Day: September 14, 2021

The junta that overthrew Guinea’s government more than a week ago began four days of meetings Tuesday that it says will result in the formation of a transitional government.

The junta that ousted President Alpha Conde said it would consult in the capital, Conakry, with political, business and religious leaders as it charts a new course for the West African country.

The junta hopes that during the talks, leaders will agree on who will lead the transition, a time frame to complete it, and the political and institutional reforms needed before the election.

The Economic Community of West African States, which has suspended Guinea’s decision-making authority, has appealed for a brief civilian-led transition.

Last week, Guinea’s special forces overthrew the government under the leadership of Mamady Doumbouya, a former French Foreign Legionnaire.

The coup was preceded by violent street demonstrations last year in opposition to Conde’s quest for a third term in office.

The coup has been welcomed by Conde’s longtime opponents, including

Cellou Dalein Diallo, the former prime minister who lost to Conde in the last three presidential elections.

Leaders of the country’s mining industry also participated in the coup after

Doumbouya tried to reassure them he would work to prevent the destabilization of its critical bauxite and gold exports.

Source: Voice of America

Officials in Cameroon say there has been a jump in cases of civilians assaulting police officers. Videos shared on social media in Cameroon show citizens mocking and battering police in response to alleged brutality and corruption.

Paul Atanga Nji, the territorial administration minister, also tasked with civilian protection, says at least 15 videos of civilians of refusing police orders and attacking officers have been shared on social media platforms within the past two weeks.

Nji said the police force confirmed its officers were the victims in the videos.

In some cases, he said, police have been victims of humiliation, battery and other forms of assault from civilians the police are supposed to protect.

This irresponsible behavior towards the police is unacceptable,” Nji said. “It should be understood that the police are at the service of each and every one under the esteem guidance of the head of state [Cameroon’s President] Paul Biya. No person, regardless of their social status, for whatsoever reason has a right to assault a police officer on duty.”

In one video, a driver refuses a police demand to search his car, hits the police officer and then runs him over with his car while some bystanders applaud.

Another video appears to show a civilian carrying a police officer on his shoulder before throwing him on the back of a truck.

The civilians are believed to be retaliating for acts of police brutality or corruption.

Nji said if civilians have grievances, they should send complaints of alleged police misdeeds to the chief of police, who can take disciplinary action.

However, human rights lawyer Christopher Ndong says when police brutality and corruption are reported, senior government and police officials do not investigate.

He adds that police often beat people, detain some abusively and extract bribes from innocent civilians.

“There is no adult Cameroonian who will not tell you the excesses of a policeman,” Ndong said. “You have a document all complete, a policeman says you are wrong. You must give 500 [Francs (XAF) or $1 as a bribe]. You have [car] documents which are wrong, the policeman will not impound the vehicle as the law provides. A policeman will be asking the man to pay fines that are determined by him and the state sits and looks at it. You see the fabulous sums he is collecting, and he does it with arrogance because they [police] have guns.”

Police officials deny the allegations, saying most officers in Cameroon are neither corrupt, nor take part in civilian abuse.

Source: Voice of America

International aid groups are calling on Burkina Faso’s government to let them help register the country’s internally displaced people. The Norwegian Refugee Council says the government is taking weeks to register IDPs for food and other aid, forcing some back into dangerous areas.

In a statement released Monday, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said government authorities are taking weeks to register IDPs, like these 500 or so who until recently stayed at a school in the town of Ouahigouya.

The NRC say they could carry out the registration process, which is essential before aid can be distributed to IDPs within a week, and implored the government to quote, “Let us step in and support.”

Rasmata Ouedraogo, who was living in the school, fled her village of Nongo with her young son after a terrorist attack.

She says they were wearing army uniforms, so it was difficult to know if they were terrorists. She had to hide herself for two days in her house.

She says she arrived in Ouahigouya around two months ago, and so far, her family has received one hundred dollars in aid payments.

“The first thing we need is food for us and our children, and then some clothes, among other things,” she told VOA.

The community leader of the IDPs says this month students will return to their studies, so the school’s owner has asked the IDPs to move out. Local authorities sent them to a site outside of the town where access to food and services is difficult.

“At the very beginning, we were able to have some cereal like maize and millet plus $100 for each family, but that was two to three months ago,” he says. He added that some people arrived more recently, and those people have not gotten any food so far.

Many of the IDPs who stayed at the school say they are unsure of whether they’ve been registered or not, but say none of them are receiving enough aid. Tom Peyre-Costa is from the Norwegian Refugee Council.

“Authorities really lack the capacity to count and register newly displaced people, and meanwhile aid organizations are not allowed to intervene. So, this is what we are asking for today. We need more flexibility,” he said.

In a tense press conference Monday, Laurence Marchal Ilboudo, the minister of humanitarian affairs said this when asked why offers of assistance from aid groups were being turned down.

“You asked why we don’t make it easier for the partners if they can do it better than the locals,” he said. “But why them? Because they have the resources? Because they have the machines? Our nation has the expertise to do it. Why don’t we make use of this material expertise so that the locals can do it themselves?”

As the school now lies empty, waiting for the students to return, the IDPs who resided there remain in need of help.

Source: Voice of America

Eritrea regrets the fact that the update of the High Commissioner was not posted earlier to ensure meaningful participation of delegations in the present interactive dialogue.

Eritrea has expressed, on previous occasions, its principled position and fully responded to unwarranted accusations leveled against it in relation to the ongoing Rule of Law Operations in the Tigray region by the Federal Government of Ethiopia. It is important to reiterate again that the OHCHR does not remain ambivalent on the misguided action that has emboldened the TPLF clique to resort to military adventures as well as on the real threats it continues to pose to the national security of Ethiopia as well as Eritrea. It is essential for the OHCHR to recognize the fact that the defunct TPLF clique constitutes the main cause and sole culprit in the crisis situation.

In this vein, Eritrea will give its full response again on the issues once the report is officially released. Nonetheless, it continues to reject ongoing attempts to deflect attention from the crimes perpetrated by the TPLF clique and to downplay its culpability. This will not, indeed, serve the cause of peace and security, human rights, and development in the region.

The enhanced interactive dialogue on the Tigray Region of Ethiopia under discussion thus remains unfair; undermining the responsibility of sovereign Governments to take appropriate deterrent action while appeasing the TPLF criminal clique. This practice will corrode the inherent right to self-defense of sovereign nations; the common understanding on the constitutional duty of governments to mitigate imminent threats to their national security, and the need to fight terrorism wherever and whenever they occur. Above all, it perpetuates terrorism and anarchy while undermining the capabilities and obligations of sovereign states to maintain and safeguard the rule of law

After the declaration of a unilateral ceasefire by the Federal Government of Ethiopia, the TPLF has continued its reckless military offensives in the Afar and Amhara regions of Ethiopia by using children as cannon fodder. It has clearly stated its intentions to again attack Eritrea once it succeeds to “overthrow the Federal Government of Ethiopia’’. In these regions, the TPLF has committed untold crimes, sufferings and destruction. As usual, the international community has remained silent on a matter that could further exacerbate the crisis and bloodshed. The debate will be insignificant to victims of abuse should the panel fail to recognize the above-stated realities.

Madame President,

In conclusion, it is unacceptable that the penholders of the resolution that led to this interactive dialogue continue to depend on a protracted disinformation campaigns aiming at scapegoating Eritrea and covering up the essence of the crisis and the crimes committed by the defunct TPLF clique. Moreover, it is unacceptable that the same external entities and handlers of the clique that aided and abetted its murderous reign in Ethiopia and in the Horn of Africa for 27 years are again desperately working to resuscitate it.

Source: Ministry of Information: Eritrea