United States Africa Command Public Affairs Office 29 September 2011

USAFRICOM - related news stories

Good morning. Please find attached news clips related to U.S. Africa Command and Africa, along with upcoming events of interest for September 29, 2011. Of interest in today's clips is a claim by Al-Shabaab published in Mogadishus Sunatimes that it will display a U.S. drone shot down by its militia, stories from the Guardian on the escalation of AQIM violence in Algeria and from AFP on an anti- Qaeda raid by the Algerian army, speculation on an African Spring by the Atlantic, reports on the possibility of amnesty for members of the LRA and Boko Haram from the Christian Science Monitor and the Vanguard and articles on election violence in Guinea and the creation of a reconciliation panel in the Cote dIvoire in Al Jazeera. U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs Please send questions or comments to: africom-pao@africom.mil 421-2687 (+49-711-729-2687) -------------------------------------------Top News related to U.S. Africa Command and Africa Al-Shabaab set to display crashed U.S drone (Sunatimes, Mogadishu) http://www.sunatimes.com/view.php?id=1394 27 September 2011 By Adbi Guled Al-Shabaab militia in the Port city of Kismayo has announced that it will display at Freedom Park on Friday a U.S. spy drone that has crashed in the city after it was allegedly hit by the militia. Aqim escalates the violence in Algeria helped by Libya's war (the Guardian) http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/28/aqim-violence-algerialibya?newsfeed=true 28 September 2011 By Simon Tisdall A sharp surge in terrorist attacks, attributed to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim), is threatening pro-western Algeria's political stability even as it struggles to defuse popular discontent sparked by the Arab spring, according to a new study. The rising violence is

partly linked to the Nato-led war in next-door Libya, which appears to have fuelled jihadist sentiment and activity and increased the availability of weapons. Algerian army kills five in anti-Qaeda raid (AFP) http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gcGBoRqqg90cIxJWP68iHe7SNUA?docId=CNG.211f4e001608b37db54efe2a0eef44b5.541 28 September 2011 By AFP ALGIERS Algerian troops have killed five militants in a large operation against hideouts used by Al-Qaeda's regional franchise east of the capital, residents and security officials said Tuesday. In New Sub-Saharan Leader, Hints of an African Spring (The Atlantic) http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/09/in-new-sub-saharan-leaderhints-of-an-african-spring/245782/ 28 September 2011 By G. Pascal Zachary Newly elected Zambian President Michael Sata is bringing populism and technocratic management to a part of the world that rarely sees either but badly needs both. U.S. Works With World Organization On Global Health Security (allAfrica.com) http://allafrica.com/stories/201109280862.html 27 September 2011 US Department of State Press Release Washington The United States and the World Health Organization (WHO) are moving to a higher level of cooperation, combining resources to help other countries boost their public health infrastructure for the good of their own people and the rest of the world. Uganda rules that amnesty can't be denied to LRA leaders (The Christian Science Monitor) http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/Africa-Monitor/2011/0927/Uganda-rules-thatamnesty-can-t-be-denied-to-LRA-leaders 27 September 2011 By Ashley Benner Uganda's Constitutional Court has ruled that former Lord's Resistance Army Commander Thomas Kwoyelo, the first LRA member to be prosecuted, can't be denied amnesty. Boko Haram - FG Panel Calls for Amnesty (Vanguard, Lagos) http://allafrica.com/stories/201109270007.html 27 September 2011 By Kinglsey Omonobi, Anayo Okoli, Clifford Ndujihe & Daniel Idonor Abuja The Presidential Committee on Security Challenges in the North-East Zone, which was set up following the bomb attacks by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, yesterday submitted its final report, asking President Goodluck Jonathan to consider the grant of amnesty to members of the sect wishing to surrender their arms to the Federal government.

US helping secure Libya arms stockpiles: White House (AFP) http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jgthjMmOYCbcYqLmN4rvGzC AJgBg?docId=CNG.211f4e001608b37db54efe2a0eef44b5.e91 28 September 2011 By AFP ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE The United States is working closely with Libya's new interim leaders to secure all arms stockpiles, amid concerns over weapons proliferation, the White House said Tuesday. At UN, Libya's new leaders seek support to thwart terrorist threat (The Christian Science Monitor) http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/Africa-Monitor/2011/0927/Uganda-rules-thatamnesty-can-t-be-denied-to-LRA-leaders 27 September 2011 By Ashley Benner Uganda's Constitutional Court has ruled that former Lord's Resistance Army Commander Thomas Kwoyelo, the first LRA member to be prosecuted, can't be denied amnesty. Islamists seek new role in post-revolutionary Libya (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15084555 27 September 2011 By Alan Little Libya's Islamists must take their chances in the free-for-all of this new freedom. And, although this is a conservative and highly religious society, there is little evidence that Libyans want an Islamic government or state. Libya fighting: Fears grow for civilians in Sirte (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15085224 27 September 2011 By BBC International officials have expressed fears for more than 200,000 civilians caught in fierce clashes in the Libyan cities of Sirte and Bani Walid. France rejects Rwanda's Habyarimana extradition bid (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15095003 28 September 2011 By BBC A French court has rejected a Rwandan bid to extradite the widow of ex-President Juvenal Habyarimana, whose killing sparked the 1994 genocide. Ivory Coast launches reconciliation panel (Al Jazeera) http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/09/201192882415338421.html 28 September 2011 By Agencies

Archbishop Desmond Tutu says commission necessary to heal wounds of post-election violence in which 3,000 people died. Deadly crackdown on protests in Guinea (Al Jazeera) http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/09/201192884440565343.html 28 September 2011 By Agencies At least four people have died after security forces used truncheons and tear gas to break up an opposition protest in Conakry, the capital of Guinea. Sudan Risks Burgeoning Civil Wars If No Urgent Actions Taken Report (Sudan Tribune, Khartoum) http://allafrica.com/stories/201109270408.html 27 September 2011 By ST Nairobi Robust international engagement is needed to stave off the spread of civil war in Sudan and its possible impact on the whole region, a new report has recommended. ### UN News Service Africa Briefs http://www.un.org/apps/news/region.asp?Region=AFRICA (Full Articles on UN Website) World is watching how South Sudan builds new nation, says UN envoy 28 September The world will be watching to see that the commitments expressed by South Sudans leader last week before the General Assembly are translated into action, from the way the country manages its security and respects human rights to promoting transparency and good governance, the United Nations envoy to the country said today. Zimbabwes orphans to benefit from UN-backed cash grant programme 28 September Tens of thousands of Zimbabwean orphans and otherwise vulnerable children will benefit from cash transfers, educational aid and protection services under a new Government programme launched in partnership with the United Nations and international donors. Commitment and funding key to eliminating HIV infections among children UN 28 September The goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS infections among children and ensuring that infected mothers stay healthy throughout pregnancy and after delivery can be met by the 2015 deadline with sufficient political commitment and adequate resources, the head of the United Nations agency spearheading the global response to the pandemic said today. ###

Upcoming Events of Interest: WHAT: Former ambassador to address U.S. policy in Horn of Africa TOPIC: "U.S. Policy Toward the Horn of Africa." WHEN: Friday, September 30, 2011, at 3 p.m. BRIEFER: Dr. David H. Shinn, an adjunct professor in the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University since 2001 and a 37-year veteran of the U.S. Department of State. WHERE: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. MORE INFORMATION: http://www.wmich.edu/wmu/news/2011/09/071.html RSVP: For more information, contact Dr. Sisay Asefa at sisay.asefa@wmich.edu or (269) 387-5556. ### New on www.africom.mil Ugandan, U.S. Health Workers Come Together For Animal Education http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7267&lang=0 28 September 2011 By CJTF-HOA Public Affairs KAABONG, Uganda Thirty community animal health workers from Kaabong, Uganda participated in a two-week veterinary civil action program (VETCAP) to gain knowledge and skills in livestock treatment and sustainment September 2011. African Union Military Delegation Tours DOD Facilities in Washington, D.C. Area http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7265&lang=0 28 September 2011 By Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) WASHINGTON, D.C. A delegation of African Union military personnel participated in a 10-day partner nation familiarization event in the Washington, D.C. area, September 2011. CJTF-HOA Welcomes New Senior Enlisted Leader http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7264&lang=0 28 September 2011 By CJTF-HOA Public Affairs STUTTGART, Germany U.S. Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant James Davis assumed the role of the of the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa command senior enlisted leader during a senior enlisted leader change of responsibility ceremony at Camp Lemonnier September 22, 2011. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FULLTEXT

Al-Shabaab set to display crashed U.S drone (Sunatimes, Mogadishu) http://www.sunatimes.com/view.php?id=1394 27 September 2011 By Adbi Guled Al-Shabaab militia in the Port city of Kismayo has announced that it will display at Freedom Park on Friday a U.S. spy drone that has crashed in the city after it was allegedly hit by the militia. The militia who made the announcement using loudspeakers mounted on a militia car ordered the locals to avail themselves at the park to witness the drone they claimed they shot down. Abdirahman Sheikh Mudey, one of the Al-Shabaab leaders in the city claimed they shot down the drone while taking photographs of parts of the city. But locals say some herders have spotted the suspected drone crashed some 13 km from the city centre, where they immediately informed the militia leaders. Just Last week, The Washington Post reported that the U.S. is expanding a drone surveillance program in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula to gather intelligence and attack Al-Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia and Yemen. The report said the U.S. is building a new installation for the drones in Ethiopia and has already flown drones over both Somalia and Yemen from a base in Djibouti. The U.S. has used drones to attack Al-Shabaab targets in Somalia in the past. ### Aqim escalates the violence in Algeria helped by Libya's war (the Guardian) http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/28/aqim-violence-algerialibya?newsfeed=true 28 September 2011 By Simon Tisdall A sharp surge in terrorist attacks, attributed to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim), is threatening pro-western Algeria's political stability even as it struggles to defuse popular discontent sparked by the Arab spring, according to a new study. The rising violence is partly linked to the Nato-led war in next-door Libya, which appears to have fuelled jihadist sentiment and activity and increased the availability of weapons. A sharp surge in terrorist attacks, attributed to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim), is threatening pro-western Algeria's political stability even as it struggles to defuse popular discontent sparked by the Arab spring, according to a new study. The rising violence is

partly linked to the Nato-led war in next-door Libya, which appears to have fuelled jihadist sentiment and activity and increased the availability of weapons. A study by Andrew Lebovich published by the Combating Terrorism Centre at the West Point military academy in the US charts a rise since April in Aqim outrages, including several suicide bombings, largely aimed at the Algerian security forces. "The months of July and August witnessed at least 23 attacks, including 13 IEDs [improvised explosive devices], six gun attacks, and four suicide bombing attempts," it says. A number of factors could explain the escalation, including security force complacency symbolised by the dismantling of local militias, known as groupes de legitimes defense, which fought Islamist militants during the 1990s civil war. The northern Algerian branch of Aqim is a direct descendant of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat of that period. Government opponents have also blamed President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's reconciliation policy for going soft on terror. But a connection between the surge in violence and the British and French-led intervention in Libya is the most persuasive explanation, the study suggests. It notes Algerian and other African leaders have warned since March that chaos in Libya could destabilise Algeria by encouraging jihadist attacks and the movement of militants back and forth. They also suggested "that Aqim could gain possession of arms stolen from Libyan stocks". "Evidence has since emerged that surface-to-air missiles and other unspecified weapons have been looted from Libyan stores, weapons that, according to European officials, have fallen into the hands of Aqim" most likely via Aqim criminal affiliates in the ungoverned Sahel regions to the south, the study says. Lebovich sees a number of possible consequences if the violent trend continues upwards, including growing friction between the military and the Bouteflika administration, reviving suspicions that the army may be somehow manipulating the terrorist groups (as alleged during the civil war), and even a return of the feared eradicateurs kill squads that ruthlessly exterminated the militants at every opportunity. "Regardless of what emerges from the infighting and tension in Algeria's ruling classes, it seems likely that Aqim's violence will continue to increase in the north," Lebovich concludes. The Aqim resurgence comes as Algeria's rulers try to avoid an Arab spring-style popular insurgency. Government efforts to date to buy off unrest, funded by oil and gas revenues, include big salary increases for civil servants, raised subsidies on basic foodstuffs, and a lifting of the state of emergency dating back to the civil war. Bouteflika, whose health and staying power are in question, has also promised reforms including an amended constitution, new electoral laws, and a press code. But these and other measures implemented since riots broke out in Algiers in January cannot overcome some systemic problems, according to the analyst Hamoud Salhi.

"So far the policy of appeasement and concession has worked well for the Algerian government. But for how long? There are severe housing shortages in Algeria, accompanied by high consumer prices and low salaries. According to the IMF, unemployment rates have reached 25% among 24-year-olds, widening gaps between social classes," Salhi wrote in a BBC analysis. "Algeria has not necessarily weathered the storm." Other experts and the US government have also got the jitters about a possibly violent spillover. "Aqim poses the greatest immediate threat of transnational terrorism in northwest Africa and is escalating its attacks against regional and western interests," said Andre Le Sage, writing for the US National Defence University's Institute for National Strategic Studies. Policymakers were concerned that more direct American involvement might exacerbate Islamist militancy and internal tensions in Algeria and elsewhere, he said. Nevertheless, given the growing threat, the US "needs to be prepared to take more aggressive actions to disrupt, degrade, and ultimately defeat Aqim and should clearly determine in advance what level of increased Aqim activity would represent a direct threat to US national security interests". In a possible sign of a more activist approach, the US embassy in Algiers issued a public terrorism alert earlier this month, saying it had information that Aqim was planning to attack planes chartered by western oil companies operating in the Algerian Maghreb. General Carter Ham, head of US Africa Command, warned, meanwhile, that there were "very worrying" indications that Aqim was increasingly co-operating with al-Shabaab in Somalia and Boko Haram in Nigeria raising the spectre of an Islamist militant network spanning the continent. In a statement many Algerians may view as a decidedly mixed blessing at a time of domestic political weakness and uncertainty, the US state department said Algeria continued to be "one of our strongest partners" in the fight against terrorism. ### Algerian army kills five in anti-Qaeda raid (AFP) http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gcGBoRqqg90cIxJWP68iHe7SNUA?docId=CNG.211f4e001608b37db54efe2a0eef44b5.541 28 September 2011 By AFP ALGIERS Algerian troops have killed five militants in a large operation against hideouts used by Al-Qaeda's regional franchise east of the capital, residents and security officials said Tuesday.

Elite units backed by gunships started sweeping the Chouicha forest near Boumerdes, only 60 kilometres (40 miles) east of Algiers, late last week to root out suspected members of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Four suspected AQIM fighters were killed Tuesday, according to residents who said the operation was ongoing. There was no official confirmation of the military operation. The El Watan newspaper said on its website that another fighter was killed late Monday as he attempted to flee from an area surrounded by Algerian forces. Boumerdes and the neighbouring regions of Tizi Ouzou and Bouira -- where groups affiliated to AQIM are active -- are those most affected by a recent surge in violence. ### In New Sub-Saharan Leader, Hints of an African Spring (The Atlantic) http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/09/in-new-sub-saharan-leaderhints-of-an-african-spring/245782/ 28 September 2011 By G. Pascal Zachary Newly elected Zambian President Michael Sata is bringing populism and technocratic management to a part of the world that rarely sees either but badly needs both. Global political pundits are waiting in vain for an "African spring," in which the forces of mass, grassroots democracy course through sub-Saharan Africa, a region arguably in as much need of genuine political reform and civic participation as the Arab world. Ever since the North African countries of Tunisia and Egypt exploded in protest, observers of sub-Saharan politics have observed with envy the seemingly revolutionary activities taking place in the north of the continent. While the Arab Spring may be moving to another season altogether -- with Syria's violence and Egypt's drift -- the point remains that what's commonly called "black Africa" deserves a prolonged encounter with the sort of extreme-makeover politics that has upended long-term tyrannies in the Arab world. There are plenty of entrenched presidents in sub-Saharan Africa that could give good impersonations of recently deposed Arab dictators. Zimbabawe's Robert Mugabe is surely a match for Libya's Qaddafi in terms of stubborn self-destruction and bizarre narcissism. Cameroon's Paul Biya, who has so rarely actually governed during his 30 years in power that he sports the nickname "the ghost of Africa," could give Mubarak a decent competition in the realm of complacency and corruption. Uganda's Yoweri Museveni is no less the wily autocrat the Yemen's embattled Ali Abdullah Saleh. And yet none of these African autocrats seem threatened by dissent in their own countries. Nor do a passel of other African presidents -- the heads of Congo, Togo and Gabon, for instance -- whose positions and power flow directly from their own deceased fathers.

Despite the paucity of protest indicators in black Africa, the region has seen important, quiet victories by democrats and progressives. The latest shy triumph came this past week in Zambia, where a sitting president was defeated by an opposition party leader. If that's not impressive enough, it was the second time in a decade that a Zambian president lost power through peaceful, democratic elections. Such orderly changes in power are a hallmark of maturing democracies, and in Zambia, an economic powerhouse in southern Africa, there are other reasons to rejoice as well. A former British colony once called "Northern Rhodesia," Zambia is copper-rich country that has long been among the most urbanized in black Africa. Recently, according to The World Bank, Zambia's economy "graduated" from the ranks of the poorest countries into the "middle-income" category. Large cities in Africa have often incubated opposition politics; in Lusaka, Zambia's capital, this has been especially true, as Danielle Resnick, an American scholar based in a United Nations university in Helsinki, observes in a perceptive new article in the Journal of Modern African Studies. "[Sata] is probably the most effective all-round executive that Africa has ever seen holding the office of president""Urban centers have frequently represented the locus of political contention and change in sub-Saharan Africa," Resnick writes. But transforming urban dissent into meaningful political transformation has been difficult in the region. That makes Zambia's multiple peaceful transfers of presidential power even more striking. And in the latest case -- the election of longtime opposition leader Michael Sata to Zambia's presidency -- the outlines of new African populism are clearly visible. In understanding the significance of Sata's victory -- and emergence on the world's political stage -- I rely heavily on the insights assembled by my dear colleague in Lusaka, Chanda Chisala, a former fellow at the Hoover Institution and the editor and founder of Zambia Online, one of the most important digital publications in the sub-Saharan. A longtime resident of Lusaka, Chisala has watched Sata closely for decades, and has in the past been a strident critic of the new president. Yet as Sata has grown so has Chisala's view of him. In an essay published immediately after Sata's victory last week, Chisala identified two of Sata's traits -- his effective management skills and his genuine populism -- as setting him apart for most African presidents. Sata is indeed both hands-on and a man of the people. He formed his own opposition party after some successful turns as a government minister where he gained a reputation - almost unheard of in African politics -- for getting things done, and quickly. Chisala, whom I first met in Lusaka several year ago, considers Sata a pragmatic radical who literally cleaned up Lusaka, completed complex housing projects, and even got the right roads built on time and on budget. "I have no doubt," writes Chisala, that Sata "is probably the most effective all-round executive that Africa has ever seen holding the office of president." Most African presidents bring special meaning to the word "aloof." Even those who are not stubbornly out of touch with their own people and places are often condescending,

elitist, and unabashed in their admiration of British, French, or American manners and society. Not Sata. Writes Chisala, "Whereas most political leaders fail to communicate easily to the poor uneducated masses," Chisala observes, "Sata was able [in the campaign] to effectively communicate all his ideas to everyone who listened to him." Sata has a knack, virtually unknown among leading African politicians, for coining catchy phrases and promoting straight-forward ideas of justice and equality. "More money in your pockets" is among his latest. For Zambians, economic equity remains an elusive ideal. Because of sky-high copper prices, the country's economy is booming; GDP growth exceeded 6 percent annually over the past three years. Mining is supplemented by a solid agricultural sector, giving this country of about 13 million an economy worth $13 billion (or$1,000 per person, impressive for the region). But inequality is rife in Zambia and rising. The rights to mine and sell copper are dominated by Chinese investors and many small retailers are Chineserun and owned. In a smart political move, Sata has complained about foreign investors for years, risking approbation from the international community while at the same time raising the reasonable point that more of Zambia's economic power should be in the hands of Zambians. While in Latin America such a political position would be viewed as routine, even boring, in African politics -- where leaders fear upsetting foreign investors - Sata's position is singular, even incendiary. There's something else of Sata's populism that has echoes in the Arab Spring. "Don't kubeba," a phrase taken from a popular song that literally means "don't tell them," became Sata's signature phrase, encouraging his followers to accept the ruling party's pay-outs for votes -- but to then vote against the ruling party anyway. Sata managed to convince the urban dispossessed that the bribes were the people's money anyway, so "they could feel no guilt in pretending" to support the ruling party. In showing ingratitude for government handouts, Zambians displayed something similar to what Arabs in oilrich Libya did in turning against their own bribe-happy governments. After losing a number of past presidential elections, Sata's victory came as shock to Zambia's elites, who generally opposed him. Chisala and many of Sata's supporters, while proud of another peaceful transfer power in his country, know well that his success in governance is hardly assured. Sata has the chance to be, Chisala writes, either "the worst President Africa has ever seen or the best." I am less worried about a failed Sata presidency. Already, he has stimulated a useful and overdue debate over race in sub-Saharan Africa by indicating he may appoint as vice president Guy Scott, a Zambian-born son of white immigrants who came to the country while it was still the British colony of Northern Rhodesia. Scott, already an elected official in Zambia, is vice president of Sata's Patriotic Front party; he would become the highest-ranking white elected politician in sub-Saharan Africa. A longtime political ally of Sata, Scott is both a crony of the new president and a symbol of his penchant for outof-the-box thinking. While Sata sometimes rails against the excessive influence that Chinese investors appear to have in his country, he also seems to truly believe that Zambia will benefit from attracting and retaining foreign talent -- even if that talent is

white, an often unpopular color in a southern Africa still hurting from the twin legacies of colonialism and racial segregation. By choosing Scott, Sata may be the improbably troubadour of a new, multiracial model for African society. For all his charms, Sata is the latest African political leader who belongs the oldest generation. Sata, 74 today, would be nearly 80 by the end of his term. Too many African political leaders are similarly old, and generationally unsuited to lead or understand countries where, almost without exception, 50 percent of the populations are under 20. The continued political power of men born and raised while their countries were still colonies sidelines a more dynamic and fluent generation of potential leaders: men and women in their 40s and 50s who were educated in a more open, equal and progressive era. The Zambian election, for all its signals of a potentially new era in African politics, is also a reminder of one of the most serious challenges to politics there. A true African (political) spring will be unlikely to occur until a younger generation of leaders emerge with real power, at least in civil society if not in electoral politics, closing black Africa's generation gap and making men and women like Sata less of an exception and more of a norm. ### U.S. Works With World Organization On Global Health Security (allAfrica.com) http://allafrica.com/stories/201109280862.html 27 September 2011 US Department of State Press Release Washington The United States and the World Health Organization (WHO) are moving to a higher level of cooperation, combining resources to help other countries boost their public health infrastructure for the good of their own people and the rest of the world. In New York September 19, the two parties signed what is formally called a "memorandum of understanding" to help developing countries improve their public health capabilities and create better adherence to the International Health Regulations (IHR). President Obama expressed his commitment to the endeavor when he addressed the U.N. General Assembly. "We must come together to prevent, detect and fight every kind of biological danger," Obama said in his September 21 speech. The United States and the WHO have a long record of cooperation and mutual support in working together to contain infectious disease outbreaks, expand vaccination coverage and decrease infant and child mortality rates. This agreement elevates that cooperation to a "whole-of-government approach," according to an official in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

"It's about any event that may have a negative impact on international public health," said Dr. Jose A. Fernandez, the acting deputy director of the ASPR Division of International Health Security. "Radiological releases, chemical spills, food-borne outbreaks and pandemic influenza would all be examples" of events that have the potential to move rapidly across borders and harm individuals with no regard for nationality. The regulations took on an expanded form in recent years after sudden outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and avian influenza caused major public health scares and proved how transportation and globalization can put disease on a fast track. One-hundred-ninety-four nations are signatories to the IHR, but Fernandez says many nations need some assistance to upgrade their disease identification, surveillance and response capabilities. The United States has been training and assisting medical professionals in the developing world for some time. Notably, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains a network of Global Disease Detection Centers throughout the world to work directly with countries and the WHO to bolster capacities for disease surveillance and response. The U.S. Navy medical research unit in Cairo brought in teams of specialists from many African countries during the avian influenza scare to provide training in detection of the disease. "The [Department of Defense] labs alone have provided an enormous amount of support generally to countries and institutions," Fernandez said. But the newly signed memorandum of understanding reaches for new levels in "successfully improving, enhancing and protecting global health security." This new level of commitment to the International Health Regulations comes as the Obama administration is implementing its Global Health Initiative, which strives to invest in the most effective health care programs. Fernandez said helping countries build greater capability to meet the responsibilities of the IHR is compatible with the Obama initiative. "When we do these capacity-building activities, there has to be country ownership, it has to be sustainable, and that means it needs to address day-to-day public health needs," Fernandez said. The WHO is striving to upgrade the capabilities of all nations to assess, notify and respond to infectious disease threats, and is working toward achieving that level of competence by 2012. ###

Uganda rules that amnesty can't be denied to LRA leaders (The Christian Science Monitor) http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/Africa-Monitor/2011/0927/Uganda-rules-thatamnesty-can-t-be-denied-to-LRA-leaders 27 September 2011 By Ashley Benner Uganda's Constitutional Court has ruled that former Lord's Resistance Army Commander Thomas Kwoyelo, the first LRA member to be prosecuted, can't be denied amnesty. Ugandas Constitutional Court has issued an important ruling that will significantly affect the future of the crisis caused by the Lords Resistance Army, or LRA. The court upheld the Ugandan Amnesty Act as constitutional and ruled that it should be applied to the trial of former LRA commander Thomas Kwoyelo, the first former LRA member to be prosecuted. The court ruled last Thursday that the refusal to grant amnesty to Kwoyelo was indeed a violation of the equal treatment provision of the constitution. It ordered that the Kwoyelo trial be returned to the Ugandan High Courts International Crimes Division and dismissed. In August, the attorney general and Directorate of Public Prosecutions, or DPP, had contested the constitutionality of the Amnesty Act during Kwoyelos trial, asserting that it was unconstitutional on several grounds. But the Constitutional Court found that [t]he DPP did not give any objection and reasonable explanation why he did not sanction the application of Kwoyelo like others. According to the Ugandan newspaper The New Vision, 274 people were pardoned with the apparent sanction of the DPP in 2010, the year that Kwoyelo applied for amnesty. Since the Amnesty Acts adoption in 2000, close to 13,000 LRA members have received amnesty. The law has been an important tool for encouraging LRA rebels many of whom were abducted and coerced to fight to leave the group. Kwoyelo, who claims he was abducted at the age of 13, had reportedly renounced the rebellion and applied for pardon under the Amnesty Act. However, he had not been granted amnesty, unlike thousands of other former LRA, including commanders of higher rank than Kwoyelo. His lawyers argued that it was unconstitutional specifically, a violation of the equal treatment provision in the constitution for Kwoyelo to be denied amnesty. The Ugandan Amnesty Commission has clashed with the DPP and the attorney general on the Kwoyelo trial. According to a recent article in The East African, the commission alleged that the attorney generals office and the DPP were engaged in an underhanded plan to administer justice in a selective manner, and it applied to the Constitutional Court to be enjoined in Kwoyelos case. A source interviewed by the paper accused the

government of being dead set on prosecuting Kwoyelo and orchestrating behind the scene manoeuvres to frustrate his application. Concerned about the implications of striking down the Amnesty Act, the Amnesty Commissions chief legal officer, Nathan Twinomugisha, said, What this effectively means is that all those who are benefiting from the amnesty law are doing so illegally and can be arraigned in court and prosecuted any time. Following the decision, Kwoyelo was returned to Luzira Maximum Security Prison. To formalize his release, Kwoyelo must be transferred to the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Gulu, northern Uganda. His lawyers anticipate that the courts decision will be appealed. If the decision stands, the Amnesty Act will remain as constitutional, which will allow current LRA members to leave the group without fear of criminal prosecution an important enticement to encourage defections of lower ranking combatants. In northern Uganda, the reaction to the ruling was mixed, with some welcoming it and others voicing concern that the Amnesty Act shields war criminals. ### Boko Haram - FG Panel Calls for Amnesty (Vanguard, Lagos)
http://allafrica.com/stories/201109270007.html

27 September 2011 By Kinglsey Omonobi, Anayo Okoli, Clifford Ndujihe & Daniel Idonor Abuja THE Presidential Committee on Security Challenges in the North-East Zone, which was set up following the bomb attacks by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, yesterday submitted its final report, asking President Goodluck Jonathan to consider the grant of amnesty to members of the sect wishing to surrender their arms to the Federal government. The committee submitted its report on a day the security agencies commenced manhunt for suspected Boko Haram members who may have sneaked into Abuja to carry out suicide bomb attack on a national asset to dent the nation's 51st Independence anniversary celebrations. The Federal Government panel headed by Ambassador Usman Gaji Galtimari, recommended that "the Federal Government should fundamentally, consider the option of dialogue and negotiation which should be contingent upon the renunciation of all forms of violence and surrender of arms to be followed by rehabilitation". The committee also told Vice President Namadi Sambo, who received the final report on behalf of President Jonathan that the Jaamatus Ahlus Sunnah Lid Daawatis Wal Jihad, aka Boko Haram, has nominated the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III or his representative; the Emir of Bauchi and Sheik Abubakar Gero Argungu, as its representatives in any federal government team that will negotiate with its members.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar in his reaction said he was not aware of the panel report and has not been contacted. Following the attack on UN House in Abuja by Boko Haram on August 28 this year which claimed 23 lives, spokesman of the group, Abu Kakah accused the Federal Government of insincerity in dialoguing with the group, saying the only condition they would accept to talk with government was unconditional release of all their members whom, he said, are in prisons all over the country. Claiming responsibility for the UN House attack as well as the failed suicide attack on Borno police command headquarters and the attack on banks in Gombi, Adamawa State which left more than 16 people dead the spokesman of the group said they had not been contacted by Borno State Government and the Federal Government or their representatives for dialogue. The spokesman had also described the Sultan as the 'Seriki' of Sokoto and not the leader of the Muslims in the country, accusing him of supporting the Federal Government policies against Islam. The panel which had earlier submitted its preliminary report to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim Pius, said: "Government may consider constituting another committee with wider powers and with increased membership to handle the assignment within a reasonable timeframe but not weeks as was given to this committee". The committee which said it had interacted with various stakeholders, including the governors of Borno, Bauchi, Kano, Niger and Sokoto states and the Sultan of Sokoto among other traditional rulers, also urged "the Federal Government to diversify and strengthen its means of creating avenues for international intelligence sharing and interagency cooperation through diplomatic channels/pacts". It added that "the Federal Government should create an informal forum at the highest level, where Mr President will discuss national security issues with governors and other major stakeholders from time to time. Again, there is an urgent need for arranging an informal forum where Mr President will grant audience to each state governor on one-toone basis where issues on security, could be addressed". It further recommended that "the Federal Government and Borno State Government should ensure that human and organisational victims most especially, churches and mosques including schools, which were destroyed during religious crises in the past and even in the recent past, should be compensated monetarily and by way of resuscitating and reconstructing their properties. Survivors of the deceased victims should be compensated appropriately". Causes of security challenges

The panel listed the remote and immediate causes of the present security challenges in the country, to include among others: "High level of poverty and illiteracy existing in the North-East; massive unemployment of youths, both skilled and unskilled; and existence of private militias that were established, funded and used by politicians and individuals and then dumped after having been trained to handle arms". Other causes, according to the seven-man panel, are "presence of large number of almajiris who together with those mentioned above could easily be used as canon-folders to ignite and sustain crises"; and "influx of illegal aliens resulting from porous and unmanned borders coupled with provocative and inciting preaching by some religious clerics". Also listed to be the immediate causes of the ongoing terrorist attacks are "the extrajudicial killing of the sect leader, Mohammed Yusuf and some members of the sect by security agents"; and "weak governance and failure to deliver services in the wake of huge resources accruing to state and local governments". The panel remarked that on the part of the security forces there are palpable operational lapses, service rivalry, underfunding, under-equipment and lack of collaboration; while governments have failed to deliver justice and bring immediate relief to victims of the crises. Also cited as a major discovery by the panel is the "general failure of effective and coordinated intelligence gathering and its deployment to forestall events with undesirable consequences"; stressing that "in this direction, there is no high level security network/forum (outside the statutory national security institutions) that will enable an informal meeting between Mr President and the governors as well as other top level security stakeholders". Receiving the report from the committee members, Vice President Sambo who was joined by the National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi, the SGF, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, promised to implement the recommendations as contained in the report. The Vice President, while commending the committee for a job well done, said that "some of the major issues you have stated regarding the issues of poverty, unemployment, breach of the peace and the existence of private militia are issues that this administration is looking at seriously." Sambo explained that it was for this purpose that the government had in the 2011 budget, made available a large sum of money to tackle unemployment, stating that the issue of inadequate power supply which government was addressing squarely was central to job creation. FG arrests suspects planning to disrupt independence celebrations

Following 'substantiated' intelligence reports that the Boko Haram sect had concluded arrangements to carry out a suicide bombing inside the federal capital territory by hitting at a National Asset to dent the nation's 51st independence anniversary celebrations, topmost security organizations in the seat of power have commenced a manhunt for adherents of the group who may have sneaked into Abuja. Towards this end, Vanguard learnt yesterday that more than 40 persons suspected of having links with the group, amongst them, some foreign nationals from Niger, were at the weekend arrested by a combined team of military police and military intelligence personnel attached to the Guards Brigade at Dei-Dei, a district located on the KubwaSuleija-Kaduna axis of the FCT. It was gathered that the operation to round up suspects of the Boko Haram group which is termed 'top priority' by the security agencies, is being spearheaded by the Army Headquarters Garrison, the Military Intelligence, while all the battalions under the Guards Brigade have been put on a 24-hour alert at all the entry points into the FCT to ensure the sect members did not find their way into the FCT. A Major General, (names with-held), is said to be coordinating the security network in the FCT, in the wake of the threats and the past experiences whereby the group beat all security cordons and successfully carried out the bombing of the UN House in Abuja. Vanguard was informed that the 40 persons arrested on suspicion of being associates of the Boko Haram sect, were interrogated by the military authorities after which they were handed over to the Immigration authorities for further screening to determine the real numbers among them that are Nigerien nationals and those that are Nigerians after which the foreigners' will be repatriated. The manhunt it was further gathered, has led to the Nigeria Police deploying scores of plain clothes police officers into the city and the same action is being taken by the SSS and areas mapped out for possible infiltration, like Suleija, Zuba, Dei-Dei, Mararaba, Keffi, Nyanya, Gwagwalada, Kwali, Abaji are being closely monitored. There are two types of Boko Haram - Yuguda Meanwhile, Bauchi state Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda has said that there are two types of the sect operating in the country today. According to Governor Yuguda, while one faction of the sect distorts the true teaching of Islam, the other faction is a band of criminals who are out to destroy the country for their selfish reasons. Yuguda said that while the group that misinterprets Islamic teaching could be allowed to exist if they don't want to be corrected on account of freedom of worship, the one that gets involved in criminal activities should be tackled. The Governor who spoke in Umuahia, Abia state capital, assured that the federal

government would bring those behind the criminal group to book. "I want to use this medium to educate adequately our people about Boko Haram. They are categorized into two different groups. The real one is not after killing people, but focused on the distortion of the real teachings of Islam. They have different agenda from the other group. "The other people who call themselves Boko Haram are criminals. They are the ones that kill, bomb places, loot, burn police stations everywhere in the northern part of our country. I want to associate their activities to, maybe the massive unemployment in the country. "But the Islamic sect that call themselves Boko Harm, they have distorted Islamic teaching, and the preaching of the Prophet as contained in the Holy Quran. And I think they need to be corrected, and the system is doing its best to do the correction. And for those criminals who bomb others, we will make sure they are brought to book. "Those criminals, we will take care of them because they are into criminal activities but for those who are into a sect that are trying to misinterpret the Quran, they can always be corrected. As long as they don't want to be corrected and to the extent that they are not carrying weapons and attacking people, the constitution provides for freedom of worship", Governor Yuguda said. Ijaw groups give Boko Haram 14-day ultimatum Disturbed by what they termed "tsunami of Boko Haram," which has claimed many lives including Christians in the country in recent times via bomb blasts, some Ijaw groups have given the Islamist Boko Haram a 14-day ultimatum to end the murderous activities or face reprisal attacks. Attributing the blasts to alleged opposition of a section of the country to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan's presidency, four Ijaw groups (Egbesu Mightier Fraternity of Izon) in a joint statement, said they could no longer fold their arms and watch innocent lives being destroyed. Signed by Okin Sele, Elvis Tenten, General Krumah and Abu Mic, the statement read in part: "The continuous killings of Christians in the North should be stopped forthwith. The tsunami of Boko Haram will not, in its sweep, skip the homes and interests of its promoters, active or passive. If further killings by Boko Haram continue as a result of Goodluck Jonathan's Presidency in the country within 14 days of this statement, we shall without hesitation commence sending every Muslim in the Niger Delta Region to their various homes and ask our people to return home..." No section of this country is an embodiment of killing others. Muslims can't live in our

land freely (Niger Delta) while they will be killing our people in their land. If they don't want peace we will meet them where ever they are. This is our message." ### US helping secure Libya arms stockpiles: White House (AFP) http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jgthjMmOYCbcYqLmN4rvGzC AJgBg?docId=CNG.211f4e001608b37db54efe2a0eef44b5.e91 28 September 2011 By AFP ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE The United States is working closely with Libya's new interim leaders to secure all arms stockpiles, amid concerns over weapons proliferation, the White House said Tuesday. "Since the beginning of the crisis we have been actively engaged with our allies and partners to support Libya's effort to secure all conventional weapons stockpiles including recovery, control and disposal of shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles," spokesman Jay Carney said. "We are exploring every option to expand our support," he told reporters on Air Force One as President Barack Obama toured western states. US General Carter Ham, who led the first stage of the coalition air campaign in Libya, said in early April that there were fears that militants could seize some of the estimated 20,000 shoulder-launched missiles in Libya, calling it "a regional and an international concern." The proliferation of arms raided from the vast stores of ex-strongman Moamer Kadhafi is raising fears not only for Libya's future stability, but also that the weapons will fall into the hands of radical groups like Al-Qaeda. Many of the weapons have made their way into the hands of fighters for Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) struggling to take the remaining bastions of Kadhafi support. Carney said five contractor specialists were on the ground to work with the new Libyan leadership to secure weapons stockpiles. Carney's comments came as Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer wrote to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to equip wide-body passenger jets with anti-missile countermeasures. "While many US military aircraft are outfitted with defenses against these deadly weapons, commercial aircraft remain at risk," she said in the letter, which her office made public.

"Recent reporting of unaccounted for missiles in Libya is yet another reminder of this threat," said Boxer, who praised the Obama administration's "strong policies" to secure those weapons. The US State Department has provided $3 million to help destroy weapons and raised particular concern over the spread of shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, also known as Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS), which could be used to target civilian aircraft. ### At UN, Libya's new leaders seek support to thwart terrorist threat (The Christian Science Monitor) http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2011/0927/At-UN-Libya-s-new-leadersseek-support-to-thwart-terrorist-threat 27 September 2011 By Howard LaFranchi Libyas interim government says capturing Qaddafi is a matter of security and stability not just for Libya, but for the region and beyond. Libyas interim government may be this years darling of the international community, reaping praise from world leaders, including President Obama, at the United Nations annual gathering in New York. But Libyas new leaders say they are not getting the support of key African countries for their efforts to stabilize their country. Indeed, they worry that some African leaders in Zimbabwe, Algeria, and elsewhere still root for the deposed Muammar Qaddafi, who is on the run but still issuing defiant statements of resistance. Libya will need support from the international community to put pressure on those African countries who still support Qaddafi and benefit from his money, said Mahmoud Nacua, charge daffaires at the Libyan embassy in London, in an interview Tuesday with Reuters. The international community has a vital role to stop any sabotage from Qaddafi and his sons and his supporters. IN PICTURES: Libya conflict Libyan leaders say that their countrys revolution is at risk and strides towards democracy will be halting until Qaddafi is captured and any forms of support he is receiving from outside the country including moral are stopped. This is no exaggeration to say that even beyond the African continent, Qaddafi with the means that he has, could return to his terrorist practices by providing arms across the continent ... that his absence from the political stage would be synonymous with the expansion of Al Qaeda and terrorist organizations, said Mahmoud Jibril, interim prime

minister and head of Libyas Transitional National Council (TNC), in a UN Security Council appearance Monday. Diplomats at the UN in New York say Libyas new leadership is taking the same message to meetings with world leaders on the margins of the UN General Assemblys annual opening session which began last week. SOUND OFF on Facebook: How should the international community help the Libyan transition government when it comes to Qaddafi and the future? Mr. Jibril met in New York with President Obama last week before a high-level meeting on Libya. He and other TNC members met with a long line of international leaders before Mr. Jibril addressed the General Assembly on Saturday and then met with the Security Council on Monday. Evidence of the lingering support for Qaddafi came from Zimbabwes President Robert Mugabe, who on Sunday accused African countries that recognize the TNC as Libyas legitimate government of being sellouts. Libyas new leaders have also had rocky relations with next-door neighbor Algeria, in part over the role Islamists would play in a new Libya. Algiers miffed the TNC leadership when it allowed one of Qaddafis daughters and other family members to flee into Algeria. Algerian officials said the move a humanitarian gesture because the daughter is pregnant. But since entering Algeria members of the Qaddafi group have given repeated media interviews, prompting the Algerian government this week to threaten deportation if they do not stop. In his meetings with leaders of the international community, Jibril has stressed that capturing Qaddafi and draining his remaining reservoirs of support is a matter of security and stability not just for Libya, but for the region and beyond. Noting that Qaddafi stockpiled large quantities of arms including chemical weapons, Jibril emphasized the need for help from the international community in tackling the Qaddafi threat. Some UN officials second Jibrils concerns, at least the urgent need to secure Libyas weaponry. The spread of these weapons and the danger they could fall into the hands of terrorists are matters of grave concern, said Lynn Pascoe, the UNs under-secretary-general for political affairs, at Mondays Security Council meeting. Reestablishing control over chemical weapons material is of paramount importance.

### Islamists seek new role in post-revolutionary Libya (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15084555 27 September 2011 By Alan Little The revolution in Libya has thrown up some powerful new folk heroes. Sheikh Khaled Sherrif is surrounded by an adoring crowd of demonstrators, mostly women and children, waving the black, green and red flag of the new Libya. We are in Tripoli's Military Academy, until recently the fiefdom of Khamis Gaddafi, one of the most feared of the former dictator's sons. Sheikh Khaled is a lifelong Islamist. In the 1980s, as a young man, he went to Afghanistan to fight the Soviet occupation, and stayed. He knew Osama Bin Laden and lived alongside the al-Qaeda leader and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri. He was captured by the Americans in 2003, held by them for two years at Bagram Air Base and, he says, tortured. "We were subjected to sleep deprivation," he says. "Then, for 24 hours a day, we had to endure loud rock music. I was hung up by my arms for three days." Going mainstream Sheikh Khaled is a close lieutenant of Abdel Hakkim Belhaj, a fellow former Islamist fighter and political prisoner and now one of the most powerful men in Tripoli. Both men have denounced democracy in the past, asserting that jihad was the only way to ensure the victory of Islam. "I think dialogue is the best way," Sheikh Khaled told me. "We [Libyans] need to speak to each other and, God willing, we will reach agreement. The Libyan people need space to choose the kind of government they want. We will be with them on this journey. No-one should force anything on the Libyan people." There is a remarkable - and rather hopeful - spirit in Tripoli. People are free for the first time in decades to make political demands. There are demonstrations in the streets almost every day, most of them urgent, vociferous but good-humoured.

Libya's Islamists must take their chances in the free-for-all of this new freedom. And, although this is a conservative and highly religious society, there is little evidence that Libyans want an Islamic government or state. "Libya is not the place for extremists," one man told me after praying at a city centre mosque. "Don't be scared of my beard! We are moderate Muslims here." "We are Muslims, but we are moderate by nature," said a woman in Tripoli's city centre market. "We cannot accept extremism. We are well-educated. We know what we are doing. We want our Islamic culture but not an Islamic state." There is a sense of optimism and hope on the streets of Tripoli Many secular and liberal Libyan activists have come to believe that the former Islamists are ready to seize the opportunity the revolution provides to abandon armed jihad. Hana al-Galal is a Western-educated human rights activist who joined the revolution at the beginning, in Benghazi. In the early days, she was a member of the nascent National Transitional Council (NTC), but resigned to concentrate on human rights advocacy. "We have been sharing ideas [with the Islamists]," she told me. "We have been taking advice from each other. We have been running in this revolution together. "I don't think they have it in their minds to create some kind of Taliban-style Islamic state. There will be lots of discussions on some issues, of course, but I believe that we will reach compromises. I think we can show that Islam is not contradictory to human rights or democracy." Post-revolutionary honeymoon Western intelligence services have long held deep suspicions about Libya's Islamists, and view their new prominence here with alarm. Sheikh Khaled says they are wrong. He is anxious now to distance himself from al-Qaeda. "We knew Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan but all we had in common with him was that we were in the same country. We discussed his attacks on the west, but we did not contribute to it. We kept our independence and our own views." He said the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, to which he and Mr Belhaj once belonged, no longer exists. "The Americans, when they arrested me [in 2003], thought I was a member of al-Qaeda. But they investigated and they know that this is not true." Now, he and his fellow Islamists appear to be seeking a new relationship with the West.

"All Libyans thank God that the international community took the side of the Libyan people against the dictatorship," he said. "All the Libyan people appreciate that." Libya is still enjoying its post-revolutionary honeymoon. No-one knows what dangers lie ahead. But the optimism here is intoxicating. It is a moment of extraordinary expectation. ### Libya fighting: Fears grow for civilians in Sirte (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15085224 27 September 2011 By BBC International officials have expressed fears for more than 200,000 civilians caught in fierce clashes in the Libyan cities of Sirte and Bani Walid. Nato said fighters loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi were hiding in civilian areas, putting the population in great danger. Spokesman Col Roland Lavoie said drinking water, food and medicine were running low. Fighters from the interim authorities have intensified their assault on the two cities. They are the last two major areas under the control of Gaddafi loyalists. The National Transitional Council (NTC) says it is just a matter of time before the city falls. Chaotic fighting But Col Lavoie said the remaining Gaddafi loyalists were refusing to accept defeat, adding: "As a last resort, they are hiding in civilian areas." Both Col Lavoie and the Red Cross warned that the conditions civilians were living in was becoming increasingly perilous. Civilians have continued to flee from Sirte, as a lack of clean drinking water is reported to have led to the spread of water-borne diseases. "There's no food, no electricity. We were eating just bread," Sirte resident Saraj alTuweish told AFP news agency as he left the city on Tuesday. "I've been trying for 10 days to get out and every time the army forced us back. Today we used a dirt road early in the morning and we managed to escape."

Witnesses in Sirte described chaotic scenes as NTC fighters tried to advance further into the city. They came under heavy fire from Gaddafi loyalist snipers, and TV channels backing the NTC reported that a number of their soldiers had been killed in the clashes. It is thought Col Gaddafi is still in Libya - possibly in Bani Walid or Sirte. But many of his inner circle have already fled the country. His daughter Aisha escaped to Algeria several weeks ago, and has appeared on the Syrian-based Arrai TV channel telling the audience her father was healthy and fighting alongside his troops. Algerian officials on Tuesday warned her to stop meddling in politics. On Tuesday Arrai broadcast footage it said was filmed on 20 September Col Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam rallying troops. Saif al-Islam, once groomed as his father's successor, is still on the run and has not been seen in public for weeks. ### France rejects Rwanda's Habyarimana extradition bid (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15095003 28 September 2011 By BBC A French court has rejected a Rwandan bid to extradite the widow of ex-President Juvenal Habyarimana, whose killing sparked the 1994 genocide. Agathe Habyarimana, 69, is accused by the Rwandan authorities of helping to plan the genocide. She denies the accusations. French forces flew her out of Rwanda shortly after the violence began and she has lived in France for years. More than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus died in the massacres. Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was killed when his plane was shot down above Kigali airport on 6 April 1994. Within hours a campaign of violence, carried out mostly by Hutus against Tutsis, spread from the capital throughout the country.

The Hutu militias blamed the Tutsis for downing the president's plane, although it has never been proved who was responsible. It is widely believed that Hutu extremists and the government had long planned the genocide. Mrs Habyarimana also faces a case in France's civil courts brought by rights activists. But her lawyer, Philippe Meilhac, said the extradition ruling would cause problems for the civil case. "We can't stay like this for ever. The very serious accusations against Mrs Habyarimana are old and completely denied by Mrs Habyarimana," he said. France and Rwanda have no extradition treaty, so each case is dealt with separately. In recent years French courts have turned down several extradition requests for genocide suspects on the basis that the individuals would not get a fair trial. Rwanda's Tutsi-led government, which seized power after the genocide, has often accused France of not doing enough to help provide justice for the victims. ### Ivory Coast launches reconciliation panel (Al Jazeera) http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/09/201192882415338421.html 28 September 2011 By Agencies Archbishop Desmond Tutu says commission necessary to heal wounds of post-election violence in which 3,000 people died. Ivory Coast has launched a South African-style truth and reconciliation commission in a bid to heal the wounds of a post-election conflict that left at least 3,000 people dead. Officials were set to inaugurate the Commission on Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation (CDVR) in the capital, Yamoussoukro, on Wednesday with the aim of bringing peace and "rebuilding the social fabric" of the once west African powerhouse. The 11-member Ivorian panel will have to deal with the decade of turmoil, coup attempts, political and sometimes ethnic-religious violence, that culminated in the post-poll unrest from last December to April. Following the run-off vote on November 28, Laurent Gbagbo, the then president, refused to admit defeat and hand over power to Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognised winner of the poll.

The months-long crisis culminated in weeks of warfare. A group of world statesmen founded by Nelson Mandela said punishment must be handed down fairly to those guilty of crimes on both sides. Any suggestion that "victor's justice" is being applied in Ivory Coast would undermine attempts to overcome its post-election bloodshed, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu said on the eve of the launch. 'Victor's story' Tutu headed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up in his country after the end of apartheid. "We encourage President Ouattara to demonstrate to his people and the world that the judicial process he has started is both fair and completely impartial," the archbishop said in a statement by the Elders, the rights group he chairs. "We are convinced that the perception that 'victor's justice' is being applied would greatly undermine the reconciliation process," Tutu said. Ouattara promised reconciliation when he assumed the presidency in May but his government has been accused of rounding up allies of Gbagbo, who was captured and is now under house arrest in the north of the country. The group led by Tutu said: "The Elders emphasise that a successful commission should be inclusive and independent." "The Elders encourage President Ouattara to take steps to demonstrate publicly his commitment to the commission's impartiality and independence. Reconciliation and justice are intertwined." ### Deadly crackdown on protests in Guinea (Al Jazeera) http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/09/201192884440565343.html 28 September 2011 By Agencies At least four people have died after security forces used truncheons and tear gas to break up an opposition protest in Conakry, the capital of Guinea. The West African state is preparing for December parliamentary election which the opposition allege is being rigged by President Alpha Conde who came to power after a disputed November 2010 election that ended military rule.

Cellou Dalein Diallo, the leader of the opposition, told the AP news agency by telephone on Tuesday, that one of the four dead bodies was dumped in front of the headquarters of his party, the Union of the Democratic Forces of Guinea. Three others were at the local morgue, he said. Mohamed Said Fofana, the prime minister, addressed the nation later on Tuesday evening on state television. Fofana said 23 police officers were hospitalised with injuries after being hit by rocks thrown by protesters. He said just two people had died, but reporters who were present when he visited the local morgue said the premier arrived after one of the three bodies stored there had already been picked up by relatives. "We deplore these acts, which do nothing to advance our democracy and we regret that blood of another Guinean has once more been spilled," Fofana said. The opposition had expected to rally supporters from the majority-Peul areas lining the Route du Prince, a major artery that runs across the neighborhoods of Bambeto, Matato, Enco-5 and Cosa - all of which voted in large numbers for Diallo. Rare gesture On Monday, the government announced that the march was authorised to go ahead, a rare gesture in a nation which last year saw the military hand power to civilians for the first time since 1984. That vote was considered the first democratic transfer of power in Guinea's history, but the poll was marred by days of clashes pitting Diallo's Peul supporters with the mostlyMalinke security force backing the successful candidate, Conde, who is himself a Malinke. Despite the announcement, opposition leaders including Diallo were not able to even leave their homes for the first part of Tuesday morning after riot police took positions at the main intersections and fired tear gas grenades at anyone attempting to assemble. Pro-opposition youths began hurling rocks, intensifying the standoff and by early afternoon, witnesses said the police began using live rounds in at least one district Matoto.

Despite that, several residents described the dispersal of the march as less violent than Guinea has been accustomed to in the past. In 2009, the red-beret wearing presidential guard opened fire with machine guns on a pro-democracy demonstration inside the national soccer stadium, killing scores of people. Diallo was among those injured and was evacuated to France for treatment. "What is remarkable is that the police units are using riot control tools to disperse the protesters - tear gas and night sticks, and not fire arms for the most part,'' said shopkeeper Souleymane Sow, a Peul who was backing Diallo. "It's my opinion that the repression I'm seeing is not too violent compared to what we are used to." Nascent democracy The march marks the first major demonstration since the historic election 10 months ago. Many hope the civilian-led government will put an end to abuses by the army and were reassured on Monday when Army Chief of Staff Souleymane Kelefa Diallo ordered soldiers via a broadcast on state television to stay inside their barracks on Tuesday. Mouctar Diallo, a Peul politician who helped organise the Tuesday march, said the police have a long way to go in the nascent democracy. He charged that they had deliberately blocked the movement of people in Peul neighbourhoods. "Yesterday the government promised to ensure the security of our peaceful march, but in fact what we are now witnessing is an assault by the gendarmerie exclusively on neighborhoods that are favourable to the opposition," said Diallo ### Sudan Risks Burgeoning Civil Wars If No Urgent Actions Taken Report (Sudan Tribune, Khartoum) http://allafrica.com/stories/201109270408.html 27 September 2011 By ST Nairobi Robust international engagement is needed to stave off the spread of civil war in Sudan and its possible impact on the whole region, a new report has recommended.

he International Crisis Group (ICG), a Brussels-based research organization, on Monday issued a report sounding the alarm over renewed conflicts in Sudan's tense border regions of South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Abyei. Sudan has been fighting rebels previously aligned with the newly independent state of South Sudan in South Kordofan and Blue Nile since early June and September respectively. "The growing war on multiple fronts poses serious dangers for the country, for its future relationship with the Republic of South Sudan and for the stability of the region as a whole," ICG warned. The report, titled Stopping the Spread of Sudan's New Civil War, attributed the outbreak of the war to deficiencies in the implementation of the 2005's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which ended more than two decades of civil wars between north and South Sudan, especially with regards to security arrangements in Blue Nile and South Kordofan According to the report, those lagging issues include the failed democratic transformation of Sudan, stymied popular consultations, and the unresolved status of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) forces indigenous to the North. The report further warned that the fact that hardliners within Sudan's ruling National Congress Party have opted for a military solution rather than a negotiated settlement is uniting rebel groups and could trigger a wider civil war for control of the country. "There is a real possibility of a new era of protracted civil war in Sudan if key international actors are not able to contain it," ICG warned, adding that fighting could quickly expand and spill over into South Sudan. ICG also predicted that increased fighting in South Kordofan and Blue Nile could flare up the situation in the western region of Darfur, noting the recent return of the leader of the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement Khalil Ibrahim. The report said that the situation will escalate if the international community does not respond swiftly and coherently to the situation. ICG stressed that a new approach is urgently needed to deal with the internal crisis in the north and conclusion of post-CPA arrangements between the north and the south. "The international community should unite behind a single approach to begin addressing internal Sudan crises," it said. The report went on to say that "a sustainable solution to these must focus on a cessation of hostilities and an inclusive national dialogue consisting of renegotiating the relationship between the centre and peripheries, and agreement on decentralisation and a

redistribution of power leading to a new constitution, on the basis of which a referendum and new elections should be held." "In the absence of a national political framework, and without clear international consensus to encourage and support a national peace process, the conflict in Sudan may spiral out control and engulf the region," it concluded. ###

Ugandan, U.S. Health Workers Come Together For Animal Education http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7267&lang=0 28 September 2011 By CJTF-HOA Public Affairs KAABONG, Uganda Thirty community animal health workers from Kaabong, Uganda participated in a two-week veterinary civil action program (VETCAP) to gain knowledge and skills in livestock treatment and sustainment September 2011. The program was a joint effort between the Uganda People's Defence Force, the Ugandan Ministry for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, and the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. Soldiers from the 490th Civil Affairs Battalion Functional Specialty Team (FxSP), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, traveled to Kaabong, August 29 to September 9, to bring veterinary assistance to the northern region of the country. "The Karamoja region has a shortage of veterinarians, so they rely heavily on community animal health workers," said U.S. Army Major Dean Klenz, the VETCAP mission commander. Klenz added that having a plentiful number of health workers who are up-todate on providing treatments is vital to farmers since animal diseases can often be transmitted to humans. The group spent one week in a classroom environment discussing how to detect diseases and apply preventative measures to cattle, goats, sheep, donkeys, dogs and cats. "This emphasizes how important their livestock is, what diseases that humans can catch from them, and how healthy animals and livestock will lead to healthier people," said U.S. Army Specialist Shawn England, 490th FxSP veterinary technician. Afterwards, the community animal health workers, along with the FxSP team and four veterinary students from Makerere University in Kampala, traveled to three treatment sites in and around Kaabong to provide free treatments for livestock owners. Makerere students and the health workers took on the responsibility of being the primary treatment givers in the field.

"The students were very knowledgeable which made it easy to teach them and were equally eager to learn new things," said Mbatidole Irene, a Makerere graduate. "When it came to the field work, they were very cooperative and hard working, thus we managed to treat many animals." A total of 29,502 animals were treated in the one-week field VETCAP period, with the majority of those animals -- more than 25,000 -- being cattle brought by local owners. With the assistance of both the Ugandan and American veterinary representatives, the team completed the mission with spray pumps, medicinal drenching guns and coolers. Their work enables future assistance to animal owners and farmers to continue inoculations for animals to remain healthy. ### African Union Military Delegation Tours DOD Facilities in Washington, D.C. Area http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7265&lang=0 28 September 2011 By Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) WASHINGTON, D.C. A delegation of African Union military personnel participated in a 10-day partner nation familiarization event in the Washington, D.C. area, September 2011. Throughout the week, the group visited the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) headquarters at Fort Meade, Maryland, along with the Defense Spectrum Organization (DSO) in Annapolis and the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) in Indian Head. The delegation, which included senior military officers from South Africa, Nigeria, Burundi, Mauritania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Botswana, Uganda, Togo, Benin, Sudan, and Ghana, was sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). "[DISA] continues to strengthen our partnerships with African partner nations by exposing their senior level communicators with our U.S. military communicators in the areas of operations, training, and support," said Franklin James, who plans and coordinates foreign military visits to the agency through the Service, Agency, and International Engagement Office, part of the Strategic Planning and Information Directorate (SPI). During the visit to the headquarters, DISA's military and civilian leaders provided briefings and led discussions with the delegation. Larry Huffman, principal director of operations, provided opening remarks. Scott Rodakowski, chief of Corporate Strategy and Communications (SPI), gave an overview of DISA which focused on enterprise operations, support to the DoD, and the strategic and operational focus of the agency. Army Colonel David Barlow, commander of DISA's AFRICOM Field Office, spoke about DISA's ongoing engagements in Africa.

Army Colonel Gregory Jaksec, commander of the DISA Command Center, spoke on the DCC operations and gave a tour of the facility. Navy Rear Admiral David Simpson, DISA's vice director, made closing remarks. During the delegation's visit to DSO, they received a DSO overview brief from John Hickey, DSO vice director, and a brief on the World Radio Communication Program from Steven Molina, director of DSO's Strategic Planning Office. The DSO visit concluded with a briefing from Army Major Thomas Meccia, the Joint Spectrum Center (JSC) operations officer, regarding the JSC's operations and capabilities. The African visitors then participated in a discussion on the latest automation tools technology. On the final leg of the African military delegation's visit to DISA, the group toured JITC's test labs in Indian Head, Maryland and learned about ongoing projects there. Anthony Stout, JITC's chief of Washington operations, provided details on some of JITC's most significant projects, and there was also considerable dialogue about JITC's direct support to AFRICOM. "Our African partners were able to learn how DISA is organized, and how we use our joint enablers -- such as the Joint Spectrum Center and Joint Interoperability Test Command -- to meet our communications and information technology requirements; and our DISA personnel were able to interact with [the delegation] and learn about their challenges and opportunities in their countries," said Barlow, who accompanied the delegation during the visits to each DISA site. Other sites the delegation will visit before returning to their home countries include the Pentagon, the U.S. Army Signal Center in Fort Gordon, Ga., and the Special Warfare Center and School in Fort Bragg, N.C. ### CJTF-HOA Welcomes New Senior Enlisted Leader http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7264&lang=0 28 September 2011 By CJTF-HOA Public Affairs STUTTGART, Germany U.S. Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant James Davis assumed the role of the of the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa command senior enlisted leader during a senior enlisted leader change of responsibility ceremony at Camp Lemonnier September 22, 2011. Davis accepted his new role as the senior enlisted leader for CJTF-HOA by saluting U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Michael Franken, CJTF-HOA commander, who presided over the ceremony. Davis previously served as command chief master sergeant for 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan.

"I was the command chief for over 6,000 enlisted men and women and then I got the call from the admiral for an interview to become the CJTF-HOA SEL," said Davis. "Yes, that was a big mission, but this one is an even bigger mission with bigger circumstances and bigger possibilities; I'm looking forward to that." The ceremony had in attendance service members from all branches, distinguished guests and members of coalition forces. "I chose Chief Davis to represent array of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and civilians, principally because he's been performing at this level for quite a number of years," said Franken. "There is no doubt that Chief Davis is the right man for the job." Like his predecessor, U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Major Scott Mykoo, Davis will serve one year in this position, working to fulfill the promise to mentor and lead the enlisted personnel of all the services stationed at Camp Lemonnier, no matter which uniform the member wears. "I'm concerned about the U.S. part of it," said Davis "because I want to take care of my men and women. That's the bottom line." CJTFHOA, under the command of U.S Africa Command, conducts civil and noncombatant military operations in East Africa aimed to strengthen defense capabilities and protect U.S. and Coalition interests, promote regional stability and dissuade conflict. ### END REPORT