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'It was surprising, it was heartbreaking because their trip here had urgency because people are dying,' a pro-democracy parliamentarian has said.
In May, Burundi held a presidential election which was won by Evariste Ndayishimiye, candidate of the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party.
Ndayishimiye was hurriedly sworn in after the untimely death of president Pierre Nkurunziza in June.
Rights violations continue
The Council encouraged donor countries which had suspended aid to Burundi to continue dialogue towards resumption of development assistance.
A report by a UN watchdog in September said human rights violations were still being committed in Burundi, including sexual violence and murder.
The country was plunged into a crisis in April 2015 when Ndayishimiye’s predecessor Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run for a controversial third term, which he ultimately won in July 2015.
His candidature, which was opposed by the opposition and civil society groups, resulted in a wave of protests, violence and even a failed coup in May 2015.
Hundreds of people were killed and over 300,000 fled to neighboring countries.
DEAR President Emmerson Mnangagwa, BY JASMINE OPPERMAN I write this article addressing you as the immediate past chairperson of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security. Your Excellency, I also am addressing you as a neighbour to a country which has been troubled by terrorism, wherein your country Zimbabwe has interests. This year, as the insurgency in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province has intensified, calls for regional intervention have grown louder. This is more than just talk: the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) is actively exploring ways to intervene, including some kind of military response. A virtual meeting of relevant Sadc committees on June 25-26 resulted in some progress. This included, according to sources, commitment from some countries for boots on the ground, but an overall strategy has not been locked down. Your Excellency, the process of doing so is frustrated by the reluctance of some countries to get involved; practical realities, such as who will fund an intervention; and Mozambique’s determination to remain “in charge” of the situation. There is no doubt that some kind of intervention is necessary, to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control. But caution is required. Walking in blindly — without understanding the complexities at play, and without addressing some of the socio-economic factors that underpin and exacerbate the violence — could make the situation even worse. A complex insurgency Your Excellency, the insurgency in Cabo Delgado, a coastal province in northern Mozambique, began in 2017 with an attack on a police station in the town of Mocimboa da Praia. Since then, the insurgency has gone from strength to strength, even though little is known about its motivations or intent. The insurgents go by the name Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama, and have reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. This year, both the frequency and intensity of attacks have increased, and the insurgents have gained access to more sophisticated weaponry. They are yet to attempt to set up any kind of parallel governance structure, but are showing sufficient sophistication to take on Mozambique’s security forces directly. They have also demonstrated the ability to briefly occupy towns such as Mocimboa da Praia and Macomia. Your Excellency, the response from Mozambique’s security forces has been characterised by coercive tactics and human rights abuses, which risks entrenching local grievances against the State. This is a challenge for any potential regional intervention: a close alignment with the Mozambican State could make it difficult to earn trust among affected communities, which is essential for any kind of peacekeeping effort. A recent MediaFax report noted that the Mozambican government’s hardline response had left young men in Cabo Delgado feeling sympathetic to the insurgents; they are more likely to support the insurgency in response to human rights violations by the State than out of any ideological conviction. Your Excellency, Sadc and member countries risk implicating th
The new Malawi Electoral Commission, MEC, chief Chifundo Kachale also urged the public to observe necessary legal processes in dealing with electoral grievances.
June 23: Malawians vote in crucial presidential poll rerun despite virus
\tVoters in Malawi have already started casting their ballots today in crucial presidential election rerun pitting incumbent Peter Mutharika and opposition coalition leader Lazarus Chakwera.
Malawi joins a number of African countries that went ahead with elections despite the virus .
Confirmed cases = 749
\t\tActive cases = 480
\t\tRecoveries = 258
\t\tNumber of deaths = 11
\t
John Hopkins Uni stats valid as of June 22, 2020
\tU.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on “all political actors and stakeholders to renew their commitment to credible and peaceful elections, while observing all preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19,” the U.N. spokesman said.
VIDEO
\tA number of local and international organizations will observe the new elections, in an effort to make sure that they are free and fair, the newly-elected chairman of the Malawi Electoral Commission Chifundo Kachale said.
With the holiday season upon us and many adventure seekers preparing for December road trips, father-and-son team Kingsley and Ross Holgate offer some valuable pointers for those hitting the open road.
[UN News] There is a critical need for State institutions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to provide more stability and safety for citizens facing multiple threats, the head of the UN mission there told the Security Council on Monday.
Zambia's presidency on Sunday announced the sacking of the country's health minister, arrested for alleged graft last year but cleared of charges.
[ANGOP] Luanda -- Health Minister Silvia Lutucuta reaffirmed the Angolan government's commitment to fight HIV/AIDS, with preventive measures such as the services of the vertical transmission cutting.
By NQOBANI NDLOVU OPPOSITION parties have snubbed the invitation extended to them by government to attend the State-organised anti-sanctions musical e-gala scheduled for Bulawayo this Saturday, describing the event as a waste of resources. The e-gala is part of several events lined up to commemorate the Anti-Sanctions Day scheduled for October 25, which has since been declared a public holiday. This year’s commemorations will be held under the theme: 'Resilience, Progress and Solidarity under an Environment of Sanctions.” Southern African Development Community (Sadc) member countries last year pledged to commemorate the event each year in solidarity with Zimbabwe as part of efforts to pressure the United States government to drop its targeted sanctions against Harare. The sanctions were imposed at the turn of the century in response to then President Robert Mugabe’s land reform programme and gross human rights abuses. The US government has, however, maintained some of the restrictive measures to force the Zanu PF administration to introduce a wide range of reforms. Local opposition parties have, however, refused to be part of the commemorations, blaming the Zanu PF government of inviting the restrictions by disrespecting citizens’ rights. Opposition parties and traditional leaders in Matabeleland region have refused to denounce the sanctions, saying the restrictions should only be lifted after government has implemented reforms demanded by the international community. “We do not have time for nonsense. The biggest sanctions are Zanu PF’s abuse of State apparatus for personal political gain. That alone is a sanction on the people of Zimbabwe,” MDC Alliance provincial spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza said. “Corruption that knows no bounds within government, extra-judicial murders, abductions and torture of people who hold different views is another sanction on the people of Zimbabwe.” Zapu Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Patrick Ndlovu said the gala was a waste of resources. “If they are there (sanctions), they do not need a gala. Sanctions need reforms, good corporate governance and the like. As Zapu, we feel this is a waste of resources which could have been channelled elsewhere,” Ndlovu said. MDC-T acting spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni said the party had not made a decision yet about its participation. Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana on Monday invited all parties to attend the event. “We have joined hands with other progressive stakeholders such as business, political parties and civil society to hold this year’s anti-sanctions e-gala. We extend an invitation to the MDC-T, MDC Alliance and others to come and give a shout against sanctions,” Mangwana tweeted. In September 2019, Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo said Zimbabwe had lost over US$42 billion in potential revenue over the past 18 years due to the sanctions, US$4,5 billion in bilateral donor support, US$12 billion in loans from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and African Development Bank and a further US$18 billion
[The Herald] Brazzaville -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on December 3 launched a new alliance, the Africa Infodemic Response Alliance (AIRA), to coordinate actions and pool resources in combating misinformation around COVID-19 pandemic and other health emergencies in Africa.
[The Herald] Unpleasant situations where young children forget their mothers owing to prolonged absence caused by life issues like jail time is now a thing of the past, thanks to the advent of an open prison system for females.
Ramaphosa said the ANC NEC meeting took extensive decisions regarding corruption and other forms of wrongdoing.
The Eswatini government has shifted toward releasing more information on the protests, but activists continue to dispute the state’s account.
The office of the Zambian President Edgar Lungu has released this photo showing Mr Lungu (centre) meeting the Africa head of the International Monetary Fund, Abebe Aemro Selassie (second from right). Mr Lungu did not release any statement but the meeting comes after Zambia became the first African country during the coronavirus pandemic to default on its debt repayments. A default makes it harder for the country to borrow more funds. In October, it missed a repayment of $40m (£30m) - the country was given a month's grace period but failed to come up with the money. Coronavirus has aggravated pre-existing financial pressures in Zambia. Last month, the IMF said it was in talks with the Zambian authorities about how best to support the country, but its help would depend on the country taking steps to make sure its debt was sustainable.- BBC
Dear Editor,
I wish to add my voice to the Guyana Bar Association’s (GBA) call for the government to withdraw immediately, the proposed amendment to the Police Act by way of the Police (Amendment) Bill No.
The article The broader issue is reducing the growing tensions between Investment Law and Human Rights in Guyana appeared first on Stabroek News.
