In Obo, a town in the Central African Republic, local villagers have taken up arms against the bloody attacks by fighters from the Lord's Resistance Army. Militia chief Joseph Fele said: "When the Tongo Tongo attacked Obo for the first time, they took our children and raped our women. It cost us 70 lives, but we swore not to let it happen again. That's why we are fighting back!"
Since last week, attacks by the LRA have risen against civilians in the Democratic Repuplic of Congo, Sudan and in the Central African Republic. Obo, lies on the frontline. Because of distrust with the national army, many local villages have taken their defence in their own hands. The national government whch is still recovering from the 2003 civil wars is not strong enough to keep order and as such remote areas such as Obo get poor help. On their side they do have Uganda, whose People's Defence Force have been a great help so far, but the LRA is slowly gaining the ground. Uganda itself is under criticism for it's help: There are beliefs that Uganda is looking to get their hands on natural resources as they did during the Congolese civil war. However these accusations are also rebuffed by Uganda saying they themselves had lots of trouble ousting the LRA from Uganda.
--------- Walking back and forth under a giant mango tree, Joseph Fele carefully inspects the 30 men preparing for the next patrol. Freshly shaved and wearing a tidy, purple gown, his figure is in stark contrast to the ragged, sweating militiamen lined up in front of him. "When the Tongo Tongo attacked Obo for the first time, they took our children and raped our women. It cost us 70 lives, but we swore not to let it happen again. That's why we are fighting back!" he shouts at his fighters, some of whom struggle to stay in formation under the baking tropical sun.
Once a peasant, Fele today leads one of the four self-defence militias protecting the small town of Obo from the attacks of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), the former Ugandan rebel group led by Joseph Kony and nicknamed Tongo Tongo (or "those who never sleep") in the local Zande language.
Some of Fele's fighters are teenagers who have never fired a gun before, others are well into their 50s and clearly exhausted by continuous patrolling. Armed with handmade hunting rifles and machetes, they are no match for the Kalashnikovs and machine-guns of the enemy. Yet, unprofessional and desperate as they appear, they are the last line of defence in a community fighting for survival.
Last week the United Nations refugee agency reported a dramatic rise in the frequency and brutality of attacks by LRA fighters against civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan and, increasingly, in the Central African Republic. Obo, a sleepy rural place in the south-eastern corner of the republic, is on the frontline.
Chased and harried by the Ugandan army, the LRA fighters have scattered around the remote border regions of the three countries, where they terrorise civilians and plunder and pillage to survive. In the prefecture of Haut-Mbomou alone, they have killed and abducted more than 200 people so far, forcing thousands of survivors to shelter inside Obo, the regional capital. Every day dozens of newcomers swell the makeshift displacement camp on the outskirts of the city.
Surrounding villages lie empty, harvests rotting under the sun or eaten by animals. The rebels are based just 5km away; the humanitarian aid provided by UN agencies is running dangerously low, and the frightened population of Obo, currently standing at 12,000, is on the brink of famine.
Martin Kelembaro arrived here last September, after fleeing with his family of nine from the nearby village of Ngume. "When the Tongo Tongo attacked, my wife was pregnant, but we managed to cross the forest somehow," he recounts. Serge, his now five-month-old son, was the first baby born at the camp. Now he returns to Ngume twice a month to collect the few remaining crops.
"Every time I go there, I fear for my life," he admits, his eyes staring at the hundreds of wooden huts and plastic tarpaulins dotting the camp. "I just try to minimise the risk by going with someone else."
Unwilling to rely on the inefficient national army (FACA), the local population has looked to its own defence. Three times a day four groups, each of a few dozen militiamen, patrol sensitive areas and escort civilians to water springs and churches. Enrolment is voluntary, and the economic distress of Obo means every fighter has to provide his own food and ammunition. "If we managed to get some help from the government, we would get rid of the rebels", boasts Fele. "Last time we pleaded for assistance they just sent us two cartridges each."
Cash-strapped and still recovering from the 2003 civil war, the national government cannot even control its own territory, let alone help the citizens of this remote area. The region between Obo and Bangassou, another small town 500km farther east towards the capital, Bangui, is monitored by just 150 government troops. About 30 of them are in Obo. "Every time there are clashes, they just run away," says an angry refugee who asked not to be named for fear of retribution. "If it wasn't for the militias and the Ugandans, we would all be dead."
In 2009 several hundred soldiers of the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) arrived in Obo to track down the rebels under a special (and still undisclosed) agreement between the governments in Bangui and Kampala. The initial victories earned them the praise of local people, but the tide has slowly turned. Despite the use of special squads of former rebels to track them down, the LRA fighters are gaining ground everywhere, and the population is growing impatient and angry. Some question the real agenda of Kampala, accusing the Ugandan forces of using the emergency as an excuse to plunder natural resources, as they did during the Congolese civil war.
The allegation is furiously rebutted. "This is nonsense, it took us more than 20 years to oust the LRA from Uganda," says an angry Stephan Mugerwa, deputy commander of the UPDF in the Central African Republic. "The rebels operate in small bands. They're very mobile and never engage with us. To find them in the bush is like searching for a needle in a haystack."
Once a rebel group claiming to fight for the rights of the Acholi community, today the LRA no longer has a political agenda. Its fighters are known only for their scorched-earth tactics and for using abducted civilians as porters, sexual slaves or fighters. Dozens of people from Obo are still in their hands, but some have managed to escape. Brice Katawa, a 26-year-old former student, was kidnapped and forced to serve for more than a year.
"I have beaten and killed many people, I can't deny it", he says calmly. "We were like animals, sweeping away villages and assaulting civilians every time we were hungry."
Challenging orders would have meant certain death. "I seldom think about what I did because I don't feel guilty," he explains blankly. "I am sorry for the victims, but I have no regrets. It was either my life or theirs."
As Obo's other residents live from day to day fearing that the same, or worse, will happen to them, it is hardly surprising that they are turning to Joseph Fele's militia for help. Right now, it is the only protection on offer. ---------------- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/16/dispatch-on-frontline-with-bush-killers
zhangyu Canadian fighter jets escort Hong Kong plane after bomb scare, no explosives found ----------- Two Canadian fighter jets on Saturday escorted a Cathay Pacific Airways flight into Vancouver International Airport in response to a bomb threat to the plane, authorities said, though they later determined there was no threat aboard the aircraft.
A Royal Canadian Mounted Police helicopter flies over Vancouver's International Airport as a Cathay Pacific airplane sits at the terminal, in Richmond, British Columbia May 15, 2010. The Cathay Pacific airliner from Hong Kong was escorted by military fighter jets to its destination in Vancouver after a bomb threat, but no bomb was found, police said on Saturday. --------------- VANCOUVER/OTTAWA, May 15 (Xinhua) --A Cathay Pacific passenger plane was escorted by two Canadian fighter jets to the Vancouver International Airport on Saturday after a bomb threat, but no explosives were found on the plane.
The Airbus A-340 aircraft, escorted by two Canadian Forces CF-18 Hornets, landed safely at about 1:35 p.m. local time (2035 GMT). It then taxied to an airport gate and all passengers were safely deplaned.
Corporal Sherrdean Turley of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said a phone call was received at 10:43 a.m. (1743 GMT) about a bomb on Flight CX838 originating from Hong Kong.
"All necessary screening procedures were carried out and nothing of concern was identified," said Turley, adding that she couldn't say, from an investigational standpoint, where the call originated from.
"No one was injured during this incident and the investigation is continuing. The threat is being taken very seriously and I would just like to reassure the traveling public that there is no threat to them at this time."
Cathay Pacific said in a statement that there were 283 passengers and 14 crew members aboard the plane.
"A security issue raised on the ground in Vancouver resulted in extra security for the aircraft inbound to the airport and upon arrival," said the statement.
A Mandarin-speaking passenger who identified herself as Mrs. Chong said she didn't know what happened, but she had to wait inside the airport for three to four hours after getting off the plane. "They didn't tell us anything. Only I know is I can't get my luggage. They just told us there are some problems with the security check."
Alicia Glohe of the Vancouver Airport Authority told Xinhua that, to her understanding, the RCMP had cleared the aircraft. "I believe it's been deemed 100 percent safe and is heading back to Hong Kong."
Alex Shum, vice president of Cathay Pacific Airways Canada, said there were no incidents among the passengers.
"(The RCMP) Checked the whole aircraft, all the baggage, and everything is now settled. They released the airport back to Cathay and the aircraft is going to depart now," he said.
Emerging from the airport departure area after waiting six hours for her baggage, Deepika Vaswami said she didn't know there was a threat to the aircraft until she saw the news on television.
The Mumbai woman said she spotted one of the fighter jets about 10 minutes before landing.
"We were quite excited because children see it (the fighter plane) in the movies, and there was no chaos on board," she said.
Earlier in the day, Canadaian Defense Minister Peter MacKay confirmed the threat. --------------- http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-05/16/c_13297117_2.htm
347 towns to protest against crime ------------------------
On May 19, massive protest against crime made up jointly by Solidarity, AfriForum and Helping Hand will be held in South Africa nationwide. The movement is expected to be the largest protest in the country as thousands of South Africans are to wear red on the day.
Dirk Hermann, deputy general of Solidarity, said that the protest aims to demonstrate that crime is abnormal and thus should not be regarded as a normal part of society.
Actual victims of crime from several towns will participate in handing over memorandums to the South African Police Service. Victims include those who were shot by robbers and whose family were brutally murdered. Through their appearances, the protest will be able to gain more attention from the public. ------------------------------------------
Three-hundred-and-fourty-seven towns will take part in a national protest against crime on Wednesday, the Solidarity Movement said.
In a statement, the movement—made up by Solidarity, AfriForum and Helping Hand—claimed this would be the largest crime protest yet in the country.
“Three hundred and seven towns are finalising the last arrangements for the largest protest action against crime ever in South Africa.”
Memorandums would be handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in both small towns and cities, from the Western Cape to the north.
In rural areas, several businesses would close their doors and various schools would take part in some of the marches or learners would wear red, Dirk Hermann, deputy general of Solidarity said.
“It is expected that thousands of South Africans across South Africa will wear red on the day.”
Hermann added that the country should never allow crime to become a normal part of society.
“In order to demonstrate that it is abnormal, we need to protest.
“However, we won’t just protest ... we also want to use the action to call on communities to get involved in community safety initiatives in conjunction with the SAPS.”
Hermann believed SA would be “a safer place” after May 19 if the protest was successful.
He added that in several towns victims of crime would hand over the memorandums themselves.
“In Louis Trichardt, the memorandum will be handed over by André and Petro van den Bergh, who were shot during a robbery in their house while they were sleeping, and in Midvaal the memorandum will be handed over by Charl van der Westhuizen, whose uncle and aunt were brutally murdered,” he said.
“At the Utrecht police station, a memorandum will be handed over by Hilda Els and her son ... Hilda’s husband was followed, hijacked and brutally murdered.” ---------------------------------------
A very down to earth* kind of guy. I'm an environmental sociologist interested in establishing material and organizational sustainability worldwide. I'm always looking for interesting materials/technologies, inspiring ideas, or institutional examples of sustainability to inspire others to recognize their choices now. To be fatalistic about an unsustainable world is a sign of a captive mind, given all our options.
*(If "earth" is defined in a planetary sense, concerning comparative historical knowledge and interest in the past 10,000 years or so anywhere...) See both blogs.
Valerie Raeymaekers
ReplyDeleteOn the frontline against Africa's bush killers
In Obo, a town in the Central African Republic, local villagers have taken up arms against the bloody attacks by fighters from the Lord's Resistance Army. Militia chief Joseph Fele said: "When the Tongo Tongo attacked Obo for the first time, they took our children and raped our women. It cost us 70 lives, but we swore not to let it happen again. That's why we are fighting back!"
Since last week, attacks by the LRA have risen
against civilians in the Democratic Repuplic of Congo, Sudan and in the Central African Republic. Obo, lies on the frontline. Because of distrust with the national army, many local villages have taken their defence in their own hands. The national government whch is still recovering from the 2003 civil wars is not strong enough to keep order and as such remote areas such as Obo get poor help. On their side they do have Uganda, whose People's Defence Force have been a great help so far, but the LRA is slowly gaining the ground. Uganda itself is under criticism for it's help: There are beliefs that Uganda is looking to get their hands on natural resources as they did during the Congolese civil war. However these accusations are also rebuffed by Uganda saying they themselves had lots of trouble ousting the LRA from Uganda.
---------
Walking back and forth under a giant mango tree, Joseph Fele carefully inspects the 30 men preparing for the next patrol. Freshly shaved and wearing a tidy, purple gown, his figure is in stark contrast to the ragged, sweating militiamen lined up in front of him. "When the Tongo Tongo attacked Obo for the first time, they took our children and raped our women. It cost us 70 lives, but we swore not to let it happen again. That's why we are fighting back!" he shouts at his fighters, some of whom struggle to stay in formation under the baking tropical sun.
Once a peasant, Fele today leads one of the four self-defence militias protecting the small town of Obo from the attacks of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), the former Ugandan rebel group led by Joseph Kony and nicknamed Tongo Tongo (or "those who never sleep") in the local Zande language.
Some of Fele's fighters are teenagers who have never fired a gun before, others are well into their 50s and clearly exhausted by continuous patrolling. Armed with handmade hunting rifles and machetes, they are no match for the Kalashnikovs and machine-guns of the enemy. Yet, unprofessional and desperate as they appear, they are the last line of defence in a community fighting for survival.
Last week the United Nations refugee agency reported a dramatic rise in the frequency and brutality of attacks by LRA fighters against civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan and, increasingly, in the Central African Republic. Obo, a sleepy rural place in the south-eastern corner of the republic, is on the frontline.
Chased and harried by the Ugandan army, the LRA fighters have scattered around the remote border regions of the three countries, where they terrorise civilians and plunder and pillage to survive. In the prefecture of Haut-Mbomou alone, they have killed and abducted more than 200 people so far, forcing thousands of survivors to shelter inside Obo, the regional capital. Every day dozens of newcomers swell the makeshift displacement camp on the outskirts of the city.
Surrounding villages lie empty, harvests rotting under the sun or eaten by animals. The rebels are based just 5km away; the humanitarian aid provided by UN agencies is running dangerously low, and the frightened population of Obo, currently standing at 12,000, is on the brink of famine.
ReplyDeleteMartin Kelembaro arrived here last September, after fleeing with his family of nine from the nearby village of Ngume. "When the Tongo Tongo attacked, my wife was pregnant, but we managed to cross the forest somehow," he recounts. Serge, his now five-month-old son, was the first baby born at the camp. Now he returns to Ngume twice a month to collect the few remaining crops.
"Every time I go there, I fear for my life," he admits, his eyes staring at the hundreds of wooden huts and plastic tarpaulins dotting the camp. "I just try to minimise the risk by going with someone else."
Unwilling to rely on the inefficient national army (FACA), the local population has looked to its own defence. Three times a day four groups, each of a few dozen militiamen, patrol sensitive areas and escort civilians to water springs and churches. Enrolment is voluntary, and the economic distress of Obo means every fighter has to provide his own food and ammunition. "If we managed to get some help from the government, we would get rid of the rebels", boasts Fele. "Last time we pleaded for assistance they just sent us two cartridges each."
Cash-strapped and still recovering from the 2003 civil war, the national government cannot even control its own territory, let alone help the citizens of this remote area. The region between Obo and Bangassou, another small town 500km farther east towards the capital, Bangui, is monitored by just 150 government troops. About 30 of them are in Obo. "Every time there are clashes, they just run away," says an angry refugee who asked not to be named for fear of retribution. "If it wasn't for the militias and the Ugandans, we would all be dead."
In 2009 several hundred soldiers of the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) arrived in Obo to track down the rebels under a special (and still undisclosed) agreement between the governments in Bangui and Kampala. The initial victories earned them the praise of local people, but the tide has slowly turned. Despite the use of special squads of former rebels to track them down, the LRA fighters are gaining ground everywhere, and the population is growing impatient and angry. Some question the real agenda of Kampala, accusing the Ugandan forces of using the emergency as an excuse to plunder natural resources, as they did during the Congolese civil war.
The allegation is furiously rebutted. "This is nonsense, it took us more than 20 years to oust the LRA from Uganda," says an angry Stephan Mugerwa, deputy commander of the UPDF in the Central African Republic. "The rebels operate in small bands. They're very mobile and never engage with us. To find them in the bush is like searching for a needle in a haystack."
Once a rebel group claiming to fight for the rights of the Acholi community, today the LRA no longer has a political agenda. Its fighters are known only for their scorched-earth tactics and for using abducted civilians as porters, sexual slaves or fighters. Dozens of people from Obo are still in their hands, but some have managed to escape. Brice Katawa, a 26-year-old former student, was kidnapped and forced to serve for more than a year.
"I have beaten and killed many people, I can't deny it", he says calmly. "We were like animals, sweeping away villages and assaulting civilians every time we were hungry."
ReplyDeleteChallenging orders would have meant certain death. "I seldom think about what I did because I don't feel guilty," he explains blankly. "I am sorry for the victims, but I have no regrets. It was either my life or theirs."
As Obo's other residents live from day to day fearing that the same, or worse, will happen to them, it is hardly surprising that they are turning to Joseph Fele's militia for help. Right now, it is the only protection on offer.
----------------
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/16/dispatch-on-frontline-with-bush-killers
zhangyu
ReplyDeleteCanadian fighter jets escort Hong Kong plane after bomb scare, no explosives found
-----------
Two Canadian fighter jets on Saturday escorted a Cathay Pacific Airways flight into Vancouver International Airport in response to a bomb threat to the plane, authorities said, though they later determined there was no threat aboard the aircraft.
A Royal Canadian Mounted Police helicopter flies over Vancouver's International Airport as a Cathay Pacific airplane sits at the terminal, in Richmond, British Columbia May 15, 2010. The Cathay Pacific airliner from Hong Kong was escorted by military fighter jets to its destination in Vancouver after a bomb threat, but no bomb was found, police said on Saturday.
---------------
VANCOUVER/OTTAWA, May 15 (Xinhua) --A Cathay Pacific passenger plane was escorted by two Canadian fighter jets to the Vancouver International Airport on Saturday after a bomb threat, but no explosives were found on the plane.
The Airbus A-340 aircraft, escorted by two Canadian Forces CF-18 Hornets, landed safely at about 1:35 p.m. local time (2035 GMT). It then taxied to an airport gate and all passengers were safely deplaned.
Corporal Sherrdean Turley of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said a phone call was received at 10:43 a.m. (1743 GMT) about a bomb on Flight CX838 originating from Hong Kong.
"All necessary screening procedures were carried out and nothing of concern was identified," said Turley, adding that she couldn't say, from an investigational standpoint, where the call originated from.
"No one was injured during this incident and the investigation is continuing. The threat is being taken very seriously and I would just like to reassure the traveling public that there is no threat to them at this time."
Cathay Pacific said in a statement that there were 283 passengers and 14 crew members aboard the plane.
"A security issue raised on the ground in Vancouver resulted in extra security for the aircraft inbound to the airport and upon arrival," said the statement.
A Mandarin-speaking passenger who identified herself as Mrs. Chong said she didn't know what happened, but she had to wait inside the airport for three to four hours after getting off the plane.
"They didn't tell us anything. Only I know is I can't get my luggage. They just told us there are some problems with the security check."
Alicia Glohe of the Vancouver Airport Authority told Xinhua that, to her understanding, the RCMP had cleared the aircraft. "I believe it's been deemed 100 percent safe and is heading back to Hong Kong."
Alex Shum, vice president of Cathay Pacific Airways Canada, said there were no incidents among the passengers.
"(The RCMP) Checked the whole aircraft, all the baggage, and everything is now settled. They released the airport back to Cathay and the aircraft is going to depart now," he said.
Emerging from the airport departure area after waiting six hours for her baggage, Deepika Vaswami said she didn't know there was a threat to the aircraft until she saw the news on television.
The Mumbai woman said she spotted one of the fighter jets about 10 minutes before landing.
"We were quite excited because children see it (the fighter plane) in the movies, and there was no chaos on board," she said.
Earlier in the day, Canadaian Defense Minister Peter MacKay confirmed the threat.
---------------
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-05/16/c_13297117_2.htm
DaSol Lyu
ReplyDelete347 towns to protest against crime
------------------------
On May 19, massive protest against crime made up jointly by Solidarity, AfriForum and Helping Hand will be held in South Africa nationwide. The movement is expected to be the largest protest in the country as thousands of South Africans are to wear red on the day.
Dirk Hermann, deputy general of Solidarity, said that the protest aims to demonstrate that crime is abnormal and thus should not be regarded as a normal part of society.
Actual victims of crime from several towns will participate in handing over memorandums to the South African Police Service. Victims include those who were shot by robbers and whose family were brutally murdered. Through their appearances, the protest will be able to gain more attention from the public.
------------------------------------------
Three-hundred-and-fourty-seven towns will take part in a national protest against crime on Wednesday, the Solidarity Movement said.
In a statement, the movement—made up by Solidarity, AfriForum and Helping Hand—claimed this would be the largest crime protest yet in the country.
“Three hundred and seven towns are finalising the last arrangements for the largest protest action against crime ever in South Africa.”
Memorandums would be handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in both small towns and cities, from the Western Cape to the north.
In rural areas, several businesses would close their doors and various schools would take part in some of the marches or learners would wear red, Dirk Hermann, deputy general of Solidarity said.
“It is expected that thousands of South Africans across South Africa will wear red on the day.”
Hermann added that the country should never allow crime to become a normal part of society.
“In order to demonstrate that it is abnormal, we need to protest.
“However, we won’t just protest ... we also want to use the action to call on communities to get involved in community safety initiatives in conjunction with the SAPS.”
Hermann believed SA would be “a safer place” after May 19 if the protest was successful.
He added that in several towns victims of crime would hand over the memorandums themselves.
“In Louis Trichardt, the memorandum will be handed over by André and Petro van den Bergh, who were shot during a robbery in their house while they were sleeping, and in Midvaal the memorandum will be handed over by Charl van der Westhuizen, whose uncle and aunt were brutally murdered,” he said.
“At the Utrecht police station, a memorandum will be handed over by Hilda Els and her son ... Hilda’s husband was followed, hijacked and brutally murdered.”
---------------------------------------
http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article452297.ece/347-towns-to-protest-against-crime