http://www.africafiles.org/ AfricaFiles is a network of volunteers committed to promoting African perspectives and alternative analyses for human rights and economic justice in Africa. en-ca Copyright 2013 AfricaFiles. Thu, 23 May 2013 19:06 EST 20 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26643 Today conflict in Africa is increasingly fragmented, tending to be fought on a smaller scale and on the peripheries of states. More non-state actors are involved and, generally, insurgents are militarily weak and often divided. There are encouraging trends; inter-state conflict is virtually non-existent. JK Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26643 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26642 A new Media bill awaits President Zuma’s signature; it restricts some information as `secret' - of types that embarrass the government. Criteria for what is embargoed are not clear enough. Journalists risk being taken to court on misunderstandings. Makoni is a journalist often posted by Africafiles.(see archive) JK Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26642 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26641 while natural resources may have fuelled a decade of rapid economic growth, most Africans have still not seen the benefits, report says. In many African countries, natural resource revenues are widening the gap between rich and poor. Although much has been achieved, a decade of highly impressive growth has not brought comparable improvements in health, education and nutrition. JK Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26641 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26639 Victim’s account, mostly from young men living in Goma suggests the Congolese army have been responsible for their abductions and torture. The army suspect them of supporting the M23 rebel groups. North’s Kivu provincial police however say, they are not aware of any such incidents in the area and are calling on victims to speak out. MUB Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26639 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26638 "How can African countries accelerate growth and win the war against poverty, diseases, and hunger? The success in this fight hinges on the continent’s ability to keep its resources onshore. It is clear that achieving prosperity in Africa will require scaling up financing for development...In fact, on net basis, African countries often have paid annually to the rest of the world more than they have received from external borrowing...Africa’s development partners ought to consider controlling (illegal) offshore finance as part of the overall strategy to scale up development assistance for the continent." JK Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26638 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26637 In December the ANC will again hold its leadership election. There are sharp divisions. The supporters of Mr Zuma in 2008 are now deeply divided, with the tone of the contest threatening to again destabilise the party — and thereby the country...Moreover, the slate system of nomination invites the abuse of power that rewards factional loyalty and political favour over competence and personal ethics...e ANC membership must sound a clear warning that the present levels of corruption, incompetence and dishonesty in government will no longer be tolerated. JK Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26637 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26635 Sherritt International, another mining company headquartered and raising funds in Canada appears to be creating misery in Africa. Civil society groups such as TANY (Collectif pour la défense des terres malgaches)[2] are demanding that the government of Madagascar force the project to deliver on its promises of environmental safeguards, local jobs, and social responsibility by revising Malagasy mining and investment laws and regulations." JK Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26635 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26636 May 21, 2012: Letter from African Civil Society Critical of Foreign Investment in African Agriculture at G8 Summit to the African Union, on behalf of 18 organisations (agriculture and food). They object that the G8 will be making decisions on investment in agriculture, without suffient reference to African wishes, and often going against African self-reliance. The conclusion: " I beg you to forgive this heartfelt appeal, however awkward it may seem, of an African peasant convinced that we have the means, the knowledge, the resources to build our own future." JK Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26636 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26633 An increasing number of developing countries are introducing universal healthcare coverage, according to research published in The Lancet. In the early 20th century, two models of universal healthcare coverage emerged in the United Kingdom and Germany, but countries from the global South are creating their own models. The survey of nine developing countries in Africa and Asia found that the new models vary considerably but have several common characteristics, including increased revenue and health budgets, larger risk pools and use of the private sector. AA Sun, 16 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26633 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26634 Five decades of war and upheaval in South Sudan has had an inevitable impact on education: almost three-quarters of adults in the world’s newest country are unable to read or write. Since South Sudan seceded from the north in July 2011, the country has struggled to build an education system for its young and to educate the millions of adults who missed out on school during the war. A report says that 70 percent of children between six and 17 years old have never set foot inside a classroom, and that only one in 10 children complete primary school. AA Sun, 16 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26634 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26631 Journalists were covering the opening of a new office in Nyololo of a new political party `Chadema’. They tell us that Daud Mwangosi was in Nyololo together with several other journalists , in defiance of police orders against political activities during the census period. There was a heavy police presence in the village. Many photos were taken.Mangosi was badly beaten , and then shot dead with a tear gas canister at point blank range. Police have killed blatantly many protesters in recent years in an apparent attempt to intimidate parties in opposition to the ruling CCM. JK Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26631 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26630 Nigerian Catholic leaders call on the governments at various levels to use intelligence and expertise to prevent Boko Haram from continuing attacks mostly on Christians. Otherwise they fear that the country may be slpit between North and South. They call for ecumenical and inter-faith dialgue urgently. JK Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26630 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26626 Human Rights Watch says that the Somaliland authorities should immediately stop deporting Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers to Ethiopia. On August 31, 2012, dozens of Ethiopians, mostly women and children, were forcibly returned to Ethiopia in violation of international legal prohibitions against sending people to places where they might face persecution or threats to their lives. Large numbers flee Ethiopia to escape persecution every year. Refugees who are returned by force have frequently been detained by the authorities. AA Sun, 09 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26626 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26627 Countless babies in Guinea are not given their first breast milk for hours - however long it takes a designated family member to bring water that is used to rinse special Koranic verses inscribed on a wooden tablet. This symbolic liquid, the first thing many babies ingest, is just one example of a custom believed to protect children but that can instead jeopardize their health. The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend that an infant be breast-fed within one hour after birth and consume only breast-milk for the first six months. AA Sun, 09 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26627 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26628 Political battles have intensified in Guinea after the government thwarted an opposition rally to demand free parliamentary elections, raising fears that a return to stability and development after years of dictatorship and misrule could be in jeopardy. Guinea has also been plagued by ethnic conflict. AA Sun, 09 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26628 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26629 The United States government during the Bush administration tortured opponents of Muammar Gaddafi, then transferred them to mistreatment in Libya, according to accounts by former detainees and recently uncovered CIA and UK Secret Service documents. Not only did the US deliver Gaddafi his enemies on a silver platter but it seems the CIA tortured many of them first. The scope of Bush administration abuse appears far broader than previously acknowledged and underscores the importance of opening up a full-scale inquiry into what happened. M.M Sun, 09 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26629 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26625 Kept in solitary confinement for demanding antiretroviral drugs while in police custody, an activist is suing authorities in Zimbabwe. This will be a test case for all people living with HIV whose rights are daily trampled. M. Makoni. Sat, 08 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26625 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26623 "MPLA spent more than US$75 million on its campaign receiving 72% of the votes...The opposition, which took around a quarter of the votes on 31 August, is convinced fraud is the real reason for the ruling party’s success...they claim the MPLA stuffed ballot boxes and wielded undue influence with the CNE, National Electoral Commission, AC Vol 53 No 17). ..UNITA staged a mass rally in Luanda, drawing an estimated 5,000 people to call for free and fair elections...Staff from local diplomatic missions were thwarted in their attempts to observe the polls. USA, AU, SADC, and ECOWAS approved to elections.It remains to be seen whether, as predicted, dos Santos will hand over responsibilities – and ultimately the presidency – to his new deputy, Manuel Vicente, former head of the state oil giant Sonangol and heir apparent." JK Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26623 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26624 10 years after the end of the 26 year Angolan civil war, the realities of work for Angolan ’jornalista’s are worse if anything. They are harassed by police, by court cases, by jail time. Some give up, others go into self-censureship mode. 2 who remain committed to expose the repression and the corruption of the regime are William Tonet (Folha 8) and Rafael Marques de Morais (Maka Angola). Perhaps their persistent courage will spark younger people to join their media resistance. JK Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26624 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26618 Simba Makoni has wealth of knowledge about the crisis in Zimbabwe but somehow he misses cracking the conundrum. M.Makoni Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26618 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26619 Research and development of diseases mostly prevalent to Africa could greatly benefit if more initiatives take place on the continent. The first ever clinical drug researched on African soil as part of a modern pharmaceutical industry drug discovery programme shows promising results and could lead to single-dose cure for all strains of malaria. This is a wonderful boost. M.Makoni Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26619 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26620 The Global Fund has alleviated the shock of round 11 funding cancellation by Transitional Funding Mechanism. Howver, not all needy countries will benefit. M. Makoni. Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26620 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26621 A clear and uncompromising prophetic message from Ruben Phillip, Sr. Anglican Bishop, a veteran of the liberation struggle; original member of SASO and the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM); (3 years under house arrest for that). He accuses the ANC and government leadership of uncontrollable greed, and failure to address the poor delivery of education, health, and social services. He calls on civil society and the churches to put pressure on government and parliament to address the powder keg, the imbalance in the economy. JK. Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26621 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26615 The results show MPLA 72%, UNITA 19%. The AU and SADC observer teams gave it the OK. But opposition parties claim errors and abuse in the registering of voters (many could not find names on roll) or the recording and transmission of the results.) They may make legal objections (they have 48 hours). JK Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26615 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26616 Tutu points out that only Africans have been tried yet in the ICC, and proposes that Blair and Bush should be tried there because of lying about Weapons of Mass Destruction, acting like immoral playground bullies, and killing so many Iraqi’s. Blair replied listing all the ills that Saddam Husein had done. JK Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=26616