I wanted to update my previous post about the attack on press freedom in Kenya of March 2, 2006. According to the East African Standard and other news organizations thousands of ordinary citizens, journalists and media professionals, business leaders and political figures carried out peaceful protests all across Kenya yesterday. Below are links to the latest reports from The Standard Online, the newspaper at the center of the Kenyan “Shake the Snake” police raids.
I would also like to congratulate the people of Kenya who participated in the protests for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner and not giving the cordons of riot police and security forces any excuse to exercise violence against the public in the name of “national security”. Instead, the police had a front row seat to watch democracy and free speech in action on the streets of Nairobi.
Here are excerpts from press articles about the raids and protests and The Standard Online’s 11-page special feature for International Women’s Day 2006:
The Standard (March 8, 2006):
In Media’s Name
Thousands of Kenyans took to the streets of Nairobi and four major towns yesterday in an emotive defence of Press freedom following the shocking raid of Standard Group’s premises by hooded police commandos.
Led by Orange Democratic Movement leaders, they spilled into the streets of Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu and Nakuru, to demand the resignation of Security minister John Michuki and his Information and Communications counterpart, Mutahi Kagwe.
In one of the country’s most peaceful and incident-free public demonstrations, the leaders, who included former ministers Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka, set the pace for the public protest, walking in the first column with hands locked in a show of solidarity. The leaders demanded that President Kibaki immediately issue a statement on the raid on the Standard and KTN.
The Standard: The horrific attack that is still fresh in Kenyans’ minds
If you want to humble an empire, it makes sense to maim its cathedrals. They are the symbols of faith and when they crumble and burn, it tells us that we are not so powerful and we cannot be safe.
Nancy Gibbs, Time Magazine 2001.
The blue towering building on Kenyatta Avenue at the City Centre and the squat one that houses The Standard Group printing press on Likoni Road in Nairobi’s Industrial Area are the sanctuaries of news that our enemies imagine define us.
And when a squad of hooded police officers attacked the buildings in the wee hours of last Wednesday morning, the aim was to cow us and shake our faith as writers — to remind us that "we are after all not so powerful".
The Standard’s International Women’s Day 2006 Special Feature
Women at the Top
(Caution! This is a 28 MB PDF file mega-download, and worth it.)
Google News search: Kenyan press raids
BBC News Online (March 8, 2006):
Kenyans protest at media raids
Washington Post (March 3, 2006)
Kenya official defends raid on media group
Technorati Tags:Africa Kenya Press Freedom Politics women leaders
BREAKING NEWS @ BBC News Online
Masked gunmen armed with AK-47 assault rifles and unmarked police vans raided and ransacked Kenya’s largest independent daily newspaper offices and the Kenya Television Network (KTN) offices late last night. Employees of the East African Standard newspaper and the TV network KTN were mugged, beaten, arrested, and taken in for questioning by what appears to be Kenyan police or national security agents and then later released. No one was safe including innocent bystanders looking on in horror from the street like Kenyan independent journalist Argwings Odera. Here is further in-depth reporting on the assault direct from the front page of the East African Standard Online website:
State Owns Up to Raids – Mar. 02, 2006
Assault an attack on media freedom by Standard Media Group’s CEO Tom Mshindi – Mar. 02, 2006
Kenya’s Internal Security Minister, John (the Black Mamba) Michuki has admitted that the “Government” organized and authorized the simoultaneous raids on the Standard Media Group's offices and printing plant. Michuki stated to a covey of local and international journalists attending a Kenyan State event, “When you rattle a snake you must be ready to be bitten“ before being hurriedly ushered away by his personal bodyguards. The Kenyan President and several ministers attending the event had no comment or pleaded complete ignorance of the police raids.
I’ve been looking at cultural symbols and flags online from Kenya and I can’t seem to find anything with a “Snake” on it, so what snake is Michuki talking about, the “Don’t Tread on Me” viper flown in 1775 by the Continental Fleet?
This is the latest incident on the Road to Perdition for the beleaguered Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, a government that has been suffering from one scandal after another over the past few months. If President Kibaki stops and reigns in the thugs and Gestapo-style police forces now before it is too late then perhaps he won’t end up like so many of his political colleagues and predecessors across the African continent. Disgraced.
A “Jewels in the Jungle” Blogosphere Exclusive!(Almost) LIVE video coverage of the raid at the Standard’s offices and plant by Ruud Elmendorp, Nairobi-based Dutch independent video journalist.
VideoJournalist Website – Kenyan newspaper and TV station shutdown (the raid)
Ruud's Blog – Kenya Television Network resumed (press conference by Standard Media Group's CEO and Executive Board)
Also checkout Ruud’s other reports about Kenya i.e. Kenya Athletes and the Kenya Drought Crisis and don’t miss his latest coverage of the Uganda Elections. Ruud Elmendorp is also a featured news reporter for the New York-based Videoblogger supersite Rocketboom (ref: Wednesday March 1st Rocketboom frontpage feature on Uganda).
Note: Broadband Internet connection is advised to view Ruud’s online video reports. Rocketboom video news requires Quicktime 7.0 and loads of bandwidth.
Kenyan Bloggers ReactionMshairi – Press Freedom, An Open Letter to Kibaki (Mar. 02, 2006)
Kenyan Pundit - Githongo featured in Time Magazine (Mar. 02, 2006)
African Bullets and Honey – nothing yet, sleeping (Mar. 02, 2006)Mentalacrobatics – Raid on EA Standard (Mar. 02, 2006)Mentalacrobatics - Press Harrassement Kibaki Style (Mar. 01, 2006)
Kenya Unlimited Webring – Voices (see blog links on the LH side) Other news coverage and resource material:
Washinton Post – Gunmen shutdown Kenyan newspaper, TV station (Mar. 02, 2006)
Kenya.org – The Kenya Media Industry (last updated 2002)
The Committee to Protect Journalists Africa Region 2006
Kenya alerts and summaries 2005
Museveni wins. The people of Uganda will have to wait 'til the cows come home for real democracy and political freedom to take hold, yet again.Personally I find the fact that Museveni has won a third term as President of Uganda an affront on the struggles for true democracy all across Africa and around the world. That the Ugandan Parliament changed the country’s consititution to allow Museveni to remain in power speaks volumes about the real intentions of this leader and his political party, the National Resistance Movement. What is the NRM Party resisting, Democracy? At least the opposition party led by Dr. Kizza Besigye uses the word democratic in their name (Forum for Democratic Change). Note: this statement is not a political endorsement for Dr. Besigye and the FDC, so just relax and read on.
I remember back in 2003 when I had my first opportunity to discuss Ugandan politics and African regional issues with one of my few friends from Uganda who I will call Mr. Busoga to protect his real identity. Mr. Busoga is an intelligent, engaged member of the community in Jinja, Uganda’s second largest city, located at the source of the White Nile River on Lake Victoria* about 80 Km from the capital of the country, Kampala. He is a Christian minister who has experience working with local and international NGO’s in Uganda and Rwanda, and he is a longtime member of the National Resistance Movement (the NRM). During our first meeting here in Germany we became involved in a lively discussion over politics and I can remember saying to him and his colleagues:
“Yoweri Museveni should not consider running again for President of Uganda but should instead prepare to step down and turn over the reigns of power to a younger candidate democratically elected by the people of Uganda. President Museveni should go back to farming and taking care of his cows.”
The look on my friend’s face was first shock, then bewilderment, and then anger. It was like he was saying to himself, “Who are you to be telling me about my president when YOUR president is invading Iraq and killing innocent women and children!!” Ugandans generally being a very polite people and loathe to seek a fight with total strangers (especially from Europe or America), Mr. Busoga offered no verbal rebuttal to my statement at the time. He did say to his colleagues afterwards when I had left that I was definitely an agent working for the CIA. Ridiculous! The UK’s MI-6 would have been a better guess if their food wasn’t so bad and the assignments so lousy and they weren't so damn British.
Nonetheless Mr. Busoga and I had several communications about the politics of Uganda and the cross-border crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the crisis in northern Uganda over a period of several months after his return to Uganda. I was able to learn more about how Mr. Busoga felt about a variety of national and global issues. A good friendship was started as a result of our meetings and communications and I am very pleased to have him as a friend today. Haven’t heard from him in awhile though. Could it have been something I said?
Anyway, back to Yoweri Museveni and the 2006 presidential and parliamentary elections in Uganda. When Yoweri Museveni came to power in 1986 after a series of bloody guerilla wars (using lots of child soldiers) resulting in the toppling of the infamous psychopath Idi Amin, followed by another dictator Milton Obote and the brief (6 month) rule of Tito Okello, Yoweri Museveni declared in his very own words to the whole world:
"The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but leaders who want to overstay in power."
In a recent interview on the CNN Inside Africa program President Yoweri Museveni was confronted with that very issue by CNN Africa correspondent Jeff Koinange. Museveni had the same look on his face that I saw on my friend’s face 3 years prior: shock, bewilderment, & anger. Except in this case it was Museveni putting on his trademark “act of defiance” face for international TV audiences and the few people in Uganda who can afford CNNI TV programming via cable or satellite reception. I couldn’t help but thinking to myself while viewing the program what kind of look would Museveni have on his face if key international donor countries decided to turn-off the money tap to his corrupt regime. Fat chance of that happening according to this February 26th Op-Ed article from Reuters: “Analysis: Uganda’s Museveni keeps his cows waiting” and I quote:
Museveni's win leaves Western donors in a dilemma. Unhappy that the constitution was changed to allow him to run for a third term, they were further infuriated by the brief detention of Besigye prior to the election on rape and treason charges, which then hampered his campaign. Some, including Britain, the main donor and former colonial power, cut aid. Now, however, they must continue dealing with Museveni, knowing further aid suspensions will only hurt Uganda's 27 million people, many of whom live in extreme poverty.
"The reaction of Western governments will generally be one of resignation," said British analyst Tom Cargill. "Although no one will be particularly excited about it, most Western countries have accepted Museveni is here to stay, and they are not so unhappy given that stability is a major concern for many donors."
To make matters worse, Ugandan first lady Janet Museveni has won an important seat in Parliament, making sure that power remains firmly “in the family” just in case something happens to hubby Yoweri. Mrs. Museveni’s candidacy was a bonafide case of “divine intervention” according to reports. Divine rule. Now where have we heard that concept before?
So, that’s it for this week’s report on The Long Road to Democracy in Africa. Tune in again next week when we report on the fast-breaking news story“Picking up cowpies (aka BS) along the Road to Freedom”. In the meantime please take time to read the excellent blog posts, articles, and online multimedia presentations about Museveni’s Uganda assembled from some of the best in the online news and publishing business today. Ya’ll come back now, you here?MSM online news articles and op-eds:
Google News search: Uganda Museveni elections
Yahoo! News – CNN Video reports from Africa Correspondent Jeff Koinange
Uganda President fights for re-election (Feb. 22, 2006)
Afraid of the dark - plight of children in northern Uganda (Feb. 25, 2006)
Interview with opposition candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye (Feb. 22, 2006)
IRIN News:
Voting underway in presidential and parliamentary polls (Feb. 23, 2006)
Hunting for political support in neglected North (Feb. 15, 2006)
Profile on President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Feb. 15, 2006)
Profile on main opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye (Feb. 15, 2006)
Reuters AlertNet:
Analysis: Uganda’s Museveni keeps his cows waiting (Feb. 26, 2006)
Uganda votes in first multi-party poll in 25 years (Feb 23, 2006)
Uganda’s Museveni banks on support from ex-war zone (Feb 20, 2006)
Crisis Profile: What’s going on in Northern Uganda? (Jun 07, 2005)
Factbox: key facts on Uganda (Feb 22, 2006)
BBC News Online
Uganda’s Museveni wins elections – Feb. 25, 2006
The L.A. Times
Uganda’s Lurking Tyrant – Feb. 23, 2006
Stopping Uganda’s War on Children – Feb. 24, 2006
The East African Online Feb. 20-26, 2006 edition
Whoever wins, don’t you dare let Ugandans down… by Joachim Buwembo
The Monitor Online (Ugandan independent newspaper)
Your day to choose (Feb 23, 2006)
Inside Politics - Besigye vs Museveni Part I (can’t find it!?)
Inside Politics - Besigye vs Museveni Part II (Feb 22, 2006)
Multiparty or Military State by Andrew M. Mwenda (Feb 22, 2006)
PINR – The Power & Interest News Report
PINR Museveni on the ropes, instability ahead - Jan. 04, 2006
PINR Uganda’s upcoming presidential elections - Jul. 22, 2005
The Washington PostMuseveni warns on foregin meddlers - Feb 21, 2006Ugandans put "Big Man" politics to vote - Feb 22, 2006
Wired News article on 2001 Presidential elections
Ploy intimidates Ugandan voters? – Feb. 28, 2001
AfricaNews
Uganda’s Museveni wins flawed poll – Mar. 20, 2001
Top Bloggers coverage of the Ugandan elections and more:
Kenyan Pundit - Feb 22, 2006
Commentary on the Ugandan elections( w/ full text from speech given by Professor Dr. Joe Oloka-Onyango. Dr Oloka-Onyango is a professor of law and the Director, Makerere University Human Rights and Peace Centre. His paper 'The socio-political context of the 2006 elections' was presented at the East African Law Society Symposium on Elections Law, Conduct and Dispute Resolution in Kampala on February 20, 2006.)
My Heart’s in Accra by Ethan Zuckerman
The Pitch is “not level” – Feb. 21, 2006
What to watch in the Ugandan election – Jan 09, 2006
The Head Heeb – Feb. 23, 2006
Decision in Uganda – Feb. 23, 2006
On the nature of occupation: the Congo Judgment considered – Dec. 19, 2005
Yebo Gogo – Feb. 23, 2006
Ugandan Elections
Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone for Yahoo! News
Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone - Uganda October 2005
Reflections from the Hot Zone - Uganda Justice, Grace and Defiance: What I learned from a 15-year old pregnant Ugandan girl.
Independent journalist Ruud Elmendorp’s blog Africa VideoreporterRuud’s video reports gallery (Note: Jimmy of Uganda is my favorite)
Ruud’s Uganda country page
P. Scott Cummins (The Urbane R):
More warnings of civil war for Uganda Note: (corrected PINR report links below)
PINR Museveni on the ropes, instability ahead
PINR Uganda’s upcoming presidential electionsBlake Lambert asks the big question about Uganda
(Christian Science Monitors’s Notebook Africa) What kind of democracy is this? - Jan. 04, 2006
Note: P. Scott Cummins has been hammering away at Museveni for ages. See his archives for lots more news and “Urbane R” analysis.
Other Online Resources:“Who Killed Democracy in Africa?” - by Dr. Ali A. Mazrui, ICGS Director @ Binghamton State University of New YorkTechnorati:Global Voices Africa Uganda Politics Democracy elections Museveni
As a follow-up to my earlier posting on the death of Coretta Scott King I would like to open with some words from this great woman. Apparently a number of people out there raising Hell around the world today via violent protests just didn’t get her message so I will repeat it here:
“We must make our hearts instruments of Peace and Non-Violence because when the heart is right, the mind and the body will follow.”
The second thing that I would like to do is to correct my earlier statement about where Coretta Scott King died. It is now known that Mrs. King died in a small, private alternative health and rehabilitation center located in Rosarito Beach, Mexico just south of San Diego, California. The hospital has since been closed pending an investigation by Mexican government health authorities. Apparently my January 31st news source (the mainstream press) got it wrong by associating the Hospital Santa Monica with Santa Monica, California. There may be a mildly brewing controversy over the Mexican hospital’s practices according to an article in the New York Times “Clinic where Coretta King died attracts the desperate” and this article at the United States - Mexico Border Health Commission website and this article about Dr. Kurt Donsbach at QuackWatch.org.
As I was explaining (teaching) to some of my eager young West African friends from Togo and Gabon and Liberia this afternoon during a conversation about the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his beautiful wife Coretta Scott King, their struggles, actions, and words of wisdom were for ALL people who seek justice and freedom from oppression, not only for black Americans and for other minorities that live in the United States of America. ALL People! Black White Green Brown Blue and Yellow … and Red too! Everybody. My how we will miss you, Mrs. Coretta Scott King.
I’d like to leave you with these beautiful words from the young and talented Atlanta, Georgia poet Aria Nicole, who had the opportunity to meet Mrs. King in person and visit some of the landmarks associated with the MLK Legacy: (Note: our thanks to Sue MacDonald at Blogpulse Newswire for the hot tip!)
“Soon one morning when this life is over I’ll fly away”
This song always reminds me of my grandmother. It was one of her fovorite songs and also one that she personnally requested to be sang at her funeral. Today this song has been heavy on my mind. I have been very heavy hearted all day today over the news that Mrs. Coretta Scott King passed away. My heart and spirit are always heavy when we, especially those of us in the black community lose such iconic figurers. But today, I feel it truly is the end of an era. The King legacy is now forever changed. Mrs. Coretta Scott King is the one and only person from the civil rights movement that I was ever fortunate enough to meet and share her space. Even if it was for just a little while. …” (Read more)
Views and eulogies from American bloggers:
Shay of Booker Rising blog (multiple postings):
Something else should have been buried yesterdayMrs. King’s Funeral – Kneegrows, Bush, and Black PeopleQuotes from King FuneralCorretta Scott Kings dies at 78The Death of a Queen
Cliopatria blog at History News Network (George Mason University)
Speaking Truth to Power by Ralph E. Luker
Farewell to Two Feminists by Ralph E. Luker
Coretta Scott King was more than just Dr. King’s wife by Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Note: also see History News Network search for Coretta Scott King
Atlanta author and poet Aria Nicole “The End of an Era”
Blogpulse Newswire “Condolences for Coretta Scott King”
Views and eulogies from African bloggers:
Letter from Lidia: No One Will Fill Her ShoesMshairi: Two WomenChippla’s Weblog: Coretta Scott KingEthnic Loft: Relatives of Yesterday – Celebrating Black History Month
Articles from the African Press (via AllAfrica.com)
Zambia (The Post): Mama Coretta KingNamibia (New Era): Nujoma, Pohamba pay homage to late KingArticles and features from the American Press and Media:
PBS Online News Hour (video): Farewell to Coretta Scott KingThe Washington Post: A Full Partner in the Dream
Coretta Scott King’s Legacy Celebrated in Final Farewell
Additional online resources:
Google News search: Coretta Scott KingTechnorati blog search: Coretta Scott KingIntelliseek’s Blogpulse search: Coretta Scott KingBlogger (Google) blog search: Coretta Scott KingStanford University:The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education InstituteWikipedia: Coretta Scott KingTechnorati Tags: American History America African-American Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights News Global Voices
Mrs. Coretta Scott King, wife and widow of the slain American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., has died.
Mrs. King had suffered a stroke and heart attack in August 2005 and according to news reports she passed away peacefully in her sleep late on Monday night at a California medical center where she was undergoing therapy for her stroke. Like the late Rosa Parks who died in October 2005, Coretta Scott King was an important icon of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement from the 1950’s–1980’s. Both women were deeply committed to non-violent action for civil rights and equality for all Americans. Both of these great women have left their mark on the conscience and history of our nation.
The New York Times article by Peter Applebome (January 31st) gives an excellent background on her life and an amusing anecdote about the courtship between the ambitious young Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and the intelligent, beautiful and self-confident Coretta Scott during her university days at the New England Conservatory of Music in the early 1950’s.
Her first encounter with the man who would become her husband did not begin auspiciously. Dr. King, very much in the market for a wife, called her after getting her name from a friend and announced: "You know every Napoleon has his Waterloo," he said. "I'm like Napoleon. I'm at my Waterloo, and I'm on my knees."
"That's absurd," Ms. Scott, two years his elder, replied. "You don't even know me."
Still, she agreed to meet for lunch the next day, only to be put off initially that he wasn't taller. But she was impressed by his erudition and confidence and he saw in this refined, intelligent woman what he was looking for as the wife of a preacher from one of Atlanta's most prominent ministerial families. When he proposed, she deliberated for six months before finally saying "yes" and they were married in the garden of her parents' house on June 18, 1953. The 350 guests, elegant big-city folks from Atlanta and rural neighbors from Alabama, made it the biggest wedding, white or black, the area had ever seen.
And even before the wedding she made it clear she intended to remain her own woman. She stunned Dr. King's father, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr., who presided over the wedding, by demanding that she wanted the promise to obey her husband removed from the wedding vows. Reluctantly, he went along. After it was over, the bridegroom fell asleep in the car back to Atlanta while the new Mrs. King did the driving.
There are a number of eulogies and information available online about the life and times of Coretta Scott King to help those of you who are unfamiliar with her and those of us who may have forgotten. I have listed some of those resources below. I do want to leave you with some words by Coretta Scott King delivered during the August 2003 Recalling MLK Dream speech commemorating the 40th anniversary of the famous 1963 March on Washington. Her words are most appropriate for everyone the world over in these troubled times that we live in today:
“We must make our hearts instruments of Peace and non-violence because when the heart is right, the mind and the body will follow.”
Coretta Scott King @ The Lincoln Memorial - August 28, 2003
Go with God in Peace and we thank you for your wise guidance and great love for all these years, Mrs. Coretta Scott King. Amen.
Online resources about the life of Coretta Scott King:
Google News Search: Coretta Scott King
New York Times (January 31, 2006)
Coretta Scott King, 78, Widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dies
NPR (National Public Radio) RemembrancesCoretta Scott King dies at 78 (audio features)NPR: The March on Washington 40-Year CommemorativeWGBH: 1963 March on Washington (original audio archives)PBS Online News Hour: Remembering the March 40th AnniversaryCBS News Recalling MLK’s Dream Speech (with video)
Stanford University
The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute
Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia)
Coretta Scott KingTechnorati Tags: American History America African-American Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights News
Update January 17th:I've added a few new links to news articles (Germany's Der Spiegel) and to the full text of the Inaugural Address given by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia at Monrovia yesterday. If you read nothing else in this post, please read the moving and powerful words delivered by Liberia's new leader to her anxious people and to the people of the world.************************************************************January 16, 2005:As of approximately 13:25 CET today history was made in Liberia and in the world. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was sworn-in as the 26th President of the Republic of Liberia, Africa received its first elected female head of state, and the leading democracies of the world welcomed a competent and determined West African leader who has their full support in helping to rebuild her war-torn country and bring peace to a region troubled by brutal conflict and corruption for decades. Madame President Johnson-Sirleaf pledged in her acceptance speech to work hard to unite Liberians stating, “Let us begin anew, moving forward into a future that is filled with hope and promise.” (CNN) She also promised to “wage war against corruption regardless where it exists or by whom it is practiced”. This of course is an issuing of walking papers for a number of politicians and their business cronies operating in Liberia today.
The inauguration ceremony was broadcast live on CNN and BBC albeit by videophone due to the lack of electricity and communications infrastructure in the capital Monrovia. I can’t wait to see the various videotape reports later today. International news agencies from across the globe have been following the preparations leading up to Liberia’s presidential inauguration for weeks and CNN’s Feme Oke and Jeff Koinange featured a Focus on Liberia special on the Inside Africa program this past weekend.
There has been so much said and written about President Johnson-Sirleaf and the Liberian presidential campaign and elections over the past several months it is difficult for me to add anything new here. As I took time to watch the inaugural ceremony TV news footage this afternoon I was deeply moved to be able to witness this historical event in my lifetime, and I kept saying to myself “God Bless her, God Bless her and the people of Liberia”. It was also not lost on me that January 15th is our (U.S.A.) national holiday for remembrance of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. According to the Reverend Samuel Sumo Payne, a Liberian immigrant to the United States who will be participating in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration activities this year in Ohio, Dr. King’s impact on social justice and civil rights reverberated far beyond the shores of the United States. Here is an excerpt from the Toledo Blade news article on Rev. Payne:
Mr. Payne was in junior high school when he spotted a book in his father’s office with a photo of Dr. King on the front. He said he asked his father, a Lutheran bishop, about the “gentleman on the cover” and was told that it was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil rights leader in America.“It was just a casual conversation, but I started asking what a civil rights leader is. My Dad said he stood for unity and peace and that Dr. King was in some ways a bridge builder,” Mr. Payne recalled. “He said he wanted to help eliminate social injustice and to bring equality to everyone.”
“Dr. King’s stand for social justice and equality for all people in America, regardless of their race, had a tremendous impact on me,” he said. “For me, to come to this country and not be judged, being an African and being black in America, and being looked at for what I can do, I see that as the evidence of his impact.”
Like Dr. King, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is determined to do what she can to heal a nation and move forward, to build bridges between former combatants and the victims of brutal conflict and injustice and inequality. It’s a tall order for anyone to try to fill, but in my soul I believe that this lady has what it takes to get the job done. It is up to the rest of us around the world to make sure that our respective national political and business leaders provide the support that Liberia so desperately needs. So that Africa’s first democratically elected female head-of-state, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and the new start for the people of Liberia, goes down in the history books as an important turning point for West Africa and a beacon of hope for people everywhere.
I and other bloggers and journalists will write more (much more) about Madame President Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia this year and throughout her term in office. I am certain that many of us around the globe wish her great success in her new job and her new leadership role in Africa.
***************************************************************
News References re: Liberia and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for January 2006:
Google News search: Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, LiberiaallAfrica.com - Monrovia January 17, 2005Full text of the Inaugural Address by President Ellen Johnson-SirleafReuters AlertNet January 16, 2006
U.S. signals backing as Liberia leader takes officeReuters AlertNet January 13, 2006
Taylor ex-son-in-law elected Liberia House SpeakerGermany's Der Spiegel (Intl. Edition) January 17, 2005Liberia and Chile Elect Female LeadersMSNBC Today Show interview w/ Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
“All men have failed… let’s try a woman.”Technorati: Africa Liberia Politics Current Affairs News Global Voices
Recently Chinese financial investments in African countries has been making headlines in the MSM and in the Blogosphere. The Washington Post ran a story yesterday on the announcement by CNOOC Ltd., a Chinese state-owned energy company, of its USD$ 2.3 billion deal with the Republic of Nigeria for access to a large offshore oil and gas reserve. Nigerian blogger Orikinla Osinachi of the Nigerian Times blog was one of the first to pickup the WAPO article.Following is my comment to Orikinla's post CNOOC: It's a good deal"I found your post today while researching information about Chinese government and private sector investments in Africa. The link to your blog was directly from The Washington Post news article titled "CNOOC Announces $2.3 Billion Nigeria Investment". Although increased direct foreign investment in the Nigerian economy is a good thing generally, I'm not so certain that CNOOC, a Chinese state-owned and controlled energy company, is the kind of business partner the people of Nigeria would want. For example, the fact that China's military, economic, and diplomatic support of the murderous Khartoum regime in Sudan is directly linked to Sudan's oil reserves and exports to China would probably not sit well with a majority of the Nigerian people, would it?
In other words, the genocide and ethnic cleansing we see taking place in Darfur and parts of southern Sudan today can be directly linked to China. The Chinese government and so-called Chinese private investors supply the regime of Omar al-Bashir with weapons (helicopter gunships and aircraft, heavy-duty automatic weapons, landmines, mortars and rockets, etc.), the Chinese military personell needed to train the Sudanese military and police how to use them, and loads of money in the form of revenues from oil exports and generous Chinese bank loans. The various peoples of the Sudan don't see any benefits or at best little from the money earned by oil exports to China and elsewhere by the way.
While you are busy thanking God for this announced CNOOC deal in Nigeria, be sure to ask Him what he thinks about China's complicity in the genocide taking place in Darfur and the rape of the Sudan."
Chippla Vandu of Chippla's Weblog - Thoughts on Issues has a very appropriate and timely post on perceived oil wealth in Nigeria titled Poverty Beyond Corruption. Chippla brought the subject of China's newfound love affair with African business and political leaders to his readers attention in his April 2005 post titled The Future of Africa is Not China re: the Asian-African Summit 2005. Here is the link to the Xinhua News Agency article "Asia Africa on way to new strategic partnership" which preceded the historic Golden Jubilee of the first Asian-African Summit at Bandung in 1955. Yale University's Yale Global Online published a good op-ed piece from the Jakarta Post on April 6, 2005 by Joself Purnama Widyatmadja titled "The Spirit of Bandung".I must say that this post is just an opening salvo from this blogger on China's strategic interests for Africa, inspired by Ethan Zuckerman's excellent post and question of January 8th: "Chinese trade with Africa - good or bad news?". Of course with the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2006 at Davos, Switzerland coming in just a few weeks economics and development issues are at the forefront of many people's minds. The theme of this year's annual meeting is The Creative Imperative and you can read more about the organization at the WEF official website. The countries and economies of China and India will be a major focus at this year's event.What do you, my readers, think?Is China's renewed interest and financial investments in Africa a good thing for the people of the continent or not? Do you have some examples of how it is working well and if so, where?Technorati: Africa Asia Nigeria China Sudan
Business Economic Development Energy Davos
HEADS UP!
The World Economic Forum 2006 Annual Meeting at Davos, Switzerland has annouced a major blogging and podcasting effort for this year's event. Tired of the various presidents and business leaders of the world neither answering your emails nor reading your blog? Then this is your big chance to listen to, be heard, and communicate with them face-to-face (sort of).According to a WEF Press Release of January 2nd, ALL of the more than 2000 participants from countries around the world, including presidents and prime ministers, will be asked to contribute at least 1 post to the Forumblog. Boy, I'd hate to see those comment threads. So if you've got a gripe or a special request or just want to tell the Prez or Prime Minister what a great job he/she is doing, this is the place to be from January 25th-29th, 2006. Get in touch with your respective political and business leaders early to make sure that they pony up for the WEF 2006 Forumblog. Tell them to speak up loud and clear, the world's bloggers will be listening (and writing about it).Hat tip to the World Bank's PSD blog for bringing our attention to this story and to Steve Rubel of Micro Persuasion for being one of the first to break this news in the Blogosphere. Be sure to wear a nice, warm hat and ear muffs Steve while down in Davos. It's freezing over here and snowing non-stop down South in the Alps. Skiing and hotels are good. Prices are outrageous.Technorati: Davos Development Economics Poverty Economics Blogging Podcasting
Nah? Are we still nursing that throbbing headache after a bit too much cheer at the New Years Eve party? Here is something that will get you back into shape Zak Zak.Ethan Zuckerman of Global Voices Online and the ...My Heart's in Accra blog has come up with a great end of the year 2005 Africa Quiz. For some great fun and to see how much you have learned about Africa from reading blogs, online news articles, and other media sources go over to EZ's place and take the test.Jewels in the Jungle was asked to submit one question for the quiz so AFTER you have completed the test please click on this link to learn more about our Africa 2005 News Item entry. If my guess is right 8 out of 10 people have answered this question wrong on the quiz so far.
Don’t cheat, take the quiz first! I know that it is tempting, but don't do it.
Then after you have aced that little mindteaser go over to the BBC News site for a run at their Africa News 2005 Quiz. I blew it on this quiz (only 4 out of 8 correct) but maybe you will do better. Happy New Year 2006 to all of my readers.
Technorati: Africa Global Voices Bloggers News
As the end of the year 2005 rapidly approaches I want to write about something today that has been on my mind for months. It is an act of Thanksgiving, not exactly the kind of *Thanksgiving we celebrate as a holiday back in my home country the United States of America, but another kind of thanksgiving.
I was thinking overnight about my post from yesterday re: the BBC News article by Andrew Heavens titled “African bloggers find their voice”. Andrew did a fair job of bringing attention via his article to African bloggers and international blog authors who write about Africa, but in reality it was just that, a fair job. It just skims the surface of an ocean like a seagull going after a small minnow, missing everything that is swimming down in the depths of the Africa Sector of the Blogosphere. Those waters are very deep (like an ocean), the currents (dynamics) are fast moving like a wild river, and the landscape is as breathtaking as that of the deep blue sea.
I personally cannot give enough praise to the skills, imagination, diversity, passion, information and entertainment value shown and shared by just the small fraction of Africa bloggers I have followed in 2005. As I told my friend Bill Ainashe some months ago at his blog, I am humbled by these beautiful minds.
I think it may have been said best by The Zimbabwean Pundit in the August 15, 2005 post “The State of the African Blogosphere”. Here is an excerpt from that great post from the very fine African blogger The Zimbabwean Pundit:
“The African blogosphere is a heterogeneous amalgam of blogs not only by Africans and people on the continent as much as it is comprised of blogs that write about the continent. There are many people around the world that write about Africa. This miracle of cyberspace—that it allows for cheap communication unfettered by geopolitical boundaries—has made it possible for the African odyssey to share center stage alongside the big issues in the west, thanks in part to Africa’s bloggers. The latest news from Africa is available to anyone in the world with access to the internet.
Like the continent itself, content from Africa’s bloggers is vast and varied; from personal to politics, sports to short stories, and poverty to development economics. This wealth of information in the African blogosphere is categorized in many different ways. Most blogs are grouped according to their country of concentration. Many times this is the blogger’s country of origin or residence, other times the writers are expatriates.
The hallmark of African bloggers is authenticity. African bloggers are retelling the African story from their authentic perspective with an avid passion for their countries and continent to boot. It is impossible to read the posts on any of the blogs in the African blogosphere and come away without a sense of the writer’s deep connection to the country and continent. “Ethan Zuckerman of Global Voices Online recently addressed misconceptions about Africa held by some journalists and other media professionals in his postings “And now, a rant from our listeners” and “Chris Tenove responds!”.
Therefore I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to not only the thousands of readers who have visited Jewels in the Jungle this year, but I would also like to say a special Thank You to the hundreds and hundreds of excellent citizen journalists who write about Africa in the Blogosphere. You are the real Heroes of Africa 2005 in my mind. I have learned so much about the people, places, and natural wonders of Africa from your work online this year.
I have been especially entertained and informed by the work of some very special people listed below who write regularly about Africa and African affairs. Like Andrew Heaven’s article, my list just skims the surface of a vast ocean of interesting blog authors who have emerged to write about Africa today.
Congo Crew & Co. (Democratic Republic of Congo)
007 in Africa by J. Bond (Canada, D.R.C.)
Breaking Hearts in the Heart of Darkness by Sahara Sarah (U.S.A., D.R.C.)
Tangawazi and Mundele by Lulu on the Bridge (Argentina, D.R.C.)
The Salon of News and Thought by The Malau (D.R.C., U.S.A.)
Exiled Soul by Carine (D.R.C., U.K.) (new blog, original blog is offline)
Telegraphe Congolais by Louis Ableman (U.S.A.)
Ethiopia
Ethiopundit by ethiopundit (Ethiopia, U.S.A.)
Meskel Square by Andrew Heavens (U.K., Ethiopia)
Kenya
Kenyan Pundit by Ory Okolloh (Kenya, U.S.A.)
Mshairi (The Poet) by Mshairi (Kenya, U.K.)
Kenya Unlimited (Kenyan blog community)
African Bullets & Honey by MMK and Akinyi Arunga (Kenya, U.K.)
Nigeria
Chippla’s Weblog by Chippla Vandu (Nigeria, The Netherlands)
Grandiose Parlor by Imnakoya (Nigeria, U.S.A.)
Black Looks by Sokari Ekine (Nigeria, Spain)
Timbuktu Chronicles, Africa Unchained by Emeka Okafor (Nigeria, U.S.A.)
Rwanda
On Safari with El Jorgito by George Conrad (U.S.A., Rwanda, Uganda)
Somalia and Somaliland
Inside Somaliland by Yvette Lopez (Phillipines, Somaliland)
Ainashe.net by Bill Ainashe (Somalia, U.S.A.)
Sudan
Sudan Watch by Ingrid Jones (England)
U.S.A.
…My Hearts in Accra by Ethan Zuckerman (U.S.A.)
Black Star Journal by Brian (U.S.A.)
The Head Heeb by Jonathan Edelstein (U.S.A.)
Booker Rising by Shay (U.S.A.)
*An aside:
Owukori, my blogger buddy over at Black Looks, likes to tease Americans about how much we like to “EAT-EAT-EAT” during our traditional holiday festivities Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Well honey, let me tell you. My European friends here in Germany are no better. I made the mistake of roasting a fresh Tom Turkey with a side of candied sweet potatoes for a dinner party we threw for friends this past November and you should of seen ‘em. Not only did our guests rave about the turkey with stuffing and the baked candied sweet potatoes (recipes from my dear grandmothers and Mom), some guests attacked me afterwards as I was trying to discard the turkey carcass to the trash bin, snatching the poor bird out of my hands so that they could pick at the little bits of meat that was left hanging on the bones. Heathens. Worst than any behavior I’ve ever seen at a feast or banquet back home. Right out of the Middle Ages these people. Professionals too, managers and lawyers!
Wishing a Very Happy Holidays 2005 to all of my readers and friends. Worldwide.Technorati: Africa News Blogging Christmas
Congratulations to Africa's bloggers and to those of us who (attempt to) write about Africa in the Blogosphere. I just love it when the MSM (mainstream media) gives good blog authors credit where credit is due. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. That is what it means to me...
Some of my favorite (favourite) blog authors are featured in this December 20th article by Andrew Heavens of BBC Focus Magazine including the formidable ethiopundit and Ethan Zuckerman of Global Voices Online and ...My Heart's in Accra. And when did they dressup the design of the BlogAfrica site? Their new design looks real slick, much better than the original layout. Does BlogAfrica accept ATOM feeds for blog post updates yet, Ethan?
The world's leading politicians, business leaders, and professional media companies are starting to listen up to the Blogosphere, and I would advise that they listen up good because "the little people" around the world are talking tough and from the heart. Millions of 'em. Voters and consumers. Oh my!
Are you listening Sir? Are you listening Ma'am? Great. Fantastic!Technorati: Africa Blogging Politics News
The 18th Annual World AIDS Day activities to raise awareness and action in the fight against HIV/AIDS around the world are in full swing today. According to the latest news and statistics on this global war against a devastating disease there is very little to be happy about. We are losing this war and we are losing badly. The theme of World AIDS Day 2005 is “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.” and when I think about how many “promises” the world community has not kept or broken over the past few years alone one could just throw in the towel and raise the white flag on stopping AIDS in poorer countries.
I was a bit more upbeat when I posted on the World AIDS Day 2004 because I naively thought that we were making some progress last year in the fight against AIDS. The only significant progress this year outside of some medical advances and "promises of financial aid" is that the disease is steadily progressing on the African and Asian continents. China, India, and Russia are bracing for an explosion in new HIV/AIDS infections and deaths in 2006. Here are some sobering numbers for the year 2005 from Reuters AlertNet on HIV/AIDS in Africa and Asia.
CNNI (CNN International) aired a special yesterday by veteran award-winning documentary filmmaker Sorious Samura titled “Living with AIDS”. This powerful video documentary will be airing worldwide on CNN Presents again today and through the weekend to Sunday, December 4th. Check your local TV listings to see when it airs in your neighborhood or visit the CNN Presents website. If you are interested in learning more about the AIDS epidemic in southern Africa don’t miss this important documentary. People in the U.K. may remember the June 27, 2005 airing of Living with AIDS on Channel 4 or may have read the review in the Guardian Observer on June 19th.
I must say that I am a very big fan of Sorious Samura and the Insight News TV production team and try to watch every documentary they produce ever since seeing Samura’s Cry Freetown years ago. Living with AIDS is the third in a special series preceded by Living with Hunger and Living with Refugees. The video was shot in Zambia and in his characteristic style Sorious Samura immerses himself and the audience into the story as he works as an orderly in a rural Zambian hospital treating gravely ill AIDS and tuberculosis patients.
Owukori of the Black Looks blog 1st broke this story in the Blogosphere back in June 2005 but was unable to view the U.K. premiere so I hope that she can view it out down in Spain this weekend. Owukori writes about many of the issues on sexuality and sexual abuse in Africa that Samura raises in this documentary so check her blog for in-depth viewpoints.
As with some of the earlier works by the Sierra Leone native Sorious Samura I came away from Living with AIDS so deeply upset, furious, angry, and frustrated that I could have leaped right through the screen of my TV set to grab the perpetrators of violence and other unspeakable crimes against innocent people by the neck and choke the living crap out of them. I always come away better informed about the issues confronting the people characterized in Samura’s excellent documentaries about Africa, that is, after I cool down.
Case in Point:
In Living with AIDS there are interviews with some young (and some older) Zambian men who are either HIV+ and/or suffering from AIDS and tuberculosis. One scene in particular that burns into my memory is of a young boy (calling him a young man would be an insult to any real men) who brags about his being infected with AIDS and yet he refuses to practice safe sex by wearing a condom. There are other scenes where young and middle-aged men boast of their (perceived) sexual prowess by having multiple sexual partners (mostly young girls) and complain vehemently to Sorious Samura that they like to have “The Real Thing” and “Flesh-to-Flesh” when they are having sex and therefore don't use (free) condoms. Who do these guys think they are? Coca-Cola? This is not only irresponsible and dangerous sexual behavior it is murder. And don’t come to me with that age-old African traditions and cultural taboos BS because I don’t buy it. People are dying like flies from AIDS down in Africa and in the face of certain death you will drop all taboos to stay alive.
To make matters worse there was yet another interview with very young sex workers (prostitutes) who shyly admitted to the filmmaker that they sometimes have unprotected sex with their customers because they earn more (about 50 cents more). These young girls were aware of the dangers of unprotected sex in rural Zambia, had access to free condoms and counseling, and had lost friends and family members to AIDS and related diseases. Yet they were willing to put their lives and their customer's lives on the line for a few extra coins. That is not a result of the pressures of severe poverty, that is just plain stupidity!
The last straw for me came toward the end when a “traveling blind preacher” was giving one of his open-air fire-and-brimstone sermons to a group of orphans (all children, about 100 of them) that had been placed under his watchful care and guidance. As the reverend was preaching to these poor, uneducated, helpless little children about the Bible and Jesus (that part was O.K.) through his Zambian sidekick (a translator, the preacher didn’t speak the local language) he decided he would cover the subject of the dangers of HIV/AIDS and sex with a phrase that went something like this:
“I don’t believe in condoms, I believe in Jesus, and that is all you need.”
This is the point when I lost all control and went ballistic, (feeling like) pulling out my .45 caliber Smith & Wesson and filling that hoodlum priest (the preacher) and his baboon friend full of lead, hoping that I wouldn’t hit any of those poor kids in the process. God forgive me.
Just about everybody I describe above appearing in this riveting documentary needs to be locked up by the Zambian police ASAP and then throw away the key. Then they should find the orphans a new home Pronto. No more blind preachers giving out sex education and HIV/AIDS counseling to minors in Zambia or anywhere else in southern Africa. And somebody needs to talk about AIDS in Africa with the new German Pope Benedict too, bring him up to speed on reality.
So for a more in-depth and cool-headed review of Sorious Samura’s new documentary on the AIDS epidemic in Zambia, please follow the links below:
CNN Presents: Living with AIDS November 30th – December 4th, 2005
Insight News TV: Living with AIDS
Guardian Observer (U.K.): Africa’s fatal sexual culture spreads AIDS
Moving right along:
I’ll write more about World AIDS Day 2005 tomorrow. I need to calm down right now after reflecting on some of the scenes in the documentary “Living with AIDS”.Technorati: AIDS World AIDS Day Africa Zambia journalism
