Ambiance Bedié, Ivory Coast vote, first round of presidentials

A vigil in honour of Los 33: The Chile miners.

It is 20:00 hours in Abidjan, today, Tuesday, October 12, 2010. I have just had dinner. I am going to have a bath then come back to the computer. I want to follow every inch of the 'unearthing of the los 33' whose images here I took from John's Labour blog.

Thirty three guys who have been underground for 69 days and nights! Two weeks after they were caved in, there were no contacts. Almost everyone had lost hope! And today, they will be coming back up!

I dont have any idea what these guys are going through, I only know that they will have a lot of stories to tell. And their families, and friends.. This is a one-in-a-lifetime experience.

I tell myself that after this, when finally they really die, their families will be able to say 'Oh, he has been lower than the grave before'

So why am I keeping a vigil in Abidjan for 33 guys who dont know me?

Here is the answer: humanity is one. The sufferings of one are the sufferings of the others. But most importantly these men have shown courage, patriotism, resilience and love!

These are values that are precious in all of humanity. And that is why over 700 media from the whole world over has also arrived to welcome them!

Congratulations!

Can the French beat the Structural Adjustment Programme by striking

The heat is on in the whole of France. I mean we know those guys can strike.. but this time around the French people are really striking.

I have seen strikes in France. Employees who are striking against their management for salary increase or to demand one or more considerations are the workplace. Most recently the strikes were because of relocations, closures and mergers! This one, people were angry because they were losing their jobs. So they are striking 'to be able to remain on the job'.

But this one of this week, folks are striking to be able to "stop working".

And they are not striking against an employer, but against the government! No, in fact, it is against the law makers. The people voted to carry the voice of the people! C'est bizarre, non?

The bone of contention is retirement age. So far, it is retirement at 60. But the government is seeing that 'under the present circumstances' we can longer afford this. Why?

First because the older folks are living longer, thanks to good health care and increased life expectancy. So if a guy worked for 30 years, retires at 60 and lives to be 100, he will be on pension for 40 years!

The second reason is that the people to contribute to the pension system are getting less, thanks to reduced births and also emigration! Here is a government faced with a big chunk of its population getting older and not seeing the youth that will replace them... that will contribute into the social security so their pensions can be paid!

One other issue (Call it a reason if you please) is that the young people that France actually have are not the 'bons français' as a Minister called it recently.

So who is a good French? A good French is the one that is not of African origin, not of Maghrebin origin, not of Asian origin. If he is European, it should not be of the "roaming, wandering and nomadic" type.

I do not envy the French lawmakers. I dont envy the citizens either. I just feel pity for both. First they started hunting down people of the first group - people of African origin and started repatriating them or packing them up in retention camps. That was okay.

Then people of Asian origin - mainly Pakistanis and Afghans, who have escaped from the war were also dislodged. The official reason was that their places of abode were dangerous and they could not stay until they could afford better housing.

The "roaming, wandering and nomadic type" have raised a lot of issues within the EU community. Up to the point that the French government needed to remind Vivian Redding which part of the EU she comes from and how small that part is and how little it ACTUALLY counts!

There is a current bill that will soon be voted. That one will take care of the Maghreb folks. Because those ones are 'officially French', the law will allow for their citizenship to be removed, then...

So all of this 'structural adjustment' is going on. And the working class here are surprising me by their failure to see it coming! If you want to remain who you are, then you should be able to remain who you are!

The government is telling people truth that they know. And folks think that if they strike for a day, immobilise the system, and probably bring the government to its knees, things will change. No, they wont. The law will now require you to work until you are 62. And if you did not begin work early and have not contributed enough, you work till you are 65!

I listened to a man the other day. He is an asbestos victim. This means that medically, he is in the group of the people whose life expectancy is reduced. To that effect, there was a law that 'had retirement mercy on those who will die early'. So this man was asking about himself. How long will he have to work? Will this new law take away 'the mercy law'? I felt for that man!

In the 80s, the economic prospects of many African countries was hazy, and the IMF administered the SAP pill mercilessly. Governments had to drastically reduce spending, put its citizens in dire situations to be able to meet up with standards of the IMF. The recent IMF reports shows that economic outlook in Africa and Asia is bright and actually lists an African country - Nigeria - as one of the most progressive economies. But things are looking gray in Europe.

We had Iceland, then Greece and many more are on the brink. Countries like Germany and Norway have always had a kind of ongoing SAP in small doses. But for some other countries, like France, a big dose is unavoidable! And that is what the law makers are expecting the people to understand. Maybe the communication work was not well done or not done long enough.. but well

I am not sure that people striking will get much out of it. Whether the strike lasts a day, a week or a month, it will not in any way change the economic outlook of the country. Politicians may lose their offices but the next ones will face the same situation.

The one person who has gained something is Bruno Laporte, a guy who tweeted "Dans le metro. Coincé contre une jolie metisse aux yeux bleus. Je soutiens la grève. :P"

"I am in the Metro, pushed up against a beautiful half-caste with blue eyes. I support the strike"

The United Nations: still relevant in Africa?

This morning I listened to a political big-wig of the Republic of Guinea. He wants the United Nations to come and head the CENI - the national Independent Electoral Committee!

I'm like okay. So what exactly is this guy asking for? What exactly is it?

I see several things:

The first is that the politicians do not trust their own. The first President of the CENI was given so much trouble that the poor man had a heart failure, was taken to hospital in Europe and died there. The second one was from within the same CENI, not from outside. And now one party thinks 'he appears to be running for our opponents'. The new man has come out openly to pledge allegiance to the country but he is still not trusted. I have me two questions, which educated person, capable of heading the CENI will not have a political preference? Where can such a person exist?

The second thing here is that the presidential candidates are actually saying they believe the results of the elections NO LONGER LIE within the ballot boxes but within the CENI! This is outrageous! It is the people that votes. The job of the CENI is to report what the people have said!

Ah! And now I remember. Guinea has never really had a presidential election! After 53 years of Independence, the country is now holding its first ever democratic elections. Mhmm. I see why everybody is freaking out! Like when you went for your first job interview..

One other thing though, The African Union has spent a lot of time and energy mediating through the tens of disputes in Guinea. So Guinean politicians do not only distrust their own, they also do not trust the African Union to oversee a free and fair run-off of presidential elections!

So someone thinks the United Nations is the best option!

I am sitting here and I am trying to recall the last time I saw a UN person working in an African country as a Peace Keeper! When last did you see one? The ones I saw are generally the blue helmets! Next question, what did he look like?

Here is my point. The UN person that will be willing to be assigned to Guinea to do elections oversight will either be:
A. From India, Bangladesh, or Pakistan. He is the blue helmet
B. From South Korea, the Philippines or one other Asian country

He is not going to be European, North American, not even South American. Those guys dont come this way! He is not going to be an Arab from the Mediterranean, those guys wont give their folks in a country like Guinea! The lowest they have gone is RCD!

So what it the Guinean politician asking for? Who is he expecting? French? American? or maybe Central European?

Here! He does not know what he is asking for. He is only expressing his incapacity to trust what he has and build it up. This trait of character that I find in many places in Africa! 'Whatever comes from outside the country is certainly better than what I have here'. Like when Ivorian women beg for Nigerian lace and Nigerian women beg for Woodin! When Ghanaian women come to Abidjan to buy shoes that were brought in from Ghana! When people in West Africa use olive oil for prayer purposes because it is holy, and people in the Northern part swear that palm oil is the richest oil on planet earth!

Otherwise, why will someone from Pakistan, who speaks Urdu and a little English be a heaven-sent to head the CENI in Guinea, where people speak French, Sosso and Madinka?

Je suis vraiment désolée. It is a big pity!

The Lesson of Nigeria @ 50

This year's first of October was memorable for many Nigerians. Indeed, unlike many other African who have had their 50th anniversary, the one of Nigeria was one that 'insisted it must be remembered'

I first heard of the 'National Cake' that was going to be unveiled and was supposed to be the larges cake ever! Then I said to myself .. wow, this must be something big!

I did determine to enjoy the day. So I actually did what my parents have always done during Independence Days - Cook, dress up and eat! So I went shopping, did aesthetics and had a nice meal! I even took pictures.

I was happy to see Nigeria trend on Twitter. I did my best to catch up on the tweets. Some were saying how great a country is, and others were saying the exact opposite. But I could see that many of the tweets had a firm hope that the country was on its way to getting better and needs to do that as fast as possible.

Parallel to the news reporting of the celebrations happening at Eagles Square was also the release of school children who had been earlier kidnapped in Aba. It was going to really be a happy day..

Then the twin bomb blasts came! First we got an alert that there were "explosions" and over the minute, it came full force! A guy took a picture of one man who was wounded; He later died. Total number of deaths after the final count - 12

The one lesson I will not forget is how international media got interested in the Independence Day celebrations, not because of the celebrations themselves, but because 'the celebrations are marred by deadly car bombs'. Wow! I kept asking myself, if it were not for the bomb attacks, would they have paid much attention to Nigeria?

Ah! So the negative image of Nigeria is more news-worthy that the sum of its people's happiness? The dead have more attention than the living? The rebels get more mention than the President!

So here is to all Nigerians and to all Africans. If we do not make a positive image of ourselves, the negative ones will continue to sell. IF we do not give healthy information about the good things happening, nobody else will.

We dont need to give the negative news.. folks are already doing that. In fact, they are making their living out of the image of Africa they show out there: sickness, poverty, war, bloodshed, corruption, hopelessness etc..

What will we do?

Declaration of the Ivorian Committee for the Protection of Journalists - (ICPJ)

Declaration of the Ivorian Committee for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ)

SIT IN OF THE AD HOC GROUP - IVORIAN COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS

(FRIDAY JULY 23, 2010 IN FRONT OF THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE, PLATEAU, ABIDJAN)

DECLARATION

We, Journalists of Côte d'Ivoire, spontaenously united within the ad hoc group – Ivorian Committee for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ):

• Considering the Law N° 2004 – 643 of December 2004 of the Press Legal Code;

• Considering the Ivorian Ethical Code of the Journalist adopted on the 29^th of August 1992, outcome of the Yamoussoukro Seminar;

• Considering that the Law and the Press Ethical Code ordains press liberty in Côte d'Ivoire

• Considering that the article 68 of the Press Law states that “Prison terms are formally excluded for press misdemeanour”;

• Considering that the Ethical Code of the Journalist in Côte d'Ivoire states, in its Articles 1 and 2, that every journalist shall lay claim to the following rights:

1. The protection of information sources

2. Free access to all sources of information and the right to freely investigate on all issues that affect the life of the public

I – THE FACTS

In its publication of Monday, July 12, 2010, Le Nouveau Courrier daily publishes conclusions of the investigation carried out for two years by the National Prosecutor under the headline “The Black Book of the Coffee-Cocoa Industry, (Act I)”,

On the morrow, Tuesday, July 13, on the orders of the National Prosecutor, agents from the Criminal Police invest the offices of Le Nouveau Courrier ransack it and seize a laptop computer supposedly containing the complete document published and make three arrests; Stéphane Guédé Bahi, Théophile Kouamouo and Saint-Claver Oula, respectively Director of Publications, Editorial Director and Editor in Chief;

The three comrades are remanded for four days in custody of the Criminal Police (Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14, Thursday 15 and Friday 16 July). In the course of multiple hearings, investigators compel journalists to reveal the source of the document. The journalists, naturally, decline to do so, in the light of he Ethical Code which guarantees the protection of journalists' information sources.

On this refusal to reveal sources, the National Prosecutor orders the committal of the three journalists of Le Nouveau Courrier and their transfer to the prison - Maison d’arrêt et de correction d’Abidjan (MACA) on Friday, July 16, 2010 around 18:30 hours.

At the opening of the case in court on Monday, July 19, the National Prosecutor lays an accusation of “theft of administrative document”, thereby changing the terms of the accustion from press misdemeanour to a civil offense, in disregard of the legal dispositions currently in force. At the end of the prosecuting and defense addresses, the court postpones the verdict to Wednesday, July 21.

On July 21, when comrades, relatives and friends of the imprisoned journalists, gathered in large number at the Court premises in Plateau, await the decision, the verdict is further postponed, for no known reasons, to the next, Monday July 26. This justifies our sit in of today in Front of the High Court in Plateau.

II – OUR POSITION

We, Journalists of Côte d'Ivoire, spontaenously united within the ad hoc group – Ivorian Committee for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ):

1. Vehemently denounce these continuous postponments, whose only reason is to maintain our three comrades in detention in a prolonged and abusive manner.

2. Express our concern about the delay tactics of the National Prosecutor on the eve of court recess

3. Demand the immediate release of our three comrades without conditions

4. Shall not accept any condemnation, even suspended, of our three comrades, for this shall imply that the offense of “theft of administrative document” as charged by the National Prosecutor in court has been validated; which may give birth to a disturbing jurisprudence susceptible of endangering the freedom of press and the media profession in Côte d'Ivoire;

5. Vigourously protest against this blatant infringement of press freedom in Côte d'Ivoire, and express our indignaton at the propensity of the National Prosecutor to stiffle the press in this country;

6. Commit ourselves to all necessary actions to free our three comrades, protect the rights of journalists and safeguard press liberty, which was valliantly fought for and won in Côte d'Ivoire;

7. Call on all national and international journalists to remain mobilized for the battles to come.

In Abidjan, Friday, July 23, 2010

The Ad Hoc Committee

With copies to :

• The Presidency of the Republic

• The Presidency of the National Assembly

• The Prime Minister

• The President of the Social and Economic Council

• The Ministry of Communication

• The Ministry of Justice

• The Ministry of External Affaires

• The Ministry of Interior

• Media Professional Organisations

• National and International press organs

• Human rights Defense and Protection organisations

• Civil Society organisations

• Religious and traditional chieftaincy organisations

• Parties and political organisations

• Chanceries and Embassies.

Original text in French. Translation graciously provided by Nnenna Nwakanma.

Curriculum Vitae - Thanks to Major General Ishola Williams

CURRICULUM VITAE

NOM : Continent
PRENOM : Africain
AGE : Berceau de l’humanité.
SITUATION MATRIMONIALE : Célibataire avec plus d’un milliard d’enfants.
CONTACT : Au sud de l’Europe, à l’est de l’Amérique.
OBJECTIF : Mettre mes enfants et mes ressources à la disposition des autres pour contribuer à leur développement.
DOMAINES DE COMPETENCE : Coups d’Etat, guerres, génocides.

ETUDES ET FORMATIONS

Hautes études à l’ESOCE (Ecole Supérieure Occidentale de Commerce d’Esclaves).
Hautes études à l’AFRIQUE (L’Africaine de Formation pour la Réélection des Incompétents, Querelleurs, Usurpateurs et Egoïstes). DIPLÔMES OBTENUS
Le MRTS (Médaille de Reconnaissance du Tirailleur Sénégalais).
Le GPRTT (Génocide le Plus Rapide de Tous les Temps).
Le CPRMPP (Continent le Plus Riche Mais le Plus Pauvre).
Le CPTS (Continent le Plus Touché par le SIDA).
Le CPDPP (Continent ou les Présidents Durent le Plus au Pouvoir).
Le PMDDP (Premier en Matière de Détournement de Deniers Publics).
Le CPE (Continent le plus endetté).
Le CN (Continent ’’Noir’’)

EXPERIENCES

Participation aux deux guerres mondiales.

Mes coups d’Etats : •1952 : Égypte, Mohammed Naguib renverse Farouk Ier •1958 : Soudan, Ibrahim Abboud renverse Abdullah Khalil •1963 : Congo, David Moussaka et Félix Mouzabakani renversent Fulbert Youlou •1963 : Togo, Emmanuel Bodjollé renverse Sylvanus Olympio •1965 : Algérie, Houari Boumediene renverse Ahmed Ben Bella •1965 : Zaïre, Mobutu Sese Seko renverse Joseph Kasa-Vubu •1966 : Burkina Faso, Sangoulé Lamizana renverse Maurice Yaméogo •1966 : Burundi, Michel Micombero renverse Ntare V •1966 : Centrafrique, Jean Bédel Bokassa renverse David Dacko •1966 : Nigeria, Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi renverse Nnamdi Azikiwe •1966 : Ouganda, Milton Obote renverse Edward Mutesa •1968 : Mali, Moussa Traoré renverse Modibo Keïta •1969 : Libye, Mouammar Kadhafi renverse Idris Ier •1969 : Soudan, Gaafar Nimeiry renverse Ismail al-Azhari •1971 : Ouganda, Idi Amin Dada renverse Milton Obote •1973 : Rwanda, Juvénal Habyarimana renverse Grégoire Kayibanda •1974 : Éthiopie, Aman Andom renverse Hailé Sélassié Ier •1974 : Éthiopie, Mengistu Haile Mariam renverse Aman Andom •1974 : Niger, Seyni Kountché renverse Hamani Diori •1975 : République fédérale islamique des Comores, Saïd Mohamed Jaffar renverse Ahmed Abdallah •1975 : Nigeria, Yakubu Gowon renverse Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi •1975 : Tchad, Noël Milarew Odingar renverse François Tombalbaye •1976 : Burundi, Jean-Baptiste Bagaza renverse Michel Micombero •1976 : République fédérale islamique des Comores, Ali Soilih renverse Saïd Mohamed Jaffar •1977 : Congo, Joachim Yhombi-Opango renverse Marien Ngouabi •1977 : Éthiopie, Mengistu Haile Mariam renverse Tafari Benti •1978 : République fédérale islamique des Comores, Saïd Atthoumani renverse Ali Soilih •1978 : Mauritanie, Mustafa Ould Salek renverse Moktar Ould Daddah •1979 : Centrafrique, David Dacko renverse Bokassa Ier •1979 : Guinée équatoriale, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo renverse Francisco Macías Nguema •1979 : Tchad, Goukouni Oueddei renverse Félix Malloum •1979 : Ouganda, Yusufu Lule renverse Idi Amin Dada •1980 : Burkina Faso, Saye Zerbo renverse Sangoulé Lamizana •1980 : Guinée-Bissau, João Bernardo Vieira renverse Luis de Almeida Cabral •1980 : Au Libéria, Samuel Doe renverse William Richard Tolbert •1981 : Centrafrique, André Kolingba renverse David Dacko •1982 : Burkina Faso, Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo renverse Saye Zerbo •1982 : Tchad, Hissène Habré renverse Goukouni Oueddei •1983 : Burkina Faso, Thomas Sankara renverse Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo •1983 : Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari renverse Shehu Shagari •1984 : Guinée, Lansana Conté renverse Louis Lansana Beavogui •1984 : Mauritanie : Maaouiya Ould Taya renverse Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla •1985 : Ouganda, Basilio Olara Okello renverse Milton Obote •1985 : Soudan, Swar al-Dahab renverse Gaafar Nimeiry •1986 : Soudan, Ahmed al-Mirghani renverse Swar al-Dahab •1987 : Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré renverse Thomas Sankara •1987 : Burundi, Pierre Buyoya renverse Jean-Baptiste Bagaza •1987 : Tunisie, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali renverse Habib Bourguiba •1989 : Soudan, Omar el-Béchir renverse Ahmad al-Mirghani. •1990 : Libéria, Prince Johnson renverse Samuel Doe •1991 : Mali, Amadou Toumani Touré renverse Moussa Traoré •1992 : Algérie, le Haut conseil de sécurité renverse Chadli Bendjedid •1995 : République fédérale islamique des Comores, Ayouba Combo renverse Saïd Mohamed Djohar •1996 : Burundi, Pierre Buyoya renverse Sylvestre Ntibantunganya •1996 : Niger, Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara renverse Mahamane Ousmane •1997 : Zaïre/République démocratique du Congo, Laurent Désiré Kabila renverse Mobutu Sese Seko •1999 : Union des Comores, Azali Assoumani renverse Tadjidine Ben Saïd Massounde •1999 : Côte d’Ivoire, Robert Guéï renverse Henri Konan Bédié •1999 : Guinée-Bissau, Ansumane Mané renverse João Bernardo Vieira •1999 : Niger, Daouda Malam Wanké renverse Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara •2003 : Centrafrique, François Bozizé renverse Ange-Félix Patassé •2003 : Guinée-Bissau, Verissimo Correia Seabra renverse Kumba Yala •2005 : Mauritanie, Ely Ould Mohamed Vall renverse Maaouiya Ould Taya •2008 : Mauritanie, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz renverse Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi •2008 : Guinée, Moussa Dadis Camara s’accapare du pouvoir à la mort de Lansana Conté •2009 : Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina dénonce et renverse à une vitesse impressionnante le régime de Marc Ravalomanana 2010 : Niger, Salou DJIBO renverse Tandja Mamadou

AUTRES CONNAISSANCES: Analphabétisme, déscolarisation, chômage et appauvrissement.

LOISIRS : Troubles, faire beaucoup d’enfants et famine

President Overtaker

It was my mother who used to say 'Give your child a good name'. But that was in the case of my junior sister whose name is Nwanyieze, meaning 'the King's wife'. This is one girl who really has a lot of things going easy for her. Someone who never goes broke for a long time.. Whenever a problem rears its head, Nwanyieze will have a solution in less than no time. Most often, someone shows up, or rather, God sends someone to help her move over and move forward.

Unlike me, whose name is Nnenna 'Father's mother', the grandmother, problem solver, money lender, advisor.. I used to ask myself if I were not better off choosing a new name.. without hassles! But then it will be to late. So my decision for now will be to reserve the 'hassle free names' for the kids.

But all of that is not the issue.

The issue is the name, person and track record of the current Nigerian president. Goodluck Jonathan. The guy sure has a history that qualifies him as an Overtaker:

In Primary School, he was Assistant Headboy.
The headboy got expelled.
Goodluck took over.

In Secondary School, he was Assistant Senior Prefect
The Senior Prefect died.
Goodluck took over

In his local government, he was Deputy Chairman
The Chairman got implicated in corruption and was removed
Goodluck took over.


In his state, he was Deputy Governor to Alameiseigha
Alameiseigha had huge corruption scandals and was indicted
Goodluck took over

In his country Nigeria, he became Vice President to Umaru Yar'Adua.
Yar'Adua is sick with Pericarditis..


You cannot guess wrong!

Goodluck has just taken over!!!!