Monthly Archives: November 2017

26, November 2017

Thousands rally in Europe to decry slavery in Libya ⁰

Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in different European capitals for a second day to express anger at the practice of slavery in Libya.

People in the Swedish capital of, Stockholm, gathered in Sergels Torg Square on Saturday to demand an immediate end to slavery, holding signs reading “Stop the slavery, now, now, now” and “Human rights for all,” as they chanted slogans.

More than 50 people were arrested during similar protests in Brussels, the Belgian capital. Violence erupted in that protest when a group of protesters broke away and attacked police, also ransacking shops and hurling projectiles at police, who responded by using water cannon.

Meanwhile, hundreds of members of the African community in the German capital of Berlin rallied outside the Libyan Embassy to express their anger. The demonstrators demanded an end to the enslavement, torture, rape, and murder of black people in the North African country.

An Ethiopian demonstrator, Gizaw, said, “To stop this situation German [sic] has to intervene, EU has to intervene, England, Britain has to intervene and stop financing these criminals in Libya.”

People take part in a demonstration against slavery in Libya, in Marseille, southern France, November 25, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

The protests came a day after demonstrators in Paris and Rome held rallies in front of the Libyan embassies in those cities.

The French demonstrators denounced their country’s military role in the Libyan uprising in 2011, when the then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy pushed for military strikes in Libya.

The protests was prompted by a CNN video report, released last week, which showed sub-Saharan Africans being sold at slave auctions for as little as $400.

After widespread outrage, Libyan Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Metig vowed, in a statement posted on Facebook, that his UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) would investigate the “slave market” allegations in the North African country.

Libya has faced a power vacuum since a NATO military intervention resulted in the downfall of its longtime dictator, Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since then, the country has been grappling with chaos and the emergence of numerous militant groups, including the Daesh terrorist group.

(Source: Agencies)

26, November 2017

Battle for Ambazonia: Biya relying on a divided North West Fons Association ⁰

French Cameroun Head of State, President Paul Biya has reportedly confirmed that Prime Minister Philemon Yang and his gang of CPDM elites have failed to resolve the crisis that rocked the former Southern Cameroons territory. Southern Cameroons declared its independence on October 1 and the interim leadership renamed the region, the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

We understand the French Cameroun chief executive and his Francophone emissary Garga Haman Adji were relying on the North West Traditional Chiefs Association to win over back the territory. However, events took a dramatic U turn yesterday Saturday, November 25, 2017 in Nkambe in the North-West Region with a major split within the respected Tikar establishment.

The executive board of the Northwest Traditional Chiefs Association (NOWFU) during yesterday’s session of its the General Assembly, made public a correspondence in which Mr. Paul Biya solicited the contribution of the Fons to calm the discontented populations. To this end, reported state radio and television, “the president of the NOWFU invited his peers to prepare very quickly the grievances of their people that they will present to the head of state.”

Information filtered to Etoudi that this new attempt by Paul Biya is also bound to fail in all likelihood because; NOWFU itself is going through a crisis of leadership. While Fon Teche Njei, the incumbent president, was organizing the Elective General Assembly in Nkambe, a dissident faction of NOWFU was holding another meeting on the side in Bamenda.

The Ambazonia crisis which has lasted for more than a year now has been worsening over the past few days. On high instructions from the French Cameroun dictator Paul Biya, Prime Minister Philemon Yang has conducted no less than three missions to dialogue with elites and local populations to find ways and means away out of the crisis. The stagnation of the socio-political tension is proof that the Prime Minister and all the personalities who constituted his suite failed brilliantly in their missions ..

By Rita Akana, with files from CIN

26, November 2017

France: Macron unveils plan to contain violence against women ⁰

French President Emmanuel Macron has strongly condemned the “horrific and shameful” violence against women in the country, introducing a package of measures aimed at curbing the phenomenon.

“Our entire society is sick with sexism,” Macron said in a speech marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in the capital Paris on Saturday.

“France must no longer be one of those countries where women are afraid,” he added.

The French president called for a “pact of gender equality” as he outlined plans to combat sexual harassment and violence.

He said educating schoolchildren and improving police support for rape and assault victims must serve as major guidelines.

The proposals also include criminalizing street harassment and extending the statute of limitation for the rape of minors to 30 years from 20 years.

Macron, who won the presidential election in May, had made gender equality one of the main themes of his five-year term in office.

French activists welcomed the measures as being in the right direction, but called for adequate funding for their effective implementation.

Statistics show that over 80,000 adult women face rape or attempted rape in France every year while only 10 percent file a complaint.

The European country has often debated sexual harassment over the past decade following scandals involving French politicians.

Six years ago, former finance minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn was forced to resign as head of the International Monetary Fund due to a sex scandal.

Culled from Presstv

25, November 2017

Libya: 31 refugees drown as boat sinks off western coast ⁰

At least 31 refugees have died after their Europe-bound boat capsized off Libya’s western coast, Libyan coastguard officials say.

The flimsy boat overturned on Saturday and the Libyan coastguard brought some 200 survivors back to port in the Libyan capital Tripoli.

The volatile North African nation, effectively run by competing militia groups, has remained a key transit hub for asylum seekers from war-ravaged countries trying to reach Europe. Most refugees are packed into flimsy inflatable boats that often break down or sink.

Many are picked up by international vessels and taken to Italy, where more than 115,000 have landed since the end of August this year.

An increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers are intercepted by Libya’s European-backed coastguard and returned to the North African country.

Refugees arrive at a naval base after they were rescued by Libya’s coastal guard in Tripoli, Libya, November 23, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

The United Nations migration agency said on Friday that more than 33,000 refugees had died at sea while trying to reach European shores since 2000, making the Mediterranean “by far the world’s deadliest border.”

On Friday, the Libyan coast guard rescued some 378 refugees after their boats sustained damage in the Mediterranean Sea, officials said, adding that the rescue operation lasted over 72 hours.

Italy’s coast guard also said that some 1,600 refugees had been rescued from nearly 20 vessels in the central Mediterranean on Wednesday and Thursday.

Source: Presstv

25, November 2017

Zimbabwe court declares military action against Mugabe ‘constitutional’ ⁰

A Zimbabwean high court has ruled that the military action leading to former President Robert Mugabe’s resignation was “constitutional” and not a coup.

“Actions by the Zimbabwe Defense Forces to stop the usurping of power by those close to former president Robert Mugabe are constitutional,” state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) media quoted officials of the top court as saying.

Referring to Mugabe’s wife Grace and her supporters, the court ruled that the takeover was “to ensure the non-elected individual do not exercise powers that can only be exercised by (those) elected.”

This photo taken on June 02, 2017 shows then-Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe (L) with his wife Grace Mugabe (R) raising their fists in a vehicle during a Zimbabwe ruling party rally at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera. (By AFP)

The tribunal also noted that Mugabe’s firing of his former deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, over a power struggle between him as his wife earlier this month had been against the law.

On November 23, Mugabe finally succumbed to pressures and stepped down after 37 years in power.

Zimbabwean new interim President Emmerson Mnangagwa takes the oath of office before the chief judge of the Supreme Court as he is officially sworn-in during a ceremony in Harare on November 24, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

The resignation came several days after army chiefs put military vehicles on the streets of the capital, Harare and placed the 93-year-old leader under house arrest. Many Zimbabweans celebrated the end of Mugabe’s rule.

A day after, his sacked deputy, Mnangagwa, was sworn in as the country’s interim president, vowing sweeping changes and seeking to attract foreign investment to revive the moribund economy in the south African country.

Mnangagwa is Zimbabwe’s second president since the country gained independence from British colonial rule in 1981.

Source: Presstv

25, November 2017

Ambazonia: Muyuka market on fire ⁰

The Muyuka Main Market in the Fako constituency has partially been ravaged by fire. The incident occurred on the night of 23rd to 24^th of November 2017. The fire whose origin remains undetermined has reduced to ashes more than a dozen shops. The president of the market interviewed by Canal 2 international television revealed that the fire started at “midnight and everything was automatically reduced to ashes. My life ends in this fire” he pointed out. According to an initial estimate, material losses are significant and can be estimated at several million CFA francs.

Market fires in the one time United Republic of Cameroon are a phenomenon. They are recorded everywhere in the country. The capital, Yaoundé, has been hit at least twice in recent months. On August 22, 2017, it was the central market that saw 50 stores go up in smoke. A few months earlier, in April 2017, the Etoudi market, in the district hosting the Presidency of La Republique du Cameroun was attacked by the flames. Investigations have shown most of the time that poor electrical installations cause damage in commercial spaces.

Source: Cameroun Info.Net

25, November 2017

Time magazine rejects Trump’s ‘Person of the Year’ claim ⁰

The Time news magazine has disputed US President Donald Trump’s claim that he turned down the American weekly’s “Person of the Year” honor after being told that he would only “probably” receive the designation.

The pushback came after Trump tweeted on Friday that he turned down the distinction, because the magazine did not guarantee him the spot.

“Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named “Man (Person) of the Year,” like last year but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot. I said probably no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!” the president tweeted.

The magazine issued a statement disputing Trump. “The President is incorrect about how we choose Person of the Year. TIME does not comment on our choice until publication, which is December 6,” a spokeswoman told CNN.

Time’s chief content officer, Alan Murray, also shot back at Trump from his own Twitter account.

Trump has previously criticized the magazine for not being selected in past years. “Thank you @oreillyfactor for your wonderful editorial as to why I should have been @TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year. You should run Time!” Trump tweeted in December 2015.

In December 2012, Trump tweeted, “I knew last year that @TIME Magazine lost all credibility when they didn’t include me in their Top 100… ”

Trump has long been obsessed with being on the cover of TIME and other news magazines, even making fake covers to hang in some of his properties.

In June, The Washington Post reported that at least four Trump Organization properties had on display a fake Time magazine with Trump on the cover and featuring flattering headlines about his reality TV show, “The Apprentice.”

Source: Presstv

25, November 2017

Slavery in Libya: Eto’o denies granting 1.5 million CFA francs to every Cameroonian migrant ⁰

French Cameroun football legend,Samuel Eto’o has denied claims of having granted financial assistance to the tune of 1.5 million FCFA to every Cameroonian migrant repatriated to the country after the outbreak of the scandal of black slavery in Libya.

“Several sites circulated a rumor that I gave money to each returnee migrant, on a topic of news.This rumor is absolutely unfounded,” noted the French Cameroonian football star who took advantage of the opportunity to give advice to his “brothers and sisters”, reminding them that “love prevents more harm than money can solve”.

By Chi Prudence Asong

25, November 2017

The French President is the defacto Commander-in-Chief of the Cameroonian Armed Forces ⁰

Biya has been president of Cameroun since Ahmadu Ahidjo handed over power to him. He has been on the saddle for 35 years. He has survived many coups and many sham elections. He has left Cameroun rural, desolate. But no one cites him as an example of a political tragedy. Mugabe is the African tragedy. Biya spends months on end holidaying in Switzerland. But the western press leaves him in his peace. No one is intent on bringing him down in the name of democracy.

Biya has repressed political opponents. Biya has supervised genocidal incursions into the English speaking parts of Southern Cameroon. But nobody thinks of Biya and remembers the ICC. France is the nanny of Cameroun. But that apostle of freedom and rule of law would not open her mouth and tell President Biya to step down. The French president is the defacto commander-in-chief of the Cameroonian Armed Forces. But he won’t nudge the army to do a Zimbabwe in Cameroon.

Western news media celebrated crowds on the streets screaming obscenities at a Mugabe held down by the army. But western media won’t call on France to tell the Camerounian army to hold down Biya so the party in Harare can move to Yaounde. Biya can remain on the throne. France is happy with him. He can junket around the European Union. He can loot the Camerounian treasury and stash it in France and Switzerland. If he challenges French authority then his sins will come to the fore and he would become a demon. We are happy Mugabe has gone. But the West must let go of its stinking hypocrisy. It is more abhorrent, more tyrannical, than Mugabe’s despotism.

Source: The Vanguard