KABISSA-FAHAMU NEWSLETTER 21 * 3135 SUBSCRIBERS

In recent years, social change activists of all stripes have increasingly incorporated visual art as a component of their strategies for building grassroots political movements. From the radical cheerleaders and the marching turtles of the anti-WTO protests held in Seattle in November of 1999, to the "puppetistas" imprisoned during last year's Republican national convention, this movement of "art from below" is changing the face of political protest and direct action.

The Maquila Solidarity Network presents a brand new education/action kit for teachers, students, union members and church group interested in getting involved in campaigns to Stop Sweatshops.

One of the most controversial clashes of the 1990s between local communities, government and multinationals occurred in the oil rich Ogoni area on the Niger delta. The oil operator, Royal Dutch Shell, withdrew from the area in 1993 but for several years faced unrelenting criticism of its standards and relationship with the Nigerian government of General Sani Abacha. By 1998 Shell was claiming to have embarked upon a fundamental rethink of its corporate priorities and followed this claim up with a massive public relations blitzkrieg which has achieved a great deal in how the company is perceived.

Shell now faces its Annual General Meeting, followed by an international environment award, claiming that it is a reformed company which has become the champion of human rights and the environment. Such extravagant claims were always likely to face challenges and this week MOSOP and Friends of the Earth seem set to present separate challenges to Shell's 'born again' environmental status.

One of the most serious problems Shell faces is the question of whether it has actually achieved any meaningful reform of its practices in Nigeria. MOSOP (Movement of the Ogoni People) activists would argue that little has changed, challenging Shell on a number of occasions over the company's response over the last two weeks to a major oil blowout at an abandoned well in eastern Ogoni.

The latest incident comes just as Shell is taking on a new chairman and facing up to shareholders on Thursday. John Watts, the incoming chair, has already committed the company to a policy of not returning to operations in Ogoni till all parties are agreed. To make its claims about reform credible Shell needs to do more. It needs to show that it is capable of moving past the tense standoff which has existed between its subsidiary SPDC and the Ogoni people over the last two years of civilian rule.

MOSOP is now arguing that Shell can start to show that it has changed by making good on its promises to clean up the environment in Ogoni, starting with this latest major oil spill. Shell this week, as it has for several years, claimed that it is ready to 'clean up oil spills which occurred since it left in 1993', conveniently making no mention of spills occurring before 1993. Ogoni and other communities have compared past 'cleanups' by Shell to 'cover up' operations so one immediate question is whether Shell is able to show that this time it is willing to be unambiguous about its intentions and show that its international standards apply in Nigeria.

It is also time for Royal Dutch Shell to face up to questions over its failure to resolve the company's dispute with the Ogoni people. Is, as Shell claims, the sole barrier to progress the difficulties in dialogue with the local population or has Shell failed to win the confidence of the local people?

The most often cited comment from Nigeria correspondents is a lack of trust between the local people and Shell. Ogoni is not the only community that is deeply suspicious of Shell. The gap between its claims of progress in relations with communities and independent reporting is becoming increasingly worrying. Perhaps it is time for Shell to commit unambiguously to allowing qualified third parties to come in to examine and report upon disputes which are clearly harming the local people, Shell's reputation, and the people of the Niger delta.
Ledum Mitee (MOSOP)

Tagged under: 21, Contributor, Features, Governance

The Human Rights Watch Refugee Policy Program is urgently seeking a law or graduate student to intern in New York City for 2-3 months this summer (starting as soon as possible, but no later than June 1.) The internship is unpaid. Unfortunately, HRW cannot offer assistance arranging housing or visas.

Tagged under: 21, Contributor, Human Security, Jobs

Call for Letters of Intent. Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research Second Round 2001-2002 Deadline: 29 June 2001. Two types of grants will be awarded. Applicants must be enrolled in a Masters or Doctorate programme.

Tagged under: 21, Contributor, Food & Health, Jobs

The primary responsibility of this post-holder will be to manage the current livestock project and drive its development through a process of community participation and enhancement of local skills. As a key contributor to the overall strategy and direction of the project, you will provide advice and guidance on social based livestock support and assist in the development of future objectives for the project. Location: South Sudan, Sudan Closing Date : 25 May 2001

Tagged under: 21, Contributor, Jobs, Resources

The American Bar Association seeks a Director to develop, manage, and implement ABA legal reform technical assistance projects in Africa. A JD degree or advanced degree in international relations or relevant field and at least five years of experience in international technical assistance work, preferably with focus on Africa, are required. Salary is commensurate with experience and excellent benefits.

Tagged under: 21, Contributor, Jobs, Resources

Last day to apply: May 21, 2001. The PHR Fellow will work with a dynamic and growing Asylum Network, mobilizing health professionals to assist asylum seekers, especially torture survivors. Location: Boston, USA

Tagged under: 21, Contributor, Jobs, Resources

The postgraduate Masters Programme is a flexible modular degree programme for full-time or part-time study, consisting of an introductory core course, specialised optional modules in different tracks and a research project submitted as a thesis. The programme is organised within the TropEd European Network for Education in Interna-
tional Health, an association of 26 universities in 13 European countries and collaborating institutions in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The core course and two optional modules are presently offered at Humboldt University. Further optional modules can be selected from a list of more than 100 courses offered by the TropEd partner institutions. Winter Semester: 10th September 2001 (Introductory week: 2nd September 2001)

We are writing to address some of the issues raised by the Bretton Woods Project in its April 2001 brief on the Development Gateway entitled "A Tower of Babel on the Internet? The World Bank's Development Gateway" which was circulated widely in several electronic discussions and lists.

First of all, it is important to state that we welcome these latest comments on the Gateway from Bretton Woods Project and other organizations, as this promotes useful and constructive debate on the Development Gateway and on the use of information and communications technology more broadly. The internet is still largely uncharted space requiring a good deal of exchange and analysis by a wide variety of people in order to understand its pitfalls and more fully grasp its potential.

Below are comments on the most important points raised by Bretton Woods Project in their brief. For a more comprehensive discussion of the policies and features of the Development Gateway Portal and the Development Gateway Foundation, please refer to the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) document located in the "About Us" section of the Gateway.

KABISSA-FAHAMU NEWSLETTER 20

The government of Benin, UNICEF and the NGO 'Terre des hommes' have confirmed that a boat that left the port of Cotonou, Benin, in mid-March with presumed child labourers was, in fact, carrying victims of child trafficking.

A budget shortfall and donor fatigue has forced the United Nations' refugee program to launch a review of its worldwide activities in order to cut non-essential programs.

Thabo Mbeki's presidency is dogged by a bizarre array of conspiracy theories yet he has done little to set the record straight, writes Chris McGreal.

"Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), like all the new technologies, are instruments that can be used for good and for bad in the same way that they can be either managed to the benefit of the most needy or skewed to the advantage of specific groups," the UN Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) Director-General Jacques Diouf said today.

The threat of illicit trafficking in nuclear materials and radioactive sources will bring more than 300 officials from over 70 countries to Stockholm this week.

Civil society organizations have an opportunity to speak with one voice when the Second Global Forum on Fighting Corruption takes place in The Hague, The Netherlands from May 28-31, 2001. The Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries (Hivos) and Transparency International, in co-operation with a number of Southern anti-corruption organizations, have drawn up an open letter which will be presented to the second Global Forum’s plenary session of Government Ministers on May 31. We hope your organization will be in general agreement with the text of this letter, which can be found below.

The 8th issue of the Newsletter of the African Malaria Vaccine Testing Network.

Comstock outlines some of the starker scenarios that might result from strict adherence to the principle. Saunders and Ho appear to dismiss his scenario and paint a much rosier picture, but they do acknowledge the importance of continuing research, although with substantial constraints on the basic side. Along the way they get into the question of feeding a growing world population, and I will take that as my starting point. It is important to do so, because the initial assumptions concerning this issue can influence the discussion in critical ways.

The current wave of urban violence received prominent coverage in the electronic media as well as in the private press although interpretations varied significantly in both these media. The state media has been careful to present the war veterans activities as legitimate forms of labour arbitration while the private press has chronicled allegations of threats, intimidations and attacks levelled against the war veterans in their arbitrations. However, the labour reports were supplanted by reports of Minister and MP Border Gezi’s death as the week closed. Television news coverage allocated 31 minutes and 35 seconds to Gezi’s death out of the 2 hours 33 minutes of bulletins from Saturday to Sunday night. That is 20 percent of its news airtime was allocated to the Gezi’s death.

Algeria: Little hope of justice for nation's ancient people despite government promise of 'full investigation' into police killings of protesters.

"Killing journalists is the ultimate and most grisly form of censorship," Judith Blanks, spokeswoman for the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, said on World Press Freedom Day (May 3).

Cipla to Provide AIDS Drugs to Nigeria; Nation Op-Ed Draws Parallels Between Drug Access and Antiapartheid Movements; U.S. to Give $200 Million to Global AIDS Fund; Annan To Make First Contribution to Global AIDS Fund With Award Prize.

Tunisia: Telecoms updates; South Africa: World Wide Wireless; South Africa: Telecommunications Regulations Draw Fire. South Africa: Country Launches First Internet Sports Betting Site. South Africa: Virgin's Move Could Be Good News for Consumers.

Comrades, We meet today at the start of an historic COSATU campaign, one with particular meaning for your union – that is, the anti-privatisation campaign initiated last week by the Central Executive Committee of your Federation.
This campaign must reverse the slow undermining of the democratic state, ensuring that it can play its full role in the social and economic development of our country and our communities.

Several countries with poor human rights records should not have been voted onto the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Human Rights Watch said today.

In a move that reflected a growing frustration with America's attitude toward international organizations and treaties, the United States was voted off the United Nations Human Rights Commission today for the first time since the panel's founding under American leadership in 1947.

Thirty nations have now ratified the treaty creating the International Criminal Court, half the 60 needed to make the court functional. The court would be the first permanent tribunal to handle cases of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The United States signed the treaty in the waning days of the Clinton administration but chances of ratification are slim since Bush administration officials say they will not send it to the Senate for action.

The newspaper of the future is nearly on your doorstep.In fact, delivery begins in June when the World Association of Newspapers launches its "Shaping the Newspaper of the Future" project at the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum, the global meetings of the world's press.

Statement by the Women's Caucus of the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA). In order to ensure that a gender perspective will be included in the forthcoming UN World Conference on Illicit Trade of Small Arms and Light Weapons In All Its Aspects July 9-20, 2001, The Women's Caucus of the International Action Network on Small Arms [IANSA] has prepared a statement showing how the world's women and girls are affected by the proliferation and diffusion of small arms. They would like to have both individual and group support for their statement.

This brief previews the forthcoming publication on the Phase I achievements and projects of the Gender and Economic Reforms in Africa (GERA) Program. It highlights 13 projects carried out in 10 African countries as well as the GERA approach to gender equality and economic justice.

McSpotlight gives critical information and analysis on a wide range of topics and campaigns relating to Mcdonalds and other multinationals.

Through the thick white fog stinging with the smell of raw gas, boys clutching handkerchiefs to their noses patrol making sure no one starts an engine, takes a flash photograph or does anything that could light a spark and ignite the whole area. The continuous hiss of rushing gas, so loud that people within an arm's reach have to shout to each other, can be heard 500 metres (yards) away from the site of the oil wellhead that burst on Sunday on an Ogoniland farm in Nigeria's southeast.

The Nigerian human and environmental right group MOSOP has today called on oil multinational Royal Dutch Shell to immediately cease making misleading
statements regarding the major oil and gas blowout which has occurred in the Yorla oilfield in eastern Ogoni in the oil rich Niger delta. "In the past two days Shell has alternated between blaming the local people for this disaster by accusing them of vandalisation and in a contradictory position declaring that all the abandoned oil wells in Ogoni are a 'time bomb' due to lack of maintenance," said Ledum Mitee President of MOSOP speaking from London today.

As journalists in the West African sub-region continue to face intimidation and harassment, in the discharge of their lawful and constitutional duties, the Media Foundation for West Africa, uses the opportunity of this World Press Freedom Day to salute their courage and fearlessness.

In a major report released today, Freedom House
finds that Internet freedom exceeds levels of press freedom in most countries, including some closed societies governed by censorious regimes.

MediaChannel.org - news, reports, resources and opinion. Featuring content from over 660 media-issues groups worldwide.

On April 24, 2001, the UN Commission on Human Rights that met in Geneva, approved by overwhelming majority the creation of an Intersessional Working Group and the appointment of an expert to study the Draft International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

The Zimbabwe Democracy Trust (ZDT) today announces the launch of the new site - "an amalgamation of many different websites on Zimbabwe - has been built in order to assist the Trust's efforts in restoring democracy and the rule of law to Zimbabwe.www.zwnews.com will provide extensive news coverage as well as pertinent information on all major issues currently facing Zimbabwe and its people."

Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), today said that "political will to fight hunger on a sustainable basis and a firm commitment to invest in agriculture and rural development are critical elements of any effort aspiring to achieve sustainable alleviation of hunger and poverty in Africa."

May 1, 2001 Volume 7, Issue 18

A Federal High Court in Lagos has ruled that although every Nigerian has a constitutional right to inspect the assets declaration made by public officers, the right is not enforceable until National Assembly prescribes the conditions for it exercise.

Amnesty International today called on Talisman Energy Inc. to do more to safeguard human rights in Sudan. "Amnesty International is disappointed that Talisman Energy's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report 2000 does not adequately address the issue of the human rights impact of the company's operations in Sudan," the organization said.

UNHCR must learn when to concede that it alone cannot be successful in the battles that must be fought with governments to ensure that refugee protection is ensured. The refugee camps along Guinea's border with Sierra Leone have been located too close to the border for far too long. The cross-border attacks have led to a security situation where access to the refugees is limited, resulting in the inadequate protection and assistance for the refugees. Yet such a situation might have been avoided if UNHCR had effectively engaged its partners at an earlier stage to lobby and pressure the Guinean government.

For much of the past two decades, international efforts to improve information with regards to refugees has been focused on public opinion in host countries. While there is little doubt that promoting a favourable climate of public opinion to facilitate the protection of refugees is vital, information strategies should have a broader focus. In short, there has been a significant lack of emphasis on programmes designed to keep refugee populations informed of events directly concerning them. There is a great deal of talk about ensuring the rights of refugees, but in these discussions far too little emphasis is placed on providing such information to those most directly concerned.

HAR's mission is to facilitate the recovery of abused children, women and their families through training, research, advocacy and provision of psychosocial suport services.

All Africa Women for Peace (AAWP)'s mission is to advance the participation of women in peace making and development in Africa through research, training, networking and counselling.

What is Monitoring is now available on the HURIDOCS Web site. This practical manual is intended for documentalists and information workers of human rights organisations. It deals with the following issues: what is monitoring, purposes of monitoring, types of monitoring, methods of monitoring, and data analysis. This volume has been written by Manuel Guzman and Bert Verstappen. It is at the moment available only in English, and can be printed in HTML and PDF formats.

Amnesty International today called on the Liberian government and armed opposition groups based in Guinea immediately to end abductions of women, children and other civilians.

Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), today announced the appointment of two independent experts, Elisabeth Rehn (Finland) and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia), to spearhead the organization's efforts to assess progress of the world's women, particularly those affected by conflict. Heyzer also announced that Victoria Brittain (UK), internationally acclaimed correspondent and Associate Foreign Editor of the Guardian has agreed to document the findings of Rehn and Johnson Sirleaf for Progress 2002.

Zimbabwe Book Development Council is a professional body that endevours to place reading for all on the national agenda. The strategies are reading awareness and better book provision. Its Mission: Bringing the resources of different institutions, individuals and groups concerned with books together to stimulate and promote a reading culture.

In this report, Peter Wobst considers how Tanzania's structural adjustment reforms of the late 1980s and early 1990s affected agriculture, as well as growth, equity, and poverty alleviation--in others words, the economic well-being of the people in this extremely poor country. The report also presents a computable general equilibrium model of the Tanzanian economy and an updated social accounting matrix.

This report examines the case of Malawi, where several institutions offer credit to poor, smallholder farmers to allow them to buy fertilizer, seeds, and other inputs. Diagne and Zeller show that for credit to work effectively, the conditions surrounding credit programs must be right--that is, they must reflect the actual opportunities and constraints faced by poor farmers.

The Zambian president, Frederick Chiluba, has defied his own high court and expelled his vice-president and eight other cabinet ministers from the ruling party for opposing plans for a constitutional amendment allowing him to cling to power for another five years.

A top-flight German football club has suspended one of its star players following revelations that he owns the MV Etireno, the ship allegedly involved in the trafficking of child-workers off the west African coast last month.

The UN move to not reelect America to its human rights body indicates just how much the world has been outraged by George Bush's early decisions.

The African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights has declared the trial of The Anchor newspaper Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Niran Malaolu, by the Government of the late General Sani Abacha in 1998 unjust and a violation of provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international human rights instruments.

In a flurry of activity at the High Court last Thursday and Friday, Justice James Devittie handed down four decisions that seem to set a new precedent for the election petitions. He ruled for the petitioner in the constituencies of Buhera North, contested by MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai, Mutoko South, contested by Derek Muzira, and Hurungwe East, contested by Richard Chadya. He also denied the petition in the Shurugwi constituency brought by MDC candidate Gladys Matibenga against MP Francis Nhema.

April 2001 briefing from Bretton Woods Project on the World Bank's new Development Gateway internet plan. It argues that the Gateway will appear neutral and comprehensive but will privilege powerful, not marginalised voices and will prevent proper coverage of important cross-cutting topics such as gender and climate change. People wishing to preserve pluralistic, diverse web sources on development topics should contest the Gateway.

Advocacy materials and actions from the Bretton Woods Project.

An impending appeals court ruling in Tunisia threatens to undermine the Arab world's oldest independent human rights organization, according to a report released today by Human Rights Watch and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. The Observatory is a joint program of the International Federation for Human Rights and the World Organization against Torture.

Welcome to a post-mortem of and a critical look at Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) in Africa together with a proposed new recipe to make them better, avoiding their (sometimes now judged clumsy) pitfalls. Overall, I see the Report as an apology for market-based reforms, because the authors truly believe them to be the best option. In doing the latter, the Report tacitly calls on Western donors and on the private foreign investors to rethink their strategies and to support countries that adopt WB-sponsored macroeconomic policies. Without having any qualms about the brilliance of this Report, the first monumental problem I have with it is that it represents a typical cold economists’ account and analysis of an indeed complex matter. The warm analysis of the social consequences and costs of these reforms is nowhere to be seen!!

This not-for-profit independent research body has received a foundation grant to implement a research project on the implications of globalisation for the countries of East Africa. Dates: Apply before June 30 2001, to commence by end 2001. 2 year contract. Positions: 1 post-doctoral fellow, 2 assistant research fellows, 1 research assistant.

The African Women's Media Center (AWMC) will hold a five-day cyber training on reporting on HIV/AIDS for French-speaking African women journalists from June 11 to June 15, 2001. The Internet-based seminar is designed to equip French-speaking journalists with substantive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and provide practical tips on reporting on HIV/AIDS in Africa. Sessions will be live for four hours each day for five days.

The African Malaria Vaccine Testing Network is inviting applications from African scientists in the employment of African institutions / Ministries of Health to participate in the above workshops. Applicants must at least be middle to senior level investigators, key members of ethics (or scientific) review committees, study monitors, members of data safety monitoring boards, sponsors of research involving human subjects, members of regulatory bodies or editors of biomedical journals. Details must be submitted by 31 July 2001.

In fall 2001, Nutrition Rights will be offered as a graduate course in political science by Professor George Kent of the University of Hawai'i. The course examines the meaning and the application of the human right to adequate food and nutrition. Participants should gain an understanding of recent developments in nutrition rights, and also develop skill in applying the nutrition rights approach in specific contexts. This is to be an on-line course, available to anyone who has reliable access to the Internet.

Presented by the MRC Health and Development Research Group and WHO Collaborating Centre for Urban Health, under the auspices of the Public Health Programme of the University of the Western Cape.The course is aimed at post-graduate level and a degree or diploma in one of the Health or Life Sciences, or Town Planning or equivalent practical experience is recommended. Fees are: US$ 600 for one Module and US$ 1,100 for both.ZAR prices vary.

The course will be led by Sharryn Aiken, Legal Specialist, Refugee Studies Centre, York University, Toronto. Dates: 16-19 July 2001, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and 21 July, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Venue: AUC Main Campus, Hill House, 6th floor lounge. Entrance at Mohammed Mahmoud Gate. Deadline for applications: 31 May 2001.

Course number: X12.9226 Tuition: $340 Sec. 1: Thurs. 6.20-8.25 p.m. May 24-July 12 (8 sessions)Taught by Maria Green, lawyer and director of the International Anti-Poverty Law Center. New York University

The U.N., World Bank and International Monetary Fund, created at the end of World War II, today operate on badly outdated political and economic foundations and need to be overhauled before a crisis induced by globalization forces the changes required, a major new study warns.

Prepared by the World Institute for Development Economics Research of U.N. University, with support from the U.N.'s Division for Social Policy and Development and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland, the study calls for repeal of the Security Council veto accorded the five major post-war powers in the 1940s and the addition of other countries as permanent members of that body.

"Historical experience suggests that crises are the catalysts of change. The last time around, it was the aftermath of a world war and a worldwide economic depression that led to the foundation of the United Nation systems and the creation of the Bretton Woods institutions (the World Bank and IMF)," according to the study, New Roles and Functions for the U.N. and the Bretton Woods Institutions, edited and co-authored by Deepak Nayyar, Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University, India.

"The world need not wait for another crisis of such proportions to contemplate and introduce the much needed changes in global governance," the study says.

The U.N. suffers from a "democratic deficit" that was "an integral part of the original design" but needs to be remedied now, the study says, adding that the U.N.'s moral authority is "seriously undermined because its laws or principles are enforced selectively when it suits the interests of the rich and the powerful."

Circumventing the veto granted more than 50 years ago to the five permanent Security Council members and enlarging the membership of that body are "imperative" for the U.N.'s continued credibility.

"The process of globalization has given rise to new problems and governance needs," but the U.N. system has yet to adjust, the study says. "The responsiveness of the United Nations to issues of our times has been limited to global meets such as the Earth Summit or the Social Summit," useful fora for public concern but insufficient as solutions to the problems at stake.

It says the U.N. needs to become more representative, fostering the participation of global civil society to a greater degree, and more democratic in its decision-making, involving greater participation, transparency and accountability.

According to the study, the subject of a presentation at the UN May 2, East-West distinctions have dissipated with communism's collapse, while the North and South divide is more diffused, perceptions about development having been brought closer together.

"This represents a sea-change," but reform of the U.N. has stalled as its legitimacy, effectiveness and the credibility erodes. "The unipolar world has eliminated the erstwhile competition between systems," the study says. "As competition has vanished, the urge for cooperation has diminished. This has reduced both the relevance and the role of the United Nations."

Courtesy of Eberhard Wenzel, Griffith University, Australia

Tagged under: 20, Contributor, Features, Governance

The Reproductive Health Research Unit (RHRU) and loveLife require a SENIOR RESEARCHER. Location: RHRU - Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, South Africa. The initial contract will be for 2 years.
Closing date is: 28 May, 2001. Only candidates short-listed for interviews will be contacted. Please send a CV addressing EACH of the essential selection criteria + cover letter.

An international development organisation for African women is hereby seeking 3 African women who are motivated self starters, to fill the following posts: Volunteer Coordinator (part time 17.5 hours per week £22922.00 pro rata.Initially for 3 years. Finance and Administrative Officer Circa $16,000 – £18,000 (inclusive of London Weighting) Initially for 2 years. Personal Assistant to Director/ International Programmes Officer. Circa £18,000 - £20,000 (Inclusive of London Weighting)Initially for 2 years. The closing date for applications for all 3 posts is: Friday 25 May 2001.

Tagged under: 20, Contributor, Jobs, Resources

Appointments will be for one year in the first instance but with a strong possibility of renewal. Closing date: 23 March 2001

Tagged under: 20, Contributor, Jobs, Resources

COSATU welcomes the move by the South African Chamber of Business and Anglo American to provide cheap anti-Aids drugs to suffering employees. We view this as a huge step by the Business sector in the fight against this pandemic – something that the federation has been calling for. This is also part of the implementation of what Cosatu fought for at the Pretoria High Court against the international drug giants.

A case arguing the constitutionality of an aspect of the Western Cape education department's rationalisation programme will be tackled in the Constitutional Court today. The governing bodies of schools for children with disabilities, Education for Learners with Special Educational Needs (Elsen), are challenging the department's rationalisation programme in an appeal case.

Benin yesterday got a new government, in the wake of a controversial presidential election, with many familiar old faces in the revamped line-up. Benin's President Mathieu Kerekou has begun his final five-year term as the west African country's head of state after retaining his post in a March election which his main challengers boycotted.

Ben Skosana, the Correctional Services Minister, is to visit the Durban Westville Prison in Kwazulu-Natal today where some 2 800 prisoners have been placed under quarantine. The quarantine measure follows the treatment of about 600 prisoners for cholera-related symptoms within the maximum security section since April 28.

The latest environmental emergency in southern Nigeria's volatile Niger Delta has been brought under control by US specialists, Royal/Dutch Shell's Nigerian subsidiary said on Monday. The three specialists from the Houston-based Boots & Coots International Well Control company were flown in on Friday to the affected area, Yorla Fields, to deal with a blow-out at a well which shot jets of crude oil and gas 30 metres into the air for the better part of last week.

Burundi's President Pierre Buyoya on Sunday said the country could solve the transition problem in two phases if the signatories of the of the peace agreement so desired, Burundi radio quoted him as telling journalists in Bujumbura. President Buyoya had just returned from Pretoria, South Africa where he held talks with the mediator of the Burundi peace process, Nelson Mandela and the country's President Thabo Mbeki.

With the international focus on peace moves in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), an "explosive situation" in neighbouring Burundi is being largely ignored, regional analysts warned on Friday.

A new union of armed and unarmed opposition forces in the DRC has been formed, Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported on Thursday. The movement is called the "Union of Congolese forces for the Integral Respect of the Lusaka Accords and the holding of the inter-Congolese dialogue" (UFAD). The new movement's creation was announced by rebel MLC leader Jean-Pierre Bemba. It is supposed to be a uniting body of all the armed and unarmed parties.

Rwanda and Zimbabwe, the major foreign powers on opposing sides in Congo's 2 1/2-year war, will push for a speedy end to the conflict in order to deal with problems at home, President Paul Kagame said Monday.

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai arrived it his country's High Court on Monday stressing his innocence to charges which could see him barred from taking part in next year's presidential elections.

The UN Security Council on Thursday condemned the illegal exploitation of the natural resources and wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and expressed serious concern at those economic activities fuelling the conflict in the country. The condemnation followed a day-long open discussion of a report by a UN panel of experts charged with investigating the illegal exploitation of Congolese natural resources and other forms of wealth.

The Tanzanian government on Wednesday denied and termed as "unfounded" allegations by the Burundian government that it had been offering military training to Burundian rebels. Tanzanian radio quoted the permanent secretary in the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Hasan Kibelloh, as saying that Tanzania was not supporting any rebel group fighting the Burundian government.

Scores of journalists from around the world who gathered on Thursday in Windhoek, Namibia, to celebrate World Press Freedom Day have been prevented from reporting on anything other than a seminar they are attending. "This is an example of how little has changed in the region since the Declaration of Windoek in 1991," Rob Jamison of the independent 'Malawi Chronicle' told IRIN.

Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, accused by the government of acts of terrorism, on Monday had his case transferred from the High Court to the Supreme Court in a decision that was expected to delay the case for at least a month. Tsvangirai was charged under Zimbabwe's draconian colonial-era Law and Order Maintenance Act (LOMA) for allegedly inciting terrorism.

Angolan government troops have retaken the rebel-held town of Mavinga in the southern province of Cuando Cubango a state-run newspaper reported on Monday. "Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) recaptured Mavinga on 1 May, having caused various losses to Jonas Savimbi's terrorist forces," 'Jornal de Angola' said, quoting an unnamed military source. The report added that the government has also recaptured the nearby airport, vital for supplying UNITA and for the export of raw materials.

In the course of the past 6 weeks there has been considerable interest in the publication Making Waves - Stories of Participatory Communication for Social Change, written by Alfonso Gumucio Dagron and produced by The Rockefeller Foundation In this issue the focus is on some of the stories and experiences that are told in Making Waves. Next week in The Drum Beat, there will be an emphasis on the strategic lessons and principles drawn from these experiences.

Amnesty International today expressed concern about reports that civilians in Sierra Leone are being killed and injured in unlawful attacks as fighting continues along the border with Guinea.

The Rwandan government should step up efforts to resolve recent cases of disappearances and an assassination, Human Rights Watch said today. Such cases, relatively common between 1995 and 1997, seem to be becoming more frequent in a context of growing tension between Rwanda and its neighbors.

The UK Tory trade and industry spokesman, Alan Duncan, was under pressure last night to explain his alleged involvement in an elaborate operation to bust UN oil sanctions against apartheid South Africa. The claims come from two fellow oil traders who claim to have personal knowledge of his career before he entered parliament.

Fifty-one percent of South African internet users are women, up from 38 percent in March 1999, according to new survey data from Webchek. Two thirds of net users in South Africa have English as their home language and 56 percent have a third-level education. Most users tend to have high incomes, but the number of users with lower monthly household incomes is increasing.

JENdA: A Journal of Culture and African Women Studies is an ejournal devoted to the promotion of the research and scholarship of African women to the global African community and friends of Africa. JENdA documents and responds to debates on women's history and studies in African social, cultural, political, and economic systems. It creates a forum for African women scholars, analysts and activists to participate on an equal footing with their contemporaries worldwide in debates, exchanges of ideas, and the creation and documentation of knowledge. JENdA: A Journal of Culture and African Women Studies is published by Africa Resource Center, Inc, an organization that dedicates resources and staff to the provision of information on and about Africa.

In applying the concept of public-private partnerships, we look for public and private sector collaboration that can provide education more efficiently, effectively and with equal access. To maximize the respective strengths of public and private partnerships in the education sector and minimize their weaknesses, policymakers need to understand better the possibilities and conditions for partnerships, including the optimal legal and regulatory frameworks, and some of the benefits and costs that a partnership arrangement may involve.

Hosted by the University of Natal, the DISA project aims "to make accessible to scholars and researchers world-wide, South African material of high socio-political interest which would otherwise be difficult to locate and use." As part of that effort, DISA has recently announced the online availability of three South African journals: _Clarion Call_ (1982-91), _Pro Veritae_ (1962-77), and _Sas_ (1956-90). The journals page also lists a large number of additional titles that will be made available in the future. These include many that had been banned by the apartheid government and that were printed and distributed underground. The three journals presently available may be browsed and read by issue as digital page images. Word searching and subject searching are also planned for future versions of the site. Once completed, this archive will undoubtedly serve as an invaluable resource for scholars of twentieth-century South Africa.

Vous trouverez dans le forum général sur www.africultures.com les réactions à des articles problématiques publiés dans de grands médias: Yacouba Konaté en réponse au Figaro, Manthia Diawara à propos d'un article du Monde, Olivier Barlet à propos d'un article des Cahiers du Cinéma. On peut également y lire une contribution de l'écrivain Patrice Nganang. Ce forum est ouvert à toutes vos réactions et contributions. D'autres forums seront bientôt ouverts qui vous permettront d'intervenir dans les futurs dossiers
de la revue.

The exhibition will be held at the School of Oriental and African Studies Library, London. Monday 30 April – Tuesday 8 May.The art was produced by participants at SVTG art workshops, organised as part of the SVTG rehabilitation programme. The works to be exhibited were produced in February 2000 and have already been exhibited at the American University in Cairo and in Geneva as part of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

Visit the Photoshare Gallery to see 115 new photos from various countries in Africa. You may request these photos for print materials and presentations. All photos available free for nonprofit educational use.

New media change the form in which old media operate. Although the not-for-profit sector in Africa does not have commercial motives, its work
can often suggest ways in which new media will develop. The absence of the need for purely financial payback allows it to experiment and to meet the needs of audiences not yet part of the market. This week there has been a cluster of new announcements that focus on bringing together digital content, the internet and radio.

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