04 August 2021
Ethiopia: The government has suspended the operations of the Dutch section of Médecins sans frontières (MSF) in Tigray and three other regions and those of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) country-wide, accusing them of “disseminat(ing) misinformation outside of their mandate and employ(ing) foreign nationals without appropriate work permits”.
BBC Africa Live 04 August 2021. 13:01
Cameroon: Having had its activities suspended by the authorities since December (accused of being too close to the rebels), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) had withdrawn from the North-West region – it could no longer keep its staff on standby, not being “allowed to provide care to people”, it said. “MSF (…) has been one of the few NGOs offering free medical services in the region”. MSF said it would resume its activities as soon as the suspension was lifted.
BBC Africa Live 04 August 2021. 8:44
03 August 2021
Looted art/Nigeria: A lot remains to be done. “Only after pressure both by German civil society and (international) media did government and museums concede that some (…) of the Benin Bronzes should be returned.” Only about 10% of looted Benin Bronzes are in Berlin, the others being “distributed all over the global North”, many in the USA and the biggest collection in London’s British Museum. But “big museums outside Germany (have been) slow to follow”, with the British Museum categorically denying any need for restitution.
https://theconversation.com/germany-is-returning-nigerias-looted-benin-bronzes-why-its-not-nearly-enough-165349
Ethiopia: Instead of calling for the UN to intervene, neighbours and regional actors should help secure the survival of a multi-ethnic Ethiopia. Instead of the UN’s “responsibility to protect”, the article’s author proposes a “responsibility to prevent”. If help came from nearby, there could be no allegation of imperialism and help would come from those most affected, for the implosion of Ethiopia “would put the entire East African region in peril”. And by threatening the seat of the African Union, “(i)t would tarnish the image of Africa”.
Unfortunately, the article remains extremely vague, makes no concrete suggestions at all. I suppose that the reason for this is that you’re meant to turn to the original article “Obligation to prevent (O2P): Proposal for enhanced community approach to genocide prevention in Africa” which you have to purchase for 39 euros (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10246029.2016.1192555?journalCode=rasr20).
https://theconversation.com/africa-can-prevent-ethiopia-from-going-down-rwandas-path-heres-how-165254
Kenya: A report by UN special rapporteurs made public on Monday “highlighted the horrific abuses people” in what is now Kericho county in western Kenya were subjected to by British colonial authorities at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. UK authorities, who got the report at the end of May, have not responded. There had been a government statement in 2013 regretting abuses in Kenya before independence, but that statement explicitly only referred to Mau Mau members.
BBC Africa Live 03 August 2021. 12:48