Burundi: Pierre Nkurunzia second term without the opposition, a concern
Posted on September 3, 2010
Since August 29, President Nkurunziza has formed a new government to serve with him during his second term. Nkurunziza, the only presidential candidate, won his second term in office on June 28 with an overwhelming majority of votes of 92.62 percent. His party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy- Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) won 81 of the 106 seats in the National Assembly, and 32 of the 34 seats in the senate elections. It is likely that the ruling party dominance will affect Burundian democracy, peace and stability. Read more here
Read more: Burundi: Pierre Nkurunzia second term without the opposition, a concern
Push Kagame Harder, Activists Tell Obama
Press ReleaseFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Kitty Kurth, Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation 312-617-7288
Friends of the Congo 202-584-6512
Africa Faith and Justice Network 202-884-9780
Email: rwandaelections@gmail.com
WASHINGTON DC (Wednesday, August 25, 2010): A nation-wide coalition of US activists is calling on President Barack Obama to go beyond recent White House criticism and intensify pressure on the government of newly re-elected Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
On Friday, August 13, a White House spokesperson, the National Security Council’s Mike Hammer, expressed the Obama Administration’s unhappiness about events in Rwanda. Hammer focused his ire on the repressive circumstances and the less-than-credible results of Rwanda's presidential elections on August 9.
The NSC statement made clear the White House view that today’s Rwanda is not a democracy and then went further to dismiss the “development first, democracy later” argument often used to excuse Mr. Kagame’s iron-fisted rule. “Rwanda’s stability and growing prosperity, however, will be difficult to sustain in the absence of broad political debate and open political participation,” Hammer said.
While welcoming Friday’s NSC statement, the advocacy coalition is demanding much tougher action against the Kagame government.
It is the Law: The US Secretary of State mandated to get involved in conflict mineral Reform in DRC
Posted on August 13, 2010
Written by Bahati Jacques
Warning! If you or your company is involved in the trading of natural resources from the relatively stable Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United States made it official that it will get involved in tracking you down. On July 21, 2010, when President Barack Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act H.R. 4173, or Public Law No: 111-203, which among other things aims to “promote the financial stability of the United States by improving accountability and transparency in the financial system,..” it subsequently became US law (section 1502, Law No: 111-203) to fight against conflict mineral from the DRC.
This section entitled "Conflict Minerals” was an amendment inserted in this US financial reform law by Senator Sam Brownback in an effort to combat one of the reasons why armed conflict in eastern Democratic Republic Congo continues. Although it has even greater implicit implications in reforming the mining industry beyond eastern Congo, this law specifically targets the following minerals: “columbite-tantalite (coltan), cassiterite, gold, wolframite, or their derivatives; or any other mineral or its derivatives determined by the Secretary of State to be financing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining country”
