

Burundi: Update on Inter-Burundi Dialogue (01.12.2016)





“Ukip has asked the Welsh government to seek EU funding from the Irish government to help upgrade a motorway between London and south Wales. The M4 motorway is the main artery between the main cities of Wales and the rest of the UK – but it also carries a large amount of Irish goods exported and sold there. Ukip assembly member David Rowlands made the appeal to the Welsh National Assembly this afternoon. He says that Irish exporters also rely on the M4 to transport goods to other EU countries on the continent – and told TheJournal.ie that it is “quite a reasonable idea to explore”: http://jrnl.ie/3109404” (TheJournal.ie, 2016)



The fact that armed militia are openly intimidating people demonstrates, “the unwillingness or the inability of the Government to protect civilians,” the Committee wrote in a decision issued under its early warning and urgent action procedure.
GENEVA, Switzerland, November 29, 2016 – The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has called on the Government of Burundi to take prompt and effective action to protect civilians, including allowing the immediate admission of a UN police contingent* to monitor the security and human rights situation in the country.
The fact that armed militia are openly intimidating people demonstrates, “the unwillingness or the inability of the Government to protect civilians,” the Committee wrote in a decision issued under its early warning and urgent action procedure. CERD also expressed deep concern regarding a Civil Service questionnaire issued on 8 November that asks public servants to state their ethnicity.
“Such a survey, given Burundi’s history of virulent ethnic conflict, could spread fear and further mistrust among the population, and could be hugely dangerous if misused,” said CERD Chairperson Anastasia Crickley.
Acting under its early warning procedure, CERD also voiced deep concern at reports of killings, summary executions, disappearances and torture; the frequent use of hate speech by Government officials; and the growing number of Burundians fleeing the country.
The Committee deplored Burundi’s increased lack of co-operation with the international community and called on the Government to re-engage with the UN Human Rights Office. CERD also urged the Government to abide by Burundi’s human rights obligations, including those arising from the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
“CERD established its early warning procedure in response to the conflicts of the early 1990s, including in the Great Lakes region, as a way of preventing problems or crises from escalating into conflicts and above all to prevent the wounds of old conflicts from re-opening,” said Ms. Crickley. “That is why we expressed alarm in August this year and this is why we are raising our voice again”.
“Burundi is at a dangerous junction. We therefore call on the Government to step back from any actions that risk stoking ethnic conflict and that could even be a precursor to mass atrocities,” said Ms. Crickley.

There is clearly a need in the aftermath of Brexit for there to be a degree of reassurance given to Africa that Brexit doesn’t mean that the United Kingdom is going to turn its back on Africa.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, November 29, 2016 -Brexit does not mean that the British government will turn its back on Africa, Lord Paul Boateng, a Member of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords said Monday.
Speaking at the first ever Africa Trade Forum which is being hosted by the Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union, Mr. Boateng said Brexit presents Africa and the UK with an opportunity to “put development at the heart of our trading relationship with Africa in a way frankly that it has not always been in relation to the EPAs, let’s be frank about it”.
“The UK recognizes that and we will seek every opportunity to minimize the disruption in our trading relationship and take every opportunity to seize this chance to re-fashion the relationship between the UK and Africa in terms of trade so intra-African trade becomes an opportunity which we can seize together,” he said.
Contributing to debate on Africa-E.U. Economic and Trade Cooperation and Brexit implications for Africa, Mr. Boateng assured participants, including African Ministers of Trade, Finance and Transportation as well as senior government officials, heads of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), African CEOs and executives, representatives of international development agencies, civil society and others, that trade relations between the UK and Africa will not be affected following Brexit.
“There is clearly a need in the aftermath of Brexit for there to be a degree of reassurance given to Africa that Brexit doesn’t mean that the United Kingdom is going to turn its back on Africa and I’m able to assure you that right across the political divide in the UK, in both Houses, Africa and the UK’s historic link with Africa remains central to our thinking,” he said.
“Yes there’s uncertainty at this time, that is inevitable, when such a momentous decision is made,” SAID Mr. Boateng.
“Yes there is a hazard always when you think about the scale of the task that lies ahead in terms of mapping out the future of the trading relationship between the UK and Africa but I think I can give the absolute assurance that we see this in the UK as an opportunity to be seized.”
He said he was concerned by the issue of infrastructure in most African countries. Mr. Boateng was born and brought up in the Gold Coast in Ghana.
“I am the grandson of cocoa and cassava farmers. My grandmother grew cassava, my grandfather grew cocoa and when I look at our village in Tafo in the eastern region of Ghana, two things strike me, first of all, that in the 1950s there was a direct rail link between Tafo, a heart of cocoa growing region and Takoradi, which at that time was our main port,” he told participants.
“That rail link no longer exists and that has had a damaging effect on agriculture in Ghana but Ghana is not alone in seeing the deterioration of its infrastructure so the United Kingdom recognizes the importance of infrastructure in terms of promoting intra-African trade.”
“The second matter which I can’t but help notice, he said, is that right next door to my grandmother’s farm was a West African Cocoa Research Institute and that was a major resource for West Africa in terms of agricultural support and extension and research at the highest level so it produced every year a handful of PhDs now sadly due to decades of neglect and the impact of the structural adjustment of the 70s and the 80s, that emphasis on higher education and the link between higher education, science, technology and innovation and agriculture simply went now we are seeking to revisit that but I would argue that that too is a very important part of our struggle in order to increase agricultural productivity of Africa.”
“Without that we are going to be in difficulties but the good news is it seems to me that is changing and the UK and our department of international development is making its contribution to that,” Mr. Boateng said.
Participants will be in Addis Ababa for the week attending the first ever Africa Trade Week, a multi-stakeholder platform for the advancement of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). And intra-African Trade.


“All the peacekeeping missions which have been established after 1992 are complex, multidimensional operations involving military, civilian police and civilian components. Their mandates are also very broad, covering a broad range of issues from traditional peacekeeping, to civilian protection to post-agreement peacebuilding” (International Policy Group, P: 14, 2016).
We have read, seen pictures and footage of the atrocities that happen in July 2016 in Juba as the SPLM/A and SPLM/A-IO went from each other in the stirring conflict in South Sudan, where the two leaders President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar has gone back to battlefield instead of dialogue. This happen as the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGNU) we’re about to be set-up and the peace-agreement we’re to be honoured by both parties.
Than the skirmishes and battles in the capital started, some of the action happens near the UN House of Juba and the Camp-site of Internally Displaced People together with the looting of the UN World Food Programme there as well. This was all evidence of the lacking management of the Kenyan Military Officer, but now there a report countering that argument for the sacking. It is worth dropping the knowledge to see if the Kenyan Government had it right to feel unjustifiable sacked from his position. The man that had to fall on his sword was Lt. Gen. Johnson Ondieki.
Ban Ki Moon decision:
“The decision by the Secretary General was argued to have been made based on an independent investigative report conducted by the Danish Major-General Patrick Cammaert on the violence that had occurred in Juba from July 8 to 25 2016. However, after a careful investigation of the situation that surrounded the conflict, the independent report and its recommendations, and the systematic problems in the UNMISS framework, it is evident that the firing of Lieut-Gen Ondieki was not only unorthodox and a blatant violation of UN procedures, powers and processes, but was also an expedient political decision by the Secretary-General to turn the Kenyan soldier into a sacrificial lamb in order to appease and ward off pressures from some Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council, mainly the United States of America and Britain” (International Policy Group, P: 12, 2016).
“Independent investigations into the Juba conflict have revealed a clear cover-up, with the USA mishandling the safety of its citizens and agents by not offering the proper protection when requested, leading to the violation in the Terrain compound. This investigative report on the circumstances leading to the removal and replacement of Lieut-Gen Ondieki as UNMSS force commander relied on a comprehensive review of official and non-official documents from the United Nations available on its website, UN documents on rules of engagement and procedures governing the code of conduct and dismissal procedures were consulted” (International Policy Group, P: 13, 2016).

Key Strategic lacking will to act on Commands:
“A UN investigation on the attack showed that it took UN peacekeepers more than 12 hours to intervene, despite being next to the camp. Moreover, the investigation found that the Indian contingent refused to deploy troops or heavy armor to the area of fighting to defend civilians; the Ethiopians slept through the entire incident; while the Rwandan contingent insisted on written approval before acting. Finally, it is only the Rwandan contingent that responded to the violence and protected civilians. The investigation committee recommended several changes to the mission. Whether the UN or UNMISS implemented the recommendations is remains unclear: What is clear is that no action was taken against the Force Commander, the SRSG, or any other senior mission staff” (International Policy Group, P: 17 ,2016).
“Pressure from the UNP5, especially members from USA and UK, made the SG to make the decision without taking into consideration the investigations or recommendations made. The evidence, points to a clear gross violation and misconduct by the Secretary General’s decision, which was not only discriminatory against Lieut-Gen Ondieki, but was also an expedient political decision violating UN procedures and regulations” (International Policy Group, P: 21 ,2016).
“Lieut-Gen Ondieki had no direct control of deployment or response of the troops who were in the areas, according the UNMISS commanding framework. According to the rules of engagement, Lieut-Gen Ondieki could only send an order to the lead commanders who were in Juba, but they did not accept it. Therefore, Ban Ki-moon’s dismissal of Lieut- Gen Ondieki is not only an error in judgment, it is also unjust discrimination and a gross violation of his rights” (International Policy Group, P: 23 ,2016).
Recommendations:
“UN Reformed to Ensure Effectiveness: UN Missions in Africa need to be reformed because without fundamental restructuring, particularly to counter UNMISS structural and systemic dysfunction, similar crises are very likely to recur. These reforms are therefore a critical consideration that must feature in future UN mandated missions in Africa.
AMISS – African Mission in Southern Sudan: An Africa Mission in Southern Sudan should be formed to replace UNMISS. A UN and AU-mandated Africa Mission in Southern Sudan (AMISS) may be the best mechanism for peace operations today. Such a mechanism will be more responsive and better anticipate emerging trends and solutions therein and in line with the African Union’s maxim of “African solutions to African Problems” (International Policy Group, P: 38, 2016)
It seems that Lt. Gen. Ondieki we’re picked out because of lose procedures between the different nations and their brigades in the UNMISS operation in the Republic of South Sudan. Is also questionable that the Danish leader Løj pulls itself out before the internal investigations before the Military Leadership are investigated; therefore the blame fall all on the Kenyan Lt.Gen. Ondieki get the blame, instead on the one that we’re on the top who was Løj at the time. Secondly that the leadership of the battalions we’re not reacting to the command and will of the general to get in line when the skirmishes between the South Sudanese forces happen in July.
We are allowed to question Ban Ki Moons reason for the sacking that he didn’t follow procedure and didn’t do a thorough decision when he made arrangement for termination of the contract of Lt. Gen. Ondieki, he we’re even offered a trip to New York for orientation, as he was new in his leadership role in the UMISS in June, so it wasn’t like he had a long time to settle before the battles started again between the South Sudanese forces.
The procedures should have been in place and it seems to be easy to put the blame on the Kenyan General instead of trying to swallow pride and says that the UNMISS needs amends that even been asked for since 2011. Peace.
Reference:
International Policy Group – ‘Children of a lesser God – Report of the investigation into the power politics behind the removal of the Kenyan Force Commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) – November 2016

Cadaado, 24 November 2016 – Members of the Federal Indirect Electoral Implementation Team (FIEIT) visited the Galmudug state capital today to push for timely completion of ongoing elections for seats in the federal parliament’s House of the People.
The FIEIT team met with senior state officials to discuss the status of the elections in Galmudug, which so far has filled 21 out of its 36 allocated seats in the lower chamber.
“Our visit today is to assess how the elections are going on in Galmudug. We are here to ensure that the process is finished on time, by 30 November this year. We want to encourage them to do keep doing the good work and where there are concerns, then we would address and find solutions,” said FIEIT Chairman Omar Mohamed Abdulle.
Mr. Abdulle said FIEIT would adhere to the election timetable it released in September. He said the timely completion of the electoral process would enable the country to have a new government and federal parliament before the end of 2016.
FIEIT is pressing state-level governments and electoral bodies to expedite voting for the remaining seats in the House of the People that have not yet been filled. A two-thirds quorum of members is needed in both houses of the federal parliament to hold a presidential election in the legislature, according to Somalia’s 2012 Provisional Constitution. The Upper House has crossed that threshold with 43 of its 54 seats already having been elected.
“We hope to have at least two-thirds of the members of the Lower House before the November 30 deadline. We now have a total of 145 members, if we get 35 more members, the country would have an institution that can sit and decide on issues,” Abdulle added.
His remarks drew support from the Vice President of Galmudug, Mohamed Hashi, who assured the FIEIT team that the state’s remaining 15 members would be elected before the end of this month.
“We did a lot of work to resolve disputes. We hope to finish the election of the remaining members of the Lower House by Monday or Tuesday next week,” said Mr. Hashi.
In other election news, the FIEIT and the Independent Electoral Disputes Resolution Mechanism (IEDRM) issued a joint press statement announcing they are investigating cases of electoral malpractice following allegations of corruption, intimidation and manipulation in the ongoing electoral process.
The two electoral bodies warned today that stern action will be taken on cases where proof of electoral malpractice is confirmed.
“When investigations confirm that serious malpractices have occurred, the FIEIT and the IEDRM will take appropriate and decisive actions,” said the two bodies in the statement. “Such actions will include nullification of the election results and disqualification of candidates who have committed the malpractices.”
The statement also expressed concern about the failure of some clans to comply with the 30 percent quota established by the National Leadership Forum (NLF) for women’s representation in the parliament. In the case of Galmudug, only three of the 21 members elected to the House of the People thus far are women.
“This rule needs to be respected in all the upcoming elections. Failure to fulfill this requirement will result in action by the FIEIT and IEDRM against the offending clans both in past and upcoming elections,” the statement warned.
Both electoral bodies urged all stakeholders to abide by the rules and regulations of the electoral process as defined and agreed by the NLF.