Pambazuka News 642: Repeat offenders: Mugabe, Monsanto and hard truths
Pambazuka News 642: Repeat offenders: Mugabe, Monsanto and hard truths
Often, rape is systemically used to target male political activists through their wives
A number of Zimbabweans owe substantial sums of money for electricity they don't receive, while others get free electricity thanks to corruption at Zimbabwe's electricity utility company
Pambazuka News 641: Trayvon Martin, Egypt and the quest for human dignity
Pambazuka News 641: Trayvon Martin, Egypt and the quest for human dignity
Despite signing the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the continued violation of the human rights of homosexuals means that Nigeria’s government cannot be relied upon to protect the inalienable rights of all its citizens
In the absence of clear regulation, the practice of surrogacy in Kenya is growing as an unsupervised industry with no law to fall back on if anything goes wrong during the treatment
The killing of seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin in the US requires a new movement for human dignity amongst all progressive forces and people genuinely committed to freedom, justice and equality for all in America
Ghana is on the verge of starting to test Genetic Engineering (GE) of seeds. It will poison Ghana's and Africa's food supply as well as co-opt and contaminate its land and water. African farmers must be free to maintain their own forms of agroecological farming
In order for Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Turkey to move forward there must be a revolution led by the people and not controlled by the military which represents in Egypt the interests of the national bourgeoisie in league with US imperialism
The authors examine the past four years of the coalition government through diverse critical lenses. There is no sugar coating
Is Africa really rising?
For whom does it rise?
It rises for neoliberal and neo-colonial African governments selling off large tracts of land to outsiders for food or bio-fuel jatropha while their people go hungry and landless
Ask the widows of the Marikana miners ‘is Africa rising’ or those in the Unemployed Peoples Movement, Abahlali, or those living in the black townships of South Africa and across the rest of Africa
Is Africa really rising for the women and young girls who have been raped in the Congo?
It rises for a small African middle class whilst the 99 percent remain in the rural areas as farmers, unable to get subsidies like their European counterparts whose governments intervene on their behalf
Africa rises for those with forked tongue who ‘talk left and walk right’
Africa is rising for the charismatic Christian preachers engaging in what they call ‘prosperity preaching’ to congregations obliged to pay one tenth of their miserly wages as tithes so the preacher can wear designer suits from Italy
Africa is rising for the continued exploitation of its enormous wealth by MNCs, tax evaders and those who engage in illicit wealth appropriation in a continued (not new) scramble for Africa
Africa is rising for a tiny black elite who believe in NEPAD and market fundamentalism alongside their governments committed to such policies
Africa is rising for those African women who equate economic freedom with the means to purchase Brazilian and Korean weave, false eyelashes and nails in their aspirations to resemble an African Barbie doll
Africa is rising for those few countries who have recently discovered oil: Uganda, Ghana, Ivory Coast – but will their people say the same in 20 years and not meet the same wretched fate as the peoples of the Niger Delta of Nigeria?
Let us not be deceived.
Africans can only rise if the vast majority rise in Pan-African consciousness, towards a socially just economic system that destroys neoliberal capitalism and ALL forms of oppression
Africans can only rise when we cease self-loathing and return to Ubuntu and self-love
African people can only rise in realising this vision.
Sierra Leone's successive governments since independence have institutionalized bribery and other forms of corruption
The statements created a climate of intolerance, fear, coercion, intimidation and acts of vengeance directed at gays and lesbians
Egypt is in the midst of a neocolonial reality in which the army is co-opting the 25 January revolution. Liberals, the Brotherhood and the generals are vying for power but power must lie with the people to advance the revolution
With the collusion of some radicals and liberals, the term ‘revolution’ in the context of Egypt has been de-radicalised. There has been no revolutionary process in Egypt, in the sense of a transfer of power away from the class forces that dominated Egyptian society
When will Kenya withdraw its troops from Somalia? The highly publicized military intervention in pursuit of Al Shabaab is no longer a subject of public discussion. Kenya seems to be pushing a hidden agenda in south Somalia and its military presence there is beginning to look like an occupation
Harold Wilson, then British prime minister, actively supported the genocide in Igboland during the Biafra War. Britain owes the Igbo an apology for this complicity
The tenacity of womyn like Mekatilili of Kenya and Lelia Gonzalez of Brazil should inspire others to engage in radical struggles for total liberation from all forms of oppression
The raft of proposed amendments to the electional law is only meant to benefit INEC, but is likely to create massive complications in the conduct of polls in Nigeria
I am Eric ‘gifted’ Kisanga, a Tanzanian living in Arusha City, Eastern Africa. With all my all my reading, I've never been inspired the way Dr. Walter Rodney did in my life. At the University of Dar es Salaam where Rodney once taught, there is until today 'Rodney Square' where students meet to discuss matters relating to equality and activism.
I am a recent father, blessed with a baby boy, and his name is Walter Rodney. A combination of names that I believe will take over his life forever, with the spirit of defending peoples' rights and breaking the classes in society. The fire started by Rodney will keep on burning forever...
Blessed are ones who died in fighting for equality!
Excluding gays and lesbians from marriage amounts to denial of equal protection of the law and unfair discrimination by the state against them because of their sexual orientation
Race ought to be addressed centrally in any analysis and prescriptions on fighting capitalism. If the struggle against white supremacy and patriarchy is not given a prominent role in the resistance to capital, it is likely to breed cynicism and detachment from movements such as Occupy
The security of Africa's development is under threat if the rising phenomenon of jobless growth and high youth unemployment is not addressed
This moment requires a huge and unified social movement in the U.S. with millions of politically conscious people to ensure victory for the arising social motion in the interests of humanity and the planet – especially the oppressed, exploited, and dispossessed
In his effort to “put the angry Black genie back in the bottle” following George Zimmerman’s acquittal, President Obama once again claimed to oppose racial profiling. He’s lying. Obama has endorsed the most prolific racial profiler in the country as a potential head of Homeland Security. The president is a bulwark of the system that targets millions of Trayvon Martins
Delivery systems and platforms for information may proliferate at blinding speed, but most Americans have no access to anything resembling the truth. They may know the names of the dead – like Trayvon Martin – but have no clue why they died
George Zimmerman is no more provably racist in a U.S. court than most white Americans – which is why a Justice Department action will get nowhere. Whites consider it ‘reasonable’ to believe in the inherent dangerousness of Black males
Pambazuka News 643: Economies of misery, genetically modified colonialisms and Trayvon
Pambazuka News 643: Economies of misery, genetically modified colonialisms and Trayvon
The mobile revolution. Geopolitical power shifts. A radically altered global economy. The world is changing, and so is the way that people campaign for their rights. To remain effective, Amnesty International’s (AI) International Secretariat needs to adapt to that change. That’s why we’re opening a regional office in Kenya. And why we need you to lead it.
The mobile revolution. Geopolitical power shifts. A radically altered global economy. The world is changing, and so is the way that people campaign for their rights. To remain effective, Amnesty International’s (AI) International Secretariat needs to adapt to that change. That’s why we’re opening a hub in Johannesburg. And why we need you to lead it.
At the forefront of human rights, Amnesty International works tirelessly across the world to fight injustice and help those affected by it. Amnesty International believes that through the building of our global movement we will have a greater ability to create positive changes in the global Human Rights situation. To achieve this in Africa we need a talented Regional Growth Coordinator to strategically build our movement in the region.
The mobile revolution. Geopolitical power shifts. A radically altered global economy. The world is changing, and so is the way that people campaign for their rights. To remain effective, Amnesty International’s (AI) International Secretariat needs to adapt to that change. That’s why we’re developing our presence in Senegal. And why we need you to lead the way.
Pambazuka News is planning a special issue on the media in Africa. We are inviting our readers and contributors to celebrate as well as critique the media on the continent.
Pambazuka News 640: SPECIAL ISSUE: Brazil: Sizing up Africa's new suitor
Pambazuka News 640: SPECIAL ISSUE: Brazil: Sizing up Africa's new suitor
Pambazuka News publishes a special edition for the first time in three languages: English, French and Portuguese, on the relations between Brazil and Africa
The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) is an advocacy and grant making foundation that forms part of the global Open Society Foundations Network. OSIWA is based in Dakar, Senegal and works to support the creation of open societies in West Africa marked by functioning democracy, good governance, the rule of law, basic freedoms, and widespread civic participation. It has offices in Abuja, Monrovia, Freetown and Conakry.
Based in Dakar, Senegal, West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR) is a well-established broadcaster with a unique remit. WADR broadcasts in French and English to several countries in West Africa and is looking to expand its presence across the region. At present, the station broadcasts on FM in Dakar and its surroundings, while its programs are relayed via satellite through a series of partner stations in different parts of West Africa. Listeners can also monitor WADR’s output through the streaming service on its website.
OSIWA seeks a STATION MANAGER FOR WEST AFRICA DEMOCRACY RADIO who would be based in Dakar to take charge of its daily operations. As a spin-off project of OSIWA, WADR is entering a period of consolidation and expansion. The station is looking to: take on a higher profile in West Africa and beyond, tightening links with partner stations and building new audiences in key countries; develop more engaged, wide-ranging and imaginative programs, with a strong focus on development issues, governance and human rights; create a solid network of partners from civil society and humanitarian and development agencies across the region and use a new injection of technology to build a much better performing station, and provide an authoritative new service to a mass audience in West Africa and the Diaspora.
For more details please visit
To Apply: send resume (in English), cover letter, brief writing sample and salary requirements, by cob August 10th, 2013 to: [email][email protected]
No phone calls, please. The Open Society Foundations are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The funds transfer programme has lifted millions of people out of poverty, although critics dismiss it as welfare adventurism which African countries can ill afford
The Review of African Political Economy (ROAPE) is pleased to announce the establishment of a small research grants competition for African scholars/activists based in Africa and pursuing a political economy agenda. This is a call for applications.
Brazil House in Jamestown, Ghana, can be conceptualized as an urban landscape of memory framing Tabon identity. But the house is also a powerful modern tool of nostalgia and longing for authenticity that sparks the desire of the Tabon to explore their roots and origin
If one were to consider the cultural links between Brazil and Africa, Yoruba legacy in the North of Brazil could be the object of focus. However, this exchange was not just in one direction; the Brazilians also has a cultural impact on Africa
One largely unknown area of Brazilian development cooperation is provision of electronic voting machines and training. This cooperation reveals a key part of Brazilian promotion of democracy and human rights abroad through state capacity building and reinforcing institutions
Archival records from the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries show the Portuguese knew about Brazil years before 1500, when they officially discovered the South American landmass
Whether as skilled labourers, domestic servants, field hands, or as soldiers in the military, enslaved Africans brought to Brazil not only such important skills but their cultural and religious beliefs and practices that were to blend with European practices and customs. Ultimately it led to an Africanization of Brazil
Among the investment suitors lined up for Africa, Brazil has close historical and cultural links with Africa and this makes her a more likely partner than other rivals. Africa should develop the chemistry that exists between her and Brazil
Brazilians have much to learn from South Africans who hosted the 2010 World Cup in which thousands of South Africans rioted in the streets prior to the games and FIFA took billions in revenues. Will Brazil’s main trade union remain stymied by their alliance to the ruling party like South Africa’s?
Harare stands to benefit a great deal from increasing engagement with Brasilia in energy, mining, agriculture, or poverty alleviation policies. Zimbabwe must now engage the government of Brazil and expand mutually beneficial areas of political, economic and social cooperation between the two nations
The recent protests by social movements, which forced the president to consider certain policy changes, are a clear indication that a great opportunity exists for the progressive forces to strengthen democracy
Brazil is among the extracting wealth from Mozambique. The southern African nation could soon join the resourced cursed societies, with polluted local environments and a changed structure of peoples’ lives, making them dependent on foreign decisions rather than their own local and national political power
Vale’s two-handed climate strategy – through which it develops a global extractive business while undertaking profitable offsetting initiatives at home – has allowed it to profit from false solutions to the climate crisis while worsening the problem
Pambazuka News 639: SPECIAL ISSUE: The Diaspora and Africa's development
Pambazuka News 639: SPECIAL ISSUE: The Diaspora and Africa's development
A post-2015 agenda must not only focus on jobs but must also be bold in setting some goals for job-creation. The diaspora has a big role in this. After all, what good is development if it doesn’t result in decent jobs?
While remittances from the diaspora remain a vital part of the development agenda of Africa, the engagement is about much more than remittances. African diasporans are, in increasing numbers, actively engaged in nation building in Africa as well as in their domiciles abroad
The UN High Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development in October 2013 will consider what role – actual and potential – migrants and diasporas play in development, and in the global development framework. Key trends in thinking and policy-making on migration and development are examined
Africa’s development remains in the hands of Africans. However, the role which the diasporans play will depend on their own awareness and recognition as being a part of this bigger picture
Business support programmes tailor-made for the diaspora have demonstrated that when entrepreneurs have access to quality business support, including access to finance, they flourish
The second generation of UK Africans is a well-educated population with huge expertise and diverse skills, eare xposed to global trends and best practices, and embrace modernisation. They are a huge Africa should tap into for development
Re-connecting with the continent, meeting long distant relatives and friends are ways of supporting Africa. But crucial to all this, and central to the theme, is the need for personal development and entrepreneurship
As emerging transnational stakeholders or co-development actors, the diaspora holds the key to sustainable peace and advancement of North Africa following the ‘Arab Spring.’
Beyond chanting mantras and slogans, the devil seems to lie in the details. How does the AU-diaspora engagement take place and in what form? Who actually are the diaspora and who represents them?
An abridged version of the final text submitted by the diaspora platform to the European EC Public Consultation ‘Towards a post-2015 development framework’. Drafted by Onyekachi Wambu on behalf of diaspora organisations
Being a Zambian citizen and a permanent resident in the UK, the lack of dual citizenship in Zambia has over time become an increasingly massive inconvenience in the pursuance of my activities as a diasporan engaged in work that involves development and influencing policy
Remittances, amounting to £60 billion in 2012, are the first step in harnessing the potential of the diaspora for African development. Individuals and organisations in the diaspora are ideally suited to drive key projects, as they have better local understanding and a clear commitment to seeking sustainable change
This Special Issue focuses on the role of the diaspora, especially the UK diaspora, in Africa’s development by beginning the process of opening up the themes and issues surrounding this important segment of the African people
Pambazuka News 638: Egypt's turmoil, Obama's visit: exposing myths and truths
Pambazuka News 638: Egypt's turmoil, Obama's visit: exposing myths and truths
On 4 June, the mayor promised to meet the residents by the end of the month to address their demands. But more than a week into July the residents have heard nothing further about the proposed meeting
New York, 10 July 2013 - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka from South Africa as the new Executive Director of UN Women, the organization leading UN’s work on advancing gender equality and women’s rights.
The announcement was made through the Spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General at today’s news briefing. The statement says: “Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka brings to this position, a wealth of experience in advocating for women’s issues with a combination of strategic leadership, consensus building and hands-on management experience. She was the first woman to hold the position of Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008. Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka initially became a member of parliament in 1994 chairing the Public Service Portfolio Committee. She was deputy minister in the Department of Trade and Industry (1996-1999), Minister of Minerals and Energy (1999-2005) and briefly served as acting Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology in 2004.
Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka was Young Women’s Coordinator for the World Young Women’s Christian Association in Geneva (1984-1986) and served as the first President of the Natal Organization of Women, an affiliate of the United Democratic Front, when it was formed in December 1983. Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka established Umlambo Foundation in 2008 to provide support to schools in impoverished areas in South Africa through mentorship and coaching for teachers and in Malawi through school improvements with local partners.
Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy in Educational Planning and Policy from the University of Cape Town (2003) and a BA in Education from the University of Lesotho (1980). In 2003, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Western Cape.
Born in 1955, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka is married with three children.
Significant gains have been achieved, but the Protocol will only have real meaning when governments go further and show their commitment to the protection and advancement of African women’s rights by domesticating and fully implementing the instrument
The history of inaction and failure of the AU to implement its own commitments and solutions poses real doubts about the credibility of its institutions after 50 years of existence
Greed is a national trait in Kenya, not just among the leaders but in all the citizens. Everyone wants to get material success no matter what the methods. It the fruit of a seed sown at independence
A two-party arrangement may be the panacea to the sectional politics Nigerians have long been attuned to
This phase of the revolution will require clarity from those who understand that the future of Egypt depends on the conscious and organized action of the people to avoid open warfare. The agents of militarism are ready to use the excuse of violence and security to hijack the will of the people
The popular rebellion against President Morsi shows that Egyptians will no longer back leaders who leave economic policy in the hands of Europe and the international banking elite, security in the hands of a savage and torturing police force, and foreign policy in the hands of the US, Britain and Israel
If the fragilities and dangers within Africa's growth are not recognised, 'Africa Rising' stereotypes may prove as hopeless as their predecessors
In January 1967 historic talks were held in regards to the on-going civil war in Nigeria. Revisiting the talks via the audio transcripts of the deliberations reveals the success the leader of the Ibos, Colonel Odumegwu-Ojukwu had in persuading the rest of the participants to accept an extensively decentralised structural solution to Nigeria’s crisis
On 8 July 8 2013 several individuals wrote to the President of South Sudan, expressing unease at disturbing developments in the country, particularly the impunity of the armed forces and growing corruption that portend future instability for the country. An immediate commitment to rectifying these problems is called for
In essence, what we had witnessed on 30 June 2013 in Egypt was the ordinary people’s revolution against the Islamists governance that had dismantled their lives for the interests of the West
Sixteen million Egyptians demonstrated against the government of President Morsi that led to his downfall. Western powers, Israel and the Gulf countries hate the perspective of a democratic, socially progressive, independent Egypt
Obama’s recent visit to South Africa when the 94-year-old Mandela was hospitalized created a golden opportunity for analysis and a questioning of long held assumptions about both men. The personal triumphs of these two individuals have not translated into success for black people in either of their countries.
America’s allies, Rwanda and Uganda, are involved in training, arming and offering operational support to rebels who have killed millions of people in eastern Congo. Yet, tellingly, Obama refrained from openly criticising them
Except in South Africa where some protesters opposed his visit, President Obama’s tour of Africa was received with much excitement around the continent. But burning questions about America’s dealings with Africa should be asked
Obama sees no irony in making a pilgrimage to Nelson Mandela’s place of political imprisonment, while holding 80,000 human beings in solitary confinement
They say the documentary breached journalistic ethics and exposed sex workers to possible hatred and violence at a time when sex workers have been targeted for attack in Kenya
The controversy is about the Nile’s governance. Ethiopia adheres to the Harmon Doctrine, which holds that a country has absolute sovereignty over the water that flows through its territory. But Egypt clings to its historical usage rights
There is a very broad conception of national security wherein state spooks have come to see themselves as the main watchdog of society, almost separate and above the constitutional and democratic order
Statistics show that the numbers of people living with HIV and dying of AIDS/TB in Haiti has decreased dramatically over the past 10 years due to a policy directed at prevention based on education and increased access to treatment. But there are other very grim realities excluded from the official reports
There are strong reasons for the persistence of the cultural practice of bride abduction in southern Africa and some parts of the world. But the practice violates the rights of the girl child and endangers her future wellbeing. It should be discarded
Pambazuka News 637: Fury in Egypt, looting Africa and taxing the poor
Pambazuka News 637: Fury in Egypt, looting Africa and taxing the poor
The clan militia, supported by Kenya and Ethiopia, has defied the legitimacy and jurisdiction of the Federal Government and unilaterally declared a regional State called ‘Jubbaland’
Kenyans have this horrible habit of abandoning and forgetting those among them who fought hard to free others during both economic and political difficulties
If Ghana be the land of my roots,
Then I'll celebrate the early scholars -
Resplendent in my ancestry.
Let me start with Muhammed al-Gamba;
The first imam of Kumasi.
The founder of Koranic education,
Deep in an Akan heartland -
The city of the Ashanti.
Service of prayers and amulets;
Trusted advisor to the royalty.
Respected representative,
Of the eminent ones -
The elders of northern Ghana.
He was known as 'Baba';
Son of the imam of Gambaga.
Some were born in Mamprugu,
Gonja or Dagomba.
Others came from Timbuktu,
Bonduku and Katsina.
Muhammed al-Katsiniwa came,
From that city of the Hausa.
Soloman Bagayogo came also;
Bringing scholarship to the Dagomba.
Let us go now,
To the town of Salaga -
Of kola nut and of slavery.
To meet a pupil of al-Hajj Umar;
The poet Muhammed al-Salghawi.
He wrote of celestial activity,
The recording of a comet -
Salaga of Islamic study.
Praises to al-Hajj Umar;
A poem to al-Tijani.
He wrote of conflict also,
The civil war that bloodied his town -
The exile of the scholar.
Born in beloved Salaga;
Dying in distant Accra.
© Natty Mark Samuels, 2013.
Some were born in Mamprugu,
Dagbon or Gonja.
Others came from Timbuktu,
Bonduku and Katsina.
Muhammed al-Katsiniwa came,
From that city of the Hausa.
Soloman Bagayogo came also;
Scholarship to the Dagomba.
Now we have spoken of the pupil,
Let us speak of his teacher -
Of al-Hajj Umar.
In the Salaga constellation;
He remains the shining star.
Born in Kano,
Great city-state of Nigeria -
Family migration to Gonja.
He wrote on diverse subject matter,
From corruption to influenza.
Founder of the first mosque,
And Koranic school -
In the district of Kete-Krachi.
He wrote of mosque construction;
And the social effects of poverty.
Some were born in Mamprugu,
Dagbon or Gonja.
Others came from Timbuktu,
Bondoku and Katsina.
Muhammed al-Katsinawa came,
From that city of the Hausa.
Soloman Bagayogo came also;
Bringing scholarship to the Dagomba.
Now we'll go further north,
To meet Muhammed al-Mustapha -
The imam of Gonja.
From the Kamaghate lineage;.
Of those known as Wangara.
The main writer of the chronicle,
Known as Kitab al-Ghunja -
From the mid-eighteenth century.
It tells of kings and Muslim clerics;
Of Asante and it's dynasty.
© Natty Mark Samuels, 2013.
A much respected figure,
Within the Gonja ulama -
Great historian of the Volta.
Served the Asantehene;
As well as the Yagbongwura.
Some were born in Mamprugu,
Dagbon or Gonja.
Others came from Timbuktu,
Bonduku and Katsina.
Muhammed al-Katsinawa came,
From that city of the Hausa.
Soloman Bagayogo came also;
Bringing scholarship to the Dagomba.
© Natty Mark Samuels, 2013.
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Nkululeko Gwala was assassinated in Cato Crest, the same area where another well-known housing activist, Thembinkosi Qumbelo, was killed in March. Nkululeko had received lots of threats
Many workers were forced to retire in order to get a government secured pension. But unfortunately, more than six months after, the pensions are still unpaid
Women in the Congo and other conflict torn regions in Africa experience rape and domestic violence as do their counterparts in Syria. Syrian women are suffering an epidemic of gender-related violence, both at home and in the countries where they have taken refuge.
The ANC is starting to fragment on the back of the governing party’s inability to reduce poverty, deliver jobs and effective public services. The party will continue to fragment as it remains divided and is unlikely to secure a two-thirds majority of votes as it has done in the past
‘Are we not mature enough as a nation to make our own rules? At 53, should we still have to copy from other nations? At 53, should we still have to grovel at the feet of other nations?’
Established book publishers in Kenya have a keen nose of commerce and politics. They do not publish to store and disseminate knowledge. But instead they publish either to make money or to gain political favour. And now tribalism has also set in
The young man articulated the frustration, fragility, despair and aspiration of so many young-black-men. He spoke for the many who strive to better their life by attempting to gain the ability to negotiate with a system that has socialized, marginalized, and institutionalized them with a misrepresented identity
A bill sponsored by the government and backed by IMF to raise more money to finance a huge budget announced recently seeks to impose value added tax on basic commodities. This has led to angry protests by Kenyans
Coverage of day-to-day news in African affairs in German media lacks in quantity as well as quality. AfrikaEcho, a young online news site, wants to change this, financed by ‘crowdfunding’ and ‘pay as you want’ subscriptions
'Our silence in the face of outrageous lies may give the misimpression that we are ignorant, witless, fainthearted and without much sense or sensibility. But we know the simple truth; and that truth is human rights in Ethiopia is an afterthought for the Obama Administration'
Beneath Obama’s beguiling smile and rhetoric the exploitation of the African continent by the US continues. With both Obama and Zuma on the back foot in terms of their justification for looting Africa, this is an ideal moment for a new solidarity movement to make its case
Mango are bringing their NGO money management training to Pretoria in July and still have some bursary (scholarship) places available for small, local NGOs and CSOs. Their training is specially designed for all NGO staff, not just finance people, and is very practical and enjoyable. For more information and to apply, .
The July 2013 issue of the Fahamu Refugee Legal Aid Newsletter is now available: Please help us distribute it, and consider contributing in the future. You can also like our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter!
The only real hope for Egypt is the formation of a government of national unity where the progressive forces are at the centre of the emerging political dispensation
Despite being in the path of this huge project, the people have very little information about the dam and the impacts it will bring to their lives. The situation is the same everywhere in Africa where poor communities are relocated to make way for huge infrastructure projects
Democracy in Africa now features semi-competitive elections that retain and entrench neo-patrimonialism and old networks of elite domination. But social transformation that gives human content to good governance will only begin with strong African social movements in every state