Global Voices » Sub-Saharan Africa

Song, Video Shed Light on Congo War

Ndesanjo Macha — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:21:15 +0000

‘In the Congo’ is a song and video that shed light 20 year conflict over minerals used in mobile phones and electronics:

The video is produced and directed by Zavara Mponjika, the respected hip hop pioneer and filmmaker from Tanzania and features New York based female hip hop group Rhyme Like A Girl and Los Angeles based Kenyan Afro-Soul artist Nasambu.

An Open Letter to the Cultural Foundation of the Republic of Germany

Ndesanjo Macha — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:41:13 +0000

Safia Dickersbach (@ArtsSafia) challenges a new programme dedicated to foster “German-African cultural relations”:

3. The Kulturstiftung claims to support the new African initiatives in the area of contemporary and innovative art. But on the other hand:

a. Africans are not allowed to apply for the funds directly.

b. The African partners are only allowed to apply together with an institutional partner in Germany. The funding guidelines reveal the reason to this: “The German partner, as the project coordinator, has to assume responsibility for ensuring that all funds are expended as contractually agreed upon with the Federal Cultural Foundation.” In other, simpler, words: The Africans are not trustworthy.

‘China Open Mic': Examining China's Development Footprint in Africa

Ndesanjo Macha — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:15:23 +0000

The Ghanaian government arrested about 169 Chinese illegal miners early June as part of a crackdown on illegal mining in Africa's second largest gold producer. All 169 miners were later released after talks involving the two countries. However, 1,072 Chinese gold miners in Ghana have returned to their homes since the crackdown.

The arrests and the release of the miners were the topic of the very first China Open Mic Google hangout organised by China Open Mic Sunday, June 16, 2013.

China Open Mic logo. Image source: chinaopenmic.com

China Open Mic (@ChinaOpenMic) is an open space that aims to inform and transform thinking on China in global development in the digital age, and to explore how China’s development can benefit all. It offers an open and comprehensive perspective that connects currently divided narratives on a rising China in international media.

Introducing the topic, Andy Shuai Liu, founder and editor of China Open Mic and a communications consultant for international development, wrote:

The recent arrests and release of Chinese miners* in Ghana have started another round of debates over China’s growing presence in Africa. Much has been covered in international media. Many discussions have looked at issues such as China’s foreign investments and Chinese labor in Africa.

One of the ideas that the discussion explored was, does it matter if the cat is white or black?:

If we look back at the recent history, we will be reminded that Deng Xiaoping, the reformist Chinese leader, encouraged economic development by all means when he opened up the Middle Kingdom to the world in 1979.

“It doesn’t matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice,” said Deng.

Today, we may be in a world that is just a bit different. Can we then still say, “Don’t mind the illegal miners, so long as they’ve got us gold”?

Below is the recording of the hangout posted on YouTube:

The panel was composed of specialists in China-Africa relations:

Jemila Abdulai (@jabdulai), founder and editor of Circumspect, a blog on Ghana, Africa and development

Shuang Bin (TBC), scholar in democracy and governance with a focus on China-Africa relations

Hongxiang Huang, freelance journalist for Southern Weekly and the Atlantic, founder of China-South Dialogue and business representative for a Chinese company in Kenya.

Merlin Linehan (@MerlinLinehan) (TBC), founder of advisory firm China in Africa and specialist in trade and investment in China and other emerging markets

Winslow Robertson (@Winslow_R), historian, specialist in China-Africa relations, and founder of the Sino-Africa DC group

The panel addressed the following questions:

What are the historical linkages between China and Ghana?

How are the poor in Ghana and in China related to the escalation of the dispute over gold mining?

What are the challenges for both China and Ghana to ensure that their development efforts are fair to, and can benefit, all?

Looking ahead, how can China, Africa and international communities work together to strengthen the rule of law and promote good governance for optimal development outcomes?

In this post, Andy Shuai Liu, who was the moderator of the hangout, shared a summary of what he learned:

1. How do local people think of illegal mining and Chinese miners in Ghana?:

Jemila Abdulai: Foreign investors, including Chinese ones, make profits with Ghana’s gold but do not invest back in local communities where people’s livelihoods largely depend on gold

2. How is the Western media covering these issues?:

Winslow Robertson: Media coverage in the U.S. and Europe is split between balanced reports linking to the facts and reports that might be over-interpreting the issue

3. How have China and Ghana interacted historically?:

Winslow Roberts: This is one of the situations where the Chinese government and the Ghanaian government have friendly relations; but then Chinese citizens and Ghanaian citizens in different sectors might have different relations.

4. According to Deng Xiaoping, the reformist leader who opened up China to market economy and foreign investments in 1979, “It doesn’t matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice.” Does it matter now which cat catches the mice?

Hongxiang Huang: Yes, the black cat and the white cat can both catch mice. But maybe in the long run, the black cat, [for example]… does not only catch the mice. It can also damage the furniture… and cause other problems.

See the full summary here.

Paying Tribute to Captain Mbaye Diagne, The Senegalese Hero of Rwanda

Jane Ellis — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:55:53 +0000

At the time of writing, June 2013, official commemoration of victims of the 1994 Rwandan genocide is continuing around the world. But few people still remember Captain Mbaye Diagne. However, this young officer from the Senegalese army showed bravery at a time when the rest of the world was demonstrating cowardice. Enrico Muratore has been fighting for years to ensure that the name of this hero is not forgotten.

Photo of Captain Mbaye Diange from the Facebook page of the association bearing his name, used with their permission.

Global Voices posed several questions to Enrico Muratore on the objective of his action via the Association of Captain Mbaye Diagne – Nekkinu Jàmm:

Enrico, could you introduce yourself in a few words?

Hello, I am an ex-United Nations Human Rights Officer who served during, among others, the peace-keeping missions and also worked in Rwanda, a country which I have been really interested in since the 1994 genocide. I am Italian, but I have lived in Africa for 15 years, and in Senegal for 4 years.

On May 31, you organised a ceremony to commemorate a Senegalese soldier who died during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Could you explain to us the reasons for this ceremony?

We were celebrating the memory of Captain Mbaye Diagne, who was a military observer for UNAMIR (United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda). When the genocide started on April 7, 1994, individual unarmed rescue missions immediately started saving all those who could be saved. They started with the children of the Rwandan Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingyimana – who had just been killed, after the massacre of his escort of ten Belgian paras. When the United Nations decided to withdraw nine tenths of their military presence who were already on site (and who could have opposed the genocide), 270 soldiers remained, among them the Captain, who undertook his perilous missions to save the others, until he was killed on May 31, 1994, after having saved, they say, nearly 600 people. So we celebrate the memory of this just and altruistic man who gave his life to save that of others at this time.

What are the initial objectives of the Association? Who are the members? Is it open to other members?

The Association aims to promote the memory of Captain Mbaye Diagne and to support his family’s development, because it is not fair to abandon the families of those who gave themselves for others. Of course, their sacrifice doesn’t mean to say that they didn't love their own families! Therefore, we must do something for them. The President of the Association is Mrs Yacine Diagne, the Captain’s widow; the Vice-President is Colonel Faye who was friend of the Captain and was in the UNAMIR in Rwanda with him; I personally am the General Secretary (GS) and the Captain’s children, Coumba and Cheick are the GS assistants; next, as Treasurer, we have Ras Makha Diop, philosopher, gardener and Senegalese artist, instead of the late lamented good and just Doctor Adotevi. Next, we have founding members such as Pierantonio Costa, ex-Honorary Consul of Rwanda who saved 2000 people from death during the genocide, Mark Doyle who is a principal correspondent for the BBC and previously friend of the Captain, senior civil servant Bacre Ndiaye of the United Nations High Commissioner’s Office of Human Rights, and author of a prescient report on Rwanda when he was the special reporter covering extra-judiciary executions in 1993. We also have other Senegelese and foreigners, including some who participated in one or both United Nations missions in Rwanda, people that had known him or simply appreciated his sacrifice to save the innocents. We are still accepting new members, as long as we are assured that they sincerely admire the Captain, and intend to support our Association’s goals.

He really was a hero! What did people know about him before?

There is a lot of material available on the internet, but it is true to say that the general public around the world does not know of the Captain. Yet his sacrifice has been officially recognised by the Rwandan government, by the then American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and by the Giardino dei Giusti del Mondo [it], an association to honor those who oppose genocide in Italy, among others.

What has been achieved so far?

Creating the Association in itself an achievement because that was not simple. We have a Facebook page named Association of Captain Mbaye Diagne – Nekkinu Jàmm and we are currently setting up a multilingual website; we are organising activities with the press. For example, for example, in this interview [fr] from May 31, his wife described how she was informed of his death and recalls her memories.. The Fatto Quotidiano [it] in Italy, and the past with Radio West Africa for Democracy or the Senegalese media; activities such as the Junior Football Tournament organised with the Senegalese Football Federation; May 31, the prayer vigil in the Captain's family home.

Was he married and did he have children? What became of them?

The family have quite simply been forgotten all this time, now we hope that the association with us has helped them to make themselves be better understood and to find their place while promoting the memory of their husband and father, because this could be very useful in educating youth and people in general, about these troubled and violent times.

Captain Mbaye fell on duty, didn’t he? What have the national authorities and the UN done?

We must ask his wife and Association President Mrs Yacine Diagne, but as far as I know, the United Nations have done nothing apart from pay the life insurance that the Captain had signed up for while at their service, and which paid his family a premium 19 years ago, but nothing more since. The family home is collapsing, they had to look for support from a sister of Yacine; the children have lost years of schooling, the eldest, Coumba, had many health problems, the Captain’s mother is old and sick. Only close family, and several friends, notably from the Army, have done anything; now the Association will do what it can.

As for the dead, only God can look after them. With respect to help for the family, we contacted the Association for the Office of the United Nations for West Africa, a little while ago, but they have not yet responded. We hope they will do so.

Follow ChinainAfrica Open Mic Hangout Online

Ndesanjo Macha — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:22:27 +0000

The #ChinainAfrica Open Mic Hangout on Chinese miners in Ghana and China-Africa relations is live online. Watch it on YouTube and follow it on Twitter using the hashtag #ChinaOpenMic.

Association for World's Mobile Operators Opens Africa Office

Ndesanjo Macha — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:09:16 +0000

The GSMA, the global association for the world’s mobile operators, opens an African office in Nairobi, White African reports:

Back in 2010 when the iHub first opened, we had some of their staff who were in Kenya working out of the iHub and using the space for different meetings. They loved the vibe and makeup of the Kenyan tech community and wanted to figure out how they could connect and be a part of this same energetic space, while at the same time fulfilling their obligation to Africa’s mobile operators.

Square Foot Gardening in South Africa

Ndesanjo Macha — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:26:26 +0000

Learn about Square Foot Gardening in South Africa:

Very simply put, Square Foot Gardening (SFG) is a whole new way of gardening, growing vegetables & fruits and contributing handsomely to the kitchen table even with the smallest of gardens at your disposal.

Mozambique: Medical professionals end unsuccessful strike

Janet Gunter — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:09:40 +0000

After striking for 27 days, Mozambique's medical professionals announced the end of their collective protest over inadequate compensation, without any concession from government. The strikers claimed they wanted to end the suffering of the nation's people. On @Verdade's Facebook page, readers expressed their frustration with the situation, speculating about how services will be affected by low morale. (more…)

Anonymous ‘Baba Jukwa’ Facebook Dishes Dirt on Zimbabwe Politics

Madalitso Mwando — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 08:31:56 +0000

A new Facebook phenomenon has Zimbabwe talking as elections approach. An anonymous character calling himself Baba Jukwa (BJ) has become a major talking point as Zimbabweans hungry for political intrigue visit “his” Facebook wall to get the latest on what is happening in President Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) political party.

BJ, as he is called, is said to be a member of ZANU-PF’s inner circle and describes himself as a “Concerned father, fighting nepotism and directly linking community with their Leaders, Government, MPs and Ministers” and is dishing the dirt on the party, much to the delight of his followers.

It is however suspected that BJ is a group of people who post regular updates from different parts of the country, but whatever the case, BJ, with 144,104 Facebook likes at the time of writing this post, has forever changed Zimbabwean politics and how social media is appropriated in contemporary political discourse ahead of elections expected this year.

Baba Jukwa's profile photo. Photo source: Baba Jukwa Facebook page.

Most of his revelations include the names and sometimes telephone numbers of politicians, intelligence officers and army officials. In one of his posts, he talks about corruption involving a Chinese firm and officials from the president's office and indigenisation office.

Whilst Zimbabwe is saying China is here to help, only government officials and Zanu goons are benefiting. Can I share with you this information; there is a company which is being run by a Chinese guy Tsao Xuecheng. It has been operating for the past 5 years. It’s the company that installed new elevators at Zanu pf recently. Shamu and other Zanu goons got their shares in this deal. On the 14 of May the company was paid US$250 000 as deposit to install a new CID HQ. The material is on its way from China. This Chinese guy works with Kasukuwere and Neville Mutsvengwa from indigenisation office.

In another post, he names an ICT expert trained in surveillance who pretend to be working for a railways company:

Patrons at Belgravia sports club are advised that there is an operative who is spending much time there these days by your place. He is an ICT guru and covers by working for a Railways company. He is well trained in tracking, and very good those close to the Prime Minister Tsvangirai.

He names the people who were behind Zimbabwe involvement in the Second Congo War:

Zimbabwe do you know that the Zimbabwe National Army’s involvement in the DRC conflict was motivated more by Mugabe, Mnangagwa and the military junta’s desire to enrich themselves on Congo’s rich natural resources? Among them was Robert Mhlanga, a former Air Force Vice-Marshal and Mugabe’s personal helicopter pilot, who retired a millionaire shortly after his tour in the DRC. This thug Robert Mhlanga was also a key state witness in the treason trial against MDC President, Morgan Tsvangirai in 2003.

He describes Zanu PF's planned tactics to rig this year's election:

Those who follow this page would remember that some weeks ago i posted that Zanu Pf's rigging machinery is divided into three stages, namely registration and inspection,campaigning and finally voting and counting.

I told in the first stage has been confirmed by the most unlikely source,Amai Mujuru [...] Be that as it is, my message today is that Zanu Pf has recently resolved to shift a gear up in its rigging strategy,that is,stage 2, Campaign Stage,thereby prompting me to come back to you Zimbabwe so that you won't duped by these cunning old people.

His mysterious air and revelations have got many talking. Zimbabwean comedian Carl Joshua Ncube (@CarlJoshuaNcube) wrote:

@CarlJoshuaNcube: my non Zimbabwean friends asking me who Baba Jukwa is and I am like “all I know is that he is a short little white
man with a walking stick”

Zimbabwean journalist Mike Madoda (@mikemadoda) described BJ's popularity:

@mikemadoda: I dare say this Baba Jukwa fella is now more popular/infamous (depending on ur affiliation) than Jonathan Moyo [Jonathan Moyo is the much maligned former Information Minister] was at his zenith.

Citizen journalism site Living Zimbabwe asked Zimbabweans on Facebook:

Given the nature of the content that Baba Jukwa shares with the world, do you think he (or they) could have an impact on Zimbabwe's political landscape?

Because of what appears to be BJ's incredible insider knowledge of ZANU-PF, Twitter user Madzibaba Sir Revita (@AwkwardZimbo) made a request:

@AwkwardZimbo: Baba Jukwa should do us all a favour and expose Bona Mugabe's [Bona is President Robert Mugabe’s daughter] Instagram account

A not-so-impressed Conor Walsh (@ConorMWalsh) asked:

@ConorMWalsh: Does Baba Jukwa really think a terminally deformed formation like ZanuPF can reform itself?

The state broadcaster (@zbc_news) made fun of BJ’s growing popularity:

@zbc_news: While y'all busy counting the number of “likes” on Baba Jukwa's fb page, we are already counting our votes for the next election – Zanu PF.

Mushongera (@GMushongera) poked fun at the powers-that-be:

@Mushongera: Accessing Baba Jukwa right in front of the parliament. Tapanduka! [We have rebelled] — Africa Unity Square: an Internet hotspot http://t.co/FBTcA8YnF6

And the influence and popularity of BJ seems to have reached others shores outside Zimbabwe. Blogger Sir Nigel (@SirNige) reported:

@SirNige: @stanleykwenda: So some young boys in UK are setting up a Baba Jukwa & Mai Jukwa fashion label” //Serious?

According to Jeffrey Smith (@Smith_RFKennedy) BJ has started blogging:

@Smith_RFKennedy: #Zimbabwe: Notorious & increasingly popular ZANU-PF mole, promises “darker secrets,” starts new website:
http://zimbabwean-at-heart.com/ @BabaJukwa

Eve Queeniie Parkes commented on Facebook that BJ has made Zimbabwean politics more interesting:

FROM MAKANDIWA AND ANGEL [popular local "prophets"] TO MAI AND BABA JUKWA ZIM POLITICS GETTING INTRESTING [sic] LIKE NEVER BEFORE WAS SO TIRED OF THEM FAKE PROPHETS SICK STUNTS….

The BJ excitement has been irresistible for even non-Zimbabwean bloggers such as Joel B. Pollak who thinks BJ's impact could have been widespread if more people had access to Internet in the country:

If only more than 1 in 6 Zimbabweans had Internet access, it might make more of a difference.

Visit BJ's Facebook page for what is happening behind the scene in Zimbabwean politics.

President Mugabe Unilaterally Declares Zimbabwe Poll Date

Madalitso Mwando — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 22:35:09 +0000

Ignoring protests from his coalition partners and Zimbabwean citizens, President Robert Mugabe has unilaterally declared 31 July, 2013 as the date the country will hold elections.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who has been in a coalition government with President Robert Mugabe since 2009, says he will not accept the date.

Political parties have been pushing for a later date since last month when the Constitutional Court ordered Robert Mugabe to hold elections by July 31 following a successful application by Jealousy Mawarire, Director of the Centre for Elections and Democracy in Southern Africa (CEDSA). Five main opposition parties immediately protested the time-frame set by the court arguing that more time was needed to implement major electoral reforms to guarantee a free and fair election.

President Robert Mugabe will be the second oldest presidential candidate in Africa. Photo released to the public domain by the U.S. federal government.

However, a human rights activist Nixon Nyikadzino has filed an application with the Constitutional Court seeking to compel President Robert Mugabe to proclaim an election date after complying with the constitutional requirements. He argues that it is legally and constitutionally impossible to hold elections by July 31, 2013 without infringing his rights.

Immediately after the announcement, Zimbabweans took to Twitter to express their reactions.

Conor Walsh (@ConorMWalsh) pointed out that it was Mugabe who “ordered the court to order”:

@ConorMWalsh: @Mavhure @DrMupakati Gushungo [Gushungo is President Mugabe’s totem] will enforce Court order because seasoned observers know it is the order Gushungo ordered the Court to order.

Busie Bhebhe (@BusieBhebhe) posted:

@BusieBhebhe: @hoperuswa @zenzele I hope he invents a voting machine that cannot be manipulated since he will be free from politics

Nqaba Matshazi (@nqabamatshazi) asked:

@nqabamatshazi: Is the declaration of an election by Mugabe an act of brinksmanship, or a calculated gamble?

NewsDay Editor Consta Chimakure (@cchimakure) noted that Mugabe bypassed the parliament:

@cchimakure: Mugabe used presidential powers to amend electoral act and proclaim election date bypassing parly

Crisis Coalition (@crisiscoalition) explained the legal basis of the announcement:

@crisiscoalition: Mugabe used the Presidential Temporary Powers to choose a date,Presidential Powers (Temp Measures Amendment of Electoral Act) Regulations'13

mandlenkosi mpofu (@mdutshwa) asked:

@mdutshwa: @nqabamatshazi @NcubeNjabulo is this a bluff or is he for real? cant say whether its arrogance or confidence

Stanley Kwenda (@stanleykwenda) reported:

@stanleykwenda: PM (Prime Minister Morgan)Tsvangirai goes to court to overturn Mugabe proclamation & urges claim among Zim's

Finally, Marko Phiri, blogging at Kubatana blog, asked, “Democracy, what democracy?”:

One certain thing about this latest declaration is that it entrenches apathetic attitudes to electoral processes as some say if Mugabe can unilaterally call for polls despite Tsvangirai’s own earlier declaration that he holds the keys to elections, what is to stop him (Mugabe) from declaring himself a winner in the elections, or as he did in 2008 refuse to accept defeat.

Yet that should be motivation enough for Zimbabweans who have heeded the call to register and also check the voters roll to exercise their franchise to the fullest and show the power mongers who is in charge, or else attempting to kick Zanu PF in the butt will equate to just another fool’s errand.
Look who’s laughing now. Democracy, what democracy?

Senegal's Democratic Tradition Takes Worrisome Turn

Anna Gueye — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:40:06 +0000

[All links forward to French-language webpages unless otherwise noted.]

Senegal has a solid tradition of democracy and protection of freedom of expression and human rights. But recent months have seen the West African nation's reputation as a stronghold for democracy in Africa seriously damaged with the evictions of a Chadian journalist and Gambian dissident, both opponents of the governments in their home countries.

Chadian [en] blogger and journalist Makaila Nguebla [en], an opponent of his country's President Idriss Déby [en] who has ruled Chad for more than two decades, was deported on May 8, 2013 to neighboring Guinea. Nguebala runs a highly critical blog about his country's regime.

Well-known Gambian [en] opponent Kukoi Samba Sanyang [en], who led the 1981 rebellion against the regime of former President Dawda Kaïraba Diawara, was expelled April 17, 2013 to Mali.

Mamadou Oumar Ndiaye, author for the Senegalese weekly Le Témoin, detailed Senegal's democratic character, giving credit to the country's first President Leopold Sedar Senghor, a poet and intellectual who served from 1960 to 1980, in his post titled “Senegal, your excellent traditions are falling apart!“:

Le Sénégal n’a ni or (ou alors très peu, dans la région de Kédougou), ni diamants, encore moins du pétrole, du gaz ou de l’uranium … De plus, la pluviométrie n’y est pas abondante et la plupart de nos paysans ne travaillent que trois mois dans l’année … Malgré tout, notre pays tient une place honorable dans le concert des nations africaines. Et, à franchement parler, il a un niveau de développement que beaucoup de pays incroyablement gâtés par la nature nous envient. Cela est dû, bien sûr, à la qualité des ressources humaines du Sénégal produites par un système éducatif de qualité mis en place par le premier président de la République, le poète, agrégé de grammaire et académicien Léopold Sédar Senghor. Un système public d’éducation dont l’actuel Président est un pur produit, soit dit en passant. … Ce niveau de développement enviable, notre pays le doit aussi à sa stabilité politique légendaire qui a fait que, depuis l’indépendance en 1960, il n’a jamais connu de coup d’Etat militaire. En Afrique, notre pays est l’un des rares à avoir toujours été gouverné par un pouvoir civil. Et au moment où partout ailleurs, les pouvoirs militaires étaient la règle, le Sénégal a constitué une joyeuse exception, un îlot de démocratie dans un océan de dictatures … Bref, de quelque côté qu’on le prenne, le Sénégal a toujours fait figure d’exception en Afrique.

Senegal has neither gold (or very little, in the Kedougou region) nor diamonds, let alone oil, gas or uranium … In addition, rainfall is not abundant and most of our farmers only work three months per year … However, our country holds an honorable place among the African nations. And frankly speaking, Senegal has a level of development that many other countries with more natural blessings would envy. This is, of course, due to the quality of human resources in Senegal which is itself, a byproduct of the quality of the educational system established by the first President of the Republic of Senegal Leopold Sedar Senghor. Senghor was also a poet, a grammar scholar and the first African elected as a member of the Académie française. By the way the current president is a pure product of this same public educational system. … This enviable standard of development, our country also owes it to its legendary political stability; since its independence in 1960, it has never experienced a military coup. In Africa, our country is one of the few to have only been governed by civil authorities. And when everywhere else, military authorities were the rule, Senegal was a happy exception; an island of democracy in a sea of dictatorships … Anyway, whichever way you see, Senegal has always been an exception in Africa.

But some consider that Senegal has moved away from that legacy left by Sedar Senghor. Last year, former President Abdoulaye Wade [en], who was accused during his tenure corruption, nepotism and curtailing freedom of the press, was defeated in his highly criticized bid for a third term [en] in office.

With Wade’s regime at an end, some expected a return to those democratic roots. But these recent measures taken by the current government raise questions about its commitment to do so.

Even Wade, who was much criticized [en] during his regime, was always respectful of Senegal's tradition as a host country for freedom of speech activists. The failure of Wade's government was not about free speech activists, but was not regularizing the situation of refugees.

As deported Chadian blogger Nguebala told Global Voices :

“Under Abdoulaye Wade's regime, I was never arrested once by the police”

A coalition called “Right of Asylum and Freedom of Expression” was created to demand Nguebla’s return. In the following video, the coalition unpacks the context of the evicitions and the risks that the bloggers are facing:

Boly BAH, journalist for La Gazette (a Senegalese website) called for the sliding of Senegal's democracy to be stopped in his post “The Deviant Turn of a Democracy“:

Une dérive à stopper. Qui est le prochain sur la liste ? En moins de deux mois, le Sénégal a chassé deux opposants africains de Dakar. … C’est une concession grave à des régimes anti-démocratiques … Cette expulsion d’un défenseur des droits humains et leader d’opinion vers la Guinée, un pays « non sûr » et en proie à des tensions politiques, laisse apparaître un deal entre les autorités politiques sénégalaises et tchadiennes, en vue d’extrader Makaila Nguebla au Tchad où sa vie est menacée.
Le combat sera mené jusqu’au retour de Makaila et de Kukoi Samba Sanyang. …

Les pays n’ont pas d’ami mais des intérêts. En procédant aux expulsions de Kukoi Samba Sanyang, le Sénégal défend peut-être les relations de bon voisinage avec la Gambie. Et fait un clin d’œil à Yaya Jammeh, président gambien au cœur du règlement du conflit de la Casamance. La Gambie avait même facilité la libération des otages sénégalais, il y a quelques mois. C’est peut-être compréhensible de lui renvoyer la monnaie en expulsant son opposant-rebelle, Kukoi Samba Sanyang. Avec le Tchad, certes, il n’y a pas cette grande amitié, mais la nouvelle posture africaine de Idrisss Deby Itno vaut peut-être cette largesse.

Deby a le vent en poupe et avec sa forte colonie militaire dans le désert malien, le président tchadien est en pleine puissance sous-régionale. Le Tchad contribue aussi au financement du procès d’Habré. Maintenant, si le jugement d’Habré participe au renforcement de l’indépendance judiciaire africaine, l’expulsion de Makaïla reste plutôt suspecte. Le blogueur était un combattant de la démocratie. Un relais entre son peuple et l’extérieur. Il était la voix des sans voix tchadiennes, il informait des dérives de Deby parce que bénéficiant de cette liberté d’expression qui fait défaut à ses confrères restés au pays.

This drifting away from our legacy has to be stopped. Who is next on the list? In less than two months, Senegal deported two African political activists. … This is a serious concession to all anti-democratic regimes… This deportation of a human rights activist and opinion leader to Guinea, an “unsafe” country plagued by political tensions suggests a deal between Senegalese and Chadian political authorities. Next might be the extradition of Makaila Nguebla back to Chad where his life is under threat.

This struggle will continue until both Makaila and Kukoi Samba Sanyang return. …

Countries do not have friends, they have interests. In carrying out the evictions of Kukoi Samba Sanyang, Senegal may be maintaining good relations with the Gambia. He might also reach out to Yaya Jammeh, the Gambian President who is at the heart of the conflict in Casamance. Gambia has even facilitated the release of some Senegalese hostages in Gambia a few months ago. It is perhaps understandable to pay him back by expelling his rebellious opponent, Kukoi Samba Sanyang. With Chad, of course, there is no such great friendship, but Idriss Deby’s new african posture (his involvment in Mali) might be worth it.

Deby is on the rise and with his strong military forces in the desert of Mali, Chad's president is showing his full might in the region. Chad also contributes to the financing of [former leader of Chad Hissène] Habré’s trial. Now the Habré trial may help strengthen African judicial independence but on the other hand, Makaila’s deportation is rather dubious. The blogger was an advocate of democracy, a bridge between his people and the outside world. He was the voice of those Chadians without a voice; he informed the world about Deby’s excess because he enjoyed freedom of expression that his colleagues back home could not have.

Another recent issue is also symptomatic of the worrisome turn taken by Senegal on the protection of human rights.

Taking advantage of the media circus in Senegal caused by these two cases, a member of parliament of the presidential majority wants to file a bill for the return of death penalty. Senegal abolished the death penalty in 2004 and the last execution was held in 1967.

Even Fekke Maci Bolle, a political movement led Youssou N'Dour, the current Minister of Culture and Tourism, has come out against this bill. The movement published its stance on its Facebook page:

Celui ou celle qui affirme que l'on vit confortablement dans le couloir de la mort n'y a de toute évidence jamais mis les pieds … On voit rarement une personne riche ou aisée monter à la potence … La peine de mort est la négation absolue des droits humains. Il s’agit d'un meurtre commis par l'État, avec préméditation et de sang-froid. Ce châtiment cruel, inhumain et dégradant est infligé au nom de la justice.
Cette peine viole le droit à la vie inscrit dans la Déclaration universelle des droits de l'homme.
Amnesty International s'oppose à la peine de mort en toutes circonstances, quels que soient la nature du crime commis, les caractéristiques de son auteur ou la méthode utilisée par l'État pour l'exécuter.

Whoever says that one lives comfortably on death row has obviously never been there … You rarely see a rich or wealthy person being executed … Death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights. It is a planned and cold-blooded murder committed by the State. This cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment is inflicted in the name of justice.
It violates the right to life enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all circumstances, regardless of the nature of the crime, the characteristics of the offender, or how he committed the crime.

Delays, Political Turmoil Plague Madagascar As Elections Near

Rakotomalala — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:16:21 +0000

Political stalemate, financing issues, and logistical hurdles threaten to derail Madagascar's overdue upcoming presidential elections, the country's first since a coup in 2009 plunged the island into political crisis.

Voting was originally scheduled for 24 July, 2013, but faced with sorting out the legitimacy of some contested candidates, the government has postponed elections again, moving the date a month later to 23 August, 2013.

Madagascar has not had an elected president since the spring of 2009, when elected President Marc Ravalomanana was forced to resign his power by the country's military following violent clashes between authorities and anti-government protesters. The military promptly handed over the government reigns to opposition leader Andry Rajoelina, who immediately dissolved the two houses of parliament.

During Rajoelina's tenure as head of the transitional government, presidential elections have been pushed back three times since the first scheduled date, 26 November, 2010, and parliamentary elections have been postponed four times since 20 March, 2010. Because of this political cluster, the European Union, the United States, and other countries suspended aid to the island and the African Union suspended Madagascar's membership until a return to the state of law.

Cartoon about the ever-eluding elections in Midi Madagasikara paper edition posted by @Aline_Tana on Twitter (posted with her permission)

More than two years after the ouster, Rajoelina and three of the country's four main opposition parties signed a political road map [fr] on 16 September, 2011 that says former presidents and the current president of the transition are prohibited from running for another presidential term. The road map also states [fr] that any candidates running need to resign from any governing office if they want to validate their candidacy.

That hasn't stopped three candidates of the 50 candidates running from throwing their hat into the ring, despite violating parts of the road map and international pressure to withdraw: the current President of the transition, Rajoelina; Madagascar's former two-time President Didier Rastiraka, who served from 1975 to 1993 and from 1997 to 2002; and Lalao Ravalomanana, the wife of booted President Ravalomanana. Rajoelina initially stated that he would not seek a presidential term, but has since changed his mind.

Given the political deadlock caused by the three aforementioned candidacies, all three and their spouses are now barred from entering the European Union with a Schengen Visa [fr].

As for the rest of candidates who have been preparing for elections since 2011, here is a photo montage of some of them:

Presidential candidates in Madagascar posted by Candidats Fifidianana on Facebook

The country's leadership crisis has had far-reaching consequences well beyond the political arena. A report by the World Bank states that the impact of the political crisis is multi-pronged:

The economy has stalled, income per capita has fallen

Poverty has sharply increased

Social outcomes have worsened

Public finances are increasingly under stress

Foreign aid remains muted

Infrastructure has deteriorated

The ability to deal with exogenous shocks is severely curtailed

The resilience of agriculture had helped avoid a food crisis so far

Madagascar’s longstanding governance problems have only been exacerbated

The resilience of the private sector is increasingly being tested

Madagascar GDP over the last decade posted on Twitter with the user's permission

More than 92 percent of the population live under two US dollars a day. Because of the sharp decline in job opportunities since the crisis, poverty has driven women into prostitution with 29,000 registered sex workers in the town of Toamasina in 2012, up from 17,000 in 1993. A documentary by Journeyman Pictures details the lives of those who are forced to trade sex for survival:

Complicating the already tense situation, the country was recently hit by cyclone Haruna which ravaged most of its southern region. A locust infestation followed, wrecking havoc on its already fragilized agriculture.

Flooding in Tulear, Madagscar – Public Domain via The Nation

Locust invasion in down town Fianaratsoa, Madagascar via @lrakoto on Twitter (with the author's permission)

Transparent, credible, and timely elections are seen by many as the first critical step towards exiting the crisis, but it appears that the vote may still very well be in jeopardy. How much longer can the Malagasy people endure such hardships?

Rwanda: NGO's Pursuit for Justice against Perpetrators of Genocide

Georgi McCarthy — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 16:12:24 +0000

Rwanda remembered the start of the genocide on April 7, as they have done every year since 1994. Commemorations are held in many countries, often spread out over a long period. In the 19 years following the genocide, the hunt for the perpetrators of crimes against humanity has never ceased. These searches are carried out not only in Rwanda but worldwide by associations of survivors, their families, their friends and all those who fight to ensure the perpetrators of such tragedies do not go unpunished.

In France, the Collective of Civil Plaintiffs for Rwanda (CPCR) is one of the organizations that fight against impunity. Its Chairman, Alain Gauthier, agreed to answer some of our questions.

Global Voices (GV): What are the reasons that have led French people like you to create the Collective of Civil Plaintiffs for Rwanda (CPCR), and who are its members?

Alain Gauthier (A.G.): The idea of creating the CPCR came to my wife and myself in 2001, at the end of the first trial held in Belgium. We participated in a large part of this process because it involved genocide in the region of Butare, Rwanda, which is where my wife was born. One of the victims was a friend. Some of the victims were family members. Furthermore, my brother-in-law was part of the small group, the Collective of Civil Plaintiffs, that ensured the trial would take place in Brussels. My wife, Dafroza, lost a large part of her family in Rwanda in 1994. There are so many reasons. In the spring of 2001, we decided upon our return to France to create the CPCR, the Collective of Civil Plaintiffs for Rwanda, with some friends. The original founding members were mostly Rwandans living in France. This first group gradually disintegrated but friends and other French people interested in Rwanda who were perturbed by the presence of genocide suspects in France joined us. There are now between 150 and 200 members.

Memorial: Eternal rest for the victims of human folly. Photo: abkodo2

GV: Do you maintain relationships with similar organisations in Rwanda and elsewhere?

A.G.: We have maintained ties with our friends in Belgium, although the Collective of Civil Plaintiffs who inspired us in Brussels is no longer really active. In France, we have collaborated with associations that filed complaints before the CPCR existed, but complaints that I would call “dormant”; that is to say that the judges in charge of the dossiers were not very active or that the complaints were lacking in evidence or witnesses. The associations are Survie, the International Federation for Human Rights and the Rwandan Community of France. The International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) [fr] also collaborated with us as a civil party in a large number of cases.

In Rwanda, we have links with the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG), but we work mostly with individuals rather than associations. In fact, to my knowledge, there are very few organisations in the world that are like ours.

GV: What are the activities that have been carried out so far?

Memorial for victims of genocide. Photo: abkodo2

A.G.: If at first our work was to “feed” the existing six complaints, we were very quickly alerted to the presence of many genocide suspects in France and our work has focused on the search for witnesses in Rwanda. We go to Rwanda whenever we can to collect statements from both victims and killers and we prepare records that we translate and give to our lawyers who are responsible for drafting the complaints before they are submitted. In 12 years we have been able to submit 19 new complaints which are all currently in the hands of the investigating judges of the new “crimes against humanity pole”, recently created by the Paris Court of First Instance. This collection of statements is essential to our work.

GV: On the CPCR's blog, the collective says civil cases (alone or with other non-governmental organisations) have been filed in a number of French cities. Could you specify the number and the results?

A.G.: Currently there are about 25 complaints in the hands of French judges, the last 19 of which were initiated by the CPCR. No trials have yet taken place, but recently the judges decided to bring the first Rwandan accused of genocide before a criminal court. The accused, Pascal Simbikangwa, is a former captain of the Rwandan army and is currently incarcerated at Fresnes prison. He was arrested in Mayotte three or four years ago and then transferred to Paris. This should be the first trial held in France. It will be an historical process.

Wanted for genocide. Source: commons wikimedia.org

Two other genocide suspects are also in prison and could well be the next to be held to account judicially. They are Octavien Ngenzi, who was also arrested after being found in Mayotte, and Tito Barahira, recently arrested in Toulouse, where he was also forced to come out of hiding.

GV: Have there already been trials held in other countries for those accused of participating in the genocide?

A.G.: Other countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Germany and the Scandinavian countries have organised trials. For a long time in France there have been political barriers. The genocide was committed at the time of the coalition and neither the left nor the right wanted to organise trials. The role of the French state in the genocide is still not very clear.

GV: Can you expand on that?

A.G.: President François Mitterrand and the French government of 1994 had supported the Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana before the genocide, they came to the president's rescue in 1990, they then supported the government in power during the genocide following the death of President Habyarimana, and they allowed perpetrators of the genocide to take refuge in Zaire during the French Opération Turquoise at the end of the genocide. So there were many reasons why nobody in France wanted to hold a trial at the risk of opening Pandora's box. A trial would not fail to mention the role of the French state.

In addition, the French justice system had not made it possible for genocide suspects to be taken to trial. It was not until the creation of the Crimes against Humanity office of the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris (Paris Regional Court) that the French justice system moved up a gear. The three appointed full-time judges and the investigating police officers frequently address themselves to Rwanda in letters rogatory. It was about time… I must say that the genocide of the Tutsis and the prosecution of perpetrators of genocide are not topics that really interest our citizens.

GV: How are the alleged perpetrators identified?

Memorial: Eternal rest for victims of human folly. Photo: abkodo2

A.G.: We are virtually the only ones to track down the perpetrators on French soil. If the CPCR or other associations had not filed complaints, no suspected perpetrators of genocide would so far have been prosecuted. The Public Prosecutor has never himself decided to pursue genocide suspects. As a diplomat recently said to me, “The judges prefer to prosecute offenders causing problems for neighbourhood life rather than perpetrators of genocide who live in peace, without bothering anyone”. These comments are shocking but true.

Genocide suspects have gone back to square one in France: they help out with charitable organisations, they are good neighbours, good family men, good husbands, good doctors… It is difficult to assess their complicity, and especially difficult to prove anything. Some are, surprisingly, protected by the church in France. Some genocide suspects are former Rwandan soldiers. How did they get to France? Who helped them? Perhaps future trials will help us to see a little more clearly.

GV: Regarding reconciliation, apart from Gacaca courts, what has been done and what are the obstacles?

A.G.: Reconciliation is a difficult topic. The Gacaca courts are probably allowed to know what really happened on the hills or in the cities. They had the opportunity to apply for pardons. But for me, forgiveness is a personal matter. If a killer asks me for forgiveness, I can forgive him. But I can also refuse. In whose name or for what do I grant forgiveness? The victim is no longer here. Can I forgive in his name? Reconciliation should be a national issue.

Rwandans are condemned to live together, especially in the hills. Each person must realise what they can and cannot do to one another. If the request for pardon is a tactic to avoid living on the outskirts of society, if repentance is not sincere (and how can we know?), reconciliation will not happen. And yet to rebuild, to live in peace (and not just superficially), true reconciliation is essential. But it will take several generations to get there.

The trauma lives deep inside the victims. But it is also deep within the killers. How is it possible to go on living when we have committed such crimes? And how can we go on living when we are the victims of such crimes (massacres, rape, humiliation…)?

Interview: Award-Winning Mauritanian Activist Ahmed Jedou Blogs for Change

Thalia Rahme — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 07:52:18 +0000

Mauritania's Ahmed Jedou Mauritania's is a young activist like his father before him, who had died before he was born, leaving behind a widow and young children to continue the struggle after him. He is also prolific blogger who has become the voice of his country on many platforms, including Global Voices in Arabic, Mideast Youth and Jadaliyya [ar], to name a few.

He also has his own blog [ar] and Twitter account, where he writes about his country Mauritania and its troubles. His blog was recently chosen by netizens as the best blog in Arabic for the Best of Blogs (BoBs) award, organised annually by the Deutsche Welle.

We caught up with him a few days before the publication of the BoBs results, discussing his opinion on the state of freedom in Mauritania, his struggle for a civil state in his country, and more.

Ahmed as a child. From the blogger's Facebook page

Global Voices (GV): Ahmed, can you please introduce yourself to our readers?

أنا مدون وناشط موريتاني اكتب من اجل دولة مدنية ديمقراطية تقوم على المساواة والموطنة واحترام حقوق الإنسان
معارض للنظام العسكري في بلدي واكره العنصرية والعبودية وكل أشكل استغلال الانسان لأخوه الانسان من مواليد مدينة بوتلميت التي تبعد عن العاصمة الموريتانية نواكشوط 150 كلم .

بدأت التدوين في عام 2006 من خلال منصة مكتوب من خلال مدونتي التي تحمل اسم (ياعرب)ثم انتقلت لاحقا إلى منصة البلوجر وذلك مع بداية الربيع العربي حيث فتحت مدونة تحمل إسمي .وقد قررت التدوين بعد أن تخمرت في دهني فكرة انه بالتدوين والكتابة وخلق ضجيج على الانترنت يمكنني ان أساهم في عملية التوعية في بلدي وأن أساعد في فضح النظام العسكري الذي يحكم موريتانيا مند 1978. كذلك لإعجابي بالحركة التدوينية المصرية .لكن مع تفاعل رواد الانترنت من خارج موريتانيا مع نشاطي التدوين بدأت طموحاتي تتوسع حيث اصبحت أسعى إلى التعريف ببلدي ونقل صوت شعبي إلى عالم أكبر .

Ahmed Jedou (AJ): I am a Mauritanian blogger and activist. I write for a civil and democratic state, established on the basis of equality, citizenship and respect for human rights. I am an opponent of the military regime in my country. I hate racism and slavery and all forms of exploitation of humans by their fellow brothers. I was born in the town of Boutilimit, around 150km South East of the capital Nouakchott.

I started blogging in 2006, through my Maktoob platform and my blog was entitled back then (ياعرب) meaning “Hey there Arabs”. I then moved to Blogger with the eruption of the Arab Spring. My blog simply held my name. The decision to blog came after I was convinced that by blogging and creating a buzz on the web, I can contribute to raising awareness in my country and help in unmasking the military regime ruling Mauritania since 1978. I was also influenced by the blogging movement in Egypt. But with the interaction of non-Mauritanian with my blog posts, my ambition started to grow and I strove to introduce my country and convey the voice of my people to a bigger world.

GV: How did you get to contribute to Global Voices?

كان انضمامي للأصوات العالمية نقلت نوعية في مشواري التدويني وأظن انه كذلك في مشوار التدوين الموريتاني .فالأصوات العالمية ساعدتني في تحقيق أحد احلامي وهو التعريف بموريتانيا على الانترنت حيث اصبحت اكتب عن الاحداث الجارية في بلدي وأسوق ما يكتب المدونين الموريتانيين ليتم ترجمته إلى كل لغات العالم وهو ما جعل أصوات جديدة تتعرف على بلدي المجهول للعالم .كذلك ساعدتني في ربط علاقات مع نشطاء مهمين عبر العالم كان أغلبهم لا يعرف شيء عن موريتانيا وأصبحوا لديهم معلومات عنها وساعدوني في التعريف بها ونقل صوت شعبها المحتج إلى كل بقاع الأرض.

وهذا هو دور الأصوات العالمية وهو إعطاء الفرصة للشعوب التي تقع خارج نطاق التغطية من أجل أن تحكي قصصها وتتشارك مع العالم تجاربها ومعاناتها.

فقبل انضمامي للأصوات العالمية كان للاقتباسات التي يقوم ياخدها بعض كتابها من مدونتي دور مهم في الترويج لها حتى اخدتها الجزيرة الانجليزية مصدرا وكدالك ذكرتها الجار ديان ؟

Ahmed at the GV Summit in Nairobi, Kenya

AJ: Joining GV was a qualitative leap in my blogging path and I also reckon it is so for the Mauritanian blogging movement as well. GV has helped me in fulfilling one of my dreams, which is to introduce Mauritania globally on the web where I wrote on current affairs in my country and also promoted what other bloggers wrote. So through GV, their blogposts where translated into many languages, which made my unknown country known by new readers. GV also helped in getting me acquainted with renowned activists from all over the world. Most of them knew nothing of Mauritania and now they are informed about it. GV has helped me in conveying the voice of my country's protesting people to every corner in the world.

GV: What does blogging means to you?

التدوين بالنسبة هو الوسيط الذي أستطيع من خلاله ان انقل صوت الانسان الموريتاني إلى العالم واحكي قصة شعبنا وأودي دوري في مشروع التغيير في بلدي .وهو الهواية الأقرب إلى قلبي فقد اصبح جزء من وجداني ومن تفاصيل شخصيتي وحياتي وهو أفضل طريقة للنشر تلائم طريقة تفكيري فأنا ضد كل أنواع الرقابة .

AJ: Blogging for me is the medium through which I can convey the voice of the Mauritanians to the world and relate the history of my people and play my role in promoting the change project in my country. It is my most cherished hobby and it even became part of my conscience, and an integral part of my personality and my life. It is the best means, which suits my way of thinking because I am against all forms of censure.

GV: Aside from blogging, what are the other platforms on which you are active online?

أنا أنشط على مواقع فيسبوك وتويتر وبنسبة أقل على جوجل + .

فالفيسبوك يساعدني في نشر ما اكتب على مدونتي الى جمهور أكبر خاصة الموريتانيين كذلك يساعدني أنا وبقية النشطاء المطالبين بالديمقراطية في الحشد لوقفاتنا الاحتجاجية التي ننظم فمن خلاله عبئنا لأول خروج للشباب الموريتاني للمطالبة بالدولة المدنية وذلك في 25 فبراير 2011 ومازلنا نحشد به . اما تويتر فيساعدني في نقل احتجاجاتنا إلى عالم أكبر وربط الصلات بنشاطاء من بقية البلدان .

AJ: I am quite active on Facebook and on a lesser degree on Google +. Facebook helps me in disseminating what I write and reaching to a bigger audience, especially among Mauritanians. It also helps me and other Mauritanians demanding Democracy, to mobilize for our protests, which we organize. Through Facebook, we mobilized for our first Mauritanian Youth Demonstration, demanding a civil state, on the 25th of February, 2011. We still resort to Facebook for that purpose. Twitter helps me in conveying our protests to a bigger number of people and to network with activists from other countries.

Ahmed at a protest in Nouakchott. From the blogger's Facebook page

GV: How do the Mauritanian authorities deal with bloggers and digital activists?

يتعرض المدونون في موريتانيا وحتى الصحفيون لشتى انواع المضايقات فالشرطة حين تقمع المتظاهرات لا تفرق بين الصحفي والمدون والمحتج وتعتقل الجميع وتنكل به . صحيح أنه لا يوجد مدونون في السجون لكن كل حين يتم توقيف احدهم اثناء تغطيته لحدث ما .

لكن السلطات الموريتانية تحاول دائما قرصنة حسابات النشطاء وكذلك تتعمد إبطاء الانترنت في موريتانيا بحيث يصعب على الناشط تحميل الفيديوها او حتى ولوج مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي .

AJ: Bloggers in Mauritania and even journalists are subject to all kinds of harassment. When the police repress protests, they do not distinguish between a journalist, a blogger and protester and thus arrest everyone — and torture everyone. It is true that there are no bloggers in prisons but every now and then someone is arrested while covering a certain event. Moreover, Mauritanian authorities always try to hack activists’ accounts and resort to slowing the internet so that it is difficult for activists to upload videos or even access social networks.

GV: In that context, you have been arrested yourself a while ago. What can you tell us about this?

انا سبق وتم توقفي مرتين أثناء الاحتجاجات التي ينظم الشباب الموريتاني والتي تعرف بانتفاضة 25 فبراير .فأول توقيف كان في 25 إبريل 2011 حيث كنت أصور قسم الشرطة بعد ان تم اعتقال مجموعة من النشطاء من أصدقائي والمرة الثانية كان يوم11 فبراير 2012 وذلك أثناء مسيرة تطالب برحيل النظام العسكري.لكن تم توقيفي مرة أخرى ولكن ليس في احتجاج ولا بسبب التدوين لكن في حظر تجول غير معلن وغير قانوني حيث رفضت الانصياع له وكتبت عنه على مدونتي وحاولت مع بعض النشطاء أن نخلق حالة من الرفض لحالة الطوارء التي تقوم بها السلطات في سرية وهو خرق للقانون.

AJ: I have already been arrested twice during protests held by Mauritanian youth, during what is known by 25 February Uprising. The first time was on the 25 of April, 2011, where I was photographing the police offices following the arrest of some of my activists friends. The second time was on the 11 of February, 2012, during a march calling for the end of the military regime. And the last time (on 8 March, 2013) I was not arrested because of a protest or for a blog post but because I refused to yield to an unannounced and illegal curfew. I even blogged about it and attempted with some fellow bloggers to initiate a state of refusal for this emergency state enforced by the authorities.

GV: Even though you write mostly about Mauritanian affairs, we notice that from time to time you blog about other countries. Why is that?

صحيح انني موريتاني واكتب غالبا عن واقع بلدي لكن في النهاية انا مواطن عالمي وإنسان يشعر بآلام الآخرين والظلم الذي يتعرضون له وتعجني نضالات كل الشعوب وتجعلني أتفاعل معها واكتب عنها . فأنا كل محتج في العالم يمثلني وكل طالب حق هو اخي وتوأم فكري.

فثورة البحرين ثورتي وكذاك ثورة مصر وتونس وليبيا وسوريا واليمن والمغرب وأنتظر بفارغ الصبر إنتفاضات في بقية بقاع الأرض الملطخة بالدكتاتورية والظلم واعتبر أن الكتابة عن الاخرين واجب فقيم الإنسانية تملي علي ذالك.فأنأ اعيش من اجل حرية الإنسان والفكر .

AJ: Though I am Mauritanian and I write mostly about my country, I am also I am a citizen of the world and human being who empathizes with the suffering and injustice incurred by others. I feel the struggle of other people and I interact with them and thus I write about them. Every protester in the world represents me and every right seeker is my brother and the twin of my intellect. The Bahraini revolution is my revolution, so are the ones in Egypt, Tunis, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Morocco and I am looking forward to uprisings in the rest of the countries tarnished by dictatorship and injustice and I consider that writing about others is a duty implied by the principles of humanity. I live for the freedom of the human being and of the freedom of the thought.

GV: Despite the low penetration rate in Mauritania, the country's presence on the web this year is noticeable. The biggest proof is that you and and your fellow Mauritanian blogger Nasser Weddady have both been selected for this year's BoBs awards. Also, activist Nasser Weddady gave a speech in front of US President Barack Obama, representing the Muslim community following the Boston Marathon bombings. How do you explain this?

اعتقد ان ترشيحي انا لجوائز البوبز لهدا العام هو إفراز من إفرازات النشاط الذي بدأ به المدونين الموريتانيين على الانترنت وعملهم المكثف والمستمر ومحاولتهم التواصل ونقل أصواتهم للعالم رغم ضعف الوسائل وعدم انتشار الانترنت بالشكل المطلوب.كذلك ارى اني انضمامي للأصوات العالمية نقل مدونتي لعالم اوسع وعرف بها مجتمع أكبر وهو ما ساعد مدونتي في دخول المنافسة .أيضا كوني جزء من الحراك في موريتانيا والعالم العربي وأحد أصواته وأن مدونتي احدى منابره قد يكون عامل أخر.
اما بخصوص ناصر ودادي فهو شخص استثنائي في كل شيء فلغاته الخمس التي يتحدث وعلاقاته التي صنع طوال سنين ونشاطه المتميز على الشبكة ووقته وجهده الذي يبذل من اجل الدفاع عن الحريات والمظلومين. تجعل وقوفه امام اوباما والحديث باسم المسلمين في أمريكا وترشيحه للبوبز أمر طبيعي وغير مستغرب و ما وصل إليه هو مجهود فردي.فناصر معروف لدي الكثيرين من الذين لا يعرفون أين تقع موريتانيا ولا أي شعب يسكنها .

AJ: I think my selection for the BoBs this year is one of the results of the dynamic initiated by Mauritanian activists on the net and their extensive work and attempts to communicate and transmit their voice to the world despite the lack of means and the low internet penetration rates in my country. I also believe my contribution to Global Voices has transferred my blog to a wider world and made it known by more people, which helped in it being considered for the competition. Another factor could be the fact that I am part of the dynamics in Mauritania and in the Arab World and one of its voice and that my blog is one of this movement's platforms.

As for Nasser Weddady, he is an exceptional person who speaks five languages and who has built relations for years and has an exceptional activity on the net, where he spends lots of time, deploying great efforts to defend freedoms and oppressed people. All these elements made his speech in front of Obama and the fact he was representing Muslims something natural and not surprising. All this is the fruit of an individual effort. Nasser is known by many who ignore where Mauritania is even located and where its people live.

GV: Finally, let's suppose you're tweeting and in just 140 characters you have to tell GV readers about your country, using the hash-tag #Mauritania. What would you say?

#موريتانيا بلد غني بالموارد قليل السكان متعدد الأعراق.تجري فيه احداث صراع سرميدي بين المواطنبن الحالمين بالديمقراطية والنظام العسكري الفاسد!

AJ: #Mauritania a country rich in resources, multi-ethnic. An eternal conflict between the citizens dreaming of democracy and the rotten military regime is taking place.

All photographs in this post were taken from Ahmed's Facebook account and used with permission.

Female Rapper to Speak at TEDxSão Tomé

Thiana Biondo — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 19:44:29 +0000

Marlene Bandeira, or as she is better known Nely Strong [pt], has been added to the TEDxSão Tomé [en] speaker line up. Rapper, she uses local slangs to portray São Tomé and Príncipe [en] society in her lyrics. Recently, Nely released the song ‘Mordomia’ – a hit in the islands – with the rapper Tigre T. The TEDxSão Tomé happens in 20 June, 2013 and is open for pre-registration [en] until this Monday.