03 October 2022
Congo-Kinshasa: The author’s research starting from the Banyamulenge – a group of Congolese Tutsi from South Kivu – shows that violence “is used to win a place in government rather than to overthrow it”, with rebels using terrorism to negotiate their way into power. To overcome the cycle of violence, “a new status quo that doesn’t reward rebellion but decreases its appeal” is necessary as well as “(p)olitics that facilitates peaceful livelihoods”.
https://theconversation.com/burundis-gatumba-massacre-offers-a-window-into-the-past-and-future-of-the-drc-conflict-191351
Somalia: Abdullahi Nadir, co-founder of al-Shabab, subject of a 3m USD bounty from the US and considered a potential successor of al-Shabab head Abu Ubaidah has been killed by Somali and international security forces the day before yesterday in the south of the country, possibly by a drone strike. Not to forget that terrorist groups always find replacements for killed leaders, that the anti-terror strategy of killing leaders has not worked anywhere.
BBC Africa Live 03 October 2022. Between 7:03 and 8:19
02 October 2022
Zimbabwe/Art: Cyrene Mission (near Bulawayo) was the first mission school to offer art to its black students from the school’s foundation in 1939 onwards. The truly wonderful “paintings toured Europe and the US from 1947 until 1953 and were then lost in storage at a church in London.” Rediscovered in 1978, then bought by a private collector, they are now on show at Zimbabwe’s National Gallery (in Harare) in an exhibition called “The Stars Are Bright”. See some of the art works in this BBC article.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-62231113
Burkina Faso: With French troops accused of harbouring president Damiba, leader of the January coup d’état, the French embassy was attacked and partly set on fire by protesters yesterday Saturday. In the country’s second city Bobo-Dioulasso, the French Institute was vandalised. The French foreign ministry has denied the hosting of Damiba. “The new junta leadership (under Ibrahim Traoré) said it would commit ‘all fighting forces to refocus on the security issue and the restoration of the integrity of our territory’.” The question is, of course, whether “the latest political volatility would further distract the military and allow the jihadis to strengthen their grip” on ever larger parts of the country.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/01/burkina-faso-african-unions-condemn-latest-power-grab
Equatorial Guinea: Teodorin Nguema Obiang Mangue, son of the country’s long-time (since 1979) ruler Teodoro Obiang Nguema and the country’s vice-president (since 2012), has been convicted of embezzling public money in France. A luxury mansion and other assets of his were then confiscated in 2017. “Now Equatorial Guinea has launched a new case against France at the ICJ (International Court of Justice) and has asked the court to block the sale of the mansion.” Obiang Jr. assets have also been confiscated in Brazil, Switzerland and the US and he was “subjected to anti-corruption sanctions in the UK last year”.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63105426
Burkina Faso: Damiba has agreed to step down. Himself come to power by means of a military coup in January, he was ousted on Friday by a military coup. Worsened security was given as the reason for deposing Damiba – only 60% of the country are said to be under state control.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63111763