In Guinea-Bissau, which lately has experienced very few attacks on press freedom, a special unit of the police prevented a journalist from taking photographs of a police operation and seized the journalist's camera. The press fear tougher times may come. A group of policemen who are members of the "Ninjas", a special unit of the Guinea-Bissau police earlier this month prevented Helmazin Cunha, a journalist working with the 'Nô Pintcha' pro-government newspaper from taking photographs of an operation they undertook to clear hawkers off the street

The Swazi Parliament is seeking to sanction the editor of the privately owned Times of Swaziland Sunday newspaper, Mbongeni Mbingo, for expressing himself about the affairs of the House of Assembly in a recent commentary in his publication.

In Burkina Faso 80% of the population lives in rural areas. In this context, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) will contribute to development only if they are linked to the specific rural situation and solve concrete problems of the rural inhabitants. Among the initiatives undertaken by agricultural organizations to find the usefulness of ICT, the initiative of the Federation of Agricultural Professional Producers of Sissili (FEPPASI) is one of the most concrete.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) hascalled on the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to put pressure on the board of the private media group Raga SPRL so that 9 arbitrarily dismissed union delegates can return to work as agreed a month ago with the mediation of the Labour Minister.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the persistent arrest of journalists in Somalia by the state security agents following the arrest of radio producer Abdifatah Dahir Jeyte, on 16 July, by Puntland Intelligence Service (PIS), a counter-terrorism branch of the north-eastern city of Bossasso in Puntland region. The journalist was released after a protest of his colleagues and NUSOJ mediation.

The East African Sub-regional Support Initiative for The Advancement of Women (EASSI) is taking giant leaps in the world of IT. The launch of this website is another example of the many strides this organization is taking to become a giant in the world of communication. With the need to communicate at every level in the advancement of women’s causes, this website is an opportunity to have dialogue with women from all over the world.

The ravaging of Africa has been enriching Europe and North America for more than 500 years. First, European empires imposed slavery and colonialism on the continent. After 1945, the United States took over as the dominant neo-colonial power.

Through the Pentagon and the CIA, the US government has fueled 14 wars in Africa. The methods employed include direct and proxy invasions as well as arms transfers and military training. The US has used the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to systematically demolish African economies and health and education sectors. This military and economic war enables the looting of Africa's resources by Western multinational corporations. Washington's genocidal imperial strategy has killed more than 26,000,000 Africans but failed to suppress popular resistance.

28 activists from 16 African countries were interviewed for the series.
The documentary is based on Asad's award-winning article of the same title. For his publications visit:
To respond email: [email][email protected]

Episodes:

1. 'Militarizing Africa' describes how the United States has fomented the devastating war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as taken part in and engineered the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia. With Mfuni Kazadi, Millicent Okumu, Farah Maalim and Halima Abdi Arush.

2. 'Economic War' focuses on the World Bank's and IMF's decimation of the economies and social sectors of Guinea, Zambia, Kenya and South Africa. With Bakary Fofana, Sara Longwe, Caroline Adhiambo, Njuki Githethwa and Molefe Pilane.

3. 'Corporate Plunder' details the disastrous effects of Royal Dutch Shell's operations in Nigeria and those of Canada's Tiomin Resources in Kenya. Also highlighted is the massive tax looting of Africa by Western corporations. With Ifieniya Lott, Mwana Siti B. Juma, Charles Abugre and John Christensen.

4. 'African Resistance' celebrates the liberation of Southern Africa, the defeat of US aims in the Congo and Somalia, as well as the diverse non-military struggles against US domination that were represented at the World Social Forum. With Wahu Kaara, Amade Suca, Mfuni Kazadi, Farah Maalim, Virginia Magwaza-Setshedi, Emilie Atchaka and Njeru Munyi.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today urged the government of Côte d'Ivoire to take urgent actions to put an end to newsroom robberies after four media companies were raided in a period of two months by armed groups who stole office equipment and documents. "We condemn these attacks, which are creating an environment of fear and panic in the press," said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa office.

It may sound like an old problem to other countries but in Uganda where use of information and communication technologies is relatively new their arrival came with a new type of crime. The government needs to fast track the formulation of the laws that would be used to protect victims of cyber crime whose increasing rates have forced the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) to seek intervention from the police.

Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda is to host this years Connect Africa Summit that is to be held from October 29-30 2007. According to a statement issued by the Geneva based International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the announcement was made by ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré at a Press Conference in Geneva, held jointly with the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID).

"Air Info", a bi-weekly privately-owned newspaper in Agadez, about 1,000 km from the capital Niamey, was suspended on 29 June 2007 by the media regulatory body (Conseil Supérieur de la Communication, CSC) for covering the activities of a rebel group in the northern part of Niger. The CSC has also frozen the newspaper's annual subsidy provided by the government to the media under Niger's media law.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called on an Ethiopian court to reject the prosecutor's demand for the death penalty for four journalists who have been convicted, along with opposition members and activists, of attempting to overthrow the government, treason and inciting violence. "We condemn this cruel and unreasonable demand by the prosecution who wants journalists sentenced to death merely for doing their job," said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa office.

The editor of the privately owned Nation magazine, Bheki Makhubu, was sued for E3.5 million [approx. US $ 500 000] by a Member of Parliament for alleged defamation of character. The MP, Marwick Khumalo, an ex journalist and also a member of the Pan African Parliament, claims to have been defamed by an article Makhubu wrote and published in the June edition of the Nation magazine.

The sight that greets visitors to Goz Amir is grimly familiar in eastern Chad. Every single house has been burnt to the ground, giant clay urns used as grain stores are smashed, charred grass marks where homes once stood. It is completely deserted.

The Regional Committee for Coordination of Rural Dwellers (CRCR) in Sikasso, in partnership with the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD), has initiated a new project called Jèkafo Guèlèkan. The projects focuses on establishing connections between the Local Committees for Coordination of Farmers’ Organisations and local sections of farmers’ organisations belonging to the CRCR and the AOPP in the Sikasso area.

Amongst the finest regular radio programmes on Africa, and which are also available for listening online or for download as a podcast/audiofile, is Walter Turner's Africa Today at KPFA. The following are some of the recent programmes broadcast.

Monday, July 2nd, 2007
Interview with Prudence Mabele of Positive Womens Network of South Africa, hosted by Walter Turner...

Monday, June 25th, 2007
Interview with Ali Askouri on Sudan, China, Human Rights, Big Dam Projects...

Monday, June 18th, 2007
Inteview with Cornelius Moore of California Newsreel on Ousmane Sembene. Interview with Dr. Motsoko Pheko of Pan Africanist Congress of Azania...

Philip Neville, the editor of the privately-owned "Standard Times" daily newspaper, was released from Pademba Road prison late on 3 July 2007 after paying bail. No date has yet been set for his trial. On 2 July, a Freetown court charged Neville with "libel", "malicious propaganda" and "publishing false news", and set very tough conditions for his provisional release.

Esther Wakilongo, a journalist with privately-owned Vision Shala Television (VSTV), was detained by Lieutenant-Colonel Anicet Muhimuzi, head of intelligence for the national police, while she was covering the parade organised for the anniversary of the country's independence in Bukavu (the largest city in South Kivu province, in the country's east). Although she presented her press card, the lieutenant-colonel seized her camera on the grounds that she did not possess "the badge granting authorisation to take pictures."

Ethiopian journalistPaulos Kidane, a journalist with the Amharic-language service of state-owned Eri-TV and radio Dimtsi Hafash (Voice of the Broad Masses), died in June 2007 in an attempt to flee on foot across the border into Sudan.

A summit to discuss e-content strategies for the West African region under the theme:"Improving Digital Lifestyles in Sub-Saharan Africa" is due in Benin. The e-content summit is expected to be opened by the President of the Republic of Benin, H.E. Dr. Thomas Boni Yayi. Meanwhile the Benin-based World Summit Award (WSA) partner, Afrique Emergence and the Government of the Republic of Benin will be the co- hosts.