Joint Communique between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Zambia for the Establishment of a Value Chain in the Electric Battery and Clean Energy Sector (Battery Precursors) – (29.04.2022)

DRC: A Report published today says Getler’s Mineral Royalties daily is the double of Messi’s salary!

Again, the investor and mineral licensing powerhouse in the Democratic Republic Congo, Dan Gertler is even more under fire after the revelations of his illicit trade during the recent years. Now, the formula and the amount of cash he gets from the foreign mineral extraction companies are paying for their passage to him. This as the deals between Getler and Kinshasa authorities are left in the dark. Whatever deal they have, certainly Getler is earning fortunes without doing more, than being connected to the Joseph Kabila government.

This report shows important facts and also bring certainties of the assumed fortunes made by Gertler, even as he is sanctioned and his corporations. Clearly, the mineral extraction is profitable in the midst of insecurity and civilian despair in the republic. While the businesses and the affiliates are eating, the public are fleeing militias and the army itself. The state is not serving the public, but the companies and the persons who has secret deals with the government. It is vicious and the international community let them, even as it is sanctioned, the acts are still appearing and has the ability to earn on it.

“Based on a number of assumptions, Resource Matters estimates the royalties to the Gertler-affiliated companies can be expected to amount to about $110 million for 2018 and nearly $100 million for 2019. This means that Gertler risks losing about $270,000 in revenue from Glencore’s operations per day. That is nearly twice as much as the world’s best paid soccer player, Lionel Messi, makes at Barcelona” (Resource Matters, P: 6, 2018).

“Glencore therefore has to balance the risk of increased pressure in Congo versus the risk of ending up on the U.S. sanctions list. This means that the royalty payments constitute a significant risk, whether they stop or continue. Investors should be able to know how Glencore will deal with this going forward. U.K anti-corruption organization Global Witness has repeatedly lamented the opacity of Glencore’s royalty payments to Gertler’s companies and called for better disclosure” (Resource Matters, P: 8, 2018).

“This conclusion was somewhat hasty. Gertler’s gold companies do not explicitly feature on the sanctions list, but that in itself does not matter. Under the U.S. Treasury’s so-called 50%-rule, any company owned at least 50% by a sanctioned entity is considered, per se, sanctioned because it is deemed to be “blocked property” of the sanctioned person. Both Moku Goldmines and Société Minière de Moku-Beverendi are at least 50% owned by Fleurette, a sanctioned entity, and should be considered sanctioned, too. In addition, the fact that no payments are made to Gertler does not shield Randgold from the risk of being sanctioned. The U.S. Treasury could qualify Randgold’s exploration activities at Moku-Beverendi as ‘material support’ to a sanctioned entity and impose sanctions on Randgold” (Resource Matters, P: 9, 2018).

Gertler might be in hot-water and the Kabila government might have decisions to make concerning their alliance. Still, the trades and contracts has been made, if the Kabila government suspend and revoke it, they might have to pay a settlement. While wait for a new company or middle-man to secure a grand deal for the licensing. We can question if the loyalty will be there, as long as the sanctions might hit the companies who works with Gertler. Because, they do not want to lose the profitable and secure delivery of the cobalt and other minerals in the Republic.

Surely, Getler don’t want to miss his winning ways and his double earnings of Messi. He want it and doesn’t care about how. Getler just continue to score and get contracts, which makes his giant fortune. It is by the blessing of his connections in Kinshasa. Peace.

Reference:

Resource Matters – ‘The Global Magnitsky – Effect How will U.S. sanctions against Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler affect the DR Congo’s extractive sector?” (February 2018).

First Responsible and Conflict-Free Artisanal Gold Supply Chain Operational in Eastern Congo (17.05.2017)

The Just Gold project is the first to successfully trace conflict-free and legal artisanal gold from mine site to export applying regional and international standards.

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 17, 2017 –  Partnership Africa Canada (PACweb.org) today announced the Just Gold project has successfully implemented a system to trace legal and conflict-free artisanal gold in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Just Gold project began as a pilot in Ituri Province in 2015. Today’s announcement is a milestone for the project—moving it from the pilot stage—having proven a successful chain of custody from mine site to exporter.

“After almost two years of testing the Just Gold project with an aim to develop a chain of custody and due diligence system for artisanal gold in DRC, we are excited to share news of our success,” said Joanne Lebert, Partnership Africa Canada’s Executive Director.

“The Just Gold project can now move from a period of testing to implementation and ensuring we have a long-term, sustainable and viable solution for traceable, legal and conflict-free exports of artisanal gold from Congo,” said Lebert.  “We look forward to sharing our lessons learned with key actors and to deepening our collaboration with the DRC Government.”

The Just Gold project creates incentives for artisanal gold miners to channel their product to legal exporters—and eventually responsible consumers—by offering fair and transparent pricing and by providing capacity-building, such as technical assistance to miners in return for legal sales. Miners are taught better exploitation techniques and offered Juts Gold project equipment, in return for which any gold produced must be tracked and sold through legal channels.

“Proving that artisanal gold in eastern Congo can be conflict-free, legal and traceable is a major step in responsible sourcing efforts in the Great Lakes region. The government of Democratic Republic of Congo is taking major strides in complying with regional standards and demonstrating how the implementation the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains can contribute to progressive improvements in the sector, supporting artisanal gold men and women miners to enter international markets,” said Lebert.

Partnership Africa Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Minister of Mines Martin Kabwelulu on September 2016, outlining support for the organization’s activities to strengthen natural resource governance. Specifically, the Ministry of Mines recognized the Just Gold project as a system of traceability and encouraged its implementation. Partnership Africa Canada has provided technical support to the Ministry since 2011.

Current activities in DRC include the Just Gold project, capacity building to implement both the International Conference on the Great Lakes (ICGLR) Regional Certification Mechanism (RCM) and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance applicable to high-value minerals, as well as support to civil society for monitoring and reporting on supply chain integrity.

Partnership Africa Canada has also undertaken research and analysis of the artisanal gold supply chain to understand women’s roles in the sector. Through sensitization and outreach, the Just Gold project improves awareness of women’s rights, and their right to access, control and benefit of resources. The project also supports and fosters women’s leadership opportunities through skills-building and training.

Partnership Africa Canada’s work in DRC developed from its engagement as a technical partner to the ICGLR, providing capacity-building to implement the six tools developed by the ICGLR’s Regional Initiative against the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources.

Funding for the Just Gold project and Partnership Africa Canada’s work in the Great Lakes region is provided by Global Affairs Canada. Additional funding for the Just Gold project is provided by USAID through the Capacity Building for Responsible Minerals Trade (CBRMT) project and International Organization for Migration.

Opinion: The rich are so poor nowadays!

“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Well, this time in history will be remembered, in the times that the multi-national corporations have most of them fled their regional scenes and put their headquarters and main operations into tax havens. Therefore, with this in mind, the states and republics that actually is where they make the profits get less tax and get fewer monies to spend on public services. That does not make them poor, but smart someone might say. This is legal and the openness of the economies let them do it, but to be frank, we should question this big giant corporations for their fleeing fortunes abroad.

The corporations are not alone in all of this, the rich people themselves cannot sustained this, they cannot afford to pay reasonable taxes, and they need tax-relief so they can salvage their Monte Carlo and their Lamborghini’s. They have their massive mansions and stalls of cars, but cannot pay the percentages on the tax as ordinary working-class do. In addition, the working-class use decades on end to pay down the mortgage on the house and loan on their Ford Fiesta. If they can even afford a house and a car at his point.

The American enterprise and experience is really seeing it, as they plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, because the wealthy are too broke or to selfish to help the working-class who made them rich. That the working-class and industrial worker are falling behind as new schemes to outrun their possibilities. The corporations and the believers of free economies want more flexibility, but do not give equal wages or compensations. Therefore, the loser in the transactions are the workers and not the companies. Secondly, the states earn less without added productivity.

It is naive that the businesses care about other things than the bottom-line is vicious, like the wealthy have the capacity to share the spoils, which they have earned on the commoners and the citizens. Therefore, the spoils, which in some industries entails sweatshop workers and exports to the Western hemisphere with grand profits for the clothing and appeal giants. Something that the workers in Bangladesh or Pakistan doesn’t see anything delivered back, than a filthy industrial complex and possible health hazards for their hours work on end for a lousy T-shirts.

The others are the ones who are doing mining and extraction for the technology and IT businesses that has no issues with the illegal and militias taking controls over mining fields and black-market trading of rare earth minerals or cobalt for that matter. As long as the giant companies trading computers, smart-phones and whatnot get their profits. Certainly, the CEO and other leaders in the corporations should worry of the implications and the lives destroyed while their businesses are earning loads of monies. There should be some sort of certification of the weak trading points; if they knowingly paid, some of the monies on technology could fund militias and illegal armed conflicts.

This is real poverty, that we have systems, salary structures and imports that hurt local areas, while the businesses earn fortunes, that again is flying on the merry to a tax haven in the pacific through a shell-company set-up by lawyers in Panama. In addition, this is legal and just, by law and in society. That the same companies telling their workers that they cannot afford more wages, since they have to stack millions upon millions in the British Virgin Island. So that the shareholders and stakeholders can earn profits for the toils and sweat of fellow workers.

So when I hear that the workers cannot ask for bigger salaries, while the states and republics create tax-holidays and tax-breaks, incentives for “investments” while the big-men are doling away vast fortunes in the middle of the day. Like a legal heist, a theft of both tax and salary, the salaries that could be used more in the system to gain growth, and secondly the added tax that could build roads and infrastructure that the company could need. However, hey, we do not need proper roads and wages, as long as the rich can travel to Monaco and St. Tropez whenever they feel like it. We are foolish to think otherwise!

When you hear that the rich has to get tax-breaks and their taxes cut, know that they are poor in spirit and heart. They may have vast fortunes and riches, but their hearts are empty. They do not see the problems of the day-to-day basis of the ones creating their empires. They do not see the people who buys their labeled products and services. They only see the bottom-line, the empty shells companies’ accounts and the schemes to hide the monies. That is because these wealthy people are so poor; they cannot afford to be like the rest of us.

The wealthy are so poor, they are so poor that they have to avoid taxes or pay taxes, because if they were paying taxes they would be like us. They would have the same responsibilities and have the same understanding of welfare and public services. Therefore, since they do not need the public service, they can afford to travel abroad for health-care; they can afford to send their kids to private schools and can afford to import goods. Then they do not need the support and the base line of the republic or the state. Like you and I do. Therefore, with that in mind, which is why they are so poor. Their poverty is in the mind and in their spirit; they cannot be a part of us, because they want to shield themselves from us. Still, earning our monies and taking our cheap labor, no problem!

This poor people need help, they need guidance, their riches might fall out of their hands, might be lost in coup d’état or worse than they get bankrupt. Than they need the states to salvage their business or their bank, with our tax-monies, without any hesitation, but when it was booming. That was the time they had no need of paying taxes or paying amends to the state through the regulations. Like we do and pay for our right to live and use the needed services of the states.

In these interesting times of ours, we have the riches seeking to pay-less, while the working-class is footing the bills or trying too. While the republics and states make it harder for public service and make it more expensive to pay for the needed services. This are all made in the hands of the wealthy and the multi-national corporations, without considering the implications of the commoner, the working-class nor the middle-class that are all sinking on the behalf of the rich. Certainly, the belief that the trickle-down economy should be a project avoided, but to many still have faith in the paradigm. While very, few have any social mobility or have the capacity to go from one class to the next. Peace.

Och-Ziff Company and subsidiaries implicated in bribing Guinean, Zimbabwean and Congolese Authorities to get favourable business operations in these nations, Raid January 2017 report claims!

“The Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, at the FCA’s 2016 Financial Crime Conference, stated:15 ‘The UK is attractive to criminals and corrupt kleptocrats who steal billions from their own people, often some of the poorest people in the world.’ The Home Secretary concluded: ‘If…we develop world leading legislation to combat financial crime whilst continuing to develop the capabilities of our law enforcement agencies, then we will reduce the flow of dirty money into the City….’” (RAID, P: 14, 2017).

Well, this is not the first or the last time we will discuss mineral-resources and the extractions of these to gain quick profits, either in sophisticated ways of administrative affairs between the ones the licence the operations to the company, which usually is government officials who are pocketed by subsidiaries if multi-national corporations; this is happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe and Guinea. As showed in the RAID report of January 2017: “Bribery in its purest form”; that I will uncover certain parts of to show the apparent companies and holding-companies that are owning and operating in the these countries by bribing officials to export minerals. They get ownership of giant mines and resources from these nations as they are licenced after favourable transactions for the governments, as they are kept bribed to uphold production as well.

This happening in nations that are sanctioned and has sanctioned persons that should stop these transactions and licences of United Kingdom and United States corporations, even if they have shell-companies and official headquarters in Tax-Havens that proves the ability of extracting the massive fortunes in these minerals, without proper transparency in the nation they operate with their mining operation.

I think the report should speak for itself and should be publically known to show how they are able to take the monies, profit and also bribing the officials without any consequences, even when the nations of Zimbabwe and DRC had sanctions against it; still the His Majesty Treasury of United Kingdom didn’t stop the transactions and trade with them. This proves that the UK Government doesn’t care about their own sanctions and how their businesses are operating without judgement and fear of getting fined for breaking laws to get rights and takeover mining operations in other countries.

Take a look! 

“The review of mining licences that the Congolese government embarked on in 2007, which was supposed to clear up the murky legacy of wartime contracts, provided Och-Ziff and its collaborators with a golden opportunity to snap up valuable assets at knock-down prices. Working with the Congolese political elite, this group were able to exploit the threat of expropriation or revocation of mining permits to their own advantage. By 2014, according to Forbes Magazine, President Joseph Kabila had amassed an estimated personal fortune of US$15 billion in just over 13 years of power.xxiv In 2015, The Sunday Times Rich List estimated Michael Cohen’s wealth to be £335 million (US$500 million). Forbes puts Daniel Och’s (the founder and CEO of Och-Ziff) net worth at US$2.5 billion and Dan Gertler’s wealth at $1.18 billion. The DRC is one of the poorest and least developed nations in the world, ranked 176 out of 188 countries.xxv Almost 87% of its 69 million people live on less than $1.25 a day. Put another way, that $1.25 each day equates to $450 per year, and with life expectancy of 58 years, Och’s personal fortune would last the lifetimes of more than 95,000 Congolese at today’s values” (Raid, P: 10, 2017).

Och-Ziff subsidiaries:

“Mvela Holdings is incorporated in South Africa.31 Mvela Holdings is described in the Och-Ziff release as ‘a private investment company founded in 1998 by Tokyo Sexwale, Mikki Xayiya and Mark Willcox. It is the controlling shareholder of JSE-listed Mvelaphanda Group Ltd and has a significant interest in JSE-listed Mvelaphanda Resources Ltd. It has other substantial privately held interests in the mining, energy, real estate and various other industrial sectors in South Africa and Africa.’ It appears that Mvela did not ultimately participate directly in AML” (…) “Palladino Holdings is described as a private investment vehicle, founded in 2003 by Walter Hennig holding ‘a variety of significant mining, energy and other assets in Africa.’32 A company under the name Palladino Holdings Limited is registered in the UK, and recorded as originating in the Turks & Caicos Islands.33 Other market notifications that refer to Palladino Holdings Limited as a shareholder give an address for Palladino in the Turks & Caicos Islands.34 Palladino Capital 2 Limited, a closely-related Palladino subsidiary behind a controversial loan to the Guinea government (see below), is registered in the British Virgin Islands” (…) “Other than Och-Ziff employees, directors of Africa Management (UK) Limited include or have included, Walter Hennig (Palladino), Andre Cilliers (Palladino) and its chief executive Mark Willcox (also Chief Executive Officer of Mvela Holdings)” (Raid, P: 17, 2017).

Guinea agreement:

“Och-Ziff Employee A and Och-Ziff Employee B, along with the CEO of AML and South African Business Partner, conceived of a related-party transaction that would accomplish these goals….According to the deal documents, South African Business Partner was to buy 31.5 million shares in the oil and gas company from the South African conglomerate for $77 million and then immediately resell 18.5 million of those shares to AGC II for $77 million.…” (…) “Contrary to the deal documents…Och-Ziff Employee A and Och-Ziff Employee B knew that South African Business Partner would not pay the full $77 million to the South African conglomerate. South African Business Partner bought 31.5 million shares…for only $25 million, and then immediately resold 18.5 million shares in that same company to AGC II for $77 million, providing South African Business Partner with $52 million and an additional 13 million shares in the company. With the $52 million, South African Business Partner then paid $2.1 million to Och-Ziff to satisfy an outstanding debt relating to AGC I (in which the Investor had no interest), $25 million to the government of Guinea to try to secure access to valuable mining investments there, $1 million to the agent affiliated with the a high level Guinean government official and his family, and the remainder to personally benefit himself and his business partners” (RAID, P: 19, 2017).

Guinea 2011:

“In or about March 2011, a company controlled by Coconspirator #1 [‘the beneficial owner of the Turks & Caicos Entity’ ] entered into an agreement with the Guinean government, which gave the company the option to buy into the SOMC [‘Guinean state-owned mining company’]. On or about April 29, 2011, an affiliate of the Turks & Caicos Entity loaned the government of Guinea $25 million as part of a deal to become a partner in the SOMC. Coconspirator #1 raised the $25 million through a related-party stock sale to the Joint Venture. MEBIAME signed the loan document on behalf of the affiliate of the Turks & Caicos Entity. According to MEBJAME, the partnership with the SOMC ultimately did not go forward due to negative press accounts, which indicated that the deal between the Guinean government and Coconspirator #1 was corrupt” (…) “He [Alpha Condé] said that he agreed. So we made the loan, we signed the loan to Soguipami…,and so I was authorised to sign and make the transfer.’ Another exhibit – a witness statement, from a UK High Court case, made by the chief executive of a company advising BSGR – states:67 ‘funds were transferred to Alpha Condé by way of a recorded loan of $25million and further unrecorded transfers believed to be “much much more”….Alpha Condé attempted to reward his backers. He entered into an agreement known as the Palladino Contract, pursuant to which the provider of the $25million loan would, on default of the loan, become entitled to a 30% share in a new Guinean national mining company established by Alpha Condé.’ Other exhibits in the ICSID case refer to Walter Hennig and AGC” (RAID, P: 20, 2017).

DRC laundering of mining exports:

“Gertler’s use of London markets to launder DRC assets began with another AIM-traded entity, Nikanor plc. Nikanor plc was described as ‘the holding company of a Group with copper and cobalt assets in the DRC’. The company was incorporated and headquartered in the Isle of Man.87 On 17 July 2007, Nikanor was admitted to AIM” (…) “In the Nikanor admission document, reference is made to allegations that Dan Gertler ‘acquired a temporary monopoly on sales of diamonds from the DRC as a result of improper dealings with the Government of the DRC’.88 The Nikanor admission document concludes that: ‘These allegations do not relate to the Company [Nikanor], the Group or any of their activities. They concern Mr Gertler in his capacity as a shareholder.’ Yet it is stated under ‘risk factors’ in the admission document: ‘…each of the Major Shareholders will be able to exercise significant influence over all matters requiring shareholder approval, including the election of Directors and significant corporate transactions.’ Moreover, there is also a reference to how the group of Nikanor companies with mining assets in the DRC and ‘some of the Major Shareholders’ have been ‘subject to criticism from a number of NGOs’ which included lack of transparency in the process by which the assets were awarded, the absence of public tendering and a joint venture agreement ‘unreasonably favourable to the Group and that as a result Gécamines [the DRC’s state-owned mining company] has not received proper consideration for valuable assets with a resulting detrimental effect on the economy of the DRC”(RAID, P: 22 ,2017).

Another DRC Agreement – Camrose transaction:

“The DOJ refers to ‘a $124 million convertible loan through a subsidiary company and AGC to Company B, a DRC Partner-controlled shell entity, funded in or about and between April and October 2008 (the “Convertible Loan Agreement”)’.121 Under the heading ‘C. Corrupt Takeover of DRC Mining Company’” (…) “the SEC Order states: Also in April 2008, Och-Ziff caused AGC I to enter into an approximately $124 million convertible loan with a holding company affiliated with DRC Partner. The stated uses of these funds were threefold: first, to provide DRC Partner with approximately $15 million to purchase a Congolese entity that had acquired the rights to a valuable mining asset in the DRC (the longstanding asset of a Canadian mining company) through an ex parte default judgment in the DRC that resulted in judicial misconduct proceedings; second, to provide DRC Partner with approximately $100 million to purchase a majority stake in that Canadian mining company in exchange for resolving its legal issues; and third, to advance an additional $9 million to be used for future mining operations in the DRC” (RAID, P: 26, 2017). “The transaction gave Och-Ziff control over what assets could be bought or sold by the entity, equity conversion rights into DRC Partner’s entity, a pledged interest in the shares of the Congolese entity, and a right to future deals with DRC Partner in the DRC. Moreover, the transaction gave DRC Partner complete discretion over how to use approximately $24 million of the funds provided by Och-Ziff. Further, Och-Ziff understood this transaction was part of a broader, ongoing partnership with DRC Partner. Finally, both Och-Ziff Employee A and Och-Ziff Employee B knew that DRC Partner was going to use a portion of the funds to pay bribes, and knew that the transaction was structured to accomplish that goal. This knowledge was not shared with others within Och-Ziff or with outside counsel” (RAID, P: 27, 2017).

Camrose II:

“A 50% interest in Société Minière de Kabolela et Kipese Sprl (‘SMKK’) was acquired on 9 November 2009 as part of the CAMEC acquisition….In 2009 the Group acquired an option, for a cash consideration of US$25 million, to purchase the outstanding 50% of the issued share capital of SMKK by acquiring the entire issued share capital of Emerald Star Enterprises Limited (‘ESEL’), (an entity controlled by the Gertler family trust), the owner of the outstanding 50% of SMKK. The Group exercised this option and the acquisition of ESEL was effectively completed and control obtained by the Group in June 2010. The total cash consideration in respect of the outstanding SMKK shares, inclusive of the US$25 million option, amounted to US$75 million” (…) “Throughout the period of DRC Partner’s acquisition of Kolwezi Tailings and SMKK, DRC Partner continued to make corrupt payments to DRC Official 2. For example, on or about December 23, 2009, DRC Partner delivered $1 million to DRC Official 2; on or about January 5, 2010, DRC Partner delivered $2 million to DRC Official 2” (…) “On or about August 20, 2010, Mining Company 1 acquired 50.5 percent of Company B. Mining Company I agreed to pay up to $575 million over two years, including $50 million in cash. Och-Ziff Employee 3 and Och-Ziff Employee 5 were informed by a co-conspirator that the $50 million was for DRC Partner to “use on the ground” to corruptly acquire Kolwezi Tailings. As part of the deal, Mining Company 1 guaranteed repayment of the Convertible Loan Agreement through a novation of the loan” (RAID, P: 30-31, 2017).

“Camrose Resources Limited, BVI company number: 1055983, incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on 9 October 2006. “ (…) ”124 According to the company website: ‘The Fleurette Group is comprised of various businesses organized under Fleurette Properties Ltd., a company established in 2006 for the benefit of the Gertler Family Trust.’ (<http://fleurettegroup.com/&gt;). A press release attributed to Fleurette Properties Limited states: ‘The Fleurette Group of Companies is a Dutch-resident group of companies whose primary activities are the investment in, exploration, exploitation and development of mining assets in Africa. The parent company of the group is called Fleurette Properties Limited, which is owned by Line Trust Corporation Limited strictly and solely on behalf of the Ashdale Settlement, a trust established in 2006 for the benefit of the family of Dan Gertler.’” (RAID, P: 58, 2017).

“Camrose is described as holding indirect interests in five copper and cobalt exploitation licences in DRC, including a 70% interest, via the Highwind Group, in Metalkol Sarl, which ENRC states as owning ‘the tailings exploitation licence covering the Kolwezi Tailings Site (otherwise known as the Kingamyambo Musonoi Tailings, or “KMT”) (PER 652)’. See ENRC plc, ‘Acquisition of 50.5% of the Shares of Camrose Resources Limited’, op. cit” (RAID, P: 59, 2017).

UK gives Concent to Camrose transaction:

“Consent for the Camrose transaction was therefore sought from the UK authorities, consent that was clearly forthcoming. ENRC sought to prevent publication of media reports relating to the SAR: 101Reporters has published not only the SAR, but also the letter it received from ENRC’s lawyers, which stated: ‘you will respect the public interest in maintaining the confidentiality in SARs and remove that aspect from your article.’” (RAID, P: 33, 2017). “There is a permissive pathway by which mines and minerals from zones of conflict and weak governance are transferred to companies trading on AIM who, in turn, through a process of acquisition, transfer these tainted assets to companies in the premium segment of the main market. This process can only be described as asset laundering. Certain of ENRC’s Congolese and Zimbabwean assets, at the heart of the SFO criminal investigation, were derived from the acquisition of AIM-traded Central African Mining and Exploration Company Limited (CAMEC), which was allowed to flourish unchecked on the junior market, despite a myriad of compliance issues that have never been addressed by AIM Regulation” (RAID, P: 34, 2017).

Zimbabwe Platinum deal:

“On 11 April 2008, CAMEC announced the acquisition of an interest in platinum mining assets in Zimbabwe via its acquisition of 100% of Lefever Finance Ltd, registered in the British Virgin Islands.209 Lefever owned 60% of Todal Mining (Private) Limited, a Zimbabwean company, which held the rights to the Bougai and Kironde claims south west of the city of Gweru in Zimbabwe. 210 The remaining 40% of Todal was held by the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (‘ZMDC’), wholly owned by the Government of Zimbabwe” (…) “…The consideration paid for Lefever was a cash payment of US$5 million and the issue of 215,000,000 new CAMEC ordinary shares. CAMEC’s announcement of the acquisition stated:211 ‘Furthermore, CAMEC has agreed to advance to Lefever an amount of US$100 million by way of loan to enable Lefever to comply with its contractual obligations to the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe. Repayment to Lefever is to be made from the ZMDC’s share of dividends from Todal.’” (…) “According to the company’s own 11 April news release announcing the Zimbabwean platinum deal, CAMEC advanced the $100 million loan to Lefever to enable it ‘to comply with its contractual obligations to the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe “ (PAID, P: 38, 2017).

“Och-Ziff had control over divesting from CAMEC after the platinum deal was announced (Mugabe and senior Zimbabwean government figures were already designated under US sanctions) or after the designation of both the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC – CAMEC’s state-controlled partner in the platinum venture) and Billy Rautenbach, later described by the US as a ‘Mugabe crony’. Och-Ziff, however, held onto its CAMEC shares into 2009, selling its remaining holding only when ENRC acquired CAMEC in November of that year” (RAID, P: 41, 2017).

Important Notes:

“Africa Management is referred to in the Memorandum of Association of Camrose Resources: ‘…Africa Management Limited, a company incorporated in Guernsey with registered number 47651 and whose registered office is at Ogier House, St Julian’s Avenue, St. Peter Port.’ (See Memorandum and Articles of Association of Camrose Resources Limited, Incorporated 9 October 2006, Amendment registered in this 20th day of November 2008, Memorandum of Association, 10 Definitions and Interpretation, 10.1, “Africa Management Limited”)” (RAID, P: 55, 2017).

Mail&Guardian graphic about how Tokyo Sexwale investing in Gertler corporations.

That this company Och-Ziff and their subsidiaries are handling their business in this way is not acceptable, the way they are catering to corrupt government officials and stifling the citizens of the nations they are earing fortunes. These corporate-stooges are writing-off dozens of nations desirable taxes and regulated levies on businesses. As they are bribing both high-level like Alphe Conde who accepts the deals in Guinea, as well as friends of Joseph Kabila in Democratic Republic of Congo, even getting Tokyo Sexwale the former minister of ANC in South Africa to be parts of their network. These levels of bribing and usage of political connection to get resources and takeover companies with ownership of licences of profitable mines, proves the graft and bribe that occurs to secure extravagant luxury for the government officials that are accepting these deals.

The Och-Ziff are using these subsidiaries and corporations to money laundering or tax-exempt them to gain more profits on the mining in the nations. Certainly done with the leadership knowledge and showed their employee tactics to bribe and secure the transactions and ownership of profitable mines. That is certainly the reason for these sophisticated business-models, that enrichen the corporate leadership and gives government officials giant envelopes to give away nations vital resources. These well-planned well-crafted companies that uses all kind of loopholes and ways to escape the punishment for their breaching of international and national law to salvage as much profit as possible.

The long-term effect is certainly that the Guinean, Congolese and Zimbabwean government get less tax on the dollar as the corporate leadership pays them directly a smaller fee, than actually paying the legitimate taxation for their operation and their owned businesses. These actions shouldn’t be in the wind, it should be in the public and be addressed, even send the corporate leadership and government officials should answer to the public thievery as the minerals are taken without proper legal rights because of the fraud, secondly the corporate and the government officials are implicated in the thievery and should be sanctioned by courts and under the rule of law. Third the corporations themselves should lose the licence and the mining operations as they got them without proper procedure and there is invalid. They should also be fined and get banned from working in this nations or the corporations with these corporate bosses that are acting for them to gain this default destructive profits. Peace.

Reference:

Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) – ‘‘Bribery in its purest form’: Och-Ziff, asset laundering and the London connection’ January 2017

RDC: “Les députés nationaux de l’Ituri membres du PPRD suspendent leurs cotisations & s’en prennent à Amb. Henri Mova” (26.12.2016)

Communique de la Septieme Reunion de haut niveau du Mecanisme Regional de suivi de l’Accord-cadre pour la paix, la Securite et la Cooperation pour la Republique Democratique du Congo et la Region (26.10.2016)

OHCHR Report 2016: Proven Human Rights Violations in the DRC!

The newest report from Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) together with United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) dropped a report about Human Rights violations this October. These shows the violations of human rights, killings and rapes that have happen over a certain time period.  The reports themselves say enough about the extent of how the Government and their Security Organizations does, plus the guerrilla warfare and the results of that in the DRC.

The reports are vivid and direct from political prisoners to rape incidence… the words themselves of what they did to the civilians there. Take a look!

“Initiatives and public advocacy conducted by the Congolese authorities, with the support of the international community, have resulted in the conviction of State agents for sexual violence in conflict in at least 231 cases, during the period under review. Also, according to information made available to the UNJHRO, at least 447 soldiers of the Congolese National Army (Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo – FARDC) and 155 agents of the Congolese National Police (Police nationale congolaise – PNC) have been convicted for acts constituting human rights violations during the period under analysis. Despite the remarkable efforts made and considering the structural and financial difficulties facing the judicial system, this is a very low number compared to the 4,032 human rights violations committed by State agents. This, in addition to other factors, also shows that lack of effective prosecution contributes to the commission of other violations” (OHCHR/MONUSCO, P: iv, 2016).

Conflict Areas of Congo:

“During the reporting period, the six provinces affected by the conflict in eastern DRC, namely Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Bas-Uélé and Tshopo provinces registered the highest numbers of 5 human rights violations and abuses, which were mainly committed by combatants of more than 30 different armed groups. Between 1 January 2014 and end of March 2016, among the armed groups, the combatants of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) committed the largest number of abuses (685), followed by the Front for Patriotic Resistance in Ituri (FRPI) (662) and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) (424). These abuses were mainly committed during attacks launched on villages, in a bid to control territories rich in natural resources or in reprisal against some individuals suspected of cooperating with parties to the conflict” (…) “. State actors have also committed human rights violations in eastern DRC, in particular FARDC soldiers and PNC agents. These State actors, mainly FARDC soldiers, committed human rights violations or violations of international humanitarian law during military operations against armed groups” (OHCHR/MONUSCO, P:4-5, 2016).

Political Prisoners:

“In the current electoral context, concern has been expressed in relation to actions taken by the judiciary and viewed as Government interference in the justice system. For example, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders expressed concern about “the arbitrary detention of three human rights defenders, Mr Fred Bauma Winga, Mr Christopher Ngoy Mutamba and Mr Yves Makwambala, which seem to be related to their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities” as well as “allegations of illegal obtaining of evidence, procedural flaws and unfair trials”. The Special Rapporteur further “voiced his concern at the difficult situation in which human rights defenders exercise their right to freedom of association, of peaceful assembly, of opinion and expression, in the DRC” (OHCHR/MONUSCO, P:9, 2016).

Prions:

“Weaknesses in the penitentiary system have been raised on multiple occasions during 2015 Etats généraux de la justice, and identified as a major obstacle to the fight against impunity. The UNJHRO has documented the escape of 2,604 people from detention centres in 2014 and 201526. Mass escapes take place on a regular basis throughout the countr” (…) “One illustrating example is the mass escape of 18 October 2014 of 326 out of the 433 detainees (130 condemned persons and 196 people in preventive detention) from the prison of Butembo, North Kivu province, following an attack on the prison by four men armed with AK-47 trying to free nine detained soldiers who turned out to be absent from the prison. To this day, only about a hundred of those escaped persons have been found” (OHCHR/MONUSCO, P: 10, 2016).

ADF Violence:

“From 1 October to 31 December 2014, at least 237 people – including 65 women and 35 children – were killed by suspected ADF combatants. At least 47 civilians were wounded, 20 were abducted and two were victims of sexual violence. During this period, suspected ADF elements have attacked at least 35 villages, using machetes, hammers and knives, amongst others, and carrying out summary executions of civilians. During the same period, the UNJHRO also documented the destruction and looting of houses. From 28 February 2016 to March 2016, civilians were targeted by suspected ADF combatants in several villages on both sides of the border between North Kivu and Ituri, in Bambuka-Kisiski (Beni territory, North Kivu province) and Bandavilemba (Irumu territory, Ituri province)” (OHCHR/MONUSCO, P: 12, 2016).

FARDC rape in Goma 2012:

“In November 2012, after the capture of Goma by the M23 armed group, FARDC soldiers withdrew to Minova, in South Kivu province, where they committed mass rapes and other human rights violations during a period of 10 days. On 5 May 2014, the Military Operational Court of North Kivu delivered its verdict on this case and sentenced 26 FARDC soldiers to prison terms ranging from three years to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity. Thirteen other soldiers have meanwhile been acquitted” (OHCHR/MONUSCO, P 14, 2016).

Musenyi:

“From 20 to 22 September 2015, FARDC soldiers assigned to 33071st Battalion under the leadership of Colonel Jules Dhenyo Beker reportedly committed several human rights violations in Musenyi village, in the vicinity of Maibano, Kalehe territory, South Kivu province, during an operation to track down Rayia Mutomboki chief Mweke Atobaibwa. Civilians were arrested and taken to a school used by the military operation’s leadership. A 16-week old baby reportedly died following a beating. Nineteen women were raped (or gang-raped in some cases), 31 people were subjected to cruel, inhumane or degrading treatments and arbitrary arrests while 78 others were subjected to looting and/or extortions. The next day, a high ranking FARDC official reportedly visited the scene of the incident and ordered the population not to report what had happened” (OHCHR/MONUSCO, P: 32, 2016).

Kavumu:

“Since May 2013, at least 20 children under 12 and thirty children aged between 12 and 17 have reportedly been abducted, raped and subjected to genital mutilations in Kavumu, 35 km from Bukavu, in the groupement of Bugorhe, Kabare territory, South Kivu province. The victims were reportedly abducted in their sleep without any witness and returned home or near their residence after being raped or mutilated. According to judicial authorities, these crimes were reportedly perpetrated in the context of initiation rituals and fetishist practices. Reportedly, these rapes and abductions also sought to terrorize the local population. On 17 March 2016, in Kavumu, a human rights defender who had spoken out on cases of rape against children in Kavumu and denounced the implication of a local leader, as well as the inaction of judicial authorities, was summarily executed by armed men wearing PNC uniforms.” (OHCHR/MONUSCO, P: 33, 2016).

For the ones that hasn’t followed the nation, the FARDC and the Guerrillas in the DRC will this be eye-opening, for others this is old news. Still, the reports prove certain aspects of life in regions and parts of DRC… This is more to show the dirty and nitty gritty that too many civilians and people of the DRC have lived through. This is what you can call a stern warning that people should care about the senseless violence against humanity in the DRC. Peace.

Reference:

OHCA/MONUSCO – ‘Accountability for Human Rights Violations and Abuses in the DRC: Achievements, Challenges and Way forward’ (1 January 2014 – 31 March 2016) – October 2016

The latest from Beni, DRC: Conflicting reports on killings over the Weekend, but certainly ADF-NALU attacked on the 22nd September; sharing the knowledge of the origin of violence in the Kivu’s!

The embattled city of Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo has heavy day of deaths again. First was a rumour that I haven’t gotten verified that there been a FARDC Soldier on rampage killing 13 people. Even ABC in the U.S. and The Guardian in the UK have written their piece on it. But the intelligence from the DRC, which I believes says this.

The rumour we’re spread by this official source:

“Seventeen people were killed Saturday, September 24th in Beni and several others are missing, mainly children, following a stampede caused by rumors of an incursion of ADF in this city of North Kivu. According to the head of Civil Protection of Beni, the situation was aggravated when a FARDC soldier in civilian clothes started shooting in the air. He stated that the balance sheet is still provisional” (…) “During this panic, as it was raining heavily, there are children who have been lost. We are still investigating these children. They took the road Mangina, Butembo and other road, the road of Oïcha. And with respect to human damage, we have 15 deaths by drowning and two by crisis. We are still waiting to receive more bodies to be recovered” (…) “The mayor of Beni, Nyonyi Bwanakawa , called the population fled to the neighboring cities of Beni to return to their homes. “There was panic yesterday [ Saturday, September 24 ] , today there is no panic. The city regained its calm since yesterday. My constituents who went to Mangina in Butembo also everyone back home”, says the mayor of Beni” (…) “What I do have secure sources of is 4 people died by accident, 8 by drowning, 4 people by getting to bottom of Congo Kilokwe, 1 person died in the river Kalinda, 3 people by the river of Munyubelu and 1 person of the market of Kilokwa. So the total of deaths alone in the last day has been 17 persons. Not the ten of the rumour. Still, the verification of the matter and deaths is still worrying how easily these people are dying and to what extent” (Radio Okapi – ‘Beni: 17 morts suite à la rumeur d’une incursion des ADF’ 25.09.2016, link: http://www.radiookapi.net/2016/09/25/actualite/securite/beni-17-morts-suite-la-rumeur-dune-incursion-des-adf?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+radiookapi%2Factu+%28Radiookapi.net%29).

So the rampage of certain soldier is not verified by the Mayor of Beni this time around, even if the 17 people died are more than enough by the scare of the weather and rain. This proves the volatile and scarcity of secure areas in and around Beni.

The ADF-NALU we’re attacking Beni on the 22^nd September 2016, there we’re 7 dead by assault, 3 missing and 3 hurt. The ADF-NALU burnt the houses of the ones connected to the FARDC in the town as they we’re assaulting it.

Some say the drunk soldier we’re in a military base or compound where he shot bullets in the air together with the bad weather and with the knowledge of the recent ADF attack made the general public scared that the bullets shot from the soldier we’re a prequel to more horror form the guerrilla.

Interview of Antipas Mbusa Nyamwisi on the 22^nd September 2016:

Journalist: “You just mentioned the “M23”. What do you say, by cons, some officials who accuse you of being behind the ADF rebels, which are suspected, rightly or wrongly, the massacres of the population of Beni?”

Antipas: “In October 2014, I was the first to raise his voice to say he is going serious things in Beni. I can tell you that the killings of Beni organizer is the General Mundos [Editor’s note: General Muhindo Akili, aka Mundos]. For almost two years. Gradually, everyone starts to realize that there is something fishy. There are even reports that the UN no longer say in easy explanations consisting of pointing accusing fingers towards opponents. Everybody is beginning to realize that the sponsor of these massacres is at the top of the Congolese state. I can not be both the author and the informer of a crime. Why are the authorities so far unable to apprehend the perpetrators of these murders? As directory you can see, I do not live in Beni” (Les Depeches – ‘Antipas MBUSA NYAMWISI expose tous les secrets désagréables de Joseph KABILA’ (25.09.2016) link: http://benilubero.com/antipas-mbusa-nyamwisi-leve-le-voile-sur-les-secrets-desagreables-de-joseph-kabila/).

The reports of the mattes is still sad and strong, the silence of the matter and the little heart of all the fellow human beings dying while the valuable resources are traded showing how cold the world are. While bloody mess are traded with the resources that are exported to all kind of industry and products the world needs. Still, all this silence of the killings from either ADF, FARDC and all the leaders who take charge of the death of innocent civilians in the greed and violence; neither if it is former EX-FARDC Gen. Mundos Muhindo Akili and his fellow EX-FAR.

We cannot know about this and look away. That is madness and no honour. The international media is running wild on the 13 dead by the Soldier, while my intel says the drunk solider just made the Beni, DRC scared by the bullets.

We can all question who is reliable and where this is heading. The FARDC if they can even control the ADF-NALU at this point or if they really want to stop Gen. Mundos Muhindo Akili… Because the killings continue, but the quickness of Mayor Bwanakawa claiming otherwise, but the ADF did just recently attack the town again and a drunken soldier shooting in the air days after skirmishes of a guerrilla sound credible to me. This happens together with bad weather and insecurity of Beni.

So we know there is Ill Will and Ill intent in the Kivu’s and weak state that are only in it for the money and not in it for the security of the citizens. If they had cared than they have had a decade to ‘clear the air’ and make sure the citizens we’re safe. But since the MONUSCO and the FARDC is still there and the ADF still roams the area with violence. There are too many questions while the Rwandan Government still earns heavy currency on precious metals or resources they cannot even produce in quantities and quality minerals that isn’t possible to produce and mine. This happens while the guerrillas are attacking civilians and export to take it Kigali and sell it worldwide. The knowledge of this is open and the world should know by now, but doesn’t sanction them in any way it matters while this resources the fuel guerrillas or insurgents that gets wealthy on the deaths of innocent Congolese.

Beni, Beni dies for the mercy of minerals that helps the world go around, while the world doesn’t really care about the deaths and killings in Beni as they are continuing.

As this old page show’s how the ghost of the past continues to hunt the Congolese:

“The United States paid only minor lip service to the charges of human rights abuses during the anti-Mobutu rebellion. This was clearly due to the established connections the RPF regime had with Washington, D.C…the Clinton administration declared its sympathy with Kabila’s assertion that the UN and human rights organizations were trying to impose “Western values” on Africa. As one US official stated, “We have to respect the African point of view” (…) “Perhaps the most ominous indication that the violence in the Congo has yet to see its most extreme devastation is that the North Kivu province contains over 80% of the world’s coltan. Coltan will arguabley be the 21^st century’s most important mineral, as it is essential for all the digital technology (microchips) used today. North Kivu resident Vincent Machozi reports that both U.S. and Chinese governmental operatives are active inside North Kivu” (Caroline Smartt – ‘The Roots of the Kivu forgotten tragedy’ (25.04.2008) link: http://benilubero.com/the-roots-of-the-kivu-forgotten-tragedy/ ).

With the knowledge of this and for those who doesn’t know. Now you know the importance of the Kivu’s. That’s why the killings in DRC and Beni are worrying as the world doesn’t do anything to really make the silent war die there. The continued bloodshed and horror of any kind. There we’re once a guerrilla named “Terminator” and surely other will rise to secure the payments for the Coltan and Rare-Earth Minerals from there. Will there be change in Beni and North and South Kivu of the DRC? Peace.

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