Review of African Blogs
'Scribbles in the Den' - (http://www.dibussi.com/) points to a Reporters Without Borders report on the 2006 “Worldwide Press Freedom Index”. The good news is that some African countries are moving up such as Togo. Since the new regime took office, the country has risen 29 places. Interestingly, Côte d’Ivoire (which is 99th) moved up 41 places - more an expression of how bad it was previously than how good it is now. The USA has also fallen by nine places since last year. Other African countries comparable with the West areBenin (23rd), Namibia (26th), Mauritius (32nd), Ghana (34th), Mali (35th), South Africa (44th) and Cape Verde (45th).
The bad news is that other African countries are ranking very low like Eritrea (166th), Gambia (149th), Somalia (144th), Democratic Republic of Congo (142nd), Zimbabwe (140th) and Equatorial Guinea (137th).
The report is based on a questionnaire on violations against journalists (such as murders, imprisonment, physical attacks and threats) and news media (censorship, confiscation of issues, searches and harassment).
'Two' - TWO (http://everchange.blogspot.com/2006/10/grameen-bank.html) comments on this year’s Nobel Peace Prize which was awarded to “Gameen Bank” founder “Muhammed Yunis, for his groundbreaking work providing microcredit to the rural poor in Bangladesh.” Everchange wonders if the prize has lost its meaning.
"Promoting economic development is not the same thing as creating a culture of peace. I see that the Norwegians are trying to ‘expand’ the definition of peace in order to honor different kinds of change agents, but for gods sake, do we really need new posers for an award that is so straight-forward? This is not the Nobel Poverty Eradication Prize. There are numerous individuals around the world braving imprisonment, torture and persecution in order to promote democracy and end armed conflict in their home countries. Give them the Nobel peace prize."
I have to agree. Whilst acknowledging the achievement of the Gameen Bank in fighting poverty, surely the prize committee could have found one of many individuals that are working to promote democracy and peace.
'You Missed This' - You Missed This (http://kumekucha.blogspot.com/) writes in support of Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete, but nevertheless believes the state of the country’s economy is cause for grave concern.
"But by far the most worrying aspect of the whole Tanzanian crisis is the reaction of the administration. There has been a deliberate effort in recent times to release positive economic figures and news on the performance of the economy. Most of the figures are from last year and not the last 10 months that President Kikwete has been in power. There was a unique exception last week when it was revealed that the government's debt had in 9 short months (from January to September, this year) shot up by a staggering $302 million to a total of $9.383 billion. The main culprits, experts say are "unrestricted domestic borrowing and unnecessary foreign debts."
He concludes that the outlook for Tanzania over the coming months is not good and that this will place enormous pressure on the government of Jakaya Kikwete.
'The Sudanese Thinker' - Sudanese Thinker (http://www.sudanesethinker.com/) comments on the decision by Khartoum to expel UN envoy, Jan Plonk, from the country.
"You know what amazes me? That a group like these people are happily pushing around major countries like Britain & the US. I honestly think the NCP is so clearly sticking its finger up in the air for all to see. If Bush and Blair can’t even make pressure on Sudan work to ease the Darfur situation, how the hell do they both want to fix Iraq? Sometimes I tend to think that the NCP is confident UK and US can’t do crap since they’ve already got enough to deal with on their hands namely Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran’s nuclear program.
“The Southerners are rightly pissed off about this. People call the current Sudanese government, the National Unity Government. Ya, sure thing! As if the SPLM gets any say in things like this. Whenever the SPLM tries to say or do something that is against the wishes of the NCP, it gets threatened. National Unity Government or whatever crap people wish to call it, the show is clearly being run by 'democratically elected' Bashir’s NCP. Sigh!"
As Sudanese Thinker states – “a replacement for Plonk will take some time. Time for Khartoum to continue killing people in Darfur, starving them to death, raiding their homes, raping the women. Time for the genocide to continue….”
'Aba Boy' - Aba Boy (http://ababoy.blogspot.com/2006/10/remembering-dick-tiger.html) remembers and honours one of Nigeria’s greatest sportsmen, Dick Tiger, who on the 23rd October won the WBA Middleweight boxing title.
"Dick Tiger was one of the great fighters to come out of the African continent. Tiger became a two-time undisputed world middleweight titlist. Tiger helped keep boxing alive during the 1950s boxing industry recession. Tiger earned an undisputed Light-Heavyweight world championship. In 1962, Tiger won the world middle weight boxing championship. Tiger inspired other Nigerians to go into boxing."
Dick Tiger, an Igbo from Imo State, was also an ardent supporter of Biafran secession and even returned his CBE in protest against Britain’s lack of support. Tiger actively participated in the training of young recruits into the army.
'Black Looks' - Black Looks (http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/10/prison_number_4.html) still in South Africa, reports on her visit to the Old Fort prison complex in Johannesburg – particularly the infamous Number 4 prison which was for “non-white” prisoners.
Words are difficult to describe this place but this quote from Alex La Guma who was a political prisoner in 1953 pretty much sums up the place.
“One of the reasons for my disease (typhoid) is found in this jail, filth. The mats are filthy, the blankets are filthy, the latrines are filthy, the food is filthy, the utensils are filthy, the convicts clothes are filthy. The latrines over flow and make a stench.” – Alex la Guma political prisoner 1953
• Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks, www.blacklooks.org
• Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at www.pambazuka.org
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