The Heat: South Sudan in crisis Pt 1,2 & 3 (Youtube-Clip)

Part II:

Part III:

Uganda: Adm72/01 – Final Preparations for Parliamentary and Local Government Councils Elections in Newly-Created Districts (25.08.2016)

EC 25.08.2016 P1EC 25.08.2016 P2EC 25.08.2016 P3EC 25.08.2016 P5

Uganda: Motion to Introduce a Private Member’s Bill; Presidential Age Limit & Cheif Justice of Supreme Court (25.08.2016)

Private Members Bill Aug 2016 UG P1Private Members Bill Aug 2016 UG P2Private Members Bill Aug 2016 UG P3

Statement by Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide on the situation in Burundi (25.08.2016)

2016-01-15_2151_itw_burundi_un_ohchr

Adama Dieng, expressed his concern at inflammatory statements by public officials that could constitute incitement to violence including, most recently, by a senior official of the ruling CNDD-FDD political party.

NEW YORK, United States of America, August 25, 2016 – The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, expressed his concern at inflammatory statements by public officials that could constitute incitement to violence including, most recently, by a senior official of the ruling CNDD-FDD political party.
In a statement on 16 August 2016 that was published on the CNDD-FDD website, Pascal Nyabenda, who was at the time President of the CNDD-FDD party and President of the National Assembly, suggested that the genocide in Rwanda was a fabrication of the international community, (“montages genocidaires contre le Gouvernement dit Hutu de Kigali”) that was used to remove the Hutu government that was in place at the time.
“This irresponsible statement could be interpreted as genocide denial”, Mr. Dieng said, “and has the potential to inflame ethnic tensions, both within Burundi and outside its borders”.  At the 20 August meeting of the party, a new head of the CNDD-FDD was appointed but Mr. Nyabenda continues in his role as President of the National Assembly.

The situation in Burundi continues to be marred by instability and reports of serious human rights violations, including allegations of extra-judicial killings, disappearances, torture, and arbitrary detention of members of the opposition, civil society and those suspected of opposing the Government. Human rights defenders and journalists are among the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled the country since April 2015.

In its concluding observations, issued on 11 August 2016 following a special report submitted at the request of the United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT), the Committee’s international experts expressed deep concern over the hundreds of reports of torture received and called for investigations into all cases of killings, enforced disappearances and other violence motivated by the ethnic origin of the victim. The Committee urged the Burundian Government to refrain from making any public statements that could exacerbate ethnic tensions or incite violence or hatred and to ensure that public and law enforcement officials do not accept or tolerate such acts by other groups.

Special Adviser Dieng also raised concern that the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD party, known as the Imbonerakure, continues to be associated with human rights abuses and is reported to have threatened ethnic violence. He noted that the Minister of the Interior of Burundi had confirmed that the Imbonakure formed part of the national security strategy, as the CAT also pointed out in its concluding observations.

Special Adviser Dieng reminded the Government of Burundi of its obligation to protect its populations, regardless of their ethnicity or political affiliation, and to refrain from any action or discourse that could inflame ethnic tensions. He highlighted the importance of countering such messages with alternative speech to foster unity rather than further entrench divisions,  and called on all parties to prioritize inclusive dialogue to bring about an end to the protracted crisis.

Joint Communique on Criminal Activities on Migingo Island (24.08.2016)

IGK Kenya Uganda

Pursuant to the Intelligence reports of alleged resurgence of criminal activities in Migingo Island, and in the spirit of ensuring peace and security in the Island as had earlier been agreed in a meeting held in Kampala, Uganda on 23rd August 2011, and following a directive contained in the Joint Ministerial Communiqué signed on 26th July 2011 at Nairobi Kenya, there was a joint visit to the Island by Chiefs of Police from the two countries on 17th August, 2016.

The Uganda delegation was led by General Kale Kayihura, the Inspector General of Police, while the Kenya delegation was led by Mr. Joseph Boinnet, the Inspector General of Police.

The two delegations held two meetings, one of which was held at Migingo Island, while the other meeting was held at Muhuru Bay, Migori County.

Both meetings were held in cordial atmosphere, and in attendance in the meeting at Migingo Island also were the local community leaders.

The meeting agreed to constitute a Joint Task Force of technical personal from the two sides to review specific areas of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to enhance security at Migingo Island that include 1. Deployment 2. Joint Operations 3. Arms Control 4. Communication 5. Crime Management 6. Community Policing.

The meeting noted the need to enhance border security beyond Migingo Island to cover the entire borderline from North to South in order to address the contemporary trans – national crime.

The meeting recommended the following

1. That police officers deployed at the island should enforce the law without favor or discrimination as to the nationality of the offender.
2. That the fishing community should recognize the territorial boundaries and adhere to the law of the respective countries.
3. The Police Officers in liaison with the local leaders should ensure that all residents in the island are registered to avoid infiltration by criminals.
4. To review the composition of either force on the island to include Marine Police.
5. That the maximum number of police officers to be deployed should not exceed 12 at any one time.
6. That the security officers as and when need arises, may evacuate the patients to the nearest health facilities in emergency cases.
7. That the Kenya Police add an organic weapon. I.e. one light machine gun commensurate to the weapons with the counterparts.
8. Optimal use of the existing frameworks like the border security committees and the Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) agreements.
9. The joint survey team should expedite the survey process and produce the required report.
Allegations contained in the intelligence report are conclusively investigate

Press Release of the Joint Commission: present status of the Dialogue for Peace in Mozambique (24.08.2016)

Joint Communique Mozambique Aug 2016

Press Release: Shri Randeep Singh Surjewala, Incharge Communications, AICC has issued the following statement to the press today (24.08.2016)

Scorpene Submarine Leaks Aug 2016 P1Scorpene Submarine Leaks Aug 2016 P2

Press Release – Vandalism: NNPC, Civil Defence pledge Greater Cooperation (24.08.2016)

Vandalism Nigeria 24.08.2016

Finance Minister Pravin Gordham Statement on Hawks investigation (24.08.2016)

Pravin Gordham Statement

South Sudan Opposition responds to John Kerry’s comments (Youtube-Clip)

“South Sudan’s main opposition party has been reacting to comments made by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on the crisis in the country. On one hand, the party has welcome Kerry saying a third force needs to be deployed to Juba to ensure peace. President Salva Kiir has been against that move. But on the other hand, the opposition party’s criticised Kerry’s decision not to push Riek Machar’s return to office. Kerry made the comments in Kenya following a meeting of East African foreign ministers” (CCTV Africa, 2016)