THE LATEST:

Nearly 160 000 people have been killed by the Tsunami that hit Asia and parts of Africa on December 26. In Africa, up to 300 people are believed to have died, with northeastern Somalia the worst hit. Up to 1,500 buildings and 40 villages in northeastern Somalia were damaged by the tsunami and The United Nations is assisting 12 000 people.

THE CONCERNS:

HIV/AIDS advocates are worried that the massive outpouring of concern for Tsunami victims will suck funds away from much-needed HIV/AIDS relief efforts in Africa. They argue that the outpouring of money for the Tsunami shows that the cash has always been there but that the international political will to solve one of Africa’s most acute problems is lacking.

Apart from HIV/AIDS, there are also worries that the global attention received by the Tsunami will upstage what was supposed to be a focus on Africa in the year 2005 and take away from an urgent need to focus on the development challenges facing the continent.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair has declared that 2005 will be a year of action for Africa as the UK assumes presidency of the European Union and G8. Now the fear is that Africa will be pushed into the wings by the Tsunami disaster.

THE CONTRADICTIONS:

This week the Paris Club of creditor states approved a moratorium on the debt payments of the countries worst hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami, to free up money for reconstruction. Together the countries owe $272bn and pay about $23bn a year in servicing these debts. “That part of it is ugly," Stephen Lewis, U.N. special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa is reported to have said. The argument is that Africa has long been lobbying for the cancellation of its debts which take money away from much needed spending on areas like HIV/AIDS, health and education, the neglect of which claim more lives in the long term than the Tsunami disaster. Requests for debt cancellation – despite some initiatives like the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative – have largely been ignored. Now, however, within a matter of weeks, the G8 countries have shown that it is possible to solve the debt crisis.

Critics also question why the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and the DRC, where the International Rescue Committee reported late last year that nearly four million people had died as a result of conflict since 1998, have not received the same kind of attention from the international community.

ESSENTIAL READING: EDITORS CHOICE

“The hypocrisy, narcissism and dissembling propaganda of the rulers of the world and their sidekicks are in full cry,” writes John Pilger. “Superlatives abound as to their humanitarian intent while the division of humanity into worthy and unworthy victims dominates the news. The victims of a great natural disaster are worthy (though for how long is uncertain) while the victims of man-made imperial disasters are unworthy and very often unmentionable.” Read ‘The other, man made disaster’ at http://pilger.carlton.com/print

LINKS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4148397.stm
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/c1285c9d886d539b477e05f9c…
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_hiv.cfm
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L04357797.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tsunami/story/0,15671,1389369,00.html
http://www.halifaxlive.com/artman/publish/sudan_011005_563539.shtml
http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/?lid=167

Science journalists from across Africa have formed a network to share experiences and information, and to improve coverage of science news on the continent. The African Federation of Science Journalists intends, among other things, to provide African science journalists with information about scholarships, training opportunities and awards. It will also serve as a forum for members to share ideas, experiences and contact details of relevant individuals and institutions.

Visit the Eastern African Sub-Regional Support Initiative for the advancement of women for topical discussions on a range of issues. The latest discussion question is: "What, in your personal opinion, are some of the issues that have emerged during the last ten years with reference to the Beijing and Dakar Conferences?"

African leaders gave South African President Thabo Mbeki more time to negotiate peace in Cote d’Ivoire, but his mediation initiative ran into trouble hours later when rebels boycotted a special cabinet meeting on Tuesday at which he was guest of honour. A rebel spokesman accused Mbeki, who has been trying to broker a peace deal for the past two months, of “betrayal.” The African Union’s Peace and Security Council wrapped up a summit in the Gabonese capital, Libreville, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with a plea to all the Ivorian factions to overcome political sticking points and proceed with disarmament to pave the way for elections in October.

Based on billions of searches conducted by Google users around the world, the 2004 Year-End Zeitgeist offers a unique perspective on the year's major events and trends. While it is interesting to see what features in a host of categories, Africa is not even on the radar screen.

The aim of the Directory of Open Access Journals is to increase the visibility and ease of use of open access scientific and scholarly journals thereby promoting their increased usage and impact. The Directory aims to be comprehensive and cover all open access scientific and scholarly journals that use a quality control system to guarantee the content.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has signed into law a measure that sets prison terms of up to two years for any journalist found working without accreditation from the government-controlled Media and Information Commission. The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Mugabe and his government to turn away from such measures, including another piece of repressive legislation still pending.

A prominent Gambian journalist was killed in a pre-meditated operation by well-organised professionals says media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders. Deida Hydara's death three weeks ago had striking similarities with murders of other critics of the regime of President Yahya Jammeh, the group says. They have called for an independent commission to investigate.

Looking for information on Edutainment? Soul Beat Africa has launched a new feature on the website - an Edutainment Window - focusing on experiences, strategic thinking, materials, evaluations and other information related to using Edutainment in Africa! There are over 250 experiences of programmes that use edutainment being shared in the Window. You can also find materials such as handbooks and films, and strategic thinking documents about using Edutainment, and evaluations. The home page of the window can be customised to reflect your interests. To contribute your own edutainment information, please contact Senior Editor Estelle Jobson [email protected]

The relief effort in the wake of the Asian tsunamis has highlighted the importance of using ICT. African aid agencies have become significant ICT users and have sophisticated ICT managers. Communication is key in when disasters occur as communications links are often disrupted. Yet for disaster relief workers who arrive on the scene these links are essential as they rely heavily on telecommunications to coordinate the complicated logistics of rescue and relief operations. This week Balancing Act News Update looked at how different aid agencies have used ICT to tackle the impact of tsunami waves on the coasts of East Africa and its offshore islands.

On 30 December 2004, Sam Obi, a Nigerian journalist and presenter for the privately-owned City Limits Radio station, was detained and subjected to questioning by officials of the Gambia Police Force's Serious Crime Unit for six hours, in Serre Kunda, following an interview he granted to Radio France International (RFI). According to Media Foundation for West African sources in The Gambia, Obi's interview with RFI dealt with a march organised by the Gambia Press Union to protest the brutal murder of Deyda Hydara, managing editor of the Banjul-based newspaper "The Point" (see IFEX alerts of 6 January 2005 and 17 December 2004).

The Committee to Protect Journalists said in a January 6 letter to Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo that it was "deeply troubled" by the recent violent attack on journalists by government security forces. On Tuesday, January 4, police acting as security at a meeting of the National Executive Council of Obasanjo's ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the capital, Abuja, assaulted at least 10 journalists who were covering the meeting.

The third issue of the Nonprofit Online News Magazine is now available as a free download. This month the edition has an Email Newsletter Quicksheet, which will help you do a simple evaluation of your primary online cultivation tool.

The theme for this year's Hafkin Prize recognises community initiatives that use the internet and other digital communication networks to access markets, skills and opportunities to derive real economic benefits. The competition is open to civil society organisations, government institutions, educational organisations, community-based groups, networks, social movements or individuals anywhere in Africa.

Are you ready to work with poor people as a force for change in addressing the causes of poverty, suffering and injustice, and alleviating their symptoms? We are looking for someone like you to fill the position of Media and Communications Officer. You will be the country lead on media and communications for the Darfur crisis as well as serve as the primary Oxfam International field based spokesperson for all affiliate media on the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. You will support programme in identifying messages for communication as part of media/advocacy strategy on Darfur crisis and future strategies on relating to North/South Sudan. You will research and write materials and provide visual images of the Darfur humanitarian crisis to support Oxfam’s media, policy and advocacy work, fundraising and other internal and external communications.

"For our countries, climate change is more catastrophic than terrorism." This was how the delegate from Tanzania summed up the stance of the world's 48 least developed countries at the 10th Conference of Parties of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-10). The Tanzanian delegation's sentiments were echoed throughout the opening session of the conference. Almost all of the countries whose representatives took the floor expressed their satisfaction over the imminent entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol.

Scientists and the biotechnology industry have been crucial in determining biotechnology policies and laws. They have emphasised the protection of individual interests - both human and corporate - through tight property laws, global trade rules and narrow regulatory regimes. Within this framework, the only 'acceptable' restriction on biotechnology development is safety. Regulation focuses on containing risks through science-based assessments. Little attention has been given to broader social, cultural or development concerns or, critically, to rights. A rights based approach is key to developing biotechnology policies.

In common with Algeria and the dominant African giant Egypt, Tunisia has displayed a remarkable tenacity to forge ahead without any significant policy of political reform. In ensuring that its security from so-called 'terrorist threats' is provided by the West, the regime of Zeyn al-Abideen Bin Ali has thwarted efforts by human-rights activists keen to secure fundamental freedoms. Harsh repressive measures to keep its population in check are characteristic of the Bin Ali government.

Teacher training institutions in even the poorest African countries are slowly being equipped with computers. Increasingly, teachers are being exposed to new information and communication technologies (ICTs). The majority of school teachers are likely to work in environments without computers for the foreseeable future but in schools where ICTs are available, teachers will want to know how to use them.

"The Internet Living Swahili Dictionary is a collaborative work by people all over the world. Together we are working to establish new dictionaries of the Swahili language - Kiswahili - both within Swahili and between Swahili and English."