October 19, 2012 News Round-Up

October  16 - October 19 2012

AFRICAN INTERNAL RELATIONS

allAfrica News: "Congo-Kinshasa: Uganda Denies Supporting DRC's M23 Rebels" (October 18, 2012)
Uganda has denied allegations in a UN report that the Ugandan army has helped rebel activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UN report, which was leaked to the international media, said Uganda is supporting the M23 rebels of Bosco Ntaganda in their conflict with the Kinshasa government. According to the report, the armies of Rwanda and Uganda have helped M23 expand its control of territory in eastern Congo.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201210180762.html

BBC News: "Kenya rules courts can try Somali pirates" (October 18, 2012)
Kenya's Court of Appeal had ruled that the country's courts have jurisdiction to try pirates caught in international waters.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-19992273

Jeune Afrique: "Côte d'Ivoire - Liberia : Johnson-Sirleaf à Abidjan, un chef de guerre arrêté" (October 18, 2012)
Bobby Shappy Julu, a Liberian warlord suspected of being involved in the violence in Côte d'Ivoire, was arrested on October 15. The announcement comes the day of Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's visit with her Ivorian counterpart Alassane Ouattara about security on the shared border.
http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/ARTJAWEB20121018162138/liberia-laurent-gbagbo-ellen-johnson-sirleaf-violencecote-d-ivoire-liberia-sirleaf-a-abidjan-un-chef-de-guerre-arrete.html

RFI: "Le Niger et le Nigeria renforcent leur coopération et signent un accord de défense" (October 19, 2012)
Niger and Nigeria have decided to set up joint patrols the borders of their countries that will be instituted within the coming days. In Niamey, the Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Mahamadou Issoufou signed a defense agreement that promotes this action. The two heads of states are trying to cope with the armed Islamist group Boko Haram who participates in the control of northern Mali by jihadists and threatens the security of neighboring countries.
http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20121019-le-niger-le-nigeria-renforcent-leur-cooperation-transfrontaliere-assurer-securite

AFRICAN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

VOA News: "Eritrea Calls for Lifting of Sanctions" (October 17, 2012)
A political advisor to Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki says most permanent members of the U.N. Security Council want to lift sanctions against his country.
http://www.voanews.com/content/eritrea-calls-for-lifting-of-sanctions/1528519.html

VOA News: "New ICC Chief Prosecutor Discusses Work of Tribunal" (October 17, 2012)
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) says she rejects any suggestion that the tribunal has unfairly targeted African countries. Fatou Bensouda, who became chief prosecutor last June after eight years as deputy chief prosecutor, said in an interview it will take a lot of work to correct suspicions of bias against Africa.
http://www.voanews.com/content/new-icc-chief-prosecutor-discusses-tribunal-work/1528452.html

CNN: "Changing of guard for Pentagon's Africa command" (October 18, 2012)
President Barack Obama will nominate a new leader for the Pentagon command in charge of Africa. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said Thursday the president is picking Gen. David Rodriguez to replace Gen. Carter Ham as head of the U.S. Africa Command.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/18/world/africa/africa-command/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2

Al Jazeera: "Rwanda admitted to UN Security Council" (October 19, 2012)
Victory comes despite claims by UN expert panel about the country's involvement in a rebellion in neighboring DR Congo.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/10/20121018175059955706.html

Reuters Africa: "EU leaders call Mali crisis a threat to Europe" (October 19, 2012)
EU leaders said on Friday the crisis in Mali, where Islamists have seized control of much of the north of the country, was an "immediate threat" to Europe, and threatened to impose sanctions on the armed militia there. It was the first time EU heads of state and government had pronounced collectively on the crisis, which broke out in March when soldiers toppled the president, leaving a power vacuum that enabled Tuareg rebels to take control of the north. Islamists, some allied with al Qaeda, have since hijacked their revolt.
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE89I01Y20121019

VOA News: "Leaders Discuss Road Map for Mali" (October 19, 2012)
International leaders will meet in Mali's capital to discuss ways of ousting al-Qaida-linked Islamist groups who control the country's north.   The meeting in Bamako will include representatives from the United Nations, West African bloc ECOWAS, the African Union and the European Union.
http://www.voanews.com/content/leaders-meeting-to-coordinate-roadmap-for-mali/1529492.html

MALI

Jeune Afrique: "Intervention au Mali : Sanogo admet la nécessité d'utiliser 'toute aide ou compétence extérieure'" (October 18, 2012)
The French Minister of Defense, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said that military intervention in northern Mali would take place in "a few weeks". Statements generate as much excitement as skepticism on the part of security officials in Mali.
http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/ARTJAWEB20121018173702/cedeao-islamiste-intervention-militaire-nord-maliintervention-au-mali-sanogo-admet-la-necessite-d-utiliser-toute-aide-ou-competence-exterieure.html

Al Jazeera: "Fighters in Mali destroy more Timbuktu tombs" (October 19, 2012)
Ansar Dine bulldozed the tombs of three local Sufi saints, the latest in a series of attacks on heritage sites.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/10/2012101913622429221.html

NIGERIA

VOA News: "Nigerian Christian Group Concerned About Lack of Security" (October 18, 2012)
The president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) says his group is not satisfied with the level of security in some parts of the country, where Christian churches have been attacked by armed groups.
http://www.voanews.com/content/nigerian-christian-group-concerned-about-lack-of-security/1529214.html

RWANDA

Jeune Afrique: "Rwanda: la Cour suprême rejette un recours de l'opposante Ingabire" (October 18, 2012)
The Rwandan Supreme Court rejected an appeal from political opposition member Victoire Ingabire challenging the constitutionality of a law on genocide ideology under which the punishment is life imprisonment.
http://www.jeuneafrique.com/actu/20121018T153413Z20121018T153411Z/rwanda-la-cour-supreme-rejette-un-recours-de-l-opposante-ingabire.html

Jeune Afrique: "Rwanda : Paul Kagamé, ou l'éloge de la rébellion" (October 18, 2012)
Facing pressure from the international community as it withdraws its aid to the country; Rwandan President Paul Kagame does not yield an inch, even while faced with accusations that his government is supporting M23.
http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/JA2701p023.xml0/onu-rwanda-rd-congo-paul-kagamerwanda-paul-kagame-ou-l-eloge-de-la-rebellion.html

SOMALIA

CNN: "Somali lawmakers approve new prime minister" (October 17, 2012)
Somalia's parliament voted by an overwhelming majority to approve Abdi Farah Shirdon as the country's new prime minister. Shirdon, who was the president's nominee, received 215 out of 275 votes.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/17/world/africa/somalia-prime-minister/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2

BBC News: "Somalia: 'Al-Shabab weapons seized in Puntland'" (October 19, 2012)
A large consignment of arms destined for suspected Islamist militants in north-eastern Somalia has been seized, a regional governor has told the BBC.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-20003253

SOUTH AFRICA

Al Jazeera: "S. Africa president calls for end to unrest" (October 17, 2012)
Jacob Zuma asks striking workers to return to work and for chief executives to freeze any personal salary increases.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/10/20121017161221762505.html

allAfrica News: "South Africa: Foreigners Still At Risk" (October 19, 2012)
After a wave of violent attacks on foreigners swept South Africa in May 2008, leaving 63 dead and tens of thousands displaced, both government and civil society pledged 'never again'. Yet measures implemented in the past four years have failed to defuse continuing resentment of foreigners or to ensure justice for victims of xenophobic violence.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201210191096.html?aa_source=mf-hdlns

CNN: "South Africa Gold Fields workers 'end strike'" (October 19, 2012)
Nearly all the 15,000 South African gold miners who faced dismissal for going on an illegal strike have reported for duty, their company says.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-20001774

SOUTH SUDAN

allAfrica News: "South Sudan Instructs Oil Companies to Resume Production" (October 18, 2012)
South Sudan on Thursday issued an order instructing foreign and national companies involved in oil industry to immediately resume production and exports through the territory of neighboring Sudan.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201210190517.html?aa_source=mf-hdlns 

UGANDA

BBC News: "Uganda police chief urges increased social media policing" (October 18, 2012)
Ugandan police are to increase social-media monitoring because of fears about the spread of "dangerous" information, according to reports.
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-19989875