tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-236458802024-03-07T05:57:57.335+02:00Africa in the NewsSouth Africa is an extremely interesting place, with at least a zillion different faces and even more stories to tell. You could therefore say that this country is a writer's and photographer's paradise. There is so much to observe, think, write, feel, encounter, hear, and see. That is what my weblog about.Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-20045272729746499042007-05-11T09:09:00.000+02:002007-05-11T09:14:55.997+02:00South African Court: Men cannot be raped<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I was horrofied when I read about the Court's ruling about men rape. In a country where rape of both men and women, boys and girls is so very common - I am deeply disappointed about this incredible narrow minded decision.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">How can it be that sodomising a woman against her will </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" >can </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">be classified as rape and forced sodomy of a men </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" >can't</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">? With all do respect, but in what way does a female anus differ from a male bum, apart from belonging to a woman's body? In what way is forced sodomy of a woman worse than forced sodomy of a man? In both cases, it entails the same horrific deed with the same humiliating, traumatising impact. I am a 100% sure that a male victim of anal rape is just as much violated and hurt as his female counterpart.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> And maybe even more so due to the heavy taboo that still rests on male rape worldwide.<br /><br />To me, anyone who with the use of force shoves his privates into someone - no matter what hole, no matter if the victim is a man or a woman - is a rapist.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">Miriam Mannak, Africa in the News / Cape Town, South Africa</span></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-23422317606372849252007-02-22T05:06:00.000+02:002008-12-12T10:34:55.987+02:0020-month old baby girl raped<span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" >I<span style="font-style: italic;"> feel sick to the stomach. Angry. Incredibly sad. Furious. I want to cry, </span><i style="font-style: italic;">I </i><span style="font-style: italic;">want to shout, scream, hurl, sob and curse until my lungs hurt. I feel like hitting someone. Yes, really hitting - not just tapping the person on the head. I feel like hitting the person who could not control himself and therefore ruined a small baby’s life. I feel like hitting </span><i style="font-style: italic;">all</i><span style="font-style: italic;"> the people who have done, are doing and will be doing the same horrendous act.<br /></span></span> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">She was only 20-months old when she was raped. Repeatedly, the entire night. At barely two years of age, this little girl from somewhere in the South Africa’s Eastern Cape province went trough what can be classified as one of the most horrendous experiences that can happen to a woman. And the perpetrator? According to today’s news papers, the person behind this horrific crime is a child himself, a 14-year old boy and a family member of his victim. <span style=""> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p style="font-family: arial;"></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">An overpowering combination </span></span>of sadness and anger suffocates me, when I think about the fact that there are people walking around who are emotionally able to violate others in such way. Especially children. How on earth do some men have no problems with and even feel the urge to unzip their pants, to take it out and to rob our young generations from their dignity, their faith in people, their innocence, and from a physically, mentally and sexually healthy life? <span style=""> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>And since when do kids rape kids? When I was fourteen, sex was the last thing on my mind, and rape was an unknown word to me. Of course, times have changed and kids these days are more sexually mature – or think they are more sexually mature – than children ten, fifteen years ago. But that is not – cannot – be an excuse. </span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>As a society we need to stand up against what is now classified as a crime against humanity. We all need to make one big fist against rape. Men, but also women have a responsibility to prevent rape in our communities. And it is about time we only blame men, as we also need to look at ourselves and how we bring up our sons.<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">In many cultures across the world – not only in <st1:place>Africa</st1:place> – a son’s place in the family is usually different when compared to the position of his sister. In many cases, boys are treated as superior to and more precious than their female <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">siblings, living a childhood life with more privileges, more freedom, and less rules.</span></span></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/Rd20YN9zNNI/AAAAAAAAAKI/wlLDfY_r9f0/s1600-h/violence+women+rape+domestic+abuse.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 167px; height: 167px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/Rd20YN9zNNI/AAAAAAAAAKI/wlLDfY_r9f0/s320/violence+women+rape+domestic+abuse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034378286628811986" border="0" /></a></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I am not saying that all mothers are per definition to blame when their son turns out to be a rapist. <span style=""> </span>Yet, I am saying that many rapists have – due to their upbringing – a skew view of the relation between men and women and about how both sexes should interact. Many see women as inferior, as submissive and maybe even as voiceless objects, simply because they were raised that with the idea that boys are better, stronger, and superior towards girls. We women – mothers and mothers to be – have a responsibility to raise our sons and daughters equally and to teach our sons to have<span style=""> </span>the utmost respect for the opposite sex.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Hopefully, the little girl from the Eastern Cape will recover fully after her ordeal. Hopefully her physical and emotional scars will fade over the years. </span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">Miriam Mannak, Africa in the News / Cape Town, South Africa</span></span><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-68014469061422779722007-02-16T00:31:00.000+02:002008-12-12T10:34:56.245+02:00Diamonds: Symbols of love or of war?<p style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">While sounds of gun shots, screaming children and crying women filled the cinema, she looked at her engagement ring. No longer did she see a sparkling symbol of eternal love. She saw blood, gore, violence, hatred, war and young boys being drugged and trained to shoot to kill. She saw the pain of women, losing their sons and their dignity, she saw young girls' legs being spread apart by grown men, possessed by an animal-like sexual force.</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>More than one out of ten purchasable diamonds can be classified as a Blood Diamonds, stones that are mined in a war zone, and sold in order to finance that particular war or uprising. The vast majority of blood diamonds or conflict diamonds are from <st1:place>Africa</st1:place>, from countries such as <st1:country-region><st1:place>Angola</st1:place></st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region><st1:place>Ivory Coast</st1:place></st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region><st1:place>Sierra Leone</st1:place></st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region><st1:place>Liberia</st1:place></st1:country-region> and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here war lords have used and are using the profit of diamond mining and sales - worth billions of dollars – to fuel war and conflict by for instance buying arms.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdanmXhyl5I/AAAAAAAAAIU/Rkg3gmf8Md0/s1600-h/blood+diamond+africa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 151px; height: 151px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdanmXhyl5I/AAAAAAAAAIU/Rkg3gmf8Md0/s320/blood+diamond+africa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032393911225718674" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>While peace has descended upon <st1:country-region><st1:place>Angola</st1:place></st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region><st1:place>Sierra Leone</st1:place></st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region><st1:place>Liberia</st1:place></st1:country-region> – after many decades of war, military terrorism and human suffering – the situation in the Democratic Republic remains one of despair and tragedy. Here, diamonds are a major engine that fuels a conflict that has claimed many hundreds of thousands of lives. The same story counts for <st1:country-region><st1:place>Ivory Coast</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>With 1,5 out of ten diamonds being blood tainted, the chance of buying a war stone is considerable. Those diamond lovers who refuse to be part of a conflict in a far away country have few options, of which the most important one is to insist that their jeweler or diamond dealer provides them with information that proves the stone is clean one. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Think again before swiping your credit card while a smiling diamond dealer wraps up your precious stone. Men should ask whether the engagement ring for their wife to be is war free, or if it was used to fuel conflict and war. Women wanting to treat themselves to a sparkly necklace should do the same. And diamond dealers should take responsibility too, by only offering clean diamonds and providing their customers with the necessary proof about the nature of the stone. </span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>Myself, I refuse to wear diamonds. Because you never know what you gonna get, as most retailers cannot guarantee that the stone you laid eyes on is not a conflict diamond. And would you want to have a ring around your finger for which – possibly - a little boy has had his hand chopped off with a machete? For which a young girl was forced to open her legs for drunk militiamen? For which several countries were drawn into a spiral of conflict, violence and sorrow? I don’t think so.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Miriam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mannak</span></span></span></span> - Africa in the News / Cape Town - South Africa</span><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" > </span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-16293576642899259332007-02-15T04:53:00.000+02:002008-12-12T10:34:56.559+02:00Darfur: To Keep or break the promise<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >"Never again", the International Community – lead by the </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:country-region style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;"><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" > - said after World War II. "Never again", the International Community pledged in 1994, as a reaction to the Rwandan genocide which claimed 800 000 lives in a period of a 100 days. And again, the international community is breaking this promise her promise as for the last three years Darfur has been subjected to a cruel genocide which claimed at least 200 000 lives.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>Twelve years have passed, since <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region> was drenched in blood, gore and hatred after the signal was given for one of the bloodiest and horrific events in history: the genocide of 1994. While eight hundred thousand people were massacred, the international community closed its eyes to the atrocities and turned its back to <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region>. It took a few months after the first Rwandan was hacked to death for the International Community to pledge to prevent future “<st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwandas</st1:place></st1:country-region>”.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdaooHhyl6I/AAAAAAAAAIg/qrIR_gELMfw/s1600-h/genocide+rwanda+darfur+africa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 166px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdaooHhyl6I/AAAAAAAAAIg/qrIR_gELMfw/s320/genocide+rwanda+darfur+africa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032395040802117538" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The atrocities in <st1:place>Darfur</st1:place> <st1:place><st1:placetype>province</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Sudan</st1:placename></st1:place> started in 2003, and despite the horrific images and heartbreaking testimonies, the west seemed and seems little or not interested in helping the Darfurians. And like when Rwandanns were subjected to genocide, lots of discussions revolve around <st1:place>Africa</st1:place>’s newest genocide but no action has been taken.</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Who cares?</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> According to Romeo Dallaire, former commander in chief of the peacekeeping operation UNAMIR in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the explanation is simple. "They're like Rwandans. There's no self-interest. Who cares about Darfurians? They're only sub-Saharan Africans," he said a Senate subcommittee.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Romeo Dallaire led UNAMIR from Late 1993 until after the genocide. Knowing that something bad was about to happen in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region>, he received no backing from the United Nations to prevent events which eventually lead to one of the bloodiest genocides in human history. Also during the genocide, Dallaire’s appeal to enforce UNAMIR were rejected as well as his pleads to change UNAMIR’s mandate and to get more equipment. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdcFQHhyl_I/AAAAAAAAAJc/h5MyWDso6a8/s1600-h/romeo+dallaire+shake+hands+devil+rwanda+genocide.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 156px; height: 156px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdcFQHhyl_I/AAAAAAAAAJc/h5MyWDso6a8/s320/romeo+dallaire+shake+hands+devil+rwanda+genocide.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032496883066640370" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">"Now that we have acknowledged for more than four years that this horror is happening on our watch, we must summon the courage and act to stop this carnage,” said Dallaire, since 2005 part of the Canadian Senate. Last year he was appointed as a panel member of the UN Committee for the Prevention of Genocide.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shake hands with the devil</span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The Rwandan genocide has left a deep scar on Dallaire’s soul, a scar that hasn’t healed properly yet. A few years after the genocide and after recovering from alcoholism and psychological problems which led to various suicide attempts, Dallaire wrote one of the best and honest books about the Rwandan Genocide: Shake Hands with the Devil. IN Shake Hands with the Devil, Dallaire writes about his experiences, feelings, thoughts, and frustrations regarding the events as well as his love for <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region>. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>With <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region> close at heart, Dallaire often tried to persuade the international community to take action in <st1:place>Darfur</st1:place>. In Looking at <st1:place>Darfur</st1:place>, Seeing Rwanda – published in the New York Times in 2004 – Dallaire reminds the west of what it promised twelve years ago, to prevent a second <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region>. “What is happening in <st1:place>Darfur</st1:place> genocide and having vowed to stop it, it is time for the West to keep its word as well.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p><span style="font-style: italic;">Miriam Mannak - Africa in the News / Cape Town South Africa</span><br /></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" > </span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-63240376055412528662007-02-06T05:02:00.000+02:002008-12-12T10:34:56.871+02:00Extreme poverty hits SA's children<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;" class="articleheadline">A new survey by the </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;" class="articletext">Children's Institute at </span><st1:place style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><st1:placetype><span class="articletext">University</span></st1:placetype><span class="articletext"> of </span><st1:placename><span class="articletext">Cape Town</span></st1:placename></st1:place><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;" class="articleheadline"> has brought to light that poverty in </span><st1:country-region style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><st1:place><span class="articleheadline">South Africa</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;" class="articleheadline"> is rampant, with children as its prime victims. According to the </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;" class="articletext">South African Child Gauge 2006, which provides an insight into the lives of children in South Africa and is based on national data and analysis of this information, </span><span class="articleheadline"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">over half of South Africa’s children live in extreme poverty. </span><br /></span></span><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline">One in two children in <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">South Africa live in households </span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ><span class="articleheadline"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">with monthly earnings of R800 or less. This figur</span>e is called </span></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="articleheadline">the so-called breadline or the “ultra poverty line”, which comes down to approximately 85 euro or 100 dollars per month. According to the last national census of 2001, an average household in </span><st1:country-region style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><st1:place><span class="articleheadline">South Africa</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="articletext"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> counts approximately 4 </span>people.<span style=""><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/Rdaqnnhyl7I/AAAAAAAAAIs/a-p4mKVXumM/s1600-h/south+africa+township+poverty.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 155px; height: 155px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/Rdaqnnhyl7I/AAAAAAAAAIs/a-p4mKVXumM/s320/south+africa+township+poverty.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032397231235438514" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </div><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articletext">According to the survey, in 2006 one in every two children in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="articletext">South Africa</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="articletext"> lived on or below that ultra poverty line. In total, 13,5 million children lived in household with an income of R2 500 (250 euro or 300 dollar) or less a month. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articletext"><o:p></o:p>This is in sharp contrast with the 12 percent of all children in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="articletext">South Africa</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="articletext"> who live in households with monthly earnings of more than R6 000 (600 euro / 1000 dollar).</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Rural vs Urban poverty</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articletext"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </div><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articletext"><o:p></o:p></span>While poverty is often regarded as part of daily city life, poverty in <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> – as in most countries - is more pervasive in rural areas. According to the FAO, the majority <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s poor (<a href="http://www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0001005/index.php">65 %</a>) live in rural areas. Additionally, 78% of the people in rural areas are living on or below the poverty line. </span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </div><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </div><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articletext"><o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Take for instance rural <st1:place>Limpopo</st1:place>, famous for the <st1:place><st1:placename>Kruger</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>National Park</st1:placetype></st1:place>. Here, 74 % of the children are subjected to extreme poverty, living in <span class="articletext">households earning a monthly income of R800 or less. The </span><st1:place><span class="articletext">Eastern Cape Province</span></st1:place><span class="articletext"> follows with 73 percent. <span style=""> </span>The </span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="articletext">Free State</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="articletext"> and </span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="articletext">KwaZulu-Natal</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="articletext"> rank third with 60 percent, followed by the </span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="articletext">North West</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="articletext"> (58 percent), </span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="articletext">Mpumalanga</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="articletext"> (57 percent), </span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="articletext">Northern Cape</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="articletext"> (49 percent), </span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="articletext">Gauteng</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="articletext"> (29 percent) and the </span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="articletext">Western Cape</span></st1:place></st1:state><span> (18 percent).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Complex nature</span><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline"><o:p></o:p><br />Poverty, due to its complex character, is amongst the most serious problems any country can face. First of all, it is an issue that is difficult to tackle as poverty is in many cases wide spread, chronic and is often hereditary and being passed on from generation to generation; as in many developing countries, most South Africans born in a poor household will often live their lives in poverty. Last but not least, poverty comes in many different disguises as poverty in community ‘a’ might not be of the same caliber as poverty in community ‘b’. There is for instance a big difference between rural and urban poverty, and both types of poverties need different strategies in order to be countered.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </div><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </div><p face="arial" style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdcGYnhymAI/AAAAAAAAAJo/iF1_Rb96pIU/s1600-h/poverty+south+africa+children.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 151px; height: 151px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdcGYnhymAI/AAAAAAAAAJo/iF1_Rb96pIU/s320/poverty+south+africa+children.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032498128607156226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline">Secondly, poverty is a serious issue as it often leads to other problems, varying from health problems to low education and high illiteracy rates, which may lead to a life of unemployment, preventing people from escaping their situation. Social exclusion is another problem interlinked with poverty, just like high mortality rate, poor living conditions, environmental issues due to lack of infrastructure and service delivery, and let’s not forget crime as lack of money, the non-existence of a brighter future, and no means to survive may drive people into criminal corners they might not want to be in, in the first place. We are talking about drugs, human trafficking, prostitution, murder, hijacking, theft, robbery, and more.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline">The complex character of poverty makes the issue difficult to address, but that should not be a reason not to do something about it. It means a lot of determination, will power, dedication and walking to walk, and not only talking the talk. One – both the people as the authorities - should remember and realize that </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="articleheadline">South Africa</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline">’s future lies in the hands of our children, and therefore we should do our best to give them all the chances in the world and the right basis to build, and strengthen this country.</span></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="articleheadline" style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town<br /></span></span></p><p face="arial" style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span class="articleheadline" style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" > </span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-12457267777317735262007-01-28T10:10:00.000+02:002008-12-12T10:34:57.254+02:00The people versus crime & crooks<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >My last two posts on Africa in the News revolved around crime in South Africa, simply because I find it a problem that cannot be addressed too often. Crime and violence affect millions across this magnificent country; directly and indirectly. One of the results is an immense public outcry, as South Africans are not willing to live with the current situation. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >You cannot open any newspaper without coming to that unfortunate realization. People get killed, raped, murdered, hijacked, assaulted, robbed and traumatized every single day. Despite this, some authorities that are supposed to deal with crime do not see or are not willing to see the scope of the problem.<br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdasHnhyl8I/AAAAAAAAAI4/xPYM3QD0rWM/s1600-h/crime+south+africa+hijjack.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 170px; height: 170px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdasHnhyl8I/AAAAAAAAAI4/xPYM3QD0rWM/s320/crime+south+africa+hijjack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032398880502880194" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Jackie Selebi, South Africa's Police commander, has said he does not understand all <a href="http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14&click_id=6&art_id=vn20070127104857104C492599">the fuss around crime</a> and according to Andre Pruis, deputy national commissioner of the South African Police Service, visitors of the World Cup Soccer 2010 don't have to be worried because crime <a href="http://miriam-mannak.blogspot.com/2007/01/crime-south-africa-and-world-cup-2010.html">"is concentrated far away from the World Cup Stadiums."</a></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Crime whingers</span><br /><br />Charles Nqakula, South Africa's safety Minister, in June 2006 advised 'crime whingers' to <a href="http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20060602104812572C523307">leave</a> South Africa if they are not happy. "Those ones can continue to whinge away, they can continue to attack everything that we do, they can continue to be as negative as they want, in the end it is the many people out there who for many years have been crying for peace and stability in South Africa who determine who rules this country," he said.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdcHznhymBI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/TnDxsn6RM3k/s1600-h/crime+statistics+south+africa+charles+Nqakula.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 177px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdcHznhymBI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/TnDxsn6RM3k/s320/crime+statistics+south+africa+charles+Nqakula.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032499691975251986" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >To my opinion, the authorities are failing to protect their own people and they are stabbing them in the back by calling them crime whingers. A figure of 59 murders per 100 000 people per year in the Western Cape province, or a national figure of 18 500 murders per year, says a lot. Note that these figures exclude the number of people who survived a murder, who were assaulted, raped, hijacked, maimed for life and traumatized.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Zero tolerance<br /><br /></span>The authorities – especially Nqakula - should listen to people's complaints and to their stories, and they should take zero-tolerance steps to protect them. That is their job. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Feeling abandoned by the authorities, many communities across South Africa have taken the matter in their own hands, and manifested themselves into anti-crime movements. Take Cape Town for instance. Hout Bay, close to the Mother City, has established an extremely effective neighbourhood watch (Hout Bay Neighbourhood Watch) counting over 1800 people. Together they have managed to counter crime significantly. The same counts for Mannenberg, a coloured area in Cape Town that has lost quite a few members through gang wars.</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >But the public outcry goes even further, by praising ordinary people who decided to help out and to to prevent more damage, sometimes putting their own lives at risk.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">South Africa's unsung heroes</span><br /><br />This evening MNET – a national TV channel – dedicated the late afternoon to South Africa’s unsung heroes who, in their own ways, did something about crime. From five young boys who warned a farmer and his family about men who planned to attack the farm to an ex-police officer who got severely hurt when he saved a family from a blood thirsty robber. From an ex-convict who jumped in between a girl and her rapists – and now patrols the neighbourhood 24/7 - to a man who prevented an old lady from being robbed and stabbed. And more great, courageous and heroic people where put in the spotlights.</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >The motto of the evening was to keep your eyes open as someone’s safety might depend on you and your actions. Don’t walk away but help! And that is what the African ideology Ubuntu – meaning </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >humanness - is all about: being there for one another. Because “a person is a person through other persons.”</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span class="articleheadline" style="font-style: italic;"><span style="">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town</span></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" > </span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-52881434308536282812007-01-26T02:09:00.000+02:002008-12-12T10:34:57.597+02:00Crime and the world cup soccer 2010<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" class="articletext" >According to Andre <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Pruis</span>, deputy national commissioner of the South African Police Service, crime levels are not to affect visitors who come to </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="articletext">South Africa</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" class="articletext" > for the 2010 World Cup. This because crime is concentrated in areas far away from the chosen venues, the head of event security explained at the International Sports Security Summit in </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><st1:city><st1:place><span class="articletext">London</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">: "Where the soccer is going to take place, where the stadiums are, where the police are, there will be low crime levels." Clearly, Mr </span><span style="font-style: italic;" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Pruis</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> has no idea what he is talking about.</span></span><br /> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">While indeed a great percentage of crime happens in the townships, informal settlements and other marginalized areas across </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="articletext">South Africa</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">, which are situated far from city centres, crime also hits these and other wealthier parts of </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="articletext">South Africa</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">. The reason behind this is plain and simple: It is here where the loot is.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdawAXhyl-I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/W4k1NLgIxNE/s1600-h/world+cup+soccer+2010+south+africa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 147px; height: 147px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdawAXhyl-I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/W4k1NLgIxNE/s320/world+cup+soccer+2010+south+africa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032403153995339746" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">Take </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span class="articletext">Cape Town</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">, my city of residence and the epicenter of the Cape World Cup experience. Here, muggings, robberies, thefts, <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">hijackings</span>, and more serious acts of violence happen on a regular basis. The situation in the </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span class="articletext">Mother</span></st1:placename><span class="articletext"> </span><st1:placetype><span class="articletext">City</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;"> is nothing compared to </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span class="articletext">Johannesburg</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">, but crime is certainly present like it is in most other major cities in </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="articletext">South Africa</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">. This is not a doom scenario, this is the hard reality. As monitoring events of crime in the </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:state><st1:place><span class="articletext">Western Cape</span></st1:place></st1:state></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;"> is part of my daily tasks, I unfortunately know what I am talking about.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">While much of the crime monitored indeed happens away from the rich city centre, the city centre of the </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span class="articletext">Mother</span></st1:placename><span class="articletext"> </span><st1:placetype><span class="articletext">City</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;"> is also <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">targeted</span> by thieves, robbers, rapists and other crooks. Over the last months, we have had stabbings on </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span class="articletext">Table</span></st1:placename><span class="articletext"> </span><st1:placetype><span class="articletext">Mountain</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">, robberies on Lion’s Head, muggings in </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span class="articletext"><span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kirstenbosch</span></span></st1:placename><span class="articletext"> </span><st1:placetype><span class="articletext">Botanical Gardens</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;"> and <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">knife pointings</span> on Lion’s Head. In <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Greenpoint</span>, the home of the future World Cup Stadium, a man drawing money at an ATM was shot. In <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Newlands</span>, a young man was recently kicked <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">paralyzed</span> after returning home from a night out with friends. I recently was knife pointed in the city centre by a group of street kids, praying on my phone and wallet. Just to name a few incidents.</span></p><p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdcKVHhymCI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/Di53NJYWa2M/s1600-h/crime+statistics+south+africa+thoba+mbeki+zapiro+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdcKVHhymCI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/Di53NJYWa2M/s320/crime+statistics+south+africa+thoba+mbeki+zapiro+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032502466524125218" border="0" /></a></p> <p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">The same sad story unfortunately counts for other South African touristy cities. On </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span class="articletext">Durban</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">’s beach front, a French woman was brutally gang raped a months or two ago. In </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span class="articletext">Johannesburg</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">’s more affluent neighbourhoods, violent robberies and <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">hijackings</span> are reported every day. My sister in law was shot at while driving her car. Luckily she remained unharmed.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">I need to emphasize that despite all this, South Africa’s affluent suburbs and neighbourhoods remain a paradise compared to the crime ridden townships where problems as unemployment, lack of education, lack of chances and loss of dignity are a few of the causes of crime. Yet, one can’t simply promise that crime will not be a problem at the World Cup Venues, simply because the stadiums are situated far away from the <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">townships</span>.<o:p> Crime does not know borders, it flows - like water - where it wants to go and where it is directed to.<br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="articletext" style="font-size:85%;">Mr <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Pruis</span>, I kindly ask you to please have a glance at the most recent crime statistics, and speak to your fellow South Africans from all layers of society about what they experienced crimewise. Or if that is too much effort: Read a newspaper once in a while.</span></p><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span class="articleheadline" style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town</span></span></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-29789458857348429732006-12-18T11:17:00.000+02:002008-12-12T10:34:57.767+02:00Taliep Petersen murdered<span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Taliep</span> Petersen is dead. One of </span><st1:country-region style="font-style: italic;"><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-style: italic;">’s most talented song writers and musical producers was shot </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleid=293600">dead this weekend,</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> after armed robbers forced themselves into his home outside of </span><st1:city style="font-style: italic;"><st1:place>Cape Town</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-style: italic;">. He was murdered execution style, with one bullet in the neck, while his family was locked up in their bedrooms.</span> </span> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:85%;">With the murder of <st1:place><st1:city><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Taliep</span> Petersen</st1:city>, <st1:country-region>South Africa</st1:country-region></st1:place> lost a beautiful, sincere and talented person, who was loved by many and recognized all over the world for his work on musicals such as District Six and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ghoema</span>, of which the latter <a href="http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/display?contentId=92062">opened in <st1:city><st1:place>London</st1:place></st1:city></a> on December 12, 2006.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal" ><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdatTHhyl9I/AAAAAAAAAJE/S6fKIEkLwV0/s1600-h/taliep+petersen+musical+ghoema.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 156px; height: 156px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__VEeOUnw2w8/RdatTHhyl9I/AAAAAAAAAJE/S6fKIEkLwV0/s320/taliep+petersen+musical+ghoema.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032400177583003602" border="0" /></a></p><p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:85%;">I had the honour to speak to this remarkable man earlier this year during an interview conducted for one of my previous employers. What had to be a thirty minute interview, ended in a 1 ½ hour chat with him and his best friend and theatre collaborator David Kramer. </span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:85%;">One of the things that we discussed was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Taliep</span>’s undying love for District Six. “I grew up in District Six, until the area was declared a white zone by the government,” <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Taliep</span> recalled. “Me and my family were forcibly removed from our homes, which were flattened and destroyed. This was a very traumatizing event for my family.”</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:85%;">“District Six was once home to a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">multi</span>-racial community, a vibrant community. It was alive! It had a soul and a spirit!” </span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><span style="font-size:85%;">“The strangest thing was that no one thought the same would happen in District Six as had happened in other regions of <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>, as for instance Sophia Town in <st1:city><st1:place>Johannesburg</st1:place></st1:city>. The fear was always there, though. Unfortunately, our deepest fears became reality when the bulldozers came. When District Six was demolished, <st1:city><st1:place>Cape Town</st1:place></st1:city> lost its heart and soul.” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">On the question if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Taliep</span> would return to District Six, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Taliep</span> replied without hesitating: “I would have moved back yesterday! Everyone who once lived in District Six should be able to go back!”</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">During the interview, we also talked about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Taliep</span>’s background and religion. As a devoted Muslim, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Taliep</span> often visited the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Kramats</span> in and around <st1:city><st1:place>Cape Town</st1:place></st1:city>. “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Kramats</span> are important to me because they not only tell a part of the history of <st1:city><st1:place>Cape Town</st1:place></st1:city>, but also the history of my people. I visit the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Kramats</span> often, with a special group of friends. <span style="font-size:85%;">Soul Satisfaction, that is what I get out of it.”</span></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Taliep</span> loved his wife and children, more than anything in this world. “Home is my favorite place. I love being with my family as I am away very often and I am not home on a regular basis. It is great to spend time with them and going places. To the beach for instance, a great place to spend quality time with my children. I love my family more than anything. They are my pride and joy.”</span></p> <span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span class="articleheadline" style="font-style: italic;"><span style="">Miriam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Mannak</span> / Africa in the News - Cape Town</span></span></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1163158054861711592006-11-10T01:21:00.000+02:002007-02-17T09:38:34.539+02:00Use 2010 budget to make SA happy & safe<p style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">In four years from now, <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> will be swamped by millions of soccer fans from all over the world to be a witness to their teams' fight for victory in the World Cup Soccer 2010. <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> is proud to host the Mother of All Soccer Events and to make it a success billions and billions of rands will be spent on this once-off event. Billions that could have been used to address the country’s most important challenges, to make the Rainbow Nation a better place for all, instead of for a few.<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">According to the latest statistics, <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> has reserved over 15 billion rand (or $2 million) for the 2010 World Cup Soccer. Just a few weeks before releasing these figures, the budget was reported to be12 billion rand. </span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">More than half of the money (8,4 billion rand) will be spend on the construction and renovation of the ten soccer stadiums across the country, and 6,7 billion rand will be go to the improvement of the public transport, policing, arts and culture, emergency medical services, border control and other costs. </span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >The Dark Side</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">It is certainly admirable that a country is prepared to do anything to prove itself to the outside world. I truly believe <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> will be able to pull it off, and that the World Cup Soccer 2010 will be a memorable one. But to me, there is a dark side to a bright and happy story.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">While billions are being put into this event which will only last several weeks , millions of South Africans are still waiting for the better future that was promised to them not so very long ago. These billions – and the total amount of money spend on the soccer event is expected to escalate with 20% to 50% - should be used to address priority issues such as education, health care, service delivery, housing, an adequate HIV/AIDS policy, poverty alleviation, safety and security, and other challenges South Africans face day after day.<br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Sustainable change</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">The statement that the World Cup will contribute in a significant way to the people is to my opinion, overrated. How many people from the townships will see a real improvement of their lives due to the event that will mostly take place in the city centre, far away from where they live? Employment is often used as an answer to this question. "The World Cup Soccer 2010 will create jobs like no event did ever before," has been stated quite often. This statement needs to be inspected carefully.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I truly believe in a sustainable approach in empowering en uplifting people. And a sustainable approach to the unemployment issue is to provide permanent jobs. People are not helped with temporary jobs, as this chases them back into poverty and does not change anything on the long run. My question therefore is: How many permanent jobs are created as a result of the World Cup? And how many people have to kiss their jobs good bye after things turn back to normal?<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Two million shack dwellers</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />Although the seeds of democracy have sprouted, many South Africans are still waiting for the changes that were promised not so long ago. A drive from <st1:city><st1:place>Cape Town</st1:place></st1:city>’s city centre to the airport is enough to realise that. It is impossible to miss the kilometers of shacks along the high way. Here, the living conditions are simply said inhuman. </span></p><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" >Estimates of Habitat for Humanity – an organization that assists communities to build low cost but decent houses – show that almost one in four South Africans (10 million people) live in poverty housing. Of this group almost two million live in shacks pieced together with cardboard, corrugated iron, scrap, wood and other materials. In these informal dwellings service delivery is non-existent, running water and electricity are scarce and sanitary facilities are of extremely poor condition. Crime and violence are part of everyday life, which is characterized by hardship in the broadest sense of the word.</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" >Apparently, the housing backlog in <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> is estimated at 2,5 million houses. </span><p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">A quick calculation tells me that 16 billion rand, if spend by Habitat for Humanity on the construction of houses, can result in the construction of at least 355 555 homes of 50 square meter with</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">internal walls, plumbing, electricity and bathroom fixtures. These costs include labour costs and the materials. </span></p> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >The state of state hospitals</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Housing is not the only issue faced by millions of South African. Inadequate public health care is another. The majority of South Africans – 27 million people - depend on state hospitals as they cannot afford private clinics. The situation in many of these facilities is heartbreaking and sickening: Lack of materials, lack of medicine, lack of funding, lack of staff (especially in the rural areas), and overworked health personnel are the tip of the iceberg.<br /><o:p></o:p><br />Visiting various state hospitals across South Africa, the Democratic Alliance (DA) came across wards that were infested with vermin and reeking of human waste, patients sharing beds, waste piling up in the hallways and floors flooded by broken toilets. In a particular hospital, doctors had reported that sometimes they had been forced to operate by torchlight due to failing electricity and the non-existence of a generator. In this same hospital, situated in the <st1:state><st1:place>Mpumalanga</st1:place></st1:state> province, nurses stated that at one stage “they had been expected to keep intensive care patients live by manually pumping air into their lungs during the many power black-outs.”</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>Apart from</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">investing in housing and health care, more attention should be paid to education. And safety and security. Not only in the city centers but also in and around <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s townships and disadvantaged areas, which are tormented by crime and violence. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>Invest in happy and healthy society</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">In reality, all eyes and wallets are focused on a once-off event instead of on the one thing </span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">South Africa needs best: A healthy and happy society in which the poorer are not getting poorer but are given a chance to break free from their situation, a society in which everybody has the chance to a good education and good health care, a society in which no one have to live in a shack along the highway, and where one does not have to be afraid for the nightfall.<br /></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><p style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline" style="font-style: italic;"><span style="">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town</span></span></span></p>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1162220276958547862006-10-30T04:55:00.000+02:002007-02-07T15:10:37.379+02:00The grim side of paradise<p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Before I arrived in <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 2004, and in the first year or so afterwards, I found myself quite often in the defensive mode: “<st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> is more than crime,” I responded when people asked me about the crime situation, or tried to convince me about the violence in this country. “<st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> is more than poverty,” was my reply on questions related to inequality. “<st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> is a beautiful country and you have no right to bash it”, I defended my new home, every time someone was negative about it. “<st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> is not more violent or criminal than other countries.” And so on.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Naive</span><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" face="arial" class="MsoNormal"></p><span style="font-size:85%;">I still firmly believe that this is the case: <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> is a beautiful country and it is much more than crime and violence. But that does not by all means entail that crime and violence do not exist in the Rainbow Nation. In contrary. Two years have passed after I first set foot on South African soil, and it makes me incredible sad having to admit what I didn’t see or didn’t want to see: crime and violence play a large role in the daily lives of South Africans. Everybody who dares to deny this is as naïve as I used to be. <o:p></o:p></span> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">In my direct environment, I know plenty of people who have fallen victim to crime: burglary, robbery, muggings, shootings, hijacking, and so on. I can consider myself lucky: besides being threatened with a knife by a group of street teens in order to hand over my cell phone and wallet, nothing has happened. I am grateful for that, as other people are not that lucky. Take the Newspaper of <st1:date year="2006" day="30" month="10">October 30, 2006</st1:date>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm; font-family: georgia;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">13-year-old suspected of setting alight 19-yeaqr old girl (<st1:date year="2006" day="30" month="10">October 30 2006</st1:date>; <st1:city><st1:place>Cape Town</st1:place></st1:city>)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Man kills ex-girlfriend and himself (October 30; Kwa-Zulu Natal)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Six youths arrested for murder and rape of 15-year-old girl (October 30; George)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Nadine Gordimer robbed and assaulted (October 30; <st1:city><st1:place>Johannesburg</st1:place></st1:city>)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Official slain for shoes, phone and laptop (October 30; <st1:state><st1:place>KwaZulu-Natal</st1:place></st1:state>)<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">It breaks my heart over and over again when I hear about events similar to these. About children being murdered, raped, maimed or snatched from their mothers’ arms. More than once was the fight against my tears was futile after reading about gang rapes, violent break-ins, drive-by-shootings and other horrific events. The fact that these and other crimes happen on a very regular basis adds an extra chill factor to the situation.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family: georgia;">Perpetrators of rape</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rape is the crime that I, as most women, fear most. The sad thing is that this beautiful nation is one of the countries with the highest number of rape cases. From March 2005 to March 2006, the authorities have counted over 54 000 rape cases. Women Rights’ organizations say these figures are the tip of the ice berg as they claimn that many rapes are not reported. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Last week, a new report was published on rape in <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>. This time not the victims but the perpetrators where interviewed, and the conclusions were in one word horrific: A survey amongst 1 370 South African males of ages of 15 to 26 years brought to light that 16 percent (16.3%) had raped a non-partner or participated in some form of gang rape which is “lovingly” nicknamed “streamlining”.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >You can't be too careful</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">My boyfriend, who happens to be South African, is very worried about the crime situation in his country and about the impact it will have on the long run. He is a proud South African, and loves his country like you won’t believe. I share his feelings and worries, although I have to admit that in the beginning of our relationship I found his cautiousness a bit over the top at times. Now I realize he was right: You can’t be too careful enough in <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Many say that one shouldn’t be so harsh on <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and not so negative and pessimistic. “Because it is one of the most beautiful countries in the world”. Yes, South Africa is one of the most beautiful countries in the world but unfortunately breathtaking natural beauty, stunning scenery, and a lovely climate might be contributors to your quaoity oif life, safety is a prime factor. And that is why I understand why so many people take their chance to build a life in the continent I “fled” two years ago and give their children the opportunity to grow up without locking them up behind burglar bars and electric fences. </span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;"><span style="">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town</span></span></span></p>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1161249208217761892006-10-19T10:54:00.001+02:002007-02-07T15:13:17.159+02:00My Hero: Rosamond Halsey Carr<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;">I have been thinking about Salan (who commented on my previous blog) has said. About making a difference and giving everything you got to make that difference, at all times and at all costs. Thinking about that, one name pops in my mind: Rosamond Carr. Rosamond Carr, or Roz, moved to </span><st1:place style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;">Central Africa</st1:place><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;"> in 1949 together with her husband. She lived in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;"><st1:place>Congo</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;">, the former </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;"><st1:place>Zaire</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;">, before she ended up in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;"><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;"> in the late 1950’s.</span><br /></span><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I remember this graceful lady very well, as when we lived in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region> from 1982 to 1989 my parents and I visited her regularly at her plantation Mugongo. She was always kind, warm, friendly and hospitable, and her doors were always open to the Rwandans living in the area. </span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p><img src="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Lynn%20Erasmus.LYNN/Desktop/Orphans1.jpg" alt="" /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">When the genocide struck <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region> in April 1994, Rosamond Carr refused to turn her back to <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region>, as the western world did. After being evacuated briefly, she returned t her flower plantation on the foot of the volcanoes, to find it in ruins.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Imbabazi Orphanage</span><br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Being in her mid-eighties, Rosamond Carr <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTh6ReOARKw">opened her home to children</a> who had lost their parents in the horrific violence that killed approximately 1 million Rwandans. Over the years, her orphanage </span><span class="candidatebody" style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.rwandaproject.org/project_orphanage.html">Imbabazi </a>(a mother’s love) </span><span style="font-size:85%;">took over 400 children of all ethnic backgrounds, and gave them a loving home and a prospect to a future.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5837/2433/1600/Orphans1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5837/2433/320/Orphans1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I was incredibly saddened when I heard this remarkable lady <a href="http://www.nysun.com/article/41084">died last month</a> at the age of</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">95. Roz, or Madamme Car as I used to know her, was a true angel who stuck around when heaven – <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region> was truly the most beautiful country in the world – turned into hell. And most of all: she managed to make it a better place to hundreds of children.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Too late</span><br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I always wanted to go back to <st1:country-region><st1:place>Rwanda</st1:place></st1:country-region>, to meet her again and see for myself what wonderful work she has done. I guess I am too late, as I will never see her again. To those who want to know more about this wonderful lady, please read her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=Rosamund%20Carr&tag=imdb-adbox&index=books&link_code=qs&page=1">Land of a Thousand Hills</a>. To those who want to keep her spirit alive, please vote for her in the Volvo Life Awards. Winning this award will not only keep her memory alive, it will also contribute to her orphanage and the children. It is a small effort, but definitely worth it. Click <a href="http://www.volvoforlifeawards.com/cgi-bin/iowa/english/vote/index.html">here</a>, followed by a click on <st1:state style="font-style: italic;"><st1:place>New Jersey</st1:place></st1:state>. You will see Rosamond’s Carr Profile. Please vote for her.<br /></span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;"><span style="">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town</span></span></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1161163545245967352006-10-18T11:22:00.000+02:002007-02-07T15:19:40.737+02:00Malawi is not a happy place<p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place>Malawi</st1:place></st1:country-region> is not a happy place to be in, unless – of course – you have plenty of money to escape poverty, hunger and despair. For the majority of Malawians this is not the case. They have to deal with all of the problems mentioned above, as well as issues such as high prevalence of HIV/Aids. This has resulted in a high number of orphans; Almost a million children in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Malawi</st1:place></st1:country-region></span> have to grow up in the absence of their parents and in absence of a decent future.</p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">No, <st1:country-region><st1:place>Malawi</st1:place></st1:country-region> is not a happy place to many.<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p>That is why I find it admirable that Madonna decided to save one baby boy from hunger, poverty and a intensely difficult life without parental TLC. It pisses me off that the world and beyond is bashing her for doing something right, simply assuming without having any proof that she broke and ignored rules and is adopting little David to raise her image and strengthen her position as a star. Madonna is the last person on this planet who does not have to strengthen her starry image as she -despite the fact I don't like her music - will always shine.<br /><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">And even if the process of ‘getting’ David was shorter </span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">then usual: she saved a child from a life that is more difficult we could ever imagine. </span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;"><span style="">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town</span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1147866703407449902006-05-17T01:48:00.000+02:002007-02-07T15:20:38.901+02:00Annan: Please help African Union in Darfur<span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged the rich members of the International Community for immediate action to protect peace in the troubled Sudanese region of Darfur. The question is: Will the International Community listen and act upon to Annan’s cry for help? After all, so far the wealthy west wasn’t much interested in Darfur’s problems. Or in African humanitarian tragedies in general. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Despite the newborn peace-agreement between the Sudanese government and the major rebel group in the first week of May, the situation in the region of Darfur is still troubled. Observers of the peacekeeping force deployed by the African Union have – about ten days after the agreement was signed - for instance reported renewed and persistent occurrence of rape, roadblocks, looting, arson, violent attacks and robbery of innocent civilians by groups of bandits. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Cry for Help<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, therefore, urged UN member states – especially the rich ones - to undertake immediate action in order to enable the 7 000 African Union peacekeepers to fulfill their duty; to protect the peace agreement as well as the people and the aid workers active in the region. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >"Right now, there is only one force on the ground that can begin to provide protection: AMIS”, Anan wrote in an editorial in the Financial Mail of May 15 2006. “Our immediate priority must be to strengthen that force, so that it can move ahead with implementing the agreement and providing real security for the displaced people … Right now the region is facing the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Without massive and immediate support, relief agencies will be unable to continue their work and hundreds of thousands of people will die from hunger.”</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >It is to be seen whether the International Community will listen to and act upon Annan’s cry for help. For the previous three years the world has watched in apathy how a humanitarian tragedy beyond proportions unfolded itself. A tragedy, which saturated the region in fear, terror, sorrow, trauma, blood and death: Over 400 000 people were killed since 2003, and 2 million were displaced. More than 3 million struggle with severe hunger. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ethnic Cleansing</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Since 2003 forces of the Sudanese government and the ethnic militia – Janjaweed – on the one side and two rebel groups (the Sudanese Liberation Movement – SLM – and the Justice and Equality Movement, the JEM) have been engaged in a violent conflict. One of the tactics of the government forces and the Janjaweed is a campaign against the civilian population who belong to the same ethnic group as the rebels. Over the last three years, hundreds of rural villages and towns have been destroyed and cattle was killed en masse. Tens of thousands of people were killed, raped, maimed, and traumatized. Two million Darfurians were chased away from their homes of whom 1,8 live in camps scattered across Darfur. About 200 000 have fled to neighbouring countries as Chad. In addition to the 2 million displaced people, 1,5 million people need some form of food assistance. The conflict has destroyed the local economy, markets and trade.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Policy Priority</span><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >All this happened before the eyes of the International Community. While photographs of maimed men, skin-over-bone children, dying babies and empty eyed women haunted by what had happened didn’t leave anything to one’s imagination, the response of the wealthy west was one of talking and discussing. But not a response of getting involved. While for instance the United States and the United Kingdom have pressured a greater UN role in Sudan, neither of them have made the conflict a policy priority and neither of them plan to send troops over.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >This despite it was agreed upon that a genocide was unfolding in Darfur. No UN mission has been send to Darfur yet, to protect the people from act against humanity, no UN force was send to bring a halt to those violations. It will only be late September 2006, almost four years after the start of the genocide, when the UN plans to replace the only force present in Darfur; 7 000 troops from the African Union. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Skepticism</span><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Apart from the slow and inefficient response of the international community with regards to Sudan so far, the recent past is another reason for skepticism whether or not wealthy countries will act upon Annan’s plea for more assistance in Darfur. In 1994 the world stood by and watched Rwanda being ripped apart by one of the bloodiest genocides in history. It took the International Community three months to undertake action. When in July 1994 the first peacekeepers of the new UN mission for Rwanda arrived, the genocide – that had claimed 800 000 lives in a scope of 100 days - had already been ended. By Paul Kagame, who had overtaken the capital Kigali that same month. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Then we have the hunger in the Horn of Africa for instance, which at the moment of writing threatens over 11 million people of which 7 million immediately. According to World Food Program (WFP) the hunger is caused by a drought, which started five to six years ago. Back in 2000, the world was already warned for what is happening now and assistance was requested to prevent the unthinkable. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >While many millions were collected for Katrina and the Tsunami, while all eyes were focused on Afghanistan, the Twin Towers, and the security situation in Iraq, East Africa was ignored. And even now, the scope of the humanitarian crisis being crystal clear, the International Community does not seem to be willing to stick out a quick helping hand: So far the World Food Program (WFP) has received only $28 million of the $225 million it needs to feed the hungry and te prevent them from starving. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Repeating history<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Unfortunately these are not the only examples of a slack and negligent attitude of the International Community towards serious emergencies. The conflict DRC for instance, the never-ending insurgency in Uganda which has displaced more than a million people in a scope of twelve years, claimed 100 000 lives and has driven 30 000 children into the arms of war lords. The never-ending violence in Burundi, the situation in Zimbabwe, and so forth. Cases that claimed many thousands of lives over the last years, cases that destroyed many more. Cases that were not interesting enough for the wealthy west to intervene.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >The past may regarded be a legitimate reason for a pessimistic outlook on whether or not the International Community will listen and efficiently act upon Anna’s plea for more assistance for the 7 000 AU soldiers in Sudan. But maybe we should consider – despite the previous - to give the situation the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes, people do learn from the past.<br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" >Miriam Mannak / Cape Town</span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1146835241593817172006-05-05T03:17:00.000+02:002007-02-07T15:21:53.945+02:00Green light UN for anti-genocide committee<span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >The United Nations have given the green light to a new advisory committee on the prevention genocide and acts of genocides worldwide. Seven professionals from different fields, yet all dealing with genocide in one way or another, will have the task to provide guidance to Juan Méndez, Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. One of the panel members is Romeo Dallaire. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >The name of Romeo Dallaire, currently a Canadian Senator, will always be linked to the willingness to prevent genocide. In 1993 and early 1994, as the Force Commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR), Dallaire had strong suspicions that something terrible was about to happen in Rwanda. He had for instance noticed an increased import and trade in machetes and other arms. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cleansing Campaign</span><br />Dallaire, via a Hutu informant known as Jean Pierre, found out that thousands of Hutu militias were preparing themselves for a national ethnic cleansing campaign against the Tutsi population. Jean-Pierre for instance told the UNAMIR Commander about the existence a growing list of Tutsi residents in Kigali. This list was to facilitate the cleansing campaign. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >The Hutu informant also mentioned planned violent actions against the Belgian peacekeepers, the core of the present UN peace force. With the Belgians being under severe fire, the Hutu militia’s predicted the complete withdrawal of the United Nations. As a result, they were able to continue ‘the purification of the country from Tutsi cockroaches’. Last but not least, Jean-Pierre informed Dallaire about hidden arm depots in and around Kigali. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Genocide Fax</span><br />In a fax on January 11 1994 to the UN’s Head Quarters, known as the Genocide Fax, Dallaire informed his superiors about his findings. He also asked them for the green light to undertake preemptive action, to prevent whatever atrocities were planned. The UN refused, as ‘preemptive action’ was against UNAMIR’s mandate. The job of the peacekeepers was to monitor, to report and to support in a peaceful manner and see upon a peace agreement between warring factions in Rwanda. Using force in whatever way was prohibited. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Barely three months later Rwanda was drenched in blood, hatred, sorrow and a surreal madness that can’t be describe in words. In a scope of three months, the country one million people were slaughtered. The genocide in Rwanda would end up in the history books as one of the bloodiest genocides ever. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scattered and haunted</span><br />Dallaire, who refused to withdraw after UNAMIR was decimated – a reaction on the cold blood murder of ten Belgian peacekeepers – remained in Rwanda for months. He left Rwanda in August of 1994, as an scattered man, haunted by what happened, what he saw, experienced, and most of all: what he could not and did not do. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >About the atrocities and the role the international community played in preventing it, Dallaire commented on the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide: "I don't think there's any justification for what happened, it was a shameful episode for collective shame. The genocide was brutal, criminal and disgusting and continued for 100 days under the eyes of the international community. There is no country today... which can wash its hands of Rwandan blood just by saying sorry."</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >By joining the UN’s Advisory Committee on Genocide Prevention Romeo Dallaire, who has spoken and lectured countless times on how to prevent a genocide, proves once again that he is not just a man of mere words. Like he did in Rwanda in 1994, when he stuck around when the entire abandoned Rwanda. By so Dallaire, despite the fact he could not have stopped the atrocities, has made a true difference to Rwanda – a country that is also in my pores. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;"><span style="">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" > </span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1145627643505418402006-04-21T03:50:00.000+02:002007-02-07T15:23:36.748+02:00"Malaria kills 2 children per minute in Africa"<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >While the world’s eyes are focused on the spread of Avian Flu and HIV/Aids, it seems that one of the world’s biggest killer is slowly being forgotten; Malaria. This parasitic disease, which is spread by mosquitoes, ranks third among major infectious disease threats and is good for 9% of the global disease burden. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Less abstract: Every year Malaria infects between 350 million and 500 million and kills between 1 and 2,7 million people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 90% of the fatalities worldwide occur on the African continent, especially amongst young children. The International Committee of the Red Cross estimates that 71% of fatalities in Africa occur amongst children younger than five years of age: </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.ifrc.org/WHAT/health/archi/fact/fmalar.htm">“In Africa a child dies every 30 seconds as a result of malaria,</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">” the ICRC says.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Many children who survive severe malaria may suffer from learning impairments or brain damage. Malaria is a major cause of prenatal mortality, low birth weight and maternal anemia amongst pregnant women.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Malaria on the rise</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">One of the biggest problems concerning Malaria is that the disease is on the rise, despite the pledge of world to intensify the struggle against amongst other malaria. In 2002 191 member states of the United Nations agreed to achieve 8 </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Development_Goals">Millennium Development Goals</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> by the year 2015. The sixth goal deals with the fight against HIV Aids and malaria.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">There are several reasons why malaria is on the rise. One of them has to do with immunity of malaria parasite to several malaria prophylaxes. Another cause might be rising temperatures. An international team of scientists claims that </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060322142101.htm">global warming and malaria prevalence are linked</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">. "Our results do not mean that temperature is the only or the main factor driving the increase in malaria, but that it is one of many factors that should be considered," said theoretical ecologist Mercedes Pascual from the University of Michigan.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Access to treatment</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">A third reason of the rise of malaria in Africa has to do with that fact that only a few patients have </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/MSFIntl/114561498872.htm">access to effective treatment</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> that could cure them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">One of the main reasons why the world should do a bigger effort in combating Malaria is that 60 children in Africa died while I was writing this article. They died of a disease that is both easy to cure and easy to prevent.</span><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="articleheadline" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;"><span style="">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town/ South Africa<br /></span></span></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1144764884234813572006-04-11T16:13:00.000+02:002006-11-10T14:27:28.453+02:00Zuma's Aids shower: Confusion in South AfricaJacob Zuma’s testimonies during his court case cause a lot of confusion amongst South Africans. Many people don’t know what and who to believe anymore. Especially when it comes to HIV/AIDS.<br /><br />What causes most confusion is Zuma’s excuse why he had sex with a woman of whom he knew she was HIV positive. He said he didn’t put his life in jeopardy after having sex with the 31-year old family friend, who happens to be an HIV activist, because he thought the chance of transmitting was “very minimal” because he was a healthy man.<br /><br />“And I also took a shower,” Zuma, who used to be the chairperson of the South Africa National Aids Council, added last week.<br /><br />One of the signs of the wide spread confusion amongst South Africans, especially amongst those who didn’t recieve the right education in the first place, is the great number of phone calls received by the National Aids helpline. The NGO said it is being flooded by calls from confused South Africans who don’t know what to believe anymore.<br /><br />In an interview with the daily newspaper The Star, Hope Mhlongo of the helpline said that women called to ask whether or not they should take a shower after being raped to reduce their risk of HIV infection. “We have to explain to them that this not only does nothing to reduce their risk but instead gets rid of vital evidence that they would need when they laid a rape charge," Mhlongo said.<br /><br />Zuma’s statement is another blow for the hard work of NGO’s as the South African Aids helpline, an organization that tries very hard to sow Aids awareness in a country where the misconceptions around this horrific disease are plenty. Many NGO’s and doctors in South Africa have said to be are afraid that Zuma’s statement will feed risky sexual behaviour, and that a simple shower will be seen as the newest weapon against AIDS.<br /><br />It makes me angry. Instead of contributing to the massive Aids problem in his country, a problem that is being fed by many misconceptions, Zuma adds to the list by inventing another myth …<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Miriam Mannak / Cape Town</span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1144225811913856602006-04-05T10:16:00.000+02:002007-02-07T15:55:09.834+02:00Jacob Zuma, Aids misconceptions and education<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;">How would you react when some one would come up to you and confessed he / she had unprotected sex with an HIV infected partner? What if this same person was involved in a marriage or long-term relationship? What would you say if he or she would tell you: “Don’t you worry! I have got a very small chance of contracting HIV!”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Personally, I don’t think I could find the words to express my disapproval, my anger, and my worries for his or her partner. Not only is it stupid, in an era where love and lust may kill you, to have unprotected sex, left alone having unprotected sex with someone you know is HIV positive. Especially since there is a partner involved. Stupid does not even put it to assume that the Aids-virus won’t strike you.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Safe sex or no sex</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">I am obviously referring to South Africa’s former vice-president Jacob Zuma, one of the most controversial yet most popular public figures in the country who faces charges of rape. “I thought that I had a small chance of contracting HIV”, Jacob Zuma stated yesterday in court, on the question why he had unprotected sex with an HIV infected woman*. “Based on what?”, was one of the first things that crossed my mind.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Personally, all through my adolescence up until now, I was told, taught and even ordered: Safe sex or no sex. “Do not jeopardize your life and use a condom”. “Be careful of Aids,” Protect you and your partner: use a rubber”, “Aids isnt picky about its victims: you can be hit too!”. From the moment I became interested in boys, my parents basically ordered my to go to the pharmacy for a family pack of wrappers, despite the fact I was not ready for you-know-what until my early twenties. I am happy for that as I managed to safe guard my life and the lives of others in a very sustainable way.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">1500 new infections per day</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />Not everyone is as lucky. Every year, millions of people worldwide end up in their doctors’ office as a result of unsafe sex, irresponsible behavior or simply bad luck as many contract the virus due to rape. Take South Africa for instance, a country where more than 12% of the population is HIV positive, a country where 1500 people per day contract the deadly virus, a country where an estimate of 800 people per day die as result of the disease.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Some years ago, to bring down the number of yearly HIV infections, South Africa started a condom campaign to promote safe sex. A great step in the right direction, but unfortunately the accessibility of condoms isn’t the sole key player in the promotion of safe sex and the decrease the number of HIV infections. Education is a just as an essential and vital element in finding a solution for the pandemic. What is the point of having access to condoms when there are so many misconceptions about condoms and Aids?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Digging graves</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jacob Zuma proves that Aids education is still needed in all levels of South African society. This well-educated man clearly missed some of the most important sex lessons, including the one stating that the AIDS virus is not picky on its victims. Whether you are poor, rich, black, white, living in a shack or in a mansion, whether you are unemployed or a politician: taking risks and acting irresponsibly means you are digging your own grave. And the saddest thing: You are also digging a grave for everyone else who is directly and indirectly involved.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">* </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">According to Zuma the sex between him and his complainant – which he at first denied - was based on consent and compliance.<br /><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town, South Africa</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ></span><br /></span></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1143643364477159152006-03-29T04:39:00.000+02:002007-02-07T15:55:52.870+02:00The real concerns around Zuma rape case<span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >When it comes to Jacob Zuma South Africa is divided. On the one side of the battlefield a large group that strongly believes South Africa’s ex-vice president is guilty of raping the 31-year old, HIV positive Aids <span style="font-size:85%;">activist. Another large group of South Africans, convinced of Zuma’s innocence, form the other front. I personally shall refrain from joining the debate around Zuma’s guilty or innocence when it comes to the rape charges. However, I can’t help myself for convicting the man for highly irresponsible behaviour. </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >However it is unclear whether or not Jacob Zuma is guilty of rape, one thing is to be said: Zuma is guilty of and can be held accountable for highly irresponsible behaviour. Whether the s*xual intercourse between him and the woman was forced or voluntarily, the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-zuma22mar22,1,5941106.story?coll=la-headlines-world&ctrack=1&cset=true">act occurred and was practiced unsafely. </a></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >After denying having sex with the 31-year old Aids Activist – thus lying in the face of South Africa- Zuma on March 6 <a href="http://www.google.co.za/search?hs=Jev&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=zuma+admits+rape&btnG=Search&meta=">admitted that sexual intercourse took place</a>. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />5,3 million infected</span><br /><br />This is of great concern, especially considering his popularity in a country, which is being ravaged by HIV/AIDS. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >South Africa counts for 5,3 million people who are HIV positive. That is more than ten percent of the world’s total (39,4 million according to UNAIDS) and 25% of Africa’s total. At this very moment, over 12% of the South African population is infected, a number that increases with 1500 daily. Or 547 000 people per annum; more than the total population of Luxemburg (462 000). Every day 800 South Africans die of HIV/AIDS related diseases, which comes down almost 300 000 per year.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Women are prime victims</span><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >According to the South African Department of Health, women are becoming more and more the victim of HIV/AIDS. Irresponsible sexual behaviour from their partners but also rape is one of the causes. South Africa has one of the highest rape statistics in the world: According to the National Institute for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation (NICRO) only one in twenty rapes are reported in <a href="http://www.wits.ac.za/csvr/articles/artrapem.htm">South Africa and that one rape occurs every 83 seconds.</a></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >That brings me to my conclusion. Taking aside the question whether he is guilty or innocent, by not using a rubber, Zuma can be held accountable for lying to the public, for giving the wrong example and for – not less important – putting other lives in jeopardy. The lives of his two wives for instance, his children and who ever he had s*xual intercourse with. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >By this Zuma became part of the HIV AIDS problem in his country, instead of contributing to or being part of a solution.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town, South Africa</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1142582836798630222006-03-17T09:37:00.001+02:002007-02-07T16:00:10.745+02:00Thinking of tomorrow in Kenya<span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Tourism is big in Kenya. On the Internet for instance, one travel and tourism orientated website after another tries to lure tourists and travelers to Kenya for an all-inclusive and very exclusive safari holiday. Accompanied by beautiful photographs, internet users are told about Kenya’s exquisite natural beauty, the incredible cultures, the wide variety of African wildlife and of course the, compared to many parts of Europe and the US, favourable weather. “In Kenya the sun shines almost the entire year!”</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Let thát – the dry, hot climate - be the problem to millions of Kenyans. At moment of writing 3,5 million Kenyans are on the verge of starvation. Especially the Northern part of the country hasn’t had proper rainfall in years. The result of the drought, a problem which started five years ago, is a destructive famine that slowly but surely is setting its claws into the region.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Skin over bone</span><br /><br />Food and water are scarce or even non-existent. In the North of Kenya, millions of people haven’t eaten a proper meal in many days or even weeks. Children are skin over bone, lying in apathy in the arms of their hungry and desperate mothers. Some Kenyans have turned to eating soil, bark and grass. To have something in their stomachs, to kill the overpowering feeling of pain and discomfort caused by hunger.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >According to the organization World Food Program of the United Nations, immediate action is needed to save the millions of desperate and hungry Kenyans from a similar death as the million Ethiopians who perished of hunger in the 1980’s.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Worst humanitarian crises </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >So far, response from the International Community to Africa’s worst humanitarian crises in decades has been poor. In contrary to the 1984, when Ethiopia was struck by a destructive, the images of crying and dying Kenyan children haven’t triggered international action as is needed at present. Or in contrary to when Hurricane Katrina struck America last year. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Meanwhile tourists from all corners of the earth are enjoying a well-deserved African wildlife safari holiday in one of the lavish and luxurious Kenyan game lodges. Here they – after having escaped the stress of their daily lives - fill their days with copious dinners, and exquisite and comfortable game drives. Here they conclude and exhausting day in an air-conditioned 4x4 vehicle with a dip in the Jacuzzi and a sip of wine while observing the African wildlife passing by in the far distance. They watch the sunset and wonder about what tomorrow will bring. UN aware of what is happening elsewhere in the country.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >A few hundreds of kilometers away from the lavish holiday resorts, millions of starving Kenyans are eyewitness of the same sunset too. They also wonder about the next day, but not in the context of whether or not they will see a leopard.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town, South Africa<br /></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1142346631515364782006-03-14T04:28:00.000+02:002007-02-07T16:03:51.913+02:00122 Journalists in prison across the world<span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">While the world’s attention and support is going out to those journalists, media workers and reporters that are kept hostage in Iraq, many tend to forget the hundreds of journalists worldwide who are kept being held behind bars. Because of their opinions, their dissident voices and critical points of view. </i><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Last year the international organization Reporters Without Borders counted 807 cases of inlawful imprisonment of journalists worldwide. At the moment of writing 122 journalists are in jail around the world, in amongst other Burma (5), China (31), Cuba (24), Democratic Republic of Congo (3), Eritrea (13), and Iran (6).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">China, with 32 cases last year, is without a doubt the worst offender for jailing journalists. Cuba was ranked second for imprisoning 24 reporters in 2005, followed by Eritrea, Ethiopia and Uzbekistan.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Journalists in US cells</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">According to The Committee to Protect Journalists The United States - the land of the free, home of the brave that proclaims be a fighter for and deliverer of freedom - is an important offender as well. Last year, six journalists were in US custody - four of them at detention centers in Iraq and one at the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The journalist held in Guantanamo Bay is Sami Al Haj, a Sudanese national and a cameraman of the Arab information network Al-Jazeera. He was arrested by the United States in 2001 and deported to Guantanamo Bay in 2002. He is accused of being an ‘enemy combatant’ and of making videos of Osama bin Laden. He has not had a trial yet.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thirty-three years behind bars</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">He is not the only one that has been in jail for a very long time. There are other journalists and media people who have been imprisoned for many years. The Lybian journalist and writer Abdullah Ali Al-Sanussi Al-Darrat was arrested in 1973, and is therefore the journalist who has been imprisoned longest in the world. No one knows how he is doing, if he has had a fair trial, what his sentence was, where he is being held and whether or not he is alive: The Lybian authorities are reluctant on giving out information.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Or Chen Renjie and from Lin Youping, two Chinese journalists, who were arrested in 1983 for contra-revolutionary activities and who have been in prison ever since.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tortured</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Win Tin (75) from Burma has been in prison since 1989, serving a 20-year sentence for subversion and anti-government propaganda. Plus: he was one of the political mentors of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who herself isn’t particularly loved by Burmese authorities either. Win Tin was often offered freedom in exchange for a signed declaration to give up politics. He refused every single time.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Last but certainly not least: The Egyptian journalist Abd al-Manim Gamal al Din Abd al-Munim was arrested in February 1993 at his home and taken to Egypt’s security head quarters for investigation on fundamentalist activities. Here, he was tortured for an entire day before taken to prison in Cairo. Although there is no evidence against him and he never was accused of involvement in violence, Abd al-Manim Gamal al Din Abd al-Munim remains in a prison in Cairo.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">These journalists mentioned above form the top of the iceberg. A massive iceberg that does not seem to make any move to melt down.</span><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town, South Africa</span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1142245884767685302006-03-13T12:29:00.000+02:002006-11-10T14:27:27.926+02:00NEWS FLASH - Journalists under fire<span style="font-style: italic;">So far, 2006 wasn't a great year for the international media. In the first two months up until March 13 (moment of writing), 7 journalists and 5 media assistants were killed: 3 journalists and all media assistants in Iraq. With 12 media workers over two months, year 2006 could – unfortunately - be just as a bloody year as 2005 was.</span><br /><br />2005 was a sad, bloody, and horrific year for the media worldwide: Between January 1st and December 31st 2005 65 journalists and reporters from across the world were killed, ten more than in 2004. At least 807 journalists were arrested, 1 308 media workers and journalists were physically attacked or threatened and over 1 006 media outlets were censored.<br /><br />From the lives lost amongst journalists, reporters and other media people, more than one third – 23 - occurred in Iraq. Other died in the line of duty in Philippines (9), Bangladesh (3), Haiti (3), Brazil (2), Colombia (2), Lebanon (2), Mexico (2), Nepal (2), Pakistan (2), Somalia (2), Sri Lanka (2), Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Libya, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, and Thailand.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Asia: Risky Business</span><br />One of the conclusions of a 2005 annual report by Reporters Without Borders is that journalists, reporters and media people are most at risk in Asia. First of all, Asia ranks second after North Africa and the Middle East Asia with 17 deaths.<br /><br />Furthermore, the continent is accountable for 352 cases of arrests and imprisonment (more then a third). Asia also claims one third of the total number of cases of physical attack and threatening (583 of 1 308 ). Last but not least, it was in Asian where most media outlets (745 out of the 1006) were censored and shut down.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Freedom of Speech Behind Bars</span><br />In 2005 many journalists have been arrested in 2005. According to Reporters Without Borders the figure of 807 is just an estimate. A low estimate: many cases of imprisonment of journalists are not reported by authorities of these specific countries. “[This figure] But this is not good enough, because every day an average of two journalists are arrested somewhere in the world just for trying to do their job,” as is stated in the 2005 report.<br /><br />In 2005 many journalists across the world who were put behind bars in previous years, were still waiting for their release. To name a few:<br /><br />Chinese journalist Yu Dongyue was imprisoned for 18 years after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 for “counter-revolutionary propaganda.” The 75-year-old Burmese Journalist Win Tin has been behind bars for 17 years. Libyan Abdullah Ali al-Sanussi al-Darrat has imprisoned the longest, since 1973.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2006: Bloody and violent prospect</span><br />Unfortunately, the year 2006 does not promise to be a good one for the media as already 12 media workers and journalist have lost their lives in the line of duty. If this would a 2-month average, by 31st of December the year 2006 will in the end claim 72 lives of journalists and reporters. When taken in consideration all the media people that are behind bars and that will be confronted with violence and harassment 2006 cannot be described as a pretty year.<br /><br />For more information on freedom of speech, freedom of press and relevant information surf to the website of Reporters Sans Frontieres or Reporters Without Borders.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Miriam Mannak / Cape Town</span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1141986150757424272006-03-10T12:16:00.000+02:002006-11-10T14:27:27.853+02:00Say no Evil: Freedom of PressFreedom of press. As westerners liberty of speach is a phenomenon that we tend to take for granted. We are so used say, write and voice what we think, feel and want that we don’t realize that in other countries journalists end up in jail, being arrested, tortured, maimed, or even getting killed for doing the same. Or less.<br /><br />Take Africa for instance. In African countries as Zimbabwe and The Democratic republic of Congo not a week goes by without the press and media being threatened. Over the years, reporters, journalists and other media people have vanished, were locked up, tortured, maimed, killed and arrested for having certain opinions.<br /><br />Also in Madagascar, Guinea, Kenya, Chad, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Gambia, Eritrea, and Ethiopia freedom of press hardly exists.<br /><br />But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. As stated by the international journalists organization Reporters Without Borders, many African countries have improved their situation regarding freedom of press. <br /><br />Based on their 2005 report on 167 countries, Reporters without Borders concluded that many African countries are improving when it comes to freedom of speech and press liberty. Benin and Namibia (both 25th place) score better than Australia (30th place, together with South Africa) and the situation on press freedom in Mauritius (34th place) and Mali (37th) is better than in for instance Israel (47), Italy (42), or Spain (40). <br /><br />Or the United States (44th). The nation that proclaims to be the world's freedom defendor and democracy deliveror tumbled down over 20 places.<br /><br />Mozambique moved from 64th to the 49th place and the Central African Republic jumped from the 104th to 82nd place. Also Angola improved its freedom of press rankings (76th).<br />This does not by far mean that Africa is a paradise for the press and media. It just means that there is improvement. And that is simply great news from a continent that has build a negative image news and freedom wise.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Miriam Mannak / Cape Town</span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1141908991962501422006-03-09T14:39:00.001+02:002006-11-10T14:27:27.732+02:00NEWS FLASH - Hail the rain in KenyaOne of this week’s least known but most important news facts is probably the rainfall in the African country of Kenya. “Rain important?” I hear you think, looking at the grey European skies which have unleashed liters of water the last couple of winter months. “Why should the media report on such a common natural phenomenon as ‘rain’, while shit hits the fan everywhere?”<br /><br />Let me tell you. At this very moment Kenya faces one of the biggest humanitarian crises the country has ever faced: Due to amongst other severe drought and failed crops over 3,5 million Kenyans are facing starvation and depend on food-aid. In December 2005 the number was 2,5 million. Rain is therefore essential for the near future of many people and for next years harvest. Very essential.<br /><br />Unfortunately the rain only fell on the Kenyan capital of Nairobi and skipped the north of the country, which has been hardest hit by the drought. “Despite the rains it is too early to talk about the end of the drought... Overall, we're still in for a bad time," William Nyakwada from Kenya Meteorological Department said during a press conference.<br /><br />According to World Food Program (WFP) executive director James Morris there is a big chance Kenya will not get rain needed for an adequate harvest. Morris added the drought had persisted for five to six years.<br /><br />To my astonishment – this is not a brand new crisis but one that has started half a decade ago – the west hasn’t done anything. While many millions were collected for Katrina and the Tsunami, and while all eyes were focused on Afghanistan, the twin towers, Iraq nobody seemed to see what was going on in East Africa, despite the calls for help from different organizations. Nobody seemed to realize that one of the human biggest crises was developing in Africa. To compare: During the famine of Ethiopia in 1984, often called the worst humanitarian crisis ever, 8 million people became famine victims and 1 million died.<br /><br />Despite the scope of the crisis, the international community is <span style="font-style: italic;">still</span> hesitant to stick out a helping hand. The World Food Program (WFP) has received only <span style="font-weight: bold;">$28 million of the $225 million</span> it needs until February 2007 to buy 30 000 tons of food each month to feed 3,5 million hungry Kenyans.<br /><br />So yes. Rain – for the future and survival for 11 million Africans – is important. Very important.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Miriam Mannak / Cape Town</span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1141813165590906942006-03-08T12:04:00.000+02:002006-11-10T14:27:27.585+02:00“You're in the wrong continent dear!"<span style="font-family:verdana;">Are you from Europe or the United States, or are you living there for whatever reason? May I ask you something? Would you please have a look in the international sections of the past few newspapers, and count how many articles are dedicated about Africa? Based on the (non?) presence of Africa in your newspaper - or what ever medium in the Western World - you would be tempted to assume that "nothing happens in Africa".<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Plenty</span> is happening in Africa; matters that are just as important and urgent - or just as (or even more) tragic as the effects of for instance hurricanes, bombs, and fundamentalism.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Just a few exemples:</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><ul style="font-family:arial;"> <li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 8 (www.iol.co.za)</span>: In <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ethiopia</span>, three</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> explosions hit the capital Addis Ababa, injuring at least four people. One explosion hit a restaurant, another a market.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 8 – (www.iol.co.za):</span> In the <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Horn of Africa</span>, every day 25 000 people (more than 1 Katrina hurricane each day) die of hunger, every day 18 000 children - one every five seconds - die per day. This is one of the harsh conclusions of the World Food Program. "These people will die off the beaten track that the world is not focused on," WFP director James Morris said.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 6 – BBC News:</span> If <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Kenya</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span>does not get food aid, 3,5 million people will die the next month. That is 175 times as many casualties as the number of people died in because of hurricane Katrina.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 6 – BBC News</span>: In the <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Horn of Africa</span>, due to five years of drought, 11 million Africans are on the verge of famine and starvation. That equals to 550 Katrina hurricanes. "The world has not appreciated in the last 60 days how serious this situation is... we are now in a crisis,” said UN delegate and World Food Program (WFP) director James Morris said after visiting El Wak on the Kenya-Somalia border. “The world needs to wake up!”</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 4 – (allafrica.com):</span> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Tanzania</span> might be the next African country to fall into the claws of hunger and famine, as many billions of are destroying vast acres of crops in many parts of the country. The situation has reached stage that experts have given up. </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >March 7 – (allafrica.com)</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> : In <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Cameroon</span> a new HIV/AIDS vaccin to prevent the HIV transmission through breast-feeding is to be created.<br /></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 7 (www.afrol.com) </span>- The mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus has infected 157,000 people in the rest the African Indian Ocean region, including the <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">French island of Reunion</span>. Over 90 people have died since the outbreak. The virus has a firm hold on Seychelles, Mauritius and other area’s of the Indian Ocean Region. In Mauritius spraying and fogging machines were ordered from abroad and some 100,000 litres of insecticides were imported.<br /></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 8 (www.afrol.com) – </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Mozambique</span> has not recovered from the heavy earthquake (7.5 on the Richter Scale) that hit the Southern African country end of February. Despite the low casualty number – four people died – the damage is more serious than assumed. Tremors of the heavy earthquake were felt in many parts of Mozambique, in eastern Zimbabwe and some parts of South Africa as for instance Pretoria and Durban.<br /></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">7 March (Survival International):</span> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Botswana</span> government has been receiving harsh criticism from the UN's human rights agency UNHCHR because of its record on racial discrimination in the fate of the indigenous San people (also known as Bushmen or Basarwa). The government is relocating the San from the Kalahari, their native land, into reserves. The UN Committee member from Burkina Faso referred to the Botswana's San people as "discriminated against and marginalized", while the Committee member from the UK told the Botswana government, "What disturbs many people is the spectacle of one of the great cultures of Africa being placed under severe threat."</span></li> </ul> <span style="font-family:arial;">For me, as a Dutch journalist who grew up in Africa and moved back to this magnificent continent one year and a half ago, it is not surprising that you don’t know about the above. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It is a clear fact: Africa isn’t of great interest amongst western media. I have tried to sell a couple of stories to print media in my country, stories that were of great importance I found. Unfortunately, the answer was “not serious enough”, “No dead people”, “No space”. I was even told once: “Africa? You have chosen the wrong continent, dear.” </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >The wrong continent. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Than to think that, not so long ago, western countries were trampling one another to get a strong hold in Africa. Ironic. Morbidly ironic, as all the back than important countries are now being forgotten completely. Take the Democratic Republic of Congo. Not so long ago this country used to be a paradise for diamond miners, gold diggers and hunters. Everybody wanted to get involved. Now, practically no western country wants to dirty its hands and get involved. Tragic, as the west is one of the key players in Congo’s misery. For more information I’d be glad to refer you to the book or movie ‘King Leopold’s Ghost’.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I know I am not going to change the perception of the western media, but my aim is - with this weblog - to give a voice to Africa. So if you are interested in African news, log in once in a while!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Miriam Mannak / Cape Town</span><br /></span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23645880.post-1141811721697295872006-03-08T11:54:00.000+02:002007-02-07T16:05:35.549+02:00Oscar Award for Tsotsi movie<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;">In South Africa it is the talk of the week: The South African film production Tsotsi grabs the Academy Award for best foreign language film during the 78th Oscar ceremony. The prestigious movie award not only recognizes the quality of this particular movie production, it also strengthens South Africa's position on the map of the International Film Industry.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tsotsi, apart from being a good movie, shows that South Africa is very much capable of making excellent film productions and that there are talented actors, actresses and directors. Not only did the movie won an Oscar, it also grabbed five other International movie awards, at for instance the acclaimed 2005 film festivals of Toronto and Edinborough.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Underdog</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">"So tell me ... What is this movie, that is apparently so great, all about?" I hear you think. I understand: Best Foreign Language Film has always been the underdog in the Universe of the Oscars. Which is a shame, as it is this category that has featured the world's best movies. Anyway, back to Tsotsi.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tsotsi tells the story of David, a nineteen-year-old hardcore gangster in a township close to Johannesburg. David, or Tsotsi ( "Thug" or "Gangster") for friends, spends his days with drinking, drugs, theft, robbery, hijackings and other criminal and illegal activities. Tsotsi is, in no respect, the perfect son-in-law. Things change radically when Tsotsi, after hijacking a car in a fancy Jo'burg suburb and shooting the female driver, ends up with the baby of his victim.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong side of the law</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">The movie tells, first of all, about how difficult life can be in South Africa's townships. Especially for young kids who - due to all kinds of causes - grow up with a distorted view on life. They are for instance affected by the non-presence of one (or both) parents, due to HIV/Aids / crime / domestic violence or whatever reason. They struggle with poverty, don't go to school, grow up with distorted perceptions of good and bad and therefore have a big chance of ending up on the wrong side of the law. Like what happened to Tsotsi.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Second, the movie is about human strength, humanity and forgiveness. And about the question: Does every one deserve a second chance? You go see that movie and think about it!</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town, South Africa</span>Miriam Mannakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01587020904837341428noreply@blogger.com0