South Africa: South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Fires Journalists for Protesting Censorship (20.07.2016)

SABC 27.05.2016

The SABC is silencing journalists who protest censorship and advocate for press freedom, while its leadership appears more interested in protecting and serving a privileged few than the Public.

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, July 20, 2016/APO/ —

In response to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) firing seven staff journalists and a freelance writer, who are collectively known as the SABC 8, Freedom House issued the following statement:

“It is deplorable that the SABC fired its own journalists for insisting on covering the news,” said Lynn Fredriksson, director for Southern Africa programs. “The SABC is silencing journalists who protest censorship and advocate for press freedom, while its leadership appears more interested in protecting and serving a privileged few than the public. The SABC should quickly reinstate the journalists and reverse its decision to censor news content.”

Background:
Seven SABC journalists and one contracted freelance journalist were fired between July 18-19 for protesting an SABC management decision not to report on violent protests, a directive issued by Chief Operating Officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng in May 2016, ahead of violent unrest in Tshwane, the metropolitan area that includes Pretoria, the national capital. Critics of the SABC have likened its behavior to that of the Apartheid-era state broadcaster of the same name, in its use by the government as a propaganda tool.

The eight journalists say they will contest their firing in Labour Court and the Constitutional Court.

Mugabe denounces protest pastor Mawarire (Youtube-Clip)

“Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe denounces the popular pastor Evan Mawarire who this month led anti-government protests” (AFP, 2016)

Palais press notes on the health situation in South Sudan (19.07.2016)

South Sudan HRP 2016 Cover Page
South Sudan HRP 2016 Cover Page

Speaker: Fadéla Chaib, WHO Spokesperson
Date: 19 July 2016

In response to the crisis in South Sudan, WHO works with its partners to ensure that the population continues to access basic health services. The situation endured by displaced people, where inadequate access to water and sanitation services have resulted in poor living, hygiene and sanitation conditions resulting in threats of outbreaks.

One of these threats is an upsurge of reported cases of suspected cholera/ acute watery diarrhoea. The suspected cases are from Juba and Duk Counties in Central Equatoria and Jonglei States respectively.

WHO with other partners is currently responding by conducting active case search in the two communities where recent cases reside and had pre-positioned commodities and other supplies including tents, cholera kits that provides treatment for 400 people, cholera preparedness and response materials for health workers, laboratory reagents and Rapid Diagnostic Tests. WHO is expanding disease surveillance and laboratory investigation of suspect cases; providing support for the care and treatment of cases, and strengthening public health education and social mobilization.

The risk of further spread is a major concern. With the coming rains, it is realistic to expect an increase in malaria and water-borne diseases, so we can expect medical needs to rise in an environment where WHO and partners are already working hard to keep up with existing health needs.

An estimated 1.6 million people affected by the ongoing crisis needs help. WHO delivered lifesaving treatments and supplies including: trauma kits, body bags, IV fluids , iodine solutions and trauma kits. In addition, WHO is also shipping to Juba several kits of essential drugs and medical supplies. The supplies are expected to be in Juba early next week.

Under extremely difficult conditions, WHO and partners in South Sudan are also reaching families sheltering in schools, Churches and settlement areas across South Sudan with life-saving health care. Mobile medical teams are dispatched to reach people in many areas hardest hit by the ongoing conflict including Juba, Wau, Bentiu and Torit. Rapid assessments to monitor the health situation of the displaced people are to also be scaled up in Juba and the affected states.

More than a hundred WHO staff members remain in the country.

WHO is deploying an emergency logistician, information management and Public Health Officers to support the WHO and health partners respond to the crisis.

Funding:
WHO requires a total of US$ 17.5 million for 2016 of which US$ 4.3 million has been received. This amount is likely to increase due to the recent conflict.

Fadéla Chaib WHO Spokesperson

Press Statement: Office of the Public Prosecuter will look into the ‘Chickengate’ at IEBC scandals of 2009-2011 (19.07.2016)

Kenya EEAC IEBC

Press Release: Suspended elections of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson for the AU Commission (18.07.2016)

UG PR 18.07.2016

Opinion: Trump can promise roses, but that will still not be the truth!

Trump broken flag

There are these days when I wonder when people will see what I see, as I see a fraudster, a liar and charlatan who has used his name to trade on misfortune of American citizens, both in Businesses and now in Politics. Now he promises jobs and tighter borders, giant walls and more xenophobia and fear of the ones migrating to the American Nation. That is the state of affairs that Trump promises; while also glorifying himself as a Demi-God.

That is why he hates to be questioned and even mentioned in a sinister way, even if it is true. As he congratulates himself and believe that killing families creating genocide is the way of making sure the Syrian civil war will be settled. This from the man who imports all kind of crap in his own name, while saying that American business is screwed by the Chinese and Mexicans; as he himself is earning money on branded goods from the same destinations.

So the man who now chosen another controversial VP Mike Pence, the current Governor of Indiana, who has become famous for establishing very harsh regulation on births and rights for abortion in his state, while also in his one-time governorship he even created more controversy with regulating stronger LGBT rights and their freedoms in public spaces as toilets and such, which have already been under-fire in other states. So the man that carries the water and makes sure the hair is straight of Trump has some dark horses in his home-run. The ironic part is that GOP or Republican Party can finally have candidate in Indiana that might beat the Democratic Party nominee in coming election. That should been a consideration while vetting the man behind Trump, but he picks from his guts; not his wits!

Trump John Barron

Trump promise the most beautiful and wonderful piece of everything, depending on the crowd and the state, higher lowest-minimum wage or polices for trade. They are shallow words and proving the insecure man that he is. The vain and simplistic, as he still in July 2016, ever since running for over a year, still hasn’t released his Tax-Returns; because he doesn’t have the character to drop his true value or his pocket-change as the reveling truth would show that he is not as rich as he claims or narrowly near the billions that supposed be there. If that we’re so he wouldn’t need to beg Koch brothers or go on ferrying for donor funding instead of campaigning in swing-states!

The whole ordeal, the whole empty pledges the smearing and rubbish throwing against both opponents in own party and everybody else in general; while praising dictators like Gaddafi, Kim Yung-Un and Vladimir Putin; claiming that America Nation and Economics is in shambles, blaming media for being biased while speaking like Fox News anchor on steroids. He could be dancing over the Media’s, that have been banned from following the campaign trail; which means a dozen media-houses for writing what he would call spiteful articles or portrait on screen.

So for me as European it is weird that he is even considered, with his track-record and scams are getting away from becoming a Nominee in General Party towards a General Election, while he has the balls to pick a VP that is Midwestern prototype of himself, just more clean and speaks the ordinary coded political language, instead of the bashing guts without any common knowledge the Donald!

Trump Team

But this is just my two-cents and I have described the man before, as Paul Manafort who got Corey Lewandowski fired and traded space to speak astonishingly about the efforts of Trump. Manafort is the key player in the Campaign Team behind Trump, he must know it’s a fools race right now and therefore taking his bet behind a narcissist who has no quarrels except for his own gains. So the real political place of the man is like balancing a donut over a tornado. The one day he might be Pro Trade-Zones and the next day lenient taxes instead to gain business.

So the pledges and promises are as shallow of the character of Trump, the fake and weak-tea that he offers shouldn’t be taken for the gold-covered label he uses on his company and walls of his Twinkie-Tower in the Rotten Apple. We can surely know that the America that we heard about as kids is gone, like wave it will come and go apparently. The land of liberty and equality must been torn to pieces to accept the candidature of a man of this stature. The land of tolerance and melting-pot must be drowned in redneck bashing KKK nonsense, instead of the Boondocks cartoons and Dave Chappell skits. This must be the reality as ‘Friends’ and ‘Seinfeld’ has stopped making more sitcom episodes, instead some other random crap made by Netflix and HBO.

So the world cannot be same… as the world is seeing the ability and possibility for a candidate like Trump, for a man with the world-view and rhetoric being capable of thrashing both seasoned and ambitions politicians with loyalties inside the Grand Old Party (GOP). Certainly the roses he promises are more old sour croutons instead. Peace.   

Besigye, Lukwago in Kabale court over 2012 offences (Youtube-Clip)

“Former FDC presidential candidate Dr. Kiiza Besigye appeared before the Kabale chief magistrates Court to answer charges of malicious damage to property and inciting violence” (NTV Uganda, 2016)

DP Ruto gives ‘directionless’ KANU a public dress down (Youtube-Clip)

“Deputy President William Ruto gave his former ‘chama cha mama na baba’ KANU a public dressing down at Gideon Moi’s Baringo backyard over the weekend. He said he would campaign not to have KANU divide the votes coming out of Rift Valley in the 2017 General Election. He said KANU had proved itself rudderless following the 2013 General Polls at which the former political giant performed poorly” (Capital FM Kenya, 2016)

Footage: How Adolf Hitler rose to power in a democratic country.

Sanctions crippled our capacity to own our international obligations, Zimbabwe’s finance minister (Youtube-Clip)

Zimbabwe’s finance minister Patrick Chinamasa on Sunday blamed international sanctions for the financial meltdown that has forced the government to delay wages of soldiers and civil servants as President Robert Mugabe faces rare popular protests. Speaking at the African Union summit in Kigali, Rwanda , Chinamasa said that his country was stifled by the economic sanctions imposed in the early 2000s on his country by the West.This,in retaliation to the alleged violations of human rights by Harare…” (Africa News, 2016)