Sorry for your Rwandese friends you are now recomending to go to Liberia.
A docket on crimes against humanity has just been opened against them regarding the Ituri Province of the DRC.
I know Bideri is your friend since your days at the American Univ in Cairo, but be serious at least for once.
It is a sick joke to even talk positevely about these Rwandese dogs of war as peace keepers for Liberia.
Mitayo Potosi
From: Omar Kezimbira <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: ugnet_: Hold On, Who's the Lion Here: Us or Bush? Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 06:19:21 -0700 (PDT)
Opinion-EastAfrican-Nairobi-Kenya
Monday, July 14, 2003
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Hold On, Who's the Lion Here: Us or Bush?The second summit of the African Union has just ended in Maputo, Mozambique, but it was overshadowed by US President George Bush's whistle-stop tour.
A statement by a consortium of African civil society organisations indeed noted that: "It is unclear how the (US) Administration could be so out of step with African continental institutions by not seeking to attend this important meeting. As arranged, the trip will rather serve as a distraction to the African Union meeting."
If Bush had dropped in on the Maputo summit, it would have been a welcome morale booster. But then, on the other hand, it might have helped to highlight how daunting the African crisis is.
Bush's African trip, among other things, formed a backdrop for him to showcase his $15 billion pledge to fight Aids in Africa and the Caribbean, and spotlight US support for anti-terrorism initiatives. Three weeks ago, he announced a $100m fund to help combat terrorism and promote development in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
About 70 per cent of the 36 million people worldwide infected with HIV/Aids live in Africa. The African civil societies' statement noted that while the $15 billion for Aids might be big, the disbursement for next year will be a relatively modest $450m. Yet in some countries in Southern Africa, if the HIV infection rates continue at the present rate, life expectancy will be slashed to 25 years by 2025.
Just how bad is this? Well, these are levels last seen in some parts of the world in the Middle Ages!
Aids, however, is only one of the many daunting African problems. Consider this: The chance of a death during pregnancy in Africa is 1 in 3. In industrialised countries it is 1 in 4,085.
About 291 million Africans, nearly 50 per cent of the continent's population, live on $1 a day, compared to the many industrialised economies where the figure is 0 per cent.
The arguments as to whether aid works or not (or is desirable) aside, Africa, according to recent studies, would need the $15 billion that it receives annually in aid to increase by 1,500 per cent to $225 billion for the continent to average per capita GNP rates of $270.
Put in that context, Bush's $15 billion is a drop in the ocean � though of course a drop is far better than a drought.
Last week's AU summit was therefore critical because it was important for Africa to give a signal that it can respond in a way equal to the crisis facing the continent. The first summit was a curtain raiser, so it could be excused.
Then, the leaders talked the talk, and promised to intervene to stop outbreaks of madness in member states. Apart from South African putting soldiers on the ground in Burundi, little else was done.
Sierra Leone was stabilised by the British. In Congo, where 4 million have died as a result of the Rwanda-Uganda wars in the east of the country, the first real hope for the people there came with the recent arrival of French troops.
Just at the hour when Africans were supposed to be making history - remember South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki declaring that the 21st century will be "Africa's century"? - the West is stealing the moment.
The AU needs just one test case where it puts out one fire with gusto and finality. Either it goes into Liberia and brings order with a firm hand (a well-armed and funded joint Angolan-Algerian-Rwandan force would be awesome in any situation). Or it rallies, gets each nation on the continent to contribute and comes up with a $5 billion Aids fund.
Or it takes on a strongman who is trying to cling to power and runs him. Or it takes on a strongman who is trying to cling to power and runs him out of town, and restores democracy.
Whatever the case, AU leaders shouldn't leave Bush to roam the continent unrivalled as if he were the king of its jungles. It's time for Africa to walk the walk.
Charles Onyango-Obbo is managing editor in charge of media convergence at the Nation Media Group.
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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