Sunteți pe pagina 1din 20

United States Africa Command

Public Affairs Office


22 April 2011

USAFRICOM - related news stories

TOP NEWS RELATED TO U.S. AFRICA COMMAND AND AFRICA

U.S., African doctors work on malaria issues at Stuttgart conference (Stars and
Stripes)
(Germany) As the U.S. military mission in Africa grows, more troops will face potential
infection with deadly strains of malaria, prompting medical officials to ramp up
programs aimed at bolstering awareness and prevention, according to Africa
Command’s top doctor.

USS Robert G. Bradley Welcomes AFRICOM Commander (DVIDS)


(West Africa) USS Robert G. Bradley welcomed Commander, U.S. Africa Command
onboard during a port visit in Dakar, Senegal, April 20. Gen. Carter F. Ham visited
Robert G. Bradley to thank the crew for their dedication to the Africa Partnership
Station West mission.

Major General Margaret Woodward (Time)


(Libya) There's nothing new about women in combat — but a woman commanding
others in combat has been a far rarer sight. Then in March, Air Force Major General
Margaret "Maggie" Woodward ran the opening 11 days of the war against Libya. (True,
she ran just the air war, but that was pretty much the whole shooting match.)

Gates: Obama Approves Use of Armed Drones Over Libya (VOA)


(Libya) The Pentagon says U.S. President Barack Obama has approved the use of armed
drones (unmanned aircraft) over Libya.

UN chief appeals for end to Libya killing (AlJazeera)


(Libya) Casualties are on the rise as Libyan government forces and rebel fighters battle
it out on the streets of besieged western city of Misurata, amid calls by the UN chief to
"stop fighting".

NATO signals possible new strikes; rebels seize border crossing (CNN)
(Libya) NATO has signaled it may ramp up air strikes on the Moammar Gadhafi
regime, which an opposition group said had lost control of a key border crossing into
Tunisia.
Ivory Coast: Pro-Ouattara forces clash in Abidjan (BBC)
(Côte d’Ivoire) The incident took place between the Invisible Commandos group, which
controls areas of Abidjan, and troops brought from the north of the country.

African Union Reinstates Ivory Coast (VOA)


(Côte d’Ivoire) The African Union has reinstated Ivory Coast as a member in good
standing, lifting the suspension imposed after former president Laurent Gbagbo
refused to accept defeat in last November's presidential election. The AU Peace and
Security Council also heard a troubling report on political developments in Somalia.

2nd man charged in Somali pirate attack on ship (AP)


(Somalia) A Somali man accused of negotiating a ransom payment during a 2008 pirate
takeover of a Danish merchant ship has been indicted on federal charges, prosecutors
announced Thursday.

Nigeria: Post-Election Violence - Jonathan Talks Tough (Vanguard)


(Nigeria) President Goodluck Jonathan, this morning, vowed to use all the instruments
of his office to return every section of the country to normalcy vowing that violence
triggered by the outcome of the presidential election would be suppressed with every
available legal force.

UN News Service Africa Briefs


Full Articles on UN Website
 Ongoing fighting in Côte d’Ivoire threatens efforts to restore peace, UN warns
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST:

WHEN/WHERE: Wednesday, April 27th, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm.; The Brookings


Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, WDC
WHAT: Africa’s Education Financing Challenge
WHO: Mwangi S. Kimenyi, Director of Africa Growth Initiative; Albert Motivans, Head
of Education Indicators and Data Analysis at UNESCO Institute for Statistics;
Shantayanan Devarajan, Chief Economist of Africa Region at World Bank; Jacques van
der Gaag, Senior Fellow at the Global Economy and Development, Center for Universal
Education
Info: http://www.brookings.edu/events/2011/0427_africa_education.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FULL ARTICLE TEXT

U.S., African doctors work on malaria issues at Stuttgart conference (Stars and
Stripes)
By John Vandiver
April 21, 2011
STUTTGART, Germany – As the U.S. military mission in Africa grows, more troops will
face potential infection with deadly strains of malaria, prompting medical officials to
ramp up programs aimed at bolstering awareness and prevention, according to Africa
Command’s top doctor.

Saving a life might be as basic as swallowing a daily pill, using bed nets and applying
mosquito repellent, but ensuring compliance in the field isn’t always easy.

“There are challenges every step of the way,” said AFRICOM surgeon Col. Robert
Miller. “It’s a leadership challenge, and it is an individual responsibility.”

On Wednesday, U.S. military and medical officials met with counterparts from several
nations as part of AFRICOM’s first “Malaria Symposium,” which focused on the
challenges of operating in territory where malaria is an everyday threat. The three-day
conference in Stuttgart brought together military medical specialists from Tanzania,
Benin, Senegal, Uganda and Kenya, as well as several U.S. military and health agencies.

For AFRICOM, the focus on malaria cuts two ways. While the command first must
ensure that the troops it sends to the continent are educated on preventing infection,
AFRICOM also is looking at ways it can provide assistance to its partners who routinely
face malaria infection. Access to better health care, within both the general population
and the military, helps promote stability on the continent, Miller said.

Roughly 90 percent of the more than 1 million malaria-related deaths each year are in
Africa, and the soldiers there face unique risks. In Ghana, one of the more advanced
and better-funded militaries, malaria is the No. 1 cause of death among troops,
representing 30 percent of casualties, according to Lt. Cmdr. E.O. Nyako, a health
official with the Ghana armed forces.

One risk factor, he said, is peacekeeping missions that take soldiers far from home and
expose them to strains of the virus to which they appear to have little resistance.

In addition, Nyako said Ghana’s military doesn’t have the resources to maintain robust
surveillance and intervention programs when troops deploy to places such as the
Democratic Republic of the Congo or Liberia. That concern was echoed by officials from
other African countries at the symposium in Stuttgart.

In 2010, 24 U.S. troops contracted the disease in Africa — the second highest number
since 2002 and a direct result of increased exposure, according to U.S. military medical
officials. Unlike their African counterparts, U.S. troops have little or no immunity to
malaria. For that reason, it is all the more important that troops are diligent about
preventive measures, Miller said.

“Sometimes people get a false sense of security,” Miller said.


That appeared to be the case in 2009 when 23-year-old Navy Seabee Joshua Dae Ho
Carrell died after becoming infected with malaria during a mission in Liberia. A
military investigation of the death revealed that the sailor failed to regularly take anti-
malarial medication and that the unit failed to ensure that personal protective measures
such as proper uniform-wearing and application of the insecticide DEET were followed.

The Carrell case should serve as a reminder to all troops about the risks, Miller said.
-----------------
USS Robert G. Bradley Welcomes AFRICOM Commander (DVIDS)
By Petty Officer 1st Class Darryl Wood
April 21, 2011
DAKAR, Senegal – USS Robert G. Bradley welcomed Commander, U.S. Africa
Command onboard during a port visit in Dakar, Senegal, April 20.

Gen. Carter F. Ham visited Robert G. Bradley to thank the crew for their dedication to
the Africa Partnership Station West mission.

During the visit, he meet with Robert G. Bradley’s senior leadership, toured the ship
and addressed the crew during an all-hands call, commenting on the importance of
their mission in Africa.

“What you’re doing each and every day helps build the capacity of the navies and coast
guards in West Africa,” said Ham during the all-hands call. “You are helping them
build their maritime awareness and their patrolling abilities, hereby increasing their
maritime security for years to come.”

He continued talking about the difference the crew is making, and how working
together with other militaries will improve their own.

“You should have no doubt about the difference you are making each and every day,”
said Ham. “By making the African militaries better, you make our own military better
and that is a pretty significant accomplishment.”

Cmdr. Darryl Brown, commanding officer of Robert G. Bradley, thanked Ham and his
staff for the support the crew continues to receive during their APS West deployment.

“It is a welcomed privilege to have AFRICOM visit the Bradley,” said Brown. “It really
punctuates the importance of our mission.”

Robert G. Bradley has currently made 11 APS West port visits, embarked 24 Ship Riders
from partner African countries, participated in five community relations projects, and
conducted 26 ship tours. They have also sent essential training teams ashore during
each port visit, and participated in several military-to-military sporting events in an
effort to further cooperation and build upon cultural understanding.

APS is an international security cooperation initiative, facilitated by Commander, U.S.


Naval Forces Europe-Africa, aimed at strengthening global maritime partnerships
through training and collaborative activities in order to improve maritime safety and
security in Africa.

USS Robert G. Bradley, an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, is homeported out of


Mayport, Fla., and is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of
responsibility.
------------------------
Major General Margaret Woodward (Time)
By Mark Thompson
April 21, 2011
There's nothing new about women in combat — but a woman commanding others in
combat has been a far rarer sight. Then in March, Air Force Major General Margaret
"Maggie" Woodward ran the opening 11 days of the war against Libya. (True, she ran
just the air war, but that was pretty much the whole shooting match.) Her superiors and
subordinates alike have given her good grades for her historic role. The Maryland
native, 51, has spent almost 4,000 hours flying aerial tankers and other aircraft in her
nearly 30-year career. She doesn't like to talk about her groundbreaking wartime
mission, which she got as part of her current job as air boss for the U.S. Africa
Command. She prefers, instead, to shift credit to the staff she has put together at her
headquarters in Germany.

But fortune favors the ready. Woodward had been preparing to command the skies
since she was young. That's when adults told her women couldn't fly for the U.S.
military. The 1982 graduate of Arizona State University knew better. "It was just a
matter of time, because I knew women would be successful, and they would prove that
quickly," she says. "And they did."
----------------
Gates: Obama Approves Use of Armed Drones Over Libya (VOA)
By Unattributed Author
April 21, 2011
The Pentagon says U.S. President Barack Obama has approved the use of armed drones
(unmanned aircraft) over Libya.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday the Predator drone is an example of the
unique military capabilities that the United States can contribute to the NATO-led
campaign in Libya. He denied that the use of the drones is in any way an indictment of
the alliance's capabilities.
Asked why the United States is not deploying ground troops, Gates said regime change
is best achieved by citizens and not imposed by the outside. He said the goal of the U.S.
is to degrade the forces of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to make it easier for the
people to rise up against him. He also said he believes that over time Mr. Gadhafi will
be more constrained militarily and financially due to international military actions and
sanctions.

Hours earlier at the State Department, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said there are
reports that Gadhafi's forces may have used cluster bombs in the fighting against rebels.

Clinton did not provide details. But, citing the situation in the western town of Misrata,
she said government forces are engaging in what she called "deplorable" activities that
target civilians and cause enormous death and suffering.

Cluster bombs scatter small deadly fragments across a wide area, putting civilians at
particular risk.

The secretary of state expressed deep regret for all loss of life, and said she was
especially saddened by the deaths of two journalists Wednesday in Misrata.

Clinton said authorities in Libya continue to harass and detain journalists. She called
for the release of all Americans who are being unjustly held, including at least two
journalists. She said Libyan officials have not provided accurate information on how
many Americans are being detained.

She said the international community remains united in its resolve, and repeated calls
for Mr. Gadhafi to step down. The top U.S. diplomat spoke alongside Dutch Foreign
Minister Uri Rosenthal, who also condemned the actions by Mr. Gadhafi.
--------------------
UN chief appeals for end to Libya killing (AlJazeera)
By Unattributed Author
April 21, 2011
Casualties are on the rise as Libyan government forces and rebel fighters battle it out on
the streets of besieged western city of Misurata, amid calls by the UN chief to "stop
fighting".

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, urged Libyan authorities on Thursday to "stop


fighting and stop killing people" and said the world body's priority was to secure a
ceasefire.

"At this time our priority is to bring about a verifiable and effective ceasefire, and then
we can expand our humanitarian assistance, and we are going to engage in political
dialogue," he said during an official visit to Moscow.
Meanwhile, in Washington the US defence secretary told the Reuters news agency that
the US president had approved use of armed Predator drones in Libya, and that
missions involving the unmanned aircraft were set to begin.

The Libyan rebels have been trying since mid-February to end Muammar Gaddafi's 41-
year-old rule but have struggled against his more experienced and better equipped
forces.

International forces have been carrying out air raids on forces loyal to Gaddafi since
March 19, in a mission headed by NATO since March 31.

The NATO-led coalition is enforcing a UN mandated no-fly zone in Libya, which


authorises "all necessary measures" to protect civilians from attack by Gaddafi's forces.

Border post captured

Earlier on Thursday, pro-democracy fighters took control of the Libyan side of a key
border crossing with Tunisia, in a remote western region.

Witnesses said pro-Gaddafi forces abandoned their weapons and fled into Tunisia.

Sue Turton, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Benghazi, said there was fierce fighting
before the rebels were able to seize control of the post.

"The post ... has some 6,000 Libyans trying to get into Tunisia trying to flee the fighting
here. People are camped out there," she said.

"We're also hearing from the national council here that this isn't the first time that
they've taken control of that outpost. They're just watching to see whether Gaddafi
forces strike back and try to take the post back again."

Elsewhere in the country, Libyan state television said, NATO forces struck the Khallat
al-Farjan area of the capital Tripoli, killing seven people and wounding 18 others.

The report could not immediately be independently verified.

But NATO denied that any air raid had killed civilians, saying the target was a
command and control bunker in a military compound.

The developments came on a day forces loyal to Gaddafi rained mortar fire on
Misurata, the only rebel stronghold in the country's west where fighting has trapped
300,000 residents.
Medics said they have seen children with shrapnel and bullet wounds, with snipers
allegedly killing and causing terror among the residents.

Misurata's plight

Food and water are hard to be found and the hospitals are totally overwhelmed in
Misurata.

Many residents have been forced to flee.

Up to 50 or 60 people ... are being injured per day," Mohammed Al Fagieh, chief
surgeon at a hospital in Misurata, told Al Jazeera.

"I'm talking about the hospital, I'm not talking about Misurata. The number might
double or triple sometimes."

Moussa Ibrahim, the Libyan government spokesman, said Gaddafi's forces control more
than 80 per cent of Misurata and the rebels hold "the sea port and the area surrounding
it".

"Among the casualties of the fighting in the city are Western journalists Chris Hondros
and Tim Hetherington, both photojournalists, who died in a mortar attack on
Wednesday.

Ibrahim said Libyan troops were not to blame for their deaths of the two
photographers.

"We are very sad for the loss of any human life even from the rebel side, so we're really
sad for the loss of these two lives," he said. "It's not the responsibility of our army."

As reports of the humanitarian crisis in Misurata poured in, Hillary Clinton, the US
secretary of state, accused Gaddafi's troops of continuing their "vicious attacks".

"Colonel Gaddafi's troops continue their vicious attacks including the siege of Misurata.
There are even reports that Gaddafi forces may have used cluster bombs against their
own people," she said on Thursday.

Signs of war crimes

The UN has said it is looking for signs of war crimes in Libya. The Gaddafi government
has strenuously denied attacking civilians in Misurata.
Valerie Amos, the UN humanitarian chief, said the situation has not yet reached the
point where the UN needs NATO troops to secure humanitarian supplies in the
country.

"At the moment, we have an agreement with the European force and with NATO that
should we reach a point where the utilisation of civilian assets becomes impossible
because of the security situation, we, the UN, would call on them for support for
military assets," she said.

Al Jazeera's Sue Turton said many Libyans are looking abroad to see when international
help will come.

"There has been talk of possibly foreign troops on the ground. Whether or not foreign
troops are allowed on this soil is still a matter of contention. I've been told by the [rebel]
Libyan Transitional National Council that maybe those troops could be provided by
some of the Arab countries rather than the European countries."

David Cameron, the British prime minister, insisted on Thursday that NATO was not
edging towards deployment of ground troops in Libya despite the recent decision by
several European nations to send military advisers to assist rebel forces.

"The UN Security Council does limit us. We're not allowed, rightly, to have an invading
army, or an occupying army," he told BBC Scotland radio.

Russia said the sending of advisers exceeded the Security Council mandate to protect
civilians.

"We are not happy about the latest events in Libya, which are pulling the international
community into a conflict on the ground. This may have unpredictable consequences,"
Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said.
---------------------
NATO signals possible new strikes; rebels seize border crossing (CNN)
By Unattributed Author
April 21, 2011
Tripoli, Libya -- NATO has signaled it may ramp up air strikes on the Moammar
Gadhafi regime, which an opposition group said had lost control of a key border
crossing into Tunisia.

NATO has issued a new warning to Libyan civilians to stay away from military areas --
foreshadowing plans for attacks on targets seen as strategically significant in stopping
the government's attacks against civilians, according to a NATO military official.
The next phase will largely involve increased air strikes on key Gadhafi command,
control and communications sites in and around Tripoli, although targets in other areas
could be hit as well, the official said Thursday.

Rebels, who have complained that NATO was not being aggressive enough to protect
civilians, appeared to triumph in the border city of Wazen, Libya.

Libya rebels react to Hetherington death The crossing could prove key to access to the
city of Nalut, under siege by Gadhafi's forces for the past month. Thousands have fled
the fighting through Wazen to the nearby Tunisian town of Dehiba, where temporary
camps have been set up for the displaced.

The Tunisian state-run news agency, TAP, also reported the rebel takeover of Wazen
after early morning fighting.

About 100 forces loyal to Gadhafi, including a high-ranking officer, fled across the
border into Tunisia, said Mohammed Ali Abdallah, spokesman for National Front for
the Salvation of Libya. He said the rebels detained 14 members of Gadhafi's forces.

TAP reported that 13 Libyan officers have been detained by Tunisian military
authorities.

Also Thursday, a third ship chartered by the International Organization for Migration
made its way back from the besieged city of Misrata to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi
in the east.

More than 1,000 rescued migrants were on board, as were the bodies of photojournalists
Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, killed in Misrata on Wednesday, the
organization said. The ship also repatriated the body of an Ukrainian doctor.

Several banners were displayed as the Ionian Spirit docked late Thursday in Benghazi.

One read: "We feel for the families of the deceased, your blood was mixed with us in
Misrata and with your loss you shared with us the price for freedom." Another said,
"US and UK with your loss, you shared with us the price of freedom." Hondros was
American and Hetherington had dual British and U.S. citizenship.

Twenty rebel fighters stood in military formation as the vessel arrived.

The reported rebel takeover Thursday of Wazen comes at a time when many are
questioning whether a military victory over Gadhafi is possible. France and Italy
announced Wednesday that they will send military officers to Libya to advise the
rebels.
After a similar announcement by the British government Tuesday, French government
spokesman Francois Baroin said a "small number" of French troops was being sent to
advise the rebels' Transitional National Council.

French Defense Minister Gerard Longuethas ruled out sending ground troops to fight
alongside the rebels. "This is a real issue that deserves an international debate," he said,
adding, "We are working within the framework of the 1973 resolution," a reference to
the U.N. resolution that authorized action in Libya. "You cannot please everyone all the
time," he said.

Italy will send military advisers to train the rebels in self-defense tactics, Italian Foreign
Ministry spokesman Maurizio Massari announced.

Britain said its contingent of military officers will be sent to Benghazi to serve in an
advisory role. The team will work with the Transitional National Council to help the
opposition improve its military organizational structures, communications and
logistics, the British Foreign Office said. It will also help deliver aid.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates disclosed that armed Predator drones saw their
first use in Libya Thursday, but poor weather forced them to return.

The use of the unmanned drones and other aircraft were previously approved, he said,
and they are being used to target Gadhafi forces and installations.

The Predators bring "capabilities to the NATO commander that they didn't have
before," Gates said.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday she has recommended that
Obama authorize the U.S. government to send up to $25 million in non-lethal
commodities and services to support Libyan rebels, including the Transitional National
Council.

On Thursday, Clinton urged more patience from critics of the anti-Gadhafi campaign,
noting that "it is always a temptation in any conflict to (want) a resolution quickly."

"The opposition that rose up spontaneously was not a trained militia," she noted. The
"vast majority" of insurgents "had never participated in (any form of military) activity
before."

Clinton said Washington has "a lot of confidence in NATO" and is pleased with the
performance of America's allies in the conflict.

In Libya, rebel spokesman Jalal al Gallal called Wednesday's announcements by France


and Italy "positive."
"We are pleased with the results, and I think it's a prelude to more cooperation," he said.
"The more advisers we have on the ground, the better coordination we'll have on the
battlefield."

At least 27 people have been killed and 142 have been injured in Libya this week,
according to an opposition spokesman who wanted to be identified only as Mohammed
for safety reasons. Among them were the two acclaimed photojournalists.

Hondros and Hetherington, who was nominated for an Oscar for a gritty and
harrowing documentary about the Afghan war, both died Wednesday in a rocket-
propelled grenade attack in Misrata.
-------------------
Ivory Coast: Pro-Ouattara forces clash in Abidjan (BBC)
By Unattributed Author
April 21, 2011
The incident took place between the Invisible Commandos group, which controls areas
of Abidjan, and troops brought from the north of the country.

The BBC's John James says the firing in the north of the city lasted less than 30 minutes
but caused panic.

It the most public sign yet of splits in the coalition of forces that brought Mr Ouattara to
power last week.

His predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, was captured last week by pro-Ouattara forces after
refusing to step down when he lost elections in November.

Our correspondent says pockets of pro-Gbagbo militia continue to hold out in Abidjan's
western district of Yopougon, but stability is slowly returning to the city which has
experienced several weeks of fierce battles.

Looting

The backbone of the Pro-Ouattara forces swept down through the country last month
from their northern bases, three months into the stalemate over the election result.

They came from a group of former rebels called the New Forces, who for nearly a
decade have controlled the northern half of the country.

In Abidjan, they were joined by a former rebel commander Ibrahim Coulibaly, who led
the Invisible Commandos to gain control of northern parts of the city in the weeks
before the main offensive against Mr Gbagbo began.
Mr Coulibaly, a former bodyguard of President Ouattara, now says he wants
recognition for the role he played in overthrowing Mr Gbagbo.

But his forces are accused of being responsible for much of the widespread looting of
businesses and vehicles over the past week and also of charging motorists using the
road north of Abidjan, our reporter says.

In an apparently unrelated incident, there was also shooting on Wednesday in the


south-western port of San Pedro in another internal dispute between pro-Ouattara
forces.

The commander in San Pedro said the matter was now settled but gave no further
details.

Ivory Coast is trying to restart its economy and the government says schools and banks
should reopen next week.

But these incidents will add to the fear that insecurity may persist, our correspondent
says.

Meanwhile, the African Union has said it is lifting its suspension of Ivory Coast and has
dropped sanctions against the country.

The European Union has also eased some of its restrictions on Ivory Coast, paving the
way for cocoa exports to resume.
-------------------
African Union Reinstates Ivory Coast (VOA)
By Peter Heinlein
April 21, 2011
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - The African Union has reinstated Ivory Coast as a member in
good standing, lifting the suspension imposed after former president Laurent Gbagbo
refused to accept defeat in last November's presidential election. The AU Peace and
Security Council also heard a troubling report on political developments in Somalia.

The Peace and Security Council chairman for April, Ambassador Joseph Nsengimana,
said all sanctions imposed against Ivory Coast are lifted in view of President Alassane
Ouattara’s assumption of power.

"In the communiqué we made on December, 2010, it was said that until the president-
elect is not assuming the real power, we decided the suspension of [Ivory Coast]. Now
President Ouattara is assuming power so we lifted the suspension," Nsengimana said.

Ivory Coast’s reinstatement means the Peace and Security Council is back to its full
strength of 15.
Another council member, Libya, will be on the agenda next week, but a council
spokesman said there is no move to suspend Libya’s membership. The meeting will
hear a status report on efforts to negotiate a political solution to the conflict in Libya.

Participants at Thursday’s session also heard good news and bad news about efforts to
establish stability in Somalia after 20 years as a failed state.

Nsengimana, who also is Rwanda’s AU ambassador, said the good news is that pro-
government forces have taken firm control of 60% of the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
Until recently, government control was limited to a few kilometers around the
presidential palace.

Nsengimana said 80% of Mogadishu's population is living in the part of the city secured
by the 8,000-person AU peacekeeping force known as AMISOM.

The bad news is that the military gains are being threatened by feuding between the
country’s transitional government and parliament, which recently took unilateral action
to extend its mandate for three more years. Nsengimana called parliament’s action
"regrettable”"

"The situation in Somalia is not good, not at all. On the political side there is no
cooperation between the two main institutions, the government and the parliament. We
regret that the parliament took a decision to extend its mandate for three years without
consulting any other shareholders," said Nsengimana.

Criticism of UN

An AU Commission report presented to Thursday’s meeting criticizes the United


Nations for failing to respond to the Council’s request for a no-fly zone and naval
blockade on Somalia. The measures would be aimed at preventing foreign fighters and
weapons from reaching the al-Qaida-linked rebel group al-Shabab, which continues to
control much of southern and central Somalia.

The report expresses grave concern about al-Shabab’s refusal to allow adequate access
by humanitarian aid agencies as drought sweeps over the region. An estimated 50,000
people have been displaced since the drought set in last December, and long-range
weather forecasts predict lower than normal rains over the next few months.
--------------------
2nd man charged in Somali pirate attack on ship (AP)
By Unattributed Author
April 21, 2011
WASHINGTON — A Somali man accused of negotiating a ransom payment during a
2008 pirate takeover of a Danish merchant ship has been indicted on federal charges,
prosecutors announced Thursday.

Ali Mohamed Ali was arrested Wednesday at Dulles International Airport. He is


scheduled to make an initial appearance April 26 in U.S. District Court in Washington.

A federal grand jury indictment returned last week and unsealed Thursday charges Ali
with conspiracy to commit piracy, piracy under the law of nations and other crimes. He
faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Ali is the second person to face federal charges in Washington over the takeover of the
CEC Future in late 2008 off Somalia. Federal prosecutors say a group of Somali pirates
with AK-47s and a rocket-propelled grenade boarded the ship on Nov. 7, 2008, with Ali
arriving within two or three days and demanding $7 million for the release of the vessel
and the crew.

Prosecutors say the pirates left the ship more than two months later after being paid a
$1.7 million ransom.

It wasn't immediately clear if Ali had a lawyer.

Ali is the second person to face federal charges in Washington in the piracy case. Jama
Idle Ibrahim was sentenced to 25 years this month for his role in the attack, but he will
not spend any additional time in prison since his sentence will run concurrently with a
30-year sentence already imposed for a separate attack of a U.S. Navy ship off the coast
of Somalia.
-------------------
Nigeria: Post-Election Violence - Jonathan Talks Tough (Vanguard)
By Emmanuel Aziken, Kingsley Omonobi, Daniel Idonor, Luka Binniyat and Susan
Edeh
21 April 2011
Abuja — President Goodluck Jonathan, this morning, vowed to use all the instruments
of his office to return every section of the country to normalcy vowing that violence
triggered by the outcome of the presidential election would be suppressed with every
available legal force.

President Jonathan in a nationwide broadcast this morning declared that "Enough is


Enough" of the violence which he warned could lead the country towards the path of
some of its worse tragedies.

Noting the attacks on some of the country's revered institutions including traditional
rulers and members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, the President declared
that he had handed over the personal security of NYSC members to the state Governors
who he said would guarantee the personal safety of the NYSC members. He said that
the violence was aimed at stopping the remaining round of elections.

The President's response came as the Federal Executive Council, yesterday, ordered a
full-scale investigation into the incident and vowed to punish all those involved in the
mass murder.

The president spoke against the background of the widespread violence in the northern
section of the country arising from the declaration of the results of the 2011 presidential
election which he won.

The address was moderated by an appeal to political leaders and religious leaders who
the President called on not to inflame passions among their followers. He equally
promised the establishment of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to examine the remote
and immediate causes of the crisis even as he vowed that those who instigated the
violence would surely be brought to book.

The President said he had deployed security personnel to all affected parts of the
country to contain the incidence of violence.

He equally declared that the next Tuesday's scheduled election would go ahead as he
affirmed that the situation would have been well contained by that time.

In the early morning broadcast, the President declared: "I assure all Nigerians that I will
do so with all powers at my disposal as President, Commander-in-Chief. I have ordered
the deployment of security personnel to troubled parts of the country. I have also
directed the reinforcement of security in all parts of the country.

"I have authorized our security services to use all lawful means, including justifiable
force, to bring an immediate end to all acts of violence against our fellow citizens. In
view of the condemnable attacks on our gallant youth corps members, I have directed
all State Governors to take personal responsibility for their security and safety in the
States where they serve.

"I have directed that perpetrators of these dastardly acts of violence and all those who
seek to continue to breach the peace and stability of this nation must be fished out and
made to face the full weight of the law. In this regard, a Judicial Commission of Inquiry
will be constituted to look into the immediate and remote causes of this recent tide of
unrest. I urge all Nigerians to remain law abiding.

I appeal to parents to take full charge of their wards. We must not allow anybody to use
innocent youth as cannon fodder for the ambitions of a few. Let us preserve the sanctity
of the lives and future of all of our children.
"On behalf of all Nigerians, I express heart_felt condolences to the victims of this
violence. I lament the loss of lives; destruction of means of livelihood; the burning of
homes and places of worship. I appeal to all members of the political class, leaders of
thought and traditional rulers to continue to put our national interest first at this critical
time.

"Particularly, I call on our religious leaders not to use the sacredness of our places of
worship to promote messages that could lead to hate, disharmony and disaffection.
Rather, we must all at this time join hands and support INEC in ensuring a successful
conclusion of the commendable work which they started.

Restraint in face of provocation

"I appeal to all communities around the country to show restraint in the face of
provocation. I urge all Nigerians to remain steadfast in prayers for peace and tranquility
in our country. I assure you all that calm is being restored in troubled parts of the
country and that the elections scheduled for next Tuesday will go on as planned.

"All Nigerians should, therefore, go about their businesses without fear and exercise
their franchise on April 26, to vote for candidates of their choice in the next round of
elections.

"To those who persist in sowing the seeds of discord, I say – you may hurt and bring
grief to some innocent families momentarily, but you will never succeed in stopping
our transformational journey: a journey that will lead this country, by the grace of God,
to emerge stronger, more prosperous and more united."

Casualties

While the post presidential election violence that swept through many states in the
north appeared to have subsided, yesterday, it left in its trail over 200 persons dead, 410
injured and 48,000 residents displaced.

This was just as some of the victims who had been traumatised by the bloody violence
had been counting their losses.

The Federal Government on its part has ordered a full-scale investigation into the
incident and vowed to punish all those involved in the mass murder.

Spokesman of the Red Cross, Umar Marigar, told the BBC that the number of displaced
persons had risen to 48,000 mainly in the north while in Anambra State, 8,400 people
sought refuge at the Onitsha military barracks because of fear of reprisal attacks against
northerners.
Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Major General
Muhammadu Buhari, who spoke with foreign journalists at his Abuja residence said the
ruling PDP had conspired with the electoral commission to cook up results showingthat
President Goodluck Jonathan won last Saturday's presidential race.

Buhari said manipulation of INEC's computers had slashed his vote by up to 40 percent
in Kano and Katsina states and that his supporters were chased away from polling
stations in large parts of the south.

While asserting that his party had proof of the allegations, he said that foreign
observers had not monitored the vote closely enough in some areas, and that the
manipulation had been enough to deprive him of what could have been a victory in the
first round.

Buhari said: "INEC and the ruling party worked hand in hand. Those who rigged the
elections are responsible for the spontaneous action of the people in some parts of the
country."
President Goodluck Jonathan in an interview with CNN, however, said that the post
election violence "was not a spontaneous reaction." He said: "I don't want to accuse
anybody but we believe that people must be behind this."

Kaduna relaxes curfew as PDP, CAN, JNI trade blames

In Kaduna, Governor Patrick Yakowa relaxed the 24 hours curfew imposed on the state
as the situation was now relatively calm. The curfew is now between 8am and 4pm

Meanwhile, the Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN; Jama'atu Nasril Islam, JNI,
and the PDP have been trading blames on the crisis.

Chairman, northern branch of CAN, Rev. Saidu Dogo said: "In Bauchi State, I have been
informed that about 72 churches have burnt, and 32 Christians killed. Among them are
eight youth corps members. We are still getting more on the casualties. In Kano and in
Zaria, most of our churches there were burnt, and several of our members killed. In
Malumfashi, in Katsina State, not less than 18 churches burnt, and I am yet to get the
number of clerics and lay Christians killed.

"In Gombe, and Borno and so on, we are still receiving the number of casualties. We
insist that this is not a political violence. It was planned and aimed at Christians. We
insist that the culprits most be fished and brought to book."

But the Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Muslim umbrella body in the North, dismissed
the claims of CAN, saying, "it is a fabricated lie that can never be substantiated."
JNI Secretary General, Dr Khalid Abubakar said: "It is unfortunate that a religious
leader would make such a comment at a time like this. Our leaders have also failed in
securing our lives and property. They always wait until havoc is committed before
taking actions. There is a failure of government here.

"As far as the JNI is concerned, the violence is unfortunate, and uncalled for. The
casualty is heaviest in Southern part of Kaduna. In Zonkwa, the Imam of the town was
brought out on the road and slaughtered like a ram. Many mosques and Muslims were
killed there, because the place is dominated by Christians. Also, on the Abuja_Kaduna
expressway, passengers where attacked and killed.

"I don't think that any of the two religions permits the murder of any human being.
Because the life of a human being in all the scriptures is too precious and sacred to be
destroyed by any person."

Commercial activities paralysed in Bauchi

In Bauchi State, commercial activities have been paralysed as most shops and banks
have refused to open for business as a result of the violent protests. Most of the banks
on Bank Road in Bauchi were closed to customers for lack of adequate security because
all the armed Policemen attached to the banks had been recalled.
Mob attacks, set ablaze residence of ex_LG Chairman

An unrepentant mob attacked the home of the sacked chairman of Keffi Local
Government area, of Nassarawa State, Engr. Mohammed Idris, torched parts of the
house and set his Jeep ablaze.
pard Sources told Vanguard that the angry protesters who broke into Engr. Idris
residence along Abdullahi Maigari Street, Keffi, at about 3. 30am, attempted to set the
entire house on fire with the occupants inside.

However, concerned neighbours who got wind of what was about to happen mobilized
to the house and repelled the mob.

FG orders probe

Meanwhile the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday condemned the
unwarranted killing of innocent Nigerians in parts of the North and ordered a full_scale
investigation into the incident and vowed to punish all those involved in the mass
murder.

Reading the resolution of the Council on the violence, Minister of Information and
Communications, Mr Labaran Maku said: "Council strongly reiterates the presidential
directives to security agencies to fully investigate the violence and bring to justice all
those remotely and directly involved in the killings and destruction that took place in
some parts of the federation.

"Council strongly condemns the regrettable tendency by a few to deny our nation its
progress towards a united and stable polity from the regional and ethnic divisions of
the past. Thus at a time the world is celebrating the glory of our Presidential Poll as one
of the freest and fairest in our history, some persons chose to stain this glory with the
blood of innocent citizens.

"Council reassures Nigerians of government's determination to enhance the security of


law_abiding citizens in the affected states, and calls on state governments, traditional
rulers and community leaders and citizens to cooperate with security agencies to bring
normalcy back to the affected areas."
-----------------------
UN News Service Africa Briefs
Full Articles on UN Website

Ongoing fighting in Côte d’Ivoire threatens efforts to restore peace, UN warns


21 April – The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d’Ivoire today deplored
the ongoing fighting in neighbourhoods of the commercial capital, Abidjan, warning
that the clashes could threaten efforts to restore peace and security following the recent
post-electoral crisis.

S-ar putea să vă placă și