02 November 2022
Migrants’ rights: Must migrants not also be able to choose where to live? Looks like no, because many “regulations and policies both implicitly and explicitly assume that along with fleeing their homes for safety, migrants are also giving up the right to make decisions about their futures”. The UK wants to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda instead of hearing their cases. And like many other laws, the 2004 Safe Third Country Agreement between the USA and Canada leaves no choice for migrants but to make their asylum claim in their country of arrival – not the country of their choice. The EU is no stranger to such rules. But, the article concludes, “if we sacrifice the capacity of some people to be treated as fully fledged human beings, we’re putting that right at risk for all.”
https://theconversation.com/migrants-deserve-the-right-to-make-decisions-about-where-they-live-192829
Congo-Kinshasa/UN: After M23 conquered Rumangabo (a military base in North Kivu/40 km north of Goma), UN forces “tactically and strategically” withdrew. But their convoy came under attack from angry crowds near Kanyaruchinya (close to Goma) with at least one UN lorry set on fire and two UN staff injured. In July, over 35 had died in protests against the UN mission in North Kivu.
BBC Africa Live 02 November 2022. 12:48
Malaria: While progress has been made of late with respect to malaria vaccines, the spread of malaria-carrying Anopheles stephensi from Asia to Africa is definitely bad news. This Anopheles species thrives in urban settings. “The mosquito has already caused cases in Djibouti and Ethiopia to rise”
BBC Africa Live 02 November 2022. 7:42
01 November 2022
São Tomé and Príncipe: A hitherto unknown species of owl, only found on Príncipe Island, has been named Príncipe Scops Owl. Only 1,500 of the small brown owls with big yellow eyes and an extremely short hoot (“sounding like insect calls”) are thought to exist.
BBC Africa Live 01 November 2022. 15:30
Ethiopia: The Ethiopian prime minister’s latest comments augur badly for ongoing peace negotiations and can be interpreted as revealing the little real interest Addis accords to reaching an agreement with Tigray. Abiy Ahmed complained about the “heavy foreign interference” in the talks and “said Ethiopians can solve their matters despite (sic!) international pressure for a ceasefire”. This sovereignist discourse comes at a time when Addis seems to have the upper hand and has conquered several cities in Tigray.
BBC Africa Live 01 November 2022. 7:47
Mozambique: In September and October, almost 90 Islamist militants have reportedly surrendered in Mocímboa da Praia (Cabo Delgado province/extreme north of the country). This comes after the announcement of “a pardon for all surrendering jihadists” in September by the country’s president. A local administrator asked “communities to welcome the repentant as brothers, forgive all wrongs done, leave the past and pick up a new page. They are children of Mocímboa da Praia who return to their homes, to their origins”. Let us hope that the process of reconciliation and reintegration will be well managed.
BBC Africa Live 01 November 2022. 7:16
Malawi: The number of deaths by cholera in the country has risen to 183, 73 of them in the month of October. The number of cases since the outbreak in March is 6,056. Lack of safe water and poor hygiene are the main underlying factors.
BBC Africa Live 01 November 2022. 4:38