
Gabon: Minister de l’Eau et de l’Energie – Communique de Presse (16.02.2018)



I wonder if the Commission Electorale Nationale Independante (CENI) are preparing to rig the next election, as their voting register and the quickly rising numbers making it seems so. Since on the 13th February 2018, the total registered voters was 2.505.829 voters. This was numbers vouched by the CENI Ambassador Pierre Clavier Ndayicariye. But now the official numbers on the 15th February are now the registered voters risen to 4.105.481. This to prepare for the referendum that fixes the Constitution so that President Pierre Nkurunziza can continue to rule for his fourth term. Since he is already on his third term after the 2015 election. Therefore, the reasons for the crackdown and aggressive attacks on opposition ever since.
So even with the changes and rising amounts of voters, the extended registration is supposed to end today. That is why we shouldn’t expect anyone of the numbers previously mentioned to be the final. As the algorithms and the end-game isn’t ready fixed yet. That is why CENI has already worked to fix it and find their masses of functioning numbers to crunching correctly. Nothing else makes sense at this point. Why else come with such different numbers and make sure the process of registration takes longer time? If you didn’t plan to use the numbers in a manner that isn’t preparing to cook them.
To make it even worse there are open reports that the CNDD-FDD ruling party have called to “tie up” and “break the teeth” of the ones who are planning to vote “no” in the coming referendum. That referendum, which would give power to Nkurunziza until 2034. So, they are planning to continue their oppressive behavior and also oppress the public for one person and no-one else.
Also to get people to register themselves to the next elections, the Youth Militia of the Ruling Regime Inbonerakure has been used to spread fear and pick up people at the market. To make sure people are going, as much as the spreading of fear. There isn’t anything that Nkurunziza wouldn’t do to make sure he is ruling as long as he can. If he has to cheat and make the numbers sounding better for him. Why not do that? Because he does whatever else to stay in power? Taking down opposition, making them vanish or even becoming dust. Nothing has stopped him and nothing seems to be far fetched in his Presidency.
The CENI, CNDD-FDD and Inbonerakure are all ready to serve the President and bring enough power to the public. To make sure they are all falling in line, if not they will start suffering. That is the signal the Presidency and the Ruling regime do. Peace.

If you been blind or cut off your ears in the recent months and since 2016, you haven’t heard or seen anything in connection with how the Russians interfered in the United States Presidential Election of 2016, which was where the Republican Candidate Donald J. Trump won. He and his family, also his business has for years had Russian business interactions. Therefore, the knowledge of Russians would be there, they have even gone to the press for the years praising it. Not after the elections and during the campaigns… However, they have done it until right before the Trump did the final decision to run as Republican. The Republican’s and the President, the White House has done whatever they can to play the Russian Probe down, while firing anyone they can whose investigating it. Therefore the sacking of FBI Director James Comey, Attorney General Sally Yates, Attorney General Preet Bharara and also appointed and fired Michael Flynn as the National Security Advisor.
So since this has happen, there been plea deals from George Papadopolous, Michael Flynn and now this week, which I will quote the partner of Paul Manafort, Richard Gates has made his deal with Special Counsel of Robert Mueller. Mueller has now put up the anti and proves again he has investigated slowly and gathered intelligence and evidence, that he can back-up before the takes it to the Court. He just dripping drops and small edges like in the past, but still proving the vindictive campaign by Russians in this elections. They smeared it and pulled strings through all sorts of operations. Therefore, that Trump is writing himself is stupid or ignorant, if not trying to wash his hands, while Mueller is getting more intelligence from his own camp, who are plea-deals to secure less sentences and not serve to much time in the end.
Like during this week, a Richard Pinedo, who pleaded guilty of identity frauds and using these fake identities. He sold these identities and their accounts to foreign interests. This sort of actions fits very well with another indictments against foreign entities and Russian individuals who we’re indicted this Friday. The 13 individuals and Companies used forged identities to mask their activity on Social Media. The Internet Research Agency LLC, Mediasintez LLC and Azimut LLC. These companies was fueled with funds, which isn’t disclosed, but fitting with other state interference reports out there.
An Estonian Report made earlier this month said this: “Russian cyber groups – examples include APT28 (Sofacy/Fancy Bear) associated with the military intelligence GRU, SNAKE (Turla) tied to the federal security service FSB, and APT29 (Cozy Bear/The Dukes) associated with the FSB and the foreign intelligence service SVR – play the key role in Russia’s influence operations toolbox. These are long-term Russian cyber operations with a clear direction based on Russia’s interests and objectives” (EFIS, P: 53, 2018).
So that the indictment of Mueller, fits the paradigm of the Estonian Intelligence Report. It is similar in efforts and events that transpired. Even the international boundaries, shows that the other foreign investigations into Russian activity proves their types of interference. What is unique in the 13 individuals indicted and the companies also. Is the way they used their funds and methods to push their agenda. That is what is important from this document. They we’re Russians who made up American Web Groups and Message, acted like United States Citizens, but that was pose online. Even in the indictment the individuals were directly in communication with associates connected Trump Campaign.
They were using their methods since 2013 in St. Petersburg, the Internet Research Agency used Twitter, Youtube, Facebook and Instagram to spread their messages and get connected with American people. They gathered intelligence and got visas to travel in states, which would be important prior to the elections. Where they found real people inside grass-root operations within the Texas based organization. To swing election in favor of Trump. They did with their digital mass media operation made groups like “Secured Border”, “Blacktivist”, “United Muslims of America”, “Army of Jesus”, “Heart of Texas” and “South United”. All of this was groups who got members on Facebook and played into narratives of religious activity, race issues or even patriotism in areas like Texas. While doing so, the organization bought dozens of ads and commercial content on Social Media, to spread their profound message to swing the elections, as well as make accounts on Twitter to appear as United States citizens and Groups. While doing so they used VPN to mask their IP address and their location of operation, to make sure their digital footprint wasn’t out of whack. So this was a sophisticated operations with many layers to secure the narrative of a better tomorrow with Trump and say that Hillary Clinton was the devil. In directly these fake persons from the organization also paid US residents to participate in Trump rallies and grass-root organizations in Florida, this also happen in New York and Pennsylvania.
So these crimes proving how detailed and how far they went to secure their support of one candidate. They tried to hide it and use forged identities, wire fraud and also fake ID’s. So this wasn’t a light heart that they went into it and they spend fortunes to change the narratives during the elections. It was done covertly and isn’t that unique. As the quote from Estonia proves. Combined with all the non-disclosed meetings and the associates who has met with Russians during and previous before the elections. Proves that Trump Campaign has a hard time to debunk it.
So with the indictments of the 13 individuals and 3 companies. Are proving that the Russian planned carefully and interfered with gathered intelligence. We can wonder if this was part of the “toolbox” as the Estonians are assessing it to be. Because their reports on the Cyber Activity and interference are similar, but the agencies are deliberately expelled to show their connections. Therefore, even if the indictment does explain where the funding of the Internet Research Agency, it still shows their activity and planned attacks on the citizens and electorate during campaigns. This was all made to make sure the public stood behind Trump and not Clinton. That without using WikiLeaks, DC Leaks or any other page that was supported by Russian hackers and fellow straw-men. Peace.
Reference:
Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service – ‘INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND ESTONIA – 2018’ (February 2018)




After yesterdays abrupt resignation of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and the release of several prominent political prisoners, as even more were released today. The thoughts that the State and the Ethiopian People’s Democratic Revolutionary Force (EPRDF) and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) would counter the demonstrations with draconian laws seemed a bit foolish. This after three days of shutdown and off open in the streets demonstrations. Still, the TPLF, was already in the inner-works working on changes and making sure they can continue to muster force against dissidents.
That is why earlier today, this was reported:
“The Tigray Central Committee has today announced a 43rd anniversary of the Battle of the Tigers. As a result of the weakness of the declaration of the TPLF leadership, we will renew our commitment to create a state of complete restoration of the problems and inconvenience of the people of the region. In a letter to a sister organization, he said: “We must jointly condemn enemy attacks on our organization and our country with the sole purpose of resolving the problem.” In a message sent to Ethiopians, the current wave of destruction against our people and our people will be eliminated in the EPRDF Rule” (Addis Gazetta, 16.02.2018).
So for the ones saying it was possible for a State of Emergency being reissued seemed likely after the TCC, as they wanted to send a message. Which would be stronger to take away again all sorts of ordinary activity, stop meetings and demonstrations, stop funerals and close shops. Because that is what the previous State of Emergency did to the public. They stopped people in roadblocks and made check-points, militarized Amhara and Oromia region. Clearly, the Tigray plans to do that again. Even as the demonstrations and the people are tired of being muffled with.
There it is with sadness, the Ethiopian Broadcasting Company (EBC) said this:
“The state broadcaster said the Council declared the #StateofEmergency because it has become impossible to control violence including ethnic-related and lawlessness that is spreading wide throughout the country in various forms. But nothing is mentioned how for long” (Addis Standard, 16.02.2018).
Clearly, they are thinking of the actions done by the citizens in Oromo and Amhara, where the people have seen their relatives die on the streets or being detained in the thousands. This has been done on a scale that was insane during the previous State of Emergency. Proves that another one isn’t to create peace or genuine leadership. Its just for the TPLF to continue to control.
The State Controlled Media House Fana Broadcasting Company said this:
“Addis Ababa, February 16, 2018 (FBC) –The Council of Ministers has declared a state of emergency effective from Friday, 16 February 2018 by adopting the decree providing for the emergency ruling. The Council of Ministers said the emergency rule is aimed at protecting the constitution and constitutional order, as well as ensuring security and stability of the country. Protecting freedom of movement and the rights of citizens to live wherever they choose as well as build assets, are also among the motives for the ruling. The Council in its press briefing noted that the violence that have been going on in some areas are undermining the security and stability of the country as well as the value of the people that promote peaceful coexistence. The violent activities have also led to ethnic based attacks which led to the displacement, death and injury of people, damage on property, and hindered investment. These violent activities are hurting the economy and put the peaceful and free movement of citizens under question. The Council said it is important to adopt the decree, as the public has requested the government for protection and the dangerous activities have continued to expand and extend in time” (Fana BC – ‘Ethiopia Declares State of Emergency’ 16.02.2018).
So the FANA is using the same rhetoric as the Tigray, the seemingly problematic affairs of the demonstrations, as they are blocking key roads and also shutting down business. This is hurting the economy and the life-line of the regime. That is why the definitions of them are practically the same. The TPLF and EPRDF thinks they can subdue and silence them through force, by either detaining even more now or use the military like last time. Occupy and destroy in 2018, like they did in parts of 2016 and 2017. It is not like they have stopped killing and not stopped arresting civilians who demonstrate against them. That is why there are numbers up to about 20,000 political prisoners from the previous State of Emergency. That is common folk and not the prestigious ones, which has been released during this week.
If you didn’t know, but now you do, as they proven time and time again. That the Tigray deserves more and has more say than the rest. There was even sources saying that this the parties of Oromo Peoples’ Democratic Organization (OPDO) and the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM), who are members of the EPRDF. Where against the move of State of Emergency, not that it mattered. The TPLF had the final say and they we’re terrified of the surge of demonstrations and possible blockades of Addis Ababa. They cannot manage the possible resistance and movements on the rise, who are not fearing the Central Government, but actually and openly standing against it.
So if the EPRDF and TPLF are wise, they would do it differently, try another approach and actually listen to the grievances and actually patch the wounds. Instead they are pouring more salt in the wounds and hoping the citizens will give in. They are actually doing an unnecessary move and will trigger more of the dissidents to act upon the unwillingness of the state. It is like it cannot learn and understand the efforts being made to matter and to get their voice heard. Addis Ababa has acted provincial for so long and acted with colonization of the regions. That is why they are tired of being muffled with.
Now they have seen that the demonstrations has resulted in getting their leaders back. Their voices too, that is why the State should reconcile, not go back to the barricades; however that seems like the only thing they know how to do. Peace.






Assessments showed that 3.2 million people, a quarter of the region’s population of mostly subsistence farmers, were desperately short of Food.
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, February 16, 2018 -In the face of escalating violence, daunting logistical challenges and insufficient funding, the United Nations World Food Programme is energizing two key elements of its emergency operation to prevent famine in war-ravaged Kasai: cash distributions to the most vulnerable and specialist support to check acute malnutrition in women and young children.
Since the launch last week of the cash initiative – a cost-efficient alternative to in-kind support that allows beneficiaries to buy what they want in recovering local markets – 38,000 people have received the equivalent of US$15 each for a month, enough to meet their basic food needs. The intention is to more than double that reach in the coming weeks.
Recent airlifts from France of Plumpy’Sup, a micronutrient-rich ready-to-use supplementary food, have enabled a significant scale-up of WFP’s nutrition interventions in Kasai: 56,000 malnourished children treated in January, up from 21,000 in the final quarter of last year. The number is to grow by 20,000 a month, to 140,000 in June.
“The nutrition and cash programmes are life-saving, and must quickly expand”, said Claude Jibidar, WFP’s Representative in DRC. “We’re not doing nearly as much as we could in Kasai because the obstacles are huge. But unless we collectively rise to the challenges, many more people, including the weakest women and children, will die”.
WFP launched its assistance programme following the eruption of brutal political and ethnic violence in mid-2016 that claimed countless lives, razed entire villages and forced hundreds of thousands of families from their homes. Assessments showed that 3.2 million people, a quarter of the region’s population of mostly subsistence farmers, were desperately short of food.
Without a prior presence in Kasai, between September and December last year WFP achieved a tenfold increase in the number of people receiving food rations, to 400,000. But lagging donations forced a heavy reliance on scarce internal funds, and a halving of those rations – of cereal, beans, vegetable oil and salt – in November.
Continued funding constraints, an upsurge in fighting between pro- and anti-government forces and a rapid, rainy season deterioration of the already poor road network saw the number receiving half-rations drop to 130,000 in January.
“That reversal has to be corrected, and quickly”, said Jibidar. “We’ve shown we have capacity to deliver, but to reach sufficient scale we need the fighting to stop and donors to step up”.
Limited funding is also a major challenge in the eastern DRC provinces of Tanganyika and South Kivu, where WFP is scaling up to meet the needs of growing conflict-displaced populations as part of a broad push by UN agencies and NGOs.




There is expected to be conflicting views and different ones, since there are many people and groups who feels left out. That is especially expected since the total control of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Defence Force (EPRDF) are well-known. So the Central Government and the Addis Ababa has used all sort of tricks of oppression against the Oromo and Amhara regions. This has been done during the years of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, that is well-known, not that he had the power or be the mouthpiece of the oppression. So we can expect that the next few days and weeks will be rocky. There is talk by Addis Standard that there is a new order of State of Emergency in the works. Last time it created curfew and stopped most of all movement in the regions. It was a real draconian law in 2016 and it really showed the levels of oppression possible, as the arrests and detaining of opposition persisted. Even as several high-ranking individuals are released, there are still thousands of political prisoners who are kept by the government.
Therefore, these ideas that are out from Tigrai and Jawar, are important. Take a look.
The idea of TPLF:
“The federal government keeps doing the same thing, putting out fire following the ruinous movements. The government never took any proactive actions to prevent these devastating actions from happening. When the state of emergency was in place the country was becoming peaceful, then the government lifted the state of emergency prematurely and we are back to square one. If the government is serious about maintaining peace and security in Ethiopia, they should reinstate the state of emergency throughout the country for three years. Meanwhile they should work to address all the issues raised by citizens and implement the so called deep renewal ideas announced after the meeting” (Tigrai Online, 2018).
The President’s view:
“Short-note on Roadmap for Transition in Ethiopia
– Appoint Lemma Megersa Chairman of EPRDF and ( acting) PM immediately – Lemma should start immediately, I mean within days, negotiation with opposition groups i to establish agreeable roadmap and timetable towards election. While negotiation could take place behind close doors, regular updates should be given to public to boost moral and avoid further bloodshed. The roadmap and time table should include ways of bringing about national reconciliation and developing rules of the game for free, fair and competitive election. In this process avoid dealing with the usual fake opposition, religious and cultural leaders. Work with real and independent leaders with authentic support in their constituency. This negotiation and roadmap paving should be done alongside taking positive action that builds public confidence on seriousness of the process such us releasing all political prisoners. – This crisis presents with great opportunity and greater danger. While maintaining pressure on the regime every one of us in the public should exercise maximum constraint in our approach not to blow this thing up” (Jawar Mohammed, 15.02.2018).
I will say that Tigrai seems like a defense and apologetic for the dictatorship. They are more thinking of their values, than seeing the suffering of the regions they are occupying. That is an occupation when you send in the army and Aghazi squad to assassinate demonstrators and also try to kill the demonstrations. They haven’t been able to it, when the Oromo and Amhara opposition groups has gone together to silence their regions and put up roadblocks. That has hurt the economy and also been able to block the delivery of produce and products to Addis Ababa and Tigray.
Therefore, the Tigray page is really in defense mode, while Jawar who is the President. Shows more character and wish for change. The vitality of if the EPRDF and TPLF are putting forward a puppet Prime Minister and also a State of Emergency. Expect nationwide demonstrations. Expect that the people will access it as final blow to their acts impunity and injustice towards them.
The TPLF and EPRDF are really showing their blatant misunderstanding of the people, if they are trying to force themselves again. Like they did with the previous State of Emergency. If you think that will make it better, meaning that you are earning fortunes on the state paranoia and the total control of the public. The government who owns the people and they just have to submit to the orders of the state. That is how the Ethiopian government and Central Regime has acted for ages. Therefore, people has grown tired of that and the little group owning it all.
Let it be known, that it matters that Bekele Gerba and all the other big names who was freed this week after years in prison after fraudulent charges made by the state. That Jawar speaks of Lemma Mergesha can be different look, but will it be enough? I don’t know, but there been also speculated about Demeke Mekonnen Hassen and Michael-Gerbe Debretson, especially Demeke that he could be the next PM. That is since he is the Deputy today and if the TPLF would pick him. Then its a sign of another stooge, another mouthpiece and not strong leader to embrace all parts of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
I am not sure, but if the TPLF and EPRDF are putting forward a State of Emergency and appointing a puppet. Know that the shutdowns, the demonstrations will escalate and re-arresting the big-names will fire the people more up. Jawar and Gerba will ignite the Oromia even more, the Amhara will be a blaze. The Tigray will regret doing it, since they will shoot themselves in the foot. Instead of trying to fix the troubles they have created and the lingering injustice they have made.
The state can act wise, but also foolish. Their next move will be revealing. If they will listen to the minds of Jawar and try to reconcile… if they listen to Tigray, the state and the TPLF will loose it all. So we have to see if they are trying to go draconian or if they will try to give way for the demonstrators and actually listening to the people. Peace.
Reference:
Tigrai Online – ‘EPRDF has no choice but to declare state of emergency in Ethiopia’ (14.02.2018) link: http://www.tigraionline.com/articles/ethiopia-going-downhill.html