Africa

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is on a seven-country tour of Africa, has urged the Democratic Republic of Congo to address the root causes of the conflict in the east of the country. The war is the world’s deadliest conflict since World War II, killing 5.4 million people. She called on Congo’s government to put an end to the rape of women as “weapons of war”.

Speaking in a public forum in Nairobi, Hillary Clinton signaled a potential shift in US opposition to the International Criminal Court. Clinton said she feels “great regret” the US is not a signatory. A number of states, including China, Russia, India and the United States, have not joined the present 108 member states. Chile to be 109th as of September.

A kindergarten and primary school at Kazimia-Katondje, Fizi (South-Kivu Province, DR Congo) has just been renamed “Glenn Paige Non-killing School” by its promoters, local nonprofit MLECI. The school was originally founded in 2006 and has over 180 students, who are casualties of war, disease and abandonment. Besides providing education, it offers food, health care, clothing.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has begun a seven-nation, eleven-day trip to Africa. Her trip begins in Kenya, where she is expected to meet with Somalia’s President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. Somalia at present is at war, since January 2009 when the southern half of the country fell into the hands of radical Islamist rebels.

The Obama administration’s special envoy to Sudan is calling for a major shift in U.S. policy towards the Sudanese government. In May 2007, the Bush administration imposed economic and other sanctions against Sudan, because of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. In the Darfur conflict, due to violence and disease, UN estimates 400.000 people killed and 2 millions displaced.

Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya, drew attention to the injustice of military spending when the money could be better spent on eradicating poverty and disease.

Organisers of the World March in Ghana today highlighted the issue of the Treaty of Pelindaba to the Deputy Speaker of parliament who promised to investigate and see what could be done to ratify it as soon as possible.

On Friday 3rd of July 2009, Mogho Naaba Baongo, Emperor of the Mossi people (the majority ethnic group in Burkina Faso) endorsed the World March. This endorsement was marked by a special ceremony that took place in the Royal Palace in Ouagadougou, in the presence of the Minister for Promotion of Human Rights, Salamata Sawadogo.

During the event presentations were made about national and international initiatives for the World March for Peace and Nonviolence. There were also testimonies by citizens who have endorsed the project.