TRANSATLANTIC TIMES: World News Report
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Washington, DC, USA
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A. New titleChad refuses to arrest Sudan's al-Bashir
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B. ANALYSIS: JEGA HAS A DATE WITH HISTORY
C. Nigeria and the restive State of the Niger Delta
D. New al-Qaida threat: Somali group claims blasts
New titleChad refuses to arrest Sudan's al-Bashir
Sudan
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Sudan's president, who faces charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, travelled to neighbouring Chad on Wednesday — the first time he has risked arrest by travelling to a member state of the International Criminal Court.
Omar al-Bashir has travelled abroad only to countries that are not ICC members since he was first charged in connection with violence in Sudan's Darfur region in 2009.
The ICC has no police force and depends on member states to enforce its orders.
Chadian officials said they would not detain al-Bashir. "Bashir will not be arrested in Chad," said Chadian Interior Minister Ahmat Mahamat Bachir.
The mayor of N'djamena, Chad's capital, also gave the president a warm welcome by presenting him with a key to the city upon his arrival.
"Chad and Sudan had a problem in the past. Now this problem is solved. We are brothers," al-Bashir told reporters in N'djamena.
Sudan's government spokesman, Rabie Abdel Attie, said Sudan-Chad relations were more important than the fact Chad is a party to the ICC.
"I don't think Chad will do anything to harm the president. There is an agreement to end hostilities," he said.
Besides participating in a summit of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, the Sudanese president is also expected to discuss bilateral relations, including a January agreement between Sudan and Chad to end hostilities and stop supporting each other's rebel groups, Abdel Attie said.
Human Rights Watch urged Chad to arrest al-Bashir. "Chad risks the shameful distinction of being the first ICC member state to harbour a suspected war criminal from the court," said HRW's Elise Keppler. "Chad should not flout its obligations to arrest al-Bashir if he enters Chad."
Chad is a member state to the Rome Statute that created the ICC in 1998. The ICC's prosecutor's office in The Hague said it would have no comment.
Abdel Attie didn't respond to questions about guarantees from Chad for the president's safety. But he indicated that the mutual benefits Sudan and Chad get out of the end-of-hostilities agreement trumps the desire to arrest al-Bashir.
"I don't think [either] country will breach this agreement," he said, adding that there are now joint Sudanese-Chadian military units patrolling the borders. The arrest warrant "is not a subject to discuss between the two countries."
Keppler said the political deal between Chad and Sudan was "no justification for shielding alleged war criminals."
Chad previously denied the leader of a major Darfur rebel group entry into its territories. According to the joint agreement, both countries have to stop providing operational ground for each other's rebel groups.
Darfur's ethnic African rebels rose up in 2003, accusing Sudan's Arab-dominated central government of neglect and discrimination. UN officials estimated 300,000 people died and 2.7 million were displaced.
Many Darfur rebels come from tribes that overlap the border between the countries, and some have bases in Chad, which for years had strained relations with Sudan.
In February, the two countries pledged to deny support for each other's rebels and to monitor borders. Many observers praised it as a boost for peace prospects in Darfur.
Al-Bashir was charged in March 2009 with five counts of crimes against humanity and two of war crimes for allegedly orchestrating atrocities in Darfur. Last week, the ICC charged him with three counts of genocide, the first time the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal has issued genocide charges.
ANALYSIS: JEGA HAS A DATE WITH HISTORY
By Okee Sydney-Obiukwu
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For many months running, the question on the lips of every political observer in Nigeria, was who would replace the mercilessly critisized Professor Morris Iwu,as it became apparent that his days as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), would soon be counted in a very few digits. Infact, at a time, the focus was no longer whether he we would be dropped as INEC Chair, but to establish if he was an imposture claiming to be a professor, when indeed he had just a modest education.
The man fought gallantly to keep his job, putting his media and public relations handlers to effective use. But when the fire power of his victims at the balloting stations. That is those whom he made to loose their well-funded elections, became unbearable, the powers that be in Abuja decided it was time to ditch him and shop for his replacement, which resulted in the appointment of Proffessor Attahiru as the new helms man. A decision that was celeberated both in the human rights community and the Nigerian polity, generally.
The task before Jega-led administration is a difficult one looking at the performance of the body under the former chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu. The huge task before Jega and his fellow electoral commissioners is to prove to the electorate and the citizens of this country that the body can conduct a free and fair election without interference from any quarter.
The renowned academics appointment has recieved commendation by many describing it as a square peg in a square hole. Many see the appointment as the best so far from the Goodluck Jonathan led administration. But political watchers, observers and analysts see the issue differently. They say, that the success of the election come 2011 should not be credited to the performance of Jega alone but also that of his commissioners that would work with him. The failure should also be shared by all but it was not so in the case of the former INEC boss who shared the blame with no one but himself, as if he is omni-presence.
Analysts believe that Jega will certainly perform better because he already has the ingredients that are needed to help him discharge his duties effectively. As a member of the highly regarded and well-spoken Uwais electoral Reform Committee, he has the opportunity to implement some of the committee’s recommendations to make the exercise successful.
Jega has every reason not to fail but rather make good history of himself by conducting a free and a fair election come 2011 or place himself on the negative still of business as usual. The question then is, “can he really take the bull by the horn and do what others before him could not do”? Can he stand up to ensure that the vote of the electorate counts? Can he truly operate an independent house or pander to the whims and caprices of those that appointed him?
Previous elections conducted in Nigeria show that the body (INEC) is not truly independent as it ought to be, rather it is used by the incumbent administration who usually t appoints its leadership to serve its selfish electoral agenda. The 2007 general election conducted under Iwu has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the body is not independent in any way.
Professor Jega like his comrades, have been tall in condemning others who held the office before him, now is therefore the time to do the deed, that he as social critic has espoused for so long. He should know that the 2011 general election is very vital to the survival of this entity called Nigeria, that is why he should put in everything to ensure that the electorate has a voice on who governs them. With his credential in the academic world it appears he is up to the task but can he stand the political intrigues exhibited by the ruling party? Can he resist the powers that brought him on board? Can he turn a deaf ear and do the wish of the electorate? Will he be able to prove that free and fair election can still be held in Nigeria?
To realize how bad and daming the business of conducting election has become, we need to remember that the former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo once said that even our Lord Jesus Christ may fail to conduct a free and fair election in Nigeria. This statement drew criticism from various communities, individuals and across religious devide, Christians nationwide led by their leaders called for a deliverance for the former president. In a swift response to their call, Obasanjo said he is fine and doesn’t need deliverance, rather it was they who should be delivered. Even with Jega's commendable choice, the tragic-comedy that our elections have become is not about to end, knowing that in Nigeria electoral victory is a do or die affair.
Need we say to the "Big Prof. " as they say in in the years of yore: physician heal thyself.
Nigeria and the restive State of the Niger Delta
Nigeria and the restive State of the Niger Delta
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Nigeria,is rated as the sixth world’s largest oil producing State. All her rich oil resources is concentrated in the Niger Delta region.Over the years,this region has seen serious underdevelopment,lack of good structural facilities,hunger,poverty,oil pollution and degradation. Much wealth and resources were being pulled from this region by the Federal Government and oil companies to develop other parts of the country and also enrich themselves.
Over the years different groups from the region sought for dialogue with the different governments for a better way to help improve the lives and communities of these regions.
With coming to power of the late junta(through a coup de’tat)General Sanni Abacha,the crisis deepened when the late junta executed the agaitators for a better deal and improvement of the region,the late Ken Saro Wiwa and 8 others. This led to public and International outcry as to the way the government handled the issue at hand.
According to the Acting Executive Director of the Civil Liberties Organisation(CLO)Mr Ibuchukwu Ezike,the situation worsened and youth took up arms when the then proposed One Million Man March by the Youths Ernestly Ask for Abacha(YEAA)was carried out.When the youths from Bayelsa got to Abuja,what they saw made them realize that all the wealth from their State was been used to develop Abuja,they went back agitated.
A new era was born in the struggle for recognition and fairness.Youths in the Niger Delta region began to bear arms.Different groups were formed and a violen approach to the stuggle was birthed. Groups like Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force(NDPVF) led by Alhadji Asari Dokubo,brought fear and restiveness to the region.Again the Federal Government,true to it’s nature,failed to address the issue by dialogue,by the orders of the then president,Olusegun Obasanjo,the military,razed down Odi a town in Bayelsa State,in retaliation for the murder of 12 policemen by a local gang.
The government of the late Musa Yar’Adua sought to end the restiveness in the region by including in his seven point agenda the issue of the Niger Delta struggle.Although past government had instituted the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC)to address the issue of underdevelopment in the region,It failed to address the main issue the youths were asking for which is resource control.This led to the adoption of the Kaiama Declaration on the 11th of December,1998,which claimed ownership of all natural resources found in Ijaw territory by the Ijaw ethnic group,the fourth largest in Nigeria.There were repeated cases of protesters taking over oil workers hostage.The crisis continued to generate tension in the country.
In his determination to end armed insurgency in the oil rich Niger Delta region,the Late president Musa Yar’Adua in August 6,2009,gavethe militant 60 days to surrender their arms in return for full presidential amnesty and unconditional pardon and re-integration into the society.A step in the right direction this move was commended by international and local observers saying that this pact will bring lasting solution to the crises region.Though some watchers in the event believe that the government might not keep to the terms of agreement it entered with the militant.
One of such groups,The Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta(MEND)through it’s spokesman MrJomo Gbomo,has said that the group does not have faith in the amnesty programme.To him,the disarmament programme fails to address the root of MEND’s struggle which is the reversing of unjust treatment of local communities in the Niger Delta region after more than five decades of oil exploitation.
Inside the orientation camp of the ex-militants at the permanent orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corp(NYSC)Apiapum in Obubra Local Government Area,160 kilometres from Calabar the capital of Cross River State is where the ex-militant are been camped.
It is said that some of the ex-militants are yet to be fully disarmed as some of them still smuggle weapons into the camp.The militants are becoming restive as they say that they have not been paid for 2months.
Questions asked are:will the ongoing exercise work the way it was intented?Will the Government fulfill her own side of the bargain?The Federal government on her part is saying that the ongoing exercise will last for six months and the ex-militants are drawn from Bayelsa,Abia,Cross-river,Ondo,Imo,Rivers,Akwa-Ibom,Akwa and Edo States.They are to come in batches of 2000 each.The re-orientation exercise is expected to have 20,192 ex-militants in attendance.
If what the Federal Government said is true,why did the ex-militant attack rather harass the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta Affairs Mr Timi Alaibe?
Will the coming of a team of 30 peace and conflict resolution expert which consists of 26 Americans and 4 South Africans yield the desired result?The Civil Liberties Organisation(CLO)Acting Executive Director Mr Ibuchukwu Ezike thinks the federal government is getting all wrong by bringing in foreigners to resolve internal conflict.
The National President of Ogoni Youths Council(OYC)thinks otherwise.He says the involvement of expaitrates by the Federal Government is a step in the right direction. The re-orientation exercise of the ex-militants has since commenced in June,2010 and the most of the ex-militants are already in camp. Observers are watching both local and international and hope we don’t go back to the days of kidnapping of oil workers an destruction of oil installations.
New al-Qaida threat: Somali group claims blasts
By Malkhadir M. Muhumed in Nairobi, Kenya
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KAMPALA, Uganda — East Africa saw the emergence of a new international terrorist group Monday, as Somalia's most dangerous al-Qaida-linked militia claimed responsibility for the twin bombings in Uganda that killed 74 people during the World Cup.
The claim by al-Shabab, whose fighters are trained by militant veterans of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, resets the security equation in East Africa and has broader implications worldwide. The group in the past has recruited Somali-Americans to carry out suicide bombings in Mogadishu.
Al-Shabab has long threatened to attack outside of Somalia's borders, but the bombings late Sunday are the first time the group has done so.
"We warned Uganda not to deploy troops to Somalia, they ignored us," said Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage, al-Shabab's spokesman. "We warned them to stop massacring our people, and they ignored that. The explosions in Kampala were only a minor message to them. ... We will target them everywhere if Uganda does not withdraw from our land."
Rage said a second country with peacekeeping forces in Mogadishu — Burundi — could soon face attacks. Fighting in Mogadishu between militants and Somali troops or African Union peacekeepers frequently kills civilians.
The attacks outside Somalia represent a dangerous new step in al-Shabab's increasingly militant path and raises questions about its future plans. The U.S. State Department has declared al-Shabab a terrorist organization. Other neighboring nations — Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia, along with Burundi — may also face new attacks, analysts say.
Despite the threats, Uganda's army spokesman said the county would not withdraw. "Al-Shabab is the reason why we should stay in Somalia. We have to pacify Somalia," said Lt. Col. Felix Kulaigye.
In Washington, President Barack Obama spoke with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Monday to express his condolences for the loss of life in the bombings. Obama offered to provide any support or assistance needed in Uganda, said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
Gibbs said that while the FBI is assisting in the ongoing investigation, the U.S. believes that there is "no clearer signal of the hateful motives of terrorists than was sent yesterday."
The death toll in Sunday's twin blasts rose to 74 on Monday, Ugandan officials said. Investigators combed through the blast sites, one an outdoor screening at a rugby club and the other an Ethiopian restaurant — a nation despised by al-Shabab. Investigators found the severed head of what appeared to be a Somali suicide bomber.
A California-based aid group, meanwhile, said one of its American workers was among the dead. Officials said 60 Ugandans, nine Ethiopians or Eritreans, one Irish woman, and one Asian were also among those killed. Two people couldn't be identified. Eighty-five people were wounded.
At least three of the wounded were in a church group from Pennsylvania who went to an Ethiopian restaurant in Kampala early to get good seats for the game, said Lori Ssebulime, an American who married a Ugandan. Three Ugandans in the group were killed when a blast erupted. One of the wounded was 16-year-old American Emily Kerstetter.
"Emily was rolling around in a pool of blood screaming," said Ssebulime, who has helped bring in U.S. church groups since 2004. "Five minutes before it went off, Emily said she was going to cry so hard because she didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay the rest of the summer here."
Blood and pieces of flesh littered the floor among overturned chairs at the scenes of the blasts, which went off as people watched the game between Spain and the Netherlands.
"We were enjoying ourselves when a very noisy blast took place," said Andrew Oketa, one of the hospitalized survivors. "I fell down and became unconscious. When I regained, I realized that I was in a hospital bed with a deep wound on my head."
At a wrap-up news briefing Monday in South Africa, FIFA President Sepp Blatter denounced the violence against fans watching the game.
"Can you link it to the World Cup? I don't know... Whatever happened, linked or not linked, it is something that we all should condemn," he said.
Analysts have long feared al-Shabab was turning increasingly violent. The International Crisis Group in May said that if foreign fighters' influence grew inside al-Shabab, the group's "rapid transformation into a wholly al-Qaida franchise might become irreversible. That could cause havoc even well beyond Somalia's borders, and the (Somali government) and the international community cannot choose to be bystanders."
Invisible Children, a San Diego, California-based aid group that helps child soldiers, identified the dead American as one of its workers, Nate Henn, who was killed on the rugby field. Henn, 25, was a native of Wilmington, Delaware.
"He sacrificed his comfort to live in the humble service of God and of a better world," the group said.
The FBI sent agents based at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya to assist in the investigation and look into the circumstances of the death of the American citizen, a State Department official in Washington said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the probe. Interpol said in a statement that it was dispatching a team to Uganda.
Ugandan President Museveni toured the blast sites Monday and said that the terrorists behind the bombings should fight soldiers, not "people who are just enjoying themselves."
"We shall go for them wherever they are coming from," Museveni said. "We will look for them and get them as we always do."
Kulayigye, the Ugandan army spokesman, said it was too early to speculate about any military response to the attacks.
Uganda still plans to host the African Union summit in late July. More than 50 heads of state or government are expected to attend.
Ethiopia, which fought two wars with Somalia, is a longtime enemy of al-Shabab and other Somali militants who accuse their neighbor of meddling in Somali affairs. Ethiopia had troops in Somalia between December 2006 and January 2009 to back Somalia's fragile government against the Islamic insurgency.
Sunday's terror attacks are not the first to hit East Africa. U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were the targets of deadly twin bombings by al-Qaida in 1998, killing 224 people including 12 Americans. An Israeli airliner and hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, were targeted by terrorists in 2002.
The United States worries that Somalia could be a terrorist breeding ground, particularly since Osama bin Laden has declared his support for Islamic radicals there.
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