Thousands of Ivorian refugees are taking refugee in neighboring countries, as fighting intensifies between forces loyal to Ivory Coast presidential rivals Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara in the world's top cocoa-growing nation.
United Nations-certified results show Alassane Ouattara won the November 28 presidential election. Forces loyal to Mr. Ouattara are battling to forcefully remove incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo, who refuses to step down.
More than three months of post-election turmoil has killed more than 1,000 people in Ivory Coast and rekindled the country's 2002 civil war.
Hundreds of thousands Ivorian refugees have taken refuge in neighboring countries, prompting Liberia to set up refugee centers in collaboration with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Brownie Samukai, the Liberian Minister of Defense, says the international community has a stake in assuring that people in Ivory Coast get help in this conflict.
"They deserve the attention of the international community and that attention will protect the investment that you have made in Liberia, and that attention will make sure that those women are okay, those civilians who are suffering the brunt in Ivory Coast can be protected. Liberia supports the stand that the ECOWAS has taken and we believe that it is in our best interest that international community also come and support ECOWAS to urge the UN to take the appropriate step as a desire in order to bring peace."
According to the UN, as many as one million people have fled the conflict to neighboring countries.
Aid agencies across the region are appealing to the international community to increase donations to help the refugees. Many of those arriving in Liberia and other countries have very little with them:
"We arrived in Lome, and we have no accommodation. There is no accommodation and we do not know where to sleep, we cannot fully integrate, it's difficult for us here in Lome."
"It's ok for us men, but for women who now have to sleep outside, and who don't have a roof over their heads, it's really pitiful, really pathetic. We as Ivorian refugees, we didn't ask for this to happen to our country. It may be that our country is going through another chapter in its history, but what is happening to our country is horrible."
In Togo, the situation is similar. Refugee assistance official Moise Inaddjo says the country has been trying to provide the basic necessities for the refugees.
"When they arrive to the national coordination of assistance for refugees, we try to calm them, we try to listen to them and many are traumatized. We must first help them out the trauma and then we register them as refugees. When we register them, we realise that there are many cases, and that many of them have nothing to eat for example".
Armed militiamen loyal to incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo are patrolling streets in Abidjan in a standoff with forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara. Dressed in army fatigues or civilian clothing, the militiamen are on the streets or on boats. Meanwhile, hundreds of pro-Ouattara soldiers are gathered on the outskirts of Abidjan, waiting to launch what they say will be a final assault to unseat Laurent Gbagbo.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Thousands flee fighting in Ivory Coast
By Paul Ndiho, Washington DC
March 30, 2011
Tens of thousands of Ivorians continue to flee to Liberia. The United Nations estimates that nearly 1 million people in Ivory Coast have left the country because of the fighting there.
The mass exodus of refugees from Ivory Coast is straining food supplies and resources in Liberia. An estimated 1 million people have fled the capital Abidjan and neighboring towns. Aid agencies say more than 90,000 people have crossed into Liberia.
The crisis comes as the world's gaze has been fixed on uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East, and international appeals for urgent aid have gone largely unanswered. Chaloka Beyani is a Professor of Law at the London School of Economics, and the U.N.'s Special Rapportuer on the human rights of internally displaced persons.
"The magnitude of displacement is huge and i think that picture is changing almost on a daily basis but the estimates indicate that at least you have around 400 thousand people displaced with the country and a lot more outside the country. The partner of displacement seems to be urban based at the moment and so far UNHCR have presence in the country in an attempt to provide assistance to those who need it as a result of displacement."
November's disputed presidential election in Ivory Coast has pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war, with Laurent Gbagbo rejecting results showing rival Alassane Ouattara won.
Hundreds have already died in street clashes between the two sides. An outbreak of fighting in western Ivory Coast between pro-Gbagbo forces and rebels who back Mr. Ouattara has contributed to a huge spike in people fleeing over the border.
"I was on my way to school with my friend. We were walking and the shooting began. We fled. We left our guardian at home, my friend's mother. We could not go back, so we fled into the bush. We then fled towards the border and we slept in the bush."
Despite the best efforts of humanitarian agencies, the rapid movement of people has put a huge strain on sanitation and water and the situation has been declared critical in some places.
"This mass displacement in Abidjan and elsewhere is fueled by fears of all-out war. This week we have panic in Abidjan as thousands of youth have responded to calls to civilians to join the ranks of forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo."
Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf warns the crisis risks destabilizing the West African region. She says Ivory Coast is "already at war" and calls on the international community to take greater action to stop the violence from spreading to neighboring countries.
Conflicts triggering huge movements of refugees in the region have occurred before, as happened during Liberia's civil war of 1989-2003. But most observers thought late last year that Ivory Coast was less of a concern than Guinea, which ultimately managed to make it through a similar tense election period.
March 30, 2011
Tens of thousands of Ivorians continue to flee to Liberia. The United Nations estimates that nearly 1 million people in Ivory Coast have left the country because of the fighting there.
The mass exodus of refugees from Ivory Coast is straining food supplies and resources in Liberia. An estimated 1 million people have fled the capital Abidjan and neighboring towns. Aid agencies say more than 90,000 people have crossed into Liberia.
The crisis comes as the world's gaze has been fixed on uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East, and international appeals for urgent aid have gone largely unanswered. Chaloka Beyani is a Professor of Law at the London School of Economics, and the U.N.'s Special Rapportuer on the human rights of internally displaced persons.
"The magnitude of displacement is huge and i think that picture is changing almost on a daily basis but the estimates indicate that at least you have around 400 thousand people displaced with the country and a lot more outside the country. The partner of displacement seems to be urban based at the moment and so far UNHCR have presence in the country in an attempt to provide assistance to those who need it as a result of displacement."
November's disputed presidential election in Ivory Coast has pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war, with Laurent Gbagbo rejecting results showing rival Alassane Ouattara won.
Hundreds have already died in street clashes between the two sides. An outbreak of fighting in western Ivory Coast between pro-Gbagbo forces and rebels who back Mr. Ouattara has contributed to a huge spike in people fleeing over the border.
"I was on my way to school with my friend. We were walking and the shooting began. We fled. We left our guardian at home, my friend's mother. We could not go back, so we fled into the bush. We then fled towards the border and we slept in the bush."
Despite the best efforts of humanitarian agencies, the rapid movement of people has put a huge strain on sanitation and water and the situation has been declared critical in some places.
"This mass displacement in Abidjan and elsewhere is fueled by fears of all-out war. This week we have panic in Abidjan as thousands of youth have responded to calls to civilians to join the ranks of forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo."
Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf warns the crisis risks destabilizing the West African region. She says Ivory Coast is "already at war" and calls on the international community to take greater action to stop the violence from spreading to neighboring countries.
Conflicts triggering huge movements of refugees in the region have occurred before, as happened during Liberia's civil war of 1989-2003. But most observers thought late last year that Ivory Coast was less of a concern than Guinea, which ultimately managed to make it through a similar tense election period.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Taking Control of Your Money
As some Africans become increasingly affluent, they may find that managing their money wisely is a challenging task. To get some answers, I talked about money management with Juanita Kilasara, author “Taking Control of Your Money," a guide for young professionals.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Africa's Film Industry
By Paul Ndiho
March 15, 2011
Movies can tell much about a country, its culture, values, aspirations and shared experiences. In some African countries, an emerging movie industry is helping Africans to tell their stories.
The 1982 film "Wend Kuuni," also known as “God’s Gift,” was a breakthrough in West African cinema. Directed by Gaston Kabore from Burkina Faso, it brought the tradition of African oral storytelling to the big screen, ushering in a new genre of African movies, elegant in their simplicity and profound. "Wend Kuuni" tells the story of a young mute boy who lost his memory. Only when he remembers his past, does he regain his voice.
“…this child is told in parallel with the story of Africa, the colonial period, the slavery, and everything and how we take back our own voice and words.”
"Wend Kunni" was the first feature film ever made in Burkina Faso - and it catapulted Kabore onto the world stage. His success set him on a mission: to unlock the imagination of a whole new generation of filmmakers and help Africans to tell their own stories.
“Who are we? To me is the fundamental question. If the Africans do not see themselves on the screen they are going to disappear in their own minds and eyes.”
Kabore grew up in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital. After independence, despite few resources, the government committed to building a local film industry. Since 1969 it has hosted the Pan-African Film Festival - called FESPACO - the largest and most prestigious in sub-Saharan Africa. It also created a film archive and with the support of
UNESCO, founded the African Institute for Cinematographic Studies, which trained hundreds of filmmakers. Kabore taught there until 1986, when the school closed for lack of funds. Eleven years later, he released "Budd Yamm," which won the top prize at the FESPACO film festival that year.
“I said, OK Gaston, now maybe as an individual you need to do something. That’s how the idea of Imagine started.”
Kabore began the Imagine Institute in 1999 - a film academy for young Africans, pouring in his own money to equip the school with state of the art technology. He raises funds to pay professionals to teach intense workshops that he believes should be free for students:
“If we want to have the best students, if we put the money like the filter to select, then we are going to lose many of them…"
Anna Piuri, from Zambia, is one of the 600 students who have attended Imagine with aid mainly from European donors. She says she could not have found quality training back home.
“What you have now in Zambia is a lot of vocational training. You might be able to learn the basics of how to handle a camera but you really don’t get the knowledge of how to really tell a story.”
An aspiring script writer, Anna is thrilled to be working with the man known as the father of Burkina Faso cinema.
“I think for Gaston to do that, to me was really amazing… I think it’s very valuable that he says OK. I made my films now. I am going to pass on the knowledge to other people… And I am not going to make you pay for it.”
“Filmmakers are not only people using techniques, they also need to continue shaping their inside world and vision…It’s not only a question of entertainment, it is also a question of survival in the cultural level.”
But today, after seven years, Imagine has been hit hard by the global financial crisis. Kabore says he wants Imagine to survive, and for students to create film Institutes in their own countries.
“My conviction is life is a journey, is a quest. We take something from those who have lived before us. We continue the journey and we have to pass something to the new generation for them to continue the journey.”
Despite the financial challenges, Kabore is committed to keeping Imagine open. He says helping other people make films is as important as making his own
March 15, 2011
Movies can tell much about a country, its culture, values, aspirations and shared experiences. In some African countries, an emerging movie industry is helping Africans to tell their stories.
The 1982 film "Wend Kuuni," also known as “God’s Gift,” was a breakthrough in West African cinema. Directed by Gaston Kabore from Burkina Faso, it brought the tradition of African oral storytelling to the big screen, ushering in a new genre of African movies, elegant in their simplicity and profound. "Wend Kuuni" tells the story of a young mute boy who lost his memory. Only when he remembers his past, does he regain his voice.
“…this child is told in parallel with the story of Africa, the colonial period, the slavery, and everything and how we take back our own voice and words.”
"Wend Kunni" was the first feature film ever made in Burkina Faso - and it catapulted Kabore onto the world stage. His success set him on a mission: to unlock the imagination of a whole new generation of filmmakers and help Africans to tell their own stories.
“Who are we? To me is the fundamental question. If the Africans do not see themselves on the screen they are going to disappear in their own minds and eyes.”
Kabore grew up in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital. After independence, despite few resources, the government committed to building a local film industry. Since 1969 it has hosted the Pan-African Film Festival - called FESPACO - the largest and most prestigious in sub-Saharan Africa. It also created a film archive and with the support of
UNESCO, founded the African Institute for Cinematographic Studies, which trained hundreds of filmmakers. Kabore taught there until 1986, when the school closed for lack of funds. Eleven years later, he released "Budd Yamm," which won the top prize at the FESPACO film festival that year.
“I said, OK Gaston, now maybe as an individual you need to do something. That’s how the idea of Imagine started.”
Kabore began the Imagine Institute in 1999 - a film academy for young Africans, pouring in his own money to equip the school with state of the art technology. He raises funds to pay professionals to teach intense workshops that he believes should be free for students:
“If we want to have the best students, if we put the money like the filter to select, then we are going to lose many of them…"
Anna Piuri, from Zambia, is one of the 600 students who have attended Imagine with aid mainly from European donors. She says she could not have found quality training back home.
“What you have now in Zambia is a lot of vocational training. You might be able to learn the basics of how to handle a camera but you really don’t get the knowledge of how to really tell a story.”
An aspiring script writer, Anna is thrilled to be working with the man known as the father of Burkina Faso cinema.
“I think for Gaston to do that, to me was really amazing… I think it’s very valuable that he says OK. I made my films now. I am going to pass on the knowledge to other people… And I am not going to make you pay for it.”
“Filmmakers are not only people using techniques, they also need to continue shaping their inside world and vision…It’s not only a question of entertainment, it is also a question of survival in the cultural level.”
But today, after seven years, Imagine has been hit hard by the global financial crisis. Kabore says he wants Imagine to survive, and for students to create film Institutes in their own countries.
“My conviction is life is a journey, is a quest. We take something from those who have lived before us. We continue the journey and we have to pass something to the new generation for them to continue the journey.”
Despite the financial challenges, Kabore is committed to keeping Imagine open. He says helping other people make films is as important as making his own
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Police fired teargas and live bullets to quell opposition supporters
By Paul Ndiho, Washington DC
March 9, 2011
Police in Uganda's capital Kampala fired teargas and shoot live bullets over the heads of protesters demonstrating against President Yoweri Museveni's huge election win last month.
General Museveni who has been in power for 25 years, won 68 percent of the February 18 vote, with closest rival Kizza Besigye gaining 26 percent.
Besigye said the polls were a sham due to widespread bribery, ballot box stuffing and intimidation.
The protesters dispersed after police stepped in and the security forces then sealed off the streets around the shuttered market in the capital.
Wednesday's demonstration, was not endorsed by Besigye, was called by Olara Otunnu, the fourth-placed candidate and leader of the Uganda People's Congress.
Otunnu led a crowd of about 80 people through the city before a larger group of several hundred gathered at the city's Kisekka market, a site of anti-government protests in the past.
"We want a new president to come in with a new idea and I want to assure you, on Sunday we are doing it again, from church service we shall invade state house," said an unidentified protester.
European Union observers, the African Union, the United States and Britain all criticized the poll but stopped short of condemning the result.
According to police, a number of people wearing yellow, the color of Museveni's ruling National Resistance Movement, had their clothes torn off by protesters.
Police said eight people had been arrested. Police spokesman Vincent Sekate
"The people were putting barriers on the roads. Vehicles could not pass and all those who could access the point, when you were putting on yellow, anything that looked like yellow, whether a helmet, anything of that nature, people had started pelting stones at them and beating them up, so police came,"
Police had warned that peaceful protests against the election outcome were illegal, saying the opposition intended to cause "violence and destruction".
Besigye and other opposition leaders have repeatedly warned Uganda is ripe for an Egypt-style uprising, though analysts question public appetite for unrest.
Besigye unsuccessfully appealed to the Supreme Court after losing the 2001 and 2006 elections. While judges agreed there had been vote rigging and violence against the opposition, they said it had not changed the overall result.
March 9, 2011
Police in Uganda's capital Kampala fired teargas and shoot live bullets over the heads of protesters demonstrating against President Yoweri Museveni's huge election win last month.
General Museveni who has been in power for 25 years, won 68 percent of the February 18 vote, with closest rival Kizza Besigye gaining 26 percent.
Besigye said the polls were a sham due to widespread bribery, ballot box stuffing and intimidation.
The protesters dispersed after police stepped in and the security forces then sealed off the streets around the shuttered market in the capital.
Wednesday's demonstration, was not endorsed by Besigye, was called by Olara Otunnu, the fourth-placed candidate and leader of the Uganda People's Congress.
Otunnu led a crowd of about 80 people through the city before a larger group of several hundred gathered at the city's Kisekka market, a site of anti-government protests in the past.
"We want a new president to come in with a new idea and I want to assure you, on Sunday we are doing it again, from church service we shall invade state house," said an unidentified protester.
European Union observers, the African Union, the United States and Britain all criticized the poll but stopped short of condemning the result.
According to police, a number of people wearing yellow, the color of Museveni's ruling National Resistance Movement, had their clothes torn off by protesters.
Police said eight people had been arrested. Police spokesman Vincent Sekate
"The people were putting barriers on the roads. Vehicles could not pass and all those who could access the point, when you were putting on yellow, anything that looked like yellow, whether a helmet, anything of that nature, people had started pelting stones at them and beating them up, so police came,"
Police had warned that peaceful protests against the election outcome were illegal, saying the opposition intended to cause "violence and destruction".
Besigye and other opposition leaders have repeatedly warned Uganda is ripe for an Egypt-style uprising, though analysts question public appetite for unrest.
Besigye unsuccessfully appealed to the Supreme Court after losing the 2001 and 2006 elections. While judges agreed there had been vote rigging and violence against the opposition, they said it had not changed the overall result.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
CHILDREN FLEEING VIOLENCE IN CONGO
By Paul Ndiho
March 8, 2011
Children fleeing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo struggle everyday to set up a new life.12 year old Ujumbe’s life was abruptly uprooted by civil conflict two years ago. Her family fled the violence and came to live in Walikale, a remote rain forest territory in DRC. VOA’s Paul Ndiho has more:
Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most dangerous places on earth for a child. It’s the second poorest country in the world, and here, children have been used as soldiers, sexual slaves or laborers by armed forces and militia groups. The UN estimates that over 100,000 people have fled their homes since 2008, when violence between the rebels and the government troops began escalating.
“It’s very hard living here. Back home there is war so I have to stay here.”
Ujumbe knows that her childhood has been starkly different from that of teenagers in other parts of the world.
“My life is different from their lives because they have means.”
Adolescents make up approximately one-fifth of the global population, and young people need to stay in school, especially girls from the most marginalized areas of the world, where they are vulnerable to early marriage, violence and forced labor. Ujumbe says that staying in school is the only way to keep her out of danger.
“It’s good going to school because at school they teach us how to be and how to live outside of school. I like going to school and hope to finish but I’m not sure if another war will crop up and displace me again.”
Ujumbe worries about the most basic necessities many take for granted. A better life will be a challenge for Ujumbe’s generation, but she remains hopeful.
“I want my country to be a country of peace; for everyone to return home; for everyone to live well.”
Over five million people have died from war-related violence, hunger and disease in Eastern Congo in the last decade.
March 8, 2011
Children fleeing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo struggle everyday to set up a new life.12 year old Ujumbe’s life was abruptly uprooted by civil conflict two years ago. Her family fled the violence and came to live in Walikale, a remote rain forest territory in DRC. VOA’s Paul Ndiho has more:
Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most dangerous places on earth for a child. It’s the second poorest country in the world, and here, children have been used as soldiers, sexual slaves or laborers by armed forces and militia groups. The UN estimates that over 100,000 people have fled their homes since 2008, when violence between the rebels and the government troops began escalating.
“It’s very hard living here. Back home there is war so I have to stay here.”
Ujumbe knows that her childhood has been starkly different from that of teenagers in other parts of the world.
“My life is different from their lives because they have means.”
Adolescents make up approximately one-fifth of the global population, and young people need to stay in school, especially girls from the most marginalized areas of the world, where they are vulnerable to early marriage, violence and forced labor. Ujumbe says that staying in school is the only way to keep her out of danger.
“It’s good going to school because at school they teach us how to be and how to live outside of school. I like going to school and hope to finish but I’m not sure if another war will crop up and displace me again.”
Ujumbe worries about the most basic necessities many take for granted. A better life will be a challenge for Ujumbe’s generation, but she remains hopeful.
“I want my country to be a country of peace; for everyone to return home; for everyone to live well.”
Over five million people have died from war-related violence, hunger and disease in Eastern Congo in the last decade.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
NIGERIANS OPTIMISTIC BUT SKEPTICAL ABOUT 2011 ELECTIONS
By Paul Ndiho, Washington DC
March 3, 2011
Stakes are high in Nigeria as presidential candidates are busy campaigning for April elections. The poll pits incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan against seven challengers.
The elections have generated a lot of buzz across the country. About 67 million people came out to register in the recently concluded voter registration. However, the electronic system designed to make the process more efficient has come under heavy criticism. Some Nigerians wonder whether the new system will really help make the vote more fair. Government official Dimieari Von Kemedi says it will.
“The voters register is credible because the process that was used was based on biometric data capture, which means that they could easily phase-out all the double registrants which will probably reduce the figure a little bit, I don't know. But on the whole the process of registration was a credible process, so that should only lead to a credible voter register and I'm very confident that Independent National Elections Commission (INEC) did a good job."
President Jonathan opened his campaign in Nigeria's “Middle Belt” between the mostly-Christian south and predominantly-Muslim north. His candidacy disrupts an informal regional power-sharing deal that would have given the ruling-party nomination to a northern candidate.
Analysts say President Jonathan needs to do well in central states to offset what could be opposition from northern voters. He’s campaigning on themes of national security and the economy. Commentator Okey Ndibe says there is optimism.
“Nigerians think that there is a great opportunity for their votes to be felt in elections that are coming up in April. Even so, I think that there is much to be concerned about. The internal primary processes for all the political parties were notoriously undemocratic. In all the parties it was either the story of candidates being imposed on the membership of the party or certain candidates using resources, financial resources, to bribe primary voters. And so, I'm wondering if the parties would not respect the ethos of democracy in their own internal process, whether they are going to be respectful of the integrity of the elections, the general elections coming up in April."
Mr. Ndibe is confident that Nigerians are going to make their voices heard at the ballot box. He cautions the political elite against trying to manipulate the vote.
“Well, Nigerians have always been good at doing that I hope that in the shadow, in the wake of violent convulsions in places like Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, and so on, that Nigerian politicians might be chastened and understand that they run the risk of instigating rather widespread violence should they try to rig the forthcoming elections as egregiously as they have done in the past.”
At least seven Nigerian politicians have expressed their interest in running for president, but political observers say the opposition's best chance of defeating the ruling party is forcing the vote to a second round, where President Jonathan would face a single opponent, such as Nigeria's former military head of state Muhammad Buhari, former Nigerian anti-corruption chief Nuhu Ribadu, or some such candidate.
March 3, 2011
Stakes are high in Nigeria as presidential candidates are busy campaigning for April elections. The poll pits incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan against seven challengers.
The elections have generated a lot of buzz across the country. About 67 million people came out to register in the recently concluded voter registration. However, the electronic system designed to make the process more efficient has come under heavy criticism. Some Nigerians wonder whether the new system will really help make the vote more fair. Government official Dimieari Von Kemedi says it will.
“The voters register is credible because the process that was used was based on biometric data capture, which means that they could easily phase-out all the double registrants which will probably reduce the figure a little bit, I don't know. But on the whole the process of registration was a credible process, so that should only lead to a credible voter register and I'm very confident that Independent National Elections Commission (INEC) did a good job."
President Jonathan opened his campaign in Nigeria's “Middle Belt” between the mostly-Christian south and predominantly-Muslim north. His candidacy disrupts an informal regional power-sharing deal that would have given the ruling-party nomination to a northern candidate.
Analysts say President Jonathan needs to do well in central states to offset what could be opposition from northern voters. He’s campaigning on themes of national security and the economy. Commentator Okey Ndibe says there is optimism.
“Nigerians think that there is a great opportunity for their votes to be felt in elections that are coming up in April. Even so, I think that there is much to be concerned about. The internal primary processes for all the political parties were notoriously undemocratic. In all the parties it was either the story of candidates being imposed on the membership of the party or certain candidates using resources, financial resources, to bribe primary voters. And so, I'm wondering if the parties would not respect the ethos of democracy in their own internal process, whether they are going to be respectful of the integrity of the elections, the general elections coming up in April."
Mr. Ndibe is confident that Nigerians are going to make their voices heard at the ballot box. He cautions the political elite against trying to manipulate the vote.
“Well, Nigerians have always been good at doing that I hope that in the shadow, in the wake of violent convulsions in places like Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, and so on, that Nigerian politicians might be chastened and understand that they run the risk of instigating rather widespread violence should they try to rig the forthcoming elections as egregiously as they have done in the past.”
At least seven Nigerian politicians have expressed their interest in running for president, but political observers say the opposition's best chance of defeating the ruling party is forcing the vote to a second round, where President Jonathan would face a single opponent, such as Nigeria's former military head of state Muhammad Buhari, former Nigerian anti-corruption chief Nuhu Ribadu, or some such candidate.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Museum of African Art opens doors
By Paul Ndiho
February 25, 2011
The Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art in Washington has opened its doors to an exhibit showcasing African and Brazilian art.
"Artists in Dialogue Two (II)" chronicles works by artist Sandile Zulu from South Africa and Henrique Oliveira from Brazil. Karen Milbourne, museum curator says the interaction between the artists began a year ago, when they met at the museum to survey the gallery space.
“An artist who works with what we'd consider to be very transitional idioms of art history. Here you have an artist like Sandile Zulu who is working in the vocabulary of the minimal list… He's work is very clean, it’s very essential, it’s real just the essence of a very profound message and yet he's using it instead of the classical painting but doing it with fire."
Zulu makes designs on his white canvases using fire, water, and earth, his trademark technique. His muted color patterns are seen near the entrance of the gallery, while Oliveira's dynamic forms emerge from the back. Oliveira's two giant, wood installations bulge out from the wall like snarled tree roots, looking like two elephants.
Milbourne says Henrique Oliveira was inspired by Zulu's use of fire.
"He has taken this unyielding material and also worked in this vocabulary also something very familiar of painting but taking you to someplace else… So you have these classical starting points and yet there is nothing classical about these two artists.
"Arts in Dialogue Two (II)" is a way to celebrate ties between Africa and the African Diaspora, according to Museum Director Dr. Johnnetta Cole:
"A museum is at its best is in the story telling business, but I think it's a mistake if we think that there is only one story to be told, and we got it memorized and just hope that everybody who leaves the museum has the same story. But the extra- ordinarily thing about being in a relationship with this continent is that it will then take you into the Diaspora, it will then take you into the rest of the world, and that's a lot of stories.”
Oliveira builds his paintings in layers, much like a collage, splattering different colors. His paintings are busy with abstract shapes, popping with bright colors. "Artists in Dialogue Two" is on display at Washington's Museum of African Art through December. So if you are in DC, after many hours of braving the cold weather, shopping, sight-seeing…! You might want to pass at the museum and see for yourself.
February 25, 2011
The Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art in Washington has opened its doors to an exhibit showcasing African and Brazilian art.
"Artists in Dialogue Two (II)" chronicles works by artist Sandile Zulu from South Africa and Henrique Oliveira from Brazil. Karen Milbourne, museum curator says the interaction between the artists began a year ago, when they met at the museum to survey the gallery space.
“An artist who works with what we'd consider to be very transitional idioms of art history. Here you have an artist like Sandile Zulu who is working in the vocabulary of the minimal list… He's work is very clean, it’s very essential, it’s real just the essence of a very profound message and yet he's using it instead of the classical painting but doing it with fire."
Zulu makes designs on his white canvases using fire, water, and earth, his trademark technique. His muted color patterns are seen near the entrance of the gallery, while Oliveira's dynamic forms emerge from the back. Oliveira's two giant, wood installations bulge out from the wall like snarled tree roots, looking like two elephants.
Milbourne says Henrique Oliveira was inspired by Zulu's use of fire.
"He has taken this unyielding material and also worked in this vocabulary also something very familiar of painting but taking you to someplace else… So you have these classical starting points and yet there is nothing classical about these two artists.
"Arts in Dialogue Two (II)" is a way to celebrate ties between Africa and the African Diaspora, according to Museum Director Dr. Johnnetta Cole:
"A museum is at its best is in the story telling business, but I think it's a mistake if we think that there is only one story to be told, and we got it memorized and just hope that everybody who leaves the museum has the same story. But the extra- ordinarily thing about being in a relationship with this continent is that it will then take you into the Diaspora, it will then take you into the rest of the world, and that's a lot of stories.”
Oliveira builds his paintings in layers, much like a collage, splattering different colors. His paintings are busy with abstract shapes, popping with bright colors. "Artists in Dialogue Two" is on display at Washington's Museum of African Art through December. So if you are in DC, after many hours of braving the cold weather, shopping, sight-seeing…! You might want to pass at the museum and see for yourself.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Uganda goes to the Poll
By Paul Ndiho
February 18, 2011
Uganda's opposition presidential candidate, running for the third time, has called on people to take to the streets if there is evidence of election rigging.
Today’s presidential elections in Uganda are widely expected to hand President Yoweri Museveni a fourth term in office against his opponent, opposition front runner Dr. Kizza Besigye. General Museveni, who has ruled the East African country for over two decades, is running for the fourth time as the candidate of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), seeking a continuation of his 25-year rule. General Museveni took power in 1986, (and) changed the constitution in 2005 to end presidential term limits.
Besigye has twice tried and failed to beat Museveni at the ballot box. He wants street protests if the poll is deemed rigged, and plans to release his own tally of results alongside the official vote count.
Shortly after casting his vote Besigye said East Africa's third largest economy is ripe for an Egypt-style uprising amid mounting frustration Museveni has been at the country's helm since 1986. Museveni has said he would clamp down on any protests.
"If the electoral commission eventually announces something different or if there is massive fraud from incidents like those I have described, then we shall be advising the country so, that this is not an election and letting the citizens decide what next to do, because this time we are not going back to the courts, our people are the courts, they should decide what to do with the next elections,"
European Union observers said voting had so far been peaceful, but were concerned some voters were being turned away from polling stations despite being registered and that they had seen a number of improperly sealed ballot boxes.
Many Ugandans complain of widespread corruption and a lack of investment in basic public services and infrastructure, but others respect Museveni for bringing stability to a country once plagued by brutal regimes.
The discovery of oil along the country's western border has upped the stakes. The vote's winner will be tasked with charting Uganda's emergence as a top-50 oil producer and managing the resulting petrodollars and foreign investor interest.
President Museveni defeated Besigye in 2001 and 2006 in elections that the Supreme Court ruled were marred by accusations of widespread fraud. Uganda's opposition criticizes the Museveni government, calling it corrupt and repressive.
Political analysts say attempts to sway voters had been more subtle this time to avoid alarming foreign donors and investors eyeing the country's oil.
The the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has spent a "phenomenal" amount of money and that the state coffers were clearly dug into to support Museveni.
Analysts feel a public uprising is not likely to succeed in Uganda, where a population less educated and less Internet-savvy than that of Egypt is afraid of an army with a history of violently suppressing dissent.
February 18, 2011
Uganda's opposition presidential candidate, running for the third time, has called on people to take to the streets if there is evidence of election rigging.
Today’s presidential elections in Uganda are widely expected to hand President Yoweri Museveni a fourth term in office against his opponent, opposition front runner Dr. Kizza Besigye. General Museveni, who has ruled the East African country for over two decades, is running for the fourth time as the candidate of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), seeking a continuation of his 25-year rule. General Museveni took power in 1986, (and) changed the constitution in 2005 to end presidential term limits.
Besigye has twice tried and failed to beat Museveni at the ballot box. He wants street protests if the poll is deemed rigged, and plans to release his own tally of results alongside the official vote count.
Shortly after casting his vote Besigye said East Africa's third largest economy is ripe for an Egypt-style uprising amid mounting frustration Museveni has been at the country's helm since 1986. Museveni has said he would clamp down on any protests.
"If the electoral commission eventually announces something different or if there is massive fraud from incidents like those I have described, then we shall be advising the country so, that this is not an election and letting the citizens decide what next to do, because this time we are not going back to the courts, our people are the courts, they should decide what to do with the next elections,"
European Union observers said voting had so far been peaceful, but were concerned some voters were being turned away from polling stations despite being registered and that they had seen a number of improperly sealed ballot boxes.
Many Ugandans complain of widespread corruption and a lack of investment in basic public services and infrastructure, but others respect Museveni for bringing stability to a country once plagued by brutal regimes.
The discovery of oil along the country's western border has upped the stakes. The vote's winner will be tasked with charting Uganda's emergence as a top-50 oil producer and managing the resulting petrodollars and foreign investor interest.
President Museveni defeated Besigye in 2001 and 2006 in elections that the Supreme Court ruled were marred by accusations of widespread fraud. Uganda's opposition criticizes the Museveni government, calling it corrupt and repressive.
Political analysts say attempts to sway voters had been more subtle this time to avoid alarming foreign donors and investors eyeing the country's oil.
The the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has spent a "phenomenal" amount of money and that the state coffers were clearly dug into to support Museveni.
Analysts feel a public uprising is not likely to succeed in Uganda, where a population less educated and less Internet-savvy than that of Egypt is afraid of an army with a history of violently suppressing dissent.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Ugandans Head to 2011 Polls
By Paul Ndiho
February 17, 2011
Millions of Ugandans head to the polls today with mixed feelings as they vote in presidential and parliamentary elections.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday re-iterated his threat to arrest main opposition leader, DR. Kizza Besigye, if Besigye carries out his vow to contest the election not in the courts, but in the streets. General Museveni has ruled the East African country for over two decades, and is running for the fourth time as the candidate of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
"If he does not want to go to court will be in order as it will mean our lawyers won't be paid any money to feed themselves for free, but to say that he will come into power through violence, there is no other way for us but to arrest him."
Most political analysts expect General Museveni will win, because he’s large sums of money on his campaign - tens of millions of dollars in state funds, according to critics, and paying people to go to his rallies. But General Museveni dismisses claims that Uganda might explode with street chaos if the poll is not fair.
"There will not be any Egyptian-like revolution here, because we are freedom fighters, we are not office people, there is nobody who can use extra- constitutional means to take power here, that one is out of the question."
54 year-old Kizza Besigye, who is facing former ally Museveni for the third time, says a popular uprising in Uganda was "even more likely" than in either Egypt or Tunisia after what he says are years of corruption. Besigye is the leader of the Inter-Party Cooperation or IPC Party, which intends to release its own polling results. The IPC says that if their results do not match the official figures, supporters will protest.
Besigye unsuccessfully appealed to the Supreme Court after losing in the last two polls, but says this he will appeal to the public instead. He says he has been threatened with arrest before by General Museveni:
"Am not surprised, that's the way he behaves whenever he is seriously threatened with the defeat. Actually he arrested me the last election and it will not come as a surprise that he is threatening, rattling and generally losing his composure as head of State."
Besigye and Museveni are going head-to-head at the ballot box for the third time. An urban-rural divide has emerged in Uganda, with Besigye enjoying strong support in urban areas and making inroads into Museveni's rural base of support. Besigye says that like Egypt, Uganda is looking for change:
"Egypt I think is not a situation that is unique to Egypt where the population is frustrated with institution of state they take the power back to themselves and use it to cause the changes they need and I think we are approaching that situation here."
Museveni and Besigye took to the streets on the final day of campaigns urging their supporters to turn up in large numbers at the polls.
At Museveni's rally, the grounds were swamped with supporters wearing yellow as the party colors and Besigye's were all in blue.
Car horns blared, people bashed drums and stereo speakers pumped out songs in support of both candidates - and six other hopefuls - drowning out the afternoon election chatter as many escaped the noise and the sun in dark cafes.
February 17, 2011
Millions of Ugandans head to the polls today with mixed feelings as they vote in presidential and parliamentary elections.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday re-iterated his threat to arrest main opposition leader, DR. Kizza Besigye, if Besigye carries out his vow to contest the election not in the courts, but in the streets. General Museveni has ruled the East African country for over two decades, and is running for the fourth time as the candidate of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
"If he does not want to go to court will be in order as it will mean our lawyers won't be paid any money to feed themselves for free, but to say that he will come into power through violence, there is no other way for us but to arrest him."
Most political analysts expect General Museveni will win, because he’s large sums of money on his campaign - tens of millions of dollars in state funds, according to critics, and paying people to go to his rallies. But General Museveni dismisses claims that Uganda might explode with street chaos if the poll is not fair.
"There will not be any Egyptian-like revolution here, because we are freedom fighters, we are not office people, there is nobody who can use extra- constitutional means to take power here, that one is out of the question."
54 year-old Kizza Besigye, who is facing former ally Museveni for the third time, says a popular uprising in Uganda was "even more likely" than in either Egypt or Tunisia after what he says are years of corruption. Besigye is the leader of the Inter-Party Cooperation or IPC Party, which intends to release its own polling results. The IPC says that if their results do not match the official figures, supporters will protest.
Besigye unsuccessfully appealed to the Supreme Court after losing in the last two polls, but says this he will appeal to the public instead. He says he has been threatened with arrest before by General Museveni:
"Am not surprised, that's the way he behaves whenever he is seriously threatened with the defeat. Actually he arrested me the last election and it will not come as a surprise that he is threatening, rattling and generally losing his composure as head of State."
Besigye and Museveni are going head-to-head at the ballot box for the third time. An urban-rural divide has emerged in Uganda, with Besigye enjoying strong support in urban areas and making inroads into Museveni's rural base of support. Besigye says that like Egypt, Uganda is looking for change:
"Egypt I think is not a situation that is unique to Egypt where the population is frustrated with institution of state they take the power back to themselves and use it to cause the changes they need and I think we are approaching that situation here."
Museveni and Besigye took to the streets on the final day of campaigns urging their supporters to turn up in large numbers at the polls.
At Museveni's rally, the grounds were swamped with supporters wearing yellow as the party colors and Besigye's were all in blue.
Car horns blared, people bashed drums and stereo speakers pumped out songs in support of both candidates - and six other hopefuls - drowning out the afternoon election chatter as many escaped the noise and the sun in dark cafes.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Uganda Elections Preview
By Paul Ndiho, Washington DC
February 15, 2011
Stakes are high in Uganda as the nation prepares to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections this week. Despite 25 years of economic growth and relative stability, many Ugandans are concerned about the state of democracy in their country.
Ugandans will go to the polls to elect their president on February 18 for the fourth time since the reinstitution of democracy. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the East African country for over two decades, is running for the fourth time as the candidate of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), seeking a continuation of his 25-year rule. General Museveni took power in 1986, (and) changed the constitution in 2005 to end presidential term limits. Earlier this month, he began an airborne political campaign; flying planes blasting music across the country. This tactic has come under fire from Museveni's critics, who say he is spending taxpayer money for his own purposes, but Museveni dismisses those claims.
“NRM’s 25 years heritage to Uganda is a solid foundation for a progressive nation. What this means is while we have achieved recovery we are now going to take off."
The election pits General Museveni against his closest rival, Dr. Kizza Besigye, in the third face-off between the two men. Analysts say it is a test of democracy in a country about to start producing oil. Besigye is the leader of Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC), a coalition of four parties.
President Museveni defeated Besigye in elections in 2001 and 2006 in elections marred by accusations of widespread fraud. Uganda's opposition criticizes the Museveni government, calling it corrupt and repressive. Kizza Besigye says that there is a lot anger in Uganda and if upcoming elections are not free and fair, Uganda might be ripe for unrest.
"There is a lot of anger, frustration in our society without doubt, whether the rigging of the elections is what will trigger off that kind of public riots is one that I think is open to speculations, these things can be triggered by anything and normally it is the smallest thing that triggers of the beginning of such riots, but the ground is certainly set for that kind of public expression."
Democratic Party leader Norbert Mao is another presidential candidate who is worried about the credibility of Uganda's upcoming presidential elections.
“If we don't have free and fair elections, we are going back to the cycle of violence that we thought was now behind us.”
Olara Otunnu, Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) presidential candidate is another newcomer to the Ugandan political scene. He’s the former United Nations Undersecretary for Children in Armed Conflict Zones. Otunnu returned to Uganda last year after 23 years in exile to run for president.
Other presidential contenders include Dr. Abed Bwanika of the Peoples’ Development Party (PDP), Betty Kamya, Uganda Federal Alliance (UFA) presidential candidate, Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) presidential candidate, and Samuel Lubega, an Independent.
February 15, 2011
Stakes are high in Uganda as the nation prepares to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections this week. Despite 25 years of economic growth and relative stability, many Ugandans are concerned about the state of democracy in their country.
Ugandans will go to the polls to elect their president on February 18 for the fourth time since the reinstitution of democracy. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the East African country for over two decades, is running for the fourth time as the candidate of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), seeking a continuation of his 25-year rule. General Museveni took power in 1986, (and) changed the constitution in 2005 to end presidential term limits. Earlier this month, he began an airborne political campaign; flying planes blasting music across the country. This tactic has come under fire from Museveni's critics, who say he is spending taxpayer money for his own purposes, but Museveni dismisses those claims.
“NRM’s 25 years heritage to Uganda is a solid foundation for a progressive nation. What this means is while we have achieved recovery we are now going to take off."
The election pits General Museveni against his closest rival, Dr. Kizza Besigye, in the third face-off between the two men. Analysts say it is a test of democracy in a country about to start producing oil. Besigye is the leader of Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC), a coalition of four parties.
President Museveni defeated Besigye in elections in 2001 and 2006 in elections marred by accusations of widespread fraud. Uganda's opposition criticizes the Museveni government, calling it corrupt and repressive. Kizza Besigye says that there is a lot anger in Uganda and if upcoming elections are not free and fair, Uganda might be ripe for unrest.
"There is a lot of anger, frustration in our society without doubt, whether the rigging of the elections is what will trigger off that kind of public riots is one that I think is open to speculations, these things can be triggered by anything and normally it is the smallest thing that triggers of the beginning of such riots, but the ground is certainly set for that kind of public expression."
Democratic Party leader Norbert Mao is another presidential candidate who is worried about the credibility of Uganda's upcoming presidential elections.
“If we don't have free and fair elections, we are going back to the cycle of violence that we thought was now behind us.”
Olara Otunnu, Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) presidential candidate is another newcomer to the Ugandan political scene. He’s the former United Nations Undersecretary for Children in Armed Conflict Zones. Otunnu returned to Uganda last year after 23 years in exile to run for president.
Other presidential contenders include Dr. Abed Bwanika of the Peoples’ Development Party (PDP), Betty Kamya, Uganda Federal Alliance (UFA) presidential candidate, Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) presidential candidate, and Samuel Lubega, an Independent.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Sexual Violence in Eastern Congo
By Paul Ndiho
February 10, 2011
Sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has left thousands of victims in need of greater assistance. The United Nations is trying to reach out to women who bear the brunt of war. The U.N. recently opened new community center for women survivors of gender violence in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rape has been used as a weapon of war in the Eastern Congo for more than a decade. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of women have been raped by war-hardened rebels and government soldiers. The U.N.-funded "City of Joy" is Congo's first rehabilitation center for victims of sexual violence. The center opened its doors just weeks after a new spate of mass rapes in eastern Congo. Wabiwa-Mutulinwa is a spokesperson for sexual violence victims.
"We had said before and we are still saying that we need a committee to look after our needs, how are we expected to live? We are oppressed, when we are raped, everyone laughs at us saying we are mothers and asking if we are really using our heads properly."
City of Joy will provide hundreds of women each year with survival skills training, therapy, storytelling and comprehensive sexuality education.
On the center's opening day, United States Ambassador on global women's issues, Melanne Verveer, told participants that they need to work together for Eastern Congo.
"We work in many levels with our partners here, with all of you to end the conflict to end the atrocities of systematic rapes that is nothing less than a crime against humanity."
The City of Joy center will try to help Congolese women turn their pain and anger to hope, and become leaders in Eastern Congo.
But Wabiwa-Mutulinwa says Congo's women need help to stop the violence.
"We really suffer too much with the problem of rape, and we are requesting all of you who are here to help us as if this was to happen to your country it would be stopped very fast, we ask ourselves what mistake have we done?"
Last month more than 100 women, men and children were sexually abused in separate attacks carried out by the Congolese army and FDLR rebels in and around the South Kivu town of Fizi. U.N. Special Envoy on Sexual Violence, Margot Wallstorm.
“Women are so strong. Women carry children, they carry water, they carry produce, they carry firewood, they carry responsibilities and now they have to carry the shame of being raped. This has to stop.”
The DRC has one of the highest incidences of sexual abuse. There were an estimated 11,000 rapes in Congo in 2010 alone, according to the United Nations.
February 10, 2011
Sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has left thousands of victims in need of greater assistance. The United Nations is trying to reach out to women who bear the brunt of war. The U.N. recently opened new community center for women survivors of gender violence in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rape has been used as a weapon of war in the Eastern Congo for more than a decade. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of women have been raped by war-hardened rebels and government soldiers. The U.N.-funded "City of Joy" is Congo's first rehabilitation center for victims of sexual violence. The center opened its doors just weeks after a new spate of mass rapes in eastern Congo. Wabiwa-Mutulinwa is a spokesperson for sexual violence victims.
"We had said before and we are still saying that we need a committee to look after our needs, how are we expected to live? We are oppressed, when we are raped, everyone laughs at us saying we are mothers and asking if we are really using our heads properly."
City of Joy will provide hundreds of women each year with survival skills training, therapy, storytelling and comprehensive sexuality education.
On the center's opening day, United States Ambassador on global women's issues, Melanne Verveer, told participants that they need to work together for Eastern Congo.
"We work in many levels with our partners here, with all of you to end the conflict to end the atrocities of systematic rapes that is nothing less than a crime against humanity."
The City of Joy center will try to help Congolese women turn their pain and anger to hope, and become leaders in Eastern Congo.
But Wabiwa-Mutulinwa says Congo's women need help to stop the violence.
"We really suffer too much with the problem of rape, and we are requesting all of you who are here to help us as if this was to happen to your country it would be stopped very fast, we ask ourselves what mistake have we done?"
Last month more than 100 women, men and children were sexually abused in separate attacks carried out by the Congolese army and FDLR rebels in and around the South Kivu town of Fizi. U.N. Special Envoy on Sexual Violence, Margot Wallstorm.
“Women are so strong. Women carry children, they carry water, they carry produce, they carry firewood, they carry responsibilities and now they have to carry the shame of being raped. This has to stop.”
The DRC has one of the highest incidences of sexual abuse. There were an estimated 11,000 rapes in Congo in 2010 alone, according to the United Nations.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Politics of Oil in Uganda
By Paul Ndiho, Washington DC
February 7, 2011
Uganda is believed to have the largest onshore oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa, but there are mounting concerns that an influx of petrodollars could lead to corruption.
Energy experts say Uganda will start producing crude oil this year, reaching peak production of 150-thousand barrels a day by 2015. Some of the oil will be used for power production, but the bulk will be sold domestically and in the region. The government says revenue will be used for infrastructure development Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni is reaching out to international investors.
“The oil industry in Uganda has potential of providing a lot of investment opportunities to oil companies and other related businesses. You are all welcome to invest in Uganda, to invest in this emerging industry, I am confident that with these interventions, Uganda will be a good destination for investment in the mining, petroleum and energy sectors."
Within Uganda, there have been concerns that oil revenue sharing agreements between energy companies and the government have not been made public. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Uganda’s leading opposition figure, says that this lack of transparency could lead to high levels corruption and warns that some contracts may have to be renegotiated. Other critics say that Museveni, who has ruled for more than two decades and is standing for a fourth presidential term, will not tolerate a handover of power with petrodollars about to flow.
"The secret contracts that have been negotiated with the current regime will have to be reviewed because we don't know what they are. It will have to be reviewed and a review can lead to any kind of outcomes; could lead to a re-negotiation, it could lead to cancellation; it could lead to any form of outcome depending on what we find. We don't know. This country does not know what our leaders are negotiating on our behalf."
Last year, a Ugandan court dismissed a case that local NGOs had filed to compel the government to disclose details of oil-sharing agreements it signed with four companies. Tom Balemesa, an oil researcher and Peace Corp Fellow, says that since the discovery of oil, expectations are high and life of ordinary people is being transformed in one of the remotest regions in western Uganda.
“With the discovery of Oil more people are coming into Hoima District and more people are expecting a lot of benefits in terms of jobs."
Balemesa is also concerned that Uganda's local population will not be able to get jobs in the oil industry.
“The whole idea is looking at it from a humanistic approach to the person on the lower side… Yes the road has been contracted but what are the alternatives for this person on the ground who has not been to school because most of them have not been to school, so are they going to resettle them, are they going to give them some compensation, or are they going to encourage them to go to school and get skills?"
Analysts say Uganda has the potential to produce as many as 200-thousand barrels of oil per day. This would place Uganda among the top 50 biggest producers in the world and among the top 10 in Africa.
February 7, 2011
Uganda is believed to have the largest onshore oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa, but there are mounting concerns that an influx of petrodollars could lead to corruption.
Energy experts say Uganda will start producing crude oil this year, reaching peak production of 150-thousand barrels a day by 2015. Some of the oil will be used for power production, but the bulk will be sold domestically and in the region. The government says revenue will be used for infrastructure development Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni is reaching out to international investors.
“The oil industry in Uganda has potential of providing a lot of investment opportunities to oil companies and other related businesses. You are all welcome to invest in Uganda, to invest in this emerging industry, I am confident that with these interventions, Uganda will be a good destination for investment in the mining, petroleum and energy sectors."
Within Uganda, there have been concerns that oil revenue sharing agreements between energy companies and the government have not been made public. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Uganda’s leading opposition figure, says that this lack of transparency could lead to high levels corruption and warns that some contracts may have to be renegotiated. Other critics say that Museveni, who has ruled for more than two decades and is standing for a fourth presidential term, will not tolerate a handover of power with petrodollars about to flow.
"The secret contracts that have been negotiated with the current regime will have to be reviewed because we don't know what they are. It will have to be reviewed and a review can lead to any kind of outcomes; could lead to a re-negotiation, it could lead to cancellation; it could lead to any form of outcome depending on what we find. We don't know. This country does not know what our leaders are negotiating on our behalf."
Last year, a Ugandan court dismissed a case that local NGOs had filed to compel the government to disclose details of oil-sharing agreements it signed with four companies. Tom Balemesa, an oil researcher and Peace Corp Fellow, says that since the discovery of oil, expectations are high and life of ordinary people is being transformed in one of the remotest regions in western Uganda.
“With the discovery of Oil more people are coming into Hoima District and more people are expecting a lot of benefits in terms of jobs."
Balemesa is also concerned that Uganda's local population will not be able to get jobs in the oil industry.
“The whole idea is looking at it from a humanistic approach to the person on the lower side… Yes the road has been contracted but what are the alternatives for this person on the ground who has not been to school because most of them have not been to school, so are they going to resettle them, are they going to give them some compensation, or are they going to encourage them to go to school and get skills?"
Analysts say Uganda has the potential to produce as many as 200-thousand barrels of oil per day. This would place Uganda among the top 50 biggest producers in the world and among the top 10 in Africa.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Southern Sudan Returnees
By Paul Ndiho
January 01/25/2011
Millions of Southern Sudanese have lived in northern Sudan for decades. Some had jobs, others were married and their children were born there. But it was never quite home. In days leading up to the referendum, tens of thousands started going back home to the South. The UNHCR estimates that more 180,000 southern Sudanese have returned. VOA’s Paul Ndiho caught up Dominik Bartsch, UNHCR’S program coordinator for Sudan and Chad, who says much of the area remains devastated and undeveloped. And that many of returnees will continue to depend on assistance to rebuild their lives.
January 01/25/2011
Millions of Southern Sudanese have lived in northern Sudan for decades. Some had jobs, others were married and their children were born there. But it was never quite home. In days leading up to the referendum, tens of thousands started going back home to the South. The UNHCR estimates that more 180,000 southern Sudanese have returned. VOA’s Paul Ndiho caught up Dominik Bartsch, UNHCR’S program coordinator for Sudan and Chad, who says much of the area remains devastated and undeveloped. And that many of returnees will continue to depend on assistance to rebuild their lives.
MALI POWER BLACKOUTS
BY PAUL NDIHO, WASHINGTON D.C
JANUARY 01, 25, 2011
Power blackouts, also known as “load shedding,” are one of Africa’s biggest challenges in the 21st century as the demand for energy is at all time high. Experts say more than 75% of African nations are facing serious electricity shortages. Paul Ndiho has more:
Sub-Saharan Africa has some of the fastest growing economies in the world. About one-seventh of the world's people live in Africa but the continent generates only 4% of global electricity. More than half of the total population in sub-Saharan Africans has no access to power. But in central Mali, that situation is about to change:
“It has changed a lot to have electricity. Before, I needed a generator and it was expensive to pay for its fuel. I use the electricity also in the daytime for the fridge.”
Maimouna Sacko owns this small restaurant in the city of Seribala in central Mali. Until recently, she served breakfast and lunch in the dark.
She now gets electricity from a nearby power station, thanks to a national energy project and the World Bank.
“It is not even comparable to before. Now I work at night and also in the daytime I can sell cold drinks so I am selling more now than before.”
But still, only 24 percent of Mali’s population has access to electricity. That rate is even lower in rural areas like Seribala.
The energy project is reversing that by paying local private companies to operate off-grid power stations, such as the one providing energy to Seribala.
“All development depends on electricity. We can’t progress in obscurity. The people were in obscurity before we came. Now the city is doing well.”
The Mali project funds almost 50 private companies to manage about 80 power stations across the country. The stations provide power to 650,000 people and hundreds of public places. Shop owner Amadou Drame.
“We are happy. Even if the bill is sometimes expensive, I do all I can to pay and if there is a problem, the company comes and fixes it immediately.”
Amadou says since getting electricity he does business until 2 o'clock in the morning, and is able to provide for his family. Amadou's success story could be repeated elsewhere on the continent - analysts say having reliable power could add more than 2 percent to the annual growth rate of the worst-hit African countries.
JANUARY 01, 25, 2011
Power blackouts, also known as “load shedding,” are one of Africa’s biggest challenges in the 21st century as the demand for energy is at all time high. Experts say more than 75% of African nations are facing serious electricity shortages. Paul Ndiho has more:
Sub-Saharan Africa has some of the fastest growing economies in the world. About one-seventh of the world's people live in Africa but the continent generates only 4% of global electricity. More than half of the total population in sub-Saharan Africans has no access to power. But in central Mali, that situation is about to change:
“It has changed a lot to have electricity. Before, I needed a generator and it was expensive to pay for its fuel. I use the electricity also in the daytime for the fridge.”
Maimouna Sacko owns this small restaurant in the city of Seribala in central Mali. Until recently, she served breakfast and lunch in the dark.
She now gets electricity from a nearby power station, thanks to a national energy project and the World Bank.
“It is not even comparable to before. Now I work at night and also in the daytime I can sell cold drinks so I am selling more now than before.”
But still, only 24 percent of Mali’s population has access to electricity. That rate is even lower in rural areas like Seribala.
The energy project is reversing that by paying local private companies to operate off-grid power stations, such as the one providing energy to Seribala.
“All development depends on electricity. We can’t progress in obscurity. The people were in obscurity before we came. Now the city is doing well.”
The Mali project funds almost 50 private companies to manage about 80 power stations across the country. The stations provide power to 650,000 people and hundreds of public places. Shop owner Amadou Drame.
“We are happy. Even if the bill is sometimes expensive, I do all I can to pay and if there is a problem, the company comes and fixes it immediately.”
Amadou says since getting electricity he does business until 2 o'clock in the morning, and is able to provide for his family. Amadou's success story could be repeated elsewhere on the continent - analysts say having reliable power could add more than 2 percent to the annual growth rate of the worst-hit African countries.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Illegal Mining in Eastern Congo
By Paul Ndiho
January 13, 2011
Following a ban on mining activities in a large part of eastern Congo, business in the surrounding areas is coming to a halt. Businessmen and officials fear the ban could damage other economic sectors.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s mining-driven economy has been crippled by the global economy's drop in demand for minerals. Income from mining and other exports make up more than 60 percent of state revenues. To put an end to illegal mining, last year the government banned all mining activities in Eastern Congo. Political analyst Yussa Bunzigiye Prosper says the mining ban has had a detrimental effect on working people:
“I think the government in Congo is running away from their responsibility. The primary duty of the government is to provide security for the people, irrespective of whatever activity. The Government cannot prevent people from trying to make a living or to have something to eat. And those people depend on any activity which have been used to, be it mining.”
Tin ore, or cassiterite, is in huge demand worldwide for its use in electronics. Congo's eastern Walikale district is home to most of the country's cassiterite, and where more than 300 rapes took place in a rebel attack in July and August. The rising insecurity prompted the government in September to ban mining in North Kivu, South Kivu and Maniema provinces. But local business people say the ban is hurting them more than it is improving security.
''Since the president suspended cassiterite mining, we are not selling. The cassiterite miners used to come from the Goma bush and would bring cassiterite to be sold. After that, they would buy other materials for their own environment. Since this problem however, there is no circulation of money. We are not selling at all.''
An estimated 5 million people are believed to have been killed in the Congo since the start of civil war. The Congolese government and U.N. forces are still struggling to uproot various rebel groups active in the region.
Business people in Eastern Congo say that the mining ban only leads to smuggling of minerals, and hurts everyone:
“The consequences are serious. Soon, we wouldn't have worked for four months. Can you imagine what kind of an impact this will have? Go speak to the bankers, go speak to businesses, go speak to the aviation sector, go see the people that are in the petrol business, everything is moving at a very slow pace''
Yusser Prosper says that President Joseph Kabila’s decision to ban mining in the eastern DRC diverts attention from real problems:
"Are you suggesting that President Joseph Kabila is part of the corruption, part of the scam to steal away from his own people?
“You cannot say that the whole country has bee has been mismanaged as a result of the illegal mining. No, you go in other parts of the country which have nothing to do with illicit mining in Congo and you still see the same thing…You still see insecurity, You still see violence against women and those are the failures of the government, and the corruption. The corruption is the one, which is the foundation of all this wrong things which are happening in the Congo."
Congo's cassiteriate made up about 5 percent of world production this year. More than 50,000 people were affected after exports worth $10 ten million dollars came to a halt. Many mining companies have tons of ore sitting in warehouses or in the bush, waiting for the freeze to be lifted. And United Nations experts say that tin mines previously run by rebels have mostly been taken over by the army.
January 13, 2011
Following a ban on mining activities in a large part of eastern Congo, business in the surrounding areas is coming to a halt. Businessmen and officials fear the ban could damage other economic sectors.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s mining-driven economy has been crippled by the global economy's drop in demand for minerals. Income from mining and other exports make up more than 60 percent of state revenues. To put an end to illegal mining, last year the government banned all mining activities in Eastern Congo. Political analyst Yussa Bunzigiye Prosper says the mining ban has had a detrimental effect on working people:
“I think the government in Congo is running away from their responsibility. The primary duty of the government is to provide security for the people, irrespective of whatever activity. The Government cannot prevent people from trying to make a living or to have something to eat. And those people depend on any activity which have been used to, be it mining.”
Tin ore, or cassiterite, is in huge demand worldwide for its use in electronics. Congo's eastern Walikale district is home to most of the country's cassiterite, and where more than 300 rapes took place in a rebel attack in July and August. The rising insecurity prompted the government in September to ban mining in North Kivu, South Kivu and Maniema provinces. But local business people say the ban is hurting them more than it is improving security.
''Since the president suspended cassiterite mining, we are not selling. The cassiterite miners used to come from the Goma bush and would bring cassiterite to be sold. After that, they would buy other materials for their own environment. Since this problem however, there is no circulation of money. We are not selling at all.''
An estimated 5 million people are believed to have been killed in the Congo since the start of civil war. The Congolese government and U.N. forces are still struggling to uproot various rebel groups active in the region.
Business people in Eastern Congo say that the mining ban only leads to smuggling of minerals, and hurts everyone:
“The consequences are serious. Soon, we wouldn't have worked for four months. Can you imagine what kind of an impact this will have? Go speak to the bankers, go speak to businesses, go speak to the aviation sector, go see the people that are in the petrol business, everything is moving at a very slow pace''
Yusser Prosper says that President Joseph Kabila’s decision to ban mining in the eastern DRC diverts attention from real problems:
"Are you suggesting that President Joseph Kabila is part of the corruption, part of the scam to steal away from his own people?
“You cannot say that the whole country has bee has been mismanaged as a result of the illegal mining. No, you go in other parts of the country which have nothing to do with illicit mining in Congo and you still see the same thing…You still see insecurity, You still see violence against women and those are the failures of the government, and the corruption. The corruption is the one, which is the foundation of all this wrong things which are happening in the Congo."
Congo's cassiteriate made up about 5 percent of world production this year. More than 50,000 people were affected after exports worth $10 ten million dollars came to a halt. Many mining companies have tons of ore sitting in warehouses or in the bush, waiting for the freeze to be lifted. And United Nations experts say that tin mines previously run by rebels have mostly been taken over by the army.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Photo Exhibit Shows Grim Face of War
By Amra Alirejsovic & Valer Gergely
Italian photojournalist Enrico Dagnino at his "War Zone" exhibit
Twenty-five years of war around the world are on display at a new exhibit in Washington, DC, called the "War Zone." It's a collection of still photographs by Italian photojournalist Enrico Dagnino - powerful images that shine a spotlight on the cruelty of war. Dagnino has covered all the recent conflicts in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. His pictures tell stories which echo the thoughts of other journalists who also were there. And they tell a tale of war and survival.
Born in Italy and based in Paris, photographer Enrico Dagnino has gone to the heart of conflicts around the world: Bosnia, Croatia, Chechnya, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Rwanda, Kenya, Somalia. He has been arrested, beaten and threatened many times while covering wars. We reached him in Kenya, before his next assignment in Sudan.
"The moment I take the picture is like I am almost not there. It slowly starts coming later and growing inside you," he says.
Please be advised that some of the images are extremely graphic in nature and may not be suitable for all viewers.
The stories of war are also the stories of survival. One of the most cruel conflicts in recent history was the one in Chechnya in the mid-1990s, which unofficially claimed about 300,000 lives. Many people are still missing, including the husband of journalist Fatima Tlisova. Tlisova herself was arrested seven times, and even poisoned, because of her reporting.
"When you report from the war, you see human flesh everywhere," she says. "In the winter it is corpses half eaten by dogs on the streets, in the summer it is mostly the smell. It is penetrating your lungs."
More than 100,000 people were killed in the war in Bosnia between 1992-1995. 2.2 million people were displaced and over a million ended up as refugees. Sixteen-hundred children alone were killed during the siege of the capital, Sarajevo.
"One had to have enough strength and courage to go out in the street and not look around, because there was not a single day that I did not see a dead body around me," says Mladen Bosnjak, who covered the seige for Radio Sarajevo.
Enrico Dagnino was there too. He says the brutality of one Serbian paramilitary leader, Zeljko Raznatovic, was almost too much for him to handle.
"At the beginning of the Sarajevo siege I saw a soldier running on a bridge," he says. "That was the only moment when I was a little bit scared to press the shutter. But I did press it, and they arrested me, confiscated the film, beat me."
Dagnino says the images of war he most vividly remembers are from Bosnia - and from the wars he covered in Africa.
Fierce fighting in Democratic Republic of Congo in 2000 was the widest multi-national war in modern African history. Paul Ndiho was another journalist who took great personal risks there.
"I have never been in a situation where I had seen so many people killed in one night," he says. "People were massacred in large number, especially women and children. I saw several mass graves, people who were buried, fresh bodies being taken out of their houses."
French photographer Jean Louis Atlan is the owner of the Zone 2.8 gallery, which is hosting the “War Zone” exhibit. He also covered events in Afghanistan, Iran, Poland and the Middle East -- and covered the White House for 10 years as well.
"You do not see those pictures in magazines," he says. "You see them maybe once from time to time. The difficulty of taking a photograph is to try to get in one photograph the whole story."
Enrico Dagnino says his images can be seen as question marks for human behavior. He says that he does not trust humanity as he did before. Other journalists feel the same way. Fatima Tlisova says that “it can’t be true, but it is.” And Paul Nidho adds that he is haunted by the voices of conflicts he covered, and that he sometimes hears them in his dreams.
But Dagnino says he has no regrets. Given the option, he would do it all over.
"In my next life I will be a photojournalist again…. For sure…," he says.
Italian photojournalist Enrico Dagnino at his "War Zone" exhibit
Twenty-five years of war around the world are on display at a new exhibit in Washington, DC, called the "War Zone." It's a collection of still photographs by Italian photojournalist Enrico Dagnino - powerful images that shine a spotlight on the cruelty of war. Dagnino has covered all the recent conflicts in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. His pictures tell stories which echo the thoughts of other journalists who also were there. And they tell a tale of war and survival.
Born in Italy and based in Paris, photographer Enrico Dagnino has gone to the heart of conflicts around the world: Bosnia, Croatia, Chechnya, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Rwanda, Kenya, Somalia. He has been arrested, beaten and threatened many times while covering wars. We reached him in Kenya, before his next assignment in Sudan.
"The moment I take the picture is like I am almost not there. It slowly starts coming later and growing inside you," he says.
Please be advised that some of the images are extremely graphic in nature and may not be suitable for all viewers.
The stories of war are also the stories of survival. One of the most cruel conflicts in recent history was the one in Chechnya in the mid-1990s, which unofficially claimed about 300,000 lives. Many people are still missing, including the husband of journalist Fatima Tlisova. Tlisova herself was arrested seven times, and even poisoned, because of her reporting.
"When you report from the war, you see human flesh everywhere," she says. "In the winter it is corpses half eaten by dogs on the streets, in the summer it is mostly the smell. It is penetrating your lungs."
More than 100,000 people were killed in the war in Bosnia between 1992-1995. 2.2 million people were displaced and over a million ended up as refugees. Sixteen-hundred children alone were killed during the siege of the capital, Sarajevo.
"One had to have enough strength and courage to go out in the street and not look around, because there was not a single day that I did not see a dead body around me," says Mladen Bosnjak, who covered the seige for Radio Sarajevo.
Enrico Dagnino was there too. He says the brutality of one Serbian paramilitary leader, Zeljko Raznatovic, was almost too much for him to handle.
"At the beginning of the Sarajevo siege I saw a soldier running on a bridge," he says. "That was the only moment when I was a little bit scared to press the shutter. But I did press it, and they arrested me, confiscated the film, beat me."
Dagnino says the images of war he most vividly remembers are from Bosnia - and from the wars he covered in Africa.
Fierce fighting in Democratic Republic of Congo in 2000 was the widest multi-national war in modern African history. Paul Ndiho was another journalist who took great personal risks there.
"I have never been in a situation where I had seen so many people killed in one night," he says. "People were massacred in large number, especially women and children. I saw several mass graves, people who were buried, fresh bodies being taken out of their houses."
French photographer Jean Louis Atlan is the owner of the Zone 2.8 gallery, which is hosting the “War Zone” exhibit. He also covered events in Afghanistan, Iran, Poland and the Middle East -- and covered the White House for 10 years as well.
"You do not see those pictures in magazines," he says. "You see them maybe once from time to time. The difficulty of taking a photograph is to try to get in one photograph the whole story."
Enrico Dagnino says his images can be seen as question marks for human behavior. He says that he does not trust humanity as he did before. Other journalists feel the same way. Fatima Tlisova says that “it can’t be true, but it is.” And Paul Nidho adds that he is haunted by the voices of conflicts he covered, and that he sometimes hears them in his dreams.
But Dagnino says he has no regrets. Given the option, he would do it all over.
"In my next life I will be a photojournalist again…. For sure…," he says.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Mali's Renewable Energy
By Paul Ndiho
December 29, 2010
Mali is one of West Africa’s poorest countries, but it has started a solar power revolution in the countryside, promoting clean energy to improve the lives of women, reduce poverty and safeguard the environment.
These women in rural Mali are involved in effort to meet the country’s energy needs while protecting the environment. They’ve left their old jobs of cutting down forests, and started their own community plant nurseries instead.
“Now the forest is re-growing and our work does not take as much effort as chopping down trees.”
Fanta Cisse and other women in Mali’s remote forest regions are receiving financial and technical assistance to start the plant farms through a government project, backed by the World Bank. The project has placed about 874,000 hectares of land under the management of community groups to produce a sustainable supply of wood for cooking and heating.
“Most of the women are leaving the exploit of forest wood for the nursery which is producing trees and vegetables and they make more with less effort and the forests are preserved.”
Toure Cheick, a Malian Energy and Electrification official, says the project is also making life safer for women and children around the country.
“Cooking fumes are a major health problem for one point six million women and children around the world who get sick or die from them annually; this corresponds to 38,100 women and children in Mali a year.”
Mali's energy project is broad-based, supporting the production of improved cooking stoves. And this solar power station in Kimparana is the first of its type and scale in West Africa. Solar power now provides light for nearly nine-thousand homes and buildings in Mali. 40-year-old welder Sinna Bagayogo lives in Kimparana.
“It’s made it possible to work here; we used to have to go to another town.”
The solar power station, he says, is providing the energy he needs to operate his business closer to home. Analysts say that Mali’s renewable energy initiative will improve the lives of more than 70 percent of Mali's people who depend on subsistence agriculture.
December 29, 2010
Mali is one of West Africa’s poorest countries, but it has started a solar power revolution in the countryside, promoting clean energy to improve the lives of women, reduce poverty and safeguard the environment.
These women in rural Mali are involved in effort to meet the country’s energy needs while protecting the environment. They’ve left their old jobs of cutting down forests, and started their own community plant nurseries instead.
“Now the forest is re-growing and our work does not take as much effort as chopping down trees.”
Fanta Cisse and other women in Mali’s remote forest regions are receiving financial and technical assistance to start the plant farms through a government project, backed by the World Bank. The project has placed about 874,000 hectares of land under the management of community groups to produce a sustainable supply of wood for cooking and heating.
“Most of the women are leaving the exploit of forest wood for the nursery which is producing trees and vegetables and they make more with less effort and the forests are preserved.”
Toure Cheick, a Malian Energy and Electrification official, says the project is also making life safer for women and children around the country.
“Cooking fumes are a major health problem for one point six million women and children around the world who get sick or die from them annually; this corresponds to 38,100 women and children in Mali a year.”
Mali's energy project is broad-based, supporting the production of improved cooking stoves. And this solar power station in Kimparana is the first of its type and scale in West Africa. Solar power now provides light for nearly nine-thousand homes and buildings in Mali. 40-year-old welder Sinna Bagayogo lives in Kimparana.
“It’s made it possible to work here; we used to have to go to another town.”
The solar power station, he says, is providing the energy he needs to operate his business closer to home. Analysts say that Mali’s renewable energy initiative will improve the lives of more than 70 percent of Mali's people who depend on subsistence agriculture.
GEOTHERMAL POWER IN KENYA
By Paul Ndiho
December 29, 2010
Kenya, facing an acute energy crisis, is expanding its use of geothermal energy, with the help of multi-national cooperations.
Outside of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, the landscape around Naivasha town looks like a modern day snakes-and-ladders set. It's all part of the steel infrastructure of the Olkaria Geothermal Power Station, located in a national park where giraffes graze close to the fence, unfazed by the whirr of power-producing turbines. The power stations here at Olkaria produce 163 megawatts, 13 per cent of Kenya’s total generating capacity.
“The project started by United Nations Development Program that funded the first exploration; the service exploration which means geochemistry, geology, geophysics, environment and heat from measurements. And it is from that study that Olkaria was identified for the first exploration wells."
In Africa's vast landscape, finding the best places to drill for geothermal energy can be challenging.
“We have encouraged the scientists working in the geothermal development to come up with more accurate data and data that can be combined so that the risk of a fail drilling is now less; and that greatly reduces the cost of geothermal exploitation.”
With its high oil prices, coupled with drought and population spikes, much of Africa is facing an acute energy crisis.
“The longer Rift Valley of East Africa, there are thousands of megawatts of proven potential for geothermal power generation. It is a clean and increasingly cheap source of energy that also provides countries with inability to become less dependent on world plus a few markets and to develop their domestic capacity to generate power for their people and their economies in the future.”
Olkaria Geothermal Power Project is next to farms that produce some of the finest flowers in the world.
“Here in Kenya we have very hot days but also very cold nights, so when we get the cold nights the relative humidity is rising in the early morning so we pass the heat through these pipes basically to push the humid air out of the vents so that we don’t need to use fungicide because we are controlling the relative humidity in the green house and preventing condensation of the leaves or on the flowers. Here you can see a pipe where we are going to basically in the future using this pipe to inject carbon dioxide into the green house to enhance the growth of the plant and increase the photosynthesis of the crops itself which should increase the production capacity, and that’s basically ‘part and parcel’ of the geothermal project that we are doing will extract the C02 source from the geothermal well and inject it to the green house to convert that C02 into oxygen.
The “Oserian” flower farm makes good use of energy from existing geothermal wells, but better power generation is on the way:
“The geothermal prospects of Kenya itself will in the next years be developed. But the success of the project is even over and beyond because it showcased also to the other countries in the region that geothermal is not a risky technology any longer but a credible addition, a credible completion to the existing power mix."
Analysts say geothermal energy is the most economical power generation option for Kenya, and they say this innovation is a boon for Africa, and will attract foreign investment and expertise to the region.
December 29, 2010
Kenya, facing an acute energy crisis, is expanding its use of geothermal energy, with the help of multi-national cooperations.
Outside of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, the landscape around Naivasha town looks like a modern day snakes-and-ladders set. It's all part of the steel infrastructure of the Olkaria Geothermal Power Station, located in a national park where giraffes graze close to the fence, unfazed by the whirr of power-producing turbines. The power stations here at Olkaria produce 163 megawatts, 13 per cent of Kenya’s total generating capacity.
“The project started by United Nations Development Program that funded the first exploration; the service exploration which means geochemistry, geology, geophysics, environment and heat from measurements. And it is from that study that Olkaria was identified for the first exploration wells."
In Africa's vast landscape, finding the best places to drill for geothermal energy can be challenging.
“We have encouraged the scientists working in the geothermal development to come up with more accurate data and data that can be combined so that the risk of a fail drilling is now less; and that greatly reduces the cost of geothermal exploitation.”
With its high oil prices, coupled with drought and population spikes, much of Africa is facing an acute energy crisis.
“The longer Rift Valley of East Africa, there are thousands of megawatts of proven potential for geothermal power generation. It is a clean and increasingly cheap source of energy that also provides countries with inability to become less dependent on world plus a few markets and to develop their domestic capacity to generate power for their people and their economies in the future.”
Olkaria Geothermal Power Project is next to farms that produce some of the finest flowers in the world.
“Here in Kenya we have very hot days but also very cold nights, so when we get the cold nights the relative humidity is rising in the early morning so we pass the heat through these pipes basically to push the humid air out of the vents so that we don’t need to use fungicide because we are controlling the relative humidity in the green house and preventing condensation of the leaves or on the flowers. Here you can see a pipe where we are going to basically in the future using this pipe to inject carbon dioxide into the green house to enhance the growth of the plant and increase the photosynthesis of the crops itself which should increase the production capacity, and that’s basically ‘part and parcel’ of the geothermal project that we are doing will extract the C02 source from the geothermal well and inject it to the green house to convert that C02 into oxygen.
The “Oserian” flower farm makes good use of energy from existing geothermal wells, but better power generation is on the way:
“The geothermal prospects of Kenya itself will in the next years be developed. But the success of the project is even over and beyond because it showcased also to the other countries in the region that geothermal is not a risky technology any longer but a credible addition, a credible completion to the existing power mix."
Analysts say geothermal energy is the most economical power generation option for Kenya, and they say this innovation is a boon for Africa, and will attract foreign investment and expertise to the region.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Sudanese Immigrants in Greece
By Paul Ndiho, Washington D.C
December 21, 2010
Tens of thousands of migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East attempt to cross by boat to Greece's Patras city each year, with many ending up in squalid camps or living on the streets and others are crammed into abandoned buildings.
Patras Greece, a Port City and major transit point for hundreds of migrants from across Africa and Asia into Europe. Mojahed from Sudan arrived here a few months ago after a perilous journey through Libya, Cyprus and Turkey after escaping the violence in his native Darfur.
“I left Darfur by force, because of the Janjaweed and the government came to shooting us, killing our grand sister, grandma, burning our houses.”
He fled to nearby Chad and stayed for a year in a camp, but he wanted a better life, he wanted a future. These days his better life means scrounging in the city’s garbage. He skips along with his friends also from Sudan looking for food.
“It’s so hard for me. It is very difficult to search from the garbage because I feel hungry so much. It is very difficult.”
The pickings are slim and local people seem not to believe what they are seeing.
In Patras, officials say there could be as many 1,000 homeless migrants; Afghans, Sudanese or Somalis who left their homes in fear of their lives.
“Greece is one of the countries that is chosen by the immigrants in order to pass to Europe.”
Many of the migrants, including Mojahed, end up here at the Patras train station.
“Let me show you the place where people are sleeping. This is our rooms, our houses, everything. When we come back from the garbage from eating the food we come back here to sleep.”
Mojahed hasn’t applied for asylum, nor have his friends. The process is long and rarely brings a positive result, he says. He would rather take his chances smuggling himself into Europe. Some migrants say they have been here for nearly a decade living rough times. Day or night they try to board the transport trucks that can get them onto the ships. They hide under the carriage or the wheels or inside if they can all in the hope of getting onto a ferry that will cross over to Italy. The journey is risk and some people die trying. Yet they refuse to give up.
Mojahed has tried to cross a few times but has been unsuccessfully. He will try again, he says. He also says his claim to asylum should be given more consideration.
“Give us the right to live; we are human beings. No fighting, listen to us. Give is our rights.
It’s a life of dreariness and yet they keep coming. Since January more 44,000 migrants have crossed into Greece from Turkey most with the same dream as Mojahed. But reality has not lived up to their hopes. UNHCR has urged the government to speed up the reform of their asylum process but system remains broken leaving asylum seekers little chance of having their refugee claims heard.
December 21, 2010
Tens of thousands of migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East attempt to cross by boat to Greece's Patras city each year, with many ending up in squalid camps or living on the streets and others are crammed into abandoned buildings.
Patras Greece, a Port City and major transit point for hundreds of migrants from across Africa and Asia into Europe. Mojahed from Sudan arrived here a few months ago after a perilous journey through Libya, Cyprus and Turkey after escaping the violence in his native Darfur.
“I left Darfur by force, because of the Janjaweed and the government came to shooting us, killing our grand sister, grandma, burning our houses.”
He fled to nearby Chad and stayed for a year in a camp, but he wanted a better life, he wanted a future. These days his better life means scrounging in the city’s garbage. He skips along with his friends also from Sudan looking for food.
“It’s so hard for me. It is very difficult to search from the garbage because I feel hungry so much. It is very difficult.”
The pickings are slim and local people seem not to believe what they are seeing.
In Patras, officials say there could be as many 1,000 homeless migrants; Afghans, Sudanese or Somalis who left their homes in fear of their lives.
“Greece is one of the countries that is chosen by the immigrants in order to pass to Europe.”
Many of the migrants, including Mojahed, end up here at the Patras train station.
“Let me show you the place where people are sleeping. This is our rooms, our houses, everything. When we come back from the garbage from eating the food we come back here to sleep.”
Mojahed hasn’t applied for asylum, nor have his friends. The process is long and rarely brings a positive result, he says. He would rather take his chances smuggling himself into Europe. Some migrants say they have been here for nearly a decade living rough times. Day or night they try to board the transport trucks that can get them onto the ships. They hide under the carriage or the wheels or inside if they can all in the hope of getting onto a ferry that will cross over to Italy. The journey is risk and some people die trying. Yet they refuse to give up.
Mojahed has tried to cross a few times but has been unsuccessfully. He will try again, he says. He also says his claim to asylum should be given more consideration.
“Give us the right to live; we are human beings. No fighting, listen to us. Give is our rights.
It’s a life of dreariness and yet they keep coming. Since January more 44,000 migrants have crossed into Greece from Turkey most with the same dream as Mojahed. But reality has not lived up to their hopes. UNHCR has urged the government to speed up the reform of their asylum process but system remains broken leaving asylum seekers little chance of having their refugee claims heard.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Kampala's Finest Potholes
By Paul Ndiho
December 14, 2010
In Kampala, Uganda, traffic can be bad - and the roads can be worse. The city suffers not only from bad traffic jams, but potholes make the going difficult, even when the traffic is fine.
Residents of Kampala have protested against the state of the roads by going fishing in potholes and others pretended to be fishmongers, selling their "catch" from the water-filled potholes. The protesters say the poor state of roads in the capital causes accidents and traffic jams. Kampala resident David Odele says that politicians are using money meant for roads for personal gain.
“They are not using money on roads, they are not making good use of the roads, they are just making roads in their pockets and as we talk, i cannot fail to mention the president himself. He talks of roads, but the roads he talks of... Since 1996, I was in primary, I was a kid but up to date, those roads are being campaigned each and every year, each and every year.”
Protesters say that the state of the roads in Kampala is so bad that the city has been nicknamed 'Kampothole'. And residents are photographing some of the city's most spectacular road problems, which are on display at an exhibition called ''Kampala's finest potholes."
"We came as members of the private sector after being affected by this problem for a while, and we realized that our leaders were not doing what we expected them to do, I mean promising every other time that they are going to fix this potholes once and for all, but we realize after every other elections they tell us the same story, promises and more promises"
John Nasasira is Uganda's long serving Minster of Works and Transportation, and is arguably one of Uganda’s most powerful politicians and richest men. His critics say he has used tax payer money meant for roads for personal gain. Nasasira denies the allegation, saying that he does not have jurisdiction over Kampala's roads. But he assures the protestors that Uganda National Roads Authority, or UNRA, will take over all the maintenance of roads in Kampala next year.
“We will eventually take over Kampala city as central government and the ministry of works together with UNRA, will take over the roads, we will establish a complete unit that will that will deal with Kampala roads under the Uganda roads development."
Kampala residents question whether the latest move by the government to take over Kampala's road maintenance will produce results. In the meantime, they will keep trying to negotiate the city's numerous potholes and budgeting for the maintenance costs of their vehicles.
December 14, 2010
In Kampala, Uganda, traffic can be bad - and the roads can be worse. The city suffers not only from bad traffic jams, but potholes make the going difficult, even when the traffic is fine.
Residents of Kampala have protested against the state of the roads by going fishing in potholes and others pretended to be fishmongers, selling their "catch" from the water-filled potholes. The protesters say the poor state of roads in the capital causes accidents and traffic jams. Kampala resident David Odele says that politicians are using money meant for roads for personal gain.
“They are not using money on roads, they are not making good use of the roads, they are just making roads in their pockets and as we talk, i cannot fail to mention the president himself. He talks of roads, but the roads he talks of... Since 1996, I was in primary, I was a kid but up to date, those roads are being campaigned each and every year, each and every year.”
Protesters say that the state of the roads in Kampala is so bad that the city has been nicknamed 'Kampothole'. And residents are photographing some of the city's most spectacular road problems, which are on display at an exhibition called ''Kampala's finest potholes."
"We came as members of the private sector after being affected by this problem for a while, and we realized that our leaders were not doing what we expected them to do, I mean promising every other time that they are going to fix this potholes once and for all, but we realize after every other elections they tell us the same story, promises and more promises"
John Nasasira is Uganda's long serving Minster of Works and Transportation, and is arguably one of Uganda’s most powerful politicians and richest men. His critics say he has used tax payer money meant for roads for personal gain. Nasasira denies the allegation, saying that he does not have jurisdiction over Kampala's roads. But he assures the protestors that Uganda National Roads Authority, or UNRA, will take over all the maintenance of roads in Kampala next year.
“We will eventually take over Kampala city as central government and the ministry of works together with UNRA, will take over the roads, we will establish a complete unit that will that will deal with Kampala roads under the Uganda roads development."
Kampala residents question whether the latest move by the government to take over Kampala's road maintenance will produce results. In the meantime, they will keep trying to negotiate the city's numerous potholes and budgeting for the maintenance costs of their vehicles.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Primary Education in Benin
By Paul Ndiho, Washington D.C
December 9, 2010
Children make up approximately 50 percent of the population in Benin, and one-fifth of these children are under five years-old. Without proper safeguards and schooling, it leaves them vulnerable to perils of the streets such as forced labor and child trafficking. But a new program aims to improve education in Benin. Reporter Paul Ndiho has more:
Nearly half of Benin's population lives on less than a dollar a day. A recent United Nations study shows that over 40 percent of children ages five to 14 are working and not in school. For Mamatou Nee Wassgui Orou Yo and her husband, Gnansi, going to school was never an option.
“I’ve never set foot in a school. My parents were farmers and I’m a farmer.”
But today, the Orou Yo’s see an opportunity for their children. UNICEF and the Government of Benin have created community kindergartens in remote areas such as Sinende, so that children such as four-year-old Wahi Wrou Wo have a strong foundation going into primary school.
“Before the commencement of this UNICEF-supported program, the education system in Benin was in a poor state. In addition to low access of schooling for children, three other issues affected the state of Benin’s educational system. First, the enrollment of children into schools was very low. Second, the rate of children completing primary school was low. And thirdly, there was a large gender gap in enrollment. Many more boys than girls were being sent to school.”
Children in the kindergarten program sing, play, and develop their identities in child-friendly spaces.
An extension of this initiative empowers mothers such as Mamatou with income-generating activities such as making shea butter and food items.
“I do feel empowered participating in this program because the profits I get from it help me do some household expenses, give some allowance to my children and help me with financial organization.”
Today there are over 200 community kindergartens in Benin. Sizable results have been achieved, but more work needs for the hardest to reach children, not only to enroll them in school but ensure that they stay in school.
“The educational program is indeed a program aimed to achieve educational equality, gender equality in particular, equality to address the Benin’s education system, where there was and there is still an important gap between boys and girls and to provide them plenty of chances to be able to have access to school.”
In addition to helping mothers, UNICEF is providing more training for teachers and has already built latrines and supplied equipment, furniture, and learning tools for the students and teachers.
“The kindergarten program is very positive for me. It’s helped me find a place to keep my children, do my housework, go to the farm and participate in income generating activities. More importantly, it’s helping prepare my children for primary school.”
The kindergarten program may help Benin to achieve U.N. Millennium Development Goal number two: ensuring that all boys and girls complete primary school by 2015.
Mamatou and Gnansi see their children’s education as a way out of poverty. They are also optimistic that with this kind of education, their child will be the first in their family to graduate from university.
December 9, 2010
Children make up approximately 50 percent of the population in Benin, and one-fifth of these children are under five years-old. Without proper safeguards and schooling, it leaves them vulnerable to perils of the streets such as forced labor and child trafficking. But a new program aims to improve education in Benin. Reporter Paul Ndiho has more:
Nearly half of Benin's population lives on less than a dollar a day. A recent United Nations study shows that over 40 percent of children ages five to 14 are working and not in school. For Mamatou Nee Wassgui Orou Yo and her husband, Gnansi, going to school was never an option.
“I’ve never set foot in a school. My parents were farmers and I’m a farmer.”
But today, the Orou Yo’s see an opportunity for their children. UNICEF and the Government of Benin have created community kindergartens in remote areas such as Sinende, so that children such as four-year-old Wahi Wrou Wo have a strong foundation going into primary school.
“Before the commencement of this UNICEF-supported program, the education system in Benin was in a poor state. In addition to low access of schooling for children, three other issues affected the state of Benin’s educational system. First, the enrollment of children into schools was very low. Second, the rate of children completing primary school was low. And thirdly, there was a large gender gap in enrollment. Many more boys than girls were being sent to school.”
Children in the kindergarten program sing, play, and develop their identities in child-friendly spaces.
An extension of this initiative empowers mothers such as Mamatou with income-generating activities such as making shea butter and food items.
“I do feel empowered participating in this program because the profits I get from it help me do some household expenses, give some allowance to my children and help me with financial organization.”
Today there are over 200 community kindergartens in Benin. Sizable results have been achieved, but more work needs for the hardest to reach children, not only to enroll them in school but ensure that they stay in school.
“The educational program is indeed a program aimed to achieve educational equality, gender equality in particular, equality to address the Benin’s education system, where there was and there is still an important gap between boys and girls and to provide them plenty of chances to be able to have access to school.”
In addition to helping mothers, UNICEF is providing more training for teachers and has already built latrines and supplied equipment, furniture, and learning tools for the students and teachers.
“The kindergarten program is very positive for me. It’s helped me find a place to keep my children, do my housework, go to the farm and participate in income generating activities. More importantly, it’s helping prepare my children for primary school.”
The kindergarten program may help Benin to achieve U.N. Millennium Development Goal number two: ensuring that all boys and girls complete primary school by 2015.
Mamatou and Gnansi see their children’s education as a way out of poverty. They are also optimistic that with this kind of education, their child will be the first in their family to graduate from university.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
African Albinos have long been ignored, mocked, hunted and Killed
By Paul Ndiho, Washington D.C.
December 2, 2010
Since 2008, more than 60 albinos have been killed in Tanzania, forcing hundreds of people with albinism to go into hiding. And even Tanzania’s newly elected Member of Parliament, Salum Khalfan Barany, fears for his life. He’s one of millions of people in Africa with albinism who have come under threat from illegal body parts traders.
In Tanzania and Nigeria there has been an unprecedented rise in witchcraft-related killings of albino people in recent months. In Tanzania, where superstition is deep-seated, albino body parts are thought to bring good luck. Activist Peter Ash says that even Member of Parliament Salum Khalfan Barwany is being pursued by albino hunters.
"Police have reported that there are five men pursuing the life of Mr. Barwany they have been following him around with criminal intentions. We don't know if they want Mr. Barwany because of his body parts or if there is some other motives for their following but he is under security protection of police at this time."
An organization founded by Canadians with albinism is trying to protect albino children. For these children in northern Tanzania, a move to private boarding schools may have saved their lives.
"We have taken children from over-crowded government school, Mitindo where there was at one point one hundred and five children with albinism living in over-crowded conditions and now we have transferred those kids to into high quality private boarding school and at Lake View and Jelly's we saw a tremendous example that children with albinism are intelligent, they are smart, and they're capable and we saw great teachers.”
People with albinism face social challenges commonly have vision problems and need sun protection. Mike McGowan is President of the National Organization for Albinism and Hypo pigmentation, NOAH. He says he was horrified to hear about the reports of killings of African with albinism, but he urges them to stay strong:
"There is a need I think for fellowship because we share this experience of being different and we need to learn how to deal with being different and looking different and NOAH provides that place for people that share the condition to come together and to be understood because a person that shares the condition also shares all the experience. "
Activist Jack Epelle says he is concerned about the plight of albinos in Nigeria. He says Albinos on the continent have long been ignored, mocked and hunted.
"My classmates in trying to create fun would drag me to the sun and then hold my hands and hold my face, and face me to the sun, it was very excruciating for me so, now I know why I have a lot of freckles on my face.”
42 year-old Nigerian Feme Khainde has albino children. She has kept her family intact, but says it has been a struggle.
"Some people even told me when I had the first and then the second child that I should go and hide them so that the remaining people will not be like that. Or that maybe I should give them maybe to my mom. I said, how I hide my own children because of that, let them be."
NOAH President Mike McGowan says his group is committed to making sure that the world knows about the plight of albinos in Africa.
“we’ve mounted a letter writing campaign the United States Congress and we want the congress of the United States to condemn this and we want to bring to bear pressure the governments of Tanzania and other places in Africa where this happening to ensure that the people that who committee these horrific crimes are brought to Justice .”Globally, about one person in 20-thousand has albinism.
December 2, 2010
Since 2008, more than 60 albinos have been killed in Tanzania, forcing hundreds of people with albinism to go into hiding. And even Tanzania’s newly elected Member of Parliament, Salum Khalfan Barany, fears for his life. He’s one of millions of people in Africa with albinism who have come under threat from illegal body parts traders.
In Tanzania and Nigeria there has been an unprecedented rise in witchcraft-related killings of albino people in recent months. In Tanzania, where superstition is deep-seated, albino body parts are thought to bring good luck. Activist Peter Ash says that even Member of Parliament Salum Khalfan Barwany is being pursued by albino hunters.
"Police have reported that there are five men pursuing the life of Mr. Barwany they have been following him around with criminal intentions. We don't know if they want Mr. Barwany because of his body parts or if there is some other motives for their following but he is under security protection of police at this time."
An organization founded by Canadians with albinism is trying to protect albino children. For these children in northern Tanzania, a move to private boarding schools may have saved their lives.
"We have taken children from over-crowded government school, Mitindo where there was at one point one hundred and five children with albinism living in over-crowded conditions and now we have transferred those kids to into high quality private boarding school and at Lake View and Jelly's we saw a tremendous example that children with albinism are intelligent, they are smart, and they're capable and we saw great teachers.”
People with albinism face social challenges commonly have vision problems and need sun protection. Mike McGowan is President of the National Organization for Albinism and Hypo pigmentation, NOAH. He says he was horrified to hear about the reports of killings of African with albinism, but he urges them to stay strong:
"There is a need I think for fellowship because we share this experience of being different and we need to learn how to deal with being different and looking different and NOAH provides that place for people that share the condition to come together and to be understood because a person that shares the condition also shares all the experience. "
Activist Jack Epelle says he is concerned about the plight of albinos in Nigeria. He says Albinos on the continent have long been ignored, mocked and hunted.
"My classmates in trying to create fun would drag me to the sun and then hold my hands and hold my face, and face me to the sun, it was very excruciating for me so, now I know why I have a lot of freckles on my face.”
42 year-old Nigerian Feme Khainde has albino children. She has kept her family intact, but says it has been a struggle.
"Some people even told me when I had the first and then the second child that I should go and hide them so that the remaining people will not be like that. Or that maybe I should give them maybe to my mom. I said, how I hide my own children because of that, let them be."
NOAH President Mike McGowan says his group is committed to making sure that the world knows about the plight of albinos in Africa.
“we’ve mounted a letter writing campaign the United States Congress and we want the congress of the United States to condemn this and we want to bring to bear pressure the governments of Tanzania and other places in Africa where this happening to ensure that the people that who committee these horrific crimes are brought to Justice .”Globally, about one person in 20-thousand has albinism.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
BEBE COOL- UGANDAN REGGAE ARTIST
By Paul Ndiho, Washington DC
November 30, 2010
Top Ugandan reggae artist Moses Ssali, better known as “Bebe Cool,” is literally getting back on his feet after life-threatening encounters that included a shooting and a car accident. He was recently in the U.S., where he was receiving treatment.
Bebe Cool is big in Uganda and East Africa, where his mix of reggae and bongo flava, have made him one of the region’s biggest stars. He recently claimed the coveted 2010 Pearl of Africa Music “Artist of the Year” award, which catapulted his music to the top of the Ugandan music charts. But awards have been the least of Bebe Cool’s concerns after several brushes with death. He almost died a few months ago, after being shot four times in the legs.
“I was shot four times with an AK 47, then two months later I was involved in the worst car accident with my wife, and then two months later I was involved in a bomb blast while I was performing at a concert during the World cup finals and all the people just around me and behind me died but me and my wife survived. These are not things that I would have expected to be part of my life today.”
Bebe Cool says his recovery has been slow, but credits his doctors in the United States.
“My legs are stable, and my bones are right back in shape. My muscles are gaining some energy. Overall, my legs can support all my weight, but I can't run, and I can't jump.”
The close-calls have left the Ugandan artist very reflective about his faith, and even more driven to succeed in life and music.
“Today as I speak so many singers are working world wide and I’m proud to be one of those guys who started it. So the main thing that has really made me who I am is the belief in me. No one can stop me, not even the five bullets when I was shot, and not even the bomb blast that I was involved in. I don't think that anybody can stop me, maybe apart from God.”
Bebe Cool started performing in Nairobi, Kenya in the late 1990s when he was very young. He says he was inspired by reggae icons Bunju Bunton and Wyclef Jean.
But the Ugandan artist has drawn controversy too. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni gave what critics say is taxpayer money for Bebe's treatment in the U.S. The reggae artist plans to campaign for President Museveni's re-election. One of the opposition candidates hoping to unseat Mr. Museveni is Bebe Cool’s own father, Bidandi Ssali. The musician is unapologetic about his political allegiance.
“When it come to who I’m going to work with in Uganda today… it’s obvious and I don't want to lie to you that the people will see me as good person if I don't support the president. He was instrumental in giving me my life back but how do you appreciate somebody who has done you a good thing? Do you want me to stand on stage and tell that people that the president must go? Of course not.”
Bebe Cool says young upcoming artists should stay focused.
“You cannot start a journey when you don't know where you want to end. Look out and say that I want to be big in Africa and then work towards being big in Africa. You will find it very easy if you have a goal then the question will be very simple. Where do I go to become an African artist? Ugandan reggae artist Bebe Cool says young artists should also work to create friendships in music, an industry he says can be very tempting.
November 30, 2010
Top Ugandan reggae artist Moses Ssali, better known as “Bebe Cool,” is literally getting back on his feet after life-threatening encounters that included a shooting and a car accident. He was recently in the U.S., where he was receiving treatment.
Bebe Cool is big in Uganda and East Africa, where his mix of reggae and bongo flava, have made him one of the region’s biggest stars. He recently claimed the coveted 2010 Pearl of Africa Music “Artist of the Year” award, which catapulted his music to the top of the Ugandan music charts. But awards have been the least of Bebe Cool’s concerns after several brushes with death. He almost died a few months ago, after being shot four times in the legs.
“I was shot four times with an AK 47, then two months later I was involved in the worst car accident with my wife, and then two months later I was involved in a bomb blast while I was performing at a concert during the World cup finals and all the people just around me and behind me died but me and my wife survived. These are not things that I would have expected to be part of my life today.”
Bebe Cool says his recovery has been slow, but credits his doctors in the United States.
“My legs are stable, and my bones are right back in shape. My muscles are gaining some energy. Overall, my legs can support all my weight, but I can't run, and I can't jump.”
The close-calls have left the Ugandan artist very reflective about his faith, and even more driven to succeed in life and music.
“Today as I speak so many singers are working world wide and I’m proud to be one of those guys who started it. So the main thing that has really made me who I am is the belief in me. No one can stop me, not even the five bullets when I was shot, and not even the bomb blast that I was involved in. I don't think that anybody can stop me, maybe apart from God.”
Bebe Cool started performing in Nairobi, Kenya in the late 1990s when he was very young. He says he was inspired by reggae icons Bunju Bunton and Wyclef Jean.
But the Ugandan artist has drawn controversy too. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni gave what critics say is taxpayer money for Bebe's treatment in the U.S. The reggae artist plans to campaign for President Museveni's re-election. One of the opposition candidates hoping to unseat Mr. Museveni is Bebe Cool’s own father, Bidandi Ssali. The musician is unapologetic about his political allegiance.
“When it come to who I’m going to work with in Uganda today… it’s obvious and I don't want to lie to you that the people will see me as good person if I don't support the president. He was instrumental in giving me my life back but how do you appreciate somebody who has done you a good thing? Do you want me to stand on stage and tell that people that the president must go? Of course not.”
Bebe Cool says young upcoming artists should stay focused.
“You cannot start a journey when you don't know where you want to end. Look out and say that I want to be big in Africa and then work towards being big in Africa. You will find it very easy if you have a goal then the question will be very simple. Where do I go to become an African artist? Ugandan reggae artist Bebe Cool says young artists should also work to create friendships in music, an industry he says can be very tempting.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
AFRICAN UNION PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION
By Paul Ndiho, Washington D.C
November 27, 2010
Africa has been characterized by many conflict situations that have resulted in the loss of millions of lives, widespread displacement and a wide array of human rights abuses. Today, Africa accounts for about 70 percent of the United Nations' peacekeeping operations. But is the African Union and its sub-regional organizations, doing enough to prevent and resolve conflicts on the continent.
Africa continues to suffer from violent conflicts. In Somalia, in Sudan’s Darfur region, in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo the toll has been devastating. There scarce resources are diverted to buying arm; insecurity, displacement, and destruction follows. Still Ambassador Ruhakana Rugunda, Uganda’s permanent representative to the UN and former president of the Security Council sees hope.
“There has been a lot of turbulence in Africa. About 20 years ago there were about 20 wars going on simultaneously in Africa as I speak now there are only four going on. Although they are still going on, the fact of the matter is it’s a very significant improvement from about 20 to about four. And which are these four that I' m talking about? They are Sudan in Darfur, DRC there is still some insatiability, Somalia definitely requires some attention and the region the Lord’s Resistance Army they were a rebel group unique rebel group with no clear political objectives.”
Ambassador Rugunda says the Africa Union, in response to internal demand and international pressure, has begun to focus their attention on these regions and is trying innovative ways to resolve differences by nonviolent means.
“African Countries have said, we want the continent to be stable, we want to be democratically ruled, we believe in the rule of law and we also want to respect the human rights of people and to ensure that there are no unconstitutional changes of government.”
Commenting on the fragile situation in Somalia, Ambassador Rugunda said there is a difference between the way Africa and the rest of the world sees the situation there.
“In Africa we think the rest of the world has put more attention on piracy than dealing with piracy at its source and its base is main land Somalia. Africa firmly believes that we should deal with the main land piracy by it and his problem will disappear.”
Some analysts say that the Africa Union has adequate mechanisms to deal with its problems, to resolve conflicts and all it needs is reinforcements in terms of resources and capacity building.
November 27, 2010
Africa has been characterized by many conflict situations that have resulted in the loss of millions of lives, widespread displacement and a wide array of human rights abuses. Today, Africa accounts for about 70 percent of the United Nations' peacekeeping operations. But is the African Union and its sub-regional organizations, doing enough to prevent and resolve conflicts on the continent.
Africa continues to suffer from violent conflicts. In Somalia, in Sudan’s Darfur region, in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo the toll has been devastating. There scarce resources are diverted to buying arm; insecurity, displacement, and destruction follows. Still Ambassador Ruhakana Rugunda, Uganda’s permanent representative to the UN and former president of the Security Council sees hope.
“There has been a lot of turbulence in Africa. About 20 years ago there were about 20 wars going on simultaneously in Africa as I speak now there are only four going on. Although they are still going on, the fact of the matter is it’s a very significant improvement from about 20 to about four. And which are these four that I' m talking about? They are Sudan in Darfur, DRC there is still some insatiability, Somalia definitely requires some attention and the region the Lord’s Resistance Army they were a rebel group unique rebel group with no clear political objectives.”
Ambassador Rugunda says the Africa Union, in response to internal demand and international pressure, has begun to focus their attention on these regions and is trying innovative ways to resolve differences by nonviolent means.
“African Countries have said, we want the continent to be stable, we want to be democratically ruled, we believe in the rule of law and we also want to respect the human rights of people and to ensure that there are no unconstitutional changes of government.”
Commenting on the fragile situation in Somalia, Ambassador Rugunda said there is a difference between the way Africa and the rest of the world sees the situation there.
“In Africa we think the rest of the world has put more attention on piracy than dealing with piracy at its source and its base is main land Somalia. Africa firmly believes that we should deal with the main land piracy by it and his problem will disappear.”
Some analysts say that the Africa Union has adequate mechanisms to deal with its problems, to resolve conflicts and all it needs is reinforcements in terms of resources and capacity building.
Friday, November 19, 2010
VIKTOR BOUT RAN A WEAPONS PIPELINE IN AFRICA
My encounter with Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who helped fuel some of Africa's bloodiest conflicts. Bout was arrested in Thailand in March 2008 on an international arrest warrant following a US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) operation aimed at suppliers of weapons to Farc which the group uses to defend its extensive drug trafficking operation.In the late 90s, Bout ran a weapons pipeline in to the war ravaged east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and shipped out minerals, such as the coltan used in making mobile phones, plundered by rebel groups and foreign armies. He also helped arm the Liberian rebel leader, Charles Taylor, who later became president and is now on trial before the international criminal court for war crimes.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
2010 AFRICA ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
By Paul Ndiho,Washington D.C.
November 2, 2010
The International Monetary fund (IMF) says Sub-Saharan Africa's accelerating economic growth is expected to be broad-based this year and next. Strong domestic demand and resurgent exports are projected to boost growth as high as 5.5 percent.
Economists say sub-Saharan Africa was in a strong economic position going into the global financial slowdown. This allowed fiscal and monetary policies to be put in place to soften the impact of the global downturn. For countries that were hard hit by the crisis, Antoinette Sayeh, IMF regional director for Africa, offers this advice:
"Now that the growth seems to be in hand and returning, the recovery is returning, it's important that the authorities now work to rebuild those savings that they used in the course of the crisis so that when the next crisis hits they're able again to draw on their reserves and their savings to respond. So that's really the challenge ahead to continue good macroeconomic policies to rebuild, as we call them, the policy buffers that have helped so much during this crisis,"
In Africa, domestic demand is expected to remain strong on the basis of rising real incomes and investment. And many African governments have implemented investment-friendly frameworks to attract more foreign capital.
"Sub-Saharan Africa needs investment. A large part of that investment in the social sectors and some infrastructure investments will depend on the public sector. But most investments should come from the private sector. And so the challenge going forward will be for Sub-Saharan African governments to improve the enabling environment for private investments so that they continue to attract capital from abroad and so that investments in infrastructure in other manufacturing and other facilities help to sustain growth,"
Antoinette Sayeh says that there is still work to be done in Africa to enable business and business startups.
"There is still work to be done on the overall enabling environment and regulatory policies and how long it takes to register businesses, how easy it is to import. Despite the fact that there's been tremendous progress in these areas it still takes too long to establish new business in many countries and there's still significant work to be done to make sure that the private sector is able to make the long term investments and commitment that are needed to sustain growth,"
Analysts say that in recent years, international trade has increased exponentially, but Africa's share in world trade has remained low. Africa accounts for only about 3% of world exports, partly due to trade protection outside Africa against African products.
November 2, 2010
The International Monetary fund (IMF) says Sub-Saharan Africa's accelerating economic growth is expected to be broad-based this year and next. Strong domestic demand and resurgent exports are projected to boost growth as high as 5.5 percent.
Economists say sub-Saharan Africa was in a strong economic position going into the global financial slowdown. This allowed fiscal and monetary policies to be put in place to soften the impact of the global downturn. For countries that were hard hit by the crisis, Antoinette Sayeh, IMF regional director for Africa, offers this advice:
"Now that the growth seems to be in hand and returning, the recovery is returning, it's important that the authorities now work to rebuild those savings that they used in the course of the crisis so that when the next crisis hits they're able again to draw on their reserves and their savings to respond. So that's really the challenge ahead to continue good macroeconomic policies to rebuild, as we call them, the policy buffers that have helped so much during this crisis,"
In Africa, domestic demand is expected to remain strong on the basis of rising real incomes and investment. And many African governments have implemented investment-friendly frameworks to attract more foreign capital.
"Sub-Saharan Africa needs investment. A large part of that investment in the social sectors and some infrastructure investments will depend on the public sector. But most investments should come from the private sector. And so the challenge going forward will be for Sub-Saharan African governments to improve the enabling environment for private investments so that they continue to attract capital from abroad and so that investments in infrastructure in other manufacturing and other facilities help to sustain growth,"
Antoinette Sayeh says that there is still work to be done in Africa to enable business and business startups.
"There is still work to be done on the overall enabling environment and regulatory policies and how long it takes to register businesses, how easy it is to import. Despite the fact that there's been tremendous progress in these areas it still takes too long to establish new business in many countries and there's still significant work to be done to make sure that the private sector is able to make the long term investments and commitment that are needed to sustain growth,"
Analysts say that in recent years, international trade has increased exponentially, but Africa's share in world trade has remained low. Africa accounts for only about 3% of world exports, partly due to trade protection outside Africa against African products.
Friday, October 29, 2010
KENYA'S ANTI-CORRUPTION DRIVE
By Paul Ndiho, Washington D.C.
October 29, 2010
A study published earlier this month by the Berlin-based group, Transparency International shows that 97 percent of Kenyans view corruption as a big problem in a country. Kenya is sending an anti-corruption message to the highest levels of government.
Transparency International's 2010 Corruption Index ranks Kenya eight places lower and nearer to countries on the bottom rung of the list of 178 states. Two high profile Kenyan government ministers faced corruption charges; Minister of Foreign Affairs Moses Wetang'ula, and Higher Education Minister, William Ruto. Both of them are off the job and the allegations are under investigation.
“I have made a personal decision to step aside from my responsibilities and my appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya to give room and pleasure to those who have been haunting and tormenting me for the last three, four weeks, to give room to the very able arms of investigation.''
Analysts say Kenya has made strides towards democracy. Executive power has been lessened and the legislature and judiciary have better autonomy. But observers say abuse of power continues. Kenya's president, Mwai Kibaki came to power in 2002 on an anti-graft platform, but his fight against graft has failed to impress critics. Mr. Kibaki credits a new constitution with giving Kenya new muscle to wrestle corruption. During his speech to parliament this year, the president assured Kenyans that the country is on the right track.
"We, as the grand coalition government, have resolved to deal with the matter decisively. I am calling on the august House to work with the government in this endeavor. In order to win this war, we must apply the law in a manner that is impartial and just."
In October alone, four senior officials in Kenya have been named in corruption scandals. No government minister has ever been convicted of graft in Kenya, where corruption is widespread. Dr. Migai Akech, a Kenyan political analyst, says that there is culture of impunity in Kenya.
"It's a culture that laws don't apply and I mean just look at drivers on the streets in Nairobi… Many people don't follow traffic rules. So I believe it has much to do with the mind set, I think the education system has much to do with it in that sense but also rules matter."
Nairobi residents say the new anti-corruption drive is long overdue and has generated optimism.
''I think with the dispensation of the new constitution, I think this is high time that Kenyans should wag the dog and I think this is high time that we should eradicate corruption completely in Kenya. The culture of impunity and corruption are issues that have been hunting us down''.
''There has been some progress, but mainly the big fish are being arrested, but the normal corruption that usually occurs like in the transport sector and local authorities like in the city council, they should take also charges, maybe they should put more people in investigation.''
Kenya's coalition government vows to work together to establish a plan to fight corruption and bring about promised reforms. But surveys show most Kenyans view corruption as endemic, and analysts say corruption has stifled economic growth.
October 29, 2010
A study published earlier this month by the Berlin-based group, Transparency International shows that 97 percent of Kenyans view corruption as a big problem in a country. Kenya is sending an anti-corruption message to the highest levels of government.
Transparency International's 2010 Corruption Index ranks Kenya eight places lower and nearer to countries on the bottom rung of the list of 178 states. Two high profile Kenyan government ministers faced corruption charges; Minister of Foreign Affairs Moses Wetang'ula, and Higher Education Minister, William Ruto. Both of them are off the job and the allegations are under investigation.
“I have made a personal decision to step aside from my responsibilities and my appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya to give room and pleasure to those who have been haunting and tormenting me for the last three, four weeks, to give room to the very able arms of investigation.''
Analysts say Kenya has made strides towards democracy. Executive power has been lessened and the legislature and judiciary have better autonomy. But observers say abuse of power continues. Kenya's president, Mwai Kibaki came to power in 2002 on an anti-graft platform, but his fight against graft has failed to impress critics. Mr. Kibaki credits a new constitution with giving Kenya new muscle to wrestle corruption. During his speech to parliament this year, the president assured Kenyans that the country is on the right track.
"We, as the grand coalition government, have resolved to deal with the matter decisively. I am calling on the august House to work with the government in this endeavor. In order to win this war, we must apply the law in a manner that is impartial and just."
In October alone, four senior officials in Kenya have been named in corruption scandals. No government minister has ever been convicted of graft in Kenya, where corruption is widespread. Dr. Migai Akech, a Kenyan political analyst, says that there is culture of impunity in Kenya.
"It's a culture that laws don't apply and I mean just look at drivers on the streets in Nairobi… Many people don't follow traffic rules. So I believe it has much to do with the mind set, I think the education system has much to do with it in that sense but also rules matter."
Nairobi residents say the new anti-corruption drive is long overdue and has generated optimism.
''I think with the dispensation of the new constitution, I think this is high time that Kenyans should wag the dog and I think this is high time that we should eradicate corruption completely in Kenya. The culture of impunity and corruption are issues that have been hunting us down''.
''There has been some progress, but mainly the big fish are being arrested, but the normal corruption that usually occurs like in the transport sector and local authorities like in the city council, they should take also charges, maybe they should put more people in investigation.''
Kenya's coalition government vows to work together to establish a plan to fight corruption and bring about promised reforms. But surveys show most Kenyans view corruption as endemic, and analysts say corruption has stifled economic growth.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
8 Presidential Candidates Nominated in Uganda
By Paul Ndiho, Washington D.C.
October 27, 2010
Uganda's electoral commission on Monday and Tuesday cleared eight candidates to run in next February's presidential poll, including long-serving leader General Yoweri Museveni. The international community and Uganda's opposition have criticized the Ugandan government for keeping in place an electoral commission that has allegedly failed to organize free and fair elections.
Security is very tight in Uganda's capital, Kampala, as the parties launch their presidential campaigns. The nominations kicked off the official campaign period, a season that can be characterized by excitement, or marred by harassment of the opposition. Uganda's President General Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the East African Nation for over two decades, is running for the fourth time as the candidate of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
"Now that we have got Uganda out of so many problems and we are heading to the dry land having crossed a big ocean of problems, how can it be that any other group can be entrusted with this duty of concluding the emancipation and transformation of Uganda? That is why I told them and they all agreed unanimously that it must be the NRM."
The election, which pits Mr. Museveni against his closest rival, Kizza Besigye, in the third face-off between the two, is seen as a test of democracy in a country about to start producing oil. Dr. Kizza Besigye is the leader of Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC), a coalition of four parties. President Museveni defeated Besigye in elections in 2001 and 2006 that were marred by accusations of widespread fraud. Besigye used the nomination ceremony to criticize Uganda's last two elections, promising to fight corruption and to invest in agriculture.
"We believe that one can win an election even with a biased electoral commission. It's far more difficult but it is not unattainable and it is what we are going to rally the entire population to do and if the unfairness continues and if the violation of our rights continue under their watch, we are going to be prepared to confront it, we do not believe to have our rights by permission, we believe to have them by right."
Eight candidates have been cleared to run against General Museveni, but analysts say only Besigye has an outside chance of beating Museveni. The poll will be closely watched by the West for signs of repression.
Earlier this month, a United Nations report accused Mr. Museveni's troops of committing massive human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 1993 and 2003. Uganda reacted angrily to the report and said the accusations were unfounded and that the report should not be taken seriously.
October 27, 2010
Uganda's electoral commission on Monday and Tuesday cleared eight candidates to run in next February's presidential poll, including long-serving leader General Yoweri Museveni. The international community and Uganda's opposition have criticized the Ugandan government for keeping in place an electoral commission that has allegedly failed to organize free and fair elections.
Security is very tight in Uganda's capital, Kampala, as the parties launch their presidential campaigns. The nominations kicked off the official campaign period, a season that can be characterized by excitement, or marred by harassment of the opposition. Uganda's President General Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the East African Nation for over two decades, is running for the fourth time as the candidate of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
"Now that we have got Uganda out of so many problems and we are heading to the dry land having crossed a big ocean of problems, how can it be that any other group can be entrusted with this duty of concluding the emancipation and transformation of Uganda? That is why I told them and they all agreed unanimously that it must be the NRM."
The election, which pits Mr. Museveni against his closest rival, Kizza Besigye, in the third face-off between the two, is seen as a test of democracy in a country about to start producing oil. Dr. Kizza Besigye is the leader of Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC), a coalition of four parties. President Museveni defeated Besigye in elections in 2001 and 2006 that were marred by accusations of widespread fraud. Besigye used the nomination ceremony to criticize Uganda's last two elections, promising to fight corruption and to invest in agriculture.
"We believe that one can win an election even with a biased electoral commission. It's far more difficult but it is not unattainable and it is what we are going to rally the entire population to do and if the unfairness continues and if the violation of our rights continue under their watch, we are going to be prepared to confront it, we do not believe to have our rights by permission, we believe to have them by right."
Eight candidates have been cleared to run against General Museveni, but analysts say only Besigye has an outside chance of beating Museveni. The poll will be closely watched by the West for signs of repression.
Earlier this month, a United Nations report accused Mr. Museveni's troops of committing massive human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 1993 and 2003. Uganda reacted angrily to the report and said the accusations were unfounded and that the report should not be taken seriously.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Ugandan Comedian Mimicks President M7
Herbert Ssegujja is a Ugandan local comedian who has made a name by perfectly mimicking President Yoweri Museveni.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
AFRICAN ECONOMIES TO DIVERSIFY
By Paul Ndiho, Washington D.C.
October 21, 2010
A United Nations study released recently recommends diversification of African economies, to reduce reliance on natural resources and encourage growth in sectors such as telecommunications, agriculture and tourism.
At a news conference in New York for the U.N.'s report, Eckhard Deutscher, Chair of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) calls on governments and media to help change a negative perception of African economies.
"In the most of the OECD countries the picture on Africa is still that this is a continent disintegrated, lagging behind and that there are not enough private investments coming from those countries, the OECD countries to Africa. And I can only call to the press, to the governments, to change this picture urgently. Africa will become an important player in the future without any doubt."
The U.N. study also calls for recognition of the increasingly
important contribution of Africa to global economic growth.
Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, CEO of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), stresses the importance of south-south cooperation, or, emerging nations bypassing trade with rich northern nations.
"This south-south cooperation - because it can be called south-south cooperation - is both in the interest of - because at the end of the day is a question of interest - in both the interest of the emerging economies and the interest of the African continent. And I can assure you that question of interests are absolutely key and essential."
Under-Secretary-General and UN Special Adviser on Africa Cheick Sidi Diarra, notes that good relations with China and India can spark further investment in Africa.
"The relations between emerging countries like China and India give more room to maneuver to African continent in their negotiation with traditional donors in their policies to attract foreign direct investment in order to ease the conditions and to take more benefit out of this foreign direct investment. Because the competition for natural resources is something that is real and it will be even much stake in the future."
Some countries such as Gabon are diversifying their economy amid declining oil production. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. But the country's oil output has been declining for years, and Gabon is attempting to renew itself by developing an economic trade zone to attract investment and spur growth.
October 21, 2010
A United Nations study released recently recommends diversification of African economies, to reduce reliance on natural resources and encourage growth in sectors such as telecommunications, agriculture and tourism.
At a news conference in New York for the U.N.'s report, Eckhard Deutscher, Chair of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) calls on governments and media to help change a negative perception of African economies.
"In the most of the OECD countries the picture on Africa is still that this is a continent disintegrated, lagging behind and that there are not enough private investments coming from those countries, the OECD countries to Africa. And I can only call to the press, to the governments, to change this picture urgently. Africa will become an important player in the future without any doubt."
The U.N. study also calls for recognition of the increasingly
important contribution of Africa to global economic growth.
Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, CEO of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), stresses the importance of south-south cooperation, or, emerging nations bypassing trade with rich northern nations.
"This south-south cooperation - because it can be called south-south cooperation - is both in the interest of - because at the end of the day is a question of interest - in both the interest of the emerging economies and the interest of the African continent. And I can assure you that question of interests are absolutely key and essential."
Under-Secretary-General and UN Special Adviser on Africa Cheick Sidi Diarra, notes that good relations with China and India can spark further investment in Africa.
"The relations between emerging countries like China and India give more room to maneuver to African continent in their negotiation with traditional donors in their policies to attract foreign direct investment in order to ease the conditions and to take more benefit out of this foreign direct investment. Because the competition for natural resources is something that is real and it will be even much stake in the future."
Some countries such as Gabon are diversifying their economy amid declining oil production. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. But the country's oil output has been declining for years, and Gabon is attempting to renew itself by developing an economic trade zone to attract investment and spur growth.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
UN CONGO REPORT TELLS ALL
By Paul Ndiho
October 7, 2010
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights last week released a 550-page report listing more than 600 of the most serious violations of human committed by both state and non-state actors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In the late 90s and early 2000s I was a reporter embedded with both Ugandan and Rwandan troops in Eastern Congo and I recorded some of the killings that took place. Please be advised that some video is very graphic and viewer discretion is advised.
After interviewing more than 1200 witnesses, analyzing more than 1500 documents, over the course of two years, the United Nations released a report last Friday, detailing massive human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 1993 and 2003.The report said, tens of thousands of people were killed, and numerous others were raped, mutilated or otherwise victimized during the decade of War.
"The mapping of the events that occurred during that 10 year period are significant because the consequences are still evident today. Because these crimes have never been addressed justice has not been delivered but there has been impunity and lawlessness so very many rebel groups have cropped up who continue to take the law into their own hands and rape and pillage. Most recent example is the rapes that occurred in eastern DRC in August over which my office and the joint Human Rights office issued a report a few days ago."
Seven Africa countries are named in the report but Rwanda and Uganda are singled out for committing mass killings, rapes and possible genocide of Hutus as they pursued them into the Congo. Rwanda reacted angrily to the report and said that they reserve right to review U.N. relations. Rwanda's foreign Affairs minister.
"In fact the eventual pull out of our troops will not be only thing we will do, if Rwanda was ever to find in this report that there are accusations of deliberate killings by our troops who are keeping peace all over the world, we intend to take a serious actions starting by disengagement with UN."
Impetus for the probe came after UN peacekeepers in the DRC discovered three mass graves in the country's Northern Kivu province in 2005. The report also examined in detail various options for truth and reconciliation, as well as for bringing those responsible for serious crimes to justice. Jonathan Elliott, Africa Advocacy director, Human Rights watch says ending a climate of near-total impunity and bringing Justice to the victims is very critical.
"There is great evidence that impunity creates more violence. If you look at sexual violence for example it's a major problem now in eastern Congo and probably worse now than way back in the 1990's…. if the international community prosecutes those responsible for sexual violence perhaps the next generation or next commander might have think twice about committing those crimes."
From 1998 - 2001, I was embedded on and off with the Ugandan and Rwandan forces in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. But nothing prepared me for the violence I witnessed there in 2000 and 2001. One morning I was caught in the middle of the Lendu militia attacks against the Hema in Nyakunde, south of Bunia. A village that is also mentioned in the U.N report where hundreds of people were killed and thousands were driven from their homes.
What started as a land dispute between two normally peaceful groups grew into a larger clash when foreign forces entered the region. Some forces sided with
the Hema, and this favoritism caused a backlash from the Lendu, leading to the widespread killing.
"Crimes against women, children, the elderly or against ethnic groups it's a horrific story in some ways the findings weren't a surprise because there been previous studies on what happened in the 1990s there was a U.N report in 1997 which eluded to some of the crimes we see described now in the report."
A cloud of heavy smoke covered the village. The stench from the burning bodies was unbearable. That same night, the Lendu militia also invaded Nyekunde hospital, where hundreds of people were hiding and cut them into pieces. Scores of other nearby villages were burned to the ground. I saw several mass graves where a hundreds of people were being buried, and the Hema was armed with bow and arrows, ready to defend their village.
It was this kind of carnage against Hutu refugees and other unarmed civilian populations in the Congo for which the UN had tried to investigate notably in 1997 and 1998, but these investigations were repeatedly blocked by the Congolese government, then headed by Laurent-Désiré Kabila, father of the current president. Despite those efforts, information about massacres, rapes, and other abuses against Rwandan refugees and Congolese citizens in the late 1990s was published at the time by the UN and by human rights organizations. However, no action was taken to hold those responsible to account.
October 7, 2010
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights last week released a 550-page report listing more than 600 of the most serious violations of human committed by both state and non-state actors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In the late 90s and early 2000s I was a reporter embedded with both Ugandan and Rwandan troops in Eastern Congo and I recorded some of the killings that took place. Please be advised that some video is very graphic and viewer discretion is advised.
After interviewing more than 1200 witnesses, analyzing more than 1500 documents, over the course of two years, the United Nations released a report last Friday, detailing massive human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 1993 and 2003.The report said, tens of thousands of people were killed, and numerous others were raped, mutilated or otherwise victimized during the decade of War.
"The mapping of the events that occurred during that 10 year period are significant because the consequences are still evident today. Because these crimes have never been addressed justice has not been delivered but there has been impunity and lawlessness so very many rebel groups have cropped up who continue to take the law into their own hands and rape and pillage. Most recent example is the rapes that occurred in eastern DRC in August over which my office and the joint Human Rights office issued a report a few days ago."
Seven Africa countries are named in the report but Rwanda and Uganda are singled out for committing mass killings, rapes and possible genocide of Hutus as they pursued them into the Congo. Rwanda reacted angrily to the report and said that they reserve right to review U.N. relations. Rwanda's foreign Affairs minister.
"In fact the eventual pull out of our troops will not be only thing we will do, if Rwanda was ever to find in this report that there are accusations of deliberate killings by our troops who are keeping peace all over the world, we intend to take a serious actions starting by disengagement with UN."
Impetus for the probe came after UN peacekeepers in the DRC discovered three mass graves in the country's Northern Kivu province in 2005. The report also examined in detail various options for truth and reconciliation, as well as for bringing those responsible for serious crimes to justice. Jonathan Elliott, Africa Advocacy director, Human Rights watch says ending a climate of near-total impunity and bringing Justice to the victims is very critical.
"There is great evidence that impunity creates more violence. If you look at sexual violence for example it's a major problem now in eastern Congo and probably worse now than way back in the 1990's…. if the international community prosecutes those responsible for sexual violence perhaps the next generation or next commander might have think twice about committing those crimes."
From 1998 - 2001, I was embedded on and off with the Ugandan and Rwandan forces in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. But nothing prepared me for the violence I witnessed there in 2000 and 2001. One morning I was caught in the middle of the Lendu militia attacks against the Hema in Nyakunde, south of Bunia. A village that is also mentioned in the U.N report where hundreds of people were killed and thousands were driven from their homes.
What started as a land dispute between two normally peaceful groups grew into a larger clash when foreign forces entered the region. Some forces sided with
the Hema, and this favoritism caused a backlash from the Lendu, leading to the widespread killing.
"Crimes against women, children, the elderly or against ethnic groups it's a horrific story in some ways the findings weren't a surprise because there been previous studies on what happened in the 1990s there was a U.N report in 1997 which eluded to some of the crimes we see described now in the report."
A cloud of heavy smoke covered the village. The stench from the burning bodies was unbearable. That same night, the Lendu militia also invaded Nyekunde hospital, where hundreds of people were hiding and cut them into pieces. Scores of other nearby villages were burned to the ground. I saw several mass graves where a hundreds of people were being buried, and the Hema was armed with bow and arrows, ready to defend their village.
It was this kind of carnage against Hutu refugees and other unarmed civilian populations in the Congo for which the UN had tried to investigate notably in 1997 and 1998, but these investigations were repeatedly blocked by the Congolese government, then headed by Laurent-Désiré Kabila, father of the current president. Despite those efforts, information about massacres, rapes, and other abuses against Rwandan refugees and Congolese citizens in the late 1990s was published at the time by the UN and by human rights organizations. However, no action was taken to hold those responsible to account.
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