News From Somolia & Rwanda

Somalia- 

The consistently war plagued nation is now becoming a growing hot spot for Islamic jihadist. There is a growing concern over a new militant group called the Shabab, which means youth. The Shabab currently controls much of Southern and Central Somalia, the radical group is very similar to the Taliban in many ways. In areas where they control they force young men to come fight for them for face threats of violence and heavy taxation on their families. Although the Shabab are fairly primitive and don't have access to any weapons other than anti aircraft guns and AK-47s they are a force to be reckoned with and are a growing concern to the United States. On July 9th during the World Cup they claimed responsibility for a bombing in Uganda capital which killed 76 people including 1 American. This has lead the United States to continue funding the current government struggling to control Somalia. the current leader Sharif Ahmed is a so called "moderate" muslim who enforces Sharia Law and he has made it a crime to not be muslim in the nation. 

Rwanda - 

Rwanda President Paul Kagame recently spoke in London, his first appearance in front of a western audience since his controversial re-election this past summer. He gave a lecture on the challenge of nation building, with regards to Rwanda. Critics say it was a very well done speech but he mentioned nothing of what on lookers really wanted to hear, his side of the story in regards to his allegation of running a tainted campaign with accusations of treating his opposition unfairly, and even accusation of genocide and the murdering of a reporter. The President was asked about these accusations during the question and answer session at the end of the lecture, he dismissed these accusations as "baseless" and "absurd" and quickly moved on to the next question.

American Doctors Detained In Zimbabwe

This weekend in Harare, Zimbabwe a team of American doctors were arrested and detained soon after landing in the capital city. The Americans belong to the Allen Temple Baptist Church AIDS Ministry, based in Oakland, California. The team of doctors were carrying a four month supply of HIV/AIDS drugs for about 800 of the poorest people in the country. The team also brought along vitamins, clean bed linens, and food baskets.


The doctors were arrested on a charge of dispensing medicine without the supervision of a pharmacist or proper licenses. A newspaper in Zimbabwe quoted Detective Inspector Zimbili as saying. “There is a risk of dispensation of expired drugs. When premises are not licensed, it is difficult to check if the act is being complied with.” According to the teams lawyers they are still being held in hot, dirty, poorly ventilated holding cells, waiting for the Harare police department to finish processing paperwork to allow them to get out on bail. Although they are only expected to receive fines, this is just another example if the oppressive evil leadership in Zimbabwe. This issue has rightfully angered people throughout the nation and world alike. 




Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/world/africa/12zimbabwe.html?_r=1&ref=africa

Rwanda Elections

Rwanda-

Fallowing the genocide in 1994, the first presidential election took place in 2003 when a new constitution was approved in Rwanda. Paul Kagame won this first election and served a seven-year term that ended in early 2010, Kagame was recently reelected in August 2010

On the surface this election looks to be a fair and democratically run as the Tutsi minority leader won the election with well over 90% of the votes, however in months leading up to the election there was a drastic surge in corruption, foul play and unexplained misfortune for anyone who tried to challenge Kagame. The BBC described the election as… "Marred by violence and intimidation against opposition politicians”.

Kagame’s opponents have stated that leading up to the election more the 30 newspapers have been banned. Causing the voices of the opposition to be drowned out by the power of censorship. Most notably the unsolved beheading of the vice-president of the

Democratic Green Party, Andre’ Kagwa Rwiereka. Furthermore in June 2010 Rawandan General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, also a critic of Kagame, survived and assassination attempt while on a trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. Weeks later journalist Jean-Leonard Rugamge, published evidence that linked Kagame to these events was found murdered in this Rwandan home.  Several journalists have also been mysteriously thrown in jail. Of the two other political parties in Rwanda both candidates have been smeared or disqualified from running on technicalities.

Kagame has denied all of these accusations and has been quoted as saying: “The people of Rwanda were free to stand for election, those who wanted to, and to qualify, so I see no problem. Some sections of the media seem to be reading from a different page.” Around the country Kagame is greeted with enthusiasm and is very well like for preaching his message of a unified Rwanda without ethnic politics. Rwanda has also experienced a steady up swing in tourism, and quality of life for the average citizen since Kagame’s first seven-year term.

 

Source:

“Voting Ends In Rwandan Election” Al Jazeera English. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2010/08/20108943239684905.html . Published August 9, 2010, Retvieved on September 6, 2010

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