IGIHE

Author: Publisher

  • Rwanda: Ugandan widow raises claim of 305-million-shillings

    Rwanda: Ugandan widow raises claim of 305-million-shillings

    {After the death of Dickson Tinyinondi a Ugandan money changer who was killed, Gloria Cyarisiima, the widow, is seeking for support from the Ugandan government to regain the lost money worth 305 million shillings.}

    In an interview with IGIHE at Kabale station this Sunday, Cyarisiima confirmed she has debts to pay to other business partners and they are on her back to be paid, to an extent that they want to sell her properties.

    Cyarisiima also suggested efforts should be added for her to regain the amount of 305 million Ugandan shillings, which was stolen from her husband on the scene and penalties to be paid later.

    Dickson Tinyinondi was murdered this year in Rutare sector located in Gicumbi district.

    Currently, one of the people who took part in his death was sentenced to life imprisonment while another one was sentenced to 20-years in prison by Gicumbi high court of Justice.

  • Kigeme Camp: Congolese Scrambling for refugee properties

    Kigeme Camp: Congolese Scrambling for refugee properties

    {According to the news from representatives of the United Nations high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR), a big number of desperate and disorganized Congolese are said to be penetrating into Kigeme Camp (Rwanda) from Congo Kinshasa to seek for support illegally. }

    Recently UNHCR representatives in Congo confirmed to IGIHE reporter, that most of the Congolese have turned it into business, whereby they cross Rwandan borders after traveling long distances from Kinshasa to come and Scramble for the little assistance which is dedicated to refugees camped in Rwanda, particularly at Kigeme camp.

    However, it’s been said that after scrambling and taking the little from these refugees, the donations are later taken and sold to Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic republic of Congo.

    In an interview with IGIHE, the Head of Kigeme camp Karembera Benjamin confirmed its true there are people who always enter and leave Kigeme camp without informing the administration to sell donations they are offered at the camp from the UNHCR and other organizations.

    He also added there are other people who escape the camp to neighboring Congo but currently statistics’ are not yet covered.

    Today Rwanda is accomodating, caring, assisting and supporting over 60,000 Congolese refugees in 5 refugee camps within the country.

    However, this comes as a result of Wars and insecurities that have characterized the neighboring Democratic republic of Congo, since 1997.

  • M7 seeks support for DRC talks

    M7 seeks support for DRC talks

    {President Yoweri Museveni has asked the international community to throw their weight behind the ongoing DRC peace talks saying they deal with the root cause of the conflict. Museveni says once supported by the international community the talks will provide a permanent solution to the conflict.}

    He was meeting the US Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region Russ Feingold at the Mandarin Oriental Paris Hotel on the sidelines of the African conference on Peace and Security currently taking place in France. According to Museveni the success of the talks will ensure stability and eliminate future conflicts in the country and the region.

    In a statement from State House President Museveni cites groups such as the Allied Democratic Forces, Interahamwe and the genocidaires who are operating inside the Congolese territory that must be handled to ensure permanent peace.

    President Museveni told Russ that the Kampala talks had achieved much and what was remaining were declarations from the Joseph Kabila government, the M23 rebel representatives and the guarantor of the talks. On Tuesday this week President Museveni and Kabila met in Entebbe where they agreed to resume the talks, which had earlier on broken down as a result of disagreements between the warring parties.

    This comes a few days after the M23 rebels dismissed three of its officials including Kambasu Ngeve Jean Serge the Permanent Secretary of the Political Executive, Sendugu Museveni the head of political affairs and Mashagiro Nzeyi Jérôme. The three are accused of acts of indiscipline, defamation, misinformation and betrayal in accordance with M23 Code of Conduct.

    Mondaytimes.com

  • Mandela funeral could ‘trap’ Rouhani: Iran media

    Mandela funeral could ‘trap’ Rouhani: Iran media

    {The funeral service of Nelson Mandela could be a “trap” for Iranian President Hassan Rouhani because he could run into US President Barack Obama, a hardline Iranian daily warned Sunday.}

    The Islamic republic has yet to announce who will travel to South Africa for Tuesday’s memorial service and next Sunday’s funeral for the late president and Nobel laureate.

    Hardline newspaper Kayhan warned in an editorial that if Rouhani attends it could bring him face to face with Obama, “head of the Great Satan government”.

    “Some domestic and foreign media outlets are using the funeral ceremony as a pretext to push Rouhani towards a meeting with the head of the Great Satan government,” Kayhan said.

    Rouhani, a moderate, defeated a pool of conservatives in a June presidential election after vowing to engage with the West.

    Since then there has been a thaw in ties between Iran and world powers.

    The most remarkable development was a 15-minute telephone call between Obama and Rouhani in September, as the Iranian president was ending a visit to the US for the UN General Assembly.

    The call was the first contact between leaders of the two nations since diplomatic ties were severed more than three decades ago over the hostage-taking at the US embassy in Tehran.

    The Kayhan editorial, headlined “Satan lays a trap, this time in Johannesburg”, recalled comments by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after Rouhani’s September trip to New York.

    “Some of what happened in the New York trip was not appropriate,” Khamenei said at the time, without elaborating.

    Iranian hardliners and conservatives took that as indicating the supreme leader was unhappy the telephone chat had taken place.

    Since that conversation, Iran has struck a landmark nuclear deal with six world powers including the United States in another sign of a thawing of ties.

    The interim agreement reached last month following a decade of gridlock would freeze parts of Iran’s controversial nuclear programme while easing some of the crippling international sanctions against it.

    It is not clear if Rouhani will attend services for Mandela, but he sent a message of condolences following the death of the iconic South African.

    Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has also tweeted a message saying: “We in Iran join the people of South Africa in mourning the death of Nelson Mandela, who inspired humanity with his courage&compassion.”

    Mandela, who died late on Thursday at the age of 95, had visited Iran in 1992 and again in 1999.

    {{AFP}}

  • Mandela death: South Africa parliament to pay tribute

    Mandela death: South Africa parliament to pay tribute

    {South Africa’s parliament is to meet to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela, as world leaders prepare for Tuesday’s memorial service.}

    The special sitting comes at the start of a week of commemorative events before a state funeral on 15 December.

    Some 60 world leaders are expected to attend either the funeral or a national memorial service on Tuesday.

    On Sunday, millions took part in a “day of prayer” to remember the country’s first black president.

    Over the next eight days, a series of events will commemorate the man who steered their country out of white-minority rule.

    US President Barack Obama, Francois Hollande of France and UK PM David Cameron will be among those attending Tuesday’s memorial at a Soweto stadium.

    On Saturday, Cuban state media announced that President Raul Castro would be one of those attending Mr Mandela’s funeral.

    Under Mr Castro’s brother Fidel, Cuba was a staunch critic of apartheid, and Mr Mandela had expressed gratitude for his support.
    {{
    BBC}}

  • Sudan’s Bashir unveils new Cabinet after VP forced out

    Sudan’s Bashir unveils new Cabinet after VP forced out

    {Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has replaced his two vice-presidents and unveiled a new Cabinet after urgent calls for reform in the 24-year-old regime.}

    The country’s First Vice-President, Mr Ali Osman Taha announced his resignation on Friday.

    Addressing a public rally in Garry area northern of Khartoum yesterday President Bashir denied any differences concerning the formation of the new government, emphasizing that the Ruling party leaders are working in harmony in this historical moment to the whole country.

    “Ali Osman resigned his position voluntarily as he did to support the peace after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005” President Bashir pointed out.

    The change comes less than a week after leading ruling party dissident Ghazi Salahuddin Atabani said he had launched a new “Reform” party relying on youth support that has attracted thousands of followers.

    It is the most serious split in years within Bashir’s National Congress Party (NCP), which has faced internal criticism over alleged corruption and stagnant leadership.

    The “big changes” announced today “were meant to bring forward experienced youth”, NCP deputy chairman Nafie Ali Nafie said, according to the Sudanese Media Centre (SMC) which is close to the security apparatus.

    Mr Nafie is stepping aside from his post as Bashir’s assistant, to be replaced by senior NCP member Ibrahim Ghandour, officials said.

    Another regime stalwart who has lost his job is oil minister Awad Ahmad al-Jaz.

    Mr Bakri Hassan Saleh, a former interior and defence minister, replaces Mr Taha while Mr Hassabo Mohammed Abdel Rahman becomes second vice-president, senior party official Rabbie Abdelatti Ebaid said.

    “Yes, confirmed,” Mr Ebaid said of the appointments.

    Mr Saleh was presidential affairs minister in the cabinet which Bashir dismissed last week ahead of the reshuffle.

    In 2005, Mr Taha vacated his post as first vice president to be occupied by the former leader of the Sudan People’s liberation movement John Garang De Mabior.

    “Mr Taha is the spearhead and the leader of change in the formation of a new cabinet” President Bashir explained.

    “This is one of our crucial and historical steps to allow the change and to open the opportunities for the youth and to promote the new generations” he added. Mr Taha, an influential figure in NCP and Sudanese politics, has backed President Bashir since he came to power in the 1989 military coup.

    In the changes, Sudanese legislatures including parliament members, heads of subcommittees and the Speaker announced their resignations.

    The ex-speaker of the Parliament Ahmed Ibrahim Altahir told journalists in Khartoum that they vacated their posts to prove that the ruling national congress party (NCP) is sticking to the change and political reformation.

    The Sudanese government has faced many political and economic challenges since the secession of South Sudan in 2011.

    An offensive against rebels has been expanded to new areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states besides the hotspot Darfur.

    Daily Nation

  • Mandela Praised at UN, By Rwanda Then Ban, Q of Colonialism and Censorship

    Mandela Praised at UN, By Rwanda Then Ban, Q of Colonialism and Censorship

    {When news of Nelson Mandela’s death reached the UN, inside the Security Council Argentina was giving a speech about the International Criminal Tribunals for Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Proceedings stopped for a moment of silence.
    }

    Rwandan Ambassador Eugene-Richard Gasana came out to the stakeout and told Inner City Press of Mandela, “He was a great man.” On November 15, Gasana gave a moving speech in the Council about the dignity of Africa.

    As to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, at first the idea was that he would speak on UN Television without taking questions. But then reporters were told he’d speak in the Press Briefing Room. Inner City Press went there, inevitably wondering if the UN of today is fighting or perpetuating colonialism.

    Just that morning, France was given a mandate to re-enter its former colony the Central African Republic, as it re-entered Mali less than a year ago.

    When Inner City Press asked French Ambassador Gerard Araud about this colonial history and “FrancAfrique,” he denied his country has economic interests in the CAR. Recently the wire service Reuters, at and for the UN the Western go-to for leaks both ways, declared that FrancAfrique is over. Really?

    In the UN Briefing Room, Ban Ki-moon arrived and recounted meeting Mandela, who told him there were many, many other fighters for liberation, “known and unknown.”

    Ban is headed to Paris for a conference on Africa. Some might wonder, FrancAfrique and ask, What Would Mandela Say? Or remember, why aren’t leaders like Thomas Sankara still alive?

    Footnote: after that Ban’s spokesperson Martin Nesirky said there was time for two questions. Correctly, he called on South Africa Broadcasting Corporation first.

    But then, further propping up what has become the UN’s Censorship Alliance, he called on the Reuters reporter who moved up to sit in what is, absurdly, UNCA’s “Holy Seat.” The Reuters reporter, who as shown here has spied for the UN, made sure to brand his softball question “on behalf of the United Nations Correspondents Association.”

    Given his and this group’s leadership’s involvement in censorship, for example ordering down articles about Sri Lanka and conflicts of interest, and French domination of UN Peacekeeping for colonial purposes, this said it all about today’s UN and how it’s covered.

    Inner City Press

  • Rwanda projects to revive coffee production despite 2 years of decline

    Rwanda projects to revive coffee production despite 2 years of decline

    {{Rwanda projects 157 mln USD in coffee production by 2017 after 2 years of decline}}

    {Rwanda is making efforts to revive the coffee sector with export earnings projected at 157 million U. S. dollars by 2017 after production declined in the past two years, the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) said Sunday.}

    NARB Chairman Corneille Ntakirutimana told reporters that the efforts include the installation of transparent political structures, the expansion of coffee farms and the use of modern equipment and fertilizers.

    Ntakirutimana made the remarks as coffee production in the East African country is expected to hit the lowest this year after its export dropped to 60.9 million dollars last year.

    The Rwandan official said the problem was partly due to the fall of the price of the commodity on the world market.

    Xinhua News Agency.

  • France vows to disarm CAR militias

    France vows to disarm CAR militias

    {French soldiers are to start removing weapons from fighters in the Central African Republic (CAR) from Monday, by force if they have to, France says.}

    A 1,600-strong French force has been sent into the CAR, deployed after days of communal fighting claimed 400 lives.

    Rebel leader Michel Djotodia seized power in March and armed gangs, largely made up of former rebels, have taken control of the landlocked country.

    French troops are now patrolling the streets of the capital, Bangui.

    They were sent into the CAR on Friday after the UN Security Council backed a mandate to restore order “by all necessary measures” the previous evening.

    France said on Saturday that the African Union would increase the size of its existing force of 2,500 peacekeepers to 6,000.
    ‘End to impunity’

    The UN resolution followed a surge of violence involving Christian self-defence militias that had sprung up after a series of attacks by mainly Muslim fighters from the disbanded Seleka rebel forces.

    The Red Cross says 394 people were killed in three days of fighting in Bangui.

    Bodies were still being recovered from the streets of the capital on Sunday. A Reuters correspondent described seeing bodies piled up in the local hospital’s mortuary and its corridors.

    “The period of impunity is at an end,” French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told French media.

    “Tomorrow [Monday], everybody will lay down their arms. First we’ll ask gently and if they don’t react, we’ll do it by force. The operation will take some time.”

    While French troops were visible on the main streets of the capital, French TV showed footage of former Seleka militiamen still in control of other areas of the city.

    Reporters in Bangui described the atmosphere as tense.

    Thousands of Christians have sought shelter at Bangui airport, now under French guard, out of terror of the Muslim militiamen, Britain’s Channel Four TV reports. Thousands have also fled to churches and a monastery.

    Meanwhile, distressing stories have begun to emerge of the violence that has befallen the country in recent days.

    Relief agencies told Associated Press that ex-Seleka fighters had dragged nine wounded young men they believed to be part of a Christian militia out of a Bangui hospital and killed them.

    The Red Cross says bodies are still being found and many of the victims have been children, according to the UN’s children agency.

    BBC

  • Italian kidnapped in Nigeria

    Italian kidnapped in Nigeria

    {An Italian man has been kidnapped in the Niger delta in southern Nigeria, the Italian foreign ministry said on Saturday.}

    Marcello Rizzo, 55, from the Sicilian town of Randazzo, works for the Italian construction company Gitto Costruzioni and has been in Nigeria for eight years.

    “We have had some contacts and we hope we will see a positive conclusion,” a foreign ministry spokesman said, without specifying who the contacts were. “We were informed of his disappearance several days ago.”

    Kidnappings in southern Nigeria tend to be for ransom and the victims are often released. Abductions in the north are more often the work of Islamist militant groups linked to al Qaeda.

    Reuters