Somalia: Following enactment of federal electoral law, Somalia’s international partners urge all Somali stakeholders to work together to hold elections on time (25.02.2020)

Mogadishu – Somalia’s federal electoral law has now been approved by the House of the People and was signed into law by the President on 20 February.  This law is part of the essential electoral legislative framework required so one-person-one-vote national elections that allow as many citizens as possible to vote can take place on time.

While this is an important step, more work needs to be done to address many outstanding questions necessary to implement the code. Somalia’s international partners* recognize the responsibility accorded to the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) to implement the electoral law and stress the urgency of all Somali stakeholders – including the Federal Government of Somalia, Federal Member States, the Federal Parliament, and political parties – to cooperate with and support the NIEC as it embarks on the task of implementing the electoral law.

The partners recall their many discussions with the Speakers of both Houses of the Federal Parliament, as well as the NIEC, the President and the Prime Minister, during which they drew their attention to aspects of the law that need to be clarified.  These include the identification of constituencies and allocation of seats to the constituencies, identifying which seats in Parliament will be reserved for women to ensure a minimum 30 per cent representation, modalities for electing the seats allocated for Somalilanders, and the representation of residents of theBenadir region in the Parliament.  The partners call on the Federal Parliament, in collaboration with the NIEC, and in consultation with the Federal Government of Somalia, the Federal Member States and other stakeholders, to resolve these urgently.

The partners also consider the Political Parties Law as part of the essential legal framework required to enable elections to take place on time.  They therefore emphasize the importance of prioritizing consideration and adoption of the amendments to this law by the Federal Parliament.

The partners emphasize that the holding of credible elections for the Federal Parliament and the Federal President on time, in keeping with the Provisional Federal Constitution, is critical for Somalia’s political stability.

The partners emphasize the urgency of full cooperation between the Federal Government of Somalia and Federal Member States in order to achieve these and other national priorities.

* African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Belgium, Denmark, European Union, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Italy, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, United Nations and United States.

One funeral become[s] another one[two]

Yesterday, it was the People Power supporter Ritah Nabukenya. Today its People Power supporter Daniel Kyenye. This story continues and this is depressing. What is the worst about this is that it’s not new from the authorities. The state has done this before elections before and does it again It is just a new label on the opposition, but the same citizens taken out for standing behind another banner than the one of the government. They are not on the bus, they participate in the politics of the opposition and they loose their lives doing so. Surely, what the NRA historicals went for the Bush for… right? Didn’t think. This blood is on your hands. Just like all the rest of the lives taken since you took power.

Yesterday it was conflicting stories on how she was knocked down. The Police Force claims it was collision between two motorcycles, while the People Power says it was a Police vehicle trailing her and did the knocking, which killed her.

Today, the Local Defence Unit (LDU) had a trigger happy fellow who dispersed the crowds in Nansana. They killed Daniel Kyenye there. It was after LDUs and Police Force did what they could to scatter the crowds after the funeral. Today, it is also reported one more too, but not named or identified yet. Also a third person fighting the life at a hospital.

This is all happening in association with gatherings where the People Power Movement are appearing. As the security organizations are attacking and using extensive force to control the affairs. They do that with force, with all will and use all means. Tear-gas, live-bullets and shed no tears of the lost. They make up stories and pin blame on everyone around them. That is what they do and known for doing so.

Its sad that it has come to this. That the authorities are using these means to attack. Silence and get rid of dissidents. This is just citizens affiliated with the new pressure group. Just like people lost their lives for associating them with Go Forward before the 2016 General Elections.

This is just tragic. Loosing their lives for being participate in politics. This is injustice and impunity in action. Lives are worthless to the authorities. They certainly doesn’t act like they value it or care for them. Instead, it is easy to get rid of them. Peace.

Brexit: EU’s mandate on negotiations shatters some Brexiteers dreams…

Today the European Commission (EC) of the European Union (EU) gave Michael Barnier a mandate to negotiate with the United Kingdom. As they are in the temporary state until the final break with the European Union, the transition period last until 31st December 2020. This means, this will last until 1st January 2021. That is the time table for this and the mandate giving today from the European Commission, which sets the standards for what to come.

The key things for me was these highlights, which really shows that the United Kingdom is really losing. There is nothing in the mandate, which gives the UK any edge. Only shows what the EU is considering important. While the UK will have to negotiate hard to get things better out of this. Especially considering they only have a taskforce within Downing Street Number 10. They don’t even have a unit fixing this anymore.

Just take a look!

ANNEX to COUNCIL DECISION authorising the opening of negotiations with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for a new partnership agreement” (25.02.2020)

reflect the United Kingdom’s status as a non-Schengen third country, and that a nonmember of the Union, that is not subject to the same obligations as a member, cannot have the same rights and enjoy the same benefits as a member” (EU, 25.02.2020).

Free Trade Area:

The envisaged partnership should include appropriate rules of origin based on the standard preferential rules of origin of the Union and taking into account the Union’s interest” (EU, 25.02.2020).

Road transport:

As third country operators, United Kingdom road haulage operators should not be granted the same level of rights and benefits as those enjoyed by Union road haulage operators in respect of road freight transport operations from one Union Member State to another (“grand cabotage”) and road freight transport operations within the territory of one Union Member State (“cabotage”)” (EU, 25.02.2020).

Fisheries:

Besides the cooperation on conservation, management and regulation, the objective of the provisions on fisheries should be to uphold Union fishing activities. In particular, it should aim to avoid economic dislocation for Union fishermen that have been engaged in fishing activities in the United Kingdom waters” (EU, 25.02.2020).

Gibraltar:

Any agreement between the Union and the United Kingdom negotiated on the basis of these negotiating directives will not include Gibraltar” (EU, 25.02.2020).

First things first. The EU shows a sign, which the UK haven’t understood or neglect to understand. It is that it will not have the benefits of the EU nor the previous membership as a nonmember, even if the politicians and Tories have acted like that since day one.

Secondly, the EU will work in its own interest, even with their paradigm Free-Trading Area, also making the cargo trade on the roads harder for British exporters from United Kingdom into the European Union. While also, trying to ensure the EU fishing boats access to UK seas. This is all clearly hitting the demands, but also the promises made from the Tories in the UK. They are not shielding the fisheries, they are making it harder for the exporters. Because, they cannot get the access and the mobility, which it has today.

Third, the EU has no concern about Gibraltar. That is really stuffing the faces of London, as they have promised Gibraltar safety and a secure future. However, this is the EU showing a shift in focus on this and putting a hard stance. As this has to be negotiated separately, by this mandates concern. This is surely done to please the Spanish in the EU.

However, what we are seeing, that the mandate isn’t that friendly, the direct approach sets the stakes and also doesn’t give way. As the EU needs to set the foot down and show there is a difference being on the outside, then being inside. Which is the wish of the UK. That is why it got to cost to become a nonmember. Peace.

Haiti: Ministere de la Justice et de la Securite Publique – Communique de Presse (24.02.2020)

RDC: Le Congo lettre de President Tshisekedi – Objet: Mesures consevatoires et enquetes relatives aux entites de Dan Getler sancionnees aux Etats Unis (24.02.2020)

Uganda Police Force: Additional Statement surrounding the Fatal Accident involving Two Bodaboda Motorcycles (25.02.2020)

Sri Lanka: Open letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (25.02.2020)

Uganda: Amnesty International Reports over the years shows a pattern in extrajudicial killings

Well, my comments will be brief. Since the statements from Amnesty International own reports speak for themselves. I just thought briefly for myself. What if I took small snippets from Amnesty International Reports, about one topic to show the reality of how things are. This is small cuts and sentences out of these reports. This gives a small gathering of proof from one source alone. This is from the annual reports and semi-annual, as they are some years combined efforts. Still, they show something that is insightful. Especially, for the ones saying everything has turned better under President Museveni.

We can still see the issue is prevalent and should a discussed issue. As these sort of killings are directly enforced by the authorities without any jurisdiction nor warranted. This is taken out civilians without any care or concern. That is why every single one of them is important. As this could be anyone, but someone was at the wrong place, at the wrong time and got snatched away. That is the reality. This is just a snippet of all that has happen, but gives a gist. That is all.

Amnesty International periodically submitted reports of extrajudicial executions to the government for it to investigate and in July 1987 sent President Museveni an aide-memoire which detailed six separate incidents involving the alleged extrajudicial execution by the NRA of some 64 people.” (Amnesty Report 1986-1989, Uganda)

A report by the chairman of the Koch-Gama divisional RC on 29 December 1988 describes the deaths of 88 people in the division at the hands of the NRA between 7 and 25 December. According to this report, 45 prisoners of the army who had been kept in a cell at Koch-Gama were taken to Lukutu village where they were forced into arass house and burned to death” (Amnesty Report 1986-1989, Uganda)

Amnesty International also notes that in the past the authorities have announced investigations into a number of serious incidents reported in other parts of Uganda, notably the killing of 69 prisoners at Okungulo railway station in Kumi District in July 1989, incidents in Pallisa District in April and May 1990 in which 12 civilians are reported to have died, and various incidents in Soroti District in 1990, including the burning to death of 16 people in Bugondo Sub-County on 10 August and the extrajudicial execution of 20 people near Soroti town on 6 September 1990” (Uganda: Human rights violations by the National Resistance Army, Amnesty International).

Despite public statements by the authorities that human rights violations were not tolerated, the pattern of extrajudicial executions by troops engaged in counter-insurgency operations continued. Incidents were reported from Gulu, Pallisa, Kumi and Soroti districts. In February a massive operation in the east involved the forcible relocation of 120,000 people to camps close to towns and NRA posts. Anyone found by soldiers in the cleared area was regarded as hostile to the army” (…) “As this list of killings illustrates all too starkly, there has been a consistent pattern of extrajudicial executions by soldiers since the NRM came to power. The victims have included prisonersand unarmed civilians who were not involved in fighting. It is also clear that the army’s High Command has failed to take concerted and effective action to bring this pattern to an end” (Amnesty International – ‘Uganda: The failure to safeguard human rights’ September 1992).

Police and soldiers carried out extrajudicial executions. At least 996 prisoners were under sentence of death at the end of the year, including at least 30 sentenced during the year, and three men were executed. Armed opposition groups were responsible for gross human rights abuses, including hundreds of deliberate and arbitrary killings and rape” (Amnesty International Report 1997).

Police and soldiers were responsible for at least 20 extrajudicial executions. In July police in Kampala arrested two suspected thieves and shot them dead a few hours later. In August police in Lira tortured Alex Okello, who they claimed was an armed robber, to make him reveal where he had hidden his weapon. They then took him outside the town and shot him dead. In September, four civilians in Omoro, who soldiers claimed were lra members, were shot dead” (Amnesty International Report, 1998).

Soldiers and police were responsible for at least 40 killings that appeared to be extrajudicial executions. For example, in January, three prisoners in Luwero were shot dead by police officers who had taken them into the countryside, ostensibly to recover abandoned arms. In May, three alleged armed robbers were shot dead in Gulu. In both cases the police claimed that the prisoners were trying to escape” (Amnesty International Report, 1999).

In 2000 and 2001 (4 officially killed Hafusa Muzamili & 3 others killed, they mention one incident of extrajudicial killings. But not big ones like in the past.

Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of 19 prisoners held by the Ugandan army, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in Gulu Municipality, northern Uganda. On 16 September, Peter Oloya was killed by the UPDF in a suspected extrajudicial execution within the prison grounds, as they tried to illegally remove all 20 prisoners from Gulu Central Prison” (Amnesty International, 2002).

There was no referral to extrajudicial killings between 2003 to 2006 in the Amnesty reports. Neither was there any direct referral to extrajudicial killings between 2007 to 2009. Not in the ones I could see. 

Up to 27 people were reportedly killed during the riots. At least half of them died after being shot by police and security personnel. The government did not conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the killings by security forces, some of which may have been unlawful, in order to bring those responsible for human rights violations to justice” (Amnesty Report, 2010).

Dozens of people in the north-eastern Karamoja region were reported to have been killed during the year in disputed circumstances by government soldiers engaged in security and disarmament operations” (Amnesty International, 2011).

The police and military personnel used excessive force during public demonstrations on at least six different occasions in April and May. Live ammunition was fired into crowds of protesters, killing at least nine people – including a two-year-old girl – and injuring dozens of others” (Amnesty International, 2012).

In July, groups of armed men staged violent attacks mainly on police posts in Bundibugyo, Kasese and Ntoroko. At least 65 people were killed in the attacks, including civilians, some of the attackers, and members of the police force and the army” (Amnesty International, 2015).

On 28 November, at least 100 people were killed and 139 others arrested in clashes between security agencies and palace guards in the western town of Kasese, according to police” (Amnesty International, 2017),

Police and military shot and killed at least six people in Kampala, Mityana, Katwe and Gomba, during protests against security forces’ abusive conduct in the period around the Arua by-election” (Amnesty International, 2018).

We all, know who has followed Uganda knows there are more than this. Still, this are the ones amplified by the Amnesty International Reports. They still show a pattern and worth reading. Because it shows something about the use of extrajudicial killings in the Republic. Which is worrying, as the elections usually amplify the violence from the authorities against the crowds of citizens flocking around opposition candidates. Like the death of Ritah today in Kampala.

That is why this need to be addressed. This is just one simple man, looking into one set of data. But considering doing this properly, the amount of extrajudicial killings would be even more staggering. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Still, its breathtaking and showing how prevalent it is. Peace.

FDC 15 Years Anniversary rally in Buikwe: Blocked like always! [Kato and Besigye arrested]

Police today impounded Dr Kizza Besigye’s car REG NO. UAN 661V ahead of the opposition leader’s anticipated visit to Njeru Municipality in Buikwe District. Dr Besigye was expected in Buikwe to address an FDC rally as part of the party celebrations to mark 15 years” (91.2 Crooze FM, 24.02.2020).

Dr. Kizza Besigye wasn’t allowed to get to te Buikwe district today. The Police Force was waiting from orders from above or the “Emperor”. While in Njeru Municipality the police force used tear-gas to disperse the public from being a part of the 15 Year Anniversary celebration there. The LDUs was also used to get the public away from the area.

The car of Besigye was impounded. However, David Kato the driver was arrested and is detained as we speak at Kayunga Police Station. We know that the rally didn’t appear or happen, because of the blocking of it from the Police Force. NBS Television have later reported that Besigye was whisked away from the area around Jinja to Nalufenya Police Station. Therefore, his in a familiar place, as it is not like he hasn’t been detained there before. He has spent plenty of hours in that prison.

This is just like every other 15 Year Anniversary rallies, they are blocked and met with police violence. Today was nothing new. Just another location. This is a continuation. A never ending battle between the FDC and the authorities. Peace.

RDC: Lucha – Communique 02 – Detournement de Fonds pour la Vaccination de Routine a Tshikapa (24.02.2020)