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Former Liberian Leader Charles Taylor Found Guilty of War Crimes for Aiding and Abetting Rebels in Sierra Leone Civil War

April 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

BREAKING NEWS:  Former Liberian leader Charles Taylor has been found guilty of war crimes, including crimes of aiding and abetting rebels against humanity, murder, enslavement, rape and terrorism, but not the highest of instigating those crimes. Charles Taylor has become the first former head of state convicted of war crimes by an international court since the Nuremburg trials after World War II. While he backed the rebels who killed tens of thousands in Sierra Leone during the 1991-2002 civil war, he was cleared of giving the orders to inflict such terror. The court also found there was a continuous supply diamonds from the rebels to the former leader, in exchange for arms and ammunition.

 

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Uganda-Born Dr. John Sentamu, Top English Anglican Bishop, Victim of “Naked Racism,” Called “Quite Tribal”

April 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment
john sentamu Uganda Born Dr. John Sentamu, Top English Anglican Bishop, Victim of Naked Racism, Called Quite Tribal

Uganda-Born Dr. John Sentamu, Top English Anglican Bishop, Victim of "Naked Racism," Called "Quite Tribal"

Racism in the church? The Church of England’s only black bishop. Archbishop of York John Sentamu, who is considered to be the next leader of the Anglican Communion, has been the victim of racism, the Sunday Telegraph reports. The Anglican Communion has 80 million members worldwide.

The Sunday Telegraph:  Two bishops who spoke to The Sunday Telegraph on condition of anonymity drew, unprompted, on Dr Sentamu’s African birth in their criticism — one likening his temperament to that of an “African chief”.

He said: “I think Sentamu is clearly going to be a very strong front-runner, although I think there are also the people who are not quite sure that he is suitable in terms of the way he behaves, because he is quite tribal and the African chief thing comes through.

“My preferred candidate would be [the Bishop of] Norwich, who is very level-headed, sensible and would actually do the job well and has a lot more kind of stability. You wouldn’t know where you were with Sentamu, whereas you would with Norwich.”

The second bishop, who is retired, said Dr Sentamu had some “outrageous moments” which had been “balanced” out by Dr Rowan Williams.

He added: “There is something in Sentamu which retains his African views and approach, which can be at one time an asset and another time can be a problem.”

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UK Sentences James Ibori, Former Gov of Nigerian Delta State, to 13 Years

April 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

James Ibori, the former Governor of Nigeria’s Delta state sentenced in Britain Tuesday to 13 years in prison for fraud and money-laundering. He pleaded guilty in February to the crimes and was accused of stealing $250 million from the public purse and funneling much of the stolen funds to banks in England to fund a lavish lifestyle of private jets and luxury cars.

“During his two terms as governor of Delta State, James Ibori deliberately and systematically defrauded the people whose interests he had been elected to represent,” Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement after the sentencing at London’s Southwark Crown Court. “Very significant cooperation was secured from many countries worldwide to enable us to bring this prosecution.” Source

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Malawi Welcomes First Female President Joyce Banda, Will Become Second Female President in Africa

April 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment
joyce banda Malawi Welcomes First Female President Joyce Banda, Will Become Second Female President in Africa

Malawi Welcomes First Female President Joyce Banda, Becomes Second Female President in Africa

Malawi welcomes its new president, Joyce Banda, who is set to become the second female president in Africa. Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika died of a heart attack Thursday and Joyce Banda, who was the vice president has now been confirmed as the country’s new leader. Here are a few more details on Mutharika’s death. Congratulations to Joyce Banda!

Joyce Banda is a domestic abuse survivor, who made her make as a savvy business woman between 1985 and 1997, when she managed and established various businesses. Banda was born on April 12, 1950, in Malemia, a village in the Zomba District of Malawi, where her father was an accomplished and popular police brass band musician. She is college educated and a fighter for women’s rights. We lift our hats to Joyce Banda for her tireless work in helping women achieve financial independence and breaking the cycles of abuse and poverty.

Joyce Banda was listed in Forbes Magazine 2011 as the third most powerful woman in Africa. Banda is expected to run Malawi until the scheduled elections in 2014. Bingu wa Mutharika tried to relegate Joyce Banda to a largely ineffective vice president, giving her responsibilities that would have normally been carried out by the first lady, but good always conquers evil.

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Nelson Mandela Undergoes Surgery for “Long Standing” Medical Problem, Said to be in Good Spirits

February 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment
300px Nelson Mandela 2008 %28edit%29 Nelson Mandela Undergoes Surgery for Long Standing Medical Problem, Said to be in Good Spirits

Nelson Mandela Undergoes Surgery for "Long Standing" Medical Problem, Said to be in Good Spirits (Wikipedia)

Our thoughts and prayers go out to anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela, who has been hospitalized for a “abdominal complaint.” South African president Jacob Zuma said the former president, underwent surgery for a “long standing” medical problem and the BBC reports he is in good spirits. No telling what medical issues he developed during those 27 years in prison.

Nelson Mandela Undergoes Surgery for Long Standing Medical Problem, Said to be in Good Spirits
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Interracial Couple Locked in Loving Embrace on Poster Sparks Outrage in South Africa

January 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment
interracial couple in south africa Interracial Couple Locked in Loving Embrace on Poster Sparks Outrage in South Africa

Interracial Couple Locked in Loving Embrace on Poster Sparks Outrage in South Africa (Globe & Mail)

From Globe & Mail:  ”It’s the poster that all of South Africa is buzzing about. In a single image, it exposes the most sensitive issues in this fragile post-apartheid society: politics, race and sex.

The poster was distributed on university campuses by the student wing of the Democratic Alliance, the main opposition party. It shows a young inter-racial couple – a white man and a black woman – both apparently nude, locked in a loving embrace. The tagline: “In OUR future, you wouldn’t look twice.”

 

Interracial Couple Locked in Loving Embrace on Poster Sparks Outrage in South Africa
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Nigerian Deeper LIfe Church in Gombe Hit by Gunmen Leaving Six Dead, 10 Injured

January 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment
300px Nigeria political Nigerian Deeper LIfe Church in Gombe Hit by Gunmen Leaving Six Dead, 10 Injured

Nigerian Deeper LIfe Church in Gombe Hit by Gunmen Leaving Six Dead, 10 Injured (Wikipedia)

Yet another church in Nigeria has been hit by gunmen. BBC reports gunmen have attacked the Deeper Life Church in Gombe, located in north-east Nigeria, killing at least six people, including the pastor’s wife, Johnson Jauro, the church’s pastor said.

Johnson Jauro  said his wife was among those killed. Ten other people were injured. Nigeria has recently experienced a surge in ethnic and sectarian violence. The government declared a state of emergency in parts of the country.

[...]

No group has said it carried out the attack, but the Islamist sect Boko Haram recently carried out a string of bombings on Christmas Day, including against a church in the capital, Abuja, which killed dozens of people. Source: BBC News

Our thoughts and prayers go out the Pastor Jauro and his church family. Incidents like these should make me thankful for living in one of the greatest countries in the world, where freedom of religion is a right and not a luxury.

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White South African Politician Helen Zille Under Fire for Calling Musician “Professional Black”

December 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

White South African political leader Helen Zille under fire for describing musician Simphiwe Dana as a “professional black” during racism row on Twitter.

helen zille professional black 300x109 White South African Politician Helen Zille Under Fire for Calling Musician Professional Black

White South African Politician Helen Zille Under Fire for Calling Musician "Professional Black"

Who is a professional black in South Africa? That term caused an online racism row on Twitter. Helen Zille, the white leader of the Democratic Alliance, has come under fire for using the term ‘professional black’ to describe musician Simphiwe Dana.

The Helen Zille definition of a professional black: “People who base their life and purpose around their colour.”

The Helen Zille definition of a professional white: “It is someone who is self-obsessed and claims victimhood because they are white.”

How did we get to this place? According to the Times of South Africa, the Twitter racism row began when model and singer Lindiwe Suttle tweeted about the racism she has suffered in Cape Town, the country’s most popular tourist destination.

“No matter how famous/rich you are, you’re still a 2nd class citizen if you’re Black in Cape Town, @helenzille when’s the change you spoke about happening,” she wrote.

That didn’t sit pretty with Helen Zille and she put her foot in her mouth with her ridiculous responses.

Zille, a former mayor of Cape Town and now premier of Western Cape province, shot back: “What complete nonsense,” going on to say it was “a baseless assertion”.

Then others waded in. Marang Setshwaelo, who describes herself as a publicist and entrepreneur, posted: “Someone says they feel racism, ‘What Nonsense!’ is NOT an appropriate response.”

Again Zille, a prolific tweeter, countered: “They did NOT say they ‘feel’ racism. They said Cape Town IS racist. BIG difference. I respect feelings but not blanket accusations.”

I guess Helen Zille has learned two valuable lessons — you can’t presume to understand how a people who has been discriminated against should feel nor should you underestimate  the power of social media.

pixel White South African Politician Helen Zille Under Fire for Calling Musician Professional Black
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