ugnet_: Freedom from the truth?
It was the legendary Sen. Hiram Johnson who said in 1971. In war truth is the first casuality.Lost in the hoopla and hysteria sorrounding the Monitor incident are some basic facts. Fact: no helicopter was shot down and before the usual suspects jump on this, it is not because Bantariza said so but because the country has only two helicopter gunships and reporters were shown both of them. Fact: reporter Nyakairu did not bother to go the site of the purpoted crash.While my friend Vukoni was talking about his dissapointment with Onapito and his Journalism collegues,it is the basic tenet of any journalist verify information from sources. Fact:The Monitor Group as well put by Anne is a business entity governed by the laws of the country.Its premises are not inviolable in such of evidence of a crime by the police.Futhermore as a business entity compliance with the law is necessary.For example in the US ,title 39 of the United States code of 1970 compels all Newspapers to file a report showing ownership,management and circulation annually. Therefore after all is said there is a big difference between the right to do something and the right thing to do. And yes an apology was in order.CNN apologized for carrying a story about US massacres near Hanoikilling filed by Peter Anan.well CNN was not raided you say.What would happen if the Washington Post published a press release by Bin Laden ? wouldnt the bureau be interested in how they got it? Before you say Al Jezeera does remember Bin laden is not waging war against Qatar.As Journalists pursue the truth and hold government accountable they should not forget that truth is paramount.Maybe the methods used were highhanded but the goal is the same compliance with the law is mandatory even for the members of the Fourth estate.
ugnet_: Fwd: NYTimes.com Article: Rebels Sign Truce to End Ivory Coast Uprising
Rebels Sign Truce to End Ivory Coast Uprising October 18, 2002 By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Rebels signed a truce on Thursday to halt a monthlong insurgency in Ivory Coast that has killed hundreds of people. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/18/international/africa/18IVOR.html?ex=1036235608ei=1en=a9a179616b22be42 Surf the Web without missing calls! Get MSN Broadband. Click Here
ugnet_: Fwd: NYTimes.com Article: Uproar Over a Movie Priest Going His Own Way
Uproar Over a Movie Priest Going His Own Way October 21, 2002 By GINGER THOMPSON A story of forbidden love has ignited the passions of Mexico's Catholic Church, turning a low-budget movie into the biggest hit in the history of Mexican film. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/21/international/americas/21MEXI.html?ex=1036235792ei=1en=a7a7efd1e3ac917f Choose an Internet access plan right for you -- try MSN! Click Here
ugnet_: Sanctions urged for Congo plunderers-BBC
Well what can I say today, that I told you? No for it will not change a thing. The point is I have called for an embargo on African minerals for a while, let us fight our dictators when Western countries have no interests, but as long as Britain sucks daily minerals from Sierra Leone on the backs of those African kids I can not fight the dictator in power. He has all powers backed by Britain for with out him Britain looses. UN has started to look at it the same way, I believe that this will start to go around Africa, Yes we have a problem but US and United Kingdom are the best funders Museveni has ever got. Al we need is Africans is to sell this idea. Let us hold on what we have clean up our own houses and then renegotiate. Lastly countries with invading forces like Kenya should as well start to fight it Kenyans are smart enough to run their own army. It is a war and there is no to ways about it. Em The Mulindwas communication group"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" - Original Message - From: Omar Kezimbira To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 10:40 AM Subject: ugnet_: Sanctions urged for Congo plunderers-BBC Monday, 21 October, 2002, 10:09 GMT 11:09 UK -BBC Sanctions urged for Congo plunderers Rwandans captured by Congolese troops A United Nations panel has called on the Security Council to impose financial sanctions against companies and individuals who plunder the Democratic Republic of Congo's wealth. Companies named as violating ethical guidelines Anglo American Barclays Bank Bayer De Beers In the report, the five-member panel details how the Rwandan government and army, the Ugandan army, and Congolese and Zimbabwean government officials plan to continue to exploit the DR Congo's resources. The central African nation is rich in gold, diamonds, cobalt, copper and coltan, which is used in mobile phones, and medicinal barks. The scramble for those resources has helped fuel a four-year war in which two million people have died. The Council is set to debate the report on Thursday 24 October. More than 27,000 foreign soldiers, including at least 20,000 Rwandans, have now left the country, the UN said last week, but fighting is continuing in the east of the country between the rebels of the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) and the Mai-Mai militia, which Rwanda accuses of being supported by the Congolese government. Most of the 54 companies named are African but the list includes four Belgian diamond firms and the Belgian Groupe George Forrest mining group, which has a joint venture with the US-based OM Group. The panel recommended 29 individuals face travel bans, a freeze on their personal assets and the same financial restrictions as the businesses. Prominent among the individuals named is the Ukranian born arms trader, Victor Bout, who was once described by UK minister Peter Hain as a "merchant of death". Elite exploiters The plunder continues, despite the withdrawal of foreign troops, by "elite networks" running a self-financing war economy on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the report said. "The elite networks derive financial benefit through a variety of criminal activities, including theft, embezzlement, diversion of public funds, undervaluation of goods, smuggling, false invoicing, non-payment of taxes, kickback to public officials and bribery," it said. Several senior political and military figures are named from African countries including: Rwandan army Chief of Staff James Kabarebe DR Congo Minister of the Presidency Augustin Katumba Mwanke Ugandan army Chief of Staff Major General James Kazini Zimbabwe Parliament Speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa The report also names 85 multi-nationals in South Africa, Europe and the US for violating the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ethical guidelines on conflict zones. These include the world's largest gem and mining firms, such as Anglo American, Barclays Bank, Bayer and De Beers diamond company among others. Cashing in While Rwanda, with the largest force, has withdrawn troops, it has left soldiers behind to operate the "Congo Desk of the Rwandan Patriotic Army," which in 1999 contributed $320m or 80% of the Rwandan military budget, the panel said. Congolese and Zimbabwean government and military officials have transferred the ownership of at least $5bn in assets from the state mining sector to private companies "with no compensation or benefit for the state treasury", it said. Zimbabwean officials claim their contracts are legal payment for troops, which support the Kinshasa government. The Ugandan army is accused of provoking ethnic
ugnet_: MUSEVENI'S DESIGN TO EXTERMINATE THE ACHOLI POLITY
P. O. Box 30349 KAMPALA 5th October 2002To : Special Representative of the Secretary GeneralUnited Nations Organisation for Great Lakes RegionAtt.: Ibrahim FallNew YorkYour Excellency,RE: MUSEVENI'S DIABOLICAL DESIGN TO EXTERMINATE THE ACHOLI POLITYOn behalf of the people of Acholi, we the undersigned elders write to prompt the attention of the United Nations Organisation, ( to be channeled to the appropriate UN organ for action) other International Human Rights and Peace Activists and the people of Uganda at large about the persistent ingenious diabolic design of to exterminate the Acholi polity. The people of Acholi have been assiduously monitoring the response/action of the Movement Government to the insurgency in the North.The operation so far conducted manifested and still manifest a systematic, comprehensive sinister implementation of meting human rights abuses, tortures and extra-judicial killings of the Acholi to depopulate them. The Movement Government has been and is still employing a variety of violent methods whose results unfold a salient plan to wipe out the Acholi by refusing to accept genuine peace talk and using arrogant provocative language against the rebels which make them react by launching attacks against innocent civilians, torching their houses, abducting them, conscripting them to fight, and eventually exposing them to be killed by the UPDF.This pleases the Movement Government and the power to be because the rebels abduct and kill the Acholi. The abducted Acholi are exposed to fight and the UPDF kill them (the Acholi). The end result is that the rebels inflict all human sufferings on the Acholi and kill the Acholi. The UPDF also fight and kill the Acholi who are forcefully abducted by the rebels. Thus successful ingenious implementation of the Movement Government of Museveni vow to wipe out the Acholi. We request that the appropriate UN Organ should voice the concern of the people of Acholi to the Movement Government and the authority and also cause investigation on the abuse of all human rights-related issues such as massive killings by both LRA and UPDF. The LRA abduct, torture and kill the innocent Acholi claiming they are fighting the Government of Museveni. Meanwhile to the Movement Government, such killings are helping to accomplish their vows (Museveni's) to wipe out the Acholi by violent killing rather than dialogue or peace-talk.We now wish to give the genesis and chronology of events to expose the diabolic design to depopulate and eventually exterminate the Acholi polity:the AcholiFear of Secret Plan to Decimate In 1986 when Kampala fell to Museveni, the late General Bazilio Olara Okello expressed fear that Yoweri Museveni had a secret plan to wipe out the Acholi people from the map of Uganda. Many leading Acholi dismissed Olara Okello's ominous statement as " unfounded fear of a defeated soldier" But it is now obvious that Bazilio Olara Okello was right. In fact the secret plan to decimate the number of Acholi people began as soon as Museveni was sworn in as President of Uganda. In order to appreciate the current fears of the Acholi people, we need to review Museveni's rule from 1986.The Arrival of Museveni's NRA Soldiers in AcholiWhen Museveni's NRA soldiers entered the Acholiland, they were received well like in other parts of Uganda. When the dust of battle settled, the NRA Field Commanders who appeared to behave decently appealed to ex-UNLA soldiers who had then melted away into the rural areas to report to nearby Army Units. The Field Commanders swore that, since the change of the government was already completed, no solider would be harassed individually. The Acholi elders themselves supported the Field Commanders' appeal and urged their sons to respond as requested. The first few UNLA soldiers who reported to the NRA Field Commanders with their guns. They were treated very well. The NRA Commanders told them to choose either to join the NRA or to go home and live as free citizens. Very few ex- UNLA soldiers opted to join the NRA. The majority opted to go to their parents or wives in the rural areas to start new life as farmers. They were issued with Certificates of Clearance and happily returned to their respective families.The Cause of the Rebel War in AcholilandIn May 1986 when the ex-UNLA soldiers had generally settled to begin to cultivate their own food crops, a Military Spokesman went on Radio Uganda with a terse radio announcement in which all ex-UNLA soldiers were ordered to report to the Army General Headquarters, Kampala or any nearby Army Unit, within ten days without fail. No reason was given for the radio order. This unexplained order scared the already settled ex-UNLA soldiers as they recalled what Idi Amin did to the Acholi soldiers who responded to the same type of order, announced over radio after his military coup against Milton Obote in 1971. For this reason many
Re: ugnet_: Sanctions urged for Congo plunderers-BBC
... The panel suggested that these individuals and companies be given a four to five month grace period before the restrictions begin. How silly of the Panel to suggest this. Give the thieves time to re-route their loot? y From: Mulindwa Edward [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] CC: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: ugnet_: Sanctions urged for Congo plunderers-BBC Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 18:46:03 -0400 Well what can I say today, that I told you? No for it will not change a thing. The point is I have called for an embargo on African minerals for a while, let us fight our dictators when Western countries have no interests, but as long as Britain sucks daily minerals from Sierra Leone on the backs of those African kids I can not fight the dictator in power. He has all powers backed by Britain for with out him Britain looses. UN has started to look at it the same way, I believe that this will start to go around Africa, Yes we have a problem but US and United Kingdom are the best funders Museveni has ever got. Al we need is Africans is to sell this idea. Let us hold on what we have clean up our own houses and then renegotiate. Lastly countries with invading forces like Kenya should as well start to fight it Kenyans are smart enough to run their own army. It is a war and there is no to ways about it. Em The Mulindwas communication group With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy - Original Message - From: Omar Kezimbira To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 10:40 AM Subject: ugnet_: Sanctions urged for Congo plunderers-BBC Monday, 21 October, 2002, 10:09 GMT 11:09 UK -BBC Sanctions urged for Congo plunderers Rwandans captured by Congolese troops A United Nations panel has called on the Security Council to impose financial sanctions against companies and individuals who plunder the Democratic Republic of Congo's wealth. Companies named as violating ethical guidelines Anglo American Barclays Bank Bayer De Beers In the report, the five-member panel details how the Rwandan government and army, the Ugandan army, and Congolese and Zimbabwean government officials plan to continue to exploit the DR Congo's resources. The central African nation is rich in gold, diamonds, cobalt, copper and coltan, which is used in mobile phones, and medicinal barks. The scramble for those resources has helped fuel a four-year war in which two million people have died. The Council is set to debate the report on Thursday 24 October. More than 27,000 foreign soldiers, including at least 20,000 Rwandans, have now left the country, the UN said last week, but fighting is continuing in the east of the country between the rebels of the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) and the Mai-Mai militia, which Rwanda accuses of being supported by the Congolese government. Most of the 54 companies named are African but the list includes four Belgian diamond firms and the Belgian Groupe George Forrest mining group, which has a joint venture with the US-based OM Group. The panel recommended 29 individuals face travel bans, a freeze on their personal assets and the same financial restrictions as the businesses. Prominent among the individuals named is the Ukranian born arms trader, Victor Bout, who was once described by UK minister Peter Hain as a merchant of death. Elite exploiters The plunder continues, despite the withdrawal of foreign troops, by elite networks running a self-financing war economy on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the report said. The elite networks derive financial benefit through a variety of criminal activities, including theft, embezzlement, diversion of public funds, undervaluation of goods, smuggling, false invoicing, non-payment of taxes, kickback to public officials and bribery, it said. Several senior political and military figures are named from African countries including: a.. Rwandan army Chief of Staff James Kabarebe b.. DR Congo Minister of the Presidency Augustin Katumba Mwanke c.. Ugandan army Chief of Staff Major General James Kazini d.. Zimbabwe Parliament Speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa The report also names 85 multi-nationals in South Africa, Europe and the US for violating the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ethical guidelines on conflict zones. These include the world's largest gem and mining firms, such as Anglo American, Barclays Bank, Bayer and De Beers diamond company among others. Cashing in While Rwanda, with the largest force, has withdrawn troops, it has left soldiers behind to operate the Congo Desk of the Rwandan Patriotic Army, which in 1999 contributed $320m or 80% of the Rwandan military budget, the panel said. Congolese and Zimbabwean government and
