Umoja wa Afrika kuitaka NATO kuwacha mashambulizi dhidi ya Libya

Rais Jacob Zuma wa Afrika Kusini

Viongozi wa Afrika leo wanajiandaa kusisitiza matakwa yao ya kuitaka Jumuiya ya Kujihami ya NATO kusitisha mashambulizi yake ya anga nchini Libya, huku wakiendelea kuzishutumu nchi za magharibi kupuuza jitihada zao.
Mapema jana Rais wa Kamisheni ya Umoja wa Afrika, Jean Ping alisema baadhi ya washiriki wa kimataifa katika migogoro ya sasa wanaonekana kama hawakubali kwamba Afrika inaweza kuwa na umuhimu katika utatuzi wa mgogoro kama wa Libya.


Aliongeza kwa kuonya kwamba Afrika haiwezi kutengwa katika uangalizi wa matatizo yanayoihusu.


Viongozi wa Afrika wamekutana katika mkutano maalumu mjini Addis Ababa nchini Ethiopia kujadili migogoro iliyopo kwa hivi sasa barani humo na hasa ikizingatiwa ya Libya na Sudan.


Bwana Ping, alisisitiza kwamba mkutano huo lazima upeleke ujumbe ulio wazi kwa wadau wengine duniani kwamba kuna haja ya kulitambua bara la Afrika katika jitihada zake za kustawisha amani katika mipaka yake.


Mkutano huo wa viongozi wa Umoja wa Afrika, unatarajiwa kufanya majumuisho yake baadae leo.


Siku chache zilizopita wapatanishi wa Afrika walitoa wito wa kusitishwa mapigano na kuandaa timu ya upatanishi, lakini hata hivyo jitihada zao zilikuwa na mchango mdogo sana ambapo majeshi ya nchi za magharibi yaliendelea na mashambulizi ya anga dhidi ya utawala wa kiongozi wa Libya, Muammar Gaddafi.


Awali katika hotuba yake kwa viongozi wa Afrika, Ping alikiri pia kwamba " ni suluhu ya kisiasa tu ambayo inaweza kufanikisha amani nchini Libya" na kusisitiza kwamba hali ilivyo nchini humo ni jambo linalowahusu sana, kwa mustakabali wa nchi hiyo pamoja na nchi za kanda hiyo.


Mpango wa kusitishwa mapigano ambao uliandaliwa na Umoja wa Afrika ulijumuisha kipindi cha mpito cha kuandaa uchaguzi, ulikubaliwa na Gaddafi mwenyewe lakini ulikataliwa na upande wa upinzani ambao ulisisitiza kiongozi huyo aondoke kwanza nchini humo.


Mapendekezo hayo ya Umoja huo yenye lengo la kumaliza mgogoro uliodumu kwa miezi kadhaa nchini Libya, yaliyojumisha timu ya upatanishi iliyoundwa na viongozi wa nchi za Afrika, yalibezwa kwa kiasi kikubwa na hata hivi karibuni, na Afrika Kusini.


Kabla ya mkutano wa viongozi wa Afrika kufunguliwa huko mjini Addis Ababa taarifa kutoka Afrika kusini zilisema Rais Jacob Zuma wa nchi hiyo anatarajiwa kwenda mjini Tripoli wiki ijayo kuzungumza na Gaddafi.


Taarifa hiyo inatanabahisha kwamba mazungumzo hayo yatahusu majadiliano ya namna ya kuondoka kwake nchini humo.

CUF yamataka Nahodha ajizuru

*Ni kutokana na mauaji ya wananchi  watano Tarime
*Yalaani, yasema huo ni ukiukwaji wa haki za binadamu

Na Agnes Mwaijega

BARAZA Kuu la Chama cha Wananchi (CUF) limemtaka Waziri wa Mambo ya Ndani kuwajibika kutokana na mauaji yaliyotokea wilayani Tarime
lakini pia kufanyika kwa uchunguzi wa kina juu ya tukio hilo.

Hatua hiyo ilifikiwa Dar es Salaam jana na Mwenyekiti wa CUF, Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba wakati akizungumza na waandishi wa habari kuhusu mapendekezo mbalimbali yaliyoazimiwa na kikao cha baraza hilo.

Alisema kuwa baraza hilo linalaani vitendo vya ukiukaji na uvunjaji wa haki za binadamu hususan mauaji ya raia yanayofanywa na Jeshi la Polisi ambayo yamekuwa yakiripotiwa kila mara.

"Inatuumiza sana kwa kuwa inaonekana jambo hili ni la kawaida kwa sababu watendaji wake hawachukuliwi hatua yoyote," alisema.

Prof. Lipumba alisema kuwa baraza hilo pia linamtaka Rais Jakaya Kikwete kutambua kuwa jukumu la kuleta maendeleo ya Watanzania ni la watu wote hivyo serikali yake isisite kutumia sera mbadala za CUF kwa maendeleo ya taifa.

Alisema serikali kupitia wizara ya Fedha na Uchumi na Wizara ya Nishati na Madini inatakiwa kuchukua hatua za kuhakikisha nchi na wananchi wake wananufaika na rasilimali za madini zilizopo hapa nchini hususani madini ya dhahabu ambayo bei yake katika soko la dunia imepanda.

"Dhahabu inayouzwa nje ni dola bilioni 1.5 kwa mwaka sawa na  asilimia 40  ya bidhaa za Tanzania zinazouzwa nje ya nchi," alisema.

Alisisitiza kuwa baraza hilo linataka kuona utajiri wa nchi unawanufaisha wananchi na kuisaidia nchi kujikomboa kutoka katika dimbwi la umasikini na kuacha kutegemea misaada kutoka nje ambayo imeifanya nchi kuwa tegemezi kwa miaka mingi.

Aliongeza kuwa baraza hilo linamtaka Waziri wa Nishati na Madini Bw.William Ngeleja kujiuzulu kwa kuwa ameshindwa kutumia vyanzo vya umeme vilivyopo nchini ili kukabiliana na tatizo sugu la nishati linaloikumba nchi yetu kwa sasa.

Alisema nchi imejaliwa vyanzo vingi ya umeme na maeneo mengi ya maporomoko ya maji,makaa ya mawe ,madini na hata umeme wa jua ambao hauna gharama kubwa ya kufua.

"Ni miaka 50 tangu tupate uhuru hatuna sababu yoyote  ya kutokuwa na umeme wa uhakika, ni ufisadi tu ambao umekithiri katika serikali yetu," alisema.

UVCCM sasa kufunga ofisi ya Chatanda

MGOGORO ndani ya Umoja wa Vijana wa CCCM (UVCCM), mkoani Arusha umevuta kasi baada ya baadhi ya vijana wa umoja huo kutishia kufunga ofisi ya Katibu wa CCM Mkoa, Mary Chatanda ili kushinikiza uondoke madarakani.


Habari zilizolifikia gazeti hili zimeeleza kwamba vijana hao walipanga kufunga ofisi hiyo jana, lakini baadaye walibadili uamuzi na kukubaliana kutekeleza azima hiyo wakati katibu huyo wa CCM akiwa bungeni mwezi ujao.


Mwenyekiti wa kamati ya mahusiano ya UVCCM, Ally Bananga alisema jana kuwa msimamo wa vijana ni kutolala mpaka Chatanda aondoke madarakani.




Kauli hiyo ya Bananga, imekuja siku moja baada ya Makamu Mwenyekiti wa moja huo, ngazi ya Taifa, Beno Malisa kudai kuwa anasikitishwa na kauli zilizotolewa na vijana wenzao mkoani Arusha.


Malisa alisema kutokana na hali hiyo atatuma kamati ya maadili ambayo itakutana na makundi yanayolumbana mkoani Arusha.


Bananga alisema ana unga mkono kamati hiyo ya maadili kwenda mkoani Arusha kuzungumza na makundi yote na aliitahadhirisha kamati hiyo kwamba suala la Chatanda kung ‘oka ni lazima.


“Sisi tuko tayari kuipa ushirikiano kamati hiyo ya maadili, lakini suala la Chatanda kuondoka Arusha liko pale pale tunaomba kuiambia tume hiyo kabla haijawasili kabisa,”alisema Bananga.


Alisema endapo kamati hiyo itaonekana kupendelea ili katibu huyo aendelee kushikilia nafasi yake ya ukatibu wa CCM mkoani hapa, kamwe hali ya hewa haitatulia na kwamba Chatanda atangolewa kwa gharama yoyote.




“Sikiliza endapo Chatanda asipong’ooka tutapambana mpaka kieleweke, hapa ni aluta continua na tunaitaka tume isimpendelee Chatanda kwani sisi tumebaini huyu mama hatufai,”alisema Bananga.

G8 pledges support for completion of Russia’s accession to WTO

In the final declaration of the G8 summit in Deauville, the leaders have confirmed their commitment to help Russia join the WTO by the end of the year.

“Russia’s G8 partners hail the significant progress which Russia has achieved on its way to complete its accession to the WTO and confirm their commitment to actively cooperate with Russia in order to complete the process in 2011,”the document says. 

On Thursday, president Dmitry Medvedev told journalists that they agreed with US president Barack Obama  decision to step up talks on the issue. 

“I hope we will be able to finalize the process, bring it into the final phase, but further stimulus is required,” he said.

In his turn, Obama added that both Russian and American negotiators are doing their best to accelerate the process of Russia’s joining the World Trade Organization, specifically pointing out the benefits it will bring to both Russian and the global economy. 

“We think that Russia's accession to the WTO will be good for the Russian economy, will be good for the U.S. economy, will be good for the world economy, and we are confident that we can get this done," Obama said. “It will be a key building block in expanding trade and commerce.”

Middle East settlement

The G8 leaders have also supported president Obama’s position on one of the central issues facing the Middle East which he announced last week. He had said that a two-state solution should be based on the 1967 borders.

“We express unanimous support for president Barack Obama’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian settlement which he announced on May 19, 2011,” the declaration reads. 

The document also stresses the need to resume peace talks, which it says are the only way to find a solution to the problem. 

“Gaddafi must leave”

Lukashenko orders Russian media to be kicked out of Belarus

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has ordered the shut down of a number of foreign media outlets, including those of Russian orgin, for stirring up “hysteria” over the currency crisis in the country.
On Monday, Belarus' National Bank devalued the national currency against the dollar by 36 percent, which led to price hikes, panic among the population, empty shelves in supermarkets and long queues at currency exchanges as people were desperately attempting to protect their savings. 
President Lukashenko put the blame for the panic on the media. Speaking on Friday at a government session on economy issues, he stated that the “Russian media whipped up the “hysteria”.
“I have observed the activity of the foreign media operating here that has become dominant in the country thanks to the president's administration, and those working abroad," Lukashenko said, cites Interfax. 
They are followed "by our domestic media" he stated, though he refused to call them by name in order to “not boost their ratings”. He called on the government “to do everything necessary to make sure those media outlets are no longer present on our territory”. 
According to Lukashenko, the reason behind the move is “not that we want them to keep their mouths shut”. He noted that he had been closely watching the media and it was they “who triggered the hype”. 
Citing “the most frenzied” Russian media, Lukashenko said that he was accused of fleeing the country. “They mean my trip to Kazakhstan which was planned a year in advance,” he added. The media also criticized Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich and the head of the National Bank of Belarus Pyotr Prokopovich, “for sitting like mice under a broom”.
First reaction to the news has already followed from Moscow which was surprised by Lukashenko's decision. The Russian lower house has warned the Belarusian leader against any rash steps. 
The closure of foreign media outlets “will not be a panacea for the economic crisis,” believes Leonid Slutsky, first deputy chairperson of the Duma's International Affairs Committee. It would be highly unfortunate to make any anti-democratic moves now “when Minsk is in need of international aid,” he told Itar-Tass. 
Thanks to Lukashenko's course, Belarus is in fact the only rouge-state on the European continent. And the economic crisis the country is facing is also the result of the president's “unreasonable foreign and internal policies,” Slutsky added. 
The head of the Russian Presidential Council on Human Rights, Mikhail Fedotov was “shocked by Lukashenko's statement”, writes the“Belarusian Partisan” citing Interfax. The official noted that as the world information space is developing, “we are becoming more open towards each other” and any attempt to create a closed territory is unpromising, to say the least. 
The chairman of the Russian Public Chamber's committee for media issues Pavel Gusev said the news did not come as a surprise. Several Russian media outlets have already been banned from entering Belarus. The journalist believes that Lukashenko's decision is yet another sign of his “political unreliability”. Gusev noted that the Belarusian leader can be neither trusted nor dealt with. 

Israel fears deterioration in security as Egypt opens border with Gaza

Israel has long struggled to keep its borders water-tight, even at the expense of letting Palestinians have access to basic human necessities. Now, it has a new worry, as Egypt throws its border with Gaza wide open.
At Egypt’s border with Gaza, the gates were for years shut more often than not. Only the most extreme humanitarian cases were let through, which meant no more than 300 people a day.
Rawda Hamada was not one of them. Last year she died from stomach cancer. She had tried desperately for months to leave Gaza to receive chemotherapy treatment abroad, but was never able to get the permission she needed to leave.
“I went to the hospital here and they gave me some liniment, but the pain didn’t end. The borders are closed – this is the reason why I suffer,” she previously shared with RT.
The new Egyptian Foreign Minister says the decision to close the border was “shameful”.
On Saturday, his promise to open Rafah permanently, without the Israelis, is coming true. No more will an agreement drawn up six years ago between the now deposed Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, the United States, the Israelis and the Europeans be in place. That agreement gave EU monitors access to the crossing and allowed Tel Aviv to supervise and monitor security via cameras from afar.
“Israel was watching together with Egypt at certain points and checkpoints, so that it was the same interest of both countries,” a strategic political advisor Shlomo Peretz said.
The permanent opening of Rafah terrifies Israeli citizens, especially those who live on the kibbutz Nahal Oz, just 800 meters from the Israel-Gaza border. Ever since the kibbutz was established nearly 60 years ago, it has been on the receiving end of endless rocket and sniper attacks from Gaza city.
“We are scared at any minute… When we hear the first missile falling down we have to run and take place somewhere in a shelter,” says Tami Halevi, the head of local emergency services. “We have tried to put all over the kibbutz shelters – everyone in his home has a shelter.”
Just last month, a 16-year-old boy was killed when a Qassam rocket hit the school bus he was travelling home on.
People who live here are afraid that an open Rafah border without Israel monitoring the passage of goods between Egypt and Gaza means more weapons will find their way into the hands of Palestinian militants and ultimately be used against the Jewish state.
“I am sure that if the border will be open freely, a lot of ammunition will come to Gaza, and Hamas is now already loaded with ammunition, and they will have much more,” Tami Halevi explained.
The implications are becoming clearer by the day. The Israeli army is warning that in the next major conflict, tens of thousands of rockets will hit Tel Aviv, meaning that the daily threat faced by Israelis living not far from Gaza is fast becoming part and parcel of Israeli life across the country.
On the other hand, opening the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza is seen as a major step in alleviating the humanitarian crisis in the strip.
Khalil Abu Shamala from the Al Dameer association for human rights says that although Egypt’s decision to open the border is a welcome sign, this is not enough to end the humanitarian crisis.
“We expect from the Egyptian government to facilitate more than this decision, to expand the decision to cover all of the Palestinians without any limitations. To open the border 24 hours a day, seven days week, without any limitations like what is going on right now,” he said.


Adnon Abu Hasna from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency says that improving Palestinian living standards will lead to a drop among those who join militant groups.
“What is going on in the Rafah border today is a very good step [by] the Egyptians. They are easing the travel of thousands of Palestinians into Egypt. People here, they are completely destroyed. They have no hope, no political horizon, no economic horizon. Israel should end the siege on the Gaza strip 100%,” he said.
“If people have good life here, they have something to lose, then it will be a great pressure on others not to get into conflict,”
Adnon Abu Hasna added.


Meanwhile, political analyst Mohsen Abu Ramadan says that while there is ahumanitarian crisis in Gaza, Palestinians remain more concerned about the political side of it.
“The Israeli siege imposed against Gaza created a humanitarian crisis and had negative consequences for the Palestinian people," he said. "But we Palestinians do not consider the main issue to be the humanitarian crisis, but political and legal issues. That means getting rid of the occupation, achieving an independent Palestinian state, and giving the Palestinian people their rights in accordance with international law.” 

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