Back Issues

Liberia’s Cry of the Pepper Bird:

Reflections on 160 Years of Independence

2007-07-24

Stephanie Horton and Robtel Neajai Pailey

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/42762

Standing at the apex of Ducor in central Monrovia, Liberia’s capital, one can see why the country used to be a beacon of light for the continent of Africa and its Diaspora. With lush green trees standing in stark contrast to an artist’s vision of modern chromed buildings, only loss and destruction spurned by a 15-year civil war now emanate from the country’s recovering edifice. Liberia’s collapse is said to be the product of an intersecting nexus of political, economic and social realities that have replicated themselves throughout time: the indigene vs. settler dichotomy; elite/non-elite fisticuffs for power, natural resource exploitation, an over-reliance on the U.S., and civil war and anarchy borne out of entrenched structural inequities.

Social justice in Liberia has most often been equated with political radicalism, and political radicalism is most often equated with anarchy, a threat to the status quo, the colonial authority, the elites, the proxy power structure. There has been a tradition of assault from the earliest founding of the republic against any impetus to inspire a mass social justice movement for progressive Africanist social change beginning with Edward Wilmot Blyden, who W. E. B. Dubois called "a prophet of the renaissance of the Negro race" and who was inarguably one of the most significant Pan-African thinkers of the nineteenth century.

For Liberia, it is not yet Uhuru. And so, the Liberian writers in this Special Issue dissect the country’s historical trajectory into disparate parts while constructing a future that is devoid of division and factionalism. Anthony Morgan, Jr. begins by highlighting the complexities and contradictions inherent in Liberia’s checkered past. Ezekiel Pajibo and Emira Woods express their concerns about the proposed U.S. Africa command military structure that could possibly be based in Liberia. Keith Best postulates about how individual Liberians can act as change agents and advocates on their own behalf. Thomas Jaye lays out the contexts of and challenges to Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Sengbe K. Khasu discusses what may only be considered the “Liberian Condition.” Eva Acqui illustrates Liberia’s little known, yet vibrant literary tradition. Elma Shaw discusses how refugees are being reintegrated into Liberia’s societal fabric. Wilton Sankawulo, Sr. argues that it is Liberian artists who substantiate progress, who make it palatable to the average person. And last, but certainly not least, Annaird Naxela and Omanza Eugene Shaw show that war and carnage can give birth to revolutionary and transformative poetry.

Found near Liberian villages and towns in large trees or perched on light pole wires in cities, the pepper bird is a symbolic representation of what contemporary Liberian activists should replicate. Covered in majestic yellow, blue and red plumes, the indigenous Liberian pepper bird eats small pods of pepper, which contributes to its melodious alarm clock calls from a distance, as pepper is known to clear the vocal passage and make one’s message fiery hot. The pepper bird is known for waking up the community early in the morning, and these writers manifest its message in an attempt to wake us up from our reveries about Liberia’s past, present and future. The writers in this Special Issue not only offer heartbreaking and sobering reflections on Liberia’s 160 years plus of existence, they also make bold suggestions about what needs to take place to move forward.

* Stephanie Horton is a writer, editor, consultant, and founder of the Sea Breeze Journal of Contemporary Liberian Writings (http://www.liberiaseabreeze.com/).
* Robtel Neajai Pailey is a former multi-media producer for Fahamu/Pambazuka News and a graduate of Howard and Oxford universities.

*In putting this Special Issue together, we are indebted to Dr. Eva Acqui, Doughba Carmo Caranda, CoCo Harris, and Dr. Thomas Jaye for helping to create a polished product.


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

Principle of Duality: Psychoanalysing Liberia

2007-07-24

Anthony Morgan, Jr

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/42763

Anthony Morgan, Jr. highlights the complexities and contradictions inherent in Liberia’s checkered past.


It is not difficult to imagine the grandeur of July 26, 1847 if one goes by the memory of more contemporary 26 Day celebrations. The dazzling splendor of parades, gaily decorated and crowded streets, the lavish banquets, balls and endless receptions attended by dignitaries from as far away as India, Sweden and Japan. But if the majesty of that glorious day can be visualised by students of African history, the contradictions surrounding the nation in its infancy are even easier to imagine. For even as the Fort Norris cannon noisily announced to the world that Africa's first republic was still alive despite the enormous odds arrayed against her from inception, stark contrasts were illuminated with each explosion of fireworks in the Monrovia night sky. These contradictions formed the core of Liberia's being, and speak to the very essence of Africa and Africans, to the collective 'soul of Black folk,' in the paraphrased words of Dr. W.E.B. DuBois.

Glaring schisms between perception and reality, liberty and subjugation, democracy and repression, no-show jobs for the privileged and forced labour for others, prosperity for a few at the top and grinding, debilitating poverty for the masses. A government credited with ending slavery on the Grain Coast at great and heroic sacrifice of life, and itself charged with slavery and forced labour. Contradictions within the ruling American settler upper class itself, which, unknown to most people, was actually composed of equal Vai, Grebo, Bassa, Mandingo and Kru elements. Diametrical lines between Pan-Africanists like Edward Blyden, President Arthur Barclay and Gabriel Johnson, High Potentate of the Garvey Movement on the one hand, and the corrupt, slave-trading President CDB King on the other. King himself was a living contradiction for he had quite brilliant ideas about indigenous inclusion and his second term vice president was a Grebo, Henry Too Wesley. With Wesley's death, however, King's choice for vice president was Allen Yancy, Mr. Fernando Po, one of the worst examples of settler human rights abusers.

Contradictions indeed. Between the fledgling nation's precarious struggle for survival against a world hostile to the very idea of a "Black republic," the Berlin Conference's partition of Africa by colonial powers, and the 1960s, when her crippling hundred year-old debts had been mostly paid off, and she was for the first time enjoying a favourable balance of payments and a growth rate second only to Japan. Between a perception of her on the part of thousands of Africans who flocked to Monrovia from other countries as a shining beacon of inspiration, and how the residents of Monrovia's slums viewed their country.

To some she was the elder sister with the most experience navigating the treacherous waters of international affairs, and according to Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe's book ‘Liberia in World Politics,’ a very effective voice for the masses of colonised Africans. Along with Ethiopia and later Egypt, she ably represented the continent at the League of Nations and the succeeding United Nations Organisation, co-founded the OAU, bankrolled liberation movements, afforded asylum to African freedom fighters and hundreds of Haitian dissidents in the 1950s, and sent troops to the Congo in 1963. But while the country's performance and status on the international stage were quite impressive, her dismal domestic record of inclusion, while much improved since World War II, still stood in stark, embarrassing contrast. Did a father in the slums of Soniwehn for example, really care about Angie Brooks being elected President of the UN General Assembly when he could not afford to feed his children, much less send them to school.

There is a dichotomy also in the interpretation of Liberia's history, between ethnic minority oppression as the defining factor, and a glorious if imperfect achievement in African self-rule. "If I hear 'freed slaves imitating their plantation masters' one more time," says a Liberian writer in exasperation, "I'm going to strangle somebody!" His argument is that Liberia was and is no different from any other Black country; that all the worst aspects of our history—social stratification, rural neglect, contempt by the westernised ruling class for the more African majority—are present in every single country run by Africans or people of African descent, and that it is unfair to single out Liberia.

The Haitian Gens du coleur and the Jamaican Twenty-one Families exactly mirror the old Liberian aristocracy. Ask the people of Cite Soleil or those in the ghettos of Kingston. It is difficult to think of any African country, continental or Diasporan, that doesn't have a westernised ruling class lording it over a more African majority. The common threads linking all these ruling classes are elitism, power from indirect foreign rule and all of the other contradictions that have characterised Liberian society.

Though the central issue throughout American history has been its most shameful aspect, race, she is not defined by it. Her complexity is appreciated, even by her critics, along with her ability to challenge herself morally and attempt to right wrongs against her citizens of African descent. Somehow when it comes to Liberia, a double standard is plainly applied and no distinction made between historical Liberia and the contemporary Liberia which is a very different country.

One of the greatest contradictions seems to be in the way Africans perceive themselves. Who decided for instance that, as a writer from the opposing school of thought says, the indigenous people of Liberia were deemed "inferior?" This question of "inferiority" delves deep into the psyche of the African. Understandably, we do not like to discuss it. But can a sense of inferiority really be imposed from outside oneself? One finds it hard to imagine the Vai people, for example, an advanced society in their own right, complete with Islamic scholars and the very first written language in sub-Saharan Africa, feeling "inferior" to anyone, much less a group of people descended from Vai slaves who could easily be wiped out if not for the US Navy gunboats off shore. Most people are unaware of the 1826 mutual protection treaty between Liberia and the Vai, when the latter was in trouble with other ethnic groups incited by the British, and how the treaty resulted in an alliance with the powerful Massaquoi and Fahnbulleh clans, thus securing the colony's existence. The Vai people played as much a part in the building of Liberia as the American settlers, and to lump them and other coastal groups into some oppressed "native" polity is misleading and erroneous.

Obviously the contradictions at the core of Liberia's makeup are her strengths as well as her weaknesses. The Vais, Grebos, Mandingos and Krus were most successful at integration into the ruling class because they were not intimidated by westernised people, nor did they show any of the deference to them characteristic of some members of other interior groups. They were also wealthy from trade on the coast and that always helps. They had the advantage of education and long exposure to western culture. And they all participated in the building of Liberia, in all areas, to the detriment of the myths about "Americo-Liberian" domination.

The list of contradictions continue, from those who defined William Tubman to those who destroyed his successor William Tolbert. Vat Tubman, unifier, creator of Liberian national consciousness and champion of indigenous rights on one hand, staunch guardian of upper class privilege and foreign interests on the other. Although single-handedly responsible for Liberia's post-World War II prosperity, Tubman with his iron-fisted twenty-seven-year rule almost guaranteed a chaotic power struggle after his demise. That the fragmentation of society was staved off for a decade after Tubman's death is to the credit of his successor, William R. Tolbert, another study in heightened contradictions. Tolbert was Pan-African oriented, stressing a non-aligned foreign policy and greater inclusion on one hand, but he was indecisive on the other. That the more progressive Tolbert was less popular than the benevolent dictator Tubman is perhaps the contradiction that speaks most directly to the soul of Africa. Tubman was more a Paramount Chief than a president. Liberians understood him. They did not understand Tolbert. Our preference for strong, decisive, benevolent chiefs was recently reaffirmed in a petition by the people of Gedeh to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to basically remain in office as long as she likes. This was common during the Tubman years. "The Old Man" is a good chief, was the reasoning. Why replace him? What else could explain Charles Taylor's election as president? Taylor was the definition of a charismatic, ruthless but generous warrior chief. Unfortunately, though, one who had no idea how to run a country.

If the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is to fully serve its purpose in Liberia, it must explore and examine all these historical contradictions to get to the root of our national psychosis. It must investigate why we continue to follow the patterns of governance set by the True Whig Party even as we condemn them for their neglect of the rural majority, why we criticise their belief in the superiority of western culture while we also act in accordance with that belief. It must ask why we continue to repeat in the formulation of domestic policies, the same mistakes made by the old ruling class we condemn as unAfrican and oppressive. It must address why we continuously fail to factor into development programs the fact that most of our people are not westernised and have no desire to be. And why we continue to portray past governments as bad people rather than simply people trapped in a bad system. Why do we think we can make the failed, foreign-imposed system of the past work today for the inclusion and to the benefit of all our people?

But perhaps this may require us to look too deeply into ourselves, as Africans hate to do. It would raise too many difficult questions, like why the 1980 "revolution" instituted no social reforms but divided what had become one nation, Liberia. Liberians demand acknowledgement of too many mistakes, too many shameful and bloody episodes that could have been avoided.

"I do not make any distinctions between Africans," my writer friend says. "Native, Americo, continental, Diasporan, Jamaican, American, Francophone, Anglophone, Portuguese, none of that crap. We are all victims." I am reminded of a Lucky Dube song. "We are the victims every time," he sings, "We got double trouble, every time."

* Anthony Morgan, Jr. is the author of the forthcoming book excerpted here ‘ Kru Wars: Southeastern Revolt in 19th to Early 20th Century Liberia.’

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

Africom: Wrong for Liberia, Disastrous for Africa

2007-07-24

Ezekiel Pajibo and Emira Woods

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/42766

Ezekiel Pajibo and Emira Woods express their concerns about the proposed U.S. Africa command military structure that could possibly be based in Liberia


Africom – Origins

February 2007, just 2 months after U.S. aerial bombardments began in Somalia, the Bush Administration solidified its militaristic engagement with Africa when the Department of Defense (DoD) announced the creation of a new U.S. Africa Command infrastructure, code name AFRICOM, to “coordinate all U.S. military and security interests throughout the continent.”

President Bush said in a White House statement, “This new command will strengthen our security cooperation with Africa and create new opportunities to bolster the capabilities of our partners in Africa.” Ordering that AFRICOM be created by September 30, 2008, Bush said, “Africa Command will enhance our efforts to bring peace and security to the people of Africa and promote our common goals of development, health, education, democracy, and economic growth in Africa” [1]

The general assumption of this policy is that prioritising security through a unilateral framework will somehow bring health, education and development, and that the Department of Defense can best serve as architect and arbiter of U.S. Africa policy. Navy Rear Admiral Robert Moeller, director of the AFRICOM transition team, emphasised that “By creating AFRICOM, the Defense Department will be able to coordinate better its own activities in Africa as well as help coordinate the work of other U.S. government agencies, particularly the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development” [2]

This military driven U.S. engagement with Africa reflects the desperation of the Bush Administration in its efforts to control the increasingly strategic natural resources on the African continent, especially oil, gas and uranium. In what is becoming a multi-polar world with increased competition from China, among other countries, for those resources, the U.S. wants above all else to strengthen its foothold in resource-rich regions of Africa.

Nigeria is the fifth largest exporter of oil to the U.S. The West African region currently provides nearly 20 percent of the U.S. supply of hydrocarbons, up from 15 percent just five years ago and well on the way to a 25-percent share forecast for 2015.[3] While the Bush Administration endlessly beats the drums for its “global war on terror,” the African context underscores that the real interests of the Neoconservatives is less Al Quaeda and more access and control of extractive industries, particularly oil.

Responsibility for operations on the African continent is currently divided among three distinct Commands: U.S. European Command, which has responsibility for nearly 43 African countries; U.S. Central Command, which has responsibility for Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya; and U.S. Pacific Command, which has responsibility for Madagascar, the Seychelles and the countries off the coast of the Indian Ocean.[4] All three existing Commands have maintained a relatively low-key presence, often using elite special operations forces to train, equip and work alongside national militaries. [5]
A new Africa Command, based potentially in or near oil-rich West Africa would consolidate these existing operations while also bringing core avenues of international engagement from development (USAID) to diplomacy (State Department) even more in line with U.S. military objectives.
Africom – Liberia?

Africom’s first public links with the West African country of Liberia was through a Washington Post oped written by the African-American businessman Robert L. Johnson, "Liberia's Moment of Opportunity." Johnson forcefully endorsed Africom and urged that it be based in Liberia. Then came an unprecedented allAfrica.com guest column from Liberia’s president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, “Africom Can Help Governments Willing To Help Themselves,” touting Africom’s potential to “help” Africa “develop a stable environment in which civil society can flourish and the quality of life for Africans can be improved.”

Let’s be clear, consolidation and expansion of U.S. military power on the African continent is misguided and could lead to disastrous outcomes.
Remember, Liberia's 26-year descent into chaos started when the Reagan administration prioritised military engagement and funneled military hardware, training and financing to the regime of the ruthless dictator Samuel K. Doe. This military "aid," seen as “soft power” at that time, built the machinery of repression that led to the deaths of an estimated 250,000 Liberians.

Basing Africom in Liberia will put Liberians at risk now and in the future. Liberia’s national threat level will dramatically increase as the country becomes a target of those interested in attacking U.S. assets. This will severely jeopardise Liberia’s national security interests while creating new problems for the country’s fragile peace and its nascent democracy.

The Bush Administration has already been given the exclusive role of restructuring the Armed Forces of Liberia. A U.S. private military contractor, DYNCORP, was tasked to carry out this function. After more than two years in Liberia and an estimated $800,000 budget allocated, DYNCORP has not only failed to train the 2,000 men it was contracted to train, it has also not engaged Liberia’s National Legislature nor civil society in defining the nature, content or character of the new army. DYNCORP allotted itself the prerogative to determine the amount of men/women to be trained and the kind of training it would conduct, (exclusively infantry training), even though Liberia had not elaborated a national security plan nor developed a comprehensive military doctrine. In fact, the creation of Liberia’s new army has been the responsibility of another sovereign state, the United States of America, in total disregard to Liberia’s constitution, which empowers the National Legislature to raise the national army.

This pattern of abuse and incompetence with the U.S. military and its surrogate contractors suggests that if Africom is based in Liberia, the Bush Administration will have an unacceptable amount of power to dictate Liberia’s security interests and orchestrate how the country manages those interests. By placing a military base in Liberia, the U.S. could systematically interfere in Liberian politics in order to ensure that those who succeed in obtaining power are subservient to U.S. national security and other interests. If this is not neo-colonialism, then what is?

The Bush Administration’s new obsession with Africom and its militaristic approach leads to an Africa policy that brings U.S. interference in the affairs of Africa along with more weapons, equipment, and military hardware than schools. By helping to build machineries of repression, these policies reinforce undemocratic practices and reward leaders responsive not to the interests or needs of their people but to the demands and dictates of U.S. military agents. Making military force a higher priority than development and diplomacy creates an imbalance that can encourage irresponsible regimes to use U.S. sourced military might to oppress their own people, now or potentially in the future. These fatally flawed policies create instability, foment tensions, and lead to a less secure world.

What Africa needs least is U.S. military expansion on the continent (and elsewhere in the world). What Africa needs most is its own mechanism to respond to peacemaking priorities. Fifty years ago, Kwame Nkrumah sounded the clarion call for a “United States of Africa.” One central feature of his call was for an Africa Military High Command. Today, as the African Union deliberates continental governance, there could not be a better time to reject U.S. military expansion and push forward African responses to Africa’s priorities.
Africom must be rejected at all cost. Further, Liberia, long suffering the effects of militaristic "assistance" from the United States, would be the worst possible base.

* Ezekiel Pajibo is executive director of the Liberia-based Center for Democratic Empowerment (CEDE).
* Emira Woods is co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Policy Studies.



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

A New People One Individual at a Time

2007-07-24

Keith Neville Asumuyaya Best

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/42768

Keith Best postulates about how individual Liberians can act as change agents and advocates on their own behalf.


Among the many things the late Liberian political commentator and pamphleteer Albert Porte could always be counted on to do, one that impressed me most was his readiness to say what he felt about whatever claimed his attention. As those who read and listened to him might recall, Porte’s writing and comments, as they related to life in general, liberty and government in particular, often alluded to the “perception of things,” the way things appeared or were desired to be seen, as opposed to what might have been in actuality.

It was not until I found myself at a Liberian social event on Park Hill, Staten Island, in the late 1990s, that I was able to recollect and review Mr. Porte’s constant preoccupation with the difference between substance and form. It was all there. Someone had laid it all out, leaving nothing to chance: the fragrances and accents that wafted out of the décor, the distinct flavours that exotic dishes announced. And as the familiar, singsong chitchat floated across the room, despite barely audible inflections, it seemed impossible that any addition could render the atmosphere more evocative of the old country I had left behind over a decade before.

Gradually, chilled Heinekens, Becks, Guinness and wines, perennial staples at Liberian parties, began working their charm, pulling the guests to the dance floor. Soon they were gyrating to the seductive power of soft notes and angst-filled lyrics: once again, music and dance had trumped war and the confusion it bred, bringing brothers and sisters of a region together as one. Soon, young ladies from The Ivory Coast kicked the party into gear, flaunting their signature mime of a male and female negotiating a retreat to a less-crowded place. Their performance drew appreciative attention. The Sierra Leoneans followed. No longer strangers to the social scene in Abidjan, Accra or Freetown, a few Liberian couples joined what seemed to be turning into a competition. As more guests arrived, a burgeoning circle of Liberians that had fled the war-torn country were heard rediscovering one lost acquaintance after the other. Others joined in recalling their hurried flight from home and new experiences that awaited them.

Many had not travelled outside of Liberia; they had seen Guinea, Nigeria, The Ivory ?Coast, Ghana, Sierra Leone and even Senegal represented by local business people and traders, however. So why had Liberia had not been the commercial or cultural hub they thought it was, or had the potential to become, many of those forced to travel had asked in amazement? Imagine more paved roads in the Ivory Coast than Liberia had roads, though they never would have guessed, based on how importantly Liberia’s political and educated classes perceived and conducted themselves. Still, from the launching of the U.N. to the overthrow of blatant colonialism in Africa, Liberia has had its moment in the sun. Accordingly, following the demise of apartheid, that ultimate bastion of racism on the continent, the Liberian delegation had been the first ?received by South African president, Nelson Mandela, following his ?inaugural.

But back to the party and the emotional dam that broke as our young Liberians recalled the experience of leaving home aboard departing ships with standing space only. The dancing area now a crowded deck, our young men and women broke into song! And all at the party understood that rather than a defeated people, frightened of the unknown, those on deck had been laden with excitement, and hope, that historically had sailed with the adventure of promise and anticipation of possibilities the future held. With their heads held high, those fearless and hopeful young people had braved the ocean’s depths, caring little that they possessed no more than the clothes on their backs. Their triumphant “All Hail, Liberia, Hail” and ““The Lone Star Forever” gave wings to the irrepressible human spirit known to strike fear in the hearts of those who lurk in the shadows, scheming to control or take away by guile, though none could accomplish either. And those that had not been a part of that celebration felt left out and wished they had been there as well.

Now they knew what Bertha Corbin had felt and celebrated, singing the Liberian national anthem on her way to prison over half a century before, at Tubman’s behest; for that experience, Judge Emma Walser and John Stewart walked behind the Revelation Four through the streets of Monrovia singing “We Shall Overcome” to rattle the prison bars in 1975. So let others go on calling out to and waiting on national leaders to do one ?thing or the other. What must be hammered home to those to whom the future belongs is that they burden themselves needlessly over questionable baggage passed on by the choices made by generations past; that, shorn of the burden of care and need handed down by the system their fathers opted for, they allow their nobler qualities to come out; that moving ahead as a group will not happen if individual steps are not taken, though no more than one or two might be willing to move at times; that a “great nation” and “wholesome functioning society” someday might be built on the west coast of Africa; not by leaders who promise them but by those who stand up for what they believe and feel strongly about, especially as individuals.

'Leaders’ will do no more than what the people make them do. And until then, they will do everything in their power to make people accept reality as what they say it is. Only fools abandon what has sustained them in exchange for something questionable, that another proffers. That is why our young people must follow their own minds and listen to what comes from within. That is what will sustain them. That is the lesson of Wilmot Blyden, Albert Porte and a few others!


* Keith Neville Asumuyaya Best is a poet, essayist, journalist, and author. He was a member of the Revelation Four, a group of young intellectuals who set the pace for an era of radical free speech and were imprisoned at various times during the 1970s for their political activism and journalistic activities. Copyright © 2007 Keith Neville Asumuyaya Best
* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

Liberia’s TRC: Contexts, Mandates and Challenges

2007-07-24

Thomas Jaye

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/42769

Thomas Jaye lays out the contexts of and challenges to Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.


The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Accra, Ghana on 18 August 2003 and the subsequent holding of elections in 2005 have ushered in an atmosphere for durable changes in Liberia. Like other post-conflict societies, the country faces enormous but surmountable challenges that must be addressed in order to make the relapse into armed conflict difficult, if not impossible. Certainly, one of the challenges facing the country is how to reconcile the people and heal the wounds of the past. The enactment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Act, 2005, and the subsequent launching of the Commission in February 2006 constitute positive steps in the right direction. The TRC provides a window of opportunity for the pursuit of transitional justice through truth telling. Nevertheless, the TRC cannot heal nor reconcile the Liberian society on its own; other things must be done in order for Liberian people to reconcile with each other.

Contexts

Like other post-conflict societies, the establishment of a TRC was based on recognition of the fact that there was a need to address impunity in the country. There was a need to deal with the deep sense of injustice generated by the war and even before. In this light, the setting up of the TRC reinforces the basic assumption that one of the unique characteristics of Liberian politics is that almost all the major political changes in the history of the Liberian state have been brought about largely because of a deep sense of injustice. Fifteen years of armed violent conflict caused the death of more than 250,000 people; led to massive and flagrant human rights abuses; destroyed the fragile environment; and led to state and societal collapse.

At the Accra peace talks there emerged two trends of thought about what to do with those who committed crimes during the war years. On the one hand, Liberian civil society groups, including delegates of some political parties, advocated for a war crimes tribunal in order to bring the perpetrators of crime to justice. On the other hand, the realities of post-conflict politics in Liberia suggested an alternative and compromised approach to pursuing transitional justice. Thus, the idea of a TRC became more attractive than a war crimes tribunal. The nature of the outcome of the war did not favour the latter.

Hence, Article XIII of the CPA called for the establishment of the TRC in order to address the issues of impunity, investigate the root causes of the conflict, Perhaps the point should be made that Liberia has a poor history of exploiting political changes for addressing past injustices. The declaration of independence on 26 July 1947, and the military coup of 12 April 1980 failed to address the grievances that caused and triggered these changes. Given the experiences of the past with specific reference to addressing injustices, the question is whether the TRC will make any difference or will it be business as usual?

Mandates

After the Accra Talks, the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) was formed incorporating all stakeholders to the Liberian conflict including armed factions, political parties, and civil society groups. One of the legacies of the NTGL (dubbed in Liberia as ‘Nothing To Give Liberia’) is the TRC Act of 2005, which provides the legal framework for the work of the Commission.

According to the Act, the TRC is empowered to:
-investigate human rights violations and economic crimes with January 1979 and October 2003 as the cut off points (However, cases before 1979 can be considered if there is application from any person or groups of persons to this effect);
-provide a forum to address impunity and an opportunity to facilitate ‘genuine healing and reconciliation’;
-investigate the root causes of the armed conflict; critically review the past in order to address falsehoods and misconceptions of the country’s socio-economic and political development, and establish ‘historical truths’ thereof;
-adopt mechanisms and procedures to address the experiences of vulnerable groups such as women, children and others; and recommend measures for the rehabilitation of victims of human rights violations in order to ensure national reconciliation and healing;
-and write a report on the activities and findings of the Commission.

The objectives outlined in the mandate are crucial to the overall process of post-war reconstruction in Liberia. For post-conflict Liberia, it is important that the people understand why there was war. Indeed, the people should be aware that there is a direct link between cause and effect because it is only through such an understanding that the country can find durable solutions to its problems. In this light, it is crucial that the root causes of the conflict be examined in order to address the problems of the past.
It is also important to stress that the TRC should not be an end in itself; it should be a means to an end – a strategy. If this is the case, then the TRC can serve as a vehicle for generating debates in Liberia that could shape the future of the country. In this sense, any attempt to investigate the root causes of the conflict as well as human rights violations and economic crimes over the past three decades should ultimately feed into broader tasks of post-conflict reconstruction. It should feed into the building of viable and stable national polity that is democratic and inclusive in every respect.

The other broader point to make about the significance of the TRC mandate is that the victims of human rights abuses have the right to justice; they have the right to know what happened and to reparations. Truth telling is very important for societies like Liberia because it brings to light what really happened in the past. Nevertheless, as important as the above objectives are, what worries me is the broad and ambitious nature of the TRC mandate. To add fuel to fire, it is inconceivable as to how the Commission can implement such a mandate within its initial life span of 18 months. Although truth hearings have started both within and outside the country, it seems impossible to complete such an exercise on schedule. The Commission is facing many challenges that must be addressed in order to do a successful job.

Challenges

To reiterate, the TRC is facing enormous challenges but a mention of the most critical will suffice. First, the entire process raises concerns over what constitutes truth, and whose truth. From historical experiences, you can get the ‘truth’ without reconciling people. Truth telling may not necessarily resolve tensions, distrust and mistrust among the people but produce an adverse effect. Under circumstances where both victims and perpetrators of crimes are apprehensive about the outcomes of truth telling, it may be difficult to get the truth; it may never be told but remain hidden under the carpets. This is a challenge that the TRC must address.

Secondly, although the Government of Liberia contributed 1% of its budget to the work of the TRC, the work of the Commission depends largely on donor funding. Based on experiences elsewhere, donor funding can sometimes induce donor-driven agendas; they have a tendency to push certain agendas that do not necessarily reflect national realities. In some cases, they bring in ‘experts’ who have little knowledge of the local situation and such behaviour can easily undermine national ownership. However, the dilemma for Liberia’s TRC is that without donor funding, it will be extremely difficult to implement its mandate. In recent times, the relationship between the donors and the Commission have been characterised by deep suspicion, mistrust and tension over the capacity of the latter to do its work; and the way in which resources were used by and on Commissioners.

Third, although the Commission had started some work in the area of truth telling, there is very little to show for the rest of its mandate. This verifies the assumption that the broad and ambitious mandate of the Commission cannot be achieved easily. For example, investigating the root causes of the conflict requires people with interdisciplinary academic backgrounds and experiences. My gut feeling is that the Commission should concentrate mainly on truth telling and reconciliation. The rest can be pursued if the life span of the Commission is extended. The challenge therefore is to prioritise its work or risk failure and mockery.

Fourth, as indicated earlier, reconciling the people of Liberia will not be achieved solely through the work of the TRC. Its work can certainly contribute towards national healing and reconciliation but its work should be mainstreamed. The TRC should combine with other national programmes that can improve the socio-economic, cultural, and political environment for national healing and reconciliation. For example, there is the need to improve the socio-economic conditions of the people; there is the need for inclusive and not exclusive politics; and traditional methods of healing and reconciliation must be used to achieve this objective.

Finally, reports of internal squabbles among Commissioners have tainted the image of the Commission; it has undermined its credibility in some ways. The challenge is for the Commissioners to confound their critics by addressing their internal problems in a way that will facilitate the work of the Commission.

Conclusion

It is important to stress that the TRC has a historic role to play in shaping the future of post-conflict Liberia. Its work can reassure victims by addressing impunity. To achieve its objectives, the TRC should serve as a vehicle for generating debates about the future of the country through its investigation of the crimes, human rights violations and root causes of the armed violent conflict.


References:

Funmi Olonisakin, Reinventing Peacekeeping in Africa. Conceptual and Legal Issues in ECOMOG Operations (The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 2000) p. 69

Funmi Olonisakin, Reinventing Peacekeeping in Africa. Conceptual and Legal Issues in ECOMOG Operations (The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 2000) p. 69

Article XIII of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, 18 August 2003, Accra, Ghana

Article IV, An Act to Establish the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Liberia, 2005, p. 4

* Dr. Thomas Jaye is currently serving as Senior Research Fellow at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra, Ghana and writing on regional security issues. He is author of the book, ‘Issues of Sovereignty, Strategy and Security in the ECOWAS Intervention in the Liberian Civil War,’ published by Edwin Mellen Press in 2003.

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

The Liberian Condition

2007-07-24

Sengbe K. Khasu

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/42773

Sengbe K. Khasu discusses what may only be considered the 'Liberian Condition'.


Sermon Title: “Occupy Until I Come” (text and verse forgotten). Circa 1980.

We are at Sophie’s Ice-Cream Shop playing truant from church again when she preached this sermon. The pastor’s eldest son and grandchildren. Scandalous.

The blood clot bubbles up an artery and lodges itself someplace in her brain, seizing her tongue. Saints take her into the upper-room. They lay hands on her. They exalt.

Rebuke. Speak in tongues. Some face the wall. She dies.

They say it was a miracle. An act of God.

My grandmother was one of many units that make up the place called Liberia. She died of a stroke. It was the “how,” the symptom, not the cause, as some would like to believe. The Liberian Condition was the “why,” the cause.

I am fruit of her fruit. My human constitution, which governs my health and well-being, I get partly from her. My full-time occupation these days is making sure I cure this condition at least in me.

This grandmother, the one I was closest to, not the quiet Muslim woman we giggled at when she spoke Vai to us or the grandfathers, men bearing surnames that could never be their own even if passed down several hundred years from the time of the Providence landing.

This grandmother, she was a Bassa (her father or grandfather may have been from Jamaica, West Indies). A nurse. Administrator of a school for the poor. She loved us dearly and took mess from no one. But “Pentecostal minister,” “Christian,” “Prayer warrior,” would be her primary identity. Her life story is what I must use to focus my personal discourse in this post-conflict period (although I have come to learn we have had many post-conflict periods before). She is my chart.

I count back my grandmother’s age from my father’s. She is a 20th Century born woman. To Bassa people. And perhaps, a West Indian ghost.

I imagine her as a child the same age as I was when she died. Ten going on eleven.

Whuh you parents pray to? Whuh dey worship?
De people beat you to come to de pray to de strange man?
You was scare?
Da who name you Rebecca so? You pa?
I wonder how long it took before she learned to discard herself in order to survive in ““Sweet Liberia”? She cannot tell me. She has been dead nearly a quarter century. But I imagine the instant her native soul was “won.” I imagine that moment multiplied a million and more ways and times everyday for nearly two hundred years.

Liberia. “Sweat land of Liberty.” “Africa’s oldest republic.” “Founding Member of the League of Nation.” Liberia. The only African country without at least one nationally spoken African language.

We hide our ancestral gods and goddesses under soggy mattresses. But our delusions of grandeur and inferiority has burst once again for all to see. With the exception of one group us. I hear this time is different.

I look forward to getting on the ground and being a part of repairing what was broken when the souls were “won.” My grandmother would be so upset at me were she here. She would be hurt. Angry. But most of all, she would fear for my salvation. Others will do it for her. Cousins, aunts, uncles. The ol' man will understand even if he is initially stunned. Someone close has already given up on my salvation. They will not bother to read the rest.

But the truth of the matter is all that matters: we have deluded ourselves into a quandary. And the net creation of our delusions of grandeur/inferiority is plain for the world to see. Every Liberian life contains a small perfect atom within it. And I am aware that ever so often that atom bubbles over and bursts like a vessel set to some remote timer, visible to all others except us.

I do not believe our Liberian Problem stems only from our traumatic conception. And I refuse to believe in our position in the 500 year plus old “New World Order” (must remain static in order to maintain harmony in some minds. And in the main time, we should all be good global citizens and go through the motions).

It is the role we’ve played to date. And risk playing unless we change character(s). And I do not just mean individuals. That step comes only after we reclaim our sense of self. Some would say we are doing that. We have got trained Liberian minds on the ground, the first woman President (again one of our glorious firsts), we have foreign investors. We have a new resolve.

Then why do we continue to avoid the business of dealing with our real truths? That our history is rife with all that we have seen the last twenty years. And more. You want so-called ethnic cleansing? Gaze into our past. Cannibalism? Presidential coups real and make-believe? Start with E.J. Roye, the fifth President. He was killed shot while swimming to a ship or dragged through the streets of Monrovia, depending on who is telling long before “native people” were even recognized under the Liberian brand.

And what about our habit of calling Papa America to help? Goes back to the very first attack of the deadly “fever” and marauding “heathens” years before the start of official Dependence in 1847. Would we have “acted up” as usual if we sobered to the fact that America’s lack of response has been their consistent response every single time since 1821?

Okay, so they usually respond when our mouth is dragging, as the saying goes.
Would we tear shit down if we realised “de Poppay” was not coming. Or maybe he did. Ol’ man Jimmy did. And those young surfer dudes who declared our graveyard beaches home to the best waves in the world. And they would know. They claim to have hit all the top resorts around the world when on breaks from the Ivy League schools of the West.

We are where we are because of our Constitution as a people. Because of our actions (or inactions). I’m not apologising for the bad behavior of outsiders. I just want to acknowledge our role in the whole play.

We keep looking for reasons to be “saved.” I have lived amongst tribesman from the dominant Tribes of Europe and Asia for most of my life now. I know them well. They are not better nor less diverse as a people. They have many languages. They have beheaded cousins and clansman for centuries. Their brains are not sharper. They do not work harder. Their “kpahn-kpahn” not more potent. They are more honest with themselves. And their agendas around the world. They spend no time devising ways to fool us. We do that quite well ourselves.

I look at my grandmother. I see the girl who probably went to live with some “Congo” or Americo-folks. I pass no judgment. It is the past. It cannot be changed. But nature is not kind to animals who forget or refuse to be themselves. I am reminded of what a close friend recently said to me: you torture a tree you corrupt the fruits. Corrupted fruits over a period of time will be accepted as what has always been. A body out of touch with its cognitive memory functions is connected to nothing. It is incapable of self-preservation. At best, it depends on others for everything. Here is the Liberian Condition. The African in general. Stuck chasing stimuli from outside in order to feel “alive” - even if it kills. More “book,” “big-big house dem,” “prayer vigils,” “fancy embroidered paper engraved Harvard degrees,” and cell-phones. We do this over and over again blindly--we pray to God or Allah when we need brain surgery and then blame certain death on “sumu” or “juju.”” A nation of pathologically delusional people would.

Battles fought for your soul don’t hurt when fought by people who not just look like you but to whom you belong. And in the ‘80s the crusade raged on. We enjoyed it tremendously. Saturdays spent with the world’s greatest grandmother involved matinées at Relda Cinema, sometimes two. And for me, a large bowl of fufu and soup. Then came the spider stories told on the porch by older cousins. Now what kid in his right mind would mind a long Sunday afternoon in church after that? An aunt calls to tell me she has heard my father is a fixture in the old church on Sundays. “The Lord gets you when it’s your time, Sengbe.” I take that as a warning and call the guy up. He admits his backslide. I tell him he is such a disappointment. We laugh about the changing of familiar roles. He tells me he has changed his mind about church. That I must begin to go; his mother would rage hell if he showed up on Judgment Day without any of her grandbabies. We laugh again. But there will be no more talk about it. The Liberian Condition is the “why.”

* Senghbe K. Khasu is a screenwriter, film director and musician living in New York City.

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

Reintegrating Returnees in Post-War Liberia

2007-07-24

Elma Shaw

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/42770

Elma Shaw discusses how refugees are being reintegrated into Liberias societal fabric.


What makes refugees decide to return to a home they left in shambles? What are the challenges to becoming adjusted and reintegrated into a society after years of absence? How are refugees being reintegrated in post-war Liberia?

What makes refugees decide to return to a home they left in shambles? What are the challenges to becoming adjusted and reintegrated into a society after years of absence? How are refugees being reintegrated in post-war Liberia?

It is early July, 2007, and at Roberts International Airport a team from LRRRC, UNHCR, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and GTZ (German Technical Assistance) is waiting to receive a group of Liberian refugees returning from Ghana. The lady from NRC is wearing a T-shirt with the map of Liberia on the front, and the words Theres No Place Like Home. I am there with Nancy Garley, herself a returnee (Yomou Refugee Camp, Guinea, 1990-1999) who now works as a Repatriation Monitor at LRRRC, the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission.

This airport mission is significant because June 30th was the deadline for refugees in the West African sub-region to sign up for Voluntary Repatriation to their home countries. The returnees we came to meet are among the last that will be transported back home with assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. All of them will be given enough bulgur wheat and split peas for four months, non-food items such as blankets, buckets and cooking pots, and a small amount of money to help them get to their final destination.
Voluntary Repatriation began in October 2004, and UNHCR statistics show that as of June 30, 2007, a total of 108,198 refugees have been repatriated with assistance. 51,237 came from Guinea; 28,701 from Sierra Leone; 19,907 from the Cte dIvoire; 5,906 from Ghana; 2,136 from Nigeria; and 311 from other countries. These asylum countries have recorded, during the same period, 50,032 spontaneous, unassisted departures.

The returnees soon file out of the Kenya Airways plane clutching the clear plastic folders that hold their Voluntary Repatriation Forms. This formthe VRFserved as a passport, and will continue to be used as official identification for several more months if they wish to apply for further assistance from UNHCR and its partners.

The 55 returnees at Roberts International Airport today consist of 16 women, 20 children, and 19 young men in their teens and 20s. They are separated from the other passengers, whisked through Customs, and led outside where they will board a large truck for the drive to the Transit Center. I ask Eunice Lloyd, a returnee who spent six years between Nigeria and Ghana, about her first impression. I dont see any armed civilians walking among us, she says with a smile. Im very happy about that. So far, so good!

At the Transit Center, a 30-minute drive from the airport, the returnees gather in a large room where they are officially welcomed by Saah Fayiah of UNHCR. Hanging from the ceiling behind him are encouraging signs. Among them:

LIBERIA CAN ONLY BE BUILT BY LIBERIANS THEMSELVES
UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL. ITS TIME TO COME BACK HOME TO REBUILD OUR MOTHERLAND LIBERIA
RECONCILIATION IS THE BEST WAY TO NATION-BUILDING

While Saah tells them about the procedure to be followed at the Center, someone passes around large bottles of Blue Lake mineral water bottled right here in Tubmanburg, Bomi County. I can see the surprise in some of the faces as they read the label that displays the Liberian flag, and I am so proudof Blue Lake and of the brave returnees and of the welcome team for giving out our own waterthat my eyes suddenly fill with tears. The returnees get their first Liberian meal, and then go through the routine: screening by the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalisation, medical screening, cash payment of transportation, pick-up of non-food items, and pick-up of food rations.

For urban-based returnees (i.e. returnees who will live in Monrovia, Montserrado County) there are a number of opportunities available through Education and Economic Recovery programs. The Monrovia Vocational Training Center, for example, offers masonry, carpentry, electronics, tailoring and other courses. LOIC, the Liberia Opportunities Industrialisation Center, provides computer training, as does many other vocational schools. UNHCR, in the Economc Recovery and Reintegration Sector, awards small business grants ranging from $100 to $500 to applicants who have skills and good business plans. Returnees who qualify for this extra assistance are able to adjust and reintegrate quite quickly, while those who come with no skills, or who resettle in other counties, sometimes find it more difficult.

Richard Johnson is a success story. He stayed in Liberia throughout the battles of the1990s, but when renewed fighting reached Monrovia in 2003 and he lost his car to the rebels, he decided he did not want to experience any more trauma. He gave away the simple metal file he used to cut keys in his small key duplicating shop, and was one of the few lucky Liberians allowed to leave on a plane that had come to evacuate Ghanaian citizens.

While Richard was at the Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana, he got a job with a metalcraft company in Accra. There he learned how to use a machine to cut keys, and how to melt brass to make new keys. Richard decided to return home after he saw President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Ghanaian television saying the war was over and Liberians should come home to help rebuild the country. He signed up for voluntary repatriation and came home on a ship, along with returnees from Nigeria, in April 2006.

When Richard got home he applied to UNHCR for a small business grant. He had bought a key-cutting machine in Ghana, but had no shop to work from, and no generator to run the machine. He received a $500 grant from UNHCR to help him start over. With it he got a small generator and was able to rent shop space at $40/month. Two Keys are Better than One is located on Newport Street, opposite the Duncan Alley gas station. Richard says he needs to make more people aware of his little shop, and will eventually melt brass and produce his own keys.

On 18th Street and Cheesman Avenue in Sinkor, Margaretta Guanue-Donkeh is another example of successful reintegration. Margarettas situation was a little different from most refugees. She and a younger sister started off living in Accra with their older brother, who was doing well with an import-export business. It was not until the business suffered at the hands of a dishonest partner that things became a little difficult.

During her 10 years as a refugee in Accra, Margaretta studied computer software and engineering, while her sister learned sewing. When her sister died, Margaretta took up sewing as a way to keep the girls dream alive. She signed up for lessons at Ghanas well-known KALBS school of fashion, and after a while, because of her talent and her business acumen, she was asked to work there as a manager as well. But what Margaretta wanted to do most was finish school. She had left Liberia during her junior year studying Economics at the University of Liberia. Although Ghana assisted Liberian refugees in many ways, Margaretta was not allowed to transfer credits to a Ghanaian university. Her desire to complete her degree was one factor in her decision to return home. Another was the death of her father. Her mother needed her at home. What finally prompted her to come back though, was the new government. Enthusiasm was in the air and we had a lot of hope for a better future, Margaretta says. She was confident that with her sewing skills she could work to support herself and not have to rely on anyone. Friends said it would be tough, she adds, but I told them people can make any situation better.

Upon arrival in Monrovia, Margaretta began working out of her mothers home, but business wasnt going too well and she knew she needed more visibility. With a grant from UNHCR, she built a small tailoring shop in her mothers front yard and called it Workmans Fashion from a Bible verse in II Timothy. Business improved immediately, and she now wants to buy another machine and hire an experienced tailor to help with the increased workload. In the meantime, Margaretta is giving back and contributing to national development by training two women in the skills of tailoring.

The assistance given to both Richard and Margaretta has helped them become fully reintegrated, and, through their work, is helping to revitalise the national economy. Computer trainees like Vivian Franklin, who spent nine years in Ghana, and Augustine Pardea, who was in Sierra Leone and Guinea from 1990 to 2007, also feel like they are accomplishing something and will be able to contribute to nation-building activities upon graduation. But what is being done about the non-skilled returnees who dont qualify for training or for grants, and those who choose to return to rural areas?

According to LRRRCs Reintegration Officer, Nehemiah Gbaba, NRC helps build shelters for vulnerable returnees (the elderly and handicapped) to Bomi County, while other humanitarian partners provide community-based assistance in both urban and rural areas of return. This assistance includes school renovations, construction of hand pumps (covered wells) and latrines, and, in Lofa County, rehabilitation of roads by UNHCR. The projects help the entire community, rather than only the individual returnees. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also plays a major role in community-based assistance by establishing and empowering District Development Councils (DDCs) to identify the development needs of the community and oversee implementation of development projects.

Registration for Voluntary Repatriation has ended, and those who signed up will all return very soon. With the exception of protection, assistance to refugees who choose to remain in countries of asylum will gradually be reduced, beginning with food rations, then medication, then education. After all, the war is over and Liberia, though not fully at peace until security and justice systems are working well, is in its reconstruction era.

* Elma Shaw writes about living in post-war Liberia, and strives to balance the scale between despair and hope. Writing with a sense of history, a bit of humour, and a sprinkle of irreverence, Shaw presents profiles & photos of people, places and current events that make Liberia truly the Lone Star of Africa.

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

The Civil War and Liberian Artists

2007-07-24

Wilton Sankawulo, Sr

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/42767

Wilton Sankawulo, Sr. argues that it is Liberian artists who substantiate progress, who make it palatable to the average person.


Liberian writers have been accused of failing to produce literature of high quality addressing the burning issues confronting the nation, Africa, and the world. Some of our critics go on to charge that Liberian writers unduly preoccupy themselves with politics as if it were the only subject worth writing about. Three reasons that often feature prominently among the many excuses Liberians give for this failure are the clampdown of our politicians of the old order on press freedom, the nation's lack of colonial experience, and the absence of a vibrant readership due to the high rate of illiteracy in the country. A shortage of writing talent is often excluded from this list because we have many inspired writers, young and old, of the diverse literary genres.

It is true that literature grows substantially where there is freedom of expression. The problem has been our failure to support the production of literature as a priority. Noting that democracy flourishes mostly where the people are literate, President Tubman initiated a universal literacy program in the '50s and the '60s "to make the Republic of Liberia a Reading Liberia." This worthy effort was short-lived and we consequently paid a high price for its demise.

Artists have a rare sensitivity for seeing into the lives of people, with the instinct to identify the underlying causes of their problems, and suggest practical solutions. Liberia does not benefit much from this potential of her artists because artists are not given the needed support to develop their talents. Perhaps it is thought that the solutions to our problems rest entirely with politicians, but politicians can only facilitate progress. Without the backing of the creative imagination, vision, and industry of their people, they cannot accomplish anything substantial.

We have fallen to the depths of ignominy, emerging from which is not simply a matter of political manoeuvring, for most of our politicians are only concerned with their own interests: Once they are not in power, the nation has no peace, and once they come to power they forget the people. But good artists are committed to the truth as revealed to them whether or not it involves their personal interests.

Many of our sister republics that acquired political independence just yesterday are relatively stable and progressive because their artists bear witness of their sources of strength and motivate them to use such sources to improve the quality of their life. When you land on Mohammed Mutala International Airport in Lagos, no one need tell you that you are on African soil because the art works decorating the airport predominantly reflect the African experience. With all their Western education, the Nigerian elite maintain respect for their culture, for they know that culture promotes self-confidence which is the key to the growth and development of the individual as of the nation. The great sacrifice which our African brothers and sisters made to save us from ourselves was chiefly motivated by their love and appreciation for Africa--a phenomenon inspired by the works of their musicians, painters, sculptors, and writers who are forever bringing to light factors that unite them. A Liberian proverb says, “A baby antelope can show its mother a trap.” It is time we swallowed our pride of being the oldest African republic and learn from our younger brothers and sisters who are far ahead of us in development and progress.

Unlike other African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria that maintain viable institutions and programs for developing their arts, Liberia has no organised program or institution for studying and developing its arts. In the sixties, the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism tried to redeem the situation by establishing a centre for the arts at Kendejah near Monrovia, but all the emphasis was placed on the performing arts. No effort was ever made to explain or interpret Liberian arts in writing for students and connoisseurs of the arts as well as the general public. It was enough for singers and dancers to entertain guests and government officials. The works of foreign artists continue to decorate our homes; the music heard on our radio stations and the textbooks used in our schools are mostly foreign. No wonder many of our African brothers and sisters do not even consider us as Africans.

It is of great importance that we pay urgent attention to the development of our arts to assure the growth and integration of our society, although the civil war has claimed many of our artists. We have produced great artists whose works could place the nation on the art map of the world. In the absence of comprehensive accounts of their fates, several of our prominent artists were killed in the civil war while others fled the country for refuge. Although his death occurred a year before our civil war commenced, Bai T. Moore, that pioneer of modern Liberian fiction and an ardent promoter of the performing arts, died as a result of the unsettled condition of the country. Shortly after his death, the nation’s most proficient sculptor, Vanjah Richards, was killed by unknown gunmen for political reasons. Tecumsey Roberts, an accomplished musician and entertainer, was murdered during the war. One of our leading singers Miatta Fahnbulleh, resided outside of the country for years, both in search of refuge and an audience. Fatu Gayflor, a distinguished dancer and singer, returned to the country from the Ivory Coast where she had taken refuge during the war, to engage in the uphill struggle of revitalising the performing arts. Ballah, our only comedian, no longer performs due to lack of support. Kenneth Best, a journalist of great renown and newspaper publisher, fled the country to Gambia in search of asylum and to continue with his publishing, although he was most needed at home to help with national reconstruction.

The list could continue endlessly. Indeed, we have numerous professional and budding artists who are ready to spearhead the development of our arts, but they need support, for no aspect of national development comes to fruition spontaneously. The Ministries of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism as well as Education must promote cultural awareness in the country. Indeed, Liberia needs a cultural revolution to unite the people, cultivate in them a spirit of nationhood, release their creative forces for national development, and restore the nation’s good image. Since art and culture have commercial value, their development can be an economic asset rather than a liability. A school for musicians could be built with instructors from such African countries as Nigeria and Ghana, which have made notable progress in art development. Our schools, especially the University of Liberia and Cuttington University College, could maintain arts’ and writers’ workshops for our writers and artists to perfect their talents. The Ministry of Education could either commission established Liberian authors to produce textbooks for our schools or give preference to books written by Liberian authors for the schools’ lists. National awards should be given to the best artists and writers of the year. The government should establish a commission headed by a professional Liberian artist or writer to study the art situation in the country and suggest practical measures to improve it. In addition, as the Ghanaians, Nigerians, and many other African nationals have done, the commission should be empowered to evolve a national Liberian language in addition to English we can identify with. This will abolish the unnecessary shame and embarrassment we experience for being unable to handle the Queen’s English with proficiency.

Liberia has a rich culture but it requires nurturing. It is unfortunate that we perceive our arts as something for the stage alone. Consequently, we have very little knowledge, respect, and appreciation for ourselves and our rich cultural heritage. No wonder we carelessly embarked on a systematic program of self-destruction. Today, we are confronted by a welter of problems which no politician can solve because the key to their solutions lies in self-knowledge and self-motivation which artists are very good at creating. Such problems as corruption, tribalism, mediocrity, and sloth, which have ruined the social, political, and economic fabric of our country, can be solved once we develop our arts to renew our vision and integrate our lives, the only means by which we can achieve a noble destiny.

Our artists, however, should not wait for encouragement or support before committing themselves to the lonely and gruelling hard work and sacrifice required for mastery of their trade. They should courageously give all they have to develop and fulfil their potential and make their productions competitive on the world market, for, in the final analysis, it is quality production that popularises art. Relying principally on inner motivation, our writers must produce first-rate literature; our musicians and dancers must produce their hits; our carvers, weavers, sculptors, and painters must flood the world market with their works. The sacrifice required for such exercise is inestimable because the price of progress requires all that a people can offer.

In the final analysis, it is effective communication that will improve the quality of life in our country. In the West, decision makers have access to their people's analysis and assessment of national issues. No leader however brilliant can solve all the problems of their country without the participation of their people in a search for solutions. Unfortunately, in many African countries the leaders alone must evolve the solutions to all problems, accounting for the prevailing chaos and perennial development problems that beset the continent. This problem is especially true of Liberia. If we continue neglecting the development of the intellectual resources of our country in preference for that of physical infrastructure alone, we will break down tomorrow what we build today. 


* Wilton Gbakolo Sengbe Sankawulo has published novels, collections of folklore, and non-fiction texts. He has served in the government of Liberia as well as taught English Literature at the University of Liberia and Cuttington College.

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

Britain without Blair

2007-07-27

Tajudeen Abdul Raheem

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/panafrican/42829

Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem reflects on the political processes in Britain after Blair and looks the fall of Thatcher and the origins of New Labour. Can you imagine, he asks, a similar situation in Africa?


In the past two weeks I have been in countries with a 'new' head. I left Yar'Adua's Nigeria for Gordon Brown's Britain. For the first time in ten years one entered Britain without having to put up with the arrogant and sanctimonious Blair and his spin doctors. The Long Good Bye is finally over. For those who think it is only African leaders who are desperate not to leave office just look at how long it took the Labour Party to get rid of their Savior-turned-Judas of a leader. Unfortunately for the Palestinians, this fraudulent prophet has been made their interlocutor. How a second-hand leader parceled by Bush could be their savior I do not know.

I must confess that I have not made the transition from Blairism to Brownism properly. Seeing Brown on television in Britain I was still looking at him like the Chancellor he had been for the past decade. But being in Britain got me thinking about the many years that I have spent in that country.

It is a big shame that Africans do not write about Westerners the way they write about us; but we keep complaining about their prejudices, inaccuracies and false knowledge about the African condition.

Two weeks safari in the Masai Mara and someone becomes an expert on our foods, lifestyles, culture, history, geography or whatever. Millions of Africans have been in the West from time immemorial, but we do not lay claim to being 'Europeanists'!

It is one of those vicarious 'benefits' of the British imperial past that as 'commonwealth ' citizens, British-resident citizens, immigrants and settlers from former British colonies (except the USA which has its own uncommon wealth in which Britain shares!) can vote and even be voted for in British elections. Being voted for has been relatively easier for citizens from the old White Commonwealth of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, though second generation descendants of the non-white Commonwealth from Asia, the Caribbean and Africa are also beginning to break into the system (though they are more successful at the local levels than in the British Parliament in Westminster).

The visibility of black MPs both in parliament and government positions including the Cabinet only serves to show how uncommon it is. They are so few that we know them all; they become instantly famous just for being black! One of the ironies of uncommon wealth politics is that many Africans have probably had more opportunity to vote and be involved in democratic politics in Britain than in their own countries. I have voted more often in Britain than in Nigeria. And this is not just because I have been away for 'too long', my peer group who did not live outside have never had many opportunities to vote since the military had been in power for most of their lives. Until recently, military rule with civilian interludes has been the order of the day. Thankfully that is now more or less over and we are now in the era of 'voting without choosing' or choosing without making any difference.

It can be argued though that even in more stable societies elections do not change much because there is too much public contentment or governing consensus among the ruling classes, and between their main political parties. Consequently, politics has become more commercialized, money and media driven, with no disagreement on fundamentals therefore reducing politics to forms of presentation largely devoid of substance. Hence the increasing democratic deficit in many Western democracies of voter apathy, especially among the young.

All that taken into consideration, and despite obvious Americanization, British politics in the 1980s and early 1990s still inspired great ideological disputes and debates, essentially because of the Thatcherite Conservative counter-revolution that tore apart the old consensus within the British political establishment. She shifted the politics to the extreme right, provoking moderates, the 'noblese oblige' type Tories in her own party, and all kinds of leftist opposition in the Labour Party, the Labour movement and eventually the whole country.

The main opposition Labour Party swung between left and right for many years, even provoking a split that led to the walkout by more openly right-wing elements who felt that the militant left had taken over the party and made it unelectable. They formed the SDP which initially attracted a lot of support from across the board among people who wanted a different kind of politics from the tribal war between the Tories and Labour. Unfortunately for David Owen and his tiny bunch, the two party system (and its ethnic, provincial and regional voting patterns) is so embedded in Britain that the room for a third party (let alone a fourth one) is extremely limited. They merged with the Liberal Party which had always operated as the halfway lounge between the Tories and Labour. Their hopes of becoming a powerful third force, holding the balance of power in a 'hung parliament', evaporated as Labour became more and more moderate and electable.

What really happened in the Labour Party was that the smarter right-wingers did not leave the party but bided their time and embarked on a long term right-wing counter revolution inside the party, involving a reform of old ideological positions and a loosening of the traditional Labourite, socialist and egalitarian conscience. The emergence of Neil Kinnock as the Party Leader facilitated the right-wing coup. He came from a staunch Labour background, solidly in the left of the party and a credible working-class hero. He sold moderation to the party and the movement and helped to begin the process of Labour recovery and electability by facing down the hard left and Labour militants. Still, he lost two elections to Margaret Thatcher but held Labour votes and increased it as the Conservatives took lower votes. Unfortunately Kinnock did not make it and lost the 1992 elections to a little known John Major after the Conservatives had committed political matricide by getting rid of Margaret Thatcher. That was the last time I was most passionately involved in British partisan politics.

I was there on the foot steps of the Old Labour Party Headquarters on Woolworth Rd in South London when Kinnock conceded victory to Major and announced his resignation to crying party supporters. The second day you could not find many people who would admit that they had voted Tory. If it was in Africa opposition supporters would have cried 'rigging' because the media and popular opinion widely predicted a Labour Victory. From then onwards I never really bothered about being active in British politics anymore even though I remained a passive supporter of the anti-Tory movement. After Kinnock it was John Smith who unfortunately died very early in his leadership. His sudden death made it possible for the brewing right-wing coup to be brought forward with Blair emerging as the Leader. Had Smith lived longer who knows if Blair would have been that fortunate? Smith was very much to Kinnock in opposition as Gordon was to Blair in power. One does the politics and the other the economics.

The party was hungry for power and in Blair they found a winner even if it was at the expense of their ideological souls. Brown continued Smith's number-crunching that made business interests to begin to take Labour seriously as managers of British capitalism. The Labour party became more middle class.

In power Mr. Blair was more of an adopted political son of Margaret Thatcher, more at home when battling the Labour party and so called OLD Labour values. The Thatcherites used to sing: 'If it is not hurting it is not working' to justify their assault on the poor and to subsidise the greed of the rich and powerful. In Blair's Britain it was punned to mean: If the Labour Party is not complaining, it cannot be right. Even when he seemed to have conquered every tendency, save for a small group of non- conformists, he would deliberately pick quarrels with the Party. He was the closest Britain got to having a truly Presidential PM and the Peoples' Party became the Leader's Party. For a few years it seemed he could walk on air and water. He took on the party and won, took on the Government and won, and then he took on the British people on many issues- but Iraq was to be his Waterloo from which his authority never quite recovered. In politics, as in real life, once an elephantine problem knocks you down then all kinds of crawling crawlers will climb on to you. Like Thatcher he was kicked out after 'winning' a consecutive third-term electoral victory.

Blair's fall from grace is proof, yet again, that whatever goes up will come down; but politicians like other human beings never learn. When they are up they never think they will come down and they always do. However there are important lessons. One, a politician is the servant of the people not their master, no matter how popular he or she may be. In a genuine democracy, as in a real consumer driven society, the citizen (i.e. customer) is always right. Two, political parties, parliament, judiciary, the media and other autonomous institutions are necessary for democracy to take root and democratic culture to be nurtured. Strong leaders influence people and institutions and sometimes destroy them. But for sustainable democracy these institutions must endure. It was not the electorate that threw out Blair or Thatcher before him, but their own political parties on whose behalf they were acting.

Can you imagine a similar situation in many African countries? The President will dissolve the party and dissolve the Parliament! Three, there must be credible alternative leaders, whether within the ruling party or outside of it, deliberately nurtured without being considered traitors or disloyal. Can you imagine if Gordon Brown had been a Cabinet Minister in some African country? Would he have retained his post breathing down the President's neck for so long? In the worst of cases he would probably be dead by now or hounded out of cabinet or politics or be in exile.

However, there are encouraging signs in some countries like Ghana, Botswana and Tanzania. The immediate Foreign Minister of Ghana, Nana Akuffo Ado had never hidden the fact that he wanted Kuffour's job, having been beaten to second place by him in 2002. Similarly, the current President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, was a runner up to his predecessor and remained Foreign Minister for ten years before becoming President. However in many countries up to now even mere suspicion of the ambition can land you in 'hot soup'. These are countries where the people are not supposed to even imagine life without the current occupant of state house. However, no matter how long it takes they will all become 'former current chairman' as Idi Amin famously said of himself!

Blair's exit also shows that sometimes people may just want a change for the sake of it. I am not sure there is much ideological difference between Blair and Brown, but there is a difference in style and presentation. In the end people just got fed up with Blair and his lectures, his missionary strictures and braggadocio. The truth though is that Brown even takes himself more seriously as an intellectual politician than Blair. Both domestically and internationally there may be more action than words, and probably less of the razzmatazz and media obsession of the Blair years. But it may well be the same difference on many issues.

With huge apologies to the Indian writer, Arundhati Roy, It's the God of Small Changes. The Conservatives remain unelectable because thanks to Blair and Brown all their clothes have been stolen by New Labour. Just like the Tories prevented a Labour victory in 1992 by having a change within with John Major. Labour may have guaranteed itself a fourth term by being rid of Blair. Unfortunately, David Cameron sounds more like a Blair clone. May be he should just vacate his post and give it to the real Blair, currently wandering like Moses in the Middle East as Cameron is getting lost in Rwandan villages in the name of showing Africa he cares. Blair did the care for Africa, and this never led him or those Africans naïve enough to trust him, anywhere.

* Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem is the Deputy Director for the UN Millennium Campaign in Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya. He writes this article in his personal capacity as a concerned Pan-Africanist.
* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org/

On Liberian Literature: “The Name of the Sound, and the Sound of the Name

2007-07-24

Eva Acqui

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/books/42764

Eva Acqui illustrates Liberia’s little known, yet vibrant literary tradition.


Before delivering a lecture at a university in Hungary two years ago, I presented some slides to the professors of the board along with two wooden masks I had brought from Liberia, holding them in my arms as if they were my children. The professors of the board asked about my choice. I responded, “These are images of African wood carvings, masks, hailing from Liberia, the West Coast of Africa. I chose them because of the power of supremely well organised forms, the unification of form and expressive power.

These masks belong to an art with origins before recorded history; their images were chosen to illustrate permanence, universality, perfection. They correspond to humankind’s instinctive search for beauty, giving shape to fundamental beliefs and feelings, transmitting ideas, values, attitudes, from generation to generation. Thus, they are culture carriers across time and borders. They have a definite role in the evolution of culture, ensuring its continuity and bringing about innovation. They are Liberia's ‘cultural ambassadors’ to this part of the world.”

A nation survives through its culture. One of the main functions of art is to keep and build on tradition, create new values. Art is called upon to establish the future of culture. Liberia's historic experience of civil war has motivated its artists to engage their art in the struggle for the survival of their culture and nation. Art has to address spiritual and cultural needs, social needs, to develop an aesthetic, which has to act as a cultural stabiliser. Stabilising culture means to keep all traditional achievements together, innovate, and create new works of art to ensure continuity and survival.

Back in the 1990s, still at the beginning of the war, there were people who found enough inner power to take refuge in their artistry, to record events, feelings, reactions. K. Moses Nagbe's book ‘Thinking Through the Times’ was published in 1991 and was on sale in Monrovia; Aaron Fallah Brown continued to paint and write in that time of sorrow. These artists felt they had to tell the world somehow what was going on, to speak for people who did not attend universities or expensive schools, but did entrust their last words to those who they felt able and willing to carry out a very hard task: "Go and write about us. Tell the world. Let people know," convinced that the sound of their names would raise awareness and interest in their culture and fate.

Liberian literature has a valuable canon, a cultural asset to be preserved, organised, and recorded by literary history, both in Liberia and the world. It contains a chronological record of Liberia's pastoral, folk literature, with its folk songs, proverbs, folk tales, known since the 1800s. There are writers, genres, and species, from poetry to drama, important to be taught for the ongoing development of Liberia’s literary history. We find the first novel in English written by an African, Guanya Pau, by Joseph Walters, 1891. We find written poetry dating back to the 1800s; ‘Leaves from Love's Garden,’ written by Edwin Barclay, 1836-1961; ‘Echoes of the Valley,’ edited by Roland T. Dempster, 1947; ‘Poems of Liberia,’ collected by A. Doris Banks Henries, 1963. We find Liberia's novelists, Bai T. Moore, Henry B. Cole, Wilton S. Sankawulo; short story writers, such as Robert H. Brown, Patricia Jabbeh Wesley. Dramatists also occupy a notable position: Lester Parker, Kona Khasu, Peter Ballah, Kerkura Kamara, and Womi Neal have all contributed by their work to the development of a literary genre in Liberia.

Art can have a powerful transformational and restorative effect within society. Being exposed to cultural contexts provides an insight into society, too. Works of art reveal details about dominant social values of the period in which they are produced, conveying the feelings and ideas of that period, and the human experience, through a variety of details, on social, political, and environmental issues. The collaboration among art creating groups is another aspect of the social function of art: it ensures the joint effort of groups and individuals in the process of creation, in the attaining of social objectives by the aid of art. One such vital objective is peace. Artists are those who use the power of their means (word, sound, colour, image, dance, etc.) in the struggle for these supreme human values.

Liberian culture as a whole, literature especially, has several culturally vital tasks to attend to, within exercising its role of struggling for a better future, for speaking to the spiritual and cultural needs of a nation it has culturally attempted to keep up. It has to preserve its rich foundation of folk culture, consisting of customs, rites, and the related literary products, such as tales, legends, etc. The danger of myths and motifs vanishing into oblivion does exist, unless people themselves hand over this rich cultural heritage to the present and future generations, and teach them the pride of holding such an inheritance. There have been notable efforts in preserving folklore, in the writings of Wilton S. Sankawulo, A. Doris Banks Henries, Peter Dorliae, addressing the preservation of Liberia's rich folklore by bringing it into print.

Another vitally important task for Liberian writers is to keep writing, to ensure development and progress in both culture and society. Liberians have successfully responded to this “call,” whether from home or abroad, to cultivate the feeling of belonging to Liberia carrying their country's name and specificity into the future. Joining the literary forum provided by the Sea Breeze Journal of Contemporary Liberian Writings and offering their work to the reading public, aided by the Internet, many cultural personalities have contributed to the establishment and development of a body of literary work, internationally recognised. In his statement on the importance of the literary journal, Professor Wilton S. Sankawulo underlines the importance of the freedom of expression, production of literature, around the literary forum thus provided, with regard to what it represents for the generations of the future, stating that, “If we continue neglecting the development of the intellectual resources of our country in preference for that of physical infrastructure alone, we will break down tomorrow what we build today.”

However rich and valuable a culture may be, if it does not find its way to universality, it is doomed to oblivion by other cultures and peoples. Therefore, it has to integrate itself into the culture of the world, keeping its originality and yielding the best of the people it represents. It has taken centuries of evolution to reach today's multi-expression by arts' various forms: in the 1800s art was primarily concerned with ideas of truth and beauty; in the 1900s it was marked by radical breaks in modernism and postmodernism, while the 1990s and 2000s witnessed the idea of art as cultural-image making, based on survival as core of contemporary experience: artists have addressed this reality in the most powerful terms possible. For art to carry out such a function, it needs to address another critical aspect: the educational function.

The quality of aesthetic experience can be ensured only by educating art consumers towards a well-developed intellect with a thirst of knowledge and a continuous search for beauty. The engagement in cognitive activities entails the use of associations and the understanding of abstractions: the use of imagination to make a difference between what is implied and what actually exists. Glancing beyond the facades into details needs good skills of impression that help art consumers to identify, analyse, and evaluate what is experienced. All this literary work is extremely valuable to the nation's culture. The world has to know, and through its literature know the country, its people, their view of the world and its representation, for Liberian literature to be part of world literature.

* Eva Acqui, Ph.D., lives and works in Baia Sprie, Romania. She is a university lecturer, translator, award winning poet, fiction writer, and scholarly writer of feature articles and scientific papers

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

Weep Not For Dead Leaves

2007-07-24

Omanza Eugene Shaw

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/books/42771

This poem was written upon hearing of the death of Napoleon Ricks, a loving son, brother, husband, father, relative and friend. All who knew him felt the pain of losing him. Napoleon was dashing and handsome with a natural spontaneity . . . easy to laugh and affable in his interactions with all. His brother Henry and I were classmates at the College of West Africa in Monrovia. I dedicate this poem to everyone who lost loved ones during the civil crisis in Liberia . . . a senseless war too brutal to be part of the divine plan. If I am allowed to speculate, this madness was brought on us by karma generated through decades of injustice. Though more than a quarter of a million people died, we must still hold on to our faith and continue to believe that there is a method to God's plan, no matter how incomprehensible it might be to us. Mourners, weep not for dead leaves.


It started to change overnight . . .
the bright brilliant green
began to fade
ever so slowly,
giving way to a pale yellow
that crept across the surface . . .
softly, gently,
almost imperceptibly,
like night stealing upon day
on a late March evening.
and so, Death conquered my dying leaf.

but as is birth, magnificent,
fascinating,
so is death:
the sharp contrast of hues,
dead by living together— one bright yellow, while
the others displayed
spotted patterns of green and white—
animated the evolution of man
and painted a picture for we who
would stop to look,
and listen.

buried between two pages of a Webster dictionary,
my dead leaf remains a sight of
wisdom, wonder and amazement . . .
God's wisdom, my wonder, the world's amazement,
that Life and Death,
partners on the road to eternity,
are two great manifestations
of the Master's handiwork.

Mourners, WEEP NOT FOR DEAD LEAVES!
instead, glorify the Creator of the universe,
for She giveth and He taketh away . . .
as it was in the beginning, it is now and ever shall be,
world without end,
forever,
amen.

— March 1980

Copyright © Omanza Eugene Shaw


* Omanza Eugene Shaw is a photographer, photojournalist, photographic artist, actor and poet born in Monrovia, Liberia. He lives and works in Accra, Ghana.


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

For Our Old-Future (or New?) Poets

2007-07-24

Annaird Naxela

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/books/42772

We, the people of the Republic of Liberia, were
originally inhabitants of the United States of America.


Some of the early settlers . . . were formerly
inhabitants of the United States of America.
We were taxed without our consent.

They were . . .
We were made a separate and distinct class . . .
Strangers from other lands, of a color different from ours,
were preferred before us.

They were made a separate and distinct class, and against them every avenue of improvement was effectually closed. Strangers . . . were preferred before them.

-- Albert Porte, Thoughts on Change; Crozierville, 1977.

Bill shall be. George--even our greatest.
Seeing that Jimmy is now puzzled about
what seems a plain transfer of Savannah to
Harbel. To state to (or ask?) the Firestone Plantation chief
“why” is deep thinking, Jimmy. If James was buried with the
key to a diseased city, it is also deep thinking to
wonder why Monrovia has been dying since birth.
Imagine a Lazarus' relief, Mr. Poet,
in a renewed cancerous life. Would a new city--
away from this now
unmarked grave of all our pathos--be too much
for the thinking? Or the de facto national gods of
Ignorance, Disorientation, Elections and Enjoyment
sacrifice us to a vexed Atlantic, as Buchanan,
another dying city, lies hapless
for that watery knife?

* Born in Harbel, Liberia, Annaird Naxela lectures in English at CUNY/College of Staten Island and researches the development and evolution of Liberian literature. His soon-to-be-published collection of poems is entitled: ‘Memory and Migration.’

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

Review of African Blogs

2007-07-25

Dibussi Tande

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/blog/42775

Afromusing comments on Uganda’s reversal of its longstanding “ABC strategy” for combating AIDS. Afromusings wonders whether this strategy is being abandoned because of strings attached to United States financial aid.

“The strategy of ABC - Abstinence, Be Faithful and Condoms had been successful in reducing the AIDS infection rate, but a reversal of that strategy by President Yoweri Museveni perhaps directly or indirectly due to the strings that came with the aid money to combat aids appears to be counter productive. 1/3 of the 15 billion dollars allocated in PEPFAR - President’s [GW Bush] Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief be used to promote abstinence only programs around the world. That is 5 billion bucks.”

Sokwalnele uses the story of Chipo Ngwira as a backdrop to a commentary on the plight of Zimbabwean refugees in Botswana and South Africa:

“Chipo is not the only Zimbabwean facing such difficulties as thousands of economic refugees are flocking to Botswana and South Africa to search for basic food commodities and greener pastures as the country is facing its worst economic crisis in its history.
“This is the worst time of our lives and there is no way one can live in Zimbabwe and make ends meet unless one is a thief, money dealer, businessperson, worker of a non-governmental organisation or top civil servant. People have struggled to make ends meet since President Robert Mugabe and his cronies raided the farms in the year 2000,” says Njabulo Ndlovu, an economic refugee currently looking for a job at White City suburb.

Independent sources estimate that between 500 and 600 refugees cross into Botswana and South Africa every day to look for jobs. Farmers close to the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa say that the figures are much higher, a fact that they say senior officials in the military and police will only privately admit to. According to the farmers’ estimates, about 4,000 Zimbabweans are crossing into South Africa every night. That represents at least 100,000 people a month, far more than official estimates of 20,000 per month.”

Business in Focus writes about the failure of post-independent African leaders to promote economic development at national and continental levels, with Zimbabwe serving as the case study :

“Before Zimbabwe overthrew white rule, in 1980, a pothole on the highway was a disaster. A late train would cause public outcry. Now we have unfinished roads, bulldozed neighbourhoods and hyperinflation, while our dictator blames the West.

Why is it that when the white man handed over Air Rhodesia to a black manager, the airline had 30 airplanes but now there are only three left? Why is it that before 2000 there were only 4,000 white commercial farmers in Zimbabwe and we were the bread-basket of southern Africa, yet now there are 40,000 black commercial farmers and we have to import maize from little, poor Malawi?

I know. There is a fine line between self-criticism and self-loathing. But our problems are not caused by our being black but by authoritarians with incompetent and even murderous policies.”

Harawo.com posts a review of Andrew Keen's new book, The Cult of the Amateur which argues that the "democratization" of the internet has, unfortunately, not led to a democratization of excellence, creativity and civility:

“Before the internet it seemed like a joke: if you provide an infinite number of monkeys with typewriters one of them will eventually come up with a masterpiece. But with the web now firmly established in its second evolutionary phase – in which users create the content on blogs, podcasts and streamed video – the infinite monkey theory doesn’t seem so funny any more…

Instead of creating masterpieces, the millions of exuberant monkeys are creating an endless digital forest of mediocrity: uninformed political commentary, unseemly home videos, embarrassingly amateurish music, unreadable poems, essays and novels.

Worse still, the supposed “democratisation” of the web has been a sham. “Despite its lofty idealisation it’s undermining truth, souring civic discourse, and belittling expertise, experience and talent,” he says.”

Sokari at Blacklooks revisits the ouster and exile of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, with an interview of Trans Africa Forum’s Randall Robinson as the backdrop. She comments on the similarities between Haiti and Palestine:

“Reading the period between 1999 1991 and 2004 in Haiti is like reading Palestine in 2007. The same tactics used by the US government and France to destroy the elected government of Aristide is being used to destroy the elected government of Hamas. Denial of aid, denial of debt relief, (today this stands at an incredible $1.34 billion, much of it from loans during the Duvalier regimes) destabilisation, supporting the opposition with money, disinformation, lies, every dirty trick that the CIA have used was unleashed on the elected government and people of Haiti. Reading Haiti’s history from the time of the slave revolt led by Toussaint Louverture to the present tells me that Haitians are still being punished for daring to rise up against their oppression and for achieving independence in 1804. South Carolina Senator Robert Hayne spelt it out at the time and it remains the case today.”

The Imhotep Collective Blog focuses on the July 22 parliamentary and municipal elections in Cameroon. Writing before the Biya regime released preliminary results, Samira Edi wonders why Cameroonians bother taking part in these elections whose outcome is predetermined long before the first ballot is cast:

“I ask myself, what is the point of the Cameroon Government leading the long-suffering electorate down the garden path again, in another exercise in futility? Poor Cameroonians will troop down to the polling stations to cast their hopeless votes in this symbolic charade, 25 years going, the outcome of which is already known. After all, while other African countries are forging ahead, we seem stagnated; paddling in sludge that is now our hallmark. Is Biya trying to deceive the world or Cameroonians?”

Scribbles from the Den confirms fears about the Cameroonian electoral process in a series of post-election reports:

“The elections were predictably marred by violence and massive rigging besides the fact that many Cameroonians boycotted the elections for various reasons. At least one militant from the ruling CPDM party, suspecting of abetting rigging was killed and several others were reportedly injured, following bloody inter-party clashes and mob action. Some observers have already qualified the elections as the worst organized since the return of multiparty politics in 1990 and the “most massively rigged.

“I have seen badly organized elections, but I have never seen the scale of rigging I saw today”, said Eteki Njoh, municipal list leader for Buea Urban constituency, under the ticket of the opposition Alliance of Progressive forces Party (APF)…

It is widely believed by many Cameroonians that Biya is targeting at least 160 seats in parliament to enable him alter the constitution to give him a third term.”


*Dibussi Tande produces the blog Scribbles from the Den, www.dibussi.com


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

Africa: ECOSOCC Credentials Committee Short List - Press release

2007-07-26

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/aumonitor/42788

The Credentials Committee of the Interim Economic Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the African Union met in Accra, Ghana, from 17-20 June 2007, to shortlist eligible candidates for the forthcoming elections to the post-interim ECOSOCC Assembly. A total of two hundred and eighteen (218) applications from African Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in thirty-five (35) countries were received and examined.
PRESS RELEASE

The Credentials Committee of the Interim Economic Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the African Union met in Accra, Ghana, from 17-20 June 2007, to shortlist eligible candidates for the forthcoming elections to the post-interim ECOSOCC Assembly. A total of two hundred and eighteen (218) applications from African Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in thirty-five (35) countries were received and examined.

At the end of the exercise, twenty (20) African countries and two (2) regions (West and East Africa) were adjudged ready for national and regional elections, while thirty-three (33) countries, as well as the Southern, Northern and Central African Regions were adjudged not ready for elections since no applications or eligible applications were received from these areas. As for continental elections, the Committee found that there were sufficient eligible candidates for elections.

To allow for the representation of CSOs from all the fifty three (53) Member States of the Union, as well as the 5 regions of the continent as stipulated in Article 4 of the ECOSOCC Statutes, the Credentials Committee decided to extend the deadline for submission of applications for the affected thirty three countries and three (3) regions to 31st July 2007.

To this end, the Committee wishes to call on civil society groupings in the affected countries and regions to take full advantage of the extension and submit their applications to the Credentials Committee, through the ECOSOCC Secretariat, CIDO, African Union Commission on or before 31 July 2007.

The eligibility criteria and the modalities for application remain the same and are available at the African Union and ECOSOCC websites (www.africa-union.org www.ecosocc.org)

Addis Ababa, 16th July 2007

More...

Africans Fear ‘Ruin’ in Europe Trade Talks

2007-07-26

Gumisai Mutume

http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/287/

The warnings are grim. Cape Verde may lose 80 per cent of its import revenues. Three-quarters of Ghana’s industry may collapse. And African countries could end up even more dependent on trade with Europe than with each other. Such worries about the possible impact of ongoing “free trade” negotiations between Europe and its former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) are beginning to galvanize public debate in the region.

Civil Society Advocates Further Liberalisation of AGOA

2007-07-26

Joseph Coomson

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/aumonitor/42817

As the 7th Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) summit is in progress, civil society organizations from the United States of America (USA) and Africa in a parallel Summit have called on the US Authorities to further liberalize their market and extend the number products under AGOA for Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA).

Conference of African Ministers in Charge of Integration

2007-07-26

http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/290/

Rwanda, the country of a thousand hills, has been hosting the working session of the meeting of Member States’ experts on integration in Africa. The experts’ meeting, which will last from the 23 to 25 July 2007, is holding in the Conference Hall of the Rwandan Prime Ministry and precedes the Conference of Ministers which will hold in the same venue from 26 to 27 July 2007.

ECA and UNEP Collaborate on Costs of Climate Change

2007-07-26

http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/288/

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today in Addis Ababa agreed to deepen their collaboration by working together on various environment-related issues in Africa, including the economic costs of climate change and how to finance the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Kenya: Kenyans support Union Government

2007-07-26

http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=102898

Most Kenyans support the creation of a United States of Africa, a recent research says. Kenya has the highest number of people supporting the idea at 57 per cent, followed by Tanzania at 51 and Uganda at 50, says the Steadman Group study. The idea is being pushed by Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi.

New Trade Deals

2007-07-26

Gichinga Ndirangu

http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/289/

As Africa’s leaders met in Accra, Ghana, last week to consider ways of consolidating continental unity through increased trade, pertinent questions were being raised over the impact that a new trade arrangement between the European Union and the 75-member ACP trading bloc will have on regional integration.

Kenya: Decades of Abuse in Kenya’s Maternity Wards

2007-07-25

http://www.reproductiverights.org/ww_afr_kenya.html

CEDAW), the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Kenya-based legal advocacy group Federation of Women Lawyers release a fact-finding report documenting decades of serious abusive treatment, including verbal attacks, sexual assault, flagrant neglect and filthy conditions suffered by women in the country’s maternity facilities.
Failure to Deliver: Violations of Women's Human Rights in Kenyan Health Facilities documents a wide range of violations of women's fundamental human rights. Findings include physical and verbal abuse of women seeking maternity services, detention of women and their babies for unpaid medical bills, and staff and equipment shortages that impair the ability to provide good care.

Very few formal channels exist to provide redress for the serious human rights violations taking place in both public and private health care facilities throughout Kenya. This report throws into sharp relief the need to remedy the rights violations that women in Kenya have endured, and to implement systematic changes to ensure that women's rights are protected when they seek reproductive health care.

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Uganda: Science scholarships tilt against women

2007-07-27

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/3250

Uganda's decision to bestow more of its university scholarships on science students worries gender advocates in a country where female scientists face strong cultural bias. Education advocates such as the Forum for African Women Educationalists, say the new scholarship policy will further restrict the number of women going to university because of cultural biases against girls in science

Kenya: New report on rights violations

2007-07-27

http://www.reproductiverights.org/ww_afr_kenya.html

Providing women with affordable, accessible, and safe health services is a key obligation of the government of Kenya. However, as a new report produced by the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Federation of Women Lawyers—Kenya vividly illustrates, Kenya’s health care sector suffers from systemic and widespread problems that deny women high quality family planning and maternal health care.

Ghana: Women's cases to be handled exeditiously

2007-07-27

http://www.afrol.com/articles/26171

Ghana's newly appointed Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood has reaffirmed her commitment to ensure that issues involving women and children were "speedily dealt with at the law courts." Ms Wood is the first female Chief Justice to take office in Ghana.

Zimbabwe: Babies abandoned as police beat mothers

2007-07-27

http://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=17066

A group of nursing mothers were ordered to put down their babies by Zimbabwean police before being beaten for hours. The six women were among 160 people rounded up at the offices of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), an organisation dedicated to constitutional reform, after activists tried to hold a demonstration.

Côte d’Ivoire: UN probes abuse

2007-07-27

http://tinyurl.com/2vcm5z

The United Nations is investigating allegations of widespread sexual abuse by hundreds of its peacekeepers serving in the Ivory Coast, Al Jazeera reports. A Moroccan battalion of 800 troops in Bouake, in the north of the country, were confined to their barracks on Friday and all of the contingent's activities suspended.

Ethiopia: 2 Ethiopian civil society leaders remain imprisoned, despite pardons

2007-07-26

http://www.whiteband.org/media/gcapnews.2007-07-24.4356408848/

While welcoming the pardoning of 38 opposition politicians and journalists in Ethiopia last week, CIVICUS and the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP ) remind the Ethiopian government that many others, including GCAP coordinators Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie, remain in prison anxiously awaiting their verdict.

Zimbabwe: No decision yet on bail application by MDC detainees

2007-07-26

http://www.swradioafrica.com/news180707/court180707.htm

Seventeen MDC activists have now been locked up in remand prison for 114 days (4 months), while over 4 weeks have passed with the High Court failing to make a ruling on a bail application put forward by their lawyers. Alec Muchadehama expressed his frustration Wednesday saying the state was clearly determined to ensure his clients remain in custody. Up until now no trial date has been set with the MDC activists being remanded in custody to 13 August.

Zimbabwe: Police officers demoted for setting free MDC activists

2007-07-26

http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1722

Six senior police officers in Masvingo town are facing demotion after they set free several opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party activists who were arrested during a government crackdown last March. The six, whose names could not be immediately established, will be demoted from the rank of superintendent to inspector with effect from 31 July 2007.

Sudan: UN rights body urges government to prosecute war crimes

2007-07-27

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L27887128.htm

The United Nations Human Rights Committee on Friday called on Sudan to prosecute war crimes committed in Darfur and to ensure that no support is given to militias that engage in "ethnic cleansing". It expressed concern that "widespread and systematic serious human rights violations including murder, rape, forced displacement and attacks against the civil population, have been and continue to be committed with total impunity throughout Sudan and particularly in Darfur".

Rwanda: Prisoner killings the norm - Human Rights Watch report

2007-07-27

http://www.afrol.com/articles/26221

Deaths of detainees in the hands of national police officers of Rwanda have now become norm, a new report released by the New York-based Human Rights Watch has unearthed. From November 2006 to date, at least 20 such killings have taken place in the east African country. Suspecting that some of the police killings appear to be extra-judicial executions, the rights watchdog asked for prompt investigations by an independent and impartial board of inquiry to take place.

Africa: Migrant children face abuse in Canary Islands

2007-07-26

http://hrw.org/reports/2007/spain0707/

Hundreds of African migrant children in the Canary Islands are at risk of abuse, a human rights group has said. Children are being beaten and left to go hungry by staff in overcrowded government emergency centres, Human Rights Watch said in a report. More than 900 unaccompanied children have arrived in the Spanish territory after dangerous journeys in makeshift boats in an attempt to reach the EU. In 2006, about 30,000 immigrants were caught trying to reach the islands.

Global: Refugees or illegal immigrants? Sudanese refugees in Israel

2007-07-26

http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=14303

In the year since Akun Mou reached Israel from Egypt's Sinai Desert, he has gone from a high-security prison to a job as a kitchen worker at Eilat's King Solomon Hotel. Even though the 21-year-old Sudanese Christian spent nearly a year locked up in various Israeli jails, after losing his family at age 12, spending two years in slavery and being harassed by Egyptian police, Mou says he remains optimistic that the government will let him stay rather than deport him back across the border.

Somalia: UNHCR launches $48 million appeal for victims of renewed conflict

2007-07-27

http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46a60ad60.html

The UN refugee agency has launched an appeal for US$48 million to provide badly needed assistance for victims of the renewed conflict inside Somalia. UNHCR spokeswoman Jennifer Pagonis told journalists the estimated number of Somalis who will receive assistance from UNHCR under the appeal – newly arrived Somali refugees in neighbouring countries and people displaced inside Somalia – will rise to 478,000 by end 2008 from 312,000 currently.

Ethiopia: New camp opened for Somali refugees

2007-07-27

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73418

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has started relocating about 4,000 Somali refugees to a reopened refugee camp at Teferi Ber in eastern Ethiopia. The camp was closed in 2001 after its previous population of Somali refugees were repatriated. Kisut Gebre Egziabher, senior public information assistant at UNHCR, told IRIN that about 2,000 refugees had been moved from an overcrowded camp at Kebribeyah.

DRC: Aid workers struggle to reach IDPs in South Kivu

2007-07-27

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73401

Continued insecurity and poor roads have been restricting humanitarian access to thousands of internally displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to an official of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Sudan: Fresh attacks on humanitarian staff hamper relief efforts in Darfur

2007-07-27

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73410

Gunmen have stepped up attacks on aid workers and food convoys in Sudan’s Darfur region, disrupting relief aid to millions of people, according to agencies. Incidents include the harassment of humanitarian workers, abductions and commandeering of vehicles.

USA: Mobilizing World Opinion

2007-07-26

http://www.stwr.net/content/view/2060/37/

As the ‘biggest media event in history’ filters out of the mainstream press, shortly after diverse reviews of the first United States Social Forum quieten down in the alternative newswires, a renewed air of questioning is being felt in the movement for global justice.
Nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) are left wondering what’s next after the hollow promises made at Gleneagles for ‘more and better aid’ have proven to be an irreverent smokescreen at the latest G8 summit; environmental issues are becoming more fashionable and yet protracted than the campaigns against poverty and unfair trade; whilst the peace movement is being widely condemned as “politically impotent” and prone to collapse. There is no doubting amongst pundits that “the crisis is clear,” that a better world “is possible” and that a humbling of the White House “is necessary”, but for the first time since ‘alter globalisation’ became a phrase there is an embryonic and definite note of recognition on the required direction for change.

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Cameroon: Big win for ruling party

2007-07-26

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6913281.stm

Cameroon's ruling party has won a landslide victory in last Sunday's elections, according to provisional results released late Monday. But opposition parties allege "massive fraud" in the parliamentary and municipal polls. The opposition also say they will challenge the results in court.

Zimbabwe: Mbeki-led talks hang by the thread

2007-07-26

http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1724

A South African-led initiative to pluck neighbouring Zimbabwe out of crisis this week looked in danger of collapsing as President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU PF party insisted it would not discuss a new constitution with the opposition, Sources told ZimOnline. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) last March tasked South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki to lead efforts to resolve Zimbabwe’s eight-year political and economic crisis by facilitating dialogue Between ZANU PF and the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)party.

Nigeria: President names cabinet

2007-07-26

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6914380.stm

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has announced his cabinet, almost three months after he was elected. Four members from his predecessor's administration have been given key positions, suggesting Olusegun Obasanjo will still be influential.
In the new line-up, the president will double as energy minister just like Mr Obasanjo did before him. This will make Mr Yar'Adua responsible for Nigeria's petroleum industry and its troubled power sector.

Sudan: China defends Darfur stance as pressure grows

2007-07-27

http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN734109.html

China defended its stance on Darfur on Friday and urged patience as Western critics warned that Beijing's reluctance to back stronger action in the troubled Sudanese region could blight Olympic Games goodwill. China has pressed Sudan to accept U.N. peacekeepers alongside African Union forces struggling to quell bloodshed in Darfur. Experts estimate that 200,000 people have died and 2.1 million been displaced there by violence involving pro-government Arab militia fighting other ethnic groups.

Africa: Hope, concern greet China's growing prominence in Africa

2007-07-27

http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=38630

While China's growing trade and investment flows to Africa have sparked a sometimes contentious debate with the United States and Europe over who has the continent's best interests at heart, a closer look at the dynamic developing reveals a political landscape where the rhetoric is rarely in line with the reality, observers say.

Global: Major exporters continue bribing abroad - TI report

2007-07-27

http://tinyurl.com/322fjt

Over half of the world’s major exporting countries are still lacking the political will to prosecute foreign bribery, according to a new report by Transparency International (TI). The 2007 TI Progress Report on OECD Convention Enforcement shows that more than half of 34 parties to the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials are not enforcing the Convention or keeping their commitments. Signatory countries account for about two-thirds of world exports of goods and services. At the same time, there is now significant enforcement in 14 countries compared with 12 in 2006 and 8 in 2005.

Nigeria: IAP calls for new bill on assets

2007-07-26

http://www.ind-advocacy-project.org/Press%20Statements.htm

Independent Advocacy Project (IAP), Nigeria’s leading anti-corruption group has called on President Umaru Yar’Adua to table, in the coming months, before the National Assembly, a bill that makes it mandatory for all public office holders – including the president, his vice, state governors and their deputies and local government chairmen - to publicly declare their assets. The 1999 Constitution only allows private declaration to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) within one month of assumption of office.

Kenya: Grand Corruption: Kibaki must account - Civil Society

2007-07-27

http://www.marsgroupkenya.org/users/?p=55

Mwai Kibaki has once again demonstrated his complete lack of commitment to fight corruption and, even more, that he is a beneficiary of it. The Anglo Leasing and the corruption scandals of Moi, and Kenyatta before him, will remain unresolved so long as Mwai Kibaki is the President. His continued dalliance with Daniel arap Moi is proof enough of his going back on his word to Kenyans that ‘Corruption will cease to be a way of life in Kenya’.

Morocco: Parliamentarians and high officials forced to declare their assets

2007-07-27

http://tinyurl.com/2wcjpc

Following a protracted debate, the Moroccan Parliament announced on July 23rd that it passed a controversial new law governing the conduct of public officials, Magharebia News reports. The new legislation requires top civil servants and state officials, including parliamentary representatives, to declare their personal assets.

Africa: 'Aid for Trade' may cut health, education funds

2007-07-27

http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=38611

African governments are worried that funds from the European Union (EU) to help them increase their countries' share of world trade could be at the expense of other forms of development aid. The EU's executive arm, the European Commission (EC), has been promising that substantial "aid for trade" will be available to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations, who are set to sign Economic Partnership Agreements with Brussels by the end of this year.

Africa: Poll shows Africans wary, but hopeful about future

2007-07-26

Lydia Polgreen & Marjorie Connelly

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/development/42786

Despite a thicket of troubles, from deadly illnesses like AIDS and malaria to corrupt politicians and deep-seated poverty, a plurality of Africans say they are better off today than they were five years ago and are optimistic about their future and that of the next generation, according to a poll conducted in 10 sub-Saharan countries by The New York Times and the Pew Global Attitudes Project.
Poll Shows Africans Wary, but Hopeful About Future
By LYDIA POLGREEN and MARJORIE CONNELLY
Published: July 25, 2007

Election workers after Nigeria’s fraud-ridden voting in April. Sixty-seven percent of Nigerians polled said the vote had been conducted unfairly.

DAKAR, Senegal, July 24 — Despite a thicket of troubles, from deadly illnesses like AIDS and malaria to corrupt politicians and deep-seated poverty, a plurality of Africans say they are better off today than they were five years ago and are optimistic about their future and that of the next generation, according to a poll conducted in 10 sub-Saharan countries by The New York Times and the Pew Global Attitudes Project.
The results offer an unusual and complex portrait of a continent in flux — a snapshot of 10 modern African states as they struggle to build accountable governments, manage violent conflict and turn their natural resources into wealth for the population.
It found that in the main, Africans are satisfied with their national governments, and a majority of respondents in 7 of the 10 countries said their economic situation was at least somewhat good. But many said they faced a wide array of difficult and sometimes life-threatening problems, from illegal drug trafficking to political corruption, from the lack of clean water to inadequate schools for their children, from ethnic and political violence to deadly disease.
Face-to-face interviews were conducted in April and May with 8,471 adults in Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. The survey sampled nationwide adult populations, except in South Africa, where the sample was completely urban, and Ivory Coast, where it was disproportionately urban and tended to be in areas sympathetic to the government. The margins of sampling error were plus or minus either three or four percentage points.
The results showed that the struggle for democracy and good governing in Africa is more like a patchwork of gains and setbacks than a steady tide of progress across a continent that has suffered some of the worst instances of misrule. While all of the countries polled are nominally democracies, half of them have suffered serious rollbacks of multiparty representational government in recent years. A majority in each country said corrupt political leaders were a big problem.
The most recent elections in Ethiopia and Uganda were marred by violence and the exclusion of major candidates, and failed to meet international standards of fairness; they were considerable setbacks for two countries that a decade ago were seen as rising examples of Africa’s democratic future.
Electoral trouble has even tinged Senegal, often seen as a beacon in the volatile West African region because it has never had a coup and has a long tradition of democracy. This year, opposition parties boycotted legislative elections there over accusations of election fraud.
In Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and top oil producer, the poll results reflect frustration with the way elections are carried out — 67 percent of Nigerians said that their presidential election was not conducted fairly. Presidential and local elections in April were so badly marred by fraud and violence that the European Union called them not credible. Asked if they were generally satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things were going in their country, 87 percent of those interviewed for the survey said they were dissatisfied. Yet Nigerians were the most optimistic of all the nations surveyed — 69 percent said they expected that children growing up in Nigeria would be better off than people today.
“It expresses a huge challenge for democracy in Africa,” said Peter M. Lewis, director of African Studies at Johns Hopkins University and an author of the Afrobarometer, a public opinion survey of African attitudes. “We have seen significant strides for democratic liberty and practices in the last 10 or 15 years. It is also a fact that in most of their countries, average citizens have not seen a significant improvement in their material circumstances and their living condition.” The economic data in the poll give a mixed picture. A plurality of respondents said that their financial situation had improved in the last five years, with the exception of Ivory Coast, Tanzania and Uganda. Many African economies are growing rapidly as prices for oil, iron ore, copper and timber have risen in recent years — overall gross domestic product growth in Africa last year was 5.7 percent and some countries, like Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, have seen much higher growth.
But more resource wealth has not necessarily led to broad prosperity. Of the respondents in Nigeria, 82 percent said average people were not benefiting from the country’s oil wealth.
Salimata Mbengue, a 21-year-old shopkeeper in Ngor, a village at the edge of Dakar, said that she had high hopes for the future of her business but was very worried about the current economic situation of her family.
“I have five brothers, and only two are employed,” she said, sitting outside the small convenience store where she sells sodas, candy, biscuits and cartons of milk. “Our parents are retired, and we have to support them. I am hopeful, but it is very hard to get ahead here.” The spread of infectious diseases like AIDS is seen as a very big problem by a large majority of the respondents in every country polled. More than half of the 40 million people infected with H.I.V. live in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the United Nations, and Africa accounted for 65 percent of new infections in 2006.
Yet few respondents in all the countries polled said they had been tested for H.I.V., ranging from 4 percent in Ghana to 27 percent in Kenya and Ethiopia. Still, a considerable majority of respondents in each country were either willing to be tested, or already had been.
Other health concerns weighed heavily on most respondents. Getting access to clean drinking water was seen as a big problem for a majority in all 10 countries, ranging from 86 percent in Ethiopia to 58 percent in urban South Africa. About half or more in eight countries said that they had been unable to pay for medical care.
But hunger seemed less of a problem — a majority of respondents in all but Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania said that they had enough money to buy food their family needed.
Large majorities said poor-quality schools were a major problem, and many respondents said it was harder to provide an education for their children than to get food for them.
The poll also measured African attitudes to the United States and found that on the whole, 8 of the 10 countries surveyed said they viewed it as a dependable ally. They showed little of the anti-American sentiment that has dominated polls of public opinion in recent years, but some countries had negative views of American culture — 82 percent of Tanzanians, two-thirds of Senegalese and about half of the Ghanaians, Malians and Kenyans surveyed.
Oumar Diallo, a 27-year-old unemployed plumber in Dakar, said that his Muslim faith made him uneasy with some aspects of American culture. “For us Muslims, we have certain values and ways of conducting ourselves that is different than America,” he said. “America is hard towards Muslims.”

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Southern Africa: Unequal water resources present a challenge

2007-07-27

http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=38670

Water resources are unevenly distributed throughout the countries of Southern Africa. The region boasts of some of the world’s largest lakes and rivers, but is also a land of vast deserts. However, in spite of the overall regional availability of water and substantial international aid efforts to ensure the safe provision of water, there are still many rural people and urban poor who do not have sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

South Africa: South Africa on course to halve poverty in 7 years

2007-07-27

http://www.afrol.com/articles/26230

There was a sharp decline in unemployment and poverty in South Africa, an annual report from the national statistics bureau has confirmed. Economists therefore believe that the country will be on course to halve unemployment and poverty within seven years if the present economic growth of 5% continues.

Zimbabwe: Hunger bites the health and education sectors

2007-07-27

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73440

The effects of the government's month-old price-control policies, which have brought widespread shortages of basic commodities, are also beginning to tell in the education, health and social service sectors. The government launched "Operation Reduce Prices" in late June in an attempt to cap escalating prices as businesses tried to cushion themselves against the world's highest inflation rate - over 4,000 percent - although some independent economists estimate the actual inflation rate at about 20,000 percent.

Guinea: Donors to give $90 million to boost basic services

2007-07-27

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73442

International donors have committed US$90 million to help the Guinean government improve access to water, electricity and food and tackle mass youth unemployment. These are stop-gap measures designed to appease a population desperate for better living conditions.

East Africa: Programmes disregard HIV among the elderly

2007-07-27

http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73453

Worldwide, an estimated 2.8 million people over the age of 50 are living with HIV, but this group is largely ignored by information and awareness campaigns. Most people remain sexually active well past their fifties, usually with their long-term partners, while others start sexual relationships with new people after the death of a partner, or in the case of polygamous societies, when men marry new wives.

Global: Models predict costs and benefits of circumcision programmes

2007-07-27

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/174CC90A-5EC0-4E56-AF26-5B164A60353D.asp

Although circumcision programmes will involve significant initial costs, they will save billions of dollars in the long-term, according to a mathematical model presented to the Sydney International AIDS Society Conference on July 25th. A separate mathematical model also presented to the conference, showed that universal circumcision would have the greatest impact on HIV incidence, but that targeting circumcision at men with the most sexual partners, and those aged between 20 – 30-years would be the most effective way of reducing HIV prevalence.

South Africa: Early treatment of HIV-infected infants with ART significantly reduces mortality - study

2007-07-27

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/973ABB13-4482-4A06-92BC-CC3298E9EF6E.asp

Treating HIV-infected infants with antiretroviral therapy (ART) as early as possible, within the first six to 12 weeks of life — rather than waiting until they show signs of immunological or clinical deterioration — dramatically decreases their risk of early death, according to findings from the Children with HIV Early Antiretroviral Therapy (CHER) trial, a South African study presented at a late-breaker session of the 4th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Treatment and Pathogenesis in Sydney.

Uganda: Lack of data on men with weak immune systems weakens comparative study

2007-07-27

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/E39E3956-F9DC-46CB-A391-9844F95FB2B8.asp

Circumcision is equally safe in HIV-positive and HIV-negative men, according to data from Uganda presented to the 4th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in Sydney on July 25th. Investigators found that there were near-identical rates of adverse-events in HIV-positive and HIV-negative men undergoing surgical circumcision by a trained medical practitioner.

Botswana: Study finds low concentrations of TB drugs common in HIV-positives

2007-07-27

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/hivaids/42827

A pharmacokinetic (PK) study conducted in people on directly observed tuberculosis (TB) treatment in Botswana calls into question whether the standard TB drug dosing is really adequate for all populations, particularly among people with advanced HIV living in sub-Saharan Africa. The study, which was presented at the 4th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in Sydney, Australia, found that low concentrations of TB drugs were common in the population, regardless of HIV status.

Zambia: New testing method set to improve child survival

2007-07-27

http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73437

A new testing method will make it possible for babies below the age of 18 months to be accurately screened for HIV. Infants up to this age still carry their mother's antibodies and, using the usual testing method, can test HIV positive when, in fact, they are negative.

Tanzania: Plans to raise education standards widely commended

2007-07-27

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73283

Education experts have welcomed the Tanzanian government’s pledge to hire more teachers in the 2007-2008 financial year to improve the quality of education in the country. “Many will agree that the most important thing in education is the interaction between motivated, competent teachers and their students," Suleiman Sumra, a retired professor of education and researcher with Hakielimu, an NGO dealing with educational issues, told IRIN.

Uganda: Lesbians want protection

2007-07-27

http://www.mask.org.za/article.php?cat=uganda&id=1638

Two years ago, a government official broke into a home, seized property and detained one of the occupants without a warrant. Two Ugandan lesbians are suing the government for trespassing, theft of property, illegal arrest, and inhuman and degrading treatment. The case has been in court since December 2006 and a verdict is expected when the court session resumes in August.

Zambia: Hope for Zambian MSM

2007-07-27

http://www.mask.org.za/article.php?cat=hivaids&id=1637

For the first time in Zambia, men having sex with other men (MSM) will have a government endorsed assessment aimed at identifying their existence and sexual behaviour in relation to HIV and Aids. This is done to draw the government’s attention to health issues faced by MSM in that country.

Côte d'Ivoire: Toxic waste probe goes to France

2007-07-27

http://www.afrol.com/articles/26229

The 94 Ivorian victims of the toxic waste have been denied justice in their country, but they continue the battle for justice and have now filed a case to that effect in the French judiciary. The toxic waste resulted to the death of 16 people, hospitalised 76 and forced over 100,000 to seek for medical attention.

Sudan: Flooding reaching unprecedented levels

2007-07-27

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73438

Floods that have already left thousands of families homeless in Sudan have reached a critical stage in several states, an official from the government’s emergency response committee said. "The river levels have exceeded those of previous years, especially in the Nile River state [northern Sudan]," said General Awad Widatallah Hussein, spokesman for the committee, on 26 July.

Senegal: Dakar water channel poses potential health hazard

2007-07-27

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73377

A water channel running through the centre of the bustling Senegalese capital, Dakar, may have been intended as a public recreation area and amenity, but the reality is different. Knee-level rubbish and stagnant water mean the channel, known locally as Canal 4, is generally considered to be a large, open sewer, and potentially poses a health hazard.

Swaziland: Facing climate change

2007-07-27

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73337

Felix Matsebula, a subsistence farmer in Swaziland's eastern Lubombo region, near the Mozambique border, always suspected that the columns of smoke rising from the surrounding sugarcane plantations and blackening the sky were harmful to his crops, and a reason his harvests have been declining for years.

Zambia: Police prohibit radio station from covering demonstration

2007-07-26

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/85035/

On 19 July 2007, police in Lusaka prevented Q-FM, a private radio station, from mounting their Outside Broadcasting (OB) equipment to cover live a demonstration organised by the OASIS forum and Collaborative Group on the Constitution, outside the gates of Parliament. Police said that the permit issued to the conveners of the demonstration did not include mounting the OB unit for live coverage of the event.

DRC: Journalist in hiding after sentenced to prison without notice

2007-07-26

http://www.cpj.org/news/2007/africa/drc19july07na.html

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, convicted a journalist in secret and ordered him to report to prison immediately. He had never been told that he was charged with a crime. On July 5, Pold Kalombo, an editor of the private weekly Le Soft International received a notice of a May 18 judgment that convicted him and his newspaper, by default, on defamation charges filed by an oil company, the director of the newspaper, Mike Mukebayi, told CPJ.

Guinea Bissau: Two journalists covering drug trafficking harassed

2007-07-26

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/85054/

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called on the government of Guinea-Bissau to help end the intimidation of journalists covering the trafficking of drugs in the country and to ensure appropriate compensation is paid to the journalists who were victims of a road accident in 2005, following a recent court ruling. "We are very worried for the security of our colleagues in Guinea-Bissau," said Gabriel Baglo, Director of IFJ Africa office.

Malawi: High Court nullifies improperly-appointed communications regulatory board

2007-07-26

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/85027/

On 13 July 2007, the High Court in Blantyre nullified the composition of the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) board because its members did not qualify for appointment. In his ruling, Judge Frank Kapanda said it was wrong for President Bingu wa Mutharika to appoint the board members while excluding old members of the board. Kapanda issued an order stopping the board members from exercising their functions and another requiring the President to comply with the Communications Act.

Niger: One-month ban on RFI broadcasts fuels concern about rapid decline in press freedom

2007-07-26

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/84995/

Reporters Without Borders has voiced concern about a rapid deterioration in press freedom in Niger, especially in the north, following the imposition on 19 July 2007 of a one-month ban on the retransmission of French public radio station Radio France Internationale's (RFI) programmes throughout the country. "There have been many press freedom violations since fighting broke out in the north of the country," the organisation said.

Zimbabwe: Zimbabwean editor shot and seriously wounded in South Africa

2007-07-27

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/85116/

Abel Mutsakani, the editor of ZimOnline and former managing editor of the banned "Daily News", is reportedly battling for his life in a Johannesburg, South Africa hospital after he was shot and seriously injured by a gang of three assailants on 23 July 2007. According to reports from ZimOnline, which publishes from South Africa, the motive behind the savage attack on Mutsakani remains unclear. "He is in a serious but stable condition," said Abel Chapatarongo, Mutsakani's deputy at ZimOnline.

Sudan: A Strategy for Comprehensive Peace in Sudan - New ICG report

2007-07-26

http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4961&l=1

The latest report from the International Crisis Group, A Strategy for Comprehensive Peace in Sudan, examines how the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended Africa’s longest-running civil war in 2005, is being extensively undermined, primarily by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

Zimbabwe: Standing in Solidarity with Archbishop Ncube - Message from the people of Zimbabwe

2007-07-24

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/624

We as citizens of Zimbabwe are appalled at the recent attempt of the State to undermine the standing of Archbishop Ncube. We encourage all caring citizens to stand by Pius Ncube in this dark hour, as he has tirelessly stood by us all for many years. We ask him to continue to raise his voice with ours, and to continue to campaign for the many just causes and fair practices that he has worked for in the democracy movement.

Africa: A Tale Of Two Genocides, Congo And Darfur

2007-07-26

Glen Ford

http://countercurrents.org/ford180707.htm

Possibly a quarter million people have lost their lives in Darfur, western Sudan, in ethnic conflict. The U.S. government screams its head off in denunciation of genocide, in this case. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as many as five million have died since 1994 in overlapping convulsions of ethnic and state-sponsored massacre. Not a word of reproach from Washington.

Rwanda: Interahamwe target, kill Ugandan Banyarwanda - report

2007-07-26

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/conflict/42785

Elements of the defunct Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) and Interahamwe, a Genocide militia, have infiltrated Uganda and are systematically carrying out violent attacks on a section of Banyarwanda living in the country, The New Times has learnt.A recent investigation by The New Times established that at least 10 people were in recent months killed by the militias in Masindi District in western Uganda.
New Times (Kigali)
22 July 2007
Posted to the web 23 July 2007
Charles Kazooba in Kampala
Elements of the defunct Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) and Interahamwe, a Genocide militia, have infiltrated Uganda and are systematically carrying out violent attacks on a section of Banyarwanda living in the country, The New Times has learnt.A recent investigation by The New Times established that at least 10 people were in recent months killed by the militias in Masindi District in western Uganda.
The Interahamwe are common in Panyadoli refugee camp in Kiryandongo sub-county and Mutunda sub-county in Kibanda County.
According to residents in these areas which have large communities of Ugandan Banyarwanda, the Interahamwe have now joined hands with other local thugs to terrorise residents, particularly Banyarwanda.
Godfrey Byempaka, a Munyarwanda resident of Kiryadongo said the Interahamwe easily cross from the DRC through the porous border into Uganda, commit atrocities and then sneak back before security forces intercept them.
"They are always armed and at times they hire their guns out to robbers. When they realize that you have seen and noticed them, they kill you," Byempaka said.
Other sources among Rwandan refugees in the area said that a number of Interahamwe stay in Muntunda Sub County, from where they coordinate their activities.
Mutunda borders River Nile and shares a boundary with Kiryandongo, 50 kilometres from Masindi on Gulu-Kampala highway.
Victims According to the local communities, at the end of last year, Interahamwe elements murdered four members of John Ntagwira's family in cold blood. They had reportedly wanted to kill Ntagwira himself earlier but had failed on different occasions.
Ntagwira, who later relocated from Mutunda to the neighbouring Kijunjuba Parish, had, according to his friends, for long been surveilling the militia's activities in the region but his motive later came to the attention of Interahamwe. It is at that time that he became a top target of the militias.
At Kiryandongo, where suspected Interahamwe attacks are reported to be common, another victim, William Mushabe, escaped unhurt when the attackers pursued him early this year.
The suspected Interahamwe also killed one Rwamudola, Rwenega and Didas Biizi and a child to one Karachi. They also hacked to death three other unidentified Banyarwanda and and a Munyankore man.
In an exclusive interview, one Godfrey Kihirwa, alleged that the Interahamwe militias have links with some Uganda army officers.
"It is hard to believe it but at times they are arrested but only to be rescued by some big people in the army," Kihirwa said.
Sources identified some of the identified Interahamwe militias who were arrested and later released are Aisa, Bujenyi, Yamireme and Muzeeyi. They were reportedly released under unclear circumstances.
Kihirwa said one Mukotani is one of the most notorious Interahamwe militia in the area. However Mukotani recently fled to either Rwanda or DRC, according to his associates. He is also linked to an arms racket.
The area MP, Sam Otada, confirmed the presence of the militias in his constituency. "It is true there are some former Rwandan soldiers and militias that are terrorising my constituency. But what I can tell you is that police is still investigating. As of now I cannot assure you that I have details at hand," Otada told The New Times recently. But the Masindi Criminal Investigation Directorate, Chief Christopher Mcagiu, denied that Interahamwe exist in the area despite allegations that that police often clear the suspected the Rwandan criminals without carrying out thorough investigations. "Who told you that? I cannot say anything. I do not have any such cases," Mcagiu said.
Uganda's Police Spokesman Assan Kasingye referred this reporter to Masindi District Police Commander, whose phone was switched off by press time.
Uganda's Coordinator of Intelligence Services, Gen. David Tinyefuza, also denied knowledge of Interahamwe presence in Uganda.
"I hadn't known that. What I know is that there are other people (Banyarwanda) who are not pastoralists in the area that could be causing havoc," Tinyefuza said.
Majority of Interahamwe militias and members of the defeated Genocidal force are living in eastern DRC, where they have committed numerous human rights abuses against local communities. They fled Rwanda after participating in the 1994 Genocide which claimed at least one million ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

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Zimbabwe: Food crisis: a disaster waiting to happen

2007-07-26

http://www.thezimbabwestandard.com/viewinfo.cfm?linkid=11&id=6962&siteID=1

Estimates are that in the first three months of 2008 — an election year — 4.1 million people, a third of Zimbabwe's population, will require food aid. Most of it will be provided by the United Nations, but so far, the government is said to be in a state of "denial", refusing to make the obligatory appeal to the UN.

Sudan: Europe plans Darfur border force

2007-07-26

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6911936.stm

The European Union has taken the first step towards sending a force to countries neighbouring the Sudanese conflict in Darfur. European foreign ministers in Brussels authorised their military staff to draw up plans for an operation to deploy in Chad and the Central African Republic.

DRC: ICTs excluded in development schemes - report

2007-07-26

http://www.globaliswatch.org/files/pdf/GISW_DRC.pdf

The DRC is in a post-conflict reconstruction period. Until now, ICTs have not been considered part of reconstruction and excluded in development schemes for the country. A report produced by Lina Gjerstad from Alternatives, a Canadian social rights NGO, which has worked in the DRC since 2002, posits that the four ICT challenges are: lack of infrastructure, lack of a broad-based ICT vision for the country, absence of properly defined institutional roles and responsibilities, and lack of public funds and human resources.

Ghana: Teacher gets US$400,000 to establish ICT cCentre

2007-07-26

http://www.africanloft.com/technology-round-up-july-17-2007

A National Business plan competition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme, Believe Begin Become (BBB) has awarded a 32 year old teacher of Damongo Secondary School (DASS), Prince Yakubu Tahiru an amount of US $400,000 to establish an ICT centre in Damongo, the West Gonja District capital of the Northern Region.

Uganda : Report on progress in ICT sector

2007-07-26

http://www.globaliswatch.org/files/pdf/GISW_Uganda.pdf

A new report by the Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) assesses whether or not Uganda is on track to meet the information and communications technology (ICT) development objectives laid out in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Plan of Action. It provides an overview of the ICT status in the country, and presents some of the rapid changes that have happened within the country’s ICT sector. The report highlights the steps taken by the government in realising the WSIS Plan of Action, but also summarises the challenges the country faces.

Global: '$100 laptop' production begins

2007-07-26

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6908946.stm

Five years after the concept was first proposed, the so-called $100 laptop is poised to go into mass production. Hardware suppliers have been given the green light to ramp-up production of all of the components needed to build millions of the low-cost machines.

Mali: Mobile service helps bring down infant mortality

2007-07-27

http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/current1.html

In Coura, a district of Mali's capital Bamako, it's now possible to monitor the health of local infants closely in real time with the launch of a new pilot project dubbed Pesinet. Initiated and funded by Alcatel-Lucent, Fondation Orange Mali, Afrique Initiatives, Medicament Export (Medex) and Kafo Yeredeme, the project aims to provide a preventative medical diagnostic service for infants between 0-5 years, based on regular checks on the childrens' weight gain.

Global: Competition seeks innovations in health digital games

2007-07-26

http://www.changemakers.net/competition/healthgames

Ashoka’s Changemakers.net - in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - launched an online competition designed to find innovative ways that video games can be used to help people manage their health and improve how their care is provided. The competition, called “Why Games Matter: A Prescription for Improving Health and Health Care,” challenges game developers, researchers, health organizations and others to demonstrate how games can help improve health and health care. Submit your entries by September 26, 2007 3:00 pm EST (21:00 GMT.

Global: Links to institutions and organizations for African studies and development

2007-07-26

http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/africa/funding/other.asp

The Cornell Institute for African Development offers numerous fellowship programs for study at the graduate school. Of these, Cornell annually coordinates two of these programs, which are specifically directed to African students; the Institute for African Development (IAD) Tuition Fellowship; and the Provost South African Fund Fellowship. The Institute for African Development hereby offers links to various external Institutions and organizations with fellowships, scholarships and grants for African studies and issues appertaining to African Development.

Global: Summer Photography Competition Open: ICT and your holidays

2007-07-24

http://iwith.org/news/en_US/1/2007/06/20/10/

As Iwith.org is an NPO that seeks to improve the world through ICTs, we would like to set you a challenge for the coming holidays: take your camera and immortalise the technological state of the places that you visit. We want you to be moved as much by the beauty of a submarine fibre optic cable in the most developed countries as by that of a satellite dish in a Brazilian shanty town. We want to know your name, the story behind the photo, your intent when you took the photo and how this reality affects certain groups of human beings. A positive image or a negative one, the important point is that the picture says a lot about the mentality and reality of the place.

Global: UNAIDS Request for Proposals - 2008 AIDS Review Civil Society Support Mechanism

2007-07-26

http://data.unaids.org/pub/unaidsRFPs/2007/20070723_cs_support_mechanism_rfp_en.pdf

UNAIDS invites joint bids from coalitions and networks of civil society organizations to come together to form a year long mechanism to support national civil society and community groups in maximising the impact of the 2008 UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS. The deadline for bids and decision is September 3 2007.

Global: 7th International Human Rights Colloquium

2007-07-26

http://www.conectas.org/coloquio/home_en.html

The annual International Human Rights Colloquium is a one-of-a-kind forum that brings together scores of human rights activists and academics for a week each year to learn from their peers and experts in the field, obtain a fresh perspective on their work, and lay the foundation for professional alliances down the road (networking). The colloquium will take palce in Sao Paulo, Brazil from 3-10 November, 2007.

Global: Events and Conferences serving Africa

2007-07-26

http://www.foundation-development-africa.org/africa_upcoming_events/index.htm

All these Upcoming Events and Conferences Serving Africa and other activities listed on these pages may add value to Africa's Development! This service is provided to allow Africa to remain informed and to participate in these events where possible!

Global: OHCHR and UNITAR human rights fellowship for students from LDCs

2007-07-26

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/42818

The Human Rights Fellowship Programme for Students from Least Developed Countries (LDC) is jointly organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Selected candidates will be informed in writing, before 3 September 2007 about the status of their candidature.
Background and Objectives

The Human Rights Fellowship Programme for Students from Least Developed Countries (LDC) is jointly organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
The overall objectives of this project are:
1.To increase the understanding of the LDC fellows of current human rights issues at the international level and give them an insight into the work of the United Nations and OHCHR; and
2. To provide OHCHR and the United Nations human rights mechanisms with the assistance and contribution of outstanding students or graduates from LDCs.

Qualifications Required To qualify for the fellowship, candidates from the LDCs listed below must be graduate students or holders of a graduate degree in a discipline related to the work of the United Nations (e.g. international law, political science, social sciences, history or other related topics). Experience with or a specialization in human rights will be considered an asset. Candidates should be less than 30 years old at the time they send their candidature. The 2007 programme will be run in English. Selected participants will be requested to submit proof of fluency in English.

Least Developed Countries The 2007 fellowship is open to candidates from LDCs:
Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia.

Content and Methodology The Programme will consist of both training and practical exposure to the work of OHCHR. The training will be conducted in the form of seminars and debates that will allow for a maximum exchange of views. A significant part of the training will also be devoted to practical skills exercises that will strengthen the fellows' professional skills and abilities and help them to better adapt to the multicultural and international working environment of OHCHR. Once the training segment is completed, the fellows will be assigned to an OHCHR Branch. Upon the completion of their fellowship both the supervisor and the fellow will be required to complete a final report describing what was achieved during the fellowship. At the end of the Programme, every fellow will be requested to complete an evaluation questionnaire on his/her assignment and to share his/her feedback with the organizers.
The training curriculum will include the following topics:
1. Introduction to the structure and functioning of the United Nations Organization and System;
2. The main challenges facing the United Nations today;
3. The United Nations Agenda for Reform;
4. The United Nations System in Geneva;
5. Briefings on OHCHR and selected human rights topics.
6. New Information and Communication Technologies;
7. United Nations report writing techniques;
8. Structure, retrieval and use of United Nations and OHCHR documentation;
9. Study visit to the « Cyberspace » and to the library of the United Nations Office at Geneva; and
10.Guided tour of the Palais des Nations;

Venue, Date and Language
The 2007 Programme will be run in English at the offices of OHCHR in Geneva, Switzerland. It is expected to start on 1 October 2007 and end on 31 January 2008.
Financial and Logistical Arrangements The travel costs of the fellows will be covered by the Programme. In accordance with policies and procedures governing the administration of United Nations fellowships, participants will receive a stipend to cover their living expenses in Geneva. Visa arrangements, accommodation, health and accident insurance will also be provided by the Programme.

Resource Persons and Training Material The training faculty will comprise experts from the academic and private sector as well as from international circles, including practitioners from both within and outside the United Nations system. Every participant will receive a set of training materials at the beginning of the Programme.

Application Procedure To apply for the Programme, please read the instructions on the application form carefully, complete the form legibly and ensure that it arrives before the deadline of 20 August 2007. Applications arriving after the deadline will not be considered.
Applicants should submit the following documentation:

1. A covering motivation letter stating the reason for applying to the Programme, indicating the benefits that are expected to be derived from the training and career goals;
2. A duly completed and signed application form;
3. One recommendation letter. Please see page 5 of the application form.
4. Address for Applications

The application form, recommendation and motivation letters should be sent to:

Mr. Rabih El-Haddad Tel.: +41 (22) 917 86 40 Programme Officer United Nations Institute for Training Fax: +41 (22) 917 80 47 and Research (UNITAR) Palais des Nations 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland E-mail: rabih.haddad@unitar.org www.unitar.org/diplomacy Application forms can be downloaded here:

http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/ldcfellowship.htm For additional information, please consult the "Frequently Asked Questions".

Selection Process
The selection committee will give due consideration to the candidates' qualifications, age and to adequate geographical and gender distribution of the fellowships. Applications from female candidates are encouraged.
Selected candidates will be informed in writing, before 3 September 2007 about the status of their candidature. For efficient and fast communication, all candidates are kindly requested to clearly indicate a fax or e-mail address on the attached application form.
Due to the large number of applicants, the organizers are unable to inform unsuccessful candidates. Unsuccessful candidates, however, may re-apply for following periods.

Certificates Fellows who complete all the requirements of the Programme will receive a certificate that will be co-signed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UNITAR Executive Director

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Africa: Africa Research and Policy Associate - IGLHRC

2007-07-26

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/42787

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)is currently seeking a committed individual to join as Africa Research and Policy Associate (Horn, East and Central Africa), for a fixed-term, one-year position. Our program staff works both regionally and thematically. The position will be based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Deadline for applications is August 1, 2007.
INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IGLHRC
Job Opening: Africa Research and Policy Associate (Horn, East, and Central Africa)

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), a New York based non-profit organization with a $1.5 million annual operating budget, is the only organization in the world specifically dedicated to human rights advocacy for LGBTI people. IGLHRC monitors, documents and responds to human rights violations, advocates for sexual rights, and works in partnership with both community-based and national LGBTI organizations. In the past year, IGLHRC has issued dozens of Action Alerts relating to specific human rights violations, provided partnership and training to activists from Africa, Asia, Central Europe and Latin America, coordinated global advocacy efforts at the UN and at regional human rights bodies, and provided documentation to support the claims of LGBT asylum seekers.

We are currently seeking a committed individual to join us as Africa Research and Policy Associate (Horn, East and Central Africa), for a fixed-term, one-year position. Our program staff works both regionally and thematically. The position will be based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Africa Research and Policy Associate's primary function will be to provide research, writing, and campaign leadership as well as programmatic and administrative support as part of our 3-person Africa Program Team. Reporting to the Africa Specialist, the primary responsibilities of the Africa Research and Policy Associate are to:

. Research and monitor human rights violations in the subregion (Horn, East and Central Africa)
. Develop human rights reports and emergency responses to human rights violations . Assist in the implementation of human rights campaigns, particularly related to religious homophobia and/or human rights challenges for African lesbians . Coordinate communication and partnership with African GLBT organizations in the subregion

QUALIFICATIONS:
. Bachelors or Masters degree. Relevant academic background, including knowledge of international human rights standards and practices . Excellent oral and written communication skills . Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, while remaining focused on quality and timeliness . Prior practical experience working with African LGBT and/or sexual rights movement, preferably with an advocacy organization . Knowledge of sub-Saharan African politics highly desirable . Fluency in English required; French or Swahili highly desirable.
. Ability to travel throughout Africa and to the U.S.

HOW TO APPLY:

Deadline: IGLHRC will start interviewing qualified candidates on August 1, 2007 and will continue to review applications until the position is filled. Competitive salary and excellent benefits. E-mail cover letter outlining your specific assets relative to the position and a current resume in WORD format to jobs@iglhrc.org <mailto:jobs@iglhrc.org>.

In the subject line, please put: Africa Research and Policy Associate Search.

Please also let us know where you saw this listing.

No phone calls, please. Only applicants being considered will be contacted. IGLHRC is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse, multicultural work environment. People of color, people with disabilities and people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is a leading human rights organization solely devoted to improving the rights of people around the world who are targeted for imprisonment, abuse or death because of their sexuality, gender identity or HIV/AIDS status.
IGLHRC addresses human rights violations by partnering with and supporting activists in countries around the world, monitoring and documenting human rights abuses, engaging offending governments, and educating international human rights officials. A non-profit, non-governmental organization, IGLHRC is based in New York, with offices in San Francisco and Buenos Aires. Visit http://www.iglhrc.org for more information.

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Africa: Managing Editors - CODESRIA

2007-07-26

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/42780

The Council for the Development of Social Research in Africa (CODESRIA) invites applications for three Managing editor positions. Under the overall authority of the Executive Secretary and the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Officer (Publications and Dissemination), the managing editors, will be expected to serve primarily as the officers responsible for the day-to-day management of the CODESRIA publications that fall within their portfolio. All applications must be received by 31 October 2007.
CODESRIA
Vacancy Announcement Managing Editors

The Council for the Development of Social Research in Africa (CODESRIA) invites applications for three new positions:

1. Managing Editor, CODESRIA Journals©;
2. Managing Editor, CODESRIA Books©;
3. Managing Editor, CODESRIA Monographs and Online publications©.

In recent years, the CODESRIA Publications and Dissemination Programme has undergone a considerable expansion that has translated into a significant increase in the number books, monographs and journals published by the Council, as well as in the organisation's online publication services. This expansion has necessitated the restructuring of the Programme with a view to further cementing the role of CODESRIA as the leading social science scholarly publisher on the African continent. The three new positions of managing editors are designed to boost the publication programme on all fronts.

Under the overall authority of the Executive Secretary and the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Officer (Publications and Dissemination), the managing editors, will be expected to serve primarily as the officers responsible for the day-to-day management of the CODESRIA publications that fall within their portfolio. Each managing editor will be required to play a key role in enhancing the quantity, quality and reach of the different publications assigned them.

The key tasks and responsibilities of the managing editors will include:

- Supervising the publishing process from manuscript submission to final production;
- Editing and proofreading manuscripts in English/French for grammar, style, errors and inconsistencies and crosschecking bibliographic entries according to the in-house style guide;
- Liaising with both in-house and external proofreaders, typesetters, translators, artists and controlling the quality of freelance services, maintaining a database of various consultants and service providers used by the Publications and Dissemination Programme;
- Liaising with authors, contributors and editors of publications under his/her portfolio;
- Sending proofs to authors and resolving editorial queries where needed.

- Performing research, as necessary, to validate accuracy of the contents of manuscripts received;
- Liaising with other CODESRIA programmes staff for the purpose of facilitating the publication process;
- Preparing blurbs, abstracts and summary information for covers and dissemination activities;
- Preparing instructions for typesetting and checking proofs before final production;
- Developing and managing the business side of CODESRIA publications for which they are responsible;
- Monitoring and ensuring regular update of information and content of list portfolio on the CODESRIA website;
- Building relations with authors, publishers and other actors in the book trade;
- Writing regular financial and activity reports on the management of list portfolio.

- Liaising with the CODESRIA Marketing and Distribution officer in the dissemination of list portfolio;
- Ensuring adherence to strict guidelines and deadlines of the Publications and Dissemination Programme.

The managing editors will need to be hands-on, self-motivating and target-oriented individuals requiring minimum supervision. They must also be capable of leading and motivating a team of support staff.
REQUIREMENTS
Candidates for any of the three positions of managing editor available in CODESRIA must:

- Have a sound university education and relevant work experience in a research and/ or publishing environment;
- Have a demonstrable experience of copyediting in an academic/research work environment;
- Be fully conversant with current Information technology and electronic publishing and possess knowledge of the use of ICT tools in research;
- Be fluent either in English, French or Portuguese and have a strong working knowledge of one of the others.
HOW TO APPLY
All applicants wishing to be considered for any of the three positions of managing editor are required to supply the following documents:

1. A written application;
2. A detailed CV describing the candidate's professional experience;
3. Three reference letters, two of which must come from people living in countries other than the applicant's country of residence; Both the application and the reference letters should be sent to:

The Executive Secretary CODESRIA Avenue Cheikh Anta Diop X Canal IV P.O. Box 3304 CP 18524 Dakar, SENEGAL
CLOSING DATE All applications must be received by 31 October 2007. Any application received after this date will not be considered.

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Kenya: Head of Child Sponsorship and Supporter Care - ActionAid

2007-07-26

http://www.actionaid.org/pages.aspx?PageID=12&ItemID=35

Reporting to the International Fundraising Director, this exciting new position within the International Fundraising Team will require the ideal candidate to:
Enable ActionAid country programmes to sustain and increase their income through providing great supporter care for child sponsorship and other individual fundraising products; Achieve the ambitious targets and change agenda the international fundraising strategic plan; Manage a team of international fundraising coordinators to build the capacity and capability of national operations. Deadline: 31 July, 2007

South Africa: International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission

Africa Research and Policy Associate (Horn, East, and Central Africa)

2007-07-24

http://www.iglhrc.org/

We are currently seeking a committed individual to join us as Africa Research and Policy Associate (Horn, East and Central Africa), for a fixed-term, one-year position. Our program staff works both regionally and thematically.
The position will be based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Africa Research and Policy Associate’s primary function will be to provide research, writing, and campaign leadership as well as programmatic and administrative support as part of our 3-person Africa Program Team. Reporting to the Africa Specialist, the primary responsibilities of the Africa Research and Policy Associate are to:


Deadline: IGLHRC will start interviewing qualified candidates on August 1, 2007 and will continue to review applications until the position is filled. Competitive salary and excellent benefits. E-mail cover letter outlining your specific assets relative to the position and a current resume in WORD format to jobs@iglhrc.org

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West Africa: Coordinator, Globalization and International governance programme - PIWA

2007-07-26

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/42784

Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA) seeks to recruit a Coordinator for the Globalization and International Governance thematic programme. Deadline for receiving applications is 10th August, 2007.
COORDINATOR OF THE “GLOBALIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL GOVERNANCE” THEMATIC PROGRAMME

JOB DESCRIPTION
Under the Programmes Director's supervision, he/she contributes : i) to make communication and information be considered as issues of globalization and of international democratic governance and to make the communication dimension be integrated into the debates on those themes; ii) to increase Civil Society's role at the West African regional level, on the questions of globalization, international governance and advocacy as well, so that this society is considered as a main actor on these issues; iii) to the elaboration, the development and the implementation of PIWA's programmes on the above themes and ensure these programmes' visibility.

MAIN DUTIES
- Elaborate and implement the programme's strategy of development for the coming years by matching its objectives with the ones of the organization's Strategic Plan and by guaranteeing the renewal of the reflection on the new issues;
- Actively contribute to fundraising for the programme's development and the continued existence in the next years;
- Write, introduce and follow up the requests for projects' financing and ensure the reporting of the programme's activities;
- Spark off, provide information for and facilitate public debates on the issues of globalization and governance for democracy;
- Strengthen the capacities and the synergy of the media sector stakeholders that work on these issues;
- Coordinate studies and researches on the theme from the decision about the most appropriate research methods to the definition of the terms of reference by going through the coordination of the study and research work at a distance and at the regional level;
- Initiate advocacy campaigns and mobilize stakeholders and decision-makers around the programme's issues;
- Coordinate the production and dissemination of information (including in the media) on the programmes' problematics in relationship with the technical departments (radio and print media):
- Supervise partners', consultants' and internal and external working groups' work at the national and regional level.

QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFILE
- Master's degree to PhD in political sciences, international relations, communication and information sciences, social sciences.
- Command of the concepts and tools of development projects' management: conception, planning, implementation and evaluation of programmes and projects.
- Good knowledge of the information sector and globalization and international governance themes plus familiarity with the theories, concepts, authors and main stakeholders of the sector; command the issues related to these themes at the African and World level.
- Minimum 5 years of relevant working experience at similar positions.
- Excellent level of French or English, with good working knowledge of the second language and be perfectly at ease in a multicultural and mixed environment.
- The applicant will prove to be strategic- minded, to have great capacities of conceptualization, to be a leader, precise and result-oriented. He/she will be dynamic, autonomous, reactive and really at ease in the development of networks.
- Command of usual office softwares (Office suite) and the Internet.
- This position requires frequent international travels.

HOW TO APPLY
• Send your résume and cover letter (maximum 4 pages) in which you explain why your application meets the requirements of the position you are applying for. Please put again on your résumé or cover letter: i) the position you are applying for, ii) your availability date, iii) your salary expectation, iv) 3 references (and their telephone and e-mail contact details) likely to provide us with more information on your past professional experience.
• Send an electronic version of your main degrees and academic titles (scanned or in PDF).
Deadline for receiving applications in Word format: 10th August, 2007 to be sent to the two following e-mail addresses: peopledev@orange.sn and secretaire@panos-ao.org Due to the high number of applications expected, only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Any application that does not obey the formats and requirements of the application file will be rejected.

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West Africa: General Coordinator, programmes - PIWA

2007-07-26

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/42783

Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA) seeks to recruit a General coordinator, programmes. Under the supervision of the Director General, he/she i) is in charge of the planning and of the implementation of tools for the monitoring and evaluation of all activities. Deadline for receiving applications is 10th August, 2007.
PROGRAMMES' GENERAL COORDINATOR

JOB DESCRIPTION
Under the supervision of the Director General, he/she i) is in charge of the planning and of the implementation of tools for the monitoring and evaluation of all activities; ii) ensures that the activities of the thematic programmes and technical departments are daily conducted and developed in accordance with the pluriannual strategic plan and the annual workplans; iii) ensures the engagements towards PIWA's Ordinary General Assembly, donors and partners are honoured; iv) leads a team of 5 to 6 themed programmes and technical departments coordinators.

MAIN DUTIES
- Coordinate the elaboration and the mid-course participative review of the workplan and of the annual budget
- Organize and lead the operational planning and programming works.
- Supervise and assist the programmes coordinators in setting out their respective programmes in the framework of the annual workplan and of the specific requests for financing.
- Contribute to the programmes' fundraising activities.
- Write the general programmes of activities and annual reports for each donor that are to be submitted to the General Direction, the General Assembly and to donors according to the required standards.
- Put in place effective integrated tools and mechanisms of projects' monitoring/evaluation for all PIWA's programmes.
- Propose and set operational tools for the coordination of activities (instrument panel, periodical meetings, reports, etc.).
- Contribute to the strict respect, by the staff, of obligations inherent to the implementation of activities (respect of contracts terms, of delays, budgets etc.).
- Proceed to the coordinators' individual evaluation in relationship with the institutional development officer.
- Promote and organize the good circulation of information.

QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFILE
- Postgraduate degree (Master's degree and more) in project management, international development, management, political sciences.
- Minimum 7 years of relevant working experience, of which at least 5 years at a similar position preferably in Africa.
- Command of concepts and management tools of development projects.
- Ability to elaborate and monitor management tools and instrument panels for complex activities.
- Familiarity with the media sector and communication issues in West Africa will be an asset.
- Excellent skills in written and oral expression, in conducting meetings and in public presentation.
- Command of the computer tool (Office suite) and of the internet.
- Excellent level in French or English with proficiency in the other language and ability to work in a multicultural and mixed environment.
- As a real on-man/woman band, the applicant must prove to possess tested capacities to daily lead a team, manage it and negotiate; excellent capacities of adaptation, to be practical minded, result-oriented and used to synthesise and to solving problems. Dynamic, the applicant is also used to working under pressure.

HOW TO APPLY
• Send your résumé and cover letter (maximum 4 pages) in which you explain why your application meets the requirements of the position you are applying for. Please put again on your résumé or cover letter: i) the position you are applying for, ii) your availability date, iii) your salary expectation, iv) 3 references (and their telephone and e-mail contact details) likely to provide us with more information on your past professional experience.
• Send an electronic version of your main degrees and academic titles (scanned or in PDF).
Deadline for receiving applications in Word format: 10th August, 2007 to be sent to the two following e-mail addresses: peopledev@orange.sn and secretaire@panos-ao.org Due to the high number of applications expected, only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Any application that does not obey the formats and requirements of the application file will be rejected.

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