Rwanda and... (guess who) France!!! Getting along finally?

The International community is past finding its conscience and has moved on to perform action. If you remember, just recently Rwanda was preparing for the first visit from a French President since the beginning of the Rwandan genocide. Like I said, it would be interesting to see what happened. Well, the French President (of course) apologized saying that the French response to the genocide was "too late and undoubtedly too little." He also hoped for a more positive relationship with Rwanda in the future. Of course President Kagame was ready to move forward, but he sounded a bit (not like I blame him) angry saying "We are not here to fiddle with vocabulary. What happened here was unnacceptable..." (wonk wonk wonk can't we all just get along). Anyway, as we predicted the meeting was (for lack of a better adjective) interesting. Lets sit back and watch what will really happen between the two nations in the future.

What have the missionaries learned from this experience?

And the story continues...

Race relations in France...That's all I need to say and I'm pretty sure those of you reading this have let out a big sigh. As if France has not been read the riot enough times for its policies when it comes to race relations and religious freedom, there has been another report, but this time it comes from the film industry. Gerard Depardieu, who many of us know as the Tom Hanks of French Cinema (he has also appeared in American films such as "Last Holliday" with Queen Latifah), is said to be playing Alexander Dumas.
Alexander, Dumas, the revered ecrivain (writer) of the 19th century is known for many works, most notably The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo. However, as he is respected for these works it is also known that he was jeered for his ethnic background. As you may know Alexander Dumas, the grandson of a freed Haitian slave, was of African descent and often referred to himself as a "negro." Historian Claude Schopp remarked that Dumas always presented, in caricatures or sketches, "as a sort of monster" with big lips and afro hair.

Why is this important? Well, Gerard Depardieu is not of African descent, nor is he mixed, but he is fully caucasian and his plyaing Alexander Dumas ignores the cultural make up of Alexander Dumas. According to the French film industry race had nothing to do with Depardieu's casting. They claim he was chosen for the part because of his skill as an actor. (riiiiiight......how insulting) So all of the creole, or north African actors I watched when I was in France are incompetent? Well if the industry says they are, then don't they feel that putting Depardieu in every "big film" will water down his skill as an actor? Remember when France was complaining about the decreasing popularity of its films???? Situations like this might be why. When people watch films they are relaxed, they want to be reminded about the beauty of life, it can only be practical if the people LOOK LIKE YOU. How many times will power brokers in the France have to slap us before we realize that we are not welcome there?
.....That's okay, Patrick Lozes, President of the Black Associations has voiced his opinion, hopefully the entertainment industry will listen.

Earthquake...again???

According to the Associated Press, on February 18th, a category 6.8 earthquake hit the Russo-Chinese and North Korean border at 9:15 am. There were minor effects as office towers were said to have "swayed" for a short period of time.

Mourning the Dead in Haiti

courtesy of New York Times

When Elephants fight

Okay, so we knew that politics in Kenya was shady, but the latest events are just downright unprofessional. It's gotten so bad that former Secretary General, Kofi Annan, had to intervene to stop the Kenyan President and Prime Minister from fighting. The latest fight came about after President Kibaki revoked Prime Minister Odinga's suspension claiming that "Odinga had no right to suspend the ministers and he had not consulted with him before announcing the suspension." In addition, there has been some finger pointing about who can tell who what to do. Odinga has said in a statement "neither the president nor the prime minister is superior to the other."
WHATEVER. This is definately a situation where elephant's have been fighting and definately the grass suffers. Already there has been ethnic violence after the Prime Minister blamed the President of rigging the election. The violence that came as a result killed 1300 people in 2008.

The suspension of the ministers came about after money went missing from educational and agricultural funds. If you remember, just last year there were strikes in Kenya after the negotiations over salaries with the government failed. In any case, the US and Britain have suspended educational aid to Kenya after auditors accused the government program of (what else) fraud.

Libya and Switzerland are at it AGAIN!!!

Remember back in the day (2008) when Gaddafi's son and daughter in law were arrested in Switzerland for mistreating their domestic workers? Well he didn't forget, and it seems that neither has Switzerland. Not too long ago, Switzerland blacklisted 188 high ranking officials from Libya, this denied them entry. That's okay, Libya returned the favor. It stopped issuing visas to people from countries in the Schengen free border zone.
Countries in the Schengen free border zone agreed to the Schengen Agreement, allowing a free exchange of law enforcement data through a centralized database. Schengen countries do not have to be members of the EU, nor do EU countries have to be part of the Schengen Agreement. Some Schengen countris include France, Italy, and Malta.
Of course why they'd want to go to Libya is a different question, completely, but not to worry, there are people who went (there's always one) they were from Malta and they were detained "treated like hostages" before they were deported back to their country. Hmmm... There's always something in Libya.

This Can't Be Serious!!! But it is.

Goel Ratzon, A 60 year old man in Israel, has been arrested for leading a cult, rape, sodomy, and enslavement. He is "accused" for having (wait for it......wait for it.....)23 wives and 59 CHILDREN!!! The wives tatooed his name and picture on their arms. They all believed that he had the power to heal and curse. The women were forced to worship his image, glorify him as he was being served, and had a penalty system if they disobeyed him. As predicted, the women were not allowed to contact family members or anyone from the "outside world" Money in the form of social security payments and salaries were put into the "family account" for all of his living expenses and for him to buy property. On a more serious note, Ratzon is accused of raping two of his daughters, sexually assaulting another daughter, and sexually abusing four other girls. I know what I want to say, but I'll let you say it.

Dictatorship? hmm really?

Okay, so I'm watching CNN and I hear that Secretary of State Clinton feels that Iran might be moving dangerously toward a military dictatorship...NO!!! Should that be a TOP headline? What would make CNN feel that it's newsworthy? The fact that almost everyone who protests is in jail? Or maybe its the fact that he tells people not to protest? No, maybe its the fact that he won't share nuclear information? Or maybe it's just all of the above. I mean come on, I know that we're worried but they could have selected a much better quote.

Iraq..The Drama Continues.

After Saadam Hussein's death, his legacy still seems ever so present in Iraq. As the country prepares for parliament elections, it appears that many contestants are former members of his Baathist party. This has sparked protests in the streets with people carrying pictures of family members and loved ones who have died under Saadam Hussein's power. The Baath party was opposed to the Shia religious group and Kurdish ethnic group. In the current democracy, changes have been made to include the two groups. The person in charge of taking former Baath party members out of politics is....Ahmed Chalabi (aww mannn!!! really???...yes). In any case, there are individuals who disagree with this action saying that it is too extreme and are in fear of political reprisals. Such individuals have also stated that it wasjust a motive to keep Sunni Iraqis out of power (Baathists were mostly Sunni).

Nigeria gets a big star for a job well done.

Very rarely do Nigerians get praised for an act of (wait for it...) DEMOCRACY!! The issue is that not only was Nigeria praised but by America. Nigerians won't admit it but I'm pretty sure every Nigerian has been trying to impress the president ever since he visited Africa and went to Ghana. However, it looks like Nigeria's actions have finally earned a round of applause. This week marked the handing over of power from Yar Adua to Goolduck Jonathan. Robin Sanders, US ambassador to Nigeria said "The best interests of the country and the future o Nigeria have been served well by this action." This will mark the second time that the country has witnessed the handing over of power from one president to another without (knock on wood) rioting, political unrest, and the like. Goodluck Jonathan is now acting President until Yar Adua can resume his duties. So goodluck to Mr. Goodluck (no pun intended).

Gbagbo and the government that was...what's next for Cote d'Ivoire

After postponing elections six times; scheduled for, at the latest, November 29, 2009, President Gbagbo of Cote d'Ivoire announced February 12th on national television that he'd be dissolving his government. He also accused the electoral commission of "running an illegal operation. Citing that he "wants a government that serves the interests of the Ivorian people and not the orders of political parties," Gbagbo claimed that the electoral commission was adding over 400,000 people to the electoral roll. It was reported that many of the names Gbagbo belong to individuals who do not support the President. So is this the new rule? Postpone or dissolve the government so that you can get your way? Or is it something deeper than that

When in Rome Part 2

It has been 31 years since the Iranian Revolution and, as expected, there have been mass protests against the current government. Foreseeing today's protests, Ahmedinijad issued a statement yesterday warning individuals that if they protest, measures will be taken against them. So far, people have been beaten and arrested for protesting OR for being around the protest (hmm), and (again) reporters have been barred from entry into the area. In addition to this, and most importantly, Internet Service Providers have been disrupted. I can only think this is to stop video from reaching other countries, like it did during the protests last summer. I wonder how many means of communication the Iranian government is interrupting? What about phones? People are still using them. Well maybe he's been talking to North Korean President, Kim Jong Il, but if he did, then he'd know that information still comes out when you censor everything.

20 years!!!

Yes Everyone! Today marks a 20 years anniversary of the South African Freedom Walks. This marked the Freedom of Nelson Mandela as he walked out of Prison. As we all know, he then went on to become President of South Africa. It was definately a powerful event at the time as it is an exciting event to look back on. Mandela is now 91 years old. How do you feel about the Progress of South Africa looking back on an event such as this one?

Sri Lanka...Fighting too much?

After the Sri Lankan elections, General Fonseka; who was defeated by current president Rajapaksa, contested the results. He was then arrested for "working with anti government forces," a claim which both he and his wife contest. After his imprisonment, his supporters took to the streets in a silent protest to show their support while supporters of President Rajapaksa began to throw rocks, bottles, and the like sparking an outright fight in the streets. Political unrest in the third world...well I guess the saga continues.

Haitian man rescued after 27 days in rubble.

Yes Zuma, saying you're actually sorry is humorous

Well after telling the world that his "sexual affairs" were none of our business, Zuma has issued an apology to his family and those who he feels he has hurt the most. I almost laughed as much as he is in this picture.

When in Rome...

So after the unrest in June, there have been a round of arrests and reports of police brutality. The latest that has been brought to the public's attention is of the former Foreign Affairs minister who was a supporter of Mousavi, the opposition leader whose loss in the latest Iranian Presidential election sparked an uproar of protests against Ahmedinijad. Mr. Aminzadeh is facing 6 years in 'the clinker' for his support of Mousavi. This has been reported on almost every major news feed around the world. The question is...are you surprised?

The village that stood up to the Taliban | World news | The Guardian

It's good every now and then to hear about a group that stands up to bullies. Such is the case with villagers in Lakki Marwat, a village in Pakistan that was the target of the volleyball attacks on New Year's Day. Apparently the volley ball attacks were a retaliation from the Taliban, because villagers turned their members over to the army. In Lakki Marwat there is a Peace commission made up of mostly elders, one of whom were killed by a teenager who was brainwashed into joining the taliban. I guess this is a mixed report, as the village still stands firm against the Taliban, the game of volleyball is no longer played. Not mainly because people are scared, but because most of the players are dead.

More information at The Guardian UK
The village that stood up to the Taliban World news The Guardian

Peace before Justice?

The UN operation in Congo MONUC has been criticized for helping the very people it is supposed to be bringing to justice. Ntaganda, a Congolse rebel leader is shown to have been heading raids, looting, burning of houses, and rapes. It's also said to be no limit to these operations as Nurses from a local hospital, who were robbed at gunpoint, their car raided, reported the crime said to be committed against them and were told that it was not in their job description to help them. It has been said that this is not a situation of peacekeepers just standing by to watch what happened, but that the peacekeepers are actually helping the crimes to be committed. As this continues to go on, Congolese leader, Joseph Kabila, claims that the the war in the country is 90% better than what it was before and is calling for peacekeepers to leave in June. June, 2010 will mark 50 years of the country's independence from Belgium.

The country's armed forces are now mixed with a hybrid force. Laurent Nkunda's CNDP militia group was legitimized by the Congolese government which decided to collaborate and go against the FDLR (an exile Rwandan Hutu militia group). However, the Congolse government's army is accused of atrocities such as burning people alive, killing people with machetes and beating them with clubs. If any of these actions sound like the Rwandan genocide in 1994, it's because many members of the "hybrid" army were active in the Rwandan genocide of 1994, in which over 500,00 people were killed. MONUC supports the army saying that it is a step to some stability in the country even as its head, Alan Doss, admits that the army is guilty of human rights abuses. President Kabila has stated that "Peace must come before justice" defending his reason for working with individuals wanted by the ICC

Congo conflict: 'The Terminator' lives in luxury while peacekeepers look on World news guardian.co.uk

Yar Adua...stepping aside?

In a statement that many of us thought that we would never hear, it has been announced that current Nigerian President Yar' Adua will concede his presidency to the vice president Godwin. Did you see it coming? I didn't. I mean I thought he'd create a temporary plan until the end of his term for the Vice President..(By the way this does mean that all the rumors that he's dead...ARE FALSE!!!) We all knew that the VP would get some political action. However, being that he was sick for what feels like a year and he still didn't make a statement, I didn't see this coming. Well I guess it's a new day for African politics. Everyone we can now cease from being angry about the vacuum in leadership. I do hope he gets well.

Bashir and the ICC, another round of battle (DING DING!!)

In an event that shouldn't surprise any of us, Sudanese leader King Bashir's genocide charges are being reconsidered. The ICC is considering adding three additional charges of genocide. The prosecutors at the ICC stated that Bashir's government sought to eradicate three ethnic groups: the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa peoples. It is noted that if these charges are brought against Bashir, it will mark the first time that ICC charges are brought against a sitting head of state. Since 2003 the UN has recorded approximately 300,000 people have died in the Darfur conflict.

Government officials have snubbed their nose at the possibility of change in the ruling saying that it is propaganda for Sudan's upcoming election in April. The African Union has continued to support Bashir since Bashir's arrest warrant in March 2009 and so have other leaders. This is apparent as Bashir has travelled to other countries, courting support. At the time of which reconsideration of his charges was announced, Bashir was in Qatar.

President Zuma...say it isn't so!!!

I know that as I write about Foreign Affairs this article is supposed to be...beneath me. However, I can't stop myself from finding President Zuma's private issues quite entertaining. Just when we thought it was over!!! When we thought that after his message about gender equality, Mr. Zuma has turned a new leaf, President Zuma has found his way back to my entertainment. Mr. Zuma (67) has a love child with Sonono Khoza (39). If her last name sounds familiar to you, it's because her father is World Cup boss Irvin Khoza. It is also reported that President Zuma has paid for the pregnancy; an action which he says is in line with his Zulu culture. There have also been calls for him to attend sex rehab...hmm. According to local Sowetan newspapers, Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, leader of the African Christian Democratic Party has stated that the child is "a sign that Mr. Zuma is not using condoms..." Hmmmm You don't say. Between his three wives, President Zuma has nineteen (19) children. Well...maybe he'll turn the woman into wife number four and it won't be so scandalous anymore.