IGIHE

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  • Pope Washes Feet of Disabled, Including Muslim

    Pope Washes Feet of Disabled, Including Muslim

    {{Pope Francis washed the feet of a dozen elderly and disabled people including a Libyan Muslim during an Easter ritual in Rome on Thursday imitating Jesus Christ’s humility.}}

    The 77-year-old bent down with difficulty to wash and kiss the feet of the nine Italians and three foreigners aged between 16 and 86 years old at the Don Carlo Gnocchi foundation’s Santa Maria della Provvidenza centre.

    Francis arrived in a Ford Focus to cheers from crowds and stopped to speak with elderly and disabled people gathered at the centre’s modern Church in Rome’s suburbs, before picking up a silver urn of water and a white towel, and kneeling in front of the chosen 12.

    “It was the slaves, the servants who washed the dirt from the street off the feet of arriving guests. Jesus did a slave’s job. He is God and became our servant,” the pope said.

    The youngest to have his feet washed at the ceremony, which is part of the run-up to Easter Sunday, was 16-year-old Osvaldinho from Cape Verde, who is wheelchair bound after damaging his spine diving into the sea last summer.

    Angelica, 86, who fell and broke her hip last year, was the oldest — along with artisan Pietro, who suffers from muscular problems and poor balance.

    Among the others was 75-year-old Hamed, a Libyan Muslim who worked for years for the Italian-Arab chamber of commerce, before a road accident left him with serious neurological damage.

    Francis has often shown particular attention to disabled people and the elderly, condemning a “hidden euthanasia” in modern societies against the old.

    Shortly after his election last year, Francis visited a youth detention centre where he performed the washing of feet ritual on a group of young inmates — including two Muslims, the first Catholic leader ever to do so.

    AFP

  • Illicit Drugs Destroyed in Nyagatare

    Illicit Drugs Destroyed in Nyagatare

    {{Police and local authorities in Nyagatare district destroyed about 700 litres of kanyanga and about 200 boxes of chief waragi, the illegal gin and warned of serious consequences to whoever will be caught in such illegal acts.}}

    The illicit drugs were impounded in the district in the last one month. The public exercise also saw the destruction of about three tones of stumps of a local tree called kabaruka.

    The stumps are said to be used as raw materials in the production of lotions and perfumes and in the recent past, a number of people have been arrested in connection with cutting and trafficking this plant out of the country.

    The public destruction exercise was witnessed by the district vice mayor in charge of social affairs, Charlotte Musabyimana and Supt. Christian Safari, who challenged hundreds of area residents to be agents in fighting drug abuse and environmental degradation.

    Musabyimana called upon the general population to get concerned about the dangers associated with drug abuse and environmental degradation.

    “Drug abuse is a security threat because it lures abusers into other crimes like theft, unwanted pregnancies and youth parents, domestic violence, assault and school drop-outs,” she said.

    She also appealed to them to plant more trees instead of cutting them and added that anyone that wants to cut a tree should first seek authorization from local entities.

    Supt. Safari thanked the continued cooperation by the public to provide information on people involved in any sort of criminal activities and urged them to double the spirit.

    RNP

  • US Sanctions Could Hasten Peace Process in South Sudan

    US Sanctions Could Hasten Peace Process in South Sudan

    {{South Sudan on Thursday downplayed the significance of the sanctions which the United States government threatened to impose on individuals believed to be blocking the peace process between Juba and rebels that split from its ruling party and the army.}}

    “I said it clearly that it is not appropriate at this moment to take actions that would undermine the process and frustrate the efforts. I made it very clear that with us moving forward, we need support”, said South Sudan’s minister for the presidency, Awan Guol Riak.

    Minister Riak was briefing journalists on his recent trip to the US, where he reportedly held successful meetings with key officials from its governing administration, including the secretary of state and national security advisor.

    Describing relations between Juba and Washington as “warm” and “strong”, the minister admitted that the latter expressed “grave concern” over the ongoing crisis, stressing that US officials assured him of their commitment to support the people of the new nation.

    “The other thing I discussed with them is the targeted sanctions. There are no names which have been identified. The intention of the executive order was to hasten and encourage commitment to engage in current talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with full commitment and desire to end the conflict,” Riak explained.

    “As the government we have already shown commitment and willingness to negotiate in faith with the other side. The president is fully committed to bring peace to this country”, he added.

    He clarified that the United States did not raise with him any matter relating to interim arrangements, which would exclude participation of President Kiir and his political rival, former vice president Riek Machar.

    “There were no discussions about interim arrangements. We did not discuss that”, said Riak.

    Another presidential aide who was part of the foreign trip claimed the United States expressed commitment to strengthen and intensify cooperation with the new nation, if the latter adopts strong institutional reforms, specifically in the areas of rule of law and good governance.

    “We had frank discussions with the American officials and they told us clearly that the United States is ready to support the promotion, protection and observance of human rights and the rule of rule, democratic transition, inclusive political processes, economic modernization and social inclusion,” said the official.

    “They also expressed readiness to build our capacity of our officials in areas of financial management to enhance transparency and accountability”, he added.

    {sudantribune}

  • Musanze: 6 Local Leaders Arrested for Working With FDLR

    Musanze: 6 Local Leaders Arrested for Working With FDLR

    {{Police is holding a group of six local leaders of Musanze district in connection with collaborating with the FDLR rebels that are based in neighbouring DRCongo.}}

    IGIHE had reported recently about two of the missing district officials.

    Among the arrested include ; Muganijimana Faustin(district land officer), Executive secretaries of Muko and Gashaki sectors Ndahiro Amiel and Nduwayezu Jean Marie, the head of Gashaki sector Executive committe Kanaburenge Francois and cell executive secretaries from Gashaki.

    The group adds to the previously arrested Cyuve sector Executive Secretary also detained on suspicion of collaborating with FDLR rebel group.

    The arrest of the six officials follows an emergency security meeting in Musanze district held on April 17 and chaired by the Mayor Mpembyemungu Winifirida.

    Although the arrest of the six local leaders was confirmed to IGIHE by the district Mayor, Police denied it had arrested the officials.

    Speaking to IGIHE on phone, the Police spokesperson for the Northern Province Spt. Hitayezu Emmanuel said, the officials were not arrested by Police.

    Spt. Hitayezu said he needed to first inquire from the district mayor where he had obtained such information promising to provide more information later.

  • ICC Wants Kenya to Force Witnesses to Testify Against Ruto

    ICC Wants Kenya to Force Witnesses to Testify Against Ruto

    {{The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday issued subpoenas for eight prosecution witnesses no longer willing to testify in the case against Deputy President William Ruto and former Kass Presenter Joshua arap Sang.}}

    Trial Chamber V(a) also directed the Registry of the Court to request the Kenyan government to not only serve the subpoenas but to enforce them through threat of sanction if necessary.

    “The Chamber found that the Government of Kenya has an obligation to cooperate fully with the court by serving the subpoenas to the witnesses and by assisting in compelling their attendance before the Chamber, by the use of compulsory measures as necessary,” a communiqué from the court read.

    The Chamber said it granted the prosecution’s request for subpoenas after finding that, contrary to the defences’ assertions, it had the power to compel witnesses to appear before it.

    “The Rome Statute State Parties did not intend to create an ICC that is ‘in terms a substance, in truth a phantom’. Rather, they must be presumed to have created a court with every necessary competence, power, ability and capability to exercise its functions and fulfil its mandate in an effective way. These include the power to subpoena witnesses,” the communiqué stated.

    The Chamber composed of Presiding Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, Olga Herrera and Robert Fremr by majority therefore requested that the Kenyan government fulfil its obligations, as set out in the Rome Statute, by:

    “Compelling and ensuring the eight witnesses’ appearance before the Chamber by video-link or before the Chamber convened on the territory of Kenya,” the communiqué continued to state.

    In February Attorney General Githu Muigai told the court that even if it did issue subpoenas, the Kenyan government would not be compelled to enforce them.

    “These persons reserve the right to voluntarily comply with the summons or refuse to do so,” he submitted.

    ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda had requested the Chamber to issue the subpoenas after initially seven of her witnesses refused to testify.

    Ruto and Sang’s defence had also argued that the ICC had no power to do subpoena witnesses and that the Prosecutor was trying to deflect blame for the shoddy investigations carried out by her office by blaming the collapse of her case on the refusal of witnesses to testify.

    “There’s no penalty; there’s no power of arrest, even on these inviolable premises within ICC security. If such a witness was strong-armed, that would be an assault,” Karim Khan, defence counsel for Ruto argued.

    wirestory

  • Giheke Sector Executive Secretary Arrested

    Giheke Sector Executive Secretary Arrested

    {{Police in Rusizi district is holding Gatera Egide an Executive Secretary of Giheke sector suspected of conning residents in his area.}}

    Gatera is accused of lying to residents who sold to him their plots of land after he claimed that Government intended to purchase them at lower prices.

    The unsuspicious residents sold their various plots of land to Gatera whose offer was portrayed as higher than what he claimed the government would have offered.
    The executive secretary conned the residents five years ago.

    Gatera is said to have conned the residents while serving as Executive secretary in Bugarama sector before he was transferred to Giheke sector.

    He was arrested on April 16 and is currently being held at Kamembe Police station.
    The suspect is alleged to have bought the land from Bugarama residents with intention to sell it to CIMERWA cement factory.

    Gatera had reliably learnt that beneath the land there were vital rocks required in the processing of cement.

    Meanwhile Oscar Nzeyimana the Mayor of Rusizi district confirmed to IGIHE about the arrest of Gatera but said he was not aware of the reasons for Gatera’s arrest.

    Residents told IGIHE that Gatera had bought off a large chunk of land covering the entire Kibangira area close to the border with Burundi.

  • Ford, IBM Face U.S. Lawsuit Over Apartheid Abuses

    Ford, IBM Face U.S. Lawsuit Over Apartheid Abuses

    {{Ford Motor Co (F.N) and IBM Corp (IBM.N) will again have to face a U.S. lawsuit claiming they encouraged race-based human rights abuses in apartheid-era South Africa, despite a series of recent court decisions limiting the right to pursue such cases.}}

    Reviving a 12-year-old lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin in Manhattan accepted an argument from a group of plaintiffs that corporations may be held liable under a 1789 law, the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), that lets non-U.S.

    citizens pursue some cases in U.S. courts over alleged violations of international law.

    “No principle of domestic or international law supports the conclusion that the norms enforceable through the ATS … apply only to natural persons and not to corporations,” Scheindlin wrote.

    Her decision came in a case that the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, also in Manhattan, in August had said should be dismissed.

    “Obviously we’re thrilled,” said Diane Sammons, a partner at Nagel Rice law firm in Roseland, New Jersey, representing some plaintiffs. “Judge Scheindlin is not taking the word of the defendants that corporations are not liable for human rights abuses under the ATS.”

    Sammons said she plans to file an amended complaint.

    Jonathan Hacker, an O’Melveny & Myers partner who represents Ford, did not respond immediately to requests for comment. Keith Hummel, a partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore who represents IBM, did not respond immediately to similar requests.

    The plaintiffs contended that by having made military vehicles and computers for South African security forces, several companies during the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s had aided and abetted South Africa’s former apartheid government in perpetrating abuses, such as killings and torture.

    The litigation seeks class action status, with potential damages in the billions of dollars.

    {{TOUCHING AND CONCERNING U.S. TERRITORY}}

    Last April, the U.S. Supreme Court limited the sweep of the Alien Tort Statute, in the case Kiobel et al v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co et al.

    In a decision by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court held that the 1789 law was presumed to cover only violations of international law occurring in the United States, and that violations elsewhere must “touch and concern” U.S. territory “with sufficient force to displace the presumption.”

    Four months later, Circuit Judge Jose Cabranes wrote for the 2nd Circuit that these findings meant the case against Ford and IBM should be dismissed, having “plainly barred common-law suits, like this one, alleging violations of customary international law based solely on conduct occurring abroad.”

    The plaintiffs, however, said Cabranes’ ruling was based on arguments made before the Supreme Court’s decision in the Kiobel case, and sought a chance to meet the new, tighter standard set by that court.

    Thursday’s decision provides that chance, and Scheindlin set a May 15 deadline to file a new complaint against Ford and IBM, whose full name is International Business Machines Corp.

    Germany’s Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE) and Rheinmetall AG (RHMG.DE)

    had also been defendants, but Scheindlin agreed in December that the Kiobel decision barred claims against them.

    General Motors Corp had also been among the defendants, but Sammons said claims against it were discharged during that automaker’s 2009 bankruptcy.

    Apartheid ended in 1994 when South Africa held its first all-race elections, bringing Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress to power.

    The case is In re: South African Apartheid Litigation, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 02-md-01499.

    wirestory

  • Armed Mob Attacks U.N. Base in South Sudan

    Armed Mob Attacks U.N. Base in South Sudan

    {{A mob of armed civilians pretending to be peaceful protesters delivering a petition to the United Nations in South Sudan forced their way into a U.N. base sheltering some 5,000 civilians on Thursday and opened fire, the world body said.}}

    A U.N. source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said at least 20 people had been killed and 60 wounded in the attack on the base in Bor in northern Jonglei state, where there are Indian and South Korean U.N. peacekeepers. The source warned that the death toll was likely to rise.

    U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said dozens of civilians were wounded, but the exact number of people killed or wounded had not yet been confirmed. Two U.N. peacekeepers were wounded repelling the armed mob, he said.

    More than 1 million people have fled their homes since fighting erupted in the world’s youngest country in December between troops backing President Salva Kiir and soldiers loyal to his sacked vice president, Riek Machar.

    Thousands of people have been killed and tens of thousands have sought refuge at U.N. bases around the country.

    “This attack on a location where civilians are being protected by the United Nations is a serious escalation,” Dujarric said.

    “The assailants – a mob of armed civilians – came to the base under the guise of peaceful demonstrators intending to present a petition to UNMISS (the U.N. peacekeeping mission).”

    “The armed mob forced entry on to the site and opened fire on the internally displaced persons sheltering inside the base,” he said. “At the time of the attack there were some 5,000 displaced civilians … inside the base.”

    Dujarric said the wounded were being treated at the U.N. compound.

    The U.S. State Department condemned the attack.

    {agencies}

  • Burundi Expells U.N. Security Adviser

    Burundi Expells U.N. Security Adviser

    {{Burundi has ordered a security adviser at the United Nations mission in the country to leave on Thursday, escalating a row that started with a warning by the U.N. last week of a possible outbreak of political violence.}}

    Government officials in the tiny central African state reacted angrily to the warning by the U.N. mission on Wednesday, saying it was baseless and had possibly been made to justify an extension of its mandate beyond its December expiry date.

    The warning was linked to a political crisis over planned changes to the constitution that could allow President Pierre Nkurunziza to run for a third term. Critics say the changes could upset the country’s delicate ethnic power balance.

    “A senior security adviser for the UN mission in Burundi has 48 hours to leave the country,” said Willy Nyamitwe, deputy spokesman for Burundi’s president.

    “He is the one who produced a wrong report on an alleged plan to distribute weapons to youth groups affiliated to the ruling party.”

    The Twitter feed of the presidency named the adviser as Paul Dobbie. The U.N. said it would engage with Burundi on the expulsion of its official.

    “We regret the decision by the government of Burundi to declare a U.N. staff member persona non grata. We’ll address this matter with the government of Burundi through usual diplomatic channels,” said U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

    Burundi’s political stand-off has raised the risk of another explosion in a volatile region already grappling with unrest in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Central African Republic.

    The country fought a 12-year civil war that ended in 2005.

    {wirestory}

  • Nigerians Search Unsafe Forest for Kidnapped Girls

    Nigerians Search Unsafe Forest for Kidnapped Girls

    {{Able-bodied men from the Nigerian town of Chibok have taken to the dangerous Sambisa Forest to search for more than 100 abducted girls and young women whom the military claimed to have freed from their Islamic extremist kidnappers, an education official said on Thursday.}}

    Six more have managed to escape their captors on their own, bringing to 20 the number that are free, the education commissioner of Borno state, Musa Inuwo Kubo, told reporters.

    He spoke at a news conference where parents of the kidnapped students expressed their anguish over a defence ministry statement claiming to have freed all but eight of the students by Wednesday night.

    “The military had really gladdened our hearts. But now we are left in confusion,” said Lydia Ibrahim, whose three cousins are among the kidnapped. “These girls are innocent, we plead that government should do all that they can to help us.”

    The Defence Ministry spokesperson, Major General Chris Olukolade, had said in a statement late on Wednesday that the principal of the school from which the young women were abducted had confirmed that all but eight were freed.

    But the principal, Asabe Kwambura, denied that to The Associated Press and flatly contradicted Olukolade, saying “Up till now we are still waiting and praying for the safe return of the students … the security people, especially the vigilantes and the well-meaning volunteers of Gwoza are still out searching for them. The military people, too, are in the bush searching.”

    She said only 14 of those kidnapped by gunmen before dawn Tuesday have returned to Chibok — four who jumped from the back of a truck soon after the abductions and 10 who escaped into the bush when their abductors asked them to cook a meal.

    Major breakthrough

    Inuwo said six more girls have returned home — two found wandering in the forest by soldiers and four who had made their way to a village near where they were being held.

    Olukolade, the defence spokesperson, on Thursday night retracted his statement, which he said had been based on a field report indicating “a major breakthrough”.

    He added, “There is indeed no reason to play politics with the precious lives of the students. The number of those still missing is not the issue now as the life of every Nigerian is very precious.”

    A town official said people angry at the military’s false statement and failure to find the abductees are taking the initiative and searching the forest themselves — dangerous because it is a known hiding place for militants of the Boko Haram extremist network and because it has been pounded by near-daily aerial bombardments by the air force.

    Borno state Governor Kashim Shettima offered a reward of $300 000 for information leading to the release of the students, aged between 16 and 18.

    Shettima told the media that he wanted to visit Chibok but the security forces told him it was too dangerous, even under military escort, for him to make the 130km drive from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and birthplace of Boko Haram.

    Kwambura said the students were kidnapped because of a terrible mistake. She said the insurgents arrived after midnight at her Government Girls’ Secondary School wearing military fatigues and posing as soldiers — a common tactic used by the insurgents.

    She said she believed them when they told her that they needed to move the girls for their own safety. So she allowed the extremists posing as soldiers to load the students on to the back of a truck.

    It was only as the armed men were leaving, and started shooting, that she realised her mistake. The militants killed a soldier and a police officer guarding the school, she said.

    AP