By Myriam Clerge

Impunity Watch, Africa

The United Nations announced Zimbabwe’s appointment to the body’s Commission on Sustainable Development, despite disapproval from the United States, European nations and human rights organizations. The commission is charged with promoting economic progress and environmental protection. Given the state of the country, opponents argue Zimbabwe is not suitable to represent the theme of the commission.

Once the “breadbasket of Africa”, Zimbabwe can’t now feed itself. The nation’s annual inflation has soared to 3,714 percent. Zimbabwe is experiencing the world’s fastest-shrinking economy. Fueled by numerous business shut downs, unemployment has reached 80 percent.

Many charge Zimbabwe’s current president for the countries poor state. Mugabe has been criticized by the West and domestic opponents for oppression and corruption. Suspicious of western influence, Mugabe’s main opposition, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), claims many of their members have been killed, tortured and harassed by Mugabe and his party.

Since 1980 President Mugabe and his political party, Zanu-PF has dominated Zimbabwe’s politics. Considered anti-western and suspicious of capitalism, Mugabe played a key role in ending white rule in Rhodesia. In 2000 he implemented a land redistribution plan in Zimbabwe which disrupted the agriculture-based economy. White-owned commercial farms were violently seized and handed to poor blacks.

Zimbabwe is suffering from massive food and fuel shortages. According to the Central Statistical Office, prices increased by 100.7 percent, the highest on record. While the nation’s consumers are forced to carry bags of currency to purchase scarce resources, President Mugabe is building a $4 million museum to display the many gifts he received during his 27 year presidency.

Mugabe’s critics argue that Zimbabwe’s appointment to such a key body in the U.N. will call into question the credibility of the organization. Despite disapproval, the commission traditionally rotates among regions of the world. This year Africa was up for the position.

For more information please see:

Washington Times – Zimbabwe president extravagant amid poor – 20 May 2007

Yahoo – Inflation in Zimbabwe hits 3,714 percent – 17 May 2007

CNN – Zimbabwe to head key U.N. body – 12 May 2007

BBC – Country Profile: Zimbabwe – 04 May 2007

By Meryl White
Impunity Watch Reporter, Western and Central Africa

BONDOUKOU, Ivory Coast – Seven children aged four to fifteen, have died after playing with a hand grenade that they found on the ground near their Koranic school. Seven more children were injured in the blast. Two of the children are in critical condition at a hospital in Bondoukou.

The boys picked up the grenades. The first grenade went off when the child removed the pin and resulted in the numerous deaths. After the accident, parents of another child turned the second grenade over to the police as part of Ivory Coast’s disarmament process.

The scene had been described as “just devastating,” by an investigator on Wednesay. He also stated that “One of the children had a severed head.”

Bondoukou is 460 kilometers from the economic capital Abidjan in the south. Moreover, it is the site of a former front line of the five year conflict that ended in March 2007. In March, Laurent Gbagbo, the President of Ivory Coat reached a peace agreement with rebel leader, Guillaume Soro. The rebels released control of northern Ivory Coast.

Today, Mr. Soro is a prime minister in the power-sharing government. Since December, the government has been employing a disarmament process.

Richard Secre, chairman of Bondoukou’s local council, stated “We’re in a zone which isn’t far from the front line. With the war, weapons were moved around but we don’t know how these grenades got here.”

For more information, please see:

BBC- Grenade kills W African children – 2 January 2007

Reuters- Grenade blast kills 7 children in Ivory Coast – 2 January 2007

IC Publications- Seven children die in Ivorian grenade accident: police  – 2 January 2007

By Meryl White
Impunity Watch Reporter, Western and Central Africa

KHARTOUM, Darfur –  According to a Sudanese diplomatic source, there is presently a joint offensive under way between Chadian forces and rebels in Sudan’s Darfus region. The joint offensive between the Chadian armed forces and Darfur rebels of the Justice and Equality Movement have attacked numerous towns and villages in the area of el-Geneina, located in Western Darfur.

Chad claims to only have attacked targets alongside the border, claiming not to have crossed into Sudan. Nevertheless, reports show that on Friday, a Chadian aircraft attacked targets inside Sudan. In response, the Sudanese government has filed complaint to the UN Security Council, describing Chad’s attack as “unprecedented.”

A Sudanese foreign ministry statement seen by Reuters on Sunday stated “In an unprecedented escalation, Chadian forces have violated the joint border as three Chadian war planes bombed two areas … in West Darfur … on Dec. 28.”

On Wednesday, Chad accused Sudan of sheltering and re-arming Chadian rebels after last month’s armed conflict. 

Presently, statistics estimate that the war in Darfur has cost the lives of over 200,000 people and forced 2.5 million from their homes.

AU troops in Sudan are presently undertaking a UN mission. The planned mission will eventually consist of 20,000 troops and 6000 police and civilian personnel. Currently, only about 9000 troops and police are in place.

For more information, please see:

The Australian – UN-African force takes over in Darfur – 2 January 2008

Reuters – Sudan accuses Chad of bombing Darfur, Chad denies – 30 December 2007

BBC – Chad ‘launches attack in Darfur’ – 30 December 2007