The internet and more so blogging has enabled a growth in freedom of speech amongst civil society groups and individual activists and citizens across the continent. In China, Iran and the Middle East the governments have been active in monitoring and restricting access to the internet by it’s citizens. The first African country to ban websites was Tunisia which hosted the second phase of the WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society) was held in Tunisia last November. The irony was not lost on many of the participants who held their own workshops and seminars promoting freedom of expression despite threats from government employed thugs. Earlier on March 1st Tunisian journalist Muhammad Abou was arrested and subsequently imprisoned for publishing an article on a banned website where he compared the President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The first reports that the Ethiopian government was blocking blogs hosted by blogger.com came on the 18th May as Ethiopian blogger, Ethiopian Life reported that his blog had been blocked along with a number of others. Later Meskel Square asked “Where have all the Ethiopian Blogspot Bloggers gone?. In addition, Free Our Leaders and Ethiopian Review were also unavailable. In total 75% of Ethiopian blogs tracked on Global Voices are no longer accessible from Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian blogosphere has been one of the most vibrant on the continent and highly critical of the government of Meles Zenawi. Though the government is still denying any involvement in the shut down there is really no other explanation. Ethiopian bloggers in the Diaspora continue to relentlessly attack the tyranny of Zenawi’s government and question the US and other Western countries who continue to support his government. Ethiopia is not the only country trying to prevent African citizens an online presence. RSF reports that the Gambian government has hacked into the website of exiled Gambian journalist, Pa Nderry Mbai, who runs the Freedom Newspaper and posted “a false statement of allegiance to an associate of the president together with the names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of all its subscribers, describing them as “informers”(http://www.freedomnewspaper.com/).

The false statement was made worse by the exposure of people’s names and email addresses who had set up user accounts on the site. Mbai’s email and phone number in the US were also published. Those living in Gambia are now at personal risk of arrest and detention by the Gambian government.

The same day, the Gambian police ordered all those “who continually supplied him with information which he used to castigate and vilify the democratically elected government of His Excellency President Alhaji Yahya Jammeh” to report to the nearest police station within 24 hours or face immediate arrest.
The hacking was done from an IP address in Southampton, England.

The implications for activists and dissidents in Africa are obvious. How safe is your personal information? How safe are you? This is especially worrying for those blogging from Ethiopia, Tunisia and Egypt - governments which have arrested and detained bloggers and journalists in recent months. Egypt has been particularly viscious…. in it’s response to bloggers. On May 7th activist and blogger, Alaa Ahmed along with 11 others, was detained in prison by the Egyptian police. They had all been arrested for supporting another group of protestors. According to a Human Rights Watch report, the thousands of police were deployed against protestors proving once again that President Mubarak “is committed to zero tolerance when it comes to peaceful dissent”. Despite the arrests, Egyptian bloggers launched a collaborative campaign against the governments repression and to free the arrested activists and bloggers. Alaa Ahmed was not the first Egyptian blogger to be arrested. Last October, 21 year old activist, journalist and blogger, Abdel Karim Seliman was also arrested and detained for 18 days. His writings were confiscated by the Egyptian state security.

In Zimbabwe where freedom of speech died many years ago, the government is planning to enact legislation that will allow it to monitor the phone calls and mail of anyone suspected of threatening national security or involvement in criminal activities in the country. The Interception of Communications Bill will include the monitoring of email and there is no doubt in my mind that the government will seek ways to block internet usage and particularly blogs from operating within the country. In truth the Bill is simply another tool for the government to continue its repression of the people of Zimbabwe and places Zimbabwean bloggers at an increased risk to their personal safety.

Two African countries that have had relatively free press and freedom of speech, South African and Kenya, are now hinting at curbing free expression. In the case of South Africa the government is proposing legislation that will monitor require mobile phone providers to monitor and intercept phone calls.
The proposed law requires operators Vodacom, MTN and CellC to put in place systems for the interception of cellphone communications, and to keep detailed information of all their clients, as well as phones and SIM cards .

The providers such as Vodocom (http://www.citizen.co.za/index/article.aspx?pDesc=17511,1,22) are angry at the legislation which will increase their administration costs on a scheme they say is unworkable. They will face huge fines for not complying with the proposed legislation - the “Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communications Related Information Bill” (http://www.legalbrief.co.za/filemgmt_data/files/RIC%20Bill.pdf) and of course they will loose millions in revenue as their customer base is reduced by as much as 20 million people (http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/article.aspx?ID=BD4A206373).

However from a user perspective the Bill has implications for both privacy and access or use of mobile phones. As always it is the poor that will mostly be affected by this legislation. If you dont have an address, do not work in the formal economy or are an illegal immigrant then under the Bills regulations you will no longer be able to use a mobile phone. The second hand sale of SIM cards which again is used by mostly poor and rural people will be criminalised as failure to report the sale or exchange will result in a prison sentence of up to 12 months.

The governments cites the high crime rate as the main reason behind the legislation. There is no doubt about the high level of crime in South Africa and that mobile phones are used in carrying out many crimes. However it will be the poor, the migrants, the low paid or those employed in the informal sector who will suffer most and become even more disenfranchised from society and not the criminals who as one report states (http://www.citizen.co.za/index/article.aspx?pDesc=17511,1,22) can afford to buy SIM cards from a neighbouring country, use them and dispose of them with ease.

Last month the Kenyan Internal Security Minister, John Njoroge Michuki place an advert in the Daily Standard where as Kenyan blogger, Thinkers Room wrote “not so subtly dishes out warnings to radio talk shows, newspapers and Internet bloggers……. Bottom line – bloggers are now on the government radar”. He continues….”I won’t be cowed online but I jolly well will keep a very low profile physically.”

Africa’s dictators and paranoid leaders are beginning to discover cyberland where, unlike traditional media (newspapers, radio and TV), freedom of expression is much more difficult to control. Nigeria, has a huge online presence not only from bloggers but from news portals, forums and discussion groups – most of them highly critical of the present government. Two weeks ago, a Nigerian photographer, Jide Adeniyi-Jones, was refused publication of an article by various Nigerian newspapers so he simply sent the article to various bloggers who published it on his behalf. Many dissidents and activists from the Niger Delta and Igboland who are calling for secession already use the internet to publish their writings which would be banned in Nigeria. How long before they find themselves on the governments radar.

* Sokari Ekine is Blogging Africa editor for Pambazuka News

* * Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

African Painters - (http://africanpainters.blogspot.com/2006/06/suzanne-ouedraogo-from-burk…) comments on the work of Burkina Faso artist, Suzanne Ouedraogo who uses her art as a way of protesting against the practice of female circumcision. Her paintings present are a courageous, powerful picture of this horrendous violation of the female body. He accompanies the paintings with a poem on female circumcision by Nigerian poet, Chinwe Azubuike.

Egyptian Chronicles - Egyptian Chronicles (http://egyptianchronicles.blogspot.com/2006/07/bravo-aisha-first-egypti…) writes in praise of Egypt’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Aisha Abd El-Hady, a woman she had formerly thought of as a hypocrite. So why the change in attitude towards the Minister?

“Abd El-Hady presented her resignation from her position as a minister for Labour and Employment in the ministry to the Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif as she can't work anymore in this Cabinet who doesn't care for the 5 million workers who are going to lose their jobs because of the privatisation policy . The man who is responsible in privatisation in Egypt now is Minister Mahmoud Mohi El-Din, minister of investment , he is working on selling 365 public companies to the private sector. Already Abd El-Hady accused Mohi El-Din to ignore President Mubarak 's orders in protecting the workers rights”.

Abd El-Hady is an interesting woman. She only completed her education up to primary school level yet was able to hold her ground amongst the higher educated members of the Cabinet. She worked her way up starting as a factory worker which was one of the reasons why many Egyptian workers were disappointed with her previous lack of interest in their plight.

The Moor Next Door - Moor Next Door (http://wahdah.blogspot.com/2006/07/spirits-of-63.html) returns to the Algerian revolution that took place between 1955-1962 and celebrates the country’’s independence on the 5th July 1962.

“The Algerian Revolution was a revolt against exclusion, under-representation, racialism, displacement, colonialism, ignorance and all the other pretty words that come with battles in the name of rights. Algerians today, hold all of these notions close to their hearts, no matter what their political persuasion may be. The Revolution was a diverse one, claimed by former "assimilationists" fed up with the inability of the colonial system to extend the rights of man to Algerian Muslims, pan-Arab nationalists, socialists, Marxists, communists, Islamists wishing to reinstate the Islamic political order in a Muslim land, Amazigh Berberists wishing to bring equality and prestige to their people, the everyday men and women of Algerian wishing to finally know what equality and opportunity felt like, and many other interest groups.”

He writes that although the Algerian revolution could be described as a “Jihad” it was not one of those Jihad’s or “mass murder, rape, pillage, and bigotry that have ravaged the world in recent years.” It is a revolution based on patriotism and nationalism driven by an intense desire for independence and freedom.

Sotho - Sotho (http://sotho.blogsome.com/2006/07/01/francais-et-immigres/) writes a piece on the racist language used by the media when speaking about French immigrants and Black French people. He uses the commentary on the world cup to explain his point.

“Paper and television personalities are regularly accused of saying things like, “the Frenchman came from behind to win the race,” but “the Guadeloupean fell behind and never posed a threat to his opponents.” And they’d be talking about the same person, albeit at different times. It is surely subconscious but nevertheless shows deep-rooted ill-feeling toward the concept of fraternité.”

He goes on to give a number of examples of specific comments made about the Tunisians, Ghanaians and the French team which has mostly Black players.

French right wing National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen also made a comment about the number of Black players in the French team to which one player responded. We are French. We won the World Cup and the European Cup and we did it for France so what is the point of your comment.

afrika-aphukira - Afrika-aphukira (http://mlauzi.blogspot.com/2006/07/african-football-global-inequality-a…) also comments on the World Cup and the African media’s response to why no African teams progressed beyond the early stages of the tournament. He believes the analysis used reflect the usual two themes reflected in Africa’s media: self-blame and awe of Europe.

“Virtually no analysis I have so far looked at mentions broader issues of global, historical and political injustice and inequality, in how world cup berths are allotted in the different FIFA confederations. In fact, a Rwandan columnist repeats a common refrain about how Africans always blame colonialism for their ills, when no such thing has even been mentioned in any of the analyses and comments, whose uniting feature has been blaming African teams for lacking self-confidence and resources. Such is the strength of the reluctance to examine African problems in their broader context that blaming colonialism is considered not only taboo, it is brought up even when nobody mentions it.”

He believes there is a need to look at the way the World Cup is organised particularly the allocating of slots and the fact that all World Cups with the exception of Japan and Korea in 2002 have been played either in Europe or South America. For example

"The continent of Europe has 51 national football associations, and has 14 (15 in 2002) world cup finals slots. Africa, which has 52 member associations, has only 5 slots, an improvement from 1978 when Africa was accorded only one slot. "

And so it continues. However I believe one of the main issues for African teams in the World Cup is that many of Africa’s best play for European teams having gained citizenship of various countries. In addition the financial resources and therefore the training facilities are totally inadequate. In the case of the African Nations Cup many of the Africans playing in Europe did not even want to leave their league teams to come and play for their countries. Could one imagine a European or South American player acting in this way? I doubt it.

Building the Nation - Building the Nation (http://2bnileavenue.blogspot.com/2006/07/comment-4-dennis-thoughts-on-g… ) responds to a post on Ugandan blog, Country Boyi in which he writes a vitriolic piece on homosexuality in Uganda with the usual comments on it being “un African” and “gay people are headed for hell”. Building the Nation writes

“Firstly, because Dr. Sylvia Tamale advocates for the rights of people who are gay does not make her gay, period. It does not mean she wants to fuck another woman, to borrow a phrase from you. It just means she’s standing up for what she believes to be a marginalised section of society. Something we all should do for people we personally believe to be marginalised. For example, I am a proponent of the – now stillborn - Domestic Relations Bill (DRB). Does that make me a woman?”

It is excellent that this debate on homosexuality is taking place in the African blogosphere. Previously there have been discussions in the Kenyan and Nigerian blogospheres and now in Uganda. Let us hope the discussions continue as it is only through debate on the issues that transformation will take place eventually.

Harowo.com - Harowo.com (http://harowo.com/2006/07/03/somalia-washingtons-warlords-lose-out) comments on the role of the USA in supporting the coalition of warlords under the name of “Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counterterrorism (ARPCT).

According to the writer, the CIA have been paying the Alliance between $100,000 and $150,000 a month via their Nairobi office. He explains the response by the people of Somalia to the victory of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU)

“Somali reactions to the ICU's victory have been mixed. On one hand there is relief at the prospect of a respite from constant battles in the capital, but for some this is tempered by fears of the imposition of draconian interpretations of sharia (Islamic) law. .....
Among many though there is hope that the ICU will at least provide a degree of stability in a country that has been gripped by violent conflict between rival warlords since the 1991 ouster of military dictator Mohammed Siad Barre. He took power in 1969 and had originally aligned Somalia with the Soviet Union, but the alliance was broken when Barre came into conflict with Ethiopia in 1977.
Washington stepped in to fill the gap and supported Barre until he was toppled in 1991 by rebel forces led by General Mohammed Farah Aidid, Barre's former intelligence chief. In the wake of Barre's overthrow, the country was carved up by rival warlords. Under the guise of a UN-backed "humanitarian mission", Washington dispatched 20,000 US troops to Somalia in 1992.”

The fact that the CIA website lists Somalia’s resources as uranium plus other natural minerals does of course question the motives behind the involvement of the USA in Somalia both now and in the past.

Black Looks - Black Looks (http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/07/1906-2006_-_history_still_repeats_its… ) builds on last weeks interview withGeorges Nzongola-Ntalaja in Pambazuka News in which he spoke on the “strategic importance of the DRC” and on the probable outcome of the elections at the end on this month. Black Looks takes an historical route based on the political biography of Patrice Lumumba and returns to 18 and the beginnings of Leopold of Belgium’s rule in the Congo around 1906 when he first invited and international monopoly capital to the country and sold off mineral mining and agricultural rights.

“Firstly land was given to the mining companies; secondly land was used for the creation of a system of national parks; thirdly huge tracks of farmland were given to white settlers. But ultimately it was the mining sector that took control of the country and remains in control today. Two regions, the Katanga and Kivu provinces most affected by the above distribution of land have also been the most affected by war and conflict throughout the history of Congo.”

She concludes that Nzongola-Ntalaja’s prediction that nothing will change is a correct assessment of the post election period. The multinationals will continue to exploit the country, the corrupt leaders to exploit the people and the people to remain in poverty and victims of the various marauding militias wondering the countryside.

Ethiopian blogger, Weichegud!ET Politics (http://weichegud.blogspot.com/2006/06/letter-to-paul-wolfowitz.html) writes an open letter to World Bank President, Paul Wolfowitz who is soon to visit Ethiopia. She writes eloquently on the realities of Ethiopia under the dictatorship of Meles Zenawi and what she expects from the US:

“I don’t envy American diplomats in Ethiopia. How do you negotiate with a leader of a country who many diplomats privately admit has a “psychopathic willingness to kill his own people to keep power”? Seriously, how do you negotiate with that? How do you put pressure on a man not to shoot innocent people? How do you beg him to care for his own people?”

But even then, Paul, how does the American ambassador in Ethiopia venture out to exert pressure on imprisoned opposition leaders to give their blessing to a new political party created and manipulated by the ruling party? How does the American Ambassador quote Ecclesiastes and tell Ethiopians who have survived Mengistu Haile Mariam and 15 years of the EPRDF that it takes decades to build a democracy? “

While she admits that challenging the present Ethiopian regime is a huge task, she asks why Ethiopians have to “beg” the US to be on the side of those seeking peaceful democracy? Wonkette comes up with one of the best lines I have heard to date

“To Make Poverty History you have to make tyranny history” which leads to a couple of questions: Will the Americans do the “right” thing? Or is there one rule for Mugabe and another for Zenawi? If so what is the difference, or is that just to black and white?

Thinkers Room - Thinkers Room (http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2006/06/heads-up/) raises the possibility that Kenya will join other African countries (Egypt, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Gambia and Zimbabwe in harassing bloggers)

“The Internet bloggers bit without a doubt did not come from him. I have for a long time been of the opinion that Michuki and his ilk are of the opinion that the Internet is a new fangled fishing device. But one never knows……….Bottom line — bloggers are now on the government radar.”

So African governments are increasingly becoming aware of the blogosphere and bloggers. There are two ways of looking at this – half empty (we face detention and arrest, loose our jobs, get harassed by the police). I prefer the half full approach. African bloggers are not constrained like the mainstream media and are openly and daily challenging the dictators, bullies and their thugs, exposing their lies and corruption. Thinkers final words! ……..“I won’t be cowed online but I jolly well will keep a very low profile physically!!! And judging from the huge number of comments nor will other Kenyan bloggers. Keep on blogging – big brother is watching and reading.

Chippla’s Weblog - Chippla's Weblog (http://chippla.blogspot.com/2006/06/republic-and-underclass-caste-syste…) tackles on of the taboo subjects in Nigeria, the caste system that continues to operate in Nigeria today.

“the caste system is not only alive but also kicking in present-day Nigeria. From the north to the south of the country, across the diverse ethnic affiliations, one finds dozens of traditions that define who an outcast is and why. The Fulanis in the north have a cast system as do the Igbos in the southeast. The Igbo caste system is probably the most widely known in Nigeria due to the fact that it has been well documented in literature. However, one can almost be certain that every Nigerian ethnic group practices it to a certain extent. The outcasts in Igbo land are known as osus. Going by tradition an osu (who is in principle a slave by birth) cannot marry a freeborn. Thus, an osu is only expected to marry an osu. Not even Christianity, which is quite a force among the Igbos, appears to have attenuated this caste tradition.”

The caste system is closely related to slavery – another taboo subject for which many are in denial. Slavery exists today in the North East of Nigeria, in Kanuri land. The use of child labour as unpaid domestics servants and labourers is also a form of slavery that is condoned across ethnic people and class. It is high time that progressive thinking Nigerians begin to tackle these abusive systems that exist openly in our society by bringing the discussion into the public arena.

Gambian blogger, Ousman Cessay of Home of the Mandinmories - Home of the mandinmories (http://gambian.blogspot.com/2006/06/bizarre.html) comments on a white man whose ancestor was supposedly the first to sell slaves in the Caribbean, and who went to Gambia, dressed himself in chains in Banjul Stadium and made a public apology for slavery. The President of Gambia then very kindly forgave him and removed his chains!

Cessay comments: “I wonder why this man finds it necessary to apologise to Gambians for the inhuman actions of his forbears. He could have done that in his neck of the woods. There are millions of descendants of African slaves in the United Kingdom. They are the people who bear the brunt of slavery. But I guess he knew that they will not tolerate his clownish behavior. So what better place to put up a clownish masquerade than the Gambia. Read the rest of the story below.”

I have to agree with him. This is a mockery. The man seems to have chosen public flagellation instead of privately having a visit with a dominatrix in his own home – maybe that is part of his kick – public humiliation except he wasn’t humiliated just played the part of a sad pathetic fool. If he feels so badly about his slave trade ancestors then choose to do something useful amongst the African descendents within his own community in Britain instead of a publicity stunt that helps no one but himself.

The Moor Next Door - The Moor Next Door (http://wahdah.blogspot.com/2006/06/china-america-and-arabs.html) comments on China’s public relations successes in the “battle for the hearts and minds” of the Arab world. Whilst America is failing in it’s project. For one thing the failure of Americans involved in the Middle East either as diplomats or journalists to speak Arabic. The other point is

“the Beijing Consensus" is more favourable in the eyes of many Arabs than is the "Washington Consensus. This is the handicap of US policy all over the Third World: US policy is perceived as being alien or oppressive while Soviet (in past years) or Chinese policy is seen as being favourable because China too is a Third World nation that has fought imperialism and has stood with the Third World peoples in the face of Western pressure. The US must continue to promote democratization in Arab countries, even when it is not popular in the US's domestic politics or with the dictators.” He concludes that the US can compete with China in the Arab world, they just have to make an effort and for example start by staffing their embassies and offices with people who speak Arabic.

Just Thots of a Naijaman - Just thots of a naijaman (http://davidylan.blogspot.com/2006/06/idiots-rascalsrats-and-bigger-rat…) has a rant at Nigeria’s leaders who he describes as “Idiots, rascals,rats and bigger rats in Power”.

In particular he takes a swipe at , Obasanjo’s latest ministerial nominee, Fani Kayode who last week “suddenly remembered he was a humble born again Christian when he faced the ministerial confirmation committee in the senate. After years of abusing his elders, "loud mouth" Fani was sweating as he desperately tried to convince the senate committee that he would not abuse anyone again!”

Senator Ahamdu Ali “takes the price as the most abusive Nigerian in power. Thanks to him, we now know that rats have been gnawing for years at our foreign reserve, idiots have taken control of our legislative houses and we have entrusted the future of our nation to rascals.”

And finally, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters. Florence Ita-Giwa aka mama Bakassi (“who we only just realised was an illegal alien”) “has still not told us if she would apply for residency permit or risk being deported to Cameroun. No one knows where the Bakassi residents would be relocated to, it is only in Nigeria that owners of a land belong to one country and their land to another country.”

EthioPundit (http://ethiopundit.blogspot.com/2006/06/catch-up.html) comments on “ethnic, religious and tribal politics” in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Tigray. For Ethiopundit the issue is “dead” and questions whether the “TPLF represents the interests of Tigrayans or that the OLF represents the interests of Oromos”.

“Without cooperation as well as competition by the Oromo or Tigray or Amhara et al, Ethiopia would not exist today and of course would simply cease to exist in the future. Without them and others it will all fall apart into so many unviable mini-states whose destiny would be failure and suffering for tens of millions…To imagine that further bantustanization would benefit anyone or that any tribal liberation front actually speaks for the people that it is named after is simply absurd.”

Zimbabwean group blog, Enough is Enough (http://enoughzimbabwe.org/coltarts-procrastinated-decision-evidence-of-…) comments on David Coltarts decision on his political future. Enough is Enough believes the decision is one that is common in Zimbabwe, placing person before duty and what he calls “cheap politics”.

“Zimbabwe's politicians have a complex [task] regardless of what part or party faction they belong; they take themselves way too seriously. Mr. Coltart's actions over the last few months illustrate my point well…Our politicians make decisions that have national and global ramifications without so much as batting an eyelid, yet [when] it comes to their personal involvement in politics, they take a much more cautious approach. They are in politics for their stomachs and enlarged egos, they haven't given their lives over to their convictions.”

Chippla's Weblog (http://chippla.blogspot.com/2006/06/bakassia-future-uncertain.html) continues his second part of an in depth report on the Bakassa Peninsula, a small piece of land claimed by both Nigeria and Cameroon. In 2002 the International Court of Justice ordered Nigeria to hand back Bakassa to Cameroon and recently President Obasanjo agreed to abide by the decision of the court.

“While one is left uncertain about what Nigerians think about their government's decision to hand over Bakassi (I am unaware of any opinion polls), the feelings of most Bakassi residents are well known. Mainstream media reports indicate that they see themselves as Nigerians (what else would you expect - Bakassi has been ruled as part of the Nigerian Republic for decades) and would want to see the Nigerian government reject the ICJ ruling.”

Chippla goes on to comment on the arbitrary borders of African countries drawn by the colonial government and asks:

“Is Bakassi a part of Cameroon? Given the arbitrary borders of most African nation-states, such a question might seem difficult to answer. But this old map seems to clearly indicate that Bakassi was governed as a part of German Kamerun. Well, so were Mubi and Uba, according to the map. But today, Mubi and Uba constitute part of Adamawa State in northeastern Nigeria. By the way, Cameroon also has a province called Adamawa (spelt Adamaoua) which borders Adamawa and Taraba States in Nigeria.”

Black Looks (http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/the_asylum_game.html) remembers World Refugee Day by publishing the outcome of “The Asylum Game” which replicates the “dangers, the perils the reality faced by migrants trying to reach Europe (in this case Norway) from Liberia and Iran”. The game is in Norwegian and a friend details her experience of “trying” to seek asylum in Norway from Liberia.

“I seek asylum and am rejected. I cheat and try the wheel of fortune again, and after about five tries I am finally granted asylum. I realize that I am no longer 26 years old, I am now over 30 and have to start my life over. I also realize that I am one of the lucky ones that actually made it. I cheated more than 15 times.”

Sotho (http://sotho.blogsome.com/2006/06/20/why-is-africa-poor/) writes on why he thinks Africa is poor. He first introduces some current thoughts on the answer:

“Africa is economically poor. Some Afri-philes and some Africans sometimes blame colonialism as part of the reason why the continent is economically poor. Afri-phobes insist that after half a century of freedom from colonialism, that particular excuse is no longer valid, and that we need to look elsewhere. Some people suggest that Africa is poor because Africans are inferior to other races.”

He concludes however that Africa is waking up and ends with a suggested list of “musts” for Africa to succeed in turning things around.

“As far as I'm concerned, the continent had to go through a period of realising its own worth, in order to be able to produce goods and do business in its own image and right, as only it knows how.”

Rantings of a Sandmonkey (http://www.sandmonkey.org/2006/06/20/anti-ghana-ism-redux) comments on the ongoing “anti-Ghana-ism” taking place in Egypt following their win and flying of the Israeli flag by a Ghanaian team member.

He runs through some of the Egyptian press headlines:

"Egyptians supported the Ghanaian team all the way until the 82nd minute, and regretted it after the Israeli flag (waving)," screamed a bold red headline in the independent daily Al-Masry al-Yom Monday. "As soon as the referee blew his whistle to start the match, Egyptians were out enthusiastically, almost hysterically supporting Ghana, until defender John Paintsil took out the Israeli flag," read the paper's front page article.

The live commentator on the Arab satellite channel broadcasting all World Cup matches in the region abruptly cut short his trademark "goooaaaaaaal" when Paintsil brought out the flag. "What are you doing, man?" the bewildered commentator said.

Apparently the real reason is many Ghanaians go through Israeli football training camps! And "the training program for these children starts every morning with a salute to the Israeli flag," Mestekawi claimed. So the questions are: Ghanaians please explain this Israeli flag flying business and why are your children saluting the Israeli flag every morning?

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

As World Cup fever hits the blogosphere, African Shirts - (http://africanshirts.blogspot.com/2006/06/im-moving-to-trinidad.html) follows the Trinidad & Tobago vs Sweden world cup match and decides he is moving to T&T.

“Trinidad and Tobago might be the smallest country to ever qualify for the World Cup, but to compensate for being a small country, they brought the biggest party machine ever. After their 0-0 draw against Sweden, one could be forgiven for thinking that they had won the World Cup. The Caribbean rum company Angustora has organised a few free events centred around Trinidad games. And after the Sweden match, fans of all hues and colours converged on downtown Dortmund, and threw possibly the biggest party since Borussia Dortmund won the Champions League.”

Also blogging on the World Cup, Soul on Ice (http://obifromsouthlondon.blogspot.com/2006/06/ex-colonised-state-of-mi…) takes us back to 1980s Thatcherite Britain and the infamous Norman Tebbit “cricket test”. Who are you supporting in this world cup? England? Trinidad and Tobago, Angola or Portugal? Ghana or Italy? Argentina or Ivory Coast?

“A friend told me of the sour feeling in Cameroon when France won in '98. In the 2002 World Cup Senegal carried on like they had won the damn thing when they beat France. And most of the French team are African in origin (Patrick Viera comes to mind). Actually I was jumping up and down when they won that one. My recent post on Senegal kinda explores their relationship with France. What is the psychology behind all this? Interestingly more and more second generation Africans and Caribbean’s are returning to play for their countries of origin.”

MentalAcrobatics (http://www.mentalacrobatics.com/think/archives/2006/06/violence_in_keny…) comments on a horrific case of rape in a Kenyan School. A group of male students sodomised another male student who is now in hospital, traumatised and in pain from the ordeal. The sexual assault is made worse when we learn that this was not the first time as the young man had previously reported an incident to the dormitory master. MentalAcrobatics writes that it is hard to believe the school authorities were unaware of what was taking place. He goes on to criticise the failure of Kenyan educational authorities to have a system in place to help deal with the continued violence in schools.

“Again and again, we see extreme violence from high school students directed at other high school students. This latest rape at Upper Hill School is just the latest example of this violence. There are measures that will be taken against the administration at Upper Hill but those actions will come too late to help one young student. We need, as a nation, to put in place a system that will help us understand and come up with solutions to this rising violence in our schools. This violence is growing into an epidemic. If it has not allready reached there.”

Blogswana (http://blogswana.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/update-on-internet-access) reports that internet penetration in Africa is now 5%, up from 2.5% last year.

“Richard Kassissieh, in Kassblog, writes that at the Maru-a-Pula school 81% of Form 1 students have a computer at home. 15% have broadband Internet access, 55% dial-up, and 30% no Internet access. Maru-a-Pula is a well-funded school located in Gabarone. Students in rurally located schools would have significantly less access, but one can envision that the trend in computer and internet access will continue and spread throughout the country over the next decade.”

Acoustic Motorbike (http://ggernst.blogeasy.com/ggernst.blogeasy.com/article.view.run?artic…) comments on sexism in Zimbabwe using her own personal experience. She is verbally accosted by various men as she goes about her daily business. She asks what it will take?

“And, of course, it’s not just about sex. It’s about men’s attitudes towards women. Maybe the message that a woman is not for beating already resonates with many men. But gender based violence is about much more than beatings. It’s about much more than rape or sexual assault. Surely it also includes the safety with which women move around in their own homes, their own streets, shops and neighbourhoods. Women are not for beating. They are also not for raping, heckling, objectifying or harassing. What messages do men grow up with then about what women are for? What do men think men are for? What do women think women or men are there for? Society has changed dramatically in the past 100 years. It is no longer acceptable to judge or stereotype someone on the basis of their race. Somehow gender differences feel like a harder thing to crack. But maybe in 1906 so did racism.”

Black Looks (http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/on_being_a_lesbian_activist_in_africa…) writes a piece on “Being a Lesbian Activist in Africa”.

“The LGBT community in Africa live perilous lives and activists because they are challenging the status quo, are in even more danger. They may have to move from house to house in order to avoid being outed by neighbours and reported to the police. If they are able to find work in the formal economy they have to hide their sexuality and bear the psychological pain of living a lie. Alternatively they may have to work in the informal sector, moving from job to job to avoid being discovered. Quite often LGBT activists go into hiding for short periods to avoid being discovered.”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

South African Diaspora (http://www.southafricandiaspora.org/archives/2006/05/30/take-take-take/) raises some interesting points about Africans leaving to work abroad in the West. He goes into considerable detail about skilled and unskilled labour and the cost for Africa to educate it’s skilled workforce who then leave.

“So taking this from America’s point of view, they can basically pick and chose who they want from Africa’s talent pool, not have to pay a cent for their education and training, and have no trouble getting them to immigrate. What a great system. Africa, why are you so poor and stupid?”

He asks what would happen if all the educated Africans came home to work? For example many Indians who left to study IT in the US are now returning home. He makes one challenging suggestion of the US:

“I would like to see America paying $1 million for every immigrant that they take. Or even better, if for every skilled worker that they took, they took 20 unskilled workers. Or maybe a moratorium on permanent immigrations, only 5 years maximum allowed – go overseas, work a bit, get cash and experience, bring it home and make it better…”

African Gadget (http://www.afrigadget.com) is a new group blog created with the aim of showcasing African alternative technologies and ways of utilising every day objects to solving local problems. One of the first pieces on show is:

“Handcrafted, locally made bikes using wood and rubber for the tires. Yes, they do have brakes, which are much needed in the mountainous areas of Uganda, Zaire/Congo, and Western Kenya.”

African Gadget is looking for more people in Africa to join their team. “No matter where you are located, you’ll see (and hopefully take pictures of) some interesting gadgets or mechanical wizardry. Even if you don’t have your own blog, or have never done anything like this before, you can easily get started here."

AfriGadget will cover these categories: Gadgets (of course), How-to’s, Books, Energy, Communication, Transportation, Water, Wood and Metal projects that are different from the norm.

Sub-ZeroBlue (http://www.subzeroblue.com/archives/2006/05/homosexuality_in_the.html) discusses homosexuality in the Arab world by commenting on it’s existence and asking what should be done.

“First of all, let's start with the general fact: Homosexuality exists. It has existed for ages and ages, and will continue to exist for ages to come…The Arab and Muslim world is no exception. Homosexuality exists in our societies and is a lot more widespread than we think it is…We and our governments choose to ignore that fact, we choose not to face it, and just act as if it’s not there, even though we know we’re lying to ourselves; it’s because we simply don’t know how to handle it.”

He goes on to say that on the basis of basic human anatomy homosexuality cannot be regarded as natural but since it exists, the Arab world needs to find a way to deal with it. He asks:

“So, is the Arab world’s policy of just ignoring the existence of homosexuality, and leaving it for the Arab society to deal with, as something that is both illegal by law and forbidden by religion, the best solution we have?”

The Arabist (http://arabist.net/archives/2006/05/28/a-letter-from-sharqawi) publishes a letter from Mohamed el-Sharqawi, a protestor who was detained by the police whilst protesting in support of the pro-reform judges. Sharqawi was sexually assaulted during his detention:

“Activist Mohammed el-Sharqawi, 24, was sodomized ‘using a rolled up piece of cardboard for nearly 15 minutes,’ his lawyer Gamal Eid told The Associated Press. ‘Almost all of el-Sharkawi’s body is bruised, swollen, or cut,’ Eid said. ‘I haven’t seen such brutality and sadism since 1995,’ he added, referring to a period when the state mounted a crackdown on Islamic militants.”

In this post, Sharqawi describes his ordeal from being kidnapped, beaten and assaulted over an 8 hour period by Egyptian security forces:

“I went through many moments of fear and horror in my life, but nothing was like those I went through after I left the Press Syndicate on 25 May, 2006, around 6pm. I got into one of my colleagues’ car, to take a ride to the train station, so as to catch the train to Alexandria. I wanted to see my family, after a period by no means short - 30 days -behind bars in Tora Prison.”

Diary of a Mad Kenyan Woman (http://madkenyanwoman.blogspot.com/2006/05/nambrangelina-africa-in-hock…) comments on the Brad Pitt/Angelina Joli saga in which they have gone to have their baby in Namibia. The government is providing them with protection from paparazzi during their stay and the couple have donated $175,000. The couple have a joint worth of literally millions of dollars. The child will have Namibian citizenship. MKW comments:

“However, we Africans have now reached new depths of depravity and shame. Or perhaps that should be heights, since it is somehow rather ineffable that an entire country can be turned into a private maternity ward. An. Entire. Sovereign. Country. Namibia has granted Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt the rights of ownership (or lease?) over its borders and its airspace, so that this couple, who are accomplished enough to have arranged their genetics so as to have the requisite good looks—if one likes that sort of thing—to subsequently make unthinkable amounts of money for occasionally pretending to be someone else on film, can determine who enters or flies over Namibia. I repeat. Namibia, THE COUNTRY.”

MKW (as are many other African bloggers) is disgusted with this arrangement or rather agreement by the Namibian government. MKW concludes that it would be best to stop pretending and just bring back colonialism:

“This time, we have ourselves agreed to slavery and to colonialism. This time, we have invited and reveled in them. This time, we have no excuse. I have never been so ashamed to be an African.”

Acoustic Motorbike (http://ggernst.blogeasy.com/article.view.run?articleID=316558) reviews a new book, an Anthology on lesbian writings from South Africa – Sometimes X Sometimes Y.

“It is a beautiful, moving anthology of personal stories of South African lesbians. There is poetry, stories, letters and autobiography. The anthology deals with issues of coming out, family and peer acceptance and rejection, love and loss, abuse and death.”

Black Looks (http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/05/blocking_blogs_monitoring_mobiles_-_…) comments on the new trend emerging in African countries with governments increasingly attacking internet sites, blocking blogs and arresting bloggers and journalists. The Ethiopian government continues to block Ethiopian blogs in Ethiopia. The government is still denying responsibility but who else could be doing it. Apart from the blocking of blogs in Ethiopia, arrest of bloggers in Tunisia and Egypt, the Gambian government has hacked into the site of exiled journalist, Pa Nderry Mbai, who runs the Freedom Newspaper. His own content was removed and replaced by a false statement plus the publication of the names and emails of all registered users of the site all of whom were later ordered to report to the police station to be detained.

In addition the South African and Zimbabwean government are planning to enact legislation that will require mobile phone users to produce employment records and addresses. Providers will be forced to disclose and monitor usage.

"…from a user perspective the Bill has implications for both privacy and access or use of mobile phones. As always it is the poor that will mostly be affected by this legislation. If you don’t have an address, do not work in the formal economy or are an illegal immigrant then under the Bills regulations you will no longer be able to use a mobile phone. The second hand sale of SIM cards which again is used by mostly poor and rural people will be criminalised as failure to report the sale or exchange will result in a prison sentence of up to 12 months.”

Afrikan Eye (http://afrikaneye.blogspot.com/2006/05/slavery-and-colonisation.html) has an excellent essay on Slavery & Colonisation in Africa. She beings by saying:

“This blog is by an Afrikan for Afrikans...and those who are interested in the continent. May we have the courage to engage in our healing...I mean REALLY do the work required for us to heal...and of course a critical step in that process is learning how we were wounded...so here we go...this is PART of the story.”

She discusses the slave trade, resistance amongst captured slaves, colonisation and its impact on political and cultural underdevelopment, and Britain’s Gulag in Kenya. The piece is quite detailed and includes photos and graphics.

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

The main story this week has been the alleged blocking of blogs by the Ethiopian government. Several Ethiopian bloggers have reported that they have not been able to access Blogspot blogs (blogger.com) from within and outside the country.

Ethiopian Life, Politics, Culture and Arts (http://seminawork.blogspot.com/2006/05/shutting-down-olfs-website-tplfs…) reports that the Ethiopian government shut down the website of the Oromo Liberation Front following an “alliance for democracy” formed by five opposition groups. He comments:

“Now that the government has discovered how to block websites, it is adding more and more to its blockage business. Yesterday, Ethiomedia Forum was shut down. Then OLF…Too late for stifling free speech on the net!”

Ethiopundit (http://ethiopundit.blogspot.com/2006/05/sign-of-desperation.html) reports that over a two day period all blogspot blogs were blocked in Ethiopia and suggests ways in which Ethiopians in Ethiopia can circumvent the blockages so as to access pro democracy blogs in the Ethiopian Diaspora:

“Those who seek political quips from weichegud or intelligent analysis form other bloggers can't access the sites via the telecom servers. In addition, the government has blocked Ethiopian Review, Cyber Ethiopia, Quatero and Free our Leaders websites…My sources told me this is done with the advise and help of the Chinese. This blog can't be accessed in Ethiopia so the following advise may not reach its intended readers. Other websites like Ethiomedia who hasn't yet been blocked should carry the message to Ethiopian readers.”

Weichegud! ET Politics (http://weichegud.blogspot.com/2006/05/how-do-you-compete-with-this.html) one of Ethiopia's most prolific writers and critics o the Zenawi regime comments on the government's general reaction to the media and free press including the blogging community:

"Has the fact that the Ethiopian government, ranked fourth in countries jailing journalists, petitioning for the censure of American and German journalists, struck anyone in the EPRDF as, mmm, ironic, for example? And just when we all thought the EPRDF could not possibly hand us another gift, it slaps a pretty bow on the biggest one yet…Seminnawerq reported all 'blogspot.com' pages have been blocked in Ethiopia. Let's see. What makes bloggers, a temperamental bunch, from all over the world go into collective convulsions? The stench of a government with close ties to China, a so called 'ally in the war against terrorism', pawing at the Fifth Estate that is the Blogosphere. And whose duty is it to tell all these bloggers what's going on?"

The China link is an interesting one. In addition to their huge investment and purchase of African resources, will they also be providing lessons on how to repress the blogosphere and arrest and detain bloggers?

Grandiose Parlor, writing from the Nigerian Diaspora, (http://grandioseparlor.blogspot.com/2006/05/nigerian-electric-power-sec…) comments on the $9 billion mess that is the Nigerian Electricity sector:

“I read with dismay that after spending about 1.3 trillion Naira (about 9 billion US dollars) on power generation between 1999 and 2005 Nigerians will not enjoy a stable supply of the commodity until 50 years from now! Yes, Nigerians should expect stable electricity by year 2056 if investment in the power sector grows at the same rate as the economy, according to the Nigerian minister for power and steel.”

It is not just a question of a stable supply - huge regions still do not have any electricity supply whatsoever. The latest excuse is that it is the “insurgency in the Niger Delta” that is responsible when in truth electricity provision has never been stable - in fact in Port Harcourt you could go for weeks without any power supply - and that was 20 years ago - and still no changes have taken place.

Gambian blog, Home of the Mandinmories (http://gambian.blogspot.com/2006/05/michigambiapress-offensive.html) comments on an organisation called the Michgambia (The Gambia Association of Michigan) which has collected medical supplies and equipment to send to Gambia.

“These medical supplies and equipment are intended to benefit hospitals in The Gambia including Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul, Sulayman Junkung General Hospital in Bwiam, Western Division, AFPRC Hospital in Farafenni, North Bank Division and Bansang Hospital in Central River Division.”

However, Mandinmories points out that the press release credits the Gambian Embassy with the project and he questions why this is so and why it is not Michgambia that has the credit.

The Moor Next Door (http://wahdah.blogspot.com/2006/05/on-arab-americans-and-darfur.html) comments on the Arab-American website and the fact that they recently spoke on Darfur. He questions why Arab-American condemnation was ignored whereas Jewish and African American voices were publicised.

“I think the fact that one of the major leaders in the Arab-American community came out and spoke against it is something worth mentioning. Isn't it Arabs that are in Sudan doing the bulk of the killing and 'ethnic cleansing?' I'm always hearing Americans (whites, blacks, Jews, etc.) telling me that Arabs should look at their history and world objectively (something I totally agree with, as you can see here and elsewhere), yet when Arabs actually do this, these same people are indignant, un-informed, or don't pay attention. Checking out the AAI website once in a while would do these sorts of people some good.”

He goes on to say that it is important for Arab Americans to make their voices heard when it comes to issues such as Darfur and other humanitarian crises in Africa and elsewhere. He is quite critical of Arabs and their leaders need to answer the question “where were the Arabs”.

“But I think this is a valid question on the matter of Darfur. I don't believe in making collective apologies for the actions of others who behave like uncivilized miscreants, and I am not going to advocate doing so here or ever. But Arabs have made their entire region, people and culture look like the scum at the bottom of a coffee pot by ignoring the plight of the people in Darfur - not just the non-Arabs there but also of the Arab civilians killed by non-Arab militias.”

Black Looks (http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/05/ask_no_questions_-_tell_no_lies.html) comments on China's $1billion investment in Nigeria's railway network - not the only transport network it is involved with on the continent along with arms supply and oil.

“China is rapidly consolidating it's hold on Africa's resources through similar deals as the Nigerian one. Angola's railway system is also being rebuilt. Algeria is receiving help with building a highway; military equipment is being sold to Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Sudan so their leaders Mugabe, Obasanjo and Omar Hassan El-Bashir, can use their newly acquired arms against their own citizens.”

In another post (http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/05/lessons_on_censorship.html) she wonders whether lessons in censoring the blogosphere will be included in China's deals with Africa.

“The question is given China's policy on censorship of the blogosphere and it's record of detaining bloggers (Free Hao Wu for example) without charges - will they be including lessons on internet censorship as part of their buy up Africa project? It could be that African governments are only just waking up to the blogosphere as the number of blogs and readers increase exponentially - who will be next on the list?”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

Nigerian blogger Chippla (http://chippla.blogspot.com/2006/05/need-to-amend-nigerian-constitution…) explains that there is more to the constitutional amendments in Nigeria than extending Obasanjo’s tenure from two to three years.

“By infusing an extension of the presidential term of office into the constitutional amendment, the administration of Mr. Obasanjo hijacked a very good exercise. Given that the so-called third term agenda (which appears to be practically dead) has come to overshadow the entire constitutional amendment debate, one is left wondering if the other amendments will go forward, should they receive the necessary backing of the national and provincial legislative assemblies.”

Chippla goes on to explain some of the main amendments such as direct allocation of funds to local governments, changes in citizenship for non-Nigerian men married to Nigerian women, recognition of other languages in government other than English and human rights although these do not include rights of homosexuals.

Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali (http://ayaanhirsiali.web-log.nl/log/5841271]Ayaan hirsi ali) is apparently on her way to the US to work for a conservative think tank called the American Enterprise Institute. She will be resigning her position as MP following a disclosure that she lied when applying for asylum from Somalia.

“Ms Hirsi Ali's quitting of Dutch politics and the Netherlands follows on from a television documentary, shown last week, which reported that she lied in the early 1990s about how she fled her native country, Somalia, in order to gain asylum in the Netherlands. Since the broadcast, there have been calls from various quarters for her to lose her Dutch passport.”

According to the blog report, Ms Ali herself has been at the forefront of legislating for stricter immigration laws particularly against those that lie to enter the Netherlands, which makes the supposed revelation an embarrassing one. She claims that it is open knowledge that she came via Kenya to the Netherlands and not directly from Somalia. This is quite common as many Somalis and Sudanese refugees first left for Kenyan refugee camps before coming to Europe.

Cyblug (http://abujacity.typepad.com/abuja_and_beyond/2006/05/the_language_of.h…) takes issue with the language used by foreign media reports on the recent gas fire explosion that took place in Lagos in which 200 people were killed. For example. describing Lagos as a “dilapidated port city”.

“I would be the first to admit yes it is a ‘Dump’ but where is the need for adding this dilapidated bullshit in the mix, there are newer parts of Lagos that are not dilapidated and run down so why mention this at all? Baltimore City, (Maryland in the US) is a dilapidated port city but I never hear it being described as this in news reports.”

He also objects to people being called scavengers: “…someone drilling holes in oil pipelines to sell at a higher price by the border is not a scavenger. Call him vandal, a thief, an opportunist or as we say in Naija an oil bunkerer.”

Egyptian Chronicle (http://egyptianchronicles.blogspot.com/2006/05/image-is-powerful-than-1…) continues with reports on last Thursday’s “Bloody Thursday” when protestors were arrested in Cairo. She publishes a number of photos showing police brutality against the protestors.

“I was shocked at first because if you look carefully you will find that the officers and soldiers are spurning the young man who is wearing what can be considered the colours of the Egyptian flag…The first impression, the first thought that came to mind was ‘what those bastards were doing with our flag?’, then I noticed it was a human being , and after that I saw the pictures of the chase between the young man and the police ended in this scene, it turned out that the young man was wearing red t-shirt and black trousers, the white colour was the colour of this inside shirt.”

AfroBlog (http://afrorise.blogspot.com/2006/05/should-africa-look-to-latin-americ…) responds to a BBC World “Have Your Say” programme question on whether Africa should look to Latin America, with reference to the socialist President of Venezuela and the newly elected Evo Morales of Bolivia.

“For Africa it would be ideal to learn from the experiences of Latin America but realistically newly independent nations in Africa have scarcely learned from the experiences of some of the first independent states in Africa, so how can we expect the continent as a whole to learn from the experiences of another continent and apply them? I think one of the major differences is the level of civic engagement in the political arena in Latin America and particularly when it comes to mass mobilization. These are the people who are electing presidents like Morales and Chavez.”

One Arab World (http://onearabworld.blog.com/716778/">One Arab World) comments on a new Egyptian law that gives security forces the power to arrest and detain people without charge. The government is defending the action by highlighting the need to prevent acts of terror.

“The Emergency Laws, an Egyptian version of the Patriot Act on steroids, are what some claim to be what stands between us and the terrorists and what others claim to be the main source of breading terrorists. Very little in the actual law is very shocking in this day and age of global terrorism (albeit it was implemented before it was internationally acceptable to impede basic rights in the pursuit of security). It is the implementation that is hair raising. The Emergency Laws are what everyone in the Egyptian Security Apparatus, from the Interior Minister on down, hides behind and justifies their actions with…The ‘far right’ everywhere have a strategic tendency to push draconian measures the population would normally shun during times of panic that typically ensue acts of terrorism. After Sinai this was inevitable.”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

The two big stories on the African Blogosphere this week are the arrest of 10 Egyptian activists, including blogger Alaa Abd El-Fatah, last Sunday and the acquittal of Jacob Zuma on charges of rape in South Africa. Due to the large number of posts I am only including the Blog name and a short quote from each.

The comments on the Zuma trial range from outright disgust at the verdict to agreement with the verdict but disgust with Zuma’s perceived immoral behaviour to no comment on the verdict but an analysis of the political repercussions.

The outraged

Chump Style (http://chump-style.blogspot.com/2006/05/zuma-fucks-over-south-africa.ht…):

“He gets acquitted of the charges, thereby sending a message out to all rape-inclined men, ‘hey guys it’s ok if you rape a woman, if she isn’t wearing 300 layers of clothing down to her toes…She is asking for it!”

Shailja Blog (http://shailja.com/news/newsletterblog/2006/05/false-accusations.html), in response to the judges comment that the compliant had a had a history of making false accusations of rape:

“The prospect of crowds of his supporters, chanting for my blood, sending death threats, yelling ‘Burn the bitch’ outside the courthouse, just thrills me! I can't wait to be grilled on my whole life and sexual history in an open witness stand. Thank God South African law doesn't allow rape victims to testify in camera!”

Black Looks (http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/05/zuma_aquitted_.html):

“The verdict is a loss for Khwezi and for all the other women who will now be deterred from reporting rape knowing that they cannot expect justice to be done. That their personal lives will be invaded in the courtroom should it reach that far. That their credibility as sane people will be challenged. That she will be abused and denigrated in the media and on the streets. That other women will stand against her and heckle her.”

Nigeria, What’s New (http://nigeriawhatisnew.blogspot.com/2006/05/dreadful-men-power.html):

“In a world of shrinking leadership, the news that former South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma has been acquitted of raping a 31-year-old family friend and the Judge's conclusion: ‘The complainant was inclined to accuse men of raping her or attempting to rape her’ is greeted here with shame, shame, shame. When is it acceptable to have sex with a young daughter of a close and long-standing friend? Someone that calls you Dad!”

The Moral Disgust

Urban Trash (http://urbantrash.co.za/blog/?p=122):

* he cheated on his wife (or wives);
* his sexual immorality has expressed great disrespect towards his family and peers;
* he had consensual sex with a HIV-positive family friend;
* he had consensual sex with a HIV-positive family friend half his age;
* he is a self righteous, arrogant harlequin.

It’s The Question That Drives Us Mad (http://itisthequestion.blogspot.com/2006/05/was-justice-served-in-jacob…):

“But Mr Zuma, you have coloured my perception of you with your anachronistic beliefs and chauvinist attitude. You have shamed men as you have sung your war songs with phallic symbolism. You and your supporters may be loud and visible, but you represent an ugly side of mankind.”

Acoustic Motorbike (http://ggernst.blogeasy.com/article.view.run?articleID=314708), on a recent visit to South Africa from Zimbabwe:

“Others were dismissive of the trial based on the complainant’s history and her perceived lack of credibility. One taxi driver I spoke with at length said that he feared it would make it more difficult for other women to report rape in the future. In my cynicism, I fear he might be right. Not that the complainant’s case was necessarily unfounded. But in a culture that doesn’t treat domestic violence or women’s rights with much seriousness, it’s hard not to trust that the slightest loophole won’t be exploited.”

The political fallout

The Fish Bowl (http://jontyfisher.blogspot.com/2006/05/ancs-zuma-dilemma-as-i-had-thou…):

“Many have written off Zuma's chances…but I'm not so sure. This is a man that is clearly not being judged by his populist support on his Western-style leadership credentials, but rather on the fact that he is ‘their man’. If he comes through these two trials unscathed, he may not count on the elite votes, but I would imagine he would still have much of his populist support intact.”

Yebo Gogo (http://americanafrican.blogspot.com/2006/05/zuma-acquitted-of-rape.html):

“So what does this mean for the country's politics? It's obviously a bit too early to tell, but this is the Internet, so I feel like I should have some comment. Zuma will walk away a free man, but his political history is likely done. He was, entering the trial, considered one of the nicest men in all of South African politics and a hero of the left because of his populist leanings. But even being found guilty, would the ANC still risk putting him up as president? Would a breakaway left-leaning political group (possibly a breakaway consisting of the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions)?”

The arrest of the 10 Egyptian activists has caused outrage in the Egyptian blogosphere and a campaign is already underway for their release. The campaign has been taken up throughout the African blogosphere with bloggers using “Googles Blog Bomb” to spread the word throughout the blogosphere. Anyone clicking on Egypt will go straight to the Free Alaa website.

Manal and Alaa’s Bit Bucket (Alaa’s and his wife’s blog) - (http://www.manalaa.net):

“Alaa and the rest of the group that was kidnapped yesterday, will be detained for 15 days. They didn’t go directly to the prison as we thought, but spent the night at the Khalifa's police station and are supposed to be transferred to the prisons now. The 3 women will go to El Qanater prison, as Tora prison where the rest of the 40 detainees are held has no section for women, and the men are supposed to join the rest and go to Tora prison, but some think that they will also be taken to El Qanater prison (which has sections for both men and women).”

Rantings of a Sandmonkey (http://www.sandmonkey.org/2006/05/07/alaa-arrested):

“Alaa, blogger, co-founder of the Egyptian blog aggregator Manalaa and democracy activist, got arrested today during a protest to support the Judiciary's branch fight for independence…The way it worked, the police made sure to press the demonstrators close to the Egyptian museum, where they cordoned them and wouldn't let them leave, while continuously hurling insults at them. The demonstrators tried to get the police to let them go for half an hour, but to no avail. The Police cordon then opened where a group of plain dressed police officers and thugs rushed in and started beating up the demonstrators and dragging them on the asphalt till they threw them in the police vehicles. The Police also made sure that none of the satellite news channels would be able to get video footage of what they did by not allowing the press to come close and keeping them away the entire time.”

Freedom for Egyptians (http://freedomforegyptians.blogspot.com/2006/05/egyptian-regime-is-gett…) provides some background to the arrests:

“Since the beginning of the year, the Judges Club in Cairo and Alexandria has started a nation-wide movement calling for an independent judiciary. The current judiciary system is ruled by the strong grip of the executive authority of the regime of Mubarak. The members of the Judges Club could not tolerate taking the rigging of the parliamentary elections in November/December as a normal procedure to fool the Egyptians and the world. When they tried to take their responsibility and uncover the rigging of the elections they were crushed by the regime and some of them were slapped on the faces in polling stations. The regime made it clear to the Egyptian people and to the judges that there is no will but that of the President.”

The Big Pharaoh (
writes that the Egyptian embassy in Washington DC has been bombarded with free Alaa and other activists emails and for further action he suggests:

“There is a blog dedicated to Alaa and the others who were detained during the demonstration on May 7th. As I stated before, the Egyptian embassy in DC got bombarded by emails from concerned average Americans. We are also suggesting you to contact David Welch, Assistant Secretary and head of the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. His email is: [email][email protected].”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks, www.blacklooks.org

* Please send comments to [email protected]

Egyptian blogger, Baheyya (http://baheyya.blogspot.com/2006/04/on-eve-of-hearing.html) reports on the arrest of peaceful demonstrators holding a vigil in support of judges campaigning for judicial independence.

“Amid screams, sobs, and cries of ‘Down with Hosni Mubarak,’ ‘Down with Habib al-Adli,’ riot police cornered protestors as plain clothed agents removed them one by one. In a final, eerie scene, police peeled off the huge Egyptian flag that demonstrators had strung up to frame their vigil.”

Baheyya also provides a series of background posts to the demonstrations, explaining the last 4 years of confrontation between the judicial system and the President.

Another Egyptian blogger, the Skeptic (http://elijahzarwan.net/blog/?p=109) posts on the renewal of “the Emergency Law” last Sunday, adding to the picture of an extremely repressive and dictatorial regime in Egypt. He also writes that 25 members of the Muslim Brotherhood have been arrested for putting up posters protesting the renewal of the Emergency Law.

Lavina Live (http://lavinialive.blogspot.com/2006/04/our-freedom-was-not-free.html) comments on the recent Freedom Day holiday in South Africa celebrating 12 years of democracy. She comments on life in present day South Africa and feels privileged to be part of it:

“Living in South Africa right now is wonderful for me. I never forget how privileged I am and have been all my life. There is still a lot of work to do with education, development, in the public service and many other areas but we have come very far in 12 years. There are equal opportunities for everyone, disability and education grants for the poor, decent housing for those who never had access before and dignity for everyone, especially those who were never treated with it in the past.”

But she reminds us of the people who sacrificed their lives and liberty for her to live in an independent country and makes the insightful comment:

“Our freedom was indeed not free. I remembered that, the first time I went to vote in the national elections in 2004. I remember it each time a political figure is busted for corruption. I remember it each time I go to my comfortable suburban home in an area black people were not allowed to live less than 2 decades ago.”

Sudan Reeves (http://www.sudanreeves.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=102) writes on the genocide taking place in Darfur and asks: How do we quantify the deaths? He believes that current data shows some 450,000 people at least have been killed over the past three years of conflict.

“As Rwanda marks a grim twelfth anniversary, we must accept that while vast human destruction in Darfur has unfolded plainly before us, we have again done little more than watch, offering only unprotected humanitarian assistance while some 450,000 people have perished as a result of violence, as well as consequent malnutrition and disease. Human destruction to date, however, certainly does not mark the conclusion of the world’s moral failure in responding to genocide in Darfur - on the contrary, this massive previous destruction is our best measure of what is impending.”

He then states the Khartoum government’s “decision to stage yet another large scale military offensive is designed to assure the failure of the Abuja peace process”. In addition to that the latest statement by the SLA suggests “strong disapproval” for the peace process.

He expects that without any intervention from anywhere the situation will rapidly become much worse.

“All that can reverse this course of humanitarian collapse and accelerating human destruction is urgent intervention, with all necessary military resources and an appropriately robust mandate for civilian and humanitarian protection. At present, there are no signs that the UN is planning for such an urgent, well-equipped, and robust mission.”

Gukira (http://gukira.blogspot.com/2006/05/sexual-offences-bill.html) comments on the Kenyan Sexual Offences Bill that is presently being debated in parliament.

“Although sold as a bill against sexual offences, the current document is nothing less than a referendum on the status of gender relations in Kenya. And the news is not good. It is also an attempt to legislate sexuality and, by inference, the social worlds we create and inhabit. And, there too, the news is not good.”

He believes the Bill represents an ongoing struggle between tradition, religion and modernity and that at some point:

“We have to challenge what I now call the Culture Kiboko – that invocation of Culture used to discipline and control…We need good legislation on sexual offences. As is, this bill is not that legislation.”

Black Looks which has moved to a new site (http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/05/781.html#more-781) comments on the recent events in the Niger Delta. Specifically she questions the worthiness of Obasanjo’s latest 5 year development plan for the Niger Delta:

“The President in a panic and eager to sell the Niger Delta to the Chinese, felt he had to come up with a quick solution to the growing militancy in the region so in his ignorance of the depth of dissatisfaction and sheer misery of peoples lives, he chose to use leaking buckets to put out a raging forest fire.”

She considers his offer to the people of the region an insult which in no way even begins to meet their demands. “The people have been calling for resource control; for 25% leading to 50% deviation of oil monies; for compensation for the environmental destruction of land and water; for clean up of oil spillages over the past 40 years; investment in education and training. Obasanjo’s answer? A few thousand jobs, conscription of youths into the army and police and building 12 mega petrol stations.”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

African Shirts (http://africanshirts.blogspot.com/2006/04/carmen-with-clicks.html) discusses the vibrancy of the South African film industry which he compares with that of the Francophone African countries and Nigeria’s Nollywood. Two of the latest films from SA are U-Carmen eKhayelitsha and Oscar winning Tsotsi.

“U-Carmen is a Xhosa language film based on Bizet's opera Carmen, and it won the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival last year.” He gives credit to the SA government for supporting the industry, whilst Nigeria still operates as a kind of “one man band running around with a camcorder filming his friends putting on ridiculous American accents, and making up the script as they go along”. He says: “Genuine filmmaking knowledge would mean that international film houses can come to Nigeria to shoot films. Nigeria has a vast and varied landscape, from desert in the north to equatorial savannah in the south - who wouldn't want to film there? However, it seems Nigeria's all land and no knowledge with which to use the land. Nollywood, watch and learn.”

Agathon Rwasa (http://agathonrwasa.blogspot.com/2006/04/tutu-admits-that-his-trc-faile…) comments on an address by Archbishop Desmond Tutu to participants of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee held in South Africa. He quotes Tutu as saying:

"South Africans are tremendous people and the successes of the TRC had set an international benchmark in dealing with post-conflict situations, yet it failed to meet the needs of victims or reveal the full truth in many cases…My own concern is if we'll be able to uncover the evidence (of atrocities). I have my doubts. The apartheid government was very adept at hiding and destroying evidence. Cases go on for a long time and then people are acquitted and I fear it is traumatising for the victims.”

My Hearts in Accra (http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=507) comments on a piece from the New York Times on oil, corruption and Africa which mentions 5 African countries least known for oil export: Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania and the Congo Republic. All of which score low on the “Corruption perception index”. Zuckerman wonders whether it is possible to have natural resources without corruption?

“It’s possible to have natural resources and not have rampant corruption - Botswana is blessed with an abundance of diamonds and outranks many European nations on the TI index - but the nations who pull it off are the exception, not the rule. It’s a reminder that mineral wealth is a curse as much as a blessing - there are very, very few nations that go the path of Norway, rather than the path of Nigeria.”

Weichegud! ET Politics (http://weichegud.blogspot.com/2006/04/never-again-to-yet-again.html) comments on the genocide taking place in Darfur and the failure of not only the West but Africa to act. She reminds us of Rwanda and clearly the lessons have not been learned and the need for Africans to take notice of Darfur.

“You want a reason why the West doesn’t care about Darfur? Because Africans don’t care about Darfur. We pointed at the West the last time. And we are doing it again…by August 2005, an estimated 370,000 Darfuri had died. That figure hovers at about 400,000 today. Over two million have been displaced, and three million suffer from dire food shortages - all because they have dark skin. They are being persecuted by an African nation whose hubris has been augmented by an African Union and an African head of the august United Nations.”

In particularly she singles out Kofi Annan, who has in her opinion failed twice now, in Rwanda and now in Darfur.

“Yes, and I do hold Kofi Annan responsible because his tenure as Secretary General of the UN has been particularly bad for Africa. This was our one shot at this kind of high visibility leadership…We looked for moral leadership, and instead what we got was a tragically wobbly and fluctuant chief who had two, count ‘em, two genocides under his belt. Maybe after the carnage hits a million people Mr. Annan will amble back to Sudan to offer a ‘oops we did it again’ speech, the same speech he gave in Kigali on May 7, 1998.”

Freedom from Egyptians (http://freedomforegyptians.blogspot.com/2006/04/egypts-dahab-attacks-fo…) comments on the bombing of Dahab in the Sinai peninsular – the third city to be bombed.

“This is the third attack in Sinai around Egyptian national days. The 2004 Taba attacks came on October 6 (Army Day). Sharm El Sheikh’s attacks on 2005 were at the eve of July 23 (Revolution Day) and yesterday Dahab attacks took place at the eve of April 25 of 2006. The relationship between these dates and those heinous attacks in Sinai has yet to be interpreted. These three national days have political significance. The message sent here might not be Islamofacist and could hint that the perpetrators are not Islamists.”

One Arab World (http://onearabworld.blog.com/703267) also comments on the bombing with a series of real time updates, including photos of the aftermath.

Black Looks (http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/victory_for_human_rights.html) reports on the release of 9 Cameroonian men on homosexuality charges. The men were refused bail and have spent the past 12 months incarcerated having to share cells with the most violent criminals. The trial lasted exactly 10 minutes – one year in prison in Cameroon for a trial that lasted only 10 minutes is a harsh price to pay for ones’ sexuality, the freedom of which is supposedly enshrined in Cameroonian law as a country that is signature to various human rights declarations.

“Congratulations to Alice Nkom and Duga Tianji, their team of lawyers, IGLHRC and all the human rights defenders that fought so hard to achieve the release of the 9 men at great cost to themselves…Whilst we can and must celebrate this victory, the 9 men who have spent the last 12 months in the unimaginable filth and squalor of prison now have the uphill task of trying to rebuild their lives knowing that though they are free, that freedom is incomplete as they remain imprisoned in a community of hate and homophobia. The struggle continues - 4 lesbians are still in police custody and 11 female students have been expelled from school for ‘confessing’ to belonging to a ‘network of lesbians’.

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

Zambian blog, Real Life of a Journalist (http://oliviaphiri.blogspot.com/2006/04/making-icts-accessible-to-women…) writes on how to make ICTs more accessible to women. Technology has been traditionally “male” in both its construct and usage. She praises the coming of FOSS but writes that it is not user friendly and requires a certain level of technology literacy. She believes one way to overcome technophobia and illiteracy is to start teaching ICTs at primary school level.

“The computer must not be seen as a sophisticated machine, it is a tool like a cooking stick, which any person needs to study and gets used to. The world is becoming a global village; virtual offices are ruling the day…Women should be included in this growing process if sustainable development is to be achieved. Everyone should be awarded an opportunity to explore the world beyond their boundaries while sitting down.”

Random Rants of a Kenyan Girl Next Door (http://randomgirlnextdoor.blogspot.com/2006/04/black-africa-vs-black-am…) is reminded of the tensions between Africans and African Americans. As she was told last week: “A lot of you (Africans) think you're better than us.” As she writes, this is largely true. One possible explanation she raises is:

“The majority of Kenyans, and other Africans, leave home in pursuit of education and job opportunities. Because of the stress we go through to get abroad, most of us are very driven in accomplishing specific goals. After living here (US or wherever else) for a while, you get a reality check about the system. You realize that there are certain benefits reserved for citizens (loans, scholarships, affirmative action programs) and then you wonder ‘Why aren't these people taking advantage?’ For us, it just makes sense.”

African immigrants to the US come with a colonial experience that is very different from the racist experience of African Americans. Both have struggled against white supremacy but the sight and nature of those struggles are different. White America relates very differently towards new African immigrants than towards indigenous African Americans who relative to their population are the poorest and most disadvantaged in America.

Black Star Journal (http://blackstarjournal.blogspot.com/2006/04/secretary-and-her-good-fri…) comments on the recent meeting between US Secretary of State, Ms Rice and the “tyrant in charge of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema” and wonders if:

“Equatorial Guinea's nightmarish human rights' record (which is significantly worse than Robert Mugabe's 'outpost of tyranny' but without the bluster) was part of the talks. Given the country's position as one of Africa's emerging oil exporters, I doubt the set of discussions between the secretary and her 'good friend' were that 'full.'”

I doubt it. The US is well known for it’s selective amnesia when it comes to issues of human rights – thus Zimbabwe, Burma, Belarus and Cuba are singled out, Guinea and Ethiopia are not. Neither is Nigeria, despite its blatant disregard for human rights in the proposed gay ban legislation that is presently being presented in the Senate.

Enough is Enough (http://enoughzimbabwe.org/mugabe-misfires-again-on-independence-day) is a new “super blog” from Zimbabwe. The project has been supported by the Committee to Protect Bloggers.

“In addition to my regular posts (Zimpundit) you will be able to find a wealth of information in different multimedia formats from a variety of vantage points including other Zimbloggers, observers, and Zimbabweans abroad.

Alt.Muslim (http://www.altmuslim.com/perm.php?id=1695_0_24_0_M">Alt Muslim) writes on Muslim immigration to the US which he sees as being a particularly challenging experience especially since 9/11. However the Muslim voice has been largely silent during the highly visible immigration debate taking place in the US today.

“The last few years have shown us the early targeting and detained (without a single terror-related conviction among them), the plight of Muslim immigrants caught in INS red tape, the special registration that specifically targeted Muslim visitors, the prevention of the immigration of US scholars, and the deportation of Muslim women who made the mistake of divorcing their US citizen husbands. Based on this, one would think that Muslims would have a lot to say on the current raging debate on immigration. But aside from a few voices joining calls for a more humane immigration policy as scattered endorsers of various protests, there has been little contribution from Muslim circles.”

Although the present immigration protests are largely drawn from the Hispanic community, he feels the Muslim community needs to participate as the issue affects them as much as any other recent immigrant community.

Black Looks (okrasoup.typepad.com/black_looks/2006/04/remembering_iqb.html) remembers April 16 (the International Day Against Child Slavery) and comments on the use of child labour in Nigeria where it is estimated there are 15 million working children. The government is presently drafting new policy which aims to support legislation against child labour but this will not include domestic or occupational work, which the draft describes as:

“…mild involvement of children in household and occupational activities carried out in safe conditions and environments and constitutes a mechanism for socialising children necessary for their adjustment to social and economic milieu.”

Black Looks comments:

“The words used to describe domestic labour and hawking as ‘mild involvement’ is outrageous. Children are made to work for up to 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. The child hawkers spend their day walking the streets with their wares with no relief and instructions that they must sell x amount in a day. All the children, domestic servants and hawkers are vulnerable and open to sexual and physical abuse by punters and employers or rather owners. It is unacceptable that these two groups of children are therefore not to be included in this policy which makes a mockery of the whole idea.”

Afrikan Eye (http://afrikaneye.blogspot.com/2006/04/effect-of-colonialism-on-african…) has an excellent piece on the affect of colonialism on African Women in which she explores the economic, social and political impacts and the responses by African women.

“The first socio-political effect of colonialism was the concept of the Victorian woman which the colonisers brought with them. The colonialists came with the belief that women were to remain creatures of the private domain. Women were to preoccupy themselves with domestic issues and leave the ‘real work’ of ruling and running the nation in terms of politics and economics in particular to the men. (Economically) Firstly, women were affected by the alienation of land experienced by most Africans. However, women appear to have been more personally affected by this land alienation.”

Feminist African Sister (http://feministafricansisters.blogspot.com/2006/04/sexual-offences-bill…) comments on the proposed Kenyan legislation known as the “Sexual Offences Act” and finds it “ludicrous to the extreme” that activists are having to lobby parliamentarians to support a bill of this kind.

“The Bill is meant to be about the national, common good! It is meant to be about Kenya against the big, bad, perpetrators of sexual violence!”

She is also irritated by activists having to justify the bill in terms of how it will also help men and boys who are raped as if women being raped is an insufficient reason for passing the bill. She asks:

“…why can't we just support efforts to punish sexual violence period! Why must we qualify it by saying, ‘even men and boys are raped?’ I don't buy for one minute, that this kowtowing will get men and boys to empathize with the rampant rape of women and girls! I don't need to be told that I too could be hit by a car, to empathize with a person who has been hit by a car! The fact that the person is telling me they were hit by a car should be enough! They need not roll up their sleeves to show me the bruises or broken bones! So why are we allowing ourselves to do so? Why do we need to qualify the reasons men should support the campaign against sexual violence and this Bill?”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

The 23rd International Gay & Lesbian Association (ILGA) meeting was concluded in Geneva on Monday 4th April after a week of discussions and workshops around lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues (LGBT). Africa was represented by LGBT activists from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, Tunisia and Senegal.

The two issues that most concerned the Africa group were the homosexuality trial in Cameroon and the proposed same sex marriage law in Nigeria.

Among other issues tackled were: the case of Ugandan LGBT activist, Victor Julie Mukasa. An outline of her case and her proposed course of action was presented in a plenary session alongside with a description of The All Africa Rights Initiative (AARI) and The Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL).

On the arrest and detention of 35 men on homosexuality charges in Cameroon (11 are still in prison), Alice Nkom, the lawyer for the defendants, was present and was able to provide us with details on the background to the case and the present situation. The trial is due to start on the 21st of this month. The prisoners have been refused bail and are housed in overcrowded cells with the most violent criminals, where they are sure to be sexually assaulted. Nkom reported that there was one positive element in that the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, has asked that people put their religious and personal beliefs aside and judge the matter on the basis of human rights. She is approaching the case from the point of view that like the Jim Crow laws of southern US which led to the Civil Rights movement and the apartheid laws of South Africa, the law being applied in the Republic of Cameroon is a violation of human rights.
Just last week, 11 female students were dismissed from their college "after confessing" to the Disciplinary Council of the school of belonging to a network of lesbians.

In the case of Nigeria, the proposed legislation which will ban any advocacy around LGBT issues – the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006 - has already been presented to the House of Representatives. President Obasanjo is calling for the bill to be fast tracked.

President Obasanjo urges the National Assembly to give expeditious consideration and passage to the bill. “This is because the problem has become topical and embarrassing in recent times.”The House Leader added that "the problem of homosexuality has become very disturbing in view of the increasing number of gays and lesbians in the country".

Nigerian delegates said the bill would create a climate of fear amongst the community at large and would impact on HIV counseling and testing; drive the issue of sexual identity underground; and further reduce the number of reported rape cases both for men and women. Women and girls would be even more reluctant to report rape for fear of being labelled lesbian and therefore the bill would put women at even more risk of being raped. As advocacy and support by any organisation around sexual identity will become illegal, organisations such as Alliance Rights Nigeria and SPIN will be at risk of being criminalised.

The Nigerian contingent met with a lawyer from the Nigerian Human Rights Commission (HRC) to discuss possible strategies. It was decided that the first step would be to present a document outlining the issue of LGBT in Nigeria in relation to the proposed legislation to the HRC. Another possible course of action was to take the matter to the constitutional court. The lawyer pointed out that the process would take anything from 5-10 years with no guarantee of a positive outcome. There were three considerations:

1) Innovation (no legal precedent);

2) Hostile judges and a hostile system leading to an unfavourable judgement;

3) Social perception leads to legal change and in this case the overwhelming social perception is that homosexuals are social misfits and or mental cases.

In the North, gay men are seen as being paedophiles and or pimps whilst ironically in the south many lesbians are quite open about their sexuality.

Two Africans - one transgender and one lesbian - were chosen as ILGA representatives for the continent.

On Friday night we learned that the proposed bill had been presented to the House. The following day two meetings were held to discuss how to respond. It was decided that Human Rights Watch would take the lead by contacting various international organisations and possibly the UK government to take the matter up with the Nigerian Government and President.

It was also decided to contact Bishop Desmond Tutu and possibily Nelson Mandela in the hope that they could speak directly with the President and other members of government and the Senate.

Also on Monday 4th April, representatives from some African LGBT groups accompanied by ILGA officials presented a letter protesting the current anti gay bill in Nigeria to the Nigerian Embassy in Geneva.

African organisations that participated in the conference were:

Freedom and Roam Uganda
Alliance Rights Nigeria
SPIN
Changing Attitude
The Rainbow Project
Engender
GALZ
FEW
ARC En Ciel D'Afrique

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

Chippla (http://chippla.blogspot.com/2006/04/price-of-disloyalty.html) writes on the ongoing “3rd term” battle between Obasanjo and his supporters and the growing opposition in Nigeria to the idea. In particular he focuses on the disagreement on the issue between the President and Vice President, Atiku Abubakar:

“A few days ago, the Vice President, Mr. Abubakar, attended a meeting in which he publicly accused his boss of trying to manipulate the Nigerian constitution by perpetuating his stay in office.”

The President’s spokesperson then called on Abubakar to resign and so it goes on back and forth between the President’s men and the opposition including pro supporters trying to prevent the VP from entering the Presidential wing of Lagos airport. Chippla concludes:

“A few things become very clear from this incident: in today's Nigeria, demonstrations are allowed PROVIDED they are in support of the president or his ruling party. All other demonstrations are nothing short of treachery. The killing of innocent Nigerians who were demonstrating in the Northern State of Katsina against an amendment to the constitution goes to show that Mr. Obasanjo's government will go to any length to silence opposition.”

Ethiopundit (http://ethiopundit.blogspot.com/2006/04/battle-of-adwa-110th-anniversar…) remembers the 110th anniversary of the Battle of Adwa which was a defining moment in Ethiopia’s struggle against colonialism. He reviews a book “The Battle of Adwa: Reflections on Ethiopia’s Historic Victory Against European Colonialism” and comments:

“Nine scholars analyze the unique Ethiopian victory at Adwa, pondering the factors that brought success, the putative missed opportunities for securing the future integrity of the Ethiopian territory, and the lessons to be learned…”

“The event and its implications have much to say about Ethiopia’s subsequent development, the secession of Eritrea, and relations with external powers. It also reveals much about the machinations of global powers and the dangers they pose to weaker nations, and most specifically international influence in Africa.”

Gukira (http://gukira.blogspot.com/2006/04/where-my-mouth-is.html) responds to an article in the Kenyan newspaper, “The Sunday Nation” which questions whether this is the right time to discuss issues such as sexuality when Kenyans should be focusing on “violent sexual offences”.

Keguro responds that “growing up means having to choose” and in this instance precedence should be given to legislation that will provide recourse to victims of “gender based violence” over the issue of gay rights. If one has too choose, as in this case, I completely agree with Keguro. Once this legislation has been passed then the focus can move on to gay rights, abortion rights and so on.

Diary of a Mad Kenyan Women (http://madkenyanwoman.blogspot.com/2006/04/violent-writing-and-gangsta-…) writes on the ongoing “Violent writing and Gangsta Writers” in the blogosphere. Whilst supporting freedom of speech she points out that there are ways of saying things and one can express a point of view without being rude and insulting. On those who choose rudeness but hide their identity she writes:

“After all, it is not much more revealing to call oneself, for example, ‘blitzwriter’ than it is to call oneself ‘anonymous.’ Thus, this latter impulse to anonymity suggests to me that the writers are in fact cloaking themselves from themselves no less than from us. They are, consciously or not, divesting their rude anonymous alter egos of the responsibility that being a citizen of the blog world imposes. They are in short, making of themselves a mob - in both gangster and crowd senses. Mobs, in either sense, allow themselves the detestable vices of non-thought, hidden identities, and most of all incomprehensible, unnecessary, unthinkable, and unforgivable violence. Mobs - both the gangster kind and the crowd kind - allow themselves furtive recourse to petty parochialisms, to ugly little hatreds, to bigotry, to witch-hunts, to meaningless contests for a power that only they covet, to brutality, but mostly, to irresponsibility. Then the crowd disperses, the gangsters flee, and they all melt back into the sheltering disguises of normality, reason and identity. Until the next time.”

Black Looks (http://okrasoup.typepad.com/black_looks/2006/04/last_week_i_was.html) posts an interview with South African lesbian activist, Rose Masuku, who speaks on being a lesbian in South Africa, the culture of “butch lesbians” and lesbians playing soccer as well as her work as a counsellor to lesbians, many of whom are thrown out of school and out of their homes.

The Moor Next Door (http://wahdah.blogspot.com/2006/04/christians-dont-respect-algerian-law…) asks: “Why is it illegal to convert Muslims from Islam to other religions in Algeria?” He believes this is because evangelists are using Christianity as a “tool to destabilize” Algeria and calls for a review of religious policy in Algeria.

“First of all, if Islam and religion are the causes of so many troubles in Algeria, why not stop the use of religion in politics entirely? We can start by abolishing the state religion, or by making it illegal to call for the use of religion for violent ends (or using anything for that end). The problem cannot be fixed by simply attacking the Christians, you have to attack Islam too. Religion is a problem that must be dealt with totally.”

The Skeptic (http://elijahzarwan.net/blog/?p=86) comments on the lack of reporting in the blogosphere on the killing of 17 Palestinians by the Israeli Defense Forces since last Friday. He contrasts this with the response to an op/ed in the Washington Post on an academic article discussing the Israeli lobby and American foreign policy. Here thousands of words were written on the topic yet nothing on the murder of Palestinians.

“Pardon me if I take a preachy tone for a minute. I understand that civilian casualties in the OPT are nothing new and that in Amrika these deaths more often than not appear on page A-13 as brief items written by AP. Still, if you got exercised about the Walt-Mearsheimer article, ask yourself why you are less exercised about the death of 17 people, including a little girl and a little boy. Which is more important to you: an academic paper or the end of 17 human lives?”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

Kenyan blogger and Africa’s resident environmental guru, AfroMusing (http://www.afromusing.com/blog/?p=211) points to a post on using African deserts as hubs for solar energy. The idea is that the Sahara, which is some 9 million sq km and the Kalahari which is 900,000 sq km, could be used as solar energy farms to supply cheap electricity for the continent. AfroMusing quotes Anatole France, who wrote:

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”

This is definitely one technology we should all dream of - dream hard and believe so that it may come to pass.

Nigerian blogger, Oro (http://www.gbengasesan.com/blog/?p=78) introduces yet another web technology innovation - Talkr. Talkr allows bloggers to convert their written posts to podcasts using computer-generated voice.

“I think its a really cool tool for bloggers (and media houses that have compatible websites) to use because we can now conveniently rest, assured that those who may be visually impaired can still have access to news and informative/educative/entertainment (someone tongue-twisted this to read “edu-info-tainment”) resources.”

Ugandan blogger, Undo (http://undo.blogspirit.com/archive/2006/03/30/caliber-swimming.html) takes us on a boat trip to the Kalangala District of Uganda. Kalangala is made up of some 84 islands in Lake Victoria.

“At this point, it became evident that I stop looking back to the reference point of my emergence, to explore something other in these waters, having lost it all…to some aspect of nature…the horizon I had religiously referred to determine my fate...being a collection of wild wave after another offering no comfort when…looking, trying to perceive the existence of a lost piece of existence, I ended up looking at a green embrace like canvas wafting in an endless gesture, fluttering in a slow afternoon wind…ending as a straight lining at the edge of where the water and cloud discreetly met. Marking the beginning of my imagination, replicated on the faces of all that were pondering the distance being lost, making the flat earth theory more pronounced.”

Sotho guest writing on Mzansi Afrika (http://mzansiafrika.typepad.com/mzansi_afrika/2006/04/did_we_steal_yo.h…) takes up a comment by another blogger, Juan, responding to Sotho’s previous post entitled “Affirmative action”.

Juan obviously fails to grasp racism or possibly he is just a refusnik and writes:

“How did whites deny them (Black South Africans) education? By tying them up and not allowing them to learn? Since when did it become our responsibility to educate other cultures? Since you advocate so strongly that your culture is equal to mine, give me proof of where you invented something or built something that we can’t or couldn’t?”

Sotho’s response is:

“Black people have undergone quite a lot at the hands of white people. White people have undergone very little at the hands of black people, all over the world, but especially in America and in South Africa. I've always been amazed at how the transition from minority government to majority government did not turn uglier. There's of course the question of farmers getting killed. While that tragedy cannot be overlooked, I'm happy that there has been no all out bloodbath. From 1652 when Jan Anthoniszoon Van Riebeeck arrived till 1994 when Mr de Klerk stepped down, nastier things than you can imagine were meted out to the black population. That's 342 years, Juan, or three centuries and 42 years. And you can't take 12 years (1994 to 2006) of practically no ill-treatment!”

Freedom for Egyptians (http://freedomforegyptians.blogspot.com/2006/04/for-democracy-and-freed…) reports on a clash between members of the liberal party Al Wafd, whose headquarters was stormed by “thugs and gang members” - followers of Nomaan Gomaa. Gomaa is the deposed leader of the Al Wafd party and after a 10-hour battle that included gunfire was arrested by police.

“The acting party leader Mahmoud Abaza and prominent member of the party Munir Fahkry Abdel Nur complained that the police looked idly on as Gomaa and his supporters stormed the compound. Nur said: ‘There were 50 policemen this morning and all they did was phone for ambulances as they looked idly on and Gomaa fired his gun.’ Abaza said: ‘It's an act of madness. Someone who is mentally sane does not open fire on journalists simply trying to do their work.’ Gunshots were fired as Gomaa and his gang removed employees of the party and of its official newspaper. Witnesses said Gomaa himself fired shots at Wafd journalists.”

Black Star Journal (http://blackstarjournal.blogspot.com/2006/04/unlike-his-victims-taylor-…) reports on Charles Taylor’s first day in court in Sierra Leone and lists the 11 charges against him including: use of child soldiers, abduction and forced labour, physical violence, sexual slavery, rape and murder. On suggestions that the trial may be moved to the Hague, he writes:

“Some people would've preferred Taylor be allowed to remain in exile and impunity in Nigeria so as to 'ensure the peace' of Liberia. This was a false choice. Pres. Sirleaf said that the decision to extradite Taylor was a 'hard decision which ensures the long-term safety of the Liberian people and the security of the state.”

Music blog, Sound Roots (http://soundroots.org/2006/04/mondays-mp3-hugh-masekela.html) posts on celebrating the birthday of South African musician Hugh Masekela who was 67 on the 4th April.

“He has worked with many of the greats (Fela Kuti, Paul Simon, Abdullah Ibrahim, Bob Marley, Herb Alpert) and for a time was married to South African icon Miriam Makeba…When you think of Masekela, you have to think not only of his music, but his role as something of an ambassador-at-large for South Africa (and specifically, black South Africa). The stories he tells in his songs capture snapshots of life, past and present, for ordinary South Africans.”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

Nigeria has just completed it’s latest census which does not include religion or ethnicity. Naijablog (http://naijablog.blogspot.com/2006/03/on-nigerian-languages-ethnicities…) wonders exactly how many languages are spoken in Nigeria as depending on your source, the numbers differ. The number ranges from 250 to 500.

“The World Bank and the UN like to suggest 250 in the documents I've seen, but I heard once that there are something like 200 languages in Niger State alone. According to the Index of Nigerian Languages (Crozier & Blench 1992) there are 500 languages. I've scoured the internet and found very little of substance. There are 478 languages listed here (helpfully categorised into language group) from Abanyom to Zumbun.”

He adds that because the census does not include ethnicity, we will never know how many “living sustaining” ethnic groups there are and which ones if any are endangered.

Thea keeps painting the planet (http://thea.nomadlife.org/2006/03/welcome-to-sudan.html) asks if Sudan is an “African” or an “Arab” state:

“Sudan is both in the Arab League and in the African Union…however it is more Arab than Ethiopia, and more African than Libya…Sudan is on the border line…I don't think I could call it an Arab State, and I however find it hard to call it an African country.”

Not quite sure how Sudan is more Arab than Ethiopia or more African than Libya. Without defining either – which would be a highly complex and extended task – I think this statement is meaningless and does nothing to enhance our understanding of what is either Arab or Africa. Sudan is an African country as is Libya. It falls within the boundary of the continental mass known as Africa consisting of people who are African. Sudan’s membership of the Arab League is based on the Northern Sudanese elite who speak “Arabic” as their first language. The people of Sudan are diverse in terms of their religion, language, identity and ethnicity.

Continuing with Sudan and the Arab League issue - Rantings of a Sandmonkey (http://www.sandmonkey.org/2006/03/27/the-arab-league-useless-wankers) comments on why the summit was held in Khartoum given the atrocities committed in the Darfur region. He also comments on the discussions and Arab League reactions to Hamas and Israel.

“First they all agreed that in order to oppose the western zionist hegemony they will pledge aid to the Hamas Palestinian government with an amount that is 1/3 what that government needs in order to oppose the western Zionist hegemony. What about the other 2/3 you league of Arab nationality heroes? Ehh, don’t ask us. It’s not like we are Arab countries with tons of money or anything.”

With regards to Israel, the Arab League rejected Israel’s decision to unilaterally draw its own borders. He writes that the Arab League rejection is meaningless since they will not or cannot do anything about it so he concludes that the idea of “pan-arabism” is dead.

And while you are at it, shut the Arab League down as well. It’s a waste of time and money, and it does nothing. It’s time to kill it.”

The Moor Next Door (http://wahdah.blogspot.com/2006/03/jews-and-christians-in-algeria.html) discusses the history of religions in Algeria from paganism, to Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

“The original North Africans in ancient times, who were almost entirely Berbers, worshiped a pantheon of gods, which over time became influenced by Greek, Phoenician/Carthaginian, Egyptian, Latin and other traditions. All other religions in Algeria came entirely from elsewhere, the main imports being Judaism (which came after the Jews had been expelled from Judea and were dispersed into various areas of the Roman Empire following the Jewish-Roman Wars), Christianity (that came by way of Roman missionaries and settlers), and of course Islam (which came by way of the Arab invasion and the missionaries that followed.”

Jangbalajugbu Homeland Stories (http://www.edwardpopoola.com/blog/?p=63) discusses the role of information technology in the future of Africa.

“Getting technology into the continent means giving Africans a taste of affordable and fast internet access, affordable computer systems (more than the $100 laptop), more telecommunications infrastructures and a fair share of appropriate news coverage by the world media…These will bring a remarkable growth in development. While an affordable internet would increase African content on the internet, availability of computers will facilitate the development of the young African, marginalized right now because of his inability to afford a PC, telecommunication infrastructures will attract more investors to the continent.”

Black Looks (http://okrasoup.typepad.com/black_looks/2006/03/_it_is_that_tim.html) posts a roundup of blogs by African women over the past week. Topics range from the trial of Jacob Zuma and the daily pro-Zuma demonstrations by women against the complainant; how American women can learn from African women; and poems on homesickness in the Diaspora.

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

The Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents is an all in one guide for both beginners and seasoned bloggers. The guide is roughly divided into two parts. The first covers “how to get started” and includes blogging tools, ethics, how to stand out and promote your blog. All of these can be found on many different sites on the internet such as on Wikipedia and blogger.com. The second part deals exclusively with blogging anonymously and how to get around issues of censorship for those blogging from countries where there are repressive regimes.

In countries were the mainstream media is censored and or under pressure, bloggers can often circumvent the censorship laws and provide the only real independent news. This puts bloggers in these countries under extreme danger from the government and in many cases they have been arrested by their government and thrown into prison. Countries such as Iran and China are particularly dangerous but bloggers in Tunisia and Egypt have also been arrested and detained.

However, blogging anonymously is not the only challenge faced by those who live under repressive regimes. How do you promote your blog and how do you circumvent filtering systems that the repressive government may have put in place? The guide provides step-by-step answers to these kind of questions.

The guide to being an “ethical blogger” and what makes your blog shine are probably the most contentious out of the whole book. Many bloggers feel that codes of ethnics do not belong in the blogosphere and that readers will make up their own minds on which blogs to trust and which not to, based on their own set of criteria. Setting up a blog is the easy part. Getting people to read it and even more important to trust the content is more difficult. If for example a blogger continues to make errors of fact and present commentary that is overly biased readers will soon tire and go elsewhere. In that sense then there is really no need to follow a strict code of ethics in the same way as one would in the mainstream media. Blogging is a tool of freedom of expression and bloggers do not want to feel they are constrained by the ethics or codes of mainstream media.

The chapters on how to blog anonymously and how to circumvent censorship are the most useful part of the guide. Blogging anonymously includes using cybercafés rather than your own computer at home, university or workplace. Alternatively you could set up web access via an “anonymous proxy” which would hide the real IP address of the computer you are using. Other options are explored such as using a “circumventor”, similar to a proxy server but requiring the help of a third party in a “safe country”. More complicated and technically challenging is the “invisibleblog” which requires posting via a specially formatted email system that is encrypted. All of these options are explained in detail with links to sites that can provide the blogger with further information and help on how to beat censorship laws and avoid detection by government security forces.

The Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents is an extremely valuable guide for those bloggers living under repressive regimes where they are at risk of imprisonment. For the rest of the blogging world the guide provides useful tips on getting started and promoting your blog.

* Please send comments to

Diary of a Mad Kenyan Woman (http://madkenyanwoman.blogspot.com/2006/03/outing-heterosexuality.html) writes an essay entitled “Outing Heterosexuality” in which she discusses the inability of Africans to deal with any discussion on sexuality that is not limited to:

"…the missionary position sex-is-for-the-purpose-of-reproduction-only-and-any-other-type-of-sexual-activity-will-send-you-into-the-inferno heterosexuality. Did you get that? Homosexual, bisexual, transsexual, gay, queer, lesbian, transgender, cross-dresser and so on and as Judith Butler says, on and on have, exactly the same standing (I think there's a horribly dirth pun in there somewhere) as heterosexuality does."

She concludes that the reality is that your sisters, brothers, friends, colleagues, cousins, nephews, nieces, even your parents are all:

“…trapped in a prison more violent and restrictive than any physical restraint.”

Gukira (http://gukira.blogspot.com/2006/03/homosexuality-is-un-african.html) responds with a brilliant essay on “Homosexuality is Un-African” in which he:

“…argue(s) that histories of the term homosexuality and its cultural contexts cannot account for African conceptions of sexuality. I then examine the possible effects of legislating gender and sexual diversity by analyzing a section from Nigeria’s recent draft bill against homosexuality. Finally, I argue for an approach to sexual rights embedded in concepts of African diversity and hospitality.”

In the end we all loose from bigotry and gender stereotyping. As Gukira writes:

“Women heckle men, asking them to prove their masculinity. Men police men. Women police women. We police each other. We create gender prisons that demand narrow and stereotypical performances of gender.

Africans continue to threaten those who speak out against homophobia and defend the rights of homosexuals as the human rights that belong to us all. We seek liberty but demand prison for those who are different!”

The Voice of Somaliland Diaspora (http://waridaad.blogspot.com/2006/03/ikran-haji-daud-symbol-of-hope-for…) comments on the visit to the US of the Honourable Ikran Haji Daud Warsame, the first elected woman MP in Somaliland. He writes:

“In a society dominated by male chauvinism, it is a rarity to mention women who made history in our society, except a few. However, women, NOT MEN, have always remained the source of inspiration, hope, strength, courage and resilience for most Somalis, both men and women, for generations.”

He honours Ms Warsame and hopes that her presence will spell a new hope for Somali women.

Lagos based Nigerian blogger Ore’s Notes (http://orenotes.blogspot.com/2006/03/vagina-monologuesi-saw-this-last.h…) posts on her visit to the Vagina Monologues and reports that the venue was packed out despite the early 6pm start.

“The vagina celebration ended with an exquisitely eloquent exhortation by Joke Silva to reclaim the dreaded c-word - cunt. As beautiful as she made it sound, I still hate the word! I shudder to type it. And reading it (especially on my blog) is even worse! And that’s because I cannot get away from the venom and hate behind the word when it’s hurled at women as the worst possible kind of insult. The argument that words (or people, for that matter) only have power over you when you permit them to, and that by 'reclaiming' the word you take away the sting, is a common one.”

Ore does not agree – “…a word that is borne out of such hatred and violence against women is not one I wish to reclaim or share.”

Kenyan Poet and blogger, Mshairi (http://www.mshairi.com/blog/2006/03/19/home-again) writes a beautiful poem which expresses her homesickness.

dreaming swift and magnificent
stand be still at the centre my heart
desires to ask the age-old keepers of the cosmic forests how long
the trees have been weeping tire not little
bird soon you will rest listen to the mighty
oceans sing this land of diamonds is yours mine ours
this land of gold is yours mine ours
this land of silver is yours mine ours I am the potent splendour of a rock clinging to the earth this is my world welcome
to my world

Freedom for Egyptians (http://freedomforegyptians.blogspot.com/2006/03/al-azhar-objects-movie-…) comments on the recent visit of Prince Charles to Egypt, which coincides with the objection of the clerics of Al Azhar who want to ban an Egyptian film on Jesus.

According to the Middle East Online: A film due to be shot in Egypt on the life of Jesus Christ has stirred protests from the highest authority in Sunni Islam, the Al-Azhar institution in Cairo.

The Moor Next Door (http://wahdah.blogspot.com/2006/03/reflection-on-camus-albert-lalgrien…) reflects on the role of Albert Camus in Algeria's war of independence. He concludes that Edward Said was right in saying Camus was against independence. But he wonders whether that makes Camus an "imperialist tool”.

“Algeria was his home and he was just as attached to it as any Muslim Algerian was and had his own views of it and how it should have been handled.”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

This is Zimbabwe (http://zimpundit.blogspot.com/2006/03/arm-cache-political-faux-pas.html) comments on the latest conspiracy theory that the Harare government is “falling apart”. This time it is the release of one of the eight arrested on suspicion of plotting to kill Mugabe. “MDC's Brian James, a treasurer for the party's Manicaland structure was released yesterday, but gagged from spewing details about how porous the investigation still is.” The investigators are busy weaving more spin on the assassination plot:

“…alleging that the suspects planned to pour oil on the highway connecting Harare and Mutare shortly before Mugabe was to drive on the road on his way to his birthday celebration in the Eastern town. This would, the cops allege, cause the presidential motorcade to slip which would kill the president.”

Adefunke on Adefunke (http://adefunke.blogspot.com/2006/03/blogging-perhaps-in-my-mother-tong…) discovers a blog in Yoruba and writes on the exciting possibility of blogging in her mother tongue, Yoruba, and recalls her great excitement at finding Yoruba google:

“I remember the first time I used Yoruba Google, I saw the link in the bottom of an email I got from a friend and rushed right over in my browser. Of course I immediately IM’ed PC (my 'Partner' in 'Criminal') and we had a lengthy discussion about the site and its usefulness. Once the initial wow effect wore off, it became obvious that Yoruba Google for now would be a bit limited in the help it could render to anyone wishing to do more than search for common Yoruba words on the Internet.”

Jangbalajugbu – Homeland Stories - (http://www.edwardpopoola.com/blog/?p=60) comments on the two week closure of his university, Obafemi Awolowo University in Ife, in the middle of term exams. The closure was deemed necessary, supposedly to avert developing the unrest amongst students that had started as a result of one Muslim student breaking up the watching of pornographic videos in the student hall.

“Things degenerated from being an ordinary explanation into a big fight. The fight continued till early in the morning and the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Rogers Makanjuola had to intervene. He spent hours trying to settle the grudges. With the fear that the fight could escalate, the university authorities decided to close down the school…Students are to leave the University before 4pm on Sunday. Mobile policemen have already been positioned at the University gate to ensure that students comply with the instruction. By the time you read this, I should be out of the campus too. So sad.”

Agarthon Rwasi (http://agathonrwasa.blogspot.com/2006/03/tanzania-leads-pr-offensive-on…) a blog devoted to exposing the war crimes of Burundi’s FNL leader Agarthon Rwasi, comments on the Tanzanian government’s support of Rwasi in providing him with the platform to speak and promote his agenda.

“A few days ago Rwasa held a press conference in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Once again, no attempt was made by the Tanzanian authorities to arrest him over his involvement in the August 2004 Gatumba massacre, and the hundreds of other atrocities for which he is responsible. Once again, the FNL leader made hollow promises about a purported willingness to end the killings and seek the path of peace. And again, Reuters and other news agencies have failed to make any mention of the FNL's ongoing atrocities, presenting Rwasa simply as a political leader.”

Redeem Ethiopia (http://redeemethiopia.blogspot.com/2006/03/ethiopias-oil-curse.html) comments on the commencement of oil exploration in Ethiopia, warning of the developing “marriage of convenience developing between the present illegitimate Ethiopian government and Asian oil interests”. He makes comparisons between this discovery, the discovery and curse oil has brought to Nigeria and the situation in the Sudan where the power of oil is located in a few elite unscrupulous leaders.

“The Ethiopian government is still a few years away from raking in oil revenues to the extent where it can decline international financial support thus neutralizing the efforts of the democracy oriented Ethiopian Diaspora and other concerned governments that are urging it to stop the bloodshed and leave power.”

“The comparison with Sudan is not being made in vain. Bashir and Meles’ close friendship is a long sighted partnership in pursuit of a common goal – namely the extortion of national wealth for the benefit of a few with the protection of global powers that find this arrangement only too convenient from the perspective of controlling these weak governments. China’s protection of Bashir’s government in the UN Security Council as well as in various other international political mediums is being carried out in the interest of fueling China’s tremendous economic growth but has left the majority of Sudanese punished beyond reprieve.”

Black Looks (http://okrasoup.typepad.com/black_looks/2006/03/193_immigrants_.html) reports on the recent deaths of West African migrants hoping to reach Europe via the Canaries. Some 48 men died just off the coast of Mauritania which has now become the new staging port for migrants as Morocco closes off it’s borders. The numbers of migrants reaching Spain has gone up by a staggering 200% in the past 12 months despite the risk of death and the unknown. According to Spanish newspaper El Pais there are presently some 10,000 people waiting to make the crossing from Mauritania to Grand Canaria and Tarifa in Andalucia on the Spanish mainland.

Le Blog du Congolais (http://congomania.afrikblog.com/archives/2006/03/14/1520610.html) calls on possible presidential candidate Mr Tshisekedi to run in the forthcoming elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He writes that there is only 9 days left to register and hopes Tshisekedi will do so for the sake of the country.

“À vous Monsieur qui représentez tant d’espoirs pour tout un peuple, et à tous vos conseillés, je vous pose cette question que nous sommes, udépeistes et non membres de l’UDPS, congolais résidents et congolais de la diaspora, nombreux à poser : Monsieur Tshisekedi, alors que la Nation vous attend, vous, qu’attendez-vous donc » (the nation waits on you – but for what do you wait?)

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

The phenomenon of blogging has exploded globally, with the new medium being hailed for its ability to democratise the global conversation. But that doesn’t mean the blogosphere doesn’t reflect existing prejudices within society. Sokari Ekine explores the more sinister side of the blogoshpere, focusing specifically on the abuse of women.

Last weekend the number of blogs topped the 30 million mark, according to the UK Guardian technology section. In it’s leader entitled “In Praise of the Blogosphere” it suggested that blogging “is graduating from being a minority sport to a mainstream activity”. It listed three factors that had led to this huge spate in the growth of blogs: the ease of setting one up; the functionality of blogs that has grown to include video and audio clips plus a wide range of social networking features, particularly the use of “tags” for sharing music, bookmarks, books and photos; and most importantly that “they are becoming politically and socially important as like-minded people around the world share thoughts and pictures and call decision-makers to task”.

The article, like most on blogging, presents a scene of harmony and freedom of speech as the economic and technological barriers to publishing are removed, enabling the democratic grassroots media (New Media Musing) to speak out as they choose.

Other articles on the blogosphere are written in a similar vein, using phrases like “citizens media revolution” (Our Media) “social media”, “grassroots media”, “mavericks of the online world” and so on. Having blogged for two years I cherish the technology that enables me to say what I like and how I like. I do not have to consider editorial constraints or advertising interests. The only standards I have to adhere to are my own. I am free as the wind to speak as I wish.

But there is a dark side to the blogosphere. As Rebecca Blood writes:

“The weblog's greatest strength - its uncensored, unmediated, uncontrolled voice - is also its greatest weakness…”

She argues that the editorial and adverting constraints on the mainstream media ensure that ethical standards are maintained. However, the lack of constraints on blogs, which at the same time make them so vibrant, compromises their integrity and therefore their value.

But blogging is not just about writing. It is also about the interaction between the writer and the readers. The writer is exhibiting their ego and the reader is engaging in overt voyeurism. We bloggers know when someone has been to our blogs, how long they spend there and what they read. After all that is why we are writing. We created our online identities so others would take a look and watch and try to discover through our words who we are and what we think.

The African blogosphere is one sphere that has seen a huge growth of new blogs in the past 6 months. For example in Nigeria the number of blogs has trebled in the last 9 months and each month new blogs are being created. The majority of African bloggers are still men, although the number of women is slowly increasing. African blogs tend to fall into three loose categories. First, journals or diary blogs, topic specific blogs such as technology or music blogs, and current affairs and political blogs with commentary.

The African blogosphere is no more homogenous than Africa itself. Each blogosphere tends to have it’s own characteristic such as more conversations between bloggers or less topic specific blogs and more commentary and so on. For example the Nigerian blogosphere tends to be equally divided between all three blog types but with more women writing journal and diary type blogs than men. Some countries are not as developed as others. The Ethiopian blogosphere, though relatively quite small, is very active and dominated by political commentary blogs. Kenya is the largest, followed closely by Nigeria.

Recently Nigeria in particular, has become the sight of much intolerance expressed through homophobia and misogyny. The abuse of women has been particularly disturbing. Comments have been left on womens’ blogs and posts, written using misogynist language against women and lesbians.

This is not to say that there is anything objectionable about someone expressing opinions against homosexuality whether via a comment or through a post on a blog. However these are not simply rational comments. The comments and posts are personalised and the language used is derogatory and misogynist, such as “lesbos need a dick whipping”, “bitches” and “menopausal bitches”. In some instances individual women have been stalked and intimidated even as far as names being revealed. Whilst individuals are entitled to their opinions, when the conversation degenerates into offensive hate speech advocating violence against women and homosexuals, this is not acceptable.

Because people see the blogosphere as a space where they can express themselves freely and often anonymously, they feel they do not have to adhere to the constraints in speech that they would in the non-cyber world. These issues become more apparent as the number of blogs grow and as people from different backgrounds and countries are brought together in one huge global blogosphere. At any one time there are thousands of conversations taking place.

People who would not normally have contact with each other whether because of geographical space or just personal preference now have the possibility of sharing conversations. The blogosphere reflects the non-cyber world in that the lack of shared values, ideological consensus and cultural differences amongst people can and does result in conflicts and confrontations between groups and individuals on their blogs. Thus the dichotomies of gender – male and female; sexual preference be it heterosexual and homosexual; geographical location; Africa the homeland and Africa the Diaspora; African and non-African - all have the possibility of being exacerbated because except in the case of gender these pairs are not often thrown together within the same space.

With specific reference to Nigeria and other African countries, women are being abused when they do not conform to certain types of behaviour. The emerging female voice on the Nigerian blogosphere is often in contrast to the prescribed gender roles in Nigeria that do not threaten existing patriarchal systems. Women can and do use their blogs to “speak” out against male oppression in ways they may not do in their daily lives. Blogging anonymously they feel free to express their aspirations for a different Nigeria where women are not subservient to male domination. Many men find this problematic and feel they are loosing control and power over women. Their response is to use misogynist and homophobic language to berate and intimidate the women who speak out.

Women in the Diaspora are exposed to a more sexually open environment and one where sexism and homophobia are not so socially acceptable. This is a further challenge for men in the “homeland” who may resent and fear this freedom because it may influence “their” women at home. It is common to berate those living abroad as having lost their cultural traditions and become soiled by western society which is viewed as being morally inferior. As I mentioned earlier the blogosphere provides people with the opportunity to develop an exaggerated ego and to engage in voyeurism.

The sexual nature of the comments left by some men on blogs indicate the sexualisation of this voyeurism. Young men are able to feed each other’s ego and sexuality by egging one another on as they publicly engage in “male” chat about women, much of which includes the use of misogynist language. Some women also participate in these “conversations”, cheering the men on as they act out their “machoness” and collude in the abuse of their sisters.

It needs to be said that the numbers of men engaging in abusive behaviour is relatively small. In fact a number of male bloggers have themselves been very outspoken against the abuse of women, whether in the blogosphere or in the non-cyber world, but there are still many who though not participating in abuse are silent. Despite the abuse, women are determined to continue blogging, to expose misogyny where it exists, and to find ways of supporting each other just as they have always done and continue to do so offline.

The sheer number of blogs and the global nature of the blogosphere allows for the potential exchange of ideas, empathy and tolerance across the numerous dichotomies that exist in an increasingly complex and changing world. For Africa, the rapidly developing blogosphere provides the possibility of bringing about a much-needed alternative and progressive voice and cross continent collaboration through a citizen’s media. It is important that these possibilities are not side tracked or diminished by a few destructive non-progressive elements. African bloggers of today are pioneers and as such it is the duty of all of us to create a blogging environment where women are free to express themselves without fear.

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]

Sources:

Guardian Technology: