Bashir’s arrest hangs in the balance

Events in the Sudanese region of Darfur have been hitting the headlines…again. Sudan’s President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir was threatened with an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor, Louis Moreno Ocampo. Ocampo insists Bashir is responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity in Darfur, where a militia closely connected to the Khartoum government has terrorised over two million people. It has been reported that Black Africans are persecuted by their Arab militia countrymen known by the name Janjaweed. The threat of arresting Bashir has caused a furor amongst the Arab League, the African Union and anyone with an opinion. Bashir was, however, rescued by strong language from a high level AU meeting which emphasised that the African Union existed to solve such problems as Bashir’s leadership of Sudan. The AU asked for suspension of the warrants so that a clear AU plan on the issue is resolved. More surprises If Sudan’s Bashir was surprised by the threat of an international arrest warrant from Ocampo, South Africa’s president in waiting, Jacob Zuma was shocked by what he called “white poverty”. Zuma who is chairman of South Africa’s ruling party the African National Congress was speaking in Bethlehem, a poor suburb in Pretoria inhabited mainly by white South Africans. He said the high level of poverty among black South Africans had ensured poor white South Africans were ignored by policy makers. Zuma’s statements come after recent brutal outbreaks of violence of black South Africans against fellow black Africans. Trade matters Back in East Africa, it was reported that a deal had been signed by commodity dealers and administrators in which agricultural producers and other regional enterprises will be partners in making key polices for regional trade and movement. So far, trade in the East African region favours Kenya more than the other four member countries; Kenya alone is responsible for 22 per cent of regional trade amounting to almost Frw 238 billion. The deal will ensure private sector activists from all EAC member countries contributing to policy making. Left out However, in the same week, small scale farmers under an East African Farmers’ Federation lobby group petitioned the Secretary General of the East African Community for leaving them out of decision making in deciding EAC policies like the eagerly awaited East African Customs Union. The archbishop of Rwanda’s Anglican Church has dismissed the ongoing homosexual matter that has rocked the bottom of the conservative Anglican Church as ‘wicked ’. Emmanuel Kolini was speaking about the refusal of the Rwandan Anglican church to attend the Anglican bishop conference in Lambeth, UK. He said homosexuality had been banned by God: “God can’t accept this because it’s against the Bible. The norms of the Bible have been breached and therefore as a Church of God we can’t allow this.” One of a kind What is not divisive however is the fact that Rwanda’s coffee has established itself a niche among leading brands in the world. Last week, Starbucks, the American renowned coffee specialists, launched Rwanda’s Blue Bourbon Coffee in the Middle East. The coffee, like our good gorillas, is only found in Central Africa and will compete with other brands from a few chosen countries. Of good fortune also is the news that government is showing commitment to creating an Information Technology savvy Rwandan populace. It was announced midweek that Rwanda Information and Technology Authority (RITA) has launched an online instant messaging service known as Intego. Intego will help in the monitoring of health service delivery throughout the country as The Aids Treat and Control Centre has successfully done, helping HIV patients’ access medical care. The service will also ensure that prices of agricultural products are monitored for consumers by mobile phone company services. Contact: donmuhinda@yahoo.com