Ex-Police Chief Jailed

Former Interpol President and National Commissioner of the South African Police service was sentenced today for 15 years. Jackie Selebi was found guilty and convicted in July for receiving bribes from a drug dealer.

The sentence is the minimum recommended for senior police officers found guilty of corruption according to the BBC. Judge Joffe Meyer described Selebi as “an embarrassment” and a “”stranger to the truth”. Evidently, Selebi never displayed remorse and fabricated evidence in an effort to escape.

Sudan Verses United Nations

The ongoing conflict in Darfur still wages on with no real end in site. The government of Sudan is now requesting the peacekeepers to report to them about their whereabouts and future travel plans.

Government spokesperson, Rabie Abdelati states that the UN has failed to keep the peace at refugee camps in the western region.

Gaddafi’s Remarks “Irresponsible”?

Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi not only states that Nigeria should be divided, but should be divided into multiple countries. His remarks come just a week after violent clashes between Muslim and Christian sects have rocked the country.

Reverse Prejudice?

President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe made it legal for the government to seize farms owned by white farmers and sign them over to black Zimbabweans. He did this because during colonization, Europeans took the most fertile farmland away from the blacks. Now, for the past ten years, Mugabe has been re-distributing land. Most of the white farmers who lost land have moved to other countries, but the few still remaining are wanting land in South Africa as compensation for their lost farms.

What Is The Role Of The United Nations?

Hundreds of bodies were found in northern DR Congo in what appears to be an unreported massacre. UN officials have confirmed that the massacre occurred in December of 2009 and Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is to blame. According to Reuters, perhaps more than 300 people have been found. The men had been tied around the chest by the same rope and killed with wood sticks with a blow to the back of the head and neck – a brutal and fast technique according to a UN investigator.

AIDS In Kenya

Kenya has some of the highest numbers in regard to those affected with HIV/AIDS. the numbers reflect epidemic proportions. In 2003 it was estimated that 1.2 million people were living with the disease.

The Teachers Service Commission recently found that more than 5,000 teachers infected with HIV have access to retro-viral drugs and nutritional supplements. Even though this number is on the rise, hundreds of others are still dying for many reasons.

Jonathan Making Big Changes In Nigeria

Interim president, Goodluck Jonathan, has reportedly submitted a list of cabinet nominees to his senate today. Last week, Jonathan dismissed the entire cabinet causing a stir among the already leery Nigerian people. The confirmation process could take weeks because of the numerous rival political parties and interest group clamoring for a position.

A Problem With Somali Piracy

According to the BBC, Somali pirates have hijacked a ship closer to the coast of India than to Africa. This news is surprising because it means a few different things. One thing is that the pirates are more confident, have more money and better equipment and tactics to risk distancing themselves from their comfortable coastline. It could also mean that more ships are now vulnerable that otherwise would not be susceptible normally to Somali pirating.  This action, however, could mean a whole different story. It could mean that the pirates are desperate. The international community has taken great measures to curb and perhaps even stop the pirating occurring off  of one of the longest coasts in the world.

Somalia: A Failed State

Somalia is considered by some to be a failed state. It is considered a failed state for good reason; the list is lengthy. Somalia has not had a stable or even functioning government since 1992. The UN backed transitional government has never been able to get a foothold into the country. Pirates still command the longest coast in the world keeping at bay much needed food and medical supplies from entering the country. And because of the weakened government, Somalia has become prey to numerous militant and rogue governments fighting for ultimate control.

A Lack Of Transparency In Togo Election

The presidential election held in Togo last week seems full of discrepancies. The results were announced yesterday amid speculation that some of the voting boxes had been tampered with by the ruling party, Rally of the Togolese People (RPT).

Late last week, the opposition party – the Union of Forces for Change (UFC) – claimed an early victory stating that their candidate, Jean-Pierre Fabre, had won 75 to 80 percent of the votes. However, President Faure Gnassingbe’ and his ruling party dismissed the claim as “unacceptable” according to the AFP news agency.

Zimbabwe A Big Topic in UK

South African President Jacob Zuma is on a state visit to the United Kingdom where he has had talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The two discussed issues relating to the global economy, trade links, climate change, and the upcoming World Cup in South Africa.

But what received the most press were talks regarding South Africa’s neighbor, Zimbabwe. Gordon Brown stated that sanctions already in place against Zimbabwe should remain. Brown said Zimbabwe must show progress in key areas including democratic reforms.

Tanzania’s Struggle

A recent survey by the Social, Political, and Economic Barometer (SPEC) found that some 8.4 million people in Tanzania skip meals daily to cope with the economic hardships in the country. The survey also found that 17 million people have drastically reduced expenditures on essential household items in response to spiraling prices of basic commodities.

Tanzania possess vast amounts of natural resources including gold, diamonds, coal, platinum, uranium, tin, and other minerals. They are the third largest producers of gold in Africa, right behind Ghana and South Africa. Tanzania is also known for their beautiful national parks that generate a large tourism sector.

Westernization Or Scare Tactics?

A growing problem I am realizing is what terminology to use while blogging. Especially terms that describe a person or group of people. The integrity of my blog is based on using correct information no matter what my personal view is of the situation. While reporting on Somalia I keep running into words like insurgents, militants, and pirates. I was researching, I found that there is a story behind everything and they are stories that make you think twice about the terms we use to describe people.

Somalia Says ‘No’ To The World Food Program

The beginnings of a battle between Somalia militants and the World Food Program (WFP) seems to be underway. Its actually a story we’ve heard before. The WFP desperately trying to reach those in central and southern Somalia who are near starvation and militants blocking their way is a headline we’ve seen before.

Islamist militants have once again stopped convoys of food headed to some 360,000 displaced people in Afgoye, just west of the capital, Mogadishu. This particular camp houses the largest concentration of refugees in Somalia.

Conflict Diamonds And The Kimberly Process: Part II

Leaders in the global diamond industry have lashed out at the Kimberly Process (KP) for allowing Zimbabwe’s blood diamonds to reach the consumer market. The diamond trade monitor has faced criticism for how they define ‘blood diamond’ and this very definition is what they hid behind when they decided not to ban Zimbabwe from international trade last year. There was wide support for a ban on diamonds coming from the Chiadzwa mine because of abuses. However the KP refused to ban them because there is no conflict currently in Zimbabwe.