Are you working 20 hours a day? Do you know anybody that works those kinds of hours?

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Documentary Project

for improved rights for migrant workers (Channel 4)

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My name is Sorious Samura. I am a journalist from Sierra Leone and I have been living in the UK for the last 14 years. I am making a documentary about the challenges facing migrant workers in the UK for Channel 4 and I am asking for your help.

In the UK today, I feel migrant workers are under appreciated. They work hard, are paid little, do the jobs British don't want to do, but still migrants are talked about like they are a problem.

When I first arrived in the UK in the early 90s, I was just trying to make the most of my opportunity here. I didn't have permission to work, but I worked anyway. I was being paid very little so I ended up working serious overtime. In fact, I had 3 jobs and was often working more than 20 hours each day. There are many migrants in London today working like this. It is a very difficult and exhausting life, but the British public doesn't see this. They don't see how hard many of us work, and the difficulties we face.

For this documentary I am making, I want to show the extreme working hours that some migrants are doing (20 hours a day or more). I want to show the British public, and politicians, that many migrants are trying to better their lives, working incredibly hard to make ends meet – and not just taking benefits like some people say. I believe this will be an important film that will help workers rights for migrants.

Are you working 20 hours a day? Do you know anybody that works those kinds of hours? Please get in touch if you can help me find these people.

I appreciate that some workers will be nervous about coming forward – some will also be undocumented. First, let me promise you that we don't do anything without your full permission. Secondly, we can take every precaution to hide your identity. At this stage, we are not doing any filming, there will be no cameras, I just want to hear your story and explain more about what we are trying to do. Please feel free to google me if you want.

Please get in touch.

I can be reached on 07879 813091 or sorious@insighttwi.com

www.insighttwi.com

EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES IN AFRICA: WORKING TOWARDS OPTIMAL IMPACT

Addis Ababa, 15 January 2014 – The African Union Commission, through its Department of Human Resources Science and Technology (HRST) held a day-long meeting of Education Development Agencies on 15 January 2014 at the AU Commission in Addis Ababa.

The discussion brought together partners and concerned members of the United nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization  (UNESCO), Economic Commission of Africa (ECA), Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and  also participants from the Russian embassy, United States of America, France, Germany and India.

The meeting is a way to find common grounds that will help Africa to get better education by bringing the stakeholders at national, regional, bilateral and multilateral levels together to share their experiences and to also identify the areas of intervention, knowing the basic components i.e. the teacher, the learner, the content and learning conditions.

The educational agencies are looking to develop a policy which drives and coordinates the teachers’ training, the building of the infrastructure and getting funding for equipment, text books, and information and communication technologies (ICT). They are also discussing ways to distribute resources using the many partners around the world that technically and financially develop African countries in the aspect of education. However some of the countries are receiving very little support or no support.

During his presentation Dr. Martial De-Paul Ikounga, Commissioner for Human Resources Science and Technology at the AUC said that a way has to be developed that would leave no country behind. He also stated how databases and statistics can be collected from stakeholders and a directory can be made for anyone who needs to use or collect the information. 

Nigeria begins arrests after anti-gay law passed

Nigeria's parliament and president quietly approved the legislation, making the country the 38th in Africa to have laws persecuting gay people

A resident said the roadside explosions went off just before the end of a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed in the city, which is also under emergency rule declared by President Goodluck Jonathan on January 31 in a bid to curb the Islamists' violence campaign Photo: REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

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By Mike Pflanz

3:42PM GMT 14 Jan 2014

Nigerian authorities today began arresting gay men after legislation was quietly approved criminalising homosexuality and imposing prison terms up to 14 years for breaking the new law.

Several gay couples were taken into custody in the country’s majority-Muslim north, and rights groups feared that others would be targeted across the West African country.

Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s president, signed the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act into law on January 7, but there was no public report of the new law until journalists obtained a copy of the act on Monday.

It prohibits homosexuals from even meeting in groups of two or more, bans marriage or civil unions between people of the same sex, and criminalises gay clubs and events.

Reuben Abati, the presidential spokesman, said Nigerians were happy with the new law. It makes Nigeria the 38th African nation to enact legislation persecuting gay people.

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“This is a law that is in line with the people's cultural and religious inclination,” Mr Abati said.

“More than 90 percent of us oppose same-sex marriage, so it is a law that is a reflection of the beliefs and orientation of Nigerian people. Nigerians are pleased with it.”

The country already has legislation outlawing homosexual sex, and few people in the country would want publicly to declare their love for someone of the same sex in a marriage ceremony for fear of violent persecution.

This has raised questions over the motivation. Some have suggested Nigeria’s new law and a proposed one in Uganda were a backlash to Western pressure for gay rights.

David Cameron pledged to cut British aid to countries that enacted new laws targeting homosexuals. In relation to the Nigerian law, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "The U.K. opposes any form of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation."

Bamanga Tukur finally resigns as PDP Chairman

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The National Chairman of Nigeria's crisis-ridden ruling political party - Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Bamanga Tukur, has finally resigned.

Yesterday, there had been rumours of his resignation but these were denied by his Senior Media Assistant on Media, Mr. Oliver Okpala, who said his boss had not tendered any resignation letter to anyone.

There have been moved to get rid of Tukur by many interest groups within the Party who believe that he is one of the architects of the Party's current problems.

It is believed that had he not resigned, a meeting of the Party's National Working Committee (NWC) due to hold later today would have passed a 'Vote of No Confidence' in him; which most likely would have been ratified at the Party's 63rd Meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) holding tomorrow.

Failed asylum seeker returns to Nigeria

45-year-old Isa Muazu, who had been detained since July, 'not found to have genuine need of protection' in UK

Isa Muazu had 'overstayed his leave for five-and-a-half years,' said immigration minister Mark Harper.

A failed asylum seeker who went on hunger strike has been removed from the UK after an unsuccessful legal battle.
Isa Muazu, who was said to be seriously ill after refusing food for about 100 days, has been returned to Nigeria, immigration minister Mark Harper said.
The 45-year-old had been detained since July after he was found to have overstayed his leave by five-and-a-half years.
Harper said halting Muazu's removal because of his hunger strike would "provide a dangerous incentive for others to follow suit".
He said: "Today, Mr Muazu, a failed asylum seeker from Nigeria, has been successfully returned. While we rarely comment on individual cases, in this instance we believe it is in the public interest to know the facts about the case, why he was returned and what we are doing to ensure his welfare. At times we need to make difficult decisions to maintain the integrity and fairness of our immigration system.
"Mr Muazu arrived in the UK as a visitor for six months. He overstayed his leave for five-and-a-half years before claiming asylum in July of this year.
"We consider every claim for asylum on its individual merits and he was not found to have a genuine need of protection. This was a decision that was supported by the courts.
"Mr Muazu was found to have no right to be in the UK and so the Home Office began the complex process of removing him.
"Halting the removal of Mr Muazu because of his protest would undermine our asylum and immigration system – and provide a dangerous incentive for others to follow suit.
"The health of those in our care is something we take very seriously and all detainees including Mr Muazu have access to healthcare provision.
"At every stage, the government has offered appropriate assistance to him and has also facilitated his transport to a hospital in Nigeria where the cost of an assessment will be covered."
Muazu – who despite being 1.8 metres (5ft 11in at one time weighed just 58kg (8st) – claimed he faced persecution from the militant Islamic group Boko Haram if he was to return to Nigeria, but has lost a series of legal challenges.
He said he came to the UK for a better life, and would rather die than face removal.
Earlier this month, a chartered deportation flight carrying Muazu was turned back. This prompted his lawyers to launch another attempt to appeal against the decision to remove him, but this was again unsuccessful.
Toufique Hossain, public law and immigration law director at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, who represented Muazu, said the firm was extremely disappointed.
"We felt that the substantial evidence produced before the tribunal more than justified the granting of a stay and permission to apply for a judicial review. Although we are disappointed with the decision, we will continue to fight for Mr Muazu even though he is outside the country.
"With respect, we maintain that there are significant errors of law in the upper tribunal judgment and we intend to pursue our appeal at the court of appeal.
"This case has been extremely difficult to litigate given the contracted timeframe pushed by the home secretary purely because she wanted him on a plane as soon as possible after her failed attempt.
"We will not give up on him."

We would like to invite you to attend one of the most newsworthy events in the global Travel & Tourism calendar - the 14th World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit, which takes place in Hainan Province, China, 24-25 April 2014 with a Welcome Dinner on 23 April. Attendance is complimentary and is by personal invitation only. WTTC is the global authority on the economic and social contribution of Travel & Tourism. It promotes sustainable growth for the industry, working with governments and international institutions to create jobs, to drive exports and generate prosperity. Its Global Summit is the world's highest-level gathering of Travel & Tourism executives, government representatives and international media, working together to unlock our industry's significant potential for sustainable worldwide development and economic growth. The WTTC Global Summit always attracts the biggest names in the travel industry and some high-profile speakers from outside of the industry: speakers are recent Summits include Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Robert Redford, Ted Turner, Sir David Frost, Felipe Calderon and Daryl Hannah. We are pleased to announce that Mr Kofi A. Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations 1997-2006, Nobel Peace Prize Recipient 2001 and the founder and chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation will provide the Global Summit keynote address. Kofi A. Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, 1997-2006

Have you considered a career in the public finance sector? The Local Government Graduate Finance programme aims to put talented graduates through a secure, four year programme that will form the first part of their journey towards senior management. You will also be sponsored to study for the unique and prestigious Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Professional Qualification. Your opportunity to make a difference This is more than just a way to achieve a great qualification and be paid to do it. Being chosen for the scheme will allow you to influence key decisions that matter to communities, enhancing people’s lives. You will: Have/expect to achieve, a minimum of a 2:2 (from any degree background) Have GCSE’s (or equivalent) in Maths and English (Grade C or above) Your formal qualifications aren’t the most important requirement though - your drive to succeed and desire to make a difference is. We want people who aren’t afraid of taking on a challenge, we want people who know they can make communities better. We can offer: Excellent packages including competitive salaries, Local Government / Public Service pension schemes and generous holidays. Flexible working environment, including a great work/life balance ethic. Flexible start dates from May 2014 for successful applicants. Opportunities in Nottinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and London. Deadline for applications is: Monday 13th January 2014 but we would encourage you to submit your application at your earliest convenience.

Meeting of African Ministers of Defense, Safety and Security

 

 

Addis Ababa, 10 January 2014 – Within the framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the 7^th Ordinary Meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee on Defense, Safety and Security (STCDSS) will take place at the African Union (AU) Headquarters, in Addis Ababa on 14^th January 2014. The Meeting will bring together African Ministers of Defense, Safety and Security, and will be preceded on 10-11 January 2014 by a meeting of Experts and on 12 January 2014 by a meeting of African Chiefs of Defense Staff and Heads of Security Services.

Two key issues are scheduled for discussion at these Meetings, namely: i) The Report of the recently concluded assessment of the African Standby Force (ASF), and ii) Progress made towards the operationalization of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC), which was established by African leaders at the 22^nd Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, in May 2013. The ACIRC is intended to serve as a transitional arrangement pending the full operationalization of the ASF and its Rapid Deployment Capability, in order to provide the AU with a flexible and robust rapidly deployable force to effectively respond to emergency situations in the Continent.   

With regard to the ASF, the 6^th STCDSS, on 30 January 2013 requested the AU Commission, in collaboration with Member States and relevant Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the African Standby Force, including its RDC, as an important step towards the full implementation of the decision of the 20^th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The Chairperson of the Commission appointed an Independent Panel of Experts to conduct the assessment.

 

The ASF Assessment Panel consisted of a multi-disciplinary Team of peace operations experts headed by Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the former Joint Special Representative of the United Nations - African Union Hybrid Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and former Foreign Affairs Minister of Nigeria. Professor Gambari and his Team conducted the Assessment from July to December 2013, during which period they visited the AU Commission and met with all the Planning Elements of the RECs/RMs. The Panel also consulted AU member states, the United Nations Office to the AU (UNOAU) and a large number of external partners, and submitted a comprehensive report on the progress made towards the operationalization of the ASF and its Rapid deployment Capability (RDC). That is the report the Ministers of Defense, Safety and Security will examine at their upcoming meeting.

Duggan family decline to meet Met police chief after lawful killing verdict

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe to meet community leaders from Tottenham as Duggan family vow to continue 'struggle'

Mark Duggan's aunt Carole told BBC radio: 'We will just keep asking questions.' Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

The head of the Metropolitan police is to meet community leaders from Tottenham on Thursday after an inquest jury's verdict into a police marksman's killing of Mark Duggan sparked an angry reaction from his family and supporters.
But Duggan's family members have said they will not be attending the meeting with Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe and that their struggle for justice will go on. Duggan's aunt, Carole, said the family was still in shock and turmoil following the verdict .
And she confirmed that they would be seeking a review of the inquest jury's decision. "We don't know how they reached the conclusion they did," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday.
She said the family did not want to see any more violence or demonstrations, after Duggan's death sparked the 2011 summer riots. But she added: "We will keep coming back with questions. The struggle will go on peacefully. But we will not give peace to the authorities until we get justice. We will just keep asking questions."
She was asked whether the slogan "no justice, no peace", which the family shouted after the verdict, meant they wanted to see more trouble. Carole Duggan insisted that was not the case.
She added: "There are also questions around the IPCC [Independent Police Complaints Commission] investigation in the beginning, which may have brought the jury to the verdict that they came to." On the evening of the shooting the Met wrongly told the IPCC that Duggan had fired at officers. The IPCC spread this misinformation to journalists.
Hogan-Howe said he accepted the police needed to do "much more" to build the trust of black Londoners and said he was "open to ideas and advice".
Asked if the family would be attending the meeting, Carole Duggan said: "Not just yet. The family are still in shock right now about the results of yesterday. We are in turmoil, we don't know what's going to happen right now."
Hogan-Howe has agreed to a pilot project involving firearms officers wearing video cameras to record incidents such as the one in which Duggan was killed.
"We want to see if this is an effective way to record evidence and ensure public confidence," he said in a statement on Wednesday night.
The move was welcomed by former Met commissioner Lord Blair. "If everything is on film then it becomes easier to understand what's happened," he told Today.
He added that video of the death of Lee Rigby showed the public that police officers have to react in "milliseconds".
Hogan-Howe welcomed the lawful killing verdict, but recognised the lingering anger and added: " I know that we have much work to do with black Londoners to build trust and confidence in the Metropolitan police."
The commissioner stressed that his armed officers' aim was to save lives but recognised the jury's verdict would not end the debate about the Duggan shooting: "We know that the arguments will continue about what happened in this case. So we appeal for a balanced debate about the risks to the public from gun crime."
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, who was shouted down with cries of "scum" and "murderer" when he made a statement outside the Royal Courts of Justice following Wednesday's verdict, said he understood the family's anger.
Speaking on Today, he said: "I can understand their grief and anguish, but 10 ordinary Londoners have looked at all the evidence over three months, rather than some of the nonsense that's been put on the internet over the last two-and-a-half years, and their conclusion was that Mark Duggan was lawfully killed.
"The important thing for us is looking forward in terms of the confidence of Londoners in the local area, and our relations, particularly with the black community, and the commissioner is doing that today.
"We want to reassure Londoners that they can have confidence in our firearms policing and the way they tackle gun crime in London, as indeed the jury demonstrated they had yesterday.
"We are not here to pretend that relations with all sectors of the community are perfect in every regard, and that's why the commissioner wants to talk to the community leaders this morning."
He confirmed that from April the Met would be testing having firearms officers wear cameras. "We are committed to it, but there are some technical complexities over how we make it happen," he said.
He said the move should help speed up inquests into deaths at the hands of police. "We can get there much quicker if we have got it on video, so why wouldn't we?" he said.
Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP, Diane Abbott, said it was important to understand the "history to that bitterness and anger" due to the relationship between police and urban communities.
Speaking on ITV's Daybreak, she said: "People have to understand how unhappy some people are about this verdict and why they're unhappy, and it's because of the relationship between the police and some of the community in our urban areas.
"There's still a lot of concern about stop and search and the fact that black youth and Muslim youth get stopped and searched far more than white youth and it bears no relationship to the actual criminality.
"We just have to understand that there's a history to that bitterness and anger and there's still work to do to build the community's confidence in the police.
"You can't deal with gun crime and gang crime in London unless you have the consent of the community and that's why these sorts of issues have to be dealt with very carefully," she said.

The team at UBUNTU PLATFORM would like to thank you for the love and support during 2013 and we look forward to serving you next year.

The dying of Mandela

By Peter Olorunnisomo on 21 Dec 2013 3:50pm - No Comments

The death of Nelson Mandela shook the world. Why it did would probably have as many reasons as the stars in the sky. A plethora of research organisations would probably need a work force the population of half of Europe to conduct in sufficient quantum what Mandela truly meant as a person and as a Read the full article... 

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Cameron admits target sailing out of view

By Alan Oakley on 21 Dec 2013 2:41pm - No Comments

Following the release of figures last week that reveal immigration in the year to June 2013 actually rose by 15,000 to 182,000, David Cameron has conceded that it is unlikely that his government will meet its target of reducing net immigration to the UK to “tens of thousands” (taken to mean below 100,000) by 2015. Read the full article... 

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Dec 17 at 7:44 PM

Officials of the companies Beny Steinmetz Group Resources and Onyx Financial Advisers have filed a claim in the UK High Court against Global Witness under the Data Protection Act. The officials are using the Act to demand that Global Witness hand over information relating to them, gathered in the course of reporting on a major corruption scandal. Global Witness intends to robustly defend its position and regards the claim as an attempt to stifle journalism in the public interest. Global Witness has been investigating and reporting for over a year on how BSGR obtained rights to one of the world’s largest iron ore deposits, the Simandou iron ore mine in Guinea. We have highlighted serious corruption concerns surrounding the deal, explaining in detail the reasons for our findings and asking questions of the companies concerned at every stage. Global Witness has solid reasons for querying the Simandou deal, full details of which are laid out in the reports on our website. Far from the fictional plot that BSGR has accused Global Witness of, BSGR is at the centre of a criminal investigation in the United States. A federal grand jury inquiry has been launched in New York into the company’s Simandou deal. One of its former advisers in Guinea, Frederic Cilins, is due to stand trial next year accused of attempting to destroy documents and obstruct the investigation. A Guinean committee reviewing past mining contracts has also been looking into the Simandou deal. Its deadline for a response from BSGR fell on the same day that the company’s officials announced their claim against us. Rather than seeking to bully those raising legitimate concerns, BSGR should address the corruption concerns directly. It has still not explained important aspects of its Simandou deal, including the  ownership of secretive companies registered in the British Virgin Islands. BSGR’s statements on Global Witness are routinely inaccurate. The claim that we are part of a conspiracy is entirely unfounded. All our reports are written independently, with no interference from any of our funders. It also falsely claims that BSGR sought our help on behalf of two imprisoned BSGR employees. All the material that Global Witness has published on BSGR’s Guinea deal can be found here

THE NEW UGANDA HIGH COMMISSIONER’S WORDS OF WELCOME

I bring you warm greetings from Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. The Mission of the Uganda High Commission in London is to protect and promote Uganda’s national interests and positions in the UK and Ireland. We strive to strengthen further the cordial relationship existing between the two sides. We closely follow the UK’s and Ireland's foreign policies and the economic development and seek to create opportunities for cooperation between Uganda and UK/Ireland. We provide information, guidance and consular services to anyone interested in Uganda for Investment, Trade, Tourism, Technology Transfer and Aid, among other purposes, in our implementation of Commercial Diplomacy.
One of the core responsibilities of the High Commission is to deliver the best possible counsel to Ugandan citizens in UK/Ireland who may be in need of the High Commission’s assistance for any reason. Ugandan citizens in distress are always welcome to contact the Uganda High Commission.
The staff of the Uganda High Commission consists of seven competent Foreign Service officers, supported by a team of locally recruited staff. We also have Mrs Sylvia Katete Gavigan as our Honorary Consul in Dublin, Ireland.
You are always welcome to contact the Uganda High Commission for further information.
Kind Regards,

Prof Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda
High Commissioner

TASWIRA ZA KIJIJI CHA QUNU ALIKOZIKWA MZEE NELSON MANDELA

TASWIRA ZA KIJIJI CHA QUNU ALIKOZIKWA MZEE NELSON MANDELA

Qunu ni kijiji kidogo katika jimbo la Eastern Cape la Afrika Kusini, kilomita 32 Kusini-Magharibi ya mji wa Mthatha, katika barabara ya Butterworth na Mthata. 

Kijiji cha Mvezo, pembezoni mwa mto Mbashe, ni jirani ya mahali ambapo Mzee Nelson Mandela alizaliwa. Hapo Qunu ndipo alipokulia na aliweka nadhiri ya kurejea. 

Kijiji cha Qunu ndipo baba yake Mandela alipohamia baada ya kuvuliwa Uchifu wa Mvezo. Katika kitabu chake cha ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ Mzee Mandela amekitaja kijiji hicho kuwa ndipo alipoishi maisha ya furaha wakati wa utotoni. 

Jumapili ya Desemba 15, 2013 Mzee Mandela alizikwa kijijini Qunu katika mazishi ya Kitaifa yaliyoshuhudiwa dunia nzima. Alizikwa kwa heshima zote za kiongozi wa Taifa katika sehemu aliyochagua mwenyewe kuwa nyumba yake ya milele.

 Daraja la waendao kwa miguu likipita juu ya barabara mpya ya lami inayojengwa kuelekea kijijini Qunu.

Siku ya mazishi barabara ya kuelekea Qunu ilifungwa na ni magari yaliyokuwa na kibali tu ndiyo yaliyoruhusiwa kupita

Ulinzi ulikuwa mkali kila sehemu kijijini Qunu

Wageni wakiwa katika geti kuu la nyumba ya Mzee Mandela hapo Qunu

Nyumba ya Mzee Mandela

Nyumbani kwa Madiba kijijini Qunu