Camara runs Guinea into isolation – For how long ? …

(Most) probably on January 31 next year Guineans will make use of their democratic right to elect the president they want. Until then Guinea’s citizens will have huge challenges to face. The biggest one: Their “Chief of state”, as Captain Moussa Dadis Camara calls himself.

When he calls himself chief he is responsible for the massacre of Conakry on september 28th. He is giving the guidelines. The bloody actions showed everybody how anxiously he try to keep his position. It also showed us that elections would be anything but fair, when he is one of the candidate.

Increasing foreign interests in Guinea was definitely a major aspect why Camara changed his mind to call out his candidacy for president. Since Camara’s military junta started, France loosed grip on its former colony. Just recently Guinea signed a contract with China & Russia, which plan to build a $1 billion hydroelectric dam in Guinea … in exchange: China will receive the right to mine bauxite.

Somali Pirates – Captain Hooks OR Robin Hoods?

Since the beginning of 2009 Somali Pirates carried out more than 100 attacks on ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. In the media much is reported about the massive efforts from the BIG states sending military naval-ships but what do we know about the Pirates and their motives? What do we read about foreign (not-somali) ships over-fishing areas which were essential to local fishermen? What do we now about this „Pirate fishing“?

In Western Media Somali pirates are shown as simple criminals, having poverty as only motivation. This picture of „Piracy“ as a socio-economocial phenomen is surely not completely representative. As far as many „African issues“ concern, Western media often lack objectivity.

What many people don’t know or what they dont judge as „interesting“ is the fact that the majority of the pirates come from …

Fowler’s Dirty “Diplomacy”

Since more than two months Canadian “Diplomatics” Robert Fowler and Louis Guay are abducted in Niger/ Mali region. Ottawa, Niamey, Bamako and especially the UN provided us with suprisingly few information about this kidnapping.

New facts: They are hostages held by one of Al-Qaeda’s partner-groups, together with 4 European hostages. The group demands that two of his members, who are imprisoned in a Sahel-country, are released.

And the most interesting development: UN-Secretary General Ban Ki Mon told a diplomat, that he “didnt know about Fowlers appointment as an envoy”. Since Fowler’s disappearance Ban said he was a “special envoy to Niger”, he even appointed him in July. UN put 390,700 US-$ for an envoy to Niger into the budget. Everything planned …  or not? Ban’s new doubts let Fowler’s case look very fishy …