Salem-News.com Africa articles Page 46

Vague Laws Keep Political Opposition Imprisoned

The Kagame government is facing heavy criticism from international human rights advocates.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Amnesty International (AI) is calling on Rwanda’s new government to urgently review vague ‘genocide ideology’ and ‘sectarianism’ laws that are being used to suppress political dissent and stifle freedom of speech.

“The ambiguity of the ‘genocide ideology’ and ‘sectarianism’ law means Rwandans live in fear of being punished for saying the wrong thing,” said Erwin van der Borght, Africa Program director at AI. “Most take the safe option of staying silent.”

Intense Violence Against Journalists in Somalia

“This killing demonstrates again that journalists in Somalia are being targeted by gangs and militias in the country” - Gabriel Baglo

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has sounded the alarm over the complete absence of safety for journalists in Somalia.

Authorities must give top priority to the safety and the security of Somali journalists in order to guarantee press freedom in this country.

250 Homes Burned by Zimbabwean Armed Police

The evicted families, estimated to be around 250 people, have no other options but to return to the settlement at Gunhill; at present they are living in the open without access to shelter.

(HARARE / PORTLAND) - Amnesty International (AI) is demanding Zimbabwean government take immediate action to protect 250 people who were forcibly evicted from their homes on 25 August.

The residents of Gunhill, a suburb of Harare were awakened in the night, given ten minutes to gather belongings and were forced from their homes. The stood in silence as they watched their homes and possessions set alight by an unjust, armed police force.

Rhetoric + Greed = Carnage inside DRC

The rhetoric heard by Washington does not match the actions, or lack of such to alleviate the suffering inside DRC.

(KINSHASA / PORTLAND) - The mass carnage committed in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is horrifying, in its longevity and atrociousness.

The lack of public United States (US) discourse and knowledge of the country is astonishing and disgraceful. We have the ability to connect with one another by computer hundreds of miles away, send men to the moon; yet we have not found the courage or tenacity to actively engage in protecting a country that is being ravaged daily by greed and bloodshed.

General Roméo Dallaire: Time to Set the Record Straight

What actually happened?

(SAN FRANCISCO) - General Roméo Dallaire was head of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Rwanda during the Rwanda Genocide where about 800,000 Rwandans were slaughtered, most of whom were members of the Tutsi ethnic group.

He set forth his experience in Shake Hands With the Devil, which largely supports Rwanda President Paul Kagame's distorted, self-serving version of the Genocide. Unfortunately, Dallaire became either an unknowing or willing shill for Kagame.

Africa: Faces in Words

New weekly update on the breaking stories in the African nations.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Unseen, unheard; no one should be the bearer of these two words. Unfortunately, Africa is often in the forefront of this association.

Burundi, Investigate Torture!

Amnesty International has called on the Burundian government to ensure future compliance of the SNR and other officials with international human rights law and Burundian law.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Amnesty International (AI)is strongly urging Burundian authorities to investigate allegations of torture by state security officials of 12 opposition politicians during the country's recent elections.

The organization released a briefing paper A Step Backwards * detailing the treatment; “individuals were slapped, kicked and hit, at times with batons, all over their bodies; some reported being threatened with death.

Access to Water Improves Quality of Life for Women & Children

In recent decades, a new generation of innovative approaches to hunger alleviation has emerged from farmers groups, private voluntary organizations, universities, and agribusiness companies.

(DAKAR, Senegal) - In sub-Saharan Africa, improved access to water means more than simply basic survival for families dependent on agriculture for both food and income. It means the difference between barely scraping by and eating balanced meals, affording education, and owning a home.

In Zambia, the majority of children drop out of school by the seventh grade because their families can no longer afford it.

Equatorial Guinea: Abduction, Torture then Execution

Reports of torture and executions are off the charts.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Equatorial Guinea has been criticized by the UN for abducting refugees from neighboring countries and holding them in secret detention.

Amnesty International (AI) reviles these abductions and detentions; today they released a statement condemning the recent execution of four men, all unfairly convicted of attempting to assassinate the country’s President.

Status of Pirate Seized Vessels and Crews in Somalia, Gulf of Sudan & Indian Ocean

An update from ECOTERRA on the latest piracy cases.

(NAIROBI, Kenya) - As of today, 26 August 2010, at least 22 foreign vessels plus one barge remain in Somali hands against the will of their owners, while at least 401 seafarers - including an elderly British yachting couple - plus the lorry drivers from Somaliland, suffer to be released.