Gambian Woman to Head The ICC.

According to Colum Lynch and a few other observers, Fatou Bensouda will become the next top Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court.
Earlier this week, the ICC announced that the four short-listed candidates (Robert Petit of Canada; Andrew Cayley of the UK; Mohamed Chande Othman of Tanzania; and Fatou Bensouda of Gambia), had been whittled down to two.
It has become apparent that the ICC’s Assembly of States Parties wanted to avoid an election by deciding on a “consensus candidate.” Kevin Jon Heller, at Opinio Juris, suggested that the ICC likely conducted informal polling which made clear that a consensus had formed around having an African Prosecutor. Othman subsequently decided to step aside, allowing Bensouda to emerge as the sole candidate for the job. In all likelihood, Othman understood his chances were slim-to-none given that the African Union – which had decided to support an African candidate for Prosecutor  endorsed  Bensouda.
Many readers of JiC will know that Bensouda has long been the favoured candidate to replace outgoing Prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo. Her name was consistently and emphatically mentioned by observers of the Court. This past September, I argued that the stars had aligned for Bensouda – she had the ICC’s top job “in the bag.” Bensouda clearly satisfied all of the political and merit-based criteria to become the ICC’s chief Prosecutor.
The selection of Bensouda as a consensus candidate is important for a number of reasons. Here are a few:
First, the selection of Bensouda, just weeks prior to the day originally set for an election, removes the possibility of a highly political election. Of course, this isn’t necessarily a good thing. An election would have created additional buzz and discussion about key issues surrounding the ICC and its first decade of work.
Second, Bensouda becomes the first African Prosecutor at the ICC. This fact will almost surely garner the most media attention. The African Union has been adamant that an African candidate would be selected, and they got their wish. It will now be very interesting to see how the AU deals with an African Prosecutor. The AU has often expressed frustration and, at times, outright hostility towards the Court for what it, and many of its member states, see as undue bias towards African nations and leaders. Now that the AU has its chosen candidate, will its attitude and rhetoric change?
Third, Bensouda’s ascension to the top job is another remarkable feat for gender parity in international institutions and international politics. The United Nations has never had a female Secretary General. The World Bank has never had a female President.
Fourth, the ICC not only has a lot on its plate, but the number of courses being served is ever-increasing. In the past year alone, two additional situations (Ivory Coast and Libya) were added to the growing list of contexts in which the Court is conducting official investigations and prosecutions. It is not out of the question that others, like Syria, will join Libya, Ivory Coast, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Uganda, in the near future. It would seem sensible to suggest that, as the Court’s current Deputy Prosecutor, continuity will serve Bensouda well. States didn’t want to mess with the AU on this one.
Fifth, and related to the last point, by all accounts Bensouda is a much more low-key prosecutor than Moreno-Ocampo. Her selection would thus appear to confirm the desire among states parties to select someone who will be more of a ‘secretary’ than a ‘general’ – a prosecutor who won’t ruffle as many feathers.
With Bensouda claiming the single most visible position in the international criminal justice firmament, attention will begin to shift back towards the tenure of the Court’s current Prosecutor. As the ICC’s first Prosecutor, Moreno-Ocampo’s time has been replete with controversy. But he also put the Court on the map and spotlight of international politics, in the face of nay-sayers, critics and a plethora of hostile forces. In the coming weeks, it will be interesting to read and hear retrospectives on a man who, arguably more than anyone else, has shaped the politics and pursuit of international criminal justice.
My heart m,issed a beat when i herad this news. This is an ambush by the international community. Are theyt trying to appease Africans after committing crimes against humanity in Libya? This is a question they would never answer. African leaders must watch out for this might be a Trojan Horse. Beware of the Greeks if they come bearing gifts.

Gbagbo was Abducted, Jerry Rawlings.

Ex-president President John Rawlings has criticized the ongoing prosecution of former Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo.

Describing his prosecution as “abduction” the ex-president minced no words in expressing his utter disgust in the prosecution of the deposed Ivorian leader.

In a statement Mr Rawlings called on all Africans to ponder new ways of bringing justice to its own citizens rather than handing them over to the ICC.

Gbagbo was captured after months of disputed election violence in Ivory Coast which left thousands dead and several hundreds fleeing the once peaceful West African Country.

Newly sworn-in president Allasane Quattara promised justice and national reconciliation but shortly after taking over the reigns of power he handed over his adversary to the ICC for prosecution.

This Mr. Rawlings considers unfortunate stating: “This transfer followed a procedure so hasty that it could be rightfully described as abduction.”

“My suspicion grows even more, when the prosecuting attorney claiming to be targeting six officials in Cote d’Ivoire, unduly focuses on Gbagbo, the one who is least likely to escape due to his being already in custody,” he added.

While Mr. Rawlings would not condone any form of arbitrary leadership by any African leader, he said, “No one is trying to evade justice. But when such justice is drenched in a sea of humiliation and abuses, so as to be governed by self-righteous hatred with its untenable logic, it only befits human conscience to stand up against it for the good of all.

He said all well meaning Africans must speak up against this injustice.

The following is the full details of Mr. Rawlings’ statement.


STATEMENT BY H.E. JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS ON THE
TRANSFER OF PRESIDENT LAURENT GBAGBO TO THE
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC)

I have learnt with dismay reports that deposed President Gbagbo of Cote d’Ivoire has been transferred to The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday, November 29th, following a speedy indictment, in total violation of relevant international code of procedures and in total disregard for the demands of peace in Cote d’Ivoire.

This transfer followed a procedure so hasty that it could be rightfully described as abduction.

My suspicion grows even more, when the prosecuting attorney claiming to be targeting six officials in Cote d’Ivoire, unduly focuses on Gbagbo, the one who is least likely to escape due to his being already in custody.

This eagerness to indict and transfer Gbagbo, who did not run in the face of the bombing of his palace like a common criminal, defies logic and the quest for true reconciliation and sustainable peace in Cote d’Ivoire.

After fifty years of independence, Africa should have all the know how to bring justice to its own citizens and do away with imported justice.

What kind of prosecution would rather be in haste to bring to justice the victim of an attack, and be lenient on the perpetrator of the attack?

No one is trying to evade justice. But when such justice is drenched in a sea of humiliation and abuses, so as to be governed by self-righteous hatred with its untenable logic, it only befits human conscience to stand up against it for the good of all.
We will not be silent about this because we must not be silent about it as participating members in this human drama.
From: www.myjoyonline.com

NATO and the BRICS on a Collission Course?

It seems a new world order is emerging and the traditional powers are feeling a bit jittery. It seems their worst fears are about to be confirmed. This new world power is made up of five industrialized countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and just recently South Africa was added (BRICS). These five countries have decided to come together to form a strong union to counter the western powers. The US is feeling so much peeved and she is trying to put in place measures to curb this emerging world power. These five countries have so much wealth in terms of oil and other mineral resources and were able to give the IMF a huge sum of money. BRICS is seriously moving into Africa to make sure that the African economies get favorable terms on the exploitation of their natural resources. This seems to be contrary to what the European Union and their American counterparts are doing in Africa. The American President Barack Obama was in Australia to sign a security agreement with them. In his own words, he said that it was to check the expansion of China in the South Pacific. He is asking the Australians to allow the US to build a military base on Australian territory. The US is afraid of its own shadow. NATO to would follow suit very soon. The BRICS wold not relent in their efforts to expand their economies. These old powers like NATO and the US should know that their time is about to end and a new force in the world would emerge to put a check on them. They should know that the BRICS have come to stay and the traditional powers must give way for them to operate. Right now the Americans and NATO have Iran on their radar. The crux of the matter is that, why cant Iran be allowed to produce its own nuclear weapons if the Americans have also been given the power to do so, Israel has nuclear weapons, why dont the UN tell them to stop and impose sanctions on them. Its an "Animal Farm" situation, two legs bad, four legs good. I have this feeling that if care is not taken, this Iranian nuclear issue would escalate into another full scale war, and i bet you the BRICS would not sit there idle and watch it happen. NATO must accept the fact that the world is fed up with their illegal invasion of countries in the name of protecting civilians. Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Iraq and just recently Libya where the Libyan leader was murdered in cold blood. Time will surely tell if NATO can continue with this behaviour, its time their bluff is called off and the BRICS is just the emerging power to do that.    

Laurent Gbagbo's Trial at the ICC?

My heart weeps so much for my African brother, the former Ivorian president, Laurent Gbagbo who was sent to the ICC in the Hague. Four charges of crimes against humanity have been proffered against him. We all know that this is just a formality he is going through. They would surely find him guilty as the trial of the former Liberian president Charles Gankey Taylor seems to show the hall marks of a predetermined agenda. These people would make sure that Gbagbo is kept away from Ivory Coast for a long time. I keep on asking this question, was the ICC created for only African Leaders? Why cant the likes of Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, George Bush Snr and Jnr, Gordon Brown and a host of other former western leaders who have committed atrocities in Afghanistan, Vietnam, Somalia, Iraq,  and Libya. Imagine you have a system where the leaders are the judge, jury and prosecutors. The conclusion would be that, the guilty verdict would surely be pronounced on any African president sent to the Hague. Why cant the African Union do something about this invasion of our African continent by these neocolonialists. Now they are threatening us with aid with so many conditions, some of which are that, we should allow homosexuals and lesbians to have their way all in the name of human rights. This is an insult to the African culture. Are these western powers signatories to the ICC Convention? I hope to find out the number of countries that have signed up to this incongruous convention. Sudan's president, Al Bashir is their next target, as to when they would get him to be sent to the ICC, only time will tell. Right now, the ICC has put an international arrest warrant on him. This has brought a big diplomatic row between Sudan and Kenya as they have both expelled their diplomats as a result of a Kenyan court ruling that states that the Sudanese president should be arrested the moment he steps foot on Kenyan soil. Why cant Africans be allowed to decide their own fate and settle their own disputes. Alhassane Outtara's forces also committed  atrocities during the Ivorian crisis, he should also be invited to the ICC to face charges of crimes against humanity. His forces embarked on an ethnic cleansing campaign, and the evidence is so overwhelming, but the ICC Chief Prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo's visit to Ivory Coast was a one sided affair. Gbagbo could have been tried by the African Union's own Judicial body. I would like to end with this question, who is going to pay for the cost involved in Laurent Gbagbo's ICC trial. I know the Ivorian people would be made to compromise on so many fronts for the western powers to have their way. Alhassane Outtara should beware, because Gbagbo's supporters are still alive. A word to the wise they say, is in Ouattara's north. My last question is, will Gbagbo be given a fair trial?  

Election Fever Grips Egyptians.

Polls have opened for a second day of voting in Egypt's landmark parliamentary elections, the first since Hosni Mubarak's ouster.

The turnout on the first day was massive, despite security concerns and turmoil over a deadly spate of violence in the week before the balloting. It reflects the nation's determination to break away from the past after 10 months of frustration over how the military rulers who took over from Mubarak are handling the transition.

Tuesday's balloting is the second day in a voting process staggered over the next six weeks across 27 provinces.

The election will show whether one of America's most important Middle East allies will remain secular or move down a more Islamic path as have other countries swept up in the Arab Spring

They waited in long lines for hours to vote, despite a new wave of unrest, fears about a sharply divided society and uncertainty over the nation's future.

For the millions of Egyptians who cast ballots Monday, the first parliamentary elections since they ousted Hosni Mubarak were a turning point in history _ if for no other reason than they were finally getting a chance to be heard after decades of rigged voting.

The outcome will indicate whether one of America's most important Middle East allies will remain secular or move down a more Islamic path, as have other countries swept up in the Arab Spring.

"I have hope this time," said Amal Fathy, a 50-year-old government employee who wears the Islamic veil, as she patiently waited to vote. "I may not live long enough to see change, but my grandchildren will."

Since the uprising that forced out Mubarak nearly 10 months ago, Egyptians had looked forward to this day as a celebration of freedom after years of stifling dictatorship. Instead, there has been deep disappointment with the military rulers who replaced the old regime and a new wave of protests and clashes that began 10 days before the vote.

Adding to the disarray, the multiple stage election process, which will stretch over months, is extremely complicated. Some of the key political players complained they did not have enough time or the right conditions to organize for the vote.

If there was little jubilation, there was hope _ and even defiance _ with many determined to either push the military from power or vote against the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups who are expected to dominate the balloting.

"This was simply overwhelming. My heart was beating so fast," Sanaa el-Hawary, a 38-year-old mother of one said after she cast her vote in Cairo. "This is my life, it's my baby's life. It's my country and this is the only hope we have now."

Female voters appeared to outnumber the men by far, shattering widespread notions in a society whose women are mostly dismissed or taken lightly.

Women waiting for five hours at one polling center chanted: "We will not give up, we will not give up."

In Cairo's crowded Shoubra district, 34-year-old Toka Youssef explained why she was voting for the first time in her life.

"Before, there were no real elections. It was all theater. Now I'm optimistic in the future. These are the first steps toward democracy," she said. "It's a bit confused and chaotic because we've never seen this many people vote. No one cared this much before."

Ever since an 18-day uprising toppled Mubarak's regime and brought the military to power, Egypt has gone through violence, splits in society, a worsening economy and a surge in street crime. Still, people were eager to cast a free vote, even though much is unclear about what will happen next, whatever the outcome.

Many liberals, leftists, Christians and pious Muslims who oppose mixing religion and politics went to the polls to try to reduce the scope of the Muslim Brotherhood's electoral gains.

Also weighing heavily on voters' minds was whether this election will set Egypt on a path of democracy under the rule of the military. Protests this month have demanded that the generals step down immediately because of fears they are trying to cling to power and not bring real reform.

The parliament that emerges may have little relevance because the military is sharply limiting its powers, and it may only serve for several months. However, the vote will give Egyptians and the world an accurate reading of the strength of the political forces at work in the Arab world's most populous nation.

A reliable political map of the nation would also have an impact beyond Egypt's borders, serving as a guide to whether the close U.S. ally will continue to be the main source of moderation in the region and assume the mantle of a key advocate of Middle East peace.

The election is the fruit of the Arab Spring revolts that have swept the region in the past year, toppling several authoritarian regimes. In Tunisia and Morocco, Islamic parties have come out winners in recent balloting, but if the much larger Egypt does the same, it could have an even greater impact.

Some voters brought their children along, saying they wanted them to learn how to exercise their rights in what promises to be the fairest and cleanest election in Egypt in living memory.

The biggest complaint Monday was the long wait, with polling stations opening late or running out of ballots. There also was campaigning outside polling centers in violation of the law.

"If you have waited for 30 years, can't you wait now for another hour?" an army officer yelled at hundreds of restless women at one Cairo polling station.

Supporters of the Freedom and Justice party, the Brotherhood's political arm, were seen with laptop computers helping voters with information on where they should cast their ballots but writing the information on large cards with the party logo on one side and the name and photos of its candidates on the other. Party supporters also appeared to be allowed to maintain security at some places or help the elderly vote.

"I never voted because I was never sure it was for real. This time, I hope it is, but I am not positive," said Shahira Ahmed, 45, waiting with her husband and daughter with about 500 other people.

Even before polls opened at 8 a.m., Cairo voters stood in lines stretching several hundred yards, suggesting a respectable turnout. Under heavy security from police and soldiers, the segregated lines of men and women snaked around blocks and prompted authorities to extend voting by two hours.

For decades, few Egyptians bothered to vote because nearly every election was rigged, whether by bribery, ballot-box stuffing or police intimidation. Turnout was often in the single digits.

"I am voting for freedom. We lived in slavery. Now we want justice in freedom," said 50-year-old Iris Nawar at a polling station in Maadi, a Cairo suburb. "We are afraid of the Muslim Brotherhood. But we lived for 30 years under Mubarak, we will live with them, too."

In a heavy rain in Alexandria, a line of women displayed Egypt's religious spectrum _ Christians, Muslims with heads bared, others in conservative headscarves, still others wearing the black robes that left only the eyes exposed. Nearby, one soldier shouted through a megaphone: "Choose freely. Choose whomever you want to vote for."

In Tahrir Square on Monday, a crowd of about 2,000 kept the round-the-clock protest going. Clashes during the demonstrations left more than 40 dead.

Standing outside the tent where he has camped since Friday, protester Ibrahim Hassan, 22, said it was wrong to have elections before the military gives up power and when members of Mubarak's ruling party can still run.

"So they'll elect a parliament, but they won't give it any power or let it write the constitution," he said. "So what's the point?"

A Facebook page that played a crucial role in mobilizing the anti-Mubarak uprising indicated how the election has thrown Tahrir's die-hard revolutionaries into confusion. It said everyone should vote but must wear black while doing so in mourning for those killed in last week's protests.

"We will go to the elections because it is the first step on the path of taking power back from the military, who we believe should go quickly back to their barracks," according to the page.

The Brotherhood entered the campaign with a powerful network around the country and years of experience in political activism, even though it was banned under Mubarak. Also running are candidates for the even more conservative Salafi movement, which advocates a hard-line Saudi Arabian-style interpretation of Islam.

While the Brotherhood shows a willingness at times to play politics and compromise in its ideology, many Salafis insist that democracy take a back seat to Islamic law.

In contrast, the secular and liberal youth groups who engineered the uprising failed to capitalize on their triumph to contest the election effectively. They largely had to create new parties from scratch, most of which were not widely known and were plagued by divisions.

"The Muslim Brotherhood are the people who have stood by us when times were difficult," said Ragya el-Said, a 47-year-old lawyer in Alexandria, a stronghold for the group. "We have a lot of confidence in them."

But the Brotherhood faces opposition. Even some who favor more religion in public life are suspicious of its motives, and the large Christian minority _ about 10 percent of the population of around 85 million _ fear rising Islamism.

"I'm a Muslim but won't vote for any Islamist party because their views are too narrow," said Eman el-Khoury, 53, looking disapprovingly at Brotherhood activists handing out campaign leaflets near an Alexandria polling station in violation of the law. "How can we change this country when at an opportunity for change we make the same dirty mistakes?"

For many of those who did not want to vote for the Brotherhood or other Islamists, the alternative was not clear.

"I don't know any of the parties or who I'm voting for," said Teresa Sobhi, a Christian voter in the southern city of Assiut. "I'll vote for the first names I see, I guess."

The election will be held over multiple stages, with different provinces taking turns to vote with each round. Voting for 498-seat People's Assembly, parliament's lower chamber, will last until January, then elections for the 390-member upper house will drag on until March.

Each round lasts two days. Some voters said they feared vote-rigging because the ballot boxes would be left at polling stations overnight. Monday and Tuesday's vote takes place in nine provinces whose residents account for 24 million of Egypt's estimated 85 million people.

The ballots are a confusing mix of party lists that will gain seats according to proportions of votes and individual candidates who will have to enter runoffs after each round if no one gets 50 percent in the first round.

Mixed in are candidates labeled as "farmer" or "worker" who must gain a certain number of seats, a holdover from the Mubarak regime, which manipulated the process to elect his cronies.

A parliament dominated by Islamists but without any significant powers could potentially provide the spark for an open conflict with the generals. On the other hand, a clean and fair vote would give legitimacy to the election and credibility to the military at a time when the Tahrir Square protesters are trying to convince everyone that the generals are not serious about reform.

A high turnout among the estimated 50 million voters could water down the showing of the Brotherhood, since its core of supporters are the most likely to vote, hurting the standing of the Tahrir activists. A low turnout would undermine the credibility of the election and boost some of the prestige the Tahrir activists.
Now that the Military Junta is prepared to hand over power to a civilian led government in Egypt, the protesters must calm down and wait for the outcome of the elections. Egypt will surely bounce back to her former glory. Africa needs Egypt to make the continent more attractive because it is a major tourist destination. I know for sure that there are some big shots behind these latest protests going on in Tahrir Square.

An African's Dilemma.

Being an African is not that easy, there are many sides to this dilema. You have the urban side,  rural and foreign sides. You are born in the typical village with no electricity, good drinking water, bad roads and bad educational infrastructure. You dont get the opportunity to sometimes wear shoes or sandals to school, unless on special occassions such as on Sundays when you go to church to worship. You walk barefooted to every corner in your village. Sometimes you have to make do with tattered clothing as uniform for school. Fridays are your days that you do the farmwork so no school on that day for you. Your teachers relax in their approach towards their work and maintain the opinion that all village children are not good so no matter what you do they would never be at par with their urban colleagues. You complete school with a bad grade and the only option you have is either you leran a trade or migrate to the urban centre to do menial jobs. When it is time for elections, politicians go to the rural areas to make big promises which they dont fullfil, but you believe they can deliver and you vote for them. 

You are born in the city, and you get the best of education, good drinking water and constant electricity supply. Your parents are well-to-do and you put on good clothes to school. On your birthday, a party is held for you and you invite your friends over to have a good time.After school, you continue to the university and upon completion, your parents because of their influence in certain circles of authority secure a job for you because one of them might have attended the same school with your dad or mum. You drive to work every day and you dont join any of these killer troskies (trotro).You even get the chance to travel abroad for your vacation. You come back to marry the daughter of a rich man who is a friend of your parents. In short, life is good for you and you dont care how others are suffering as you spend lavishly on unnecessary things. You sometimes even forget about God. He even sees the village folks as being "Colo".

These two types of Africans, who do you think could be easily influenced by foreign nations. Your guess would be good as mine. The one from the rural area would be thinking about his people back in the village and always initiate projects to better their lives. The urban guy would easily be influenced because, all his life has been a rosy one. He would quickly accept any type of foreign aid even with conditions attached to them. He has not known suffering before. To go by the above analysis, the African is trully in a dilema and the earlier he comes out of it, the better it would be for him. We still sit down for outsiders to determine our way of life for us. Africans should wake up from their slumber and be proactive.

Gbagbo's Woes, Ouattara's Gains.

The former Ivorian Presidnet, Laurent Gbagbo is now being kept in detention in the northern part of the country he once ruled by the government of Alhassane Ouattara. Was Gbagbo trying to be more African by fighting for what really belonged to his people? He was trying to be a hero for his people, but the whole world saw him to be a villain and in the end, he nearly paid for his life. Lets look at certain facts. Gbagbo wanted to do away with the Post-Colonial Pact signed between the French-Speaking West African countries and their colonial master, France. This pact stipulated that, the French-Speaking West African countries should deposit 80% of their annual GDP in a common bank controled by France. If they needed money more than $20million for development, premission would have to be sought from the French authorities before they could withdraw money more than that amount for any development project in their countries. Gbagbo was just trying to put an end to that. These African countires had no right to allow any foreign country to exploit any natural resource discovered in their countries. France was to be given the first opportunity to exploit before any other country could come in and exploit. Gbagbo wanted to protect the rights of the Ivorian peoples property.  But the French would not allow him to do that. Gbagbo had invited the Chinese and the Russians in to exploit the newly found oil reserves off the Ivorian coast. The French would have none of that. The elections in Ivory Coast were rigged the moment the registration exercise began. The UN looked on as the northern border with Burkina Faso was opened for Oattara's kinsmen (Burkinabes) to register in their numbers. Gbagbo could not do anything about this situation, because he had no control over the northern part of the Ivory Coast which were in the hands of rebels loyal to Ouattara.The French and the UN saw Gbagbo as a stumbling block in their attempt to launch a new era of colonization in Africa. Alhassane Ouattara was seen to be easily manipulated by France and her western allies, since he has been on their payroll before when he served as the deputy IMF president. Now the ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has been in Ivory Coast pretending to be investigating crimes against humanity committed by both sides during the Post Electoral conflict. But, we all know that, Gbagbo is their main target, Oattara's forces would be left off the hook, no matter what. Ivorians would one day remember Laurent Gbagbo for trying to be an African and not kowtow to the whims and caprices of France and her western allies, posterity would judge us all especially the African Union. This organization should bow down its head in shame.

To Hell With Your Aid, David Cameron.

Africa has been tied to the apron strings of the west for a long time, and it is high time we as Africans stand up and say to the west that we are fed up with the hypocrisy of the west. Recently, the British Prime Minister, David Cameron made a statement at a Commonwealth Summit in Australia that British aid would be tied to the issue of human rights. He specifically talked about countries that are being hostile to gays and lesbians. These countries he mentioned as Ghana, Malawi and Uganda. The British PM has no right to tell us how to live in our own countries. Gay and lesbianism is unAfrican, unbiblical and the African culture abhors and detest such an unholy practice. We live in a totally different part of the world with our own culture and society. If i may ask, what particular resource does the British have in abundance? Dont they depend mostly on Ghana ans Ivory Coast's cocoa and other raw materials which they force us to sell to them at their own determined price. David Cameron should bow down his head in shame for making such a statement. Who are his advisors and who wrote his script for him? What was he thinking when he made that statement. Our president, John Evans Atta Mills gave him a strong response that he was not going to support any legislation that would legalize gay and lesbian rights. Our parliament also gave its support to the stance of the president. For once the whole nation removed their political cloaks and united to denounce and condemn the British PM's unnecessary comments. The Christian leaders made up of the clergy and other bodies together with the moslem leaders in the country have come out strongly to condemn any attempt by the British PM to coerce the government of Ghana to legalize gay and lesbian practices in Ghana. We the youth and people of Ghana would also not sit down for this evil practice to be made legal. Legalize this evil practice in Ghana and we will all die in 35 years time. We ar prepared to forego your aid, Mr. Cameron if you would not respect our distinct culture and society. Take a careful look at the British society, parenting have been taken away from the parents by the British government. Children in Britain can no longer be disciplined by their parents. The funny part was that, during the recent youth riots in the London , the Mayor, Police Chief and the Prime Minister were calling on parents to call their children and ask them to come home. Since when did the British Government realize that these children had parents? This cant happen in China and in most parts of Africa, you dare not misbehave in front of your parents or any elderly person. We as Ghanaians have called the bluff of the UK Prime Minister, may he bow down his head in shame. Nobody have questioned the British Government on their human rights abuses in India, South Africa, Kenya, Iraq and so many other places. God bless Africa and the whole world.  

Who will follow Qaddafi?

It has now emerged that most of the Libyan Rebels or the NTC Forces were Mujaheddin fighters for the Taliban in Afghanistan. They were detained by the US at the Guantanamo Bay Prison. Qaddafi reached a deal with the Americans for their release as most of them were Libyans. He brought them back to Libya and gave each one of them $50,000, decent accommodation and a car. They were even met at Tripoli... Airport by their families. After some years, they turn around and overthrow Qaddafi. This was an act of betrayal. When Hillary Clinton was quizzed by Congress, she said it was a marriage of inconvenience. This shows that the Americans knew what they were doing when they released the men from the Guantanamo Bay Prison. Qaddafi swallowed the bait, hook, line and sinker. This was a seriuos act of betrayal on the part of the freed Libyan fighters. I presume the Americans knew what they were doing when they released these fighters. Who will be the next in line to follow Qaddafi? Let me make some suggestions, Syria, Zimbabwe and Yemen have also been on the radar of the Americans for a long time, but looking at what is happening  in Syria at the moment, that country will be the next target. The opposition in that country is calling on the UN Security Council to impose a No Fly zone over Syria. This will definetly set in motion the eventual departure of Bashir Al Assad. Moreover, there are some oil deposits in Syria, this will be an underpinning motive to invade that country under the guise of protecting the citizens of that country. Yemen has endured their president for a long time and the protests have been going on for some time now with many people being killed everyday, but the whole world seems to be quiet about the situation in that country. Is it because not much resources will be gotten from there though some oil deposits have been found there? Zimbabwe for now is a no go area as they know there is no oil there for them to go and exploit, Mugabe can be rest assured that he will live to see the next elections in his country. Whoever follows Qaddafi should be rest assured that he has gone to prepare a better place for him. May he rest in peace, Brother Muamar Qaddafi.

Tribute to Brother Moamar Gaddafi.

...Col, Gadhafi and Libya...
1.There was no electricity bill in Libya; electricity was free for all its citizens
2. There was no interest on loans, banks in Libya are state-owned and loans given to all its citizens at 0% interest by law
3. Houses considered a human right in Libya –Gaddafi vowed that his parents would not get a house until everyone in Libya had a home. Gaddafi’s father has died while him, his wife and his mother are still living in a tent
4. All newly weds in Libya receive $60,000 Dinar (US$50,000) by the government to buy their first apartment so to help start up the family
5. Education and medical treatments are free in Libya. Before Gaddafi only 25% of Libyans are literate. Today the figure is 83%
6. Should Libyans want to take up farming career, they would receive farming land, a farming house, equipments, seeds and livestock to kick-start their farms –all for free
7. If Libyans cannot find the education or medical facilities they need in Libya, the government funds them to go abroad for it – not only free but they get US$2,300/mth accommodation and car allowance
8. In Libya, if a Libyan buys a car, the government subsidized 50% of the price
9. The price of petrol in Libya is $0.14 (N22) per litre
10. Libya has no external debt and its reserves amount to $150 billion – now frozen globally
11. If a Libyan is unable to get employment after graduation the state would pay the average salary of the profession as if he or she is employed until employment is found.
12. A portion of Libyan oil sale is, credited directly to the bank accounts of all Libyan citizens
13. A mother who gives birth to a child receives US$5,000
14. Gaddafi carried out the world’s largest irrigation project, known as the Great Man-Made River project, to make water readily available throughout the desert country
So What's the Problem with Libyans?

Where will the Libyans get money to fund the reconstruction of the once peaceful country. I am still surprised as to the way all the African leaders have decided not to comment on Gaddafi's death. It is a shame he had to die this way. Was he not liable to a fair trial as specified in the UN Convention? Most of the Western leaders have made statements commending the NTC Forces and NATO for ensuring the death of Gaddafi. Did i hear US President, Barack Hussein Obama say that the world will now be a safe and peaceful place with the killing of Gaddafi? Thats just the beginning of more terror attacks  and kidnappings and chaos all over the world. For the African Union, in my opinion, this bogus organization should be disbanded. Now that their chief financier is no more, where is the AU going to get funds to organize their meetings and conferences. May Brother Colonel Moamar Gaddafi rest in peace. Mother Africa has once again lost a visionary.

· · · 2 hours ago

Veto Power.

Once again the world has witnessed the calling of the bluff of the Americans and their western Allies by the Russians and Chinese. This was done at the UN Security Council meeting. The Russians and the Chinese used their veto power to block a set of resolutions being tabled by the Americans and their European Allies on the situation in Syria. I applaud the Chinese and the Russians for that. It is high time that the Americans and their European Allies are made to know that they are not alone in the world. The days that unilateral decisions were taken should be done with. These decisions have caused a lot of harm and death in many countries that America nad her European Allies have intervened militarily under the guise of protecting the civilian population in these countries. Examples could be made of their intervention in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Somalia and quiet recently Libya. This carnage would have been extended to Syria if not for the veto of the Russians and the Chinese against the resolution which was initially strongly worded, but had to be toned down after the Russians and the Chinese complained about it. Now the Americans and their European Allies are calling the veto of the Chinese and the Russians against the rsolution all sorts of names. Why was America not criticised when she threatened to use her veto power against the Palestinian bid for statehood at the UN? Is Palestine not part of the world? Syria, i know for sure is the next target on the list of the Americans and their European Allies or NATO. The Russians and the Chinese must be commended for blocking this move. The Americans and their European Allies ahve a bad track record of causing more desolation in any country that they have intervened. I pray and hope the Syrian situation would be reslved peacefully, but who knows if those formenting the troubles over there are being sponsored by foriegn elements or powers, since before the Libyan situation got out of hand, certain world powers had their intelligence operatives on the ground in Libya laying the foundation for the overthrow of Colonel Moammar Gaddafi. This "Disease" must be prevented from spreading to other parts of the world.

Palestinian Statehood.

Why should a people's legitimate right to form a state be met with so much opposition by some countries. The Palestinian  Authority President, Mamood Abbas recently presented his people's bid for Statehood to the United Nations and countries like the US had forwarned him that they will veto that move. The Palestinians want to have a state with East Jerusalem as their capital, but the Israelis will have none of it. They see this bid as a threat to their security. More illegal Israeli settlements have sprung up on Palesinian land and the Israelis fear this will be a threat to the lives of their citizens living on those lands. The US President, Barrack Obama warned the Palestinian Authority that they will use their veto power against any move by the Palestinians to achieve their ambition of statehood. The politicians in Washington will not sit down for the Palestinians to have their state on a silver platter. This is because the Jewish community in the US is a very influential factor in American politics. They wield a lot of financial clout and also control the American defense strategy. This is just to say that the Jewish factor control's American foreign policy in the Middle East and if that is brought down America will be on its knees. How can a giant be subdued, you hit its weak spot and it is immobilised. When Israel was created in the years after the Second World War, that was seen as very legitimate and no major objection was raised against that initiative. The Americans and their allies made sure that the state of Israel after its creation was strong enough to defend itself against attacks from the so called "Rogue States" surrounding her. Why cant the Palestinians also be allowed to have a state of their own. As we all saw at the UN General Assembly, the world was claerly divided over the issue of Palestinian statehood. Dialogue must be used to resolve this issue amicably otherwise it might degenerate into something nasty and always the Palestinians are always at the receiving end. I am praying for a time when the Hamas movement will tone down on its radical activities against Israel and Israel to will review its "Gunboat Diplomacy" and resort to peaceful means of resolving disputes with the Palestinian people. I hope a time will come where both the state of Israel and the state of Palestine will both exist side by side, God help us all.  

African Money.

French ex-President Jacques Chirac, and presidential hopeful and former PM Dominique de Villepin were given $20m by African leaders, partly to finance election campaigns, a lawyer alleges.

Robert Bourgi said he was personally involved in handing Mr Chirac briefcases full of cash, but said there was "no proof" of the payments.
Mr Bourgi made similar allegations against the far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen, AFP reports.
The ex-leaders vowed to sue Mr Bourgi.
Mr Chirac and Mr de Villepin deny the claims, which come seven months before presidential polls. Mr Le Pen said the allegations against him were "false... ridiculous".
Mr de Villepin is seen as a major centre-right rival to President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Mr Chirac is currently on trial in absentia on charges of illegal party funding. A medical report says he is too unwell to attend and suffers memory lapses.
'Clean France'

In an interview for the Journal de Dimanche newspaper on Sunday, Mr Bourgi alleged that he had been involved in handing over several suitcases to Mr Chirac during his tenure as mayor of Paris in the 1980s and 1990s.

He claimed that the suitcases always contained at least 5m francs ($1m; £630,000) and sometimes as much as 15m.

The first handover of money in Mr de Villepin's presence occurred in 1995, he said, involving 10m francs from the then Zairean President Mobutu Sese Seko.
Mr Bourgi alleged that money from the leaders of several former African colonies was then passed to Mr Chirac and Mr de Villepin over the next 10 years. Speaking on Europe 1 radio, he estimated the total amount to be about $20m.
But he added there was "no proof, no trace" of the alleged secret payments.
In an interview with French television on Monday, he also alleged that the former head of the far-right National Front party, Jean-Marie Le Pen, funded part of his 1988 presidential campaign with money from Gabon's late ex-president Omar Bongo, AFP reports.
Mr Le Pen told BFM television: "If this Mr Bourgi was charged with giving me these funds, he must have kept them for himself."
Mr Bourgi claimed that Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, Burkina Faso's Blaise Compaore, former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo, Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso and Bongo all visited Mr de Villepin in his office, handing over $10m for the 2002 election campaign.
Bernard Houdin, an adviser to former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo, said that such payments were "a historical practice" and that "the sums mentioned are no doubt below reality".
However, Sengalese and Burkinabe officials denied the claims. Asked what African leaders got in exchange for the money, Mr Bourgi said: "Lies, lies, lies, unkept promises, meaning that France would close its eyes to certain abuses of power in Africa."
"I acted in my own name, no-one dictated me this interview," Mr Bourgi said, adding that he wanted a "clean France". He added the claim that the same system of secret payments existed under former presidents Georges Pompidou, Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Francois Mitterand.
Mr Chirac's lawyer, Jean Veil, said on Sunday that he had been instructed to file a defamation complaint against Mr Bourgi, and Mr de Villepin told French TV he would do the same.
"They are trying to stop me from running [for president], they have been putting spokes in the wheels for years, but I have thick skin," he said. Judges are expected to rule this week on the so-called Clearstream affair, in which Mr de Villepin is charged with plotting to discredit Mr Sarkozy by failing to stop a corruption inquiry in 2004. The former prime minister was cleared of all charges in a trial that ended last year, but the state prosecutor appealed against the verdict. Mr Bourgi is widely seen as being close to Mr Sarkozy, but he said he was not an unofficial or official adviser, although he was sometimes consulted by the president.Whilst we in Africa are seriuosly in need of basic necessities of life just as good drinking water, education, constant supply of electricity and many more, our leaders are sending African money to the west especially France to finance their electoral campaigns. If all these allegations by Mr. Bourgi turns out to be true, the African leaders mentioned in the story should be impeached by their people just to serve as an example to others who are thinking of doing same. This huge sum of African money could have been used to improve the living conditions of the people in the afore mentioned countries. I weep for Africa, oh  Mother Africa.

The Scramble for Libya's Oil.

Some dreams could be very terrifying to the extent that you wake up and you still feel scared after having such a nightmare. This nightmare of mine was about the Libya's oil. In my dream i saw a large barrel of oil with the inscription Libyan Oil written on it, with about five giants with big tubes ready to siphon the oil to a nearby ship anchored on the coast. Overheard was a bird which was singing "The deal has been done, the deal has been done, we have finally sacked the oldman from his country, give us our share of the oil to offset the debts incurred during the war". These five giants were salivating upon seeing the big barrel of oil and each was eager to put his hose into the barrel first and siphon the oil. I asked myself why this dream? I then realised that the previous day, there was a top American government official visiting Libya just to shake the hands of the leaders of the NTC who had overthrown Moamar Gaddafi. He was followed by the British Prime Minister David Cameron and the French President Nicolas Sakorzy. This was the beginning of the scramble for Libya's oil. Turkey  also joined suit when one of their top government officials paid a visit to Tripoli. Now the western powers are jostling for the lucrative oil contracts in Libya. Will the Russians and the Chinese who criticised NATO's military action in Libya be allowed to get some of the contracts, since they were left out in the contracts in Iraq after opposing the Americans and British in the invasion of Iraq? They also learnt a big lesson so these two powers have also recognised the NTC of Libya just to get into the good books of NATO and its allies. I knew that these western powers were in for Libya's oil the moment NATO started their bombing campaign in Libya. Just as the western powers scrambled for the African continent, the same is being done to scramble for our resources, and we must bear in mind that Libya was not the first and will also not be the last, God bless the African continent. 

Wikileaks or "Wickedleaks".

Ghana is a very interesting country with its population being accorded the title of providing the so called proverbial hospitality.  This means that we try as much as possible to make all foreigners feel very much at home in our beautiful country. This has gotten to a point whereby this accolade has been taken to another level by our leaders and politicians. The wikileaks expose has realy turned Ghana into a nation where the animal farm mentality has come to stay. Most of the politicians will defend or deny all aspects of the leaked cables if it goes against them and make sure they show the veracity of the leaked cables that goes against their opponents. That is two legs bad, four legs good. The media, both electronic and print were awash with the leaked cables puported to have come from the US Embassy citing both former government officials, opposition figures and other prominent people blabbering on sensitive issues to these American and foreign diplomats. What a shame this wikileaks cables have brought to my dear country Ghana. Politicians should watch how they talk to foreign diplomats on sensitive issues. Some have come out denying what has come out, but what surprised me was how these conversations were recorde verbatim with no changes done to them, i then ask myself, where lies the denials? It will be a good thing to come out and accept responsibility for making a staement than to deny it. What i have realised in Ghana is that our politicians and leaders talk too much. I sometimes wonder if there is no public relations outfit in our country. The reason why i see my country to be interesting is that, when an issue crops up, it can be on our airwaves for the whole week or even a month with each party trying to defend or deny it. I just dont understand how our politicians and leaders are able to talk on sensitive issues to foreign diplomats without being mindful of the future reppecurssions of such loose talk. To add insult to injury, the American Embassy will always decline to comment on the wikilieaks cables on Ghana, it will be a dipolmatic blunder to comment on the wikileaks cables. As usual,  the Americans will always go by their motto "In God We Trust", so why should they trust a fellow human being.

The Fall of Gaddafi.

Once again the West has done it  to an African leader who they see as a threat to their interests. The former Libyan leader Moamar Gaddafi was the target of the West ever since the Lockerbie bombing in the 1980s. H e was slowly coerced to hand over two of his secret service agents who were alleged to have planted the bomb on the Pan Nam Airliner. This killed about 200 people with most of them being Americans and Europeans. This accusation was vehemently denied by the two agents who always pleaded their innocence in the bombing. These two men were tried by the Scottish Court and after the trial one of the agents Abdel Basit El Megrahi was imprisoned by the Scottish Government, but was later released on medical grounds as he was deemed to die in about three months time. He was given a heroes welcome when he landed in Tripoli. Gaddafi should have known that this was one of the tactics of the West to get him. He took the bait and now he is a fugitive on the run. He should have known that that gesture by the West was a Trojan Horse. The fall of Gaddafi was carefully planned by the Western powers who wanted to get him out at all cost. When the protests in Benghazi started, Gaddafi should have quietly left the scene, but he stood his ground. NATO then imposed a "No Fly Zone" over Libya  under the guise of protecting innocent civilians from being attacked by Gaddafi's troops. This was just the beginning of the end for the Libyan leader. NATO had its own plans and they were bent on carrying it out to the letter, this had the blessing of the United Nations. Now, the whereabouts of Gaddafi remains unknown. The West used to fly plane of rendition to Libya as the American, British  and the Canadian inteligent  services ties with Gaddafi have been revealed. These same countries have now collaborated to get rid of him with an overwhelming support for the rebels. The fall of Gaddafi has surely come to pass but not until he is captured as he keeps on making statements about his determination to fight till death. He should just accept the status quo and allow peace to prevail in Libya.

Things Fall Apart.

I was surprised by the news that the Libyan rebels have entered the Libyan capital Tripoli. What a shame those soldiers who were tasked with the defence of the city had to surrender to the rebels. Others also fled upon seeing the advancing rebel army. Gaddafi's two sons have been arrested and within this short time the ICC is calling on the rebels to hand them over for them to be tried. How did things fall apart? This question still baffles me as Gaddafi was purported to have had about ten thousand of a specialised military unit stationed in Tripoli. As the saying goes, when the center does not hold things will surely fall apart. Gaddafi should have known better and negotiated a peaceful exit with the rebels. The ICC will try all means possible to make sure that he is captured and sent to the Hague for crimes against humanity. There seems to be a trend emerging on our African continent whereby African presidents who do not comply with the dictates of the western countries are whisked away on trumped up charges to the ICC to be tried for atrocities they might not have been directly involved in. It seems the African solidarity front has been broken and we are behaving like ostriches and putting our heads in the sand. This is to show African leaders that no matter the amount of resources and influence they have on the ir continent, the western powers still control affairs politically and economically. The African Union seems to have betrayed Gaddafi by being silent on the intrusion of NATO  on the soveriegnty of the people of Libya. How did things fall apart? We have 'moles' on our continent and they are acting as double agents for the western powers. Libya was very peaceful for a very long time , then all of a sudden pockets of resistance emerged, and these rebels were recognised as the legitimate government  by the western powers. We the current generation will not forgive our leaders if Libya is to turn into another 'Somalia' in the northern part of the continent. Our leaders should bow their heads in shame for allowing things to fall apart in Libya. It saddens my heart when i watch or hear any news about Africans killing each other at the behest of the western powers all in their quest to control our natural resources. Lets not hide the fact that, the west are helping the rebels in exchange for the oil and gas deposits in Libya. As i watch the unfolding drama in Tripoli, i just cant accept the fact that Gaddafi is still reluctant to quit and things have truly fallen apart. God help Africa, for she is seriuosly bleeding, this wound is to big. 

No more Strongmen in Africa?

The whole world saw what happened two days ago during the trial of the former Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak and his two sons Alaa and Gamal, and his former Interior Minister. The pictures shown to the world was very embarrassing and disgraceful, but Mubarak could have avoided that spectacle. Why couldn't the Military authorities in Egypt wait till the former strongman recover before trying him. He is being accused of ordering his security forces to shoot the protestors at the Tahir Square. But as usual, he and his sons pleaded not guilty. I never dreamt of seeing this strongman in such an embarrassing spectacle. He was caged like an animal and also this trial is meant to disgrace him.  I hope this sordid ordeal Mubarak is going through is being taken as a lesson by the remaining strong men on the African continent, because their law states that if Mubarak is found guilty, he will face the death penalty, and that will be to the extreme. He has now been reduced to the status of a common Egyptian fellahin, what a shame? The man was lying on his sick bed and was put in a cage behind bars. I did not see his wife in the video, where was she? The whole world is watching with keen eyes the unfolding drama in Egypt. What will the outcome be? Mubarak's supporters will not take it kindly if he is to be sentenced to death, because this might serve as  a catalyst for future trouble in Egypt. How have the mighty fallen? The strongmen in Africa should beware, because it will soon be their turn. Did i hear the president of Equatorial Guinea say at his country's independence day parade that he will leave office when his people are tired of him? He should be careful about what he says, because his people will soon be tired of him and he will not like the situation he will find himself in.

Libyan Rebel leader dead?

The war in Libya is still raging on and the casualties are still going up. I was surprised to hear about the death of the Libyan rebel leader today. But, funny enough, most of the western media decided that that was not news worthy. If it was Gaddafi who had been killed by the gunmen this story would have been carried over all the western media and the sort of attention given to it would have been mind boggling. Now that the Libyan rebel leader Abdel Fatah Younis is dead lets all watch how the war will go. Will this death serve as a motivating factor for the forces of Gaddafi or will it make the rebels more determined to overthrow Gaddafi and avenge their leader's death. The world is indeed a funny place to live in, unfortunately, we have no place to go to, we just have to cope with the situation. The British and American government have finally recognized the rebels as the legitimate representatives of the Libyan people. This cant happen in America, Britain or any of the European countries and these rebels will be recognized as the legitimate governments. What a shame to those who say Democracy is the best style of government. I call it 'demon-crazy' because these western powers are behaving as if they have been possessed by some demons who want them to inflict their style of government on every country  whether it is suitable for them or not. To me Democracy is not good for Africa. The Europeans destroyed our style of government the moment they set foot on our continent. Now that Abdel Fatah Younis has been killed, who will be chosen as the military leader by the rebels? This should serve as a moral booster for the forces of Gaddafi to fight on till the last man dies. The question i want to ask the dead man is that , did he chose the right or wrong path? But you know the saying goes like this "Dead men dont talk" so Abdel Fatah  Younis cant answer my question as he lies there in his grave.

Help Save Somalia.

Hunger and Starvation in Somalia.

Africa and the rest of the world is once again being shown pictures and videos of the hunger and starvation in Somalia. The continent has always been shown to the outside world as a place of wars, hunger, drought and starvation with images of hungry children being fed by aid workers. I was really sad today when i heard the African Union special envoy for Somalia Former President Jerry John Rawlings describe the situation to CNN. I then realised that the world at large has really failed and disappointed Somalia, leaving that African nation to degenerate into a dangerous place and less habitable. I hope his appeal for food aid for the starving people will touch the hearts of all good people in this our dear world. The African Union Peace Keeping Force in Somalia needs to be highly commended for the good efforts they are putting in despite they being under resourced. The International community will have to help the AU forces by providing them with the much needed logistics so as they will give off their maximum best, and thereby help in bringing back peace to  Somalia. I hope the food aid will come to alleviate the hunger and starvation that has brought much suffering and hardship to the people of this African country. The African Union and the United Nation should quickly mobilise the much needed food aid and dispatch it to Somalia as early as possible. I will be very happy to see the smiles back on the faces of all Somalians as they enjoy the long awaited peace and stability which has eluded them for almost two decades. You all agree with me that a nation that is stable and peaceful will enable investors to do business and help in the development of that country. The people of Somalia are also children of God and they deserve better things too. Lets all join hands and help our African brothers and sisters in Somalia to live their normal lives devoid of conflicts, hunger and starvation. We should not bury our heads in sand and behave like ostriches because this situation can happen to any country in the world, lets help save Somalia.

Happy Birthday, Madiba.

Nelson Mandela: A True African Hero and a Living legend

Nelson Mandela

As the world today celebrate the 93rd birthday of one of its true heroes who have become a living legend, lets hope for peace throughout the entire world. Nelson Mandela is a true African hero and he deserves all the goodwill messages pouring in from all corners of the world. He is a respected African statesman who was able to vehemently chastise the former US president George Bush Jnr when he refused to listen to advise and embarked on the invasion of Iraq. Mandela should be commended for that stand he took against the most powerful man on the earth. He was also very prominent in the fight against apartheid in his home country, South Africa. Today, he is a celebrated figure all over the world and anything good associated with him is bound to be successful. How i wish most African leaders will emulate his leadership style, but what do we see on our dear continent, leaders who are ever ready and willing to use incumbency to ensure their long stay in power, by using the state security apparatus to put fear in the people and if possible amend the constitution to give them another chance to stay in power for a third term. Mandela went for only one term and he handed over power in a peaceful manner. He could have taken some action against the former members of the apartheid regime who abused his basic human rights, but a true statesman that he is refused to tow that line. Mandela rather reconciled with them and even included some of them in his government. How many African leaders can do this? We all will accept the fact that today Nelson Mandela is the 'Face' of South Africa, because he is being used as a brand for the country. As he celebrate his 93rd birthday, may the good Lord bless him abundantly and we ask for more years from God for him, once again i say Happy birthday Madiba Rohihlahla Mandela or happy birthday Dada, God bless you, Africa is proud of you.

Pressure on Gaddafi.

The West have started the propaganda war again. This they are doing by putting it out in the international media that Gaddafi has agreed to quit. But we all know that this is never true as the Libyan leader has denied those rumours as coming from him. You know that when they want to get rid of you, the West will use all means available to ensure your exit. This sort of propaganda cant work on Gaddafi, in fact not even a one year old toddler will believe this useless propaganda. The Libyan leader has vowed to fight till the last man and also promised to die as a martyr, why would he now come out and say that he is quitting. I will like to ask this question, which country in the world will grant the Libyan leader asylum only to betray him to the ICC in the end? The west have seen that the war is not going their way so they have to resort to another means so as to get rid of the Libyan leader. The rebels are alleged to have committed atrocities, why is the west not looking into that? We all know that the west are supplying the rebels with weapons. What sort of hypocrisy is the west up to? Now the pressure is on Gaddafi to quit, the African Union is helpless and they just cant do anything about the carnage going on in Libya.Brother Gaddafi must weigh his options carefully before taking any action because  the former Liberian leader Charles  Taylor took a decision he will forever regret in his life as he was bitterly betrayed by his own African brother, another former African president. What  a shame, Africa.  

Southern Sudan's Independence.

On Saturday, 9th July, a new country will be "born" in Africa. This new country is Southern Sudan and we all Africans are happy she is joining the international community. So far indications are that this will be a peaceful transfer of power from the North to the South. The International Community had to move in quickly to avert a possible clash between the North and the South. Despite all these efforts, the North is trying to do all that its in its power to provoke a war with the South. This is being done with the tacit approval of the Northern Sudanese Government. The Southerners have suffered enough and they need a break from all the intimidation and provocations going on currently. The North keeps on denying its involvement in the conflict in the Abyei region which is an oil rich region. The AU and the International community should put measures in place so that the Southerners will start enjoying the fruit of their labors. They have suffered for a long time under the regime of Al Bashir. This region must not be allowed to turn into a boiling cauldron which will have a spill over effect on the rest of the African continent. The Southerners should also be helped to put up structures and institutions so that this young country will be given a strong foundation. The people will need water, electricity, education, good roads and other essential social amenities that will make them feel part of the free world. All Africans both on the continent and in the diaspora should help the Southern Sudanese people achieve these goals and aspirations. As an African i wish Southern Sudan happy independence, and may their nation prosper, God bless Southern Sudan with peace and good tidings.

France Helping the Libyan Rebels?

I was not surprised when i heard that the French Government was actually helping the Libyan rebels by air dropping weapons to them. This has truly brought out the motive of the French and the west in the ongoing conflict in Libya. The Americans are also said to have CIA Operatives on the ground in Libya and they are also helping the rebels with intelligence. Is this not an infringement on the sovereignty of another country? The Libyan people should beware of people who come bearing gifts. They did it to Saddam Hussein for him to fight on their behalf against the Iranians and they later turned against him to accuse him of keeping weapons of mass destruction. Now, we all know why NATO is making sure that Gaddafi leaves Libya by every means possible. Whilst this is going on, innocent civilians are the ones bearing the brunt of the wrongly targeted buildings, and as usual, they will come out and apologise to the families of the bereaved. Why should a country kowtow to the whims and caprices of another country because it has the power to make and unmake the leader of that powerless country? They did it in Afghanistan and later this so called ally turned against them and they branded him a terrorist. Dont be surprised when after the exit of Gaddafi, for some years to come these same weapons that was given to the rebels will be termed as weapons of mass destruction, and whoever will be in power will be called upon to allow the French and other western powers to get access to the sites of these weapons for them to be destroyed. If we can all recall, any country that had western help in overthrowing its leader never enjoy's peace for a long time as those dislodged will not let those in power to rule. They will also use all means possible to make that country ungovernable. The AU is holding a summit in Equatorial Guinea and they have condemned NATO'S military action in Libya, lets wait and see how far that condemnation will go, as usual it will be brushed aside by the western powers.

ICC Arrest Warrant for Gaddafi?

Once again, the International community is doing what it knows best, indicting African leaders and sending them to the ICC.We as Africans will want to know what Gaddafi did that has necessitated this current move by the ICC. Is it true that most of the European countries are not signatories to the ICC Convention? Why is it that most of their leaders are not taken to the ICC when they leave office since they are the ones who sanction most of the wars on the African continent in which innocent women and children are killed unjustly. Why is it that Tony Blair and George Bush be hauled before the ICC to answer charges of committing crimes against humanity. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were created by these western countries in the name of fighting terrorism, but what did we see in the end, innocent civilians always dying and all they could do was just apologize and the families of the victims would just forget about the death of their loved ones. Why cant these leaders also be held accountable for these deaths. Do you remember the over two hundred civilians who were killed by NATO bombs during the war in Yugoslavia. The reason given by NATO was that they mistook the train full of civilians to be carrying soldiers, what a shame. Nobody called for the leaders of NATO to be indicted for any war crime. Time will tell if the Libyan leader will submit himself to such an indictment. It was done to Charles Taylor of Liberia who was betrayed by his own African brothers. Will Gaddafi also face an act of betrayal? It seems the ICC was set up just to try African leaders. When Gaddafi is eventually sent to the ICC, that is if only they will be able to lay their hands on him, because he will not be easily arrested. This is an unfair world. The Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir is also facing a similar indictment, so when will a western country's president would be made to face the ICC?

Ai Weiwei.

What a wonderful world we live in. A sovereign state or nation applies their laws to the letter and the Americans cry foul. What sort of hypocrisy is this? Ai Weiwei admitted that what he did was against the laws of China and he was imprisoned for some time. Why cant the West accept it that way and they keep on trying to impose their type of governance on the Chinese people. The man has been freed together with some of his associates who have all admitted their offenses. The Americans always tout themselves as the bastion of democracy, but what do we see, they detain people in the name of National Security for longer periods and when others do the same thing, they call it a human right abuse. The soldier who allegedly leaked information to wiki leaks is still in detention and his health condition is deteriorating by the day. Is this soldier not allowed to a fair trial. Is he not innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law. We will like to know why he is still being kept in detention. We should live in a world where every country applies its laws as written down in their constitution and not an imposition from another country. The Chinese authorities i know are not moved by the attempts by some western countries to influence their people so as to protest against the government. This they are doing through their various media houses whose names i will not like to mention. They are known all over the world for propagating the west's agenda and they make sure that every news item is moved in a certain direction to project and protect the interest of the west. I think this behavior on the  part of the west stems from the fact that the Chinese economy is growing at a faster pace than the west anticipated, so they have to do everything to make sure that it is truncated. If the west has got anything to think about, they should learn from the Chinese. For now Ai Weiwei is just refusing to be drawn into any unnecessary talk with the media as the will want him to say somethings against the Chinese Government, but i will say to him that no matter what happens to him, his country should come first and not the selfish interest of the so called bastion of democracy. Every country must be allowed to practice the type of governance as prescribed by its people and not a type imposed by another country.

The Abyei Conflict

Once again the whole world is watching as events unfold in the Abyei region in Sudan. Bashir's troops are bent on ensuring that the South does not get access to the region as they are due to be independent in July. More atrocities are being committed there and all that the International community could do is to make statements condemning  the forceful seizure of the region by Sudanese Government troops. What a shame. Why cant concrete action be taken against the Sudanese president so that he withdraws his forces from the region. Women and children are the ones bearing the brunt of the fighting. This is all because it is an oil rich region and Northern Sudan would not like to loose control over that area. Thabo Mbeki is doing his best to mediate between the two parties so as to bring an end to the conflict in Abyei. The people in that region should be given the opportunity to decide whether they will join the South when they eventually gain their independence. This i think will be a fair representation of the rights of the people, but right now, the Sudanese Government has resorted to intimidation just to prevent the people of Abyei from making a choice to join the South. The UN Security Council should take action against the Sudanese president and not just make statements on the conflict in the Abyei region. Both the North and the South should be allowed a fair share of the oil revenue so as to develop their countries. Looking at the Abyei region itself, it lacks good drinking water, electricity, food and other basic social amenities. The African Union must also move quickly to avert a civil war from erupting in the region and if it does the whole of Sudan and most countries around Sudan will face dire consequences. We as Africans should learn to solve our own problems without any help from outside the continent. 

NATO's Apology.

Once again  innocent civilians have been killed in a NATO airstrike in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, and all that NATO could do is to render an apology. This has been happening in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan on numerous occassions. Are these also not war crimes? Why dont they indict the NATO commanders and haul them before the ICC? Normaly, children and women are the worst affected when civilian casualties mount in supposed UN sanctioned aggressive force on a sovereign nation. The explanation given was that the weapons system failed to locate or hit the target, what a shame. What happened to intelligence gathering before launching an airstrike just to determine the correct location of a target? We now live in a world where a group of people are so right that they can get away with killing innocent civilians in the name of protecting them, but another group of people do not have the right to fight or kill rebells who are trying to destabilize a country, and these rebells are recognized as the legitimate government by the western powers. Human rights activists all over the world should sit up and condemn this latest airstrike which has killed innocent civilians. What will happen to the families of the dead, nobody cares, i suffice it to say that NATO thinks that the apology is enough and are syaing that it will not happen again.We have heard this mantra several times. But go to Pakistan and you will be shocked at the devastation caused by drones on the civilian population. At times like these, they always have a prepared speech to deliver and they do it with the most solemn voices as usual. There should be an investigation into this and targets must be crosschecked before attacks are launched. My deepest  sympathies go to the families of the innocent civilians who have been unjustly taken off this earth by an unnecessary show of aggression that has no basis.

Africans must reject Gaddafi?

Did i hear Hillary Clinton ask the African Union to reject Gaddafi and sever all diplomatic ties with the Libyan Government headed by Gaddafi? What at all is happening in this our world of  today? I  saw the AU diplomats applauding and smiling. This is a betrayal at the highest level. I dont see this attitude helping promote African Unity. If this request is carried out by the member nations of the African Union, the much touted unity needed to develop the African continent will elude us, and it will take only God's intervention to achieve that. Liberia today annonced that she was recalling her ambassador from Tripoli, very soon other countries will follow suit and the already divided African continent will be fragmented into various blocs. Dont these our leaders see that the west has no good plans for the African continent? They ask us to reject our own brother and we are happy about it and we clap our hands for them. They are using their method of "divide and rule" on us again. What happened to Africans solving their own problems with their own methods, should we wait for an outsider to come and tell us what to do? I am very sad for my continent, oh my Africa, i cry for you, your children are being forced to drink 'dirty water'. In fact, they have no choice as this 'dirty water' is being forced down their throats. We have now gotten to a point where rebells take up arms against a government and they are recognised as the legitimate government. Let me ask, can this happen in the USA and Europe? Germany today took a bold decision to recognise the rebbels as the legitimate representatives of the Libyan people. There is this African proverb which says that, 'the child who will not allow the parents to sleep will also not sleep'. Say a prayer for Libya anytime you pray folks.

Post-Gaddafi Libya?

The international coalition have extended their military campaign in Libya for another 90 days. They have tried all options but Gaddafi is not leaving. All his military defences have been crippled and most of his trusted aides have left him. Gaddafi sya he will die in Libya and no where else. The west should be careful of what they are doing in Libya becuase they are creating enemies for themselves. They are now saying that the international community should brace itself for a possible post-Gaddafi Libya. The whole world is watching if after the extension the international coalition will be able to kick out Gaddafi. It will be very embarassing if they are not able to kick Gaddafi out. Mark my words, the rebells will be manipulated by the west, no matter how independent they try to be. More civilians are still being killed in the conflict. It is time we heard the voice of the African Union coming out strongly to condemn the attacks on Libya but they have decided to keep mute and betray their African brother Gaddafi. They were showering praises on him when he used to be the main financier of most of the conferences held by the AU. Gaddafi is facing an imminent departure from his motherland and his peers are looking on unconcerned as if he was never prominent in the affairs of the continent. Libya might just turn into another Iraq or Afghanistan when Gaddafi is forcifully removed from office. This is because his followers will not like to leave without putting up a fight till the last man dies. There is this African proverb that says that 'When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers'. Innocent civilians will face the brunt of both the rebells and remnants of Gaddafi's forces. We are all watching and waiting for what will happen during the 90 days and after that if Libya will come back to being a stable country or left with tribal and ethnic conflicts as it is being done in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Saleh is gone?

What is happening in Yemen has taken a new twist as the Yemeni president, Ali Abdullah Saleh has been flown out to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment as a result of injuries he suffered when his presidential compound was heavily attacked by local tribesmen and opposition forces. Will he return back to Yemen? I think that will be unlikely. He should have listened to the people when they gave him the opportunity to leave in a dignified manner. After staying in power for more than 30 years what again does he want to achieve? His exit will be exploited by the terrorist organisation Al Qaeda who have Yemen as their main base of planning attacks against the west. Will Saleh's forces turn against him and prevent him from returning back to Yemen or capitulate to the demands of the opposition and the tribesmen who sometime ago were the main backers of Saleh. Yemen was seen as a hotbed of Al Qaeda activities so Saleh was being supported by the Americans to fight the Al Qaeda elements and some successes were achieved. Will the US get another ally in Yemen to fight the terrorists, thats a question that needs a careful analytical answer, because it will be based on who assumes the reigns of power in that country. If care is not taken the gains made by the Yemeni government under Saleh's reign will go down the drain and they will have to start from ground zero. This will be very embarrasing to the US as they have put in a lot of resources both in monetary terms and military hardware. But  Saleh should have left earlier on the moment the protests started. He is likely to be tried for human rights abuses as a lot of the protesters were tortured and killed by his security forces. I hope by now the ICC is drawing up charges against Saleh, it si just a matter of time before these charges will be amde public and they will haul him before the ICC to answer for the atrocities committed during his stay in power. It is now becoming a norm where every leader who does not leave power in a good way is accused of committing crimes against humanity and extradited to the Hague to face criminal charges. So all leadres should make sure that they leave power in a dignified manner. Ali Abdullah Saleh's return to Yemen will not be possible as a result of the wild jubilations going on in Yemen, he should just stay put in Saudi Arabia and keep quiet, that will help him.

World Environment Day

Once again the world is celebrating World Environment Day. But have we been able to keep our envirnment clean and habitable. Big multinational companies still polute the environment without thinking about the repercussions on the human beings and animals living in it. People still dump waste in gutters, mining companies and illegal miners still pollute our water bodies, and toxic fumes are also released into the atmosphere by the big companies. What happened to the Kyoto Protocol? This is being flouted with impunity all over the world. The environment will one day be destroyed and humankind will be left without any natural resources. Our rivers, lakes and streams are fast drying up. The tree population in the world keeps on dwindling by the day as a result of illegal felling and the complicity of politicians. A case in point is the Amazon forest and if care is not taken as the saying goes, 'when the last tree dies the last man dies'. People pollute the environment and they easily get away with it, meanwhile we have laws to regulate their activities. Our politicians only make sure that they benefit from where their interests lie. The sea level keeps on rising by the day as a result of global warming and within a few years to come, most coastal cities will be washed away. When nature decides to take care of itself, humankind will have no answer to its wrath as it will unleash havoc and destruction as a form of punishment for how badly it (nature) has been treated. This will be at a high cost both in human casualties and monetary. We should try our best to prevent the destruction of the environment and preserve it for our own good. The various agencies in charge of the regulation of the environment should sit up and ensure that the right thing is done otherwise disaster will befall humankind.

More Fire Power

Now the international coalition has deployed more fire power against Gaddafi. This has been done in the form of Apache Attack Helicopters. Russia has vehemently criticised this latest move by the international coalition in Libya. Lets ask ourselves. Who is going to pay for the cost being incurred by the international coalition. Last week, i heard the US Defence Secretary say that the war in Libya has so far cost them about $70 million. Dont you think they are going to take the cost of the war back from the Libyan people in the form of oil and other resources in the country? The actions of the rebbells are not reported by the international media, because they are being paid to make sure that they report negative things from the side of the Libyan government. As usual, Gaddafi is still defiant and has resisted every move to have him kicked out. His Oil minister has defected, and i know more of his close allies will leave him very soon, the whole world is watching how the whole drama will end. Why cant the international coalition do the same thing in Yemen and Syria where government forces are openly shooting innocent civilians. Children are being tortured and more human rights abuses are being committed in these two countries but the whole world is behaving as if Yemen and Syria does not exist, what a pity. Is it because there are no oil resources in Yemen and Syria or these governments protect Western interests. The world is gradually turning into an Animal Farm, where some animals are better than others. There is no equality in this world. Who is going to pay for the rebuilding of all the bombed infrastructure in Libya. The African Union must sit up and be pragmatic. Now that the British have deployed their Apache Attack Helicopters, the international coalition is gradually getting involved in ground operations and they know the consequences of that, Afghanistan and Iraq are two examples the Americans have found  difficult to crack as their casualties keep on mounting.