CIA Officer Killed in Somalia, Report Says

By AFP

November 27, 2020 01:11 AM

WASHINGTON - A CIA officer was killed in combat in Somalia in recent days, U.S. media said Thursday without releasing details of how the agent died.

The veteran officer was a member of the CIA's Special Activities Center, a paramilitary branch that carries out some of the US intelligence agency's most dangerous tasks, The New York Times said.

The officer died of injuries suffered during an operation last week, according to CNN.

The CIA has not commented publicly on the death.

Washington has some 700 troops deployed in Somalia carrying out training of Somali forces and conducting counter-terrorism raids against the Al-Shabaab militant group, which Washington designated a terrorist movement in 2008.

Earlier this month, Washington put on its terror blacklist the leader of an elite unit of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group blamed for a January attack in Kenya that killed three Americans.

Al-Shabaab is estimated to have between 5,000 and 9,000 fighters who have vowed to overthrow the Somali government, which is supported by some 20,000 troops from the African Union.

The slain US operative was a veteran of special forces operations, having previously been a member of the elite SEAL Team 6, the Times reported.

The outgoing administration of President Donald Trump is considering withdrawing all US forces from Somalia by the time he leaves office in January, the paper added.

At the start of his term, Trump gave the Pentagon a freer hand to expand their operations, with both air strikes and ground raids, in the war-ravaged African country.

But an official report released in February said that "despite continued US air strikes in Somalia and US assistance to African partner forces, Al-Shabaab appears to be a growing threat that aspires to strike the U.S. homeland."

The Last Supper: The Slaughter Camp

Editor’s note : Author of “The Last Supper: The Slaughter Camp” is writing anonymously. However, Borkena website could confirm that stories in the article are reflective of proven narratives about Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) heinous attack and slaughter of members of Northern command of Ethiopian Defense Forces which dragged Ethiopia into a war like law enforcement operation. 

Ethiopian soldiers in during counter offensive in campaign in the northern front . (photo: screen shot from FBC video)

The Queen of Sheba

November 28,2020

On November 3, 2020, the indomitable and battle-hardened Ethiopian National Defence Force-Northern Command went to bed following a festive day under the treasonous gaze of the Tigray special forces and militia. These Tigray forces were callously waiting to commit a treasonous act of biblical proportion on that fateful night. 

On this night, these forces viciously attacked the Command in highly coordinated and cowardly manner both from inside and outside the camp while the army was asleep in their underwear—barehanded. Based on a secretly documented list on the identity of officers and high-ranking commanders they mercilessly and systematically massacred the Command as they ambushed them. Those who refused to abandon the National Force were instantly murdered in a vicious and barbaric way.

Even soldiers were not spared either. According to first-hand account, both men—and women—were savagely slaughtered by slicing their throats. After these heinous and gruesome acts, they went about rubbishing bodies, dancing over them and then burning some, leaving the rest to scavengers—and hyenas to feast on.

Oh, yes, in their mini act of mercy, they forced those they captured to undress and remove their shoes and driving them out—where they were reportedly clothed and fed by Eritrean forces—the very force they were deployed to counter.

After the unprecedented and dazing attack of the Northern Command—considered the largest, highly equipped and trained national force—the spokespersons of the Tigrean Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), who controls the special forces and the militias, bombastically asserted that they are now in full control of the Northern Command with all its massive military might while admitting the annihilation of some of its elements. They even declared that they were now “equally if not more” equipped militarily and logistically to repulse any attempt by the National Defence Force literally committing a coup d’etat.

While TPLF first managed to confuse the world by insisting that they acted in self-defence, they later went about boasting that they attacked the army with a thunderous pace only comparable to the Israeli pre-emptive attack during its war with the Arabs. They bluffed that the borders—both air and ground—were closed and anyone who dared violating it will be buried in the grounds of Tigray. And more.

Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, whose endless patience towards the TPLF had been paining many, was left with no option but to direct the armed forces to immediately repulse the daring attack in the interest of the rule of law—and saving the country from total disintegration. The heavily wounded army, which felt massively betrayed by its comrades, got quickly re-organized and re-fitted to repulse the cowardly assault changing the dynamics of the war in a lightening speed capturing major towns and cities, destroying and dismantling forcibly and surreptitiously amassed and hidden arms and depots and taking thousands and thousands of militia and special force members as prisoners. 

The sheer bravado of invincibility of the TPLF which has been projected—and replayed and reminded to all real and potential adversaries—in a national celebration every year on Ginbot 20 (May 28, when they marched on Addis Ababa) instantly evaporated as the National Defence Force routed them in an humiliating blitzkrieg. The TPLF hurled a few misguided rockets to major cities of Gondar and Bahir Dar as well as Asmara, to internationalize the conflict, in vain.

At the time of this writing Mekele, the regional capital of Tigray, where the treasonous cabal of TPLF are holed up, is facing the fury and rage of the wounded and betrayed but, highly-spirited, army from four corners with the end results too obvious to contemplate.

My-Kadra: The Blood Bath

As is often the case the first victims of violence are typically women, children and the aged. But the fleeing and marauding militia and special forces turned against all human beings—specially men—killing victims, in all sorts of barbaric manner: strangulation, slitting throats, using machetes, axes, knives—and then dumping bodies and burning them. At least 600 victims have been confirmed by Ethiopian and international human rights institutions, but the recent discoveries of multiple bodies strewn along streets and fields indicate the number may escalate to thousands.

The massacre of My-Kadra came at the heels of defeat of the Tigrean cabal on the western flank as they were fleeing the advancing National force. The victims who were systematically identified were virtually all Amharas whose land was forcibly seized by the cabal when it took power some 30 years ago—annihilating and displacing the Amhara community there ever since.

In an unprecedented fate of international migration, those fleeing to the neighboring Sudan were not the typical women and children, but young and energetic men—most of whom members of the militia and special forces who committed the heinous crime. Reports indicate now that these vanquished forces, masquerading as fleeing civilians, continue to commit similar crimes in refugee camps in Sudan.

The Global Media

We live in an era of fake news exacerbated by the proliferation of media sources and platforms. No wonder the real story of this conflict was deliberately and irresponsibly manipulated by paid operatives and shenanigans of the TPLF. Personalities hiding under the guise of scholarship and journalism pontificated and manipulated facts and exaggerated scenarios to rescue the TPLF. 

They first inflated the invincibility of TPLF forces, after its pre-emptive attack and amassing arms of the Northern Command. Later on, when they were beaten badly, they created a narrative around human catastrophe in the interest of throwing a life line to TPLF. 

The so called Crisis Group Africa analyst such as William Davidson, a university-based academic Alex de Waal and other armchair analysts who featured on multiple media and major platforms have pushed the limits of credibility of their person and their institutions. To be sure, this war has exposed a multitude of open and concealed TPLF operatives at regional and international level.

What is however truly regrettable is how major media outlets, such as the BBC Amharic and English, Aljazeera English, DW (Germany), have been manipulated to misinform and misrepresent facts and scenarios. Even some of the most prominent fora such as the Brookings Institute and Foreign Policy entertained wrong and one-sided news and views. Just a couple of days ago a mis-statement reported by BBC mis-quoting the Prime Minister had to be taken down after some 4 hours—only after it was already widely circulated by TPLF and its operatives.

The significance of this biased reporting is far reaching in its denial of facts, fabrication of falsehood and one-sided narrative favorable to TPLF. The credibility of these institutions has been eroded so much so that the often-suspect government media have now become a source of more trustworthy information. 

The Last Supper: The Irreversible Outcome?

War is never a good deed. But it becomes inevitable when imposed on one for the sake of its very survival. During the Second World War, the victorious Allied forces had to confront Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito for their own very survival who later crafted the chapters for global security and avoid such conflict in the future.

At the end of this conflict, a number of positive developments are anticipated which could not have been possible had it not been for the preemptive attack and the counter response.

The invincibility and dominance of the TPLF—which loomed large in Ethiopia and beyond— will be shattered and buried once and for all. Its overbearing presence in the army, intelligence, business, finance and economy would be cut to size. 

All other tentacles of its making and funding would also be liquidated in due course unless they simply surrender or melt away. This creates a huge opportunity for a free, open and democratic national dialogue—and life—with as little challenge as possible.

The rightful return of lands that were forcibly and shamelessly seized by TPLF following its rule in 1991 would be resolved once and for all now that the owners have fought and regained it.

Mekelle: Battle for It, TPLF Vows to Fight to the End

Final Operation to take control of Mekelle city, northern Ethiopia, underway. The city has been under siege for days now.  TPLF leaders vowed to fight to till the end

Abiy Ahmed saluting army during Sheger park inauguration in September 2020 (photo :OPM)

Borkena

November 25, 2020

A day after the completion of seventy-two hours ultimatum for TPLF leaders and loyal supporters to surrender to Ethiopian Defense Force, Abiy Ahmed announced early Thursday that the final operation to take over Mekelle is launched.

“In the past seventy-two hours, thousands of the criminal group’s special forces and militia surrendered to the Defense Force,” said Abiy Ahmed in his Facebook message with which he announced the start of the final operation.

The ultimatum was given after Ethiopian Defense Forces encircled Mekelle in a radius of 50 kilometers or fewer. The Ethiopian Defense Force managed to control almost all cities in Tigray region in a matter of two weeks of operation by quelling TPLF militia, special forces, and police forces.

The seventy-two hours ultimatum had two intentions, Abiy Ahmed said. One was to make clear that the objective of the operation is law enforcement, not war. Secondly, it was intended as an opportunity in case there are those who could be aware of the destructive aims of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).  In fact, his government claims that thousands have exploited the opportunity to leave behind the task of fighting for the lives of criminal TPLF leaders.

The Ethiopian Defense Force is given the order to finalize the operation. 

Furthermore, he said that it will be carried out with utmost care to avoid civilian casualties and destruction in the city. Residents of Mekelle city are advised to put down their arms and stay at home and avoid places of military targets.

PM Abiy Ahmed also called on residents to contribute their part in handing over what he called members of the Junta to reduce damage in the city.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the TPLF Getachew Reda released a letter calling for the international community to help achieve the cessation of hostilities to immediately stop the fighting.

The Ethiopian government has been engaging the diplomatic community in the country, and also sending delegations to the various countries to make the point that the war is a campaign to enforce the rule of law and that it is an internal affair.

UNHCR Says it Hopes Humanitarian Access to Tigray Will Be Granted Soon

By Reuters Staff

FILE PHOTO: An Ethiopian refugee carries a suitcase at the Um Rakuba refugee camp which houses Ethiopian refugees fleeing the fighting in the Tigray region, on the Sudan-Ethiopia border, Sudan, November 28, 2020. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/File Photo

CAIRO (Reuters) - The head of the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said on Sunday he hoped humanitarian access to Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region would be granted soon by the Ethiopian authorities.

“It is not possible yet, so I hope it will develop in the next few days,” U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told an online news conference from the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

Thousands of people are believed to have been killed and nearly 44,000 have fled to Sudan since the fighting in Tigray began on Nov. 4.

Details about the situation in the conflict zone have been difficult to obtain as phone and internet links to Tigray have been down and access tightly controlled since fighting began.

The conflict presents a new test for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who took office two years ago and is trying to hold together a patchwork of ethnic groups that make up Ethiopia’s 115 million people.

Grandi said the UNHCR had appealed to donors for $147 million, which would be enough to cover the needs of 100,000 people for a period of six months.

Reporting by Aidan Lewis and Nadine Awadalla; Editing by Edmund Blair

Fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray Still Going on, TPLF Head Asserts

By Simon Marks

November 29, 2020, 3:20 PM EST

Dissident forces say they regained control of Axum city

Prime Minister said government’s assault ceased on Saturday

Ethiopian refugees who fled the Tigray conflict, start building temporary huts at Um Raquba camp in Sudan's eastern Gedaref province on Nov. 28. Photographer: Ashraf Shazly/AFP/Getty 

Conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region is still rife despite Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s assertions on Saturday that government troops ceased military operations in the dissident province after capturing its capital, according to the region’s president.

Debretsion Gebremichael, the leader of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, said his forces regained control of Axum, a city the federal army took a week ago. They also shot down a MiG-23 aircraft and had its pilot in custody, he said by text message.

“The Prime Minister said yesterday their mission is complete, but he was caught today bombing Tigray,” Debretsion said. “We’ll take back all towns based on our plan. The initiative is ours now.”

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The federal troops began an incursion into Tigray on Nov. 4 after Abiy accused the TPLF of attacking an army base to steal weapons. While he reiterated that the assault would be quick, analysts warn a long and brutal guerrilla war with the heavily armed Tigrayan forces is more likely. The violence in Africa’s second-biggest nation has spilled beyond its borders with TPLF forces said to have fired missiles into neighboring Eritrea three times this month.

The TPLF was once the predominant power in Ethiopia’s ruling coalition but has been progressively sidelined since Abiy took office in 2018.

Redwan Hussein, state foreign minister and spokesperson for the government’s Emergency Task Force, and Billene Seyoum, the prime minister’s spokeswoman, didn’t immediately respond to emails and text messages seeking comment.

Six Explosions in Eritrean Capital Asmara, Says US State Department

Reuters 

Sunday 29 Nov 2020

"At 10:13 p.m. on Nov 28 there were six explosions in Asmara," the State Department said in the post on Sunday. The post did not mention the cause or location of the explosions

Six explosions were reported in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, on Saturday night, the U.S. State Department said, although it was not immediately clear if they were related to the conflict in the neighbouring Tigray region of Ethiopia.

"At 10:13 p.m. on Nov 28 there were six explosions in Asmara," the State Department said in the post on Sunday. The post did not mention the cause or location of the explosions.

But it urged Americans to "remain situationally aware of the ongoing conflict in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia." Tigrayan forces fighting Ethiopian soldiers have previously fired rockets at Eritrea.

Reuters was not immediately able to reach the Eritrean government or Tigrayan forces for comment.

On Saturday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that federal forces had taken control of Mekelle, Tigray's capital, within hours of launching an offensive there.

The Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a political party whose fight against the government began on Nov. 4, said it was withdrawing from Mekelle. The government says the TPLF began the conflict with a surprise attack on federal forces. The TPLF has described it as a "pre-emptive strike".

The TPLF regards Eritrea, which has warm relations with Abiy, as an archenemy.

It has been difficult to verify claims by all sides because internet and phone communications to Tigray have been down since the conflict broke out and access to the region is tightly controlled.

The TPLF dominated Ethiopian politics from 1991 to 2018 as the most powerful member of a multi-ethnic coalition that ruled with an iron grip. The last few years of its rule were marked by bloody anti-government demonstrations. The jails filled with tens of thousands of political prisoners.

When Abiy came to power in 2018, he speeded up democratic reforms: freeing prisoners, unbanning political parties, and promising to hold the nation's first free and fair elections.

But the TPLF and some other ethnically based parties accuse him of wanting to centralise control at the expense of Ethiopia's 10 regions. The constitution grants them wide-ranging powers over matters like taxation and security.

Abiy has denied he wants to centralise power at the expense of the regions.

This year, Abiy postponed elections scheduled for August to next year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The TPLF accused him of a power grab, held its own regional elections in September and announced it no longer recognised federal authority.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/395771.aspx

Zimbabwe, South Africa Strike Border Deal

28 NOV, 2020 - 00:11 

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe (centre) and his South African counterpart Dr Aaron Motsoaledi (right)tour the South African side of Beitbridge Border Post while accompanied by Musina Mayor Cllr Caroline Mihloti (left) ahead of the reopening of the border to passenger traffic on Tuesday next week. —Picture: Thupeyo Muleya

Thupeyo Muleya

Beitbridge Bureau, Zimbabwe Herald

Zimbabwe and South Africa are working flat out to harmonise management and health systems at Beitbridge Border Post so that more people can cross the Limpopo during the festive season without health risks and without compromising immigration and customs checks.

The border is expected to reopen to vehicular traffic on Tuesday next week after being closed when Covid-19 restrictions started being implemented in March.

Before the restrictions, an average of 35 000 people were cleared at the border daily during peak periods, with 15 000 travelers on a normal day.

At present, Zimbabweans coming home need pre-clearance from the embassy and consulates in South Africa to avoid swamping health testing, while the number of buses is limited.

Besides the traffic between the two countries, thousands of travellers a day from Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola were cleared at Beitbridge, a problem that is intensified as Botswana tightens its lockdown.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe and his South African counterpart, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, re-affirmed the need to harmonise the operating environment after meeting in Musina yesterday.

After the meeting, the two ministers along with Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Deputy Minister David Musabaya and law enforcement officials toured the South African side of the border.

Minister Kazembe said preparations had gathered momentum for the continued gradual border re-opening, which will see pedestrians and motorists being cleared this festive season.

Cabinet recently approved the re-opening of Beitbridge, Plumtree, Chirundu, Victoria Falls and Forbes border posts on December 1.

The land borders were closed to passenger traffic at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdowns across the Sadc region in March.

“We have met today with our counterparts in South Africa and we have agreed on a number of areas where we need to collaborate to ensure a seamless movement of traffic during the festive season and beyond,” said Minister Kazembe.

“This is a unique festive season where people have not been able to move due to the Covid-19 pandemic for the better part of the year and there is bound to be more human traffic from next week.”

The two countries would employ the previous border management systems used during peak periods, but with health screening and testing.

Minister Kazembe and Dr Motsoaledi agreed to strengthen the capacity of port health officials to screen and test travellers.

Minister Kazembe said Zimbabwe was not leaving anything to chance and security had already been tightened at the border posts and along the Limpopo River to contain criminal activities.

“We have walked this road before,” he said. “The immigration, security and customs officials have handled huge volumes of traffic before. What we are only doing this time is beefing up staff and improving the capacity of port health officials to screen and test travellers to avoid creating congestion.”

The Ministry of Health and Child Care had already started testing border workers for Covid-19 to establish the numbers ready for duty.

Dr Motsoaledi said South Africa had addressed congestion challenges which had dogged their side of the border in the last 21 days.

“We are here today to review our strength on the ground with our brothers from Zimbabwe,” he said.

“You are aware we have had challenges of congestion in the last three weeks. This emanated from the fact that Botswana closed its borders and we are now handling most of the transit traffic at Beitbridge.”

Congestion on the South African side had been worsened by commercial truck drivers disregarding the border protocols, which required them to park in truck stops and only leave for the border after customs clearance.

The South African National Defence Force, Musina municipal traffic police and the Limpopo Provincial Traffic Police had been deployed to restore order on the N1 Highway which leads to the border.

In addition, the South African Revenue Service had removed from its procedures, the use of the Customs Notification Document (CN2), following repeated systems breakdown which caused delays in cargo movement.

“We have also met with relevant border agencies on our side to ensure that we strengthen security for both travellers and manage illegal migration between Zimbabwe and South Africa,” said Dr Motsoaledi.

“We need to maintain the current momentum to eliminate delays of travellers. It’s a tradition that we have many people passing through our land borders every December and hence we continue planning ahead.”

South African President Ramaphosa Condemns Violence Against Truckers

Thupeyo Muleya 

Beitbridge Bureau

Zimbabwe Herald

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the violence against commercial truck drivers mostly migrant workers around highways in Kwazulu Natal and Gauteng provinces.

Of late there has been a resurgence of violence targeted at migrant commercial truck drivers by the locals and some criminals.

These, are allegedly accusing the migrant workers of taking away job opportunities. The violence has seen more than nine trucks being burnt and left several other people injured.

The N1, N3, N4, N12 highways in Gauteng and Durban have become a den for criminals seeking to loot from commercial trucks.

In a statement on Wednesday, Ramaphosa’s office said; “President Cyril Ramaphosa condemns the violence and vandalism affecting the road freight industry and commends the police work that has led to arrests in Gauteng in the past 24 hours.

The President offers his sincere condolences to the families and colleagues of drivers who have lost their lives through the intimidation and violence perpetrated by criminals”.

The office said President Ramaphosa had also directed the Minister of Employment and Labour (Thulasi Nxesi), and the Ministers of Transport (Fikile Mbalula), Home Affairs (Dr Aaron Motsoaledi), and Police (General Bheki Cele) – to submit a report on this matter to him.

He also expressed concern about the effect of this violence on owners and employees of the affected trucking companies, as well as the economic disruption caused by these acts just as the country is focused on rebuilding the economy.

“As South Africans, we cannot possibly tolerate the mindless and bloody lawlessness with which the road freight industry is being targeted.

“We cannot tolerate this loss of life and destruction of property. The President, therefore, welcomes the arrest of suspects in Gauteng in the past 24 hours following deadly assaults on truck drivers,” said the Presidency.

According to the statement, President Ramaphosa was confident that perpetrators in all parts of the country will be brought to book.

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador, Mr David Hamadziripi said the embassy was not aware of any Zimbabwean who had been affected during the disturbances.

Beitbridge chairman of the commercial transporters association, Mr Osbert Shumba said he was still checking if any of their members had fallen victim to the latest violence.

In separate interviews, truck drivers arriving in the country from Durban said some of the criminals were targeting huge transporters whom they believe are paying good salaries to the drivers.

They said in some instances the locals are focusing on automatically driven trucks since they have challenges in handling manual fuel transmission trucks.

“Two trucks from our company which were being driven by a Zimbabwean and a South African were stoned in Durban yesterday, but all the drivers were not harmed.

“We hope authorities will come up with a solution before this gets out of hand,” said a GSF trucking driver, who asked not to be named.

Another Zimbabwean driver who plies Zambia to the Durban route said most companies now preferred that they travel during the day in Durban.

An average of 1300 commercial trucks are entering Zimbabwe and South Africa daily through Beitbridge Border Post and some will be transiting to Zambia, Malawi, Angola, Tanzania, and DRC.

South Africa has a huge market share within SADC and exports mostly groceries, retail, medication, and mining consumables to most countries.

Africa: Communique on the Visit of the African Union Envoys To Ethiopia

@AbiyAhmedAli

Ethiopian Prime Minister meeting with envoys from the African Union - former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano and former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe.

27 NOVEMBER 2020

African Union (Addis Ababa)

DOCUMENT

Addis Ababa — The African Union Envoys to the Democratic Federal Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Joaquim Alberto Chissano, former President of the Republic of Mozambique, His Excellency Kgalema Motlanthe, former President of the Republic of South Africa, and Her Excellency, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, former President of Liberia, undertook their first mission to the Federal Republic of Ethiopia from 25 - 27 November 2020.

The Envoys were received by the Right Honorable Dr Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, who welcomed the initiative by His Excellency Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, and Chairperson of the African Union, to support the Republic of Ethiopia, during this challenging period.

The Prime Minister briefed the AU Envoys on the current military operations, and among others he highlighted the following:

i) that the operation, which is essentially of law enforcement nature, would not last long;

ii)   operationalize the Multiparty Provisional Administration of Tigray to enable service delivery;

iii) establishment of a high-level committee of Federal stakeholders to assess and respond to essential humanitarian needs, and the identification and announcement of a humanitarian assistance corridor;

iv) readiness to receive, rehabilitate and resettle citizens who have fled;

v)  commitment to rebuild public infrastructure; and

vi) unwavering commitment to create a democratic Ethiopia that is inclusive without domination or repression of one group by another.

The Prime Minister also reiterated his commitment to dialogue.

The AU Envoys also met with Her Excellency, Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, and the Multiparty Provisional Administration of Tigray.

The Multiparty Provisional Administration of Tigray also briefed the AU Envoys.

President Ramaphosa expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for receiving the AU Envoys. The President also thanked the AU Envoys for their swift action in undertaking the AU mission to Addis Ababa. The President reaffirmed his commitment and that of the AU to continue working with people and the government of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia through its current security challenges.

Ethiopia: Prime Minister Says Government Forces 'Fully in Control' of Mekelle

@AbiyAhmedAli

Statement by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali

28 NOVEMBER 2020

allAfrica.com

In a statement released on Twitter, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali said the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) has taken control of Mekelle, capital of the Tigray Province. In a reference to leaders of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, he added: "Federal police will now continue their task of apprehending TPLF criminals and bring them to the court of law."

In a later Tweet, he said "we have completed and ceased the military operations in the #Tigray region," adding: "Our focus now will be on rebuilding the region and providing humanitarian assistance while Federal Police apprehend the TPLF clique." With communications to Mekelle cut, there has been no independent confirmation of the status of the city or the extent of casualties. Some observers believe the TPFL leadership may have departed and gone into hiding in preparation for launching a guerrilla campaign.

On Friday, Abiy met three envoys sent by the African Union - Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Mozambique's Joaquim Chissano and Kgalema Motlanthe from South Africa - who have been seeking a negotiated solution for the conflict, which has already displaced 43,000 Ethiopians, according to UNHCR. In a Tweet after the meeting, Abiy expressed "utmost gratitude to President @CyrilRamaphosa & his Special Envoys for their concerted effort to understand our rule of law operations," he said in a Tweet. "Receiving the wisdom & counsel of respected African elders is a precious continental culture that we value greatly in Ethiopia." The African Union in a communique described the positions outlined by the prime minister but gave no indication of any further actions by the envoys. 

After giving the regional TPLF forces 72 hours to surrender on November 23, Abiy urged international actors not to intervene and said that Ethiopia was capable of resolving the situation internally. Mekele has a population of about 500,000 people, half of them children.Fears have also been expressed for the nearly 100,000 Eritrean refugees who are living in overcrowded camps as aid workers warn of dwindling humanitarian supplies. Neighbouring Sudan has said the country is unable to keep up with the flow of Ethiopian refugees across its border.

Here is the full text of the prime minister's latest statement:

Mekelle under command of the National Defense Forces

The Federal government is now fully in control of the city of Mekelle. With full command of the regional capital, this marks the completion of the ENDF's last phase. Federal police will now continue their task of apprehending TPLF criminals and bring them to the court of law.

The ENDF has thus far managed to:

Secure the release of thousands of Northern Command officers held hostage by TPLF

Secured the Northern Command camp

Take control of the airport, public institutions, the Regional administration office and other critical facilities

Undertake the operation with precision and due care for citizens ensuring civilians are not targeted.

The people of the Tigray Region have provided utmost support and cooperation to the Ethiopian National Defense Force in all comers.

I would like to express my appreciation to the people of Tigray who have understood the ENDF's goodwill and duty to nation.

The main operation is successfully concluded. We now have ahead of us the critical task of rebuilding what has been destroyed; repairing what is damaged; returning those who have fled, with utmost priority of returning normalcy to the people of the Tigray region.

The federal government appreciates the concern shown by the internaitonal community. And calls upon friends of Ethiopia to join hands in rebuilding the Tigray region and giving its people the respite, humanitarian assistance and security they deserve.

God bless Ethiopia and its people!

November 28, 2020

Mekelle City Liberated from Tigray People’s Liberation Front

The fall of Mekelle brings the three weeks war in Ethiopia to an end heralding that TPLF Tyranny is a thing of the past. 7,000 Ethiopian troops rescued

Borkena

November 24, 2020

What started as a law enforcement operation on November 4 morphed into a full-fledged war against TPLF leaders. And Ethiopia’s strong defense force completed what will possibly go down in history as the three weeks war against TPLF – a political force that ruled Ethiopia with an iron fist for nearly three decades. It is over now.

Mekelle City is now liberated from the control of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Less than twenty-four hours after the launch of the final operation to enforce the rule of law, the Ethiopian Defense Force controlled Mekelle fully on Sunday in the afternoon.

Chief of staff of the Ethiopian Defense Force, General Berhanu Jula, has confirmed to Ethiopians that the army has controlled Mekelle.

The fall of the city was foreseeable as the Ethiopian Defense Force was marching to it from four directions after liberating almost all parts of the Tigray region of Ethiopia from TPLF control.

On November 4, the TPLF force attacked several military bases of the northern command of the Ethiopian Defense Force while thousands of the army were sleeping around 11 p.m. Thousands were mercilessly massacred while army commanders were taken prisoner. Furthermore, TPLF seized heavy weapons including missiles and rockets which Ethiopia purchased to defend itself from a foreign enemy.

TPLF did so in what it called a “pre-emptive attack” and with the hope of marching to Addis Ababa to topple Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and assume Federal government power again. TPLF has prepared over 250,000 troops including special forces and militia.

Over 60 percent of the Ethiopian Defense Force was said to be based in the Tigray region. The Ethiopian Defense Force had to reorganize the Defense Force to launch a counter-offensive against the TPLF leaders.

At least four military generals were recalled from early retirement to lead the war. In a matter of two weeks, much of the Tigray region was liberated from TPLF control. And then TPLF had to fire rockets to Asmara and two Ethiopian cities (Bahir Dar and Gondar) partly to internationalize the conflict and partly to assert that it still has the power to unleash an attack.

According to the Defense Chief of Staff, 7000 members of Ethiopian Defense Forces from the northern command who were detained in Tigray region following the “pre-emptive attack” on November 4 are rescued after TPLF lost control of Mekelle. The Northern command is now under the control of the Ethiopian Defense Forces and several heavy weaponry is reportedly recovered. 

What is next?

Now Mekelle is under the control of the Ethiopian Defense Force, the next step is to hunt down TPLF leaders and bring them to justice as confirmed by the Ethiopian government.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed wrote a congratulatory message to Ethiopians including in the Tigray region and pledged that reconstruction work will commence soon.

TPLF spokesperson, Getachew Reda, said this week that controlling Mekelle “does not mean anything” during an interview with Dimtsi Woyane. “I can assure you that Tigray will not be governable,” he added.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government has set up a transitional administration for the Tigray region which will be led by ethnic Tigreans until the next election.

Temporary US Pentagon Chief Makes Visit to Somalia

Associated Press

U.S. Army Spc. Kevin Martin, junior sniper, assigned to the 1-186th Infantry Battalion, Task Force Guardian, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, provides security for a 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (EAS) C-130J Super Hercules during unloading operations at an unidentified location in Somalia Sunday, June 28, 2020. No country has been involved in Somalia's future as much as the United States but now the Trump administration is thinking of withdrawing the several hundred U.S. military troops from the nation at what some experts call the worst possible time. (Tech. Sgt. Christopher Ruano/Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa via AP)

The Pentagon’s acting defense secretary has made a rare visit to Somalia, a conflict-plagued nation in the Horn of Africa where American forces have been assisting in the fight against al-Qaida affiliate al-Shabab.

In a brief statement, the Pentagon said Christopher Miller, who was installed as acting defense secretary Nov. 9 when President Donald Trump fired Mark Esper, met Friday with U.S. troops in Mogadishu, the capital, to express appreciation for their work and to reiterate the U.S. commitment to combating extremist groups.

Just hours after Miller’s visit, the Somali government announced that a suicide bombing in Mogadishu killed at least seven people, and the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group claimed responsibility.

Trump is expected to order a withdrawal of most or all of the 700 U.S. troops based in Somalia before he leaves office Jan. 20.

Miller has been in the Middle East and parts of north Africa this week on his first international trip as acting defense secretary. Miller, who previously headed the National Counterterrorism Center, has not been nominated by Trump for Senate confirmation as Pentagon chief.

With No Action by Washington, States Race to Offer Virus Aid

By CEDAR ATTANASIO and JULIE CARR SMYTH

FILE - Colorado Gov. Jared Polis speaks during a news conference about the state's response to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020, in Denver. Faulting inaction in Washington, governors and state lawmakers are racing to get needed pandemic relief to small businesses, the unemployed, renters and others affected by the widening coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Faulting inaction in Washington, governors and state lawmakers are racing to get pandemic relief to small-business owners, the unemployed, renters and others whose livelihoods have been upended by the widening coronavirus outbreak.

In some cases, elected officials are spending the last of a federal relief package passed in the spring as an end-of-year deadline approaches and the fall COVID-19 surge threatens their economies anew. Democrats have been the most vocal in criticizing President Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled Senate for failing to act, but many Republican lawmakers are also sounding the alarm.

Underscoring the need for urgency, the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in the United States reached 205,557 on Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University – the first time its daily figure topped the 200,000 mark. Its previous daily high was 196,000 on Nov. 20.

The total number of cases reported in the U.S., since the first one in January, has topped 13 million.

The Democratic governors of Colorado and New Mexico convened special legislative sessions in the closing days of November to address the virus-related emergency. Earlier this week, the New Mexico Legislature passed a bipartisan relief bill that will deliver a one-time $1,200 check to all unemployed workers and give up to $50,000 to certain businesses.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the state took action to help residents “who have real issues about keeping food on their table, a roof over their head.”

“While the United States of America is on fire, the Trump administration has left states to fight this virus on their own,” she said, noting state efforts alone simply are not enough. “It is clear no help is coming — not from this president, not from this administration. As we have done every day this year, New Mexico will step up.”

In Colorado, a special session scheduled for Monday will consider roughly $300 million in relief to businesses, restaurants and bars, child-care providers, landlords, tenants, public schools and others.

“Even as cases have exploded across the country, Congress and the president have not yet passed much-needed relief for people,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in announcing the session. “Here in Colorado, we want to do the best with what we have to take care of our own.”

In New Jersey and Washington state, Republicans who are a minority in both legislatures were the ones pushing for special sessions. They want to direct more money to struggling small-business owners.

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin, who control both houses of the Legislature, are considering whether to return in December to address effects of the latest coronavirus wave after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers put forward a $500 million COVID-19 relief bill earlier this week. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, plans to convene lawmakers in December to contend with the virus, partially at Republicans’ urging.

“Senate Republicans are committed to recovering our economy that has been harmed by broad and prolonged shutdowns,” Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said in a statement. “We will work with anyone to find solutions.”

State government leaders want Trump and Congress to extend the Dec. 30 deadline for spending virus relief money already allocated under the CARES Act, which was approved in March, and to provide more federal funding to deal with the consequences of the latest surge.

“It’s just heartbreaking what they’re allowing to happen with no federal government intervention,” said Washington state House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, a Democrat.

In making his decision to call the Minnesota Legislature into special session, Walz cited “a sense of urgency” around doing something on the state level due to the lack of a federal response.

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits reported that more than half of the state’s charitable organizations received forgivable loans through the CARES Act’s Paycheck Protection Program this year, while another $12 million from the CARES Act is going to organizations that provide food to the needy. But all that will be spent — or lost — by the end of December without congressional action.

“I would reiterate to our federal partners — to the outgoing administration and to the incoming Biden administration — please work together, please find a compromise in there, please. If you have to, move a package now with the idea that you will come back and move one later,” Walz said. “COVID is not going to end at the end of the month. We are in an unrelenting spike.”

In Ohio, where Republicans control every branch of government, Gov. Mike DeWine and legislative leaders pushed a $420 million pandemic spending package through a special bipartisan panel late last month. Funded through the CARES Act, it offered grants to small businesses, bars and restaurants, low-income renters, arts groups, and colleges and universities.

Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, a Republican, gives credit to the federal government for the billions in aid previously sent out, but he said small businesses and people who have lost work need more federal assistance.

“The election’s over,” Benninghoff said. “This is not a time for finger-pointing.”

In neighboring New Jersey, the partisan divide over $4 billion in COVID-19 borrowing backed by the Democratic governor and Legislature prompted a court challenge by minority Republicans. The state’s high court sided with Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration, citing the unprecedented nature of the outbreak.

Even so, Murphy has regularly pleaded with Congress for more aid.

“It’s shameful that they have not acted in Congress, especially (Senate Majority Leader Mitch) McConnell and the Republican Senate, to throw a lifeline to small businesses,” he said.

Republicans have proposed a $300 million aid package to small businesses and nonprofits, but the legislation is stalled. GOP lawmakers told the governor if he does not call a special session to address the need, many businesses and charities “might not survive the winter.”

Lawmakers in one state, Illinois, threw up their hands and went home despite an unaddressed $3.9 billion budget deficit. They cited the health threat posed by the virus and hope for help from the nation’s capital.

“If the federal government doesn’t stand up and step in, we’re in a very bad situation — for our schools, colleges and universities, health care programs, child care, senior services,” House Majority Leader Greg Harris, a Democrat, said. “This isn’t like all the blue states are hurting and all the red states are humming along. Everybody’s in bad shape.”

___

Carr Smyth reported from Columbus, Ohio. Associated Press writers Jim Anderson and Patricia Nieberg in Denver; Michael Catalini in Newark, N.J.; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Wash.; Geoff Mulvihill in Davenport, Iowa; John O’Connor in Springfield, Ill.; and Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pa., contributed to this report.

___

Nieberg and Attanasio are corps members for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

‘Hidden in Plain Site’ Offers Virtual Tour of Richmond’s African American History

By Kelly Avellino | November 26 at 9:59 AM

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - A virtual journey launched Thanksgiving eve to give anyone in the world a deeper understanding of the African American experience in Richmond, dating back to when the first enslaved people were sold in the River City.

“Hidden in Plain Site” takes the viewer on a 360 degree, virtual reality tour of 11 sites that many Richmonders have walked by countless times before, often not knowing the extreme horror - or incredible vibrancy - once held in those places.

”We want to talk about that ugly history. We want folks to understand the true pain and suffering that happened here,” said Dontrese Brown, one of the project’s co-creators. “We wanted to give an opportunity for that voice and that narrative to be told by the culture that needs to tell that narrative.”

Hidden in Plain Site is both a mobile-friendly website or virtual reality headset experience that relives Black history.

“We started at Lumpkin’s Jail,” said Brown, who’s also a professor at Randolph-Macon College. “There’s a lot of pain. There’s a lot of history that needs to be told (there).”

The immense contribution of the Black community is also shared.

“You can be sitting on your couch at home, and then be right in front of you is the Hippodrome…what’s there now and what it looked like years ago. We’re in the Harlem of the South. You’re hearing music. You’re understanding the vibrance of that community… I’m walking by this parking lot, but this is where Thalhimers was, where the Richmond 34 did their sit-in.”

Brown and his partners began the self-funded project after the killing of George Floyd.

“We wanted to shine light in the conversation around social justice,” said Brown. “…the energy of our city and our community and our nation is coming together for equality, social justice, equity, and just doing what’s right. That will leave you so inspired to actually visit these sites themselves.”

To experience Hidden in Plain Site through the special headset, the creators are working to set up exhibits at museums in Richmond, including the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, The Black History Museum of Virginia and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

Copyright 2020 WWBT. All rights reserved.

First African American Cardinal Seeks Common Ground with Biden Administration

"I want to be one who engages people in conversation," Wilton Gregory said.

Image: Archbishop Wilton Gregory - Washington, DC

Archbishop Wilton Gregory gives a homily during his installation as the seventh Archbishop of Washington at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on May 21, 2019 in Washington.Matt McClain / The Washington Post via Getty Images

Nov. 24, 2020, 10:33 AM EST

By Reuters

VATICAN CITY - Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, D.C. who this week will become the first Black American cardinal, said on Tuesday he wanted to find common ground with the incoming U.S. administration despite disagreements on some issues.

Gregory, who clashed with President Donald Trump earlier this year, is one of the 13 Roman Catholic Church prelates whom Pope Francis will raise to the rank of cardinal on Saturday.

The American Church is divided over many issues, including abortion. Conservative Catholics have criticized Joe Biden, who will become the first Catholic president since John F. Kennedy in 1961, for his support of abortion rights.

“I have always seen myself as someone who is charged with being in dialogue and in conversation, so I hope that my conversation with the new administration reflects that, knowing full well that there are areas about which we disagree, but also searching for those areas where we can find common ground,” Gregory said.

Some U.S. conservative bishops say Biden, who attends Mass regularly, should be denied the sacrament of communion. Biden says he is personally opposed to abortion but cannot impose the view on others.

Last week, the head of the U.S. bishops’ conference said Biden’s position on abortion rights created a “difficult and complex situation” and announced the formation of a working group to study its ramifications.

Gregory, 72, viewed as a moderate, spoke to Reuters from a guest house in the Vatican where he has placed himself in quarantine ahead of the ceremony with the pope.

Bridging differences

He said he wanted to work with the incoming U.S. administration to look for “where we can find things that we can do together for the betterment of the American community, for the people of the archdiocese in general. I want to be one who engages people in conversation.”

Biden is under pressure to forgive student debt. Here's why it's a racial issue.

In June, Gregory criticized Trump’s visit to a Washington shrine honoring Pope John Paul II, a day after police and armed soldiers used tear gas and rubber bullets to clear protesters so Trump could be photographed in front of a historic Washington church holding a Bible.

At the time, Gregory said he found it “baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated.”

New York City's first Black mayor David Dinkins remembered as 'a warrior' in Harlem tribute

Asked about that statement, Gregory said Catholic institutions, such as parishes, schools, hospitals, and social justice and service activities, should be models to others.

“We have to be models of how we can invite people to bridge the differences that divide us and seek the areas where we are on the same page,” Gregory said.

“Our institutions must reflect the truth of the gospel, which is an invitation for unity and harmony rather than be used in the divisive way,” he said.

An outspoken civil rights advocate, Gregory has addressed the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes in May.

Gregory said he hoped to be able to use his new title to be a bridge builder between the Black Catholic community and the worldwide Church and would be “inviting all of us to engage in a more fruitful dialogue on racial and social justice issues.”

Pope Installs New Cardinals, Including First African-American

Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, D.C., is elevated as U.S. is examining race relations.

Nov. 28, 2020, 12:26 PM EST / Source: Reuters

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Saturday installed 13 new cardinals, including the first African-American to hold the high rank, further expanding the pontiff's impact on the group that will one day elect his successor.

Wilton Gregory, the 72-year-old archbishop of Washington, D.C, becomes the first African-American cardinal at a time the United States is examining race relations after a spate of police killings of unarmed Black people.

The cardinals were installed in a ceremony, known as a consistory, that was markedly slimmed down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead of the usual thousands, only 10 guests per cardinal were allowed in St. Peter's Basilica as the pope gave the men their ring and traditional red hat, known as a biretta.

Nine of the 13 are under 80 and eligible under Church law to enter a secret conclave to choose the next pope from among themselves after Francis dies or resigns.

It was Francis' seventh consistory since his election in 2013. He has now appointed 57% of the 128 cardinal electors, most of whom share his vision of a more inclusive and outward-looking Church.

Thus far, he has appointed 18 cardinals from mostly far-flung countries that never had one, nearly all of them from the developing world. In Saturday's consistory, Brunei and Rwanda got their first cardinals.

While Europe still has the largest share of cardinal electors, with 41%, it is down from 52% in 2013 when Francis became the first Latin-American pope.

With each consistory, Francis has increased the chances that his successor will be another non-European, having beefed up the church in places where it is either a tiny minority or where it is growing faster than in the stagnant West.

The nine new electors come from Italy, Malta, Rwanda, the United States, the Philippines, Chile, Brunei and Mexico.

In his homily, Francis told the men to keep their eyes on God, avoid all forms of corruption, and not succumb to a "worldly spirit" that can accompany the prestige and power of their new rank.

Everyone in the basilica except the pope wore a mask. Each new cardinal removed his own when he knelt to be invested.

Gregory made headlines in June when he blasted President Donald Trump's visit to a Catholic shrine in Washington, after police and soldiers used tear gas and rubber bullets to clear protesters so Trump could be photographed in front of a historic Washington church holding a Bible.

Gregory said he found it "baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated".

Catholic conservatives condemned Gregory and sided with Trump.

In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Gregory said he wanted to find common ground with U.S. President-elect Joe Biden despite disagreements on issues such as abortion.

Gregory was one of a handful of new cardinals who were quarantined for about 10 days in their rooms in the Vatican guest house where the pope also lives. Cardinals from Brunei and the Philippines could not travel and will receive their ring and biretta from a papal delegate.

Four non-electors over 80 were given the honor after a long service to the church. The most prominent is Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, an Italian-American who has worked around the world and is one of the church's top experts on immigration.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Christina Fincher)

Zimbabwe Cabinet Briefings Bring Transparency

28 NOV, 2020 - 00:11 

Herald Reporter

Briefings introduced after Cabinet meetings by the Second Republic have significantly helped in keeping the nation abreast of Government decision making and has killed the speculation that existed in the past, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said this week.

Giving the keynote address at the recently held Davos World Communication Forum in Lusaka, Zambia, early this week, Minister Mutsvangwa said post-Cabinet briefings were giving cues to the nation on how to respond to Government decisions.

The briefings made sure that the nation as a whole could keep pace with Government decision making.

“It keeps citizens on the same pace and vibe with Cabinet, as well as with each other in various sectorial activities,” she said.

Before the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa, Cabinet would meet, but the nation would not be apprised of the outcomes.

The rumour mill prospered and journalists reported bizarre gossip about Cabinet meetings.

“Social media had a field day often deliberately adding more confusion to a bemused if not traumatised public,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

The three-day forum brought together communication experts, policy makers, academia, diplomats, the private sector, marketers, advertisers, journalists and brand managers from different parts of the world to deliberate on various topics that dealt with “Communication in a Changing World: Challenges and Chances.”

Minister Mutsvangwa, who joined her Zambian and Botswana counterparts, Dora Siliya and Thulagano Merafe Segokgo, said there was need to adapt to the ever-changing world.

“When Covid-19 struck and many of our countries went into total lockdown, we had to find ways of communicating awareness messages, preventative and protective measures and social issues,” she said.

“What worked yesteryear could not necessarily produce the same results today. So, the way we greeted, interacted and communicated had to change. Digital communication was our ready-made solution and in Africa we had the demographics for it.”

Minister Mutsvangwa said communicators had to be ingenious in reaching their audiences, as the threat of fake news had grown due to increased access and use of social media.

As a way of increasing the public’s access to information and policy making decisions, the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa, had introduced the post Cabinet briefings.

The Zimbabwe audience rating for the post Cabinet briefings in both print and electronic media was one of the highest, demonstrating that citizens were eager to hear and engage their Government on governance issues.

The importance of transparency and interactive communication between governments and citizens was further highlighted by the World Communication Forum vice president, Solly Moeng.

SADC Plots Mozambique Rescue Mission

28 NOV, 2020 - 00:11 

President Mnangagwa poses for a picture yesterday at the Phakalane Conference Centre in Gaborone, Botswana, with his counterparts Presidents Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana (centre), Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa (left) during an extraordinary SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation Heads of State Summit to discuss emerging peace and security situations in the region

Lincoln Towindo in GABORONE, Botswana

Zimbabwe Herald

SADC yesterday undertook to work on a robust regional response to the growing threat of terrorism and insurgency in parts of Mozambique, which it will put in action once finalised.

This came out at an extraordinary Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation summit in Botswana yesterday attended by President Mnangagwa and his counterparts — Presidents Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi.

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi was represented by his Defence Minister Jaime Augusto Neto at the summit, which also discussed the re-organisation of regional troops deployed in the DRC.

The extraordinary troika summit resolved to marshal a regional reaction to support Mozambique battle the bloody insurgency in its northern province of Cabo Delgado.

President Mnangagwa returned home last night after the day-long meeting.

A communiqué released after the meeting outlined the Organ Troika’s concern over growing instability in the region.

“The extraordinary Organ Troika summit noted with concern, the acts of terrorism in the region, particularly in Cabo Delgado province of the Republic of Mozambique, and expressed continued Sadc solidarity with Mozambique,” reads the communiqué.

“The extraordinary Organ Troika summit directed the finalisation of a comprehensive regional response and support to the Republic of Mozambique to be considered urgently by the Summit.”

Mozambique has struggled to deal with the Islamist insurgency in the mainly-Muslim province to its north, which has accounted for over 2 000 lives since 2017. Nearly 430 000 people have been displaced in the fighting.

Yesterday’s summit also addressed the re-organisation of the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade (FIB), a multi-lateral military formation under the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (known as MONUSCO) authorised by the UN Security Council in 2003.

The FIB is the first UN peacekeeping operation specifically tasked to carry out targeted offensive operations to neutralise and disarm groups considered a threat to state authority and civilian security. Its operations have targeted the M23 rebel group which operates primarily in the province of North Kivu in eastern DRC.

Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania contribute troops to the stabilisation mission.

The UN wants to cut the number of troops deployed under the FIB, ostensibly because of funding constraints.

“The extraordinary organ troika summit accepted the proposal by the United Nations to realign the current Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) troops strength to create the headroom for the Quick Reaction Forces (QRFs), and generate two QRFs from the SADC troops contributing countries,” reads the communiqué.

“The extraordinary organ troika summit expressed appreciation to the United Nations for the continued partnership and support.

“The extraordinary organ troika summit pledged regional support to the development and implementation of the joint strategy on the progressive and Phased Drawdown of MONUSCO in the DRC.”

Addressing plenary earlier on, host and organ chair President Masisi underscored the need for a coordinated approach to confront the growing menace of terrorism and insurgency in the region.

“Your Excellencies, even though the region’s performance in the areas of democracy and peace remains the envy of many, there are some emerging issues that are threatening the preservation of our peace and security,” said President Masisi. “These include terrorism, insurgencies, cybercrime and transnational organised crimes.”

President Masisi said member states could not deal with these threats individually.

“As such, there is need for an integrated and coordinated regional approach to effectively deal with these eminent threats,” he said. “You will recall that at our last organ troika summit that was held on August 14, 2020, we endorsed the report on the assessment of security threats to the Sadc region.

“Even though the report identified a number of security threats, it singled out terrorism as the most serious threat that needs urgent attention from all the member States.

“As we all know, terrorism is very cancerous in nature. Once it finds fertile ground, it spreads out like bushfire. There is, therefore, an absolute need to urgently nip it from the bud before it engulfs the entire region.”

Recent reports suggest that 50 people were beheaded by the militant Islamists, with links to the Islamic State (IS) group.

Responding to the news earlier this month, President Mnangagwa condemned the acts of terrorism in Mozambique, warning that Zimbabwe was ready to assist in stamping out the insurgency.

Writing on Twitter, the President said: “I am deeply shocked by reports of terrorist activity in Mozambique.

“These acts of barbarity must be stamped out wherever they are found. Zimbabwe is ready to assist in any way we can.

“The security of our region is paramount in the protection of our people.”

In May, President Mnangagwa held a meeting with President Nyusi in Chimoio, Mozambique, where the two leaders discussed the security situation in Cabo Delgado and parts of Mozambique’s Manica and Sofala provinces, which are also affected by insurgents.

The two leaders condemned the acts of banditry in Mozambique, concluding that such acts undermined peace and development.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and State Security Minister Owen Ncube attended yesterday’s meeting.

Tanzania: Life Has to Go on After Vote

26 NOV, 2020 - 00:11 

Dar es Salaam. — AS the dust is settling after a general election that handed President John Magufuli a second term, life is going on in Tanzania with the ecstasy to the winners and disappointment to the losers giving way to the wisdom from an old adage that there is life after elections.

The election was not a magic wand to dispel social and economic complexities brought about notably by the outbreak of Covid-19.

In a UN report released this year, Liu Zhenmin, UN Under- Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, said that with the future of the world being shaped by Covid-19 pandemic and humanity’s response to it, critical insights are more important than ever.

The report, “Recovering Better: Economic and Social Challenges and Opportunities” is a UN overview of the compilation of the High-level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs. The report highlights on the human tragedy of the pandemic which has not only claimed many lives worldwide but has also imposed many additional socio-economic challenges.

“At the aggregate level, economies are in recession, leading to falling public revenue and shrinking fiscal space. Additional stresses are arising in economies dependent on tourism or commodity exports, and with disruptions in food supply chains,” the report notes.

To address some of these existential and perceived challenges and morph them into opportunities, Sahara Sparks will host a series of events in Dar es Salaam this week, according to Vanessa Kisowile, Lead, Sahara Sparks Events. The event organised by Sahara Ventures in collaboration with South African based MyGrowth Fund will mainly focus on the Future of Africa Beyond 2020. 

— AllAfrica.

COSATU Central Executive Committee Statement

November 26, 2020

1.    Introduction

This CEC reflected and noted that this Central Executive Committee meeting took place on the eve of our 35th Anniversary on the 1st of December 2020. From its very founding, the federation committed itself to unite all workers, fight oppression and economic exploitation, and connect trade union struggles with community struggles.

As we mark this milestone, we shall continue to be a leading agent of militant and progressive trade unionism in South Africa, and also embrace working class internationalism going forward. It is not surprising that our founding President Elijah Bharayi was conferred with an honourary doctorate by UNISA.

2.    Organisationally

State of the Federation-The Central Executive Committee, in its assessment of the work done since the beginning of the year 2020 has acknowledged that despite difficult challenges facing workers across the board, the federation remains stable under the circumstances.

Members First: The meeting noted that progress has been registered so far, in particular, in strengthening organisational machinery, to place our members at the centre of everything we do, as mandated by the 13th COSATU National Congress. However, we recognise and note that alongside the solid advances that we are making are some shortcomings and challenges that still remain to be overcome in the coming year and beyond. Therefore, in addition to the identified new tasks, these shall constitute part and parcel of our new programme.

2021 Year of the Local: The CEC resolved to declare Year 2021, as the “Year of the Local” that will focus on building the organisation at a workplace level. We shall use our ongoing recruitment campaign to anchor this enormous task of building the organisation on the ground. This means that the federation and its unions will focus on waging real struggles at the workplace level. We shall be focused on rebuilding our locals to reflect the structural economic changes that is also associated with the changing workplace organisation and mode of work.

Solidarity and mass mobilisation: The Federation shall be introducing a systematic programme on ideological and organisational education and training. We will also develop a mass mobilisation programme geared at responding to the unfolding socioeconomic crisis involving progressive mass-based organisations in particular and progressive civil society structures in general. Both the global capitalist crisis and COVID 19 exposed the crisis of capitalism. Therefore, our task is to unite the working class as a whole The CEC encouraged all COSATU unions to commit themselves to pledge solidarity with the struggles of other unions, in particular other COSATU affiliated unions.

CWU and NEHAWU Strikes- The CEC offered its full support to the workers at SABC who are pushing back against retrenchments under the leadership of our affiliated union CWU and other unions in the institutions. SABC is too important an institution to allow the reactionary board members and managers to gut like we have seen other state institutions. If we are to have a developmental state and have real participatory democracy, SABC needs to be strengthened and not weakened.

We also offer total support to the Community Health Workers who are currently on strike under the leadership of our affiliate NEHAWU. The unity and resilience of these workers is commendable and exemplary. We call on employers to accede to the fair and legitimate demands of these workers.

October 07 Strike-The CEC recognised that our programme of action was ground-breaking from a political point of view, as it brought together for the first time, workers across trade union federations, marking an important step for the unity of workers. Workers heeded the call, and we shall build on this going forward.

May Day: The May Day celebrations will continue to be decentralised all across the country with the National Celebrations taking place in North West Province.

Bargaining Conference, Retrenchments and Tool Kit-The watershed Collective Bargaining, Organising and Campaigns Conferenceheld on the 11th – 13th November 2020 produced a Strategic directive for our Bargaining, Organising and Campaigns strategy moving forward.

The conference noted the challenges faced by collective bargaining both in the public and the private sector and resolved that bargaining councils must be further be strengthened to grapple with the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. With many jobs on the line, the conference resolved to develop a Retrenchment tool kit that will ensure that retrenchments are indeed the last resort for companies. 

Public Service: The meeting once again praised the sterling work done by public sector workers to not just fight COVID-19 but to continue to deliver the much-needed services, even as they suffer from unwarranted attacks by the current administration. The failure to pay workers their increases and the proposed wage freeze is an insult to these workers. Collective bargaining is a constitutional right, yet this government has gone out of its way to undermine it by abandoning a legally binding agreement and trying to unilaterally impose a wage freeze until 2024. This indifferent attitude will have huge political costs during next year’s local government elections. Underpaying public servants will simply spur a brain drain of highly sought-after doctors, nurses and teachers and further weaken the state’s capacity to deliver quality public services.

Proposed Action Plan on the 4th of December 2020

In defence of Collective Bargaining in Public Service and the private sector, the CEC has resolved to immediately undertake the following steps:

·         The CEC will lead a protest action/sit-in at the Union Buildings on the 4th December 2020, to demand a response from the Presidency on the memorandum submitted on the 7th October 2020. This include the call for government lead by example by complying with ILO conventions and respect collective bargaining.

·         We shall write to the ILO urging it to immediately register a protest with the South African government’s breach of Convention 154, the Right to organize and Collective Bargaining Convention and Convention 87 on the Freedom of Association. The ILO must demand some level of accountability from the South African government

·         All our provincial structures will continue holding Demonstrations and Lunch-time Pickets at the departments, institutions, and workplaces where memorandums were submitted.

The CEC further condemned BUSA for its anti-worker stance in demanding that the government freeze Public sector wages.

3.    Socio-economic

Impact of Austerity Budget Cuts- In dealing with this current crisis, the South African government has resorted to increasing austerity measures and as a result inequality has widened. The increase in inequality means working families’ purchasing power is significantly diminished. The recent mid-term budget policy statement has continued on this trajectory. This posture of government threatens to lead South Africa into a deeper depression which will make attempts to resuscitate the economy virtually impossible. These austerity measures taken by Treasury also threaten to weaken key labour, as well as other state institutions such Hawks as well as the Office of the Public Protector. Specifically worrying for COSATU are the budget cuts to the CCMA. These cuts have been so severe that the CCMA is struggling to deliver on its legislated mandate. Already the CCMA is starting to feel the impact with its capacity reduced, including closing offices for walk-in cases and conciliation cases.

This is taking place as workers are already experiencing a wave of retrenchments salary cuts and other labour abuses. They will now be faced with a massively reduced CCMA that will be so starved of resources that it will be unable to help thousands of frustrated workers. The Federation has raised this at Parliament and will be requesting an urgent meeting with National Treasury to demand that these cuts be reversed. We demand a budget that will be responsive to the needs of the workers and the poor.

State-Owned-Enterprises-The CEC expressed concern about the continued deterioration of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Many of our SOEs are in varying stages of collapse.  We are disappointed that the Presidential State-Owned Enterprises Council (PSEC) is yet to present any convincing plan to reposition or stabilise state-owned enterprises.

The fact that very little has been done to fix the issues raised by the Auditor General and that some of these institutions like SABC are pushing for retrenchments is offensive and scandalous.

Government needs to work with labour and business to develop clear road maps to take these SOEs out of the ICU, reposition them to adjust to the changes taking place in their sectors and enable them to get back on a sustainable trajectory.  Retrenching workers cannot be accepted.  A caring government would not throw thousands of workers onto the unemployment line.  Alternatives must be found for workers whose jobs are at risk.

Eskom Social Compact-The meeting welcomed the adoption of the Eskom Social Compact. As a key part of the comprehensive package of economic recovery interventions, we call on social partners to sign it and start the implementation process in order to save jobs.

Economic Recovery Plan-The CEC has resolved to further unpack the economic recovery plan at the Federation’s February CEC. COSATU in the interim will engage in the implementation of the plan at the economic recovery leadership team at NEDLAC.

Corruption and Wasteful Expenditure-The CEC called for more arrests and conviction of criminals who continue to steal inside and outside of government. The message to be sent should be that no one is above the law.

We reiterate our call for centralisation of public procurement of large items, the introduction of an online open public procurement platform, the establishment of rapid response anti-corruption courts, and most critically the banning of Politically Exposed Persons and their spouses and children from doing business with the state.  The outright hostility by government to the latter is indicative of a leadership that has lost its moral compass.

COVID-19: The meeting expressed concern over the notable rise in COVID-19 infections and called on all South Africans to continue to take this deadly virus seriously. This is no time to be complacent because any reckless behaviour puts both the lives and the economy at risk. We welcome the extension of the R350 long term unemployment grant, and we hope that this will lay a foundation for the adoption of the basic income grant.

4.    Politics

ANC and NDR in Crisis: The Central Executive Committee has concluded that our National Democratic Revolution has entered a difficult period. The epicentre of this major challenge is within the ANC that is mired in corruption scandals, public bickering and is gradually experiencing declining support amongst the people. The meeting lamented the poor state of organisational and personal discipline in the ranks of the ANC, and the lack of decisive action by the elected officials. The on-going challenges of unity and cohesion especially amongst leadership at all levels of the organisation and between the organisational leadership and those deployed in government is a problem. The lack of political will and decisive strategic leadership in implementing the more challenging socio-economic resolutions from the Nasrec conference is deeply worrying. This combined with the austerity measures that are being implemented by its administration has put the NDR in a precarious position.

ANC NGC: We have noted the release of the ANC National General Council (NGC) documents and we shall convene a Political Commission to help us develop a posture on the documents and respond comprehensively. The Political Commission will also help us to develop a Minimum Programme going forward. This mid-term evaluation is important, and it should focus and respond to the pressing organisational challenges, especially on socioeconomic policies. We remain hopeful that the NGC will signal a turning point with regard to internal discipline, the decisiveness of the leadership on organisational and socioeconomic policy matters, the fight against corruption, relations with other components of the Alliance and in taking forward the mandate of Nasrec.

Alliance Summit: The CEC is looking forward to the upcoming Alliance Summit that was decided by the Alliance Political Council meeting and we hope it will take place before Local Government elections, next year. This summit is necessary to discuss the content and character of the National Democratic Revolution. The current implementation of austerity measures reflects a troubling development and what amounts to strategic deviation. Therefore, the nature of the contradiction is increasingly becoming more than just tactical and political issues, to some extent they have become strategic and class contradictions that also relate to the ideological contestation of the content and objectives of the NDR.

We view these attacks on collective bargaining and suppression of the trade union activity as a way of using a crisis to break the spine of the trade unions and reverse Nasrec policy outcomes. These attacks are evident both in the public and private sector. However, the fact that it is a democratic government led by a liberation movement that is part of our own alliance perpetrating these attacks, makes the case even more shameful. In this regard, the CEC warned that, the ANC government is abandoning/dishonouring the Freedom Charter and is involved in the erosion of the hard-won democratic gains since 1994.

The Freedom Charter says; “There Shall Be Work and Security. All who work shall be free to form trade unions, to elect their officers and to make wage agreements with their employers”.

In the RDP document, the ANC said; “Our history has been a bitter one dominated by colonialism, racism, apartheid, sexism and repressive labour policies……Central to building the economy is the question of workers rights. Past policies of labour exploitation and repression must be redressed and the imbalances of power between employers and workers corrected. The basic rights to organise and to strike must be entrenched. And negotiations and participative structures at national, industry and workplace level must be created to ensure that labour plays an effective role in the reconstruction and development of our country….we need an economy which will eliminate poverty, low wages and extreme inequalities in wages and wealth generated by apartheid system, meet the basic needs and thus ensure every South African has a decent living standard and economic activity.”

Despite the occasional rhetoric around radical economic transformation, the country is now being handed over to neoliberal Western institutions like the IMF, World Bank, etc. What we are seeing now is the ANC and its government spitting on the workers and going rogue.

This is a development that will not only undermine our national self-determination as a country but will put into question the ANC’s historical commitment to a progressive and transformative vision. Workers demand and deserve answers about this the direction of the ANC government that is starting to wage an offensive against workers through retrenchments and wage freezes.

This cannot be tolerated because the aspirations of the workers and the working class have to be reflected in an ANC government. If it rejects or dishonours these aspirations, it is threatening the very foundations of the Alliance and making it redundant and unnecessary.

Given the political significance of 2021, COSATU shall be Convening its Central Committee (CC) and Provincial Congresses as per our Constitutional obligations to assess, clarify and deepen our perspectives as we finalise a clear way forward regarding the many challenges facing workers.

Towards that end, COSATU shall be reviewing its Medium-Term Programme, formerly known as the 2015 Plan and its Economic Policy Document, the Growth Path to Full Employment as key cornerstones guiding our approach to the many complex issues we face.

The CEC was briefed about the developments in LIMPOPO and supports the positions taken by our provincial structure there and will be engaging with Alliance partners on the way forward.

5.    Delayed Legislation

 PIC Amendment Bill and Political Party Funding Act-The CEC has expressed concern over an increasing tendency by the President and his Executive towards undermining Parliament.  Parliament has passed several important Bills only for the Presidency to simply ignore them or for departments to delay indefinitely their implementation. This will lead us to a constitutional crisis.  If the President does not want to sign a Bill, he must refer it back to Parliament.  But he can only do so if the Bill is unconstitutional or the public participation processes were undermined. 

Parliament passed the Public Investment Corporation Amendment Bill in March 2019 and the Political Party Funding Bill in 2018.  To date the Presidency has not signed the PIC Amendment Bill.  Yet this is a critical intervention towards dealing with the massive allegations of corruption at the PIC during the era of state capture.

The President signed the Political Party Funding Bill but failed to announce a commencement date.  We are now approaching local elections. The government cannot be allowed to continue to undermine Parliament.  The Presidency must move with speed to the signing, enacting and implementation of legislation.  Lethargy is not a virtue

Issued by COSATU

Sizwe Pamla (Cosatu National Spokesperson) Tel: 011 339 4911

Fax: 011 339 5080

Cell: 060 975 6794