tagged w/ African Politics
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Mariana live tweeted the east coast premiere of "Missionaries of Hate." Here are a few extra tidbits and links she offered during the show.
+ Pastor Ssempa [has] spoken at Rick Warren's church and in the US congress. His services held at Makarere university are always packed, mainly with young people. His services Sat night are held at the university's swimming pool.
+ Long Jones is very religious, and one of the first places he took us to was to the church he attends every sunday.
+ Video of Lively at March 2009 conf - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amVnWtpR1is
+ Bahati, the creator of the bill, was educated in the UK and has also attended Rick Warren's church in California.
+ Rick Warren's video message about anti-gay bill in Uganda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jmGu9o4fDE
+ Anita Bryant also talked about the recruitment of children by homosexuals...in the 70's. [More here.]
+ Gerald was super brave to talk to us about being a homosexual out in the open.
+ This paper, the Red Pepper, outed almost all the gay ppl we intrvwd.
+ Rep. Tammy Baldwin is the only out lesbian in the US Congress
+ There'll be election in Uganda next year, so Pres. Museveni is in a tough spot, having to choose between pasing bill + losing foreign aid...Or not passing it and losing public support.
+ This rally [with Ssempa and Bahati] lasted 6 hours...no joke.
Follow Mariana on Twitter, and look after the jump to watch the YouTube videos she linked to.
Mariana live tweeted the east coast premiere of "Missionaries of Hate."... more
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In an exclusive sneak peek from this coming season of Vanguard, correspondent Mariana van Zeller investigates the rising influence of American evangelical groups on anti-gay laws and attitudes in Uganda. The episode premieres on Current TV on May 26.
Vanguard, airing weekly on Wednesdays at 10PM/9PM CT, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
Watch more at http://current.com/vanguard.In an exclusive sneak peek from this coming season of Vanguard, correspondent Mariana... more
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Nigerian dancer, Qudus Onikeku shares his amazing journey around several African countries, as he and his partner perform impromptu dance pieces in open public spaces. These unannounced street performances, Qudus explains, are a way of taking the art back to the people who inspired it, but rarely get to see. He stretches his talent beyond the reach of the exclusive foreign stages and elites that he normally performs for, and connects with the common man on the street.
"I am an artist, not an activist" he explains. As reluctant as Qudus may be to take on the title of "activist", he does have and well informed and conscious voice full of opinions on the political situation in Nigeria. Watch what he has to say here with Sahara Reporters!Nigerian dancer, Qudus Onikeku shares his amazing journey around several African... more
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Social Action is a project of the Social Development Integrated Centre, an organisation registered in Nigeria through its Incorporated Trustees with the Corporate Affairs Commission. Social Action is a project for education, mobilisation and solidarity for communities and activists working for environmental justice, democracy and social change in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. The organisation works to promote increased citizens’ participation in addressing policy and practices in energy and mining, trade and investments that affects human rights, democracy and livelihoods. Social Action works primarily in Nigeria while collaborating with other citizens groups in the ECOWAS zone and the Gulf of GuineaSocial Action is a project of the Social Development Integrated Centre, an... more
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Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was sworn in on Sunday after being declared overwhelming winner of a one-man election which observers said was scarred by violence and intimidation.
Mugabe was the only candidate and went ahead with the vote despite a wave of international censure. The United States, which says it is preparing new sanctions, called on Sunday for strong international action.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew a week ago saying a systematic campaign of violence, which killed nearly 90 of his followers, had made a free and fair vote impossible.
The electoral commission said Mugabe won 85.51 percent of the vote. He had 43.2 percent in elections in March which Tsvangirai won with 47.9 percent -- short of the absolute majority needed for a first-round victory.
The commission said turnout was 42.37 percent, almost exactly the same as in March. Human rights groups and witnesses accused pro-Mugabe militias of forcing people to vote in some areas.
The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) observer mission also said on Sunday the poll had been marred by pre-election violence and did not reflect the will of the country's people, dealing a serious blow to Mugabe's legitimacy.
The regional grouping, which has stood by the veteran leader in the past, said the vote did not conform to regional election guidelines, despite voting on election day being peaceful.Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was sworn in on Sunday after being declared... more
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The Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has pulled out of the election run-off against President Mugabe.
With just days to go before Zimbabwe's presidential run-off, the leader of the opposition party has stood down handing automatic victory to President Robert Mugabe.
The leader of the Movement for Democratic Change said a free and fair election was impossible in the current climate of violence. He has urged the UN and the African Union to now intervene to stop what he describes as "genocide" in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has pulled out of the election... more
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A defiant Robert Mugabe yesterday vowed he would 'go to war' if he lost the presidential run-off due to take place in less than two weeks.
Describing the opposition as 'traitors', he claimed Zimbabwe would never 'be lost' again. Speaking at the burial of a veteran of the independence war, Mugabe said he would never accept the Movement for Democratic Change taking over. 'It shall never happen ... as long as I am alive and those who fought for the country are alive,' he said. 'We are prepared to fight for our country and to go to war for it.'
The threat was seen as an angry response to the pressure mounting on the government from other African leaders over the regime's harassment of the MDC leadership and supporters in the run up to the 27 June election.
Yesterday, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was arrested again and held for three hours as he tried to campaign in the countryside. There was also a stand-off between lawyers and police in Harare's high court before Tsvangirai's deputy, Tendai Biti, finally appeared before a judge.A defiant Robert Mugabe yesterday vowed he would 'go to war' if he lost the... more
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Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday ruled out suggestions of a national unity government, saying his party was sure to win a presidential runoff despite government violence.
Tsvangirai told a news conference in Harare that Zimbabwe was being run by a military junta and 66 supporters of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had been killed since disputed March elections.
But he rejected calls for the June 27 run-off against President Robert Mugabe to be cancelled because of the violence.
"Following the announcement of the date for the run-off, no-one can change that due process unless Robert Mugabe concedes defeat, or collapses. It therefore means that a government of national unity negotiated before the runoff does not arise," Tsvangirai said.
Ruling ZANU-PF defector and former finance minister Simba Makoni said earlier the poll must be called off because a free and fair vote was impossible.Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday ruled out suggestions of a... more
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The Somali government and its main political rivals have signed a cessation of hostilities accord at the UN-sponsored peace talks in Djibouti.
The interim government and some opposition figures signed the peace deal in Dijibouti on Monday, a UN official said. "We have a peace deal," Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, an aide to the UN envoy for Somalia, said.
"They agreed on the termination of all acts of armed confrontation ... to come into force 30 days from the signing of the agreement for an initial period of 90 days, renewable."
Ould-Abdallah said the agreement also called for the UN to authorise deployment of an international stabilisation force.
Within 120 days, Ethiopian forces helping the government fight the Islamic Courts' Union fighters would then leave, conditional on the deployment of sufficient UN troops, he said.The Somali government and its main political rivals have signed a cessation of... more
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he Egyptian parliament on Monday renewed the 27-year-old state of emergency for two more years, dashing the hopes of the nation's human rights activists.
In all, 305 of the Parliament's 454 members voted in favor of the renewal after President Hosni Mubarak issued a decree a day earlier calling on the nation’s representatives to extend the notorious state of emergency. One hundred three MPs did not heed Mubarak's call.
Under the emergency law, the police are authorized to detain people indefinitely without charges, refer civilians to military courts, close dissident publications and thwart demonstrations. he Egyptian parliament on Monday renewed the 27-year-old state of emergency for two... more
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Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has threatened to expel the US ambassador, accusing him of meddling in the country's political process.
"I am just waiting to see if he makes one more step wrong. He will get out," Mr Mugabe told a rally in Harare.
Earlier this month ambassador James McGee warned post-election violence in Zimbabwe was "spinning out of control".
Mr Mugabe was speaking as he launched his campaign for the presidential election run-off on 27 June.
He also said Zimbabweans who had fled recent anti-immigrant violence in South Africa would be given land if they returned to Zimbabwe.
"Our land is still there, even for youngsters, those who are in South Africa who wish to return to the country," Mr Mugabe told his Zanu-PF party supporters.
Mr Mugabe also noted that Mr McGee had publicly urged opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai to return to Zimbabwe to lead his embattled supporters in the run-off.Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has threatened to expel the US ambassador, accusing... more
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Parallel to Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua gesture of good faith by offering to tackle the problems in the delta (suggesting reforms to the economy and petroleum sector), a Chevron Corp. oil vessel was highjacked off the coast of Port Harcourt on tuesday night. Eleven men were captured, two of which were foreign (Ukrainian and Portuguese) along with the vessel, however no group has claimed the action. MEND (Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta) has claimed it had nothing to do with the incident. Hopefully this incident wont effect President Yar'Adua's attempt to sympathise with the Niger delta's problems.Parallel to Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua gesture of good faith by offering... more
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