WEST AFRICA NEWSLETTER

International Center and Liberia Institute of Journalism
WEST AFRICA NEWSLETTER
Reporting on Human Rights, Democracy & Development
Vol. 1 No. 23 September 13, 2001

Please send this newsletter to anyone who is interested!!!

CONTENTS

1. EDITOR’S COMMENTS
2. RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
3. REFUGEES
4. HEALTH/ ENVIRONMENT
5. DEVELOPMENT
6. MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY
7. GRANTS
8. WORLD BANK PIPELINE
9. ANNOUNCEMENTS
10. ABOUT US
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1. EDITOR’S COMMENTS
http://www.kabissa.org/lij

The UN Conference on Racism in Durban, South Africa ended on a
somewhat positive note; despite the walk out by Uncle Sam and
his ally-Israel. We do have a framework to begin laying a
foundation that will eventually stamped out Racism and
Xenophobia from the face of our planet.
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We recently received some e-mailings from our readers asking
whether the government has lifted our newspaper
the “Journalists” ban? The answer is “NO”. One thing that has
been troubling to us is that the so-called Human Rights lawyer
Benedict Sannoh that lied to the Minister of Information and
our paper was banned gets hugh sums in grants from donors in
the United States to foster the rule of law in Liberia, but yet
joined the government to have our paper banned? Is that how one
fosters the rule of law? Why would donors in the US give
American taxpayers money to dishonest men posed as Human Rights
Advocates? Is it that these organizations cannot find credible
organizations to work with? What do you think? We like to know!
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Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to all Americans and peoples of
the World that lost a family member in the cowardly act of
destroying the “World Trade Center”. We must remember that an
attack on the World Trade Center is an attack on the nerve of
Capitalism, which is an attack on the World Economy System and
that threatens our very survival. We must condemn it and hit
back whenever our very survival is under siege.
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The Pepper Bird Magazine send us a press release that details
an eyewitness account of the attack and collapse of the World
trade Center. The following text is the whole story:

LIBERIAN VICTIMS OF NEW YORK CITY TERRORIST INCIDENT
At approximately 4:30 pm today, a family contacted our editor
in chief.
Member of a Liberian who works within a block of the World
Trade Center Buildings. A sad and worried mother told our
editor that her daughter had gone to work this morning and she
had been very worried about her until recently when she was
blessed to receive a cell phone call from her. Her daughter
told her she was fine and had barely survived injuries or death
from the incident. She is currently safely with friends in
Bronx, NY.

Our editor was successful in contacting the daughter of the
woman via her cell phone (her number was given to our editor by
the mother who he knows Well). After contacting the daughter,
she was willing to give us her eyewitness account of the
terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. She however
insisted that we do not use her name.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF A LIBERIAN OF THE TERRORIST ATTACK ON THE
WORLD TRADE
CENTER.

My friend, another Liberian male, and I had just gotten off the
bus right next to the World Trade Center just before 9 am this
morning. We heard a loud and strange noise from above the tower
buildings of the Center. When I looked up, I saw the first
plane crash into the building. It went into the building. As
shocked as I was, I quickly grabbed my friend by the arm and
said, "Let's go! Let's run before debris from the building fall
on us!" We began running to the end of the block. We could feel
the heat from the building on the back of our necks as we ran.
Then I looked back at the building just in time to see the
second airplane fly into the second building and explode.

It was a terrible, terrible, terrible scene! After both planes
crashed into the towers, I could clearly see people jumping out
of the buildings from as high as where the crashes occurred.
Others were hanging out of the buildings.

After the planes crashed, many, many rescue workers and police
rushed into the buildings to assist those in need. As they were
pouring into the buildings, one of the towers came tumbling
down. There were fires and explosions in the nearby buildings,
and unimaginable dust and debris falling
Everywhere! We also had to run and keep running to get away
from the falling debris. As we ran we could hear their screams
and cries of agony of rescuers and others.

Many, many people lost their lives today. I am traumatized by
what I have seen and experienced today. People were just
getting off the ferry and coming to work. Many were trampled
upon and debris even fell in the ferry. A lot of
Liberians and others, who take the ferry to work, work at the
World Trade Center. In that area of Manhattan, many people are
at work by 8 or 9 am. Many of them were already at work or just
entering the buildings. People of all
Races and nationalities are grieving for loved ones today.

STATEMENT FROM THE PEPPER BIRD MAGAZINE

We vehemently condemn any acts of terrorism in America and any
other country of the world. We are shocked and deeply hurt and
saddened by the terrorist actions in New York, Washington, D.C.
and Pennsylvania today. The Pepper Bird
Magazine and Corporation join members of African American and
African Communities across America in reaffirming solidarity,
friendship and brother/sisterhood with the greater American
community. We pray for all families and peoples in America!

LONG LIVE AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

2. RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY

http://www.hrw.org
Anti-Racism Summit Ends on Hopeful NoteProgress Amid
Controversy; Delegates Vow to Fight On
(New York, September 10, 2001) -- Human Rights Watch said
today that the key to ensuring that the World Conference
Against Racism (WCAR) marked a step forward was ensuring that
governments delivered on the anti-racism agenda adopted here.

http://www.hrw.org
U.S. Should Support Children's Rights at UN Summit
(New York, September 4, 2001) -- Human Rights Watch today
called on the United States to support the rights of children
during an upcoming UN General Assembly Special Session on
Children. The session is a follow-up to the 1990 World Summit
on Children and will draw more than 80 heads of state or
government to New York from September 19-21.

Rights Advocate Calls for Disbanding ATU; Goes Into Hiding
http://www.allafrica.com
A Liberian human rights advocate, Mr. Adebayo, Executive
Director of the Liberian Watch for Human Rights, has called for
the disbanding of the notorious and infamous Anti-Terrorist
Unit, commonly referred to as ATU. BBC Focus on Africa report
issued on the 10th, 2001, stated that the rights group in its
statement, described the ATU as "unconstitutional" and called
on President Charles Taylor to dissolve it.

Senegal: Authorities stop alleged sex traffickers
http://www.africaonline.com
The Senegalese authorities have detained two women in Dakar in
connection with an alleged sex trafficking operation, a
statement from the Ministry of the Interior said on Wednesday.

3. REFUGEES
http://www.allafrica.com
Amnesty International said on Friday that governments and the
diamond industry "must seize the opportunity" this week to set
up an effective and transparent certification system so that
the international diamond trade cannot be linked to killings
and other abuses against civilians in conflict zones.

Ghana: Kidnapped Ghanaian freed by Interpol
http://www.africaonline.com
A joint operation by Interpol and the Ghana Police Service in
four European countries has led to the release of a 41-year-
old Ghanaian marketing officer from the clutches of a syndicate
operating across Europe.

4. HEALTH/ENVIROMENT
http://www.who.org
Yellow fever in Côte d'Ivoire
A WHO assessment team has been working with the Ministry of
Health, UNICEF and other partners to implement measures to
contain the urban outbreak of yellow fever in Abidjan. The
Ministry of Health is currently carrying out vaccination
campaigns using limited national stocks in the areas of Abidjan
where cases have been identified (see photo below). A mass
campaign for the entire city of Abidjan is planned to begin on
17 September. It is crucial that this vaccination campaign take
place as soon as possible to raise the level of immunity in the
city's population and so reduce the risk of spread of yellow
fever

LIBERIA BREACHES UN SANCTIONS - WHILST ITS LOGGING INDUSTRY
FUNDS ARMS IMPORTS AND RUF REBELS

http://www.oneworld.org/globalwitness/press/pr_liberia.htm
According to a report released today, the Government of Liberia
continues to import armaments and to support the rebels of the
Revolutionary United Front (RUF), responsible for gross human
rights abuses in Sierra Leone. This support is made possible by
profits of over US$100 million per year generated by Liberia's
timber industry, which is integrally linked to illegal arms
importation. This industry threatens regional stability,
including the lives of UN personnel in Sierra Leone, and puts
Liberia in breach of UN sanctions imposed on 7th May 2001.

5. DEVELOPMENT

Senegal - USA cancels US $1 million in debt service
http://www.africaonline.com
The United States cancelled on Tuesday US $1 million which
Senegal owed to it to allow Dakar to redirect the money towards
its economic growth programme, the US Embassy in Dakar said.

6. MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY
http://www.ijnet.org/Archive/2001/9/10-10653.html
Journalist Union president detained in Uzbekistan
Ruslan Sharipov, president of the Union of Independent
Journalists of Uzbekistan (UIJU), was detained August 31 by
government officials in response to a recent series of articles
he wrote on human rights violations in the country, the
International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) reported.

7. GRANTS
http://www.kabissa.org/lij

In search of “seed money” to help jump-start your project?
Maybe if you contact the below listed donors they could tell
you if your project meet their area of funding.
Tew Foundation, P. O. Box 253, Marine On St. Croix, MN. 55047

West Foundation, Inc., c/o Bank one Center/Tower, 111 Movement
Cir., Ste 220, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-5168

Wilkes Foundation, Inc., 1003 Lee Lane, Leesburg, Fl. 34748

Jimken Foundation of Canton, 236 3rd St., S.W., Canton, OH.
44702

The Barbara Delano Foundation, Inc., 116 New Montgomery St.,
Ste 528, San Francisco, Cal. 94105

8. WORLD BANK PIPELINE PROJECT
http://www.worldbank.org
Better Institutions Key To Poverty Reduction
New Report Recommends Flexibility, Innovation To Build
Institutions Accessible To Poor People
WASHINGTON, September 11, 2001--Weak institutions – tangled
laws, corrupt courts, deeply biased credit systems, and
elaborate business registration requirements – hurt poor
people and hinder development, according to the World
Development Report 2002: Building Institutions for Markets. The
new World Bank report says countries that systematically deal
with such problems and create new institutions suited to local
needs can dramatically increase incomes and reduce poverty.
These institutions range from unwritten customs and traditions
to complex legal codes that regulate international commerce.

9. ECOWAS NEWS

http://www.ecowas.int/
ADB AND ECOWAS REACH AGREEMENT ON AREAS OF COOPERATION
The African Development Bank (ADB) is to provide UA 8.9 million
($6.35 million) to finance the implementation of six ECOWAS
projects for the control of floating weeds, including water
hyacinths within the waterways of the sub-region.
This was one of the agreements reached during a recent meeting
in Abidjan between officials of the bank and an ECOWAS
delegation.

10. ABOUT US

http://www.kabissa.org/lij
The Liberia Institute of Journalism (LIJ), in Monrovia,
Liberia, at the Corner of Broad & Johnson Sts., Koushouk
Building, Ste., #2, publishes the WEST AFRICA NEWSLETTER (WAN),
online. The International Center, 731-8 St., S.E. WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20003 is funding this project. The WAN is distributed free
of charge by e-mail. We do accept information, articles,
announcements and news for publication.
Please e-mail all questions and information to the Editor
Vinnie Hodges, at [email protected] To subscribe or unsubscribe
please log on to our website: http://www.kabissa.org/lij

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