Arcadia Foundation

South Sudan has officially pledged to end the use of child soldiers within its region by the end of this year, the BBC, the AFP, and Reuters reports.  The promise comes within the precipice of the referendum vote to decide its own autonomy from its northern counterpart or not.  Out of South Sudan come reports that even the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has established a child protection unit to make good on their promise. To date, the UN Children’s Agency estimates up to 900 children still fight with the SPLA, though it’s already discharged more than 20,000 children already in support of the pledge.

During the conflict, which ended in 2005 with the signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), what was known as the “Red Army” was the official title of the special “youth unit” in which child soldiers served in the rebel army of the South. Unfortunately, many more children still living in the recognized southern region still rely on serving in the military out of desperation, having no other means of support. That, or they grew up with their families in army barracks as well, sources in Sudan say.

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As seen in the Huffington Post:

Uganda is a bountiful, diverse nation on the socio-economic rise. They are a people of peace and tolerance, spurring international recognition for our established and newfound bevy of resources, their majestic scenery which has long supported thriving tourism and our democratic government, each day opening its doors to showcase greater transparency. Uganda has long been a cultural melting pot, with over 30 distinct indigenous languages belonging to five linguistic groups. Indeed all the tools are in place for Uganda to be a shining star in the continent and a symbol of potential for their neighbors.

In recent months however, their thought leadership with regard to pragmatic cultural progression has been severely weakened by prejudice, fear and frankly, illegal interventionism both from targeted sects here at home and by larger organizations abroad. I am speaking of course of the Anti-Homosexuality legislation.

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Reports that the man whose head was found in a latrine in Uganda worked for a pro-gay group in the country have proven to be false, causing many to unfortunately believe that the story was planted to discredit the Ugandan LGBT community, foreign bloggers, and Integrity Uganda. Integrity USA, a group representing LGBT Episcopalians, has confirmed that the dead man, Pasikali Kashusbe, was not associated with Integrity Uganda.

Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin writes:

“Some believe that the story was planted to discredit the Ugandan LGBT community, foreign bloggers, and Integrity Uganda specifically when the story was inevitably revealed to be a fraud. Other possibilities include (someone) using this story for another run at fraudulent fundraising.”

Burroway later issued an apology for perpetuating the false story: Read Full Paper

African gay activists in Africa and in the diaspora are increasingly using the Internet to have their voices heard, while still trying to figure out how to advance homosexual rights on the continent.

One of the more popular blogs advocating gay rights in Africa is called Gay Uganda. Its author chooses to remain anonymous.

“I am somebody in the heart of Africa who has been lonely without the rest of the Internet, without the rest of the global sphere, talking about what I would like to talk about, with that kind of freedom,” he said from Kampala.”I cannot do it elsewhere.”
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Rwanda. A nation geopolitically renowned for its great strides in finding economic prosperity from the ruins of 1994.

We haven’t discussed much in the tone of Rwandan human rights on this site. That changes today. Enter lawyer Peter Erlinder, an American political prisoner of the Rwandan government who was detained under false charges on May 28th, just one week after his client, the opposition leader Victoire Ingabire was jailed.

Despite a formal request from the U.S. State Department that Rwanda immediately release Erlinder, things have only gotten worse, as the judge has rejected all motions for bail, extended his remand for another 30 days, while Erlinder’s own defense attorney has been chased from the country fearing his own detention.

“There has been a lot of theatrics surrounding this case, but the fundamental issue at stake is whether Rwandans believe it is permissible for Genocide defenders and deniers to threaten the hard-won stability and harmony they have built in 16 years,” Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Louise Mushikiwabo said in a statement released by her office. Read Full Paper

The following post is brought to us by Amsterdam Group.net, Public Relations liaisons to the Arcadia Foundation:

World Cup fever is in full swing – the event shines a geopolitical spotlight on every nation showcased on a daily basis. This time around, the public relations initiatives behind each team seem to be near-tangible. For some of the more oppressive regimes, they may even be downright embarrassing.

Since leaving the country is an impossibility for prison- er, citizens of North Korea, the marketing gurus from the Jong-Il administration have decided to recruit their Chinese friends to make the trip for them and support the Chollima, the nickname of North Korea’s embattled but unbowed soccer team.

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The Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart has written an intriguing article on the proposed law in Uganda that would criminalize homosexuality, an issue we’ve discussed here on the blog and in conversations with one of the leading international opposers to the bill, British MP Peter Tatchell. A commission created by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has recommended that the legislation be withdrawn. According to Mr. Capehart, “all the international outrage that the horrific bill whipped up is having an effect.”

Ugandan lawmaker Adolf Mwesige led the commission and, according to the New York Times, “said that virtually all clauses in the legislation were either unconstitutional or redundant, and that any other clauses should be placed in another bill dealing generally with sexual offenses.” Mwesige told the paper, “If we proceeded, it would definitely provoke criticism, and rightly so.”

Indeed, international outrage and criticism from human rights groups and objections from major donors like Sweden, prompted the Kampala government to be wary of the bill. In mid-January Museveni issued a statement distancing himself from the bill. He appointed a cabinet committee to review the bill. On May 7, the committee recommended that the bill be withdrawn.

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It’s possible, says retired Air Force Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, the U.S. special envoy to Sudan, acknowledging that preparations for a critical element of the peace accord, a referendum on independence for southern Sudan, are behind schedule. Many analysts fear that southern Sudan’s secession could result in renewed fighting.

His recommendation? “To redouble our efforts,” adding “we can’t waste another minute.” The situation seems that pressing. If the referendum lapses, there would be little left to compel parties to come together again without putting new compromises on the table, as the situation certainly has evolved.

Options to address the situation so far have included whether or not Secretary Clinton or Ambassador Susan Rice need to take a more “visible role” in order to elevate importance among Americans. Another suggestion has been to put even more senior officials directly in charge of Sudan policy. Gration said he agrees with the analysis of Adm. Dennis C. Blair, the national intelligence director, that of all the countries likely to experience an outbreak of violence in the next five years, “a new mass killing or genocide is most likely to occur in southern Sudan.”

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The treasurer general of Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Roy Bennett, a longtime opponent of President Robert Mugabe, was acquitted yesterday of all charges, including terrorism, his lawyer said.

Judge Chinembiri Bhunu found Bennett not guilty of all charges: banditry, sabotage, terrorism and insurgency.

“He is now a free man,” lawyer Trust Maanda said. Bennett could have faced the death penalty.

“I hope that sanity is now creeping into the system and we can now start concentrating on delivering better lives for the people of Zimbabwe,” Bennett told reporters from Harare.

The latest in what could be the shocking conclusion of the Bennett saga may bode well for rule of law in the former breadbasket of Africa. If the judiciary mechanisms are now sane, oiled and running, not stale and rusted from political paralyzation and secret shadow committee initiatives, foreign investment may slowly start to funnel in.

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Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe made a surprise showing at Africa’s biggest business meeting in Dar es Salaam yesterday to appeal for investment. He also tried to downplay the highly controversial indigenization laws which (among other dated atrocities) will undoubtedly stifle much needed-investment, rendering 51% ownership of any organization or business operating in Zimbabwe and earning $500,000 annually to black Zimbabweans.

He was accompanied by members of the fractious coalition government.

Mugabe dismissed investor worries about new ownership laws -

“People have said it will drive away investment. We say it won’t,” Mugabe said.

“Companies have been forthcoming … I don’t think it’s a painful thing for them – 49% is a lot,” he told reporters.

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