Day: May 25, 2021

Aid agencies are assessing the needs of tens of thousands of people affected by the eruption of the Mount Nyiragongo volcano in the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Local authorities report 32 people were killed in the eruption, including seven by lava and five others who were asphyxiated by gases.

The U.N. refugee agency reports most of the thousands who fled on foot Saturday as lava flowed down on their towns have returned home.

Their return is fraught with anxiety and uncertainty as the full impact of the eruption is not yet known. However, UNHCR spokesman Boris Cheshirkov said the damage is likely to be extensive.

He said that assessment is based on preliminary findings of an evaluation mission by aid agencies and the DRC government Sunday.

“From the air, the eruption’s path south of the volcano is clear. Two villages on Goma’s northern tip were destroyed and two others were almost completely covered by lava. Our staff heard testimonies from families who lost their homes, and from others who lost children and other loved ones. Entire neighborhoods have been left without electricity and there are fears of water shortages,” said Cheshirkov.

Mount Nyiragongo is one of the world’s most active and dangerous volcanoes. It last erupted in 2002, killing 250 people and making more than 100,000 homeless.

The lava flow from this present eruption stopped Sunday and has been followed by repeated earthquakes, prompting fears of new fissures opening or another eruption.

Cheshirkov said agencies are rushing to help people displaced by this disaster. He said the Red Cross is leading an effort to reunite several hundred children who have been separated from their families. He said the UNHCR and partners are preparing to assist those in need of shelter and other humanitarian relief.

However, he adds the operation is likely to run into difficulty because of blocked access roads.

“The road leading to northern parts of North Kivu province is also damaged by lava, which will hamper the transport of food and goods to the area around Beni, where some 280,000 people displaced by conflict and insecurity since January 2021 rely on humanitarian aid,” said the spokesman.

Cheshirkov said other access routes are cut off by closed borders since the coronavirus pandemic began.

He said another problem hampering the aid effort is the lack of money. He notes the UNHCR has received only 17 percent of the more than $200 million it needs for its operations in DRC this year.

Source: Voice of America

A civilian member of Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council has resigned, citing interference from military officials in the transitional government.

Aisha Musa Sayeed accused military leaders of sidelining civilians and making unilateral decisions affecting the entire country, including the recent use of force against peaceful protesters.

Sayeed told reporters at a weekend media briefing in Khartoum she tendered her resignation because the military component of the Sovereign Council ignores the views of other council members.

“Overriding constitutional powers has become a trait that cannot be ignored to the extent that the civilian component within the Sovereign Council and all other levels of governance became just a logistical executive body only. They don’t participate in decision making but only accept what has been agreed upon earlier,” said Sayeed.

Sayeed is the third high-ranking civilian in Sudan to leave their post in a week. Last week, Sudanese Attorney General Taj Al Sir Al Hibir resigned, citing interference from “unauthorized government agencies” in the public prosecutor’s office, which he called a clear violation of the law.

Also, Chief Justice Neimat Abdallah Mohammed Khair, the country’s first female chief justice, was removed from her post last week by the Sovereign Council without explanation.

Khair’s removal and Al Hibir’s resignation came days after Sudanese security forces shot and killed peaceful protesters marking the 2nd anniversary of the beginning of the Sudanese revolution in Khartoum.

The Sovereign Council was established as Sudan’s ruling body after the ouster of longtime president Omar al-Bashir in 2019. Sayeed was appointed to the 14-member council as one of two female members that October.

One of the key tasks of the transitional period was to ensure that justice is served for families of those killed and injured during the Sudanese revolution. But the country’s military leaders have placed obstacles in the path of justice, according to Sayeed.

“This period needs practical steps towards laying down laws that guarantee justice and establishment of a professional constitutional court that is able to protect the constitution against all interference. We would like to see all working towards initiating a constitutional conference that will guarantee a permanent and a democratic constitution in the country,” Sayeed told reporters.

For the past two years the economy has deteriorated under the transitional government, Sayeed noted. She said certain individuals who worked in the former administration of Omar al-Bashir are still blocking development in Sudan.

“Our country’s infrastructure and the whole service delivery system has deteriorated as never before and the government has failed to relieve the suffering from the Sudanese citizens. This weakness that paralyzed the country’s institutions has led to the extension of insecurity and inability to ration and monitor the security forces,” said Sayeed.

With tears in her eyes, Sayeed offered her apologies to the Sudanese people, saying internally displaced persons and refugees must be able to return to their homes, the living conditions of ordinary citizens must improve, and justice must be served.

“I present my apology to all Sudanese women who are still facing exclusion from participating in the decision-making process, my apology to all mothers of martyrs, wounded revolutionaries, missing individuals and their families,” said Sayeed.

Sayeed encouraged Sudanese to continue with peaceful protests until serious reforms take place.

Source: Voice of America

Escalating insecurity and communal violence in Nigeria appear to be strengthening separatist movements across the country. Among those movements is the Indigenous People of Biafra, a group that advocates an independent state in a part of Nigeria that tried to break away more than 50 years ago.

On a typical Sunday evening, 73-year-old former Biafran fighter Ideyi Obasi sits in front of his shanty home in a low-income housing area of Abuja and sniffs his snuff.

He’s grown popular in his area for often talking about his experience fighting the Biafran War in the late 1960s.

He said he has renewed hope for an independent Biafra.

“We used to stay two weeks without food. The only thing they’ll give you is ogogoro (dry gin). You’ll carry your kits and come out with your water bottle. They’ll fill it up with ogogoro, you go there to fight. If you die, it’s nobody’s business,” said Obasi.

Obasi was only 20 years old in 1967 when the civil war started and he got recruited.

The war lasted three years, and the Biafran movement was defeated. He says many of his friends were killed fighting the Nigerian state, but he somehow survived.

Today, he still supports secession, but said fighting must be avoided.

“Don’t fight another war, because children will be finished. If they can do it amicably and peacefully,” he said.

In January, the separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB, launched an armed security unit. The aim was to push back on Fulani herders, who are often blamed for communal clashes in the region.

But Nigerian authorities consider the unit as subversive. Troops have cracked down on the armed group in states where it is active.

In 2017, the government banned IPOB’s activities, which are led by British Nigerian activist Nnamdi Kanu.

Some Nigerian political analysts such as Jibrin Ibrahim say IPOB’s demands for independence are unlikely to succeed.

“It’s legitimate for them to make demands for separation. But the reality on the ground is that it’s difficult for Nigeria to separate. We’ve been together for over a century. We have intermarried significantly. We have migrated extensively,” he said.

In recent months, a Yoruba separatist group has appeared, calling for the creation of an independent state known as the Oduduwa Republic. The republic would include the southwestern parts of the country, including Nigeria’s economic capital, Lagos.

Ibrahim said besides the insecurity, political marginalization is to blame for the rise of these separatist movements.

“A lot of Nigerians are very dissatisfied with the political community we have. They feel it is not structured to serve their interests. They feel there’s significant levels of marginalization that makes their citizenship ineffective,” he said.

Experts predict agitation by these movements will likely increase as the country heads toward elections in 2023. But they say the Nigerian government is unlikely to cede any power to the separatists — and a conflict will be too dangerous to pursue.

Source: Voice of America

Eritrean nationals in Sudan, South Africa, and Kenya celebrated the 30th Independence Day anniversary with patriotic zeal under the theme “Resilient: As Ever”.

The celebratory events featured cultural and artistic performances, sports competitions, and other programs in compliance with the guidelines issued in their respective countries of residence aimed at controlling the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the celebration event conducted in Sudan, Mr. Isa Ahmed Isa, Eritrean Ambassador in Sudan, congratulating the Eritrean people and its Defense Forces said that this year’s Independence Day anniversary is unique for it is celebrated at the time of new development prevailing in the region. Pointing out that in the past 30 years the Eritrean people despite the various challenges and hostilities encountered has registered commendable achievement with a view to realizing economic self-reliance. Speaking at the celebratory event Eritrean nationals conducted in Nairobi on 23 May, Mr. Beyene Russom, Eritrean Ambassador in Kenya, congratulating the Eritrean people and its Defense Forces called for renewing a pledge to reinforce participation in the national development endeavors.

Eritrean nationals in the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria and their environs also enthusiastically celebrated the 30th Independence Day anniversary featuring various programs.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

International pressure is growing on Turkey over its military presence in Libya.

Turkey deployed hundreds of soldiers and thousands of Syrian fighters in support of the Libyan Government of National Accord in its battle against forces of Libya’s General Khalifa Hafta, who is backed by Russian and Sudanese mercenaries.

Now, with a cease-fire in force and elections scheduled for December, Aya Burweila, a visiting lecturer at the Hellenic National Defense College, says pressure is growing for all foreign troops to quit.

“There has been two UN Security Council Resolutions already for the removal of all foreign presence from Libya, be it Turkish Russian Sudanese, so yes, the political terrain has changed very much,” said Burweila. “There has been an increasing realization that Turkey was building up its presence on the Mediterranean in Libya. So I think the EU as well as the United States had a rude awakening about Turkish intentions in Libya.”

Ankara insists its forces are in Libya at the invitation of Libya’s internationally recognized government. But this month, Libyan Foreign Minister Najla El-Mangoush called for all foreign fighters to leave, including Turkish forces.

Turkey has already established an air base in Libya and Turkish media say Ankara is now seeking to build a naval base.

The growing Turkish military presence has drawn strong criticism from France, which observers say is increasingly competing with Turkey for regional influence.

Analyst Ilham Uzgel, who writes for the Turkish news portal Duvar, says Ankara will likely have to, at least in part, heed to international pressure.

“Turkey will definitely withdraw the jihadists, the fighters that they carried all the way from Syria,” said Uzgel. “Turkey can maintain a small number of liaison officers there, not a combat force, not a tactical force. But Turkey’s military presence there, is a very strong bargaining chip for Turkey.”

A U.S. defense department report last year said Turkey sent thousands of paid Syrian fighters to Libya. Ankara denies any Syrian fighters deployed in Libya have links to Jihadists groups.

Turkey is currently seeking to improve relations with both Washington and the European Union, and Ankara sees cooperation on Libya as leverage.

Turkish presidential adviser Mesut Casin says the government is ready to withdraw if all foreign forces pull out. However, he says the Turkish military can play a new important regional role in Libya.

“Turkey did not want military influence in Libya; we don’t need it,” said Casin. “But Turkey and also European Union maybe work together. Turkey aims to support the Frontex European Union border security. This is not only for Turkey even Italy, and also Malta support this situation.”

Libya is one of the main jumping off points for migrants seeking to enter the European Union illegally, and analysts say the Turkish leadership is looking to use its cooperation on border protection to its advantage in any future negotiations.

Source: Voice of America