o máximo

Suspeitas de que general zimbabweano foi morto

2012-01-27T17:09:00.003Z

By Tichaona Sibanda
26 January 2012

The inquest into the death of retired General Solomon Mujuru ("Rex Nhongo") took a dramatic turn on Thursday when it was revealed that two firearms and a magazine of bullets were found next to his charred remains.

Police Chief Superintendent, Crispen Makedenge told the inquest in Harare that one of the weapons discovered was an AK 47 rifle. He did not disclose the details of the second weapon. Both guns were however badly burned from the fire that engulfed the house.

SW Radio Africa correspondent Simon Muchemwa said that on further inspection of the burned out house, Makedenge discovered 13 more weapons in a gun cabinet in the general’s bedroom. The inquest is being held before Harare Provincial Magistrate Walter Chikwanha.

Muchemwa said Makadenge’s brief testimony raised more questions than answers during his 10 minute appearance. The senior police officer will take to the witness stand on Friday to continue with his testimony before cross examination.

“We have information that either Makedenge or a ballistic weapons expert will testify that three spent bullet cartridges were also recovered near the general’s remains,” Muchemwa reported.

He added: “Questions are also being asked why those two guns were near the general and not in the gun cabinet. Was he protecting himself from some danger…is what people were asking after Makedenge’s testimony.”

Two witnesses have already told the inquest that they heard sound of gunfire moments before they were alerted to a fire that destroyed the former Zimbabwe National Army commander’s farmhouse.

Rosemary Short, a maid at the farmhouse and Clemence Runhare, a private guard at the property also told the inquest they heard gunshots before they rushed to the house to try and douse the fire.

Meanwhile, a ZESA employee testified on Thursday and ruled out an electrical fault as the cause of the fire.

Giving evidence during the inquest Douglas Chiredza Nyakungu, ZESA Consumer Services Officer for Beatrice area, said he noticed that there were two circuit breakers that had tripped on the Meter Circuit Board situated along the passage.

He however could not ascertain which breakers had tripped because the labels had been badly burnt.

“Circuit breakers distributing power to the geyser, water pump, tobacco barns and kitchen remained sound, ruling out fears that an electrical fault inside the house could have caused the fire,” Nyakungu said

He added that the circuit breakers could have tripped as a result of the socket outlets and lamp holders, which were badly burnt.

Autoridades líbias pouco credíveis

2012-01-27T16:58:00.002Z

The moral authority of Libya's new government was called into question by two international aid groups yesterday as confidence begins to falter that the National Transitional Council, backed by Western governments in last year's civil war, can deliver on its promises to deliver freedom and democracy.

Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) brought an abrupt halt to its operations in the Libyan town of Misrata after being asked by officials to treat torture victims, in some cases to allow members of the country's new leadership to abuse the prisoners again.

The move came as Amnesty International said it has collected evidence that Gaddafi supporters had been tortured to death in makeshift detention centres.

The claims by MSF in Libya's third largest town – a centre of resistance against the Gaddafi regime last year – come amid growing concern for the security situation and evidence of human rights violations. Earlier this week, fighters loyal to the former dictator raised the old Libyan green standard above the key oil town of Bani Walid after fighting that led to at least four deaths.

Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns that local authorities have routinely used torture against suspected opponents. In particular, they warned that sub-Saharan Africans, who were accused of being mercenaries during the nine-month conflict, are being targeted. MSF has been working in Misrata since last August and the group says it has been increasingly confronted with patients who have injuries caused by torture during interrogation sessions outside official detention centres and jails.

MSF has treated 115 people with torture-related wounds and reported all the cases to authorities in Misrata. Since January, several of the patients who were returned to interrogation centres have been tortured again, MSF said in a statement. "Some officials have sought to exploit and obstruct MSF's medical work," said the charity's general director, Christopher Stokes. "Patients were brought to us for medical care between interrogation sessions, so that they would be fit for further interrogation. This is unacceptable.

"Our role is to provide medical care to war casualties and sick detainees, not to repeatedly treat the same patients between torture sessions."

Other humanitarian groups have raised fears. Amnesty International revealed that several prisoners accused of being Gaddafi loyalists died as a result of torture while being held in makeshift detention centres. Delegates from the group had found visible evidence of torture on detainees during visits to prisons.

The Independent

O descalabro da Economia espanhola

2012-01-27T13:31:00.000Z

Más allá de las previsiones económicas, la mejor prueba de que ha empezado otra grave recesión la acaba de dar la Encuesta de Población Activa (EPA) del cuarto trimestre de 2011. Tras cuatro años de crisis, sin atisbo de recuperación, el mercado laboral español ha encajado uno de los golpes más duros. Solo en el epicentro de la Gran Recesión, en el paso de 2008 a 2009, el impacto fue mayor. Según la EPA, entre octubre y diciembre de 2011 se perdieron 348.000 puestos de trabajo y aumentó el paro en 295.300 personas respecto al tercer trimestre. El balance provisional de la crisis es demoledor: el desempleo alcanza ya a 5,3 millones de personas. Desde finales de 2007 se han destruido 2,7 millones de empleos, el 55% en el sector de la construcción.
"Sin acceso a la financiación, las empresas tienen serias dificultades para contratar"
"Es esencial que los poderes públicos reconsideren las políticas de ajuste"
"La recuperación del empleo no llegará hasta que se produzca la recuperación económica"
Resistencia total a la crisis
"Ahora si quiero una cerveza me la tomo en casa"
"Hay que agarrarse a un clavo ardiendo"
"La incertidumbre te lleva a pensar todo el rato en qué haré"
"Habrá que ir a robar por ahí"
Francisco González: "La posibilidad de un impago de España es cero"
La tasa de desempleo entre los jóvenes roza el 50%
"Estamos dispuestos a todo, menos a perder el trabajo"

- EL PAÍS

•Es la primera vez que se superan los cinco millones de parados en el mercado laboral español. En los últimos días, el presidente del Gobierno, Mariano Rajoy, y ayer mismo, el ministro de Hacienda, Cristóbal Montoro, habían aventurado que se llegaría a 5,4 millones de parados al cierre de 2011. La cifra suministrada por el INE es menor (5.273.600 parados), pero, en parte, por razones muy poco tranquilizadoras. La pésima situación laboral llevó a 53.400 personas a dejar de buscar trabajo en el cuarto trimestre.
--- O problema é particularmente grave na Andaluzia e nas Canárias.

Guiné-Bissau: a droga é quem mais ordena

2012-01-27T13:10:00.000Z

En Guinée-Bissau, le putsch manqué du 26 décembre et la mort du président Malam Bacai Sanha, le 9 janvier, ouvrent un boulevard au Premier ministre, Carlos Gomes Junior, et à son allié, le chef d'état-major Antonio Indjai.

Il est fréquent qu'un putsch ait lieu dans les heures qui suivent la mort du chef de l'État. L'inverse est plus rare. C'est ce qui est arrivé en Guinée-Bissau. Hospitalisé en France depuis plusieurs semaines, le président Malam Bacai Sanhá, pilier du puissant Parti africain pour l'indépendance de la Guinée et du Cap-Vert (PAIGC), s'est éteint à l'âge de 64 ans à Paris, le 9 janvier, quinze jours après une tentative de coup d'État sur laquelle ses services étaient restés étonnamment discrets.

Les deux événements sont-ils liés ? Vincent Foucher, analyste chargé de la Guinée-Bissau au sein de l'ONG International Crisis Group (ICG), ne le pense pas. « Sanhá était hors jeu depuis plusieurs semaines », note-t-il. Sa maladie l'avait affaibli et ses absences répétées avaient ouvert un boulevard à son Premier ministre, Carlos Gomes Junior, avec qui ses rapports étaient houleux. « Sanhá s'est toujours présenté comme l'homme du dialogue, expliquait un observateur avant même que le décès du président ne soit connu, alors que Gomes a une ligne plus radicale. Le putsch manqué du 26 décembre a renforcé ce dernier. »

Aujourd'hui, Gomes et le chef d'état-major, le général António Indjai, ont fait le vide autour d'eux. Trois semaines après l'attaque avortée du siège de l'état-major de l'armée bissau-guinéenne par un groupe de soldats, le contre-amiral José Américo Bubo Na Tchuto, le très influent chef de la marine accusé d'en être le cerveau (et principal rival d'Indjai), est toujours détenu à Mansoa. À l'écart de la capitale, située 60 km plus au sud. À l'écart aussi des 25 autres militaires arrêtés à la suite de ce coup de force et qui sont incarcérés, eux, à Bissau. Soumis au silence, Na Tchuto ne peut répéter ce qu'il avait eu le temps de glisser à la presse peu avant son arrestation - à savoir qu'il n'avait rien à voir avec tout cela.

Narco-État

Le Premier ministre a profité de la chasse aux mutins pour écarter ses rivaux au sein du parti majoritaire. Accusés d'avoir participé à la tentative de putsch, deux députés connus pour leur opposition à Gomes se sont, selon les autorités, « enfuis dans la nature ». Les informations autour de cette attaque étant rares, et les luttes d'influence au sein de l'armée particulièrement mouvantes, les observateurs se perdent en conjectures.

S'agissait-il d'une tentative de coup d'État visant à assassiner le chef d'état-major et le Premier ministre, ainsi que l'a affirmé le gouvernement ? Ou assiste-t-on, dans ce pays qualifié par les États-Unis de « premier narco-État » d'Afrique, à un règlement de comptes sur fond de trafic de cocaïne ? « Difficile à dire, admet Vincent Foucher. La seule certitude que nous avons, c'est que l'axe constitué par le chef d'état-major et le Premier ministre l'a emporté. » Selon l'analyste, « nous avons assisté à un 1er avril à l'envers ». Le 1er avril 2010, Indjai, alors chef d'état-major adjoint, avait fait mettre aux arrêts le chef d'état-major de l'époque, le général José Zamora Induta, ainsi que le Premier ministre, qui était déjà Carlos Gomes Junior. « Cette fois, au lieu de se faire bousculer, les autorités politiques et militaires ont triomphé. »

Qui après Sanha ?

Après avoir fait le ménage au sein du Parti africain pour l'indépendance de la Guinée et du Cap-Vert (PAIGC), majoritaire dans le pays, Carlos Gomes Junior visera-t-il la succession de Sanhá, élu en 2009 ? « C'est possible, estime un observateur. Compte tenu de la Constitution, plus parlementaire que présidentielle, il pourrait considérer comme plus sûr de conserver son poste de Premier ministre. » Il pourrait alors pousser la candidature d'un homme à lui, comme le président de l'Assemblée nationale, Raimundo Pereira. Depuis la mort de Sanhá, c'est lui qui, conformément à la Constitution, et malgré l'avis de l'opposition, qui ne lui fait pas confiance, assure l'intérim jusqu'à la présidentielle. Une tâche qu'il avait déjà accomplie en 2009, après l'assassinat de João Bernardo Vieira. R.C.

Plusieurs hypothèses ont été avancées pour expliquer cette prise d'armes, parmi lesquelles l'opposition présumée des mutins à la réforme de l'armée. Initiée par la communauté internationale, mise en oeuvre par le gouvernement et soutenue par l'Angola, très influent à Bissau (c'est la seule force militaire étrangère ayant un pied dans le pays), celle-ci doit aboutir à une véritable purge, les effectifs devant passer de 12 000 hommes à environ 3 000. Objectif : réduire le poids d'une institution qui, depuis l'indépendance, en 1974, reste le véritable socle du pouvoir politique et le pilier du trafic de cocaïne.

Mais, dans l'armée, cette perspective ne fait pas l'unanimité. Na Tchuto, un officier apprécié dans les rangs et qui fut accusé une première fois de tentative de coup d'État en 2008 avant d'être blanchi et réintégré, est présenté comme un farouche opposant à la réforme. Gomes et Indjai ont au contraire la réputation d'y être favorables - tout comme l'y était le président Sanhá.

Liste noire

Ces derniers temps, des lois sur la réforme de l'armée ont été adoptées. Le gouvernement a versé une première contribution de 500 000 dollars au fonds devant financer la démobilisation. Dans son dernier rapport, qui date du mois d'octobre 2011, le représentant des Nations unies à Bissau parlait de « signes encourageants ». Na Tchuto a-t-il voulu freiner le processus ? « Malgré ces quelques avancées, il n'y a encore rien de concret », relativise un observateur de la vie politique bissau-guinéenne, qui ne croit pas à cette hypothèse.

La pomme de discorde entre Na Tchuto et Indjai ne serait pas la réforme mais le trafic de drogue.

À Bissau, un autre scénario est avancé : la pomme de discorde entre Na Tchuto et Indjai ne serait pas la réforme mais le trafic de drogue. Depuis plusieurs années, Na Tchuto est soupçonné d'être l'une des chevilles ouvrières du trafic de cocaïne. En avril 2010, les États-Unis l'ont placé sur la liste noire des trafiquants. Mais, ces derniers temps, les rumeurs sur une possible implication d'Indjai dans ce trafic se font de plus en plus insistantes. Les deux hommes étaient-ils en concurrence ? Quelques jours après le coup de force, le Parti de la rénovation sociale (PRS), principale formation de l'opposition, affirmait que « la vraie cause des événements du 26 décembre réside dans l'atterrissage d'un avion plein de cocaïne aux abords de Mansoa avec la complicité du gouvernement ».

Quoi qu'il en soit, pour beaucoup d'analystes, le raffermissement de l'alliance entre le chef d'état-major et le Premier ministre n'est pas un mauvais signe, au moment où le pays entre dans une nouvelle période de turbulences électorales. « Longtemps, les Bissau-Guinéens ont comparé leur pays au chaos somalien, explique Vincent Foucher. Aujourd'hui, on se dirige vers un régime ferme, à l'image de la Guinée équatoriale. » Est-ce un progrès ? Certains le pensent.
Jeuneafrique.com

Aumenta a pressão sobre Al-Assad

2012-01-26T18:40:00.002Z

The Arab League chief has reportedly said that a peace plan that aims to end Syria's political crisis will be submitted to the United Nations Security Council early next week.

Nabil Elaraby, the secretary-general of the Arab League, told reporters in Cairo on Thursday that the meeting with UN officials will be held on Monday in New York.

The plan calls for President Bashar al-Assad to hand power to his deputy and clear the way for a unity government within two months.

Elaraby and Sheikh Hamad bin Jasem Al Thani, Qatar's prime minister who heads the league's Syria committee, would depart for New York on Saturday.

Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, said endorsement from the UN would "embolden" activists inside Syria.

"[The Arab League] is hoping that there will be a vote later in the week."

She also said that Russia, a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, wants dialogue, a peaceful resolution to Syria's crisis and is opposed to any military intervention, such as that which occurred in Libya.

Assad and his government have fiercely rejected the Arab League proposal, accusing the league of being part of a "conspiracy" against Syria.

The Arab League has been pushing for a UN Security Council resolution to end the Syrian government's violent crackdown on protesters, which has killed thousands of people since demonstrations calling for reform began in March.

Al Thani told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that elevating the Syria issue to the UN was "the only option".

Elaraby's latest announcement on Syria came after Gulf Arab observers, deployed to Syria as part of a previous Arab League initiative, began to pull out of Syria on Wednesday after their governments said they were "certain the bloodshed and killing of innocents would continue".

"The departure of the GCC [Gulf Co-operation Council] countries will not have an impact on the mission's work. We are all professionals here and we can do the job," said Al Thani.

GCC withdrawal

The remaining observers in Damascus pledged to pursue the much-criticised observer mission, now extended until February.

"The departure of the GCC countries will not have an impact on the mission's work," a senior Arab monitor said.

"We are all professionals here and we can do the job. We were around 170 or so and now with them leaving we are around 120. We need more monitors of course and more will come soon to replace those who left."

Observers from Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have left the Syrian capital and those from other Gulf states were expected to leave soon.

The Syrian opposition has criticised the observer mission, saying it is giving diplomatic cover to the Damascus leadership to continue its crackdown on dissent.

More than 800 people have been killed in the country since the observers arrived, according to activist groups.

Russia resistance

On Wednesday, Russia said it would continue to resist sanctions against Syria, but that it is "open to constructive proposals", as the Arab League continues to seek UN support for a plan to end the crackdown by Assad's government.

"We are open to constructive proposals that go in line with the set task of ending violence," Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said, following talks with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu, in Moscow.

He said Russia is open to changes to the resolution it has proposed to the Security Council that blames both the Syrian government and the opposition for the use of force.

But he insisted that Moscow would not back UN action granting the global body's approval of economic sanctions already adopted against its traditional ally by the European Union and the US.

Any resolution backed by Russia "must firmly record that it cannot be used or interpreted to justify anyone's outside military intervention in the Syria crisis," he added.
Al Jazeera, a televisão do Qatar

Reina a anarquia em solo líbio

2012-01-26T12:01:00.002Z

Libyan militias are holding thousands of people in secret detention centres, while the interim government struggles to assert authority, the UN has heard.

The Security Council was told recent violence in Tripoli, Bani Walid and Benghazi highlighted the problem.

More than 8,000 pro-Gaddafi supporters are being held by militia groups, amid reports of torture, UN officials said.

The charity Medecins Sans Frontieres says it has suspended some operations because its work was being "exploited".

The humanitarian medical organisation said it had stopped work in detention centres in the north-western city of Misrata because some patients were being brought in for care between interrogation sessions.

At least four people died in clashes in Bani Walid, a former Gaddafi stronghold, on Monday.

The UN's Libya envoy, Ian Martin, told the Security Council in New York on Wednesday that those clashes between armed residents of Bani Walid and revolutionaries had been misreported as pro-Gaddafi forces retaking the city.

Continue reading the main story
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The lack of oversight by the central authority creates an environment conducive to torture ”
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Navi Pillay

UN human rights chief

Nevertheless, he said, it highlighted the challenge of reconciling the former leader's supporters and the rebels that had defeated them.

Militias were responsible for fatal clashes in Tripoli and fighting in other towns this month, he said.

"The former regime may have been toppled, but the harsh reality is that the Libyan people continue to have to live with its deep-rooted legacy," said Mr Martin.

He described that legacy as "weak, at times absent, state institutions, coupled with the long absence of political parties and civil society organisations, which render the country's transition more difficult".

Mr Martin said some steps had been taken towards demobilising ex-combatants.
BBC

Xanana não quererá mais coligações

2012-01-26T11:24:00.000Z

Díli – O Presidente da República, José Ramos-Horta, disse que o Primeiro-ministro, Xanana Gusmão, não quer uma aliança para formar Governo, depois das Eleições Parlamentares de 2012.

De acordo com José Ramos-Horta, Xanana Gusmão terá dito que uma aliança poderá criar vários problemas no Governo.

«O Primeiro-ministro disse que não quer uma coligação», referiu o Presidente da República, acrescentando que Xanana Gusmão afirmou que houve muitos progressos desde que a aliança foi formada, em 2007, mas também surgiram muitos problemas.

Se um partido quiser governar sozinho terá que ganhar a maioria absoluta nas eleições, disse José Ramos-Horta.

Samuel Mendonça, deputado e secretário-geral do Partido Democrático (PD) disse que o seu partido gostaria de formar uma coligação depois das Eleições mas sujeita a critérios que os outros partidos deverão reunir.

O PD não quer que antigos membros que tenham deixado outros partidos tenham assento no Parlamento, referiu o responsável do PD.

O secretário-geral do CNRT, Duarte Nunes, disse que as declarações de Samuel Mendonça também afectam o seu partido, uma vez que, muitos antigos membros do PD pertencem agora ao CNRT.

Duarte Nunes disse ainda que o seu partido nunca iria «curvar-se» perante outras formações políticas.

O responsável é de opinião que, se ouros partidos pretenderem formar Governo com o CNRT, terão que aceitar o Plano Estratégico de Desenvolvimento Nacional como prioridade para o país.

«O CNRT não se vai sujeitar a critérios de outros partidos. Nós temos os nossos», disse Duarte Nunes.

(c) PNN Portuguese News Network

Timor-Leste: 25 partidos em cena

2012-01-26T10:56:00.000Z

25 political parties have registered themselves with the National Election Commission (CNE) to participate in this year's legislative elections, in Timor-Leste:

1. Assosiação Social Demokrata Timorense -ASDT; Presidente;Presidente Francisco Xavier Do Amaral
2. Frente Revulusionária do Timor-Leste Independente - FRETILIN ;Presidente; Francisco Guterres”Lu-olo”
3. Congreso Nasional de Reconstrução de Timor-Leste - CNRT; Presidente; Kay Rala Xanana Gusmáo.
4. Klibur Oan Timor As’wain- KOTA; Presidente; Manuel Tilman.
5. Partidu Democrático – PD ;Presidente; Fernando De Araujo”Lasama”
6. Partidu Social Democratica – PSD; Presidente; Zacarias Albano Da Costa
7. Partidu do Povu de Timor – PPT; Presidente ; Jacob Xavier
8. Partidu Unidade Nasional – PUN; Presidente; Fernanda M. Borges
9. Partidu Democrática Repu’blika de Timor – PDRT; Presidente; Gabriel Fernandes
10. Unidade Nasional Demokra’tika da Resiste’nsia Timorense -UNDERTIM; Presidente;Cornelio Gama L-7
11. Partidu Democratica Cristão – PDC; Presidente; Antonio Ximenes
12. Partidu Socialista Timorense – PST; Presidente; Avelino M. Coelho
13. Partidu Nasional Timorense -PNT; Presidente; Abilio De Araoujo
14. Partidu Republikanu PR; Presidente; Joao Saldanha
15. Partidu Milineum Demokraticu – PMD ; Presidente ;Hermengildo Cupa
16. União Democraticu Timorense -UDT; Presidente; Gilman Exposto
17. Partidu Desenvolvimento Nasional – PDN; Presidente ; Fernando Gusmao
18. Partidu Liberta Povu Aileba - PLPA: Presidente ;Francisco Gomes
19. Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan - KHUNTO; Presidente; Armanda Berta Dos Santos
20. Partidu Trabahlista Timorense -PPT; Presidente Angela Freitas
21. Frente de Reconstrução Nasional de Timor-Leste - FRENTI MUDANCA; Presidente; Vitor da Costa
22. Partidu Democrática Liberal - PDL; Presidente; Marito de Araujo
23. Partidu Democráticu Timorense - PDT; Presidente; Alianca da Conceicao Araujo
24. Associação Popular Monarquia Timorense - APMT; Presidente; Eng. Pedro da Costa Ramalho
25. Bloku Proklamador - B- PRO PDRT PMD, Sekretariu Geral: Arlindo Marcal

A tomada do poder por Carlos Gomes Júnior

2012-01-24T15:30:00.000Z

O presidente do PAIGC e primeiro-ministro da Guiné-Bissau, Carlos Gomes Jr., prepara-se para, dentro de uma semana, anunciar que será candidato à eleição presidencial antecipada do próximo dia 18 de março, contando para tal com a ajuda de todos os administradores de sector: contam enviar milhares de pessoas a Bissau.
Aliás, os testas-de-ferro de Cadogo deram já início a movimentações junto destes no sentido de cada um enviar cerca de trezentos manifestantes, para virem a Bissau 'pedir' a Cadogo que se candidate ao cargo de Presidente da República.
De resto, Ditadura do Consenso sabe que até já se pediram orçamentos para essa deslocação de milhares de apoiantes - pagos à cabeça. Este trunfo de Carlos Gomes Jr., pode, no entender de uma fonte do blog DC, "incendiar os ânimos no PAIGC, que tem já quatro putativos candidatos a candidato à eleição presidencial". AAS
Publicada por António Aly Silva jornalista guineense

Síria e Irão resistem a pressões

2012-01-23T17:36:00.000Z

Syria has rejected an Arab League call for President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to his deputy.

The league, meeting in Cairo, urged Syria to form a national unity government with the opposition within two months.

A government official called the plan "flagrant interference" in Syria's internal affairs, state TV said.

The UN says more than 5,000 people have died as a result of the crackdown on protests since they began last March.

The league called on both sides to end the bloodshed.

The government in Damascus says it is fighting "terrorists and armed gangs" and claims that some 2,000 members of the security forces have been killed.

Arab League split

"Syria rejects the decisions taken which are outside an Arab working plan, and considers them an attack on its national sovereignty and a flagrant interference in internal affairs," the unnamed Syrian official said.

I've spoken to protesters over the past few days who actually said they thought the monitors from the Arab League weren't all bad. They felt that the volume of violence from the government side reduced when the monitors were around.

The word used to me by one man was "deterrent" - they were a deterrent, because it meant that there were witnesses to what the government side was doing. In fact, you could see when journalists were there, people would come out and demonstrate.

But clearly what the presence of the monitors does not do is sort out the conflict here, which is getting pretty fundamental: a regime that won't go, against opponents that won't give up. And neither side can beat the other at present.

To expect the observers to sort that out themselves is really asking a bit too much. What is absent is a meaningful diplomatic or political process, enabling some kind of settlement to be made, and if that's not possible, then the rest of the outside world is bereft of ideas of what to do.

The official said the Arab League proposals were not in the interests of the Syrian people and would not prevent the country from "advancing its political reforms and bringing security and stability to its people".

Saudi Arabia said it was pulling out of the league's 165-strong monitoring mission in Syria because Damascus had broken promises on peace initiatives.

While the Arab League ministers said they were extending the controversial mission for another month, analysts say the Saudi decision has thrown its longer-term future into doubt.

Saudi Arabia is one of the key funders of the league's projects, but the monitors have been criticised for failing to stop the violence.

Speaking in Cairo on Monday, the head of the monitors, Sudanese General Mohammed al-Dabi, defended the mission.
BBC

Uma Líbia em permanente agitação

2012-01-23T16:43:00.000Z

Des partisans lourdement armés du dirigeant libyen défunt Mouammar Kadhafi ont pris, lundi 23 janvier, le contrôle de "toute la ville" de Bani Walid, au sud-ouest de Tripoli, qui avait été l'un des derniers bastions de l'ancien régime à tomber, a indiqué un responsable local. "Les partisans de Kadhafi contrôlent toute la ville de Bani Walid", a affirmé par téléphone M'Barek Al-Fotmani, qui se trouvait dans une base d'anciens rebelles encerclée par les pro-Kadhafi.
Ces derniers avaient lancé quelques heures plus tôt l'assaut contre une base militaire, tuant cinq anciens rebelles et en blessant une trentaine d'autres, selon M. Al-Fotmani. Le porte-parole du conseil local de la ville, Mahmoud El-Werfelli a dit craindre "un massacre".
Le Monde

Transição líbia é um processo sinuoso

2012-01-22T18:12:00.000Z

Le vice-président du Conseil national de transition (CNT), Abdelhafidh Ghoga, a annoncé dimanche sur la chaîne qatarie Al-Jazira qu'il démissionnait, après des appels à son départ. "J'ai choisi de démissionner dans l'intérêt de la nation", a déclaré M. Ghoga à la chaîne par téléphone.

Au moins 4 000 étudiants libyens avaient manifesté dimanche 22 janvier à Benghazi, pour protester contre l'arrestation de onze de leurs camarades après l'agression du vice-président du Conseil national de transition (CNT) dans leur université. Abdelhafidh Ghoga avait été pris à parti et agressé jeudi à l'Université de Ghar Younès, à Benghazi, où il était allé assister à une cérémonie en l'honneur des martyrs de la révolution qui a renversé Mouammar Kadhafi. "Nous ne voulons pas de Ghoga! Le sang des martyrs n'aura pas été versé en vain!", scandaient les étudiants.

M. Ghoga était régulièrement accusé par des manifestants, qui réclamaient sa démission, d'être un "opportuniste" et d'avoir fait partie du régime de Kadhafi. Le CNT avait vivement condamné l'agression de son vice-président en la mettant sur le compte d'un "plan odieux" visant à déstabiliser les autorités. Les nouveaux dirigeants libyens sont sous pression depuis plusieurs semaines, des sit-in leur réclamant avec insistance plus de transparence et l'exclusion de tous les responsables de l'ancien régime.

Samedi, jusqu'à 1 500 personnes, dont d'anciens combattants rebelles blessés pendant la révolution, ont manifesté devant le siège du CNT à Benghazi, le berceau du soulèvement contre Mouammar Kadhafi. Plusieurs grenades artisanales avaient été lancées sur le bâtiment avant que les protestataires ne l'envahissent et le saccagent.
Le Monde

A voz de Tamazgha, o Norte de África

2012-01-21T11:07:00.000Z

The territories of Tamazgha (North of Africa) lived the year 2961-2011 rich in events among which some profoundly upset this
region. The Amazigh reached the status of official language in Morocco and the Tunisia and Libyan people got rid of their
dictatorships. We can only be delighted at it, even if the Islamists arrival to power - who dreams to guide by the Islamic Sharia -
arouses many anxieties for the democracy and the fundamental liberties.
The situation in the Tuareg country (in particular at the North of Niger and North of Mali) stays the most troublesome because
the populations are exposed on one side to the desertification and of the other to the effects of the war engaged on their
territories by the armed Islamist groups and the States of the region (Algeria, Mali, Niger supported by diverse western powers)
for the control of the space and the natural resources.

Morocco had numerous popular revolts in 2011, in the biggest cities (movement of February 20th) and particularly in the
marginalized region of the southeast (Tinghir, Alnif, Imider, Touroug…) in which the authorities answered with violent
repression and arrests. While, in spite of the numerous calls in favour of their liberation, the Amazighs political prisoners
Mustafa Oussaya and Hamid Ouattouch are arbitrarily maintained in prison. So goes Morocco, with its distort democracy and
old repressive methods.

Locking one by one the spaces of freedom and threatening any organization or citizen who demands the institution of a State
subject to the rule of law, the Algerian regime seems as the one who embodies best the dictatorship, with a particularly archaic
and rough character. The defenders of the rights of Amazighs and the members of the Movement for the autonomy of Kabylia
undergo a permanent police and judicial harassment.
In this hostile and oppressive context, Amazighs in the various countries bravely opted to fight in favour of the start of real
representative governments respectful with the values of freedom, democracy and human progress.
For this new year, according to the Charter of the United Nations which states that peoples have the right to self-determination,
the Amazigh World Congress (AWC) supports the Canarian people’s right for its independence and recommends for the other
Amazighs, the institution of federal States with a wide autonomy to regions and to its peoples. It is the only way, which will
allow Amazighs to reach the economic and social development, to protect and to promote their institutions, their culture and
their language.

Joining the amazigh movement of all the countries of Tamazgha, the Amazigh World Congress repeats its demand to establish
Yennayer, amazigh’s New Year's Day, as a paid holiday. The AWC deeply recommends to companies and local authorities to
apply it without waiting for governmental decision. Each has the duty to contribute to the reapropiation of the cultural amazigh
heritage by making of the Yennayer a holiday.

The exchanges between the peoples of the North of Africa and the development of this region are widely opposed by the lock
up of the Algerian-Moroccan border and the visa requirements by some States. The AWC, reminds that the North African
State’s borders are the consequences of the colonialism, and demands the opening of the border between Algeria and
Morocco as the visas abolition. The freedom of movement for the citizens of this region must not be subjected to limitation.
Imazighen, the Free Men, are one of last oppressed peoples in the world. But their fate deserves to live free as all the peoples
do. For that purpose, there is no other choice than pursue the action persistently to put off the injustices and obtain the legal
recognition and the effective respect for our rights and liberties.
Much more than in the past, the amazigh Diaspora must be strictly allied and implied in this fight for the development and the
democratization of the Tamazgha’s countries. Besides, the international dialogue has to remain on no account the monopoly of
States. It’s vital for the peoples of the South as those of the North where their civil society takes their entire place in the northsouth relations.

To carry these strong ambitions, the World Amazigh Congress wishes all a lot of conviction and energy to make of this
Yennayer, 2962-2012, a decisive stage the road of our rights, our liberties and our dignity.
Aseggas ameggaz, ifulkin, yeh’lan, ighudan, icnan, yulaghen, bonne année, buen año nuevo, happy new year…
Paris, 1 Yennayer 2962/12 january 2012
The Board and the Federal Council of AWC.

Congrès Mondial Amazigh – Organisation Internationale Non Gouvernementale
JO Rép. Fr. du 18/10/96 – Siret 402 775 720 00012

Síria: muitos milhares de detidos

2012-01-20T11:42:00.000Z

Syrian opposition activists have called for nationwide protests in support of the thousands of people detained by the government in the 10-month uprising.

The UN said last month that more than 14,000 people were in detention, but human rights activists believe as many as 40,000 people are being held.

The protests are expected a day after an Arab League observer mission in Syria completed its month-long mission.

Earlier, state media confirmed an army brigadier had been killed in Hama.

The Sana news agency reported that Brig Adel al-Mustafa and two other members of the security forces died when a "terrorist group" opened fire on a police patrol in the city's al-Jarajma district on Thursday.

An activist group, the Local Co-ordination Committees, had earlier said that Mustafa was a brigadier in the powerful Military Intelligence security agency, and that he was killed by soldiers who had defected and refused his orders to shoot at civilians in the Bab Qibli area of Hama.

The LCC also said 26 people had been killed by security forces across the country on Thursday.

Five army roadblocks check traffic coming into Deraa on the main road from Damascus. Inside the town there are more roadblocks, sand-bagged military positions and plenty of men, in and out of uniform, carrying guns for the regime of President Bashar al Assad.

"Come and talk to us. We're under occupation here," shouted some young men near the Omari mosque, where the first protests of the Syrian uprising started in March last year. They said 18 people in their street had been killed by the regime's forces.

The Governor of Deraa, Mohammed Khaled Hannous, denied that Deraa was a town under occupation. Like President Assad, he blamed a foreign conspiracy, orchestrated by the US, UK, Israel and France.

I asked one man what he thought about the president.

"I won't comment," he said, eyeing the regime security men who had accompanied journalists into Deraa, "because I'd have to tell a lie."

Amnesty

A banner posted on the Facebook page, Syrian Revolution 2011, urged Syrians to take to the streets on Friday to "rally in support of the revolution's prisoner".

In December, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said tens of thousands of people had been arrested and more than 14,000 were reported to be in detention as a result of the crackdown.

But the campaign group Avaaz recently said more than 37,000 were being held, and that a total of 69,000 had been detained since March.

The Syrian government has said it has freed hundreds of detainees in the last month, and on Sunday it announced the latest of several amnesties for "crimes" committed during the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Taur Matan Ruak candidato a Presidente

2012-01-20T10:52:00.000Z

Sapo TL

O antigo Comandante das F-FDTL acredita que irá vencer as Eleições Presidenciais, que terão lugar em Timor-Leste a 17 de Março.
«Um General que vai para a guerra nunca perde. Se eu fosse para perder, talvez tivesse resignado como Coronel da F-FDTL», declarou.

Taur Matan Ruak disse que pretende concorrer à Presidência uma vez que é tempo de uma nova geração subir ao poder e se serviu o Exército durante 36 anos, chegou agora a altura de entrar no cenário político, de forma a contribuir e melhorar a vida dos cidadãos.

CNRT irá apoiar Taur Matan Ruak?

De acordo com a agência PNN, o Partido CNRT está a dar sinais de apoio à candidatura de Taur Matan Ruak, ex-General das F-FDTL, nas Eleições Presidenciais de 2012.

Num encontro entre Taur Matan Ruak e a sua equipa de campanha eleitoral na passada quarta-feira, 18 de Janeiro, em Díli, alguns membros de altos quadros do CRNT como o vice-Presidente Biloi Mali, o secretário de Estado de Segurança, Francisco Xavier do Amaral e o secretário de Estado dos Desastres Naturais, Jacinto Rigoberto, também marcaram presença.

«Este encontro fez-me pensar novamente nas palavras de Xanana Gusmão que, no passado, nos devolveu o ar para respirarmos. Embora tenhamos perdido muitas pessoas, a luta foi vitoriosa», referiu Taur Matan Ruak.

SAPO TL PNN Portuguese News Network

A missão humanitária de Miguel Relvas

2012-01-18T18:02:00.000Z

"As empresas portuguesas que operam em Angola devem apoiar os mais carenciados, em especial a juventude, afirmou, ontem, o ministro-adjunto e dos Assuntos Parlamentares de Portugal, minutos após visitar as obras das futuras instalações da Assembleia Nacional.
"Miguel Relvas considerou imponente a obra e ficou satisfeito por estar a ser construída por uma empresa portuguesa. “Os empresários portugueses não estão em Angola só para ganhar dinheiro, têm também de ser capazes de prestigiar a história comum”, disse.
"As empresas portuguesas, salientou, além de virem para Angola fazer negócios têm a obrigação de apoiar os mais carenciados, em especial os jovens.
"Os empresários portugueses, referiu, estão em melhores condições de concretizar programas no sector social do que os de outros países." Isto escreveu o Jornal de Angola, ao relatar a forma como o ministro Miguel Relvas entende a missão humanitária do empresariado lusitano.
Um dos que decerto assim pensa é Paulo Azevedo, que em Angola já assentou arraiais, de forma a, em parceria com Isabel dos Santos, procurar ser útil às pessoas mais carenciadas desse enorme país africano. Muito em especial os jovens.
A RTP transmitiu de Luanda um programa especial, de modo a assinalar a grande cruzada humanitária de Miguel Relvas a favor da juventude angolana.

Síria, 10 meses depois: a violência continua

2012-01-17T15:02:00.002Z

La Syrie rejette le déploiement de troupes arabes proposé par le Qatar, afin de faire cesser la violence dans le pays, et affirme que le peuple syrien "y fera face", a indiqué mardi le ministère des affaires étrangères syrien dans un communiqué. "La Syrie rejette les déclarations de responsables du Qatar sur l'envoi de troupes arabes qui amplifient la crise, font avorter l'action arabe et ouvrent la voie à une intervention étrangère", a indiqué le communiqué publié par l'agence officielle Sana.
"Le peuple syrien refuse toute intervention étrangère sous n'importe quelle appellation. Il fera face à toute tentative qui porte atteinte à la souveraineté de la Syrie et à l'intégrité de son territoire", selon le communiqué. "Il serait regrettable que du sang arabe coule sur le territoire syrien pour servir des (intérêts) connus", ajoute le ministère sans autre précision. Le Monde

Presidenciais iemenitas em 21 de Fevereiro?

2012-01-17T14:14:00.003Z

Yemen's foreign minister has warned that the presidential election due next month may have to be postponed.

Abu Bakr al-Qirbi told al-Arabiya TV that if several security problems were not resolved, it would be difficult to hold the vote on 21 February.

The poll is part of a deal brokered by Gulf states to end a year of political turmoil that has left hundreds dead.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh handed over power to his deputy in November in return for immunity from prosecution.

Security forces controlled by the president and his family, as well as armed loyalists, have been accused of killing anti-government protesters.

Islamist advance

Mr Qirbi's comments to al-Arabiya on Tuesday were the first suggestion by a member of the national unity government appointed last month that the presidential election might be delayed.

"I am among those who hope that the issue will take place in the planned manner," he said.

"But unfortunately, there are a couple of events relating to security, and if they are not solved... it will be difficult to run the elections on 21 February."

Mr Qirbi said the government required the co-operation of all political parties, including the former ruling General People's Congress.

He did not list the security issues, but in addition to ongoing clashes between demonstrators demanding the president face prosecution and Saleh loyalists, government forces have been battling separatists in the south, Houthi rebels from the Zaydi Shia community in the north, and Islamist militants allied to al-Qaeda.

On Sunday, as many as 1,000 militants believed to be loyal to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula seized the town of Radaa in al-Baida province, about 170km (105 miles) south-east of the capital Sanaa.

Islamists began taking control of parts of the neighbouring southern province of Abyan last year, including the town of Jaar in April and the provincial capital, Zinjibar, in May. Security forces have tried unsuccessfully to push them out and suffered heavy losses.
BBC

Presidenciais em Timor-Leste no mês de Março

2012-01-15T16:37:00.002Z

Díli – As Eleições Presidenciais em Timor-Leste estão previstas para o dia 17 de Março, segundo anunciou o Presidente José ramos Horta, esta sexta-feira, 13 de Janeiro.
O Presidente timorense anunciou, numa cerimónia solene realizada esta sexta-feira, 13 de Janeiro, no Palácio Nicolau Lobato, em Díli, a data das Eleições Presidenciais de 2012.
De acordo com José Ramos Horta, a primeira volta do sufrágio ficou agendada para 17 de Março e, caso se verifique a necessidade de realizar uma segunda ronda, esta fica prevista para Abril.

(c) PNN Portuguese News Network

Rei do Bahrein resiste e promete pálidas reformas

2012-01-15T11:10:00.001Z

DUBAI, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Bahrain's king announced constitutional amendments on Sunday giving parliament more powers of scrutiny over government, but the opposition said they fell far short of demands for democracy that have driven a year of unrest in the Gulf Arab state.

The speech did not mention clashes between riot police and mainly Shi'ite opposition activists that have taken place on an almost daily basis since martial law was lifted in May after the Sunni-led government crushed a pro-democracy movement.

The Gulf island nation, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, is seen by the United States and Saudi Arabia as a key ally against non-Arab Shi'ite power Iran just across Gulf waters.

The amendments, which increase powers to question ministers and withdraw confidence in the cabinet, emerged from a national dialogue King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa organised last year after the Sunni-dominated government crushed a democracy uprising dominated by majority Shi'ites.

The main opposition party Wefaq withdrew from the dialogue, saying it did not go far enough to offer real reform.

The king, in a televised speech said: "Our people have proven their desire for continuing with reforms... We complete the march today with those who have an honest patriotic desire for more progress and reform."

"I must mention here that democracy is not just constitutional and legislative rules, it is a culture and practice and adhering by the law and respecting international human rights principles," he said.

"I beseech all sectors of society to work together so that all their sons adhere to the law, which is linked to coexistence and tolerance..."

Um emir amigo da NATO

2012-01-15T10:47:00.002Z

Le Qatar a proposé, samedi 14 janvier, l'envoi d'une force arabe en Syrie pour mettre fin aux affrontements entre l'armée et les opposants au président Bachar Al-Assad, qui durent depuis dix mois.
Interrogé par la chaîne de télévision CBS dans le cadre de l'émission 60 minutes à propos d'une éventuelle intervention arabe en Syrie, l'émir du Qatar, le cheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani, a répondu: "Face à une telle situation, et pour arrêter l'effusion de sang, il faudrait envoyer des troupes (...)". CBS précise sur son site internet que l'interview de l'émir sera diffusée dimanche. Le premier ministre qatari, qui dirige la commission de la Ligue arabe chargée de la Syrie, a déploré la poursuite des violences malgré la présence des observateurs de la Ligue.
Le Monde

Ben Ali caiu há um ano

2012-01-14T09:59:00.000Z

Raúl M. Braga Pires, em Rabat (www.expresso.pt)

Sábado, 14 de janeiro de 2012

O Presidente Moncef Marzouki apresenta-se cada vez mais como um garante de estabilidade no processo de democratização da Tunísia.

Faz hoje um ano, 14 de Janeiro, que Ben Ali e esposa levantaram voo de Tunes, para nunca mais voltarem. Sejamos claros, o processo revolucionário tunisino está a correr bem. Parabéns Tunísia!

A sã e cooperativa cohabitação entre Rachid Ghannouchi, líder do Movimento Islamista Ennahda, no poder, o Primeiro-Ministro Hammadi Jebali e o Presidente laico Moncef Marzouki, terá certamente como base os seguintes factos.

Para além da luta anti-regime, têm em comum as consequências da mesma, o que valeu a Ghannouchi 22 anos de exílio, quase 10 a Marzouki e 15 anos de prisão a Jebali, 10 dos quais em solitária.

Quando o Presidente Marzouki chegou ao Palácio de Cartago, a sua residência oficial, encontrou 8 esculturas na decoração, que no processo de avaliação se revelaram ser do tempo do Império Romano. Foram devolvidas ao Museo. O material médico da sala de urgências do Palácio também foi doado ao Hospital Central de Tunes. Quatro dos restantes palácios presidenciais espalhados pelo país, utilizados cerca de 3 vezes por ano por Ben Ali e família, foram colocados à venda, com o intuíto de angariar dinheiro para o apoio à micro-finança local.

O Palácio de Cartago foi também aberto ao público (às crianças) todos os domingos, incluindo visitas ao gabinete presidencial com direito a uma assentadela na cadeira do poder. Às terceiras sextas-feiras de cada mês, recebe os líderes da oposição para um jantar que se quer informal e, a dia conveniente, serve-se também uma vez por mês um jantar aos intelectuais da Pequena República dos Professores, como ficou conhecida aquando da independência em 1956.

Marzouki, militante dos Direitos Humanos, teve como primeira medida quando chegou a Cartago, promover um inquérito sobre a situação dos detidos e as condições das prisões. Anunciará hoje uma Graça Presidencial extensa, a qual libertará do Corredor da Morte 93 detidos, entre os quais 3 mulheres.

Estes são alguns fait-divers, que no entanto muito querem dizer sobre uma pessoa e a procura pela justiça, tema muito caro aos islamistas.

Mas nem tudo são rosas, naturalmente. Na última semana imolaram-se mais 3 pessoas, duas no centro de Tunes e uma terceira em Gafsa. Motivo, desemprego. A Tunísia tem actualmente 1 milhão de desempregados em 11 milhões de habitantes. Há também notícias de pressões salafistas para serem impostas as suas indomentárias femininas nas universidades. Os futuros turistas também poderão ter algumas restrições no consumo do alcool e na indumentária de praia. De momento, será o tribunal a decidir sobre a liberdade de acesso a sítios web pornográficos, sem bloqueio e/ou sem o utilizador ficar registado numa lista especial.

Um breve parágrafo para referir que os salafistas nada têm a ver com os islamistas do Ennahda no poder e que o Ministro do Interior, Ali Laâryedh, profundo conhecedor das prisões do país, já que foi detido várias vezes pelo regime anterior, não tem tido dó nenhuma com os primeiros. No entanto e em abono da verdade, começa também a suspeitar-se de uma ala salafista no seio do Ennahda.

Por outro lado, o tema que iniciou o debate na Tunísia logo no início do ano, o qual acho de capital importância, foram as declarações do Presidente Marzouki na sua primeira visita de Estado, à vizinha Líbia. A 02 de Janeiro, afirmou ser a favor de uma Ittihad Ach'oub al Arabia al Mostakila, ou seja, uma União do Povos Árabes Independentes, a qual foi traduzida pela media, como a sugestão de uma fusão entre a Tunísia e a Líbia, o que ressuscitou de imediato velhos fantasmas. É que a 12 de Janeiro de 1974, foi de facto assinada uma fusão entre os dois países, para surpresa geral da população, no qual Habib Bourguiba seria o Presidente e o Coronel Muammar Kadhafi o seu Vice! Tudo ficou sem efeito, aquando do providencial regresso à Tunísia do seu Primeiro-Ministro Hedi Nouira, o qual demite o Ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros Muhammad Masmoudi, um mais que provavel agente de Kadhafi, que se encontrava à época obcecado com a realização de uma União Árabe. O mal estar entre os dois países instala-se a partir de então, potenciado pela crescente corrida ao armamento por parte da Líbia e pela disputa na definição dos respectivos sectores da Plataforma Continental, nos quais seriam mais tarde descobertas importantes reservas de petróleo.

Marzouki, numa entrevista posterior, a 09 de Janeiro, ironizou sobre a ignorância dos jornalistas quanto ao árabe clássico e explicou ser um defensor convicto de uma União do Magrebe Árabe (UMA) efectiva. Cinco países, cinco liberdades. As soberanias serão mantidas, passando a haver a liberdade de circulação no interior do espaço magrebino, liberdade de propriedade, liberdade de trabalho, liberdade de residência e liberdade de participação nas eleições municipais de um cidadão magrebino, num país da UMA, que não o seu.

Será esta a proposta que Marzouki irá levar nas suas próximas deslocações à Argélia, ao Marrocos e à Mauritânia, a de uma União Magrebina à europeia.

http://aeiou.expresso.pt/maghreb--machrek=s25484#ixzz1jQQKOdGi

Propostas do antigo primeiro-ministro Moco

2012-01-13T09:52:00.000Z

Dez vectores propostos por Marcolino Moco para a reestruturação de Angola:
1-O respeito pelos direitos humanos fundamentais

2-O conceito de que governar é servir e não servir-se

3-O conceito de que Angola é uma unidade na diversidade

4-A urgência em despartidarizar o Estado-nação

5-A necessidade de eliminar fantasmas e enterrá-los juntamente com todos os outros “cadáveres psicológicos”

6-O respeito ao princípio republicano da alternância na ocupação de altos cargos de natureza pessoal, especialmente a nível da chefia de Estado e de governo

7-A descentralização e desconcentração efectiva do poder

fim pacífico da espoliação dos recursos nacionais e regionais por uma minoria

9-A libertação e democratização dos meios de comunicação social

10-O regresso ao respeito do princípio de separação formal dos poderes de soberania, com especial realce para a independência formal e efectiva do poder judicial.
http://marcolinomoco.com

A morte anda há 10 meses pelas ruas da Síria

2012-01-11T11:43:00.000Z

BEIRUT, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad derided the efforts of Arab League monitors to halt violence against anti-government activists, and a senior U.N. official said Syria had stepped up its killing of protesters after the monitors arrived.

The president said in a speech on Tuesday, his first public address since June, that he was determined to strike the "terrorists" he blames for the 10-month revolt, inspired by other "Arab Spring" uprisings last year.

He made some promises of reform, but no sweeping concessions that might placate an opposition now determined to end more than four decades of domination by the Assad family.

The United Nations has said more than 5,000 civilians have been killed in the largely peaceful protests against Assad, while he says Islamist militants have killed 2,000 members of his security forces.

A senior U.N. official told the Security Council on Tuesday that Syria had accelerated its killing of pro-democracy demonstrators after Arab League monitors arrived to check on implementation of an Arab peace plan, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said.

"The under-secretary-general noted that in the days since the Arab League monitoring mission has been on the ground, an estimated 400 additional people have been killed, an average of 40 a day, a rate much higher than was the case before their deployment," Susan Rice told reporters.

Rice was speaking after Lynn Pascoe, U.N. under-secretary-general for political affairs, briefed the 15-nation Security Council behind closed doors on Syria and other major crises. She said the figure did not include more than two dozen people killed in a suicide bombing in Damascus last week.

"That is a clear indication that the government of Syria, rather than using the opportunity ... to end the violence and fulfill all of its commitments (to the Arab League), is instead stepping up the violence," she said.

Assad made scathing remarks about the Arab League, which suspended Syria in November and whose monitors are trying to check Syria's compliance with an Arab peace plan.

O assassínio de Juvénal Habyarimana

2012-01-11T11:26:00.000Z

Pourquoi avoir attendu si longtemps ? Près de dix-huit ans après l'attentat, à Kigali, contre l'avion du président rwandais qui, le 6 avril 1994, allait déclencher cent jours de génocide au Rwanda contre les Tutsis et le massacre de Hutus modérés, un rapport d'expertise présenté aux parties, mardi 10 janvier à Paris par le juge français en charge de l'affaire, Marc Trévidic, apporte enfin des éléments nouveaux et déterminants qui réorientent radicalement l'enquête.

Cette étude technique destinée à localiser le point de départ du tir du missile qui a abattu le Falcon 50 du président hutu Juvénal Habyarimana tend à disculper le Front populaire rwandais (FPR) – l'armée rebelle d'alors, dirigée par l'actuel président rwandais, Paul Kagamé – de la responsabilité de l'attentat. Au contraire, il incrimine, implicitement, le camp adverse, celui des extrémistes hutu, et il enterre un peu plus profondément l'ordonnance du juge Jean-Louis Bruguière établie en 2006 sur la base de témoignages accusant Paul Kagamé. Témoignages qui se sont délités au fil des ans.
L'élément nouveau du rapport des six experts (balistique, acoustique, explosif, cartographie et pilotage) mandatés par le juge Trévidic est d'ordre géographique. Il est déterminant car s'il ne permet pas de dire avec certitude qui a tiré, il permet de resserrer considérablement le champ des investigations.

A l'issue de recherches menées sur les lieux de l'attentat en septembre2010, il ressort en effet que "l'hypothèse privilégiée est celle d'un tir du missile depuis le domaine militaire de Kanombé, contrôlé par des paras commandos et la garde présidentielle [de Juvénal Habyarimana]", nous explique maître Bernard Maingain, avocat des sept Rwandais, dont des proches de Paul Kagamé, inculpés depuis 2006 par le juge Bruguière.

"À QUI PROFITE LE CRIME"

"Le tir des deux missiles, dont le second a abattu l'avion, a pu avoir lieu depuis le camp Kanombé, à proximité des maisons des coopérants belges. La zone de tir que nous privilégions comprend le cimetière (…) et, plus vraisemblablement, le bas du cimetière", peut-on lire, en effet, dans un extrait du rapport publié sur le compte Twitter du journaliste indépendant Frédéric Helbert.

Si les experts privilégient Kanombé, c'est qu'ils excluent dans le même temps que le missile ait pu être tiré depuis la ferme de Masaka. Or cette hypothèse retenue dans le rapport Bruguière incriminait lourdement les troupes de M.Kagamé censées s'être infiltrées dans cette zone idéale militairement pour abattre l'avion peu avant son atterrissage à Kigali. Une infiltration de rebelles du FPR dans le camp surprotégé de Kanombé, jouxtant l'aéroport et la résidence présidentielle, paraît, elle, improbable.

Faute de s'être rendu sur le terrain, le juge Bruguière défendait, lui, une théorie, plus qu'il ne s'appuyait sur des faits. Pour lui, Paul Kagamé, alors sur l'offensive militaire avec ses FPR, aurait commandité l'attentat afin d'empêcher l'application d'un accord politique soutenu par Juvénal Habyarimana et prévoyant la constitution d'un gouvernement d'union nationale. Le président tué, le FPR profitait du chaos et s'emparait de tout le pouvoir par la force des armes sans avoir à passer par des élections – prévues dans les accords d'Arusha signés huit mois plus tôt –, mais que le chef de la minorité Tutsi ne pouvait pas gagner en vertu du poids démographique insuffisant de sa communauté. En d'autres termes, à la question "à qui profite le crime?", le juge Bruguière répondait Paul Kagamé.
Le Monde

Rumo a novas presidenciais guineenses

2012-01-10T15:41:00.000Z

Le décès de Malam Bacai Sanhá, un beafada (ethnie minoritaire représentant 7% de la population) originaire de la région de Quinara (sud), est une mauvaise nouvelle pour la Guinée-Bissau, pays très instable depuis de nombreuses années. En 17 ans, aucun des trois présidents élus n'a réussi à terminer son mandat de cinq ans, que soit à cause d’un putsch, d’un assassinat ou encore, présentement, de la maladie.

Quelques jours avant la mort de Sanhá, le 26 décembre, une tentative présumée de coup d’État avait d'ailleurs été neutralisée et l’ancien chef de la marine nationale, Bubo Na Tchuto mis aux arrêts. La cause fondamentale de l’instabilité de la Guinée Bissau est son armée, difficile à contrôler à cause de ses effectifs pléthoriques (au moins 12 000 hommes pour une population de 1,5 million d'habitants) et de son implication dans le trafic de drogue dont la Guinée Bissau est devenue une plaque tournante sous-régionale.

Après le décès du président Sanha, c'est au président de l'Assemblée nationale, Raimundo Pereira (PAIGC), d'assurer l'intérim. Selon la Constitution bissau-guinéenne, il doit organiser une nouvelle élection présidentielle dans les 90 jours.

(Jeune Afrique, avec AFP)

"O primeiro parlamento sírio foi em 1917"

2012-01-10T11:25:00.000Z

Syria's embattled president Bashar al-Assad has hit out at the Arab League over the organisation's observer mission and other efforts aimed at ending the country's months-long deadly unrest.

Speaking in a rare address on state television on Tuesday, Assad asked what right other Arab governments, including the absolute monarchies of the Gulf, had to lecture Syria about democracy or reform.

"The first parliament in Syria was in 1917. Where were they then?" he asked.

"Their situation is like a doctor who smokes and recommends to his patient to give up smoking while he, the doctor, has a cigarette in his mouth."

The League has suspended Syria and sent a team of monitors to assess whether the regime is abiding by an Arab-brokered peace plan that Assad agreed to on December 19.

The moves were seen as humiliating for Syria, which considers itself a powerhouse of Arab nationalism.

However, Assad said his country would not "close doors" to an Arab-brokered solution to the 10-month crisis as long as it respected Syria's sovereignty.

'No orders to open fire'

He said the unrest which began last March had inflicted a "heavy cost" and accused "foreign conspirators" of working to destabilise the country.

Assad also said that no orders had been given to security forces to open fire on civilians.

"There is no cover for anyone. There are no orders for anyone to open fire on any citizen," adding that "by law, nobody can open fire, except in self-defence," he said.

Assad's address at Damascus University was his first speech since he agreed last month to the deployment of Arab League monitors intended to halt the government's crackdown on dissent.

Assad said it had been his idea to send observers to Syria "to find out the truth". He also said he would not step down, claiming he still had the Syrian people's support, despite months of anti-government protests across the country against his rule.

"When I leave office it will be by the will of the people," he said.

Assad said foreign parties were trying to destabilise the country and defended the government's ban on foreign media reporting inside the country, saying that at the beginning of the unrest all media had been allowed to work freely.

"But, fabrications from inside convinced us to put some control on this," he added.

'Iron fist'

Assad urged Syrians to remain steadfast, telling them that "victory is near" and that outside forces "did not find a foothold in the revolution that they had hoped for".

But he also pledged to hit back at alleged terrorists following a pair of deadly bombings in Damascus.

"There can be no let-up for terrorism -- it must be hit with an iron fist," he said. "The battle with terrorism is a battle for everyone, a national battle, not only the government's battle."

Assad, whose forces are accused of killing more than 5,000 people since the ongoing uprising against his rule began, is coming under increasing scrutiny from neighbouring countries.

His speech came as Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, warned of an escalating crisis in Syria and as the United Nations Security Council was due to discuss the crisis in the country in a closed session later on Tuesday.

Erdogan said on Monday that the situation in Syria was "heading towards a religious, sectarian, racial war, and this needs to be prevented".

"Turkey has to take on a leadership role here, because the current situation poses a threat to Turkey," he said.

Erdogan, who has called on Assad to step down and imposed sanctions on Damascus, did not say what Ankara would do to prevent the country from descending into civil war.
AlJazeera

A Liga Árabe e a Síria

2012-01-10T10:42:00.000Z

Raúl M. Braga Pires, em Rabat (www.expresso.pt)

Segunda feira, 9 de janeiro de 2012
Apesar do fracasso, a Liga Árabe vai manter a sua Missão de Observação, até pelo menos o final deste mês.

Duas semanas, três atentados e 400 mortos depois, foi ontem (8 de Janeiro) decidido no Cairo que a Missão de Observação da Liga Árabe na Síria continuará, pelo menos até ao final deste mês.

Inicialmente foi apontado o número de 500 observadores para esta missão, mas até à data só chegaram ao território cerca de 150. O objectivo da presença destes tinha como garantia do regime de Bashar Al-Assad, a retirada dos militares, dos tanques, dos snipers, em suma, das armas, das ruas sírias, bem como a libertação da totalidade dos presos políticos e a entrada da media internacional, de forma incondicional. Apenas uma pequena parte dos objectivos foi cumprida. Até ao momento foram libertados 552 detidos, de um total de cerca de 25 mil, segundo fontes locais. O regime afirma que se encontram mais de 136 jornalistas estrangeiros, a cobrirem os eventos.

No relatório apresentado na reunião de ontem no Cairo, foi referido que os observadores têm sido ameaçados tanto por membros do regime, como por manifestantes. O amadorismo da acção destes observadores tem também sido patente nas imagens difundidas, já que são vistos a tirarem fotografias com telemóveis e pequenas câmeras de bolso, não dispondo, portanto, de material profissional. Por vezes, solicitam folhas de papel e canetas aos sírios que os acompanham, para poderem tirar notas à medida que avançam no terreno.

Segundo o regime, estes observadores têm liberdade de movimentos, entando sempre dependentes dos carros, dos motoristas e dos seguranças que o primeiro coloca à disposição. Quando solicitam a visita a locais mais quentes, como Baba Amr em Homs, é lhes dito que não lhes poderão garantir a segurança e integridade física e não são escoltados até ao local.

O Qatar decidiu colocar mais dinheiro e meios à disposição desta missão de observação, aumentando também o número de observadores para 300, não conseguindo, no entanto, convencer os seus parceiros a aceitarem a presença de observadores das Nações Unidas neste reforço de medidas.

Mas afinal, porque razão é que a Liga Árabe tomou esta iniciativa e decidiu prolongar a sua presença no território, se esta missão se provou um fracasso e não deverá desenvolver muito mais do que isto?

Em primeiro lugar, porque todos os seus estados membros têm problemas sectários e a Síria é o melhor local para fazer espoletar um conflito transnacional com essas caracteristicas.

Em segundo lugar, porque a Liga Árabe tinha obrigatóriamente que fazer alguma coisa, sobretudo após a intervenção NATO na Líbia, do Conselho de Cooperação do Golfo no Iémen e da Arábia Saudita no Bahrein. Havendo também que acrescentar o ambiente de Guerra Fria existente na região entre Irão versus Arábia Saudita e seus aliados, o qual vai abrindo cada vez mais o flanco a uma Turquia coordenadora e agregadora de uma oposição política síria.

Ou seja, mesmo com sucessivos falhanços, a Liga Árabe vai tendo o protagonismo de ofuscar, sobretudo, iranianos e turcos e de promover uma competitividade no seu seio, com uma clara vantagem de momento para o Qatar, potência financeira e mediática, aliado de peso para quem tiver armas e demografia.

Por fim, o Exército da Síria Livre, já com cerca de 20 mil homens, começa a ter adesões de cada vez maior peso. Desta feita foi o Brigadeiro-General Mustapha Ahmed Al-Sheikh, a mais alta patente a desertar daquilo que descreveu como o não patriótico Exército sírio, juntando-se a outros, como o Coronel da Força Aérea Afeef Mahmoud Suleiman, o qual já deu uma nova missão aos 50 homens que o acompanharam. Proteger os manifestantes em Hama.

Entretanto, as Nações Unidas, que já calculam em mais de 5 mil mortos o número de baixas desde o início da sublevação, reunirá o Conselho de Segurança amanhã, dia 10, para debater em exclusivo a situação na Síria enquanto que uma esquadra naval russa liderada por um porta-aviões, aportou no porto sírio de Tartus, onde possui uma base naval dos tempos da Guerra Fria e, onde tem programado ficar nos próximos 6 dias.

Somália, Chade e Sudão: uma desgraça

2012-01-09T16:35:00.000Z

Three African states -- Somalia, Chad, and Sudan -- once again top this year's Failed States Index, the annual ranking prepared by the Fund for Peace and published by FOREIGN POLICY of the world's most vulnerable countries. For four years in a row, Somalia has held the No. 1 spot, indicating the depth of the crisis in the international community's longest-running failure.
The new edition of the index draws on some 130,000 publicly available sources to analyze 177 countries and rate them on 12 indicators of pressure on the state during the year 2010 -- from refugee flows to poverty, public services to security threats. Taken together, a country's performance on this battery of indicators tells us how stable -- or unstable -- it is. And the latest results show how much the 2008 economic crisis and its ripple effects everywhere, from collapsing trade to soaring food prices to stagnant investment, are still haunting the world.
Somalia's unending woes are the stuff hopelessness is made of. But elsewhere in the top 20, some countries showed improvement, even as others fell further behind. Afghanistan and Iraq both moved down the ranks, suggesting slight gains for the two war-torn countries as the United States seeks a sustainable exit strategy. Kenya moved out of the top 15, showing that the country continues to recover from its bloody post-election ethnic warfare of recent years. Liberia and East Timor, wards of the United Nations, largely stayed out of trouble. But Haiti, already a portrait of misery, moved up six places on the index, battered and struggling to cope with the aftermath of January 2010's tragic earthquake, which left more than 300,000 dead. Another former French colony, Ivory Coast, rejoined the top 10, grimly foreshadowing its devastating post-election crisis this year, while fragile Niger leapt four spots amid a devastating famine.
Africa's promise and peril are likely to figure prominently again this year, with 27 African countries scheduled to hold presidential, legislative, or local elections throughout 2011. As much as elections can contribute to democratic progress, they are often a flashpoint for conflict -- conflicts that invariably send already fragile states back up the ranks of the index. Uganda's incumbent President Yoweri Museveni won reelection in February, but the opposition has cried foul and his inauguration was met with violent protests. In Nigeria, steady in the rankings this year at No. 14, post-election rampages in April killed as many as 800 people. Sudan's closely watched referendum in January on an independent southern state was surprisingly free of bloodshed, but the country continues to hover on the brink of new violence.
As if its traumas last year weren't horrific enough, Haiti in 2011 is again proving to be a hard test for the world, with billions of dollars in donation pledges left unfulfilled and thousands still living in squalid tent camps, battling a cholera epidemic that has killed more than 4,600. After a fraud-marred first round, a presidential runoff election in March brought to power an untested stage performer nicknamed "Sweet Micky."

Anunciada morte de Malam Bacai Sanhá

2012-01-09T13:43:00.000Z

O site Blog do Consenso, do jornalista António Ally Silva, anunciou hoje a morte do Presidente Malam Bacai Sanhá, que nascera em 5 de maio de 1947.
Aquele político de Guiné Bissau, que atuou como presidente do seu país de 14 de maio de 1999 a 17 de fevereiro de 2000, fora depois eleito em 28 de junho de 2009. Anteriormente foi o presidente da Assembleia Nacional Popular da Guiné-Bissau de 1994 a 1999. Sanhá venceu as eleições presidenciais de 2009 pelo Partido Africano para a Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC).

África 2012: um ano a seguir

2012-01-09T12:22:00.000Z

Africa Confidential begins 2012 with a special 16-page edition forecasting the most significant developments in the coming year in a dozen of Africa’s most important – or most volatile – nations. Our correspondents have searched out the key elements driving political and economic change in the coming twelve months. From some surprisingly negative consequences of the new Kenyan constitution, to an unexpectedly strong bounceback for the Ivorian economy, the way forward is by no means obvious. Nor is the political ‘Spring’ exclusively ‘Arab’; its effects are still spreading southward and proselytising the democratic message.
Early this year, a vigorous election in Senegal may well topple the Wade dynasty, while in Mali a three-cornered fight for the succession to Ahmed Toumani Touré should crown a series of peaceful transitions. Sierra Leone and Ghana go to the polls later in 2012 in what promise to be fair fights, but the coming Angolan poll presages no more than a rubber stamp of the MPLA’s ascendancy. Claims of fraud in the re-election of President Joseph Kabila in Congo-Kinshasa in December will keep pro-democracy activists busy.
Gambia and Congo-Brazzaville will hold questionable elections largely ignored by the African Union, Commonwealth and La Francophonie. In Kenya and Zimbabwe, the polls will involve hard struggles over crucial issues. Whether fixed, flawed, or honest across the board, voter choice is starting to embed itself as the main agent of change.

Uma África em efervescência

2012-01-09T11:39:00.000Z

Stronger economies, better education and technology are driving more political change and unrest.
Expect turbulence. As well as sound advice from pilots to passengers on aircraft taking off from Kisangani to Kinshasa in Congo-Kinshasa, such warnings look apposite for the year ahead in Africa. There are no signs that the pace of political and economic change on the continent will slacken. The reverse looks true with more than 30 presidential and parliamentary elections over the next 12 months, and rising social unrest of four of the biggest economies: Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa and Kenya.
There are few direct causal links between the revolutions that have transformed North Africa in the past year, but there are plenty of important indirect effects. The biggest of these is the demonstration effect: the overthrow of leaders such as Hosni Mubarak, Zine el Abidine Ben Ali and Moammar el Gadaffi has reinforced the determination of Africans to oust autocratic and incompetent regimes.That means more youthful activism: 70% of Africans are under 30 years of age and are far less tolerant of rampant inequality and state abuse of power than their parents were. They are quicker to join up events and mobilise: Egyptians and Libyans were inspired by the courage of the Tunisian revolutionaries. Tahrir Square has come to signify dissent across Africa. Even the United States-launched ‘Occupy’ movement has prompted solidarity demonstrations in Lagos and Johannesburg.

Africa Confidential

O cardeal que nos chega de Prazins, no Minho

2012-01-07T12:08:00.000Z

Manuel Monteiro de Castro (29 March 1938) is the current major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary since his appointment by Benedict XVI on 5 January 2012.[1] He had previously served as secretary of the Congregation for Bishops.

He was a priest in the Archdiocese of Braga. In 1985 he was appointed archbishop and pro-nuncio to the countries in the West Indies that have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, including The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, and apostolic delegate for the other territories, such as the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Netherlands Antilles. And at the same time was appointed archbishop. He was consecrated by Cardinal Secretary of State Agostino Casaroli. Two years later, when Antigua and Barbuda had established diplomatic relations with the Holy See, he became pro-nuncio there too instead of apostolic delegate. In 1998 he was transferred to South Africa, with responsibility also for some neighbouring countries. And in 2000 he became Apostolic Nuncio to Spain and Andorra. As such, he met with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, to reduce the tension between the Spanish Government and the Church.

[edit] Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops

On 3 July 2009, Pope Benedict appointed him secretary of the Congregation for Bishops,[2] replacing Archbishop Francesco Monterisi who was the same day appointed as archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. The Congregation that considers candidates for appointing bishops for Latin Rite non-missionary dioceses, except in cases that fall within the competence the Section for Public Affairs of the Secretariat of State (appointments that require some form of consultation with governments) or the Congregation for the Oriental Churches (in the Middle East and Greece).

Traditionally the Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops is also Secretary of the College of Cardinals, and Monteiro de Castro was formally appointed to this role on 21 October 2009.[3] He is also one of the consultors of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.[1]

[edit] Major Penitentiary

On 5 January 2012 Archbishop Monteiro de Castro was appointed Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary replacing Cardinal Baldelli who had reached the retirement age of 75 in 2010. It is he job as major penitentiary to ensure the absolution of excommunications latæ sententiæ reserved to the Holy See, the dispensation of sacramental impediments reserved to the Holy See, and the issuance and governance of indulgences.

It was announced on 6 January 2012 that Archbishop Monteiro de Castro would be created a cardinal on 18 February by Pope Benedict XVI.
Monsignor Monteiro de Castro has been cited in the liberal press for his views on homosexual relationships. He told a conference of Spanish bishops that "there are other forms of cohabitation and it is good that they be recognised". He insisted that same-sex unions could not be regarded as marriages, but he implied that they were at least worthy of compassion.[4]

A situação na Líbia é caótica

2012-01-05T10:25:00.000Z

Kader Abderrahim est professeur associé à l'université de Californie et maître de conférences à Sciences Po Paris.

Quelle analyse faites-vous des combats qui ont eu lieu lundi 2 janvier à Tripoli entre des groupes d'ex-rebelles ?

Ces affrontements posent une question de fond qui est celui du désarmement des milices auquel le Conseil national de la résistance (CNT) n'est pas parvenu. Ces milices qui se sont constituées pour combattre Kadhafi à Misrata, Syrte ou Tripoli, réclament aujourd'hui des contreparties politiques pour déposer les armes abondamment reçues pendant l'insurrection. Or le CNT, qui est actuellement dans une période intérimaire, entre la rédaction d'une Constitution et l'organisation des élections, ne dispose que d'une marge de manœuvre très réduite. La situation est chaotique et ce n'est pas une surprise. Il y a de vrais risques de dérapages et des menaces directes contre le CNT.

Quel rôle jouent les milices dans la Libye d'aujourd'hui ?

Celui de groupes majoritairement aux mains des islamistes qui défendent leurs intérêts locaux ou régionaux dans un pays en situation post guerre civile. Les armes puisées dans l'arsenal de l'ancien régime sont pour l'instant un bon argument pour garder de l'influence et peser sur les choix politiques. Le CNT n'a pas toute l'autorité ni les moyens militaires ni la volonté politique d'entrer en confrontation avec ces milices. Les dirigeants du CNT cherchent à faire progresser l'Etat sur les plus petits dénominateurs communs : la mise en place d'un ministère des infrastructures pour relancer l'économie, ou encore la création d'un ministère de l'hydraulique pour l'acheminement de l'eau. Des sujets sur lesquels tout le monde est d'accord. Pour le reste je ne suis pas optimiste à moyen terme. La déclaration du président du CNT, Moustapha Abdeljalil, qui assure mercredi craindre une guerre civile, est un aveu d'impuissance.

La nomination mardi d'un chef d'état-major de l'armée laisse-t-elle entrevoir une amélioration ?

Rappelons qu'il n'y avait pas de ministre de la défense depuis l'assassinat du général Abdel Fattah Younès en juillet. Un acte qui témoignait déjà des dissensions au sein du mouvement des rebelles. Le nouveau chef d'état-major Youssef Al-Mankouch n'est pas un personnage de premier plan et il prend la tête d'une armée embryonnaire qui a pour mission d'intégrer les milices en son sein, une mission très délicate qui ne se fera pas sans l'arbitrage des islamistes. Rappelons que l'influence des islamistes au sein du CNT, de l'armée mais aussi des milices est très important. Mohammed Belhaj, gouverneur militaire de Tripoli, fondateur du Groupe islamique combattant en Libye et autrefois proche d'Al-Qaida, dispose ainsi d'une influence considérable.

Exprimant leur inquiétude après les violences, les Etats-Unis ont proposé d'aider le pays à intégrer ces milices aux forces armées. Cette proposition a-t-elle une chance d'aboutir ?

Notons tout d'abord qu'il n'y a eu aucune réaction occidentale aux affrontements dont nous parlons hormis celle des Etats-Unis. Ce qui est plutôt étonnant pour des pays comme la France qui se sont autant impliqués dans la région. Quant à la proposition formulée par la porte-parole du département d'Etat, Victoria Nuland, on voit bien les intérêts énergétiques et stratégiques américains. Ne nous voilons pas la face, cette aide est déjà effective sur le terrain, elle l'a été pendant la guerre et continue aujourd'hui. Pour autant, il y a un pas entre cette collaboration officieuse et une coopération officielle. De mon point de vue, ce genre de coopération viendra plus sûrement de certains pays très conservateurs du Golfe, comme le Qatar par exemple, qui joue déjà un rôle de pondération des islamistes, que ce soit en Libye ou en Tunisie.
Propos recueillis par Simon Piel/Le Monde

Air Zimbabwe já não tem aviões que funcionem

2012-01-04T17:15:00.003Z

By Tererai Karimakwenda/SW Radio Africa
04 January, 2012

Zimbabwe’s national airline is in the headlines again this week after the only plane still operational was grounded, due to technical faults. This continues a very troubled season for the management who are facing strong criticism for the financial failings at Air Zim.

Flights from Harare to Bulawayo and Victoria Falls were reportedly cancelled on Monday when the Boeing 737 aircraft developed a “glitch” in one of the engines, leaving passengers stranded.

Air Zim’s acting chief executive officer, Innocent Mavhunga, and board chairperson Jonathan Kadzura, have so far made no comment regarding the airline’s future. It is believed debts of at least $140 million are outstanding.

According to Newsday newspaper, the broken down plane could not be fixed because workers are currently on strike over unpaid salaries. A source reportedly said that most workers had not been paid for nearly six months.

Political and economic analyst Bekithemba Mhlanga told SW Radio Africa that blame for the airline’s demise “should be placed squarely on Robert Mugabe and the board of directors”. He referred to Mugabe’s constant use of the airline for personal trips and mismanagement by the board as the major reasons.

“We’ve reached a point where there should be either civil action or criminal liability against the management for their part in terms of how we got to this position,” Mhlanga explained. He added that the board never had a plan of action and should have forced privatization of the airline years ago.

A crisis developed a week before the holidays last month when creditors seized a plane at Gatwick Airport in London because Air Zim had failed to pay $1.5 million owed to an American spare parts company. Hundreds were stranded for over a week at the airport.

Earlier in the week Transport Minister Nicholas Goche ordered all its regional and international flights to be suspended, fearing seizure of the remaining aircraft by creditors.

.

Pelo afastamento de Robert Mugabe

2012-01-04T16:55:00.000Z

By Tichaona Sibanda/SW Radio Africa
4 January 2012

MDC-99 President Job Sikhala continued his tough talk against Robert Mugabe on Wednesday, saying the time has come to form a united front against the ‘vindictive’ dictator.

Speaking on SW Radio Africa’s Hidden Story program, Sikhala said those opposing Mugabe need to join forces to achieve their goal of removing him from power. The ageing dictator who has led Zimbabwe with an iron fist since Independence in 1980 turns 88 next month.

Sikhala was arrested by police on New Year’s Day and kept in cells until Wednesday, facing charges of contravening the Immigration Act. He was freed without going to court after the Attorney-General’s office refused to prosecute him, citing lack of evidence.

Sikhala was told the state can proceed by way of summons if they find any evidence linking him to allegations that he facilitated an unlawful entry into Zimbabwe, of a white lady who is an advisor to the MDC-99.

‘This lady is Zimbabwean but holds a South African passport. Her family was chased away by Robert Mugabe and her crime is talking and giving advice to MDC-99.

‘How they let her into Zimbabwe is not my business because I’m not an immigration officer and I cannot be held accountable to how she crossed Beitbridge (border post) or came through Harare airport,’ Sikhala said.

The former University of Zimbabwe student leader said he was shocked and left extremely bitter at the way the state security apparatus arrested and threw him into a police cell on New Year’s Day. In the last month he has been arrested three times and on all occasions has been released for lack of evidence.

‘It was out of the blue, unexpected and ridiculous to be picked up for such a silly charge and kept in filthy cells for four days. It was during this period that I took time to reflect on the political situation in the country.

‘To be honest and frank with you, I’m sick and tired of this harassment from Mugabe’s regime. While in cells, I was thinking aloud and said to myself, how best do we deal with this evil dictator so that the people of Zimbabwe will be able to enjoy their freedom,’ said Sikhala.

He continued: ‘This is when I told myself that once I leave these cells I will make a national and international call to my brothers and sisters in the MDC formations that time has come to bury our narrow and small differences.

‘Once we do this, then we can build a formidable united front and confront this dictator called Robert Mugabe. All the other differences we have will then be resolved, once we’ve seen the back of Mugabe.’

Sikhala explained that the fall of Mugabe and his ZANU PF party would be hastened if all forces opposing the tyrannical system co-operate with one another, on the basis of national interest.

‘Despite the growing anti-Mugabe and ZANU PF sentiment, the absence of a strong united front is the reason we have not been able to topple him.

‘There is however a widely shared view that there is a need to develop a common, united platform from all sections of the pro-democracy movement to fight him in the next poll,’ Sikhala said.

Milhares de mortos na Síria

2012-01-04T16:48:00.000Z

Damascus has accused Washington of interfering in the work of the Arab League after a US official travelled to Cairo for talks with the bloc about the protest crackdown in Syria.

"The United States is one of the parties which is seeking to rekindle violence by its mobilisation and incitement [to violence]," Jihad Makdisi, foreign ministry spokesman, said in a statement on Wednesaday.

"The US... statements are a gross interference in the work of the Arab League, and an unjustified attempt to internationalise" the issue of Syria, he said.

The US State Department said on Tuesday that Jeffrey Feltman, the assistant secretary of state for Near East Affairs, was to travel to Cairo for consultations with the Arab League about Syria.

"We have made clear that if the Arab League initiative is not implemented, the international community will have to consider new measures to compel a halt to the regime's violence against its own citizens,'' spokesman Jay Carney said on Tuesday.

There are about 100 Arab League monitors in Syria, dispatched to verify the government's compliance with a plan to stop its crackdown on dissent. However, activists and the regional body itself has said security forces are still killing anti-government protesters despite the observers' presence.

The UN said in December that more than 5,000 people have been killed in the continuing crackdown. Since that report, opposition activists say hundreds more have been killed. Syrian authorities say armed groups have killed about 2,000 security forces personnel.

Opposition forces

Colonel Riad al-Asaad, the head of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), has threatened to step up attacks on government forces, saying he was frustrated with Arab League monitors' lack of progress in ending a government crackdown on protests.

Al-Asaad said he is waiting for the regional bloc's report on its first week before deciding whether to make a "transformative shift" that he said would mark a major escalation against the security forces.

"If we feel they are still not serious in a few days, or at most within a week, we will take a decision which will surprise the regime and the whole world," he told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday by telephone from his safe haven in southern Turkey.

"Since they [the monitors] entered, we had many more martyrs."

Al-Asaad defected from the Syrian air force in July. The strength of his forces is unknown, but according to media estimates, the umbrella organisation has more than 10,000 men in its ranks.

League claims 'noticeable progress'

The Arab League said it would hold a meeting to look into the first report by the head of the monitoring mission. Originally scheduled for Saturday, the meeting has been postponed to Sunday due to the Orthodox Christmas.

Adnan al-Khudeir, the Arab League official who heads the operations room that the monitors report to, said the meeting would be chaired by Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, the Qatari prime minister.

"There is noticeable progress," al-Khudeir said, referring to the reports he received so far. "It is hard to make a judgement on the mission of the monitors because they are still in the beginning ... We can't tell if they failed or succeeded right now."

Nabil Elaraby, the Arab League secretary-general, said on Monday that killings were continuing in Syria, but that the military had withdrawn tanks and artillery from residential areas and was on the outskirts of the cities.

"Yes, killings continue," he said. "The objective is for us to wake up in the morning and hear that no one is killed. The mission's philosophy is to protect civilians, so if one is killed, then our mission is incomplete.''

Activists have rejected claims that the military has withdrawn from the cities, posting videos online of soldiers close to a group of Arab League observers on Tuesday in the flashpoint city of Homs.

Mission criticised

The Arab League mission has come under harsh criticism by opponents of President Bashar al-Assad's government who say some observers lack experience.

Its chief, Lieutenant-General Mohamed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, raised opposition concerns because he served in critical security positions under Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president who is wanted on an international arrest warrant for crimes against humanity in Darfur.

The Local Co-ordination Committees, an umbrella group of activists, says the observer mission is witnessing mainly government-staged events, and they move about the country only with the full knowledge of the government.

However, video clips posted by activists appear to show observers moving around in protesting crowds, on some occasions within hearing distance of gunfire.

Men wearing what appears to be the orange vest worn by Arab League observers have also been seen viewing the corpse of a child and talking to relatives of people allegedly killed by security forces.

Al Jazeera and agencies

Justiça militar na Guiné-Bissau

2012-01-04T11:54:00.000Z

Bissau - As autoridades da Guiné-Bissau nomearam o coronel Quintino Quadé presidente do Tribunal de justiça militar, oito dias após o abortado golpe de Estado de 26 de Dezembro, soube-se hoje (quarta-feira) de fonte militar, citada pela AFP.
O coronel Quadé havia sido julgado nesse mesmo Tribunal que deverá julgar os militares detidos durante o golpe de Estado, entre os quais o chefe da Marinha, o contra-almirante José Américo Bubo Na Tchuto, presumível mentor da tentativa de golpe.
"Desde há 20 anos que trabalho nesse Tribunal, que considero agora a minha casa", declarou à imprensa, momentos após a sua nomeação.
Segundo ele, o "tribunal militar é uma instituição como qualquer outra de justiça, com os advogados, os juízes, acrescentando que "para o seu normal funcionamento, é preciso que os seus membros trabalhem em conjunto".
O ministro da Defesa, Baciro Dja, afirmou que "supervisionará", para que essa instituição de justiça militar seja "um exemplo em termos de respeito às instituições democráticas do país".
Em 26 de Dezembro, o exército anunciou ter abortado uma tentativa de golpe de Estado fomentado por um "pequeno grupo de militares que pretendia subverter a ordem no seio do exército e do governo", atacando a sede do estado-maior e duas unidades do exército em Bissau.
O governo bissau-guineense falou na altura de uma "tentativa de golpe de Estado".
A caça aos suspeitos, durante a qual 25 foram detidos, foi marcada por uma onda de violência que causou pelo menos dois mortos. Entre os mortos, figura um comandante de polícia abatido quando, segundo testemunhas, tentava entregar-se às autoridades.
A Guiné-Bissau está confrontada desde a sua independência, em 1974, com uma violência recorrente, na qual os militares são os principais protagonistas.
Esse país, de economia precária, tornou-se nos últimos tempos uma zona de trânsito de droga entre a América do Sul e a Europa, através do arquipélago dos Bijagós.
Desde 2010, Bubo Na Tchuto é considerado pelos Estados Unidos um "barão da droga". Angop

O Mundo esquece-se da Guiné-Bissau

2012-01-04T11:38:00.000Z

Em Outubro de 2005 o Governo português disse acreditar “que o povo guineense permanece credor de auxílio internacional urgente para o seu progresso”; e o Presidente Jorge Sampaio manifestou a esperança de que “a comunidade internacional não se esqueça da Guiné-Bissau”.
Decorridos seis anos e três meses, o Governo e o Presidente de Portugal, agora Cavaco Silva, já praticamente nada dizem sobre os complexos jogos de poder que se verificam naquela antiga colónia.
Com o Presidente Malam Bacai Sanhá bastante fragilizado, com o primeiro-ministro Carlos Gomes Júnior a tentar a todo o custo manter-se à frente do PAIGC, como desde há mais de seis anos o tem vindo a fazer, grande parte da vida na Guiné-Bissau depende do duelo entre o general António Indjai e o almirante Bubo Na Tchuto.
Com o Presidente Sanhá há mais de um mês fora do país, doente, com Carlos Gomes Júnior fragilizado, o povo está dependente do ajuste de contas entre o Chefe do Estado-Maior General e o Chefe do Estado-Maior da Armada.
Ansumane Mané, Veríssimo Correia Seabra e Tagme Na Wae foram chefes do Estado-Maior General já assassinados, não sendo de excluir que outros oficiais generais o venham a ser num futuro mais ou menos próximo.
A Guiné-Bissau ainda está muito longe de ser o país livre, independente e seguro com que Amílcar Cabral, Luís Cabral e Aristides Pereira sonhavam há 40 anos.

A perpetuação do ditador Mugabe

2012-01-03T17:37:00.000Z

By Lance Guma
SW Radio Africa

An army general implicated in rhino poaching, partisan food distribution, election rigging and even the murder of an army captain, was last week unilaterally promoted by Robert Mugabe.

Three Infantry Brigade Commander, Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, stunned the country last year when he called for Mugabe to be declared life president. He also described Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as a “major national security threat rather than a political one”.

This fanatical bootlicking has seen Nyikayaramba being promoted to Major-General. He will move from his base in the Manicaland province to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters in Harare, where he will be Chief of Staff .

Also promoted by Mugabe was Air Commodore Michael Moyo, who assumed the rank of Air Vice-Marshal. Moyo will be commandant of the National Defence College in Harare. But it is the appointment of Nyikayaramba that has an ominous bearing on the next election in Zimbabwe.

Nyikayaramba played a key role in rigging the 2002 presidential elections for Mugabe. At the time he was the Chief Executive Officer of the then Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC). His bias was confirmed further last year when he openly admitted he was ZANU PF and would not allow Tsvangirai to win.

In June 2008 Nyikayaramba was one of the over 200 senior army officers deployed around the country to co-ordinate the brutal ‘Operation Mavhotera Papi’ (where did you vote?) Over 500 opposition supporters were killed and tens of thousands were tortured, as punishment for voting for Tsvangirai who had won the March 2008 presidential election.

Nyikayaramba was also the head of the controversial Operation Maguta in which members of the army where deployed in every district of the country, purportedly to give technical assistance to farmers. The scheme was dismissed as nothing more than an attempt to justify the army presence in rural areas when in fact they were there to intimidate the rural electorate into voting for ZANU PF.

Political analyst Pedzisai Ruhanya told SW Radio Africa that Nyikayaramba’s promotion should be used as an “early warning system for the democratic actors in Zimbabwe.” He said Nyikayaramba’s role in the last three elections (2002, 2005 and 2008) “has seen him at the centre of the militarization of our politics, electoral institutions and the violent and partisan behaviour of the military.”

Ruhanya said Nyikayaramba has been strategically placed by Mugabe in his new position so that he can “run elections using the army.” He added that this had happened before, in 2002, when Nyikayaramba pretended to have resigned from the army so he could be CEO of the Electoral Supervisory Commission and rig elections for Mugabe.

“Where else have you seen a serving soldier run elections? In 2002 soldiers voted well ahead of time. They were also responsible for collecting ballot boxes across the country and in some instances, like Gokwe, using helicopters,” Ruhanya said. He added that nothing has changed and the new Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) still has workers who were recruited by Nyikayaramba.

Ruhanya was particularly scathing of the two MDC’s in the coalition government, arguing that their half-hearted reaction to Nyikayaramba’s promotion showed they were ‘naïve.’

“These people are sleeping at the expense of our people who have taken risks, who have defeated this regime, but at the level of political method and leadership, they are not doing enough to make the wishes of the people carry the day,” he said.

Nyikayaramba made sure the election body was stuffed with soldiers, state security agents and ZANU PF militia and “these are the people who are rigging elections. These are the people who were cooking figures in 2008. The whole ZEC is a product of Nyikayaramba and Mugabe is appointing in broad daylight the same people who robbed the MDC of victory” Ruhanya said.

Nyikayaramba is nicknamed ‘think tank’ or ‘Mr Fix It’ by many in ZANU PF. It is believed his deployment as Chief of Staff at the army HQ will enable him to be responsible for deploying soldiers in the community and getting them to ‘campaign’ for Mugabe using all means necessary, including violence.

SW Radio Africa also has information that Nyikayaramba was allegedly involved in the 1989 murder of 35 year old army captain Edwin Bhundani Nleya. Captain Nleya’s body was found on a hillside in Hwange, two months after he disappeared in suspicious circumstances from 1:2 Infantry Battalion in Hwange.

Several reports claimed Captain Nleya was killed because of what he knew about the involvement of the army in poaching and smuggling activities in Mozambique. Nleya uncovered evidence of this while on military duty there in 1988.

Its alleged Nleya even refused to carry out one of the poaching missions and threatened to expose his commanders, who at the time included General Constantine Chiwenga who was commander of 1 Brigade and Nyikayaramba, who was then a lieutenant colonel commanding 1:2 Infantry battalion.