Monthly Archives: August 2011

Plight of child soldiers in Africa

Posted on August 31, 2011 by

By Sandra Adong Oder The world does not need to be reminded of the existence of children associated with armed forces and groups, for the record of the African continent in real terms is one badly blemished by a staggering number of such children. The problem of children associated with armed forces has been bedevilled by two conflicting objectives: dealing with a ‘hard’ security concern and converting it into a language and vocabulary that ordinary people understand, with the attendant transitional justice concerns; and at the same time preserving societal cohesion at the community level, as the return of such children may not be acceptable to communities that have suffered … Continue reading →

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Exploding the seven myths about HIV

Posted on August 31, 2011 by

By Mia Malan For many South Africans, living in a country with an extremely high HIV infection rate, Aids is a major concern. And, although many are now considerably better informed about the virus than before, several myths about Aids persist. No one knows this better than Dr Sindisiwe van Zyl, of the Anova Health Institute in Johannesburg. She explained these “mistaken beliefs”. Myth 1: Aids kills People don’t die of Aids. Aids is a collective name for a number for Aids-related illnesses, or opportunistic infections, that people with HIV get as a result of impaired immune systems. For example, HIV-infected people are particularly susceptible to tuberculosis (TB), pneumonia and … Continue reading →

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Muammar Qadhafi still well-regarded in much of Africa

Posted on August 31, 2011 by

As Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi (with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in photo above) faces defeat at the hands of a popular uprising, he is still well-regarded across much of Africa for his legacy of generosity. Television images revealed the treasures of a decadent lifestyle, including gold-plated handguns and an indoor swimming pool. But beyond his personal wealth, the government of Colonel Qadhafi also invested heavily in East Africa. A Libyan-financed hotel towers over Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, and has been nicknamed ‘Qadhafi’s egg’ because of its unique shape. Other Libyan luxury hotels stand tall in the capitals of Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The country also has been one of the biggest … Continue reading →

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Gambia opens door for debate on laws affecting freedom of press

Posted on August 31, 2011 by

By Trevor Grundy The Gambia, Africa’s smallest country and an intriguing microcosm of all the hopes and problems that impact on the world’s largest but hungriest continent, is now open to a full debate on laws that affect the freedom of the press. Speaking at a five-day media Forum and Capacity Building event convened by the Commonwealth Secretariat in collaboration with the Management Development Institute and the Gambian Government in Banjul from 1-5 August (2011), Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Momodou Tangara told delegates: “The hosting of this Forum and Workshop in The Gambia is timely and commendable as they no doubt unleash the potential of media practitioners and enable them … Continue reading →

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Libyan envoy’s defection sparks discord in Zimbabwe’s GNU

Posted on August 29, 2011 by

By Nqaba Matshazi Zimbabwe’s ruling coalition is in a tailspin on how to handle the defection of the Libyan ambassador to the country, with President Mugabe’s Zanu PF party ordering he should leave. Libya, for a while was a long-time benefactor for Zimbabwe and Mugabe, in an apparent act of loyalty, says the flying of the National Transition Council’s (NTC) flag in Zimbabwe is illegal, ordering that the ambassador, Taher el Megrahi be on the next flight to the strife-torn North African country. In the event that Gaddafi, popularly referred to as Brother Leader, is finally ousted, there are suggestions that Zimbabwe could be one of the countries to offer … Continue reading →

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600 killed in South Sudan tribal clashes

Posted on August 27, 2011 by

From Marvis Birungi in Juba At least 600 people have been killed and hundreds injured in ethnic clashes between members of the Murle tribe and Lou-Nuer in Pieri town, Jonglei state in the new Republic of South Sudan. The attack left tens of thousands displaced and at least 20,000 cattle stolen. According to a report by the United Nations, the majority of the dead were Lou Nuer. The clashes took place on Thursday August 18 when Murle attacked Lou Nuer, wounding up to 1000 people and displacing almost 20, 000. Hilde Johnson, the U.N. representative in South Sudan,  said the cycle of violence must stop According to several sources including … Continue reading →

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War on LRA rebels loses momentum as Kony remains at large

Posted on August 22, 2011 by

By Barrett Holmes Pitner Amid concerns that efforts to flush out Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army, LRA, are flagging, the international community is facing stark challenges to defeat the rebels as they continue to wreak havoc in the region. Since the United States announced a long-awaited strategy to defeat the LRA and capture its leaders by bolstering the military effort in the region, Uganda has instead withdrawn 700 troops that were pursuing the rebels and curtailed funding for the operation. “[The LRA] is not a threat to Uganda – not at all,” Felix Kulayigye, spokesman for the Uganda armed forces, told IWPR. Starting in 1987, the LRA waged a brutal insurgent … Continue reading →

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ANC charges Malema with bringing party into disrepute

Posted on August 21, 2011 by

  ANC’s youth leader in the doghouse again. He called for overthrow of Botswana government.  South Africa’s ruling African National Congress on Friday charged controversial youth leader Julius Malema with “sowing divisions” in its ranks and bringing the party into disrepute. If Malema, president of the ANC Youth League, is found guilty by a disciplinary committee he could be suspended from the party because he was found guilty of a similar offence last year. Malema has come under fire over the youth wing’s calls for the overthrow of the democratically elected government of neighbouring Botswana. “Comrade Julius Malema has been charged with various violations of the ANC Constitution, including bringing … Continue reading →

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As election day approaches, can Liberia sustain her recovery?

Posted on August 19, 2011 by

  As Liberia gets ready for this year’s general and presidential elections, the International Crisis Group (ICS) look at what the country has achieved since Ellen Johnson Sirleaf came to power. Here is their end of term report: Liberia’s October 2011 general and presidential elections, the second since civil war ended in 2003, are an opportunity to consolidate its fragile peace and nascent democracy. Peaceful, free and fair elections depend on how well the National Elections Commission (NEC) handles the challenges of the 23 August referendum on constitutional amendments and opposition perceptions of bias toward the president’s Unity Party (UP). The NEC, the government, political parties, presidential candidates, civil society, … Continue reading →

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Sudan may have committed crimes in South Kordofan

Posted on August 15, 2011 by
Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir faces more questions in addition to thopse he has already been indicted for by the ICC.

A report released on Monday by the UN human rights office says that, if substantiated, violations of international criminal law and international humanitarian law which are alleged to have taken place in Sudan’s Southern Kordofan State in June “could amount to crimes against humanity or war crimes.” The 12-page report, covering the period 5-30 June 2011, describes a wide range of alleged violations of international law in the town of Kadugli, as well as in the surrounding Nuba mountains, after fighting broke out in Kadugli on 5 June between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army North (SPLA-N). Reported violations included “extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and … Continue reading →

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