Tuesday, 6 November 2007

AFRICA INVESTMENT

WHAT TO WATCH TODAY:
COMING UP TODAY ON Swahili Diaries -Ben Television SKY 194 at 10.00 PM
Interview with thye Secretary General of the Commonwealth Hon Don Mackinnon Ayoub Mzee with The Secretary general of the commonwealth.For Furher details please go to www.swahilidiaries.blogspot.com


A SYMPOSIUM ON INVESTMENT IN AFRICA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO RWANDA AND TANZANIA

INVESTING IN AFRICA-BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS 2007 Today H.E PAUL KAGAME the president of rwanda was the key speaker at the above event in the city of london

Tanzania delegates

Tanzania Minister HON JUMA NGASONGWA was the head of the Tanzania delegation representing the president
Tanzania High commissioner H.E MWANAIDI SINARE[middle]
Ayoub mzee with Minister Juma Ngasonga


Monday, 5 November 2007

Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
NGO in Special Consultive Status with the Economic & Social Council of the United
Nations
B-117, First Floor, Sarvodaya Enclave, New Delhi – 110 017
Tel: 91-11-2686 4678, 2685 0523, 26528152 Fax: 91-11-2686 4688
E-mail: chriall@nda.vsnl.net.in
Website: http://www.humanrightsinitiative/.
Statement of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
Advisory Committee
5 November 2007
Declaration of emergency and suspension of Constitution in Pakistan
The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) strongly condemns the
proclamation of the state of emergency in Pakistan by Chief of Army
Staff General Musharraf. The imposition of a totally unwarranted state of
emergency, interference with the judiciary, dismissal, intimidation and
detention of members of the Supreme Court and high courts, mass arrests
and targeting of human rights defenders, including Chairperson of the
independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the UN's Special
Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Ms Asma Jahangir, are
aimed at stifling democracy and peaceful dissent. Political workers and
lawyers across the country have also been arrested to prevent any
organised opposition to the emergency. The freedom of the media has also
been attacked as private news channels have been banned and laws are
being amended to further control the press.
These actions run entirely contrary to the fundamental democratic
principles of the Commonwealth. As a member, Pakistan is bound to
comply with such principles.
CHRI calls on the Commonwealth to immediately condemn these actions
and suspend Pakistan from the Councils of the Commonwealth, while the
Commonwealth continues to engage with and support civil society working
towards an early return to democracy.
CHRI London
Office28 Russell Square
London WC1B 5DS, UK
Tel: +44-207-8628857
Fax: +44-207-8628820
E-mail: chri@sas.ac.uk

PAKISTAN

Watch video:
Pakistan`s Musharraf declares emergency rule


COMMONWEALTH STATEMENT ON PAKISTAN:

Commonwealth expresses grave concern at State of Emergency in PakistanCommonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon has expressed grave concern at the declaration by General Pervez Musharraf of a State of Emergency in Pakistan.“The suspension of the country’s Constitution days before the Supreme Court was due to pass judgement on General Musharraf’s re-election as President is a matter of deep concern to the Commonwealth. It is a step in the wrong direction and a serious setback to democracy,” Mr McKinnon said.The Secretary-General said the challenges facing Pakistan at present were widely acknowledged, but suspending constitutional rule and taking arbitrary action against the judiciary were not the answer. “It is essential that the Constitution and the rule of law be restored and the judiciary respected. The Commonwealth also expects that the elections due to be held in January 2008 will not be postponed and that President Musharraf will abide by his undertaking to relinquish his military office before taking the oath as President for a second term.Mr McKinnon said that he would consult with the Chairman of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group about the latest developments. The Group has been regularly engaged with the situation in Pakistan.Pakistan will also be on the agenda of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda later this month.Note to EditorsPakistan was suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth in October 1999 and restored to full membership in May 2004. However, it has since remained on the agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which was established by Commonwealth Heads of Government in November 1995 to deal with serious or persistent violations of the Commonwealth’s fundamental political values.The Group is convened by the Secretary-General and is composed of the Foreign Ministers of nine Commonwealth member countries. It currently includes the Foreign Ministers of Canada, Lesotho, Malaysia, Malta, Papua New Guinea, St Lucia, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and United Republic of Tanzania.At their meeting in Malta in 2005, Commonwealth Heads of Government noted that the holding by the same person of the offices of Head of State and Chief of Army Staff is incompatible with the basic principles of democracy and the spirit of the Harare Commonwealth principles. They reiterated that until the two offices are separated, the process of democratisation in Pakistan will not be irreversible.CMAG will report to Heads of Government on Pakistan at the forthcoming CHOGM in Uganda (23-25 November 2007) and Commonwealth leaders are expected to address the issue thereafter


Tension heightens in Pakistan


General Musharraf has suspended Pakistan's constitution and ordered the arrest of opposition activists after imposing emergency rule. Authorities were rounding up opposition activists Sunday after Gen. Pervez Musharraf suspended Pakistan's constitution, declaring rising Islamic extremism forced him to take emergency measures that included replacing the nation's chief judge and blacking out the independent media that refused to support him. Police arrested the Javed Hashmi, the acting president of the party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, along with 10 aides when he stepped outside his house in the central city of Multan. Police also arrested six lawyers, including the secretary of the Multan High Court Bar Association, AP reported. In Islamabad, phone service that had been cut when the state of emergency was declared on Saturday evening appeared to have been restored by Sunday morning. But transmissions by TV news networks remained off the air in major cities other than state-controlled Pakistan TV. Scores of paramilitary troops at barbed wire barricades blocked access to the Supreme Court and parliament. Otherwise the streets of the capital appeared calm. In a televised address, Musharraf, looking somber and composed, said Pakistan was at a "dangerous" juncture, its government threatened by Islamic extremists. Musharraf on Saturday replaced the chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, who had emerged as the main check on the president. Talat Masood, a retired Pakistani general and respected analyst, said the emergency declaration was a pre-emptive move in case the court ruled against Musharraf. Eight of the 17 Supreme Court judges immediately rejected the emergency order, which suspended the current constitution. Police blocked entry to the Supreme Court building and later took the deposed chief justice and other judges away in a convoy, witnesses said. MSM/BGH

Sunday, 4 November 2007

Illegal Immigrants Amnesty?

Rice receives frosty welcome in Turkey Sat, 03 Nov 2007 04:12:56 Jody Sabral, Press TV, Istanbul

FORUM: Should illegal immigrants in the UK get Amnesty? Whats your view This is Andrew Gilligan associated with the disclosere that Dr David Kelly was the principal source for Andrew Gilligan's report claiming Downing Street "sexed up" an Iraq weapons dossier.
Mr Gilligan was the defence and diplomatic correspondent for BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Reporting for Today, Gilligan went undercover to buy anti-personnel landmines in contravention of the 1998 Landmines Act and exposed the relative ease with which it was possible to register postal votes on behalf of dead people.
Full text of Gilligan's two reports for the Today programme


Today i was asked to appear on his program The Forum- and the topic was : Should their be Amnesty on Illegal Immigrants ?
Im in his Studio

Andrew Gillighan with me

He also obtained a series of damning leaked official reports about Britain's performance in the Kosovo war.
And the reporter broke the story of a £1bn RAF combat jet that could not drop precision bombs.
In November 2000 Mr Gilligan was the first British journalist to report on plans for the draft European Union constitution.

[Acknowledgement-bbc, the guardian,presstv]



The next chapter of British liberty
This week we're discussing the establishment of a written constitution and how we're building a world class education system.A new chapter in British liberty Gordon Brown announced in a recent speech on liberty that a consultation will take place on the establishment of a Bill of Rights and a written constitution.Indeed the character of our country will be defined by how we write the next chapter of British liberty - by whether we do so responsibly and in a way that respects and builds on our traditions, and progressively adds to and enlarges rather then reduces the sphere of freedom.We want to hear your views on the key questions of the consultation which will then be published on the Labour Party website.You can also read the speech and learn more about Labour’s ideas for constitutional reform.Our vision for education Gordon Brown has said that Britain must aspire to achieve a world class education system and that no more will we tolerate second best.Every young person should know they have something to aim for in education, so when they reach 18 or 19 years old they leave school, college or an apprenticeship with a qualification.Read Gordon’s vision for the future of education and how we can have a Britain of all the talents. And remember… The State Opening of Parliament will be taking place on Tuesday 6th November, where Labour’s plans for the next year of government will be presented.


EVENT

Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary the author of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome will be a guest on my ROOTS show this Saturday 3 November 2007 between 9am and 12noon.

If you have any questions for Dr. Leary please send them to
roots@colourfulradi o.com or phone in on Saturday and speak directly to her on the studio number 020 7498 4028.

Don't miss this opportunity to explore this concept and how it affects our everyday lives.
Give Thanks,Dr Sandra Richards Tel: +44 (0) 20 7498 4026
Email:
sandrar@colourfulra dio.com Colourful - Talk Radio with Soul
Sky Digital Channel 0194 Web:
www.colourfulradio. com : Coming to DAB 2008
MEET THE BEST BARBER IN NEWHAM-BIG JOE HE IS FOUND IN FOREST GATE -BARKING ROAD


The man himself







Friday, 2 November 2007

ZIMBABWE: The way forward

THE DAY AFTER MUGABE:


Photo: Ayoub mzee
Life expectancy in Zimbabwe is the lowest in the world, but Zimbabweans across the political spectrum insist the country can recover from its crisis. The Day After Mugabe collects the views of key actors, commentators and policy experts. The contributors unravel what has gone wrong, and identify priorities for a lasting recovery. Their analysis defines the issues which will determine Zimbabwe's future.


This blog has one copy to give away to its readers .Please write a short story on : How to solve a problem like zimbabwe. email it to swahilidiaries@yahoo.com The winner will get a copy.Thank you
" TANZANIA'S INTERVENTION IN UGANDA IN 1979 PROVIDES THE NEAREST PARELL TO ZIMBABWE TODAY - AND ALSO THE STARKEST WARNING-Idd Amin's Act of expelling Asians , thus devastating the country's economy is similar to Mugabe's Land Grabbing "
Photo: Ayoub mzee
"THE EXISTENCE OF zanu PF as a party is closely tied to its control of the state .Therfore , it is doubtful the party can continue to exist in the event that it loses power.Ammendmend 18 of the constitutuion of Zimbabwe goes a long way towards guaranteeing ZANU PF 's hold on Power, even after mugabe has gone"
Photo: Ayoub mzee
"The key player in any lasting solution to Zimbabwe 's crisis will suerly be President Thabo Mbeki .Often cast as a villain by western press , theories for his failure to confront his neighbour abound:some critics say that he is overawed by the older man;or that he is a secret sympathiser; or that he has an abiding loyality to a former comrade in Arms"

Photo: Ayoub mzee

"The future of Mugabe and ZANU PF will be determined at an extra ordianary congress in DECEMBER 2007. This will be a water shed in the history of ZANU PF "

Photo:Ayoub mzee

"Once Mugabe is gone, the reality of his misrule will be immediately faced by a new government. Several post-Mugabe scenarios are possible, including a transition to a handpicked successor, the rise of a reformist faction within ZANU-PF, a broad government of national unity, a military coup, or even a descent into chaos. It is of course impossible to predict the outcome".

"Intervention under current circumstances is all but inconcievable and invitation is unlikely to be forthcoming ,external actor must reconsider their strategy for Zimbabwe"

Photo: Ayoub mzee

"Zimbabwe is now an international pariah, having quit the Commonwealth, nearly been expelled from the International Monetary Fund, and listed by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as an ‘outpost of tyranny’ alongside the likes of Burma and North Korea"

Photo: Ayoub mzee
"Zimbabwe will need donor funds to kickstrat a recovery , but foreign funds come with strings attached .Zimbabwe ans have learned from experience to be wary of Donor priorities"

Photo: Ayoub mzee
" It with the double crossing of Lobengula, the Ndebele King , when Cecil Rhodes' pioneers seized shona territory to establish Rhodesia in 1890.From the beginning, Britain's dealing with zimbabwe were maked by duplicity and callous disregard for its people:There fore up to now British Polices have not helped Zimbabwe-yet"
Photo: Ayoub mzee
"Land reforms have transfered the fertile land to the people who largely lacked lacked the know how or the resources to farm"

[Acknowledment -The day after Mugabe : Prospects for Change In Zimbabwe,RCS,Africa Research Institute]

ISRAEL! ISRAEL!
My friends from Isreal .Thank you for the Gift.The writingIn red im told ,is my name in hebrew and Arabic

KENYA' S CULTURAL EXPORT TO LONDON:Jua Cali -Performing at Club Afruque in Canningtown



HALLOWEEN
What do you think about Halloween? Do you feel it is plain hogwash or do you think there is some truth about it? Or do you see it as pure fun? Know the history of Halloween. Know how it all started, how the modern Halloween celebrations came into existence. You will be fascinated, surely. On the big day, impress everybody with your new-found knowledge. Click here to send this page to your friends



Photo: Ayoub mzee
Halloween, or Hallowe'en, is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, costume parties, visiting "haunted houses" and carving jack-o-lanterns. The term Halloween (and its alternative rendering Hallowe'en) is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day",[1] which is now also known as All Saints' Day
The Real Origins of Halloween discusses the history of Halloween, the origins of trick-or-treating, reasons behind some of the symbols of the season, and why the holiday is well worth keeping and celebrating. Previous versions of this essay specifically contrasted the historical evidence with the absurd claims and urban legends used in most anti-Halloween propaganda. I have now put those latter materials into their own essay, Halloween Errors and Lies, since it seems that many people have never seen or heard those fearmongering tales and could not understand why I would spend so much space discussing them within an historical essay.
Photo: Ayoub mzee
Many European cultural traditions, in particular Celtic cultures, hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world, and when magic is most potent (according to, for example, Catalan mythology about witches and Scottish and Irish tales of the Sídhe).
Photo: Ayoub mzee
For information about the specific topic of Witchcraft, consider obtaining this book, Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca.
ETHIOPIA FOOTBALL
Press release
‘SCORE ETHIOPIA’ TO PROVIDE COOL KITS FOR SCHOOL KIDS!

‘No fuss’ shampoo, Wash & Go, is launching ‘Score Ethiopia’; a football based fundraising initiative aimed at providing facilities in Ethiopia.

And the original ‘2-in-1’ favourite will be asking young footy fanatics across the UK to lend a helping hand or two by designing a unique football kit for their school team to be exchanged with one designed by a school in Ethiopia. The best kits will be manufactured and presented as part of an international level initiative.

The campaign builds on Wash & Go’s rich football heritage and was conceived when UK based volunteer, Mairead MacBeath, won a full adult Sunday league team kit in a competition. On witnessing Ethiopians passion for football first hand during her time there, she decided to send the kit to the town of Lalibela, where she had recently been working. The gesture has now accelerated into a full blown charity campaign.

Wash & Go has teamed up with education focussed charity Link Ethiopia, enrolling England footy legend John Barnes along the way, the campaign is set to deliver a whole range of facilities into Lalibela including a pitch, spectator seating, changing/showering facilities and amenities to the Gondar region of Ethiopia. Barnes, currently moonlighting in BBC 1’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ is one of England’s best loved footballers and is delighted to be spearheading the project:

“Spending almost two decades as a professional footballer has allowed me to travel to all corners of the globe. Rarely have I witnessed such passion for the ‘Beautiful Game’ as I did in Ethiopia. The country truly has a footy mad culture. Score Ethiopia is a superb way to use football to deliver much needed basic facilities to the Gondar region.”

And it all kicks off with an awareness raising initiative on these shores, by inviting primary schools nationwide to take part in a kit exchange. Wash & Go’s Helen Austin explains: ”Ethiopia is still one of the world’s poorest countries. Yet even in the face of adversity, one passion that its people share is football.

“So, we’re asking kids across England to combine their love of the beautiful game with a splash of flair and imagination by designing a football kit for a school in Ethiopia. In the meantime, kids of the same age in Ethiopia will be doing exactly the same thing!

“Children in this country still have a need for new equipment. Ethiopian schools an even greater need. Designing a kit puts both UK and Ethiopian schools on a level playing field as a gift exchanged between communities at different ends of the world. It will also provide for education and understanding between the children of each country as schools in both countries will receive education packs giving an introduction to culture, ethos and community living.”

Winning schools will be treated to a visit by their Ethiopian counterparts and John Barnes to exchange the two kits. In the meantime, they can get involved with a whole host of fun and quirky fundraising ideas from football fun days to sponsored penalty shoot-outs. You could even start your own school link with Ethiopia.

Any schools who haven’t been contacted but wish to take part in the initiative should contact the Score Ethiopia hotline on 0161 828 5400 or visit www.linkethiopia.org/score
-end-
For further information please contact:
Matt Royle, Danny Lynch or Amy Watson at Powell Communications
T: 0161 828 5400

Thursday, 1 November 2007

Race and Equality

RFO AWARDS
Race for Opportunity (RfO) is a growing network of private and public sector organisations working across the UK to promote the business case for race and diversity.

Rt Hon Hazel Blaires,MP- secretary of state for communities and local Government
Photo: Ayoub mzee

Race for Opportunity challenges organisations to underpin strategies with concrete actions, guaranteeing a postive impact on business performance
From a business perspective, diversity should be harnessed to gain competitive advantage to explore new markets and customers.

Photo: Ayoub mzee
Young people from ethnic minority groups are more likely to be in full time education at 18 than young white people according to reports

Photo: Ayoub mzee

MENU : STARTER-Thai Chiken salad with Lime and Coriander Dressing

White graduates are three times more likely than graduates from ethnic minority communities to be offered a position by a top British company
Progress Award
For the organisation who showed the most significant progress in their work on race since the 2006 benchmark.
Winner: West Midlands Police FOR MORE AWARD WINNERS VISIT : http://www.bitc.org.uk/news_media/rfo_chairmans_award.html

Hon Diana Abbott MP was also present[with a Glass]
Photo: Ayoub mzeeAs individuals and businesses become more international, this change should be welcomed so that we can benefit from new social outlooks and cultural influences.

Lord Herman Ouseley
Photo: Ayoub mzee
In 2003, 17.2% of all University students were ethnic minorities, who overall have an equal or better record of education and qualification than the white population. Yet unemployment rates for ethnic minority communities are on average two to three times those of white communities.



On the 30 October, the winners of RfO's first ever awards entitles the Chairman's Awards 2007, were announced at the Annual Dinner held at the Hilton, Park Lane and sponsored by Lloyds TSB.
NOTE: The UK DEPARTMENT OF WORKS AND PENSIONS HAS ANNOUNCED THAT 52 PERCENT OF JOBS OF JOBS CREATED UNDER NEW LABOUR HAD GONE TO FOREIGN WORKERS.THIS CAMES AMID REVELATIONS THAT 1.1 MILLION OVERSEAS WORKERS HAD COME TO BRITAIN SINCE 1997.HOME SECRETARY JACQUI SMITH ALSO SAID THAT THE MOST OF THE JOBS CREATED BY NEW LABOUR HAD BEEN FILLED BY BRITISH WORKERS


South Africa Singer Lucky Dube laid to rest yesterday

Black people in Bratain are 7 times more likely to be stopped and searched by Police that Whites as 14,000 black people were targeting by stop and search in 2005/06-According to the report published as part of the Race and the Criminal Justice System.click on links below for further reading: