17 September 2015 — Pambazuka News

PAMBAZUKA NEWS 742: #PUNCHBACK: RESISTING EMPIRE’S WAR MACHINE

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Pambazuka News (English edition): ISSN 1753-6839

CONTENTS: 1. Features, 2. Announcements, 3. Comment & analysis, 4. Advocacy & campaigns, 5. Jobs

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1 Features

WTO IS A WAR MACHINE Yash Tandon

The World Trade Organisation, controlled by a new empire that still disfavors the Global South, broadens the gap between influential and developing nations. With a neocolonial system implicitly in place, if small and middle-sized countries do not ‘follow the rules’ as dictated by the Big and Powerful nations, then they are subjected to sanctions. Sanctions are acts of war. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/95546 ******

THE GREEK CRISIS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR AFRICA Shaun Whittaker

Any Left-wing party that comes to power in Namibia, Zimbabwe or any peripheral country today would be in the exact same position as Syriza: It would lack the political and economic power to bring about radical changes. The reality of a global system policed by imperialism makes it impossible for poor countries to break with capitalism and to begin to build socialism. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/95550 ******

AFRICAN MIGRANTS: PAYBACK TIME? Carlos Lopes The extraordinary and still amazing bravery of the European explorers, facing unknown seas and geography with just scarce scientific tools for orientation and survival has been celebrated. It is an extraordinary demonstration of human determination. That same bravery is displayed by today?s migrants to Europe. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/95535 ******

MIGRANTS FACE INHUMANE TREATMENT IN EUROPE Divided continent imperils the future of millions from oppressed nations Abayomi Azikiwe

The current situation involving massive deaths in the Mediterranean of those seeking refuge in Europe and the social restrictions and racist repression they are subjected to in the EU member-states warrants a response from the anti-war and social justice movements. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/95539 ******

PRESIDENT FOR LIFE Challenges of political succession in developing countries, including in Africa John O. Kakonge

Political succession remains a thorny issue especially in Africa, where presidents are reluctant to step down, and more so prevent the grooming of qualified successors. To understand why peaceful and democratic transition is often elusive in many countries, it is useful to explore the reasons underlying the reluctance of leaders to hand over power. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/95545 ******

LAND OCCUPATIONS ARE URBAN PLANNING FROM BELOW A response to Ravi Pillay, Mbulelo Baloyi & Nigel Gumede Abahlali baseMjondolo

South African politicians have promised better housing and the sinister-sounding ?slum eradication? for years. Undocumented, unreliable and famously corrupt, these promises have failed to pull slum populations into legal, decent government-provided housing. The landless have no option but to occupy public land. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/95551 ******

YOUNG ACTIVIST FIGHTS FGM IN KENYA Valentina A. Mmaka

Jecinta Isei, aged 20, talks about the difficulties of refusing circumcision in her Maasai community, the implications of this harmful practice deeply rooted in various communities in Kenya and her fight to end it. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/95537 ******

BLACK LIVES MATTER: A CALL TO PAN-AFRICAN UNITY – JUSTICE FOR EMMANUEL! Marsha Coleman-Adebayo

The numbers of unarmed Black youth murdered with impunity by state security agents in the US continue to rise. These killings demand a pan-African response. The African Union, which officially counts the Diaspora as its sixth region, ought to come out clearly and demand an end to these murders. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/95536 ******

THE POWER OF CONSCIENCE The US military and the myth that humanity is predisposed to violence Maria Santelli

Is humanity predisposed to violence? We?ve allowed ourselves to be deceived by not only the military industrial complex, which profits from war, but also by all the major pillars of society: government, schools, media, and even churches, which tell us that violence is human nature. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/95540 ******

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2 Announcements #PUNCHBACK: INTRODUCING PAMBAZUKA’S NEW VLOG

Pambazuka News Team is pleased to announce to its readers and supporters the launch of a new video blog called #PunchBack.

#PunchBack provides comment and analysis of current affairs from a pan-Africanist perspective.

We invite our readers to watch #PunchBack, share the vlog, engage with the issues raised and share your views with us.

A new post of #PunchBack will appear every two weeks in the Comments & Analysis section of your newsletter.

Welcome!

Click on this link to the first post of #PunchBack ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6FprQTcAaI&feature=youtu.be ) .

Pambazuka News Team ******

IRRI RIGHTS IN EXILE NEWSLETTER: SEPTEMBER 2015 ISSUE

The September 2015 issue of the International Refugee Rights Initiative?s Refugee Legal Aid Newsletter (formerly the Fahamu Refugee Legal Aid Newsletter) is out. Find the full newsletter here ( http://rightsinexile.tumblr.com/ ) . http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/announce/95557 ******

CALL FOR ARTICLES ON THE THEME: WOMEN AND MIGRATION IN AFRICA BUWA! Journal on African Women?s Experiences, Issue 6

Contributors should indicate their interest and focus of the selected piece by 15 September 2015. All full articles should be submitted by 15 October 2015. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/announce/95454 ******

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3 Comment & analysis

#PUNCHBACK: INTRODUCING PAMBAZUKA’S NEW VLOG

Pambazuka News Team is pleased to announce to its readers and supporters the launch a of new video blog called #PunchBack.

#PunchBack provides comment and analysis of current affairs from a pan-Africanist perspective.

We invite our readers to watch #PunchBack, share the vlog, engage with the issues raised and share your views with us.

A new post of #PunchBack will appear every two weeks in the Comments & Analysis section of your newsletter.

Welcome!

Click on this link to the first post of #PunchBack ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6FprQTcAaI&feature=youtu.be ) .

Pambazuka News Team ******

CANCELLED APRM SUMMIT SENDS DISTRESSING SIGNALS Sydney Letsholo and Steven Gruzd

Large billboards at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport welcomed delegates with the beaming face of President Uhuru Kenyatta, the newly-elected Chairperson of the African Peer Review Mechanism Forum. Other costly marketing and logistical activities had already taken place. And then the Kenyan government announced it had cancelled the event. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/95538 ******

WANTED: A BINDING INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENT ON BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS Maina Kiai

A binding international treaty that imposes human rights obligations on businesses would be a monumental step towards protecting peaceful assembly and association rights. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/95542 ******

UGANDAN POLITICIANS OUGHT TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON NATIONAL ISSUES James Muhindo

Uganda is heading to presidential elections in March. The country seems to have hardly matured as its politicians are pre-occupied with their own interest and not that of the country and its people. Whether President Museveni retains power next year or the opposition unseats him, there is no hope that this state of affairs will change for the better. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/95544 ******

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4 Advocacy & campaigns

GUYANA’S PRESIDENT DAVID GRANGER: ALLOW THE WALTER RODNEY COMMISSION OF INQUIRY THE TWO MORE WEEKS REQUESTED FOR KEY WITNESSES

Guyana?s new government has refused to allow the Commission a final two weeks to finalise the investigation for clearly political reasons. Guyanese and people around the world need and deserve a completed inquiry into this atrocity. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/advocacy/95556 ******

STOP THE RAPES ON CAMPUS! Increase in cases of rape and sexual assault on female university students in Nigeria by academic staff Nigeria Feminist Forum

The mass abuse of female university students in Nigeria is fueled by the lack of a consistent and clear policy by university governing bodies and school authorities concerning sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape of female students. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/advocacy/95533 ******

POLICE SPOKESMAN DELIBERATELY MISLEADING THE PUBLIC

As a spokesperson for the South African Police Serivce, Colonel Naicker is expected to disseminate factually accurate information. But he he has conspicuously failed to do in his comments about the Glebelands violence. How on earth does SAPS expect anyone to take anything he says seriously given the disinformation he has disseminated about an extremely serious and tragic situation? http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/advocacy/95534 ******

REVOKE AGIP OPERATING LICENCE, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP TELLS NIGERIA

Explosions from Agip pipelines and resultant deaths have been recorded since 1995 and have escalated in the last three years. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/advocacy/95541 ******

#WEFIGHTCLIMATECHANGE WEEK OF ACTION

Two months before the talks in Paris begin, people across the globe will gather to make connections, plan mobilisations and fight climate change together. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/advocacy/95543 ******

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5 Jobs

RESEARCHER – FRANCOPHONE WEST AFRICA (1215) Status: Permanent Remuneration: ?50,926 per annum Closing Date: 20th Sept. 2015 A I Amnesty International

The mobile revolution. Geopolitical power shifts. A radically altered global economy. The world is changing, and so is the way that people fight for their rights. In order to be effective, Amnesty International?s (AI) International Secretariat needs to change how we work. That?s why we?ve opened a regional office in Dakar. And why we need your research expertise with us on the ground. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/95436 ******

RESEARCHER – SOUTHERN AFRICA (LUSAPHONE) (1088) Closing Date:27 Sept. 2015 Location:Johannesburg Type:Permanent Salary:$66,580 A I Amnesty International

The mobile revolution, geopolitical power shifts and a radically altered global economy constitute some of the evidence to demonstrate that the world is changing, and so is the way that people fight for their rights. In order to be effective, Amnesty International?s (AI) International Secretariat needs to change how we work. That?s why our Southern Africa Regional Office needs your research expertise with us on the ground. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/95346 ******

2015 TRUSTAFRICA / UKZN POST DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP Deadline for bursary applications: 15 October 2015

The South African Research Chair initiative (SARChI) in Applied Poverty Reduction Assessment is pleased to announce two new 2015 TrustAfrica / UKZN Post Doctoral Fellowships. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/95469

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End of Pambazuka-news Digest, Vol 374, Issue 1

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