RWANDA:RWANDANS AND FRIENDS OF RWANDA STAGED DEMONSTRATION IN BRUSSELS FOR INGABIRE

RWANDANS AND THE FRIENDS OF RWANDA STAGED DEMONSTRATION IN BRUSSELS FOR INGABIRE

USA-RWANDO COOPERATION TO INSTILL KAGAME'S IMPUNITY THROUGH AFRICOM

KAGAME CONTINUE TO ENJOY HUGE SUPPORT FROM USA AT THE EXPENSE OF DEMOCRACY IN RWANDA

RWANDANS SHOULD ENJOY THE LIBERTY AND PROSPERITY BROUGHT BY INDEPENDENCE

RWANDA: A Brief History of Rwandan Leaders and Rulers since 1950

A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF A RWANDAN LEADERSHIP AND RULERSHIP SINCE INDEPENDENCE

By TURATSINZE RUKARA

This is a true representation of those who led Rwanda and those who ruled Rwanda from left to right

The history of Rwanda is one of the mysterious history of all time. I was born a decade after my country Rwanda gained its independence not only from the colonial rulers like most of African countries did but also from its own people who had customized their ruling system to be one of the ruthless leadership on earth. If it was during the Egyptian time we could have compared the Rwandan Tutsi monarchy of that of that of Pharaoh who induced the children of God into slavery for over 400 years. This was the same case in Rwanda Tutsi monarchy induced 90% of Rwandans into slaves in their own country. I could not believe when I read the history of Rwanda as I was doing my studies both in primary and high school in Musanze-Ruhengeri when I learned that my ancestors were slaves of Tutsi monarchy for generations. I had many questions and one of them being why did 90% of Hutus and poor Tutsis accept to be enslaved by a small clique of Tutsi. To answer this question during the 49th celebration of Rwandan independence Day one must analyse briefly of  what has been happening in Rwandan leadership and Rulership.

The first inhabitants of Rwanda were Twa people originated from DR Congo in Ituli forest. For those of us who were forced to flee Rwanda to Zaire the today's DRC had opportunities to interact with the indigenous Twa from Congo. They are good people despite what the Western media say about their cannibalism. This people who were hunters and gatherers until late 20th century came to Rwanda in search of good hunting game. They loved the area and a wide variety of species for game hunting ang settled in this virgin land of "Thousand Hills." They did not have a well sophisticated leadership system because they lived in a communistic system. They hunted and collected fruits together and shared among themselves. This continued for centuries until a Bantueid people came in from Northern Congo around Tchad and Cameroon. This people are called Hutu from the kiswahili word Utu or an African philosophy of Ubuntu (generosity). They were farmers who led a sedimentary lifestyle across the Equatorial forest. They were looking for farms. Because of their sedentary life they had an organized system of leadership. They had kings called ABAHINZA. The history tells us that the first Rwandan king was called GIHANGA NYAMIFANA WAHANZE INGOMA. This kind of leadership system was purely based on UBUNTU philosphy which means that I AM WHO I AM BECAUSE WE ALL ARE. This facilitated the integration of other tribes in the region. Twas coexisted very well with Hutus for centuries. This continued this way under the leadership of ABAHINZA until when another pastoralist tribe came in from the horn of Africa, specifically in Turkana-Kenya.

Tutsi people came as pastoralist in search for green pastures for their cows. THe history tells us that this people were full of pride and could not get a long well with other people they found in Rwanda. They always believed in their superiority over other tribes. Wherever they went they killed and looted. However in Rwanda because they were the minority they found that their ambition of ruling others could not work very well through violent means. They started exploiting the Bantu philosophy of Ubuntu. Hutus and Twas accommodated Tutsis as brothers who are there because we all are philosophy. They were given land to graze their cattle and were given grains to eat since they did not have enough time to farm due to the fact that they always learn after their cows. Tutsis told themselves that since these people Hutus and Twas do not have problem lcoexisting with us why don't we induce them to intermarrying with us whereby our daughters would be sexually deceptive and show their young men a superficial love that would make them marry to our daughters but our young men are instructed to never marry to Hutu or Twa girls. This started with winning over the sons of ABAHINZA who married to Tutsi women and later these Tutsi women plotted to assassinate their husbands in their matrimonial beds. Most of matrimonial homicide were done using poison. It is known that Tutsi people are good in using "charms." So after years of poisoning ABAHINZA who were to take over from as kings of Rwanda then those who remained to take over were uncles as the kings to be were still young to assume kingship. This was traditionally accepted by Rwandan traditions but very little did they know that it was a plot to overthrow a Hutu leadership. Centuries later all Hutu ABAHINZA were assassinated by a well established mechanism assisted by their Tutsi daughters who had intermarried with Hutu kings. That is when Tutsi took over from Hutu leadership to Tutsi rulership styel as we are going to see it. From this time Hutus had to deal with 400 years of serfdom and assassination characterized by mother queens like Kanjogera and rituals like INGOMA KARINGA where the mother queen Kanjogera ordered the castration of Hutu men and use their genital parts as KARINGA decoration. This went on until 1950s when some Hutu intellectuals who had been educated by white missionaries such as ANDREE PERRAUDIN got opportunity to learn how other countries were fighting for their independence from colonial powers. For these Rwandan intellectuals the fight for independence meant more than chasing colonial powers of Belgians out of Rwanda but also to fight against the deadly Tutsi monarchy which has enslaved our forefathers for over 4 centuries.

In 1950s Rwandan intellectuals led by Mbonyummutwa Dominique and Greogoire Kayibanda started PARMEHUTU a political party which was to make sure that all Rwandans are free in their own country and benefit the same from their own country. They wanted to bring an end to a 400 years monarchy rule and establish democracy. MBONYUMUTWA, KAYIBANDA, AND GITERA JOSEPH and others who fought for this independence we are celebrating today on the Rwandan 49 Independence Day are our heroes. They fought to the lasy man standing so that we can be free in our own country. So that Hutus and poor tutsis and Twas could stop toiling for the minority Tutsis but work in their own farms and pay taxes to the country like anyo responsible citizen in his own land. This is what happened in July 1, 1962 Rwanda gained its own independence and all Rwandans regardless of their own tribal background managed to breathe a sigh of freedom again. However, because of greedy Hutus who do not remember where they came from, 30 years after independence, greedy Hutus such as Twagiramungu Faustin, Bizimungu Pasteur, Kanyarengwe Alexis and others led all Rwandans back into their darker ages whereby they associated themselves with some Tutsis who wanted to bring back modern monarchy and Tutsi rule. This happened on October 1, 1990s when a Tutsis led rebellion invaded Rwanda from Uganda killing, looting, and maiming any Hutu they found on their way to Kigali. Four years after killing whoever they could and rendering millions of Rwandans refugees from both Ruhengeri and Byumba, they killed Rwandan President Habyarimana Juvenal and Burundian President Ntaryamira Cyprian. This act of terrorism outraged Rwandans and Hutus decided to protect themselves from the Tutsi monarchy which was prominent enjoying a free ride on the backs of greedy Hutus such as Twagiramungu, Kanyarengwe, Gasana, Rwigema, Bizimungu and many others. The massacre started allover Rwandans people fighting for their freedom but little did they know that America of BILL CLINTON and UK of TONY BLAIR were behind this invasion of independent state. USA imposed both economic and military embargo against Hutu regime so that their favorite RPF Tutsi led group could win militarily. It came to happen in July 1994 more than 3/4 of Hutus were sent into exile in Zaire, Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania others remained in internal refugee camps such as Kibeho where the newly established Tutsi regime under RPF came and massacred over 250000 of Hutus who had taken refuge here. Now 20 years later since AMERICA AND UK forced a Tutsi regime on Rwandans, millions of Rwandans are still suffering and need your moral support to fight this dictatorial regime from the West. TWESE HAMWE  TUZATSINDA.

Britain Suspends President Kagame’s Visit

Queen Elizabeth warns Rwanda of its dubious diplomatic Incidences

From UMUVUGIZI NEWSPAPER
The British government has surprisingly suspended President Paul Kagame’s planned  visit which was schedule to take place between July 18 and 24th.  During the same visit, Kagame was expected to feature as the guest of honour at a Rwandan youth convention known as Itorero.
Reliable sources confirm that Rwandan Diaspora in the United Kingdom is preparing to foot the expenses incurred in organising the halted presidential visit to the UK.
The suspended planned visit comes days after the British government warned Kigali authorities against political activities carried out by Rwanda’s ruling party the RPF on British soil which are said to be targeting Rwandan refugees living in the country.
Recently, the British Scotland yard Police and M15 sent a warning notice to members of Rwandan opposition living in UK, warning them of possible security threats. The same police sent a warning to Rwanda’s Embassy in the UK  informing them that  tough diplomatic measures would be taken if  members of the mission don’t stop in activities incompatible  with their status .
A former Rwandan military intelligence official living in Belgium was suspected of involvement  in similar incidences and he was stopped from entering the UK . Another Rwandan spy, one Rubagumya was also arrested in Uganda on related Incidences .
All these events follow a series of meetings held by Rwanda’s key security officials around Europe. One of such meetings was held on January 15 in London chaired by the Chief Spy Colonel. Dr. Emmanuel Ndahiro, in attendance was Rwandan Ambassador to Britain Ernest Rwamucyo, others at the meeting were Rwandan security operatives Jimmy Uwizeye, Col. Mupenzi , Linda, Lt. Tom Rwabugiri, and the representative of the Rwandan Diaspora in Britain Mr. Mugabo.
Despite different pieces of evidence attained by British secret services implicating Rwandan Government in dubious activities  against its critics in UK, ,president Kagame recently dramatically denied he’s Government’s Involvement in these  allegations and instead  accused respected British security services of not being professional .
Although UK is one of Rwanda’s key donors, it has maintained that it’s  support is strictly based on mutual interests of respecting universal jurisdiction ,Freedom of press , Freedom of expression and respecting value of citizens.
Suspending President Kagame’s visit sends a strong warning that the donor community and the entire European continent is interested in seeing a responsible government in Rwanda that is accountable to the citizens rather than one that is bent on using the donors’ money in expanding the spy network that is cracking down its citizens in exile.
Johnson , Europe .

Kagame's critics keep eye on SA trial

From News24

Johannesburg - Critics of Rwandan President Paul Kagame will be watching an attempted murder trial that started on Tuesday in South Africa for evidence the east African leader tried to have a former general killed.

Three Rwandans and three Tanzanians are accused of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and other charges in the June 2010 shooting of Lieutenant General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, once Kagame's military chief.

They each pleaded not guilty on Tuesday at the start of a trial that required French, Swahili and Kinyarwanda translation, and that drew an observer for the Rwandan embassy and family members for the accused and the victim.

Since the Kagame and Nyamwasa fell out and the former general left for exile in South Africa last year, Nyamwasa has joined other Rwandans living abroad in accusing Kagame of crushing dissent and democracy after helping to end the 1994 genocide during which extremist Hutus killed more than 500 000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda.

Rwanda-South Africa relations strained

Rwandan dissidents accuse Kagame's government of being behind the attack on Nyamwasa, charges that it has angrily denied.

The case has strained Rwandan-South African relations, but officials here have refused to say whether they believe Nyamwasa was the target of an official assassination attempt.

Evidence on that point might form part of the trial.

Suspicions have fallen on Kagame's government elsewhere. It emerged in May that British police had warned some Rwandan exiles living in Britain that their lives were in danger, and the threat is believed to have emanated from the Rwandan government.

In Rwanda, human rights groups say opposition politicians, journalists and civil society activists have been subjected to crackdowns.

Suspect in suit and tie

Earlier this year, in a case Human Rights Watch said was politically motivated, Rwanda's High Court sentenced an opposition leader to four years in prison and fined three others opposition figures convicted of endangering national security, attempting to organise unauthorised protests and inciting ethnic divisions.

In the Nyamwasa case, the key suspect is Pascal Kanyandekwe, a Rwandan businessman and the only suspect to appear on Tuesday in a suit and tie.

In addition to charges stemming from the shooting, Kanyandekwe is accused of plotting to kill Nyamwasa while the general was hospitalised after the shooting.

Kanyandekwe and four men not linked to the shooting are to stand trial in the hospital plot later this month.

Kanyandekwe also is accused of bribery after two police officers said he offered them $1m to let them go when they arrested him in July 2010. Kanyandekwe allegedly left South Africa after the murder attempt on Nyamwasa and was arrested at Johannesburg's OR Tambo Airport upon his return.

The other two Rwandans accused are the general's driver and another had been a Rwandan soldier, according to prosecutors.

Rwanda wants accused home

In May, Nyamwasa and three other men who had once been top aides to Kagame were convicted in absentia by a Rwandan military court of disturbing public order, threatening state security, sectarianism and criminal conspiracy.

Rwanda has demanded the four be sent home to be imprisoned, but the countries where they have found refuge - South Africa and the United States - have made no move to hand them over.

While Nyamwasa portrays himself as a champion of democracy and is a victim in the case that opened Tuesday in a downtown Johannesburg court room, he and other senior Tutsis are accused of waging an extermination campaign against Hutus in the chaotic aftermath of Rwanda's genocide.

A Spanish judge in 2008 charged Nyamwasa and 39 other members of the Rwandan military with the mass killings of civilians after they seized power in Rwanda.

A UN report last year echoed the 2008 Spanish charges, accusing invading Rwandan troops of killing tens of thousands of Hutus in 1996 and 1997.

South African refugee and human rights groups have gone to court to try to have Nyamwasa's asylum status stripped because of the allegations, which the general denies.

In a lawsuit filed earlier this month, the refugee and rights groups acknowledge it might not be safe for Nyamwasa to return to Rwanda. The groups suggest instead he be tried in South Africa.

- SAPA

Rwanda: Police manhunt for an opposition member in Gisagara District, Southern Province

by Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza for President

 On 6th June 2011, FDU-Inkingi informed the public about a spree of night gun murders in parts of Rwanda and particularly in Gisagara District (Southern Province). The police accused the opposition party of trying to rush to the media before reporting the incidents.
 Since then, a police manhunt for an FDU-Inkingi opposition member, Mr. Jean Bosco Hanganimana, resident of Gisagara District started.  From the 25th June, deployments of mobile police and night army patrols sent residents of Higiro location (Sector Nyanza, Gisagara District) in panic.
 That same day, the Executive of Higiro location, Madame Niwebasa Assumpta, expelled Mr. Jean Bosco Hanganimana, FDU-Inkingi member, from the Umuganda community work in Nyanza sector and stated that “nobody should worry about what will happen to that FDLR supporter and to those opposed to the ruling RPF”. At 16:00, the police searched his house and failed to arrest him. At 20:00, with nosearch warrant, 6 army men , a local defence staff and a civilian night patrol stormed his house, searched and arrested his wife who was later released.
 Many months before on 12th November 2010, the police abducted Mr. Jean Bosco Hanganimana from the hospital and detained him for 19 days for unknown charges. There were allegations of abuse and torture. He was reportedly attacked because he belongs to the opposition party FDU-Inkingi.
 The party FDU-Inkingi is calling upon the Government to investigate and to ensure that the local autorities and security services respect the basic rights of citizens.

FDU-Inkingi
Twagirimana Boniface
Interim Vice President

Three Rwandan complaints against a planned documentary on France 2

Three Rwandan complaints against a planned documentary on France 2 click here for original article in French
Paris, June 18, 2011 (FH) - Three Rwandans have filed a complaint referred to the Court of Paris against the documentary "Genocide in Rwanda: the killers among us," whose distribution is scheduled for Tuesday, June 28 by the public television France 2.
The widow of President Habyarimana, Agathe Kanziga, filed the first complaint against the company France Televisions and the production company Tony Committee. She was joined by two other Rwandans interviewed by the director of Manolo Arthuis, as part of a television documentary produced for the show The Great Hunt.
"Our goal is not to condemn or to prevent the spread of this documentary, provides counsel for Agathe Habyarimana, Philippe Meilhac. All that we ask today is to watch it, in order to see whether or not a violation of the presumption of innocence. Despite several requests, we refused it. "
"It took us six months of investigation to make this documentary and film, of course with their consent, three genocide suspects living on French soil," said Manolo for Arthuys.
Agathe Habyarimana was shot "in the presence of his lawyer and two members of his family," while the doctor was Twagira Charles' home and without a lawyer, "and the former Rwandan army officer Marcel Bivugabagabo" in a rectory and without a lawyer, "says the director.
"I received from Mr. Arthuys almost a year ago, I allowed him to see my client continues Me Meilhac. What worries me deeply is that we are on a serious subject, that in terms of process it is at the very beginning, and I am a little surprised at how they present the show. It seems that it is totally dependent. "
A press of France Televisions, cited by the plaintiffs, announced in effect: "Sixteen years after the fact, the Rwandan justice and international justice are tried and sentenced many officials. But how many are still at large? While some are hiding in Africa, others live with impunity in Europe, particularly in France where Manolo for Arthuys found them. "
Another release presents the show The Great Hunt, made a documentary and a discussion moderated by journalist Nicolas Poincaré, as "a collection of five investigative documentaries devoted to men who are or have been, the most sought after in the world. "
On the set of the show's June 28, four guests are scheduled to date for the debate: James Kabale, Ambassador of Rwanda, Alain Gauthier, president of the Collective of plaintiffs for Rwanda (CPCR), Filip Reyntjens, Professor of Law at the University of Antwerp and a journalist, Maria Malagardis.
In their chambers, each of the three complainants argue that none of them is under an indictment before the French courts or prosecution before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Only preliminary proceedings are initiated.
The most famous of them, Agathe Habyarimana, is within the scope of an extradition request issued by Rwanda, which will be heard June 29 in Paris. It is also the subject of a judicial investigation opened in March 2008, following a complaint of the SCRC, in which it is heard as a witness simple.
The former Lieutenant-Colonel Marcel Bivugabagabo has also been a Rwandan extradition request rejected by the court of Toulouse in 2008. The same year, the SCRC has filed a complaint against the former officer. This indicates, in its application for interim relief, since he had "never been heard by an investigator."
The Hirondelle News Agency has learned, however, in January 2010 that Marcel Bivugabagabo was the subject of a "preliminary investigation" during a visit to Rwanda two French investigating judges, and Brigitte Jolivet Nicolas Aubertin.
Charles Twagira for his part in 2007 obtained the status of political refugee in France. He is also the subject of a complaint of the SCRC, filed in the court of Rouen in early 2010 and sent to the court to Paris, where a judicial inquiry was opened. He works as a doctor.
Initially scheduled May 31, the distribution of this document has been extended to June 28, May 26 arrest of former military leader of Bosnian Serbs, Ratko Mladic, then having been a special issue of The Great Hunt.
The three complaints filed with the interim High Court of Paris will be heard as a group, Monday, June 20
Eighteen court records concerning the Rwandan genocide suspects residing on French soil are being educated to the high court of Paris.
PF / GF

Rwanda butcher Kagame invades France

From the AFRICA DICTATOR by Herman
A Kagame killing cell has been discovered in France. French security officials say that two former RPA soldiers, former Sgt. Jean Bosco Sasita and Second Lt. John Bosco Murenzi have been hunting opponents to tyrant Kagame.
Four major French towns –  Orleans, Lille, Rouen and Toulouse, are a target and Rwandan  living there have been warned.
Sgt Jean Bosco Sasita was an RPA, soldier and eventually worked as an accountant for the G3 department.
He arrives in France in 2006, as a refugee of convenience, with the support of the Kagame intelligence which was using hm to spy on the RPF dissidents based in Uganda and mostly members of the RPR -Inkeragutabara opposition party.
Second Lt John Bosco Murenzi, is a former bodyguard seconded to president Pasteur Bizimungu. He worked for Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) services, under the authority of General Jack Nziza,the butcher of Kabgayi, who was personally involved in the killing of at least 3 bishops of the Rwandan catholic church during the 1994 genocide.
While working as a military intelligence operative, Lt Jan Bosco Murenzi also  attended Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). He is now on an impossible mission in France to assassinate, terrorise, or poison Kagame’s opponents.
Observers say that Paris would retaliate to any attack from the “evil of the Great Lakes.” All Eu security services are on a maximum alert, to thwart Kagame’s plans.
Rwandans stand up! Stop this evil of the Great Lakes before he destroys our beloved mother land

Unite against imperialism, Africa urged

Political analysts say as the continent celebrates Africa Day on this Wednesday, there is need for Africans to remain vigilant in safeguarding the goals, objectives and vision of Africa’s founding fathers against the neo-imperialism of the so called opposition movements and rebels, who are being used by western countries to derail the gains of the Pan-African Movement. Recent events in West and North Africa show a resurgence of western imperialism and aggression. Politicians, scholars and analysts know that political independence did not mean the end of imperialism as the west’s imperial structures were not dismantled. The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Robert Mugabe is on record for quoting the late great Pan Africanist, Kwame Nkrumah saying, ‘Only a good imperialist is a dead one.” With imperialism rearing its ugly head on the African continent  again, political analysts have reminded the people that as they celebrate Africa Day, they should remember  the strongly anti-imperial vision of the founding fathers such as the late Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya,  Kwameh Nkrumah of Ghana, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Muritana Mohammed of Nigeria , Nasser of Egypt and many other great visionary leaders like President Robert Mugabe, Kenneth Kaunda ,Steve Biko and Samora Machel, who fought a protracted liberation struggle to emancipate Africans from colonial bondage. Political analyst, Ambassador Chris Mustvangwa said people should be wary of the resurgence of the imperialist, who are trekking back into Africa using divide and rule tactics in their quest to regain control of the continent’s abundant resources.  “As the biggest continent, Africa is entitled to a seat in the United Nation Security Council, but our leaders need to be careful and stop being dangled by the west. We have seen UN chair trying to entice Nigeria and trying to divide SADC to play their ball to get the seat. So as we celebrate Africa Day, we need to solidify and safeguard the resources, which Europe is envying,” said Ambassador Mutsvangwa. He added that if Africa watches Libya being taken, then Africa will continue to be in trouble. A military and international relations expert, Retired Brigadier General Felix Muchemwa said Africa Day calls for African leaders to understand the geopolitics and roots of the current wave of destabilisation in some parts of the continent, whereby the west’s interests in regaining control of Africa’s resources is now threatening to erode the vision of the continent’s founding fathers. “What we are fighting now is a ‘resources war’ with the imperialist, their interest in Africa continues to be that of resources. So what is needed as we celebrate Africa Day is for our leaders to understand the geopolitics whereby Europe’s efforts to erode the vision of pan-African founding fathers has intensified. The so called opposition movements are puppets of the enemy that should not be allowed to ride over the vision of pan-Africanism,” said Dr Muchemwa. This year’s Africa Day commemorations come at time when the continent is under siege from western machinations with Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and Cote d’Ivoire, being some of the most affected countries. It is against this background that political analysts have encouraged African leaders to stand up and safeguard the vision of founding fathers in their fight against imperialism

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Africa: Military spending rises despite recession

 

Military spending rose by 5.2 per cent in Africa last year, defying a global recession that halved the continent’s growth, a new study shows.The region’s total military expenditure in real terms was an estimated Sh2.5 trillion ($30.1 billion), according to the analysis by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri)

Angola, which is recovering from three decades of civil war, set the pace with a 19 per cent increase in real terms, or Sh51 billion ($600 million) in 2009 prices.

This figure is 4.2 per cent of its gross domestic product(GDP). During the civil war, its vast oil wealth and diamonds paid for arms.

Figures for Cote d’Ivoire are missing, but in 2008 the West African country spent 1.5 per cent of its GDP on its military.

The effect of the five-month unrest in the country on new spending is unlikely to be known, while the United Nations also placed an arms embargo on it.

Four of the continent’s five top spenders – Angola, Morocco, Algeria and Nigeria – provided for the bulk of the spending increase, mainly influenced by gas and oil revenues.

Spending in the fifth, South Africa, which went into recession in 2009, fell slightly. Chad, mired in internal strife, recorded a bigger dip in its military spending after the oil-fuelled highs of 2008.

The institute, a Swedish independent organisation, tracks conflict armament and disarmament and also researches arms control.

The report, however, adds that figures for Africa may be uncertain as data for some countries such as Sudan, Libya and Eritrea are missing.

Last month, Sipri said there had been a rush to sell arms to Libya, which has seen protracted war between Col Muammar Gaddafi loyalist and rebels based in the east.

“Although Libya placed only limited orders for major conventional weapons following the lifting of the UN arms embargo in 2003, in recent years, it has served as an excellent illustration of the competition between major suppliers France, Italy, Russia and Britain for orders,” Mr Pieter Wezeman of the Sipri Arms Transfers Programme said last month.

The UN also has a broad embargo out on Libya, which in 2008 spent an equivalent of 1.2 per cent of its GDP on its military.

The data showed that world military spending reached Sh137.4 trillion ($1.63 trillion) last year, an increase of 1.3 per cent over the year before.

However, this represented the slowest increase since 2001, when the current surge in military spending begun.

The US, which accounts for 48 per cent of total world military spending, accounted for the vast majority of this rise — Sh1.65 trillion ($19.6 billion) of the Sh1.74 trillion ($20.6 billion) real terms increase.

This means that the rest of the world barely made a dent on global military expenditure, increasing by only 0.1 per cent.

“In many cases, the falls or slower increases represent a delayed reaction to the global financial and economic crisis that broke in 2008,” said the institute in its analysis.

Many countries sought to rebalance their books after budget deficits widened due to the stimulus packages rolled out, while in others growth was slower than expected.

The study notes that China, the second largest spender, specifically linked its reduced spending to weaker economic growth in 2009.

Last month, the institute said that India was the world’s largest net importer of arms over the past five years.

The US is the world’s largest exporter of weapons, accounting for 30 per cent of global trade.

By Lee Mwiti- Business Daily(Nairobi)

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Africa, Not yet free as millions of people are suffering in poverty

By Chris Sankara 

The RPF Soldiers mutilating A Hutu woman's genitals

“Since the ANC came into power beginning with Nelson Mandela there has been an ever-growing gap between the impoverished African majority, who have become 19 percent poorer, and the white settler minority that has grown 14 percent richer.

“White settlers continue to control 87 percent of our land while African workers are forced to live in the squalid shantytowns.

“The Committee of Inquiry into a Comprehensive Social Security System for South Africa found that about 55 percent of all South Africans live in poverty. The committee calculated that 60.8 percent of all persons in South Africa are living on less than 250 Rand (about 32 U.S. dollars) each per month, based on 1996 census data.

“In 2002, the committee estimated that 11 million children between birth and 18 years are living in dire poverty in South Africa on less than 200 Rand per capita per month (about 25 U.S. dollars). The children are therefore living on less than half the minimal 400 Rand per capita per month required to meet their basic needs. A majority of children under nine years of age are facing near starvation.

According to the Human Sciences Research Council report from July 2004, ‘Limpopo and the Eastern Cape had the highest proportion of poor with 77 percent and 72 percent of their populations living below the poverty income line, respectively.

“The unemployment rate for black South Africans is 41.2 percent, among the worst in all of Africa. White South Africans have an unemployment rate of 5.1 percent, among the best in the developed world. Seventeen percent of South Africans of Indian descent are out of work, while 19.8 percent of the mixed-race or "colored" population is unemployed… Even more significant, in terms of hope for the future, 51.4 percent of youths aged 16 to 24 are unemployed. That means that once young people graduate or drop out of school, more than half of them are unable to find work. Many of these young people turn to black-market activities, such as the drug trade or prostitution, or support themselves through robbery and violent crime… The average black worker makes 12,000 rand per year ($1,525 U.S.). A white worker averages 65,400 rand ($8,270 U.S.).

“About 71 percent of white South Africans have at least a high school education. Only 22 percent of blacks have finished high school…Only 18 percent of black households have running water, while 87 percent of white households do. Ninety-five percent of white families have a telephone and 46 percent own a computer. For black families, 31 percent have a phone, and less than 2 percent have a computer.

“(Kallie Szczepanski, www.helium.com/items/1002622-poverty-and-inequality-in-south-africa.)”

These conditions continue to decline for the masses while the African petty bourgeoisie sell-outs have been immensely enriched.
ANC leader Thabo Mbeki, Mandela’s successor as president, continued Mandela’s attack on the African working class. Mbeki’s BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) was known by the masses as the Black Enrichment Elite because of its self-serving financial benefits to the African petty bourgeoisie at the expense of the workers.
This is what the ANC has achieved because the ANC went into power to rescue white rulers and their capitalist economy in the first place. The ANC represent the African petty bourgeoisie and what is called corruption is in reality a betrayal. BEE is designed to be a reward to this class as reward for their loyal services to imperialism.

The masses have not and will never sit by idly!

Although we will struggle in the electoral arena, we understand that winning elections is not the ultimate answer. Nor is being better than the ANC in managing the capitalist economy of South Africa, but organizing the African workers for power, ending imperialism as a capitalist world system and unification of Africa under workers leadership.
South Africa is part and parcel of the International African Revolution. We are one African people, one nation although dispersed and separated by colonial borders, with the same destiny everywhere. Such a revolution can only be led by a single organization with a single leadership, single discipline and single philosophy which will transform Azania into a conscious Azanian front of the emerging single African revolution around the world.

The response to these harsh colonial conditions by the masses has been resistance. During July 2009, African workers exploded in open rebellion in several cities of Occupied Azania. There promises to be more such resistance until the genuine interests of the African working class are fulfilled. Such a struggle can only be won under the leadership of a revolutionary organization that serves the selfish interests of the African working class and poor peasantry.

While the imperialists release people like Mandela from prison to lead our people away from revolution, genuine African revolutionary forces, political prisoners and prisoners of war such as Sundiata Acoli and Mumia Abu Jamal in the U.S., or the countless political prisoners from the PAC, continue to rot in prison.

Call for the unity of workers from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and throughout Southern Africa to build the African Socialist International (ASI) for the Southern Africa region, which unite all workers and peasants in the region against ANC-led Southern African petty bourgeoisie.
We want land to peasants in Azania, Zimbabwe and throughout the region, and power in hands of workers in Zimbabwe, Azania, Mozambique, Namibia and throughout the region.

The African Socialist International is the revolutionary organization whose aim is uniting all African resistance under the leadership of the African working class aligned with the poor peasantry. The ASI, serving as the advanced detachment of the African working class, is the only organization in existence capable of leading the International African Revolution to its final conclusion – the seizure of power and the building of a united socialist Africa.

Join the African Socialist International ( ASI
AFRICA FOR AFRICANS.
IZWE-LETHU ( LAND IS OURS)

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ICT for development ‘lacks African voice’

ICT for development ‘lacks African voice’by Afronline

Dec22

LONDON – African academics are being left behind in the rush to research how communication technologies can help development, according to a review of papers in the field.

As a result, key theories in the field are being formed without the influence of African academics, researchers told the Information and Communications Technology and Development 2010 (ICTD2010) conference, in London, United Kingdom, this week (13–16 December).

The team surveyed, for the first time, academic publications in the field of ICTD between 1990 and 2009, using the Thomson Reuters ISI Web of Knowledge.

The researchers also took an in-depth look at research output and themes over a more recent period (2007–2009), including a study of some of the emerging international and African ICTD journals.

African researchers and institutions have contributed just nine per cent of international papers across all ICTD disciplines — although this went up to 13 per cent for some topics such as library science and e-governance. In ‘hard’ sciences, such as computer science, this figure fell to below one per cent.

The research comes at a time of growing interest in how ICTs can boost Africa’s and other developing nations’ development, as highlighted, for example, by the recent mobile health summit held in Washington DC in the United States.

The team, based in South Africa, said that of the nine per cent of publications containing at least one African author, South Africa contributed over a third of the papers, with Botswana and Nigeria contributing 14 and 17 per cent respectively. The number of non-English publications was negligible.

African participation at related international conferences was also low.

“Today’s theories of the use of ICT in development are being formed with little African influence,” said Kathleen Diga, co-author of the paper and a researcher at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. “ICTD claims to be participatory but the lack of African contributions undermines this.”

The authors said that some of the causes were generic obstacles to Africans publishing research, such as the emphasis on teaching rather than research as the driver of career success, difficulties accessing international journals, and a claimed Northern bias against Southern authors.

Tim Unwin, UNESCO’s (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) chair in Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) and organiser of ICTD2010, said that the problems are not limited to Africa.

“We need to do much more to support people from other parts of the world who don’t understand the rules of the game enough to get published in those international journals,” he told SciDev.Net.

Polly Gaster, head of ICT4D at the Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique, said that interesting ICT research in Africa is being done at PhD level, and a survey of theses might have produced a more positive picture.

But, she added, they “are remaining as theses and sitting on a library shelf somewhere and that is the end of them”.

By Naomi Antony – SciDev. Net

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Is China greening Africa?

From Pambazuka by Stephen Marks
‘Is China smartening up its environmental and social act in Africa? It certainly wants to be seen as doing just that’, writes Stephen Marks
Is China smartening up its environmental and social act in Africa? It certainly wants to be seen as doing just that. One telling example was the recent Chinese government-sponsored ‘top Chinese enterprises in Africa’ competition, won by China Road and Bridge Corporation [CRBC].

The aim of the award was officially stated as being ‘to commend the contributions by Chinese enterprises in Africa’ and ‘reply to Western criticisms of Chinese enterprises with facts.’ The competition, which was jointly sponsored by the Chinese-African People’s Friendship Association, China Radio International and Africa magazine, kicked off on 22 October with the launch of a website for online voting. According to the website, the winning enterprises should ‘devote significant resources for African countries’ local economy and social development, fulfil corporate social responsibility and make a positive return to the local people of Africa.’

Another Chinese award winner is China Merchants Bank, which in September was declared the winner of the third annual Green Banking Innovation Award. Fifteen leading Chinese commercial banks were judged on their overseas investments as well as corporate governance issues, such as information disclosure, environmental policies and implementation measures. Nine Chinese environmental NGOs came together to conduct the competition – Green Watershed, Friends of Nature, Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs, Green Earth Volunteers, Global Environment Institute, Civil Society Watch, China Development Brief, Green Volunteer League of Chongqing and Hengduan Mountains Research Society.

This trend is not new. In July 2009, in what the Swiss-based international NGO International Rivers called ‘the most significant step yet’ China’s ministries of commerce and environmental protection published draft ‘Guidelines on the Environmental Behavior of Chinese Foreign Investors’. The guidelines emphasise the social and environmental responsibility of Chinese companies and banks abroad, and foresee the creation of appeal mechanisms for ‘local controversial projects.’

But how far does this indicate a likely real shift in the behaviour of Chinese companies on the ground, and how far is it simply a Chinese version of the ‘greenwash’ for which Western companies and governments have themselves long been notorious?

The 15 October incident at a Zambian coal mine, where Chinese supervisors shot and wounded 11 workers in a labour conflict brought back memories of the blast at Zambia’s Chambishi copper mines which killed 49 workers in 2005, followed by the killing of five workers by security guards at the same location a year later.

Of course Chinese companies are often used as a whipping boy for the failure of African governments to apply their own regulations. A www.saiia.org.za/images/stories/pubs/briefings/saia_spb_19_haglund_20100729.pdf].report by the South African Institute for International Affairs (SAIIA) [PDF] in July, three months before the shooting incident, stressed the failure of regulation by the Zambian government, especially its reliance on self-reporting and the influence of close relations between foreign investors and local leaders

There have been signs that African governments have been taking such criticisms on board. In October alone there were reports that Nigeria had closed the Abuja branch of China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) over its poor health and safety record (as well as another non-Chinese company) and that Mozambique had withdrawn the labour permits of three Chinese found guilty of assaults on workers and other violations of labour and company law in the construction industry.

One common response to the record of some Chinese companies in these areas is to point out that conditions within China are often no better, especially in the mining sector. But here too things seem to be changing. China Daily has reported that – in a pilot programme – underground mine-accident shelters, escape capsules and other emergency facilities are being installed in seven coal mines in Shanxi province. Citing China Youth Daily, the report said a Lu’an Group mine in Changzhi city was the first to install the facilities. The report follows the 16 October deaths of 37 miners trapped by a gas leak at a Pingyu Coal & Electric Company mine in Henan.

International Rivers has pulled no punches in its criticism of Chinese companies and the Chinese government over such issues as the coal mine shootings. Director Peter Bosshard described conditions at the Collum mine as ‘scandalous’ and pointed out that in China’s overseas investment, unlike conditions within China, ‘muzzling public opinion is not usually possible’.

‘If the Chinese government is serious about cleaning up the safety, labor and environmental record of its overseas investors, recommendations and appeals will no longer do the trick’ he concluded. Pointing out that the Chinese government still owns the major companies, he concluded that it should ‘quickly adopt the environmental guidelines for foreign investors, which have lingered in draft stage for too long. It should closely supervise Chinese companies which invest abroad, and crack down on investors which violate Chinese guidelines and local law’.

You might think with this record that International Rivers was the sort of ‘Western NGO’ that China loves to hate. But as Peter Bosshard told , a recent workshop on environmental aspects of China’s engagement in low-income countries the Chinese government wants Chinese firms overseas to be responsible actors and is interested in learning from Western experts on the use of environmental guidelines.

International Rivers has been invited to advise Eximbank and Sinohydro on their environmental policies, and Sinohydro has adopted the recommended guidelines for complaints policy. The Gabonese environmental NGO Brainforest scored a victory when in response to its concerns, Eximbank suspended its support for a massive iron ore development project complete with hydropower dam, railway line and port, which would have violated environmental guidelines and devastated a national park.

On the other hand Sinohydro is going ahead with the much-criticised Gibe 3 dam in Ethiopia which, critics say, violates local laws, and the world’s biggest bank Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, is underwriting a US$500m loan to Chinese companies to buy equipment for the project.

The pessimists would see this as evidence for the ‘greenwash’ theory. But it might be more realistic, and more constructive, to see it as an aspect of a global contestation between elements in government and civil society which see the need to enforce environmental standards, and profit-driven firms, whatever their ownership, who will cut corners when allowed to.

As Peter Bosshard pointed out to the IDS workshop, at least the Chinese government supports moves by Chinese environmental NGOs to encourage Chinese firms to apply Chinese laws and standards in their overseas operations: ‘You would not get far in Switzerland trying to get Swiss firms to apply Swiss law overseas, or in the US either’.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS

* Stephen Marks is co-ordinator of the Fahamu China in Africa project. A researcher and writer specialising in economic development and environmental issues as they impact on civil society, he has worked as a consultant for a number of international projects.
* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at Pambazuka News.

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Africa seeks to master its migration flows in Europe

December 23rd, 2010 in Non classé

For the past four years, African states have been actively collaborating to master their migration. While illegal immigration concerns the poor, legal emigration mainly concerns African graduates. The brain drain is a real problem because it contributes to the impoverishment of social and professional fabric in the country of origin.
To stop this mass migration, African governments are entering into joint development agreements with Europe and especially France. The stakes are high: economic and social development of African countries with a view to eradicate the root causes of migration.

The co-development to fight against illegal emigration

France has been particularly active in dealing with the problem of immigration, as illustrated by the laws adopted in November 2003 and July 2006. They place the main emphasis on "concerted" management of legal immigration with the countries of origin, on co-development and on intensified efforts to combat illegal immigration.
France also intends to work with its European Union partners to accelerate the introduction of a joint European asylum regime by 2010, by means of a strengthening of the material, human and financial resources of the Frontex agency, set up to support member states in the management of the EU’s external frontiers.
Interior Ministers of the six major EU countries or G6 (Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain), which account for 80% of Europe’s migrant population, are currently drafting a European Pact on immigration.

The Senegalese example of joint management of migratory flows

The agreement on "concerted" management of migratory flows signed by France and Senegal in September 2006 reflects the policy approach of the French government in this domain. It means that France and Senegal will be working in close partnership to organise all aspects of migrations - the management of regular flows of immigration, the struggle against clandestine immigration and the relationship between emigration and development aid.
Concretely, it provides for the creation of a general mechanism to monitor migratory flows, a five-year visitors’ visa - which will allow businessmen and artists to travel more freely- as well as the establishment of precise forecasts for the issuance of visas.
In order to act more efficiently against illegal immigration, France and Senegal commit themselves to accept the repatriation of their nationals considered as irregular residents, and to achieve closer cooperation between their police forces. France will also give priority to Senegalese students in sectors needed by Senegal. They will be able to work in France, but will have to commit themselves to return to their home country in order to stem the brain drain. A plan to allow tax-free investment in Senegal by Senegalese immigrants in France will also be implemented.

Mali, a good performer in co-development

Mali is another country cited as an example for its good management of migratory flows with France: it also performs well in co-development. The two sides have set up a joint migrations committee. This body tackles all aspects of the migratory phenomenon by linking the management of the flow of individuals, the integration of Malian residents in France, and development assistance to Mali.
However, the re-admission of irregular immigrants remains a sensitive issue. The Malian authorities thus on the occasion of the 7th annual session of the joint Franco-Malian committee, which took place on December 15, 2006, refused to sign a number of clauses dealing with the re-admission of irregular Malian residents in France.
France signed other agreements with the Congo and Benin in 2007, Tunisia and Cape Verde in 2008 and finally Burkina in 2009.

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