UK Government moves to block benefits to illegal

Transcription

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ISSUE 4 APRIL 2007
Landlords housing illegal immigrants to be hit with £20,000 fines
UK Government moves to block
benefits to illegal immigrants
Reid: New approach to make life "uncomfortable and constrained" for illegal immigrants
© AP/LAPRESSE PHOTO
Britain has announced
a raft of measures to deny
work, benefits and services
to people in the country
illegally. Home Secretary
John Reid said the new
"approach will make life
in this country ever more
uncomfortable and constrained for those who
come here illegally."
The new strategy will
allow the Immigration and
Nationality Directorate
(IND) to progressively
deny work, benefits and
services to those in the
country illegally by working in partnership with
tax authorities, benefits
agencies, Government
Departments, local authorities, police and the private sector.
IMMIGRATION
NEWS
Human rights
expert calls on
States to back
UN treaty
protecting
migrant
workers
P. 2
THE GUIDE
P. 3
Traffic fines
in Spain P. 6
UK’s Home Secretary John Reid
Denmark committed to improve labour market integration
Mlambo-Ngcuka:
Many women
depend on
men who
abuse them
P. 9
A new report shows that
Denmark is making great
efforts to promote integration
of foreign workers. The report
titled "The Labour Market
Integration of Immigrants in
Denmark" by the
Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and
Development (OECD) shows
that integration in the labour
market is a key issue on the
Danish Government's agenda,
and that there is a developed
integration programme for
newly arrived immigrants with
a unique emphasis on labour
market integration. "From
2001 to 2005, 20,000 additional immigrants and descendants from non-Western countries found employment, and
unemployment data show a
continued positive development since 2005. Meanwhile,
an increased share of the
young ethnic minorities is
Ghanaians
celebrate
Golden Jubilee
in Grand Style
Pgs. 16-17
either employed or undertaking education, and more of
the young people now find
apprenticeships. Integration
takes time, but I believe we
can generate a faster and
more positive development by
making use of the most effective efforts," says Ms. Rikke
Hvilshøj, the Danish Minister
of Refugee, Immigration and
Integration Affairs (picture).
Some of the initiatives and
best practices the report identified in Denmark include the
"We Need All Youngsters"
campaign, the early language
stimulation of immigrant children, the nationwide KVINFO
mentorship programme, the
integration via football clubs
in the "From the Bench to the
Pitch" project, the benchmarking of municipalities, and the
efforts to promote employment
of immigrants in the
public sector.
P. 2
Makosi
makes
movie
break in
gangster
drama
P. 20
© NEWZIMBABWE.COM
We wish all our
readers, their
families an d
frien ds a
Hap p y Eas ter
Hvilshøj: “Statistics show that ethnic minorities
in Denmark now feel less discriminated”
2
IMMIGRATION NEWS
April 2007
Denmark committed to
improve labour market integration
Hvilshøj: "Statistics show that ethnic minorities in Denmark now feel less discriminated"
Denmark continues to make
great efforts to promote integration
of foreign workers, a new report by
the Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and
Development
(OECD) has revealed. The report
titled "The Labour Market
Integration of Immigrants in
Denmark" also shows that
Denmark is taking active steps to
improve the integration. Integration
in the labour market is a key issue
on the Danish Government's agenda, and there is a developed integration programme for newly arrived
immigrants with a unique emphasis
on labour market integration, the
report says.
Some of the initiatives and best
practices the report identified in
Denmark include the "We Need All
Youngsters" campaign, the early
language stimulation of immigrant
children, the nationwide KVINFO
mentorship programme, the integration via football clubs in the
"From the Bench to the Pitch" project, the benchmarking of municipalities, and the efforts to promote
employment of immigrants in the
public sector.
The report points that there is
need for continued integration
efforts, including efforts to combat
discrimination. At the same time,
the OECD report reveals that there
is a large gap between the labour
market position of immigrants and
native Danes. It shows that the children of immigrants perform less
well than other young people in
terms of education and employment. This overall picture is partly
attributable to the fact that immigration to Denmark in the 1980s
and 1990s was dominated by refugees and family reunified with
weak labour market outcomes.
labour market integration. "I welcome their analysis of the integration
in Denmark. This review confirms
that integration efforts in the 1980s
and 1990s have not been sufficient,
and that we now face a major challenge, which we are working hard
to overcome."
The OECD report on Denmark
is part of a series of country reports
about labour market integration,
and in June 2007, the OECD will
publish a book comparing the
results of the evaluation of integration in Denmark, Sweden, Germany
and Australia. The OECD is cur-
rently also conducting reviews of
integration in France, Belgium and
Portugal.
Ms. Rikke Hvilshøj, the Danish
Minister of Refugee, Immigration
and Integration Affairs welcomed
the report saying that she is pleased
that the OECD is now focusing on
2005. Meanwhile, an increased
share of the young ethnic minorities
is either employed or undertaking
education, and more of the young
people now find apprenticeships."
Ms. Hvilshøj said the Danish
Government has also "taken active
steps to promote equal treatment
and combat discrimination. The legal protection
against discrimination at
"From 2001 to 2005, 20,000 additio- the labour market has
nal immigrants and descendants
been enforced."
Denmark has also
from non-Western countries found
recently the launched the
employment, and unemployment
"Give Racism
data show a continued positive deve- campaign
the Red Card" and a
lopment since 2005. Meanwhile, an Diversity Programme increased share of the young ethnic both to promote tolerance
and diversity at the worminorities is either employed or
places. "Fortunately,
undertaking education, and more of king
statistics show that the
the young people now find apprenti- ethnic minorities in
ceships. ..... Integration takes time, Denmark now feel less
discriminated," she said.
but I believe we can generate a
Hvilshøj said
faster and more positive development thereMinister
were signs that the
by making use of the most effective situation in Denmark was
efforts."
improving. "It is gratifying to see that the
government's
early
Ms. Rikke Hvilshøj, the Danish
employment
strategy
for
Minister of Refugee, Immigration newly arrived immigrants
and Integration Affairs
appears to be yielding
visible results, according
to OECD. Integration
She
said
the
Danish takes time, but I believe we can
Government has taken important generate a faster and more positive
steps to improve the labour market development by making use of the
integration with the programme "A most effective efforts. It is imporNew Chance for Everyone" and last tant to get an international perspecyear's welfare reform. The minister tive on the efforts and look at best
revealed that "from 2001 to 2005, practices, so I look forward to the
20 000 additional immigrants and OECD's future comparative studies
descendants from non-Western on integration."
countries found employment, and
By Stephen Ogongo
unemployment data show a continued positive development since
Human rights expert calls on States to
back UN treaty protecting migrant workers
The United Nations independent expert on the rights of
migrants has called on UN Member
States to ratify the international
treaty that seeks to protect the
almost 200 million migrant workers
around the world against abuse.
Jorge Bustamante, the Special
Rapporteur on the human rights of
migrants, told the Human Rights
Council in Geneva that it was time
for countries to demonstrate their
commitment towards improving the
rights of migrant workers.
The International Convention
on the Protection of the Rights of
All Migrant Workers and Members
of Their Families was adopted by
the General Assembly in 1990, but
so far just 34 countries have ratified
it and the treaty only entered into
force in 2003. Mr. Bustamante said
he hoped more States would ratify
the treaty during the Global Forum
on Migration and Development, to
be held in Belgium in July, and he
also called for the creation of a
voluntary fund to allow the world's
least developed countries to attend
the Forum.
The treaty includes clauses providing for a halt to the clandestine
employment of irregular migrants
so that they do not work in abusive
conditions but enjoy safe and
decent work and equal wages, as
well as assistance to the orderly
return of migrants, so that they can
enjoy adequate economic and social
conditions for their reintegration.
Delivering his report in Geneva
on 20th March, Mr. Bustamante
also outlined his recent country
visits to the Republic of Korea
(ROK) and Indonesia, noting that
the former had not yet ratified the
Convention and pressing the latter
to do more to alleviate the especially precarious situation of its
female migrant domestic workers.
The ROK's delegate Dong-Hee
Chang said Seoul was making steps
towards ratifying the treaty, adding
that the country was also involved
in serious efforts to help female
migrant spouses successfully inte-
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grate into Korean society.
Indonesian
representative
Makarim Wibisono described Mr.
Bustamante's recommendations as
feasible and constructive, adding
that the Government had already set
up taskforces to tackle the issues of
violence towards migrant workers.
In other reports before the
Council, the Independent Expert on
minorities' issues, Gay McDougall,
said minorities around the world
were among the poorest of the poor
and faced long-standing discrimination, exclusion, denial of basic
rights and sometimes even violence. Ms. McDougall said that during
her recent visit to Hungary, she
found the situation of the Roma
people to be dire, and she called on
the Government to introduce affirmative action, aggressively enforce
school de-segregation and to offer
other financial and policy commitments.
In response, Hungary's delegate
Dora Blaszek said that although her
country acknowledged that much
remained to be done, it was confident that some of the institutions
and mechanisms it had established
to deal with such problems were
examples of best practice.
During her visit to Ethiopia, Ms.
McDougall observed that although
the country's constitution established fundamental freedoms for its
diverse peoples, there was little
confidence in the political process
and a widespread feeling, exacerbated by elections last May and subsequent events, that it was dominated
by an ethnic and political elite.
Rodolfo Stavenhagen, Special
Rapporteur on the situation of
human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, submitted reports on his visits to Ecuador
and Kenya. In Ecuador, Mr.
Stavenhagen found that while the
Government had created various
institutions to tackle the problems
of indigenous peoples, a lack of
resources meant the impact of those
institutions was limited.
In Kenya, the Rapporteur obser-
ved that the situation of huntergatherer and pastoralist communities was increasingly difficult,
although he also said that the process of democratization in the
country had allowed indigenous
organizations the opportunity to
place their concerns on the national
agenda.
Ecuador's delegate Luis Vayas
Valdivieso
described
Mr.
Stavenhagen's report as deep and
well-balanced, adding that it wanted to work more closely with both
the Rapporteur and the Council to
improve its standards.
Kenyan representative Phillip
Richard O. Owade said his
Government had taken specific
steps to try to ameliorate the problems faced by his country's nomadic, semi-nomadic and pastoralist
groups, including school feeding
programmes and a national policy
for sustainable development of arid
and semi-arid lands.
By UN News Service
Naturalisation requests in Netherlands up in 2006
The number of foriegners applying for Dutch nationality last year
rose by nearly 7,000 in comparison
to the previous year. According to
the Immigration and Naturalisation
Service (IND) annual report published in mid March, 28,200 applied
for citizenship in 2006.
The report shows that there are
currently no backlogs with regard
to the processing of naturalisation
requests from the Netherlands. The
obligatory naturalisation ceremony
has been successfully introduced,
the report indicates.
The report shows that in 2006,
the IND aimed to eliminate the backlogs of applications for regular
residence permits, and to take
prompt decisions with regard to
new applications, both done successfully.
More possiblities have also
been created for foreign nationals
to work in the Netherlands as
highly skilled migrants. Startup
companies can now also hire highly
skilled migrants, the Ministry of
Justice said in a statement. A residence permit for a stay as a highly
skilled migrant is also possible for
academic researchers and doctors
who are being trained to become
specialists. According to the report,
last year, the number of applications from highly skilled migrants
more than doubled compared to the
year 2005.
Family reunification, however,
appears to have been hit by the
introduction of the Integration
Abroad Act which came into effect
on 15th March 2006. It in fact led
to a decrease of roughly 20% in
applications for a Provisional
Residence Permit for family reunification and formation.
As far as applications for asylum are concerned, the report
shows that all applications submitted last year were processed within
the statutory period. Most of the
asylum applications submitted in
2006 were from citizens of Iraq,
Somalia, and Afghanistan.
IMMIGRATION NEWS
3
April 2007
Life being made impossible
for illegal immigrants in UK
The Government will
also create a watch list of
illegal migrants that can be
"The DWP is committed to
provided
to
other
Government departments doing all it can to ensure that
and agencies to deny access
people who live, work or
to services. Pilot projects are
claim
benefits in Britain do
also to be carried out in
three NHS trusts designed to so legally. We already work in
test how IND data can help close collaboration with the
ensure overseas visitors not
immigration services and
entitled to free access pay
welcome the opportunity to
for health care.
develop even closer links to
The driver licensing
help put this strategy into
system will be reviewed to
effect."
see how it can be used to
identify and combat illegal
immigration. This will
Department for Work and
include identifying
Pensions (DWP) Minister
those illegal immiJim Murphy
grants applying for
fraudulently
"Most people who come to this licences
will be denied a
duals fleeing persecution.
country wish to comply fully with who
licence and targeted for
"Most people who come
our immigration laws, but where enforcement action.
to this country wish to comply
The
new
strategy
will
they don't we are committed to
fully with our immigration
blocking the benefits and privile- also pilot how IND data can laws, but where they don't we
used to prevent fraud are committed to blocking the
ges that should only be enjoyed be
against the financial services benefits and privileges that
by those here legitimately. That's industry by illegal migrants should only be enjoyed by
why the time is now right to tac- who are likely to disappear; those here legitimately.
kle the root cause of the problem and ensuring individuals do
"That's why the time is
overstay their visas by now right to tackle the root
- exploitation. We have to tackle not
texting reminders to their cause of the problem - exploitation.
not only the illegal trafficking but mobile phones. A three We have to tackle not only the illealso the illegal jobs at the end of month pilot will begin this gal trafficking but also the illegal
the journey. Introducing biome- month.
jobs at the end of the journey.
Mr. Reid said:
"In Introducing biometric ID cards,
tric ID cards, starting with newly
Britain the majority of peo- starting with newly arrived foreign
arrived foreign nationals, will
ple work hard, play by the nationals, will make it easier to
make it easier to ensure fair
rules and get on through ensure fair access to services and
access to services and stamp out merit. We have a proud stamp out fraud and abuse."
record of integrating immifraud and abuse."
The other Government departgrants from around the ments and police working with the
and Britain has beco- Home Office to implement the new
UK’s Home Secretary John Reid world,
me home to many indivi-
Higher Education, said:
"There are many positive benefits from inward
migration, as the enforcement strategy recognises. International
students bring very
significant economic,
social and cultural
benefits to the UK. We
warmly
welcome
genuine international
students to this country.
At the same time, we
want to prevent abuse
of the student route, by
those who attempt to use it
to enter the UK for other
purposes - for example to
work illegally.
He said his Department
is already working closely
with the Home Office to
stop fake colleges operating and prevent bogus students from entering the
UK. "Forty per cent of all
new applications to join the
Register fall at the first
hurdle, because they cannot meet the conditions for
entry. We also have applications pending from 250
colleges which have not
been able to meet the requirements
of the Register, and we think are
unlikely to do so."
Grahame
Maxwell,
the
Association of Chief Police
Officers
(ACPO)
lead
on
Immigration and Asylum and
Deputy Chief Constable of South
Yorkshire Police welcomed the new
strategy saying it represents a really
positive step forward for the Home
Office, police and other agencies.
© GNN
continued from page 1
Measures include the creation
of immigration crime partnerships
between IND, local authorities,
police, HM Revenue and Customs
and local agencies to detect those in
the UK illegally and block benefits;
regional partnerships with workplace enforcement teams from HM
Revenue and Customs (HMRC),
Department for Work and Pensions
(DWP) and Department of Trade
and Industry, to track down and
punish unscrupulous bosses who
exploit the system; joint work with
local authorities to use fines of up
to £20,000 against private sector
landlords to tackle overcrowding.
strategy said it is an important step
forward.
DWP Minister Jim
Murphy said: "The DWP is committed to doing all it can to ensure
that people who live, work or claim
benefits in Britain do so legally. We
already work in close collaboration
with the immigration services and
welcome the opportunity to develop
even closer links to help put this
strategy into effect."
Bill Rammell, Minister of State
for Lifelong Learning, Further and
New immigration policy criticised
ig
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Failed asylum seekers in
Germany have been given a chance
to remain in the country. Chancellor
Angela Merkel's cabinet has approved a reform of the country's immi-
main issue is that they should not be
a burden to the local authorities.
In order to counter forced or
arranged marriages, the draft law
states that 18 years is the minimum
age for foreign spouses who would
like to join their partners in
Germany. The spouse must also be
at least 18 years old, DPA reported.
The co-leader of the opposition
Green party, Claudia Roth, criticised draft law, calling it the result of
a "competition in paltriness." Only
those "who proved economically
useful" would profit, Roth said,
while those truly in need of protection would get no help at all,
Deutsche Welle reported.
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Chancellor Angela Merkel
gration laws which gives failed asylum seekers a chance to remain in
the country legally.
The draft law will end the limbo
of some 180,000 foreigners whose
asylum applications have been
rejected but who cannot be deported for humanitarian reasons. They
are mainly from Afghanistan, Iraq
or Kosovo. They weren't deported,
but they weren't given residency
permits either, which would have
allowed them to attend university
or seek employment, Deutsche
Welle reported. The draft law also
says that they'll now be able to stay
in the country legally, but they'll
have to find work by 2009 or risk
losing their right to remain. The
no
ia
“Tolerated” foreigners
allowed to stay in Germany
D
that things like who is renting out a room to
illegal immigrants?"
Reacting to the idea of removing driving
licences, Mr Davis asked: "Does John Reid
really believe that a person who is prepared to
live in a country illegally is that concerned
Dagenham and a candidate for
Labour's deputy leadership. He said:
"It is all rather extraor- "The race to the bottom of the labour
market is leaving migrant workers
dinary. The idea that
more vulnerable to exploitation. Any
somebody who is about to suggestion we should get migrants,
overstay or who is over- who benefit our economy, to leave
staying will change his the country by treating them worse is
alarming,"
The
mind because somebody simply
Independent.co.uk reported.
sends him a text message
Danny Sriskandarajah, migration
seems to be something research fellow at the Institute for
Public Policy Research (IPPR), said:
out of this world.”
"It is sad to see the Home Secretary
to appear tougher on immigraShadow Home Secretary trying
tion with measures that will not work
David Davis
and will drive people further underground. Tackling illegal immigration
effectively requires bold solutions to
about having the correct
qualifications to drive in bring people out of the shadows, not gimmicky measures that risk further undermining
that country?"
He said there was public confidence."
Joint Council for the Welfare of
need of effective action.
"Conservatives would Immigrants chief executive Habib Rahman
establish a dedicated UK said: "Barring up to half a million irregular
border police which migrants in the UK from access to rights and
would not just secure services is not a realistic or humane responour borders but also develop expertise in trac- se," BBC reported. He added: "We want a
king down and removing the huge number of more balanced approach, not just hyping up
illegal immigrants in this country," Mr. Davis public emotions on some very emotive subjects." He called for action on people trafficsaid.
Another criticism of the new strategy king rather than a crackdown on the "victims"
came from Jon Cruddas, the MP for of it and an amnesty on illegal workers.
www.solarelectro.com Fax +49-(0)30-54710844
Conservative lawmakers said new strategy of the Home Office will not be effective
in controlling illegal immigration in the UK.
The Conservatives accused Home Secretary
John Reid of giving up on his plans to deport
illegal immigrants, choosing instead to send
text messages to foreigners warning them not
to over-stay their visa deadlines.
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis
described the plan as "out of this world" and
protested: "This is a serious admission of
defeat. John Reid is effectively giving up on
trying to deport the hundreds of thousands of
illegal immigrants in this country, preferring
instead to spam them with text messages."
He declared: "It is all rather extraordinary.
The idea that somebody who is about to overstay or who is overstaying will change his
mind because somebody sends him a text
message seems to be something out of this
world.
"These sorts of measures are just headline
grabbing initiatives. The issue here is that we
should stop them coming into the country in
the first place if they shouldn't be here, and
secondly, if they are here and we catch them
they should be deported."
Mr Davis said the Government had made
so many such proposals in the recent years.
"The idea of a watch list for public services is
interesting but where would they get the
names. They have not used the laws that they
already have. How are they going to know
Shadow Home Secretary Davis: "These sorts of measures are just headline grabbing initiatives"
4
April 2007
IMMIGRATION NEWS
Italian Govt to approve
comprehensive immigration reform
like to re-introduce possibility of
immigrants coming to Italy through
sponsors. The sponsors will shoulder obligations and guarantees on
residence of the immigrants.
Local institutions, associations
of employers, trade unions and
subordinate work contract for a
definite period-for more than six
months will be issued permits valid
for one year. Those with subordinate work contract for indefinite
period or self-employed workers
will be issued permits valid for
full integration of foreign citizens
living in Italy legally. For instance,
those who have been living in Italy
for at least 5 years will have the
possibility of working in the civil
service like European citizens.
Those who have been here for at
The Italian Government is most
likely to approve this month the
Delegate Law "Legge Delega" to
amend the Immigration Law prepared by Minister of Home Affairs
Giuliano Amato and Minister of
Social Solidarity Paolo Ferrero. It
will then be debated in Parliament.
The Delegate Law gives the
Government the power to write new
laws within clearly set parameters.
The Chamber of Deputies and
Senate can amend the Delegate
Law, but once it is approved, it will
be upon the Government to issue a
Legislative Decree that will amend
the current Immigration Law.
Generally the Delegate Law is used
in cases of vast and complex themes which would take the
Parliament a very long time to go
through and approve.
The only long article of this
Delegate Law states that it will
have to promote the legal migration
by linking job demand and offer.
Let's see how.
There will be triennial Quota
Agreements, with a possibility of
being updated every year depending on the new needs of the job
market. If there will be a higher
demand for workers, especially
domestic workers and caretakers, it
will be possible for more of them to
be allowed to come into the country
for work. The Government would
also revise the entry system for
those who can come to Italy out of
the quota system, especially the
highly qualified workers, scholars,
and managers. The Government
plans to establish employment centres abroad for workers who would
like to come to Italy. It will create
a register fed to the computer of the
workforce willing to immigrate to
Italy. This would become a system
for job placement abroad. Italian
Embassies, institutions and international bodies with branches abroad
and local authorities will have the
possibility of handling the enrolment of workers.
Foreign workers will be able to
enrol depending on their knowledge
of Italian language, educational and
professional qualifications.
An inter-ministerial data base
will be created bringing together all
applications for jobs and job offers.
The Government would also
Home Affairs Minister Giuliano Amato and Social Solidarity Minister Paolo Ferrero
benevolent institutions (patronati),
private citizens, as well as the applicants themselves (self-sponsor) will
have the right to be sponsors as
long as they have sufficient means
of sustenance throughout their
period of stay in Italy.
The Government would like to
reduce
bureaucracy
in
Immigration's Departments by simplifying the issuing of visas and
revising the documents required for
obtaining the visas. Under the new
law, those arriving in Italy will no
longer have to sign the Residence
Contract (contratto di soggiorno).
The Permits of Stay will be
valid for longer periods. Those with
three years.
The renewed permits will be
valid for double the above periods.
The bill also creates the Permit
of Stay for Job searching valid for
one year, which can be renewed if
the holder has sufficient means of
sustenance.
Employers will also be allowed
to hire foreigners who had work
permits for subordinate work for at
least 18 months but are no longer
having permits because they've lost
their jobs. Permits of Stay for
Humanitarian reasons will be
issued to those who can prove that
they belong to the civil society.
There are also provisions for
least two years and minor children
registered in their permits will have
full access to the social assistance
and social security benefits. Their
educational qualifications will also
be recognised. The professional
role and duties of cultural mediator
will be recognised, making them
key professional figures in handling
issues concerning the second generation and women.
The Delegate Law also aims at
facilitating integration of minor
foreigners, giving them the right to
be issued Permit of Stay for family
reasons even when they turn 18
years old but are still dependent on
their parents.
The new law gives the long term
residents, that is those who have
been in the country for at least 5
years, the right to active and passive vote in local elections. In this
way, they'll have the same rights to
vote like the EU citizens. This provision fully brings into effect the
Strasburg Convention on active
participation in public life at local
level.
In order to make expulsions
effective, there are plans of introducing voluntary and assisted return
programmes not only for illegal
immigrants but also for those who
have not been expelled but need
money to return home. Those
taking part in the voluntary and
assisted return programmes will be
able to return to Italy faster than the
other expelled people.
Expulsions will be carried out
on the basis of seriousness of crimes committed and on how dangerous the illegal immigrant is to the
society. This will no longer be the
duty of the Justice of Peace but of
ordinary
judges.
Temporary
Holding Centres will have different
structures. There will be open structures with a possibility of getting
out within a very short time for
those who collaborate with the
authorities in their identification.
There will also be closed structures
for those who will not identify
themselves. Even here the detainees
will have the possibility of leaving
the structure in less than 60 days.
Prisoners will be identified in prisons without being taken to
Temporary Holding Centres.
It will take a long time to implement these proposals. From the
time the Delegate Law becomes
effective (the opposition has
already warned of strong opposition
in Parliament), the Government
will have to issue a Legislative
Decree
for
amending
the
Immigration Law. From the time
this Legislative Decree will become
effective, the Government will have
another year to issue the second
Legislative Decree to reconcile the
new norms to those already existing. The Government will have
other two years to adopt corrective
and additional measures.
By Elvio Pasca
Amnesty International: Racism & discrimination,
Europe's major human rights problems
med initiatives such
as the Year of Equal
"Besides the very real threat of Opportunities, but
verbal abuse and physical vio- expressed concern
the glaring gap
lence, there are citizens who at
between pledges
cannot lead a normal life - find and actual practice.
a job, rent a house or simply Not even half of EU
walk down the street without member states have
being stopped and searched - implemented national action plans
just because they have the
against racism or
'wrong' colour or ethnicity"
ratified the Protocol
that would allow
taking to court
Dick Oosting, Amnesty
cases of discriminaInternational's EU Office
tion.
Over the past
done to Europe in the past, there is
two
years
Amnesty
a historical responsibility to tackle
this issue with utmost priority. International has extenEuropean citizens are clearly con- sively documented how
cerned about this problem which laws and practices
foreign
affects the daily lives of millions of discriminate
nationals and ethnic
people," said Oosting.
across
Amnesty International welco- minorities
Europe. How in France
and the UK Muslim People hold hands in a show of unity during a protest against racism
and violence in the streets of Antwerp, Belgium, last year
communities are increaAre you working with immigrants in any part of
singly targeted, how in
Europe?
Amnesty International urged the ratify Optional Protocol 12 to the
Greece, Spain and Italy the rights of
asylum seekers and migrants have EU to press for the implementation European Convention for the
Please share with us your activities and help us keep
been curtailed, and how in several of the Race Equality Directive and Protection of Human Rights and
our readers informed of the most relevant immigration
Employment
Equality Fundamental Freedoms during this
central European countries Roma the
news in Europe. Feel free to share with us ideas on how
Year
of
Equal
communities are denied their eco- Directive; to upgrade its legislation present
and provide for equal and effective Opportunities; to ensure that natioimmigrants in Europe can overcome the difficulties they nomic, social and cultural rights.
"All these examples show that protection for all grounds and acts nal legislation provides equal and
face in their daily lives.
discrimination is a key human of discrimination and to legislate to effective protection against all
Address your reports to: The Editor, Africa News, Via rights problem for Europe. It cuts provide effective protection against grounds and acts of discrimination
across and aggravates abuse in the racist crime and hate speech across and to adopt, implement and evaMaroso, 50, CAP 00142 Rome, Italy.
important areas where human rights the EU, while safeguarding free- luate National Action Plans against
E-mail: africanews@etnomedia.org
racism according to commitments
are at risk, especially counter-terro- dom of expression.
Tel +39-06-87410531.
The human rights body appea- made at the 2001 World Conference
rism and irregular immigration",
led to EU member states to sign and Against Racism in Durban.
said Oosting.
Fax +39-06-87410528.
There is still widespread racism
and discrimination across the EU,
says Amnesty International.
"Besides the very real threat of
verbal abuse and physical violence,
there are citizens who cannot lead a
normal life - find a job, rent a house
or simply walk down the street
without being stopped and searched
- just because they have the 'wrong'
colour or ethnicity," said Dick
Oosting, Amnesty International's
EU Office director on the
International
Day
for
the
Elimination
of
Racial
Discrimination. In a letter to the EU
Commission, Council and the
European Parliament, (available at
www.amnesty-eu.org), the human
rights organization urged that concrete measures are implemented to
end racist discrimination that, as
EU Commissioner Franco Frattini
recently stated: "is tremendously on
the rise in Europe".
"We have seen what racism has
IMMIGRATION NEWS
April 2007
5
UK hikes visa fees
Home Office: New fees to ensure
firm but fair immigration system
UK has announced a hike in visa fees for
non-European Union citizens going to the
country to work, stay or study and for those
applying to remain.
Both the Work permit visa and Long term
visa fees have been increased from £85 to
£200. The Settlement visa fee has also gone
up from £260 to £500. The Student visa fee
has also been increased from £85 to £99.
For those already in the UK, the Indefinite
Leave to Remain has been increased from
£335 to £750 while the Indefinite Leave to
Remain Premium has also gone up from £500
to £950. The new visa fees are effective from
1st April 2007.
The Home Office said the new immigration fees will help ensure a fair and effective
immigration system. The new fees, the Home
Office said, will help in ensuring that Britain
continues to attract the legal visitors, students
and migrants who contribute so much to the
UK's economic and cultural life.
The Home Office said that the money will
be spent on: providing additional enforcement capacity which will allow for more illegal working operations, prosecutions and
enforcement staff; extra detention capacity building new detention centres; increasing
IND's ability to provide compliance and
employee verification services for employers
employing foreign workers; greater intelligence gathering to help inform enforcement
operations; using enforcement campaigns
abroad to explain the realities of coming to
the UK illegally; and increasing removals by supporting enhanced voluntary returns
packages.
The new fees will help support a robust
and enhanced visa service. Using the latest
technology will maintain Britain's competitive position in a global market for tourists and
students who contribute up to £20 billion per
annum to the economy. Migrant workers
account for an estimated 11 per cent of Gross
Domestic Product. The Government said it
will be concentrating its increase in fees on
migrants who are making significant economic gains from their application - such as
those in the UK to work or live, while students, visitors and tourists won't pay as much.
Publishing the new visa fees, Immigration
Minister Liam Byrne said: "We believe that it
is fair that those who benefit most from using
our immigration system - those who come
here to live and work - should pay more to
fund it. The extra money will be at no extra
cost to the tax payer and will help pay for a
firm but fair immigration system, tackling
Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (FCO) added: "We want
to keep the UK competitive
"We believe that it is fair that
and an attractive destination
those who benefit most from
for those coming to visit,
using our immigration system - study, work, invest or simply
those who come here to live and travel through. We have been
to ensure that the fees
work - should pay more to fund careful
are not set at a level that would
it. The extra money will be at no hamper the UK's global comextra cost to the tax payer and petitive position."
Minister for Lifelong
will help pay for a firm but fair
Learning,
and Higher
immigration system, tackling ille- Education Further
Bill Rammell welgal working, organised crime,
comed the changes to student
extremism and terrorism. We are fees saying "The Government
committed to making the system recognises the benefits intereasier for those we want to come national students bring to the
The new fee structure is
but tougher on those abusing it.” UK.
aimed at maintaining the
attractiveness of the UK as a
Immigration Minister Liam
student destination, by keeping
the student visa fee as low as
Byrne
possible, and in some cases
reducing in cost over the next
illegal working, organised year." He added that the new visa fees will
crime, extremism and terro- ensure "Britain continues to attract the legal
rism. We are committed to students who contribute so much to the UK's
making the system easier economic and cultural life. "
for those we want to come
but tougher on
those abusing it.
A SAMPLING OF THE NEW FEES
"It will also ensure the UK
remains competitive in a global market by improving services for genuine visitors, by deciding applications Settlement visas: from £260 to £500
more quickly and making it easier for Work permit visas: from £85 to £200
immigrants, employers, institutions Visitor visas: from £50 to £63
and sponsors to abide by the rules.
We are confident that we are not out Student visas: from £85 to £99
of line with other countries' prices Indefinite leave to remain: from £335 to £750
and that the people we want to come Naturalisation fees: from £200 to £575
here will not be deterred from doing
Highly skilled migrant approval: from £315 to £400
so."
Lord David Triesman, the
BOOK REVIEW
Children seeking asylum - problems and prejudices
A new report explores the
world of children seeking asylum
in the UK and the legislation, practices, misconceptions and injustices surrounding the application of
the law towards this vulnerable
group.
ted. The research, which centred on
England and Scotland, is set alongside investigations of similar situations in the United States and
Australia.
Decision-making ignores
AT a time when asylum seekers the fact of being a child
are the objects of a politically-infused debate, this report about unaccompanied or separated children
seeking asylum, is an eye-opener. It
highlights the plight of these young
children in a human rights context
that is found lacking and misdirec-
With the incorporation of the
European
Human
Rights
Convention and the Refugee
Convention into domestic law, the
UK has become party to international human rights laws and responsibilities, and, as
this report reiterates, party to
conventions on
the best interest
and well-being
of
a
child
migrant. Despite
several attempts
National Day of Action & Celebration
at
educating,
providing guidance and proBank Holiday Monday, 7 May
moting awareness about the
processing
of
Be part of a broad civic alliance of faiths, businesses, unions and
applications
community groups calling for immigration reform, including:
from children,
x A policy which views migrants as contributors to the UK economy and society;
only 2 per cent
x An end to the asylum logjam which leaves tens of thousands in limbo, and to
of unaccompadeportations of families with children in schools;
nied or separated
x A pathway into citizenship for long-term migrants who have made new lives in the
children were
UK
granted asylum
when
they
applied in 2004.
'The quality of
11:30am-12:30pm: Walk to Trafalgar Square:
decision making
Gather in Westminster Cathedral Piazza (Victoria Street, SW1P) from 11:00am for the
is
poor.
walk to Trafalgar Square.
Decisions don't
reflect the fact
that the claim is
a child. There
12:30-1:30pm: ‘Strangers into Citizens’ Rally at by
is no difference
between adult
Trafalgar Square
and child refusal
letters.'
The report
*Please bring a Union Jack flag or T-shirt with you.
shows that there
is a great discrepancy between
For more information, please visit our website at www.strangersintocitizens.org.uk, or
government
contact David Gardner on 020 7375 1658 or david.gardner@londoncitizens.org.uk.
policy
and
government
Strangers into Citizens
practice in dealing with asylum story and I would be safe. I didn't
application cases for minors. The know what asylum itself was or that
UK's legal structure also seems lac- what I was doing was called asyking when it comes to the protec- lum,' one child told the researchers.
tion of these children because of The disparity in the rate of granting
insufficient legal representation, asylum to children and adults bears
inadequate numbers of immigration this out.
judges and the inability of the
Home Office to formulate a suitable Disbelieving children
and efficient framework for making
initial decisions in such cases.
The UK's lack of appropriate
Furthermore, the work highlights legislation and structure with
the lack of interest in the protection regards to child asylum seekers
and welfare of unaccompanied or may, the report suggests, be due to
separated children who are seeking two critical factors, namely, a 'culasylum in the UK. There is virtually ture of disbelief' and the labelling of
no government research into the migrants as a 'problem' rather than a
general causes of migration of vulnerable group in need of protecminors, despite regular statistical tion. 'An Albanian age disputed
publications by the Home Office child at Oakington Reception
into unaccompanied children see- Centre was told that the original of
king asylum.
his birth certificate was not being
Surprisingly, the Home Office's accepted because Albanian docustatistics show that more unaccom- ments were often forgeries.'
panied children than adults seek
There is a belief in the asylum
asylum, and yet this has hardly had system that children do not encounany policy impact in the UK. ter persecution as do adults and that
Crucially, the lack of
research on child
asylum seekers may
HE THEMES COVERED
be a reflection of the
fact, which the
report emphasises,
- Overview of the statistics, the defithat many immigration officers (the nitions and the realities surrounding
first point of contact child asylum seekers;
for these children)
- A background to and the present
do not accept the legal framework in the United
reasons
children
give for seeking asy- Kingdom for processing applications
lum, such as 'forci- of unaccompanied or separated chilble recruitment as dren seeking asylum;
child soldiers' and
- The models surrounding and asso'trafficking', as fal- ciated with determining the age of
ling
under
the
R e f u g e e child asylum seekers;
- The detention, accommodation
Convention.
One
other major find rei- and care of the unaccompanied child
terated in this report asylum seeker and the need for and
is that procedures to
assist asylum-see- role of the legal guardian;
- Applying for asylum: the procesking children in
making their claims ses involved - from the screening proexist on paper but cess to the appeal process;
not in practice.
- Recommendations for improved
'They just told me I
policies
and practices.
needed to tell my
T
children's claims to ill-treatment
and abuse are fictional and unlikely.
The fact that unstable situations in
their native countries may mean
that if faced with deportation, they
will return to an unsafe and torn
country, where, in many cases, they
no longer have a family is completely overlooked. However, the
report consciously notes that the
UK government is actually looking
into changing the infrastructure for
returning failed minor asylum
applicants in their countries of origin, including those with notorious
human rights records, such as the
Democratic Republic of Congo,
Vietnam and Angola.
This report provides an abundance of statistics and information
for academics, students, policymakers and researchers - all those
whose work includes meeting and
safeguarding the rights and needs of
unaccompanied minors seeking
asylum and anyone interested in
international human rights.
By Sian Samad
Institute of Race Relations
News
6
THE GUIDE
April 2007
Traffic fines in Spain
Speed limits in Spain
are as follows:
- 20 kph in residential areas,
- 50 kph in built-up areas,
- 90 kph in country roads,
- 100 kph in dual carriageways,
- 120 kph on motorways, 80 kph for cars
towing a trailer on divided highways and
- 70 kph on other roads.
Fines for offences that the
Spanish traffic law provides
Traffic fines in Spain are calculated on
the severity of the offence. Often, the speeder doesn't know he has passed a radar or
photo checkpoint until he gets his printed
notice in the mail. The traffic fines range up
to € 1,500. The offenders may also face
suspension of their driving licenses for a
period of up to 3 months.
- The highest fines, which range from €
301 to € 1,500 are imposed for committing
the most serious traffic infractions that the
Traffic Spanish law provides. In this case
the offender may also face suspension of his
driving license for a period of up to 3
months. Some of these infractions are the
following:
- Exceeding maximum lawful speeds; at
least 30 kph over the speed limits.
- Driving a motor vehicle in Spain under
the influence of drugs, or under the influence of alcohol, when exceeding the alcohol
limit.
- Refusal to cooperate to take a breathalyzer test to analyse the amount of alcohol or other drugs in the blood.
- Rash driving endangering other people.
- Exceeding the number of persons permitted to ride in a vehicle. These shall not
exceed 50% the maximum approved for the
specific vehicle..
- If offenders commit serious traffic
infractions such as driving in a negligent
manner, speeding, driving without lights,
parking in dangerous places… may face
suspension of their driving license for a
period of up to 1 month, and fines that range
from € 91 to € 300.
- If you commit a minor traffic offence,
such as using your mobile phone while you
are driving (unless your vehicles is provided
with a hands free system), riding minors
under 12 years of age in the front seat of
your vehicle (unless it is provided with
homologated safety protection), riding
minors under 7 years of age in a motorcycle,
stopping at a zebra crossing during more
than 2 minutes, you may be imposed a fine
of up to € 90.
It is mandatory for Spanish cars to be fitted with seat-belts. It is required for all occupants, whether in the front or back seat of a
car using the vehicle safety belt. You can be
fined for not fastening it.
The offender may get up to a 30% fine
reduction if he pays within the legal term,
before the Traffic administrative authorities
have passed a definite resolution about the
traffic infraction. A driver who is fined three
times in Spain for committing any of the
most serious infractions within a period of 2
years, may have his driver's license definitively revoked
If you are charged with
a traffic offence in Spain
Police are empowered to collect fines of
up to 300,51 euros on the spot. Normally
commission of traffic offences are notified
Are you working with immigrants
in any part of Europe?
Please share with us your activities
and help us keep our readers informed of the most relevant immigration
news in Europe. Feel free to share
with us ideas on how immigrants in
Europe can overcome the difficulties
they face in their daily lives.
Address your reports to: The
Editor, Africa News, Via Maroso, 50,
CAP 00142 Rome, Italy.
E-mail: africanews@etnomedia.org
Tel +39-06-87410531.
Fax +39-06-87410528.
on the spot, however, in some justified reasons, these may be notified afterwards. For
example, the fine may be imposed when the
vehicle was parked.
Foreigners non-resident must pay on the
spot unless they can present a Spanish bail
bond or an address in Spain or company
who will guarantee payment of the fine. If
the fine cannot be paid or guaranteed, the
vehicle will be impounded. Normally there
is a discount of 30 percent for immediate
settlement. You should pay the fine first, it is
necessary for the policeman to permit you to
continue your trip.
Provided that you are Spanish resident, if
you do not receive written notice from the
Spanish Traffic authorities within 3 months
from commission of a minor offence, or 1
year since commission of a serious or most
serious traffic infraction, the traffic fine,
which should have been imposed, will be
then extinguished.
POINTS SYSTEM:
There is a system of points loss (a driver
starts up with a total of 12 points, 8 points
for new drivers-up to three years) to punish
traffic infractions, which applies along with
the monetary fines. Once a driver has lost all
of his points, his driving licence is revoked.
The way to get a driving licence back is
documentation, the vehicle's safety conditions and non-fulfilment of the mandatory
vehicle inspection (ITV).
- The driver is always responsible for the
traffic violation, regardless he is the owner
of the vehicle or not. If the report of the police stating the traffic violation is notified to
the vehicle's owner without regard to the
offender, the owner shall inform the police
about the name of the offender, whether he
or a third person has committed the traffic
infraction.
- If the offender is under 18 years of age,
either his parents, tutors, or those persons in
charge of the minor guardianship, will be
jointly responsible for the economic fine he
is been imposed.
How can you protest the fine
to the traffic authorities?
If you want to dispute the charge you
have been imposed with, you have 15 working days to file a written dispute before the
traffic authorities, you can write your argument in English. You should have previously
facilitated an address in Spain for this purpose.
Spanish traffic authorities may not
accept your protest, their resolution may be
appealed (recurso de alzada) within one
driving licence for a period from 1 to 4
years.
- If the driver under the influence of
drugs or alcohol is involved in a car accident, he/she may also be charged with other
crimes such as homicide by misadventure
(homicidio involuntario) and therefore
should pay and indemnity to the prejudiced
person.
- Refusal to cooperate to take a breathalyzer test to analyse the amount of alcohol in their blood will be treated as disobedience, punishable by a term of imprisonment of 6 months to 1 year and deprivation
of the driving license.
- Rash driving endangering other people
may be punishable by a term of imprisonment of 6 months to 4 years and deprivation
of driving licence for a term of 1 to 10 years.
In general terms, when a person operates
a motor vehicle carelessly or without exercising due care for the safety of others may be
punishable either by a term of imprisonment
of 6 months to 2 years or fines ranging from
3 to 8 months.
Seizure of your
vehicle in Spain
Spanish police may seize your vehicle in
any of the following circumstances:
Because of the high incidence of road
accidents, fines for traffic offences are
strictly enforced in Spain. It is compulsory
for non-residents to pay the traffic fines on
the spot. The traffic ticket issued on imposing the traffic fine shall contain the following items:
- Description of the vehicle's offender
(plate number…).
- Details of the offender.
- Description of the offence.
- The police agent identification number.
- The term for appealing.
A motorist argues with a police officer in Madrid
attending a traffic sensibilization and reeducation course.
For instance, driving while drunk may
imply a loss of up to 6 points, as well as driving 50% faster than the speed limit.
Driving along roads with a prohibited vehicle for that road may imply a loss of 4
points, as well as driving without the relevant permit. Using a mobile or earphones
while driving may imply a loss of 3 points,
etc.
Liabilities
Who is responsible for committing the traffic offence?
- The vehicle's owner is responsible for
those infractions referring to the vehicle's
month. You may also appeal against the
second resolution of Spanish traffic authorities before going to Spanish courts. You will
do well to have a Spanish Lawyer handle
your appeals.
Driving related crimes in
Spain
Traffic infractions may entail the commission of a crime, the offender then shall
pay an indemnity for the damages or injuries
he had caused, regardless of the legal
punishment he may be charged with.
- Driving a motor vehicle in Spain under
the influence of drugs or alcohol is penalized either with 8 to 12 weekends of arrest or
similar fine instead, and deprivation of the
- In the event of an accident, when the
vehicle cannot go on moving.
- If the vehicle is believed to be abandoned.
- If the vehicle is illegally parked.
- If the foreigner non-resident refuses to
pay the fine he is being imposed. The car
may be released after paying the corresponding fees. The owner is entitled to request
the fees paid to the responsible for the car
accident.
By iAbogado Servicios Jurídicos SL
(www.iabogado.com)
http://www.spainlawyer.com
About driving drunk in Spain
Breath testing is carried out frequently all
over Spain. The traffic police may require
any people to take a breathalyzer test to
analyse the amount of alcohol in his blood.
The legal blood alcohol limit is in general 0.5
gr., or 0.15 gr. if you are a learner driver, i.e.
within the first 12 months of obtaining the
driving license. If the amount of alcohol
exceeds this limit, the driver can be heavily
fined. Refusal to co-operate is considered a
criminal offence.
Pedestrians may also be required to take a
breathalyzer test if they are involved in a car
accident.
If the results of the first breathalyzer test
taken shows that the amount of alcohol in the
blood is superior to the limit established by
the Spanish law, a second test shall be taken.
There must be 10 minutes difference between
the first and the second test. If this is your
case, be aware that you have the following
rights:
- You may ask another person to check
that there is 10 minutes difference between
the first test and the second one.
- You may compare the results of the
breathalyzer test with a blood test, if it shows
the same result, you should pay for the blood
test expenses, otherwise the Spanish
Administration shall pay this.
There are two methods for penalizing
people who drive a motor vehicle in Spain
under the influence of alcohol: through criminal or administrative proceedings.
These are only general guidelines and not
definitive statements of the law, all questions
about the law's applications to individual
cases shall be directed to a Spanish lawyer.
By iAbogado Servicios Jurídicos SL
(www.iabogado.com)
http://www.spainlawyer.com
IN AFRICA THIS MONTH
April 2007
7
UN praises Burundi for protecting
children from armed conflicts
CEF) in child protection.
"UNICEF, BINUB and the entire
UN country team will work together
to continue their support of the
Government in its efforts to address
the needs of children in the peace
© UN PHOTOS
The Government of Burundi has been
praised for the progress made in protecting
children from the ravages of armed conflict.
"The general situation of human rights
has significantly improved in Burundi. The
measures already taken by the Government to
address the recommendations of the Security
Council are also very encouraging," said Ms.
Radhika Coomaraswamy, the SecretaryGeneral's Special Representative for
Children and Armed Conflict.
She, however, observed that more still
needs to be done, especially to improve
detention facilities for minors charged with
belonging to armed groups. "Most of the
minors detained on charges related to their
involvement with armed groups seem to have
been released but efforts still need to be made
to improve conditions of detention for
minors," she said.
The UN envoy said that in the short term,
the Government had promised to ensure that
children would be separated from adults
during their detention. She said she had insisted that the authorities ensure that released
children receive sustainable support to
encourage them to fully reintegrate into their
communities.
Ms Coomaraswamy welcomed Burundi's
revised penal code, which stipulates that the
recruitment of children under 16 years to
fight in armed conflict is a war crime, and
expressed the hope that parliament would
soon adopt it to allow the legislation to be
implemented. "The Government can count on
the full support of the UN in training of the
police and military authorities on child protection," she said, stressing the role of the UN
Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) and
also that of the UN Children's Fund (UNI-
"Most of the minors detained on charges related to
their involvement with
armed groups seem to have
been released but efforts
still need to be made to
improve conditions of
detention for minors"
Ms. Radhika
Coomaraswamy, the
Secretary-General's
Special Representative for
Children and Armed
Conflict
consolidation
phase."
Ms
Coomaraswamy said that during her
meetings with President Pierre
Nukurunziza, and senior ministers,
they had expressed their deep commitment to continue efforts to address child
rights and child protection.
Elsewhere, Ms. Coomaraswamy appealed
to the Government of the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) to make child protection a "priority" and ensure enough resour-
ces are allocated to reintegrate former child
soldiers into their communities.
"Child protection must become a priority
for the new Congolese Government," she
said. "It is therefore very important to have
long-term development strategies and to allo-
cate appropriate funds to support the efforts
of UNICEF and to child protection partners
on the ground", she added, referring to properly reintegrating former child soldiers into
their communities to avoid re-recruitment by
armed groups.
Human Rights Watch: Children abused in Burundi prisons
"The first time, I was in the shower, which was very small.
An adult came in. He just forced himself on me. He was
much bigger than me, so I couldn't do anything and I was
in pain. I was too afraid and too ashamed to tell anyone,
and he kept coming back to me. I never told anyone in the
prison administration. I still have pain in my kidneys and
in my stomach."
Adolph M., 17, accused of theft, Gitega prison, May 23,
2006
"Sleeping is very hard, as there are about 27 of us in the
one room. Some of us have to sit up all night. There are no
separate showers and toilets for us, the children. It's bad
for the kids when the adults are in the bathrooms. I check
to see who is in there before going to shower."
Jean-Bosco S., 14, accused of theft, Ruyigi prison, May
25, 2006
While the UN envoy
was busy praising Burundi
for the progress made in
protecting children from the
ravages of armed conflict,
Human Rights Watch said in
a report that children in prisons in the country face
serious abuses in a criminal
justice system that treats
them as adults.
Alison Des Forges,
senior Africa advisor at
Human Rights Watch said
"Children are sometimes
tortured to extract confessions, and most have no
access to legal advice or
representation." Des Forges
further said that "Children
are locked up alongside
adults in overcrowded and
Sirleaf to receive Africare
Humanitarian Award
Sirleaf as Africare's 2007 honouree," noted Africare Senior Vice
President Jeannine B. Scott. "As
the first elected female head of
state in Africa, President
Johnson Sirleaf embodies
the progress of women in
achieving leadership positions on the continent. At the
2007 Africare
Bishop
Walker Dinner, Africare will
pay tribute to her efforts to
bring peace, economic prosperity, and a bright future
for the people of Liberia
Africare's work endeavours
to do the same thing, every
day."
The 2007 Africare Bishop
Walker Dinner will be held
Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf on 18th October in
Washington, D.C.
Similar to the mission of
Service Award. The award is given
annually to the people who have International Women's Day-a trimade major contributions to the bute to the global celebration of
continent of Africa. Prior recipients women of the past, present and
include former Presidents Bill future-- the October Africare
Clinton and Jimmy Carter, then Dinner will centre on themes of
President
Nelson
Mandela, "Women's Empowerment," in
Andrew Young, Dorothy I. Height, addition to honouring Africa's first
Graca Machel, former Secretary of female president.
The Africare Dinner is named
State Colin Powell, and philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates. The after the late John T. Walker, the
Africare Dinner is now the largest first African-American Episcopal
annual event for Africa in the Bishop of Washington, D.C., and
long-time Chairman of Africare.
United States.
"We
symbolically
chose Bishop Walker passed away on
International Women's Day to 30th September 1989.
announce President Johnson
Liberian
President
Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf has been chosen to
receive the Bishop John T. Walker
Distinguished
Humanitarian
miserable conditions for months or even
years as they await trial." The report titled
"Paying the Price: Violations of the Rights of
Children in Detention in Burundi," documents the many types of human rights violations that children experience in pre-trial
detention, in the investigation and prosecution of cases, and while in prison.
The report based on interviews with more
than 100 children as well as with prosecutors
and prison staff, details cases of physical and
sexual abuse of children by other inmates,
shortages of food, poor sanitary conditions,
and a total lack of any organized education
inside the prisons.
There is no juvenile justice system in
Burundi. Under current laws, the age of criminal responsibility is 13. There are currently
no alternatives to incarceration for children
and no services to help children once they are
released from detention.
Burundi's parliament is considering pro-
Govt of Uganda and
LRA agree
to resume talks
Peace talks between the
Ugandan Government and Lord's
Resistance Army (LRA) are to resume after the Government agreed to
a rebel request to bring in new
mediators from five other African
countries. Returning from south
Sudan, where he led a government
team that met the LRA leadership,
including rebel leader Joseph Kony,
Interior
Minister
Ruhakana
Rugunda said "We have agreed that
the mediation of the southern
Sudan government is going to be
beefed up with South Africa,
Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya and
the Democratic Republic of
Congo."
In January, the LRA pulled out
of talks being held in south Sudan's
capital, Juba, demanding a new
venue and new mediators, on the
grounds that they had lost confidence in the mediators, IRIN reported.
Mr. Rugunda said "The question
of venue and mediation are no longer really sticking points. (They)
are resolved issues." He said the
conditions by the LRA to resume
the talks were mainly administrative issues.
Rugunda it was agreed that the
talks, aimed at ending two decades
of conflict in northern Uganda,
posed amendments to the criminal law that
would improve the treatment of children in
conflict with the law if they are passed, funded and fully implemented. The amendments
would raise the age of criminal responsibility
to 15 and would provide alternatives to incarceration.
"Burundi's parliament should amend the
criminal law to improve protection for children's rights," said Des Forges. "Donor countries should help ensure that these reforms
are implemented so that children are no longer treated as adults by Burundi's justice or
prison systems."
Human Rights Watch called on the
government of Burundi and donors working
in the justice sector, such as DFID and the
European Commission, to support a juvenile
justice system based on international standards of the rights of the child. The system
must prioritize rehabilitation, social reintegration and alternatives to incarceration.
TESTIMONY FROM CHILDREN IN PRISON IN BURUNDI
would continue in
Juba.
"Legitimate
issues raised by the
LRA will be handled
and resolved," he
said.
"The government
of Uganda is working Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord's Resistance
for an early resumpArmy
tion of the peace
talks. We also remain
of February, but northern Uganda
committed to an expeditious con- has remained calm.
clusion of a peace agreement which
According to aid agencies, an
will usher in durable and lasting estimated 230,000 internally displapeace in northern Uganda, which ced people in northern Uganda
will ensure peace and justice; see returned to their villages in 2006
the end of our people living in IDP thanks to improved security once
[internally displaced persons] the talks began. However, up to 1.2
camps and resettling in their villa- million more remain in camps,
ges to rebuild their homes and lead while some have moved to satellite
normal and productive lives," camps nearer their villages to gain
Rugunda added.
access to their farms.
"The government of South
The UN Secretary-General Ban
Sudan,
Chissano
and
the Ki-moon welcomed the pledges by
Government of Uganda are more the parties to hold their fire and voithan ready to work with the LRA to ced hope that formal peace negotiaensure that their legitimate con- tions will soon resume.
cerns are handled so that the peace
Mr. Michele Montas, a spokeprocess is not in any way derailed," sman for Mr. Ban said he is pleased
he explained. Previous rounds of that all parties "reiterated their
the peace talks, which started in commitment to peace and stated
July 2006, led to the signing of a their readiness to extend the
cessation of hostilities agreement in Cessation of Hostilities Agreement
August. The truce lapsed at the end to which they are currently bound."
8
April 2007
WHO & UNAIDS approve use of
male circumcision in HIV prevention
consent, confidentiality, and absence of coercion. Deborah Jack, chief executive of the
National AIDS Trust, said: "These recommendations address many of the benefits of
© WHO PHOTO
The use of male circumcision in
the prevention of HIV has been backed by International experts. The
World Health Organization and
UNAIDS said circumcision should be
added to current interventions to reduce the spread of HIV. The international consultation, which was held from
6th to 8th March 2007 in Montreux,
Switzerland, was attended by participants representing a wide range of
stakeholders, including governments,
civil society, researchers, human
rights and women's health advocates,
young people, funding agencies and
implementing partners.
Based on the evidence presented,
which was considered to be compelling,
experts attending the consultation recommended that male circumcision now be
recognized as an additional important
intervention to reduce the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men.
"The recommendations represent a
significant step forward in HIV prevention", said Dr Kevin De Cock, Director,
HIV/AIDS Department, World Health
Organization. "Countries with high rates
of heterosexual HIV infection and low
rates of male circumcision now have an
additional intervention which can reduce
the risk of HIV infection in heterosexual
men. Scaling up male circumcision in
such countries will result in immediate
benefit to individuals. However, it will be
a number of years before we can expect to
see an impact on the epidemic from such
investment."
WHO and UNAIDS said in a statement that there is now strong evidence from
three randomized controlled trials undertaken
in Kisumu, Kenya, Rakai District, Uganda
and Orange Farm, South Africa that male circumcision reduces the risk of heterosexually
acquired HIV infection in men by approximately 60%. This evidence supports the findings
of numerous observational studies that have
also suggested that the geographical correlation long described between lower HIV prevalence and high rates of male circumcision
in some countries in Africa, and more
recently elsewhere, is, at least in part, a causal association. Currently, an estimated 665
million men, or 30 % of men worldwide, are
estimated to be circumcised.
The experts said that male circumcision
should always be considered as part of a comprehensive HIV prevention package, which
includes the provision of HIV testing and
counselling services; treatment for sexually
transmitted infections; the promotion of safer
sex practices; and the provision of male and
female condoms and promotion of their correct and consistent use. They said counselling
of men and their sexual partners is necessary
to prevent them from developing a false sense
of security and engaging in high-risk behaviours that could undermine the partial protection provided by male circumcision.
Furthermore, male circumcision service provision was seen as a major opportunity to
address the frequently neglected sexual
"Countries with high rates of
heterosexual HIV infection and
low rates of male circumcision
now have an additional intervention which can reduce the risk of
HIV infection in heterosexual
men. Scaling up male circumcision
in such countries will result in
immediate benefit to individuals.
However, it will be a number of
years before we can expect to see
an impact on the epidemic from
such investment."
Dr Kevin De Cock, Director,
HIV/AIDS Department, World
Health Organization
health needs of men.
"Being able to recommend an additional
HIV prevention method is a significant step
towards getting ahead of this epidemic," said
Catherine Hankins, Associate Director,
Department of Policy, Evidence and
Partnerships at UNAIDS. "However, we must
be clear: male circumcision does not provide
complete protection against HIV. Men and
women who consider male circumcision as
an HIV preventive method must continue to
use other forms of protection such as male
and female condoms, delaying sexual debut
and reducing the number of sexual partners."
Observing that there is a shortage of skilled health professionals in many developing
countries, the experts said there is need of
ensuring that male circumcision services for
HIV prevention do not unduly disrupt other
health care programmes, including other
HIV/AIDS interventions.
They said that in order to both maximize
the opportunity afforded by male circumcision and ensure longer-term sustainability of
services, male circumcision should, wherever
possible, be integrated with other services.
The risks involved in male circumcision
are generally low, but can be serious if circumcision is undertaken in unhygienic settings by poorly trained providers or with inadequate instruments. Wherever male circumcision services are offered, therefore, training
and certification of providers, as well as care-
including male circumcision in a comprehensive HIV prevention package. She added:
"Additional research to determine the health
impact for women and men who have sex
with men is vital, as is ensuring that adequate resources are provided to fund existing prevention methods, as well as continue research
into new technologies such as microbicides
and vaccines."
ful monitoring and evaluation of programmes, will be necessary to ensure that these
meet their objectives and that quality services
are
provided
safely in sanitary
settings, with adequate equipment
Uganda records an estimated
and with appropriate counselling 80,000 new cases of tuberculosis
and other servi- every year, half of them among
people infected with the HIV virus
ces.
Male circum- that causes AIDS, health officials
cision has strong said. "We only managed to detect
cultural connota- 49 percent of those cases in 2006,"
tions implying the Francis Adatu, head of the TB and
need also to deli- leprosy unit in the Ministry of
ver services in a Health, told IRIN. "HIV/AIDS is
manner that is the main trigger of dormant TB in
culturally sensiti- the population today," he added.
The United Nations World
ve and that minimizes any stigma Health Organization (WHO) reprethat might be sentative in Uganda, George
associated with Melville, expressed concern that
circumcision sta- Uganda continued to lag behind in
tus.
Countries meeting the global targets on
should ensure that detection and treatment of TB. He
male circumcision said Uganda was 15th out of 22
is provided with countries with high TB incidence.
The disease affects mostly peofull adherence to
medical
ethics ple in the 15-49 age group and
and human rights often kills within two years if not
principles, inclu- treated, according to the health
ding
informed ministry.
New TB cases in Uganda 'alarming'
"The global strategy to stop TB
relies on early detection and effective treatment," Melville said in a
statement issued on the World TB
Day on Saturday. Global targets for
effective TB control are 70 percent
for early detection and 85 percent
for successful treatment.
"Uganda continues to lag
behind the set targets, with only 49
percent of the expected new cases
detected and only 73 percent successfully treated in 2006," Melville
said. He urged the health ministry
to declare TB a public health emergency and allocate sufficient
resources to control the disease.
Limited resources at the disposal of the health sector, especially
laboratory personnel, limited knowledge about TB and misconceptions about the disease, and
HIV/AIDS have been the main
impediments to TB control efforts.
By IRIN
The world's population is on track to surpass 9 billion persons by 2050, according to
the newly released 2006 Revision of the official United Nations population estimates and
projections, which also predict that the number of elderly persons will hit 1 billion.
"One of the surprises is that population
growth is most concentrated in the 60 plus
age group," Hania Zlotnik, the Director of the
UN Population Division, told a press briefing
in New York held to launch the report.
"The place where the action is the older
population," she said. "The biggest change
will occur in the developing world, and developing countries will have to cope with the
situation" by investing in both education and
care of the elderly.
According to the 2006 Revision, the
world population will likely increase by 2.5
billion over the next 43 years, passing from
the current 6.7 billion to 9.2 billion in 2050.
This increase is equivalent to the total size of
the world population in 1950, and it will be
absorbed mostly by the less developed
regions, whose population is projected to rise
from 5.4 billion in 2007 to 7.9 billion in 2050.
In contrast, the population of the more
developed regions is expected to remain largely unchanged at 1.2 billion, and would
have declined were it not for the projected net
migration from developing to developed
© UN PHOTO
New UN estimates predict 2.5 billion
increase in world population by 2050
"The world population is ageing
because of the great success in
reducing population growth, the
success of humanity in controlling
its numbers"
Hania Zlotnik, the Director of the
UN Population Division
countries, which is expected to average 2.3
million persons annually.
As a result of declining fertility and
increasing longevity, the populations of more
and more countries are ageing rapidly.
Between 2005 and 2050, half of the increase
in the world population will be accounted for
by a rise in the population aged 60 years or
over, whereas the number of children (persons under age 15) will decline slightly.
Furthermore, in the more developed regions,
the population aged 60 or over is expected
nearly to double (from 245 million in 2005 to
406 million in 2050), whereas that of persons
under age 60 will likely decline (from 971
million in 2005 to 839 million in 2050).
"The world population is ageing because
of the great success in reducing population
growth, the success of humanity in controlling its numbers," Ms. Zlotnik observed.
The projected population trends also
depend on achieving a major increase in the
proportion of AIDS patients who get antiretroviral therapy to treat the disease and on
the success of efforts to control the further
spread of HIV.
"We are expecting a relatively good coverage of anti-retroviral drugs in 31 of the most
affected countries by 2015," Ms. Zlotnik said.
"According to our estimates, 70 per cent of
the affected people are going to get treatment.
Given that, we're postponing the deaths by
several years." On average, those receiving
treatment are expected to live 7.5 years longer than those who are not.
According to the 2006 Revision, fertility
in the less developed countries as a whole is
expected to drop from 2.75 children per
woman in 2005-2010 to 2.05 in 2045-2050.
To achieve such reductions, it is essential that
access to family planning expands in the poorest countries, the Population Division said,
pointing out that without this, the world
population could increase by twice as many
people as those alive in 1950.
Reacting to the findings, the Executive
Director of the UN Population Fund
(UNFPA) said they serve as a wake-up call to
the urgency of giving couples the means to
exercise their human right to freely determine
the sizes of their families.
"Currently, about 200 million women in
these countries lack access to safe and effective contraceptive services," said Thoraya
Ahmed Obaid in a news release. "Funding for
family planning must be increased to meet
the needs of these women, not only to determine the world's future, but also to prevent
unintended pregnancies and reduce maternal
and infant death."
By UN News Service
April 2007
9
SOUTH AFRICA
Mlambo-Ngcuka: Many women
depend on men who abuse them
The levels of physical, emotional and
sexual abuse experienced by South African
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has said.
Speaking during the launching of the 365
Days Programme and National Action Plan to
End Violence against Women and Children,
Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka said
South African women have
made much progress since the
country's first democratic elec“Many women and children who tion in 1994.
She, however, added that
are victims of violence are abu"much more is still needed but
sed by people they know, love,
admire and trust. This phenome- we are not even halfway. Our
Constitution, which we adopnon makes it very difficult to
in 1996, ensures that
police such crimes. This situation ted
women and men have equal
holds women and children hosta- rights before the law. The
ge in their own homes. The lack rights of all women are upheld
of power to negotiate sex makes and protected by our governhomes and bedrooms in particu- ment. This means that women
lar, dangerous places and altars of different religious, languain which women and child abuse ge, class and cultural backgrounds have the right to equal
occurs."
safety, security and protection
from the police and the
Deputy President of South
Africa Ms Phumzile Mlambo- courts."
Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka noted
Ngcuk
that Domestic Violence Act
and the Maintenance Act were
designed to further protect
"women and children women and children. "Notwithstanding this
still remains unaccep- equality before the law, many of our women
tably high and growing," and children are still subjected to different
Deputy President of forms of abuse. Many women and children
South
Africa
Ms who are victims of violence are abused by
people they know, love, admire and trust.
This phenomenon makes it very difficult to
police such crimes. This situation holds
women and children hostage in their own
homes. The lack of power to negotiate sex
makes homes and bedrooms in particular,
dangerous places and altars in which women
and child abuse occurs."
The Deputy President made a strong
appeal to the parents to take proper care of
their children. "Taking care of children is a
core responsibility of parents and they should
not shirk this commitment," she said.
She said there was need of collaboration
between all the stakeholders in reducing gender violence. "Evidence from other parts of
the world suggests that efforts to reduce gender violence are more likely to succeed when
a number of stakeholders, from different sectors become involved and collaborate.
Gender based violence has more chance of
diminishing when governments and civil
society synergise their efforts and work together towards the same vision. So we cannot
give up," she said.
Observing that "many women remain
economically dependent on men who abuse
them", Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka said there was
need of ensuring "that many more economic
opportunities become available to women, so
that they can have more choices, and more
control over their lives."
Girls face widespread violence
Human Rights Watch: Governments
slow to enforce basic protections for girls
tions in 15 countries, including: Afghanistan;
Brazil; the Democratic Republic of Congo;
Egypt; El Salvador; Guatemala; Indonesia;
Iraq; Malaysia; Morocco; Papua New
Guinea; South Africa,; Togo; the United
States; and Zambia.
"Girls are at risk of violence on the
streets, in schools, at home, where they work,
and in government institutions," said Jo
Becker, advocacy director for Human Rights
Watch's children's rights division. "In far too
many cases, girls are betrayed by the very
individuals who are supposed to protect them
- guardians, teachers, employers and the police."
Schoolgirls may be raped, sexually
assaulted, and sexually
by their clasHUMAN RIGHTS WATCH URGES GOVERNMENTS harassed
smates and even by their
teachers. A medical
TO TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO:
research study found that
among those South
- Create confidential, fully staffed and toll-free hotlines to
receive reports of abuses against girls, including mechanisms African rape victims who
specified their relationsaccessible to students, domestic workers, and children in
hip to the perpetrator,
detention;
37.7 percent said that a
- Ensure the prompt and effective investigation of such com- schoolteacher or principal
plaints, and prompt and appropriate action against perpetra- had raped them. Students
may also be targeted
tors, including counselling, termination and criminal prosebecause of their sexual
cution when warranted;
orientation or gender
identity.
- Ensure that medical examinations, trauma counselling,
The reports also show
emergency contraception, and post-exposure HIV prophylaxis
that employers may subare available to sexual assault survivors;
ject child domestic workers to verbal and physi- In situations of insecurity, devise and implement a strategy
to monitor, prevent, and respond to attacks on education, with cal abuse, including severe beatings, burning with
special attention to the effects of attacks on girls' education;
irons, and death threats.
and
These children are often
- Ensure that children in conflict with the law are only detai- confined to their employer's household, with littned as a last resort and for the shortest possible time.
Prohibit the excessive use of force, and any disciplinary mea- le access to outside help.
Child domestic workers
sures that may compromise the health of the child.
are particularly vulnera-
ble to sexual harassment and sexual violence from men and
boys living in or associated with the household. More girls are
employed in domestic
work than any other
form of child labour.
It is sad in deed that
girls in contact with
justice systems are at
risk of violence, particularly sexual abuse
and rape, by police as
well as staff in detention facilities.
Police may target
girls who live or work
on the street for violence. Girls in detention
may confront physical
and sexual violence and
humiliating treatment, "At the age of 15 life denied me happiness. Life at home was
particularly by male
difficult with my mother being beaten regularly. My sisters
staff, and face violent or would start screaming whenever the man would start beating
harmful
disciplinary my mother. When the violence was going on I would run to the
measures. Because of police station to report it but my mother would refuse to open
their smaller numbers,
the door for the police every time.
girls subject to detention "It was around this time that he raped me; everything chanare more likely than ged. My smile was stolen and it was difficult for me to concenboys to be held in unsui- trate in class. I could no longer continue with my education. I
table and often dangefelt very hurt and angry. Women usually bottle up their feerous conditions.
lings but I decided to express my anger through writing.
"In some areas, girls "I was still dealing with this when he shot my mother one day
are making enormous
while I was sleeping. I found my mother lying in a pool of
strides, but violence
blood. To make matters worse, we were left with this man's
stops many from enjo- eight-month old baby; my grandmother helped raise the baby.
ying their basic rights," I have since gone back to school and I hope to release a movie
said
Becker.
depicting my youth; to express the violence and the feelings
"Governments need to afterwards so that people have a better understanding of these
back up words with
issues."
action, and show that
violence against girls
Jumelo Sibeko, South Africa,
won't go unpunished."
©IRIN PHOTO
Girls all over the world face an alarming
array of threats to their safety, including
physical and sexual violence in their schools,
places of work, and in detention facilities,
Human Rights Watch has said.
In a report released in March, it said that
Governments have largely failed to implement key measures preventing and responding to these abuses.
Human Rights Watch recently released
three background papers summarizing
research on violence against girls: "Violence
against Schoolgirls;" "Violence against Child
Domestic Workers;" and "Violence against
Girls in Conflict with the Law." These reports
are based on Human Rights Watch investiga-
Somali Government asked to ensure safe movement for aid workers
The Government of Somali should help
workers reach thousands of desperate civilians displaced by recent violence in the capital, Mogadishu, civil society organisations
have asked. "We met the Minister of Interior
[Mohamed Mohamud Guleed] and requested
the government to allow the unconditional
movement of aid agencies and their workers
to assist the needy people," Abdinasir Ahmed
Usman, head of a civil society taskforce that
is assisting internally displaced persons told
IRIN."We have also requested the opening of
all airstrips to aid agencies in order for them
to have access to the displaced," he added.
It is estimated that at least 30,000 people
are living rough outside the city, without
food, water and shelter, after fleeing ongoing
exchanges of gunfire between Ethiopian-backed government troops and unidentified gunmen - a daily occurrence in the city.
Separately, the United Nations Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) in Somalia said it had requested the
government to allow humanitarian access to
airstrips close to the displaced. "Given the
rising population [of displaced people] in
areas surrounding Mogadishu, humanitarian
access to K50 [50km south of Mogadishu]
airstrip is becoming increasingly urgent,"
OCHA said in a statement. "K50 has been
inaccessible from early January. On numerous occasions, the UN has requested of the
TFG [Transitional Federal Government]
immediate use of K50 for humanitarian
flights but is still awaiting an answer."
Civil society leaders said displaced people in Lafole and Ceelasha area, south of
Mogadishu, were reportedly running out of
water and food. These are two small villages
and they cannot cope with the number of people who have moved there in the last month,"
said Madina Mahamud Ilmi, deputy head of
the taskforce.
10
April 2007
DRC: Replace war spirit
with reconciliation, urges EU
"There remains a war spirit in
the country, which is a bit like
malaria. We thought we had
healed the country with a big
dose of quinine, with the holding of free and transparent
elections last year, but this war
spirit has returned."
The UK Ambassador, Andy
Sparkes
The EU estimates that more than 500 people could have died in the violence. DRC
authorities later issued an arrest warrant for
Bemba who sought shelter in the
South African embassy.
"All those who are responsible for insecurity will be tracked
down," President Joseph Kabila
said. "It was not a political problem; [it] was military. We needed to act quickly. And that is
what we did."
Medical workers said hospi-
“I urge the government
and opposition "to
shoulder their responsibilities to democracy to
ensure a full transition
to peace. I strongly urge
the political leaders in
the Democratic Republic
of the Congo to respect
the principles of transparency, inclusiveness and
tolerance of dissent"
UN Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon
tals were overwhelmed by hundreds of injured civilians. A surgeon in Kinshasa's general hospital, Katamba Mbewbe, said the
facility received "a lot of injured
people".
A few hundred people fled
across the river to nearby Congo
Brazzaville. The NGO Caritas
said it was distributing medical
supplies within the city.
"We started on Saturday [24
March] because the hospitals and
morgues were overloaded," said a
spokesman,
Guy-Marin
Kamandji, adding that the general
hospital had received 150 bodies.
"This is why we brought formalin
and disinfecting products. We
want the bodies, which have started putrefying, to be stabilised
before burial."
The International Committee of the Red
Cross deplored the situation. "There were
dozens of dead bodies left lying at the roadside, many of them civilians. It was a distressing sight," said Max Hadorn, head of the
his guards and government forces. This
month, tension rose
after he refused to
disarm his men and
accept police guards.
The elections, the
first in 40 years, were
seen as the best opportunity to return peace
to the war-ravaged
country and to encourage the return of an
estimated 1.2 million
displaced Congolese
and 410,000 refugees in
neighbouring countries.
In New York, UN
Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon
urged
the
government and opposition "to shoulder their
responsibilities to democracy" to ensure a full
transition to peace.
"I strongly urge the
political leaders in the
Democratic Republic of
the Congo to respect the
principles of transparency, inclusiveness and
tolerance of dissent," he
said in a report that called
for an extension till 31st
December of the UN
Mission
in
DRC
(MONUC).
MONUC, which has a
military
and
police
strength of almost 18,000,
supplied food, water and
medicine to 1,300 people
caught up in the March's
fighting and evacuated
about 1,100, including the
Nigerian
ambassador,
who was wounded in the
legs. "Opposition parties
should adhere to those
same democratic norms,
voicing
their
views
responsibly and without
resort to violence," Ban
added. "Failure to adhere
to these democratic principles would
seriously undermine the credibility and ultimate legitimacy of the country's political leaders and institutions."
By IRIN
© UN PHOTO
European Union envoys have asked the
citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC) to avoid violence and replace it with a
spirit of reconciliation and inclusiveness to
ensure stability in the fragile country. The
envoys condemned recent violence in the
country terming it "irresponsible".
Addressing a news conference in the capital, Kinshasa, on 27th March, they expressed
indignation at the violence that rocked the
city on 22-25 March, and condemned the loss
of life, especially of civilians.
"There remains a war spirit in the country,
which is a bit like malaria," the UK ambassador, Andy Sparkes, said. "We thought we had
healed the country with a big dose of quinine,
with the holding of free and transparent elections last year, but this war spirit has returned."
The violence erupted when armed forces
clashed with the private guards of opposition
leader, Jean-Pierre Bemba. The army had
sought to disarm Bemba's troops.
Greek ambassador Ioannis Christofilis
said attacks on foreign missions broke the
Vienna convention on diplomatic relations,
while the Italian ambassador Leonardo
Baroncelli said uniformed men broke into his
residence on 23rd March and stole property.
"There needs to be a new spirit of reconciliation with a real engagement of the authorities for democratic opposition, where the
liberty of expression is reaffirmed," said
Sparkes. "Violence needs to be denounced so
that dialogue can continue."
ICRC delegation in Kinshasa.
Ever since Bemba disputed the results of
the 29 October run-off presidential election,
which gave Kabila 58.05 percent of the vote,
leaving him 41.95 percent, Kinshasa has been
living in fear that clashes could recur between
Regional organisations important in global peace-keeping
South Africa's Foreign Affair's Minister
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has highlighted
the importance of regional organisations such
as the African Union (AU) in maintaining
international peace and security.
This is because of their proximity and an
informed understanding about specific conflict situations, Minister Dlamini Zuma said.
Regional bodies also have greater flexibility to intervene, especially during the initial
stages and can also be involved in mediation
efforts when conflicts arise, the minister
explained. Dr Dlamini Zuma was addressing
the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
in New York on the relationship between the
UN and regional organisations, in particular
the AU.
She said there was an increase in reliance
on regional organisations in resolving some
of the conflicts currently going on. In this
regard, South Africa believes that the time
has come to look into ways of strengthening
the UN's relationship with regional organisations as foreseen in Chapter VIII of the UN
ration did not release the same. "However, we must understand that
Council of its circumstances have changed and therefore
"In some cases the UN pro- Security
Charter-mandated respon- we need new solutions to address today's reacesses themselves sometimes sibility in the maintenance lities. The rigid doctrines of the past on how
international peace and we supported peacekeeping missions can no
take a long time to finalise at of
longer hold," she said.
security.
a time when security situa"The Security Council
The minister explained that regional orgations on the ground are dete- remains the main organ nisations, in particular the AU, were partners
has the primary in carrying out the mandate of the United
riorating. Therefore regional that
responsibility for the Nations, especially the Security Council.
organisations can help to
"This requires us to think anew in determaintenance of internatiomining the forms of concrete assistance that
address these practical short- nal peace and security.
"In this regard we can be provided to regional organisations to
falls"
believe strongly that we address the challenges we all face.
"We are therefore pleased that the
should coordinate our collective security efforts Council will adopt a PRST that contains lanSouth Africa's Foreign
the UN," said the guage enhancing the relationship with regioAffair's Minister Nkosazana under
minister. She explained nal organisations, including the intention to
Dlamini Zuma
that the AU had interve- explore ways on how to share the burden of
ned in some situations maintaining international peace and secuCharter.
where the UN was unable to intervene and in rity," she concluded. Dr Dlamini Zuma said
And recently the situations where rapid interventions by the the South African government remained
AU Heads of State UN were necessary but not possible.
ready to work with all members of the
and Government cal"In some cases the UN processes them- Security Council in the coming months to
led upon the UN "to selves sometimes take a long time to finalise continue to seek ways of addressing their
examine, within the context of Chapter VIII at a time when security situations on the common challenge, and thereby responding
of the UN Charter, the possibility of funding, ground are deteriorating.
to the call of the AU Summit. through assessed contributions, peacekee"Therefore regional organisations can
ping operations undertaken by the AU or help to address these practical shortfalls," the
By David Masango
under its authority and with the consent of minister added.
BuaNews
the UN."
Dr Dlamini
The decision of the AU followed on the Zuma said the staoutcome of the 2005 World Summit, which keholders needed
called for a further strengthening of the part- to articulate a
nership with regional organisations, in parti- clear form of bur- Do you have a story to share with our readers? Are
cular the AU.
den-sharing bet- you planning for a community function (wedding,
"This engagement is informed by the ween the UN and
naming ceremony, graduation, cultural festival,
benefits of the synergies as we have witnes- regional organisased in those instances where the UN has wor- tions.
independence celebration, etc)?
ked with regional organisations in diverse
This should be
Please
send
us reports of these activities and we
places such as Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, based on the
Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and u n d e r s t a n d i n g
will publish them in Africa News. Address your
Sudan amongst others.
that the goals of
reports
to: The Editor, Africa News, Via Maroso,
"In all these instances the cooperation the AU and the
ranged from ad hoc arrangements to structu- UN in the mainte50, CAP 00142 Rome, Italy. E-mail:
red co-deployment in peacekeeping mis- nance of interna- africanews@etnomedia.org Tel +39-06-87410531.
sions," Dr Dlamini Zuma said.
tional peace and
Fax +39-06-87410528.
She however emphasised that the coope- security were the
SEND US YOUR STORIES
IN GHANA THIS MONTH
April 2007
11
Ghana celebrates Golden Jubilee
Kufuor: Youth should be key
players in solving Africa's problems
nent is yours, it is your heritage and you must
stay and be part of building the well governed, economically vibrant nations which we
all aspire to," he said. He also renewed
Ghana's pledge to work with the rest of the
continent to develop Africa and its peoples to
gain a respectable and dignified place in the
mainstream of the emerging global village.
The former President Jerry John Rawlings
declined the invitation by President Kufuor to
participate in the anniversary celebrations.
He said "I deeply regret that I cannot join
President Kufuor's Government for this anniversary. My conscience and my principles
we did for this country."
Ghana's important historic landmark of 50
years of independence was attended by several Heads of State and Government from a
number of African countries, including
Nigeria, Gabon, Benin, Togo and Equatorial
Guinea. The others were Burkina Faso,
Liberia, Mali, Cape Verde, Democratic
Republic
of
Congo,
Zimbabwe,
Mozambique, Botswana, Malawi and Cote
d'Ivoire.
Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, represented the Queen of England, while Secretary
Alphonso Jackson led the United States (US)
President John Agyekum Kufuor led
Ghanaians in celebrating the country's 50th
Independence appealing to his people to keep
on striving towards achieving excellence.
"Our destiny is with the most advanced in the
human community and we must pursue it," he
said.
President Kufuor said the celebration of
Ghana's independence is also for the whole of
Africa because Ghana's independence "changed the outlook of our continent and its status
and role in the world forever. The African on
the continent, who for centuries had been violated and subjugated through the Slave Trade
and colonialism, on that fateful day succeeded in breaking asunder, the chains of bondage."
He said Ghana's independence proved to
be the critical turning point in the struggle for
independence in Africa that had been ongoing
for decades earlier. The president paid tribute
to the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame
Nkrumah, and his colleagues of the United
Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) who in 1947
launched the last phase of the process
towards independence. These colleagues
were: J.B. Danquah, (who gave the country
the name Ghana), Paa Grant, the financier of
the group, Obetsebi-Lamptey, Edward
Akufo-Addo, William Ofori-Atta and Ako
Adjei.
President Kufuor thanked and praised
Ghanaians who have worked anonymously
and often without reward to make the nation
what it is today.
He appealed to the youth of Ghana and
Africa saying "Your continent and its nations
need your energy, your dynamism, your creativity and above all, your dreams for the
development of its component states." He
acknowledged that the continent has many
problems but said the youth of Africa should
be key players in finding solutions to the problems. "I urge you, our young people to resolve to stay at home using your energies and
your enthusiasm to serve Africa. You will
find that what we achieve together here will
be far more fulfilling and satisfying than anything you can do elsewhere in the world.
Indeed, this continent now provides a quicker
avenue to success financially and emotionally
than anywhere else. The future of this conti-
African Union (AU) Commission, leaders of
the minority National Democratic Congress
(NDC) and the Convention People's Party
"I urge you, our young people to
resolve to stay at home using your
energies and your enthusiasm to
serve Africa. You will find that
what we achieve together here will
be far more fulfilling and satisfying than anything you can do
elsewhere in the world. Indeed,
this continent now provides a
quicker avenue to success financially and emotionally than anywhere else. The future of this continent is yours, it is your heritage
and you must stay and be part of
building the well governed, economically vibrant nations which we
all aspire to"
President John Agyekum Kufuor
People wave flags during a celebration to mark Ghana's 50 years of
Independence at the Independence Square in Accra, Ghana, Tuesday,
March 6, 2007
would not permit me. I cannot share the same
platform with the same people who have
taken every opportunity to denigrate us for
the last seven years and see no good in what
delegation. It was also attended by the immediate past Secretary General of the United
Nations Busumuru Kofi Annan and the wife
Nane, Mr Alpha Konare, President of the
(CPP) as well as delegations from
International Organisations and countries
across the world.
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo,
who was the Guest of honour said the biggest
bane of the Continent had been enduring
instability engendered by a stark leadership
conflict. "We substituted military rule for
colonially-handed down democracy and
socialism for capitalism without a productive
base. At the height of the Cold-War, we became pawns and we toyed with ideologies that
we half-understood. At the end, we lost out
but the fall-out-conflict, violence, poverty,
under-development remains with us."
UK-Ghana to launch 10-year development plan
remarkable capability to
make optimal use of
financial support to his
country to fight poverty
and raise the quality of
life of the people.
"There have been a
lot of changes that have
happened in Ghana over
the past few years: a
reduction in poverty; a
big investment in education that has come about
partly as a result of the
debt relief initiative. And
what Ghana has shown
a country, and if I may
Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, right, during a as
say so particularly under
joint news conference with visiting President of Ghana the
leadership
of
John Agyekum Kufuor
President Kufuor, is a
capability to make the
The United Kingdom and Ghana are to best use of the external support linking up
launch a new 10-year development partners- with the individual initiative of Ghanaian
hip next year, Ghana's President John people. And that has made a big difference.
Agyekum Kufuor and Prime Minister Tony The economic growth, I think we were saying
Blair of the UK announced at a joint press was around about 7%, which is a great achieconference in London in March.
vement," Mr. Blair said.
The programme would provide the opporMr. Blair paid tribute to Ghana for the
tunity for the UK to improve the quality of its role it was playing to bring peace and politidevelopment assistance to Ghana. Prime cal stability to the African continent.
Minister Blair appreciated President Kufuor's
President Kufuor said Ghana welcomes
style of leadership saying he has shown very much special partnership arrangement
"There have been a lot of changes that have happened in Ghana
over the past few years: a reduction in poverty; a big investment
in education that has come about
partly as a result of the debt relief
initiative. And what Ghana has
shown as a country, and if I may
say so particularly under the leadership of President Kufuor, is a
capability to make the best use of
the external support linking up
with the individual initiative of
Ghanaian people. And that has
made a big difference.
UK’s Prime Minister Tony Blair
with the UK. "Ghana's ambition is to try and
attain the middle-income status within the
next decade, and for that we welcome all
positive assistance and support, cooperation
for Ghana in that drive. When we talk of
attaining middle-income status we want to
add value to the raw materials that we have
been exporting so far from Ghana, that is we
want to industrialise. We want to diversify
our economy generally, and more so agriculture."
Noting that about 60% of Ghana's population depends on agriculture, President Kufuor
said the country wants to attract joint ventures. He said Ghana and other African counties
are ready to receive industries closing down
in Europe and America because of the high
cost of human resource. "We are ready to
receive relocation of those industries, and this
should come along on the basis of joint ventures, and we expect our development partners to look at that aspect too, so that together
we would continue with those industries to
our mutual benefit and then into the global
market."
Mr. Blair and Mr. Kufuor also used the
opportunity to look extensively at broader
issues outside their relations, such as the conflicts in Darfur, Somalia and other troubled
spots in Africa."I want to say our concern is
that in the spirit of the African Union, and
especially Nepad - the New Partnership for
Africa's Development - we want the rule of
law, more than any other way, to be the main
agency of governance. Violence, beating up
anybody and using brutal force shouldn't be
the way forward. The rule of law, accountable
government, allowing constitutions to work
properly, should be the way forward for all of
us. This is our approach," Mr. Kufuor said.
Ghana's development efforts praised
A French weekly magazine, Le Nouvel
Observateur, has applauded the pace of rapid
development in Ghana's, saying, "Such
efforts have never ever been seen in 50 years
history of the country".
The paper also sees a bright light at the
end of the tunnel for Africa, which it said, has
been ravaged by long years of civil wars and
famine, and also lauded rapid development
efforts in other 30 African countries, adding"
the 21st centaury will at last be, the centaury
for Africa.
"In Accra one can see visible signs of progress, in terms of development in areas of
housing construction and private businesses,
springing up like mushrooms, apparently
financed by the country's 3 million immigrant
population in overseas, notably in Britain,
USA, Germany. Holland".
In a four-page story on "Africa's resurrection", with footage on emerging housing projects and businesses in Ghana, written by its
special correspondent, visiting Accra, it
expressed optimism that 21 century stands to
trigger Africa's economic emancipation.
"After years of war and famine the continent is now wide awake from slumber with a
boom on discovery of huge oil and gas and
other mineral resources like copper and manganese.
The paper quoting IMF figures in support
of its argument says "since beginning of the
year 2000, Africa is the continent, next to
Asia, which has gained rapid progress, gaining economic growth rate 5% in 2006,
which is expected to rise to 6% en 2007 (3times that of France):
The paper also quoted excerpts of French
Economic Professor Philippe Hugon of ParisX-Nanterre University, author of "l'Economie
d'Afrique".
The Professor says those who turned their
back on Africa, including USA, Germany
Britain, Holland, just after the fall of the
Berlin wall, labelling it as a dead continent,
or in his words "geo-strategic game play" are
returning to the continent to seek their interests, ranging from oil and gas
exploration/exploitation, to risks of establishment of al-Qaeda cells.
He said emerging economies like that of
China, India and Brazil have returned to
Africa to seek opportunities being offered
with the discovery of large natural resources.
"Discovery of huge oil and gas in Africa
attracted Chinese President Hu Jintao to visit
the continent three times in two years, providing debt cancellation to 33 countries and
announcing aid-package amounting over 2.3
billion euros with no string attachment to
human right issues, transparency and democracy."
By Kwaku Boatin
12
IN NIGERIA THIS MONTH
April 2007
Treat all corruption cases fairly,
Catholic Bishops tell EFCC
the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC). Archbishop John
"How can you talk about how Onaiyekan of Abuja told the VOA that
is an impression in the country that
your country is run without there
the EFCC does at times mete out selecbeing political? And how can tive justice.
bishops not talk about how
"The EFCC, that's the Economic and
our country is run? We are Financial Crimes Commission, has been
by most Nigerians. They
part and parcel of this nation. welcomed
have worked very hard to tackle corrupWe have every right to
tion and bring corrupt people to book.
address the issues that con- The impression that is being created and
cern all of us, and we believe the perception that the Bishops'
that it is part of our duty to be Conference is referring to is that we see
too many people around who have very
involved in politics in that
bad reputation for corruption who seem
sense. The kind of politics
to be totally exempt from the harassment
that we will not get involved of the EFCC. And it's difficult to get
in is whether it's party politics away from the impression that there is a
of selective justice going on," he
with one party or the other" kind
said.
Onaiyekan said the bishops wanted
Archbishop John Onaiyekan to warn the government against running
the country on what he called arbitrary
of Abuja
arrangement. All those suspected of
being corrupt should be given the opporAll corruption cases in
Nigeria should be treated fairly, tunity to defend themselves in a court or law,
the
Catholic
Bishops he said.
By expressing their views on political
Conference of Nigeria has told
issues in the country, Archbishop Onaiyekan
said the bishops are not trying to be political
in an election year. He said they are simply
doing what is required of them. "How can
you talk about how your country is run
without being political? And how can bishops not talk about how our country is run?
We are part and parcel of this nation. We have
every right to address the issues that concern
all of us, and we believe that it is part of our
duty to be involved in politics in that sense.
The kind of politics that we will not get involved in is whether it's party politics with one
party or the other," he said.
The Independent National Electoral
Commission should work towards free and
fair elections this month, the Bishops
Conference said. Archbishop Onaiyekan told
VOA that the call is based on the conduct of
past elections. "Anybody who has been in
Nigeria in the last few years and from the
benefit of hindsight and from what we saw in
2003 and what we are seeing right now, we
have every reason to sound a note of warning.
We still believe that with a sincere effort, we
can still come out with a free and fair election. And it is precisely because to achieve
that, that is why we raised that note of warning," he said.
Government asked to investigate attacks on Nigerian rights
The Human Rights Watch has called on
the Nigerian government to investigate and
prosecute those responsible for the assault
and death threats against a leading anticorruption campaigner in the oil-rich Niger
Delta.
Human Rights Watch said that the assault
and threats against Anyakwee Nsirimovu, a
human rights activist who is director of the
Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian
Law (IHRHL) in Port Harcourt, were most
likely a reprisal for his outspoken criticism of
corrupt state and local government officials
in Rivers State. Nsirimovu was attacked in
Port Harcourt on 4th March while driving
home from a meeting. Around 8 p.m. a gang
of at least six young men armed with knives,
clubs and other weapons attempted to stop his
car. When Nsirimovu refused to stop, they
attacked his car, smashing the rear windshield
and causing other damage to the vehicle.
Because the youths allowed numerous other
vehicles to pass by without interference, it
appeared that Nsirimovu was the objective of
their assault. Nsirimovu escaped unharmed.
"The assault and death threats against one
of Nigeria's leading human rights campaigners should be investigated immediately,"
said Peter Takirambudde, Africa director at
Human Rights Watch. "These attacks threaten
free speech on key issues like governance and
corruption during the critical pre-election
period."
According to the Human Rights Watch,
the assault followed a steady stream of at
least 10 threatening phone calls to Nsirimovu
over the past weeks. The anonymous callers
stated that they "knew what [he] is doing,"
told him to stop publicizing allegations of
corruption against local officials and claimed
that the work he has been engaged in is "not
safe" for him.
Nsirimovu also received text messages
attacking him for publicly denouncing the
conduct of local government officials in the
state.
Shortly after Nsirimovu was attacked on
4th March, his wife received a phone call
from an unidentified caller who simply stayed on the other end of the line in silence
until she hung up.
Nsirimovu had filed reports with the
Rivers State Commissioner of Police even
before he was assaulted, complaining of the
threatening phone calls and text messages he
was receiving. He has since filed an additional report documenting the attack he suffered
on 4th March but so far, police have failed to
seriously investigate the matter and have not
made any arrests.
"Federal and state authorities need to
ensure that the police do not ignore this brazen attack," said Takirambudde.
Human Rights Watch believes these
threats were in response to Nsirimovu's outspoken criticism of corruption in the Rivers
State government and in the state's Local
Government Councils in recent weeks.
Nsirimovu said that the assault and threats
against him could lead other civil society
groups to become wary of speaking out on
the myriad human rights and governance
issues facing Rivers State. "It might get
worse as the elections approach because I
think the objective is to shut people up,"
Nsirimovu told Human Rights Watch.
Soyinka: Nigeria heading for anarchy
propelled towards a yawning pit of anarchy
through precedents that are set right before
our eyes, entrenched by the complicity of our
own passivity and indifference," he said.
Soyinka went on to say that "Between the
will and scheming of one individual and
adherence to the rule of law, the choice is not
particularly difficult for those who believe in
a secure environment for daily and productive existence. What we, who lack the knowledge to strictly interpret the law, can and
must do, is firstly to inform ourselves by consulting those whose profession this is, but
ultimately, urge the courts to clarify any such
disputes, and expeditiously. After that, we
must line up solidly behind, and at whatever
cost, the pronouncements of the courts of the
land, however unpalatable they might be for
our individual leanings or preferences on any
issue. We also have the choice, of course, of
simply withdrawing entirely from such concerns, and turning our minds and energies in
other directions."
"Any other attitude is an invitation to
chaos and social disintegration, of which this
nation has already absorbed, indeed, is currently undergoing, a surfeit. Those whose
conduct impose a choice on the nation between a defence of the rule of law on the one
"The Obasanjo-Atiku saga has
taken a dimension that reaches
far beyond the issues that are
actually touted, the loudest being
corruption, probity, integrity etc.
etc. We are now firmly within the
terrain, not even of the rule of
law, but of the paranoid will of
any individual, however powerful,
against the very fabric of society,
against such seeming intangibles
as confidence in the ability of the
law to protect the individual and
the community. In other words,
we are speaking of freedom and
its protective mechanisms."
Nigeria is heading for anarchy, Nobel
Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has warned. This Day cited Prof. Soyinka to have
said in a statement that preparations for this
month's polls had been slipshod and that the
utterances and actions of INEC Chairman,
Professor Maurice Iwu leaves much to be
desired.
In the statement titled 'Will of One and the
Rule of Law', the Nobel Laureate said: "The
Obasanjo-Atiku saga has taken a dimension
that reaches far beyond the issues that are
actually touted, the loudest being corruption,
probity, integrity etc. etc. We are now firmly
within the terrain, not even of the rule of law,
but of the paranoid will of any individual,
however powerful, against the very fabric of
society, against such seeming intangibles as
confidence in the ability of the law to protect
the individual and the community. In other
words, we are speaking of freedom and its
protective mechanisms."
Prof. Soyinka said he regretted the fact
that the National Assembly had failed to
impeach Obasanjo and Atiku following their
roles in the Petroleum Technology
Development Fund (PTDF).
"Out of the fear of being manoeuvred into
a seeming false position, we let ourselves be
Nobel Laureate Professor Wole
hand, and even the most laudable and
patriotic acts on the other, must understand that they bear the ultimate responsibility for the damage done to our quest for
moral solidarity."
©IRIN PHOTO
Nigerian police “unprepared” to stop election violence
Nigeria's armed police are accused of having a
'spray and pray' approach to enforcing order
Many Nigerians doubt the police
force's capability of providing proper
security during this month's elections.
They are also accusing the police of
putting corruption and brutality ahead
of democracy, IRIN reported. "It's like
there's no government here," said
Hygenus Waku, a market trader from
Lagos, where dead bodies frequently
wash up on the banks of the river, and
many of the city's long bridges become no-go areas at night as armed
gangs set up roadblocks. "The police
do nothing to protect you."
But the Police Inspector General
Sunday Ehindero is confident
Nigeria's police force can cope with
whatever national gubernatorial and
presidential elections in April might
throw at it. "Outside the general training on the traditional police duties,
recruits are given some specific
instructions with regards to general
conduct of elections and the anti-riot
units are also given intensive drills and
training to prepare them for the election duties," IRIN quoted Ehindero to
have said.
A security official with a multilateral institution in Nigeria speaking on
condition of anonymity said he also
doubted Ehindero's confidence was
well placed. "The approach taken by
armed forces when political meetings
start to get out of control is known as
'spray and pray'," he said, referring to
the police's reputation for indiscriminate shooting. "They have no riot
equipment to speak of or training in
tactical crowd control and human
rights."
Nigerians go to polls this month to
elect president, state governors and
state
parliamentarians.
The
Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) officials said they've taken all necessary steps to ensure adequate security, with police set to
guard each of the 120,000 voting centres around the country and police
escorts to move voting materials and
ballot boxes. The boxes are often the
target of hired thugs working for politicians.
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collection by your loved ones in Africa or
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14
April 2007
IN NIGERIA THIS MONTH
Senator Olasunkanmi: We
were used to indict Obasanjo
President Olusegun Obasanjo was wrong- of that office should be of high
fully indicted by the Senate Review moral standing. I won't do anyCommittee on the affairs of the Petroleum thing to diminish the stature of
Technology Development Fund (PTDF), that office.
Senator Olasunkanmi insiSenator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi has said.
Mr. Olasunkanmi who is a member of the sted on the Vice President's
Senate Review Committee on
the affairs of the PTDF admitted
used in what he described as the
wrongful indictment of the president, Vanguard reported.
Senator Olasunkanmi, howe"Honestly, I don't believe we
ver, dismissed insinuations of a
should
have referred President
$10 million inducement given to
Committee members to facilitate Obasanjo to the Code of Conduct
Bureau for the fact that he did not
the indictment of the President.
Senator Olasunkanmi denied
dip his hand in the PTDF to
claims by the Atiku Abubakar
enrich himself. He didn't pocket
Campaign Organisation (AACO) any PTDF money. The president
that he was recanting his involvement in the work of the deserved commendation. Both the
ad-hoc and review committees
Committee following pressures
from the Presidency and the
believed the projects embarked
People's Democratic Party
upon by the PTDF were lauda(PDP).
ble.”
He affirmed the culpability of
Vice President Abubakar in the
saga, saying his investigations
Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi
showed that President Obasanjo
did not personally benefit from
his own role in the PTDF saga.
"From reports that I have
read on the work of our committee, it seems culpability saying "Let's even
as if the committee was programmed to come come to the issue of the $125
up with a specific recommendation, with pre- million placed in banks. There
determined
conclusions,"
Senator is nothing wrong with the placement of these funds. Before
Olasunkanmi (PDP, Osun West) said.
"Honestly, I don't believe we should have the ad-hoc committee, the vice president
referred President Obasanjo to the Code of admitted that he authorised the placements.
Conduct Bureau for the fact that he did not Should the vice president have authorised
dip his hand in the PTDF to enrich himself. PTDF placements in commercial banks?
"Is the vice president part of the PTDF
He didn't pocket any PTDF money. The president deserved commendation. Both the ad- management? It was an abuse of office for
hoc and review committees believed the pro- the vice president because it is outside his
jects embarked upon by the PTDF were lau- mandate. The VP knows the honourable thing
to do in the face of all these allegations
dable.
"The African Science Institute is suppo- against him.
"I am a member of the Defence
sed to be the first of its type in the whole of
Africa; a project that former South African Committee and I have visited Defence
President, Nelson Mandela, is involved in Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON)
and Nigeria has started its own. So, why in Kaduna several times and each time I get
should we say the man should have gone to there, I weep for this country. I wept when I
face the Code of Conduct Bureau? I raised saw the decay there. Nobody has accused the
my objection to that recommendation at the president of personally benefiting from the
PTDF. The question that was raised was that
committee.
"I hold the office of the vice president in the projects concerned were within the purthe highest esteem because it is a symbol of view of the PTDF but if you look at the time
our national pride but I believe that the holder the PTDF Act was written, technology of
1973 is not the same technology today.
Technology is now so wide that it would
incorporate Information Technology and
many more, which were not there in 1973,"
he said.
He reacted to the Atiku campaign that he
was recanting because of pressures on him
saying that said: "I will not defend anybody
in government especially the president
because I was stopped from contesting the
December senatorial election on the eve of
the elections, after I had deployed resources
for the same election. So, I don't have any
business defending the president under this
circumstance because I believe the party
wasn't fair to me.
"I swore to an oath to defend the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. I wasn't appointed into the committee to defend the president but the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I
Buhari, Ojukwu support
Atiku over his disqualification
sident on the only count
that the Senate Review
Committee on the PTDF
had found him wanting.
According to the campaign,
the vice president had been
only found wanting for
allegedly failing to get
authorisation for the placement of $20 million of
PTDF fund in the defunct
Trans International Bank.
Mrs. Usman was cited
by the Vanguard to have
said in a statement that the
Ministry
of
Finance
authenticated the placement of $20 million in TIB
but at the same time indicted the vice president for
not heeding a presidential
directive that all transactions on PTDF accounts
must get the approval of the
President.
"By admitting that the
Ministry
of
Finance
authenticated the release of
the money, she has unwittingly confirmed that the
vice president did not carry
out a secret transaction on
Mr. Muhammadu Buhari
the PTDF fund. If indeed, as
the Minister stated in her
bodies including the Central Bank and the
statement, "the President does not dictate Accountant-General were equally involor approve placement in banks, it is the ved in the process. We sympathise with
Finance Minister and Accountant General handlers of the President as they stumble
who do," then, she has fully cleared the and fumble trying to cover the sun with
vice president of any wrongdoing," the the palm in their defence of the President
campaign said in a statement.
in his PTDF scam," it said.
"It is also significant that she has confirmed the authentication of the $20 milStephen Oladipupo
lion by her predecessor, Dr Ngozi
Abuja
Okonjo-Iweala. The vice president had
earlier provided evidence that all relevant
The Nigerian Labour Congress
(NLC), All Nigerian Peoples Party
(ANPP) Presidential flag-bearer, Major
General Mohammadu Buhari, his counterpart in African democratic Congress
(ADC), Professor Pat Utomi and the leader of the All Progressive Grand Alliance
(APGA), Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu
- Ojukwu have all thrown their weight
behind Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for
challenging his disqualification by
Independent
National
Electoral
Commission (INEC) in the Court.
The Politicians expressed their support for the Vice - President at a meeting
held in Abuja with Atiku in attendance.
The politicians endorsed the action of
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to challenge his
disqualification in Court saying they were
all waiting for the Judgment of the Court
on the matter soon.
They expressed confidence in the ability of the Court to interpret the
Constitution and the electoral law guiding
the conduct of the elections, even as they
were said to have praised the Judiciary for
truly standing as the last hope of the common man in the country.
In a separate development, the
Nigerian Labour Congress has also condemned the disqualification of candidates
by INEC from participating in the forth coming elections saying that the commission was only heating up the polity.
Meanwhile the Atiku Campaign
Organisation (AACO) thanked the
Finance Minister, Mrs. Nenadi Usman,
for unwittingly confirming the innocence
of Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the
lodgement of $20 million funds of the
Petroleum Technology Development
Fund (PTDF) in a commercial bank,
Vanguard reported.
The campaign organisation said she
had inadvertently exonerated the vice pre-
wasn't enlisted to discredit
the report because my dissenting views were inculcated in the body of the review
report."
He also rejected allegations that $10 million bribe
was given to Committee
members. "It is laughable. I
don't know about anybody
giving anybody money. I
have been labelled as Mr
President's man. So, I believe they would not approach
me with that kind of offer."
President Obasanjo had
previously rejected the
senate committee report
which indicted him for corruption after investigating
an oil fund. Mr Obasanjo's
spokesman, Uba Sani told
the BBC Hausa service that
the report was "fundamentally flawed."
Mr Sani accused the
senate committee members
of colluding with the opposition to smear Mr
Obasanjo's image.
"The report is fundamentally flawed and it
appears the senators were
used to achieve some political aims," he said.
"There is no truth in the
report. It is all politics and it
should be rejected by all Nigerians."
The committee recommended that both
President Obasanjo and Mr Abubakar be prosecuted.
The senate committee report found that
Mr Abubakar approved $20m loans to some
Nigerian banks from the Petroleum
Technology Development Fund account
without the president's approval. The committee report which also found that Mr
Obasanjo had "illegally" approved the spending of over $27m dollars for some government projects.
The Senate refused to discuss the report
before elections, leading the committee to
resign.
Mr Abubakar has denies corruption charges and went to challenge his exclusion from
the presidential election. By the time we went
to press the Court had not made a ruling on
Mr. Atiku's case.
Bishop tells
Obasanjo & Atiku
to resign
President Olusegun
Obasanjo
and
Vice
President Atiku Abubakar
have been advised to
resign honourably from
their offices or face
impeachment over their
various roles in the controversial
Petroleum
Technology Development
Fund (PTDF) for which
both have been indicted
by a Senate Committee
report, Daily Champion
reported.
Anglican Bishop of
Enugu, Rt. Rev. Dr.
Emmanuel Chukwuma
advised the Independent
National
Electoral
Commission (INEC) not
to allow itself to be used
as a tool to sabotage the
political interests of perceived opponents of the
government.
Obasanjo and Atiku
cannot continue to fool
Nigerians on the issue of
the PTDF, the cleric said,
adding that both ought to
be punished as they had
been clearly shown to
have abused their offices
in the PTDF affair.
"I have said before and
I maintain that President
Obasanjo
and
Vice
President Atiku Abubakar
should leave office over
their roles in the PTDF
scandal, both of them
cannot continue to fool
Nigerians",
Daily
Champion
quoted
Chukwuma to have said.
Commenting on the
selective disqualification
of candidates by INEC,
the Bishop Chukwuma
said the electoral body
should not be used as a
tool against political enemies of some people. He
urged INEC to be truly
independent and warned
that its policy of "selective negligence" against
some people was bound
to create unnecessary tension and confusion in the
polity.
He criticised the
Catholic
Bishop
of
Nsukka, Rev. Dr. Francis
Okobo over his involvement on the selection of a
consensus governorship
candidate
from
the
Nsukka cultural zone
saying church leaders
should avoid being partisan because of the peculiar positions they occupy
in the society.
"The Church can be
involved in politics, but
should not be partisan, it
is wrong for a Church to
be backing a particular
candidate. For us in the
Anglican, we cannot support any candidate, but
we can support any of
them who emerges as
winner," he said.
AFRICANS IN EUROPE
15
April 2007
Stop deportations to DR Congo,
UK Government asked
by the UK's cruel asylum system,
they had no choice to survive, the
Congo Support Project says.
Liz Atherton,
Coordinator of the Congo
Support Project London
who have information about events
after the plane arrived in Kinshasa
to get in touch with them.
"Any credible evidence about
the fallout from that flight will be
valuable for the tribunal, and it will
also help us to fend off any further
charter flights," she said.
Atherton urged all to be vigilant.
"The Home Office's mass removal has sent shock waves of fear
Archbishop Sentamu joins
calls for slave trade apology
thinktank Ekklesia Jonathan
Bartley, also told Radio 4 that
whilst apology carried a sense
of responsibility, the rhetoric
of regret implied sorrow that
things worked out the way
they did -- without the
acceptance of liability. An
apology was necessary in
the attempts to address the
legacy of slavery, he said.
Now, the Archbishop
of York John Sentamu has
also said Blair needs to go
further.
"A nation of this quality should have the sense
of saying we are very sorry
and we have to put the
record straight," he told the
BBC.
"This community was
involved in a very terrible trade, Africans were
involved in a very terrible trade, the Church was
Archbishop of York John Sentamu involved in a very terrible
trade ... it's important that
we all own up to what was
The call from the second most collectively done."
Sentamu joined about 3,600
senior cleric in the Church
of England came during the others in marches through cencommemorations marking the tral London on 25th March as
200th anniversary of its aboli- part of a series of events in
tion in the British Empire.
Britain to mark the anniversary
In early March, Prime of the abolition of the brutal
Minister Tony Blair expressed trade.
regret for Britain's role in the
"The easiest thing in the
trade and expressed "deep sor- world is to look back 200
row" for slavery which was years and say we wouldn't
abolished by parliament on have made those mistakes,"
March 25, 1807. However, he the Archbishop of Canterbury
has always stopped short of Rowan Williams said.
issuing a full apology as many
Between 10 million and 28
African states have asked for million Africans were shipped
over many years.
in appalling conditions to the
In mid March the leader of Americas and sold into slavery
the World Council of Churches between 1450 and the early
- which brings together 19th century.
Christians from many of the
When Britain abolished the
world's major denominations trade it was the first major
and traditions asked Prime slave-trafficking nation to do
Minister Tony Blair to change so. Although the practice was
his mind and make an apology outlawed, the lucrative trade
for Britain's involvement in the continued for many years with
slave trade.
ship captains, facing heavy
Mayor of London Ken fines, not hesitating to dump
Livingstone also made an apol- their human cargoes overboard
ogy on behalf of the nation's if they were caught.
capital.
In January, director of the
By Ekklesia
The Archbishop of York
has joined calls by other church
leaders and politicians for the
British Prime Minister to make
a formal apology for its part in
the transatlantic slave trade.
"The bulk of the terrified
human cargo was made up
of vulnerable women and
children, who had been
taken from their homes
in early morning raids
by ruthless immigration
snatch squads."
©CASPAR AREMI PHOTO
Several organisations and associations are repeatedly asking the
UK Government to stop deportation
of Democratic Republic of Congo
asylum seekers.
On 26th February, more than 40
asylum seekers were deported on
charter flight XLA4334.
They were "handcuffed and distressed, the children crying, and
they were accompanied by around
150 police and escorts," said Liz
Atherton, Coordinator of the Congo
Support Project London.
She said that the "bulk of the
terrified human cargo was made
up of vulnerable women and children, who had been taken from
their homes in early morning raids
by ruthless immigration snatch
squads."
Atherton noted that the whole
exercise smacked of a conspiracy between the British and DRC
authorities. It has been reported that
there was an official welcoming
party at Ndjili airport to greet the
returnees. A lunchtime news broadcast in Kinshasa allegedly showed
footage of the country's prodigal
children looking well and happy to
be back home.
The Congo Support Project fears
that the Home Office may use a
copy of the video to show that
returnees were well received back
home. "However, their expensive
propaganda exercise won't work.
We are already gathering corroborated evidence that some of
the returnees who got off the XL
Airways flight on 27th February
did not get the kind of welcoming
committee the authorities here and
in Kinshasa would have us believe,"
said Atherton.
She is also inviting all the people
through the Congolese community
that there could be another attempt
soon. If we learnt one lesson from
26th February it is that most of
those asylum seekers who were
saved from the flight that day, and
there were several, were those who
had dedicated legal representatives
and a lot of support in the wider
community behind them. Putting
those two elements in place can be
long process. Many of the people
on the plane had arrived from all
over the country just days before the
flight and there just wasn't time to
get a clear picture of who, what and
where. Communication is the key."
Some Congolese asylum seekers
are detained in prisons like HMP
Strangeways because they were
caught working and paying tax "illegally" - left homeless and destitute
In a few months there will be
a Country Guidance tribunal to
challenge the Home Office official
report on the DRC that says there
is no risk to failed asylum seekers
forcibly returned to Kinshasa. It's
not true and it means that many people are being sent back to the Congo
to face imprisonment, torture and
other ill-treatment. If the tribunal
is won, it could mean that further
deportations are suspended.
You can reach the Congo Support
Project through following contacts:
Liz Atherton - 07931 524654,
Okito Tongomo - 07961 325167,
or through this email address: liz.
atherton@freeuk.com; Innocent
Empi on 07871 676129, Honoré
Efandje on 07910 668465, René
Mampuya on 07944 342049, or
through this email address: r_lundonga@yahoo.fr
UK sending Darfur survivors
to face torture in Khartoum
The Home Office is working
closely with the Sudanese authorities
to send Darfuri asylum seekers to
Khartoum, The Aegis Trust has said.
Aegis is an independent, international
organisation, dedicated to eliminating
genocide.
A statement issued by the organisation said that "a concerted roundup now appears to be underway.
The Home Office continues to insist
that Khartoum is not dangerous for
Darfuris, despite all the evidence to
the contrary (including that contained
in Aegis' 2006 report 'Khartoum: Safe
as Ghost Houses'), despite UNHCR
recommendations against deportation
and despite serious concerns expressed
in the House of Lords."
The Aegis Trust said it recently obtained strong new evidence of
the torture that Darfuris removed to
Khartoum can expect to face. It is in
fact preparing a national television
report, and a national print report.
According to information gathered
from members of the Darfuri community in the UK, dozens of Darfuri
Africans were deported in March with
a view to deportation. The Aegis Trust
said it has the names of 16 of these
individuals.
"They two due to be deported on Tuesday 3rd April. Towns
where this has taken place include
London, Leicester, Birmingham,
Swansea, Newport, Nottingham and
Loughborough," The Aegis Trust
said.
It also said that over 60 Darfuri
Africans - some failed asylum seekers,
but the majority with fresh claims outstanding - have been given appointments to report en masse to UK immigration services in these days.
On the basis of the experience
of those detained in the past weeks,
The Aegis Trust said "it is expected
that many of these will, on reporting, be told that their claims have
been refused. They can expect to be
confronted with a Sudanese Embassy
official, with a view to verifying that
they are Sudanese and with a view to
organising smooth deportation back to
face the regime responsible for burning their villages, killing their fami-
lies, and in some cases
previously imprisoning
and torturing them."
The organisation "While Mr Blair talks tough on Darfur,
claimed that the Home
his Home Secretary is busy kicking
Office is clearly in a
Darfuris
back to Khartoum. This is
sudden hurry to get rid
a complete contradiction. Sending
of as many Darfuris as
possible. "All this in
my people back to face torture makes
the context of difficula mockery of Britain's claim that it
ties for the Home Office
cares."
in the Court of Appeal,
where in the past few
days, it has become clear Ishag Mekki, Chairman of the Darfur
that the Government is
Union
very likely to lose the
argument that internal
flight from Darfur to
is busy kicking Darfuris back to
Khartoum is a viable option."
This is a complete conWith Darfuris being killed in Khartoum.
Sending my people back
Khartoum, it hardly suggests an envi- tradiction.
face torture makes a mockery of
ronment sufficiently stable for the to
removal of Darfuri asylum seekers to Britain's claim that it cares."
the city.
Dr
James
Ghana Trade Exhibition and 50 Anniversary Concert
Smith,
Chief
Executive
of
the Aegis Trust,
EXHIBITION
stated:
"The
unseemly scram14th – 20th April 2007
ble to send these
Event: Ghana
survivors of ethAND CONCERT
Trade Exhibition
st
nic cleansing in
Saturday, 21 April 2007
Date: 14th – 20th April 2007
Darfur packing
Industries: Fine Art, Craft,
to the butchers
IN GENEVA,
Agricultural Produce,
of
Khartoum
Bead Making, Straw baskets
is a disgrace
SWITZERLAND
& drums, African Couture,
to this country
Beauty Products, Woodwork,
and should be
Kente & Artefacts, Batik
stopped immeVenue: Geneva Palexpo,
th
diately. By sendEvent: Ghana 50
Geneva, Switzerland
ing them back,
Anniversary Concert Time: 10:00 – 19:00 daily
we put their
Performers: Kojo Antwi, Sidney,
Admission: Free
lives in certain
Praye, Wutah and Meiway of Zoblazo
Contact: Sheila
danger."
fame (for a Francophone mix)
on +41 77 402 8625
Ishag Mekki,
Date: Saturday, 21st April 2007
or exhibition@goldenghana.ch
Chairman of the
Venue: Geneva Palexpo,
Darfur Union,
Time: Doors open at 19:30.
who in late
Concert starts at 20:30
March raised
Tickets cost: 50 Swiss Francs.
the Darfur crisis
Contact: William
face to face with
on +41 79 706 9533
Tony Blair, stator concert@goldenghana.ch
ed: "While Mr
Blair talks tough
on Darfur, his
Home Secretary
Please check out: www.goldenghana.ch for more information.
G
th
16
April 2007
AFRICANS IN EUROPE
Interview with Ambassador G.O. Kesse in Berlin
“Ghana's example of good
leadership should make us all happy”
Ghana's Ambassador to Federal
Republic of Germany, His Excellency
Mr Grant Ohemeng Kesse granted an
exclusive interview to Mr. Musah
Ibrahim Musah in Berlin during which
the Ambassador dilated on the challenges facing his country as well as the progress made so far as it celebrates its
jubilee anniversary this year. Excerpts:
What leaders would you credit with building a modern Ghana that we know today?
To start with, we have the Big Six.
Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Dr J.B.
Danquah, William Ofori-Attah (Paa Willie),
Ako Adjei, Obetsebi Lamptey, and then
Akuffo Addo and we have Paa Grant, who
some years ago when we wanted to go back
and renovate it, we couldn't; which is unfortunate because it looks as if whenever there is
a new government, we forget whatever the
previous government has done and we want
to come in with our own new programmes so
that the people would say this is what we
have done which is unfortunate.
What happened to Ghana's
Tourism Development Plan
which was launched here in
Berlin by the Jerry Rawlings
government. What is the state
of the Plan today under
President Kufuor?
Musah: Your Excellency, what do you
consider the major achievements of Ghana
50 years after independence?
Ambassador Kesse: Well, as you may be
aware, we were the first country to obtain our
independence from our colonial masters and
the wind of change at that time affected most
of the African countries also to fight, also to
gain their independence. In fact, most of the
countries depended upon Ghana and they looked at Ghana as their guide, so at least if we
hadn't gained anything at all through us, most
of the other Africans have also been able to
gain their political independence. Secondly,
we have gone through some chequered
history. Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah got
our independence for us in 1957, in 1966
there was a coup (dètat) and then later on we
had a civilian government, Busia's government which lasted for 27 or 30 months. Later
on there was a coup and then Limann's
government also came. And it was not until
1992 that we really started democratic
government and since 1992, especially from
the year 2000, it is well-known all over the
world that Ghana has been practicing good
governance, there is democracy and also
there is considerable improvement in our economy. Let me site a few examples, before the
year 2000, the bank interest rate was 52 percent, now it is around 22 percent and hopefully, it would go down. Then also inflation
was at 32 percent, now it is around 10.6 and
from our calculations, at the National
Development Planning Commission, it
should have been a single-digit by now. But
we have no control at the price of oil and so
it is now 10.6 or so. Secondly, too, there was
a time you could not speak your mind. The
press could not even write or say anything,
now people are free and they can speak their
mind. Then also even if you take the efforts
made by Ghana in resolving the problems in
Cote dÌvoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and in
our neighbouring countries, that is also an
example of our good leadership and as you
may also know, at the last African Union
Conference, President Kufuor was unanimously elected the Chairman of the African
Union which is also a plus for the country. So,
we have gone through some chequered
history, but one can confidently say that we
know where we are going and we know that
we'll get there. So that at least should make us
all happy.
UK
Well, we are still working
on those plans, but you know,
it takes quite some time. You
look at Germany, US and some
of these countries, it has taken
them sometime. In fact,
recently, I know that some studies have been going on in
connection with our tourism.
The problem is, the potentials
are there but they are latent.
The potentials are there they
need to be matched up with
proper infrastructural facilities
such as good roads, descent
accommodation and so on.
What challenges do you see
Ghana's Ambassador to Federal Republic of
most pressing for your
Germany, His Excellency Grant Ohemeng Kesse as
country?
sponsored these people. Then in the history of
Ghana, we also have some of the Chiefs who
really stood up against dictatorship. And we
can mention the Asante Chiefs, Prempeh I,
Prempeh II, we can mention Nana OforiAttah I, Nana Ofori-Attah II, Nana Sir Otsibu
Darko, and then some of the Chiefs. Then
when we come to even the ex-servicemen,
Sgt. Adjetey and others, they have all contributed their quota towards the attainment of
independence and also the development of
Ghana.
If you look at the history of Ghana, what
events do you most regret, which you wish
had never taken place?
Well, I'll mention the Coup détats, because, if anything, they have drawn us back.
Unfortunately, what happened was that as
soon as there is a Coup, we abandon whatever is going on. You look at the silos which
were built by Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
They were meant to store cocoa and also
some food. First, so that in case of shortage of
food, we can fall on the reserve food stored in
the silos. Secondly too, you use it as a means
of dictating the price of world goods like
cocoa. But then after the Coup, it was abandoned and the drawings were taken away. So
The most challenging problem for Ghana
is our economy. You know, around 2000, the
capital income was around 400 dollars. Our
aim is to be a middle income country by
2015, that means about 1000 dollars per capita income. We are gradually working towards
it but, as I said, there are factors which are not
within our control. If the price of oil should
go up there is very little we can do about it.
Currently, power (electricity generation) is
our basic problem. We have been depending
upon the Akosombo dam and when the water
level goes down, it becomes a problem. So
what the government is doing is, one, last
month the President met the Presidents of
Nigeria, Benin and Togo and through this
sharing system we are going to get some
power from there. Then also you know the
Bui Dam plan has been on the drawing board
for over 30 years and the Chinese government has come in and they are giving us a
grant for the development of the Bui Dam. By
the middle of this year we should be able to
have enough electricity which will last for the
next 15 years whilst we look round for other
sources of power. Because of this power shortages some of the firms have been closing
down which is leading to unemployment and
so on. So this is a major challenge which we
have.
ITALY
Is your government considering other
sources of power generation such as solar
energy, giving that water levels for hydroelectricity generation kept on dropping and
the Bui Dam may face similar problems?
Yes according to the policy of the
Ministry of Energy, renewable energy sources are also part of the programme. In fact I
myself since I came about eight months ago,
I have met about six firms that deal with wind
mill, solar energy and other renewable sources of energy. I've had discussions with them,
I also had contact with the Ministry of Energy
and we are even working on it. I know my
colleagues in China and also in Israel are also
working on that. So, apart from the hydro
energy the government is working very fast
on other sources of energy.
His Excellency President J.A. Kufuor has
criss-crossed the globe since he came to office in 2000. Has his efforts been rewarded?
I would say very, very, very well rewarded. Because, one, when we declared HIPC
(Highly Indebted Poor Country) most countries which came to our aid did so because of
the confidence which they have in President
Kufuor, and because some of them have met
him in person before he became the president.
Secondly, I talked about the Chinese involvement in the Bui Dam project, it is through the
visit to China that he came into that agreement with them, and it is not only the dam,
there is good relationship between the two
countries. For the African games in 2008, we
are building four stadia. We are renovating
two, Accra and Kumasi and then we are building one in Sokondi-Takoradi and one in
Tamale. We went on tender and a Chinese
firm won and they are working on it. Apart
from that, even Germany here, Germany is
our second highest trading partner, you know
what that means. You go to the construction
site, you go to NGOs, GTZ for example they
have been in northern Ghana they are dealing
with water and sanitation and then the environment and there are other organisation
which are dealing with good governance and
so on from Germany. And almost everywhere
you go, they talk about President Kufuor's
qualities.
Finally, Your Excellency, can you give a
guarantee that the 2008 elections in Ghana
are going to be free, fair and peaceful?
Well as far as I know Ghanaians I am
more than sure that the 2008 elections would
be very peaceful. We have set down the programme, the rules and regulations and even
changing from military government to civilian government, if that was possible, then I
can't see any problem in 2008.
By Musah Ibrahim Musah
AfricaNewsAnalysis
SWEDEN
AFRICANS IN EUROPE
April 2007
17
Ghanaians in Germany celebrate
Independence anniversary
Ghanaian culture was at its best in Berlin
as a cross-section of Ghanaians joined members of the diplomatic and business community to celebrate the country's 50th anniversary of independence.
Clad in rich kente dresses adorned with a
caleidoscope of colours, Ghanaians proudly
thronged the atrium of the Deutsche Bank in
the centre of Berlin to honour the founding
fathers who gave birth to their nation on 6th
March 1957.
His Excellency Mr Grant Ohemeng
Kesse, Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana
to Germany, welcomed and shook hands with
each of the invited dignitaries who honoured
his invitation to the event.
Ambassador Kesse described 6th March
as a historic day for Ghana adding that "Dr
Kwame Nkrumah, the first Prime Minister of
Ghana and the architect of Ghana's freedom,
on the eve of independence in 1957, declared
that Ghana's Independence was meaningless
unless it was linked up with the total liberation of the African continent", stressing that
that declaration "gave an impetus to the process of decolonisation on the continent and
engendered a renewed sense of a common
African destiny."
Ambassador Kesse told the packed hall
that it was "therefore most refreshing that on
this historic occasion of Ghana's 50th
Independence Anniversary, all of Africa is
"liberated" and free from political domination.
"As we in Ghana celebrate that historic
and momentous event, we are confident that
all of Africa and all our friends throughout
the world are also celebrating with us."
Ambassador Kesse observed that Ghana
and Africa have made significant strides in
both the political and economic spheres
adding that there was no gainsaying the fact
BERLIN
that "we still have to make greater strides in
our search for total economic emancipation
leading to better conditions of life for our
peoples.
"Therefore, as Ghana celebrates its
Golden anniversary, we Ghanaians and
Africans must all make a solemn pledge to
redouble our efforts and work harder towards
the upliftment of the African continent from
poverty."
He described
the theme selected
for the Golden
Anniversary celeb r a t i o n
"Championing
A f r i c a n
Excellence"
as
significant giving
that
various
"genuine commentators" have described this century as
Africa's century",
adding that it was
their conviction
that Africa would
surely unearth her
real potential before this century was
over.
The Ghanaian
ambassador observed that majority
of people around
the world acknowledge what he called "the promise of
Africa" and told his audience that "the decision taken by the African Union Heads of
State at their recent summit in Addis Ababa to
celebrate with Ghana the 50th Anniversary of
our independence," was gratifying.
He revealed that as a demonstration of
that intent, African Heads of State and
Government will come to Accra in July 2007
to attend to the business of the African Union.
Mr Kesse observed that this would enable
the African continent to re-engage in a critical
assessment of what its independence from
colonialism and apartheid has meant and therefore what it should do to address "our common aspirations for African unity and our
African Renaissance." He described the
Federal Republic of Germany as one of the
most enduring friends of Africa, adding that
"the Federal President, Mr (Horst) Köhler has
shown beyond every doubt that he is a friend
of Africa.
BREMEN
"He believes in the PROMISE OF AFRICA as evidenced by his institution of the
African Forum, the second of which took
place in Accra in January this year, and which
was co-hosted with the President of Ghana."
The Minister of State at the German
Foreign Ministry, Dr Gernot Erler, who represented the German Federal Government at
the event said 6th March 1957 was a significant day not only for Ghana.
"When Kwame Nkrumah, the father of
Ghana's Independence, announced that
Ghana was FREE - finally - this short, but big
word echoed all over the African continent
and beyond where people were standing up
for self-determination and self-rule".
Dr Erler observed that 50 years ago, the
people of Ghana lit a torch that became an
inspiration and a guiding light for millions
attempting to prise the shackles of colonialism.
He told his audience that Kwame
Nkrumah was aware of the special role his
country was thus about to assume adding that
Nkrumah was not contented with what he had
achieved for Ghana alone. "He did not forget
the fate of his fellow Africans, but strived for
an Africa united in freedom".
Dr Erler drew loud applause when he reiterated that Nkrumah's "Pan-African visions
are still up to date. In fact only nowadays, the
African Union is discussing how to further
evolve into something that Kwame Nkrumah
dreamt of 50 years ago. One could say that
the African Union is a kind of grandchild of
the Union of African States that Nkrumah had
conceived in the years after Ghana's independence."
Story and photos by Musah Ibrahim
Musah
AfricaNewsAnalysis
HAMBURG
18
April 2007
AFRICANS IN EUROPE
Ghanaian victim of police brutality
in Swiss/German border seeks redress
Wilson: "I thought they were either going to break my neck or shoot me from behind"
Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Head
Office in Bonn, Germany to familiarize himself with some of the
activities of the Friedrich Ebert
Stiftung Headquarters and some
selected internship programme.
Here's the full story as narrated
by Mr. Wilson himself. "The round
trip was by train from 28th
November to 2nd December 2005.
On my return trip on Friday, 2nd
December 2005, I boarded train
(ICE 505 b. This train took off at
Kiln at 10:54 and was expected to
arrive in Basel at 14:47. My next
train from Basel to Geneva was to
take off at 15:05 and arrive at
17:47.
"At 14:37 the train on which I
was travelling stopped at Basel and
some of the passengers started
alighting. Not being so familiar
with the route, I stood up to enquire
from another passenger who was
Dr Sindiwe Magona
There are many orphans in
the area and 80% of the
population, mainly women is
unemployed.
A total of 80.000 Euros
would be required to complete the construction while
10.000 Euros are needed to
start the construction hopefully this month. The House
of Peace in Mmalaunyane
will be an institute where
women learn to read and
write, undergo Information
Technology training, dressmaking, painting, and many
other courses aimed at helping them become selfreliant. It will also host seminars on women's rights.
African Women Network for
Peace has already built several Houses of Peace in many
different parts of Africa. One
of them is in Rwanda where
some 120 women undergo
vocational training.
Some of the objectives of
the African Women Network
for Peace include opening, in
each African country, a
House of African Women for
Peace, which will operate as
a national reference point
and as an international and
African connection; carrying
out literacy and training
courses in order to facilitate
women's access to the labour
market; supporting and developing economic activities in
order to facilitate women's
independence. The network
also aims at supporting occasions for sharing opinions
and thinking about issues
like the protection of women's rights, the value of solidarity, the promotion of longlasting peace and the sustainable development of Africa.
During the party, Dr
Sindiwe Magona, a popular
South African author presented her new book "Guguletu
Blues" telling the stories of
women of the township.
Dr Magona is a motivational speaker, storyteller and
Xhosa novelist whose written works have received
international acclaim. She
has been a leading campaigner against sexual discrimination. Dr. Magona worked
with UN's International
Tribunal dealing with crimes
against women. Through her
writings, she would like to
encourage the blacks in
South Africa, especially
women to play a key role in
the development of the
country. She emphasised the
importance of educating
women saying that by educating a man, you only educate
one person yet by educating
a woman, you educate the
whole society.
By Pierpaolo Festa &
Stephen Ogongo
did not understand. Well it was not
in English. I guessed they were in to
check my train ticket and my passport. I unzip my jacket and pullout
my passport together with my tickets. Before I could hand over the
passport to them, they had already
handcuffed me in the train.
"The other two officers (one
man and the lady) brought out my
luggage. This officer, who was marching me out, started tightening the
handcuffs tightly around my wrist,
with the resultant pains, becoming
quite unbearable. I said please,
check my documents and check my
passport. My passport had even fal-
len in the train. The officer who had 2005, at 9:15 am, I got back to the
handcuffed me kept on with his Basel Railway Station and went to
march. All this while they
had not checked the document I had on me.
"They took me to an
inner room at the railway "Still in the handcuffs they floored
station. On entering the
me face-down, with one officer
room, the two men tightetightening his grip around my
ned the handcuff and folded
my hands behind me more neck, whilst the other kept tighteand more, almost to a cho- ning the handcuffs and folding my
king point. I continued to hand behind me further. I started
plead with them to check screaming and pleading that I was
my passport, or call in
not a criminal; that they should
someone I could communicheck my documents.”
cate with in English but my
pleas ended on deaf ears.
"Still in the handcuffs
Mr. Isaac Ato Wilson
they floored me face-down,
with one officer tightening
his grip around my neck,
whilst the other kept tightening the handcuffs and folding my the information desk to enquire
hand behind me further. I started about the address of those officers
screaming and pleading that I was who had arrested me a day before.
not a criminal; that they should On the previous day I had asked
one of the officers to furnish me
check my documents.
"This drilling went on for some- with the names of the officers who
time; realising that I was loosing arrested me and was given the folmy total breath I started pleading lowing address; Hauptzollamt
with them not to kill me, knowing Lorrach, Deutsches Zollamt Basel,
ZHS,
HAUthat I could not survive the military- Reichenbach,
type of drilling. I thought they were SANSCHRIFT Schwarzwaldallee
4058
Basel/SCHWEIZ
either going to break my neck or 200,
Postfach
shoot me from behind. I could no POSTANSCHRIFT
longer scream and was helpless in 1920,79554 Weil am Rhein TEL
161290,
FAX
the hands of the officers. Lately, a +497921
INTERNET
man briskly walked into the room, a +4976211612922
seemingly superior officer, who www.zoll-d.de
"I contacted my office in
might have saved my life: after a
through search I was asked to pay a Geneva, who took the matter up and
fine of 150 Euros and released; fee- again reported the incident to
lings pains all over my body and Ghana mission in Geneva."
finding it quite difficult to breath, I
By Kwaku Boatin
took a taxi to hospital, where I was
Geneva
treated and discharged.
"On Saturday, 3rd December
All roads lead to Wuerzburg
for African Festival
This year's Africa Festival in
Germany will take place in Wuerzburg's
Talavera Mainwiesen at the banks of the
river Main. The Africa Festival on its
19th edition has now become Europe's
biggest festival for African music and
culture. It will take place from 25th to
28th May 2007. More than 250 musicians and dancers will give an insight
into the fascinating variety of traditional
and modern black music in several circus tents and on open air stages.
This year's Africa Festival continues
the journey on and around the 'black
Atlantic Ocean'. It will show the cultural and musical influences the millions
of slaves, displaced across the ocean to
different parts of the world, had on the
countries they were brought to. This
time, the musical journey will lead the
participants to Brazil, the country which
abolished slavery only in 1888.
In order to better illustrate the past,
the Festival will not only play AfroBrazilian music but will also exhibit
historic pictures of African slaves in
Brazil. These pictures have never been
shown in Germany before. This remarkable exhibition depicting the beginnings of photography takes place in
cooperation with the Leibniz Institute
Leipzig and the Institute Moreira Salles
Rio de Janeiro.
The festival will open on 25th May
with a thunderous performance by Lura
Carlinhos Brown. Lura, a young singer
from Cape Verde has turned the
Capeverdian music scene upside-down.
Her latest album "M'bem Di Fora" was
the top-selling CD on the Capeverdian
Islands last summer. On stage, she is
fully focused on her music, a Creole
beauty with a remarkable voice influenced by African and Brazilian rhythms.
Lura gives new impressions of
Capeverdian music: urban, dynamic,
and modern. The theme of this day will
be "Africa meets Brazil".
On Saturday 26th May, Alma Luma
& So Do Samba, And Omar Pene &
Super Diamono De Dakar will be on
stage. The theme of the second day is
"Brazil meets Africa. The third day of
the festival, 27th May will be dedicated
to Southern African music with perfor-
mance by CHIWONISO FRESHLYGROUND.
The final day of the festival, 28th
Cuban music and life style.
The Africa Festival is being organized by the Afro Project e.V., Musical
© AFRICAN FESTIVAL PHOTO
African Women Network
fundraises for Women's Centre
in South Africa
A special evening party
was recently held in Rome to
raise funds for building a
House of Peace in South
Africa. The party was organised by the African Women
Network for Peace in collaboration with the Co-ordination for Distance Support-La
Gabbianella, the Embassy of
South Africa to Italy, the
women's
entrepreneurial
body Confesercenti and their
partners. The House of
Peace is to be built in
Mmalaunyane village, 130
Km from Johannesburg.
seated two seats ahead of me.
"While waiting for a response to
my enquiry, three officers suddenly
(two men and a lady) appeared
before me; I first asked them 'please, is there any problem?' One man
said something in German, which I
A Ghanaian Trade Official, Mr.
Isaac Ato Wilson, has accused the
Swiss/German border police in
Gennan, of unlawful arrest, police
brutality, inhuman treatment and
violation of his basic fundamental
human rights.
In a letter addressed to both the
Swiss and German governments
and made public here, he said "I
was subjected to a total wrongful
arrest, torture and harassment by
officers of the Gennan border control in Swiss/German border.
"This resulted in a lot journey
delays and humiliation, suffering,
financial expenses arising hospital
bills, hotel accommodation and
additional transport fares in Basel.
I seek re-dress from Basel authorities, German government and other
authorities concerned for all these
problems."
In a telephone interview on 2nd
March, Mr. Wilson expressed shock
and dismay that authorities concerned with his dilemma, for the past
two-years after reporting the incident, have not been able to complete investigations or made public
results of their investigations on the
issue, neither have they been able to
contact him.
He said to add insults to injury,
the German Embassy in Ghana, late
last year, refused him transit visa to
travel on Lufthansa Airlines, on his
way to Geneva, Switzerland to
attend a conference "without any
explanation".
At the time of his arrest in the
train on the Swiss/German border,
Mr Wilson was serving as an intern
of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
(FES) at the African, Caribbean and
Pacific (ACP) Group of States, in
Swiss-Geneva Office. He was invited officially to Germany by the
Capeverdian singer Lura Carlinhos Brown
May will be a reggae night featuring the
Stars of Young Germaica, Sebastian
Sturm & Jin Jin Band, Marlene Johnson
& House of Riddim, Jahcoustix &
Dubios Neighbourhood and Martin
Jondo.
Besides high-class live acts, there
will again be the colourful bazaar, offering art objects and commodity goods
as well as African food and drinks, a
craft men's bazaar, workshops, an
extensive children's program, an open
stage, daily late night program with
various DJs, art exhibitions and presentations. As last year, the Havanna Club
will open its doors for all friends of
Development Aid for Germany and the
city of Wuerzburg, supported by the
Department for Foreign Affairs, the
Bavarian Ministry of Education and the
Arts, the Federal Agency for Civic
Education, the Leibniz Institute
Leipzig, DaimlerChrysler AG as part of
the Southern Africa Initiative of
German Business - SAFRI, Bureau
Export and Mercedes Benz.
For further information, please consult, Afro Project e.V., Kaiserstrasse 16,
D-97070
Würzburg,
+49/931/15060/+49/931/ 15080, email:
info@africafestival.org; www.africafestival.org
READERS’ PAGE
19
April 2007
Societal marketing &
Corporate Social Responsibility
Why does Ghana or Africa stand on this grey area?
Jim Blythe (2005), a British Marketing tinationals than many people assume. The
Guru highlighted that marketers should take main obstacles to better regulation are she
some responsibility for the needs of society at reports are therefore, not legal, but political.
large, and for the sustainability of their pro- Jennifer highlights that this is an essential
duction activities. This statement is in fact reading for anyone who wants to understand
happening in the developed countries which how international law works and how it can
are smart enough to work a way around in be used to further international CSR objectiensuring that those local and international ves.
This is a brief about JENNIFER A.
businesses or companies make contributions
towards community development. Take ZERK. She was admitted as a solicitor in
Sainsbury's and Tesco in Britain for example, Australia in 1991 and in England and Wales
they have contributed towards every commu- in 1993. She holds law degrees from the
nity they operate in. A typical example in University of Adelaide and the University of
Britain I witnessed was when Sainburys wan- London, and a PhD in law from the
ted to build one of its big supermarkets in a University of Cambridge. Formerly an energy
law specialist with a major London firm, she
village.
The villagers gathered and calculated the now works as an independent researcher and
impact that new supermarket would have on consultant, advising on the legal and regulatheir community and seized the opportunity tory aspects of 'corporate
to request for a complex community centre social responsibility'. Though
before the building of the supermarket. The I'm not promoting her book, I
secret is to demand before the community do honestly think that we all
could learn a thing or two
gives any project a go ahead.
The village realised their
potential, asked and got what
they wanted. Basically, everyone rallied round and articulated It is only through working in
their feelings to the developers.
partnership with local and
Well, indeed, they got it free of
international businesses as
charge and thus are now running the centre as a self-finan- an integral part of our society
cing centre.
that we would see any tranIn contrast, however in
sformation. The secret is, to
Africa the key people within a
given community are just conwelcome the new business
tented to accept a bottle of
influx only if they agree to
Scottish Whiskey or Schnapps
or local spirit over a business sign the spotted lines on cordeal.
porate social responsibility.
Jennifer A. Zerk has researched about, The 'Corporate Ghana needs only good ethiSocial Responsibility' ('CSR')
cal businesses to work in
movement and I would share
some aspects. She described
partnership with.
(CSR) as one of the most
important social movements of
Mercy Adede Bolus
our time. Her book looks at
what the CSR movement
means for multinationals, for
states and for international law. She high- from her experiences.
lights that international law is often criticised
Ghana needs to get a grip
for being too 'state-centred', and ill equipped of how best our laws would
to deal with the challenges of globalisation. work for us if we involve
However, as she draws from many and varied businesses co-operation into helping with our
examples of state, NGO and corporate practi- community developments.
We need to be assertive as a nation to start
ce, this book argues that, while international
law has its limitations, it presents more asking ourselves questions like, "Why so
opportunities for the CSR regulation of mul- many international companies are flooding
into Ghana" and "What is in this deal for our
motherland?" We need to raise these vital
questions about the future governance and
regulation of all businesses throughout our
nation. Ghana may need a new code of conduct, laws and regulations and multi-stakeholder agreements and private voluntary initiatives as new businesses are beginning to
emerge into our system. We need to see the
significance for this foresight to be smart and
articulate. The community must be assertive
to ask the right questions through their local
MPs', Paramount chiefs, DCE etc. when they
hear of any major business activity. They
must ask questions that would help to reshape Ghana into a country where our youth
would prefer to stay on and help with our
economic recovery. The goal post must work
in our favour too. If Ghana were to be smart
back in 1940's we could have got UTC,
Kingsway, and GNTC to build libraries in
every city, town and villages they operated.
Well, they have left us now but what have we
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
We welcome letters on topical issues, your
experiences, and or comments on any article
you have read in the Africa News. We will
only consider letters sent to us for publication
if they carry the writer's name and address, not
necessarily for publication, but as a sign of
good faith. Address your letters to:
The Editor, Africa News,
Via Maroso, 50, CAP 00142 Rome, Italy,
or e-mail: africanews@etnomedia.org or fax
+39-06-87410528.
got to remember their huge profits they made
on our lands? Nothing, just "happy memories" but "bitter after taste".
The focus we have now is for our
Government and various communities to be
assertive to stop that not laughing. Our
Government if not already engaged in this
practice may need to consider involving all
local businesses and international organisations at their strategic planning. These businesses may also by so doing share some good
tips. Learning does not only stop in the classrooms. This would promote economic
growth and credibility for businesses and a
general sense of well being for our nation.
After all, we all would like to see a win/win
business deal.
It is about time, every city, town, and village had its own proper designated town centre that provides facilities. For example, a
learning resource centre with ICT, covered
gutters, public toilets with hand washing
basins, recreational parks with benches, well
sheltered bus stops, play ground for children
in every community. It is only through working in partnership with local and international businesses as an integral part of our
society that we would see any transformation.
The secret is, to welcome the new business
influx only if they agree to sign the spotted
lines on corporate social responsibility.
Ghana needs only good ethical businesses to
work in partnership with.
It is about time that our Government and
the rest of African country started using this
same strategy to get all international organisations and local businesses to help the communities in which they operate their businesses.
By Mercy Adede Bolus
Open Letter to Rt. Hon Tony Blair
Phil Chinwuba esq.
aguleri2000@yahoo.co.uk
London
Nanka.Org
The RT. Hon. Tony Blair
The British Prime Minister
No 10 Downing Street
London
March 21, 2007
The Rt. Hon Prime Minister Sir,
Re: Save Nigeria from Disaster
"The best people to help Africa are ultimately Africans themselves-RT Hon Tony
Blair". Similarly the best people to help
Nigeria are Nigerians themselves.
Nigeria is under a state of siege by a run
away president who arrogate ultimate power
to himself and his family, hence the appeal by
well meaning Nigerians and friends of
Nigeria for help from the international community.
The Inspector General of Police, Mr.
Sunday Ehindero, has said several times that
the spate of political killings portends danger
for the country ahead of 2007 polls, especially if they remained unravelled. The PDP
led Federal government practices systematic
elimination of political opponents hence they
were referred as "nest of killers" by Prof
Wole Soyinka. The government involvement
in state sponsored killing is aimed at silencing opposition and remaining in power for
as long as possible.
President Obasanjo must be held accountable for human rights abuses when he leaves
office.
We wish to draw your attention to this
months general election which portends
grave danger for Nigeria democracy going by
the way the voter's registration exercise was
conducted and the ongoing screening of candidates for various electoral offices.
Nigerians want a credible election. We should
not have a repeat of the 2003 election which
till date; we have not been able to explain the
extra votes over and above the number of
registered voters. Prof. Iwu INEC chairman
who admitted that 2003 elections were neither free nor fair must guaranty Nigerians that
2007 will not be a repeat of 2003 elections.
The constitutional crisis tearing the country
apart now stems from the fostering of impostors in government as a fall out of rigged
election. Despite the judgement of the
Supreme Court on Buhari vs. Obasanjo with
regards to the 2003 elections, Nigerians knew
very well that Obasanjo never won the 2003
presidential election despite completing his
second term of office. The degree of the
lawlessness now witnessed in the country is a
fall out of the wholesale rigging.
Some Nigerians believe the 2007 elections have already been rigged and INEC will
announce the results at the appropriate time.
The current screening of candidates has exposed INEC as a tool of the ruling PDP government.
Candidates of opposition parties have
been disqualified with little regard to the constitutional provisions. While most PDP candidates even those recently convicted by US
court for using the Presidential Jet to launder
money in the US were allowed to stand for
elections. The Obasanjo led PDP is the most
corrupt government since Nigeria became an
independent state. Can you imagine a governorship candidate of a state subsiding petroleum products of a state from his private pocket after serving as a presidential aide yet no
question was asked as to his source of wealth.
The
current
Resident
Electoral
Commissioners are all card carrying members of PDP answerable to the current governorship candidates of the PDP in their respective state of posting. Can such people ensure
free and fair elections? The same 2003 scenario is now being played out again in 2007. In
most states, those that registered were not
given their voters card but withheld by PDP
party members. In some states PDP members
were caught with The Electoral Data
Machines in their homes and nobody is charging them to court neither were they held
responsible for their illegal actions. They are
just waiting for the election to make it official.
President Obasanjo has told Nigerians
that this election is "a do or die affair" for him
personally and his party. He went further to
say that he will not hand over power to those
who will not continue with his economic
reform berating the opposition as criminals.
No civilized country tolerates the uncouth
language used by Nigerian president against
their opponents. Politics is a civilized game
and should be played by civilized people.
Under the provisions of the constitution titled
the objective of state policies, the constitution
specifically stated that the economy shall not
be run in such a way that the wealth of the
nation shall be concentrated in a few hands.
The economic policies of the Obasanjo
government have concentrated wealth in the
hands of a few. Just recently, Mr. President
invited a few people to Aso Rock and called
them the apostles of his policies. Four of
those in that gathering were his children.
And why is the regime talking of continuity? Continuity of poverty? Continuity of
unemployment? Continuity of bad roads?
Continuity of closure of universities?
Continuity of massive corruption and looting
of the treasury? His economic programme is
a disaster. An economic programme that does
not work needs to be reformed again to cater
for the needs of millions of Nigeria.
Nigerians are worst of under Obasanjo than
we were under Gen. Abacha.
Let us not distort the history of Nigeria.
The Olusegun Obasanjo military regime took
us to the debt trap when it took the jumbo
loan in 1978. The administration of Shehu
Shagari, Babangida and others only built on
it. In 2006 a debt-buy scheme was negotiated
under which Nigeria paid her debts without
reconciliation of what we owed. Did the president's war against corruption begin after
some top government officials allegedly cleaned out the public treasury of a princely sum
of N30billion kick-back from the debt-buy
back initiative?
This present administration lack human
face and treats Nigerians with disdain. No
nation on earth would survive if it was subjected to the level of abuse of public office
Nigeria has been subjected to within the last
eight years. As Nigerians we are resisting any
attempt to manipulate the process to elongate
the tenure of this government. But beyond
that, we are also mobilising the entire
population to insist on free and fair elections in 2007. It is all in our best interest to
ensure that the democracy that we started
eight years ago continues.
If we and our international friends tolerate election rigging, corruption or indiscipline
in our country it will be at the expense of our
lives and millions yet unborn. It is therefore
very important, Mr. Prime Minister that you
use your good offices in calling the attention
of the Nigeria govt to order. President
Obasanjo's ruling party is behaving like a
runaway train without breaks; it is time to put
a stop to that train and bring this govt to
respect the desire and wishes of Nigeria to
have a free and fair election. The consequences of a rigged election are ominous.
Yours faithfully,
Phil Chinwuba esq.
General Secretary - Nigeria Watch
Organization
All rights reserved. 2006
Opinions stated here are not necessarily
that of Nanka.Org
Contact: 718 882 3209, 646 648 1209
20
April 2007
ENTERTAINMENT
Euro Tour 2005
Shirati Jazz's Linet Aluoch
back with heart rocking LP
Kenya's songbird Linet Aluoch
has just released a wonderful LP
confirming once more that she is an
authentic Benga musician.
The LP titled "Euro Tour 2005"
features some of the rare refined
guitar works which will make
lovers of Benga music dance
wildly.
Linet's angelic voice succeeds
in captivating the listener and provoking very strong emotions. Her
sweet voice makes one have a vivid
image of what she is talking about.
Linet is one of the very few
young Kenyan ladies who have
decided to specialise in Benga
music, which most young Kenyan
musicians consider music of the old
generation.
I've had a chance of attending
Linet's several concerts in Kenya
and I was touched by her simplicity
and attention she pays to her fans.
When she gets hold of the
microphone, you get a feeling that
she is possessed by some sort of
musical spirit which makes her sing
her heart out as she moves her body
in a miraculous manner. Linet is
simply a perfect vocalist and a perfect dancer.
Linet has been a leading vocalist in Shirati Jazz Band under the
leadership of Benga maestro D.O.
Misiani. By the time Misiani died
last year, she was considered his
personal assistant and Misiani
never recorded a hit without her as
a co-vocalist since she joined the
band.
In this new LP, Linet brings
together hits touching on a
variety of issues. One immediately notices that there is a
lesson she is trying to pass
across with each track. The
LP opens with the track "Bad
Manners" in which she tells
of some of the common ills of
our modern society. Linet
says that human beings are
strange in deed; seemingly
out to do exactly the opposite
of what should be done. She
wonders why after struggling
to go to school to obtain the
right qualifications, one still
has to bribe his/her way into
finding a job. She also has a
message to the people in the
cities who like showing off
their wealth, driving big and
comfortable cars while back
in their rural homes they don't
even have a hut and their
parents live in leaking houses.
"Do remember home," she
tells them.
In "Euro Tour 2005" track,
she tells of their journey to
Europe and praises the organiser of the trip for having
made sure that everything
went on smoothly.
Linet pays tribute to the
late Misiani in "R.I.P D.O.
Misiani". In this sad song, she
narrates the fateful day of
Misiani's death, recalling how
Shirati Jazz Band members went
for rehearsals at Donna Bar,
Kisumu in the morning, had a nice
time together only to later on learn
that Misiani had an accident and
died on his way home.
A minibus rolled on impact
while the mangled smaller public
transport van carrying Misiani was
pushed into a ditch. The minibus
was coming from Riat Hills in
Mamboleo when the driver lost
control and rammed into the stationery van, which had stopped at
Mamboleo Junction police roadblock. Misiani died on the spot. It
was reported that the traffic police
stopped the driver of Misiani's van
to collect bribe. Traffic police in
Kenya are known for openly taking
bribe from public vehicles mainly
to allow the faulty ones operate or
to allow them carry excess passengers.
The driver of Misiani's van, it is
said, died while holding the money
he was giving the police for bribe.
The police seemed so much interested in collecting the bribe that they
never paid attention to the signal of
the minibus which was coming
from the opposite direction whose
brakes had failed.
Linet strongly accuses the traffic police officers of causing
Misiani's death.
Linet remains faithful to the tradition of Benga music which requires that songs of praise be composed for outstanding people in the
society. In the track "Matthews
Anyumba Juma", she is admiring
the qualities of a man who is highly
educated, yet simple and never
shows off, a man with a pure heart.
Mathews lives and works abroad
but he has never forgotten his people back home, he keeps on visiting
and helping people at home, especially the needy, Linet says.
The album has been released by
Equator Heritage Sounds - USA,
and can be obtained from this link
http://cdbaby.com/cd/linetaluoch2
This is a must have LP.
By Stephen Ogongo
GUNSLINGER: Makosi pulls the trigger
BIG Brother star Makosi
Musambasi has taken her first steps
towards a planned career in
Hollywood after landing a role in a
new movie to be screened in UK
cinemas in May.
The 26-year-old Zimbabwean
bombshell plays Ayesha, a gun-totting sister of a drug dealer in
Bollywood movie, “Cash and
Curry” which was shot in the UK in
November. Sarjit Bains, a UKbased film director of Punjabi
Indian extraction directed the
movie, which also features cameo
roles by Faria Alum, the ex-girlfriend of former England football
coach, Sven Goran Eriksson.
TOP CHARTS
Makosi's former Big Brother
housemate, Kinga, is also part of
the cast.
“Cash and Curry” is Makosi's
first ever movie role, and first major
TV project since her controversial
Big Brother appearance and antics
two years ago at the cost of her job
as a cardiac nurse.
"It was so beautiful to make the
movie,"
she
told
New
Zimbabwe.com in an exclusive
interview last night. "I no longer
underestimate people who work in
the movies because it is such hard
work." Makosi revealed it took
TWO WEEKS to shoot three scenes for the movie, and she admits
the retakes played on her
confidence.
She added: "When you
have to do the same scene
over and over again it
sometimes plays on your
ego and confidence…you
begin to ask yourself 'is
there something wrong
with me'?
"I had to take out extra
days to sort myself out.
Initially, they wanted me to
sound Jamaican but that all
failed. My role is the type
that they usually throw at
Halle Berry in Hollywood,
and at the end of it all, I
think I nailed it more than
she would have."
But Makosi, who says
she is decidedly single,
admits she is looking forward to the movie premiere with a bit of trepidation
after shooting a steamy sex scene.
"My mum will kill me," she
said, "of course it was acting, and
nothing happened but I just know it
will get my mum in a bit of a state."
Then she gets all philosophical
about it: "Sex is like dinner, everybody has it. Even the nun in
Neighbours had sex."
Makosi now hopes to travel to
the United States during the British
summer in pursuit of her
Hollywood dream.
"This movie has been a stepping
stone for me. With the support of
Zimbabweans, I think the sky is the
limit. One gets a push from the support they get from people, and I
hope that happens to my acting
career.
"Jennifer Hudson's story is an
inspiration to me. She came from a
reality TV show (American Idol) to
win an Oscar. She didn't have to be
a size zero to get the Oscar. She is
living proof that if you have a
dream and want it hard enough,
nothing is impossible."
But she has no illusions about
© NEWZIMBABWE.COM
© NEWZIMBABWE.COM
Makosi makes movie break in gangster drama
SHE looks pensive on
the challenges ahead.
She said: "I have to go out there
and scrap. I have to want to start
again. I am ready to scrap again,
even if it means living on a trailer in
Los Angeles. But I am in no rush."
The movie has a serious tone to
it as it touches on gun culture, gang
violence and crime. Makosi not
only gets to carry a gun, but also
gets to shoot Faria Alam, who plays
Lakshmi.
"Faria does a good job on the
movie, and I got to shoot her in one
of the scenes. I am the only one
who gets away alive, and speeding
away in a [Range Rover] Vogue,
how good is that?"
Cash and Curry is a
fast-paced,
comedydrama, set in multi-cultural London. Raj and his
friends are tired of being
"errand boys" at the bottom of the food chain.
Ambition leads Raj
and his friends into the
middle of a gang war between two of the biggest
drug lords in London:
Gabbar and Ayesha's brother, Isaac. Realising the
consequences of his
actions, Raj seeks refuge
in the countryside with an
old friend, Tony.
Based in an old abandoned farm, Tony runs
the largest pirate DVD
manufacturing operation
in London. To elude capset
ture, Raj and his friends
are forced to submerge
themselves in farm life.
Meanwhile, Gabbar and Isaac
are hunting down Raj and his
friends - but who will find them
first?
By Newzimbabwe.com
ENTERTAINMENT
April 2007
21
“Goodbye Bafana”, movie about Mandela released
Haysbert: “The sacrifices Mandela
made were profoundly sad to me”
A new movie has been released
showing the effect former South
African President Nelson Mandela
had on a prison warden. The movie
titled "Goodbye Bafana" is based
on the memoirs of James Gregory,
who guarded Mr Mandela for 20
years.
'Bafana' means 'best friend boy'
in Xhosa. The film Director Bille
August said "James Gregory grew
up on a farm as a very lonely child
and the only friend he had was a
black boy. So the title refers to that
relationship, which eventually leads
to his encounter with Mandela."
The movie features Dennis
Haysbert as the jailed anti-apartheid
campaigner. Dennis is best known
for portraying President David
Palmer, a fictional first black
American president in Fox's TV
series 24.
"The word is daunting, I would
use intimidating, to play a man
whose love for his country outweighed his love for himself, his youth,
his family," said Haysbert.
"The sacrifices he made were
profoundly sad to me. The making
of the movie for me was very hard.
Every night I went home, I would
have a glass of wine and just cry."
"Goodbye Bafana" co-stars
British actor Joseph Fiennes as Mr
Mandela's prison guard, who builds
up a relationship with the civil
rights leader during his stay at the
maximum security jail on Robben
Island.
The film Director August won
an Oscar for best foreign film in
1989 for "Pelle The Conqueror". He
also directed "The House Of The
Spirits". He said telling Mandela's
story from Gregory's viewpoint was
compelling. "What I think is so
great about this film is that it is seen
from the opponent's point of view,
which makes Mandela's views even
more right," he said.
He categorically denied stretching the truth about Mandela's
relationship with his prison guard
while in prison. Mr Mandela has
never confirmed Gregory's claim
that they had become friends and it
was reported that he considered
suing the jail warden over his book.
His official biographer, Anthony
Sampson, says Gregory rarely had
contact with Mr Mandela, but gleaned details from letters he censored
to fabricate a friendship.
Director August sought to play
down questions over the accuracy
of his film, saying he had not included some of the more controversial
claims from Gregory's book. "This
is something we have totally avoided in our story," he said.
"It's only natural in a country
like South Africa there would be a
lot of different points of view of
reality."
"The word is daunting,
I would use intimidating,
to play a man whose love
for his country outweighed his love for himself,
his youth, his family. The
sacrifices he made were
profoundly sad to me. The
making of the movie for
me was very hard. Every
night I went home, I
would have a glass of wine
and just cry."
Actor Dennis Haysbert
Actor Fiennes who plays
Gregory in the movie, said that he
regretted not having met the guard
before his 2003 death "because it is
hard to know where the truth is".
He said that the movie "demonstrates the complexities of humanity. If we look at the journey of
Nelson Mandela, not only in the
film, but also in real life, I think
we're presented with undoubtedly
one of the greatest humanitarians of
our time and age. His example and
journey alone can give us pause for
thought in terms of whatever daily
predicament we're in, that the struggle a man gave his life to can be
truly inspiring."
Asked what she thinks
'Goodbye Bafana' can tell us today,
Diane Kruger who plays Gregory's
wife (Gloria) said it "was a very
important movie to make. To me as
a German it has some sort of weird
resonance, because I feel what's
happened in the history of my
country is actually very similar in
terms of the everyday reality of
regular people living in a country
and being oblivious to what's happening right in front of their eyes. I
think Gloria is the kind of person
who accepted whatever climate she
was living in, and believed everything she was being told without
ever stepping outside the box. I
think that's terrifying, but it can
happen, and still does happen in
many countries."
Diane said it's vital to show that
not all of those people were monsters or hateful, or racist because
many weren't. "They just grew up
in a certain era, and believed what
“Lumo” premieres in UK
This film, "Lumo", a feature-length
documentary about a young Congolese
woman on an uncertain path to recovery at a unique hospital for rape survivors, premiered last month in the
UK.
NEW RELEASES
It shows that the agonies of
war torn Africa are deeply etched
in the bodies of women. In eastern
Congo, vying militias, armies and
bandits use rape as a weapon of
terror. Recently engaged to a
young man from her village, 20
year-old Lumo Sinai couldn't wait
to have children and start a family.
But when she crossed paths with
marauding soldiers who brutally
attacked her, she was left with a
fistula- a condition that has rendered her incontinent and threatens
her ability to give birth in the future. Rejected by her fiancé and cast
aside by her family, Lumo found
her way to the one place that may save
her: a hospital for rape survivors set on
the border with Rwanda.
Buoyed by the love of the hospital
staff, and a formidable team of wise
women known to all as "the Mamas,"
Lumo and her friends keep the hope of
one day resuming their former lives,
thanks to an operation that can restore
them fully to health. A feisty young
woman with a red comb perpetually
jutting from her hair, Lumo faces the
challenge of recovery with remarkable
courage and sass. As she and her
friends recover from surgery, they pass
the days by gossiping and sharing their
dreams of one day finding love.
But when it looks like her operation may have failed, Lumo's faith is
thrown entirely into question. On this
uncertain road to recovery, Lumo
shows that the solidarity of women can
bind the most irreparable of wounds.
The film has been directed and produced by Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt,
Nelson Walker III and Louis Abelman,
Lynn True.
they were told."
She the movie 'Goodbye
Bafana' "shows how one man,
without violence, or hatred toward
the whites, walked tall and demonstrated what we can do by believing
in the good of people, and I think
that's extremely important."
Reggi Zippy: Men who want to marry
virgins should let girls remain virgins
Ghana's Reggi Zippy continues to win praise for his song
challenging men to remain
virgins if they'd like to marry
virgins. In the song "Virgin",
Reggi says "Beema bia sorea a
ope virgin, ansana wa ye no
weeding na so memma no mo
ma mmaa no nyin" meaning
all men want a virgin to take
to the altar, but these same
men don't let the young girls
to remain virgins.
Reggi said he composed
the controversial song because
of men's widespread hypocrisy. Reggi whose real name
is Reginald Kwodwo Nyame
Ainooson, started his musical
career about six years ago and
was greatly influenced by two
Ghanaian great hiplife musicians namely Ronny Coases of
Buk Bak fame and Okomfuor
Kwadee.
His debut LP titled "4 Sale"
produced by Frimprince
Music Productions became an
instant hit. He is currently
working on the next LP to be
released before the end of the
year. Reggi encourages young
musicians to believe in themselves, have patience and to
think positively about their
neighbours. "If you want to go
up, try and lift someone up,"
he says.
By Alex Ampong-Sam
a.k.a kuul
22
SPORTS
April 2007
World Cup in South Africa
SADC countries improving facilities
to make trip to Africa a worthy one
bases in these countries. That means training
grounds and everything else connected to it
such as playing fields, accommodation for
them and their followers.
Then comes the Achilles heel of Africa transport. What steps are being taken to rectify this? In so far as the cultural and natural
facilities are concerned, these are there in
abundant supply. The problem is how to
exploit it and time is running out fast. It is
important to keep the visitors occupied so
that they are not stuck in the beer gardens
resulting in unpleasantness which have been
the feature of some past events. It must be
taken into consideration that many of the
spectators will stay longer than usual. In a
European venue like Germany, supporters
travelled in and out of the country. They
mostly only attended the matches of their
respective countries.
In 2010 the situation is different. They
have to be fed with all that the countries have
to offer, cultural, natural and social, to keep
them out of mischief. It also makes tour operators from all the countries to work
out joint short programmes. Your
scribe put these questions to some
participants from Southern African
Development Community (SADC)
countries present at the ITB, the largest trade fair in the world which
closed its portals on Sunday 11th
March 2007 in the German capital
Berlin. As usual it was a great attraction for the exhibitors and the public.
According to Dr. Makase
Nyaphisi, Lesotho's Ambassador to
Germany, "This is going to be a huge
boost for tourism not only for South
Africa but for Africa as well. We are
poised to take advantage of it as
Lesotho. We have developed partnerships with lots of companies in
SA such as tour operators and the
South African Tourism Board. This
is to make sure that the packages that
are going to be done in South Africa,
should be spread out to include
Lesotho and other SADC countries.
We are working on this framework.
We will have to work out a programme which not only involves football,
but that the visitors should also
enjoy the cultural and social amenities that will be made available to
them."
He said that Lesotho has only one
stadium and that will be renovated in time to
meet the challenges of 2010. "The FIFA
Mission was in Lesotho and the Minister of
Sports and Culture is due to visit Germany in
April. His mission will be to study some of
the stadiums and also take advise which
could be used in Lesotho. We are negotiating
with some countries in Africa who we believe will make it to the Finals in 2010," he said.
Mr Bongani Dlamini, Marketing Manager
of Swaziland Tourism Authority said that
without doubt, "We consider the World Cup
Finals in South Africa as an African affair.
South Africa is playing a big role even currently as a major draw-card for international
tourists to Southern Africa. We are confident
that Swaziland will play a vital role as a
springboard by the visitors to the great event.
In Swaziland we
have some advantages which we
would like to
drum up to entice
visitors to choose
Swaziland for the
holiday and at the
same time watch
the World Cup.
One of these is
the
issue
of
safety."
He
said
Swaziland
has
created a committee that is chaired
by the cabinet to
look into the
World Cup issues
and prepare for it.
"Included in this
Cameroon defender Pierre Wome has
said he is quitting the
national
team.
According to the
state-owned
Cameroon Tribune
newspaper,
the
Germany-based player told officials that
he is no longer available for selection,
BBC reported.
Wome said certain players were
interfering in squad
selection. He was left
out of 24th March
Nations Cup qualifier
against Liberia in
Yaoundé. "I met
authorities and I
thought all had been
forgiven, but apparently this is not the
case. I am therefore
going to confine
myself exclusively to
my club career from
now on," Wome said.
"The coaches no
longer take responsibilities and there are players who
are now choosing the squad.
"I could understand it if it was
the choice of the coach not to summon me, but not the interferences
of certain players."
Wome has been the centre of a
long-standing row after missing a
penalty that cost Cameroon a place
at last year's World Cup finals in
Germany. He plays club football
for Werder Bremen. He was recalled to the Cameroon squad last
October for the first time, ending a
year of being ignored after the
penalty miss that earned him heavy
criticism from team mate Samuel
Wome quits Cameroon
programme is the issue to
streamline our playing facilities.
Accommodation is also high on
the agenda of the committee. In
our preparation for the World
Cup Finals, we are being cautious to avoid creating white elephants. We do not want to do
anything we cannot afford bearing in mind that Swaziland is a
small economy."
He said the country doesn't
have a properly developed railway system and is now constructing an airport which will be
ready by 2010. "We are trying to
persuade major airlines to land in
Swaziland which could become a
major gateway to Southern
Africa. We are within the 200 km
radius to South Africa ,especially
Nelspruit, which is a venue for
the tournament. Visitors who
decide to make their base in
Swaziland can be assured that we
have the road transport to ferry
them to and from the matches.
We have the necessary luxury
coaches and mini-buses to carry
out this mission."
Zimbabwe also looks forward
to benefiting from World Cup in
South Africa. Ms Enivah
Mutsau, Deputy Secretary,
Ministry of Environment and "This is going to be a huge boost for tourism
not only for South Africa but for Africa as
Tourism said Zimbabwe is very
excited about the World Cup well. We are poised to take advantage of it as
Finals in 2010. "We are working Lesotho. We have developed partnerships with
and planning together with other
lots of companies in SA such as tour operaSADC members to receive the
tors and the South African Tourism Board.
'onslaught' that awaits us. We
This is to make sure that the packages that
expect to benefit greatly from
this event and our common bor- are going to be done in South Africa, should
ders will ensure that there will be
be spread out to include Lesotho and other
a free flow of visitors from one
SADC
countries. We are working on this fracountry to the other."
He said there will be need of mework. We will have to work out a programreducing bureaucracy to a mini- me which not only involves football, but that
mum so that this vital goal can be the visitors should also enjoy the cultural and
achieved. "Therefore, it is impor- social amenities that will be made available to
tant that the World Cup is markethem."
ted as a joint venture by SADC.
Mixed packages have to be organised so that the visitor has a
Dr. Makase Nyaphisi, Lesotho's
wide variety to choose from. At
Ambassador to Germany
the same time our preparations
should look beyond 2010. There
are many things still to be done especially in remedy this situation which is made a lot
the field of accommodation, transport and simpler through easy loans. The same can be
road construction. Exchange of expertise is said of restaurants. There is lots of activity in
another area we can work on. But our natural this field. That is why I am sure that the visiresources and cultural institutions need no tor to the FIFA WC Finals in 2010 will feel
introduction. They are part of our history and that the trip to the bottom end of the African
at the disposal of the visitor. Off course continent was a worthy one."
After evaluating the above comments, it is
Zimbabwe will get a big boost if we ourselgood to know that the envisaged planning
ves qualify for the Finals."
Ms Rahab Mwenda, Consultant Mapula sees beyond 2010. This could be the cure for
Lodge, and Manager Director of Jorah European tourists in particular. Many of them
Investments said Botswana started preparing are still are under the impression Africa has
for the 2010 event a long time ago. "The nothing to offer except jungles and wild aniGovernment has already formed a committee mals running all over the place.
For others, anything beyond three hours
that is looking into how we can benefit from
2010. I can say that the team from the United flight is like a journey into space and places
Kingdom is going to be training in Botswana. like Africa are avoided. The World Cup
That means our stadiums and training facili- Finals could help a great deal to bury some of
these prejudices. The cards have to be played
ties have to be brought up to date."
She admitted that the country does not right so that the three-hour barrier is a thing
have a lot of hotels, but pointed out right of the past.
away that, "That is why there is a flurry to
By Eric Singh
FIFA World Cup Finals 2010 in will take
place in South Africa. How is this going to
benefit the neighbouring countries and how
prepared are they to meet the demands of this
great event? It is obvious that some of the
participating teams will want to set up their
FIFA lifts suspension of Kenya Football
Federation, orders Kenya to trim league
Pierre Wome
Eto'o.
Wome did not play in a Nations
Cup qualifier against Equatorial
Guinea nor February's friendly in
Togo but did travel to Yaoundé to
talk to officials about his international future, BBC reported.
The full back, whose career has
seen him also play in England,
Italy and Spain, debuted for
Cameroon as a teenager and was a
member of the under-23 side that
won Olympic gold in Sydney in
2000. Wome also played at the
1998 and 2002 World Cup finals
and won the Nations Cup with
Cameroon in 2000 and 2002.
The
FIFA
Emergency
Committee has granted the conditional lifting of the suspension
imposed on the Kenya Football
Federation (KFF) on 24th October
2006. This decision, which was
recommended by the Confederation
of African Football (CAF) and
requested by the president ad interim of the KFF, Mohamed Hatimy,
was made possible by the positive
developments that have recently
been noted, particularly in the wake
of a visit to Nairobi by a CAF delegation.
The delegation, comprising two
members of the CAF Executive
Committee, Dr Amos Adamu
(Nigeria), who is also a member of
the FIFA Executive Committee, and
Célestin Musabyimana (Rwanda),
secured the following: a declaration
from the sports minister not to
interfere any further in the running
of the KFF; respect for the agreements reached with FIFA (in particular, the agreement signed in Cairo
in January 2006) as well as observance of FIFA's Statutes and principles; the immediate dissolution of
the normalisation committee installed by the sports minister and the
assurance that the KFF will be run
by structures recognised by FIFA
and chaired ad interim by
Mohamed Hatimy, and the withdrawal of any pending legal proceedings.
A FIFA delegation visited
Nairobi from 14th to 16th March
2007 and ordered Kenya to adopt
an 18-team Premier League starting
in the 2007 season with a further
reduction to 16 teams next year,
BBC reported. The FIFA delegation
visited the country to set up a road-
map for the immediate relaunch of
Kenyan football following the
recent lifting of a five-month
suspension from international football.
"This is not basketball. This is
football and football rules have to
be followed," said FIFA's head of
development department Pascal
Torres, who led the delegation.
"Those who don't want to follow
FIFA rules should quit now because
we have decided it is 18 clubs for
2007 and 16 clubs for the 2008 season," Torres added.
FIFA also ordered the former
head of KFF to account for
US$113,000 of development funding given to the country last year.
"We want (former KFF chairman
Alfred) Sambu to provide an audit
of how the money was used,"
Torres told reporters in Nairobi.
SPORTS
April 2007
23
Don't be distracted by negative
criticisms, Obasanjo tells Vogts
the international community would
expect Nigeria to show great performance.
The president advised Vogts to
find ways of building a team
around local players saying that
talents abound in the country for
him to harness.
"Let me also beg of
you one thing that we
should do. We should
means of cat"Concentrate on what you will be devise
ching them young
doing. Pay less attention to destructi- because if we will only
ve criticism but pay attention to posi- depend on those that
tive and constructive criticism. You have become known by
performance,
will have a lot of negative, unhelpful their
won't be spread
and destructive criticism. This is the there
and opportunity to get
nature of things in this part of the others to show themselworld. Remain focused on the job
ves. If we look hard,
there is no reason why
you are doing."
we cannot have a first
class Nigerian team at
President Olusegun Obasanjo
any time," he said.
The president wished him success and
President Obasanjo who recei- advised him to "concentrate on
ved the new coach at State House in what you will be doing. Pay less
Abuja charged him with responsibi- attention to destructive criticism
lity of taking Nigerian football to a but pay attention to positive and
higher level because Nigerians and constructive criticism. You will
President Olusegun Obasanjo
has advised the new coach of the
Super Eagles, Berti Vogts, to concentrate on his job of coaching the
national team. He told him not to be
distracted by the negative criticisms that might accompany his
job, This Day reported.
have a lot of negative, unhelpful
and destructive criticism. This is
the nature of things in this part of
the world. Remain focused on the
job you are doing."
Vogts said he was happy for the
invitation of the president. "In football you need discipline, you need
good organization," he said. He
said he was not happy with the performance of Nigerian team against
Ghana's Black Eagles. "I will give
all my international experience and
see what will happen."
Vogts said he wants to "build up
a future team of local players and
maybe every two months or six
weeks, we hold a meeting and see if
they can move to the national
team." Vogts said he would like to
give Nigeria victory. "But besides
victory, I want to put a good team
together and get to know the players one on one," he said.
Coach Austin Eguavoen has
also confirmed that Vogt is destined
to do well in Nigeria with his attitude so far. "He is a nice person,
friendly and co-operative. We are
bound to reciprocate. I see him
doing very well in Nigeria,"
Eguavoen said.
Three African teams in top
20 of FIFA world rankings
Ghana and Ivory Coast took 18th,
19th and 20th positions respectively. It is the first that Ghana moves
into the top 20 of the FIFA's world
rankings.
Given the limited numAFRICAN RANKINGS - MARCH 2007 ber of international matches
played in March, the top of
(WORLD RANKINGS IN BRACKETS)
the list remains largely
unchanged, with Cameroon
1. Cameroon (18)
still the continent's highest
2. Ghana (19)
ranked team.
3. Ivory Coast (20)
Ghana climbed from
4. Mali (35)
22nd place partly as a result
5. Nigeria (36)
of their 4-1 thrashing of
6. Egypt (41)
Nigeria in February and
7. Morocco (44)
partly because older results
8. Senegal (45)
have expired and are no lon9. Tunisia (46)
ger used for the points eva10. Burkina Faso (56)
luation.
11. Angola (57)
Argentina moved into
12. South Africa (60)
top spot dislodging world
13. Guinea (62)
champions Italy whose reign
14. Zambia (67)
at the top of the table lasted
15. Togo (71)
just a month. Italy slipped
16. Algeria (78)
down to second and Brazil,
17. Cape Verde Islands (79)
leaders for four and a half
18. Congo DR (83)
years until January, slipped
19. Ethiopia (87)
to third. There were no other
20. Zimbabwe (91)
changes in the top 10.
Only three African teams have
made it to the top 20 of the world
rankings in the latest FIFA ranking
released in March. Cameroon,
DIRECTOR
Sergio Talamo
Ghana supporters
The biggest movers in the top
50 were Finland, the surprise leaders of Euro 2008 qualifying Group
A, who have climbed 15 places to
33rd. Panama have climbed 20 pla-
ces to 54th and are the biggest
movers of the month. Iran are the
highest ranked Asian team in 34th
place (705 points), with Australia
40th (657) and Japan 42nd (639).
"I don't like losing and
it's the first defeat in
seven matches since I
took over the national
team, but overall I'm
pleased with our game.
We produced good quality football, and that is
very important for the
future. I think we
deserved a draw to be
honest."
Ghana's coach Claude
Le Roy
and praised the opposition.
"Their team played hard and
the playing field didn't help, so it
was good to get the victory."
Le Roy: Ghana deserved a draw
Ghana's coach Claude Le Roy has said his
team deserved to equalise with Brazil. Brazil
beat Ghana 1-0 in Sweden on 27th March.
The five-time world champions triumphed
after Vagner Love converted a 17th-minute corner at Stockholm's Rasunda Stadium.
"I think we deserved to equalise - we had the
chances," Le Roy told BBC.
"I don't like losing and it's the first defeat in
seven matches since I took over the national
team, but overall I'm pleased with our game.
"We produced good quality football, and that
is very important for the future. I think we deserved a draw to be honest."
One of Ghana's best chances to score came
shortly before Brazil's goal when Eric Addo's
header forced a diving save from opposing goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
In the second half, both Laryea Kingston and
Sulley Muntari, whose free-kick was tipped onto
the bar, were denied by the Brazilian stopper.
"It was a physical and tough match for us,"
said Dunga.
"I'm very satisfied that we won. It wasn't so
easy to play at this level.
"Ghana came playing hard and marking well.
Their squad was set up nicely.
"We should have moved the ball around more
often, waiting for the right opportunity. Once we
scored, we just tried to control the game."
Ronaldinho was happy with Brazil's victory
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