United States Africa Command

Public Affairs Office

18 August 2010

USAFRICOM - related news stories

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

U.S. Judge Dismisses Piracy Charges Against 6 Somalis (Wall Street Journal)
(Somalia) A federal judge in Norfolk, Va. dismissed charges of piracy against six
Somalis accused of attacking a U.S. Navy ship in April near Somalia.

Country Protests New U.S. Mineral Policy (East African Business Week)
(Democratic Republic of Congo) The short period the US has given countries to prove
their minerals are not from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will disrupt supply
and hurt economies, a Rwandan geologist has said.

American Firm Begins Humanitarian Drive (The New Times - Rwanda)

(Rwanda) An American investment company which was previously involved in
mining in Karongi District, has embarked on various humanitarian services in the
education and health sector.

Oil discovered offshore in Mozambique (AFP)

(Mozambique) American oil company Anadarko has discovered offshore oil deposits
in northern Mozambique, but it is unclear if the find will prove commercially viable, a
company spokesman said Tuesday.

Nigeria’s former military ruler to stand for president (Reuters)

(Nigeria) Nigeria’s former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida has formally declared his
intention to seek the ruling party’s nomination for the presidential election next year, a
further blow to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

Uganda army accused of Karamoja torture abuses (BBC)

(Uganda) A Uganda MP has accused soldiers of carrying out torture and killings in a
campaign to disarm the arid north-eastern Karamoja region, where cattle-rustling is
common.

Two abducted Jordanian peacekeepers in Darfur released (Xinhua)

(Sudan) Sudanese authorities on Tuesday announced the release of two Jordanian
officers belonging to the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)
who were abducted in the region on Saturday.
In ANC bill, South African media see threat to press freedom (Christian Science
Monitor)
(South Africa) The ANC is proposing a bill that South African journalists say would
take the country back to those bad old apartheid days, and restrict the news media’s
very ability to investigate whether the ANC government is living up to its promises, as
well as to look into cases of incompetence or corruption.

UN News Service Africa Briefs

Full Articles on UN Website
 Darfur: abducted UN-African Union blue helmets released, unharmed
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U.S. Judge Dismisses Piracy Charges Against 6 Somalis (Wall Street Journal)

WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Norfolk, Va. dismissed charges of piracy against

six Somalis accused of attacking a U.S. Navy ship in April near Somalia.

The accused still face seven more charges, but not the mandatory life sentence that a
conviction for piracy would have entailed. Their trial is set to begin Oct. 19.

Judge Raymond Jackson of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
concluded in a 21-page ruling that the definition of piracy offered by an 1820 Supreme
Court case—"robbery at sea"—still prevails today.

Prosecutors argued for an expansive definition of piracy to include any acts of violence
on the high seas. But since the Somali men failed to seize the USS Ashland, the navy
ship, they didn't rob it, Judge Jackson concluded.

The case was featured in a recent front-page article in The Wall Street Journal.

"The Government simply fails to cite one case in United States jurisprudence in which
the defendant was criminally prosecuted for 'piracy in violation of the law of nations,'
for conduct that fell short of robbery or seizure of a ship," he wrote.

Tuesday's ruling underscores how difficult it is to prosecute suspected pirates in the

U.S. for the specific crime of piracy. The survivor of the attack on the Maersk Alabama
in 2009 pleaded guilty this year in New York to a spate of charges, but not piracy.
The six Somali men in the Norfolk case will face additional, serious charges, with
penalties ranging from eight to 25 years, if they are convicted.

"We're obviously very pleased with the ruling, and look forward to presenting our
defense at trial," said Geremy Kamens, one of the defense lawyers who argued for
dismissal of the piracy charges.

Prosecutors declined to comment.

The Norfolk decision will likely spur efforts to find an international venue in which to
try pirates. Some countries, such as Kenya and the Seychelles, are starting to try Somalis
apprehended on the high seas. The United Nations wants an international piracy court.

Tuesday's ruling could also have immediate repercussions. A nearly identical case is
unfolding in Norfolk, in which five Somali men are accused of attacking a different U.S.
Navy vessel, also in April. Defense lawyers in that case have also argued to dismiss the
piracy charges on the same grounds.

Defense lawyer David Bouchard said that while the ruling isn't binding in his case, he
expects the court to reach a similar conclusion and dismiss the piracy charges.

"The government made a mistake trying to prosecute this kind of action," he said.

Judge Jackson's ruling also wades into the scrum between U.S. and international law, a
hot-button issue not just on piracy but on other issues, especially terrorism.

Prosecutors argued in the case against the six Somalis that international law clearly
defines piracy, offering an expansive definition whichthey said should prevail in U.S.
courts. Judge Jackson rejected that argument, arguing that international law is
constantly evolving and that the U.S. Supreme Court is the ultimate arbiter.

"Given the flexible manner in which international sources treat the definition of piracy,
and that these sources inherently conflict with Supreme Court precedent, the Court's
reliance on these international sources as authoritative would not meet constitutional
muster and must therefore be rejected," Judge Jacksonhe wrote.
--------------------
Country Protests New U.S. Mineral Policy (East African Business Week)

Kigali — The short period the US has given countries to prove their minerals are not
from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will disrupt supply and hurt economies, a
Rwandan geologist has said.

On July 20, 2010, the US President passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act.
A key provision in the law requires companies to disclose whether they use minerals
from DRC or neighbouring countries within nine months.

The aim is to cut the source of funding that allowed rebel groups to terrorize
communities, use sexual violence as a weapon of war and cause millions of deaths in
Eastern DRC.

Tantalum is used to make electrical capacitors that go into phones, computers and
gaming devices. Tungsten creates vibrations in cell phones, tin goes into circuit boards
and gold is used to coat wiring.

This new law affects companies like IBM, Intel, Motorola, Apple and HP, but there is
fear these companies may source their suppliers from other mineral producing
countries to avoid being associated with conflict minerals and to costs involved in
carrying out private audits.

These companies are large consumers of Tin, tungsten tantalum, 3T's and gold from the
DRC and neighbouring countries.

Now they will have to submit annual detailed report on supply chains, backed by
independent audits are to be reported to the US Congress.

The speculation is rife that the companies may chose to avoid the expenses of dealing
with DRC's neighbours. "It is easy for the producers of electronics destined for the US to
obtain their "conflict minerals" from other sources," a commentator in Kigali said.

Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania are bound to be affected by this law in the short
run.

In an interview with Dr. Michael Biryabarema, Director General Rwanda Geology and
Mines Authority believes many countries have no capacity and resources to implement
the certification process within the required nine months as the US Congress wants.

He argues that enough time is required for companies to put the mineral tracing
processes in place since the legislation implies that even minerals produced in countries
neighbouring DRC have to be certified.

"This calls for the mineral sector in Rwanda to strengthen its capacity in documentation
and be in position to satisfy the consumer community. The timing for implementation
should be clearly studied to avoid hurting the industry that has no connection to the
conflict source whatsoever," Biryabarema says in a statement.
Rwanda has started a certification process where mining companies in the country that
comply with internationally accepted standards are to be graded and issued with a
certificate of compliance by the end of this year in an effort to improve the performance
of the sector.
--------------------
American Firm Begins Humanitarian Drive (The New Times - Rwanda)

Karongi — An American investment company which was previously involved in

mining in Karongi District, has embarked on various humanitarian services in the
education and health sector.

The company, Bay View Group, recently signed an education partnership agreement
with Kigali Health Institute and is set to start a clinic in Rwankuba sector, Karongi
district.

Foreign doctors have been carrying out voluntary work at Kibuye Hospital for the last
two weeks, a gesture that has been welcomed by many local residents.

"There has always been a shortage of health workers in the hospital and the new
doctors have significantly boosted service delivery in general," Venancia
Mukamurerwa, an expectant mother at Kibuye Hospital said yesterday.

Dr Jirinka Kafkova, a paediatric heart surgeon from the Czech Republic, who is one of
the volunteer doctors, says it's amazing doing humanitarian voluntary services in
Rwanda.

"The patients are strong and just simply amazing," Kafkova told The New Times in an
interview.

According to Bill Quam, Bay View Group's country manager, the project is part of the
company's broader aspect of improving the social and economic welfare of Rwandans.

"This is a new business model in Rwanda in which we facilitate and provide free
medical and educational assistance to the local community. We have a partnership to
help fulfil the vision and goals the government has developed in this area," Quam said.
--------------------
Oil discovered offshore in Mozambique (AFP)

MAPUTO, Mozambique – American oil company Anadarko has discovered offshore oil
deposits in northern Mozambique, but it is unclear if the find will prove commercially
viable, a company spokesman said Tuesday.

Anadarko spokesman Johan Christiansen said the initial find "does not appear to be
commercially viable", but said it may lead to exploitable reserves later.
"It does show the presence of oil in the region," Christiansen told AFP.

"We are excited to explore other wells in the area."

Anadarko is exploring more than 50 other locations spanning 2.6 million hectares in the
Indian Ocean's Rovuma basin, off the southern African country's coast.

News of the discovery, in wells at a depth of about 5,100 metres (three miles),
reverberated through Mozambique on Tuesday, but President Armando Guebuza tried
to tone down excitement, state news agency AIM reported.

"The first thing I would like to say is to advise people to remain calm until we have
more information on the discovery," Guebuza said from the margins of a regional
summit in Namibia.

Mozambique -- one of the world's poorest countries -- is experiencing a commodities

boom, with international companies racing to exploit a range of minerals and metals,
notably the largest untapped coal reserves in the world, estimated at 15 billion tonnes.

Earlier this year, Anadarko announced the discovery of natural gas in the Rovuma
basin, with Italian, Malaysian and Norwegian companies also prospecting for
hydrocarbons in the area.

American companies are increasingly turning to Africa to search for new oil reserves,
with Washington predicting that by 2015 about 25 percent of its oil imports will come
from Africa, essentially from the Gulf of Guinea.

Major new finds in Uganda and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have also
underscored the region's importance to future oil supplies.
--------------------
Nigeria’s former military ruler to stand for president (Reuters)

Nigeria’s former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida has formally declared his intention
to seek the ruling party’s nomination for the presidential election next year, a further
blow to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

“(The ruling party) accepts that all of us including Jonathan have the right to contest
and I will exercise my franchise,” Babangida said in a speech, a copy of which was read
to Reuters on Monday by his spokesman.

Babangida seized power in the OPEC member state in August 1985 and ruled Africa’s
most populous country for nearly eight years. He was forced to step down in 1993 after
he annulled an election that was generally regarded as fair.
The declaration by Babangida, a Muslim from the northern Nigerian state of Niger,
poses a further challenge to any ambition by Jonathan, a Christian from the southern
Niger Delta, to seek re-election in the polls due in January.

Former Nigerian Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, a Muslim from the northern Hausa
ethnic group, also formally declared his intention on Sunday to seek the ruling party
nomination.

An unwritten agreement in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) says power
should rotate between the Muslim north and Christian south every two terms, meaning
the next president should be a northerner if the principle is maintained.

Jonathan, a Christian from the southern Niger Delta, has not yet said whether he plans
to stand, but a bid would need the support of northerners within the PDP to be
guaranteed victory in the polls.

The presence of two northern candidates for the PDP primaries reduces his chances of
winning their support.
--------------------
Uganda army accused of Karamoja torture abuses (BBC)

Cattle raids are common in Karamoja and the use of guns makes the problem far worse.
A Uganda MP has accused soldiers of carrying out torture and killings in a campaign to
disarm the arid north-eastern Karamoja region, where cattle-rustling is common.

Francis Adamson Kiyonga told the BBC an elite unit of troops was targeting civilians
and at least 15 people have been killed since April.

He said some victims had had their teeth pulled or been nearly castrated.

Army spokesman Felix Kulaigye told the BBC the allegations were absurd.

Mr Kiyonga said local leaders were aware of the alleged abuses there needed to be an
independent inquiry.

"The tortures are in the form of removing people's teeth, attempted castrations of men
using hot metal like pangas [broad-blade knives] and severe beatings to people," Mr
Kiyonga told the BBC's Network Africa programme.

The MP said of the 15 people killed in his constituency, three had had their necks
broken and the others had been shot.

But Lieutenant Colonel Kulaigye denied there was any systematic targeting of the local
population as part of the disarmament programme.
He said that similar accusations have been investigated in the past and found to be
untrue.

Volatile region

However, he confirmed that three army officers are facing charges of extorting money
from civilians.

Correspondents say Karamoja is the most underdeveloped and volatile region in

Uganda.

Successive governments have tried to pacify the Karamojong people, who are known to
carry out violent cattle raids, made worse by the influx of guns into the region.

Over the last 10 years, President Yoweri Museveni has put considerable emphasis on
bringing stability to the area through a combination of development projects and
military operations.
--------------------
Two abducted Jordanian peacekeepers in Darfur released (Xinhua)

KHARTOUM, Sudan - Sudanese authorities on Tuesday announced the release of two

Jordanian officers belonging to the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur
(UNAMID) who were abducted in the region on Saturday.

"The two Jordanian officers have been released. This was a result of a high-level
coordination and joint work among a number of political and security organs," Abdul-
Hameed Musa Kasha, governor of South Darfur State, told Xinhua.
--------------------
In ANC bill, South African media see threat to press freedom (Christian Science
Monitor)

Johannesburg, South Africa – During the height (or depths) of South Africa’s racist
apartheid era, draconian media laws restricted reporters from meeting with members of
the then-illegal opposition movement, the African National Congress. Even mentioning
the names of independence fighters like Nelson Mandela or Jacob Zuma in print was
seen as a threat to national security.

Today, after 16 years in power, the ANC is proposing a bill that South African
journalists say would take the country back to those bad old apartheid days, and restrict
the news media’s very ability to investigate whether the ANC government is living up
to its promises, as well as to look into cases of incompetence or corruption.
In a stroke, the proposed bill has driven a wedge between the ANC and the news media
that were once its biggest cheerleaders, and could signal the beginning of an extremely
acrimonious period for the country, a stark contrast from the love-fest the country
enjoyed during this summer’s World Cup.

“In whatever we do, there is no interest on the part of the ANC to limit the freedom that
all of us enjoy, including the press,” Jackson Mthembu, the ANC’s chief spokesman,
told reporters Tuesday about the proposed laws. “Your reaction [the media's], as
opposed to the reaction of the ordinary man and woman, was different. Ordinary
people agree. You just want us to drop the issue.”

Bill would 'weaken democracy'Combined with its proposal for a media appeals
tribunal, which would punish reporters for “irresponsible and misleading reporting,”
the ANC’s protection-of-information bill would almost certainly have profound effects
on the amount of information that South Africans have about their government.

At a time when some of South Africa’s poorest townships have erupted into fiery
protests over the failure of the government to provide basic services, the proposed
media laws could muzzle dissent, but also prevent media reporters from digging down
into root causes and finding solutions. It could also take some of the shine off of South
Africa’s image as a prosperous emerging democracy, an image carefully crafted during
the 2010 World Cup.

“We see this as part of a broader trend in South Africa, and it’s very worrying,” says
Karin Karlekar, managing editor of the Freedom of the Press report for Freedom House
in New York. In fact, South Africa has already been downgraded by Freedom House
from one of Africa’s freest nations to “partly free” in the think tank’s 2009 annual
report. Reasons for the downgrade include increasing legal restrictions on media and
harsher rhetoric toward journalists by top-level government officials.

“Historically, South Africa was one of the top performers in the past 15 years, as a
model for other African countries,” says Ms. Karlekar. “In South Africa, as in other
countries, the media are one of the watchdogs of society in support of good governance
in institutions, and to take away the ability to be a watchdog, it weakens democracy as a
whole.”

ANC says bill protects 'public good'For its part, the ruling ANC party argues that such
protections are necessary to protect the national interest. In its proposed law, national
interest is defined rather broadly, to include “all matters relating to the advancement of
public good,” and it also proposes the protection of trade secrets of state organs
including “profits, losses, or expenditures of any person.” Those who expose those
secrets would be subjected to lengthy jail terms of three to five years.
The ANC also argues that the media – which remain largely under white ownership –
have shown that they are unable to regulate itself according to its own ethical code.
South Africa’s Press Board adjudicates complaints of defamation through a press
ombudsman, but ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu says that judgments from the
ombudsman are often disregarded.

"There shouldn't be one group of people called the media who can rubbish you, who
can defame you and you have no recourse," says Mr. Mthembu.

President Jacob Zuma, in his weekly letter to ANC members, wrote this weekend,
“The media has put itself on the pedestal of being the guardian. We therefore have
the right to ask, who is guarding the guardian?â€

Erasing the media's independence?For their part, South African editors say the ANC’s
solution to the problem goes too far.

“What this bill sets out to do is return to apartheid-era state security legislation,” says
Nic Dawes, editor of the Mail & Guardian, a top investigative news magazine in South
Africa. “It essentially is likely to sever the link between whistleblowers and the media.
It criminalizes journalism.”

As for the proposed Media Appeals Tribunal – designed to be accountable to South

Africa’s parliament – editor Raymond Louw argues that such a body would essentially
erase the independence of South Africa’s media.

“Our ombudsman system is based on the same system used by 80 of the 86 press
councils of the democratic world, and papers that are found to have transgressed all
have the same punishment,” says Mr. Louw, chairman of the South African Press
Concil, which oversees the ombudsman’s office. “The news organization has to
apologize, it has to correct the mistake, and it has to print the statement of the
ombudsman on a page in the paper that the ombudsman determines.”

“But that is not good enough for the ANC,” says Louw. “They plan to imprison
journalists if they get things wrong, and to fine the newspapers heavily. If you have a
statutory body set up by the government that is accountable to parliament, then we lose
our independence.”
-------------------
UN News Service Africa Briefs
Full Articles on UN Website

Darfur: abducted UN-African Union blue helmets released, unharmed

17 August – Two Jordanian police advisers serving with the joint United Nations-
African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur, who were abducted on Saturday, were
freed today in the south of the war-ravaged Sudanese region.