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Over the next few weeks the blog roundup will have more of a regional focus. This week the focus is on West Africa.

‘Under the Acacias’ - (http://www.voiceinthedesert.org.uk/keith/archives/2006/09/update_and_pho...) is a blog by Keith Smith, a missionary worker in Burkina Faso who has been blogging for two years. This week Keith posts on the floods that have engulfed Gorom Gorom, on the edge of the Sahel. About 8000 people in the region have lost their homes. Keith explains:

“The disaster struck following a large rain, when 136cm (5.5")of rain fell (nearly half the normal year's rainfall) in 6 hours. A dam broke about 5 miles away, and a tide of water waist-high swept through the region. Several nearby villages were completely destroyed, as well as about half of the houses in Gorom-Gorom. Most houses are built of mud, and would have been simply washed away by the onslaught of water.”

The floods in the region from Burkina Faso through Nigeria and Niger have so far left up to 26000 people homeless. Keith’s blog provides information on short and long-term needs and photos of the disaster.

Cameroonian blog, 'Scribbles from the Den' - Scribbles from the Den (http://www.dibussi.com/2006/09/save_my_wife_2_.html) reports on a horrendous story from the New York Times of Prudence, a young woman who died in childbirth. Like so many women in the global south, Prudence died not from pregnancy but rather from general neglect of the very poor and a failure to provide even basic health care.

“Prudence, 24, was from a small village and already had three small children. As she was in labor to deliver her fourth, an untrained midwife didn’t realize she had a cervical blockage and sat on Prudence’s stomach to force the baby out — but instead her uterus ruptured and the fetus died.

"Prudence’s family carried her to the hospital on a motorcycle, but once she was there the doctor, Pascal Pipi, demanded $100 for a Caesarian to remove the fetus. The fetus was decomposing inside her, and an infection was raging in her abdomen — but her family had total savings of only $20, so she lay down in the maternity ward and began to die.”

The report also includes a video of Prudence’s last hours which, although I have not seen, I find offensive and unnecessary.

Gambian blog – 'Home of the Mandinmores' - Home of Mandinmores (http://gambian.blogspot.com/2006/09/yahya-jammeh-is-winner.html) reports on the Gambian elections won by incumbent Yahya Jammeh. Despite the huge margin of his victory, Mandinmores still believes that the people of Gambia will hold him to account should he fail to live up to expectations.

“The results were nothing political observer ever envisioned. Most Gambian political observers expect the incumbent to win especially after the opposition split, but the margin of victory that emerge from yesterdays poll has caught everyone by surprise. However unless someone can prove electoral mischief, I will venture to say that the Gambian people have spoken. They prefer the status quo to change. I don't agree with the decision, but I respect it. They are the masters of their country's destiny and have decreed with yesterdays vote that they like it the way it is. 65% is not a narrow margin. It is a whipping. Does this mean folks like yours truly will cut Yahya a slack when he trample on the rights of the citizenry....don't even think about it. He has a constitutional mandate to rule and we have a constitutional right to criticize his excesses.”

Senegalese blog, 'SEMEtt l’etincelle' - Semett (http://semet.blogspot.com/2006/09/france-ou-senegal-entre-immigration.html) comments on the visit to Senegal by France’s right wing Minister of the Interior and Presidential hopeful. The purpose of the visit was to sign an agreement with Senegal for selective recruitment of professionals. SEMEtt describes this as a new form of slavery at a time when the African population in France are subjected to marginalization in the French suburbs (translated from French)

Nigerian Literary blogger, 'Wordsbody' – a href="http://wordsbody.blogspot.com/2006/09/ifowodo-jazzhole.html">WordsBody (http://wordsbody.blogspot.com/2006/09/ifowodo-jazzhole.html) has a short piece on Nigerian poet, Ogaga Ifowodo who is based in the US.

“Ifowodo is the author of 3 poetry collections: Homelands and other Poems (1998), Madiba (Solitude, 1999) and The Oil Lamp (Africa World Press, 2005). The Oil Lamp is a volume of poems on one theme only - environmental degradation in the Niger Delta.”

'Trials and Tribulations of a Freshly Arrived Denizen' - Freshly arrived denizen (http://ekbensahinghana.blogspot.com/2006/09/re-on-us-rappers-and-water.html) takes issue with the UN’s appointment of African American rapper, Jay-Z as Water ambassador and his forthcoming trip to Ghana.

“With the hype of Jay-Z coming to Ghana in October, worth reminding you of his connection to sweatshops, which he appears clueless over.”

On the water privatization issue, Jay-Z is quoted as saying "that's just bureaucracy, I don't have any expertise in that," adding that he's about raising awareness. Later he praised Coca-Cola for giving money for play pumps.

'Black Looks' - Black Looks ("http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/09/we_dont_want_a_real_black_woman_-_i_me...) points to an article in the Guardian on the "black facing" of yet another white female celebrity - this time Kate Moss, in the UK Independent newspaper special on Africa.

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks, www.blacklooks.org

* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at www.pambazuka.org