Important New York Times Articles This Week

I'd like to draw your attention to two articles that appeared in the New York Times this week.

The first, "Study Finds Pattern of Severe Droughts in Africa," describes scientists' recent documentation of recurring, centuries-long megadroughts in Africa.  These droughts are both unavoidable and unpredictable.  The last such drought ended in 1750, after lasting about 300 years.  Megadroughts are primarily a problem in West Africa, an area known to be significantly drier than other parts of the continent.

The second article, "Plan Tries to Lower Malaria Drug Cost," details a new plan to provide the most effective malaria medication at a low cost to people in developing countries.  The program, beginning with a budget of $225 million, will pressure drug companies to reduce the private-sector price of the drug from $4 to $1 and will use donor funds to pay $0.95 of the cost.  With a wholesale price of $0.05, the retail price in poor countries should be around $0.20.  International health organizations, non-profit organizations, and several European countries are backing the plan, but the U.S. has yet to offer support for it.

An Inside Look at Darfur's Rebels

Today's Los Angeles Times offers readers an up-close look at rebels in Sudan's Jebel Marra Mountains.  In "Darfur Rebels Make Their Stand Above the Fray," Edmund Sanders describes his trip to a place no journalist has visited in seven months.

A rebelled-controlled area, things are better in the mountains than in the rest of Darfur.  Those who live here are isolated from the rest of the country, and many of the rebels don't dare leave for fear of being attacked, but they agree it's a better than the other option - living in internally-displaced persons camps and being entirely dependent on foreign aid.

Economic Crisis Causes Job Loss in Africa

The global economic crisis has brought a decline in demand for many commodities, which has forced factories to close and caused people to lose their jobs.

A recent Washington Post article illustrates the problem with an example from Zambia: an Indian-owned copper mine near the town of Luanshya currently employs 12,000 people, and locals describe the town as "fully dependent" on it.  However, it's going to have to cut 1,100 jobs to reduce costs.  Other mines across the country have already closed.  People in other countries are feeling the same problem: decreases in demand for Botswana's diamonds, Chad's oil, and Tanzania's cotton are also forcing people out of jobs.

Clashes in Sierra Leone

Clashes broke out Friday in Sierra Leone's capital city of Freetown.  Problems began when members of the country's opposition party, the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), were accused of throwing broken bottles members of the governing All People's Congress (ALC) during a parade.  Then on Monday, thousands of SLPP supporters surrounded the ALC headquarters, trapping government officials in the building.

Police fired tear gas into the crowd on both Friday and Monday.  At least 20 people have been treated for injuries, and at least six women were raped during the riot.

See BBC video coverage of the riots.

Sierra Leone suffered a brutal civil war between 1991 and 2002, in which tens of thousands were killed and over 2 million displaced.  Since the end of the war, the country has been fairly stable, and there were successful democratic elections in September 2007.  Since then, however, tensions between the ALC and the SLPP have mounted.

Pope Visits Africa, Discusses Condoms

Pope Benedict XVI is in the midst of his first trip to Africa, which will take him to Cameroon and Angola.  During a speech in Cameroon, the pontiff reaffirmed the Catholic Church's opposition to condom use: Pope Benedict stated his belief that distributing condoms in Africa would worsen the HIV/AIDS epidemic and recommended promoting abstinence as the best means of preventing the spread of HIV.  His comments, not surprisingly, have been met with outrage from health organizations working to combat the disease.

Election Dates Proposed in Guinea

Guinea's military government, which came to power in a coup last December, has proposed dates for the elections it has been promising since it took power.  The suggestion calls for legislative elections in November and a Presidential election in December, along with a referendum on the country's laws.  There has been little speculation thus far on who might enter the Presidential race.  Until the elections are completed and Guinea returns to civilian rule, the country will remain suspended from the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union.

Nicholas Kristof on the Current Situation in Darfur

On March 4, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, charging him with war crimes and crimes against humanity.  The Sudanese government responded by expelling from Darfur thirteen aid organizations on whom as many as one million Sudanese depend on for food, water, healthcare, and shelter.

New York Times op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof recently published excellent analysis on the issue.

"A President, A Boy, and A Genocide" (March 4) tells the story of a 8-year-old Darfuri refugee in eastern Chad who lost one eye and both hands to a grenade he and his friends found near their homes.  Kristof also describes the Sudanese government's response to al-Bashir's arrest warrant and outlines the steps the U.S. government and the rest of the international community must take.

Kristof continues this commentary in "Watching Darfuris Die" (March 7).

He also recently released a video reporting on the arrest warrant and its effects.

Violence against Zimbabwean Women Refugees

The New York Times recently posted a fantastic video on the plight of women fleeing Zimbabwe to seek asylum in South Africa.  Men on both sides of the border act as guides for Zimbabwean refugees, but they often steal from the refugees and rape the women.  The journey is so dangerous and conditions in South Africa are so bad that some refugees, especially women, may have been better off staying in Zimbabwe.

10,000 Ugandans Serving in Iraq

The Christian Science Monitor posted a fascinating article this morning - "Why 10,000 Ugandans are Eagerly Serving in Iraq."

Not only have 10,000 Ugandans already served in Iraq, but thousands more dream of doing the same.  And, if President Obama withdraws U.S. troops from Iraq, Ugandans will set their sights on Afghanistan.

Ugandans are apparently good candidates for service, as many speak English (Uganda is a former British colony), are impoverished (the country is among the world's 20 poorest), and have experience (a 20-year conflict has produced a large population of army veterans).  But perhaps most importantly, they are willing to work cheaply: Ugandans earn an average of $600 per month for the same job that would earn an American $15,000 per month.  Even when accounting for the low cost of living in Uganda, these two figures are astonishingly inequitable.  Many Ugandan soldiers in Iraq resent the fact that multi-billion dollar corporations are profiting from their cheap labor.

One cannot help but argue that anybody should make more than $600 per month for putting their life on the line. But, to Ugandans, from a country where this meager wage goes a long way, it is adequate compensation.  One returned soldier reported building two houses, buying a bar, and increasing the size of his cow herd and banana plantation with one year's earnings.

Paying Ugandans $15,000 per month would also create problems at home.  Most Ugandans cannot even fathom earning $15,000 in a year, much less in a month.  If thousands of Ugandans were to return home with that much money, the country's inequality would skyrocket, creating new tensions.

Yet is it fair for the same company to pay a Ugandan four percent of what it pays an American for the same job?  Hardly.

Morocco Cuts Ties with Iran

On the same day that Mauritania severed its relations with Israel, Morocco did the same with Iran.  An Iranian official's recent comments about Bahrain's former status as an Iranian province sparked outrage in the Arab world, particularly among Sunni-dominated states such as Morocco.

Morocco and Iran have had a rocky relationship since the Iranian revolution in 1979 and only normalized relations in the late 1990s.  Following the Iranian revolution, Morocco hosted the exiled shah, and Iran retaliated by supporting Western Sahara in its movement for independence from Morocco.  Morocco has also accused Iran of attempting to spread Shi'a Islam among the Moroccan population, which is officially 99% Sunni.

Israel Forced to Close Embassy in Mauritania

Mauritania recently announced a demand that Israel close its embassy in the country's capital city of Nouakchott.  The Mauritanian government gave the embassy staff 48 hours to leave the country.  Libyan President (and current African Union President) Muammar Gadaffi, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and exiled Hamas leader Khalad Meshaa had reportedly been pressuring Mauritania to ends its relationship with Israel.

Mauritania was previously one of only three Arab League members to maintain full diplomatic relations with Israel, though the relationship has became tense in light of increased conflict between Israel and Gaza.  After 1,300 Palestinians were killed on January 18, tens of thousands of Mauritanians protested in the streets of Nouakchott.  The Mauritanian government, a military junta that took power in a coup in August, recalled its own ambassador from Israel last month.

Arrest Warrant for Sudanese President

The International Criminal Court has released its arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.  The ICC is accusing the President of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan's western region of Darfur.  The U.S. and the EU welcomed the warrant, but China, along with several African and Arab states, oppose it and say it will further destabilize Darfur.  As expected, Sudan's government dismissed the warrant, calling it neo-colonialist.  Since the ICC's announcement, the Sudanese government has expelled ten aid organizations working in the country, and many sources say things are likely to get worse.

This BBC video shows supporters rallying around the President in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum.

Reuters has also posted video coverage of local and international response to the warrant.

Guinea-Bissau - Moving Forward

As required by the country's Constitution, Guinea-Bissau's head of parliament, Raimundo Pereira, has been sworn into office as interim President.  The Constitution requires him to organize a Presidential election within 60 days.

But African history is rife with examples of forgone elections, particularly in times of crisis, and only time will tell whether Pereira proceeds with elections or tries to hold on to the office permanently.  That the army supports him as interim President, however, indicates the army's aim to restore constitutional order and dispels concern that the attacks were a military coup.  The African Union also believes the attacks were not a coup.

Life for residents of the capital city of Bissau is also returning to normal.  The city's streets were nearly deserted following the attacks, but sources say businesses are re-opening and shoppers are returning to the markets.

Guinea-Bissau - Video Coverage

Check out video coverage of the attacks in Guinea-Bissau:

Reuters video

AP video

MSNBC video

Guinea-Bissau Attacks - Analysis

Yesterday and earlier today, most news sources discussing the attacks in Guinea-Bissau focused on the most recent events in the country.  Now, many outlets have released more analytical articles discussing the causes of the attacks, linking them to the international drug trade, placing the events in a historical context, and making predictions for Guinea-Bissau's future.

President Vieira and Army Chief Na Waie, from different ethnic groups, were fierce rivals, and tension between the President's supporters and the country's military leaders has risen in recent weeks.  There has been speculation that Vieira was responsible for the attack that killed Na Waie and that soldiers loyal to Na Waie killed the President in revenge.  Most sources have also linked the attacks to Guinea-Bissau's status as a major hub in the international cocaine trade, and some have pointed to the likelihood that Colombian drug lords supplied the bomb that killed Na Waie.

A Portuguese colony until 1974, Guinea-Bissau is one of Africa's poorest, weakest, and most corrupt countries.  It has had a volatile history, even by African standards, and most recently saw an attempted assassination of the President and failed coup in November 2008.  

According to the nation's constitution, the head of parliament should now act as President and organize elections within 60 days.  Though the military has pledged to abide by these laws and restore order, and has denied accusations that the attacks were a military coup, observers remain skeptical.  There is also concern that ethnic tensions in Guinea-Bissau will rise and that the country's political power vacuum will make it even more appealing to drug cartels.

Time summed up these issues in "A Big Double Murder Jolts Africa's Cocaine Hub."

The Los Angeles Times provides similar information, as well as a photograph of the President's now-destroyed home, in "Guinea-Bissau President Assassinated."

The Associated Press released "Twin Assassinations Leave Guinea-Bissau in Turmoil," as well as "A Look at Guinea-Bissau's Instability."

BBC Africa offers a variety of articles, including "History of Crisis Haunts Guinea-Bissau" and "Obituary: President Vieira of Guinea-Bissau."

Guinea-Bissau Update - President Assassinated

Following an attack on Guinea-Bissau's military headquarters, which killed the Armed Forces Chief of Staff, the country's President, Joao Bernardo Vieira, was assassinated.

A number of sources have covered the story:

BBC Africa has a story on that attack, "Guinea-Bissau President Shot Dead," and another on the current state of affairs in Bissau, "I Saw Bissau Rocket Attack."

CNN also has a story - "President of Guinea-Bissau Assassinated."

The Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post are still relying on an AP story, but the New York Times has started its coverage, "President of Guinea-Bissau Said to Be Killed by Soldiers."

The Christian Science Monitor also has an interesting story, "Guinea-Bissau Assassinations: Is Colombia's Drug Trade Behind Them?", linking the attack and assassination to Guinea-Bissau's role in the drug trade between Latin America and Europe.

New York Times Op-Ed on Darfur

New York Times op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof recently published an interesting article about Darfur, titled "Africa's 'Obama' School."

Kristof writes from a refugee camp in Chad, now home to refugees who have fled the genocide in the Darfur region of neighboring Sudan. America's election of Obama gives the refugees hope, Kristof says, that the international community will finally end the genocide. The International Criminal Court is scheduled to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on Wednesday. Kristof is optimistic that this will help push al-Bashir out of office, and he encourages Obama to support the ICC.

Guinea-Bissau's Army Chief Killed in Attack

The top news story for today: the Chief of Staff of Guinea-Bissau's armed forces, Tagme Na Waie, was killed in an attack on the country's military headquarters.

Check out coverage of the attack from different sources:

The UK's Times Online offers the most extensive coverage - "Guinea-Bissau Military Chief Killed in Grenade Attack."

Al-Jazeera has also posted a detailed story - "Guinea-Bissau Army Chief Killed."

It was the top story on BBC Africa - "Guinea-Bissau Army Chief 'Killed.'"

The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times have each posted an AP story on the margin of their Africa page - "Guinea-Bissau: Explosion at Headquarters."  This story only covers the attack, Na Waie's death.  It was presumably released before that information was known and has not been updated.

CNN has posted information about Na Waie's death - "Bomb Kills  Guinea-Bissau Military Chief."

BBC Africa

BBC World News: Africa consistently provides high-quality news coverage of events in all parts of Africa, as well as original features on a variety of topics.  Here's a sample of today's top stories:

"Mugabe Vows to Seize More Farms"

"Somali Leader Agrees Sharia Law"

"Harare Teacher: 'Relief to Work Again'"

"Kenya Sleaze Books Sparks Shop Ban"

"Conte's Son in TV Drug Confession"

"Zuma Dismisses New South Africa Challenge"

"Rwanda Priest Jailed for Genocide"

"DR Congo Outsources Its Military"

"Ex-Malawi Leader on Theft Charges"

Darfur Video

Here's a great video by Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times.  In it, he tells the story of a young Darfuri refugee living in a refugee camp in Chad.

Recent Events

For my first blog post, I want to outline some of the most important recent events in Africa.

In December 2008, following the death of President Lasana Conte, a military coup overthrew Guinea's government.  Most sources say the coup was bloodless and that the Guinean people welcomed its leaders.  The new government, led by President Moussa Camara, has promised democratic elections by the end of 2009, but observers are skeptical.

In January 2009, Ghana held a Presidential election.  The West African country, a prime example of democracy in Africa, enjoyed a free, fair, open election, and its result, in favor of the opposition party, did not face any major challenge.

Perhaps Africa's most notorious states, and arguably the world's most failed states, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and Zimbabwe all face worsening situations.  In the DRC, fighting continues among several groups.  More fighting has broken out in the Somali capital of Mogadishu during the past few days, and a recent attack on an African Union base killed 11 Peacekeepers.  Zimbabwe is suffering from a severe cholera epidemic.  Following one of history's worst cases of hyperinflation, the Zimbabwean government abandoned its currency.

Also this month, there was a coup in Madagascar, an attempted coup in Sao Tome and Principe, and a possible attempt in Equatorial Guinea.

Finally, fighting has recently flared up in south Sudan, killing 14 civilians so far.