Opinion: Why the ANC lost the recent Local Government Election; Many factors but one common denominator!

Jacob+Zuma+March+17+2016

This is one of these days where the legacy of a grand party of old is faltering in the midst of controversy and agony. You might still have the National Assembly and have fellow loyal comrades in state-owned organizations and companies. Still, the vision of the ones legendary party is dwindling. The ANC of the liberation struggle isn’t there anymore. The ANC of today is of a bloated ruling regime under His Excellency Jacob Zuma.

The ANC lost their way when they went haywire with Thabo Mbeki and chose to change guards with Jacob Zuma. Through the meagre display of character from Mbeki, that even at one point co-sponsored a draconian regime under President Mugabe and his then newly vice-president in Tsvangirai. This together with the corrupt behaviour accepted against the original will of the party when the cronies of Party sold the soul of the party for the Anglo Leasing monies back-in-the-day.

Shivambu

The then giddy ANC Youth League (ANCYL) leader Julius Malema we’re supporting to get rid of the loyal guards and triggers to galvanise the party with his running mate Jacob Zuma. This lead way to the destruction of Mbeki; they tarnished him for corruption and weak leadership skills as he came from the old-school ANC who brought them liberty. The new ones we’re ready to take and eat without the work. The ANC became the men who lead without impunity and honour of codes of conduct.

So later the relationship between Zuma and Malema also started to falter and become hazardous. They even suspended him for his ambition as he was one of the men who got the now President support for his position; decided to suspend him and therefore the creation of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) begun, the socialist and nationalistic party started by a man who loves to wear Louis Vuitton from top to toe. The LV socialist of RSA and with that he still asks for the same nationalize mines and generate trade while wearing and owning expensive suits.

The other character created by the maladministration of ANC. The Zuma elite who have made Oakbay Investment and the Guptas powerful; they have gotten both economic and political capital in the country. The institutionalized control as the family of Zuma even got hired by the companies run by the Investment Company. The ceasing of trust in Finance Minister who created stability and stopped the Executive from buying Private Planes on the Government funds and public billing of even his home in Nkandla; the Presidency of Zuma have been targeting goals of open corruption and alleged corrupt behaviour in an extent that are not healthy.

SABC 27.05.2016

Also with the extended control of the coverage of South African Broadcasting Company (SABC) who is not allowed to cover demonstrations and suspending, even sacking journalist who doesn’t want to follow the new codes as the CEO of the SABC even resigned in the controversy. The SABC is a long line of political control of the ANC where the Government Institutions are used to ploy the agenda of the government and not serve the public. The DPP have been addressing concerns, but the President has answered with only answering court orders in Parliament. The Courts have ruled and he has still not given in. The National Assembly have had motions of no confidence in President Zuma. Still, the ANC have defended him and not given in. The MPs of the National Assembly together with the ANC branches have defended their leader. Even if the ANC Stalwarts and the ANC Elders that we’re part of the liberation from Apartheid have asked for Zuma stop down and save the party. Still, the leadership haven’t listened to the men and woman on the side-line since they have sounded like the EFF and DA.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) have gotten a new blood and new leadership which shows the new generation of politicians that actually speaks of the same progress and society as the old ANC. Something that hurts the ruling regime as they just want the power, but not build a nation anymore. They have the duty and kept the cronyism instead of managing the country and its institutions. The ANC have been more busy keeping power and feeding their loyal businessmen then creating new governance and government programs to continue the liberation of 1994.

The ANC had back in the day a role, a leadership and an ethical backbone with leaders and progressive codes of governmental work to mend fences and create a peaceful rainbow-nation that the Apartheid government fought a little White minority. Now the ANC have created a Black new minority who works with the party to gain economic advantages compared to the ones that are keeping themselves with somebody else.

Feesmustfall South Africa

Back in the day the DA where a “White Man” party, but with time they have become the sound of difference from ANC who has sold themselves to the corporate and embezzlement business and political framework instead of representing the people. Therefore the Local Government Election of 2016 is showing that the ANC doesn’t own South Africa and South Africans. They never did own them, they we’re holding the mantle and had the men that the South Africans did trust. But with time the leadership of ANC, the ANC NEC and all the branches forgot the key to keeping the mantle. The people are the key to any political party.

The ANC had the mantle, had the reason to be the liberation and the party making their role for a peaceful transition and make the South African Nation into the Democratic and Economic power-horse it has been. But with time it was easier to trade to Eskom agreements to loyal businessmen in Oakbay Resources than doing it fairly on the open market. The same happen with other government businesses and therefore the value of Rand is falling and the inflation is not in order. The overall rating of the economy have been falling over the years and the ANC have forgotten the way to be accountable and transparent as the changes of Financial Minister has even been influenced by cronies to the party.

DA 04.04.2016

With all of this with the rise of the DA and EFF, Mmusi Maimane of the DA who been battering and excoriating the deficiencies in the ANC leadership and questioning their decisions that even made the ANC naked in public as the tuition fee protest of 2015, even showed the ANC government hid the “white-paper” made few years before with the answers to the conundrum of establishing better and more respectable fees for the students in South Africa. Together with other cases the dismay of the erratic behaviour have been seen and not been favourable for the President Zuma or the Minster Blade Nzimande of Ministry of Education for Higher Education and Training.

If you put all of this recent history together with a bunch of others factors that are not even mentioned. The arrogance and orderly thinking that the poor and living in townships automatically votes for the ANC; that is not the case anymore as the people can change their stance towards the liberators. That is shown in townships and the major towns of South Africa that now are from this election run by the DA and not the ANC. This is Port Elizabeth, Tshwane, Nkandla, Johannesburg, Cape Town and others where the DA have won the leadership.

Therefore the ANC have to find them as they might still run the National Assembly, but on the grass-root level their majority is dwindling because of their forgotten pledges and loose accountability. The little progress and forgotten lost-generation of students and activist who has lost faith in the ANC. The long lived liberation cannot sustain the new generation who didn’t see them succeed the oppressive government of the past. The ANC have worked and will for a long time ahead have a special place in history and contemporary place in South Africa and for South Africans. But, they do not own South Africa where they represent South Africa and the South Africans. This is something any party can if they pledge and promise positive change through different political framework than the ANC. That is why the DA have conquered and won this Local Government Election in South Africa. Because they feed into the dissolution the ANC have gotten to many people in the Rainbow Nation.

yalo

The DA and certain parts of EFF have caught up with the legacy of the ANC and eaten into the citizens who want to see less unemployment, better education and better infrastructure. Where the government fulfil the citizen’s needs and make sure the industry and economic future is for more than the elite and the corporations, but for the people. That is the people left behind by the loss of this election. This is the reaction to the corrupt behaviour and impunity of the central ANC leadership. That is why the ANC lost the Election in 2016 as they didn’t accept to be bushwhacked another term by leaders who doesn’t serve others then themselves and their cronies. The ANC has lost touch and become something the liberators never wanted to see. A political party who has eaten the state and taken care of the institutions where the ANC runs them for themselves and not for the citizens… something the citizens doesn’t accept over time and when DA and EFF says they want to change that therefore they voted for them instead as the service record of ANC have been lost with time. The loss now for the ANC is not their legacy, but their present affairs and their reputation.

What the ANC did at one point is noble and honourable, but the leader of today and MPs doesn’t show the same ability to serve and wishing to create the nation that the ones who fought for the freedom did. Therefore the citizens in their right have provoked the ruling regime and party in their constituencies to say: you do not own South Africa, you might have ruled over since 1994, but now it is time for somebody else to rule. This is because the ANC or you have become ghastly greedy on public funds instead of building more for the citizens. Time for the ANC NEC and ANC branches to change this effort and begin from the grass-root to involve the public and generate positive change. If they don’t then the lost-generation after the liberation might turn away for every, while the young ones who never saw and felt the oppressive behaviour never feels the need to vote for the Old-Party with the legacy of liberation. ANC have had the upper-hand. That hand is now played out. They might have solid foundation, but that is not there forever. The ANC can rise again, but then they have to go back to the reasons for why they exist and the Madiba ethics. Where the citizens can see the economic and transparent model for progress has to come back to the people. Peace.

Footage: “I’m not here to contest for Madiba’s membership, his membership was ANC. But his VALUES are timeless and they are values that South Africans must fight for.” – Mmusi Maimane

Democratic Republican Party SVG Condems and Urges removal of Clause 16 of the Cybercrime Bill 2016 (24.07.2016)

DPR Cyber PR P1DPR Cyber PR P2DPR Cyber PR P3

Wasn’t it supposed to be Civilian Authority is and always above Police Authority; What happen to justice for all?

Clark Kent, Superman Comic

It’s not my way to utter these words, but I feel I need it, not because I am right man; I am far from being the right man to address it. As I was raised in peace, lived in peace and endured peace. Still, feeling the sorrow of the lost in Juba, the extra judicial killings in Kenya, and the unarmed African American citizens killed across the United States, while an armed former Afghan Veteran kills 5 Police officers. The scores are so uneven, the justice is not prevailing and the cases are staggering. The Police brutalities in dozen countries like Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia; the Police are detaining without charges, torturing and battling the citizens as they are vicious armed criminals.

All of these killings, all of these Police Officers acting on behalf of oppressive states, the others are systemic inaccuracies blended with the ignorance and racial bias. The state of affairs is different in the United States, compared to the other Nations, but the systems are still brutally attack the civilians like they are cows ready for slaughter. Instead of fearing the public they are harassing it silence. The tormented and the families who lose their loved ones, the ones that are bystanders and just happen to be by a Political Rally or pass by a Demonstrations in a town; gets shot, get killed and even detained as they are vile creatures instead of a human being.

Nairobi 16.05.2016 Police P1
Nairobi, Kenya, 2016

The color of skin, the creed, political affiliation or faith should not be the factor if you’re waking safe down street or taking a public transport… Instead they are law-abiding citizens who even comply and do their duties to demonstrate, to act upon the fate of affairs, conduct meetings and rallies, the cost is detained at police post, taken away from their homes on conspiracy and even killed. These matters are happening to often in 2016.

The leaders of these reactions to the Government, the leaders who are addressing the civil concerns of the state, are prosecuted, detained and even monitored by the Security forces of the states, as they are worse criminals then rebels or terrorists. They are addressed in speeches by the leading fractions and the MPs connected to the ruling regime as personal vermin, people who fronts sectarian violence and creates the problem. Even if the state security forces are the ones that makes issues in peaceful affairs and puts gasoline on the fire. Not that all demonstrators are peaceful or correct, but that does not give the Police rights to shot live bullet, water-canons and tear-gas at any given movement of crowds against uneven and unrighteous cause.

The killings, the brutality, the sincere atrocities, the blatant ignorance, the little fear of the ruling regime, the masters of violence, the killers and Police Officers are guarded by the ruling regimes. As they are co-conspirators with the ones that systemically control the state ordered violence and want to shut down the spirit of any organized demonstrations, movements that are positive for democratic change or even just question the legitimacy of the ruling regime. This does not comes to mind in the United States, there it is more racial biased approached as the human and gun-laws are yet again proof of misguided regulations as the loss of life in small-fire arms shootings are staggering. Still, the Senate and Congress are not able to sustain and make amendments that can stop the guns from coming to hands of people who have a unsteady mind and unsound health condition to pull the trigger at innocent citizens. While the Police Officers are nearly hunting on the innocent and creating an atmosphere, where your guilty until proven innocent, which is not any ideal approach.  

Jinja Police 10915 P1
Uganda, 2016

We can all wonder when this power-struggles, when the bullets, when the tear-gas, when the water-canons and when the ignorant violence, when the killings will stop and to what extent does it has to happen, before the hash-tags, before the blazing guns and blistering barnacles!

There are just to many lives, to many hurt and to many questions, to many unsolved mysterious, too much blood and to many tears. There are something sinister and something uncertain as the attempt to sustain power by any means, the profits, the structure of society, the fabric of our existence, the approach the viciousness and vile attempt of resigning to the fact the only way we can solve the fear of each is with guns and ammunition. There must be other ways of dialogue than with John Wayne, Al Capone and Giles de Rais. There are too many men and woman who have lost their life, too many who have been taken away from their loved ones and too many to mention.

While the laymen are prosecuted and the civilians are too, the men in charge are walking away, the men and woman who protect the manufactures, the military, the Police Commanders and the Executives are just free-men and can do as they please, as the violence, the killings are reappearing as the sun is setting and making sure it has the energy for another day.

The men and woman who are in charge, the men and woman are taken away; we’re supposed to be living in the same society, under the same laws and under the same regulations; where justice and freedom should prevail, where men and woman are equal, where there isn’t fear and isn’t unbalanced treatment between State Security Organizations and the Civilians. As long as there are unbalance, as long as there are inaccurate procedure and executives are not handling it peacefully, if they are giving way to impunity and injustice, their rule will be remembered for the justifications of these vile attempts of self-justice, these atrocities under their leadership and reason for the loss of these lives.

Burundi Report Police
Burundi, 2015

The deaths, the murders and senseless killings proves the arrogance of leadership, the certainty that guns can create power, that the guns can solve matters and prove justified to settle either political framework or even power-struggle, the fear and amassed causes the personal bias, the blatant accurate shootings and killings are vicious. The men and woman deserves more than becoming a hash-tag. The terrorist killings in Turkey, Paris, Brussels, Beni, San Bernadino and all the others, deserves more than the hot-minute of fame, change of status on Facebook and blended Profile Picture, they deserve more credit and remembrances, as all the souls of the lost got vanished by brutal force in matters of hours.

The continued civil, political and armed unrest in Libya, Syria and Yemen, the skirmished between Eritrea and Ethiopia; proves the hostile environment other places, the Somalian forces are both fighting in their own territory, but also going against their oppressors on their domain  to retaliate. While the Burundian are detaining school-kids for painting slurs on the President Nkurunziza’s pictures and killing opposition, being violent and answering the men and woman who demonstrated against the 3rd Term President of the Burundian Government. President Magufuli have detained a man for writing hostile words on WhatsApp and charged and detained MP for calling him a ‘dictator’, as the President proves that he is similar to his counterparts in the rest of the East Africa. This is not vile crimes, but proves how far the government uses their security forces to control their citizens and their will to speak. I am sure in one of these countries, they would detain me in second, to silence my train of thoughts.

The 2016, have been and is bloody, as the boats of immigrants from the civil wars are drowning in the Mediterranean sea as they cross in tiny boats by smugglers to safety in Greece or Italy; as the safe heaven are supposed to get them safe from the spoils of war and power struggle between government forces, militias and armed opposition forces, as the death-toll and weak government structure that we’re centralized under one big-man is fractioned and dwindling away as the Civil Society Organizations, International Organizations and Multi-National Dialogue and stakeholders doesn’t have the capacity or the will to take charge of the unrest and uncertainty.

We have to question; will our government deal with the matter at hand? Will the government who are in charge take approaches for dialogue, for talks and creating a space where the safety and the justice have a place in the society, where the force of the state is not killing and not abundantly forcing themselves with violence on the civilians. The system of oppressive behavior and the crisis of leadership as the problems in the states, the dissolved the assertiveness of people, as the men and woman are torn, the parties are polarized and the peace has crashed; the tensions between the sovereign power and the self-righteous state officials that aggravate the public, it is not right for the leaders to use their internal squabble for power create havoc that birth more violence between two parties. That is not in the parties that one part is the state, the other is peaceful protesters, which is a different scenario, than when both are armed and kill each other to secure power and rule indefinably.

Section80 Lamar

Is this what we want to remember 2016 for the civil unrest, the civil wars, the civil casualties after the violence and state organized shut-down of the public disobedience…? The disobedience and the demonstrations should be able to happen without any reactions that create a problem for the state or the state goes in a turn it into a battleground. There are so many questions, so much we miss and so many political and structures that needs to be reformed, so many leaders who need a bit of humility, the humility of Police Officers, the humility of the Executives and the leadership of the States. It’s complicated, it’s all very HiiiPower. We have to ask and we cannot let this go, we cannot let these men and woman just die for so little, as a hashtag and a little social media drops. There are just too, we have to question the powers to be and what they are doing to stop this. We cannot be silent, accept it and let it go. This is just too much. I know I am not the right man, I am the wrong man, but I had to say my peace, I just couldn’t let this one be. Hope you start to think, question and wonder why we let them get away with it. Peace.  

Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea welcomes strong resolution on HR in Eritrea (04.07.2016)

IsaiasAfwerki

NEW YORK, United States of America, July 4, 2016 The Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea welcomes resolution 32/24, which passed without a vote on Friday, 1 July during the thirty-second session of the Human Rights Council.

Resolution 32/24 commends the Commission for completing its work in a transparent, impartial and consultative manner, while regretting the lack of cooperation by the Government of Eritrea, including the denial of access to the country by the Commission.
Mike Smith, Chairperson of the Commission, said: “The Commission welcomes this Resolution which fully endorses the work we have done over the past two years. We hope that justice for the people of Eritrea who have suffered gross human rights violations over the past 25 years has now taken a step closer to being realised.”

Amongst the 19 recommendations, Resolution 32/24 reiterates the Human Rights Council’s numerous calls upon the Government of Eritrea to end the use of arbitrary detention, to put an end to the system of indefinite national service and to allow unhindered access to the country to further missions of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, including the consideration for the Office to be based inside the country.

The Commission hopes that Resolution 32/24 will provide a solid platform for the next steps to be taken by the Government of Eritrea, in partnership with the international community, and will bring justice for the Eritrean people.

The Commission also welcomes the transmission of all reports to all relevant organs of the United Nations for consideration and appropriate action.

The strong encouragement for the African Union to follow up on the report and recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry by establishing an investigation, supported by the international community, with a view to examining and bringing to justice those responsible for violations and abuses of human rights identified by the commission of inquiry, including any that may amount to a crime against humanity is also welcomed.

The Commission of Inquiry strongly endorses the decision to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea for a further year.

The Commission of Inquiry is scheduled to present an oral update to the General Assembly in October 2016.

#WhatWouldMagufuliDo; Lawyer and MP Singida Tindu Lissu arrested for calling President Magufuli a dictator!

“Prominent Lawyer from Dar and member of Parliament for Singida Tindu Lissu was arrested today for calling President Magufuli a Dictator or Dictator Uchwara” (Tanzania Human right Watch, 29.06.2016). 

Afterthought: #WhatWouldMagufuliDo?

Is it Yay? Or Nay?

The audio of what got him arrested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Hfr5SkruI0

I never thought that President Magufuli would sink so low that he starting to act a fool, instead of being the cool President in Tanzania. Magufuli have been seen as a game-changer and also reformer in East African Community, but now he is acting like a royal king and baboon. If I was in Tanzania writing this and acting like a opposition, I might be behind bars. Recently another man got detained for writing ruthlessly on WhatsApp Group in Tanzania. So the reality of ‘Free Speech’ is dying in Tanzania. The central control and power toward Magufuli is certainly there now. With this second action, he proves his will to use power to silence critics! Peace.

My letter to Hon. Winnie Kiiza as the ‘LoP’

pawn

Dear Mrs Kiiza!

“I am very alive to the fact that: no freedom, no political changes, comes without a cost” – Dr. Kizza Besigye

I am writing with hesitation as you have taken choices that was not the wisest in my opinion, you might see this as progress, but your doubting the Presidential Candidate and neglecting the General Election 2016, as you are disregarding the level of impunity from the National Resistance Movement, I know that TVO have written something hard-hitting about you recently, and as you as a person have the all the right to address, and you did so:

“ATTENTION: I have received information from my private investigators that someone calling himself TVO on socialmedia could have been bribed by government to isolate Dr Kizza Besigye from FDC and link him to a rebel group. If you have been following the so called TVO, you will understand that he has even announced that a new liberation movement will be launched soon to free Besigye from prison using violent means. as a party and as far as Besigye is concerned, we are not in any way connected to any violent group and we shall maintain our position of a non violent struggle until otherwise. I encourage criticism but for the mean time we shall continue investigating this socialmedia critic until we establish his true motives” (Winnie Kizza, 23.06.2016).

As you know a little what you have done and what kind of affect it has, you we’re smart yesterday and stated this, while taking some responsibility:

“YES, DR KIZZA BESIGYE IS IN PRISON BUT THE OUT SIDE OF BESIGYE’S PRISON IS THE INSIDE OF OUR PRISON: Fellow Ugandans, no body abandoned or betrayed Besigye. His arrest and imprisonment is part of the struggle. We should not forget that we are all prisoners, all Ugandans are Prisoners(even Museveni, himself is a prison caught up in a self-destructive cobweb). This is a struggle of liberating ourselves. Do not cry for Besigye cry for yourselves. Ladies and Gentlemen, we need to understand the nature of struggle we are in, the earire the better! Those of us who think that FDC and its leadership is about to throw away our primary objectives and core missions for a peaceful transition and systemic change of government, you are rubbing the wrong side of history. FDC has stood the test of time! We are more united, resolute and focused than ever. We shall rely on the wishes of millions of Ugandans who crave for change to dismantle the status-quo” (Winnie Kiiza, 22.06.2016).

Winnie Kiiza Poster Jan 2016

So it is okay that you answer the allegations that TVO put on you, I have blatantly and no disregard towards the Shadow Cabinet, that you apparently are running now. Because it is just a tool and you are pawn on Museveni’s chess set. A necessary prop in the Parliament to keep his power and also to legitimize the farce of an election that was held; so when you are becoming this your partly disbanding the disobedience and defying Museveni and his NRM. You are complying to the façade that he creates with the “business as usual” and gives way for his power with impunity. He can show to the world that he has Opposition in his cabinet and a shadow cabinet to question his behaviour, while he is having all the main power and vetted votes in Parliament; so your real power is only words. The same words that claimed victory in February and March and dwindled while Besigye have gotten more court-dates than Museveni are getting foreign dignitaries on visit.

So you got to question yourself, what is the value of the Parliament and the Opposition, when you’re a useful pawn, a little soldier in the battle, a battle that Museveni controls and his loyal cadres, you can speak to NBS or NTV, smile and be interviewed in the Daily Monitor, but you’re a just a tool to validate the rule of Museveni. The prison of the conscious, the conscious you must be battling with, as you complied and wasn’t disobedient towards the throne and rule of Museveni. That must leave a bad taste, I won’t consider if Gen. Mugisha Muntu said you we’re the best or somebody else in the Forum for Democratic Change National Executive Committee, what is important you accept this fate and this chair. You took the bullet and accepted the institutional façade in 10th Parliament.

Parliament Uganda

How can you ask for systemic change while degrading the cause to an ‘honourable’ position in the glance of the cranes not far from Yusuf Lule road? The reason for a change happens with a brutal change and disregard for the cronyism and nepotism of the National Resistance Movement and their corrupt ways, but when you are partly corrupted in the National Assembly and in the shadow of the Government, what makes you such a different to them?

I have always had hope in you, as you seem like person who wants to go against the powers to be, in the clear voice against violence and killings of late in Rwenzori and Kasese, the district which you represent. The mentality and determination that is healthy for an opposition and future leader, but the misgivings of a validating the ruling regime and giving up the cause so quickly in fear of losing some symbolic chairs, show that the honour is more important than the causes. That is why the words of yesterday are hard to swallow as you demeaning the cause and the clear path to peaceful liberation from totalitarian, police state and dictatorship, as you think putting sugar on the wounds really heals the flesh. I hate to say it, it don’t.

Let’s be clear if the LoP and the Shadow Cabinet had worked, then the ones in the former terms of Museveni had brought it down and it hasn’t, not even stained him or pushed him into a brick wall, not even touched or taken him for a ride. The reason is that the Parliament is controlled and run under strict hands of Museveni and his loyal cadres as Kadaga or any other men and woman who can be corrupted by brown envelopes.

Winnie Kiiza 26.05.2016

This is something you know Hon. Kiiza, as you have been in Parliament a fortnight before and seen the 5 million Uganda shillings suits for the NRM MPs coming and going, every time Museveni needs certain laws and amendments fixed. So if you think you can change that with being LoP, than you need a strong mind-control and be able to pursuit the NRM MPs to change guards and go against their master. As the former LoP have been so successful with… the cause is not winning this, then there would be actual progress in the former trials of these runs towards the positive and democratic changes in the republic of Uganda.

You and the FDC NEC, the other FDC MPs, should have stood guards on the ethical and moral high-ground, even when it was costing with the oppressive attacks on the Headquarters, also with activists and MPs detained by the Police Force. Now you have abounded them for a Nobel position in Parliament.

You can attack me or other who doesn’t see the LoP and Shadow Cabinet as anything else than legitimising Museveni… that might not be what you want to hear, but that is the brutal truth.

With best regards on your role as pawn for Museveni.

Write of Minbane

The Blame Game: Eritrea cries foul, while Ethiopia is silent; my judgement on the 12th June skirmishes and claims.

eritrean_troops_control_ministry

While the Government Spokesman of Ethiopia Getachew Reda have claimed that the first shot on the border came from Eritrean forces and claimed they we’re at fault for the military operations on the 12th June 2016. This happens while the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs claim it was the TLPF that was attacking the Eritrean border forces around the Tsorona Front.

With this in mind, it is not easy when these are sending conflicting information and also using all tactics to address each other internal misgivings. Just like the recent Human Rights Violation in the United Nations Reports from the Group of Experts in June 2016. While the Eritrean are claiming the internal oppression of the Omoro people and the killing of demonstrators; also silencing of media; the issue is that both nations have their blames and violations. The Ethiopian ruling party has total control and military control of the nation, the media is controlled and bloggers are detained for questioning the government, the Omoro demonstrations are hunted down and shut down with military forces. So the Ethiopian Government is far from innocent in their internal bravery.

IsaiasAfwerki

But the Eritrean are nicknamed the “African North Korea” for a reason, all control is in the hands of the President Isias Afewerki, as the UN reports claim is that there is unlimited subscription to the army, slavery, rape and misuse of the citizens from the government officials, as the centralized power is all in the name of the president as he has control of the economy as the national budget is never released and the control of the money running of Eritrea as all under control of Afeweki. UN Report 2016 Eritrea this blog or article explains the matters of how I see on the report on the Human Rights Violations.

With all of this in mind, with the knowledge of the current affairs, and the escalation and worry of new conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, as the fellow nations has been in war before. Eritreans are the ones really blasting Ethiopia in international media and defending their ways of government, as they are blaming Ethiopia even for making the accusations that are made by the experts in the recent report. That proves the level of animosity from Eritrean government towards Addis Ababa, as they might feel left alone in Asmara.

While the Ethiopian in the 12 June military operations claimed the aggression was directed from the Eritreans. After that the Eritreans claimed it was the Ethiopians… so there are a limbo and uncertainty, especially since none of these governments are really open to the media or having press freedom in either nation; while the assurance of the reality on the ground and the intelligence is unsure as they both are secretive from the beginning.

Time Restoring Hope 1993

None of these nations are perfect, no nation in this world is, but both nations have scruples and has issues with tampering with human rights violations of different levels, they both have different supporters and allies that need the armies or alliances to mend on other issues either on the African Horn, like the Ethiopian who has soldiers in the AMISOM and other Peacekeeping missions and are an ally of the United States and their AFCON, surely as they pulled more armies from Africa after the failed “Black Hawk Down” in Mogadishu and with that in mind then President Bill Clinton pulled the army of around 1100 soldiers in 1993 from the Horn of Africa. And have been for long a steady military ally against terrorism in the region and also a place where the Americans have had military bases, as recently closed the United States Air Force base at Arba Minch in January 2016.

Hailemariam Desalegn Ethiopia

The certainty and clarity is not here in this matter, as there are many undisclosed reports, as the battlefield are kept for the armies and the media are not free in neither Ethiopia or Eritrea, as the stages are set for propaganda from both parties, as the ones who are speaking free on their blogs in for instance in Ethiopia ends behind bars. While the Eritrean are the best news from diaspora who have trusted messengers through online forums, as the silence and fear of detaining or slavery work for questioning the regime, therefore the amount of people going into exile from Eritrea.

So with this knowledge the battle of 12th June 2016 can only be discussed and knowingly gain the needed intelligence when the men on the ground can speak freely and address thoroughly. If not they are realizing footage or pictures of the activity, while also proving the validity of the battlefield. As there will always from a warzone and skirmishes even be false statements, even wrong estimates and the reality will come closer, if not juked to fix the stages for either Eritrea or Ethiopia, as both need a straight face towards their citizens and their international allies and community.  As there reports of UAE and Yemen supporting the Eritrea, while Western nations as United States and others are supporting Ethiopia; but that is in general and their obligations world-wide and in military operations, as IGAD and others.

Therefore I cannot say who did what, as the implications of who did what is not certain. The Eritreans are the ones that beating the drum the most in international media, as they want to silence the UN report on Human Rights Violations. While the Ethiopian is easily getting the world to forget the violations against the Omoro demonstrations and Omoro Liberation Front (OLF); with these in mind, these skirmish or military operations just happen when the Eritreans wanted the world to forget the slavery and other accusations and the same with the killings of demonstrators from the Ethiopian regime. What we will not certainly know as these are actions and activity, kept behind sound minds in the central governments in authoritarian regimes who are militarized and not democratic. So the knowledge we will get is indications, but not the actual facts, as the numbers will be spoilt to make Ethiopia or Eritrea bad, the rhetoric will clearly defacing the other by all means. Though the response have been the clearest from Eritrea and accusations the loudest, that does not make it true, if it was so, then the screaming Donald Trump would be wisest politician ever; Ethiopia have another approach and more subtle, though countering the Eritrean, as they also claimed was the reason for the 12th June 2016 skirmishes.

Eritrea Ethiopia Clash

That there been rumors of a plot of taking down President Isias Afeweki of Eritrea, nothing is yet certain about that either, as the “rumored plot” have come in the waters from a unnamed source inside the military intelligence of the Ethiopian hierarchy, and for the moment it is hearsay, but the Eritrean are paranoid; so they do what they can to sell it to the world and those stories are better to sell then slavery and unlimited military subscription of their youth and citizens.

So what I said with many words, nothing is clear, there aren’t enough transparency or accountability to take a true stance, the only thing certain, is that there are taken some shots and that the armies did attack each other, too what extent is not easy to say; as the spokesmen and ambassadors are not talking about that, I am sure that is confidential at both parties. What is surely the fact is that there are fallen men and reported men taken by both armies. That Eritrea has taken Ethiopian men’s life and Ethiopian has taken Eritrean men’s life. Peace.

UN report on Eritrean Gov. oppressive behavior towards its Citizens and its Systematic Evidence of Human Rights Violations!

IsaiasAfwerki

“Eritrea will wait three or four decades, maybe more, before it holds elections. Who knows?”President Isaias Afwerki

As you read the quotes from the UN Human Rights Council on Eritrea, the amount of paperwork and people involved in the report, there we’re alone 44,000 submissions and also interviews from the Eritrean diaspora in Europe and United States. Just as the report says: “the Commission received 44,267 submissions from 39 countries. Of these, 30,517 arrived by mail and 13,750 by email. The submissions were mostly in Tigrinya and English but a sizeable number were in Arabic” (UN HRC, P: 11, 2016). So there are lots of material and an edge to the evidence in the report, it is not hearsay when those amounts of people are describing certain situations and the state of affairs in a country. I will take out what I see as most interesting findings in this report. As I am sure I am not alone in discussing the findings.

Why the information came from the Diaspora and not inside Eritrea:

“The Commission recalls that it has repeatedly sought permission from the Government of Eritrea to visit the country. The Government of Eritrea has failed to respond despite calls by the Human Rights Council to cooperate with the Commission of Inquiry. The Commission was nonetheless able to interview Eritreans in 13 countries with significant Eritrean populations” (UN HRC, P: 13, 2016).

Financial transparency:

Eritrea is one of the least developed countries in the world, and most of the country’s economic enterprises are state controlled” (…)”As Eritrea does not publish a budget, it remains to be seen whether this substantial new income will be used to enhance implementation of social, economic and cultural rights in the country” (UN HRC, P: 17, 2016). “With respect to sources of Government income, the source added “that is a mystery. Money is deposited at the National Bank. The Ministry of Finance does not know where the money comes from. Only the President knows.” (UN HRC, P: 37, 2016). “For example, witnesses told the Commission that a bank account with 40 million USD in mining revenue had been opened in Qatar in the name of the Director of the PFDJ Economic Affairs department” (…)”Other information suggests that there may be private accounts belonging to the president or members of his inner circle in the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Cyprus, and /or China” (UN HRC, P: 38, 2016).

Eritrea 25yrs

Freedom of Speech and the independence of the Media:

On Freedom of Speech and Media: “…since the media is Government-owned, you clearly are not supposed to cover anti-government issues. If interviewees say something anti-governmental, you listen but do not use it in your broadcast. A lot of items you didn’t broadcast. At first the bosses told me not to use such material, and then there’s self-censorship.” (UN HCR, P: 34, 2016). “Restrictions on freedom of speech are not limited to just those physically in Eritrea. A witness in Ethiopia told the Commission that after he had participated in a demonstration in Addis Ababa in late June 2015 in support of the Commission’s first report, his mother was arrested in Eritrea” (UN HRC, P: 35, 2016).

On Religious Freedom:

Government control of authorised religious groups also persists. The Government of Eritrea continues to detain under house arrest Orthodox Patriarch Abune Antonio, who was arrested over ten years ago for calling for the release of political prisoners and failing to excommunicate church members opposed to the Government” (UN HCR, P: 30, 2016).

On future Elections:

President Isaias Afwerki has regularly expressed his disdain for what he refers to as “western-style” democracy. In a 2008 interview with Al Jazeera, for example, the President stated that “Eritrea will wait three or four decades, maybe more, before it holds elections. Who knows?” The Eritrean delegation to the 2014 Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review stated that national elections would not be held until “the threats to national security and sovereignty had been eliminated” (UN HRC, P: 19, 2016).

asmara

Rule of Law:

“Although low level community courts exist, most Eritreans interviewed immediately dismissed any suggestion that they could file a complaint for a rights violation. There was a palpable resignation among people towards the endemic injustices in Eritrea, as well as a fear of re-victimisation. In the absence of a constitution, an independent judiciary, a national assembly, and other democratic institutions, the Commission has found no progress in establishing the rule of law” (UN HCR, P: 20, 2016). The Cost of freedom from detention: “Witnesses cited costs of avoiding imprisonment ranging from 50,000 Nakfa to 2,000, 000 Nakfa, as well as confiscation of property, including homes, suggesting that the assessment of “fines” may depend on the wealth of the family” (UN HRC; P: 40, 2016).

Military Service:

“On the issue of duration of military/national service, a witness who was conscripted in 2003 and remained in national service until he fled Eritrea in 2015 stated that: “…the national service is still for an indefinite period; in fact when I joined the national service I was never informed as to when I was going to be released from service. The Government has not announced that it will reduce the service period to 18 months; it is still indefinite and we are all very aware of this.” (UN HRC, P: 22, 2016). “According to an expert on Eritrea, those discharged from national service remain in the People’s Army or militia or “reserve army” after their discharge, and must be available at any time the Government chooses to call them. Thus, most cannot qualify for Eritrean exit visas, and those who opt to leave without such a visa remain liable for the crime of “desertion.” (UN HRC, P: 22, 2016).

Military Equipment Eritrea

Using Military Service as a Working force for the state:

“According to one witness, “the Generals receive salaries, but also receive income from agriculture [and other commodities] that is not accounted for. Production costs are low because they use free conscript labour. This income is not disclosed to the Ministry of Defence. The President knows about this but does not interfere” (UN HRC, P: 41, 2016).

““Air Force planes are outdated and there is no proper maintenance. So, the Air Force has shifted to plantation activities. For example, there was a piece of land near the airport… [The Chief of the Air Force] took that land for plantations. [He] would bring almost three quarters of Air Force conscripts to work on the plantations, and the equipment used on the plantation comes from the Air Force and Ministry of Agriculture. It was very hot on the plantations. [Conscripts] were not paid any money for this work. They were told it is part of our duties. If they refused to work there, they would be sent to the [nearby detention facility].” (UN HRC, P: 23, 2016).

Eritrea Army

Generals are handpicking woman who are on subscription to be their “Wife’s” and solitary responsibility to please the General: “One day, …a female soldier…from my unit was…assigned to General […] to prepare food and do cleaning; it was also made clear to her that she [was] supposed to please [the General] in bed whenever he wanted. […] She provided this service to [the General] for many years. [Three years after it started], she got pregnant [from] him and gave birth to a baby girl… She told me that she did not do this voluntarily but [because] she was afraid. She said she was not allowed to leave the house and sometimes she was locked up.” (UN HRC, P: 58, 2016). A former female trainee in Sawa, who described the situation of these young women stated that “[t]hey are their personal slave.” Another female military trainee reported a typical day to her friend: “Dreadful life starts in the morning: I prepare his breakfast, wash his clothes, prepare lunch, prepare coffee ceremony, prepare dinner, and then prepare to be ‘his wife’. I have had this life for the last six years.” And more from the Sawa: “We watched sexual abuses. Systematically, they forced girls to obey their instructions; to have a relationship with them. If she doesn’t obey, they find any kind of military punishment. It is commonly the [d]ivision leaders, the highest ranks who would do that. All people would go back to their [d]ivision at the end of the day. The leaders select girls personally. After six months, he would change her, take a newly arrived. The 11th grade students…have to pass their last year’s exam in Sawa. They take them. Once a woman is assigned to a General, they stay there [to] do office work, chores, etc. ‘there is no rule, no law.’ Sometimes when the girls see the car of the General approaching they hide. What if they become pregnant? […] When it happens, they make abortion traditionally. The girl doesn’t even want to let the colonel know. One of my best friends was a ‘personnel’ of the Colonel. He told me that the nick name used to get a girl is ‘goat’. Sometimes when newcomers arrive they asked assistants to bring new ones.” (UN HRC, P: 56-57).

Another said that “in 2014, there was military training. I was sick and even had papers certifying that I was sick. But they didn’t believe me and I was [detained] for six months without due process.” (UN HRC, P: 23, 2016).

What the Government says about the Military Service and their work:

“Indeed, Presidential Advisor Yemane Gebreab himself has stated that: “the challenge for us is to be able to find jobs, skills, training, and business opportunities for [conscripts] when they are released,”100 suggesting that prolonged military/national service is not, or is no longer, motivated primarily by national security concerns” (UN HRC, P: 24, 2016).

eritrean_troops_control_ministry

Shoot-To-Kill Policy:

The Commission received credible evidence that a shoot-to-kill policy was issued and that it has not been rescinded. The writers denying the existence of a shoot-to-kill policy did not explain the basis on which they concluded that such a policy does not exist. Very few, for example, said that they had passed through a border without interference or without the assistance of smugglers. The Commission is aware that the policy has been implemented in a less rigorous manner in recent years” (UN HRC, P: 15, 2016). “An example of extrajudicial killing reportedly took place on 3 April 2016, as military/national service conscripts were being transported through the city centre of Asmara. When several conscripts tried to jump from the trucks, soldiers reportedly fired into the crowd, killing and injuring a considerable but unconfirmed number of conscripts and bystanders” (UN HRC, P: 32, 2016). A witness said this: ““In September 2015, the battalion commander told me if anyone attempts to cross the border to Ethiopia just shoot at them. He told us to shoot people down if we see them crossing. I couldn’t ask about this order because I would have been killed or jailed; I had to implement it. If you don’t implement it you won’t be seen again. I know 3 soldiers who spent 20 years in service. They told me I had to implement the order.” (UN HRC, P: 33, 2016).

This happen to some of fleeing Eritreans:

On May 22 2016, Sudan collectively expelled 313 Eritreans back to Eritrea. Another 129 were similarly sent back from Sudan several days earlier. According to UNHCR, the prior to the forcible returns, the Eritreans had been tried and convicted in Sudanese courts of “illegal entry” into Sudan. According to corroborated reports by unrelated witnesses, in the days prior to the expulsions, Eritrean authorities visited Eritreans in a Sudanese prison to register the identities of those to be returned. The witnesses also reported that upon arrival in Eritrea, the returnees were arrested and detained. They further indicated that those who were in the national service, prior to leaving the country, were detained at Adi Abeito prison on the outskirts of Asmara, and that those who had not yet undergone military training are currently detained elsewhere, including in Tessenei and Hashferay, apparently awaiting transfer to military training centres” (UN HRC, P: 25, 2016).

asmara

Afterthought:

There is so much evidence that come into a 94 page UN report; this one shows so much of it, I have focused on the witness reports and their testimonies, as this is Eritrean citizens who have fled the regime in haste to Europe or America. There even some men and woman who are creating issues for their families left behind.

The Eritrean state is all controlled around the President Isaias Afwerki, as he knows all about the finances, state media and the military. The Military or the Army is both “free working force” as the extensive breaches human rights and committed to keep away the state from lawful activities, as the Generals and Army Officials are themselves skimming of the system and use woman and men, as they please. This creates unlawfulness in the militarized society of Eritrea. The witness reports are a sad sight and the totalitarian control from the President Afwerki shows the extent to how they control their citizens and uses their manpower to earn money for the Government, but not support or being there for their citizens.

And if they try to flee or desert from the military or the country, the other army command can shoot-to-kill fellow citizens, as they do not follow orders from above, as they are in the hands of the government and the army. This together with the torture of fellow citizens; they are detained without trial and kept in jail to infinite, as there are no constitution or rule of law in the nation.

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The damning evidence is clear, the Eritrean government cannot just silence this, as there are over 400,000 who has fled from the country, and 44,000 have written in to the United Nation Human Rights Council, with their experience and witness reports shows the level of system behind these actions, it is not just one rare coincidence that certain people are detained, tortured or becoming slaves for the Generals of the Military. That even the Air-Force is so depleted that the men who are assigned work on labor unites instead of becoming air-men for the Eritrean Air-Force.

That is enough for now. It is not grand state of affairs, the level of impunity and lawlessness and the attitude of how the Eritrean State are treating their fellow citizens and keeping their records only in the hand of the President Afwerki and nobody else. Peace.

Reference:

UN Human Rights Council – ‘Detailed findings of the commission of inquiry on human rights in Eritrea’ (08.06.2016) – A/HRC/32/CRP.1

Doreen Nyanjura Statement: “We have waited too long for our freedom. We can no longer wait” (02.06.2016)

Nakawa Doreen Ingrid 01.06.2016

‘’Our struggle has reached a decisive moment. We call upon Ugandans to seize this moment. We have waited too long for our freedom. We can no longer wait. Now is the time to intensify the struggle on all fronts. To relax our efforts now would be a mistake which generations to come will not be able to forgive. The sight of freedom looming on the horizon should encourage us to redouble our efforts.’’ – Doreen Nyanjura – FDC Councillor Elect for Makerere in Kampala.