Bachelet welcomes release of hundreds of political actors in Cameroon (08.10.2019)

The President had ordered the release of 333 persons arrested in the context of the conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions.

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 8, 2019 – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday welcomed the release of hundreds of political actors in Cameroon, among them opposition leader Maurice Kamto.

On 4 October, President Paul Biya announced the release of Kamto and more than a hundred of others detained in relation to the recent electoral process. The day before, the President had ordered the release of 333 persons arrested in the context of the conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions. Prosecutors were instructed to drop charges against them.

“I hope that this decision taken by the Government opens the door to longer-term constructive dialogue that enables Cameroon to tackle the root causes and underlying grievances of significant elements of the population, who have been feeling excluded,” the UN Human Rights Chief said.

“I am very pleased to see that President Biya is acting on his commitment to look for solutions to the problems that have beset Cameroon in recent years,” Bachelet said. “During my visit to Yaoundé in May this year, we discussed the way forward to overcome the various human rights problems in the country, and we agreed that national dialogue and reconciliation were essential.”

The decision to release the political actors, reached in the context of a National Dialogue that took place last week, could contribute to political reconciliation, as well as creating a more inclusive environment for socio-economic development.

She also urged opposition parties and militant groups to join the authorities in its efforts towards reconciliation, and reiterated her Office’s willingness and availability to continue providing support to Cameroon.

“Cameroon has an opportunity to leave behind years of conflict and confrontation and enter a new era of peace and prosperity, where human rights are respected and protected, and we will do everything in our power to help make that become a reality,” she said. “There will, no doubt, be many difficulties along the road, but if the will to find solutions remains strong, and if the Government abides by its commitments, the country as a whole could and should benefit substantially.”

UNHCR aids thousands of Congolese refugees returning home from Angola (08.10.2019)

UNHCR is providing returnees with transport, as well as cash assistance to help them reintegrate.

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 8, 2019 – This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Charlie Yaxley – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Thousands of Congolese refugees are returning from Angola to the Kasai region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where fighting amongst armed groups has lessened and security conditions have improved.

The first group of a few hundred people will return as part of a voluntary repatriation, which will officially being this week, following the signing on 23 August of a tripartite agreement between UNHCR and the Governments of Angola and DRC on voluntary returns.

In total, more than 4,000 refugees are expected to be assisted to return home in the coming weeks. UNHCR is providing returnees with transport, as well as cash assistance to help them reintegrate.

Meanwhile, since 18 August, some 12,000 Congolese refugees, including nearly 7,000 children, have spontaneously returned home from the Lovua settlement in Angola’s Lunda Norte province. UNHCR is grateful to the Angolan authorities for swiftly providing the returnees with trucks to assist them with their journey back to DRC.

Many of those returning spontaneously are facing extremely challenging living conditions. UNHCR is providing them with cash assistance, as well as humanitarian aid together with provincial authorities and NGO partners, at the border town of Kalamba Mbuji, where UNHCR has set up an emergency transit centre.

Similar assistance is also being provided to returnees who have reached Kananga, the capital of Kasai Central province.

Although fighting amongst armed groups has calmed, some refugees are still uncertain about the condition in which they will find their homes. Some are unwilling to return to their homes and are moving elsewhere, as they fear a return of inter-ethnic violence.

Public infrastructure, such as schools and health centers, have been badly damaged during multiple periods of fighting and are yet to be repaired. Existing facilities lack the capacity to meet all of the needs of returnees.

UNHCR continues to support the Government of DRC’s efforts to provide and restore basic services, and to promote social cohesion and reintegration efforts. UNHCR, through our partner War Child UK, is also conducting protection monitoring in Kananga and surrounding areas to identify and profile protection concerns, and ensure adequate responses.

However, massive financial support is needed from the international community, to humanitarian organisations and to the Government of DRC, to create sustainable conditions for returnees.

Current levels of funding are far below the amount needed to allow for a major rebuilding programme. For 2019, UNHCR has received just 57 per cent of US$150 million needed to help people affected by the DRC crisis.

Burundi: OLUCOME – Communique de Presse No. 10 – Consequence de la Crise Politique au Burundi et a l’East African Community (EAC) – (08.10.2019)

Ghana: Police Public Affairs – News Release (07.10.2019)

University Students’ Association of Ghana – USAG: Police Brutality on Law Students (07.10.2019)

Rwanda: RMC’s position regarding Mr. Gregg Schoof Press Statement (08.10.2019)

Opinion: The inventor of the Presidential Handshake is incorruptible, apparently?

Do not be corrupt. Do not agree to take a bribe. I have never taken or accepted a bribe from anyone”Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the National Prayer Breakfast (08.10.2019).

The man that has been known for having international investors at his state house before accepting the deals. The man whose accepted the Presidential Handshake as a pay-off for his civil servants. The President who was entangled together with his Foreign Minister in bribe and money laundering scheme landing the Chinese National Patrick Ho, 3 years in prison in the United States.

Suddenly, his a blessed man, whose never been bribed or accepted bribes. I have a hard time believing that. As all micro-managed infrastructure deals, all sorts of agreements are done with him in the picture. He decides if a developer, if a contractor gets their way. The President is connected and somewhere will get a kick-back. To think otherwise is naive.

That President Museveni thinks people are this stupid in the year of 2019. Is very special, it is unique and deliberate lying. A commandment that isn’t important to him, neither is the one about thieving either. Both of them has been done steady in years in office.

Maybe, the NRM and the President should look into their own cadres, should look into the High Command and the National Executive Committee. To see whose is who. This man cannot consider being serious or meaning the words coming out his mouth. Before looking at how he came out of poverty in the bush-war to be one of the richest on the continent three decades later. This being done, while having a don-ditto salary as President, but still eating more than plenty ministries every budget year.

Well, to say it easy this is non-sense. Wonderful and colourful words, which is common-sense. However, his actions over the years combined with the open knowledge. Make it sounds like the wrong person said it. That is it.

Mr. President maybe not accept handshakes, inside-deals and whatnot on your clock. Because, we know they do. Peace.

WHO Director-General reconvenes International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (07.10.2019)

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 July.

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 7, 2019 – WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has reconvened an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 on Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 July following the fourth meeting of the Emergency Committee. The first meeting took place on 17 October 2018.

The Committee will meet for a fifth time on 10 October 2019, in Geneva from 12-5 pm CEST, to ascertain whether the ongoing outbreak still constitutes a public health emergency of international concern and to review the temporary recommendations that are in place to manage the outbreak.

The Committee’s advice will be made public on WHO’s website and via a press conference (details below).

Background on the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Eastern DRC

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is grappling with the world’s second largest Ebola epidemic on record, with more than 2000 lives lost and 1000 survivors among the 3000 confirmed infections. The outbreak was declared on 1 August 2018, and has affected North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces. WHO and partners have been supporting national officials responding to the outbreak since it was first declared. WHO has more than 650 staff on the ground.

Neighbouring countries are taking steps to mitigate the risk of spread.

Sources of information:

• Ebola outbreak: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/ebola/drc-2019
• Media resources: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/ebola/drc-2019/media-resources
• Emergency Committee: https://www.who.int/ihr/procedures/ihr_committees/en/

WHAT: Virtual press conference (VPC) for journalists. An audio file of the press conference will be distributed to journalists shortly after the conference ends.

WHEN:  10 October, 2019 at 19:00 GENEVA time

WHERE: Geneva-based, UN-accredited journalists may attend the press conference in person at WHO headquarters in Geneva.

All journalists may dial in (see dial-in information below).

How to access the Virtual Press Conference – 10 October 2019

Please try to call in at least 10 minutes before the conference begins in order to be registered correctly. From the list below, please use the number closest to you. If you have problems with a number, try the toll number from a neighbouring country or call Switzerland: +41445806522, or France +33170709502, or the United States +18774230830

You can also use a VoIP programme such as Skype to call the US toll-free: +18774230830

On connecting, type PIN code: 63504156# on your telephone keypad and then record your name and media outlet (speaking clearly and slowly) and then press again the # key. Please note, only participants who have clearly identified themselves and their media outlet will be able to ask questions.

To ask a question during the question and answer session, registered participants should type 01 on their telephone keypad, this will place you in the queue to ask questions.

FDU-Ikingi – Rwanda: Nous denoncons les assassinats qui ont eu lieu a Kingi et Burera, dans la Province du Nord (05.10.2019)

Opinion: Trump’s IRS Tax Returns still shelved, but how many more steps till they are released?

It is amazing that we are in October 2019, three years in the Presidency of Donald J. Trump and this is still a recurring thing. The thing is that there are investigations going on, in association with the Trump Organization in the state of New York. Which the Attorney General for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) have subpoenaed the Marzars USA Limited, the accounting firm for the Trump Organization.

Today, the United States District Judge Victor Marreno dismissed the claim of uniqueness and said the SDNY Attorney General could get 8 years of IRS Tax Returns concerning Trump and his business. However, his team has since then filed an new briefing order and therefore ended up with an “stay order”. Where the case will be filed and will get new scheduled dates, as the subpoena is still not valid. Even if it was one once in the system.

This is really what the President is doing. Mr. Transparency, Mr I am not Corrupt. Mr. I am a stable genius. Sorry, brother, the filing of the judge was reasonable in his judgement. That no President preside over the law and that a president can be investigated. Just like Bill Clinton could be investigated, and Richard Nixon. Both of them was subpoenaed and had to deliver documentation of their impeachment hearings and so-on.

Still, Trump thinks his above that. Richard Nixon even stated: “He concedes that he, like every other citizen, is under a legal duty to produce relevant, non-privileged evidence when called upon to do so”. So, when one crooked President like Nixon could do it. Than, the current one should have the ability to do it also. Especially, since this is the tax-returns. This is not some nuclear codes, some sensitive secret protocol only seen by a few mystique people at area 51 in 1960s before Project Manhattan. No, this is the documentation that assess the financial structure and the possible assets, which the state and federal authorities are taxing President Trump. This isn’t an document of science-fiction nor Scientology. Therefore, the man should be able to release it. That is if, if he has nothing to cover. But by the day, it seems more and more likely his covering a lot.

We have been waiting for the IRS Tax Returns of this man since before he was the Republican Party Nominee and before he was sworn-in President. The candidates in that race put it out and got the scrutiny. The looked through and found investments, estates and questionable enterprises, if there was any. But the President and the one in-charge now. Has kept this to his chest.

First off, his must be really poor. Not only morally, but out of pocket. His bankrupt. That is why his spending all the days of his Presidency or most part of it, on his estates boosting his business. If not using foreign assets and foreign diplomacy to further his business with trademarks and opportunities while being in office. This doesn’t seem to be a business booming, when it has to this way.

Secondly, when he needed again to postpone it and stop the ruling today. It just shows, that his stalling out of time and hoping for another verdict in another court. In that regard, the judge today put it brilliantly: “A synthesis of Burr, Nixon, Fitzgerald, and Clinton suggest that the Supreme Court would reject interpretation and application of presidential powers and functions that would “sustain an absolute, unqualified Presidential privilege of immunity from judicial process under all circumstances”.

We know that Trump and his team thinks they are above the law. Even there is no specification or stipulation, or even a code, which says so. Therefore, what has been done today. Is just another injunction in the road of releasing it, eventually.

This just shows again. That his hiding something. If not, he would have released before even running for President. Apparently, there is a lot of skeletons in the closet and he don’t want those bogeymen to hit the streets. Peace.