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Poetry Slam Activism in Francophone Africa

Lova Rakotomalala — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:39:04 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Languages and the Internet.

In the past 10 months social movements have sprung around the world at an impressive pace. It all started with an act of despair in the town of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, and has now spread across 87 countries and 951 cities around the world according to the organizers of the United for #GlobalChange (October 15) Movement.

Demonstrating outside institutions is one way of expressing a desire for change in a society. However, other forms of activism have existed for a while now and are now rekindled all around the world as a show of protest against the status-quo. Poetry slam is a well-known channel of expression for many activists in North America but the rest of the world has now embraced this unique blend of poetry and rhythmic oral story telling.

Many have found it difficult at times to relate to a form of expression that is often wrongly perceived as limited to the urban youth of North America. Poetry slam is however now firmly entrenched in the culture of many countries, especially in Africa because it incorporates the African tradition of oral story telling. Here are a few examples of poetry slam across the African continent and the context in which they were expressed.

The Arab revolution

King Bobo on UniversalSlam wrote a tribute to the youth of Tunisia, Egypt, Syria and Libya entitled ‘Liberté chérie j’écris ton nom‘ ( Beloved freedom, I write thy name) [fr]:

Liberté chérie j’écris ton nom
Ecoutez ce vent de liberté qui souffle dans toutes les langues
La jeunesse tunisienne s’exprime sur les murs
Avec des slogans tracés à la peinture
Liberté, liberté, liberté
La jeunesse égyptienne grave sur les sépultures
Des hiéroglyphes modernes inscrits pour le futur
La jeunesse syrienne ne voit que des balles perdues
Qui ricochent un peu partout et qui tracent sur les murs
Les poètes libyens de Benghazi murmurent
Des poèmes satiriques comme des caricatures

Beloved Freedom, I write thy name
Listen to the wind of liberty that blows in all languages
Tunisian youth write on the walls
With slogans drawn as paintings
Freedom, freedom, freedom
Egyptian youth etch on the graves
Modern hieroglyphics inscribed for the future
Syrian youth only see stray bullets
That ricochet around and leave marks on the walls
Libyan poets in Benghazi murmur
Satirical poems as caricatures

Algeria

Fodil Belhadj, an Algerian author, poet and blogger on Regards Africains (African eyes) [fr], slams about the promise of Algeria's independence [fr] and makes an analogy with his own story and his exile from his homeland [fr]

Fodil Belhadj also posts on his blog an open letter to the Algerian army [fr] :

.. Cela s’appelle l’autodétermination Chère Armée Algérienne. L’aurais-tu par je ne sais quel crime oublié ? Ah oui j’avais oublié que les Algériens s’étaient « trompés » en mandatant 188 députés du Front islamique du salut. Oui c’est vrai z’avaient qu’à pas voter pour de méchants islamistes, alors que toi tu es tellement, tellement sympathique. Chère Armée Algérienne. C’est tout ce que tu as trouvé comme argument spécieux, s’il en est, pour écraser ton propre peuple et rassurer « ta » communauté internationale…!
Sache donc grande muette puisque tu feins de ne point le comprendre, et à défaut de l’admettre, que démocratie signifie : Se soumettre au verdict des urnes.

.. it's called self-determination, my dear Algerian army. How could you possibly forget? That's right, I forgot that Algerian “made a mistake” by voting for 188 MPs [Members of Parliament] of the Islamic Front (FIS). It's true that they should not have voted for the bad, mean Islamists and that you are so much more sympathetic. My dear Algerian army. Is that all the argument you have left to keep oppressing your people and reassure “your” international community.. ?
You ought to know, oh great silent one [nickname given to the army in many francophone nations], even if you pretend not to get it, that democracy means accepting the verdict of the voting poll

Republic of Congo

Abd al Malik is a well-known singer and poet who grew up in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. Socially and politically engaged, most notably on the perception of Islam in France, he created with other artists the group ‘New African Poets' (NAP) [fr]. In his poem, ‘Soldat de plomb' (Toy soldier), Malik describes the struggle of a disaffected youth trying to fit in:

Soldat de plomb, soldat de plomb
Bien sûr qu'un sourire nous aurait fait plaisir,
Juste un peu d'attention et peut-être ça aurait été autrement.
Nous aurions été des enfants normaux et pas des enfants soldats,

Toy soldier, toy soldier
Of course a smile would have been nice,
A little bit of attention and maybe things have gone differently
We could have been normal children instead of child soldiers

Morocco

In Morocco, the independent news portal Mamfakinch described how the February 20 movement voiced their desire for change a few months ago in a different manner [fr]:

Nous sommes jeunes, nous sommes capables d’innovation ! Pour ne pas tomber dans la banalisation de nos formes de protestation, et au vu de l’essoufflement que peuvent ressentir nos concitoyens et principalement les jeunes par les sit-in répétitifs, la coordination de Rabat des jeunes du 20 févier a décidé de diversifier ses formes des contestations.
C’est dans cet esprit nous avons choisi, après un long débat, de faire un Flash-mob: Plus précisément, un Freeze ( on explique plus bas le principe) et un petit concert de musique et poèmes contestataires.

We are young and we are capable of innovating! For the protests not to grow stale, and since we've seen citizen movement, especially the youngsters grow tired by the repeated sit-ins, the coordination committee decided to diversify its way of protesting.
After a lengthy debate, we chose to do a flash-mob, more precisely a freeze, a small concert and some activist poetry.

Here is a video of part of the protest:

Madagascar

Some may argue that the original seeds of peotry slam were sowed in Madagascar. Malagasy culture has always incorporated Hainteny (Malagasy for “knowledge of words”), a traditional form of Malagasy oral literature and poetry involving heavy use of metaphor.

Kabary is the the spoken public discourse of the Hainteny and the earlier form of Kabary dates back to the 18th century. Kabary are often used during social gathering such as engagement parties or wedding where the speaker for each family would engage in verbal jousting. Usually declined by men, here is a rare instance of a Kabary spoken by Malagasy women [mg]:

Mauritius

Poetry slam has also taken a foothold on the island of Mauritius. Stefan Hart de Keating also known as StefH2K is one of the pioneer of poetry slam in the Indian Ocean. StefH2K explains that the presence during the slam is just as important as the quality of the text.

Fictif discusses the identity crisis that the Asian minority can sometimes feel in Mauritius [fr, kr]:

LE Sino-Mauricien

Aujourd’hui
Je veux slamer
Pour tous ceux
Qui comme moi en ont marre
D’être mis à l’écart
Car je ne suis pas qu’un petit Chinois
Mais un Mauricien
Comme toi… comme toi… comme toi
Oublie mon accent chinois
Ma langue maternelle, c’est le créole
Ki to ti kroir toi ? Mo pa konn koz kréol ?
Même si je regarde Jackie Chan à la télé
Ou pratique le kung-fu
Fou, hein ?
Ma danse préférée reste le séga

The Chinese-Mauritian

I want to slam
For those like me
Who are tired
Of being ostracized
Because I am not only a small Chinese guy
I am also a Mauritian
Like you, like you, like you
Forget my Chinese accent for a minute
My mother tongue is Creole
What did you think? That I cannot speak Creole?
Even if I watch Jackie Chan on TV
Or practice Kung-fu
Fooled you huh?
My favorite dance is still séga

There are many causes for which people protests in the streets or engage in political discourse. What has come to fruition is that the manner in which we do so tend to feed into one another more rapidly. Similarily, poetry slam has moved beyond borders to reach as a unique channel for self-expression and social activism. In fact, the rise of social media probably played a role in the quicker dissemination of poetry slam as a universal voice for the oppressed.

This post is part of our special coverage Languages and the Internet.

France, Africa: Suitcases Filled with Cash Expose the Françafrique Connection

Claire Ulrich — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 20:20:36 +0000

In the wake of the Dominique Strauss Kahn scandal, a new furore is now rocking France and the upcoming 2012 French presidential campaign.

Robert Bourgi, a shady lawyer and advisor for “African affairs” has confessed [fr] to French media he acted for years as a go-between for French politicians and Francophone Africa heads of states, delivering approximatively $20 million in cash to former President Chirac, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Dominique de Villepin, and extreme-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, to finance past election campaigns.

Screen shot of Lawyer R. Bourgi on BFM TV

“Not exactly breaking news”

Despite the storm of denials and libel suits, Mwona Mboka in Congo echoed a widely shared feeling [fr], in France and in Africa:

Ce n’est pas un scoop, tout le monde le sait. Il a tout simplement oublié de nous révéler le montant des commissions qu’il prenait au passage.

This is not exactly breaking news because everyone knew this. He only omitted to reveal the amount of the commissions he siphonned from those deals for himself.

Françafrique, a generic name for French neocolonialism and the plundering of natural resources in its former colonies, has been investigated for years, though books, articles and documentaries (video). However, this is the first time that a key player of the “Françafrique” network, on a first-name basis with African presidents, have revealed insider information.

His confession reads like a mafia-film script: wads of cash stuffed in suitcases or even in African drums delivered to the Elysee Palace, codenames such as “Mamadou” for Minister De villepin, and “Daddy” for late Gabonese President Omar Bongo.

The cast of alleged funders, all African presidents, include: the late Omar Bongo in Gabon, Blaise Compaoré in Burkina Faso, Laurent Gbagbo in Cote d'Ivoire, President Wade and his son Karim in Senegal, Denis Sassou Nguesso in the Republic of Congo, and even President of Equatorial Guinea, a former Spanish colony, Teodoro Obiang.

A close aide of ex President Gbagbo [fr] in Côte d'Ivoire has confirmed Bourgi's allegations.

'50 years of Françafrique is enough!' - Demonstration poster (2010) from website Survie.org

Reactions from African blogospheres

Thousand of comments and reactions have flooded African blogospheres. In the Republic of Congo, an oil-rich country riled with poverty, 216 Congolese expressed on Mwinda.com [fr] the anger, humiliation and exasperation shared by netizen accross Francophone Africa.

René Mavoungou Pambou [fr]:

Voilà qu’on nous flanque en plein visage les méfaits ou crimes dont est capable la prétendue douce France, berceau des droits de l’homme.

And now, they throw in our faces the misdeeds or crimes that the so-called “Sweet France', the craddle of human rights, is capable of.

Mouk writes [fr]:

tant que la France sera en Afrique, il n y aura ni paix ni développement. la classe politique française étant l'une des plus prostituées au monde, la démocratie et les libertés pour les africains ne la concernent pas.

As long as France will be in Africa, there will be no peace or development. France political clique being one of the most prostituted in the world, they are not concerned with democracy and freedoms for Africans.

Ata Ndele, on the same comment thread, is thinking ahead [fr]:

Les spécialistes africains du droit peuvent-ils nous dire si nous pouvons , nous aussi, porter plainte en tant que partie civile ?

Could African law specialists tell us if it is possible for us to file a civil suit as well?

A number of commentators, like Yacobi, turn their anger toward their leaders [fr]:

Vous hommes politiques africains, commencez à mieux traiter vos peuples, les blancs vont vous regarder différemment.

African politicians, start treating your people better, and white men will look at you differently.

Mame Diop, on his Facebook page [fr], links the money sent to France and the widespread underdevelopment:

Combien de mères vont encore mourir ce soir en donnant la vie, faute de dispensaire, d'ambulances, de routes praticables, de médecins! Combien? […] Débarrassons nous de cette bande de macaques!!!

How many mothers will die tonight while giving birth, for lack of clinics, of ambulances, of tar roads, of doctors? How many? […] Let's get rid of this bunch of monkeys !!!

'When will we quit?' - Anti-Françafrique poster

In Senegal, Seneweb [fr] site is bursting with reactions to the alleged implication of President Wade and his son, as the 2012 presidential election looms:

Lune: Je crois que laisser une minute de plus Abdoulaye Wade et sa maudite famille à la tete de notre pays releverait de la lacheté

Lune: I think that letting Abdoulaye Wade and his darn family for another minute at the head of our country would be a show of cowardice.

Mooo [fr]:

je pense que le temps est venu de limiter nos relations avec ces puissances occidentales voyous qui nous ont maintenu dans la pauvreté,les guerres civiles,les dictatures pendant des siècles.Le moment est venu pour l'Afrique de s'ouvrir aux autres puissances et pays émergents tels:La Chine,Le Japon,le Brésil et certains pays arabes.Nos relations d'avec les puissances occidentales pendant des siècles ne nous valu que tristesse et misère.

I think the time has come to minimize our relationship with those Western rogue states, they maintained us in poverty, civil wars, dictatures, for centuries. The time has come for Africa to open itself to other powers and emerging countries, such as China, Japan, Brazil, and some Arab countries. Our relationships with Western countries, for centuries, have brought us nothing but misery and poverty.

Senegalese Ahmadou Fall thinks it is already the case [fr] on Afrique en ligne:

Le choix des dirigeants (chefs d'États) n'est plus une prérogative de la France au gré de ses intérêts et de sa stratégie géopolitique.La France qui reçoit ces valises de la honte, remplies de billets destinés au financement occulte de partis politiques est cette même France qui perd sa place dans cette Afrique qui s'oriente vers d'autres partenaires…Le Rwanda de Paul Kagame l'illustre assez bien avec la destitution du français comme langue officielle, au profit de l'anglais. La percée des pays asiatiques en lieu et place des anciennes puissances coloniales montre qu'il faut plus que jamais changer d'attitude et de stratégie…

Picking out heads of states according to its interests and its geopolitical strategy is no longer a prerogative of France. France, with these suitcases of shame, filled with banknotes to secretly fund its political parties, is the same France that loses its influence while Africa is moving forward with other partners … In Rwanda, Paul Kagame illustrates this quite well, with the removal of French as an official language, in favor of English. The rise of Asian countries in lieu of former colonial powers shows that more than ever a change of attitude and strategy is needed.

Adopt a French presidential candidate!

In Burkina Faso, a country troubled by violent mutinies in the army, Leyla M. Diallo launches a tongue-in-cheeck appeal to her president, on opposition Facebook group Blaise Campaoré doit partir (Blaise Campaoré must go) [fr]:

Toi qui es assuré de gagner ton élection à 80% des suffrages exprimés, partage un peu de ta béatitude avec un candidat perclus de sous-financement aigu sévère. Toi, dont les dépenses courantes sont moins contrôlées que dans les pays du Nord: parraine un présidentiable français!”

You, who are assured to win your election with 80% of the votes, please share a little of your good fortune with a candidate stricken with acute under-financement. You, whose expenditures are less controled than in northern countries: adopt a French presidential candidate!

Faso.net has republished a column from Le Pays, urging civil society to come forward [fr]:

les Africains doivent comprendre qu’ils sont les vrais perdants dans cette histoire. Il est temps qu’ils fassent preuve de maturité et prennent à bras-le-corps leurs responsabilités. L’obligation de rendre compte, inhérente à toute gouvernance démocratique, doit cesser d’être un simple discours. La balle est, pour cet aggiornamento, dans le camp de la société civile africaine. Elle doit sortir de sa torpeur et prendre le relais, pour demander des explications à tous les gouvernants

Africans must understand they are the real losers of this story. It's high time for them to show they are mature and tackle their responsabilities. The obligation of accountability, central to any democratic governance, must go beyond mere words. The ball is, for this awakening call, in the field of African civil society. It must snap out of its slumber and take charge, to demand explanations from all its leaders.

In France, where a judge has scheduled a preliminary hearing of Robert Bourgi, Survie.org, the pioneer organisation who filed a lawsuit against African leaders and their “ill gotten gains” in France, urges French voters to demand a thorough parliamentary investigation, on the eve of their own presidential election:

un tel audit devra poser toutes les questions qui fâchent, qu’il s’agisse du soutien aux dictateurs africains et aux contreparties obtenues, du financement occulte de la vie politique française, du rôle de l’armée française et de ses multiples ingérences, des multinationales, du franc CFA, etc.Au-delà des mallettes et des millions d’euros évoqués dans cette affaire, il est utile de rappeler que l’Afrique est victime d’une prédation économique et financière particulièrement sophistiquée

The investigation will have to raise every difficult questions: the support to African dictators and the price they paid for it, the secret financing of French political life, the role of the French army and its multiple interferences, the role of the corporations, of the Franc CFA currency, etc. Beyond the suitcases and the millions of Euros of this scandal, it is useful to remind readers that Africa is the victim of a particularly sophisticated economical and financial looting.

Africa : Delicious Peanut

Thalia Rahme — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 21:29:08 +0000

Nadia Khouri-Dagher writes a post on afrik.com [fr] where she praises the peanut, a condiment that has been integrated in most African cuisines: “Senegalese Chicken Mafé, Malian Peanuts Tiguadegue sauce, Ghanean Inkatse-abè sauce, Togolese Azindéssi sauce, Beninese Aziin nusunnu sauce, Congolese moambe chicken, Peanut rougail from Reunion Islands,… : The peanut or goober composes a wide array of dishes and popular and delicious in the majority of Sub-Saharan African countries !”

Republic of Congo: Is the New ‘Made In Africa' Tablet Actually Chinese?

Julie Owono — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:53:15 +0000

A new ‘made in Africa' tablet computer from the Republic of Congo was announced in June 2011 to much fanfare in online tech media, including in the popular Engadget blog and on Global Voices. While technical innovation in Africa is worth celebrating, there are a few grey areas in the story that should lead people to question whether the computer marketed by Congolese company VMK is actually designed, developed or engineered there.

On at least two previous occasions in Nigeria and Zimbabwe, consumers have falsely been led to believe that new inexpensive computers were developed in Africa, when they instead turned out to be rebranded Chinese imports.

Could this be the case for the VMK Tablet?

According to the company, it will be available for purchase in September at the retail price of 200,000 Francs CFA (roughly US$400 or EUR300).

Congolese Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Thierry Moungalla (left) with CEO of VMK, Verone Mankou. Image from the Minister

Taking a closer look

VMK is originally a web agency. Its CEO, Verone Mankou is 25 and works as an IT assistant at the Ministry of Post, Telecommunications and ICT.

The plan is for the VMK tablet to debut during the Africa Web Summit in the capital Brazzaville, which is hosted by the Ministry as part of their effort to see Congo become a Central African digital hub.

I interviewed Mankou on Skype text chat and he told me that the research and development department of VMK is only a “tiny department”. Considering how much weight other technology companies put on “R&D” I was surprised that VMK managed with much less. It was likewise surprising to discover another interview with Mankou on Cameroonian website Ingenieris [fr] where he apparently describes the development of the tablet as a major expense:

Ingenieris: VMK Congo est-elle rentable?

Ingenieris: Is VMK Congo profitable?

VMK: (Rires). Elle aurait pu être rentable si je n’avais pas eu l’idée de lancer une tablette. C’est une idée très couteuse en effet. Elle avoisine à elle seule près 80% de notre budget, vous imaginez les concessions que nous faisons tout le temps pour financer ce projet. Je profite de cette occasion pour féliciter toute l’équipe de VMK qui comprends les enjeux et accepte de travailler dans ces conditions.

VMK: (Laughs) It could have been profitable if I had not had the idea to launch a tablet. It is a very expensive idea indeed. It is about 80% of our budget, you can imagine the concessions we have made to finance the project. I'd take this opportunity to congratulate the team at VMK for understanding this and accepting to work under these conditions.

Designed and engineered in Congo or China?

In my chat with Verone Mankou on Skype, he told me that he himself designed the hardware. Mankou said:

Je me suis occupé tout seul de la conception de la tablette. Pour la conception de l'appstore-like de la tablette j'ai delegué ce travail à un ami qui est au Canada… idem pour la conception de l'interface qui a été confiée à un partenaire en Asie.

I took in charge of the design of the tablet myself. The design of the tablet's Appstore-Like, I delegated to a friend who lives in Canada… same for the design of the interface, which was entrusted to a partner in Asia.

On the following picture taken from VMK's blog on the tablet, it says the tablet is “Designed and Engineered in Congo by VMK”. On the picture below, posted on May 24, 2011 on the same blog, the story has changed, and the words on the tablet say: “Designed in Congo. Assembled in China.”

"Designed and Engineered in Congo by VMK"

"Designed in Congo. Assembled in China"

These are just prototype photos, but do they suggest a fluid understanding of the difference between drawing, designing and engineering technology hardware? In my interview, I asked Mankou about the disparity on the photos, and he explained this was a result of the product prototype evolving over time:

Au cours de la conception j'ai decidé de migrer vers une nouvelle mouture plus aboutie et plus ergonomique.

During the development, I decided to migrate to a new version which was more elaborate and more ergonomic.

Assembled or Made in China?

So the tablet is assembled in China. VMK have even posted photos from a visit to the factory on their blog. The name of the factory has been blurred, but one license plate confirms that it is located in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province which is a huge economic center and the headquarter of many tech companies. It is also the heart of China's “shanzai” electronic pirating trade.

Picture of the Chinese factory where the VMK Tablet was assembled in Shenzhen

It's no secret that the tablet is assembled in China, but it's worth considering how easy it is to get similar electronics produced and branded in Shenzen. The VMK tablet has a 7-inch screen, a 1.2 GHz processor, and uses the Android Operating System. Online electronic retailer and wholesaler, McBub.com (based in Shenzen) advertises a tablet with very similar specifications and similar design. If you order in bulk you can get them branded with your own company's logo for only a little extra.

Tablet advertised on McBub.com

The basic retail price is about half that of VMK's tablet.

I asked Verone Mankou why someone would spend more money to buy the VMK tablet, when they could have a similar product for a lower price, and he explained the difference in price is mainly due to to VMK's planned “after-sales services” and local presence in Congo.

VMK has only released photos showing the rear of the tablet, because they say they are “still in the process of securing various trademarks” and don't want to “encourage copycats“. On the prototype photos, VMK's logo occasionally appears with the “V” reversed.

Past “Made in Africa” disappointments

On Skype, I also interviewed Patrick-Eric Mampouya, a Congolese journalist and blogger [fr] who said he is skeptical about the VMK tablet being made in Africa, and specifically in the Republic of Congo:

On peut mettre de belles images sur un blog sans qu'il y ait une quelconque réalité. On ne peut pas apprécier ce genre de technologie sur les images. (…) Je peux prendre n'importe quel tablette et changer le logo.

One can put beautiful images on a blog without them being real. You cannot appreciate this kind of technology only with images. (…) I can take any tablet and change the logo.

We can only hope it will not be a repeat of the Nigerian Encipher, or the Zimbabwean Nhava laptop.

In November 2010, a Zimbwabean company announced that it would sell a locally manufactured, assembled and produced laptop at the price of 200 dollars. Many Zimbabweans purchased the device to support a local initiative and the economy. Disappointment was great when it transpired in February 2011 that the Nhava laptop was “imported from China, and only rebranded Nhava“.

In one Zimbabwean online forum, a comment celebrating the new VMK tablet (“Hooray! Congo makes a tablet computer!!!”) is met by a skeptical comment by another forum member.

Acerbically, Vakuru Chaivo writes:

Do you remember the “Nhava” guys who used to lie that they “manufacture” laptops in Zimbabwe? All they did was trawl the backyards of China picking up laptops discarded by experimenting Chinese high school students and then stick their Nhava logo and then ……voila..we had our first “indigenous laptop manufacturers”. I hope its not the same issue with the VMK tablet.

Republic of Congo: Local Company To Produce First African Android Tablet

Julie Owono — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:04:08 +0000

VMK, a Congolese company, announced via its CEO Verone Mankou's Twitter account, that it will produce the first Android tablet made in Africa. Tech Central magazine interviewed Verone Mankou, showing a picture of the back of the tablet. More pictures are available on the VMK Blog [fr]. An official introduction will be made at the Africa Web Summit [fr] organised in Brazzaville in September 2011.

Republic of Congo: Widows Demand Their Rights

Claire Ulrich — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:40:52 +0000

minguabiango [fr] writes on congo-liberty about the cruel treatments and deprivation of their rights suffered by some widows in the Republic of Congo: “In Congo-Brazzaville, some widows are daring to prosecute their in‑laws and obtain compensation, sometimes with help from NGOs. They set a good example for all those women who lack information about their rights or who fear reprisals and consequently suffer in silence.”

D.R. of Congo/Republic of Congo: A thorn in Brazzaville and Kinshasa relations

Ndesanjo Macha — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:46:53 +0000

Is Gen. Faustin Munene, a thorn in Brazzaville and Kinshasa relations?: “After many theories, the police told the media that the February 27 coup attempt was organized and executed by the exiled General Faustin Munene who is in Congo Brazzaville. DRC has been requesting Congo Brazzaville to extradite Gen. Munene…”

Republic of Congo: Plane Crashes in Downtown Pointe-Noire

Lova Rakotomalala — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:18:43 +0000

The blog Congopage reports that an Antonov airplane crashed in the city of Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo [fr]. Congopage also wonders why the media does not mention that the danger of building airports within cities and that the airline, Trans Air Congo, is owned by one of president Nguesso's close ally.

Tragedy bookends Year 2010 for Francophone Citizen Media

Lova Rakotomalala — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 11:02:25 +0000

It appears that tragedy will bookend yet another year rich in remarkable events in the world of French-speaking citizen media.

The month of January set the tone for the rest of the year with the traumatic fallout from the earthquake in Haiti, the attacks against the Togolese football team at the African Cup of nations in Cabinda and the firing of tear gas against protesters in Madagascar. The end of the year did not provide much respite from violence as the ongoing political crisis in Côte d'Ivoire has already claimed close to 173 lives and social tension sparks riots in Tunisia.

The year 2010 was also marked by the 50th anniversary of the independence of many African countries, highlighted by a controversial military parade at the Champs-Elysees in Paris and the hosting of Young African Leaders Symposium by US president Obama. Throughout the year, citizen media in Francophone countries was once more at the forefront of information dissemination and often found itself under duress for exercising their right to free speech.

An Ominous Start

The earthquake took everyone by surprise but despite the frequent interruptions of phone services and generally poor access to internet, Haitian citizen media responded to the challenges and provided frequent updates and a much needed on the ground perspectives regarding the recovery effort.

In the midst of the tragedy, a francophone “show of solidarity” was discussed at length when Senegal's president Wade offered free land to Haitians earthquake survivors. The offer was met with a mix of skepticism and support by Senegalese, Haitian and citizen media worldwide.

On February 18th, a coup took place in Niger in which President Mamadou Tandja was captured after a gun battle in the capital, Niamey, led by led by Col. Abdoulaye Adamou Harouna. The general sentiment of the Nigerien citizen media seemed to go from “blasé” to “good riddance”.

The financial crisis also affected the African continent; African bloggers reacted to the apparent differential treatment from the IMF when it comes to helping countries like Greece compared to some African nations.

From financial to natural crises, The northern and western African regions were plagued by prolonged period of rains and severe floods. Morocco, Mauritania, Benin, Nigeria and Togo were amongst the most affected by floods with initial reports often provided by citizen media.

The security and stability of the west African region was also on the mind of bloggers when AQIM made headlines repeatedly by taking hostages in Mali and killing Michel Germaneau in July and again capturing several employees of AREVA hostages in Niger later that year.

AQIM Area via Orthuberra on Wikimedia - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

Celebrating Independence in Francophone Africa

Despite the weary start, the year 2010 was also supposed to be a celebration of 50 years of independence and a critical election year for many African nations. Yet given the delayed human development progress, questionable governance and mismanagement of natural resources, many African bloggers wonder whether there is really a cause for celebration in Africa so far.

Yet the celebrations went on, sometimes quite lavishly as seen in Brazzaville, Congo.

None of these celebrations caused quite the stir that the military parade of African soldiers on Bastille Day at the invitation of French president Sarkozy provoked. With the growing exposure of the corrupt nature of “La Françafrique“, refering to the relationship between some African leaders and French lobbying groups, many observers pointed out that the presence of African armies at the Champ-Elysees was condescending and awkward at best, not unlike Sarkozy's Dakar speech. [Another speech by the French president in Grenoble this summer about delinquents of foreign origins and the forced expulsions of Roma people also provoked intense reactions in the francophone blogosphere.]

A different approach was taken by the US administration in marking the multiple independence anniversaries in Africa. In early august 2010, US President Obama held a three-days symposium for Young African Leaders to exchange ideas on how to foster development, human rights and democracy. The emphasis on the youth of Africa was in clear contrast with the presence of the old guards of African leaders showcased on Bastille Day.

Hoping for Transparency

Year 2010 was also supposed to be the year when some African nations would make important strides towards free and transparent elections.

That hope quickly faded away.

The electoral process in Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Madagascar and Rwanda were all at some point subject to major question marks, marred with missed deadlines, suspicions of massive fraud and acts of violence.

Yet one has the feeling that citizens in those countries are eager to move forward and prove that mediocre leadership cannot hold countries back forever. The rise of a burgeoning civil society and local citizen media provide hope that progress are being made, often in spite of proper governance.

Théophile Kouamouo and Saint-Clavier Oula

The impact of online citizen media has become evident enough that authoritarian African governments have taken major steps towards increasing censorship of digital media. Ivorian bloggers and journalists were arrested in July for publishing documents on corruption in cocoa and coffee trade. Since the Ivorian political crisis broke out in December, many bloggers and twitter users have withdrawn from their online activities and are no longer posting updates on the situation because of personal threats.

In Madagascar, a slew of journalists and political opponents were arrested for alleged threats against national security and voicing their dissents online. Steps towards more control of online content in Madagascar are also being taken, highlighted by a proposal that all Malagasy digital content are to be be managed by a single private provider (fr).

It is yet to be seen whether this year's lessons from some African nations' electoral hardships will be learned by their neighbors. Senegal and Cameroon among others will face important electoral deadlines in 2011. Cameroonian bloggers do not appear overly optimistic about the upcoming elections. As for Senegal, local citizen media has already been quite vocal about perceived nepotism and corruption inside the current administration.

It would be a refreshing sight in 2011 if the streak of dubious electoral results and post-electoral violence were to be halted for a change. African leaders owe that much to their resilient population.

Africa: The Scandal of the “Ill-gotten Gains”

Lynn Palermo — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:37:02 +0000

On November 9, 2010, the French Supreme Court of Appeals overturned a decision rendered a year ago by the Paris Court of Appeals, agreeing to hear the case brought by the French section of the NGO Transparency International [fr] called “the ill-gotten gains” of the heads of state of Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinee and members of their entourage.

It all begin in March 2007, when the Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Economic Development (CCFD) - Terre Solidaire published a report on the embezzlement of public funds by politicians of the South [fr]. It's title? “Ill-gotten gains…too often bring profit: Dictators' fortune and Western complacency.”

Focusing on domestic goods of the countries victimized by their leaders, the study by the CCFD - Terre solidaire [fr] revealed abuses at the national level:

« Par exemple, Mobutu a transformé Gbadolite, son village natal au Zaïre, en un « Versailles de la jungle », avec une cinquantaine d’hôtels, un aéroport international qui pouvait accueillir le Concorde et plus de trois palais. Quant à Denis Sassou Nguesso, président en exercice au Congo Brazzaville, il détiendrait, avec sa famille, la moitié de l’économie du pays»

For example, Mobutu transformed Gbadolite, his native village in Zaire into a “Versailles of the jungle,” with about 50 hotels, an international airport capable of receiving the Concorde, and more than three palaces. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of Congo Brazzaville, and his family controlled half of the country's economy.

A police investigation confirmed most of the allegations and uncovered the existence of many other goods [fr] in the form of both real estate and personal property (including cars and the dictators' bank accounts).

Sassou Nguesso's house. Source: témoignages.re

The report alleged that the clan of Omar Bongo Odimba (OBO) of Gabon had appropriated 39 real estate properties, of which 17 of there were in the name of their leader. Most of the properties were located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. It also identified 70 bank accounts, 11 of them in OBO's name; and an automobile fleet of at least 9 vehicles whose total value is estimated at 1,493,443 euros.

survie.org reveals [fr] that, in addition to OBO's ill-gotten gains in France,

« En 1999, le Sénat américain a publié un rapport d’enquête sur l’origine de la fortune du président (gabonais). Ce document établit qu’Omar Bongo est devenu client de la Citibank de New York en 1970 et qu’il a ouvert de multiples comptes auprès de ses différents bureaux, à Bahreïn, à Jersey, à Londres, au Luxembourg, à New York, à Paris et en Suisse. …. Au total, le montant des avoirs du chef d’Etat, qui ont été placés sur ses différents comptes bancaires à la Citibank, à New York, de 1985 à 1997, serait d’environ 130 millions de dollars. La City Bank aurait expliqué « que l’argent provenait d’une allocation budgétaire, 8,5 % du budget gabonais - soit 111 millions de dollars - étant chaque année réservés au président ».

In 1999, the U.S. Senate a published the report of an investigation into the origins of the fortune of the President (of Gabon). This document established that Omar Bongo had become a client of Citibank of New York in 1970 and that he had opened multiple accounts at different offices in Bahrain, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, New York, Paris, Switzerland. … All told, from 1985 to 1997 the Head of State had allegedly deposited around 130 million dollars in various accounts with Citibank New York. Citibank allegedly explained “that the money came from a budgetary allocation: 8.5% of the Gabonese budget, or 111 million dollars, was reserved for the president annually.”

The report goes further. survie.org adds [fr] that:

« C’est dans son hôtel particulier qu’il a ainsi accueilli pendant la campagne présidentielle française les candidats Nicolas Sarkozy et François Bayrou ainsi que la moitié du gouvernement Fillon lors de sa première visite officielle sous la présidence de N. Sarkozy. »

During the French presidential campaign, he also received candidates Nicolas Sarkozy and François Bayrou at his home, as well as half of Fillon's government during the first official visit under the Sarkozy presidency.

Another site, asso-sherpa.org revealed [fr] more proof of the abuses of the OBO clan:

“Edith Bongo, alors épouse du Président gabonais, aurait ainsi fait l’acquisition d’une Daimler Chrysler au moyen d’un chèque tiré sur un compte ouvert auprès de la Banque de France par le Trésor Public Gabonais.

Edith Bongo, who was the wife of the Gabonese President at the time, allegedly acquired a Daimler Chrysler with a check drawing on an account opened at the Banque de France by the Gabonese Public Treasury.

Copy of the check for Chrysler purchase. Source: Asso-sherpa.org

Police services have also exposed the role played by various intermediaires (bankers, lawyers) in carrying out these various operations.

According to the report [fr] by CCFD-Terre solidaire, the fortune of Congolese President Denis Sassou NGesso and his entourage allegedly consists of 18 properties; 112 bank accounts; and a fleet of automobiles, including at least une vehicle worth 172,321 euros.

Nor is that everything. The Congolese President and his clan's embezzlements

« auraient commencé dès sa première période au pouvoir, de 1979 à 1992, en négociant la vente du pétrole en dessous du prix du marché en contrepartie de versements à son profit. A ce jour, la fortune de Denis Sassou Nguesso est estimée à plus d’un milliard de dollars. »

allegedly began during his first presidential term between 1979 and 1992, by negotiating the sale of oil below the market price in exchange for bank account deposits that benefited him personally. At that time, Denis Sassou Nguesso's fortune was estimated at more than a billion dollars.

As for President Teodoro Obiang, who had closer relations with the United States than with France, the article titled “Biens mail acquis à qui profite le crime?” [”Gains ill-gotten: who profits from this crime?”] by Antoine Dulin and Jean Merckaert and found at ccfd-terresolidaire.org explains the extent of their illegal self-enrichment:

80% du revenu national serait monopolisé par l’oligarchie alors que 65% de la population vit toujours dans l’extrême pauvreté. ….. En 2003, ces comptes représentaient la relation la plus importante de la Rigg’s Bank, avec des versements totaux allant de 400 millions à 700 millions de dollars en une fois ! »

80% of national revenue is allegedly monopolized by the oligarchy, while 65% of the population still lives in extreme poverty. In 2003, these accounts represented the most important relationship held by Rigg's Bank, with total deposits increasing from 400 million dollars to 700 million dollars at a time!

Furthermore, after the November 2009 elections in Equatorial Guinea, President Obiang formed a new government of 69 members, ousting practically all of the preceding ministers. According to the site [fr] Africatime.com:

« En effet, dans le Gouvernement, il y a trois fils du Général, un frère, trois neveux, deux beaux-frères et trois cousins. »

Indeed, in the government, there are the General's three sons, one brother, three nephews, two brothers-in-law, and three cousins.

In Cameroon, the authors of the CCFD-Terre solidaire investigation write that:

À peine devenu chef d’État (en novembre 1982), Paul Biya faisait parler de lui à propos de son patrimoine. Le 16 mars 1983, Le Canard enchaîné dévoilait deux acquisitions présidentielles en France : l’une avenue Foch à Paris, l’autre sur la Côte d’Azur, à Cagnes-sur-Mer. …. En mai 1997, L’Événement du jeudi estime que la fortune du président camerounais et de sa famille approche les 70 millions d’euros, dont des châteaux en France et en Allemagne, à Baden-Baden.

Shortly after Paul Biya became Head of State (in November 1982), people were already talking about his inheritance. On March 16, 1983, Le Canard enchainé uncovered two presidential acquisitions in France: one on the Avenue Foch in paris; the other in Cagnes-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean. In may 1977, L'Evenement du jeudi estimated the fortune of the Cameroonian President and his family at close to 70 million euros, including chateaus in France and in Baden-Baden in Germany.

Despite all the evidence assembled by these investigations, it took until November 9, 2010 for the Supreme Court of Appeals to reach its decision.

In these times of troubling governance in Africa, the Ill-Gotten Gains affair can only reinforce the perception that government leaders are enriching themselves while their people live in misery.

Republic of Congo: Bass Player from Japan Learns Lingala to Collaborate with Music Stars

Lova Rakotomalala — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 18:48:10 +0000

Japanese-born bass player Niwa explains in this video interview that his motivation for learning Lingala was to get better acquainted with the music scene in Congo [fr/ln]. Niwa is now also a Congolese citizen and has played with Congolese music superstars Tonton Zao and Bisso Na Bisso.

Republic of Congo: Anniversary of 50 Years of Independence Under the Shadow of Unemployment

Lova Rakotomalala — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 15:13:13 +0000

Benjamin Bilombot Bitadys at Congopage writes that it's puzzling that Congo-Brazzaville is spending 27 billions of CFA francs on the celebration of the anniversary of the independence (August 15) when 53% of the population (mostly young people) is still unemployed [fr].

Chez Gangoueus: A brilliant blog about African literature in French

Claire Ulrich — Sun, 30 May 2010 20:25:15 +0000

Réassi Ouabonzi

The Best of blog Awards 2010 shone light on a slew of fascinating blogs in 11 languages. A close runner-up for the Best blog in French award is Chez Gangoueus (fr). Réassi Ouabonzi blogs about African and diaspora literature in French from a reader's perspective since 2007, one book at a time. With time, Chez Gangoueus has developed into a unique online guide to African and diaspora writers.

GV : Why did you open a blog about books in the first place?

I was an avid reader as a teen, I devoured every book available in the French cultural center in Brazzaville (Congo), where I lived. I was born in France of Congolese parents, I spent 18 years in each country, and now live in France. Reading is time consuming, I dropped it during my studies in physics. Then, one day, I saw Beloved, a film by Jonathan Demme based on the book written by Nobel Prize Toni Morrison. It gave me such a jolt I decided to read all of one her books. She brought me back to reading.

- Why do you concentrate on black literature in French ?

It was a deliberate process. I'm interested in reading how black people see themselves and are represented. I opened a blog to document my readings, and let's face it, also because it's quite a violent reality, not to find any resources about African or black literature on the Francophone web, save for the online magazine Cultures Sud.

"Les écailles du ciel" by Tierno Monenembo

- What are the current trends in Francophone African literature?

- I review authors from any African countries, French West Indies or in diasporas, black literature at large. But let me think: in Congo, a new generation of writers is budding, inspired by award-wining writer and intellectual Alain Mabanckou. In Sénégal, I'm struck by the current emergence (empowering) of women writers, in the wake of best selling author Marie Ndiaye. I notice writers from Cameroon write with the same “in your face” directness and energy that they are are famous for. I must confess that I am in awe of Nigerian writers, like the great Chinua Achebe. Among francophone writers, I could mention so many: Abdourahman A.Waberi from Djibouti, Jimi Yuma from Congo, Patrice Nganang and Leonora Miano from Cameroon… they're all in my blogroll.

"Saisons sauvages" by Kettly Mars (Haiti)

- African authors now regularly win French literary awards, but most of your finds are totally unknown, invisible in French bookstores

- Black literature in French has trouble finding a publisher, but also a readership. In francophone Africa, books are difficult to publish, expensive and hard to find. But the problem is elsewhere. We West Africans can write and publish our own perspectives, but we should read them, too. Somehow, Africans have trouble reading books about themselves. They look elsewhere for references. My blog offers authors some coverage: I get a thousand visitors per month, 50% come from Metropolitan France, 30% from West Africa..

- You sometimes stray to review Japanese or South American books on your blog, but never French “white” literature.

"Le passé devant soi" by Gilbert Gatore

French literature is too navel-orientated. We're not on this earth for long. Let's get going. And French white writers are still totally blind to the true challenges in France, the plight of black or Arab youths disenfranchised in poor suburbs.

"Trois femmes puissantes", the award wining book and best-seller in France, by French-Senegalese author Marie Ndiaye

Why did you pick this name for your blog, “Chez Gangoueus”?

Ngangoué is my second Congolese given name. I consider myself of African and Western background and culture, I looked for a handle that would reflect this, and added the us suffix, in reference to latin culture, names like Brutus, Octavius or Britannicus. Gangouéus reflects my dual identity.

You alway take a picture of the book you are reading and most of the time, in public transports.

Because that's where I read! Work is work, family is family. Time spent commuting to and from work in Paris became my reading time!

"Les phalènes" by Tchicaya U Tam'Si

Egypt: No Longer Jewel of the Nile

Marwa Rakha — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:24:29 +0000

Four of the seven upstream Nile Basin Initiative countries have decided to sign a new Nile deal. Despite strong Egyptian and Sudanese opposition, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia signed a new water-sharing agreement. The other three countries, Kenya, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo are expected to sign the new deal within the next 12 months as allowed by the accord.

Bikya Masr reported:

It is water. Water for all. At least this is the argument that upstream countries along the Nile River have been saying for years, but Egypt continues to refuse to renegotiate a colonial-era treaty that would allocate more water for use in the upstream countries part of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI). Egypt says that without its access to water, the country could face severe shortages and possible nationwide anxiety and protests.

Egyptian Citizen laments the current situation saying:

مصر مش هتبقى هبة النيل عشان خلاص النيل راح من ايدينا
دي خريطة فيها النيل عشان نبقى فاكرينة
بكرة دول حوض النيل السبعة
هتوقع على أتفاقية المياة الجديدة
دون مصر و السودان
و هيبقى للمياة ثمن مثل البترول و الغاز

Egypt will no longer be the jewel of the Nile for we no longer have a Nile!
Have a good look at the map when we once had a Nile.
After the Nile Basin Countries sign the new treaty without Egypt and Sudan, water prices will hit the roof - just like oil and gas.

Nawara Negm is also worried - but for a different reason:

اسرائيل مسيطرة على دول حوض النيل وهي اللي حتمول السدود بتاعتهم … وهي اللي مقوماها في دماغ دول حوض النيل
وبصراحة كده اللي عندنا ما بيعملوش حاجة
وبصراحة اكتر هم مش عارفين يعملوا حاجة
وبصراحة اكتر واكتر هم مش حيعرفوا يعملوا حاجة
حد ينجدنا
انا باتكلم جد …. حد ينجدنا
حد ينجدنا
حد يدخل افريقيا ويقطع على اسرائيل وينقذنا… بيقولوا ايران في افريقيا بتحاول تقطع على اسرائيل هناك، ياريت ربنا ينفخ في صورة تركيا وتدخل معاها على الخط، ما السعودية تدخل في الليلة وتحاول تغريهم بالفلوس، ما دبي تعمل استثمارات وتقايضهم.. انجدونا يا ناس …. حنموت من العطش

Israel has full control over the Nile Basin Countries and they will finance their dams.
Our officials did not lift a finger to stop this.
To be more precise they do not know what to do.
As a matter of fact, they will not be able to do anything!
Help!
I am serious! Rescue us! Please!
Someone please intercept Israel's plan! They say that Iran is trying to set foot in Africa instead of Israel. I hope Turkey jumps in. Why doesn't Saudi Arabia lure them with cash or Dubai, why don't they tempt them with investments … people .. rescue us .. we will die of thirst!

Bikya Masr does not see a reason for panicking:

However, despite a new agreement being signed, little is likely to change. Egypt is already pushing international donor bodies, such as the World Bank – the main financier of the NBI – to cut funding to the signatories.

According to World Bank officials last July in Alexandria, they would not fund any new project without the approval of Egypt.

“Egypt is the leading country in this consortium and the World Bank will not get behind any initiative that leaves them out,” a World Bank official said at the time on the sidelines of the NBI conference in the Egyptian port city

Meanwhile, The Egyptian Silent Majority is ashamed:

اخطأنا كثيرا في حقهم….اهملناهم….استهنا بهم…..تركنا غيرنا يشاركهم التنمية و يأخذ بيدهم نحو التقدم و اكتفينا نحن بالفوز عليهم رياضيا…بل و التندر عليهم و على امكانياتهم و قدراتهم.
و اليوم نكرر نفس الخطأ بتهديدهم بإستخدام القوة ضدهم.
لا اعلم كيف سنخرج من هذا المأزق…..فمن حقهم تأمين حصتهم من المياه مثلنا تماما….و ليس منطقي ان نطالبهم بتأمين احتياجاتهم من المياه عن طريق الأمطار (كما قرأت في الصحف) و ترك النيل لنا!!!!!

We have often wronged them (Africans)! We neglected them! We belittled them! We let someone else invest in their land and take their hand into civilization. We enjoyed defeating them in football, mocking them, joking about them, and making fun of their resources and capabilities. Today, we are making the same mistake when we threatened to use force against them. I do not know how we will get out of this dilemma for they have a right to a fair share of water and it makes no sense to arrogantly ask them to secure their water needs by relying on rain water - as some papers mentioned!

Nawara Negm disapproves of President Mubarak's visit to Italy:

انت ازاي تروح لايطاليا عشان مشكلة النيل وفاكرها حتفرض على اثيوبيا رأيها؟ ازاي تهين الناس بالطريقة دي انت ايه؟ انت ايييه؟ … انت فاكر انك لما تهينهم بالطريقة دي حيسكتوا؟
انا لو مكانهم اتربس دماغي… يعني مش مستعنيهم تكلمهم، وبقالك كام سنة بتعاملهم معاملة الكلاب وكمان تروح تكلم ايطاليا كأنها الابلة بتاعتهم؟

How dare you go to Italy and ask them to intervene with the Nile water issue? Did you think they will coerce Ethiopia into changing its stance? How did you have the audacity to insult people that way? What were you thinking? Do you think they will just suck it in? If I were in their shoes, I would be more obstinate. You did not even bother talking to them directly, and for years you've treated them with negligence and an air of superiority … and now you are surpassing their sovereignty and talking to “their class teacher”?

Ethiopia tells Egypt the Nile is for all, Bikya Masr reported:

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Wednesday that the bullying of Egypt over the construction of dams along the Nile River must end as upstream nations attempt to implement a number of water projects despite Cairo’s opposition. He rejected threats by Egypt to prevent the erection of projects along the world’s longest river.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Zenawi argued that a new era in the Nile basin has begun. His statements come less than one week after Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania signed a new treaty on water-sharing along the Nile.

Egyptian Citizen wondered:

هو احنا هنعمل اية حتى لا نعطش؟
هو احنا هنعمل اية بعد كدة طيب اية الخطة البديلة عشان نقدر نعيش و متجيش اللحظة الي مصر تكون فيها عطشانة و يبقى فية أزمة عطش في مصر … قبل ما نملى جراكيل مياة و ناس تطلع تقطع طريق الدائري و ماسكة الجراكل و تقول عاوزين مية عاوزين مية

What will we do so as not to wither of thirst? What is our alternative survival plan? How can we avoid a time when Egypt gets hit by a water crisis? What will we do before we see Egyptians walking up and down highways with empty buckets begging for water?

On Nawara's blog, the independent initiative for water conservation took off:

Full car washing is completely prohibited; wipe your car with a wet towel.
Minimize using water at home while bathing, getting ready to prey, or washing the dishes.
Sprinkling water in front of buildings in the summer is prohibited.
Use recycled water for irrigation purposes.
Be positive and direct others on how to preserve our limited water resources.
Upon manually washing the dishes, use a plug to conserve tap water.
Use a dish washer if possible; it consumes less water than manual dish washing.
Proper plumbing at home is mandatory to avoid leakage.
Do not leave the water running while bathing, brushing your teeth, or shaving.
Make sure all water taps in your vicinity are not dripping.

Blogs that are part of the initiative are Egyptian Resistance, A Human Being, Egyptian Citizen, Me and Those, Ehab Affandy, Silence Screaming Out loud, and Internet-ian.

On Facebook, Against the Nile Basin Countries page was created in fear of the coming wars over water.

And another group was created to promote the Independent Initiative for Water Conservation.

Spain: Conguitos Racist Logos in Question

Norbert Bousigue — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:01:11 +0000

On Maneno, a blogging platform dedicated to meet the needs of sub Saharan Africa bloggers, schauzeri wonders why Conguitos, a renown sweets company in Spain, retained their current logos despite the offensive undertones for Africans [article also available in spanish]. According to schauzeri, The offensive logos, which have been in circulation since 1960's, do not seem to be perceived as a problem in Spain.