Is Ghana A High Risk Country?

We now live in an “Animal Farm” world indeed. Ghana, Nigeria and India have been tagged as high risk countries by the UK Government. Therefore, any one from the aforementioned countries planning to visit the UK should be prepared to cough out an amount of  3000 pounds as deposit to serve as a bond to prevent such a person from overstaying his visit. If he overstays the amount will be used to defray the cost of overstaying in the UK. The UK Government is simply telling us that we are not welcome anymore in their country. If it is a matter of the UK Government needing money to shore up the economy, they should not be shy to let us know so that we contribute generously, for even the Holy Bible says that “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). What goes into the term “High Risk Countries”? The UK Government should give us a vivid explanation of how they came by that term. They colonized us, exploited us, sold our ancestors into slavery and made us producers of raw materials and we have remained like that ever since they set foot on African soil. They used our resources to build their country and now that they have seen that Africa is rising up, they want to find all means possible to take the little money that we have from us. This immigration policy must be reviewed as all the countries targeted are likely to respond appropriately. When did Ghana become a high risk country all of a sudden? Our government should review her foreign policy  relations with the UK Government and make sure the interests of her citizens are fully protected. All the countries targeted by the UK in their new immigration law are countries that had been exploited by the UK in the past, Ghana, Nigeria and India. They exploited, impoverished us and now they say we can’t even visit what was built by our resources!!!!!! What a world?

The Rohingya, Has The World Ignored Them?

The Rohingya are a Muslim people who live in the state of Rakhine (Arakan) in western Myanmar (Burma). As of 2012, 800,000 Rohingya live in Myanmar. According to the UN, they are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. Many Rohingya have fled to ghettos and refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh, and to areas along the Thai-Myanmar border. • Etymology The origin of the term "Rohingya" is disputed. Some Rohingya historians like Khalilur Rahman contend that the term Rohingya is derived from Arabic word 'Rahma' meaning 'mercy'. They trace the term back to a shipwreck in the 8th century CE. According to them, after the Arab ship wrecked near Ramree Island, Arab traders were ordered to be executed by the Arakanese king. Then, they shouted in their language, 'Rahma'. Hence, these people were called 'Raham'. Gradually it changed from Raham to Rhohang and finally to Rohingyas. However, the claim was disputed by Jahiruddin Ahmed and Nazir Ahmed, former president and Secretary of Arakan Muslim Conference respectively. They argued that shipwreck Muslims are currently called 'Thambu Kya' Muslims, and currently reside along the Arakan sea shore. If the term Rohingya was indeed derived from that group of Muslims, "Thambu Kyas" would have been the first group to be known as Rohingyas. According to them, Rohingyas were descendants of inhabitants of Ruha in Afghanistan. Another historian, MA Chowdhury argued that among the Muslim populations in Myanmar, the term 'Mrohaung' (Old Arakanese Kingdom) was corrupted to Rohang. And thus inhabitants of the region are called Rohingya. Burmese historians such as Khin Maung Saw have claimed that the term 'Rohingya' was unknown before the 1950s. Another historian, Dr Maung, notes that the word Rohingya is not used in the 1824 census, conducted by the British. Historian Aye Chan from Kanda University of International Studies states that the term Rohingya was created by descendants of Bengalis in 1950s who migrated into Arakan during colonial times. He also holds that the term cannot be found in any historical source in any language before the 1950s. However, he accepts that there may have been Muslim communities in Arakan before 1824. However, Arakan history expert Dr Jacques P. Leider points out that the term Rooinga was in fact used in a late 18th century report published by the British Francis Buchanan-Hamilton. In his 1799 article “A Comparative Vocabulary of Some of the Languages Spoken in the Burma Empire,” Buchanan-Hamilton stated: "I shall now add three dialects, spoken in the Burma Empire, but evidently derived from the language of the Hindu nation. The first is that spoken by the Mohammedans, who have long settled in Arakan, and who call themselves Rooinga, or natives of Arakan." Leider also adds that the etymology of the word "does not say anything about politics." He adds that "You use this term for yourself as a political label to give yourself identity in the 20th century. Now how is this term used since the 1950s? It is clear that people who use it want to give this identity to the community that lives there." Language The Rohingya language is the modern written language of the Rohingya people of Arakan (Rakhine) State of Burma (Myanmar). It is an Indo-European language linguistically related to the Chittagonian language spoken in the southernmost part of Bangladesh bordering Burma. Rohingya scholars have successfully written the Rohingya language in various scripts including Arabic, Hanifi, Urdu, Roman, and Burmese, where Hanifi is a newly developed alphabet derived from Arabic with the addition of four characters from Latin and Burmese. More recently, a Latin alphabet has been developed, using all 26 English letters A to Z and two additional Latin letters Ç (for retroflex R) and Ñ (for nasal sound). To accurately represent Rohingya phonology, it also uses five accented vowels (áéíóú). It has been recognized by ISO with ISO 639-3 "rhg" code. History Muslim settlements have existed in Arakan since the arrival of Arabs there in the 8th century CE. The direct descendants of Arab settlers are believed to live in central Arakan near Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw townships, rather than the Mayu frontier area (near Chittagong Division, Bangladesh), where the majority of Rohingya are populated. Kingdom of Mrauk U Early evidence of Bengali Muslim settlements in Arakan date back to the time of King Narameikhla (1430–1434) of the Kingdom of Mrauk U. After 24 years of exile in Bengal, he regained control of the Arakanese throne in 1430 with military assistance from the Sultanate of Bengal. The Bengalis who came with him formed their own settlements in the region. Narameikhla ceded some territory to the Sultan of Bengal and recognized his sovereignty over the areas. In recognition of his kingdom's vassal status, the kings of Arakan received Islamic titles and used the Bengali Islamic coinage within the kingdom. Narameikhla minted his own coins with Burmese characters on one side and Persian characters on the other. Arakan's vassalage to Bengal was brief. After Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah's death in 1433, Narameikhla's successors repaid Bengal by occupying Ramu in 1437 and Chittagong in 1459. Arakan would hold Chittagong until 1666. Even after gaining independence from the Sultans of Bengal, the Arakanese kings continued the custom of maintaining Muslim titles. The Buddhist kings compared themselves to Sultans and fashioned themselves after Mughal rulers. They also continued to employ Muslims in prestigious positions within the royal administration. The Bengali Muslim population increased in the 17th century, as they were employed in a variety of workforces in Arakan. Some of them worked as Bengali, Persian and Arabic scribes in the Arakanese courts, which, despite remaining mostly Buddhist, adopted Islamic fashions from the neighbouring Sultanate of Bengal. The Kamein/Kaman, who are regarded as one of the official ethnic groups of Burma, are descended from these Muslims. Burmese conquest Following the Burmese conquest of Arakan in 1785, as many as 35,000 Arakanese people fled to the neighbouring Chittagong region of British Bengal in 1799 to avoid Burmese persecution and seek protection from British India. The Burmese rulers executed thousands of Arakanese men and deported a considerable portion of the Arakanese population to central Burma, leaving Arakan as a scarcely populated area by the time the British occupied it. According to an article on the "Burma Empire" published by the British Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in 1799, "the Mohammedans, who have long settled in Arakan," "call themselves Rooinga, or natives of Arakan." British colonial rule British policy encouraged Bengali inhabitants from adjacent regions to migrate into the then lightly populated and fertile valleys of Arakan as agriculturalists. The East India Company extended the Bengal administration to Arakan, thus there was no international boundary between Bengal and Arakan, and no restrictions on migration between the regions. In the early 19th century, thousands of Bengalis from the Chittagong region settled in Arakan seeking work. In addition, thousands of Rakhine people from Arakan also settled in Bengal. The British census of 1891 reported 58,255 Muslims in Arakan. By 1911, the Muslim population had increased to 178,647. The waves of migration were primarily due to the requirement of cheap labor from British India to work in the paddy fields. Immigrants from Bengal, mainly from the Chittagong region, "moved en masse into western townships of Arakan". To be sure, Indian immigration to Burma was a nationwide phenomenon, not just restricted to Arakan. Historian Thant Myint-U writes: "At the beginning of the 20th century, Indians were arriving in Burma at the rate of no less than a quarter million per year. The numbers rose steadily until the peak year of 1927, immigration reached 480,000 people, with Rangoon exceeding New York City as the greatest immigration port in the world. This was out of a total population of only 13 million; it was equivalent to the United Kingdom today taking 2 million people a year." By then, in most of the largest cities in Burma, Rangoon (Yangon), Akyab (Sittwe), Bassein (Pathein), Moulmein, the Indian immigrants formed a majority of the population. The Burmese under the British rule felt helpless, and reacted with a "racism that combined feelings of superiority and fear." The impact of immigration was particularly acute in Arakan, one of less populated regions. In 1939, the British authorities, alert to the long-term animosity between the Rakhine Buddhists and the Rohingya Muslims, formed a special Investigation Commission led by James Ester and Tin Tut to study the issue of Muslim immigration into the Rakhine state. The commission recommended securing the border; however, with the onset of World War II, the British retreated from Arakan. World War II Japanese occupation On 28 March 1942, around 5,000 Muslims in Minbya and Mrohaung Townships were killed by Rakhine nationalists and Karenni. Meanwhile, Muslims from Northern Rakhine State massacred around 20,000 Arakanese including the Deputy Commissioner U Oo Kyaw Khaing, who was killed while trying to settle the dispute. During World War II, Japanese forces invaded Burma, then under British colonial rule. The British forces retreated and in the power vacuum left behind, considerable violence erupted. This included communal violence between Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya villagers. The period also witnessed violence between groups loyal to the British and Burmese nationalists. The British armed Muslim groups in northern Arakan to create a buffer zone from Japanese invasion when they retreated. The Rohingya supported the Allies during the war and opposed the Japanese forces, assisting the Allies in reconnaissance. The Japanese committed countless acts of rape, murder and torture against thousands of Rohingya. In this period, some 22,000 Rohingya are believed to have crossed the border into Bengal, then part of British India, to escape the violence. 40,000 Rohingya eventually fled to Chittagong after repeated massacres by the Burmese and Japanese forces. The Mujahid party was founded by Rohingya elders who supported Jihad movement in northern Arakan in 1947. The aim of the Mujahid party was to create an autonomous Muslim state in Arakan. They were much more active before the 1962 Burmese coup d'état by General Ne Win. Ne Win carried out some military operations targeting them over a period of two decades. The prominent one was "Operation King Dragon" which took place in 1978; as a result, many Muslims in the region fled to neighboring Bangladesh as refugees. In addition to Bangladesh, a large number of Rohingya have also migrated to Karachi, Pakistan (see Rohingya people in Pakistan). Nevertheless, the Burmese mujahedeen (Islamic militants) are still active within the remote areas of Arakan. The associations of Burmese mujahedeen with Bangladeshi mujahedeen were significant, but they have extended their networks to the international level and countries, during the recent years. They collect donations, and receive religious military training outside of Burma. Burmese juntas The military junta which ruled Burma for half a century, relied heavily on Burmese nationalism and Theravada Buddhism to bolster its rule, and, in the view of US government experts, heavily discriminated against minorities like the Rohingya, Chinese people like the Kokang people, and Panthay (Chinese Muslims). Some pro-democracy dissidents from Burma's ethnic Burman majority do not consider the Rohingyas compatriots. Successive Burmese governments have been accused of provoking riots against ethnic minorities like the Rohingya and Chinese. In 2009, a senior Burmese envoy to Hong Kong branded the Rohingya "ugly as ogres" and a people that are alien to Myanmar. 2012 Rakhine State riots The 2012 Rakhine State riots are a series of ongoing conflicts between Rohingya Muslims and ethnic Rakhine in northern Rakhine State, Myanmar. The riots came after weeks of sectarian disputes and have been condemned by most people on both sides of the conflict. The immediate cause of the riots is unclear, with many commentators citing the killing of ten Burmese Muslims by ethnic Rakhine after the rape and murder of a Rakhine woman as the main cause. Whole villages have been "decimated”. Over three hundred houses and a number of public buildings have been razed. According to Tun Khin, the President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK), as of 28 June, 650 Rohingyas have been killed, 1,200 are missing, and more than 80,000 have been displaced. According to the Myanmar authorities, the violence, between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, left 78 people dead, 87 injured, and thousands of homes destroyed. It also displaced more than 52,000 people. The government has responded by imposing curfews and by deploying troops in the regions. On June 10, state of emergency was declared in Rakhine, allowing military to participate in administration of the region. The Burmese army and police have been accused of targeting Rohingya Muslims through mass arrests and arbitrary violence. A number of monks' organizations that played vital role in Burma's struggle for democracy have taken measures to block any humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya community. In July 2012, the Myanmar Government did not include the Rohingya minority group–-classified as stateless Bengali Muslims from Bangladesh since 1982—on the government's list of more than 130 ethnic races and therefore the government says that they have no claim to Myanmar citizenship. Religion The Rohingya people practice Sunni Islam with elements of Sufi worship. Because the government restricts educational opportunities for them, many pursue fundamental Islamic studies as their only educational option. Mosques and religious schools are present in most villages. Traditionally, men pray in congregations and women pray at home. Human rights violations and refugees The Rohingya people have been described as “among the world’s least wanted” and “one of the world’s most persecuted minorities.” They have been stripped of their citizenship since a 1982 citizenship law. They are not allowed to travel without official permission, are banned from owning land and are required to sign a commitment to have not more than two children. According to Amnesty International, the Muslim Rohingya people have continued to suffer from human rights violations under the Burmese junta since 1978, and many have fled to neighboring Bangladesh as a result: “ The Rohingyas’ freedom of movement is severely restricted and the vast majority of them have effectively been denied Burma citizenship. They are also subjected to various forms of extortion and arbitrary taxation; land confiscation; forced eviction and house destruction; and financial restrictions on marriage. Rohingyas continue to be used as forced labourers on roads and at military camps, although the amount of forced labour in northern Rakhine State has decreased over the last decade. […] In 1978 over 200,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh, following the ‘Nagamin’ (‘Dragon King’) operation of the Myanmar army. Officially this campaign aimed at "scrutinizing each individual living in the state, designating citizens and foreigners in accordance with the law and taking actions against foreigners who have filtered into the country illegally." This military campaign directly targeted civilians, and resulted in widespread killings, rape and destruction of mosques and further religious persecution. […] During 1991–92 a new wave of over a quarter of a million Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh. They reported widespread forced labour, as well as summary executions, torture, and rape. Rohingyas were forced to work without pay by the Burmese army on infrastructure and economic projects, often under harsh conditions. Many other human rights violations occurred in the context of forced labour of Rohingya civilians by the security forces. ” As of 2005, the UNHCR had been assisting with the repatriation of Rohingya from Bangladesh, but allegations of human rights abuses in the refugee camps have threatened this effort. Despite earlier efforts by the UN, the vast majority of Rohingya refugees have remained in Bangladesh, unable to return because of the negative attitude of the ruling regime in Myanmar. Now they are facing problems in Bangladesh as well where they do not receive support from the government any longer. In February 2009, many Rohingya refugees were rescued by Acehnese sailors in the Strait of Malacca, after 21 days at sea. Over the years, thousands of Rohingya have fled to Thailand also. There are roughly 111,000 refugees housed in 9 camps along the Thai-Myanmar border. There have been charges that groups of them have been shipped and towed out to open sea from Thailand, and left there. In February 2009 there was evidence of the Thai army towing a boatload of 190 Rohingya refugees out to sea. A group of refugees rescued by Indonesian authorities also in February 2009 told harrowing stories of being captured and beaten by the Thai military, and then abandoned at open sea. By the end of February there were reports of a group of 5 boats were towed out to open sea, of which 4 boats sank in a storm, and 1 boat washed up on the shore. February 12, 2009 Thailand's prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said there were "some instances" in which Rohingya people were pushed out to sea. “ There are attempts, I think, to let these people drift to other shores. [...] when these practices do occur, it is done on the understanding that there is enough food and water supplied. [...] It's not clear whose work it is [...] but if I have the evidence who exactly did this I will bring them to account. ” The prime minister said he regretted "any losses", and was working on rectifying the problem. Steps to repatriate Rohingya began in 2005. In 2009 Bangladesh announced it will repatriate around 9,000 Rohingya living in refugee camps in the country back to Burma, after a meeting with Burmese diplomats. In October 16, 2011, the new government of Burma agreed to take back registered Rohingya refugees. It seems the world has ignored them, and they don't have a place they can call home. As it is now, they are refugees in their own country. The UN seems to be mute on the killings of the Rohingya. Posterity will judge humankind if their plight is not addressed now. They are also entitled to the basic human rights as enjoyed by most people in this world. This must not be allowed to continue.

RIP, Bingu Wa Mutharika.

Mother Africa has once again lost a son and we must mourn him. Lets get to know the man Bingu Wa Mutharika, the late president of Malawi.

Bingu wa Mutharika (24 February 1934 – 5 April 2012) was a Malawian politician and economist who was President of Malawi from May 2004 to April 2012. He was also the president of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which has a majority in Malawi's parliament as a result of the 2009 general election. He died of a heart attack in Lilongwe on 5 April 2012.

Bingu wa Mutharika was born Ryson Webster Thom on 24 February 1934 in Thyolo. Mutharika's parents, Ryson Thom Mutharika and Eleni Thom Mutharika, were both members of the Church of Scotland Mission which later became CCAP. His father was a teacher for 37 years.

Upon completing his primary education in Blantyre, Mutharika obtained a Grade A Cambridge Overseas School Leaving Certificate at Dedza Secondary School in 1956. In 1964, he was one of the 32 Malawians selected by Hastings Kamuzu Banda (President of Malawi 1961-1994) to travel to India on an Indira Gandhi scholarship for 'fast track' diplomas. The BBC reports that he went to India to "escape then President Hastings Banda's crackdown on political opponents". At some point during the 1960s, he also changed his name, to Bingu wa Mutharika. In India, Mutharika earned his Bachelor's degree in Economics. Subsequently, he attended the Delhi School of Economics graduating with a M.A. degree in Economics. He later obtained a Ph.D. degree in Development Economics from Pacific Western University of Los Angeles, California (USA). Mutharika also completed short courses on Business Management, Financial Analysis, Trade Promotion, Political Leadership, regional Economic Co-operation and Human Relations.

Mutharika served in the Malawi civil service. He has served as Administrative Officer in the Government of Malawi and Zambia. He was offered the Deputy Governorship of the reserve Bank of Malawi and appointed Minister of Economic Planning and Development in 2002.

He worked at the World Bank as a Loans Officer and at the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa, as Director of Trade and Development Finance and as Secretary General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa COMESA, covering 22 Member States

Mutharika co-founded the United Democratic Front in 1992. In 1999, he stood as a candidate in the presidential election, finishing last.

Mutharika was nominated by then President Muluzi as his successor. Mutharika won the presidential election on 20 May 2004, ahead of John Tembo and Gwanda Chakuamba, and took office a few days later.

On 7 October 2006, Mutharika stated his intention to seek re-election in the 2009 presidential election as the DPP candidate. Two years later, in October 2008, the DPP's national governing council unanimously chose Mutharika as the party's candidate for the 2009 election. He stood as a candidate for the presidency for the 2009 elections. He was elected with a landslide 66.7% of votes.

During President Mutharika's first term in office (2004-2008), the country achieved a high rate of agricultural production and food security. The President's initiatives, centred on a programme of agricultural subsidy, benefited approximately 1,700,000 resource poor smallholder farmers. In the 2005/2006 crop season, Malawi achieved a food surplus of more than 500,000 metric tons. During the 2008/2009 planting season, food surpluses topped 1.3 million metric tons. This agricultural policy was widely regarded as successful but expensive, and was curtailed in 2011.

Malawi sent 150 metric tons of rice to Haiti following the earthquake in January 2010.

In addition to championing food security in Malawi, Mutharika promoted a similar approach for Africa. While Chairman of the African Union in 2010, the President laid down a road map for Africa to achieve sustainability and food security. He proposed a new partnership with other African nations, which he called the “African Food Basket”, outlining a strategy incorporating subsidies to small farmers, especially women, improvements in irrigation, and improving agriculture and food security over 5 years through innovative interventions that comprise subsidies, increased budgetary allocations, private sector investment and affordable information and communications technology. Approximately half of the country's subsistence farmers received vouchers which provided discounts on maize seed and fertilizer. To sustain the program, the Malawi Government allocated 11 percent of its budget for 2010/2011 to agriculture, continuing a rare record of commitment on this scale in Africa. The level of investment in the programme was reduced in 2011.

In 2009, Malawi's Ministry of Finance estimated that during the previous four years the share of Malawians living below the poverty line fell from 52 percent to 40 percent. This has been attributed to the country's agricultural policies, which have been seen as pioneering in the context of African economic development.

Mutharika has been accused of trying to sideline and isolate his vice-president, Joyce Banda.He kicked her out of the party in 2010, but she still remained the vice-president of the country. He also expelled the British High Commissioner, due to a document leaked by Wikileaks that accused Mutharika of being increasingly 'arrogant' and 'autocratic'.

In 2011, two days of nation wide protests occurred, sparked by worsening fuel shortages, rising prices and high unemployment. Malawi's health ministry confirmed 18 deaths in the northern cities of Karonga and Mzuzu as a result of police using live ammunition to quell protests. Mutharika was unapologetic and said that he would "smoke out" all his enemies.This was accompanied by a crack-down on Malawian journalists, human rights activists, and lawyers, including Ralph Kasambara.

On 31 January, 2010, Mutharika replaced Muammar al-Gaddafi as chairperson of the African Union after Gaddafi's attempt to run as the African Union chairperson for an additional year failed. Mutharika was Malawi's first head of state to assume the position of chairperson. In his acceptance speech, he said "Africa is not a poor continent, but the African population is poor" and called for "Africa to develop Africa". He shared his vision for the African Food Basket Initiative by making food security a priority in his agenda.

On 4 April he attended the 50th anniversary in celebration of Senegalese independence as the African Union chairperson. He also attended the G8 summit in Canada and the G20 Summit in Seoul.

On 26 July, he attended the African Union summit in Kampala, Uganda, where he condemned the International Criminal Court (ICC) for issuing a warrant to arrest Omar al Bashir because it undermined African authority. They adopted the African Food Basket Initiative here which was presented to the UN on 29 September. On 6 September, he attended the inauguration of Rwanda's president Paul Kagame. He attended the Iran-Africa Conference, which aimed at strengthening ties between Iran and African countries. During a speech at Boston University, Mutharika defended his subsidy program and noted that although western countries say African governments should not subsidise agriculture, western governments subsidise their own farmers. Malawi hosted Africas first conference that brought together Ministers of Agriculture in Africa where they were urged to fight for subsidies in agriculture. He did not attend the Africa-EU Trade summit in Libya but no official reason was provided for this. During his tenure, he joined international calls for Laurent Gbagbo in Ivory Coast to accept defeat in 2010 elections in the Ivory Coast.

He was married to Zimbawean Ethel Zvauya Mutharika, with whom he had four children. Ethel died of cancer on 28 May 2007. In 2010, Mutharika announced he planned to marry Callista Chimombo, a former Minister of Tourism. The two were married on 1 May, 2010.

Mutharika has a brother, Peter Mutharika, who was a lecturer at Washington University in St Louis. In May 2009, he was elected to the Malawian Parliament, and was subsequently appointed to the Malawi Cabinet as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. He has held other cabinet positions.

He died of a heart attack in Lilongwe on 5 April, 2012, after being admitted to hospital. The media reported "chaotic scenes" after his wife, Callista, and other cabinet members were leaving the hospital. His condition was initially announced as "critical," Vice President Joyce Banda wishing him a quick recovery. In reaction, police were deployed across the national capital with 15 Army officers posted at the Vice President's residence.

Mutharika has picked up the following awards:

• The United Nations Special Millennium development Goal Award (2010) for success towards eliminating hunger by enhancing food security ahead of the 2015 MDG deadline (Goal 1 – ending poverty and hunger)

• COMESA Distinguished Award (2010) for exceptional leadership and distinguished service to COMESA and the integration of Africa as Secretary General of COMESA form 1991 to 1997. The Authority specifically commended Mutharika for his contribution to the realization of the Abuja Treaty objectives towards African integration.

• Southern Africa Trust Drivers of Change Award (2009) for changing Malawi from a country in perpetual food deficit to one that is entirely food-sufficient. “The boom in this sector has had a direct impact on millions of poor people. Under his leadership, poverty has declined from 58 to 42 percent in five years. Through his direct involvement in turning Malawi's future around, he is building new confidence and hope amongst the citizens of Africa in their governments.”

• 2009 Medal of Glory Awards – “President Mutharika was chosen for the award because of his bold reforms that have resulted in the Malawi green revolution, and Malawi's increase in its economic growth rate form less that 1 percent in 2003, before he took office to more than 9.7 percent in 2008, at the end of his first term office”.

• The Most Excellent Grand Commander (MEGC) – Top most award of Malawi order of National Achievement conferred by the Malawi Civilian Honours and Decorations, 6 July 2009.

• Inaugural Food Agriculture and Natural resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) Food Security Policy Leadership Award (2008), “for his agricultural policy interventions which have transformed Malawi form a food deficit nation to a net maize exporter”

• FAO's Agricola Medal (2008) in honour of “his substantial contribution towards transforming the country's economy form a state of food deficit nation to a net exporter of maize”

• Louise Blouin Foundation Award for Exceptional Creative Achievement (2008) for making a positive impact on a global scale

• Danish Government Award of recognition for outstanding performances in promoting gender equality and women empowerment (2008).

Mutharika has received several honorary degrees including Professor of Economics by East China Normal University, in April 2010; Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) Degree Honoris Causa by the University of Delhi in October, 2010; Doctor of Law (PhD Degree (Honoris Causa), Mzuzu University, in 2008 and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree (Honoris Causa), University of Strathclyde, Scotland in 2005.

He is the founder and chairman of the Bineth Trust – a nonprofit organization promoting education; Founder of the Silvergrey International; and founder and Chairman of the Bingu Silvergrey Foundation of the elderly and retired persons. He is also the founder of the Malawi University of Science and Technology, the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources; University of Cotton Research at Bangula; the University of Marine biology; the University of Mombera and the University of Nkhotakota.

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.