Sant'Egidio Community Helps Free Senegalese Hostages

Last December, eight Senegalese prisoners were freed following long negotiations led by the Sant'Egidio community. The hostages were taken by guerrillas who have been fighting for independence in Casamance, Senegal's most southern region, since 1982.

Nigeria 2012: Great Challenges and Even Greater Victories

Nigeria is as large as her talents, people, hope and challenges. These are some of stories from Nigeria in 2012, a year that was a curious mix of tensions, anguish and hope for Nigeria.

2012: A Year of Revolt and Social Change in Francophone Countries: Part 2

This second part of our 2012 review in the Francophone world features civil rebellion and governance problems in Togo, Chad and Madagascar, citizen initiatives in Senegal, fight for more transparency in public affairs in Cameroon and ongoing debates on social issues in France.

Director of Films Denouncing President Sata Arrested in Zambia

Chanda Chimba III, a freelance filmmaker who made documentaries denouncing Michael Sata, while he was the opposition Patriotic Front leader and before he became the President of Zambia, has been arrested. Once reviled, the documentaries are now hits on YouTube as most of the things that Chimba predicted are now a reality.

Togo: An Open Letter to Denounce Violence Against Journalists

On January 14, 2013, Maxime Domegni, Secretary General of the National Union of Independent Journalist of Togo (SYNJIT) and Sylvio Combey Combetey, President of the Network of African Journalists on Human Security and Peace (RAJOSEP) published [fr] a press release to denounce violence against journalists in Togo. The release details a skirmish...

Kony's LRA Kills Villagers in Yalinga, Central African Republic

While the Central African Republic awaits a new prime minister [fr] after the peace talks in Libreville, the army reports that Joseph Kony and the Lord Resistance Army LRA have killed three people [fr] near the village of Yalinga. The reports adds that a 12 year old girl was also kidnapped by the rebels.

Protesters Trap QMM Staff in Madagascar over Land Dispute

Bill at Madagascar Tribune reports that protesters held Rio Tinto QMM Staff hostages [fr] on January 11 in Southern Madagascar. After armed forces disrupted the protests with tear gas and freed the staff, police proceed to arrest a dozen of protesters [fr] today. Rio Tinto executives threatened to exit the country after the...

Tuareg Families Regroup to Avoid Airstrikes in Northern Mali

We must regroup so that airplanes can tell us apart from the targeted ismalists fighters who will be on the move. Tuareg refugees in Borj and Timeaouine in Northern Mali are hurrying to gather around their family members in order to avoid airstrikes by French planes against islamist groups, Tamoudre reports...

2012: A Year of Revolt and Social Change in Francophone Countries: Part 1 of 2

The year 2012 was marked by armed conflicts in Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. There were elections in Senegal, Quebec and France, while demonstrations for change took place in Chad, Madagascar and Togo. Debates raged on issues such as immigration, the economic crisis and equality in marriage laws. This is the first part of a review of the year 2012 in Francophone countries.

Kenya: Prime Minister Raila Odinga Leads in Opinion Poll

Ken Opalo analyzes latest opinion poll on the electorate’s preferred president and running mate in Kenya, which shows the Odinga/Musyoka ticket leads the Kenyatta/Ruto ticket ahead of the March 4th 2013 general election.

Kenya: Refugee-run online news magazine

The Kakuma News Reflector, or KANERE, is an independent news magazine produced by Ethiopian, Congolese, Ugandan, Rwandan, Somali, Sudanese and Kenyan journalists operating in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. It is the first fully independent refugee-run news source of its kind to emerge from a refugee camp, and has attracted considerable...

Journalist Killed During Ceasefire Talks in Central African Republic

The network of Human Rights Reporters in Central African Republic reports that journalist for the Radio Bé-oko Elisabeth Olofio was killed [fr] when Sékéla rebels entered the town of Bambari, CAR on January 7. A ceasefire agreement was signed [fr] between the rebels and the Bozizé government today (January 11)...

Nobel Peacemaker Ramos Horta's Mission to Guinea Bissau

The political chaos in which Guinea Bissau finds itself embroiled - and more so since the April 2012 coup d'etat - may be a little closer to finding a resolution with the recent appointment of Nobel Peace Prize winner and former President of East Timor, José Ramos-Horta, to lead the United Nations Integrated Peace-Building Office in the country.

Chadian President Names Sons at Key Executive Positions

Djamil Ahmat reports that Chadian president Déby named his son Mahamat Idriss Déby, 24, general of brigade [fr] along with 4 other officers. Tchadanthopus adds that his other son Zackaria Idriss Deby was allegedly offered to be vice-president [fr] with executive power when his father is out of the country.

Gay Man Lynched in Northern Cameroon

Oscarine Mbozo’a reports [fr] on L'Actu that one gay man and his companion were lynched at a market on January 6, 2013 in Maroua, Northern Cameroon : Goche Lamine, a medical merchant, was caught with a high school student named Sanda, aged 17. The crowd was alerted by a kid shouting...

Madagascar's Vanilla Beans Came from Mexico

Antoine Ganne tells the unique story of how Vanilla came to populate the island of Madagascar and Reunion island [fr] from the Gulf of Mexico. Ganne explains that European traders brought Vanilla from Mexico to Louis XIV who wanted to grow it on Reunion Island but failed. A young Reunionese slave,...

Ivorian Blogger Questions Government's Response to Abidjan Stampede

Ivorian bloggers Mohamed Diaby and Cyriac Gbogou have been released from police custody. Both citizens, helped create a humanitarian platform to assist victims of the January 1, 2013 stampede in Abidjan. But on January 4, 2013, they were arrested after being accused of interfering with official disaster assistance efforts. Mohamed Diaby explains about the events that led to their arrests on his personal blog.

Zambian Ex-President Banda on his 2011 Election Defeat

Former Zambian President Rupiah Banda has stated in a YouTube video interview that he did not contest the 2011 elections results because he did not want the country to go to war which his opponents were seemingly ready for.

“We Cannot Do it Alone”, A Mayor's Plea for US Intervention in Mali

Lawless and godless men — who hide behind Shariah and demands for Tuareg independence — are now beating and raping women and conscripting children to fight their “holy” war. And the greatest tragedy is that people are starting to get used to it [..] President Obama must not allow northern Mali...

Technology Helps Kenyans Reveal Electoral Registration Fraud

As Kenya gears up for presidential elections, technology helped reveal that political parties stole National Identification details of unsuspecting Kenyans and registered them as their members with the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission.

The Mauritanian Water Uprising