Latest News
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U.S. Legislators’ letter to President Kagame urging him to stop destabilizing the D.R. Congo
Read the full letter here August 3, 2012 Dear President Kagame: We are writing as a bipartisan group of legislators to express our deep concern about the recent and growing conflict in eastern Congo…. The conflict in eastern Congo and Rwanda’s role in it deeply troubles many Members of Congress. We believe the continuing unrealized potential…
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Questions about the Obama Administration’s Sub-Saharan Africa Policy
On July 30, 2012, a team of AFJN staff; Executive Director, Fr. Aniedi Okure, Policy Analyst Jacques Bahati and interns Rubea Stouppe and Ashagrie Abdi were among those invited to the White House to discuss President Obama Administration’s “Strategy Towards sub-Saharan Africa.” On the panel were Grant Harris, Special Assistant to the President and Senior…
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Militarization without Boots—or Conscience: US Drones across Africa
Whereas formerly the continent of Africa was merely a tactical jumping-off point for access to the Middle East, now it is fast becoming a battlefield in its own right. The name of the strategy? Counter terrorism. The secrecy of US militarism in Africa is no secret at all. Africans are aware of the new reality: AFRICOM has been flooding the Sahel and Central…
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African Woman Leaders
Liberian President — Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf — The first female president of Liberia and Africa’s first female head of state, she was elected in 2005 and re-elected in 2011. She served as Minister of Finance, and is one of three women awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize “for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.” Malawian President — Joyce…
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Comprehensive and Inclusive Step Required to end the Crisis in Somalia
By Ashagrie G. Abdi, AFJN Intern This article was first published in our April-June Newsletter After the downfall of Zaid Barre, Somalia’s President from 1969-’91, the struggle for power resulted in a civil war that claimed many lives. According to some reports, an estimated 350,000-1000,000 Somalis have died as a result of conflict, drought and…
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US Department of State finally acted to force Rwanda to stay out of Congo’s internal affairs
This arm twisting against Rwanda is in accordance with US Public Law 109-456, “The Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006”, Section 105 which says: “The Secretary of State is authorized to withhold assistance made available under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.), other…
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AFJN Featured in San Francisco Bay View: National Black Newspaper
On July 7, 2012, the Africa Faith and Justice Network was mentioned in Mary Ratcliff’s article “U.S. cuts aid to Rwanda for destabilizing Congo” featured in the San Francisco Bay View: National Black Newspaper. To read the full article click below:
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Hazardous Waste Dumping in Africa
As concerns over environmental issues on the African continent gain attention around the world, the problem of foreign companies dumping their toxic waste wherever they feel like has come to light. This dumping takes many forms: donations of pesticides that are actually expired, illegally dropped containers of chemical waste offshore, or even sending broken electronics…
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“A little office that reaches a continent”
AFJN in the National Catholic Reporter under the headline “A little office that reaches a continent” (July 20, 2012)
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Africa does not need foreign aid, but reforms
In his articles The Smart Way to Fight Corruption, George B.N. Ayittey, Ph.D. shines light on the enormous amount of cash that African leaders have stolen from the people; General Sani Abacha of Nigeria $20 billion, President H. Boigny of Ivory Coast $6 billion, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida of Nigeria $5 billion, President Mobutu of Zaire $4…
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D.R. Congo Crisis: look inside for a solution
On July 11th, 2,021 government officials from the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to find a solution to the armed struggle between the M23 rebels and the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national army. The delegates asked, among other recommendations, for a neutral force to be sent along…
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Shout out to the Foothills School of Arts and Science in Boise
For more than two years students at Foothill School of Arts and Science in Boise, Idaho have been learning about the connection between the minerals in some of their favorite technological gadgets and the conflict that has been going on in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the impact it has on Congolese people…
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The sentencing of DRC War Lord Thomas Lubanga
Bahati Jacques, AFJN’s Policy Analyst, on InFocus/Voice of America on the sentencing of DRC War Lord Thomas Lubanga
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World Student Christian Federation calls for a response to Violence against Christians in Nigeria with love and Prayer
by World Student Christian Federation We recognize the vulnerability the Nigerian people feel in their places of worship to be a violation of their right to worship publicly. We hope the federal government of Nigeria will be more strategic in its attempts to protect Nigerian citizens. The WSCF also echoes the call of Christian leaders…
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War Lord Thomas Lubanga sentenced to 14 years: whose victory?
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has charged the Democratic Republic of Congo’s war lord, Thomas Lubanga, with recruiting and using child soldiers in his rebel movement in Ituri. Lubanga has been sentenced to 14 years in jail, however he will serve only eight because he already spent six years in detention in The Hague. While…
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A New Scramble for Africa: Land Grab & Dispossession of People
From Around Africa, by Aniedi Okure, Executive Director A new scramble for Africa akin to the frenzy that followed the Berlin conference of 1885 and the partitioning and colonization of Africa is on; farmlands and minerals are the biggest attraction. The increasing discourse of land scarcity, the rising cost of food and the growing demand…
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U.S Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011
Author: U.S. Department of StateCategory: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and LaborDate Written: 2011 Summary & Comment: The Department of State documents yearly human rights reports on countries around the world. For example, in the case of Rwanda “There were several reports that the government attempted to commit arbitrary or unlawful killings within the country…
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U.S Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011
Author: U.S. Department of State Category: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Date Written: 2011 Summary & Comment: The Department of State documents yearly human rights reports on countries around the world. For example, in the case of Rwanda “There were several reports that the government attempted to commit arbitrary or unlawful killings within…
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Great Lakes of Africa Coalition Calls for U.S. Action to End Instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo
A United Nations Group of Experts report has documented the Rwandan government’s support for rebel groups inside the Congo. Various media have reported that the United States Mission to the United Nations, headed by Ambassador Susan Rice had first attempted to block the report and after pressure has subsequently agreed to allow the publishing of…
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US Department of State’s Statement on the UN Group of Experts’ Report on Rwanda’s Support to Rebel Group M23 in D.R.Congo
Author: Victoria Nuland, Department Spokesperson Category: Press Release Rwanda-D.R. Congo Date: June 30, 2012 Document Origin: Office of the Spokesperson Comment: Will the US enforce its Public Law 109-456, “The Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006”, Section 105 which says: “The Secretary of State is authorized to withhold assistance…
