President Macron in Benin should demand the release of Reckya Madougou and Joel Aivo

On the eve of President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Benin, the Brussels-based NGO “Human Rights Without Frontiers” urged the French President to demand the release of two famous opposition leaders, Reckya Madougou and Joël Aivo, respectively sentenced to 20 years and 10 years in prison.

This month, Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) has filed a report with the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for Benin, in which the organisation outlined its concerns over human rights abuses in Benin, with particular regard to the continued detention of opposition figures Reckya Madougou and Joël Aivo and the fact that they were not included in a list of 17 detainees due to be temporarily released after a 13 June 2022 meeting between President Patrice Talon and Thomas Boni Yayi, former President of Benin (2006-2016).

Reckya Madougou, from her Facebook account

The submission by HRWF included details about the case of Reckya Madougou who was sentenced at the end of 2021 to 20 years in prison for allegedly financing terrorism. She had been arrested in March 2021 accused of wiring thousands of dollars to a military officer for the purpose of killing unnamed authorities. Her candidacy had earlier been rejected by the electoral commission. HRWF went on to detail that Ms Madougou was the leader of the opposition party, Les Démocrates, and a presidential candidate. HRWF’s statement also described Ms Madougou’s civil society campaign — “Don’t touch my constitution” — that rallied against leaders seeking to extend their rule under the guise of constitutional reform. The movement spread across West Africa, gaining her a high profile.

RMTB, CC BY-SA 4.0, Joel Aivo – via Wikimedia Commons

The HRWF report to the UPR also gave details about the case of Joël Aivo and his December 2021 sentencing by the controversial Economic Crime and Terrorism Court (CRIET) to 10 years in prison for allegedly plotting against the state and laundering money.

HRWF explained in their submission that Mr Aivo is a law professor who challenged Talon in the 2021 election. He was held for eight months ahead of sentencing and pleaded not guilty to the charges of plotting against the state and money laundering.

HRWF has been monitoring the backsliding that has been taking place around human rights in Benin since 2016. “We were especially dismayed to see that Reckya Madougou and Joël Aivo were not on the June 2022 list of 17 detainees to be temporarily released. Ms Madougou and Mr Aivo should be fully released immediately. The persecution and detention of opposition figures has no place in a democracy and we are concerned for the welfare of these two politicians. President Macron must use his visit to Benin to demand that President Patrice Talon release them,” Willy Fautré, director of Human Rights Without Frontiers told The European Times.

“Youth stand up to Violent Extremism” Training Course in Jordan

“Desert Bloom” United Religions Initiative (URI) Cooperation Circle (CC) conducted “Youth stand up to Violent Extremism Training Course” in cooperation with EUROMED EVE Polska – Poland in Jordan, from 12-16 February 2022, – reports Mamoun Khreisat, Regional Coordinator of URI Middle East & North Africa.

The training aimed at building the capacity of youth workers in the field of the prevention of violent extremism while reinforcing global competence and universal morality that promotes values of respect, cultural diversity, continuous improvement and self-confidence to advance a shared respect for human dignity.

The training achieved its main objectives of:

1.      Supporting the professional development of youth workers in the field of P/CVE through non-formal and informal methodologies, tackling the Root Causes of violent radicalization, Radicalization Process, Intercultural Citizenship, Digital & Media Literacy, critical thinking and effective communication.

2.      Fostering youth civic engagement in public life (economic, political and socio-cultural participation), through:

a.      Economic empowerment by building youth entrepreneurial competencies)

b.      Enhancing young people’s engagement in political and public life by developing youth advocacy skills to develop effective youth policy, improve youth access to service, defend youth rights and challenge horizontal inequality.

The project was coordinated by EUROMED EVE Polska (Poland) and hosted and implemented in Jordan by Desert Bloom for Training and Sustainable Development (Jordan). is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

Thirty youth workers/leaders participated in this training representing the following 9 organizations, out of which are 5 URI CCs:

1.      EUROMED EVE Polska- Poland

2.      Desert Bloom- Jordan (URI CC)

3.      Have A Dream- Egypt (URI CC)

4.      ASSOCIAO MEDESTU – Portugal

5.      BRIDGES-Eastern European Forum for Dialogue- Bulgaria (URI CC)

6.      Beit Ashams for Self-Development – Palestine (represented by Volunteering for Peace CC)

7.      Moroccan Youth Forum for Cultural Exchange & Scientific Research – Morocco (URI CC)

8.      Kalamáris Egyesület- Hungary

9.      Association Euro-Med EVE Tunisia- Tunisia.

The participants along with 5 URI members in Jordan attended the World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration in Madaba, a city well-known for churches, Byzantine and Umayyad-era mosaics, and archeological complexes. We listened to inspirational stories of the deep-rooted cohabitation between Muslims and Christians in Jordan by distinguished religious leaders. Then we visited religious sites the city including the Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist, the mosque of Jesus Christ, St George’s Greek Orthodox Church (which has the oldest mosaic map of Palestine and other biblical sites and important places such as Jerusalem, Gaza, Dead Sea or Nile Delta, it goes back to the 6th century) and Mount Nebo (famous pilgrimage site).

The participants will continue working on PVE, they agreed to develop a practical and user-friendly Toolkit to serve as a guide on building youth resilience to PVE. Also, they launched a Facebook page under the name “United Against Violent Extremism” to serve as a Social Media platform dedicated to preventing violent extremism (VE) through raising awareness of the root causes of VE, and counter extremists and terrorists’ online propaganda.  Please like the page.

Feedback from some participants:

        Even though the topic was harsh, I enjoyed the workshops and we’ve discussed some very important and interesting topics. I liked that we talked and brainstormed about things we don’t usually talk about at home with our friends and family. Here we learned new perspectives and we could share our thoughts with each other.

        The content of the course is quite interesting. I learned a lot.

        I like the diversity of activities and the diversity of participants and their perspectives. I learnt a lot of new information, and got new experiences.

        I liked the activities, the cultural diversity of the group as well as teamwork

        I enjoyed expressing our identities in painting. Also, I liked the religious leaders’ presentations on the occasion of the World Interfaith Harmony Week.

        Interesting and useful course content which opened my mind to a variety of issues in the Middle East and Europe, mobilized me to work and thinking about solving problems that lead to Violent Extremism in a peaceful way through understanding the roots of various problems. I like the diversity of participants and making new friends as well as the accommodation and the delicious local food.

        The training opened many opportunities for developing further projects.

        I appreciate the fact that this training was not only based on lectures, we had hands-on practices and activities

        I liked everything about the course. It was great. I loved the diversity of activities, experiences, culture and getting to know new people from whom I learned a lot.

Source: The United Religions Initiative – Middle East & North Africa Office | Zamzam Commercial Complex, Tela Al-Ali, Ar-Raafah Street, P.O. Box: 942140, Amman 11194 Jordan | Mamoun@uri-mena.org | info@uri-mena.org | www.uri-mena.org  | Follow URI MENA on Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/mena.uri

ETHIOPIA: The UN needs to investigate massacres of civilians in war and no-war zones

An independent UN inquiry commission needs to investigate the innumerable killings of civilians that have been perpetrated on the margin of the frontal conflict opposing the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) since November 2020, including in the Afar, Amhara, Benishangul and Oromia regions. The EU-Africa Summit in Brussels this week should also address this issue.

In addition to data collection about war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated in the Tigray region, it is urgent to map massacres of civilians of other ethnic groups all over the country, to identify and prosecute the perpetrators. In this regard, the Amhara and Afar regions should be prioritized but tragedies also took place in other places.

After the 3 November 2020 attack of a federal military base in the Tigray region, Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed launched a military offensive in the rebellious region.

During this war, the TPLF troops have killed non-Tigrayan civilians in their own region, invaded parts of the Amhara and Afar regions where they have perpetrated crimes against humanity, and used sexual violence as a war weapon. A few examples.

November 2020: In Maikadra, 600 to 1200 Amhara victims in the Tigray region

Less than a week after the conflict began, a community comprised largely of ethnic Amharas was targeted by a Tigrayan youth group known as “Samri,” close to the TPLF.

On 9 November 2020, at least 717 people in the town of Maikadra (Tigray Region) were brutally murdered in homes they shared with fellow seasonal workers and their families. The victims were largely Amhara.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) investigated the mass killing and declared in its report: “Before retreating from the advance of the ENDF, the local militia and police security apparatus joined forces with members of the Samri group to carry out door-to-door raids and kill hundreds of people they identified as ethnic ‘Amharas and Wolkait origin’, by  beating them with sticks, stabbing them with knives, machetes and hatchets, and strangling them with ropes’.”

The EHRC then estimated that at least 600 civilians were killed but that the death toll could be higher.

Some other estimates of those killed in Maikadra range as high as 1,200, including bodies discovered in mass graves near Abune Aregwai Church, according to the US 2020 Report Human Rights Report.

August 2021: In two months, 300 cases of sexual violence in the Amhara region

Sexual violence has been used by TPLF combatants as a weapon of war, according to a report prepared by the Amhara Association of America for Amnesty International.

Between August and September, over 300 instances of sexually-based gender violence (SBGV) were reported, including 112 incidents of rape, in the North and South Gondar zones of the Amhara region, though the actual figures are believed to be significantly higher. 

Victims have reported not only the physical and emotional trauma that coincides with sexual violence. They have also faced social stigmatization, venereal diseases and (the threat of) unwanted pregnancy. 

August 2021: Amharas killed in the Oromia region

In August 2021, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), a splinter group of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) killed more than 200 people in the Oromia region, according to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Most of them were Amharas, who had often faced similar attacks in the past.

September 2021: In two days, 120 civilians were killed in the Amhara region

In a village 10 km from the town of Dabat (Amhara region), fighters loyal to the TPLF killed 120 civilians over two days, local officials told Reuters.

Chalachew, the Gondar city spokesperson, said that he had visited the burial area in the village and that children, women and elderly were among the dead. He said the killings occurred during the Tigrayan forces’ “short presence” in the area.

January-February 2022: Massacres in other regions

In this year only, about one thousand homes were burnt down in Benishangul-Gumuz, Metekel zone. In the recent past, 300 civilians were killed in the same region, 80 in January 2021 and 220 in December 2020, as reported by Reuters.

In February 2022, 300 Amharas were first killed in Kiramu (Oromia region, Welega zone) and some days later 168 more, according to a governmental source. Moreover, according to the opposition media outlet Ethio 360, a dozen families with children were captured by an OLF rebel group in the Shewa zone, Oromia region, on the road to Addis Abeba, and a number of them were executed.

In the news in February 2022: UN Deputy Secretary-General in the field

In an article of The Ethiopian Herald, Mengisteab Teshome wrote that the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, had recently visited towns and villages controlled for a short period by the TPLF.

“The Deputy Secretary-General has observed vandalized and damaged public and private facilities, witnessed mass burial committed by fighters of the terrorist group in Afar and Amhara states; particularly in Kombolcha and South Wollo zone of Amhara State, reported FBC,” he wrote.

In another article of The Ethiopian Herald dated, Solomon Dibaba wrote:

“According to the education sector annual report released by the Ministry of Education in 2021, a total of 7000 schools were destroyed in Amhara and Afar in a single year. Out of this, 455 were destroyed in Afar pushing 88,000 children totally out of school. Through shelling conducted by terrorist TPLF, 240 persons have been killed in a single shelling incident out of which 107 were children.”

A report of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

In November 2021, the EHRC published a 33-page well-documented report titled “Amhara region: Redress and recovery for areas in South Gondar and North Wollo zones affected by the conflict/ The violations and abuses may amount to war crimes.”

The report covers the period July-August 2021. The investigation mission held 128 interviews and 21 focus group discussions with survivors, victims, local civil administration and security officials, CSOs and humanitarian organizations.

The Commission found that at least 184 civilians had been killed and many suffered physical and psychological injuries as a result of the war. TPLF fighters were found to have willfully killed scores of civilians in towns and rural areas they captured and systematically committed large scale looting and destruction of public and private properties.

In his conclusions, the EHRC Chief Commissioner called on all parties to the conflict to respect their obligation not to target civilians and civilian buildings. He also recommended that the perpetrators of such violations be held accountable.

Liberia Announces: The Land of Return

Monrovia, Liberia – The Bicentennial Steering Committee has launched Liberia’s 200-year anniversary commemoration as a country and announced the theme and slogan of the Bicentennial event. The event is being celebrated throughout 2022 from January 7 to December 10, 2022, with the official opening ceremony taking place on February 14, 2022.
Liberia was founded in 1822 by free people of African descent from the United States of America.

The theme seeks to memorialize black freedom and nationhood and the determination for self-governance that began 200 years ago, while reconnecting with the diasporas from America and Europe.

According to the Steering Committee, the theme is “Liberia: The Land of Return – Commemorating 200 Years of Freedom and Pan-African Leadership” while the slogan is “The Lone Star Forever, Stronger Together.”

The Steering Committee says this theme signifies three important historical milestones achieved by the country since it was founded in 1822 by free people of African descent and their patrons from the United States.

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Firstly, the theme celebrates Liberia, in West Africa, as the land chosen as a refuge by free people of African descent who endured many years of servitude in the United States, to settle as their home country. Consequently, under the auspices of the American Colonization Society (ACS), many of the free people of colour emigrated from the United States and disembarked on Providence Island in Liberia on January 7, 1822, as their home country.

Secondly, the theme seeks to memorialize black freedom and nationhood and the determination for self-governance that began 200 years ago when Liberia was established in 1822. In an era when people of African descent were seeking freedom and self-determination, the founding of Liberia, “the Black Republic,” which gained independence in 1847 stood as the clear indication that Africans were capable of self-rule.

And thirdly, the theme acknowledges the pivotal Pan-Africanist leadership role that Liberia played, crusading for Africa’s decolonization and independence, including its uncompromising stance against the racial segregation in South Africa known then as Apartheid.

Liberia would later champion the establishment of multinational unions on the African Continent and the global stage. Foremost, was its Pan-Africanist leadership role in organizing the historic 1959 “Sanniquellie Conference” involving Liberia, Guinea, and Ghana which ultimately resulted in the formation of the Organization of African Union (OAU) in 1963.

Liberia assumed similar Pan-Africanist leadership in the formation of the African Union (AU), successor to the OAU. It likewise joined the call on the Continent for the creation of regional economic organizations, such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Mano River Union.

And it was in a similar spirit of Pan-Africanism that inspired Liberia to join other nations in supporting the formation of international bodies, including the United Nations, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

As a Pan-Africanist leader, Liberia became the vision bearer and founder of the African Development Bank when the bank was established in the 1960s to foster economic cooperation on the African Continent.

It can be recalled that even while slavery remained legal in the United States until 1865, the resettlement efforts of the ACS culminated into the establishment of present-day Liberia in West Africa to relocate free black men, women and children from the United States and other people of colour from other parts of the world. This led to the departure of the first group of about 86 free Blacks from the shores of New York in 1820.

By the end of the 1800s, approximately 17,000 free Blacks from the United States and the Caribbean were repatriated to Liberia. Other people of colour would continue to seek refuge in Liberia, the “land of liberty.”

Since their arrival, the settlers established self-governance in Liberia with Joseph Jenkins Roberts from Virginia of the United States serving as the first African American to be elected as president of a country. Subsequently, nine other American-born Africans from Maryland, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky served as presidents of Liberia, this first black African Republic.

The capital city of Liberia is named Monrovia after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States, a staunch supporter of the ACS and the flag of the country is a partial replica of the American flag to symbolize the strong relationship between both countries.

To preserve and uphold a strong bond of relationship with the United States of America, the settlers named most of the counties and cities of Liberia after a number of American States, notably including Maryland and Mississippi in Africa, amongst others “to continue to preserve their cultural ties with the places they came from in the United States.

The slogan shows Liberia as the Lone Star nation and the first independent black republic in Africa. Despite the country’s recent bitter history of conflict, Liberia has restored peace and stability and it remains stronger together as a nation through democratic governance. The country has held three successive democratic elections, which ushered in Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as the first democratically elected female president of the country and Africa.

In 2017, the country witnessed the democratic transfer of power from one democratically elected president to another when President Sirleaf transferred power to President George Manneh Weah resulting from the outcome of a free, fair and transparent democratic election. This transfer of power was a significant milestone that the country has not achieved in more than 70 years.

According to the Steering Committee, the theme and slogan are designed to support the objectives of the Bicentennial Commemoration, which are to celebrate Liberia’s rich cultural heritage; to showcase the country’s tourism and investment opportunities; to reunite and reconnect African Americans in the United States and other blacks within the diaspora to their cultural identity in Liberia.

A key objective of the Bicentennial commemoration is to also strengthen the rich historic relationship between the United States and Liberia dating back to the 1800s when Liberia was established.

To ensure the success of the Bicentennial Commemoration, His Excellency, President Dr. George Manneh Weah of the Republic of Liberia, is calling on all Liberians, the local and international partners and the diaspora communities to participate in this historic event to celebrate 200 years of the founding of the country by free people of African descent from the United State and other parts of the world, including the Caribbean and Europe; and the level of freedom and Pan-African leadership that the country has enjoyed while showcasing the country as an ideal destination for tourism and investment.

Various subcommittees are assisting the National Steering Committee of the Bicentennial commemoration ensuring an inclusive measure to assure the success of the event. The President is calling on all Liberians and good friends of the country from around the world to work together collaboratively, irrespective of their social and political alignments, to ensure the success of this event for the overall benefit of the country.

Nyenabo Touts Liberia's Strong Democratic Credentials and Urges Deeper EU - Africa Engagements

The Ambassador of Liberia to the European Union and the Benelux Countries, H.E Isaac W Nyenabo II, has highlighted Liberia’s strong democratic credentials in a briefing to members of the European Press.

At the well-attended gathering, Ambassador Nyenabo said Liberia, under the Leadership of his Excellency George Manneh Weah “continues to make significant progress in the areas of rule of law, human rights, Good Governance and Democracy”.

The Ambassador named the December 8, 2020 midterm senatorial elections and the subsequent by-elections of December 2021, during which the opposition won majority of the seats, as evidence of the leaps the country is making to further strengthen its institutions. The elections, he said, were monitored and declared free and fair by the International Community (including the European Union, the UN and United States Embassy in Monrovia).

The Ambassador further informed the gathering that under the new administration, the country has no political prisoners, and that politicians carry out their activities void of any form of harassment and intimidation – an apparent reference to the ongoing legal hurdle between the political leader of the Alternative National Congress, Alexander Cummings, and the All Liberian Party’s Benoni Urey.

He said the issue with Cummings “is purely a matter of law” and that “all should allow the process to take its due course”. He explained that in a case where a private citizen alleges criminality on the part of another, the “Government is left with no option but to allow due process”.

Ambassador Nyenabo then commended President Emmanuel Marcon for his speech during the takeover of the Republic of France of the EU Council, where the French President promised that during his six-month presidency, he will make relations with Africa a priority. He also committed to enhance partnership with the continent through an Africa-EU security structure, provide room for economic growth, as well as good governance. 

The leaders of the EU and the African Union are expected to meet on February 17- 18, 2022 for the Sixth European Union- African Summit in Brussels, with the objectives of outlining a joint communique towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa on five key global trends: Green Transition and energy Access; Digital Transformation; sustainable growth and Jobs; peace, Security, and Governance, as well as Migration.

Liberia's Commerce Minister Diggs Outlines country's Post WTO Accession Progress.

Commerce Minister Diggs Addresses 62nd Series of Assemblies of the World Intellectual Property Organization, Outlines Liberia’s Post WTO Accession Progress.

Geneva, October 5, 2021: The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Hon Mawine G. Diggs has addressed the World Trade Organization high-level panel chaired by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Director-General) and the 62nd assemblies of Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva respectively. The Minister gave the State of Play and reflection on the five years of Liberia’s WTO membership including recent economic Developments and performance since our accession as a member of the World Trade Organization and recommitted Liberia’s to the global effort for the protection and promotion of Intellectual Property.

Addressing the Launch Study of Liberia’s Five years of WTO membership, Minister Diggs disclosed that Liberia’s path to the WTO membership was not an easy road before becoming a model for others. She, however, pointed out that bearing in mind the potential benefits of WTO membership, including increased investment inflows, the Government saw a huge potential to integrate the multilateral trade system, and to return Liberia to the position it once had as a country.

The Hon. Minister of commerce further gave some practical actions being taken by the Republic of Liberia under the leadership of H.E George Manneh Weah. According to the Honorable Minister, the practical actions include the single window endeavor at the Freeport of Monrovia undertaking large-scale accession commitments and implementing the WTO Post-Accession Implementation Plan aimed at continuing with the reforms and transformation in critical areas such as tariff regulation, trade facilitation, taxation, Technical Barriers to Trade and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, economic diversification and many others.  Madam Minister reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to the World Trade Organization and the multilateral trade system.

For her Part, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala congratulated Liberia for the milestone achievement and extended greetings to H.E President George M. Weah and the government of Liberia for the ratification of the trade facilitation agreement (TFA).  Madam Okonjo-Iweale asserted that the Liberian model is which was the first of its kind, is history and sets a ‘’new standard for LDC accession.  She, however, re-affirmed WTO’s support to Liberia through all necessary assistance as much as possible.

Speaking at the WIPO Assembly, Madam Diggs said Liberia has made significant strides through the development of a balanced and effective structure that enables innovation and creativity for patents, copyrights, and trademarks where people earn recognition for what they invent or create. She told the body that Liberia is a member and signatory of several international IP conventions which speaks to the country’s commitment to the protection of Intellectual property worldwide through a collective global effort.

On the margin of the multilateral engagements, The Minister held bilateral talks with Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Sziijarto where the discussion centered around enhancing corporation through trade between the two countries in the areas of Information Technology, energy, and water.

As head of the delegation, Minister Diggs is accompanied by Charge’ d’ Affaires (en pied), Liberia Permanent Mission to the United Nation Office and Multiple International Organizations, Mr. Paul W. Tate, Aderline Cooper, Director- General Liberia Intellectual Property, Minister Counselor/Public Affairs to the European Union, Senve D. Tehmeh, Abraham Kamara, Second Secretary, Liberia Permanent Mission to Geneva and Madam Esther Tolbert Chief of Staff (Office of the Minister of the Commerce).