The two major stories covered in the blogosphere this week are the riots which took place in Jos last weekend following reports of rigging in local election. This week also marks the 20th anniversary of World Aids Day an event regularly remembered by African bloggers.

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/410/dec03_01_aderinola.gifGlorly O Nigeria rests some of the blame for the riots on the tendency for Nigerian leaders to “blend religion and politics” which when added to what he describes as “thugs and illiterates” and politicians who are thieves, it is not surprising that the country has repeated riots like the ones in Jos.

“In Nigeria, this type of killing usually comes with the backings of some wicked politicians. The perpetrators enjoy privileged protection or anonymity and they will be unleashed again to do the same harm in the future. This is why religious riots or political riots associated with religion remains recurring incidents in Nigeria.

One of the reasons why this type of nonsense happens in Nigeria is because the politicians are thieves. Who would fight or kill in the name of service to the people? Politics in Nigeria is a winner takes all game. The winner steals and loots the treasury while the losers lick their wounds. If someone or a politician would pay or go to jail for stealing or for looting, I do not think there will be this mad rush to government houses across Nigeria.”

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/410/dec03_02_mynigeria.gifMy Nigeria takes a slightly different view whilst at the same time criticising western media for their inaccurate analysis of the riots by describing them as religious.

“ So Nigerian papers say the strife was as a result of what is being perceived as a stolen election, but the BBC takes that, twists it around, and turns it into a story of Christians vs. Muslims, obviously a story that will garner more interest in the West, but one that sets religious relations back immensely across the board.”

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/410/dec03_03_mootbox.gifFinally, Moot Box asks the old question “Why cant we all get along”. Indeed if pigs could fly! He believes the new generation of young Nigerians will lead the country to a being a better place!
“I will stick to what a wise old man told me ten years ago, he said, “when it comes to sectarian violence in Nigeria, in the end, all violence in Nigeria is driven by Economics”. In my opinion, Nigerians are largely peace loving and enjoy the good life. The quickest and most efficient route to reducing violence in Nigeria is by increasing the average standards of living. In addition to this, ‘time’ is Nigeria’s friend. As the older generation of Nigerians who got a bit too comfortable with military rule get past their prime, and the younger Nigerians who have known liberty, freedom and democratic rule all their lives start to take the reins, Nigeria promises to be a better place.”

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/410/dec03_04_theleoafricanus.gifAfrica is a country reports on a Harvard University study which claims that former South African President Mbeki could have prevented 365,000 Aids related deaths between 2000 and 2005.
“The Harvard study concluded that the policies grew out of President Thabo Mbeki’s denial of the well-established scientific consensus about the viral cause of AIDS and the essential role of antiretroviral drugs in treating it.
Coming in the wake of Mr. Mbeki’s ouster in September after a power struggle in his party, the African National Congress, the report has reignited questions about why Mr. Mbeki, a man of great acumen, was so influenced by AIDS denialists.”

Nonetheless the debate between those that believe HIV virus leads to AIDS and those in denial continues and so far the jury is still out on who is right.

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/410/dec03_05_kenvironews.gifKenya Environment & Political News has a report on the lives of HIV positive prisoners in Kenya who he claims suffer from discrimination outside and inside of the prison system. However the recent arrival of a project aimed at improving the lives of HIV sufferers has brought some hope for the prisoners.

“HIV-positive inmates suffer double stigma - for their being prisoners and for their HIV status,” said Nancy Muchemi, a project officer at the Kenya office of the African Medical and Research Foundation.

“We offer them psychosocial support to relieve their stress, as well as expose them to HIV information: we train them on issues of prevention, safe sex, reinfection, healthy living and adherence to ARV [antiretroviral"> drugs.”
Prisoners said the most useful thing the Zingatia Maisha project had taught them was the benefit of forming a support group for HIV-positive prisoners, giving them the opportunity to talk about their thoughts and feelings others in the same position.

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/410/dec03_06_blacklooks.gifBlack Looks publishes a post by Zimbabwean activist, Kester on the plight of HIV positive patients in Zimbabwe where people are dying because there are no ARVs. She also ties this in to Zimbabwean asylum seekers asking that the British government allow them to work so they can send monies home for family to buy the necessary drugs and generally support them.

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/410/dec03_07_timbuktu.gifTwo final posts, one from Timbuktu Chronicles writes that a staggering 90% of the worlds resources creates products and technologies which serve a mere 120% of the worlds’ population. The video can be watched : here .

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/410/dec03_08_modernghana.gifThe other one is from Ghana - Tales from the loo. Apparently last week was International Toilet Day which got the blogger thinking about how lucky he was to be one of the 10% of Ghanaians who have access to a good loo. But what about those millions across Ghana and the rest of the continent who have to live with woefully horrible and inadequate sanitary conditions. We have all been there at some point but fortunately for many of us our experiences were temporary.

“I am talking about those who have to join a queue to use a KVIP or a pit latrine. I've been there before and I know how it feels like to jump repeatedly just to 'manage' the urgency of the moment.

If your loo is shared by the whole community and you need to walk ten minutes to reach it, one of your constant prayers is to cast out the demons of “running” – when your bowels become so loose that the calls of nature become annoyingly incessant. I've been there before.

If you think you are unlucky because you are forced by circumstances to use a stinking KVIP just pause a moment and count your blessings. I've seen people use the areas around KVIPs as social centres. If you are not busy trying to suppress 'the things', those moments in the queue provide a fine opportunity to catch up on neighbourhood gossip or chat up the beautiful chick next door. This is how we did social networking long before 'Facebook'.

If you have neither a loo in your house nor a “public place of convenience” you are in deep trouble. In circumstances like these people are compelled to either do it “free range” or resort to “tie and throw”. I've done both before – especially when I lived in an uncompleted building in Adenta.”

* Sokari Ekine blogs at www.blacklooks.org

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