Opinion: The Liberation Day can only be celebrated with Mzee and with no one else!

The NRM Day, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) day, the Liberation Day. The day that the National Resistance Army liberated Uganda. Are in the making and being prepared so that the President can hold his speech and be crowded by his soldiers, his Crime Preventers and who ever he has bought out from obscurity in the recent months.

So the news today, was rare or unique. It is more of the same. That other people are not allowed. It is just like when he hold the State of Nation Address, all channels and broadcast on TV and Radio had to send his speech. The same can surely also happen in this instance. Because the only man who is clearly free and can be opinionated is Museveni. The rest have to follow his suit and his orders. The State House commands. So that the President and his men, are now putting orders on how they are celebrating the 32^nd Liberation Day isn’t surprising. It follows a pattern of control from above, from His Excellency, who cannot be that excellent, when he has to micro-manage every detail and get everyone in-line for every event. Every function and every order, has to be rubber-stamped by him. It’s just his despotic mind, who speaks democracy, but orders everyone around and wants everybody to accept his hollow mind. That is just the way it is, so when Daily Monitor says this today:

“The government has cautioned the opposition and any other groups against any plot to hold parallel liberation day celebrations. The caution was sounded by the minister for presidency Esther Mbayo during a press conference at media centre ahead of the celebrations slated for Friday January 26, 2018. She said every time government organizes a national function, there are groups that threaten to organized parallel arrangements. She said this will not be tolerated this time round. “I am just warning whoever is organizing to stage a parallel function to desist from it because the long arm of the law will catchup with him,” minister Mbayo said. She said there will be only one national function accepted that day and it will be held at Boma grounds in Arua Municipality. “So whoever wants to stage parallel arrangements should stand warned,” Mbayo said” (Jumbe, 2018).

This is the memo, the gist and the story. That the Minister Mbayo is warning and coming with stern signals of how to behave. The public can only have one key celebration, nothing in Kololo or on another field. The only one matter at Boma Ground in Arua. The rest has to cease, where the President is, is the only place to be liberated, the others have to follow orders and be under the spell of the President. No freedom, no celebration in Kampala, Jinja or Mbarara, no no, only celebrate in Arua at Boma Ground.

The Liberation Day celebration only matters at the function of the President. If he isn’t there, it doesn’t matter. It is not about liberation, if the supposed liberator isn’t there. The kingpin of the NRA has to be at the function if it supposed to have any value. President Museveni have to show up and be graceful, spill his beans and everyone got to listen to his wisdom. If not, they are not liberated. The liberation was for him and his men, not for the republic. The people was just tools for his liberation. Therefore, a party is only a party, if he started or joined the party. Peace.

Reference:

Jumbe, Benjamin – ‘No parallel liberation day celebrations shall be allowed – govt’ (26.01.2018) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/No-parallel-celebrations-shall-be-allowed-govt/688334-4276634-ioin6/index.html)

EU’s new regulation plans to scrap imports of conflict minerals by 2021!

“The people back home wouldn’t buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand” – Maddy Brown (Blood Diamond, 2006).

The European Union are acting out of care and thinking of transparency for the industrial imports and mineral exporters. This is happening just a little month after the United States opened up their legislation for importing more from conflict zones. While the European Union plans to close the gate from areas and from sources that export Conflict minerals.

So the EU laws are becoming more stricter than the United States, even if the law they have enacted in the European Parliament and Council of the European Union, will be effective from 2021. So it is 4 years until it has giant effect and gives time to refinery and importers to change behavior. Something that is necessary, as well as the public have to grow concern of the affects of buying conflict minerals. Even as the conflict minerals still come into the market of Europe and into the refineries so the consumers doesn’t know and cannot follow where their products who contain minerals comes from war-zones.

That the European Union takes this serious and acts upon this Nobel, and proves that they does not want to support militias and guerrillas that keeps control of mineral rich areas and their exports to supply weapons and continue warfare in for instance the African Great Lakes Region. Take a look!

Background of new rule:

“This Regulation, by controlling trade in minerals from conflict areas, is one of the ways of eliminating the financing of armed groups. The Union’s foreign and development policy action also contributes to fighting local corruption, to the strengthening of borders and to providing training for local populations and their representatives in order to help them highlight abuses” (EU, P: 8, 2017).

Conflict Minerals from Great Lakes Region:

“The Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy should regularly review their financial assistance to and political commitments with regard to conflict-affected and high-risk areas where tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold are mined, in particular in the African Great Lakes Region, in order to ensure policy coherence, and in order to incentivise and strengthen the respect for good governance, the rule of law and ethical mining” (EU, P: 16, 2017).

Trade of Minerals funds armed conflicts:

“Preventing the profits from the trade in minerals and metals being used to fund armed conflict through due diligence and transparency will promote good governance and sustainable economic development. Therefore, this Regulation incidentally covers areas falling within the Union policy in the field of development cooperation in addition to the predominant area covered which falls under the common commercial policy of the Union” (EU, P:17, 2017).

Important Article:

“Article 3: Compliance of Union importers with supply chain due diligence obligations

1. Union importers of minerals or metals shall comply with the supply chain due diligence obligations set out in this Regulation and shall keep documentation demonstrating their respective compliance with those obligations, including the results of the independent third-party audits” (EU, P: 23, 2017).

Date of Application:

“Articles 1(5), 3(1), 3(2), Articles 4 to 7, Articles 8(6), 8(7), 10(3), 11(1), 11(2), 11(3), 11(4), Articles 12 and 13, Article 16(3), and Article 17 shall apply from 1 January 2021” (EU, P: 51, 2017).

What the statements on the law:

“The Commission will consider making additional legislative proposals targeted at EU companies with products containing tin, tantalum, and tungsten and gold in their supply chain should it conclude that the aggregate efforts of the EU market on the responsible global supply chain of minerals are insufficient to leverage responsible supply behaviour in producer countries, or should it assess that the buy-in of downstream operators that have in place supply chain due diligence systems in line with the OECD guidance is insufficient” (…) “In the exercise of its empowerment to adopt delegated acts pursuant to Article 1(5), the Commission will take due account of the objectives of this Regulation, notably as set out in recitals (1), (7), (10) and (17). In doing so, the Commission will, in particular, consider the specific risks associated with the operation of upstream gold supply chains in conflict affected and high-risk areas and taking into account the position of Union micro and small enterprises importing gold in the EU” (…) “In response to the request of the European Parliament for specific guidelines, the Commission is willing to develop performance indicators specific to the responsible sourcing of conflict minerals. By means of such guidelines, relevant companies with more than 500 employees that are required to disclose non-financial information in conformity with Directive 2014/95/EU would be encouraged to disclose specific information in relation to products containing tin, tantalum, tungsten or gold” (EU, P: 57-58, 2017).

The European Union is doing something positive with this. That they show effort and care for the imports and what affects the export has locally, so if the minerals export is shady, the export will cease. So if the due diligence regulation works and the industry complies, the effect can be enormous. The consumer will also know that there are not supporting by third party purchase to pay for ammunition rebels, warlords or guerrillas in far away lands. This should all be seen as step of making a better world and honorable society. Where the money is where the mouth is! Peace.

Reference:

Council of the European Union – ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Union system for supply chain due diligence self-certification of responsible importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating in conflict-affected and high-risk areas – Outcome of the European Parliament’s first reading (Strasbourg, 13 to 16 March 2017) – (20.03.2017).

President Trump: “Presidential Memorandum: Suspension of the Conflict Minerals Rule” – Legalizing export of questionable minerals from the DRC!

Opinion: Why not try Tony Blair at the ICC for the Iraqi War?

There are big questions out there, many quests and many actions never answered for, many bullets and missiles shot without a concern or without doubt of the after effect. With this reach for power, allegiance to and who you represent; the validity of these actions that are after questions should also be put into the context for the reason for why a man or leader, a government executive who decided to invade another country.

After the vile and massive claims for terrorist threats, the aggressive attitude as the levels of fear from the American Government under the vicious control of George W. Bush and his regime. The Washington agenda and the clear retaliate after the 9/11 attacks. In this mind-set and this state of mind, the Americans went out the world in vengeance. Even when they had questionable evidence of conspiracy and planned to reshape the Middle Eastern countries and the places where ‘terrorist’ reside and the ones behind the terrorist attack on the American Soil; the then Government went together and tried to make a coalition for the second invasion of Iraq. This also through reports of WMD and other malicious ideas of Iraqi conspiracies… that would show the true colour of the Iraqi military and their capacity, even if it was constructed to fix the reasons for the military operation in the United States and United Kingdom.

In this state of mind, the recent releases of Chilcot report on the Iraqi Report and the indication of the aggression from the Western hemisphere towards the sovereign state of Iraq. That can be the invasion can be questioned, especially with the little evidence and the maladministration, which even made wise men like Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice look like humble school-kids instead of statesmen and understudies of Dick Cheney.

The arguments that we’re put forward was certainly not truthful as the colluded ideas of grand estates with chemical, biological and harmful arms to hurt fellow population, that even Generals from the Iraqi army claimed we’re destroyed in the last war. Secondly the embargoes of the time together with the strained economy would not have given the Iraqi’s the wealth to recreate the weapons that the American and British claimed they had.

As the little sample of words and evidence questioning the reasoning for the invasion of Iraq under PM Blair and President Bush!

Manning’s Message to Blair in 2002:

“Bush will want to pick your brains. He will also want to hear whether he can expect coalition support. I told Condi that we realiised that the Administration could go it alone if it chose. But if it wanted company, it would have to take account of the concerns of its potential coalition partners. In particular:

– the Un [sic] dimension. The issue of the weapons inspectors must be handled in a way that would persuade European and wider opinion that the US was conscious of the international framework, and the insistence of many countries on the need for a legal base. Renwed refused [sic] by Saddam to accept unfettered inspections would be a powerful argument’

– the paramount importance of tackling Israel/Palestine. Unless we did, we could find ourselves bombing Iraq and losing the Gulf” (Manning, 2002).

Second Message for argument for the Iraqi invasion for Blair:

“First, the THREAT.  The truth  is that what has changed is not the pace of Saddam Hussein’s WMD programmes, but our tolerance of them post-11 September. This is not something we need to be defensive about, but attempts to claim otherwise publicly will increase scepticism about our case.  I am relieved that you decided to postpone publication of the unclassified document.  My meeting yesterday showed that there is more work to do to ensuer that the figures are accurate and consistent with those of the US.  But even the best survey of Iraq’s WMD programmes will not show much advance in recent years ont he nuclear, missile or CW/BW fronts:  the programmes are extremely worrying but have not, as far as we know”, been stepped up” (…) “The second problem is the END STATE.  Military operations need clear and compelling military objectives.  For Kosovo” it was:  Serba out, Kosovars back” peace-keepers in.  For Afghanistan, destroying the Taleban and Al Qaida military capability.  For Iraq, “regime change: does not stack up.   It sounds like a grudge between Bush and Saddam.  Much better, as you have suggested, to make the objective ending the threat to the international community from Iraqi WMD before Saddam uses it or gives it to the terrorists.  This is at once easier to justify in terms of international law” but also more demanding.  Regime change which produced another Sunni General still in charge of an active Iraqi WMD programmme  would be a bad outcome (not least because it would be almost impossible to maintain UN sanctions on a new leader who came in promising a fresh start).  As with the fight against UBL, Bush would do well to de”personalise the objective” focus on elimination of WMD, and show that he is serious about UN Inspectors as the first choice means of achieving that (it is win/win for him: either Saddam against all the odds allows Inspectors to operate freelyk” in which case we can further hobble his WMD programmes, or he blocks/hinders, and we are on stronger ground for switching to other methods) – (Ricketts, 2002).

John Pilger:

“Of all the pro-war propaganda of Blair and Bush, and their current threats giving Saddam Hussein yet another deadline to disarm, what may be their biggest lie is exposed by this revelation” (…) “In 1995, General Kamel was debriefed by senior officials of the United Nations inspections team, then known as UNSCOM, and by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The complete transcript, now disclosed for the first time, contradicts almost everything Bush and Blair have said about the threat of Iraqi weapons” (…) ” When America and Britain crush Iraq, a new phase of their black propaganda will emerge – for which the British public ought to be prepared. This new range of deceptions will be designed to justify attacking a sovereign state and killing innocent people: a crime under international law, with or without a second UN resolution” (Pilger, 2003).

One Secret Memo said this:

“Blair continues to stand by you and the U.S. as we move forward on the war on terrorism and on Iraq. He will present to you the strategic, tactical and public affairs lines that he believes will strengthen global support for our common cause” (…) “On Iraq. Blair will be with us should military operations be necessary. He is convinced on two points; the threat is real; and success against Saddam will yield more regional success”   (Colin Powell, 2002)

Tony Blair’s key forward:

“Its work, like the material it analyses, is largely secret. It is unprecedented for the Government to publish this kind of document. But in light of the debate about Iraq and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), I wanted to share with the British public the reasons why I believe this issue to be a current and serious threat to the UK national interest” (British Government, 2003).

The Claimed plan for deception of WMD in Iraqi Government:

“Iraq has admitted to UNSCOM to having a large, effective, system for hiding proscribed material including documentation, components, production equipment and possibly biological and chemical agents and weapons from the UN. Shortly after the adoption of UNSCR 687 in April 1991, an Administrative Security Committee (ASC) was formed with responsibility for advising Saddam on the information which could be released to UNSCOM and the IAEA. The Committee consisted of senior Military Industrial Commission (MIC) scientists from all of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programmes. The Higher Security Committee (HSC) of the Presidential Office was in overall command of deception operations. The system was directed from the very highest political levels within the Presidential Office and involved, if not Saddam himself, his youngest son, Qusai. The system for hiding proscribed material relies on high mobility and good command and control. It uses lorries to move items at short notice and most hide sites appear to be located close to good road links and telecommunications. The Baghdad area was particularly favoured. In addition to active measures to hide material from the UN, Iraq has attempted to monitor, delay and collect intelligence on UN operations to aid its overall deception plan” ( British Government, 2003).

An unknown wish from a British Citizen:

“I note the content on your letter and request that the Prime Minister be arrested. The matters you raise in your letter will not be investigated within the Wilshire Constabulary nor will your request that the Prime Minister be arrested be actioned” (Wilshire Constabulary, 2003).

Blair Answering accusations in 2003:

“Blair called the accusations “completely and totally false.” He added: “I simply ask the people, just have a little patience” while troops continue the search for weapons” (…) “Today, Blair dismissed her accusation. “The idea, as apparently Clare Short is saying, that I made some secret agreement with George Bush last September that we would invade Iraq in any event, at a particular time, is also completely and totally untrue,” he said” (…) “Even if our forces were now to unearth evidence of a major chemical or biological weapons programme in Iraq, many people in this country — let alone in the Arab world — would assume it had been planted. Such are the wages of spin.” (Richburg, 2003).

I have never accepted the reason for the attack on the Iraqi war, the ones that known me since I was teenager, know that I never liked Bush for his rhetoric or stance, as it was unjustified towards fellow human beings. If it was like that, then all men under the sun is guilty until the government catch you. Not literally, but not far-fetched as the terrorist we’re supposed to be smoked out from caves and huts by RPG, helicopters and tanks. That was the way the grand president Bush. He got a loyal ally who needed a prosperous foreign policy as he was struggling with the economic and progression on the social policies in the constituencies where he we’re elected. With that in mind, the terrorist threat came as cotton-candy and as a necessity for the Blair-Government and New-Labour doctrine.

This gift for Blair we’re used to make him statesman like and make him a giant, trying to leave a legacy of progressive behaviour and act of good governance. Instead it is tainted by the fact of being part a coalition that went into the Iraqi state, without legitimate reasons, except for their reach of power and so-called long-term plans for ‘Democratic Freedom’. While the cause for going we’re the Weapons of Mass Destruction and even connected to the men who attacked the Americans on 9/11. That is well known, but also the aftermath proves the validity of questioning the facts that we’re put forward, especially in the months after and the years followed. Even good journalist like John Pilger called in Propaganda in favour of the British American alliance like British American Tobacco Company who sells worldwide Phillip Morris cigarettes.

While other warmongering persons who went into wars for either gold or silver, for profits and for power. They are ending up behind bars in the International Criminal Courts, as they have done vindictive acts against the Humanity and created wars of destructions of society. The masses of dissolving the Iraqi state and the uncertainty and power vacuum created after the fall of Saddam Hussain, his family fall and the whole party that he lead. That proves the ICC can take favour in saving graces over the rich Westerners, but easily take other warlords.

There we’re act of Warlords, when we speak about the Iraqi war of Bush and Blair, the way the corporations we’re coming in fencing in the petroleum and the other resources while bombing the Iraqi state to bits and fragmenting the population more, while not delivering any system worth keeping and fragile government that followed. This through with so-called training of own army and police after the invasion was over and the Americans planned to leave the occupied country.

When we see all this with the manufactured evidence and argument together with the fear of terrorist, we can question why doesn’t Blair get discredited and even tried by the ICC? Why are the ballocks of the arrogance from the ICC?

Tony Blair and George W. Bush we’re Warlords, hands down, it is not fiction, not a fairy-tale it is not misguided to say so. You can see it on the math, the X+Y = War. The vast amount of deception, the use of United Nation Security Council, rewriting the evidence to fit as the UN Agents for WMD checks couldn’t find what the UK and USA needed. Therefore they made up words and vague arguments to seem like there we’re more implicated arms than it actually was. As the UK and US governments needed public perception behind them before attacking a foreign government.

The Attack and invasion also killed civilians with bombings, the torture of terrorist and taking prisoners without pleading in courts, Guantanamo prisoners and the vicious force against a demoted army that back in the past we’re trained to counter the Iranian problem of the Americans. So the Americans went at the army they trained to go against Iran, as the Iran after the American supported puppet ‘Shah’ fell after the Iranian revolution. This in mind, the Iraqi we’re plotted by the extended modernized force of UK and USA. This was in midst of fear by two Western Warmongers.

So while Liberian Warlord and President Charles Taylor we’re taken to the ICC and even got sentenced. That Jean-Pierre Bemba, the Vice-President of the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2003 to 2006. He is now sentenced by the ICC for acts against humanity. The list goes on men and woman from Africa, South America and Asia. There been a few from Europe and none who seems to be American, as the United States does not have men who acts against the humanity, even when they have broken record when it comes to invading and even sending para-troopers to get a puppet regime installed. Just ask the Chilean people on how the American installed Pinochet instead of the democratically elected Socialist Allende. This have none of the Americans behind the mission or aggression on peaceful Chilean ever gone to court for, that is since it is Americans, than its okay.

The reason why I say this, is that I have issues with the seriousness of ICC handpicking the African leaders and Warlords, not that they should not be judged or getting sentenced for their crimes against humanity, that is accepted and fine. But the initial prospects of justice for all and be a worldwide institutions bubble busts when they can put a warrant on the Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir for his atrocities over the years in Darfur and South Kordofan. That is accepted and understandable, as that is the accord of the ICC and he has been in charge of acts against humanity in these states in his own country using the guerrilla or militia Janjaweed against the civilians.

As this is known and the atrocities, the reports and reasons for the Iraqi war and amongst the destruction of the state of Iraq on flawed grounds, as the invasion and shambles of democratic values used to rhetorical saviour of the maladministration from US and UK using the WMD to gain access and grounds for shooting bullets and missiles to Basra and Baghdad. This got done fake evidence and fake publications, and with use of public perception triggered with the fear of more terrorist attack against their own soil. This staged and factored in a space of time where the UN we’re at a stalemate and the UN had checked for WMD in Iraq without first finding and then suspended as the Iraqis didn’t see the need for friendliness for the other world, when they we’re embargoing and sanctioning the Saddam Hussain regime. The one they in the end toppled with use of lies and deceit. With this in mind, the Blair and Bush governments didn’t do a ‘White War’ a justified conflict and conflict with people in mind, more with their Power in mind and earning political currency on fighting battles 1000 of miles away from their constituencies so the voters would not feel the terror or hardships created by the decisions made in the Oval office and Downing Street Number 10.

So the unjust war and unjustified aggression seems like an attack on humanity, as the machine-guns, RPGs, tanks and carpet-bombing of certain areas that was supposed to be filled with Weapons Mass of Destruction while the American companies secured with mercenaries from Black-Water and other companies of hired soldiers kept the Petroleum installations and Oil Wells in the hands American Companies and the ones that are put together at ‘Donor Conferences for re-building Iraq’ instead being a meeting place for the ones that want to earn money on the invasion and that being the main coalition connected with army contracts, apparently. That’s having proof of happening after the revealed information during and aftermath of the war.

If this we’re an African Warlord who traded diamonds, cobalt or Rare Earth Minerals, together with other valuable resources from the rocks and ground, the media and the ICC would put a warrant on the head of the leader, as they have done again and again. Which is justified as the raping of villages and stealing of resources from both state and the locals are not just; that is mutually accepted as the criminal and vicious killings by these warlords should be going to a fair court and get justice for the victims. But when American and British send armies into Iraq, fix the British and American corporations to earn money on war and export petroleum, than they are selling tainted oil to the world. They we’re acting as Warlords and acting upon their own gain while killing and destroying a nation, a sovereign nation, the nation might have an oppressive government, and they are not acting in the interest of Iraqis. Still, that did not justify the attack and invasion as the British and American Government, in the executive orders of Blair and Bush. They are responsible for the killings, murders and civilians who we’re deceased under their command.

The Reality today is no matter what argument, or legal domain that will question Blair or Bush, it will not happen, as the big-men of the West will not be taken to court, as they will not lose face or because of the standing in UN Security Council and other bigger International Forums as the G8 and other who set the agenda and assess the international community. This impunity and this disregard for the principal of equal justice for all men and woman under God; instead its unequal and for the ones that are not in the hands of the superpowers.

Tony Blair and other men should be tried for their lies and deceit, but that is not the worst; the worst is the lives that we’re effected, the reason for their demise, the deceased for the political gain of a Elite in America and British that we’re friends of the Executive, the Executives who earned on the Elites and gain trust with them, the basic knowledge of each other and trading on intelligence and making reasons for the invasion. The basic sense of the balance of power together with the misuse of the Executive position, that we’re used in both nations to manufacture an enemy and use the tides of fear to aggressively attack a foreign sovereign and its people.

There is time to question the allegiance of the ICC and their choices of the men and woman who are charged with crimes against humanity, the ones that have created havoc and violence against civilians without justified reason or even done it in good faith. This creates and gives space for more African leaders to say they are targeted and hunted down by a Post-Colonial Institution, instead of showing the face of equal laws for all mankind and the nations that have ratified the statutes and laws that binds the ICC to the Governments, the only one who hasn’t which been discussed is the United States, and that should also be scrutinized as they put moral authority on the whole world, but doesn’t give a token or fig in their own regard.

Why the ICC can’t put a warrant on Tony Blair as the former Prime Minister of United Kingdom, when the ICC has put charges on Deputy President William Ruto and others in the Kenyan Government? They even tried with witnesses and gathering evidence, why can’t do so about Blair and Bush, are they demi-gods that cannot be questioned, impeached or even brought to justice because of their passports, their smiles or their connection to the justices of the ICC. You can just wonder, what reasons they are not even complying with the gathered evidence and more secret memo’s and the internal documents of conspiracy coming out, proves the valid reason for unjust war against Iraqis. Peace.

Reference:

British Government – ‘IRAQ’S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION THE ASSESSMENT OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT’ (About 2003)

Manning, David – ‘Prime Minster: Your Trip to the US’ (14.03.2002)

Pilger, John – ‘Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction were almost certainly destroyed following the Gulf War’ (13.03.2003) link: http://johnpilger.com/articles/iraq-s-weapons-of-mass-destruction-were-almost-certainly-destroyed-following-the-gulf-war

Powell, Colin – ‘Memorandum for the President’ – Subject: Your meeting with United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair, April 5 – 7, 2002 at Crawford – Secret/NOFORN DECL: 4/01/12

Ricketts, Peter – ‘Memo for Prime Minister’ (22.03.2002)

Richburg, Keith B – ‘Blair Rejects Criticism of Arms Evidence’ (03.06.2003) link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/06/03/blair-rejects-criticism-of-arms-evidence/fbdbb4af-b1b6-4fb1-8fc2-951be1a1f433/

Wiltshire Constabulary – ‘Chief Superintendent Patrick Stayt’ (24.11.2003) – Swindon Police

My letter to Electronics Producers who are responsible for supplying money to militias and guerrillas of the DRC!

Dear Electronic Producers of end-products as Mobile Phones and such, I write to you in haste!

Then I mean the likes of Foxconn of China, Apple, Hitachi, Sanyo, NEC Tokin, Kemet, AVX, Vishay, Flextronics, Celestica Sanmina, Asustek, Jabil, Hewitt-Packard, Dell, Acer, IBM, Samsung, Motorola, Canon and Nokia. Also other suppliers who deliver the needed products for you too label and sell to the global market.  

I write too you with urgency, do you want your names to mentioned in blood, as your greed for the profits are no embedded with warlords and thieves of East Africa, as the exported mineral resources as Coltan, Tin, Tantalum and Tungsten. These minerals are needed in your production to make your phones, your electronics and others.

There been warlords, been warriors and presidents that have looted the Southern and Northern Kivu of Democratic Republic of Congo. They have all used AK-47 and other weapons while taking territories, towns and villages. These are the places, where the militias and guerrillas are raping the woman, burning villages and taking over mines even with child-labor if needed.

All the deaths and wars since the fall of Mobutu Sese Seko in the end of 1990s, where the proxy war of Uganda and Rwanda in the Kivu’s where the mines are; and you have accepted this as you vouch for their armies and their militias taking the area, eating of the minerals, eating the stones and lifting the burden they have to buy ammunition to continue their thieving. The thieving and capturing the miners, destroying and taking the minerals, the minerals you use in your products, the end-products you want to sell to me and the world.

What is the pride of your fiscal profits, knowing you were securing payments, securing buying of small-arms and killings of fellow men and woman, on your watch, on your payment and your production? The initial end-game of Electronic Products is that as long as we know that, the Laptops, Smart-Phone and others are tainted with blood; they are tainted with the operation of warlords.

That cannot be gone away in silence, as long as the President of Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo, they are all in on it, and enjoy the monies with their proxy armies controlling various mines and different minerals, the issues and stages of exploitation of the Kivu’s.

If more people care, they would be aggravated, they would wonder if there was ways of producing the smart-phones and laptops without the minerals that are fueling the guerrillas and militias of Kivu, which is not extending the reign of Kabila, Kagame and Museveni. They are the reasons for these killings and these groups who extort this violence.

The nonsense non-action, the deliberate assault for these minerals, and your plenty of usage, while knowing where it came from, with the extent of the force that it taken from the ground and into the factories, before sold with pop-song on the local TV-Station with a fancy name and image; that image should be tainted with the knowledge of how the minerals for it came to light of day, with the injustice, the impunity and dissolved society where the fear of violence, reckless warlords, relentless soldiers and murders keeping at bay the illegal logging of minerals of the Kivu’s. That is what the price of the profits.

The brave and Nobel men of the boardrooms of the companies, the men and woman of the PR firms, and the consumers, should be enlighten, should take a stand and we all should try to find ways to absorb and not buy the tainted electronics, or least spread the names of them who take the supply of blood-tainted minerals and make products for profit. That should be stopped, as the killings, the continued presence of militias and guerrillas, they are all been kept and fed by your money. The money you have supplied them, so they can continue to get guns and ammunition.

This money comes from the people, the citizens of the world, they should now and should extend their hands, if they about the atrocities and violence of the Kivu’s. They are serving your profits, the profits made on the guerrillas and militias controlling the mines and exploitations of the provinces with the enriched minerals of the Democratic Republic of Congo. That is what should be known, the silent and sudden killer of it all, the ones that responsible for the presence of modern technology, are militants and guerrillas who are fed on the violence as they export to industries that take it without questions.

It should be questioned and the people should care, the knowledge of these actions should be in the open and spoken more about. Last time the blood-diamonds movie and Leonardo DiCaprio played a reckless man who sold diamonds in Sierra Leone… maybe if they did the same with blood tainted minerals from the DRC, then the world citizens might care and asked for change of policy, but the average man don’t, they just want to enjoy 3G and 4G while surfing to read Tabloid papers and other madness, instead of using their waste opportunities to gain the needed knowledge of the affairs that is happening from afar with the technology at hand.

There is time to question; there are and been more than enough massacres and deaths happening in Beni, in Goma and in Kivu’s for the needed minerals. Time to ask the Electronics Companies and the Suppliers of these minerals to take actions, as their need for this is the reason why the atrocities and killings are happening. They are happing on our watch and with our knowledge. It is time to do something and ask for change, to pressure the DRC Government, to pressure the Electronic producers to use other suppliers if possible and stop fueling their profits into the warlords of East Africa, as they are responsible for their existence, as they are the ones giving them money and plenty to continue to harass and kill their fellow brother and sisters.

Best Regards

The Writer of Minbane

30th NRA/NRM Liberation Day with the “First National Address” – On the Parliamentary Steps on the 26. January 1986 (Transcript of the Speech)

Today is the Liberation day after the Bush-War in 1986. That led to the fall of Milton Obote, Yusuf Lule and Tito Okello. After years in the bush and using the guns and being armed to their teeth and after that actually run Uganda; that happens after losing the election in 1980 as a independent with the Uganda Patriotic Movement. He lost to Sam Kutesa his now Foreign Affairs Minister and loyal ally. Because he claimed the 1980s elections where UPC and Milton Obote won, he went to the bush because the system could not be fixed in peaceful ways. Today is the 26th January in remembrance of this and show respect to the start of 30 year reign of power. Here is a transcript of the speech he had that day. If that is to long I have the cut video clip first that can show the glimpse of what he was trying to say. Take a look and read if you will!

Here is the speech he held on the NRA/M liberation and after the bush-war in front of the Parliament on the 26th January 1986:
NO ONE should think that what is happening today is a mere change of guard: it is a fundamental change in the politics of our country. In Africa, we have seen so many changes that change, as such, is nothing short of mere turmoil. We have had one group getting rid of another one, only for it to turn out to be worse than the group it displaced. Please do not count us in that group of people: the National Resistance Movement is a clear-headed movement with clear objectives and a good membership.

Of course, we may have some bad elements amongst us – this is because we are part and parcel to Ugandan society as it is, and we may, therefore, not be able completely to guard against infiltration by wrong elements.

It is, however, our deliberate policy to ensure that we uplift the quality of politics in our country. We are quite different from the previous people in power who encouraged evil instead of trying to fight it.

You may not be familiar with our program, since you did not have access to it while we were in the bush so I shall outline a few of its salient points;

The first point in our program is the restoration of democracy. The people of Africa-the people of Uganda-are entitled to democratic government. It is not a favour from any government: it is the right of the people of Africa to have democratic government. The sovereign power in the land must be the population, not the government. The government should not be the master, but the servant of the people.

In our liberated zones, the first thing we started with was the election of village Resistance Committees. My mother, for instance, cannot go to parliament; but she can, surely, become a member of a committee so that she, too, can make her views heard. We have, therefore, set up village, muluka, gombolola and district committees.

Later we shall set up a national parliament directly elected by the people. This way we shall have both committee and parliamentary democracy. We don’t want to elect people who will change sides once they are in parliament. If you want to change sides, you must go back and seek the mandate of the people who elected you.

Democracy
Some of these points are for the future, but right now I want to emphasis that the first point in our political program is democracy for the people of Uganda. It is a birthright to which all the people of Uganda are entitled.
The committees we have set up in these zones have a lot of power. You cannot, for instance, join the army or the police without being cleared by the village committee.

You must get a recommendation from the people in your village to say that you are not a rogue. Hence, the soldiers who are joining us from other armies will have to be referred back to their villages for recommendation. The same applies to the police.

Suppose, for instance, that we want to recruit some 500 soldiers from the District of Rakai and say 10,000 youths in the area apply to join. If 5,000 of those are cleared by their area committees as people of good character, the selecting military team will choose the most physically fit from among those, and we shall end up with an army that is both of good character and in good physical condition. This is an example of some of the work to be done by the village committees.

Another important aspect of the committees is that they should serve as a citizens’ intelligence system. If I go to address a rally in Semuto, Rape-ka or Nakaseke, I shall first meet the muluka and gombolola committees in the area. They will tell me whether the muluka chiefs are thieves, or the hospital personnel are selling drugs, or whether there are soldiers in the area who are misbehaving. They are thus able to act as watchdogs for the population and guard against the misuse of power.

The second point in our program is the security of person and property. Every person in Uganda must be absolutely secure to live wherever he or she wishes. Any individual or any group of persons who threatens the security of our people must be smashed without mercy.

Security
The people of Uganda should only die from natural causes that are beyond our control, but not at the hands of fellow citizens who continue to walk the length and breadth of our land freely. When we were in Nairobi during the peace talks, it was a very painful experience sitting in a room with criminals across the table. 1 was advised that being a leader, you have to be diplomatic.

This prompted me to ask: “But does diplomacy apply to criminals as well?” to which the answer was, “Yes”. I saw then that the whole process was a farce. We tried peacefully to push the case that the Amin elements, and people like Bazilio Okello, who had killed people in broad daylight, must be excluded from government.

Our voice, however, was a lonely one because there were so many pressures from the International community which is interested only in trade. They do not care how many skeletons we have in Uganda: all they care about is for the road to be opened so that their goods can have free passage. We, therefore, made our position very clear: we were not going to take part in any government which included and Involved criminals. Unfortunately these people believed they had tricked us. Tito Okello, for instance, came back saying that my signing the agreement showed that they had removed the teeth from the salambwa (poisonous snake).

Our position, however, has always been very clear. If you play tricks with us, we shall play tricks with you; if you are honest with us, we shall be honest with you; if you are violent against us, we shall be violent against you. We are people who pay others in their own currency and we never use cowardly tactics. When I was in the bush, I had a lot of pressure from people who said that we should assassinate people like Obote, Muwanga and Bazilio.

Against assassination
I disagreed because I argued that when you assassinate people like that, you turn them into martyrs and heroes. What you need is to develop enough strength to enable you to sweep that kind of garbage to where it belongs: on the dung-heap of history. Why should anybody bother to kill small people like Bazilio? You may kill Bazilio Okello but you will be left with many other Bazilios.

Therefore, the security of the people of Uganda is their right and not a favour bestowed by any regime. No regime has a right to kill any citizen of this country, or to beat any citizen at a road block. We make it clear to our soldiers that if they abuse any citizen, the punishment they will receive will teach them a lesson. As for killing people – if you kill a citizen, you yourself will be killed.

During our struggle, we executed five soldiers of the National Resistance Army for killing people in Bulemezi, Ngoma and Fort Portal. One of these soldiers had killed a doctor in order to steal his money.

What, on the other hand, has been happening in Kampala? Recently, people were massacred in Luwero and a high-powered delegation was sent there: you know these so-called high-powered delegations led by Excellency’s and honorables, etc. Personally, I do not like being called ‘Excellency’.

People in Bulemezi call me Yoweri or Mzee wa Kazi. Now, these Excellency’s, and honorable ministers and high-ranking military personnel, and what-have-you went to Luwero. Can you imagine what they did? We were told that they had transferred the person who had killed the people in Luwero to another station! Can you imagine? Someone kills 100, 50 or even two people and you say you have transferred him to another area? It was suggested that the solution to some of our problems would be for Kampala to be completely demilitarized.

Disciplining soldiers
So I asked: “Where are you going to take these criminal soldiers? Even if you take them to a national park they will kill the animals there!” The solution, therefore, is to put criminal soldiers where they belong: in prison.

The third point in our program is the question of the unity of our country. Past regimes have used sectarianism to divide people along religious and tribal lines. But why should religion be considered a political matter? Religious matters are between you and your god. Politics is about the provision of roads, water, drugs, in hospitals and schools for children.

Case for unity
Take the road from here, Parliament Buildings, to Republic House. This road is so bad that if a pregnant woman travels on it, I am sure she will have a miscarriage! Now, does that road harm only Catholics and spare Protestants? Is it a bad road only for Moslems and not for Christians, or for Acholis and not for Baganda? That road is bad and it is bad for everyone.

All the users of that road should have one common aspiration: to have it repaired. How do you become divided on the basis of religion or tribe if your interests, problems and aspirations are similar? Don’t you see that people who divide you are only using you for their own interests not connected with that road? They are simply opportunists who have no program and all they do is work on cheap platforms of division because they have nothing constructive to offer the people.

Our Movement is strong because it has solved the problem of division: we do not tolerate religious and tribal divisions in our Movement, or divisions along party lines such as UPC, DP, UPM and the like. Everyone is welcome on an equal basis. That is why you find that when our army goes to Buganda, the people there call it:” amagye gaffe, abaana baffe”. When it goes to the West, it is: “amahe gaitu, abaana baitu”: which means that wherever the NRA goes, it is called ‘our army, our children’. Recently, Buloba was captured by our army, and the commander in charge of the group was an officer called Okecho. He comes from Pakwach in West Nile.

Therefore, the so-called division between the north and south is only in people’s heads. Those who are still hoping to use it are going to be disappointed. They ought to dig a large grave for such aspirations and bury them. Ma-sindi was captured by our soldiers led by Peter Kerim: he, too, is from West Nile. Dr. Ronald Batta here, who is from Madi, has been our Director of Medical Services for all these years in the bush.

‘Angry’ Obote
Obote tried to propagate the idea that there was a division between the Bantus and the Nilotics and that if the Bantus took over, the Nilotics would be wiped out. We have, however exposed him. Whenever, we captured soldiers from Ac noli, Lango and elsewhere, we would treat them well and then release them.

Obote would be surprised and he would ask: “Were you really captured? Did you see Museveni? Were you really not beaten?” Once we captured the police commander of Masindi, a man called Gala.

I talked to him and another man called Epigo, also from Masindi. When we released them and Epigo got back to Obote, Obote did not like what Epigo had to say: that the National Resistance Army was not a tribal army as the Obote government had been trying to make out. So Obote locked Epigo up in Luzira Maximum Security Prison because he did not want to hear the truth about our Movement and Army.

There is, in philosophy, something called obscurantism, a phenomenon where ideas are deliberately obscured so that what is false appears to be true and vice versa. We in the NRM are not interested in the politics of obscurantism: we want to get to the heart of the matter and find out what the problem is. Being a leader is like being a medical doctor. A medical doctor must diagnose his patient’s disease before he can prescribe treatment.

Similarly, a political leader must diagnose correctly the ills of society. A doctor who does not diagnose his patient’s disease adequately is nothing but a quack.

In politics we have also got quacks – and Uganda has had a lot of political quacks over the past two decades or so. I also want to talk about co-operation with other countries, especially in our region. One of our weaknesses in Africa is a small market because we don’t have enough people to consume what we produce.

Regional cooperation
Originally we had an East African market but it was messed up by the Excellency’s and Honorable ministers. It will be a cardinal point in our program to ensure that we encourage co-operation in economic matters, especially in transport and communication within the East African region.

This will enable us to develop this area. We want our people to be able to afford shoes. The Honorable Excellency who is going to the United Nations in executive jets, but has a population at home of 90 per cent walking barefoot, is nothing but a pathetic spectacle. Yet this Excellency may be busy trying to compete with Reagan and Gorbachev to show them that he, too, is an Excellency. These are some of the points in our political program. As time goes on, we shall expand more on them.

Last appeal
To conclude, I am appealing to those people who are trying to resist us to come and join us because they will be integrated. They should not waste their time trying to fight us because they cannot defeat us.

If they could not defeat us when there were just 27 of us with 27 guns, how can they defeat this army which you saw here? They cannot defeat us, first of all, because we have a correct line in politics which attracts everyone. Secondly, we have a correct line of organization. Thirdly, our tactics are correct.

We have never made a mistake either in strategy or tactical calculation. I am, therefore, appealing to these people not to spill more blood, especially of the young men who are being misled by older people who should know better.

Afterthought: 

I think this is enough. And it is celebration of 30 years. I will not be smooth, but rather silent. Because it seems like President Museveni forget his cause, if it ever was his cause and to make a democratic change. Even if he used a long time to give a multi-party system. Still his rigging turns as bad or worse then Obote II. That means that after 30 years they are doing the same thing they fought against. Which must be an ironic way of celebrating 30 years of power, with the same leader that held this speech. A speech that was powerful and if truthful and the power ate the man. Then he forgot why he came to power. There are many theories, but the man who took power talked a way of democratic behaviour, but now is more totalitarian and police-state then the state he wished to build in 1986. Peace.

Inter-Burundian Dialague happens on wrong terms with the off-target ” Ugandan Mediation Team” as the Power-Hungry President Nkurunziza lingers on

This years ending is in a bit of limbo when it comes to Burundi. It started earlier in the year with the court ruling accepting the third term for the second term president Pierre Nkurunziza. He had an election that was without major opposition, they didn’t except the terms that we’re set for the elections. The inauguration we’re done in secret and secrecy. The incoming we’re written in stone.

There we’re massive protest, even a coup d’état attempt by certain army figures that dwindled into water and dust and trace. Some of the main men in central government flee the country with the estimated 220.000 people following them. 22.000 of them alone in Uganda and big numbers in major refugee camps in Tanzania. This is worrying for the 2016.

The fragile state and build-up of a military state again in Burundi; where the army and politics is mended together to oppress those who does not fit the regimes power-structure. We can see that with the instances of the opposition leaders who have been assassinated or killed during recent months. That is worrying and the world leaders are mostly silent.

Recent day’s actions by the African Union where they wish for peace operation in the country and that will be served by other African nations. That is argued by President Museveni of Uganda and President Nkurunziza that it is a breach of sovereignty of the state. Since the Burundi is a sovereign and can’t accept to be attacked by that principal. The Burundian president has even promised to attack the armies who enter the country. There was rumors when the coup d’état we’re occurring that he got help from Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) and their helicopters to get him back into power. So if it helps him and his foes then it is okay to bring the power structure. The African Union forces would not serve under the President Nkurunziza therefore he fears this and would attack them.

The Burundian President has fought against his fellow countrymen since March and now the realization of the African brothers happens. Just as we enters a new year than they start to do something! The Belgium foreign minister have complained for a while in the darkness and the American have stopped their participation in the AGOA and put sanctions on the top officials of the country.

So certain movements have happen. There we’re in this week a second try of mediation between the Government of Burundi, certain opposition parties, four former presidents of the country, civil society of Burundi and the mediation team appointed by President Museveni. Who have told the media that the Government of Burundi can’t set the terms, though they are the ones going after the opposition leaders and harassing those who believes their power is not righteous. While the country turns into more turmoil and distress. Burundi doesn’t turn to the better, instead the violence and aggression continues and more people will flee or die in the hands of the army and the security organizations controlled by the President Nkurunziza. That is happening while the world is turning the blind eye.

Agathon Rwasa the FNL leader we’re assassinated this year and can’t be in the mediation. It is with sadness that main opposition leader is gone. That proves to what extent the President Nkurunziza goes to secure power. Gervais Rufyikiri the second vice-president fled the country this year. Also Zedi Feruzi was assassinated by government forces this year! 

The worry is the reports of torture, death-squads and military operations forcing people to flee while cholera outbreaks in refugee camps in Tanzania. The mediation and Inter-Burundian Dialogue is supposed to find a peaceful path for the people of Burundi, but that will not take away the crimes committed by the Government against their own people and the breeches of justice that has happen. The fear that is spread and the unjustified violence against the protesters against a illegitimate government who forces themselves to a third term. This here is all about the matter of a power-hungry President who won’t leave power and he is seeking advice and mediation through African Union from another President Museveni who have kept himself in power since 1986. That the African Union is rubberstamping this mediation from a government who have done precisely what President Nkurunziza wishes to achieve. Domination and control of his fellow countrymen; this either by law or by force for him at this point it doesn’t matter. The intimidation and killings should not be happening in the shadows and mist of darkness.

The talks in Kampala right now is more formalities for the Government of Burundi to scan their opposition then actual talks and the former presidents is more puppets then actually initial force of changes to the better. Inter-Burundian Dialogue by the rouge regime of NRM and Uganda will just justify the Burundian governments stance and they will get time to learn from their masters and friends in country. Rwandan President Paul Kagame who just won a right to a new rounds of election and a third term possibility will not interfere in Burundi unless he have to, because the wounds and closeness to Burundi is to near. President Kagame also doesn’t want international interference or questions to his power. Since he himself will do what he can to stay in power, as President Nkurunziza does. The only difference it’s that President Kagame might not need to use as much force since he has silenced the critics since 1994 and kept the lid on the opposition ever since. Something President Nkurunziza didn’t have the time to do since the civil war that ended in 2005.

Therefore the 2016 will bring more violence and more fleeing refugees to Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. The Burundian people will continue to be oppressed. The African Union will struggle to breech the sovereignty in the country as they did in Rwanda in 1994. Back in the day in Rwanda where even the United Nations Peacekeepers looked like tin-soldiers and not like men of honor; if the world doesn’t do anything fruitful and knows about the actions happening in Burundi. The world and it’s bodies of peace will be responsible for acting towards justice for the people since its own leaders have gone against them, instead of serving them, they are serving their own will and own wish to keep power. That have to be some ways of keeping this at bay, if not the ideals and dreams of fruitful peace be more in the wind. The blood and the loss of lives will be redeemed in eternity while we living will remember those lives in sorrow, as they died for nothing while the powers to be ate their souls to keep power. That is not something we can let happen in 2016 in Burundi, as the mediation talks lingers and the actions lingers, while the forces of Burundian army and security outfits continues, the deaths, the tortured, the jailed and the forgotten would need your support in the new year to come. Peace!

Press Release No 240: IARC Mongraphs evalute consumption of red meat and processed meat (26.10.2016)