Month: April 2018

Madagascar’s president on Monday demanded an end to unrest he said was intended to divide the country after two demonstrators were killed in a confrontation between police and anti-government protesters at the weekend.

The violence has inflamed a political dispute over new electoral laws, and President Hery Rajaonarimampianina’s remarks coincided with a march through the capital by thousands of anti-government demonstrators protesting against the deaths.

“As army chief, the president has not shed blood and will not shed blood,” said Rajaonarimampianina, referring to himself in the third person in remarks on a visit to port project. “The blood has flowed enough in our country. It must stop. The violence must stop.”

His remarks appeared to signal a change of tone from Sunday, when he described the protests as “a coup” and warned “those who sow unrest and incite people to tear each other apart” that the state would respond by assuming its responsibilities.

On Saturday, police fired teargas at an opposition demonstration held in protest against new electoral laws, where one person died and more than a dozen were treated for injuries, some caused by teargas canisters.

Another individual injured in Saturday’s unrest, died on Sunday, Olivat Alson Rakoto, director of a hospital in the city, told Reuters.

On Monday, thousands of demonstrators, most of them dressed in white, assembled in front of the city hall and a public square, where the coffins of the two individuals killed at the weekend were placed on the ground, the Reuters witness said.

Supporters of opposition politician Marc Ravalomanana, a former leader of the Indian Ocean island nation, say the new electoral laws are designed to block him from running in the election. The opposition is also challenging provisions on campaign financing and access to media in the laws.

“We protest these laws that were adopted by corrupted members of parliament,” said Christine Razanamahasoa, an opposition lawmaker.

Dialogue

Harivonjy Randriamalala, a 42-year-old father of three children, said: “We want the president to resign. We want freedom of speech. We want elections in which all people can run.”

Ravalomanana, who was removed in a 2009 coup, has teamed up with the man who succeeded him, Andy Rajoelina, to oppose the laws pushed by President Hery Rajaonarimampianina.

The election is due before the end of this year though the precise date has yet to be set.

“I call on churches to convince those who are not yet convinced to engage in dialogue to find a solution to the crisis. If not, we can no longer contain (the anger of) the people,” Ravalomanana said in a statement.

Before Monday’s march began, General Beni Xavier Rasolofonirina, the defense minister, appealed to politicians to find an outcome that would avoid violence.

“The security forces invite politicians to discuss and find a political solution to a political problem. The police will never accept power that does not come from the electoral process,” he said in a statement.

He said police would stay away from the area where people were marching.
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Madagascar’s president on Monday demanded an end to unrest he said was intended to divide the country after two demonstrators were killed in a confrontation between police and anti-government protesters at the weekend.

The violence has inflamed a political dispute over new electoral laws, and President Hery Rajaonarimampianina’s remarks coincided with a march through the capital by thousands of anti-government demonstrators protesting against the deaths.

“As army chief, the president has not shed blood and will not shed blood,” said Rajaonarimampianina, referring to himself in the third person in remarks on a visit to port project. “The blood has flowed enough in our country. It must stop. The violence must stop.”

His remarks appeared to signal a change of tone from Sunday, when he described the protests as “a coup” and warned “those who sow unrest and incite people to tear each other apart” that the state would respond by assuming its responsibilities.

On Saturday, police fired teargas at an opposition demonstration held in protest against new electoral laws, where one person died and more than a dozen were treated for injuries, some caused by teargas canisters.

Another individual injured in Saturday’s unrest, died on Sunday, Olivat Alson Rakoto, director of a hospital in the city, told Reuters.

On Monday, thousands of demonstrators, most of them dressed in white, assembled in front of the city hall and a public square, where the coffins of the two individuals killed at the weekend were placed on the ground, the Reuters witness said.

Supporters of opposition politician Marc Ravalomanana, a former leader of the Indian Ocean island nation, say the new electoral laws are designed to block him from running in the election. The opposition is also challenging provisions on campaign financing and access to media in the laws.

“We protest these laws that were adopted by corrupted members of parliament,” said Christine Razanamahasoa, an opposition lawmaker.

Dialogue

Harivonjy Randriamalala, a 42-year-old father of three children, said: “We want the president to resign. We want freedom of speech. We want elections in which all people can run.”

Ravalomanana, who was removed in a 2009 coup, has teamed up with the man who succeeded him, Andy Rajoelina, to oppose the laws pushed by President Hery Rajaonarimampianina.

The election is due before the end of this year though the precise date has yet to be set.

“I call on churches to convince those who are not yet convinced to engage in dialogue to find a solution to the crisis. If not, we can no longer contain (the anger of) the people,” Ravalomanana said in a statement.

Before Monday’s march began, General Beni Xavier Rasolofonirina, the defense minister, appealed to politicians to find an outcome that would avoid violence.

“The security forces invite politicians to discuss and find a political solution to a political problem. The police will never accept power that does not come from the electoral process,” he said in a statement.

He said police would stay away from the area where people were marching.
…

Israel’s Justice minister vowed to help Ethiopia’s Jews immigrate to Israel as soon as possible during a rare visit to Ethiopia.

Ayelet Shaked visited the synagogue in Addis Ababa on Sunday.

“These programs that will eventually reunite Ethiopian Jews with their families in Israel are not generally easy,” said Shaked to the group gathered in the synagogue.

“But I will try everything within my power to work with relevant offices to make this happen in the shortest time possible,” she said.

Shaked, on what is reported to be her first official visit to Africa, said she came to find out more about the situation of Ethiopia’s estimated 8,000 remaining Jews.

Members of the Ethiopian Jews who attended the meeting told her that they want to move to Israel, where many family members moved years ago. They said they want “aliyah,” the Hebrew term for the immigration of Jews in other parts of the world to Israel.

“We know aliyah for Jews that are descendants in other countries happened so swiftly that sometimes even their dogs were also included as they moved to Israel. Are we less important than these dogs?” asked Meles Sidisto, the community head of Ethiopia’s Jews in Addis Ababa.

In an emotional speech, Sidisto reaffirmed that members of Ethiopia’s Jewish population plan to stage a mass hunger strike should Israel fail to reunite them with their families soon.

“We are unhappy here. We have had enough here. If our situation is not resolved in a very short time, we will hold a momentous mass hunger strike that will help us present our voice to Israel and the world,” he said.

The Ethiopian Jews met with Shaked in the small hall decorated with Israeli flags and scriptures. Some said they have been separated for decades from close family members who moved to Israel.

Seeking reunification with loved ones

Tigabu Worku, one of the synagogue’s most active members, read a letter to Shaked in which he complained that he has been separated from his family for years.

“I have been torn from my younger sisters Leah and Sarah for 18 years,” said Tigabu. “Eighteen years I have missed them. Eighteen years I have waited to see their faces that I no longer remember.”

Ethiopia’s Falashmuras are believed to be descendants of one of the Ten Lost Tribes of ancient Israel. Ethiopia’s Jewish people mainly live in the Amhara and Tigray provinces.

Thousands of Falashmuras moved to Israel following the Law of Return in April 1975 and most of those who remain in Ethiopia have been separated for well over a decade from family members who moved to Israel.

About 140,000 Ethiopian Jews live in Israel today, a small minority in a country of over 8 million. Their assimilation hasn’t been smooth, with many arriving without a modern education and then falling into unemployment and poverty.

Although many of those remaining in Ethiopia are practicing Jews, Israel doesn’t consider them Jewish, meaning they are not automatically eligible to immigrate under its “law of return,” which grants automatic citizenship to anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent. Instead, the government must OK their arrival.

Ethiopian community members have been permitted to immigrate over the last two decades in limited bursts that have left hundreds of families torn apart.

The Israeli government did not approve the funding for the movement of the Ethiopians in its new budget but said a special ministerial committee would to discuss the issue. A date for that meeting had not been announced.

 
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Israel’s Justice minister vowed to help Ethiopia’s Jews immigrate to Israel as soon as possible during a rare visit to Ethiopia.

Ayelet Shaked visited the synagogue in Addis Ababa on Sunday.

“These programs that will eventually reunite Ethiopian Jews with their families in Israel are not generally easy,” said Shaked to the group gathered in the synagogue.

“But I will try everything within my power to work with relevant offices to make this happen in the shortest time possible,” she said.

Shaked, on what is reported to be her first official visit to Africa, said she came to find out more about the situation of Ethiopia’s estimated 8,000 remaining Jews.

Members of the Ethiopian Jews who attended the meeting told her that they want to move to Israel, where many family members moved years ago. They said they want “aliyah,” the Hebrew term for the immigration of Jews in other parts of the world to Israel.

“We know aliyah for Jews that are descendants in other countries happened so swiftly that sometimes even their dogs were also included as they moved to Israel. Are we less important than these dogs?” asked Meles Sidisto, the community head of Ethiopia’s Jews in Addis Ababa.

In an emotional speech, Sidisto reaffirmed that members of Ethiopia’s Jewish population plan to stage a mass hunger strike should Israel fail to reunite them with their families soon.

“We are unhappy here. We have had enough here. If our situation is not resolved in a very short time, we will hold a momentous mass hunger strike that will help us present our voice to Israel and the world,” he said.

The Ethiopian Jews met with Shaked in the small hall decorated with Israeli flags and scriptures. Some said they have been separated for decades from close family members who moved to Israel.

Seeking reunification with loved ones

Tigabu Worku, one of the synagogue’s most active members, read a letter to Shaked in which he complained that he has been separated from his family for years.

“I have been torn from my younger sisters Leah and Sarah for 18 years,” said Tigabu. “Eighteen years I have missed them. Eighteen years I have waited to see their faces that I no longer remember.”

Ethiopia’s Falashmuras are believed to be descendants of one of the Ten Lost Tribes of ancient Israel. Ethiopia’s Jewish people mainly live in the Amhara and Tigray provinces.

Thousands of Falashmuras moved to Israel following the Law of Return in April 1975 and most of those who remain in Ethiopia have been separated for well over a decade from family members who moved to Israel.

About 140,000 Ethiopian Jews live in Israel today, a small minority in a country of over 8 million. Their assimilation hasn’t been smooth, with many arriving without a modern education and then falling into unemployment and poverty.

Although many of those remaining in Ethiopia are practicing Jews, Israel doesn’t consider them Jewish, meaning they are not automatically eligible to immigrate under its “law of return,” which grants automatic citizenship to anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent. Instead, the government must OK their arrival.

Ethiopian community members have been permitted to immigrate over the last two decades in limited bursts that have left hundreds of families torn apart.

The Israeli government did not approve the funding for the movement of the Ethiopians in its new budget but said a special ministerial committee would to discuss the issue. A date for that meeting had not been announced.

 
…

Somalia’s finance minister said the country is winning in its effort to get the trust of international financial institutions and could receive debt relief as early as next year.

Abdirahman Duale Beileh, who participated in the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank last week in Washington, said Somalia has “passed [the] trust” factor with international creditors following roundtable meetings.

“They [IMF] have submitted their assessment, and they said Somalia has passed,” he said.  “Somalia can be trusted. Somalia is back. And Somalia has to be supported to move with the clearance of arrears sometime next year.”

Somalia owes an estimated $5.5 billion to international creditors, the Paris club, the non-Paris club and other international financial institutions. Beileh said those groups are working to see Somalia cleared of its debts next year.

“They are all moving together in tandem, but they all agree that sometime next year, everything will be done,” he said during an interview in VOA studios in Washington. “Countries and organizations are also promising a pre-arrears clearance fund to be established for the assistance of Somalia.”

Somalia and the IMF signed staff-level agreements aimed at monitoring Somalia fiscal reforms and increased revenue.  Beileh said the government has successfully completed two IMF staff-monitored programs.

Rise in domestic revenue

In the first quarter of this year, the Somali government reported collecting $42.5 million in domestic revenue, the highest in a single quarter in recent history.  In February this year, the government introduced a new 5 percent sales tax on businesses to further boost income.

Beileh said development and reconstruction projects by the international donors will be channeled through the federal government from now on.  He said even if NGOs have to implement the projects, the government will set the priority and will monitor.

“They will be trusting us with whatever enters the country, the federal government will be responsible and trusted.  It’s estimated to be over a billion dollars,” Beileh said.

Despite the minister’s statement, Somalia is still ranked the most corrupt country in the world, according to Transparency International. The Somali minister said the group ranked Somalia based on “perception.”

“IMF knows our expenses. We give them a weekly report. We have agreed that they monitor,” he said.

Beileh added that Somalia has improved its budget transparency and deserves to have a better ranking.

UAE dispute

Meanwhile, Beileh has opened the possibility that Somalia could return nearly $10 million seized from a United Arab Emirates plane at the Mogadishu airport on April 8 but said talks were ongoing.

He said Somalia is open for business and investment but that countries need to respect its sovereignty.  

“Somalia is a sovereign nation. We are determined that we bring back our dignity and our sovereignty,” he said.  “Everybody is welcome to come, but I can tell you generally that Somalia is not a monopoly for anybody.”

Beileh said UAE was a “very friendly country” that should “go through proper channels” of communication with Somalia’s government.

“The money is a lot of money, and I don’t know what will happen if you just bring $10 million to U.S. ports without anybody knowing,” he said. “We have to know what this money is for. We have to know before the money shows up in the airport in a big plane.  So, all these things create [an] unnecessary suspicious environment, which has to be dealt with,” he said.

The UAE insisted the money was for the salaries of Somali soldiers and said Somali officials knew it was coming. The UAE has been training hundreds of Somali soldiers for several years.  In retaliation for the cash seizure, the UAE disbanded military training centers and handed over trained soldiers to the Somali government.

 
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Somalia’s finance minister said the country is winning in its effort to get the trust of international financial institutions and could receive debt relief as early as next year.

Abdirahman Duale Beileh, who participated in the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank last week in Washington, said Somalia has “passed [the] trust” factor with international creditors following roundtable meetings.

“They [IMF] have submitted their assessment, and they said Somalia has passed,” he said.  “Somalia can be trusted. Somalia is back. And Somalia has to be supported to move with the clearance of arrears sometime next year.”

Somalia owes an estimated $5.5 billion to international creditors, the Paris club, the non-Paris club and other international financial institutions. Beileh said those groups are working to see Somalia cleared of its debts next year.

“They are all moving together in tandem, but they all agree that sometime next year, everything will be done,” he said during an interview in VOA studios in Washington. “Countries and organizations are also promising a pre-arrears clearance fund to be established for the assistance of Somalia.”

Somalia and the IMF signed staff-level agreements aimed at monitoring Somalia fiscal reforms and increased revenue.  Beileh said the government has successfully completed two IMF staff-monitored programs.

Rise in domestic revenue

In the first quarter of this year, the Somali government reported collecting $42.5 million in domestic revenue, the highest in a single quarter in recent history.  In February this year, the government introduced a new 5 percent sales tax on businesses to further boost income.

Beileh said development and reconstruction projects by the international donors will be channeled through the federal government from now on.  He said even if NGOs have to implement the projects, the government will set the priority and will monitor.

“They will be trusting us with whatever enters the country, the federal government will be responsible and trusted.  It’s estimated to be over a billion dollars,” Beileh said.

Despite the minister’s statement, Somalia is still ranked the most corrupt country in the world, according to Transparency International. The Somali minister said the group ranked Somalia based on “perception.”

“IMF knows our expenses. We give them a weekly report. We have agreed that they monitor,” he said.

Beileh added that Somalia has improved its budget transparency and deserves to have a better ranking.

UAE dispute

Meanwhile, Beileh has opened the possibility that Somalia could return nearly $10 million seized from a United Arab Emirates plane at the Mogadishu airport on April 8 but said talks were ongoing.

He said Somalia is open for business and investment but that countries need to respect its sovereignty.  

“Somalia is a sovereign nation. We are determined that we bring back our dignity and our sovereignty,” he said.  “Everybody is welcome to come, but I can tell you generally that Somalia is not a monopoly for anybody.”

Beileh said UAE was a “very friendly country” that should “go through proper channels” of communication with Somalia’s government.

“The money is a lot of money, and I don’t know what will happen if you just bring $10 million to U.S. ports without anybody knowing,” he said. “We have to know what this money is for. We have to know before the money shows up in the airport in a big plane.  So, all these things create [an] unnecessary suspicious environment, which has to be dealt with,” he said.

The UAE insisted the money was for the salaries of Somali soldiers and said Somali officials knew it was coming. The UAE has been training hundreds of Somali soldiers for several years.  In retaliation for the cash seizure, the UAE disbanded military training centers and handed over trained soldiers to the Somali government.

 
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