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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.
About 14 tons of water were dumped from a military helicopter to help extinguish fires near a village in the Yekaterinburg region in Russia. The blaze began on May 17. The Ministry of Defense of Russia posted a video of the Mi-8MTV5 military transport helicopter using a large tethered bucket to gather some water at a nearby lake. It then […]
The post VIDEO: Military Helicopter Drops Massive Amount Of Water Onto Russian Fire first appeared on The Florida Star | The Georgia Star.
[Shabelle] Addis Ababa -- In a candid interview with Ethiopian state television, General Birhanu Jula, Chief of General Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Force, has once again voiced his criticism towards the Somali government, underscoring its dependency on Ethiopian military support.
BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA PRESIDENTIAL spokesperson George Charamba has dismissed claims that the imprisonment of MDC Alliance executive member Makomborero Haruziviishe was political persecution and lauded the courts for discouraging “hooliganism” and public disorder in the country. Haruziviishe (29), an MDC Alliance executive member, was on Tuesday jailed for 14 months for inciting public violence, a sentence which is being challenged by civil society groups and human rights lawyers. In a series of tweets on his @Jamwanda2 Twitter handle yesterday, Charamba mocked MDC- Alliance for failing to save the activist from being sent to jail. He later told NewsDay that he was using the social media platform to “influence moral behaviour”. “I am not mocking anyone. I am mocking hooliganism which is taking the human form of Makomborero Haruziviishe,” Charamba said. “You don’t expect us to shower confetti on lawlessness. Haruziviishe is a young college dropout who confuses politics with violence. By imprisoning him, we try to use him as an example to discourage such behaviour. What I am doing in my tweets is moral sanctioning. There are certain behaviours which cannot just be condoned in society.” He said Haruziviishe’s conviction had nothing to do with politics because he was tried and convicted in a court of law “independent” from political parties’ interference. “Was he tried at the Zanu PF headquarters or MDC party offices that it can be referred to as a political matter?” Charamba asked rhetorically. But MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said by imprisoning and arresting human rights activists, government was demonstrating beyond doubt there was no new dispensation to speak of. “It is clear that politicians are abusing the courts and weaponising the law to silence dissent and punish members of the opposition. This is the latest symptom of the ever-growing bad governance crisis this nation faces. This is not about Mako, buy what he represents, the quest by the people for freedom from tyrannical rule.” She added: “It’s a huge matter of regret that civil servants such as Charamba are mocking human rights defenders. “He clearly lacks the courage to associate his true identity with the abhorrent content of his tweets. How can he then be expected to understand or respect the type of courage it takes to fight brutal regimes such as the one he represents?” Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum executive director Musa Kika said Charamba’s tweets were acts of “oppressors rejoicing at the efficacy of their system to silence critics”. “Unfortunately, it appears Charamba and others are oblivious to the fact that due to the temporary nature of power, the architects of manipulation of the criminal justice system may find themselves victims to that system,” said Kika. “There is precedent for that.” Human Rights Watch Southern Africa director Dewa Mavhinga said Haruziviishe’s imprisonment was a political matter, hence a senior government official like Charamba should stop dabbling in partisan politics. Follow Miriam on Twitter @FloMangwaya
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By AYA BATRAWY Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Saudi court issued final verdicts on Monday in the case of slain Washington Post columnist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi after his son, who still resides in the kingdom, announced pardons that spared five of the convicted individuals from execution. While the trial draws to its conclusion in Saudi Arabia, the case continues to cast a shadow over the reputation and international standing of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose associates have been sanctioned by the U.S. and the U.K. for their alleged involvement in the brutal killing, […]
The post Saudi court issues final verdicts in Khashoggi killing appeared first on Black News Channel.
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.
POLITICAL Ombudsman Donna Parchment Brown is calling on Parliament to give teeth to the functions of her office to enable it to apply penalties and sanctions for breaches of the code of political conduct, and to create certain offences in law.
Ahead of Uganda's January 14 election, President Yoweri Museveni's government continues to limit the opposition's voices by blocking campaigning, enabling an environment that cannot facilitate a fair and free vote, according to rights groups.
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 […]
[Thomson Reuters Foundation] Nairobi -- From climate to human rights, how Joe Biden's appointment as the United States president will impact on Africa's 1.3 billion population
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.
The opposition coalition which led mass protests in Mali ahead of last month's coup has rejected a transition charter to establish an 18-month interim government until an election could take place.
It followed three days of talks with opposition and civil society groups.
The M5-RFP group said the document was an attempt by military leaders to \"grab and confiscate power\"
\"It concerns in particular the profile of the president of the transition who must be a civilian and non-military personality, since this would subject us to the sanctions of the international community, hence ECOWAS, and the terms and conditions for the appointment of this president. And we have heard that it would be by a panel whereas this aspect was never debated in the plenary.\" Ibrahim Ikassa Maïga, one of the leaders of the June 5 Movement explained.
A meeting is planned on Tuesday in Accra between ECOWAS and Mali.
Regional powers worried that political instability will undermine a years-long fight against armed groups across West Africa, have pushed for a swift transition back to civilian rule.
ECOWAS has warned the military government must designate a civilian leader to head a one-year transition period by September 15 or else the country could face further sanctions.
[Nairobi News] The father of the late Sergeant Kipyegon Kenei has revealed how his son on two occasions unsuccessfully tried to secure a transfer from Deputy President William Ruto's office where he had been stationed for eight years.
Dear Editor,
I wish to add my voice to the Guyana Bar Association’s (GBA) call for the government to withdraw immediately, the proposed amendment to the Police Act by way of the Police (Amendment) Bill No.
The article The broader issue is reducing the growing tensions between Investment Law and Human Rights in Guyana appeared first on Stabroek News.
[New Times] Théoneste Karenzi has been re-elected for a new four-year term as the president of the Rwanda Tennis Federation (FRT) a position he held since 2019.
Egypt's highest appeals court on Sunday upheld the life sentences of 10 leaders of Egypt’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, including the group's head, the state-owned MENA news agency reported.
Oakland has a rich history of artistic innovation by African Americans that has shaped the culture, political landscape, and social justice movements in the city. This contest celebrates these contributions in the arts highlighting literature, poetry, visual arts, music, theatre, and the performing arts.
The post Oakland Public Library Announces Limited Edition Library Card Contest Celebrating African Americans and the Arts in Oakland first appeared on Post News Group.
CHIEF SECRETARY Farley Augustine says his administration is taking legal action to get some $166.4 million which the government owes the THA in approved parliamentary allocations over the past few years.
The THA is also pursuing legal action to ensure governments give the assembly an annual budget allocation commensurate with its development agenda.
“Madam Presiding Officer (Abby Taylor), notwithstanding the public utterances from the Minister of Finance (Colm Imbert) and his Tobagonian colleagues in the Parliament, the calculations reveal that the THA is owed a total of $166.4 million in approved parliamentary allocation that has not been transferred to the THA,” Augustine said on Thursday.
He was moving moved a motion in the Assembly Legislature to reprioritise the THA’s 2023-2024 budget allocation.
In the Tobago budget in June, the THA requested $4.54 billion from central government to manage its affairs over the next year, but only received $2.585 billion in the national budget on September.
Exactly a year ago, on November 24, 2022, at a plenary sitting, Augustine accused central government of not disbursing the THA’s full fiscal allocation from the budget over the past five years.
On that occasion, he claimed the THA had consistently received shortfalls, which amounted to $138,925,658.
Augustine also said then that he had asked staff at the division to do a reconciliation and verification on the releases of the parliamentary allocation of the THA for fiscal years 2016-2022. He claimed shortfalls were reported.
On Thursday, Augustine said his administration has spoken to Imbert several times about the issue, to no avail.
“My administration has been having discussions with the Minister of Finance on this matter over the last two years without any material success. Madam Presiding Officer, the time for futile talking has expired.
“We are now at an advanced stage in our preparation for legal action and preparations of complaints to invoke the jurisdiction of the Dispute Resolution Commission (DRC) provided for under section 56 of the THA Act 40 of 1996.”
The post Chief Sec: 'THA to take legal action on $166m owed by government' appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.
The Jan. 6 national commission idea, understandably supported by every congressional Democrat, belongs in the dumpster.
American military personnel will spend two months training soldiers in Mozambique to help the country fight a jihadist insurgency in its northeast, US embassy officials said.
[Nation] The clamour for constitutional amendments through the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) has already taken a 'Yes' versus 'No' trajectory after civil society groups and a section of political leaders on Sunday expressed their opposition to the push for the changes spearheaded by President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
[ANGOP] Luanda -- The Attorney General of the Republic, Hélder Pitta Groz, announced Tuesday that the Angolan judicial authorities have resorted to international cooperation in order to help locate and seize new assets covered by \"Operation Crab.
