Security Council Decides against Imposing Arms Embargo on South Sudan, Designating Key Figures for Targeted Sanctions (23.12.2016)

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Adoption Fails by 7 Votes in Favour, 8 Abstentions amid Doubt over Wisdom of Punitive Steps as Government Reports Progress on Ground

The Security Council voted this morning against imposing an arms embargo on South Sudan and targeted sanctions on three key Government and opposition figures whose dispute has spiralled into widespread violence in the young nation.

Defeated by a vote of 7 in favour to none against, with 8 abstentions, the draft would have instituted a ban on arms sales to South Sudan as well as designating three officials as subject to an asset freeze and travel ban: Paul Malong, Chief of Staff of the Government’s Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA); Michael Makuei Lueth, Minister for Information; and former First Vice-President Riek Machar, leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-In Opposition (SPLAM/A-IO).

Voting in favour of the draft resolution were representatives of France, New Zealand, Spain, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay. Speaking after the vote, they recalled that United Nations officials had sounded multiple warnings about an impending deterioration of the carnage in South Sudan, and about long-term non-cooperation with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on the part of parties to conflict. They said that although the measures proposed in the text would not have been a panacea, they would have reduced the violence, addressed impunity, kept the country from spending precious resources on arms, and created momentum for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Delegations that abstained were China, Russian Federation, Angola, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, Senegal and Venezuela. China’s representative said his country was committed to restoring peace and stability in South Sudan as soon as possible. Describing the Government’s announcement of an inclusive national dialogue and the approved deployment of the Regional Protection Force as positive steps, he emphasized that the international community should support them instead of taking counter-productive actions. It should also support full implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (the Peace Agreement) and the mediation efforts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), he added.

The Russian Federation’s representative and others who abstained criticized the readiness of those who had voted in the draft’s favour to impose sanctions, maintaining that such measures had failed to have a positive effect in other situations of a similar nature.

South Sudan’s representative, described the tabling of today’s draft as unfortunate, given that President Salva Kiir had ordered the formation of the National Dialogue Steering Committee just a few days ago. Such a commitment pointed to a more encouraging direction. Those targeted for sanctions were critical to implementation of all agreements, he said, emphasizing that the draft had revealed a lack of good faith. It could have invited controversy, disagreement and hostility, rather than the necessary cooperation, he said, warning that punitive measures could only harden positions.

The meeting began at 9:33 a.m. and ended at 10:39 a.m.

Opinion: I respect President Duterte for his answer to the American pressure!

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I have been thinking about this for a while and I made up my mind. President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines President are by many controversial and his acts are not ordinary in society as we’re used to, but partly they work and many feels safer, though the violent police force gets rid of violent and dangerous drug-trade that has at its peak even corrupted Members of Parliament. Therefore his cabinet and his acts made both enemies locally and abroad.

His tone and demeanour is also striking, a hot-headed man who speaks his peace and war before he tries to mend the wounds created, because he figures out that the striking isn’t always the way to go and to create dialogue. But he seems like a leader who wants to be respected for being him and for his country.

Here is what happen lately and made fuzz worldwide. Because the MCC again made a decision, but without giving reasons for their suspensions that we’re for infrastructure projects, that they are now finding other funding for instead of the American funding. Duterte has gotten grand support in other Asian powers over the recent months and even gotten friendly with the Chinese, which has even respected the courts over well-resourceful islands that China has claimed.

China has offered the Philippines credit worth USD500 million to procure Chinese-made military products, Philippine defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on 20 December. In comments published by the Philippine government’s news and information bureau, Lorenzana said the funds would be made available through soft loans and would support the procurement of unspecified “big-ticket military items”. Under an initial part of the aid package, Lorenzana also confirmed that China has agreed to provide the Philippines with CNY100 million (USD14.4 million), which will support the Southeast Asian country’s acquisition of “small arms, speed boats, or night-vision goggles” (Grevatt, 2016).

Together with a big grant of monies has also come to the nation under Duterte. As this has happen after the American pressure has risen and they don’t see how this aggressive attitude doesn’t help the relationship between the Philippines and the American counterparts.

MCC cancelling grants for infrastructure projects in Philippines:

“The US-led Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) has suspended a funding grant for the Philippines over “concerns around rule of law and civil liberties” under the Duterte administration. In a statement last Wednesday, the MCC said it has “deferred a vote on the re-selection” of the country for another compact grant, “subject to a further review.” No other details about the Philippines were released” (Magtulis, 2016).

Duterte’s response:

“I understand that we have been stricken out of the Millennium Challenge. Well, good, I welcome it,” Duterte said with apparent sarcasm. “We can survive without American money,” he said. “But you know, America, you might also be put to notice. Prepare to leave the Philippines, prepare for the eventual repeal or the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement,” he said, referring to a 1998 accord that governs American forces visiting the Philippines for joint combat exercises. Speaking with reporters Friday, Duterte also told U.S. workers or troops to “start packing.” (Penzenstadler, 2016).

“For the past previous months since Duterte took office, the United States has reiterated several times its concern over the alleged spate of extrajudicial killings related to the Philippine government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs” (…) “America is a land of hypocrisy. There are 40,000 Americans killed every year, drug-related,” Duterte said in a speech before a group of exemplary government employees” (Sioson, 2016).

We can wonder how this is to be and how this will go. Certainly the killings can be questioned in the Philippines, as much the United States should question their own misgivings on this matter. The Duterte government are striking hard and trying to force it out. Though certainly the killings can be seen as causing havoc, it can also create a safer environment; as long as this is a temporary matter where the drug monies and society has been under fear because the drug-gangs in Philippines.

The United States can by all means suspend their aid to the Philippines, but they are not their lapdog and their puppet to control. As they will be muffled to be controlled and if they listen they get their candy. The MCC might review it and address the matter, but a President Duterte is right reacting and showing courtesy to the American government who does this to his administration. Instead of looking at in silence and pounding on the lost funds. Instead his proof of power comes with the strategic need of alliances that U.S. Government needs in the South China Sea.

President Trump and his nominee Secretary of State Tillerson will not have a cake-walk in Asia. President Duterte will not make it easy for somebody like them to trade the waters. Duterte has his pride and wants to make the best effort in power. The rare instance was that the international community didn’t care when the communities we’re attacked by drug-gangs and drug related

We can wonder how this will go, but one thing is for sure President Duterte will not be muffled by the American Government as his predecessor. They have followed the party line of the US foreign policy, but Duterte are acting as President on his own merry. Something the world should recognize and respect. I understand why some policies and some acts might offend and even boggle your mind, but him standing up to the U.S. shows his pride and also his vigour not be controlled and told how to be. Duterte deserves credit for that, though we can question the purpose, longevity and the current policy against the drug-lords and drug-gangs.

It might have consequences right now for the funding of certain projects that has to get funding from elsewhere, but what we can now is that Duterte will not an underling to the American Empire, but be his own and change affiliations if it benefits the Philippines, which is something he should do without any scrutiny; unless he did it without any transparent objectives and with no concern for the ramifications on his own population. Peace.

Reference:

Magtulis, Prinz – ‘US defers Philippine grant amid rule of law, rights issues’ (16.12.2016) link: http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/12/16/1653963/us-defers-philippine-grant-amid-rule-law-rights-issues

Grevatt, Jon – ‘China offers USD500 million in military aid to Philippines’ (21.12.2016) link: http://www.janes.com/article/66457/china-offers-usd500-million-in-military-aid-to-philippines

Penzenstadler, Nick – ‘Philippines’ Duterte to U.S. over aid: ‘Bye-bye America’ (18.12.2016) link: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/12/17/philippines-duterte-us-over-aid-bye-bye-america/95557384/

Sioson, Dana – ‘Duterte: ‘US a land of hypocrisy’ (20.12.2016) link: http://asianjournal.com/news/duterte-us-a-land-of-hypocrisy/

Three abducted humanitarian workers released in West Darfur (20.12.2016)

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Sarun Pradhan and Ramesh Karki, both nationals of Nepal, and Musa Omer Musa Mohamed, a citizen of Sudan, are unharmed and are undergoing medical checks.

EL FASHER, Sudan, December 20, 2016 – Three staff members of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) who were abducted in El Geneina, West Darfur, on 27 November 2016, were freed on 19 December.

Sarun Pradhan and Ramesh Karki, both nationals of Nepal, and Musa Omer Musa Mohamed, a citizen of Sudan, are unharmed and are undergoing medical checks.

The UN Designated Official for Security and the  African Union – United Nations Joint Special Representative for Darfur, Martin Uhomoibhi, expressed the Mission’s gratitude to the Government of Sudan, and specifically to the Wali of West Darfur and the National Intelligence and Security Services for their excellent work which led to the safe release of the humanitarian workers.

He commended the UN security personnel who led the effort from the UN side to achieve this successful outcome.

“The role of the humanitarian actors in Darfur is crucial to ensure that those in need receive essential assistance; it is in everyone’s interest to guarantee that they can continue to carry out their duties safely,” the JSR stated.

Kenya: “Re: Termination of the Kenya Electoral Assistance Program 2017” (20.12.2016)

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With continued drought, Horn of Africa braces for another hunger season (20.12.2016)

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Agricultural support critical now to protect livestock, equip families to plant in rainy season.

ROME, Italy, December 20, 2016 – Countries in the Horn of Africa are likely to see a rise in hunger and further decline of local livelihoods in the coming months, as farming families struggle with the knock-on effects of multiple droughts that hit the region this year, FAO warned today. Growing numbers of refugees in East Africa, meanwhile, are expected to place even more burden on already strained food and nutrition security.

Currently, close to 12 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are in need of food assistance, as families in the region face limited access to food and income, together with rising debt, low cereal and seed stocks, and low milk and meat production. Terms of trade are particularly bad for livestock farmers, as food prices are increasing at the same time that market prices for livestock are low.

Farmers in the region need urgent support to recover from consecutive lost harvests and to keep their breeding livestock healthy and productive at a time that pastures are the driest in years. Production outputs in the three countries are grim.

Rapid intervention

“We’re dealing with a cyclical phenomenon in the Horn of Africa,” said Dominique Burgeon, Director of FAO’s Emergency and Rehabilitation Division. “But we also know from experience that timely support to farming families can significantly boost their ability to withstand the impacts of these droughts and soften the blow to their livelihoods,” he stressed.

For this reason, FAO has already begun disbursing emergency funds for rapid interventions in Kenya and Somalia.

The funds will support emergency feed and vaccinations for breeding and weak animals, repairs of water points, and seeds and tools to plant in the spring season. FAO is also working with local officials to bolster countries’ emergency preparedness across the region.

“Especially in those areas where we know natural hazards are recurring, working with the Government to further build-up their ability to mitigate future shocks is a smart intervention that can significantly reduce the need for humanitarian and food aid further down the line,” Burgeon said.

Kenya is highly likely to see another drought in early 2017, and with it a rise in food insecurity. Current estimates show some 1.3 million people are food insecure.

Based on the latest predictions, the impacts of the current drought in the southern part of the country will lessen by mid-2017, but counties in the North – in particular Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir and Mandera – will steadily get worse.

Families in these areas are heavily dependent on livestock. Now, with their livelihoods already stressed – the last reliable rain they received was in December 2015- they will get little relief from the October-December short rains, which typically mark a recovery period but once again fell short this season.

In the affected counties, the terms of trade have become increasingly unfavourable for livestock keepers, as prices of staple foods are rising, while a flood of weakened sheep, goats and cows onto local markets has brought down livestock prices.

To ensure livestock markets remain functional throughout the dry season in 2017, FAO, is training local officials in better managing livestock markets — in addition to providing feed, water and veterinary support.

After two poor rainy seasons this year, Somalia is in a countrywide state of drought emergency, ranging from moderate to extreme. As a result, the Gu cereal harvest – from April to June – was 50 percent below average, and prospects for the October-December Deyr season are very grim.

To make matters worse, the country’s driest season – the Jilaal that begins in January- is expected to be even harsher than usual, which means Somali famers are unlikely to get a break anytime soon.

All indications are that crop farmers are already facing a second consecutive season with poor harvest. Pastoralists, meanwhile, are struggling to provide food for both their families and livestock, as pasture and water for grazing their animals are becoming poorer and scarcer by the day – in the south, pasture availability is the lowest it has been in the past five years.

Some five million Somalis are food insecure through December 2016. This includes 1.1 million people in Crisis and Emergency conditions of food insecurity (Phases 3 and 4 on the five-tier IPC scale used by humanitarian agencies). This is a 20 percent increase in just six months.

The latest analysis forecasts that the number of people in Crisis and Emergency conditions of food insecurity may further rise by more than a quarter of a million people between February and May 2017. Similar conditions in 2011 have resulted in famine and loss of lives, and therefore early action is urgently needed to avoid a repeat.

FAO calls on resource partners to urgently scale up assistance in rural areas, in the form of cash relief, emergency livestock support and agricultural inputs to plant in the April Gu season.

If farmers cannot plant during Gu – which traditionally produces 60 percent of the country’s annual cereal output — they will be left without another major harvest until 2018.

Farming families in Ethiopia, meanwhile, are extremely vulnerable as they have not been able to recover from the 2015 El Nino-induced drought. Some 5.6 million people remain food insecure, while millions more depend on livestock herds that need to be protected and treated to improve milk and meat production. Here, too, better access to feed and water is critical.

The crop situation is relatively stable after the country completed the most widespread emergency seed distribution in Ethiopia’s history. FAO and more than 25 NGOs and agencies reached 1.5 million households with drought-resistant seeds.

As a result of enabling farming families to grow their own food, the government and humanitarian community saved close to $1 billion in emergency aid, underlining that investing in farmers is not only the right thing to do but also the most cost-efficient.

FAO’s Early Warning early action work

Somalia and Kenya are among the first countries benefiting from FAO’s new Early Warning Early Action Fund (EWEA). The fund ensures quick activation of emergency plans when there is a high likelihood of a disaster that would affect agriculture and people’s food and nutrition security.

The fund will be part of a larger Early Warning Early Action System that tracks climate data and earth imaging to determine what areas are at risk of an imminent shock and will benefit from early intervention.

Kabila’s silent coup is happening right now!

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RDC Kikaya said: “The only pressure to which Kabila can yield is that of the people, and today the people are not exerting pressure.”

With the soldiers in the streets of the major towns in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the police abducting and detaining civil activists of LUCHA and #Telema who are planning demonstrations against the regime in Beni, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani, Lubumbashi and Kinshasa.

The sections of major towns we’re already filled with road-blocks and soldiers put in important roundabouts before the 19th December. Therefore the Police and Army we’re preparing for the worst and we’re ready to fire if needed be. They had the mambas; this was done with the jeeps and the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) that we’re stationed in significant areas.

Together with the social media shutdown where the citizens are supposed to use VPN instead of normal internet connections to get airtime as the central government has planned to silence WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter and so on. Because of this the M7 Media house has even decided to take vacation today until 5th January 2017. That because of the silencing of the media and even fear for the opposition would react to the overstaying of President Kabila.

Today alone 11 Rassemblement opposition figures we’re arrested in Goma. Total activists arrested in Goma during the day we’re 41!  In Kinshasa the UDPS party offices we’re besieged. The University of Kinshasa #UniKin has also been besieged as the students are silenced and stopped from demonstrating.

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Eastern city of Kalemie we’re a place we’re heavy deployment of security forces from the morning. In Butembo there we’re worse incidents we’re 15 MONUSCO soldier, 20 FARDC soldiers, 10 Police Officers and 4 civilians all lost their lives today.

Even Opposition leader Franck Diongo was also arrested today. Proves what the authorities are doing now.

The media blackout has become really sure, not only on the social media but the proof of this is with the M7 Media house, but there are report of total silence and fear from the government towards the ones reporting on the siege of the country.

With all of the security operatives and the security organization in the streets, collecting and arresting the opposition, seems like President Kabila is ready for another mandate and another term where the ones who is not part of his team and his elite will be behind bars. The arrest and the detained opposition proves that the coup d’état is on the way.

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The coup is in the details, where the Police and soldiers together with massive guns are putting people into submission, to put people into fear and silencing the ones who wants another leadership and another executive of the Republic. The Third Republic we’re built around transition and President Kabila, but not for him to rule for life, the peaceful transition is in danger now as the dialogue has been there to make opposition busy.

#Telema and the decision to wanting change in the Republic seems to get civil activist behind bars, as they civil disobedience and demonstrations are not allowed, the blockade and the clear indicated security operatives proves the proof of tensions that are created with extending this mandate.

President Kabila is trying a silent coup d’état in the Third Republic, the republic who came from two elected terms, after a questionable election in 2011, now in 2016 he is trying to skip an election and continue to be in power. This is just another way of transition as he went for a few years from 2001 to 2006 without any election and now he wants the same for himself.

5 years he could walk in power without anything other than kingmakers and foreign influencers who wanted a smooth process to secure the Kinshasa government and the exported resources. This has happen without question and rapidly by all means. So, some of the government who ushered him into power might still want him there, even as the United States and European Union is now condemning the authority of Kabila. Secondly the Rwandan and Ugandan counterparts are not saying anything on the matter; they are indifferent as long as the minerals are exported through the back-channels there. Zimbabwe’s government we’re also important in the decision of Third Republic President Kabila.

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We cannot see that President Kabila wants to stepdown as he orders the army and police offers to detain, arrest opposition and civilians. Filimbi, Rassemblement, LUCHA and other activists are taken into prison because they want their just change. Justice and rule of law is now not a priority for the republic. The one thing that matters is that Kabila is ruling the nation no matter what the cost.

The cost is freedom, liberty and a torn not worth piece of paper constitution as long as President Joseph Kabila continues to rule over his mandate. The decisions to use Security Organizations to silence his people are the proof of the coup from the Central Government.

Now we are here, the Kabila government will now coup d’état itself into power, with the cost of its own people, because of the lucrative agreements and businesses kept by the state and sanctioned by the state. Kabila has no plans to stepdown and let anybody else rule. Even if it would be his official third term, we all know it would be his fourth as the transitional period should count as one!

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The Kabila Government is now stealing the nation, thieving the republic and taking the citizens for granted. Certainly the Republic and citizens deserves better, but a coup happens because somebody wants to take power, not get or give power. The power is now in hands of people, but the army and police can only be designated for a while, not for too long because that will create fatigue. The initial outcome is that the citizens become prisoners.

With the soldiers and police in the streets are part of the coup, they are keeping the citizens as prisoners in their homes and in the valleys, the streets are not safe because if you demonstrate then you could get hurt or in prison. The Kabila government makes all citizens criminals, because one man to stay in power. That is not healthy, that is not right and the people should react. The world shouldn’t only sanction the men with frozen bank accounts and not allowed to travel to the U.S. and the European Union countries.

The republic should have arms embargo and should lose donor aid, Kabila should feel the pinch of international community, his closest businessmen and the ones in his elite be hurt by the multi-national organizations and bilateral agreements that the republic has. Republic of Congo is not owned by Kabila, still he acts they deserve him on the throne.

Kabila is staring his coup d’état with the Police and Army, the world should care because right now President Kabila is on the way on the world’s biggest heist. The heist is stealing the Congolese government and all the possibilities that come with it. Peace.

Number of children recruited into South Sudanese conflict passes 17,000 – UNICEF (16.12.2016)

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So far, 1,932 children have been released by armed forces: 1,755 in 2015 and 177 this year.

JUBA, South Sudan, December 16, 2016 – According to new figures released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), some 1,300 children were recruited by armed forces and armed groups in 2016, bringing the total number of children used in conflict since 2013 to more than 17,000.

“Since the first day of this conflict, children have been the ones most devastatingly affected by the violations,” said Leila Gharagozloo-Pakkala, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.

“Now, as the fighting intensifies – and despite repeated pledges by all to end child recruitment – children are once again being targeted,” she added.

The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and SPLA in Opposition have both signed agreements with the UN in order to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children in the conflict.

So far, 1,932 children have been released by armed forces: 1,755 in 2015 and 177 this year.

Nonetheless, UNICEF reports that violations against children have continued to occur since 2013, including 2,342 who have been killed or maimed, 3,090 who have been abducted, and 1,130 sexually assaulted. There have also been 303 attacks or military use of schools and hospitals.

Since November, the UN has documented at least 50 children who have been abducted and recruited in the Greater Upper Nile region. Additional reports indicate that another 50 have been recruited in the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region and that violations against children have occurred in the Greater Equatorias area, but due to the high level of insecurity and restricted access, the UN has been unable to verify such claims.

In addition to the ongoing armed conflict, South Sudan is suffering an economic crisis that has brought inflation to more than 800 per cent, leading to widespread food insecurity and childhood malnutrition at emergency levels throughout most of the country.

UNICEF and its partners have treated 184,000 children with severe cases of malnutrition this year – an increase of 50 per cent from last year and more than 135 per cent higher from 2014.

“UNICEF’s concern is that with the prospect of increased hostilities and atrocities, the suffering that children have endured will have no end,” said Ms. Gharagozloo-Pakkala. “The children of South Sudan must no longer live under constant fear of hunger or conflict. They need sustained peace, care and support.”

South Sudan has faced ongoing challenges since a political face-off between President Salva Kiir and his Vice-President Riek Machar erupted into full blown conflict in December 2013. The crisis has produced one of the world’s worst displacement situations with immense suffering for civilians.

Despite the August 2015 peace agreement that formally ended the war, conflict and instability have also spread to previously unaffected areas in the Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr-El-Ghazal regions of South Sudan.

The UN Mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, has been operating in the country since 2011. Just hours before it was set to expire, the Security Council this evening voted unanimously to extend the Mission’s mandate for one day and is expected to come back to the matter tomorrow afternoon.

Burundi Crisis: No noise, so please don’t worry!

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The situation in the nation that got the third term President Pierre Nkurunziza, the leader of the National Council for the Defense of Democracy–Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) who has been in power since 2005. Have since a special election in 2015 been in tangled with his own population; even had struggle with most of the opposition. Opposition leaders have either been abducted, killed, assassinated or fled the republic.

Certainly the violence has escalated as much as even central government and such has even been said to flee the war-torn country. That had potential of years of conflict that ushered in Pierre Nkurunziza, now he makes sure to tighten the grip by circulating his Imbonerakure together with the National Police to follow and monitor the opposition.

The killings and the round-ups of people are rampant and the numbers of victims is hard to know as the government want the numbers not to be known. The indication of the violations against humanity comes with small leaks like proposed new constitution that the Parliament has to have over 60% Tutsi and under 40 % Hutu (Proposed Article 143). Also that minister has to be over 60 % Hutu and Vice Ministers not over 40 % (Proposed Article 129).

When also seeing this is happening together with the wish from the government to of get rid of the peace negotiator from East African Community (EAC) former Tanzanian President William Mpaka. As well as monitoring his movement in the country as he is supposed to assemble the opposition talks, while the Opposition is dwindling together with the refugees who have been fleeing to Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda. Their stories have not been hopeful of the rounding-up and machetes of the Imbonerakure against those who might be hostile to the regime.

Typical Story nowadays:

 “A man brutally abducted by SNR agents in downtown Bujumbura” (RPA, 14.12.2016).

Another ordinary story:

Alerted by the noise, the capita general returned to the passing mansion. He seizes the Kalashnikov and launches in pursuit of the assassin Nimubona “the Captain General Reussia to beat his fellow prisoner assassin” indicates Pierre Nkurikiye.

“One of the accused in the assassination of General Adolphe Nshinirimana has been killed in unclear circumstances”. That after the leaving the bar the accused and another one we’re also killed has the military confirmed today. That proves the levels of extra-judicial killings.

Another abducted fellow:

“Colonel Tito Serudugo (retired exFAB) was  arrested this morning at his home in Kinanira II by SNR. His whereabouts unknown” (IBurundi, 14.12.2016). This is typical stories where Ex-Fab either is assassinated or disappeared as the government are looking for them to make sure they doesn’t work against the government. Therefore the situation in Burundi isn’t about talks; it’s about surviving and wondering who is the next to be gone. The Security Forces and Imbonerakure could be looking for the next victim or family to take away some suspicious elements in the district.

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As well as government propaganda has hit staggering levels:

The students of Stella Matotina School in Bujumbura destroy the notebooks granted by UNICEF. The Reason is because they are Satanic!

We can just be worried when people get abducted, vanish and never get heard of again, some numbers of dead or assassinated since 2015 is estimated to be a 1,000, but I would think more as the SNR are piling up stories of lost people! You can also consider that  the estimation of refugees are now up to 330,000 who has left the country during this year.

This all has happen because one man wanted to counter the newly written constitution and also put the fragile Arusha Peace and Reconsiliation Agreement for Burundi from 28th August 2000 in limbo. Just so he could rule and take all controll of the Republic. All of this doesn’t seem to matter for President Pierre Nkurunziza, that his policies  creates bloodshed and tears. While his country goes into panic, into a deeper crisis and where the regime tries to silence the ones who isn’t in favour of the President or his party. The Inclusive Inter-Burundian Dialogue is only legitimizing the regime at the moment. Still, some in international community thinks the talks going to stop the SNR from abducting citizens as they see fit.

Because of the fear of foreign interference the regime has recalled ambassadors as well:

“Alain Aime Nyamitwe said on Saturday that Burundi’s embassy in Brussels remains open despite the recalling of Ambassador Jeremie Banigwaninzigo” (…) “Nyamitwe says relations with former coloniser Belgium “are not really good. We have called our ambassador to assess relations between the two countries.” (News24.com, 12.12.2016).

So with this in mind the Burundian Authorities are now caving themselves into own cocoon and trying to avoid criticism while abducting and assassinating oppositions. This just now happening in silence and without any concern even if they recall and cut all contacts, because they connect be able to get guns, ammunition and all the needed supplies to obtain the power. The power in the hands of Nkurunziza is now paved with blood, with tears and with no mercy for the citizens or justice! Peace.

Syria: UN Human Rights Chief Zeid urges immediate halt to bombardment of eastern Aleppo, says “further war crimes may be taking place” (14.12.2016)

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Uganda: Statement by Minister of Relief, Distaster Preparedness and Refugees, 13th December, 2016 Following the Verification Process in some of the Refugees Settlements (13.12.2016)

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