Ethiopia Media Authority: Press Release on the Addis Standard (21.07.2021)

Mali: Cour d’Appel de Bamako – Tribunal de Grande Instance de la Commune II du District de Bamako – Communique (21.07.2021)

Ethiopia: The TDF is targeting the main cargo route [A1/RN1] from Djibouti to Addis Ababa

Taken from Google Map – Made the transport route Addis Ababa – Semera – Djibouti

Djibouti’s port handles 95% of inbound and outbound trade from Ethiopia, earning more than $1 billion in port fees per year from Ethiopia alone. This makes Djibouti the dominant port service provider in the HoA and a major player in the Red Sea” (Guled Ahmed – ‘Djibouti needs a Plan B for the post-Guelleh era’ 20.07.2021, Middle East Institute).

There been reported earlier this week that the Tigray Defence Force went into both Amhara region and Afar region. This is happening as the Federal Government have redeployed their forces and using Regional Special Forces (RSF) to continue the conflict in the Tigray Regional State.

What is striking here is that the TDF are doing this to do the same as the state does to the Tigray region. The Federal Government and all its allies have had months upon months with blocking the roads, jamming phone-lines and an electricity black-out. Meaning, the utilities and basic necessities have been blocked, as well as stopping the agricultural sectors ability to sow the fields. The state has deliberately ensured a man-made famine, prolonging the agony and blocked anything from entering the Tigray Region.

That’s why today’s new strategy is bold, while also going at the heart of Addis Ababa government. A government who has used all means to destroy, loot and massacre civilians in Tigray region. The TDF is directly going at the cargo-line of the Federal Republic. Most imported goods passes this route and that has been reported by other organizations during the recent years.

The UNCTAD Report of 2018 states this:

The Djibouti City – Addis Ababa The main trunk road — meaning the road that has the most traffic — between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Djibouti City passes through the Ethiopian towns of Awash and Mille, crosses the border at Galafi, joins the route nationale 1 (RN1) in Djibouti, passes through Yoboki, continues just north of Ali-Sabieh, and then enters Djibouti City. The route is shown in 2.1. This section of the Djibouti-Ethiopia road corridor carries about 1,000 trucks per day, mostly six-axle truck/trailer combinations, with those carrying wet bulk — mainly fuel tankers — comprising about 35 per cent of the heavy goods traffic and the remaining 65 per cent consisting of dry bulk and container trucks” (UNCTAD/ALDC/2018/6 – ‘The Djibouti City – Addis Ababa Transit and Transport Corridor: Turning Diagnostics into Action’ 2018).

So, if the TDF blocks this route then they are stopping the direct imports and exports to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. This is an act to do the same as the state has done for months in Tigray region. That is retaliating with the same means, which the Prosperity Party and all its allies has done for so many months now. Yes, this is hurting the middle-men, the innocent civilians and everyone participating in trading. However, that has been for so long and made things much worse in the Tigray region. So the TDF is initially doing what the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) , Amhara allies (Regional Special Forces and “Fano”) and Eritrean Defence Force (EDF).

This is a strategic move and a bold one as well. They are not only going into places where the redeployed Special Regional Forces are stationed in Afar Region. They are also going to the A1/RN1 route. The TDF will block and stop hauliers, container trucks and others to pass. This will ensure a stoppage of goods and ordinary business. They can clearly hurt the Federal Government this way. As the trading would cease and they would struggle to operate.

If the TDF is able to pull this off. They are hurting the pockets of the government and directly stopping business. Cargo-trading will be hurt and it will take time for Ethiopian businesses/traders to switch to other ports. That will delay the exports or imports… This will be interesting, but the TDF is moving forward and gaining territory in Afar region as we speak. So, this will be followed. Peace.

Tanzania: The crackdown on the opposition continues(!)

The new President Samia Suluhu and the ruling regime under Chama Cha Mapundzi (CCM) is continuing using the authorities against the opposition parties and their leaders. This is just days after the report of 300 Bavisha (CHADEMA Youth Council) members was arrested with their interim leader at a hotel. They were planning to hold a political symposium and that was clearly a crime in the United Republic.

Today, the authorities are going for the main party leadership of CHADEMA. Again is Freeman Mbowe and 10 other leaders arrested for having a Political Forum on Constitutional Changes . This is also clearly a crime and punishable by the state.

So, now the BAVISHA and CHADEMA has been directed targeted…. This is not shocking, but a continued spiral of the one-party state and its moves to crackdown on the opposition. The laws under former President Magufuli made it even worse for anyone to organize, run a party or have the ability to politically operate as an opposition. That space and those laws has been helpful for the current President.

She is using the same means and there is no end. The CCM wants to be known for arresting and silencing its detractors. The dissidents and the ones who dares to question the regime is quickly in trouble. If it is free and fair reporting, trolling online or just political activism. All of that can easily send you too the slammer.

Now, the CHADEMA and BAVISHA been directly targeted and gotten huge arrests. Which just shows that the CCM is the CCM, no matter who is the Head of State. Peace.

Cameroun: Parti Camerounais pour la Reconciliation Nationale (PCRN) – Communique Officiel (20.07.2021)

Trinidad and Tobago: Office of the Prime Minister – Statement in Response to the Opposition Leader (20.07.2021)

India: Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 243 – Acute Shortage of Oxygen during Second Wave of Pandemic (20.07.2021)

Domestic Violence, Forced Marriage, Have Risen in Sudan: UN-Backed Study (20.07.2021)

Deteriorating economic conditions since 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic have fuelled an increase in domestic violence and forced marriage in Sudan, a UN-backed study has revealed.

NEW YORK, United States of America, July 20, 2021 – Voices from Sudan 2020, published this week, is the first-ever nationwide qualitative assessment of gender-based violence (GBV) in the country, where a transitional government is now in its second year.

Addressing the issue is a critical priority, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Government’s Combating Violence against Women Unit (CVAW), co-authors of the report.

“The current context of increased openness by the Government of Sudan, and dynamism by civil society, opens opportunities for significant gains in advancing women’s safety and rights,” they said.

Physical violence at home 

The report aims to complement existing methods of gathering data and analysis by ensuring that the views, experiences and priorities of women and girls, are understood and addressed.

Researchers found that communities perceive domestic and sexual violence as the most common GBV issues.

Key concerns include physical violence in the home, committed by husbands against wives, and by brothers against sisters, as well as movement restrictions which women and girls have been subjected to.

Another concern is sexual violence, especially against women working in informal jobs, but also refugee and displaced women when moving outside camps, people with disabilities, and children in Qur’anic schools.

Pressure to comply

Forced marriage is also “prominent”, according to the report. Most of these unions are arranged between members of the same tribe, or relatives, without the girl’s consent or knowledge.

Meanwhile, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) remains widespread in Sudan, with varying differences based on geographic location and tribal affiliation.  Although knowledge about the illegality and harmfulness of the practice has reached community level, child marriage and FGM are not perceived as key concerns.

Women’s access to resources is also severely restricted.  Men control financial resources, and boys are favoured for access to opportunities, especially education. Verbal and psychological pressure to comply with existing gender norms and roles is widespread, leading in some cases to suicide.

The deteriorating economic situation since 2020, and COVID-19, have increased violence, especially domestic violence and forced marriage, the report said. Harassment in queues for essential supplies such as bread and fuel has also been reported.

Data dramatically lacking 

Sudan continues to move along a path to democracy following the April 2019 overthrow of President Omar Al-Bashir who had been in power for 30 years.

Openly discussing GBV “has not been possible for the last three decades”, according to the report.

“GBV data is dramatically lacking, with no nation-wide assessment done for the past 30 years, and a general lack of availability of qualitative and quantitative data,” the authors said.

To carry out the assessment, some 215 focus group discussions were held with communities: 21 with GBV experts, as well as a review of existing studies and assessments.

Research was conducted between August and November 2020, encompassing 60 locations and camps, and the data was scanned through a software for qualitative analysis, followed a model first used in Syria.

Ethiopia: In Amhara region civil servants are now getting military training

It has been known for months that the Amhara Regional State has been directly involved in the Tigray conflict. The Amhara Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) have today reported that in the Amhara region and in the East Gojjam Zone, Shebel Berenta Woreda the military training of civil servants has begun.

The ABC reports about the military training of civil servants here. However, don’t be shocked if this happens elsewhere in the Regional State. As the Amhara Regional State have used all means into the conflict. The Amhara have deployed their Special Forces and allowed a Para-Military Group “Fano” to be vital parts of the war-effort in Tigray region.

Therefore, this is a further escalation, but also showing no signs of stopping. As state employees and government workers are targeted for “recruitment” and going through military training. The report specified 15 consecutive days, which isn’t much of training, but the purpose is clear.

They are preparing everyone and even making military exercises with civil servants in Amhara region. This isn’t the act of government in peace and who works for law and order. No, this a warlord economics and planning.

The Amhara region is preparing more of its citizens for battle and the front. They are doing this to the ones who runs the Regional State. That says a lot. The bureaucrats and the clerks of the Regional State is now getting military training and equipment.

This is sadly no joke, but a worrying sign. As everyone is getting deployed and no boundaries in the conflict. That nobody stopped this and questioned this. Says a lot about the current state of affairs and to what extent the Amhara Regional State is willing to go. As they are now even possibly arming, but they are reported giving military training to civil servants. Peace.