Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Reparation case filed against the UK by Kenyan veterans

A compensation claim against the British government brought by veterans of Kenya's independence struggle has been lodged at the High Court.

Three men and two women have launched the case over alleged human rights abuses in the 1950s and 1960s.

Thousands of people were rounded up and forced into camps by the British during what was known as the Mau Mau uprising.

The UK says the claim is not valid because of the amount of time since the abuses were alleged to have happened.

The five Kenyans - aged in their 70s and 80s - are the lead claimants in the reparations case.

They want the UK government to acknowledge responsibility for atrocities committed by local guards in camps administered by the British in the pre-independence era.

Their lawyer, Martyn Day, said he believed his clients had "a good chance of success".

Source: BBC News . For complete article clink on the link below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8114001.stm

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Monday, June 22, 2009

Africa's riches being "secured" by Russian President

President Dmitry Medvedev is embarking Tuesday on a four-day African tour, beginning with a visit to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak before moving on to Nigeria, Namibia and Angola.

While international affairs, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the disputed Iranian elections, could come up in Egypt, Medvedev's trip appears focused on helping Russian companies gain additional access to the continent's natural resources wealth.

Source: http://www.moscowtimes.ru/articles/detail.php?ID=378964 Click on the link for full article.

This article is troubling at so many levels. I don't even know to start.
Feel free to post your comments.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

To ban or not to ban the vuvuzela at the World Cup?

What's plastic, a metre long, brightly coloured and sounds like an elephant? It's the vuvuzela, the noise-making trumpet of South African football fans, and it's come to symbolise the sport in the country.

It's an instrument, but not always a musical one. Describing the atmosphere in a stadium packed with thousands of fans blowing their vuvuzelas is difficult. Up close it's an elephant, sure, but en masse the sound is more like a massive swarm of very angry bees.
source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200906180211.html

The vuvuzelas blown incessantly by fans during Confederations Cup matches should not be allowed in the stadiums, says Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk.

"At home watching TV it really was annoying, but in the stadiums you get used to it. But it is still unpleasant," said Van Marwijk, who is on a fact-finding tour before the 2010 World Cup finals.

...

Fifa president Sepp Blatter said last week the world governing body had no plans to ban the instrument from Confederations Cup matches.

He said Fifa and the local organising committee would meet after the Confederations Cup to discuss whether it should be banned next year.

Blatter is against the idea of a ban, saying that "we should not try to Europeanise an African World Cup", but thousands of fans around the world have e-mailed Fifa over the past week urging them to ban the instrument.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=2871&art_id=vn20090621062426610C372043






Grande Premiere: Africa Fashion Week 2009


For the first time, over 45 African designers were under one roof to present their work at the "Arise Africa Fashion Week" held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Click on the link below to witness the event in pictures.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8110045.stm

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Abidjan, Ivory Coast








The African Champions humbled the World Champions

"World Champions Italy were beaten 1-0 by Egypt in Thursday night's Confederations Cup game in South Africa. The African champions took the lead in the 39th minute through Mohamed Homos' header and despite second half pressure held on for a famous win."


From ESPN Soccernet; June 18th 2009. Click on the link below for full report.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=266845&cc=5901


Wishing the Egyptian Pharaohs all the best in this competition. This is a victory to be remembered. Well done African Champions!

1 in 4 South African men have raped someone

"One in four South African men questioned in a survey said they had raped someone, and nearly half admitted having attacked more than one victim.

The study, by the country's Medical Research Council, also found three out of four who admitted rape had attacked for the first time during their teens.

It said practices such as gang rape were common because they were considered a form of male bonding.

...

Using an electronic device to keep the results anonymous, the study found that 73% of respondents said they had carried out their first assault before the age of 20.

Almost half who said they had carried out a rape admitted they had done so more than once..."

From BBC News, Thursday June 18th 2009. Click on link below for full article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8107039.stm


The result of this study is shocking to say the least. As an African, I am embarrassed for our continent. As a woman, I am outraged.

My question is why, oh! why.

Why is rape such an epidemic in South Africa? Is there any rational explanation for such behavior? Are the roots of the epidemic, cultural, historical, superstitious beliefs, the lack of laws when it comes to abuse towards women, else?

Is anything being done to resolve this problem?

This is a brainstorming session, so put in your two cents.