Rwanda Human Rights Observer

S. African mine carnage reveals anger over inequality By Justine Gerardy (AFP) – 2 days ago CAPE TOWN — South Africa's mine bloodshed which killed 34 strikers has laid bare anger with persistent poverty and put a damning spotlight on President Jacob Zuma's government, analysts say. Police opened fire on striking workers Thursday in an escalating stand-off between rival unions that had already killed 10 people days earlier at the North West province mine owned by the world's number three platinum producer Lonmin. "I really believe the government should have been more proactive," said analyst Susan Booysen of Wits University. "Here they should have been pre-emptive, getting together, convening stakeholders, and getting together the ministries of labour, mining, and police. I really think this tragedy could have been prevented." Horrific images of workers being gunned down in the worst police violence since the dawn of democracy in 1994 have...

Ethiopia's Meles Zenawi dies of undisclosed illness Fears for stability after PM's 21-year rule characterised by economic growth and human rights protests from international community One of Africa 's most powerful and divisive leaders, Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia , has died of an undisclosed illness, it has been announced. He was 57. During his 21-year rule, Meles turned Ethiopia into one of Africa's fastest-growing economies and proved to be a key US ally in the war on terror. But he was also regarded as an authoritarian strongman whose critics suffered persecution, imprisonment and torture. Meles had not been seen in public for about two months. He failed to attend a meeting of African Union heads of state in the capital, Addis Ababa, last month, raising speculation about his health .He died "abroad" at around 11.40pm on Monday after contracting an infection, state television said on Tuesday. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/21/ethiopia-mel...

Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi dies after illness Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has died aged 57 after months of illness, the government says. A spokesman said Mr Meles had died in a hospital abroad - but did not specify where or give details of his ailment. Speculation about his health mounted when he missed an African Union summit in Addis Ababa last month. Mr Meles took power as the leader of rebels that ousted communist leader Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991 and led the country's economic transformation. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19328356

"Recently, I was watching a documentary on the history channel of DSTV on the world leaders during and after the Second World War. At the end of it run a statement like this, "Roosevelt died in office, Churchill was defeated in the election following the war, Hitler blew himself up and Stalin stayed and completed his mission of capturing Poland and declaring it a communist state". I have also read missives of David Mafabi, and Margaret Wokuri as well as Bishop Zac Niringiye's retirement mission on restoration of term limits for the President of the Republic of Uganda. The debate between Mr Tamale Mirundi and the leadership of the Catholic Church's Easter message as well as that of the Pentecostal Churches cannot go unnoticed. I also recall an article I wrote in 2008 in the Daily Monitor titled, "Term Limits have failed the test in Africa" citing examples of countries which had also amended their constitutions to lift presidential term limit...

Rape of young girls in Congo still unpunished Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:37 GMT Source: Content partner // Inter Press Service/Emmanuel Chaco A woman with a traditional Congolese hair style poses for a portrait in the village of Bangadi in northeastern Congo, February 18, 2009. REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly Inter Press Service By Emmanuel Chaco KINSHASA, Aug 16 2012 (IPS) - A rash of recent rape cases has sparked local criticism of the weakness of the justice system in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where inadequate resources and simple incompetence mean survivors of sexual violence hold little hope of obtaining justice. “In the final week of July, we recorded more than 12 case...

Opposition groups want Rwandan president Paul Kagame investigated for war crimes Associated Press | Aug 17, 2012 4:02 PM ET More from Associated Press Stephen Chernin / AFP / Getty Images Rwandan and Congolese groups are calling for the International Criminal Court to investigate Rwandan President Paul Kagame for war crimes for allegedly backing rebel groups in eastern Congo. Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Email Comments More AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Rwandan and Congolese groups opposed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame's rule asked the International Criminal Court on Friday to investigate him for war crimes for allegedly backing rebel groups in eastern Congo. A small group gathered outside the court in The Hague, Netherlands, with banners reading "Kagame Assassin," and "Freedom for Congo." The gesture is symbolic, as Court Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has not said whether she has any plans to investigate...