7, June 2016
Malawi: Attacks on albinos unprecedented 0
Amnesty International has warned that the number of attacks on people with albinism has risen in Malawi, calling on authorities to bring those responsible for the crimes to justice. “The unprecedented wave of brutal attacks against people with albinism has created a climate of terror for this vulnerable group and their families,” Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s director for southern Africa, said on Tuesday.
The body parts of albinos, who lack pigments in their skin, hair and eyes, are sold for witchcraft in North Africa. Their body parts are believed to bring wealth and good luck and are prized in witchcraft for use in charms and magical potions. The report condemned the Malawian authorities for “leaving this population group at the mercy of criminal gangs who hunt them down for their body parts.”
Amnesty said campaigners, police authorities, families and community leaders have all said that the number of attacks have increased recently. According to the report, April was the bloodiest month for such attacks in Malawi, with at least four people murdered, including a child aged under two. The parents of the child have been arrested as suspects. Simeon Mawanza, the lead researcher of the Amnesty report, said children with albinism have been sold by their parents.
Presstv
15, June 2016
Gabon: President Ali Bongo’s birth certificate generates another political crisis 0
The opposition is working towards a coalition to have incumbent President Ali Bongo disqualified from running for the presidency. Casimir Oyé Mba, the candidate of the National Union (UN) party in the August 27, 2016 presidential election in Gabon is determined to ensure that incumbent President Ali Bongo is disqualified from standing for the second term of office in the election. This is because he claims that Ali Bongo has acquired the Gabonese nationality which in accordance with Article 10 of the Constitution prohibits him from running for the presidency, RI reported.
In an interview over RFI, Sunday, June 12, 2016, Mr Oyé Mba called on all other candidates to form an alliance to ensure that Ali Bongo’s candidature is rejected. Before the interview, he had challenged Ali Bongo, to defend before the two Houses of Parliament (Senate and National Assembly) his multiple birth certificates. He claims that Ali Bongo is not constitutionally qualified to run for the presidency of Gabon. Speaking during a press conference, he said Ali Bongo cannot delegate the powers to any other person to answer questions concerning his birth certificate saga.
In response to the claim by Oyé Mba, President Ali Bongo’s lawyer, Claude Dumont declared that the debate over the President’s birth certificate was over, RFI reported. The lawyer said justice should be allowed to take its course, assuring that the case concerning the civil status of Ali Bongo will be declared baseless and consequently null and void. The lawyer said they were waiting for the opposition to bring proves of their claims.
Cameroon Tribune