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Africa Subsaharan

De Klerk finally comes to his senses, then aplogizes for.....coming to his senses

2020-02-27

[National Interest] FW De Klerk, South Africa’s last apartheid-era president, and his foundation, have learnt the hard way the dangers of the comparative politics of sin. He recently gave an interview to mark his historic speech to parliament on 2 February 1990 when he announced the freeing of Nelson Mandela and unbanning of political organisations. During the interview on the national TV broadcaster he was asked for his thoughts on the declaration by the United Nations that apartheid was a crime against humanity, he replied: I don’t fully agree with that. He went on to assert that he was not justifying apartheid in any way whatsoever, saying: But there is a difference between calling something a crime. Like genocide is a crime. Apartheid cannot be, for instance, compared with genocide. There was never a genocide. He added that more black people were killed by other black people than by the National Party government. But in making this statement he conveniently chose to forget that a great deal of violence was fomented by the government’s security forces. De Klerk was immediately engulfed in controversy. Condemnation of his statement came in thick and fast. Big names entered the fray, including former president Thabo Mbeki and Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. The South African Council of Churches issued a statement as did the governing African National Congress (ANC). And the opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters called for his ejection from parliament when President Cyril Ramaphosa was waiting to deliver his State of Nation speech. De Klerk’s foundation responded by dismissing the UN’s statement as a product of Soviet-style "agit-prop". This aroused yet more popular fury. Such was the outcry that De Klerk opted for an immediate and humiliating retreat, issuing an abject apology, and insisting that he remained firmly committed to the politics of national reconciliation. His foundation also backtracked. It issued an apology for any anger and hurt caused. In its statement it said it agreed with the International Criminal Court’s definition of a crime against humanity as acts

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Africa Subsaharan

South Africa: Ramaphosa Wins ANC Presidency, Succeeding Jacob Zuma

2017-12-19

[All Africa] South Africa witnessed a watershed transition in politicianship today when a succession of governing party leaders who were formerly in exile or prison was replaced by a leader of the internal resistance to apartheid. Cyril Ramaphosa, 65, a lawyer who first made his name in the 1980s by organising workers in the country's mining industry into its most powerful union, won the presidency of the governing African National Congress (ANC) at its five-yearly conference in Johannesburg. This puts him in line to become South Africa's president, succeeding Nelson Mandela ‐ who served 27 years in prison, Thabo Mbeki ...former president of South Africa, succeeding Nelson Mandela. He now pops up periodically as a mediator when something catches fire in Africa... ‐ who fought apartheid from exile, and Jacob Zuma ‐ who served time both in prison and in exile. Ramaphosa won 2440 votes from conference delegates, against 2261 votes for Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, immediate past chair of the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... Commission and a cabinet minister under presidents Mandela and Mbeki.

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Africa Subsaharan

Before and After Colonialism and the myth of the noble, happy savage

2017-03-27

[Daily Caller] From their plush apartments, over groaning dinner tables, pseudo-intellectuals have the luxury of depicting squalor and sickness as idyllic, primordially peaceful and harmonious. After all, when the affluent relinquish their earthly possessions to return to the simple life, it is always with aid of sophisticated technology and the option to be air-lifted to a hospital if the need arises. Is there any wonder, then, that "the stereotype of colonial history" has been perpetuated by the relatively well-to-do intellectual elite? Theories of exploitation, Marxism for one, originated with Western intellectuals, not with African peasants. It is this clique alone that could afford to pile myth upon myth about a system that had benefited ordinary people. What is meant by "benefited"? Naturally, the premise here is that development, so long as it’s not coerced, is desirable and material progress good. British colonists in Africa reduced the state of squalor, disease and death associated with lack of development. To the extent that this is condemned, the Rousseauist myth of the noble, happy savage is condoned. Granted, Africa’s poor did not elect to have these conditions, good and bad, foisted on them. However, once introduced to potable water, sanitation, transportation, and primary healthcare, few Africans wish to do without them. Fewer Africans still would wish to return to Native Customary Law once introduced to the idea that their lives were no longer the property of the Supreme Chief to do with as he pleased. It "is an absurdity to assert that cannibalism, slavery, magical therapy, and killing the aged should be accorded the same ’dignity’ or ’validity’ as old-age security, scientific medicine, and metal artifacts," noted anthropologist George Peter. While old habits die hard, most "people prefer Western technology and would rather be able to feed their children and elderly than kill them," he notes in Culture Matters: How Values Shape Human Progress. And the West largely eliminated "many of the worst endemic and epidemic diseases in West Africa." Ask Moeletsi Mbeki, the brother of South Africa’s former president Thabo Mbeki. He has admitted that "the average African is poorer [today] than during the age of colonialism." Even so--and whether they stay or go--the blame for all the ills of this backward and benighted region falls on Westerners. One dreadfully off-course notion has it that the colonial powers plundered Africa and failed to plow back profits into the place. This manifest absurdity is belied by the major agricultural, mineral, commercial and industrial installations throughout the continent. The infrastructure in Africa was built by the colonial powers. Far from draining wealth from less developed countries," as P. T. Bauer richly documented, in Equality, the Third World, and Economic Delusion, "British industry helped to create it there." Continues

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Africa Subsaharan

SA has lost its moral authority, says UK politician and former anti-apartheid campaigner

2017-03-07

[Business Live] SA trade and investment are losing their attraction in UK boardrooms because of corruption and cronyism under Jacob Zuma, says former British government minister Peter Hain. "The perception of this country is very negative," he says. "In government circles, too, SA is plunging down the priority ladder." The country, he says, has lost the moral authority it enjoyed under Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. The state of public finances is also causing concern. Yes of course, Madiba and Mbeki, paragons of moral authority. All is not lost, however. "Civil society here is very strong, you have a unique constitution and Thuli Madonsela was a wonderful example of the checks that exist. There is still a sense in London that you can be a success story but the longer bad governance continues, the harder it will be to reverse. And your education in African schools is absolutely criminal." Hain, a former Pretoria Boys’ High School pupil who fled to the UK with his family in 1966 and later became a leader of the anti-apartheid campaign to isolate SA sport, is officially Baron Hain of Neath these days, after gaining a life peerage in 2015. Neath is the Welsh constituency he represented as a Labour Party MP between 1991 and 2015. Hain was in Johannesburg last week to teach at Wits Business School, where he is a visiting professor. This week, he is back in the House of Lords, where he is campaigning against the Conservative government’s plans to withdraw Britain from the EU.

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Africa Subsaharan

Farm attacks not racially motivated - ISS

2014-10-08

[e-NCA] JOHANNESBURG - Farm attacks are not racially motivated, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) said on Monday. "People went to farms to steal, motivated by greed," researcher Johan Burger told reporters in Johannesburg. What then explains the rape, brutal butchery and murder ? Oh, that. Well, that's politically motivated, but that's separate from the stealing, you silly goose. Might not be separate, might be just a way to obscure who's doing the stealing. Dead people make lousy witnesses at trial... He was speaking at the SA Human Rights Commission's national hearings on safety and security problems in farming communities. He said racial insults were sometimes used during such crimes, but this did not mean race or politics were the motives of such attacks. Same with screaming Allah Akbar whilst conducting a murderous shoot spree, no Mooslim connection, none at all. By george, I think he's got it! He said the phasing out of the commando system had created a vacuum which the current national rural plan was not addressing adequately. The commandos were SA National Defence Force reservists assigned to ensure rural safety, disbanded by then-president Thabo Mbeki in 2003. Phasing out a low cost system that had worked effectively for hundreds of years....excellent idea. "The problem with the national rural strategy is that it is too broad and under-resourced," he said. He said no official reason was given for phasing out the commandos, but it was alleged they were aligned to right-wing groups. Rape and murder is always preferred to right-wing conservatives. "That is incorrect because black people were part of the commandos, although the management was mostly whites." Earlier the Agricultural Research Council said it spent R10-million per year on private security. "We do experience robbery and theft in our facilities," CEO Shadrack Moephuli said. R10m = roughly equals 1m USD. He said they had communicated farmers' safety concerns to the agriculture ministry. National police commissioner Riah Phiyega was expected to represent the police at the hearing. No worries. Pulling out all stops, able Inspector Phiyega is on the case.

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Africa Horn

Sudan rebels group say 'ready' for peace talks

2013-04-18

[Bangla Daily Star] Rebels in Sudan's South Kordofan state yesterday said they are ready to talk with the Sudanese government in Æthiopia next week over ending a two-year-long war. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) told AFP that African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... mediator Thabo Mbeki ...former president of South Africa, succeeding Nelson Mandela. He now pops up periodically as a mediator when something catches fire in Africa... had sent rebel chairman Malik Agar an invitation "for peace talks in Addis Ababa on the 23rd of April." "We replied that we are ready," rebel front man Arnu Ngutulu Lodi said. If the two sides meet face-to-face it would be the first direct talks in almost two years, Lodi said. The rebels and government have met indirectly through African Union mediators in a failed attempt Curses! Foiled again! to secure humanitarian access throughout the warzone. But talk of peace came amid heavy fighting. Rebels again shelled the state capital Kadugli on Wednesday, targeting what Lodi described as "military bases." He said they also fired on a military outpost several kilometres (miles) east of the capital, where an ammunition storage facility went kaboom!. "Today there is heavy fighting around Dandor," a garrison about 18 kilometres (11 miles) east of Kadugli which government forces were trying to retake after rebels seized it on Monday, Lodi said. But army front man Sawarmi Khaled Saad told AFP his troops had "liberated" Dandor. "In reaction to that, the rebels tried to create a disturbance in Kadugli, shelling the town," Sawarmi said. Residents of the town could not be immediately reached. Sudan's foreign ministry said three civilians died in rebel shelling of Kadugli during weekly prayers last Friday, as President Omar al-Bashir Head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself president-for-life. He has fallen out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to Arabize Darfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it. held talks in the South Sudanese capital Juba with his counterpart Salva Kiir in a symbol of easing tensions, particularly over the South's alleged support for SPLM-N. Despite the attack on Kadugli, on Sunday the official SUNA news agency quoted Ibrahim Ghandour, head of the government's negotiating team, as saying his side was set and "waiting for the time of the negotiation."

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Africa Horn

South Sudan to refine oil for domestic consumption

2012-12-02

[The East African.Co.KE] As South Sudan continues negotiations with Sudan regarding the resumption of oil production and transit, the South Sudanese government says that it is developing its own industry and will start producing fuel for domestic consumption within the next eight months in order to avoid continued reliance on its neighbour. South Sudan's Petroleum and Mining Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau said that as oil was due to start flowing again, one of the government's priorities was to establish the nation's infrastructure in order to process the commodity itself. "Our aim is to ensure that some of the oil can be processed in the country to meet domestic needs and end the frequent shortages of diesel and petrol in our country," Mr Dau said. South Sudan shut down production of oil in January after a dispute with neighbouring Sudan over oil transit fees. Both countries agreed to resume oil production and trade on September 27 after former South African President Thabo Mbeki ...former president of South Africa, succeeding Nelson Mandela. He now pops up periodically as a mediator when something catches fire in Africa... led the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... 's mediation efforts in attempting to defuse a range of disagreements that almost led to full-blown war in April. Oil sales contributed 98 per cent of South Sudan's revenue. But despite taking with it 75 per cent of Sudan's oil when it gained Independence from the rest of the country in 2011, South Sudan currently relies on Sudanese refineries and pipelines to process and transport its oil to the international market. South Sudan's President Salva Kiir said last Monday at a meeting of state governors that oil production had not resumed this month as originally expected because of demands by Sudan that the country disarm the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement North.

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Africa Horn

UN staffer killed in Sudan border state

2012-08-06

[Pak Daily Times] A Sudanese driver for the World Food Programme has been rubbed out in war-torn South Kordofan state, the UN agency said on Sunday, in the second attack against it in two days. The killing came as officials announced an agreement on aid access to South Kordofan and Blue Nile, where the UN has described a worsening humanitarian crisis but has been severely restricted in its movement. "Our driver was killed yesterday in an armed attack in an area some 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Kadugli," WFP spokeswoman Amor Almagro said. Jamal Al Fadil Farag Allah, married with five children, is the first WFP employee to be killed in Sudan, she said. "He was driving fellow staff member Saad Yousif when their vehicle was attacked by two unknown assailants," Almagro said. They were travelling in a marked UN vehicle on official business, she added. Yousif was maimed but survived and was to be airlifted to Khartoum later on Sunday. More than 200,000 refugees have fled a worsening humanitarian situation in South Kordofan and nearby Blue Nile states since fighting between government and rebel forces from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) began in June last year, the United Nations ...an idea whose time has gone... says. Ethnic minority Death Eaters of the SPLM-N fought alongside southern rebels during Sudan's 22-year civil war, which ended in a 2005 peace deal and South Sudan's independence in July last year. There are no figures for how many people have died since the war in South Kordofan and Blue Nile began. The government of Sudan has cited security concerns in placing tight restrictions on the operations of foreign relief agencies in the warzone. After African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... -led talks in Æthiopia, AU mediator Thabo Mbeki ...former president of South Africa, succeeding Nelson Mandela. He now pops up periodically as a mediator when something catches fire in Africa... on Saturday announced an agreement between Sudan, the United Nations, the AU and the Arab League ...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... to allow for humanitarian access in South Kordofan and Blue Nile. Sudan has agreed to allow an independent assessment of the humanitarian needs, as well as internationally-monitored delivery of aid throughout the war zone, a foreign analyst said. However, a woman is only as old as she admits... a ceasefire will be required to implement the measures, he added. A humanitarian source said progress on aid is unlikely until the political side is addressed as well, "including a possible ceasefire."

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Africa Horn

Sudan and South Sudan reach agreement over oil after tense eight-month dispute

2012-08-05

[Telegraph.uk] Sudan and South Sudan have hammered out a deal on how to share their oil wealth, one of a series of disputes that brought the rivals to the brink of all-out war earlier this year. "The parties have agreed on all of the financial arrangements regarding oil, so that's done," said Thabo Mbeki, ...former president of South Africa, succeeding Nelson Mandela. He now pops up periodically as a mediator when something catches fire in Africa... former president of South Africa and African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... mediator, after talks in the Æthiopian capital. The two countries had faced an August 2 deadline set by the United Nations ...boodling on the grand scale... to resolve their differences on oil and borders, and Mr Mbeki said they would meet next month to try to find a compromise on the disputed region of Abyei. Mr Mbeki said a timetable would now be drawn up for the resumption of oil production and exports, which are vital to the economies of both deeply impoverished countries. "What will remain, given that there is an agreement, is to then discuss the next steps as to when the oil companies should be asked to prepare for resumption of production and export," he said.

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Africa Horn

'Clash' in Contested Abyei as S. Sudanese Celebrate

2012-07-10

[An Nahar] A clash broke out on Monday in the disputed territory of Abyei when South Sudanese celebrated their first independence anniversary, a source familiar with the incident said. There were no injuries but a shop was burned and United Nations ...an international organization whose stated aims of facilitating interational security involves making sure that nobody with live ammo is offended unless it's a civilized country... peacekeepers had to intervene to stop the unrest in Abyei town between members of the Dinka and Misseriya communities, said the source, who requested anonymity. "When South Sudanese were celebrating, the Misseriya came," he said. The nomadic and Arab Misseriya are historically allied to Khartoum. "It is a small clash between the two communities," the source said. The status of Abyei was the most sensitive matter left unresolved before South Sudan's independence on July 9 last year. After fighting along the disputed border between Sudan and South Sudan in March and April this year, the U.N. Security Council ordered a ceasefire and called on the two sides to resume talks on critical issues, including Abyei. Following the latest round of talks which closed on Saturday in the Æthiopian capital Addis Ababa, chief mediator Thabo Mbeki ...former president of South Africa, succeeding Nelson Mandela. He now pops up periodically as a mediator when something catches fire in Africa... praised the two sides for their renewed commitment to peace. Under the U.N. resolution both countries also withdrew their armed forces from Abyei. Sudan's army had partly occupied the territory in May last

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Africa Horn

Sudan Army Says Will Pull Out of Contested Abyei

2012-05-29

[An Nahar] Sudan's army will begin pulling out of the contested region of Abyei from Tuesday, as demanded by the United Nations ...a formerly good idea gone bad... , the army front man said. "We will start tomorrow and we will invite journalists to see this redeployment," Sawarmi Khaled Saad said in a statement to news hounds. The pullout, ending a year-long occupation, will begin on the same day negotiators from Sudan and South Sudan are to meet in the Æthiopian capital Addis Ababa to resume talks led by African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... mediator Thabo Mbeki ...former president of South Africa, succeeding Nelson Mandela. He now pops up periodically as a mediator when something catches fire in Africa... Saad said Mbeki asked Khartoum to withdraw its forces from the area. "Sudan decided to redeploy the troops out of Abyei area to offer a good environment for the talks," he said, adding that Khartoum requested a "guarantee" that the area is part of its territory. After Sudan and South Sudan came to the brink of all-out war in April, the U.N. Security Council called on them to cease hostilities along their disputed border and to resume talks on a number of issues including the status of Abyei.

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Africa Horn

Sudan war planes bomb South Sudan: South minister

2012-05-23

[Daily Nation (Kenya)] South Sudan said Tuesday Sudanese war planes have launched air strikes against its territory, the latest in a series of attacks that threaten to scupper international efforts to restart peace talks. "South Sudan views the current aerial bombardment... as a serious threat to both regional and international peace and security," South Sudan's Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin told news hounds. The former civil war foes fought heavily in contested border regions last month, the worst fighting since the South won independence last July and sparking international concerns of a return to all-out war. The bombings Monday and Tuesday targeted the Waragat area of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, a border region close to Sudan's war-torn South Darfur state, Benjamin said. "South Sudan is watching this crisis very closely... we will be forced also to react to these acts of aggression," he added, without giving further details. The air strikes could not be independently confirmed, and Sudan's army repeatedly denied Southern claims of air strikes during weeks of bitter border conflict. The last air strike reported by the South was on May 9. Both sides say they are committed to peace but missed a United Nations ...a formerly good idea gone bad... Security Council demand that they resume the talks by last Wednesday. The South has said it is ready to talk and accused Khartoum of stalling. The African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... is working hard to resume talks between the foes, with its chief mediator, former South African president Thabo Mbeki ...former president of South Africa, succeeding Nelson Mandela. He now pops up periodically as a mediator when something catches fire in Africa... , embarking on rounds of shuttle diplomacy between the two capitals.

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