

SPLM-IO: Response to IGAD Special Envoy – Ismail Wais (19.01.2018)










Only 400,000 out of the 3.2 million severely food insecure people in Kasai received assistance in December.
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, January 18, 2018 – In a stark warning, three UN agencies – the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) – say time is running out to save hundreds of thousands of lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Farmers – who fled due to conflict – have missed three consecutive planting seasons. This has left people with almost nothing to eat. Food assistance is failing to fill the gap. Only 400,000 out of the 3.2 million severely food insecure people in Kasai received assistance in December. More than 750,000 are still displaced. Around 630,000 people have returned to their burned down villages after hiding in the forest, they must be helped to resume food production. Over ninety percent of rural communities depend entirely on agriculture.
“Agriculture is the only way to become productive again. Not only does it generate food and income for families, but it restores hope, dignity and self-reliance”, said Alexis Bonte, FAO Representative ad interim in the DRC.
The nutritional status of children is particularly critical. “At least 400,000 children under five have severe, acute malnutrition,” said UNICEF’s Acting Representative in the DRC, Tajudeen Oyewale. “They are likely to die unless they urgently receive health, water, sanitation and nutrition support. Longer-term food security must be restored and feeding and care practices improved so that children can have access to the adequate quality food they need.”
The UN and its partners are racing against time to feed the people of Kasai, fight malnutrition among its children and build resilience. But the odds are stacked against them: infrastructure is limited, security poor and the cash short.
“There are signs that donors are beginning to respond, but resources are woefully inadequate given to the scale of human suffering”, said WFP’s Country Director in DRC, Claude Jibidar. “The Congolese government and the international community must re-engage on all fronts to prevent a major famine in Kasai. Failure to do so, immediately and collectively, means many people will die.”

Food security needs have nearly doubled the fiveyear average, with an estimated 2,444,000 people in crisis and 866,000 in emergency.
MOGADISHU, Somalia, January 18, 2018 – The 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan for Somalia, which calls for $1.6 billion to protect the lives of 5.4 million Somalis, was launched today by the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Peter de Clercq.
In his remarks, De Clercq said: “Working together with the Somali authorities and with historical levels of support from the international community, I am proud that we averted a possible famine last year.
“Lasting solutions to drought, conflict and displacement remain, however, out of our reach, and much more must be done to eliminate the looming threat of famine in this country. We must tackle the humanitarian needs while simultaneously looking at longer-term solutions. If we do not continue to save lives and in parallel build resilience, then we have only delayed a famine, not prevented one,” warned de Clercq.
The 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is an extension of the 2017 famine prevention efforts. It prioritises immediate relief operations in areas with significant numbers of people living in Crisis and Emergency (IPC Phases 3 and 4). The HRP now also includes a strategy to address protection gaps, particularly during humanitarian crises and for those most vulnerable, such as the internally displaced, women and children.
2017 was one of the most challenging years for Somalia, with the country precariously close to famine after several failed rainy seasons. Hundreds of thousands of people were driven from their homes as a result of the drought and persistent conflict, resulting in unprecedented levels of displacement. Food security needs have nearly doubled the fiveyear average, with an estimated 2,444,000 people in crisis and 866,000 in emergency — that is, one step away from famine — throughout Somalia. The number of Somalis on the brink of famine has grown tenfold since this time last year. An estimated 1.2 million children are projected to be malnourished in 2018, 232,000 of whom will face life-threatening severe acute malnutrition.
To mitigate future crises, humanitarians are working with development partners and Somali authorities to address the underlying causes of recurring crises, including food insecurity and mass displacement, through the development of a Recovery and Resilience Framework informed by a Drought Impact Needs Assessment. “With important progress made on the political and governance fronts, Somalia is on a positive trajectory, despite ongoing crises. The country has more effective institutions than it has for decades. However, these gains are reversible and must be protected. With continued international support, we can break the cycle of recurrent crises that undermine the peacebuilding and State-building process in Somalia,” De Clercq concluded.

“The session started at 2:00pm and ended at 2:04pm, yes only 4 minutes! Members who are used to coming in after 2:10pm waltzed in long after plenary had ended. One is heard asking “What is going on here.. why did I even put on my suit?” (Sheila Nduhukire, 17.01.2018).
Yesterday was a weird day in the Parliament, the Parliament that has been filled to the brim during the Age Limit debacle and the strangers in the chambers. To a day of silence. Why it is so special is that the whole session with four Members of Parliament, 10 people in total and the Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah adjourning it quickly. Some speculated that it was suspension if it.
The Deputy Speaker came with the argument that everyone was busy with Budget Framework Papers for the Financial Year 2018/2019. Hon David Bahati laid forward the Certificate of Gender Equality compliance for the FY 2018/19. Clearly it wasn’t interesting since none of the Members of Parliament showed up.
No one cared and no one had anything to say about Gender Equality concerns for the next financial year. For the Minister Bahati must know that the value of his work and his paper was pointless. Therefore it was adjourned before even starting. This is a mockery of the Parliament and of the Plenary Session, that the MPs didn’t show-up and that the paper wasn’t discussed. That the Deputy Speaker started the Plenary, but it didn’t amount to anything.
That the Certificate has little value should know be well-known since it took 4 minutes to skate off and take it easy.
It cannot be seen as important, even reported only 4 MPs, total 10 people inside the Chamber as the Plenary was starting. 4 Minutes are to little to be professional and even get any business done. Usually you need longer time 4 minutes to get anything significant done. The MPs knows this, the Deputy Speaker knows this and the Finance Minister knows it too. All of the ones who was in the chamber yesterday, should laugh and wonder why they even where there.
Because this was a waste of space and time. Well, it made 4 minutes of joy for the journalists and also the political active wondering what really happen. Why the Deputy Speaker ordered this Plenary Session and why they did it on short notice. He knew and the MPs knew that the Commissions are working on the coming budget and the Framework Papers to be put forward for vote later in the year. Clearly Oulanyah should have known so.
4 minutes of a Plenary Session is just nonsense, we all know that. Oulanyah want to look smart and not take credit for the waste. Clearly, it was foolish, we all can see it. The Certificate on Gender Equality is not important. If it was it would be more than 4 MPs and taken more than 4 minutes to discuss what the text of the certificate was really about. Peace.

As the Burundian Government, the CNDD-FDD (The National Council for the Defense of Democracy–Forces for the Defense of Democracy), the ruling regime under President Pierre Nkurunziza are clearly gearing up for the Constitutional Change for securing a fourth term and also elections in 2020. Since he had a controlled election in 2015, that ushered in his official third term, which was questionable already. Therefore, creating insecurity and protest. That has led to refugees and to crisis, which is still until today. The Burundian government are really grasping everything and also stopping the any possible progress in the Inter-Burundian Dialogue, since it would mean that Nkurunziza had to step down. Something he is clearly not intending to do.
Today, on the 18th January 2018, the Ministry of Labor or “State Functions” has announced that every single state employee will be submitting their contribution through their salary from this month (January 2018), which will automatically be taken from their salary as a tax. The tax can be called “Contribution for 2020 Election”.
The Minister says this is their patriotic duty in a sense, that this can be seen as stoppage from the payment on the salary, since the Ministry of Labor is making this patriotic duty to secure funding for the coming election and changes of Constitution so that the President can run in 2020. This proves how messed up the Burundian government is. When the Minister for Labor Félix Mpozeriniga have announced this to all public servants, civil servants or government officials.
So we can officially know that Pierre Nkurunziza plans a fourth term, as his party and regime is even adding taxes on the state employees, through the stoppage in patriotic view, as the “Contribution for 2020 Election”, which this is and they are doing it because they know they will not be questioned or have anyone who discuss this internally.
The levy, the added tax and the stoppage is a proof of the plan and we can just await the days of a change of the constitution, so that the Nkurunziza government can continue to rule without any doubt. For the doubters that he would ever leave, should know question their own brilliant mind. Nkurunziza has no interest in stepping down. He will only leave if someone ends his life. Nkurunziza will keep this post until someone do a coup d’etat against him. Because he will change the laws and use the position until he stops breathing. Anything else, is a lie against the narrative he has already created.
That is why CNDD-FDD and Nkurunziza will pursuit anyway necessary to stay in power. This is yet another proof of that, not only interfering and controlling the Inter-Burundian Dialogue, so that the real opposition and the ones who is seen as enemies will be detained, assassinated or flee to exile. That is the state of affairs.
This is what Nkurunziza does and what he wants to continue by any means. Now adding extra taxes to make sure that happens. Peace.

