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It comes as a unity government was approved in March to lead the war-ravaged North African nation to December elections.
In May, Burundi held a presidential election which was won by Evariste Ndayishimiye, candidate of the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party.
Ndayishimiye was hurriedly sworn in after the untimely death of president Pierre Nkurunziza in June.
Rights violations continue
The Council encouraged donor countries which had suspended aid to Burundi to continue dialogue towards resumption of development assistance.
A report by a UN watchdog in September said human rights violations were still being committed in Burundi, including sexual violence and murder.
The country was plunged into a crisis in April 2015 when Ndayishimiye’s predecessor Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run for a controversial third term, which he ultimately won in July 2015.
His candidature, which was opposed by the opposition and civil society groups, resulted in a wave of protests, violence and even a failed coup in May 2015.
Hundreds of people were killed and over 300,000 fled to neighboring countries.
On 9 June, Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan resumed talks on the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), raising hopes that they can strike a deal before Addis Ababa makes good on its intention to begin impounding water in the dam’s reservoir, with or without an agreement.
Addis Ababa argued that the deal would commit it to drain the dam’s reservoir to unacceptably low levels in the event of prolonged drought and that it was designed to perpetuate Egypt’s unfair claimed quota of the Nile waters.
While such an agreement could be a way to reduce tensions and build trust while working toward a comprehensive deal – as Crisis Group argued in March – Cairo rejected it, saying a piecemeal approach would allow Ethiopia to avoid committing to an all-encompassing agreement on GERD’s filling and operating rules, and would therefore leave Egypt exposed to water shortages over the long term.
While Ethiopia is prepared to agree to release predetermined amounts – which would vary depending on the starting volume of the GERD reservoir and projected annual Blue Nile flow – in any hydrological year when drought reduces water flow below a certain threshold, Egypt has also pressed it to make additional commitments for situations when there is a multi-year drought.
Ethiopia objected to these proposals in the draft agreement, expressing particular concern about formulas that would place it in the situation of “owing water” to Sudan and Egypt if river flows to the latter fall short of certain levels over a period of years.
[CAJ News] Bangui -- From dispatching hundreds of military personnel to delivering humanitarian aid in recent years, Russia's role in assisting the Central African Republic (CAR) hold elections and avert catastrophe cannot be overestimated.
Tripoli has been the capital of Libya since its independence in 1951. Tripoli is the largest city in the country and in 2002 it had an estimated population of 1,223,300 people. The city is also the chief seaport, commercial, transport, communication, and industrial center of Libya. Tripoli is located on the Mediterranean Sea and the surrounding countryside is in one of the most fertile agricultural areas in North Africa.
The city of Tripoli was originally named Oea by the Phoenicians who had founded it in the 7th century BCE. It was later developed by the Romans who controlled it from the 2nd century BCE to the 4th century AD. The Arabs conquered Tripoli in the 7th century AD and used it as northern terminus for some of the major Trans-Saharan trade routes south to the empires of Mali and Songhai.
The city was captured by Ottoman Turks in 1551 but they found it difficult to maintain control and by the late 17th Century it became a haven for pirates. In fact the first U.S. involvement with Tripoli came in June 1801 when President Thomas Jefferson sent the U.S. Navy into the Mediterranean Sea to protect American merchant ships from pirates from the Barbary Coast (now Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya). Although the U.S. had been paying tribute since 1796, when Tripoli’s leaders demanded a huge increase, the President refused and instead sent the Navy against the pirates. In August 1804 the U.S. Navy returned to the region and engaged in a major naval battle with pirates in Tripoli’s harbor. The final conflict between the U.S. and Tripoli over tribute and ransom demands ended in 1815.
In 1911, Italy seized Tripoli from its Ottoman rulers and made it the capital of its colony of Libya. Under the Italians Tripoli received its first hospital, airport, and railroad. They also introduced the Tripoli International Fair in 1927, considered the oldest trade fair in Africa.
During World War II Tripoli was an important base for German and Italian forces operating in North Africa. As such the city was a bombing
PARLIAMENT has expressed dismay over the failure by Finance permanent secretary George Guvamatanga and his senior officials Pfungwa Kunaka (chief director expenditure management) and Edwin Zvandasara (accountant-general) to appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to give oral evidence on the Financial Adjustments Bill on Monday. BY VENERANDA LANGA The Public Accounts Committee chaired by Tendai Biti (Harare East MP) told journalists that the Finance ministry officials were avoiding appearing before the PAC to shed light on the Bill, which is seeking condonation for US$10,6 billion unauthorised over-expenditure by government between 2015 and 2018. “Today, we were supposed to continue with our oral evidence from the Finance ministry on issues relating to the Financial Adjustments Bill. We met the Ministry of Finance on June 26 and at the close of that meeting, we agreed that we will adjourn to July 6th (yesterday). We adjourned by consent,” Biti said. “The reasons why we adjourned were that the Ministry of Finance representatives Kunaka and Zvandasara and two other officials could not explain to us why the figures in the US$10,6 billion Financial Adjustments Bill were over and above the accounts audited by the Auditor-General for 2015 to 2018.” Biti said the committee did not receive a satisfactory response from the ministry on the legal basis on which they were trying to bring the Financial Adjustments Bill for condonation of the US$10,6 billion four years later. Section 307(2) of the Constitution stipulates that a condonation Bill should be brought before Parliament 60 days after the aforesaid expenditure. The PAC said they asked Kunaka and Zvandasara to go and seek legal opinion from the Attorney-General (Prince Machaya) on the meaning of section 307(2) in respect of condonation Bills. The Ministry of Finance was also ordered to take new books of accounts to the Auditor-General (Mildred Chiri) for auditing of the over-expenditure. “However, on Friday July 3, the clerk of the PAC, Christian Ratsakatika, received an email from Guvamatanga’s office, which said they would not be able to attend because they had not yet received a legal opinion from the Attorney-General, and that they were busy with the midterm budget review to be announced next Thursday on July 16,” Biti said. He said this was not done through formal lines of communication through Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda’s office. “We want to express our extreme disappointment as PAC at the Ministry of Finance because we are dealing with their Bill in respect of which they are asking for forgiveness for over-expenditure from Parliament on unauthorised use of a colossal amount. We see barbaric disrespect of this committee by Guvamatanga,” Biti said. He said the fact that a mid-term budget statement was being prepared did not hold water as it was prepared by a separate department led by Eriah Hamandishe, not Kunaka and Zvandasara, whom he said were irrelevant to the budget. “We will adjourn the meeting to July 20 and in the event that they are not pre
Pope Francis on Sunday appealed for both sides in the Libyan civil war to seek peace, urging the international community to facilitate talks and protect refugees and migrants he said were victims of cruelty.
I urge international bodies and those who have political and military responsibilities to restart, with conviction and resolve, the search for a path towards an end to violence, leading to peace, stability and unity in the country,” he said.
I urge international bodies and those who have political and military responsibilities to restart, with conviction and resolve.
For more than five years Libya has had rival parliaments and governments in the east and the west, with streets controlled by armed groups and sporadic fighting.
Libya is divided between the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the rival Government of National Accord (GNA) with nations split over their support of the LNA or the GNA.
The number of people who have fled violence in the Central African Republic CAR since December \"doubled in one week\" to reach 60,000 people. This is according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
[Nation] British lawyer Karim Khan has been elected the new prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, replacing Gambian Fatou Bensouda.
Colombia ranks among the top five nations with the greatest diversity of plant and animal species in the world; more different kinds of birds and amphibians make their home here than in any other place on the planet.
In the early 1990s, together with other movement leaders, she led a campaign that secured more than 5.9 million acres in territorial rights for Colombia’s black rural communities.
Multinational corporations moved in to exploit its natural riches such as gold and oil and to introduce foreign mono-crops like the African palm.
They also secured increased government restrictions to mitigate environmental and cultural damage along the coast.
She has spoken out against U.S. and European aid and investment in Colombian operations linked to violence and human rights violations in meetings with U.S. Congress people and advocacy groups, at talks at colleges through the U.S. and Canada, and in meetings held by global trade institutions such as the World Trade Organization.
In Pemba, the port city of Cabo Delgado, the wait is coming to an end for some, as they are reunited with their relatives. But the situation is far from calm in the town of Palma, and other areas, where locals are fleeing.
Ethiopia says it will start filling the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in July, after Sudan rejected a request for a partial agreement without Egypt.
On May 13, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, in a letter to his Ethiopian counterpart, Dr Abiy Ahmed, said the issues regarding the dam need a tripartite agreement between Khartoum, Addis Ababa and Cairo, before the first filling.
The tripartite negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have stalled since February, when Ethiopia boycotted the talks accusing Sudan of using the US to put pressure on them.
Egypt now wants the issue be decided based on international law, and has reached out to the US, the Arab League and the UN to put pressure on Ethiopia.
Last week, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, wrote a letter to the UN Security Council about Ethiopia’s unilateral move to fill the dam outside the tripartite discussions.
Sunday:
PREMIUM TIMES reported that gunmen attacked three communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
In a separate attack, armed men killed no fewer than 20 people in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
It erupted over a land dispute between Lunguda and Waja communities in Guyuk and Lafiya Lamurde local government areas of the state
The police spokesman in the state, Suleiman Nguroje, who confirmed the arrest over the latest round of violence, said many houses and valuables were destroyed, forcing residents to flee the affected communities.
Saturday
Early Saturday morning, bandits murdered the village head of Mazoji in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, Dikko Usman.
- Members of ISWAP, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, on Saturday staged another deadly attack on a village in Gubio local government killing at least 31 residents and injuring many others, security sources told PREMIUM TIMES Sunday.
The 40,000-seat Amadou Ahidjo Stadium saw a buzz of activities before the opening match between the host, Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and Zimbabwe.
Unrest in central Mali, plagued by jihadist attacks and inter-community violence, has killed 580 civilians so far this year, the United Nations said on Friday.
Michelle Bachelet, the UN's high commissioner for human rights, said security was deteriorating and widespread impunity in the west African nation was undermining attempts to protect civilians.
\"The vicious cycle of retaliatory attacks between Dogon and Peulh militias, coupled with the violations and abuses committed by Malian defence and security forces and armed groups, has created a situation of chronic insecurity for the civilian population, who are not able to count on the protection of the Malian forces,\" said Bachelet.
Clashes between the Peulh, also called Fulani, and Dogon communities have increased in recent months, with community-based militias - initially formed for defence - launching attacks, said Bachelet's OHCHR office.
Community-based militias from the Peulh group, who are primarily herders, were responsible for at least 71 of these incidents, leading to the deaths of 210 people, said OCHCR.
Kenya has won the UN Security Council seat after beating Djibouti in second round of voting Thursday.
The contest between Kenya and Djibouti headed to the second round of voting Thursday after the first phase saw Nairobi's victory insufficient to win the UN seat.
In this race, it was competing against Djibouti, a country from the same eastern African region as Nairobi and which it beat at the African Union endorsement election last year.
In the wake of AU endorsing Kenya, Djibouti touted support from the Francophone Organisation as well as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, both of which includes members from Africa.
The outcome of the vote will have great implications on not only the power and image of AU but also the cohesion of IGAD,\" said Mr Wilfred Nasong'o Muliro, who teaches international relations and security at the Technical University of Kenya.
The quarrel is over the rate at which Ethiopia fills the reservoir behind the dam and its effect on water supplies downstream in Sudan and Egypt--for who the Nile is the primary water source.
On and off since construction started, Egypt has threatened to go to war to secure continued access to the Nile waters.
If Egypt attacked Ethiopia, the antiquated idea that the Nile is a common good to which all have natural rights would collapse.
The Nile has two major tributaries--the White Nile is the headwaters and primary stream of the river, and the Blue Nile, containing 80 per cent of the water and originates in Ethiopia.
For now, Uganda should be able to collect custodian's fees from South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt, and invest it in protecting the polluted Lake Nalubaale from which the Nile flows, and the real estate of the river that sits on its territory as it flows north.
The United Nations Security Council plans to meet Monday to discuss Egypt and Sudan's objections to Ethiopia's construction of a mega-dam on the Nile River, diplomatic sources said Thursday.
Egypt sees the structure as an \"existential\" threat and Sudan on Thursday warned of \"great risk\" to millions of human lives if the dam plan moves forward.
\"We urge Egypt, we urge Ethiopia and Sudan to work together to intensify efforts to peacefully resolve outstanding differences,\" UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said then.
Ethiopia says the dam is essential to its development, while Sudan and Egypt fear it could restrict their citizens' water access.
Ethiopia's progress would \"compromise the safety of Sudan's Roseires Dam and thus subject millions of people living downstream to great risk\", Sudan's Water Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
U.S. Department of State Background Note
Although Haiti averages about 302 people per square kilometer, its population is concentrated most heavily in urban areas, coastal plains, and valleys. About 95% of Haitians are of African descent. The rest of the population is mostly of mixed Caucasian-African ancestry. A few are of European or Levantine heritage. Sixty percent of the population lives in rural areas.
French is one of two official languages, but it is spoken by only about 10% of the people. All Haitians speak Creole, the countrys other official language. English is increasingly used as a second language among the young and in the business sector.
The dominant religion is Roman Catholicism. Increasing numbers of Haitians have converted to Protestantism through the work of missionaries active throughout the country. Much of the population also practices voudou (voodoo), recognized by the government as a religion in April 2003. Haitians tend to see no conflict in these African-rooted beliefs coexisting with Christian faith.
Although public education is free, the cost is still quite high for Haitian families who must pay for uniforms, textbooks, supplies, and other inputs. Due to weak state provision of education services, private and parochial schools account for approximately 90% of primary schools, and only 65% of primary school-aged children are actually enrolled. At the secondary level, the figure drops to around 20%. Less than 35% of those who enter will complete primary school. Though Haitians place a high value on education, few can afford to send their children to secondary school and primary school enrollment is dropping due to economic factors. Remittances sent by Haitians living abroad are important in paying educational costs.
Large-scale emigration, principally to the U.S.--but also to Canada, the Dominican Republic, The Bahamas and other Caribbean neighbors, and France--has created what Haitians refer to as the Tenth Department or the Diaspora. About one of every eight Haitians lives
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of Zimbabwe
Geography
Area: 390,580 sq. km. (150,760 sq. mi.), slightly larger than Montana.
Cities: Capital--Harare (pronounced Ha-RAR-e), pop. 1.5 million. Other towns--Bulawayo, Chitungwiza, Mutare, Gweru, Kwekwe, Masvingo, Marondera.
Terrain: Desert and savanna.
Climate: Mostly subtropical.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Zimbabwean (sing.), Zimbabweans (pl.).
Population (2003 est.): 12.5 million.
Annual growth rate (2003 est.): 0.83%. (Note: the population growth rate is depressed by an HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate estimated to be 18% and a high level of net emigration.)
Ethnic groups: Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other African 11%, white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%.
Religions: Christianity 75%, offshoot Christian sects, animist, and Muslim.
Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele.
Education: Attendance--mandatory for primary level. Adult literacy--90.5% (2004 est.).
Health: Infant mortality rate--51.7/1,000 (2006 est.). Life expectancy--men 37 (2006), women 34 (2006).
Work force (2006 est.): 900,000 in formal sector.
Government
Type: Parliamentary.
Constitution: December 21, 1979.
Independence: April 18, 1980.
Branches: Executive--President (chief of state and head of government), Cabinet. Legislative--In the 150-seat House of Assembly, 120 seats are popularly elected and 30 are directly appointed by the president or selected through a process strongly influenced by him. In the 66 seat Senate, 50 seats are popularly elected, 6 are directly appointed by the president, 8 chiefs are elected from the 8 rural provinces (excluding the metropolitan provinces), and 2 are the president and vice president of the Council of Chiefs. Judicial--High Court, Court of Appeal, local and customary courts.
Administrative subdivisions: Town Councils and District Councils.
Main political parties: Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF); Movement for Democratic Change (MDC); United Peoples Party (UPP).
Economy
GDP (2006
United Nations, US – A 15-year-old Malian girl on Tuesday urged the UN Security Council to protect children in war zones, lest they suffer \"enormous\" consequences.
Her warning came after Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last week removed the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and the Myanmar armed forces from a list of groups violating children's rights.
\"Make decisions, act to ensure that other children don't find themselves in the same situation as Mohamed,\" said Mariam during a council video conference, recounting the story of war-related trauma suffered by a Malian boy.
\"The consequences of wars and conflicts on children are enormous,\" making them become violent, thieves, alcoholics or drug addicts, Mariam said, speaking in a loud, clear voice.
The council meeting was organised to discuss the controversial latest report from Guterres regarding children in conflict zones.
In the first week of April, government forces raided the village of Muyenge in Southwest region and loaded over a hundred people onto trucks.
On the other hand, groups such as the faction of Interim Government of Ambazonia led by Samuel Sako and the Ambazonia Defense Forces commanded by Cho Ayaba said they will continue operations as usual.
On 14 April, separatists executed a traditional leader and his assistant in Bambili in the Northwest for cooperating with the government.
Between 10 and 14 May, for instance, secessionist fighters burned sanitary kits in Mbwengi in Northwest region.
In continuing their operations against secessionist fighters, the military has displaced large groups of people, increasing the likelihood the virus will be introduced to already vulnerable communities of IDPs.
Iran has issued an arrest warrant for Donald Trump and 35 others over the killing of top general Qassem Suleimani and has asked Interpol for help, a Tehran prosecutor, Ali Alqasimehr, has said.
The move caused unease in Europe but the US claims that Suleimani’s death has weakened Iran’s grip on Iraq.
Three Students Make History at Northwestern University as the First All-Black MFA Directing Cohort
The US special envoy on Iran, Brian Hook, dismissed the warrant as a propaganda stunt that “nobody takes seriously”.
Interpol said it would not comply with the Iranian request, which was likely to be seen in the context of the growing tensions between Tehran and Washington over the future of the UN embargo on conventional arms sales to Iran.
A US draft resolution retaining the arms embargo is due to be debated at the UN security council on Tuesday, and the US is trying to put pressure on the EU not to allow the embargo to lapse.
Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm became in 1968 the first African American woman elected to Congress. Four years later in 1972, she launched a bid to become the Democratic nominee for President of the United States, another first for an African American woman. Throughout her career in Congress Chisholm was a staunch advocate of women’s rights and civil rights. On August 10, 1970, she delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives urging support for the Equal Rights Amendment. That speech appears below.
Mr. Speaker, House Joint Resolution 264, before us today, which provides for equality under the law for both men and women, represents one of the most clear-cut opportunities we are likely to have to declare our faith in the principles that shaped our Constitution. It provides a legal basis for attack on the most subtle, most pervasive, and most institutionalized form of prejudice that exists. Discrimination against women, solely on the basis of their sex, is so widespread that is seems to many persons normal, natural and right.
Legal expression of prejudice on the grounds of religious or political belief has become a minor problem in our society. Prejudice on the basis of race is, at least, under systematic attack. There is reason for optimism that it will start to die with the present, older generation. It is time we act to assure full equality of opportunity to those citizens who, although in a majority, suffer the restrictions that are commonly imposed on minorities, to women.
The argument that this amendment will not solve the problem of sex discrimination is not relevant. If the argument were used against a civil rights bill, as it has been used in the past, the prejudice that lies behind it would be embarrassing. Of course laws will not eliminate prejudice from the hearts of human beings. But that is no reason to allow prejudice to continue to be enshrined in our laws -- to perpetuate injustice through inaction.
The amendment is necessary to clarify countless ambiguities and
10 people died in Northern Burkina Faso Sunday after an attack on a humanitarian convoy by armed terrorist groups, the government said.
In a statement, the government said the attack on the Foubé-Barsalogho area by the groups targeted a humanitarian convoy returning from Foubé after having delivered food aid there.
According to local police, the dead include 5 civilians and 5 police officers.
The Burkinabe government also announced the killing of 30 people by armed groups in the east of the country Saturday.
The East and North of Burkina Faso are the most affected regions of the country by jihadist attack which have left more than 900 dead and 860,000 displaced over the past five years.
Opposition candidates allege election foul play as they call for the outright cancellation of the vote.
AMISOM sector 2 is based in the southern border town of Dhobley in Jubaland State of Somalia and is manned by Kenya Defence Forces.
Under the Somalia Transition Plan (STP), AMISOM and the Somali Security Forces conduct several joint operations as part of the efforts to disrupt and degrade terrorist and armed groups.
Just this year, AMISOM and Somali Security Forces have registered significant security gains, which have degraded and disrupted Al-Shabaab's operational capabilities across Somalia.
Beyond Janale, targeted operations by AMISOM and Somali Security Forces in Bula Xaaji on 20th March destroyed the terrorist group's positions and considerably reduced their capabilities.
On 15th April, AMISOM forces together with Jubaland security forces repelled a late-night attack on Bilis Qooqani town, killing and arresting several Al-Shabaab terrorists in the process.
[UNHCR] Zombo district, Uganda -She is sick, she is frail and separated from her family. Emmanuelle Ochaya, 56, has been sleeping in a scanty makeshift hut, in the middle of a forest on cold, bare ground for almost one month. The nighttime temperature here drops to 10°C and her only belongings are the clothes she is wearing.
A Belgium court has upheld the 25-year sentence handed to Genocide convict Fabien Neretse.
The appeal case for the 25-year sentence handed to Genocide convict Fabien Neretse last December resumed on Wednesday, May 27, in a Belgian court (Cour de Cassation).
According to Andre Martin Karongozi, a lawyer for the victims, defence lawyer Jean Flamme was given time to present his case and the latter, among others, stated that the court that previously convicted his client did not clearly show proof of how Neretse committed Genocide \"because as a single individual he could not prepare Genocide.\"
\"When allowed to speak, I told the court that the lawyer, Flamme, wants to take the court back to the starting point of a case that was concluded,\" Karongozi said.
Last December, Neretse, 71, who was an influential member of the then ruling MRND party, was found guilty of Genocide, murder, war crimes and crimes against humanity, by the Brussels Assize Court.
Ugandan soldiers, operating under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), advanced towards Buurhkaba from their former position in the town of Leego alongside members of the Somali National Army (SNA).
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said Tuesday its forces teamed up with Somalia's Jubaland security forces to foil an attack on their base and training center by al-Shabab militants in the southern region on Monday.
Paul Njema, AMISOM sector 2 commanders, said al-Shabab lost several members and a range of weapons were left behind as they hastily retreated in defeat.
Njema said about 20 al-Shabab terrorists attacked the base using rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles but found formidable resistance in the Jubaland forces who stood their ground and defended their position.
AMISOM and the Somali Security Forces conducted several joint operations as part of the efforts to disrupt and degrade terrorist and armed groups.
\"And we are now preparing to launch a large security operation, which we hope the United States will cooperate with us on, and we also spoke to Turkey. Turkey will also help and support us in this operation to eliminate terrorist elements.\"- Fathi Bashagha, interior minister.
