Former South African Police Chief Pleads Not Guilty

Senior member of the ruling African National Congress pleaded says he’s not guilty in the first day of his corruption trial.  Jackie Selebi, former Interpol president is being charged with having links to organized crime and accepting bribes worth 1.2m rand ($157,000).

During the case at Johannesburg’s High Court, prosecutors will seek to prove that Mr Selebi, 58, received corrupt payments over a five-year period.  At the heart of the allegations is Mr Selebi’s relationship with convicted drug smuggler, Glen Agliotti, who is also accused of links to the murder of a prominent mining magnate.

Jackie Selebi’s relations with former South African President Thabo Mbeki has also called for concern that the ousted president protected Selebi when corruption charges originally were filed while Mbeki was still president.  Mbeki was finally forced to place Selebi on leave as police chief because of the allegations.

Mr. Zuma,  South Africa’s new president – who had graft charges against him dropped on technical grounds shortly before he became head of state – has promised to make a priority of fighting corruption, a major issue in the country.

But Monday’s defence statement suggests the trial could become a sounding board for allegations reaching towards the highest levels of the ruling party.

U.S. Responsible for Helicopter Raid

Wait a minute, this sounds familiar.  Oh yea! Yesterday it was thought France was responsible for the deadly attack in Somalia.  However, since the raid was a “success” and a top militant was perhaps killed, the United States now admits involvement.

Of course, this is just my theory, however it follows the pattern of our foreign policy tactics.  Why the end run?  The question of anyone being in Somalia just because there are cultural groups there we don’t like is of importance.

The al-Shabab seemingly operate in the country of Somalia.  They formed in 2004 because the Islamic Courts Union (ICU)was lost at the hands of its’ rival the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) during the Somali Civil War.  The ICU is a group of Sharia Courts and their rival administration group was the TFG which is backed by the United Nations.

It is known that the TFG does not equally or rarely represent the peoples of Somalia – hence the al-Shabab.  I realize it’s not that cut and dry but because a group of people arm themselves, the U.S. makes them a terrorist group.  Doesn’t our country give us the right to bear arms?  Does that make us terrorists?  I have a feeling many would agree.

Foreign Forces in African Countries

Foreign soldiers attacked militants in Somalia today killing at least two people in a helicopter raid.  According to some reports, the uniforms of the soldiers had a French insignia.  Eye witnesses also state that the troops took away two men and at least two more bodies were left on a road in Barawe.

Spokesman for the French Defense Ministry, Christopher Prazuck, denied any French soldiers were involved despite a local man at the scene insisting he spotted the French flag on the shoulders of the uniforms.

Neither Somali government nor Islamist forces have helicopters.

Why is it still okay to treat African countries especially Sub-Saharan Africa like there are no rules? France knows they followed no official  protocol and the United States is just as bad.  How are the governments of these countries ever going to trust the West if we keep treating them like we own them or they’re ignorant to what’s really going on?

Bribery Takes Its Toll

Skhumbuzo Mhlongo was a 22 year old trying to get a job in Johannesburg, South Africa.   In order to work, one must have identity papers – kind of like a passport.  The young man was found dead over the weekend in an apparent suicide.

Mhlongo had been trying for some time to obtain identity records in order to secure a job he was offered working at a factory that manufactures bird food.  Coupled with the disappearance of his mother and watching over his younger siblings, not being able to receive his necessary documentation proved too much.

According to the BBC, the case prompted Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to break down in tears at a press conference. She suspects the official wanted a bribe.  She said she “would leave no stone unturned” in the investigation into the identity of the official.

The Department of Home Affairs has come under heavy criticism over the years for its inefficiency in issuing ID documents, birth certificates and passports, with some people claiming to have waited up to four years.

Nigerian Militants Barricaded

The past two days has brought violence to the northern states of Nigeria.  Islamist militants have been attacking police stations and civilians bringing the death toll to 150.  According to the BBC, the militants are barricaded into a small area in the city of  Maiduguri which is the capital of Borno State.

Stopping Desertification in the Sahara

The headline reads what seems to be something not possible.  According to architect Magnus Larsson – anything is possible.  He has proposed a 6,000 km ‘wall’ be built from Mauritania in the west of Africa to Djibouti in the east.  His theory would keep desertification at bay possibly saving human lives and cities.

2010 World Cup In Jeopardy

70,000 construction workers went on strike today demanding a 13% increase in pay.  The average worker brings in about $310 a month, but some officials say that a lot of workers are not even getting that amount.  Soccer City union organiser Patrick Geqeza blamed management inflexibility for precipitating the strike.

Sudanese Rebels In Darfur Camp

The Justice and Equality Movement has been spotted driving through Darfur refugee camps in Chad according to the BBC.  JEM is a Sudanese rebel group fighting against the Sudan government along with the Sudan Liberation Movement.  It’s rare to see armed personnel in a refugee camp because it is illegal  according to international refugee law and can potentially draw combatant fire upon the refugees.

Follow-Up: Piracy in Somalia

The Somalia Civil War seems endless.  A war that has been fought for decades has snowballed into one, if not the most devastating turn for an African country.  Somalia, a country with no government desperetly pleads with the African Union and the international community to come to their aid.  There have been many meetings, delegations, and words printed in newspapers about their dire situation.  But that’s all that it is – words.

African Union Summit Begins Today

The 13th Annual African Union Summit begins today in Sirte, Libya.  The theme of the summit, “Invest in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security”, is just one of the major topics to be discussed by the heads of states of the continent.  Additional issues concerning the summit include discussion on strengthening the role of the AU in the prevention, management and resolution of election disputes and violent conflicts in the world’s poorest continent. They will also explore ways to prevent unconstitutional changes of government and to strengthen the capacity of the AU to deal with such situations.

MDC Boycotts Cabinet Meeting

Zimbabwe’s former opposition party, the MDC, boycotted a cabinet meeting with President Robert Mugabe yesterday.  Cabinet meetings with the President are typically held on Tuesdays, however since Mugabe will be traveling to Libya today for the African Union Summit, the meeting was pushed forward.

Dictator Forming in Niger?

Niger’s President, Mamadou Tandja, has been accused by the opposition of carrying out a coup.  And based on his actions this year, it’s hard to think otherwise.  The opposition in Niger has called on its security forces to ignore the President since he announced Friday that he would rule the country by decree.

Michael Jackson: Loved By All

Wow.  Where does one begin with this?  When I first think of Michael, my thoughts race to when I was in elementary school and my parents got tickets for his Bad concert.  I still remember I had on my Jackson head band and t-shirt.  My older brother was sporting Michael Jackson Ray-Bands and we were so excited, we found it hard to express ourselves.

Al-Qaeda Claims American Life

There have a been reports that a North African sect of al-Qaeda has killed an American aid worker in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott.  Christopher Leggett was an aid worker from Tennessee who was in the area teaching to poor children.  According to al-Qaeda, through a video message, Leggett was targeted “for his Christianizing activities”.

Does the Blood Diamond Scheme Really Work?

It was announced today by Global Witness that the Kimberly Process could be failing.  Now, the Kimberly Process is a certification scheme is which participating countries basically follow a chain of command with the diamonds they buy and sell.  A country who is selling must document through a series of steps where the diamond came from.  And the diamonds as well as the  paperwork must always be accompanied by a government-validated Kimberly Process certificate.