– NEWS –
Violence ahead of Burundi vote to extend president’s term to 2034: Millions of voters in Burundi will go to the polls this week in a referendum that could allow president Pierre Nkurunziza to stay in power until 2034. Tensions have been running high in Burundi for months amid a wave of alleged detentions and killings of the government’s perceived opponents. At least 26 people were killed and seven others wounded in an attack in the north-western province of Cibitoke on Friday, though it is unclear if the massacre was politically motivated. Human Rights Watch has criticized “widespread impunity” for authorities and their allies, including the ruling party’s youth wing, as they try to swing the vote in the president’s favor. Burundi’s government has said the charges are malicious propaganda spread by exiles. Last week, it suspended BBC broadcasts in the country for six months, accusing it of spreading ideas that discredit the president. Voice of America broadcasts were also suspended.
theguardian.com
Egypt: Activist arrested after Facebook video: Human rights groups are calling for the release of an Egyptian activist arrested after she posted a video criticizing the government for failing to protect women against sexual harassment. Amal Fathy, an activist focusing on democratization in Egypt, was arrested alongside her husband early Friday, Amnesty International said. Police raided the couple’s home in the Cairo suburb of Maadi and took them and their 3-year-old child to the police station. On May 9th Fathy posted a video on her Facebook page in which she spoke about the prevalence of sexual harassment in Egypt, and criticized the government’s failure to protect women. She also criticized the government for deteriorating human rights, socioeconomic conditions and public services. Amnesty International examined the 12-minute video and found that it does not contain incitement of any form, and as such is protected by freedom of expression.
cnn.com, amnesty.org
Terrorist attack on South Africa mosque: Attackers entered a South African mosque after midday prayers, stabbed three people and set the place on fire before fleeing, local police said. One victim later died. The other victims were in critical condition after the attack in the eastern town of Verulam, just north of the city of Durban, South Africa’s state broadcaster SABC reported. One Muslim leader said the mosque was targeted because it was a Shia place of worship that had received previous threats, exposing deep tension between the Shia and Sunni population. A local Islamic leader, Aftab Haider, said Shias in South Africa had been subjected to a prolonged hate campaign. He said the attack may be connected to the Sunni extremist group Islamic State.
cbsnews.com, theguardian.com
Nigerian migrants sue Italy for aiding Libyan coast guard: Nigerian migrants who survived a deadly sea crossing last year filed a lawsuit against Italy for violating their rights by supporting Libya’s efforts to return them to North Africa. Seventeen plaintiffs petitioned the European Court of Human Rights, Violeta Moreno-Lax, a legal advisor for the Global Legal Action Network, told reporters. She was among four lawyers and several humanitarian groups involved in the case. The migrants say Italy violated multiple articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, including that people not be subjected to torture, held in slavery, or have their lives put in danger. All the plaintiffs were rescued at sea on Nov. 6 as at least 20 migrants drowned when a part of their rubber boat deflated. German humanitarian ship Sea Watch 3 rescued 59 people that day and collected the body of a small child, all of whom were brought to Italy.
reuters.com
Two British tourists kidnapped in Democratic Republic of Congo have been released independent.co.uk
Dam collapse leaves more than 40 people dead in Kenya npr.org
Congo says another dies from suspected Ebola infection reuters.com
– BACKGROUND –
Why Africa’s aviation industry is suffering: While Africa could be one of the largest aviation markets in the future, currently the continent’s airlines are not progressing. Air Namibia is struggling under the weight of some serious financial problems. Namibia’s state-owned airline faces collapse with banks refusing to grant the carrier credit to fund day-to-day operations after it failed to publish annual reports for over 10 years. Acting managing director of Air Namibia Mandi Samson said the company was suffering severe cash shortages, made worse by the recent decrease of government funding, with the southern African nation slashing spending to fend off ratings downgrades. “We’re looking for financing from other countries such as South Africa, which brings the complication of currency exposure. It is not ideal, but if the entire country says they cannot assist us … we have to look elsewhere,” Samson was quoted saying.
reuters.com
Rwanda sticks to used clothes ban despite US threats: Last year, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi announced their intention to phase out imports of secondhand clothing and shoes from western countries by 2019. But the decision in Rwanda has divided people and left the tiny landlocked country in a trade dispute with the US. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has stated that his country will proceed with the ban on used clothes despite threats by the United States to review trade benefits to Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Across Africa, daily shipments of recycled clothing, sent largely from the US, UK and Canada, fuel a multimillion-dollar informal industry that employs thousands of local retailers who turn a profit reselling the items.
theguardian.com, africanews.com
– NUMBER –
At least 770,000 children in the Kasai region in the Democratic Republic of Congo are suffering from acute malnutrition, including 400,000 children who are severely malnourished and at risk of death, Unicef warned in a report.
unicef.org
– QUOTE –
„After centuries of heteronomy, suddenly everyone is supposed to turn into an entrepreneur and be amazing at governing and everything else as if at the push of a button. But damages with long-term effects have occurred.“
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stressed Europe’s responsibility for Africa.
zeit.de
– AT LAST –
Prisoners in paradise: Life in Congo’s prisons is hell: Those who don’t have help from the outside get no food, no nutrition and will probably die soon. So the head of the provincial division of Justice, Gerard Kombozi, was rightfully surprised when inmates of one of the worst prisons in the country refused to leave after serving their sentence. The answer to this puzzling mystery: The prisoners had, for an undisclosed period, been working in an illegal mine underneath a prison to extract diamonds. Prison officers and local people had set up temporary accommodation nearby to work on the illegal mine, with some prisoners even refusing to leave after their sentences had ended. Following a raid, Kombozi ordered the closure of the makeshift mine and has vowed to punish anyone found working there.
taz.de, face2faceafrica.com