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), President Charles Taylor said on Friday.

Liberia: UN rights chief concerned at abuses against civilians

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/14067

Expressing profound concern at the continuing armed conflict in Liberia and its toll on the civilian population, the United Nations human rights chief has urged all parties to the conflict to commit themselves immediately to the protection of civilians. In a statement issued from Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), Sergio Vieira de Mello, said he has continued to receive credible reports of serious abuses and violations of human rights and humanitarian law by both parties to the Liberian conflict.
UN News Centre Report:

Liberia: UN rights chief concerned at abuses against civilians

24 March - Expressing profound concern at the continuing armed conflict in
Liberia and its toll on the civilian population, the United Nations human
rights chief today urged all parties to the conflict to commit themselves
immediately to the protection of civilians.

In a statement issued from Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights (UNHCHR), Sergio Vieira de Mello, said he has continued to receive
credible reports of serious abuses and violations of human rights and
humanitarian law by both parties to the Liberian conflict. These violations
include extra-judicial killings, torture and rape. Civilians, including
children, have also been deliberately targeted and forcibly recruited for
fighting.

"Parties to the conflict should ensure respect for human rights and
humanitarian law in areas under their control and in the conduct of
hostilities," Mr. Vieira de Mello said. "Where these abuses and violations
occur, parties have an obligation to bring perpetrators to justice."

The High Commissioner urged all parties to the conflict to commit
themselves immediately to the protection of civilians, especially their
physical integrity and the means necessary for their survival. He stressed
that there can be no impunity for violations of human rights and
differences should be resolved peacefully within the context of the rule of
law and democratic principles.

Mr. Vieira de Mello also endorsed the appeal made by the UN to the
Government of Liberia and the Liberians United for Reconciliation and
Democracy (LURD) to enter into cease fire negotiations.


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NIGERIA: Focus on political parties' campaign strategies

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33056

Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo began his campaign for re-election in "hostile" territory this month. Makurdi, the city in central Nigeria where, on 1 March, he addressed his first rally since winning the ruling party's nomination in January, is the capital of Benue State, where troops acting on his orders raided several villages in October 2001, killing hundreds of civilians in reprisal for the killing of 19 soldiers by a local militia.

south africa: Firms Urged to Pay Reparations to Victims of Apartheid

2003-03-27

http://www.ips.org/index.htm

Local and international companies that benefited from apartheid are likely to come under increased pressure to pay reparations to the victims of racial discrimination and exploitation, after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) handed in its final report to the South African government. The TRC was set up to investigate the human rights abuses that took place in South African under apartheid. The final report documents 22,000 cases of rights abuses, although some community-based organisations claim that many more victims of apartheid were not identified during the TRC process.

swaziland: Relations Between Monarchy And Bush Regime Worsen

2003-03-27

http://www.ips.org/index.htm

Swaziland may not harbour weapons of mass destruction, but sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarchy, that rules this kingdom of less than one million people, is becoming increasingly nervous about the doctrine of United States President George W. Bush, which finds little tolerance for unelected regimes.

uganda: Ethnicity, state power and the democratisation process

2003-03-27

http://tinyurl.com/83vc

Is ethnicity the cause for the breakdowns in national unity, democracy and development in Uganda? This paper critically reviews the impact of ethnicity on the democratisation process in Uganda from colonialism to the present. The author argues that ethnicity in Uganda, as elsewhere on the African continent, has been historically constructed and subsequently reproduced. While democratisation may be problematic in the face of ethnic consciousness, the paradox is that the best way to reduce ethnic consciousness is more and not less democratisation.

zimbabwe: a crisis of governance

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/14059

There is a mutually destructive stalemate between Zimbabwe’s illegitimate government on the one hand, and pro-democracy actors on the other. This destructive stalemate is inimical to regional stability and security, says a statement issued after a meeting held in South Africa in early March about the crisis in Zimbabwe.



The Problem: A Crisis of Governance
The Zimbabwean governance crisis has the following social, political and economic dimensions:
Collapse of the rule of law, characterised by brutal and partisan policing;
· State-sponsored human rights violations have become a daily occurrence, and non-legislated youth militia also perpetuate political violence;
· A compromised and politicised judiciary;
· Weakened and significantly corrupted institutions of governance;
· Economic collapse, resulting in a humanitarian tragedy as over half the population is in need of food aid for survival. Meanwhile, food is being distributed in a partisan manner, to ruling party supporters;
· The chaotic fast-track land-resettlement programme which has left hundreds of thousands of farm workers and their families homeless, destitute, and abandoned;
· The persistent downward economic spiral, characterised by skyrocketing inflation;
· This inflation erodes the dignity and security of working people, and further jeopardise the livelihoods of the growing number of unemployed;
· Authoritarian laws and repressive policing which muffles the freedoms of expression, association and assembly, of pro-democracy actors and independent media practitioners.
There is a mutually destructive stalemate between Zimbabwe’s illegitimate government on the one hand, and pro-democracy actors on the other. This destructive stalemate is inimical to regional stability and security.
Preconditions for Normalcy
The above stalemate must be broken if Zimbabwe is to resolve its multi-layered governance crisis. In addition, a level of normalcy must be achieved in order to pave the way for a democratic transition and the stabilisation of the country’s economic crisis.
Normalcy implies the following pre-conditions:
1. An end to political violence and the termination of the operation of militias;
2. The depoliticisation of food distribution;
3. The repeal of the Public Order and Security Act, the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Broadcasting Authority Act;
4. A return to the rule of law, including the cessation of all farm invasions;
5. The restoration of judicial independence, with a commitment to its protection;
6. An end to partisan policing and the suspension of politically motivated prosecutions;
7. A commitment to democracy in Zimbabwe by the Presidents of South Africa and Nigeria. This commitment would end their open support of the repression of pro-democracy voices, as such repression subverts both the democratic will of Zimbabweans and the prospects of a democratic settlement by Zimbabweans.
Achieving Normalcy
In order to achieve these preconditions, the Group resolved that the following actions should be taken:
1. A Group of Eminent Persons should be created so as to promote dialogue in Zimbabwe and to monitor the full compliance of the Zimbabwean government and other stakeholders in relation to the immediate pre-conditions set out above, and that SADC and the African Union agree on the appointment of such a group forthwith;
2. Zimbabwean civil society and political parties constitute a Task Force to develop a Transitional Framework, which should propose the principles, process and time-frame for Zimbabwe’s successful democratic transition.
Conclusion
Zimbabwe faces imminent disaster unless decisive and immediate action is taken. This crisis has dire implications for the entire Southern African region. A constitutional democracy which will protect the civil, political and economic rights of all Zimbabweans must be established. The Group calls upon democrats in the governments and civil societies of the region and beyond to support the people of Zimbabwe in their quest for democracy, equality, and economic prosperity.
11 March 2003

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zimbabwe: MDC could restart talks after Mbeki gesture

2003-03-27

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=68&art_id=vn20030327054708823C784175&set_id=1

Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has given the green light for re-opening stalled talks with President Robert Mugabe's government following a gesture by South African President Thabo Mbeki welcoming the Movement for Democratic Change leader's apparent change of heart. In the most upbeat remarks he has made on Zimbabwe in many months, Mbeki made a dramatic and impassioned plea on Wednesday for Mugabe and Tsvangirai to resume talks aimed at thrashing out their differences over Zimbabwe's future.

zimbabwe: mdc issues ultimatum

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/14056

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has listed 15 urgent issues that the regime of President Robert Mugabe must address to avoid facing popular mass action by March 31.

MDC PRESS RELEASE
19 March 2003
ACTION FOR NATIONAL SURVIVAL

Over the past two days the people of Zimbabwe in their millions bravely demonstrated to the world that they are no longer willing to live under tyranny and poverty. The violence, the torture, murder and all other brutalities can no longer stop the people's desire to be free.

We salute the gallant efforts of all the people of Zimbabwe in their quest to be free. We give notice to the regime that the people's patience has dried out and no amount of state sponsored violence can keep them in perpetual bondage.

The events of the last two days are simply the beginning of the march towards freedom. In this regard we demand that the Mugabe regime immediately embarks on urgent programme to dismantle the basis of its tyranny.

By 31st March 2003, the regime should have addressed and resolved the following 15 urgent issues or face a popular mass action to regain the people's liberties, freedoms and dignity.

THE DEMANDS
1. An immediate release of all political prisoners, those arrested for exercising their constitutional right to demonstrate against violence, torture and general misrule.
2. Agree to a programme clearly designed to restore the legitimacy of government.
3. Stop all state-sponsored violence against the people, including torture of suspects in police custody.
4. Restore all the political and civil liberties of the people including the freedoms of assembly, association, expression and movement and in particular repeal POSA and AIPA.
5. Depoliticise food distribution
6. Disbandment of all militia groups and the restoration of war veterans to a non-political role.
7. Stop the persecution of workers, women and youth.
8. Restore a professional and non-partisan police, army and prisons service.
9. Stop the political persecution of professional soldiers, police officers, prison officers and judges.
10. Stop the political persecution of the church, its leaders and interference with the freedom of worship.
11. Restore law and order.
12. Repeal the Broadcasting Act and free the airwaves.
13. Restore academic freedom and university autonomy.
14. Put an end to the ongoing state sponsored electoral violence and fraud
15. Stop the political persecution of civil society and respect the human rights of all Zimbabweans.

Paul Themba Nyathi, MDC Spokesperson.
....................................................................... .
.

WE THANK YOU, BRAVE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE We thank all the people of Zimbabwe for overwhelmingly responding to the call to take Action for National Survival. Through this successful action we won a big victory against this tyranny and all its forces of oppression.
The regime has ruled through fear and intimidation. This regime has taken pride in our silence, which had come as a result of daily torture and murder of the innocent people of Zimbabwe.

We also thank those members of the police force who maintained law and order in a non-partisan way.

This action has demonstrated beyond any doubt to the regime that we the people of Zimbabwe have no fear and will take concrete steps to reclaim our power. This regime is now nervous. Their bags are now packed as they realise who has the power. We have to prepare for the final push and they will run.
Then our victory will be complete.

It is important to realise that this two-day action is just the beginning.
The MDC leadership and partners in the civil society will soon announce further dates and forms of action that will undertaken soon. Lets all get ready for that call.

Meanwhile we must realise that this victory is just but the beginning of a sustained process that will bring about peace to the people of Zimbabwe regardless of political affiliation and ensure the beginning of a process of national healing. The police and other law enforcement agents should enforce the law impartially. The ongoing selective application of justice should have no place in our society.

This process will bring in development that will result in the creation of job opportunities and ensure that the people of this country are never again exposed to the threat of mss starvation and shortages of basic commodities.
In times of humanitarian crisis like the man-made famine currently ravaging Zimbabwe, which is direct result of the present regime's policy failures, food distribution will be done fairly to benefit all Zimbabweans.

It is for these reasons that we should prepare for the final onslaught for a people's victory. Each and every one of us has a part to play. In this regard we cherish the efforts of each and every Zimbabwean who has taken personal risk and sacrifice to bring about a free, peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe.

Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC President.

More...

zimbabwe: mugabe unleashes his cowards

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/14027

Over 250 people have been admitted to the main casualty wards in Harare since last Thursday. Many of the victims told how they were warned, during their attacks, not to report the incidents to hospitals or human rights organisations, says Zvakwana in their latest newsletter.
Related Link:
SA finally speaks up over Zim
http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/southern_africa/0,1009,55812,00.html
Newsletter # 16 23rd March 2003

mugabe unleashes his cowards

Zvakwana reports with great sadness immense disgust that mugabe continues to call for violence against law-abiding citizens of Zimbabwe. At a funeral address on Friday he spat, "Let the MDC and its leaders be warned that those who play with fire will not only be burnt, but consumed by that fire. Read us correctly!"

It is understood from reliable sources that yesterday mugabe addressed over 5000 youths at his party office. The speech was venomous in the extreme.

True accounts
The results of this hideous behaviour, of one who purports to have the country at heart, are to some extent too terrible to report on. But Zvakwana thinks that it is important to include these true accounts, so that we acknowledge the costs of unseating the regime, and show our support for our fellow activists who are targeted for their commitment to freedom.

Over 250 people have been admitted to the main casualty wards in Harare since Thursday. Many of the victims told how they were warned, during their attacks, not to report the incidents to hospitals or human rights organisations. One women treated today was beaten for seeking treatment for wounds she suffered from a similar attack on Thursday.

There have been severe beatings with rifles, iron bars, metal rods, electrical cord and sjamboks. In addition, some victims were taken by the army for "interrogation," a process that involved electrocution and further beatings.

People reported broken bones and extensive bruising as a result of vicious beatings, as well as several cases of sexual assault. Many more are thought to have been too scared, or otherwise unable, to seek medical attention.

One victim treated today told how soldiers cut the burglar bars in order to gain entry to the house in which he was hiding. He was then beaten with whips and gun butts.

One young man from Kabudzuma was forced to watch while a group of villains stripped his mother and forced the barrel of an AK into her private parts. They then blind folded him, took him away and beat him senseless. He was dumped near Manyame airbase (a common dumping ground for victims of this cruelty wave of violence).

Zvakwana is horrified at this inhumane behaviour, typical of a wounded animal, entrapped and threatened by non-violent demonstrations and a threat to its domain.

Strength in numbers
We have seen from the success of the stay-away that the more of us there are speaking out and acting in protest, the harder it is for mugabe's thugs to victimise us. The fact that most people were able to stay peacefully at home and refuse to go to work shows us that, for the most part, the police and the army are also fed up with the current situation. This is a positive sign, as it means that very soon, if we keep up our pressure, they will increasingly refuse to follow orders and victimise people, and it will be only a very few Green Bombers whom mugabe can control. The more there are of us, the harder it will be for them to attack, victimise, or intimidate us.

We ask everyone to remain steadfast and to remain vigilant. Names, photographs and vehicle numbers are now staring to be sent into news@zvakwana.org - these people will be brought to justice.

Apologies
Due to technical difficulties, we have not been able to update the Zvakwana site (www.zvakwana.org). We have been assured that these problems will be resolved by the end of next week. At that time, we will update the website, and post pictures of events from the past week. In the meantime, you can visit the zwnews site (www.zwnews.com) to view some photographs of the events discussed above.

More...

zimbabwe: ngo forum condemns violence

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/14071

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, which exists to assist victims of organised violence, has condemned unreservedly the recent violence that has been perpetrated by state agents on members of the public throughout Zimbabwe. This follows the stay-away called for by the main opposition party to express its deep concern at the ongoing deterioration of the state of the nation.
24 March 2003

Press Statement by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum–
The Current State Of Violence In Zimbabwe

The Human Rights Forum, which exists to assist victims of organised violence, condemns unreservedly, the recent violence that has been perpetrated by state agents on members of the public throughout Zimbabwe.

This follows the stay-away called for by the main opposition party to express its deep concern at the ongoing deterioration of the state of the nation.

The Human Rights Forum equally all forms of violence from whatever quarter, including that employed by political parties.

It is the constitutional obligation of state agencies to uphold all the rights of citizens under the Declaration of Rights. There are equal obligations on political parties to restrain their supporters and on individuals to desist from committing violent actions against each other.

The Forum calls on the state to immediately refrain from the use of any form of organised violence and on political parties to equally refrain from utilizing violence of any sort in the pursuit of their political interests.

More...

zimbabwe: Tsvangirai trial witness told to surrender equipment

2003-03-27

http://www.fingaz.co.zw/fingaz/2003/March/March27/3370.shtml

The High Court has issued an order compelling a state witness in the treason trail of three opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leaders to surrender equipment used to secretly videotape a meeting at which the MDC officials allegedly plotted to assassinate President Robert Mugabe. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, secretary-general Welshman Ncube and shadow minister for agriculture Renson Gasela are alleged to have met in Canada with representatives of Dickens and Madson, a Canadian political consultancy they allegedly attempted to hire to assassinate Mugabe.
Related Link:
Ben-Menashe witness charges daily rate
http://allafrica.com/stories/200303250698.html

car: 284 Congolese refugees demand repatriation

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33070

Some 284 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), camped on the grounds of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bangui are demanding that they be repatriated, the agency’s representative in the Central African Republic (CAR) told IRIN on Tuesday.

car: WFP receives US $1 million for the displaced

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33010

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has received US $1 million from multilateral donors to buy food for thousands of internally displaced people and vulnerable groups in the troubled Central African Republic (CAR), David Bulman, the WFP representative in the CAR, told IRIN on Saturday.

ivory coast: finding homes for idps

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33058

Thousands of people in Cote d'Ivoire have had to open their doors to friends and acquaintances displaced by an armed conflict that broke out in the West African country in September 2002. From one day to the next, they have had to provide accommodation, food and sometimes clothing to the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

LIBERIA: Humanitarian agencies worried over scarce resources

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33057

Continuing displacement of people from central Liberia due to fighting between government and rebels could quickly overburden the scarce resources of humanitarian agencies, the UN office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in New York on Tuesday.

liberia: Many in Ravaged Liberia Long for U.S. Aid

2003-03-27

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=515&ncid=723&e=5&u=/ap/20030325/ap_on_re_af/liberia_fighting

Clustered around radios, thousands of hungry Liberians in a refugee camp devour war news from Iraq, many hoping the world will turn its attention to their plight. A civil war in this West African nation with historic ties to the United States has killed thousands and uprooted nearly a third of the country's 3 million people with no end in sight.

Sierra Leone: Bringing Families Together

2003-03-27

http://www.theirc.org/childsoldiers/

A man looked at a video screen on a camcorder in shock and wonder. He started crying. "That's my daughter in there," he said. "I had no idea that she was still alive." After learning that the International Rescue Committee (IRC) was caring for her since her release by rebel forces in Sierra Leone, he begged her to come home. The IRC videotaped this plea to show his daughter, and eventually was able to reunite them.

southern africa: New Report on Trafficking of Women and Children

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303250752.html

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has launched a new report on the nature of the trade in women and children in southern Africa. The report points out that Southern Africa hosts a diverse range of human trafficking activities, from the global operations of Chinese triad groups, and Russian organized crime, to the local trade in persons across land borders perpetrated by local syndicates. The region's young women and children are especially vulnerable to the recruitment tactics of traffickers because civil unrest and economic deprivation leave them with few opportunities at home.

zambia: floods leave 10 000 homeless

2003-03-27

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L26306436.htm

Heavy rains have destroyed crops and swept away bridges and houses in a hunger-stricken part of Zambia leaving more than 10,000 people homeless, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

cameroon: tapping african oil

2003-03-27

http://www.transparency.org/cgi-bin/dcn-read.pl?citID=52156

After launching the ground invasion of Iraq, President Bush paused to have dinner Thursday with an unlikely guest, given the circumstances. Bush and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell met in the White House with the leader of Cameroon for a discussion of "common interests." Best known for poverty and corruption, Cameroon is among the nations being courted to support the war. But the country also figures prominently in a monumental new initiative to tap rich West African oil fields and reduce U.S. dependence on Middle Eastern oil, an aim that has taken on added urgency with the conflict in Iraq.

car: wanted - an honest government

2003-03-27

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=68&art_id=qw1048691340620B254&set_id=1

The new regime in Central African Republic has taken on the uphill task of finding upstanding politicians to take part in a consensus government to reassure a weary donor community.

kenya: MPs vote themselves multi-million dollar pay deal

2003-03-27

http://www.transparency.org/cgi-bin/dcn-read.pl?citID=52234

MPs have voted themselves 735.9m shillings (9.2m dollars) to buy sparkling new cars. Handsome car grants of 3.3m shillings (about 43,000 dollars) each - enough for top-of-the-range vehicles with all extras fitted - were recommended in the Cockar Report on MPs' pay and perks.

liberia: Corruption exists from top to bottom, says Bishop

2003-03-27

http://www.transparency.org/cgi-bin/dcn-read.pl?citID=52230

Roman Catholic Archbishop Michael Francis says the culture of corruption in society exists from the top to bottom - and that nobody cares enough to take corrective measures. He was speaking at the opening of a three-day workshop organized by the Liberia Watch for Human Rights at the YMCA in Monrovia.

south africa: Buthelezi lifts lid on corruption allegations

2003-03-27

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?a=11&o=17655

Home affairs minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi on Tuesday for the first time lifted the lid on allegations of irregular expenditure, totalling millions of rands, in a written reply to the portfolio committee on home affairs.

south africa: Department Demands Stiff Sentences for Arrested Former Civil Servants

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303270013.html

The Department of Social Development and the Public Service Monitor (PSAM) have expressed delight over the arrest by the Joint Anti-Corruption Unit of 19 people in Umtata, East London and Port Elizabeth. The department this morning called for "stiff" sentences for officials or former officials convicted of fraud and corruption.

south africa: Four years for Mr four-by-four

2003-03-27

http://www.transparency.org/cgi-bin/dcn-read.pl?citID=52146

Corruption in South Africa, gripe many locals, is as bad as in the rest of Africa. Poorly-paid policemen let offenders go in exchange for a few notes. Officials pocket pensions and other welfare payments they are supposed to pass on. Even the admired captain of the national cricket team, the late Hansie Cronje, was caught taking money from betting syndicates. Shady practice was long a problem during white rule, says President Thabo Mbeki, but he admits that it remains so today. In December, he promised to "fight graft and root out and defeat networks of corruption". This week, that promise gained some credibility. On March 19th, a court in Pretoria sentenced a senior politician to four years in jail. Tony Yengeni, who was until last year chief whip of the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), was found guilty of defrauding Parliament.

zimbabwe: More convicted at Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council

2003-03-27

http://www.transparency.org/cgi-bin/dcn-read.pl?citID=52235

The saga at the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) took another twist last week when two more employees of the beleaguered examinations body appeared before the Harare Magistrates court and were found guilty of contravening the Prevention of Corruption Act.

africa/global: no clear proof globalisation helps poor, says IMF

2003-03-27

http://www.forbes.com/newswire/2003/03/17/rtr909541.html

The International Monetary Fund sounded more like its critics on Monday when it admitted there is little evidence globalization is helping poor countries. The IMF, which has often been the target of violent anti-globalization protests, in a new study found economic integration may actually increase the risk of financial crisis in the developing world.

benin: US $460 Million in Debt Relief

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303260565.html

Benin has taken steps necessary to reach its completion point under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, making the country eligible for debt relief totalling US $460 million, the IMF and World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) reported on Tuesday.

namibia: Nepad Has Little to Offer Us, Says Namibian Think-Tank

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303260504.html

The Namibia Economic Policy Research Unit has become the latest economic think-tank to criticise the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad). In a report, the unit said the recovery plan had "little to offer Namibia". Namibia could benefit, however, from a "neighbourhood effect". If most countries in Africa were stable, peaceful places, trade within Africa would increase and more investment would be attracted. But the think-tank said it was unlikely that Nepad alone could do this.

tanzania: A Golden Example of Globalization - a mining company, the world bank and a president

2003-03-27

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=2&ItemID=3279

In the Shinyanga region of west central Tanzania, one of the poorest in the country, small-scale mining at Bulyanhulu once offered rural people an income about 6 times what they could make from farming. But in August of 1996, less than a year after President Benjamin W. Mkapa took office, that changed. According to eyewitness reports, affidavits, photographs, and even video by Tanzanian police, and in violation of an injunction from the High Court of Tanzania, eight entire settlements around the town of Kakola were razed, an estimated 200,000 miners or more were evicted from the mines, and in the process some 54 miners at Bulyanhulu were buried alive in mineshafts sealed by bulldozers. By July of 2001, the mine, now revamped as a huge high-tech operation, was officially opened with great fanfare by President Mkapa.

west africa: stiff challenges on Millennium Development Goals

2003-03-27

http://www.undp.org/dpa/index.html

Only about half the countries of West Africa are on track to reach targets set in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of halving rates of severe poverty and hunger by 2015, according to a recent regional forum in Dakar, Senegal, organized by the UNDP Regional Support Centre there.

africa/global: Cause for pause - why patients put off seeking TB treatment

2003-03-27

http://www.id21.org/health/h4pgf1g4.html

Why do people with a cough delay seeking tuberculosis (TB) care? Research involving the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the UNZA-School of Medicine found that poor perception of health services in Lusaka, Zambia, is a more important cause of delay than people's understanding of TB.

africa/global: Restrictions in TB control strategy leave the poorest untreated

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/hivaids/14041

Whilst the World Health Organisation-embraced strategy for controlling tuberculosis (TB) has been successful in treating and curing TB, its current format restricts the extension of this success to the poor: although TB treatment is free, diagnosis is not, and so the first gateway to treatment is often shut to the poorest. The restrictions, caused primarily by lack of funds, are outlined in a specially commissioned id21 report by Dr Bertie Squire of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, which points to the tasks ahead if the WHO target to halve TB deaths by 2010 is to be achieved.
World TB Day News Release: Restrictions in TB control strategy leave the poorest untreated

Whilst the World Health Organisation-embraced strategy for controlling tuberculosis (TB) has been successful in treating and curing TB, its current format restricts the extension of this success to the poor: although TB treatment is free, diagnosis is not, and so the first gateway to treatment is often shut to the poorest. The restrictions, caused primarily by lack of funds, are outlined in a specially commissioned id21 report by Dr Bertie Squire of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, which points to the tasks ahead if the WHO target to halve TB deaths by 2010 is to be achieved.

According to the WHO, more than 20,000 people develop active TB every day. Five thousand die. The vast majority of these people are in Africa and Asia, where the environmental conditions of poverty - overcrowding, inadequate ventilation and malnutrition - more readily aids the human-to-human transmission of TB infection. Yet it is precisely these countries which currently lack the finance and human resources to comprehensively tackle TB.

As Squire explains, DOTS (directly observed treatment, short course) is the internationally recognised and WHO-embraced strategy for controlling TB, which involves free delivery of short course treatment, and direct patient observation to ensure each prescribed dose is taken correctly. Yet whilst under the DOTS strategy TB medications are free, diagnosis is not. This severely hampers TB control within the world's poorest populations, amongst whom TB is most prevalent.

Restrictions in access to diagnosis are common in many TB programmes in poor countries which lack even the resources to adequately estimate the extent of local TB infection rates. Without such accurate estimates, 'most TB programmes do not know how many TB cases they should be diagnosing and treating each year', Squire writes. Simply put, 'too many cases amongst the poor remain uncounted'.

Squire, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Manager of a UK Department for International Development TB Knowledge Programme, argues that it is now vital to reduce financial barriers to TB diagnosis for the poor. Reducing such barriers requires sustained efforts from governments and donors on two fronts. The first front involves opening up access to diagnosis to the poor. The ultimate aim here should be to make the costly laboratory-based tests required for reliable diagnosis universally free, but advances could also be made in the development of cheaper, non-laboratory reliant diagnostic tools, as well as in maximising access points through public-private partnerships, for example. The second, equally important front, involves directing resources towards increasing national TB programmes' abilities to estimate the number of TB cases within their populations, through the development and strengthening of capacities in surveying and demographic analysis. Only if these two fronts are properly tackled, Squire concludes, can the potential within the DOTS strategy to cure TB be extended to the global poor.

Notes to Editors

Dr. Bertie Squire's article 'What the patient ordered - meeting the needs of TB patients' has been specially commissioned by id21 to mark World TB Day, March 24, 2003. Members of the press at can view an embargoed copy of the article at: http://www.id21.org/health/h4bs2g1.html Reproduction is welcomed and free - contact Sally Gainsbury s.gainsbury@ids.ac.uk <mailto:s.gainsbury@ids.ac.uk>, tel: + 44 (0) 1273 877305 or +44 (0) 7989 560637 to arrange.

For further information, and to arrange an interview with Dr. Squire, contact Sally Gainsbury, id21 Research Editor, on 44 (0) 1273 877305 or +44 (0) 7989 560637, or email s.gainsbury@ids.ac.uk

Dr Squire's article will front id21's special coverage of World TB Day on March 24, 2003. Visit http://www.id21.org/health from March 24th , or the links from http://www.id21.org/health/h4bs2g1.html now to view additional TB-research highlighted by id21.

Further information about the WHO's Stop TB campaign can be found at: http://www.stoptb.org/world.tb.day/default.asp The campaign also provides access to a TB imagine library at: http://stoptb.lpipserver.com/ and lists the following facts:

* 2003 marks the 10th anniversary of TB being declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO). This is the only such emergency ever declared by WHO, and it remains in effect today.
* According to WHO estimates, by March 2003, 10 million TB patients will have been treated with DOTS, a milestone that will be commemorated on WTBD in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the Global Emergency.
* Two million people die of TB every year, more than ever before in history. Yet TB is curable: DOTS, the internationally recommended treatment strategy, cures patients, saves lives and prevents disease transmission.
* Only 30% of people infected with TB currently receive DOTS treatment. Increased funding and political commitment is needed to accelerate DOTS expansion and case detection in order to reach global TB control targets by 2005.

Further information on the DFID TB Knowledge Programme 'Quality Assured TB Care for Poor People in Resource Constrained settings' managed by Dr. Squire at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine can be found at the programme website
http://www.liv.ac.uk/lstm/trop/trop8.3.htm

id21 is a fast-track research reporting service funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). id21's website http://www.id21.org provides instant access to a fully-searchable database of over 2000 reports on current social, economic, education and health research on developing and middle income countries. To subscribe to periodic email alerts on new research visit http://www.id21.org/id21-email/email.html

- ENDS -

More...

africa/global: What the patient ordered - meeting the needs of TB patients

2003-03-27

http://www.id21.org/health/h4bs2g1.html

There is a dangerous and persistent interplay between tuberculosis (TB) and poverty. TB infection is transmitted more readily in the environmental conditions of poverty: overcrowding, inadequate ventilation and malnutrition. Having TB makes poor people, their relatives and communities poorer still by preventing gainful employment and worsening their social relationships. Yet it is the poor who use proportionally more of their income in accessing treatment for TB than the less poor. This year's World TB Day theme is therefore welcome in emphasising the needs of TB patients, especially poor TB patients, in balance to the needs of TB services and their targets.

africa: Budget shortfalls in Global Fund costs lives

2003-03-27

http://www.health-e.org.za/view.php3?id=20030310

Between six and nine million people in developing countries currently urgently need anti-retroviral treatment while in reality only between 230 000 and 300 000 have access to these drugs, according to a report by HealthGAP, a US-based human rights group.

Africa: MSF concerned about attempts to weaken proposals for cheap drugs

2003-03-27

http://irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33098

The international NGO Medecines Sans Frontieres (MSF) expressed concern on Thursday that some EU member states are trying to water down proposals by the EC that would allow developing countries to buy essential drugs at prices far below the normal market rate. The EC proposed in October 2002 a price regulation scheme under which pharmaceutical companies would reduce their prices for essential medicines by at least 80 percent compared with the average prices in countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The reduction would enable developing countries - most of which are African - buy drugs at affordable prices to fight diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS, whose present cost is often prohibitive for them.

africa: TB Infects 1.6 million, Kills 600,000 Annually In Africa

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303210606.html

Tuberculosis (TB) infects 1.6 million people and kills 600,000 others in Africa every year, making the disease one of the most common preventable causes of death from a single infectious agent in the Region, according to a report issued on World TB Day by the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa.

CONGO: Ebola death toll rises

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33043

The number of deaths from the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the Republic of Congo has risen to 113, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on Monday. Since Ebola was confirmed early in 2003, 123 people in the Cuvette-Ouest region of northern Congo are known to have contracted the virus.

ETHIOPIA: New scheme aims to improve healthcare

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=32971

Abraham Feleke is the only surgeon at his 150-bed hospital south of Addis Ababa, a facility that caters for two million people. Situated some 300 km south of the capital Addis Ababa, Yirga Alem is seen as a flagship medical centre. But even there the facilities are appallingly inadequate. &#8220;I feel we are totally undervalued as a profession," says Abraham.

SOUTH AFRICA: AIDS activists shout down health minister

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/hivaids/14087

South African AIDS activists continued a civil disobedience campaign on Tuesday by shouting down Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang as she tried to address a conference. Blowing whistles, waving red "wanted" posters and shouting "Murderer" and "Manto go to jail", some 100 members of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) drowned out Tshabalala-Msimang as she tried to make herself heard at a public health conference in Cape Town.
SOUTH AFRICA: AIDS activists shout down health minister

JOHANNESBURG, 25 March (PLUSNEWS) - South African AIDS activists continued a civil disobedience campaign on Tuesday by shouting down Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang as she tried to address a conference.

Blowing whistles, waving red "wanted" posters and shouting "Murderer" and "Manto go to jail", some 100 members of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) drowned out Tshabalala-Msimang as she tried to make herself heard at a public health conference in Cape Town.

The protest was part of the lobby group's "Dying for Treatment" campaign, to urge the government to commit to a national HIV/AIDS treatment plan, including public funding for antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.

"We would prefer not to act in this way, but our government has left us no choice," TAC National Manager Nathan Geffen told PLusNews.

Tshabalala-Msimang was able to go on with her speech - flanked by police - only after TAC members read a statement accusing her of responsibility for AIDS-related deaths. "That is democracy in South Africa," she was reported as saying as she resumed her address.

Last week, TAC laid a charge of "culpable homicide" against Tshabalala-Msimang and Minister of Trade and Industry Alec Erwin over what it claimed were 600 AIDS-related deaths in the country every day.

The minister of health has frequently been at odds with the country's AIDS activists over the government's refusal to provide ARVs to all HIV-positive South Africans.

"Our patience with the government is exhausted after four years of lobbying, but we will continue this assault until the government commits itself to a treatment plan for all," Geffen said.

But the government still maintains that the "cost of antiretroviral drugs remains high and the cost of essential
tests to monitor those on therapy is also considerable."

According to a government statement on its HIV/AIDS policy, a joint technical team from the Department of Health and National Treasury was asked to look into the resource implications of various AIDS treatment options, including ARVs.

"The work of the team is nearing completion, and cabinet will be considering the findings," the statement added.


[ENDS]

IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 880-4633
Fax: +27 11 447-5472
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za

[This Item is Delivered to the "PlusNews" HIV/AIDS Service of the UN's IRIN
humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views
of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or
to change your keywords, contact e-mail: Plusnews@irinnews.org or Web:
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SOUTH AFRICA: One of the world''s worst TB epidemics

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/hivaids/14038

South Africa is facing one of the worst Tuberculosis (TB) epidemics in the world, with disease rates up to 60 times higher than currently experienced by the United States or Western Europe, the South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) has warned.
SOUTH AFRICA: One of the world''s worst TB epidemics

JOHANNESBURG, 21 March (PLUSNEWS) - South Africa is facing one of the worst Tuberculosis (TB) epidemics in the world, with disease rates up to 60 times higher than currently experienced by the United States or Western Europe, the South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) has warned.

In 2002, 377 out of 100,000 people were diagnosed with TB, according to South Africa's Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC estimates that up to 20 percent of TB patients are treatment interrupters, meaning that they start treatment but do not complete it. This increases the occurrence of Multidrug resistance TB, which is expensive to treat.

"The HIV/AIDS epidemic has accelerated the resurgence of TB, as the virus increases the chance of being infected with TB. Furthermore, TB accelerates the progression of HIV infection. Thirteen out of every 1,000 South Africans will be actively suffering from TB by 2004. Of these, 9 will also be HIV infected," SARCS said in a statement on Thursday.

The organisation implements community home based care projects nationally. Through the programme more than 1,200 volunteers provide care and support to around 5,000 people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases.

"A significant proportion of our clients are either TB patients or people living with HIV/AIDS [PLWAs]," Mike Tainton, national programme director for the Home Based Care Programme was quoted as saying.

"SARCS volunteers work with their clients - especially PLWAs - to prevent the spread of TB infection among them by providing them with the necessary information on the disease and by improving the environmental and general conditions in their homes. Once the volunteers suspect that their clients might have manifestations of TB, they refer them to the health service and if they are diagnosed with TB they monitor the adherence of the clients to the prescribed medicines and keep the health workers informed of the progress of the disease in their clients," Tainton said.

SARCS volunteers endeavour to improve the nutritional and economic status of their clients through encouraging them to grow vegetables on their doorstep and through participation in income generating projects. The Homes Based Care Programme provides guidance to the volunteers on how to avoid becoming infected with the disease by educating them on protective measures, the SARCS statement said.

For more details contact:
Tel: +27 21 4186640, Fax: +27 21 4186644
E-mail: info@redcross.org

[ENDS]

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Tel: +27 11 880-4633
Fax: +27 11 447-5472
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[This Item is Delivered to the "PlusNews" HIV/AIDS Service of the UN's IRIN
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of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or
to change your keywords, contact e-mail: Plusnews@irinnews.org or Web:
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south africa: Peaceful Protest by People dying of aids should be allowed

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/hivaids/14032

The South African government should not respond with violence to HIV/AIDS demonstrators seeking medical treatment, Human Rights Watch says. Police in Durban last week opened water cannons on some 70 peaceful demonstrators who were urging the government to provide antiretroviral treatment for persons living with HIV/AIDS. This attack took place on the eve of South Africa's Human Rights Day, established in memory of the victims of apartheid-era atrocities. The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has also condemned police action against protestors, reports IRIN news.
South Africa Should Allow Peaceful Protest by People "Dying for
Treatment"

(New York, March 21, 2003) -The South African government should not
respond with violence to HIV/AIDS demonstrators seeking medical
treatment, Human Rights Watch said today. Police in Durban yesterday
opened water cannons on some 70 peaceful demonstrators who were urging
the government to provide antiretroviral treatment for persons living
with HIV/AIDS. This attack took place on the eve of South Africa's Human
Rights Day, established in memory of the victims of apartheid-era
atrocities.

"There is no justification for violence on the part of the authorities
in the face of peaceful protest," said Joanne Csete, director of the
HIV/AIDS Program of Human Rights Watch. "The treatment movement's
methods have consistently been nonviolent, and the police response is
unfitting for a country committed to human rights."

The organization Treatment Access Campaign (TAC) is leading a series of
civil disobedience actions in a campaign called "Dying for Treatment"
that includes peaceful demonstrations near police stations. TAC's
strategy is to send a few protestors into police stations to bring
charges of manslaughter against key government officials who are alleged
to have impeded access to life-saving treatment for people with AIDS,
knowing that those who enter police stations to present these charges
are likely to be arrested. It was after the presentation of these
charges that police in Durban tried to disperse the demonstrators
outside the station and, when they refused to disperse, used water
cannons to clear the area. No arrests were reported in the Durban
incident.

South Africa is home to about 5 million persons with AIDS. The
government has repeatedly refused to provide antiretroviral treatment
through government health programs and had to be taken to court in 2002
to be forced to provide even the short course of antiretroviral
medicines that can reduce the risk of HIV transmission in childbirth,
routinely provided in countries much more resource-strapped than South
Africa. (See Human Rights Watch letter to President Thabo Mbeki on this
case http://www.hrw.org/press/2001/11/mbekiltr1120.htm)

"We urge the government not to compound its inaction in addressing the
HIV/AIDS crisis in the country by responding inappropriately to peaceful
protestors," said Csete. "People with AIDS have suffered enough-it's
time to work with them to avert death on a massive scale, not to treat
them like criminals."

For more information on South Africa, please see:
http://www.hrw.org/africa/southafrica.php

For more information on AIDS/HIV and human rights, please see:
http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/aids/index.php

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SOUTH AFRICA: AIDS activists condemn police action

JOHANNESBURG, 24 March (PLUSNEWS) - South Africa's Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) on Monday condemned the government's response to peaceful protestors demanding a national HIV/AIDS treatment plan.

Police responded to demonstrators in the port city of Durban on Thursday by using water cannons and teargas. "Some were also physically attacked," TAC national manager, Nathan Geffen, told PlusNews.

He said TAC was currently discussing legal action against the police responsible for the alleged assaults.

TAC launched its protest campaign last week called "Dying for Treatment" which included peaceful demonstrations near police stations to draw attention to the government's alleged failure to effectively tackle HIV/AIDS.

The plan involved sending a few protestors into police stations to bring charges of manslaughter against key South African ministers who are alleged to have impeded access to life-saving treatment for people with AIDS.

"It was after the presentation of these charges that police in Durban tried to disperse the demonstrators outside the station and, when they refused to disperse, used water cannons to clear the area. No arrests were reported in the Durban incident," Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement.

"South Africa is home to about five million people living with AIDS. The government has repeatedly refused to provide antiretroviral treatment through government health programmes and had to be taken to court in 2002 to be forced to provide even the short course of antiretroviral medicines that can reduce the risk of HIV transmission in childbirth, routinely provided in countries much more resource-strapped than South Africa," the rights group said.

"We urge the government not to compound its inaction in addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in the country by responding inappropriately to peaceful protestors," HIV/AIDS programme director for HRW, Joanne Csete, said in a statement. "People with AIDS have suffered enough - it's time to work with them to avert death on a massive scale, not to treat them like criminals."


[ENDS]

IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 880-4633
Fax: +27 11 447-5472
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za

[This Item is Delivered to the "PlusNews" HIV/AIDS Service of the UN's IRIN
humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views
of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or
to change your keywords, contact e-mail: Plusnews@irinnews.org or Web:
http://www.irinnews.org/aidsfp.asp . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post
this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Reposting by commercial
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More...

south africa: tac files manslaughter charges against ministers

2003-03-27

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=16729

Members of the HIV/AIDS treatment advocacy group Treatment Action Campaign in Sharpeville, South Africa, have filed charges of manslaughter against the country's Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and Trade Minister Alec Erwin over not providing "adequate treatment for people with HIV," the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports.

south africa: treat the people or face action

Statement for the South African Minister of Health, Mantombazana Edmie Tshabalala-Msimang or Her Representative

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/hivaids/14070

We are angry. According to Government's sources over 600 people will die of AIDS everyday on average this year. We stand here today to say to you that you have wilfully and negligently failed to implement the necessary interventions, including antiretroviral treatment, that would prevent many of these deaths. Also available by clicking on the link below are excerpts from an indictment by the TAC against two government ministers for culpable homicide, for their repeated refusal to act to provide such treatment.
TO BE READ OUT AT HST MEETING

Message for the South African Minister of Health, Mantombazana Edmie Tshabalala-Msimang or Her Representative

We are angry. According to Government's sources over 600 people will die of AIDS everyday on average this year. We stand here today to say to you that you have wilfully and negligently failed to implement the necessary interventions, including antiretroviral treatment, that would prevent many of these deaths. Nevertheless, we also stand here today to say that we will always be available to work with government, health-care workers and all of South African society for a better public health-care system.

For many years doctors, nurses, researchers, people with HIV/AIDS, churches, unions, businesses, provincial ANC congresses, the South African Communist Party, the SANAC Youth Sector and organisations such as the Treatment Action Campaign have been trying to convince you to adopt and implement an HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention plan. We have been model citizens in this regard, using negotiations, demonstrations, the media, the courts, the Human Rights Commission, NEDLAC and numerous other democratic means to convince you to do the right thing.

Instead of embracing the dozens of opportunities we have given you to work together with civil society to treat our people and reduce new infections, your response has been to resort to pseudo-science, thereby showing disrespect for people with HIV, women, the poor and black people. You have consorted (and continue to consort) with HIV denialists and have never once on record stated without condition that you believe that HIV causes AIDS, though you have claimed it is a premiss, not a fact, of government policy. You have caused public confusion over the efficacy of antiretrovirals and it took a court case to get your department to implement mother-to-child transmission prevention. Instead of seizing the opportunity to implement this programme without condition, you offered succour to a corrupt MEC for Health, Ms. Sibongile Manana, who has failed to implement the programme. To this date, you have not issued a single national circular to all health-care workers and Provincial Departments informing them properly of their Constitutional obligations. You have also failed to inform every pregnant woman who uses the public health care sector of your plans to reduce the risk of HIV infection to their children.

Instead of leading government to adopt the NEDLAC framework agreement on a treatment and prevention plan, you undermined and misrepresented it. You did not have time in the last few months to ensure that whatever concerns you have about the agreement were addressed, but you had time to seek publicity in Iraq and to consort with the charlatan, Roberto Girraldo. Nor have you ever taken the time to visit antiretroviral treatment projects in Khayelitsha or Gugulethu.

We have heard a number of excuses from you as to why antiretroviral therapy should not be implemented. You have cited toxicity. You have said prevention rather than treatment. You have cited the cost. Now that all these excuses have been shown to be false, you misuse the need and hunger of our people by chanting nutrition rather than treatment as if the two are mutually exclusive.

In the Sunday newspapers government talks about its desire to work with partners. Government also acknowleges the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy and says it will consider proposals from a joint health and finance committee that has costed a number of interventions, including antiretroviral treatment. But we have heard promises on antiretroviral
therapy from government for nearly a year since the 17 April Cabinet Statement. In effect, you have wasted money by advertising a wish list described as a plan.We are aware that the costing study is complete. We can only hope, that unlike the MRC report and the HST/DOH Scientists report on antiretroviral therapy, you will not attempt to censor this report.

Almost no progress has been made on the implementation of treatment programmes since we jointly won the court case against the drug companies on 18 April 2001 or since the 17 April Cabinet Statement of 2002. All efforts to reduce medicine prices have come from civil society, not government. You have ignored the desperation of the doctors, nurses and patients in the public health care system. We are tired of promises. We must see a plan and its reasonable implementation. Millions of lives depend on it. However, we also no longer believe that you have the will or competence to manage the HIV epidemic or the public health care sector appropriately. Inequity and quality of service in the public health care sector have worsened since you took over from your predecessor who made a valiant effort to transform the health care service. You have deceived, misrepresented, delayed and denied for too long. We hope you will prove us wrong by making an unequivocal and irreversible committment to antiretroviral therapy and by signing the NEDLAC agreement. If you fail to do this, we will take legal action and continue our civil disobedience to ensure that the public health care sector succeeds in spite of you.

[ENDS]

AFRICA ACTION
Africa Policy E-Journal
March 24, 2003 (030324)

South Africa: AIDS Treatment Action
(Reposted from sources cited below)

This posting contains an announcement of a civil disobedience
campaign by the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa,
demanding that the South African government provide antiretroviral
treatment for people living with AIDS who need this treatment to
survive. It also contains excerpts from an indictment by the TAC
against two government ministers for culpable homicide, for their
repeated refusal to act to provide such treatment. (The full text
of the indictment, too long to include here, will be available
later today in the on-line archive of this posting at
http://www.africaaction.org/docs03/tac0303.htm) The campaign was
timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre
on March 21, 1960, The March 21 anniversary is recognized
internationally as the International Day for the Elimination of
Racism.

According to news reports, TAC protesters were arrested in Cape
Town and dispersed by police with water cannons in Durban,
Demonstrations were also held in Sharpeville, The protests continue
this week.

For additional background on this latest action see the website of
the Treatment Action Campaign (http://www.tac.org.za) and the
international solidarity page of the Healthgap website
(http://www.healthgap.org/camp/tac.html). For more background on
treatment access, see http://www.africaaction.org/action/access.htm

Editor's note: Africa Action continues engaged with other U.S.
groups and individuals in speaking out against the unilateral and
illegal U.S. invasion of Iraq. For an earlier statement of Africa
Action's position, see
http://www.africaaction.org/docs03/war0303a.htm
For current coverage of Africa and the war, we recommend
http://allafrica.com and BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk).

Among the invisible "collateral damage" from the war is lessened
public attention to other continuing threats to human security. The
Africa Policy E-Journal will continue to highlight a range of
critical issues, such as the action campaign covered in this
posting.

+++++++++++++++++end summary/introduction+++++++++++++++++++++++

Treatment Action Campaign

TAC Civil Disobedience Campaign - 20 March 2003

Statement on civil disobedience campaign, which begins today

Docket of charges of culpable homicide against Mantombazana Edmie
Tshabalala-Msimang and Alexander Erwin handed over to police

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE CAMPAIGN BEGINS TODAY

Tomorrow is Human Rights Day. On 21 March 1960, thousands of black
African people in South Africa left their passes at home. They
marched peacefully to police stations where they handed themselves
over for arrest. Our parents and ancestors chose to go to jail
rather than to obey unjust laws or to allow an immoral and
illegitimate regime to continue take away their dignity and
equality. Mandela, Sisulu, Mbeki, Sobukwe, Ngoyi, First, Slovo,
Kathrada and many thousands more sacrificed for democracy, equality
and justice.

Today, we have a democratic and legitimate government of the
people. Yet, today we are once again breaking the law. We accept
our Constitution. We voted for this government, we accept its
legitimacy and its laws.

But we cannot accept its unjust policy on HIV/AIDS that is causing
the deaths of more than 600 people every day. Today we break the
law to end an unjust policy not an unjust government. For four
years, we have done everything in our power to persuade government
to change this policy: we have provided information and given
evidence, campaigned successfully to lower the price of drugs such
as Fluconazole as well as anti-retrovirals. Eleven months ago, the
Cabinet tantalized people with AIDS by recognizing that
anti-retroviral drugs do "improve the condition of people with
AIDS". But the policy of non-provision of these medicines has not
changed.

So today, in Durban, Cape Town and Sharpeville 600 TAC volunteers,
many of them people living with HIV, are marching to police
stations to lay charges of culpable homicide against the Ministers
of Health and Trade and Industry. They are acting on behalf of
people who have died or who are dying because government policy
denied them the medicine needed to treat their HIV infection.

We demand a real partnership that prevents new infections and saves
lives.

We demand that the government immediately announce an
antiretroviral treatment programme in the public sector and that it
signs the NEDLAC treatment and prevention plan.

[ENDS]

PEOPLE'S DOCKET

[excerpts only: for full text see
]http://www.africaaction.org/docs03/tac0303.htm]

...

THE CHARGE

THE PEOPLE versus MANTOMBAZANA EDMIE TSHABALALA-MSIMANG alias
"MANTO", MINISTER OF HEALTH (RSA) and ALEXANDER ERWIN alias "ALEC",
MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY (RSA). Hereinafter respectively
referred to as Accused No. 1 and Accused No. 2.

Both accused are charged with the crime of culpable homicide in
that during the period 21 March 2000 to 21 March 2003 in all health
care districts of the Republic of South Africa, both accused
unlawfully and negligently caused the death of men, women and
children. They also breached their constitutional duty to respect,
protect, promote and fulfill the right to life and dignity of these
people.

1. Both accused Ministers knew that failure to provide adequate
treatment including anti-retroviral therapy for people living with
HIV/AIDS would lead to their premature, predictable and avoidable
deaths.

2. In their capacities as Ministers in the government of South
Africa, both accused had the legal duty and power to prevent 70% of
AIDS-related deaths during this period through developing a
treatment and prevention plan, providing medicines and using their
legal powers to reduce the prices of essential medicines for
HIV/AIDS including anti-retroviral therapy.

3. Both accused Ministers had in their possession scientific,
medical, epidemiological, legal, social and economic evidence of
the devastation of potential and actual AIDS deaths on individuals
and communities. They not only ignored this evidence but suppressed
it.

4. Both accused Ministers consciously ignored the efforts of
scientists, doctors, nurses, trade unionists, people living with
HIV/AIDS, international agencies, civil society organisations,
communities and faith leaders to develop a treatment and prevention
plan, to make anti-retroviral therapy available and to ensure that
medicine prices in the public and private sector were reduced to
save lives.

5. Both accused Ministers were under a legal duty, by virtue of
their public office and the provisions of the Constitution of the
Republic of South Africa, to provide access to health care services
by reducing the price of essential medicines for HIV/AIDS including
anti-retroviral therapy, and by providing them through the public
health sector. They remain under this legal duty.

6. Both accused Ministers negligently failed to carry out their
legal duties. ...

7. During the period 21 March 2000 and 21 March 2003, this failure
caused the death of between 250 and 600 people every day as a
direct result of premature, avoidable and predictable AIDS-related
illnesses.

...

SUMMARY OF SUBSTANTIAL FACTS

1. During the period 21 March 2000 to 21 March 2003, many people
throughout the Republic of South Africa died from AIDS or diseases
caused by AIDS.

a. Information on the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDS related
deaths each year has been available to both Accused Ministers
throughout their terms in office.

b. It is estimated that at least 600 people in South Africa die
from AIDS-related illnesses each day.

c. In the past 12 years, the HIV sero-prevalence among first time
antenatal clinic attenders, as indicated by the Minister of
Health's own Department's Annual Antenatal Clinic surveys has risen
from 0.76% in 1990 to 10.44% in 1995 to 28.4% in 2001. Based on
these surveys, it is estimated that there are currently 5 million
South Africans infected with HIV. ...

d. In the Department of Health's Second Interim Report on
Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in South Africa (1999),
non-pregnancy related sepsis mainly caused by AIDS was recorded as
the leading cause of maternal deaths. In the Report, 35.5 percent
of women whose deaths were reported were tested for HIV and 68
percent of these were HIV positive. The Report noted that HIV is
significantly under-diagnosed.

e. A study by the Medical Research Council, estimated that about 40
percent of adult deaths aged 15-49 that occurred in 2000 were due
to HIV/AIDS and that, if combined with the deaths in childhood, it
was estimated that AIDS accounted for about 25 percent of all
deaths in 2000 and was the single biggest cause of death. ...The
Minister of Health was directly involved in attempts to suppress
this report.

...

2. Many of these people would not have died if they had access to
anti-retrovirals

a. HIV/AIDS is a progressive disease of the immune system that is
caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

b. When left untreated HIV profoundly depletes the immune system
and may prove fatal because of the inability of the body to fight
opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and
meningitis.

c. The scientific evidence indicates that without effective
treatment, the majority of people with HIV/AIDS die prematurely of
illnesses that further destroy their immune systems, quality of
life and dignity.

d. Early diagnosis, clinical management, medical treatment of
opportunistic infections and the appropriate use of anti-retroviral
therapy prolongs and improves the quality of life of people living
with HIV/AIDS.

e. Anti-retroviral drugs are a class of drugs that suppress viral
load activity and replication. When used effectively they reduce
the volumes of HIV to undetectable levels in the blood. This leads
to immune reconstitution. It also prevents and delays the
destruction of a person's normal immune system.

f. In its HIV/AIDS Policy Guideline, entitled Prevention and
Treatment of Opportunistic and HIV-related diseases in Adults
(August 2000), the Department of Health (which operates under the
direction of The Minister of Health) has recognised the efficacy of
anti-retroviral treatment, stating as follows: "Current research
also strongly indicates that suppressing HIV viral activity and
replication with anti-retroviral therapy or Highly Active
Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) combinations prolongs life and
prevents opportunistic infections". ,,,

h. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has included
anti-retrovirals on the Core List of its Model List of Essential
Drugs (12th edition, April 2002). The Minister of Health is aware
of the inclusion of anti-retroviral medication in the World Health
Organisation's Essential Drugs List.

i. With access to anti-retrovirals people with HIV/AIDS are able to
lead longer and healthier lives and it directly results in an
improved quality of life and the restoration of dignity, allowing
people with HIV/AIDS who were previously ill to resume ordinary
everyday activities, such as work.

j. A comprehensive plan to treat people living with HIV/AIDS as
advocated by civil society organisations, faith based
organisations, scientists, health care workers, trade unionists,
activists and communities over the past four years, would have
reduced the number of people dying of AIDS related illnesses and
would have mitigated the horrendous impact of AIDS on people in
South Africa.

3. Both Accused were aware of need to make anti-retrovirals
available to prevent these deaths.

a. The Minister of Health has had direct knowledge of the serious
impact of HIV/AIDS and the need for care and treatment of people
living with HIV/AIDS, before she took up her position as Health
Minister. As early as 1994 The Minister of Health was a key drafter
or the NACOSA National AIDS Plan for South Africa 1994 - 1995. ,,,

b. The Minister of Health and the Minister of Trade and Industry
were aware of the Joint Statement issued by the then Minister of
Health, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Treatment Action Campaign,
which confirmed that all treatment for HIV/AIDS and all related
medical conditions is a basic human right (30 April 1999). ...

c. The Minister of Health has herself confirmed that "access to
affordable drugs is a matter of life and death in our region"
(World AIDS Day speech, 1 December 2000). ...

d. In its Cabinet statement of 17 April 2002, Cabinet, and the
Accused as members of the Cabinet, recognised that anti-retrovirals
can improve the conditions of people with HIV "if administered at
certain stages ... in the progression of the condition, in
accordance with international standards."

e. After taking up office, The Minister of Health and the Minister
of Trade and Industry have consistently been reminded of the need
to improve access to treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS
since 1999 (e.g. Speech by Edwin Cameron at the 2nd National
Conference for People Living with HIV/AIDS on 8 March 2000, in the
presence of the Minister of Health; ...).

4. Both Accused had the legal duty to protect health and prevent
deaths.

a. Our Bill of Rights mandates the state to "respect, protect,
promote and fulfil" all rights including the rights to health, life
and dignity.

b. The state is obliged to create an enabling framework by putting
in place laws and regulations so that individuals will be able to
realise their rights free from interference.

c. The state may be obliged to provide "positive assistance, or a
benefit or a service, creating the conditions in which the rights
can be realised by the individual". This extends to the direct
provision of basic resources or devices where a failure to do so
would result in a denial of the realisation of rights.

d. At minimum, the state is required to take reasonable steps
towards creating the legal framework necessary for accessing
affordable treatments for HIV/AIDS. The right of access to health
care services, as entrenched in section 27 of the Constitution,
therefore places a positive obligation upon the state to take all
reasonable measures to ensure that anti-retrovirals are made
affordable.

e. This interpretation of section 27 is strengthened by the
recently issued document entitled "Revised Guideline 6: Access to
prevention, treatment, care and support", which updates the
International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, jointly
issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commission for
Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Joint United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). ...

f. Adding to these specific international human rights instruments,
all Member States of the United Nations adopted a Declaration of
Commitment on HIV/AIDS in June 2001 which pledged to scale up the
response to HIV/AIDS within a human rights framework. ...

5. Both Accused had knowledge of the legal and other powers
available to them to increase access to anti-retrovirals but did
not act positively where there was a legal duty to do so.

a. The Minister of Health and the Minister of Trade and Industry
have been aware of the different patents existing on HIV/AIDS
medicines since the end of 1999, if not earlier. Both Accused were
further aware of the remedies available to them in terms of the
Patents Act and other legislation to facilitate access.

b. There have been repeated requests that the Minister of Trade and
Industry issue compulsory licences for anti-retroviral treatment
(e.g. Memorandum from TAC to Department of Trade and Industry dated
14 February 2001 and Meeting between Department of Trade and
Industry and TAC on 23 February 2001). These requests came amidst
independent statements by generic pharmaceutical companies on the
availability of generic anti-retroviral and other HIV medications.

...

d. The Minister of Trade and Industry has been aware of the
capacity existing within South Africa for the manufacture of
generic anti-retroviral and other medication (e.g. letter by
Department of Trade and Industry dated 25 September 2002). ...

f. The Minister of Health and the Minister of Trade and Industry
have acknowledged the importance of the Medicines and Related
Substances Amendment Act, in particular section 15C on parallel
importation to ensure that the prices of medicines are reduced
(e.g. Meeting between Department of Trade and Industry and TAC on
23 February 2001).

g. In a meeting with Minister Tshabalala-Msimang, as the new
Minister of Health, on 29 September 1999, it was clear that the
Minister of Health was aware of the possibility to issue compulsory
licences or use parallel importation as mechanisms to increase
access to medication, including medication to treat people living
with HIV/AIDS. Instead she declined to use these provisions pending
the resolution of the court case by the Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers' Association against the South African government's
Medicines and related Substances Control Amendment Act. ...

6. Accused did not reasonably make use of these powers, causing
more harm than benefit in the process.

a. The Minister of Health and the Minister of Trade and Industry
have repeatedly delayed the implementation of the Medicines and
Related Substances and Control Amendment Act and its Regulations.

b. The Minister of Health and the Minister of Trade and Industry
are aware of the measures implemented in other countries like
Brazil to increase access to essential medicines, including
anti-retrovirals, but has denied offers by such countries to
transfer technology and provide other assistance.

7. Accused directed their will towards ensuring government policy
is the non provision of anti-retrovirals. Accused knew and foresaw
that this would cause the deaths of many people but remained
undeterred by this probability.

...


c. The Minister of Health has repeatedly omitted to implement
measures aimed at increasing access to anti-retroviral medication.

d. The Minister of Health ignored the recommendations of the
National Health Summit which was convened by the Department of
Health in 2001, and which recommended the implementation of pilot
sites where anti-retrovirals would be provided.

e. The Minister of Health has suppressed a report from a conference
of scientists convened by the Department of Health and the Health
Systems Trust on 13-14 August 2002. This report recommended the
establishment of anti-retroviral pilot treatment programmes in the
public sector. ,,,

g. In the latest obstruction, the Minister of Health ignored the
attempts to reach a negotiated NEDLAC Framework Agreement for a
National Prevention and Treatment Plan, firstly holding back all
sections of the original draft that refer to the use of
anti-retroviral medicines and then denying the existence of the
NEDLAC process.

h. The Minister of Health has further deliberately ignored
wide-scale civil society attempts to engage her amicably on the
issue of treatment provision for people living with HIV/AIDS.

...

************************************************************
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Lack of clean water in households causes millions of children in the developing world to suffer needlessly from disease, UNICEF says, adding that millions of girls are deterred from getting an education because of a dearth of sanitation facilities in schools. UNICEF said that a lack of access to clean water causes waterborne illnesses that kill more than 1.6 million young children each year.

Africa: Feeding the world's children

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Almost one third of children in less-developed countries have malnutrition. A report published by the United Nations Children's Fund reveals new differences in prevalence rates of malnutrition, with almost half of all children in south Asia being malnourished, compared with less than one third in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, food production and availability per head are about the same in sub-Saharan Africa, illustrating the weakness of the argument that malnutrition is caused by lack of food alone.

ghana: Plans to Eliminate Child Trafficking

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The government through the Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment has signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) to eliminate child labour and child trafficking in the country.

ivory coast: Situation of Children in the Northeastern Worries Unicef

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kenya: education benefits all

2003-03-27

http://tinyurl.com/89fa

The Kenyan government has devoted the largest share of its budget to expanding education since independence. So are the large amounts of resources invested in education by government and parents justified by the returns yielded to the individual and society? The authors claim that studies to date have so far been inconclusive.

kenya: the cost of free education

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/education/14084

"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." This is the new slogan which the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) government has adopted in order to popularise its ambitious free primary education programme (FPE) policy. The free and compulsory primary education for Kenyan children, which was one of the key pre-election promises which brought NARC to power in December 2002, has proved not only to be expensive, but also difficult to implement.
U N I T E D N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN)

KENYA: Feature - Cost of free education

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]


NAIROBI, 25 March (IRIN) - "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." This is the new slogan which the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) government has adopted in order to popularise its ambitious free primary education programme (FPE) policy.

The free and compulsory primary education for Kenyan children, which was one of the key pre-election promises which brought NARC to power in December 2002, has proved not only to be expensive, but also difficult to implement.

Some of the challenges facing the FPE programme, which began in January this year, include a severe shortage of classrooms, teachers and facilities. An unexpected 1.5 million children who were previously out-of-school, turned up to attend classes in response to the government's call, bringing a new crisis to the education sector.

In many schools, the classroom sizes, especially in the lower classes, have risen from an average of 40 pupils to 120. The number of children enrolled in primary schools is expected to further increase to over 7.5 million, from the current 5.9 million, by the end of this year, according to the education ministry.

According to a new report released by a task force set up in January to look into measures needed to facilitate the smooth implementation of the programme, it will take at least US $97.1 million for the smooth implementation of the free education policy - and that is only up to June this year. It will take another $ 137.7 million to see the programme through the 2003-2004 fiscal year period.

The task force report, launched this week at a Kenyan education stakeholders forum, contains comprehensive short, medium and long term strategies that must be undertaken by all stakeholders for the successful implementation of the FPE programme.

NEGLECTED CHILDREN

The report further spelled out some of the non financial challenges that the FPE programme must face if it is to be successful. It stressed the need for paying special attention to the needs of children under particularly difficult circumstances, due to poverty, neglect and abuse, such as street children.

Kenya has at least 135,000 street children, according to a report issued in 2001 by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). At least a million children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

Most of these children have been neglected and discriminated against and need rehabilitation - which is not only a slow process but also a "painful and expensive" one - before they can be absorbed into the formal primary school system, the report noted.

"The whole process of rehabilitation, reintegration, and placement into schools needs a multi-sectoral approach, which calls for collaboration between the government, the community, affected children, parents and key stakeholders in service delivery," the report said.

Eddah Gachukia, the taskforce chairwoman, told the forum that her team had also collected essential data on the education system countrywide. She said previously-collected data had been distorted to justify the unfair allocation of resources to certain politically-well connected regions, at the expense of others.

"We want Kenyans to be seen to be promoters of justice in education," Gachukia told the forum. "We need to accommodate all the children including all those with special needs. There should be no exclusion in this period of inclusion."

Critics have blamed the government for rushing its decision to implement the FPE policy before considering the financial and logistical challenges that are involved. The government has however stated it is determined to work towards the success of free primary education and has appealed to donors and the private sector to support the programme.

Speaking at the forum, Education Minister George Saitoti said he had no illusions about the challenges lying ahead and said the success of the free education programme depended heavily on the government's ability to mobilise resources and efficiently manage those resources.

PRIVATE SECTOR

There has been some support from the private sector. According to Phillip Okundi, who heads a committee appointed to mobilise support from the private sector, several companies have already contributed funds.

The funds will be used to buy satellite radio receivers to aid informal education in the remote arid areas of northerneastern Kenya, where many children from pastoralist families are unable to attend formal classes and education has been designed to fit into the pastoralist way of life.

The private sector is to establish a board of trustees which will regulate and supervise private sector contribution to the fund aimed at supplementing the government, Okundi said.

"We think it's important to support free education, because an educated society has the ability to thrive and develop a higher purchasing power," Okundi told the forum. "We also support it because it is part of the private sector's social responsibility."



[ENDS]

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2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303210331.html

About 141,000 children, aged between five months and five years, and 71,000 pregnant women in 22 Mozambican districts seriously affected by drought, are being supplied with soya as a food supplement, aiming to reduce levels of malnutrition.

south africa: teachers want guns for protection

2003-03-27

http://www.teacher.co.za/cms/article_2003_02_14_3443.html

Terrifying incidents at schools around the country has resulted in a call for staff to be allowed to carry guns at school. A recent incident that has highlighted the vulnerability of educators involves school principal Lucy Lushaba (47) who was shot dead over the festive season.

SWAZILAND: Police take action on child abuse

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/education/14086

In a bid to better combat child abuse, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has provided the Swazi police with closed-circuit television systems to record witness testimonies to help in abuse cases. The 31 closed-circuit systems and video recorders donated by UNICEF last week were expected to help the police build solid evidence for court cases, and could serve as a deterrent against abuse.
SWAZILAND: Police take action on child abuse

MBABANE, 25 March (PLUSNEWS) - In a bid to better combat child abuse, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has provided the Swazi police with closed-circuit television systems to record witness testimonies to help in abuse cases.

The 31 closed-circuit systems and video recorders donated by UNICEF last week were expected to help the police build solid evidence for court cases, and could serve as a deterrent against abuse.

"Because child abuse as a crime is a relatively new phenomenon, at least in the awareness of Swazis, the police have had to learn to conduct investigations that result in evidence that can stand up in court," said Angus MacLeod, a fund raiser for the NGO, the Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA).

"Swaziland has no rampant child abuse problem, but the awareness of these crimes has deeply shocked this conservative country, and press attention has made it seem like an epidemic. Contextually, however, it is a matter of recognising a problem for the first time, and coming to grips with it," he told IRIN.

Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini accepted the UNICEF-donated equipment at a ceremony attended by Police Commissioner Edgar Hillary, hundreds of police officers and the entire current class of police recruits, the first group of incoming law enforcers to be indoctrinated from the start on the seriousness of child abuse crimes.

"This is a nation that cares for its children, particularly in light of multiple challenges like poverty, drought and HIV/AIDS," Dlamini said.

"Government is convinced that the greater empowerment of women and children ... especially in relation to sexual abuse is the key to more progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS," he added.

Such a statement on gender empowerment has been seen by women's groups as a step forward in a nation where a conservative leadership has consigned women to legal minority status in the name of tradition.

"We hope we are laying important foundation stones for ensuring protection and justice for the children of Swaziland," UNICEF country director Alan Brody said as he donated the equipment.

Brody explained in an interview with IRIN that when UNICEF made a decision three years ago to concentrate its efforts on the fight against HIV and AIDS in Swaziland, the group did not have plans to buy equipment for police stations, or to be heavily involved in what was to become a nationwide campaign against sexual abuse and the exploitation of children.

"The tide of the HIV and AIDS epidemic has greatly sharpened concerns about sexual abuse," he said.

A SWAGAA study in 2000 into child sex abuse helped raise national awareness. However, it has taken time for the police, and wider Swazi society, to take child abuse crimes seriously.

A woman who sought to lay charges against a boyfriend who raped her 11-year-old daughter told IRIN last year: "I went to the police, but they took it as a not serious thing. It wasn't until I came back with a counsellor from SWAGAA that an officer took my statement."

Brody said that he hoped "the infrastructure that is being put in place to arrest and capture perpetrators of crimes against children will send a message that this is unacceptable behaviour, and it will act as a deterrent."

A recent UNICEF report echoes the emphasis on deterrence. "It is recognised that formal police and law enforcement institutions and mechanisms that mete out sanctions to offenders work to best effect when they are part of a larger system of socialisation, control and education. The occasional public cases, prosecutions, convictions and imprisonments serve as examples of what awaits those who refuse to heed the many warnings provided by society," it said.

SWAGAA statistics show a 50 percent rise in reported cases of child abuse in each of the past three years, but the NGO has cautioned that this does not reflect an explosion in this type of crime.

"It is a matter of better reporting. People are becoming aware of child abuse, which used to be ignored. There are now places to go for counselling, and the police are getting involved," abuse counsellor Sindile Mcanyana told IRIN.



[ENDS]

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Zimbabwe: Poverty and neglect in informal settlements

2003-03-27

http://www.africapulse.org/index.php?action=viewarticle&articleid=1101

Porta Farm, a 30-minute drive from the Harare city centre, is home to among some of Zimbabwe's poorest and most vulnerable citizens. It was meant to have been a temporary settlement, to accommodate the homeless cleared out of the capital by the image-conscious authorities when Queen Elizabeth II visited Harare to open the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting in 1991.

africa/global: COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS TAKES UP DISCUSSION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

2003-03-27

http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/94EE108BF17C3989C1256CF4002D788E?opendocument

The Commission on Human Rights began on March 24 its annual discussion of racism and racial discrimination, hearing a number of requests from national delegations for more vigorous efforts to implement the Declaration and Programme of Action of the Durban World Conference against Racism and Racial Discrimination.

africa/global: racism still a 'serious problem', says annan

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/racism/14033

Racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance are still extremely serious problems, said UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which was observed on 21 March. "Indeed, discrimination is deeply embedded in the economic, social and political structures of many societies, and has been among the root causes of a number of violent conflicts. Members of particular racial or ethnic groups continue to be more likely to be poor and to have less access to adequate health services and education than dominant groups. The persistence of old patterns of racism condemns many people to a life of marginalization and humiliation. And in the last decade, new manifestations of hatred have emerged," said Annan.
Following is the message of Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan on the
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is
observed 21 March:

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
commemorates the victims of the Sharpeville massacre on 21 March 1960, in
which 69 peaceful demonstrators against apartheid were killed by South
African police forces. That tragedy marked an important watershed in the
fight against racism, but the fight is not yet won.

More than 40 years later, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance are still extremely serious problems. Indeed, discrimination is
deeply embedded in the economic, social and political structures of many
societies, and has been among the root causes of a number of violent
conflicts. Members of particular racial or ethnic groups continue to be
more likely to be poor and to have less access to adequate health services
and education than dominant groups. The persistence of old patterns of
racism condemns many people to a life of marginalization and humiliation.
And in the last decade, new manifestations of hatred have emerged.

The United Nations remains at the heart of efforts to address the plight of
migrants, minorities, indigenous peoples, people of African descent and
other victims. Such efforts pay particular attention to education, in order
to inculcate the values of equality, tolerance, diversity and respect for
human rights in all members of society. For this process to be successful,
however, both governments and civil society need to take ownership of it.
Governments should provide clear policy direction by adopting broad
national action plans against racism. This should be complemented by the
efforts of civil society to build inclusive societies, in which diversity
is seen as an asset and not a threat.

On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, let
us honour all past and present victims by intensifying our efforts to build
a future free of this scourge -- and a world in which equality is a reality
for all.

* *** *

United Nations Press release

More...

south africa: In South Africa, a 'sign' of the battle against racism

2003-03-27

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0326/p08s01-woaf.html

Entering the Heavenly Touch Hair Studio is like taking a step back in time. Red plastic swivel chairs sit on a checkerboard of retro black-and-white linoleum. But amid the faded posters advertising hair straighteners and dye there is a decidedly modern South African touch. A small, black and orange sign warns visitors that here at Heavenly Touch, certain behaviour just won't be allowed. "Right of admission reserved," it reads. "No racists allowed." Over the past year, the "no-racists" signs have been showing up in business windows around this notoriously conservative town.

africa/global: civil society walk out at water forum

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/environment/14039

An impromptu walkout during the launch of the Camdessus report in the World Panel on Financing Water Infrastructure session sparked controversy as civil society sharply criticized the World Water Council's positions ranging from infrastructure and dam development to the privatization and pricing policies being pushed at the World Water Forum. The defiant act demonstrated critical opposition to the corporate influence.
Civil Society's Response

to the World Water Forum



News Release March
21, 2003



Civil Society Delegations Break

from World Water Council Consensus



NGOs, Unions Reject Corporate Agenda,

Criticize Camdessus Report, and Offer Alternatives


Kyoto, JAPAN - An impromptu walkout during the launch of the Camdessus
report in the World Panel on Financing Water Infrastructure session today
sparked controversy as civil society sharply criticized the World Water
Council's positions ranging from infrastructure and dam development to the
privatization and pricing policies being pushed at the World Water Forum.

The defiant act demonstrated critical opposition to the corporate influence
of the forum as the finale approaches. The ongoing protests reached a
climax this morning as representatives from hundreds of NGOs and unions
around the world demanded that the World Water Council pursue a different
direction.

"Instead of pumping more money through corporate channels and bailing out
the water multinationals, we should be investing in public water systems,"
said David Boys of Public Services International. "That's the best way to
meet people's right to water and ensure community control of innovative and
sustainable water systems."

In session after session, civil society representatives voiced a viewpoint
that has been largely ignored by the World Water Council. Their primary
argument centers on the belief that water is a human right, not a corporate
right, and should therefore not be subject to the marketplace. The
increasing presence of civil society at the World Water Forum is evidence of
a growing movement that is determined to stand up to the corporate agenda
currently driving the mindset of the World Water Council.

"The World Water Council's solutions are driven by personal, institutional,
corporate and political interests. They have used this forum to push public
subsidies for more big dams, and other destructive water projects," said
Joan Carling of the Cordillera People's Alliance in the Philippines. "These
'solutions' will not help the majority of the world's people without access
to water - they will only worsen the problems and prevent the adoption of
real solutions such as rainwater harvesting and renewable energies. We call
for a rejection of the Camdessus report - no public financing should be
given for large water infrastructure projects unless they meet World
Commission on Dams guidelines."



Indigenous people from across the globe also came to the forum to share
their perspective on protecting and preserving the world's water supply. In
countering the forum's agenda, Maya Marilyn Harris from the Black Mesa Trust
in the United States said, "Our relationship with our lands and water is the
fundamental physical cultural and spiritual basis for our existence. We
stand united to follow and implement our knowledge and traditional laws and
exercise our right of self-determination to preserver water and to preserve
life."



Central to the critique of the World Water Council was a rejection of the
Camdessus report, which outlines financing proposals that have been
customized to complement the Ministerial Declaration. Camdessus is calling
for drastic changes in the financing of water delivery systems and billions
of public dollars for large dams and other destructive water infrastructure
projects. The proposals are geared more towards using public money to
protect investors against risks than providing access to safe and affordable
water for all peoples.



"This model targets poor populations who cannot afford increased water
rates," said Karl Flecker from the Polaris Institute in Canada.
"Essentially, the Camdessus report proposes a franchising model for global
water corporations in order to bolster private enterprise. Citizens groups
across the globe are condemning the report as a blueprint for global water
corporations to profit from water systems through a market model that will
do nothing to improve access to quality water in developing countries."



-30-



For more info, please contact:

Aviva Imhof, International Rivers Network, cell 080 3208 4995

Robert Fox, Public Services International, 090 5400 6576

Erica Hartman, Public Citizen, cell 090 3944 7674

Guy Caron, Council of Canadians, cell 080 3240 7401


***



Water Is Life Coalition

A civil society delegation challenging the World Water Forum's agenda



PRESS RELEASE March 20,
2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Kyoto Gathering Launches Alternate Declaration

on How to Resolve Global Water Crisis



KYOTO, JAPAN -Emboldened by the growing global water crisis, and determined
not to let corporate control dominate the World Water Forum, an
international coalition of public interest organizations today released a
declaration of what they envision to be a new constitution for global water
policy.



The vision statement has officially been presented at the 3rd World Water
Forum in Kyoto to oppose the official ministerial declaration. More than 225
groups have signed on in support of the alternate declaration.



Since the first World Water Forum in Morocco in 1996, there has been a
growing divide between the private companies and governments who want to
treat water as an economic commodity and the people in civil society who see
water as a precious resource and a public trust. Despite repeated attempts
to engage officials in an equitable exchange of ideas and solutions,
non-governmental organizations and the people they represent have been
ignored.



A massive network of people has now coalesced to challenge the consensus of
a corporate model which relies heavily on private funding, private control
of water systems, and a disregard for the human suffering that quickly
follows such an agenda.



The creation of an international conference dedicated to water began under
the auspices of the World Bank at the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992. Subsequently, the World Water Council (WWC), an independent
water policy think tank, was born in 1995. Comprised of World Bank
representatives, corporate executives, and government officials, the WWC
lacks the critical perspective offered by the world's poor, who are the most
likely to suffer from water policies inflicted under privatization.



Chief among the groups' concerns is the need to characterize water as a
human right, and not a commodity to be profited from on the global market.
The two-page document demands a re-evaluation of water policies from the
perspective of social justice and environmental sustainability.



To read the vision statement, please visit http://www.blueplanetproject.net/
<http://www.blueplanetproject.net/> .



-30-

For more information, please contact:

Erica Hartman, Press Officer, Public Citizen - 090.3944.7674 (in Japan)

Guy Caron, Media Relations Officer, Council of Canadians - 080.3240.7401 (in
Japan)




***

Water Is Life Coalition

A civil society delegation challenging the World Water Forum's agenda



PRESS RELEASE March 19,
2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DEBATE ENDS IN STANDOFF

Civil Society, Corporate Water at odds over global water future



OSAKA, JAPAN - After two days of intense dialogue and counter presentations,
the most contentious debate at the Third World Water Forum has ended with
Corporate Water and Civil Society presenting decidedly different
perspectives on public-private partnerships (PPP). After two days, it is
clear that no consensus, no agreement, and few areas of common purpose have
been found. In an unprecedented move, both sides delivered separate
statements to the Secretariat of the Third World Water Forum



In fact, through the course of the debate, civil society and the private
sector probably moved further apart on PPPs than they were before the World
Water Forum. The vast majority of comments in the plenary sessions were
critical of the corporate positions outlined by the World Water Council.



"The commodification of water is ethically, environmentally and socially
wrong," says Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians
and the PPP thematic session co-convenor along with Bill Cosgrove of the
World Water Council. "It ensures that decisions regarding the allocation of
water centre on commercial considerations, leaving aside fundamental
environmental, social and human rights' considerations.



"We worked with our allies to try harder than ever to make the private
sector understand this during the past two days in Osaka, but to no avail.
It became very apparent that the primary role of business is not to provide
accessible and quality water: it is to make a profit for its shareholders.
Their objectives, and the needs of people and nature, are fundamentally at
odds," concludes Ms. Barlow.



The rising power of water transnational corporations has threatened the
power of citizens and local communities to control their own water.
Corporate lobby groups exert undue influence on governments and
international trade/financial institutions; where they seek financial, trade
and environmental concessions that lower international standards.



The shift by governments to support PPPs was seen by civil society
participants as a dangerous step toward the commodification and
cartelization of the world's water. Many expressed concerns that we should
not be placing our future in the hands of a small elite who will determine
the future in its own interest.



The civil society's delegation at the World Water Forum demands that
governments act to ensure that citizens can exercise their right to water
and that there be universal exemptions for water from all trade agreements.
Until then we will be continuing to challenge and fight privatization and
commodization of water, everywhere on the world.



-30-

For more information, please contact:

Guy Caron, Media Relations Officer, 080.3240.7401 (mobile phone in Japan)

More...

africa/global: Confronting global environmental racism

2003-03-27

http://www.choike.org/cgi-bin/choike/links/page.cgi?p=ver_informe&id=1055

In just two decades, the environmental justice movement, which has its roots in the United States, has spread across the globe: the call for environmental justice can be heard from south-central Los Angeles to south Durban. This grassroots movement is largely a response to environmental racism - any policy, practice or directive that differentially affects or disadvantages (whether intentionally or unintentionally) individuals, groups or communities based on race or colour, says this article.

africa/global: DECISIONS FOR THE earth - EARTH: BALANCE, VOICE, AND POWER

2003-03-27

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Pubs/files/wildlife_poverty_study.pdf

World Resources 2002-2004 focuses on the importance of good environmental governance and explores how citizens, government managers and business owners can foster better environmental decisions. The report argues that better environmental governance is one of the most direct routes to fairer and more sustainable use of natural resources. Decisions made with greater participation and greater knowledge of natural systems decisions for the Earth can help to reverse the loss of forests, the decline of soil fertility, and the pollution of air and water that reflect our past failures.

africa/global: Environmental change and sustainable development in mountains

2003-03-27

http://www.africapulse.org/index.php?action=viewarticle&articleid=1105

Mountain Watch provides the first map-based overview of environmental change in mountain regions and its implications for sustainable development. New global maps are presented to illustrate selected values of mountain ecosystems and many of the pressures that are causing environmental change.

africa/global: ldc's face deepening water problems

2003-03-27

http://www.iied.org/docs/climate/water&ldcs.pdf

Even after the United Nations 'Water Decade' from 1981 to 1990 and Safe Water year in 2000, more than one billion people in the Least Developed Countries (LDC's) lack access to safe, clean water, and three billion to adequate sanitation. This paper from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) begins by providing background information on LDC's which are the world's 49 poorest, and comparing them with other developing countries. The authors state that LDC's on average use per capita about 1%-2% of the water used in Canada, but despite this, they still face formidable obstacles with regards to water, and globalisation appears to be deepening their vulnerability.

africa/global: No Consensus on Water as a Human Right

2003-03-27

http://www.socialwatch.org/en/noticias/noticia_12.htm

A ministerial meeting tackling the world's water problems fell short of producing a clearly defined programme of action in its final declaration, which was released here in this central Japanese city on Sunday. Also missing in the final text seeking to achieve water security was language recognising the right to water as a human right. Furthermore, the ministerial declaration omitted mention of the need for a global mechanism to monitor the progress being made to solve water-related problems, particularly the lack of safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

africa/global: Water is Life - A Civil Society World Water Vision for Action

2003-03-27

http://www.citizen.org/cmep/Water/humanright/articles.cfm?ID=9129

Water belongs to the earth and all species for all time. It is an inalienable human right and a public trust to be protected and nurtured by all peoples, communities and nations, and the bodies that represent them at the local, state, and international level. Based on these unwavering principles, we make the following claims: Water is not a commodity and must not be left to the whims of the market because no person or entity has the right to profit from it. Water must not, therefore, be commodified, privatized, traded or exported for commercial gain. Water must be excluded as a "good", a "service" and an "investment" in all international, regional and bilateral trade agreements. Every human being has the right to clean water. We demand that governments of the world substantially increase spending on clean water and sanitation for poor people with little or no access. We affirm that by reducing current astronomical levels of military spending that clean and safe water can be provided for every living person on this planet. We maintain that debt cancellation is essential for water security in poor countries, and demand that privatization cease to be used as a condition on international lending.

africa: Is wildlife important to the livlihoods of the poor?

2003-03-27

http://tinyurl.com/89hp

The UK Department for International Development (DFID) Wildlife and Poverty Study aims to assess how and why wildlife is important to the livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable, review the key underlying policy and institutional issues, investigate the synergies and trade-offs between donor strategies and draw implications for appropriate strategy and intervention. The Study concludes that evidence indicates a significant dependence of poor people on wildlife for livelihood and food security, particularly through bushmeat and tourism.

africa: no country in water quality top 10

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/environment/14035

Tanzania ranks 70th among 122 selected countries world wide in terms of water quality, a report has indicated. South Africa is positioned at 47. The report by UNESCO PRESS, a news service of the World Water Development Agency on water quality indicator values released in Kyoto at the 3rd World Water Forum shows Finland ranking first as Belgium ranks last in terms of low quantity and quality of groundwater combined with heavy industrial pollution and poor treatment of wastewater. No African country is listed among the top ten, which chronologically include Finland, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Japan, Norway, Russian Federation, Republic of Korea, Sweden and France.
BEST WATER QUALITY COUNTRIES

Tanzania ranks 70th, South Africa 47th

Ansbert Ngurumo, Kyoto, Japan March 21,2003

TANZANIA ranks 70th among 122 selected countries world wide in terms of water quality, a report has indicated. South Africa is positioned at 47.

The report by UNESCO PRESS, a news service of the World Water Development Agency on water quality indicator values released in Kyoto at the 3rd World Water Forum shows Finland ranking first as Belgium ranks last in terms of low quantity and quality of groundwater combined with heavy industrial pollution and poor treatment of wastewater.

No African country is listed among the top ten, which chronologically include Finland, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Japan, Norway, Russian Federation, Republic of Korea, Sweden and France.

&#8220;The poor continue to be the worst affected with 50 percent of the population in developing countries exposed to polluted water sources,&#8221; says the report. Asian rivers are the most polluted in the world, with three times as many bacteria from human waste as the global average.

The last ten, from bottom-up, are Belgium, Morocco, India, Jordan, Sudan, Niger, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic and Rwanda. Zimbabwe is positioned at 58.

With regard to water availability per person per year, the report shows that Greenland holds number one as Kuwait becomes the poorest among 180 selected countries and territories worldwide.

The amount of water resource total renewable per capita in Greenland stands at 10,767,857 cubic metres per person per year, while in Kuwait it is only 10 cubic metres.

Tanzania holds the 124th position with 2,591 cubic metres of water resource per capita per person per year, far ahead of South Africa, which holds the 150th position with 1,154-m3/capita year.

No African country falls within the last ten in this regard. From bottom-up, the ten last are Kuwait (10), Gaza strip (52), United Arab Emirates (58), Bahamas (66), Qatar (94), Maldives (103), Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (113), Saudi Arabia (118) Malta and Singapore (149).

The top ten in this category include, chronologically, include Greenland (10,767,857), United States, Alaska (1,563,168), French Guiana (812,121), Iceland (609,319), Guyana (316,689), Suriname (292,566), Congo (275,679), Papua New Guinea (166,563), Gabon Islands (133,333) and Solomon Islands (100,000).

The report says that by the middle of this century, at worst seven billion people in 60 countries will be faced by water crisis, at best two billion in 48 countries, depending on factors like population growth and policy making. UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsura says:

&#8220;No region will be spared from the impact of this crisis which touches every facet of life, from the health of children to the ability of nations to secure food for the citizens. Water supplies are falling while the demand is dramatically growing at an unsustainable rate. Over the next 20 years, the average supply of water world wide per person is expected to drop by a third.&#8221;

Ends

More...

ETHIOPIA: Britain backs bio-diversity scheme

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33045

The British government announced on Tuesday that it is backing an ecological scheme aimed at protecting Ethiopia&#8217;s indigenous plant life.

ethiopia: Pipe and a few pumps make farming possible in an arid community

2003-03-27

http://www.oxfamamerica.org/advocacy/art4390.html

The Rift Valley area of central Ethiopia is a place of chronic food shortage, especially in recent years as erratic rains have stunted crops, and diseases have killed off livestock. Years of deforestation have eroded the soil, and even the farmers near Ziway Lake struggle to find water for their families and crops. They lacked the equipment to move the water to their farms. But they knew that with some water pumps and pipes, and the technical expertise to maintain the equipment and grow their crops in drought conditions, they could overcome the dry climate.

ETHIOPIA: Teenagers tell world forum of water crisis

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33009

Two teenagers spelt out the scale of the water crisis in drought-stricken Ethiopia at an international conference in Japan marking world water day on Saturday. Tireza Satheesh and Zerihun Mammo told how they witnessed first hand the suffering of communities in Ethiopia who have almost no access to water.

kenya: Titanium Mine License Eludes Canadian Firm

2003-03-27

http://ens-news.com/ens/mar2003/2003-03-26-04.asp

The mining of the world's largest titanium fields on the east African coast of Kenya appears to have hit another snag after the country's new government announced that it is planning to conduct a public forum to discuss whether Tiomin Resources Inc., a Canadian mining firm, should be licensed to start mining the mineral in Kenya.

uganda: Lack of Democracy Killed Bujagali

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/environment/14150

The controversial Bujagali dam project reared its head at the Third World Water Forum held in Japan last week with an expert on hydropower saying lack of democracy was at the heart of the project's failure to attract ready funding. Bujagali, which has become one of Africa's most controversial hydropower projects in the past few years, is already seven years behind schedule. The dam has stalled for seven years now following charges that its environmental assessments were faulty, and that Uganda had given too much away when it negotiated a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the American company AES.
Monday, March 24, 2003

Kyoto Forum: Lack of Democracy Killed Bujagali

By DAVID KAIZA , The East African

IN KYOTO

UGANDA'S controversial Bujagali dam project reared its head at the
Third World Water Forum held in Japan last week with an expert on
hydropower saying lack of democracy was at the heart of the project's
failure to attract ready funding.

Prof Raymond Lafitte, president of the International Hydropower
Association (IHA) added that finding investment for large hydropower
projects was always difficult, especially where the political future
was uncertain.

Prof Lafitte told the forum which was aimed at finding ways of making
water available to the majority of poor people in the world who are
also the most water stressed. "The greatest risk is political. Nobody
will come into a country if they are unsure what will happen in the
next 10 years," he said.

Bujagali, which has become one of Africa's most controversial
hydropower projects in the past few years, is already seven years
behind schedule. The dam has stalled for seven years now following
charges that its environmental assessments were faulty, and that
Uganda had given too much away when it negotiated a power purchase
agreement (PPA) with the American company AES.

An analysis by the anti-dam group, International Rivers Network, said
that the agreement with the American corporation contained "unusual
requirements that are detrimental to Uganda."

The US Department of Justice and the Inspector General of Government
in Kampala are investigating claims of corruption. AES offices in
Kampala as well as the Ministry of Energy say that the allegations of
corruption do not touch the company itself, but that some of the
companies it has contracted are tainted.

The allegations have already forced the resignation of Richard
Kaijuka as Minister for Energy over the unclear transfer of $10,000.
The Uganda government's insistence that the PPA was not for public
viewing, a position overturned by the court, further added to
suspicions of corruption, especially following the revelation that
the power production costs were twice international rates.

When the goevrnment was forced to open the PPA forced open by a court
order in 2002, it showed that Uganda would make a yearly payment of
$111 million, although independent analysts had estimated $132
million. The PPA also showed that power would cost 10.06 US cents per
kilowatt-hour, up from the current 7.9 US cents. The World Bank
estimates the total cost of the project at around $580 million, 80
per cent of which is debt.

If the $550 million needed for the project were to be released, it
would be the largest single investment in this part of Africa. But
before the money can be released and construction start, the World
Bank Group, through the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and
its board, must put up $250 million.

Prof Lafitte said that the high costs, which some commentators
attribute to corruption and poor negotiation, were actually due to
difficulty in attracting money to a country lacking democratic
practices.

"To have private funding, you need guarantees so that the risk for a
banker is zero. But the greatest risk is political. Some governments
have no democracy. Some governments are corrupt. Some are unstable.
So who will give you the money?" Prof Lafitte asked.

He said that, in future, governments should try funding large
projects themselves rather than rely on private money, which demands
too much as risk coverage. Prof Lafitte said hydropower remained the
cheapest option, although it accounted for only 20 per cent of power
output and consumption in the world today - the same as nuclear
power, also at 20 per cent, well is behind fossil power at 60 per
cent.

Speaking at the same forum, State Minister for Power Daudi Migereko
said that AES was in talks with some of its contractors to adjust
financial agreements downwards.

At the same forum, the International Hydropower Association launched
a new set of criteria which it expects governments to follow when
planning large dams. The criteria, published in the Sustainability
Guidelines, come too late for Bujagali, but Mr Migereko said that
some of its provisions could still be followed.

The Sustainability Guidelines present a wide range of
recommendations, key among which are that governments strive to
embrace options that: have a higher energy payback and do not lead to
overwhelming resource depletion; are economically viable over the
life of the facility; are efficient; are appropriate and reduce
poverty and have less effect on land, among other.

Should the agreement with AES be adjusted to what is referred to as
"international best practices," it would reduce Uganda's yearly
payment obligations for Bujagali by about $40 million initially, and
by an average $20 million over the lifetime of the project.

In his defense of the PPA, Mr Migereko stressed that the deal was
made at a time when Uganda was a less attractive investment
destination and the government was forced to do a one-to-one deal
with AES Corporation.

There are two ways of getting a contract. You can either use
international bidding if the country is a competitive investment
destination. Or you can make a memorandum of understanding. We opted
for a memorandum of understanding because it was not easy to get an
investor.

According to the minister, the World Bank and the government of
Uganda keen to see the project through with or without AES. He also
said that, in future, Uganda would fund such projects through its own
resources, or through agreements with sovereign partners to avoid the
hassles and profiteering of private companies.


The writer won a trip to the 3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto after
coming second in a writing competion organised by the World Water
Council to promote understanding and debate on water.



Ryan Hoover
Africa Program
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way
Berkeley, CA 94703
USA
Phone: (510) 848-1155 Fax: (510) 848-1008
www.irn.org

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IVORY COAST: Body of missing local reporter found

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/media/14112

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has issued a statement mourning the death of Kloueu Gonzreu, 51, a regional correspondent for the state-run news wire service Agence Ivoirienne de Presse. According to several local reports, Gonzreu's body was found and identified on Wednesday, March 19, by a team from the Red Cross, where the journalist also worked in his spare time.
**We apologise for any cross-posting - The following is being forwarded
exactly as received**

To: IFEX Autolist (other news of interest)
From: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), APosluns@cpj.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

IVORY COAST: Body of missing local reporter found

New York, March 20, 2003-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) mourns
the death of Kloueu Gonzreu, 51, a regional correspondent for the state-run
news wire service Agence Ivoirienne de Presse.

According to several local reports, Gonzreu's body was found and identified
on Wednesday, March 19, by a team from the Red Cross, where the journalist
also worked in his spare time. Gonzreu's remains were discovered near
Toulepleu, a town on the border with Liberia where Liberian mercenaries
employed by the Ivoirian government reportedly kidnapped the journalist on
January 11.

Gonzreu disappeared less than two weeks after Notre Pays, a pro-government
publication, had listed him among suspected rebels in its January 30
edition. Notre Pays accused Gonzreu of "voicing sympathy for the rebellion"
in his reports.

Liberian mercenaries have been fighting on both sides of the Ivoirian civil
war, which began in September 2002 after disgruntled soldiers from the
country's Muslim north attempted and failed to topple the government, which
has the support of southern Christian and animist populations.

"We are greatly saddened by the death of our colleague Gonzreu," said CPJ
acting director Joel Simon. "We reiterate our call to all parties to Ivory
Coast's conflict to respect the rights of journalists to report the news
freely and to refrain from targeting them for doing so."

CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to
safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information about press
conditions in Ivory Coast, visit www.cpj.org

**The information contained in this autolist item is the sole responsibility
of CPJ**

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nigeria: COURT RESERVES RULING in daily times case

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/media/14111

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved ruling to a later date in the appeal filed by the Daily Times of Nigeria PLC, challenging the ruling of a Lokoja High Court that issued a bench warrant for the arrest of its Managing Director, Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo and Sunday Times Editor, Tunde Ipinmisho.
**We apologise for any cross-posting - The following is being forwarded
exactly as received**

To: IFEX Autolist (other news of interest)
From: Independent Journalism Centre (IJC), ijcmonitor@yahoo.com>

MEDIA MONITOR
MARCH 17, 2002.

"h COURT RESERVES RULING IN DTN SUIT
"h FORMER SKETCH WORKERS DEMAND ENTITLEMENTS
"h REOPEN NIJ
"h NUJ VOWS TO UPHOLD ETHICS OF JOURNALISM
"h NACA BOSS TASKS MEDIA ON HIV/AIDS EDUCATION
"h REINVENTING THE MEDIA
"h SECOND CHANCE FOR NATIONAL INTEREST. WHAT WERE THE ODDS?
"h THE MEDIA FOR DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA (MFD) GROUP AND CREDO ON EQUITABLE
ACCESS TO THE BROADCAST MEDIA BY ALL POLITICAL PARTIES

COURT RESERVES RULING IN DTN SUIT
Daily Time, March 13, 2003
The Court of Appeal, in Abuja on Wednesday, reserved ruling to a later date
in the appeal filed by the Daily Times of Nigeria PLC, challenging the
ruling of a Lokoja High Court that issued a bench warrant for the arrest of
its Managing Director, Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo and Sunday Times Editor, Tunde
Ipinmisho.

A Lokoja High Court, presided over by Justice Sunday Idowu Lesley had on
June 26, last year, while ruling on an application the Daily Times boss
(second defendant) and Sunday Times Editor (third defendant) over their
alleged failure to appear before him issued a bench warrant for their
arrests.

Governor Abubakar Audu of Kogi State had, last year, instituted a N500
million libel suit against the Daily Times, its Managing Director and Sunday
Times Editor as aggravated damages over an alleged libellous publication.

However, dissatisfied with the decision of the High Court of Kogi State
contained in the ruling of Justice Leslie, the defendants/appellants
proceeded to the Court of Appeal, Abuja, praying it for an order of stay of
proceeding at the High Court, Lokoja and for an order suspending the bench
warrant issued by the lower court.

FORMER SKETCH WORKERS DEMAND ENTITLEMENTS
The Punch, March 13, 2003
Former employees of the Sketch Press Limited, under the aegis of the "Former
Sketch Workers Forum," have asked governors of the owners states to pay
their entitlements.

The workers, after a meeting of its members in Ibadan, listed gratuity and
other final entitlements,
outstanding salaries and allowances since 1998, deductions from workers'
salaries for National Housing Scheme, deductions from workers' salaries for
the company's insurance scheme and deductions for co-operatives savings.

"The former workers were disappointed that up till now, no action has been
taken by the owner-governors toward the re-opening of the newspaper house
within the first quarter of the year 2003. As promised by the Oyo State
Governor, Alhaji Lam Adesina, last December 30" the workers stated.

They said that since the struggle for the payment of their entitlements, no
fewer than eight members had died.

REOPEN NIJ
The Punch, March 14, 2003
It is unbelievable that the foremost Nigerian journalism school, The
Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) Ogba, Lagos, could be shut down for
two and half years running. The closure is
unprecedented in the history of the more than 30 years old institute.

The school was shut following students' legitimate demand for the
accreditation of the courses run both at the Ordinary and Higher National
Diploma levels by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

The students' demand if granted, would have enhanced the value of the
institute's certificates in the
labour market, make admission into university stress-free for the products
of the institute and of
course, make it possible for them to take part in the National Youth Service
Corps (NYSC).

NUJ VOWS TO UPHOLD ETHICS OF JOURNALISM
The Punch, March 14, 2003
Ekiti State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has
reaffirmed its commitment to
upholding the ethics of journalism.

In a communique, at the end of its monthly congress, at the Press Centre in
Ajilosun, Ado-Ekiti, on
Thursday, the union restated its dedication to unbaised reporting of
political activities in the
forthcoming general elections.

Similarly, the congress called on the government to strengthen the
state-owned radio station, the
Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES), for it to meet the challenges of
the polls.

NACA BOSS TASKS MEDIA ON HIV/AIDS EDUCATION
ThisDay, March 11, 2003
Chairman National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), Professor Babatunde
Osotimehin, has urged journalists to join in the fight against the Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) scourge. He said this has become
imperative going by the terminal nature of the disease.

Osotimehin, at an interactive session with newsmen, said to combat the
present scourge media practitioners needed to assist in enlightening the
masses through publication of educative informative feature.


REINVENTING THE MEDIA
Daily Times, March 12, 2003 (Editorial)
That most Nigerian media organisations are in distress is saying the
obvious. Failure rates are extremely high. Salaries are not only poor,
they remain unpaid for several months. Unpaid transport and other claims,
coupled with obsolete equipment, are proof of extremely poor working
environment. Most media organisations simply cannot pay their way, but even
the few viable ones undercut their workers by paying slave wages or paying
as their owners' whims dictate. In all these, the journalist is left
holding the wrong end of the stick.

This is regrettable and highly condemnable. If the society expects so much
from the journalist, shouldn't the same society ensure that the journalist
gets his due? Indeed, the danger posed by starving, and pimping journalists
are real. If therefore journalists whine over their unenviable state and
insist on being treated as special labour species, they deserve some
empathy, at least.

But that won't solve the problem. If most Nigerian media businesses are
today unviable, it is simply because they are chronically undercapitalized.
Media business is both capital and labour intensive. If investors in the
sector continue to think they can sacrifice quality labour for machines (or
vice versa), the result would continue to be dreadful. To ensure adequate
capitalization therefore, government should immediately put in place strict
regulations for investment in the media. That way, media owners would be
screened to ensure they have the wherewithal to run
the business.

But even that won't guarantee automatic success. Assuming that half of the
estimated 120 million Nigerian population is literate, the newspaper market
should be 60 million. If the current titles have effectively tapped into
even half of this figure (which is 30 million), there probably won't be any
talk of distress.

Indeed, it is doubtful if all the titles nation-wide today sell up to three
million copies. That, at a glance, shows that while most areas of the
market remain unexplored, a tiny, infinitesimal section is over-exploited.
In simple economic terms, the current newspaper market cannot grow because
diminishing returns have set in. Yet, for media workers to be adequately
rewarded, readership must grow, translating into far higher copy and advert
sales.

To grow the market therefore, media investors and professionals must think
critically, segment the market and identify a niche they can exploit. For
instance, must every newspaper be national, where regional and community
newspaperings cry for attention? Must every media house run huge bills on
transport and circulation, when joint ventures and strategic partnerships
can greatly drive down costs in these areas? Must every newspaper run
independent news and pictures bureau, when they can pool their resources and
share benefits?

Of course, such things are not obvious because prestige 'publishers' are
busy duplicating 'winning' titles and pushing fuzzy products into the badly
fragmented market. With no clear mission statements, blurred business
visions, bad product positioning, no enduring editorial culture to sustain
copy sales and advertisement, and journalists ever ready to enjoy the gravy
while it lasts, why won't titles die as soon as they are born?

The Nigerian media business clearly needs to re-invent itself. It is
tempting, really, to call on government to sanction wayward owners whose
media make money and yet don't pay their workers. But reinvention is the
ultimate solution. With a generally thriving media industry, unscrupulous
owners will either shape up or the market will throw them out.

SECOND CHANCE FOR NATIONAL INTEREST. WHAT WERE THE ODDS?
The Punch, March 11, 2003
Managing Director of National Interest newspapers, Mr. Ide Eguabor, gave an
insight into what amounted to lessons learnt from the newspaper's first
appearance as a major player in the Nigerian media industry, on Wednesday in
Lagos, saying that much haste in stable transformation aided its initial
stumbling.

According to him, one of the reasons why the paper went off the news-stand
was because of its hasty venture into daily production.

Speaking against the backdrop of the lessons which his organisation had
learnt from the initial unsuccessful attempt, Eguabor told our correspondent
in an interview that it took the paper just four months to move from weekly
publication to daily, which the system was not prepared for at the time.

Despite the above explanation given by Eguabor, a review of the newspaper
industry in Nigeria has shown otherwise. Apart from National Interest,
examples of newspapers like Anchor and others abound that promised so much
at the beginning only for the publishers not to be able to deliver.

Another example that readily comes to mind here is the Diet newspapers.
Though they have been repackaged as Daily Independent, one can only wonder
how successful they were on the news-stand.

While many of these publishers are quick to blame the high overhead cost for
the crisis that plagued their organisations one also cannot run away from
the fact that some of them were wrongly managed.

For example, there is evidence to show that many of these publishers lived
expensive life styles. Just like the public office holders, which they
condemned, many of these media owners dipped their hands into the funds
meant for running the business to acquire flashy cars and lodge in big
hotels.

So, before you knew it, problems started creeping in. Apart from the
inability to service their loan with the banks, staff salaries were slashed.
But even at that, it was no longer regular and, later, it stopped coming.
Whereas if the funds wasted on the acquisition of so many of these cars had
been expended on other important items, probably they would have managed to
survive.

Then, there is this other argument by some that it is not compulsory for
every newspaper publisher to own a printing press as many of them have been
doing.

According to this school of thought, the smaller newspapers should work out
an arrangement with the bigger ones to do their printing job since they do
not have a national spread yet.

The danger in doing that, some have also argued, is that of vulnerability as
the tendency is there for stories to be poached. Bearing in mind the
competitive nature of the business and the fact that every newspaper prides
itself on exclusive reports, some arrangements could still be worked out.


Better still, they could contract out their jobs to reputable printing
firms. Either way, they would be
able minimize expenses and save costs.

Another problem, which was identified as the cause of the failure of these
newspapers, was that of distribution. Many of them do not have a good
distribution system in place and that is why they have so many unsold copies
left.

Just like the case with the printing press, many of them purchase vans for
distribution and the cost of maintaining these vans are high. Such funds
could have been channelled elsewhere if they had embraced the option of
arranging with transport companies to deliver the copies at agreed spots.

Moreover, the editorial content and the quality of reporters, to a large
extent, also go to determine the success or failure of a particular media
house. After engaging a few experienced hands, many of these media
establishments flood their newsroom with inexperienced hands.

And so, what you have are poorly researched stories and headlines that do
not make for interesting reading in a market that is so competitive.

Having learnt their lessons the hard way, some have realised their errors
and are trying to retrace their steps. Let's hope they succeed.

THE MEDIA FOR DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA (MFD) GROUP AND CREDO ON EQUITABLE ACCESS
TO THE BROADCAST MEDIA BY ALL POLITICAL PARTIES

INTRODUCTION
This press conference is called as part of a process to develop principles
and guidelines for equitable access by the various political parties to the
broadcast media during this period of electioneering campaigns and beyond.

The project is being implemented by the Media for Democracy Group in Nigeria
(MFD) comprising Media Rights Agenda (MRA), the Independent Journalism
Centre (IJC), Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER), and the
International Press Centre (IPC), in collaboration with an international
non-governmental organisation, CREDO for Freedom of Expression and
Associated Rights, which is based in Dakar and London.

Following the advocacy and legal victory that led to the existence of the
current 30 political parties in Nigeria, it has become critically important
to review the role of the media, especially the broadcast media, in the
electoral process. This is imperative given the capacity of the media and,
in particular, the broadcast media to influence and shape public opinion.

The failure to carry out such a process in the past has led to violent
conflicts triggered in part by the
use of broadcast media to undermine election outcomes and democratic
principles. The "Verdict 83" election programme on the Nigerian Television
Authority (NTA), for instance, attracted a lot of criticism for its highly
partisan coverage of the 1983 elections in favour of the incumbent National
Party of Nigeria (NPN) government. The importance of avoiding a repeat of
such a scenario cannot be overstated considering Nigeria's recent political
history since the June 12, 1993 elections and the lessons learnt from events
in other African countries such as Sierra Leone, Liberia,
Zimbabwe and Cote D'Ivoire.

A major cause of this problem is the tendency by those in power at both the
Federal and State levels to view the public broadcasting stations as the
propaganda arms of their governments and, therefore, to use them to advance
partisan on personal interests while preventing access to these media by
other stakeholders, including opponents and opposition parties.

We believe that the broadcast media, particularly the publicly funded media,
have an obligation not to be biased in their coverage of the political
process, and in particular to give all parties equitable access as part of
their social responsibilities to the society.

Since the government has neglected to carry out necessary reforms, the civil
society has to live up to its role of safeguarding of democratic principles,
including ensuring an open, accountable, transparent and democratic
electoral process.

The partners in this project propose to organise a one-day conference in
Abuja later this month in an effort to develop an agreed set of standards
for the coverage of the electioneering process by the
broadcast media. Participants at the conference will include:
representatives (management or senior editorial staff) of the NTA and the
Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) at the federal and zonal levels,
representatives (management or senior editorial staff) of public broadcast
media (radio and television) at state level; representatives of key
private/independent media; representatives of all the 30 political parties;
representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC);
representatives of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC);
representatives of other various journalist associations and media bodies;
as well as other stakeholders.

KEY ISSUES
Broadly speaking, the key issues which need to be addressed are as follows:

1) How the editorial orientation and policies of the publicly funded
broadcast media (radio and television) at the federal level, i.e. the NTA
and the FRCN, can be reviewed in order to ensure that they do not deny other
political parties democratic visibility and that they are not used as mere
propaganda arms of the ruling party.
2) How the editorial orientation and policies of the publicly funded
broadcast media (radio and television) controlled by the 36 state
governments can be reviewed in order to ensure that they do not deny other
political parties democratic visibility and that they are not used as mere
propaganda arms of the ruling parties in the states.

Specifically, we propose to table the following issues for discussion and,
if possible, seek agreement on them by all stakeholders attending the
conference:

i. That all publicly funded broadcast media must, as part of their social
responsibilities, commit themselves to giving regular and free air time to
voter education programmes covering issues such as the voting process,
venues, time of elections, the political parties and candidates running for
election.
ii. That a limit number of brief and free slots for electoral campaign
broadcasts be given to all political parties to outline their programmes and
candidates for federal, state and local government elections. This is vital
to voter education and will ensure that at least all parties and candidates
are given the minimum visibility necessary for genuine democracy. This will
be particularly, important during the last month of the campaigns.
iii. That a ceiling be placed on the total number of election campaign
broadcasts that any one political party and its candidates can run over the
period of the campaigns. This will prevent the outright buying of the
elections by parties backed by richer members of society to the detriment of
the poorer parties.
iv. That no discounts be given to any one political party for paid election
campaign broadcasts and that if discounts are given, they should not be
selective, but should be across board and done in a fair and transparent
manner.
v. That all campaign adverts must be ethical, decent and must avoid
incitement, hate speech, and
defamation.
vi. That campaign adverts of any political party must not be rejected to the
advantage of another party. Adverts may only be rejected if they fail to
satisfy the requirements stated in Paragraph v. above
vii. That there must be a right of reply and correction for candidates that
may have been defamed.
viii. That the publicly owned media should not be used by incumbent
political parties to attack other political parties, and in particular that
government and party officials must not intervene in or undermine the
editorial independence of the broadcast media. This will also cover opinion
polls and election projections.
ix. That the safety, physical security and job security of journalists,
editorial and management staff of public and private media houses that
exercise the right to editorial independence from political intervention
must be guaranteed.
x. That the principles of fairness, balance and equitable news coverage of
political party campaign activities be observed especially during major news
broadcasts. This should include distinguishing between government
activities and campaigns.
xi. That there should be fair, balanced and equitable coverage of election
debates.
xii. That there should be no broadcast of any speculative results that may
truncate the will of the electorate and lead to conflict or violence based
on electoral disputes. Any results broadcast should at a minimum be based
on results obtained from polling stations and agreed by agents of all
parties present.
xiii. That disputed results should not be broadcast in such a manner that is
inflamatory and could lead to violent conflict.

These issues are based on universally agreed standards for election coverage
and the principles of relevant international instruments to which Nigeria
subscribes.

In the interim, we are constrained to condemn the widespread
commercialisation of political news, which we find unprofessional and
unethical and hereby call on media houses and individual journalists to
desist from such a practice.

We also urge the editorial or management staff of publicly or privately
owned broadcast media organisations in the country to discontinue their
involvement in the campaign activities of any political party, particularly
their inclusion on the campaign teams of political parties or candidates.

Media organisations must also ensure that all advertorials are clearly
marked as such. Sponsors of adverts must be named or mentioned.

We believe that the media and in particular the publicly funded broadcast
media must not be sued to undermine the democratic process, and therefore
call upon all political parties, government officials, INEC, the NBC, the
broadcast and print media, professional associations and unions within the
media, and the rest of civil society to join us in preventing such an
occurrence.


TO OUR DEAR READERS:
1 Media Monitor is designed as a dialogical project. We expect its
contents to elicit reactions from its readers. And we encourage you to share
your feelings with others on its pages. Letters not longer than 200 words
and addressed to The Editor, Media Monitor, should be sent to:
ijcmonitor@yahoo.com
2. It is our desire that Media Monitor gets to all locations where people
believe in the cause of free expression, democracy and freedom. We are
working to extend the reach of the publication. And we implore you to
support this endeavour. How? Simply compile and e-mail to us a list of
persons and organisations who you believe would find this publication useful
for their work. We will promptly put them on our mailing list.

Our target audience includes media, free expression/human rights bodies,
NGO¡¦s diplomatic/policy centres, professional associations,
departments/school of journalism/mass communication/government/political
science/African studies, and other strategic circles.

MEDIA MONITOR IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY AND CIRCULATED WORLDWIDE BY INDEPENDENT
JOURNALISM CENTRE (IJC) 27 ACME ROAD, OGBA, P. O. BOX 7808, IKEJA, LAGOS,
NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA. PHONE/FAX: 234-1-4924998; E-MAIL: ijcmonitor@yahoo.com

**The information contained in this autolist item is the sole responsibility
of IJC**

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nigeria: Media response on HIV/AIDS on the increase, says report

2003-03-27

http://www.nigeria-aids.org/MsgRead.cfm?ID=1362

A research study of media response to HIV/AIDS in Nigeria in the year 2002 has revealed a steady increase in the quality of coverage and understanding of key issues by journalists. The study also found high levels of sensational reporting and common use of inappropriate and stigmatising by newspaper reporters. The preliminary findings of the study, covering print media reporting on the epidemic between March and December 2002, was presented at a ceremony marking the 2002 Red Ribbon Awards on HIVAIDS, held at the NiteShift Coliseum, Ikeja in Lagos on March 8, 2003.

nigeria: YOUTH ATTACK JOURNALISTS

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/media/14113

Three journalists narrowly escaped being lynched recently by irate youths at the office of assassinated All Nigerian People's Party (ANPP) Chieftain, Marshal Harry, in Port Harcourt, in the Niger Delta region. The journalists, Emmanuel Ugwu of The Punch, Kelvin Ebiri of The Guardian and a photo journalist, Femi Makinde, had joined other sympathizers to keep vigil at the office located in the premises of a hotel. But an attempt by Makinde to take the photograph of one of the weeping sympathizers drew the ire of the Kalabari youth who descended on him. Makinde was beaten and his digital camera confiscated.
MEDIA IN NIGERIA #02 - 09 (17 MARCH 2003)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
MEDIA IN NIGERIA is a weekly publication on
developments within and
affecting the media/communication/freedom of
expression sector in Nigeria.

It is an initiative of the Institute for Media and
Society (IMS), a non-profit,
non-governmental organization based in Lagos, Nigeria.
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NEWS

MEDIA-GENERAL
-MARSHAL HARRY: YOUTH ATTACK JOURNALISTS.

PRINT MEDIA
- PRIVATISATION: INVESTORS SHUN DAILY TIMES
-"NATIONAL INTEREST" RETURNS
- SKETCH WORKERS DEMAND ENTITLEMENTS

INFOTECH
-GSM: 21,000 HANDSETS STOLEN MONTHLY
-PREDIDENT TASKS EXPERTS ON IT BLUEPRINT
-SLASH AIRTIME CHARGES, MINISTER TELLS GSM OPERATORS

BROADCAST MEDIA
-NBC FROWNS AT ILLEGAL IMPORTATION OF EQUIPMENT
-PDP ACCUSES OSRC OF BIASED REPORTING
-SENATE CLEARS HURDLE TO PRIVATE BROADCASTING NETWORK

ARTS
-STAKEHOLDERS KICK AGAINST LEASE OF NATIONAL THEATRE


MEDIA - GENERAL


MARSHAL HARRY: YOUTH ATTACK JOURNALISTS.

Three journalists narrowly escaped being lynched
recently by irate youths at the office of
assassinated All Nigerian People's Party (ANPP)
Chieftain, Marshal Harry, in PortHarcourt, in the
Niger Delta region.

The journalists, Emmanuel Ugwu of The Punch, Kelvin
Ebiri of The Guardian and a photo journalist, Femi
Makinde, had joined other sympathizers to keep vigil
at the office located in the premises of a hotel. But
an attempt by Makinde to take the photograph of one of
the weeping sympathizers drew the ire of the Kalabari
youth who descended on him. Makinde was beaten and
his digital camera confiscated.

The angry youths demanded that the journalists leave
the premises immediately or face more punishment.



PRINT MEDIA

PRIVATISATION: INVESTORS SHUN DAILY TIMES

The attempt by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE)
to sell government's shares in the Daily Times of
Nigeria Plc suffered a setback as only a paltry 1.5
percent of the over one billion shares put up for sale
were mopped up by the investing public.

The subscription is far below the minimum level of 25
percent allowed by the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC). Consequently, the BPE has
reportedly instructed the issuing house, Interstate
Bank Plc, to obtain SEC's approval for First
Registrars Nigeria Ltd., the registrars to the issue,
to make refunds to the applicants.

From the result of the offer, only 3,905 investors
applied for 16,278562 shares worth N20.35 million out
of N1.4 billion put up for sale by the BPE.


"NATIONAL INTEREST" RETURNS

After more than a year of disappearing from the
newsstands, the National Interest newspaper is set to
stage a come-back.

The Managing Director of the newspaper, Ide Eguabor,
says the newspaper has learnt from its forced
disappearance and was set to return as a major player
in the Nigerian media industry.

He identified the hasty transformation of the
newspaper from a weekly publication to a daily
newspaper as the major cause of the crisis that
climaxed in its disappearance from the newsstands.

"We grew too rapidly I think that that speed was too
fast. Now, with benefit of hindsight, maybe we
should have gone a bit slower and by now we should
have been cruising at an acceptable speed limit", he
told The Punch newspaper.

Eguabor said the newspaper is now repositioned and
re-packaged to achieve the true essence of why it was
established in the first place.


SKETCH WORKERS DEMAND ENTITLEMENTS

Former employees of Sketch Press Limited have called
on the governors of its owner states to pay their
entitlements.

The workers who are disappointed that the governors
failed to fullfil their promise to re-open the
troubled newspaper company in the first quarter of
2003 as announced last December by Oyo State governor,
Lam Adesina, listed their final entitlements to
include gratuity, outstanding salaries and allowances
since 1998, contributions to the National Housing
Scheme and deductions from their salaries for the
company's insurance scheme and cooperatives' savings.




INFOTECH

GSM: 21,000 HANDSETS STOLEN MONTHLY

Just as the telecoms sector in Nigeria has been
experiencing a boom since the advent of the Global
System of Mobile (GSM) telecommunication, handset
theft has equally become a million naira industry.

According to The Punch newspaper report, over 400,000
GSM handsets have been stolen from subscribers since
August 2001 when the service began.

On the average, the report said 21,000 cases of
handset theft are recorded monthly. Figures obtained
from the two leading private GSM operators, MTN
Nigeria Communications Limited and Econet Wireless
Nigeria, revealed that subscribers pay about N43.19
million monthly for the replacement of the Subscribers
Identification Module (SIM) cards.

The two networks, attributed 95 percent of reported
cases of lost handsets to theft. In 2002, Econet
Wireless replaced 92,105 SIM Cards, costing
subscribers N138.16 million. About 87,500 of the
replaced cards were said to have resulted from theft.
Police say most of the theft occurred in public buses,
bus stops and poorly lit places, particularly at
night.



PREDIDENT TASKS EXPERTS ON IT BLUEPRINT

President Olusegun Obasanjo has asked Information
Technology (IT) experts to fashion out a blueprint on
the country's IT policy for immediate official
consideration.

In an address delivered on his behalf by Science and
Technology Minister Turner Isoun, at the opening of a
conference organized by the National Information
Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Obasanjo also
asked the experts to provide insight and make
recommendations on how IT could be used as an antidate
to corruption in the Country.


SLASH AIRTIME CHARGES, MINISTER TELLS GSM OPERATORS

The Minister of State for Communications, Alhaji
Haruna Elewi, has called on the operators of the
Global system for Mobile (GSM) communications to slash
the unit cost of calls on their networks.

Elewi spoke in Abuja, the Federal Capital, while
receiving a delegation on MTN Communications and
journalists from South Africa in his office.

The minister said the current tariff of N50 per minute
was too high and should be reviewed in the interest of
consumers.

He assured that market forces would soon begin to
force down the unit price of telephone services, once
the recently licensed second National Operator (SNO)
begins to offer services.


BROADCAST MEDIA

NBC FROWNS AT ILLEGAL IMPORTATION OF EQUIPMENT

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has warned
against the acquisition of transmilters and other
broadcast equipment by individuals, governments and
groups its approval.

In a statement, the commission said it was illegal for
anybody to bring into the country broadcast equipment
without clearance from the commission as required by
ACT 55 of 1999 (as amended).

It further noted that it was also illegal for anybody
to possess a transmitter without declaring same to the
commission. Consequently, the commission has set
March 31, 2003 as deadline for governments, groups and
individuals in possession of such equipment to declare
them.

It has also requested broadcast stations to collect
forms for the renewal of their licenses.


PDP ACCUSES OSRC OF BIASED REPORTING

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State,
South-West Nigeria, has accused the state-owned
Radiovision Corporation (OSRC) of biased reporting.
In a petition to the National Broadcasting Commission
(NBC), PDP alleged that the station had become
partisan to the extent of rejecting stories
commercials and political jingles from political
opponents of the ruling Alliance for Democracy (AD).

"Our campaign jingle which we submitted and paid for
was stopped for no just cause. All that the station
does is to deliberately carry negative stories and
sponsored blackmail against political opponents", the
party stated.

It said the station had contravened the NBC code on
the allotment of equal air time to all parties and
called on the commission to call OSRC to order in the
interest of peace in the state.




SENATE CLEARS HURDLE TO PRIVATE BROADCASTING NETWORK

The major hurdle to nation-wide broadcast by private
radio and television stations in the country will soon
be removed as the upper Legislative chamber, the
senate, commenced public hearing on the review or
repeal of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC)
Act of 1992.

The Act which empowers the NBC to approve license and
allocate frequencies to private operators and to
regulate and monitor the industry, is being reviewed
to promote and make a variety of programmes available
to audiences throughout the country through a diverse
range of radio and television services.

The move is expected to break the monopoly of the
Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal
Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), the only two
stations allowed network coverage.

The restriction imposed on private broadcasting
stations from transmitting beyond one state or zone of
states, were informed by fear that such unrestricted
access to the airwaves could compromise national
security. The fear is said to have been misplaced as
existing private stations have been responsible in
their operations.


ARTS

STAKEHOLDERS KICK AGAINST LEASE OF NATIONAL THEATRE

Stake holders in the arts sector, including workers of
nine unions in the industry have restated their
opposition to the plan by the Burean of Public
Enterprises (BPE) to lease the National Arts Theatre
in Lagos for 20 years.

In a petition to President Olusegun Obasanjo, the
stake holders including the Association of Nigeria
Theatre Practitioners and Radio and Television Theatre
Workers (RATTAWU) Lagos State chapter said the move to
lease or privatize the Theatre violates the
Privatization and Commercialization Act of 1999.

They argued that the building was viable if fully
refurbished and government meets is obligations as
contained in the enabling act; that it can survive on
its own without abandoning its statutory and cultural
responsibilities to the governed and society.

They lamented that since 1979, the complex has neither
undergone the mandatory five years primary maintenance
nor the 10 yearly major infrastructural repairs.

They said the complex would lose its status as a
national heritage site if it was privatized or
leased.


-----ENDS----


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south africa: FXI convenes Forum to oppose Anti-Terrorism Bill

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/media/14108

The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) has convened a Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations which has resolved to oppose South Africa's proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill, tabled in Parliament for debate on 10 March. The Bill was referred to the Portfolio Committee on Safety and Security on the 14 March for public hearings and deliberations. Public invitations for submissions on the Bill have been issued and the deadline for submissions is the 30 April.
**We apologise for any cross-posting - The following is being forwarded exactly
as received**

To: IFEX Autolist (other news of interest)
From: Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), jduncan@fxi.org.za

FXI convenes Forum to oppose Anti-Terrorism Bill

24 March 2003

Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations opposes the Anti-Terrorism Bill

The FXI has convened a Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations which has
resolved to oppose South Africa's proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill, tabled in
Parliament for debate on the 10 March. The Bill was referred to the Portfolio
Committee on Safety and Security on the 14 March for public hearings and
deliberations. Public invitations for submissions on the Bill have been issued
and the deadline for submissions is the 30 April.

Among the reasons cited for the introduction of this Bill is that it will bring
South African law into line with many other countries that have passed similar
legislation since the terrorist attacks in America on September 11 2001. It is
important to note that since year 2000, government has been attempting to
introduce legislation that would cater specifically for the crime of terrorism
in South Africa. The first attempts to do so failed as the draft Bill met with
stiff opposition from many quarters particularly due to the draconian powers
given to law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute acts of
terrorism. The draft Bill also violated a wide-range of fundamental rights and
freedoms by introducing measures for detention without trial, reversal of onus
of proof upon an accused person and stringent bail conditions.

Last September the Department of Safety and Security introduced a Draft
Anti-Terrorism Bill for comment and debate. There was little publicity around
this Bill, which the government took the rather innocuous step of posting on its
website. Since then, and well until the tabling of the Bill in Parliament on 10
March 2003, there has been little effort to publicise its presence.

The FXI in concert with a range of other human rights organisations opposes the
introduction of this legislation in South Africa. Firstly, the Bill itself is
fundamentally flawed and the logic behind its motivation unclear. Furthermore,
the process followed in drafting this legislation is highly questionable as no
discussion document was published, neither was there proper consultation done by
the South African Law Commission with the various stakeholders.

Secondly, because terrorism is an offence that attracts some of the severest
penalties known in law, it would have been thought that the Bill would at least
attempt to provide a simple, clear and unambiguous definition of the term
'terrorism'. Unfortunately this has not been done and on the contrary the Bill
presents a vague and incomprehensible definition of what it means by 'terrorist
act', which it defines as ". an unlawful act . that is likely to intimidate the
public or a segment of the public".

Such a wide and vague definition could be used to proscribe a whole range of
civil and political activities such as demands for land, demonstrations, pickets
or a civil disobedience campaign.

It should be noted that this is the third attempt on the part of the legal
drafters to arrive a definition of terrorist act; the flawed nature of their
latest attempt points to the fact that reaching a satisfactory definition is all
but impossible. It should further be noted that it is extremely dangerous to
attempt to criminalise actions that cannot even be defined properly.

The Bill proposes extremely harsh bail conditions and moves out of the ambit of
normal criminal justice inquiry by empowering police offices to secure orders to
question individuals through what it calls 'investigative hearings'. Added to
this is the fact that the Minister of Safety and Security will have powers to
'black list' organisations, which he suspects of committing terrorist acts
either inside or outside the Republic, sometimes without compelling evidence to
inform his/her decision.

Put simply, this Bill poses the same degree of threat to human rights and
fundamental freedoms in South Africa as did its draft predecessor in 2000. It
threatens the existing framework of basic rights and civil liberties, which has
been hailed as one of the most substantive in the world. As noted in a media
statement issued by the Forum in February, the situation in the country does not
warrant the enactment of this law and the need for the Bill has not been
sufficiently demonstrated. This is more so especially given that there are
enough laws to deal with the kind of criminal activities that the Bill seeks to
punish. The fact also that the Minister of Safety and Security stated that law
enforcement agencies had managed to 'break the back' of the right-wing threats,
and apprehend successfully those responsible for the bombings in November 2002
is proof that there are enough laws to deal with terrorism in the country.

Essentially, this Bill is not in the interests of South Africa as it is being
forced on weaker states by powerful nations such as the United States and the
United Kingdom in their prosecution of the so called 'war against terror'. The
grand design of the US and the UK to extend their influence and hegemony
throughout the world has become patently clear with their current illegal war
against Iraq.

In a press statement released earlier today, the Forum called for the withdrawal
of the Bill and for the state instead, to put more resources towards the
detection and prosecution of crimes and activities covered by the Bill, but
using the approximately twenty-two existing pieces of legislation covering these
crimes. Over-legislation cannot and will not provide the solution to tackling
crime and its courses. Only a properly implemented crime prevention mechanism,
as encapsulated in the National Crime Prevention Strategy will do.

Issued by the Freedom of Expression Institute on behalf of the Forum Against the
Anti-Terrorism Bill, which includes: -

Media Review Network
Africa Muslims Agency
Media Workers' Association of South Africa
Southern Africa Journalists' Association
Human Rights Media Institute
Anti-Privatisation Front

**The information contained in this autolist item is the sole responsibility of
FXI**

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south africa: ThisDay South Africa Releases Preview Edition

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303250447.html

In keeping with its promise to produce a quality and authoritative national newspaper in South Africa, THISDAY South Africa has released its pilot edition in Johannesburg to a Focus Group for a social scientific analysis.

sudan: Two Al-Jazeera journalists assaulted by police officers

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/media/14110

On 22 March 2003, while covering a demonstration against the war in Iraq, Islam Salih, a journalist with the Qatar-based satellite television station Al-Jazeera, and his cameraman Mohammed el Hassan were struck by several police officers.
La version française suit. The French version follows.

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
_________________________________________________________________

ALERT - SUDAN

24 March 2003

Two Al-Jazeera journalists assaulted by police officers while covering
anti-U.S. demonstration

SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris

(RSF/IFEX) - On 22 March 2003, while covering a demonstration against the
war in Iraq, Islam Salih, a journalist with the Qatar-based satellite
television station Al-Jazeera, and his cameraman Mohammed el Hassan were
struck by several police officers.

"We call on the Khartoum authorities to allow the Sudanese and foreign press
to freely cover demonstrations taking place in the capital. We are also
concerned by the growing number of journalists being summoned for
'overstepping limits'," said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard.

On 22 March, Salih and el Hassan were struck by several police officers
while covering a student demonstration against the war in Iraq, near the
American embassy. Although Salih identified himself to a police officer as
an Al-Jazeera journalist, the officer and his colleagues continued to beat
him and his cameraman on the knees with truncheons. El Hassan finally
managed to flee with his equipment, and the footage was later broadcast.

Also on 22 March, Hayder Al Mukashfi, a journalist from the daily
"Al-Ayyam", was interrogated by members of the security services. One of the
officers told him that what he was writing "overstepped the limits." The
officer warned, "For the time being, we are at the stage where we advise you
to change what you have written." Al Mukashfi writes a column in the paper
called "Transparency".

For further information, contact Virginie Locussol at RSF, rue Geoffroy
Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51,
e-mail: northernafrica@rsf.org, Internet: http://www.rsf.org

The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of RSF.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.
_________________________________________________________________
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
489 College Street, Toronto (ON) M6G 1A5 CANADA
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: alerts@ifex.org general e-mail: ifex@ifex.org
Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/
_________________________________________________________________
IFEX - Nouvelles de la communauté internationale de défense de la liberté
d'expression
_________________________________________________________________

ALERTE - SOUDAN

Le 24 mars 2003

Deux journalistes d'Al-Jazira frappés par des policiers alors qu'ils
couvraient une manifestation anti-américaine

SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris

(RSF/IFEX) - Le 22 mars 2003, alors qu'ils couvraient une manifestation
contre la guerre en Irak, Islam Salih, journaliste pour la chaîne satellite
Al-Jazira, basée au Qatar, et Mohammed el Hassan, son caméraman, ont été
frappés par plusieurs policiers.

"Nous demandons expressément aux autorités de Khartoum de laisser la presse
soudanaise, comme étrangère, couvrir librement les manifestations qui se
tiennent dans la capitale. Nous nous inquiétons, par ailleurs, de la
multiplication des convocations de journalistes pour avoir 'dépassé les
lignes rouges'", a déclaré Robert Ménard, secrétaire général de RSF.

Le 22 mars, Salih et el Hassan ont été frappés par plusieurs policiers alors
qu'ils couvraient une manifestation d'étudiants qui protestaient, près de
l'ambassade américaine, contre la guerre en Irak. Bien que Salih ait précisé
au policier qu'il était journaliste pour Al-Jazira, les policiers ont
continué à les frapper sur les genoux, avec des bâtons. Le cameraman a
finalement pu s'échapper avec son matériel. Et les images ont pu être
diffusées.

Le même jour, Hayder Al Mukashfi, journaliste du quotidien "Al-Ayyam", a été
interrogé par des membres des services de sécurité. Un des officiers lui a
dit que "ce qu'il écrivait allait au-delà des lignes rouges. Pour le moment,
nous en sommes au stade où nous te conseillons de changer tes écrits". Al
Mukashfi est l'auteur d'une rubrique intitulée "Transparence".

Pour tout renseignement complémentaire, veuillez contacter Virginie
Locussol, RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tél: +33 1 44 83
84 84, téléc: +33 1 45 23 11 51, courrier électronique:
norddelafrique@rsf.org, Internet: http://www.rsf.org

RSF est responsable de toute information contenue dans cette alerte. En
citant cette information, prière de bien vouloir l'attribuer à RSF.
_______________________________________________________________
DIFFUSÉ(E) PAR LE SECRÉTARIAT DU RÉSEAU IFEX,
L'ÉCHANGE INTERNATIONAL DE LA LIBERTÉ D'EXPRESSION
489, rue College, bureau 403, Toronto (ON) M6G 1A5 CANADA
tel: +1 416 515 9622 téléc: +1 416 515 7879
courrier électronique: alerts@ifex.org boîte générale: ifex@ifex.org
site Internet: http://www.ifex.org/
_______________________________________________________________

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zimbabwe: Freelance journalist released

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/media/14109

On 24 March 2003, freelance journalist Stanley Karombo was released on Z$5,000 (approx. US$6) bail. Karombo was arrested on 20 March at the Mutare central police station at the instigation of Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Edmund Maingire. Karombo's lawyer, Peter Makombe, told MISA-Zimbabwe that his client was arrested under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), for allegedly practicing journalism without accreditation.
IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
_________________________________________________________________

ALERT UPDATE- ZIMBABWE

25 March 2003

Freelance journalist released

SOURCE: Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Windhoek

**Updates previous IFEX alert of 25 March 2003**

(MISA/IFEX) - On 24 March 2003, freelance journalist Stanley Karombo was
released on Z$5,000 (approx. US$6) bail. Karombo was arrested on 20 March at the
Mutare central police station at the instigation of Manicaland provincial police
spokesperson Edmund Maingire. Karombo's lawyer, Peter Makombe, told
MISA-Zimbabwe that his client was arrested under the Access to Information and
Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), for allegedly practicing journalism without
accreditation.

Karombo had gone to the police station to seek police comment about a story he
was working on. Under the AIPPA, it is a crime to practice journalism without
being accredited by the government-appointed Media and Information Commission.

Makombe said efforts to have Karombo released the week of his arrest proved
fruitless, as the police said they were under strict orders not to release
anyone arrested in the aftermath of the 18 and 19 March stay-away organised by
the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

For further information, contact Zoe Titus or Kaitira Kandjii, Regional
Information Coordinator, MISA, Street Address: 21 Johann Albrecht Street,
Mailing Address; Private Bag 13386 Windhoek, Namibia, tel: +264 61 232975, fax:
+264 61 248016, e-mail: research@misa.org or kkandjii@misa.org, Internet:
http://www.misa.org/

The information contained in this alert update is the sole responsibility of
MISA. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit MISA.
_________________________________________________________________
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
489 College Street, Suite 403, Toronto (ON) M6G 1A5 CANADA
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: alerts@ifex.org general e-mail: ifex@ifex.org
Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/
_________________________________________________________________

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Zimbabwe: Photographer and lawyers arrested

2003-03-27

http://www.africapulse.org/index.php?action=viewarticle&articleid=1103

Philemon Bulawayo, a photographer with the Daily News, was arrested while taking pictures of police officers beating people in the Harare high-density suburb of Glen View. Zimbabwe was at a standstill from 18 to 19 March following a stay away call by the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change.

zimbabwe: shock at assault on lawyers

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/media/14107

The Media Defence Fund and the Media Lawyers Network has expressed shock and outrage over the assault on lawyers, Gugulethu Moyo and Alec Muchadehama. "It has never been heard before that a lawyer can be arrested and detained for carrying out a duty imposed on him/her by the Constitution of Zimbabwe that grants everyone a right to legal representation," a statement said.
MISA-Zimbabwe

PRESS STATEMENT

26 March 2003

The Media Defence Fund and the Media Lawyers Network wish to express shock and outrage over the assault on lawyers, GUGULETHU MOYO and ALEC MUCHADEHAMA.

It has never been heard before that a lawyer can be arrested and detained for carrying out a duty imposed on him/her by the Constitution of Zimbabwe that grants everyone a right to legal representation. We condemn the heavy-handed manner in which police treated not only Ms GUGULETHU MOYO but also PHILEMON BULAWAYO, the Daily News photographer who was arrested and assaulted for exercising his constitutional rights.

It was reported that Jocelyn Chiwenga, wife of army commander, Lieutenant Constantine Chiwenga beat up Daily News Legal Advisor and Cooperate Affairs Secretary, Ms GUGU MOYO. We call upon the responsible authorities to take action against the alleged perpetrators of this very serious offence. It should never be allowed that a citizen (Mrs Chiwenga) would beat up a lawyer at a police station (Glen View), in front of the officer in charge of the police station, police officers and soldiers with no action being taken against the citizen. The Police force should strive to remain impartial and remain focused on law enforcement not the current scenario where Police are spectators where crimes are committed, cause lawlessness and partake in unlawful activities.

Lawyers are officers of the court! What then would make us believe that Police will not needlessly arrest and harass Judges, Magistrates and Prosecutors?
END

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BOYCOTT US AND UK CAMPAIGN

Drop their shops and stop the war

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/advocacy/14115

This is a global campaign initiated by the People's Health Movement (PHM) on March 20, and is picking up momentum in many countries. The campaign was launched as a tactic to put pressure on the US and UK companies and thus influence their governments to stop the war on Iraq. Click on the link to read a list of products to boycott.
URGENT PRESS RELEASE
Bangalore (India) ; 24th March 2003:

"While the global campaign picks up momentum,

People's Health Movement adds more products to their "hit- list".

" BOYCOTT US AND UK CAMPAIGN"

Drop their shops and STOP THE WAR !

"BOYCOTT US AND UK CAMPAIGN"- Drop their shops and STOP THE WAR!-
a global campaign initiated by the People's Health Movement (PHM) on March
20th, is picking up momentum in many countries. The campaign was launched as
a tactic to put pressure on the US and UK companies and thus influence their
governments to stop the war on Iraq. Today, the campaigners released a
second list of three dozen products to their "hit-list". (On March 20th,
while launching the campaign here, they released a list of ten products).

Several consumer and social action groups worldwide have endorsed their
unflinching solidarity to this campaign. "Communication from Italy and Egypt
are promising, with a group of doctors joining the campaign", said a PHM
spokesperson. Media reports from Greece also show that people have been
joining the boycott campaign.

On Saturday (22nd March), an Indian newspaper reported that "Coca-Cola and
Pepsi have pulled out their advertisements from all news channels around the
world, including India" in news programmes related to the war on Iraq. On
23rd March (Sunday) another news paper, quoting news agencies from Bangkok
reported that "Soft drink giant Coca cola has become the first casualty of
sorts in Thailand in a boycott against US products, but it was Thai-owned
bottler which suffered from the sentiment, a report said here (Bangkok) on
Saturday. Coke's southern Thai bottler Haad Thip PLC, which serves 14
provinces and had sales of $ 37.3 million last year, said it had temporarily
shut its plant in Yala province in response to a boycott campaign in
response to the war."

"This shows that the campaign is working and this is people's power. There
is nothing that can stop the will of the ordinary people. We will step up
the heat on every US and UK products. We will not spare any," said a PHM
spokesperson.

PHM today released a second list of US and UK products in the Indian market,
carefully chosen from fast moving consumer goods that the common people will
find easier to boycott. The boycott campaign is expected to target other
products in the coming days.

Second list of products released today:

(This is mainly for the consumers in India.) . (More products will be added
to this)



First list released on March 20th included:

Coca cola (soft drinks); PepsiCo (soft drinks); Johnson & Johnson (Baby soap
and other products); Colgate (tooth paste and other products); Cadbury's
(chocolate and other products); Eveready (dry cells -'batteries'); Kellogg's
(biscuits, corn flakes and other products); Levi's (jeans); Wrangler
(jeans); Reebok (sports items); General Electric (bulbs and other products);
Benson & Hedges tobacco products (Health groups are always against any
tobacco products); 555- (State Express) tobacco products

The second list: (released on March 24th)

Cibaca, Old Spice, Palmolive, Pampers, Gillette, Braun, Oral B, Hugo,
Pringles, Pantene, Head and Shoulders, Camay, Olay, Thums Up, Kinley, Shock,
Mountain dew, Aqua fina, Frito Lays, Lipton, Dove, Knorr, Domestos, Ala,
Omo, Axe, Rexona, Impulse, Organic, Sunsilk, Lakme, Clinic, Pespodent, Fair
and Lovely, Surf, Rin, Wheel, Lux, Ponds, Vaseline, Signal, Close-up, Calvin
Klein, Liril, Lifebuoy, Vim, Kwality, Brooke Bond, Max, Whisper, Kissan,
Toys -- Toys 'R Us, Mattel (Barbie dolls), Chevron-Texaco, Exxon-Mobil.



For the People's Health Movement

Dr. Ravi Narayan, Co-ordinator, PHM Secretariat

More...

hands up for education

2003-03-27

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/educationnow/action.htm

In April 2002, at the Spring meetings of the World Bank and IMF, the UK government and other members of the G7 group of countries endorsed the Education for All Action Plan. If put into action, the Plan could ensure free primary education for every child by 2015. But, almost one year on, little money has been pledged to make the Plan a reality. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is being lost. To join the call for free, quality, primary education for every child, please complete the form provided at the link provided.

MILLION SIGNATURES ON THE INTERNET DRIVE

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/advocacy/14103

The Million Signature campaign was officially launched worldwide in January. Tens of thousands of people have already expressed their solidarity by signing on. This signature campaign, initiated by the People's Health Movement and the International People's Health Council, is being endorsed by ordinary people and organisations from all walks of life. The campaign is designed to put pressure on WHO, UNICEF, other UN bodies, social and political organisations, policy-makers and governments. Join 'The Million Signature Campaign'.
People's Health Movement & International People's Health Council
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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MILLION SIGNATURES ON THE INTERNET
TO DEMAND FOR "HEALTH FOR ALL NOW"

The Million Signature Campaign is a list on the Internet for you to demand
HEALTH FOR ALL NOW ! Join 'The Million Signature Campaign'!

www.TheMillionSignatureCampaign.org

In its historic document, the Alma Ata Declaration, WHO promised 'Health for
all by 2000'. Since then, the spirit of Alma Ata and the idea of Health For
All has been under attack by anti-poor people's health policies, reemerging
and new diseases, new challenges and, above all, by efforts to put
privatization over public
health. Given the current international health crisis, it is more essential
than ever to
reaffirm and implement the principles of Alma Ata.

The Million Signature campaign was officially launched worldwide in January.
Tens of thousands of people have already expressed their solidarity by
signing on.

This signature campaign, initiated by the People's Health Movement
and the International People's Health Council, is being endorsed by ordinary
people and organizations from all walks of life.

The campaign is designed to put pressure on WHO, UNICEF, other UN bodies,
social and political organizations, policy-makers and governments to
re-emphasize PHC in their programs.

The People's Health Movement represents grassroots organizations from over
100 countries. Its goal is to re-establish health and equitable development
as top priorities in local, national and international policy-making
processes, with comprehensive primary health care as the strategy to achieve
these priorities. One of the tools used by PHM worldwide is the People's
Charter for Health, the largest people-centered consensus document on
health.

The International People's Health Council (IPHC). IPHC, a constituent of
the PHM, is a worldwide coalition of people's health initiatives and
progressive groups and movements committed to working for the health and
rights of disadvantaged people.

This year, these two organizations will observe the 25th anniversary of the
Alma Ata Declaration. A series of activities are being planned.

Dr. Ravi Narayan, Facilitator: PHM Secretariat. Maria Hamlin
Zuniga, Co-ordinator: IPHC

More...

one world, one wish campaign

2003-03-27

http://www.savethechildren.org/owow/owow.shtml

Thirty-two wars are now being waged around the world. One in four children worldwide lives in one of these dangerous situations. Some 20,000 girls and women were raped during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia in 1992 alone. And in Liberia, 7-year-old children were found fighting in combat. It is clear that a crisis of this magnitude requires a massive response. Save the Children is launching the One World, One Wish campaign to stop atrocities such as organized rape and the use of child soldiers by getting our government to set aside funds for the protection of women and children in conflicts.

take action on HIV/AIDS

2003-03-27

http://www.actsa.org/action.htm

Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) is working with the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), the South African based campaign group, to demand that GlaxoSmithKline puts public health before patients and profits. Visit their web page and sign a petition in support of the campaign.

africa: Anti-war protests sweep Africa

2003-03-27

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2873045.stm

Thousands of Muslims took to the streets last Friday across Africa to protest against the US-led war on Iraq.

burundi: Peace Talks Satisfy Burundi's Hutu Group

2003-03-27

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=515&ncid=723&e=10&u=/ap/20030323/ap_on_re_af/burundi_peace_talks

Burundi's hardline Hutu rebel group expressed satisfaction with its first round of peace talks with government and military representatives in Switzerland. "The meeting was very constructive, it laid a good start for the talks," Pasteur Habimana, spokesman for the National Liberation Forces, or FNL, said in Bujumbura. "Though it was only a first meeting, we truly discussed the historic causes of the Burundi conflict."

car: Rebel-leader moves to form govt in CAR

2003-03-27

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?a=37&o=17572

This central African nation's rebel-leader turned self-proclaimed president named his prime minister on Sunday, charging the longtime opposition leader with assembling a new government in the coming days.

ERITREA/ETHIOPIA: Addis grants US overflight rights

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=32967

Ethiopia says it has given the US overflight and landing rights in the war against Iraq. Ethiopian television quoted a senior foreign ministry official as saying this was in accordance with requests by the US. He said Ethiopia had no plans to deploy troops.

ivory coast: Rebels boycott Ivorian cabinet

2003-03-27

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2868043.stm

Rebels in control of half of Ivory Coast for the past six months failed to attend the new unity government's second cabinet meeting.

mozambique: Mozambique May Suffer Impact of the War

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303210369.html

Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano has expressed fears that the negative impact of the United States-led war on Iraq may divert the attention of Mozambique and of Africa as a whole from their main priority, which should be the fight against poverty, reports Friday's issue of the daily paper "Noticias".

nigeria: Ethnic Clashes Disrupt Nigeria's Oil Production

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303260001.html

More than a week after an outbreak of ethnic violence in the oil-rich Delta region of Nigeria, the army sent by the government to quell the disturbances claims to have tightened its control on the volatile conflict zone. At the heart of the conflict are youths in the Niger Delta from the local Ijaw community, which claims to be the majority ethnic group in the area. They complain that they have been marginalised by central government and receive virtually none of the benefits from the oil wealth, which they say comes from their traditional lands in the region.

nigeria: Kano Residents Back Saddam Hussein

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303210001.html

In northern Nigeria - far away from the military action in the Gulf, there appears to be overwhelming condemnation of U.S. President George W. Bush and his intentions in Iraq. AllAfrica correspondent Ofeibea Quist-Arcton is travelling around the northern states of Nigeria to report on the current election campaign, ahead of polls next month. In the influential states of Kaduna and Kano, she heard the views of local people apparently deeply concerned about the war.

nigeria: US, Nigeria Trade Harsh Words

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303230052.html

The US has denied that it has suspended military assistance to Nigeria following Nigeria's opposition to the US-led war on Iraq. US Nigeria ambassador Howard Jetter said: "This is not the case. The US government has not sought to influence Nigeria policy on Iraq through the suspension of military assistance. While some US military assistance to Nigeria has been affected by US legislation that went into effect on February 20, those limitations were in no way related to Nigeria's stand on Iraq."

SOMALIA: Peace talks have achieved little, civil society says

2003-03-27

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33041

The Somali peace talks currently underway in Kenya have achieved very few tangible results, members of Somali civil society said on Tuesday. According to a statement, received by IRIN, the group listed a range of objectives it said had not been met. These included "peace and national reconciliation, agreement on a provisional charter and other core issues, as well as the establishment of a national government".

south africa: Repercussions From war Stance

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303210455.html

With its prayers unanswered of avoiding a war in Iraq, South Africa must hope for a short, sharp operation. President Thabo Mbeki's principled stand against the forceful disarmament of Iraq has put South Africa's relations with two of its most important friends in the balance.

uganda: UGANDA: Rebels kill government peace envoy

2003-03-27

http://irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=33067

Rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) reportedly killed a government peace envoy on Monday, dampening hopes for a peaceful end to the 17-year insurgency in northern Uganda.

INTERNET ACCESS STILL A NIGHTMARE IN AFRICA

2003-03-27

http://www.dispatch.co.zm/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=180

The usage of the Internet - which has been described as a possible engine for economic growth - is still a 'mountain to climb' in many African countries. According to a report published by Africa Online, of the 770 million people in Africa, one in every 150, or approximately 5.5 million people in total, now uses the Internet.

South Africa: Cape developer launches AIDS software

2003-03-27

http://www.africapulse.org/index.php?action=viewarticle&articleid=1104

Stellenbosch-based Indutech has released what it describes as the world's first software solution to tackle HIV/Aids in the workplace. The solution, EDEN for HIV/Aids, is to be rolled out soon in the automotive industry.

South Africa: Shuttleworth in open source drive

2003-03-27

http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/education/0,1009,55689,00.html

IT entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth's Shuttleworth Foundation has opened the first of three open source learning centres in the Western Cape. The centre, at the Nooitgedacht Primary School in Bishop Lavis, takes computer access to nearly 1 000 children for the first time.

south africa: South African judge warns of 'genetic apartheid'

2003-03-27

http://www.scidev.net/frame3.asp?id=2103200312154352&t=N&authors=Tamar%20Kahn&posted=21%20Mar%202003&c=1&r=1

A leading South African judge has warned of the possible emergence of a &#8216;genetic apartheid&#8217;, arguing that the scientific advances of genetic research have created the spectre of a &#8216;genetic underclass&#8217; that is vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination.

sqlDesktop cleans up

2003-03-27

http://www.tectonic.co.za/default.php?action=view&id=115

sqlDesktop promises to clean up your life. Oh, and it also promises to turn your digital documents into a valuable resource, reports www.tectonic.co.za

SUSTAINABLE ICT CASE STUDIES SITE LAUNCHED

2003-03-27

http://www.sustainableICTs.org

A Sustainable ICT Case Studies website has been launched. It has been generated by Gamos and BigWorld as part of a research programme into Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sustainability factors. Funded by the Department of International Development (DFID), the research programme identified activities from across the world that sought to benefit the poor and had an ICT component. In particular it considered programmes where ICTs had enhanced ongoing development activities, the ICT activity could be replicated without sizeable investment, and there was a measure of sustainability.

TIME TO GET ONLINE WEBSITE GOES LIVE, OFFERS LEARNING MATERIALS

2003-03-27

http://www.ttgo.kabissa.org

Kabissa has launched a new web site for its Time to Get Online project. It is an Internet capacity-building project for West African civil society organisations that was launched in November 2002. Initially, it targeted organisations in West Africa whose main agenda concerns human rights, freedom of information, responsive government and democratization. A set of self-learning materials has been developed to help civil society activists and organisers to get online and to integrate the Internet into their organisations. The materials can be used as both a self-taught curriculum and as a reference guide for users with varying levels of Internet experience and expertise. The materials are available for download for African civil society organisations. Local workshops serve as a supplement to the learning materials and give organisations the opportunity for hands-on learning.

islam and human rights web site

2003-03-27

http://www.law.emory.edu/IHR/

The Religion and Human Rights Project of Emory University has formally launched the Islam and Human Rights website. The website is a comprehensive research resource for academics, students, policy-makers, mediapersons, and anyone interested in Islam and human rights issues around the world. The website includes: Links to articles, essays, and collections of documents on Islam and human rights; Profiles and contact information on scholars and organisations in the field of Islam and human rights; A discussion forum; and Regularly updated information on events worldwide related to Islam and human rights.

SOCIAL CHANGE EMAIL LIST

2003-03-27

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/socialchangezw/

The Social Change email list is a continuation of Social Change magazine, and is intended for discussing social and economic development issues, especially as they relate to Zimbabwe.

USAWATCH@DERECHOS.NET

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/enewsl/14149

Derechos announces the creation of a new mailing list for the distribution of information (news, articles, commentary, documents) and actions concerning the threats to human and civil rights and democracy in and by the United States of Americas. This includes legislation like the Patriot Acts, projects like Total Information Awareness, judicial/political actions such as the denial of habeas corpus and so forth. The mailing list will be in English and moderated. You are invited to join and to contribute.
USAWATCH@DERECHOS.NET

Derechos announces the creation of a new mailing list for the distribution of information (news, articles, commentary, documents) and actions concerning the threats to human and civil rights and democracy in and by the United States of Americas. This includes legislation like the Patriot Acts, projects like Total Information Awareness, judicial/political actions such as the denial of habeas corpus and so forth. The mailing list will be in English and moderated. We invite you to join and to contribute.

To subscribe, send a message to:

usawatch-subscribe@derechos.net

To subscribe to the digest, send a message to:

usawatch-digest-subscribe@derechos.net

You can send relevant articles and actions from legitimate sources to usawatch@derechos.net

For any comments or questions write to usawatch-admin@derechos.net Note, hotmail and other webmail users may have a problem subscribing directly, if this is the case write to usawatch-admin@derechos.net with your request.

More...

Zvakwana/Sokwanele: enough is enough

2003-03-27

http://www.zvakwana.org/index.htm

Zvakwana/Sokwanele is a non-partisan, non-profit group of passionate people - volunteers and visionaries - working to keep Zimbabweans informed about breaking news, including civic campaigns and public meetings and events. They have an activist wing that engages in non-violent civic actions. The words zvakwana and sokwanele are vernacular for "enough is enough". Visit their web site and join the Zvakwana mailing list.

nigeria/South Africa: IOC Boosts Athletes With $75,000

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303260460.html

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) through the collaborative efforts of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) has boosted the country's athletes with a sum of $75,000 towards the preparation for All African Games in October.

Nigeria: Call for Proposals to Promote Civic Engagement in Global Governance

2003-03-27

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303260480.html

The Global Civil Society Portfolio of the Ford Foundation has set aside $US1 million to promote civic engagement in global governance and to encourage global civil society actors to address the democracy deficits apparent within global governance. With this call for proposals the Ford Foundation is seeking civil society organisations that have a strategic plan to strengthen or promote accountability mechanisms between global governors and global citizens.

South Africa: A R1.3 million VOTE of confidence

2003-03-27

http://www.nu.ac.za/nu/extra.asp?id=367&p=UNHP

Mr Sam Seepei, Manager of the BHPBilliton Trust, handed over a cheque for R1.334 million to the University&#8217;s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Malegapuru William Makgoba, signifying a vote of confidence in the University and its highly successful Science Foundation Programme (SFP).

South Africa: Lesaoana Intermediate School connected onto the ICT highway

2003-03-27

http://www.telkom.co.za/telkomfoundation/news/article23.jsp

Pupils of the Lesaoana Intermediate School in the rural eastern Free State village of Sehlajaneng have received a computer centre from the Telkom Foundation that is set to change their learning experience.

Continental Conflict Transformation Course

12 May 2003 &#8211; 14 June 2003

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/14105

Twice a year, the Coalition for Peace in Africa (COPA) holds a 5-week training workshop. This course covers diverse aspects of conflict transformation and peace building, and is aimed at building the capacity of participants, mostly from the African continent, working in related fields. The next course is scheduled for 12th May 2003 to 14th June 2003 and will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Special facilities are available for participants with young children who cannot be left behind. The purpose of this course is to assist men and women working for development, human rights, peace and justice.
COALITION FOR PEACE IN AFRICA (COPA)
COALITION POUR LA PAIX EN AFRIQUE



Facilitation * Training * Mediation * Negotiation * Development and Conflict * Human Rights * Peace Education * Active Non-violence * Rehabilitation * Trauma Counselling * Reconciliation * Building Coalitions * Lobbying * Monitoring & Evaluation* Participatory Rural Appraisal

WHAT IS COPA?

The Coalition for Peace in Africa (COPA) is a membership organization striving towards building the capacity of its members and providing support to existing service providers in Africa, so as to achieve sustainable peace in the continent.

· A coalition of concerned individuals and organizations in peace and development on the African Continent.
· A growing resource of African wisdom and expertise able to respond effectively to the conflicts besetting different parts of Africa.
· An organization to connect people working for peace and development, human rights and related goals.
· An organization promoting peace and responding to conflict in Anglophone, Lusophone and Francophone countries throughout Africa.
· The Africa Regional partner of ACTION for Conflict Transformation: a global network of individuals and organizations, built on shared values and committed to action for conflict transformation.


COPA&#8217;S VISION

To see a sustainable culture of peace taking root in Africa in which divergent views and interests coexist in a manner that reinforces a common good; and a continent that acknowledges and solves its problems, and contributes towards global solutions.

To achieve this, COPA is working to redress the conflict situation in Africa through engagement with conflict and transforming it in positive ways, by cultivating African approaches that are informed by the lifestyles, traditions and cultures of the people living in Africa.








PROGRAMME STRATEGIES

· To offer ongoing practical support to people and organizations who are faced with volatile and potentially violent situations through consultancies, skills training, mutual support, exchange of experiences, and trauma workshops.
· To build the skills and confidence of members and partners so that they can be effective in their communities and become a resource to each other (e.g. skills training & sharing, thematic workshops, exchange of experiences. empowerment.)
· To raise the profile of peace work and practitioners by recording, collecting and disseminating positive experiences and learning, and to undertake research and training that lays the foundation for the formation of an African Peace Institute (e.g research, lobbying, publications and newsletters.)
· To facilitate learning and sharing between practitioners and policy-makers at all levels of society and specifically across regional borders through, for example, high-level skill development & support, lobbying, linking and facilitating cross border learning.
· To support initiatives that enhances development, justice and reconciliation in Africa through giving solidarity, linking and consultancies.


BACKGROUND OF COPA

COPA was formed in 1995/96 when a group of concerned Africans met in Nairobi, Kenya to exchange their insights and experiences on a pressing issue facing Africans: prevention of the escalation of violent conflict in Africa. They were convinced that they needed to offer continual practical support to people and organizations on the ground, that are faced with volatile and potentially violent conflict situations, recognising conflict as a major contributor to Africa&#8217;s deplorable state of poverty and underdevelopment, for it is extremely difficult to carry out meaningful development under situations of violent conflict and socio-political instability. This instability and the numerous civil wars in many African countries inflict terrible loss of life and social and economic damage to these countries, as well as undermining cross border relations. Often enormous resources are diverted from development initiatives to maintain large armies and other security forces, while natural resources are systematically looted by fighting groups to finance these wars, causing irreversible damage to the economy of the country and reversing any development that may have occurred.

The practitioners that came together in Nairobi found that there were no appropriate support networks for them to access and work together as peace practitioners. Initial membership of the network came from different parts of Africa mainly "alumni" of Responding to Conflict (RTC) Working with Conflict Course offered once or twice a year in Birmingham, England. Later on membership expanded to include other individuals and organizations in Africa. A secretariat was set up in Johannesburg, South Africa, later moving to Nairobi, Kenya and housed by the Peace and Development Network. In South Africa COPA is housed by the ACTION Support Centre in Johannesburg.



Continental Conflict Transformation Course 12 May 2003 &#8211; 14 June 2003

Twice a year, COPA holds a 5-week training workshop. This course covers diverse aspects of conflict transformation and peace building, and is aimed at building the capacity of participants, mostly from the African continent, working in related fields.

The next course is scheduled for 12th May 2003 to 14th June 2003 and will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Special facilities are available for participants with young children who cannot be left behind.

The purpose of this course is to assist men and women working for development, human rights, peace and justice to:

· Identify the origins and causes of new and ongoing conflicts in various parts of Africa and to look specifically at the current conflicts and its impact on the continent and Internationally.
· Examine the causes of these conflicts in order to understand more clearly the dynamics of the various factors and forces. The relationship between peace and development will also be debated.
· Support and strengthen skills for facilitating dialogue, including communication and facilitation skills, negotiation, mediation and arbitration.
· Explore ways of providing support between practitioners and policy makers active in the field of Conflict Transformation.
· Address the need to train other people working for development, human rights and reconciliation in methods of transforming and preventing violence.
· Explore further strategies for violence reduction and peace- building.


The course

The course has been designed specifically for people who want to focus on conflict in Africa. Although it will include an analysis of global events and their impact on Africa, emphasis will be placed on culturally sensitive and sustainable responses to regional and community conflicts in Africa. Participants will be requested to bring to the course case studies and examples of conflict transformation from their own experience and research.

The course will take place over five weeks. Throughout the course there is a strong focus on personal development and the need for individuals and organizations to form networks, coalitions and alliances with others working in similar fields. By the end of the course each participant is expected to have designed an action strategy, which is developed further and implemented on his or her return.

Holding the course in South Africa offers unique opportunities to explore the history and context of a conflict process that is still unfolding. The course includes tours to local places of interest as well as opportunities to make contacts with local organisations.

Participants are encouraged to enrol for full participation. A certificate in Advanced Conflict Transformation will be issued to all participants who complete the programme.




Course content

The course will employ a wide variety of participative approaches to learning.
The following themes will be covered:

Module One: Understanding Conflict
12th May &#8211; 24th May
· Characteristics, Stages, Early warning Indicators
· Changing environments and political systems in Africa
· African theories of conflict
· Causes of conflict
· Problem solving tools for analysing conflicts

Module Two: Conflict Transformation
25th May &#8211; 1st June

· Identifying intervention opportunities
· Active nonviolence
· Facilitating Dialogue, mediation and negotiation
· Advocacy, Lobbying and Campaigning
· Reconciliation
· Demobilization and reintegration
· Processing trauma

Module Three: Building Sustainable Peace
2nd June &#8211; 8th June

· Understanding Peace-keeping, Peace-making and Peace-building
· Visions and Values
· Integrating relief, development and Peacebuilding
· &#8216;Do No Harm&#8217;
· Sustainable Development and the Environment
· Human Rights
· Monitoring and Evaluation
· Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment

Module Four: Organising for Change
9th June &#8211; 14th June
· Networking, Coalitions and Alliances
· Fundraising
· Influencing organisations
· Leadership, Mobilising and Organising
· Developing Action Strategies


The course staff

Four COPA members from the African continent will facilitate the course. With experience of living and working on the continent and internationally, they will develop processes in consultation with the group to fine-tune a course that meets the participant's needs.

In addition to the full-time tutors, resource specialists, in the field of conflict transformation, human rights, sustainable development, community mobilisation, trauma processing, reconciliation and the African Renaissance, will be invited to offer inputs and conduct sessions related to particular topics.

Participants

We would like to encourage women and people from Francophone and Lusophone countries to apply. While the course in conducted in English care will be taken not to disadvantage any language groups.
The course is aimed particularly at:
· Development and relief workers operating in contexts of conflict and violence in Africa.
· Religious personnel involved in peace and reconciliation work or planning to become involved.
· NGOs wanting to develop their programme beyond development and emergency relief to include advocacy, lobbying, peace building and reconciliation.
· People working for Sustainable Development.
· Human rights workers interested in Conflict Transformation.
· Those wanting to explore African cultural mechanisms for peace making and reconciliation.
· People working with others for Peace and Justice.


For organisations:

This course is particularly concerned with strengthening people&#8217;s capacities to improve their organisations&#8217; effectiveness in responding to conflicts they encounter in their work. We would particularly encourage organisations to send participants whose knowledge and experiences will be easily shared with the rest of the organisation.

COPA strongly requests organisations wishing to enrol their staff for this course to prepare the participants in the following ways:

· Identify the organisation&#8217;s expectations of the course.
· Identify the participant&#8217;s objectives for the course.
· How will the participant use the learning obtained from this course in the organisation?
· How does the organisation propose to integrate the participant&#8217;s learning and experience?


Location

The course will take place in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, at the Elijah Barayi Memorial Training Centre in Yeoville. The venue is 25 km from Johannesburg International Airport.

Course dates

12th May to 14th June 2003



Course Fees

Total fee $3500

Materials and Tuition $2000.00
Accommodation, extra curricular activities and medical insurance $1500.00
Deposit Fees $500.00 (To secure a place upon acceptance, non-refundable if participant withdraws)

You will need about $300.00 for personal expenses and travel money. It is the applicants&#8217; responsibility to find all necessary funds: for course fees, accommodation, travel to and from where they normally live, and spending money. Many course members are funded by their employers or by an agency already familiar with their work. Copa members can offer advice to applicants on how to find alternative sources of funding.

Scholarships

You can, if necessary, apply for support from the programme's scholarship fund by filling in section 4 of the application form. Applications for scholarships are normally decided at least four months before the start of the course. Factors taken into account in awarding scholarships include: the situation in which the applicant is working, the need to include people with a wide range of experience on the course, the resources already available to the applicant, gender (we aim for a balance between men and women which often means giving preference, where appropriate, to women) and, of course, the scholarship funds at our disposal.

Numbers on each course are restricted. It is advisable to apply as soon as possible, and preferably not later than 4 months before the course or module starts. Late applications are considered only if space allows.

If you would like to attend the course but have special needs that you are worried will affect your participation please let us know. Every effort will be made to accommodate these needs.


For further information on COPA, membership and the Continental Course please contact:

Copa Course Co-ordinator
Postnet Suite #145,
Private Bag X9, Melville 2109
South Africa
Fax: + 27 11 331 0671
Tel: + 27 11 331 2944
Mobile: +27 084 356 8030
Contact Person: Nthabiseng Ngobeni
Email: copa@actionsupport.co.za

P.O. Box 13265, 00100, Nairobi GPO, Kenya
Tel: 254-2-577558
Fax: 254-2-577557
Mobile: +254 (0)73 376 9840
Contact Person: Michael Muragu
E-mail: copa@copafrica.org
Website: www.copafrica.org

More...

Invasion of Iraq: Effects and consequences for Africa

Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/14104

This seminar aims to stimulate analytical debate of the United States invasion of Iraq and the impact it is likely to have on Africa. The seminar will examine this topic from a broad social justice perspective and will address questions of a possible depletion of aid and trade in Africa, and the impact of changing global power relations.
The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) invites you
to a seminar on

Invasion of Iraq: Effects and consequences for Africa

This seminar aims to stimulate analytical debate of the United States
invasion of Iraq and the impact it is likely to have on Africa. The seminar
will examine this topic from a broad social justice perspective and will
address questions of a possible depletion of aid and trade in Africa, and
the impact of changing global power relations. It will also focus on the
question of what implications the polarisation of the debate around the
Iraq invasion in South Africa is likely to have for violence and
reconciliation. It may also touch on post war scenarios and challenges for
reconstruction, reconciliation and development.



Speakers:

* Salim Vally ­ Stop the War Campaign
Salim Vally is a senior researcher at the Education Policy Unit at
the University of Witwatersrand and the chairperson of the Palestine
Solidarity Committee.
* Speaker from the US Consulate (to be confirmed)


Date: Thursday 27 March 2003

Venue: CSVR Boardroom 4th Floor, Braamfontein Centre

Time: 14:00 - 16:00

R.S.V.P (Bella Montsho ­ Tel 011 403 5650)

More...

LAND ISSUES IN THE POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGIC PAPERS: Sub-Regional Informative and Capacity Building Workshop

Lome, Togo, 25 &#8211; 26 April 2003

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/14106

The LandNet West Africa network is pleased to announce its forthcoming bilingual workshop in Lome (Togo) on April 25 - 26 2003. This meeting will be focused on the following themes: the land issues in the sub-region; the World Bank land policy; the PRSPs and the land tenure challenges with a focus on some countries experiences; and the means for correctly addressing land problems within the PRSP scheme.
LANDNET WEST AFRICA &#8211; CRCD &#8211; GRAF
_____________________________

LAND ISSUES IN THE POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGIC PAPERS

Sub-Regional Informative and Capacity Building Workshop
Lome, Togo, 25 &#8211; 26th April 2003.
_____________________

The LandNet West Africa network is pleased to announce its forthcoming bilingual workshop in Lome (Togo) on April 25 &#8211; 26th 2003.
This meeting will be focused on the following themes:
- the land issues in the sub-region
- the World Bank land policy
- the PRSPs and the land tenure challenges with a focus on some countries experiences
- the means for correctly address land problems within the PRSPs scheme.

The workshop aims to put different land policy stakeholders (national LandNet networks, NGOs CBOs, women organizations, research institutes...) into contact with national managerial teams of PRSP. The representatives of West African countries that have already achieved their PRSP will present to other participants at which stage land issues have been addressed in those PRSP, and which approaches have been initiated to make those actions work concretely. Representative from countries where PRSP were not yet effective will present the major tenure challenges they are facing and will consider how those issues would be correctly addressed within the PRSP scheme

The outcomes of this meeting are supposed to offer participants positive indications on:
- the opportunities and strategies for national, regional and continental agendas for networking capacity building and for fundraising
- the principles for a participatory approach in the vein of the type 2 partnership recommendation
- the research opportunity related to the PRSP process.

For more details and the progress on the organization of the event, please contact:
- Koffi Alinon
CRCD / LandNet Togo
P.O.Box 80677 Lome, Togo.
Tel. +228 226 1211 / 912 9576
Fax +228 225 1359
E-mail: landnet_tg@yahoo.com, alinon@mpl.ird.fr

- Hubert Ouedraogo
GRAF
Tel: (226) 34 14 57
E-mail : did@liptinfor.bf, o.hubert@fasonet.bf

More...

Africa: Policy and Advocacy Manager

Christian Aid

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/14093

This exciting new post in the Africa Division will initiate and design policy and advocacy strategies on the priorities of the Africa Division and undertake policy work in one particular area of expertise. The postholder will contribute to the management of the Africa Division and manage staff in the Africa Policy and Advocacy Unit. Earliest start date 1st April (negotiable). See the link for a list of more Christian Aid jobs related to Africa.
CHRISTIAN AID VACANCIES LIST
Date of issue: 20th March 2003
To find out more about any of these vacancies, please send a self addressed
envelope (41p, A4 size) to The Human Resources Department, Christian Aid, PO
Box 100, London SE1 7RT, letting us know which posts you are interested in, or
email your full postal address to: hr@christian-aid.org


Job descriptions and an application form are also displayed on the Internet.
The website address is: http://www.christian-aid.org.uk


ADDITIONAL VACANCIES

Grade 01
Supporter Database Manager
£29,879 per annum, (Salary subject to review in April 2003)

Christian Aid is looking for a dynamic individual who will manage and
strategically develop an integrated fundraising resource marketing and
supporter-led database. You will need to have 5 years experience of either
customer or supporter database management within a professional fundraising,
or direct marketing environment. Additionally you should have experience of
managing staff together with excellent communication skills. Ref: 635/LE
Closing date: 7th April 2003
Interviews: 16th April 2003

Africa Policy and Advocacy Manager
£29,879 per annum
This exciting new post in the Africa Division will initiate and design policy
and advocacy strategies on the priorities of the Africa Division and undertake
policy work in one particular area of expertise. The postholder will
contribute to the management of the Africa Division and manage staff in the
Africa Policy and Advocacy Unit. Earliest start date 1st April (negotiable).
Ref: 654/RC
Closing date: 27th March 2003
Interviews: TBA

Trade Policy Manager
£29,879 per annum
The main purpose is to lead Christian Aid's policy work on trade and to lead
the influencing of key advocacy targets, in close collaboration with the
Campaign Team. You would manage the Trade Unit in GAP - consisting of two
senior policy officers and a matrix management relationship to a policy
officer in the CA Ireland office. You need to be an expert on trade with five
years policy, research or field experience on trade and globalisation in a
public policy environment. You must have proven experience of undertaking and
commissioning high quality research and proven advocacy experience. Ref: 650/RC
Closing date: 27th March
Interviews: Week commencing 31st March

Regional Manager for the Middle Eastern Region
£29,879 (under review)

This is a new and exciting opportunity to lead, develop, manage and have
responsibility for the development, emergency, advocacy, policy and campaign
work of the Middle East. You would be responsible for the processes of
developing, implementing and monitoring CA policy and strategy for the
region.
You must have 3 years management experience, including strategic planning and
budget management and have successfully delivered project/programme
objectives. You will be able to demonstrate skills in team leadership and
working effectively with partners/stakeholders. Ref: 655/GR
Closes: 27th March
Interviews: 2nd April (provisional)


Grade A

Emergency Programme Manager, Iraq
£26,109 pro rata (6 months fixed term contract)

Reporting to the Middle East Programme Manager, you will coordinate, manage
and develop Christian Aid's response to the emergency in Iraq and the
immediate region. You will ensure that partners are supported effectively,
that record keeping and reporting requirements are fulfilled, and that MEECA
is able to meet the various media and communication demands placed on it by
this emergency. You will have at least five years of relevant work
experience, including at least 3 years of humanitarian / emergency experience,
some of which will have been in a high security and politicised context.
Experience of proposal writing, reporting and staff management are also
required. This post will be based in London but will require travel to the
region. Ref: 648/GR
Closing date: 25th March 2003
Interviews: 27th March 2003

Area Co-ordinator
£23, 505 per annum
Do you share our vision of a movement of people committed to exposing the
scandal of poverty and working to eradicate it?
Christian Aid is seeking to appoint a key member of our London & South East
Team to represent our work across Surrey and Kent region. You will be
committed to make a real difference in the world by encouraging people to
give, act and pray for hope, change and justice. Ideally you will have
experience of working with a diverse range of volunteers, have an
understanding of the churches, be interested in international development and
campaigning issues, and be a self-motivated and inspiring speaker across a
range of media. This post will be based in the Brighton area. Ref. No.: 644/SB
Closing date: 23rd April 2003
Interviews: 6th May 2003

East Africa Programme Manager
£ 23,505 per annum
We are currently looking for a Programme Manager to lead the development and
management of Christian Aid's East Africa programme (Kenya, Uganda and
Tanzania) within a policy framework agreed with the Programme Leader and the
East & Horn of Africa Regional Manager. Educated to degree level and with at
least five years' experience of international development work, the ideal
candidate will have experience of staff and resource management, including
distance management, as well as experience of working with a local
organisation in the south (NGO or Church), ideally in Africa. Located within
Christian Aid's Nairobi office, the post will involve travel within the
region. Ref: 653/RC
Closing date: 27th March 2003
Interviews: week beginning 31st March


Grade B
Emergency Programme Officer, Southern Africa
£19,986 p.a
Contract to 31st March 2004

You would be working with Christian Aid staff and local partner organisations
implementing emergency programmes in Zimbabwe. You'll have 3 years development
experience, including working on emergencies. Food aid/security experience
would be an advantage. Your experience should preferably include working with
and supporting southern organisations rather than solely direct
implementation. You will be working with and reporting to donors. It is
intended that this post will be based in Harare. You will need to be able to
start by 1st June 2003. Ref: 640/RC
Closing date: 31st March 2003
Interviews: 14th April 2003

Financial Manager
£22,590 per annum(salary subject to review in April 2003)
Christian Aid requires a Financial Manager with experience of tax and/or
payroll to manage the Payment Processing Unit. You will be part qualified
(CCAB or equivalent), and will have at least three years experience in a
computerised accounting environment. You will also be a good communicator and
able to handle a busy workload. Ref. No.: 656/LE
Closing date: 26th March 2003
Interview date : TBC

Services Development Officer
£22,590 per annum, 35 hours per week
Do have organisational skills, management experience, database knowledge and
experience of customer/ supporter care? This job will give you the chance to
use all four.
You will play a role in taking forward the implementation of a Supporter
Strategy for the organisation, planning response handling for direct response
activities; arranging for temporary staff working outside normal working
hours; liasing with suppliers and checking quality of work; monitoring
compliance with Service Level Agreements and acting as the Data Protection
Officer for Christian Aid. Ref 639/LE
Closing date: 25th March 2003
Interviews: 7th April 2003

Programme Officer - Ghana
£22,590 Per annum
To be responsible, in accordance with priorities agreed with the Regional
Manager, for Christian Aid's programme in Ghana. You will be primarily
responsible for building and managing partner relationships, and for
monitoring progress of work on individual programmes and of the implementation
of Christian Aid's country strategy for Ghana. You will have at least two
years relevant work experience, including management of project work and
capacity building. With strong communication skills and the ability to
motivate and support staff and partners effectively and at a distance, you
will also need experience of working in a busy and pressurised environment.
Based in London, you will need to be able to travel regularly to the region.
Ref: 649/RC
Closing date: 27th March 2003
Interviews: TBA

Programme Officer for South Sudan (Peace)
£ 19,986 per annum, One year (extendable)
We are looking for a Programme Officer to manage and develop Christian Aid's
programme in southern Sudan, with particular respect to its peace component.
The ideal candidate, educated to degree level or equivalent with at least
three years' experience of international development work, will be able to
appraise, monitor and evaluate projects, maintain financial systems and
records and initiate and plan work strategically. The post will be located
within the Nairobi Field Office sub-team and will require a willingness to
travel within the region, at times to areas of instability. Ref: 652/RC
Closing date: 27th March 2003
Interviews: week beginning 31st March 2003


Africa Policy and Advocacy Officer (fixed term for 6 months initially)
£22,590 Per annum
A new post in the Policy and Advocacy Unit being created within the Africa
Division to undertake planned policy formulation and advocacy tasks in line
with agreed Africa priorities, and agreed unplanned policy and advocacy work
under the supervision of the Africa Policy and Advocacy Manager. Based in
Waterloo, earliest starting date 1st May. Ref: 645/RC
Closing date: 27th March 2003
Interviews: TBA


Grade C
PA to Head of Marketing
£19,770 pa
Organised, independent and responsible. These are just some of the qualities
we need to make the role of PA a success. Supporting the Head of Marketing and
Supporter Relations you will be key in ensuring an efficiently run Division.
You will have at least one year's secretarial experience and have excellent
interpersonal skills along with the ability to work with professionalism and
diplomacy. A good working knowledge of Word/Excel is essential. Experience of
working with budgets is desirable. Ref: 642/LE
Closing date: 7th April 2003
Interviews: TBC

Divisional Administrator
£19,770 Per annum
A key post in the new Africa Division, the Divisional Administrator will
provide effective and efficient administrative, financial, advocacy and
programme coordination and support as personal assistant to the Head of
Division and more generally to enable the Division to function smoothly.
Based in Waterloo, earliest starting date 14th April (negotiable). Ref: 647/RC
Closing date: 27th March 2003
Interviews: TBA

Marketing Assistant
£19,770 pa (salary under review)
Bright and creative self-starter wanted for busy unit in top development
charity. You will be responsible for marketing all Christian Aid's published
resources through catalogues, flyers, direct mail and any other media you can
come up with. You will be able to fight your corner at all levels and have
excellent analytical skills to evaluate and push our resources publishing
strategy forward. You should have at least one years experience in a marketing
or publishing environment, and knowledge of Christian and/or educational
audiences is desirable. REF: 643/LE
Closing date: 14th April
Interviews: w/c 21st April

Regional Administrator (East & Horn Region)
£19,770 per annum
Christian Aid is currently seeking to recruit a Regional Administrator to
provide effective administrative and financial support from London to enable
the East Africa regional team to function smoothly. The role will involve
financial monitoring, administration, coordination and oversight in supporting
the Regional Manager and team members, as well as maintaining data base
records. The ideal candidate will be a graduate with three year's experience
in an administration or personal assistant capacity, including using word
processing, spreadsheet and database packages and with strong interpersonal,
organisational and numerical skills. Ref: 651/RC
Closing date: 27th March 2003
Interviews: week beginning 31st March 2003


Emergency Administrator, Iraq
£19,770 pro rata (6 months fixed term contract)
Reporting to the Iraq Emergency Programme Manager, and working closely with
other members of the MEECA team, you will provide administrative support to
enable Christian Aid's regional response to the Iraq crisis to function
smoothly. You will have at least 2 years administration experience, including
setting up and monitoring financial systems, record keeping and minuting. You
will have strong interpersonal skills, be able to work to tight deadlines and
be able to build and maintain relationships across cultural and geographical
boundaries. This post will be based in London. Ref: 646/GR
Closing date: 25th March 2003
Interviews: 27th March 2003

Area Support Officer (Westside Regional Team)
£17,166 per annum, 35 hours per week
Working as part of a busy team in our Birmingham office, you will provide
administrative support, deal with supporters' enquiries and take a lead in
developing our supporters' database. Knowledge/experience of specialised
database systems would be an advantage. Excellent IT skills are essential to
this post.
A very good communicator, over the telephone and in writing, you will be able
to convey complex information and motivate people to respond, giving support
and guidance to the office volunteers. You will also need good administrative
skills in order to provide secretarial and administrative support to the Area
Co-ordinators based in the Birmingham office. Ref: 638/LE
Closing date: 24th March 2003
Interview date: 4th April 2003

More...

gambia: Project Co-ordinator

Concern Universal

2003-03-27

http://www.reliefweb.int/w/res.nsf/wDocs/56E81C540E780BF3C1256CEE005890B5

Concern Universal (CU) requires a Project Co-ordinator to ensure the effective management and implementation of its conflict prevention and enterprise development programme.

kenya: Deputy Director-General for Programs, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Director of Corporate Services

The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

2003-03-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/14092

The mission of The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), based in Nairobi, Kenya, is to conduct innovative research and development on agroforestry, strengthen the capacity of our partners, enhance worldwide recognition of the human and environmental benefits of agroforestry, and provide scientific leadership in the field of integrated natural resource management. We are one of sixteen food and environmental research organisations in the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), whose goals are to help achieve food security, poverty reduction, and a sustainable environment. Our regional programmes are active in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with staff based in 17 countries. The annual budget is approximately $24 million.
The mission of The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), based in Nairobi,
Kenya, is to conduct innovative research and development on
agroforestry, strengthen the capacity of our partners, enhance worldwide
recognition of the human and environmental benefits of agroforestry, and
provide scientific leadership in the field of integrated natural
resource management. We are one of sixteen food and environmental
research organizations in the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR), whose goals are to help achieve food
security, poverty reduction, and a sustainable environment. Our regional
programmes are active in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with staff
based in 17 countries. The annual budget is approximately $24 million.

The Centre is currently restructuring to create a more integrated
research-development agenda. To accomplish this, we seek to recruit
outstanding individuals to assume three new senior leadership positions
that will report to the Director General.

Deputy Director-General for Programs, Nairobi, Kenya:
Serves as a member the Centre's senior management team, and is
responsible for the overall leadership and management of research and
development activities. Qualifications: Ph.D. required. Relevant field
of science or relevant experience will be considered. 10 years
demonstrated leadership and management experience integrating research
and development activities. Proven ability to integrate and implement
organizational vision, goals and strategies.

The Director of Strategic Initiatives, Nairobi, Kenya:
Manages the development of the Centre's growing web of partnerships and
alliances, develops relations and science-policy linkages with the
global community; manages relations with community of investors, and
supervises the Centre's communication functions to project powerful and
informative messages. Qualifications: Ph.D. required. Relevant field of
science or relevant experience will be considered. 10 years proven
ability to develop partnerships and alliances for fulfilling
organizational goals, and to
communicate a scientific agenda to diverse global audiences.

The Director of Corporate Services, Nairobi, Kenya:
Responsible for building and sustaining effective, high-quality,
customer-oriented services throughout the Centre's decentralized global
operations. Manages the units responsible for human resources, finance
and operations, information technology, and oversees the development and
maintenance of the centre's capital assets. Qualifications: A master's
Degree in relevant field, with education in human resources and business
management highly desirable. 10 years of relevant experience in
organizational, human resource and financial management.

For organizational and job description details, please visit the World
Agroforesty Centre web site: http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org

Applications: Interested candidates are invited to send detailed
curriculum vitae, with salary details, and the names and addresses of
three referees (including telephone, fax numbers and email address) to
the ICRAF retained recruiter:

Mr. Patrick Shields
President
Global Recruitment Specialists
Tel: 203-899-0499, Fax: 203-899-0499
E-mail: Shields@globalrecruitment.net
Web: http://www.globalrecruitment.net

Applications will be considered until 12 April 2003 or until the
position is filled.

Please indicate your advertisement source in your application. Nairobi
is a cosmopolitan city with excellent recreation and a considerable
range of opportunities for spousal employment in the local area. The
international schools are considered world-class. ICRAF believes that
staff diversity promotes excellence, and strongly encourages
applications from women and nationals from all countries.

More...

somalia: Human Rights Expert

United Nations Development Programme

2003-03-27

http://www.reliefweb.int/w/res.nsf/wDocs/91C0043E8F8A66F7C1256CE90035A783

The judiciary component supports social development based on the rule of law and respect for human rights. UNDP intends to recruit a Technical Advisor for a period of 12 months.

somalia: Law Enforcement Expert

United Nations Development Programme

2003-03-27

http://www.reliefweb.int/w/res.nsf/wDocs/BACEA4CCF2A829BDC1256CE90034FF73

The Law Enforcement component aims to strengthen the establishment and functional capacities of both basic and specialized policing capabilities, enabling the civilian police to contribute more effectively to public security. The component will promote better public relations between the authorities and the Somali population. UNDP intends to recruit a Law Enforcement expert for 3 months.

Fahamu