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48 killed; 3500 injured as Egypt’s Police, military crackdown violently on activists, protesters at Tahrir Square Special to USAfricaonline.com Egyptian protesters streamed into Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Sunday after a night of deadly clashes that signalled the start of a violent countdown to the first polls since Hosni Mubarak’s ouster. A tear gas canister lands [...]
Guinea’s President survives attack at his home AP/CONAKRY, Guinea—Guinea’s democratically elected president survived an assassination attempt early Tuesday when gunmen descended on his home, an attack that throws into doubt the political stability of this mineral-rich country with a history of coups. President Alpha Condé later addressed the nation on state radio, saying that his [...]
Into 2010 in Niger, whether the military coup succeeds or not, Tandja’s age and relevance to Niger’s future and representative democracy are dim and out. In one of his most controversial moves, after more than 10 years in office as commander-in-chief and president, he extended his rule via an unfair referendum in August 2009. The conflicts and rumbles within and outside the military grew….
A few months following the twisted referendum, he dissolved the Nigerien national assembly/parliament and the country’s court for constitutional issues. Soon after, in October 2009, he rail-roaded a parliamentary election which was widely condemned by African countries, the U.S., European countries and donor agencies who for almost 50 years have supported the needs of the poor country which shares borders with Nigeria’s northern region.
After three coups hit Niger between 1974 and 1999, Tandja twice won votes deemed fair. But in the waning months of his final term, critics say he went down the path of many long-serving African despots, breaking a promise he had frequently made to step down when his term expired in December. Opposition leaders say Tandja morphed from democrat to dictator over the course of several months last year. In May 2009, he dissolved the national assembly because it opposed his plan to hold a referendum removing term limits.
Obama gets “war president” rebuke from his ally Michael Moore in an open letter Dear President Obama, Do you really want to be the new “war president”? (On December 1, 2009) at West Point (military academy on Tuesday, 8pm, you will) announce that you are increasing, rather than withdrawing, the troops in Afghanistan, you are [...]
Rights groups and the United Nations say more than 150 people were killed and women were raped by soldiers in the crackdown. The authorities have given a death toll of 56, while Camara has denied responsibility for the bloodbath.
Camara seized power in December last year after the death of Guinean strongman Lansana Conte, who had ruled the resource-rich country since 1984.
Washington has no plans “for the foreseeable future” to move the headquarters of U.S. Africa Command – nor any of its military components – to the continent, AfriCom chief Army Gen. William “Kip” Ward has said. That command was one of three U.S. military commands that had authority over Pentagon activities in Africa. U.S. officials are not planning to “send garrisons” of forces onto African soil, Ward said.
