By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
November 19, 2008
The United States, the world's largest international aid donor, is among the worst at promoting the independence, impartiality and neutrality of humanitarian aid deliveries to needy populations, according to a survey by a Madrid-based nonprofit group that monitors donors' performance.
The Development Assistance Research Associates (DARA) Humanitarian Response Index 2008 measures how effectively the world's 23 largest donors deliver aid. The United States ranked 15th in overall effectiveness and only 13th in the level of generosity measured by the size of its economy.
But it ranked near the bottom, 22nd, when it came to adherence to principles and guidelines established by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to ensure that political considerations don't exclude worthy recipients of aid.
DARA's findings reflect what it called the United States' use of humanitarian assistance to achieve military or political goals in eight crisis zones the group studied, including Afghanistan, Colombia and the Palestinian territories.
The "assessment challenges the view of the United States, deeply embedded in the American psyche and regularly reinforced in the rhetoric of public officials, as the world's pre-eminent humanitarian actor, the paragon of global compassion," Larry Minear, a retired professor at Tufts University, wrote in the report.
Silvia Hidalgo, DARA's executive director and co-founder, urged President-elect Barack Obama to improve the U.S. approach. "American leadership in the field of humanitarian relief would improve the perception that people around the world have of the United States and would also inspire other donor countries to do their best on behalf of the world's least fortunate," Hidalgo said.
DARA's survey is based on interviews with more than 350 humanitarian aid agencies in 11 crisis areas -- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Nicaragua, the occupied Palestinian territories, Peru, Sri Lanka and Sudan. Sweden, Norway and Denmark were the highest humanitarian performers, while France, Austria, Italy, Portugal, and Greece received the lowest marks.
The findings echo concerns by humanitarian aid workers that American strategy subordinates humanitarian considerations to the need to achieve military objectives. During the past decade, the Pentagon's share of the U.S. overseas development assistance budget has grown from 3.5 percent to 18 percent, said George Rupp, the president of the International Rescue Committee.
For instance, the United States and its NATO partners channel much of their aid dollars in Afghanistan through Provincial Reconstruction Teams(PRTs), military groups that oversee military and civilian activities in the country's conflict zones. The report said that placing NATO forces in charge of some relief and development operations has "blurred" the line between civilian and military activities, threatening to expose humanitarian aid workers to attacks by Taliban militants.
The United States and other aid donors say that it is essential to use humanitarian assistance to win over the hearts and minds of the population. They have criticized DARA's index, saying it relies too heavily on the perceptions of aid workers in the field. A call to the U.S. mission at the United Nations was not immediately returned.
Rupp said his organization has refused to participate in the PRT program in Afghanistan because it "decreases the security of our humanitarian workers on the ground." Rupp said his organization delivered assistance in the Afghan town of Gardez for more than 15 years without incident. But he said locals began to "call into question our impartiality" when they saw NATO military vehicles and soldiers distributing aid and rebuilding schools in the area.
Rupp said his organization also has declined U.S. funding in Colombia because it was channeled through an anti-narcotics programs that would have made it difficult to "observe our principle of impartiality. It puts you so clearly on one side of the divide," he said.
06 December, 2008
Burundian rebels commit to peace.
BBC News
4 December 2008
Burundi's government and the last active rebel group say they have agreed to implement a 2006 peace deal.
The Palipehutu National Liberation Front (FNL) promised to move its fighters into demobilisation camps and disarm by the end of this month.
The rebel group also agreed to change its name, removing a controversial specific reference to the Hutu ethnic group.
In return, the government said it would free FNL prisoners and create government posts for rebel leaders.
The Palipehutu-FNL is the last of the rebel groups still active in Burundi following the civil war of the 1990s, in which an estimated 300,000 people were killed.
4 December 2008
Burundi's government and the last active rebel group say they have agreed to implement a 2006 peace deal.
The Palipehutu National Liberation Front (FNL) promised to move its fighters into demobilisation camps and disarm by the end of this month.
The rebel group also agreed to change its name, removing a controversial specific reference to the Hutu ethnic group.
In return, the government said it would free FNL prisoners and create government posts for rebel leaders.
The Palipehutu-FNL is the last of the rebel groups still active in Burundi following the civil war of the 1990s, in which an estimated 300,000 people were killed.
Italy to host AFRICOM headquarters.
Stars and Stripes
By Lisa M. Novak
Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition
December 5, 2008
A medical professional from Combined Joint Task Force (JTF) — Horn of Africa examines a child during a medical civil action program in Djibouti in November. The task force is part of U.S. Africa Command, which this week announced its Navy and Army headquarters will be located in Italy.
NAPLES — Italy has agreed to host the Army and Navy headquarters units of the recently created U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).
The official announcement was made Wednesday evening in a joint statement at the U.S. Embassy in Rome by the U.S. Ambassador to Italy Ronald P. Spogli and the Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.
The headquarters units might see slight personnel increases over the next few years. The Army’s Southern European Task Force — located in Vicenza — could increase by about 50 active-duty personnel, bringing the active-duty staff to about 300 soldiers, according to Col. Marcus De Oliveira, SETAF chief of staff.
In Naples, Naval Forces Europe was expanded to include the AFRICOM component. The new Navy designation is NAVEUR NAVAF. With a staff of about 500, that number could increase over the next few years by about 140, according to Navy officials.
Officially established Oct. 1, "AFRICOM was created to provide a strategic, holistic DOD approach to security on the African continent," according to AFRICOM commander Gen. William Ward, in his first posture statement to the House Armed Services Committee this past March.
To that end, much of the Navy’s engagement in Africa has focused on building regional cooperation on the continent. Combating piracy is a continuing focus for the Navy and for AFRICOM.
"The model you want to see is the regional states band together, and that’s what we’re trying to do in the Gulf of Guinea: set up regional partnerships down there so we can get them to work together," said Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, commander of NAVEUR NAVAF.
The Navy’s Africa Partnership Station helps train African navies to combat regional problems such as drug smuggling, piracy, illegal immigration and human trafficking. While Fitzgerald doesn’t see APS being absorbed by AFRICOM, the new command may provide strategic direction. For example, it could request medical training in one area or security training in another.
"We ... have always supported both Africa and Europe in our missions and goals," Fitzgerald said. "With the stand-up of AFRICOM, what changed was our administrative aligning, but not really the way we do business."
"I think Italy recognizes and certainly appreciates the complexities of Africa," Fitzgerald said regarding the location for the Navy component. "The bottom line is that Italy is as concerned about Africa as the United States is."
By Lisa M. Novak
Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition
December 5, 2008
A medical professional from Combined Joint Task Force (JTF) — Horn of Africa examines a child during a medical civil action program in Djibouti in November. The task force is part of U.S. Africa Command, which this week announced its Navy and Army headquarters will be located in Italy.
NAPLES — Italy has agreed to host the Army and Navy headquarters units of the recently created U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).
The official announcement was made Wednesday evening in a joint statement at the U.S. Embassy in Rome by the U.S. Ambassador to Italy Ronald P. Spogli and the Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.
The headquarters units might see slight personnel increases over the next few years. The Army’s Southern European Task Force — located in Vicenza — could increase by about 50 active-duty personnel, bringing the active-duty staff to about 300 soldiers, according to Col. Marcus De Oliveira, SETAF chief of staff.
In Naples, Naval Forces Europe was expanded to include the AFRICOM component. The new Navy designation is NAVEUR NAVAF. With a staff of about 500, that number could increase over the next few years by about 140, according to Navy officials.
Officially established Oct. 1, "AFRICOM was created to provide a strategic, holistic DOD approach to security on the African continent," according to AFRICOM commander Gen. William Ward, in his first posture statement to the House Armed Services Committee this past March.
To that end, much of the Navy’s engagement in Africa has focused on building regional cooperation on the continent. Combating piracy is a continuing focus for the Navy and for AFRICOM.
"The model you want to see is the regional states band together, and that’s what we’re trying to do in the Gulf of Guinea: set up regional partnerships down there so we can get them to work together," said Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, commander of NAVEUR NAVAF.
The Navy’s Africa Partnership Station helps train African navies to combat regional problems such as drug smuggling, piracy, illegal immigration and human trafficking. While Fitzgerald doesn’t see APS being absorbed by AFRICOM, the new command may provide strategic direction. For example, it could request medical training in one area or security training in another.
"We ... have always supported both Africa and Europe in our missions and goals," Fitzgerald said. "With the stand-up of AFRICOM, what changed was our administrative aligning, but not really the way we do business."
"I think Italy recognizes and certainly appreciates the complexities of Africa," Fitzgerald said regarding the location for the Navy component. "The bottom line is that Italy is as concerned about Africa as the United States is."
NORTH KIVU: GOVERNMENT-REBELS, MEETING IN NAIROBI ON MONDAY.
MISNA
5 December 2008
Representatives of the Congolese government and the CNDP rebel army shall meet on Monday in Nairobi aiming to “formalize” the ceasefire, which is still fragile, in North Kivu. The minister of foreign affairs Alexis Thambwe Mwamba made the announcement at the end of the talks in Goma with his Rwandan counterpart Rosemary Museminali. The meeting, said the minister, “would be held under UN auspices” and its mediator, former President Olusegun Obasanjo; in the past, Kinshasa had always refused engaging in direct contact with the representatives of the CNDP, considered to be but one of the many irregular armies with activities in the eastern regions of the country. However, there is an important political-diplomatic development in the crisis, which is the signing of the accord in Goma that was announced last night by Mwamba: the plan, the common “plan of action” as it is called, has been devised by Congolese and Rwandan generals. It aims to dissolve or transform the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a group that Kigali considers a “threat to national security” into a non-combatant movement.
5 December 2008
Representatives of the Congolese government and the CNDP rebel army shall meet on Monday in Nairobi aiming to “formalize” the ceasefire, which is still fragile, in North Kivu. The minister of foreign affairs Alexis Thambwe Mwamba made the announcement at the end of the talks in Goma with his Rwandan counterpart Rosemary Museminali. The meeting, said the minister, “would be held under UN auspices” and its mediator, former President Olusegun Obasanjo; in the past, Kinshasa had always refused engaging in direct contact with the representatives of the CNDP, considered to be but one of the many irregular armies with activities in the eastern regions of the country. However, there is an important political-diplomatic development in the crisis, which is the signing of the accord in Goma that was announced last night by Mwamba: the plan, the common “plan of action” as it is called, has been devised by Congolese and Rwandan generals. It aims to dissolve or transform the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a group that Kigali considers a “threat to national security” into a non-combatant movement.
ETHIOPIAN TROOPS OPEN FIRE AGAINST VILLAGE, AT LEAST 15 DEAD.
MISNA
5 December 2008
At least 15 civilians were killed during an attack by Ethiopian troops in a village north of Mogadishu. Eyewitnesses denounced the attack at the village of Al-Tawfiqiya to the Somali press, adding that 15 mortar shells fell near the market area of the small inhabited area, which also wounded 30 people. “One of the howitzer shells hit a spot very close to my shop – said a resident to ‘Radio Shabelle’, killing five people on the spot, all women and children”. The reasons at the root of the bombardment are not clear; it occurred not far from the place where Ethiopian soldiers and armed men engaged in a gun battle this morning. Last week the Ethiopian government announced its desire to withdraw its troops, which have been deployed since 2006, by the end of the year.
5 December 2008
At least 15 civilians were killed during an attack by Ethiopian troops in a village north of Mogadishu. Eyewitnesses denounced the attack at the village of Al-Tawfiqiya to the Somali press, adding that 15 mortar shells fell near the market area of the small inhabited area, which also wounded 30 people. “One of the howitzer shells hit a spot very close to my shop – said a resident to ‘Radio Shabelle’, killing five people on the spot, all women and children”. The reasons at the root of the bombardment are not clear; it occurred not far from the place where Ethiopian soldiers and armed men engaged in a gun battle this morning. Last week the Ethiopian government announced its desire to withdraw its troops, which have been deployed since 2006, by the end of the year.
SUSPECTED COUP MASTERMIND ARRESTED, CONCERN IN NEIGHBOURING NATIONS.
MISNA
4 December 2008
Authorities arrested a man believed to be the mastermind of the November 23 attack against the residence of President Bernardo ‘Nino’ Vieira. Alexandre Tchama Yala was arrested in Dakar, Senegal. Six soldiers were previously arrested in connection with the attack. According to Guinea Bissau authorities, Yala headed the group that attempted to kill the President and is an associate of former Navy chief Rear Admiral Jose America Bubo Na Tchuto, who took refuge in Gambia after carrying out a coup attempt in August. Many doubts however remain on the circumstances of the assassination attempt against Vieira. The attack, which didn’t have serious consequences, occurred a week after legislative elections defined exemplary by the international community: the vote and high turnout marked the victory of the former ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) that obtained 67 seats on 100 of the National Assembly, followed by the Social Renewal Party (PRS) that only won 28, while Vieira’s the Republican Party for Independence and Development (PRID) only obtained three. Concern was expressed in regard to the situation in Guinea Bissau by Foreign ministers of the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), convened in Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso; the ministers condemned the attack and said they would monitor the situation to ensure that stability remains.
4 December 2008
Authorities arrested a man believed to be the mastermind of the November 23 attack against the residence of President Bernardo ‘Nino’ Vieira. Alexandre Tchama Yala was arrested in Dakar, Senegal. Six soldiers were previously arrested in connection with the attack. According to Guinea Bissau authorities, Yala headed the group that attempted to kill the President and is an associate of former Navy chief Rear Admiral Jose America Bubo Na Tchuto, who took refuge in Gambia after carrying out a coup attempt in August. Many doubts however remain on the circumstances of the assassination attempt against Vieira. The attack, which didn’t have serious consequences, occurred a week after legislative elections defined exemplary by the international community: the vote and high turnout marked the victory of the former ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) that obtained 67 seats on 100 of the National Assembly, followed by the Social Renewal Party (PRS) that only won 28, while Vieira’s the Republican Party for Independence and Development (PRID) only obtained three. Concern was expressed in regard to the situation in Guinea Bissau by Foreign ministers of the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), convened in Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso; the ministers condemned the attack and said they would monitor the situation to ensure that stability remains.
PEACE TALKS: GOVERNMENT AND REBELS REACH ACCORD.
MISNA
4 December 2008
The government of Burundi and the FNL rebels have shed aside their recent controversies, that had prevented them from implementing the 2006 accords and start a peace process. According to the press, after a regional meeting in Bujumbura, the accord provides for the political integration of the leaders of the FNL, for which 33 government seats would be set aside. In exchange, the rebels have recognized that the existing Constitution does not allow the FNL to register as a political party with its current name.
“I give my best regards to president Pierre Nkrunziza and to Agathon Rwasa (president of the FNL) who have committed to implement the ceasefire accords – said the president of the African Union (AU), Mr. Jean Ping – and I am sure that his will be the end of the tunnel for the country”. Words shared by the Ugandan head of state, president of the regional summit – to which the representatives of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, RD Congo, Ethiopia and South Africa agreed. The FNL – (aka Palipehutu-FNL, meaning Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People” – it is the only armed group that had not signed the 2003 peace accord that ended a ten years civil war, which killed at least 300,000 people. In 2006, the rebels and the government had signed an accord, which was re-launched in June 2008 after a period when clashes resumed. The FNL demanded to become a political party keeping their own name, halting the negotiations.
4 December 2008
The government of Burundi and the FNL rebels have shed aside their recent controversies, that had prevented them from implementing the 2006 accords and start a peace process. According to the press, after a regional meeting in Bujumbura, the accord provides for the political integration of the leaders of the FNL, for which 33 government seats would be set aside. In exchange, the rebels have recognized that the existing Constitution does not allow the FNL to register as a political party with its current name.
“I give my best regards to president Pierre Nkrunziza and to Agathon Rwasa (president of the FNL) who have committed to implement the ceasefire accords – said the president of the African Union (AU), Mr. Jean Ping – and I am sure that his will be the end of the tunnel for the country”. Words shared by the Ugandan head of state, president of the regional summit – to which the representatives of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, RD Congo, Ethiopia and South Africa agreed. The FNL – (aka Palipehutu-FNL, meaning Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People” – it is the only armed group that had not signed the 2003 peace accord that ended a ten years civil war, which killed at least 300,000 people. In 2006, the rebels and the government had signed an accord, which was re-launched in June 2008 after a period when clashes resumed. The FNL demanded to become a political party keeping their own name, halting the negotiations.
NORTH KIVU: DIPLOMACY AT WORK, CALM ON THE GROUND.
MISNA
4 December 2008
The Congolese minister of foreign affairs, Alexis Thambe Mwamba, and his Rwandan counterpart, Rosemary Museminali are meeting to discuss the North Kivu crisis, which has pitted the regular army against the CNDP rebels led by rogue general Laurent Nkunda. “We shall continue the talks launched last month at the bilateral level” said the head of Congolese diplomacy before the meeting to be attended by the ministers of agriculture, higher education and rural development. Mwamba also went to Kigali last October 28 to discuss the situation in the region with local authorities; others followed thanks to international mediation, suggesting the possibility of direct talks between the government and the CNDP itself.
At the local level, meanwhile, the governor of North Kivu, Julien Paluku, has announced the intention to meet Nkunda, saying that he would be willing to go to one of the areas under rebel control. On the battlefront, “the situation has calmed down since three or four days ago” said MONUC colonel and spokesman Jean Paul Dietrich, noting that the two parties have recovered their positions and that no new clashes have been reported. Even on the Kinyandoni-Ishasha axis in Rutshuru, where violence and clashes were reported in recent days, the refugees – many of whom have fled across the border, in Ugandan territory, to find shelter – are slowly returning to the villages of the area on this axis.
4 December 2008
The Congolese minister of foreign affairs, Alexis Thambe Mwamba, and his Rwandan counterpart, Rosemary Museminali are meeting to discuss the North Kivu crisis, which has pitted the regular army against the CNDP rebels led by rogue general Laurent Nkunda. “We shall continue the talks launched last month at the bilateral level” said the head of Congolese diplomacy before the meeting to be attended by the ministers of agriculture, higher education and rural development. Mwamba also went to Kigali last October 28 to discuss the situation in the region with local authorities; others followed thanks to international mediation, suggesting the possibility of direct talks between the government and the CNDP itself.
At the local level, meanwhile, the governor of North Kivu, Julien Paluku, has announced the intention to meet Nkunda, saying that he would be willing to go to one of the areas under rebel control. On the battlefront, “the situation has calmed down since three or four days ago” said MONUC colonel and spokesman Jean Paul Dietrich, noting that the two parties have recovered their positions and that no new clashes have been reported. Even on the Kinyandoni-Ishasha axis in Rutshuru, where violence and clashes were reported in recent days, the refugees – many of whom have fled across the border, in Ugandan territory, to find shelter – are slowly returning to the villages of the area on this axis.
05 December, 2008
Blackwater joins fight against sea piracy.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/04/blackwater-joins-fight-against-sea-piracy/
By Jerry Seper (Contact)
December 4, 2008
The North Carolina-based security firm, which came under fire from Congress over a shooting incident in Baghdad last year that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead, announced in October that its 183-foot ship, the McArthur, stands ready to assist the shipping industry as it struggles with the increasing problem of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and elsewhere.
"Billions of dollars of goods move through the Gulf of Aden each year," said Bill Mathews, Blackwater's executive vice president. "We have been contacted by ship owners who say they need our help in making sure those goods get to their destination safely. The McArthur can help us accomplish that."
The International Maritime Bureau estimated that more than 100 ships have been attacked off Somalia alone since January. A total of 14 ships and 250 crew members are still being held for ransom.
Among them, the Saudi oil tanker Sirius Star and its cargo worth more than $100 million are still being held. The ship and its 25-member crew were seized on Nov. 14.
Just this week, pirates fired on a U.S. cruise ship carrying hundreds of passengers as it steamed across the Gulf of Aden on a 32-day cruise from Rome to Singapore.
Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said more than 70 companies, including shipping and insurance firms, have contacted the security specialists for information on the McArthur, although she did not elaborate. She said meetings are taking place this week in London to explain to those interested what the company can provide.
"More than 70 different companies have reached out to find out our capabilities," she said.
As a company with a 50,000-person database of former military and law enforcement professionals, Blackwater says it is uniquely positioned to assist the shipping industry in the Gulf of Aden and elsewhere.
Formerly known as Blackwater USA and founded in 1997 by former U.S. Navy SEAL members Erik Prince and Al Clark, the company recently focused on expanding operations and services, and acquired the McArthur for use in combating terrorists and for special missions.
The refurbished ship has what the company has described as state-of-the-art navigation systems, full Global Maritime Distress and Safety System communications, SEATEL broadband satellite communications, dedicated command and control battlefield air support, helicopter decks, a hospital, multiple support vessel capabilities, and a crew of 45 highly trained personnel.
Formerly a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel, the McArthur was put in service in 1966 and decommissioned in 2003. Reconfigured and modified in 2006, the ship is now considered a Blackwater Worldwide maritime security support craft. Blackwater´s aviation affiliate can provide the helicopters, pilots and maintenance required to support escort missions in the Gulf of Aden.
Company spokesmen said the dramatic increase of pirate attacks on merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden had led to parallel cost increases for the shipping industry, resulting in 10-fold insurance increases this year alone. They said that with the added danger pay offered to crews willing to make the journey, pirate ransom demands that reach into the millions, and lengthy negotiations for hijacked ships, if left unaddressed the cost of the piracy boom to the shipping industry -- and consumers buying their goods -- will only increase.
"Some shippers have taken the step of arming their crews, or hiring private security to ride on board cargo ships," the company said. "Rather than having armed guards on a cargo vessel, the McArthur´s ability to accompany a ship and deploy helicopters to patrol the area provides a safer option for the shipping industry.
The McArthur is a multipurpose maritime vessel designed to support military and law enforcement training, peacekeeping, and stability operations worldwide.
Motor Vessel McArthur
Blackwater Worldwide is the largest of the State Department's three private security contractors. Of the 987 contractors Blackwater provides, 744 are U.S. citizens. At least 90 percent of its revenue comes from government contracts, two-thirds of which are no-bid contracts. The company is currently contracted by the U.S. government to provide security services in the Iraq war.
Twenty-seven Blackwater employees have been killed during various security missions in Iraq. In March 2004, four Blackwater employees were ambushed and killed in Fallujah, and their bodies were hanged on bridges.
In September 2007, Blackwater employees in Baghdad fatally shot 17 Iraqis, at least 14 of whom were killed "without cause" according to the FBI. Witnesses told investigators the attack was unprovoked, although Blackwater maintained that its guards were under attack and responded accordingly.
The Iraqi government initially said it expected to refer criminal charges to its courts in connection with the incident, but in October 2007 immunity from prosecution was granted by the State Department. While the Justice Department said any immunity deals offered to Blackwater employees were invalid, legal experts have said the U.S. government is unlikely to allow a trial in the Iraqi courts, because there is little confidence that trials would be fair.
By Jerry Seper (Contact)
December 4, 2008
The North Carolina-based security firm, which came under fire from Congress over a shooting incident in Baghdad last year that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead, announced in October that its 183-foot ship, the McArthur, stands ready to assist the shipping industry as it struggles with the increasing problem of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and elsewhere.
"Billions of dollars of goods move through the Gulf of Aden each year," said Bill Mathews, Blackwater's executive vice president. "We have been contacted by ship owners who say they need our help in making sure those goods get to their destination safely. The McArthur can help us accomplish that."
The International Maritime Bureau estimated that more than 100 ships have been attacked off Somalia alone since January. A total of 14 ships and 250 crew members are still being held for ransom.
Among them, the Saudi oil tanker Sirius Star and its cargo worth more than $100 million are still being held. The ship and its 25-member crew were seized on Nov. 14.
Just this week, pirates fired on a U.S. cruise ship carrying hundreds of passengers as it steamed across the Gulf of Aden on a 32-day cruise from Rome to Singapore.
Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said more than 70 companies, including shipping and insurance firms, have contacted the security specialists for information on the McArthur, although she did not elaborate. She said meetings are taking place this week in London to explain to those interested what the company can provide.
"More than 70 different companies have reached out to find out our capabilities," she said.
As a company with a 50,000-person database of former military and law enforcement professionals, Blackwater says it is uniquely positioned to assist the shipping industry in the Gulf of Aden and elsewhere.
Formerly known as Blackwater USA and founded in 1997 by former U.S. Navy SEAL members Erik Prince and Al Clark, the company recently focused on expanding operations and services, and acquired the McArthur for use in combating terrorists and for special missions.
The refurbished ship has what the company has described as state-of-the-art navigation systems, full Global Maritime Distress and Safety System communications, SEATEL broadband satellite communications, dedicated command and control battlefield air support, helicopter decks, a hospital, multiple support vessel capabilities, and a crew of 45 highly trained personnel.
Formerly a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel, the McArthur was put in service in 1966 and decommissioned in 2003. Reconfigured and modified in 2006, the ship is now considered a Blackwater Worldwide maritime security support craft. Blackwater´s aviation affiliate can provide the helicopters, pilots and maintenance required to support escort missions in the Gulf of Aden.
Company spokesmen said the dramatic increase of pirate attacks on merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden had led to parallel cost increases for the shipping industry, resulting in 10-fold insurance increases this year alone. They said that with the added danger pay offered to crews willing to make the journey, pirate ransom demands that reach into the millions, and lengthy negotiations for hijacked ships, if left unaddressed the cost of the piracy boom to the shipping industry -- and consumers buying their goods -- will only increase.
"Some shippers have taken the step of arming their crews, or hiring private security to ride on board cargo ships," the company said. "Rather than having armed guards on a cargo vessel, the McArthur´s ability to accompany a ship and deploy helicopters to patrol the area provides a safer option for the shipping industry.
The McArthur is a multipurpose maritime vessel designed to support military and law enforcement training, peacekeeping, and stability operations worldwide.
Motor Vessel McArthur
Blackwater Worldwide is the largest of the State Department's three private security contractors. Of the 987 contractors Blackwater provides, 744 are U.S. citizens. At least 90 percent of its revenue comes from government contracts, two-thirds of which are no-bid contracts. The company is currently contracted by the U.S. government to provide security services in the Iraq war.
Twenty-seven Blackwater employees have been killed during various security missions in Iraq. In March 2004, four Blackwater employees were ambushed and killed in Fallujah, and their bodies were hanged on bridges.
In September 2007, Blackwater employees in Baghdad fatally shot 17 Iraqis, at least 14 of whom were killed "without cause" according to the FBI. Witnesses told investigators the attack was unprovoked, although Blackwater maintained that its guards were under attack and responded accordingly.
The Iraqi government initially said it expected to refer criminal charges to its courts in connection with the incident, but in October 2007 immunity from prosecution was granted by the State Department. While the Justice Department said any immunity deals offered to Blackwater employees were invalid, legal experts have said the U.S. government is unlikely to allow a trial in the Iraqi courts, because there is little confidence that trials would be fair.
04 December, 2008
JOS UNREST: INVESTIGATION PANEL NAMED.
MISNA
4 December 2008
A parliament committee was set up yesterday to probe the causes of the violence in Jos by Nigeria’s federal senate, following a motion proposed by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and other 20 senators. Ekweremadu, who was named to head the ad hoc committee, also released a statement calling on politicians and religious figures to prevent further violence in other Nigerian States, far from Jos and the State of Plateau, as occurred other times. The committee members will go to Jos in the next days to verify the cause of the violence, which left at least 300 dead last weekend, though all senators that approved the motion insisted on the political dimension of the clashes, reminding that similar episodes of violence already occurred in Jos in 1994 and 2001, when former president Obasanjo was forced to declare a state of national emergency to restore order. Among the reasons for setting up a probe committee was the arrest of 16 people from Niger in connection with the violence, despite an official protest by the Niger government: “Senate also notes with concern that each of the three crises in the Plateau state involved foreign nationals who were used as mercenaries”, reads the motion. Daily activities are slowly returning to normal in Jos, though tension remains high and authorities in Plateau state decided to maintain the night curfew in force to avoid any further violence.
4 December 2008
A parliament committee was set up yesterday to probe the causes of the violence in Jos by Nigeria’s federal senate, following a motion proposed by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and other 20 senators. Ekweremadu, who was named to head the ad hoc committee, also released a statement calling on politicians and religious figures to prevent further violence in other Nigerian States, far from Jos and the State of Plateau, as occurred other times. The committee members will go to Jos in the next days to verify the cause of the violence, which left at least 300 dead last weekend, though all senators that approved the motion insisted on the political dimension of the clashes, reminding that similar episodes of violence already occurred in Jos in 1994 and 2001, when former president Obasanjo was forced to declare a state of national emergency to restore order. Among the reasons for setting up a probe committee was the arrest of 16 people from Niger in connection with the violence, despite an official protest by the Niger government: “Senate also notes with concern that each of the three crises in the Plateau state involved foreign nationals who were used as mercenaries”, reads the motion. Daily activities are slowly returning to normal in Jos, though tension remains high and authorities in Plateau state decided to maintain the night curfew in force to avoid any further violence.
US Politicians Led by Senator Inhofe Pressure Nigeria to Accept AFRICOM.
African Press Agency
4 December 2008
A delegation of the United States Congress on Wednesday urged Nigerian legislators to accept a military base under the proposed African Command (AFRICOM).
The delegation was in Abuja where they held talks, reportedly on strengthening defence relations between the US and Nigeria.
The delegation included Senator James Inhofe, and representatives Randy Neugebauer, Jeff Miller and Robert Aderholt.
They said it was it was necessary for the US to have a specific command for Africa, which is independent of other US commands in Europe and the Mediterranean.
Senator Inhofe, leader of the delegation said “Africa deserves a single command that we can work with you not from a selfish standpoint".
The delegation promised to take that to the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee the issue of the C-130 transport planes in the fleet of the Nigeria Air Force “that do not work”.
Leader of the Nigerian team, Senator Chris Anyanwu, said Nigeria would also require assistance in the provision of flat-bottomed craft for the Nigerian Navy to navigate the Niger Delta region.
4 December 2008
A delegation of the United States Congress on Wednesday urged Nigerian legislators to accept a military base under the proposed African Command (AFRICOM).
The delegation was in Abuja where they held talks, reportedly on strengthening defence relations between the US and Nigeria.
The delegation included Senator James Inhofe, and representatives Randy Neugebauer, Jeff Miller and Robert Aderholt.
They said it was it was necessary for the US to have a specific command for Africa, which is independent of other US commands in Europe and the Mediterranean.
Senator Inhofe, leader of the delegation said “Africa deserves a single command that we can work with you not from a selfish standpoint".
The delegation promised to take that to the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee the issue of the C-130 transport planes in the fleet of the Nigeria Air Force “that do not work”.
Leader of the Nigerian team, Senator Chris Anyanwu, said Nigeria would also require assistance in the provision of flat-bottomed craft for the Nigerian Navy to navigate the Niger Delta region.
RIOTS IN JOS: CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS EXCLUDE RELIGIOUS CAUSES.
MISNA
3 December 2008
“What took place in Jos cannot be described as something tied to religion, because there is nothing religious about what happened: it is said that very time such episodes take place, religious motives are given”, said the bishop of Kafanchan, Danlami Bagobiri, reading a message from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which met in Kaduna yesterday for a regional meeting. According to monsignor Bagobiri, the violence in Jos is “an offense to humanity and behind it there is no consideration for life: we must finally promote a culture based on reciprocal understanding”. A similar suggestion to avoid confusing the circumstances that have led to the riots in Jos with religion comes from the Supreme Council for the Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN), a national organism that brings together several Muslim religious leaders, according to which the federal government must resolve the social and economic causes at the heart of the violence.
In the capital of Plateau state, meanwhile, the situation is returning to normality, almost all the shops have reopened and the first food supplies have arrived today. Some representatives of the state parliament have formally asked the federal and regional governments to launch an inquiry commission on the origin of last weekend’s violence, especially after the arrest of 16 people yesterday: the “mercenaries”, as described by many Nigerian papers, after they had been found to arrive from Niger.
3 December 2008
“What took place in Jos cannot be described as something tied to religion, because there is nothing religious about what happened: it is said that very time such episodes take place, religious motives are given”, said the bishop of Kafanchan, Danlami Bagobiri, reading a message from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which met in Kaduna yesterday for a regional meeting. According to monsignor Bagobiri, the violence in Jos is “an offense to humanity and behind it there is no consideration for life: we must finally promote a culture based on reciprocal understanding”. A similar suggestion to avoid confusing the circumstances that have led to the riots in Jos with religion comes from the Supreme Council for the Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN), a national organism that brings together several Muslim religious leaders, according to which the federal government must resolve the social and economic causes at the heart of the violence.
In the capital of Plateau state, meanwhile, the situation is returning to normality, almost all the shops have reopened and the first food supplies have arrived today. Some representatives of the state parliament have formally asked the federal and regional governments to launch an inquiry commission on the origin of last weekend’s violence, especially after the arrest of 16 people yesterday: the “mercenaries”, as described by many Nigerian papers, after they had been found to arrive from Niger.
02 December, 2008
ETHIOPIAN TROOPS DEMOBILIZE, ALL ‘PEACEKEEPERS’ WELCOME.
MISNA
1 December 2008
Ethiopian troops have left a military base near Baidoa, moving 60 km. to the west, said local news sources. They noted that this was the first actual de-mobilization action since last week’s announcement that Ethiopia would progressively withdraw its troops from Somalia. The Hawiye clan, the most influential in the political and economic life of Mogadishu has expressed satisfaction at the news: “we welcome the news of the Ethiopian withdrawal – said the vice-president of the Hawiye council of elders, Jimal Mahamed Nuur – and we invite Ethiopians to respect their commitment”.
Meanwhile, in Nairobi, where he is attending an African wise men committee meeting, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, head of the moderate wing of the Alliance for the re-liberation of Somalia has also reacted favorably to the latter group’s appeal to the international community for the deployment of an international stabilization force to Somalia “without delay”. “To those countries that wish to help Somalia sending peacekeeping missions in the country, we say: you are welcome, we must not lose this chance just as we’re about to see the light at the end of the tunnel”. Nevertheless, politically, the split between president Abdallahi Yussuf and prime minister Nur Hassan Hussein ‘Adde’ appears to be as deep as ever. During an interview given to Al-Jazeera, the president condemned the Djibouti accords, which were achieved with difficulty through UN mediation, describing them as a “minor accord” and accusing the prime minister of acting in the interests of a single clan. For weeks, Yussuf and Nur ‘Adde’ have been engaging in a bitter struggle to nominate a new government.
1 December 2008
Ethiopian troops have left a military base near Baidoa, moving 60 km. to the west, said local news sources. They noted that this was the first actual de-mobilization action since last week’s announcement that Ethiopia would progressively withdraw its troops from Somalia. The Hawiye clan, the most influential in the political and economic life of Mogadishu has expressed satisfaction at the news: “we welcome the news of the Ethiopian withdrawal – said the vice-president of the Hawiye council of elders, Jimal Mahamed Nuur – and we invite Ethiopians to respect their commitment”.
Meanwhile, in Nairobi, where he is attending an African wise men committee meeting, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, head of the moderate wing of the Alliance for the re-liberation of Somalia has also reacted favorably to the latter group’s appeal to the international community for the deployment of an international stabilization force to Somalia “without delay”. “To those countries that wish to help Somalia sending peacekeeping missions in the country, we say: you are welcome, we must not lose this chance just as we’re about to see the light at the end of the tunnel”. Nevertheless, politically, the split between president Abdallahi Yussuf and prime minister Nur Hassan Hussein ‘Adde’ appears to be as deep as ever. During an interview given to Al-Jazeera, the president condemned the Djibouti accords, which were achieved with difficulty through UN mediation, describing them as a “minor accord” and accusing the prime minister of acting in the interests of a single clan. For weeks, Yussuf and Nur ‘Adde’ have been engaging in a bitter struggle to nominate a new government.
JOS UNREST (2): UNANIMOUS CHORUS AGAINST ALLEGED RELIGIOUS MOTIVE.
MISNA
1 December 2008
“There is a clearly political dimension to this incident, in motivation, immediate trigger, and line-up of actors. Unfortunately, there are those who try to gain political mileage by dragging in religion, which they callously manipulate, use, misuse and abuse”, writes Monsignor John Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja and president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in a “Passionate Appeal for Peace in Jos”, made yesterday in Rome, where he is currently visiting for an important Church assignment.
“All genuine religious leaders must join hands to liberate religion from those who seek to highjack it, and give it a bad name”, underlines the Archbishop, adding: “Even from here in Rome, I am in touch with the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhamad Sa’ad Abubakar, the President of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as we seek to jointly promote messages of peace. In stressing that “it is the primary responsibility of government to ensure the security of lives and properties of citizens”, the prelate specifies: “It is not enough to gather the so-called “hoodlums” who are only being used. The state ought to be in a position to fish out the real and often faceless planners, promoters and sponsors of these incidents, and hold them accountable, no matter who they may be. Killing of people is murder and destruction of property, even of churches and mosques, is arson. These must be treated as the crime that they are, with the full weight of the law”. The same view is shared by the former head of State,
General Yakubu Gowon, who in an interview yesterday with some reporters expressed shock over the fact that “what was supposed to be a purely political matter had assumed a religious dimension”. In a call to the people, Gowon added: “I appeal to all Nigerians to show absolute restraint, love and respect for each other. Do not allow politics to destroy your religion. Let the good of your religion be the one that will influence your politics for good”. Despite the religious and ethnic key that most of the media, some local though mainly western, continue to link to the Jos events, a unanimous chorus emerged in the past 48 hours from both Nigeria’s political and religious scenes, denouncing the political dimension of the violence. “People just go under cover of religion to commit crime. Truly, what is going on in Jos has nothing to do with religion”, said the president of the Senate, Chief David Mark, a Catholic, speaking to the press after attending, along with the speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Dimeji Bankole, a religious ceremony in Abuja, both describing the Jos riots as “the handiwork of fanatics who themselves do not belong to any religious faith”. Mark also said: “I totally condemn religious fanatics. I am not aware of any faith that advocates violence. Every faith that I know of condemns killing. So, when you go out of our way and kill in the name of religion, you should be punished”.
Based on reconstructions received by MISNA from different Nigerian sources, the situation in the city was already tense on Thursday, while the local elections were still underway for the new administrator of the Jos North constituency, commercial heart of the zone. The supporters of the opposition All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) had begun reporting alleged electoral fraud during the vote and particularly the fact that members of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) apparently brought to Jos people from surrounding areas. These reports then led on Friday to a demonstration that rapidly degenerated into violence and clashes between supporters of the two parties and some “squadrons” paid to reap havoc. Some Nigerian civil society associations called for the opening of an investigation to shed light on the minds behind the violence and well-known ties, though never publicly revealed, including some local politicians and groups of youths recruited to provoke the unrest.
1 December 2008
“There is a clearly political dimension to this incident, in motivation, immediate trigger, and line-up of actors. Unfortunately, there are those who try to gain political mileage by dragging in religion, which they callously manipulate, use, misuse and abuse”, writes Monsignor John Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja and president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in a “Passionate Appeal for Peace in Jos”, made yesterday in Rome, where he is currently visiting for an important Church assignment.
“All genuine religious leaders must join hands to liberate religion from those who seek to highjack it, and give it a bad name”, underlines the Archbishop, adding: “Even from here in Rome, I am in touch with the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhamad Sa’ad Abubakar, the President of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as we seek to jointly promote messages of peace. In stressing that “it is the primary responsibility of government to ensure the security of lives and properties of citizens”, the prelate specifies: “It is not enough to gather the so-called “hoodlums” who are only being used. The state ought to be in a position to fish out the real and often faceless planners, promoters and sponsors of these incidents, and hold them accountable, no matter who they may be. Killing of people is murder and destruction of property, even of churches and mosques, is arson. These must be treated as the crime that they are, with the full weight of the law”. The same view is shared by the former head of State,
General Yakubu Gowon, who in an interview yesterday with some reporters expressed shock over the fact that “what was supposed to be a purely political matter had assumed a religious dimension”. In a call to the people, Gowon added: “I appeal to all Nigerians to show absolute restraint, love and respect for each other. Do not allow politics to destroy your religion. Let the good of your religion be the one that will influence your politics for good”. Despite the religious and ethnic key that most of the media, some local though mainly western, continue to link to the Jos events, a unanimous chorus emerged in the past 48 hours from both Nigeria’s political and religious scenes, denouncing the political dimension of the violence. “People just go under cover of religion to commit crime. Truly, what is going on in Jos has nothing to do with religion”, said the president of the Senate, Chief David Mark, a Catholic, speaking to the press after attending, along with the speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Dimeji Bankole, a religious ceremony in Abuja, both describing the Jos riots as “the handiwork of fanatics who themselves do not belong to any religious faith”. Mark also said: “I totally condemn religious fanatics. I am not aware of any faith that advocates violence. Every faith that I know of condemns killing. So, when you go out of our way and kill in the name of religion, you should be punished”.
Based on reconstructions received by MISNA from different Nigerian sources, the situation in the city was already tense on Thursday, while the local elections were still underway for the new administrator of the Jos North constituency, commercial heart of the zone. The supporters of the opposition All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) had begun reporting alleged electoral fraud during the vote and particularly the fact that members of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) apparently brought to Jos people from surrounding areas. These reports then led on Friday to a demonstration that rapidly degenerated into violence and clashes between supporters of the two parties and some “squadrons” paid to reap havoc. Some Nigerian civil society associations called for the opening of an investigation to shed light on the minds behind the violence and well-known ties, though never publicly revealed, including some local politicians and groups of youths recruited to provoke the unrest.
JOS UNREST: SOLDIERS PRESIDING STREETS, COUNT OF DEAD AND DAMAGES BEGINS.
MISNA
1 December 2008
“The situation in the city is calm. The police and military are patrolling the streets and presiding key zones of Jos, guaranteeing a timid resumption of activities. Tension however remains very high, given to fears of a dangerous logic of personal vendettas”, said to MISNA Father Alex Longs, superior of the seminary of the monastery of the Agostinians in Jos, in describing the situation in the capital of Nigeria’s central Plateau State, theatre in the past days to violent clashes between supporters of two political parties following Thursday’s local elections. The number of victims remains uncertain of the violence, which ended only after a mass intervention by security forces and army (with hundreds of soldiers deployed from the neighbouring Kaduna State). While the government confirms at least 200 dead, local media sources quoted a spokesman of the main city mosque (where bodies of Muslims were gathered) who spoke of 376 victims and some Nigerian papers today even reported up to 500 dead. “No one has a clear picture yet on the number of dead. At least four hospitals handled and are still handling the emergency and there still has not been the possibility to come to a precise toll”, continued the missionary, adding that the first mass funerals were held in the city over the weekend. Fr. Longs also referred that the majority of the 7-10,000 residents that fled Jos in the past 48 hours are returning to the city.
According to sources of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), hundreds of residents are still sheltered at its headquarter in Jos, which over the weekend hosted up to 4,000. Religious sources contacted in Abuja referred that some families chose to leave the city and stay for a while with friends or relatives in nearby cities (Bauchi, Kaduna, Akwanga and Abuja) until the situation returns calm. Based on press anticipations, the Plateau administration may decide in the next hours to reduce the curfew in the city (in force from 6:00p.m to 6:00a.m), while the possibility of the declaration of a state of emergency in Jos appears excluded (requested by Nigerian national politicians). According to Plateau officials, the reinforcements sent by the government have in fact allowed the authorities to maintain the situation under control and prevent new violence. The police referred that over the weekend it arrested several hundreds of armed men who were attempting to enter Jos from neighbouring states. Nigeria’s This Day newspaper also this morning reported that dozens of other armed men (defined as “mercenaries” by the local media) were arrested and under questioning. But aside from the victims and wounded, the city and people suffered extensive material damages.
“We took a ride around the city today and the situation is extremely critical. We don’t know the exact number of victims, but they are certainly very many. Homes, offices, stores and mosques were attacked, vandalised and torched or looted. It seems that nothing and no one was spared from the folly”, added Fr. Longs, confirming the damages suffered by the Agostinian monastery targeted on Friday morning. Following the attack, a third of the seminary dormitory collapsed, fortunately without serious consequences, aside from the slight injury of three seminarians. There is serious concern also over the lack of basic goods in the city markets, where the prices of commodities and fuel doubled this morning in respect to last Thursday. “The worst thing is however to see the low morale of the people. Everyone is suspicious and no one talks to anyone. The people come out to buy the bare necessities they can find and immediately close themselves back up in their homes”, concluded the missionary.
1 December 2008
“The situation in the city is calm. The police and military are patrolling the streets and presiding key zones of Jos, guaranteeing a timid resumption of activities. Tension however remains very high, given to fears of a dangerous logic of personal vendettas”, said to MISNA Father Alex Longs, superior of the seminary of the monastery of the Agostinians in Jos, in describing the situation in the capital of Nigeria’s central Plateau State, theatre in the past days to violent clashes between supporters of two political parties following Thursday’s local elections. The number of victims remains uncertain of the violence, which ended only after a mass intervention by security forces and army (with hundreds of soldiers deployed from the neighbouring Kaduna State). While the government confirms at least 200 dead, local media sources quoted a spokesman of the main city mosque (where bodies of Muslims were gathered) who spoke of 376 victims and some Nigerian papers today even reported up to 500 dead. “No one has a clear picture yet on the number of dead. At least four hospitals handled and are still handling the emergency and there still has not been the possibility to come to a precise toll”, continued the missionary, adding that the first mass funerals were held in the city over the weekend. Fr. Longs also referred that the majority of the 7-10,000 residents that fled Jos in the past 48 hours are returning to the city.
According to sources of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), hundreds of residents are still sheltered at its headquarter in Jos, which over the weekend hosted up to 4,000. Religious sources contacted in Abuja referred that some families chose to leave the city and stay for a while with friends or relatives in nearby cities (Bauchi, Kaduna, Akwanga and Abuja) until the situation returns calm. Based on press anticipations, the Plateau administration may decide in the next hours to reduce the curfew in the city (in force from 6:00p.m to 6:00a.m), while the possibility of the declaration of a state of emergency in Jos appears excluded (requested by Nigerian national politicians). According to Plateau officials, the reinforcements sent by the government have in fact allowed the authorities to maintain the situation under control and prevent new violence. The police referred that over the weekend it arrested several hundreds of armed men who were attempting to enter Jos from neighbouring states. Nigeria’s This Day newspaper also this morning reported that dozens of other armed men (defined as “mercenaries” by the local media) were arrested and under questioning. But aside from the victims and wounded, the city and people suffered extensive material damages.
“We took a ride around the city today and the situation is extremely critical. We don’t know the exact number of victims, but they are certainly very many. Homes, offices, stores and mosques were attacked, vandalised and torched or looted. It seems that nothing and no one was spared from the folly”, added Fr. Longs, confirming the damages suffered by the Agostinian monastery targeted on Friday morning. Following the attack, a third of the seminary dormitory collapsed, fortunately without serious consequences, aside from the slight injury of three seminarians. There is serious concern also over the lack of basic goods in the city markets, where the prices of commodities and fuel doubled this morning in respect to last Thursday. “The worst thing is however to see the low morale of the people. Everyone is suspicious and no one talks to anyone. The people come out to buy the bare necessities they can find and immediately close themselves back up in their homes”, concluded the missionary.
NORTH KIVU: AMID WITHDRAWALS AND CLASHES, THE SITUATION REMAINS UNCERTAIN.
MISNA
1 December 2008
There was more fighting in the area north of Goma today between the CNDP led by rogue general Laurent Nkunda and armed groups based on the former Congolese partisans from the 1998-2003 war. MISNA sources said that gunfire was heard this morning in the Masisi area, northwest of Goma. Local news sources said the fighting has prompted many civilians to flee. Some 6,000 civilians have arrived in the town of Masisi in the past few hours alone, having been driven away from their villages in the outskirts by the advancing CNDP. While Nkunda’s men, said MISNA sources, have effectively withdrawn from the Nyamilima-Ishasha (northeast of Goma, toward Uganda) reverting toward Rutshuru (their virtual stronghold in the area) relinquishing control of the Ishasha border post, the potential for their expansion in the Masisi area is feared. After fears generated last week by news of an imminent takeover of Masisi by the CNDP rebels, the UN peacekeepers have announced that they would strengthen their own military contingent (more patrols and helicopters) in the area. The fear is, said local MISNA sources, that having reinforced their presence in the areas at the border with Uganda and Rwanda, the CNDP may now try to ensure a direct control of the area where the main mining wealth of the area is concentrated: the Masisi actually.
Meanwhile, France, the current president of the EU, said it wants to convene an urgent meeting of the 27 member countries to respond to the UN request to send a temporary military force to Goma to support MONUC. The Un Council for Human Rights, meeting since Friday in a special session dedicated to Congo, has condemned the crimes perpetrated against the civilian population, starting with the epidemic of sexual violence committed against women and it has expressed its support to a strengthening of the UN mission in the country.
1 December 2008
There was more fighting in the area north of Goma today between the CNDP led by rogue general Laurent Nkunda and armed groups based on the former Congolese partisans from the 1998-2003 war. MISNA sources said that gunfire was heard this morning in the Masisi area, northwest of Goma. Local news sources said the fighting has prompted many civilians to flee. Some 6,000 civilians have arrived in the town of Masisi in the past few hours alone, having been driven away from their villages in the outskirts by the advancing CNDP. While Nkunda’s men, said MISNA sources, have effectively withdrawn from the Nyamilima-Ishasha (northeast of Goma, toward Uganda) reverting toward Rutshuru (their virtual stronghold in the area) relinquishing control of the Ishasha border post, the potential for their expansion in the Masisi area is feared. After fears generated last week by news of an imminent takeover of Masisi by the CNDP rebels, the UN peacekeepers have announced that they would strengthen their own military contingent (more patrols and helicopters) in the area. The fear is, said local MISNA sources, that having reinforced their presence in the areas at the border with Uganda and Rwanda, the CNDP may now try to ensure a direct control of the area where the main mining wealth of the area is concentrated: the Masisi actually.
Meanwhile, France, the current president of the EU, said it wants to convene an urgent meeting of the 27 member countries to respond to the UN request to send a temporary military force to Goma to support MONUC. The Un Council for Human Rights, meeting since Friday in a special session dedicated to Congo, has condemned the crimes perpetrated against the civilian population, starting with the epidemic of sexual violence committed against women and it has expressed its support to a strengthening of the UN mission in the country.
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