|
This
website features articles, primarily on the region of Africa called the
Great Lakes, written by journalist Bjørn Willum
The latest articles in English
are:
Build
us roads again - and again
Road funds. Researchers believe that the EU is spending
money on expensive road improvements in Africa, well knowing that most
recipient countries will be unable to maintain them properly. No, says
the EU’s Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Poul Nielson,
the political will is there you know (Danish Udvikling [Development,
published by Danida], April 2004, English translation by GTZ)
Did
Annan shut down terror investigation?
It appears that UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan was himself implicated when a UN chief prosecutor shut
down an investigation of the terrorist attack that ten years ago to the
day sparked the Rwanda genocide. Annan spokesman rejects claims (Danish
daily Information, April 6, 2004)
Phone
call from Rwanda
The day Michael Hourigan borrowed the US embassy’s phone
to tell his boss about the breakthrough in the investigation into the
terrorist act that triggered the greatest mass murder of modern times,
he probably set in motion a chain reaction he had never dreamt of. A few
weeks later the investigation had been suspended. The powers above him
in the UN had decided that the truth of the Rwandan genocide could not
bear the light of day (Danish daily Information, April 6, 2004)
One
minute of silence (leading article)
One minute of silence. That is what UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan wants all human beings to observe Wednesday at noon local time
in each time zone in respect of the victims of the most comprehensive
and efficient mass murder of modern times (...) (Danish daily Information,
April 6, 2004)
Meagre
arms seizure off the Horn of Africa
As part of an expensive
operation, western warships have for two years hunted gunrunners and terrorists
off the Horn of Africa. However, virtually nothing has been seized (Danish
daily Information, January 27, 2004)
Unguarded
ports open for any business
The fight against illegal arms dealers and terrorists
should be fought from small boats - and in ports, experts say. Wide open
ports make it possible to land anything on the shores of East Africa (Danish
daily Information, January 27, 2004)
Half-hearted
anti-terrorism efforts
In spite
of solemn statements, western warships and soldiers in East Africa have
displayed a selective interpretation of the need of fighting terrorism
and illegal arms trade (Danish daily Information, January 27, 2004)
Read the latest articles in English
from my reporting trip to DR Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda in September and
October 2003:
EU
critisism of Rwanda election
Election observers yesterday criticised the handling
of the parliamentary election. There were reports of election fraud and
threats against the opposition but the EU refused to take a stance on
the validity of the poll (Danish daily Information October 4, 2003,
written in co-operation with Annegrethe Rasmussen)
Distrust
sparked low turnout
Election observers, diplomatic sources and voters reported a low turnout
at yesterday's parliamentary election in Rwanda in protest against exclusion
of opposition candidates (Danish daily Information October 1, 2003)
Other
articles in English are:
Rebel
Leader Confirms What Western Donors Deny: Uganda Plunders Congo
Both Uganda and Rwanda use their extensive military presence
in Congo to exploit that country financially, rebel leader Wamba Dia Wamba
tells Aktuelt (Danish daily Aktuelt January 22, 2001, by Gunnar
Willum)
Civil
War Financed by Diamonds and Donors: Struggle for the Treasures Below
The diamond trade in Congo goes on undisturbed by
the war. It is a profitably business, which furthermore helps financing
the war ( Danish daily Aktuelt January 18, 2001)
Is
Congo Without Kabila?
Last night a Congolese Ambassador once again asserted
that President Laurent Kabila was alive, albeit badly injured (Danish
daily Aktuelt January 18, 2001)
ICTR
Prosecutor Rejects Allegations of Kagame Arrest Warrant
The Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal
for Rwanda (ICTR) on Friday rejected allegations that a French judge is
planning to call for an international arrest warrant against Rwandan President
Paul Kagame (...) (The Rwanda Newsline October
30, 2000)
Eyes
in the Sky: In Service of Humanity?
The U.S. Ambassador had a few
photos in her diplomatic bag. At first glance, the photos-depicting a
field where a large hole was being dug with an excavator and oblong objects
neatly lying next to the hole-were of little interest to the diplomatic
corps (...) (Imaging Notes September/October
2000 issue)
The
West Did Not Learn from Rwanda: Ill-Fated Peace Agreement
Seven years ago in the dusty Tanzanian town Arusha,
an optimistic international diplomatic corps witnessed that the government
in the small Central-African country Rwanda signed a peace agreement with
the rebel movement Rwandan Patriotic Front (....) (Danish daily Aktuelt
August 29, 2000, written in co-operation with Gunnar Willum)
World
Bank Awards Illegal Financing of Army: Uganda Encouraged to Pillage Congo
Uganda resorts to extra-budgetary financing of its
military by plundering gold- and diamondmines in neighboring Congo. The
World Bank, however, claims that Uganda is living up to donor conditions
of not spending more than 2 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product
on the military. Therefore Uganda has become the first country in the
world to be nominated for debt relief amounting to 2 billion dollars (Danish
daily Aktuelt June 17-18, 2000)
Foreign
Aid to Rwanda:
Purely Beneficial or Contributing to War?
Read how the Rwandan mafia,
known as the Akazu, uses foreign aid and Congolese resources to keep itself
in power. In my Candidate
Degree dissertation, I also document how official records prove
that Rwanda exports coltan, gold, and diamonds in volumes that are not
matched by its domestic production.
|
