Selected recent news stories from Burundi, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Liberia. 

Bulletin: 

Burundi:

• Legislative Elections takes place today (23 July): As elections to the 100 seats in Burundi’s Parliament is underway, the East African Community (EAC) announced it is sending an Election Observer Mission to the country.
• Arms Trafficking Ring Discovered: Burundi police uncovered a cache of illicit arms bound for a stronghold of the rebel group, National Liberation Forces (FNL), casting a shadow over the election process underway today.
• Burundian Military on High Alert: The military is on high alert after the Kampala, Uganda terrorist attacks on 11 July.  Authorities in Burundi fear similar attacks within its borders.
• Journalist Jailed for Treason: A Burundian journalist was jailed for treason after publishing an article criticizing Burundi’s military capability of defending against Somali terrorist attacks.
• Burundi Found “Most Corrupt Country” in Poll: A Transparency International poll found Burundi to be the “Most Corrupt East African Country” in its latest poll.

Central African Republic:

• Rebel Attack in North: A rebel attack, perpetrated by Movement of Centrafrican Liberators for Justice (MLCJ) dissidents left 13 people dead on Monday. 

Guinea-Bissau:

• Drug-Trafficking Elicits Criticism by International Community: Concerns about drug trafficking in Guinea-Bissau and its links to military authorities in the country continue, and the international community is voicing its displeasure with the current state of affairs.
• Chief of Army, Indjai Vows Subordination of Army: Newly appointed Chief of the Army, and former leader of an 1 April coup attempt in Guinea-Bissau, General Antonio Indjai, said yesterday that he wishes to restore respect in civilian authority and the subordination of the armed forces to the political system in Guinea-Bissau.

Sierra Leone:

• World Bank Grants 20 Million (US): The World Bank is committing 20 million dollars (US) to Sierra Leone to support the country’s short to medium term existing youth employment programs through the Youth and Employment (YES) project.
• HIV/AIDS in the Military: Rising rates of HIV/AIDS in Sierra Leone’s military ranks are beginning to jeopardize the military’s effectiveness.
• SLPP to Discuss the Position of Women and Youth Employment: Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) plans to hold a national consultative meeting with party stakeholders to strengthen the position of women within the party during the upcoming 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Liberia:

• Liberia Recieves 25 Million from PBF:  The Peacebuilding Fund is set to contribute 25 million dollars (US) to Liberia for peacebuilding activities in the country.

Burundi

EAC to Observe Elections – Legislative Elections Today
The East African Community (EAC) is sending an Election Observer Mission to Burundi to observe the National Assembly elections held today (23 July), Senate elections on 28 July and local election on 7 September.

Legislative elections held today (Friday 23 July), are predicted to continue the trend of uncontested wins for the ruling party in Burundi’s marathon elections.  AFP reports that President Pierre Nkurunziza's party, National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), who won the presidential elections in June with reported 90% of the vote, is assured a win in today’s election.  Seven political parties and two independent candidates are participating in the contest for 100 seats in Burundi’s Parliament’s lower chamber.

Several opposition party officials have labeled Burundi’s elections this year as a threat to the country’s democratization and peace process due to alleged widespread fraud in electing one ruling party. Tensions have only increased in the last few weeks, as reports of grenade attacks and more than 100 arrests of opposition supporters and officials have begun to surface.

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Arms Trafficking Ring Discovered as Legislative Elections Begin
Burundi police uncovered an arms trafficking ring after a confrontation with gang members in Bujumbura on Wednesday (21 July). Daily Nation reports that the arms were bound for the Rukoko marsh on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, a base for the rebel group National Liberation Forces (FNL).  Headed by Agathon Rwasa who has been in hiding since June after challenging the election of President Nkurunziza, the FNL is one of the largest opposition forces against Burundi’s sitting government and the party continues to boycott Burundi’s elections.  News of the attempted arms shipment casts serious concerns for the legislative elections held today, amplified by the FNL’s call upon other opposition parties to boycott today’s elections.

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Military on High Alert
Burundi’s armed forces remain on high alert following the terrorist attacks in Kampala, Uganda on 11 July.  The attacks were perpetrated by Al-Shabab, a Somali, Islamist terrorist group with ties to Al-Qaeda.  Al-Shabab is fighting the Western-backed Somali government in pursuit of a future Islamist state for the country.  The attacks on Kampala were a reaction to the presence of Ugandan troops in Somalia to defend against rebel forces within the country, including Al-Shabab.  As Burundi also has troops in Somalia, Al-Shabab leadership has announced that it is the next target for their attacks – prompting the high alert from Burundi’s armed forces. 

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Journalist Jailed for Treason
Burundian journalist and editor of the online daily journal Net Press, Jean-Claude Kavumbagu was arrested on Saturday on charges of treason. In the 12 July article leading to his arrest, Mr. Kavumbagu wrote about the 11 July terrorist attacks in Uganda, and expressed doubts in the ability of Burundi’s security forces to prevent similar attacks on Burundian soil.  Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and other human rights advocate organizations have voiced their support for Mr. Kavumbagu and are appealing to Burundi’s government to release him on the claim that his arrest constitutes a violation of his right to free expression.

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“Most Corrupt East African Country”
Burundi has been voted ‘Most Corrupt East African Country’ in  Transparency International’s survey of 10,500 East Africans conducted at the beginning of this year. The survey focused on the frequency of bribery in private and public institutions.

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Central African Republic

Rebel Attack in Birao
After a rebel attack in the Northern city of Birao in the Central African Republic (CAR), left 13 dead on Monday (19 July), dissidents from the Movement of Centrafrican Liberators for Justice (MLCJ) claimed responsibility.  Although MLCJ had previously agreed to enter the peace process and disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) efforts with CAR’s government, a separatist faction of this rebel group stormed the city just before dawn, drawing gunfire from soldiers stationed in Birau, (a city located near the borders of Chan and Sudan). The soldiers defending the city are among nearly 300 UN peacekeepers stationed there.  Some reports assert that the attack was triggered by the dissident faction’s anger at not being provided food allowances, as was outlined in their DDR agreement. CAR’s armed forces were able to regain control of the city after heated fighting.

This attack has raised doubts in CAR’s preparedness to host legislative and presidential elections this October (2010). These elections were delayed in April (and again in May) and have been plagued with a 7.5 million US dollar funding gap.  If successful, the elections would be an important step in CAR’s peace and democratization processes.

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Guinea-Bissau

Drug-Trafficking Elicits Criticism by International Community
Concerns about links to drug trafficking in Guinea-Bissau’s military continue to affect the country’s relationships with the international community.  Most recently, Angola and Portugal – representing the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) voiced their concerns about criminal activity in Guinea-Bissau. The Cape Verde Premier, as well as Mariano Matsinhe (a member of the ruling party, Liberation From of Mozambique’s (FRELIMO) Central Committee), called for greater commitment of the CPLP, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and the Economic Community of West Africa State (ECOWAS), to address the situation in Guinea-Bissau.

Several Civil Society actors, specifically Human Rights Watch, SOS Talibé Children, and the Association of the Friends of Children, are pressing Guinea-Bissau to adopt an anti-trafficking law. Currently, there are no such provisions to specifically criminalize human trafficking in the country, although it is a wide spread problem throughout Guinea-Bissau.

The European Union may end its program to reorganize and reform Guinea-Bissau’s police force and army because of persistent resistance from leaders in Guinea-Bissau’s defense forces. The decision has not yet been announced, but if the program is terminated, it will jeopardize regional efforts for sustainable peace and to fight drug trafficking.

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Chief of Army, Indjai Vows Subordination of Army
Newly appointed Chief of Armed Forces, General Antonio Indjai, said yesterday that he wishes to restore respect in civilian authority and the subordination of the armed forces to the political system in Guinea-Bissau. General Indjai went on to say, “from now on, Guinea-Bissau’s soldiers will be an example of discipline and respect to civilian power.  The soldier is not above the politician; he must totally obey civilian power (and) he who will not respect this will no longer be part of us.”

This statement comes two weeks after Guinea-Bissau’s President launched an outspoken attack on the country’s military.  “Guinea-Bissau is not the private property of soldiers…We will not accept being perpetual hostages in the hands of the military,” President Malam Bacai Sanha declared on 9 July.

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Sierra Leone

World Bank to Grant 20 Million (US)
The World Bank is committing 20 million dollars (US) to Sierra Leone to support the country’s short to medium term existing youth employment programs through the Youth and Employment (YES) project. The project will finance: 1) a Cash for Works component of $10 million, 2) a Skills Development and Employment Support component for $7.5 million, and 3) an Institutional Support, Policy Development, and Impact Evaluation project for $2.5 million. 

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HIV/AIDS in the Military
HIV/AIDS is on the rise within Sierra Leone’s military ranks – where the rates have risen to 3.6% as opposed to the national average of 1.3%. The severity and extent of this infection threatens the productivity and effectiveness of Sierra Leone’s Armed Forces. 

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SLPP to Discuss the Position of Women and Youth Employment
The opposition group, Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) plans to hold a national consultative meeting with party stakeholders to strengthen the position of women within the party during the upcoming 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections. This meeting follows a two day capacity building workshop, organized by the SLPP women’s leader, Isatu Kabbah, to discuss the importance of gender equality and collective participation in governance.

The contender for SLPP’s presidential nomination, Ret. Julius Maada Bio, has asserted youth employment as a priority for Sierra Leone’s future, and has accused the current president, President Koroma, for perpetuating corruption within the state.

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Liberia

Liberia Recieves 25 Million from PBF
The Peacebuilding Fund is set to contribute 25 million dollars (US) to Liberia for peacebuilding activities in the country.  An assessment mission from the PBC is expected to visit the country on August 15 for two weeks.  Following this mission, Liberia is expected to accept the funds upon signing onto a peacebuilding strategy developed by the UN General Assembly.

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