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One year ago at least 50 people were killed by military men inside a temple. On the first commemoration of the tragic event, relatives of the victims and congregants attended a ceremony. Pain and anger were palpable inside their new temple. About a hundred people were gathered on Friday (Aug. 30).
In May, Burundi held a presidential election which was won by Evariste Ndayishimiye, candidate of the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party.
Ndayishimiye was hurriedly sworn in after the untimely death of president Pierre Nkurunziza in June.
Rights violations continue
The Council encouraged donor countries which had suspended aid to Burundi to continue dialogue towards resumption of development assistance.
A report by a UN watchdog in September said human rights violations were still being committed in Burundi, including sexual violence and murder.
The country was plunged into a crisis in April 2015 when Ndayishimiye’s predecessor Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run for a controversial third term, which he ultimately won in July 2015.
His candidature, which was opposed by the opposition and civil society groups, resulted in a wave of protests, violence and even a failed coup in May 2015.
Hundreds of people were killed and over 300,000 fled to neighboring countries.
Calls for improved security to support Ebola response and end outbreak
World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today visited health workers affected by recent armed attacks on Ebola response staff that killed four outbreak responders and injured seven others in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Dr Tedros called for improved security in the region to protect health workers trying to contain Ebola.
\"I have also come here to recommit my steadfast support, and that of the World Health Organization, to the affected communities of this region and to the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to bring the Ebola outbreak under control.\"
Dr Tedros also met with National Ebola Coordinator Steve Ahuka and expressed solidarity with and support for the Government and people of the DRC, noting, \"We won't give up and we will finish the job.\"
\"Every time an attack like this happens, it disrupts efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak and puts the health and wellbeing of local men, women and children at greater risk.\"
While no amount of money will suffice in the loss of a loved one, the family of Floyd reached a record settlement with the city to the tune of $27 million.
[The Conversation Africa] Nigeria's migration policies are extensive on paper. Designed to address both emigration and immigration, they reflect the country's role as a migration hub in west Africa.
Influential Mali cleric Imam Mahmoud Dicko urged the military junta to comply with demands from West African leaders to name a civilian president and prime minister by September 15 to ease sanctions imposed after last month.
Two public officials were sentenced to three years at hard labour after being convicted of embezzling public funds in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, three days after the unprecedented conviction of top presidential aide Vital Kamerhe.
Their co-defendant Modeste Makabuza, head of the local construction company SOCOC, was sentenced to one year at hard labour by the Kinshasa-Gombe high court.
On Saturday, the court followed the prosecution's recommendation by sentencing Kamerhe, President Felix Tshisekedi's chief of staff, to 20 years at hard labour, also for embezzlement - a stunning ruling for a figure who was considered untouchable in Congolese political life.
Both trials concerned public funds for Tshisekedi's so-called \"100 days\" programme announced after his inauguration in January 2019.
His lawyers have appealed the verdict - and said hard labour is banned under the country's constitution - while Kamerhe, 61, has said the trial was a plot to prevent him from securing the presidency in the next election in 2023.
Twitter's suspension in Nigeria will end once the US social media giant submits to local licencing, registration and conditions, the government said, rejecting criticism the ban had stifled freedom of expression.
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon will deploy troops to assist getting Americans vaccinated against COVID-19, the White House said Friday. Coronavirus senior adviser Andy Slavitt announced that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has approved a request for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It means about 1,000 active duty military personnel will deploy to help state vaccination centers. President Joe Biden has called for setting up 100 mass vaccination centers around the country within a month. Two are opening in California, and Slavitt said military personnel will arrive at those centers in a little over […]
The post Pentagon will deploy troops to assist COVID-19 vaccine drive appeared first on Black News Channel.
By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Late-night TV show hosts expressed anger and frustration at the violence at the U.S. Capitol, offering somber monologues that pleaded for unity even as some aimed pointed barbs at those they held responsible for the mobs' actions. 'It was a terrible day in the history of this country,' said Jimmy Kimmel on his ABC show Wednesday. Over on CBS, Stephen Colbert called it 'a horrifying day that will go down in U.S. history, however much longer that is.' They were reacting to footage several hours earlier of a violent mob […]
The post Late-night hosts react with shock, anger to Capitol attack appeared first on Black News Channel.
Zimbabwe's investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was released from prison on Wednesday.
He was arrested six weeks ago for inciting public violence for tweeting his support for an anti-government protest.
He had reported on alleged COVID-19 procurement fraud- which led to the health minister being sacked and charged with corruption.
\"I was convinced that I was arrested for exposing corruption and the president's office ordered my arrest. When we go to trial we shall prove that,\" Chin’ono said.
He denounced the conditions in Chikuribi prison, saying that most prisoners don't have soap and water and that a cell meant for 16 people holds up to 45 prisoners.
He says his detention has made him all the more eager to continue his work.
\"I remain strong. In fact, it's amazing and I was talking to my friend here Jacob (Ngarivhume) some time that if these guys knew the mistake they made by taking us there, because we have seen things that we only used to hear about and we were not sure about, but now we know and we can write authoritatively about those things.\"
Opposition politician Jacob Ngarivhume, an organiser of the foiled protest, was arrested, charged and released at the same time as Chin'ono.
He has also been barred from posting on his Twitter account until his case is decided.
Rights groups say he was arrested for exposing corruption.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa was elected in 2018, but despite his promises to reinforce democracy Reporters Without Borders says the page is not turned on his predecessor Robert Mugabe.
The group says extremely harsh media laws are still in effect and, when new laws have been adopted, their provisions are just as draconian as those they replaced.
Zimbabwe ranks 126 in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index.
[East African] The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has deployed forces in Dunguop village of Abyei town after an attack on civilians left at least 11 people dead and seven others injured, according to the area deputy administrator.
[Premium Times] The civic space is the bedrock of any open and democratic society.
April 4, 2021 will register as the second Easter Sunday during the COVID-19 pandemic and – according to some area ministers – comes with Memphis and the nation languishing and sorely in need of a beacon of encouragement and hope. Easter Sunday, widely known as Resurrection Day, is anchored in the scriptural proclamation that Jesus […]
Context
The National Committee for the Salvation of the People (NCSP) junta coup leaders have decided, after three days of talks with the main opposition political entities and civil society groups, on a timeline for Mali's return to civilian rule. Moussa Camara, an NCSP official read the general agreement at a public address at the convention Saturday, \"The duration of the transition is set at 18 months from the date of the investiture of the transitional president.\"
Reactions
The Bamako Conference Centre sees Malians with mixed feelings at the adoption of the charter Saturday as it assures a basic commitment and visibility to a country in political unrest upon the ousting of Keita. One unnamed Malian who attended the convention has a practical outlook, \"It's difficult to be satisfied with such work because it's enormous, with all the emergencies that are in Mali, but it's time to accept this proposal and take charge of Mali.\"
This charter assigns a committee, formed by the junta, to appoint a civilian or military president to lead the 18-month set transition. Some believe the military is seizing power. Others focus on the security emergency.
Souleyman Coulibaly, another convention attendee and a representative of the business private sector shared his thoughts, \"You should also know that a member of the military in power is a bit of a double-edged sword, so if that profile is on board, it's a chance for us. But if we come across a soldier who thinks that he has the army in his pocket for his own power, it will be a really bad thing for us.\"
Bigo Ag Ahmoudène, a former member of a rebel armed group from North Mali, had a more resolute stance, \"For me, it is absolutely necessary (to include the participation of) the military in the transition given the security situation because military officials are the people on the frontlines.\"
Pacifying the country a priority, the transition should then enable profound political and institutional reforms.
The people of Mutaho, a village on the banks of the Virunga National Park in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, have been suffering from a lack of drinking water for decades.
Farmer Vunmi Mukeshimana: “We go to Kibati, several kilometres from here to buy drinking water.
Surprisingly, banana trees are the source of water par excellence in this village.
Regularly, each resident goes to this field to extract water from the banana trees, which is then consumed without any filtration, to quench thirst or for cooking.
However, the water is the origin of several cases of cholera and diarrhea that have caused many deaths.
The Boston Celtics and star forward Jayson Tatum brokered a five-year, $315 million supermax contract extension. The contract is the largest deal of its kind in NBA history. What's even more surprising is how […]
The post This 26-Year-Old Just Signed The Highest NBA Contract In The League's History appeared first on Essence.
[UNFPA] February is a busy month for retailers marketing the promise of \"happily ever after\" to girls around the world. But for tens of millions of girls, this is just a fairytale. Their girlhoods are ending, not with storybook romance but with harmful rites of passage such as child marriage and female genital mutilation - practices believed to be increasing as the COVID-19 pandemic forces girls out of school and drags their families into poverty.
Black Lives Won’t Matter Until Black Politics Do. Black centered policies developed by Black people that will change the daily lives of all Black people are necessary now more than ever.
By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer TOKYO (AP) — A coalition of 180 rights group on Wednesday called for a boycott of next year's Beijing Winter Olympics tied to reported human rights abuses against ethnic minorities in China. The games are to open in one year, on Feb. 4, 2022, and are set to go forward despite the pandemic. The coalition is composed of groups representing Tibetans, Uighurs, Inner Mongolians, residents of Hong Kong and others. The group has issued an open letter to governments calling for a boycott of the Olympics 'to ensure they are not used to embolden […]
The post Rights groups call for boycott of Beijing 2022 Winter Games appeared first on Black News Channel.
This week, DAV & RecruitMilitary will host the Atlanta Virtual Career Fair for Veterans on Thursday, Feb. 11 from 11am to 3pm EST online. This free virtual event is open to ALL members of the military community, past and present, as well as military spouses and dependents. RecruitMilitary’s virtual events are technologically enhanced to provide personal interaction … Continued
The post Atlanta Virtual Career Fair for Veterans happens Feb. 11 appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
… populations, with over 10% from African-American communities, Adams said.
"We …
[New Times] As part of the 16 Days of Activism campaign, Paper Crown Rwanda, a feminist Rwandan non-profit organization, on December 6, launched the Community of Feminist Practice (COPF).
The United States has reimposed curbs on an Israeli billionaire accused of corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo, reversing a move by Donald Trump during his last days in office.
The Colorado attorney general's office has opened a grand jury investigation into the death of Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Black massage therapist who was choked by police in 2019.
Guinea's main opposition candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo arrived in the capital Conakry on Thursday ahead of this weekend's election, greeted by hordes of animated supporters.
The city had earlier resounded to the sound of car horns as supporters of President Alpha Conde, who is seeking a controversial third term on Sunday, whisked through the city in a motorcade.
After about a week of combative campaigning, the 82-year-old president himself returned to the capital on Wednesday amid heightened political tension in the West African state.
Conde's re-election bid comes after he pushed through a constitutional referendum in March, which he argued would modernise the country, but which allowed him to bypass a two-term limit for presidents.
Opposition to this triggered mass protests from last October, sparking a massive crackdown by security forces and claiming dozens of lives.
Rights groups are increasingly critical of Conde, whom they say is veering towards authoritarianism.
Diallo's motorcade proceeded through streets thronged with supporters wearing the green and white colours of his party Thursday, while a swarm of motorbike riders driving ahead of the opposition leader slalomed between the supporters.
\"We're tired, we want change,\" said unemployed mechanic Balde Mamadou Oury, 35.
Twelve candidates are contesting Sunday's election in total. However most think only Conde and Diallo are serious contenders.
After decades as an opposition activist, Conde became Guinea's first democratically-elected president in 2010 and won re-election in 2015.
Diallo, 68, now Guinea's leading opposition politician, was formerly a prime minister under authoritarian leader Lansana Conte.
After months of tension between the pair, Guineans interviewed by AFP expressed fears of potential violence on election day and the period that follows.
Clashes between Conde and Diallo supporters have wounded several people in different parts of the country in recent days.
'Hate speech'
Kabinet Fofana, a Guinean political scientist, warned there was a danger one of the candidates would not accept the outcome of the election.
\"A major difficulty is the question of recognition, acceptance of the results of the ballot boxes,\" he said.
The outcome of Guinea's poll is likely to resonate further afield too, kicking off a string of elections this year across West Africa.
Activists are concerned that a win for Conde would bode ill for democratic norms in the region.
Aside from the third presidential term, Guinea's election campaign has been marked by fears of increased ethnic tensions in the diverse country.
For example, Conde - who normally speaks French when addressing the nation - last month told voters in the Malinke language that backing an opposition Malinke candidate amounted to voting for Diallo.
Politics in Guinea are mostly drawn along ethnic lines. President Conde's party is largely backed by Malinke people, and Diallo's UFDG by Fulani people, although both insist that they are pluralist.
Against a back
Nine people, including one police officer, have died in the West African state of Guinea, the security ministry said Wednesday, following days of unrest after a tense weekend presidential election.
In a statement, the ministry pointed to shootings and stabbings in the capital Conakry and elsewhere in the country since Sunday's presidential vote.
\"This strategy of chaos (was) orchestrated to jeopardise the elections of October 18, \" the ministry said, adding that many people had been injured and property was damaged.
Clashes were ongoing in Conakry on Wednesday, where a security officer, Mamadou Keganan Doumbouya, told the press that at least three people had died.
And a local doctor, who declined to be named, said he had received two dead bodies, and nine injured people, at his clinic.
The violence follows the high-stakes election in which President Alpha Conde ran for a third term in a controversial bid that had already sparked mass protests.
With tensions already running high, Guinea's main opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo on Monday declared victory in the election -- before the announcement of the official results, which are expected this week.
Opposition supporters are deeply suspicious about the fairness of the poll, although the government insists that it was fair.
Much of the tension in Guinea centres on Conde's candidacy.
In March, the 82-year-old president pushed through a new constitution which he argued would modernise the country. It also allowed him to bypass a two-term limit for presidents, however.
Security forces repressed mass protests against the move from October last year, killing dozens of people.
On Wednesday, plumes of black smoke rose over an opposition stronghold in the capital Conakry, where protesters erected barricades and lit fires, an AFP journalist saw.
Youths in alleyways also hurled stones at police officers stationed along a main artery who fired back tear gas canisters.
The security ministry stated that \"a police officer was lynched to death\" in a Conakry suburb, without specifying when the attack occurred.
In a social media post earlier on Wednesday, Conde appealed for \"calm and serenity while awaiting the outcome of the electoral process\".
- Clashes and barricades -
Ten candidates are in the race besides alongside frontrunners Conde and Diallo, old political rivals who traded barbs in a bitter campaign.
Despite fears of violence after the pre-vote clashes, polling day was mostly calm.
Then Diallo's self-proclaimed election victory ratcheted up tensions, and celebrations by his supporters descended into violent clashes with security forces on Monday.
The opposition politician said that security forces killed three youngsters that night, although AFP was unable to confirm the details.
Security forces also barricaded Diallo inside his house, the politician said on Tuesday.
Monitors from the African Union and the 15-nation West African bloc ECOWAS both said that Guinea's election was mostly fair, despite insistence from Diallo's camp tha
The Congo, in west-central Africa, is bordered by the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, the Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, and the Atlantic Ocean. It is one-quarter the size of the U.S. The principal rivers are the Ubangi and Bomu in the north and the Congo in the west, which flows into the Atlantic. The entire length of Lake Tanganyika lies along the eastern border with Tanzania and Burundi.
Transitional government.
Formerly the Belgian Congo, this territory was inhabited by ancient Negrito peoples (Pygmies), who were pushed into the mountains by Bantu and Nilotic invaders. The American correspondent Henry M. Stanley navigated the Congo River in 1877 and opened the interior to exploration. Commissioned by King Leopold II of the Belgians, Stanley made treaties with native chiefs that enabled the king to obtain personal title to the territory at the Berlin Conference of 1885.
Leopold accumulated a vast personal fortune from ivory and rubber through Congolese slave labor; 10 million people are estimated to have died from forced labor, starvation, and outright extermination during Leopolds colonial rule. His brutal exploitation of the Congo eventually became an international cause célèbre, prompting Belgium to take over administration of the Congo, which remained a colony until agitation for independence forced Brussels to grant freedom on June 30, 1960. In elections that month, two prominent nationalists won: Patrice Lumumba of the leftist Mouvement National Congolais became prime minister and Joseph Kasavubu of the ABAKO Party became head of state.
But within weeks of independence, the Katanga Province, led by Moise Tshombe, seceded from the new republic, and another mining province, South Kasai, followed. Belgium sent paratroopers to quell the civil war, and the United Nations flew in a peacekeeping force.
Kasavubu staged an army coup in 1960 and handed Lumumba over to the Katangan forces. A UN investigating commission found that Lumumba had been killed by a Belgian
SAN SALVADOR, (Reuters) - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is pulling aid from El Salvador's national police and a public information institute and will instead redirect the funding to civil society groups, the agency's head said in a statement yesterday.
The article U.S. to pull El Salvador funds on 'deep concerns' over recent dismissals appeared first on Stabroek News.
During campaigning, demonstrations were banned or violently dispersed, prompting concern from rights groups who have said authorities have cracked down on dissent.
