Zone 2- Africa Summary, week # 123

Week # 123, Dated 6-8^th June, 2010

POLITICS OF SECURITY AND CONFLICT ISSUES

Central Africa: In Burundi the chairman of Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) said preparations are far advanced ahead of the presidential election scheduled for 28 June despite the opposition’s decision to boycott the vote. Several opposition groups have accused the electoral body of failing to prevent fraud in last month’s district elections won by the ruling CNDD-FDD party with over 60 % of the votes, and are demanding a re-run. These allegations have cast a shadow over the country's democratic transition, prompting international calls for compromise rather than confrontation.

Roger Meece a US diplomat has been appointed to head the UN mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo for his "in-depth knowledge of African issues."

HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN DOMESTIC POLITICS

Southern Africa: World Cup kicked off in South Africa earlier this month. According to President Jacob Zuma the soccer World Cup is uniting South Africa, much like the 1995 world rugby victory helped break down racial barriers, and it will leave a legacy for decades to come. Meanwhile South Africa has launched Africa's first high-speed train in time for the football World Cup. The railway links the city's international airport to its financial district.

A Zimbabwe farmers' union says at least 16 farmers have been attacked across the country by people trying to seize their land.

African Union members have adopted plans to implement the Kampala convention on the protection of internally displaced people, including increasing their contributions to refugee and IDP funding and accelerating the convention’s ratification, signature and domestication.

Meanwhile the United Nations refugee agency has expressed sadness after learning of the deaths of nine Somali asylum-seekers who drowned while attempting to reach Mozambique, an increasingly popular route for Somalis trying to flee the violence and suffering in their homeland.

Central Africa: United Nations aid workers have reported that the notorious rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is carrying out ever more deadly attacks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and also continues to abduct children to use as soldiers in its ranks.

Meanwhile an official with the U.N. Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) said the group will be launching an investigation into the deaths of at least 28 people allegedly killed by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, or FARDC. Also a court in the DRC has sentenced two former Norwegian soldiers to death over murder and espionage charges. The military tribunal condemned Joshua French, 28, and Tjostolv Moland, 29, to death after finding them guilty of killing their driver and spying for Norway.

A group of United Nations experts have welcomed the suspension of the chief of the national police of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the arrest of several officers in the investigation into last week's murder of a prominent human rights defender. They joined Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other senior UN officials in calling for a prompt and rigorous probe into the killing of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, whose body was found on the outskirts of the capital, Kinshasa, last week, one day after he was summoned to a police station.

In Rwanda the Committee to Protect Journalists called on authorities to provide information as to why the Web site of a leading private newspaper Umuvugizi, known for it’s critical coverage of the government, is unreachable on the networks of the country’s only Internet service providers. Editor John Bosco Gasasira, launched Umuvugizi online in May after Rwanda’s Media High Council suspended the newspaper in April for six months.

HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND DOMESTIC POLITICS

Southern Africa: A failure to implement power sharing agreements has led the European Union to continue its suspension of development aid to Madagascar that continues suffering from both political and weather-related problems leading to water shortage and food insecurity. Similar action has come from the AU and the Southern African Development Community or SADC.

Central Africa:

POLITICAL ECONOMY

Central Africa: According to the Rwandan Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, John Rwangombwa the nation’s economy is expected to grow by seven percent this financial year, up from the six percent registered last year. §

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