Sunday, April 19, 2015

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Sexual Assault


It is Sexual Assault awareness month, and under the radar once again as reports of violence emerge from the University of Virgina. In a developing story, a young woman was assaulted by a known suspect. According to reports, the attack occurred between 12:30 and 1 a.m. on April 17, at a building close to the north side of the University of Virginia. The staff at the university acted swiftly, and have taken steps to investigate the matter and offer protection to the victim.
At a statewide conference, sexual assault was discussed at the Virginia chapter of the American Association of University Women on Saturday. Recent domestic violence and sexual assault charges have necessitated the need for awareness. The administrators are urged to pay particular attention to partner violence, in the wake of the killings of female students.
At the meeting, Claire Kaplan, the director of Gender Violence and Social Change program, said there was more awareness of the problem. Policies and sexual assault education programs are being taken seriously by colleges across the state, in light of the recent issues. Prompted by an article in a Rolling Stone magazine, awareness was brought to the fore. Investigations of sexual assault are a sensitive topic and alcohol usage among students is another problem. Often students do not report cases of abuse, in fear of ridicule and the insensitivity of law enforcement officers handling these cases.
Members at the meeting also discussed the shocking report of an unconscious woman being raped by multiple men in Panama City Beach, Florida. The story made national headlines this month, and a video of bystanders watching the ordeal did not shown any attempt to intervene, the police said. A member at the conference said the video showed that the students were intoxicated, and often this was a primary cause leading up to a sexual assault. Alcohol is a cause of problems and offenders often prey on young women who are incapacitated.
Bystander intervention was a topic discussed, and public campaigns are being rolled out across the country to teach people how to intervene in a risky situation. Training bystanders to intervene was necessary, as inadequate education of how to intercede in a situation could increase the risk of escalating the problem.
April is sexual awareness month, and reports confirm that one in five women in the United States has been sexually assaulted. The report includes one in four college students who have been targeted and raped. Another statistic was the amount of victims who were either linked romantically and others who knew the perpetrators. Alcohol played a significant role in most of the attacks. Shockingly it is estimated that over 70 percent of attempted or actual sexual assaults, are not reported to the police.
Published on Guardian LV - Read the entire article

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Terrorism in Africa - South African Farmer shares a story

In the early 1960s, the Afrikaans comics Kleinspan and Jongspan carried the series of Tarzan (and Apes) comic strips. During 1912 Edgar Rice Burroughs created Tarzan a fictional character. The setting for the comic strip stems from the dark, dense jungles of West Africa and a primitive African tribe. One series mentioned an invasion coming into Africa from Mongolia. This could be far-fetched, it is not.

At the end of the 1800s, the Rinderpest cattle disease swept down Africa and wiped out most of the Xhosa cattle herds in the process. A Xhosa Sangoma told the Xhosa tribes to kill all the cattle to appease the spirits. The killing of the cattle would drive the British into the sea, and that will save the Xhosa. It did not. Driven to starvation the Xhosa people had to work in the mines in order to get money to buy food. Wrong information was given to this sangoma to achieve a predicted end. Cheap labor for the mines! Who gave this information?

The Rinderpest came from Mongolia and Steppes of Russia. Who brought it to Africa? It was a Swiss veterinary doctor, Dr. Arnold Theiler, at Allerton State Laboratory, Pietermaritzburg, who found the right vaccination and cure, which stopped the Rinderpest. The authorities are to-be-had to have oxen to pull the ox wagons for transport riders, taking goods to the Transvaal mines. In addition, oxen were used to pull the guns fighting the Boers.

The veterinary departments were linked between all British Colonial in Africa, such as the Boer Republics, two Rhodesia, Nyasaland and Kenya, and the Allerton State vets got the right remedy.
Allereton, veterinary pioneers – Natalia, December 2014 – Link


The Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie was leading Africa in terrorism by saying over Radio Abbis Ababa, "Africa for the Africans" in order to stir up the African masses to chase all Europeans out of Africa. An Italian girl, born and grew up in Ethiopia, witnessed these events and told to a South African Farmer.

At about 10 o'clock in the morning, the (Ethiopian) native women arrived at the place of execution outside Addis Ababa. Then the prisoners, to be executed, were brought to the place of execution on an animal drawn cart. Four gallows were ready. At 12 noon, the Emperor arrives riding his white horse. The first, to be hanged, is led to the gallows. The noose is placed around his neck. The reason to be hung and sentence is read to the damned. The rope is long, and he is ready to be swung. He curses the Emperor and the damned turned, made to be strangled. He dances at the end of the rope for minutes before he dies. All the women witnessing the scene ululate on the side of the hill looking over the hanging. When all are hanged and dead, Haile Selassie rides back to his palace in Addis Ababa. In Addis Ababa, the peasants have rights.

A person drives his car carefully through the streets. Suddenly someone goes in front of the car and is run over. The police officer comes in the scene. While asking questions, the police officer produces a long thin knife and skewers the driver through his body killing him. Cars and vehicles are foreigners to Ethiopia!

Just before Ethiopia experienced a severe drought and famine was the order of the day. Until that time, the food production was based on the Feudal system. A few owned the agriculture land and peasants worked on the land and the nation was fed.

Miriam Mengistu was an army officer in Haile Selassie's administration he attended officers' college in the United States of America, the same that South African Magnus Malan attended. Miriam Mengistu converted to Marxism; this was NOT what Haile Selassie intended.

During the Ethiopian famine crisis, Miriam Mengistu caught Haile Selassie in his Palace and with his own hands strangled Haile Selassie. In addition, hid him behind the throne and told the nation that no one knew where the Emperor was. Obviously, he would have stunk and the secret became known.
As the famine, progressed Churches in Britain put up posters inside Churches explaining the plight of the starving Ethiopians. People willingly paid their contributions. Millions of Pound Sterling went to Ethiopia to feed the starving masses. Miriam Mengistu and his cronies received his money, and in drinking scenes, got drunk and drank all the money away. The masses got nothing. Then the USA and Arabs issued an arrest warrant for Mengistu. He fled to Zimbabwe and became Robert Mugabe's adviser on land issues.

In April 2000, David Stevens was the first White farmer to be brutally killed by ZANU/PF and police under Mugabe's new land reform program. Miriam Mengistu was the reason why David Stevens was killed. David's widow, Maria, went to New York and opened murder charges against Robert Mugabe. The USA and UN did nothing to bring Mugabe to trial.

Prof. Ian Scoones from the University of Sussex, England, is a Johnny come lately to the scene of feeding Africa. What happens after his contribution is foreign investors invest in African land that the previous owners have been dispossessed? The masses, peasants and the poor get no food from agriculture lands that have been taken over by foreign investors, whether American, British, European or Chinese. This happened in Ethiopia, Libya and in Zimbabwe.

Today, Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Egyptian Islamic Jihad and the Lord’s Resistance Army are dangerous terrorist groups operating in Africa. There are other terrorist groups operating in Africa and the world. The terrorism in Africa does not stay in Africa; it trickles over to the rest of the World and remains an endless threat to peace and security.

Islamic extremists have found abundant ground to flourish in Africa and rapidly spreading their network of terrorism globally. Some of the bloodiest terror actions frequently happen in Nigeria, Algeria, Mali, Tunisia, Somalia and Kenya. The easy access of infiltrating across country borders and the corrupt governments are easy targets for terrorists to expand their operations. African governments often neglect to train army personnel and the underequipped armies have no mechanism for defending the vulnerable to the terrorist strikes. Almost every country in Africa receives US military assistance.

The vast lawless spaces in Africa are far away from US military bases and this would prove to be difficult to mount effective counter-terror initiatives. The terrorist's groups recruit foreign jihad fighters, often using young children to carry out murderous tasks.

Boko Haram is gaining control of Nigeria and is fighting to establish a pure Islamic state based on the Sharia law. Their ruthless attacks targeting schools, churches and army bases have a daunting effect on the government army who remain helpless against the cold-blooded killings. The army is under-equipped; weapons are old-fashioned and often hazardous proving that Boko Haram will ultimately win the terror war. Boko Haram are trying to connect with Al-Qaeda-linked groups with the sole intention of expanding the Islamic influence in North Africa,


Drug trafficking, ivory smuggling, and piracy are some of the actions used by terrorist groups to finance the continued terror attacks in Africa. Corrupt governments have lost control over the forceful and rapid rise in terrorism.

Image attributes: RIA Novosti  - License





Friday, April 17, 2015

South Africa Xenophobia Has Increased Significantly Since 1994

South Africa Xenophobia Has Increased Significantly Since 1994

South Africa


South African xenophobia has increased significantly since the 1994 Democratic election. Although there was a lack of direct data, a study published in 2004 by the South African Migration Project (SAMP) perceived the increase in xenophobic attacks.
The African National Congress (ANC) government, during the reign of President Nelson Mandela, attempted to surmount the past divisions of the apartheid era and construct new practices of social unity. The new government started aggressive and comprehensive projects for the Rainbow Nation in an attempt to unite the people. During this time, there was an increase in the unforeseen byproduct of intolerance toward outsiders. In communities, especially those around underdeveloped townships, there was a visible division caused by bitter feelings and distrust, which began to spark violent action against foreign citizens.
In the study, based on a survey by participating citizens across the country, many South Africans expressed a harsh sentiment toward foreigners. Up to 64 percent of people were in favor of the government settings limits on the number of foreigners entering the country.
The study revealed that police officers in Johannesburg were of the opinion that up to 87 percent of those accused of crimes were undocumented immigrants involved in criminal activities. There is no substantial statistical evidence of this claim.
Immigrants realized that the police could not offer protection and reported that the officers mistreated, stole from them and made unfounded allegations. This was reported to a Burundian refugee representative in March 2007.
There was violence before the first May 2008 xenophobia attacks. Human Rights Watch reported from neighboring countries that during January 1995, foreign nationals living in the township of Alexandra were assaulted physically. Logal armed gangs began the task of identifing migrants who had no legal documentation. The locals then took the migrants to police stations to try to free the community of immigrants.  The 1995 campaign of ridding foreigners was known as Buyelekha (Go Back Home). The locals blamed immigrants for the rise in unemployment, sexual attacks and crime.
In September 1998, a group of South Africans blamed immigrants for the spreading of AIDS and crime and threw two Senegalese and a Mozambican man out of a moving train. During 2000, over a five-week period, up to seven immigrants were killed at the infamous Cape-Flats establishment in South Africa. The killings were labeled as due to xenophobia, instigated by a fear that local property would be claimed by foreigners.
During October 2001, at the informal Zandspruit settlement, the locals ordered Zimbabweans to leave within ten days. When the immigrants failed to do so, the locals burnt the shacks and forcefully removed them from the settlement. The local members expressed being annoyed that the foreigners had worked while they remained jobless.
At the end of 2005 and stretching into the first days of 2006, there were reports that two Zimbabweans were among the four people that died in the township of Olievenhoutbosch. A local man’s death was blamed on the foreigners. Once again, the shacks were burnt and looting occurred.

Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2015/04/south-africa-xenophobia-has-increased-significantly-since-1994/#Ru38G3vLq8eoS7dc.99

South Africa Xenophobia Mushrooms Around the Country

South Africa Xenophobia Mushrooms Around the Country

South Africa


South Africa erupts into chaos as xenophobia mushrooms throughout the country. President Jacob  Zuma calls the attacks Afriphobia as the violence is mainly black on black. South African locals are not happy with foreigners from neighboring countries, as well as the increasing lack of government response to the situation. The flourishing small businesses set up by foreigners in and around townships in South Africa annoy the locals who are unemployed and struggling to survive. The locals are annoyed that foreigners have taken away jobs; and increasing poverty among the people have been a leading cause of violence. The locals want the foreigners to leave.
Another cause of the violence is the concept that immigrants contribute to the uncontrollable drug problem in the country. The country is on fire, and attacks seem to spring up in different places and the people have spoken and are fed up with foreigners exploiting local opportunities.
The recent xenophobia attacks started in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa and soon spread to the other provinces. Police patrol the streets, shooting rubber bullets at perpetrators in the hope of quelling the attacks. The attackers throw stones and glass at foreigners and police. Several people have died, and the police have confirmed that arrests have been made. This has not helped or curbed the attacks.  The police, it would seem, are unable to cope with the current violence; and fears that the military might be called upon are concerning. Refugee camps have been set up in an attempt to protect foreigners, and both Malawi and Somalia have started a process to repatriate the people affected by the attacks. Many foreigners call the police for protection, and some have no alternative but to flee the crime scene. What decisive action can be taken? During 2008 or as early as 2005 xenophobia attacks sprung up and there was no clear message from leaders to solve this problem.
Under the current circumstances, the South African government must step up the process of communication . There are contradictory messages from leaders. The president says it is a huge problem and the locals must respect the foreigners. Other leaders say it is not a primary concern, but rather small attacks that are controllable. The government says the xenophobia attacks are in fact under control, yet, videos, images and interviews with victims reveal a different story.
The problem of avoiding xenophobia attacks could have been prevented if the documentation of all foreigners entering the country were correctly applied. The theme to eradicate corruption within government departments and using stricter controls to curb African migrants might have reduced the current violence. A little too late, however; it would seem that Zuma does not have the understanding or leadership qualities to take charge of a desperate situation. The speech Zuma presented does not control the violence, speaking from behind a microphone telling parliament and the country that these attacks are condemned does not solve the problem.
A few weeks ago, the Zulu King, Zwelintini uttered annoyance at foreigners within South Africa and said “they should pack their bags and leave.” Within days, a son of President Zuma echoed the King’s sentiments blaming foreigners for crime and corruption. Did this report urge the locals to take up arms and declare war on foreigners? The silent support Zuma has shown for the Zulu king  and son Edward regarding the remarks about foreigners has reached a goal and by not defending the immigrants lives have now been lost
South Africa

Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2015/04/south-africa-xenophobia-mushrooms-around-the-country/#gWkPVdIIvOCTAX1u.99

Saturday, April 11, 2015

We Gave You Life.

If life is the greatest gift of all, then the white man gave the black one life...

Africa tribes people occupied the area and but for the coming of the white man they would not be many more today. Disease, malnutrition, infant mortality and death by spear and burning would have eliminated the majority. The white man came and rid the black communities of the crippling disease, introduced survival tactics, education and more.

In practice, the black community tribal chiefs believe the spirits or ancestors ultimate decide the tribe’s weal or woe. The sacrifice of a child or an animal was and perhaps still the usual practice to appease the spirits and find favor with the people. The tales of African nights stretching back to unknown beginnings, around the huts the shrieks of the old men and women, deafened the silent nights. A young man could not marry until his spear was covered in blood, and so the killings start and in a few minutes it is over, the bodies lay among the embers and the man is gone. Another ordinary black friendless night. The burning, the black on black killing and the chilling sacrifices to appease the tribal rulers.

Today, the educated and affluent African towns-person, with a business, still remains subject to his/her tribe’s communal customs. Today they are bound to the tribe and its tradition, handed down from the remote recesses of time because there is no history as the West knows it.

It might be said that time and patient responsible statesmanship might in time procedure a harmonious solution to the most challenging problem of the world. Perhaps there is no future of improving relationships between white and black people. Perhaps the only long term solution is separate lives in different lands.

After many years of trying to reconcile the vast differences of cultures, with little or no progress, the dark African nights have suddenly and violently returned again. The black on white violence erupts with the killing of farmers, the stoning of cars, torturing whites. The irritations and conflicts to set the different races against each other fomenting an atmosphere of war. This is the original Africa and the life given cannot change the prudent rulings of the tribal chiefs.

Possibly the quote from Douglas Reed sums up this article.

... An overwhelming majority of those who understand the question are in favor of the establishment of separate areas in which each of the two races, black and white, should be permitted to acquire interests in land ... However desirable it may be that members of the two races should live together side by side with equal rights as regards the holding of land, we are convinced that in practice, probably for generations to come, such a policy is not practicable or in the best interests of the two races. Until the Native has advanced very much further on the paths of civilization it is better that the points of contact between the two races should be reduced and a lengthy period afforded for the study of the whole question of the future of the relations between the two races in an atmosphere which is freed as far as possible from the setbacks which would ensue from the irritations and conflicts arising from the constant close proximity of members of races of different habits, ideals and outlook on life.