In case you are thinking of purchasing the new global version of Amazon’s Kindle for Christmas, be aware that there are still quite a few places that the global version will NOT work.  I was disappointed to find that the new version still will not work in my country.

Apparently the new global version will only work in SOME countries.   I thought it would be helpful to most expats to have a complete list of which countries it will, or will not work in (below).

It’s also interesting to note the PATTERN of groups of countries where the Kindle doesn’t work–some countries probably lack satellite coverage or delivery systems, while others probably don’t WANT readers to be able to download whatever they want by satellite.

STARRED (*) countries marked below indicate that Kindle needs to be ordered from a SPECIAL PAGE on the Amazon site.

The Global Kindle version DOES work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Aland Islands, Albania, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Aruba, Australia*, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Boznia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Liberia, Leichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldovia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozembique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,  Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands – British, Virgin Islands – U.S.,  Wallis and Futuna, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The Global Kindle version does NOT work in (as of Dec. 2009) the following countries:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Antarctica, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, Chad, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, French Southern Territories, Gambia, Guinea, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea – Democratic People’s Republic of, Korea – Republic of, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco (including the Western Sahara), New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Pitcairn, Qatar, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, Sudan, Svalbard and Jan Mayan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan,  Yemen.

Nature and Animal Conservation

 

     Preserving species and their habitats is important for ecosystems to self-sustain themselves. Yet, the pressures to destroy habitat for logging, illegal hunting, and other challenges are making conservation a struggle.

Visit : http://www.globalissues.org/article/1…

 What is Biodiversity ?

 

    The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth.

   

    Appropriate conservation and sustainable development strategies attempt to recognize this as being integral to any approach. Almost all cultures have in some way or form recognized the importance that nature, and its biological diversity has had upon them and the need to maintain it. Yet, power, greed and politics have affected the precarious balance.

Does it really matter if there arent so many species?

Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play.

For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops; greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms; and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.

And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.

Who Cares?

  Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops; greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms; and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.

And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.

Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions

It is feared that human activity is causing massive extinctions. From various animal species, forests and the ecosystems that forests support, marine life. The costs associated with deteriorating or vanishing ecosystems will be high. However, sustainable development and consumption would help avert ecological problems.

 

  

November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The white ribbon has become the symbol for the day.

Click on the picture to join the Community

Kingdom of LESOTHO

stamp: 60 lisente

year: 1988

bird: Red-shouldered Glossy Starling -Lamprotornis nistens

If it sounds like im rubbing it in that Cape Town is cooking right now then too bad because it is.

Take a look at this photo that ran on the front page of the Sunday Times on the weekend.. remember its summer in South Africa.

Photo: Jackie Clausen

Thats Darth Vader herding some goats in the Drakensberg….in the snow.

“Many South Africans have had to haul out their July woolies for a taste of winter in November – which produced snow on the Drakensberg – as icy weather and torrential rain gripped large parts of the country this week.” [Times Live]

And this is on Camps Bay right now.

Sorry for you.

Good times.

Amazon's Global Kindle Reader

I heard that Amazon now has a global version of Kindle. I was disappointed to find this morning that the new version still will not work in my country.

Since I’ve wanted one for some time, but have been waiting until they got a version that would work in my country, I checked out their website this morning, only to be disappointed again. Apparently the new global version will only work in SOME countries.

In case you are thinking of purchasing the new Global Kindle for a Christmas gift this year, since the new version will only work in SOME countries, I thought it would be helpful to most expats to have a complete list of which countries it will, or will not work in.

STARRED (*) countries marked below indicate that Kindle needs to be ordered from a SPECIAL PAGE on the Amazon site.

The Global Kindle version DOES work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Aland Islands, Albania, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Aruba, Australia*, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Boznia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Liberia, Leichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldovia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozembique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands – British, Virgin Islands – U.S., Wallis and Futuna, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The Global Kindle version does NOT work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Afghanistan, Algeria, Antarctica, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, Chad, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, French Southern Territories, Gambia, Guinea, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea – Democratic People’s Republic of, Korea – Republic of, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco (including the Western Sahara), New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Pitcairn, Qatar, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, Sudan, Svalbard and Jan Mayan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Reasons Why Life in Maseru Can Be So Entertaining:

1. We have a dive bar that’s been dubbed “Club Awesome.” It’s the kind of place where you don’t wear open toed shoes and girls are often groped by strange men (a few stern words and an evil look is more than enough to make them stop). But they play great hip hop music from back in the day, sprinkle in a few modern hits, and there’s a braai (bbq grill) that’s always on fire outside to keep people warm.

2. You can be 3 hours late and still be 2 hours early. Okay, this happened just over the border in SA (but close enough): We went to a jazz festival that was supposed to start at 12pm. We showed up at 3pm and the music didn’t actually start until 5pm.

3. Every once in awhile, the frozen food section at the grocery store is just empty. And while food shopping, I regularly exclaim things like “Oh! They have asparagus today!” It’s a good reminder that food doesn’t magically grow in the aisles.

4. Nothing in town is ever more than a 15 minute drive. Really. If I experience any reverse culture shock upon returning to the States, it will likely happen when it takes me more than 15 minutes to get anywhere. And you all thought I was chronically late before …

5. A wave and a smile generally gets you through the border between SA and Lesotho, even if you don’t bother waiting in line at immigration to get your passport stamped. Not that I would do such a thing, of course …

6. The local newspapers print headlines like these:

We saw it on the map.  Lesotho, a country within a country.  We called it Lay-so-tho.  But as we begun questioning locals about this place we learned that it is actually pronounced Lahy-su-tu.  We also learned that it was worth the visit and considering we were so darn close, why not go check it out?  So after the Northern Drakensbergs and after the realization that we didn’t need to pay $50 US to go on a guided tour to see Lesotho, we set our route and began our next adventure.

We entered through the top of Lesotho at the Butha Butha crossing.  What you noticed as soon as you entered the country was how barren it seamed.  Very rocky, chilly, and people walking around with blankets around them also wearing gumboots.

Lesotho is known as the Kingdom in the Sky.  Geographically it is the plateau at the top of the mountains.  Fully bordered by South Africa.  After several attempts to be taken over by others, Lesotho has remained steadfast and has been able to remain independent.  Partially due to their geographical advantage in war and the power of the people.  The infrastructure was pretty basic but the roads were pretty well maintained.  It seems they make their money off of mining, livestock, textiles, and marijuana.

We drove through the top and stuck to the side with the Drakensberg Mountain range enjoying their spectacle from the other side.  There are very few trees, tons of sheep, and a lot of shepherds to watch over them.  In some cases it appeared that 1 shepherd could take care of more than a hundred sheep over  vast areas of barren rock and little shrubs.  They lived in rudimentary rock houses that looked really cold.

We spent one night in a local hotel and then continued the drive by tour the next morning.  We noticed wild ganja plants just growing around the property.

The rest of the country that we visited offered a lot of the same.  Lots of windy roads, cold temperatures, sheep, shepherds, lots of children running and begging.  As you passed a village, the kids present would run towards your vehicle with their hands out.  Simply begging.  We tried not to condone it but it was tough and we began giving some of them candy.

Kim posing for Lesotho Girls Gone Wild.

On the drive we passed a ski resort!  It consisted of one lift but the snow was missing.  I guess it was a bit early in the season still.  It was defineltly cold enough and there was snow on the ground in places.

One of the highlights was our departure from Lesotho.  The descent into South Africa is one of the most exhilarting 4×4 experiences around.  Most people go up Sani Pass and then down.  Its an off road journey that in my life has been uncomparable.  We chose to do the fun part and only go down, although at the end I was ready to drive back up and do it again.  Each turn put you on the edge of irreperable harm and the steering wheel was rightfully sweaty by the end.  There have been many tragic mishaps on this pass, luckily we didn’t raise the tally.  I’d say skillfully.

Pic of the border.

The team.

This was a cool ad that we saw.  South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, and most of the other countries in southern and central Africa have the highest HIV infection rates in the world.  Something like 35% of the people in Swaziland have HIV, I don’t think that Lesotho is as bad but I don’t think its much better.

Saw this hill and thought of Darryl Freeman, our buddy and legendary downhill skater.

Last week, I published a post regarding Remembrance Day.

This week, I came across an article by BBC regarding the over 1.3 million African troops that helped fight Nazis and Fascists. The article, written by Martin Plaut, BBC Africa analyst, shows Africa’s contribution to World Peace during the Second World War by fighting aggressive invaders with in Africa and even going to Europe fighting the Nazis and the Fascists.

Thanks to Martin Plaut and the BBC for brining this to its readers’ attention. I hope that the West will remember Africa’s forgotten soldiers and patriots, who fought for World Peace side by side with peace loving nations.

Ethiopian Patriot Jagamo Kello (shown in the middle) left home at just 15 to fight Italian invaders
Photo Circa 1936

Martin Plaut says,

“The 70th anniversary of World War II is being commemorated around the world, but the contribution of one group of soldiers is almost universally ignored. How many now recall the role of more than one million African troops?

Yet they fought in the deserts of North Africa, the jungles of Burma and over the skies of Germany. A shrinking band of veterans, many now living in poverty, bitterly resent being written out of history.
For Africa, World War II began not in 1939, but in 1935.

Italian Fascist troops, backed by thousands of Eritrean colonial forces, invaded Ethiopia.
Emperor Haile Selassie was forced to flee to the UK, but others, known as Patriots, fought on. Among them was Jagama Kello. Fifteen years old at the time, he left home and raised a guerrilla force that struck at the Italian invaders”.

Africa’s WWII Forgotten Soldiers in Graph

The sad part is Eritrea had 60,000 colonial troops that took side with Fascist Italy and attacked Ethiopia while the rest of Africans helped the British and Americans.

As you can see from the image above, Africa had four major colonial powers at the time:

• Britain
• France
• Italy, and
• Belgium

Ethiopia was / and has always been free from Colonialism and the 30,000 Patriots depicted on the graph are those actively participated in the defeat of Fascist Italy either with in Ethiopia or abroad. Other sources say that the 30,000 figure is way too small and estimate it to be 100,000 plus.

Ethiopia has been one of the leading countries in the UN’s peace keeping activities in the 50’s and 60’s. Ethiopian soldiers did go to Korea in early 1950’s and Kongo in early 1960’s to help out with peace keeping in those countries. Most of the Ethiopian soldiers who went to Korea and Kongo have passed away, but their legacy lives forever.

I believe nations like South Korea have a moral responsibility to help Ethiopian soldiers who were there for them in times of war. If the soldiers have died, then South Korea should help the children of those soldiers. This could be done in many ways, like giving scholarship to some universities in Korea, opening an elementary school and/or library in Ethiopia, paying a small monthly stipend to those soldiers who are still alive or their surviving family members.

On a different note, the Ethiopian governments past and present have not done much for fighters like Jagamo Kello, Abdissa Aga, and many other patriots who fought hard Fascist Italy. It is true that some have been recognized, like Balcha Hospital in Addis Ababa (named after the great warrior Balcha Aba Nefso), Belai Zellekke (a street named for his bravery). But, generally, most of the patriots have been forgotten by the government; no schools, no streets, nothing in their names.

I believe that Ethiopian historians at Addis Ababa University can bring names of forgotten Ethiopian patriots to the attention of the government for a recognition. and I hope that the time will come when all patriots will get the much deserving appreciation from the government.

The full BBC article can be read here

Have a great weekend.

My next article will be posted on November 19, 2009

Apex Book of World SF contributor Nir Yaniv – whose most recent story, Benjamin Schneider’s Little Greys, is now up on the special World SF issue of Apex Magazine, is also a talented musician – currently performing with the Lesotho-born King Cano Huricane Kwa-Zulu. Check out this story on them at the Jerusalem Post, looking at their music, conflict in the Middle East, and plans for the future:

THE SOUTH African globetrotter first visited Israel in 2007, driving east through Europe from Holland on a bio-diesel bus burning felafel and French fry oil, and arriving on a cargo ship via Cyprus.

“When we landed in Haifa, Customs detained us for two and a half hours, and my pitbull for six hours. We didn’t have a piece of paper stating the dog was castrated. I told the man to look between his legs to check the dog was fixed. He said I needed a piece of paper. I ended up going to an Internet café, typed in ‘dog castration’ in Wikipedia, and printed out a form. The man didn’t even look at the damn paper, and that’s how we got here,” King relates. – read the rest of the article.

And visit the duo’s web page at King & Nir.

Departure date as 19 Dec 09 from Johannesburg, finishing in Cape Town on 8 Jan 2010 in Cape Town.

Explore the best of South Africa, including Kruger, the Panoramic Route, Natal and the Drakensberg, the Garden Route and Cape Town, as well as Swaziland and Lesotho. Experience the cultures of all these regions in a 20 day tour

South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho Exploration and cultural experience

Day 1 & 2 – Panoramic Route

Arrival at Johannesburg and depart to the Panoramic Route with visits to Pilgrim’s Rest, God’s Window and many ore site in the region.

Day 3 & 4 – Kruger National Park

Explore the sights of the national park with a local guide in an open game drive vehicle. The park is famous for the large herds of wild animals and the unspoiled nature.

Day 5 – Swaziland

The tranquillity of Kruger National Park is left behind as we cross the border into Swaziland.

Day 6 & 7 – Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Nature Reserve

The hustle and bustle of the Capital, Mbabame awaits us as we stop for some curio shopping at the local markets. From the border it is a short drive to the oldest reserve in South Africa, Hluhluwe-Infolozi Nature Reserve. A leisurely game drive takes us to one of the rest camps where we overnight. We do a full day game drive in the reserve.

Day 8 – St. Lucia

We depart early morning from Hluhluwe-Imfolozi to the town of St’ Lucia. Here we do a guided walk through the forest with a local guide as well as a sunset cruise on the St’ Lucia Estuary where we will be able to see hippos and crocodiles.

Day 9 & 10 – Drakensberg

From St’ Lucia we head south to the Drakensberg Mountains, or the “Great Spear” as the Zulu Nation call the Drakensberg. Drakensberg is home to the Tugela Waterfall, said to be the fourth highest in the world. We do a walk into the mountains all along the small river.

Day 11 & 12 – Lesotho

The third country for our trip lies just south of us; we head for the border into Lesotho where we have to produce our passports again. Here we do a pony trek or a guided walk in the area with a visit to a local school.

Day 13 – Mountain Zebra National Park

Here in the park, the endangered Cape Mountain Zebra has found a refuge, today safe from extinction. After our arrival and lunch, we go for a game drive in search of the Cape Mountain Zebras and other animals we have not seen to date.

Day 14 & 15 – Tsitsikamma National Park

At the Bloukrans River Bridge you will have the opportunity to do the world’s highest Bungi jump, a staggering 213-m. From here we head into the Tsitsikamma National Park where we will overnight. We have a full day to explore the park and do a walk all along the cost.

Day 16 & 17 – De Hoop Nature Reserve

As we bid the forests good bye, we head towards the most southern tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas. There are several walks on the dunes, next to the river and on the beach in this reserve. In season, whales can be seen from the beach.

Day 18 & 19 – Cape Town

From De Hoop we leave and visit the Southern Most tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas and its wonderful lighthouse. Heading towards Cape Town, we pass through the town of Hermanus, said to be the best place for land based whale watching in the world. We have full day to visit Table Mountain and Cape Point as well as the Boulders penguin colony.

Day 20 – Return Home

Today we do a last bit of shopping before we return home.

General Information

• Meals Included, Breakfasts 19, Lunches 19, Dinners 16
• Accommodations, nights per, 3x Chalets, 9x Camping with communal bathroom, 2x Hotel, 2x Luxury Safari Tent, 3x Basic Huts
• Entries where applicable
• Activities included:

   

  • Full day open game drive safari in Kruger National Park
  • Boat cruise on the St Lucia Estuary
  • Morning Pony Trek in Lesotho
  • Boat Cruise at Plettenberg Bay on the Indian Ocean
  • Tour of the Cape Peninsula
• Equipment supplied, a tent per two people, or one person with a single supplement, all cutlery and crockery needed, all cooking equipment, camping chairs

Excluded from the price:

• International Flight to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and back
• All things needed by guests of a personal nature
• Sleeping bags
• Mattresses for use in the tents
• Alcoholic beverages
• Gifts to be taken home
• Gratuities to local guides
• Travel insurance, comprehensive insurance is recommended

One of the most bizarre experiences I’ve had in South Africa was actually in Lesotho. For those of you who don’t know, Lesotho (Leh-su-tu or Lee-su-tu, depending on whom you ask) is a tiny country that’s surrounded on all sides by South Africa. Trust me, migration studies have never been so exciting as when you study a country that exists inside another country. At any rate, this story takes place on the Lesotho side of the border.

I had gone pony-trekking with some friends (because that’s what you do in Lesotho) and we were on our way back to South Africa. Right before the border, we stopped at a gas station. While I was filling up the car, my friends went to the bathroom and came back with a story about how a store employee had purposefully locked one of them in the bathroom. Puzzled, I headed into the Shell Restaurant. (Side note: do gas station restaurants exist anywhere else?)

There was no one at the counter, so I poked around and found the restrooms. About ten seconds after I’d closed the stall door, I heard someone come into the bathroom and lock a door. My door. I was too baffled to protest. I mean, this had happened to my friend just minutes before. It was clear that I was in the stall, and even clearer that whoever had control of the keys meant to put me in time-out. When I finally did regain my senses, I started banging on the door and wondering how to hoist myself through the bathroom window. Finally, a large lady waddled into the bathroom and unlocked the door. There was no apology, no acknowledgement that she’d locked a stranger in the bathroom. All the woman said was, “Next time you must ask permission first.”

So it was a power trip. I had trespassed and she had shown me what was what (thought it didn’t strike me as particularly cost-effective to take the time and energy to tell a tourist what to do “next time”). Maybe this is what happens when you don’t have control of your borders—everyone goes a little crazy and gets a rush from locking other people in small spaces.

Jendayi E. Frazer: Africa's Recolonization Marchant

By Sophia Tesfamariam

On 25 August 2009, the sad news about the death of Senator Edward Kennedy was everywhere; it seemed everyone wanted to say something about the man who had done so much in his lifetime. He was a man of integrity and great honesty, a man who will be remembered for his courage, humanity, and passion for life. He stood tall for justice and equality and most of all, he stood for the dignity of all mankind. His colleagues will remember him for his great skill and political dexterity, his is a life any American youth can recite and remember with great pride. When my friend called me that morning, I assumed he was calling to ask me if I had read the news about Kennedy… I told him that I had and that it was a sad day for America. He quickly realized that we were talking about two different news items.

He was calling about the shoddy 25 August 2009 Wall Street Journal article “Four Way to Help Africa” authored by Jendayi E. Frazer, the former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. I could tell he was angry and thought I better read it for myself and see what had him so incensed. After I read it, I understood why he was reacting the way that he did. My mind wondered back to Kennedy, who he was and what he stood for, and wondered how two Americans, both supposedly working for the interests of America and the American people, could be so different. While Kennedy fulfilled his political ambitions and served his nation without condoning and facilitating the death and destruction of others, Frazer´s abrasive character, incompetence and total lack of diplomatic acumen on the other hand, leaves behind trails of bloody footprints all over the African continent where thousands of people have been killed and displaced and their homes and villages pulverized in conflicts she fueled and instigated.

Let us take a closer look at what she proposed in her childish 25 August 2009 article. Her very first recommendation gave away her true motives. It was a call to put Eritrea on the list of countries that sponsor terror, and this is the incoherent explanation she offered:

“…Al Shabaab recruits young Americans to become suicide bombers. It also has turned Somalia into a haven for mujahedeen fighters from Pakistan and Afghanistan. The al Qaeda East Africa cell is based in Somalia and was responsible for the bombing of U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. Mrs. Clinton laid a wreath in Kenya to commemorate the embassy bombing. She can help prevent a future attack on our diplomatic missions and citizens in the Horn and East Africa by taking direct action against Eritrea today…”

Everyone, including Frazer knows that there is absolutely no proof that the individuals responsible for the US Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania are in any way related to the Al Shabbab or the Union of Islamic Courts. That is pure fiction-Frazer´s fiction concocted to justify her illegal interference in Somalia. It is a deliberate attempt to mislead Americans once again. It should be recalled that Frazer had tried to prevent the US media from writing about the US-backed Ethiopian invasion of Somalia. At first Ethiopia claimed it was facing “imminent threat” from the UIC, then the story changed and Ethiopia claimed it was “invited” by Abdulahi Yusuf and Ali Mohammed Ghedi to invade Somalia, and then came the outlandish unsubstantiated story about an “Islamic caliphate” taking over the Horn.

Ethiopia´s two-year occupation of Somalia resulted in the greatest humanitarian disaster in that country since the fall of the Siad Barre government. Over 20,000 innocent Somali civilians have been slaughtered, Somalia´s infrastructures are in shambles, Ethiopian forces have tortured and raped Somali women, destroyed their markets etc. etc. Blaming Eritrea for her own incompetence, miscalculations, personal mistakes and blunders will not advance US interests in Africa and in no way help Africa or the people of the Horn. Instead of admitting her mistakes and apologizing to the Somali people, she wants to now come up with another lie to cover up her crimes in that country.

It is unfortunate that she has chosen to become a mouthpiece for Meles Zenawi. Putting Eritrea on the list of countries that sponsor terror is Meles Zenawi´s dream and wish. He believes, as Frazer obviously does, that they, as the instigators, planners and executioners of the illegal Ethiopian invasion and occupation of Somalia, would be absolved of the international crimes committed in Somalia, if Eritrea were to take the blame. Frazer and Zenawi should be held personally accountable for the deaths of thousands of innocent Somalis that were labeled “extremists”, “jihadists”, “fundamentalists”, “insurgents” etc. etc. “hunted down” by Meles Zenawi´s mercenary forces and extra judicially massacred.

Frazer wants to put Eritrea on the list of countries that sponsor terror because the Government of Eritrea disagreed with the US-backed Ethiopian invasion and occupation of Somalia and the installment of various Transitional Federal Governments (TFG) in Somalia against the wishes and aspirations of the Somali people. Eritrea believes that the only rational solution to the crisis in Somalia is political, not military, and has consistently called for external non-interference in Somalia. If we follow Frazer´s reasoning we would have to put Edward Kennedy on the list for his views on Iraq. He too disagreed with the Bush Administration, he did not want war, and he opted for a political solution to Iraq.

Her second proposal was to “oppose congressional legislation to extend the trade preferences in the African Growth and Opportunity Act to all developing countries”. She offers very little explanation for her argument and I bet she is trying to appease her dictator friends and of course the predatory transnational corporations and US retailers who have benefited the most from AGOA. Here is what she wrote as she shamelessly touted AGOA´s success:

“…Thanks to this legislation 40,000 jobs were created in Lesotho alone, mostly for women in the textile sector …extending the same trade preferences to hypercompetitive Cambodia and Bangladesh—each of which individually exports more apparel to the U.S. than all of sub-Saharan Africa combined—will undermine the program’s success in Africa…”

What success is she talking about? Any honest analyst will tell you that AGOA has been a total failure. Frazer wants us to believe that she is concerned about Africa´s access to US markets and that Cambodia and Bangladesh are somehow to blame for Africa´s inability to take advantage of the “opportunities” under AGOA. The trick is not to punish Cambodia and Bangladesh for developing their industries and competing in the world market, it is to help Africans to do the same…

Almost 10 years since the introduction of AGOA by the Clinton Administration, oil imports to the US from Nigeria, Angola and Gabon still make up over 94% of Africa´s export to the US under AGOA. So who benefited? As we shall see later, the much touted “success” in the textile sectors were a gross exaggeration and in some cases actually reversed development of these sectors and destroyed nascent industries. Many African economists and analysts had reservations about AGOA and I, as a longtime Africa observer, had strong reservations about it and said so. I was actually happy when Eritrea was unceremoniously removed from the list…it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

I was not alone in my suspicions of AGOA; here are some of the voices that were just as skeptical and critical of AGOA from the very beginning, voices that were ignored and gagged by the likes of Frazer:

“…African countries are pressured to adopt WTO-like, and even WTO-plus, provisions relating to intellectual property rights protection, investment and financial liberalisation, and labour ¬ all in exchange for some illusory benefits. The AGOA is a US law enacted by the US for the purpose of securing opportunities for US businesses, to the detriment of African economies. It offers no benefits for African economies. The AGOA is a Trojan horse used to trap African governments into giving up their legitimate rights under the WTO…”-(Dakar Manifesto 2001)

“… we reject on principle the “conditionality” approach, which tramples on the sovereignty of African nations and the democratic rights of its people to shape national policy…”-(Letter signed by 35 Africa based NGOs)

“…This is a matter over which we have serious reservations… To us this is not acceptable…”- (Former South African President Nelson Mandela )

AGOA is the “Africa Recolonization Act”-(Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.)

“…the only groups targeted for assistance are the multinationals who largely control Africa’s trade and access to rich markets…”-(The Association of Concerned African Scholars)

“…To argue that AGOA will be the means by which we can penetrate the US market is a delusion. The main effect of AGOA is to link aid to economic reform, [such as] the dismantling of a states regulatory environment. There are no benefits, and the costs include clear manifestations of deepening structural adjustment and deregulation. AGOA is simply another way of undermining Africa´s ability to mobilize domestic resources for development…”-

(Charles Abugre, director of the Integrated Social Development Center in Ghana)

There are several conditions that have to be met to become eligible for AGOA, including one that says that the country has to have a “market-based economy” and has to “eliminate all barriers to US trade and investment”. There is also a provision of AGOA that is not listed amongst the formal conditions for eligibility and is not often mentioned by Frazer and her cohorts. It is the one that says that unlimited duty-free exports of textiles and apparels are allowed only if they are produced with American raw materials. In addition, the President has the authority to suspend duty free apparel if they “cause serious damage, or threat thereof” to the domestic US industry. So Africa, with its unlimited raw materials had to sell in the world market at lower than cost to others who then turn around and sell finished products to Africans who then make the apparel to send to the US. It is actually mind boggling that African leaders actually agreed to do it, essentially destroying their own farmers.

Since Frazer mentioned Lesotho´s textile sector, let us take a look at Lesotho and three other countries, Madagascar, Namibia, and Uganda to appreciate the effects of AGOA on nascent African textile industries.

Imagine my shock when I found out that there were over 50 Taiwanese-owned clothing factories in Lesotho, a very small country (the size of Maryland) that is completely surrounded by South Africa. The way Frazer talks about Lesotho, you are led to believe that the people of Lesotho owned the factories that were producing these AGOA eligible products. The Taiwanese sought to take advantage of AGOA and Lesotho´s proximity to South Africa´s good roads, highways and ports to ship million of jeans, T-shirts and other apparel to American stores such as the GAP, K-Mart, J.C Penney at low cost. As for the thousands of new jobs for women, Frazer forgets to tell her readers that the job migration to the capital was a result of the collapse in rural farming which used to be entirely run by women. The men in Lesotho used to earn a good living by going to mine in South Africa, but they have lost their mining jobs because South Africa stopped importing foreign workers, and decided to use mechanized mining, leaving the men in Lesotho without any livelihood. That is how the women of Lesotho became the breadwinners.

So there was no real increase in overall employment and because only women were being hired at these plants to sew and thread etc. the men were left unemployed and desperate. The situation did not create wealth for the people of Lesotho. Corporate America benefited from cheap labor and transportation costs. As a matter of fact, despite what Frazer wants us to believe about Lesotho, the textile industry in Lesotho was well underway before AGOA ever came into the picture and AGOA may have actually irreversibly stunted its growth and development. The real and serious challenge to Lesotho is what happens to it in 2015 when the initiative ends and Lesotho made products no longer have privilege to enter the United States market.

AGOA was a nightmare for the people of Namibia, they became victims of the predatory transnational corporations like Ramatex Textile & Garment Factory, a Malaysian company moved to Namibia in 2001 to take advantage of AGOA. The plant turned cotton (imported duty free from West Africa) into textiles for the US market. Herbert Jauch, head of research and education for the Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI) in a 26 March 2008 Report stated that:

“…A study carried out by LaRRI in 2003 found widespread abuses of workers rights, including included forced pregnancy tests for women who applied for jobs; non-payment for workers on sick leave; very low wages and no benefits; insufficient health and safety measures; no compensation in case of accidents; abuse by supervisors; and open hostility towards trade unions etc…Ramatex used a significant number of Asian migrant workers, mostly from China, the Philippines and Bangladesh. Although the company claimed that they were brought in as trainers, most of them were employed as mere production workers with basic salaries of around U$ 300 – 400 per month which were higher than their Namibian counterparts…”

In the end, Ramatex, the only beneficiary under AGOA in Namibia, closed its factory leaving hundreds and thousands of Namibians unemployed. Rauch writes:

“…Ramatex represents a typical example of a transnational corporation playing the globalisation game. Its operations in Namibia have been characterised by controversies, unresolved conflicts and tensions…Worst affected were the thousands of young, mostly female workers who had to endure highly exploitative working conditions for years and in the end were literally dumped in the streets without any significant compensation…Ramatex had shown the same disregard for workers when it closed its subsidiary Rhino Garments in Namibia in 2005…”

On 19 November 2007 the Namibian paper quoted President Pohamba as saying:

“…AGOA has not yielded the desired results as far as American investment is concerned despite the incentives provided by African governments to potential investments…”

The story of Tri-Star in Uganda is basically the same story of exploitation and destruction of nascent indigenous industries, plunder of abundant human and material resources and another example of how African governments have squandered the peoples´ resources in order to curry favour with Washington. Lowery Museveni´s Ugandan government promoted Tri-Star in order to cash in on AGOA. During its operation, Tri Star imported fabric from Asia and then made finished clothing products for US markets, even though there is ample cotton in Uganda. Instead of investing Uganda´s resources on establishing milling factories, the Government of Uganda chose instead to do what was the quickest and best option for US importers. The expectations were high. According to a report published by the BBC in 2004:

“…The Tri-Star apparel factory in the Kampala suburb of Bugolobi is bright and clean. Large motivational signs urge staff to build the nation. Banners on the wall read “Made in Uganda, sold in USA”…Tri-Star supplies clothes to a range of US companies…There are more than 2,000 workers at the site, stitching clothes to sell to American companies such as Wal-Mart, JC Penney and Target…”

Judy Auma, a Uganda based Staff Writer for African Executive wrote the following about Tri Star, in a January 2007 article:

“…The factory, which was launched 5 years ago, received high government support and was viewed as an opportunity for Uganda to exploit USA´s tariff and quota free market. Ugandans were made to believe the establishment would not only nurture a rich and stable market for Uganda´s struggling cotton farmers, but also become a reliable source of employment…Since its inception, the factory has neither bought a single bail of Uganda´s local cotton nor exported a stitch from locally produced fabric. Worse still, it has promoted nearly zero growth in terms of employment and the development of the cotton sector…”

The company left the country without repaying any of its debts, leaving behind a destitute workforce and an industry struggling to remain afloat.

What about Madagascar, the other nation that Frazer and company tell us benefited from AGOA? It too has not fared well. A segment of the population, again, only women, may have benefited from its textile sector, but all that is at risk today, not because of anything of their doing but because of political problems in that country that may disqualify Madagascar from the AGOA list. As for AGOA benefiting the Malagasy people, let us take a look at the statistics. A 29 March 2009 Africa Rising report says:

“…the promised AGOA benefits have not translated to a better life for Madagascar´s people. Madagascar ranks at 143 out of 179 countries measured by the United Nations´ Human Development Index Despite its economic progress on paper, the country ranks 164th in terms of gross domestic product per capital…”

Reports surfaced in June 2009 about Washington threatening to pull the plug on Madagascar´s AGOA certification. These reports said:

“…Madagascar could be removed from eligibility for trade preferences under the African Growth and Opportunity Act due to a recent change in government that the U.S. has determined was “undemocratic and contrary to the rule of law… the State Department has classified the change in government as a coup d´etat and is therefore moving to suspend assistance to the government of Madagascar…”

Madagascar is a good example of the US State Departments hypocrisy and duplicity. Everyone knows that Ethiopia is by no means a democratic country and that the minority regime has:

Violated international law and the Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary Commissions´ final and binding delimitation decisions and numerous Security Council resolutions on Eritrea and Ethiopia, it has also violated both the African Union and the United Nations Charters by invading and occupying sovereign Eritrean and Somali territories

Committed international crimes in Somalia including rape, murder and wanton destruction.

Violated and continues to violate the human rights of the Ethiopian people by detaining thousands across the country for voting against the regime in the 2005 elections. Thousands more are being held on trumped up charges, including Birtukan Medeksa, a prominent Ethiopian opposition leader and a judge. It should be noted here that Ethiopia is one of the countries used by the Bush Administration in its extraordinary rendition program where prisoners are taken to places like Ethiopia where in secret CIA run prisons they are interrogated and tortured.

Committed genocides in the Gambela, Ogaden and Oromia regions of Ethiopia. Genocide Watch and other rights groups are seeking a ICC indictment against the regime.

Yet, the US State Department that is threatening to remove Madagascar from the list for violating one of the AGOA conditions today, has refused to take any punitive actions against Meles Zenawi´s regime that has committed even graver crimes.

I am in no way suggesting that Ethiopian textile workers pay for the crimes committed by Meles Zenawi and his regime by having their AGOA status revoked, I am however suggesting that the US State Department, if it wants to salvage its fledgling credibility, can “look the other way” and don´t punish the Malagasy textile sector workers for the “coup” in Madagascar, for which they had no part. By the way, Madagascar may turn out to be the only “success” story on AGOA.

Today, the US State Department´s own Inspector General in his August 2009 agrees with this author and others who were skeptical of AGOA from the get-go. Here is what he said in his scathing Report about Frazer´s Bureau of African Affairs and AGOA:

“…the economic impact of AGOA has been limited even though most of sub-Saharan Africa is now in AGOA… Many African countries have yet to benefit substantially from AGOA preferences. Poorly developed infrastructure, a lack of affordable credit, weak merchandising, and an inability to meet U.S. phytosanitary regulations are among the many factors that thus far have limited the intended trade promotion and diversification effects of AGOA… The bulk of AGOA exports result from petroleum and other extractive industries. When U.S. imports of African petroleum products are excluded, the sum of trade for which AGOA can make some boast for promoting is relatively small…”

Johnnie Carson, the new US Secretary of State for African Affairs ought to take a closer look at AGOA and make realistic and non-parasitic recommendations to the Obama Administration.

Frazer´s 3rd recommendation was something about having a summit in the White House for her favorite dictators from Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. Why would Obama want to associate himself with these leaders and shake their blood soaked hands? I used to think the Congo Holocaust was the one that took place during the colonial era under King Leopold. I thought wrong…there have been more deaths in the Congo since independence than in Congo´s entire history…the last 10 years being the most deadly. In 2001-2008, over 6 million Congolese lost their lives in the resource conflicts instigated and financed by US and UK allies Lowery Museveni of Uganda and Paul Kagame of Rwanda. A U.N. report describes Frazer´s favorite dictators, Kagame and Museveni, whose mercenary regimes are responsible for the carnage in the Congo as “the mafia dons of Congo´s exploitation”…What does that make her?

From the CIA planned murder of Patrice Lumumba until today, the United States has played a major role (with the United Nations) in the stifling of the democratic aspirations of the Congolese people. The United States backed the 1996 and 1998 invasions of the Congo by its allies, Rwanda and Uganda. Despite Frazer´s vocal denials, Rwanda again in 2008 occupied sovereign Congolese territories. A recent UN report on the Congo has some damning information that France, Washington and the UK would like to see swept under the rug. The Congo saga is too long to be addressed in one sitting.

Contrary to what Frazer eludes in her piece, Clinton didn´t go to Goma in Eastern Congo where the United Nations has recorded at least 200,000 cases of sexual violence against girls and women in the region since 1996 because she managed to get “clearance”; she went there because, unlike Frazer who has never been to any refugee or camps for the Internally Displaced Persons in Darfur, Somalia, or the Congo, Clinton, a mother and a woman herself, cared enough about the suffering of the women there. I just hope that Hilary Clinton having seen the horror with her own eyes can find the compassion in her heart to say ENOUGH. I hope she can convince the Obama Administration to change course in Africa and stop propping up dictators and murderers and stand up for the suffering people of Africa.

The Obama Administration, if it is serious about bringing change to Africa, should listen to all African leaders, especially those that have differing views on certain issues. Just dealing with, and appeasing regimes that lap up to Washington is not in the best interest of their people or the United States. Three is nothing inherently superior about America´s leaders, they are human and fallible. They too can learn from other leaders with distinct experiences and knowledge. Contrary to what Frazer and junior diplomats like her think, Africa is not so desperate to have relations with the United States, especially a predatory one. Africa is seeking partnership, not patronage and certainly not re-colonization.

Frazer´s final recommendation was to move AFRICOM to Liberia, another US client state, which is the only country in Africa that wants AFRICOM in its territory. African governments and their people have rejected the establishment of AFRICOM anywhere in Africa. If Frazer is suggesting that AFRICOM gets established against the wishes of the people of Africa, then she obviously has not learnt any lessons there. Africans will not allow the re-colonization of Africa-no matter what pretext is used.

Frazer and her ilk mistake power for prestige, mistake “fear” for respect, and forget that it takes immense courage to make peace and instigating wars and conflicts are the work of cowards. As a matter of fact, they have become sad examples of how little they have learned despite their educational credentials. Frazer is typical of what is desperately wrong with Washington. Her corrupt and vindictive demeanor coupled with her total lack of knowledge about Africa and its people has cost Africans plenty. I have long called for regime change at the US State Department´s Bureau of African Affairs and felt vindicated when the Report released in August 2009 by the Department’s Office of the Inspector General cited Frazer´s incompetence and mismanagement as one of the many problems that has plagued that office.

Frazer can do us all a favor and go back into hibernation for a long, long, long time. The Obama Administration can do just fine without her self serving idiotic recommendations.

The rule of law must prevail over the law of the jungle!

…and the Past Role of European Countries

Who am I to say this, and how dare I say it?

I am merely responding to the announcement made by the prize committee of The Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership that no prize will be awarded this year. Here is the press release. The main web page of the parent organization describes the nature and origin of the prize:

The Ibrahim Prize recognises and celebrates excellence in African leadership. The prize is awarded to a democratically elected former African Executive Head of State or Government who has served their term in office within the limits set by the country’s constitution and has left office in the last three years.

The Ibrahim Prize consists of US$5million over 10 years and US$200,000 annually for life thereafter. It is the largest annually awarded prize in the world. The Foundation will consider granting a further $200,000 per year, for 10 years, towards public interest activities and good causes espoused by the winner.

In October 2006, Dr. Ibrahim launched the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to support good governance and great leadership in Africa. In 2007, Dr. Ibrahim stepped down as Chairman of Celtel International to concentrate on this initiative.

Founded in 1998, Celtel International has brought the benefits of mobile communications to millions of people across the African continent. The company operates in 15 African countries, covering more than a third of the continent’s population, and has invested more than US$750 million in Africa. In 2005, Celtel International was sold to MTC Kuwait for $3.4 billion.

Before I tell you of the past winners of this prize, I want to draw a picture for you of the grievous state of governance and leadership throughout the continent of Africa by calling attention to a few historical and present facts and factors.

Facts on Africa

There are 53 internationally recognized countries in the continent of Africa, including the six island states of: Cape Verde, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Seychelles.

Of these 53 states, 52 are former colonies of, or protectorates of, or were occupied by, one or more of several states in Europe: Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. The only country not so colonized or dominated, Liberia, was settled by freed slaves from the USA, its territory having been expropriated in 1822 from the many local tribes who had not formed a nation state.

[Image Source. Please click on the image for greater clarity]

To get a notion of the relative poverty of living even at the world average GDP per person per year of US $10,400, here are the figures (in US Dollars) of the top 20 countries and the European Union, which has 27 countries in its membership:

[Please click on the image for greater clarity]

As mentioned above, every one of Africa’s countries, except Liberia, has been, at one time or another and in varying degrees, a vassal state of one or more European countries. It is well known that, with some exceptions, these states, while under foreign domination, were stripped of natural resources and essentially plundered. The stripping of natural resources continues in most of these countries today, with relatively few examples where a diversified economy under true democratic rule obtains.

Of the six countries currently at a GDP level above the world average, most are still extracting minerals from the soil as the major part of their economy: oil, diamonds, manganese, timber.

It is well known that the world’s major economies have poured money and aid into Africa, to no lasting effect, again with a few exceptions. This, in my view, shows the futility of sending money and goods into countries to help people who are ruled by despots and thieves.

Dr. Mo Ibrahim has the better idea, in my view. As can be seen above and under the links provided, his foundation will reward with significant money and recognition those African leaders who turn away from pillage and one-man rule, toward democracy that is not merely in name only; and, toward raising the standard of living for the people through good husbandry of resources and in diversifying the economy.

The prize has been awarded since 2007. Here are the awardees (text and photos taken directly from the foundation’s website):

Joaquim Alberto Chissano, 2007—Mozambique

In 1992, President Chissano helped to end Mozambique’s 16-year civil war and reconcile a divided nation, working tirelessly to negotiate piece with the RENAMO (Resistência Nacional Moçambicana) rebel group. To cement the reconciliation President Chissano offered 15,000 places in Mozambique’s 30,000-strong army to former opposition RENAMO soldiers.

President Chissano implemented a deliberate shift from Marxist-Leninist ideology to multiparty democracy and a mixed economy. He successfully negotiated a reduction in Mozambique’s debt repayments and oversaw reforms that have led to sustained economic growth. During his time in office, Mozambique began the journey of reconstruction and development, with improvements in healthcare, increased access to education and greater empowerment of women.

Between 2003 and 2004, President Chissano served as Chair of the African Union. During his presidency he was a powerful advocate for Africa on the international stage, particularly in promoting the debt relief agenda.

Festus Gontebanye Mogae, 2008—Botswana

At his inauguration ceremony in 1998, President Mogae vowed to address poverty and unemployment. His time in office was characterised by programmes to develop education and health infrastructure, and to privatise parts of the economy, notably the airlines and telecommunications industry.

Under President Mogae’s stewardship of the economy and careful management of the country’s mineral resources, Botswana experienced the steady economic growth that has characterised its post-independence history. Having been one of the poorest African countries at the time of independence, President Mogae consolidated Botswana’s place as one of the most prosperous countries on the continent.

After decades of enforcing strict anti-corruption measures, Botswana is regularly ranked as one of the least corrupt countries in Africa. Describing the principles that guided his time in office in his final State of the Nation address, President Mogae said that “prudent, transparent and honest use of national resources for your benefit has been my guiding principle and code of conduct”.

Following the Botswana Democratic Party’s victory in the October 2004 General Election, President Mogae was sworn in for a second term in November 2004. He again promised to fight poverty and unemployment, and pledged to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS in Botswana by 2016.

In April 2008, in accordance with Botswana’s constitution, President Mogae stepped down as President, having served two terms in government. He was succeeded by Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

—

Addendum

In the face of massive aid in money and goods perennially provided African people by other countries and NGOs through the governments of their respective countries, small and direct-to-the-people efforts pay off at least equally well. In the above photo showing orphans in Kenya, you will see Jacinta Njoroge Lahti, a native of Kenya and a resident of Sweden, who founded the depicted orphanage and school. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Stockholm International, which club continues to be a major supporter of the school.

Note on figures used in this article

All figures were derived from The CIA World FactBook

Ever since I arrived in Lesotho, I’ve been approached weekly by women who voice their high opinion of my clothing and accessories with demands like, “You must give your handbag.” No introduction, no direct compliment;  just the demand. I have yet to figure out the most appropriate response. Usually, I say something like, “Oh, you like my handbag?” or I try to joke with “Should I give you my pants right now-now?” or, more often, I return with a plain “thank you.” I mean, how exactly does one respond to an imperative statement like that?

Part of the problem is that I’m not even sure what these women actually mean. Is this a way of paying a compliment? Or, do they truly expect or want me to hand over the identified item? Is there some expectation that, as an expat, I am supposed to leave behind my stuff? I hear this demand on a weekly basis and every time, I am taken aback by the brazenness of the encounter.

So, since I’m at a loss for what to say, I’m taking suggestions for witty and biting comebacks. Anyone?

In Group "B" of the Cosafa Challenge Cup, meanwhile, Botswana and Swaziland are set to clash Tuesday in Bulawayo where Seychelles faces Comoros… From VOA. Full story

This site may contain information about: soccer website. The blog is also related to: english football team.

en a much tastier “big apple”

watch, new york! there’s many tings you can learn….

no homo!

St. Petersburg, Fla. — The Canadian Press Published on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009 12:08PM EDT

Toronto will host the World Pride event in 2014 after winning a vote among gay delegates at the international InterPride Conference in Florida.

I could not believe my luck when I found this album; “Lesotho sings”, songs from the kingdom of Lesotho, a mountainous country that is completely surrounded by South Africa. There are a few  recordings by Hugh Tracey that were recorded during his fieldwork in 1957 known to me,  but I must admit that not many records from Lesotho have crossed my path before…

“Lesotho Sings” consists of a collection of hymns and folk songs as sung by The Maseru and Hlotse Methodist Choir conducted by Alex Gwinsta.

The Basotho, like their fellows the Zulus, the Xhosa and Tswana, love to sing! The Negro Spirituals of the deep South, and the natural harmonies of the African in his own habitat, share a bond, indicating a common heritage intensified by the deep felt religious convictions of the African folk at heart.

They sing of their honoured founder, Moshoeshoe; they sing well-loved hymns from their wide repertoire, they sing in English and in Latin, as well as in their sister languages, Tswana and Xhosa and of course in their own Lesotho tongue.

Thesela e Mocha

a spirited call to the Basotho to exult in song and jubilation in honour of the young king, son of Moshoeshoe the Great, founder of the Basotho nation

Sanctus

a Latin song of praise to God

Tlong Thaka

a fervent call to all Basotho youth to rise and exult in the natural beauties of the land

Sala Sentle

a Tswana farewell to one’s beloved

Excerpts from the original liner notes of “Lesotho Sings” The Maseru and Hlotse Methodist Choir conducted by Alex Gwinsta–private pressing Lesotho

…and another excellent compilation of lesiba and sekhankula music, “Lesotho Calling”

The lesiba is a blown mouthbow, whereas members of this family of instruments are struck or plucked. At well over a meter in length, it is among the longest. This ancient instrument of the Khoi people, known as gora was once widespread throughout present day South Africa, as it was readily adopted by several newly arrived Bantu peoples –called ughwali by the Xhosa, kwadi by the Pedi, lesiba by the Sotho. But only the lesiba survives today.

Michael Baird & Dada Moqasa

‘the beauty of this instrument immediately knocked me out. A meditative sound, almost abstract but definitely breathing, an array of overtones, music of the ancestors, music of birds and mountains, a sound that could only come from Africa’ . Words by Michael Baird who recorded what he found on his trip through Lesotho in 2006; lesiba players and another herdsman’s instrument, the sekhankula bow and some old-style Sotho concertina.

Molalehli Matima with his lesiba

Tselane Ngoanak’eby Molalehli Matima

Sehloho Lebusa with his lesiba

Ntate Nkuebe balha lehlanya “Mr Nkuebe running away from the madman” by Sehloho Lebusa

The title comes from an expression used by some players to announce themselves before starting to play ‘Move aside, I’m the man!’

Another herdsman’s instrument of Lesotho is the sekhankula, also known as maohorong depending on which district. It is a musical bow that is played with a bow stroking the strings and is widely distributed throughout South Africa. A curved stick or sometimes a straight steel rod, of the type used for reinforcing concrete, is put into a 5 –liter paraffin can through the top end, which is open having been removed by sawing and the stick/rod is jammed in place. The string is a length of tin iron wire, which is attached to the top of the stick and fixed to the outside of the far corner of the can; the can acts as a resonator, sometimes with an opening cut in the bottom and small holes punctured in the sides.

Ke lula fats’e “I sit down” by Samuel Tolosi.

Mocholoko satane “Graduate of witchcraft” by Motsoetla Letsie.

Motsoetla plays instrumental only, no singing. At the beginning of this track, we can hear him rubbing his bow across the top of his instrument a few times where he had his resin reserve. This is something all the sekhankula players do before commencing a piece.

Samuel Tolosi and Motsoetla Letsie with a sekhankula

Excerpts from the original liner notes and photographs courtesy of “Lesotho calling” SWP 033 www.swp-records.com

Recommended listening

“Lesotho calling” SWP 033

see Lesotho kids singing in a traditional smoke hut

Basotho young men and kids are singing traditional songs.

Filmed in nightshot in a traditional basotho housse ( full of smoke) during the Afropeaks pan african mountain expedition in Lesotho.

www.afropeaks.com

Well now that we leave Africa soon (Boo Hoo!) Muni & Molly’s African Oscars are now published.

The categories are : (drum roll please)

1. Best Accommadation / Hotel : Green Turtle Lodge, Dixcove, Ghana
2. Worst Accommadation / Hotel : Pensão Leeta, Mocimboa da Praia, Mozambique

3. Best Meal : La Colombe, Constainia, Cape Town, South Africa
4. Worst Meal : Cafe No Name, Arsi Negele, Ethiopia

5. Best Transport : CTM, Morocco
6. Worst Transport : Burundi

7. Friendliest People : Tied at Burkina Faso and Malawi
8. Unfriendliest People : White Namibians

9. Best Value : Ghana
10. Worst Value : Rwanda

And last but by no means least…

11. Best Beer : Primus 720ml, Burundi
12. Worst Beer : Laurentina Stout, Mozambique

And the most coveted award for biggest tosser in Africa goes to….

The fat, Afrikaner, make-up put on with a cement mixer, hair-do like a bulldog’s arse, manager of the Cat Nap Guest House in Springbok for her inability to take a booking 3 whole weeks in advance. Moan about the check in time, lie about her presence prior to us checking in and then only say that we had booked one night when two were requested. I hope you catch the clap from a toilet seat and you choke on some worm infested biltong again. Congratulations, your golden Oscar is in the post.

We’ve also added some additional categories for those that were worthy of such an acolade.

They are:

Toughest Day : 8th April 2009, Butare, Rwanda after visiting a genocide memorial. (I talk about it HERE)

Most adventerous moment: Boarding a tug boat to travel down Lake Tanganyika en-route to Kigoma, Tanzania

The 5 best highlights (in no particular order):

1. Getting up close and personal with 5 Silverbacks in Parc National de Volcans, Rwanda
2. Being pamered in Madikwe Safari Lodge, South Africa
3. Juming out of a dhow, after spotting Dolphins, onto the best beach in Africa. Praia de Chocas, Mozambique
4. Standing on the precipace of the plateau in Dogon Country, Mali
5. Giggling at the confluence of the Atlantic and Indian Ocean’s at the southern most tip of Africa

Muni & Molly

At tomorrow morning’s services, our team will be commissioned before leaving for Africa to visit NAPC-supported missionaries. Team Tanzania leaves Sunday evening, and Team Lesotho and Team Congo depart Monday.

Barbara Chandler, Britt Hubier and Robin Hubier will be visiting the Anders in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Brian and Karen Anders work with Wycliffe Bible Translators to make the Good News of Jesus Christ available to language groups throughout Tanzania and Uganda.

Jessica Dart, Leigh Kershner, Leroy Venn and Charity Wainaina will travel to Lesotho to visit the Dimmocks. Frank and Nancy Dimmock are PC(USA) missionaries.

Sheila Dixon, Charla Edwards, Glenice Johnson and Beth Morford will visit Mandoboy Danga, who trains nurses to care for HIV/AIDS patients in The Democratic Republic of Congo.

We hope to see you tomorrow and ask that you consider partnering with our team in prayer as we travel October 18-31. The teams will give updates about their trip on this blog.

Final one from pre-slr days.. Mawa Jekot busts out a big 180 mute at the Kings Cup in Afriski, Lesotho