Burundi

DRC

Swaziland

 

Recent clashes between opposition and government supporters in Burundi have many worried that the upcoming elections could destabilize the country. An international human rights organization says that Burundian Police must take action or risk the legitimacy of the poll. Tensions are high in Burundi after a confrontation between supporters of Burundi's main opposition party, The National Forces of Liberation or FNL, and the ruling party last week. The incident took place in the north-western village of Kinama, where the two sides apparently clashed at an FNL event. According to witnesses a grenade was thrown by a member of the ruling party's youth league and despite the presence of police and administrative officials, no effort was made to stop the violence. The incident is the latest in an increasing number of clashes between Burundi's many political parties during the lead up to the country's national elections.

 

UN High Commissioner for Refugee  António Guterres has lauded Tanzania's landmark decision to grant citizenship to tens of thousands of Burundian refugees who fled to Tanzania in 1972.

During a visit by Guterres on Thursday to the Katumba ward in the south-west of the country, Tanzania's Home Affairs Minister Lawrence Masha told a gathering of so-called "1972 Burundian refugees" that the government had completed a naturalization exercise which began in 2008 and granted citizenship to 162,000 refugees. A further 53,600 of the 1972 Burundians opted to repatriate in 2008 and 2009 with help from UNHCR. "Let me be the first person to welcome you as Tanzanians and not refugees," said Masha, who also posted the first formal notification list of Burundian refugees who were being granted citizenship. Katumba was one of the three so-called "old settlements" inhabited by the 1972 Burundians. Similar notifications were simultaneously released in the two other settlements of Mishamo and Ulyankulu by senior Tanzanian immigration officials. The naturalized Burundians will now live among the general population.

 

The recent signing of a tripartite agreement between the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda will lead to the official return of tens of thousands of Congolese refugees. However, their reintegration is challenged by mounting tensions in areas controlled by the CNDP rebel group. More support is needed from the U.S. for strategies that mitigate potential conflicts over land and ethnicity. The U.S. and members of the UN Security Council should also urge the DRC and Rwanda to address the growing dominance of the CNDP in return areas. Unstable Return Areas in North Kivu - In February 2010, a tripartite agreement was signed between the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and UNHCR. This agreement sets the stage for the facilitated return of over 50,000 Congolese refugees from official camps in Rwanda. These returns, while important for the future stability of eastern DRC, will be taking place in a complicated landscape of population movements and increasing ethnic tensions.

 

The number of rapes carried out by civilians in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is on the rise, according to a new survey commissioned by the British charity Oxfam. In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, 60 percent of rape victims surveyed said they had been gang raped by armed men.  Most of the women reported being raped in their family home. The majority of rapists were soldiers and militiamen, but the survey found that rape is also spreading among the civilian population. Krista Riddley is director of humanitarian policy at Oxfam America. "There has been a huge increase in the number of civilians who are perpetrating rape, and it just shows that the situation in eastern Congo is very volatile and that because of the years and years of conflict the social morays have broken down to the point where rape seems normal," she said.

 

Fighting in western provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo has displaced more than 100,000 people.  Some are seeking refuge across the border in Congo-Brazzaville where relief officials say they have only enough supplies to feed one-third of the refugees. Nearly 15,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo live in the Congolese Republic town of Betou along the Oubangui River that separates the countries. Immigration officer Jean Zoda says he and his family were caught in the crossfire between government troops and ethnic Enyele militiamen who have been fighting across parts of the Dongo region for the past four months.

 

 

The weekend actions of the royal Swazi police is a further demonstration that freedom of assembly and expression in Swaziland does not exist. These actions are a further indictment of the widely held myth that Swaziland is a peaceful, democratic and caring society ruled by a benevolent royal family.

Despite a court order obtained by the Swaziland chapter of the SDC granting them permission to continue with the public launch of the Campaign inside Swaziland, the royal police clamped down; arresting and detaining two of the coordinators of the Campaign, raiding the home of a third member of the Campaign coordinating team preventing him from attending the launch, preventing the attendance of the PUDEMO President, Cde Mario Masuku, and frightening off supporters of the Campaign. This action follows the royal police clampdown of the 12th April commemorations which marked the 37th anniversary of the banning of political parties in Swaziland. The SDC condemns the actions of the Swazi regime that prevented the peaceful launch of the Swaziland Democracy Campaign’s Swazi chapter.

 

Chairperson of the African Union Dr Jean Ping has praised His Majesty King Mswati III for his efforts to bring peace in the region and continent. Dr Ping was speaking at Buhleni royal residence during the King’s 42nd birthday celebrations. Close to 20 000 people watched Dr Ping and the King light the peace torch, which was being paraded in the country for the first time. Peace was the theme of the day as both the King and Dr Ping espoused the virtues of peace as opposed to the bloody confrontations that have cost many lives on the African continent. “For your efforts to maintain peace, may God bless you, your family and the lovely people of Swaziland. Bayethe,” Dr Ping said to wild ululations from the throngs of people who had come to share the King’s special day.
Dr Ping mentioned that his presence with the peace torch was a sign that the union was also joining the King as he celebrated his birthday, while also bringing the torch of peace in recognition of the efforts the country was making in promoting peace in the region and on the continent.
“Swaziland, through your wise leadership, has demonstrated to the rest of the continent that peace was possible, as long as there was the will to attain it. You have played an unquestionable role as a peacemaker and builder during your time as chairperson of the SADC Troika organ on defence, and your efforts have not gone unnoticed. “You have become an architect of peace and security and the continent applauds you for that,” Dr Ping continued.

The Government of Swaziland has launched the Swaziland Communications Commission Draft Bill 2009 to regulate the broadcasting sector in the country. Once the Bill becomes law, the Commission will among other things, issue licences to TV and radio broadcasters. The Bill provides for a six-member commission that includes the Chief Executive Officer to carry out the functions of the commission. All members are appointed by the Minister of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT), according to the Bill. The Bill also seeks to revoke the regulatory powers and functions of the Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications  Act of 1980 which regulates radio broadcasting and the Swaziland Television Authority Act of 1983 which regulates television broadcasting. The Swazi government currently dominates the airwaves. Commercial and community radio broadcasters have applied, but in vain for licences under the current legislative framework. It is hoped that the new framework will ease the licensing processes.