Africa

Just hours before South Sudan becomes independent, a mood of joyful expectation swept through its capital, with crowds dancing in the streets and last-minute preparations ahead of Saturday’s ceremony. Processions of veterans, soldiers and civilians marched through central Juba in the hot sun, some dressed in traditional clothing, playing drums and dancing.

Eastern Africa is experiencing what is described as the “most severe food crisis in the world today”, at least 10 million people affected in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda. The alert comes from UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which adds that Somalia is one of the hardest-hit countries in the region, with deaths reported in some areas.

The United Nations has taken the wind out of the sails of world’s rich countries that never tire of complaining about the citizens of developing lands burdening their rather stressed economies, by pointing out that 80 per cent of refugees in the world live in poor countries. “In relation to the size of their economies, poor countries shoulder a disproportionate refugee burden,”

It is generally thought that separation of the powers of Church and State and an independent judiciary are new considerations and the universal humanists too may think that the Law of Political Accountability is quite new – think again – and look to Africa. Bereket Alemayehu, an organiser with Convergence of Cultures on the African Continent, introduces us to the Gada system.

An integrated approach to address Africa’s abiding challenges of desertification and biodiversity loss, and the new climate change threat is the subject of the First Africa Drylands Week in Dakar, Senegal, from June 10-17. It will be held back-to-back with the global observance event on June 17 to mark this year’s World Day to Combat Desertification.

In all Morrocan cities against popular demonstrations of the “20th of February Movement… The People want change” which is raising political, economic and social demands.
Plain clothes police supported by other kinds of response and auxiliary forces used batons to disperse demonstrators who were protesting peacefully.

The Preparatory Committee for the establishment of the “Democrates Liberaux” party, which is the unique Tunisian Humanist Party in the political arena, expressed deep concern and puzzlement about the overreaction of the national security forces towards the citizens and journalists and political activists who were present in the capital Tunis.

People who have suffered the impact of unjust practices and those who have been victims of abuse from corporate impunity will heave a sigh of relief the day directors of such companies are brought to court from behind their corporate shields. The spins and the twists in legal tangos that play out so impassively will become a thing of the past.

According to a report, forces loyal to embattled Ivory Coast leader, former president Laurent Gbagbo, have reportedly dwindled to less than 1,000 fighters.

Some 200 armed men are said to be protecting Gbagbo’s presidential palace, which is surrounded by forces loyal to internationally recognized president Alassane Ouattara.

NATO has intensified its air campaign against Gaddafi regime amidst ongoing clashes on the ground. NATO warplanes flew around 200 missions in Libyan airspace after rebel leaders accused international forces of failing to protect the city of Misurata. The US has said that success has been slowed in part by the Gaddafi regime’s use of human shields near military positions.