It’s been a while since I have written a roundup for Pambazuka News and after browsing through the last couple of months I notice there has been an absence of news on what is happening at grassroots level in Africa and the Diaspora so I have focused on activist blogs or blogs posting on local community issues.

Shackdwellers
– Housing Struggles Worldwide

I’ll start with two new blogs from the South African housing / land rights movement. First up is Shackdwellers. Although Housing struggles worldwide is an aggregator of posts from on housing struggles worldwide and other related social movements, it is based in South Africa and supports three African campaigns: The Abahlali baseMjondolo [SouthAfrica], Ota Benga Alliance [DRC] and the campaign to reinstate Fazel Khan who was fired by the university of KwaZulu Natal for being critical of the university.

The Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign
http://westerncapeantieviction.wordpress.com

The AEC is an umbrella body for some 15 communities in the Western Cape who are fighting evictions through the legal process and direct action and mass mobilisation and education.
This week AEC highlights the negative impact of the 2010 World Cup on the poor particularly in the area of housing via an article in Le Monde Diplomatique by Philippe Rivière [http://mondediplo.com/2008/05/13southafrica]
“South Africa will host the World Cup in 2010 so construction – and corruption – is booming. But almost none of the building or the money can be accessed by the poor who live in shantytowns without proper water, sanitation or electricity.”

Africa Rise
http://unitedafrica.blogspot.com/2008/05/haiti-community-driven-development.html

Africa Rise reports on a grassroots initiative in Haiti to provide water and roads to a local community.
“The water project in Carice is one example of how communities in Haiti are deciding their own priorities. Other communities have chosen different activities, ranging from soil conservation to building a fruit processing center, buying a plough, or building a community school.”

Sokwanele
http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/

Sokwanele continue provide the most up to date news of the continuing oppression, violence and election crisis in Zimbabwe. They have created a series of maps on the election results which includes documenting violence by Mugabe’s supporters. Their most recent post shows how the violence has escalated since the elections nearly 4 weeks ago.
“Last night we received unconfirmed reports that eight people were executed in Shamva. Their bodies are in the morgue, but their names are still unknown.
A little after this report came in we heard that ten people were killed in Mazoe, not Shamva. There is some confusion about whether eighteen people have been killed, or whether it is ten. Some of the confusion may stem from the fact that Mazoe is on the road to Shamva.”

Black Looks http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/05/eudy_simelane_another_lesbian_raped_and_murdered.html

Black Looks reports on yet another vicious rape and murder of a South African Lesbian, Eudy Simelane. Unlike other recent cases, five suspects have been arrested and denied bail. They remain in custody until the trial.
“Violence against lesbians and gays is unSouth African. Here, oppression and discrimination have no place, still there are parents who reject or kick children out to the streets; siblings, friends and communities who hurt, beat, rape, torture and even kill lesbians and gays. If they survive all this, they face further victimisation at in the hands of the police and even the courts THIS IS NOT JUSTICE AT ALL. People who inflict harm upon and even kill lesbians and gays (or anyone else) do not belong in South Africa. Leaders and communities that do not oppose violence against gays, lesbians, women, children, rape survivors and HIV+ people do not belong here.”

* Sokari Ekine blogs at www.blacklooks.org

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