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Stopping intellectual genocide in African universities

Prince Kum'a Ndumbe III

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/features/42505

'You have not mastered the white people’s foreign tongue? Then you do not have the right to education in your own country, not even at primary school. You have no right to any worthwhile education, however brilliant you are.' Prince Kum’a Ndumbe III calls on Africans to re-appropriate their own languages or face intellectual genocide.


Lo si kodise bato matoi na bwambo bwa bakala mo na mo ! O si bi te nja we no, sele o ko mbuke ! O ma be o mboa ngo nya wamene, o si bie ndand’a ngo nya mbia, o si bie neni o ma kema no ná o bele ba mbambe bongo e? O pimbedi te, baise, mota ndedi a ma leye oa ngea mboa!

Translation: Do not deafen yourself with the white people’s language all the time! If you do not know who you are, then first be silent! You are truly at home, yet you do not even know how to recite your genealogy. You do not know the words in which to invoke your ancestors! If you are lost, then you may ask. Forgiveness will show you the way home.

So why do I speak Douala in this era of globalisation? But of course I do. It is what keeps me going, walking with my head held high whilst I converse with the West in its languages.

Universities in African countries are still not African universities. Mostly, they are universities in thrall to the foreign, the West, Europe and North America. Their conception, philosophy, orientation and research, even their academic rituals and ceremonies, are more often than not a bad, if not grotesque, copy of the ancient and modern metropoles.

It is imperative that universities in Africa become African universities; that universities in Cameroon become Cameroonian universities. Intellectual genocide has already massacred enough in Africa. It is time to stop.

My argument is neither anti-white nor xenophobic. The issue at stake is how to uncover the mechanisms behind this lethal mindlessness, which is depriving the whole of humanity of precious scientific knowledge acquired by the black peoples over millennia. My discourse also challenges white people to ask themselves: what has it meant to be white for the last five centuries? What are the repercussions for white people themselves, and for others?

1. The white people’s language is the only language

I address you in French, the white people’s language, here in Yaoundé, capital of Cameroon, in a university environment designed for a small minority, which has no choice but to bend to the omnipresent and manifold power of the Western colonial or postcolonial metropoles. The great majority of Cameroonians will have no access to this debate, articulated in a language that is not their own, and which excludes them from decisions about their own future.

In Africa, the foreigner’s language has become the key to accessing the institutions that govern us, and the decisions that determine our daily lives. Competition to learn this language has become an obsession. For it is essential to be well armed in order to escape the exclusion in which the vast majority of the population finds itself.

The university represents a higher level of this competition to escape. And the language used by the university is one of the first conditions of access. You have not mastered the white people’s foreign tongue? Then you do not have the right to education in your own country, not even at primary school. You have no right to any worthwhile education, however brilliant you are. And that is your bad luck.

You do not want to speak the white people’s language? Then you will remain in your state of barbarism, speaking in your incomprehensible patois, in your dialect that is incapable of embodying thought, in your vernacular language which is barely appropriate for creativity or progress.

The point is that only the white people’s language exists. Their language embodies all thought and outlook on the world. It articulates creation and progress in a universal way – for them, as well as for you, you little niggers thirsty for a place in the sun governed by white people.

There is an urgent need to dismantle the logic that domination is achieved through the command of a foreign language that entails us completely losing the memory of ourselves and becoming incapable of articulating our own thoughts in our own languages.

Cheikh Anta Diop took the trouble to translate Einstein’s theory of relativity into Wolof in order to demonstrate that it is not only in the language of ancient Egypt that blacks are able to master the natural and medical sciences; contemporary African languages are also capable of articulating thought across the academic disciplines.

This does not mean that all school and university textbooks will be available tomorrow in African languages. However, it does signify and reveal the scandal of colonial and postcolonial domination through the imposition of the white people’s language. The way out of this domination and the underdevelopment it engenders is clear.

The direction must be this: Africans must re-appropriate their own languages and use them as basic vehicles for their thinking, production, education, dreams and outlook on the world. It is not only language that is at stake here, but also the survival of the nation, the collective control of the destiny of a people. It is a question of development thought out and directed by a nation, so that it may flourish.

2. Language, scientific heritage and the articulation of thought

No nation has ever developed by eradicating its own language or languages and by swallowing the language of another people without sinking under their enduring domination.

No nation has developed by cutting its umbilical cord with its own intellectual and spiritual heritage; by decreeing that their own heritage, most of all their scientific heritage, is not palpable; and by deciding that abruptly everything must come from outside, from the dominating people, articulated in the language and embedded in the thought of a foreign people. How is it that Africa and the Africans of the 21st century have been made to swallow such a lethal poisonous snake?

Today, universities in Africa have become citadels of foreign domination in which elites are moulded. They are wholly outwardly focused on the dominant countries, today called donors. Africans are educated in these universities, as is the case here in Cameroon, in the white people’s language, thought, philosophy, theology, foreign languages, economics, law, medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, maths, physics and so on.

The European political classes understand the situation so well that they are keen that the best of these African elites are simply integrated into the European metropoles and cast into destructive European globalisation. Given the conditions of underdevelopment and pitiful university salaries, graduates from African universities are applying in great numbers for this new style immigration. Effectively, those who are left behind will have to bear the financial responsibility of educating an elite that Europe and North America will subsequently use to boost their economies. India, with its 700,000 engineers, has, by the way, learned how to apply the breaks to this European bait.

In the universities in most African countries, the African peoples’ thousands of years of scientific heritage is hidden. Access to it may even be forbidden by regulations. It therefore remains almost non-existent for the learner, who will deduce by implication that only white people can be educated, and that the only way of excelling is by becoming their star pupil.

African laureates of these universities, without wanting it or knowing it, therefore become the privileged instruments which perpetrate foreign dominance in their own countries. Without wanting or knowing it, they become the fifth estate, which monopolises political, administrative, financial and military power in their own countries in order to place themselves resolutely at the service of the West. Promotion is only possible for those who accept the logic of this perspective.

African universities can therefore only reproduce a model destined to alienate African peoples for ever, even if from time to time, little steps are made to force a thin layer of Africanness into certain disciplines. But in which academic disciplines will the African scientific heritage, accumulated over so many years, become at least a substantial subject in, if not central to, the teaching and education in our Cameroonian universities?

This is where we are today, and we must recognise that position with humility. That said, contemporary and future academic research has an obligation to collect, assemble and rehabilitate African scientific heritage in every discipline. Politics has the responsibility to encourage, formulate and finance this rehabilitation and to open the doors of schools and universities to our heritage.

This will not only be good for Africans and for the development of Africa. Students and researchers of the donor countries will also benefit because they will finally have recourse to genuinely modern African academic sources. We will at last stop producing bad copies of the academic discourse of others and become creators of science in the world of globalised technology and thought.

3. Foreign languages and education of the ‘illiterate and self-ignorant scholar’

I would like to stress an aspect of foreign languages little discussed in our universities. Foreign languages such as French and English are not just languages of instruction in Africa. They also benefit from whole literature, arts and humanities departments. Students thus specialise in the language, literature, linguistics and civilisation of the languages’ country of origin. In Western universities, European languages such as German, Spanish, Italian, Greek and Latin also have the advantage of research and teaching departments, and a Cameroonian copy of these has been stuck on to our university structures.

I would contend that we are now in an urgent situation, where this African or Cameroonian copy is overwhelming our students. In the European universities, a French student who has for example matriculated to study German has spoken and written his French mother tongue since nursery school, and has command of his language. He thinks in his language and constructs his reasoning in the logic of the French language. He dreams in French and has a distinctly French outlook on the world. The German that he has been learning since secondary school is an opening, an enrichment, which enhances his knowledge acquired in the French learning environment. He will be able to use it in his profession. He will be able to navigate between French and German worlds as an intermediary or a bridge. In the same way, the Japanese student who studies German does not only have perfect command of his Japanese language. He understands the history, literature of Japan, Japanese thought and logic. He is profoundly integrated in his own culture, religious environment and Japanese vision of the world.

The Cameroonian student on the other hand who does a degree in French, English, German, Spanish or Italian is, in the overwhelming majority of cases, an educated person, but illiterate and ignorant of their own Cameroonian language. If they are asked the question, ’What languages do you speak?’ they will regally reply, ‘French’, ‘English’, ‘German’, ‘Spanish’ or ‘Italian’, whatever languages they are taking. To the response, ‘Is that all?’ they will say it is. If they are then asked, ‘Don’t you have a mother tongue?’ they will exclaim, ‘Ah, my patois! I speak a little.’ In most cases however, they will find it difficult to hold a serious conversation or discussion in their language. They will not know how to write or recite a syllable or poem in their own language.

This learned person, illiterate and ignorant of their own linguistic heritage, is, however, called on to graduate in the language, literature, thought and world of the European or North American. They are educated neither in the language, nor the thought, nor the literature, nor the world that correspond to their own sensitivities. This illiterate and self-ignorant educated person will essentially internalise European values and perspectives, thought and logic. They will apply to their future secondary school pupils or students the same Western methods. They will transmit the same logic of academic hierarchy and dominance, perhaps without even knowing it, without even wanting to do so.

We are thus producing in our universities language students graduating in European thought and languages but dangerously ignorant of their own people’s languages and thought. This is a system which is reproducing foreign domination. It is unjustifiable that Cameroonian taxes are financing these cycles of study and it is unacceptable and contrary to all developmental accountability.

In our French and English departments, African authors are certainly studied, but only those who write in the white people’s language, which means books published since the First World War, written by Africans in European languages. The enormous linguistic and literary heritage of Africa in our languages is not considered in those departments, even less so in the German or Spanish or Italian departments. These students will therefore receive their undergraduate degrees, masters degrees and doctorates whilst remaining deeply ignorant of their own languages and literature; in other words, of their own scientific heritage.

How can we expect that an educated class structured in this way can be called on to resolve the problems challenging its own country, Cameroon? How can we expect that an illiterate and self-ignorant educated person will one day claim to successfully drive the future of a nation, as, for example, president, minister, director general, civil servant, managing director, or manager?

4. Language and a change in political course for African and Cameroonian universities

Universities in Africa face the challenge of becoming African universities on African soil. Language is at the basis of everything: all thought, articulation and creation. African languages must make their solemn entry into African universities as languages of instruction, research, and comparative study with foreign languages. European languages must cease to be languages of self-alienation for Africans, languages of domination and structural alienation. European languages must become partner languages in Africa, languages of opening and frank dialogue. These changes must be made progressively, in stages, but it is imperative that they are made.

African language departments in our universities were not created to Africanise our African universities. They are, in the same way as the other departments, products of the logic of a colonial metropolitan university system whereby African languages were studied to win the African soul over to Christianity and the ideology of submission to colonial domination; for purposes of anthropological and ethnological knowledge; and as bridges of communication with the colonised.

African language departments existed in most of the universities of the colonial powers, in Paris, Berlin, Brussels and London. They always had an exotic status and few students. Not much has changed; they are still marginal, precisely as if they were of no national interest!

African language departments in our universities should not be allowed to evolve in a vacuum. The debate on African languages must widen. These departments are called on to develop an academic framework for the study of African languages on a continental scale, in close collaboration with other universities. Equally they must offer services to all our other university departments.

I would propose five step-changes that can be made progressively:

1. Students in French, English, German, Spanish, Italian and other European language departments should include in their courses compulsory and accredited units on African languages and literature. The goal is to help these students read, write and perfect at least one African language, to discover literature in African languages, even if this is not necessarily the student’s local language.

2. Students of all other faculties including science and medicine must include a compulsory African languages module among their courses.

3. The training of teachers in African languages should be accelerated.

4. The number of specialised teaching manuals adapted to teaching African languages in different departments and specific faculties should be increased.

5. There should be systematic use of the internet for academic research, teaching, popularisation and communication of African languages.

These measures will create new jobs for translators and African language primary, secondary and university level teachers, and specialised study of these languages in medicine, pharmacy, physics, chemistry, law, economics and information technology. New publishing houses, specialising in African languages, will publish newspapers, journals and books . Radio, television and the press will generate an increasing need for African language readers and presenters.

For this to happen, all those who understand the link between language and underdevelopment, and language and development must make a sustained effort. We must educate public opinion, those in positions of political, administrative and university authority, and lecturers and students, so that the structure of mental domination in our universities is exposed and the logic of the universities that leads to underdevelopment revealed.

Decision makers will need political courage to orient African universities in this new direction. But for the good of the people this is not a matter of choice. The decision may be deferred for personal political reasons, but it can only be deferred. One day the political and economic shambles and the advanced disintegration of values and perspectives will force the decision makers to act to save the nation.

African languages are a key element in the re-composition of Africans’ personality; for the reestablishment of their psychic and mental equilibrium; and to allow reconciliation with themselves. The introduction of these languages into the school and university systems will permit a redeployment of energies that will lead to a new kind of economic development of our countries, and towards a new balance between the individual and society. It seems to me that this is a direction worth taking.

* Prince Kum'a Ndumbe III is professor at the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon. He is the founding president of the AfricAvenir foundation, a cultural development organisation in Cameroon and Berlin.

This article was first published in French by Africavenir and in the French edition of Pambazuka News Langue, libération et développement

Translated from French by Stephanie Kitchen.

* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

We want our dignity back

Dieu-Donné Wedi Djamba

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/42512

Horrific acts of violence were committed against women and children during and after the wars in the Great Lakes region. Dieu-Donné Wedi Djamba points to the pain and other injustices experienced by survivors in order to sensitise the regional communities and authorities to become involved with the healing process of the thousands of women and children 'so the words "never again" can have a meaning.


We want our dignity back! Time to wipe tears and heal wounds of women and girls, victims of wars in the Great Lakes region.

All societies that have faced mass trauma and violence have certain things in common, including the matter of perpetrators, bystanders and victims. Perpetrators usually argue that they obeyed orders; and that their actions were not of their own volition. Bystanders usually claim ignorance; that they did not know these things were happening; that they were not given proper information; and therefore, that they are not accountable. Most important are the victims, most of whom want to heal; and some of whom may even be prepared to forgive. [1] In brief, all three groups need a space in the new post-conflict era, in order to live peacefully vis-à-vis society and their own consciences.

But in the Great Lakes region, while the perpetrators and bystanders are living peacefully and comfortably, [2] [3] the victims, particularly women and girls, continue to experience the same nightmares. They have paid a heavy price for the deadly wars, which have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, refugees and displacements, mass human rights violations such as rape, torture, and other atrocities, burning of houses and the looting of national resources by the different armed groups. [4] An aftermath does not seem to exist for them. Indeed, the post-conflict period is the equivalent of the period of the actual conflict.

This paper highlights the pain and other injustices experienced by women and girls during and after the wars in the Great Lakes region. The aim is to sensitise the Great Lakes region community as a whole and the region’s authorities in particular to be involved in the healing process of the thousands of women and girl victims of wars in the region; so that the words ‘never again’ can have a meaning.

The time of hurt

Although having different roots in each Great Lakes country, wars are the main time during which women and girls have been deeply hurt. Indeed, rapes, abductions, tortures, mutilations or burying women and girls alive were different strategies used by belligerents in the different wars which have affected the Great Lakes region over decades.

Protected as a weak sex, women and girls become a weapon for belligerents to destroy both enemy groups and civilians. In this regard, Amnesty International USA [5] has pointed out that rape, sometimes by groups as large as 20 men, has become a hallmark of the conflict, with armed factions often using it as part of a calculated strategy to destabilise opposition groups, undermine fundamental community values, humiliate the victims and witnesses, and secure control through fear and intimidation.

Louise Nzigire, a social worker, at Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, stated that rape has been a cheap and simple weapon for all parties in the war, more easily obtainable than bullets or bombs: ‘This violence was designed to exterminate the population’, [6] she added. Juliane Kippenberg, co-author of a 2002 Human Rights Watch report The War within the War on sexual violence against women and girls in the eastern DRC, told IRIN: ‘A lot of women [in eastern DRC] were raped in front of their children. They will be affected.’[7]

Moreover, some survivors of genocide in Rwanda grieve that the rapists told them that they had been allowed to live, but only to die of sadness.[8] But rape is not the only component of the nightmare experienced by women and girls in the region. Sexual slavery, [9] abductions, mutilations, [10] tortures and killings [11] number among this macabre series.

The post-conflict situation

After being deeply affected by several years of conflicts, the Great Lakes region is moving towards peace. There are signs such as the elections in the DRC [12], the peace talks between Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) [13], the peace talks in Burundi between government and the Forces for National Liberation (FNL), the last Hutu rebel group which refused to be involved to the peace process [14]and the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes region, signed in December in Nairobi by 12 countries of the Great Lakes region.[15]

The end of every conflict is the beginning of a new life and a moment of rising hope for many victims of the conflicts. But while others are celebrating the new beginning, women and girls are still carrying the heavy weight of tears, sadness and sorrow. A rape victim in the eastern DRC town of Goma told IRIN [16] how she and her eight-year old daughter were raped by ‘military men’ in front of her husband. The husband later rejected the woman, leaving her deal with her trauma alone.

Jeannette Umurerwa, a widow survivor of genocide in Rwanda said ‘… our past is so sad. We are not understood by society...We are not protected against anything… Widows are without their own families, no homes, or money. We become crazy. We aggravate people with our problems. We are the living dead’.[17]

Furthermore, Consolata, 38, also a genocide survivor and widow says that re-marrying would be impossible for as long as she lives. ‘I was raped several times during the 1994 genocide and I contracted HIV/Aids’, she added.[18]

Moreover, while some are carrying physical and psychological wounds of conflicts, others are experiencing violence in their daily life. Many cases of rape and other violence committed by militia and national army or police against women and girls are reported.

In this regard, Monuc (United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo/Mission des Nations Unies en République Démocratique du Congo), the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC [19], reported that the human rights situation in the country continues to deteriorate, as the army and police perpetrate acts of violence against civilians, and the number of reported rapes surges. Monuc also stated that there have been numerous cases in which Congolese soldiers and police have summarily executed and raped civilians, in some cases with apparent impunity. In western Bandundu Province, a policeman with the National Congolese Police reportedly shot a 60-year old woman when delivering a summons to her daughter who had been raped by another policeman.

Other victims are facing stigmatisation in their society. Human Rights Watch [20] has pointed out that the situation of rape victims is made worse by the stigma that is attached to such violence. In many cases these women and girls are ostracised to the margins of society. In some cases husbands have rejected their wives on learning they had been raped, sometimes on the pretext that the woman must have consented to the sexual relations. Thus the word ‘aftermath’ is an empty one for these victims.

The healing process

The pain and sorrow ruining the daily life of the women and girl victims of wars in the Great Lakes region push them to scream bitterly ’we want our dignity back!’ – the dignity which was taken away from them by rapists, tortures, killers, stigmatisation or insults.

It is time to wipe away the tears and heal the wounds. All those injustices women and girls in the Great Lakes region suffer must be corrected so that the long mourning they bear can end. To do this, those responsible for the mass abuses have to be held accountable in order to break the cycle of violence against women and girls, to send a deterrent message to the potential perpetrators, and to heal the wounds of victims. The second step will be the granting of reparations to the women and girl victims of wars.

Accountability for the perpetrators

Accountability for human rights violations is an important instrument in breaking the cycle of violence and impunity. It is an indispensable component of the process of healing the wounds.[21] In this regard, Alex Boraine argues that legal prosecutions have at least three additional advantages: firstly, prosecutions in most cases prevent high-ranking perpetrators from returning to positions of authority; secondly, tribunals and special courts aim to punish those who bear the greatest responsibility for human rights violations and thus assist in breaking the cycle of collective reprisals; and thirdly, due process avoids summary justice.[22]

In the post-conflict era, accountability for mass human rights abuses can be held through a judicial and a non-judicial process. Indeed, mass human rights violation occurred with the involvement of numerous of individuals. Thus it becomes almost impossible to set a trial for all those who were involved. Only those who bear heavy responsibility can stand trial. But still, it is possible to hold all perpetrators accountable by pressing them to recognise their wrongdoing and to show remorse. This can be done through a non-judicial forum, such as a truth and reconciliation commission.

Through a legacy of conflicts and repressive regimes, the Great Lakes region countries are characterised by a judicial system which is in a state of disarray,[23] or which does not guarantee a fair trial. Meanwhile in many of the countries where truth and reconciliation has not already completely failed, as it has in the DRC,[24] truth commission forums are still debatable.

However, the presence of a special tribune such as the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the last decision taken by Rwandan government to abolish the death penalty [25] are strong signs of the fight against impunity. Indeed, the abolition of the death penalty from its judiciary arsenal will enable Rwanda to capitalise on the fight against impunity. Countries that reject the death penalty will be able to extradite to Rwanda exiles responsible for genocide and also to carry on with the trial after the ICTR ends in 2010.

But if a step is made in the fight against impunity through the Rwandan case, the Great Lakes region still has a long way to go to end impunity. Indeed, in the DRC, despite the mass human rights violations committed during and after the wars, only some isolated cases of trials are mentioned, while many accused of mass human right abuse are awarded in name of peace.[26] In Uganda, the population is waiting for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate abuses in the government army[27], which is accused of having committed many atrocities in northern Uganda. While in Burundi, an agreement about creating a special criminal tribunal [28] for mass human rights violations was reached, though more still has to be done to establish it. A boost to the fight against violence against women and girls may be expected from the UN, which chose the end of impunity for violence against women and girls as theme for the International Women Day 2007.[29]

Reparations

Granting reparations for past abuses will not bring the dead back to life. Nor will it cancel out the harm already suffered by victims. But it will provide them with some relief.

In this regard, Margaret Mathew[30] argues that reparations should be paid to victims as a form of redress to demonstrate that the state recognises the harm done against them. She has argued for broader rehabilitation programme dedicated to healing communities and strengthening the nation’s social-political fabric.

Indeed, women and girls who have been raped and otherwise sexually abused have been psychologically damaged as well as physically injured by these crimes. Many will never fully recover. A significant number of women and girls have become pregnant as a result of being raped. An unknown number have been infected with HIV, dramatically altering their future lives, livelihoods and prospects.[31]

Therefore, the granting of reparations to those who suffered from past abuses boosts the healing process of their wounds. But to be efficient, the reparation process for women and girls victims of violence in the Great Lakes region must be made at two levels: direct and indirect reparations.

Direct reparations will include the granting of money or rebuilding of housing as compensation, and free medical treatment for those who suffer by trauma or any disease such as HIV/Aids. In this regard, the establishment of a special fund by the Great Lakes region countries is a step to be applauded. This fund can be used to pay compensation to the victims of wars. Indirect reparations will include capacity building for all the victims to empower them to face many challenges arising in their post-conflict life.

Furthermore, there is a need for the Great Lakes region countries to work together in policy making around gender issues. A common policy for all violence against women and girls will show real political will not only to end the current and prevent future violence. This step can also boost the healing process of current victims by seeing through the words ‘never again’ to violence against women and girls.

Conclusion

After being a war torn and deeply devastated region through several years of conflicts, the Great Lakes region is moving towards peace. But while others are celebrating the new beginning, women and girls are still carrying the heavy weight of tears and sadness.

It is time to heal their wounds and to wipe away their tears. The long mourning must end. To do so, those responsible for violence against women girls have to be held accountable. Reparations have to be granted to those who have experienced harm.

Thus the word ‘aftermath’ may have a meaning for all the women and girl victims of war in the Great Lakes region.

* Dieu-Donné Wedi Djamba is a lawyer (advocate) at the Lubumbashi Bar association in the DRC, an independent consultant in transitional justice, a human rights activist, an assistant lecturer in a college of law in Lubumbashi in the DRC and a writer.

* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

References: see link below.
References

[1] Pumla Gobodo-Madikezela, ‘The role of apology, acknowledgement and forgiveness’, in Alex Borraine and Sue Valentine(eds),‘Transitional justice and human security’, Cape Town, 2006, p. 79

[2]]Dieu-Donné Wedi D,‘Congo-Kinshasa:Strategy for peace and reconciliation in DRC ?’,in Pambazuka< http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/38008>, accessed 21-11-2006

[3]Bienvenu Mulanda,‘Looting Congo’ natural resources’,in The Namibian,< http://www.namibian.com.na/Netstories/Econ10-99/natural.html>, accessed 20-09-2004

[4]Bienvenu Mulanda, ‘ibid’

[5]Amnesty International USA ‘DRC: Stop Violence Against Women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’, <http://www.amnestyusa.org/Congo_Dem_Rep_of/Stop_Violence_Against_Women_in_DRC/page.do?id=1101873&n1=3&n2=30&n3=886>, accessed 12-02-2006

[6]Stephanie Nolen ’"Not Women Anymore… The Congo's rape survivors face pain, shame and AIDS’,< http://www.stephanienolen.com/dispatches/drc_women.htm>, accesed, 04-06-2007

[7] IRIN, ‘Our Bodies - Their Battle Ground: Gender-based Violence in Conflict Zones’,< http://www.irinnews.org/InDepthMain.aspx?InDepthId=20&ReportId=62825>, accessed 20-06-2007

[8]Linda Mbabazi, ‘Rwanda: Women, Girls Victims of Conflicts’ in allafrica, <http://allafrica.com/stories/200706181536.html>, accessed 23-05-2007

[9]Claudia Rodriguez, ‘ Sexual violence in South Kivu, Congo’, in Reliefweb< http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/KHII-6XT58W?OpenDocument>, accessed

[10]Ruth Ojiambo Ochieng, ‘The Powerless in Search of Peace: Ugandan Women's Experiences of Wars’,< http://web.uct.ac.za/org/agi/pubs/newsletters/vol8/uganda.htm>, accessed 22-06-2007

[11]Chris Ocowun,‘Uganda:LRA Rebels Kill4,Abuct 12 As Deadline Expires’,in allafrica.com,<http://allafrica.com/stories/20075290098.html>, accessed 01-07-2007

[12]Dieu-Donné Wedi D,‘La question de la popularite des candidates aux elections en RDCongo! Dis-moi qui tu frequentes;jet e dirai qui tu es:Adage verifiable ou non.(Cas de la ville de Lubumbashi),in Congoindependant,<http://www.congoindependant.com/op&debat300706.htm>, accessed 03-12-2006

[13]BBC News, ‘Uganda rebels in new peace move’,<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/worl/africa/6257120.stm>, accessed 01-07-2007

[14]Lenny Majigo,’ Burundi peace talks begin in Tanzania’, in IOL,<http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=136&art_id=qw1148937484684B216>, accessed 23-06-2007

[15]EuropaWorld, ‘11 African countries from Great Lakes region sign new stability pact’,< http://www.europaworld.org/week289/11african151206.html>,a ccessed 24-06-2007

[16]IRIN, opcit.

[17]Linda Mbabazi, opcit.

[18] Linda Mbabazi, ibid

[19]MONUC,‘ DR Congo: army and police continue to violate civilians' human rights, says UN mission ’< http://www.monuc.org/news.aspx?newsID=13932>,accessed 23-06-2007

[20] Human Rights Watch,‘ Theaftermath of rape and other forms of sexual violence’
< http://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/drc/,somefile>,accessed 25-06-2007

[21]Joseph Yav Katshung, 'DRC:Healing the wounds of war through reparations’,in Pambazuka,<http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/

[22]Alex Boraine,‘defining transitional justice:tolerance in the search for justice and peace’ in Alex Boraine and Sue Valentine(eds)‘transitional justice and human rights security’, Cape Town, 2006, p. 26

[23]William W.Burke-White, “International Criminal Court, Complementarity in practice:The International Criminal Court as Part of a System of Multi-level Global Governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo”,Leiden Journal of international Law 18( 2005), p. 576

[24]William W.Burke-White, opcit. p. 588

[25]BBC News, ‘Rwanda scraps the death penalty’, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6735435.stm>, accessed 28-06-2007

[26]Dieu-Donné Wedi D, opcit.

[27]HRW, ‘Uganda: Army and Rebels Commit Atrocities in the North’< http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/09/20/uganda11752.htm>, accessed 20-05-2007

[28] Kevin Jon Heller, ‘Burundi to Create Criminal Tribunal and Truth and Reconciliation Commission’, in Opino Juris,< http://www.opiniojuris.org/posts/1180266730.shtml>, accessed 26-06-2007

[29] Borgna Brunner,’March 8th commemorates women’rights &peace’,in Infoplease, <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womensday1.html), accessed 29-06-2007

[30] Magaret Mathew, ‘Reparation’, Reading in transitional justice fellowship program, Cape Town, 2006. p. 101

[31] Human Rights Watch, opcit.

Darfur...again

Eva Dadrian

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/42506

'...we have to show these people, these abids (slaves, blacks) who is the master here.' Eva Dadrian on the Arabisation of Darfur by Khartoum with a great deal of help from 'the brother from the North, Gadaffi'.


Since 2003, the international community, African heads of states, the African Union, the Arab League, the United Nations, numerous humanitarian organisations and a number of African or non-African 'intellectuals' have debated the meaning of the word genocide, and whether it can be applied 'accurately' to the tragedy that was taking place in Darfur. Whether there were 200,000 killed, or only 20,000, or whether the rebellion or the Sudanese army or the government-backed Janjaweed militias perpetrated the crimes, this kind of debate could go on ad infinitum as Kwesi Kwaa Prah rightly says (Pambazuka News 305).

But as these 'good wishers' were debating, the tragedy of Darfur was unfolding in front of their eyes. Tens of thousands of innocent civilians were killed, raped and uprooted from their homes and villages. Despite a ban on the media, despite the pressure on aid workers, the conflict in Darfur is very well documented, showing how entire communities were wiped out, how more than 800 villages were burnt to the ground and thousands of wells poisoned, mosques desecrated, schools destroyed, cattle slaughtered and crops ruined…

And the debate is still continuing while the people of Darfur are left in hellish IDP camps, in the middle of the desert, struggling to keep their children alive who are subjected not only to hunger, thirst, violence and diseases but also to humiliation for being destitute in their own homeland and having nothing to go back to.

Let’s not re-open this kind of discourse and 'indulge in technicist sophistry, tip-toeing nimbly around the real issues in Darfur' that may again provide 'solace to the Khartoum regime' (Kwesi Kwaa Prah, Pambazuka 305) and to others who persist to view the deployment of an AU-UN peacekeeping force as 'an invasion'. Darfur is neither Afghanistan nor Iraq, nor as a matter of fact Somalia.

Having said that I should emphasise also that Darfur is the microcosm of all the ills that mar the continent: Arab in the north versus Africa in the south. We could of course continue to blame the 'colonial borders' for these problems, but as Africans we had more than 50 years to solve our differences.

From the very beginning of the Darfur crisis, the government of Sudan proved time and again its unwillingness to look 'seriously and genuinely' into the demands of the people of Darfur. The numerous ceasefire agreements have collapsed for the very reason that the government of Khartoum has not kept its part of the deal, i.e. stop all its military operations and especially put an end to the crimes committed by the Janjaweed against the civilian population. The Janjaweed, the government-backed Arab militias, still roam free in Darfur. Driving pick-up trucks with mounted guns, they are 'not being arrested' according to AU commanders. The Abuja peace agreement signed between the government and one faction only of the Darfur rebel movement is not worth the paper it is written on.

Only recently, a small light has appeared at the end of the tunnel for Darfur. In mid-June, the Sudanese government announced its acceptance of the proposal for a hybrid United Nations-African Union peacekeeping operation to be deployed in Darfur. Under the new revised plan, the AU will run day-to-day operations while the UN will have overall control of some 20,000 peacekeepers, mostly from Africa. Currently, as we all know it, the 7,000 ill equipped AU troops are overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of the region, the complexity of the conflict and the limitations of their mandate.

'The UN and AU have outlined two options for the size of the force's military component: under one plan, there would be 19,555 troops and under the other there would be 17,605 troops. The police component would require 3,772 officers. The hybrid operation is the third phase of a three-step process to replace the existing but under-resourced AU Mission in the Sudan (AMIS), which has been unable to end the fighting in Darfur.'

Ten days later, Lam Akol, the former southern Sudanese rebel leader turned minister of foreign affairs declared that his government was in complete agreement with the composition of the peacekeeping force, the nature of its operation, its mission and its command 'We are ready to have the force deployed at any time'.

Khartoum’s acceptance for the deployment of this hybrid peacekeeping force is a welcome step but it requires immediate and rigorous pressure from the international community and from Africans in particular, to make it happen.

So far, so familiar. Since the beginning of the conflict (February 2003) Omar el Beshir has disputed accusations, played for time, promised but never delivered and broke more agreements that he honoured. Khartoum has accused everybody except the Janjaweed militias. General Omar el Beshir had until the end of 2006 to disarm the Janjaweed, accept a hybrid AU-UN peacekeeping force in Darfur or face the consequences.

Taking the Almighty as witness, El Beshir has vowed, time and again, he will not allow any UN peacekeeping force to be deployed in Darfur. A year ago, he announced that the situation in Darfur was 'under control'. But the sad reality is that the situation is far from being 'under control'. The same scenario is being repeated again as Omar el Beshir, who has skipped this year’s AU Summit in Accra, not only warned the West, and Washington in particular, not to mess up the handling of the crisis in Darfur, but also declared that calm has returned to Darfur and the IDPs are already going back to their villages 'We can say that most of Darfur's region is safe', and 'The situation on the ground in Darfur is improving. Now IDPs are voluntarily returning to their villages'. In fact, according to witnesses, villages are being repopulated indeed but not by their very former legal owners.

The old ambition of Khartoum successive governments to Arabise Darfur is being fulfilled. The so-called returnees are in fact entire families of the nomadic people who have for so long aimed at taking over the 'green pastures' and the fields of Southern Darfur and Gebel Marra. Not only, the long dream of Khartoum is being fulfilled but also that of Brother Gaddafi, the man with the floating robes and a fat chequebook. Indeed, back in the 1980s our Brother from the North planned to rid Darfur of its African population and replace them by Arabs. As Kwesi Kwa Prah points out the dear colonel while attending an Arab League summit meeting (Amman, October 2000) showed his true colours when he declared that 'two-thirds of Arabs live in Africa and the remaining third must join the other two in Africa...'

Needless to point out that those who refuse to recognise the genocidal plans of the Khartoum regime have neither seen nor heard of the Black Book. Secretly circulating in the late 1990s and very early 2000s, this infamous blueprint provides all the details of the soon-to-happen Darfur tragedy.

Just for information, I myself have seen the Black Book. Back in 1987, I also witnessed the destruction of the Fur villages in Gebel Marra. I have seen the horsemen of the apocalypse armed by Brother Gaddafi, who spread terror and destruction among the Fur community. I have also recorded Fadlallah Burma, Sadiq el Mahdy’s security suprimo, in those days, admitting that the government was arming 'the Arab tribes' and in addition I have also recorded a government official in Nyala telling me 'we have to show these people, these abids (slaves, blacks) who is the master here...'

'The international community simply cannot continue to sit by', said Condoleezza Rice at the end of an international conference in Paris about Darfur (June 2007). Of course this statement comes from a secretary of state who cannot claim to have a clear conscious when it comes to conflicts such as Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, to name just a few. But as Africans we cannot continue to sit by and allow rogue governments to send their troops to kill us, their planes to bomb us, their bulldozers to demolish our homes and their henchmen to intimidate us for the simple reason that we oppose their rule.

* Eva Dadrian is an independent broadcaster and Political and Country Risk Analyst for print and broadcast media.

* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

Nationwide strikes in Nigeria

A critical analysis

Femi Aborisade

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/42507

The recent national strike in Nigeria ended after only four days. Femi Aborisade argues that despite the sudden surrender of the unions, working class people have shown that they are a force to reckon in the process of policy formulation and implementation.


The four-day general strike in Nigeria has once again demonstrated the potentials of the working class to influence the course of history. President Umaru Yar’Adua admitted this much when he said the strike ‘wreaked havoc on economy and our people’ (24 June 2007). Government offices, private companies, petrol stations, ports, airports, schools and hospitals closed down. Commercial vehicles were off the road and major highways became football pitches for youths. Oil exports in all terminals except one were prevented. In short, the strike ‘paralysed’ Nigeria.

While President Umaru mourned the paralysing effects of the strike on crude oil exports, ordinary people saw in the strike an opportunity to express a striving to free themselves from the shackles of poverty. Over 70 per cent of Nigerians, about 98,000,000 people of a population of 140,000,000, live in extreme poverty, with less than a dollar a day. In the midst of pervasive poverty, former President Obasanjo, in the twilight of his tenure, took the following actions: The prices of petrol, kerosene and diesel per litre were increased by ten Naira (^10.00); petrol (PMS) was raised from ^65 to ^75, kerosene (DPK) from ^54 to ^64 and diesel (AGO) from ^54 to ^64. This amounted to an increase of over 15 per cent in the price of petrol/litre, and about 19 per cent increase in the prices of diesel and kerosene. VAT rate was raised by 100 per cent, from 5-10 per cent. In addition, six companies, including the Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd (PHRC) and Kaduna Refining and Petrolchemical Company Limited were sold to foreign and local private companies without resolving labour concerns. Public sector employees were also agitating for payment of 15 per cent increase in basic pay, which the former President had granted but never implemented.

The poor perceived government actions as punitive measures to compound their agony. The payroll tax, called PAYE (Pay-As-You-Earn) has recently been changed to 10 per cent of gross pay instead of the previous policy of taxing only basic pay, after making allowances for dependants, children and the aged, etc. There are also the following taxes: National Housing Fund (NHF), 2.5 per cent of salary; Pension deductions, 7.5 per cent; National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), 5 per cent. These add up to 25 per cent of the employee’s pay. Workers earning poverty pay would be hard hit by the increase in VAT because they spend the bulk of their earnings on consumption items. Increases in the prices of petroleum products automatically cause increases in the prices of all other goods and services.

The process of increasing the prices of petroleum products was illegal. The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPRA) was established by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPRA) Act No. 8 of 2003. Section 2 of the Act provides for the membership of the PPRA Governing Board, which includes representatives of organized labour. Section 7 empowers the Board to determine the pricing policy of petroleum products. Paragraph 1 of the 1st Schedule to the Act prescribes that the Board shall take decisions by majority support. The Board never met. It was the Secretariat of the PPRA that unilaterally increased the prices of petroleum products. The increases were therefore illegal.

Besides, there was no economic rationale for the price increases. Nigeria currently produces an average of about 2.6 mbd (of crude oil) and exports about 2.3mbd. (Udo, 2007: C7). The 2007 budget was prepared on the basis of a benchmark value price of US$30 per barrel. With the price in the international market hovering between US$65 and US$70 per barrel, this translates to between US$35 and US$40 per barrel going into the excess crude oil account.

The privatisation of public enterprises, including the sale of refineries, violates the current Constitution of Nigeria, which provides that wealth shall not be concentrated in a few hands and that the State, not the private sector, shall manage the major sectors of the economy. [Section 16 (4)].

The strike was therefore declared to achieve the following: reversal of the N10 increases in the prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene; removal of 100 per cent increase in VAT, from 5-10 per cent; payment of 15 per cent increase in basic pay for public sector workers, and review of the sale of refineries and power generating plants.

The labour movement gave a 14-day ultimatum, which government treated with levity. In fact, spokespersons of the regime threatened that even if labour embarked on strikes and mass protests for ten years nothing would change (The Guardian, 19 June 2007: 2). The Government declared the strike illegal following the judgment of the Court of Appeal in an earlier case where the court held that the Nigeria Labour Congress had no right to call out workers on strike against general economic and political decisions of the Federal Government because such have nothing to do with breach of individual contracts of employment with various employers as envisaged in the Trade Disputes Act.

While the Nigerian labour law restricts the right to strike and the judiciary goes ahead to declare strike action against general economic and political policies illegal, Nigeria is a member of the International Labour Organization, which recognises the right to strike as a fundamental right. The Abolition of Forced Labour Convention No. 105 of 1957 prohibits the use of forced or compulsory labour ‘as a punishment for having participated in strikes’ (Article 1 sub-paragraph [d]). Also, the Voluntary Conciliation and Arbitration Recommendation No. 92 of 1951 states in paragraph 7 that no provision of the Recommendation ‘may be interpreted as limiting, in any way whatsoever, the right to strike’. As a member of the international community, it is incumbent on any country that seeks to acquire the status of a civilised state to give effect to resolutions emanating from an organisation to which it belongs.

In spite of all the pre-strike arrogance of government officials and spokespersons, less than 24 hours to the strike, in a desperate effort to avert the strike, government offered the following concessions: increase in VAT rate from 5-10 per cent was revoked; 15 per cent salary increase to be effected for federal employees with effect from 1 January 2007; the N10 per litre increase on the prices of kerosene and diesel was reversed and reduction of the N10 per litre increase in the pump head price of petrol to N5 per litre.

Labour accepted all the concessions but one, insisting on reversal of the price of petrol/litre to the old rate of N65. The strike then continued until it was called off suddenly with effect from the midnight of 23 June 2007, without winning the demand. Labour capitulated on the basis of a letter by President Umaru Yar’Adua promising not to increase the price of petrol for the next one year. In effect, petrol will continue to sell at N70 per litre. The other concessions contained in President Yar’Adua’s letter included an undertaking to set up expert committees, which would include representatives of labour to examine the issues of petroleum pricing mechanism as well as sale of refineries and power generating plants. Government also undertook not to take any disciplinary action against any worker participating in the strike.

Daily Sun (25 June 2007: 6) explains that the role of traditional rulers, particularly the Sultan of Sokoto, was decisive in the sudden capitulation by the top labour leadership. However, there was a division even within the top leadership. As Sunday Punch (24 June 2007:13) reported, a section of the TUC leadership had threatened to call a Press Conference ‘to express a few reservations on the agreement labour reached with government’. Working class youths were angry about the sudden back down by labour leadership: ‘why embark on strike by rejecting the N70/litre price of petrol which government had offered in the bid to prevent the strike taking off, only to turn round to accept what had been rejected?, they questioned.

Dress Rehearsal Strikes

The anger of working class youths against the sudden surrender by national labour leadership is understandable. Weeks and months preceding the strike, there had been series of threats of strike and actual strikes, as dress rehearsals, preparatory to the nationwide strike. These included strikes by Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) workers, Electricity workers, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU), and protests against the controversial 2007 general elections organized by the Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO). There were also sabotage activities, bombings and kidnappings by militant groups and mass protests in the Niger Delta against exploitative oil companies as well as threats by self determination groups in the South Eastern part of Nigeria to disrupt the hand over program to a new President if key self determination leaders were not released from detention.

What the foregoing shows is that the working class, in several sectors, had been infuriated and imbued with a fighting spirit to protect jobs and improve their overall living standards. That opportunity to express their anger and reverse the privatization process has temporarily been botched by the shocking compromise and sudden strike call off. But it would be a temporary set back. On the basis of a system of exporting crude oil and importing refined products, we do not need a soothsayer to predict that crises lie ahead.


Gains

Regardless of the weaknesses of the strike, the working class has shown that based on a united force of organisations of the poor, it is a force to reckon with in the process of policy formulation and implementation. The strike represents a message to the ruling class that labour will not just slavishly accept attacks on its rights without a fight. No matter how marginal, the reductions in VAT and prices of petroleum products are gains that could not have been won without a fight. Also, contrary to the threat of applying the ‘no work no pay’ rule, one of the agreements in ending the strike was that no worker would be penalized for having participated in the strike.

Weaknesses

However, the basis of the united platform upon which the strike was called was not brought to bear on the strike sufficiently. Whereas the Federal Government made a concession to implement the 15 per cent increase in basic pay, similar commitment was not extracted from the state Governments. This resulted in the continuation of the strike by State organs of the unions in states like Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, etc - after the nationwide action had been called off (See for example Nigerian Tribune, 26 June 2007: 5). Similarly, ASUU, which had started its strike three months before the nationwide strike, had to continue its strike until 1 July because the agreements reached did not touch on their concerns. In the same vein, though workers in the Niger Delta participated in the strike, some militant groups in the sub region openly dissociated themselves from the nationwide strike on the ground that the plight of the Niger Delta people had never been the concern of organized labour.

Reactive or Proactive Struggles?

The 20 -23 June general strike was a defensive strike. Rather than being proactive, the leadership of the strike was reactive and predominantly economistic. The strike was not aimed at bringing about fundamental changes to the root cause of the problems. Instead of addressing the root cause, the strike was essentially about the effects of government policies.

The behaviour of the leadership of the strike fits into Marx description of non-forward looking trade union leadership:

Trade Unions work well as centres of resistance against the encroachments of capital. They fail partially from an injudicious use of their power. They fail generally from limiting themselves to a guerilla war against the effects of the existing system, instead of simultaneously trying to change it, instead of using their organised forces as a lever for the final emancipation of the working class. (Marx, 1958: 447, cited in Hyman, 1975: 98)

A more pro-active approach would require challenging the policy of reliance on private importation of petroleum products, insistence on investigation of corruption in the management of existing refineries, and advocating local refining through existing and new state-owned refineries.

Central to the fuel crisis in Nigeria is the government commitment to the neoliberal principle of disengaging from economic activity and promoting the private sector in the supply of critical goods. The idea of promoting the private sector, combined with stupendous financial corruption involving about US$550 million in the Turn Around Maintenance (TAMs) of the refineries, results in crippling the state owned refineries, in order to justify reliance on the private sector for importation of petroleum products and sale of the refineries under the guise of inefficiency of state enterprises.

Who Should Control Industries?

As the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW, 2001: 7-9) has pointedly posited, the big question for today is: how is industry to be controlled? Given the subsisting capitalist economic structure, the challenge is to interrogate managerial control with a view to accommodating a role for workers who work in each industry, and in the cases of mineral producing areas, the communities, in managing the enterprises. This suggests that working class organizations must reflect and advocate comprehensive solutions to issues regarding production, pricing and distribution of goods in an equitable and ecologically sustainable manner through advocacy of involvement of the trade unions and communities in the running of industries.

Mode of Strike Action and Process of Strike Call Off

That the strike was called off without resorting to the members, organs, and groups that sustained the strike for the period it lasted raises the issue of industrial/trade union democracy. Working class organizations must provide efficient democratic structure and process for carrying on daily struggles for better conditions and pay. The organs that take the decision to embark on strike must also be the ones to decide to call it off. With that kind of perspective, the need for mass protests and rallies rather than a-stay-at-home strike action will be seen.

The stay-at-home strike action renders the rank and file passive participants in the strike process and deprives the strike of the inputs and influence of the members from below in determining the direction of the strike, leaving the decision to call off or continue strike actions to the whims and caprices of the few leaders. In this regard, the Nigerian labour movement has a lot to learn from its South African counterparts that subjected government offers of wage increases to discussions at mass meetings of individual affiliate unions, during a strike that was taking place simultaneously in the two countries.

Indefinite or Limited Strike Action?

The strike also revealed the weakness of ‘indefinite’ strike action. Indefinite strike action is applicable in a situation in which the objective and subjective conditions point to the possibility of the working class taking over political power. Without such a revolutionary situation in existence, the state cannot tolerate ‘indefinite’ action. The situation will have to be resolved one way or the other, in revolutionary change or restoration of political control by the capitalist ruling class. For a working class leadership that completely lacks the perspective of the working class taking power, ‘indefinite’ form of action is a recipe for sudden back down. Therefore, it would be better to base actions on defined, limited number of days or weeks, continuation or discontinuation of action being determined by the mood and preparedness of the working class and the other poor strata, expressed at mass meetings. In other words, an attempt should be made to distinguish the Gramscian moments of ‘war of movement’ (when the actual revolution is ongoing) from moments of ‘war of position’ (when slow but steady preparatory revolutionary work is taking place).

Conclusion

The importance of drawing out lessons of struggles is implicit in a statement by Marx: ‘Men make their own history, but they do not make it just as they please; they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly encountered, given and transmitted by the past’ (Marx, 1958: 247). It is hoped the lessons discussed in this paper will benefit future struggles.

* Femi Aborisade is a lecturer at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. He is the coordinator of the Centre for Labour Studies (CLS) & an Associate of the Centre for Civil Society, University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

For references, see link below.
References:
AIT News, 2 July 2007
Businessday, 19 June 2007
Daily Independent, 26 June 2007
Daily Independent, 26 June 2007
Daily Sun (2007) ‘NLC/FG Face-off: How Sultan Broke the Ice’ 25 June, p. 6
Daily Sun (25 June 2007
Hyman, R. (1975). Industrial Relations: A Marxist Introduction. London: Macmillan
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). (2001). One Big Union. Philadelphia: IWW. Marx, K. (1958). Articles in Marx and Engels 1958
Nigerian Tribune, 13 May 2007
Nigerian Tribune, 26 June 2007
Rasheed, K. (2007). ‘Oil Subsidy in Nigeria: How True?’ in Nigerian Tribune. 26 June. P. 23.
Sunday Punch (24 June 2007
The Guardian, 19 June 2007
The Guardian, 21 November 2006
The Nation, 29 May 2007
The Nation, 31 May 2007
The Nation, May 27, 2007
The Punch, May 29, 2007
Thisday, 13 May 2007
Thisday, 24 June 2007
Udo, B. (2007). ‘Understanding the Political Economy of the Fuel Strike’ in Daily Independent, June 26, pp. C5 – C7.

MDGS at midterm: Is the political will there?

Tajudeen Abdul Raheem

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/panafrican/42514

At midterm point in the achievement of the Millenium Development Goals by 2015, it seems appropriate to ask why is it that Africa looks set to be a failure, writes Tajudeen Abdul Raheem. The main internal and external obstacles to not achieving the MDGs remain the political will of our leaders and the sincerity of the political leaders of the rich world.


July 7, 2007 marked the halfway point in a journey whose destination and time of arrival was set by 189 heads of state and governments from most countries of the world including all the 53 member states of the African Union. It was a large bus garlanded with hope and lofty aspirations. The leaders invited all the peoples of the world but especially the poor, the marginalised, the sick, mothers and young boys and girls, and the weakest in all states to jump on board with promises that come 2015 the bus will deliver them to a better life and give them more concrete reasons to have faith in leaders, states and society.

They made a solemn declaration: The Millennium Declaration. But they did not stop there because the declaration was transformed into concrete, achievable, measurable; time bound commitments known as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

A journey of 15 years which began in 2000 should have reached its midway point by July 2007. Are we halfway to all the targets set in the eight goals?

If we are on target there will be no cause for alarm even though the driver and even some of the passengers may demand more effort to safe more time. There is no harm in arriving early as long as we arrive safely. If we are not in the midway town questions have to be asked why. Did the vehicle have a puncture? Or even worse was it involved in a headlong collision or did it crash? Is the driver ok? Or did any of the passengers fall off or became seriously sick needing emergency attention?

If the bus is still on the road but journeying slowly we have to ask what can be done to make the journey smoother and safer, to catch up for lost time.

The MDGs bus is happily not involved in any serious accident. It is still running across different regions of the world but the roadblocks are more in some places than in others. Even within the same region there are varying speeds because in some parts the drivers seem to dose off whereas in others they are on full alert.

It is in Africa that the bus has been facing many roadblocks. Some of these were deliberately constructed by armed robbers of development (such as inept political leadership, corrupt elite and insensitive government and docile population) while others were artificially created by uncooperative other users of the road (such as rich countries that continue to rob poorer countries through unfair trade and super exploitation of global resources) while some of the obstacles could be the result of what in Hausa is termed ‘gudu ba gyara’ (i.e. ‘speeding without repairs’ or reckless driving).

The general global picture from the recently released UN General-Secretary’s MID term Report shows that Africa is the only continent of the world where the MDGs risk not being met. Unfortunately Africa is the region that needs the MDGs and really more than the MDGs than any other region of the world.

The general picture hides the growing success stories that show that it is not all bad news. There are countries that are doing quite well on a number of the Goals even if they may not meet all of them. Across the continent in education most of the countries have seen huge rises in enrolment into primary schools as a result of debt relief and new prioritisation of the education of our children by many governments.

Uganda for instance, has raised the gear from universal primary education to the secondary level; Kenya is considering same; Malawi has proven that where there is a will there is a way; and even Africa’s notoriously sleeping giant, Nigeria, has reintroduced compulsory universal basic education. On maternal death in child birth, infant mortality and education, Mozambique (returning to peace just in a decade) and Rwanda (that ended genocide only 12 years ago) are making steady progress. Uganda’s pioneering leadership in HIV/ Aids awareness, advocacy, prevention and treatment are catching on in many countries and some of them are actually beginning to do better than Uganda. All these are good news and they show that it can be done and more can be achieved.

Although South Africa is the only African country to have made a promise to achieve the MDGs not in 2015 but by 2014 there are countries (like Botswana, Mauritius, etc.) not thumping their chests who will meet and may surpass them. Given the enormous resources of a country like South Africa it cannot be a congratulatory effort for it to meet the MDGs because it can and should do better. Other resource rich African countries and those with big economies like Nigeria, Kenya, Angola, DRC, Egypt, Libya, should not really be judged by the MDGs because they ought to and should do much better than that. Even the poorer countries like Ethiopia can do better if they set their priority right. IF Ethiopia has resources to occupy another country it can certainly do better at home.

The main internal and external obstacles to not achieving the MDGs remain the political will of our leaders and the sincerity of the political leaders of the rich world.

The covenant on the MDGs was a very simple one. If poor countries deliver on goal 1-7, i.e. hunger, poverty, health, education, governance and rights issues and livelihood, the richer countries will also deliver on Goal 8: improved quality and quantity of aid, debt relief and reform of the unjust global trading system that penalizes the poor and impoverish the poorer countries of the world.

We need to hold our governments accountable for our side of the bargain. But even as we are succeeding in that respect our gains will not translate into sustainable development and social progress if the West and other richer countries of the world do not deliver on their own promise. Mutual accountability of the political leaders of the world to their citizens (who are the passengers on the bus) is what will grease the rusty bolts, service the engine and refuel the MDG Bus at mid term so that it can coast home successfully by 2015.

Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem is Deputy Director, Africa, United Nation's Millennium Campaign, based in Nairobi, Kenya.

* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org/

Stop this nonsense about a 'United States of Africa'

Walter Ooko Menya

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/letters/42508

Away with Libya and its leader Muammar Gaddafi’s incessant reminders and a now a concerted call for USA! Unless he can expressly stand up and tell us, I do not see a thing that can bring Africans together, now or even in 50 years to come. There is absolutely nothing, save for our skin colour, which in various cases differs.

In Africa, while some countries are busy perpetuating corruption, others busy themselves with civil wars and murders of innocent civilians. At the same time some leaders infringe on the very rights that Gaddafi and his fellow unionists go about in Africa seeking to ‘protect’.

How would you unite Sudan and Zimbabwe when their own respective people cannot unite, do not speak the same language of peace and development and suffer from irreparable corruption, human rights abuse and corruption occasioned by dictatorial governments of Omar el Bashir and Robert Mugabe respectively?

What do Kenya and Western Sahara share in common, for instance? Or, what similarities does Rwanda and Morocco have? Someone tell us and other like-minded Kenyans like me will no doubt support Gaddafi’s efforts at uniting Africa.

Our economies are weak and with a plethora of other unions in existence such as EAC, COMESA, ECOWAS and SADDC among others, more funds will be needed to fund the common army, presidency, government and other necessities of the USA. Where do the African governments get the extra funds when their own national budgets have massive shortfalls? Is Gaddafi proposing that we run back to the West and China even after uniting Africa?

The whole idea of USA is Gaddafi’s way of taking the leadership of Africa which he tried through the African Union and failed. He wants Libya to dominate African affairs albeit through the wrong door. Be wary of Gaddafi and his antics. Away with the US of Gaddafi (USG)!

US Social Forum

J.L.T.Malone

2007-07-11

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/letters/42476

Thank you for that most informative report on the USSFORUM 2007 that was held in Atlanta recently. Your intense comments were motivating and thought provoking. I commend you for your unique method.

I am sorry that your facilities and the water situation was not adequate. Perhaps learning from this, in good weather maybe the events could be better handled in the public parks as we often do when we have concerts and picnics.

By the way, the US$15 was supposed to be for the sandwiches they gave to the participants who registered for the forum. US$15 wasn't to exclude the the homeless individuals.

Because of undocumented, non-citizen latinos, there has been a conflict between Mexicans and African Americans because of job competition in the USA. Non-citizen Mexicans (Latinos) have come to America illegally and taken jobs, ruined our health care system and flooded our welfare offices.

And speaking of Africans, and the term, 'African-Latinos', there is no such terminology. Even if we Africans are speaking Spanish, and live in South America, we are NOT 'Latinos'. MEXICANS are the only 'Latinos'. Those are fighting words.

I'm an African American living in the USA. There are NO 'Spanish' Africans. WE are plain 'Africans'.
'Latino' is a Spanish LANGUAGE, and not the NAME to be added of our African people.

Please make a note of this. Thanks again for your comments.

US Social Forum

SouthWest Organizing Project, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Louis Head

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/letters/42513

US Social Forum - Excellent commentary.

Thanks for publishing.

African Writing

Chuma Nwokolo

2007-07-11

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/books/42473

African Writing is a literary paper with an online presence. It is the first open sales publication of its kind with an All-African perspective, offering new writing from, and information on, the literatures of the continent.

African Writing is interested in the literary lives, literary work and thoughts of those who make writing happen in the African world, and in the organizations and circumstances which support or affect the processing, appreciation and study of their work. Catering for the varying levels of readership interests, our literary paper, and its online edition, will offer interviews and reviews, literary profiles, some criticism and political commentary, new poetry and fiction, creative non-fiction, performance sketches and visual arts work. We will reflect the faces, controversies and peculiar flavour of the African writing world, a world increasingly inclusive in the processing of its familiarisation with other world writings and writers.

For us at African Writing, this has been a journey of discovery. Encounter the fifty representative writers of our ‘Profiles’ pages, follow the narratives, utterances and reported achievements of the many other poets and story-makers in this introductory issue, and, perhaps, you will agree with us that even for the expert much of contemporary writing in Africa awaits discovery. Join us in that journey of discovery.

African Writing is edited by Afam Akeh, and is available monthly on subscription and from selected bookshops from September 2007. The debut issue of African Writing is now online at www.african-writing.com Online submissions of new writing and all letters responding to our work may be addressed to editor@african-writing.com Enquiries from advertisers, and promoters of literary activities or products intended for our readership can be directed to adverts@african-writing.com

The vendor’s cold winter dream

Short story

Stanley Makuwe

2007-07-11

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/books/42472

Hallo... Hi, it’s you? ... Oh, yes. Your voice, it sounds different. What’s happening? Ha ha, he he... No, actually, it’s sexier today. I guess father of children is home, that’s why. Ha ha... Mine? No, he is out of the country. You know he is a busy man... Yes, he went to China yesterday. You know, as the president of the country he must travel all the time to encourage investors to come and invest in our country whose rivers never run dry of milk and honey... I am fiiiine! Strong and fat like a white man’s dog. What can eat me, a woman of class?

Don’t talk too much, you friend of mine. Give me the chance to talk. If you don’t shut your mouth I won’t tell you why I called. I will keep mine shut... That’s better. Guess what, friend of my heart. I have some great news meant for your ears only. I spoke to him last night before he left the country. Yes, we are getting the plane. Hurray! We are getting it. Just imagine, you and I in a two-hundred-and-something sitter empty plane. Just the two of us flying to Rome next week... You can’t believe me? You better believe, girl. It’s happening live in this very third world country. You and i next week going for shopping. We shall shop till we drop as they say. No limits. Anything goes.

That perfume you mentioned last week? Yes, I will make sure I buy it. That’s the first thing I want to buy as soon as we touch the soil of Rome. Why not? I heard the likes of all the Hollywood celebrities haven’t heard of it. I was the first one in the whole world to learn about it and I will be the first one on mother earth to wear it. How awesome. Paris who? She does not stand a chance. She hasn’t. I don’t think so. This time I will beat her to it. She is always the first one to get anything that hits the fashion world but this time I give her no slightest chance. I hate that girl... J-who? I don’t even want to hear her name. Both of them come second this time. I told my husband about the perfume and he is sooo excited. He cannot wait. Yes, we were supposed to go earlier but he said there is no fuel so the largest plane in the country is currently grounded. As soon as it’s filled up, we are the first ones to grab it, and that’s exactly one week away...

The new underwear? I heard that J-girl and the Paris one bought it but no worries. We will be the first ones in this part of the world anyway. We must make sure we fill up the whole plane with our shopping bags. That’s why I sweet-talked my husband into diverting the route of the plane to Rome. Ha ha ha. You know the best moment to talk. As soon as, you-know-what, starts talking that’s when I make my demands. Just before he enters. Yes. I simple say, “honey, just hold on a bit. I have something to say.” Before I say it he shouts, “yes, yes. I will do it for you. Anything.” Stop laughing. That’s the trick. Try it with your man and you will get anything you can dream of. Don’t let that thing enter you before you get what you want, he he.

...Hezvo, hezvo, hezvo, don’t tell me. Don’t worry, I will sort it out. He was talking of a school that needs to be built in his constituency. You know he is an MP too. President and MP. I will make sure that the school is not built and the money goes towards your kitchen. You know you need a presentable kitchen. What kind of husband is he? I don’t understand your man. A businessman of his class must know what his woman needs. Never mind. I will deal with it. Leave it to me. A village school is nothing. They can do with learning under a tree using their knees as tables. All the money for that school is going to your kitchen... Don’t thank me. That’s what friends are for.

Yes, I bought the handbag. I used the money meant for sinking boreholes in his constituency... The electric toothbrush? You mean the one we saw when we went to London last time?Yes I bought it. He wanted to build pit latrines for his people and I said, “stop, you don’t own any people except me, your wife. I come first.” I told him they can use the bush for now. After all they have been doing it in the bush for the past donkey years. Nothing new. I can’t brush my teeth with an ordinary toothbrush like a village woman. Next thing people will see me using a stick like a cow herder.

Am I shouting? It’s that minister of agriculture making noise. He is working in my garden. He is cutting my lawn with the lawn mower. He does it twice per week. You should come and see my flowers. He did a great job, that man. Yes. Yes. All the money meant for farmers’ fertilizers went to my garden. I have a fresh garden full of nothing but roses. This minister of agriculture is doing a wonderful job I tell you. If it wasn’t for him I don’t know where my garden would be. Maybe it would be a cheap one like the ones we see in locations when we accompany our husbands to campaigning rallies. My hubby is proud of him. That’s why he chose him when he reshuffled the cabinet. The last one was stubborn. He wouldn’t do my garden. Always pretending to be in a hurry. “Hee, I have to go to my constituency. Hee, this year we need a bumper harvest. Hee, I want to feed every belly in this country with my own hands.” Where in these worlds has someone fed the whole country with his own hands? He was a dreamer and I told my husband to kick him out of office...

The minister of health? She is doing very well as my nanny. My children are well fed. All my dogs and cats are healthy. I don’t have to worry when I go out of the country for my shopping. I will tell my husband to extend her term... Yes, she is here. She is playing with the kids in the playing room. My worry is the minister of home affairs. That man, I don’t like him. He was here yesterday. I asked him to feed my dogs and he refused. He doesn’t know me well. His stay in government is in my hands. The other one is the minister of information. He sees and talks too much, that man. I don’t like his ugly head. He tells my husband everything. Everything, I tell you. Yes, you are right. I understand. Yes, he banned all the private newspapers. They never stopped writing about my shopping as if I am the only one in these worlds who does shopping.I know. Yes he did well to ban the opposition on radios and TVs. “The first lady is shopping too much. The first lady is shopping too much.” That was their only campaigning tool, my shopping. Nothing else to offer the people of this country.

Hold on, hold on. Just a minute, I need to talk to my other maid. She has just walked in. Hey, who told you to just walk in like a cockroach while I am talking on the phone? Answer me. I told you when I am on the phone I don’t like people sneaking in like snakes, you here me? You better be sorry. Tell me, do you still want to work for me? You keep stealing my dogs’ food...Yes, don’t deny it. You steal it and send it to your village to feed your filthy children. They don’t eat dog food? Are you sure? Don’t open your stinking mouth to tell me your kids don’t eat my dogs’ food. If I find it missing again I will show you the way to your village.

Your pay? I didn’t pay you last month? Look at you. When you came here you were thin like a match stick. Now you have grown fat and you tell me I didn’t pay you last month. The food you are eating in this palace is your pay. You must count yourself lucky you are blessed enough to work for someone like me, the president’s wife. Some people are dying to shake my hand and you shake it everyday. Isn’t that a blessing?

Come here. Come closer. I couldn’t find seven of my under panties. You stole them. I know you did. Lift up your skirt... I am embarrassing you? Is that how you talk to a wife of a great leader? Now, leave. Leave my house. I don’t want to see you.

Sorry my friend. These village girls we employ, they need to be taught who is the mother of the house around here. If you don’t they will enter your pockets. To tell you this girl stealing my underwear is fifty-seven years old you won’t believe me. Yes, fifty-seven. Alright, where were we? Oh, I was talking of my husband’s cabinet ministers. They must work hard and impress me if they want to stay in government. I told my husband his army is eating government money for nothing, and guess what. They now take turns to help the minister of agriculture in my garden. They are busy weeding my flowers with their own hands right now. The other four are out walking my dogs and cats. I told them if they want pay rise this month they must show me that they deserve it. I don’t want my husband’s government to pay people for eating and sleeping.

Oh, yes I still have your birthday in my mind. It’s going to be a great party for you, my dear friend. I can’t let you down. You have been by my side for a long time. I overheard him saying the orphans will receive a donation of US dollars next month from America. That coincides very well with your birthday since it’s also coming up next month. What? Yes...yes...aha. Alright. What I am trying to say is the money is coming straight to my handbag. Don’t worry. I know how to do it. From my handbag it goes straight to buying you the best birthday present a friend has ever received.

Ha ha ha. Winning votes is not a problem my friend. They wanted to vote for the opposition. My husband nearly lost that parliamentary seat until I intervened. Yes, I did. I went there myself and held a meeting with the women of the area. Oh, my ancestors, those women were dirty. I have never seen such dirt in my life. Their dresses and blouses full of breast milk stains. Bare feet. Unkempt hair. You know I used to feel jealous whenever my husband went for campaigns thinking he might be seduced by one of his followers only to realize recently that there is nothing to fear. Little children smelling like toilets at the bus terminus. Running noses. Oh, no I feel like vomiting. I pretended to be strong and sat down with them, carrying their children in my hands and wiping their noses. I think some of those women haven’t washed their babies to this day because they don’t want to wash off the finger prints left by the first lady. I shook their hands too and there is no way they went home and washed the hands shook by the president’s wife, ha, ha.

Oh, yes, I went there to the constituency and injected my magic. I said to the women, “if you want freedom in your houses vote for my husband. I will donate sewing machines to you so that you can start your own small businesses, making your own money.” I gave them some of my second hand underwear and they couldn’t stop ululating. Some of them had nothing under their skirts and dresses and they wore the underwear straight away. Washed them? Does it matter? I don’t need to wash my underwear. I wear a new underwear everyday. I don’t do repeats. Not me. So why wash them? I just gave them away as dirty as they were. Isn’t it a blessing to wear underwear once worn by the president’s wife? Don’t you think it is? Well, be an ordinary woman in the village and you will see what I am talking about.

I haven’t finished. I promised them second hand shoes, washing machines…..yes, washing machines. I know there is no electric power in the rural villages but, you know, you can say anything to impress those women and they never take time to think. Before you finish to say, “washing machines,” they are already ululating.

I told them if they don’t vote for the president they will be in big trouble. I lowered my voice and said to them, “as a woman I am just warning you. My husband knows who voted and who didn’t. He can see it while lying on his back in his own bedroom. There are cameras that he uses to monitor whoever is voting in this country. If you put your X on the wrong place, you will see. Hear it from me, another woman like you. I am the president’s wife but I am also a woman and I don’t want other women to suffer. We must stand against these men.” There was non-stop ululation, singing and dancing. I told them to go and pass on my message to their husbands. Come election results day. My husband had a landslide victory. That’s why those who speak well say behind every successful man there is a woman.

You want to come to the celebrations with me? No problem. We must go and celebrate. It’s great to have a female president on this continent. I will make sure we get a private jet for that one. Females only. All our friends are coming. Drinking and partying all the way.

What? Food and fuel shortages in the country? I don’t care. Teachers and doctors on strike? Well, it’s not my mother and father and sisters suffering. My family is happy and strong. If they fall sick I fly them to my specialist overseas. Yes, I did. All the money meant for teachers and doctors pay-rise, I spent it. I bought my son a toy. He wanted a scooter. Food and fuel? Yes, I bought my girl a very nice baby doll. She is so excited, I tell you. She said I must buy her a pram for it next time and I am targeting the money meant for the new hospital my husband was talking about. I know. The budget is tight but not a big problem to me. That’s why I told my husband to choose a professor of accounts to be the minister of finance. He comes three times per week to help me with my budget. He is staying in the cabinet when the next reshuffling is done. I have already told my husband. He is very happy with him.

Yes, you are very right there. The new Reserve Bank Governor is awesome. I told him about my planned shopping trip. Guess what he said. He said he will print new bank notes just for my shopping. I am getting fresh, untouched, never used currency just to buy my little goodies. There is nothing greater than being the first lady on this earth, especially in this continent. Those who say Heaven is above are liars. It’s right here on this earth, in my kitchen.

Ha, ha, ha. It was very easy for him. He made an announcement that the country needed development funds to create jobs for the youths. The civil servants grumbled and grumbled but he stood his ground. He knew in his heart that he wanted to do something special for his young lady on Valentine’s Day. All those sweet little presents I got he bought them using civil servants’ money after introducing Development tax. Next month he is introducing another levy called Roads Levy. Oh, yes. On paper it’s meant to raise money to replace traffic lights around the country stolen and destroyed by the opposition youths but, you know what. I don’t trust these walls. Let me whisper. The money is actually meant for a holiday for me and my kids. Yes, we are going overseas for three months. We need real money.

Er, my door bell is ringing, my friend. Maybe it’s the minister without portfolio bringing my cup of tea. Ok, better I go. I will ring you again later in the evening. Yes….. Yes. Take care... You too. Oh, before I go, are you busy tomorrow? Ok, I am taking you for lunch.London. Just a simple lunch and we come back. Let’s meet at the airport. Bye.

‘We are late,’ from outside the door of the vendor’s room came the irritating voice of her friend, ‘We need to sell our vegetables while they are still fresh. Mbare Msika market is not near.’ She looked at her young son who was still snoring, covered him with the single blanket they shared, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as if wiping off the sun’s rays that sniffed with their noses into the square room through the cracked glass of the window and rose carefully from her sleeping mat.

THE END

* Stanley Makuwe was born in Zimbabwe and now lives in New Zealand.

* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

Review of African blogs

2007-07-11

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/blog/42470

Addax comments on a disturbing report from the Times (UK) on Phillip Morris and British American Tabacco (BAT) targeting yourng and children in Nigeria to become smokers.

'Lawyers for Nigeria’s largest state, Kano, will argue today that the tobacco companies sponsored pop concerts and sporting events and, in some instances, gave away free cigarettes, to recruit minors to smoking.'

Nthambazale.blogspot.com reports on new developments in the use of alternative technologies in Malawi.

'In an effort to make engineering relevant to the society, the Electrical Engineering department at the Malawi Polytechnic, has been running the Wireless Network for Health Applications project since mid 2006. This work is being done with collaboration from the Radio Communications Unit, Aeronomy and Radio Propagation Laboratory, Abdus Salam ICTP, Trieste, Italy. The goal of this project is to improve the delivery of health services by improving access to information and timely communication through low cost wireless-based communication network and basic telemedicine applications in the city of Blantyre.'

The Concoction - Apparently the US Army and George Bush have been studying the film “Battle of Algiers” to try and find some answers to Iraq – A slight relief in that at least they have moved from the Hollywood film model to something more realistic. However as Concoction states that it’s not as funny as it sounds if one looks at some of the film’s depictions

'...the film opens with a scene in which "Paras" (French paratroopers) brutally torture an old Arab man. The information they get from him will lead them to the hide-out of Ali la Pointe, the last remaining leader (so they hope) of the FLN, the movement they are determined to crush. As they close in on the hide-out, the film retraces how the Algerian revolutionary movement began, showing us some of the routine indignities visited on Arabs by French colonials: a bunch of young French punks trip Ali just for the fun of seeing him take a fall... As the Arabs begin to demand an independent Algerian state and terrorist cells begin to leave bombs in places frequented by the French (the race-track, bars, the Air France office) the colonists (many of them called pieds-noirs because they were born in Algeria) become more and more enraged, attacking even small Arab children trying to sell candy on the street.'

I am not quite sure of the point of this study except possibly that Bush et al are seriously concerned about loosing all control of Iraq and having to do a runner similar to Vietnam.

AfroMusing publishes an appeal to all bloggers to help support a baby who was raped. The baby is being taken care of by the Nest Home in Kenya.

Bank Account in Kenya:
The Nest Home Charitable Trust
Kenya Commercial Bank-Village Market
Account No. 260760292
Swift Code : KCBLKENX 011

or by sending a check to

The Nest
P.O. Box 605 - 00621
Nairobi/Kenya
Director:
Irene Baumgartner in Kenya - Tel: +254 (0)721-437893

Nigerian Curiosity comments on a recent interview by former Biafrian leader, Emeka Ojukwu in which he claimed that Igbo’s were not equally Nigerians. Curiosity wonders whether he is once again leading towards the idea of sessession and states:

'In the BBC interview, despite suggesting a separate state for Igbos, he also mentioned that Nigeria could still remain a united nation. These two statements seem contradictory and the article does not elucidate further. Unfortunately, I neither have access to the entire interview and cannot speculate on the intentions behind Ojukwu's statements, nor am I knowledgeable about the context within which they were made. It would be interesting to have a broader understanding of where he is coming from. Nevertheless, I must wonder whether Igbo people feel like second-class citizens in their own country. If so, how is that possible? The Igbo people that I know are successful, industrious, hard working and extremely driven in business, education and any other area where I have had the opportunity to get to know them. I find it hard to believe that in this day and age, Igbos are relegated to second-class status.'

The comments give further insight into the feelings of Igbo people but for many of the civil war generation, there has never been any recognition of the pain and suffering of ordinary Igbo's during the 3 year period.

David Ajao comments on the recent AU summit voicing the sentiment of many Africans in 'Much ado about nothing.'

'Now, what insensed me about the whole summit was that there was no definite outcome. They only agreed to commision some Ministers to come-up with a roadmap. So, all the expenses incurred was for nothing? Just the other day, I heard on radio that a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast declared that the delegates’ countries should be made to pay the Government of Ghana back, for all the expenses they incurred since their coming was useless. Funny as it sounds, it could make sense.'

Voice of Somaliland contends that the root of African problems today ly with the manipulation of the different ethnic peoples of Africa, by African leaders and gives Ethiopia’s Meles Zenawi as a prime example.

'Whether we like it or not and whether elected or a despot, a nation has just one leader. In diverse ethnic settings, this person belongs to just one ethnic group. In particular, when the power is snatched by guns, the leader’s fighters are pre-dominantly from his/her ethnic groups. This is the most widely observed scenario in Africa. The worst case is when the ethnic group constitutes the minority group. Since democracy is a majority rule, this minority class will never allow a functioning democracy; always sabotage the interests of the majority, and most importantly always believe in the gun since that is the only way for them to be able to rule. This is the scenario in Ethiopia.'

Rosemary Ekosso comments that the British government’s actions in the Chagos islands as an example of colonial dehumanisation and racism.

'Landgrabbing
A god complex.
Method
Start in 17th and 18th century
First, uproot people from their homeland
Enslave them or otherwise press them into demeaning service
Then ignore them until a rich and powerful country wants their land
Next, turn your beady eye on this land, viewing the human inhabitants as an inconvenient weed on potentially lucrative real estate
Weed the natives out, referring to them as “Tarzan and Man Friday" , thus playing up racist stereotypes of savages who should be divested of their land because you are better at exploiting it.
Then lease the island to the rich and powerful nation in exchange for an 11 million pound discount on Polaris missiles.'

Africa Today

2007-07-12

http://www.kpfa.org/archives/index.php?show=4

Amongst the finest regular radio programmes on Africa, and which are also available for listening online or for download as a podcast/audiofile, is Walter Turner's Africa Today at KPFA. The following are some of the recent programmes broadcast.

Monday, July 2nd, 2007
Interview with Prudence Mabele of Positive Womens Network of South Africa, hosted by Walter Turner...

Monday, June 25th, 2007
Interview with Ali Askouri on Sudan, China, Human Rights, Big Dam Projects...

Monday, June 18th, 2007
Inteview with Cornelius Moore of California Newsreel on Ousmane Sembene. Interview with Dr. Motsoko Pheko of Pan Africanist Congress of Azania...

African Union Failed the Crucial Test

Caesar Zvayi

2007-07-13

http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/281/

No one denies that it is only through a Union government and unity of purpose that Africa can claim its rightful stake in the world.

Barring unity, Africa would continue suffering the depredations of Western nations bent on exploiting its vast resources for self-enrichment.

But so vast are the challenges Africa has to overcome that a really radical approach is needed if the dream of a United States of Africa is to be realised, which means there is no room for placating the West in this revolutionary undertaking.

Africans in Diaspora Seek Strong Unity Government

This Day, Lagos

Abimbola Akosile

2007-07-13

http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/282/

Africans in the Diaspora have called on all African Diaspora leaders to support the building a strong Diaspora region that will positively influence the creation of an African government for all African people.

The call, which followed a recent failure by the African Union (AU) leaders to unify Africa under one central government, was made by the convenors of the 2007 Pan Afrikan Movement (PAM) Summit, which is holding in Kingston, Jamaica from July 16-18. The Jamaica summit, according to a statement by the conveners, is expected to have African veteran leaders, scholars, activists, faith leaders, dignitaries, entrepreneurs and students in attendance focusing on Pan African unity in the Diaspora.

Darfur Actors to Discuss Road Map for Peace

2007-07-13

http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/284/

Khartoum, 11 July 2007 (IRIN)- The UN and African Union are to meet key regional and international actors in Sudan’s war-ravaged Darfur to seek a blueprint for peace in the region.

The meeting in Libya on 15-16 July comes days after the UN warned that violence in Darfur had displaced another 160,000 people since the beginning of 2007, and increased the number of people in need of aid to 4.2 million, or nearly two-thirds of the population.

Global: Enlightened men prescribed for maternal health

2007-07-12

http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=38494

What is a common factor in ensuring that women do not marry too young, do not have more children than they can cope with, do not die giving birth -- and contract HIV in smaller numbers? Men. That is the message for World Population Day 2007, which is being marked Wednesday under the theme 'Men as Partners in Maternal Health'.

Algeria: Cervical cancer vaccine introduced

2007-07-12

http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2007/07/09/feature-01

Under pressure from the medical community, the Algerian government recently allowed distribution of a new preventive treatment for cervical cancer. A lack of early screening and treatment facilities and an increase in the cancer's prevalence in Algeria drove the Algerian government to register the vaccine as a government programme.

Kenya: Kudos to Kenyan women

2007-07-13

http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/english/regions/africa/ken/voices/kwft.htm

Sometimes, numbers speak louder than words. Six years ago, the Kenya Women Finance Trust (KWFT) was losing around US$290,000 a year. By 2006, it was posting annual profits of US$1.87 million and changing the lives of more than 100,000 poor women. By any standard, this is a remarkable turnaround. But behind the numbers lies an even more remarkable story.

Africa: Realising rights for children - good practice in Eastern and Southern Africa

2007-07-12

http://www.eldis.org/go/topics/resource-guides/governance&id=32371&type=Document

This report by the African Child Policy Forum examines the extent of harmonisation of national laws relating to children under the umbrella of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This report reviews and analyses how far countries in Eastern and Southern African have gone in implementing the principles of the CRC, and how well they have built the recognition of children's rights into their legal systems.

Ethiopia: Crushing dissent

2007-07-12

http://www.africa-interactive.net/index.php?PageID=5137

On the 28th of June an international day of solidarity was held around the world to appeal for setting two Ethiopian civil society leaders free. About 40 committed civil society professionals from the likes of Amnesty International, Civicus and Sangoco and several Ethiopian organisations assembled in front of the Ethiopian embassy in Pretoria to shout, chat and scream for human rights in Ethiopia.

Kenya: Call for abolition as thousands await execution

2007-07-12

http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=38474

Politicians from leading parties and prominent human rights activists all seem to agree that the time has come for Kenya to abolish capital punishment. But as they continue to talk, courts continue to pass down death sentences, swelling the numbers on death row. On June 21, Justice and Constitutional Affairs Assistant Minister Danson Mungatana told journalists here that the government was committed to abolishing the death penalty.

Morocco: New report discusses child abuse

2007-07-12

http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2007/07/05/feature-02

Child abuse has increased 50% over the last year in Morocco, according to a recent report by the Coalition against Sexual Abuse of Children (COCASSE). The report concludes that approximately 80% of child abuse cases involve sexual exploitation, and 75% of the perpetrators have a familial relationship with their victims. Most victims of sexual exploitation are children under age 10.

Rwanda: Rwanda scraps death penalty

2007-07-13

http://www.afrol.com/articles/26068

Rwandan senators have unanimously approved the abolition of the death penalty for all sorts of crimes, including those relating to genocide. The senators concurred with the country's lower house of parliament. The move was first initiated by the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front before getting the blessings of the cabinet.

Zimbabwe: May 2007 Monthly violence report - Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum

2007-07-13

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/42575

Abuse of state power by Zimbabwe's state security agents, disregard of court orders by the police, harassment of lawyers, intimidation of opposition and civic society activists continued unabated in May according to the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum's monthly violence report . The Human Rights Forum records its dismay at the continued harassment and intimidation of lawyers representing civil and political rights activists who might have been arrested.
OVERVIEW
Abuse of state power by state security agents, disregard of court orders by the police, harassment of lawyers, intimidation of opposition and civic society activists continued unabated in May as will be shown by this report. Of note in May was the arrest of human rights lawyers Andrew Makoni and Alec Muchadehama by the police in Harare. A number of charges were laid against them but more importantly the charges were related to the MDC members whom they were defending. The incarcerated MDC members were being accused of taking part in the spate of countrywide petrol bombings at police stations from January to April 2007. Following the lawyers' arrest, the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) decided to petition the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to express disapproval at their illegal detention. The demonstrating lawyers were dispersed outside the High Court in Harare with brute force by police officers some of whom were armed but all of whom wielded baton sticks. The police also took away 5 prominent lawyers, including the President of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, Beatrice Mtetwa and dumped them near Eastlea, a Harare suburb, but not before they had savagely assaulted and tortured them.
In a related but different case, the police arrested renowned lawyer, Jonathan Samkange at his home. Samkange was arrested for allegedly breaching a section of the Immigration Act. He was being accused of falsifying information on a visa application for a defence witness that he brought into the country to testify in Simon Mann's case. To the contrary, the alleged witness failed to gain entry into Zimbabwe. Samkange was later released but reportedly subjected to serious interrogation.

The police continued to disrupt demonstrations by the NCA in May. Moreover, there has been resurgence in the harassment and brutalisation of student leaders from higher and tertiary education institutions in Zimbabwe. Of concern is the collusion by the different University security officers and members of the ZRP. Cases that were reported in May to the Human Rights Forum reportedly revealed that the University security officers were responsible for apprehending the student leaders, assaulting and then handing them over to the police where they are in most cases tortured in police custody.
The Human Rights Forum records its dismay at the continued harassment and intimidation of lawyers representing civil and political rights activists who might have been arrested. Furthermore the Human Rights Forum would like to remind the Government of Zimbabwe that lawyers are not just ordinary citizens but officers of the courts and the judicial system and should be treated as such when they are engaging in their work. Finally, the Human Rights Forum continues to deplore the heavy - handedness with which peaceful demonstrators are treated and the criminalisation of political and civic activity by the government of Zimbabwe.



Cases of Political Violence

Note: The identities of victims whose names have not been published in the press and are not public officials are protected. This is done in order to protect the victim from further violence, intimidation and possible recriminatory attacks.

The purpose of this report is to record the nature of the politically motivated violence and intimidation that continues to prevail in the country. The Monthly Political Violence Reports are primarily based on victims' accounts, accompanied by medical evidence where possible, obtained from member organisations of the Human Rights Forum and other partner organisations. Use is also made of press reports. Furthermore, in this edition we include reports on police violence in non - political matters. This serves to demonstrate the way in which violent actions of the state and state agents exceed their legitimate limits and powers; and which indicates an increasing and more widespread politicisation of violence. The Report cannot be considered as the exhaustive record of all incidents of politically-motivated violence in Zimbabwe in the period under review. Nevertheless, every incident reported to the Human Rights Forum directly or through its members is meticulously documented and included in the reports. Care is also taken to record the incidents in the language in which they were reported to the Forum.

The situation prevailing in the country is such that it has not been possible to verify all of these accounts. The Human Rights Forum has done what it can to verify the reports, and is satisfied that the vast majority of them are substantially true. It is also not possible to rule out whether a victim's account is exaggerated or contains inaccuracies.

BULAWAYO Bulawayo East
8 May Students at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) demonstrated over the deteriorating standards at the institution. Plain - clothes officers from the Police Internal Security Intelligence (PISI), ZRP and the CIO were allegedly involved in the dispersion and arrest of the demonstrating students. 53 students were arrested and 48 of them were released on the following day. The rest of the students were taken to court and remanded out of custody to 23 May. Some of the arrested students included Clever Bere, Mehluli Dube, Venancio Jachi, Themba Mapenduka, Samson Nxumalo, Kurai Hoi, and Vivid Gwede. The case has since been heard and the students have been further remanded out of custody to 3 September 2007
29 May 2007 NUST security officers arrested Clever Bere and Mehluli Dube after a students' disciplinary hearing that arose from the student's demonstration on 8 May 2007. No allegations were leveled against them and they were detained at the University security officers' control room under tight security before they escaped.

HARARE Glen View
14 May 2007 The victim, who is an MDC member, alleges that he was in a bar when 3 suspected plain-clothes police officers approached him and demanded to talk to him. He reportedly refused which led to an altercation. The skirmish only broke up when one of the suspected plain - clothes police officers fired a shot into the air. However, on the following day, 4 unidentified men in a Mazda 323 came to the victim's house around 05:00 hours demanding to see him. He tried to flee but he was waylaid and caught by the 4 men who then assaulted him with baton sticks and kicked him with booted feet on his chest. Hatfield
2 May 2007 The victim, an MDC member was arrested by six plain clothes ZRP officers in Epworth and taken to Mbare Police Station. The police reportedly searched his house for information on the MDC and its Democratic Resistance Movements. At the police station, the police allegedly sat him on a table with a hole in the middle whereat they started asking him the same questions. The victim reportedly failed to answer the police properly and they started beating him with baton sticks and empty Coca Cola bottles under the soles of his feet whilst he was handcuffed. The police reportedly put the victim in police cells around 05:30 hours of the following day where they denied him food, water and any form of communication with the outside world. Around 13:00 hours, the police allegedly forced him to put his feet in a dish full of ice blocks before releasing him at 16:00 hours.

26 May 2007 The victim alleges that he was assaulted by two men at Hatfield Shopping Centre for wearing a T - shirt inscribed 'Say No To Police Brutality'. The assailants reportedly kicked the man with booted feet and hit him with clenched fists on the face and head. The assailants reportedly asked the victim whether he knew anyone at the MDC Headquarters.

Mabvuku
19 May 2007 The victim in question was reportedly abducted by 7 suspected ZANU PF supporters for wearing an MDC T - shirt. The abductors allegedly dragged him into a commuter omnibus and told him that they were taking him to a police station. The victim was then blindfolded with thick cello - tape and driven to Goromonzi. On arrival, he was assaulted with sticks and attacked with knives losing consciousness. When he regained consciousness his assailants had fled the scene leaving him naked and had stolen his cell phone. Mbare
20 May 2007 It is alleged that the victim was walking past the ZBC Studios when two ZNA officers guarding the ZBC premises approached him and escorted him to their guard - room. The victim reportedly found 12 more men and women in the guard - room. The soldiers ordered them to pair up (a man and a woman) and have sex. The victims refused to do so. 2 other men in plain clothes ordered the women to initiate the sex, which they again refused. The victims were then reportedly taken to the back of the ZBC buildings where they were forced to spray each other with water from a hosepipe all over their bodies before being released. The male victim in question was also assaulted with a baton stick on his buttocks and right ankle.

Harare Central
2 May 2007 The Zimbabwe government's Media and Information Commission (MIC) banned an independent journalist for a year. The MIC said it removed Nunurai Jena from the roll of journalists beginning on 3 May 2007 - ironically World Press Freedom Day - until March 2008. The state - controlled Commission said Jena was banned after he was caught using an expired license. Under the government's tough Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, journalists must obtain licenses from the MIC to practice with those failing to do so facing up to two years in jail. The MIC had also accused Jena of freelancing for various foreign news networks some of them banned in Zimbabwe. He denied the charges and argued he had submitted an application for the renewal of his license.
4 May 2007 Members of the Law and Order Section of Harare Central Police arrested Alec Muchadehama and Andrew Makoni, two senior lawyers of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) and partners in the law firm Mbidzo Muchadehama and Makoni, outside the High Court in Harare. They were taken to the Harare Central Police Station 'for interrogation' but were not provided with reasons for their arrest. Following their arrest, lawyers attending at the Law and Order Section were able to confirm the presence of the two lawyers but were chased out of the offices by Detective Inspector Rangwani, who also threatened to physically assault Mr. Dzimbabwe Chimbga, a project lawyer with ZLHR and threatened all lawyers present with arrest if they persisted with seeking a reason for their clients' detention. Moreover, Messrs. Alec Muchadehama and Andrew Makoni were denied access to their relatives and were also denied food and medication. An urgent application was filed by ZLHR at the High Court of Zimbabwe. In the evening, the Court granted a "temporary order" directing the police to allow lawyers access to Messrs. Makoni and Muchadehama and to allow them access to food, medical attention if necessary, and visitation by their relatives, pending the hearing of the matter the following day. In spite of this, the police defied the court order and transferred Mr. Makoni to Stoddart Police Station and Mr. Muchadehama to Matapi Police Station. They also denied them any access to their lawyers, relatives, food and medication.

On the following day, the court reconvened and declared that the arrests were unlawful and that Messrs. Makoni and Muchadehama should be immediately released. When traveling to Matapi police station, lawyers from ZLHR were informed that Mr. Muchadehama had been taken back to the Law and Order section at Harare Central Police Station for further interrogation. Lawyers proceeded to Stoddart Police Station, where they confirmed the presence of Mr. Makoni, but were advised that the Officer in Charge was not available and therefore he could not be released.

On the morning of May 6, 2007, as a second application was being filed, Chief Inspector Manjengwa and several police officers from the Law and Order Section at Harare Central Police Station visited the offices of the law firm of Messrs. Mbidzo, Muchadehama and Makoni taking the two detainees with them. Mr. Lawrence Chibwe, Deputy Secretary of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, Mr. Otto Saki, Acting Programmes Coordinator at ZLHR, was threatened with arrest when they sought to scrutinize the Search Warrant. Police proceeded to remove certain files and documents from the offices and did not allow the lawyers to take an inventory or remain present during the search. Messrs. Muchadehama and Makoni were then taken back to Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Law and Order Section.
Mr Muchadehama and Mr Andrew Makoni have since been placed on remand out of custody pending their trial whose date has not yet been set.

8 May 2007 A group of about 50 lawyers peacefully gathered at the High Court in Harare in protest against the arrest of lawyers Alec Muchadehama and Andrew Makoni. Armed members of the police dispersed the lawyers violently. Some of them were badly beaten in the process. Beatrice Mtetwa, the Law Society of Zimbabwe President and four others, were then singled out and arrested. They were driven to an open space in Eastlea (close to the city centre) and, in full view of passers - by and motorists, brutally beaten with batons on the buttocks, feet, legs and backs and then left to find their way to safety and medical attention.
14 May 2007 Jonathan Samkange, a lawyer representing Simon Mann , was reportedly arrested on allegations of violating sections of the Immigration Act. Samkange was accused of misrepresenting facts when he claimed that a foreign witness in the Mann case he had reportedly accommodated at his home was a friend. The police led by one Superintendent Nyamupaguma also accused Samkange of tipping the witness to check out of the hotel in which he was staying. To the contrary, all the allegations were found to be false as the alleged witness failed to gain entry into Zimbabwe and Samkange did not at any time sign declaration to support the witnesses' immigration forms. Samkange's arrest came a few days after he had filed an urgent chamber application to reverse a decision by a lower court to extradite his client to Equatorial Guinea to face charges of trying to topple President Teodore Obiang Nguema Mbasongo.

15 May 2007 Two University of Zimbabwe former student leaders, Collen Chibango (former UZ Students Representative Council Vice - President) and Wellington Mahohoma (former UZ Students Representative Council Secretary for Legal Affairs) were arrested by members of the ZRP for protesting the arrest of informal traders in the city centre. They were detained for three days at the Harare Central Police Station during which time they were tortured.

16 May 2007 The police reportedly arrested about 20 NCA members for marching in Harare without first notifying them in writing, four days in advance of their intention to do so. The police at Africa Unity Square allegedly assaulted three female protesters and one of them was reportedly admitted to hospital after sustaining serious injuries on her legs. The NCA members had gone on the demonstration to protest some of the provisions in the Constitutional Amendment Number 18 currently before Parliament.
17 May 2007 A photographer for The Independent and The Standard, Boldwin Hungwe, was reportedly summoned to Harare Central Police Station by a police officer who identified himself as Inspector Chinembiri in connection with a photograph he took of a battered and bruised Beatrice Mtetwa, which appeared on the front page of The Standard newspaper. The photograph showed the battered arm and thigh of Law Society of Zimbabwe President Beatrice Mtetwa. It is alleged that the police officer claimed that the photograph was in violation of the Public Order and Security Act.
19 May 2007 The victim was reportedly passing through Africa Unity Square when he met a group of anti - riot police officers who then asked him to produce his Identity Card. As he was searching for the ID card in one of his bags, he was allegedly struck hard on the head with a baton stick by one of the police officers. Four other police officers reportedly joined in assaulting him. The victim tried to flee but the police reportedly gave chase, caught him and started assaulting him again. He was then handed over to the police post at First Street whereat he was transferred to Harare Central Police Station. He was released without charge. The victim identified one of his assailants as one Constable Maredza.
26 May 2007 It is reported that members of the ZRP stormed the MDC Harvest House Headquarters where a Provincial meeting was taking place. The police reportedly forced all the people who were in the meeting to lie on the ground while they searched the MDC offices. 40 MDC members were then taken to Harare Central Police Station where they were made to sit in a courtyard from 10:00 hours to 21:00 hours. It is alleged that one Inspector Pikirai then ordered the 40 victims to be incarcerated. Police officers from the Law and Order Section then allegedly started calling the victims one by one and tortured them using baton sticks on their heads and backs. The police also reportedly used clenched fists on some of the victims. After being tortured, the victims were reportedly taken into unlit cells where urine and faeces flowed incessantly.

Kuwadzana
12 May 2007 Members of the ZNA reportedly assaulted fish vendors in Kuwadzana high-density suburb for displaying baskets of fish to President Robert Mugabe's passing motorcade. Soldiers who were accompanying the motorcade, who were armed with rifles and truncheons, allegedly returned to the scene, about 20 minutes after the President passed through the suburb and asked the vendors why they had displayed their 'smelly fish' to the President. Thereafter the soldiers reportedly started beating up the vendors indiscriminately Harare North Mount Pleasant
10 May 2007 The University of Zimbabwe security officers reportedly assaulted the victim, a male student from the University after there had been a demonstration by students at the campus. The victim alleges that it was around 21:00 hours when students started singing, chanting and throwing stones at windowpanes. He tried to flee from the New Complex Hostels to his room but was caught by the security officers before he got there. He was then reportedly escorted to the UZ security offices where he was assaulted. The victim was taken to Avondale Police Station where one Munyaradzi Sarudzai, a police officer, then reportedly assaulted him with a baton stick causing injury to his left ear. On 12 May the victim was transferred to Harare Central Police Station where one Detective Muchemwa continued to threaten him with assaults. He was only released on 16 May.

7 May 2007 Clifford Hlatywayo, a University of Zimbabwe student, was reportedly attacked by suspected CIO agents at a Residence Hall. The assailants allegedly forced Clifford to jump from the second floor of his residence causing him to break his arm on landing. On the same day, Munyaradzi Chikorohondo and Prosper Munatsi, both students at the University of Zimbabwe, were allegedly arrested by the University's security agents and handed over to the ZRP for allegedly taking part in a Students Executive Council elections campaign at the University. The University authorities have banned all gatherings at the campus. The two were only released after spending two days at Harare Central Police Station.

Buhera North
10 May 2007
16 MDC Buhera North choir members were reportedly assaulted by 10 suspected ZANU PF youths wielding baton sticks at around 22:00 hours for holding a rehearsal at one of victims' house. There was a rally scheduled for 16 May in the constituency. The victims were reportedly indiscriminately assaulted on the buttocks, faces and arms because they were chanting anti ZANU PF songs.
16 May 2007 The victim, an MDC member, alleges that suspected ZANU PF supporters attacked him at his home after attending an MDC rally in Buhera. The assault was carried out by five men led by one Nyasha Chivhuna. The victim alleges that he was dragged for 2 km from his home where he was then kicked with booted feet in the chest, stomach and face. Bindura
17 May 2007 Two Bindura University students, Tinashe Madamombe and Moreblessing Mabhunu, reported that they were arrested by CIO officers who indicated that they had been looking for them for two weeks in connection with their involvement in the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU). The two were reportedly detained in custody for 4 days.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (also known as the "Human Rights Forum") is a coalition comprising 17 member organisations. It has been in existence since January 1998 when non-Governmental organisations working in the field of human rights joined together to provide legal and psychosocial assistance to the victims of the Food Riots of January 1998. The Human Rights Forum has now expanded its objectives to assist victims of organised violence, using the following definition:
"Organised violence" means the inter-human infliction of significant avoidable pain and suffering by an organised group according to a declared or implied strategy and/or system of ideas and attitudes. It comprises any violent action, which is unacceptable by general human standards, and relates to the victims' mental and physical well-being."
The Human Rights Forum operates a Research and Documentation Unit and offers legal services to assist victims of organised violence and torture claim compensation from perpetrators through its Public Interest Unit.

Member organisations of the Human Rights Forum are:

Amnesty International (Zimbabwe) (AI (Z))
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP)
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)
Human Rights Trust of Southern Africa (SAHRIT)
Legal Resources Foundation (LRF)
Media Institute of Southen Africa (MISA)
Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe (MMPZ)
Nonviolent Action and Strategies for Social Change (NOVASC)
Transparency International (Zimbabwe) (TI (Z))
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
Zimbabwe Association for Crime Prevention and the Rehabilitation of the Offender (ZACRO)
Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR)Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust (ZIMCET)
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP)
Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA)
The Human Rights Forum can be contacted through any member organisation or through:
The Administrator, P O Box 9077, Harare - email: admin@hrforum.co.zw The Public Interest Unit, P O Box 9077, Harare - email: legal@hrforum.co.zw The Research Unit, P O Box 9077, Harare - email: research@hrforum.co.zw Address: 8th Floor Bluebridge North, Eastgate, Harare; Telephone: 250511 - Fax: 250494 The International Liaison Office, 56- 64 Leonard Street London EC 2A 4JX- email: IntLO@hrforumzim.com Telephone+44-20-7065-0945 Website: www.hrforumzim.com Previous reports of the Human Rights Forum can be found on our website.

Zimbabwe: The cycle of violence continues

2007-07-12

http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=38493

Pius Ncube, the outspoken Catholic archbishop of Bulawayo in southern Zimbabwe, has urged President Robert Mugabe to step down -- this as the country faces deepening political and economic woes. cube was launching a report titled 'Destructive Engagement: Violence, Mediation and Politics in Zimbabwe', published by the Solidarity Peace Trust. He chairs this church-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), which aims -- in part -- to further justice and peace in Zimbabwe.

Horn of Africa: Rough seas halt Gulf of Aden crossings

2007-07-12

http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46939aa54.html

Rough seas have put a temporary halt to illegal crossings of the Gulf of Aden, which by UNHCR estimate saw at least 367 desperate people lose their lives in the first six months of the year. The sailing season for smuggling people across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia to Yemen traditionally ends in late June and restarts in September, when the conditions are better. The thousands of people willing to make the risky voyage seek safety or a better life.

Chad: Government failing to protect civilians - refugee group

2007-07-12

http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN239177.html

Chad is failing to protect its civilians from armed groups who kill, mutilate and rape in the conflict stricken central African country, an international refugee body said. In a report released late on Wednesday, the Norwegian Refugee Council said the estimated 172,600 people who have been uprooted by fighting in eastern Chad over the past two years often lack access to water, food and health care.

Mauritania: Refugees cautiously optimistic about new initiative

2007-07-13

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73158

Tens of thousands of black Mauritanians living in exile for the past 18 years have officially begun the process of returning home from camps in Senegal and Mali but many said they were concerned Moorish Mauritanians would continue to discriminate against them. “We realize that returning to our country will be hard,” a spokesperson for the refugees, Amadou Wane, told IRIN at a camp in Ndioum, one of 284 village-like sites along the border with Mauritania.

Sudan: Sudanese asylum seekers take long bus ride to find bed for night

2007-07-13

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73146

A group of about 60 Sudanese asylum seekers spent 8 July being bussed between Israel’s southern city of Beersheba and the lawns in front of the Knesset (parliament) in Jerusalem, as the authorities tried to decide where they could spend the night. The Sudanese, including some from Darfur, had illegally crossed the Egypt-Israel border in the past few days. Initially, the Beersheba municipality found lodgings for them, while others went to Rahat, a Bedouin town in the southern Negev desert.

Global: Make migration work for development, Ban urges

2007-07-13

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73209

With an estimated 200 million migrants around the world, governments must strengthen the positive impact of migration on the development of home countries by ensuring people move in a way that is safe and legal, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said. "We cannot stop this force of human nature, but we can do a great deal to build a better migration experience," Ban said on 10 July in Brussels during the opening of the first Global Forum for Migration and Development (GFMD).

Africa: African CSOs to push AU Government over Development Issues

2007-07-12

http://www.whiteband.org/Action/news/gcapnews.2007-06-13.8253248830/

GCAP coalitions from across Africa will join other African Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in calling for the African Heads of States to put development challenges and people's welfare at the centre of their discussions as they prepare to meet in Accra, Ghana, in July to debate the feasibility of an African Union (AU) government. African civil society should ensure that such a new government must focus on overcoming poverty, the respect for human rights, education and conflict eradication.

Africa: GCAP Africa wants push for MDGs at halfway point

2007-07-12

http://www.whiteband.org/Action/news/gcapnews.2007-07-06.3132526139/gcapnews_view

2007 is an important year for the world, as it marks the halfway mark set by governments around the world to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. At halfway, most African countries are off track for achieving the MDGs. The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) believes that governments should urgently translate the commitments they made in 2000 and 2005 into concrete actions.

South Africa: Locals stand their ground on mining plans

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/socialmovements/42479

Seated on beer crates around a cattle kraal on the Wild Coast, a small gathering of tribal elders, headmen and residents this week resolved that their communal land was not on offer for mining. Recent prospecting has revealed a heavy minerals deposit extending 22km from the Mzamba and Mtentu rivers south of Port Edward.
Sunday Tribune
Locals stand their ground on mining plans
July 01, 2007
Edition 1

Fred Kockott

Seated on beer crates around a cattle kraal on the Wild Coast, a small gathering of tribal elders, headmen and residents this week resolved that their communal land was not on offer for mining.

Recent prospecting has revealed a heavy minerals deposit extending 22km from the Mzamba and Mtentu rivers south of Port Edward.

Mining representatives say this resource is the 10th largest heavy minerals deposit in the world. The Australian company, Mineral Resource Commodities Ltd (MRC), and its South African subsidiary, Transworld Energy and Mineral Resources (TEM), have since lodged a mining rights application.

Given political backing at all government levels, the mining representatives appear confident the application will be approved.

"I firmly believe it is going to go ahead. It is one of the most exciting projects in the country - a global resource worth $200 million (R1.4 billion)," said TEM general manager, Roger Barnes.

"This presents an opportunity to transform Pondoland into an economic hub."

But exactly what benefits mining might bring to the local community, particularly those who will live in its dust range, has become a contentious issue.

On Thursday, about 80 residents met tribal elders at the Mgungundlovu tribal court - concerned that decisions about the mining were being taken by "outsiders"' who were not consulting people directly affected, like those facing possible relocation if mining goes ahead.

The meeting appointed a "crisis committee" to liaise with district tribal authorities, local, provincial and national government - and the king of Pondoland - about these concerns.

The delegation sets off tomorrow, accompanying the local chief, Nkosi Ntabazakhe Maleni, for a meeting at the Amadiba district tribal authority.

To secure mining rights, TEM and the MRC have formed a Black Economic Empowerment partnership with the Xolobeni Empowerment Company (Xolco), underpinned by a shareholder's agreement giving Xolco directors a 26% share in the mining operation.

Xolco chairman Nomangesi Malunga is a district municipal employee.
Malunga argues that the mining operation will bring benefits to the community, including clean water, electricity, household income, decent roads, better education and access to health facilities.

"Imagine how that will impact on family in a mud hut with no water, electricity or furniture," wrote Malunga in a recent letter. "Such a family eats hand-ground mealie meal every day and, if they are lucky, manages to kill a snake or monkey to provide protein."

Reservations Amid cows grazing and chickens foraging near the Mnyameni River on Thursday, local headmen listened to people's reservations about promised benefits of mining operations.

Tourism guide Jabulani Mbuyisa alleged that mining representatives had also deliberately subverted and corrupted existing eco-tourism ventures in a bid to sell mining as the only viable development option.

He referred to the near-collapse of Amadiba Adventures which once ran successful horse-trails, beach walks and overnight camps.

"They've co-opted its directors on to Xolco. Now everything's a mess,"
said Mbuyisa, who formerly worked as an Amadiba Adventure guide.

Xolco representatives were also accused of falsely claiming to represent the wider community.

"These Xolco directors live far way from here. They are not going to be affected, and to say that everyone is going to benefit is a big lie, a very big lie," said crisis committee member Spring Gxolonza.

Observing the meeting, Johannesburg social worker and regular Wild Coast visitor John Clarke pledged support for the crisis committee, offering to raise funds for costs involved, including services of attorneys.

"I can't promise that there is already money in the bank, but if there is a popular mandate from the people here, it will make my job a lot easier," said Clarke, who leads a watchdog group, Sustaining the Wild Coast Association.

Accompanying Clarke was Johannesburg attorney Andiswa Mdoni.

Mdoni said it was obvious the government had not advised people of their rights.

"The national Environmental Management Act stipulates that if there is an application for open cast mining, the people affected must be equipped with knowledge and skills to participate in the public process, and be advised of the pros and cons and, in this case, how it will affect eco-tourism," said Mdoni.

"There must be a communal land agreement between the community and the government, before the government approves any mining application," said Mdoni.

Barnes and invited Xolco representatives did not attend Thursday's meeting at the Mgungundlovu tribal court. Barnes was in the area, but accompanying a senior official from the Department of Minerals and Energy.

Barnes said a lot of public misconceptions had been created by misleading media reports about the mining plans and consultations.

According to the mining website, the Xolobeni mineral sands deposit, as it is now called, comprises 360 million tons of 5% heavy mineral with a mine life of about 22 years.

The mining is expected to produce 25 000 tons of ilmenite, 19 000 tons of rutile, 15 000 tons of zircon and 15 000 tons of leucoxene each year.

These are all titanium minerals used principally for pigments in paints, papers and plastics.

Barnes said the Xolobeni project was estimated to generate R560 million yearly.

He said excavation would be shallow, dry, truck and shovel mining, with negligible environmental damage.

"The beauty of this mining method is that the mining area will be like a construction site. We are looking at a maximum annual disturbed area of
38ha."

Barnes said the mining would not encroach on beaches, estuarine systems, coastal vegetation or lands on which people were living.

Dust pollution, he said, would be an issue, though, requiring relocation of some families.

He said compensation would be offered to such families and that ultimately the legacy of the mining would be "a sustainable, rehabilitated area with considerably improved infrastructure, agriculture production and business opportunities".

Mdoni said if affected residents opposed the mining plans, Barnes's optimism about expected government approval could be shortlived.

Clarke agreed. "The real crunch is what people on the ground say."

Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions Communique

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/socialmovements/42487

We, the affiliate union leadership of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), meeting at the Quality International Hotel in Harare on 28 and 29 June 2007 to, among other things, discuss the Kadoma Declaration...
COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE AFFILIATE UNIONS LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP OF THE ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS (ZCTU) HELD ON 28 AND 29 JUNE 2007 AT THE QUALITY INTERNATIONAL HOTEL IN HARARE

We, the affiliate union leadership of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), meeting at the Quality International Hotel in Harare on 28 and 29 June 2007 to, among other things, discuss the Kadoma Declaration and;
* The general economic outlook in Zimbabwe and its effects on the general workforce;
* Having explored the nature and extent of the national crisis facing the economy;
* Shared experiences on socio-economic development in the context of the ongoing crisis;
* Having discussed and analysed labour obligations under the Kadoma Declaration, and Observing that;
* Other parties to the Tripartite Negotiating Forum have signed the Kadoma Declaration,
* Only the Prices and Incomes Stabilization Protocol has been signed by the ZCTU, Further observing that;
* The ZCTU has not signed the Kadoma Declaration,
* There is no clear implementation mechanism of the Kadoma Declaration,
* There is mismatch between policy and practical actions,
* There is little commitment of social partners to the Kadoma Declaration spirit, for example, irresponsible utterances,

We therefore hereby recommend that:

o The General Council endorse signing of the Kadoma Declaration,
o A clearly spelt out Implementation process be developed with key roles played by those who are part to the TNF,
o All parties adhere to the fundamental principles and be committed to the obligations outlined in the Kadoma Declaration.

Lovemore Matombo PRESIDENT

Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions Press statement

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/socialmovements/42488

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) is becoming increasingly concerned by imminent job losses caused by the unprecedented move by government to indiscriminately cut prices of all commodities including clothing. Already industry has been performing at 20 percent capacity and the current chaos will further worsen this situation.
PRESS STATEMENT

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) is becoming increasingly concerned by imminent job losses caused by the unprecedented move by government to indiscriminately cut prices of all commodities including clothing.

Already industry has been performing at 20 percent capacity and the current chaos will further worsen this situation. The price cuts are only a temporary measure that will give false hope to the multitude of Zimbabweans. Labour notes that even though prices have been cut, most workers still cannot afford to buy the goods let alone travel to work on conventional transport as they are earning far below the Poverty Datum Line (PDL) that stood at $5,5 million as at May 2007.

Of concern also is the fact that shelves in most shops are now empty.
This will force workers to spend precious time hunting for basic commodities with the little money they have, instead of putting the time to production at work.

The ZCTU demands that government deals with root causes of the economic rot and not offer piecemeal solutions that in the long run will cost the country greatly. We are inclined to believe that the government has failed because over the past few years it has failed to come up with any meaningful solutions to the crisis we are facing. Stop –gap measures have been employed, yet people continue to suffer. Labour is saying that it is high time we stop running the country on stop-gap measures and on the basis of piecemeal political projects. Successful countries run their countries on the basis of sustainable programmes.

To this end, we urge the workers of Zimbabwe to prepare for national action, action that is meant to break the chains of this slavery.

10 July 2007 Wellington Chibebe SECRETARY GENERAL

North Africa: the dilemma of the secularists

2007-07-12

http://www.bitterlemons-international.org/previous.php?opt=1&id=186#761

The absence of competitive-democratic patterns in North Africa cannot be ascribed solely to the actions of the undemocratic regimes of the region. The latter have certainly done very little to strengthen brittle governance structures, deepen government accountability and widen the scope of participatory politics, say Anwar Boukhars.

Sierra Leone: The Election Opportunity

2007-07-12

http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4942&l=1

This latest International Crisis Group report from the International Crisis Group, examines the strains emerging prior to presidential and legislative elections and the impact they will have on the country’s delicate peace-building. Sierra Leone is still a fragile state in which peace will not be consolidated unless the new authorities tackle sources of popular discontent such as corruption, chiefs’ abuse of power and youth unemployment.

Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone's Democratic Challenge

2007-07-12

http://www.worldpress.org/Africa/2839.cfm

Sierra Leone hankers for a transformation most nations in the West enjoy in this modern era: a liberalized and technologically advanced economy within an established democratic order. It is foolish to ignore the notion that development interests and democratic principles are uneasily aligned in Sierra Leone today.

Africa: Political leaders in Africa: presidents, patrons or profiteers?

2007-07-12

http://www.eldis.org/go/topics/resource-guides/governance&id=32330&type=Document

A new paper published by the African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes takes a look at formal and informal leadership in Africa in light of leaders’ pivotal role in setting political agendas, distributing resources and political action. The author argues that the international perception of Africa as a continent of endemic conflict largely overshadows the significant progress made towards more stable, accountable and open political systems.

Western Sahara: UN applauds continuation of talks

2007-07-13

http://www.afrol.com/articles/26085

The United Nations Security Council has applauded the resumption of talks between Morocco and the Polisario Front in Western Sahara. The next month's talks will include the stakeholders and neighbours, Algeria and Mauritania. A statement read by the Security Council President, Wang Guangya of China, the council expressed delight over the resumption of talks.

Congo: Women lag behind in top positions

2007-07-13

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73185

Congolese women have been thwarted in their ambition to improve their showing in the National Assembly after the first round in the Congolese legislative elections. The results of the 24 June vote show that only one woman has been elected and it is unlikely the numbers will improve in the upcoming second round.

Côte d’Ivoire: Justice comes at a price as corruption booms in courts

2007-07-13

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73229

The UN mission in Cote d’Ivoire (ONUCI) said in a June report that corruption is so widespread in the Ivorian justice system that “people have come to believe, even though fortunately it’s not always the case, that it is impossible to get a favourable decision without handing over money.” The report said bribes are also given in the form of sexual favours.

Global: New report documents gains in sub-Saharan Africa

2007-07-12

http://go.worldbank.org/493Q33OQ90

Countries around the world, including some of the poorest in Africa, have made “significant progress” in improving governance and fighting corruption over the decade, the new “Worldwide Governance Indicators” (WGI) report by the World Bank Institute and World Bank Development Economics Vice-presidency shows.

Kenya: Gagging Global Witness & the Kenyan commercial debt problem

2007-07-12

http://www.marsgroupkenya.org/pages/stories/Gagging_Global_Witness/

It is now settled that Kenya ’s public debt portfolio of US$10 billion is a matter of concern. That a substantial portion of it – over US$1 billion – relates to uncertain commercial creditors is a matter of urgent national importance. That by the admission of senior Treasury officials, some of the entries of commercial debt are falsified is a national scandal, says corruption watchdog, Mars Group.

Nigeria: Ex-governors in trouble over graft

2007-07-13

http://www.afrol.com/articles/26064

Two former Nigerian governors, Orji Kalu and Saminu Turaki, have landed in trouble over their failure honour an invitation by the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They waited to be arrested over indictments relating to corruption. Turaki and Kalu were governors of Jigawa and Abia states respectively.

Africa: Flawed aid worsens plight of Sahel - report

2007-07-12

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L11222991.htm

Short-sighted and inadequate foreign aid has worsened the plight of millions of people in Africa's parched and poverty-stricken Sahel belt, according to a report commissioned by major charities in the region. The study entitled "Beyond Any Drought", backed by charities including Oxfam and Save the Children, argues that unless aid programmes are overhauled Africa's poorest nations face harsher famines as free-market reforms deepen the roots of poverty.

Africa: Scientific literacy for parliaments: an essential tool

2007-07-12

http://www.scidev.net/Editorials/index.cfm?fuseaction=readEditorials&itemid=221

Improving scientific literacy in developing countries' parliaments would boost sustainable development. Science and technology are slowly moving up the political agenda in many developing countries. Politicians don't want their countries to be left out of the global knowledge economy, and are realising that science can contribute to virtually every field of public policy, asserts David Dickson, Director of SciDev.Net.

Africa: $100 million for sustainable local economies

2007-07-12

http://tinyurl.com/3yaqlt

Vancouver-based Lundin for Africa, the philanthropic arm of the Lundin Group of Companies, has pledged $100 million to the Clinton Foundation's recently announced Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative (CGSGI), which is aimed at alleviating poverty and building sustainable local economies in developing countries. The Lundin for Africa commitment will be aimed, in large part, at approved projects in Africa, where the Lundin Group has significant mining, oil and gas interests.

South Africa: Uncomfortable Collaborations: Contesting constructions of the poor in South Africa

Shannon Walsh

2007-07-13

http://www.nu.ac.za/ccs/default.asp?2,40,5,1357

Sbu Xaba’s frustration and despair is understandable. After the end of apartheid there was genuine hope that the lives of the poor would improve. This is what the incoming ANC government had promised. But as more than a decade passed, hope turned to frustration, despair and anger. Those most effected by these broken promises, the ‘poors’, have not been silent. In 2005 alone there were 6000 protests in South Africa.

Zambia: Civil society warns against more borrowing

2007-07-13

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73193

Zambia's decision to keep borrowing could slip the country back into indebtedness even before social expenditure improves, civil society activists have warned. Zambia had its US$7.2 billion external debt slashed to about $500 million, as a reward for sticking with economic reforms under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.

Africa: The Ravaging of Africa

2007-07-13

http://www.ncra.ca/exchange/dspProgramDetail.cfm?programID=57759

The ravaging of Africa has been enriching Europe and North America for more than 500 years. First, European empires imposed slavery and colonialism on the continent. After 1945, the United States took over as the dominant neo-colonial power. This is the subject of a 4-episode series written by Asad Asmi and produced by Kristin Schwarz. Twenty-eight activists from 16 African countries were interviewed for the series. The documentary is based on Asad's award-winning article of the same title.

Global: A new tool for measuring stigma

2007-07-13

http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73200

Rejection. Fear. Anger. These are some of the feelings that come to the surface when HIV-positive women talk about stigma and discrimination. "It's like being completely invisible to society," said Esther Sheehama, 24, of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Namibia. Sheehama and other women living with the virus have many stories about how they were rejected by their families and communities because of their status.

Global: New HIV/AIDS drug 'effective but costly'

2007-07-12

http://www.scidev.net/content/news/eng/new-hivaids-drug-effective-but-costly.cfm

Scientists have found that a relatively new drug is much more effective at treating HIV/AIDS in treatment-experienced patients, but experts in the developing world say it may be too costly for widespread use in resource-poor countries. The research, published in The Lancet last week (6 July) concludes that darunavir-ritonavir, a drug developed to combat HIV that is resistant to other HIV drugs, should be considered as a treatment option for HIV-infected individuals at various stages of treatment.

Lesotho: Churches bolster HIV/AIDS fight

2007-07-13

http://www.afrol.com/articles/26086

A group of prominent and renowned church leaders in Lesotho showed their commitment to promote dignity, equality and rights of all people, especially those living with HIV/AIDS in front of King Letsie III and Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili. They also pledged to discuss openly issues around HIV/AIDS - treatment, shun negative statements that the disease is a divine punishment as well as break negative cultural barriers.

Nigeria: Workplace policy to protect HIV-positive people is "toothless"

2007-07-13

http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73217

Many HIV-positive Nigerians are still losing their jobs or being denied work because of their status. Activists say a national workplace policy to protect them from stigma and discrimination, adopted over two years ago, is practically toothless. "The policy is not effective at all; most companies are only paying lip service to it," said Josephine Odikpo, Executive Director of the Centre for Rights and Development, in the port city of Lagos.

Ethiopia: 'Community conversations' opening up the AIDS discussion

2007-07-13

http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73219

A programme known as 'community conversations' (CC) is making traditionally conservative Ethiopians open up and face the realities of HIV, including the need to treat people affected by the pandemic with greater respect and acceptance. The project began in 2004 in southern Ethiopia as an initiative of the UN Development Programme and Kembatti Mentti Gezzimma-Tope, a local non-governmental organisation, and has grown to cover most regions in Ethiopia.

Global: Women want a bigger piece of the funding pie

2007-07-13

http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73172

After burning the midnight oil for many weeks while preparing a US$50 million gender-based project proposal to lay before the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, Swazi activists found that it had vanished from their country's grant application. They were dumbfounded. "No one would tell us who had taken it out, but someone told us that women's issues are not a priority for the country," said Siphiwe Hlophe, of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), Positive Living, which assists people living with HIV.

Burundi: Sex and drugs leave Bujumbura's homeless at risk of HIV

2007-07-13

http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73199

Thousands of children and adults living rough on the streets of Burundi's capital, Bujumbura, face a daily struggle to eat and find a warm corner to sleep in; many blot out the reality of their situation by turning to sex and drugs. Sexual violence is also prevalent, as people living on the streets of Bujumbura are vulnerable to sexual attacks and often have nowhere to turn.

Africa: Education tops pastoralists’ concerns

2007-07-13

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73156

Pastoralists across Africa want their children to have access to education that suits their nomadic lifestyles, representatives of pastoral communities said on 9 July in Isiolo. “The issue of the education curriculum is important to understanding pastoralism; imagine taking a lot of time to teach a child in Mandera [northern Kenya] how to plant beans when that child could be taught how to tan leather, given that it is the available resource,” Ali Wario, Kenya’s assistant minister for special programmes in the office of the president, said.

Global: Funding change: sustaining civil society advocacy in education

2007-07-12

http://www.eldis.org/go/topics/resource-guides/governance&id=32369&type=Document

Increasingly, international donors are coordinating their aid behind sector-wide national education plans. However, too often the focus of dialogue has been between Ministries of Education and consortiums of donors, with little space for the active engagement of civil society. This report published by the Commonwealth Education Fund argues that national education plans will be effective when they are owned and supported not just by the government but by wider society.

Sudan: Learning under trees in South Sudan

2007-07-13

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6289528.stm

The first sign of rain clouds for students at Tiboro School in Yeri in South Sudan means that classes are abandoned. The village school is little more than a few benches under a tree; the few textbooks available are used by their teacher Repent Khamis Eliashas to prepare lessons.

South Africa: Rape and Murder of Lesbians Continues

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/lgbti/42497

The continuing discrimination and violence faced by women and those living with HIV and AIDS advocates in South Africa is enormous and warrants the attention and action of government officials and the international community.
The continuing discrimination and violence faced by women and those living with HIV and AIDS advocates in South Africa is enormous and warrants the attention and action of government officials and the international community.

On Sunday in Soweto Meadowlands, Sizakele Sigasa, an outreach coordinator at Positive Women’s Network and an LGBT rights activist, and her friend Salome, were tortured and brutally murdered. Sizakele was found, her hands tied together by her underpants and her ankles tied together by her shoelaces, with three bullet holes in her head and three in her collarbone.

In June, Simangele Nhlapho, a member of a support group for women living with HIV run by Positive Women’s Network, was found dead with her two year old daughter. Simagele and her daughter were raped and killed; the daughter was found with both legs broken. In April, 16 year-old Madoe Mafubedu, who was living openly as a lesbian, was raped and repeatedly stabbed until she died.

While police have yet to make any arrests in relation to these senseless murders, these hate crimes underscore the need to forcefully end discrimination based on gender and sexuality, as well as the stigma and discrimination that women living with HIV and AIDS face. The increase of access to treatment for people living with HIV in poor areas and the proliferation of clinics have not managed to erode one of the most destructive effects of AIDS: stigma. In South Africa, where women comprise 58% of those living with HIV, gender discrimination often leaves them unable to negotiate condom use or disclose their status to their families and partners (who are often infected as well). Many women today are still afraid to be tested, and women receiving antiretroviral treatment have been known to hide their medicines under their beds for fear of bearing the brunt of physical abuse and alienation. Every six hours in South Africa a woman is killed by a male partner; every 26 minutes a woman is raped.

The epidemic of hate crimes against lesbians is growing in South Africa. There have been a series of documented cases of brutal sexual assaults and murders of lesbians, particularly black lesbians in township areas, and very few (no?) prosecutions. The murder of Zoliswa Nkonyana in 2006 was met with international condemnation of homophobic hate crimes in South Africa; however little has changed.

There is no excuse for violence and there is no reason that women and children should live in fear due to their gender, sexual orientation or HIV status. We call on law enforcement, government officials and human rights groups to take a stand. These victims deserve more than rhetoric; they require that we take concrete and constructive steps to stop these hate crimes. To be effective, these actions must address the roles and responsibilities of all parties in condemning violence in all forms.

For more information contact the PWN office 011 339 7679 or 078 3893 9529 and 1 in 9 Campaign or You can talk to Dawn at 083 278 7033 go to the website of 1 in 9 .

South Africa: Assaulted young gay charges police

2007-07-12

http://www.mask.org.za/article.php?cat=southafrica&id=1618

A twenty-year-old gay man has laid a charge against a Gugulethu police officer, in the Western Cape, who is said to have assaulted and insulted him because of his sexual orientation. Banele Ngwenze-Qhina was walking home with his brother and cousin just after midnight on Monday 23 June when police stopped and started searching them.

Sudan: Post-Conflict Environment Assessment

2007-07-12

http://www.unep.org/publications/search/pub_details_s.asp?ID=3949

A report by the U.N. Environment Programme, "The Sudan Post Conflict Environmental Assessment", provides an overview of environmental status and issues for Sudan and its territorial waters of the Red Sea. It focuses on linkages between the environment, conflict and the ongoing humanitarian and development programmes.

East Africa: Lake Victorious: weevils defeat water hyacinths

2007-07-12

http://www.scidev.net/content/news/eng/lake-victorious-weevils-defeat-water-hyacinths.cfm

Scientists have announced the success of a biological, pesticide-free method in eradicating the highly invasive water hyacinth from Africa's waterways. James Ogwang, an entomologist specialising in biological control at the Ugandan National Agriculture Research Organisation, and his colleagues presented their work at the annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists last week (8 July) in Chicago, United States.

South Africa: In search of land and housing in the new South Africa

2007-07-12

http://go.worldbank.org/1P2QRG4070

A just-released World Bank case study outlines the difficulties poor communities face in accessing peri-urban land in South Africa that could have implications and lessons for similar communities in other countries facing spatial segregation issues. The study goes further and suggests policy and program reform aimed at improving the situation.

Kenya: Pastoralism in focus

2007-07-12

http://www.irinnews.org/HOVReport.aspx?ReportId=73182

An estimated 80 percent of Kenya's land mass is dedicated to pastoralism - a system primarily based on raising livestock in arid and semi-arid areas - yet it remains a much misunderstood way of life, according to participants in a workshop on pastoralism in Africa, held on 9-11 July in the eastern town of Isiolo.

Ethiopia: Prosecutor seeks death penalty for four convicted journalists

2007-07-13

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/84768/

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called on an Ethiopian court to reject the prosecutor's demand for the death penalty for four journalists who have been convicted, along with opposition members and activists, of attempting to overthrow the government, treason and inciting violence. "We condemn this cruel and unreasonable demand by the prosecution who wants journalists sentenced to death merely for doing their job," said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa office.

Côte d’Ivoire: Urgent action urged as media groups raided

2007-07-13

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/84761/

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today urged the government of Côte d'Ivoire to take urgent actions to put an end to newsroom robberies after four media companies were raided in a period of two months by armed groups who stole office equipment and documents. "We condemn these attacks, which are creating an environment of fear and panic in the press," said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa office.

Global: Statement from China Development Brief on their shut down

2007-07-13

http://www.chinadevelopmentbrief.com/

Yesterday morning news of our current difficulties was injudiciously leaked to international media by a former associate. We had hoped to keep the wraps on this for some time while we tried to mobilise support with the Communist Party and Government of China; but now, alas the news is out, and we are not sure what the result will be.

Swaziland: Editor faces defamation suit

2007-07-13

http://africa.oneworld.net/article/view/151268/1/

The editor of the privately owned Nation magazine, Bheki Makhubu, was sued for E3.5 million [approx. US $ 500 000] by a Member of Parliament for alleged defamation of character. The MP, Marwick Khumalo, an ex journalist and also a member of the Pan African Parliament, claims to have been defamed by an article Makhubu wrote and published in the June edition of the Nation magazine.

Niger: Sanctions for coverage of rebel group activities

2007-07-13

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/84763/

"Air Info", a bi-weekly privately-owned newspaper in Agadez, about 1,000 km from the capital Niamey, was suspended on 29 June 2007 by the media regulatory body (Conseil Supérieur de la Communication, CSC) for covering the activities of a rebel group in the northern part of Niger. The CSC has also frozen the newspaper's annual subsidy provided by the government to the media under Niger's media law.

Global: Pan-Africanism and the 21st Century African Revolution

Horace Campbell

2007-07-13

http://www.nu.ac.za/ccs/default.asp?2,40,5,1358

Pan Africanism arose as a philosophy to restore the humanity and dignity of the African person and indeed all humans. The concept of dignity and humanity has gone through many iterations from the period of enslavement to the period of colonialism, segregation and Jim Crow, the periods of apartheid and neo-colonialism to the current period of the HIV-AIDS pandemic when corporations have given themselves the right to patent life forms.

Sudan: New warning of famine in Darfur

2007-07-12

http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=38503

A famine is looming in Darfur, according to members of the European Parliament who have just returned from a visit to the war-ravaged Sudanese province. The 785-strong Parliament were due to vote on a resolution urging that European Union governments impose targeted economic and diplomatic sanctions -- such as a travel ban and an asset freeze -- on Sudanese figures implicated in the ongoing violence in Darfur.

Sudan: UN moves to authorize complicated Darfur force

2007-07-12

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N11240969.htm

The U.N. Security Council is expected to authorize up to 26,000 troops and police for Darfur but implementation will take months providing the world body finds enough personnel and Sudan cooperates. On Wednesday, Britain, France and Ghana circulated a draft resolution for a joint African Union-U.N. force, which also threatened force against those who attack civilians, relief workers and obstruct peace efforts.

Lesotho: Food emergency declared

2007-07-12

http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL12334155.html

The impoverished African kingdom of Lesotho has declared an official food crisis after bad harvests left more than 400,000 people in need of food aid, a U.N. agency said. The United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Lesotho's government had declared a food security emergency based on U.N. reports showing a "major food gap" affecting a fifth of the population

Chad: Arabs also victims in tit-for-tat violence

2007-07-12

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L11159746.htm

The sight that greets visitors to Goz Amir is grimly familiar in eastern Chad. Every single house has been burnt to the ground, giant clay urns used as grain stores are smashed, charred grass marks where homes once stood. It is completely deserted.

Somalia: Green light for reconciliation conference

2007-07-13

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73188

After three postponements and many threats of non-attendance, Somalia's national reconciliation conference, due to start on 15 July, will proceed as planned, a senior official told IRIN. "We are moving as planned and the conference is on schedule and will begin on 15 July," Abdulkadir Walayo, the media adviser for the National Governance and Reconciliation Commission (NGRC), which is organising the conference, said on 11 July.

Africa: Rwanda to host Connect Africa summit

2007-07-13

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/internet/42572

Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda is to host this years Connect Africa Summit that is to be held from October 29-30 2007. According to a statement issued by the Geneva based International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the announcement was made by ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré at a Press Conference in Geneva, held jointly with the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID).
Highway Africa News Agency


Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda is to host this years Connect Africa Summit that is to be held from October 29-30 2007.

According to a statement issued by the Geneva based International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the announcement was made by ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré at a Press Conference in Geneva, held jointly with the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID). The statement said that while investment in ICT infrastructure in Africa has improved dramatically in recent years, representing a total of $8bn in 2005 up from $3.5bn in 2000, and growth in mobile phones has increased by as much as 400 per cent, Africa has fallen back in overall connectivity.

While mobile phones have surpassed fixed line telephone access, fewer than 4 out of every 100 African homes have Internet access; broadband penetration remains below 1 per cent; and 70 per cent of all Internet traffic within Africa is re-routed outside the continent, driving up costs for businesses and consumers.

"We need a Marshall Plan for ICT infrastructure development in Africa," said Dr Touré. "We have to mobilize the world?s human, financial and technical resources to support economic growth, employment and development across Africa," he said.

He added that support was pouring in from partners in this endeavour, including leading ICT companies in Silicon Valley and elsewhere who have been given the challenge of replicating their successes in Africa as well as from governments, international organizations and development banks.

He said the Chairman of Intel Corporation Craig Barrett is spearheading the efforts through his leadership of UN GAID.

With less than 8 years left to meet the 2015 targets of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG), drastic steps are required. Dr Touré pointed out that meeting ICT connectivity targets would act as a catalyst in achieving the broader development goals. "ICT is a means of creating wealth and sustainable economic growth," he said.

Earlier, speaking at a function at the International Telecommunication Union, UN Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon expressed his full support to the Connect Africa initiative and said that it represented an important step in overcoming the digital divide.

"This is an important vision," Ban Ki-moon said. "We need to make our best efforts, as part of our MDG programme, to bridge this gap."

He also said that ITU should broaden its vision and commitment to meeting long-term global concerns, such as climate change.

The Connect Africa Summit will be held under the patronage of the President of Rwanda, Mr Paul Kagame and Chairman of the African Union, President John Kufour of Ghana.

It is being organized by the International Telecommunications Union, the World Bank and UN GAID, in partnership with the African Development Bank, the African Telecommunications Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa. This collaborative effort will engage some 500 high-level stakeholders active in the region, including China, India, the European Commission and the G8 countries, OECD and Arab countries, major ICT companies, the United Nations Development Programme and other international organizations.

"This will not be just another Summit ," said Dr Touré. "It will be a Summit of commitment between partners, not a meeting to negotiate new resolutions."

The private sector, governments and international organizations will be called on to work together, and there will be a commitment to creating an environment that promotes the improvement of ICT. "ICT is a business, and the only way to ensure sustainability and large-scale effects is to provide an environment that lets business deliver ICT," added Dr Touré.

"For too long we have had negative information coming from Africa, we have to bring positive news."

Speaking on behalf of GAID, Walter Fust, Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, said, "ICT is extremely important for managing knowledge for development, and for bringing local knowledge into development."

He stressed the importance of the Connect Africa initiative and said that emphasis should be laid on a few targeted areas, such as using ICT to empower people with disabilities and to "reverse the pyramid of learning" by ensuring that all schools are connected.

Global: Social Mobile Group

2007-07-11

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2219125374

The Social Mobile Group - for non-profit organizations, ICT professionals and members of the general public interested in the growing impact and uses of mobile technology in developing countries.
The Social Mobile Group - for non-profit organizations, ICT professionals and members of the general public interested in the growing impact and uses of mobile technology in developing countries.
The Group is online only and can be accessed on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2219125374

Mali: Jèkafo Guèlèkan project connects farmers in Sikasso

2007-07-12

http://www.iicd.org/about/news/jekafo-guelekan-project-connects-farmers-in-sikasso-mali

The Regional Committee for Coordination of Rural Dwellers (CRCR) in Sikasso, in partnership with the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD), has initiated a new project called Jèkafo Guèlèkan. The projects focuses on establishing connections between the Local Committees for Coordination of Farmers’ Organisations and local sections of farmers’ organisations belonging to the CRCR and the AOPP in the Sikasso area.

Africa: UN summit aims to harness technology for Africa’s development

2007-07-13

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=23201

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the head of the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have strongly endorsed a summit to be held later this year aiming to boost information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in Africa to advance development on the continent. The Connect Africa Summit, will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from 29 to 30 October.

Uganda: Cyber space criminals on the increase

2007-07-13

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/internet/42573

It may sound like an old problem to other countries but in Uganda where use of information and communication technologies is relatively new their arrival came with a new type of crime. The government needs to fast track the formulation of the laws that would be used to protect victims of cyber crime whose increasing rates have forced the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) to seek intervention from the police.
Highway Africa News Agency

It may sound like an old problem to other countries but in Uganda where use of information and communication technologies is relatively new their arrival came with a new type of crime.

The government needs to fast track the formulation of the laws that would be used to protect victims of cyber crime whose increasing rates have forced the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) to seek intervention from the police.

According to reports, the Commission organized a one day workshop to sensitize the police on the laws regulating the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector.

"The communications sector is faced with daunting challenges including cyber crime that has started undermining people's confidence in the use of ICT's, particularly the Internet for transaction of business," says the UCC executive director Eng. Patrick Masambu . "Take for example Spam. What we see is on the cutting edge of security threat with e-mails asking for everything from free home mortgage to awards and prizes, Spam is flawed, it is insidious and it has become a great plague on the Internet," he told the senior police officers who attended the workshop in Kampala.

"These and many others are the challenges Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) and the police force can jointly tackle," he said. He said that it is imperative that police and the commission join hands to ensure that Uganda's nascent ICT sector is free from the problem.

He said that at the most basic level UCC relies on network operators to report to them when their systems are hacked.

"Intrusion victims should cooperate with the government to fight the crime," he said. Currently Makerere University is investigating a source of hate e-mails that are sent to the administrators in order to undermine the top management.

According to the university's second deputy vice chancellor Prof. David Bakibinga the clique writes to various university officials and donors to stop funding the institution.

One of the authors is said to be calling himself Jacob Wamukota, an associate professor on sabbatical at the University of Berlin. Neither the person nor the university exists.

In another development police in Kabale in Western Uganda are holding three men who cheated the Bishop of Kabale Dioceses of sh12m.

The men reportedly used Bishop Calllist Rubaramira's password to access his e-mail and used his address to solicit for funds from Italy.

ICT Minister Dr. Ham Mulira said that liberalized information leads to unwanted uses and usage resulting in cyber crime.

"Examples are personal intrusion, national security, fraud and con-activities, that's why there is need to have the legal infrastructure within which the technologies are used," he said.

He also said that there are three draft bills that would be passed into Cyber laws which have been developed that include the Electronic Transactions Bill, Digital Signatures Bill and the Computer Misuse Bill.

He said governments all over the world are making strides in their attempts to tailor their regulatory framework to suit the rapidly evolving economic and technical realities in communications.

Uganda is one of the countries in the African continent who had to changed quickly enough to adapt to these realities and under the new telecommunication policy Uganda will have a fully liberalized sector that will provide a technology neutral regime to enable the country derive maximum benefit from the deployment of ICT infrastructure.

Global: Call for Proposals: Access to Essential Medicines

2007-07-12

http://www.soros.org/initiatives/health/news/access_20070608

In an effort to strengthen needed capacity, the Open Society Institute Public Health and Information programs are seeking applications from qualified organizations interested in receiving institutional support for their work on access to essential medicines. Grants for up to $75,000, renewable for up to three years, will be awarded to local NGOs with a mandate and demonstrated capacity to advance policy and civil society engagement related to access to medicines in Brazil, India, Kenya, Malaysia, South Africa, and Thailand. Interested organizations should submit an application no later than Monday, July 16, 2007.

Global: CIVICUS global survey of the state of civil society

2007-07-11

http://www.civicus.org/new/media/CIVICUSGlobalSurveyoftheState-CivilSocietyflier2.pdf

The CIVICUS Civil Society Index Global Survey of the State of Civil Society: Volume 1 is the result of rigorous self-examination by civil society actors around the world. By featuring the civil society profiles of 44 countries around the world, the publication presents a detailed, yet concise description of the current state of civic activism, highlights the key strengths and weaknesses of each country’s civil society and puts forward specific recommendations to strengthen the sector’s capacity to contribute to positive social change.

Global: Digital Experiments in Community News

2007-07-12

http://tinyurl.com/2373bx

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has launched year two of the Knight News Challenge, a contest awarding as much as $5 million for innovative ideas using digital experiments to transform community news. Do you have a big idea for informing and inspiring community using bits and bytes? Cell phone documentaries? New operating software for news collectors? Journalism games? Nothing is too far out to qualify.

Global: Wireless networking in the developing world - New book

2007-07-12

http://wndw.net/download.html

The massive popularity of wireless networking has caused equipment costs to continually plummet, while equipment capabilities continue to increase. By applying this technology in areas that are badly in need of critical communications infrastructure, more people can be brought online than ever before, in less time, for very little cost. This book was created by a team of individuals who each, in their own field, are actively participating in the ever-expanding Internet by pushing its reach farther than ever before.

Africa: Decolonising the Social Sciences in Africa: Second round of Essay Competitions

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/42483

As part of its Interventions series, CODESRIA invites younger researchers enrolled in post-graduate programmes in African universities or who have completed their doctoral research not more than five years ago to submit essays of between 10,000 and 12,000 words on the subject of the Decolonising the Social Sciences in Africa: The Unfinished Agenda. The deadline for the submission of essays is 15 October, 2007.
CODESRIA

CODESRIA INTERVENTIONS SERIES

Invitation to Second Round of Essay Competitions

Theme: Decolonising the Social Sciences in Africa: The Unfinished Agenda

Contemporary social science research in Africa is inextricably linked to the continent’s historical past both in terms of its origins and in the way in which it is practiced. Shaped by Africa’s colonial experience, social science research in Africa still bears the methodological and epistemological hallmarks of the hegemonic dynamics of that historical period; these dynamics continue to be reproduced in discourses aboutAfrica within and outside the continent. However, in spite of the undeniable impact which it had on the African world, including its knowledge system, the colonial project did meet with considerable resistance which, in the social sciences, translated into efforts both at re-asserting the indigenous and developing an African vision that fed into a widely-shared quest to valorise Africa’s own social science research methods and theories in the knowledge production process. Much investment has been made by African social researchers into the systematic unpacking of the foundations of colonial knowledge production system but the reproduction of the rules and assumptions that underpinned that system within the asymmetric relations of power that continue to define global knowledge production means that the individual and collective struggle for indigenous, alternative methodological and epistemological constructs remains an-on going one, renewed and carried over from generation to generation as shifting contexts and conditions demand. It is this fact that also explains the need for the third and fourth generation of African social researchers to understand and critique inherited social science research legacies deriving from the colonial experience and, in so doing, carry forward the task of dismantling those legacies towards the objective of a decolonised and liberating social science project.

As a long-term project, the process of the decolonisation of African social science research necessarily began with an effort aimed at overcoming the blinkered colonialist reading of the African world which rested on a narrow, unilinear cause-effect explanation of social phenomenon the continent. That exercise in refutation and retrieval was followed with a close interrogation of the methodological and epistemological premises of the colonial - and residual colonialist - historiography on Africa with a view to developing broader orientations. Simultaneously, it was understood that innovation and flexibility would have to be the practical hallmarks of any endeavour designed to create an alternative and well-grounded understanding of the causal dynamics underlying social processes in Africa. In the end, therefore, the mission of decolonisation of knowledge production has entailed nothing less than a wholesale readjustment of social science research in Africa so that the methodologies of research and the breadth of epistemological debates can become central to paradigm shifts and affirmations. The challenge of this decolonising mission may have begun with the first generation of African social researchers; its completion rests on the shoulders of young African scholars who constitute the future of the body of disciplines that make up the social sciences.

As part of its Interventions series, CODESRIA invites younger researchers enrolled in post-graduate programmes in African universities or who have completed their doctoral research not more than five years ago to submit essays of between 10,000 and 12,000 words on the subject of the Decolonising the Social Sciences in Africa: The Unfinished Agenda. The essays could address any issue of concern with regard to the decolonisation of social science research in Africa, including the general themes and schools which have shaped the reorientation of social science research in Africa, the major figures who have had an outstanding impact on the development of social science research in Africa, and possible new pathways for strengthening the practice of critical social science research and knowledge production in Africa. Five winning prizes of USD1000 each will be offered to the authors of the best essays along with a one-year subscription to the CODESRIA flagship journal, Africa Development. As many authors of other essays as are adjudged to be worthy of publication will each be rewarded with a one-year CODESRIA journal subscription prize. Furthermore, the authors of the top 20 essays received by the Council will be invited to constitute a research working group on Decolonising the Social Sciences in Africa: The Unfinished Agenda. It is planned formally to launch the working group in February 2008 with an international colloquium. All essays received will be reviewed by an independent selection committee which will be composed of outstanding young researchers and established social science researchers. The deadline for the submission of essays is 15 October, 2007. The results of the competition will be announced by 30 November, 2007. All essays should be submitted to:

CODESRIA Interventions Series, CODESRIA, P.O. Box 3304, Dakar, CP 18524, Senegal.

Tel.: +221-825 9822/23 Fax: +221-824 1289 E-mail to: interventions.series@codesria.sn Web Site: http://www.codesria.org

Africa: Maritime Safety and Security Africa 2007

2007-07-13

http://www.iqpc.com/cgi-bin/templates/singlecell.html?topic=221&event=13224

SaferAfrica is proud to endorse and participate in the 3rd Annual Maritime Safety and Security Africa 2007 Conference from 30 July to 2 August 2007 at the Cape Town Convention Centre, South Africa. The theme of the conference is the regional developmental perspective for promoting and executing maritime surveillance, reconnaissance, partnership, fisheries, combating crime and legislation.

Africa: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Social Science Research - CODESRIA

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/42486

Are you a lecturer in an African university? Do you have responsibility for the teaching of courses on research methods? If so, this announcement is targeted at you. The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africais pleased to announce its initiative targeted at those members of the African social research community who have responsibility in their universities for teaching undergraduate and graduate-level course in social science research methods. All applications must be received at the CODESRIA Executive Secretariat by 20 October, 2007.
CODESRIA

Call for Applications

Methodology Workshop Series: Training the Trainers

Theme: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Social Science Research
Date: 26 – 30 November, 2007
Venue: Dakar, Senegal

Are you a lecturer in an African university? Do you have responsibility for the teaching of courses on research methods? If so, this announcement is targeted at you.

The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africais pleased to announce its initiative targeted at those members of the African social research community who have responsibility in their universities for teaching undergraduate and graduate-level course in social science research methods. Over the last decade and half, in cognisance of the multi-faceted crises confronting the African higher education system in general and the universities in particular, CODESRIA has invested itself in offering platforms for postgraduate students and mid-career professionals to be offered opportunities for training in quantitative and qualitative research methods. The first tranche of such training opportunities centred at quantitative research methods; over the last few years, the accent was shifted to qualitative research methods. Organised as advanced research seminars at which participants were exposed to various methodological techniques and their roots in the history and philosophy of science. As of the end of 2006, CODESRIA was organising seven methodology workshops on the basis of one per sub-region, one specially dedicated to Nigeria, and one for countries coming out of conflict situations. In the context of the decentralisation of the management of the workshops to various university and advanced research centres, the Council is now proposing to organise an annual training of trainers methodology workshop bringing together those who have responsibility for imbuing others with the basic skills they require in order to be successful researchers.

The rational for all CODESRIA methodology workshops remains the same: As a field of knowledge, quantitative and qualitative methods have a specialist status which is not given to all social scientists fully to master both in its technical details and philosophical underpinnings. Also, the field of social science research methods, both qualitative and quantitative, has undergone a considerable amount of evolution marked by an incremental improvement in the tools and techniques available to the researcher. And yet, historically, it is an area of pedagogy that was relatively weak in African social research; the weakness was exacerbated by the massive brain that affected the university system in the aftermath of the crises in the university system. This development constituted a major disadvantage for a younger generation of social researchers and was refracted into the overall quality of research carried out. Remedying the gap became a matter for urgent concern; the training of trainers programme represents the latest in the series of interventions developed by the CODESRIA and it is being launched in the context of the organic inter-connection between the research purpose of the university and the mandate and programmatic strategy of the Council.

For the inaugural session of the training of trainers workshop, it is proposed to invite up to 25 participants. The workshop will be conducted in English and French. In addition to the presentations that would be made by invited resource persons, the workshop will be structured as a forum for close interaction and networking among the participants so that, beyond the formal sessions, they would be able to continue to share experiences on a continuing basis. Practical lecture-room exercises will also be included as part of the training. Each session will be facilitated by a convenor who will be assisted by three resource persons. The session will be organised over five working days. Each participant will be given access to the latest materials – electronic and non-electronic – available on research methods; presentations will also be made on the philosophy of science.

Those interested in applying to participate in the inaugural session are invited to submit a written application, a copy of their course outline, a short write-up on the major problems they encounter in teaching their methodology classes, a letter of attestation from their departmental head or faculty dean indicating that they do teach courses in methodology, and a copy of their latest Curriculum Vitae. For those interested in being considered to serve as convenor or resource persons, they are invited to send a short letter of application, a copy of their curriculum vitae, a copy of the outline of issues they wish to cover in their presentations, and a sample of one or more of their most recent publication (s). All applications must be received at the CODESRIA Executive Secretariat by 20 October, 2007. Applications should be addressed to:

The CODESRIA Training of Trainers Methodology Programme, The CODESRIA Secretariat, BP 3304, Dakar, CP 18524, Senegal.

Tel.: +221-825 9822/23 Fax: +221-824 1289 E-mail: Training.Trainers@codesria.sn Web Site: http://www.codesria.org

Ethiopia: Global Consultation on FGM/FGC

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/42490

The Global Forum will bring together development partners, donors, UN Agencies, Civil Society organizations, Law Enforcement Agencies, Human Rights Activists and research Organizations to develop a Consensus Document on a global Strategy to eliminate FGM/FGC Date: 30th July to 4th August 2007.
Global Consultation on FGM/FGC

30th July to 4th August Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Global Forum will bring together development partners, donors, UN Agencies, Civil Society organizations, Law Enforcement Agencies, Human Rights Activists and research Organizations to develop a Consensus Document on a global Strategy to eliminate FGM/FGC Date: 30th July to 4th August 2007 Venue: United Nations Conference Centre. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Join us and contact us: morah@unfpa.org, toure@unfpa.org, and thuo@unfpa.org FGM/FGC is a global concern. The World Health Organization estimates that about 100-140 million women have been subjected to FGM/FGC in 28 countries in Africa as well as immigrants in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe and the United States. It is now becoming clearer that FGM/FGC is also practiced in some countries of Asia especially among certain populations in India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The practice is being reported in the Middle East particularly in northern Saudi Arabia, southern Jordan, Iraq and Yemen. Thus the practice is no longer confined to a few countries, it is a global concern. WHO estimated that approximately 3 million girls are mutilated each year. The prevalence of FGM/FGC varies from country to country, and also varies between various ethnic groups within each country. For example; the prevalence is above 90% in Guinea-Conakry, Somalia, Mali, Djibouti andEgypt while the lowest is in Uganda and Niger with only 5% prevalence.

Planned Results
- New partnerships built between UNFPA, other UN Agencies, development partners, research institutions, funding agencies, NGOs and Civil Society organizations; to advocate with one voice for increased attention and funding for FGM/FGC interventions for accelerated elimination of this practice.

- Recent developments shared in social sciences with respect to the abandonment of harmful practices which point to alteration of norms and values within societies.

- New research reports, experiences, lessons learned and best practices shared and consensus reached on mechanism for scaling up best practices through partner collaboration globally;
- A Consensus Document developed as "a commonly agreed inter-regional strategy/Road Map for the elimination of FGM/FGC"

- Responsibilities allocated on the Implementation of the Strategy/Road map

Ghana: 4th International Gender Conference

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/42489

Management and Board of the Gender Development Institute (GDI) invites participation in the 4th International Gender Conference. The theme for this conference has been chosen because Sexual and Gender-Based Violence is a major Public Health and Human Rights problem throughout the world.
4th International Gender Conference

Theme: Sexual And Gender-Based Violence: A Social Nightmare Provoking Action

Sponsored by: Gender Development Institute, Ghana Email: gdighana.@yahoo.com Phone: 233-21 223031
17th to 21st September, 2007 Elmina, Ghana

On behalf of the Management and Board of the Gender Development Institute (GDI) we have the honour and the privilege to invite you to join us for the 4th International Gender Conference.

The theme for this conference has been chosen because Sexual and Gender-Based Violence is a major Public Health and Human Rights problem throughout the world. This is a call for Governments and all Stakeholders to take concerted action for the Health, Education and Criminal Justice sectors of society to take the problem seriously.

It is our conviction that no positive and sustainable change can occur unless the problems of Gender Equity are analysed within the framework of Public Health, Human Rights and Human Security. It is only when all aspects of society have equal rights and there is mutual recognition and respect of these rights, that there can be an all encompassing and equitable development for all.

We invite especially the International Development Community, United Nations Agencies, the Donor Community to Ghana. Many conferences on similar themes have been organised outside Africa. But it is in Africa that a lot of the crises occur. It is here that we need the Information, Experiences of Best Practices, Networking Possibilities, Support and Encouragement to start and take ownership of the process of change. We need your support and appeal to you and organisation to participate. Please invite a friend to come along.

OBJECTIVES OF CONFERENCE
-Create a forum to deliberate and share experiences on human rights issues from a gender perspective;
-To understand what sexual and gender- based violence is;
-Increase awareness among men about the gender dynamics of sexual and gender -based violence.

-Recognise gender - based violence against men;
-Initiate a process of collaboration and networking between gender equity advocates and human rights promoters.

PARTNERS & PARTICIPANTS The issue of sexual and gender based violence is not the preserve of only one organisation or any individual. It requires a multidisciplinary approach to make an impact. In this regard, some organisations have pledged their support and collaboration to the Conference. They include African Centre for Human Development, Voices of African Women in Crisis, Women for Women International, Sankofa International, The Ark Foundation, among others. Participants will be drawn from:

International and Local NGOs, Civil Society Organisations, Multilateral and Bilateral Development Agencies, State and Para-Statal Organisations, and UN Agencies.

CONFERENCE FORMAT The Conference will consist of:

-Presentation of Papers
-Affinity Workshops
-Syndicate Group Discussions
-Parallel Panel Sessions
-Socialisation Nights
-Community Outreach Programmes
-Excursion.

DURATION The Conference will start from Monday, 17th September and end on Friday, 21st September 2007. Official Opening: Monday, 17th September, 2007 at 12:30 p.m.

Official Closing: Friday, 21st September 2007 at 12:30 p.m.

FEES $1,500 for Single room occupancy for 4 days in a 3 star Hotel $1,300 for Paired room occupancy for 4 days in a 3 star Hotel This includes; Conference Registration fee Full Board and Lodge for 4 days (Breakfast, Lunch, Supper and Snacks)

Participation in Conference tours Meeting upon arrival and transport to and from conference venue Conference Souvenirs Conference Report Conference Certificate of Participation Conference Picture THERE IS A SPECIAL PACKAGE FOR GHANAIAN PARTICIPANTS. CONTACT GDI SECRETARIAT FOR MORE DETAILS.

JOIN US We invite you to join us at the 4th International Gender Conference. We look forward to welcoming you to Elmina. Let us show support and commitment to an important moral and ethical problem. Please share our invitation with as many people as possible. Ghana is 50 years old, in Championing African Excellence. Join us to help build a better Africa free from Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.

Global: The State, Mining and Development in Africa - Conference

2007-07-13

http://tinyurl.com/yoerbd

Leeds University Centre for African Studies will host a conference on The State, Mining and Development in Africa from 13-14 September, 2007. Africa has a long history of mining. It remains a continent with some of the richest world reserves of minerals and its oil is earmarked by the US and other western consumers. The mining sector is recognised by many international institutions and policy groups as a vehicle for promoting growth and development in the 21st Century.

Global: The State, Mining and Development in Africa - Conference

2007-07-13

http://tinyurl.com/yoerbd

Leeds University Centre for African Studies will host a conference on The State, Mining and Development in Africa from 13-14 September, 2007. Africa has a long history of mining. It remains a continent with some of the richest world reserves of minerals and its oil is earmarked by the US and other western consumers. The mining sector is recognised by many international institutions and policy groups as a vehicle for promoting growth and development in the 21st Century.

Southern Africa: Gender and Advertising in Southern Africa

2007-07-13

http://www.genderlinks.org.za/article.php?a_id=736

On Tuesday 17 July 2007, Gender Links in partnership with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism will be hosting a panel discussion on the first Southern African research report on gender and advertising as part of the monthly seminar series of the Gender and Media Diversity Centre.

Trafficking: Call for papers

2007-07-11

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/42474

Politics and policy making The fight against human trafficking has become an increasingly salient political issue for governments around the world. In spite of widespread agreement on the need for multilateral cooperation in addressing this problem, its very persistence highlights the important weaknesses that still remain in the identification of appropriate countertrafficking policies. How can national legislation foster a more inclusive approach to trafficking? What are the best methods for adapting to increased global mobility? What has been the role of immigration laws and policies and is a victim-centered approach appropriate?

If you are interested in submitting book reviews related to the theme 'The Politics of Human Trafficking , please contact book.reviews@stairjournal.org Notes for Contributors are available at: www.sant.ox.ac.uk/STAIR

Uganda: A practicum on HIV and Alcohol, Gender Norms and Gender-Based Violence

2007-07-12

http://www.africomnet.org/events/africomnetPracticumdetail.pdf

The purpose of the workshop is to familiarize participants with the situation regarding the underlying social factors that influence prevention, care and treatment practices, such as gender norms, gender-based violence and alcohol and drug abuse in the region, as well as communication approaches to address them.

Kenya: Research Assistant-TSBF-CIAT

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/42517

The Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute of CIAT (CIAT-TSBF) is an autonomous international agricultural research institute directed at the development of sustainable soil fertility management practices. TSBF-CIAT is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the position of a Research Assistant. The incumbent will be based in TSBF-CIAT’s office in Maseno, Western Kenya and shall occasionally be required to backstop work in Nairobi. Applications will be considered until 27 July 2007.
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

Recruiting a Research Assistant-TSBF-CIAT

The Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute of CIAT (CIAT-TSBF) is an autonomous international agricultural research institute directed at the development of sustainable soil fertility management practices. This is an institute of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and is hosted by World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Nairobi, Kenya. Position:

TSBF-CIAT is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the position of a Research Assistant. The incumbent will be based in TSBF-CIAT’s office in Maseno, Western Kenya and shall occasionally be required to backstop work in Nairobi. Reporting to the Agricultural Economist, the incumbent’s responsibilities include:
* Assisting in designing research questionnaires;
* Carry out survey and data collection from the field;
* In charge of data management, data processing and analysis;
* Assist in project report writing.

Requirements:

* MSc. in Agricultural Economics or related discipline with over 4 years of experience in agricultural research.
* Experience and strong capacity in quantitative, qualitative analysis of data analysis, mostly obtained from farm economy surveys.
* Excellent communication skill in written and spoken English and an ability to work with biophysical scientists.
* Familiarity with working with farmers, rural communities and community-based organizations.
* Experience in working with multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary teams.
* Ability to effectively work with minimum supervision.
* Flair for data analysis using various applications including SPSS, Genstat, SAS and Microsoft Excel.
* Familiarity with prevailing farming systems of the East African region.
* Ability to drive is a pre-requisite.

Terms of offer ICRAF/TSBF-CIAT is an equal opportunity employer offering a competitive salary and benefits package, and a collegial working environment. The contract is for an initial period of two (2) years, renewable subject to a nine (9) months probation period, assessment of performance, and availability of resources. Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications/competencies/skills and a detailed curriculum vitae, with names and addresses of three referees (including telephone and fax numbers and email address). Applications should indicate “Application for Research Assistant”on their application letters OR email submissions. All correspondence should be addressed to the Human Resources Unit, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), P.O. Box 30677, 00100, Nairobi, Kenya OR via email:icrafhru@cgiar.org. Applications will be considered until 27 July 2007. Only short-listed applicants meeting the above requirements will be contacted.

We invite you to learn more about TSBF by accessing the web site:http://www.tsbf.org

Nigeria: General Secretary - WACSOF

2007-07-12

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/42519

WACSOF is looking for suitable candidates for the position of General Secretary. The position will be based in Abuja, Nigeria. Thew deadline for applications is 30 July 2007.
JOB VACANCY



Position Title: General Secretary

Location: Abuja

Apply Before : 30 July 2007

Education:
Post – Graduate level education in the Social Sciences, Humanities, Law or related discipline.

Experience:
At least 10 years experience in Civil Society Organisation on Peacebuilding, governance, development, or humanitarian assistance, or human rights or comparable activities and issues. WACSOF recognises that such experience could be gained either through a long period of field deployment, working in an NGO, academia or policy making;

At least 5 years experience in senior management involving responsibility for a comparable number of staff, a comparable scale of budget, and a comparable complex combination of activities; here, WACSOF is particularly mindful of the challenge involved in leading departments that contain both thematic and outreach (field) programmes;

Experience in organisational innovation;

Proven track – record of building relationships at senior level with a wide range of individuals and institutions;

Experience of setting and achieving strategic targets for self and for a team producing work of high quality to agreed deadlines;

Experience in developing and managing budgets;

Experience of successful fundraising.





Knowledge and Skills:
Knowledge about and familiarity with West Africa and its regional bodies;
Proven leadership abilities, including the skills in communication, motivation and inter-personal relations that are required in a multi-national and idealistic working environment;

Fluency in both written and oral English or French or Portuguese and a working language of one of the three;

Ability to present complex information to both internal and external audiences;

Strategic thinker;

Budgeting, planning and implementation skills to meet specific targets;

Proven computer literacy, (Word, Excel and Power Point).

Personal Qualities:
Strong commitment to regional integration and a willingness to undertake the travel requirements of the post;

Demonstrable interest and commitment to the voluntary sector;

Excellent inter-personal, presentational and public speaking skills;

Commitment to team – working and ability to provide mentoring and support as part of leadership;

Ability to operate within the context of multiple stakeholders with sometimes conflicting imperatives;

Ability and willingness to work calmly under pressure and to tight deadlines;

Commitment to equal opportunities;

Commitment to new approaches and ways of working and resilience and stamina in implementing them;

Personal integrity and consistent fair dealing with others.


** All Applications and CVs MUST be sent via email ONLY to westafricango@yahoo.com before 30th July, 2007.

Fahamu