Africa Center for Strategic Studies 

Media Review for June 23, 2011

Sudan: Amidst 'Dire' Humanitarian Crisis, U.S. Urges Ceasefire in South Kordofan
As the date for South Sudan's long anticipated Jul. 9 secession inches closer, on-going violence in the Northern state of South Kordofan threatens to destroy the country's hopes for peace. United States President Barack Obama said in a White House statement Wednesday that the situation in the central region of the country is "dire, with deeply disturbing reports of attacks based on ethnicity". IPS

 

Darfur rebels say Sudan air attack killed 35 civilians, call for no-fly zone
The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur repulsed ground and air attacks by government forces on its strongholds of Jebel Marra and called for the imposition of a no-fly zone to protect Darfur civilians against haphazard shelling. Sudan Tribune

 

Oil dispute between north, south Sudan escalates
The oil issue has emerged to the tension between north and south Sudan among the thorny outstanding issues such as the border demarcation, the dispute over the country's oil-rich area of Abyei and recent armed clashes in South Kordofan State, which cripple the two sides' endeavors for smooth separation. Xinhua

 

A faint glimmering of hope as South Sudan independence nears
North and South Sudan have worked out a plan to demilitarize the oil-rich border region of Abyei. The move raises hopes that the South will declare independence as planned - but there are some clouds on the horizon. Deutcshe Welle

 

Somalia again is at top of failed states list
For the fourth year in a row, Somalia, plagued by widespread lawlessness, piracy and an ineffective central government, tops an index of failed states. It was followed by three other African nations - Chad, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo - in the rankings of 177 nations compiled by the Fund for Peace. CNN

 

Zimbabwe: Military Chief Calls Tsvangirai 'Major Security Threat'
MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai is a national security threat rather than a political one and security forces are justified to participate in politics to defend the country, Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba has said. Responding to calls by Mr Tsvangirai at a rally in Mkoba, Gweru, on Sunday that security chiefs should resign and contest for political power, Brig-Gen Nyikayaramba, said the current situation required them to deal with it in uniform. The Herald

 

Why I reject Morocco's new constitution
While bringing some improvements, Morocco's proposed new constitution takes us back to the same institutional structure for the country. It matches neither Moroccans' aspirations nor the new regional context. Reform of the constitution has been conducted in an anti-democratic manner, quite unlike what the king, Mohammed VI, claimed in his speech on 17 June. The ad hoc commission tasked with preparing the new constitution was appointed by the king and composed almost entirely of men and women whose loyalty was to him. The Guardian

 

Free, but Unemployed, in Tunisia
Still, five months after the popular uprising that led to the ousting of the former dictator, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, there are signs that the early euphoria is diminishing. In a protest over the lack of jobs, the root cause of the uprising, graduating students have glued their diplomas - about a dozen of them - to the entrance of the town's municipal offices. The NY Times

 

Will a Rush to Elections in Egypt Undo Its Revolution?
After street protests forced Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down after thirty years in power, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces took on the temporary rule of the country. If the council delivers on its promises, parliamentary elections in Egypt will be held in September of this year, followed by presidential elections a few months later. Most political forces and experts fear the new parliament would likely be composed of a narrow spectrum of parties which will shape the country's political future in a way the protesters did not envision. VOA

 

Al-Qaeda and the Libyan Rebellion
A new report from two French think tanks concludes that jihadists have played a predominant role in the eastern-Libyan rebellion against the rule of Moammar Qaddafi, and that "true democrats" represent only a minority in the rebellion. The report, furthermore, calls into question the justifications given for Western military intervention in Libya, arguing that they are largely based on media exaggerations and "outright disinformation." The National Review

 

House Republicans to vote on de-funding Libya conflict
House Republicans are planning to vote on a bill that would prohibit funding of the American mission in Libya, a shift from previous plans to consider a weaker rebuke of President Barack Obama's military intervention in the north African country. Politico

 

SA 'regrets' Libya's UN vote
South Africa's top diplomat has admitted SA voted in favour of a UN resolution authorising a no-fly zone in Libya without understanding how it would be enforced. Foreign Affairs director-general Jerry Matjila told MPs during a briefing on international matters yesterday that South Africa was in the dark about the intensity of the bombardment that would be required to enforce a no-fly zone. Times live

 

Energy Resources: China's power play for Africa alarms U.S.
China, armed with $3 trillion in foreign reserves, is stepping up its scramble for Africa's mineral riches, including oil, copper and gold, to fuel its ever-expanding economy. This has alarmed the United States, with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warning African leaders earlier this month in Lusaka, capital of copper-rich Zambia, of the perils of creeping "new colonialism." UPI

 

Swaziland turns to South Africa for financial bailout
Swaziland has asked South Africa for a financial bailout as it risks running out of money, South Africa's top foreign affairs official says. The official, Jerry Matjila, told MPs in Cape Town that Swaziland needed the money to pay its civil servants. South Africa's opposition said the request should be rejected because Swaziland was an "undemocratic state". BBC

 

Protests erupt in Senegal over controversial law
Senegalese police filed tear gas on protesters marching in the capital Thursday to oppose proposed changes to the constitution that critics say could benefit the longtime president and his family. Forbes

 

Rwandan police arrest army officer and five others in alleged terror plot
Rwandan police have arrested a senior army officer and five other suspects for plotting attacks on political leaders and key infrastructure projects. They are linked to former army chief Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa and ex-defence minister Emmanuel Habyarimana, the police said. RFI

 

UN to issue verdict on first female to be charged with genocide
Judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda are set to hand down their verdict Friday in a case involving the first woman to be charged with genocide. She has been charged with atrocities committed in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. France 24

 

Video: 'Yes, Africa can' - Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama makes an emotional speech in front of young women leaders in Soweto. The Independant

Rwanda: RDF, US-AFRICOM to discuss environmental security

The Rwanda Peace Academy in conjunction with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) will, today, start a three-day workshop on Environmental Security. According to the Defence and Military Spokesperson, Lt. Col. Jill Rutaremara, the workshop will look into various environment related elements. The New Times

 

Give Africans a Stake in Their Own Wealth
When your government announces a big oil discovery, should you celebrate? A lot of sensible people will tell you that you shouldn't. For them, natural resource wealth - large quantities of things like petroleum, gas or minerals - is actually a "curse," not a blessing. How come? Well, "extractive industries" can flood your economy with foreign currency, make all your other industries uncompetitive, spoil your environment, and corrupt your politicians. The evidence is pretty suggestive: very few "commodities-rich" countries have done well, most have not. Huffington Post

 

Demobilized Chadian child soldiers will need help with re-integration - UN
The top United Nations official concerned with children in armed conflict said Chad would need assistance in re-integrating into society the child soldiers that are being demobilized under an agreement signed with the UN last week. UN

 

Kenyan Muslim leaders call for death penalty for gays
Muslim leaders in Kenya have called on the government to introduce the death penalty for homosexuals and to boycott their businesses, media reports said Monday. Times Live


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Please note: The following news items are presented here for informational purposes. The views expressed within them are those of the authors and/or individuals quoted, not those of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, the National Defense University, or the Department of Defense.
 
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