Sudan: Hamdok has nowhere to go…

There is reports that Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok is resigning after signing the 21st November 2021 Political (Declaration) Agreement with the Transitional Military Council leaders and Army Commanders, accepting the terms of the army commanders and their second coup d’etat of these gentlemen. When Hamdok did that, he traded his legitimacy and his standing in the general public. As he became a puppet of the army and not a technocrat representing the stakeholders of the civilian organizations or the ones organizing the revolution.

Hamdok is now reported to be resigning. This is a mere weeks into his new agreement and partnership with the Al-Burhan and Hemeti controlled council. A council which is filled with people who aligned with the army and their interests. A Sovereign Council, which has lost it’s edge or trust within the people, as the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) and Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) isn’t a part of. Therefore, the PM sold himself short being instated this quickly after the second coup of 25th October 2021.

It is hard to believe anything from Hamdok now. He became the puppet and the friendly face of the army commanders who runs the show. Hamdok has no leverage or nothing to counter towards them. With the return of Hamdok, the Sudanese transitional government would hope they had someone who seemed reasonable and legit to the international community. As the technocrat is more of a statesman than Al-Burhan or Hemeti ever will be. A nice figure-head and a voice of the government. However, he would have no power and the agreement is only for show purposes.

The army commanders has no reasons to budge or give way. Hamdok should know this. If he rebels or even would stand-up to these gentlemen. He would easily be house-arrested or drink tea with Al-Burhan in his guest-house again. Like he did after the second d’etat. It is hard to believe the army commanders really wants or needs a man like Hamdok. His just for show purposes. It is not like they will let him reform or follow the will of the revolution. If they did follow these ideals and such, the previous agreements and declarations would have been followed. Alas, there is no signs of becoming or having a civilian government in the Republic. Because, that means the army commanders would have to step-down and give power to civilians to reign over them. Which isn’t seeming likely by the day.

No matter how strong, how resilient or on the barricades the Sudanese people are. The Al-Burhan and Hemeti has no issues creating more martyrs, bloodshed and suffering on their own people. As long as they rule supreme and the civilians are beneath them. That’s how things seems and Hamdok just have a role a play.

What is striking now… if Hamdok resigns it is not like the FFC will take him into open arms. Neither will any of the rebel-groups who signed off on the new Sovereign Council. There will be no love lost between him or the SPA. So, the FFC and SPA will not be favourable to a man that betrayed the cause and tried to silence the will of the people. He tried to undermine the revolution and become the man himself, which clearly haven’t worked. As it wasn’t intended for him to be someone in the first place. He was just a puppet and he couldn’t figure that earlier…

Hamdok has signed and sealed his faith by going into the agreement with the army commanders. There is no return for this man. He betrayed the cause and the revolution. The people and the ones on the streets of Sudan will not forgive him for that. As the ones in power continue to injure, hurt and kill civilians demonstrating for their rights. Alas, his one of them and that will forever be part of legacy.

There will be no tears shed when he resigns. Yes, the devil you don’t know is maybe worse than the current devil you do know. However, whoever taking this role will only play the facade and for the banquets. The man who meets and greets, be the friendly face of the rulers. He will not be a respected man or a face of promise or hope. That is long gone. Neither will never return with Hamdok. That ship has sailed and he did it all by himself.

No matter if he resigns or not. There is no way he can return into good favours now. He sold out and that’s the price he has to pay. There is no atonement or road to redemption. There been to many lives taken and life touched by the people he associated himself with. Peace.

2021: The albums I have enjoyed this year

Last year I was able to make to lists and separate the ones who was Hip Hop and the ones who was Pop & Afrobeat. However, this year I will make a joint session. Since well, music haven’t been as prevalent for me. Neither has the music been as vital or been as close as before. The lockdowns and quarantine has stopped a lot of time listening time for me. Usually, I listen to the most music in transit or watch music videos at home. Therefore, I lost a lot of space and opportunities to it by default by being home during lockdowns this year.

That’s why I will have one simple list and all genres will be represented here. The albums I did appreciate and can see myself bumping in the future… and the ones that was lost on me… the famous dishonourable mentions, if you may.

Well… here we go.

Mr. P – “The Prodigal” was a fun afrobeat album from the P-Square alumni. He really showed swag and wished more people had talked about it. There is nice joints on here and it’s underwhelming how little that has been pushed about this album.

HRSMN (Canibus, Kurupt, Killah Priest & Rass Kass) – “Last Ride” was a dope hip-hop album made by old-school heroes. It was really fun and not with tracks fit for modern radio. This was the finesse and funny bars from a collective of wordsmiths. All of these gentlemen have proven their skills in the past and this was just a gem to listen too.

B-Real & Scott Storch – “Tell You Something” was a shocker of a release. Not that I have anticipated or awaited anything produced by Scott Storch in a decade or so. Storch fell off and seemed to be lost .B-Real has been on joint LPs with Xzibit and Derrick of late, which has been super awesome to listen too. So, his just following up on that and is having a great time on the beats of Storch. FYI: “Never Go Home” has a terrible beat and it should have been forgotten on whatever Nintendo Gameboy Game he sampled it from. That’s the only downer on this one and is an instant skip.

Rudeboy – “Rudykillus” is the other P-Square alumni album of the year. Where he starts of the album reminiscing and reminding everyone of his past hits. His swagger is cool and all. This is an album worth listening too and tracks like “Focus” shows his star-power and talent.

Talib Kweli and Diamond D – “Gotham” is another wordsmith and hip-hop album, which I felt has gone under the radar. Not shocking, as it been years since Talib was a main-stay and relevant for a broader audience. Still, he deserves credit and can produce nice of bodies of work to this day.

Joell Ortiz – “Autograph” is the A-Typical project of the Slaughterhouse MC at this point. He can tell stories and paint pictures with his words. The beats are refreshing and vibrant. It’s an absolute gem of a LP. These are the sorts that should be higher on rankings and get acknowledged, but the game is rigged. That’s why it’s not there…

Fashawn & Sir Veterano – ‘All Hail The King”. The F is finally returning and off Nas’s Mass Appeal. He shows why his a cool dude and an artist. Here his just brazen and direct, as there is steady and funky beats by Sir Veterano on the production. This is a real underground, but he should get credit. As he has continued to push out his craft and with this LP his showing that he is a force to be reckon with.

Dax – “Pain Paints Paintings” was an album which grow on me. Dax hasn’t changed or anything. Listen to him thanks to YouTube and the videos there in quarantine. He dropped a few EPs before and it was evident there was skills there. Now with a full project it was fun to listen too. Not it is revolutionary or has any sort of traditional hip-hop over it …. NO. But, it is a fun joint and easy-listening, as Dax never goes to deep.

Saigon – “Pain, Peace & Prosperity” is the album of a man I have followed since the Yardfather mixtape series in the early 2000s. It is nice seeing him shining on this one. It is clear that Just Blaze isn’t as involved or have production on here. Though, it is refreshing to see Saigon deliver a full project and get support from all across the board.

Remedy – “Remedy Meets Wu-Tang” is the most out of left-field album of the year for my part. It was just so amazing to see the Wu-Tang Collective shine on a album in 2021. This was like the golden age returning and nothing had changed. The beats, the bars and the whole setting was made for this. Remedy, which I haven’t heard of and maybe I lost the memo. Was showing his skills, but there was plenty of times where the Wu-Tang MCs out-shined him, but who cares? It’s an awesome project!

Lloyd Banks – “The Curse of the inevitable” with the return of the G-Unit wonderkid. Well, Banks isn’t a kid anymore and been a long time coming for his return. The G-Unit rapper dropped an album which fits into the Griselda era and could easily been dropped on that imprint. This wasn’t sounding like any of his previous LPs or even having the production of a G-Unit album. However, his word-play and bars was obvious on this one. That was what made this one unique. Not like he was pressured by Interscope or G-Unit to make a radio-friendly jam to be played on Hot 97.

Tiwa Savage – “Water and Garri EP” was a fun instalment, a very short one, but a worthwhile one. This is what you expect and as always, Tiwa does deliver. There is no skips and just a jolly atmosphere until the project is over. Nas even featured on the first track and he phoned it in sadly, but at least he wasn’t speaking of “crypto-currency” on this one. Tiwa had deserved a more fitting rapper on the track, but she maybe wanted someone who is celebrated and gets recognized world-wide.

This here is my list and it’s subjective. There was several of albums that I still enjoyed, but didn’t play like did this. Others that I have in my “tape-deck” but haven’t gotten into. Which would be another list. Albums I tried to listen too, but never caught on or had the rush to bump again. There is a few of those. However, I don’t feel the need to drop those… Peace.

Syria: National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces – Syrian Opposition Coalition – On Damage to IDPs Camps in Northern Syria & Need for Urgent International Response (21.12.2021)

Ethiopia: The Ethiopian Press Agency is now demonizing the mothers of Tigray

Yesterday on the 20th December 2021, the state media house Ethiopian Press Agency dropped an article or a think piece by Joshua Melet about “Shotlai, the Mother of Tigray”. This is clearly where the government is going with things and it’s worrying. As the warfare continues and never ending in the Tigray region. If the warfare is in Western Tigray or now getting into Alamata. The state vilification of the ethnic group of Tigrayans doesn’t stop. This text is clearly so, as the article is speaking of the “beast” and demonize the mothers of Tigray. That shouldn’t be a thing, but it is and the state media is happy to publish this…

The text is beginning with this: “Some sections of our society believe that there is an evil spirit that prevents children from being born and growing up. They call this battle of the evil spirit “Shotlai”” (Melet, 2021).

When you start with this… you know where this is going and it isn’t getting better. It is only getting worse. Like the writer continues with:

In the early hours of the morning, there are many mothers who have been ruined by the schizophrenia. Individually, we can refer to families affected by this problem. If we look at it as a society, it is not as if there is anyone who has snatched his children from Shotlai” (Melet, 2021).

So here it is a continuation of the vilification of the mothers, but in the next part it will become even more striking. As it should be bad enough to be like this, but now it takes a turn and the metaphors are becoming more vicious.

The scorpion eats the fruit of the womb; It is very similar to the terrorist act of the so-called invisible enemy warfare that keeps races or generations from continuing. Probably a factor as to why they’re doing so poorly. The terrorist TPLF, on the other hand, is a beast that has been gnashing its teeth and gnashing its teeth for generations. Clothed in human form by nature; Speaks in human language: It is a gathering of a few individuals” (Melet, 2021).

Now that we have gone from “Shotlai” the evil spirit, the demon to becoming like a scorpion. The last time scorpions was cool was when Xzibit had it in his music videos in the early 2000. For the rest of us, it is a creator we despise and dislike with a passion. As it a creator which cause pain and suffering. There is nothing good to say about scorpions. So, this is just showing how the state tarnish the TPLF and make it a villain. We already seen over the last few months and year, how the state projects everything upon the TPLF and alleged all crimes upon them. While never shredding any proofs or evidence of such matters. Now, they are saying the TPLF is a beast like a scorpion and eats the fruits of the womb. That is clearly targeting the innocent child in belly and shows what sorts of levels of discomfort the state has towards the Tigray.

It just becomes more horrific, as the tale continues: “After handing over the fruit of their womb to the cannibals, they have no choice but to fight. The suffering of the mothers of Tigray does not end there; At the festival, they are forced to take photographs of children who have been abducted by scorpions. They then dance and use “Enber” to motivate others” (Melet, 2021).

So, the beast, the Shotlai, the scorpion is now turning into a cannibal who eats the children. They have to use their kids to pose at events and dance to get others to follow them. First, they take their children and make them warriors. They get trained by scorpions who doesn’t speak human language, but by the beast (aka the Devil). While possessing them to gather and be public about the festive seasons.

It continues: “He is well aware that the terrorist group is not fighting to defeat the Ethiopian people. Perhaps the best thing that will come out of this war is to force many young people to grieve for the mothers of Tigray. In the past, he may have had the pleasure of slaying innocent people and destroying institutions, as he did in the case of the satanic spirit. Beyond that, he will not destroy Ethiopia as he intended. His past experience has shown that the massacre of the people of Tigray is nothing if the group believes that it will gain political gain” (Melet, 2021). .

Here it is a continuation of everything else. As the mothers who was demonic and possessed is supposed to grieve over the losses, which was caused by the terrorist group. While we are not seeing what the Abiy regime have done to the Tigray region and not given access to it. The Federal Government have abandoned it and not given way to humanitarian assistance. Therefore, why should the mothers of Tigray stand idly by and trust in the government, which will not give it food, basic necessities or even use utilities.

So, it is hard to see a difference between a caring government and a supposed terrorist organization. When one is air-striking, blocking aid and coming with armed invasions, as well as steady massacres and never ceasing human rights violations. So, who is the satanic spirit? Here the writer is saying terrorist wants to kill their own for political gains. That is a sinister idea, but also shows the projection of the writer here. As, the state cannot contain anything and wants to project all of their acts upon others. That has been modus operandi of the state.

If you thought this was over… you are wrong: “Many mothers in Tigray are starving their children to death so that they do not starve to death. Once the group is mobilized, the people of Tigray will be overjoyed” (Melet, 2021).

Here we continue the path of destruction and now it’s the mothers who does this to their children. Surely, the man-made famine and the blocking of access to humanitarian access isn’t the fault of the mothers, but of the federal government, which has blocked it over the last 13 months. This is a vicious attempt of vilification of the mothers of Tigray and making them look like monsters too.

It ends with: “This difficult question for the mothers of Tigray should not only shorten the life of the group, but also open a new chapter in their children’s history. All of our people need to be morally capable of mothers in Tigray” (Melet, 2021).

So, the shotlai, the scorpion, the beast and the demon is supposed to take care of their kids and give them a new chapter in life. Alas, that sounds far fetched, because how can that be possible. In such a manner, that the rest of Ethiopia has to step in as mothers in Tigray.

That something like this is published and the state press thinks this is well use of their platforms. Says a lot about what the state is willing to do. The Ethiopian News Agency shows what sort of rhetoric and ideology is fine and dandy in December 2021. That they can demonize and make such an attempt of glorification of propaganda is tragic. As this is making all mothers of Tigray and the people of Tigray into beasts. That says it all…

This shouldn’t be a thing… but that is where we are and nothing can overshadow that the people allowing this to be published are appointees of the Prosperity Party. The Board of the EPA is all members of PP and has connections the Prime Minister. Therefore, this is the sort of thoughts and opinions, which is sanctioned and is promoted at this current age.

That should be a sign of how far the state goes and has the nerve to publish. Peace.

Djibouti: RADDE – Massacre de Buldhuqo du 21 Decembre 2015 : le RADDE exige la Verite et la Justice (21.12.2021)

Mali: Region de Bandiagara – Communique No. 003 des forces vivies de la Region de Bandiagara (20.12.2021)

Burundi: UN Torture Committee deplores lack of cooperation in torture complaints procedure (21.12.2021)

R.M.’s case is the latest among 14 torture complaints against Burundi that have been examined by the Committee since 2014.

GENEVA, Switzerland, December 21, 2021 – The UN Committee against Torture has deplored Burundi’s lack of cooperation in the individual complaints procedure and its failure to implement the Committee’s decisions in all cases where human rights violations were found.

In its latest decision published today, the Committee found that R.M., a political activist for Mouvement pour la solidarité et la démocratie (MSD), was a victim of torture in 2014 when the Burundian authorities routinely denied public assemblies ahead of the 2015 elections.

In March 2014, R.M. was shot and injured when heavily armed police officers stormed into the MSD meeting that he was attending. He escaped the raid but was arrested and beaten by the police the next day. R.M. also said that during his detention, he was denied necessary medical treatment prescribed by his doctor.

He filed complaints about the acts of torture in Burundi but the authorities did not open any investigation. He then brought his case to the Committee in 2017.

The Committee invited Burundi to submit its comments about R.M.’s complaint on several occasions in 2017, 2019 and 2020 but the State party did not respond.

Based on the evidence provided by the complainant, the Committee determined that Burundi had failed to prevent and investigate R.M.’s torture. In addition, it also found Burundi’s lack of cooperation during the proceeding constituted a clear breach of the State party’s obligations under Article 22 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which allows the Committee to examine individual complaints. Burundi accepted the individual complaints procedure in June 2003, thereby undertaking the international obligation to engage with this procedure.

“We are gravely concerned that Burundi has repeatedly ignored our requests to communicate during the complaint examination. Burundi also failed to cooperate in the follow-up procedure in previous cases where the Committee found violations of the Convention,” said Committee Chair Claude Heller.

“This is a serious violation of the State’s obligations. But most importantly, it deprives torture victims of obtaining redress,” he added.

R.M.’s case is the latest among 14 torture complaints against Burundi that have been examined by the Committee since 2014. The Committee found the State party had violated its obligations to the Convention in all these cases. Burundi, however, provided follow-up information on the measures taken to implement the Committee’s decisions only on one of those decisions.

The Committee urged Burundi to comply with its treaty obligations and to resume dialogue in order to ensure the proper implementation of the Convention. The Committee will continue to review this serious situation during its next session.

Ethiopia: Abiy will be remembered for WAR and not for PEACE

It is now clear after 13 months of conflict that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and all of his regime will be stained with blood, famine and civil-war conflict, which he has ushered in and has stood tall for. As Prime Minister he has successfully decided to take power with the gun, arms and usage of vile force to get his will. There is no one that is untouchable or out of reach to his weaponry. That’s why even high ranking officials and assassinations has been a steady thing under his reign.

Abiy believes in consolidating power and hoping that the international community buys his spin. Since, he rather destroy, silence and kill the ones in his path. If it is Oromo leadership behind bars or others killed in the region there. If it is Ogaden leadership or Somali being cannon-fodder. This man doesn’t care about civilians or the man-made famine he created in Tigray. He doesn’t try or even make it possible to live properly in the Tigray region. Humanitarian assistance have been blocked and nearly nothing have entered in this conflict. The state has vilified not only international media houses, but also UN organizations or humanitarian organizations helping the people in need. Therefore, the PM is supporting massacres, starvation for his own personal gains. That is the sort of gentlemen he is.

Abiy will be remembered for war and conflict. He isn’t a man of peace or justice. The early beginning of the campaign he called this the “Operation Law Enforcement” or in that lane. After launching of two nationwide “State of Emergency” and a “Campaign for National Unity”. He will not remembered for “medemer” or any sort of unity, because that is a false flag operation.

The Prime Minister can like different and his supporters will say otherwise. Abiy can act like it is different, but he didn’t make a peace agreement with Asmara. Afewerki and Abiy has collectively done this. They have been acting this one out and it’s deliberate. Abiy and Afewerki made a war-pact and not a peace deal. That’s why the Prime Minister have done all of this.

So, when we tell tales of the PM it will not be of glory or justified warfare. No, it is senseless destruction, looting, massacres and all for the personal gain of consolidating power. That’s the choice and decisions made of a warlord. His not a man of peace and he rather bury the whole Tigray region. Because, that’s what the PM and President of Eritrea wants to do. It’s their joint mission to annihilate Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which just happens to be the mission.

That’s why he will be remembered as a warlord and not as a man of peace. He will continue this path. The PM will use his tripartite alliance and continue the war until their goals are set. Since, they will not deliver any proper peace, as it continues to inflict harm in the Tigray region. If not with soldiers, it will do so with drones and other means of war. Peace.

Guinee: Front National pour la Defense de la Constitution (FNDC) – Communique No. 183 (21.12.2021)

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