Africa

Civilians Killed in Somali Marketplace

By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk

MOGADISHU, Somalia– Today, close to 30 Somali civilians were killed and 60 injured, after a battle between militant insurgents and African Union peacekeepers ensued in a public market. The fighting began after the insurgents fired mortars toward the airport as the President was taking off for a conference in Uganda.

Somali President, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a moderate Islamist, who took office earlier this year, was en route to an African leaders meeting in Kampala to sign the first ever convention to protect displaced people. His flight was unaffected by the attacks, however the city was not.

Upon the insurgents’ assault on the airport, African Union peacekeepers and government troops began to fire back. Their response to the insurgents found them firing into main markets in the city where the insurgents were scattered. This resulted in close to 30 civilian deaths and almost 60 injuries.

The insurgent attacks have been claimed by al-Shabab, a group considered to be an al-Quaida proxy. According to some Somali journalists, AU and governmental troops frequently target the market and other al-Shabab sites in the capital. The insurgents have been using congested areas to launch their attacks. The AU and government soldiers have received much criticism for their inability to minimize civilian deaths.

Somalia has been in a state of chaos since 1991, the last time it had an effective national government. Islamist “militants” dominate much of the southern and central parts of Somalia while the President and his UN-backed government have control of only limited parts of the capital. Over three million people are currently in need of food aid, while hundreds of thousands have fled the country.

For more information please see:

All Africa – Amisom Spokesman Denies Shelling Targeted to Bakara Market in Mogadishu – 22 October 2009

BBC – Shelling Kills Somali Civilians – 22 October 2009

VOA – Somalia Peacekeepers Accused of Firing Into Civilian Areas – 22 Octoober 2009

Retaliatory Expulsions Have Caused Humanitarian Disaster

By Jared Kleinman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

LUANDA, Angola – A rapidly expanding humanitarian crisis among the tens of thousands of people expelled by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighboring Angola is beginning to unfold. Nearly 30,000 Angolans recently expelled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), who are now seeking refuge in overcrowded camps in northern Angola, are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Shelter, food, medicine and sanitation facilitation are among the most pressing needs, according to UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic. “The supply of clean water is insufficient,” said Mahecic. “Some of the expelled drink from the nearby contaminated rivers.” Diarrhea and vomiting have been reported among those living in camps, where many are sleeping in the open air.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has expelled more than 20,000 Angolans from its territory this month alone in order to retaliate against Angola’s expulsion of illegal Congolese diamond miners, an Angolan official said. “We hope the expulsion of Angolans from the Congo ends soon,” said Angolan Foreign Ministry spokesman Abreu de Breganha, adding that the recent expulsions were to retaliate for the regular expulsion of thousands of illegal Congolese diamond miners from Angola.

During Angola’s almost three decades of civil war, which ended in 2002, the DRC hosted more than 100,000 Angolan refugees; since then, thousands of undocumented Congolese migrants – mostly thought to be illegal diamond diggers – have been working in Angola.

The ebb and flow of people expelled from both sides of the border has become a common spat between the neighbors. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) there have been six major waves of expulsions since 2003, in which a total of 140,000 Congolese were deported from Angola.

Tit-for-tat expulsions since August 2009 by the governments of Angola and DRC have led to more than 32,000 Angolans being repatriated to Angola, and about 18,800 Congolese nationals being deported from Angola. Following talks on 13 October in the DRC capital, Kinshasa, both countries agreed to “immediately stop the expulsions of citizens of their respective states,” said the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) representative, Bohdan Nahajlo

Nahajlo told IRIN that providing humanitarian assistance to the displaced was becoming a race against time, as the rainy season was closing in and would make the roads from the Angolan capital, Luanda, impassable, and the M’banza Congo airport in Angola’s northern province of Zaire was not an option because it was closed for renovation.

“Besides addressing the immediate humanitarian and protection needs, we should also prepare for a continuous flow of Angolans into the country,” who were crossing the border out of fear, and the hope of being reunited with their families in Angola, warned Nahajlo. A recent UNHCR assessment of Angolan refugees in the DRC found that about 43,000 were willing to be repatriated voluntarily, but “in this atmosphere people will be encouraged to return,” and the refugee agency was expecting a second wave of about 50,000 people, Nahajlo said.

For more information, please see:

All Africa – Almost 30,000 Angolans Expelled From Country Need Help – UN Refugee Agency – 20 October 2009

UNNews- Almost 30,000 Angolans expelled from DR Congo need help – UN refugee agency – 20 October 2009

IRIN – Humanitarian crisis now unfolding – 20 October 2009

Reuters – Congo expels over 20,000 Angolans in tit-for-tat – 12 October 2009

Niger Suspended by Africa Trade Bloc

By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk

NIAMEY, Niger– On Monday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended Niger for its refusal to postpone its upcoming legislative election. Niger President Mamadou Tandja has disappointed his colleagues in ECOWAS with the recent actions he has taken to secure his third term in office. In May of 2009, Tandja made a constitutional referendum that would extend his term as President of Niger. Upon the presentation of the referendum, the Niger Parliament found it unconstitutional. Subsequently Tandja decided to dissolve the Parliament in order to insure his plan for a third term was not disturbed. The following month, Tandja also dissolved the Constitutional court after it ruled his third term bid illegal.

Tandja’s continued attempts to make illegal changes to his country’s political structure are what have brought ECOWAS suspension of Niger. In November, Niger will be finishing legislative elections for 113 legislators to replace the parliament Tandja dismissed back in May. The suspension was preceded by ECOWAS first deciding that Tandja’s referendum  was against the “letter and spirit of the Constitution of Niger and a violation of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.” Upon their finding, ECOWAS asked Tandja to delay these elections to allow for political dialogue following the controversial referendum that extended his time in office. As a result of his refusal to delay the elections, ECOWAS followed through with their threats by suspending Niger.

ECOWAS believes its suspension of Niger will affect Mr. Tandja. ECOWAS political director Abdel Fatau Musa said, “If you are considered a pariah, an outcast, from an organization you have ratified the conditions of, then psychologically it will affect you.” Musa further made the point that if Tandja does not back down the issue could find its way to the UN Security Council further isolating Niger.

Proponents of Tandja say that his contributions to the Niger economy is reason enough to make sense of his presidency.

For more information please see:

All Africa – Ecowas Imposes Sanctions on Guinea, Niger – 18 October 2009
BBC – Africa Trade Bloc Suspends Niger – 20 October 2009
BBC – Niger Corruption Case “Political” – 15 September 2009
VOA – Ecowas Suspends Niger in Dispute Over Constitution – 20 October 2009

Nigerian Government to Share Oil Revenue with Niger Delta Residents

By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

ABUJA, Nigeria – As promised, the Nigerian government has proposed a deal to transfer a portion of its oil and gas revenue to the residents of the Niger Delta.

Earlier this year, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) declared an “oil war” on the national energy sector in protest against the lack of wealth sharing of incoming oil revenue.

The Nigerian government promised rebel groups amnesty and reform in the energy sector in return for a cease fire.  During the final moments of the amnesty offer many MEND leaders laid down their arms.  Many of the MEND leaders remained very skeptical of the governments ability to fulfill their promise to reform the energy sector.

On Monday MEND ended the 90-day cease fire and warned the oil industry to expect new attacks if they did not fulfill their end of the bargain.

In response, the government has said it has plans to transfer 10 percent of the national oil and gas revenue to Niger Delta residents as part of a broader effort to reform the energy sector.  This would allow the local residents to receive cash benefits from a version of a trust fund.

President Umaru Yar’Adua’s advisor on the oil sector, Emmanuel Egbogah, told the Financial Times that they are aiming to pass a serious of reform, which the government hopes will promote peace in the war torn area.

“Every community, whether blind or deaf or dumb, every citizen will say: ‘I own a part of this business,'” assured Egbogah.

In addition, the State-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) confirmed that discussions were being held to find ways to give a share of the oil wealth to the nine oil-producing Delta states.

In the first quarter of 2009 the oil revenue fell by 50 percent due in part to the militant activity targeting the energy sector in the Niger Delta.  Recent reports have shown that since the cease fire, the oil production is rising.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Nigeria to Offer Oil Money Back to Delta People: Report – 19 October 2009

BBC – Nigeria “To Give 10% of Oil Cash” – 19 October 2009

UPI – Nigeria in Deal with Niger Delta Residents – 19 October 2009

Horn of Africa in Danger When El Nino Hits

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

ISIOLO, Kenya – According to UNICEF, the United Nations Children Fund, the number of children in the Horn of Africa that are starving is rising at an alarming rate.

Five million children under the age of five are suffering from malnutrition in six countries, including Kenya.  The latest UNICEF estimates said that these children are suffering as a result of the food shortage due to a prolonged drought and of the Somali conflict.

According to a statement made by UNICEF, in the past five months the number of children that need emergency food assistance has risen nearly one million in number.

“Unicef estimates that for the whole of 2009 some 500,000 children under five will suffer from life-threatening severe malnutrition.  For countries such as Kenya it is the fourth consecutive failed rainy season in a row.  The dry spell already led to enormous losses in livestock, increases in food prices and severe water shortages,” said the statement.

Food aid and humanitarian assistance are estimated to be given to 24 million people in Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and parts of Uganda, according to the UN.  This number is up from 20 million earlier this year.

The area is anticipating that rains from El Nino will cause flooding in parts of the region which will contribute to more water-borne illnesses and crop failures.  The disappearance of vegetation is expected to worsen the effects of flooding.

“More than 23 million people in pastoral, agricultural and sub-urban communities, as well as internally displaced people and refugees in the region, are reeling from the impact of water and food shortages, pasture scarcity, conflict and insecurity,” said Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Human Affairs John Holmes.  “While we cannot prevent these climatic shocks, we certainly can mitigate their disastrous effects through forward planning and the right funding from the donor community.”

The humanitarian community is undertaking flood contingency planning but due to financial constraints and humanitarian access issues, the OCHA has encouraged the international community to “increase their support” and to draw lessons from the past and be prepared and proactive in response to an emergency.

For more information, please see:

Relief Web – Horn of Africa Alert – October 2009 – 16 October 2009

UNICEF – Food and Nutrition Insecurity Deepens in the Horn of Africa as Heavy Rains Predicted – 16 October 2009

UN News Centre – Stricken by Drought, the Horn of Africa Readies for Expected Flooding – 16 October 2009

Daily Nation – 5m Children in Africa Starving – 15 October 2009