Podcasts about central african republic car

UNICEF Representative to CAR, Ms Meritxell Relaño Arana share insight into the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR).

Content warning for discussion of genocide, torture, mutilation, rape, and slavery Hey, Hi, Hello, this is the History Wizard and welcome back for Day 11 of Have a Day w/ The History Wizard. Thank you to everyone who tuned in for Day 10 last week, and especially thank you to everyone who rated and/or reviewed the podcast. I hope you all learned something last week and I hope the same for this week. This week marks the 3rd part of our mini series of currently ongoing genocides and humanitarian crises. Episode 2 was on Palestine, Episode 11 was on Congo, today's episode will be on Sudan. The nation of Sudan is currently dealing with, among other things we'll cover in detail later in this episode, the largest deplacement campaign of anywhere on the planet with over 9 million people being displaced from their homes by war and genocide. It always feels a little weird transitioning into this part of the episode, but it's now time for the Alchemist's Table. I've invented nearly 90 cocktails over the past 2 years and this one remains my very favorite. It's called the No True Scotsman. Take 2 oz of your scotch whiskey of choice, though I'd recommend a light Islay scotch, something like a Bowmore, or maybe a Campbeltown like Glen Scotia. Then add .75 oz of Frangelico, 1 oz of Maple syrup. Shake this like your life depends on it and pour over ice. Top the drink with ginger beer and enjoy. Now, fortified as we are by uisce beatha, the waters of life, let's get into it. So, what is happening in Sudan, right now? A civil war officially started between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the the Rapid Support Forces that grew out of the Janjaweed militias that were so prevalent in the Darfur Genocide. The war officially began on 15 April 2023 and is still ongoing. But, in order to understand what is happening right now, we need to understand what was happening in the 19th century under British and Egyptian colonialism in the region. So, let's starts at as much of the beginning as we can. Let's start at the Mahdist War. Following Muhammad Ali's invasion (no, a different Muhammad Ali)  in 1819, Sudan was governed by an Egyptian administration. Throughout the period of Egyptian rule, many segments of the Sudanese population suffered extreme hardship because of the system of taxation imposed by the central government. Under this system, a flat tax was imposed on farmers and small traders and collected by government-appointed tax collectors from the Sha'iqiyya tribe of northern Sudan. Throughout the century, and especially after Egypt was floundering to pay the costs of the Suez Canal, Britain got more and more involved. In the late 19th century a war broke out between the Mahdist Sudanese, led by Muhammad Ahmad bin Abdullah, who had proclaimed himself the "Mahdi" of Islam (the "Guided One"), and the forces of the Khedivate of Egypt, initially, and later the forces of Britain. Eighteen years of war resulted in the creation of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (1899–1956), a de jure condominium of the British Empire, and the Kingdom of Egypt, in which Britain had de facto control over Sudan. Sudan officially voted for independence in 1956 and became its own independent republic. Although it achieved independence without conflict, Sudan inherited many problems from the condominium. Chief among these was the status of the civil service. The government placed Sudanese in the administration and provided compensation and pensions for British officers of Sudan Political Service who left the country; it retained those who could not be replaced, mostly technicians and teachers. Khartoum achieved this transformation quickly and with a minimum of turbulence, although southerners resented the replacement of British administrators in the south with northern Sudanese. To advance their interests, many southern leaders concentrated their efforts in Khartoum, where they hoped to win constitutional concessions. Although determined to resist what they perceived to be Arab imperialism, they were opposed to violence. Most southern representatives supported provincial autonomy and warned that failure to win legal concessions would drive the south to rebellion. To understand the issues in Sudan we need to understand that, ultimately, this is a religious and ethnic conflict between the mostly Islamic North and the largely Christian and animist South regions in the nation of Sudan. On November 17, 1958, the day parliament was to convene, a military coup occurred. Khalil, himself a retired army general, planned the preemptive coup in conjunction with leading Umma members and the army's two senior generals, Ibrahim Abboud and Ahmad Abd al Wahab, who became leaders of the military regime. Abboud immediately pledged to resolve all disputes with Egypt, including the long-standing problem of the status of the Nile River. Abboud abandoned the previous government's unrealistic policies regarding the sale of cotton. He also appointed a constitutional commission, headed by the chief justice, to draft a permanent constitution. Abboud maintained, however, that political parties only served as vehicles for personal ambitions and that they would not be reestablished when civilian rule was restored. Despite the Abboud regime's early successes, opposition elements remained powerful. In 1959 dissident military officers made three attempts to displace Abboud with a "popular government." Although the courts sentenced the leaders of these attempted coups to life imprisonment, discontent in the military continued to hamper the government's performance. In particular, the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) gained a reputation as an effective anti-government organization. To compound its problems, the Abboud regime lacked dynamism and the ability to stabilize the country. Its failure to place capable civilian advisers in positions of authority, or to launch a credible economic and social development program, and gain the army's support, created an atmosphere that encouraged political turbulence. A revolution in 1964 returned the nation to civilian rule, but did little to remove the preceding issues that plagued Sudan. This all brings us within the context of the First Sudanese Civil War. This war was a conflict from 1955 to 1972 between the northern part of Sudan and the southern Sudan region that demanded representation and more regional autonomy. The war was divided into four major stages: initial guerrilla warfare, the creation of the Anyanya insurgency, political strife within the government and establishment of the South Sudan Liberation Movement. Around a million people died over the course of the nearly 17-year long war. The war would end with the signing of the Addis Ababa Accord, which created two main things. A South Sudanese Autonomous Region, and relative peace, if only for about a decade. The Second Sudanese Civil War would break out in 1983. Some sources describe the conflict as an ethnoreligious one where the Arab-Muslim central government's pursuits to impose Sharia law on non-Muslim southerners led to violence, and eventually to the civil war. Historian Douglas Johnson has pointed to exploitative governance as the root cause. This war lasted for some 22 years, making it one of the longest civil wars in recorded Human History. Roughly two million people died as a result of war, famine and disease caused by the conflict. Four million people in southern Sudan were displaced at least once, normally repeatedly during the war. The civilian death toll is one of the highest of any war since World War II and was marked by numerous human rights violations, including slavery and mass killings. Perhaps one of the greatest horrors and tragedies of the Second Sudanese Civil War was the use of child soldiers. Armies from all sides enlisted children in their ranks. The 2005 agreement required that child soldiers be demobilized and sent home. The Sudan People's Liberation Army (the SPLA, by the way, was founded in 1983 as a rebel group to reestablish the South as an autonomous region after president Nimeiry declared the South to officially be part of a fully reunited Sudan.) claimed to have let go 16,000 of its child soldiers between 2001 and 2004. However, international observers (UN and Global Report 2004) have found demobilized children have often been re-recruited by the SPLA. As of 2004, there were between 2,500 and 5,000 children serving in the SPLA.  There was also a revival of slavery during the Second Civil War, it was largely directed at southern Christians, on the grounds that Islamic law allegedly allowed it, and also at women, many of whom were kept as sex slaves and repeatedly raped. The Second Civil War ended officially in 2002 with the signing of the Naivasha Agreement. This guaranteed autonomy for the South for 6 years after which a referendum would be help to vote for official independence. This war ended with roughly 2 million people, mostly civilians, dead of drought and famine caused in large parts by the fighting. Still, while the Second Civil War ended in 2005, it overlapped with a crisis that my generation is very familiar with and that is still, technically, ongoing to this day. I am speaking, of course, of the Darfur Genocide that began in 2003 and has not ended to this day. The War in Darfur, which is also sometimes called the Land Cruiser War, because there were a LOT of Toyota Land Cruiser pick up trucks on both sides of the war, began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel groups began fighting against the government of Sudan, which they accused of oppressing Darfur's non-Arab population.  So first let's talk real quick about the SLM and the JEM. When General Omar al-Bashir and the National Islamic Front headed by Dr. Hassan al-Turabi overthrew the Sudanese government led by Ahmed al-Mirghani in 1989. A large section of the population in Darfur, particularly the non-Arab ethnicities in the region, became increasingly marginalized. These feelings were solidified in 2000 by the publication of The Black Book, which detailed the structural inequity in the Sudan that denies non-Arabs equal justice and power sharing. In 2002 Abdul Wahid al-Nur, a lawyer, Ahmad Abdel Shafi Bassey, an education student, and a third man founded the Darfur Liberation Front, which subsequently evolved into the Sudan Liberation Movement and claimed to represent all of the oppressed in the Sudan. The Black Book, also known as The Black Book: Imbalance of Power and Wealth in the Sudan detailed how, despite the Arabic people of North Sudan making up 5.4% of the population they still held 79.5% of the wealth in the nation. So in this context, beyond being a war and genocide based on ethnicity and religion we can see economic reasons for the war. There was a massive disparity between the haves and the have nots, and Karl Marx would tell us that this is the foundation and origin of all of history's great wars.  Now, the Justice and Equality Movement trace their origin to the writers of The Black Book: Imbalance of Power and Wealth in the Sudan, a manuscript published in 2000 that details what it views as the structural inequality in the country; the JEM's founder, Khalil Ibrahim, was one of the authors. The JEM claims to number around 35,000 with an ethnically diverse membership. According to critics it is not the "rainbow of tribes" it claims to be, as most JEM members, including its leader, are from the Zaghawa tribe. The JEM is part of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), an alliance of groups opposed to the Government of Sudan. The Darfur Genocide has it's roots in the same places as all geocides. One group, who feels themselves superior to all others, decided that the best way to deal with these divisive elements in their society is to try and kill them. We saw the same type of conflict in the Armenian genocide of the early 20th century. The Northern Sudanese government saw the non Arabic elements of South Sudan as threats to their power in the region and so decided to kill them. The use of rape as a tool of genocide has been noted as well. This crime has been carried out by Sudanese government forces and the Janjaweed ("evil men on horseback") paramilitary groups. The actions of the Janjaweed have been described as genocidal rape, with not just women, but children as well. There were also reports of infants being bludgeoned to death, and the sexual mutilation of victims being commonplace. One thing I want to make sure we mention is that the President of Sudan during the Darfur genocide has had arrest warrants issued against him by the ICC. He has been charged with five counts of crimes against humanity: murder, extermination, forcible transfer, torture, and rape; two counts of war crimes: intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population as such or against individual civilians not taking part in hostilities, and pillaging; three counts of genocide: by killing, by causing serious bodily or mental harm, and by deliberately inflicting on each target group conditions of life calculated to bring about the group's physical destruction, allegedly committed at least between 2003 and 2008 in Darfur, Sudan. To this day he remains at large and is not in custody. I say remains at large. We, more or less, know where he is. As of 2019 al-Bashir was ousted from his political role by the RSF in a military coup and jailed in Khartoum. Tensions rose between the RSF and the SLM and in 2023 they erupted, once again, into a civil war in Sudan. This brings us, more or less, up to modern day Sudan and the current conflict. To put it as simply as possible, ethnic and religious tensions between the Arabic north and the Christian south have exploded into a full scale war in a period of drought and famine. Roughly 9 million people have been displaced and pretty much everyone who lives in Sudan is without adequate food and water. The United Arab Emirates, among other nations are actively supporting the RSF in their continued subjugation of South Sudan and are actively contributing to the ongoing Darfur genocide. Roughly 80% of Sudanese hospitals no longer exist, and the World Food Programe has indicated that some 95% of Sudanese people are in a state of massive food insecurity. On 3 August 2023, Amnesty International released its report on the conflict. Titled Death Came To Our Home: War Crimes and Civilian Suffering In Sudan, it documented "mass civilian casualties in both deliberate and indiscriminate attacks" by both the SAF and the RSF, particularly in Khartoum and West Darfur. It also detailed sexual violence against women and girls as young as 12, targeted attacks on civilian facilities such as hospitals and churches, and looting. Early March 2024, the UN Panel of Experts on Sudan, mandated by Resolution 2620 (2022) of the UN Security Council, published their latest report. It described the wide-ranging devastation and violence in the country, caused in many cases by the RSF and associated militias. With regard to war crimes in West Darfur, the report estimated the death rate through ethnic cleansing of the Masalit community in El Geneina between 10,000 and 15,000. In her speech before the Security Council Committee, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Representative to the United Nations, commented: "It is my hope that the sobering report will at long last shake the world from its indifference to the horrors playing out before our eyes." In April 2024, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights released a report into breaches of the Genocide Convention in Darfur. The independent report found that there is "clear and convincing evidence" that the RSF and its allied militias "have committed and are committing genocide against the Masalit," a non-Arab ethnic group, and that all 153 states that have signed the Genocide Convention are "obligated to end complicity in and employ all means reasonably available to prevent and halt the genocide." It goes on to say that there is "clear and convincing evidence" that Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Russia via the actions of the Wagner Group are "complicit in the genocide." The ongoing genocide and refugee crisis in Sudan can, absolutely trace its roots to British imperialism, but beyond that it is part of an ongoing religious conflict between Islam and Christianity dating back all the way to the Crusades. The conflict between the SAF and the RSF is ongoing and shows no signs of slowing down or stopping. While these two groups fight for control over Sudan millions of innocent civilians are dying due to lack of access to food and water. Civil war and genocide is ongoing against the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups and against the general non-Arabic Muslim peoples of Sudan. This conflict has been going on for so long that we have all but forgotten about it. I was in high school and engaging in political activism to end the Darfur genocide. This was nearly 20 years ago. I'm old as hell. There are so many horrible crimes and genocides that exist in the world today. Please don't forget about these suffering people. Genocide relies on existing for long enough that it becomes part of the background. None of this is normal. Never again is right now. That's it for this week folks. No new reviews, so let's get right into the outro. Have a Day! w/ The History Wizard is brought to you by me, The History Wizard. If you want to see/hear more of me you can find me on Tiktok @thehistorywizard or on Instagram @the_history_wizard. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to Have a Day! On your pod catcher of choice. The more you do, the more people will be able to listen and learn along with you. Thank you  for sticking around until the end and, as always, Have a Day, and Free Sudan  

Listen to the Thurs. May 2, 2024 special edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The program features our PANW report with dispatches on the call by the Palestinian student movement for others to join the global struggle against the genocide in Gaza; more than 2,000 people have been arrested in demonstrations on university campuses in the U.S. for campaigning in solidarity with Palestine; Tunisian opposition groups are saying they want their colleagues released before the national elections; and the former President Francois Bozize of the Central African Republic (CAR) is facing criminal charges. In the second and third hours we listen to a panel discussion on developments in Palestine.

Wongel Zelalem reports on the United States saying it plans to expel Uganda, Gabon, Niger Republic, and the Central African Republic (CAR) from AGOA trade deal. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/africandiasporanews/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/africandiasporanews/support

Eat Bitter is a new documentary making the rounds of the international film festival circuit that tells the story of two men, one from China and the other from the Central African Republic (CAR), who work on opposite ends of the construction business in the CAR.The film is generating considerable buzz for the way it humanizes the main characters, providing long-overdue relief from the caricatures that typically frame the China-Africa relationship.Ningyi Sun, one of Eat Bitter's co-directors, and producer Mathieu Faure join Eric & Geraud to provide a behind-the-scenes perspective on how they conceptualized the documentary and what they're going to do to get it seen by a large, global audience.SHOW NOTES:Find out if Eat Bitter is playing at a theater near you: https://www.eat-bitter.com/JOIN THE DISCUSSION:X: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque | @eric_olander | @christiangeraudFacebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProjectYouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouthFOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC:Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChineعربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfrJOIN US ON PATREON!Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug!www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouthSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Paul Zimnisky Diamond Analytics Podcast, Hans Merket joins from Antwerp, Belgium. The conversation begins Paul and Hans discussing the Russian mercenary group Wagner and its link to diamond production, notably in the Central African Republic (CAR). The conversation then moves to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the two talk about the work that Hans has done monitoring humans rights related to gold mining in the country. Paul and Hans then discuss Marange diamonds and Zimbabwe's position as Kimberly Process Chair. Finally, the two talk about the recent agreement between the government of Botswana and De Beers and they analyze if other diamond mining countries can use it as a framework.   Hosted by: Paul Zimnisky Guest: Hans Merket Guest plug: www.ipisresearch.be More information on PZDA's State of the Diamond Market report: www.paulzimnisky.com/products   Show contact: paul@paulzimnisky.com or visit www.paulzimnisky.com.   Please note that the contents of this podcast includes anecdotes, observations and opinions. The information should not be considered investment or financial advice. Consult your investment professional before making any investment decisions. Please read full disclosure at: www.paulzimnisky.com.

Russia's Wagner fighters in Central African Republic +++ CAR constitutional referendum +++ Weakening African currencies +++ South Sudan: Displaced women in Bentiu IDP camps turn to self-help projects +++ South Africa at FIFA WWC

Islamist jihadists are moving southward across the continent of Africa. Their goal: the eradication Christianity. In the Central African Republic (CAR) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a new addition to VOM's 2023 Global Prayer map, persecuted Christians have been deeply affected. Believers have been forced to flee their villages. Pastors have been killed. Many Christians have lost family members in violent attacks. Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry for The Voice of the Martyrs, recently visited traumatized believers in multiple African nations. Aaron was stunned as he witnessed Christians worshipping and praising God after returning to the same village where they'd faced intense persecution for their faith. Psalm 138 resonated in Aaron's heart throughout his trip: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you revive me. You saved me from my enemies.” God sent Aaron and the team from VOM into the midst of trouble to minister and encourage our persecuted brothers and sisters on behalf of the global body of Christ. Listen as Aaron tells of meeting one woman who couldn't continue telling the story of losing her husband; she simply buried her face in her hands and wept. Being able to listen, minister, pray, laugh, and cry with believers in the midst of their trouble is a powerful encouragement to them. Aaron talks about “the ministry of presence” as VOM workers go to fellowship and serve. God has uniquely prepared Aaron for this role, including giving him a small personal taste of Christian persecution in India. Pray for our brothers and sisters to be encouraged in their faith and for the church to be unified in Central Africa.

Read on for today's agenda below prepared by David (thank you very much). - Retired US Diplomat to 5 different nations  David Hunter shares his knowledge, passion, interest, and experience.1)Is Putin A Coward?: Putin's trusty sidekick Yevgeny Prigozhen, head of the Wagner Group ---so called 'private military contractors' ---which has been battling Ukraine forces in Bakhmut for months, just attempted to invade Moscow. Reportedly, Russian President Putin took a secret flight out of town, and his military commanders were doubting they could withstand Wagner Group's assult. Then, only 200 km from Moscow, Wagner troops pulled back under a 'deal' negotiated by Belarus President Lukashenko. What is going on?2)What is the Wagner Group and Who Owns It?: The Wagner groups supposed leader Prigozhen claims he 'owns it'. And it operates in Africa as a private military contractor, providing security assistance to various dictators including in Mali and Central African Republic (CAR). But Putin just stated that the Russian government had financed $1 billion to Wagner, and that the equipment it owns must be returned to the Russian military warehouses. Is it really a private business or the Russian government in disguise?3)Israel Announces Plan for 6,000 New Homes in Palestine Area of West Bank: The Israeli Minister of Fiance, Mr. Smotrich, who is a 'settler on West Bank' himself, has announced plans to fast track approval for construction of up to 6,000 new Jewish settler homes in the West Bank. This move is denounced by UN General Secretary, and by our own US government. What do you think?

Islamist jihadists are moving southward across the continent of Africa. Their goal: the eradication Christianity. In the Central African Republic (CAR) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a new addition to VOM's 2023 Global Prayer map, persecuted Christians have been deeply affected. Believers have been forced to flee their villages. Pastors have been killed. Many Christians have lost family members in violent attacks. Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry for The Voice of the Martyrs, recently visited traumatized believers in multiple African nations. Aaron was stunned as he witnessed Christians worshipping and praising God after returning to the same village where they'd faced intense persecution for their faith. Psalm 138 resonated in Aaron's heart throughout his trip: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you revive me. You saved me from my enemies.” God sent Aaron and the team from VOM into the midst of trouble to minister and encourage our persecuted brothers and sisters on behalf of the global body of Christ. Listen as Aaron tells of meeting one woman who couldn't continue telling the story of losing her husband; she simply buried her face in her hands and wept. Being able to listen, minister, pray, laugh, and cry with believers in the midst of their trouble is a powerful encouragement to them. Aaron talks about “the ministry of presence” as VOM workers go to fellowship and serve. God has uniquely prepared Aaron for this role, including giving him a small personal taste of Christian persecution in India. Pray for our brothers and sisters to be encouraged in their faith and for the church to be unified in Central Africa. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

“They insulted me: ‘you're having another boy! When they grow up they become Seleka!'. When I took him for a consultation, I preferred to put a scarf on him and disguise him as a girl. They didn't want to see boys. If they saw them, they threatened to kill them.” In March 2013, the mostly Muslim, anti-government Seleka forces descended on Bangui, the capital of CAR, and overthrew the government of President François Bozizé - killing civilians and looting everything they could lay their hands on. Later, anti-Balaka Christian forces targeted the Muslim population in revenge attacks - and the UN warned of the ethnic cleansing of Bangui. We hear a range of eye-witness accounts of what happened ten years ago – and discuss whether the country is any closer to peace and security. Presenter: Alan Kasujja @kasujja Guests: Samual Murunga and Narcisse Donossio Translated voices courtesy of Médecins Sans Frontières' CAR 10 years of violence project.

One week after a brutal attack on a Chinese mining site in the Central African Republic (CAR) that killed nine people and injured two others, it's still not clear who is responsible and why they did it. All Chinese personnel in the country have been ordered to evacuate remote areas and those in the capital Bangui are sheltering in place.Meantime, Chinese embassies in both Nigeria and South Africa issued urgent security warnings to their citizens in those countries to take immediate precautions against the threat of kidnapping and assault.Alessandro Arduino, an affiliate lecturer at King's College London and one of the world's foremost experts on Chinese private security issues, joins Eric, Cobus and Geraud to discuss the recent spate of attacks and whether the uptick in violence against Chinese nationals in Africa and elsewhere is part of a larger trend.SHOW NOTES:The Conversation: Wagner Group in Africa: Russia's presence on the continent increasingly relies on mercenaries by Alessandro Arduino: https://bit.ly/3z36SDWThe Conversation: Chinese private security firms are growing their presence in Africa: why it matters by Alessandro Arduino: https://bit.ly/40nhqJAJOIN THE DISCUSSION:Twitter: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque | @eric_olander | @christiangeraudFacebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProjectFOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC:Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChineعربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfrJOIN US ON PATREON!Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug!www.patreon.com/chinaafricaprojectSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USCIRF began monitoring religious freedom conditions in Central African Republic (CAR) in 2013 when the country descended into civil conflict. After seven years of recommending that CAR be designated a country of particular concern, in 2020 USCIRF recommended CAR for Special Watchlist status due to improvements in the situation on the ground—and the next year, in 2021, we no longer recommended CAR for even the Special Watchlist. However, religious freedom conditions in CAR deteriorated in 2021, especially for Muslim minorities, causing USCIRF to return CAR to the list of countries it recommends for Special Watchlist status.John Lechner, an expert in geopolitics and human rights in Africa who recently returned from CAR, joins us today to discuss religious freedom conditions in the country.With Contributions from: Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRFJohn Lechner, Expert on security, geopolitics, and human rights in AfricaGabrielle Hasenstab, Communications Specialist, USCIRF

Listen to the Sun. May 15, 2022 special edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The episode features our regular PANW report with dispatches on the announcement by the Russian ambassador to the United States saying that Moscow will not back down on its mission in Ukraine; Ethiopia has warned the European Union (EU) that it should hold the TPLF rebel group accountable for its threats to resume a military conflict inside the Horn of Africa state; Sudanese democratic forces are discussing the best methods to achieve the removal of the military regime in Khartoum; and the Central African Republic (CAR) has banned a documentary claiming that it could incite violence. In the second hour we listen to an interview with Abayomi Azikiwe over the Activist News Network based in New York City where the PANW editor and Pan-African Journal host discusses the role of NATO and the struggle against imperialism. Finally, we pay tribute to the upcoming 97th birthday of Malcolm X (Hajj El Malik Shabazz) through a discussion with James Baldwin during the early 1960s.

On April 25, 2022, USCIRF released its 2022 Annual Report, which documents developments in international religious freedom from 2021. The report provides recommendations to enhance the U.S. government's promotion of freedom of religion or belief abroad. This year's report highlights significant regress in countries such as Afghanistan and the Central African Republic (CAR). The report also notes USCIRF recommendations implemented by the U.S. government—including the designation of Russia as a country of particular concern, the imposition of targeted sanctions on religious freedom violators, and genocide determinations for atrocities perpetrated by the Chinese government against Uyghur and other Turkic Muslims and by the Burmese military against Rohingya Muslims.Today we are joined by USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza to discuss this year's Annual Report as well as some of her most memorable experiences as a Commissioner as her tenure on the Commission comes to an end. With Contributions from: Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRFNadine Maenza, Chair, USCIRF Kurt Werthmuller, Supervisory Policy Analyst, USCIRFGabrielle Hasenstab, Communications Specialist, USCIRF

The Central African Republic (CAR) has become the center of a hot buzz in the cryptocurrency world amid various reports of it adopting Bitcoin (BTC) quite similar to El Salvador. However, contrary to popular headlines, the African nation has not adopted BTC as a legal tender, instead, it has reportedly legalized the use of cryptocurrencies in the financial markets. The new cryptocurrency law would reportedly allow citizens to pay their taxes in Bitcoin or crypto and allow the use of crypto as a form of payment for businesses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Judd and Nicole are joined by Ambassador Laurence Wohlers (Youth for Understanding) to discuss the history of U.S. policy toward Central African Republic (CAR). They explore Washington's episodic engagement with the land-locked nation and why the international community should focus on outcomes, not just process. Plus, Ambassador Wohlers describes the history of coexistence between CAR's ethnic groups and the country's "imported” ethnic tension.

Beginning in June 2021, UltiSat partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide satellite communications services in support of the emergency operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The DRC is host to one of the largest internally displaced populations in Africa, with more than 92,000 refugees seeking asylum in its northern region after fleeing post-election conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR). The displacement has placed tremendous strain on the region, prompting the UNHCR's humanitarian efforts to provide much-needed shelter, food and access to medical services for the refugees and the local population attempting to support them. Coordinating such a huge effort requires reliable communication services, and UltiSat stepped up to offer them. UltiSat has a long history of supporting humanitarian and disaster relief organizations working on-site by providing satellite network services, equipment, life-cycle operation, installation, maintenance and logistics support.

After a post-Cold War hiatus, Russia is returning to Africa. Through both traditional diplomacy and the deployment of security contractors, Moscow's influence on the continent is growing. Particularly controversial has been the role of the Wagner Group, a Russian military contractor. In the Central African Republic (CAR), Wagner forces have been at the forefront of operations against rebels. Overall, Russia's muscular new visibility on the continent has unsettled Western powers. This week on Hold Your Fire!, Pauline Bax, Crisis Group's senior Africa adviser, joins Richard Atwood and guest co-host Comfort Ero. Pauline has just written a piece on Russia's role in CAR. They discuss how Russian mercenaries have shifted battlefield dynamics in that country in the government's favour and popular perceptions of their gains, both in the capital Bangui and in areas affected by fighting. They discuss how Moscow, which had close ties to former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, has navigated Sudan's revolution. They also talk about Russia's emerging role in the Sahel, where it has sought to capitalise on anti-France sentiment to win influence. They ask what Russia's aims are in Africa and what the impact of its increased presence is for Africans themselves.For more information, explore Crisis Group's analysis on our Russia and Africa pages. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Listen to the Sat. Oct. 16, 2021 edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The program features our PANW report with dispatches on the demonstrations in Sudan demanding the resignation of the interim Transitional Sovereign Council (TSC); the Central African Republic (CAR) government has offered a ceasefire to the rebel groups fighting over the last several years inside the country; in Burkina Faso the Pan-African Film Festival opened this weekend; and former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has announced the creation of a new political party in this West African state. In the second hour we commemorate the 55th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. Finally, we examine some of the most pressing and burning issues of the day in Africa and throughout the world.

In 2015, USCIRF for the first time recommended the Central African Republic (CAR) be designated by the State Department a Country of Particular Concern for systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom following years of sectarian violence that erupted after a 2013 coup. As the violence against religious minority communities subsided in subsequent years, in 2020, USCIRF recommended CAR be placed on the State Department's Special Watchlist, a step in the right direction. While concerns for religious freedom in CAR remain, there has been further notable progress during the past year. In its most recent 2021 Annual Report, USCIRF did not recommend CAR be included on the State Department's Special Watchlist or be designated a Country of Particular Concern. Today we will learn more about what prompted the decision to remove CAR from the Special Watchlist recommendation, what progress has been made, and what challenges remain for religious freedom and religious minorities in CAR. Joining us to provide insight into the situation is USCIRF Policy Analyst for West and Central Africa, Madeline Vellturo, and Dr. Gino Vlavonou, a Consulting Program Officer with the Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum at the Social Science Research Council. USCIRF Recently released a Country Update on CAR Read our 2021 Annual Report

Rosa Akbari is a humanitarian technologist. She deploys digital technologies for crisis response, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. Most recently she was a Senior Advisor in Technology for Development at Mercy Corps, and before that has worked with organizations such as the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Dimagi, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA). Our conversation with Rosa is also a case study on the use of digital identities, cash programming, and the interplay of machine interoperability with human trust, in times of crisis. Rosa shares the story of how her family left the Middle East, and how she couldn't resist going back. We talk about setting up Wi-Fi hotspots in Haiti, digital identities in Iraq, and digital vouchers in the Central African Republic (CAR). We explore the design challenges of working with both low literacy and low numeracy populations. Through this journey, we hear some familiar themes re-emerge, such as the importance of watching, listening, and learning from the local context. And how crucial it is to respect local knowledge and institutions, in order to make change that lasts. To find out more, access the show notes at https://AidEvolved.com  Let us know what you think of this episode on Twitter (@AidEvolved) or by email (hello@AidEvolved.com)

Armed groups in the Central African Republic (CAR) have raped men and boys for years in an emerging pattern of sexual violence that is underreported and largely ignored. 2 out of 5 male South African pupils say they have been raped, according to a study suggesting sexual abuse of boys is endemic in the country's schools. The survey, published in BioMed Central's International Journal for Equity in Health, showed that boys were most frequently assaulted by adult women, followed closely by other schoolchildren. Doctors estimate that nearly 1 in 4 men in eastern DRC has been raped. Rape and other forms of sexual coercion directed against men and boys take place in a variety of settings, including in the home, the workplace, schools, on the streets, in the military and during war, as well as in prisons and police custody. Studies conducted mostly in developed countries indicate that 5-10% of men report a history of childhood sexual abuse. In a few population-based studies conducted with adolescents in developing countries, the percentage of males reporting ever having been the victim of a sexual assault ranges from 3.6% in Namibia and 13.4% in the United Republic of Tanzania to 20% in Peru. Studies from both industrialized and developing countries also reveal that forced first intercourse is not rare. Unfortunately, there are few reliable statistics on the number of boys and men raped in settings such as schools, prisons and refugee camps. Most experts believe that official statistics vastly under-represent the number of male rape victims. The evidence available suggests that males may be even less likely than female victims to report an assault to the authorities. There are a variety of reasons why male rape is underreported, including shame, guilt and fear of not being believed or of being denounced for what has occurred. Myths and strong prejudices surrounding male sexuality also prevent men from coming forward. Kenya High Court Judge, Ruth Sitati, has authored a book compiling real life experiences of children who were raped and their cases heard in court. I shared my rape story and read one of a 6 year old boy raped at home on an unsuspecting evening by an unsuspecting man. Check out www.thepredators.co.ke to order this compelling copy. Listen and share. Playlist: open.spotify.com/playlist/2ONP4zw…source=copy-link

Listen to the Sun. March 14, 2021 edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The program features our regular PANW report with dispatches on the efforts of the Zimbabwe government to prevent a third wave of COVID-19 infections; the Ethiopian government has vehemently denied that it is carrying out "ethnic cleansing" in the northern Tigray region of the Horn of Africa state; Somalia has been urged by the United Nations Security Council to work out difficulties associated with the stalled national elections; Tunisia has begun the innoculation of people with the Sputnik V vaccine for COVID-19; and the United Nations is deploying an additional 3,700 peacekeeping troops to the Central African Republic (CAR). In the second hour we listen to a briefing from the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the status of vaccination projects internationally. Finally, we continue our focus on Women's History Month with a rare archival interview with Civil Rights and Human Rights organizer Ella Baker.

The former head of the Central African Republic (CAR) football federation, Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona, together with Alfred Yekatom, are accused of co-ordinating attacks against the country's Muslim population in 2013-14. Both men have rejected the charges. Plus the director of a Nigerian film that could be up for an Oscar, on why he chose to tell the story of the victims of insurgency. And the African Continental Free Trade Area presents a new opportunity for the continent, but will informal women traders also reap the benefits.

Listen to the Sat. Jan. 30, 2021 edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The program features our regular PANW report with dispatches on the announcement by the Republic of Zimbabwe government that it is moving to a level 4 lockdown as a result of the increase in COVID-19 infections; African Union (AU) member-states are ordering millions of doses of vaccines to meet the challenges of the pandemic on the continent; South Sudan says that it would serve as the headquarters of a hybrid court aimed at adjudicating human rights cases; and the Great Lakes states are calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Central African Republic (CAR). In the second hour we delve deeper into the burning and pressing issues with reports on events in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, CAR and other states. Finally, we listen to a briefing from the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, along with a team of specialists analyzing the pandemic and the mitigation efforts underway internationally.

Listen to the Sun. Jan. 24, 2021 special edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The program features our regular PANW report with dispatches on the United States exceeding more than 25 million COVID-19 infections; South Africa along with other states have been targeted by the new Biden administration with travel bans amid the advent of a new variant of the coronavirus; China is enhancing its international posture in the Asia-Pacific region; and more people are being identified in connection with the attempted coup at the Capitol building on January 6. In the second hour we look in detail at events within the African Union (AU) member-states related to the Central African Republic (CAR) and the weather-induced crisis in Southern Africa. Finally, we examine the science behind the mutations of the coronavirus and the efforts to contain the spread.

*) US President Trump pardons 15, including Republican allies US President Trump has pardoned 15 people, including some Republican allies and ex-government contractors convicted in a 2007 massacre in Baghdad. He also pardoned his 2016 campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, who was convicted of lying to federal investigators probing Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Despite speculation, though, the list excluded members of Trump's own family, his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and the president himself. *) Morocco signs deals with Israel cementing normalisation Moroccan and Israeli officials have signed several deals, as the two countries normalise diplomatic relations. A US-Israeli delegation earlier arrived in Rabat from Tel Aviv on the first direct commercial flight between Israel and Morocco. Morocco followed the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan to normalise ties with Israel. *) Israel to hold snap election in March Meanwhile, in Israel, the parliament has been dissolved after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Benny Gantz failed to reach a deal on a national budget. The deadlock has triggered a snap election, to be held in March. It will be Israel's fourth general election in the last two years. Netanyahu has been the target of regular protests over corruption charges and his handling of the pandemic. *) Russia confirms sending 300 soldiers to CAR Rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR) have seized Bambari, the country's fourth-largest city. At the Central African Republic's request, Russia and Rwanda sent military personnel to support the troubled country ahead of elections. Russia confirmed it has sent 300 military instructors to the country at the request of its leadership to help counter a surge in rebel violence. And finally… *) Google to feature song on homepage for first time Google will feature a song on its homepage for the first time. Commissioned by the tech giant, the Peter CottonTale-produced “Together” features Chance the Rapper, Cynthia Erivo and the Chicago Children’s Choir. It will land on Google's homepage December 23 and is also featured in Google’s “Year in Search 2020” campaign.

Marie-Roseline Bélizaire is a doctor and epidemiologist with the World Health Organization (WHO). She was on the frontlines of Ebola and is now turning her expertise to help fight the spread of COVID-19 in the Central African Republic (CAR). She was motivated to study medicine after both her parents died from unexamined causes in their community in Haiti. Now, she goes door to door in CAR implementing COVID-19 strategies for the most vulnerable. She was able to test the resilience of her own strategies first hand when she contracted COVID-19 herself. “I go visit in the communities too. We work with community leaders. So sometimes they go also with us from door to door” Marie speaks about her upbringing in Haiti and how the lack of scientific and medical rigour motivated her to study medicine. She recounts her experiences on the frontlines of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, riding motorcycles into the bushes trying to contact trace that pandemic. Now, fighting COVID, she’s able to apply that expertise to the Central African Republic.

The Wilson Center is partnering with the USAID Sustainable Water Partnership and Winrock International to share stories about global water security. The series has highlighted the connections between water and food security, water as a tool for resilience in times of crisis, and the challenges and opportunities of too little water, too much water, dirty water, and unpredictable water. “Water point functionality goes beyond the mechanical structure of a pump,” says David DeArmey, Director of International Partnerships at Water for Good in this week’s Water Stories podcast. “Community dynamics play a role in how the water point is managed on a daily basis.” After identifying where to place water access points in communities throughout the Central African Republic (CAR), Water for Good helps facilitate a series of workshops to engage local communities with WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) training, financial and infrastructure management, and the importance of preventative maintenance. A regional representative from the Ministry of Hydraulics is also incorporated into the training workshops to help strengthen state presence and build a more resilient system. After the bore holes are drilled down to the water table and hand pumps are installed, the NGO performs regular preventative maintenance to replace pump parts that wear out over time to prevent mechanical failures. A Volatile Context Since achieving independence in 1960, the country never effectively established a state presence despite being vast, about the size of Texas, DeArmey said. Even basic infrastructure that one would expect for a country to function does not exist outside of the capital city of Bangui. For example, only 400 of the 15,000 miles of road are paved. “But beyond infrastructure, there is a chronic security issue,” he said. Chronic political instability led the country into its second civil war in 2012 with an unprecedented level of violence. Today, nearly 80 percent of the country’s territory is controlled by up to 14 different rebel factions. Although it operates in a volatile context, Water for Good continues its work in CAR, performing preventative maintenance on water points. Since many of the technicians who inspect the pumps are Central Africans who understand the dangerous conditions on the ground, Water for Good is able to navigate safely throughout the country. Employing Central Africans and training them in the long-term maintenance program protects them. “The communities know them well and they are accepted even in times of insecurity,” said DeArmey. Peacebuilding in a Complex Setting “Having the capacity to drill wells, especially in times of conflict, can create unexpected opportunities,” said DeArmey. During the height of the conflict in 2014 and 2015, inter-community tensions caused major divisions between local Christian and Muslim communities. After the Muslim population fled the Lomi District, part of the city of Berberati, the neighborhood began to suffer from an “economic and social void.” Because the Christian population wanted to ensure that the Muslims had a safe environment to return to within their neighborhood, they decided to create a new water point and invite the Muslim community to return and join them in managing it and sharing its water. “That Christian community served as an example in the rest of the city and beyond,” DeArmey said, “and it created a really positive environment in some of the darkest times of the country. So drilling a well in the Lomi District directly helped engage with peacebuilding in a very complicated setting.”

In the Central African Republic (CAR), two in three children — around 1.5 million — need humanitarian assistance. That's why Paolo Marchi, UNICEF CAR's Deputy Representative, and his colleagues are working around the clock to provide lifesaving aid. This week, he joins our own Erica Vogel to talk about how the recent NBC News coverage of the crisis came together, the miraculous intervention UNICEF uses to treat malnutrition, and how former child soldiers are rebuilding their lives. Watch NBC's recent reporting, featuring Graciela's story: https://nbcnews.to/2Hk9F1J Read more about how therapeutic food packets brought Pierre back from the brink of starvation: https://bit.ly/2GnFpC6 Learn how you can help kids like them in CAR: https://bit.ly/2Hjhd4X Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

The Central African Republic (CAR) has recently taken a significant step toward peace after years of violence and instability. In February, negotiations convened under the auspices of the African Union led to a peace agreement between the CAR government and leaders of armed groups. Now President Faustin-Archange Touadéra must lead the implementation of the agreement to resolve the many complex issues that have driven violence in the country. On April 9, President Touadéra visited the U.S. Institute of Peace to discuss his priorities and vision for building peace in CAR.

Many people may think operating an organization in a fragile state like Central African Republic (CAR) is a crazy idea. Yet, Water For Good jumped right into the opportunity. How do you go about tackling water poverty in one of the world’s most forgotten countries? Because there is no “one size fits all” solution, this requires a grass roots approach to tackle the water crisis. Water For Good incorporates capacity building from the ground up that includes well drilling, sustainable maintenance teams and accountability throughout the entire process. Through a market based approach that keeps the revenue within the country of CAR, Water For Good continues to create opportunity for the people of CAR. The journey is far from over, but there is hope. We invite you to learn more about this remarkable organization through the interview with CEO Richard Klopp. Learn more at www.WaterForGood.org --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/rethinking-h2o/support

In this podcast, we look the recent move of Russia in Africa. Also, Russia deploy 30 underwater nuclear drones to patrol the seas. https://www.therussophile.org/central-african-republic-open-to-russian-military-base.html/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6593147/Russia-deploy-32-underwater-nuclear-drones-obliterate-ports.html --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mr-q-the-war-machine/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mr-q-the-war-machine/support

Listen to the Sat. Nov. 17, 2018 edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The program features our regular PANW report with dispatches on the recent deaths of internally displaced persons in the Central African Republic (CAR) amid the extradition of a militia leader to the Netherlands for trial before the controversial International Criminal Court (ICC); AFRICOM has announced that it will reduce its troop presence on the continent by 10 percent over the next few years; Madagascar will witness a runoff election between two former presidents on Dec. 19; and a funeral has been held for peacekeepers slain in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In the second hour we focus on the character of internal political conflict in Nigeria and other geo-political regions over the last four years. Finally we review the presence of Pentagon troops in Africa through a rebroadcast of an interview with Abayomi Azikiwe on AFRICOM aired on a Milwaukee radio program one year ago this month.