United States Africa Command

Public Affairs Office

2 June 2010

USAFRICOM - related news stories

TOP NEWS RELATED TO U.S. AFRICA COMMAND AND AFRICA

Minister of Foreign Affairs receives Commander of US Africa Command (Tunisia

Online)
(Tunisia) The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Kamel Morjane received, on Monday in
Tunis, General William Ward, Commander of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM).

SCRATs: AFRICOM after the Human Terrain System (Accra Mail)

(Pan Africa) The question here is whether HTS will in fact play the role in AFRICOM
that has been anticipated, given the development of an AFRICOM Social Science
Research Center that is not in its hands, and the proposed formation of new research
teams (SCRATs) that abide by ethical standards and promise to uphold academic
integrity, showing a greater political reflexivity than HTS ever has.

US Supreme Court Rules Former Somalia PM Can Be Sued in US (Voice of America)

(Somalia) The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that former Somali Prime Minister
Mohamed Ali Samantar can be sued in U.S. courts over claims he oversaw torture and
extrajudicial killings during his time in office.

Liberian president's son helps in NY drug probe (Associated Press)

(Liberia) The son of Liberia's president worked undercover with U.S. drug agents
investigating a conspiracy to distribute more than $100 million in South American
cocaine in Europe and Africa, authorities announced Tuesday.

Donor darling: What Ethiopian poll can teach Africa (BBC)

(Ethiopia) When it comes to America's foreign policy, any concerns over shrinking
democratic space or eye brow leaping election results are totally trumped by any help
in "the war on terror".

France vows to help Africa fight piracy, terrorism (AFP)

(Pan Africa) France will help African countries combat piracy, terrorism and drug
trafficking, President Nicolas Sarkozy said Tuesday, because Africa "cannot cope on its
own."
Burundi Opposition To Boycott 28 June Election (Voice of America)
(Burundi) The leader of Burundi’s main opposition National Liberation Forces (FNL)
party told VOA he will boycott the 28 June presidential election accusing the
government of planning to rig the vote.

UN News Service Africa Briefs

Full Articles on UN Website
DR Congo: UNICEF warns a lack of funding hinders efforts to assist displaced
Rebel raids aggravate displacement crisis for Central Africans – UN
UN peacekeepers help with rescue efforts after ship sinks off Liberian coast
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UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST:

WHEN/WHERE: Friday, June 11, noon; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: Cato Institute: Sudan After the Elections: Implications for the Future and American
Policy Options
WHO: Sean Brooks, Save Darfur Coalition; Marc Gustafson, Marshall Scholar, Oxford
University; Jon Temin, U.S. Institute for Peace; moderated by Justin Logan, Associate Director
of Foreign Policy Studies, Cato Institute
Info: http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=7192
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FULL ARTICLE TEXT

Minister of Foreign Affairs receives Commander of US Africa Command (Tunisia

Online)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Kamel Morjane received, on Monday in Tunis,
General William Ward, Commander of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM).

The talk provided the opportunity to stress the quality of the traditional friendship
relations between the two countries which share the same commitment to peace,
security and stability across the world, values without which no human progress is
possible.

The foreign affairs minister emphasized the importance of consultation between Tunisia
and the United States, and the need to further enrich and diversify co-operation
between the two countries in a spirit of partnership and respect.

He also stressed efforts exerted by Tunisia of the Change to contribute to consolidation

of peace in Africa and gather factors for the Continent’s development.

Following the meeting, General Ward said the talk reviewed prospects for developing
co-operation between the two countries, particularly in the military field.
--------------------
SCRATs: AFRICOM after the Human Terrain System (Accra Mail)

For almost two years we have heard little more than passing statements and speculation
about the U.S. Army's Africa Command (AFRICOM) adopting the human terrain
concept or deploying human terrain teams in Africa, even if individuals in the Human
Terrain System seemed relatively confident this would happen (particularly,
Montgomery McFate on the Charlie Rose show in December of 2007, and Christopher
A. King, in person in May of 2008). On this and a related site, I previously spoke about
AFRICOM in AFRICOM, Human Terrain, Empire, and Anthropology Resisting
AfriCOM: The U.S. Military's Imperial Reoccupation of Africa The 'Culture' Virus: The
Human Terrain System spreads to Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and,
Human Terrain System spreads to Africa: 'Oil and Terrorism'. Another post, AfriCOM:
Africa, U.S. Imperialism, and Resistance, that featured efforts to resist AFRICOM,
received the visits and comments from a very pleasant Doug Brooks, on behalf of an
international association of mercenaries known as the International Peace Operations
Association, which also includes Audrey Roberts, a HTS employee, on its staff (see
Mercenary Humanism ).

The question here is whether HTS will in fact play the role in AFRICOM that has been
anticipated, given the development of an AFRICOM Social Science Research Center that
is not in its hands, and the proposed formation of new research teams (SCRATs) that
abide by ethical standards and promise to uphold academic integrity, showing a greater
political reflexivity than HTS ever has.

Another Time Line: HTS in AFRICOM

Let us start by reviewing a sample of what we have heard about HTS and AFRICOM
over the past two years:

On 16 May 2008, the U.S. House Armed Services Committee in its report stated its
support for AFRICOM implementing Human Terrain Teams: The committee
encourages the Department to begin training, equipping, deploying, and sustaining
human terrain teams with other regional combatant commands to include at least one
each for Pacific Command, Southern Command, and Africa Command (p. 475). HTTs
were then described by the HASC as critical enablers to shaping military planning in
pre-conflict environments, and are supportive of reconstruction and stabilization efforts
(p. 475).

In January of 2009, Nathan Hodge reported that, it looks like the human terrain teams
or something very much like them are coming to Africa. Research and risk management
firm Archimedes Global, Inc. recently sent out help-wanted ads for a new 'socio-cultural
cell' within U.S. Africa Command, the new regional military headquarters. Within two
months of the contract start, the company will deploy a six-contractor team to eastern
Africa. The job description states:
USAFRICOM requires approximately 24 personnel to support the base effort. On day
one of the contract, USAFRICOM requires six (6) contractor personnel to make up the
first Socio-Cultural Cell and an additional six (6) contractor personnel will be required
to make up the Social Scientist Research Center (SSRC).

It seemed clear then that HTS would try to maneuver its way into AFRICOM. As
Hodge reported, Fondacaro has visited AFRICOM as a preliminary step towards
setting up human terrain teams there. However, as he noted, the AFRICOM job
description is for a 'socio-cultural cell,' not a human terrain team. Is there some re-
branding at work here Or might the two projects work side-by-side Since HTS has
already lost its monopoly on human terrain research, within the U.S. Army itself, what
we now know is that more than just rebranding is involved.

(Archimedes Global Inc. is one of the corporations that I covered previously, though it
may have been contracted by the U.S. Army's other human terrain analysis branch,
rather than HTS proper.)

In a 29 July 2009 job ad from BAE Systems, AFRICOM Mid-Level Human Terrain
Analyst, we see a call for people with expertise in research, and knowledge of
empirical research within the theoretical concepts in academia (behavioral psychology,
social psychology, sociology, cultural anthropology, social geography, history,
economics, and political science) and expert level knowledge in geospacial analytical
tools and methods, and social networking models. The location would be AFRICOM's
headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.

David H. Price, in an interview with Dahr Jamail for a report published on 26 January
2010 ( When Scholars Join the Slaughter ), said of possible AFRICOM plans for HTS:

The military seems increasingly interested in adapting some sort of Human Terrain like
program for use in AFRICOM, and given AFRICOM's merging of military personnel
and projects with counterinsurgent tactics and goals, it stands to reason that as
AFRICOM takes on an increasing role in exploiting civil unrest in Africa as a way to
leverage an increasing American military presence in resource rich Africa, something
like HTS will be a part of these plans. Given all the bad publicity HTS has been getting,
I wouldn't be surprised if they changed the name but used a similar program.

Then very recently, other job advertisements began to appear, for social scientists to join
the Pentagon and work in Africa. This one, for 4th PSYOP Group (ABN)
Researcher/analyst (Intelligence Specialist, IA-032-Band 3) announced that there were
four positions open for two-year terms:
The U.S. Army's 4th Psychological Operations Group seeks regional specialists in
African studies with graduate-level knowledge of the political, social, cultural,
economic and/or communications environment. Four temporary positions are now
open at the IA-Band 3 level. The beginning salary for the positions is $59,158. These are
two-year temporary positions. A successful candidate must have strong reading and
listening comprehension skills in a language directly associated with their area of
studies; be able to conduct social science or intelligence-related research and analysis;
be able to write high quality studies and assessments in English at the MA level or
higher, using a broad range of data and sources. Research experience in North Africa,
East Africa/Horn of Africa, Central Africa, or West Africa is desirable. The position
requires travel within the U.S. and abroad. Ability to work closely with U.S. and
possibly foreign military personnel is essential, but military experience is not required.
Must be a U.S. citizen and be able to obtain and keep at least a SECRET level security
clearance. The position closes on 17 June 2010.

The latter is neither explicitly connected with HTS, nor does it mention AFRICOM, but I
include it since it shows the multiplication of programs that effectively do the same
thing: incorporating academics to do research in Africa for the Pentagon. That is the
most important detail, and of greatest relevance to us, rather than the particular unit
involved.

Lately, as reported on 24 May 2010 by Mark Mazetti in The New York Times, U.S. Is
Said to Expand Secret Actions in Mideast :

General Petraeus's September order is focused on intelligence gathering by American

troops, foreign businesspeople, academics or others to identify militants and provide
persistent situational awareness, while forging ties to local indigenous groups.

This is part of a radical expansion of the U.S.' clandestine military activity.

As noted here recently, this does not necessarily imply involvement by HTS as such,
seeing that the U.S. Army has expanded and in some ways duplicated the
implementation of human terrain programs in its fold.

Scratch HTT’s SCRATs

In the last three weeks I received two unclassified documents prepared by Dr.
Christopher Varhola, the Director of the Social Science Research Center at AFRICOM.
One is a short information paper, titled U.S. Africa Command Intelligence and
Knowledge Development Social Science Research Center (SSRC). The second paper, a
draft plan circulated to invite commentary, is titled Guiding Principles and Operating
Procedures U.S. Africa Command Social Science Research Center. If it was meant as a
sub-media campaign, it has been limited to academic email networks, and one article in
Wired's Danger Room.

Varhola describes AFRICOM's Social Science Research Center as ?a seven-person core

element located in Stuttgart, which will deploy a Socio-Cultural Research and Advisory
Team (SCRAT) that will operate with the explicit approval of the country team in the
countries to be visited. While he speaks of the approval of the country team in place in
a given African nation, he does not indicate how, or if, a SCRAT goes about gaining the
permission and approval of an African nation in order to conduct its work.
--------------------
US Supreme Court Rules Former Somalia PM Can Be Sued in US (Voice of America)

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that former Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Ali
Samantar can be sued in U.S. courts over claims he oversaw torture and extrajudicial
killings during his time in office.

In a ruling issued Tuesday, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens said Samantar was
not protected by diplomatic immunity, and can be sued.

Samantar, who now lives in the U.S, in the state of Virginia, served as Somalia's defense
minister in the 1980s and then as prime minister from 1987 to 1990.

Members of Somalia's Isaaq clan filed the original lawsuit under a 1991 U.S. law called
the Torture Victim Protection Act. The lawsuit accuses the former prime minister of
commanding the country's military force to torture, kill, and arbitrarily detain clan
members and their families.

A federal judge had originally ruled that Samantar was entitled to diplomatic
immunity. An appeals court reversed that decision and the Supreme Court Tuesday
upheld it.
--------------------
Liberian president's son helps in NY drug probe (Associated Press)

NEW YORK – The son of Liberia's president worked undercover with U.S. drug agents
investigating a conspiracy to distribute more than $100 million in South American
cocaine in Europe and Africa, authorities announced Tuesday.

Fumbah Sirleaf, the director of the Republic of Liberia National Security Agency, was
among three top Liberian officials who worked secretly to help the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration capture eight defendants in a multi-ton drug conspiracy,
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said.
Bharara praised Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for standing up to drug dealers
who sought to bribe high-level officials in her government to protect shipments of vast
quantities of cocaine to Africa and Europe.

"Indeed, President Sirleaf put her own flesh and blood in the fight and in the line of
fire," Bharara told a news conference. "What greater resolve could a leader
demonstrate?"

He added that Sirleaf, who has been president since 2006 and is the only woman elected
head of state in Africa, had sent a message that her country was not for sale to drug
traffickers.

President Barack Obama praised the Liberian president when she visited Washington,
D.C., last week. He also lauded her country's progress against poverty and corruption,
saying its neighbors could learn from its emerging dedication to democracy.

In a release announcing the drug arrests, Sirleaf said: "As today's charges show, the
Republic of Liberia is officially closed for business to the narcotics trade. We are
strongly committed to combating international drug organizations that seek to exploit
our country for their own profit."

In court papers, authorities said that the cooperating Liberian officials helped the
investigation during a series of face-to-face meetings, phone conversations and
telephone calls with the defendants.

The officials told the defendants that a portion of 6,000 kilograms of cocaine that was
going to be flown from Venezuela to Liberia's capital, Monrovia, in three loads later
would be shipped to the United States, the papers said. That intervention turned a
foreign crime into a U.S. crime.

The probe led to the arrests of seven people in Liberia and one in Spain. The defendants
are charged in a drug conspiracy in federal court in Manhattan. Five of the defendants
have been transferred to Manhattan for trial.

All were charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, which upon conviction carries a
mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.

Prosecutors said it was the first time in more than three decades that defendants have
been transferred from Liberia to New York to face drug-related charges.

Bharara said drug organizations were increasingly targeting developing countries with
the hope that their governments would not be capable of stopping their influence.
The prosecutor said drug organizations had the "potential to unsettle a region, enable
terrorism and facilitate the mass distribution of poison into Europe and America."

He said the destabilization of West Africa, "whether it's through drug trafficking, narco-
terrorism or corruption, imperils not just the region but international security."

Liberia and the rest of West Africa, Bharara said, are at a crossroads.

"The nation and the region," he said, "can become beachheads for the narcotics trade or
stand as a bulwark against it."
--------------------
Donor darling: What Ethiopian poll can teach Africa (BBC)

What do a sports car and the Ethiopian opposition have in common? They both have
two seats.

This joke is doing the rounds in Ethiopia after an almost embarrassing landslide victory
for the governing EPRDF party and its allies left the opposition with just a lonely brace
of seats in the 547 member parliament.

There is no word for "landslide" in the local Amharic language, but they need one now.

The European Union said the polls were marked by restrictions on political freedom
and the unfair use of state resources, and there is international concern over increasing
repression in Ethiopia.

The United States has every right to use its tax payers' money as it sees fit

But Prime Minister Meles Zenawi will not be losing any sleep.

A thorough trouncing is much better for the nerves than a nail-biter and it is unlikely
that Ethiopia's relationship with donor countries will change significantly even if a few
fingers are briefly wagged.

The money will keep flowing.

"The United States has every right to use its tax payers' money as it sees fit," Mr Meles
told reporters after his victory.

"If they feel that the outcome of the elections are such that they cannot continue our
partnership, that's fine.
"We shall be very grateful for the assistance they have given us so far and move on.
Clearly we are not a protectorate," he concluded.

Such comments are easier for Mr Meles to make now that he has a new friend in China -
it will not utter a squeak over the elections.

Islamist buffer

China is helping with many infrastructure projects in Ethiopia - including an offer of a

$500m (£344m) loan from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China for the
construction of the controversial Gibe Three hydroelectric dam.

Ethiopia receives aid worth around $2bn a year, mostly from the US and the UK.

The feeling amongst many donor countries is that the country desperately needs help in
fighting poverty, and the money is being spent relatively wisely by Mr Meles's
government.

They see real progress: For example, a recent report by American researchers pointed to
success in reducing child mortality.

The report said that in 1990, 202 Ethiopian children per 1,000 died before the age of five.
In 2010, the rate had halved to 101 deaths per 1,000.

Of course, Ethiopia still has a long way to go in comparison to somewhere like

Singapore, where there are just two deaths per 1,000 children under the age of five.

Ethiopia is also a donor darling because it is seen as an invaluable buffer against the
growing Islamic extremism in Somalia.

When it comes to America's foreign policy, any concerns over shrinking democratic
space or eye brow leaping election results are totally trumped by any help in "the war
on terror".

Mr Meles could be receiving a few phone calls from other African leaders searching for
election tips.

The Ethiopian capital is famous for staging the hugely popular 10km race, the Great
Addis Run, but now all talk is of 'the Great Addis Turn Around'

Paul Kagame of Rwanda may not need the advice but his neighbour in Uganda, Yoweri
Museveni, could do with a few hints on how to change the face of politics in the capital,
Kampala, ahead of 2011 elections.
The Ethiopian capital is famous for staging the hugely popular 10km race, the Great
Addis Run, but now all talk is of "the Great Addis Turn Around".

Greatest enemies

In 2005, the opposition won all 23 parliamentary seats in Addis. In 2010 it kept just one.
How?

The efficient well-oiled governing party machinery was a key factor - I lost count as to
how many people told me that "the EPRDF only woke up in 2005".

It was helped by the fact that the opposition was divided and fairly disorganised.

But many Ethiopia watchers suggest you have to look at what happened to the
opposition over five years to get the whole picture.

If you try sending an e-mail from Ethiopia to the Committee to Protect Journalists, it
miraculously bounces back

Almost 200 opposition supporters were shot dead when they demonstrated against
what they saw as election theft in 2005; thousands were arrested, including opposition
leaders who were sent to jail for close to years.

Birtukan Mideksa remains behind bars after being accused of breaking the terms of her
pardon.

Press freedom has also been under attack. Journalists have fled the country since 2005
and if you try sending an e-mail from Ethiopia to the Committee to Protect Journalists,
it miraculously bounces back.

Filming on the streets of Addis Ababa, it was hard to find people prepared to say on
camera that they supported the opposition - many suggested that would be asking for
trouble.

The governing party dismisses all these allegations but analysts point out that the
Ethiopian government is only willing to allow a certain degree of democracy and that
will always be the root of friction with the donors - China excluded.

US-based Human Rights Watch said the government pressured, intimidated and
threatened Ethiopian voters and said the most salient feature of the election was the
months of repression preceding it.
One publication recently suggested that the Ethiopian government's greatest enemies
were Eritrea and the weather. Human Rights Watch could also be added to the list.

It clearly angered the government as it shone a light on allegations of repression that no

election observer team would be able to find - partly because they were not allowed in
the country early enough.

But the African leaders hoping for tips from Mr Meles should also realise that hard
work is also useful ahead of an election - it wins votes.

The scale of the housing estates being built on the edge of Addis Ababa is nothing short
of staggering.

Time will tell how good the quality of the construction is, but there are also impressive
eight-lane roads leading to these suburbs.

The development is by no means restricted to the capital: access to healthcare has

improved in the rural areas and in Lalibela, 700km (about 435 miles) away from Addis
Ababa, new classrooms are springing up and roads built.

Kenyans, Ugandans and others may be freer than Ethiopians but their list of "What my
government has achieved" would be miserably short in comparison.
--------------------
France vows to help Africa fight piracy, terrorism (AFP)

NICE, France – France will help African countries combat piracy, terrorism and drug
trafficking, President Nicolas Sarkozy said Tuesday, because Africa "cannot cope on its
own."

Sarkozy made the pledge at the end of a two-day Africa-France summit in the Riviera
city of Nice aimed at recalibrating France's relations with the continent.

"On all of these issues, we will work together," Sarkozy told the 38 African leaders at
the closing ceremony.

The president recalled that France has set aside 300 million euros (365 million dollars) to
train 12,000 African soldiers for peacekeeping on the continent.

"There are crises on the continent," Sarkozy said, and Africa "cannot cope on its own."

"Terrorism is poisoning the Sahel region," he said.

The president noted that east African countries did not have the naval forces needed to
root out piracy off the coast of Somalia and said that France could help.

France is a key member of the European Union anti-piracy mission Atalante launched
in December 2008 in a bid to secure one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.

Sarkozy pledged French support to combat Islamist extremists in the Sahel region and
drug trafficking in west Africa, now a major hub for cocaine headed to Europe.
--------------------
Burundi Opposition To Boycott 28 June Election (Voice of America)

The leader of Burundi’s main opposition National Liberation Forces (FNL) party told
VOA he will boycott the 28 June presidential election accusing the government of
planning to rig the vote.

Agathon Rwasa said his party, as well as four other opposition parties, will not
participate in an election in which the ruling National Council for the Defense of
Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) is pre-determined to
win.

“We’ve been obliged to take the decision of pulling out of the competition because we
have just seen a simulation (24 May) of a poll, but we never got to the poll (a legitimate
result). Because the results were ever since prepared (rigged) and we could just testify
that people who expected their full vote have not got their satisfaction. Because we are
discovering, here and there, where ballot boxes full of votes of the population, which
have not been counted, so we don’t understand what kind of results they have,” he
said.

Four other presidential contestants have joined forces with the FNL in withdrawing
from the upcoming vote saying the election will not be transparent.

But, supporters of the ruling CNDD-FDD dismissed the charges as without merit.

Last week, Burundians voted after logistical problems forced several postponements of
the local elections. The electoral commission declared the ruling CNDD-FDD winner of
the vote, but the opposition rejected the poll saying it was fraught with irregularities.

However, the European Union declared the vote as having met international standards.

But, opposition leader Rwasa said the electoral body has refused to address their
concerns ahead of the upcoming presidential vote.
“We have been asking that this election in June (should be postponed) so that we can
really see a good result. (But), we are not seeing some moves forward. We just decided
to pull out because we don’t see any interest to waste our time, money and energy in a
competition which is not a fair one,” Rwasa said.

Burundi is scheduled to hold a series of elections starting with a presidential vote on 28

June, parliamentary poll on 23 July and a vote for senators on 28 July, with local
elections in September.

Rwasa denied that the opposition boycott harms Burundi’s democracy.

“I don’t think that our decision to pull out is harming democracy because that
democracy was not there. We were looking to build up this democracy through the vote
or through the election and they have hindered this process,” Rwasa said.

He also said his party will rescind its boycotting decision and participate in the
presidential vote if the electoral body resolves their concerns.
--------------------
UN News Service Africa Briefs
Full Articles on UN Website

DR Congo: UNICEF warns a lack of funding hinders efforts to assist displaced

1 June – Nearly 1.9 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – half
of them children – continue to live away from their homes after having been displaced
by armed conflict, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported today,
adding that a lack of funds was hindering efforts to continue assisting them.

Rebel raids aggravate displacement crisis for Central Africans – UN

1 June – Numerous attacks by the insurgents of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in
south-eastern Central African Republic (CAR) have displaced an estimated 20,000
people who remain in dire need of humanitarian assistance even as insecurity has made
it difficult for aid agencies to reach them, the United Nations reported.

UN peacekeepers help with rescue efforts after ship sinks off Liberian coast
1 June – United Nations peacekeepers serving in Liberia have joined in search and
rescue efforts off the coast of the West African country after a ship sank overnight, with
many passengers reported missing.